Amy Carmichael :: Nor Scrip—6. Court Fees

There was a time when we had to fight battles in the Court, to save a child from the power of a mother so wicked that after bearing with her for years her village, not too particular where such things are concerned, had burnt her house down and turned her out.

We lost our case however (in the District Court), and the Judge decreed that we were to pay costs all round.

Three weeks before the bill was sent in, a man in London, manager of a well-known business house, was wakened and caused to understand that he was to send a cheque to us next day. He was also caused to pray for us very earnestly, and having committed us, with full assurance that help and comfort had reached us, he slept again.

Next morning when he went to the City he was reminded of that word that had come to him in the night. 'My days were an awful rush and once in the vortex it was almost impossible to stop. Immediately I got to my room, before taking off my hat and top coat or even putting my umbrella in the stand, I pressed the bell for the chief cashier and another for my typist. They arrived almost together and I said, "Let me know what is in hand for Dohnavur and bring the cheque book with you." While he was gone I dictated the letter to you, which was something to the effect that it had been laid on my heart to send a cheque for what was in hand, and that I had been concerned and had been praying, and was now at rest. Your reply which came in about six weeks told that the case had been decided against you, and that you had to pay costs on both sides, and that the cheque was the exact sum, to the rupee, to pay the bill of costs.' I was not free then to tell the greater comfort of the hour-it was that just as that man prayed, help came, the Courts of Heaven reversed the order of the Courts of earth and the child was saved.

That battle story is an old tale now. The letter copied here came only the other day, something had recalled it to the writer's mind and he told me for the first time what I have now set down. A coincidence? Perhaps so, but by whose ordering? Of what nature? And how very good to experience. Would that all the Lord's people had such coincidences upon every difficult day of life. Truly, as the mother of two whom we hope to welcome soon writes in a recent letter, 'Is there anything more helpful than just to find out what more He can do?'