How an unwelcomed providence was finally understood

One morning a Christian farmer in Rhode Island put two bushels of rye in his wagon and started to the mill to get it ground. On his way to the mill he had to drive over a bridge that had no railings to the side of it. When he reached the middle of this bridge his horse, a quiet, gentle creature, began all at once to back. In spite of all this farmer could do, he kept on backing until the hinder wheels went over the edge of the bridge, and the bag of grain was tipped out and fell into the stream. Then the horse stood still.

Some men came to help the farmer. The wagon was lifted back, and the bag of grain was fished up from the water. Of course it could not be taken to the mill in that state. So the farmer had to take it home and dry it.

He had prayed that morning that God would protect and help him through the day, and he wondered what this accident had happened for. He found out, however, before long. On spreading out the grain to dry he noticed a great many small pieces of glass mingled in with it. If this had been ground up with the grain into the flour it might have caused the death of himself and family, But Jehovah-Jireh was on that bridge. He made the horse back and throw the grain into the water, to save the family from the danger that threatened them. --Henry T. Williams

From: UNUSUAL OCCURRENCES Compiled by Duane V. Maxey

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