lin spike hanging, I jerked my right arm
and took hold, and struck the point four times about a quarter of an
inch deep into the skull of that man that had hold of my left arm.
[One of the Frenchmen then hauled the marlin spike away from him.] But
through GOD'S wonderful providence! it either fell out of his hand, or
else he threw it down, and at this time the Almighty GOD gave me
strength enough to take one man in one hand, and throw at the other's
head: and looking about again to see anything to strike them withal,
but seeing nothing, I said, 'LORD! what shall I do now?' And then it
pleased GOD to put me in mind of my knife in my pocket. And although
two of the men had hold of my right arm, yet GOD Almighty strengthened
me so that I put my right hand into my right pocket, drew out the knife
and sheath, ... put it between my legs and drew it out, and then cut
the man's throat with it that had his back to my breast: and he
immediately dropt down, and scarce ever stirred after."--I have
slightly abridged Lyde's narrative.

There is an immense literature relating to answers to petitional
prayer. The evangelical journals are filled with such answers, and
books are devoted to the subject,[316] but for us Muller's case will
suffice.

[316] As, for instance, In Answer to Prayer, by the Bishop of Ripon and
others, London, 1898; Touching Incidents and Remarkable Answers to
Prayer, Harrisburg, Pa., 1898 (?); H. L. Hastings: The Guiding Hand, or
Providential Direction, illustrated by Authentic Instances, Boston,
1898(?).

A less sturdy beggar-like fashion of leading the prayerful life is
followed by innumerable other Christians. Persistence in leaning on
the Almighty for support and guidance will, such persons say, bring
with it proofs, palpable but much more subtle, of his presence and
active influence. The following description of a "led" life, by a
German writer whom I have already quoted, would no doubt appear to
countless Christians in every country as if transcribed from their own
personal experience. One finds in this guided sort of life, says Dr.
Hilty--

"That books and words (and sometimes people) come to one's cognizance
just at the very moment in which one needs them; that one glides over
great dangers as if with shut eyes, remaining ignorant of what would
have terrified one or led one astray, until the peril is past--this
being especially the case with temptations to vanity and sensuality;
that