At five o’clock on Saturday, was due the debt of three hundred thalers to his scoffing and tantalizing money lender.  Three o’clock came, and still there was but six shillings eight pence in the till.  Where was his money to come from?  But Loest sat still, and “possessed his soul in patience” for he knew the Lord would choose the best time, and he desired to be found waiting and watching for the Lord’s coming.  The trial was severe.  It seemed hopeless, and if it should happen that, the creditor came and went away unsatisfied, his commercial character would be injured, his credit shaken, and his reputation severely suffer.  That last hour ran slowly on.  At a quarter to four, almost the last few moments of painful suspense, a little old woman came in, and asking for Mr. Loest, said to him half in a whisper, “I live here close by, quite alone, in a cellar, and I have had a few thalers paid me, and now I want to beg of you to be so good as to keep them for me.  I have not slept over night since I had them; it is a great charge for a lone woman like me.”

Loest was only too glad to accept the money, and offered interest, which she declined.  She hurried back, brought in her money, counted it out on his table, and there were just three hundred thalers, six rouleaux of fifty thalers each.

She had scarcely left the house, with her receipt in her pocket, ere the clerk of the creditor with his demand in his hand, rushed into Loest’s presence.  He received his three hundred thalers, and both parted speechless with amazement.

Loest was lost in wonder at the marvelous way and exactness of time in which the Lord delivered him, while the creditor was astonished thus to find Loest’s Mighty Friend had not failed him in his hour of need.

Thus in one short week, from a beginning of less than five thalers, God had so exactly supplied his business needs that he had paid all his obligations of two thousand six hundred thalers, saved him from failure, saved his honor and good name, and now all was peace.

The history of Loest and other providences which helped him in his business, are still further given more at length in a little book, “The Believing Tradesman,” from the records of the Religious Tract Society of Berlin.

This sketch illustrates the necessity of looking to God daily for help, and strength, and success, and deliverance in our business occupations as well as the concerns of our soul, and must effectively prove that those who use their business and the means from it to honor the good works of the Lord on earth, will be blessed on earth with the favor of the Lord.  It teaches the sublime lesson that money and prosperity are gifts from the Lord, and must be considered as such, acknowledged with thankfulness, and used to please the Giver.

Whenever the Christian learns to love the gift more than the Giver, the Lord takes it often away to remind him of his need of dependence upon Him.  But whenever the Christian loves the Giver because of His gifts, and spends his means again to please his Heavenly Father, he becomes the Father’s steward, and his lap is filled with bountiful blessings, such as one finds by true experience, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.”