A Preacher and a Hen

By Harold Smith

God works in a mysterious way sometimes, boys and girls. One time in China, he used a hen. Mr. Chang was a Gospel preacher and he lived in a little village, and he was preaching. The communists, of course, were running the country, but they allowed him to preach the Gospel in his little Gospel hall. And one time, some Nationalist soldiers (they were not communists) came to the village - the communists wanted to kill them. But these soldiers wanted to find a place to stop all night, and they asked if they could sleep in the little Gospel hall. Well, Mr. Chang couldn't refuse them, so he let them spend the night in the hall. The communists found out and they put Mr. Chang in jail for harboring these Nationalist soldiers. When they try you and put you in jail, you are usually shot in the morning. Well, poor Mr. Chang knew that he'd likely be killed in the morning. But the day before the trial, Mrs. Chang and several Christians were in the Gospel hall praying for the release of Mr. Chang. Suddenly, a hen from the neighborhood came into the hall, cackling away. She had laid an egg right on the floor! It disturbed the prayer meeting so Mrs. Chang got up and caught the chicken and tied a string on its leg and attached a little note and attached ten cents to pay for the egg, and sent the hen home. Later, the lady that owned the village inn came down the street with a gentleman with a crowd of people behind and they arrived at the door of the Gospel hall. The lady said, "These are the Christians in here!" The gentleman said that he was a communist judge. "Mrs. Chang", he said, "Did you write this note and attach this ten cents to this hen to pay for that egg?" "Yes", said Mrs. Chang. Then the judge said, "This hen belongs to the lady who owns the inn where I'm staying". He then asked Mrs. Chang what she believed of Christianity and why she was so honest. "Well", Mrs. Chang said, "When I got saved the Lord not only forgave my sins, but He gave me a new nature, so I want to be honest with people". The judge couldn't understand that. He was so impressed, he said,"There will be no trial tomorrow for your husband. I'm going to release him, we'll forget the whole thing". How wonderfully God answered their prayers. This judge was impressed. They were praying from Psalm 50: "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" - Psalm 50:15. The Lord was glorified that day in the saving out of prison of that preacher.