ELDER PHILLIPS IN NEED OF A HAT—BROTHER HOBBS TOLD IN A DREAM TO PROVIDE ONE FOR HIM—HIS TROUBLE AT NOT BEING ABLE TO DO SO—THE HAT PROVIDED IN AN UNEXPECTED MANNER.

The following incident in the life of Elder Thomas Phillips, of Scipio, shows how mindful the Lord is of His servants, even in what may be deemed small things. We will give it in Brother Phillips' own words.

"I have witnessed the providences of the Lord in various ways, while traveling without purse or scrip, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, and have realized that to such, when faithful, the Lord has manifested His loving kindness, and that His watchful care over them is sensible to their understanding.

"One item, although it may appear small, is of particular interest to me. It is as follows:

"I was traveling in the towns and villages in a part of the County of Surrey, England, preaching the gospel as revealed from the heavens through the ministry of holy beings. Under these circumstances, food and raiment were sometimes hard to obtain; consequently, at one time I had a hat that was very much the worse for wear.

"In a village called Hersham, in that county, lived a brother by the name of William Hobbs, whose house at I sometimes visited, and received food and lodgings.

"One night Brother Hobbs dreamed that a personage came to him and told him that Brother Phillips would be at his house on a certain day, naming the time, which I think was four or five days from the time he dreamed. He was further told that he must get a new hat for Brother Phillips; for the one he wore was very shabby.

"This dream was very much impressed on the mind of Brother Hobbs, and troubled him sorely, for it found him without money and some miles from any town where he could buy a hat.

"Brother Hobbs was the overseer of a small number of men, whose work was to keep some miles of railroad in repair for the safety of the trains.

"When the day came that I was to be at his house in the evening, he went to his work very low-spirited, not having obtained the hat. While at work on the track, a long train of cars came along, and when passing the place where Brother Hobbs and his hands were at work, a hat, suitable for the finest gentleman in the land, flew out of one of the windows.

"Brother Hobbs shouted, 'That's the hat for Brother Phillips! Thank God!'

"When Brother Hobbs came home in the evening, I was there, it being the time specified in the dream.

"He walked up to me and said:

"'Brother Phillips, I was to give you a hat, and here it is.'

"To our surprise, it fitted me well.

"As a matter of course I was anxious to know who was so thoughtful for an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and, in answer to my questions, Brother Hobbs told me the dream.

"Then I knew, and still know, that the providences of our Heavenly Father were, and are, working in favor of the servants and Saints of the Most High."