The Blind Restored to Sight
At the age of twenty years, a lady in Winchester, Iowa, began to lose her health, and in a short time was confined to her bed. And she writes: —” In addition to this I lost the use of my eyes, and was blind and helpless, a greater portion of my time for five years.
“I enjoyed the blessing of prayer and trust some six months before feeling a liberty to pray for the healing of my body; fearing I should desire it without due submission to God’s will. It was with faar and trembling that I first made known this request. Though my pleadings in this direction were earnest, and often agonizing, yet I could say with a fervor as never before, Not my will, but thine be done.’
“About the end of November, or early in December, 1873, I realized that my faith was perfect, that I was ready now to be healed, that my faith was momentarily waiting on God, resting without a doubt on the promises. From this time forward my faith remained fixed with but one exception. During the time between December, 1873, and July, 1874, I was healed to such an extent that I could walk some, and see more or less every day, though sometimes with only one of my eyes. A portion of this time I felt as though in a furnace of fire; but amid the flames I realized the presence of the Son of God, who said, ‘I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction,^ This for a time seemed an answer to my petition, and so thought it my life-work to suffer; for a while my faith became inactive, and I almost ceased praying for my health. Though I felt submissive, yet somehow I was soon crying, and that most instinctively, * Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.’ After this, my faith did not waver. Oh, the lesson of patience I learned in thus waiting on Gods good time. And with what comfort could I present my body an offering to Him, realizing that as soon as at all possible with His will, I should be healed; I had an assurance of this, but did not know whether it would be during life, or accomplished only at death.
“In this manner I waited before God until the morning of the 29th of July, when, without ecstacy of joy, or extra illumination, came a sense of the presence of Jesus, and a presentation of this gift, accompanied with these words: ‘Here is the gift for which you have been praying; are you willing to receive it? ’
“I at first felt the incoming of the Divine power at the parts diseased, steadily driving out the same, until lath was swal-ANSWERS TO PEATEE. l89
lowed up in victory. I at once arose from my bed, and proceeded to work about the house, to the great astonishment of my friends, some of whom thought me wild; but I continued my work, assuring them that Jesus had healed me. Realizing the scrutiny and doubt with which I was observed, I said to my father, ‘What do you think?’ He replied, *It is supernatural power; no one can deny it/
“My healing took place on Wednesday; on Saturday was persuaded to lie down, which I did, but found the bed was no place for me; thought of Peter’s wife’s mother, who * arose and ministered to them; ’ knew that to her, strength, as well as health, was instantly given, as in the case of the palsied man, who rose, took up his bed, and departed. I returned to my work, backing my experience with those in God’s word, and since then have not lain down during the day time.
“My friends could not realize the completeness of the cure, until I read a full hour, and that by lamp-light, and until asked to desist, the first opportunity after being healed.
“A week from this time, I discharged the hired girl, taking charge of the household work, which I have continued with perfect ease. About four weeks after my healing, had occasion to walk four miles, which I did with little or no weariness. Let me add to the praise of God, that I have no disease whatever. Am able to do more hard work with less weariness, than at any other period in my life, and faith in the Lord is the balm that made me whole,”
The ^A,”idow’s Shoes.
A poor woman — a widow with an invalid son — a member of the church, could not attend church, or the neighborhood prayer-meetings, for the want of shoes. She asked the Lord for the shoes. That very day the village school-master called in to see her son. Meanwhile he noticed that the boy*s mother had very poor shoes. He said nothing, but felt impressed, and inwardly resolved to purchase the poor woman a pair of shoes forthwith. He accordingly hired a horse, rode two miles on horseback to a shoe-store, bought the shoes, and requested them sent to the widow’s cottage without delay. They proved a perfect fit; and that very night the overjoyed woman hurried to the prayer-meeting to announce that in answer to prayer the Lord had sent her the shoes.
The young school-master, who, I suspect, was my informant himself, now a venerable, white-haired man, heard the poor woman’s testimony; and his pillow that night was wet with tears of gratitude and joy because Ood had used him that to Uess the poor widow, and to answer her prayers.