The meeting closed on Sunday evening, and on Monday afternoon after we had
packed our things ready for the next meeting, we took the case under
consideration and sought the Lord for wisdom as to what should be done, and
one of the company (George) obtained this promise: "God does not give us
the spirit of fear, but of love, of power, and of a sound mind." While we
were at prayer, the insane woman was down-stairs with a little girl, to
whom she remarked, "My prayers are up-stairs." She seemed in some way to be
conscious that something was being done for her benefit.
The woman for whom we had been praying had before her marriage been a
bright, intelligent teacher.
Before she became afflicted, she weighed 190 pounds, but at the time of
which we are speaking, she weighed only 110 pounds. I can not say
positively what was the cause of her insanity; but as near as I remember,
she wished to become a Christian, and as some of her relatives opposed, her
mind gradually became unbalanced. At the time she came to us for prayer,
they said she did not sleep for a whole hour during any night, but was
walking, talking, or moving about in some way.
As we waited on the Lord in her behalf, our souls were encouraged. We came
down-stairs, anointed the woman, prayed for her, and claimed the promises;
but when we arose from our knees, she was, so far as we could see, ten
times worse than before. We did not look at outward appearances, however,
but praised God and rested on his promises and counted him faithful in
fulfilling them.
That evening we went our different ways, but before we separated, we could
see a marked change in her for the better. My brother asked them to keep us
posted as to how she got along, and about a week later we received word
that she was much better and was improving rapidly. About six weeks
afterward, I think it was, they said there was scarcely any signs of her
insanity. She had resumed her duties as mother and housewife, and was
gaining flesh. Just a short time before this latter report, it was said
that upon the appearance of some little symptom of her former malady, one
of her relatives tried to make her take medicine. The brother who related
the story, said in his peculiar German way, that she "spitted it out and
wouldn't take it." So far as we have ever learned, the sister was fully
restored to health.
When we are earnestly looking to God in behalf of some one who needs help,
and he gives us a precious promise, it is undoubtedly our privilege and
duty to claim the promise and to be strengthened and encouraged thereby. If
God does not want to work in the case, doubtless he will not impress us
with a promise in this way. At such times we should not feel timid. God is
leading, and if we will move forward in faith as rapidly as he leads us, he
is sure to bring us off more than conqueror.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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