ts were vouched
for as unquestionably authentic. Mr. Finney says:
"Mrs. Miller is the wife of a Congregational minister, and a lady of
unquestionably veracity. However the fact of her healing is to be
accounted for, her story is no doubt worthy of entire confidence, as we
have known her for years as a lame, suffering invalid, and now see her
in our midst in sound health. This instantaneous restoration will be
accounted for by different persons in different ways. Mrs. Miller and
those who were present regard the healing as supernatural and a direct
answer to prayer. The facts must speak for themselves. Why should not
the sick be healed in answer to the prayer of faith? Unbelief can
discredit them, but faith sees nothing incredible in such facts as are
stated by Mrs. Miller. Mrs. Miller's own statement is as follows, and it
is fully endorsed by the most reliable citizens and members of the First
church at Oberlin:
"From my parents I inherited a constitution subject to a chronic form of
rheumatism. In early life I was attacked with rheumatic weaknesses and
pains, which affected my whole system. For nearly forty years I was
subject to more or less suffering from this cause, sometimes unable to
attend meeting for months at a time. For seven years, until the last
three months, I have been unable to get about without the aid of crutch
or staff, generally both. I have used many liniments and remedies, but
with no permanently good result. I have been a Christian from early
life, but last Spring, in our revival, I received a spiritual refreshing
from the Lord, which gave a new impulse to my faith. Since then my
religion has been a new life to me.
"Last Summer, several of us Christian sisters were in the habit of
spending short seasons of prayer together, that the Lord would send us a
pastor. Some of our number had read the narrative of Dorothea Trudel,
and had spoken to me on the subject of healing in answer to prayer. My
faith had not then risen to this elevation. I had in fact accepted what
I supposed to be the will of God, and made up my mind to be a lame and
suffering invalid the rest of my life. I had long since ceased to use
remedies for the restoration of my health, and had not even thought of
praying in regard to it, for I regarded it as the will of God that I
should suffer in silent submission.
"Notwithstanding what had been said to me, I remained in this opinion
and in this attitude until the 26th of September,
|