engaged the
door of the room was opened, and a person entered and knelt between us,
but who he was, or the purpose of his visit we knew not until we had
ended our prayer, at which time the person spoke and requested us to
continue praying for him.
At the conclusion of the service, the question was mooted how he came
there. His reply was in substance as follows: "When standing on a stoop
on the corner of Fourth and Congress streets, cogitating which way I
should go, I was impressed by a voice within which directed my course to
the Conference Room. I debated with the impression, taking the position
that it being noon no meeting was then in progress. Still the impression
remained, and could not be removed. Noticing this, I gave way to the
voice and here I am." Neither of the three thus brought together could
doubt for a moment that our prayer for this brother was answered. His
joy was great in view of being thus called from his delinquency to share
in the fullness of his Savior's love.
"Another instance in the experience of the writer very clearly shows the
power and worth of prayer. About the year 1840, in the Autumn thereof,
he experienced a lack of vital, spiritual energy. This had been of
months' continuance, but to his joy, culminated after retiring to rest.
After this manner, before sleep overcame him, he was impressed to
present his case before the mercy-seat. To do so he arose from his bed,
retired to a quiet part of his home and bowed in prayer, seeking to
occupy the entire night if need be in prayer for the bestowal of the
Holy Spirit, and the consequent revival influences of other days. This
season of prayer was of short continuance; but not by reason of
disrelish for the exercise, but because my prayer was answered and a
complete breaking away of the previous hindrances to my spiritual
enjoyment. Since the event alluded to, now more than thirty-six years, I
have not been afflicted by doubts, and counsel brethren and sisters not
to allow themselves to be made unhappy by this evil to our spiritual
progress."
LIFE SPARED FOR TWO WEEKS.
"On the 8th of January, last, I was called upon to visit a dying man in
Jersey City, whom the doctors had said could not live but a few hours. I
found him in severe bodily sufferings and a terrible agony of mind. He
had lived a moral and upright life in the eyes of the world, but
careless and neglectful of all religious duties, and now with eternity
before him he felt
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