r 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 _fear 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, '_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 _God's_ 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 ecstasy 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 death was swallowed 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