EXPERIENCES
OF SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL HEALING.
Bless the Lord,
O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities;
Who healeth all thy diseases. -Psa. ciii:23.
Callicoon Depot, N.Y.
July 10, 1881
July 10, 1881
My
Dear Miss Judd:
The
Lord has dealt with me in pitying mercy and not in judgment, blessed be His
holy name, and I feel that I ought to tell of His loving kindness toward me,
for the purpose of strengthening others who are “almost persuaded” to take Christ
for their Physician as well as their Saviour and friend.
In
the fall of 1876 I had a severe attack of malarial fever, and though taking too
much exercise during convalescence, I had a relapse, accompanied with hemorrhages.
This affected my lungs, and for the past five years I have had consumption,
being prostrated and brought close to death’s door many times by severe hemorrhages.
I tried all that physicians or climatic change could do, but all in vain. I
spent one winter in Florida, and came home to New York only to have a relapse,
spending three months in St. Luke’s hospital in consequence.
Last
October I had another relapse which confined me to my bed until spring, and in
February, finding myself rapidly sinking, I again entered St. Luke’s hospital,
as I thought, to die. But the Lord has compassion upon me, and spared me; I
rallied somewhat, but the doctors gave me no hope. It was at this time that a
dear friend in Christ spoke to me about taking Jesus for my Physician. He gave
me a little book describing Karl Andres and his work of faith in London, and my
own faith became strong that Jesus could cure me, but I kept one stumbling
block-I kept saying, “Will He?” instead of asking Him to do it if it were His
will. I also read Dr. Cullis’ book, and finally wrote him. He answered,
appointing April 19th for special prayer that I might be healed. On
that day I went into my room alone and prayed that God would work His will on
me and save me for His service, or else take me home; and HE gave me an
evidence, through the Holy Spirit, that I should live to render praise to His
holy name. I felt so much better that I stopped using all medicine at one, and
left the hospital three days after prayer had been offered. Since then I have
steadily improved, and I am trusting Jesus for a complete cure.
I
have not had any miraculous experience of healing, but Jesus is doing for me
more than any earthly physician can. HE is giving me daily strength for daily
need, and He is healing my bodily infirmities in order that I may be a fit
dwelling for His Holy Spirit, the Comforter, whom He has sent to abide with me
forever; and my prayers go out for others who are afflicted that they may be
prompted to go to the “Great Physician”-“the sympathizing Jesus”-for relief.
I
want your prayers that I may be strengthened to go forward in the path that I
have chose. It may be rough and full of briars for a time, but we have the
blessed assurance “that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to
be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Norman F. Pierson.
