EXPERIENCES OF SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL HELAING.
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.
Troy, N.Y., May 27, 1882.
My Der Miss Judd:
For several
months I have been wishing to send you a word of encouragement and sympathy.
Surely we who believe heartily in physical healing by faith, have encouragement
enough in the daily increasing number of those who are healed, but oh! How
constantly are our hearts burdened by the unsympathetic attitude of those many
earnest Christians of “little faith” whose pronounced favor would so greatly
increase our influence in bringing the Church back to her Apostolic faith in a perfect
Saviour, of the body a well as of the soul. God grant the Holy Spirit may heal
them of their spiritual blindness, giving them the same child-like faith in the
miracle of healing by Divine Grace as they have in the Miracle of Regeneration
by Divine Grace.
Several years ago
I received a copy of “The Prayer of Faith.” It made a lasting impression on my
mind. Last December, while pursuing my studies at the Auburn Theological Seminary,
I became crippled by the return of an old enemy, Synovitis (white swelling).
This disease is so well known that I need not describe it. It is enough that it
had become chronic with me. After suffering ten days with this trouble, I was
led, at the suggestion of a Christian lady, to consider the possibility of a
faith cure. My friends (with two exceptions) ridiculed the idea of throwing
away my medicines and trusting the Lord to cure me without natural means, but
the gospel message kept ringing in my ears. We were alone in my room, the Holy
Spirit, the Evil One and myself, and for about two hours the wrestling in my
soul between the powers of Darkness and Light was very fierce. Every time I
assented to the arguments of Satan (which are one and the same with the
so-called arguments of Reason or Common Sense, advocated by the mass of Theologians,
Practical Christians and Physicians) a feeling of shame took such
complete possession of my soul that I could not but believe something
was wrong. Suddenly it flashed upon me, “Am I grieving away the Holy Spirit, my
God and Saviour?” God forbid. My faith was increased. Surely the Holy Spirit must
work the works of Him that sent Him, not because I wanted to be well, but for
the glory God, for the increase of my Faith, for the shame of unbelievers. I
arose from my couch, washed all the medicine off my knee with warm water, and
in the face of advice rom the wisest and best of those around me, attended my
recitations. I considered my cure certain, not daring to doubt the supernatural
suggestion of such a course of conduct. I suffered much in a consequence of the
use of my knee during the remainder of that day, and at night when, on
retiring, one of my friends called to see how it looked under the “new
treatment,” I can hardly wonder at his laughing remark, “I guess the Lord isn’t
going to cure that knee;” to which I replied, “I expect it will be well
in the morning.” Laying my sins and my infirmities on Him whose word cannot
fait, and who is the same, yesterday, today and forever, the same in this
faithless generation as in the apostolic age, I retired, hopeful for the
morrow, yet willing to await His own time. Surely He who knows me best should
choose for me. After an unusually refreshing rest, I arose in the morning, perfectly
restored. The swelling had entirely gone form my knee (which the night before
was very large), and I walked easily and naturally without the slightest pain.
“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” You will see form this brief
and hastily written statement, what my word of encouragement is and why I
delight to sympathize with you in your work for the Master,
Sincerely
thanking God for the great work He is accomplished through your consecrated
life,
Believe me, most cordially,
Your Brother in Christ,
Lansing Van Schoonhoven.
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