TESTIMONIES OF HEALING
1875-1881

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases. – Psa. 103:2-3.

My heart is very full of gratitude and love to God for His wonderful healing, and to Christian friends for their help and encouragement, and prayers. It was nine years ago, while engaged in teaching, that my health commenced to fail, though I continued to teach for more than a year, often obliged to be absent from school; then my health failed entirely.

I was able to sit up a very little, and could ride short distances, though not without great suffering and weariness. I remained in this condition until three years ago, when I grew a great deal worse, and since then have been confined to my bed, only sitting up for a few minutes to eat. I could bear very little company and no excitement. I can give you little idea of my condition and sufferings. I was obliged to lie on my side all of the time; could not use my arms at all, even to hold a book or paper. Physicians had given me up. I had the best here, and spent some time in Chicago, being treated by some of the most eminent ones there. I have had no physician for two years, and have taken very little medicine. After Mrs. E.’s healing she visited me and wrote to you for me. I felt very weak, and my faith seemed very small, but felt that if I could exercise faith and courage, I could do so better at her home. I was taken a distance of seven miles on a bed, God giving me strength to endure the ride.

Prayers were offered for me on Thursday evening, February 17, my friends at home observing the hour. After the hour of prayer I rose from the bed and walked a distance of four blocks. I suffered a good deal through the night, sleeping very little. Doubts and fears came to me, but with God’s help I was enabled to put them from me.

Since that time I have had no doubts and know that I was made entirely free from disease on that night. The next day I sat up an hour and a half, took a short ride and wrote a long letter. The second day I sat up four or five hours and took a short walk. The third day, Sunday, I attended church, and I am gaining strength all of the time. The pain has entirely left me. I feel and know I am perfectly well, and I expect very soon, with God’s blessing, to be real strong. I hope to persuade some other poor sufferers to go to the Great Physician. I feel very, very grateful to God, and trust He will guide me to some work that I can do for Him. I feel that this new health and strength He has given me should all be spent in His service.

I will not write any more. I fear that I have already wearied you with my long letter. I beg your pardon; but my heart is very full. May God bless you in your work.

Yours in Christ,
Mary I. Willett

A dear sister who is engaged in Gospel work in Europe has recently written us from Switzerland, and we publish the following extracts from her interesting letter:

DEAR SISTER IN CHRIST:
God is giving to my helpers, and myself, continual calls to anoint the sick, and He gives us to see healing where there is real faith, and no distinct hindrance.

A brother said yesterday, in a meeting, that we need to make the case of the possessed and suffering ones our own, as did the Syro-Phenician woman who cried, “Lord help me.” He told me also of an interesting case of a man who had epilepsy, who was led to pray for healing in the name of Jesus, with full faith that God could not refuse him. To his great surprise another fit followed; he prayed a second time with a similar result. Then he said to the Lord, “Lord, Thou knowest I am ready to suffer anything in which I can do Thy will and glorify Thee, and Thou hast told me that whatsoever I do I must do all in the name of Jesus. Now, Lord, if Thou sendest these fits in the name of Jesus, well; if not, I expect of Thee a full deliverance.”

Shortly after he felt that a fit was coming on and cried aloud, “In the name of Jesus.” The fit did not come on, and always since then, when it seemed likely that he should have another fit, he met it in the name of Jesus, successfully. Not one fit has come on since then. God be praised!

In the oneness of Christ’s Body,
Mrs. M. Baxter

In the summer of 1875, as a result, probably, of years of strain upon muscle and nerve in the care of children and invalids, besides the usual duties of a housekeeper, I found my health giving way. A constant hoarseness troubled me, succeeded soon by great fatigue in talking, indigestion, sleeplessness, loss of muscular power and of flesh, together with other distressing symptoms. I used remedies under different schools of practice for several months, without apparent improvement. Indeed, it seemed to myself and to my friends that I was losing ground constantly.

For many years I had heard at different times of cures in answer to prayer, and though I had no difficulty in believing them to be true, yet I had not thought of being cured, myself, in that way. I accepted the urgent invitation of a relative to visit her and see what change of air and rest might do for me, and remember wishing before I went that I might have one prayer offered for me by that man of faith, Dr. Charles Cullis, but I saw no way open for a journey to Boston, and, accompanied by my husband, I accomplished the journey to the home of my friend, only being able to sit up a little during the day.

I began the inhalation of oxygen under the direction of a physician in that city, but about four days after I was told that Dr. Cullis was in the place, and I felt that as I could not go to him the Lord had sent him to me. My husband went with me to see him. I told Dr. Cullis that I believed in God’s power and willingness to heal now, as when Christ was upon earth, but how could I know that it was His will to heal me? In reply the Doctor quoted Jas. 5:14, “Is any sick,” etc., and said, “The Lord doesn’t limit the promise, why should you?” I could not say why. He asked if I could give myself up, soul and body, without reservation into Jesus’ hands to be healed. I felt that I could, and the Doctor anointed me with oil in the name of the Lord and prayed for my restoration to health (Jas. 5:14, 15). I felt no positive faith myself, but was grateful for the prayer which Dr. Cullis offered for me.

On opening the Bible after the prayer my eye rested first on Luke 1:45 – “And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

As I searched the Word diligently I found more and more to prove that the God Who had forgiven my sins was equally able and willing to heal my diseases. I was enabled to believe before there was any evidence of healing, but I soon noticed an improvement. My friend also acknowledged that I was gaining. I was soon led to see that the Power that was healing me was not limited to place, and that it was my privilege to return to my family. I did so, and God honored His promise by a completion of the cure.

I have realized that Christ “Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses,” and that through faith in Him I may claim freedom from Satan’s power over my body as well as soul. I cannot express the comfort and joy which this experience of knowing God’s faithfulness has given to me. His promises have been made so real, and His presence is a source of power always to be relied upon for the daily need of soul and body.

- E. M. B.