Chapter 5—Answer to Prayer
The Lord has visited me again in great mercy. I have been greatly
afflicted for a few months past. Disease has pressed me heavily. For
years I have been afflicted with dropsy and disease of the heart. It has
had a tendency to depress my spirits, and destroy my faith and courage.
The message to the Laodiceans has not accomplished that zealous
repentance with God’s people I expected to see, and my perplexity
of mind has been great. Disease seemed to make continual progress
upon me, and I thought I must lie down in the grave. I had no desire
to live, therefore could not take hold of faith and pray for my recovery.
Often when I retired to rest at night, I realized that I was in danger of
losing my breath before morning. In this state I fainted at midnight.
Brn. Andrews and Loughborough were sent for, and earnest petitions
were offered to God in my behalf. The depression and heavy weight
were lifted from my aching heart, and I was taken off in vision, and
saw these things which I present before you.
I saw that Satan had been trying to drive me to discouragement
and despair, to make me desire death rather than life. I was shown that
it was not God’s will that I should now cease from the work, and lie
down in the grave; for then the enemies of our faith would triumph,
and the hearts of God’s children would be made sad. I saw that I
should often suffer anguish of spirit; that I should suffer much; yet I
had the promise that those around me would encourage and help me,
that my courage and strength might not fail while so fiercely buffeted
by the Devil.
I saw that the testimony to the Laodiceans applied to God’s people
at the present time, and the reason it has not accomplished a greater
work is because of the hardness of their hearts. But God has given
the message time to do its work. The heart must be purified from
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sins which have so long shut Jesus out. This fearful message will
do its work. When it was first presented it led to close examination
of heart. Sins were confessed, and the people of God were stirred
everywhere. Nearly all believed that this message would end in the
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