Chapter 9—Answers to Prayer
In the spring of 1845 I made a visit to Topsham, Maine. On one
occasion quite a number of us were assembled at the house of Brother
Stockbridge Howland. His eldest daughter, Miss Frances Howland, a
very dear friend of mine, was sick with rheumatic fever, and under the
doctor’s care. Her hands were so badly swollen that the joints could
not be distinguished. As we sat together speaking of her case, Brother
Howland was asked if he had faith that his daughter could be healed
in answer to prayer. He answered that he would try to believe that she
might, and presently declared that he did believe it possible.
We all knelt in earnest prayer to God in her behalf. We claimed
the promise, “Ask, and ye shall receive,”
John 16:24
. The blessing
of God attended our prayers, and we had the assurance that God was
willing to heal the afflicted one. One of the brethren present cried out,
“Is there a sister here who has the faith to go and take her by the hand,
and bid her arise in the name of the Lord?”
Sister Frances was lying in the chamber above, and before he
ceased speaking Sister Curtis was on her way to the stairs. She entered
the sickroom with the Spirit of God upon her, and taking the invalid
by the hand, said, “Sister Frances, in the name of the Lord arise, and
be whole.” New life shot through the veins of the sick girl, a holy faith
took possession of her, and obeying its impulse, she rose from her
bed, stood upon her feet, and walked the room, praising God for her
recovery. She was soon dressed, and came down into the room where
we were assembled, her countenance lighted up with unspeakable joy
[75]
and gratitude.
The next morning she took breakfast with us. Soon after, as Elder
White was reading from the fifth chapter of James for family worship,
the doctor came into the hall, and, as usual, went upstairs to visit his
patient. Not finding her there, he hurried down, and with a look of
alarm opened the door of the large kitchen where we were all sitting,
his patient with us. He gazed upon her with astonishment, and at
length ejaculated, “So Frances is better!”
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