Call to Travel
63
Like a tender father he tried to encourage and comfort me, bidding me
believe I was not forsaken by the Friend of sinners.
I felt too weak and despondent to make any special effort for
myself, but my heart united with the petitions of my friends. I cared
little now for the opposition of the world, and felt willing to make
every sacrifice if only the favor of God might be restored to me. While
prayer was offered for me, the thick darkness that had encompassed
me rolled back, and a sudden light came upon me. My strength was
taken away. I seemed to be in the presence of the angels. One of these
holy beings again repeated the words: “Make known to others what I
have revealed to you.”
One great fear that oppressed me was that if I obeyed the call of
duty, and went out declaring myself to be one favored of the Most
High with visions and revelations for the people, I might yield to
sinful exaltation and be lifted above the station that was right for me
to occupy, bring upon myself the displeasure of God, and lose my own
soul. I had before me several cases such as I have here described, and
my heart shrank from the trying ordeal.
[65]
I now entreated that if I must go and relate what the Lord had
shown me, I should be preserved from undue exaltation. Said the
angel: “Your prayers are heard and shall be answered. If this evil
that you dread threatens you, the hand of God will be stretched out to
save you; by affliction He will draw you to Himself and preserve your
humility. Deliver the message faithfully. Endure unto the end, and you
shall eat the fruit of the tree of life and drink of the water of life.”
After recovering consciousness of earthly things, I committed
myself to the Lord, ready to do His bidding whatever that might be.
Providentially, the way opened for me to go with my brother-in-law
to my sisters in Poland, thirty miles from my home. I there had an
opportunity to bear my testimony.
For three months my throat and lungs had been so diseased that I
could talk but little, and that in a low and husky tone. On this occasion I
stood up in meeting and commenced speaking in a whisper. I continued
thus for about five minutes, when the soreness and obstruction left my
throat and lungs, my voice became clear and strong, and I spoke with
perfect ease and freedom for nearly two hours. When my message was
ended, my voice was gone until I again stood before the people, when
the same singular restoration was repeated. I felt a constant assurance