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Child Guidance
One Who Requested Prayer for Healing—My husband and I
once attended a meeting where our sympathies were enlisted for a
brother who was a great sufferer with the phthisic. He was pale and
emaciated. He requested the prayers of the people of God. He said that
his family were sick, and that he had lost a child. He spoke with feeling
of his bereavement. He said that he had been waiting for some time to
see Brother and Sister White. He had believed that if they would pray
for him, he would be healed. After the meeting closed, the brethren
called our attention to the case. They said that the church was assisting
them, that his wife was sick, and his child had died. The brethren had
met at his house and united in praying for the afflicted family. We were
much worn and had the burden of labor upon us during the meeting
and wished to be excused. I had resolved not to engage in prayer for
anyone, unless the Spirit of the Lord should dictate in the matter....
That night we bowed in prayer and presented his case before the
Lord. We entreated that we might know the will of God concerning
him. All we desired was that God might be glorified. Would the
Lord have us pray for this afflicted man? We left the burden with the
Lord and retired to rest. In a dream the case of that man was clearly
presented. His course from his childhood up was shown, and that if
we should pray, the Lord would not hear us; for he regarded iniquity in
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his heart. The next morning the man came for us to pray for him. We
took him aside and told him we were sorry to be compelled to refuse
his request. I related my dream, which he acknowledged was true. He
had practiced self-abuse from his boyhood up, and he had continued
the practice during his married life, but said he would try to break
himself of it. This man had a long-established habit to overcome. He
was in the middle age of life. His moral principles were so weak that
when brought in conflict with long-established indulgence, they were
overcome....
Here was a man debasing himself daily and yet daring to venture
into the presence of God and ask an increase of strength which he had
vilely squandered, and which, if granted, he would consume upon his
lust. What forbearance has God! If He should deal with man according
to his corrupt ways, who could live in His sight? What if we had been
less cautious and carried the case of this man before God while he
was practicing iniquity, would the Lord have heard? Would He have
answered? “For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: