p. 196 | S. S. BARTLETT by S. S. BARTLETT

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 2, 1867

S. S. BARTLETT

By S. S. BARTLETT

“WERE THERE NOT TEN CLEANSED? YET WHERE ARE THE NINE?”

While reading in No. 1, current Vol. of Review, a few remarks from Bro. Waggoner on the Health Reform, I was forcibly reminded of my own remissness in giving God the glory for the great benefits I have received in living out this important truth. I accordingly send an account of my own experience in this respect, hoping that it may incite others to go and do likewise.

Two years ago we were an afflicted family. We had disposed of our home in Wis. and removed to Iowa, but were not permanently located there. At the time of our leaving Wis. I had just recovered from a severe illness which left me so feeble that I could hardly get about the house. My health had been very poor for many years, and this last illness had completely prostrated my strength. My journey invigorated me somewhat, but I still remained feeble, and seemed slowly sinking to the grave. My little girl, three years of age, was also very delicate. She had always been subject to attacks of croup and ulcerated sore throat, and her last attack had left her with an exhausting diarrhea. I used simple remedies until my skill was exhausted, but all to no purpose. I watched her slowly fading away, and felt myself utterly powerless to arrest the disease. At length it assumed an alarming type. She sank rapidly. I was in great perplexity. I had long before lost all confidence in drugs, and the laws of Hygiene as applied to disease I understood but very imperfectly. One day I noticed a change had come over her. In alarm I hastened to my nearest neighbor; she advised me to send for a physician. I did so, and hastened home. As I entered, little Florence was sitting in her father's arms, her head sunk upon her breast, her eyes nearly closed, the death look already settling upon her pallid face. I spoke to her but she answered me not. I tried to arouse her but in vain. Hastily we applied water remedies and she revived, but only to sink again. Soon the physician came. He encouraged us to hope, and administered remedies, but could not come again as he was going to leave next morning for a distant city. She remained all night in a death-like slumber. The next morning we were again perplexed. The medicine did not have the desired effect. Anxiously we watched over her during the day until toward night she sank apparently into the arms of death. We dispatched a messenger for a physician who lived several miles away. He sent us word that it would be in vain for him to come as the child would probably be dead before he could arrive. Oh, the anguish

of my heart then! She was all that I had, and without her, oh, how dark the world would be.

My spirits were greatly depressed by feeble health and constant care and anxiety, and at this time we were without a home and in a land of strangers. How many times during that eventful night did I pour out my burdened soul to Him who “slumbereth not nor sleepeth.” How many times did I go out and look up to the tranquil sky and peacefully shining stars, while oh, what a tempest was in my soul. At length I grew calm. Sweet, holy, peace settled down into my heart. I knelt by the cradle of my child; gazed fondly upon the little wasted form, the marble face, the upturned half-closed eyes, and there I consecrated myself anew to God. I gave him my child; I gave him myself, praying that he would take me and mould me into his image. How I longed to become pure and holy. But how could I become thus? We had kept the Sabbath for more than three years, yet with regard to the other truths connected with the third angel's message, we were almost wholly in the dark. We knew but little of the S. D. Adventist people, yet we believed they were the people of God. We had heard that Bro. and sister White were at the head of this work, and we accordingly resolved that as soon as our child was laid away to rest we would go to Battle Creek and there become acquainted with the truth. But with the morning came a change. Our child revived. God gave us back our treasure from the grasp of the destroyer. How we blessed the glorious Giver! For a little time she seemed better, and then again she sank. Thus for several weeks she vibrated between life and death. We employed two physicians but all in vain. In the mean time my husband was taken ill with neuralgia in the eyes, and was almost blind for weeks. At length we resolved that we would go to the Health Institute at Dansville, N. Y., and there endeavor to regain our health. We did so, going to Battle Creek on our way. To our great disappointment Bro. and sister White were absent, but we found a home and kind friends at Bro. U. Smith's. Here we obtained books and pursued our journey to D. Arrived there the physicians gave us but little hope with regard to our child. But I was not disheartened. I trusted in God. I believed that in answer to our prayers he had directed us hither, and he had never said “seek ye in vain.” We put her on two meals a day, and those of the simplest kind. Graham biscuit, Graham pudding, fruits and vegetables, rice, a little milk and sugar, very little salt, constituted our principal food. We bathed her two or three times a week, every day at noon undressed and put her to bed for an hour and a half, and took her out daily in the open air. Under this treatment she gained rapidly, soon was able to run all about, but in proportion as she gained, I failed until I had hardly strength to stand or walk. Mrs. Dr. York encouraged me to persevere; said that changes for the better were going on in my system and I should soon grow better, and so I did.

The next spring (we went to D. in October) little Florence was taken very ill. Nature was making an effort to throw off disease and drugs with which her system was filled. She had a high fever with symptoms of convulsions, sore throat, coughed badly, her face at times unnaturally swollen, and vomited matter which was perfectly black. At this time we were living in the village three-quarters of a mile from the Cure. In great perplexity we sent to the Cure for advice. They deemed her symptoms alarming, said they could not possibly attend to her so far away, and advised us to put her under the care of a Homeopathic physician. Mrs. Y. however gave us some general directions if we preferred to trust to nature's remedies. With a deep sense of my weakness, I went to my heavenly Father, claiming the promise, If any lack wisdom let him ask of God, &c., I felt strengthened and resolved to trust to God and nature. We gave her packs to reduce the fever, frequent enemas to cleanse the stomach and bowels and subdue inflammation, kept her head constantly wet in cold water, had her bed and room well aired every day, and when the weather was fine we wrapped her up and took her out daily in the open air. At length nature gained the victory and she recovered to the surprise of all. To God I gave all the glory. The next summer nature again rallied for a final conflict with disease and drugs which still lurked in her system. She was taken ill with bloody dysentery which was then raging fearfully in the village. Again in the arms of faith I carried her to the great Physician. She was very ill and wasted rapidly. I relied wholly on nature's remedies, air, water, sunlight, rest. Whenever I was in doubt or perplexity I went to God, praying for guidance, and, blessed be his name, my prayers were abundantly answered. Back to my arms again she came from the power of the enemy; and now her system seemed entirely renovated. Since that time she has been almost uniformly healthy, her tendency to croup and sore throat has passed, and she is now in full health and vigor, a living witness to the triumphs of the Health Reform.

I might speak of its good effects upon myself and husband, which though less marked, were none the less real; but fear I have lengthened this article too much already.

S. S. BARTLETT

Holly, Mich.