I WOULD join heartily with the psalmist in the following words: “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
BROTHER AND SISTER PILQUIST AND FAMILY
Since I left Sin Iang Cheo in October last year, the Lord has permitted much sickness to come into our family. While on the journey here, I was taken sick with malarial fever, a disease which is very prevalent among the Chinese during this part of the year. The last day of my journey I was not able to sit up in the chair in which I was being carried, but was obliged to lie down on a bed, which was carried on bamboo poles by two men. During my sickness our younger daughter, Ellen, was also taken sick, and I spent many a long, dark night; for her sickness made it necessary for me to give her frequent attention. After a time she became convalescent, without the aid of any medicine or other human assistance.
My fever, however, continued persistently in spite of the fact that several times I took medicine to counteract the malarial poison. At last, however, I recovered my strength. But before this, my older daughter took sick with typhoid fever. Now, however, the Lord had sent us help in the sisters who had lately arrived, Mrs. Dr. Selmon, and the nurse, Miss Erickson, and they took care of my little girl, and God blessed the water treatment which they in love administered during a month’s time, so that she became well again. We were now all of us recovered.
I still, however, felt sick at heart, and there was considerable cause for this, but I did not then see my nakedness and blindness as described in Rev. 3:14-19, so that the Lord must again allow me to be prostrated not only on the sick bed, but on the death bed. The first part of January I was seized with a pain in my right side, which also caused distress in breathing, especially when I arose in the morning. The cause for this pain we traced to one night in Sin Iang Cheo in the fall of the previous year, when I got up to protect something from the rain that was beating into our room. It rained very hard almost incessantly all that summer, and the cottage in which we lived, with its wide, sheltering eaves, became very damp, even the brick floors in our private rooms, although these rooms were provided with large glass windows. The wind was so sharp from the many openings in this dark, queer Chinese house, that the draft affected me as I went about my daily duties in the home.
On Sabbath, January 9, I did not rise as usual, and the Lord gave me rest to both body and soul. The next day, however, I was up again, but was so sick that everything became black before my eyes, when I tried to perform my household duties; and I was taken with a chill which continued for a long time. The twelfth I was unable to rise, and Mrs. Dr. Miller came and examined me, and the result of this examination showed, as she believed, that I was suffering from a severe attack of pneumonia, but further examination revealed fully that I had quick consumption.
Sisters Miller and Erickson did all that human love can do for the sick, but their energetic water treatment seemed to do no good. From my childhood my constitution had not been strong, and my lungs were weak, and now I also suffered from insomnia and night sweats, which weakened me very much. On Sabbath, the sixteenth, I again enjoyed a good sleep, better than I had had for many days previously. I became emaciated rapidly, and the end seemed to be very near.
One day I drew my dear children to my bleeding mother heart, and wept bitterly at the thought of leaving them motherless in a strange land.
The nurse, Sister Simpson, stayed with me nights; for my husband was troubled with a very sore eye, so he could not watch by my bedside.
At the last moment, as it were, the Spirit of God enlightened me regarding my condition before God, and I saw that what I needed was a new heart. On the night preceding the twenty-second I had a glimpse of my sinful and uncharitable heart, and I felt the godly sorrow that leads to repentance. In the morning when Sister Erickson came in as usual, I asked her forgiveness, and requested her to ask the brethren and sisters to forgive me. I also called my husband to my side, and confessed to him, and asked his forgiveness. I asked my Chinese servant to forgive my impatience and coldness, and requested my husband to present my greetings of peace to all our Chinese brethren and sisters, and ask them to forgive me. All this took considerable of my strength, and the cold sweat stood on my brow.
I received forgiveness from God and man, and was very thankful for this, and by faith in the blood of Christ I experienced, as never before, the power of the gospel to create within me a new heart. The change was so real, and everything became so new and bright to me! The eternal truth of God became as a gold-mine of great blessing, and the Spirit reminded me of the promises of God, which are yea and amen in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah.
To the brethren and sisters I expressed a desire that on Sabbath, January 23, they should pray for and anoint me according to the instruction in James 5: 14-16. Sabbath afternoon they came into my room for prayers, and in our prayers and testimonies we expressed a desire that we might come into full and harmonious relationship with God, so that we might be clothed with the Holy Spirit in rich measure. My husband reminded us of the first year in China, when I became deathly sick, but was restored through the healing power of God. The brethren and sisters prayed for my restoration, and we felt the presence of Jesus and his angels, and experienced a rich measure of the Holy Spirit.
The previous night I had perspired more than usual, and my voice became so weak that the sister who was taking care of me, told the other missionaries in the house the following morning, “It is impossible that she can be healed.” The night, however, had been a pleasant one for me; for I had experienced the presence of Jesus. The Great Physician had been with me, with his life-giving, divine power, and had healed me, yes, he redeemed my life from the grave.
Sabbath morning, the twenty-third, dawned with salvation to the glory of the Creator, the day on which Jehovah, through Jesus Christ, finished his work of creation; and “God blessed the seventh day [not the first], and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and15made.” It was the same day on which our beloved Saviour rested, and on which he healed the sick, and saved sinners through the power of his preaching,—a day which above the six working days is especially blessed for those who keep it holy, and are willing to live up to all the light that God in Christ lets shine upon their pathway, so that he alone may be glorified and exalted in everything. This day began in paradise, and in Hebrews 4 the Lord says that a Sabbath of rest remains for the people of God to enjoy in the restored paradise on the new earth.
My little daughter came to my bed, and together we sang two stanzas of a Sabbath hymn. At the close, Sister Erickson came in as usual to ascertain how my fever was. When she took the thermometer from my mouth, I remarked, “Normal. It can not be otherwise, because Jesus has been with me. Praise his holy name, he is here.” Rejoicing, she ran out of the room, and told the news to the others. In the name of Jesus I arose from my bed and stood on my feet, and dressed myself. I then went out into the adjoining room, and was heartily welcomed by my husband and by two bright children’s faces.
Although I already was healed, the Spirit did not forbid us from following the instruction in James 5, and so the brethren and sisters anointed me, and together we continued in prayer, thanksgiving, testimony, song, and music to the glory of God, and we were all filled with the Holy Spirit.
My dear reader, are you experiencing the same wonderful power of love? Jesus loves all, and he is no respecter of persons. His mission to save sinners and to heal disease is more comprehensive now than when he was here on earth; for he “will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” The reason we see so little of this wonderful manifestation is that so few go to the Saviour for divine help, which he is always willing and anxious to give. When you feel yourself deprived of everything, and when you go to him who has all power in heaven and earth, you may be assured that he “shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Join with me in praising the Lord, and let us extol his holy name.
