A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE,
By B. F. C.
BRo. SMITH: Sabbath, Apr. 20, I was with the church at Mill Grove. Had a good meeting. Two were baptized, and added to the church, one of whom has had a remarkable experience. He is a young man of seventeen years. In February last, Bro. Saunders and myself gave a short course of lectures in that place. This young man was not a professor of religion, but was interested in the lectures, and was resolved to hear the whole course. He attended every meeting till, in the midst of our series, he was taken sick, and was obliged to leave the house during an evening meeting. We regretted this circumstance, as we knew he was deeply interested to hear the truth. His sickness was a severe attack of inflammation of the lungs. In about one week but little hope remained of his recovery. An eminent physician had been called from Buffalo, a distance of some fifteen miles or more, and when he left him, the evening before Sabbath, Feb. 16, it was evident that he had but little hope of seeing him again alive. He said his case was very precarious, that it was the next thing to congestion of the lungs, and that he was liable to die any moment. He intended to visit him again the next evening, but requested that if they had any chance to send him word how he was before that time, they would do so. The next morning our sick friend sent a request to our Sabbath meeting that we would come and pray with him. After meeting a number of the older brethren and sisters went to see him in compliance with his request. He had anxiously waited our arrival, and on our entering his room he said, "I am willing to glorify God by keeping his commandments." Having anointed him with oil in the name of the Lord, we engaged in prayer. He joined in the petition, calling on the Lord for himself. After prayer he said that one of his lungs felt right, but there was a little pain yet in the other; but said he, "I will trust that with the Lord; and now if you will bring my clothes I will get up." A brother assisted him in dressing, and led him out into an adjoining room. He desired something to eat, which was given him. It was evident that a great change had taken place in him, but he was still weak. But the strength of his faith was remarkable. He thought he should go to the meeting the next day. But the weather being inclement, it was thought best not to have him expose himself, as it might be imprudent. We left him, and as evening came on, his physician again visited him, and as he looked on his patient, he seemed perplexed at the great change that had taken place. He would walk about the room adjoining, as if in a study, then look through the door to his patient, as if he wished to observed how he appeared unobserved by him. He made inquiry whether he had had much company during the day, and was told what had been done. He thought we might have prayed for him without coming in, so as not to excite him when he was so weak. However, before he left, he said that he was much better, and that he considered him out of danger. This was a great change indeed to take place in twenty-four hours! The next Sabbath he met with the church, there to acknowledge what the Lord had done for him, not only in raising him up from the gates of death, but in putting a new song in his mouth, even praise to the name of the Lord. "O how happy are they, who their Saviour obey!" This happiness he enjoyed, and he desired to put on Christ by baptism, so that he might feel that he was one of the church, in whose society he delighted. On my late visit I found him in a field following the plow. He has now formally taken upon him the name of Christ; and may he, and also the sister that witnessed the same good confession, see the end of the Christian course, and meet with all the saints in the City of God.