REMARKABLE ANSWER TO PRAYER.
Word came to the Office in the morning of April 4th, that sister E. A. Pierce, wife of Bro. Henry Pierce, of this city, was very sick. She was then under the medical treatment of Miss M. N. Purple, popular in the city in her sphere as a physician, and who has shared more patronage from our brethren than all the other physicians in the city. At 10 A. M. sister Pierce had what was said to be an epileptic fit. She continued to have fits, about an hour between them, each one more distressing and frightful, until she had six. About 3 P. M. a request came to the Office for some of the brethren to visit the sick room, and, if they felt free, to pray for the recovery of sister Pierce. To neglect the request seemed heartless and unchristian, but to engage in prayer in the midst of agony, weeping, and confusion, while the sick was delirious, and under medical treatment, was a trying position for any Christian. Some of the brethren visited the sick family, but as we had suffered great depression of spirits all day (and hardly knew why), we declined going with them. At 7 P. M. Brn. Hull and Amadon called on us, and stated that sister Pierce was no better; that her fits were more frequent and severe, and that Miss Purple had stated in substance that no human agency could help her; that she must die unless God miraculously interposed; to which Bro. Pierce replied that he should call on the brethren to pray for his wife, and leave her in the hands of the Lord. From this time Miss Purple did nothing more for her, and stated before a number of persons that she would die. Brn. Hull and Amadon returned to the deeply-afflicted family without us, as we felt too gloomy to accompany them. After they left, a dream we had the night before flashed across the mind. We dreamed of flying through the air from place to place with ease, which we have frequently dreamed for the last fifteen years, always followed by signal blessings, either in preaching or praying, which we have regarded as fulfillments. With the remembrance of this dream, came also a strong impression that we should go to the house of Bro. Pierce. We went and found the above-mentioned brethren, and several others. They had had a season of prayer, and had decided to have a short season every thirty minutes during the night. They wished us to unite with them. We made an effort to rise above our sadness, and commenced to pray, when the dark cloud moved away, and we fully realized those sweet words of the poet—
> "There's not a cloud that doth arise,
> To hide my Saviour from my eyes." We were soon impressed that Satan had much to do with this case, and all present were of the opinion that it would compare with some of those demoniacal possessions mentioned in the New Testament. As the words of our Lord in the original commission were repeated—"And these signs shall follow them that believe. In my name," &c.,—they seemed to possess a power that language cannot express. As the brethren continued to pray, the words, "in my name," were often repeated in the triumph of living faith. Oh, how excellent, how mighty, how glorious that name appeared. In that name the power of Satan was rebuked by his humble servants, and sister Pierce, who had not slept for fifty hours, became quiet, and slept peacefully. When awakened, she recognized her husband and friends. She had no more fits, and enjoyed refreshing sleep. The scene of painful anxiety and anguish was changed to one of exceeding joy. The place we so much dreaded to enter had become, as it were, our Jerusalem, and we remained with the brethren, praying and rejoicing, till past midnight. Sister Pierce took no more medicine, and from that very hour that the prayer of faith was offered for her, she began to mend, and has recovered beyond the expectations of those of the strongest faith. The mighty Saviour has done this; not that sister Pierce was better than others, nor that his children should boast of their faith, but for his dear name's sake, and that his people should be humbled under a sense of his willingness and power to save them from the assaults of the Devil.