Letter from Bro. Cornell.
By M. E. Cornell
BRO. SMITH: The last five weeks, has been a time of severe affliction with us. First I was taken down with fever which lasted about ten days. In answer to prayer the fever was instantly rebuked and I began to recover from that time. My wife, with feeble health, had been worn all out with caring for me, and while thus reduced, she was taken with the typhoid fever, which has now run twenty-seven days. She is now very low. Several days she lay, as all supposed, at the point of death. She has had no relish for any kind of nourishment since she was taken. By constant application of water on the head the fever was kept from settling on the brain. She was too weak in the beginning to endure a thorough course of water treatment, so we could not expect to break up the fever. We knew that to take the drugs of physicians would be in this case certain death. We therefore did what we could to supply conditions, and give nature a chance to throw off the disease. But our main dependence was the prayer of faith, and by the mercy of God, my dear wife is still spared. It was on the Sabbath, when we had given up all hopes of her recovery, there was suddenly a change for the better. I now learn by letter that this was the very day that our affliction was publicly made known to the church at Battle Creek, and their prayers requested in our behalf. Earnest prayer has prevailed. The Lord be praised. To be thus afflicted, over a thousand miles from relatives and old personal friends, among comparative strangers, has been a keen trial to us, but no doubt it is for our good. We are at the house of Bro. Stockbridge Howland. Friends here are very kind to us. We hope to appreciate the kindness and sympathy shown us at this Christian home. The words of sympathy we have received from several at Battle Creek have been a great comfort to us. We now think the crisis is passed. The fever is gradually abating, and her recovery does not appear so doubtful, though it will necessarily be very slow. Constant care and watching, has kept me quite feeble. I am still thirty pounds less than my usual weight. It will be some weeks before I shall be able to go out again into the hard labor of new fields. But I cannot be idle. Since our afflictions began, I have preached twelve times, and it is thought best that I should follow up the interest raised here by the tent meeting. Many are anxious to hear more. We want an interest in the prayers of the saints. The Lord is good. "Why art thou cast down, O, my soul. Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." We have been greatly cheered by a short visit with Bro. and Sr. White. They have gone on to their appointments, and we are praying for grace, that we may not murmur at our lot in being deprived of all their good meetings. Our address is Topsham, Maine. By last reports Sr. Cornell was considered out of danger.—Ed.