God Delivers | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 25, 1864

God Delivers.

"ONE Sunday," says the Rev. Mr. Fletcher, "I went up into my pulpit, intending to preach a sermon which I had prepared for that purpose; but my mind was so confused, that I could not recollect either my text or any part of my discourse. I was afraid I should be obliged to come down without saying anything; but having recollected myself a little, I thought I should say something on the third chapter of Daniel, containing an account of the three children cast into the fiery furnace. I found in doing it, such an extraordinary assistance from God, that I supposed there must be some cause for it. I then stated to the congregation that if any one found any particular benefit, they should acquaint me with it the following week. In consequence of this, the Wednesday after, a woman came, and gave me the following account:

'I have been for some time much concerned for my soul. I have attended the church at all opportunities, and have spent much time in prayer. At this my husband, who is a butcher, has been exceeding enraged, and threatened me severely, if I dared to go to John Fletcher's church; yes, if I dared to go any more to any religious meeting whatever. When I told him I could not in conscience refrain from going at least, to our parish church, he grew quite outrageous, and swore dreadfully, if I went any more, he would cut my throat as soon as I came home. This made me cry mightily to God, that he would support me in that trying hour. And though I did not feel any degree of comfort, yet having a sure confidence in God, I determined to go on in my duty, and leave the event to him.

""'Last Sunday, after many struggles with the Devil and my own heart, I came down stairs ready for church. My husband asked whither I was going. I told him. Well then, said he, I shall not as I intended cut your throat; but I will heat the oven, and throw you into it the moment you come home. Notwithstanding this threatening, which he enforced with many bitter oaths, I went to church, praying all the way that God would strengthen me to suffer whatever might befall me. While you were speaking of the three children whom Nebuchadnezzar cast into a burning fiery furnace, I found it all belonged to me, and God applied every word of it to my heart. And when the sermon was ended, I thought if I had a thousand lives, I could lay them all down for God. I felt my soul so filled with his love, that I hastened home, fully determined to give myself to whatsoever God pleased: nothing doubting, but that he would either take me to Heaven if he suffered me to be burnt to death, or that he would in some way deliver me, even as he did his three servants that trusted in him. When I got almost to my own door, I saw the flames issuing out of the mouth of the oven; and I expected nothing else, but that I should be thrown into it immediately. I felt my heart rejoice, that if it were so, the will of the Lord would be done. I opened the door, and to my utter astonishment, saw my husband upon his knees, wrestling with God in prayer for the forgiveness of his sins. He caught me in his arms, and earnestly begged my pardon, and he has continued diligently seeking God ever since.'

"I now know," adds Mr. Fletcher, "why my sermon was taken from me, namely, that God might thus magnify his mercy."