Page:Signswondersgodw0000wood.djvu/32

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Signs and Wonders

nderful plan of redemption to a dying world. Dear readers, will you not give up all and follow Jesus, and meet me in that beautiful land where sorrow will never come?

I do praise God for his loving kindness to me in always raising up the best of Christian friends in my behalf. In all my sickness and trouble the ministers and people came from the different churches in the town and had prayer-meeting in my room. They prayed in the churches for my recovery. I was willing to die and leave my little girl and boy, feeling that God would care for them, but the work God was calling me to do, loomed up before me. All these years God had been preparing me—for I was not willing. I felt like a worm in his sight. It seemed impossible for me to undertake the work for the salvation of souls; but the time had come to promise or die. I promised God that if he would restore my health, and prepare me, and show me the work, I would try to do it; I began to get better immediately.

We then moved to a Friend's settlement, and they came and took me to church. They had glorious meetings. God seemed to say to me, "I brought you here; go to work." Now the struggle commenced: I was very timid, and bound as with chains in a man-fearing spirit. When I arose to testify I trembled like a leaf, and began to make excuses—"O God, send some one else!" Then the Lord in a vision caused me to see the bottomless pit open in all its horror and woe. There was weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth. It was surrounded by a great multitude of people who seemed unconscious of their danger, and without a moment’s warning they would tumble into this awful place. I was above the people on a narrow plank-walk, which wound up toward heaven ; and I was exhorting and pleading with the people to come upon the plank and escape that awful place. Several started. There was.a beautiful bright light above me, and I was encouraging them to follow that light and they would go straight to heaven.

This vision left quite an impression on my mind. When the Spirit of God was striving with me to talk or pray in meeting, I would resist as long as I could. Then this awful vision would rise before me, and I would see souls sinking into eternal woe. The voice of Jesus would whisper, "I am with you; be not afraid." Then I would be on my feet or knees in a moment. I would forget everything but the love of God and dying souls. God seemed to