The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-07


thought to the morrow, extending un-
grudging hospitality, praying, fasting and
doing all the works that He has asked as
evidence of the true and contrite heart.
'tAs I prayed there with the people
about me. and the motionless form on
the bed, there came into my mind as
though some kind angel whispered them
these words from the Gospel Of John:
Verify, verify, I say unto you. he
that beHeveth in me, the works that l
do he shall do also; and greater works
than these shall he DO; because l 90 unto
my Father And whatsoever ye shall ask
in my name, that win ] do, that the
Father may be gIorihed in the Son. If We
love me keep my commandments
- have kept Thy commandments I
said; I have believed in Thee. not with
the mere belief that there was once such
a man as Jesus Christ, but with all the
dread and awful significance Of the great
word belief" 1 believe not in Christ
as a historical parsonage, but as a pres
ent help in time of trouble
"And as I prayed thus there came to
me the consciousness that God was hear
ing me with the intent to grant my
prayer.
81 stood up beside that bed of death. 1
placed my hand on the brow of that wo-
man. cried with the perfect confidence
of faith and almost without volition on
my part.
In the name of Jesus of Nazareth,
Olive Mills, come back!
There was then no entreaty, no sup
plication for her to come back-it was
commanded-and she camel
I'm a little while her eyelids commenc-
ed to witch her lips TO futter her
heart to heave she was with US again.
In an hour she was sitting up in bed,
and a little after she was down in my
Office telling me her wonderful story.
had hardly dared to realize until then
that in reality this woman had been in
the hands of death.
In order that there may be no doubt
as to her opinion on this matter she has
written out this statement"
Evangelist Sanford took from his pocket
several closely written sheets. The state
ment is as follows:
81 think it was in 1855 that I first heard
of persons being healed of diseases in
answer to the prayer of faith. 1 was soon
afterward healed by the power of God.
The question kept coming to me, What
would you do if you were dreadfully sick
and there was danger of your dying?
Would you trust him above every other
physician?
and 1 would say to those who asked
me thus, I don't know. God viii tell me
when the time comes My relatives used
to tell me that I would get into trouble
if I kept on trusting to God to heal
Il had been i'll for several DAYS at
Shiloh, but l was not very much worried
at first. Then 1 grew worse. The elders
at Shiloh prayed for me, but in spite of
their appeals / know I passed out Of this
life. I knew when my jaw dropped. 1t
was death. Then for time l was in
darkness. 1t seemed to me as though 1
were cropping about somewhere and
somehow, striving to find exit from some
place in which 1 was imprisoned. Then
it seemed that I rose gradually out of and
above my body. The I in me rose.
don't have any idea what this second self
looked like. I never thought of that part
simply understood that l rose above
what I realized was the body in which
once dwelt. I could look down upon it.
could see the people gathered about it
as it lay on the bed.
Then Mr.. Sanford came in and looked
at me and knelt. oh! I was so afraid
that he would pray loudly. Voices were
something awful to me. I felt that
knew just what all We're thinking about
I didn't need words He prayed in a
whisper. 1 could hardly get the whole
sense Of the prayer, but I could interpret
those parts that had reference to me.
remember that he said over and over
again, olive, God loves you, God loves
you'-over and over, until that thought
got into my troubled mind-Gods great,
wonderful love-and He loved me! That
brought quiet Then it seemed to me
that l was content to drift away. Some
force impelled me away from that room
and those friends. 1t seemed that 1 went
through a valley of darkness. or, rather,
the impression was as though I were
passing along a dark tunnel. / felt rath-
er than saw that there was light-a great
radiance-at the other end. Slowly I
drew forwrd into that light. And as the
light cleaned brighter and brighter my
joy grew more and more profound. I
knew that 1 was approaching the King
dom of God Almighty / was afraid just
a moment-there in the dark; then got
out of the fear into the great. wonderful
peace of God that shall never forget I
know I went almost to Heaven. I know
1 know that for the JOY touched my
spirit. As you approach a vineyard you
scent the fragrance Of the grapes before
you get where they are. Wei, l was
near enough to heaven for the fragrance
to touch my spirit. 1t was beautiful!
Then, from away back somewhere,
came thinly and family the words, In
the name of Jesus OF Nazareth, Olive
Mills, come back.
But I didn't want to go back. 1 re-
bened I kept on INTO the brightness. At
the mouth OF the dark place I saw word
written on the wall in letters of FIRE.
The word was 'Preachr I stopped 10
read and wonder And again came from
far behind the command, Olive Mills,
come bacKi'
"Oh! how hard it was to turn away
from all the radiance ahead. But some
now knew mat the WoIa o. God tiliH-
self was in that faint voice l heard l
just had to go back.
And again I was over the body from
which had departed. The people wGre
gathered about. Il seemed to me that
this poor sunken casket Of flesh was
some old, soiled. discarded garment.
re6elled at putting it on again. But
knew there was 4 good reason for his
command that had been laid upon ne.
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