Year: 1877

WfdotO Van COtt's Fast.


New York Mercury.l


It having been rumored that the widow
Maggie Newton Van Cott, the female
preacher, had accomplished the difficult
feat of living one hundred and twelve
hours without eating food, a reporter
called upon her at her home, No. 214
East Thirty-ninth street, to ascertain the
truth or falsity of the story. The
widow was found in comfortable but
not luxuriant home. She lives on the
second floor with her daughter and other
relatives. When the reporter announced
his errand he was cordially welcomed,
and ushered into the cozy little sitting
room, where the widow gave him a
chair, and taking another herself, per-
mitted her visitor to understand that she
was ready to be interviewed. A daughter
of Mrs. Van Cott was present, and
occasionally put in few words to assist
her mother in the narrative. Mrs. Van
Cott, with the air of the utmost candor,
proceeded to narrate her wonderful feat,
which occurred, while she was preaching
in little town in the Western States.


81 tell you, my son." said the widow,
az have really gone one hundred and
twelve hours without tasting single
morsel of food, or drinking anything ex-
cept a little water to keep my throat
from getting too dry"


"Did you not get hungryF" inquired
the reporter. go, no." she exclaimed: /:
"I did not feel the first pang of hunger
during the four and half days that 1
went without eating. I was not even
thirsty, and the only reason took a
little water was that 1 was preaching and
could not talk when my throat was dry.
1 preached every day and evening to
large congregations, and spent many
hours in audible prayer"


Mrs. Van Cott said that the reason she
entered into the fast was the spirit of the
Lord told her to do so if she would ac-
complish desire which she had nearest
her heart. She was greatly troubled
with a burden upon her mind, and she
prayed God to remove the burden. Said
she to the reporter:


81 heard the spirit of the Lord speak
to me as plainly as 1 am speaking to you
at this moment, and it told me, in tones
as audible to me as your voice, that if l
wanted the burden removed must make
a personal sacri6ce-that I must deny
myself some personal qualifications.
The spirit said 1 should fast, and l
obeyed."


Reporter. az wonder you did not
grow weak"


Mrs. Van Cott. 81 had the Lord to
sustain me, and l was just as well and
strong as ever 1 was in all my life. 1
was not exhausted in the least. 1 had
no longings for food, although I had
victuals in my sight many times, and
was frequently in kitchen where food
was being cooked. The smell and sight
of food had no influence in creating an
appetite. 1 had, in fact, no appetite at
all"


Reporter. "Do you think the fast
injured your health?"


Mrs. Van Cott. "No; on the contrary,
it improved me physically"


The widow, during her fast, preached
seventeen sermons with hes usual power
and eloquence to very large congrega-
tions. People heard that she was going
without food and they came from far and
near to see and hear the woman who
evinced such remarkable physical en-
durance. Many expected to see her faint
and fall down while she was preaching.
Others thought she secretly took food g,
but those who watched her closely were
unable to detect any deception. 1t was
bona fide fact.


Besides preaching the seventeen SER
mons, the widow conducted prayer
meetings and engaged in religious duties
from twelve to fifteen hours each day.
She retired late at night and slept the
usual number of hours. On the third
day of her abstinence from food some of
her friends thought that she could not
hold out any longer, but she kept on
fasting, without any sign of wavering in
her attention, until the end of the one
hundred and twelve hours.


At last the burden was lifted from the
widows mind, and her prayer was gran
ted. Then she discontinued her fast.
There was no return of ravenous appe-
tite, as had been expected, but there
was simple return to the ordinary
habits of life. The widow thinks that
it was mighty evidence of spiritual
power in overcoming physical wants and
desires. Her fast was the means of con-
verting hundreds of people to the
| Methodist faith,