DIVINE HEALING

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 61

DIVINE HEALING

THE CASE OF MISS WILSON. (From Ocr Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, July 10. The Rev. J. W. Kemp, in a sermon at the Baptist Tabernacle last evening, said there had been a wonderful revival of interest in the subject of Divine healing, and the question had arisen whether it was possible to have a recurrence of miracles somewhat similar to those when Christ was on earth. He did not know why it should not be. He referred to the case of Miss Louie Wilson, which was reported last week, and said a friend had handed him a letter from Miss Wilson, who called it her “Resurrection” letter. It gave the story in detail of the yvondertul cure that had been wrought in her. He had also seen a letter from Miss Wilson written a month earlier bidding farewell to her friends, and saying, ‘‘l will not say good-bye, only just farewell till we meet in the morning.” That was written when all hope of her recovery had been abandoned. A new Auckland case announced by Mr Kemp was that of a Miss Willis, with whom he had conversed on the telephone only the previous day. Miss Willis had suffered from a very serious trouble for many months, and was incapacitated for work, and almost for living, as in the case of Miss Wilson. Miss Willis was given up as beyond recovery. According to her own statement, she laid hold on the promise of God in James, chapter v, ‘"and the spirit of God took the veil from off her eyes.” She heard distinctly a voice saying, “This is the way.” . Canon Williams, who had been visiting the city, paid a visit her, laid his hands upon her, and anointed her in the name of the Lord Jesus. In three days she was up and walking about. The preacher said ho had had testimony from other people in and around the city that there was abundant evidence that God was beginning in this day of materialism and counterfeit Christianity, to offset by miraculous intervention the prevailing tendency to unbelief, and to prove that He was. as of old. omnipotent. Referring to certain “faith healers,” Mr Kemp said he had been asked his opinion of them, but his reply was that he suspended judgment until he saw and heard. One thing he did know, and that was that upon the earth to-day there were counterfeit movements. The health of the body was subservient to the health of the soul. Preaching, teaching, and healing were the ministry of Jesus Christ. The ministry of healing held a very sacred place to-dav as a witness for God and a protest against error, but it must always he held subordinate to the salvation of the soul. In giving some details subsequently regarding the case of Mis a Willis, Mr Kemp said she informed him that, as the result of a severe attack of gastric influenza she was left with a very weak heart and a general breakdown. On November 14 she went to bed and was attended by an Auckland doctor. She remained in bed until February 8. when it was decided that she should go to the hills. She was carried out on a mattress into a motor car and was taken to Titirangi, the popular mountain suburb. A nurse who attended her had to resort to a fan at night to give her breath. She continued in bed and gradually became too ill and too weak to dress herself. For three months she was exercised about Divine healing, and intermittently prayed about it. Finally she received news that Canon Williams was to be in the city, and he visited, her. An elder of the church was present when he laid’ his hands on her and anointed her. She was walking about in three days, all pain having gone from her heart and her breathlessness having disappeared. While her strength had not been fully regained she was feeling belter every day. She was in bed altogether for seven months, but was now able to go about her duties.