The brethren and sisters came together to make my case a special subject of prayer. I received the blessing of God, and had the assurance that He loved me; but the pain continued, and I grew more feeble every hour. Again the brethren and sisters assembled to present my case to the Lord. I was so weak that I could not pray vocally. My appearance seemed to weaken the faith of those around me. Then the promises of God were arrayed before me as I had never viewed them before. It seemed to me that Satan was striving to tear me from my husband and children and lay me in the grave, and these questions were suggested to my mind: Can you believe the naked promise of God? Can you walk out by faith, let the appearance be what it may? Faith revived. I whispered to my husband, “I believe that I shall recover.” He answered, “I wish I could believe it.” I retired that night without relief, yet relying with firm confidence upon the promises of God. I could not sleep, but continued my silent prayer. Just before day I fell asleep.
(LS 152.1)
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I awoke at sunrise, perfectly free from pain. O, what a change! It seemed to me that an angel of God had touched me while I was sleeping. The pressure upon my heart was gone, and I was very happy. I was filled with gratitude. The praise of God was upon my lips. I awoke my husband, and related to him the wonderful work that the Lord had wrought for me. He could scarcely comprehend it at first; but when I arose and dressed and walked around the house, he could praise God with me. My afflicted eye was free from pain. In a few days the swelling disappeared, and my eyesight was fully restored. The work was complete.
(LS 152.2)
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Again I visited the physician, and as soon as he felt my pulse he said, “Madam, an entire change has taken place in your system; but the two women who visited me for counsel when you were last here are dead.” After I left, the doctor said to a friend of mine: “Her case is a mystery. I do not understand it.”
(LS 152.3)
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In the spring of 1854 we visited Michigan again; and though we were obliged to ride over log ways and through mud sloughs, my strength failed not. We felt that the Lord would have us visit Wisconsin, and arranged to board the cars at Jackson late at night.
(LS 153.1)
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As we were preparing to take the train, we felt very solemn, and proposed a season of prayer; and as we there committed ourselves to God, we could not refrain from weeping. We went to the depot with feelings of deep solemnity. On boarding the train, we went into a forward car, which had seats with high backs, hoping that we might sleep some that night. The car was full, and we passed back into the next, and there found seats. I did not, as usual when traveling in the night, lay off my bonnet, but held my carpetbag in my hand, as if waiting for something. We both spoke of our singular feelings.
(LS 153.2)
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The train had run about three miles from Jackson when its motion became very violent, jerking backward and forward, and finally stopping. I opened the window and saw one car raised nearly upon end. I heard agonizing groans, and there was great confusion. The engine had been thrown from the track, but the car we were in was on the track, and was separated about one hundred feet from those before it. The coupling had not been broken, but our car had been unfastened from the one before it, as if an angel had separated them. The baggage car was not much injured, and our large trunk of books was uninjured. The second-class car was crushed, and the pieces, with the passengers, were thrown on both sides of the track. The car in which we had tried to get a seat was much broken, and one end was raised upon the heap of ruins. Four were killed or mortally wounded, and many were much injured. We could but feel that God had sent an angel to preserve our lives.
(LS 153.3)
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