--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Islaub, George H. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 3 number: 3 published: 1900-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'George H. Islaub, "Acts of Special Providence in Missionary Experience," *Improvement Era* 3, no. 3 (January 1900): 171–174.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera33unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera33unse start_page: 171 end_page: 174 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1900-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera33unse publication_year: 1900 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1900, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Acts of Special Providence in Missionary Experience ACTS OF SPECIAL PROVIDENCE IN MIS- SIONARY EXPERIENCE. CHILDREN RESTORED TO HEALTH. BY GEO. H. ISLAUB, AUSTRALIAN MISSIONARY. We have had a remarkable evidence of God's power being manifested through his authorized servants in this dispensation. It is not the first by any means, since I have been on my mission, but this particular case has its peculiar features, so I will relate it. There is a family here in Brisbane, Australia, by the name of Lind. They joined The Church some three or four years ago, but for the past two years they have not associated with the Saints, in fact the husband had requested that his name be taken from the books. The matter was brought to my attention, and I concluded to take up a labor with them, so I called on them one day. Brother Lind, (I will call him brother), was out, and his wife received me very coldly. I visited with her for sometime, and after some persuasion secured her consent to call on them some evening when he was at home. I did so, and had a long night with them, leaving somewhat encouraged. During our conversation Brother Lind boasted that since he had left the Church, he had prospered more than when he was in full fellowship with the Saints. I warned him against boasting, saying that God had his own way of humiliating his chilren. A few days after this, his second youngest son took suddenly 172 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ill. The doctor was called in, and did all he could for the child, but finally informed the parents that he could not hold out any hope for its recovery. The night previous, the mother dreamed she had sent for the elders, and, as a result, the child improved. The following morning, the child feebly asked for "Brother Islaub to come." Nothing had been said to him of the elders, and he had only seen me on two occasions. The dream and the child's request impressed the mother, and about noon she sent for me to come over. My companion and myself immediately answered the call. It was about one mile from our quarters. Upon our arrival we found a very sick child. The mother, almost overcome with grief, requested us to administer unto him provided we thought it would avail anything. I asked her if she had faith; she said she had. Then I told her that if she had faith that through the administrations of the elders he would be healed, it would be so. We officiated in the sacred ordinance, and three days following the child was up and dressed. Then followed the sickness of the youngest son. He too was suddenly taken ill. He had not been blessed and named, so we delayed until the following day that the consent of the father might be obtained in having him blessed by the elders. We called the following day and performed this ordinance, and also administered to him. The next day we also called and found that the child had become much worse. For some reason, we were not asked to administer to it on this occasion, though we remained two hours, and even suggested that the ordinance be performed, for we felt the influence of evil prevailing around the child. However, we departed feeling that the mother had soon forgotten the testimony of God's power in the restoration of her other son. Next day, about noon, we were summoned to the house with the request to hasten. Upon arrival we found the child in the throes of death. The doctor had been there, and had told the mother he had no hopes for his recovery. The poor mother was distracted, and well she might be, for death had surely laid his cruel hand upon her child. I became filled with an influence that I could not resist, and said: "I will not give up that child." I told the mother to take the child in her arms, to summon all the courage and faith she could, and, if it was God's will, the child would ACTS OF SPECIAL PROVIDENCE. 173 be restored. We proceeded to attend to the ordinance of administration. My companion applied the oil, but could hardly speak the words necessary in doing so. I was mouth in the administration. We had no more than placed our hands on the head of the child, and I had pronounced the words, "in the name of Jesus Christ and by authority of the Holy Priesthood, we command the power of death that is upon this child to be stayed," than I felt that I had been seized by an evil power. Great beads of perspiration stood out all over me, and I felt as though I would be overpowered. With a tremendous effort I resisted it, keeping my hands on the child's head and pronouncing the rebuke, and sealing God's bless- ings upon the almost lifeless child. I then staggered to a chair and called for a drink of water; after which, I went out into the air and soon revived, though all that day and night I felt tired and languid as a result of an experience I shall never forget. The experience of my companion was almost identical. That night the parents sent word that the child was doing nicely, and that it was in sweet sleep, so we did not call on them till the following day. When we called the next day, we found the child with a pleasant smile to greet us. The cold death-look had left its face, and was replaced by the pink tint of health. The parents were very profuse in their thanks and praise to the elders for the restoration of their children. We reminded them that to God should be given all the glory, that they must give him thanks and praise as we were only humble instruments in his hands, and, as we gave him praise, so must they give him the honor. I am in hopes that this evidence of God's power being in the Church will awaken an interest in these people, and I have no doubt that it will. These are the sweet periods of a missionary's life; to partake of the sweetness of the Divine Spirit, is worth more than the riches of worlds to a humble elder. Of course, during my experience in the Church I have seen many very remarkable demonstrations of God's power, and this experience is only an additional testimony that the gifts of the Spirit are in the Church; but it is pleasing to learn that our lives are so far approved of our Divine Parent, that he manifests himself through his servants. I desire that this experience shall impress itself upon my children, that they may grow in that faith for which their father gave 174 IMPROVEMENT ERA. up father, mother, brothers and sisters to embrace, and again left wife and children and the comforts and pleasures of a happy home to carry to a world fettered with the bonds of sin and wallowing in the mire of superstition and unbelief.