Life Sketches Manuscript

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A Foul Spirit Rebuked

At the meeting, while I was earnestly praying for light and the presence of God, these men began to groan and to cry, “Amen!” apparently throwing their sympathy with my prayer. But my heart was immediately oppressed with a great weight. The words died upon my lips, and darkness overshadowed the whole meeting. LSMS 119.1

Elder White arose, and said, “I am distressed. The Spirit of God is grieved. I resist this influence in the name of the Lord. O God, rebuke this foul spirit.” LSMS 119.2

I was immediately relieved, and rose above the shadows. But again, while I was speaking words of encouragement and faith to those present, their groanings and amens chilled me. Once more Elder White rebuked the spirit of darkness, and again the power of God rested upon me while I spoke to the people. These agents of the enemy were then so bound as to be unable to exert their baleful influence again that night. LSMS 119.3

After the meeting, Elder White said to Brother Collier, “Now I can tell you concerning these two men. They are acting under a satanic influence, yet attributing all to the Spirit of the Lord.” LSMS 119.4

“I believe God sent you to encourage us,” he replied. “We call their influence mesmerism. They affect the minds of others in a remarkable way, and have controlled some to their great damage. We seldom hold meetings here; for they intrude their presence, and we can have no union with them. They manifest deep feeling, as you observed tonight, but they crush the very life from our prayers, and leave an influence blacker than Egyptian darkness. I have never seen them tied up before tonight.” LSMS 119.5