I give my testimony and experience as a living witness for Jesus Christ. I was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1814. I was taught to say prayers when a child. My mother dying when I was eight years old, my grandmother took her place. I often slept with her. She taught me to kneel down at night and say my prayers; and when she went from home directed me to continue the same. Once, while she was absent, I thought I could just as well lie in bed and say my prayers, as to go on my knees; and so I neglected to kneel and fell asleep before I had prayed. But the good Lord made me wake up again; then I arose out of bed and kneeled down and prayed. How long I prayed and when I got up I do not know, but I thought I was dying, and felt very happy. I told no one of it, nor did I know what the blessing was at that time. I was then about eleven years old.

      From the year 1825 I felt that I loved righteousness more than wickedness, loved the people of God, and was glad to hear of persons being [37] converted. But I was like one of the five foolish virgins, who had lamps but no oil in them; so I lived on sinning, and praying too, till I was nearly twenty-four years of age. When about nineteen years old my hand was solicited in marriage, by J. W.; but the fact of his being unconverted caused me to hesitate tale in assenting being so deeply impressed with the necessity of religion in a family. After some time his brother was converted; and this gave me encouragement to hope that he too would be converted. We were then joined in the bonds of matrimony. From that time I sought to influence his mind with views favorable to a holy life, to which he soon gave his assent. In the year 1837 we both commenced to seek till we found the true happiness and pure testimony of the religion of Jesus Christ, by the Holy Ghost being shed abroad in our hearts.

      In connection with the account of my conversion permit me to relate the following dream. In the fall of 1837, Elders Jacob Keller and William McFadden held a meeting in New Berlin. At that meeting the Lord permitted me to see how far I had come. I was, in a dream, at a gulf over which a narrow log was lying. And on the other side a man stood, who stretched out his hand and said, "walk over"; but I was afraid to venture on, lest I should fall into the abyss. Still I tried to got over. I [38] thought if I did not start to walk over in that year, there was no more mercy for me.

      This dream alarmed and set me to forming resolves.--But I put off starting, till the last evening in the year. At a meeting held by Elders Thomas Hickernell and William Smedmer, I took the first step before the world; but I could not feel. The next day I felt convinced that the Lord would bring me safely over this bridge of faith did I but give him my hand. In the evening I prayed and retired to rest; but after a short sleep I awoke and was very sick about my soul's salvation, when I arose, and kneeling before my bed I vowed not to rise again till my troubled breast had found peace. My husband kneeled by my side, and said he would like to help me but he could not. But that was help, and I told him the Lord would help both of us if we had faith. Soon darkness began to move away and the beautiful heavenly mansions and the golden streets were opened to me; and the Sun of Righteousness arose to my soul. Then said I, now I believe, and praised the Lord.

      The next day two sisters came to see me, and I told them what I had experienced, upon which one of them exclaimed, "O what an unbelieving heart you had!" and began to leap for joy. I now read in the fourteenth chapter of John, "In my Father's [39] house are many mansions" [John 14:2]. Then I could read my title clear to the joys of heaven. The blessing of the Spirit came upon me, and satisfied me that my name was written in the book of life. I was free indeed; and all that I saw was new. I enjoyed a heaven upon earth. Some time after I followed my Lord and Master down into the rolling stream and was baptized--buried by immersion.

      I have thus been a living witness for Jesus these nineteen years. That fourteenth chapter of John gave me encouragement enough to persevere in a life of self-denial and holiness and to keep the commandments of Jesus. Since I have been in His service my soul has witnessed many happy seasons, such as my tongue could not describe. And to-day I am as fully determined to make heaven my home as when I first started upon the journey.

[THW 37-40]