The extraordinary affliction, and gracious relief of a little boy; supposed to be the effects of spiritual agency ... / Carefully examined, and faithfully narrated; with observations on demoniac possession, and animadversions on superstition.

  • Heaton, James
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The extraordinary affliction, and gracious relief of a little boy; supposed to be the effects of spiritual agency ... / Carefully examined, and faithfully narrated; with observations on demoniac possession, and animadversions on superstition. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the careless neck, of such as may lay themselves down to sleep on their journey, fiis influence has been palpably displayed in the extraordinary affliction of a poor child; and the reader of this account may per- ceive, how the unclean spirit grievously vexed, de- graded, and tortured him. Let those who reject a Saviour be alarmed ; for tlicir cruel enemy is wait- ing to destroy. But let not a believer in Jesus be afraid; he may see by the following account, that Sa- tan, though cunning, malicious, and strong, is not unconquerable;—before the name of Jesus, “devils fear and fly.” In the following pages the reader is presented with a careful investigation, and a faithful narrative of an extraordinary affliction, which, on physical princi- ples, baffled all understanding and remedy : an afflic- tion for which there was no cure, but in the mercy of God, through the name of our Redeemer. Hun- dreds witnessed the sad effects of a cause which was so concealed as to give rise to much enquiry, and various opinions. From my first knowledge of it, I considered it to be a subject in which the interest of mankind, and the honour of Christianity were invol- ved; and which, therefore, deserved to be fully and impartially investigated. The boy lived next door to me, and, as he and his parents particularly requested that I would interest myself for his relief, 1 had a good opportunity of examinining the case to my full satisfaction. Knowing that cases of this kind were subjects of dispute in the Christian and learned world, I was determined to let no circumstance es- cape my observation, or recollection, which might be of use to satisfy my own mind. I therefore visited the boy several times in a day; and requested the family to call for me whenever they wanted help; knowing, that while as a neighbour, I was rendering assistance to a family in tribulation, 1 should, as an enquirer after truth, gain information for myself. I spent more time, and took more pains to examine