Healing and Revival

 

"Go Work Today In My Vineyard"

 

Sarah Mix, also known as Mrs. Edward Mix in her writings, is the first recorded African-American divine healer in the US. She was born May 5, 1832 in Torrington, Connecticut. She was one of eleven siblings and her parents struggled under dire financial circumstances. Although her parents were professing Christians they were overwhelmed by life's responsibilities and were not active in their faith. Sarah did receive a rudimentary education and some religious classwork in church Sabbath school. She entered domestic service at a young age to help support the family.

Her father died of consumption (pulmonary tuberculosis) when she was twenty and she became the sole provider for her mother. They moved to New Haven, Connecticut to try and earn a better living. Three years after they moved there was "a great outpouring of the Spirit of God" in New Haven. Sarah and her mother attended a three week revival service at the African Methodist Episcopal church. During these meetings Sarah came under intense conviction from God. She went to the altar where she cried out "Lord, save me or I perish." She describes the presence of God coming upon her like a white cloud until she was totally engulfed in it. She arose with a new awareness of the cleansing and saving power of God in her life.

This experience did not last however. Her mother died shortly after in 1855 and Sarah herself became sick with consumption. Her doctor suggested going into the country for rest. She went to her sister's home and rested for two months. She became well enough to go back to work. It was here that she met Edward Mix and married him. They renewed their faith with the Adventists and once again set their hearts on God.

Sorrow was a constant companion to the couple. Over the next several years they had seven children. All of the children died at early ages. Sarah believed that with their loss that God would call her to "do something more for him than I have ever done." She was working as a dressmaker when God spoke to her one day. She heard His call to "Go work today in my vineyard." Sarah resisted the call and came under conviction. She did not feel up to it emotionally or physically. Still God did not stop pressing her. Finally she asked God for a sign that this call was from Him. She fell asleep and had a dream came where God showed her faith, hope, and love and called her to take them with her. Still having doubts she asked God for one more sign. That night she had one more dream where a cloud of fire formed into crowns and one of them engulfed her. She became overwhelmed by the Glory of God and could only praise Him.

She still was ill with consumption but felt that God would make a way for her to do His work. In December 1877 she was prayed for by Ethan Otis Allen and healed. Not only was she healed but Allen called her into the healing ministry. She and her husband began to travel with Allen to pray for the sick and be trained in divine healing.

Her testimony was written up and reported in several papers in New England and the Northeast. Due to publicity she and Edward opened their own "healing home" to pray for the sick. She had a regular Wednesday meeting where women would gather to pray for letters that had arrived asking for healing prayer. They also traveled around New England and prayed for many who requested their help. In 1882 she published "Faith Cures and Answers to Prayer" which included not only the testimony of her healing but others testimonies as well. Carrie Judd (later Montgomery) was the best known recipient of healing through Mix. Judd would go on to have her own healing ministry. She became a well-known figure in the healing movement of the 1880s. Several testimonies are found in Carrie Judd's "Triumphs of Faith" magazine where people contacted both Dr. Charles Cullis and Mrs. Mix for prayer.

Both Edward Mix and Ethan Otis Allen felt that God had said that Sarah's ministry would not be long. She became sick again in 1884. Although she received prayer from her husband, Allen and others she did not get better. She died on April 14th of that year. Her ministry flowed on from those she touched to many others.

* If a name is found highlighet in blue then a separate biography is found in the biography section of this site.

Read more about Sarah Mix in the reference section.