Lorne Fox was seriously ill and was diagnosed with St. Vitus Dance, an acute disturbance of the central nervous system characterized by involuntary muscular movements of the face and extremities. The disease, now known as Sydenham’s Chorea, is usually a complication of rheumatic fever. Fox started having heart attacks. His heart had become enlarged. His physical jerking was so intense his father would sleep
with him and hold him so he would not thrash constantly and keep himself awake. He had a constant fever. In his book Lorne describes what happened to him when he went up for prayer in a Charles S. Price meeting:
In obedience to the Word of God as recorded in James 5:14-15, he anointed me with oil and began to pray. I well remember the first few words of that prayer: ‘My brother, in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth, I command these diseases to leave your body . . .’, and, as
the evangelist prayed, I followed him no longer, for something began to happen. Like waves of electricity, the power of God surged through my body from head to foot. When that power struck me, I bounded forward. It struck me the second time, and I started forward again. I remember at this point exclaiming, ‘Oh, I can’t stand anymore!’ The power of the risen Christ surged through my being the third time, and I am certain that I cleared the altar bench on which I had been seated by many inches. My friends, as I came down with a thud on that bench, every trace of the palsied condition was gone from my body! Hallelujah! For the first time in many years my body was totally quiet. The trembling stopped . . . instantly! Suddenly I became almost delirious with joy, as I found that I could once again control the motions of my face, jaws and throat. The power of God surged again, until unable to stand or to remain seated, I fell on my back under the mighty power of God!
As I lay under the mighty power of God, there came a cool wave of His power which passed slowly through my body. As it did so, I felt all of the fever and infection go out of my body. It was indeed a wonderful sensation to be rid of that hideous burning, and the attendant miseries that go with an almost constant fever. As the power of the Lord still surged through my body, someone came to me and laid his hands over my left side, covering that diseased, enlarged heart. I thought at first that some kind friend had come to pray over me, and thus opened my eyes to see who was at my side. Will you believe me when I say that 1 saw no visible human being? Yet I felt the pressure of both hands over my side. For a moment, I was frozen with terror . . . and then, into my being there crept the sweetest joy and peace I had ever known. It was the peace that Jesus gives! It was Jesus in my soul! Hallelujah!! In that moment came the positive realization that those were the hands of the Master! ! Hands with nail-scars in their palms!! The nail-scarred hands of the Man of Galilee!!! I will always believe it. I felt one of those hands seemingly reach inside my bosom and close over the diseased heart. There was a quick gasp . . . for I felt that hand crush the enlarged heart down to its normal size. For several moments both of those hands lingered over my side, bringing new life, new strength, new vitality! Then those hands were lifted. When I stood to my feet a little later and took a deep breath, all the pain was gone! The dreadful weight over my left side
that always wanted to pull me face down to the ground was gone, too! I was healed! Praise the Lord!
Excerpt from “This Is My Story” by Lorne Fox.
The Comment: Amanda Jane McInnis