Testimonies Blog

The Healing of Mrs. A. Kerr of Seventeen Cancers

This lady lives at 92 George Street, Fitzroy, and her case is a most remarkable one. She is over 50 years of age and had suffered for many years. In October 1883, she came to see me for healing, and was in a most deplorable condition. Sometime before that she had undergone a severe operation, performed by an eminent surgeon, Dr. James, in Melbourne hospital, in which her right breast was entirely removed, and as she was told, the cancer eradicated. But alas, it was a vain supposition; for instead of one cancer, seventeen now grew—fourteen on various parts of the chest and body, one on the right side of the neck, one on the top of her head, and one inside of her mouth grew so
large that a number of teeth in the left lower jaw were extracted to give it room; and, when she partook of food, she was compelled to put into her mouth her left finger, so as to press it aside sufficiently to introduce her food with the right.  She was faithful and had witnessed a number of persons healed while she waited in our crowded rooms, especially one whose left eye was totally blind, and instantly restored. After prayer I
laid hands upon her in Jesus’ name, and instantly all pain departed; that same night the cancers wholly disappeared and have never been seen since. On the top of her head here is a light depression and red mark, indicating where the cancer was. She is an active member of this church, and is well known to hundreds of persons in this city. Like the two foregoing cases to which I have referred, she has testified, from the platform of our tabernacle, her testimony has been printed in many newspapers and it has never once been publicly challenged. Other members of her family have also been healed, as is also the case with the others. And as in cancer, of which we have, let me say, many other cases, several this week, so, in all other infirmities and diseases, where there is faith
there is healing. In many cases, two persons have been healed in direct answer to prayer, hundreds of miles away, whom I have never seen. It would take volumes to tell the story of even one year’s work; and so continuously am I occupied in this, and the care of a large and growing church, that I almost despair of preserving any adequate literary
record of it. But if the Lord would grant us a printing plant, such as we could print a weekly paper with, it is our purpose to present our teaching and experiences, as fully as we can, before the church and the world.  I may say, as a peculiar fact, that in a
fellowship of some hundreds we have not a single member, or a member of any family of such, laid aside by sickness at this time. Almost to a unit, we are total abstainers from intoxicating liquors, and nearly all the male members eschew that filthy poison tobacco. Over our front porch we have inscribed in golden letters, “Have faith in God”. our flag staff we float a pennant with the same motto “Christ is all,” and beneath it we have a red
flag 0n which is inscribed “salvation”; a white flag on which is “Healing and Holiness;” and a blue flag on which is “Temperance.” The pennant always flies, and the subordinate flag denotes the kind of meeting about to be held within, except on the Lord’s day, when all are unfurled. I am fully convinced that Christians must be faithful all round to be used by God in this Ministry of Healing and their consecration, and consequently
sanctification, must be continuous and complete. Kindly excuse a hurried closing; but I must do so to save the mail. May I ask an interest in the united prayers of the Conference, for whom we over here shall be praying too? With most earnest wishes for its success, and warmest fraternal love,

I am, Faithfully yours in Jesus, John Alex Dowie, Free Christian Tabernacle, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria, 16th April 1885

Excerpt from “The Canadian Independent” Conference Report published in September 1886.