The following excerpts from his open letters in The Christian and in The Present Testimony give a picture of his ill health and the spiritual lessons he learned through it. The following letter is from the December 1927 issue of The Christian, Volume 2, Number 12:

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When this issue reaches you, it will be the end of the year. Looking over the past year, we really thank Him for the way He has blessed us, led us, taught us, supplied us, urged us, healed us, rebuked us, chastened us, and disciplined us. Praise the Lord, Oh my heart! Again considering ourselves in this past year as being so defiled, defeated, head-strong (willful), rebellious, ungracious, unrighteous, lacking, and wrongful, we feel thoroughly discontented with ourselves. How we wish that these dark spots were not part of the history of our life. But wishing is wishing; still we are defeated. What a pity! Nevertheless, knowing our condition only convinces us more that our flesh is incurable and causes us to loudly sing praises to the Lord, for in such defeat He is still so gracious to us. O Lord! How can we forget Your grace?

It seems that my ill health during this past year was known far and wide. In three localities it was even rumored that my earthly tabernacle had been destroyed. For this reason there were increased prayers for me more than ever before. I greatly appreciate those who care for my physical welfare. In the past days my natural strength has been much weakened. Even light activity causes my body to feel its burden. But praise the Lord that this year was still filled with many days of work. Instead of resting and getting rusty, why not labor and trust? The strength of promise in time of need is never decreased. For this fact I cannot but praise the Lord.

The scarcity of fruit, the emptiness of life, the staleness of the spirit, and the weakness of the body are each enough to make me feel ashamed. Actually, I deserve nothing but to be ashamed. That all things work together for good to them that love God is true and trustworthy. In my situation these words again have become so real.

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The following excerpt is from the twelfth issue of The Present Testimony, published in December 1929:

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I believe that from other sources as well as through this magazine you all know that I have been ill. Indeed, since 1926, my body has daily grown weaker. I have been ill time after time, and in addition, I have suffered from lack of rest due to the many responsibilities which are still upon me. My health has been increasingly deteriorating. The writing of The Spiritual Man exhausted my strength, and since completing its writing, I have suffered continual illness even up till now....

Of course, what I have experienced during my illness is most profitable. From the very beginning I prayed that I would gain from this illness what I needed, for I am not willing to be ill for nothing. As I look back over the past year, I can gratefully say that God's treatment is just right; not one single day could be omitted. Many of these experiences cannot be made public, but I fully believe that they are for my personal enrichment and for your gain as well.

Now, through God's unlimited and inexhaustible grace and through your ceaseless prayers, once again I have returned from the gate of death. I look to the Lord that in a time convenient to Him He would bring me to complete recovery. At present I rest and at the same time work. I now present myself once more to God to accomplish His will and to serve His saints.

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