<TITLE>13. Par 38-39</TITLE>L-38 And I, she said, "Now, honey, now it's all right. I don't mind you being religious," but said, "you can't do that." Said, "Because now look there--there--there's reasons to thing."
I said, "There's no reasoning to God's Word; just say it just the way He said it. And if I die, I'm coming to Him believing His Word." See? That's right. I said, "I'm sick and tired of this." That's right. Been suffering for two years or more like that, and couldn't hardly stand up, weighed eighty pounds. I said, "I'm tired of it; I'm going to take God at His Word."
And she said, "Well, honey I ain't going to pass it to you."
I said, "I'll reach over and get it then." So I went to dealing out the beans in there, got me a big plate full, first time I'd had any solid food, a big piece of corn bread baked in the pone. You all know where you ever done that. Break out the corner of it like that, went to eating. Mmm, my, I was raised on that. So somebody else has had it too. So then, I...?... Yes, sir.
I got a big mouthful of it and went to chewing it, you know. Tasted good, and when I swallowed it, as soon as I swallowed it, it was just like a lump of fire hitting my stomach, and here it come back up. I held my hand over my mouth. I said, "Oh, no, huh-uh, huh-uh. You're going to stay right there." I swallowed it back; it come up again. I swallowed it back; it come up again. I swallowed it back. I said, "Now, you stay there, 'cause here's another one coming." I got another one like that, got me another mouthful. I kept on just like acid boiled my, my, I never... My stomach like a coal of fire... I was chewing you know, my eye's brightened...?...

L-39 And pop said, "How you feeling?"
I said, "Wonderful." Kept on chewing. Swallow it again, here it come. I'd hold my hand over. I said, "...?... Excuse me I was belching. It was ugly, was them beans coming up, so I just kept on eating like that. And when I left the table, mom went and called the doctor. And she said, "Why, he eat beans and corn bread." Said, "He's been reading the Bible." Said, "He says that God healed him."
"Why," he said, "that'll kill that boy." Said, "He will have acute indigestion and die." Said, "We'll have to pump that out of him in the next hour."
I thought, "Oh, that's what you think." So I went in the house, and I started through the house holding my stomach like this, you know?
And mama said, "You're sick as you can be."
I said, "Mother, I feel fine." I said, "Yes, just wonderful." And I went in, and when I got in the room I said,
I can, I will, I do believe;
I can, I will, I do believe;
I can, I will, I do believe,
That Jesus heals me now.
I'll take Him at His Word.
That's right. "At Thy Word, Lord. I'm believing it." I went in, I got so weak, and everything begin to swim around in front of me, I just kept walking through the floor, and saying,
I can, I will.
Mother said, "Billy, you're sick."
And I said, "No, ma'am, I'm so happy I can't hardly set still." I said,
Oh, I can, I will,
I do believe.
I went into my room; I said, "I'm going to read my Bible awhile." And I went in there, laid down across the bed, and oh, my, here we started. And I, "Huh--uh, no, no." I got up, went out the railroad tracks, kept walking day after... When supper time come, well, we were poor, had to have beans and corn bread again for supper. But when I set at the table, ask blessing again, pass more beans and corn bread, I give that stomach a good going over. And I... All that night, I didn't sleep ten minutes. Oh, my. I'd lay down and my heart would flutter and jump like that. I raised up and said,
I can, I will,
I do believe.
It started again. Next morning it was laying right there, and so I--I give them something else. And I kept on, kept on, kept on, walked down the street.


<A HREF="P14">Next Page</A>