Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 - A New You Ministry

Biographical SketchChapter 1 - My ChildhoodI was born at Gorham, Maine, November 26, 1827. My parents, Robert and EuniceHarmon, were for many years residents of this state. In early life they became earnestand devoted members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In that church they heldprominent connection, and labored for the conversion of sinners, and to build up thecause of God, for a period of forty years. During this time they had the joy of seeingtheir children, eight in number, all converted and gathered into the fold of Christ. Theirdecided second advent views, however, led to the separation of the family from theMethodist Church in the year 1843.While I was but a child, my parents removed from Gorham to Portland, Maine.Here, at the age of nine years, an accident happened to me which was to affect mywhole life. In company with my twin sister and one of our schoolmates, I was crossinga common in the city of Portland, when a girl about thirteen years of age, becomingangry at some trifle, followed us, threatening to strike us. Our parents had taught usnever to contend with anyone, but if we were in danger of being abused or injured, tohasten home at once. We were doing this with all speed, but the girl followed us asrapidly, with a stone in her hand. I turned my head to see how far she was behind me,and as I did so, she threw the stone, and it hit me on the nose. I was stunned by theblow and fell senseless to the ground.9