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Pix #1 - Vernon Glen Ball, author of article, seated at his typewriter at home on Barcelona Drive.

Author's Note: Today's article is a true story, written by Fostorian Vernon Glen Ball. He was born in Barboursville, W. VA, graduating from high school there, and from Marshall College, Huntington, where he majored in journalism. When John Stratton was editor of The Review Times, Ball worked under him. Later, he worked on other newspapers. he is now retired. Mr and Mrs. Ball reside at 53 Barcelona Drive. His story is not only a testimonial of the power of prayer in his case, but for many others in a variety of circumstances.

My mother's prayers nearly killed me.

When I tell this to any other person, he invariably asks me why my mother would be praying for something which would kill me.

She certainly never prayed for anything like that. I was a very heavy drinker from 1948 to 1958. My mother never quit praying for my conversion. And above all, she prayed for God somehow to make me get over my desire for the bottle.

I am 1/64 Cherokee Indian from my father's side of the family. My family always blamed that for my heavy drinking, although he did not indulge.

ALCOHOL WAS RUINING MY LIFE

My mother's father has squandered a fortune because of the bottle and she prayed, then asked others to pray that God stop the way alcohol was ruining her son's life.

In her prayers, she would often claim the promise of Mark 11:23-24; "For verily I say unto you, That whatsoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall therefore have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and yet shall have them".

Time after time my mother would tell me of making this claim of the promise of Jesus Christ. It seemed to do no good.

Then she asked others to pray for me. She continued to claim the promises of Jesus Christ. She turned to John 14:13-14: "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that my father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it".

I was a successful newspaperman in Huntington, W. VA, but I simply could not seem to leave the bottle alone. My mother continued to pray, though, and to claim the promises of Jesus Christ.

Finally a day of reckoning caught up with me. I had been visiting a friend, and as I returned to my home in Barboursville, W. VA, one night, I had a serious one-car accident which nearly took my life.

DOCTORS DESPAIRED OF SAVING MY LIFE

Physicians despaired of saving my life after that Sept. 11, 1958 mishap on Ohio 52 near South Point. But save it they did after a long battle. I was 30 years of age at the time.

I had several broken ribs and a brain injury. The brain damage was so bad that I was unable to do my former job to the satisfaction of my superiors. I would do excellent work one day, then lapse into a mental state in which I showed none of my fomer ability.

My brain has now repaired itself through the magnificent process of " patternings", where by inactive sells take over duties not assigned to them.

Immediately after my return to normal physical condition, my neighbors and members of my family watched and waited for my return to heavy drinking.

I simply never returned to that way of life. My neighbors were surprised. So were my mother and father and other relatives.

I coudln't explain it, but my desire for heavy drinking was gone. I had no desire for alcohol. I had finally been dismissed from my newspaper job.

I was called to take a physical examination for employment at the Ownes- Illinois glass plant in Huntington. I was rejected for employment because of sugar in my urine. Thia was a complete surprise to me.

I learned that I have high blood sugar almost by accident, I am not a diabetic, but I must keep a close watch on my food intake. After learning of my high blood sugar, I had to begin doctoring with my family physician, Dr. R.H. Curry, Barboursville, W. VA.

When I asked him how I developed high blood sugar, he said: "Didn't you have brain damage in that automobile accident you had a few years ago?"

"Yes", I replied, "But what has that got to do with it?"

"It's evident to me", replied Dr. Curry, "that you must have damaged some cells in your brain which control the insulin-producing cells in your pancreas. That's the only answer I can give you.

Recent magazine articles I have read indicate that some experts now feel that alcoholism and heavy drinking may be directly connected with low blood sugar or with the level of sugar in the blood.

I feel positive this was the case with me.

GOD ANSWERED MOTHER'S PRAYERS

So, really, I feel that God answered my mother's prayers in a roundabout way that nearly killed me.

But the answer to her prayers was also responsible for saving my soul.

I was no longer troubled by the craving for alcohol.

I can recall coming back from softball games in which I had played when my team would stop to have a couple of beers. But not this part-indian. I wanted half a dozen or more bottles of beer or none at all.

I was never like Ray Milland in the movie "The Lost Weekend", or Lillian Roth in "I'll Cry Tomorrow".

But alcohol did have me whipped until my car accident.

No longer hounded by the desire to drink, I gave my heart to Jesus Christ in a revival meeting on Sept. 21, 1960.

My mother's prayers also SAVED me.

READER FEEDBACK: ABOUT THE THREE TIME ZONES

Al Dolch, 517 West Fremont Street, read that paragraph in last week's Potluck and then telephoned.

He recalled that when he was living with his family on the farm between Tiffin and Fostoria, they kept three clocks running in their house because of the three time zones...a clock for each zone.

He remarked that when anyone asked "the time please" the reply could be given for anyone of the zones.

Dolch also remarked that those interested in horoscopes are always concerned about exact birth dates according to the time zone to figure events accurately. Dolch is interested in knowing the exact date whe the time zone change was made for Fostoria. He can be reached by telephone.