Why the Haystack...

The Day Her Religion Became Real

In 1907 in Woodward, Oklahoma, Robert Wesley Pierson was born to Ora and Sadie Pierson. Robert was born somewhat premature and therefore was very small, only 5 pounds. As the town’s doctor Ora worked diligently to increase his son’s weight and move him to health quickly. However, the baby failed to eat any of the formulas they tried. After a few weeks of the child’s failure to thrive, Ora and Sadie realized their child was going to die. Hearing that the United Methodist bishop was going to be in town that Sunday they carried the child on a pillow, for his frail body couldn’t handle them holding him, the carried him to church to be baptized.

That night after putting Robert and the other children to bed, Ora and Sadie went out to the haystack behind the house to pray. Weeping they prayed, “Father, he is your child. You do what you want with him. We give him into your hands.” They next morning, Ora awoke with an idea for a new formula, which Robert ate. Quickly the baby began to gain weight and thrive. When retelling this story Sadie stated that it was that night that her faith in God became more than just a religion to her, it had become real.