Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-03-13
WHOLE NO. 1882.
A Mormon Miracle.

O5dtcs 1Ouuu q res 6SpoCIaOi Oi6-lOOkluR man
at his gate, who requested permission
TO pass the night under his roof. The
hospitable farmer readily complied
The stranger was invited into the house,
and a good and substantial supper
placed before him. After he had eaten,
the farmer, who appeared to be a joVial,
warm-hesrted, humorous, and, Withal,
shrewd old man, passed several hours
pleasant conversation with his guest,
who seemed to be very i'll at ease, both
in body and mind; yet, as if desirous
of pleasing his entertainer, replied
courteously and sgreeably to whatever
was said to him. Finally, he pleaded
fatigue and illness as an excuse for re-
tiring to rest, and was conducted by
the farmer to an upper chamber, whers
he went to bed. About the middle of
the night the farmer and his family
were awakened by the most dreadful
groans, which, they soon ascertained,
proceeded from the chamber of the
traveller. On going to investigate the
matter, they found that the stranger
was dreadfully i'll, suffering the most
acute pam, and uttering themoss dole
full cries, apparently without any con-
sciousness of what was occurring around
him. Everything that kindness and
experience could suggest was done to
relieve the sick man, but all efforts
were in vain; and to the CONSERVATION
of the farmer and his family, the guest
expired in course of few hours.
In the midst Of this trouble and an1-
iety, at an early hour in the morning,
two travellers came 10 the gate and re,
quested entertainment The farmer
told them that he would willingly offer
them hospitality, but that just now his
household was in the greatest confusion,
on account of the death Of q stranger,
! the particulars of which he proceeded
to relate to them. They appeared to
be much surprised and grieFed at the
poor mans calamity, and politely re-
quested permission to see the corpse
This, of course, the farmer readily
granted, and conducted them to the
chamber iu which lay the dead body.
They looked at it for few minutes in
silence, and then the eldest of the pair
graVely told the farmer that they were
elders of the Church Of Jesus Christ Of
Latter day Saints, and were empowered
) by God to work miracles, even to the
extent of raising the dead; and that
they felt quite assured they could bring
to life the dead man before them.
The farmer was, of course, eonsiders-
bly, astonished at the quality and pow
Il er of the persons who addressed him,
= and rather incredulously asked if they
were quite sure they could perform all
they proposed to. "0h, certainly not
g doubt Of it. The Lord has commits
! stoned US expressly to work miracles,
in order to prove the truth Of the
prophet, Joseph Smith, and the inspi-
ration of the books and doctrines re-
Vealed to him. Send for all your neigh
bors, that in the presence of q multi
tude we may bring the dead man to
life, and that the Lord and his Church
may be glorifed of all men,"
The farmer, after q little considers-
ton, agreed to let the miracle-Workers
proceed, and, as they desired, sent his
children to his peighbors, who, attrac-
ted by the expectation of q miracle,
hocked to the house in considerable
numbers. The Hormonite elders COM
meneed their task by kneeling and
praying before the body, with uplifted
hands and eyes, and with most stento-
rian lungs. Before they had proceeded
far with their prayers, Q sudden idea
struck the farmer, who quietly Quilted
the house for few minutes, and then
returned and waited patiently by the
bedside for g few minutes, until the
prayer was finished and the elders
were ready to perform the miracle. Be
fore they began. he respectfully said to
them that with their permission, he
wished 10 ask them few questions
upon thesubject Of theirmracle. They
replied that they had no objection
The farmer then asked: sfYou are GER
tain you can bring this man to life
again?"
"We are"
"How do you know that you CAM
''We have just received a revelation
from the Lord, informing US that we
can"
care you sure that the revelation
was from the Lord2'
Eyes, we cannot be mistaken about
IT."
"Does your power to raise this man
to life depend upon the particular ns-
ture of his disease, or could you bring
any dead man to lifel'
could bring any corpse to Efe."
''Well, if this man had been killed
and one Of his arms cut Of, could you
bring him to life, and also restore to
him his arm7"
Certainly; there is no limit to the
power given to US by the Lord. It
would make no difference even If both
of his arms and legs were cut OF"
"Could you restore him if his head
had been cut Off"
Certainly we could"
'sWell," said the farmer, with 3
quiet smile upon his features, 81 do not
doubt the truth of what such holy men
assert, but I am desirous that my
neighbors here should be fully conyer-
ted by having the miracle performed in
the completest manner possible; 50, by
your leave, if it makes no difference
whatever, 1 will proceed to cut of the
head of this corpse"
Accordingly he produced huge
and well sharpened broad-sxe from be-
meath his coat, which he swung above
his head, and was apparently about to
bring down on the neck Of the corpse;
when, 10 and behold to the amaze
menu VI hAA pAG5OANr 14C ~-11-N --e--
started up in great agitation. and de-
clsred that he would not have his head
cut off for any consideration whatever.
"The company immediately seized
the Mormons, and soon made them
confess that the pretended dead man
was q Mormon elder, and that they
had sent him to the farmers house
with directions to die there at a par
ticular hour, when they would drop IN
as if by accident, and would perform
miracle that would astonish every body.
The farmer, after giving the imPostors
a severe ehastisement, let them depart
to practice their imposition in some
other quarter"
There are some funny people out IN
the Northwest. The comic side OF
humanity sometimes sticks out there as
we'll as elsewhere. A friend relates TO