The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-10-21
The Age Of Miracles returned In the
Granite state.


The Age of Miracles returned In the
Granite state.
We read in the Bible Tor at least some
of us do) how in ancient times tho Lord
went about in n visible, tangible form,
working miracles, healing the sick, re-
storing sight to the blind aud bringing
the dead to life. We read and we theo-
rize, and varying creeds and forms of
theological belief spring up, until there
sc ems to be no end to the theories drawn
from plain historical statements. The
statements themselves are almost uovcr.
sally believed, and yet, in this age of
reason, a man who would dare to assert
that the Lord had more recently exert
csed the same powers which Holy Wri-
treats Of, and had actually done a mracu
lous work-such man would be univor-
sally denounced as either an impostcr or
a unatic. Without attempting to set up
any such theory, we propose here to un.
fold tale, giving facts undoubtedly cs-
tabished, and leaving theologians and
the public to wrestle with the matter as
they see fit.
Some Of the local papers OF various
New Hampshire towns have recently
given more or less currency to the story
that the town Of Piermont, in the Granite
State, has been agitated by a so.caled
miracle or visible manifestation of Gods
goodness and power, all the statements
in relation thereto in said local papers
having been very vague and unsatisfacto-
ry, indicating disinclination to meddle
much with such a questionable topic
Learning that there were persons in
this city who were able to give definite
information on a subject which he thought
might prove interesting, the writer took
the trouble to make inquiries. His in.
formants were married couple residing
on Lynde street, by whom he was kindly y
received, and who, from general &C.
quaintance in the town of Piermont, as
well as from personal knowledge of many
of the circumstances, were able to voucb
for the following:
Rev. Moses Sherman is clergyman of
tho Methodist denomination in the village
of Piermont, N, H., which is located on
the Connecticut river, about thirty miles
above Lebanon. For the past three
or four years he has resided there with
his family, consisting Of his wife and
child, the former Of whom has been un.
well and sickly ever since the birth of the
latter, twelve years ago. Female weak
ness was the first form Of the disease, and
while this has continued through all the
succeeding years, there has been added
to it chronic rheumatism, frequent and
violent attacks of headache, with general
debility and running down Of the whole
system. During the three or four years
residence in Piermont the lady has been
almost wholly incapacitated from attend.
ing to ordinary household duties, has
been confined to the house largely and
has been unable to take part in any of
the sociablcs festivals and other of the
entertainments which in country villages
are the particular sphere of the minister's
wife
She is about. thirty-fvc years Of age,
and previous to the birth Of her child was
in robust health. About year ago Mrs.
Sherman was Frustrated by her ailments,
was obliged to take her bed, and from
that time up to the latter part Of last
August she never left the house. Her
physical strength left her entirely and
she became completely bcd-ridden. un.
able to stand or even to feed herself
The diseases continued to prey upon her
till she was reduced to state of utter
helplessncss.
For the lady to leave the bed unassist-
ed became an impossibility the services
Of two persons being required to lift her
The best medical assistance which could
be procured was obtained, and human
science failed completely to restore the
exhausted and almost impcrceptble vi.
tality The three physicians who faith.
fully attended the patient were finally
compelled to acknowledge that their re-
sources mad been exhausted AMI that they
could do nothing. Then all hope of re.
covery was abandoned aud kind friends
came to look upon the patient as likely
to be summoned from life at any moment.
But life still pers:stently clung to the
body,apd in spite of the absence Of physi.
cal force the mind remained clear and
uncloudcd and the faculties acute.
On the night of Wednesday, August
9th, the patient was lifted as usual from
aud to the bed by her husband and an
assistant, and it was noticed that she ap.
peared more animated than usual 10 her
conversation. She said that she had been
thinking a great deal upon the work Of
the Savior in healing the sick, and Won
dering why people could not be healed
now as then. She had been praying to
God to relieve her in6rmi.ies, and il
seemed aa though an answer to her prayers
was impending. Suddenly she became
aware of the presence Of strange ard un
usual influences.
: First there was a feeling Of intense
coldness. which set her in a shiver an(
which alarmed her husband, who was il
} the room. He was unable to perceiv,
anything unusual. Hardly had this sen
sation subsidized when an entirely opposite
one was experienced, the room seemin.
to be suddenly filed as Mrs Sherman ex
pressed it, "with current of hot air.
She affirmed that she next distinctly hearC
a voice which replied in answer to he
prayers that her faith was not strong
She inwardly prayed, lord help thol
my unbeief," and soon became conscious
: of returning strength. She then and ther,
arose from the bed,approached and awak
ened her husband and exclaimed that tn
J Lord had healed her. The family wa
called up, and all were astonished an,
overjoycd at the remarkable occurrence
. Mrs. Sherman walked all through tn
house, and the remainder of the nigh