Daily Republican., 1882-11-21
AMODERH MIRACLE.
Tho Marvellous Recovery Of Man
WkO Believed Am Prayer.

WHO Believed I'm Prayer.
FITTsBURG, Nov. 18 The details o.
the apparently miraculous cure by
prayer of Richard Huffman, cripple
of Bentlysyille, Washington county,
which has already been referred to in
these dispatches make wonderful
story. Huffman is forty years old and
was born near where he now lives. He
Is carpenter by trade and ::aningenious
! mechanic.
When thirteen years old his spine
was Injured by q fall. He suffered
more or less until years ago, when be
was CON PEELED to relinquish his traIe
and had to use crutches to assist him
in walking, As he grew weaker his
feet refused to suppOr5 him and for
about year he walked as best he
cOnld on his knees. After that he
Travelled about in q wheeled chair,
operated by levers, but finally be-
came unable to sit up aud IT sorted to
the use of contrivance which was q
combination of chair and lounge, In
which he could sit erect or lie down aS
he felt able.
A year ago he was given up by his
physicians, who pronounced him incur
able, and declared that his death was
only question of time. Huffman read
several newspaper accounts Of remarka.
BILE cures of cripples near Erie through
the medium of prayer. He opened
correspondent with them and they
confirmed the statements he had read.
Mrs. Ella Thompson and Mrs. Ward,
of E-ie, one of whom had been an in.
valid for eighteen years, both wrote to
him that they had been cured by pray
or.
1t was long time, he says, before he
could bring himself to believe that
prayer would effect his cure, but event.
ualiy such faith inspired him, and, af-
ter correspondence with the persons at
Erie it vas mutually agreed that Thurs
day, the oh inst should be devoted by
them to prayers for his recovery.
On that night he says he crSwled out
in the dark and rain on his kEees to
the wagon-sbed, where he prayed tor
two hours. He felt that the very door
of heavens mercy was open aud that
he could SEQ Jesus stretching forth his
hands to lift him from his infirmites
When done praying he arose to his
feet aud walked up a hill some five
miles, next up flight of steps, nine IN
number, and then forty feet across a
porch and through kitchen into the
house where he called his relatives to
See his wonderful restoration. Ever
since that day he has walked erect and
unaided and mas been constantly grow.
ing in strength.
The story of Hufman'S marvellous
recovery can be vouched for by hun
dreds Of persons among whom 10 Rev.
Marquis, of the Pigeon Creek Presby
terian Church, who says that Huff
man has been for years a very reli d
gious man.
DR.. Jesse Y. Scott, who attended
Huffman, was very much surprised 10
hear of his sudden recovery. He says
Huffm an was afflicted with hardening
of the spinal cord, COMPRISING the
nerve fibre and breaking the cOnnec-
tion by which sensations are trans
mitted to the brain.
When he had exhausted every resource
at his command he took Huffman be-
fore the Washington County Medical
OOSAoVJI "hASA pLOAoNASSu Oho SneO Al
curablo. In concluding his sta atement
DR.. Scott said, Huffman was On his
knees last week, but last night l saw
him walking. He Is of an exCitab,e 9
dispos ton, but strictly good man,
and don't think he would practice de-
c3ption.
l have had no chance as yet TO make
an examination. As l said before the
disease is considered incurable, but the
fact of his walking is the best evidence
of his recovery" Huffman has done
something in the way of local preach
ing and is now travelling through
Washington and Greene counties, TELL
ing nightly to great crowds the story of
his miraculous restoration to perfect |
health. He whites poetry Of doubtful
metre and Christian sentiment.