Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1892-02-13
BACK FROM HADES.
STARTLING EXPERIENCE OF
a WEST VA. YOUTH.
According to the Evidence al Il
4 rcachcr Who Was ut His Bed
side, lie Died. Descended
Into Shcol and Return
ed to Tell of His
Trim.

Trip.
CLARKsBURG. w. Va, Feb. !.
Rev. John /. Johnson, the
celebrated mountain evange-
list, who has been travelling
this state for nearly 40 years,
states that during a revival at
Round Bottom. Manongola
county, a young man of that
place who had been i'll with
consumption for some time
died, descended into he'll, re.
turned to lie in an hour and
after describing his trip EN-
braced religion and again died
in the full belief of
his future salvation.
After stating that the young
man. who was one of the most
intelligent in the county. was
a skeptic, Mr.. Johnson says:
"fle was apparently lying
at the point of death. Rev.
Mr.. O'Daniels and myself
were called upon to endcavor
to bring him to Christ. While
Mr.. O'Daniel's was talking TO
him, holding him by the hand,
he seemingly expired and was
pronounced dead by all in the
room. He remained in this
condition for some time, when
he suddenly began breathing
heavily and then struggled as
though with some mighty
He seemed endow-
ed with supernatural strength,
and it required the utmost ex-
ertions of several powerful
men to keep him on the bed.
The struggle continued
for an hour. when he claimed
down, and, regaining his sen
scs, requested We sing and
pray with him. After these
exercises he told us that when
he became inscnsible to earth
he found himself at the brink
OF a yawning black chasm;
lurid fires seemed to be burn
ing a great distance down and
shricks of the most uncarthly
kind greeted his ears.
After remaining quiet for
a short time he felt a thread
by his hand; he grasped it,
and had hardly done SO when
a mighty wind struck his body
almost tearing his limbs out
of their sockets. and dashing
him down into the mouth of
the pit, where he swayed from
side to side. clinging to the
thread. which alone kept him
from falling into the flames
below. He knew that should
the thread break or he lose
his grasp he was doomed for
ever, and he thought to him
self: i have been a skeptic
and God Almighty is showing
me that there is a hell of
darkness and fire to which I'M
believers are exposed, and
he grasped the thread the
tighter.
After what seemed to him
an interminable time, the
wind ceased and he knew
nothing until he requested
the ministers to pray with him.
Shortly after his return to
life, Mr.. Johnson says, he
made his peace with God,
and after giving full direc-
tons regarding his burial,
bidding his friends goodbye
and requesting MIR. O'Daniels
when he officiatcd at his fun
eral to relate his remarkable
for the benefit of
others, died peacefully in his
arms.
That Messrs. Johnson,
O'Danicls and all the others
who Witnessed this strange
affair believe actually in its
supernaturalness is unques-
toned. They are all persons
whose veracity is beyond
question, and even the ply
sicians assert the young man
was actually dead. The re
Iating of the story at the fun
eral caused considerable ex-
element, and people are flock
ing to the churches through
Ibis vicinity, meetings being
held day and night since
Thursday, the day upon which
the young man was buried.
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