Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-12-31

upcn any person or make themselves
c,bnoxious. BE it said to their credit,
they visited only where a welcome was
extended them and where their earnest
efforts babe fair to meet with some
sort of success. To many homes they
have been admitted out of curiosity;
from some, Doubtless, they have been
barred and in some instances doubt
less they have been treated kindly.
They came here for the mere purpose
OF performing peculiar duty, the
names of four OF these disciples OF
worth OF Taylor. Idaho; Elder D. r.
Wilson Jr. of Logan, Utah, Elder
Edward +. Turley of Colonia Juarez.
Chihuahua, Mexico, and Elder T.. Il.
Malan, Ogden.
Now for the interesting part of the
story, related to a Signal reporter by
Mr.. Gray himself. and given as near as
possible In his own words:
Last Friday these four Mormon FL
ders called at my home here. They
We're very genteel in appearance and
actions and asked me II I wouldn't like
to look over some of their tracts, etc,
and also asked me II I would not let
them cure me by faith / consented
and they impressed upon me very
strongly that | should not have faith
in them but should place all my faith
in God as 1t was through Him and not
them that my cure would be accom-
plphed This liberal statement on
their part and their own sincerity aid
ed me materially, Tor l always knew
that God alone could cure me, and. do
You know. | have always thought that
God would cure me.
"'As / said before. / consented and
they set Sunday afternoon Mt O'Clock
for the time of holding the meeting.
and additionally stated that from then,
Friday morning, until after the faith
meeting they would not eat anything,
as period of fasting seemed neces-
sary.
Sunday afternoon, or yesterday af-
ternoon, at o'clock the four Elders
came here TO my home and after re-
reatedly instructing me to put my
faith in God they knolt at my bedside
In prayer. my wife being the sixth
occupant of the room
Following this first prayer, and
while was sitting here T. my big arm
chair, one of the Elders literally
arointed my head with oil--sacred OIL
and after that was done they formed II
circle around my chair. each one plac-
ing his right hand on my head and all
placed their left hands on each others
shoulders. ] had perfect faith in all
that they were doing, and. while each
of the four Elders earnestly prayed. /,
too, bent my head in reverence and ap-
pealed with all the faith at my COM
mand to God for deliverance from my
affection.
"'Finally they concluded and one OF
the Elders commanded me to walk. All
al once l became possessed of an al
most sUperhuman desire TO get up and
walk and when / tried to, after my
muscles quivered for q brief instant, |
raised my left arm and then stood up.
] took step and found | could move
my left leg. l took another step and
walked out into the kitchen and back.
After awhile l made the round trip to
the kitchen again and while on the
third trip, my left ankle turned slight
ly and l sat down.
While j am profusely thankful to
the four Elders for the interest that
they manifested in my case. ! want II
distinctly understood that look to God
as my deliverer and not to them
when seen by the Signal represent
tative this morning, Mr.. Gray was sit
ting in his big arm chair with his left
foot in Il bucket of hot water--a house
hold remedy for spralns. To illustrate
the extent of his cure the happy gem
tleman shook hands with the writer,
using first his right hand and next his
left hand, and the latter member, which
for three years had remained dead al
| most at his side, contained n strong and
| hearty grip. Many times he raised his
| left arm above his head 0nd waved 1t
to and fro tc illustrate the positive use
he had of the member and while re-
lating the above experience he ges-
| tieulated as freely with his left arm as
with the right. Many times he lifted
the left foot from the water without
any apparent effort and accompanied
the pleasant movement with n smile
| almost glorious in its extent and
meaning.
Matthew Gray is well known citi-
zen of GAINESVILLE. He was born and
raised in Muskingum county and he
and his good wife have reared family
of ten children. all but one of whom
reside In the county. Mrs. Bert Poe,
the estimabe wife of the foreman of
the Times Recorder press room, is n
daughter and their four youngest chill
dren are attending the city schools
Mr. Gray entered the army in 1856,
as member of the New York Reserve
artillery, and was later member of
the 159th regiment. o. V. l. In 1864
he was honorably discharged from the
regiment and entered the navy, re-
naming there n year. In 1866 he was
married to Miss Sarah straub of this
city, who Is vet helpmate and who
has cared faithfully for him during his
three years of afrliction.''