The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-04-11
ANSWER PRAYER.
The Power Of Speech Was Restored to a
Man at Westminster, 5. c.

DUMB FOR THREE YEARS
Like the Marvels of Early Christian
Days, Reads Story Of Mr.. Drayton
Poore, Who, Dumb, Speaks Again,
the Thorn in the Flesh Having
Been Removed.
A letter from Westminster to The
News and Coruier says without ques-
ton the most conspicuous man in up
Der South Carolina to-day Is Mr.
Thomas Drayton Poore. He had this
unabating conspiciousness since the
afternon Of Feb. {, 1911. 1t does
not dwindle in the least, but rather
grows greater as the circle covering
the knowledge of his experience
grows wider. People from different
parts of the state and the nelghboring
State of Georgia have come in nuni>
bers to Westminster for the sole pur-
pose of looking on the person of this
new marked man. Letters have been
received by the hundreds making In
quiry about him.
The thing that has brought Mr..
Foore into the lime light is the sud-
den restoration Of speech, Of which
he had been totally deprived for al
most three years. To be more eA-
act, the thing that has pointed him
out as a CONSPICUOUS character Is not
the simple fact of the restoration OF
speech, but the circumstances under
which his speech was restored, and
more especially the cause that Is be-
lieved to have been behind 1t and
responsible for it. A brief history
of the case of Mr.. Pocre will tell the
story and put before the reader the
evidence upon which the claim Of
miracle is posted.
Mr.. Poore, who is one of the most
reputable men of the town and coun-
ty in which he lives, began to lose
the power of speech on the 18th day
Of April, 1908, and continued to grow
worse in this respect until on the
18th day of December of that year he
was utterly unable to make an audi
BILE sound, even in the form Of a whis-
per. The physicians told him that It
was the result of case Of nervous
indigestion that had been troubling
him for long time. Mr. Poore was
unable to make singlefsound in the
nature of speech until the afternoon
of February II, 1911. 1t is the re-
turn of the power Of speech, espec-
ialIy in the light of the circumstances
of it's return, and, as it is confidently
believed by all, the cause Of its return
that makes Mr.. Poore to be subject
of great interest at this time.
The circumstances are these: There
was a protracted service in progress
at the Baptist chuch In Westminster,
of which Mr.. Poore Is member and
officer. The services were being con-
Quoted by the Rev. S. E. Stephens,
returned missionary Of that denomi-
nation. On the afternoon Of the fth
of February, at a very quiet meeting
In which prayer was the predom1-
mating feature, Mr.. Poore wrote on
slip of paper request that prayer be
offered for him that God would give
him grace to bear his afliction. At
tention was called to the fact that 1t
might be Gods will to restore to him
his voice, and this was made the bur-
den of the prayers offered at thai
time. Like Paul Of old, the brethren
prayed that the "thorn of the flesh"
might be removed, but If 1t was not
for the glory Of God that it be re-
moved that their brother might be
given grace to bear it to Gods glory
and praise.
After the season Of prayer was
over, without asking If the answer
had been given, the leader announced
/ hymn, and none was more sdr-
prised, perhaps, than MI. Poore TO
find that he could join in the singing
with as strong and melodious voice
as any one present. The amazement
was startling when Mr.. Poore, just
as the minister was about to dismiss
the congregation, rushed to the plat
form, lifted his hand and began to
tell, with lips that had been speech
less for three years, Of how wonder
fully God had answered the prayers
of His people on that occasion. At
the request of Mr.. Poore the consre-
CATION sang, Nearer, My God, to
Thee" and "Praise God, from Whom
All Blessings Flow" the subject of
the blessing leading the singing with
a thrill in his voice that by that con-
gregation was never heard on land or
sea.
If any one imagines that there was
any drag in the meeting after thlt
they are quite mistaken. An ovation
was rendered Mr.. Poore on the
IL