The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-07
BIT THOMAS LEE.
Press Correspondent.

Consolidated Press Correspondent.
Copyright. 1922. by The Argus,
Greensboro. N. c.. Nov. Mrs.
Susan Pruitt, 1o4 years old. bed
ridden and partially helpless. today
was in better spirits than in sew
eral years following her expert
ences on Sunday when she Was
baptized In the good old Baptist
way in a portable baptfsmal pool
which had been mounted on truck
and hauled to the door Of her home
in the little town Of Caesar. near
here.
Doctors had warned her that the
shock of complete immersion would
in all probability cause her death.
Members of her family tried to dis
suade her from the ordeal. But
she was adamant in her refusal.
And today it appears that her faith
had triumphed, inasmuch as she
was smiling and happy, had SEEM
ingly gained in strength since Sun
day, and there was not the slight
est trace of cold or pneumonia.
Thousand See Immersion.
A thousand people gathered from
all the countryside crowded about
the pool into which she was low
cred, and as she was lifted out
broke into a hymn of rejoicing in
which she feebly Joined.
About four months ago Mrs. Pru-
EFT ell and broke her hip. Since
then she has been unable to leave
her bed, as the fracture failed prop
erly to knit because Of her advanc-
ed years. She is a woman OF the
pioneer type and has been the
hardest sort of a worker all of her
life. She brought up her family
to attend church, and while always
active in humanitarian work, she
| never herself enrolled as a mem
/ Der of the recognized church.
While lying bed-ridden and help
less the thought came to her thai
she desired baptism in the Baptis
faith. She told the members of hel
family Of this desire. They frown
ed on it because they feared il
might mean her death and theil
objections we're endorsed by thu
family physician. But she would
not be dissuaded and she sent TO-
Rev. J. F. Weathers. pastor Of tn
Pisgah Baptist church and told hin
of her desire.
i How 1t Was Done.
i 1t obviously was impossible Il
take her to the baptismal pool il
the church edifice, SO the ministe
devised a way of bringing the poo
one similar to it, at least-to he
door. He had a canvas vat mad
and mounted this on truck. Thel
1t was filled half full of water an
} hauled to the door of the Pruet
home. The water was heated Their
and the temperature raised to bod
heat
Six men went into the house an
brought Mrs. Pruett out on a shee,
After that they lowered her int
the water until only her face wa
above the surface. They Rev. MI
Weathers reciting meanwhile tn
ordinance of baptism, thrust he
head very gently under so that I'M
mersion was completed as require
by the church doctrine. Immedi
ately thereafter she was carrie
back into the house and given med
ical attention. Many in the thron
had expected the ordeal would b
too much but the faith that move
mountains" prevailed and she wa
smiling as she feebly tried to joi
in the hymn Of praise that swelle
from those about who felt that the
had observed almost a miracle.
There is no doubt Of Mrs. Pru
ett's age. She was married at /
: and her husband died when she wa
60, A years ago as the records O
2 file attest.