In a spirit of fun the other Elders afterwards jollied Elder C. a good deal about the promise he had made that sister, telling him he had better look at the color of a woman's hair before making her any such extravagant promises as he had in that instance. He was somewhat plagued by their raillery and could offer no defense except to say that the Spirit had prompted him to say what he did. He remembered the promise, but had no means of learning the subsequent history of the sister until a year or so afterward, when, after his return home from his mission, he chanced to meet her husband, who joyfully hailed him with the exclamation, "That boy you promised is born!" But then he added, with tears in his eyes that his wife, who had fondly clung to the promise, was fifty-three years old at the time of the child's birth, and had only lived a short time afterwards, but died happy in the consciousness that the boy survived her, and in the hope that he would indeed live to call her blessed. The parents regarded him as a child of promise, as much so as Isaac of old was, who was born to Sarah in her old age, and named him in honor of Elder C. giving him his christian and surname as well as the surname of his father.
Years afterwards that son, having reached a marriageable age and grown to be a stalwart man, journeyed a long distance with his intended bride to get Elder C., (whom he had never seen, but whom he had been taught from infancy to revere) to perform the marriage ceremony for him, and his ever-increasing posterity will doubtless be taught, as they come to years of understanding, the story of the inspired prediction and its literal fulfillment, as here related.
A Tongue of Utility
ELDER BASTIAN INSPIRED TO PREACH IN THE DANISH LANGUAGE BEFORE HE HAD LEARNED IT.
ON THE DAY of Pentecost when the ministry of the Apostles was ushered in with such a wonderful display of supernatural power the assembled multitude heard the Gospel preached in many different languages with which they were severally familiar, but which were strange to the Apostles. This was in fulfillment of the promise of the Savior, as recorded in Mark XVI. 17, that these signs shall follow them that believe: "In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues." The utility of their so speaking must have been at once apparent to those who heard but would not have understood them had they not been inspired to so speak.
Of similar utility has been the gift of tongues enjoyed by a number of Elders in our day when sent upon missions to foreign countries. A case in illustration of this is the experience of Elder Gearsen S. Bastian, formerly Counselor to the President of the Wayne Stake of Zion, but now a resident of Sigurd, Sevier Co., Utah. He was sent on a mission to Denmark in 1888, and was appointed to labor in the Aarhus conference. He found much difficulty in acquiring the Danish language, so much so that he felt discouraged and began to fear that he would never be able to learn it. About that time his missionary companion was released to return home, and Elder Bastian was left in charge of the Randers branch.
Only once had he attempted to speak before the public, and he was only able to say a very few words. Sunday came, and at the appointed time for worship the meeting hall was well filled. After the opening exercises he called upon one of the native Elders to speak, but he had only occupied a few minutes, when a burning desire to speak filled the soul of Elder Bastian. He arose, and under the influence and power of God he preached the gospel with much plainness in the Danish language for an hour and twenty minutes. At the close of the meeting the native brethren and sisters all flocked around him to congratulate him; and they claimed that he had spoken the language with as much plainness as they could have spoken; and they rejoiced greatly. But as yet he could not converse with them; nevertheless the Lord had given to him a testimony that he should thenceforth have freedom and power in preaching the gospel.