SCENES IN THE BRITISH MISSION.
CHAPTER I.
ELDER HALLIDAY APPLIED TO FOR HELP BY A SISTER WHOSE SON IS DYING—NOT ABLE TO GO, HE GAVE THE LADY HIS HANDKERCHIEF AND PROMISES HER THE CHILD SHALL LIVE—THE CHILD REVIVES FROM APPARENT DEATH BY THE WOMAN'S FAITH AND PRAYER—PREACHING IN PENZANCE—DISCOURAGEMENT AND WANT—STRANGE CONDUCT OF A LADY ATTENDING THE MEETING—INVITATION TO GO TO ST. JUST—GIFT OF TONGUES AND INTERPRETATION GIVEN TO ELDER HALLIDAY, THROUGH WHICH HE RECEIVES A REVELATION—REVELATION LITERALLY FULFILLED.
The various gifts of the gospel were perhaps enjoyed to as great an extent by the Elders who labored in England in an early day as they have been by any people and in any place, at least in this dispensation. Nor were the manifestations of these gifts confined to the Elders who were engaged in the ministry, for their converts also enjoyed them to a very great extent. Many of them through their extraordinary faith and humility called forth the blessings and power of God in various ways. The gift of healing was very manifest, and scores of instances might be related wherein persons were healed in a most miraculous manner.
Bishop George Halliday, of Santaquin, who labored extensively as a missionary in his native country in an early day, relates an incident of this kind. Upon a warm Sunday evening, after he had been preaching to an audience in Bristol, he was accosted by a Mrs. Ware, a sister in the Church, who told him she had a son extremely sick and thought to be dying. She begged him to go home with her and administer to it. She lived three miles distant, on Durham Down. It was quite late in the evening and he was so extremely tired that he scarcely felt able to comply with her request; and yet he did not like to decline. All at once he felt impressed to say: "Here, Sister Ware, you take my handkerchief and go home to your child and lay it on him wherever he seems to be affected, praying to the Lord to heal him. If you do this I will promise you that he will recover."
With full faith the good lady took the handkerchief and departed. On reaching her home she was met at the door by her daughters and friends, who informed her that her son was dead.
"No," said she, "I cannot believe it! Brother Halliday has promised me that he shall live, and I have his handkerchief to lay upon him."
She hastened to the boy and did as she had been directed to, and the child, which a few minutes before had been inanimate, began to show signs of life. The next morning he was able to come down to breakfast, and soon regained his wonted health. He afterwards emigrated to Utah.
Brother Halliday also relates another instance in which the power of God was displayed in a rather remarkable manner, near the same time: