Two children who were stricken with fever and ague and one with cancer, belonging to the same family, were also healed through the administration of the Elders.
Elder Parry testifies that many times while fulfilling his duties as an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ he was attacked by mobs, who threw stones at him; and although at times the stones flew past him in showers, he was never injured by them. Upon several occasions his enemies attempted to inflict upon him bodily injury, but they were frustrated in all their plans. At one time they secured another man, thinking it to be Elder Parry, and maltreated him in a shameful manner.
Several of the most bitter enemies of the Church in those days died an unnatural death. One man, who was a sectarian minister, and one of the worst opposers to the work of God to be found in that vicinity, became ferocious like a mad dog, and had to be chained up for quite a while before his death.
Brother Parry was released from his labors as a traveling Elder in the Welsh conference, in the early part of the year 1856, and immediately prepared to emigrate to this country. Upon reaching Iowa City, on his journey westward, he was appointed captain of a company of one hundred persons. Provisions became scarce among the emigrants, and their rations were reduced to one-half pound of flour per day for each person. On account of this, some of the company on arriving at Council Bluffs concluded to remain there and work, and therefore left the camp. Upon learning this Brother Parry went back for them, and prevailed upon them to continue their journey. While trying to overtake the company, which was a considerable distance ahead, he was surrounded by a number of men who were very anxious that the emigrants who were with him should stay and work for them, and were angry at him for persuading them to leave. Some of the pursuing party were sent to procure tar and feathers to cover him with, while the others were guarding him. Their attention was attracted for a moment in another direction, when Elder Parry took advantage of the opportunity to escape by running towards the camp of the Saints. He was overtaken, however, before he reached it by two of the gang, who seized him by the collar, but he made some threats which frightened them and they let him go. After reaching camp he was still pursued by others who were mounted on horseback, and armed with revolvers, clubs, etc., but he escaped their recognition by changing his clothing. The mobocrats finally returned to Council Bluffs without having accomplished their object, for Elder Parry's influence over the discouraged men prevailed, and they decided to continue their journey.
CHAPTER IV.
JOHN T. EVANS' STATEMENT—A SICK AND HELPLESS WOMAN HEALED ON BEING BAPTIZED—RELAPSE AND DEATH AFTER APOSTASY—SAINTS REQUIRED TO RENOUNCE THEIR RELIGION OR LOSE THEIR SITUATIONS—CHOLERA EPIDEMIC—HEALED ACCORDING TO FAITH—PRIVATE DISCUSSION WITH A MALIGNANT WHO TAKES THE CHOLERA AND BEGS THE ELDERS TO CURE HIM—HEALED AND THEN BAPTIZED-CURIOUS MANNER IN WHICH FOOD AND LODGING WERE PROVIDED.
Elder John T. Evans, now of Salt Lake City, spent about eight years when a young man in preaching the gospel in his native country—Wales. During about five years of this time he labored as a traveling Elder in North Wales, one of the very hardest of missionary fields, where he traveled and preached without purse or scrip. Much of the time he labored alone, for, although many different Elders were sent at various times by the president of the mission to assist him, they generally became discouraged on account of the persecution and hardships they were forced to endure and soon abandoned their labors.
The interesting incidents connected with his labors in that land which Elder Evans can relate would fill a volume.
Upon one occasion he and four other Elders were sent to an iron manufacturing district about seven miles from Neath to introduce the gospel. Among their first converts were a man by the name of William Howells and his family. This man on embracing the gospel received a strong testimony of its divinity and was fearless in declaring it unto others. He had a sister who had been so sick and helpless as to be bed-ridden for three-and-a-half years. She was a member of the Baptist church, but on hearing the doctrines of the Latter-day Saints explained she soon became dissatisfied with her religion; and when her brother testified to her that the gospel had been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith, with all its former gifts and blessings, she declared her intention to be baptized. Her husband was bitterly opposed to the gospel, but all the reason, ridicule and persuasion that he could use failed to turn her from her purpose. She was resolute, and so zealous withal that she made a special request to be baptized on Sunday, between eleven and twelve o'clock, that the people of the whole neighborhood might see the ceremony, and had word circulated to that effect. It was a novel thing in that region to see Latter-day Saints baptizing, and the result was, that about three thousand persons assembled on the bank of the stream to witness it. She was carried from the house to the stream, the distance of about half a mile in a chair, and there Elder Evans, assisted by a man named David Matthews, carried her into the water and baptized her.