Brother Henry Russell, who now lives at Union, in Salt Lake County, was at that time a lamp-lighter in Coventry. He was engaged in lighting the street lamps when this destruction took place. He was just about to pass under one of the arches when it fell, and he probably would have been killed had he not been stopped by a policeman and detained until the danger was over.
Thus is the saying of the Lord corroborated, that what His servants declare by His Spirit He will fulfill.
REMARKABLE HEALINGS.
MARTIN H. PECK'S TESTIMONY OF A NUMBER OF REMARKABLE CASES OF HEALING—A BROKEN ARM, A CRUSHED LEG, ETC., HEALED IMMEDIATELY.
Brother Martin H. Peck, of Salt Lake City, relates a series of cases of healing that occurred in his family and under his administration. He joined the Church in Vermont, in 1833, and about two years later, while on a visit to a place about nine miles from where he lived, he received word from his wife at home that their child was lying at the point of death and she desired him to come home immediately and bring an Elder with him. He was not more surprised at learning of his son's dangerous condition than of the faith in the ordinances of the gospel which his wife manifested, by wanting an Elder to lay hands on the child; for she had not then joined the Church or manifested much interest in the gospel. He was therefore almost as much pleased on his wife's account as he was pained on account of his child on receiving the news. Taking Elder James Snow with him, he hastened home, and found the little fellow lying helpless and in a very low condition in his mother's arms. Brother Peck only held the office of a Teacher at the time, so Elder Snow administered to the child alone, and while doing so the little fellow dozed off into a quiet slumber, and when he awoke he was as well as he ever had been.
Soon afterwards Brother Peck himself was taken extremely ill, and to all appearances seemed about to die. He even lost his sight and was in the greatest agony, but Elder John Badger was called in and rebuked the disease and blessed him, and he was healed immediately. On describing his symptoms afterwards to a friend who was an experienced physician, he was assured that his was an extreme case, and it was doubtful if medical skill could have saved him.
Near the same time his son Joseph was troubled with a couple of swellings on the glands of his neck which threatened to choke him. After various remedies had been tried without avail a physician was consulted, who declared the boy could not live long if they continued to grow, and recommended that a surgical operation be performed to remove them, although even that, he admitted, would be very dangerous. Brother Peck concluded not to act upon his advice, and he sent for some Elders instead and had them anoint and lay hands upon him. The result was that in a few days the swellings had entirely disappeared.
From Vermont Brother Peck removed to Ohio, and while there a great deal of sickness prevailed and many deaths occurred in his neighborhood. The doctors seemed to be entirely baffled in their efforts to cope with the disease. Among others stricken down was Brother Peck's son, William. He lay unconscious all day with his eyes turned back in his head, and apparently in a dying condition. A number of neighbors called in to see him and urged Brother Peck to send for a doctor. He told them, however, that he could not have much confidence in doctors' skill after seeing the children which they attended die off, as they had done, like rotten sheep. He preferred to have nothing to do with them. Nor did he feel like administering to the boy while unbelievers were in the house. His wife happened to be away from home, and he felt confident that when she returned their united faith would result in obtaining a blessing from the Almighty. Some of the neighbors in their solicitude stayed with the boy all day, and doubtless thought Brother Peck an unfeeling wretch, as he would not send for a doctor. On the return of Sister Peck she, too, refused to have a physician, and so the neighbors left in disgust. As soon as they had done so the parents called mightily upon the Lord to spare their child's life and Brother Peck rebuked the disease, and he was healed instantly.
But a few days had elapsed when their son Joseph was taken suddenly very sick, and a neighbor hastened to Brother Peck's shop to inform him if something were not done immediately for his relief he would be dead. He also offered his services to wait upon him. Brother Peck thanked him for his kindness but declined accepting the offer. On reaching his home and seeing the condition of the child, which was truly alarming, he and his wife referred the case to the Lord, with the same result as in the previous case.
A rather curious case was that of a young lady who lived in Brother Peck's family who was afflicted with a most distressing cough, from which she could get no relief. It seemed as if she would almost choke with it. On being administered to by the Elders she was relieved immediately, and never coughed again for two weeks, when, on getting in a passion, the cough returned.