Scraps of Biography: Tenth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day SaintsVarious
Religion
Scraps of Biography: Tenth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Various
Latter Day Saints -- Biography
For six months Mr. Tanner had neither let his diseased limb hang down
nor his foot touch the floor, but was obliged to keep the leg in a
right angle with his body, resting it on pillows placed on some object
directly in front of him. And yet, with all his bodily suffering, his
mind was active and his noble, generous heart, ever sympathizing with
his fellow-man, beat with untiring zeal for the welfare of humanity.
Feeling assured that he must soon die, he sought opportunities for
doing good.
He had a vehicle so constructed that he could move himself from place
to place without assistance. In the fore part of September, 1832, a
notice was circulated in the place where he lived, that two Latter-day
Saint Elders would preach on a certain evening, at a place specified,
not far from Mr. Tanner's residence. He hailed the announcement with
delight. It afforded him an opportunity (he thought) of doing an
immense amount of good. He was conversant with the Bible and felt
himself amply qualified to battle with heresy, especially that of the
Latter-day Saints, and by doing so, he could confer lasting benefit on
his fellow-creatures. That was his aim and such his anticipations when
the appointed evening arrived. He seated himself in his locomotive and
wended his way to the meeting, feeling confident that he could silence
the so-called "Mormons," whom he sincerely supposed were imposters; but
long before the two Elders, who were Simeon and Jared Carter, finished
their discourses, a wonderful change had come over the mind of Mr.
Tanner, and when they closed the evening services, he invited them to
his home.
That evening a new era dawned upon his existence. After spending the
evening in earnest conversation, when the clock struck the hour of
eleven, he told the missionaries he was ready to be baptized, but that
it would not be possible for him to receive the ordinance. They asked
him, "Why not?" He said on account of his lameness, as he had not put
his foot to the floor for the last six months, and could not possibly
do it. One of the Elders asked him if he did not think there was power
enough in the gospel of Jesus Christ anciently to heal all manner of
diseases, to which he replied in the affirmative. He was then asked if
he did not think that the same cause produced the same effect in all
ages, and if there was not sufficient power in the gospel to heal him.
Mr. Tanner replied that such a thought had not occurred to him, but he
believed that the Lord could heal him. Elder Jared Carter then arose
and commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ to arise and walk, when,
to use his own expression, "I arose, threw down my crutches, and walked
the floor back and forth--back and forth, praising God, and I felt as
light as a feather."
That same night he walked three-quarters of a mile to Lake George, and
was baptized by Simeon Carter, and walked back, giving thanks to God,
for his complete restoration to health.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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