Parley P. Pratt wrote:
In the morning I commenced a regular visit to each of the clergy of
the place, introducing myself
and my errand. I was absolutely refused
hospitality, and denied the opportunity
of preaching in any of their houses
or congregations. Rather
an unpromising beginning, thought I, considering
the prophecies on my head concerning
Toronto.
However, nothing daunted, I applied to the Sherriff for the use of the
Court House, and then to the
authorities for a public room in the market
place; but with no better success.
What could I do more? I had exhausted
my influence and power without
effect. I now repaired to a pine grove just
out of the town, and, kneeling
down, called on the Lord, bearing testimony
of my unsuccessful exertions;
my inability to open the way; at the same
time asking Him in the name of
Jesus to open an effectual door for His
servant to fulfill his mission
in that place.
I then arose and again entered the town, and going to the house of
John Taylor, had placed my hand
on my baggage to depart from a place
where I could do no good, when
a few inquiries on the part of Mr. Taylor,
inspired by a degree of curiosity
or of anxiety, caused a few moments'
delay, during which a lady by
the name of Walton entered the house, and,
being an acquaintance of Mrs.
Taylor's, was soon engaged in conversation
with her in an adjoining room.
I overheard the following:
"Mrs. Walton, I am glad to see you; there is a gentleman here from
the United States who says the
Lord sent him to this city to preach the
gospel. He has applied
in vain to the clergy and to the various authorities
for opportunity to fulfill his
mission, and is now about to leave the place.
He may be a man of God; I am
sorry to have him depart."
"Indeed!" said the lady; "well, I now understand the feelings and
spirit which brought me to your
house at this time. I have been busy
over the wash tub and too weary
to take a walk; but I felt impressed to
walk out. I then thought
I would make a call on my sister, the other side
of town; but passing your door,
the Spirit bade me go in; but I said to
myself, I will go in when I return;
but the Spirit said: 'go in now.' I
accordingly came in, and I am
thankful that I did so. Tell the stranger he
is welcome to my house.
I am a widow; but I have a spare room and bed,
and food in plenty. He
shall have a home at my house, and two large
rooms to preach in just when
he pleases. Tell him I will send my son John
over to pilot him to my house,
while I go and gather my relatives and
friends to come in this very
evening and hear him talk; for I feel by the
Spirit that he is a man sent
by the Lord with a message which will do us good."
The evening found me quietly seated at her house, in the midst of a
number of listeners, who were
seated around a large work table in her
parlor, and deeply interested
in the conversation...
After conversing with these interesting persons till a late hour, we
retired to rest. Next day
Mrs. Walton requested me to call on a friend of
hers, who was also a widow in
deep affliction, being totally blind with
inflammation in the eyes; she
had suffered extreme pain for several
months, and had also been reduced
to want, having four little children
to support. She had lost
her husband, of cholera, two years before, and
had sustained herself and family
by teaching school until deprived of
sight, since which she had been
dependent on the Methodist society;
herself and children being then
a public charge.
Mrs. Walton sent her little daughter of twelve years old to show me
the way. I called on the
poor blind widow and helpless orphans, and
found them in a dark and gloomy
apartment, rendered more so by having
every ray of light obscured to
prevent its painful effects on her eyes. I
related to her the circumstances
of my mission, and she believed the
same. I laid my hands upon
her in the name of Jesus Christ, and said
unto her, "your eyes shall
be well from this very hour." She threw off
her bandages; opened her house
to the light; dressed herself, and walking
with open eyes, came to the meeting
that same evening at sister Walton's,
with eyes as well and as bright
as any other person's.
-------------------------------
(Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt). (also recounted in The
New
Testament for Today--Biblical Stories with Modern Parallels).
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Pray always for the GIFT OF HEALING
and live worthy to be an instrument
in the hands of the Lord in healing
others (if it be the will of the Lord), and
for the faith to be healed yourself
should the need arise.
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Pray for the GIFT OF MEMORY, that
all you read and hear and learn will be
brought to memory in your hour
of need in teaching and helping others.
But pray that anything you
interpret or learn incorrectly or thoughts that
are unclean and unworthy will
be wiped from your memory.
And pray that you will never
inadvertently teach incorrect doctrine or false
ideas, or be misunderstood in
your teachings--and that if it should happen,
it will be wiped from the memory
of your listeners.
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Always write in your journals,
the insights you receive, the lessons you
learn, and the feelings you have--so
that they may be brought back to
your memory and you may continue
to benefit from the lessons in your
future life.