ELDER JOHN PARRY'S STATEMENT--HIS BROTHER'S TESTIMONY AND DEATH--HIS
SISTER'S REPROOF AND DEATH--EMBRACE THE GOSPEL--HIS SLEEP
TROUBLED--A REMEDY AND A LESSON--ORSON SPENCER HEALED--PROVIDENTIAL
HELP--ESCAPE FROM A MOB--CANCER IN A MAN'S FACE CURED BY LAYING ON OF
HANDS--PRESERVED FROM MOBS.
Elder John Parry, who was master-mason on the Logan Temple up to the
time of his death, which occurred in July last, left a manuscript
journal in which a number of very interesting incidents are recorded.
His brother, Bernard Parry, died on the 12th of November, 1841, while
a member of the Campbellite church, and without having heard of the
gospel as revealed through Joseph Smith. While upon his death bed,
however, his mind was illumined by the Spirit of God and he had the
gift of prophecy. He said that the Lord had shown him many great and
marvelous things which were to come to pass in this age, but that he
would not live to see them, for he was about to die. "But," said he,
addressing his father, "the Lord is going to do a great work and a
wonder upon the earth, and you shall be called to take part in it,
father; and you shall yet preach the everlasting gospel to thousands in
Wales."
Then turning to his brother John, he said, "And you also, John, shall
be called to it, and shall preach the gospel to tens of thousands, and
shall baptize many, and my body shall not altogether rot before the
Savior will stand upon the earth."
The night before he died, he inquired of his brother John if he would
be willing to do just as he requested him. John replied that he would,
when he asked him to remove the things, one by one, that stood upon a
table near by, into another room. His brother complied without saying
a word, and was then requested to return them and arrange them as
they were before upon the table. This John also did without asking
a question, whereupon Bernard said, "Well done; now I wish you to
remember that that is the way to serve the Lord! whatever He commands
you to do, do it without asking questions."
After impressing this lesson upon his brother's mind, he lay back upon
his pillow and never spoke again.
Elder Parry never heard the gospel preached until five years after his
brother's death, but the prediction in regard to his preaching and
baptizing was literally fulfilled.
A sister of his also had peculiar impressions before her death, which
occurred about five years later. She had, while living in Cheltenham
some time previously, met some Latter-day Saints, and become somewhat
acquainted with the doctrines which they preached. On returning to the
parental home she frequently referred to these doctrines, and urged her
relatives to investigate them, but her father and her brother John, who
were zealous Campbellites, were prejudiced against the "Mormons" by
the false reports which they had heard about them and opposed her and
persuaded her to have nothing to do with them.
She was taken sick with a fever, and when about to die she called her
relatives around her and said to her father, "Your religion is worth
nothing in the hour of death. I have lived it as faithfully as mortal
could do, and it is of no good to me now. I am going to utter darkness,
therefore look to yourselves and seek a religion that will support you
and enable you to face death fearlessly--the one that you have is of no
value!"
Then turning to her brother John, she reproached him with having
hindered and persuaded her from embracing the gospel of Jesus Christ.
This was too much for him to bear, for he loved his sister dearly, and
he fainted and fell to the floor. When he regained his consciousness
his sister had ceased speaking and soon died.
Brother Parry gives an account of the manner in which he became
acquainted with the Latter-day Saints and embraced the gospel.
In 1844, a friend of his told him that Joseph Smith, the Prophet had
been killed. As soon as he heard this, something whispered to him:
"He was a servant of God." From that moment his prejudice against the
Latter-day Saints was removed.
He heard but little of "Mormonism" after that until he removed to
Birkenhead, in 1846. While going from there to Liverpool in company
with some of his relatives and friends, he met a "Mormon" Elder, who
invited him to attend one of their meetings to be held in the last
named place. He persuaded his companions to accompany him, and they
all attended the meeting. While listening to the Elders bear their
testimony to the great latter-day work, he felt convinced that they
spoke the truth, and believed them with all his heart.
At the close of the meeting, he asked one of his friends, a Campbellite
preacher, what he thought of the "Mormons" and their doctrines. The
preacher replied that their doctrines were a "damnable heresy."
"Well," said Mr. Parry, "one of the sayings of Paul has been fulfilled
with you and me to-day."
"What is that?" asked the preacher.
"When he said the gospel would be unto one 'the savor of death unto
death: and to the other the savor of life unto life.' It has been life
unto life to me, and I shall be a Latter-day Saint," was the response.
He attended another meeting in the evening of the same day, and at the
close he and his father handed in their names for baptism.
Shortly after he was baptized Brother Parry was ordained an Elder and
was appointed to preside over the Birkenhead branch of the Church.
While praying subsequently for a testimony of the truth, a voice spoke
to him and said: "The gift of healing shall follow thee to a great
extent."
This was literally fulfilled.
After joining the Church Elder Parry was often troubled in his sleep
by evil spirits. Upon one occasion he inquired of the president of the
Liverpool branch why it was that he was thus annoyed. The Elder replied
that some persons were troubled more than others, and told him to use
the following words in his prayers before retiring to rest: "O God, the
Eternal Father, I ask Thee in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, to
give Thine angels charge concerning me this night, and allow not the
powers of darkness to molest my spirit nor body."
He did this, and was troubled with evil spirits no more, until one
night, feeling very sleepy, he uttered a hasty, formal prayer and
went to bed. During the night he was almost overcome by the power of
evil spirits, which were visible. Unable to utter a word, he prayed
fervently in his mind to the Lord to release him. In an instant the
heavens appeared to him to open, and he saw an angel descend towards
him. The personage took hold of him and raised him up a little, and
immediately the powers of darkness disappeared.
Elder Parry asked the angel why it was that the Lord permitted the evil
one to abuse him in such a manner, to which he replied: "Because thou
didst not pray from the heart, but with thy lips."
At one time Elder Orson Spencer came from Liverpool to spend a few days
at a place where Elder Parry was living. While there he was taken very
sick. Elder Parry anointed him and he soon recovered.
A short time after this the Birkenhead branch of the Church was
disorganized, and Elder Parry was sent to Wales to preach. He was
soon out of money, and being without a place to stop, he and his
fellow-laborer took lodgings in a small store. They called for food
on credit, trusting the Lord would provide means to enable them to
pay their way. The next day they held two meetings, and enough money
was given them to pay for their board and some to help them in their
travels.
Upon another occasion, he was obliged to put up at a boarding house, as
he was a stranger in the place, and there were none who would entertain
him. He had no money with which to pay his board when he went there,
but after holding a meeting and telling the people that he was a
stranger, without money, and was sent to preach without purse or scrip,
several of the congregation donated small sums to help him. While on
his way to the house where he was stopping, a child came to him from
the opposite side of the street and placed in his hand a half-penny.
When he went to settle for his board and lodgings he found that he had
just the exact amount with which he was charged.
While holding a meeting in the open air, at one time, Elder Parry and
another traveling Elder were disturbed by a ruffian who challenged
them to fight, and they were obliged to dismiss the meeting. They went
to a public house to take lodgings, and were followed by a mob. Being
impressed that they were evil disposed, Elder Parry told the landlady,
in the presence of the gang of ruffians, that he and his companion
would take a walk before retiring for the night. He did not intend to
return again, but said this to avoid being followed by the mob. After
leaving the house he and his companion cast lots in the name of the
Lord to know whether they should stay in that place for the night or
go to another town near by. The lot fell for them to leave the place,
and they did so. They arrived in the next town about midnight, and got
lodgings at a public house, Elder Parry sleeping with a drunken fellow
and his friend with a man that had fits several times during the night.
The next morning they returned for their valises, and met a man, who
informed them that their enemies had been hunting for them during the
night until seven o'clock in the morning. They had searched every part
of the town, even among the tombstones, in the churchyard, and vowed
that if they found the Elders they would kill them.
While preaching in a town in Wales, Elder Parry prophesied that before
the end of that year (and it was then the month of September) there
would be a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ raised up in that
village. At that time there was but one member of the Church residing
there; but before the year closed a branch with fourteen or fifteen
members was organized.
Elder Parry relates some remarkable instances of healing by the power
of God which he witnessed.
One was in the case of the sister who was afflicted with a cancer in
her face, an account of which has already been given. He assisted
Elder Abel Evans in administering to her, and testifies to her entire
recovery.
Another case of miraculous healing was that of his brother-in-law, John
Williams, who now resides in this Territory, and who was not a member
of the Church at the time this occurred. He was also afflicted with a
cancer which had completely taken away his lower lip and part of his
chin and tongue. After trying in vain to get relief through the skill
of physicians, he applied to the Elders of the Church to administer to
him. They did so twice, and shortly after he received a new tongue, lip
and chin.
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.