| 516 salvation of men, that you use your influence to have some intelligent labourers [laborers] sent or directed to these parts, for truly the harvest is great and laborers few.-We want men that are workmen, skilled in the science of heavenly things. We do hope that this our request to you may not be unheeded. My health is such as not to admit of my preaching as much as I could wish; my past exposure having affected my lungs very much.
I close for the present by subscribing myself, your friend and fellow laborer in the kingdom of God.
Amasa Lyman.
Batavia, N. Y. May 19th, 1841.
To the Saints scattered abroad, and to all whom it may concern:
Greeting.
Be it known that on or about the first of December, last, we J. Shamp and Margaret Shamp of the town of Batavia, Gennessee County, N. Y. had a daughter that had been deaf and dumb four and a half years, and was restored to her hearing the time aforesaid by the laying on of the hands of the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, commonly called Mormons, through the power of Almighty God, and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as believed and practiced by them in these last days.
The circumstance attending her restoration were these. It was asked, as a sign in a meeting of the Latter Day Saints by an Elder of the Babtist [Baptist] Church of the name of Stimson in an insolent manner and he said if they would heal the child, he would be a Mormon, and he would guarantee that the whole congregation would be Mormons too. When the sign was asked, it was manifest to me by the spirit of God, that if I would believe and obey the fullness of the gospel it should be done. Soon after we had obeyed the gospel, Elders Nathan R. Knight and Charles Thompson came to our house, and thy administered to her by the laying on of hands and she was restored to her hearing, and now she both hears and speaks and is improving very fast in talking; for which we feel to thank God for the blessings and power of the gospel as manifest in my family at three different instances, and in a number of instances in our neighborhood. Those affected with numbness have been restored-a fever sore on the ancle [ankle] that medicine had no effect upon was healed by the laying on of hands. Another case in our vicinity of a disease in the chest-a severe case indeed, and given over by the physicians, and the night previous to the lady having hands laid on her by the Elders, her friends thought she would not survive until morning-she was immediately restored by the laying on of hands and faith in Jesus Christ.
We had a child attacked with the inflamation [inflammation] of the lungs, for which we applied to medical aid but it got no relief; then we called upon Elder Knight and he laid hands on her in the name of Jesus Christ, and she was instantly healed and in fifteen minutes appeared as well as ever she did.
My wife, had a swelling in her side internally, of two years standing, to relieve which medical aid had been sought for and tried but in vain. It had become very alarming so that she was unable to do much, and we had given up all hopes of her recovery, but to our great joy she was restored, immediately, by the laying on of hands, by the miraculous power of God, to the glory and honor of his name. Brethren let us take courage, notwithstanding that persecutions and afflictions await us, and we are doomed to be cast out and set at nought [naught] by the sects of the day; and to have the finger of scorn and derision pointed at us, and to have all manner of evil spoken against us falsely for Christ's sake. Let us keep humble, knowing that God exalteth the humble but bringeth to naught the proud and scornful. Our Savior said, "He that believeth on me, greater works than these shall he do." speaking of the miracles he had done at a certain time; and truly we are witnessing daily his mighty power by the signs which he said should follow his believing children.
And now we would recommend Brother Knight to the confidence and fellowship of the brethren wheresoever his lot may be cast, for God owns and has blessed his labors in this vicinity to the convincing of many and to the upbuilding of the Redeemer's kingdom, and the advancing of his cause, notwithstanding wicked men and devils oppose and strive to hinder the work from advancing, as we are witnesses, and subscribe our hands in testimony of the truth of the everlasting gospel as
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