John Tanner and his family

Page 62

50 John Tanner and His Family became famous in the church. In the latter part of August, 1832, a notice was circulated in the place [Bolton] where they [the lived that two Latter-day Saint Elders would preach on a certam evening, at a place specified, not far from Mr. Tanner's residence. He hailed the announcement with delight. It afforded him an oppor­ tunity (he thought) of doing an immense amount of good. He was conversant with the Bible and felt himself amply qualified to battle heresy, especially that of Latter-day Saints, and by doing so, he could confer a lasting benefit on his fellow creatures. That was his aim and such his anticipation 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 "Mor­ mons" 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. Tan­ ner and when they had closed the evening services, he invited them to his home. Tanners] That evening a new light dawned upon his existence. After spend­ 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 on the floor for the past 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 disease, to which he replied in the affirmative. He then asked if he did not think the same cause pro­ duced 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, praising God, and I felt as light as a feather." ing The same and was to God night he walked three-quarters of a mile to Lake George, baptized by Simeon Carter and walked back giving thanks for his complete restoration to health. Nathan Tanner, born in 1815, was seventeen years of age at the time of the conversion of the Tanner family to Mormonism, and says he well remembers every circumstance connected with it. How­ ever, there was an interval of fifty-two years from the time of the incident to the time of his relating the story, and he could very well