There Is a Life Beyond

COLLECTION OF ANECDOTES.

THERE IS A LIFE BEYOND. BY SAMUEL L. ADAMS.

The object I have in presenting the following narrative to the readers of the Era is to add one more testimony, to the many which God has revealed, that there is a resurrection and a life beyond. The Lord God appeared to Adam, in Eden; to Abraham, on the plains of Mamre; to Moses; and at the baptism of Christ, let his approving voice attest the divinity of the Savior. Moses and Elias appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration; and w^e read of prophets standing in the presence of John on the Isle of Patmos. The angel Moroni appeared in this generation; and, further, the Father and the Son appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, showing that they still live, yesterday, today and forever! Time after time, the angel appeared until the plates containing the record of the Book of Mormon had been translated and brought forth, and shown to the natural eyes of the witnesses. Then there was the vision in the Kirtland Temple, followed later, and to this day, by consoling manifestations to thousands of the children of God who have bowed in obedience to his commands —such as tongues, interpretations, prophecy, visions, healings, ministering of angels, — all for the comfort of the Saints, and to establish them in the truth. I will now relate what occurred in the year 1865, as I recently wrote in a letter to my grandson, Walter Adams, now on a mission in Germany:

"Dear Grandson: —In June, 1865, an epidemic of diphtheria

422 IMPROVEMENT ERA.

raged in St. George. Two of our children, John H. and Minerva Adams were attacked, and died within twenty-four hours. Our home was filled with gloom. One of the most devoted mothers mourned as only mothers can, and, like Rachel of old, would not be comforted. Days and nights passed without sleep or comfort, and the marks of suffering began visibly to affect her mind. The neighbors remarked how miserable was her life. Our neighbor. Apostle Erastus Snow, came to our home occasionally to speak a word of comfort and try to change the trend of despair. Seeing the condition of things, he said: " 'Sister Emma, you must desist from this course, or these

little children will soon have no mother. Since the Lord has seen proper to deprive you of the company of two, would it not be wiser and better on your part to make the best, trying to care for the remaining ones?' "With this, she burst forth in tears and said, *0, that God would only lighten my heart with the knowledge of where my children are; or. if any one has care of them! To me, they are gone, I see them in my mind in a fathomless abyss, from whence they may never return to me!' "She then sank in despair; whereupon the apostle made the following prophetic utterance: " 'Sister Emma, I wish you to desist from encouraging these

despondent feelings, and rely upon God, the Father; and if you will do so, God our Father shall give you a witness of where your children are and by whom taken care of.' "This promise was made in the name of the Lord, and while I was present, and was afterwards made use of by me to inspire her in the belief of its fulfillment, when moments of despair came over her. Four or five weeks passed; her nerves had quieted down to a great extent, and she continued in the blessed task of caring for the little ones left her. "It was a day late in July or early in August. The sun had set. The mother said to her eldest daughter, twelve or thirteen years of age: " 'Elenor, go to the bed-room and get me Ettie's night-dress.'

The girl obeyed, starting through the dining room from the east portico where her mother sat.

COLLECTION OF ANECDOTES. 423

"No sooner had the child pushed open the bed-room door than she stood transfixed, gazing upon one of the loveliest sights ever beheld by mortal eyes. It was a lady dressed in white, with dark folds of hair hanging over her shoulders. She had a pleasant, happy countenance, which smiled upon the girl, and she bore two children in her arms. Fear fled from the little girl, who continued to look until her mind was satisfied. She identified two of the children; she had nursed and cared for one of them nearly two years, but he was standing, holding to the skirts of the young lady— that was John— the other which she recognized was on the left arm, and this one she had nursed for a few months only this — was Minerva. But there was still another little girl which she describes as a little one twelve or thirteen months old, her age and face she could not comprehend while she stood there trying to discover who it was. The vision presently passed away. "Returning to her mother in a very excited condition, she exclaimed 'Mother, I know you will not believe me : I cannot!

tell what has happened!' She continued in this way until about nine o'clock next morning, when, to our great joy, she related the foregoing facts. When she had spoken of John and Minerva, she asked, 'Who was the little girl that appeared to be twelve or thirteen months old?' We then told her it was her twin sister .

who died at the age of thirteen months. She described her dress, even mentioning the narrow satin ribbon tied to her little shoes,

so that mother could not fail to know that it was her darling Emma. "The foregoing was no dream ; it was an open vision given to one whose young mind was not capable of concocting stories of that kind. Besides, she had never seen the young lady who thus appeared befor her, but she told her story of description so plainly that her mother knew who she was. "To complete the foregoing, my wife had a dream some nights afterwards. She awoke me saying: 'My mother has just left me. My dream is so real that I feel she was in the room with me. 0, she has given me so much comfort! I asked her if she knew where my children were, and she replied, 'Yes, Ellen Emma has charge of your children. You know she is one of your faith, and that people are all happy together.' 'Well, mother, can't you go