A Patriarchal Blessing and Its Realization

A PATRIARCHAL BLESSING AND ITS REALIZA- TION. BY DR. J. X. ALLEN, OGDEN, UTAH.

In the summer of 1884, Patriarch James M. Works, brother- in-law of President Brigham Young, paid a professional visit to Ogden. He and I had been intimately associated together in Shef- field, England, in the year 1852, so that it was most natural that he should become my guest during his temporary sojourn among us. During his visit I was incapacitated from following my calling, in consequence of a severe chronic bronchitis which I had con- tracted through exposure in the preceding winter and spring. Breathing was difficult, -and walking more than a few rods at a time, impossible. Medicine — as is common in this complaint was — of but little avail. was thoroughly discouraged, and consequently I

not in a happy frame of mind. On July first, 1884, Brother Works came into my office to an- nounce his intention of leaving Ogden, and of blessing me before leaving. I answered him, I fear, not very civilly — that I failed to see what good his blessing could do me, seeing that I was crip- pled for life. All who knew Brother Works, know how inoffensive and non-combative he was, but my answer seemed to grieve and arouse him as I had never seen him aroused before. He arose, and with a commanding dignity of voice, gesture, and expression, altogether foreign to the man, he stretched out his hand and said: "Brother James, the Spirit of the Lord is upon me. It commands

me to bless you, and I am going to bless you; and I will have no back talk, not a word." With that he laid his hand upon my head and proceeded to bless me. And oh, such a blessing! He promised me that I should