A Personal Testimony

A Personal Testimony. BY DAVID EVANS, JR. [The Berlin Courant, of Wisconsin, publishes the following statement of David Evans, Jr., of Berlin, Wisconsin, quoted from Liahona, the Elders' Journal, Independence, Missouri, adding that the personal testimony of Mr. Evans is reprinted by his permission and consent. Brother Evans has sent a copy of the Courant to the editors of the Era, and we take pleasure in reprinting his testimony, which is both faith-promoting and interesting in its character. — Editors.] Dear Brother:— In compliance with your request to write something for Liahona about myself, my experience and my faith, I send you the following: I am David Evans, Jr., formerly extensively known in Wisconsin. For three successive terms I was the member of Assembly representing Waushara county, in our Wisconsin legislature, during the time when Wisconsin was wrested from the grasp of special privilege and monopoly, and restored to the list of states governed by the people. For thirty-three years I was a citizen of the township of Aurora, Waushara county, Wisconsin, and by my townsmen was at different times elected as town treasurer and chairman of supervisors of that town, and served on the board of county commissioners of Waushara county. I am the eldest son of Captain David Evans, formerly a master mariner of Great Britain, who, as such, in his time commanded some of the vast merchant ships in the commercial navy of England, and for over thirty-three years was a commissioned officer of the United States revenue marine service. At the time of his death he held the commission of captain, which he had held for twenty-eight years. For forty-two years he was a citizen of Wisconsin and widely

736 IMPROVEMENT ERA. known in the early days of the state, to which he came in 1853, from Wales. I have served my adopted country, both in her ships and in defense of the flag, in the armies of the Union during the civil war, enlisting as a private when but fifteen years of age, and serving to the end of the war. My comrades elected me as commander of John H. Williams Post No. 4, G. A. R. Department of Wisconsin, at Berlin. I am thus particular in telling who I am, because a man's position in the world and his identity have weight and bearing upon his testimony given upon any subject. 1 was born in Caernarvon, North Wales, September 17, 1848, and came to Wisconsin with my parents in 1853. I was converted to "Mormonism'' finally and fully in 1903, and became a member of the so-called "Mormon" Church May 1, 1903, being baptized in the Tabernacle font at Salt Lake City, April 30 of that year, confirmed the next day in the ward meeting house of the 17th ward, Salt Lake City. I became a member because I was convinced that it was the Church of Jesus Christ, the only name given under heaven whereby man may be saved; that it consistently taught that our Father revealed himself to his children in this our day as certainly as he did in the days of Moses, or of Christ our Savior; that he is no respecter of persons, and had throughout all history taught anew the truth to mankind by the mouths of those who were as babes and sucklings in the wisdom of the schools, teaching plainly his truths in words which the simplest could understand. A youth, by the common name of Joseph Smith, had given forth anew from the Lord the never-dying truth, which from the beginning he has found needful to repeat, time after time, line upon line, and precept upon precept, to the sons of men. It was not hard for my reason to accept it. Truth is reason. I did accept that statement as the truth, and like a babe I have ever since been creeping and feeling toward the light. My faith has been as that of a child, and my faith has not been disappointed in any particular. Though I have not been much used to oral prayer, I have prayed without ceasing in secret, and my prayers have been answered in a remarkable manner in many instances. Here is an instance: About seven years ago I first noticed that

A PERSONAL TESTIMONY. 737 my hearing was failing, and consulted many different doctors during that time. I was treated for my ailment by several, growing gradually worse, until in the month of February, of the present year, I was nearly totally deaf in both ears. It was painful to my friends to try to make me understand them, and as painful and very mortifying for me to try to understand anything going on about me. I could not understand when spoken to in a loud voice by a person touching me, and when a piano was played in a loud key in the room where I was, I could not distinguish one tone from another; it was simply a painful drumming sound, a jarring on my nerves. From this pitiful condition, well known to my wife, members of our family and friends, I was healed instantly in answer to the prayers of my brethren, offered to God in my behalf, in the Temple at Salt Lake City. I was healed upon the very day upon which the brethren, in a prayer circle in the temple, offered prayers for my recovery, and I retain my hearing to this day, it being now better than that of nine-tenths of men at my age. I can hear a watch tick when it is held at nearly full length of the arm away. This is my truthful testimony as to the manner in which I received this great blessing, worth more to me than all the money in the world, and I give this testimony to the world, declaring in the most solemn manner that I speak the truth. I testify further that I know that God lives. How could I doubt it any more, after his mercy unto me in so signal a manner? I know that Jesus of Nazareth is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that his Church is again established upon the earth, never more to be overthrown. His mercy endureth forever. I know that Joseph Smith, homely though his name may be, was and is a prophet of God to whom God, in his wisdom, showed plainly and forcibly great truths anew which the minds of men, darkened for ages, had lost, and in whose place they had erected a system of vain fables of men. They claimed to worship God, having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof. There are but comparatively few members of the Church of Jesus Christ today in the world, but the truths taught by Joseph Smith permeate and tinge the utterances of a hundred thousand pulpits who would scorn to accept them as truths coming from "Mormonism," which they are, "none the less.

738 IMPROVEMENT ERA. I have felt it to be my duty to bear my testimony openly before the world. I bear this testimony as the truth, that it may go wherever wind doth blow, or water on earth doth flow, and men are gathered together. Bbklin, WlSCO'SlN. June. (For the Improvement Era.) Profuse thy way with roses strewn, 0 queen of all the year! Thou glorious month of flowers and bloom, We hail thee far and near. Sweet incense of the flowers that bloom, Thy perfumed breath, 0 lovely June! Wild roses in the summer wind Are tossing gleefully; By mossy banks tea-ro3es twine, All shaded daintily. How fragrant, precious, is the bloom Of lovely, queenly, radiant June! The nature-world with God in tune, Is blushing smilingly; And everywhere the flowers in bloom Are kissing rapturously. Of gauzy lace now weaves the moon, The fleecy veils for brides of June. Sweetly sails the wide-eyed moon, Through clouds of silv'ry light; Cool, sighing breezes softly croon, And whisper through the stilly night, And robes of gossamer the moon Is weaving for the brides of June. Lydia D. Alder.