5 Fascinating Near Death Experiences in Early Church History (#s 1 & 2 Happened to Prophets!)
Near-Death
experiences are best taken with a great big grain of salt. Just because someone claims
them doesn’t mean they happened. That said, with so many reported, certainly some of them have probably happened. Some
Latter-Day prophets have claimed the experience – others have been closely associated
with second party NDEs. Non-prophets have also had some. And one of them
in this list featured two people dying, crossing over, conversing and then both coming back!
As it happens, there
are dozens if not hundreds (if not thousands) of Near-Death experiences in Church
history. Here are five good ones:
In
the last blog post about how impressive ol’ B. Young was, what with the slave-freeing and angelic visitors and all, a near
death experience was also mentioned. He only talked about it in passing. Here
are more details on it:
1)
Brigham Young
“I was bolstered up in my chair, but was so near gone that I could
not close my eyes, which were set in my head—my chin dropped down and my breath
stopped. My wife [Mary Ann], seeing my situation, threw some cold water in my
face, that having no effect, she dashed a hand full of strong camphor in my
face and eyes, which I did not feel in the least, neither did I move a muscle.
She then held my nostrils between her thumb and finger, and placing her mouth
directly over mine, blew into my lungs until she filled them with air. This set
my lungs in motion, and I again began to breathe." While this was going on
I was perfectly conscious of all that was passing around me: my spirit was as
vivid as it ever was in my life, but I had no feeling in my body. “
And
what exactly did Brigham see while he was perfectly conscious and vivid? He
never exactly said. But he did hint:
“Describing conditions in the spirit world, he remarked, “My
spirit is set free, I thirst no more, I want to sleep no more, I hunger no more,
I tire no more, I run, I walk, I labor, I go, I come, I do this, I do that,
whatever is required of me, nothing like pain or weariness, I am full of life,
full of vigor, and I enjoy the presence of my heavenly Father, by the power of
his Spirit.” Looking beyond the spirit world, he described the possibilities
for the righteous: “All those who are counted worthy to be exalted and to
become Gods, even the sons of God, will go forth and have earths and worlds
like those who framed this and millions on millions of others.”” (http://mormonhistoricsites.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Mhs2.2Cannon.pdf)
In
the days before modern medicine, death was always lurking around the corner.
Even temporary death. Lorenzo Snow got horribly sick during all the
relocations. So sick, according to this, that he slipped out of his body and had quite an experience. It’s not widely
known:
2)
Lorenzo Snow
“I assisted in chopping and putting up Brother Pratt’s House logs
and about that time was taken sick with the fever 25th of May. I never had such
a severe fit of sickness before since my recollection. My friends and family
had given up most all hopes of my recovery. Father Huntington, the president of
the place, called on his congregation to pray for me. He also with Gen. Rich
and some others clothed themselves in the garments of the priesthood and prayed
for my recovery…
““…My spirit seems to have left the world and introduced into that
Kolob. I heard a voice calling me by name saying “he is worthy, he is worthy,
take away his filthy garments.” My clothes were then taken off piece by piece
and a voice said “let him be clothed, let him be clothed.” Immediately I found
a celestial body gradually growing upon me until at length I found myself
crowned with all it’s glory and power. The ecstasy of joy I now experienced no
man can tell, pen cannot describe it. I conversed familiarly with Joseph,
Father Smith and others, and mingled in the society of the Holy One. I saw
family all saved and observed the dispensations of God with mankind until at
last perfect redemption was effected, tho’ great was the sufferings of the
wicked, especially those that had persecuted the saints. My spirit must have
remained I should judge for days enjoying the scenes of eternal happiness.”” (https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/iowa-journal-lorenzo-snow)
Now we’re heading into non-prophet territory.
Leading the charge is Phoebe Woodruff, beloved wife of Wilford. She got sick,
as was a sign of the time, and crossed over.
And then came back:
3)
Phoebe
Woodruff
“In 1838, Phoebe Woodruff, the wife of Mormon apostle Wilford
Woodruff, became seriously ill and apparently died. Wilford recounted:
““The sisters gathered around her body, weeping, while I stood
looking at her in sorrow. The spirit and power of God began to rest upon me
until, for the first time during her sickness, faith filled my soul, although
she lay before me as one dead.”
“Woodruff then recounts how he anointed her with oil in the name
of the Lord and “rebuked the power of death” and commanded her to be made
alive. “Her spirit returned to her body, and from that hour she was made
whole.” Later Phoebe related to her husband and those present that as she was
being anointed with oil, “her spirit left her body, and she saw it lying upon
the bed, and sister weeping. She looked at them and at [Wilford], and upon her
babe, and while gazing upon this scene, two personages came into the room… One
of these messengers informed her that she could have her choice: she might go
to rest in the spirit world, or, on one condition she could have the privilege
of returning to her tabernacle and continuing her labors upon the earth. The
condition was, if she felt that she could stand by her husband, and with him
pass through all the cares, trials, tribulation and afflictions of life which
he would be called to pass through for the gospel’s sake unto the end. When she
looked upon the situation of her husband and child she said: ‘Yes, I will do
it!'” At that moment “her spirit [again] entered her tabernacle.”
The
choice to stay or go is a strong theme in NDEs. This next one is similar to the
one just above – what with the priesthood and all. In fact, they both showed up
here in a list of 8 priesthood holders who raised the dead. Here we see
the stereotypical floating up by the ceiling and watching the commotion over
the recently deceased:
4)
William
Huntington
“About the month of August, 1856, William D. Huntington and I went
into Hobble Creek Canyon to get a tree or log suitable for making drums. After
we had finished our labor and started for home, both of us riding on the log,
our conversation naturally turned upon the doctrines of the Church and
experiences of the past, when the life and labors of the Prophet Joseph were
touched upon. This subject aroused into more than usual earnestness the mind
and conversation of my associate.
“He said that in Nauvoo he lived in the family of and worked for
Joseph Smith at the time the Prophet had such a wonderful time with the sick,
when nearly everybody was stricken down and he himself was among the afflicted,
and was one of those who were healed by Joseph. He said he had been sick some
weeks and kept getting weaker, until he became so helpless that he could not
move. Finally he got so low he could not speak, but had perfect consciousness
of all that was passing in the room. He saw friends come to the bedside, look
at him a moment and commence weeping, then turn away.
“He further stated that he presently felt easy, and observing his
situation found that he was in the upper part of the room near the ceiling, and
could see the body he had occupied lying on the bed, with weeping friends,
standing around as he had witnessed in many cases where people had died under
his own observation.
“About this time he saw Joseph Smith and two other brethren come
into the room. Joseph turned to his wife Emma and asked her to get him a dish
of clean water. This she did; and the Prophet with the two brethren
accompanying him washed their hands and carefully wiped them. Then they stepped
to the bed and laid their hands upon the head of his body, which at that time looked
loathsome to him, and as the three stretched out their hands to place them upon
the head, he by some means became aware that he must go back into that body,
and started to do so. The process of getting in he could not remember; but when
Joseph said “amen,” he heard and could see and feel with his body. The feeling
for a moment was most excruciating, as though his body was pierced in every
part with some sharp instruments.
“As soon as the brethren had taken their hands from his head he
raised up in bed, sitting erect, and in another moment turned his legs off the
bed.
“At this juncture Joseph asked him if he had not better be
careful, for he was very weak. He replied, “I never felt better in my life,”
almost immediately adding, “I want my pants.”
“His pants were found and given him, which he drew on, Joseph
assisting him, although he thought he needed no help. Then he signified his
intention to sit in a chair at or near the fireplace. Joseph took hold of his
arm to help him along safely, but William declared his ability to walk alone,
notwithstanding which, the help continued.
“Astonishment had taken the place of weeping throughout the room.
Every looker-on was ready to weep for joy; but none were able or felt inclined
to talk.
“Presently William said he wanted something to eat. Joseph asked
him what he would like, and he replied that he wanted a dish of bread and milk.
“Emma immediately brought what he called for, as one may easily
comprehend, every hand was anxious to supply the wants of a man who, a few
moments before was dead, really and truly dead! Brother Huntington ate the bowl
of bread and milk with as good a relish as any he ever ate.
“In a short time all felt more familiar, and conversation upon the
scene that transpired followed. William related his experiences, and the
friends theirs.
“Joseph listened to the conversation and in his turn remarked that
they had just witnessed as great a miracle as Jesus did while on the earth.
They had seen the dead brought to life.
“At the close of his narrative to me William Huntington remarked:
“Now I have told you the truth, and here I am a live man, sitting
by the side of you on this log, and I testify that Joseph Smith was a Prophet
of God.” (https://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/REC-JS.html)
This next one is in the third person, but may be the most interesting one of
them all. That’s because it has two people who knew each other dying on the
same night. And then hanging out in heaven. And then coming back.
I’ll let you read it:
5) W. W. Merrill
“W. W. Merrill the father of
apostle Joseph F. Merrill, had an extremely unusual near-death experience. When
Elder Merrill visited the spirit world, he saw a woman to whom he’d recently
given a priesthood blessing. At that time, she had expressed a desire to die so
she could be with her mother, whom she desperately missed. This account was
related by Apostle Rudger Clawson and written by J. Berkley Larsen.
“Although W. W. Merrill was elderly
and ill when asked to administer to the sick young woman, he did not hesitate
but got up from his sick bed and went to her home.
““When he reached the young woman’s
bedside, she said ‘Now Brother Merrill, I haven’t anything to live for. My
parents are gone, I don’t have any close friends, I am all alone. I don’t want
you to bless me to live; I want you to bless me to die.’
““Brother Merrill said, ‘That is a
strange request for a beautiful young woman like you to make. You are just
budding into womanhood with all of your life before you. You have the prospects
of a husband and home, everything a young woman could hope for. Why in the
world should you want such a blessing?’
“President Clawson said, “I have
forgotten the type of blessing he gave her; I’m not sure I did know, but at any
rate Brother Merrill went back to his bed, and both he and the young lady died.
““They went over to the Other Side,
and as Brother Merrill was walking down a sidewalk with some brethren, he met
this young lady who said, “this is my mother; this is one of the reasons I
wanted to come.’
““Well, it just so happens they
both came back. They saw each other over there. They conversed together. They
met other people they knew and talked to, then came back and both remembered
the incidents. President Clawson said, ‘That is one of the most singular instances
of this type in the history of the Church.’” (Gaze Into Heaven Near-Death Experiences
In Early Church History, Marlene Bateman Sullivan, P. 37-38)
Two people having a cross-over/simultaneous NDE may sound
strange, but it has been reported before – it is rare though!
Other people’s experiences in the great beyond are nothing
on which you can hang your hat. But if it happened to you, by all means hang
it! And then tell me about it!
Please tell me about it!
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