23 June 2009

Stewart Bingham Eccles Story

I haven't posted anything from Grandpa Eccles's journals in a while because I haven't worked on it for a while. For those of you (Cindy and my mom, actually) who requested copies of it. Once I've got it all together, I'll burn a disc for anyone who wants it.

Here is a story:

"THE NORMAN CLEMENTS ECCLES STORY
AN ACCIDENT AND A BLESSING"

"The story of my Brother Norman Clements Eccles being run over by a wagon load of lumber June 19, 1912. This day happened to be my 6th birthday, I had been with my Father all morning at our store. During the morning some one loaded up our light delivery wagon with lumber. I think this lumber was for a new store and home being built at Sutherland, Utah, west and north of Delta and across the Sevier River.


About noon Father and I were on our way home and as we got close enough for them to see us coming, Norman age 4, and Marvin age 2, ran to meet us. Father tried to get Marvin up in the seat with us but he ran to the rear of the wagon to hang on the end gate chain. Father and I did not see Norman, we thought he had gone to the rear of the wagon like Marvin. So Father spoke to the horses, saying, "Get Up". They, knowing the load was heavy, hit the harness hard.

Norman had started to climb up the front wheel on my side, I did not see him doing this. When the horses started they threw Norman ahead of the wheel under the horses feet, the wagon wheel ran over his right hip and across his body over his left shoulder. He was face down in the dusty road.

I saw this happen and I let out a blood curdling scream, at which Father pulled up the team and they backed the wagon wheel over Norman again.

We were close enough for Mother to see this happen, and she came running. The lady across the street also saw this and she came running with Mother. When they got there she said,"He's Dead". Father carried Norman home and some one led the team to the house. I stayed in the wagon seat. At that time Father said, "Stewart run as fast as you can and get the blacksmith Brother Grunning to come fast.

Brother Grunning ran back with me to our home, it was about two blocks away through the grease woods and along the canal bank. They had put Norman on the bed and Brother Grunning and my Father anoinated him with Holy Consecrated Oil, and they laid their hands on his head and administered to him and asked the Lord to restore him to his normal life, and that he would not suffer any ill effects. At that time he came back to life.

Norman grew to be a strong and very bright young man. Later that afternoon he was up and around with us playing. He was pretty stiff but walking around. Both my Father and Brother Grunning felt the bones going back into place as Norman came back to life.

Years later after Norman and I were grown men, married and with families, I talked to him about this, he was not one to talk about it, but since I had ask he said, "I REMEMBER I WAS IN ANOTHER PLACE AND I SAW FATHER AND BROTHER GRUNNING GIVING ME A BLESSING. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE AND MANY PEOPLE AROUND ME". He then came back to life.

As a little boy in the Delta Ward I heard Brother Grunning bear his testimony on Fast Day and tell this story that he could feel the bones cracking and popping as they went back into place. HE WOULD ALWAYS CLOSE BY SAYING HE KNEW THE LORD ANSWERED THE PRAYERS HE AND MY FATHER GAVE NORMAN.

He and my Father were men of great faith in the Lord, and through the power of the Priesthood they held it was made possible for Norman C. Eccles to came back to life.

Stewart Bingham Eccles prepared this material Sept. 1995"