An Angel in a Dream Directs Dying Mary Lightner to Brother Cutler — and She Is Healed (1845)

After the martyrdom of Joseph Smith, sickness swept through the Lightner home at Pontusuc, Illinois. Mary Elizabeth Rollins Lightner came down with bilious fever in its worst form and was again given up to die; the doctor told her there was no hope. Thinking of everything the Prophet had told her, she prayed for help — and that night an angel came to her in a dream and told her that if she would go to Nauvoo and call for a Brother Cutler, who worked on the temple, to administer to her, she would be healed. No team could be found, and she despaired — until her brother, miles away, was independently impressed that something was wrong and sent a boy with an ox team for her. The neighbors warned that she would not travel a mile before they would have to bring back her dead body, but she insisted on being taken to Nauvoo, dead or alive, to be buried. Along the way the company stopped, believing her dying, and she motioned for them to press on. In Nauvoo her husband told Brother Cutler her dream; the man the angel had named by his work on the temple found him, administered to her — and Mary rose from her deathbed and walked to the fire alone.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

My case proved to be biliousness, with a fever, in a bad form. I was again given up to die. We got a little girl to stay a day, then Mr. Lightner took the baby on a pillow and rode horseback to Nauvoo for mother to take care of it. But I dreamed that an angel came to me and said if I would go to Nauvoo and call for a Brother Cutler, that worked on the temple, to administer to me, I should be healed. But we could get no team to go. I was in despair; however, my brother was impressed to send for me, he felt that something was wrong, so he sent a boy with an ox team after me. The neighbors said I would not live to get a mile, but I told them I would go to Nauvoo, dead or alive, and be buried there. We started. I was so weak I could not sit up. When we got part of the way, the company stopped, thinking I was dying. I motioned for them to go on. When we arrived in Nauvoo, Mr. Lightner told Brother Cutler of my dream. He came and administered to me, and I arose from my bed and walked to the fire.