Parley P. Pratt Instantly Healed of Sickness on the Eve of His Columbia Jail Escape (1839)

In the summer of 1839, while imprisoned in a jail in Columbia, Boone County, Missouri, Parley P. Pratt suffered from a debilitating illness. As his health declined, he feared he would be unable to participate in the escape plan he and his brethren had scheduled for the upcoming 4th of July, which coincided with the national jubilee. Pratt, along with his fellow prisoners, desired to depart on that date to avoid further suspicion from the local citizens. Recognizing his precarious physical state, Pratt and his brethren prayed earnestly to the Lord, seeking guidance on whether they were to be delivered and asking that he might be strengthened for the attempt. Following this petition, Pratt experienced an immediate healing; he reported that he was restored instantly, feeling as strong and fearless as a lion, which allowed him to proceed with their successful escape. His wife, Mary Ann Frost Pratt, played a crucial role in his mission after his imprisonment, having previously smuggled the manuscript of his 'History of the Late Persecution Inflicted by the State of Missouri upon the Mormons' out of the jail, which Pratt subsequently arranged to have published in Detroit.

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

It was near the 2nd of July, and our friends could only make an excuse for staying to spend the great national jubilee with us (the 4th), before they must take leave or excite the suspicions and ill-will of the citizens; and as that period had been a set one for our final attempt, we determined on that time as the one to bid farewell to bondage and gain our liberty. I was at this time very sick, and had been for some days. I was unable to walk, or even to stand; and in this situation I felt much concerned about the attempt, fearing I should be a burden to my brethren, and hinder their escape. We therefore prayed earnestly to the Lord, that if he had determined to deliver us, he would show us the way, and strengthen us for the work on our part. I was instantly healed, and from that moment began to feel as strong and fearless as a lion.