William Hughes Miraculous Healing of a Broken Leg

On January 18, 1846, in the Cyfarthfa coal mine, William Hughes suffered a broken leg where two bones in his shin and the ankle were fractured. Dr. Allday set the leg with splints. That evening, an elder anointed him with oil and prayed, providing immediate relief. Later, Captain Jones visited and administered the ordinance again. Hughes testified that during this second administration, he felt healed while the elder's hands were still upon him. He then removed his splints, got out of bed, and walked within three days. Although critics and a local doctor claimed he remained injured or had removed the splints to his detriment, neighbors and fellow colliers who were not members of the faith signed testimonies confirming the bones had been broken and that they had witnessed the healing.

His own testimony, sent to the Baptist press (which refused to print it) and preserved in the July 1846 Prophet of the Jubilee: “On Saturday, January the 18th, a great weight fell on me in the Cyfarthfa coal mine; and after I was freed from underneath it by others, it was found that two bones of my left leg had been broken in the fall. I was taken to my house, and Dr. Allday (who works for the mine), came and put them in their place with splints, and went away leaving me in very great pain. In the evening one of the elders of the Church of which I am a member, came and anointed my leg with holy oil, and placed hands on me and prayed for the Lord to take away the pain. And I testify, in words of soberness, that I had complete relief from my pain immediately and continued without pain. The afternoon of the following Tuesday, another Elder, Capt. Jones, came by himself to visit me; then various of my neighbors, who disbelieved our faith, came in. At my wish he administered this ordinance to me according to the scriptures, i.e., ‘Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the Church; and let them anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick.’ And I testify sincerely before God and men, that I immediately, yes, when his hands were still on me, received great healing from the Lord, and not from man; I pulled away the splints and everything, and within five minutes I jumped from the bed to the floor in the sight of all, praising God for his goodness. Some of our enemies were listening in the next room, and when they heard our joy, they came in and believed that I was healed through the power of God. And no matter how strange it may seem, it is true enough that the other leg is painful when I walk, and the broken leg without pain. I walked about within three days.”