Lesson 54: Something Very Much Like Death

There have been instances in which persons, to all appearance dead, have suddenly come again to life. Graves have sometimes been opened, and it has been discovered that the corpses buried in them had actually changed their position after being interred.

This teaches us the importance of not being too hasty in burying the dead. Persons may faint, or swoon away, and still be alive. Cases of suspended animation may last for hours, and consciousness again return. We then should be slow and cautious in committing our dead to the tomb. How terrible the thought of consigning a living friend to the darkness of the sepulchre!

Many years ago a young man named William Tennent, came to reside in the city of New Brunswick, (N. J.,) with the view of completing his education as a minister of the Gospel. Intense application to study affected his health, and brought on a pain in the heart and a slow fever. He soon became so emaciated, that he had the appearance of a skeleton. His life was now threatened. He was attended by a young physician who was attached to him by the strongest ties of friendship. One day, in the absence of his medical friend, as he lay conversing with his brother in Latin, on the subject of religion, his voice failed, his pulse stopped, and life apparently ceased. His body was laid out, a coffin was ordered, and the neighbors were invited to attend his funeral on the next day. In the meantime, his friend and physician returned from his visit to the country, and was affected beyond measure at the news of his death. He could not be persuaded that he was dead, and hung over the corpse in an agony of grief. He imagined that he perceived something strange about the body. Upon examination he thought he felt an unusual warmth under the left arm. By dipping his hand in warm water to make it more sensitive to the touch, he repeated his examination, and declared that he could detect a slight trembling of the flesh. Others felt the place, but could detect nothing of the kind. At his earnest entreaty the funeral was postponed, and the body was restored to a warm bed. To this the brother objected, inasmuch as the eyes were sunk, the lips discolored, and the whole body cold and stiff. He, however, yielded to the physician, who at once commenced rubbing and bathing the body, in the hope of discovering some symptoms of returning life. But the third day arrived and no signs of life appeared, though the Doctor had continued his exertions day and night.

The people were again invited, and assembled to attend the funeral. The Doctor still objected, and confined his request for delay to one hour, then to half an hour, and at last to a quarter of an hour. He now discovered that the tongue was much swollen, and threatened to crack. As he was softening it with some oil upon a feather, the brother came into the room, and supposing the Doctor to be trying to feed the dead man, became much vexed, and exclaimed, "It is shameful to be feeding a lifeless corpse!" and demanded, with great earnestness, that the funeral should at once take place. At this critical moment, the body, to the great alarm and astonishment of all present, opened its eyes, gave a dreadful groan, and sunk again into apparent death. This put an end at once to all thoughts of burying him, and every effort was now used to restore animation. In about an hour after, the eyes again opened, another deep groan was uttered, and then all again was still. In another hour, life seemed to return with greater power, and in a short time a complete revival took place, to the astonishment and joy of family and friends; and all were now loud in their praises of the physician for his obstinate perseverance.

Mr. Tennent, however, continued so weak and low for six months, that great doubts were entertained of his final recovery. But after that period he recovered much faster, and in the course of a year he was completely restored.

One Sunday afternoon, after he was able to walk about his room and to take notice of what was passing around him, his sister, who had staid from church to watch him, was reading the Bible by his side. He suddenly turned to her and asked her what she was doing. She replied, "I am reading the Bible." He exclaimed, "And what is the Bible?" This affected the sister so much, that she burst into tears, and told him she was grieved to think that he should make such a remark respecting a book which he once loved so much.

Upon the return of the family from church, it was ascertained that he had actually forgotten everything he ever knew, and was profoundly ignorant of all things which had happened before his sickness. He could not read a single word, nor recall a single event of his past life. His mind was a blank. As soon as it was prudent, he was taught to read and write, as children usually are. Afterwards he began the study of the Latin language, in which he was once an accomplished scholar. One day, as he was reciting a lesson to his brother, in a well-known Latin book, he suddenly started, and clapped his hand to his head, as if something hurt him. After pausing for a few minutes, and looking again on the book, he exclaimed, "Brother, I have certainly read this book before!"

From that moment all his former knowledge seemed to return, and he soon could converse as fluently in Latin as he had done before his sickness.

Mr. Tennent in a short time completed his studies, became a distinguished preacher, lived to an advanced age, and his remains are now buried near an old church, which stands on the field where was fought the celebrated battle of Monmouth in the American Revolution.

The facts above related are as true as any well known event of history.