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IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
At age 18, young Utah pioneer Jane Grover experienced a miracle when her life was threatened and in peril.
Jane was the eldest daughter of prominent Utah pioneer, Thomas Grover who was born July 22, 1807 in Whitehall, New York. In her own words, Jane tells the remarkable story of what happened to her during the summer of 1848 when she and some other neighbors went to the woods to pick berries.
“One morning we thought we would go and gather gooseberries. One of the little girls and I strayed some distance from the others. Suddenly we heard shouts. We walked within sight of Father Tanner, who had taken us out that morning in his wagon.
We saw some Indians gathering around, whooping and yelling. Others came and joined them. We got into the wagon with Father Tanner. Suddenly, four of the Indians took hold of the wagon. Two others held the horses by their bits. Another Indian came to take me out of the wagon. I then began to be afraid as well as vexed, and I asked Father Tanner to let me get out of the wagon and run for assistance. He said, “No, poor child, it is too late.”
Father Tanner’s face was as white as a sheet! The Indians had commenced to take his watch and handkerchief. And while doing this, they were trying to pull me out of the wagon.
I began silently to appeal to my Heavenly Father. While I was praying and struggling, the Spirit of the Almighty fell upon me, and I arose with great power, and I talked to those Indians in their own language. They let go the horses and wagon and stood in front of me while I talked to them by the power of God. They bowed their heads and answered ‘yes’ in a way that made me know what they meant. Father Tanner and the little girl looked on in speechless amazement.
I realized our situation. Their calculation was to kill Father Tanner, burn the wagon, and take us women as their prisoners. This was plainly shown to me. When I stopped talking, they shook hands with all of us and returned all they had taken from Father Tanner, who gave them back the handkerchief. By this time the other two women came up and we hastened home.
The Lord gave me a portion of the interpretation of what I had said, which is as follows: “I suppose you Indian warriors think you are going to kill us. Don’t you know the Great Spirit is watching you and knows everything in your hearts? We have come out here to gather some of our Father’s fruit. We have not come to injure you; and if you harm us, or injure even the hair of our heads, the Great Spirit will smite you to the earth, and you shall not have power to breathe another breath. We have been driven from our homes and so have you. We have come out here to do you good and not to injure you. We are the Lord’s people, and so are you; but you must cease your murders and wickedness. The Lord is displeased with it and will not prosper you if you continue in it. You think you own all this land, this timber, this water, and all these horses. You do not own one thing on earth, not even the air you breathe. It all belongs to the Great Spirit.”
Jane Grover was a modern day David who when confronted with her Goliath was able to stand and say to her foe, “The Lord saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:47).
May we all be as faithful and brave as Jane Grover. Like Jane and David may we have the courage to “speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men; For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.”
See “An Evening of Historical Vignettes,” Ensign, Oct 1972, 86
Memories of Jane Grover, Family Search
