HE WAS PARALYSED.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 69, 23 March 1887, Page 4

HE WAS PARALYSED.

Challenging tho Creator und Receiv-

ing a Direct Answer,

"I HOi'E that God may paralypo me," were the words spoken by William Burkett. At once his hands dropped to his side, his legs refused to move and his eyes rolled wildly around. His prayer waa answered, as he stood paralysed on tho epot where but a few moments before ho was a magnificent typa of physical manhood. He tried to spaak, but hia ton^uo would not move. Half a dozen of men, who wero present, were rendered motionless by the evident visitation of tho hand of God. When they recovered «etf-pnsses=ion they tenderly moved the afflicted man to his residence, a half-mile distant. When Miss Rhody Burkett saw the plight in which her father waa brought home she screamed and fainted and died a few days Inter. For years Mr Burkett had been tho ferryman at the Hawkinaville road cross ing of tho Ocmulgeo river. He was of giant physique, with long grey locks, and became especially noted because of the braco of revolvers which he kept strapped to his waist. He was a great hunter, and tho ferry being in the midst of a swam, ho was convenient to abundance of game. From thoee who lived around him is learned that he was fearfully profane. Whenever he sighted game, and waa called off from it by an alarm from the ferry, he would pour out such a volley of oatha as would make the flesh of ordinary men crawl. It waa while in one of these profane Bpella that he cursed his Creator, and wound up with the expression above quoted. The news soon spread through the country, and scores of people called to ccc the victim. He waa at first completely prostrated, but subsequently was enabled to take a few steps, when he would fall. When spoken to he replies in an inarticulate mumble and acts in a most idiotic manner. The physicians can ascribe no natural cause for hia affliction, but admit that it is a visitation of God. The preachers in the neighbourhood have used the incident in their sermons with great effect.