Southern Christian Advocate

THE DUMB SPEAK.

The Religious Herald contains the following authentic notice of an interesting case of conversion which occurred in Buckingham, (Va) during a late revival of religion. We need not say that there is nothing supernatural in the occurrence; similar effects have often been produced by sudden and violent emotions; and we know that religious emotions are among the most powerful of which our nature is susceptible:

Miss Maria Toney, a young lady in the fourteenth year of her age, though she could hear, had not been able to speak a word for four years, five months and some days, occasioned by a paralysis about the muscles of the tongue. Physicians of deservedly high professional standing had exhausted their skill to restore her to speech, but failed, and had long since ceased to try. I have been acquainted with her from her birth, lived within one mile of her, have made many efforts to make her speak by bribe and surprise, but always failed. This dumb young lady became concerned about her soul. For several days her convictions were pungent, and she appeared to be in great agony for some hours before her conversion. At length the Lord in mercy came to her relief, and when she was delivered, she leaped up out of her mother's lap, and exclaimed with a distinct voice, "Oh! how I love my Saviour;" and she still continues to enjoy the use of her speech; and when the church sat to receive members, she came forward for membership among others. I asked her a number of questions concerning her hope in Christ, which she answered distinctly, so as to be heard by a large crowd of spectators, who were densely standing around to witness the scene. The correctness with which she answered the questions propounded to her, clearly showed that a genuine work of grace was effected on her heart; to use her own language, when asked if she loved the Lord, she replied, "yes. and thank him too, for he has given me a new heart, and a new tongue." She still continues to converse distinctly.-- While conversing with her, and hearing the praises of God sound from the tongue so lately mute, I could not help uttering the lines of the poet :

My tongue broke forth in unknown strains,
And sung redeeming grace."

Thus you see that God has made the dumb literally to speak. To his name be all the praise of our salvation.