SENT TO HOSPITAL—BLUE JACKET CONVERTED—WARNED BY SPIRIT TO LEAVE SHIP—DISOBEYS WARNING—NARROW ESCAPE WHEN SHIP FOUNDERS—A DANGEROUS FALL—LED BY INSPIRATION—INSPIRED PROMISE FULFILLED—WORK IN TEMPLE—DEPARTURE FOR MISSION.

While on a voyage from Shields to Plymouth he was stricken with rheumatic pains in his legs, that rendered him helpless; in fact, his pain was so excruciating that morphine had to be injected into him to get him out of his berth. He appealed to the Lord to know why he should so suffer, when an assurance came to him that there was a purpose in it, as there was a work for him to do in a hospital. The captain was anxious to take Ernest back to his home, as he would reach South Shields in two days' time, and plead with the doctor to give him something to ease his pain in the meantime. The doctor, however, positively refused to have him go, and insisted that he be sent to the Royal Albert Hospital, at Devonport. On arriving there Ernest soon became satisfied of the purpose of the Lord, for, on looking around, he discovered that the patient occupying the cot on his left was a true Israelite. He availed himself of an early chance to make known the principles of the Gospel to him. The patient got out his bible and verified by reference to it all the doctrines that Ernest advanced, after which he declared his conviction that it was the truth. Considerable excitement among the patients in the ward, as well as the nurses and matron was the result. Two of the patients recalled the fact that they had heard "Mormonism" preached and rejected it forty-six years before. A minister visited the hospital early the next morning, having evidently been sent for, to controvert what Ernest had taught, but the converted patient put up such a strong defense of Ernest and the latter bore such a strong testimony of the Truth, that the minister was soon glad to retire discomfited. The patient praised God that the truth had come to him and related this circumstance to prove that Ernest's visit to the hospital was providential. He said he was a stoker aboard a British man-of-war in Hong Kong, China, when he developed hip disease, and was sent to a hospital. His case being considered a desperate one, it was decided to send him to the Royal Albert Hospital, of Devonport, England, for treatment, and, after he and many other patients had been taken on board the ship which was to convey them to England, the doctor, for some unknown reason, decided that he alone should be sent ashore again, and make the voyage by a vessel starting later. That boat with more than 400 passengers was lost at sea, but he safely landed in England by a later vessel.

He believed the Lord had planned it that he might learn of the Gospel, and declared his intention of drawing his money ($140.00) out of the bank, and making his way to London, if he should sufficiently recover to do so, and there get baptized, if he had to go through fire to accomplish it, and then migrate to Zion. The poor fellow died in the hospital three months later, still firm in his belief in the Gospel. His belongings, including a Book of Mormon and some tracts left with him by Ernest, were sent to his brother in Ireland.

All the work essential for the salvation of the dead has recently been done for that man—Samuel Long—in the Salt Lake Temple, by Ernest.

Before leaving the hospital Ernest received a telegram from his old captain telling him that the "Cramlington" would again be at Devonport on a certain date, and if he was well enough he would be glad to take him back home. He accordingly announced his intention to leave the hospital, although he was still unable to walk, and the doctor consented reluctantly for him to go.

After getting on board the vessel, the Spirit manifested to him that he ought to leave the ship, and he proposed to the captain to do so, offering the plea that he was not fit for service; but the captain plead so hard for him to stay, offering to hire a man to do all his work, that he finally yielded.

On the next voyage, which was to Rouen, France, the vessel was all but lost, off Flambrough Head, by the breaking down of the engines in a violent storm off the lea shore. Ernest, seeing the plight the vessel was in, threw up his hands and cried to the Lord to have mercy on him, and forgive his disobedience; and not suffer the ship to be dashed against the rocks, which would mean certain death to all on board. The captain ordered the anchors to be thrown out, but the ship dragged the anchors, and when it seemed that nothing could save the vessel a cry of relief was heard from the chief engineer, for the engines had again started working.

The order was given "Full speed ahead!" and in a few moments the vessel was free from danger. On reaching Rouen the engines were overhauled, and the chief engineer was horrified when he saw that it was by the merest thread that they were saved from a complete collapse.

Notwithstanding this evidence of the dangerous condition of the ship, as well as the Spirit's warning not to trust himself on it, Ernest still remained on her, and set forth on a voyage from Blyth to Plymouth. When off Dover at midnight the ship collided with the Dutch steamer "Ceres", and sank in six minutes.

Ernest was asleep in his berth at the time, and would have drowned had not the captain, who was on deck when the collision occurred, rushed down into the cabin to secure the ship's papers. Seeing Ernest asleep, he grasped him by the shirt collar and dragged him on deck, thus saving his life, but losing all his own effects, that he might otherwise have saved.

Ernest was the last to enter the boat, which had scarcely left the side of the ship when she foundered.

All hands were saved through the ship "Ceres" picking them up and landing them in Amsterdam, after they had been supplied with clothing, some of them having barely escaped with their night clothes on.

If Ernest had listened to the whisperings of the Spirit two weeks previously, he would not have been aboard at the time of her final catastrophe.

In the month of July, 1903, Ernest shipped as steward on board the steamer "Augusta," bound for Hamburg, taking his wife along for the benefit of her health. Contrary to his original intention he decided to leave her at Hamburg. On the passage back to England the vessel ran upon the rocks known as the Velvet Patch, near Marsden Rock. She was floated at high water of the next tide, with the assistance of three tugs, and succeeded in making her way to the Tyne, where she was put in the dry dock at South Shields. Then it was found, that forty two plates had to come out of her bottom, and that her stern post, rudder post and propeller were gone. Although no lives were lost, Ernest felt thankful that he had left his wife in Hamburg.

After the ship was repaired she sailed for Hamburg again. On arrival there the Spirit prompted Ernest to go ashore and call upon some of the Saints. On descending the rope ladder to go ashore by boat, he had one of the narrowest escapes of his life, and concluded that Satan was trying to prevent him. The ladder had been newly tarred, and his foot slipped from it as a consequence. He fell a distance of about twelve feet and saved himself by clutching the last rung of the ladder with two fingers. Had it not been for that, he would have fallen between the ship and the lighter and been driven by the tide underneath one or the other of the vessels.

After landing, and while walking the street, he met one of the local Saints, Brother Pollock, and learned from him that he was going to visit some of the Saints as a Teacher. On invitation, Ernest accompanied him to the home of Brother Blecher, his companion Teacher, who, however, was not at home, being employed working overtime. Ernest was then invited to take Brother Blecher's place as a Teacher, and the two called upon a blind brother named Eitner to accompany them. The question then arose as to where they should go, and Brother Eitner said he had heard of a sister being very ill, but he didn't know where she lived. Ernest suggested that they depend upon the Lord in searching for her, and the three set out on the quest, without any idea which direction they should take.

After proceeding some distance, Ernest stopped and said he felt sure they had passed the place they were searching for, and they retraced their steps for a short distance, when he stopped and inquired of a young man who was standing by a terrace if such a person, (mentioning the sister's name) lived there, and was told that she did. They entered, and found the sick sister trying to write a letter to one of the Elders, requesting that he come and administer to her, she being in a very feeble condition, and also in want of food. Ernest administered to her, promised that she should recover and soon be able to attend her meetings, and the three supplied her with money to relieve her wants.

She acknowledged their visit as providential, cried for joy at receiving the blessing and was able to attend the meeting the second Sunday following.

While at Hamburg on a subsequent trip he was urged by a widow, Sister Kratz, whom he met at meeting, to call at her home. On doing so he inquired if she paid her tithes and offerings, and was told that she did, although she was extremely poor. He said, before the visit ended, that he felt like leaving his blessing with her. She was delighted at the proposition, and when he placed his hands upon her head he felt prompted to promise her that while she remained faithful and was careful not to waste even a crust, that her table should never lack bread—that she should even have enough to feed her poor neighbors.

He heard nothing more from sister Kratz until he visited Hamburg sixteen months later, when she met him with tears of joy and related how wonderfully his promise had been fulfilled. She had been in the habit of buying stale bread because of its cheapness, and when she called at the baker's for that purpose the same evening he had made the promise, the baker's wife voluntarily filled her apron with bread and cakes, and told her to come every evening for more. The widow and her one child could only eat a fraction of what she got, so she supplied the rest to her poor neighbors, who highly appreciated the same.

After a while the baker's wife informed Sister Kratz that she did not know who she was or why she should give her the bread and cakes that became stale, but she had felt prompted to do so, and that her husband's business had never so prospered as since she had begun the practice, and she consequently felt that she had been blessed for doing so. Sister Kratz told her frankly about sharing what she got with her poor neighbors, and of her conviction that the baker's prosperity was due to the prayers offered in his behalf by the recipients of her generosity.

On the 11th of December, 1907, Ernest was on the ship "Annandale," bound from London to Shields. While coming down the Swin the ship collided with the steamer "Kingscote," which knocked a hole in her side about sixteen feet long. The engine and boiler room were soon filled with water, and the ship was gradually sinking inch by inch. The collision occurred at midnight, and at half past seven the following morning the ship settled down upon the sand. After much effort she was finally floated and repaired sufficiently to get her into the dry dock.

This was the last wreck in which Ernest figured. He migrated to Utah in the year 1908, has since devoted three years to work in the Temple and has recently started upon a mission to Great Britain, to labor specially among sea-faring people and emulate the example of Peter in casting his net upon the waters and becoming a "fisher of men."