Out of King Tut’s Tomb
The missing link to having electricity in every home in America.
The prayers of Gene Eby told by his son Richard E. Eby, D.O.
Adapted by Leah Alley for the purpose of oral story telling.
Source: Caught up into Paradise by Richard E. Eby 1978
The doctors thought I was dead. I was born too early and my little body was purple. My mom prayed for me and she heard God say, "I am not going to take him away." My mom taught me as a young child about the power of prayer and all through my life this was demonstrated in very powerful ways.
My Dad was a praying man too and it was through his prayers that God gave us the power of electricity in our homes. My Dad, Mr. Gene Eby worked for General Electric. In 1908, three years before I was even born, General Electric’s President Dr. Charles Steinmetz explained to my Dad that, "American’s future depended on vast voltages of electrical energy, but there was a problem of finding the right material to do it (Eby 93)." I think this man must have been really smart because I know that today I wouldn’t be able to flush the toilet, take a bath, get a cold drink out of the refrigerator, or use my computer if it wasn’t for the power of electricity in my home. This man, Dr. Charles Steinmetz knew my Dad pretty well and he thought he was the right man to solve the problem.
My Dad and his team of experts tried to find the right material and solve the problem for many frustrating years. One day when my family was sitting around the table he said, "I told God last night that I’m ready to give up, along with my whole staff of engineers, mechanics, test operators, chemists, and porcelain specialists." Then, I prayed that God would show my team the answer or let the world ago along without the blessing of his great electrical power being harnessed for His children’s use (Eby 94)" I sat still, staring, straight into the eyes of my Dad, and knew that there was something more to the story. I was thinking, "So what did God say."
Finally, my Dad went on, " This morning my Bible fell open to a very familiar story found in the book of John chapter 2." This is what I read:
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, "They have no more wine." 4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine.
"As I read this passage over again I heard God speaking to me, "Know ye not that I have spoken through my Word? Did I not use 6 pots? Big ones? Was it not My power that changed the water? He that hath ears, let him hear, saith the Lord!" As I prayed I realized that it would have taken millions of volts to re-arrange the molecules of water for Jesus to change into wine. I then realized that those 6 pots must have been something special to withstand the power from Jesus’ spoken word (Eby 95)."
After this revelation he decided to give his, "big staff of tired discouraged employees a month’s holiday so everyone could rest (Eby 95)." Even though my Dad was on vacation he did not stop praying about the answer to the electricity problem. He knew God would answer. He already had given him three hints. The material he needed would be pottery like the kind the 6 water jars from the story were made of. Also, they were to be man-made and virtually blast proof. As I thought about the virtually blast proof part I was reminded of the story my mom told me about my birth. My mom told me it was God’s power that had kept me alive. I enjoyed being a kid very much and the best days were when my Dad took me fishing. While he was on vacation, he took me fishing every morning as they sun came up. As I sat in the boat watching my bobber bob up and down, I thought about what I learned in Sunday School. I told my Dad that when God spoke, he created the fish, the water, and the land and that I wished I could, "speak" like him so that a fish would get caught on my hook.
Once vacation was over, and everyone was back to work, my Dad got a wire from the President himself. "President Hoover was urging Dad to schedule an immediate conference regarding his huge hydro-electric project out west called Boulder Dam (Eby 97)." The pressure was really on now. The president of the United States wanted to know if Dad had found the right material to finish the project that would send electricity into people’s homes.
My Dad thought somebody who went on vacation may have the answer to the problem. He decided to call his number one porcelain specialist named Mr. Cermak. My Dad looked really tired that next morning but at a second glance I noticed a sparkle in his eye and a grin on his face.
"What happened Dad," I asked.
My mom turned around from flipping pancakes and my brother and sister looked up from their plates. My Dad relayed the story.
"Yesterday when I was on the phone with Mr. Cermak he told me he had gone to Egypt and visited King Tut’s tomb. He brought back with him a piece of pottery made by the Ancient Egyptians. Well, I went to bed, but I couldn’t get that pottery out of my mind so I called him back and woke him up at 4:00 am this morning. I asked him if he could tell me more about the pottery he got from King Tut’s tomb. He said that it had been around for 3200 years and that it still looked like top quality. He said he thought it must have been made for King Tut’s feasts. Lastly, he said, "Might just have a batch made up from the formula and send you a piece." I was so excited because I knew this was God’s answer to my prayers so I told him, "Make it in the shape of a bushing! That’s a rush order, Cermak! Dad went on to explain that a bushing made out of this porcelain was the solution to getting electricity into people’s homes. When he tested it, the electricity shook the building but it didn’t phase the bushing made out of King TUT’s porcelain (Eby 99)."
I was so happy for my Dad and now every time I turn on the lights I thank God for his gift of power. "He knew that the twentieth century needed His power on earth to carry His Good News to the uttermost parts through satellites (Eby 101)." The Good News that Jesus Christ died on the cross for the sins of the world and that, "Whoever believes on him shall not parish but have everlasting life."
Outline to Help story Teller
- Introduction:
- Richard E. Eby, the son of Dr Gene Eby
- His miraculous birth.
- The power of prayer
- Electricity, "America’s Future depended on it."
- Richard Eby’s father Gene.
- The right man to solve the problem
- Answer from God.
- John chapter 2
- The 6 man-made pots and virtually blast-proof.
- Trusting God on a month’s vacation.
- Time is up.
- President Hoover
- Mr. Cemark (porcelain specialist)
- Problem solved
- Electricity for every home in America.
Knowledge and Comprehension Questions
Knowledge Questions:
- What was the story in John chapter two that God used to show Gene Eby the material he need to use to complete the electricity project?
- What country did the pottery come from that Gene Eby used to make the bushings? Out of who’s tomb?
- Who was the president that wanted this project completed?
- What did Richard learn about from his mom and dad at a very early age?
Comprehension Questions:
- How is electricity like the power of God?
- What did Richard Eby’s son say was the most important use of electricity in the twentieth century?
- Why do you think Gene Eby gave his team a month off? Do you think it was a good idea?
- Do you think Gene’s wife was supportive of him? How do you know?