Heber C. Kimball's Trial with Evil Before Baptism of Hundreds

Heber C. Kimball's biography contains this great story about missionary work in England:

Saturday evening, says Heber C. Kimball, it was agreed that I should go forward and baptize, the next morning, in the River Ribble, which runs through Preston [England].

By this time the adversary of souls began to rage, and he felt determined to destroy us before we had fully established the kingdom of God in that land [England], and the next morning I witnessed a scene of satanic power and influence which I shall never forget.

Sunday, July 30th, about daybreak, Elder Isaac Russell (who had been appointed to preach on the obelisk in Preston Square, that day) who slept with Elder Richards in Wilfred Street, came up to the third story, where Elder Hyde and myself were sleeping, and called out, "Brother Kimball, I want you should get up and pray for me that I may be delivered from the evil spirits that are tormenting me to such a degree that I feel I cannot live long, unless I obtain relief."

I had been sleeping on the back of the bed. I immediately arose, slipped off at the foot of the bed, and passed around to where he was. Elder Hyde threw his feet out, and sat up in the bed, and we laid hands on him, I being mouth, and prayed that the Lord would have mercy on him and rebuked the devil.

While thus engaged, I was struck with great force by some invisible power and fell senseless on the floor. The first thing I recollected was being supported by Elders Hyde and Richards, who were praying for me, Elder Richards having followed Russell up to my room. Elders Hyde and Richards then assisted me to get on the bed, but my agony was so great I could not endure it, and I arose, bowed my knees and prayed. I then arose and sat upon the bed, when a vision was opened to our minds, and we could distinctly see the evil spirits, who foamed and gnashed their teeth at us. We gazed upon them about an hour and a half (byu Willard's watch). We were not looking towards the window, but towards the wall. Space appeared before us, and we saw the devils coming in legions, with their leaders, who came within a few feet of us. They came towards us like armies rushing to battle. They appeared to be men of full stature, possessing every form and feature of men in the flesh, who were angry and desperate; and I shall never forget the vindictive malignity depicted on their countenances as they looked me in the eye; and any attempt to paint the scene which then presented itself, or portray their malice and enmity, would be vain. I perspired exceedingly, my clothes becoming as wet as if I had been taken out of the river. I felt excessive pain, and was in the greatest distress for some time. I cannot even look back on the scene without feelings of horror; yet by it I learned the power of the adversary, his enmity against the servants of God, and got some understanding of the invisible world. We distinctly heard those spirits talk and express their wrath and hellish designs against us. However, the Lord delivered us from them, and blessed us exceedingly that day.

Elder Hyde's supplemental description of that fearful scene is as follows, taken from a letter addressed to President Kimball:
Every circumstance that occurred at that scene of devils is just as fresh in my recollection at this moment as it was at the moment of its occurrence, and will ever remain so. After you were overcome by them and had fallen, their awful rush upon me with knives, threats, imprecations, and hellish grins, amply convinced me that they were no friends of mine. While you were apparently senseless and lifeless on the floor and upon the bed (after we had laid you there), I stood between you and the devils and fought them and contended with them face to face, until they began to diminish in number and to retreat from the room. The last imp that left turned round to me as he was going out and said, as if to apologize, and appease my determined opposition to them, "I never said anything against you!" I replied to him thus: "It matters not to me whether you have or have not; you are a liar from the beginning! In the name of Jesus Christ, depart!" He immediately left, and the room was clear. That closed the scene of devils for that time.

Years later, narrating the experience of that awful morning to the Prophet Joseph, Heber asked him what it all meant, and whether there was anything wrong with him that he should have such a manifestation.

"No, Brother Heber," he replied, "at that time you were nigh unto the Lord; there was only a veil between you and him, but you could not see him. When I heard of it, it gave me great joy, for I then knew that the word of God had taken root in that land. It was this that caused the devil to make a struggle to kill you."

Joseph then related some of his own experiences, in many contests he had had with the evil one, and said: "The nearer a person approaches the Lord, the greater power will be manifested by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of His purposes."


(Orson F. Whitney, _Life of Heber C. Kimball_, pp. 143-6)

(Compiled and written by David Kenison, Orem, Utah, dkenison@xmission.com)

An Incredible Conversion in Penzance, Engalnd (Elders Halliday and Chislett)

George Halliday and John Chislett served as early missionaries in England. On one occasion they were laboring in a city called Penzance, in Cornwall (the extreme southwest corner of England). They had almost no success, and were existing on very meager rations of soup and bread. They prayed earnestly for a way to awaken interest among the people.
In a last effort, Elder Halliday pawned a watch to get money. They rented a hall and printed some flyers announcing a series of public lectures. A few people came to hear them the first night, and they were encouraged.

As the meeting proceeded, they noticed a well-dressed couple paying close attention; the woman was weeping through the entire meeting. At the end of the service, she came forward and invited the missionaries to come to visit them at a town called St. Just, about six miles away, and set an appointment for the following Wednesday.

The missionaries were thrilled to finally get an invitation, but disappointed to have to wait; they endured several more days in Penzance, "hungry and penniless," and with no other response to their message.

The appointed day finally came, and the Elders awoke to "a drenching rain storm." But they were not to be dissuaded from the opportunity, and proceeded to walk the six miles. Nearing St. Just, they crossed a muddy field, their boots growing so heavy they could barely walk. At the point when their discouragement could have been greatest, Elder Halliday was inspired to know that the woman they were about to visit had been given a vision in which she had seen the Elders, that she would allow them to hold meetings in one of several houses she owned, and most surprising, that she would be baptized that same night.

They arrived at their destination, soaked to the skin. The woman was eagerly awaiting them, and helped them dry off and dress in warm clothes, and fed them their first good meal in weeks. She grew impatient, though, saying she was very eager to talk with the Elders.
At this point, Elder Halliday told her not to worry - that he knew all about her; and he shared with her that she had received a vision of the missionaries, and was eager to learn their message and to assist them.

She responded to her husband in surprise:
"'There, now, is that not just as it occurred? How could he have learned that? for you know I have not talked with anyone but you about it!' She then admitted that the week previous, while lying awake in bed, she saw a bright light in the room and awoke her husband and pointed it out to him. He also saw it, and it passed around the room in the direction of Penzance, to which place it led her in her mind, and there she saw two men trying to raise a standard, in which labor the people who looked on seemed unwilling to lend a helping hand. She reproached them for their lack of interest, and took hold herself to assist. This vision was so plain that she afterwards related the whole of it to her husband and even described the appearance of the men. Then she could not rest until she had, in company with her husband, visited Penzance and attended the lecture she there saw announced. As soon as she entered the hall and saw the two Elders she recognized them and could not refrain from crying. As to the other part of what had been revealed to him, she said it was true that she was the owner of a row of houses, which she pointed out to the Elders, and that the last one was a school-house in which her husband taught school, and which they were welcome to use as a meeting house as long as they wanted to free of charge."

At that point, Elder Halliday shared the rest of his inspiration, but with some apprehension - that she would be baptized that same evening. He was relieved to hear her accept the invitation with eagerness. Her husband, however, said there was no pond or stream in the area that would be deep enough for a baptism. The Elders insisted that he go out and look for a place; he soon returned with the news that the heavy rains had filled all the ditches and left many pools in depressions that would be satisfactory.


Within two hours of the time the missionaries arrived, the good woman had been baptized. For years, the missionaries were blessed to hold meetings in her schoolhouse, and she remained a faithful and committed Saint. Her husband, unfortunately, never accepted the message of the restoration, though he was friendly and supportive.

A Miraculous Healing in Wales; 1840's

Many of the members and missionaries in Wales in the late 1840s worked in the mines. Accidents were all too frequent, and deaths were not uncommon. On one occasion, when William Howells was visiting his home country between missionary journeys to France, there was an explosion deep in a coal mine. Brother Howells accompanied other leaders of the church to investigate if any church members were involved. They found that only one brother had been working in that mine; he had escaped the explosion "without losing a hair off his head." He was found in the middle of some 55 bodies of his co-workers, almost all of whom had been hostile to Church members in the area.

Another mining accident resulted in a dramatic priesthood blessing. A miner was hit by a large lump of coal which fell on his back and broke his spine. He was carried home on a stretcher, and appeared to be dying.

A later biography recorded this of the accident victim:
"He had lately joined the Church but his wife had not. Great sympathy was felt for the man, and several doctors were sent for by various people. They held a consultation and came to the conclusion that the man would only be able to live a couple of hours at the most.


"But the injured man whispered to his wife to send for the 'Mormon' elders. Brother Howell[s], who was President of the branch, came with his counselors and they administered to the sick man and Brother Howell[s] commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ to arise from his bed. And those who stood around the bed heard the bones of the sick man's body crack as they slid back into their places and the man arose from his bed and gave thanks to God for his mercy."


(Compiled and written by David Kenison)