Saturday, April 3, 2021

An Example of Demon Possession Among Latter-day Saints in England (1847)

 

 

LEAMINGTON SPA.

 

Dear Brother Spencer,--I have heard it stated by some that the devil was bound, and we were enjoying the thousand years' rest. But I think that what has taken place among us will show, that instead of the devil being bound he is loose, and exercising more power than he has done for some time past.

 

Our conference was appointed to be held on Sunday, June 20th, at Coventry. In order to attend it, brother and sister Freeman came with brother Currell, who had been proposed at the council meeting at Stratford-on-Avon, to be ordained to the office of a priest. But as soon as he had expressed his willingness to take the office, some evil spirits (devils) entered him, and declared he should not be ordained, and if he went to the conference they would go too. This was on the 15th, and on the 19th they left home for Coventry, about 20 miles distant. On the road, the devils entered brother C. several times, and four times while passing through the town of Warwick, and were as often rebuked by Elder Freeman, in the presence at Leamington Spa, in order to remain the night, but as soon as they entered the house, the devils began to rage and swear. I got to the house about nine o'clock in the evening. I had scarcely got in before they began to swear at me. I rebuked them, and they came out of him; but as fast as one lot went another came, declaring Currell should not go to Coventry, each party tearing him and trying to kill him: thus they continued until one o'clock, when we lay down until five, when another party came swearing that we should not take him to conference, and tried to choke him. We cast out several lots until eight o'clock, when five of us started to take him with us to Coventry, 10 miles distant. Several times we cast them out on the road, but in coming to Stoneleigh, the struggle was fearful. However, we rebuked them in the name of Jesus, after they had declared we were the servants of the Most High God, as many people were gazing at us we bore a faithful testimony to them, and went on our way. As we drew near to the city, we attracted the attention of the people who were walking out; for the devils came oftener and stronger, swearing by the God that made us, we should not take him to conference. By this time a number of the brethren from Coventry met us; I got them to carry brother Currell, while I walked by his side, and rebuked the devils as far as they came. We arrived at the room about half-past eleven o'clock, a great crowd following us into the room. I endeavoured to speak to them, but the foul spirits came so often, and what with the noise and confusion of the people, I thought it best to close the meeting. While we were preparing for dinner, some stronger devils took possession of brother C.; we expelled them, and in came two policemen, and took brother Currell to the police-station. I went with him, others following, amid the insults and hooting of the mob, to the station. The superintendent, on hearing the case, ordered brother C. to be locked up for having a devil, and me for casting him out, and thus causing a disturbance. Bail was refused, and we were locked up in a filthy room along with two drunken men. In about two hours we were let out on bail, the police finding themselves wrong in refusing it. On our return from prison the streets were lined with spectators, anxious to see the men who had been locked up--one for having, and the other for casting out, a devil . . . On Monday, the 21st, we appeared before the mayor, and although the policemen did their best to prosecute us, on our promising to take brother Currell from the town, the major dismissed us. Instead of these things doing us any harm it has done us good, and we feel to bless the name of God, to give him all the glory, and shout his praise among the people, and to preach the gospel with renewed energy among the sons of men; and pray for the time to come when the gospel shall have been preached, the devil bound, the reign of righteousness come in, and the kingdom of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ for ever and ever.

 

I should inform you that when the devil found he was defeated in brother C. he entered a sister, and kept coming in for several hours; as fast as one lot were expelled another lot entered: at one time we counted 27 come out of her. When we rebuked them they would come out, but as soon returned again. How was it they could acknowledge the power, and would damn our power,--damn our gospel, and tear and bite? The sights were awful, but it has done us all good.

 

I may as well say, that some of the devils told us they were sent, some by Cain, some by Kite, Judas, Kilo, Kelo, Kalmonia, and Lucifer; some of these, they informed us, were presidents over seventies in Hell. The last that came previous to our going to prison, told us he was Kilo, one of the presidents, and his six counsellors. We cast them out thirty times, and had 319 devils, from 3 to 27 coming at a time.

 

I shall feel obliged for any instruction you can give me on this subject.--Yours, THOS. SMITH. ("Conference Minutes," Millennial Star volume 9 no. 15 [1 August 1847]:231-33)