Holy Ghost / Guidance and Direction

Glasgow chance encounter between two Elders

Published October 5, 2026 at 6:17 AM

1880s · 1883
Glasgow

Contributed by

Millennial Star Research

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An Elder in Glasgow felt an impression that a stranger he saw on the street was a Latter-day Saint Elder. Upon approaching, the young man simultaneously recognized the Elder and exclaimed his identity, despite the two having never met before.

Fuller account of this event (as retold in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 45, No. 24, June 11, 1883, p. 377):

A case of this kind was related to us a short time ago by one of the Elders now laboring in England. He formerly labored in the Glasgow Conference, and while passing along a street of that city one evening he espied a young man some distance ahead of him who appeared to be hesitating, and undetermined which way to go. He had never seen him before, but he immediately felt impressed that he was a Latter-day Saint Elder. As he advanced towards the young man the latter caught sight of him, and with a look of joy upon his face started to meet him, and, holding out his hand for a friendly greeting, exclaimed, “You are a ‘Mormon’ Elder!” “Yes,” replied the other, “and so are you!” Then each proceeded to introduce himself, and marvel at the chance meeting and strange recognition, for they had never before met.

In Their Own Words

“A case of this kind was related to us à short sine by one of the Elders now laboring in England. He formerly labored in the Glasgow Conference, and while passing along a street of that city one even- ing he espied a young man some distance abend of him who appeared to be hesitating. and undetermined which way to go. He had never seen him before, but he immediately felt impressed that he was a Latter-day Saint Elder. As he advanced towards the young man the latter caught sight of bim, and with a look of joy upon his face started to meet him, and, holding out his band for a friendly greeting, exclaimed, “You are a ‘Mormon’ Elder!” “Yes,” replied the other, and so are you!” Then each proceeded to introduce himself, and marvel at the chance meeting and strange recognition, for they had never before met. — Millennial Star 45:24”

Sources & References

The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 11 June 1883 (Vol. 45, No. 24). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1883-06-11_45_24 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Fuller account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 45, No. 24, June 11, 1883, p. 377 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1883-06-11_45_24

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