Healing of the daughter of F. D. May from fits and demonic possession
Published October 12, 2026 at 5:54 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
A sixteen-year-old daughter of Brother F. D. May had been subject to fits since she was six years old. Upon beginning to investigate the Gospel, she suffered increased attacks, often multiple times a day, and was believed to be possessed by evil spirits. Her father fainted at the sight of one of these attacks. Elders administered to the girl through the laying on of hands, and she was restored to complete health from December 15, 1895, onwards.
In Their Own Words
“Brother F. D. May and wife, whom I baptized last March, had a daughter sixteen years old who had been subject to fits ever since she was six years of age, and she was growing gradually worse. She commenced to investigate the Gospel; but this no sooner happened than the devil also began his work. She not only had the cramp but it was believed she was possessed of evil spirits. From the 20th of November to the 14th of December, when we arrived, she had the spells every day and some days two or three times. Just as we were coming to the house we met her father who felt very bad about his daughter. She had just had a bad attack which so affected him that he fainted at the sight of it. The parents wanted the girl baptized the same night but we did not think it wise. I talked to him, however, about the promises of the Lord through the administration of the ordinance of laying on hands for healing the sick. We united in calling upon God that He would heal the girl of her terrible affliction. We administered to her and since the 15th of December up to date she has been entirely well, without the slightest appearance of an attack of the disease. I visited her a few days ago and she rejoiced, and praised her Maker, as we all did. The incident has caused quite an excitement in that part of the country. This is another evidence to the world that the power of God is with His servants.”
— Louis C. Larsen, The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 13 February 1896 (Vol. 58, No. 7). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1896-02-13_58_7 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Full first-person account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 58, No. 7, February 13, 1896, p. 109 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1896-02-13_58_7
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