Healing of Elder Charles H. Wilcken from Smallpox
Published October 5, 2026 at 2:03 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
On October 6, 1872, Elder Charles H. Wilcken, President of the Birmingham Conference, was attacked with smallpox. Elders Erastus W. Snow and local Elders administered to him through the laying on of hands, and he progressed favorably.
Fuller account of this event (the complete account as preserved in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 34, No. 43, October 22, 1872, p. 683):
Elder Charles H. Wilcken, President of the Birmingham Conference, was attacked with small-pox on the 6th inst. Elders Erastus W. Snow and local Elders administered to him through the laying on of hands, and he is now progressing favorably.
In Their Own Words
“On the 6th inst., Elder Charles H. Wilcken, President of the Birmingham Conference, was attacked with small-pox, though of a favorable type. Elder Erastus W. Snow and the local Elders have frequently administered, by the laying on of hands, to brother Wilcken, who has been greatly pleased of the Lord during his e According to last accounts he was progressing most favorably. Our constant prayer is that he may speedily be fully restored to health and usefulness. — Millennial Star 34:43”
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 22 October 1872 (Vol. 34, No. 43). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1872-10-22_34_43 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Complete account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 34, No. 43, October 22, 1872, p. 683 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1872-10-22_34_43
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