John Simpson's Miraculous Preservation and Restoration from a Mining Accident
Published October 5, 2026 at 2:08 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
While working in a coal pit at Witton Gilbert, Durham, on November 21, 1873, John Simpson was crushed by a falling stone measuring nearly 5 feet and 5-7 inches thick. He was pronounced dead by an overman, but his brother, an Elder, laid hands on him and prayed for his life. John Simpson was then restored to life.
Fuller account of this event (the complete account as preserved in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 35, No. 51, 23 December 1873, p. 811):
On the 21st of November, 1873, John Simpson, while working in a coal pit at Witton Gilbert, Durham, was crushed by a falling stone, which measured nearly 5 feet by 5, and 7 inches thick. He was pronounced dead by the overman, but his brother, an Elder, laid hands on him and prayed for his life, and he was restored to life.
In Their Own Words
“I write to inform you that since you last saw me, I have met with an accident through a large stone falling on me. I was declared by those who waited on me at the time of the occurrence to be dead, but my brother William prayed to the Lord, asking him to restore me to life, and He heard and answered my brother’s prayer. I was restored to life by the power of God. I met with the accident on Friday, the 21st inst. I thank the Lord for his mercy.— Millennial Star 35:51”
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 23 December 1873 (Vol. 35, No. 51). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1873-12-23_35_51 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Complete account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 35, No. 51, 23 December 1873, p. 811 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1873-12-23_35_51
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