A DISTINGUISHED CANADIAN CONVERT--MRS. M. I. HORNE--HER EARLY
HISTORY--CONVERSION TO MORMONISM--SHE GATHERS WITH THE SAINTS AND
SHARES THEIR PERSECUTIONS--INCIDENTS OF HER EARLY CONNECTION WITH THE
CHURCH.
Among the early fruits of the Canadian mission, perhaps the name of
no other lady stands more conspicuous for good works and faithful
ministrations, than that of Mrs. Mary I. Horne. It will, therefore, be
eminently proper to introduce her at this time to the reader, and give
a brief sketch of her early career. From her own journals we quote as
follows:
"I was born on the 20th of November, 1818, in the town of Rainham,
county of Kent, England. I am the daughter of Stephen and Mary Ann
Hales, and am the eldest daughter of a large family. My parents were
honest, industrious people; and when very young I was taught to pray,
to be honest and truthful, to be kind to my associates, and to do
good to all around me. My father was of the Methodist faith, but my
mother attended the Church of England. As I was religiously inclined, I
attended the Methodist Church with my father, who was faithful in the
performance of his religious duties, although he never became a very
enthusiastic Methodist.
"In the year 1832, when I was in my thirteenth year, there was great
excitement in the town where I lived, over the favorable reports that
were sent from Van Dieman's Land, and the great inducements held out
to those who would go to that country. My father and mother caught the
spirit of going, and began to make preparations for leaving England.
Before arrangements had been completed for us to go, however, letters
were received from Upper Canada, picturing, in glowing terms, the
advantages of that country. My father changed his mind immediately and
made arrangements to emigrate to the town of York, afterwards called
Toronto. Accordingly, on the 16th day of April, 1832, our family,
consisting of my parents, five sons, myself and a younger sister, bade
adieu to England. We had a tedious voyage of six weeks across the
ocean, and my mother was sick during the entire voyage. During the
passage across there were three deaths on board--one of the three being
my brother Elias, whom we sorrowfully consigned to a watery grave.
"Our ship anchored at Quebec in May, and after a tedious passage up
the St. Lawrence by steamer, we landed in safety at the town of York,
June 16th, thankful that we were at our journey's end. Here we were in
a strange land, and to our dismay we found that the cholera was raging
fearfully in that region; but through all of those trying scenes the
Lord preserved us in health.
"In the spring of 1833 we removed into the country about eight miles,
to a place located in the township of York, and in the spring of 1834 I
attended a Methodist camp-meeting in that neighborhood, where I formed
the acquaintance of Mr. Joseph Horne, who is now my husband.
"The most of the time for the next two years I lived in service in the
city of Toronto, going once in three months to visit my parents.
"On the 9th day of May, 1836, I was married to Mr. Horne. He owned
a farm about one mile from my father's house, and I removed to his
residence soon after our marriage. I now felt that I was settled in
life; and, although I had not been used to farm work, I milked cows,
fed pigs and chickens, and made myself at home in my new situation,
seeking to make my home pleasant for my husband, and working to advance
his interests.
"About the first of June, of that year, report came to us that a man
professing to be sent of God to preach to the people would hold a
meeting about a mile from our house. My husband decided that we should
go and hear him. We accordingly went, and there first heard Elder Orson
Pratt. We were very much pleased with his sermon. Another meeting was
appointed for the following week, and Elder Pratt told us that business
called him away, but his brother, Parley P. Pratt, would be with us and
preach in his stead. I invited my father to go with us to hear him, and
the appointed evening found all of his family at the 'Mormon' meeting.
Elder Pratt told us that God was an unchangeable being--the same
yesterday, to-day, and forever--and taught us the gospel in its purity;
then showed from the Bible that the gospel was the same in all ages of
the world; but man had wandered from God and the true gospel, and that
the Lord had sent an angel to Joseph Smith, restoring to him the pure
gospel with its gifts and blessings. My father was so delighted with
the sermon that he left the Methodist Church and attended the 'Mormon
meetings' altogether; and in a short time every member of his family
had received and obeyed the gospel. This made quite a stir among the
Methodists. One of the class-leaders came to converse with us, and used
every argument he could to convince us that Mormonism was false, but
without avail. 'Well,' said he, finally, 'there are none but children
and fools who join them,' and left us to our fate. In July (1836) I
was baptized by Orson Hyde, and ever after that our house was open for
meetings, and became a home for many of the elders.
"The following from Brother Parley P. Pratt's autobiography, is a
truthful statement of a circumstance which occurred in the fall of that
year, and to which I can bear witness, as it was of my own personal
observation, the lady in question being a neighbor of ours. He says:
"'Now, there was living in that neighborhood a young man and his
wife, named Whitney; he was a blacksmith by trade; their residence
was perhaps a mile or more from Mr. Lamphere's, where I held my
semi-monthly meetings. His wife was taken down very suddenly about
that time with a strange affliction. She would be prostrated by some
power invisible to those about her, and suffer an agony of distress
indescribable. She often cried out that she could see two devils in
human form, who were thus operating upon her, and that she could hear
them talk; but, as the bystanders could not see them, but only see the
effects, they did not know what to think or how to understand.
"'She would have one of these spells once in about twenty-four hours,
and when it had passed she would lie in bed so lame, bruised, sore,
and helpless that she could not rise alone, or even sit up, for some
weeks. All this time she had to have watchers both night and day,
and sometimes four and five at a time, insomuch that the neighbors
were worn out and weary with watching. Mr. Whitney sent word for me
two or three times, or left word for me to call next time I visited
the neighborhood. This, however, I had neglected to do, owing to
the extreme pressure of labors upon me in so large a circuit of
meetings--indeed I had not a moment to spare. At last, as I came round
on the circuit again, the woman, who had often requested to see the man
of God, that he might minister to her relief, declared she would see
him anyhow, for she knew she could be healed if she could but get sight
of him. In her agony she sprang from her bed, cleared herself from her
frightened husband and others, who were trying to hold her, and ran for
Mr. Lamphere's, where I was then holding meeting. At first, to use her
own words, she felt very weak, and nearly fainted, but her strength
came to her, and increased at every step till she reached the meeting.
Her friends were all astonished, and in alarm, lest she should die in
the attempt, tried to pursue her, and they several times laid hold of
her and tried to force or persuade her back. 'No,' said she, 'let me
see the man of God; I can but die, and I cannot endure such affliction
any longer.' On she came, until at last they gave up, and said, 'Let
her go, perhaps it will be according to her faith.' So she came, and
when the thing was explained the eyes of the whole multitude were upon
her. I ceased to preach, and, stepping to her in the presence of the
whole meeting, I laid my hands upon her and said, 'Sister, be of good
cheer, thy sins are forgiven, thy faith hath made thee whole; and, in
the name of Jesus Christ, I rebuke the devils and unclean spirits, and
command them to trouble thee no more.' She returned home well, went
about her housekeeping, and remained well from that time forth.'
"In the latter part of the summer of 1837," continues Mrs. Horne, "I
had the great pleasure of being introduced to, and entertaining, the
beloved prophet, Joseph Smith, with Sidney Rigdon and T. B. Marsh.
I said to myself, 'O Lord, I thank thee for granting the desire of
my girlish heart, in permitting me to associate with prophets and
apostles.' On shaking hands with Joseph Smith, I received the holy
spirit in such great abundance that I felt it thrill my whole system,
from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet. I thought I had
never beheld so lovely a countenance. Nobility and goodness were in
every feature.
"The saints in Kirtland removed in the following spring to Missouri.
We started from Canada in March, 1838, with a small company of saints.
The roads were very bad, as the frost was coming out of the ground,
consequently I had to drive the team during a great portion of the
journey, while my husband walked.
"On arriving at Huntsville, one hundred miles from Far West, we found
several families of saints, and tarried a short time with them. There
I was introduced to the parents of the prophet, and also to his
cousin, George A. Smith. At a meeting held in that place I received a
patriarchal blessing from Joseph Smith, Sr. He told me that I had to
pass through a great deal of sickness, sorrow and tribulation, but 'the
Lord will bring you through six troubles, and in the seventh he will
not leave you;' all of which has verily been fulfilled."
Mrs. Horne, with her husband and family, reached Far West in August of
that year, and received their full share of the privations incident
to the settlement of that city, and also a full share of exposure,
sickness and peril incident to the expulsion of the saints from
Missouri. Finally thereafter they gathered to Nauvoo; and there for
the present let us leave them--promising the reader that Mrs. Horne
shall again come to the front when we treat of the wonderful missionary
efforts of the Mormon women in Utah.