"'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.
CHAPTER XXIV.
MORMONISM CARRIED TO GREAT BRITAIN—"TRUTH WILL PREVAIL"—THE REV. MR. FIELDING—FIRST BAPTISM IN ENGLAND—FIRST WOMAN BAPTIZED—STORY OF MISS JEANNETTA RICHARDS—FIRST BRANCH OF THE CHURCH IN FOREIGN LANDS ORGANIZED AT THE HOUSE OF ANN DAWSON—FIRST CHILD BORN INTO THE CHURCH IN ENGLAND—ROMANTIC SEQUEL—VILATE KIMBALL AGAIN.
The voice of prophesy was no longer hushed; the heavens were no longer sealed; the Almighty really spoke to these prophets and apostles of the latter days; their words were strangely, sometimes romantically, fulfilled; the genius of Mormonism was alike potent at home and abroad.
"Thou shalt go to Upper Canada, even to the city of Toronto, and there thou shalt find a people prepared for the fullness of the gospel, and they shall receive thee;" the prophet Heber had oracled over the head of a fellow laborer, "and from the things growing out of this mission shall the fullness of the gospel spread into England and cause a great work to be done in that land."