A Mysterious Sermon

Mary F. Quinn of Hill City, Tennessee wrote about her conversion to the gospel and the mysterious sermon she heard on a cold night that played an crucial role. 

Please make room in the last column or some out of the way place for a sermon that I heard sometime before I heard the Elders preach.

I am of a very studious disposition, especially regarding the truths found in the good old Bible; truths that were taught me by my dear mother, who died about three years prior to the event I desire to narrate. 1 had been studying the Bible, trying to understand some of its hidden mysteries as taught by the Seven-Day Adventists, a doctrine I was, at that time, investigating. Prayer meeting had been dismissed, 1 knew, as I could hear the neighbors as they were returning from the Oak Hill church at Evansville, Tenn.

It was an extremely cold and bitter night in January, 1897, everything being perfectly still. I had retired to my room up stairs and finding my husband and the baby asleep, 1 soon went to bed and lay thinking, studying over what I had been reading, being unable to sleep. Suddenly I heard a low murmur as though a prayer was being uttered. I was surprised; knowing as I did, the meeting had been dismissed, and even if not, that I could scarcely hear it so far away, and yet so distinctly. I tried to divert my attention away from it, but could not, so, raising up, I lifted up the blind to learn, if I could, its source, but was unable to. I then began wondering who it could be in the Oak Hill church that could speak so distinctly, and would be out at such a late hour. I soon discovered it was not a prayer, but a clear, well delivered sermon. I then got up and raised the window but was still unable to locate the source. I tried to find out if I were really awake. I tried to center my mind on my dear mother, but could not; finally I concluded to give my whole attention to the sermon for such I found it to be. For at least an hour I lay there and listened to one of the best sermons I have ever heard in my life. It was as some one preaching in mighty power, but in such haste as though desirous of saying all possible in a given length of time. Still every point of doctrine was made as clear and simple to me, so that I could understand each idea as it was presented. The words were spoken so clearly and distinctly and yet it seemed to be so very far away. I lay there entranced sometime with my blood running cold, as I tried to fathom what it all meant. I continued to listen until the words ceased, and you may well know how upset my mind was by this time.

I dared not tell any of my folks of this mysterious sermon as they are not in the least superstitious, and I held my secret for three weeks before I told anyone. ^hen I related it to a dear, good old lady who was visiting with me. She could give me no satisfaction and about three weeks more passed away when news came that strange men were in the vicinity—men known as Mormons. Word came that they were then on their way to Oak Hill; stories of all kinds were told, but still I was not frightened, although I did wonder what kind of a race of people they were, and desired to meet them.

I did not have long to wait, for the day following I had the great pleasure of meeting the first Mormon Elders and was very agreeably surprised to find them anything but as I had heard. Elders Soren Peterson and Earnest R. Needham were their names. They left some tracts and announced a meeting in the Oak Hill church. I could not attend their first meeting, owing to a heavy rain, but I perused the tracts and literature they left with us and I felt much benefitted thereby, and thirsted for more.

I went out to hear them later and was struck with delighted amazement when I recognized the same sermon I had heard six weeks before. The same low clear tone and plain language with the same simple, yet so beautiful, in its every detail.

I went to hear them preach from time to time. Every sermon sounding so sweet to me I could not remain at home. Kind reader you may know how relieved I was to find a sequel to my mysterious sermon which so plainly foretold what I must do to be saved. I went to hear them preach on all possible occasions and I read all the books, tracts and literature, including that glorious Book of Mormon, and later my husband and I were baptised, turning our backs upon the world, taking upon ourselves the cross to face a cold-hearted world, with the promise of Jesus to never leave us alone. We were willing to he called by that despised name "Mormon," because we know this doctrine is not of man. The most blessed and beneficial day's work ever done! I can now sing "O Happy Day!" and mean just what I say.

My entire family stands united upon the Rock to face the world with an assurance of a true knowledge of this the glorious Latter Day Gospel. Joseph Smith being the worthy chosen of all the world; by and through him to roll the "stone" that Daniel saw, would fill the whole earth, preparing the way for the second coming of our Lord and Savior.

My earnest prayer is that all the honest in heart may embrace the first opportunity for accepting that which they will know is the truth as soon as they shall do the will of the Father.

Mary F. Quinn was born on Aug 13, 1863 to Joseph Lyman Brown and Dialthia Jane Travis in Rhea County, Tennessee. She married Julius P Quinn (1857-1917) in Rhea County on February 14, 1883. Julius was a laborer who specialized in carpentry. I was unable to locate records of the baby she spoke of in her story, but I did find two other children in various records including the 1900 census: Carrie L. Quinn (1885-?) and Carl H Quinn (1890-1948). The Oak Hill Church was outside the town of Evensville Tennessee in Rhea Couty.The Quinns were baptized on Aug 5, 1897, Mary by Elder James E. Hart and Julius by Milton H. Welling. By then the family was living in Hill City, a suburb of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Eighteen months later both their children were baptized too. The letter she wrote had no date, but was printed in 1899. Church records include a hand written note indicating Mary died in 23 Oct 1901, but she appears on the 1910 census and her husband's death certificate indicates she was still alive when he died in 1917.

Who is N. L. Brown and why do I care?

I can't tell you why you would care, I'll leave that to you to decide after you read about who he is. Below is a snippet from the Elders Journal of the Southern States Mission, Volume 4 on page 316.

N. L. Brown's Opinion of the Latter Day Saints

     The following is a copy of an affidavit voluntarily made and circulated by a former Tennesseean. The JOURNAL has received several copies of this declaration and since the author has lived in the South. the publication of his opinion of the Mormon people as he found them will no doubt be interesting.

Garland Utah February 28 1907

To WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
     This is to certify that I have lived in Utah among the people called Mormons nearly four years and can truthfully say that they are truthful honest upright and virtuous that they live their religion and practice what they teach.
     Had I found them different instead of being in these Valleys of the Mountains I would be breathing the atmosphere in the Blue Hills of Eastern Tennessee

N. L. BROWN,

Formerly of Evensville, Rhea Co Tenn

Such statements were meant to counter the horrid stories coming out against the Mormons in the newspapers at the time. Of course I can't help myself. I just had to figure who this person could be. The brevity of the record just begs to be fleshed out. Just how many N. L. Browns could there be? [you don't want to know]. But I did have some clues to go on. I know he was living in Garland, Utah in 1907, and that he lived in Rhea County, Tennessee prior to 1903.

My new favorite starting point for searches like this is the Census. I start in 1910. Sometimes I find if I narrow my search I don't have to filter through a lot of distracting material. I can easily get distracted. In 1910 I find a 49 year old (born in Feb 1861) Nathaniel L Brown, living in Ogden with his 42 year old wife Maggie (born Jun 1867) and four children: Leonard C. (20), Lester L.(16), Fletcher B. (13), and Soren E. (9). He and his children were born in Tennessee. His wife was born in Georgia. Surprizingly enough, he is my only hit. So I start to widen my search. But still just one hit. This may be easier than I thought.

After finding no other N. Browns who lived in Utah and Tennessee, I decide to see if I could verify that this might be him. So I start looking for Nathaniel Brown born in Tennessee in 1861. I see him still in Utah in 1920, but that is really no surprise, and brings me no closer to my goal.

In 1900, I see a Nathaniel L Brown in Rhea County, Tennessee. But are they the same person? This Nathaniel is married to Lydia M. Brown. But don't let the name fool you. She was born in Georgia too and is the right age (32). They have 5 childen Hulda L. (14), Curtain H. (10), Joseph B. (8), Hester L. (6), and Fletcher B. (3). OK there are a couple of matches. But there are some parts I can't explain.  Hulda and Joseph could have moved out or even passed away, but Curtain H. only matches Leonard C. by age. If I could just find a second document to verify this is who I a looking for.

Having seen enough Census records to know that name are not always consistent between the decades I figure I could still go back another 10 years to see what I would find....except that the 1890 census is unavailable [mild profanity].

The 1880 census doesn't really tell me much about Nathaniel. It was 5 years before he would marry Lydia. But I do see that his father, Joseph, is a carpenter which matches Nathaniel's profession in Utah. Interesting, but not really proof.

Family Search turns up two Nathaniel L Browns and one Nathaniel LaFayette Brown all born in February 1861 in Rhea County Tennessee. Honestly they are probably all the same person. I don't generally like to use Family Search as a reliable original document. But the leads can be very useful in tracking down the original documents. The first was based on LDS Church membership records and shows a baptismal date of 29 October 1899. But nothing else useful. The second shows the same sources with only a slightly different birth date 10 Feb 1861 versus 16 Feb 1861.

The third however is a gold mine. Full names for each of the children, including a set of twins, a boy and a girl with very similar names, who were born and then died before they would ever have appeared on any census. Curtain H. is listed as Howard Curten, which explains Leonard C, especially when I go back to the census and understand how the nearly illegible Howard could have been mistaken for Leonard.

Beyond that I now have phone numbers, email addresses and other ways of contacting people who are probably descendents. To tell you the truth though, I have never had anyone return my phone call or email.

From there I checked other sources. In a handwritten copy of the Early Tennesse Baptims I find these entries. Nathaniel L Brown was baptized on October 29th, 1899 by Cristo Hyldahl and confirmed the same day by L. R. Anderson. His wife, Maggie L. Brown was baptized and confirmed a month later on November 26th, 1899 by F. B Hammond. Their daughter Hulda Brown was baptized and confirmed on April 15th, 1900 by L. E. Jordan.

From The LDS Southern Star I find that Brother Brown was ordained a priest and set apart as the superintendent of the Oak Hill Branch Sunday School. The branch had been organized by Elder David H Elton. I also found this letter.

Editor Southern Star


Please allow me a little space in your welcome weekly visitor to tell to its many readers what the Lord has done for us through the humble Elders. I will never forget the rainy evening three years ago that Elder Soren Peterson and E. R. Needham came to my house. We granted them shelter from the depths of our hearts. I will never forget the words spoken by them when they promised if we would be humble and prayerful we would never regret the day the Elders visited us. Since that good day we have had the pleasure of entertaining thirty four Elders and have heard 400 sermons preached and have had many Gospel conversations I have read my Bible and compared its teachings with those of the Latter day Saints and found them to be in harmony. My wife and myself were baptized the latter part of last year and since that time much joy has filled our hearts I bless the day that the Elders found their way to our door. Best wishes we send to the readers of the Star. Your brother and sister in the Gospel.


NL BROWN AND WIFE

So they named their last child Soren Elton Brown, after one of the Missionaries who broguht them the gospel, Soren Peterson, and another missionary David H Elton, who had formed the Oak Hill Branch. I think I have enough to be confident these are the same people. So why do you care? If you have to ask......