The Life And Testimony Of Mary Horbury

Gospel Standard 1868:

Death. On Aug. 11th, 1867, aged 62, Mrs. Horbury, widow of the late Mr. Horbury, minister of the Gospel, Blackburn.

She was born at Clayton West, Yorkshire, and brought up with her uncle and aunt, the latter of whom was a God-fearing woman, and appreciated the means of grace very highly. Through the kindness and Christian feeling displayed by her aunt and her religious associations, the deceased was brought up in good morals and discipline, and for these blessings, at different periods of her life, she expressed the greatest thankfulness. At Clayton, previous to the building of the present chapel, the truth was preached occasionally by Mr. Gadsby, Mr. Kershaw, Mr. Higson, and other gracious men in the old Independent chapel, and in rooms hired for the purpose. On these occasions she attended the means of grace, and throughout her life early recollections of portions of discourses preached at these times, with the manner of the preacher, particularly the late Mr. Gadsby, she would frequently recite, and say that she now saw the beauty of the expressions.

Sometime after her marriage, her husband was labouring under the greatest pangs of mind, occasioned by God applying the law to his conscience and showing him his lost condition as a sinner; but from which he was ultimately relieved in a remarkable manner. This circumstance is mentioned because it was a mutual passing through bondage to the liberty of the gospel; which glorious liberty was revealed to her before her husband, his convictions being so long and severe that his medical adviser declared he must either give up religious thoughts and reading or go to the asylum, his constitution having become nearly exhausted with anguish of mind, which amounted to little short of absolute despair. Under these trying circumstances, his wife was enabled to suggest to him that it was not impossible but that God could reveal himself to him in his Son, the hope of glory, as he had done to her; and one day, as he was at his work, in this great distress of mind, he thought he saw a bright circle of Scripture promises referring to Christ’s mission on the earth, nearly all the leading ones in the Old Testament along with the apostles’ testimony of their fulfilment; and that he saw these surrounding him in illuminated reading; and the glory and assurance which impressed his mind was such that he said, “If these be for me, Lord, it is enough.”

Having had the privilege of visiting Mrs. H. during her last illness, I learnt from her that when the Lord began his work of grace in her soul, she laboured to obtain peace of mind by her own works; but the more she wrought, the worse she got; so that nothing but eternal death appeared to be her portion. At length, in the providence of God, she heard Mr. Higson preach the Lord Jesus as the fulfilling end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth; when the blessed Spirit so conveyed the truth of this to her heart, and gave her precious faith to receive it in the love of it, and with such joy and peace in believing, that her language was, “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul.” While she also could sing:

‘*”More happy, but not more secure, 

The glorified spirits in heaven.”

She was of a weak constitution and a very great sufferer for many years, especially at her latter end; but I think I never saw a more patient woman in my life. The Lord often appeared for her in a conspicuous manner, both in providence and grace, which cheered her otherwise gloomy path.

I saw her a little before she died, and on asking her the state of her mind, she said, “I have no great amount of joy, but I have a good hope through grace, and can say, 

“‘Yes, I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the earnest is given; 

More happy, but not more secure, 

The glorified spirits in heaven.'”

Her very soul seemed to enjoy what she said; and although much swollen with her disease, and very weary, her countenance brightened up with joy. This was the last time I saw her, but her end was peace, and we may truly say of her,

“No clouds shall now obstruct her sun, 

But all be life and peace;

With her ’tis ever, ever noon;

Nor can her joy decrease.”

James Archer

Blackburn, Nov. 16^th, 1867