Hornerites? What Were Hornerites?

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  22 Nov 1895, Fri,  Page 1

 

 

I found above last newspaper clipping and wondered what the heck a Hornerite or a “Horniter” was. I found out that “horniter” really meant Hornerite (Holiness Movement), and thought I should probably document it. This denomination was home-grown in the Ottawa Valley. The movement had its roots in the Methodist Church of Canada and was founded when a very charismatic adherent named  Ralph Cecil Horner, farmer, Methodist clergyman, revivalist, and holiness bishop, who found some fame in the area and beyond.

Born near Shawville, Quebec; he travelled extensively in the area preaching at  tent meetings where “a number of souls were won for Christ“. The more passionate of Horner’s followers were called “Hornerites”. Today on the Main Street in Shawville there stands a billboard showing historic highlights of the area and Rev. Ralph Horner’s evangelistic career is there listed.

 

Photo-Bytown or Bust

 

A very strange thing occurred recently at a Hornerite meeting held at the meeting house of that sect, situated seven miles north of Madoc, known as “McCoy’s”. The preacher was speaking of the Devil and all of a sudden a creature described as “so ghastly” rose from the floor boards with fire issuing from his nostrils. The image was described as having two horns, clanking chains, fiery eyeballs and a large appendage at the rear. Apparently he looked at the congregation and exclaimed,

“I am the Devil, I will have you all!”

 

 

 

The congregation and preacher ran out of there “like the devil” tripping over each other. A few days later some said it was a practical joke, but the Hornerites refused to believe them. The Hornerites were a very evangelical denomination. The ladies dressed in plain black with no touch of bright colour or other ornamentation.  The style of their apparel included a long wide skirt and a flat-crowned round hat.

 

Bytown or Bust—The Holiness Movement in Smiths Falls, Ontario

 

In Hastings County, Ivanhoe may be known today as a place with a cheese factory along Hwy 62, but a century ago it was known as one of the most important holiness revival sites in Canada.  It was at the Ivanhoe camp meeting that Ralph Horner died in 1921, not long after preaching his last sermon.

 

Adam Armstrong said: The Hornerite/Holiness Movement church building in Stittsville is still there on the Main Street on the west side on a hill opposite the Legion (formerly Orange) Hall.

 

 

Joann Voyce–The Hornerite Church in Carleton Place was a small white frame building on the south west corner of Bridge St and Herriott St

 

 

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  21 Jun 1899, Wed,  Page 8 A Hornerite Convention in Carleton Place

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  06 Nov 1895, Wed,  Page 8–Quebec

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  27 Sep 1895, Fri,  Page 6–Kemptville

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  22 Aug 1896, Sat,  Page 3–Richmond

 

 

 

Click here–Shakin’ the Family Tree

 

Clipped from The Ottawa Journal,  05 Jan 1897, Tue,  Page 6

 

 

CLIPPED FROMThe Weekly British WhigKingston, Ontario, Canada02 May 1901, Thu  •  Page 10

ALSO READ
Another One Bites the Dust –In Memory of the Holiness Movement Church Building (Hornerites)