Baptism Rocks • followHIM Favorites • September 8-14 • Come Follow Me

Summary

Podcast Summary: followHIM – "Baptism Rocks" • followHIM Favorites • Sep 8-14 • Come Follow Me

Hosts: Hank Smith & John Bytheway
Release Date: September 4, 2025
Focus: Doctrine & Covenants Sections 98–101

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Overview

This "followHIM Favorites" mini-episode highlights a single, memorable story to enrich study for the Come, Follow Me lesson covering Doctrine and Covenants sections 98-101. Hosts Hank Smith and John Bytheway center the episode around the theme of standing in holy places, using the breathtaking baptismal story of early Latter-day Saint Hannah Last Cornaby as both inspiration and context.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Gathering and Standing in Holy Places

• The hosts introduce the scriptural focus:
  “Behold, it is my will that all they who call on my name and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel should gather together and stand in holy places.” (Doctrine & Covenants 101:22)
• John notes that while some Church history stories feel relatable, others—like Hannah’s—are far removed from modern, comfortable Church experiences.

The Baptism of Hannah Last Cornaby

• John shares the dramatic account of Hannah Last Cornaby’s baptism in Yarmouth, England.
  • Despite antagonistic crowds and real danger, Hannah insisted on being baptized.
  • The environment was anything but peaceful:

    "Before we reached the water's edge, the whole horde was upon us. And my husband baptized me amid a shower of stones and shouts... the stones whizzed around us thick as hail, not one touched us. And we reached home in safety, thanking God for our miraculous deliverance." — John Bytheway quoting Hannah, (00:39–01:13)

  • Both hosts marvel at her courage and faith, contrasting it with their own willingness to avoid such conflict:

    "I just don't go to the meeting if there's a mob around my house. I just say, I'm going to skip it today." — John Bytheway, (01:17–01:23)

"Who's on the Lord's Side?" — The Hymn’s Origin

• John connects Hannah Cornaby’s experience to the beloved hymn, "Who's on the Lord's Side?" (Hymn #260), often sung by Latter-day Saints.
  • Many are familiar with the lyrics, but few know they were written by Hannah Last Cornaby herself—her testimony forged in the crucible of that perilous baptism.

    "The text is written by Hannah Last Cornaby." — John Bytheway, (02:34–02:40)

  • The hosts recite stirring lines from the hymn, emphasizing its message of loyalty and courage in the face of opposition.

Modern Application and Humor

• Hank and John imagine using Hannah’s story as a lesson for present-day converts, injecting gentle humor:

  "The next time someone gets baptized, maybe we'll... say, do you want to replay this? We'll show you what some people have done when they've been baptized. Wow." — Hank Smith, (03:04–03:15)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Hannah’s Boldness and Faith:

  "She wanted so much to be baptized that in the midst they're throwing rocks... but she wanted to say, 'I'm on the Lord's side.' This is being baptized Hannah's way."
  — John Bytheway (02:43–03:04)

• On the Surprising Hymn Authorship:

  "Don't you love it when the backstory fits? I wrote this song about my baptism. She wrote those words, and she was the one that was dodging rocks as she got baptized."
  — John Bytheway (02:40–02:53)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:04–00:17 — Introduction, sections 98-101 focus, John promises a story
• 00:18–01:20 — Story of Hannah Last Cornaby’s baptism under duress
• 01:21–02:34 — Reflection on standing for one’s faith; introduction to the hymn "Who's on the Lord's Side?"
• 02:35–02:55 — Revelation that Hannah wrote the hymn detailing her own baptism experience
• 03:04–03:15 — Lighthearted imagining of recreating such a baptism in modern times
• 03:15–end — Quick preview of the full podcast episode and next week’s teaser

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Conclusion

In this short, impactful episode, Hank Smith and John Bytheway use the harrowing, faith-filled baptism of Hannah Last Cornaby to encourage listeners to stand in holy places, face their own challenges with boldness, and remember the real sacrifices behind familiar hymns. Her story, seamlessly tying together scripture and song, becomes a moving invitation to declare, even amid adversity, "I’m on the Lord’s side."

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to Follow him.

[B]

Favorites.

[A]

This is where John and I are sharing a single story to go with each week's lesson. John, this week, sections 98 through 101. We need a story. You told me you have one.

[B]

I do. And sometimes, Hank, we hear these stories of early saints and we say, I can relate to that. And sometimes we go, I cannot relate to that at all. I'm looking at section 101, verse 22. It's a phrase we've heard a few times in the Doctrine of covenants. This is it. Behold, it is my will that all they who call on my name and worship me according to mine everlasting gospel should gather together and stand in holy places. Hank, I want to tell you about a young woman named Hannah Last Cornaby. She's in Yarmouth, England. Y A R M O U T H Yarmouth, England. She went to get baptized in Yarmouth. Now, it was not a quiet, reverent experience, so here's what she we found the house surrounded by a mob through which we with difficulty made our way. Before we reached the water's edge, the whole horde was upon us. And my husband baptized me amid a shower of stones and shouts. I was like that at a baptism. We'll be over here. You guys throw the rocks. And although the stones whizzed around us thick as hail, not one touched us. And we reached home in safety, thanking God for our miraculous deliverance. I just don't go to the meeting if there's a mob around my house. I just say I'm going to skip it today. But she wanted so much to be baptized that in the midst they're throwing rocks. I mean, you've heard the church history story where they keep breaking the dam in the creek so that they keep destroying the font. What should be such a wonderful experience. And it reminds me of the hymn that we've sung before. Who's on the Lord's side who? Now is the time to show we ask it fearlessly who's on the Lord's side?

[C]

Who?

[B]

And listen to these other verses. We serve the living God and want his foes to know that if but few, we're great who's on the Lord's side?

[C]

Who?

[B]

We're going on to win no fear must blanch the brow the Lord of hosts is ours who's on the Lord's side?

[C]

Who?

[B]

But it keeps going the stone cut without hands to fill the earth must grow who will help it to roll on? Who's on the Lord's side?

[C]

Who?

[B]

Now, if you've ever sung that hymn number 260. The text is written by Hannah Last Queen.

[A]

Oh, wow. I didn't know that.

[B]

Don't you love it when the backstory fits? I wrote this song about my baptism. She wrote those words, and she was the one that was dodging rocks as she got baptized. But she wanted to say, I'm on the Lord's side. This is being baptized Hannah's way.

[A]

The next time someone gets baptized, maybe we'll. We'll say, do you want to replay this?

[C]

Yeah, Hannah.

[A]

We'll show you what some people have done when they've been baptized. Wow.

[B]

Let me tell you about Hannah Last Cornby's baptism.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

We hope you'll join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcast. We're with Dr. Derek Sainsbury. He shares some stories from his childhood that kind of match John Murdoch's childhood. These are some really difficult but moving stories. Then come back here next week. We'll do another Follow him favorite.