The following was dictated and signed by two of the men who had been taught by Robert Edge.
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Lexington, Henderson Co., Tenn.
June 15. 1890
Historical sketch of how we became acquainted with the doctrine of Christ.
In May 1878, a man by the name of Robert Edge came in this neighborhood, preaching the gospel after the apostolic order.
He delivered a series of sermons on the principles of the gospel and the apostacy (sic) of the primitive church, dwelling at length upon the apostolic order with the exception of baptism for the remission of sins, informing us that it was figurative and would be revealed in due time, proving by the Holy Bible, without a doubt, that the Roman Catholic Church is the mother of harlots, and that the churches of modern Christianity are daughters and granddaughters of her, and that they are officiating in a deluded and false priesthood. Also all the secret combinations and institutions of men, and masonry as now practiced by modernites (sic) are all false counterfeits and an abomination in the sight of the Lord. Then called on all to come out of Babylon who were willing to forsake man made institutions and follow Christ, and assist in rolling forth the purposes of God, and prepare for the great Millennium, which will soon be ushered in. Then will Christ reign personally upon the earth.
He organized us into a body or church after the primitive apostolic order by the laying on of hands and blessing us. He admonished us to be faithful and pray to God always and that the Lord would reveal many great and important things that we should understand.
He requested us to fast three days in succession, after which he administered the Lord’s supper, informing us that we were not the only ones, but that there were many more in the United States. He evaded giving any more information, only if persecution caused us to leave we should go West.
Many remarkable cases of healing occurred under his administration.
The people of the world called him a Mormon priest, which he neither sanctioned nor denied.
Our little band suffered exceedingly from persecution and the scandal of the world for eighteen months, when we noticed an account of an interview between Pres. John Taylor and a U. S. official on the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. We then wrote to Beckholt, of Salt Lake City, for information, who answered promptly and sent us the “Voice of Warning” and a list of Church works, also advised us to correspond with John Morgan at Rome, Georgia, who afterward informed us that there was a branch of the Church in Lewis County, and advised us to visit it. We did so and met Franklin Spencer and Hyrum Belnap. Conversing with them for some time we were convinced that they were the servants of the Lord. We were then baptized and returned home rejoicing that we had thus far followed the promptings of the spirit of God.
On the 21st, Elders Hyrum Belnap and George H. Carver came to this neighborhood and baptized seventeen souls and organized a branch of the Church, consisting of nineteen members.
Let all honor be given to our Father in Heaven for thus leading us into the right way.
Truly,
James Henderson Scott
Sireneous Reed
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This was quoted by Hyrum Belnap. I have yet to find the original.
1 year ago
4 comments:
Hi, thought you might be interested in the fact that I am a great great granddaugher of both Sirenious Reed and James Henderson Scott. Sirenious Reed's son married James Henderson Scott's daughter. My great grandparents. I knew her, she lived until after I married.
Thank you for posting. It is always wonderful to hear from descendents of the people about whom I read. Were there any stories she would tell about this you would like to share?
My great grandmother did not tell any stories to me, because I was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while she was alive. I did not know about any of the events that took place in Henderson County until I started doing genealogy after I joined the Church. I do know that she went to Colorado, but that they returned to Tennessee and none of my direct ancestors stayed with the Church. I would have loved to have asked her about the trip to Colorado and all the things that took place there. She being the daughter of James Henderson Scott. The lady Talitha Cumi Reed mentioned in some of the stories was Sirenious Reed's mother, she also was baptized and went to Colorado.
I knew a few of the converts from Henderson, Tennessee didn't find the LDS church quite as they expected it once they got to Colorado, though I don't really know how many. Where in Tennessee did they return to?
It must be quite a story to tell. Did you even know your ancestors were members?
I have heard that a small group settled and built a community together and formed their own church. Have you ever heard that?
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