ANECDOTE ABOUT JAMES HENDRICKS WHEN THEY MOVED FROM KENTUCKY TO MISSOURI as written in a biography about Abraham O. Smoot. James Emmett and Peter Dustin, early converts to the Church were the Elders who converted a group of Kentuckians in the Drakes Creek area near Franklin, Kentucky. John L. Butler and his wife, with other members of John’s family, were baptized March 9, 1835. James and Drusilla were baptized by these same two elders at the last baptizing session in Kentucky in March, 1835. The Kentucky families were baptized just 13 days before the Smoot and Taylor families were baptized 90 miles away in Henry County, Tennessee. Young and unmarried, Brother Smoot traveled to Kirtland and was soon called on a mission to return to Kentucky and Tennessee to help bring his family and other Saints to Missouri. He escorted his family as far as the Ohio River and then returned to help other Saints. In his journal, he records that on April 24, 1837 he left with Father Hendrix, R. Alexander and L. Brady for Far West. The company met the Thomas Smith and Murphy families at the Ohio River and then continued their journey. Martha Thomas, a member of the group, tells in her journal of the lessons the Southerners learned along the way. Henry G. Sherwood was in charge of the group, with Brother Smoot assisting him. Henry Sherwood was born in 1785 and was from the northern state of New York. He was ordained an elder in 1832, and was a member of the Kirtland and Nauvoo high council. The independent spirit of the southern Saints was challenged as they traveled the long route to Far West. Martha tells of surviving thunder, wind storms, and lightning and attempting to accept Sherwood as their leader. It was quite a learning experience for all who were in the camp. She tells an account in her journal of this experience: One day it was very hot; both man and beast were suffering for water. Our leader went ahead and found running water, ‘but you must not noon here,’ he said: ‘Loose your cattle, let them drink all they want and you can pack enough for your dinner.’ We did not like the idea, but we had not forgotten the wind storm. We all moved on except one family. It was about a quarter of a mile to the edge of the grass. There was not a tree nor a bush to shade us. Brother Sherwood had crawled under our wagon, I thought he was asleep. Old father Hendricks came walking up to our wagon, harmless as a child, saying, ‘I don’t see why we can’t travel without a leader as the Judas’s company do? [Judas’ Company was a company of wagons that refused to accept brother Sherwood as their leader.] They get along as well as we do.’ I wish you could have seen our leader roll out from under that wagon and call the attention of the company. Brother Hendricks soon got it, for Brother Sherwood spoke with such power we were fairly paralyzed. I cannot think of the hundredth part, but he said if we did not do better and acknowledge him as our leader, the judgments of God would come down upon us. ‘Now hitch up your teams and start.’ Martha then adds: Dear reader, I do not mean you to think I am finding fault with our leader. We had all confidence in him as a leader and a good man. His fireside teachings were good and noble. We all fasted with the best of feelings and he pronounced great blessings on the faithful. The fault was in ourselves. We did not know how to be led...thought we might lead part of the time. The cultural and social differences between the “Yankees” and the “Southerners” is a part of American history. When the Saints were told to leave Clay County, Missouri, in 1836, the Saints were told by the Missourians “...These are reasons why these people have become objects of the deepest hatred and detestation to many of our citizens. They are eastern men, whose manners, habits, customs, and even dialect are essentially different from our own. They are non-slaveholders and opposed to slavery...” During the time James and Drusilla lived in Kentucky and Missouri, the Church went through a refiner’s fire. This period in church history separated the faithful from the non-faithful. The Hendricks’ loyalty to the Prophet and the Church were severely tested almost from the time of their baptism. Oftentimes, bickering and petty jealousy were prevalent among some of the Saints. James and Drusilla witnessed the strife and dissension that brought many hardships on Joseph Smith and the Saints, but James stood by Joseph Smith while others labeled him a fallen prophet. The faith of many was tested. Some met the test, while others fell by the wayside.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 03:32:37 +0000
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