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Missionary Experience of Sam South
As a teenager, Elayne Tate Bybee asked her Grandfather South to record this story. Thanks to Elayne and Sam and thank to Melinda South for typing it.
About June 15, 1896 I was called by divine authority to go on a mission to the Southern States of America. On the 17th of June I was ordained a Seventy in the Church of Jesus Christ under the hands of Brigham H. Roberts and set apart to go on a mission to the Southern States and received a blessing under his inspired hands. The blessing was so outstanding and full of prophecy that I rejoiced exceedingly in being called to such a great and glorious calling — that of preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being endowed by the power on High to baptize new converts for the remission of their sins and give or confer upon them the Holy Ghost. It is the most glorious blessing that can be given to man. Jesus Christ said: "This is my work and my glory to bring to pass the Eternal Life and Immortality of man."
From the time I was set apart until I received my honorable release, I felt the need of doing all I could do to aid Jesus Christ to bring people into the church of Jesus Christ, calling upon them to repent and be baptized and promised to confer upon them the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. A portion of the missionary blessing that was conferred upon me by
“Your work shall be mostly in new fields where the Gospel has not been preached, but if you are faithful to your calling you shall be the means of bringing many of the souls of Christ to a knowledge of the Gospel. ‘Love the Lord with all your might, mind and strength. Let virtue garnish your thoughts unceasingly, then shalt thy confidence wax strong in the presence of the Lord and the doctrines of the priesthood shall be distilled upon thy soul and the Holy Ghost shall be thy constant guide and companion. Seek wisdom by study and also by faith.’ If you are prayerful and humble you never will be confounded. Your road shall not always be an easy one for you shall labor among a people that will at times gather mobs and threaten your life.
“But think not what you shall do for if you are true and faithful the Lord shall prepare a way and no hand shall ever be laid upon you to molest your freedom. No matter what your surroundings may be you will never lack for word and you shall say the right word at the right time to allay prejudice.
" Men shall gather in mobs and seek for your life, but the Lord shall deliver you from harm and shall you know of a surety that the Lord loves and blesses them that serve him and keeps His commandments."
I was assigned to labor in the State of North Carolina in the county of Grandsville with John Anderson as my missionary companion. After laboring in that district for about 30 days we had many friends and had made some converts who wished to be baptized. We set a date to baptize them and advertised to neighbors in the vicinity that we would hold a meeting at the creek where we would baptize them.
At the appointed time there were quite a number of people at the appointed place. Before we opened the meeting a letter was handed to us notifying us that a number of good loyal citizen of North Carolina and peace loving souls do hereby notify the so called Mormon Elders laboring in North Carolina instructions to immediately leave the state and especially the county of Grandsville.
The letter went on to say: "If you do [not] at once you will be exposed to White Caps, and other forms not to your likening."
After opening the meeting Elder Anderson addressed the crowd and said in part, "We are surprised that some of you good people do not want us Mormon Elders to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in your locality. But we wish to impress this great lesson upon you. We have with us a license [to] preach the gospel in the state of North Carolina.
“The day of mob violence is passed and we feel sure the officials of the state will protect us in our God given rights. We are preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ as contained in the King James translation of the Bible and defy any person to prove that we do not preach the truth by the following the teachings of Jesus Christ and his apostles."
Three persons were baptized and no person opposed us in any way, but the next day a very unusual thing happened. During the night it rained nearly all night and small riverlets was the next morning a rushing stream of water. At the baptismal meeting we announced that we would hold a meeting in a nearby neighborhood at 5 O'clock the next day.
A cunning scheme was devised by some energetic Mormon haters to convict us of a serious crime. The next day about 1 o'clock we bid our friends good-bye and on our way to the way we had announced to hold a meeting. We had traveled about a mile and a half down the stream of water previously mentioned. We heard a woman scream which gave us the impression that some one was greatly in need of help.
We were walking down the stream with our back toward the lady in distress. When we turned to see what was the matter we saw a young woman running down a small hill with her hair flying and three young Negro boys in pursuit.
She was running straight for the stream of water and the boys apparently getting ready to attack her. I started toward her to protect her and Elder Anderson yelled, "Elder South come back here it's a trick to convict us of a supposed crime. That lady hates us and would do all in her power to drive us out of the state."
In a second I saw the scheme as plain as day. The impression came to us at once. "Get across that stream of water and be on your way as soon as possible."
We hadn't went fifty yards from the creek when we heard a pistol shot near the place where the young lady ran down the hill. The mob was ready for us but flusterated. By the still small voice that is always present we were warned in time to avoid the danger. |