Curious About Their Gift

 

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 4  (Jan 25-31)

Prompt: Curious

#52ancestors

 My ancestral family attended the Mt. Lebanon Church in Ozark County, Missouri.  A transcription of the church records listed when my 4th Great Grandparents, "Br. George Herndon & Sister Hannah Herndon came forward & joined by experience." (Dec. 1849). Later that same month, my 3rd Great Grandfather and his sister, "Br. Isaiah Herndon & sister Mary Ann Herndon came forward & joined by letter & was rec'd in full fellowship in our church."   

 The records list the Herndons, Pilands, Daves, and Norris family members among others as they joined or left the church, including Sarah Davis/Daves who later became Isaiah's wife. This is a piece of evidence which contributes to the evidence of their marriage since no marriage record has been found for them.  They are both listed in the church rolls in 1851 proving that they did know each other as there were only 47 listed at that time.

 In May of 1850, the record states, "2nd by a motion & second the church resolve that Brs. H. W. Herndon & Isaah Herndon be virtually liberated to exercise their gift in any way they think proper."

 As I read this the first time, I couldn't help but be curious about their gift.  What was the gift that my 3rd Great Grandfather and his brother had?  Were they snake handlers?  No, that couldn't be it, could it?  I decided to do some basic research and found there are many gifts that they could have, Ministry gifts, Manifestation gifts, Utterance gifts, Power gifts, or Revelation gifts.

 Since there are indications that the two men were excused from the church and then rejoined at later times, I suspect that their gift was Ministry, which could include being an apostle who establishes and builds churches, or an evangelist, prophet, pastor, prophet or teacher.  In July of 1850, the church resolved unanimously to grant Br. Henry W. Herndon license to preach which supports that conclusion.

 If you are interested in spiritual gifts, here are a couple of websites that I discovered which describes spiritual gifts listed in the Bible.

 Learning Religions:   

Tyndale House Publishers:

 Garr, Margie F. The old records of the Mount Lebanon Church of Thornfield, Ozark County, Missouri.  1992. Viewed at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.