If I were to have dinner with someone from church history and could ask him or her questions it would be…

Can you guess by these statements who the person (I would choose to have dinner with) is?

• She married a man without her father’s favor. Her father wasn’t approving of this gentleman mainly because of his religion.
• She attended a church conference and felt the power of the Lord through the scriptures and the faith and doctrine as well as the love of the saints. Witnessing all these things convinced her she was in the midst of the true gospel.
• She is quoted as saying: “…many times I saw the folly of spending all our time with the cares of house work and with things that soon pass away. … I felt to rally my sisters in the Gospel to see if we could raise our lives to a higher standard in the Gospel of Christ…”
• She approached Brother Alexander Cherry, President of the church at the time, about starting an organization for sisters to come together and acquaint themselves with the scripture and promote the Indian Mission work.

You guessed correctly, if you are thinking of Sister Sadie Cadman.

Sister Sadie followed the Lord’s prompting and formed the Ladies’ Uplift Circle, an auxiliary of the church that is alive and well today. If I were to have dinner with her, I would ask her many questions, but I’ve narrowed them down to the following: What was it like to marry a man without your father’s favor?

The church history book records that Sister Sadie’s mother died when she (Sister Sadie) was very young, and she and her siblings were cared for by her father. I can only imagine how, during this era of time, it was very difficult to have a courtship with a gentleman whom your father disapproved of.

As the church history book records, even Sister Sadie was hesitant during her courtship, but after attending a church conference, she witnessed the power of God. I would ask her: What was it like to be a visitor at the conference? How did this turn of events affect her courtship with Brother Will? What were her father’s thoughts?

In examining her statement about finding housework folly, and wanting to raise the sisters to a higher standard, the question I would ask her: Do you consider yourself more of a “Mary” than a “Martha”?

However, the history book records in another excerpt that she was a very efficient and economical housewife, comparing her to the Proverbs 31 woman.

My next question would be: Were you nervous when approaching Brother Alexander Cherry about starting an auxiliary for sisters?

History records that Brother Cherry was very affirming of the idea, and he announced at the conference that she was going to have a gathering of women at her home, and anyone interested should attend.

My next question would be: What was the first Ladies’ Circle meeting like? Was she nervous about whether sisters would attend?

History records that many women came from nearby towns. They were very excited to have an opportunity to study the scriptures together.

I would then ask: How did you feel inspired to support the Indian Mission work?

History records that she had always wanted to be a missionary. I would explain how her mission and desire to support the Indian missions still exists today, as our Ladies’ Circle auxiliaries throughout the church contribute to the Indian Mission fund.

I chose Sister Sadie because, to me, she was an extraordinary woman who followed the Lord’s prompting, raised a standard for sisters, and showed courage in stepping outside of her comfort zone of wife and mother. Although she recognized the importance of her role as a wife and mother, she sought to elevate her spiritual life to a higher ground, and she made that accessible to sisters throughout the church by forming the Ladies’ Uplift Circle, an auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ that many of our sisters and young women enjoy today.

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.