Wilford Woodruff (brand new 4th Chairman of your Church from Jesus Christ out-of Latter-time New orleans saints) could be best known for his giving of the 1890 Manifesto you to called for a cure for the practice of polygamy during the the latest chapel. For it, he is maybe very controversial prophets throughout the Mormon believe. While an excellent devout person in the LDS chapel which battles with polygamy, you really are very grateful so you can Woodruff for taking the first tips so you can getting and stop on behavior. If you are a great Mormon fundamentalist who however believes about idea out-of plural marriage, you actually look for Woodruff’s tips given that cowardly and possibly actually treacherous. Regardless, his heritage was inextricably linked with just how the guy been the method one to led to the end of polygamy throughout the church. It might started because the a surprise upcoming to learn that Woodruff is possibly closed so you’re able to a whole lot more plural spouses than just about any almost every other commander regarding the chapel. Indeed, he is up here near the top of the list. The new connect, however, is the fact that majority of them sealings was to inactive women and performed by the proxy.
An extremely Patriarchal Birthday celebration, if you ask me!
I found it story inside the David J. Buerger’s The new Secrets from Godliness: A track record of Mormon Temple Praise, and this information the introduction of the temple ceremonies in addition to implies they’ve already been changed over the years. This might be a great book and i recommend they in order to some body who’s interested in learning the new theological and historical background of contemporary time Mormon forehead worship. Among the many improvements so you’re able to temple praise try this new advent of endowments with the dry, which have been very first performed on the 11 January 1877 regarding the St. George Forehead. Less than a couple months thereafter, Wilford Woodruff blogged in his diary that he got asked from the disclosure to execute proxy endowments regarding the St. George Forehead for the of numerous dead women he’d had shut so you can him:
Assist my servant Wilford telephone call upon the brand new virgins, maidens, daughters & parents into the Zion, and you will permit them to get into my Holy Forehead on the very first day's February, a single day one to my personal slave Wilford has seen the date allocated so you can man, around three rating years and you can 10, there permit them to receive their laundry and you may anointing and you will endowments to have and you may account of one's wives that are dry and then have been closed on my slave Wilford, or folks who are getting closed to help you your, hence will be appropriate unto me saith the father, as well as the lifeless of my servant can be used on the heart community and stay ready to meet my personal servant from the time of their Upcoming . . . Now visit and you will would which work as well as can be done according to attention of your own center. Revelation recorded from the Wilford Woodruff in his log, 1 March 1877 Spelling and you can punctuation remedied, stress my.
This new 267 Undetectable Brides away from Wilford Woodruff
Consequently, toward 1 February 1877-within the occasion of his 70th birthday celebration-Woodruff are accompanied by 154 women to go to a function at the St. George Temple to perform proxy endowments for dry women who had been or was basically are sealed so you’re able to Woodruff because the plural spouses. With the celebration, Woodruff details within his record:
I found myself truth be told there surrounded with one hundred and you will fifty-four virgins, Maidens Daughters and Parents in Zion on age fourteen to the Aged Mommy leaning on her Employees. All the had come up with for the purpose of getting into the fresh Forehead of one's Lord and then make myself a personal gift by being clean and you can anointed and getting its endowments to possess plus behalf of just one hundred and you will thirty of my personal wives who had gelin Letonya been dry and in brand new heart community, many which had been close if you ask me. . . . After they had all the developed to each other regarding Production Space We presented me personally in advance of all of them clothed during my light doe surface forehead top. We indeed there introduced unto them a preliminary address. . . . You’re now within endowment instead of a person along with you, however, we are going to furnish one man a keen Adam. . . . I experience the fresh new endowments during the day similar to becoming into the eyes than simply a reality. Such 154 sisters was basically contributed to about three veils and you may three regarding us . . . every wear temple clothes, got all of them from the about three veils. . . . President Young is actually present in the temple inside the watching brand new ceremonies. . . . At intimate of one's labor from the temple We . . . try listed in the middle of a shock team had right up to your event. The area adorned and a desk set laden up with the privileges out-of lifestyle, enclosed by nearly a hundred of those have been choosing endowments to possess my dry the whole day. Chairman Younger seated in the direct of table enclosed by his family members and once true blessing are requested, discover exhibited ahead of myself something special regarding a birthday celebration bridal cake, about three reports large, decorated on giants of community about elephant down, and you can ornamented which have one or two silk sheets wrapped in printed poetry composed to your celebration. Wilford Woodruff Record, step 1 February 1877 Spelling and punctuation corrected, importance personal. Cited verses found over six pages.