Salt Lake City, Utah, .
President Angus M Cannon and Counselors,
Salt Lake Stake of Zion.
Dear Brethren:
With this we return the recommends given by you to
members of your Stake to be present at the dedicatory services at the
Temple. We do so for the purpose that you may carefully examine
them and become acquainted with the standing of the persons recom-
mended. There were numbers who gained admission to these services
whose lives had, for many years, been inconsistent with their calling as
Saints: in fact, in some cases they were not known to be members of the
Church. But their names were found on the records, fellowship had not
been withdrawn from them, and they claimed the right, under the ruling
of the First Presidency, to be present at the dedication. These persons
having claimed this privilege by reason of their membership in the
Church, it now becomes the duty of the local authorities, Bishops and
others, to see that all such assume the responsibilities of their profes-
sion. When, in your search through the recommends, you meet
the name of any of whose standing you are in doubt, they should be
labored with in the divine spirit of love and patience, and be admon-
ished to repent of all that is unseemly and inconsistent with their call-
ings as officers or members of Christ's Holy Church. If any turn a
deaf ear to these warnings, continue in ways of indifference or sin, and
they be found unworthy of membership, they should be dealt with by the
proper councils of the Church, as the word of the Lord directs, and
their names should be stricken from the records, that the vineyard
of the Lord may be pruned and no further opportunity given to the
unworthy to repeat the course they took to gain admission to the
Temple services.
Our Heavenly Father having exercised His right to forgive,
and to say to each one of us, "Son (or daughter) thy sins be forgiven
thee," on condition that we forsake our sins and live unto
Him in newness of life, it would be well not to impose further
conditions or to require that any of the Saints should be re-
baptized before they can be recognized as in full fellowship;
on the other hand, none should be forbidden to, in this way, renew
their covenants, if they feel that by so doing they will more fully satisfy
their consciences, or will receive thereby renewed strength to commence
a life more faithful in the observance of God's commandments.
We desire that the Presidents of quorums should act in harmony
with the Presidents of Stakes and Bishops. They should examine the
rolls of their quorums and where they find men entirely neglecting the
duties of their Priesthood and ignoring its responsibilities, they should
take the usual action therein.
Praying the Lord to bless you with His Holy Spirit, not only in
carrying out these instructions, but at all times and under all
circumstances,
We remain, your Brethren in Christ
Wilford Woodruff
Geo. Q. Cannon
Jos. F. Smith
First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.
P.S.—We send you a number of extra copies of this circular for
distribution among the Bishops and Presidents of Quorums in your
Stake."