This is a correct copy of the original
which Sister has deposited in
our office.
Mar. 7th, 1906. (Signed) .
, Utah. April 27th, 1888.
Mrs. Emmeline B. Wells,
Editor “Woman’s Exponent.”
Dear Sister,
In a favor which havre received from you, under date of the 24th.
inst., you ask,
“First: Are sisters justified in miniestering the ordinacnce of
washing and annointing previous to confinements to those who have
received their endowments and have married men outside of the Church?”
“Second, Can anyone who has not had their endowments be thus
administered to by the sisters if she is a faithful saint in good
standing and has not yet had the opportunity of going to the Temple
for the ordinance?”
To begin with I desire to say that the ordinance of washing and
annointing is one that should only be administered in the Temple or
other holy places which are dedicated for the purpose of giving en-
dowments to the [S]aints. That ordinance ought not to be administered
to any one, whetehrer she has received or has not received her endowments,
in any other place or under any other circumstances.
But I imagine from your question that you refer to a practise
that has grown up amoung the sisters of washing and annointing sisters
who are approaching their confinement. If so, this is not, strictly
speaking, an ordinance, unless it be done under the direction of the
priesthood and in connection with the ordinance of laying on of h[a]nds
for the restoration of the sick.
There is no impropriety in sisters washing and annointing their
sister[s] in this way, under the circumstances you describe; but it sho-
uld understood that they do this, not as members of the priesthood,
but as members of the Church, exercising faith for, and asking the
blessings of the Lord upon, their sisters; just as they, and every
member of the Church might do in behalf of the members of their
families.
This is a correct copy of the original
which Sister has deposited in
our office.
Mar. 7th, 1906. (Signed) .
, Utah. April 27th, 1888.
Mrs. Emmeline B. Wells,
Editor “Woman’s Exponent.”
Dear Sister,
In a favor which have received from you, under date of the 24th.
inst., you ask,
“First: Are sisters justified in ministering the ordinance of
washing and annointing previous to confinements to those who have
received their endowments and have married men outside of the Church?”
“Second, Can anyone who has not had their endowments be thus
administered to by the sisters if she is a faithful saint in good
standing and has not yet had the opportunity of going to the Temple
for the ordinance?”
To begin with I desire to say that the ordinance of washing and
annointing is one that should only be administered in the Temple or
other holy places which are dedicated for the purpose of giving endowments to the Saints. That ordinance ought not to be administered
to any one, whether she has received or has not received her endowments,
in any other place or under any other circumstances.
But I imagine from your question that you refer to a practise
that has grown up amoung the sisters of washing and annointing sisters
who are approaching their confinement. If so, this is not, strictly
speaking, an ordinance, unless it be done under the direction of the
priesthood and in connection with the ordinance of laying on of hands
for the restoration of the sick.
There is no impropriety in sisters washing and annointing their
sisters in this way, under the circumstances you describe; but it should understood that they do this, not as members of the priesthood,
but as members of the Church, exercising faith for, and asking the
blessings of the Lord upon, their sisters; just as they, and every
member of the Church might do in behalf of the members of their
families.