December 24, 1883 ~ Monday 24 [FIGURE] I went to the Temple in the morning. We had a day of Prayer and fasting I met with 28 Men Holding the Melchesedek Prieshood and I organized them into the school of the Prophets, all of which had Entered into the school of the Patriarchal order of Marriage and all agreed to keep the word of wisdom {I washed the feet of} 24 {men} we broak bread and partook of the sacramet of Bread and wine {the washing of feet was an introductory ordinance into the school of the prophets. I also gave the salutation to the brethren as they entered the school.} we had a vary interesting day the spirit of the Lord rested upon us

gather yourselves together in your holy places, and clothe yourselves with robes of the Holy priesthood, and there offer up your prayers according to my holy law. Let him who presides be mouth and kneel upon the holy altar, and there let mine apostles bring all these testimonies before my face and be- fore the heavenly hosts and before the justified spirits made perfect. And thus saith the Lord unto you, mine apostles, when you bring these testimonies before me, let them be presented by name as far as the Spirit shall present them unto you — the presidents of the United States, the Supreme Court, the Cabinet, the Senate and House of the Congress of the United States, the governors of the States and Territories, the judges and others sent unto you, and all men and persons who have taken any part in persecuting you, or bring- ing distress upon you or your families, or who have sought your lives, or sought to hinder you from keeping my commandments, or from enjoying the rights which the constitutional laws of the land guar- iantee unto you

Hereafter, therefore, we desire the Latter-day Saints, under the direction of the Presidents of the Stakes and the Bishops, to meet in their several places of worship on the afternoon of the first Sunday in each month, whenever it can be done conveniently, and devote the meeting to the administration of the Sacrament, to the bearing of testi- mony by the members of the Church, to the blessing of children and the confirming of members in the Church, and to such other services as have usually been attended to at such meetings. We feel assured that excellent results will follow the giving of members of the Church an opportunity to bear their testimony to each other and to seek for the gifts which the Lord has promised to those who keep His commandments. Care should should also be taken on such occasions to see that the wants of the poor are relieved by the contributions of the Saints in their behalf, that no cry of the indigent or suffering shall arise from our land

By the water we keep the commandment, by the spirit are we justified and by the blood are we sanctified; and thus we become Saints. He who has fully repented of his sins and been baptized for the remiss- ion thereof, and received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, may then partake of the emblems of the Savior's flesh and blood; and in that sacred ordinance eat and drink to His soul the benefits of that atoning blood. And such have the promise of the Savior that they shall never hunger or thirst. There is no other way provided on earth by which mankind can secure the benefits of the aton)ing blood of Christ.