[Word of Wisdom] Health guidelines with promise of health, wisdom, and deliverance from the destroying angel.DD&C 89, Feb. 27, 1833.C 89, Feb. 27, 1833.
(1)
-- Apr 18, 1833
[Joseph Smith] A mob of 300 "old settlers" gathers at Independence to decide on plans to destroy or expel the Mormons from Jackson County. After they spend all day trying to decide on various plans, their liquor gets the worst of them and they break up in a "Missouri row." These "old settlers," largely from the southern states, came to Jackson County before the Saints, and could not move on because anything west of Missouri had been designated by President Jackson as Indian territory. They watched with some resentment as ever-increasing numbers of the religiously oriented northerners flocked into Jackson County claiming that God had given the county exclusively to them. Acts of violence began as early as the spring of 1832, when the homes of some Saints were stoned and windows broken. In the fall of 1832, some haystacks were burned, houses shot into, and people insulted; and as recently as February 20, a mob of 50 or 60 men armed with whips and guns attacked at least one hous
ehold. The group onthis date constitutes the first organized resistance to the Mormons in Missouri. (2)
-- May 23, 1833
[Word of Wisdom] Observance
(1)
-- about Jul 10, 1833
Kirtland, Ohio. Joseph Smith clarified to the Saints that the hot drinks spoken of in the Word of Wisdom included tea and coffee. (3)
-- Nov 19, 1833
[Joseph Smith Diary] November 19th /AD 1833/ From the 13th u[n]till this date nothing of note has transpired since the great sign in the heavins. This day my /h[e]art/ is somewhat sorrowfull but [I] feel to trust in the Lord the God of Jacob. I have learned in my travels that man is treche[r]ous and selfish but few excepted.
Brother /Sidney/ [Rigdon] is a man whom I love but [he] is not capa[b]le of that pure and ste[a]dfast love for those who are his benefactors as should p/o/sess the breast of a man /a/ President of the Chu/r/ch of Christ. This with some other little things such as a selfish and indipendance of mind which to[o] often manifest distroys the confidence of those who would lay down their lives for him. But notwithstanding these things he is /a/ very great and good man. A man of great power of words and [he] can /gain/ the friendship of his hearrers very quick. He is a man whom God will uphold if he will continue faithful to his calling. O God grant that he may for the Lord's sake. Amen.
The man who willeth to do well we should extoll his virtues and speak not of his faults behind his back. A man who willfuly turneth away from his friend without a cause is not lightly to be forgiven /easily forgiven/. The kindness of a man is /should/ never to be forgotten. That person who never forsaketh his trust should ever have the highest place for regard in our hearts and our love should never fail but increase more and more. This [is] my disposition and sentiment &c. Amen.
Brother Frederick [G. Williams] is a man who /is one of those men/ in whom I place the greatest confidence and trust. For I have found him ever full of love and Brotherly kindness. He is not a man of many words, but is ever wining because of his constant mind. He shall ever have place in my heart and is ever intitled to my confidence. He is perfectly honest and upright, and seeks with all his heart to magnify his presidency in the Church of Ch[r]ist, but fails in many instances in consequence of a lack /want/ of confidence in himself. God grant that he may overcome all evil. Blessed be Brother Frederick, for he shall never want a friend and his generation after him shall flourish. The Lord hath appointed him an inheritance upon the land of Zion. Yea, and his head shall blossom. /And he shall be/ as an olive branch that is bowed down with fruit. Even so. Amen.
And again, blessed be Brother Sidney, also notwithstanding he shall be high and lifted up, yet he shall bow down under the yoke like unto an ass that coucheth beneath his burthen [burden], that learneth his master's /will/ by the stroke of the rod, Thus saith the Lord. Yet the Lord will have mercy on him and he shall bring forth much fruit. Even as the vun /vine/ of the choice grape when her clusters are /is/ ripe, before the time of the gleaning of the vintage. The Lord shall make his heart merry as with sweet wine because of him who putteth forth his hand and lifteth him up from /out of/ [a] deep mire, and pointeth him out the way, and guideth his feet when he stumbles and humbleth him in his pride. Blessed are his generations. Nevertheless, one shall hunt after them as a man hunteth after an ass that hath strayed in the wilderness, and straitway findeth him and bringeth him into the fold. Thus shall the Lord watch over his generation that they may be saved. Even so. Am
en. (4)
Footnotes:
1 - Kenny, Scott, Saints Without Halos, Mormon History 1830-1844, Word of Wisdom, http://www.saintswithouthalos.com/n/wow.phtml
2 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
3 - BYU Studies Journal, volume 46, no. 4: A Chronology of the Life of Joseph Smith, http://amzn.to/BYUStudies-JSChron
4 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1832-34, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
