Upon complaints by the Quorum of Twelve Apostles, the First Presidency formally apologizes for not showing them due respect. Oliver Cowdery records in his journal: "met in the evening with bro. Joseph Smith, Jr. at his house, in company with bro. John Corrill, and after pure water was prepared, called upon the Lord and proceeded to wash each other's bodies, and bathe the same with whiskey, perfumed with cinnamon. This we did that we might be clean before the Lord for the Sabbath, confessing our sins and covenanting to be faithful to God. While performing this washing unto the Lord with solemnity, our minds were filled with many reflections upon the propriety of the same, and how the priests anciently used to wash always before ministering before the Lord. As we had nearly finished this purification, bro. Martin Harris came in and was also washed." (1)
-- Jan 20, 1836
[Joseph Smith Diary] 20th Wednesday morning 20th Attended school at the us[u]al hour. Spent the day in reading and lecturing. [We] made Some advancement in our studies.
At evening I attended at John Johnson's with my family, on a matrimonial occasion, having been invited to do so, to Join President John F. Boynton and Miss Susan Lowell in marriage. A large and respectable company assembled and were seated by Eld[e]r's O[rson] Hyde and W[arren] Parrish in the following order: The Presidency and their companions in the first Seats, the Twelve Apostles in the second, the 70 in the third and the remainder of the congregation seated with their companions.
After the above ar[r]angments were made, Eld[e]r Boynton and his Lady with their attendants, came in and were seated in front of the Presidency. A hymn was sung, after which I ad[d]ressed a throne of grace. I then arose and read aloud a licence granting any minister of the gospel the priviledge of Solemnizing the rights of matrimony. After calling for objection if any there were against the anticipated alliance between Eld[e]r Boynton and Miss Lowell and waiting sufficient time, I observed that all forever after this must hold their peace.
I then envited them to Join hands and I pronounced the ceremony according to the rules and regulations of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. In the name of God and in the name of Jesus Christ, I pronounced upon them the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and such other blessings as the Lord put into my heart. Being much under the influence of a cold I then gave way and President S[idney] Rigdon arose and delivered a verry forcible address suited to the occasion and closed the Services of the evening by prayer.
Eld[e]r O[rson] Hyde, Eld[e]r L[uke] Johnson, and Eld[e]r W[arren] Parrish who served on the occasion then presented the Presidency with three Servers filled with glasses of wine to bless. It fell to my lot to attend to this duty, which I cheerfully discharged. It was then passed round in order, then the cake in the Same order. Suffise it to say our hearts were made cheerful and glad, while partaking of the bounty of the earth which was presented untill we had taken our fill.
Joy filled every bosom and the countenances of old and young alike seemed to bloom with the cheerfulness and Smiles of youth and an entire unison of feeling seemed to pervade the congregation. Indeed, I doubt whether the pages of history can boast of a more Splendid and in[n]ocent wedding and feast than this. For it was conducted after the order of heaven, who has a time for all thing[s]. This being a time of rejoicing, we hartily embraced it and conducted ourselves accordingly. Took leave of the company and returned home. (2)
Footnotes:
1 - Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower
2 - Faulring, Scott (ed.), An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith: Joseph Smith Diary, 1835-36, http://amzn.to/jsdiaries
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
