-- Apr 9, 1877
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] April 9 I gave 2 second Anointing to The wife of G. Q. Cannon And L John Nuttall wife. Wilford Woodruff was Anointed for and in Behalf of the Prophet Robert Mason and Father Aphek Woodruff And Uncle Ozem Woodruff. And Phebe Amelia Woodruff Snow was Anointed for Bulah Thompson Woodruff & Hannah Hart Woodruff & 3 Three wives of Robert Mason.) I Adopted or sealed 10 Children to Parents to day. We gave 24 Seconed Anointing and Baptized 956 for the dead. (1)
-- Apr 10, 1877
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 10 I spent the day in the Temple. I Adopted J. D. T. McAllister to Brigham Young. I sealed two dead person to him and 3 to Wilford Woodruff jr and 1 to Orson Pratt all dead. /Phebe A Snow got Endowments for Hannah Seavey Bulah A for Pauline Hearn./ We gave 105 Endowments to day. E Snow sealed 21. We Baptized 460 for the dead. I had Brother Samuel
/11/ B. Hardy & wife and Josiah Hardy & wife Adopted to me to day the first Persons Ever Adopted to me on Earth. I gave Seconed Anointings to 15 Persons. We gave Endowments to 130. E Snow sealed 20 Couple B Young 6. Baptized 577. Ordained 49 Elders. /Phebe got Endowments for G.G.M. Dinah W Woodruff. Bulah for Sarah Eacock./ (1)
-- Thur 12.
[John Nuttle Diary] At Temple officiated as Recorder- also at Sealing Records. & at Font- 109 Endowments - 42 ordained 43 Sealings (G Q Cannon 6. B. Young Jr 21. E. Snow 16). 8 Second Anointings- 247 Baptizms- I was baptized for 14 of My Relatives & friends & had Ann Eliza Wells Baptized for 6 of my dead relatives was also Baptized for remission of Sins & renewall of covenants & restoration to health= attended a meeting called by Bro W. Woodruff at the residence of Bp D. D. McArthur of all the Sisters who assisted him on his birthday in Endowments for his dead had an agreeable time. 105 sisters present, & 5 Brethren. W Woodruff. L. Snow E Snow J D T McAllister & myself- Telegraphed home of my expectd arrival next Monday (2)
-- Fri 24
[John Nuttle Diary] Rec d letters from Prest B. Young. J. W. Turner Geo W. Hicks & J.S. Brown - .
Questions submitted to President Young
...3 Should children who die before they attain the age of eight years be baptized for, or receive any Temple Ordinance, other than being sealed to their parents? Nothing more than to be sealed to their parents.
4 Shall still born children who the mothers state have quickened have any thing done for them? No: they are all right without having anything done for them? No: they are all right without having any thing done for them.
....10 Shall the Work done for the dead in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, be done over again in the Temple? No.
...13 Can a person who is physically unable to receive their own baptisms &c be officiated for by proxy? Wait until we see one that is
14 Can a person demented by fits, or other cause, have any thing done in Temple Ordinances for him while living? No. such persons are not held accountable.
15 If a person die without having had endowments, is it well to bury them in garments without marks? Such person May be buried with garments. if their friends choose. but not Marked nor with robes or other Temple clothing. ... (2)
-- Aug 19, 1877
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 19 Sunday Met at the Tabernacle at 11 oclok. Prayer By Wm Smith. Augustus Hardy spoke 10 Minuts, Thomas Hall 10 M, B F Pendleton 14 Minuts. Afternoon. Prayer By James Nixon. Frank B. Woolly spoke 2 M, Moroni Snow 2 M, Seth Pimm 1. Erastus B Snow spoke 6 M, W Woodruff 35 M D. H. Cannon 35. I wrote 2 Letters to Bulah & Emma.
I spent the Evening in preparing a list of the Noted Men of the 17 Centaury and 18th including the signers of the declaration of Independance and the Presidents of the United States for Baptism on Tuesday the 21 Aug 1877. (1)
-- 1877
(Wilford Woodruff) Called to be the first president of the newly completed Saint George Temple, where it was revealed to him that work for the dead could be performed by persons not related. August 21, "I, Wilford Woodruff, went to the temple of the Lord this morning and was baptized for 100 persons who were dead," including the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Napoleon Bonaparte, Christopher Columbus, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, and William Wordsworth. The only U.S. presidents excluded were Ulysses S. Grant (who was still alive), Martin Van Buren (who declined to intervene on behalf of Mormon losses in Missouri), and James Buchanan (who sent federal troops to Utah in 1857). (3)
Footnotes:
1 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
2 - Diary Excerpts of L. John Nuttall, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
3 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
LDS History Chronology: Unconventional Baptisms
Mormon History Timeline: Forms of Rebaptism in LDS History
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
