-- Jul 10, 1850
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 10th Drove 20 miles on the Platt. Camped on the bank of the River. I Baptized 14 Persons for the remission of sins & confirmed them & 2 for Health. (EH} Emily Huntington Died & was buried this day. She was A Saint Aged 24. (1)
-- During December, 1850
Azariah Smith broke ice on a body of water in Sanpete County and was baptized for his health once, then, three weeks later, rebaptized on six successive days for a total of seven. (2)
-- Jan 19, 1851
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 19th Sunday The people Assembled in a vast Body. The presidency Twelve & Seventies were in their place. The meeting was opened as usual by singing & Prayer. Was Addressed by Joseph Young Lorenzo Young George Grant was followed By president Young who informed the Saints the time had now Come to begin to prepare to build A temple & the people must pay their tithing & He requested the presidents of evry Quorum to take the names of evry member of their Quorum & they should sign a paper & covenant to pay their tithing & they who would not do it should be Cut off from the Church.
.../There cannot be any Baptism Endowments or Ordinances in the Spirit world performed but we shall be called to perform in a Temple of the Lord all the ordinances for the dead the same as for the living. All things will be sealed to the End of all things preparitory to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ whether they Be appertaining to Thrones, kingdoms, families or anything Els pertaining to Earth or Heaven time or Eternity... (1)
-- During 1853
[Schism] Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) -- Cutler, Alpheus 1853 - Handful of members; headquartered in Independence, Missouri Adherents commonly called "Cutlerites"; practice "United Order"; retains Nauvoo-era Temple endowment and Baptism for the Dead; formed prior to the death of Joseph Smith. (3)
-- Feb 4, 1855
Apostle Wilford Woodruff describes "some of the strongest preaching ever delivered to the Saints." First rebaptisms of Utah Reformation occur in wards (like Payson) as early as Apr 14, 1855. (4)
-- Oct 1, 1855
Typical DESERET NEWS report of Reformation meetings. Jedediah M. Grant presides over three days of meetings at Farmington, Utah, where he speaks seven times, prays four times, and during which 450 are rebaptized. (5)
-- Jan 13, 1856
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] .../On the return of the brethren from meeting they informed me that President Brigham Young had preached one of the greatest sermons he had ever deliverd on earth. The following are the items Delivered to me of his sermon ...After Joseph comes to us in his resurrected body He will more fully instruct us concerning the Baptism for the dead & the sealing ordinances. He will say be baptized for this man & that man & that man be sealed to that man & such a man to such a man, and connect the Priesthood together.
I tell you their will not be much of this done untill Joseph comes. He is our spiritual Father. Our hearts are already turned to him and his to us.... (1)
-- Aug 28, 1856
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] ... R J Campbell T Bullock & Myself walked with him to see the Font which is building in the public or temple Block. ... (1)
-- Sep 26, 1856
First handcart company arrives in Salt Lake Valley. During the next five years ten handcart companies bring 3000 Mormons across the plains to Utah. .... Members of the First Presidency and Council of Twelve Apostles are rebaptized. (5)
-- Oct 2, 1856
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] Oct 2d 1856 I met with Presidents B. Young H. C. Kimball & J. M. Grant at the House of the Lord at 6 oclok P.M. for the purpose of Dedicating the Baptismal Font which has of Late been built on the east side of the House of the Lord. There was also present Besides the Presidency W Woodruff E Hunter Joseph Young D H. Wells A Carrington L. W. Hardy J. C. Little & Gilbert Clements.
We went to the Font & knelt down around it & dedicated it unto God. President B. Young called upon President Heber C Kimball to be Mouth in the dedication Prayer. The following is a synopsis of the dedication Prayer reported by W. Woodruff:
He Said O God the Eternal Father we bow down before Thee upon this Font which has been made by thy servants to baptize thy people in, for the purpose of dedicating it unto the Lord our God. We dedicate ourselves before Thee O Lord & we ask the in the name of Jesus Christ to forgive us all our sins that we may have Thy Holy Spirit to guide us in all things that we may be guided in the ways of the Lord & that we may never do wrong. Look upon us O God that have now bowed before thee around this Font & help us to do thy will in all things Acknowledge the in all things and honor The & worship Thee at all times. Help us to Honor our Tabernacles that we may never disgrace ourselves in any thing. Grant unto us thy Holy spirit that it may quicken our understanding & bring to our understanding rememberance all things which are necessary for us in the discharge of our duties.
We now dedicate this Font unto thee O God. We consecrate it unto thee in the name of Jesus Christ. Let thine Angel O Lord touch this water & this Font with his Finger that it may be holy unto Thee Lord. May no unclean thing ever enter into this Font to pullute it.
We dedicate ourselves our wives [ ] Children & all that we have unto the O Lord Our God. May we be thine forever & all that we have.
Now O Lord except of this dedication at our hands and as we go into this water may our sins be forgiven & not be remembered against us any more. May we feel the power of God and have power to work a great Refermation among this people. And may this people triumph over our enemies & may not our enemies ever again have power over us but wilt thou cause thine indignation to burn against them that they shall not have any power to do thy people harm.
Now O Lord look down upon thy servant Brigham & cloth him with thy power that he may know the workings of the power of the devel in the Earth & among this people & do thy work.
We now dedicate this Font to Baptize the Living & the Living for the dead & for evry purpose which is necessary to perform the work of the Lord our God, even that the generations which are dead & passed away may be saved & that the sins of the Living may be washed away & that the sick may be healed of evry infirmety that we may be renewed in body & spirit in all things. Except of this dedication at our hands O Lord & hear our prayers and we will give all the glory to God our Heavenly Father and we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
After the Font was dedicated President Brigham Young went down into the water in the Font & Baptized Presidents Heber C. Kimball & J. M. Grant & he laid his hands upon them & confirmed them members in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints & blessed them in the name of the Lord. He blessed Heber C Kimball & Heber C Kimball was mouth in blessing J. M. Grant.
President Young said unto Heber C. Kimball Brother Heber Chase In the name of Jesus Christ I lay my hands upon your head and I Confirm you to be a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints & I seal upon you the gift of the Holy Ghost & Eternal life and I ordain & seal upon your head to be a prophet, Seer & Revelator in the church & kingdom of God & over the house of Israel and I seal upon you all the keys of the Kingdom of God on the Earth that was ever sealed upon the head of any man & I seal these blessings upon you in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Heber C. Kimball then said to Jedediah M. Grant Brother Jedediah In the name of Jesus Christ we lay our hands upon your head & we confirm you to be a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints & we seal upon you all the keys of the Holy Priesthood even to be Prophet seer & Revelator in the Church & kingdom of God & evry blessing which has ever been sealed upon you & we seal upon you the gift of the Holy Ghost & we seal you up unto Eternal Life in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. + [Asterisk is Woodruff's.]
President Brigham Young then Baptized me & all the Presidency laid hands upon me & J. M. Grant was mouth in confirming me & said Brother Wilford Woodruff in the name of Jesus Christ we lay our hands upon your head & we confirm you to be a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints & we seal upon your head all the gifts & blessings of the Apostleship & priesthood & evry blessing which has ever been sealed upon you in any Temple or place we seal & confirm upon you in the name of Jesus Christ & we bless you for your infirmaties & ill health & pray that you may be healed & have the gift of writing the truth as a historian & we ask our Father in heaven to grant unto you these blessings in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
President B. Young then baptized Bishop Edward Hunter & Confirmed him. He was mouth & said Brother Edward Hunter we lay our hands upon your head in the name of Jesus Christ & we confirm you to be a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints & we seal upon you the gifts of the Holy Ghost & the Priesthood & bishopprick & the keyes thereoff and we seal upon your head all the gifts Blessings priesthood & power which has been sealed upon you by the prophet Joseph or any of the Servants of God & we say that you shall have power to magnify your calling as the chief bishop in the Church & Kingdom of God on Earth the spirit & power of the Holy Ghost & Revelation shall rest upon you in power & we seal you up unto Eternal Life & we seal upon your head evry blessing your heart Can desire in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
President Young then baptized the following persons: Joseph Young D. H. Wells A. Carrington L. W. Hardy J. C. Little & Gilbert Clements & was mouth in confirming them all except D. H. Wells. H.C. Kimball spoke upon his head. This made 10 persons which President Young Baptized & confirmed.
+ [Asterisk is Woodruff's.] Heber C Kimball then baptized President Brigham Young & confirmed him & said (J. M. Grant also laid on hands) Brother Brigham Young we lay our hands upon your head & confirm you to be a member in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints & we seal upon your head the Holy Priesthood with all the keys powers & blessings appertaining thereunto even to be a prophet seer & revelator in the church & kingdom of God & over the House of Israel & we seal upon your head all the blessings which were sealed upon you by the Prophet Joseph & we say unto you that you shall have power over your Enemies & you shall not be slain by them but you shall live to see them overthrown & to see the saints come off victorious over there enemies & I seal these blessing upon you in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
At the Close of the dedication & baptism I attended meeting with J. M. Grant & other Missionaries at the 17th ward. Elder Wallace spoke Johnson spoke to the people followed by J. M. Grant who spoke in the spirit & power of God in calling upon the people to repent & reform. He was followed By Gilbert Clements & W. Woodruff who bore testimony to what had been said. We had a soul stiring meeting.
Judson Stodard had his horse run away with him in his buggy & nearly killed him. (1)
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 - Stapley, Jonathan & Wright, Kristine, '"They Shall Be Made Whole": A History of Baptism for Health,' Journal of Mormon History, Fall 2008
3 - Wikipedia, List of Sects in the Latter-Day Saint Movement, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_sects_in_the_Latter_Day_Saint_movement#Before_the_schism
4 - Advent Adam website (defunct) - based on http://amzn.to/originsofpower
5 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
LDS History Chronology: Unconventional Baptisms
Mormon History Timeline: Forms of Rebaptism in LDS History
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
