-- Apr 24, 1902
RULES FOR THE REGULATION OF TEMPLE WORK Adopted by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, at a meeting held in the Salt Lake Temple; April 24th, 1902. ... (4) No male over the age of 21 years can be admitted to the Temple, to do ordinance work, except baptisms, until he has received his endowments. The same rule applies to females over the age of 18 years. (5) Males under 21 and females under 18 can be baptized for their health. They can also be baptized for the dead, and sealed to their parents. All over 8 years old must be properly recommended by the Bishop of the Ward and the President of the Stake in which they reside. ... (9) A dead female, in order to be baptized and endowed must have in life attained at least to the age of 8 years. The same applies to dead males. ... (24) Words used in baptizing for the dead: "Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you for and in behalf of [blank space] who is dead, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen." CASES WHICH NEED NO CANCELLATION .... Adopted by the First Presidency and quorum of the Twelve Apostles, at a meeting held in the Salt Lake Temple: April 24th., 1902. [Manti Temple Historical Record, pp. 107-10] (1)
-- Thursday, May 22, 1902
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Clear and mild. 10 a.m. Meeting at the temple. ....
Apostle Smoot asked if it would be proper for a little deaf girl, whose parents are not members of the church, to be baptized for her health in the templeâ€"the request coming from her mother. The answer was yes; there would be no impropriety in it.
Adjourned for two weeks. Benediction by Apostle [Patriarch] Jno. Smith. (2)
-- Friday, May 23, 1902
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] ... I learned from the recorder that the first baptism for the dead in the Salt Lake Temple took place just nine years ago today. (2)
-- Jul 16, 1902
We mailed you last evening a copy of certain rules applicable to Temple work, adopted by the Council of First Presidency and Apostles at their meeting in the Salt Lake Temple on the 24th of April last, which you will please receive with all others heretofore made which may be in your possession. We would like you to add to the last rule (No. 27) the following words; "excepting that of baptism." {"(27) The same rule applies to females over the age of 18 years"} [Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund to John D. T. McAllister, July 16, 1902] (1)
-- Mar 27, 1903
You have our permission to do the necessary temple work in behalf of your deceased brother who died an excommunicated member of the Church after receiving his endowment and having his wife sealed to him who is also dead. It will be an order for you, being the heir, to be baptized in behalf of your brother, to be ordained to the priesthood he formerly held, and to have his former blessings reconferred upon you in his behalf. And this will authorize the president of the temple to permit this to be done. * P.S. If the children born to your brother before his wife was sealed to him have not been sealed to their parents, this part of his work should also be attended to. But this matter should be laid before the High Council[,] by whom James L. Dee was excommunicated[,] for its approval; and an expression in writing in favor of this work being done in behalf of the deceased [should] be given and the same presented at the Temple, in connection with your own [temple recommend] when you go there. [Joseph F. Smith, John R. Winder, and Anthon H. Lund to Thomas D. Dee, Mar. 27, 1903] (1)
-- Thursday, Apr 27, 1905
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] Salt Lake City
All of the First Presidency and of the Twelve Francis M. Lyman, Myself, Rudger Clawson, Reed Smoot, Hyrum M. and George Albert Smith, C. W. Penrose and Patriarch John Smith and George F. Gibbs [met]. Routine business was gone through. Prayer by George Albert Smith. Prest. Francis M. Lyman was mouth at the altar. Fair reports were made by all. We talked over the question of Rebaptism and some other subjects. It was felt we had been a little too exacting in the matter. I met with the Directors of the Con. W. & M. Co. (3)
Endnotes:
1 - Anderson, Devery; The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History, http://amzn.to/TempleWorship
2 - Stan Larson (editor), A Ministry of Meetings: The Apostolic diaries of Rudger Clawson, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1993, http://bit.ly/rudgerclawson
3 - Jean Bickmore White (editor), Church, State, and Politics: The Diaries of John Henry Smith, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1990, http://bit.ly/johnhenrysmith
LDS History Chronology: Unconventional Baptisms
Mormon History Timeline: Forms of Rebaptism in LDS History
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
