-- Dec 12, 1899
[Apostle Marriner W. Merrill Diary] Tuesday. Franklin. I left Franklin at 6:30 a. m. with my wife Ellen and Loretta to go to Logan to have Loretta baptized in the Temple font. Sleighing very bad from Hyde Park to Logan, scarcely any snow and road rough. She was baptized and Ellen returned on the evening freight train. (1)
-- May 29, 1900
[Apostle Marriner W. Merrill Diary] Tuesday. Fountain Farm. Left for Logan at 5:45 a. m. and arrived at 7:30. We have baptized 348 and sealed 54 couples. I leave for home at 3:40 p. m. as Temple is closed tomorrow for Decoration Day at the City of the Dead. (1)
-- Jun 12, 1900
[Apostle Marriner W. Merrill Diary] Tuesday. Fountain Farm. I left at 5:50 for Logan. Brought my wife Maria and daughter Lenora Eveline to be baptized for the cure of her eye, which has been afflicted all winter. Maria and Ambrose started for home at 3 p. m. (1)
-- Tuesday, Jul 24, 1900
[Apostle Rudger Clawson Diary] Salt Lake City. Clear and mild. Pioneer Day. The ceremonies connected with the unveiling of the Brigham Young Statue at the head of Main Street took place at 10 a.m. The statue and pedestal were draped with American flags and a platform was built around them for the accommodation of the speakers and prominent people. A large crowd had gathered around the stand. ....
I have often said that if I were a wealthy man, I would set aside a portion of my means to be used in the temple for the salvation of the dead. There are many good people in the church who can be employed to work for the dead, and I have ascertained that it will cost from 75c to $1.00 for each dead person who is baptized for and endowed, which work, if accepted by them, means salvation to their souls; and Pres. Lorenzo Snow says that in nine cases out of ten the work will be accepted, so that, it might be said, there is very little risk connected with an investment of this kind. How beautiful it is in cases where men have means, but little or no time to spend in missionary work or to labor themselves in the temple that they should devote a portion of that means for the salvation of the dead, rather than to leave a great lot of means for their children to quarrel over. Now, I am not a man of means, but to show forth the sincerity of my desire, I have decided to set aside a
small part of my monthly income for the purpose above explained and shall start the fund with $4.00. I hope in the future to accomplish much good, under the blessing of the Lord, from this very small beginning. (2)
-- May 14, 1901
[Apostle Marriner W. Merrill Diary] Tuesday. Richmond. I came to Logan today and brought my son William to be baptized for his health, which was done. I took him home, leaving at 3 p. m. (1)
-- May 23, 1901
...St. George Temple President David H. Cannon instructs temple workers: "When a person is anointed, the towel should not be taken to wipe off the oil from the face or the hands or any portion of the body. Oil should not be used too profusely by the workers and should not be wiped off. There are probably some who do not understand this correctly. If they did they would not do it. It must not be done. Speaker wanted to say this to the people. When people come here to be baptized for their health who have not been endowed, they should be gotten out before the ceremonies commence." (3)
-- Nov 21, 1901; Thursday
President [Joseph F.] Smith presided at the meeting of the Presidency and Apostles today. ...
Elder [Reed] Smoot informed the Council that a man in Nebo [Utah] Stake had recently been baptized in a tank, the water having been warmed and the tank especially built for the purpose, the man officiating standing outside of the tank. There had been considerable criticism down there about it to the effect that such a baptism was not lawful. It was a case however where the man was sick nigh unto death and a recent convert. Brother Smoot desired to know the mind of President Smith upon the point. President Smith replied by saying that if the man were still living, and his health permitted it that he be baptized again in the proper way,
but if dead, that he be baptized for in the Temple. ... (4)
Endnotes:
1 - Notes from the Miscellaneous Record Book, 1886-1906: Selected diary notes from the journal books of Marriner Wood Merrill, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
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 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
4 - First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve minutes
LDS History Chronology: Unconventional Baptisms
Mormon History Timeline: Forms of Rebaptism in LDS History
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
