[Joseph Smith Sermon] The speaker before closing called upon the vast assembly before him to humble themselves in faith before God & in mighty prayer & fasting to call upon his Holy name untill the elements were purified over our heads & the earth sanctified under our feet that the inhabitants of this city may escape the power of the disease pestilence & destroyer that rideth upon the face of the earth & that the holy spirit of God may rest upon this vast multitude (1)
-- Mar 24, 1842
[Joseph Smith] Joseph attends to the completion of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo. He comments that a great number of sisters attend the meetings and that "they will fly to the relief of the stranger; they will pour in oil and wine to the wounded heart of the distressed; they will dry up the tears of the orphan and make the widow's heart to rejoice." (History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (7 volumes) 4:567-68.) By September 1842, the membership of this society increases to 1,142; it increases 200 more during the following 18 months. (2)
-- Apr 9, 1842
the Nauvoo City Council passes an ordinance to license taverns and ordinaries in the town to sell beer but not spirits. (3)
-- Apr 28, 1842 (Thursday Afternoon)
[Joseph Smith Sermon] ...Prest. Smith then read, "Though I have the gift of prophecy" &C. He then said though one should become mightyâ€"do great thingsâ€"overturn mountains &C should then turn to eat and drink with the drunken; all former deeds would not save himâ€"but he would go to destruction!... (1)
-- Jun 17, 1842
[Joseph Smith] William Law publishes a defense of the morality of the Saints in Nauvoo. Joseph comments on it, saying, "There is no city . . . that can compare with the city of Nauvoo. You may live in our city for a month, and not hear an oath sworn; you may be here as long and not see one person intoxicated. So notorious are we for sobriety, that at the time the Washington convention passed through our city a meeting was called for them, but they expressed themselves at a loss what to say, as there were no drunkards to speak to." (History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (7 volumes) 5:32-34.) (2)
Footnotes:
1 - The Woodland Institute, http://www.woodlandinstitute.com
2 - Conklin, Christopher J., Joseph Smith Chronology
3 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
