[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 22d Sunday President Young Addressed the saints as follows:... A word more upon Law suits. Their would not be a Law suit in this valley if all men would do right & were saints but the net has gathered all kinds good bad & worse. Let twelve men get drunk in this community & it ruins the place in the estimation of Good men. We have to bear the character of the drunkard. A few stinking fish in the net defile it & the whole net stinks And it creates a prejudice against it. Those who were acquainted with Joseph know that if He delt any in temporal things it created a prejudice against him. He bought many goods to help carry on the public works but the people were ready to get it all away from him. So it is now.... (1)
-- Sep 8, 1851
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] ...B Young said I will put the motion. Will the Sisters + vote to quit using tea & coffee? The Brethren have voted not to use tobaco.
I will speak of the Bishops. I spoke of them yesterday, & reproved them sharply. Some wanted me to offer an apology to them. I will not. I will see them in Hell before I will do it. If this people do not do Better than the Bishops have they will [go to hell] And if you do not do better than you have done you will go to Hell.....
President Young said He wished all the people to pay their tithing to the Bishops of their ward. He refered to the remarks made by Father Smith on the word of wisdom. He said $50,000 dollars had Been spent in the valley during the past year for needless things for Coffee tea Tobaco &c. Many others remarks were made By president Young.... (1)
-- Sep 9, 1851
Brigham Young has conference covenant to accept and obey Word of Wisdom as commandment and to accept excommunication for non-payment of tithing. Church leaders do not consistently enforce either practice until 20th century. (2)
-- During 1851
(Almon W. Babbitt) In 1851 he was again disfellowshipped for "profanity and intemperance in the streets of Kanesville; for corrupting the morals of the people ... by giving them liquor to beguile them from the path of duty and honor." (3)
-- Mar 20, 1852
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 20 + I planted 8 wine grape slips large on the East & 7 Rhode island grape slips small on the west. I spent the day in the Big field ploughing. (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 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
3 - Van Wagoner, Richard and Walker, Steven C., A Book of Mormons, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom
Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
