History of the Word of Wisdom, Apr 6, 1884

-- Apr 6, 1884
James E. Talmage writes in his journal of his experiments with hashish: "Continued my experiment by taking 20 grains Cannabis Indica and the effect was felt in a not very agreeable way." Talmage lectures to the Brigham Young Academy faculty in Sep on "The Effects of the Narcotic Hashish on the Human System," but the Faculty Minute Book do not record whether he mentioned the source of his information. (1)

[Word of Wisdom] "Sunday . . . Continued my experiment by taking 20 grains Cannabis Indica and the effect was felt in a not very agreeable way. My fellow experimenters & I concluded I should take no larger does â but perhaps vary the trail in the future. . . . " (The Essential JamesE. Talmage, James P. Harris editor, Classics in Mormon Thought Series No. 5, Signature Books, Inc., 1997 pp. 11‐12.) (2)

-- Friday, Apr 25, 1884
[Apostle John Henry Smith Diary] I received several business letters from home and among them one from F.M. Lyman. He says my brother C. W. Smith is keeping bad company and drinking quite hard. (3)

-- Jun 8, 1884
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 8 I was Some better this Morning. We Met at the Meeting House at 10 oclok. Prayer By Robert L Bibee. H J Grant spoke 50 M, W M Parker 7 M. Br Grant spoke upon the Patriarchal Marriage, word of wisdom. I received 3 letters from Presidt Taylor, L. J. Nuttall and Leslie Snow. Afternoon. Prayer By H J Grant. Sacrament administered. We had a hard rain Storm. W. Woodruff spoke One hour & 17 Minuts. T E Ricks spoke 8 M, and gave good Council. We met in the Evening. Br Bibee spoke 5 M, T. E. Ricks 15 M, W Woodruff 24 m. (4)

-- Jun 10, 1884
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] ...At about Sun down 3 Men Rode into Rexburg with 15 Horses and wanted to Stop over night. They were rough looking Men. Said they were looking over the Country. Br Ricks pointed out the House for them to go into But they got the wrong house. They went into the House of one of his Sons with his wife Children & a sick man and got their supper. They had not been there long untill A sherriff and possee of 7 men arived in town after these men as Horse thieves. Br Ricks told them whare the thieves were. They wanted to go into the House immediately and arest them. Br Ricks told them No (as they were in liquor) said they would get killed some of them, and a woman and children were there. Told them to wait till morning which they did & garded the House untill morning. (4)

Footnotes:
1 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
2 - Talmage journal entry
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
4 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies

LDS History Chronology: the Word of Wisdom

Mormon Timeline: the Word of Wisdom
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/