Word of Wisdom implementation over time - Revision history

SpencerMarsh at 19:50, 27 March 2026

2026-03-27T19:50:00Z

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	<small>[[Word of Wisdom]] \| <span style="#7BB375">Implementation Over Time</span></small>		<small>[[Word of Wisdom]] \| <span style="color:#7BB375">Implementation Over Time</span></small>
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	<h1><b>The Implementation of the Word of Wisdom Over Time</b></h1>		<h1><b>The Implementation of the Word of Wisdom Over Time</b></h1>
	The implementation and interpretation of the Word of Wisdom has changed over time. Why would that happen? Ultimately, members of The Church of Jesus Christ accept that living prophets have the prerogative of interpreting the Word of Wisdom and implementing polices that encourage its practice among members of the Church. See below for more.		The implementation and interpretation of the Word of Wisdom has changed over time. Why would that happen? Ultimately, members of The Church of Jesus Christ accept that living prophets have the prerogative of interpreting the Word of Wisdom and implementing polices that encourage its practice among members of the Church. See below for more.

SpencerMarsh at 19:49, 27 March 2026

2026-03-27T19:49:35Z

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GregSmith: bot use legacy More template

2024-05-31T07:11:29Z

bot use legacy More template

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	Consider also that drinking water in Joseph Smith's day (or during Biblical times) was a gamble because water purity was always questionable; a little alcohol in a beverage ensured that it was free of viruses and bacteria. The development of germ theory in the late 19th century lead to chemical treatments to ensure a safe supply of public drinking water. A strict ban of all alcohol in Joseph Smith's time would have been a death sentence for many Latter-day Saints—especially during the 1832–1833 cholera pandemic, which spread its disease by water.		Consider also that drinking water in Joseph Smith's day (or during Biblical times) was a gamble because water purity was always questionable; a little alcohol in a beverage ensured that it was free of viruses and bacteria. The development of germ theory in the late 19th century lead to chemical treatments to ensure a safe supply of public drinking water. A strict ban of all alcohol in Joseph Smith's time would have been a death sentence for many Latter-day Saints—especially during the 1832–1833 cholera pandemic, which spread its disease by water.

	{{~~More~~\|Word_of_Wisdom/Joseph_Smith_drank_alcohol_prior_to_the_martyrdom\|l1=Joseph Smith and others' use of wine prior to the martyrdom\|Word_of_Wisdom/Joseph_Smith_used_tea#Tobacco_for_Willard_Richards\|l2=Joseph Smith procured tobacco prior to the martyrdom}}		{{More_old\|Word_of_Wisdom/Joseph_Smith_drank_alcohol_prior_to_the_martyrdom\|l1=Joseph Smith and others' use of wine prior to the martyrdom\|Word_of_Wisdom/Joseph_Smith_used_tea#Tobacco_for_Willard_Richards\|l2=Joseph Smith procured tobacco prior to the martyrdom}}

	=Tobacco, coffee and tea were not initially prohibited, but instead their use was discouraged=		=Tobacco, coffee and tea were not initially prohibited, but instead their use was discouraged=
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	Latter-day Saints continued to use wine in their sacramental services throughout the 19th century.<ref>In 1861 Brigham Young sent 309 Mormon families to settle in Utah's "Dixie" region, where they would produce, among other crops, wine for the sacrament. (Leonard J. Arrington, ''Great Basin Kingdom: An Economic History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830–1900'' [Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1958]: 216.) President Young remarked publicly that he "anticipate[d] the day when we can have the privilege of using, at our sacraments pure wine, produced within our borders." ("Remarks by President Brigham Young, Tabernacle, G[reat].S[alt].L[ake]. City, June 4, 1864," ''The Deseret News'' 13/39 (22 June 1864): 302. [http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews2/id/13245 off-site link].) By the 1870s Church vineyards were producing "as much as 3,000 gallons per year," however, "by the turn of the [20th] century, most of the vines had been pulled on the advice of church authorities…" (''Great Basin Kingdom'', 222).</ref> During this same time the Word of Wisdom was not enforced as rigorously as it is today, and social drinking of wine and other alcoholic beverages was not uncommon among Latter-day Saints (although leaders often counseled against it).		Latter-day Saints continued to use wine in their sacramental services throughout the 19th century.<ref>In 1861 Brigham Young sent 309 Mormon families to settle in Utah's "Dixie" region, where they would produce, among other crops, wine for the sacrament. (Leonard J. Arrington, ''Great Basin Kingdom: An Economic History of the Latter-day Saints, 1830–1900'' [Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1958]: 216.) President Young remarked publicly that he "anticipate[d] the day when we can have the privilege of using, at our sacraments pure wine, produced within our borders." ("Remarks by President Brigham Young, Tabernacle, G[reat].S[alt].L[ake]. City, June 4, 1864," ''The Deseret News'' 13/39 (22 June 1864): 302. [http://udn.lib.utah.edu/cdm/ref/collection/deseretnews2/id/13245 off-site link].) By the 1870s Church vineyards were producing "as much as 3,000 gallons per year," however, "by the turn of the [20th] century, most of the vines had been pulled on the advice of church authorities…" (''Great Basin Kingdom'', 222).</ref> During this same time the Word of Wisdom was not enforced as rigorously as it is today, and social drinking of wine and other alcoholic beverages was not uncommon among Latter-day Saints (although leaders often counseled against it).

	{{~~More~~\|Word_of_Wisdom/History_and_implementation\|l1=History and implementation of the Word of Wisdom}}		{{More_old\|Word_of_Wisdom/History_and_implementation\|l1=History and implementation of the Word of Wisdom}}

	Various American temperance movements since the mid-18th century had called for a ban on the sale and use of alcohol. The third wave of this movement began in 1893 and culminated with national prohibition in 1919.<ref>See "Temperance movement in the United States." ''Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia'', 4 January 2016. [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Temperance_movement_in_the_United_States&oldid=698229352 off-site link]</ref> Among the supporters of complete abstinence were LDS Church Presidents Joseph F. Smith and Heber J. Grant. Beginning in 1902 President Smith began institutional reforms to require greater adherence to the Word of Wisdom. "In keeping with the change in emphasis, the First Presidency and Twelve substituted water for wine in the sacrament in their temple meetings, apparently beginning July 5, 1906."<ref>Thomas G. Alexander, "The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement," ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'' 14/3 (autumn 1981): 79. [https://dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V14N03_80.pdf off-site PDF]</ref> Local Latter-day Saint congregations followed suit soon after, a practice that remains to this day.		Various American temperance movements since the mid-18th century had called for a ban on the sale and use of alcohol. The third wave of this movement began in 1893 and culminated with national prohibition in 1919.<ref>See "Temperance movement in the United States." ''Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia'', 4 January 2016. [https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Temperance_movement_in_the_United_States&oldid=698229352 off-site link]</ref> Among the supporters of complete abstinence were LDS Church Presidents Joseph F. Smith and Heber J. Grant. Beginning in 1902 President Smith began institutional reforms to require greater adherence to the Word of Wisdom. "In keeping with the change in emphasis, the First Presidency and Twelve substituted water for wine in the sacrament in their temple meetings, apparently beginning July 5, 1906."<ref>Thomas G. Alexander, "The Word of Wisdom: From Principle to Requirement," ''Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought'' 14/3 (autumn 1981): 79. [https://dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V14N03_80.pdf off-site PDF]</ref> Local Latter-day Saint congregations followed suit soon after, a practice that remains to this day.

GregSmith at 05:33, 27 May 2024

2024-05-27T05:33:24Z

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GregSmith: /* Why does the presiding Mormon authority receive the sacrament before the rest of the congregation? */

2024-05-27T05:28:15Z

Why does the presiding Mormon authority receive the sacrament before the rest of the congregation?

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	Even the sacrament prayer given at the beginning of the administration of the water affirms the symbolism of the atoning blood. It states in part: "... bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them..." ({{s\|\|D&C\|20\|79}}).		Even the sacrament prayer given at the beginning of the administration of the water affirms the symbolism of the atoning blood. It states in part: "... bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them..." ({{s\|\|D&C\|20\|79}}).

	~~=Why does the presiding Mormon authority receive the sacrament before the rest of the congregation?=~~
	~~==By partaking of the sacrament first, the presiding officer is signaling or communicating to the congregation that the ordinance has been performed properly==~~

	The practice of passing the sacrament first to the presiding leader is a practice that started about 100 years ago in the Church. There are at least two reasons for which the presiding authority is passed the sacrament first:

	#All ordinances take place under the direction of priesthood keys. For example, if I am a member of a ward and a priesthood holder, this does not mean that I can have a sacrament service on my own. The only person who can authorize that is the person that holds the keys for me--and that is my bishop.Thus, by partaking of the sacrament first, the presiding officer is signaling or communicating to the congregation that the ordinance has been performed properly--that the person who blessed it was ordained, authorized, and approved to do so. It also demonstrates that the prayer was offered properly, etc.
	#The second reason is that those who are led by someone holding keys have a right to know that that person is living worthy. Thus, they can witness the renewal of that person's covenants with the sacrament.

	~~==The practice is, however, a tradition: The ordinance is still valid even if the tradition is not followed==~~

	~~There are, for example, stories of Church authorities who passed the sacrament to the congregation before partaking of it themselves.~~

	{{Endnotes sources}}		{{Endnotes sources}}

GregSmith at 05:25, 27 May 2024

2024-05-27T05:25:15Z

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	~~= [[Word of Wisdom implementation over time]]=~~		{{Main Page}}
	~~{\| class ="table"~~		{{Navigation:Word of Wisdom}}{{blankline}}
	\|-
	~~!Num!!SeeAlso!!#REDIRECT!!Jump to~~		=''Revelations in Context'': "Nevertheless, it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture"=
	\|-		[http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-word-of-wisdom?lang=eng "The Word of Wisdom: D&C 89,"] ''Revelations in Context'' on history.lds.org (11 June 2013):
	\|1\|\|<nowiki> {{SeeAlso\|Word of Wisdom implementation over time#''Revelations in Context'': "Nevertheless, it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture"\|l1=the_visual_title}} </nowiki> \|\|<nowiki>		<blockquote>
			Nevertheless, it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture, especially when fermented beverages of all kinds were frequently used for medicinal purposes. The term "strong drink" certainly included distilled spirits like whiskey, which hereafter the Latter-day Saints generally shunned. They took a more moderate approach to milder alcoholic beverages like beer and "pure wine of the grape of the vine of your own make" (see {{s\|\|D&C\|89\|6}}). For the next two generations, Latter-day Saint leaders taught the Word of Wisdom as a command from God, but they tolerated a variety of viewpoints on how strictly the commandment should be observed. This incubation period gave the Saints time to develop their own tradition of abstinence from habit-forming substances. By the early twentieth century, when scientific medicines were more widely available and temple attendance had become a more regular feature of Latter-day Saint worship, the Church was ready to accept a more exacting standard of observance that would eliminate problems like alcoholism from among the obedient. In 1921, the Lord inspired Church president Heber J. Grant to call on all Saints to live the Word of Wisdom to the letter by completely abstaining from all alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco. Today Church members are expected to live this higher standard.<ref>[http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-word-of-wisdom

GregSmith at 05:22, 27 May 2024

2024-05-27T05:22:01Z

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	~~{{Main Page}}~~		= [[Word of Wisdom implementation over time]]=
	~~{{Navigation:Word of Wisdom}}{{blankline}}~~		{\| class ="table"
			\|-
	~~=''Revelations in Context'': "Nevertheless, it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture"=~~		!Num!!SeeAlso!!#REDIRECT!!Jump to
	~~[http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-word-of-wisdom?lang=eng "The Word of Wisdom: D&C 89,"] ''Revelations in Context'' on history.lds.org (11 June 2013):~~		\|-
	~~<blockquote>~~		\|1\|\|<nowiki> {{SeeAlso\|Word of Wisdom implementation over time#''Revelations in Context'': "Nevertheless, it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture"\|l1=the_visual_title}} </nowiki> \|\|<nowiki>
	Nevertheless, it required time to wind down practices that were so deeply ingrained in family tradition and culture, especially when fermented beverages of all kinds were frequently used for medicinal purposes. The term "strong drink" certainly included distilled spirits like whiskey, which hereafter the Latter-day Saints generally shunned. They took a more moderate approach to milder alcoholic beverages like beer and "pure wine of the grape of the vine of your own make" (see {{s\|\|D&C\|89\|6}}). For the next two generations, Latter-day Saint leaders taught the Word of Wisdom as a command from God, but they tolerated a variety of viewpoints on how strictly the commandment should be observed. This incubation period gave the Saints time to develop their own tradition of abstinence from habit-forming substances. By the early twentieth century, when scientific medicines were more widely available and temple attendance had become a more regular feature of Latter-day Saint worship, the Church was ready to accept a more exacting standard of observance that would eliminate problems like alcoholism from among the obedient. In 1921, the Lord inspired Church president Heber J. Grant to call on all Saints to live the Word of Wisdom to the letter by completely abstaining from all alcohol, coffee, tea, and tobacco. Today Church members are expected to live this higher standard.<ref>[http://history.lds.org/article/doctrine-and-covenants-word-of-wisdom

GregSmith: /* Willard Richards was a Thomsonian herbalist, a type of physician common in the first half of the nineteenth century in the United States */

2024-05-27T05:20:46Z

Willard Richards was a Thomsonian herbalist, a type of physician common in the first half of the nineteenth century in the United States

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	=Did Willard Richards violate the Word of Wisdom by using tobacco at Carthage Jail?=		=Did Willard Richards violate the Word of Wisdom by using tobacco at Carthage Jail?=
	Joseph Smith obtained some tobacco for a friend while in Carthage Jail prior to being martyred. Doesn't this make Joseph Smith a hypocrite for violating the Word of Wisdom?		Joseph Smith obtained some tobacco for a friend while in Carthage Jail prior to being martyred. Doesn't this make Joseph Smith a hypocrite for violating the Word of Wisdom?
	=Willard Richards was a Thomsonian herbalist, a type of physician common in the first half of the nineteenth century in the United States=		==Willard Richards was a Thomsonian herbalist, a type of physician common in the first half of the nineteenth century in the United States==

	We are sometimes guilty of "presentism"—judging historical figures by the standards of ''our'' day, instead of ''their'' day. The tobacco was intended for medicinal purposes.		We are sometimes guilty of "presentism"—judging historical figures by the standards of ''our'' day, instead of ''their'' day. The tobacco was intended for medicinal purposes.

GregSmith: /* George A. Smith clearly intends his audience to see the converts' action as ridiculous */

2024-05-27T05:20:33Z

George A. Smith clearly intends his audience to see the converts' action as ridiculous

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	=Did George A. Smith report that some church members left the church after finding that their leaders drank tea and coffee?=		=Did George A. Smith report that some church members left the church after finding that their leaders drank tea and coffee?=
	=George A. Smith clearly intends his audience to see the converts' action as ridiculous=		==George A. Smith clearly intends his audience to see the converts' action as ridiculous==

	Some critics of the Church hope their readers will be shocked by George A. Smith's admission that Emma Smith offered some new converts a glass of tea. But, why would George A. Smith admit to Joseph committing a grave sin, if such it was? His account provides us with the clues:		Some critics of the Church hope their readers will be shocked by George A. Smith's admission that Emma Smith offered some new converts a glass of tea. But, why would George A. Smith admit to Joseph committing a grave sin, if such it was? His account provides us with the clues:

GregSmith: /* The Word of Wisdom was enforced differently in the 19th century than today */

2024-05-27T05:20:22Z

The Word of Wisdom was enforced differently in the 19th century than today

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	=Did Joseph Smith violate the Word of Wisdom by drinking tea?=		=Did Joseph Smith violate the Word of Wisdom by drinking tea?=
	=The Word of Wisdom was enforced differently in the 19th century than today=		==The Word of Wisdom was enforced differently in the 19th century than today==

	Joseph Smith is reported as drinking tea on a few occasions. Does this make Joseph Smith a hypocrite for violating the Word of Wisdom?		Joseph Smith is reported as drinking tea on a few occasions. Does this make Joseph Smith a hypocrite for violating the Word of Wisdom?