Fri. Aug. 24, 1877
Received letters from Prest. B. Young, J. W. Turner, Geo. W. Hicks
and J. S. Brown. Found the threshing going on, talked with Jas. G. Brown, found
him prepared to pay out wheat for everything that had been done in the field,
without any regard to the interest of the United Order. I told him plainly not
to do so, as I wanted all the wheat other than his own to be put into the order
bin. Also told all the hands and said I held Bro. Brown responsible to the
order for the wheat, agreeing to stand between him and all parties as to their
work and pay for it.
(The following material is written in reverse.)
Questions submitted to President Young.
1. At what age can children have their endowments? If of a
naturally ripe and early development of mind and body, as early as twelve
years, but as a general rule fifteen years old is early enough.
2. How shall little children be dressed in attending to the temple
ordinance of being sealed to their parents? They should be clothed in white.
3. Should children who die before they attain the age of eight
years be baptized for or receive any temple ordinance, other than being sealed
to their parents? Nothing more than to be sealed to their parents.
4. Shall stillborn children who the mothers state have quickened
have anything done for them? No, they are all right without having anything
done for them.
5. Shall children born outside of the marriage relation, and who
are dead, be sealed to their father, or to their mother? They should be sealed
to the one who has received the gospel and lived it.
6. Are children who have been born to parents who have been
sealed, but not had endowments, born in the covenant, or will they have to be
sealed to their parents? They will have to be sealed to their parents.
7. How young may a dead female be sealed to a husband? Not too
young, say not less than ten or twelve years.
8. It is absolutely necessary that all the children born out of
the covenant, in a family whether those children be married or single, should
be present at the same time to be sealed to their parents? Yes, all should be
present.
9. Is a woman who has been born out of the covenant, and who is
married, to be sealed to her husband and his family, or to her own parents? She
should be sealed to her own parents, unless they yield up their right to her as
a daughter, and wish to surrender her to some other family.
10. Shall the work be done for the dead in the Endowment House in
Salt Lake City, be done over again in the temple? No.
11. Can a brother or sister who has received endowments in Salt
Lake City or in Nauvoo, have the privilege of passing through the degrees in
the St. George Temple, and if so, are they to be clothed with temple clothing,
or in the ordinary manner? They may have the privilege of passing through as
visitors; and not wearing temple clothing.
12. Can an Indian Woman, who is in good standing in the church
receive her endowments and have her children sealed ot herself and husband (a
White Man) also in good standing? Yes.
13. Can a person who is physically unable to receive their own
baptisms be officiated for by proxy? Wait until we see one that is.
14. Can a person demented by fits, or other cause have anything
don in temple ordinances for him while living? No. Such persons are not held
accountable.
15. If a person die without having had endowments, is it well to
bury them in garments without marks? Such a person may be buried with garments
if their friends choose, but not marked nor with robes or other temple
clothing.
A question submitted by J. D. T. McAllister: My father fed and
lodged the Elders for my sake. He died without embracing the Gospel. Mother
received and embraced the Gospel, gathered with the church, received her
endowments, and living the Gospel and was sealed to father, he having been
baptized for by his Son. According to your answer to Question 7, I must be
adopted to mother. Father being out of the church I must not be sealed to him.
What shall I do? Mother McAllister must be sealed to a man in the Priesthood
faithful in the church, and the children adopted to them.
A question submitted by L. John Nuttall: Is it proper to seal a
woman that has died out of the Gospel and who was never married to a man who
died out of the Gospel, they being unknown to, or not having any claim on each
other in this life? Yes, where the dead have been known to be good and moral,
give them this privilege. There may be cases when it would not be proper, but
upon general principles it would, all women as well as men will be judged for
their acts. (L. John Nuttall: Diary Excerpts, comp., Ogden Kraut [Salt
Lake City: Pioneer Press, 1994], 35-37)