[William Clayton Journal] No persons having been notified to appear to day to receive their washings and anointings very few persons were present in the morning. President Young and H. C. Kimball were present also Orson Pratt, no others of the Twelve, a few of those who had officiated in the washing and anointing and as door keepers, fireman, Marshall clerks, and so forth, and several of the women were present; those were all called together in the east room at about 11 1/2 o clock, and addressed by President Young. He told them there would be no business done to day, and that they were all dismissed, except the two Brother Hansons, Lewis Robbins and Brother Averett, whom he wanted for door keepers and John L. Butler for fireman. Also Sisters M[ercy] R. Thompson and Eliza R. Snow whom he wanted to do some sewing. We shall have no more washings and anointings at present, and if the brethren do not get any thing more than they have already got, they have got all they have worke
d for in building this house, and if there is any more to be received it is because the Lord is merciful and gracious. We shall not have any business done, except that the High Council and the High Priests will meet together once a day as usual for prayer. They will come in the back way, through the office door. Room No. 4 belongs to the High Council, No. 6 to the High Priests, No. 8 to the High Priests. No. 10 to the Elders. President Young asked President Miller how many High Priests had been washed and anointed. President Miller could not tell at the moment, but directed the clerk of the High Priests quorum to ascertain. The number was found to be 268.
President Young said when he began again he should pay no respect to quorums. Every man that comes in is washed and anointed by good men and it makes no difference. Every man that gets his endowment, whether he is High Priest or Seventy, may go into any part of the world and build up the kingdom if he has the keys, or on t
o any island. We have been ordained to the Melchisedeck Priesthood, which is the highest order of Priesthood, and it has many branches or offices. And those who have come in here and have received their washing and anointing will be ordained Kings and Priests, and will then have received the fullness of the Priesthood, all that can be given on earth, for Brother Joseph said he had given us all that could be given to man on the earth.
I feel disposed to rest a few days, and let the Temple rest, and when I commence work again I am going to make a selection of my hands, and shall select those that will stay all the time. We will have no more cooking and eating going on in those rooms. No person will be allowed to come in unless they are invited, and I shall take it as an insult if they come and stay. I felt it impressed upon me to rest a few days and make these regulations, and as we have run out of oil we can't do much any way. I shall not have any more cutting and sewing of g
arments going on in the Temple. I shall have houses selected where garments can be cut and made. It is my right to receive persons through the vail, and it does not belong to any one else unless I put him there. When persons come into this house and receive the tokens, and signs and the key words, they have got all they have worked for in building this house. President Young closed his remarks as the Temple Bell rung for noon.
All those who were not retained for door keepers, clerks &c. then departed and the rooms were cleared of those things with which they had been cumbered.
There was a necessity for a reformation of this sort, for some men were doing things which ought not to be done in the Temple of the Lord. Some three or four men and perhaps more, had introduced women into the Temple, not their wives, and were living in the side rooms, cooking, sleeping, tending babies, and toying with their women. The men who were guilty of these things were H. G. Sherwood, B. L. Clap
p, L. N. Scovil, and perhaps others. There was also a great many men introduced and passed through the ordinances who were not so deserving as some that were passed by. There were also many women and children passed through who were not well entitled to the ordinances, while none of the sons and daughters of the Twelve had been permitted to enter.
There were also many persons lounging about, who had no particular duty to attend to, but who thought they had a right to be present, because they had once passed through the Vail. There was also a number of men taking their stations at the vail without permission of the President; considering it their right to receive through the vail any female whom they might introduce into the washing and anointing room, while it is evidently the sole prerogative of the President to officiate at that place or any one that he may authorize to do so. Inasmuch as while there, the person stands in the place of the great Eloheim.
At a quarter past 3
P.M. President Young and George Miller confirmed by the laying on of hands Robert B. Barnes and Norman Barnes who had been baptized this day.
At about 6 o clock in the evening, the Twelve, the High Council, the High Priests, and the Presidents of Seventies met for prayer, each quorum in its own room.
At about half past 6 Sheriff Backenstos came to the Temple, was admitted to the office, Room No. 3, by the back Stairs, had a conference with President Young, H. C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, P. P. Pratt, John Taylor, Amasa Lyman, and George A. Smith. He gave an account of the occurrences at Carthage, when William Miller arrived there, said the United States Deputy Marshall was in town with writs for the Twelve and President Geo. Miller. He remained about half an hour and retired.
President Young and H. C. Kimball left the Temple at 8 o clock and did not return again during the night. Sisters Snow and Thompson have been sewing and Sisters Barns, Margaret Moon and Sophronia M. Harmon
have been washing garments in the evening.
[George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
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