Sunday Tidbits-Baptism

1.   Oliver Cowdery was baptized first by Joseph Smith at the time John the Baptist appeared to the two of them on the 15^th of May 1829. It was necessary for Joseph and Oliver to be baptized again the day the Church was organized on April 6, 1830. Of the six men who organized the Church that day, who was the first baptized?

A)                 Joseph Smith Jr.

B)                 Oliver Cowdery

C)                 Hyrum Smith

D)                 Joseph Smith Sr.

2.  After Albert Carrington, George A. Smith, and Lorenzo Snow rededicated the Holy Land on March 3, 1873, the three men were re-baptized in the Jordan River. What did they do after the baptism?

A)                 Partook of the sacrament in the same room that Christ is thought to have taken the sacrament with his apostles

B)                 Like Jesus Christ, enter the wilderness and participate in a two day fast

C)                 Were re-confirmed

D)                 Held a testimony meeting 

Yesterday’s answer:

B)   Canada

The following from the Deseret News:
   The Canadian Parliament in session in Ottawa, amended the criminal law of the Dominion so as to make polygamy punishable with five years’ imprisonment instead of two as heretofore. This was undoubtedly done with a view to reach the Mormons who had settled in Alberta.
April 11, 1890 Deseret News

Additional interesting information:

The following is Wilford Woodruff’s response to allegations that plural marriages were still being performed:
   One case has been reported in which the parties alleged that the marriage was performed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City in the spring of 1889, but I have not been able to learn who performed the ceremony; whatever was done in this matter was without my knowledge. In consequence of this alleged occurrence, the Endowment House was, by my instruction, taken down without delay.
Chronicles of Courage, Daughters of Utah Pioneers, Lesson Committee, comp., (Salt Lake City: Daughters of Utah Pioneers, 1991), 3.

   Various religious denominations sent missionaries to save the lost souls in Utah Territory but met with little success. Among these were Joseph Smith III and other missionaries from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Arnold K. Garr, Donald Q. Cannon, and Richard O. Cowan, Encyclopedia of Latter-day Saint History (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2000), 35.

   During the year of 1878, when women were making such progress in political affairs, the subject of plural marriage was greatly agitated; and active measures were taken by certain parties to arouse public sentiment against its practice. A mass meeting of non-Mormon women was held, and after some speech-making against the Mormons in general, certain resolutions were adopted and a circular sent to Congress against polygamy and speaking in favor of the disfranchisement of the women of Utah.

   Thus the first blow against women’s rights in Utah was struck by women. It has often been remarked that if it were not for women themselves, women might vote. At any rate, the non-Mormon women of Utah have shown little inclination to vote and have been very earnest in their efforts against the rights of Mormon women.

   The anti-polygamy meeting was followed by a mass meeting of the women of Utah in the Salt Lake Theater. There were present at least two thousand women—such a gathering as is seldom seen in any place. There were, perhaps, some fifteen or twenty newspaper reporters present, the only men admitted. There were eight or nine addresses by prominent women, and then resolutions were read and adopted wherein the women declared themselves loyal citizens and claimed the right to defend themselves against the ruthless assaults being made upon their sacred and constitutional rights.

   It was a great and brave defense when two thousand women rose en masse and declared themselves determined to maintain and defend their rights. Mass meetings of women were held all over the Territory endorsing the sentiments expressed and adopting the resolutions presented at the mass meeting. Not only were the women of Utah aroused, but the noble women of the suffrage associations were alike enraged at the crusade which had begun, and they defended the women of Utah in the halls of Congress. . . .

Chronicles of Courage: Daughters of Utah Pioneers (Salt Lake City: Utah Printing Company, 1991), 2:167-168.