Joseph Smith and Alcohol
87 Primary Sources
Date | Summary | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
May 31, 1827 - | Account book showing Joseph Smith, Sr. and Jr. purchased cider. | Lemuel Durfee Non-LDS | Holograph Direct | |
Jun 1829 | Revelation says to use wine for sacrament. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Apr 1830 | Sacrament prayer second copy describes blessing wine. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Aug 1830 | Joseph receives a revelation on sacrament: wine "made new among" Saints to be used. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Aug 1, 1831 | Revelation saying wine will be drunk in the last days when Christ returns. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Sep 1831 - | Jesus drinks wine with his disciples in Joseph Smith Translation. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Nov 1831 - | JST John 2 records Jesus turning water into wine. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Nov 1831 - | Joseph Smith Translation of Mark 14; Jesus drinks wine. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Feb 27, 1833 | Joseph Smith receives the revelation often called the "Word of Wisdom." | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Feb 27, 1833 | Word of Wisdom revelation makes a distinctive line break between the first three verses of modern Section 89 and the rest of the text. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct | |
Feb 27, 1833 | Revelation of the Word of Wisdom; no distinction between first three verses and the rest of the text. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct | |
Nov 3, 1833 | Barton Stafford accusation reprinted in E. D. Howe book that Joseph got drunk. | Barton Stafford Critic Non-LDS | Direct Reprint | |
Dec 5, 1833 | David Stafford accuses Joseph Smith, Sr. and Joseph Jr. both of getting drunk. | David Stafford Critic Non-LDS | Direct Reprint | |
Feb 4, 1834 | Joseph says members need to follow the WoW. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Paraphrase | |
Feb 12, 1834 | Martin Harris alleges that Joseph became drunk. | Martin Harris LDS | Scribed Paraphrase | |
Dec 9, 1834 | Joseph Smith Sr. blesses Hyrum Smith; mentions being out of the way "through wine." | Joseph Smith, Sr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim Direct Reprint | |
Dec 9, 1834 | Joseph Smith, Sr. blesses Joseph Smith, Jr., possibly alludes to alcohol problem. | Joseph Smith, Sr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim Direct | |
1835 | The 1835 Doctrine & Covenants italicizes the first three verses of modern Section 89 and uses them as an introduction. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct | |
1835 | Robert Macnish argues for temperance, condemns drunkenness as a "vice." | Robert Macnish Non-LDS | Direct | |
Aug 19, 1835 | High council holds disciplinary council for Almon Babbitt for not keeping WoW based on Joseph's example. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Paraphrase | |
Jan 14, 1836 | Joseph and church members drink wine for refreshment. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Jan 20, 1836 | Joseph and elders Orson Hyde, Luke Johnson, and Warren Parrish drink wine. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Jan 24, 1836 | Joseph reports that wine was used in sacrament meeting. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Feb 7, 1836 | Church meeting with Joseph and Sidney Rigdon; wine is served in sacrament. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Paraphrase | |
Mar 29, 1836 | Joseph reported that sacrament was served with bread and wine in Kirtland Temple. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Paraphrase | |
Mar 30, 1836 | Bread and wine used in Kirtland temple. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Nov 7, 1837 | Vote by church members not to buy liquor, tea, coffee, tobacco. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Summary | |
Apr 13, 1838 | Charge against Lyman E. Johnson for drinking whiskey. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Apr 17, 1840 | Brigham reports Twelve used wine in sacrament. | Brigham Young LDS | Scribed Verbatim Reprint | |
Jan 1841 | The 1841 Millennial Star italicizes the first three verses of modern Section 89 and uses them as an introduction. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct | |
1841 | William Harris reports that Joseph and other brethren got drunk. | William Harris Critic Non-LDS | 2nd Hand | |
Feb 15, 1841 | Nauvoo temperance ordinance "in Relation to Temperance." | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Apr 25, 1841 | Julius A. Reed records Joseph saying that he is tempted by "whiskey," but that God calls it "sinful." | Julius A. Reed Non-LDS | Scribed Paraphrase 2nd Hand | |
Nov 7, 1841 | Joseph teaches that Noah drank wine. | Wilford Woodruff LDS | Scribed Verbatim Reprint | |
Jan 1, 1842 | John C. Bennett accuses Joseph of being drunk. | John C. Bennett Excommunicated Critic | 2nd Hand | |
Jan 1, 1842 | Henry Caswall claims Joseph frequently got drunk. | Henry Caswall Critic Non-LDS | Unsourced | |
Mar 30, 1842 | William Clayton denies that Joseph ever got drunk in letter to William Hardman. | William Clayton LDS | Direct Reprint | |
Dec 1842 | Joseph gives history of his leg operation; no mention of refusing alcohol. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim Direct | |
Jan 20, 1843 | Joseph prophesies that he will drink wine with Orson Hyde. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Summary | |
Mar 10, 1843 | Joseph tells Theodore Turley that he does not object to building a brewery. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Mar 11, 1843 | Joseph drinks tea. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct | |
Apr 16, 1843 | Joseph uses wine in a positive metaphor. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Paraphrase | |
May 3, 1843 | Joseph drinks wine with Jenetta Richards. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct | |
May 3, 1843 | Joseph drinks wine with Willard Richards. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Summary | |
Jun 27, 1843 | Joseph informed brethren violated WoW; gives money to buy alcoholic drink. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Aug 12, 1843 | Joseph inspects shops selling beer. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Dec 13, 1843 | Nauvoo City ordinance allowing Joseph to sell alcohol. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Jun 1, 1844 | Joseph drinks beer. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Jun 27, 1844 | Joseph drinks wine in Carthage Jail. | Willard Richards LDS | Scribed Summary | |
Jun 27, 1844 | John Taylor recounts drinking wine with Dan Jones at Carthage. | John Taylor LDS | Holograph Direct | |
Jan 1, 1845 | Lucy Mack Smith records in her History that Joseph refused alcohol before his leg surgery. | Lucy Mack Smith LDS | Scribed Verbatim Direct | |
Dec 28, 1850 | The 1850 Deseret News uses the first three verses of modern Section 89 as an introduction. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct | |
Oct 13, 1851 | Unknown counselor describes Word of Wisdom as an intended "Test of fellowship"; says caption was "not by [Joseph Smith's] Consent." | Unknown LDS | Scribed Paraphrase Unsourced | |
Feb 1, 1852 | Brigham preaches obedience to WoW. | Brigham Young LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Jun 27, 1854 | Taylor remembers wine being sent for in Carthage Jail. | John Taylor LDS | Scribed Verbatim Reprint | |
Nov 9, 1861 | The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star reprints Joseph drinking beer. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct Reprint | |
Aug 17, 1867 | Brigham urges Saints to obey WoW. | Brigham Young LDS | Scribed Verbatim Direct | |
1875 | William Smith denies that Joseph and Joseph Smith Sr. got drunk. | William Smith Disaffected | Holograph Late | |
1878 - | Joseph commanded by angel to use water not wine for sacrament. | Oliver B. Huntington LDS | 3rd Hand Late | |
Aug 1880 | Frederic G. Mather's account that Joseph Smith would get quarrelsome when drunk. | Lorenzo Saunders Critic Non-LDS | 3rd Hand Late | |
Mar 6, 1881 | Orlando Saunders remembers Smith family drinking alcohol in letter to William Kelley. | Orlando Saunders Non-LDS | Scribed Summary Late | |
Jun 1, 1881 | John Stafford remembers Joseph Smith Sr. and Joseph Jr. drinking alcohol. | John Stafford Non-LDS | Scribed Verbatim Late | |
Jun 1, 1881 | Hiram Jackway remembers Joseph Smith, Sr. and Jr. drinking and wrestling. | Hiram Jackway Non-LDS | Scribed Verbatim Late | |
Oct 6, 1883 | Wilford Woodruff preaches observance of WoW. | Wilford Woodruff LDS | Scribed Verbatim | |
Oct 15, 1883 | George Q. Cannon talks about WoW "revivals." | George Q. Cannon LDS | Direct | |
Sep 1884 | Benjamin Saunders says Joseph never got drunk. | Benjamin Saunders Non-LDS | Scribed Verbatim Reprint Late | |
Jan 1, 1887 | Alexander McRae remembers drinking with Joseph in Liberty Jail. | Alexander McRae LDS | Direct Reprint Late | |
Sep 22, 1889 | Winchester recalls Joseph Smith getting drunk at the Kirtland temple dedication. | Benjamin Winchester Excommunicated Critic | Late Journalism | |
Oct 1, 1895 | Abraham H. Cannon mentions Joseph smoking cigar. | Abraham H. Cannon LDS | Direct Reprint Late | |
Nov 27, 1900 | Benjamin Winchester recalls seeing Smith drunk (1900). | Benjamin Winchester Excommunicated Critic | Reprint Late | |
Jan 9, 1901 | Anthon H. Lund records George Teasdale saying pork is worse than tea and coffee. | Anthon H. Lund LDS | Scribed Paraphrase Reprint | |
Apr 1903 - | Benjamin F. Johnson describes Joseph enjoying wine. | Benjamin F. Johnson LDS | Holograph Late | |
1904 | HoC mentions Joseph drinking of "the fruit of the vine." | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct Reprint | |
1909 | HoC includes Joseph drinking wine with Jenetta Richards. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct Reprint | |
Jan 10, 1910 | Anthon H. Lund records his drinking of coffee (1910). | Anthon H. Lund LDS | Direct Reprint | |
Jul 11, 1911 | John Henry Smith and Brigham Young, Jr. approve of Danish beer. | Anthon H. Lund LDS | Scribed Paraphrase Reprint | |
1912 | HoC omits Joseph drinking beer. | Joseph Smith, Jr. LDS | Direct Reprint | |
Oct 8, 1919 | First Presidency Letter to Mission Presidents; WoW necessary for temple recommends. | Heber J. Grant LDS | Direct Reprint | |
1928 | Church's 1928 Handbook of Instructions on temple recommends; keeping the WoW not listed as a requirement. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints LDS | Direct | |
1932 | HoC mentions wine drinking at Carthage. | John Taylor LDS | Direct Reprint | |
1934 | Church's 1934 Handbook of Instructions on temple recommends; keeping the WoW as a requirement introduced. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints LDS | Direct | |
Jan 22, 1935 | Mary Audentia Smith Anderson summarizes how Joseph Smith III remembers a bar in the Nauvoo Mansion. | Joseph Smith III Non-LDS | Direct Reprint Late Journalism | |
1981 | TGA gives historical overview of WoW at beginning of 20th century. | Thomas G. Alexander LDS | Secondary | |
1991 | W. J. Rorabaugh summarizes alcohol consumption between 1770–1830, showing how it rose over time. | W. J. Rorabaugh Non-LDS | Secondary | |
2009 | Gordon Wood provides overview of alcohol consumption in America between 1790–1820. | Gordon Wood Non-LDS | Secondary | |
2012 | Thomas G. Alexander gives historical overview of WoW during the 19th century. | N/A LDS | Secondary | |
2012 | Paul Y. Hoskisson concludes that the Word of Wisdom was originally intended to be strictly enforced. | Paul Y. Hoskisson LDS | Secondary |