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PATRIARCHS AND PATRIARCHAL BLESSINGS, 1930.
1930: May: Patriarchs and Patriarchal Blessings.
“The first patriarch of this dispensation was baptized the day the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, April 6, 1830. He was the first to hear and receive the message of his son Joseph, the Prophet of the Living God. He was ordained Patriarch on December 18, 1833. The following is part of a blessing he gave to his eldest son, Hyrum, on December 9, 1843, at Kirtland, Ohio.
I now ask my Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ, to bless thee with the same blessing with which Jacob blessed his son Joseph, for thou art his true descendant, and thy posterity shall be numbered with the house of Ephraim, and with them thou shalt stand up to crown the tribes of Israel, when they come shouting to Zion. * * * The Lord will multiply thy seed after thee, and thou with them shalt have an inheritance in Zion, and they shall possess it from generation to generation, and thy name shall never be blotted out from among the just, for the righteous shall rise up, and also thy children after thee, and say thy memory is just, that thou wert a just man and perfect in thy day.
The partriarchal order of today belongs to the oldest son through preparation and faithfulness, and has been handed down in the following manner: from Joseph Smith, senior, to his eldest son Hyrum. When Hyrum was martyred his oldest son, John, was only eleven years old. Therefore, his brother William was called to succeed him. William was followed by two uncles, Asahel and John, respectively. Then came Hyrum’s oldest son John, the lineal heir, to the office at the age of twenty-three, who served for fifty-six years, the record for time of service of any officer in the Church. He was succeeded by his grandson, the present incumbent.
In addition to Presiding Patriarchs, all of whom have been Smiths,–true descendants of Joseph, through the lineage of Ephraim–there have been a standing number of about two hundred ordained, active men, chosen from among the most faithful High Priests of the Church, even as Abraham of old was chosen, because of his great faithfulness. These men are called to labor in the stakes of Zion to bless and comfort the Saints and their families at home.
In olden times prophecy ‘came not by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’ (II Peter 1:21).
Patriarchal blessings are given in much the same manner, with this difference, perhaps, that a blessing is an ordinance in the Holy Priesthood, and is administered by the laying on of the hands of an authorized servant of God.
It appears from the meager record we have, that in olden times very little attention was tiven to formality. No dates or formal genealogy were given, but in later generations came the time for more formal and detailed genealogies, including the time and place of the blessing. These formal records of today, contain most valuable information in at least four lines of genealogy for the person to whom the blessing is given, and form a splendid heading to a sacred document known as a patriarchal blessing.
Following the heading comes the body of the blessing, which contains sacred promises, for comfort, or for counsel, or warning; pointing to certain possibilities of blessings, always predicated upon obedience to natural laws and faithfulness. It also should contain the declaration of lineage; that is, the tribe in Israel in which, or through which, the promises of inheritance shall come, even as assignments of the inheritances to ancient Israel.
The closing is the sacred sealing of the Holy Priesthood–the blessings pronounced with all it contains as a comfort and a guide through life according to faithfulness, and is sealed forever, upon conditions of faithfulness to the laws of God.
Patriarchal blessings have been and are a great source of great comfort and solace to those who have faith in them. Thousands of Church members have been kept alive in their devotion to the Church through inspired promises and encouraging counsel and advice given in a patriarchal blessing.
It is the right and privilege of every member of the Church to obtain a patriarchal blessing. Many members have received more than one blessing, but I am a convert of the ‘one faith, one Lord, and one baptism’ idea. These blessings are eternal in their nature and character.” (Hyrum G. Smith, Presiding Patriarch, IE 33(7):465-466, May, 1930)
1934: 30 Oct.: Recommends needed for patriarchal blessings/ Sealing after civil marriages.
“President James Robert Price and Counselors
Maricopa Stake
914 Title and Trust Building
Phoenix, Arizona
Dear Brethren:
In order to safeguard the patriarchs throughout the Church from imposition on the part of unworthy people, it has been decided that in the future people desiring patriarchal blessings, whether from patriarchs in the Stake or the Patriarch of the Church, should secure from their Bishops and present to the patriarch a certificate of recommendation vouching for their worthiness as members of the Church.
Recommend forms for this purpose will be forwarded to you in the near future by the Presiding Bishopric of the Church.
After careful consideration, the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve have decided to grant permission to those couples who have been married by civil law to have their marriage solemnized in the Temple at such time as the local authorities feel assured of their personal purity and worthiness and of the genuineness of their desire for the blessings of the House of the Lord.
Any such couple who have associated together illicitly should not be recommended to the Temple until they have satisfied their Bishop that they have thoroughly arepented.
It is our desire, however, and we urge that you continue to emphasize to your people, as heretofore, the desirability of Temple marriage.
Please convey the foregoing information to the Bishops of wards in your Stake.
Sincerely your brethren,
H. J. Grant
David O. McKay”
(30 Oct., 1934, First Presidency Circular Letters, LDS Archives, CR 1/1)
1935: 13 Sep.: Patriarchal blessings in missions.
Members of the Church coming to the Stakes from Missions where there are no patriarchs may bring a recommend signed by their Branch President and Mission President and receive a patriarchal blessing from a Stake Patriarch. (First Presidency Letter, 13 Sep., 1935. In Clark, Messages of the First Presidency 6:6. Clark’s resume of letter.)
1937: 15 Apr.: Acting Patriarch named.
“On April 15, 1937, George F. Richards of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, was appointed by the First Presidency as acting Patriarch of the Church and supervisor of all Temples.” (IE 40(5):306, May, 1937)
1940: Sep.: Qualifications for patriarchal blessing recommend.
“For a member of a ward to obtain a patriarchal blessing from a stake patriarch, he must have a recommend signed by his bishop certifying to his worthiness.
The same qualifications necessary to receive a recommend to the Temple are required to receive a recommend for a patriarchal blessing.” (Handbook of Instructions for Stake Presidencies, Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks and Other Church Officers, No. 16, 1940, p. 128)
1942: Not a Prophet, Seer and Revelator.
“The Patriarch to the Church was first sustained as a ‘prophet, seer, and revelator’ in October 1902. But George F. Richards believe that the phrase applied only to Hyrum Smith who had been designated by revelation as ‘a prophet and a seer and a revelator unto my Church, as well as my servant Joseph.’ (D&C 124:94) Elder Richards wrote: ‘I am inclined to the belief that the office of prophet, seer and revelator does not go with the office of the patriarch except in the case of Hyrum Smith. Otherwise would not all the [stake] patriarchs of the Church be prophets, seers and revelators?’ He concluded: ‘This I do not regard to be the case.'” (Mouritsen Diss., pp. 238-239; also George F. Richards to John A. Widtsoe, 12 Aug., 1942. Richards Papers, LDS Archives.)
1943: 20 Feb.: Patriarch not to ordain patriarchs.
“I attended a special meeting of the First Presidency, the Patriarchs to the Church at 9:00 A.M. in the office of the Presidency. All of the Presidency were present also six of the apostles. . . . I asked the question: When a member of the Twelve and the Patriarch go out together to attend a stake conference, and there is a patriarch to be interviewed, ordained and instructed who should take the lead? President Grant said he did not know that Patriarch John Smith had ever ordained a Patriarch. President Clark said if the Patriarch had ordained a Patriarch, he had exceeded his authority. I asked if the Council should take action to go on record. President Clark said, why should we when the Lord had said specifically, D&C 107:39 . . . ‘It is the duty of the Twelve to ordain evangelical (Patriarchs) ministers, as they shall be designated unto them by revelation.'” (George F. Richards diary, 20 Feb., 1943)
25 May: Suggestions for Stake Patriarchs.
“To the end that there may be a clearer and more uniform understanding of the duties and prerogatives of stake patriarchs, we bring to your attention the following considerations:
1. Nature of the Patriarchal Office and Blessings:–
The patriarchal office is one of blessing, not of administration. Patriarchal blessings are the only blessings that patriarchs are specifically ordained and sustained to give. Patriarchal blessings contemplate inspired declaration of the lineage of the recipient, and also, where so moved upon by the Spirit, an inspired and prophetic statement of the life mission of the recipient, together with such blessings, cautions, and admonitions as the patriarch may be prompted to give for the accomplishment of such life’s mission, it always being made clear that the realization of all promised blessings is conditioned upon faithfulness to the Gospel of our Lord, whose servant the patriarch is.
All such blessings are recorded and generally only one such blessing should be adequate for each person’s life. The sacred nature of the patriarchal blessing must of necessity urge all patriarchs to most earnest solicitation of divine guidance for their prophetic utterances and superior wisdom for cautions and admonitions.
2. Relation to Administrative Officers:–
While under the revelations patriarchs are selected and ordained by members of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, they act in the stakes of Zion under the direct supervision of the presidency of the stake whose privilege and duty it is to supervise their work and to make adequate provision for it to be carried forward in an orderly way. The patriarch is not a counselor to the people of the stake and the ward as are the presidency of the stake and the bishoprics. It is the duty of the patriarchs ever to sustain these administrative officers in the policies adopted and the counsels given to the people; and if patriarchs are solicited for counsel and advice relating to the conduct of members of the Church and decisions to be made in both temporal and spiritual matters, they should refer such persons to the administrative officers whose right it is to give attention to such matters. Patriarchs, as well as all others who hold the proper priesthood, mayy, when requested so to do, give blessings for the healing of the sick, but such blessings for the sick or for the comfort of individuals are of no higher order than, nor are they to be distinguished from, similar blessings given by others who hold the proper priesthood.
3. Recording Blessings:–
All patriarchal blessings, as hereinbefore defined, should be recorded and one copy of the recorded blessing should be given to the recipient, and one copy should be preserved for the record book. No charge is to be made nor gratuity accepted for the giving or recording of such a patriarchal blessing.
The stake patriarch should arrange for adequate stenographic service to record blessings. If stenographers are available who will furnish the service gratuitously, their services should be accepted as a worthy Church contribution. If, however, such gratuitous service is not available the patriarch may arrange for a stenographer to record blessings and for this service a stenographer so employed may submit to the First Presidency of the Church statements of charges, not to exceed $1.00 for each blessing recorded. If and when such service is continuous, monthly bills should be presented.
4. Record Books and Materials:–
The office of the Church Historian is the depository for the records of patriarchal blessings and stake patriarchs will receive from the Historian’s Office such record books and other materials as may be essential for their use. When record books are ready for filing, they should be safely forwarded to the Historian’s Office.
5. Relationship of Patriarch to the Church:–
Patriarchs in the stakes of Zion may solicit counsel as to their duties from the Patriarch to the Church whose office is at the Church headquarters in Salt Lake City and from him they may receive counsel from time to time as conditions may require. [Note that this paragraph was deleted entirely from the letter of 10 Jul., 1947]
6. Removal of Stake Patriarch to Another Stake:–
In the event a duly ordained stake patriarch moves out of the stake in which he has been sustained into another stake, the president of the stake into which he moves, when advised of the establishment of the patriarch’s membership in one of the wards of his stake, should immediately notify the First Presidency of the Church so that consideration may be given by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve to the installation of the patriarch in the stake to which he has moved. No stake patriarch may give blessings in any stake in which he has not been sustained by the people under the direction of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve.
7. Eligibility for Patriarchal Blessings:–
Stake patriarchs may give patriarchal blessings to those only who reside within their respective stakes, and only upon the presentation by the applicant of a recommend duly signed and approved by the bishop of the ward, except under the following conditions:
A. Stake patriarchs may give patriarchal blessings to members of organized missions upon the presentation by the applicant of a recommend duly signed and approved by the branch president and mission president. In such cases the applicant is to come into the stake for the blessing; the patriarch is not to go into the mission for that purpose.
B. Stake patriarchs are permitted to bless their blood relations wherever they may reside, provided, however, that such relations shall be duly recommended by the bishops of wards and presidents of stakes in which such relations reside.
C. In stakes where patriarchs have died or have become incapacitated or are absent from the stake so that patriarchal blessings from the stake patriarch are not available to members of the stake, in such circumstances and until such time as the services of a patriarch in such stakes may be made available to the members by a new appointment or the return of a patriarch on leave, members of such stakes may, upon proper recommendation of their bishop and the president of their stake, receive patriarchal blessings from a stake Patriarch in an adjacent stake to whom they shall have been recommended. In such cases the applicant is to go into the patriarch’s stake for the blessing; the patriarch is not to leave his own stake and go into another stake for such purpose.” (First Presidency Circular Letter, 25 May, 1943. In Clark, Messages of the First Presidency 6:194-196)
25 May: Special instructions for servicemen.
“During the existence of the war, men in the Service who have received recommendations for patriarchal blessings, signed by their bishops and presidents of stakes, and who are unable to secure the opportunity to return to the stakes in which they live to receive such blessings from the stake patriarch, should present their recommends to the president of the stake in which they are spending their furlough, who, having satisfied himself of their present worthiness, should endorse the recommends: whereupon, the bearer thereof may receive his blessing from the patriarch in the stake in which he happens to spend his brief furlough. Patriarchs giving blessings under these conditions should to so in the spirit of utmost humility and after a diligent prayer to the Lord that He will guide and direct them in what they shall say.” (First Presidency Circular Letter, 25 May, 1943. In Clark, Messages of the First Presidency 6:197)
1944: 7 Oct.: No need for more than one blessing.
“There are some who would like to have more than one patriarchal blessing. In the early days of the Church many people received many patriarchal blessings, or at least blessings by patriarchs. The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve have advised that one person receive on patriarchal blessing. Now, that is not one of the laws of the Medes and Persians. There are and have been a few cases that have come to my attention where persons have received patriarchal blessings when they were very young, and where they have felt that the blessings have been mostly fulfilled, and they would like another patriarchal blessing.
The advice of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve is to the effect that under normal circumstances one person should receive one patriarchal blessing. I think that wherever there is to be an exception, the recommendation for that exception should be made very, very carefully, and bishops and stake presidents should exercise care in that regard. If the bishop and the stake president concerned, after careful and very thorough consideration, feel that conditions warrant it, they may issue a signed recommendation to their patriarch to give an additional patriarchal blessing to the person recommended. In such rare cases, where the lineage has alredy been declared, there is no need, of course, for repetition.” (Joseph F. Smith, Patriarch to the Church, General Conference, Priesthood Session, 7 Oct., 1944; IE 47(11):719, Nov., 1944; CR Oct., 1944, p. 112)
Stake Patriarchs–Duties and Prerogatives.
“Nature of the Patriarchal Office and Blessings: The patriarchal office is one of blessing, not of administration. Patriarchal blessings are the only blessings that patriarchs are specifically ordained and sustained to give. Patriarchal blessings contemplate an inspired declaration of the lineage of the recipient, and also, where moved upon by the spirit, and inspired and prophetic statement of the life’s mission of the recipient, together with such blessings, cautions, and admonitions as the patriarch may be prompted to give for the accomplishment of such life’s mission, it being always made clear that the realization of all promised blessings is conditions upon faithfulness to the gospel of our Lord, whose servant the patriarch is.
All such blessings are recorded and generally only one such blessing should be adequate for each person’s life. The sacred nature of the patriarchal blessing must of necessity urge all patriarchas to most earnest solicitation of divine guidance for their prophetic utterances and superior wisdom for cautions and admonitions.
Relation to Administrative Officers: While under the revelations patriarchs are selected and ordained by members of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, they act in the stakes of Zion under the direct supervision of the presidency of the stake whose privilege and duty it is to supervise their work and to make adequate provision for it to be carried forward in an orderly way. The patriarch is not a counselor to the people of the stake and the ward as are the presidency of the stake and the bishoprics. It is the duty of the patriarchs ever to sustain these administrative officers in the policies adopted and the counsels given to the people; and if the patriarchs are solicited for counsel and advice relating to the conduct of members of the Church and decisions to be made in both temporal and spiritual matters, they should refer such persons to the administrative officers whose right it is to give attention to such matters. Patriarchs, as all others who hold the proper priesthood, may, when requested so to do, give blessings for the healing of the sick, but such blessings for the sick or for the comfort of individuals are of no higher order than, nor are they to be distinguished from, similar blessings given by others who hold the proper priesthood.
Recording Blessings: All patriarchal blessings, as hereinbefore defined, should be recorded and one copy of the recorded blessing should be given to the recipient, and one copy should be preserved for the record book. No charge is to be made nor gratuity accepted for the giving or recording of a patriarchal blessing.
The stake patriarch should arrange for adequate stenographic service to record blessings. If stenographers are available who will furnish the service gratuitously, their services should be accepted as a worthy Church contribution. If, however, such gratuitous service is not available, the patriarch may arrange for a stenographer to record blessings and for this service a setnographer so employed may submit to the First Presidency of the Church statements of charges, not to exceed $1.00 for each blessing recorded. If and when such service is continuous monthly bills should be presented.
. . . .
Relationship of Patriarch to the Church: Patriarchs in the stakes of Zion may solicit counsel as to their duties from the Patriarch to the Church whose office is at the Church headquarters in Salt Lake City and from him they may receive counsel from time to time as conditions may require.
Removal of Stake Patriarch to Another Stake: In the event a duly ordained stake patriarch moves out of the stake in which he has been sustained into another stake, the president of the stake into which he moves, when advised of the establishment of the patriarch’s membership in one of the wards of the stake, should immediately notify the First Presidency of the Church so that consideration may be given by the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve to the installation of the patriarch in the stake to which he has moved. No stake patriarch may give blessings in any stake in which he has not been sustained by the people under the direction of the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve.
Eligibility for Patriarchal Blessings: Stake patriarchs may give patriarchal blessings to those only who reside within their respective stakes, and only upon presentation by the applicant of a recommend duly signed and approved by the bishop of the ward, except under the following conditions:
A. Stake patriarchs may give patriarchal blessings to members of organized missions upon the presentation by the applicant of a recommend duly signed and approved by the branch president and the mission president. In such cases the applicant is to come into the stake for the blessing; the patriarch is not to go into the mission for that purpose.
B. Stake patriarchs are permitted to bless their blood relations wherever they may reside, provided, however, that such relations shall be duly recommended by the bishops of wards and presidents of stakes in which such relations reside.
C. In stakes where patriarchs have died or have become incapacitated or are absent from the stake so that patriarchal blessings from the stake patriarch are not available to members of the stake, in such circumstances and until such time as the services of a patriarch in such stakes may be made available to the members by a new appointment or the return of a patriarch on leave, members of such stakes may, upon proper recommendation of their bishop and the president of their stake, receive patriarchal blessings from a stake patriarch in an adjacent stake to whom they shall have been recommended. In such cases the applicant is to go into the patriarch’s stake for the blessing; the patriarch is not to leave his own stake and go into another stake for such purpose.
Special Instructions: During the existence of the war, men in the Service who have received recommendations for patriarchal blessings, signed by their bishops and stake presidents, and who are unable to obtain the opportunity to return to the stake in which they live to receive such blessings from the stake patriarch, shouild present their recommends to the president of the stake in which they are spending their furlough, who, having satisfied himself of their present worthiness, should endorse the recommends; whereupon, the bearer thereof may receive his blessing from the patriarch in the stake in which he happens to spend his brief furlough. Patriarchs giving blessings under these conditions should do so in the spirit of utmost humility and after diligent prayer to the Lord that He will guide and direct them in what they shall say.
Whenever a new stake patriarch is ordained and sustained, the stake presidency should review these instructions carefully with him so that he may be fully informed of his duties and prerogatives and proceed in harmony therewith. Certificates of ordination for patriarchs will be furnished by The First Presidency.” (Handbook of Instructions for Stake Presidents and Counselors, Bishops and Counselors, Stake and Ward Clerks and Other Church Officers, No. 17, 1944–1949 Reprint, pp. 14-17)