Wilford Woodruff's Witness: The Development of Temple Doctrine

Many existing books discuss specific temple ordinances, but the historical development of all temple ordinances has never been included in a single volume--until now. Jennifer Mackley's meticulously researched narrative elucidates the doctrine's sixty-year progression from Old Testament practices of washing and anointing in the 1830s, to the endowment, marriage sealings, rebaptisms, proxy baptisms, and priesthood adoptions in the 1840s, through all of the vicarious ordinances for the dead in the 1870s, and the sealing of multi-generational families in the 1890s. Find out why Wilford Woodruff believed that if revelation had ceased with the death of Joseph Smith in 1844 and the temple ordinances had remained as Joseph introduced them, the mission of Elijah would have failed. Through Wilford's own words --as preserved in his letters, discourses, and journals--learn what led him to seek additional revelation, make changes to some ordinances, and suspend or discontinue others. Discover what Wilford announced in 1894 that rewrote the nature of temple work. Why he, not Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, or John Taylor, was finally able to determine how to "do exactly what God said" in regard to the temple ordinances. The narrative is enhanced by 120 archival images (some previously unpublished), as well as extensive footnotes and citations to promote further study of primary sources.
ASIN: 1499613059
VSKU: AOV.1499613059.G
Condition: Good