Comments on: More on Deaconly Uniformity

By: Steve C.

Steve C. — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 17:21:36 +0000

Well put, queuno.

By: queuno

queuno — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:50:41 +0000

I have a dream that one day, a man will be judged by the content of his character, and not the color of his shirt.

By: Jonovitch

Jonovitch — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:56:43 +0000

Raymond (18), my understanding (I think I read it in the CHI, maybe) is that Scout uniforms are not appropriate for passing the sacrament on Scout Sunday in February. Priesthood trumps Scout-hood, etc.

One ardent Scouter in our ward bemoans much of the “LDS version of Scouting” and he valiantly wears his BSA lapel pin every February.

Also, my father-in-law is a bishop (again) in Germany, with a beard (again). The bishop before him had one fat moustache.

In my current ward, many of our African members and visitors show up in their beautiful native garb, colorful and flowing. Kind of makes me feel dull in my standard white and black shirt and suit.

Jon

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:12:32 +0000

Oh, yeah! I heard Grandma describe it so often — the pond, the elders, the dress, the hymn — that I have a strong mental image. Eighty years later she remembered it, and I’m not sure but what she would still have said it was the most important day of her life.

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:56:03 +0000

Wouldn’t it have been great to have a picture of that baptism, Ardis?!

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:55:31 +0000

John, I think that is almost certainly the case. I have read that individuals wore white for at least some ordinances as early as 1877 after the dedication at St. George. Not sure about the Endowment house, though I would guess not (though I could be grossly mistaken).

By: John Mansfield

John Mansfield — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:48:33 +0000

Now that I’m wondering about white clothing, I also wonder when it was adopted for service in the temples. This is just guessing, but I suspect white clothing for baptism came after it was adopted for temple work.

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:44:04 +0000

I know that my grandmother, baptized in Alabama in 1906, wore her best red-and-white checked dress — an example of J.’s “whatever” wardrobe. Thanks for this, J.

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:19:26 +0000

That is a great question John, one which I looked up quickly a couple months ago. I didn't do an in-depth search, but didn't find too much. In the nineteenth century, it was of course common to be baptized in whatever. Not so much in recent memory. I checked the pre-1960 Priesthood handbooks and missionary materials and found nothing about the dress of baptismal candidates, except The Missionary's Hand Book, which I have written on at BCC:

In preparing for baptism care should be taken to see that the room and font are clean. The candidate, clean in body, should be robed in white if possible, including socks or stockings. The one performing the ceremony should be clothed also in white. It is improper for those who are appointed to perform baptisms to use waders or hip boots to avoid wetting the clothing or to keep water from coming in contact with the body. If there are a number to be baptized and the water is cold, several may b appointed to officiate so that none will be unnecessarily chilled. (pg. 137)

Also: "The wearing of bathing caps by women who are baptized should not be permitted." (pg. 138) I don't live close to a Research library with access to General Handbooks during this time, so wasn't able to check there.

By: John Mansfield

John Mansfield — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:40:15 +0000

Can anyone point to the history of dressing in white for baptisms?