Comments on: Without Purse or Scrip in Texas: 19 March – 31 March 1900

By: kevinf

kevinf — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 17:10:28 +0000

My grandfather [Heber Nephi Folkman] in the same mission at the same time, does not indicate fasting on other than the first Sunday, at least as far as I can see in a quick glance. But them maybe he liked his breakfast , a genetic trait that I inherited, I guess.

By: Edje Jeter

Edje Jeter — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:30:00 +0000

A quick search in the James Duffin diary (same mission, same time, working a little to the North; will be called as Mission President later that year) yields a “day appointed for the general fast for the mission” on 1900 Feb 10 Sun (not a first Sunday) as well as “the regular fast day of the Church” (1900 Jan 07 Sun; a first Sunday).

I haven’t analyzed the diary specifically for fasting; maybe a different pattern falls out on closer examination.

By: Edje Jeter

Edje Jeter — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 05:17:34 +0000

Elder J Brooks (same mission, same time, just to the south) also fasted Sundays.

From my annotations of his diary: “Elder Brooks observed the Sabbath by avoiding travel, studying the gospel, and fellowshipping. He also fasted every Sunday, usually just for breakfast, in observance of the monthly “general fast” and a weekly mission fast, except when he was sick, traveling, or at conference. Some Sundays the notation is simply “2 m.” Others he says, “Didn’t eat any breakfast,” but most often he records it specifically: “We fasted this morning, being Sunday morning.”

“He records two special fasts: 30-31 May and 27 July 1900. In the first case it seems they were preparing for a priesthood blessing: “A man came in and asked us to come and administer to his daughter. We told him we would come the next day. We fasted the rest of the day.” The second case has, as is typical of a mission, no shortage of possible stimuli: at least one of them had been sick during most of the past month; Elder Decker was depressed; the rain was making it “so wet we could do nothing. Couldn’t get any people out to preach to;” and the Coles “seemed to be thoroughly converted but they didn’t have courage enough to be baptized.” Whatever his motivations were that Friday, he fasted again that Sunday.

“The mission fast I deduce from Elder Brooks’ journal: “Being Sunday and fast day for _us_, we observed it,” “Being Sunday, it was _our_ duty to fast…” (11, 25 Mar 00, my italics); The 1896 Northern States Mission letter (L. Tom Perry Special Collections, BYU) also suggests a weekly mission fast. When he doesn’t fast he usually explains why: “It was our fast day but we didn’t fast as we expected we would have to travel.” e.g., July 1900; 8 Apr 00; he doesn’t record fasting for about a third of the Sundays.”

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 00:16:01 +0000

Don’t think so. We see over and over that the people who give them lodging offer them breakfast and are surprised that they turn it down. They miss meals from time to time when nobody is willing to feed them, but it seems a deliberate fast when they turn down Sunday breakfast when it’s offered.

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 22:40:45 +0000

The only other time I have seen something like this was in Martineau’s diary. During a period of dramatic poverty, his family fasted weekly because they didn’t have the money for food. Is it possible that the missionaries were in a similar situation?

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:10:14 +0000

I knew you’d see that line, J.!

No, I don’t think I’ve *ever* seen references to weekly fasts in any other record, any place, any period. It really surprises me, too, given how physically demanding this kind of mission had to be. A monthly fast would seem to be an extraordinary devotion under the circumstances, but weekly? Well.

By: J. Stapley

J. Stapley — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 18:30:26 +0000

Ardis, have you seen much evidence for the weekly fast among missionaries or other members?

Also, “took a little oil.” I want to imagine him with a flask in his coat pocket.