A meeting of the Executive Committee of the American Temperance Society designates Tuesday, February 26, 1833 (the day before the Word of Wisdom was received) as a national temperance day set aside for simultaneous meetings "in all the cities, towns and villages throughout the United States" hoping that "persons of all denominations, sects, and parties, can cordially unite."
A severe cholera epidemic swept the nation in 1832-33. Sometimes referred to as 'the destroying angel' it was thought that drinking greatly increased ones chances of death by cholera. The Executive Committee felt that through temperance, cholera, "that scourge of the nations ... would be nearly, if not altogether unknown" and "ever-growing light, purity, and joy, under the means of divine appointment, with all who obey the divine will, would universally prevail."
[Source: Grunder, Rick, Mormon Parallels: A Bibliographic Source]
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