[Anthony Ivins to Temple President Joseph Cardon and Counselors]
Dear Brethren:
The following paragraph is part of a letter dated December 15th, 1922, from the First Presidency to Presidents of Temples:
"We feel constrained to call your attention to the custom prevailing to some extent in our temples of baptizing for health, and to remind you that baptism for health is no part of our temple work, and therefore to permit it to become a practice would be an innovation detrimental to temple work, and a departure as well from the provision instituted of the Lord for the care and healing of the sick of His Church. And in this connection we desire to say that the practice of Church members going to temples to be administered to is a departure from the way instituted of the Lord, and we are desirous that these things should be corrected and receive attention of the proper authorities in the branches, Wards and Stakes of the Church where they belong, and it will be for you to so inform your temple workers and those who may come to you from time to time for baptism for health and to be administered to."
The Presidency would thank you to convey the information contained in the foregoing paragraph to your Bishops with the request that they issue no more recommends for baptisms for health or administrations to the sick.
Your brother, ANTHONY W. IVINS, In behalf of First Presidency.
[On October 3, 1914, the First Presidency had written:
"It must always be borne in mind that this administering to the sick by the sisters is in no sense a temple ordinance, and no one is allowed to use the words learned in the temple in washing and anointing the sick."]
[Source: 1923-January 18-Original circular letter. Church Historian's, in Clark, James R., Messages of the First Presidency (6 volumes)]
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