[Wilford Woodruff]
This was a day of fasting and Prayer with the leaders of the Church. I took a Bath and wash in the Morning and went to the Endowment House at 9 oclok to receive the washing of feet as it was done in Kirtland 47 years ago By the Prophet Joseph Smith as an Initiatory ordinance into the school of the Prophets. Remarks were made By the Presidency & others. President John Taylor washed the feet of Zebedee Coltrin as He was the ownly man living that was in the first school of the Prophets organized by Joseph Smith in Kirtland /in 1833/. Then Zebedee Coultrin washed the feet of Presidet Taylor. Then Presidet Taylor washed the feet of his two Councillors & all the Twelve Apostles except C. C. Rich who was sick & John Henry Smith in England. He washed the feet of 38 in all. At the Close of this Ceremony we partook of Bread & wine as a sacrament as they did in the Temple in Kirtland which Closed the labor of the day.
[Heber J. Grant] At 9 A.M. met as per appointment in the Endowment House with the First Presidency, Twelve, Counselor Wells, Prests of Stakes & 4 others'we had met together fasting and for the purpose of organizing the School of the Prophets'Last evening or this morning all had taken a bath & put on clean cloth garments'excepting Bros Wells and Smoot, they knew nothing of this requirement. Prest Taylor requested them to bathe and change their garments.
[J.D.T. McAllister] President Taylor addressed us on the order of the School of the Prophets, and washed, our feet pronouncing us clean from the blood of this generation and sealing upon us all the rights powers and priveleges associated with this ordinance. we then partook of the Sacrement. bread and wine. enough to eat and drink. He went through the form of receiving the members of the School Himself Counselors G.Q. Cannon J F Smith chosen President. Teacher of the school and assistant retained to Moroni.
[George Q. Cannon diary, Church Historian's Press]: We all met fasting [148 words redacted relating to a sacred ritual]. The spirit of God was powerfully poured out, and all felt subdued and to rejoice. After this ceremony was finished, bread and wine were brought in. Prest. Taylor, myself, and Bro. Joseph F. Smith proceeded to break the bread, dividing a loaf into about three pieces, which Prest. Taylor invoked a blessing upon. Bro. Joseph F. Smith and myself distributed the bread to the brethren. After sitting [and] eating at the bread for a while, we then proceeded to distribute a gallon of wine for those who were present, there being thirty[-]eight of us. This gave each a small wine-glass-ful, upon which, also, President Taylor invoked a blessing. This is a day long to be remembered. I never had such feelings in my life. All felt the power of God to a wonderful extent. We felt linked together in the bonds of love, and that we were brethren united together by the holiest of covenants and the strongest of ties. After having partaken of the sacrament all the brethren withdrew into the celestial room with the exception of Prest. Taylor. We remained there about five minutes to give him time to offer up prayer, and then we proceeded up stairs and he delivered to us the salutation found in section 88 of the Book of Doctrine & Covenants with uplifted hands to heaven, and in response I, in behalf of the brethren, gave him the salutation with all our hands uplifted to heaven; after which we adjourned.
[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies;The Diaries of Heber J. Grant, 1880-1945, Abridged, Digital Edition Salt Lake City, Utah, 2015;Diary Excerpts of J.D.T. McAllister, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies;The Journal of George Q. Cannon, Church Historian's Press, https://churchhistorianspress.org/george-q-cannon]
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