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Mother's Blessings & Sisters As Priesthood Holders - Page 2

Well, women can have power in the Priesthood but at this time not the authority to perform all the ordinances. But the authority is nothing more than a specific assignment to carry out a specific calling. For example, my daughter can't bless the sacrament and my wife cannot baptize. But I still think it's more of a difference in assignments at this point. When you are given the specific assignment of the Priesthood, you are ordained by the laying on of hands.

My daughter is the President of her Young Woman class. She was set apart for this by the laying on of hands. She has assignments and responsabilities in her calling that I do not have. I guess you could say I do not have the authority to perform the assignments she has been given because they are specific to her and her calling.

Thus, men who have been ordained to the Priesthood have specific assignments they are responsible to carry out, as are women in their callings. So, I guess the point I'm trying to make is women have or can have all the Priesthood power men have, they just are not given any specific assignments or Priesthood responsabilities at this point, or maybe ever.

Holders Priesthood Sisters and Blessings Mothers

Gaucho, that is a good perspective of it, one with which I agree. One has to wonder if it weren't for the 'calling' of motherhood that our Sisters would also be having a specific Priesthood office. One thing comes to mind though... if in the temple the women lay on hands and the prayer is the same then that would mean that during the ordinance they would say by the power of the Priesthood.... hmmmm.... I believe the temple may just be giving us a glimpse of future earth (not the rpg ).

Mother's Blessings & Sisters As Priesthood Holders Studies Doctrine Mormon

Here are a few quotes I came across that pertain to this thread.


No matter who believeth, these signs, such as healing the sick, casting out devils, etc., should follow all that believe, whether male or female. He asked the [Relief] Society if they could not see by this sweeping promise, that wherein they are ordained, it is the privilege of those set apart to administer in that authority, which is conferred on them; and if the sisters should have faith to heal the sick, let all hold their tongues, and let everything roll on. (HC 4:603) (Joseph Smith, DPJS, 107)

Respecting females administering for the healing of the sick, he further remarked, there could be no devil [evil] in it, if God gave his sanction by healing; that there could be no more sin in any female laying hands on and praying for the sick, than in wetting the face with water; it is no sin for anybody to administer that has faith, or if the sick have faith to be healed by their administration. (HC 4:604) (Joseph Smith, DPJS, 109)

28 April 1842 at two o'clock P.M. I met the members of the "Female Relief Society" and after presiding at the admission of many new members gave a lecture on the priesthood shewing how the sisters would come in possession of the privileges, blessings, and gifts of the priesthood, and that the signs should follow them, such as healing the sick, casting out devils and that they might attain unto these blessings by a virtuous life and conversation and diligence in keeping all the commandments. (An American Prophets Record; The diaries and journals of Joseph Smith, page 244)

Page 2 Holders Priesthood Sisters and Blessings Mothers

JB, I found lots of interesting information about how women used to place their hand on the head of another. READ ALL!. It's long but worth it!

The Nauvoo Period
At the end of the Relief Society meetings held on April 14th and 19th 1844, the Relief Society Presidency administered to the sisters among them who where sick. Ehat and Cook note:

During the meeting of 19 April, for example, "Mrs. Durfee bore testimony to the great blessing she received when administered to after the close of the last meeting, by Emma Smith and Counselors Cleveland and Whitney. She said she never realized more benefit through any administration, [and] that she was healed and thought the sisters had more faith than the brethren" (Relief Society Minutes, 19 April 1842, Church Archives). This caused some members of the society to question the propriety of women anointing with oil and laying on hands, thinking this was only a priesthood function. At this meeting, however, the Prophet explained that this was entirely appropriate. He sympathized with those who did not understand his larger vision. He said "that the time had not been before, that these things could be in their proper order-that the Church is not now organized in its proper order, and cannot be until the Temple is completed." In the Temple women would with oil and by the laying on of the hands confer on their sisters blessings of greater eternal significance than the beautiful but single effect of healing an illness. (WOJS, pg. 139-140)

Joseph, himself, editorialized on the experience in the History of the Church:

At two o"clock I met the members of the "Female Relief Society," and after presiding at the admission of many new members, gave a lecture on the Priesthood, showing how the sisters would come in possession of the privileges, blessings and gifts of the Priesthood, and that the signs should follow them, such as healing the sick, casting out devils, &c., and that they might attain unto these blessings by a virtuous life, and conversation, and diligence in keeping all the commandments; a synopsis of which was reported by Miss Eliza R. Snow, as follows:

"¦He asked the Society if they could not see by this sweeping promise, that wherein they are ordained, it is the privilege of those set apart to administer in that authority, which is conferred on them; and if the sisters should have faith to heal the sick, let all hold their tongues, and let everything roll on.

"¦President Smith then gave instruction respecting the propriety of females administering to the sick by the prayer of faith, the laying on hands, or the anointing with oil; and said it was according to revelation that the sick should be nursed with herbs and mild food, and not by the hand of an enemy. Who are better qualified to administer than our faithful and zealous sisters, whose hearts are full of faith, tenderness, sympathy and compassion. No one. (History of the Church vol. 4 pg. 602-603; Original account found in WOJS Nauvoo Relief Society Minutes, pg. 114-115)

Brigham Young, at the 1844 General Conference (Special Elders Meeting, April 9) addressed the congregants:

The God we serve is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. There is no need of breaking the law of the land if you keep the law of the Lord. I want a wife that can take care of my children when I am away, who can pray, lay on hands, anoint with oil, and baffle the enemy; and this is a spiritual wife. (History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints vol. 6 pg. 321)

Helen M. Kimball relates an example of Nauvoo administration, when her four year old brother was burnt on a kettle:

I was so frightened that I was upon the point of leaping out of bed when mother heard him scream, but he sprang out before she got into the room and cried for her to anoint him with the consecrated oil. She immediately administered it, and was silently praying, when he cried, "Pray loud." She obeyed him and in a few minutes he was sound asleep. He never cried from the burn after the oil was administered and it was healed from that moment. (Woman's Exponent vol 9. no. 3 pg. 19)

19th Century Utah

Eliza Jane Merrick wrote to the Millennial Star in 1849, which published her account of administering to a sick sister:

She continued very ill all the evening; her breath very short , and the fever very high. I again anointed her chest in the name of the Lord, and asked his blessing; he was graciously pleased to hear me, and in the course of twenty-four hours she was as well as if nothing had been the matter. (Millennial Star vol. 11, page 205)

Elder Ezra T. Benson remarked at the 1852 General Conference that, "The priests in Christendom warn their flocks not to believe in "Mormonism"; and yet you sisters have power to heal the sick, by the laying on of hands, which they cannot do." (Millennial Star vol. 15 pg. 130)

In 1869, President Young taught in the Tabernacle:

Learn to take proper care of your children. If any of them are sick the cry now, instead of "Go and fetch the Elders to lay hands on my child!" is, "Run for a doctor." Why do you not live so as to rebuke disease? It is your privilege to do so without sending for the Elders. You should go to work to study and see what you can do for the recovery of your children"¦ Study and learn something for yourselves. It is the privilege of a mother to have faith and to administer to her child; this she can do herself, as well as sending for the Elders to have the benefit of their faith. (JD vol 13 pg. 155)

Holders Priesthood Sisters and Blessings Mothers

PART II: In Nov 12, 1876, John Taylor dedicated the Kaysville Relief Society House, telling the sister, ""¦you should lay hands on your sick children and rebuke diseases in faith and power, and God will be near you"¦" (Woman's Exponent Vol 5. No. 19, pg. 148-149)

In 1888 the First Presidency wrote a letter (entire text) to the Woman's Exponent that was later approved for circulation by President Lorenzo Snow in 1901 and Joseph F. Smith in 1910. The letter delineates the practice of washing and anointing the sick and afflicted:

Third question: "Have the sisters a right to seal the washing and anointing, using no authority, but doing it in the name of Jesus Christ, or should men holding the Priesthood be called in?"

The sisters have the privilege of laying their hands on the head of the one officiated for and confirming the anointing in the spirit of invocation, and in the name of Jesus Christ, not mentioning authority. Therefore it is not necessary to call in the Brethren. The Lord has heard and answered the prayers of the sisters in these ministrations many times.

The 20th Century

In the Question and Answer section of the The Improvement Era (1907, vol. 10 no. 4 pg. 308) Joseph F. Smith Stated:

A wife does not hold the priesthood in connection with her husband, but she enjoys the benefits thereof with him; and if she is requested to lay hands on the sick with him, or with any other officer holding the Melchizedek priesthood, she may do so with perfect propriety. It is no uncommon thing for a man and wife unitedly to administer to their children, and the husband being mouth, he may properly say out of courtesy, "By authority of the holy priesthood in us vested."

This passage was later affirmed and quoted by Joseph Fielding Smith in Answers to Gospel Questions (1957) vol. 1 pg. 149. Bruce R. McConkie also included the passage, albeit with substantial qualification, in Doctrines of Salvations vol. 3 (1956; pg. 176).

The practice of women administering to the sick was again affirmed by the First Presidency in 1914 by a letter https://www.splendidsun.com/wp/index.php/1914-rs-message/ circulated to Bishops and Stake Presidents:

4. Have the sisters the right to administer to sick children?

Answer: Yes; they have the same right to administer to sick children as to adults, and may anoint and lay hands upon them in faith.

5. Should the administering and anointing be sealed?

Answer: It is proper for sisters to lay on hands, using a few simple words, avoiding the terms employed in the temple, and instead of using the word "seal" use the word "confirm".

Now, the question is why this practise has been stopped?. In Doctrines of Salvation even though it is NOT official doctrine says the following:

"WOMEN NOT TO ANOINT OR SEAL BLESSINGS. The Brethren do not consider it necessary or wise for the women of the Relief Society to wash and anoint women who are sick. The Lord has given us directions in matters of this kind; we are to call in the elders, and they are to anoint with oil on the head and bless by the laying on of hands.

The Church teaches that a woman may lay on hands upon the head of a sick child and ask the Lord to bless it, in the case when those holding the priesthood cannot be present. A man might under such conditions invite his wife to lay on hands with him in blessing their sick child. This would be merely to exercise her faith and not be, cause of any inherent right to lay on hands. A woman would have no authority to anoint or seal a blessing, and where elders can be called in, that would be the proper way to have an administration performed."

Joseph Fielding (then an Apostle)wrote to the General Relief Society President on July 29, 1946:

"While the authorities of the Church have ruled that it is permissible, under certain conditions and with the approval of the priesthood, for sisters to wash and anoint other sisters, yet they feel that it is far better for us to follow the plan the Lord has given us and send for the Elders of the Church to come and administer to the sick and afflicted."

https://www.bycommonconsent.com/2005/06/wom...ands/#more-1447

What are your feelings about all this? If the statement by Joseph Fielding then an Apostle cannot be taken as official then the letter of 1914 seem to be the one present to this day, then why we do not see sisters laying on hands, blessing their children and even participating in blessings with their husbands?

Mother's Blessings & Sisters As Priesthood Holders

In the early days of the Church, the sisters used to put their hands upon the heads of their children and bless them. I am not talking about any sort of Priesthood Authority but mainly, a blessing that mothers would give to comfort their children, specially when they were sick or afflicted. What is the Church position about Mother's blessings nowdays? Would I get in "trouble" (call for a disciplinary council) if I bless my kids this way? I am not talking about praying for them but laying hands as the sisters did in the old days.

Mother's Blessings & Sisters Priesthood Holders - Page 2

That is a very difficult question. I know that there are a lot of discussions about that very subject, on a lot of different forums. However, I have generally avoided them, so don't know the arguments for and against.

I think that you would find a lot of not-so-nice attention from Priesthood leaders, if they found out that you were doing this. It is not accepted practice, and anything not accepted seems to be forbidden.

I really don't have much of an opinion either way on this subject.

Mother's Blessings & Sisters Priesthood Holders Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

Hmmm...the point is...in what grounds should they call a disciplinay council? If no Priesthood authority is being "called" or "used"? It seems to me that a sister may get frown upon this practise but cannot jeopardize her membership.