Word of Wisdom is a commandment

Publish date: 2024-05-03

On the 150th anniversary of the organization (in 1833) of the School of the Prophets, President Ezra Taft Benson spoke in the April 1983 general conference about the purpose of this "school." It was, he said, to prepare selected members of the priesthood to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world.

"In the absence of a temple, the first School of the Prophets was held in a small room in the home of Bishop Newel K. Whitney," President Benson explained. "Brigham Young was one of the early participants in this school, and he described a scene which frequently presented itself during meetings:" `The brethren came to that place for hundreds of miles to attend school in a little room probably no larger than eleven by fourteen. When they assembled together in this room after breakfast, the first they did was to light their pipes, and, while smoking, talk about the great things of the kingdom, . . . and as soon as the pipe was out of their mouths a large chew of tobacco would then be taken. Often when the Prophet entered the room to give the school instructions he would find himself in a cloud of tobacco smoke. This, and the complaints of his wife at having to clean

theT floor, made the Prophet think upon the matter, and he inquired of the Lord relating to the conduct of the Elders in using tobacco. (Journal of Discourses, 12:158.)

"In response to this inquiry by the Prophet, the Lord gave him a revelation in the Whitney home. This revelation is known as the Word of Wisdom."

President Benson explained that at first the revelation was not given as a commandment, but as "a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all saints, who are or can be called saints." (D&C 89:3.)

"In 1851, President Brigham Young proposed to the general conference of the Church that all Saints formally covenant to keep the Word of Wisdom. This proposal was unanimously upheld by the membership of the Church. Since that day, the revelation has been a binding commandment on all Church members," President Benson said.

Further, President Benson declared: "One principle of the gospel that all young people of the Church should understand is this: God, our Heavenly Father, governs His children by law. He has instituted laws for our perfection. If we obey His laws, we receive the blessings pertaining to those laws. If we do not obey, we receive the consequences.

"The Word of Wisdom is a law - a principle with promise. If we obey the provisions of the law, we receive the promises. If we do not, there will be both temporal and spiritual consequences."

He spoke of the revelation's definitions and admonitions of those things that are not good for people to take into their bodies as well as what is mentioned specifically as being good. (See D&C 89:7-10, 12, 14, and 16.)

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