Wilford Woodruff President of the Saint George Temple
“I am going to bare my testimony to this assembly, if I never do it again in my life, that those men who laid the foundation of this American government and signed the Declaration of Independence were the best spirits the God of heaven could find on the face of the earth. They were choice spirits not wicked men. General Washington and all the men that labored for that purpose were inspired of the Lord.
Another thing I am going to say here, because I have a right to say it. Every one of those men that signed the Declaration of Independence, with General Washington, called upon me, as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Temple at St. George, two consecutive nights, and demanded at my hands that I should go forth and attend to the ordinances of the House of God for them.... I told these brethren that it was their duty to go into the Temple and labor until they had got endowments for all of them. They did it. Would those spirits have called upon me, as an Elder in Israel to perform that work if they had not been noble spirits before God? They would not.” (Wilford Woodruff, Conference Report, April 1898, p. 89-90.)
James G. Bleak Recorder of the Saint George Temple
“I was also present in the St. George Temple and witnessed the appearance of the spirits of the Signers....the spirits of the Presidents....And also others, such as Martin Luther and John Wesley....Who came to Wilford Woodruff and demanded that their baptism and endowments be done. Wilford Woodruff was baptized for all of them. While I and Brothers J.D.T. McAllister and David H Cannon (who were witnesses to the request) were endowed for them. These men....laid the foundation of this American Gov., and signed the Declaration of Independence and were the best spirits the God of Heaven could find on the face of the earth to perform this work. Martin Luther and John Wesley helped to release the people from religious bondage that held them during the dark ages. They also prepared the peoples hearts so they would be ready to receive the restored gospel when the Lord sent it again to men on the earth.”(Personal Journal of James Godson Bleak)
Sister Lucy Bigelow Young went forth into the font and was baptized for Martha Washington and her family and 70 of the ‘eminent women’ of the world. (Wilford Woodruff, in a Conference Report, April 10, 1898; Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 160-61; Wilford Woodruff Journal, August 21, 1877)
Michael Bedard artist
When I began my research on A Miraculous Request, I soon discovered temple work had been completed not only for the founding fathers and eminent men but for eminent women as well. I began to feel a desire to include these wonderful women of faith and service, who sacrificed so much for the world, in my painting. I felt if their husbands and fellow peers were there, the chances of them being present at such a sacred "request" was very much possible. What other reason could there be for doing temple work for these individuals by President Woodruff, James G.Bleak, J.D.T. Mcalister, David H. Cannon, Lucy Bigalow Young and others in those early days of the Saint George Temple? They did work for approximately 110 men and 68 women. President Woodruff, by his own admission, was primarily focused on doing work for his own immediate departed family and friends. After his visitation Pres Woodruff states, "The thought never entered my heart, from the fact, I suppose, that heretofore our minds were reaching after our more immediate friends and relatives."
37 years later
A recorded incident which occurred in the Saint George Temple 37 years following the appearance of the Founding Fathers to Wilford Woodruff.
On March 19, 1914, Elder Horation Pickett, a temple worker in the Saint George temple, received the following vision:
...One day while at the font confirming, when a large list of women were being baptized for, the thought came into my mind: Do those people for whom this work is being done know that it is being done for them, and, if they do, do they appreciate it? While this thought was running through my mind I happened to turn my eyes toward the southeast corner of the font room and there I saw a large group of women.
The whole southeast part of the room was filled; they seemed to be standing a foot or more above the floor and were all intently watching the baptizing that was being done; and as the recorder called a name, one of them-a rather tall, very slim woman, apparently about 35 years of age, gave a sudden start and looked at the recorder, then her eyes turned to the couple in the water, closely watching the baptism; then her eyes followed the sister that was being baptized as she came up out of the water and was confirmed, and when the ordinance was completed the happy, joyous expression that spread over her countenance was lovely to behold.
The next one called seemed to be younger, a little below the average height. She was of a nervous, emotional nature, could not keep still, seemed as though she wanted to jump into the water herself, and when the ordinance was finished she seemed to be overflowing with joy, turning from one to another of her companions as though she was telling them how happy she was.
The third was a large muscular-looking woman, not fleshy but bony, masculine build, very high forehead and intelligent countenance, hair streaked with gray and combed like elderly ladies used to wear their hair when I was a lad. She seemed to be more quiet, stoical in nature than the other; no outward demonstration of what her feelings may have been, but there was a look in her eyes that seemed to say that she appreciated what was being done fully as much as the others did, and when the ceremony was finished she nodded her head slightly and moved her lips as though she might have said, "Amen." Just as the work for her was finished there was a noise in President Cannon’s office as though a book or something might have fallen to the floor which caused me to turn my eyes in that direction, and though I turned back instantly, the vision had faded and gone and with it also had gone all doubt and queries that may have been in my mind on the subject. I was satisfied, and am still satisfied that our friends behind the veil know and realize what is being done for them and are anxiously waiting for their time to come.
I do not think it would be possible for any person to look into the faces of those women as I did and see the earnestness and happiness that shone in their faces as their names were called and the work done for them and not feel as I do. This was not a night vision nor a dream but it was about three o’clock on a bright , sunny afternoon while I was standing at the font assisting in the ordinances there of. * Recorded in the book Temple Manifestations by Joseph Heinerman, p.68-69, published 1974
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