Work for the Dead

Arrangements are now being made to assist the Saints residing in the various missions of the Church, and in other places remote from the Temples, who are thereby unable, personally, to perform Temple ordinances in behalf of their dead kindred, or friends to obtain the needed services of proxies. It is our desire that faithful members of the Church, in the condition stated, shall be helped, to the fullest possible extent, to accomplish this sacred duty that all Latter-day Saints are required, by Divine injunction, to fulfil.

The information needed to properly identify the dead, for whom Temple ordinances are to be performed, includes the following: Names in full (maiden names of women). Date of birth. Place of birth (Town, County and State or Country). Date of death. Name of heir, or friend, at whose instance the work is to be done, and his, or her relationship to each one named. When this information cannot be given as complete as desired, that which is lacking may be approximately formulated, by following instructions that will be published in periodicals issued in various missions of the Church.

Members of the Church in missions, and localities a great distance from the Temples, who desire to comply with the gospel requirements for salvation of the dead, should confer with the President of the mission, or district, in which they reside, stating what ordinances they wish to have performed, and they will then be provided with the blanks, and instructions needed.

The proper method of compiling records of names of the dead, for whom Temple work is desired, is provided for in a blank book specially prepared for that purpose, which can be procured, at a moderate price, by application to the mission presidents.

Donations are thankfully received at the Temples, to assist in meeting the heavy expense of their maintenance, but the poor, who can give nothing, are cheerfully accorded all the privileges that the most liberal donors receive.

There is no charge made by the Temple authorities for performance of the ordinances, but, when proxies have to be obtained to act in endowments for the dead, which occupies the time of an entire session in Temple work, it is customary to pay such proxies a small sum, to partly remunerate them for personal expenses; usually a man receives 75 cents, and a woman 50 cents, for such services.

Arrangements are already made whereby faithful members of the Church who have died in various missions or who may die therein thereafter, without having received Temple ordinances in life, will have those ordinances attended to in their behalf. The names and genealogies of all such worthy individuals are now being sent to the St. George Temple, by the mission Presidents.

The editors of our Church publications, in various missions, are requested to insert a copy of the foregoing in their respective periodicals, to be followed, when convenient, with instructions concerning Temple work, copies of which can be furnished them by the mission Presidents.

JOSEPH F. SMITH,

ANTHON H. LUND,

CHARLES W. PENROSE,

First Presidency.