President Joseph F. Smith explained:
“If [the Word of Wisdom] had been given as a commandment it
would have brought every man, addicted to the use of these noxious things,
under condemnation; so the Lord was merciful and gave them a chance to
overcome, before He brought them under the law” (in Conference Report, Oct.
1913, 14).
We should be careful not to judge some of the early Church
leaders and members who, even after the Word of Wisdom was revealed, used
substances that are prohibited today. Throughout the early history of the
Church, leaders invited the Saints to more fully live the Word of Wisdom. In
the fall general conference of 1851, Brigham Young proposed that all Saints
formally covenant to abstain from tea, coffee, tobacco, and whiskey. On October
13, 1882, the Lord revealed to President John Taylor that the Word of Wisdom
was to be considered a commandment. In 1919 the First Presidency, under
President Heber J. Grant, made the observance of the Word of Wisdom a
requirement for receiving a temple recommend. The Word of Wisdom continues to
be an important commandment today, and obeying it is a prerequisite for baptism,
temple attendance, missionary service, and other worthy service in the Church.
