Just curious. Were any sealing performed in Kirtland? Were any of Joseph's sealings performed in the Nauvoo temple. From what I understand, some of the secret ceremonies were performed in homes by men without sealing power. Is that correct?

I think this info is available online on sandra tanner's site.

Any of Josephs sealings occurred in the "temporary" temple above the Red Brick Store in Nauvoo.

Joseph died in the Carthage shootout before the Nauvoo Temple opened for business.

In the introduction to "Joseph Smith's Quorum of the Anointed, 1842-1845: A Documentary History", there's a list of members, and as far as I can see the earliest clearly dated marriage sealing featured in the list is Louisa Beaman on April 5, 1841.

Excellent book!

rutabaga Wrote:
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> Excellent book!

The whole trilogy was certainly enlightening!

The Nauvoo Endowment Companies.

What is the third book? And why don't I have it?

rutabaga Wrote:
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> The Nauvoo Endowment Companies.
>
> What is the third book? And why don't I have it?

It's "The Development of LDS Temple Worship, 1846-2000: A Documentary History". It's drier in content overall, but occasionally has some pretty entertaining bits. Especially the stuff from the St. George Temple Minute Book. (E.g., this bit from December 22, 1904: "Pres[ident] Cannon: Stated, when the work here started [in 1877] there were no written parts. President [Brigham] Young asked him to take the part of the preacher, and he, [the] speaker [Cannon], made a lengthy speech. Pres[ident] Young said, 'You would not do for a sectarian preacher, you preach Mormonism.' He told me to preach of a 'Hell without a bottom[,]' 'A topless throne,' 'A God without body, parts and passions,' etc. etc." (page 137)) Seriously, if some historian ever got his or her hands on a photocopy of such a thing and published a transcript, it would make my year.

Thanks!

You're quite welcome!

The records show that joseph performed the first sealing in his mind on his way to the barn to annoint the 14 year old who was blessed enought to be near him when emma was out of the house. The sealing took 27 seconds, which coincidently, is how long it took to unbutton your pants back then.

William McClellan on the marriage between Joseph Smith and Fanny Alger:

"The ‘sealing’ took place in a barn on the hay mow, and was witnessed by Mrs. Smith through a crack in the door!"

It's my understanding that the temple in Kirtland essentially was only a meeting house because Old Joe hadn't dreamed up any of the current temple functions at that time.