Why did Joseph Smith refuse the offering of liquor during his leg operation as a young child? Obviously, this was long before the Word of Wisdom, so why would there have been a problem?
Thanks,
Bill
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Bill,
It’s an interesting question, but at this point the best answer I can find is this; He simply chose to refuse it of his own will. Maybe he didn’t like the taste of it, or maybe he saw enough men drunk on liquor that, in his youthful naivety, he was terrified of being drunk. Maybe his parents were both strongly opposed to consuming alcohol. This idea that Christians should not drink liquor was common among some of the Christian faiths of the day.
So really, I don’t think it would have been a problem as you and I see it from our understanding. As you say, the Word of Wisdom had not been given, and even at that, it took some time before it became a belief that determined one’s worthiness as a member of the LDS church.
Joseph simply did not want to drink the alcohol, thus he endured the operation with full feeling. Perhaps enduring this trial was part of what would help him endure the physical trials he would endure later on in life, including those that ultimately took his life. How blessed we would be if we were all so strong in the challenges we face in our lives today.
-Gramps
