Patriarchal blessing given by Patriarchal Benjamin F. Johnson upon the head of Alma Dayer LeBaron, son of Sarah Jane Johnson and Benjamin Franklin LeBaron. Born in Tempe, Arizona, March 15, 1886.
Alma Dayer, my son, in the authority of parental priesthood I place my hands upon thy head and open my mouth that the Lord may speak through me in blessing and admonition as shall be according to his purpose pertaining to thy lineage and birth.
And my words to thee be as a key of knowledge, a principle of faith, a monitor and a guide through thy life.
Thou wast among the valiant in thy fist estate; and because the Father loved thee, thou wast among the most favored of His chosen sons to come in the fullness of times to assist in the regeneration and harvest of the earth; and to this end the Angels have watched over thee from thy birth and are still around thee to protect and guide thee. And, inasmuch as thou wilt now in thy youth gird up thy mind, to be admonished by parental counsel and teaching of the wise, heeding the monitor that teaches obedience in thy heart, calling on the name of the Lord; behold thy blessing shall be as Samuel of old.
And the voice of the Lord shall be unto thee, even in thy youth, to inspire thy intellect with wisdom, to broaden all the attributes of thy manhood to a fullness in perfection.
The Lord shall bestow upon thee His priesthood in the right thereof, and thou shalt become as a flame of light to those that sit in darkness; and to the transgressor and they who would dishonor God, thy voice shall be in sharpness as a two edged sword.
Thy arm shall be strong to resist oppression, thy feet shall be swift, and thy hand mighty in avenging innocent blood; and thou shalt be one of those who shall chase a thousand; for the might and power of the most High shall be upon thee. The Lord shall loose thy tongue and thou shalt declare his name in high places, among the nobles and princes of the earth.
As a heir to the new covenant, thou shalt attain in family and possessions to the promised blessing of the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Thy habitations shall be in peace and blessing in the love and knowledge of God. Thou shalt teach thy family to honor God; they shall honor thee and carry thy name and priesthood though all generations of time.
In all the works of salvation pertaining to the establishment of Zion, gathering her children, building her waste places and ministering in her Holy Temple thou shalt perform thy full duty and the Spirit of God shall be with thee in all thy duties pertaining to thy birthright in the kindred of thy father’s house – to minister salvation thou shalt do thy full part.
And as a son of Ephraim when Israel returns from the North Country, thou shalt stand in the Holy Temple of Zion and minister to them in the great day of their coming. And, thou shalt strike hands with the Son of Man when he shall descend, and shall minister with Him in His Holy Temple.
All these blessings I seal upon thy head and thee up against the power of the destroyer and from temptation and evil, and I seal thee up to eternal life to inherit dominion with the Just. In the name of the Lord Jesus, Amen.
Recorded by Effie Johnson, April 2, 1897.
Copied from photo-print by Ross W. Lebaron, December 29, 1967.
Reference
1. James D. Wardle Papers. Ms 578 Bx 20 Fd 1. University of Utah Special Collections. Spelling and capitalization as in the original.
Ross LeBaron, the Holy Order and the Church of the Firstborn 