Shaking the dust from the feet
Encyclopedia
Shaking the dust from the feet was a practice of pious Jews during New Testament
times. When Jesus called his twelve disciples, he told them to perform the same act against the non-believing Jews.
In the early Latter Day Saint movement
of the 19th century, it was practiced much as recorded in the New Testament, but later fell out of use. Other Christian groups and organizations typically do not see this as a practice that should be followed, or as something not to be taken literally.
, when Jesus
called his twelve disciples, he sent them into Jewish lands and told them, in a reversal, to perform the same act against the non-believing Jews (Matthew 10:14), and "it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city" (Matthew 10:15). The only recorded instance of this practice in the New Testament was when Paul the Apostle and Barnabas
were expelled from Antioch, Pisidia
by Jews who disapproved of them teaching to gentile
s (Acts 13:50-51).
, directing them as follows:
In 1831, a revelation clarified that when leaving a cursing upon a person in this way, the shaking of dust and washing of feet should be performed "not in their presence, lest thou provoke them, but in secret." .
On January 25, 1832, one of Smith's revelations directed several missionaries to use the practice, and indicated that when performed against a house, the missionaries:
After referring again to the practice in an August 29, 1832 revelation , Smith gave his final revelation on the subject on September 22–23, 1832. This revelation, directed to those ordained to the newly established high priesthood, indicating that when a person does not receive a traveling high priest, or give them food, clothing, or money, they should
, who performed the act on June 30, 1830, a few days or weeks before Smith's first revelation on the subject . After Smith's revelations, the practice became fairly common. Below is a table with many of the known instances of Latter Day Saint missionaries shaking the dust off their feet during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, Jr.:
and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
against a list of 400 people considered "Enemies of the Kingdom of God" because of the activism against polygamy
. In 1899, however, the First Presidency
issued a direction to mission presidents to stop using it as a routine practice, but only where there is just cause and when moved by the Holy Spirit
.
In 1915, the influential apostle James E. Talmage
provided his opinion that the practice should occur only in "unusual and extreme conditions":
Since the early 20th century, the practice has been rare. Nevertheless, there have been further doctrinal development by LDS leaders and scholars. According to J. Reuben Clark
, a mid-century member of the First Presidency
, the ritual of shaking the dust off one's feet is a manifestation of a priesthood holder's "power to determine whether sins should be forgiven, or retained"
people, and should not be practiced literally.
It has been mentioned that 16th century prophet Justus Velsius practiced the ritual when he was expelled from Heidelberg
at the orders of Kurfürst Friedrich III
.
In a rebuke for claims that Christians have persecuted the Jews, Martin Luther
said "let us follow the advice of Christ and shake the dust from our shoes, and say, 'We are innocent of your blood.'"
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
times. When Jesus called his twelve disciples, he told them to perform the same act against the non-believing Jews.
In the early Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
of the 19th century, it was practiced much as recorded in the New Testament, but later fell out of use. Other Christian groups and organizations typically do not see this as a practice that should be followed, or as something not to be taken literally.
New Testament
In Biblical times, when leaving Gentile cities, pious Jews often shook the dust from their feet to show their separation from Gentile practices. If the disciples shook the dust of a Jewish town from their feet, it would show their separation from Jews who rejected their Messiah. The gesture was to show the people that they were making a wrong choice. The opportunity to choose Christ might not present itself again. According to the New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, when Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
called his twelve disciples, he sent them into Jewish lands and told them, in a reversal, to perform the same act against the non-believing Jews (Matthew 10:14), and "it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city" (Matthew 10:15). The only recorded instance of this practice in the New Testament was when Paul the Apostle and Barnabas
Barnabas
Barnabas , born Joseph, was an Early Christian, one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem. In terms of culture and background, he was a Hellenised Jew, specifically a Levite. Named an apostle in , he and Saint Paul undertook missionary journeys together and defended Gentile converts...
were expelled from Antioch, Pisidia
Antioch, Pisidia
Antioch in Pisidia – alternatively Antiochia in Pisidia or Pisidian Antioch and in Roman Empire, Latin: Antiochia Caesareia or Antiochia Caesaria – is a city in the Turkish Lakes Region, which is at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, Aegean and Central Anatolian regions, and formerly...
by Jews who disapproved of them teaching to gentile
Gentile
The term Gentile refers to non-Israelite peoples or nations in English translations of the Bible....
s (Acts 13:50-51).
Reintroduction
In July 1830, Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint Movement, dictated his first revelation referencing the practice, said to be the words of Jesus directed to Smith and Oliver CowderyOliver Cowdery
Oliver H. P. Cowdery was, with Joseph Smith, Jr., an important participant in the formative period of the Latter Day Saint movement between 1829 and 1836, becoming one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon's golden plates, one of the first Latter Day Saint apostles, and the Second Elder of...
, directing them as follows:
- "And in whatsoever place ye shall enter, and they receive you not, in my name ye shall leave a cursing instead of a blessing, by casting off the dust of your feet against them as a testimony, and cleansing your feet by the wayside."
In 1831, a revelation clarified that when leaving a cursing upon a person in this way, the shaking of dust and washing of feet should be performed "not in their presence, lest thou provoke them, but in secret." .
On January 25, 1832, one of Smith's revelations directed several missionaries to use the practice, and indicated that when performed against a house, the missionaries:
- "shall be filled with joy and gladness and know this, that in the day of judgment you shall be judges of that house, and condemn them, and it shall be more tolerable for the heathen in the day of judgment, than for that house." .
After referring again to the practice in an August 29, 1832 revelation , Smith gave his final revelation on the subject on September 22–23, 1832. This revelation, directed to those ordained to the newly established high priesthood, indicating that when a person does not receive a traveling high priest, or give them food, clothing, or money, they should
- "go away from him alone by yourselves, and cleanse your feet, even with water, pure water, whether in heat or in cold, and bear testimony of it unto your Father, and return not again unto that man. And in whatsoever village or city ye enter, do likewise." .
Early practice
The first recorded practice of shaking the dust from the feet was by Joseph Smith's brother Samuel SmithSamuel Harrison Smith
Samuel Harrison Smith was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Samuel was a leader in his own right and a successful missionary. Smith is commonly regarded as the first Latter Day Saint missionary following the organization of the Church of...
, who performed the act on June 30, 1830, a few days or weeks before Smith's first revelation on the subject . After Smith's revelations, the practice became fairly common. Below is a table with many of the known instances of Latter Day Saint missionaries shaking the dust off their feet during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, Jr.:
| Date | Occurrence |
|---|---|
| June 30, 1830 | Samuel Smith Samuel Harrison Smith Samuel Harrison Smith was one of the younger brothers of Joseph Smith, Jr., founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Samuel was a leader in his own right and a successful missionary. Smith is commonly regarded as the first Latter Day Saint missionary following the organization of the Church of... washed his feet against an inkeeper who refused to board him after he mentioned the Book of Mormon Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr... , while proselytizing in Livonia, New York Livonia (town), New York Livonia is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 7,286.The Town of Livonia contains a village, also called Livonia. The town is on the eastern border of the county.-History:... . |
| June 16, 1831 | Early missionaries Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith Hyrum Smith was an American religious leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the original church of the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the older brother of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.... , Lyman Wight Lyman Wight Lyman Wight was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. He was the leader of the Latter Day Saints in Daviess County, Missouri in 1838. In 1841, he was ordained a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. After the death of Joseph Smith, Jr... , John Corrill John Corrill John Corrill was an early member and leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and an elected representative in the Missouri State Legislature... , and John Murdock washed their feet against Detroit, Michigan Detroit, Michigan Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River... after a day of unsuccessful proselytizing |
| September 9, 1831 | Hyrum Smith washed his feet against an angry Christian minister . |
| November 18, 1831 | William E. McLellin William E. McLellin William Earl M'Lellin was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. One of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, M'Lellin later broke with church founder, Joseph Smith, Jr.-Biography:M'Lellin was born in Smith County, Tennessee, a son of Charles M'Lellin... and Samuel Smith washed their feet against a Campbellite Restoration Movement The Restoration Movement is a Christian movement that began on the American frontier during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century... congregation, after they had given them time during a meeting but rejected their testimony . |
| February 16, 1832 | William McLellin and Luke S. Johnson Luke S. Johnson Luke Samuel Johnson was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1835 to 1838. He served in the Quorum with his younger brother, Lyman E. Johnson and Orson Hyde, his brother-in-law.Johnson was born November 3, 1807, in Pomfret,... wash their feet against Hubbard, Ohio Hubbard, Ohio Hubbard is a city in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. It is formed from part of Hubbard Township, which was formed from the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 8,284 at the 2000 census... . |
| March 1, 16, 18, and June 1, 1832 | Act performed by Samuel Smith against those who do not accept his message. |
| March, September 16, October 23, 1832 | Orson Hyde Orson Hyde Orson Hyde was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles... routinely either blessed houses or shook the dust off his feet to "seal" them up to the "day of wrath". On September 16, after a tearful meeting with his sister and brother-in-law, he reluctantly shook the dust against them. |
| February 18, 1833 | Orson Pratt Orson Pratt Orson Pratt, Sr. was a leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles... washed his hands and feet as a testimony against the current "wicked generation", as a requirement for admission to the School of the Prophets School of the Prophets In Mormonism, the School of the Prophets was a select group of early Latter Day Saint leaders who began meeting on January 23, 1833 in Kirtland, Ohio under the direction of Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. for both theological and secular learning... . |
| May 7, June 7, 1835 | William McLellin shook the dust against Sinclairville, New York Sinclairville, New York Sinclairville is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 665 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Samuel Sinclear, its founder.... after only one old lady attended a scheduled meeting at the local schoolhouse, which was locked . McLellin and David W. Patten David W. Patten David Wyman Patten was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles... shook the dust against Wolcott, New York Wolcott (town), New York Wolcott is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 4,692 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Governor Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut.... when they passed the plate after a two hour sermon to nonbelievers but received no donations . |
| July 11, 1835 | William McLellin, Brigham Young Brigham Young Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah... , and Thomas B. Marsh Thomas B. Marsh Thomas Baldwin Marsh was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served as the first President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints from 1835 to 1839... shook the dust against an inkeeper who became abusive after they asked for free breakfast . |
| May 22, 1836 | Wilford Woodruff Wilford Woodruff Wilford Woodruff, Sr. was the fourth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1889 until his death... , David Patten David W. Patten David Wyman Patten was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles... , and Benjamin Boydstun wash their hands and feet against people who threatened them and rejected their testimony. They "delivered them unto the hands of God and the destroyer". |
| May 24, 1836, July 11, 1837, September 30, 1837 | Wilford Woodruff and other missionaries wash their feet against various Christian ministers in New England New England New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut... who reject their message, and against the town of Collinsville, Connecticut Collinsville, Connecticut Collinsville is a village and census-designated place in the town of Canton in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,686 at the 2000 census. The central portion of the village is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.Collinsville is... . |
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints continued the practice of shaking the dust off feet throughout the 19th century. Most notably, it was performed on January 19, 1881 by the First PresidencyFirst Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is one of the governing bodies in the church hierarchy...
against a list of 400 people considered "Enemies of the Kingdom of God" because of the activism against polygamy
Polygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
. In 1899, however, the First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
issued a direction to mission presidents to stop using it as a routine practice, but only where there is just cause and when moved by the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
.
In 1915, the influential apostle James E. Talmage
James E. Talmage
James Edward Talmage born in Hungerford, Berkshire, England, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1911 until his death in 1933....
provided his opinion that the practice should occur only in "unusual and extreme conditions":
To ceremonially shake the dust from one's feet as a testimony against another was understood by the Jews to symbolize a cessation of fellowship and a renunciation of all responsibility for consequences that might follow. It became an ordinance of accusation and testimony by the Lord's instructions to His apostles as cited in the text [of the New Testament]. In the current dispensation, the Lord has similarly directed His authorized servants to so testify against those who wilfully and maliciously oppose the truth when authoritatively presented (see Doctrine and CovenantsDoctrine and CovenantsThe Doctrine and Covenants is a part of the open scriptural canon of several denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement...
24:15; 60:15; 75:20; 84:92; 99:4). The responsibility of testifying before the Lord by this accusing symbol is so great that the means may be employed only under unusual and extreme conditions, as the Spirit of the Lord may direct"
Since the early 20th century, the practice has been rare. Nevertheless, there have been further doctrinal development by LDS leaders and scholars. According to J. Reuben Clark
J. Reuben Clark
Joshua Reuben Clark, Jr. was an American attorney, civil servant, and a prominent leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Born in Grantsville, Utah Territory, Clark was a prominent attorney in the Department of State, and Under Secretary of State for US president Calvin Coolidge...
, a mid-century member of the First Presidency
First Presidency
In the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency was the highest governing body in the Latter Day Saint church established by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1832, and is the highest governing body of several modern Latter Day Saint denominations...
, the ritual of shaking the dust off one's feet is a manifestation of a priesthood holder's "power to determine whether sins should be forgiven, or retained"
Other Christians
Other Christian groups and individuals have taken the concept of shaking the dust from the feet as a practice to be followed. Others feel the message was only for New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
people, and should not be practiced literally.
It has been mentioned that 16th century prophet Justus Velsius practiced the ritual when he was expelled from Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
at the orders of Kurfürst Friedrich III
Frederick III, Elector Palatine
Frederick III of Simmern, the Pious, Elector Palatine of the Rhine was a ruler from the house of Wittelsbach, branch Palatinate-Simmern-Sponheim. He was a son of John II of Simmern and inherited the Palatinate from the childless Elector Otto-Henry, Elector Palatine in 1559...
.
In a rebuke for claims that Christians have persecuted the Jews, Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
said "let us follow the advice of Christ and shake the dust from our shoes, and say, 'We are innocent of your blood.'"