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This Beautiful White Dress has a matching slip and inside of the back is a tag that says ZCMI.
(Zion's Cooperative Mercantile Institution [for more information click here]) History of ZCMI
It was purchased in 1913 for the Priesthood ordinance of giving my father a name and a blessing:
Vern Wherrett Tomlinson.
(In modern revelation, parents who are members of the Church [Church of Jesus Christ of - Latter Day Saints]are commanded to bring their children “before the church,” where the elders “are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name” (D&C 20:70). This is why parents bring babies to a sacrament meeting, where an elder—usually the father—gives them a name and a blessing.)
(In modern revelation, parents who are members of the Church [Church of Jesus Christ of - Latter Day Saints]are commanded to bring their children “before the church,” where the elders “are to lay their hands upon them in the name of Jesus Christ, and bless them in his name” (D&C 20:70). This is why parents bring babies to a sacrament meeting, where an elder—usually the father—gives them a name and a blessing.)
Vern's three living children Gary, Renée and Ted, seven Granddaughters and three Grandsons were given a name and a blessing wearing this dress.
After the thirteenth Great Grandchild it had become so frail it was time to retire the legendary Blessing Dress. My mother felt it was best that the oldest Tomlinson son should inherit Dad's dress.
Today it's displayed in the home of my oldest brother Gary Vern.
If only I had the nostalgia; the appreciation; fifty three years ago AS I DO today, I would have taken a more professional picture of my children and grandchildren wearing this dress. (Nicole is pictured above in 'The Dress.') And I would have encouraged my two brothers to also encourage their children to take a more professional picture of their babies wearing Dad's dress.
In my mother and fathers' picture albums I found all of the pictures of babies that wore the blessing gown for this special ordinance. Some were OK but most are not OK. The picture was either out of focus or it didn't show the whole dress. Since I found the poem written by David O. Mckay it has really been on my mind of how important it is to preserve and cherish precious meaningful materialistic things for our posterity.
The above (out of focus) picture is me; the only picture taken of me in infancy. Mother was showing how much hair I was born with by using the mirror. I did not notice until scanning this picture for this post that I indeed am wearing Dad's dress. You can tell by looking closely at the sleeve and around the neck. Makes me happy; that this pic verifies Mothers statement that I was given a name and blessing wearing Dad's dress.
Below is a picture of my Grandson Christopher. I had to talk Christopher's father into wearing the dress for his blessing. This was in the spring of 1994. I promised his father Chris, that as soon as the blessing was over that his mother and I would take him out to the church building hallway and change him into his boy baby outfit. This memory sure makes me smile and as
you see it made Christopher happy too.
you see it made Christopher happy too.
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| Christopher Michael |
Once more I am enclosing the Poem by David O. McKay
The summer is getting HOT and LIFE is very busy. I am now the caretaker for my husband Earl and am taking the summer off. I may do one more post then not again until September.
Have a great summer and thanks for stopping by.
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