I noticed a movie with Russell Crowe called The Water Diviner, and I thought about gift of the rod.
In the 1830s, many people believed that they could use divining rods to help them find water or treasure. Oliver Cowdery believed in and used a divining rod. In fact, the Lord recognized Oliver’s ability to use a rod:
…thou hast another gift which is the gift of working with the sprout Behold it hath told you things Behold there is no other power save God that can cause this thing of Nature to work in your hands for it is the work of God & therefore whatsoever ye shall ask to tell you by that means that will he grant unto you that ye shall know remember that without faith ye can do nothing trifle not with these things do not ask for that which ye had not ought ask that ye may know the mysteries of God… (D&C 8:8-11)
Oliver Cowdery was granted the gift to translate ancient records in an earlier revelation, also dated April 1829. His desire for further clarification resulted in this text.In the revelation, the phrase “the gift of working with the sprout” appears, possibly describing Cowdery’s use of a divining rod or similar “thing of Nature.” The phrase was later revised to read “the gift of working with the rod” in the 1833 Book of Commandments and ‘the gift of Aaron” in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants.The earliest extant copy of this document, recorded by John Whitmer in Revelation Book 1, gives its date as 1829. The 1833 Book of Commandments specifies April 1829. (Joseph Smith Papers):
There are valid accounts of people who have found water using a divining rod — also called dowsing.
“One thing you must remember to do is to visualise what you are looking for,” says Peter Taylor, a dowser from north Wales who has been unearthing water for 30 years. “If you are looking for a spring or a stream underground, you need to be seeing that as you dowse.” (ref)
While working on this post I happened upon a divining-looking rod.
A dowser at work, from Pierre le Brun, Histoire critique des pratiques superstitieuses, (Jean-Frederic Bernard, 1733–1736). It is unclear whether or not the dowser is using a diving rod or the lesser known Scrimometer. Caption “EPREUVE par la BAGUETTE.”
Agriculture in Britain- Life on George Casely’s Farm, Devon, England, 1942
George Casely uses a hazel twig to find water on the land around his Devon farm. According to the original caption “Casely has the power of divining and has sunk a well in several of his pastures”.
Woodcut from Georgius Agricolas “De re metallica libri XII”
Basel 1556.
The American Rodsman, Oliver Cowdery
