I have always loved salt on my food, even when doctors began telling us that it was not good for us, I would use it anyway. Food, generally, is so bland without salt that I would rather give up eating than eat without salt. I have as much faith in salt as the Savior Himself. In the Beatitudes He saith, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and be trodden under foot of men.” (Matthew 5:13) By changing that around slightly you would have Emil’s version; I give unto you salt for your food, but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the food be savored? Again the Savior said in the 15th verse that Gentiles shall be as salt that has lost savor. In Christ’s time, Gentile was a term that described those who were not of the house of Israel, in our day it references those who are not yet members of His Church. It is not a derogatory saying but rather meaning they have not subscribed to the fullness of the gospel. In the (Doctrine and Covenants 101:39-40) it states that, ”When men covenant with an everlasting (temple) covenant they are accounted as salt of the earth.” And last but hardly least, in the (D&C 103:10) we are instructed that, “…if saints are not saviors of men, they are as salt that has lost savor.” Salt has a significant place in the Saviors vocabulary. I should not make light of any of the Savior’s sayings but salt is so very important to man, not only in our day but all through history. The history of Salt (www. seasalt.com/salt-101/ history-of-salt/)
A popular custom still in use in a number of European countries requires that a handful of salt be thrown in the coffin of a dead person before the burial. The salt—as symbol of incorruptibility and immortality—would thus keep away the devil. For the same reason in ancient Scotland salt was added in the brewing of beer, which would otherwise have been ruined by witches and evil spirits. In point of fact, the added salt prevented excessive fermentation in the brew and therefore avoided its potential “corruption.”
“As far back as 6050 BC, salt has been an important and integral part of the world’s history, as it has been interwoven into countless civilizations. Used as a part of Egyptian religious offerings and valuable trade between the Phoenicians and their Mediterranean empire, there’s been great importance placed on salt by many dif- ferent cultures. Even today, the history of salt touches our daily lives. The word “salary” was derived from the word “salt.” Special salt rations given to early Roman soldiers were known as “salarium argentum,” therefore, the forerunner of the English word “salary.” Salt was highly valued and its production was legally restricted in ancient times, so it was historically used as a method of trade and currency. The word “salad” also originated from “salt,” and began with the early Romans salting their leafy greens and vegetables. Undeniably, the history of salt is both broad and unique. Most of us will think of salt as simply that white seasoning found in salt-shakers on virtually every dining table. Salt is an essential element in the diet of not only humans but of animals, and even of many plants. It is one of the most effective and most widely used of all food preservatives. Its industrial and other uses are almost without number. The fact is that throughout history, salt—called sodium chloride by chemists—has been such an important element of life that it has been the subject of many stories, fables, folktales and fairy tales. It served as money at various times and places, and it has been the cause of bitter warfare. Offering bread and salt to visitors, in many cultures, is traditional etiquette. While records show the importance of salt in commerce in medieval times and earlier, in some places like the Sahara and in Nepal, salt trading today gives a glimpse of what life may have been like centuries ago. Salt production has been important in China for two millennia or more, and the Chinese, like many other governments over time, realized that taxing salt would be a major revenue source. The expression “not worth his salt” stems from the practice of trading slaves for salt in ancient Greece. References to salt can be found in languages around the globe, particularly regarding salt used for food. From the Latin “sal,” for example, come such other derived words as “sauce” and “sausage.” Salt has played a prominent role in the European exploration of North America and subsequent American history, Canadian history, and Mexican history, as well. Salt has played a vital part in religious ritual in many cultures, symbolizing purity. The first Native Americans “discovered” by Europeans in the Caribbean were harvesting sea salt on St. Maarten. Had it not been for the practice of salting fish, Europeans might have confined their fishing to the coasts of Europe and delayed “discovery” of the New World. The famed Erie Canal, opened in 1825, was known as “the ditch that salt built” because salt, a bulky product presenting major transportation difficulties, was its principal cargo. Syracuse, NY, is proud of its salt history and its nickname, “Salt City.” Salt played a key role in the Civil War, as well. In 1864, Union forces made a forced march and fought a 36-hour battle to capture Saltville, Virginia, the site of an important salt processing plant thought essential to sustaining the South’s beleaguered armies. Civilian distress over the lack of salt in the wartime Confederacy undermined rebel morale, too. It is recorded that thousands of Napoleon’s troops died during his retreat from Moscow because their wounds would not heal due to the lack of salt. In 1777, the British Lord Howe was jubilant when he succeeded in capturing General Washington’s salt supply. The Kanawha valley supplied the Confederacy with salt during the Civil War, when production peaked. Salt has long held an important place in religion and culture. Greek worshippers consecrated salt in their rituals. Jewish Temple offerings included salt; on the Sabbath, people of the Jewish faith still dip their bread in salt as a remembrance of those sacrifices. In the Old Testament, Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt. Covenants in both the Old and New Testaments were often sealed with salt: the origin of the word “salvation.” In the Catholic Church, salt is or has been used in a variety of purification rituals. In fact, until Vatican II, a small taste of salt was placed on a baby’s lip at his or her baptism. Jesus called his disciples “the Salt of the Earth.” In Leonardo DaVinci’s famous painting, “The Last Supper,” Judas has just spilled a bowl of salt, which is known as a portent of evil and bad luck. To this day, the tradition endures that when people spill salt, they should throw a pinch over their left shoulders to ward off any devils that may be lurking behind. In Buddhist tradition, salt repels evil spirits, which is why it is customary to throw salt over your shoulder before entering your house after a funeral: it scares off any evil spirits that may be clinging to your back. Shinto religion also uses salt to purify an area. Before sumo wrestlers enter the ring for a match—which is actually an elaborate Shinto rite—a handful of salt is thrown into the center to drive off malevolent spirits. In the Southwest, the Puebloans worship the Salt Mother. Other native tribes had significant restrictions on who was permitted to eat salt. Hopi legend holds that the angry Warrior Twins punished mankind by placing valuable salt deposits far from civilization, requiring hard work and bravery to harvest the precious mineral. In 1933, the Dalai Lama was buried sitting up in a bed of salt. Today, a gift of salt endures in India as a potent symbol of good luck and a reference to Mahatma Gandhi’s liberation of India, which included a symbolic walk to the sea to gather tax-free salt for the nation’s poor. As a precious and portable commodity, salt has long been a cornerstone of economies throughout history. Chinese emperor Hsia Yu levied one of the first known taxes, which was a tax on salt. In Tibet, Marco Polo noted that tiny cakes of salt were pressed with images of the Grand Khan and used as coins. Salt is still used as money among the nomads of Ethiopia’s Danakil Plains. I have to admit that I just love a little history that gives us the why things have happened and the why things have been done the way they were.