Temple Ceremonies

Temple Ceremonies1

By Elder Duncan M. McAllister, Temple Recorder

I have the pleasure of acting as your guide through the

buildings and grounds of this block, but we are not permitted to

enter the Great Temple we are now gazing upon. That privi-

lege, however, was accorded to over six hundred non-"Mormon"

ladies and gentlemen, prominent citizens, on April 6, 1893,

when the interior of the temple was finished and furnished.

They inspected every room and every part of the temple, from

basement to roof, and consequently obtained a comprehensive

knowledge of the structure.

I have given you a brief description of the building, and ex-

plained that it is not a cathedral, church, or public place of

worship; it is a Temple, or House of the Lord, and, like the cel-

ebrated Temple of Solomon,is especially designed for certain

sacred ceremonies in which only the officiating priesthood and

worthy people are permitted to participate. Because of this ex-

clusiveness, enemies of the Latter-day Saints, with some degree

of success, have sought to create a wrongful impression concern-

ing the character of the ordinances performed within its pre-

cincts. I am pleased to have this opportunity to tell you the

facts concerning what those ordinances are, so that you may

understand why none but the faithful Latter-day Saints can

properly take part therein.

From what I have already told you concerning the character

of this heretofore much maligned people, and the evidences

showing their sincere acceptance of the principles of the gospel

of the Lord Jesus Christ, as they understand that gospel, their

strict morality, unselfish labors in behalf of their fellowmen,

and manifest loyalty to the Government, you will readily con-

cede that such people would strenuously resent any effort mad^

to cause them to participate in any unrighteous or unlawful

proceedings. The scores of thousands of them, who have taken

part in temple ceremonies, are living witnesses who declare, with

due solemnity, that everything said and done in those services

is of the most sublime character, pure, holy, sacred, such only

as should prevail in a place dedicated to the Most High.

It is claimed by the Latter-day Saints that the reason they

*An address to tourists, on the Temple Block, Salt Lake City, Utah, re-

ported especially for the Improvement Era.

TEMPLE CEREMONIES 209

have devoted such an immense amount of means and labor in

erecting temples, and that they employ, without remuneration, a

great portion of their time in ordinance work therein, is the

same reason that impelled the children of Israel, the Lord's

chosen people in ancient times, to engage in a similar under-

taking; it is in obedience to the revealed will of God.

You ladies and gentlemen are, doubtless, familiar with the

statements in the Bible concerning the Divine Presence being

manifest in the temples he caused to be built, whenever the

people found favor in his sight because of their obedience to his

commandments, and how that Presence was withdrawn when

they relapsed into wickedness. You may have read also the

prophecy of Malachi, that, in the last days, "The Lord, whom ye

seek, shall suddenly come to his temple." To be his temple, it

must be one built and dedicated to him, that he has approved

and accepted; that is what the Latter-day Saints claim respecting

the temples they have builded.

The first of the ceremonnies performed in the temple, that I

will endeavor to explain to you is denominated ,

Baptism for the Dead

The mention of this ordinance usually excites surprise in

the minds of strangers, for the reason that it is unknown among

other denominations; it is necessary, therefore, that a statement

be made concerning it.

The belief generally prevails, in Christendom, that the con-

dition of human souls is eternally and irrevocably fixed, by Di-

vine decree, immediately after death, each individual being

assigned to never-ending happiness in heaven, or to a limitless

duration of torture in hell, according as they have acknowledged

or repudiated belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Latter-day

Saints declare that this doctrine is erroneous, and that the gospel

proclaimed by the Son of God vindicates the justice and mercy

of the Father, in providing means of redemption for those who

have died without knowledge of, or opportunity to obey the gos-

pel in this life.

That baptism is essential to salvation is proved by the words

of Jesus, as recorded in John 3:5:

"Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a

man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the

kingdom of God."

This startlingly important statement was strongly empha-

sized by him in the fact that he had submitted to having that

ordinance performed in his own behalf, by John the Baptist.

No doubt he conformed also to other ordinances, which his Di-

vine Father acknowledged by conferring blessings and authority

210 IMPROVEMENT ERA

upon him. Paul states that the Messiah was "an High Priest

after the order of Melchizedek," and the inference is that a cere-

mony imparting that office was duly performed by some author-

ized agent, although not specifically mentioned in the New Testa-

ment.

That immersion is the proper mode of baptism is clearly

shown by Paul, especially in his epistle to the Romans, 6:3, 4, 5.

"Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ

were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by bap-

tism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the

glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For

if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be

also in the likeness of his resurrection."

That those who did not receive the gospel in life are given

an opportunity to accept it after death is demonstrated by the

following quotations (I Peter 3:18-20) :

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,

that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quick-

ened by the Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the spirits

in prison; which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of

God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein

few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water."

Also I Peter 4:6:

"For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead,

that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according

to God in the spirit."

That the thief, who repented on the cross, had this oppor-

tunity given to him, after death, is plainly indicated in the

words of the Savior to him:

"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou

be with me in paradise."

The spirit world, called Paradise, where the Messiah and

the thief went on the day they were crucified, is not Heaven;

see John 20:17:

"Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my

Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father,

and your Father; and to my God, and your God."

This was said by Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion.

The ordinance of baptism for the dead was understood, and

performed, by the early Cristians, as evidenced by the words of

Paul to the Corinthian Saints (I Cor. 15:29):

TEMPLE CEREMONIES 211

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead

rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"

The restoration of the gospel which is God's plan for the

redemption of all his children, would not be complete without

this ordinance of baptism for the dead, which extends its saving

power to all who have died without obeying that law in life.

Every principle and ceremony associated with the gospel plan of

redemption, that has to be believed and obeyed by the living,

to insure salvation, must also be accepted by the dead. The

dead, however, cannot be baptized in the earthly element of

water, as required, consequently that ordinance is performed for

them vicariously. Other essential ordinances have to be per-

formed in like manner, and temples are the God-appointed

places for such sacred work.

The Scriptures abound with evidences that sacred, vicarious

work, approved by those in whose interest it is performed, is ac-

ceptable to the eternal Father. The greatest of all such was the

offering made by the sinless One, his beloved Son, as propiti-

ation for Adam's transgression, and that salvation might come

to all who obey his gospel.

John the Revelator, in the Apocalypse, refers to 144 thou-

sand who are to appear on Mount Zion with the Redeemer,

when he comes to reign on this earth. There could be no more

effective way of entitling them to the distinction of association

with the Savior than in serving as proxies for the dead, in the

saving ordinances that are performed in God's holy temple.

The Prophet Obadiah said, "Saviors shall come upon Mount

Zion."

The second of the ceremonies to be explained is the ordi-

nance designated

The Endowment

A concise and clear statement concerning this ceremony is

contained in Elder James E. Tannage's splendid and exhaustive

treatise on The House of the Lord, which I will take the liberty

of quoting:

"The Temple Endowment, as administered in modern temples, com-

prises instruction relating to the significance and sequence of past dispen-

sations, and the importance of the present as the greatest and grandest era

in human history. This course of instruction includes a recital of the most

important events of the creative period, the condition of our first parents

in the Garden of Eden, their disobedience and consequent expulsion from

that blissful abode, their condition in the lone and dreary world when

doomed to labor and sweat, the plan of redemption by which the great

transgression may be atoned, the period of the great apostasy, the restora-

tion of the Gospel with all its ancient powers and privileges, the absolute

212 IMPROVEMENT ERA

and indispensable condition of personal purity and devotion to the right in

present life, and a strict compliance with Gospel requirements. * * * *

The ordinances of the endowment embody certain obligations on the part

of the individual, such as covenant and promise to observe the law of

strict virtue and chastity, to be charitable, benevolent, tolerant and pure; to

devote both talent and material means to the spread of truth and the up-

lifting of the race; to maintain devotion to the cause of truth, and to seek

in every way to contribute to the great preparation that the earth may be

made ready to receive her King, — the Lord Jesus Christ.

"No jot, iota, or tittle of the temple rites is otherwise than uplifting

and sanctifying. In every detail the endowment ceremony contributes to

covenants of morality of life, consecration of person to high ideals, devo-

tion to truth, patriotism to nation, and allegiance to God. The blessings

of the House of the Lord are restricted to no privileged class; every mem-

ber of the Church may have admission to the temple with the right to par-

ticipate in the ordinances thereof, if he comes duly accredited as of worthy

life and conduct."

The marriage ceremony, as performed in the temple, is the

next ordinance to be considered.

Marriage for Eternity

The form of marriage ceremony generally performed by

Christian ministers, and by authorized officials according to civil

law, incorporates the statement that the relationship of husband

and wife is to continue until death parts them.

The Latter-day Saints are made to rejoice in the ceremony

of marriage performed in the temples, by which, under the

authority of the Priesthood, the man and woman are married

for time and for all eternity. The same ordinance is performed

in behalf of men and women who are dead.

No marriages of living persons are, or can be, performed

without licenses duly issued therefor by county clerks of the

state.

In conclusion, I will briefly explain the ceremony designated

Sealing of Children

The Latter-day Saints do not entertain the shadow of a

doubt concerning the validity and eternal character of the ordi-

nances performed in the temple in their behalf, or in behalf of

the dead. They have the most convincing assurance, equivalent

to knowledge, that those ceremonies are divinely approved.

Their joy is unbounded in this confident reliance upon a never-

ending association, in the resurrected state, with those to whom

God has united them in this life, and this includes the children

born unto them after that union. The family organization is

to be forever perpetuated, with happiness increased beyond

finite comprehension.

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Children born in wedlock under the sectarian or civil form

of marriage ceremony, which declares that the relationship is

to exist only until death, must remain under that law, they and

their parents eternally separated after they pass from this life,

unless they comply with the ordinance divinely established to

perpetuate the family organization. This ordinance also is one

of the glorious provisions connected with temple work. By

divine authority the husband and wife are married for time and

all eternity and, by the same power, their children are sealed to

be theirs forever, worlds without end.

It has been possible, in the short time I have had the op-

portunity of speaking to you, to give only a very meagre outline

of the subjects referred to, therefore you are invited to call at

the Bureau of Information and obtain some of the literature

that can be procured there, gratuitously, concerning Utah, and

the history and religion of the "Mormons." You can procure

there also a small booklet, nicely illustrated, describing this

great temple, and stating the purposes for which it has been

built. And you may purchase Dr. Talmage's large volume, en-

titled The House of the Lord, which contains much informa-

tion concerning ancient and modern temples, and has fifty fine

views of the interior and exterior of this temple, with descrip-

tive matter, and explanations of the doctrines associated with

temple ceremonies.

I thank you for your courteous attention.