Improvement Era, October 1929

Improvement Era Vol. XXXII OCTOBER, 1929 No. 12 Temple Ceremonies By James H. Anderson THERE are certain temple ceremonies always connected with temples of God. In Solomon's temple there were certain pre- cincts which only the high priest was permitted to enter, for participation in the rites pertaining thereto. In the temple referred To those rites and ceremonies consisted of oral instruction and il- lustrating symbols indicating the progress of mankind. 1 hey told of the beginnings of men's occupancy of the earth, of the instructions from God, and the conditions and rewards pertaining thereto. 1 hey told also of the efforts of the evil power to draw mankind away from the precepts of Deity. They explained how observance of those precepts brought peace and joy and happiness throughout the ages- and how disregard thereof brought the opposite result. They indicated how that through the activity of evil powers, per- secution and mortal suffering necessarily would come to those who sought to live righteous lives; but that when human selfishness, greed and unlawful desires were overcome by the principle of sac- rificing these human appetites by overcoming them there would come victory over those baser human attributes, and these attributes wTuld be replaced by God-like attributes of a higher and nobler life They also pointed out that as in his superior wisdom God knoweth best, the noblest results are achieved by obedience to his laws, despite the temptations, devices, difficulties and persecutions inspired from an evil source, of which men sometimes are ignorantly the agents These rites and ceremonies, consisting of oral and symbolic instruction, constitute the temple ceremonies. In Solomon's temple this ritual contained historical record only up to the time of its administration. As a history in symbol and recital it could contain no more. Beyond this, there are the sacred promises for the future, as given in prophetic symbol and P^phetic promise. The chief of these pertained to the anticipated resurrection from the dead, and the eternal judgment which awarded to man- kind the result of their actions, based upon their conformity to God's law, as they had opportunity which comes m great measure from their diligence in adopting that conformity. The actual sym-