Temple Ceremonies

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-

970 IMPROVEMENT ERA Oct.. iw bols are very few. The personification and illustration of historic events and prophetic promise are more numerous, as might be ex- pected. The historic part of the temple ceremonies at the time of the opening of the Christian era came down only to that time; they could not do more. The prophetic part included the vital unful- filled predictions of the succeeding period. Thus the ceremonies of the temple at Jerusalem had only the promise of the resurrection; and as the Levitical and temple officers among the Jews did not then, and never have done, accept the fact of the resurrection of Christ, that fact never became to them a historical part of the cere- mony, but remained a ceremonial promise. Hence, everything based exclusively on the Jewish temple ceremonies must stop at this point, as ritual. Eighteen centuries later came the dispensation of the fulness of times, when, according to Scripture, all things will be gathered in one in Christ. The temple ritual of this later period then must include in the historic part of its ceremony, not only the resurrection, but the falling away from the Church where such was the case, and the renewed revelation of the Gospel for the new dispensation. The historical part of the ceremonies may be made more compact, this being justified by circumstances, and more detail be given to the prophetic part, which is closer and of more immediate importance. The older ceremonies, too, were under the Scriptural lesser law, in which only priestly officials took part, while the newer dispensa- tion is under the higher or more perfect law, in which all who obey the Gospel take part. Thus, under the Mosaic law, which was "a schoolmaster to bring the people to Christ," only a selected por- tion of the male population in Israel were permitted to officiate; under the fulness of Christ's law there is no such restriction; the fulness or complete revelation of the Gospel takes in all the obedient, male and female, in their special capacity. The ceremonies and symbols, constituting the ritual, are there- fore sacred, but not necessarily secret except to those who have not obeyed the Gospel, and who have no legitimate business or con- cern therewith, either through morbid curiosity or illegitimate in- terference. For comparison, there are family matters that belong to the family immediately concerned, and with which no other self- respecting person will interfere. Some of this ritual, too, belongs for engaging therein only to the sacred precincts of the Temple of God, while other parts may, as designated, be of more general use; such, for illustration, as the laying on of hands for the healing of the sick, by anointing the head with oil and the blessing by the elders. Thus the temple ceremonies, whether of the antediluvian or

Oct.. 1919 TEMPLE CEREMONIES 971 postdiluvian dispensations, arc purely religious, and are educational in being a full representation of the Gospel plan in the world, whether historic or prophetic, according to the measure of each. In the latter-day dispensation they are more complete in the participa- tion thereof by the race of which it is God's promise that in them "shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" — the patriarchs, Abra- ham, Isaac and Jacob, and their faithful descendants; but not of the unfaithful or unconverted. This purely sacred religious character of the ceremonies of the Temple of God should be clear to all thoughtful and considerate people, without any suggestion of mys- tery. It is plain, simple, common sense, with no mysterious attach- ments. In latter days, the temple ceremonies embrace all former- day dispensations — a completed record to this time in the history of mankind. It is said that what is known as the Masonic order has rites based on ceremonies in Solomon's temple. That order is a fraternal organization, not a religious one. If it happens to have one, two, or three of the religious symbols of Solomon's temple ceremonies, then, so far as accurate, those must be a part of the true religious ritual. That fraternal order has the right to keep its ritual sacred and secret, and it is not the business of others so long as it does not interfere with the rights of others. But if it has borrowed some of its symbols from the rites of a religious temple ceremony, it has no right to complain of the use of that religious ceremony as deter- mined by the religious order which is primarily a rightful occupant and participator. For analogy, man was given dominion over the earth, but that did not deprive God of his dominion over the uni- verse, including the earth, nor stop man from exercising his right of dominion. Upon this point there seems to be no ground for disagreement in opinion or thought, but it is rather a field for unanimity in both thought and action. A life without love in it is like a heap of ashes upon a deserted hearth — with the fire dead, the laughter stilled, and the light extinguished. It is like a winter landscape — with the sun hidden, the flowers frozen, and the wind whispering through the withered leaves. God knows we need all the unselfish love that can come to us. For love is seldom unselfish. There is usually the motive and the price. Do you remember William Morris, and how his life was lived, his fortune spent, his hands busied — in the service of others? He was the father of the settlement -movement, of co-operative homes for working people, and of the arts and crafts revival, in our day. He was a "soldier of the common good." After he was gone — his life began to grow in radiance and power, like a beacon set high upon a dangerous shore. In the twilight of his days he wrote what I like to think was his creed — and mine: "I'm going your way, so let us. go hand in hand. You help me and I'll help you. We shall not be here very long, for soon death, the kind old nurse, will come back and rock us all to sleep. Let us help one another while we may." — Frank P. Tebbetts.