Another phase of this same subject is Temple work, which is so bitterly
attacked by the Reorganites. They say:
"That as to the alleged 'temple building and ceremonial endowments
therein,' that we know of no temple building, except as edifices
wherein to worship God, and no endowment except the endowment of
the Holy Spirit of the kind experienced by the early Saints on
Pentecost day." (Book of Resolutions, p. 82).
They take the ground that the Temple work of the Latter-day Saints is
contrary to the teachings of the Prophet, and it was not contemplated
before the martyrdom that in the Temple of God anything of a secret
nature should take place. Of course it is to be expected that the
"Reorganization" knows of "no Temple building or ceremonial endowments
therein," for they have rejected the "_greater things_" and therefore
the Lord has withheld from them this knowledge "to their condemnation."
This charge has been already answered in part in what goes before, but
we will see what is in the revelations to Joseph Smith which justify
still further the actions of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints in the belief and practice of "ceremonial endowments," etc., in
the Temples.
After speaking of baptism for the dead in the revelation of January 19,
1841, the Lord continues:
"And again, verily I say unto you, How shall your _washings_ be
acceptable unto me, except ye perform them in a house which you
have built to my name? * * * Therefore, verily I say unto you, that
your _anointings_, and your _washings_, and your baptisms for the
dead, and your _solemn assemblies_, and your memorials for your
sacrifices, by the sons of Levi, and for your _oracles in your
most holy places_, wherein you receive _conversations_, and your
statutes and judgments, for the beginning of the revelations and
foundation of Zion, and for her glory, honor, and endowment of
all her municipals, _are ordained_ by the _ordinance of my holy
house_ which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy
name. And verily I say unto you, Let this house be built unto my
name, that _I may reveal mine ordinances therein, unto my people_."
(Verses 37-40).
Here are mentioned ordinances that were not had on Pentecost day that
were to be had in the Lord's Temple, of which our self-confessed
Reorganites know nothing, because God has not revealed these things
unto them, and He will not for they have rejected these greater things
to _their own condemnation_.
In the Book of Abraham (See Pearl of Great Price) published by the
Prophet Joseph Smith in the Times and Seasons in 1842, is given a
fac-similie of hieroglyphics with an accompanying translation by
Joseph Smith, as far as he was permitted to translate. These figures
are numbered from 1 to 20. Here are some of these translations and
comments of the Prophet: Figure 3.--Is made to represent God, sitting
upon His throne, clothed with power and authority; with a crown of
eternal light upon His head; representing also the grand _key-words_ of
the Holy Priesthood, as revealed to Adam, etc." Figure 7.--Represents
God sitting upon His throne revealing through the heavens, the grand
_key-words_ of the Priesthood, as, also, the sign of the Holy Ghost
unto Abraham, in the form of a dove. Figure 8.--_Contains writing that
cannot be revealed unto the world, but is to be had in the Holy Temple
of God_. Figures 9, 10, 11, the Prophet says "Ought not to be revealed
at the present time; if the world can find out these numbers, so let it
be. Amen." Figures 12, to 20, "Will be given in the own due time of the
Lord." Then the Prophet concludes: "The above translation is given as
far as we have any right to give, at the present time."
Here, then, we find things that were to be taught to the Saints in the
Temple of the Lord, but were not to be revealed to the world; for they
are sacred and holy, and can only be had in the Temple of God, for the
Lord through Joseph Smith declared it.
Again, in verse 28 (see 124), the Lord says: "For there is not a place
found on earth that he may come and restore again that which was lost
unto you, or which he hath taken away, even the _fulnesss of the
Priesthood_." Therefore, we learn that only in the Temple of the Lord
can the fulnesss of the Priesthood be received by His people.
These facts place our Reorganite brethren in a rather unenviable light,
for they are opposing through ignorance and unbelief, and the hardness
of their hearts, the revelations of the Lord on Temple work as it was
revealed to Joseph Smith, and by him to others, and from them to the
Church.
"Hold on," say they, "not so fast, the Lord said He was _about_ to
restore these things, but it depended on the faithfulness of the
Saints, and Joseph Smith died before the Temple was built, therefore,
since these things could only be revealed to the people _in the Temple_
they were not revealed."
"Have any such revelations been received? Name them. Where are they and
what are they? Our Doctrine and Covenants contains only two sections
that were given between that time and the time the Saints left Nauvoo,
and they are not revelations, but letters of Joseph Smith containing
items of revelation pertaining to baptism for the dead. The Utah
Doctrine and Covenants contains nothing that could be accepted as a
response, an answer, to the promise in full."[3]
Now, it's our turn to cry "Hold on, not so fast." We will examine the
word of the Lord: In verse 41 (sec. 124) He says: "For I deign to
reveal _unto my Church_, things which have been kept hid from before
the foundation of the world, _things that pertain to the dispensation_
of the fulnesss of times." Well, if we were rejected, and _they have
not received_ the revelations of these things the Lord was _about to
reveal to His Church_, then it stands to reason that _they are not His
Church_ or they would have received them. For the word of the Lord
cannot be broken. They testify to us that _they have not_ received
these things.
In section 127:8, the Lord again affirms: "For _I am about to restore
many things_ to the earth, pertaining to the Priesthood, saith the Lord
of Hosts." Yes, He was about to do it, but nearly seventy years have
passed away and the "Reorganization" confesses that they have not been
revealed to them yet! Then they are not the Church! This is obvious.
Elijah said the time had fully come (Sec. 110) and the Prophet said
"the earth will be smitten with a curse, unless there is a welding link
of some kind or other, between the fathers and the children * * * it
is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulnesss
of times * * that a whole and complete and perfect union, and welding
together of _dispensations_, and _keys_, and _powers_, and _glories_
should take place and _be revealed_ from the days of Adam even to the
present time; and not only this, but those things which _never have
been revealed from the foundation of the world_, but have been kept hid
from the wise and prudent, shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings
in this the dispensation of the fulnesss of times." (Sec. 128:18).
Here is a point of considerable interest that our friends have
overlooked. The Lord says: "_And I will show unto my servant Joseph ALL
THINGS pertaining to this house, and the Priesthood thereof_; and the
place whereon it shall be built. (Sec. 124:42). Evidently the Lord was
going to show him these things before the Temple was built. Did the
Lord keep His word? Our Reorganite friends say not, that these things
_were not_ revealed. But they were revealed to Joseph Smith _and he
revealed them to others_; not the unfaithful who would receive only
the "lesser portion of the word" and were therefore denied the greater
things, but he taught them to the Apostles and others. Now, the Lord
did not say that Joseph Smith could not receive the fulnesss of the
Priesthood _out side of the Temple_, neither that he should not confer
the same Priesthood upon others, to the contrary the Lord said He
would reveal these things to Joseph Smith, but it was _His people, His
Church_ that could not receive them outside of the Temple of the Lord!
and unto them He was going to reveal them _in_ the Temple, but unto
Joseph Smith He would show _all things_ pertaining to His house, and
_the Priesthood thereof_.
It is unnecessary here to quote the evidence proving that Joseph Smith
received _all things_ pertaining to the Priesthood of the Lord's house
and conferred them on the heads of the Apostles, for that is given
in another place, and has often been recorded. It is, therefore,
sufficient to say that shortly before his death he conferred upon the
heads of the Apostles all the _keys and Priesthood_ the Lord had given
him, and this was done by command of the Lord. We will merely refer to
the testimony of Orson Hyde which with other testimonies is given in
this book. Said Brother Hyde:
"Before I went east on the 4th of April last, we were in council
with Brother Joseph almost every day for weeks, said Brother Joseph
in one of those councils, 'There is something going to happen; I
don't know what it is, but the Lord bids me to hasten and give you
your endowment before the Temple is finished.' He conducted us
through every ordinance of the Holy Priesthood, and when he had
gone through with all the ordinances, he rejoiced very much, and
said, 'Now, if they kill me, you have got all the keys, and all
the ordinances, and you can confer them upon others, and the hosts
of Satan will not be able to tear down the kingdom, as fast as you
will be able to build it up.'" (Times and Seasons, 5:651).
"Have any such revelations been received? they cry. Name them. Where
are they and what are they?" Yes, these revelations have been received.
They were revealed to Joseph Smith[4] and from him to the Apostles,
and by the Apostles they have been given to the faithful Saints in the
Temples of the Lord; both at Nauvoo and here in Utah. "_Name them?_"
No, I shall not name them nor tell what they are. Why? because if the
Lord kept some things hid from the world since before the foundation of
the world, pertaining to the dispensation of the fulnesss of times, and
has revealed them now unto _His Church_, I have no authority to reveal
them to the world. Moreover, I am--like every other member of the
Church--"laid under a strict command, not to impart only according to
the portion of His word, which He doth grant unto the children of men."
Should I reveal these things, because of the hardness of your hearts
you would not receive them, therefore, you shall receive but the lesser
portion of the word, to your condemnation. If you will not hear Moses
and the Prophets, neither will you though one arose from the dead.