A Rational Theology, as Taught by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

by John Andreas Widtsoe

CHAPTER 23.

TEMPLE ORDINANCES.

The Church of God has always been characterized by the possession of temples in which the holiest work of the Gospel has been done. The activities of the Church have, so to speak, centered about the temples.

**Educational.** The doctrines of the origin, present condition and destiny of man should always be well in the mind of all, for without this knowledge, it is difficult to comply fully and intelligently with the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. It has been provided, therefore, that the story of man, from the beginning, at the present, and to the last great day, shall be given as frequently as may be desired to the members of the Church. In the temples this information is given, in an organized and correct form, so that it may not depart from among men and women. That is, the temples are conservators of the great truths of the Gospel. To the temples, man goes to be refreshed in his memory as to the doctrines relative to man and his place in nature. The endowments given to members of the Church in the temples are, essentially, courses of instruction relative to man's existence before he came on this earth, the history of the creation of the earth, the story of our first earthly parents, the history of the various dispensations of the Gospel, the meaning of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the story of the restoration of the Gospel, and the means and methods whereby joy on this earth and exaltation in heaven may be obtained. To make this large story clear and impressive to all who partake of it, every educational device, so far known to man, is employed; and it is possible that nowhere, outside of the temple, is a more correct pedagogy employed. Every sense of man is appealed to, in order to make the meaning of the Gospel clear, from beginning to end.

**Symbolism.** Naturally, the very essence of these fundamental truths is not known to man, nor indeed can be. We know things only so far as our senses permit. Whatever is known, is known through symbols. The letters on the written page are but symbols of mighty thoughts that are easily transferred from mind to mind by these symbols. Man lives under a great system of symbolism. Clearly, the mighty, eternal truths encompassing all that man is or may be, cannot be expressed literally, nor is there in the temple any attempt to do this. On the contrary, the great and wonderful temple service is one of mighty symbolism. By the use of symbols of speech, of action, of color, of form, the great truths connected with the story of man are made evident to the mind.

**Covenants.** The temple service also gives those who take their endowments, special information relative to their conduct upon earth. For instance, men and women are taught to keep themselves free from sin. They must be chaste, virtuous, truthful, unselfish, and so on. Moreover, they are taught that they must devote themselves and all that they have or may have to the great cause of truth, to teaching the everlasting Gospel to their fellowmen, so that the Great Plan may be worked out according to the* mind and will of God. In return for this, those who take their endowments make covenants with each other and their God, that they will observe the instructions given, and will carry them out in their daily lives. Thus the work becomes active and vital. It is also explained that the failure to carry out these promises, when once knowledge has been given, will be punished. This is in accordance with the law that provides a penalty for disobedience, as already explained. Only by the use of knowledge will more knowledge be obtained. The whole system of temple worship is very logical.

**Blessings.** In the course of instruction in the temple, it is emphasized that blessings will follow those who accept the truth, practice it and live Godlike lives. The essence of the endowment service is a blessing. Punishment is not made so prominent, as is the possibility of inviting great blessings by proper obedience to the truths that may be obtained from time to time.

**Temple Authority.** Perhaps the most glorious ordinances of the temple are those that seal husband and wife and children to each other for time and all eternity. According to the Gospel, the marriage relation does not necessarily cease with death. On the contrary, since sex is eternal, the sex relation may continue to the end of time. Such a union or sealing may be performed only by special authority, which is possessed only by the President of the Church. The President may, however, delegate the authority for longer or shorter times, so that certain temple workers may perform such marriages in the temples of God. Similarly, children who have been born to parents who were not married for time and eternity, may be sealed later to their parents, so that the relationship may be sustained throughout all the ages of eternity.

Moreover, every ordinance belonging to the Church may be performed in the temple. In the temple is a baptismal font, so that the introductory ordinance may be performed; likewise, every other ordinance for the benefit of the Saints may be performed in the holy temple. The work for the dead, as will be explained in chapter 28, is done in the temples, by the living. The vicarious work for the dead, who did not accept the Gospel on earth, forms the bulk of the temple work, since, after the first time, when endowments are taken for himself, a person must do work for the dead when he goes through the temple.

**Possible Repetition.** The vastness of meaning in the temple worship makes it difficult at once for man to remember and understand it, and only once are the endowments taken for himself by any one person. To refresh his memory, and to place him in close touch with the spirit of the work, a man may enter the temple as frequently as he desires and take endowments for the dead, and in that way both he and the dead are benefited. The temples, then, are means whereby every member of the Church may receive precious endowments, and may be kept in refreshed memory of the Great Plan, which he, with the rest of the human family, is working out. Temple work is the safety of the living and the hope of the dead. At present, temples are in operation in Salt Lake City, St. George, Logan and Manti, all in Utah, and a temple is nearing completion in Cardston, Alberta, Canada.