Vol. 7, No. 6, 1990

Articles on Mormonism

Rick Branch

Prior to his death, Spencer W. Kimball, twelfth prophet of the Mormon Church, wrote an article entitled, Absolute Truth.

In his message, he explained, "This church of Jesus Christ (nicknamed Mormon) is the `only true and living church' that is fully recognized with the authority to perform for him, and the only one with a total and comprehensive and true program which will carry men to powers unbelievable and to realms incredible."

He summarizes his opinion with "This is an absolute truth. It cannot be disproved," (Ensign, Sept. 1978, p. 7).

Part of the comprehensive program which allows men to "...continue to grow toward perfection and godhood..." is the Mormon Temple ceremony (Ibid, p. 5). Without the precise Temple ceremony, there can be no godhood. This, too, according to Mormonism, is an absolute truth!

However, throughout its history, the LDS Church has constantly changed various aspect of the Temple ceremony. These changes lead to the most fundamental and obvious question, how can absolute truth be changed?

That the Temple ceremony has been changed in the past cannot be denied by anyone. Even one of the Mormon Churches own Prophets admitted this.

In General Conference of April 1894, President Wilford Woodruff stated, "Revelations were given to us in the St. George Temple, which President Young presented to the Church of God. Changes were made there, and we still have more changes to make, in order to satisfy our Heavenly Father, satisfy our dead and ourselves.

"We have felt as President Taylor said, that we have got to have more revelations concerning sealing under the law of adoption. Well, what are these changes? One of them is the principle of adoption," (The Holy Temple, Apostle Boyd Paker, pp. 200-201).

History of the Changes

In 1987, Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought carried an outstanding article by David John Buerger. In this article, Buerger charted the history of the changing world of LDS Temple ceremonies.

"As early as October 1835, Joseph (Smith) told his apostles of an awaited `endowment' which would grant them `power from on high,'" (p. 35).

In 1836, "...Joseph Smith declared that he `had now completed the organization of the Church, and we had passed through all the necessary ceremonies,'" (pp. 35-36).

"Five years later in Nauvoo, on 19 January 1841, a new revelation... (concerning) `your anointings, and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead....' Thus, the Saints who had been previously anointed in Kirtland learned that those rituals were a precursor to new ceremonies," (p. 36).

During the Nauvoo Period, a ceremony called the second anointing was introduced. It was in two parts. "First, an officiator anointed the heads of a husband and wife with oil, then conferred upon them the `fulness of the priesthood.... The second part was a private ceremony between the couple in which the wife washed the feet of the husband...," (p. 47).

In 1877, the theological influence of Brigham Young could be observed in the Temple Ceremony. In the St. George Temple, "...a revised thirty-minute `lecture at the veil' which summarized important theological concepts taught in the endowment and also contained references to the Adam-God doctrine" was given (p. 50-51).

In General Conference of April 1894, President Wilford Woodruff "...stopped the practice of sealing people to General Authorities and other Church members outside their family lineage and instead directed that they be sealed to their own parents," (p. 52).

The Word of Wisdom became a central issue in 1921. "For the first time, adherence to the Word of Wisdom became an official requirement for admission to the temple. Apparently this had been encouraged prior to 1921, but exceptions had been made," (p. 56).

In 1927, Apostle George F. Richards sent a letter "...to all temple presidents (which) directed that they `omit from the prayer circle all reference to avenging the blood of the Prophet," (p. 55). This reference was known as the Oath of Vengeance.

In addition to the Oath of Vengeance, several other important changes were made at this time.

The ceremony was shortened from "six to nine hours in length to roughly three hours." The "graphic penalties, all of which closely follow Masonic penalties' wording, were moderated." The Temple garment style was "altered," (p. 55).

Just as the most recent changes in the Temple have caused a great deal of anxiety among LDS adherents, so some of the previous changes did likewise.

"The introduction of this new-style garment caused considerable unrest among some members. Nevertheless, the pre-1923 style garment was required in the temple ceremony until 1975 when its use became optional," (p. 56).

Beginning in the late 1960's and early 1970's, "probably because of recommendations made by Harold B. Lee, a member of the First Presidency, ...several phrases used in ceremony film scripts were subsequently dubbed out in the mid-1970's," (p. 62).

Some of these deletions and changes, including, the "preacher's reference to Satan having black skin," which is no longer mentioned. Also, "Satan and the preacher no longer fix a specific salary to proselytize the audience for converts," (p. 62 ftnt.).

In the conclusion of his article, Buerger observed, "...the endowment ceremony still depicts women as subservient to men, not as equals in relating to God," (p. 68).

With the most recent Temple change, this statement joins the long list of other Temple doctrines which were at one time true, but are now, only formerly true.

This article began with an insight from former LDS President Spencer W. Kimball. In his same article, he explained, "Follow the prescribed procedures, and you may have an absolute knowledge that these things are absolute truths....

"The true and living Church and its members and representatives stand ready to provide answers to any questions...," (Ensign, Sept. 1978, pp. 7-8).

Perhaps someone from the LDS Church could explain which, if any, of the Temple ceremonies is the Absolute True One. For it is obvious, by the process of simple logic, that they cannot all be correct!