Below you will find Prince’s research excerpts titled, “Temples, 1869.” You can view other years here.
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TEMPLES, 1869.
1869: 24 Jan.: Men sealed to men, women to women.
“By the sealing principle men will be sealed to men, and women to women and children to parents, and the living to the dead, until every link in the chain is connected back to Father Adam; and Jesus will bring in the whole world of mankind that can be saved, and will renovate the earth and present it to the Father. This is how the gospel of the Son of God reaches the condition of every person, and provides salvation for all.” (Brigham Young, address at the funeral of Augusta St. Clair, 24 Jan., 1869; DN 17(52):413, 3 Feb., 1869)
24 Jan.: All will have the glory they can stand.
“Will all receive it [the gospel]? No, they will not. But this point, as to who will not receive the gospel, I wish to pass by; who they are or what their condition may be does not matter. Suffice it to say that every person who is capable of inheriting a kingdom of any degree of glory will have the privilege of doing so.” (Brigham Young, address at the funeral of Augusta St. Clair, 24 Jan., 1869; DN 17(52):413, 3 Feb., 1869)
24 Jan.: Advantage of baptism here/DOCTRINE OF PURGATORY?
“To this young lady who has died without being baptized there is all the liberty that can be asked to officiate for her here that she may enter into the society of the just. But I will say that there is this advantage enjoyed by those who receive the gospel here in this life, and render obedience to the laws of life as they have been revealed through the gospel,–when they step into the spirit world the power of the enemy has no influence over them whatever. They are perfectly free from it; they reign as kings over all sin and are free from its effects; while those who die without the gospel are liable to be afflicted by evil spirits. The evil and the good dwell together in the spirit world, which is around and close by us,–as we do her. But those who have received the gospel, and have lived according to it, when they enter the spirit world are perfectly free from the power of the enemy; they have all evil under their control, and when they give a command it has to be obeyed. But as quick as a person is officiated for here the door is unlocked and they enter a higher sphere of intelligence, power and glory, and they have power over evil. Is there any harm in all this? Not the least. If it be evil to bless all men, to promote peace and righteousness upon the earth, and to cause men to seek after it, I pray God we may have more of it.” (Brigham Young, address at the funeral of Augusta St. Clair, 24 Jan., 1869; DN 17(52):413, 3 Feb., 1869)
6 Apr.: Can’t go to Missouri without the United Order.
“The principles of the Order of Enoch have been thus far, except in a few instances, a dead letter. But those principles have never been lost sight of from the time they were revealed thirty-six years ago. Unless we can agree with and practise those principles in our lives we are told unqualifiedly that we cannot be permitted to go back to build up the centre stake and accomplish the redemption of Zion.” (George Q. Cannon, General Conference Minutes, 6 Apr., 1869; DN 18(10):115, 14 Apr., 1869)
24 Jul.: Garments and the Carthage Jail.
“The School of the Prophets met as usual at 1 p.m. . . . President Young alluded to Emma Smith’s prevailing on Joseph to take off his garments before he went to Carthage, Hyrum Smith and John Taylor did the same; but Willard Richards being charged by Joseph never to put them off, would not, for said Joseph: Willard, the day will come when bullets will whistle by you on each side, and men will fall on each side of you, but you shall be preserved.” (JH 24 Jul., 1869)
5 Sep.: Temple work to be done for ALL the earth’s dead.
“There are one or two ideas more I wish to refer to with regard to the mission of Christ. That mission did not end when he was crucified. When that event took place we are told that his body lay in the tomb for three days, and that his spirit went to preach to the spirits in prison, which sometime wer disobedient when the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was preparing. Jesus went and preached to them in the spirit that they might be judged according to men in the flesh. Here is a principle of which the Christian world know nothing, and which has been revealed to us in our own day–namely, preaching the Gospel of life and salvation to the spirits of those who pass away without rendering obedience thereunto. Nearly eighteen hundred years have passed away since God had a Church upon the earth. In that time about fifty-four thousand millions of human beings have passed away without the Gospel. Are they to perish because they lived in generations when God had no Church on the earth? No, they will be preached to by men who go into the spirit world, who hold the keys of the kingdom of God, and the ordinances of the house of God will be administered to them by their descendants and friends here on the earth. The Apostle Paul evidently had his mind on this subject when he says, ‘Why then are they baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not?’
I do not know how fully Brother [Ezra T.] Benson has attended to the work for his dead, but I know that he has worked hard for the living; and when he goes into the spirit world and meets with those for whom he has been baptized and been the means of liberating them from prison in the spirit world, what joy he will have! And it will be so with others. And this work of administering the ordinances of the house of God to the dead, I may say, will require the whole of the Millennium, with Jesus at the head of the resurrected dead to attend to it. The ordinances of salvation will have to be attended to for the dead who have not heard the Gospel, from the days of Adam down, before Christ can present this world to the Father, and say, ‘It is finished.’
Brethren and sisters, let us be admonished by the death of Brother Benson, and if we have anything to do let us to it. Let us go to and attend to our ordinances, then when we go to the spirit world and meet with father, mother, brother or sister they cannot rise up and accuse us of negligence. I have attended to the ordinances for a great many of my friends, and I want you to do the same, so that when we get to the other side of the vail we may look back and be satisfied. This power has been placed in the hands of the Latter-day Saints, then let us go forth and use it for the salvation of the living and the dead. With regard to the unbelief of the world, it will not make the truth of God without effect. These ordinances have been revealed to us; we understand them, and unless we attend to them we shall fall under condemnation.” (Wilford Woodruff, funeral sermon for Ezra T. Benson, 5 Sep., 1869; JD 13:326-327)
23 Sep.: Teachers to get names of those not endowed.
[Teachers Meeting] “[Counselor J. D. T. McAllister presiding and conducting.] Councillor McAllister urged the Teachers to get the names of those in the ward that have not yet had their Endowments. Was glad there was no suffering in the ward. Would like to see the Saints practising economy in their living, provide fuel for the winter & do their trading at the ward store.” (8th Ward Minutes, 23 Sep., 1869)
9 Oct.: Keys of sealing polygamous wives.
“In his [Joseph Smith’s] last conversation, he administered a little chastizement to me for not stepping forward as he had indicated in partriarchal marriage. He assured me that the man who had many virtuous wives had many great prizes, though he admitted that the man who had one virtuous wife had one great prize. He testified to me and to my father that the Lord had given him the keys of this sealing ordinance, and that he felt as liberal to others as he did to himself. He remarked that he had given Brigham Young three wives, Heber C. Kimball two, John Taylor three, Orson Hyde two, and many a number of others, and said to me, ‘You should not be behind your privileges.’ He had, all along, kept me posted as to many of his movements, in introducing the patriarchal order of marriage.” (George A. Smith to Joseph Smith III, 9 Oct., 1869; JH 9 Oct., 1869)
5 Dec.: Geo. Q. Cannon’s recollection of endowment.
“Previous to his death, the Prophet Joseph manifested great anxiety to see the temple completed, as most of you who were with the Church during his day, well know. ‘Hurry up the work, brethren,’ he used to say, ‘let us finish the temple; the Lord has a great endowment in store for you, and I am anxious that the brethren should have their endowments and receive the fullness of the Priesthood.’ He urged the Saints forward continually, preaching unto them the importance of completing that building, so that therein the ordinances of life and salvation might be administered to the whole people, but especially to the quorums of the holy Priesthood; ‘then,’ said he, ‘the Kingdom will be established, and I do not care what shall become of me.’
These were his expressions oft repeated in the congregations of the Saints, telling the brethren and sisters of the Church, and the world that he rolled the Kingdom to the Twelve, and they would have to round up their shoulders and bear it off, as he was going to rest for awhile, and many other expressions of a like nature, the full meaning of which the Saints did not realize at the time.
Prior to the completion of the Temple, he took the Twelve and certain other men, who were chosen, and bestowed upon them a holy anointing, similar to that which was received on the day of Pentecost by the Twelve, who had been told to tarry at Jerusalem. This endowment was bestowed upon the chosen few whom Joseph anointed and ordained, giving unto them the keys of the holy Priesthood, the power and authority which he himself held, to build up the Kingdom of God in all the earth and accomplish the great purposes of our Heavenly Father; and it was by virtue of this authority, on the death of Joseph, that President Young, as President of the quorum of the Twelve, presided over the Church.” (George Q. Cannon, 5 Dec., 1869, JD 13:49)
11 Dec.: Rules concerning sealings.
“W Woodruff opened the School [of the Prophets] By Prayer. Questions were asked By seven of the school. President Young spoke 30 Minuts. The following is a synopsis of Presidet Youngs remarks:
He said A Bill of Divorce that is given to many is no Better than a peace of Blank paper. A woman who is sealed to a good man who bears the Priesthood if that man honors that Priesthood if that woman leaves him of her own accord & she is sealed to a dozen other men the first man will hold her in the resurrection if he wants her unless she should be sealed to a Man of a Higher Priesthood. The he would [?] her. But Even A man Holding the office of deacon may magnify that Calling so that he would be more worthy & have a higher Exaltation than many High Priest. It is not so much the office a Man Holds as it is of the magnifying of that portion of the office He does hold.
Some ordinances Cannot Be given without A temple. All Children Born Before Parents are Sealed to [at] the Altar will have to be sealed to their Parents in order to make them Legal heirs. Those who are Born after the parents are sealed are legal heirs. Men also will have to be sealed to Men untill the Chain is united from Father Adam down to the last Saint. This will be the work of the Millennium & Joseph Smith will be the Man to attend to it or to dictate it. He will not administer in person But He will receive his resurrected Body & will dictate to those who dwell in the flesh & tell what is to be done for He is the Last Prophet who is Called to lay the foundation of the great Last dispensation of the fullness of times.
Some have thought it strange what I have said Concerning Adam But the period will Come when this people of faithful will be willing to adopt Joseph Smith as their Prophet Seer Revelator & God But not the father of their spirits for that was our Father Adam.
Many questions were asked about divorces. I will say that many men & women want to be sealed that should not be for they will not stay together. But if I was to stop it there would be a fuss. Now what is to be done? They will be sealed & then they will separate. Some give them Bills of divorce. I Charge Nothing for sealing But I Charge $10 for Bills of divorce. If they will Break the Commandmts & make me Break them they shall Pay $10 for [it].
Presidt Joseph Young asked Presidet Young if He was Justified in giving these Bills of Divorce. Presidet Young says yes I am. I do not force them to separate. I give them good Council & tell them what to do. No man has a right to put away a wife Except for adultry But when a woman will leave a man against his will He does not put her away; but she puts herself away & he that Marries her Commits adultery as James Says. I am Justified in giving these Bills of Divorce for they will separate against my Council & the woman takes the responsibility upon herself & not me.” (Meeting of the School of the Prophets, in Wilford Woodruff diary, 11 Dec., 1869)
12 Dec.: Laying of cornerstones for Far West Temple.
“The Twelve Apostles were called by revelation to go to Far West, Caldwell county, to lay the foundation of the corner stone of the Temple. When that revelation was given this Church was in peace in Missouri. It is the only revelation that has ever been given since the organization of the Church, that I know anything about, that had day and date given with it. The Lord called the Twelve Apostles, while in this state of prosperity, on the 26th day of April, 1838, to go to Far West to lay the corner stone of the Temple; and from there to take their departure to England to preach the Gospel. Previous to the arrival of that period the whole Church was driven out of the State of Missouri, and it was as much as a man’s life was worth to be found in the State if it was known that he was a Latter-day Saint; and especially was this the case with the Twelve. When the time came for the corner stone of the Temple to be laid, as directed in the revelation, the Church was in Illinois, having been expelled from Missouri by an edict from the Governor. Joseph and Hyrum Smith and Parley P. Pratt were in chains in Missouri for the testimony of Jesus. As the time drew nigh for the accomplishment of this work, the question arose, ‘What is to be done?’ Here is a revelation commanding the Twelve to be in Far West on the 26th day of April, to lay the corner stone of the Temple there; it had to be fulfilled. The Missourians had sworn by all the gods of eternity that if every other revelation given through Joseph Smith were fulfilled, that should not be, for the day and date being given they declared that it should fail. The general feeling in the Church, so far as I know, was that, under the circumstances, it was impossible to accomplish the work; and the Lord would accept the will for the deed. This was the feeling of Father Smith, the father of the Prophet. Joseph was not with us, he was in chains in Missouri, for his religion. When President Young asked the question of the Twelve, ‘Brethren, what will you do about this?’ the reply was, ‘The Lord has spoken and it is for us to obey.’ We felt that the Lord God had given the commandment and we had faith to go forward and accomplish it, feeling that it was His business whether we lived or died in its accomplishment. We started for Missouri. There were two wagons. I had one and took brother Pratt and President Young in mine; brother Cutler, one of the building committee, had the other. We reached Far West and laid the corner stone according to the revelation that had been given to us. We cut off apostates and those who had sworn away the lives of the brethren. We ordained Darwin Chase and Norman Shearer into the Seventies. Brother George A. Smith and myself were ordained into the quorum of the Twelve on the corner stone of the Temple; we had been called before, but not ordained. We then returned, nobody having molested or made us afraid. We performed that work by faith, and the Lord blessed us in doing it.” (Wilford Woodruff, 12 Dec., 1869; JD 13:159)
12 Dec.: Joseph gave keys to the Twelve.
“He spent the last winter of his life, some three or four months, with the Quorum of the Twelve, teaching them. It was not merely a few hours ministering to them the ordinances of the Gospel; but he spent day after day, week after week and month after month, teaching them and a few others the tings of the kingdom of God. Said he, during that period, ‘I now rejoice. I have lived until I have seen this burden, which has rested on my shoulders, rolled on to the shoulders of other men; now the keys of the kingdom are planted on the earth to be taken away no more for ever.’ But until he had done this, they remained with him; and had he been taken away they would have had to be restored by messengers out of heaven. But he lived until every key, power and principle of the holy Priesthood was sealed on the Twelve and on President Young, as their President. He told us that he was going away to leave us, going away to rest. Said he, ‘You have to round up your shoulders to bear up the kingdom. No matter what becomes of me. I have desired to se that Temple built, but I shall not live to see it. You will; you are called upon to bear off this kingdom.'” (Wilford Woodruff, JD 13:164, 12 Dec., 1869)
26 Dec.: Schools of Prophets: St. George & Toquerville.
“I joined the School of the Prophets in St. George and met a few times and on 23 Jany. 1869 joined the School in Toquerville that place being Several miles higher than St. George.” (William Ellis Jones diary, 26 Dec., 1869; LC Collection)