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TEMPLES, 1857.
1857: 3 Jan.: Heber C. Kimball rejects law of adoption.
“H. C. Kimball Came in & read a letter to his Brother Solomon. Then He set down & taught us good doctrin. He said that He did not Believe in this custom of Adoption that had been practiced in this Church. No man should give his Birthright to another but should keep his birthright in the linage of his Fathers & go to & unite the link through the whole linage of their fathers untill they come up to a man in the Linage who held the priesthood. Like a Branch of a tree the branch of a vine still abides in the vine that it comes out of it unless the vine is Cut of or the branch. It will abide in it. Now unless a man is a poor Cuss he should keep his priesthood & unite it with his Fathers & not give it to another, & the Lord will save our Father[s?]. Evry man that gets his Patriarchal Blessings & Priesthood He becomes the Patriarch of his own family & should bless his own family.” (Wilford Woodruff diary, 3 Jan., 1857)
4 Jan.: Neglect of our calling as saviors of the dead.
“Brethren, most of you hold high and important positions in this kingdom, indeed but few men have lived on the earth that were placed in so important and responsible situations; the salvation of the present world, also many generations past and generations to come look to you for life, exaltation, and happiness. High Priests, Seventies, and ye Elders of Israel, are you this day prepared with wisdom and power to officiate for the living and the dead, and to lay a pure and holy foundation through your wives and children, that salvation may go forth to the rising generations; or have you neglected qualifying yourselves in your holy callings, and let the cares of the world occupy your entire thoughts and attention, and your minds become dull, your spiritual armor rusty and but little room found in you for the Holy Ghost to abide?
Brethren, your eye should be single to the glory of God, to hearkening to the counsel of brother Brigham, and to the building up of Zion, then you bodies would be filled with spirit, and your understandings with light, and your hearts with joy, and your souls would be quickened into eternal life with the power of the Holy Ghost, you would then become the depositories of that wisdom and knowledge which would qualify you to be saviors unto your brethren and your posterity.
It is the case with many in this community that instead of preparing themselves for positions in the eternal world, they have been satisfied with the cares of this life, and attending to those things which have been for the comfort of themselves and their wives and children; they have been satisfied in exercising themselves in this small way of ambition. They have forgotten the salvation of their forefathers, and that on them lay the responsibility of laying a holy and pure foundation upon which their posterity may build and obtain life and salvation, and upon which the generations to come might return back to their pristine purity. Instead of being sanctified this day as the people might have been had they sought it diligently, they are weak in their intellects, weak in their faith, weak in their power in reference to the things of God, and many of them this day, setting aside their being saviors of men, are incapable of administering salvation to their individual wives and children. This, brethren, whatever you may think about it, is a solemn consideration, and you must know it, for at the present you do not see this as you want to see it, and as you should see it.” (Lorenzo Snow, 4 Jan., 1857; JD 4:154-155)
11 Jan.: Dissolution of John Hyde’s sealing to wife.
“A motion has been put, and unanimously carried, that John hyde be cut off root and branch, that is, himself and all the roots and branches that are within him; this has no allusion to his family. He has taken a course by which he has lost his family and forfeited his Priesthood; he has forfeited his membership. The limb is cut off, but the Priesthood takes the fruit that was attached to the limb and saves it, if it will be saved. Do you understand me? His wife is not cut off from this Church, but she is free from him; she is just as free from his as though she never had belonged to him. The limb she was connected to is cut off, and she must again be grafted into the tree, if she wishes to be saved; that is all about it.” (Heber C. Kimball, 11 Jan., 1857; JD 4:165)
25 Jan.: God received his endowments long ago.
“Some of the people have looked upon the law of tithing as a kind of tax and burthen laid uopn them, but who is it for? Our tithing, our labour, and all that we do in the kingdom of God, who is it all for? The tithing is not to exalt the Lord, or to feed or clothe Him, He has had His endowments long ago; it is thousands and millions of years since He received His blessings, and if He had not received them, we could not give them to Him, for He is far in advance of us.” (Wilford Woodruff, 25 Jan., 1857; JD 4:192)
31 Jan.: Progress on Temple/canal.
“The coping of the Temple wall is finished, and we have plastered two sides of the said wall the same as my houses.
The stone-cutters are busy preparing stone for commencing our labours again on the foundation of the Temple; and the people are busy digging the canal to Cottonwood, that we may have the rock conveyed by this means.” (Brigham Young [SLC] to Orson Pratt [England], 31 Jan., 1857; MS 19(22):348, 30 May, 1857)
1 Feb.: Sealings in President’s office.
“I attended the prayer Circle in the evening. When I arived there I saw a large company of men & women coming out of the Presidets Office. He had been sealing men & women from the Close of the meeting up to that time & had to turn away many which he Could not attend to.” (Wilford Woodruff diary, 1 Feb., 1857)
5 Feb.: Temple manifestations expected beyond prior ones.
“I believe a work of great magnitude is about to be accomplished in this country. I consider it will be a great work if we get the Saints purified. If one-third should be cut off, and the rest remain united, it will be one of the greatest works that was ever accomplished in this land. We have all learned by experience that the more we are united, the more the Lord will bless us, whether we be few or many. I am impressed that the time is at hand when the Lord intends to accomplish something, not only here but in Zion. I have not ascertained what it is–but I believe that the Spirit and power, resting on the Presidency, are preparatory to something of importance. It may be that the Lord intends this purification to prepare the Saints for entering into the Temple–in which we expect such manifestations, and blessings to be given as the Church have never had. We know this is a day of power, and that the time cannot be far distant. It seems as if it were near at hand. The Lord is preparing to bring us nearer to His presence. I do feel, and have felt, that something of importance is at hand. With regard to the work in this land, it is bound to go a-head. The Saints will require faith to stand up against opposition, and none but those having faith will be able to stand. The brethren here will go forth with greater power and energy, to administer, and heal the sick. They will have greater power than heretofore. I say, go forth, and the power of the Lord shall be upon you–you shall feel it–and the people shall know it, even if they fight against it the next minute.” (Orson Pratt, Minutes of a “Reformation Conference” of British officers, 4 & 5 Feb., 1857; MS 19(9):129-134, 28 Feb., 1857)
9 Feb.: 1st Prayer Circle in St. Louis.
“Monday 9th. I called Elders Christiansen, Cunningham, Coombs and Coward to an upper room occupied as my sleeping room, in Seventh Street between Carr and Biddle Sts., and dedicated it unto the Lord as a place wherein his servants who are acceptable before Him might appear before the Lord in prayer according to the Order of the Priesthood. I, there and then, in unison with these brethren, clothed and prayed in the Holy Circle, which so far as I know, is the first ever formed in this city [St. Louis] or state. Next day we all met and prayed again together, and were greatly refreshed from on High.” (Erastus Snow diary, 9 Feb., 1857; in Our Pioneer Heritage, 5:447, 1962)
13 Feb.: Both wives sealed to husband simultaneously.
“Friday 13th had my wives Ellen and Angeline sealed to me for time, and for all-Eternity at the alter in the Endowment House, by Prest. Brigham Young.” (J. D. T. McAllister diary, 13 Feb., 1857, p. 162)
18 Feb.: A ceremony only one of his wives had attended to previously.
“[Heber C. Kimball] came to our room [and] said he did not feel well. spoke of an ordinance which he had previously taught and said that only one of his wives had attended to it. he then spoke of our Savior and his wives but more particularly of Mary [and her] faithfulness to her Lord Said Mary felt to say that she intended to devote her time to him for he had told her that his time was short and he must soon leave them Now she says I design to attend to his words and teaching Let Martha and the rest say what they would. The Savior then told Martha to let Mary alone for she had chosen the better part which should never be taken from her Now said He follow me and you shall see my father This she did even to the tomb and was the first to see him resurrected from the grave.” (Mary Ellen A. Kimball Journal, Church Archives; February 18, 1857; W/O sic. Bergera collection.)
22 Feb.: People here today will assist 10 tribes in receiving their endowments.
“Again, here are the ten tribes of Israel. We know nothing about them only what the Lord has said by His Prophets. There are Prophets among them, and by and by they will come along, and they will smite the rocks, and the mountains of ice will flow down at their presence, and a highway will be cast up before them, and they will come to Zion, receive their endowments, and be crowned under the hands of the children of Ephraim, and there are persons before me in this assembly today who will assist to give them their endowments. They will receive their blessings and endowments, from under the children of Ephraim, who are the first fruits of the Kingdom of God in this dispensation, and the men will have to be ordained and receive their Priesthood and endowments in the land of Zion, according to the revelations of God.” (Wilford Woodruff, 22 Feb., 1857; JD 4:231-232)
8 Mar.: Few in Celestial Kingdom will be Kings & Priests.
“When men are placed at the head of government who are actually controlled by the power of God–by the Holy Ghost–they can lay plans, they can frame constitutions, they can form governments and laws that have not the seeds of death within them, and no other men can do it. Consequently I say that there are but few who know how to control or govern even in temporal affairs on this earth. Then why should we have kingdoms and thrones committed to our charge, when we are not capacitated to rule over them? We are now trying to frame our lives in a way that we may be prepared to live in a kingdom that is eternal, and it will be just about as much as we can do to prepare ourselves to enter into that kingdom which will endure for ever, without our being made Kings and Priests in that kingdom for some time yet.” (Brigham Young, 8 Mar., 1857; JD 4:267-268)
“He [Orson Hyde] was followed by President Young who preached one of the most comforting & interesting discourses ever delivered to the people. If we past our inspection before Joseph we probably should Peter & Jesus. Then we should be quite safe. If all this people did not go to a celestial kingdom it would be their own fault. But will all have the same exaltation & glory in the Celestial Kingdom? By no means. There will be but few that go there that will be crowned kings & Priests & Gods. There will be many millions in the Celestial kingdom that will not be exhalted to those hier [higher] blessings.” (Wilford Woodruff diary, 8 Mar., 1857)
8 Mar.: Departed spirit in Temple Clothes?
“[Meeting in Tabernacle] Orson Hyde said to the president that there was a man in Provo who professed to have a visit from a departed spirit, he comes to him, dressed in his Temple robes, and the man to whom he comes has not had his endowments and I want to know what you think of it? I thought the whole of it smelt strongly of brimstone.” (JH 8 Mar., 1857)
15 Mar.: Don’t even tell your wives.
“Do some of you men know something that you cannot tell your wives? ‘O, I have received something in the endowment that I dare not tell my wife, and I do not know how to do about it.’ The man who cannot know millions of things that he would not tell his wife, will never be crowned in the celestial kingdom, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. It cannot be; it is impossible. And that man who cannot know things without telling any other living being upon the earth, who cannot keep his secrets and those that God reveals to him, never can receive the voice of his Lord to dictate him and the people on this earth.” (Brigham Young, 15 Mar., 1857; JD 4:287)
15 Mar.: Brigham had never been to Jackson County.
“Pres. Brigham Young said to Elder Orson Hyde, ‘You have been both to Jerusalem and Zion, and seen both, I have not seen either, for I never have been in Jackson County, now it is a pleasant thing to think of it and to know wher the garden of Eden was. Did you ever think of it? I do not think many do, for in Jackson County was the garden of Eden, Joseph has declared this and I am as much bound to believe that as to believe that Joseph was a prophet of God. We must let the Lord take his own time and prepare the way for our return to that county and to build up the Temple.” (JH 15 Mar., 1857)
Mar.: Home dedicated; part of 2nd anointing?
“I dedicated my house to the Lord and set apart 2 rooms for prayer.” (David Candland “Journal”, Mar., 1857)
6 Apr.: Our temple blessings will affect our posterity.
“If I obtain all the blessings of the priesthood, all the endowments, all the blessings that God has to confer upon us in this probation and keep those things sacred while I live, I am then as pure and holy as it is possible for a man to be while in the flesh. Then if my wives are one with me my children and their posterity will partake of those blessings which have been placed upon me. Every blessing conferred upon me tends to benefit my posterity. Those blessings are for every righteous man, and the blessings that are conferred upon faithful men and women in their holy anointings and sealings will rest upon their posterity after them forever and forever, through their faithfulness, and there is no end to it.
It is a strong additional inducement for you to live your religion, in view of the benefits that will be continued to your posterity. If you can only bear this in mind, I think it will serve to keep you steadfast in the line of your duties. Will our posterity partake of the blessings we will receive in the Temple which we are building? They will, forever and forever. Our blessings are to continue always, if we live so as to attain to the principles and fulness of perfection and to secure the promises of eternal lives, then those blessing[s] will rest upon us and our children.” (Heber C. Kimball, 6 Apr., 1857; DN 7(7):52, 22 Apr., 1857)
6 Apr.: Canals to bring rock for temple.
“I will first present the subject of prosecuting our labours and operations for building the Temple, under our present circumstances and future prospects. We have deemed it wise and expedient to prepare for bringing the rock for that building from quite a distance, in boats, which will be much cheaper than hauling it in wagons, and thus far facilitate the erection of the Temple.” (Brigham Young, 6 Apr., 1857; JD 4:302)
“The Big Cottonwood canal should be finished, to facilitate procuring rock for building the Temple. Much labour has already been expended upon it, but it requires still more. The brethren have been very diligent in this matter, but we expect that we shall have to call upon them for further labour on that work. We are anxious to have the water let into that canal, to test all weak places, that they may be strengthened, and the work thoroughly completed; for the water is needed for irrigation as well as for boating. Will you lend your aid in this enterprize? Will we complete it this season, that we may boat rock for the Temple? This will be proved by your acts, as well as by your faith.” (Daniel H. Wells, 6 Apr., 1857; JD 4:309)
6 Apr.: God to reveal many things in the Temple.
“The Temple is designed for many purposes, and there are many things that God will reveal and many blessings that he will confer upon this people in that building, if they will use due diligence in forwarding its completion.” (Heber C. Kimball, 6 Apr., 1857; JD 5:18)
6 Apr.: A strong inducement for you to live your religion
“If I obtain all the blessings of the Priesthood, all the endowments, all the blessings that God has to confer upon us in this probation, and keep those things sacred while I live, I am then as pure and holy as it is possible for a man to be while in the flesh. Then, if my wives are one with me, my children and their posterity will partake of those blessings which have been placed upon me. Every blessing conferred upon me tends to benefit my posterity. Those blessings are for every righteous man; and the blessings that are conferred upon faithful men and women in their holy anointings and sealings will rest upon their posterity after them for ever and for ever, through their faithfulness; and there is no end to it.
It is a strong additional inducement for you to live your religion, in view of the benefits that will be continued to your posterity. If you can only bear this in mind, I think it will serve to keep you steadfast in the line of your duties. Will our posterity partake of the blessings we will receive in the Temple which we are building? They will, for ever and for ever. Our blessings are to continue always. If we live so as to attain to the principles and fulness of perfection and to secure the promises of eternal liveds, then those blessings will rest upon us and our children.” (Heber C. Kimball, 6 Apr., 1857; JD 5:18)
6 Apr.: “Sealed up unto eternal lives.”
“We are now attending to matters that will answer every purpose, until that Temple is completed. Those who go through their endowments now and are sealed up unto eternal lives, those blessings will stick to them, aif they will stick to the blessings and promises that are made over unto them, and step forward with one heart and one mind to do the will of God as made known to them from time to time from this stand.” (Heber C. Kimball, 6 Apr., 1857; JD 5:19)
8 Apr.: Ordinances which cannot be done outside temples.
“Brethren, let us rear that Temple–give it into the hands of those who manage the affairs of the kingdom, and all the means that we can, so that the work may be accomplished speedily, and that we may have a renewal of our endowments.
‘Why,’ says one, ‘the endowments are going on.’ That is true: a portion of the endowments are going on, but there are other things that never will until the Temple is built,–of which are the baptism for the dead and our endowments by proxy for our dead friends. Are they going on? No. Will they, before that house is built? No, not that I know of.” (Joseph Young, 8 Apr., 1857; JD 6:242)
8 Apr.: Take the wife of a dead brother & have children.
“There is another thing. Who is there that feels generous towards that man who has gone beyond the vail–who is gone where he cannot do anything for himself? I tell you I want to see that spirit among the brethren. Suppose, therefore, we get rid of some of our selfishness, and be willing, if proper, to take the wife of some faithful brother who has passed behind the vail, and raise up posterity unto him. If we can do this, in connexion with other duties which we have to perform, we shall be doing good for others as well as for ourselves.” (Joseph Young, 8 Apr., 1857; JD 6:242)
8 Apr.: All the endowments have to be given here.
“What do the Scriptures say? ‘There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest.’ No–there is no device there, for so says brother Brigham, the Prophet. He says that all the endowments have to be given on this side [of] the vail, or they never will be given. {President B. Young: That is true.}” (Joseph Young, 8 Apr., 1857; JD 6:242)
9 Apr.: Baptism for dead of the same sex only.
“I will bring up one thing which will show that the position I take is correct,–viz., baptism for the dead. When that was first revealed, we rejoiced in it; and, as soon as we had an opportunity, we began to be baptized for our dead. A man would be baptized for both male and female. The moment I heard of it, my soul leaped with joy; for it was a subject in which I felt deeply interested. I went forward and was baptized for all my dead relatives I could think of, both male and female, as did others; but, afterwards, we obtained more light upon the subject, and President Young taught the people that men should attend to those ordinances for the male portion of their dead friends, and females for females. This showed the order in which those ordinances should be administered, which ordinances had before been revealed, and shows us that we are in a school where we shall be constantly learning. . . .
There are thousands and millions who never had the privilege of being baptized for themselves, and hence never ought to be punished for not obeying a law which they never heard. How did we feel when we first heard the living could be baptized for the dead? We all went to work at it as fast as we had an opportunity, and were baptized for everybody we could think of, without respect to sex. I went and was baptized for all my friends, grandmothers, and aunts, as those of the male sex; but how was it? Why, by-and-by, it was revealed, through the servants of the Lord, that females should be baptised for females, and males for males; but the full particulars of this order was not revealed till after the days of Joseph: therefore this shows an advance in the building up of the kingdom, the gathering of Israel, and the warning of the nations of the earth.” (Wilford Woodruff, 9 Apr., 1857; JD 5:84-85)
19 Apr.: Those who turn away after receiving endowments.
“There are a great many people in the world that God ordained to give them their endowment, and they become vessels of wrath, fitted for destruction. Have we not laboured years here, and toiled to give you our blessings, and endowments, and anointings, and then sealed you up, and this, and that, and the other? Do you see them turn away? Did we make them so? We gave them all their blessings as much as we have given you yours; and they have become vessels of wrath, they are fitting for destruction, and they will go and do the work of God, and He will bring about His purposes by them, and they will be destroyed, they will be used for sagers for a while, and answer as a shield–a protector to the house of Israel.” (Heber C. Kimball, 19 Apr., 1857; JD 4:363-364)
22 Apr.: Largest number of endowments in SLC history.
“Worked in the Endowment House. On Wed some 85 persons recieved their Endowments. this is the largest number ever recieved their Endowments at once in this city & I believe the largest number in this last dispensation” (Hosea Stout diary, 22 Apr., 1857)
22 Apr.: 84 thru Endowment House in 2 companies.
“84 persons went through the Endowment House today, going in two companies.” (JH 22 Apr., 1857)
13 May: Parley P. Pratt funeral instructions.
“Sometime prior to his assassination, Elder Pratt wrote the following:
Directions for my Funeral and Epitaph
If, perchance, in pursuing the meanderings of the wearisome journeyi of life and through overfatigue, I should happen to fall alseep and forget to awake, and should this circumstance happen in the midst of my friends, I request of them as follows: Wash my body in pure water, anoint it entire with holy and perfumed oil in the name of the Lord, for the burial and resurrection. Put on my wedding garments complete, of fine white linen. Place my body thus prepared in a position neither too cool nor too warm; spread nothing over the face in such manner as to prevent breathing; give free circulation of pure air, and if there is no appearance of decomposition or bad smell, watch with it three days previous to burial. Then bury me decently. But let no one suppose for a moment that I am dead. Neither let any one shed a tear, or heave a sigh of sorrow. For, know assuredly that I am only sleeping a few short years where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest.
(JH 13 May, 1857)
2 Jun.: Hierarchy of priesthood to fix heavenly status.
“No law to bind a woman to a man here, but in the resurrection, purity will make every man & woman will be satisfied to be where they should be; and if a High priest & a good man loses a wife & she prefers an elder in the resurrection, the High priest can & will say where she should go and remain. a man can show truth and light to any one whatever his priesthood, and do all the good he can without offence, the spirit and manner, may offend, but truth cannot.” (Brigham Young diary, 2 Jun., 1857)
14 Jun.: Brigham refuses to seal 12 year old girls to man
“Presidet Young said I shall not seal the people as I have done. Old Father Alread brought three young girls 12 & 13 years old. I would not seal them to him. They would not be equally yoked together.” (Wilford Woodruff diary, 14 Jun., 1857)
14 Jun.: This is the way devils are made.
“Many get their endowments who are not worthy but this is the way devils are made. There will be some needed in the next world.” (Brigham Young, in Wilford Woodruff diary, 14 Jun., 1857)
18 Jun.: First stone of basement laid.
“On the morning of Thursday, June 18, and in company with President H. C. Kimball, we visited the foundation of the Temple, upon the N.E. corner of which, brother Edward Parry was laying the first stone in the basement story, under the supervision of Bishop A. H. Raleigh, foreman of the mason work. All along the foundation walls, huge stones, averaging about two tons in weight, were strewn in readiness for being placed in their positions, while numerous stone cutters were busily occupied in shaping the rude blocks from the quarry. How cheering this news to every one striving to aid in accomplishing the great design of our being here, and how strange, incomprehensible, and anger moving, they know not why, to the world!” (From the Deseret News; MS 19(36):574, 5 Sep., 1857)
28 Jun.: Don’t tell the secrets of the endowment.
“Let every person be the friend of God, that whatever He reveals to you, you can wisely handle without asking Him whether you shall tell your wife of it or not. You can recollect the backhanded blow I gave to some of the brethren last winter. They were in pain, because they knew something which they could not tell to their wives. I would not trust such men out of sight with my dinner. God will not trust the least thing to such persons. Sisters, if you are in pain, because you cannot tell your husbands everything, you had better take a little catnip tea, and get over it, if you can. What will God reveal to such persons? Just enough to keep them from the gulf of despair, and lead them along until they get a little sense. I say this that you may learn to reveal that which you ought, and to keep the rest to yourselves. By so doing you prove to God that you are His friends, and will keep His secrets.
The world may howl around you and plead for the secrets of the Lord which he has given you, but they will not get them. When the Lord has proved His children true to what He has given into their charge, and that they will do His bidding, He will tell such persons anything that they should know. A great many desire just enough of knowledge to damn them and it does damn a great many.
Giving endowments to a great many proves their overthrow, through revealing things to them which they cannot keep. They are not worthy to receive them. Brother Heber takes the lead in giving endowments, and you may ask, ‘Why do you give such folks their endowments?’ To qualify them to be devils, if they wish to be. The plan of salvation is calculated to make devils as well as Saints; for by and by we shall need some to serve as devils; and it takes almost as much knowledge to make a complete devil as it does to fit a man to go into the celestial kingdom of God, and become an heir to His kingdom. We want to complete the education of a number of such fellows; they are running to the States, to California, and elsewhere, and are trying to reveal this, that, and the other; but I defy any one of them to give any idea of what is taught them in their endowments, except a garbled mass of trash. God takes that knowledge from their minds. We have to make devils, and we are preparing them. Everybody must have the same chance for accepting or rejecting the blessings, of the Gospel, you know.
Suppose that we should meet a man at the judgment, and he should say, ‘Here is my friend Brigham; I was in great Salt Lake Valley, or in Nauvoo, and I did everything that he told me; but he would not let me go in and obtain my endowment; and it offended me so that I actually did forsake the faith, when I verily believe that if I had have had [sic] the privilege, I would now have been numbered with the Saints; but, instead of that, I am found on the left hand.’ Shall I give them occasion to make such an accusation? No. I wish to give every one as good a chance for salvation as I have myself: then out of their own mouths they will be judged. If the Lord did not take this plan, we would not.” (Brigham Young, 28 Jun., 1857; JD 4:372-373)
12 Jul.: We are to become Kings and Priests.
“We are to become kings and priests unto our God, in accordance with the revelations given to the Apostle John.” (Heber C. Kimball, 12 Jul., 1857; JD 5:28)
12 Jul.: Women receive no priesthood with endowments.
“Tell about loving God and His people! If you do not love the man that leads you, you do not love that Being who confers all the blessings and privileges we enjoy. Tell about loving God, and not love the men that lead you! Get out with your nonsense. Will that apply to the Elders? Yes, and to the Seventies, the High Priests, Bishops, Teachers, and all men. Any further? Yes, it applies to you ladies, in your family capacity. You have not any priesthood, only in connection with your husbands. You suppose that you receive the priesthood when you receive your endowments; but the priesthood is on your husbands. Can you honour God and the Priesthood, and abuse your husbands like the Devil? How can you honour the Priesthood, except you honour the man you are connected with? I am talking about good men: I will not in this connection say anything about bad men. How can you honour the Priesthood, except you honour the one you are connected with?
The Father is the root, Jesus is the vine, and we are the branches. The First Presidency is a quorum pertaining to this branch of the house of Israel, and the Twelve are connected with us; they make part of a branch. And then the Seventies, another large branch on the same vine, and the High Priests, and Bishops, and so on, all belong to the vine. Now, from whence did you come, sisters? From when spring you and your children? You spring from these main limbs and from that Priesthood. If you did not spring out of the Priesthood, where did you come from? Not many of you have legally sprung out of the Priesthood anywhere in the world in the latter days; but if you have a legal man, who has a legal Priesthood, you can raise heirs to the kingdom of God, and they become connected with it, without any of your washings, anointings, and sealings. Go and read the Scriptures, and they will teach you a great many things, and it will strengthen your faith in what you hear from brother Brigham, brother Heber, and many others.” (Heber C. Kimball, 12 Jul., 1857; JD 5:31)
17 Jul.: Wives and husband blessed with an endless Priesthood.
“On the seventeenth of July 1857 we received our sealing by Brigham Young the prophet of the Lord in the house of endowments at the Alter of the Lord Belinda acting Proxy I first had Elizabeth Cambell sealed to me for eternity. Afterwards I had Sarah Catharine Gibbs sealed to me for eternity Afterwards I had Belinda Miles sealed to me for time and all eternity Brigham also blessed me and my wives with an endless Priesthood and posterity and the gift of eternal lives through faithfulness.” (Esaias Edwards “Diary”, p. 51; Mor/M270.1/Ed96/BYU Spec Coll; July 17, 1857. Bergera collection.)
26 Jul.: Proxies must be of same sex as recipient.
“Every man that is alive can act for himself under the hands of a man having authority. How will you manage for the dead? You will have to do it by proxy. For instance, I have got a father who died before ‘Mormonism’ came; I go to brother Brigham when we have a place for it: says I, ‘brother Brigha, I want to be baptized for my father;’ he takes me and baptizes me for my father, I acting as proxy, or for and in behalf of my father, and it is done upon the same principle that we do it for ourselves; and that is recorded.
Can I go and be baptized for my mother? Yes, I can be, though that is not the strict order of the law of the kingdom; but let a man act for a man, and a woman for a woman, that each may bear their share. I will let my wife go and attend to that, she acting as proxy for my mother, and I for my father. Well now, I have got to attend to all the ordinances faithfully that I attend to for myself, and then, when the time comes, I can take my father and mother, and act for my father, and my wife act for my mother; and then they can be connected in marriage, and then their father and their mother, and so keep going on until we get back where we came from, and connect the Priesthood together, and have the chain perfect from these days to the days of Jesus, and then back to Adam.” (Heber C. Kimball, 26 Jul., 1857; JD 5:90)
26 Jul.: Proxy baptisms no good for those who reject them
“Perhaps my father may not receive the Gospel. If he don’t, my baptism will not do him any good. He is in the spirit-world; he has to believe and embrace the Gospel in his heart and affections, and then I receive knowledge from him through a proper authority, and I am administered to for him. You might as well go and be baptized for a devil as for a man who will not receive the Gospel in the spirit-world.” (Heber C. Kimball, 26 Jul., 1857; JD 5:90)
26 Jul.: Preach to spirits in prison where they live.
“I expect I shall have to go and preach to the spirits in prison where they live, in London, in Germany, and other places. What! after I am dead? Yes. You may call us wild for believing such things. Go and read the Bible–the book your mother taught to you when you were sitting on her knees and nursing at her breast. This good old Bible, you think we do not believe it: we believe every word of it, and practice it.” (Heber C. Kimball, 26 Jul., 1857; JD 5:90-91)
26 Jul.: Baptised for fathers, mothers and friends.
“What are we going to do? We are going to build a Temple here; and when that Temple is built, we are going to have a font and be baptised for our fathers, mothers, and friends who have died in generations past, just as far back as we can get at them.” (Joseph Young, 26 Jul., 1857; JD 6:229)
2 Aug.: Relationship of endowment & Church of Firstborn.
“Let me explain what the Church of the First Born is. It is the first Church that ever was raised up upon this earth; that is, the first born Church. That is what I mean; and when God our Father organized that Church, He organized it just as His Father organized the Church on the earth where He dwelt; and that same order is organized here in the City of Great Salt Lake; and it is that order that Joseph Smith the Prophet of God organized in the beginning in Kirtland, Ohio. Brother Brigham Young, myself, and others wer present when that was done; and when those officers received their endowments, they were together in one place. [i.e., the Church was “officially” organized at the time of the Kirtland “endowment”?] They were organized, and received their endowments and blessings, and those keys were placed upon them, and that kingdom will stand for ever.” (Heber C. Kimball, 2 Aug., 1857; JD 5:129)
2 Aug.: Endowment is to “hold your tongues”.
“You have received your endowments. What is it for? To learn you to hold your tongues, and keep what you get, and increase upon it. If you do not keep the word of life you receive–that which proceeds from god, your minds never will expand, and you will always be barren, like unto a barren woman.” (Heber C. Kimball, JD 5:133, 2 Aug., 1857)
16 Aug.: Endowments given one day a week.
“I have received a good many letters from the several Bishops in the country wards, stating that they have understood that we are working by night and by day, giving endowments thot hose who are going out to help the handcarts in. I want to tell you we are doing no such thing: we are working one day in a week to keep the devil from getting asleep.
I will say for the benefit of those who are going out on the Plains, and who have not had their endowments, if they will live their religion they shall be protected as much so as those who have had them. When we went up to Missouri, 205 men, we had not had our endowments; but we went to redeem Zion according to the word of the Lord; and that was a preparatory work. And I will say to you that, if you will live you[r] religion while you are gone, when you come back you shall have your endowments, and God shall bless you, while the man or the woman who has received their endowments and does not magnify their calling, will not be benefitted at all by them, and they will only tend to their condemnation.” (Heber C. Kimball, 16 Aug., 1857; JD 4:376)
30 Aug.: You have already been ordained Kings and Queens.
“What are we engaged in? We are engaged in building up the kingdom of God, and many of you have been ordained by the revelations of the Almighty to hold the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood. Besides this, you have been ordained kings and queens, and priests and priestesses to your Lord; you have been put in possession of principles that all the kings, potentates, and powers upon the earth are entirely ignorant of; they do not understand it; but you have received this from the hands of God.” (John Taylor, 30 Aug., 1857; JD 5:189)
8 Sep.: George Harris to be one of 144,000.
“For thou are entitled to al’ the blessings & covenants & to al’ the seals of the holy Priesthood & thou shalt see Zion redeemed in peace, & have an inheritance therein with the seed of Joseph & shal’ converse face to face with your redeemer & with Joseph & Hyrum & shal’ sit in Council with the ancient of days & shal’ be numbered with the 140 & 4,000 & a new name writen in your forehead, & shal have eternal life, inasmuch as U continue to be faithful in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.” (Patriarchal Blessing of George H. Harris, by Isaac Morley, 8 Sep., 1857. George H. Harris “Diary”, BYU Special Collections, pp. 159-160)
20 Sep.: If the Holy Ghost says to shed blood of enemies.
“Brethren, let me tell you that I have no spirit in me to shed blood. I never had it in me but once in my life, except I have it in me when I am angry. Once I was inspired by the Almighty with that spirit, and that was in Nauvoo; and so was brother Brigham; and I felt to say that I was sorry that peace was declared. We had just got ready when the gap was shut up.
Do I want to shed the blood of my brethren and sisters, or to see it shed? No: and neither do you, unless the Holy Ghost dictates for us to shed the blood of our enemies; then it is just as right as it is for us to partake of the sacrament.” (Heber C. Kimball, 20 Sep., 1857; JD 5:250)
8 Nov.: Angels in white robes & caps in Kirtland Temple.
“President Brigham Young related the circumstances of their seeing a Circle of about 40 persons dressed in white robes & caps in the upper Story of the Temple in kirtland during the spring of 1835 after the Endowments. There was no person in that room at the time that was mortal yet the room was filled with light & many personages did appear Clothed in white & freequently went to the windows and looked out So that the Brethren in the street Could see them plainly. Brother Young & Truman Angel stood to gether in the street & looked at them a long time. W W Phelps says he saw them for 3 hours. They were visable by all the Brethren Present. Brother Angel said they must have stood some 2 feet from the floor if they were ownly the size of common men they Could not have been seen from the place whare they stood except it should be the head & those personages appeared nearly down to the waist as they looked out of the window with a front view. See if this is named in the History.” (Wilford Woodruff diary, 8 Nov., 1857)
8 Nov.: Angels in the Kirtland Temple.
“At the prayer meeting in the evening, Pres. Brigham Young related the circumstances of their seeing a circle of about 40 persons dressed in white robes and caps in the upper story of the Temple in Kirtland, during the spring of 1835 [1836]. After the endowments there was no person in that room at the time that was mortal; yet the room was filled with light and many personages did appear clothed in white, and frequently went to the windows and loked out, so that the brethren in the street could see them plainly. Bro. Young and Truman Angel stood together in the street and looked at them a long time. Wm. W. Phelps said that he saw them for three hours. They were visible by all the brethren present. Bro. Angel said they must have stood some two feet from the floor. If they were only the size of common men they could not have been seen from the place where they stood, except it be the head and those personages appeared nearly down to the waist as they looked out of the window with a front view.” (JH 8 Nov., 1857)
22 Nov.: We must pass by the sentinels.
“I do not believe that we can emerge right into the presence of God, although we may see him, not in the flesh, but we can in the Spirit, if He touches the eyes of our understanding; but we cannot see him with these bodies of flesh. Joseph always told us that we would have to pass by sentinels that are placed between us and our Father and God. Then, of course, we are conducted along from this probation to other probations, or from one dispensation to another, by those who conducted those dispensations.” (Heber C. Kimball, 22 Nov., 1857; JD 6:63)
26 Nov.: Publish account of endowment?
“In company with G A Smith I called upon President Brigham Young and asked council about publishing the endowments or an outline of it telling the time when the Twelve received their 2d Anointing & about the organization of the Council of 50 He gave his concent for us to publish an account of it so that the Saints might understand it.” (Wilford Woodruff diary, 26 Nov., 1857)
29 Nov.: Israelite endowment in wilderness.
“If they had been sanctified and holy, the children of Israel would not have traveled one year with Moses before they would have received their endowments and the Melchizedek Priesthood. But they could not receive them, and never did. Moses left them, and they did not receive the fullness of that Priesthood. *** The Lord told Moses that he would show himself to the people; but they begged Moses to plead with the Lord not to do so.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6:100; Address delivered in the Salt Lake Tabernacle, by Pres. Brigham Young; November 29, 1857.)
13 Dec.: Endowment and heirship in the Priesthood.
“After receiving the Priesthood, when a person receives his endowment, he is an heir to the Priesthood–an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ; that is, he has commenced his heirship.” (Heber C. Kimball, 13 Dec., 1857; JD 6:125)
13 Dec.: Description of endowment covenants.
“I want you to understand that you make covenants with God, and not with us. We were present and committed those covenants to you, and you made them with God, and we were witnesses. When you got your endowments, did you not make a covenant not to speak against the anointed? And every woman that received this ordinance made a covenant with her husband that she would be true and faithful to him, be a guardian angel to him, and watch over his pillow by night and by day, and be true to her God and to the anointed. . . .
Have I a right, although I am brother Brigham’s First Counsellor, and have been ever since he was the President of the Twelve,–have I a right to prejudice his mind against Daniel [H. Wells]? No. I have sowrn not to before God. Or have I a right to prejudice his mind against the Twelve? No. Because I am sworn not to, by the most sacred covenants that man can make.” (Heber C. Kimball, 13 Dec., 1857; JD 6:127)
16 Dec.: Sarah Ivins sealed to eternal life.
“I seal the blessing of life, until thou are satisfied with the blessings of the earth, and I seal the[e] up to enjoy immortality and eternal lives, in the name of Jesus Christ, even so, Amen.” (Patriarchal Blessing of Sarah R. Ivins by Isaac Morley, 16 Dec., 1857; Anthony W. Ivins papers)
16 Dec.: Elizabeth Ivins sealed to eternal life.
“These are the whisperings of the Comforter, which I seal upon thy head, & I seal the[e] up unto immortality & Eternal lives, in the name of Jesus even so, Amen.” (Patriarchal Blessing of Elizabeth D. Ivins by Isaac Morley, 16 Dec., 1857; Anthony W. Ivins papers)
18 Dec.: 2nd anointings/sacrifices in temple.
“We spent the day in the office and in the evening we called upon President Brigham Young at his Office to make some enquiries upon certain teachings of Joseph Concerning the Endowmets. Elder G. A. Smith said that Joseph taught that but one King & Priest could be anointed at one meeting in a private Room Dedicated by permission to Anoint in. But one person Could be anointed in a day but in the Temple several Could be anointed in a day But at each anointing the meeting was dismissed and the Came together.
President Young said Joseph taught him to take the Quorums of the Church in their order begining at the Oldest of Each Quorums & Anoint them Kings & Priest unto God. When I got through with that begin at the begining again to administer to the dead. When The Temple is finished & a place duly prepared we should not be Confined to any particular Number in sealing and Anointing. The rooms next to the East pulpit or over it will be the place to attend to the 2d Anointings. Under the pulpit in the west End will be a place to Offer Sacrafizes. There will be an Altar prepared for that purposes so that when any sacrifices are to be offered they should be offered there.” (Wilford Woodruff diary, 18 Dec., 1857)
“Some of the brethren called upon Pres. Young to make inquiries upon certain teachings of Joseph concerning the endowments. Elder Geo. A. Smith said that Joseph taught that but one king and priest could be anointed at one meeting in a private room dedicated by permission to anoint in, and but one person could be anointed in a day, but in the Temple several could be anointed in a day, but at each anointing the meeting was dismissed and then came together again. Pres. Young said that Joseph taught him to take the quorums of the church in their order, beginning at the oldest of each quorum and anoint them kings and priests to God, and when he got through with that begin at the beginning again to administer for the dead. When the Temple is finished and a place duly prepared we should not be confined to any particular number in sealing and anointing. The rooms next to the east pulpit, or over it will be the place to attend to the second anointings. Under the pulpit in the west end will be the place to offer sacrifices; there will be an altar prepared for that purpose so that when any sacrifices are to be offered they should be offered there.” (JH 18 Dec., 1857)
27 Dec.: Washing and anointing our children in Temple.
“I am preaching these things to my brethren and sisters, that they may know, if they have not dedicated and consecrated their children to the Lord, that it has to be done. But you may inquire, ‘How shall we do it?’ You will have to do it as brother Brigham and others have done when in Nauvoo. We had to take our children and wash and anoint them, and place the birthright and father’s blessing upon them in the house of God, and then have then sealed to us; and you will have to do just so.” (Heber C. Kimball, 27 Dec., 1857; JD 6:190-191)