Below you will find Prince’s research excerpts titled, “Temples, 1861.” You can view other years here.
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TEMPLES, 1861.
1861: 5 Jan.: Few will be crowned Gods.
“We shall have a glory Just according to the Law we keep. There are many degrees of glory. Ther are but vary few Capable of receiving the Highest degree of Glory. There are but few in Comparison who will be Crown[ed] Gods & the sons of God for they will not keep the Law which will give it to them.” (Brigham Young, in Wilford Woodruff diary, 5 Jan., 1861)
19 Jan.: If the Saints die before receiving endowments.
“We remember the views of President Young on this principle expressed on one occasion in a conversation: they were so applicable to the Elders, and withal so consistent and truthful, that they made a deep impression upon us. He carried the view beyond this life to eternity, and showed how a Saint who had been thus injured might find fault with the Priesthood. For instance, if an Elder, in carrying out his own purposes, should collect or borrow means of the Saints, and thereby cripple their efforts to gather, and they should die away from the body of the Church without having received their endowments and other ordinances, that man would have a heavy responsibility to bear. When the Saint thus deprived should come up in eternity, and say, ‘Had you only discharged your duty to me, I should now be in possession of Priesthood and blessings that I am destitute of. You are to blame for this; for, had you acted to me as you should have done, I might have been gathered and been in the enjoyment of that glory and power which was my privilege.'” (Editorial [George Q. Cannon, editor], MS 23(3):41, 19 Jan., 1861)
20 Jan.: Rules for dissolution of sealing.
“A great many of these Elders of Israel, soon after courting these young ladies, and old ladies, and middle-aged ladies, and having them sealed to them, want to have a bill of divorce. I have told them, from the beginning, that sealing men and women for time and all eternity is one of the ordinances of the house of God, and that I never wanted a farthing for sealing them, nor for officiating in any of the ordinances of God’s house; but when you ask for a bill of divorce, I intend that you shall pay for it. That keeps me in spending money, besides enabling me to give hundreds of dollars to the poor, and buy butter, eggs, and little notions for women and children, and otherwise use it where it does good.
you may think this is a singular feature in the Gospel, but I cannot exactly say that it is in the Gospel. Hear it, O ye Elders of Israel; and ye sisters, hear it: There is no ecclesiastical law that you know anything about, to free a wife from a man to whom she has been sealed, if he honours his Priesthood. I do not want you to run after bills of divorce.” (Brigham Young, 20 Jan., 1861; JD 8:345)
31 Jan.: Death of children.
“Bro. Wilford Woodruff wrote down the following splendid funeral sermon preached by Pres. Brigham Young:
Chas. Little, son of Jesse C. Little, was buried today. Pres. Young was present at the funeral and addressed those assembled. He said: I reflected upon the subject of Coming to this funeral. I thought If I Come Brother Little would wish me to speak and I thought I should want much of the spirit of the Lord to assist me to overcome my weakness to which I am Subject on occasions like this. At times I Can overcome it.
The question has often been asked how is it with little Children? Will they grow or not after death? Joseph once said they would, & then He said the would not. He never had any revelation upon the subject, And I have no doctrin to give upon the subject. I Believe in the great variety in the vast Creations of God. I do not Believe that the Lord ever made two worlds alike or things alike in any world. I do not believe that the Human family have been alike in Stature in the various ages of this world.
The Lord has power to give a soul or spirit as much intelligence in a tabernacle 2 or 3 feet high as in a giant 8 or 10 feet high as we find Evidences that in some ages of this world men have lived to that hight. My doctrin or belief is that we shall find all Children & People at the resurrection as they lie down with the same Stature. That is the way I want to receive my Children. If I bury a Child that is two years old, I dont want him or her to Come to me in a tabernacle 80 or 100 years old or at any other age ownly the age it left me and that is the way I believe it will be. We shall see there spirits before we see there bodies. Whare shall we go to find them? In the spirit world. But whare is that? Right here on the Earth whare they lived & whare we live.
I have desired to see the spirit of a Friend & to Convers with it as I would with you, but I have never yet had this privilege. I want to know how they live in the spirit world what for a place they have as I would Come & look at Brother Littles House. But I believe all spirits live here after death and no whare Els, at least those who have tabernacled in the flesh on the Earth, whether they be good or bad. Satan has no power over those who have overcome him in the flesh after they are dead but he has power over those who all their lives have been subject to him in the flesh.
I will now ask how does any one present know what I say? My words have a shape to them as much as this Chair and the shape of my words go to the drum of your Ear so that you get an understanding of what I say. Now in speaking in the Tabernacle if I turn to the north the shape of my words strike the drum of the Ear & they understand it perfectly. The words strike the wall break the shape to peaces & the sound strikes the Ear of those in the South as much as in the North but they do not understand what is said. Now if I had force of Lungs & power to throw the shape of my words to China they would understand what I say as well as you do in the further part of this room. They would hear it as well.
You know when you have a vision you Can see as well all over your Body as out of your Eye. When Joseph had a revelation he had the Eyes of the Lord. He saw as the Lord sees. How did I know what was going on in Washington? I have known what was going on there all the time And I know what is going on in other peoples Houses. I know it by the spirit of God. It is revealed to me. Do spirits administer to us? They do; but we do not know it. Charles here, will administer to his mother, but she will not know it. These things are so ordered and governed, that we may be tried, and if Sister Little was to die and go where her children are in the spirit world, she would do just so; she would not administer to her friends openly, for she would see that it was for a wise purpose, that there was a veil between the living and the dead; that the living might be tried and so have a greater glory. The living cannot see the departed spirits, but the spirits can see the living and administer to them without their knowledge. We are all in the spirit world and in eternity, but we know it not and do not comprehend it. My wife awoke on the morning that Cahrles died and said to me, ‘I think Charles Little is dead, for I have seen him tonight with Joseph in a dream, and if Brother and Sister Little could see what I have, they would not wish him back. He was very happy with Joseph who said he wanted him, for he had a particular place for him. He looked glorious.’
Many questions have arisen in relation to the death of children. Some have thought that it was ordained that children should die, but this is not true doctrine, it is not ordained so by God. It is the will of God that all children should grow up to manhood and fill up the measure of their days, if they can do so, and overcome the evils they have to meet through life, but they meet so much with the law of death and so many evils, that they die in childhood and at all ages. You may ask why they should not have a chance to prove themselves as well as we? As I said before, there is a great variety, the human family dies at all ages, and children that die will have a fulness of glory and be as happy as they are capable of being. Will they have another probation or chance of being tried as we are? I have many reflections upon this subject, but it is a doctrine, I shall say nothing about. We should be satisfied with the principle that our children will be restored to us again in their glorified bodies, with the same stature that they were taken from us, and will administer to us, though we know it not, being hid from us for a wise purpose. To give you a figure: I will say to a man, if you will go to Big Cottonwood blindfolded I will give you a reward of ten thousand dollars, but you cannot have it if you go with your eyes open to see the road. The man starts blind folded fearing and trembling, lest he run foul of wild cattle, into ditches and with difficulty gets through, claims his reward and gets it. So is the dealings of the Lord with us. He does not let us see everything in the future before us, but makes us promises and walk by faith, so that we may attain them and the greater our trials and conquests, the greater will be our crown and glory. So all those who have been tried and got through, do not wish to administer to us in that way, that they make it any lighter for us than it has been for them, that all may be tried alike as far as it is consistant with the economy of God.” (JH 31 Jan., 1861)
14 Feb.: Curse on Independence Temple Lot.
“He [George A. Smith] Said that no Man had ever been able to cultivate the Temple block in Independance, Mo. Two men had tried it & both had lost their lives in the attemp, that fear rested on the citizens of that place.” (John D. Lee diary, 14 Feb., 1861)
17 Feb.: Queens and priestesses.
“Then who is to gather the people of God? You all say that we are to become a kingdom of kings and priests–of queens and priestesses; and the Bible supports this doctrine.” (Heber C. Kimball, 17 Feb., 1861; JD 8:349) [Is this one of the earliest mentions of “queens and priestesses”?]
10 Mar.: Jackson Co. temple to be built this generation.
“Here we learn the arts of cultivation and of building; we learn to irrigate the land; we also, in many respects, prepare ourselves for a day when we shall go to the place that has been appointed for the building up of the city of Zion and for the building of the house which shall be a great and glorious temple, on which the glory of the Lord shall rest–a temple that will excel all others in magnificence that have ever been built upon the earth. Who is there that is prepared for this movement back to the centre stake of Zion, and where the architects amongst us that are qualified to erect this temple and the city that will surround it? We have to learn a great many things, in my opinion, before we are prepared to return to that holy land; we have to learn to practise the principles that we have been taught; we have to study to fill up every hour of our time in industrial pursuits and the acquisition of knowledge, and by economy and patience prepare ourselves as good and skilful workmen, as builders in the great building which our Father has prepared. And let me remind you that it is predicted that this generation shall not pass away till a temple shall be built, and the glory of the Lord rest upon it, according to the promises.” (George A. Smith, 10 Mar., 1861; JD 9:71)
17 Mar.: Adam will assist in crowning them kings.
“This brings to my mind the vision that Joseph Smith had, when he saw Adam open the gate of the Celestial City and admit the people one by one. He then saw Father Adam conduct them to the throne one by one, when they were crowned Kings and Priests of God. I merely bring this up to impress upon your mind the principles of order, but it will nevertheless apply to every member of the Church.” (Heber C. Kimball, 17 Mar., 1861; JD 9:41)
7 Apr.: Must honor calling to become king.
“I am alluding to fathers and mothers–to the Elders of Israel–to men of God that have been anointed with a holy anointing, to be what? To be Priests of God. Live for it, and honour your present calling, and keep your election sure. If you were not elected in eternity, here is the place to be elected, and to enlist under the banner of Christ; and finally we will all be elected, if we will only take a course that is proper. It is going to be a difficult thing for the elect to be saved, according to the Scriptures, and there will not any of them be saved only by taking a course to do right and by honouring their calling and Priesthood. No man will become a king, only by honouring his calling, and by obtaining a crown by experience, and continuing in welldoing. There is no woman that will ever be a queen except she is a good woman and well attached to a good king.” (Heber C. Kimball, 7 Apr., 1861; JD 9:25-26)
29 Apr.: Brigham’s distaste for genealogy.
“In speaking of Geneology & History Presidet Young Said I Care so litle about it in my feelings & spirit that as far as I am Concerned that I should not make more than one page of History. Still I like to see such things got up. Joseph would tell more in one hour about Geneology than the world Can in a year. He was particular about such things much more so than I am but I expet He will be with us.” (Brigham Young, in Wilford Woodruff diary, 29 Apr., 1861)
7 May: How to receive a revelation.
“Let a Quorum of High Priests go into an upper room, and there appear before the Lord in the garments of the holy Priesthood, and offer up before the Father, in the name of Jesus, the signs of the holy Priesthood, and then ask God to give a revelation concerning that doctrine, and they have a right to receive it. If you cannot get the information in any other way, suppose you were upon the islands of the sea, far away from the main body of the Church, you are entitled to the administration of angels who administer in the terrestrial kingdom; and they have a right to receive administrations from the celestial. In this capacity you could ask for revelations pertaining to doctrine.” (Brigham Young, JD 9:91, 7 May, 1861) [NOTE: IS THIS WHAT PRAYER CIRCLES WERE ABOUT?]
10 Jun.: Satan has no power in Spirit World.
“[Brigham Young discourse at funeral of Dominico Booney Ballo] The destroyer has no power nor dominion over man in the spirit but so long as they remain in the body the enemy strives to torment and afflict them, and he goes about in the world to afflict them with death. What particular enemy would that child be, that now sits on its mother’s lap, to the progress of Satan’s Kingdom? Why if permitted to live, he will one day become a man and be clothed upon with the power and authority of the Holy Priesthood and will wage war against the Kingdom and works of the devil: Lucifer knows this and therefore he afflicts that child and also all the children of the Saints, when he has an opportunity. When the spirits of the Saints pass through this world, and go into the spirit world, they are placed beyond the power of the enemy, he has hence forth no power over them.” (JH 10 Jun., 1861)
14 Jul.: Garment protected Willard Richards.
“I recollect a promise Joseph gave to Willard at a certain time, when he clothed him with a priestly garment. Said he, “Willard never go without this garment on your body, for you will stand where the balls will fly around you like hail, and men will fall dead by your side and if you will never part with this garment, there never shall a ball injure you.” I heard him say this [voice in the stand “So did I”] It is true. When the mob shot Joseph, Willard was there and Br Taylor was in the room. I have nothing to say about the rest, you know about it. Willard obeyed the word of the prophet. He said, “I will die before I part with this garment.” The balls flew around him, riddled his clothes, and shaved a passage through one of his whiskers. . . .” (Unpublished Discourse; Brigham Young; July 14, 1861.)
28 Jul.: Will all be prepared for their crowns as kings?
“We are going to gather as many as we can, bless them, give them their endowments, etc., preach to them the truth, lay the principles of eternal life before them, inform their minds all we have power to do, and lead them into the path of truth and righteousness; and those who will not abide the truth will apostatize. A few will remain, and a good share of them will cleave to the promises of the Lord, will be true in every respect, and will be accounted worthy to enter in at the strait gate. Strait is the gate and narrow is the path that leadeth to life, and few there be that find it. Millions will come and live in Zion when the laws of Zion reign predominant over creation; but will all be prepared to be crowned kings and priests unto God? No. You cannot imagine anything that will not be in Zion, except sin and iniquity, and reviling against God and against his kingdom. All classes of people will come to Zion. Will there be Methodists there? Yes; and they will have the privilege to worship a God without body, parts, and passions, just as they do now, if they choose to. Every person and every community will receive according to the extent of their capacity and ability. Every person then will be blessed, will be filled with joy, will be filled with peace, with light, and intelligence according to the endowments with which they are endowed. Will all become kings and priests? No; not even all that will embrace the fulness of the Gospel.” (Brigham Young, 28 Jul., 1861; JD 9:138)
8 Oct.: The order of sealing for time & eternity.
“Pst B. Young Spoke on the Order of Sealing for time & Eternity. Said that his Remarks would not be published & for all to pay good attention & Hear Correctly. He said that a divorce was of no use. Could a woman be freed from a man. Yes in 2 ways onley. 1st if a man forfeits his priesthood 2nd if the man is faithful, But the wife is Not Satisfied then if she can find a man Holding a Higher Priesthood than her husband that will take her. He can do so without any Divorce. The Glory of man is the woman. The glory of a woman is her virginity. This she should carefully preserve for her intended Lord which will Be unto her of great worth hereafter.” (Frederick Kesler diary, No. 3, pp. 88-89, 8 Oct., 1861; quoted in Diary of Brigham Young, 1857, p. 10)
17 Nov.: Sunday endowments.
“We had no [prayer] circle meeting as the house was occupied in giving endowments. There were so many came from Sanpete and Cache Counties to receive their endowments on Friday and Saturday that it was impossible to get through with them all and Prest Young thought best to devote Sunday to that purpose as the persons were anxious to return home as soon as possible.” (Elias Smith Journal, 17 Nov., 1861; UHQ 21(4):341-342, Oct., 1953)
29 Nov.: Uncovering of Temple foundation.
“The uncovering of the Temple foundation was commenced which together with large company of stonecutters at work on the Temple Block made quite a show indicative of better days for the saints than those in which the work on the Temple was discontinued in consequence of the invasion of Utah by the Army of the United States in 1857.” (Elias Smith Journal, 29 Nov., 1861; UHQ 21(4):342-343, Oct., 1953)