Brigham City, Endowments, and Answers

If you have not seen, the Church has announced the completion and dates for dedication for the Brigham City Utah Temple. I have posted some of the pictures to help illustrate some principles important to understanding Temple Covenants.

The most important room in the Temple: the Sealing Room.

The marriage covenant is the quintessential ordinance for Israel to enter into. The sealing is a vital part of the great Gathering of Israel. There are several working components here: the alter, the place of kneeling, and the chandelier. We come prepared to enter into the Marriage Covenant, which is also called the Abrahamic Covenant. We enter over an alter just as Abraham sealed his covenants with God over an alter. Although the commitments are made with individual people in mind, it is also overseen and entered into with Deity

The Telestial, or World Room.

The Terrestial, or Millennial Room. 

 The Church at one point used one-room endowment rooms as an alternative to room progression; however, in all the modern temples they are using a 3-stage room progression: a telestial, terrestial, and celestial room. These are the stages that we enter into and that we will see all of creation enter into. It could also be called the World Room, the Millennial Room, and the Throne Room (seen on the left and down below).

As members of the Church we should understand that the 3-stage progression is not just a reference to the Kingdoms God has designated. Rather, it includes our progress, earth's progress, the delegated times of resurrection and then, of course, the eventual Kingdoms we will enter into based on what stages we were worthy to enter into. 

 The peak of the Endowment session occurs in the Celestial Room. It is where we can find rest, as it is described in the scriptures.

The brides room (below), is also a place important in the Temple. I recall cleaning the Rexburg, Idaho temples and being asked to assist in this room. I have to admit I was a bit jealous because I didn't get a room like this in preparation for my wedding! My wife of course, with her wonderful insights, said, "it makes a girl feel like a princess". It is an important thing to feel for the women: a princess, a daughter of royalty, an heir to the Kingdom of the Father. As a priesthood holder in the Church it has been emphasized and illustrated a lot through D&C 84:33-37.

The Bride's Room

The recommend desk.

Stairwell Detail

The front glass window

The grand hallway. A corridor filled with symbolic significance in the Church. Although some of these symbols cannot be specifically discussed, needless to say, the principles teach how to access the Mysteries to the Kingdom of God and His Christ.

Freedom, Agency, and Eternal Progress. A Funeral Sermon-part II

Right after writing part I of the "Funeral Sermon" post, I had a question come up to me about how to encourage someone to continue on the pathway to discipleship. He asked if I knew of any good talks that he could reference. I had just written the first part of this blog, and so I directed him towards this very talk. Then, if you look at Part 1 commentary another question came up relating to the nature of Deity. Both of these questions are related.


Looking at the historical context of this talk is really important to see the significance of it. Joseph Smith was taking part in a massive theological shift.


Joseph Smith's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, was a true child of the Revolution. 4 days previous to her 1st birthday the Declaration of Independence was signed. She was in New Hampshire at the time of the signing. Her husband was only 8 days away from his 5th birthday when it was signed. So what does that have to do with the King Follet sermon? Well, a lot!


The declaration for freedom was spurred in large part by a theological shift. I can remember first reading Jonathan Edwards' most notable sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. It was sermons like these that compelled people to demand their personal liberties. It was a time we know as The Great Awakening.


Less than 30 years prior to the First Vision Louis XVI was beheaded. This is significant because he was to be the embodiment of God's Kingdom on Earth. But the people were rejecting this notion. This thought out and intended act of rebellion was a symbol that the people were rejecting the idea that God had charge over their civic society, 


If a religious revolution was not the end result, then it was outright atheism. Freedom became the optimism that drove people. Religion had become dogmatic and oppressive in the minds of the people. Civic freedom was the only real way to progress.


To many it seemed that the gap between freedom and religion was growing ever more wide. Everyone in the middle found themselves torn because religion demanded one way whilst the fight for freedom demanded another.


Enter Joseph Smith. When Joseph comes on stage he teaches a theology that finds harmony in both organized religion and the drive for freedom. So what became the difference? Several things mark Mormonism as "different" but in this particular case, it was the freedom and the uncapped potential. The quintessential doctrine of Mormonism thus involved man's ability to choose, or act as agents, and man's ability to progress to eventual godhood.


No longer were people torn between attempting to attach a personality to God: did he want us to be free? Or did he want us to be saved? The answer: both. And not only saved, but exalted as he is exalted! That was is his "work and glory" (Moses 1:39).


So in answer to my friend's question concerning eternal progression, I would say that this talk is the pinnacle of Mormon thought. It was such a new course in the American Theosophical landscape (and yes, theosophical is a word). It went against all of the common orthopraxy of the day because it called men to a much higher sphere. There was no longer a cap to righteousness. It implies that God is progressing (not in knowledge but in glory) and that we should be progressing. It gives a purpose to our agency and a meaning to freedom. It compels us to be more dutiful disciples.


The talk was not given in so that young missionaries could sit and speculate on who God was prior. It was meant to comfort and soothe; it was also meant to excite the mind and push the faint soul who feels that he or she just cannot make it. If they endure and do the works of Abraham (and think of all he went through) they can have the blessings of Abraham: namely godhood.