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The Mormon Endowment - Page 2

Much of what I wrote is available in the Journal of Discourses and other, similar documents (Millenial Star, etc).

My wife and I tried to discuss these things, and others, in the Celestial Room. We asked one of the workers there to explain something. We were told (by another worker) that we weren't to talk in the Celestial Room.

Also, if I have some insight that I could share with you, how am I going to know that you need it, or would profit from it? We live in different countries!

In the late 1800s, there was a lot of discussion, in public meetings, about these things. I know that technology makes this to be a not so smart thing now, but we are essentially forbidden to talk about them in our homes, husband to wife! Yet the home should be the ultimate sanctuary and temple.

Mostly you can find reference to this on a couple of egroups that I read, where elderly members discuss it from experience. I don't know of any pictures.

One thing - in the early 1900s (and earlier) it was normal practice for the ELDERS to bless the sacrament, with upraised hands. I have seen a picture and explanation of this practice on the net, probably on a fundamentalist site.

I remember, as a boy, an "upper room" in our ward building. I have seen them in several older buildings. When I have seen them (just a few years ago) they weren't like utility rooms, but nicely finished.

My question still is, if the endowment is truly meant to be an endowment of personal spiritual power, how can we use it if ONLY other people use it, including word the prayers for us? Unless you are an Apostle or a Temple President, I don't think there is anyone who is allowed to perform the prayer for themselves.

Endowment Mormon The

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I am certainly not saying that normal prayer as currently taught in the Church is ineffective, it just appears that the True Order is far, far more effective.

I wasn't aware the True Order of Prayer was any different than normal prayer. Could you explain?

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To me it is very different... first of all anyone could pray, anywhere, but with the True Order you have a controlled group who hopefully have no ill feelings towards each other and prepared in the right attire making sacred signs to call upon God. Remember what we are taught about this in relation to how Adam received instruction. I cannot go in anymore detail, sorry

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Heber C. Kimball once explained how, when he was on a mission, he and his companion would retire to an "upper room" or to a grove of trees, wherever they happened to be, present the signs of the Holy Priesthood, and then perform the True Order of Prayer.

See this document for a more thorough discussion of the concepts.

As I said before, I believe the whole endowment is designed around getting us to learn the True Order, so that we can use it for ourselves, and literally open the heavens to our gaze.

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At present it seems that we use it for others more than ourselves since we are not encouraged or taught to use such ceremony outside of the temple.

The Mormon Endowment

That is my single real complaint about the Church. While service to others, including prayer for others is vitally important, my understanding is that the by using the endowment for ourselves, we can accelerate our journey into the Celestial Kingdom immensely.

It seems to me, that this is a clear case of where the Church is getting in the way of the members. For most, maybe almost all, members, this probably isn't a problem. Which thought, in itself, is a sad commentary.

The Mormon Endowment - Page 2

Well do we have any access to letters or statements as to why the altars were removed from chapels and homes?

The Mormon Endowment Mormon Doctrine Studies - Page 2

The only thing I know of is the letter from the 1st Presidency asking to stop the practice of contacting General and Area authorities to participate in Stake, Ward, and family prayer circles. Other than that, I think it is only a matter of policy, bringing intense suspicion on those who are found to have prayer altars in their homes.

One example I can give is Jim Harmston. He founded the True and Living Church of Jesus Christ in the Last Days (known commonly as the TLC) in Manti. When this happened, the media accounts and the Mormon discussions about it were generally focused that he left the Church and started his own because of holding "prayer circles" outside of the temple.