Discontinued/Obscure Temple Rituals

Doctrine and Covenants Central
Doctrine and Covenants Central
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Published 2024-08-08
During the last years of his life the Prophet Joseph Smith gave multiple public sermons dealing with 2 Peter 1, wherein the Apostle Peter encourages his readers to, “give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” Commenting on this phrase, the Prophet Joseph explained that to have one’s calling and election made sure meant to, “obtain a promise from God for yourselves that you shall have eternal life.” And he went on to explain that such a promise could be mediated through the keys restored by Elijah. “By this power of Elijah,” he said on one occasion, “we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise, and to obtain this sealing is to make our calling and election sure.” And in another sermon he confirmed, “The power of Elijah is sufficient to make our calling and election sure.” In 2 Peter 1, Peter also speaks of obtaining the “more sure word of prophecy,” a phrase the prophet Joseph similarly interpreted to mean, “a man’s knowing that he was sealed up unto eternal life through the power of the holy priesthood.” This was the theology: the possibility of being sealed up unto eternal life under the keys restored by Elijah. Then came the practice. Beginning in 1843 in Nauvoo, the prophet introduced a sacred ordinance to his most trusted associates wherein, using the keys of Elijah which he held, husbands and wives were sealed up unto eternal life. And this was not the marriage ordinance—this was more. It was an ordinance sometimes referred to in the historical record as “the Second Anointing.” In this episode of Church History Matters, Casey and I discuss what we know about the theology and early practice of the Second Anointing. We also discuss the early and now discontinued sealing practice called the law of adoption, wherein adult men and women were sealed into the families of church leaders as their children. We also briefly touch on the now-extinct practice of temple-like prayer circles that were conducted outside of the temple for many years in our history.

This is the seventh episode of our 10-part podcast series on Temple Worship. For a full transcript of this episode, as well as show notes and additional resources, visit our website at doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/podcast-episode/th…

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Originally published April 23, 2024

DISCLAIMER: While we try very hard to be historically and doctrinally accurate in what we say on this podcast, please remember that all views expressed in this and every episode are our views alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Scripture Central or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
All Comments (7)
  • @iamanempoweredone6064
    I was told that prayer circles were practiced in stake presidency meetings. Temple clothes and all. Not only that but it was common for women to serve in stake presidencies along with their husbands.
  • @elizabethpeterson9914
    Thanks for all this interesting information. sigh I guess I'll have to wait. I just want to add a note about sealing. When my husband and I were sealed, I already had a son, who was an adult at the time, but had mostly been raised by my current husband. My son wanted to be sealed to us, but there had never been a formal adoption. As we discussed this with, um, I can't remember if it was the stake president or the temple president, but we were told that as an adult you could be sealed to anybody you wanted, and a formal adoption wasn't necessary. So really, not much different that Casey's great, great, great uncle being sealed to Brigham Young.
  • @brianbacon3106
    The doctrine of this ordinance is so necessary to as President Nelson says, “to know the end from the beginning.” This understanding makes the Red Brick Store as important an acquisition as obtaining the Kirtland Temple as all the keys are restored and exercised in these two edifices and the kingdom was rolled off on the shoulders of the twelve. This was an excellent presentation brethren am sorry to see only a couple of likes and a troll supporting it. Truly you’re touching the pearls here so hopefully the very sacred nature of this topic will be preserved as you try and help others stretch and go up the mountain. Andrew Ehats thesis and book, “Words of Joseph Smith” are must reads for further information on this topic.
  • @mikespage0123
    Blood atonement is all you need to know about Mormon temple rituals to find Mormonism to be an abomination.