I am currently reading Devery Anderson’s The Development of LDS Temple Worship. The highly-anticipated book came out in March and has already made significant contributions to Mormon studies.

The book is a documentary history comprised of official LDS documents and church leaders’ personal writings spanning 1846 to 2000. The fact that the book pulls from these official sources is both its strength and weakness. Because it avoids non-Mormon/ex-Mormon sources, it doesn’t read like an angry polemic or exposé. On the other hand, because we only get the LDS leadership perspective, we a get a limited view of the temple ceremonies.

The title, The Development of LDS Temple Worship, is actually a bit of a misnomer. The book isn’t concerned so much about temple worship as it is temple policies. And to the extent that the book discusses temple worship, it’s always sensitive not to disclose those aspects that Mormons hold sacred. If you’re more interested in the particulars of the temple ceremonies, I’d recommend David Buerger’s Mysteries of Godliness.

I don’t intend for this post to suffice as a review of Anderson’s book; better ones have already been written. Rather, much like my review of The Book of Mammon, I just want to share some interesting anecdotes from the book:

Wilford Woodruff introduced vicarious endowments and shifted the focus of temples to getting sealed to families. Previously, the custom had been to be to friends and Church leaders. (p. 187)

• In the 19th century, men and women were prohibited from having any “sexual connection” for at least a week before entering the temple to receive endowments (p. 35). Somewhat relatedly, in a 1982 letter, the First Presidency identified those who engage in oral sex as unworthy for the temple. (p. 441)
• The LDS Church seriously (albeit briefly) entertained a proposal to build a so-called “floating temple” to dock in those countries where members didn’t have a nearby temple. This ship was to be more affordable than financing dozens of temples across the world. (p. 370)
• Elder H. S. Palmer was initially denied a temple recommend in 1890 for refusing to break the law and practice polygamy. Woodruff later intervened in Palmer’s favor, finding Palmer’s obedience to the law to be a venial (meaning “forgivable”) sin. (p. 86)
• David O. McKay, in a 1941 address to departing missionaries, acknowledged that many young people have been hurt by and confused about their temple experiences. He noted elsewhere that parts of the endowment ceremony even elicited repressed laughter from some youth. McKay suggested that these members were fixated on the “mechanics” of temple worship instead of appreciating their symbolism. (ps. 264-269)
• There were plans to dedicate rooms in both the St. George and Salt Lake temples for the purpose of animal sacrifices (p. 22). Although these plans were never realized, a few sources indicate that such sacrifices might have been performed in the Kirtland temple.
• Brigham Young thought that Joseph and Hyrum Smith were assassinated because they weren’t wearing their garments, which are widely believed by Mormons to have protective powers. The Smiths removed them due to the heat and perhaps for fear that the sacred garments might fall into the wrong hands and be desecrated. (p. xxxix)
• After receiving their temple anointings at Kirtland, temple-goers celebrated by enjoying cake and wine. (p. 18)
• Jane Manning James, an early black convert, repeatedly (and unsuccessfully) petitioned to be sealed to Joseph Smith as an adopted daughter. As a compromise, the First Presidency instead sealed her as an eternal servant to Smith. This incident was the subject of a post earlier this year. (ps. xlv-xlvi)
• The First Presidency in 1946 ordered the Alberta temple to stop holding seances and other reported “irregularities and innovations.” (p. 279)
• The old temple endowment video included a scene illustrating the creation of the earth from the Disney classic “Fantasia.” The church was able to purchase several minutes of the movie because the endowment ceremony wouldn’t result in copyright violations—the ceremony is not advertised to the public, nor is it open to the public. (p. 295)
• Wilford Woodruff refused to seal (marry) three young girls, ages 12 and 13, to an old man (p. 21). Yet decades later, the church’s 1902 regulations permitted temple marriages to girls as young as 12. (p. 123)
• President John Taylor and countless other church leaders went into hiding for extensive periods of time to escape the law from practicing polygamy. Temple recommends would be forwarded to this secret location for his signature, but this procedure was complicated due to “busybodies” who measured the time it took for a signed recommend to be returned so as to approximate Taylor’s whereabouts. (p. 53)
• It was a longstanding policy that women married to non-Mormon husbands had to get their spouse’s written consent in order to receive her temple endowments. The same was not true, however, for men. This double-standard was finally corrected in 1986, such that now anyone married to a non-Mormon spouse has to get his or her permission. (p. xlix)
• The church in 1953 bypassed Swiss customs to sneak the temple endowment video into that country. Because Mormons regard the video’s content of a sensitive nature, it was imperative that the video not receive the normal scrutiny by customs agents. (p. 291)
• When the endowment video was being re-shot in the 1970s, it went through several drafts. President Harold B. Lee objected to some of the cast having long hair and beards, so another version was produced with a clean-shaven and clean-cut Peter, James, and John. The blonde Eve was also replaced by a brunette for the Latin American versions, because blondes are viewed as “freaks” in those cultures. (p. 296)
• For much of LDS Church history, the “second anointing” was the “crowning ordinance” of the Restoration. The first anointing is the endowment ceremony that continues today, and it concerns blessings in the afterlife, like becoming kings and queens, priests and priestesses. The second anointing actually bestows those blessings temporally and furthermore secures one’s exaltation in heaven. By 1949, nearly 33,000 of these anointings had been performed, but as General Authorities eventually deprived local leaders the discretion to recommend the anointings, the practice became increasing rare and is nearly non-existent today. (ps. xli-xlv)
• In 1927, the “law of retribution” (or “oath of vengeance”) was omitted from the ceremony. This oath was to pray that God “avenge the blood of the prophets on this nation” (p. 218). It’s not surprising that the oath was instituted by Brigham Young, who also taught blood atonement.
• David O. McKay was a fairly progressive church leader for his time on the race issue. He was the first to allow black members to perform baptisms for the dead, and he also overruled a decision to invalidate a white woman’s endowments for simply being married to a black man. (p. xlvii)
• The LDS Church didn’t adopt a strict adherence to the Word of Wisdom until well into the 20th century. Consider this statement from John Taylor in 1886: “The Word of Wisdom as originally given was sent not by commandment or constraint, but … for the temporal salvation of all Saints in these days” … [N]o rule has been formulated, nor law proclaimed, nor counsel given since that time which makes its strict observance necessary to receive ordinances … in the temples.” (p. 61)

• June 17, 2011 -- My Testimony: A Response to Bruce D. Porter.
• May 11, 2011 -- Why I like (most) LDS temples
• April 13, 2011 -- Perception vs reality