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Show STANDARD. ANTI-POLYGAM- Y (Continued from 2d page.) (I afterthem in the adjoining room. wards found out in passing through that it was the prayer circle room.) It was supElo-hiposed to be a conversation between I he con(Head God) and Jehovah. versation vras as follows: Well, Jehovah, I Elohim to Jehovah think we will create an earth; let Michael all the elements togo down and collect gether and found one. Answer Very well, 0 Lord God, it shall be done. Then calling to another man, we could hear him say: Michael, go down and collect all the elements together and form an earth, and then report to us what you have done. Ans. Very well, 0 Lord God. The man they called Michael then left the prayer circle room and came through - the room they called the World, into the Garden of Eden, the door of which was shut that faced the places C and D, where we were standing, listening and waiting. He remained there a second or two, and everything was quiet. At the end of that time we heard him going back the same wav, to where Elohim and Jehovah were I waiting. When he got back he said: have collected all the elements together and founded an earth, what wouldst thou have me do next? Using the same formula every time they sent him down to the world, they then told him to separate the land from the water, light from darkness, etc., and so they went regularly through the creation, but they always told m - benches. The four sides of the room are painted in imitation of trees, flowers, birds, wild beasts, etc. (The artist who painted the room was evidently more acquainted The with whitewashing than painting.) with dotted over ceiling was painted blue, golden stars; in the centre of it was the sun, a little farther along, the moon, and all around were the stars. In each corner, In one corner was a Masonic emblem. is a compass, in another the square, the remaining two were the level and the plumb. On the oast side of the room, next the door, was a painted apple tree, and in the northeast part of the room was a small wooden altar. After we had seated ourselves, Jehovah told Adam and Eve that they could eat of every tree in the garden except of this particular apple tree, for on the day that they ate of that they should surely die. EATING THE APPLE. were three men standing at a small altar on the cast side of the room, who were supposed to represent Peter, James and John, Peter standing in the centre. He was supposed to have the keys of heaven. Men representing (or trying to) the different religious sects then came in and presented their views and said they wanted to try and save those fallen children. In doing this they could not refrain from exaggerating and coarsely satirizing the different sects they represented. Previous to their coming in, however, Peter had to us the gospel of Christ at firesented us that Christ had come to die for the original sin, but that we had got to work, out our own salvation, and that in the "last day3 a prophet should be raised up to save all those that would believe in his divine mission; consequently these different representatives were told that their doctrines did not suit the people and that there was something wanting in their fiath and so they could go. Then the Devil came in and tried to allure the people, and bustling up to the altar, Peter said to him: Hallo, Mr. Devil, how do its a very fine day isnt it? you do The Devil What have you come after? to any to he take seem that didnt replied Christian religions, why of these didnt they quit bothering after anything of the kind, and live a life of pleasure, etc. However he was told to go and that quickly. He then took his departure, and immediately after in came a very lively gentleman, dressed in a plain black morning suit, with a little apron on, a most fiendish rubexpression od his face and joyfully was supbing his hands. This gentlemen Devil. the be Certainly his posed to appearance made the supposition quite easy (by the bye, I have since seen that same gentleman administering the Sacrament in the Tabernacle on Sundays). He went up to Eve and remarked that it was a very beautiful place, and that the fruit was so nice, would she like to taste one of those applies. She demurred a little, and said she was told not to, and therefore mustnt. But he pretended to pluck one of the painted apples and give it to her, and she pret nded to eat it. He then told her to ask Adam to have some, and she did. ' Adam objected strongly to tasting, mowing the penalty, but Eve eventually Oh, my overcame his scruples, saying: havent so nice, you any idea, dear, theyre here old and that nice (pointing gentlemen to the Devil) says that he can recommend them, and vou need not be afraid of what Jehovah says. Adam consented, and immediately after le said, Oh, what have I done, and how He then foolish I was so listen to'you. said that he could see himself, and that they had no clothes on, and they must sew some fig leaves together. Every one then made a (live for his apron out of the little bundles. This apron is a square half yard of green silk with nine fig leaves worked POLYGAMY ENJOINED. on it in brown sewing silk. A voice was Peter then gave the second grip of the then heard calling for Adam, who preAaronic or Lesser Priesthood, which contended to hide, hen in came Jehovah. He gave Adam a good scolding, but finally sists of putting the thumb between the told him that he would give him certain knuckles of the index and second fingers and clasping the hand around. The pen-alinstructions, whereby he would have a for revealing this is to be sawn asun- chance to regain the presence of his Father and God after he was driven out into the der, and our members cast into the sea. world. These instructions consisted o The sign of the penalty was drawing the hand sharply across the middle of the grips, &c., and the garments he wore would protect him from all evil. (Mor- body. To receive that grip we had to put mons say of these garments that the pat on our robes, which consisted of a long tern was revealed direct from heaven to straight piece of cloth reaching to our feet, doubted over and gathered very full Joseph Smith, and are the same as were on the shoulder and round the waist. originally worn by Adam.) was also a There narrow piece of cloth They then put on their caps and moc- tied around the long waist called the sash. casins, the womens caps being made of the on was It placed right shoulder to reSwiss muslin; it is one yard square, rounded at one corner so as to fit the head, and ceive this grip. The people wear their there are strings on it which tie under the aprons over it. The men then took the chin. The moccasins are made of linen or oath of chastity and the women the same; calico. The mens are made exactly like they dont consider polygamy at all unthose of pastry cooks, with a bow on 'the chaste, but said that it was Heaven ordained law, and that a man to be exalted right side. I should hcie mention, before in the world to come mvxt have more than I go further, that Bathsheba Smith and one of the priests enacted the parts of one wife. The women then took the oath Adam and Eve, and so stood sponsors for of obedience to their husbands, having to the rest of us, who were individually sup- look up to them as their gods. It is no; possible for a woman to go to Christ, exposed to be Adams and Eves. cept through her husband. TIIE ENDOWMENT OATHS. to-da- y! so-call- tv t THE KOBE. When the creation was supposed to be finished, Michael went back and told them it was very fair and beautiful to look upon. Elohim then said to Jehovah, that he thought thev had better go down and have a look at it, which they did and agreed with Michael that it was a beautiful place; that it seemed a pity it should be of no particular use, but thought it would be a good idea to create man to live in it and cultivate these things. They then came out of the Garden of Eden (which was supposed to have been newly finished) and shutting the door after them came to where we were landing. We were then told to shut our eves, v and Jehovah said to Michael, Give me a handful of dust and I will create man. W e were then told to open our eyes, and we saw a man that he had taken from the crowd, standing beside Jehovah, and to whom Jehovah said: I will call thee Adam, for thou shalt be the father of all mankind. Jehovah then said it was not to be alone, so he would man for good create a woman and a helpmate for him. We were again told to close our eyes, and Adam was requested to go to sleep, which he obligingly did. Jehovah was then a take rib from Adams side to supposed and form Eve. Wo were then ;old to open our eyes, and look upon the handiwork of the Lord. W hen we did, we saw ii woman taken from among the crowd who was standing by Adams side. Jehovah said he would call the wofnan Eve, because she would be the mother of all mankind. THE DOOR OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN, was then opened, and we all marched in with our little bundles, (the men going first as they always take precedende,) and we ranged ourselves around the room on They then proceeded to give us the first grip of the Aaronic or Lesser Priesthood, which consists in putting the thumb on the knuckle of the index finger, and clasping the hail Is round. We were then made to swear To obey the laws of the Mormon Church and all they enjoin, in preference The pento those of the United States. and this oath, is grip alty for revealing that, you wiil have your throat cut from ear to ear, and your tongue torn from your mouth, and the sign of the penalty is drawing the hand with the thumb pointing towards the throat sharply across and bringing the arm to the level of the square and with the hand upraised to heaven, swearing to abide the same. MORE TOMFOOLERY. We were then driven out of this into ,he room called the World, where there MAN S CAP. Then a man came in and said that the Gospel (which during those few minutes interval had lain dormant for years) lad been restored to earth, and that an angel had revealed it to a young boy named Joseph Smith, and that all the gifts, blessings and prophecies of old had jeen restored with it, and this last revelaDistion was to be called the Latter-dapensation. The priests pretended joyful-- y to accept this, and said it was the very Ling they were in search of, nothing else laving had the power to satisfy them. y MORE SIGNS AND GRIPS. They then proceeded to give us the first grip of die Meichizedek or Higher Priesthood, which is said to be the same that Christ held. The thumb is placed ou the knuckle of the index finger, and the index finger is placed straight along the palm of the hand, while the lower part of the hand is ciasped with the remaining The robe for this grip waa fingers. changed from the right to the left shoulder. We were then made to swear to avenge the death of Joseph Smith, the martyr, together with that of his brother Hyrum, on this American Nation, and that we would teach our children and childrens children to do so. The penalty for this grip and oath was disembowel-ment- . We Avere then marched into the northeast room (the men, of course, always going first) designated the prayer circle room. We were here made to take an oath of OBEDrENCE TO THE MORMON PRIESTHOOD. And now the highest or grand grip of the Melchizedek priesthood was given. We clasped each other round the hand with the point of the index finger resting on the wrist, and little fingers firmly linked together. The place on the wrist where the index finger points, is supposed to be the place where Christ was nailed to the cross, but they tore out and he had to be nailed again, and so you place your second finger beside the index on the wrist: it is called the SURE SIGN OF THE NAIL, and if the grip is properly given, it is very hard to pull apart. The robe was changed from the left to the right shoul-de- r to receive this grip. . womans CAP AND MOCCASIN. The men then formed a circle round the altar, linking their arms straight across, and placed their hands on one another shoulders. The priest knelt at the altar and took hold of one of the mens hands and prayed. He told us that the electric current of prayer passed through that circle, and that was the most efficacious kind of prayer. The women stood outside the circle with their yells eoverimr their faces, the only time throughout the ceremony that they did, so. The prayer over, they all trooped up the staircase on the north side of the house, into the room called the Instruction Room, where the people sat down on benches on the west side of the room. Facing them about midway between floor and ceiling was a wooden beam, that went across the room from north to south, and from which was suspended a dirtv looking piece of what was once white caf-icThis was called the Vail, and is supposed to be an imitation of the one in Solomons Temple. On this vail are marks like those on the garments, together with extra holes for putting the arms through, and a hole at the top to speak through. But before going through the vail, we received a general outline of the instructions we had received down stairs. This over, the priest took a man to the vail to one of the openings, (marked 3,) where he knocked with a small wooden mallet that hung on the wooden support. A voice on the other side of the vail (it was supposed to be Peters) asked who was there, when the priest answering for the man said, Adam having been faithful desires to enter. The priest then led the man up to the west side of the vail, where he had to put his hands through and clasp the man or Peter (to whom he whispered his new name, and the only one he ever tells, for they must never tell their celestial names to their wives, although the wives must tell theirs to their husbands) through the holes in the vail. He was then allowed to go through to the other side, which was supposed to be heaven, and this is where a strong imagination might he of some use, for aii3rlliing more unlike heaven, 1 can't conceive. The man having got through, he went to the opening (No. :!,) and told the gatekeeper to call for the woman he was about to marry, telling him her name. She then stepped up to the vail where the marks B are. They couldnt see each others, but put their hands through the openings, one of their hands on each others shoulder, and the other around the waist. (The marks on jtho plan at the sides are for the arms, and all the marks in the plan on the vail are exactly as they are in the Endowment House. The top round mark is the place where they spoke o. (Continued on 3d page.) |