| Show MORMON TEMPLES the latter day saints area are a people much given to temple build building ipg like inclination characterized former day saints neither have bove christian people been only temple builders bui but pagan and idolatrous nations lave have built temples in which to worship the obeata of their veneration those who have worshiped the true and nd living god have always had their tern sanctuaries les arkoff the covenant boiter or other sacred places which they recognized as the proper for religious purposes sacred ordinances and the deposit repositories depositories ories for most sacred things jibe cormons mormons Mor mons are not a peculiar people in this respect reaped they only follow in the wake of earlier devout worshipers of him who is the father of all both of the dead and the living incese these mormon temples possess bother another feature of interest corresponding alit with former examples they are built by of gad G d under divine architectural inspiration according to plans and patterns regarding which the builders are i instructed by revelation either in vision or by the ministration of angelson ange ang laor elsor bothic neo soy made ys i ass in olden times as when the builders of the ark were commanded see thou do clo all things according to the pattern shown thee these temples are costly structures when compared with the condition and circumstances of the people but not so when compared with the treasures which have been lavished upon the adornment of such edifices in earlier days king solomon solemon who built by the command of god summoned the wealth of nations and treasures were brought from afar till he could say it was enough the king of prance france who ordered builta built a royal chapel connected with the versailles royal palace had that appreciation prec tation of propriety in building a house for the worship of god that it should be matte made the best in the land when the writer of this once entered that temple of magnificence and splendor 11 len and was intently gazing wiz with apparent wonderment upon the inner works which were nearly all covered with gold he was told the king was determined that the house bouse in which god was to be worshiped should be superior to any in which man dwelt upon the earth such was the kings estimate of what was J justly ay due to him who was to be honored a as s the king of kings the latter day saints sainte have not the gold with which to make a like display but their appreciation of whit what is due to him who is above all in and through all is equal if not superior to the conception of any earthly king they rear what to them are costly edifices di floes and the scoffer sneers at their extravagance in this direction and would taunt them with you had bad better spend your money building school houses etc that iagust what these temples are educational institutions of the highest c order schools in which to educate and develop prophets seers and cevela tors and where the teachers tea chera will be angels delegated and commissioned to instruct in all that knowledge which is iclal essential It lal to mans full development and his bis complete happiness and the same to be transmitted from man to his fellow man until all shall know god this knowledge thus acquired includes the entire plan of salvation productive ro of happiness to man that abat plan now as it did before the world was consists of covenants ordinances and promises and all these to be made and administered in consecrated temples and by legitimate authority this plan thus arranged before man was placed upon the earth is unchangeable in its ito application to all men and for all time it was not devised in the ignorance of humanity it is har bar conious in all its operations and ministrations there were no schisms in that pla no partiality in its administrations trat ions it was for foi all men who partook of the image of god applicable to any condition within redemption orla a power they should experience while absent from his divine presence this plan was not changed by the spirits of men coming into this world and being made subject to death whether before irv ato after that event every spirit must nave a e the opportunity of determining its own future by having a knowledge of and accepting the conditions of obedience to law or of rejecting them either in the flesh or out of it if this law of salvation or redemption is accepted the covenants and ordinances must be administered the same to those who are in as to those who way may be out of the flesh as by those who are in the flesh Inthis in this provision Is manifest the marvelous wisdom of omnipotence those who have lived and died without a knowledge of this heavenly plan and the opportunity of receiving the ordinances thereof are to those who do live in the flesh in possession of them the same as the whole human race moo once was waa to 0 christ in their relation to and dependence upon him something Sm ething must be done for them which they cannot do for themselves jesus became the savior of the world by b y doing for forman man what he could not do for himself but which was necessary to be done he had the power and used it to cestr py death for man and restore hirn him to lire life again abrain by the power of atonement and resurrection this man could not do for himself A vicarious work was done by another and accounted to the needy soul as though done by itself nothing was left wanting As in adam all die coln so in christ shall all be made alive is the declared result of a savior saviors s proxy work this was freewill offering a gift to man not forced upon him but subject tp his acceptance or refusal refusal the children of men who have the ordinance of t he gospel in their possession sustain a like relation to those who have by death passed beyond their reach in view of this fact and for this cause it was written that saviors should come upon mount zion in the last days when the gospel and its ordinance should be again with men in the flesh be saviors to the dead by doing as jesus did do the works for them that shall be accounted to them for righteousness that they might be judged as though the beneficiaries fici aries had received the ordinances in the flesh by their own willing agency but where and how shall this work be done in temples built dedicated and consecrated for this special purpose and in no other place when they are aval able they are built by commandment of the lord that he may have a place in which he cau can communicate with his people in all ages when his priesthood Is among men jesus in his early days when only twelve years old resorted to the temple to teach those who were learned in worldly lore the lesson leeson which was of much greater importance for them to learn that he was the son ot of god for whom the temple was built that they had denied defiled his holy house by making it the seat of money changers and the resort of thieves who like many people of today would sell goda god a sanctuary and their own souls SOUIS with it for money temples reared to the most high were designed only for sacred offices and when denied defiled by the presence of thieves liars and the profane who have regard only for the mammon of unrighteousness that condition has ever merited swift visitation this fact is affirmed noto not atle oay in the destruction of the temple at jerusalem but in our day temples denied defiled have been destroyed the rearing of temples to god has been predicted for the last days prophets have foretold that he will come suddenly to his temple when he will have in it those who will offer in it an acceptable offering in righteousness news and that therein he will take away the sins of the people by ordinances therein performed a release from the bondage of sin gin will be granted to both the living and the dead for whom and in whose name they shall be re corded every saint should rally to this great grat work not only with their means to build but with their hearts to enjoy edjon and avail of these sacred privileges now offered to the faithful these holy ministrations which have come from on high by angels delegated to man on the earth for that purpose how joyful the anticipation with complete assurance that when we pass pase to the bright side of the yet veil that now hides from our view the spirits of loved departed ones we may be as angels to them bearing the glad news of sins alas forgiven and redemption work for them wll well done no one who has knowledge of the gospel and any just appreciation of its purpose will ever be satisfied without contributing to the building of temples and then have administered therein fles n those ordinances ordin ancee for which there built that shall be in full force and virtue for the dead as for the living by so ao doing they put on the character of christ and become like him ilio his mission was waa for the dead that all they who had died spiritually by adams transgression might by his vicarious act be restored again to spiritual and eternal life it to la for this high and glorious purpose that his authority that which is after the order of the son of god is conferred again upon man on earth that he be might join his lord and master in this great work of spiritual redemption and enable those who receive it to be saviors like him ina in a degree that shall entitle them to be come joint heirs with him to a falness of the glory that comes from the crowning labor of bringing the dead to life the saints should act a generous part and have their names recorded on earth that they may be in heaven and constitute a claim to an eternal reward the eyes of the departed spirit are watching with intense desire to share the promised deliverance to come by Elijah Po mission which should turn the hearts of the children men mein on earth to the fathers spirits gone that all might not perish for without this being done the whole earth would be smitten with a 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