Church History Matters

061 Temple Work Without Temples

Apr 30, 2024

Discover how early Latter-day Saints continued temple work without physical temples, using unique buildings like the Endowment House and facing government legislation. Explore the evolution of temple work post Joseph Smith's death, the challenges of temple construction, and the significance of priesthood roles for women. Delve into temple ordinances in early Utah, Wilford Woodruff's work for historical figures, visitations from the dead, and navigating threats to church properties under federal pressure.

01:04:05

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Quick takeaways

Innovative solutions during a temple-less era involved using Ensign Peak, Council House, and Endowment House for vital temple activities.

Evolution of temple practices under Brigham Young introduced structured and symbolic representations of sacred ordinances.

Completion of temples like St. George marked a shift towards emphasizing temple worship over plural marriage, defining the Church's mission.

Deep dives

Unique Story of Temple Work During 30-Year Templeless Season in Utah

During a 30-year period in Utah without temples, church leaders utilized locations like Ensign Peak, the Council House, and the Endowment House for temple-related activities. Despite the absence of a temple, innovative solutions allowed for the continuation of essential temple work. The episode highlighted how leaders coped with government legislation and decisions, such as the choice between losing all temples or ending plural marriage.

Intro

2min

Evolution of Temple Work Post Joseph Smith's Death

16min

Evolution of Temple Work in Early Utah

26min

Temple Work for U.S. Presidents and Historical Figures

6min

Visitations from the Dead and Temple Lore

5min

Navigating the Threat to Church Properties and Temples

2min

Shift in Focus: From Plural Marriage to Temples' Importance

3min

Importance of Temples in Church History and Future Changes

4min

Beginning in 1846, thousands of Latter-day Saints left Nauvoo, Illinois and trekked over one thousand miles west to the Salt Lake Valley. Having, of necessity, abandoned the Nauvoo Temple for which they had worked so hard and sacrificed so much, they were now a temple-centered people without a temple. Now they certainly would go on to build more temples—the first of which was the Saint George Temple, completed in 1877—but how would the saints do temple related work in the meantime?

In this episode of Church History Matters, Casey and Scott walk through the unique story of how temple work continued during that 30-year season of no temples, where Church leaders used Ensign Peak, a multi-purpose building called the Council House, a one-of-a-kind building called the Endowment House, and administrative offices for these purposes. We’ll also highlight some important take-aways from Church leaders’ response to the crushing government legislation they faced in the late 1880s forcing the decision between losing all temples or ending the practice of plural marriage.

For show notes and transcript for this and other episodes go to https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/church-history-matters-podcast/

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Church History Matters

061 Temple Work Without Temples

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Unique Story of Temple Work During 30-Year Templeless Season in Utah

Transition from Nauvoo to Utah: Temple Ordinances and Developments

Challenges, Innovations, and Delays in Building the Salt Lake Temple

Expansion of Temple Building

Shift in Focus to Temple Worship

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts