THE LAW OF THE GOSPEL

 

PETER A couple will now come to the altar (the witness couple comes forward and kneels at the altar.) Brethren and Sisters, this couple at the altar represent all of you as if at the altar, and you will be under the same obligations that they will be. We are required to give unto you the Law of the Gospel as contained in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. To give unto you also a charge to avoid all light mindedness, loud laughter, evil speaking of the Lord’s Anointed, the taking of the name of God in vain, and every other unholy and impure practice, and to cause you to receive these by covenant.

All arise (patrons all stand up.) Each of you bring your right arm to the square (patrons all raise right arm to the square.

You and each of you covenant and promise before God, angels and these witnesses at this altar, that you will observe and keep the Law of the Gospel and this charge as it has been explained to you. Each of you bow your head and say yes.

BRETHREN AND SISTERS (all bow their head) Yes.

PETER That will do (patrons all sit down.)

THE ROBES OF THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD

PETER We are instructed to clothe you in the robes of the Holy Priesthood. Place the robe on the left shoulder, place the cap on your head with the bow over the right ear, replace the apron, tie the girdle with the bow on the right side, remove the slippers from your feet, and put them on again as part of the Temple Clothing. You may now proceed to clothe.

The patrons all stand, and turn around to use their seat as a dressing table. The remove the green fig-leaf apron and the slippers from their feet, open their package of Temple clothing, and commence dressing by placing the long white robe on their left shoulder and tie it in at the waist on the right side. Next they put on the hat* (or veil for women) with the bow over the

*The hat looks like a baker’s hat without the wide band. It has a bow on one side and a string on the opposite side.

right ear, and then tie the string from the hat to the shoulder loop of the rope. Next they replace the green apron at the waist, and then tie the long six inch wide sash in a large bow at the right side of the waist. They then sit down and replace the slippers on their feet SECOND TOKEN OF THE AARONIC PRIESTHOODPETER A couple will now come to the altar (the witness couple comes forward and kneel at the altar. With the robe on the left shoulder, you are prepared to officiate in the ordinances of the Aaronic Priesthood. We will now give unto you the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood with its accompanying name, sign and penalty. This token is given by clasping the right hands and placing the joint of the thumb between the first and second knuckles of the hand, in this manner (Officiator takes brother at the altar in the grip and shows the audience.)

We desire all to receive it. All arise. (The witness couple stand up and return to their seats. All patrons stand up in place and receive the token from one of the temple workers who circulate through the rows. Then they sit down.) If any of you have not received this token, will you please raise your hand.

The name of this token is your own first given name if you are going through the temple for your own Endowment, or if you are going through for the dead, it is the first given name of the person for whom you are officiating.

PETER (the Officiator demonstrates the sign as the instructions are given The sign is made by bringing the right hand in front of you, with the hand in cupping shape, the right arm forming a square, the left arm being raised to the square.) This is the sign. The execution of the penalty is represented by placing the right hand on the left breast, drawing the hand quickly across the body, and dropping the hand to the sides. I will now explain the covenant and obligation to secrecy which are associated with this token, its name, sign and penalty, and which you will be required to take upon yourself.

If I were receiving my own Endowment today, and if my first given name were David, I would repeat in my mind these words, after making the sign, at the same time representing the execution of the penalty (Officiator, still making the sign, demonstrates the execution of the penalty.) I, David, covenant that I will never reveal the second token of the Aaronic Priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign and penalty. Rather than do so, I would suffer (pause, right hand to left breast my life (pause, draws hand across chest to right breast to be taken (drops hands to side.

All arise (patrons all stand up.)

Each of you make the sign of the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood by bringing the right hand in front of you, with the hand in cupping shape, the right arm forming a square, and the left arm being raised to the square. This is the sign.

(Patrons all make the sign) Now repeat in your minds after me the words of the covenant, at the same time representing the execution of the penalty.

I, think of the first given name, covenant that I will never reveal the second token of the Aaronic Priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign and penalty. Rather than do so, I would suffer (patrons all place left hand on right breast my life (patrons all draw left hand quickly across the body to be taken (patrons all drop both hands to the sides. That will do (patrons all sit down.)

(If any one of the brethren or sisters makes a mistake in the execution of the penalty, the execution of the penalty is repeated by all patrons together, as before.)

The tape resumes

PETER Jehovah, we have been down to the man Adam and his posterity in the Telestial world, and have cast Satan out of their midst. We have given unto them the Law of the Gospel as contained in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. Also a charge to avoid all light mindedness, loud laughter, evil speaking of the Lord’s anointed, the taking of the name of God in vain, and every other unholy and impure practice, and have caused them to receive these by covenant. We have also clothed them in the robes of the Holy Priesthood and have given unto them the Second Token of the Aaronic Priesthood, with its accompanying name, sign and penalty. This is our report.

JEHOVAH It is well, Peter, James and John. (Jehovah repeats the same report to Elohim - who is pleased - and gives Jehovah further instructions for Peter, James and John to return again to Adam in the Telestial World and to give unto Adam instructions to change his robe to the right shoulder preparatory to receiving the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood and to administer to Adam the Law of Chastity and introduce him into the Terrestial World. Jehovah then instructs Peter, James and John. They accept the instructions and depart.)

PETER We are instructed to have you change your robe to the right shoulder, preparatory to officiating in the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood, and to introduce you into the Terrestial World. You may now make the change by removing the robe (the room light level is increased to represent the change to the Terrestial World.

The patrons all stand, turn around to use their seat as a clothes stand, and proceed to remove the hat, sash, apron, robe and slippers. They put the robe on again, but on the right shoulder, then put all of the other items on reversed, with the bow of the hat on the right ear and the sash tied to the left side. They sit down an put on the slippers

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