LDS Endowment

Note: This text represents a live endowment. The rubrics (or stage directions) that appear here are my own, as are the headings that divide the text into smaller, more reader-friendly units.

ADAM: Brethren and sisters, this represents the telestial kingdom, or the world in which we now live. Adam, on finding himself in the lone and dreary world, built an altar and offered prayer, and these are the words he uttered:

[Adam kneels at the altar and lifts his hands towards heaven, each arm raised to the square.]

Oh God, hear the words of my mouth.
Oh God, hear the words of my mouth.
Oh God, hear the words of my mouth.

[Lucifer comes into view.]

LUCIFER: I hear you. What is it you want?

ADAM: Who are you?

LUCIFER: I am the god of this world.

ADAM: You, the god of this world?

LUCIFER: Yes. What do you want?

ADAM: I am looking for messengers.

LUCIFER: Oh, you want someone to preach to you. You want religion, do you? There will be many willing to preach to you the philosophies of men mingled with scripture.

ADAM: But I am looking for messengers from my Father.

[Elohim, Jehovah, and their messengers are heard speaking outside the World Room.]

ELOHIM: Jehovah, send down Peter, James, and John to visit the man Adam in the telestial world, without disclosing their identity. Have them observe conditions generally, see if Satan is there, and learn whether Adam has been true to the token and sign given to him in the garden of Eden. Have them then return and bring me word.

JEHOVAH: It shall be done, Elohim.

Peter, James, and John, go down and visit the man Adam in the telestial world, without disclosing your identity. Observe conditions there and learn whether Adam has been true to the token and sign given to him in the garden of Eden. Then return and bring us word.

PETER: It shall be done, Jehovah. Come, James and John, let us go down.

[Peter, James, and John enter the World Room.]

PETER: Good morning.

LUCIFER: Good morning, gentlemen.

PETER: What are you doing here?

LUCIFER: Observing the teaching of these people.

PETER: What is being taught?

LUCIFER: The philosophies of men, mingled with scripture.

PETER: How is this teaching received?

LUCIFER: Very well--except this man does not seem to believe what is being taught.

PETER: [To Adam.] Good morning. What do you think of this teaching?

ADAM: I am looking for messengers from my Father to teach me.

PETER: That is good. Have you any tokens or signs?

LUCIFER: [Interjecting.] Have you any money?

PETER: We have sufficient for our needs.

LUCIFER: You can buy anything in this world for money.

PETER: [To Adam.] Do you sell your tokens or signs for money? You have them, I presume.

ADAM: I have them, but I do not sell them for money. I hold them sacred. I am looking for the further light and knowledge Father promised to send me.

PETER: That is right. We commend you for your integrity. Good day. We shall probably visit you again.

[Peter, James, and John leave the World Room.]

LUCIFER: Now is the great day of my power. I reign from the rivers to the ends of the earth. There is none who dares to molest or make afraid.

[Elohim, Jehovah, and their messengers are heard speaking outside the World Room.]

PETER: Jehovah, we have visited the man Adam in the telestial world as thou didst command us. We found Satan there, striving to lead the posterity of Adam astray. But Adam has been true and faithful to the token and sign given him in the garden of Eden and is waiting for the further light and knowledge you promised to send him. This is our report.

JEHOVAH: It is well, Peter, James, and John.

Elohim--Peter, James, and John have been down to the man Adam in the telestial world. They found Satan there, striving to lead the posterity of Adam astray with all manner of false doctrine. But Adam has been true and faithful to the token and sign given him in the garden of Eden, and he is waiting for the further light and knowledge you promised to send him. This is their report.

ELOHIM: It is well.

Jehovah, instruct Peter, James, and John to go down in their true character, as apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, to Adam and Eve and their posterity in the telestial world and to cast Satan out of their midst. Instruct them to give unto Adam and Eve and their posterity the law of the gospel as contained in the holy scriptures; also, give unto them a charge to avoid all lightmindedness, 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 cause these to be received by covenant.

Instruct Peter, James, and John further to clothe Adam and Eve and their posterity in the robes of the holy priesthood, with the robe on the left shoulder, and to give unto them the second token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name and sign. Then have them return and bring me word.

JEHOVAH: It shall be done, Elohim.

Peter, James, and John, go down in your true character, as apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, to Adam and Eve and their posterity in the telestial world. Cast Satan out of their midst. Give unto them the law of the gospel as contained in the holy scriptures; also, a charge to avoid all lightmindedness, 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. Cause them to receive these by covenant.

Clothe them in the robes of the holy priesthood, with the robe on the left shoulder, and give unto them the second token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name and sign. Then return and bring us word.

PETER: It shall be done, Jehovah. Come, James and John, let us go down.

[Peter, James, and John return to the World Room.]

PETER: I am Peter.

JAMES: I am James.

JOHN: I am John.

LUCIFER: Yes, I thought I knew you. What are you going to do now?

PETER: We will dismiss you without further argument.

LUCIFER: Ah! You have looked over my kingdom and my greatness and glory. Now you want to take possession of the whole of it.

[He indicates the initiates.]

I have a word to say concerning these people. If they do not walk up to every covenant they make at these altars in this temple this day, they will be in my power!

PETER: Satan, we command you to depart.

LUCIFER: By what authority?

PETER: [Raising his right arm to the square.] In the name of Jesus Christ, our Master.

[Lucifer exits.]

PETER: Adam, we are true messengers from the Father and have come to give you the further light and knowledge he promised to send you.

ADAM: How shall I know that you are true messengers?

PETER: By our giving unto you the token and sign you received in the garden of Eden.

[Peter takes Adam by the hand in the first token of the Aaronic priesthood.]

ADAM: What is that?

PETER: The first token of the Aaronic priesthood.

ADAM: Has it a name?

PETER: It has.

ADAM: Will you give it to me?

PETER: I cannot, for it is the new name, and I have made a covenant not to disclose it. But this is the sign.

[Peter demonstrates the sign as he says this.]

ADAM: Now I know that you are true messengers sent down from Father.

[To the initiates.] These are true messengers. I exhort you to give strict heed to their counsel and teachings, and they will lead you in the way of life and salvation.

PETER: A couple will now come to 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 as they will be.

We are required to give unto you the law of the gospel as contained in the holy scriptures; to give unto you, also, a charge to avoid all lightmindedness, 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.

Each of you bring your right arm to the square.

Each of you covenant and promise before God, angels, and these witnesses 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."

That will do.

PETER: We are instructed to clothe you in the robes of the holy priesthood.

Place the robe on your 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.

PETER: A couple will now come to 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 and sign.

[Peter demonstrates the token.]

We desire all to receive it. All arise.

[All initiates receive the token. Peter then reveals the name and sign for this token. Not all initiates receive the same name.]

I will now explain the covenant and obligation which are associated with this token, its name, and sign, which you will be required to take upon yourselves.

If I were receiving my own endowment today, and if [here Peter provides a sample name for the token], I would repeat in my mind these words, after making the sign:

I, _________, solemnly covenant before God, angels, and these witnesses that I will never reveal the second token of the Aaronic priesthood, with its accompanying name and sign.

[Peter leads the initiates in repeating this oath.]

That will do.

We will return and report.

[Peter, James, and John exit.]

[Elohim, Jehovah, and their messengers are heard speaking outside the World Room.]

PETER: Jehovah, we have been down to Adam and Eve and their 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 holy scriptures; also, a charge to avoid all lightmindedness, 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 and sign. This is our report.

JEHOVAH: It is well, Peter, James, and John.

Elohim--Peter, James, and John have been down to Adam and Eve and their posterity in the telestial world, have cast Satan out of their midst, and have done all else that they were commanded to do.

ELOHIM: It is well.

Jehovah, send down Peter, James, and John again to the telestial world. Have Adam and Eve and their posterity change their robes to their right shoulder, preparatory to officiating in the ordinances of the Melchizedek priesthood, and introduce them into the terrestrial world.

Instruct Peter, James, and John further to give unto them the law of chastity and to put them under covenant to obey this law, which is that the daughters of Eve and the sons of Adam shall have no sexual relations except with their husbands or wives to whom they are legally and lawfully wedded. Give unto them the first token of the Melchizedek priesthood, or Sign of the Nail, with its accompanying name and sign. Have them return and bring me word.

JEHOVAH: It shall be done, Elohim.

Peter, James, and John, go down again to the telestial world. Instruct Adam and Eve and their posterity to change their robes to their right shoulder, preparatory to officiating in the ordinances of the Melchizedek priesthood, and introduce them into the terrestrial world.

Give to them the law of chastity and put them under covenant to obey this law, which is that the daughters of Eve and the sons of Adam shall have no sexual relations except with their husbands or wives to whom they are legally and lawfully wedded. Give unto them the first token of the Melchizedek priesthood, or Sign of the Nail, with its accompanying name and sign; and return and bring us word.

PETER: It shall be done, Jehovah. Come, James and John, let us go down.

[Peter, James, and John return to the World Room.]

PETER: We are instructed to have you remove the robe and change it to the right shoulder, preparatory to officiating in the ordinances of the Melchizedek priesthood, and to introduce you into the terrestrial world.

You may now remove the robe and make the change.

[The initiates change the robe to the right shoulder. They then pass into the Terrestrial Room.]

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