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.

PETER: A couple will now come to the altar.

We are instructed to give unto you the law of chastity, which is that each of you shall have no sexual relations except with your husband or wife to whom you are legally and lawfully wedded.

All please arise.

Each of you bring your right arm to the square.

You and each of you covenant and promise before God, angels, and these witnesses that you will observe and keep the law of chastity, as it has been explained to you.

Each of you bow your head and say, "Yes."

That will do.

PETER: We will now give unto you the first token of the Melchizedek priesthood, or Sign of the Nail, 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.]

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 the endowment today, either for myself or for the dead, I would repeat in my mind these words, after making the sign:

I solemnly covenant before God, angels, and these witnesses, in the name ________ that I will never reveal the first token of the Melchizedek priesthood, or Sign of the Nail, 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 Terrestrial Room.]

PETER: Jehovah, we have been down to Adam and Eve and their posterity, have placed the robe on the right shoulder, and have introduced them into the terrestrial world. We have put them under covenant to observe and keep the law of chastity. We have also given them the first token of the Melchizedek priesthood, or Sign of the Nail, 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 and have done all that they were commanded to do.

ELOHIM: It is well.

Jehovah, send down Peter, James, and John, and instruct them to give to Adam and Eve and their posterity in the terrestrial world the law of consecration, in connection with the law of the gospel and the law of sacrifice, and to cause them to receive it by covenant; to give unto them the second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail, with its accompanying sign; and to teach them the order of prayer and prepare them in all things to receive further instructions at the veil.
Then have them report at the veil.

JEHOVAH: It shall be done, Elohim.

Peter, James, and John, go down to Adam and Eve and their posterity in the terrestrial world and give unto them the law of consecration, in connection with the law of the gospel and the law of sacrifice, and cause them to receive it by covenant. Give unto them the second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail, with its accompanying sign. Teach them the order of prayer and prepare them in all things to receive further instructions at the veil. Then report at the veil.

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

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

PETER: A couple will now come to the altar.

We are instructed to give unto you the law of consecration as contained in the book of Doctrine and Covenants, in connection with the law of the gospel and the law of sacrifice, which you have already received. It is that you do consecrate yourselves, your time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed you, or with which he may bless you, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the building up of the kingdom of God on the earth and for the establishment of Zion.

All arise.

Each of you bring your right arm to the square.

You and each of you covenant and promise before God, angels, and these witnesses at this altar, that you do accept the law of consecration as contained in the Doctrine and Covenants, in that you do consecrate yourselves, your time, talents, and everything with which the Lord has blessed you, or with which he may bless you, to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for the building up of the kingdom of God on the earth and for the establishment of Zion.

Each of you bow your head and say, "Yes."

That will do.

PETER: We will now give unto you the second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the patriarchal grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail, with its accompanying sign.

This token has reference to the crucifixion of the Savior. When he was placed upon the cross, the crucifiers drove nails through the palms of his hands; then, fearing that the weight of his body would cause the nails to tear through the flesh of the hands, they drove nails through his wrists. Hence in the palm is the Sign of the Nail, and in the wrist is the Sure Sign of the Nail, or the Nail in the Sure Place.

[Peter demonstrates the token.]

We desire all to receive it. All arise.

[All initiates receive the token.]

This token has a name and a sign. You will be under the same sacred obligation in connection with this token and sign as you are with the other tokens and signs of the holy priesthood which you have received in the temple this day.

The name of this token will not be given to you at this stage in the endowment, but it will be given later on.

[Peter demonstrates the sign for this token and then leads initiates in making the sign.]

That will do.

PETER: Brethren and sisters, with the robe on the right shoulder you are prepared to be taught the true order of prayer and to be introduced at the veil.

A few of you, including couples, will please come forward and form a circle around the altar.

[The couples are arranged so that men and women alternate around the circle. James directs the prayer circle.]

JAMES: Only the best of feelings should exist in the circle. If any of you have unkind feelings toward any member of this circle, you are invited to withdraw so that the Spirit of the Lord may be unrestrained.

In the circle we make the signs of all the tokens of the holy priesthood.

[James leads those in the circle in making each sign, in succession. As they do this, he reminds initiates of the name for each token, except the second token of the Melchizedek priesthood, the name of which has not yet been revealed.]

We have here a list of names of persons who are sick or otherwise afflicted, whom we are requested to remember in our prayer. We will place this list upon the altar and request the faith of those present in behalf of these persons.

The sisters in the room will please veil their faces.

Each brother in the circle will take the sister at his left by the right hand in the patriarchal grip.

Each of you bring your left arm to the square and rest it upon the shoulder or arm of the person at your left.

Those in the circle will repeat the words of the prayer.

[James kneels before the altar, within the circle, makes the sign of the second token of the Aaronic priesthood, and offers an extemporaneous prayer. He pauses after each sentence, so that those in the circle may repeat his words.]

PETER: The sisters will unveil their faces, and the brethren and sisters in the circle will return to their seats.

We will now uncover the veil.

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