History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

358 MORMONISM AND POLYGAMY.
The '
order of exercises in the tabernacle, which
seats seven thousand persons, is much the same as
in orthodox evangelical churches, beginning and ending
with prayer and singing, and sometimes singing
and administering the sacrament in the middle of a
discourse. The speaker seldom knows that he is to
speak until called upon by the moderator, who regu-
lates the services, and makes the selection under inspiration,
announcing the name of the person sometimes
without knowing whether he is in the house, or even
in the city. The singing is very fine, the organ, constructed
wholly by Mormon artisans, being the largest
4, which represents the world, where they encounter many temptations, the
chief of which is the falsegospel pi'eached by methodists, baptists, etc. Finally
St James and St John appear and proclaim thetrue gospel of Mormonism, which
all gladly embrace. After this they receive certain grips and pass-words, and
all are arranged in a circle, kneel, and the women lower their veils. Then,
with the right hand uplifted, an oath is taken to avenge the death of Joseph
Smith, jun., upon the gentiles who had caused his murder, to teach the children
of the church to do likewise, to obey implicitly and without murmur or question
all commands of the priesthood, to refrain from adultery, and finally, eternal
secrecy concerning all that transpired in the endowment house is promised.
Then comes an address, after which another room is entered, leading from
which is a door with a hole in it, covered with a piece of muslin. The men
approach this door in turn and ask to enter. Then a person behind the door
reaches through the opening, and with kuife in hand cuts a certain mark en
the left breast of the shirt, another over the abdomen, and one over the right
knee, which marks are faithfully copied by the women in their own garments
after returning to their homes. The man then mentions his new name, gives
the grip of the third degree, and is permitted to pass in. This is called going
behind the veil. When the men are all in, each woman is passed through
by her husband, or having none, by one of the brethren. This concludes the
ceremony, with the exception of marriage, which will be noticed elsewhere.
Of these ceremonies Mrs Stenhouse, from whose account the foregoing is partry
taken, says: 'About what was done in Nauvoo, I can only speak by hearsay,
but have been told many strange and revolting stories about the ceremonies
which were there performed. Of the endowments in Utah, everything
was beautifully ueat and clean, and I wish to say most distinctly that, although
the initiation appears now to my mind as a piece of the most ridiculous
absurdity, there was, nevertheless, nothing in it indecent or immoral. Englishwoman
in Utah, 190-2. For more on endowment ceremonies, see Morm.
at Home, '209; Stenhouse's Englishwoman, 155-201; Tell It All, 253-G, 514-15;
Beadle's Life in Utah, 486-502; Hyde's Morm., S9-101, 10S-9; Worthington'a
Womnn in Battle, 591-2; Burton's City of Saints, 271-2; Young's Wife No.
ID, 3.jG-72; S. L. Herald, Mar. 31, 1881; Tribune, Nov. 16, 1S7S; Sept. 28,
1879; Utah Rev., Dec. 12, 1871; S. F. Bulletin, 1S78, Nov. 1G; 1879, May 5,
Oct. 25; Ilera'd, July 27, 1S52; lied Bluff Sentinel, Nov. 30, 1S7S; Sac.
Union, Sept. 25, 185S; Ree.-Union, Oct. 1, 1S79; San Jos6 Anjus, Sept. 15,
22, 1877; Sta Cruz Cour., May 10, 1S7S; Stockton Indep., May G, 1879; Tehama
Tocsin, Nov. 1, 1879; Yreka Union, Nov. 22, 1S79; Sxlem (Or.)
Statesman, Nov. 7, 1S79; Carson City (Nev.) Tribune, Oct. G, 1S79; Ellco
Indep., Dec. 12, 1S7S; Gold Hill News, 187S, Oct. 29-31.