covenants entered into and the blessings promised,
becomes a joyful, happy memory incomparably
sweeter than that of the usual rush and show of a
wedding outside temple walls. Lovely in its simple
beauty and deep import is a temple wedding.
There is ample opportunity after the ceremony in
the temple for a reception, simple or elaborate, at
which friends may gather to congratulate the couple
and to wish them happiness.
- It tends to insure marital happiness.Experience
has shown that temple marriages are generally the
happiest. There are relatively fewer divorces among
couples who have been sealed over the altars of the
temple. This is shown by dependable statistics.
Today’s views of marriage are notably loose; yet no
person with a decent outlook on life will enter the
marriage state as an experiment. Life’s happiness is
made or marred by marriage. Divorce does not return
the individuals to their former condition. Scars
remain. Hasty weddings and the easy divorces that
follow menace individual and public welfare. When
the integrity of the family, the unit of society,
vanishes, and family relationships are held in
disrespect, society is headed for disaster. The
deliberation that precedes a temple marriage, the
solemnity that accompanies it, and the power that
seals and blesses it, form a bulwark against many
evils of the day. The temple marriage hedges about,
and keeps inviolate, the happiness that of right
belongs to the married state. - It permits the association of husband and wife for
time and for all eternity.The essential difference
between temple and all other marriages is of the
greatest consequence. In the temple, and only there,
the bridal couple are wedded for time and eternity.
The contract is endless. Here and hereafter, on earth
and beyond, they may travel together in loving
companionship. This precious gift conforms to the
Latter-day Saint belief that existence in the life after
this may be active, useful, progressive. Love, content
to end with death, is perishable, poor, and helpless.
Marriage that lasts only during earth life is a sad one,
for the love established between man
and woman, as they live together and
rear their family, should not die, but
live and grow richer with the eternal
years. True love hopes and prays for an
endless continuation of association with
the loved one. To those who are sealed
to each other for all existence, love is
ever warm, more hopeful, believing, courageous,
and fearless. Such people live the richer, more
joyful life. To them happiness and the making of it
have no end. Dismal, dreary, full of fear, is the
outlook upon love that ends with death. The youth
of the Church dare not forego the gift of everlasting
marriage.- It provides the eternal possession of children and
family relationship.There is yet an added blessing.
Children born under the temple covenant belong to
their parents for all time and eternity. That is, the
family relationships on earth are continued, forever,
here and hereafter. The family, continued from
earth into the next world, becomes a unit in
everlasting life. In the long eternities we shall not
be lonely wanderers, but side by side, with our loved
ones who have gone before and those who shall
follow, we shall travel the endless journey. What
mother does not value this promise! What father
does not feel his heart warm towards the eternal
possession of his family! What heartbreakings might
have been avoided if humanity had been true to
the truth, and had surrendered to the sealing power
of the Priesthood of God. Temple marriage becomes
a promise of unending joy. - It acts as a restraint against evil.The powers of
darkness are ever active to push mankind into evil
paths. Often, we are tempted to do foolish things.
In the family little things may lead to discord. To
create unhappiness is the aim of the adversary of
righteousness. Here appears one of the foremost
blessings of the temple marriage. Those who have
been sealed in the temple have their eyes fixed upon
eternity. They dare not forfeit the promised blessings.
The family is to them an everlasting possession.
They remember the covenants which make possible
this eternal association. The temple marriage, with
all that it means, becomes a restraining force in the
presence of temptation. All family acts are more
likely to be shaped in anticipation of an undying
relationship. Under the influence of the memory of
thetemple ceremony, family differences are swallowed
up in peace; hate is transmuted into love; fear, into
courage; and evil is rebuked and cast
out. Peace is the world’s great need.
From the temples of the Lord, and
from everything done within them,
issues the spirit of truth which is the
foundation of peace.
MARRIAGE FORETERNITY 179