Without Disclosing My True Identity
have forgotten that the “kingdom of God” consists, not of one, but of three different degrees,
which are all places of glory or happiness. They have made the Celestial kingdom their only
hope and glory. Their pride and arrogance does not consider any other option. Nothing is of
greater importance to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than its temples.^44 Those
attending hope to obtain Celestial glory by receiving the endowment there—a ritual of deep
symbolism that they do not understand. Their egos are also supported through the labors they
perform for the dead, believing that they are the saviors of men.^45
The Temple Endowment is a Simple Presentation of the Mysteries of God
The Book of Mormon itself provides contrasting evidence to the need for temples,
specifically after Christ had delivered the “fullness of the everlasting Gospel” to the people.
There was no mention of the people building a temple and receiving any type of temple
ordinance after Christ visited them. Ever since the first nine LDS members saw the
presentation of the endowment for the first time in 1842, to the present day, not one
LDS/Mormon can honestly say that he or she understands the symbolism of the temple
endowment unless, as a Church member, they have read Sacred, not Secret, The [Authorized
and] Official Guide in Understanding the Temple Endowment.^46 If the LDS/Mormons today
understood what Joseph was trying to tell them through the endowment presentation, they
would all apostatize from the Church. Neither Brigham Young nor any of his leaders ever
figured out the symbolism. Yet, the endowment is one of the most straightforward and simple
presentations of the “mysteries of God”—as Joseph knew them to be—ever given!
The Temple Endowment Ceremony Was Created in Secret, Causing Bruised Egos
From the moment in the early part of 1841 that John C. Bennett advocated to the
people of Nauvoo the value of Freemasonry, Joseph began to create the temple
endowment presentation. The members of his First Presidency and his Assistant
Presidents: Rigdon, Bennett, Hyrum, and William Law, along with his wife Emma,
knew he was working on it in secrecy. These four men and one woman were the only
people who knew Joseph was developing a presentation that would be used in the
temple that would come to be perceived as the highest ordinance a person could
receive in the Church. It eventually became the LDS Temple Endowment, the highest
“oath and covenant”^47 of their Melchizedek Priesthood. It promised to teach the person
who viewed it all of the mysteries of God, allowing them to know these mysteries by
the power and authority of the priesthood.
Joseph kept his notes as private as possible; but on some occasions, he allowed
certain intimates to see some parts. Bennett, of all of the men, became very
uncomfortable with the fact that Joseph was using parts of the Masonic temple ritual in
the presentation. Sidney Rigdon and William Law were not as concerned as Bennett, as
they were not closely associated with the Masons.
Historians have been baffled as they wondered how Joseph knew so much
about the ceremony before becoming a Mason himself on March 15, 1842.^48 They forgot
about Hyrum. Hyrum had been a practicing Mason for many years. He knew all about
the ceremony and related to Joseph whatever information he needed.^49
None but Joseph understood the symbolic significance behind the masterpiece
of his final stumbling block. When Bennett and Rigdon attempted to question Joseph