The Mysteries of Godliness: A History of Mormon Temple Worship

by David John Buerger

A veil of secrecy surrounds Mormon temple worship. While officially intended to preserve the sacredness of the experience, the silence leaves many Latter-day Saints mystified. What are the derivation and development of the holy endowment, and if these were known, would the experience be more meaningful? Modern parishioners lack context to interpret the arcane and syncretistic elements of the symbolism.

For instance, David Buerger traces the evolution of the initiatory rites, including the New Testament-like foot washings, which originated in the Ohio period of Mormon history; the more elaborate Old Testament-like washings and anointings, which began in Illinois and were performed in large bathtubs, with oil poured over the initiate’s head; and the vestigial contemporary sprinkling and dabbing, which were begun in Utah. He shows why the dramatic portions of the ceremony blend anachronistic events—an innovation foreign to the original drama.

Buerger addresses the abandonment of the adoption sealing, which once linked unrelated families, and the near-disappearance of the second anointing, which is the crowning ordinance of the temple. He notes other recent changes as well. Biblical models, Masonic prototypes, folk beliefs, and frontier resourcefulness all went into the creation of this highest form of Mormon Temple worship. Diary entries and other primary sources document its evolution.  

Genres: Religion, Mormonism, History, Nonfiction, Lds, Spirituality, Church

224 pages, Paperback

Published December 15, 2002

Reviews

[Tom Doggett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag. From the reviews on Amazon I had received the impression that it was not an anti-Mormon book, and I think I can agree but with a huge disclaimer: usually an anti-Mormon book attempts to display falsehoods and half-truths out of context in order to slander the LDS Church. By that definition this isn't an anti-Mormon book because it's purpose is not to slander the Church but rather to explore the history of the Mormon temple ordinances.

The problem, of course, comes from the fact that the temple rituals are not made public by the Church and never have been. Therefore, the only publicly available records to use in constructing their history are mostly exposés by former Mormons. Sometimes this can result in some pretty terrible information, but the book usually discloses the biases of the sources and approaches the sources themselves with some respect and caution (an impressive quotation came from a former Mormon sister in Nauvoo who wrote to a newspaper to correct their horribly sensational accounts with the more accurate and "bland" account of the Nauvoo ritual).

However, "respect and caution" would not be said by an average Latter-day Saints about the book's approach to the temple rituals. Pretty much everything is covered in the book throughout the nearly two centuries that the ritual has been in place. I found myself quite uncomfortable at times when reading due to my personal beliefs about the temple.

That's the bad. The good, of course, is the amazing detail one can learn about the ritual which has changed both a little and a lot through history. It was amazing to see the history and sources of various aspects of the endowment that are still practiced and to see the aspects of previous ritual that are no longer used in today's temples. The endowment is followed in development from the Kirtland Temple to Nauvoo, from the Mormon Exodus to Mormon Utah, and then through the twentieth century up until the most recent major changes in 1990.

On the one hand I am very pleased with the information to be had from the book which I'm certain isn't really available anywhere else, but I'm also very unhappy that due to the level of detail I really can't recommend it to an average Church member. The whole thing reads like it should have a *SPOILERS* tag on the front cover, but that'd be even worse to me because I believe the topics that are plainly discussed in the book are very sacred, so I'm stuck. A mixed bag.

[Angela Clayton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was intermittently interesting and at times deadly dull (recopied lists of things or multiple-page long quotes - ugh!). But it was chock full of fascinating temple facts you may not know. Even the most casual temple goer is probably aware of the Masonic symbolism in the temple and the link between temple work and the Book of Abraham. But this book provides far more interesting facts that those.

For example, did you know that there have thus far been 86 million vicarious endowments performed, with an estimated 70 billion humans who have lived on the earth (only 69.14 billion to go!)? Did you know that part of the first temple film was from the movie Fantasia (courtesy of Disney Studios)? Did you know that there was no Word of Wisdom requirement specified for temple worthiness until 1921 (although swearing was specifically prohibited? Did you know that original "recommends" were literally a recommendation by a bishop, not at the request of the member (who was unaware until invited)? Did you know that there was no vicarious work performed until the 1890s? Were you aware of the ordinance of "second anointings" that were discontinued in the 1940s due to confusion over predestination vs. blessings being conditional on one's continued worthiness? Did you know that the age for endowments was at one point 15 years but those exhibiting maturity could be endowed as early as age 12? Did you know that the first time the ceremony was written down was in 1877, after many changes had already taken place? Were you aware that at one point, men were asked to abstain from touching their wives for 10 days prior to receiving an endowment and that women were supposed to wait 7 days after their menstrual cycle?

In addition to chronicling the changes in the temple ceremony throughout the ages, there are some cringe-worthy sexist statements by Brigham Young (they are really beyond the pale), and a thoughtful look at the future of temple worship from a sociological as well as theological perspective. What changes will occur in the future? Only time will tell.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was published in 2002. Relying on primary source documents (journals, sermons, etc.), it catalogs the evolution of the Latter-day Saint temple experience from the 1830's until updates in the 1990's.

I wish there was a church approved version of this information available to members. There is so much I'd love to talk about. While there are certainly aspects many believers would find shocking, there is also so much context I feel could enrich and help worshippers better appreciate what they experience at the temple. I certainly feel I know my pioneer ancestors and the religious environment they lived in so much better because I read this.

Personal note:

Though it initially took repetition, as a former believer I came to appreciate much of what the temple experience offers. I memorized its words and thought deeply about their implications.

Sitting in a recently updated version of the endowment in February 2023, the narrator stated that despite all the updates: "The temple covenants and ordinances remain the same." After 5+ years of doubting my doubts (and by extension myself), that was the moment I knew it was time to trust me. This book was so personally meaningful in validating what I knew then to be true about the actual history behind these covenants and ordinances.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A frank and matter-of-fact collection of history about the development of the Mormon temple practices and rituals -- from Kirtland through the present day.

I think the author does a good job of just presenting the information for readers to digest without a lot of opinion and conjecture. I find it FASCINATING! The author talks about influences of Joseph's time, connections to Masonry, and his interest in ancient mysteries (Book of Abraham). I'm only half done.

BTW, I am an active LDS member and temple-endowed. I find this book valuable for my faith, but probably not so safe for those completely unfamiliar with our rich and complex early Church history. Could you find this all for free on the internet? Sure, maybe. You would have to do a lot of leg work. The book puts it all in one place.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated this book for offering some insight on a little discussed subject, the temple ceremony. Growing up in the LDS faith, I didn't ever really feel I understood what it was all about, even though I had served as a temple ordinance worker for two years. The book doesn't tell the most sacred parts of the ceremony, but it does give an incredible insight to the formation and changes of the ceremony. Sometimes I was shocked, sometimes I was just glad to know...

[Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great resource for anyone interested in the development of the temple ceremony and many changes in LDS temple worship since the early services and ceremonies in Kirtland and the introduction of the full endowment by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo. Very thorough and well documented.

[Bryan Sebesta · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best guide to the history of the temple endowment I've read, possibly because it's one of a VERY SMALL NUMBER of guides to the history of the temple endowment and, yes, the only one I've read. But really, it's very good. The Mormon temple liturgy was called by Yale professor Grant Hardy the Mormon's "fifth standard work," of fifth canonical work (alongside the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price"). But because it's the temple, it's rarely discussed for the reason of "It's sacred." Buerger did a good job of balancing the sacred, topical nature of the endowment and delving into all documentary of its history and evolution. If you're into this kind of thing, this book is pretty darn indispensable.

[Karen Sutton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for what it was: a pretty thorough and detailed history of the origins of temple practices and how they have changed over the years. It's a very matter-of-fact approach with a lot of dates and tables and if you geek out about stuff like that (like i do) then you'll enjoy it. The origins of the temple and their tie (or direct copy of) Masonic temple rituals is fascinating. At times it is quite dull and boring and at times the writing is great. So, it's a bit of a mixed bag but, overall, I found it to be a good satisfaction of my interest in the subject area.

[Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book on temples. A lot of the information I have seen in other places and the author at the end tries to add his two cents about what to change, which is useless in most ways. The book goes into how some of the forms developed and tries to be respectful about it. Such as the temple ordinances, garments, and forms of temples. Its a short enough read and his balance is good. I would recommend for those interested.

[Amaryah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great source text. Didn’t feel like the author attempted to share any of his own biases but simply laid out the available information. This isn’t a novel, so at times it reads slow, but overall I found it very interesting and well put together. You definitely need to read all the footnotes and appendices to get the most out of this book.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Meticulously researched (yet far too many long, direct quotes from primary sources). Fascinating history, but not the best starting point for the uninitiated. Reviewer complaints about Buerger's suggestions for updating the ritual are way overblown - he takes a few pages to muse on relatively minor but potentially helpful changes.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scholarly, informative, and what I would call "middle history" - not Fawn Brodie, but also not "True to the Faith" - in other words, this author works to present the historical facts and let the reader decide on their own. I need to read this book again.

[Nathan Hoyt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a comprehensive history of much of the temple, but given continued changes, it is already a bit dated. At times it was a bit long-winded, but there are times where history books need to do this vs give the author's interpretation. This did seem even handed and was not antagonistic.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched, clear, scholarly presentation of how the Mormon temple ceremonies have evolved over the past 180 years. Respectful of the rites. Very interesting.

[Kathryn Pritchett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read as prep for a presentation I was giving on the Mormon temple rituals. Very helpful.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well researched and parts were fascinating. But most parts just had too much boring detail.

[Christopher Angulo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little overview that was informative, and for the most part, respectful. History is presented as straightforwaed with out mich bias/prejudice yowards the believer/anti spectrum.

[Lon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even in the relatively short span of years I've been a temple-attending adult, there have been changes to the temple ceremony. I've wondered, to what extent do the current rites, oaths, covenants, and other aspects of the ceremony reflect the endowment as it would have been experienced by early saints in Nauvoo? This scholarly work documents the evolution of the endowment experience and the dwindling significance of other temple ordinances, such as the Second Anointing (once taught to be an essential ordinance to exaltation)and the Law of Adoption (by which a man of lower status was sealed eternally to a man of greater prominence.)

In his dispassionate, scholarly treatment of the subject, Buerger is punctilious about avoiding the sensational. Anyone looking for an exposé should look elsewhere, because this is a serious treatment by a serious historian. Similarly, anyone looking for a devotional treatment of the subject, or who believes that the modern ceremony's origins are ancient and that every ritualistic detail has been preserved with perfect fidelity, should first ask themselves if they are prepared to read a book like this.

The influence of freemasonry on the endowment is handled fairly, but more interesting are the internal deliberations by church leaders advocating or resisting changes in policy and ritual:

At least some changes seem to have occurred in response to societal pressures; for example, after the Reed Smoot senate hearings disclosed that temple initiates in that day were made to take an oath of retribution against the nation for spilling the blood of the prophet, the oath--and any mention of retribution--was stricken from the language of the ceremony. Another change that seems to have arisen from changing sensibilities eliminated the graphic description of penalties such as throat-cutting and disembowelment (changed in 1920s) and the related symbolic gestures of those self-inflicted penalties.(1990). The latter change was one of several changes made to the ceremony in 1990, informed by the results of a survey the Church sent out to over 3000 endowed members asking what aspects of the temple they found uncomfortable or distasteful.

I found it fascinating how church leaders solved new challenges by thinking "outside the box," such as when a young Gordon B. Hinckley proposed a plan to use film as a medium for presenting the endowment. One film in the 60s fell in disfavor with President Lee because a few of the actors had beards and long hair. A new film was commissioned.

Policies governing who would recommend couples to receive their Second Anointing changed as church membership soared. At one point, Stake Presidents were told not to send more than one couple to the temple from their stake per Sunday (the day designated for the ordinance), to avoid the embarrassment at being recognized.

Most fascinating were the contemporaneous accounts of the those who attended the Kirtland temple (prior to a ritualistic ordinance)in a spirit of worship. The pentecostal fervor of those Saints would be so incongruous in modern temple worship, where a subdued spirit of restraint prevails to the point that some find themselves pondering the solemnities of eternity from behind closed lids.

I don't think other temple-attending Latter-day Saint would find this book's treatment of the temple disrespectful in any way. Knowing that significant changes have occurred in the past may prepare a younger generation to accept future changes that will inevitably come. For a non-Mormon, the book might be an interesting and credible vantage from which to view the origins and development of the temple ceremony, since few members (myself included) are even remotely acquainted with the historical facts; moreover, members sometimes extend the few prohibitions against disclosing particulars to an excessive secrecy about the entire ceremony. In my view, this lack of openness, where permitted, generates only mistrust and alienation.

The generosity of information offered by this book gives me a greater sense of perspective and a deepened sense of tradition to bring to bear in my temple worship.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, this was an excellent primer on the development of modern Mormon temple ceremonies. It would be especially useful to those members of the church who acknowledge that church history is often a human history mingled with scripture, but who don't frequent more critical fora to get "hard" historical narratives. Concrete data are presented on how temple work has moved forward in the last seventy years or so, and a good balance between 19th and 20th century developments is achieved. Like I said, I'd recommend this to any members of the church who don't mind an honest, frank history.

On the other hand, I felt that it was a bit imbalanced in a few places. The discussion of second anointings was enlightening, but it overshadowed the treatment of the endowment proper. An important theme of both the older and modern ceremonies is the development and fall of evil, embodied by Lucifer, and how the initiates develop based on his influence and learn to subdue him. The emphasis there is on messengers, messages, and establishing authoritative trust. References to the role of the preacher receive only a few footnotes, while they provide a fascinating backstory in the older ceremonies and the basis for restorationism and exclusivism that was a key element in that narrative.

Not discussing these things may have been Buerger's attempt at respecting faithful members' oft-cited belief that these matters are too specific and sacred and therefore to be avoided. I hope that wasn't the case, because if it is, he's gravely mistaken and belies the point anyway by talking about the second anointing in the first place. It's interesting: I can talk to my RM roommates at BYU pretty freely about the endowment without offending even the more conservative among them. But when a book gets published, they would be among those crying heresy. It's clearly a double standard, and a superficial one at that. Buerger could have been much more bold.

In all, however, this book is one of the few of its kind and is likely to be a starting point for researchers for many years to come, not to mention church members who want to read widely about the historical development of an important aspect of their theology.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting with the Kirtland Temple period, the author examines the development and changes in LDS Temple worship. In Kirtland, Priesthood holders participated in washing and anointing one another. Tubs of pure water were used. Bodies were perfumed with whiskey and cinnamon. Afterward, the individual was anointed by having oil poured over his head. The author then moves on to the endowment where the author wonders over how much Joseph Smith's involvement in Freemasonry contributed to the ritual. Using published expositions (which appeared almost immediately after endowments started being given) the author describes Joseph Smith's endowment ritual, Brigham Young's revisions, turn of the century hearings before Congress concerning the so-called "Oath of Vengeance," its subsequent omission from the ritual, the use of modern technology in the Temple, and the changes made in 1990. The book's primary value is the original sources (i.e. diaries, articles, etc.) the author uses. Toward the end of the book, the author makes some suggestions in how the LDS Church might make the Temple more inspiring/interesting to contemporary people. I disagree with pretty much all of his suggestions. I enjoy the temple and see no need for any major changes.

[Tracey · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Mysteries of Godliness” is a very interesting ethnography of LDS temples and temple ceremonies. Buerger does a great job documenting and citing his sources, most of which come directly from the LDS archives. I appreciated that for the most part, Buerger leaves his opinion out and leaves it up to the reader to interpret the historical facts presented. The book jacket reads "Until now, there has been no scholarly examination of the derivation and development of the temple endowment, which Buerger suggests all Mormons should know". I like this introduction because Mormons seem to hold fast to the opinion that we never change. After reading Mysteries, it is obvious that we DO change and have continued to change since Mormonism began in the early 1800's. This book allowed me to hope that I may see more changes to our religion during my lifetime. Overall, an excellent read.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I didn't always agree with how the author commented on certain aspects, but for a history of the evolution of the LDS temple ceremony in a FAVORABLE light this should be your pick. There are literally hundreds of books trying to de-sanctify the sacred ceremonies that take place in the LDS temple, but this one just shows how the Lord really does build line upon line, precept upon precept through his servants.
I would not recommend this book to non-members or members who have not yet received their endowments as it would seem confusing since they would not understand the context of the ceremonies.

[Viliami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buerger has been idespensible as a researcher and author pertaining to the Mormon Temple Endowment. He provides access to documents and primary sources that when considered in the aggregate paint a very rich and vivid picture of Mormon ritual worship.

I also like the fact that although he is sensitive to the sacred nature of the Temple, he is rather aggressive in his approach, especially when dealing with the 2nd Anointing.

Well written. Pragmatic and simple in prose, it is a well written book.

A prized possession in my personal collection.

[Richard Downey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a pretty good introduction to the subject. It is well written and researched. There are a few picky things like getting the number of the presidents of the church wrong (Lorenzo Snow listed as 4th instead of fifth etc.) And some of his conclusions were a little problematic, but then opinions are always subject to interpretation. I thoroughly enjoyed it as it is one of my favorite subjects. Recommended.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually have the hardcover, which for some reason isn't listed. This is a pretty good study of Latter-day Saint temple worship, though as a believer, I think he occasionally goes overboard while picking apart the sacred details, which Latter-day Saints covenant not to share outside the temple.

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

A marvelously informative look at the history and development of the LDS temple endowment, from ancient times to today. I highly recommend this to those with solid foundations in LDS church history and the gospel.

[Wm Jas Tychonievich · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not sure who the intended audience for this book is, since there is very little overlap between the set of people who take the Mormon temple ritual seriously and the set of people who would be willing to read a book that discusses it frankly.

[James Davenport · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of research regarding LDS temple ordinances. There are a few perceptions and conclusions of the author that I don't agree with, but it's a worthwhile book to read and refer to anyway.

[Garrett Tucker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting look into the LDS church endowment.

[Markii · Rating 3 out of 5]

so so.