E33: Temple Developments, Part 2

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (0:08)
Like so many other topics, there was a distinct difference in the nature of temple rituals during the life of Joseph Smith and everything else. In its first iteration, the endowment was a more freewheeling ceremony, something that existed in the midst of ad hoc sheets and curtains, something that felt raw and intimate. As the circle of the anointed quorum grew, it would become standardized and homogenized. The price for the success of Joseph Smith's movement, a loss of charisma and immediacy.
Hi, this is Lindsay Hansen Park.

**Bryan Buchanan** (0:47)
And this is Bryan Buchanan.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (0:49)
Bringing you the story of Mormonism from the shadow of the Everlasting Hills, straight out of Zion, this isn't your grandpa's Mormon history.

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:16)
This is the tale of Mormon saints and sinners from our roots until present day.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (1:21)
Gird your loins, lock your hearts, and pay your tithing, because we're bringing you the story of Mormonism in all its paradisiacal glory.

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:30)
It's the Sunstone History Podcast.
By the end of November 1845, the upper story of the Nauvoo Temple was ready to start administering the endowment. Unlike the earlier period where the Inoyinakorah met in various places around Nauvoo, the store, houses, all over the place, for the temple phase, we have excellent records. William Clayton's diaries are incredible, both his personal diary as well as one focused on temple matters that Heber Kimball asks him to keep. Clayton records Brigham Young's remarks as they began their work, quote, a few of the quorum had met twice a week ever since Joseph and Hiram were killed, and during the last excitement, every day and in the hottest part of it, twice a day, to offer up the signs and pray to our heavenly father to deliver his people, and this is the cord which has bound this people together.
I mean, you really see Brigham Young crafting an identity in this period in a lot of ways, and the temple right at the heart of that.
For the next couple months, until the main body leaves Nauvoo, we have essentially day by day reporting of what happened, and it is fascinating. I'm gonna make one small correction right here, which will probably be interesting to two people, me, some one other rando out there. This record of the Nauvoo temple work has been discussed many times, always is coming from William Clayton. However, Clayton only kept the record for about a week, and then he gets pulled away to work on other stuff. Lucian Foster then continues the temple diary. He actually keeps it for the majority of the time. The reason that it's always attributed to Clayton is when George Smith published Clayton's diaries as Intimate Chronicle, he would excerpt stuff. So in this Nauvoo temple period, there are lists of names and long stuff, so he had to cut it down. So in one of his cuts, he also snips out the part where it talks about Clayton stops keeping the record and Lucian Foster takes over. Boom, there you go, one other rando who finds this interesting, you are welcome.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (4:00)
Thank The record is extremely detailed. They would even note who played which part in the endowment drama. This is really fun because this is where we learned that WW Phelps was also apparently really good at playing Satan. Remember we talked about this? Chris Smith talked about this? They would apparently slide across the floor when they were the serpent. Also, during the first week of giving the endowment, they added Peter, James, and John to the cast. Before that, Elohim, Jehovah, and Michael are portrayed as creating the earth. And then Adam and Eve and Satan are depicted in the Garden of Eden.
Some people have seen this as a not so subtle reminder that the apostles were in charge.
That could be, but the temple record just describes it as a way to make things more efficient. In addition to the great details from the temple diary, John D. Lee recorded key things both in his personal diary as well as the 70s record. In the last episode, we mentioned he was good at some things. One of those things was keeping records.

**Bryan Buchanan** (4:59)
And sleeping in the temple overnight. Hopefully by himself.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (5:03)
That about sums it up. So one question we have is how similar was the ceremony in the temple compared to the anointed quorum period? Because the earlier records aren't nearly as detailed, we kind of have to wonder. We have this contemporary statement from Joseph Fielding who said, I and my wife received our endowment having formerly received it in the days of Joseph and Hiram, but it is now given in a more perfect manner because of better convenience. The twelve are very strict in attending to the true and proper form.