The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries Ancient and ModernTalmage, James E. (James Edward)
Religion
The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries Ancient and Modern
Talmage, James E. (James Edward)
Latter Day Saint temples; Temples
Within the temple and not elsewhere, are marriages solemnized for and
in behalf of parties who are dead. Husbands and wives who have lived in
mortality together and now are dead, may be sealed under the authority
{106} of the Priesthood, provided, of course, the preliminary temple
ordinances have been administered in their behalf. In the marriage rite
for the dead as in other ordinances, the parties are represented by
their living descendants acting in the capacity of proxy.
The ordinance of celestial marriage, whereby the contracting parties,
whether living or dead, are united under the authority of the Holy
Priesthood for time and eternity, is known distinctively as the
ceremony of _Sealing in Marriage_. Husband and wife so united are said
to be sealed, whereas if united under the lesser law for time only,
either by secular or ecclesiastical authority, they are only married.
Husband and wife who have been married for time only, either by
secular or ecclesiastical ceremony, may afterward be sealed for time
and eternity, provided they have become members of the Church, and
are adjudged worthy to enter the temple for this purpose; but no
such confirmation of an existing union, nor any sealing of married
persons is possible unless the parties furnish proof that they have
been legally and lawfully married. No marriage of living persons is
performed in any of the temples except under license duly issued as
required by the laws of the state. The sealing ordinance extends to
other associations than those of matrimony as will be shown.
The actuality of the sealing ordinance in marriage finds an
illustration in the personal teachings of the Savior. On one occasion
there came unto Him certain Sadducees,[28] and these, be it remembered,
denied the possibility of the {107} resurrection of the dead. They
sought to entrap Him by a difficult question. They thus stated their
case:
"Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother
shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
"Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had
married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto
his brother:
"Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
"And last of all the woman died also.
"Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the
seven? for they all had her."
Note the sequel:
"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the
scriptures, nor the power of God.
"For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in
marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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