The order of exercises in the tabernacle, which seats seven thousand persons, is much the same as in orthodox evangeHcal churches, beginning and end- ing with prayer and singing, and sometimes singing and administering the sacrament in the middle of a discourse. The speaker seldorn knows that he is to speak until called upon by the moderator, who regu- lates the services, and makes the selection under inspi- ration, announcing the name of the person sometimes without knowing whether he is in the house, or even in the city. The singing is very fine, the organ, con- structed wholly by Mormon artisans, being the largest
4, which represents the world, where they encounter many temptations, the chief of which is the false gospel preached by methodists, baptists, etc. Finally St James and St John appear and proclaim thetrue gospel of IMormonism, which all gladly embrace. After this they receive certain grips and pass-words, and all are arranged in a circle, kneel, and the women lower their veils. Then, with the right hand uplifted, an oath is taken to avenge the death of Joseph Smith, jun. , upon the gentiles who had caused his murder, to teacli the children of the cliurch to do likewise, to obey implicitly and without murmur or question nil commands of the priesthood, to refrain from adultery, and finally, eternal secrecy concerning all that transpired in the endowment house is promised. Then comes an address, after which another room is entered, leading from which is a door with a hole in it, covered with a piece of muslin. The men approach this door in turn and ask to enter. Then a person behind the door reaches through the opening, and with knife in hand cuts a certain mark on the left breast of the shirt, another over the abdomen, and one over the right knee, which marks are faithfully copied by the women in their own garments after returning to their homes. The man then mentions his new name, gives the grip of the third degi-ee, and is permitted to pass in. This is called go- ing behind the veil. When the men are all in, each woman is passed through by her husband, or having none, by one of the brethren. This concludes the ceremony, with the exception of marriage, which will be noticed elsewhere. Of these ceremonies MrsStenhouse, from whose account the foregoing is partlj' taken, says: 'About what was done in Nauvoo, I can only speak by hear- say, but have been told many strange and revolting stories about the cere- monies which were there performed. Of the endowments in Utah, everything was beautifully neat and clean, and I wish to say most distinctly that, al- though the initiation appears now to my mind as a piece of the most ridiculous absurdity, there was, nevertheless, nothing in it indecent or immoral. Eng- lii<hvovian in Utah, 190-2. For more on endowment ceremonies, see Morm. at Home, 209; Stnihouse's Eiiglishwomnn, 155-201; Tdl It AH, 253-G, 514-15; Beadle's Lifcin Utah, 486-502; Hyde's Morm., 89-101, 108-9; Worthington's Woman in Battle, .591-2; Burton's City of Saints, 211-2; Young s Wi/e No. 19, 35G-72; 8. L. Herald, Mar. 31, 1881; Tribune, Nov. 16, 1878; Sept. 28, 1879; Utah Rev., Deo. 12, 1871; S. F. Bulletin, 1878, Nov. 16; 1879, May 5, Oct. 25; Herald, July 27, 1852; Bed Bluff Sentinel, Nov. 30, 1878; Sac. Union, Sept. 25, 1858; Bee. -Union, Oct. 1, 1879; San Jos6 Anjus, Sept. 15, 22, 1877; Sta Cruz Cour., May 10, 1878; Stockton Indep., May 6, 1879; Te- hama 7'ocsin, Nov, 1, 1879; Yreka Union, Nov. 22, 1879; S'llcm (Or.) Statesman, Nov. 7, 1879; Carbon City (Nev.) Tribune, Oct. 6, 1879; Elko Indep., Dec. 12, 1878; Gold Hill News, 1878, Oct. 29-31.
