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The Endowment
The endowment as practiced in the temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stands as one of the most sacred and significant ordinances in the Church. This ordinance is designed to provide instruction, bestow spiritual power, and prepare participants for exaltation in the presence of God. Rooted in ancient biblical traditions, the endowment is viewed by Latter-day Saints as a restoration of sacred truths and practices that were lost over time. It is an essential component of the covenant path, marking a transition into deeper discipleship and commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The origins of the endowment can be traced to the early days of the Church, when the Prophet Joseph Smith revealed temple ordinances as part of the restoration of divine authority. In 1836, the Kirtland Temple was dedicated, and various ordinances were performed, including washings and anointings (Doctrine and Covenants 124:37-39). However, the full form of the endowment was introduced in Nauvoo in 1842 under the direction of Joseph Smith.
The endowment consists of several key elements, including symbolic instruction, covenants with God, and the bestowal of spiritual blessings. Participants receive teachings that outline the plan of salvation, the Creation of the world, and the role of Jesus Christ as the Redeemer. These teachings align with scriptural precedents found in the Old and New Testaments, particularly in the accounts of ancient prophets and their interactions with God. For example, Moses' experiences on Mount Sinai involved sacred instruction, symbolic clothing, and the transmission of divine law (Exodus 19-24). Similarly, the book of Revelation describes white robes and divine investiture given to those who are faithful (Revelation 3:5; 7:13-14).
A central component of the endowment is the making of sacred covenants. These covenants include obedience, sacrifice, chastity, and consecration, each of which aligns with biblical principles. The doctrine of covenant-making is deeply embedded in scripture, particularly in the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17) and the teachings of Jesus Christ regarding discipleship (Matthew 16:24-26). By entering into these covenants, members of the Church commit to live a higher law and receive divine blessings in return.
Temple clothing worn during the endowment also carries significant symbolism, drawing parallels to the priestly garments described in Exodus 28. In ancient Israel, high priests were clothed in sacred vestments as a sign of their divine commission. Latter-day Saints view temple robes as a restoration of this ancient practice, representing purity, righteousness, and divine authority. The temple garment, worn by endowed members, serves as a daily reminder of their covenants and spiritual commitments.
The endowment differs from religious practices in other traditions in both form and purpose. While many Christian denominations emphasize ordinances such as baptism and the Eucharist, few maintain a sacred ritual comparable to the Latter-day Saint endowment. Some elements, such as ritual prayer and covenant-making, have historical parallels in early Christianity and Jewish temple worship, yet the comprehensive nature of the endowment and its connection to priesthood authority set it apart.
The unique privilege of participating in the endowment lies in its power to spiritually fortify individuals and families. Through this ordinance, individuals receive divine knowledge and strength to navigate life's challenges while remaining true to their covenants. The blessings of the endowment extend beyond mortality, preparing individuals for their eventual return to God's presence. Unlike ordinances that are performed publicly in many Christian traditions, the sacred nature of the endowment necessitates its performance in dedicated temples under proper priesthood authority.
The restoration of the endowment underscores the Church's role as the custodian of divine authority in the latter days. Brigham Young taught that temple ordinances, including the endowment, were necessary for salvation and exaltation.215 This belief affirms the distinctive role of the Church in offering saving ordinances to the living and the dead, further highlighting the unique and exclusive nature of the endowment.
Some critics charge that the endowment ceremony was plagiarized from the rites of Masonry. The material similarities that critics have most commonly seen in the endowment have roots in antiquity.216 Additionally, Joseph’s knowledge of the theology that would become the material taught in the temple endowment predates his introduction to Masonry.217 The most in-depth study of this issue was done by Jeffrey M. Bradshaw in his book Freemasonry and the Origins of Latter-day Saint Temple Ordinances. He concludes that temple ordinances come from “something old, something new, [and] something borrowed” But that it is still of divine origin ultimately.218 In just three of the many comparisons that Bradshaw made between the temple endowment, ancient sources, and freemasonry, Bradshaw felt that the connection was strongest with Masonry as it existed in Nauvoo at the time of Joseph Smith’s initiation into it. “Of course, additional research will continue to inform and update these and related findings.” 219 A condensed version of many of Bradshaw’s arguments was published in Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship. 220 Many Latter-day Saint scholars have, over the years, identified numerous connections between the scriptural productions of Joseph Smith, most of which predate his initiation into Masonry (including the Book of Mormon and Book of Moses), and the Latter-day Saint temple endowment.221
Understanding the endowment within the broader context of scripture and historical religious practice enhances appreciation for its divine origin and significance. The ordinance serves as a bridge between ancient and modern worship, reaffirming God's unchanging pattern of revealing sacred knowledge to His covenant people. Those who embrace the endowment find strength, purpose, and eternal blessings, reinforcing the profound spiritual impact of this sacred ordinance in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
215John A. Widtsode, sel., Discourses of Brigham Young (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1954), 416.
216“Question: Do the temple endowment’s similarities to Masonic rites have ancient roots?” FAIR, accessed February 11, 2025, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Question:_Do_the_temple_endowment%27s_similarities_to_Masonic_rites_have_ancient_roots%3F.
217“Question: When did Joseph Smith demonstrate knowledge of the elements of the endowment ritual?” FAIR, accessed February 11, 2025, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/Relationship_between_the_temple_endowment_and_Freemasonry#Question:_When_did_Joseph_Smith_demonstrate_knowledge_of_the_elements_of_the_endowment_ritual.3F.
218Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Freemasonry and Latter-day Saint Temple Ordinances (Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2022), 4.
219Ibid., 6.
220Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, “Freemasonry and the Origins of Modern Temple Ordinances,” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 15 (2015): 159–237, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/freemasonry-and-the-origins-of-modern-temple-ordinances/.
221Andrew Miller, “King Benjamin’s Sermon as a Type of Temple Endowment,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 61 (2024): 1–44, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/king-benjamins-sermon-as-a-type-of-temple-endowment/. Citing George L. Mitton, “Joseph Smith at the Veil: Significant Ritual, Symbolism, and Temple Influence at Latter-day Saint Beginnings,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 58 (2023): 51–106; John W. Welch, The Sermon at the Temple and the Sermon on the Mount: A Latter-day Saint Approach (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1990), 34–83; Valiant K. Jones, The Covenant Path: Finding the Temple in the Book of Mormon (Springville, UT: Cedar Fort, 2020); M. Catherine Thomas, “The Brother of Jared at the Veil,” in Temples of the Ancient World: Ritual and Symbolism, ed. Donald W. Parry (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book; Provo, UT: FARMS, 1994); M. Catherine Thomas, “Benjamin and the Mysteries of God,” in King Benjamin’s Speech: “That Ye May Learn Wisdom,” ed. John W. Welch and Stephen D. Ricks (Provo, UT: FARMS, 1998), 277; David E. Bokovoy, “‘Thou Knowest That I Believe’: Invoking The Spirit of the Lord as Council Witness in 1 Nephi 11,” Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 1 (2012): 1–23, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/thou-knowest-that-i-believe/; David E. Bokovoy, “Ancient Temple Imagery in the Sermons of Jacob,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 46 (2021): 31–46,https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/ancient-temple-imagery-in-the-sermons-of-jacob/; Kimberly Matheson Berkey, Helaman: A Brief Theological Introduction (Provo, UT: Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship, 2020), 42; Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, “The Book of Moses as a Temple Text,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 49 (2021): 63–112, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/the-book-of-moses-as-a-temple-text/; Barry R. Bickmore, “‘Show Them unto No Man,’ Part 2: The Book of Moses and the Early Jewish Christian Esoteric Tradition,” BYU Studies 62 (2023): 131, https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/show-them-unto-no-man-2/; Val Larsen and Newell D. Wright, “Theosis in the Book of Mormon: The Work and Glory of the Father, Mother and Son, and Holy Ghost,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 56 (2023): 275–326, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/theosis-in-the-book-of-mormon-the-work-and-glory-of-the-father-mother-and-son-and-holy-ghost/; Margaret Barker, Temple Theology: An Introduction (London: SPCK, 2004), 23; John W. Welch, “The Temple in the Book of Mormon: The Temples at the Cities of Nephi, Zarahemla, and Bountiful,” in Temples of the Ancient World, 297–387; LeGrand L. Baker and Stephen D. Ricks, Who Shall Ascend Into the Hill of the Lord?: The Psalms in Israel’s Temple Worship in the Old Testament and in the Book of Mormon (Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2010); Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Temple Themes in the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood (Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2014); Joseph M. Spencer, The Vision of All: Twenty-five Lectures on Isaiah in Nephi’s Record (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2016), 167–78; Matthew L. Bowen, “‘I Have Done According to My Will’: Reading Jacob 5 as a Temple Text,” in The Temple Ancient and Restored: Proceedings of the Second Interpreter Matthew B. Brown Memorial Conference “The Temple on Mount Zion,” 25 October 2014, ed. Stephen D. Ricks and Donald W. Perry (Orem, UT: The Interpreter Foundation; Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2016), 235–72; Jeffrey M Bradshaw, “What Did Joseph Smith Know about Modern Temple Ordinances by 1836?,” in Temple Ancient and Restored, 1–122; Bruce C. Hafen and Marie K. Hafen, “Adam, Eve, the Book of Moses, and the Temple: The Story of Receiving Christ’s Atonement,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 46 (2021): 157–200, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/adam-eve-the-book-of-moses-and-the-temple-the-story-of-receiving-christs-atonement/; Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, The First Days and The Last Days: A Verse-by-Verse Commentary on the Book of Moses and JS-Matthew in Light of the Temple (Orem, UT: The Interpreter Foundation; Salt Lake City: Eborn Books, 2021); Matthew L. Bowen, “‘Encircled About Eternally in the Arms of His Love’: The Divine Embrace as a Thematic Symbol of Jesus Christ and His Atonement in the Book of Mormon,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 59 (2023): 109–34, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/encircled-about-eternally-in-the-arms-of-his-love-the-divine-embrace-as-a-thematic-symbol-of-jesus-christ-and-his-atonement-in-the-book-of-mormon/; and Skyler R. Smith, “Heavenly Ascent in Jacob’s Writings in Second Nephi: Addressing the Question of What the Plan of Salvation is in the Book of Mormon,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 60 (2024): 137–82, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/heavenly-ascent-in-jacobs-writings-in-second-nephi-addressing-the-question-of-what-the-plan-of-salvation-is-in-the-book-of-mormon/. To Miller’s list, one could add Stephen O. Smoot, “Temple Themes in the Book of Abraham,” Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship 60 (2024): 211–38, https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/temple-themes-in-the-book-of-abraham/; Stephen O. Smoot and Quinten Barney, “The Book of the Dead as a Temple Text and the Implications for the Book of Abraham,” in The Temple: Ancient and Restored, ed. Stephen D. Ricks and Donald W. Parry, The Temple on Mount Zion 3 (Orem and Salt Lake City, UT: The Interpreter Foundation and Eborn Books, 2016), 183–209.
