Temple garment

In some denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement, the temple garment (or the Garment of the Holy Priesthood, or informally, the garment, garments or Mormon underwear) is a set of sacred underclothing worn by adult adherents who have taken part in a ritual ceremony known as washing and anointing ordinance, usually in a temple as part of the Endowment ceremony. In modern times, the temple garment is worn primarily by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) along with several small religious groups who separated from the LDS Church. Adherents consider them to be sacred and may be offended by public discussion of the garments. Anti-Mormon activists have publicly displayed or defaced temple garments to show their opposition to the LDS Church.

The garment is thought to symbolize the "coats of skins" which Jehovah (Yahweh) made for Adam and Eve before casting them out of the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:21). It is worn, in part, to remind adherents that they have made special oaths and covenants to God. Members of the LDS Church today are commonly clothed in the garments, together with outer temple clothing, for burial. The garment is believed to be a spiritual "shield and protection" against the powers of evil (and against physical harm, according to some adherents ).

Construction and symbolism of the garment

Temple garment circa 1879 (GSR 1879).

In the 19th century, the temple garment was a one-piece undergarment resembling a union suit, with an open crotch and a collar, extending to the ankles and the wrists. It was made of unbleached cotton, and was held together with ties in a double knot. The garment had four marks that were snipped into the cloth as part of the original Nauvoo Endowment ceremony (Buerger 1987, p. 56; Beadle 1870, p. 497; Bennett 1842, pp. 247–48). These marks were a reverse-L-shaped symbol on the right breast, a V-shaped symbol on the left breast, and horizontal marks at the navel and over the right knee. These cuts were later replaced by embroidered symbols.

According to generally-accepted Mormon doctrine, the marks in the garments are sacred symbols (Buerger 2002, p. 58). One proposed element of the symbolism, according to early Mormon leaders, was a link to the "Compass and the Square", the symbols of freemasonry (Morgan 1827, pp. 22–23), to which Joseph Smith had been initiated about seven weeks prior to his introduction of the Endowment ceremony. Thus, the V-shaped symbol on the left breast was referred to as "The Compass", while the reverse-L-shaped symbol on the right breast was referred to by early church leaders as "The Square" (Buerger 2002, p. 145).

Illustration of symbols on the temple garment

According to an explanation by LDS Church President John Taylor in 1883, the "Square" represents "the justice and fairness of our Heavenly Father, that we will receive all the good that is coming to us or all that we earn, on a square deal", and the "Compass" represents "the North Star" (Buerger 2002, p. 145). In addition to the Square and Compass, Taylor described the other symbols as follows: the collar represented the idea that the Lord's "yoke is easy and [his] burden is light", or the "Crown of the Priesthood"; the double-knotted strings represented "the Trinity" and "the marriage covenant"; the navel mark represents "strength in the navel and marrow in the bones"; and the knee mark represents "that every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ" (Buerger 2002, p. 145).

An alternate explanation was given in 1936 by then-LDS Church apostle David O. McKay, whose explanation was incorporated into the LDS Endowment ceremony (Buerger 2002, p. 153). According to McKay's explanation of the ceremony, the "mark of the Compass" represents "an undeviating course leading to eternal life; a constant reminder that desires, appetites, and passions are to be kept within the bounds the Lord has set; and that all truth may be circumscribed into one great whole"; the "mark of the Square" represents "exactness and honor" in keeping the commandments and covenants of God; the navel mark represents "the need of constant nourishment to body and spirit"; and the "knee mark" represents "that every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Christ" (Buerger 2002, p. 153). Unlike Taylor, McKay did not describe the symbolism of the collar or the tie-strings because those elements of the garment had been eliminated in 1922 (Buerger 2002, p. 138).

While the original pattern of the garment is still in use by some Mormon fundamentalists, over the years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has somewhat modernized the original pattern. In 1893, the church expressed an official preference for the color white. In 1923, a letter from Heber J. Grant to Stake and Temple Presidents, stated that after careful and prayerful consideration it was unanimously decided by the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve of the LDS Church, that the following modifications would be permitted to the garments:

1. Sleeve to elbow.
2. Leg just below knee.
3. Buttons instead of strings.
4. Collar eliminated.
5. Crotch closed (Buerger 2002, p. 138).

Other changes were made after 1923 which shortened the sleeves and legs more and eliminated buttons.

One style of post-1979 two-piece temple garments.

The most recent major change took place in 1979, when the Church offered a two-piece garment. While most often white, the garment is also made in brown for regulation military use. Today, many styles of garments may be purchased at a church-subsidized cost at a location near each temple or at special distribution centers. One must show the clerk a current temple recommend as part of the transaction. Garments can also now be purchased online from the Church's Distribution Center by members who have to provide the date of their birth, the date of their Endowment ceremony and their membership record number.

LDS members use their garments as a standard for what attire they wear to maintain a modest dress standard.

Latter-day Saint views as to the garment's sacredness

To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the temple garment represents the sacred and personal aspects of their relationship with God. For this reason, Church leaders discourage members from discussing the garment in a casual or disrespectful manner. One church leader has compared the garment to the clerical vestments worn by clergy of other churches.

Church leaders have publicly discussed the above principles and beliefs since the mid-1840s, however, because of the sacredness surrounding temple rites and the garment to many Latter-day Saints, some outspoken people have utilized it as a source of humor and parody. Due to the considerable number of temple garments in existence, there have been several cases where people (including some ex-Mormons) have distributed photographs of models wearing temple garments in a manner contrary to accepted LDS practice.

Garments are featured in a book about undergarments published in the 1990s, and also in various anti-Mormon books during the 1980s. In 2004, photos which hinted at people engaged in sexual acts dressed as Mormon missionaries wearing garments were showcased in a Salt Lake area art display, which incited considerable protest by college students who were returned missionaries. The four photos in question were moved to a room apart from the public display. They were subsequently stolen.

With the advent of the Internet, there are additional sites that publish photographs of garments for educational, parody or other use. A more recent controversy surrounds the open sales of temple garments on the eBay auction web site multiple times since 2000. Typically the garments are removed for a violation of eBay policy unrelated to its religious context. Several other Web sites claim to sell garments, but these are usually just normal underwear.

During the October 2003 General Conference of the Church, some anti-Mormon demonstrators outside the LDS Conference Center wore garments around their necks and defaced them in ways that were offensive to Mormons in attendance. A scuffle broke out between a protestor and two members of the church. To avoid a repeat of the conflict, the municipality of Salt Lake City planned stronger enforcement of fighting words and hate speech laws for the April 2004 Conference in Salt Lake City with new protest buffer zones.

References

1. Asay, Carlos E. (August 1997), "The Temple Garment: "An Outward Expression of an Inward Commitment", Ensign: 19{{citation}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link).
2. Beadle, John Hanson (1870), Life in Utah, Philadelphia: National Publishing, LCC BX8645 .B4 1870, LCCN 30005377.
3. Bennett, John C. (1842), The History of the Saints; or, an Exposé of Joe Smith and Mormonism, Boston: Leland & Whiting.
4. Buerger, David John (1987), "The Development of the Mormon Temple Endowment Ceremony", Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, 20 (4): 33–76.
5. Buerger, David John (2002), The Mysteries of Godliness: A History of Mormon Temple Worship (2nd ed.), Salt Lake City: Signature Books, ISBN 1560851767.
6. GSR, Mrs. (September 28 1879), "Lifting the Vail: The Endowment House Mysteries Fully Exposed", Salt Lake Daily Tribune, vol. 17, no. 139, p. 4 {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link).
7. McDannell, Colleen (1995), "Mormon Garments: Sacred Clothing and the Body", Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in America, Yale University Press, pp. 198–221, ISBN 0-300-07499-9.
8. Morgan, William (1827), Illustrations of Masonry by One of the Fraternity Who has devoted Thirty Years to the Subject: "God said, Let there be Light, and there was light", Batavia, N.Y.: David C. Miller.
9. Roberts, B. H., ed. (1902), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, vol. 1, LDS Church.
10. Roberts, B. H., ed. (1930), A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Century I, Brigham Young University Press, ISBN 0842504826.

External links

• Mormon Underwear - Information from OnlyMormon.com
• Mormon Underwear - An explanation from LightPlanet.com
• Mormon Garments - Article at Mormon wiki about the temple garment.
• Mormon Garments - Information on how garments relate to temple worship.
• History of Mormon Garments - Historical background on mormon garments.
• Mormon Underwear - An informational site about mormon garments.
• Picture of garments through the years