Garments
What is the history of the garment? "In 1842, just two months after being initiated into Freemasonry, Joseph Smith introduced the wearing of garments to a select group of men. On Wednesday, May 4th, 1842, Joseph Smith initiated nine men into his new inner-circle called the "Holy Order," the "Quorum," the "Holy Order of the Holy Priesthood," or the "Quorum of the Anointed." This ritual would later come to be known as the LDS temple endowment.
Performed in the upper story of Smith's Nauvoo store, this new ritual was a significant departure from the simple feet washings Joseph Smith taught in Kirtland. In addition to body washing and anointings, these select men of Smith's "Quorum of the Anointed" received garments.
The original garment was designed only for priesthood men, after the pattern of mid-nineteenth century long johns. It was originally a one-piece garment made of plain, unbleached cotton cloth that covered the body from ankles to wrists. No buttons were used on the garment. Four to five tie-strings took their place to hold the front closed. The garment had little collars which were not visible from the outside of the shirt worn over it.
In the crotch area was a large flap, which ran from the back below the waist all the way under the body and met the front tie closing. The flap was completely double so the men had to pull it apart in order to expose themselves.
Ceremonial markings on the garment were originally snipped into the cloth as part of the man's washing and anointing ceremony. This helped keep the markings secret from those who had not been through the ritual, including the women who sewed the garments. These marks made during the endowment were much more prominent than the marks in garments today."
Mormon Newsroom says this regarding the garments... "Temple garments are worn by adult members of the Church who have made sacred promises of fidelity to God’s commandments and the gospel of Jesus Christ in temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
To Church members, the modest temple garment, worn under normal clothing, along with the symbolic vestments worn during temple worship, represent the sacred and personal aspect of their relationship with God and their commitment to live good, honorable lives.
MY THOUGHTS: I don’t like wearing garments. I wore my old nasty mission ones because they aren't so long. I feel they are very old fashioned. I don't think they have to be all the way down to the knee to remember what the symbols stand for. Silly! I also don’t like that the only company that makes the garments is a church-owned company. Imagine it… a business requires you to wear a certain type of underwear, and the only company that makes that underwear is that business that requires it! That’s called job security!
Performed in the upper story of Smith's Nauvoo store, this new ritual was a significant departure from the simple feet washings Joseph Smith taught in Kirtland. In addition to body washing and anointings, these select men of Smith's "Quorum of the Anointed" received garments.
The original garment was designed only for priesthood men, after the pattern of mid-nineteenth century long johns. It was originally a one-piece garment made of plain, unbleached cotton cloth that covered the body from ankles to wrists. No buttons were used on the garment. Four to five tie-strings took their place to hold the front closed. The garment had little collars which were not visible from the outside of the shirt worn over it.
In the crotch area was a large flap, which ran from the back below the waist all the way under the body and met the front tie closing. The flap was completely double so the men had to pull it apart in order to expose themselves.
Ceremonial markings on the garment were originally snipped into the cloth as part of the man's washing and anointing ceremony. This helped keep the markings secret from those who had not been through the ritual, including the women who sewed the garments. These marks made during the endowment were much more prominent than the marks in garments today."
Mormon Newsroom says this regarding the garments... "Temple garments are worn by adult members of the Church who have made sacred promises of fidelity to God’s commandments and the gospel of Jesus Christ in temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
To Church members, the modest temple garment, worn under normal clothing, along with the symbolic vestments worn during temple worship, represent the sacred and personal aspect of their relationship with God and their commitment to live good, honorable lives.
MY THOUGHTS: I don’t like wearing garments. I wore my old nasty mission ones because they aren't so long. I feel they are very old fashioned. I don't think they have to be all the way down to the knee to remember what the symbols stand for. Silly! I also don’t like that the only company that makes the garments is a church-owned company. Imagine it… a business requires you to wear a certain type of underwear, and the only company that makes that underwear is that business that requires it! That’s called job security!
REFERENCES:
- http://www.i4m.com/think/temples/mormon-garments.htm
- http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/temple-garments
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_garment