Some thoughts about the temple questions. I asked the question on another list I participate in and got the following.
I don't know what other list you got your answers from, George. But it seems clear to me from the following that Joseph Fielding Smith did NOT misunderstand what Joseph Smith said about the restoration of animal sacrifice.
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Ehat & Cook, Words of Joseph Smith, OM: 5 October 1840 (Monday Morning), p.43–p.44
It is a very prevalent opinion that in the sacrifices of sacrifices which were offered were entirely consumed, this was not the case if you read Leviticus [2] Chap [2-3] verses you will observe that the priests took a part as a memorial and offered it up before the Lord, while the remainder was kept for the benefit maintenance of the priests. 26 So that the offerings and sacrifices are not all consumed upon the Alter, but the blood is sprinkled and the fat and certain other portions are consumed These sacrifices as well as every ordinance belonging to the priesthood will when the temple of the Lord shall be built and the Sons Levi be purified be fully restored and attended to then all their powers ramifications ramifications and blessings—this the Sons of Levi shall be purified. ever was and will exist when the powers of the Melchisid Priesthood are sufficiently manifest. 27 Else how can the restitution of all things [p.44] spoken of by all the Holy Prophets be brought to pass be brought to pass 28 It is not to be understood that, the law of moses will be established again with all it rights and variety of ceremonies, ceremonies, this had never been spoken off by the prophets but those things which existed prior Mose's day viz Sacrifice will be continued 29—It may be asked by some what necessity for Sacrifice since the great Sacrifice was offered? In answer to which if Repentance Baptism and faith were necessary to Salvation existed prior to the days of Christ what necessity for them since that time 30—
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From this is clear to me that animal sacrifice will be restored in this dispensation as part of the restoration of all things. At least that is what Joseph Smith and Joseph Fielding Smith taught.
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>From one: A couple points... I think this persons approach reflects a misunderstanding of a couple things. Although in his terminology, our temples may be "Melchizedek", the first half of the temple ceremony is explicitly "Aaronic". Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Franklin D. Richards all indicated that, ideally, these would be separated (e.g. an Aaronic ceremony with teh Melchizedek several months later), but that it was fine the way it was. My point is that roughly half of what we do in the temple would be considered Aaronic, and would thus be in effect in OT temples. Second, following Matthew Brown (Gate of Heaven, 242-243), I'm not convinced that we will have animal sacrifice again. It seems to be a misunderstanding of what JS said and the scripture in Malachi 3:3, "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness." The offering here, according to the Heb., is not an animal sacrifice, but one of the other offerings. We are the sons of Levi, offering that offering in the temple now- See DC 124:28 and 128:24. Beyond what he says, I find it interesting that in 124:39, a listing of things done in the temple, it lists "memorials for your sacrifices by the sons of Levi". I find it highly interesting that Levites offered some of these non-animal sacrifices in what was called "the memorial portion" (Lev. 2:2) which was a handful of the sacrifice. I connect that to what we find in Exo. 29, the process by which Aaron became a priest- v.4 in the temple, washed; 5-6 clothed in priestly clothing; 7- anointed; 9- more clothing; 10 KJV "thou shalt consacrate" them, but in Heb. it says "fill their hands." (On this topic see Gate of Heaven 88-89, Nibley's Temple and Cosmos, 106, and the article "The hand as a cup in ancient temple worship", available on-line.) Hope I'm still within bounds here...
So, Solomon's temple was probably Aaronic for the most part, but that doesn't mean the prophets weren't doing other things in there as well. The distinction between "Aaronic" temples and "Melchizedek" temples isn't as distinct as the person below makes out...
I think at least some of the early Christians had the complete temple ordinances but no building particular for it. There's a pile of literature for this. I like William Hamblin's " Aspects of an Early Christian Initiation Ritual" in By Study and Also by Faith v.1, p. 202-222.
>From another:
Also at www.ldslastdays.com is this URL which lists various Prophetic references to the "Sons of Levi" and their sacrificial offering:
http://www.ldslastdays.com/psclevi.htm
For those without web access I'll list these various references below:
BM, 3 NEPHI 24:2-3 But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
D&C, 13:1 UPON you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.
HC, J SMITH 5:326 At the close of the meeting...I remarked that the hundred and forty-four thousand sealed are the priests who should be anointed to administer in the daily sacrifice (in Jerusalem Temple). ***
TPJS, J SMITH :171 ...the offering of sacrifice, which also shall be continued at the last time; for all the ordinances and duties that ever have been required by the Priesthood, under the directions and commandments of the Almighty in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the last dispensation, therefore all things had under the authority of the Priesthood at any former period, shall be had again, bringing to pass the restoration spoken of by the mouth of all the Holy Prophets
TPJS, J SMITH :171 Then shall the sons of Levi offer an acceptable offering to the Lord. "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord." (See Malachi 3:3.)
TPJS, J SMITH :171 ...it is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was offered up, and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in future. The offering of sacrifice has ever been connected and forms a part of the duties of the Priesthood. It began with the Priesthood, and will be continued until after the coming of Christ, from generation to generation.
TPJS, J SMITH :173 These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be fully restored and attended to in all their powers, ramifications, and blessings. This ever did and ever will exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood are sufficiently manifest; else how can the restitution of all things spoken of by the Holy Prophets be brought to pass?
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