HOLINESS TO THE LORD - Vaughn J. Featherstone

[tsc]

HOLINESS TO THE LORD

By Elder Vaughn J. Featherstone

This paper was prepared by Elder Featherstone in response to an inquiry from
an Institute Director with whom I am well acquainted. A statement given 1
June 1987 had been distributed under the title "A Haven in a World of
Turmoil," and this instructor inquired whether it was genuine. Elder
Featherstone, in his 26 May 1993 reply, included a "slightly revised form"
of that original statement, and said, "I would be pleased if it could be
used in place of the other one. It is just lightly more explanatory and will
probably raise fewer questions."

The season of the world before us will be like no other in the history of
mankind. Satan has and will unleash every evil, every scheme, every blatant
vile perversion ever known to man in any generation. Just as this
dispensation is the fullness of times, so it is also the dispensation of the
fullness of evil. We and our wives and husbands, our children, and our
members must find safety. There is no safety in the world; wealth cannot
provide it, enforcement agencies cannot assure it, membership alone in this
Church will not guarantee it.

As the evil night darkens upon this generation, we must come to the temple
for light and safety. In our temples we find quiet, sacred havens where the
storm cannot penetrate to us. Unseen sentinels often times watch over us.
The Prophet Joseph plead with God during the dedicatory prayer at Kirtland:
"And we ask Thee Holy Father that Thy servants may go forth from this house
(temple) armed with Thy power and that Thy name may be upon them and Thine
angels have charge over them." The Lord has promised, "For I will go before
your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit
shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."
(Doctrine & Covenants 84:88) Surely angelic attendants guard the temples of
the most high God. It is my conviction as it was in the days of Elisha so it
will be for us. "They that be with us are more than they that be with them."
(2 Kings 6:16)

Before the Savior comes the world will darken. There will come a time when
even the elect will begin to lose hope if they do not come to the temples.
The world will be so filled with evil that the righteous will only feel
secure through their faith in Christ and within the temple walls. I believe
the Saints will come to the temples not only to do vicarious work but to
find a God-given haven of peace. The true and faithful Latter-day Saints
will long to bring their children to our temples for safety's sake.

I believe we may well have living on the earth today or will soon be born
the boy or babe that will be the prophet when the Savior comes. (Author's
Note: This could take place deep into the 21st century or in a relatively
few years. If a man lives to be 80 or 90 and is now a boy or not yet born,
it could be many years after the turn of the century. There has been some
who misunderstand my statement.) Of course there are many who will sit in
the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles living among us today. They will be
continuously called over the years and many of us are walking with them not
knowing that one day God will move his hand and the mantle of apostleship
will rest upon them. Many others in our homes and communities throughout the
world will receive apostolic callings. We must keep them sweet, clean and
pure in an oh so wicked world. Mothers will cradle in their arms and nurse
at their bosoms babes who have been foreordained to be the living oracles of
God.

There will be greater hosts of unseen beings in the temple. Joseph told the
brethren, "And I beheld that the temple was filled with angels." (History of
the Church, vol. 2, page 428.) I believe prophets of old as well as those in
this dispensation will visit the temples. Those who attend the temples will
feel their strength and companionship. We will not be alone in our temples.

Endowed faithful members of the Church who keep all their covenants
including the sacred coverings will be safe as protected behind temple
walls. The covenants and ordinances are filled with faith as a living fire.
In a day of desolation sickness, scorched earth, barren wastes, sickening
plagues, disease, destruction, and death, (See Joel 2:2-6; also Doctrine &
Covenants 29 and 133) we as a people will rest in the shade of trees. We
will drink from the cooling fountains. We will abide in places of refuge
from the storm. We will mount up as on eagles wings, we will be lifted out
of a wicked, insane and evil world. We will be as fair as the sun and clear
as the moon.

The Savior will come and honor his people. Those who are spared and prepared
for that glorious triumphal day will be a temple loving people. They will
know him and see him in his "red apparel, and his garments like him that
treadeth in the wine-vat. The sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon
shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places."
And the "redeemed shall mention the loving kindness of their Lord, and all
that he has bestowed upon them according to his goodness." (Doctrine &
Covenants 133:48-49,52.) They will cry out, "Blessed by the name of He that
cometh in the name of the Lord. Thou art my God and I will bless thee, thou
art my God and I will exalt thee." Then we will all join in one grand
"Hosannah" that will ring from one end of eternity to the other. A hosannah
shout to God and the Lamb.

Those who live in that day, our children or children's children, will bow
down at His feet and worship Him as the Lord of lords, the King of kings.
They will bathe His feet with their tears and He will weep and bless them
for having suffered through the greatest trials ever known to man. His
bowels will be filled with compassion and his heart will swell wide as
eternity and he will love them. He will bring peace that will last a
thousand years and they will dwell with him.

Let us prepare this special future generation with faith to surmount every
trial and every condition. We will do it in our holy sacred temples. Come,
come, oh, come up to the temples of the Lord and walk in his "holiness to
the Lord" edifices.

The Lord's temples stand as an ensign to the nations. They tower upward as a
monument to our Master and Savior. All that we do in the temples ties us to
the atonement. I thank God for grand and holy temples. I thank God for the
light, knowledge and instruction that distills upon me and all who attend
the temple. May we praise his holy name forever. May we always be inclined
toward his holy purposes and may God watch over and have mercy on all who
faithfully perform the glorious work as Saviors on Mount Zion. Oh, how
beautiful are the feet, the robes, the countenances, the souls of those who
come to the holy temples of God.

[davedan]

Wow, great stuff. very inspirational writing.

Can you imagine how close to living in Zion we are? I work in an ED and see the ills of society up close. Honestly, it gets me down some days. But, I try to imagine how wonderful its going to be living in a righteous and pure society? I'll be out of a job!