Animal Sacrifices in Latter-day Temples

Here's some quotes about animal sacrifice being restored in this dispensation:

When we see a temple built right, there will be a place for the priests to enter and put on their robes, and offer up sacrifices, first for themselves, and then for the people.
--Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball Journal, January 2, 1846, see BYU Studies, Spring 76, Vol. 16 #3, pg. 384.


Under the pulpit in the west end will be a place to offer sacrifices. There will be an altar prepared for that purpose so that when any sacrifices are to be offered they should be offered there.
--Brigham Young, Dec 18, 1857 quoted in Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898, Scott Kenney, ed., Midvale UT: Signature 1984, Vol. 5 pg. 140.


I heard the Prophet [Joseph Smith] reply to the question: "Will there ever be any more offering of sheep and heifers and bullocks upon altars, as used to be required of Israel?"
He said: "Yes, there will, for there were never any rites, ordinances or laws in the priesthood of any gospel dispensation on this earth but what will have to be finished and perfected in this the last dispensation of time -- the dispensation of all dispensations."
--They Knew the Prophet, by Hyrum L. & Helen Mae Andrus, SLC: Bookcraft 1974, pg. 62.


The Quorum of the Twelve had been filled, but of the number selected one--Willard Richards--was in England and Joseph was instructing those present of that Quorum how they must proceed to prepare themselves, that they might ordain Willard Richards to the Apostleship when they should reach that country. Joseph told them to go to Kirtland and cleanse and purify a certain room in the temple, that they must kill a lamb and offer a sacrifice unto the Lord which should prepare them to ordain Willard Richard a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Sidney made some remarks, when Joseph spoke with great power and spirit, said he, "I know the law." To a remark made by Heber C. Kimball he said, "It will be the sweetest smelling savor you ever smelled."
--Journal of Wandle Mace, typescript, Harold B. Lee Library, BYU, pg. 32.


D&C 124:39 Therefore, verily I say unto you, that your anointings, and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices by the sons of Levi, and for your oracles in your most holy places wherein you receive conversations, and your statutes and judgments, for the beginning of the revelations and foundation of Zion, and for the glory, honor, and endowment of all her municipals, are ordained by the ordinance of my holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name.



It will be necessary here to make a few observations on the doctrine set forth in the above quotation [Mal. 3:3], and it is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice [i.e.,] the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus was offered up, and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in future; but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the Priesthood, or with the Prophets.

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. We frequently have mention made of the offering of sacrifice by the servants of the Most High in ancient days, prior to the law of Moses; which ordinances will be continued when the Priesthood is restored with all its authority, power and blessings.

Elijah was the last Prophet that held the keys of the Priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensation, restore the authority and deliver the keys of the Priesthood, in order that all the ordinances may be attended to in righteousness. It is true that the Savior had authority and power to bestow this blessing; but the sons of Levi were too prejudiced. "And I will send Elijah the Prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord," etc., etc. Why send Elijah? Because he holds the keys of authority to administer in all the ordinances of the Priesthood; and without the authority is given, the ordinances could not be administered in righteousness.

It is a very prevalent opinion that the sacrifices which were offered were entirely consumed. This was not the case; if you read Leviticus 2:2-3, 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 maintenance of the priests; so that the offerings and sacrifices are not all consumed upon the altar -- 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 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? It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the prophets; but those things which existed prior to Moses' day, namely, sacrifice, will be continued.

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 existed prior to the days of Christ, what necessity for them since that time? The Priesthood has descended in a regular line from father to son, through their succeeding generations. (See Book of Doctrine and Covenants.) (October 5, 1840.) DHC 4:207-212.
--Joseph Smith, TPJS pgs. 172-173.


Immediately after entering the house [Kirtland Temple] in company with several other Elders, I went within the veil and we bowed down before the Lord in the Aaronic [priesthood] stand and offered a morning sacrifice and the Spirit of God rested upon us with joy to our souls... .
--Wilford Woodfuff's Journal, March 23, 1837.

"Well, sister Pratt," says Joe, "as you have refused me, it becomes sin, unless sacrifice is offered:" and turning to me he said, "General, if you are my friend I wish you to procure a lamb, and have it slain, and sprinkle the door posts and the gate with its blood, and take the kidneys and the entrails and offer them upon an altar of twelve stones that have not been touched with a hammer, as a burnt offering, and it will save me and my priesthood. Will you do it?" "I will," I replied. So I procured the lamb from Capt. John T. Barnett, and it was slain by Lieut. Stephen H. Goddard, and I offered the kidneys and entrails in sacrifice for Joe as desired; and Joe said, "all is now safe -- the destroying angel will pass over, without harming any of us."
--John C. Bennett letter to Simeon Francis, editor of the Sangamo Journal, July 5, 1842, (see Wasp Extra, July 27, 1842; Sangamo Journal, July 15, 1842) quoted in Cultures in Conflict by John E. Hallwas and Roger D. Launius, Logan UT: USU Press 1995, pg. 119.


The members of the Church are reminded that the practice of polygamous or plural marriage is not the only law whose suspension has been authorized by the Lord and adopted by the people. The law of animal sacrifice, in force in ancient Israel, has been suspended, but the Prophet Joseph asserted it would be again restored, and such is the effect of the statement made by John the Baptist when restoring the Aaronic priesthood. The law of the United Order has likewise been suspended, to be reestablished in the due time of the Lord. Other laws might be mentioned.
--First Presidency (Heber J. Grant, Anthony W. Ivins, and J. Reuben clark, Jr.), Messages of the First Presidency 5:327


The First Presidency of the Church once assured me in writing, through a member of the Twelve (in 1921 or 1922 as I remember), that they concurred with the Prophet's words on this point, [the continuation of animal sacrifice in the last days 'from generation to generation' TPJS p. 172] but added that in their opinion sacrifice would be on a more limited scale than formerly.
--Sydney B. Sperry, Doctrine and Covenants Compendium, SLC: Bookcraft 1960, pg. 394.



It would have to be on a more limited scale than formerly, because in Ezekiel's vision of the restored temple in Ezekiel, chapters 40-48, the sacrifices are in the morning only, as opposed to morning and evening. In Joseph Smith's journal for April 2, 1843 (see An American Prophet's Record, ed. by Faulring) we find: "...the 144,000 sealed are the priests who are appointed to administer in the daily sacrifice." The Brigham Young quote above about priests offering sacrifices for themselves and the people would refer to the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur sacrifices.

There's also an 1845 quote from Zina Diantha Huntington Jacobs (from BYU Studies, Spring 79, V. 19, No. 3, pg. 302) where she describes how an Elder Dunham "spoke of the nations sending up their bullocks for sacrifices or have no rain..." which is an allusion to this Bible passage about life during the millenium:

Zechariah 14:16-21
16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
17 And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.
18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the LORD will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
19 This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles.
20 In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD; and the pots in the LORD's house shall be like the bowls before the altar.
21 Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness unto the LORD of hosts: and all they that sacrifice shall come and take of them, and seethe therein: and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts.