'Keep the temple sacred and free of defilement'
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To illustrate the necessity of temple worthiness, President Gordon B. Hinckley, first counselor in the First Presidency, held up two "credit cards" at priesthood meeting Saturday evening.
The first was a bank credit card. He noted that it is valuable and to be safeguarded, that if dishonestly used it could cause him great loss and considerable embarrassment, and that it must be renewed yearly.The second was his temple recommend.
"It represents a credit with the Lord making available to me many of His greatest gifts," President Hinckley declared. "The bank card is concerned with things of the world and the recommend with things of God."
Eligibility for the temple recommend is based on personal worthiness, not financial worth, but like the bank credit card, it must be renewed yearly, he noted.
"I fear that some people are granted temple recommends before they are prepared for them," he reflected. "I feel that sometimes we unduly rush people to the temple. Converts and those who have recently come into activity need a substantial measure of maturity in the Church."
Every man who holds the Melchizedek Priesthood has an obligation to see that the House of the Lord is kept sacred and free of defilement, he admonished.
He discussed in turn the subjects treated in the standard temple recommend interview and affirmed the need for honesty, loyalty to leadership, lawfulness, and chastity.
President Hinckley also urged priesthood holders not to discuss outside of the temple that which occurs within.
"Sacred matters deserve sacred consideration," he said. "We are under obligation, binding and serious, to not use temple language or speak of temple matters outside."
