John Taylor explains that Joseph Smith felt an urgency to reveal the endowment and he would have had more to say about it if he had lived longer.

Date
Aug 1883 - Dec 1883
Type
Meeting Minutes / Notes
Source
John Taylor
LDS
Hearsay
Scribed Verbatim
Reprint
Reference

Notes on October 12, 1883, Salt Lake School of the Prophets Notes, August-December 1883, CR 390 5, Church History Library

Scribe/Publisher
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
People
John Taylor, Joseph Smith, Jr.
Audience
N/A
Transcription

The reason why things are in the shape they are is because Joseph felt called upon to confer all ordinances connected with the Priesthood. He felt in a hurry on account of certain premonition that he had concerning his death, and was very desirous to empart the endowment and all the ordinances thereof to the Priesthood during his lifetime, and it would seem to be necessary that there should be more care taken in the administration of the ordinances to the saints in order that that those who had not yet proven themselves worthy might not partake of the fullness of the anointings until they had proven themselves worthy thereof, by being faithful to the initiatory principles; as great carelessness and a lack of appreciation had been manifest by many who had partaken of those sacred ordinances. Had Joseph Smith lived he would have had much more to say on many of those points which he was prevented from doing by his death. It remains for me to look after and enquire into these matters that perfect order may exist in the church of God and that persons may not be put in possession of rights and privileges and receive blessings promises and endowments which they are unworthy and can not enjoy. We have an instance of that in Section 88 verses 133-4 of the Doctrine and Covenants.

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