Having paused to consider the church as a system of ecclesiastical
government, it now remains for us to return to the historical
development of the work of the Lord as connected with the dispensation
of the fullness of times.
1. The Kirtland Temple.--During the winter of 1835-36 the temple
at Kirtland was completed. This was the first temple built by the
church in this dispensation. It was a stone structure, eighty by sixty,
and fifty feet to the square. At the front was a tower one hundred
and ten feet high. There were two main halls fifty-five by sixty-five
feet; four vestries in the front, two on each floor. There was also
an attic, divided into five rooms. During the winter of 1835-6 a high
school was conducted in Kirtland by H. M. Hawes, Professor of Greek and
Latin,[146] and the rooms in the attic were used as class rooms and for
the meetings of the various quorums of the priesthood. [See note 1, end
of section.]
2. Dedication of the Temple.--On Sunday, the 27th of March, 1836,
the temple was dedicated with imposing ceremonies, beginning early in
the morning--eight o'clock--and continuing all day. As all the Saints
could not be admitted at once, the Thursday following, March 31st, the
ceremonies were repeated. The service consisted of singing, prayer,
preaching, prophesying, speaking in tongues, sustaining the several
officers of the church by votes of acceptance and confidence, the {359}
offering of a special dedicatory prayer,[147] partaking of the Lord's
Supper, rendering the grand shout of Hosanna,[148] etc. The Spirit of
the Lord was poured out in great power upon the Saints, and spiritual
manifestations were abundant.
3. Spiritual Manifestations in the Temple.--Frederick G.
Williams, counselor in the first presidency, testified that while Elder
Rigdon was making the opening prayer, an angel entered the window, and
took a seat between himself and Patriarch Joseph Smith, father of the
prophet, and remained there during the prayer.
David Whitmer, one of the three especial witnesses to the Book of
Mormon, also saw angels in the house.
Apostle Brigham Young gave a brief address in tongues.
Apostle David W. Patten, interpreted the address, and gave an
exhortation in tongues himself.
At a meeting in the evening George A. Smith--afterwards an apostle and
counselor to President Brigham Young--arose and began to prophesy,
when a noise was heard like the sound of a rushing mighty wind,
which filled the temple, and all the congregation simultaneously
arose, being moved upon by an invisible power; many began to speak in
tongues, and prophesy; others saw glorious visions. The Prophet Joseph
saw that the temple was filled with angels, which fact he declared
to the congregation. The people of the neighborhood came running
together--hearing an unusual sound within, and seeing a bright light
like a pillar of fire resting upon the temple--and were astonished at
what was transpiring.
Wednesday night--30th March--while the meeting in the {360} temple was
in charge of the twelve apostles, the brethren continued exhorting,
prophesying and speaking in tongues all night. The Savior made his
appearance to some, while angels ministered to others, and it was a
Pentecost and an endowment long to be remembered.[149]
4. Restoration of the Keys of Former Dispensations.--Sunday, the
3rd of April, one week following the first dedication services, there
was a series of most glorious visions and revelations given in the
temple. After the sacrament was administered to the congregation, the
curtains dividing the main hall were dropped and the Prophet Joseph and
Oliver Cowdery retired into the pulpit and bowed in solemn and silent
prayer. After prayer they both beheld the Lord Jesus Christ standing
upon the breastwork of the pulpit. He announced himself as the First
and the Last, the one who liveth and the one who was slain--their
advocate with the Father. He declared his acceptance of the temple, and
promised to appear unto his servants and speak unto them with his own
voice, if the Saints would but keep his commandments, and not pollute
the temple, the fame of which he declared should spread to foreign
lands.[150]
5. The Appearing of Moses.--After this vision closed the heavens
were again opened and Moses appeared before them and committed unto
them the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four quarters of the
earth and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of the north.[151]
6. The Appearing of Elias.--Then Elias appeared and committed the
dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, saying that in them and in their
seed all generations after them should be blessed.
7. The Appearing of Elijah.--As soon as the above vision closed,
another opened before them, and Elijah the Prophet, who was taken to
heaven without tasting death, stood before them, and said that the
time had fully come which {361} Malachi had spoken of, saying, that
before the great and dreadful day of the Lord should come, he, Elijah,
would be sent to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and
the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a
curse.[152] "Therefore," said Elijah, to Joseph and Oliver, "the keys
of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may
know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the
doors." [153]
NOTES.
1. Inner Courts of Kirtland Temple.--There was a peculiarity in
the arrangement of the inner court which made it more than ordinary
impressive--so much so that a sense of sacred awe seemed to rest upon
all who entered; not only the Saints but strangers also manifested
a high degree of reverential feeling. Four pulpits stood one above
another, in the center of the building, from north to south, both on
the east and west ends; those on the west for the presiding officers
of the Melchisedek priesthood, and those on the east for the Aaronic:
and each of these pulpits was separated by curtains of white painted
canvas, which were let down and drawn up at pleasure. In front of
each of these two rows of pulpits was a sacrament table for the
administration of that sacred ordinance. In each corner of the court
was an elevated pew for the singers, the choir being distributed into
four compartments. In addition to the pulpit curtains, were others,
intersecting at right angles, which divided the main ground-floor
hall into four equal sections, giving to each one half of one set of
pulpits.--Eliza R. Snow.
REVIEW.
1. When was the Kirtland Temple completed?
2. Give a description of it. (Note 1.)
3. For what were the attic rooms used?
4. What branches were taught in the temple school? (Note.)
5. Describe the dedicatory services.
6. State what spiritual manifestations occurred during the dedicatory
services.
7. Describe the vision of the Savior given to the Prophet Joseph and
Oliver Cowdery in the temple.
8. Relate the appearing of Moses--of Elias--of Elijah.
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