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 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 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 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.