The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries Ancient and ModernTalmage, James E. (James Edward)
Religion
The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries Ancient and Modern
Talmage, James E. (James Edward)
Latter Day Saint temples; Temples
In the evening of the day of dedication another meeting was held; this,
however, was attended by officers of the Church only. The record as
written by the prophet reads:
"I met the quorums in the evening and instructed them respecting
the ordinance of washing of feet, which they were to attend to on
Wednesday following; and gave them instructions in relation to the
spirit of prophecy. * * *
"Brother George A. Smith 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; and I beheld the Temple
was filled with angels, which fact I 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 taking place. This continued until the meeting closed at 11
p.m."[18]
On the Thursday following that eventful Sabbath, another solemn
assembly convened in the Temple, including as before the general
authorities of the Church, and in addition such members as had not been
able to secure admission on the earlier day. The services were in a
measure a repetition of the proceedings on the first occasion; {121}
the dedicatory prayer was read, appropriate music was rendered and
addresses were delivered.
That the building was in truth a Temple, a holy structure accepted by
Him to whose name it had been reared, that it was veritably a House
of the Lord, had been attested by the visitation of heavenly beings,
and by Divine manifestations surpassing all expectation, as witnessed
on the evening of the dedication day. On the next Sabbath, April
3, 1836, visitations and manifestations of yet greater import were
received. At the afternoon service the Lord's Supper was administered,
after which, the prophet and his counselor, Oliver Cowdery, retired
to the stand reserved for the presiding officers of the Melchisedek
Priesthood,--which was enclosed by the curtains or veils lowered for
the occasion. They solemnly testify that then and there did the Lord
Jesus Christ reveal Himself. Afterward, other heavenly personages
ministered unto them, each delivering or bestowing the particular
authority with which he was specially invested. The testimony of Joseph
Smith and Oliver Cowdery is as follows:
"The veil was taken from our minds, and the eyes of our
understanding were opened.
"We saw the Lord standing upon the breast-work of the pulpit,
before us, and under his feet was a paved work of pure gold in
color like amber.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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