KIRTLAND, OHIO
More than 800 members from stakes in northern Ohio gathered between two sessions at the Kirtland Temple and adjoining visitors center on Sunday, March 27, to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the dedication of the Kirtland Temple. (The temple was dedicated on that date in 1836.) They were joined by officials of the Community of Christ Historic Foundation. At the invitation of Community of Christ, which owns the temple, local LDS Church leaders also participated in their dedication commemoration, held separately that same day.
"We are grateful to Community of Christ," said Kirtland stake patriarch Karl Ricks Anderson in his opening remarks, "for their generosity and willingness to so freely share this sacred temple and allow us to meet here today. They are always warm to visitors."
The five speakers at each session framed the event in historic and spiritual context, describing danger and poverty facing the saints in Kirtland, the outpouring of the Spirit that followed the temple dedication, and the orderly conveyance of priesthood keys from Moses, Elias and Elijah.
William R. Titera, president of the Cleveland Ohio Stake who conducted both sessions, began by promising that the commemorative service would not perfectly duplicate the March 27, 1836, temple dedication, which lasted seven hours.
Brother Anderson spoke first of the Kirtland Temple and its role in the restoration of the gospel.
"The Kirtland Temple may be our most significant Church history site, spiritually," he said. "It might be considered a pinnacle of the Restoration. Everything prior to 1836 led up to the Kirtland Temple. Most everything that has happened since has been implementing the keys which came in the Kirtland Temple. Keys bestowed in the temple have empowered our vast missionary work and enabled the salvation of the living and the dead through the building of temples and the performance of live and vicarious ordinances. We as Latter-day Saints have learned to look to the temple for our blessings."
Brother Anderson, an author and expert on Kirtland, is widely known as "Mr. Kirtland" for his efforts to facilitate the restoration of Church historic sites in the city.
He put the times in historic perspective by quoting from the journals of many who lived through them:
Joseph Smith, just three years earlier, had described the Church's plight as desperate: "Our means are already exhausted. I know of no means by which we can extricate ourselves."
Heber C. Kimball reported that the Church "was in a state of poverty and distress. ... It appeared almost impossible that the commandment [to construct a temple] could be fulfilled."
Sidney Rigdon referenced workers who "wet the walls of the temple with their tears ... while they were praying to the God of Heaven to protect them and stay the unhallowed hands of ruthless spoilers who had uttered a prophecy when the foundation was laid that the walls would never be reared."
"Can you imagine the rejoicing, the anticipation they had for that morning," Brother Anderson continued, "not only here, but on the other side of the veil?"
Erastus Snow recorded that "angels came and worshipped with us."
Joseph Smith reported that "many arose and spoke, testifying that they were filled with the Holy Ghost, which was like fire in their bones, so that they could not hold their peace, but were constrained to cry hosanna to God and the Lamb and glory in the highest."
And Joseph Smith reported, "I beheld the temple was filled with angels, which fact I declared to the congregation."
Darwin D. Sorenson, Ohio Cleveland Mission president, then spoke of the doctrine of the gathering of Israel relative to the keys delivered by Moses to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple.
"The gathering of Israel," President Sorenson said, "is one of the most important doctrines taught today. The gathering is not just an assemblage of people to a latitude and longitude. It is a gathering of people who have been lost. That gathering plays out daily in missionary work."
Latter-day Saints help fulfill the Lord's work and glory (Moses 1:39), he added, "by inviting others to come unto Christ."
He noted that many of the missionaries sent to serve in the Ohio Cleveland Mission are descendants of early saints such as Parley P. Pratt and Brigham Young. "There's no question in my mind that the Lord's hand is in this work," he said.
Michael B. Haymond, president of the Kirtland Ohio Stake, then spoke of Elias committing to Joseph and Oliver "the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham" which included all of the keys to the covenant of Abraham or everlasting covenant.
The covenant of Abraham, President Haymond explained, "is the body of divine law through which our Father in Heaven can bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of the house of Israel and all who will."
President Haymond continued, "This wonderful covenant of Abraham consists of all of the sacred promises made by God to Abraham, and by Abraham to God. Thereby the person receives all the sacred promises made to the beloved fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and thereby the person covenants to bear all the responsibilities inherent in the covenant of Abraham."
Speaking specifically to the many LDS seminary students and full-time missionaries in attendance, he reminded them that the apostle Paul referred to Abraham's children who were yet unborn as "children of promise."
"These children of promise had already accepted the terms of the Abrahamic covenant in their pre-mortal world as spirit children of God. My young friends, you are among those 'children of promise' of which Paul spoke. In the pre-existence, you chose the Father's plan. You defended Christ. You proclaimed Christ's message to your fellow spirit brothers and sisters. You were found to be trustworthy. You entered into sacred covenants — the Abrahamic covenant — with the Father."
Edward J. Brandt, president of the Columbus Ohio Temple, stood to focus attention on the priesthood keys delivered by Elijah. He traced the steps the Lord had taken in preparation: the education of the young prophet Joseph Smith by the Angel Moroni, who repeatedly quoted the prophet Malachi to him — but with a little variation; the restoration of the Aaronic and Melchizedek priesthoods in 1829.
"They needed priesthood power to build this house," President Brandt explained, "to have the authority to dedicate the building. Then came Elijah. In a sense his visit was the capstone of it all — the binding and sealing of children to their fathers.
"Eight years after the dedication," he continued, "Joseph said the main objective of the gathering of the saints was to build a house and to teach them the ways of salvation. That must be done in a house built for that purpose, using ordinances established in heaven."
He said Church members become "saviors on Mount Zion" by building temples and baptismal fonts and by doing the work of kindred dead that they may come forth in the first resurrection. Herein, he said, lies the charge of turning the hearts of the children to their fathers.
He urged that "we become covenant-makers and covenant-keepers."
"Heavenly Father has provided a priesthood whereby salvation could be accomplished. The Savior's atoning sacrifice allows us to achieve that goal. But not all have heard the gospel, and in order for families to be together forever, work must be done for them. The price of our perfection is that we do the work for those that have passed on."
Elder Walter C. Selden, Area Seventy and the final speaker, said that sometimes perspective is everything.
"We sit in a place of significance — historic, yes, but more important of spiritual significance. After this meeting you can testify with me that the Kirtland Temple continues to fulfill the purpose for which it was built," he said.
"I sometimes feel overwhelmed with keeping all of the commandments all of the time," he continued. Then I remember the basics — faith, repentance, baptism, the gifts of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.
"Second Nephi says we are saved by grace after all we can do. That 'after all we can do' part bothers me. What can I do? How far down will the Savior reach to save me? All the way — the Savior will reach all the way to save every one of Heavenly Father's children.
"His invitation to follow Him is not just to 'hang out and see what happens.' It means to do the things He has done – to become as He is. Our hope is not simply to return to live with Heavenly Father. ... The goal is not just to return, it is to return exalted."
Both sessions ended with the choir and congregation uniting to sing "The Spirit of God," a hymn written by William W. Phelps especially for the temple dedication in 1836. It was a moving experience that left many with the impression that more voices joined in the singing than just those in attendance.
While leaving the temple, many of the members expressed that they had experienced a small glimpse of the great spiritual outpouring witnessed at the dedication 175 years ago.
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