Page:The House of the Lord.djvu/178

162 raise up thy servant Brigham Young, who held the keys of thy Priesthood on the earth for many years, and who led thy people to these valleys of the mountains, and laid the corner-stone of this great Temple and dedicated it unto thee, and who did direct the building of three other temples in these Rocky Mountains which have been dedicated unto thy holy name, in which temples many thousands of the living have been blessed and the dead redeemed.

"Our Father in heaven, we are also thankful to thee for thy servant John Taylor, who followed in the footsteps of thy servant Brigham, until he laid down his life in exile.

"Thou hast called thy servants Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith, to hold the keys of the Presidency and Priesthood this day, and for these shepherds of thy flock we feel to give thee thanksgiving and praise. Thy servant Wilford is bound to acknowledge thy hand, O Father, in the preservation of his life from the hour of his birth to the present day.  Nothing but thy power could have preserved him through that which he has passed during the eighty-six years that thou hast granted him life on the earth.

"For the raising up of the Twelve Apostles, we also thank thee, our God, and for the perfect union which exists among us.

"We thank thee, O Lord, for the perfect organizations of thy Church as they exist at the present time.

"O Lord, we regard with intense and indescribable feelings the completion of this sacred house. Deign to accept this the fourth temple which thy covenant children have been assisted by thee in erecting in these mountains.  In past ages thou didst inspire with thy Holy Spirit thy servants, the prophets, to speak of a time in the latter days when the mountain of the Lord's house should be established in the top of the mountains, and should be exalted above the hills.  We thank thee that we have had the glorious opportunity of contributing to the fulfilment of these visions of thine ancient seers, and that thou hast condescended to permit us to take part in the great work.  And as this portion of thy servants' words has thus so marvelously been brought to pass, we pray thee, with increased faith and renewed hope, that all their words with regard to thy great work in gathering thine Israel and building up thy kingdom on earth in the last days may be as amply fulfilled, and that, O Lord, speedily.

"We come before thee with joy and thanksgiving, with spirits jubilant and hearts filled with praise, that thou hast permitted us to see this day for which, during these forty years, we have hoped, and toiled, and prayed, when we can dedicate unto thee this house which we have built to thy most glorious name. One year ago we set the capstone with shouts of Hosanna to God and the Lamb.  And today we dedicate the whole unto thee, with