O God, the Eternal Father, in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, we ask thee to look upon us at this time in thy tender
mercy. Thou beholdest that thy servants, Brigham and his Council, have
laid the Chief Corner Stone of a holy House, which we are about to
erect unto thy name. We desire to do it with clean hands and pure
hearts before thee, and before thine holy angels.
We thank thee that we are permitted to live in the flesh, and have a
place upon thy footstool, and partake daily of the bounties thy hand
bestows, for thou art our Father, and Jesus Christ is our Elder
Brother.
Inasmuch, O Lord, as we desire to erect a House to thy name, that if
it seemeth thee good to come and take up thine abode on the earth,
thou mayest have a place to lay thy head, we pray thee to assist us to
erect it in purity before thee, and the Heavenly hosts.
We ask thee to help us so to conduct ourselves, that all the holy
Prophets, the angels of Heaven, with thee and thy Son, may be engaged
continually for our welfare, in the work of salvation and eternal
lives. Bless us in this attempt to glorify thee. Bless this portion of
the earth we dwell upon—even these valleys of the mountains, which we
have consecrated unto thee. Cause them to bring forth the productions
of the soil in rich abundance. Bless the seeds that are placed therein
by thy servants and handmaidens. And inasmuch as they are disposed to
do thy work, and erect a Temple to thy name, which is their fixed
purpose and determination; let the heavens be gentle over them. May
the earth be sanctified for their good, and the seeds they throw into
it yield to them an hundred fold in return. We pray thee to bless such
men and women—may the blessings of the Almighty richly attend them,
and multiply them in their families, in their herds and flocks, in
strength and in health, in salvation, and in eternal lives.
We also pray for those who do not feel favorably disposed to thy
work—may thy blessings not attend them, but may they go backward and
not forward, may they wither and not increase, and may the strength
that they might have received, through their faithfulness to thy work,
be multiplied and divided amongst these thy servants, who are
determined to keep thy commandments, and sanctify their affections
unto thee.
Look upon thy servant Brigham, O Lord, and let thy Holy Spirit rest
mightily upon him this day, and from henceforth. May he live to
dictate the erection of thy house, see the Topstone brought on with
rejoicing, and administer the keys of salvation and eternal life unto
his brethren therein. Bless his Council in common with him, may they
live to a good old age, and glorify God in all their days; may they
never want for food and raiment, for fathers and mothers, for wives
and children, and for the power of thy Spirit to inspire
them, and those thou hast given them.
Pour out thy Spirit upon thy servants, the Twelve Apostles; may thy
power abide upon them, to qualify them for the responsible calling
unto which thou hast called them. Also, in connection with them, let
thy Spirit rest upon the Quorums of the Seventies, the High Priests,
the Bishops, the High Council, the Elders, Priests, Teachers, and
Deacons; and upon every faithful member of thy Church in these valleys
of the mountains, and in all the world.
Now, O God, we dedicate this Stone to thee. May this spot be holy, and
all that pertaineth to it. And inasmuch as there shall be an enemy, or
a person that are evil disposed towards thy house, and they shall
endeavor to lay snares for the feet of thy people, may they be caught
in their own net, be overwhelmed in their own dilemma, and have no
power nor influence in the least to hurt thy Saints from this time
henceforth and forever. May the power of the mighty God of Jacob
fortify thy servants, enabling them to execute righteousness before
thee the Lord our God.
Hear us, O Lord, for we dedicate this, the Southeast Corner Stone
unto thee, praying that it may sleep in peace, be preserved from
decay, for it is the Chief Corner Stone of the House we shall rear to
thy name. May the same blessings attend the other three Corner Stones,
and all the works thy servants shall set their hands to do, from this
time henceforth and forever.
Bless the architect, the superintendent, the foremen of the various
departments, and all the laborers that shall raise a hand, or move a
thing for the erection and perfection of this thine house; and provide
for them, their wives, their children, and all that pertains unto
them, that they may want for no good or necessary thing, while they
are engaged in thy service, and from this time henceforth and
forever.
We dedicate ourselves unto thee, with our wives, our children, our
flocks, and our herds, with all the settlements and possessions that
pertain to thy people in these valleys of the mountains. And all the
praise and the glory we will ascribe to the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. Amen.
- Heber C. Kimball