Joseph Smith Biography

Without Disclosing My True Identity

But a commandment I give unto them, that they shall not boast themselves

of these things, neither speak them before the world; for these things are

given unto you for your profit and for salvation.^23

The Dedication of the Kirtland Temple

In March of 1836, the first LDS Temple was dedicated.^24 One would suppose that the
people would have wanted to hear a sermon given by their “prophet, seer, and revelator.”^25
They did not. One would suppose that Joseph would have been allowed to say something that
was not previously prepared by a committee of church leaders.^26 He was not. No matter, in
any event, had he been so allowed, Joseph would have had just as much to do with the
dedication of the Kirtland Temple as he did in choosing the first Quorum of the Twelve
Apostles—nothing!^27 Instead, Sidney Rigdon spoke, giving a lengthy sermon to commence the
dedication of the temple.

After closing his discourse he called upon the several quorums, commencing

with the Presidency, to manifest, by rising, their willingness to acknowledge

[Joseph] as a Prophet and Seer, and uphold [Joseph] as such, by their prayers

of faith. All the quorums, in turn, cheerfully complied with this request. He

then called upon all the congregation of Saints, also, to give their assent by

rising on their feet, which they did unanimously.^28

This was NOT what Joseph wanted. He was not the one responsible for building the
temple; nor did he want the people or the world to think that he was. He knew who was
responsible—it was the people and their chosen leaders. To put the responsibility upon the proper
parties, Joseph countered Rigdon’s gesture and indication that he, Joseph, was solely responsible.
When it was finally his turn to address the congregation, Joseph gave the people a
verifiable witness to which they publicly acknowledged that they were getting the desires of
their hearts. Furthermore, he wanted them to admit from whom they were getting these
desires. He preceded to specifically name each of the main governing bodies of the Church,
from the Twelve Apostles to the Presiding Bishopric, asking the people if they accepted them
as their “Prophets, Seers, Revelators, and special witnesses to all the nations of the earth,
holding the keys of the kingdom, to unlock it, or cause it to be done, among them.”^29
By rising to their feet and praising the Lord,^30 and thus, in this manner, sustaining the
leaders of their church, the people assented to their own spiritual condemnation, thereby giving
the witness that Joseph wanted to be recorded in the annals of LDS/Mormon history. He then
read the prayer that the people’s church leaders had prepared for him beforehand; and

then asked the several quorums separately, and then the congregation, if they

accepted the dedication prayer, and acknowledged the house dedicated. The

vote was unanimous in the affirmative, in every instance.^31

God had given the people what they wanted so that they would stumble; for in
stumbling they would come to understand and appreciate the words of Christ by experiencing
what occurs when they are ignored. To this very day, LDS/Mormons acknowledge who it is
that they follow instead of the words of Christ as they similarly sustain men as “prophets, seers
and revelators”^32 —roles that Joseph knew no man could properly fill.