In D&C 84:5, we read the following promise:
For
verily this generation shall not all pass away until an house shall be built
unto the Lord, and a cloud shall rest upon it, which cloud shall be even the
glory of the Lord, which shall fill the house.
I have dealt with vv. 3-4 and the
charge that this is a false prophecy (see: Refuting
James Walker on Joseph Smith's Prophecies). However, do notice that v. 5
does not speak of the temple in Independence per se; just "a"
(indefinite) temple ("house") where the glory of the Lord shall fill it. Many (myself
included) believe to be fulfilled with the Kirtland Temple. As one contemporary
record of the glory of the Lord filling the Kirtland Temple, as well as other
miraculous manifestations attending the dedication of the temple, note the
following letter from
"Benjamin Brown, letter to Dear wife [Sarah M. Brown], circa 1836 April," MS 17646 Church History
Library (transcription taken from Steven C. Harper, “’A Pentecost and Endowment
Indeed’: Six Eyewitness Accounts of the Kirtland Temple Experience,” in Opening
the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820-1844, ed John W. Welch
[2d ed.; Provo, Utah: BYU Press; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2017], 360-63):
Dear wife I last night heard from
you [page torn]
which I thank the Lord, Brother Bovee said [paid torn]
Gospel <to father? For which my heart rejoiced for [page torn]
and great is thy reward. Rejoice in the Lord [page torn]
Rejoice, let your moderation be known [page torn]
Now be careful for nothing but in eve [page torn]
[illegible] and with thanksgiving let your requests be made known
to [page torn]
[illegible] God, And the peace of God which passeth all understanding [shall]
[page torn]
fill your hearts through Christ Jesus.
Now to let you know a few of the thousand great things of God that is
passing in this place, there has been no mobs as you have beard. But
the work of the Lord is increascing daily. There has been from one to
ten Baptized every day of this week, some of the Elders have been out
for a few days some have baptized 16 some five &c [page torn]
Elders still continue to come in and wash and anoint for the solmn
assembly which will be called next sunday for tithin[g] [page torn]
& sacrifice with fasting & Prayr in the house of the Lord fr[page torn]
8 oclock in the morning until 4 in the afternoon [page torn]
known how long the meeting will hold probaly [page torn]
we have meetings almost every evening and [page torn]
and hold till 9. Many marvelous things [page torn]
transpired even greater than at the day of Penti[cost][page torn]
are increasing in faith and expecting greater [page torn]
endowment it is expected that there is three hundred of [page torn]
in Prayer with one accord as at Jerusalem.
many visions are given and also Revelations by night & by day some have
already come to pass, and many have no[t] yet but will soon. I will present
when father Smith Blest a man who lived in Niagara County who was in a streight
whether to go home, on Business or say at the solem assembly the old patriarch said
you want to go home, But the Lord will give you a Sign between this and tomorning
and the man asked the Lord for a sign about 2 hours after he came out of the
house to go to meeting there appeared a light over the Hou[se] [page torn]
of the Lord and extended from west to East But that part [page torn]
the heavens over his house or home was dark & he said it eno[ugh] [page
torn]
some have seen the heavens opend & seen the savior others have seen angels
on the four corners of the house of the Lord with drawn swords & also stood
think on the ridge Elisha with his chariot of Fire, Peter John & James, &
the highway cast up the ten tribes returning in chariots as far as the eye
could extend some saw the Redemtion of Zion and other thing to num
[page torn] not the wine & oil. Deeds to the church
[page torn] [w]hether the wicked will be raised
[page torn] 318 page and now my brethren
[page torn]nd prophet of old has testified
[page torn] of God and the people stoned him to death
[illegible] Whether the Saints that are raised will remain on earth during the
thousand years, for they lived & reigned with Christ a thousand years Rev 20th
4th
Book of Mormon 424th page Cain & his followers
Old father Adam was seen Butiful man his hair stood back & curled most
beautiful even down on his shoulders . . .
Sunday Evening after Joseph spoken
opened & told them the day of Penticost was continued the the Brethren
began to to prophesy many prophesied in the name of the Lord then began speaking
in tongues and it filled as it were the whole house, perhaps there were forty
speaking at once Cloven tongues of fire was seen to sit on many of them an hand
was seen laid upon one when he spake in tongues to the lamanites many Visions
seen, one saw a pillow or cloud rest down upon the house bright as when the sun
shines on a cloud like as gold, two others saw three personages hovering in the
room with bright keys in their hands, and also a bright chain in the hands the
I did not intend for this a letter But this morning while writing Brother Bovee
concluded to start for home
Sunday March 27th 1836 the order of the House of the Lord was there was no
small children admitted, one woman however not knowing the order brought her
child about 2 months old she stood out of the door for a long time, manifested
an anxious desire to enter at length one of the Elders said Brethren we do not
Exercise faith my faith is this child will not cry a word in the House to day
on this the woman & child entered and the child did not cry a word from 8
till 4 in the after noon. But when the saints all shouted Hosana the child was
nursing But let go & shouted also when the saints paused it paused when
they shouted it shouted for three times when they shouted amen it shouted also
for three times then it resumed its nursning without any alarm
Monday a young man fell and
sprained his ancle so as he could not stand the Elders laid hand on him and he
was healed imediately
On the Penticost evening the west
end of the House was illuminated by a light from heaven seen on the outside by
many
Brother Benjamin Lewis laid hands
on a boy that had his arm broken so as it laid back on his elbow. he placed the
bones raped a rag around it his wife poured on some vinegar he then asked the
boy to move his fingers the boy did so this was at noon. the next morning the
boy went to pulling weed in the garden with that hand no more trouble about it——
B. Brown heard Brother Colonel
Parks of Uclid testify that heard in the evening between 8&9 the Report of
a rifle apparently about forty rods off then they began as in an action passing
a long the road then took a turn & came across the lot up to the house But
the report grew more faint untill it was nothing but a snap and the noise of a
flash in the pan was heard by all of the family and all many of the
brethren in that place the interpilation Given to two present which was
judgements of God on that place——
Father Stephens saw on Sunday evening
two rows of Angels through the House, at another time the glory of God came
down on the Elders from the head down half way——
Br April 29th an angels was seen over
the Elders Many Propesys given & speaking in tongues, this 29th March two
corums continued all night in the House the twelve guarded it the Heavens was opened
two saw the savior some saw chariots and other thing one lay about half an hour
& saw Eternity to Eternity many Miracilous Experiences told Many Visions
told
As an aside, with respect to the
narrative about the infant, Eliza R. Snow would later independently verify this
event:
A
singular incident in connection with this shout may be discredited by some, but
it is verily true. A notice had been circulated that children in arms would not
be admitted at the dedication of the temple. A sister who had come a long
distance with her babe, six weeks old, having, on her arrival, heard of the
above requisition, went to the patriarch Joseph Smith, Sr., in great distress,
saying that she knew no one with whom she could leave her infant; and to be
deprived of the privilege of attending the dedication seemed more than she
could endure. The ever generous and kind-hearted father volunteered to take the
responsibility on himself, and old her to take her child, at the same time
giving the mother a promise that her babe should make no disturbance; and the
promise was verified. But when the congregation shouted hosanna, that babe
joined in the shout. Eliza R. Snow, as quoted in Edward W. Tullidge, The
Women of Mormondom [New York: Tullidge and Crandall, 1877], 94-95)
Further Reading:
