24 I spent a part of the day in the Legislature the Afternoon I met
[FIGURE] in the New Hall in the 14 ward at 10 oclok for the purpose of dedica-
ting the House. Mrs with several others of the sisters
have been at work night and day almost for several days in making
the curtains & trimings for the windows and doors in order to get
it ready for the Dedication. Brother took the supervis-
ion of the whole triming of the House. President arived
at about 11 oclok He called upon me to offer the Dedication
Prayer
The following Dedication Prayer was offered by W Woodruff
O God our Eternal Father we present ourselves before thee this
Morning in the name of the Lord to Dedicate this House
unto Thee, and we ask for thy to bring all things to
our rememberance which may be nessacessary in the dedication
of this House. We dedicate the Foundation of this building together
with the ground upon which it stands that it may be Holy from
the commencement to the name of Most High. We dedicate the
Foundation with the rock Mortar and timbers and all things
appertaining thereto that it may be Holy unto the Lord. We dedicate
the walls of this House with the adobies, the mortar and every
tihing appertaining thereto that it may be Holy unto Thee. We
dedicate the door with the Joists boards and nails thereof that
the same may be Holy unto Thee. We also dedicate the windows
with the sash, glass putty and every thing pertaining thereto
also the curtains with the trimings ^thereof^ and the shades that
they may be Holy unto thee Lord. we dedicate the doors with
the Hinges screws locks, latches, and every thing pertaining
thereto that they may be Holy unto Thee the Lord our God. We
dedicate the Roof with the rafters, boards, shingles, lath, nails
Plastering, cornice, ornamental work and all things
appertaining thereto that Evry thing may be Holy and consec-
rated unto Thee. We dedicate the stand the pulpit the seats the
floor the Boards the paint and evry thing belonging thereto
also the Benches and seats in this room that they may be Holy
unto the Lord. And we pray that this dedication, may
be acceptable, that this house and the ground whare on it stands
may be Holy unto Thee, and we ask that thy Blessings may rest
upon the Bishops and Priests and Elders who may occupy this
stand that they may be inspired to speak unto the
of this people and that they may magnify the Holy Priesthood
given unto them. And we pray that this House may be clean
and every thing clean and pure which dwells therein
O God the Eternal Father we dedicate this House unto thee
and thy Kingdom for the purpose of Preaching, teaching,
instruction, singing & prayer, and for the teaching of Our
Children, and for Lawful and innocent recreation. we pray
that thy protecting care may be over this House, that it may be
protected from fire and winds, and Every Evil Element
And O God we pray that the spirit and power of darkness
may have no dominion here, That thy saints may inherit
this place in peace, that no Enemy may have power in
this House. And should the day Ever come that the Enemies
of thy Saints should have dominion in this Land grant that
this Building may be destroyed from the foundation and not
one stone left upon another that the wicked and unholy may
never inherit this House, nor this City nor any of the Houses
of thy Saints which have been dedicated unto thee Grant to accept
of this dedication we beseech of Thee that thy spirit may
rule and reign in this House, and may thy saints not worship
this House nor any thing appertaining to this Earth, But may
they worship the Lord of Hosts and help do thy will and
Esstablish thy kingdom upon the Earth. And if anything there
be pertaining to this Building or the ground upon which it stands that
we have not named before thee Grant that it may be Holy, that all things
pertaining thereto with the dedication thereof may be acceptable unto Thee
which we ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Redeemer Amen
At the close of the Dedication Prayer President addressed
the saints the following are some of the remarks which he made
[FIGURE] He said as I have the privilege of speaking I hope I many be
actuated by the spirit of intelligence. As Brother Woodruff
has asked the Lord in his prayer so I feel to say amen to the whole
of it even to the destruction of the Buildings if our Enemies
ever had power to possess it. But I do mot think ewe shall
ever be driven from this inheritance I am satisfied we never
shall be if we live our religion & do our duty. Here we are
gathered together from all the Nations of the , like the net
cast into the sea it gathers both good & bad and each one works
out what is in him. While Brother Woodruff was offering the
dedication Prayer I was wondering if they dedicated there
School Houses anciently. They dedicated Solomons Temple but
I dont know as they did there School Houses But we should
dedicate ourselves and all we have unto the Lord. We still have some
among us who still wish to mingle with the wicked they still
want to introdue Mr Devil to me & to this people and such wood
hender the progress of the . I am pleased to meet
with you here to day. I see the taste which you have displayed in
the finishing of this house which I like and admire. Pardon
me for quoting a remark of a man from the north in seeding
the 13 ward Assembly rooms proped up to keep them from
falling down. He said the glory of the of the 13 ward
had departed. But I hope the glory of the Bishop of the
14 ward will not depart as did the 13 ward I hope this
House will not fall down. I am pleased to see that you have
brought together the Elements which surround you and Erected
a Beautiful Hall which is a pleasure to meet in. Even the
most wicked take pleasure in beholding that which is beautiful
& lovely. I delight to meet here my soul is full of
for this people. we are living in a world of sin yet we are
approaching to the light and travelling together as Latter
Day Saints we should dedicate our all to God. The is to make good men better and to put them
in a position to receive and glory to the fullness
of the capacity of man. Many Elders pray that they may
may have confidence in God. But pray that I may live so
that God may have confidence in me I think it folly to pray
that I may have confidence in God for He is right all the
time and if we will live so that he may have confidence
in us we will do well. It is our duty to make all the
improvement we can while we live. All that we see here
on the is a similitude of what is in heaven. we
have the Elements all around us to beautify & adorn zion
but we should not set our hearts upon Go[l]d or silver or
any thing upon Earth But sanctify the Lord in our Hearts
then we shall partake of . I say to the 14 ward
if you occupy this House in the fear of God it will prove a
to you. In the time of the persecution in
we had to walk up & sign a Deed of trust to pay the
Expenses of the mob in driving out the saints they said
could not make the saints consecrate but we can
make them consecrate. The saints here complained of
paying a little tax and a little tithing money I dont know
but the Lord will let us pay a little money tax to the Devil the
requires a direct tax of some $27,000 dollars
When you have parties in this House dont admit drunken
men into it. another principle I wish to speak of if the
wishes to invite a Gentile in dont let the people complain
about it for when a comes in here and the priesthood
rules the Gentiles can do no hurt, But Let an Elder or
any latter Day Saints go & attend a party among the Gentiles
whare they reign and it is vary different that would be
rong. we should never bow down to the wicked we should never
descend but asscend & try to Elevate others to our standard
Men come here from the States & profess to be asstonished at
our and improvements, and they come here Expecting
to accomplish that which they will not do. Most of the officers
which the Government have sent here are a Hiss and a By word
and a stink in the nostralls of all good men and there
never was a wickeder man than the President of the United States
and so are his associates vary wicked men. I hop we will
strive to magnify our lives which God has given us, for we
shall either go on to life Everlasting, or descend to Everlasting
destruction. if we were all as we should
be we would have pureower to hold our children & not bury
them as we now do. Now go to & dedicate your hearts &
your houses and all you have unto God. I feel to bless you
in the name of the Lord. we are in a world of sin, darkness
& temptation, and any man who will not be faithful to this
life how can He Expect to obtain . We have got
the Esstablish on the and what
we cannot Buind to the kingdom of God we will let go.
President was followed by & they
both made many good remarks.
I spent the Afternoon in the Legislature and in the evening
I attended a party at the the first
Held in the Hall
