Letter to Joseph Fielding Smith, 22 May 1888
Salt Lake City, Utah, .
President Joseph F. Smith,
Washington, D. C.
Dear Brother Joseph F.:
Your esteemed favor of the 12th. inst. we received
upon our return from Manti, whither we went on the evening of the 13th. by special
train to Nephi and from Nephi by carriage to Manti. Our purpose in going to Manti
was to hold a private dedication of the Temple on the 17th. We reached there on Tues-
day morning about four o'clock, and were occupied in attending to business, making
preparations and in meetings until Thursday, when we met at ten o'clock and had a
prayer circle, and at twelve I -[President Woodruff]- read the dedication prayer, there
being twenty-nine persons present, including all the Apostles in the Territory except-
ing Brothers Erastus Snow, Moses Thatcher and John W. Taylor. We had a very delightful
season, and everyone enjoyed himself exceedingly. We remained there until Friday at
noon and then returned, leaving the brethren who could appear above ground to attend
to the public dedication. The Temple is beautifully finished and reflects great cred-
it upon all engaged in the labor of constructing it, and also those who furnished the
means. It is a cause of unbounded joy to think that the privilege has been granted to
us of completing another structure like this, in which the servants of God can enter
to attend to the ordinances for the living and the dead. Brother Daniel H. Wells has
