The Kirtland Temple is a registered National Historic Landmark in Kirtland, Ohio, USA, on the eastern edge of the Cleveland metropolitan area. Owned and operated by the Community of Christ, the house of worship was the first temple to be built by the Latter Day Saint movement. The design mixes Federal, Greek Revival and Gothic Revival architectural styles. ^[1] Image File history File links KirtlandTemple_Ohio_USA.jpg‎ Kirtland Temple: original photo by John Hamer. ... USS Constitution A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, site, structure, or object, almost always within the United States, officially recognized for its historical significance. ... Kirtland is a city in Lake County, Ohio, USA. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census. ... This article or section needs additional references or sources to improve its verifiability. ... Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 RLDS redirects here. ... The Salt Lake Temple is the most well-known Mormon Temple. ... The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement that can be said to have been founded primarily by Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

Present day

Each year tens of thousands take tours of the temple. Members of various Latter Day Saint traditions also travel to the temple to hold 40 to 50 worship services and educational events each year. There are also community Thanksgiving service, Christmas Eve, and Holy Week services that are held at the Temple each year.

A new Spiritual Formation and Visitor's center has been constructed and recently opened by Community of Christ. This center, opened in March 2007 and set to be dedicated on 9 June 2007, will enhance the worship, educational, and administrative ministries of the Temple by providing classroom space, worship space, a multi-use theater, offices, and historical and contemporary exhibits relating to the Temple, the Latter Day Saint Movement and Community of Christ today. The center's basic layout has been described by some as reflecting a dove. The center reflects various characteristics of the Temple in is visual appearance.

Construction

Beginning in 1831, members of the Church of Christ (later named Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) under the direction of church founder and president Joseph Smith Jr., began to gather in the Kirtland area. On May 6, 1833, Smith reported that he had received a revelation from God, directing members of the church to construct "a house... wholly dedicated unto the Lord for the work of the presidency," "dedicated unto the Lord from the foundation thereof, according to the order of the priesthood." Directions were given to build a "lower court and a higher court," and a promise given that the Lord's "glory shall be there, and [his] presence shall be there." (LDS Doctrine & Covenants Section 94:3-9). Leopold I 1831 (MDCCCXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Church of Christ was the original name given to the church formally organized by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Daguerreotype which some experts believe to be an original 1843 photograph of Joseph Smith, Jr. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1833 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

Construction commenced soon thereafter, quarrying Berea sandstone from the base of Gildersleeve mountain[1], near Chillicothe Road, and gathering lumber from the surrounding area, especially the gravel pits of on the other side of Gildersleeve mountain along Hobart Road. The first structure of its kind to be built by the Latter Day Saint movement, the Kirtland Temple is very different in purpose than the Nauvoo temple built in the 1840s. It is different in both design and purpose of the temples built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints portion of the movement in latter years as they embraced and grew from Nauvoo temple theology. Location in Ohio Gildersleeve Mountain is a geographic feature, summit, located in Kirtland, Ohio, at . Gildersleeve Mountain is the official USGS, name of this feature. ... The Latter Day Saint movement is a religious movement that can be said to have been founded primarily by Joseph Smith, Jr. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ...

The lower inner court is used primarily for various worship services. It has two sets of pulpits, one set on either end, and the pews featured an adjustable design which allowed the audience to face either end. The second floor was designed for education, and was to house a school for church leaders known as the School of the Apostles. Use of the third floor alternated use between general academic classes during the day, Church quorum meetings in the evenings, the Kirtland Theological Institution, the School of the Elders (possibly an enlargement of the school of the prophets, and may have been destined to become the school of the apostles), Church offices, including that of Smith, were also located on the third floor. At the time of construction, none of the ordinances associated with LDS temple worship, such as baptism by proxy, had been instituted. In Mormonism, a nickname for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the school of the Prophets (also called the school of the elders or school for the Prophets) was a select group of early Latter-Day Saint leaders who began meeting on January 23, 1833 in Kirtland... Baptism for the dead is an ordinance performed today in temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for those who have died without having been baptized by one having authority. ...

Truman O. Angell recorded in his journal that about this time Frederick G. Williams, one of President Smith's counselors, came into the temple one day during construction and related the following: Truman O. Angell (June 5, 1810 – October 16, 1887), served as many years as Church Architect for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and was one of the original Mormon Pioneers, entering the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. ... Frederick Granger Williams (1787–1842) (commonly known as Frederick G. Williams) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint and served in the First Presidency as Second Counselor to President Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

"Joseph received the word of the Lord for him to take his two counselors, Frederick G. Williams and Sidney Rigdon, and come before the Lord and He would show them the plan or model of the house to be built. We went upon our knees, called on the Lord, and the building appeared within viewing distance. I being the first to discover it. Then all of us viewed it together. After we had taken a good look at the exterior, the building seemed to come right over us, and the makeup of this hall seemed to coincide with what I there saw to a minutia." [2] Frederick Granger Williams (1787–1842) (commonly known as Frederick G. Williams) was a leader in the Latter Day Saint and served in the First Presidency as Second Counselor to President Joseph Smith, Jr. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Dedication

The temple was dedicated in an eight-hour service on March 27, 1836. A reported "one thousand persons" attended the gathering, which introduced such traditional dedication rites as the Hosanna Shout and singing of the hymn "The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning." Following a two-and-a-half hour sermon given by Church leader Sidney Rigdon, Smith offered a dedicatory prayer that had been prepared by a committee of church leaders,^[2] which he indicated was "given to him by revelation."Template:History of the Church, 2:420 Two other church leaders, Brigham Young and David W. Patten, were reported to have been inspired to speak in tongues following the prayer (Messenger and Advocate (March 1836)). Truman O. Angell recorded in his journal the following account: March 27 is the 86th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (87th in leap years). ... Year 1836 (MDCCCXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... In Mormonism, a hosanna shout is an organized ritual by a congregation of shouting hosanna. ... The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning (also Spirit of God or Hosanna to God and the Lamb) is a well loved hymn of the Latter Day Saint movement. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... David Wyman Patten (*November 14, 1799 in Theresa, New York; † October 25, 1838 in Missouri). ... Tongues redirects here. ... Truman O. Angell (June 5, 1810 – October 16, 1887), served as many years as Church Architect for the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and was one of the original Mormon Pioneers, entering the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. ...

"When about midway during the prayer, there was a glorious sensation passed through the house [Kirtland Temple]; and we, having our heads bowed in prayer, felt a sensation very elevating to the soul. At the close of the prayer, F. G. Williams being in the upper east stand- -Joseph being in the speaking stand next below--rose and testified that midway during the prayer an holy angel came and seated himself in the stand. When the afternoon meeting assembled, Joseph, feeling very much elated, arose the first thing and said the personage who had appeared in the morning was the Angel Peter come to accept the dedication."

Visions and miracles

On January 21, 1836, before the temple was completed, Smith reported the first of several visions received at the temple. As he and his associates performed a feet washing and anointing ritual, he claimed to behold "the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof... [and] the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son." Smith also reported seeing Adam, Abraham, and three family members who had previously died; this experience of Smith was canonized by the LDS Church as revelation and published as such for the first time in 1981. January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Feet washing is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. ... To anoint is to apply perfumed oil. ... The Celestial Kingdom refers to a division of heaven and was coined by the controversial Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg in his 1758 book entitled Heaven and Hell. ... Michelangelos Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel. ... The angel prevents the sacrifice of Isaac (Rembrandt, 1634) Abraham (Hebrew: , Standard Avraham Ashkenazi Avrohom or Avruhom Tiberian  ; Arabic: ,  ; Geez: , ) is a figure in the Bible and Quran who is by believers regarded as the founding patriarch of the Israelites and of the Nabataean people in Jewish, Christian and...

Not long after the dedication, several more visions were reported. On April 3, Smith had his scribe, Warren Cowdery,^[3] write down in his personal journal an account of a personal spiritual experience Smith and Oliver Cowdery had while praying in the pulpits. In this experience Joseph states that he and Oliver saw Jesus Christ "standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit." According to Smith's account, Christ accepted the Church's dedication of the temple, and promised blessings according to their obedience. Following the conclusion of this vision of Christ, the account goes on to tell of Smith and Cowdery then receiving visions of Moses, Elias and Elijah. The account in Joseph Smith's Journal is the only known telling of this occurrence during Smith's lifetime. The LDS Church cannonized it as section 110 of their Doctrine and Covenants in 1876. April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... Photograph of Oliver Cowdery recently found in the Library of Congress, taken in the 1840s Oliver Cowdery (3 October 1806 – 3 March 1850) was the primary participant with Joseph Smith, Jr. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Moses with the Tablets, 1659, by Rembrandt This article is about the Biblical figure. ... The Prophet Elias, by Daniele da Volterra Elias is the latinised version of the Greek name Ηλια(ς), pronounced e-lee-a(s) in Greek and English e-lie-us. ... Elijah in the wilderness, by Washington Allston Elijah (Hebrew: אליהו, ) was a prophet in Israel in the 9th century BCE. He appears in the Hebrew Bible, Talmud, Mishnah, Christian Bible, and the Quran. ...

Shifting ownership

Smith's time in Kirtland after the temple came into use was limited. In 1837, he became involved with the foundation of a bank known as the Kirtland Safety Society. The failure of this bank was a factor that caused a schism among Latter Day Saints in Kirtland. The dissenters were led by Warren Parrish, Smith's former secretary, and included Martin Harris, one of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormon. Parrish's group took control of the temple and other church property. By the beginning of 1838, Smith was forced to flee the state, relocating to Far West, Missouri with hundreds of loyalists. After the Mormons moved west in 1838, the Temple was used by the Western Reserve Teacher's Seminary. Parrish's group dissolved and by 1841 the remaining Latter Day Saints in Kirtland had come back into communion with the main body of the church, which had subsequently relocated to Nauvoo, Illinois. The Kirtland Safety Society (KSS) was a quasi-bank organized in 1836 (and reorganized on January 2, 1837) by leaders and followers of the Church of Christ (precursor to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). ... Warren Parrish (also Warren Parish) (1803–1887) was a leader in the early Latter Day Saint or Mormonism movement. ... Martin Harris (1783–1875) was the first financier of The Book of Mormon. ... A monument to the Three Witnesses at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. ... The Book of Mormon[1] is one of the sacred texts of the Latter Day Saint movement, named after the prophet/historian Mormon who, according to the text, compiled most of the book. ... Far West, Missouri, was a Latter Day Saint (Mormon) settlement in Caldwell County, Missouri. ... Nauvoo (נָאווּ to be beautiful, Sephardi Hebrew NÃ¥vu, Tiberian Hebrew Nâwû) is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. ...

A period of confusion followed the assassination of Smith in 1844 as rival leaders and factions vied for control of the temple. In 1845, the Kirtland Latter Day Saints under the leadership of S. B. Stoddard, Leonard Rich and Jacob Bump organized their own Mormon church in opposition to Brigham Young, James J. Strang and other leaders. This group later merged with a faction led by William E. M'Lellin whose president was David Whitmer, another of the Three Witnesses. See also, Brigham Young University Brigham Young (June 1, 1801 – August 29, 1877) was the second prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... 1856 daguerreotype of James Strang, taken on Beaver Island, Lake Michigan, by J. Atkyn, one of his assassins. ... William Earl MLellin (January 18, 1806—April 24, 1883) (often modernized to McLellin) was an early leader in the Latter Day Saint movement. ... David Whitmer (1805–1888) is remembered in the Latter Day Saint movement as the most interviewed of the Three Witnesses of the Book of Mormons Golden Plates. ... A monument to the Three Witnesses at Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. ...

By 1848, another Latter Day Saint faction led by James Collin Brewster was organized in Kirtland and maintained control of the temple. This faction also dissolved and most of the members who were in Kirtland eventually joined the Community of Christ (Then known as Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) led by Joseph Smith III. Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 RLDS redirects here. ... Joseph Smith III — Leader of the 1860 Reorganization of the Latter Day Saint church. ...

In 1880, the Community of Christ took part in the Kirtland Temple Suit in an attempt to gain clear title to the temple. The court opinion stated that the Community of Christ was the lawful successor of the original church, but ultimately dismissed the case. Therefore, the case had no legal bearing. Ownership of the temple, however, was secured via adverse possession by 1901 or earlier. From 1874, the Community of Christ has maintained the temple, which is open to visitors. Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 RLDS redirects here. ... Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 RLDS redirects here. ... In common law, adverse possession is the name given to the process by which title to anothers real property is acquired without compensation, by, as the name suggests, holding the property in a manner that conflicts with the true owners rights for a specified period of time. ... Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 RLDS redirects here. ...

The local Community of Christ congregation met in the building on a regular basis for Sunday worship till the 1950s. Due to preservation concerns, a new church was built across the street (for the congregation) and the temple saw more direct management and funding from the world church. Today, the building is used for approximately 40 worship services or special events through out the year by various Latter Day Saint denominations. Community of Christ Temple in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 RLDS redirects here. ...

Notes

1. ^ Chiat, Marilyn, North American Churches, Publishers International, Ltd.: 2004, p. 71.
2. ^ Oliver Cowdery's Kirtland, Ohio Sketch Book as reprinted in BYU Studies 12:4 (1972). [Saturday, 26 March 1836] "This day our school did not keep, we prepared for the dedication of the Lord's house. I met in the president's room, pres. J. Smith, jr. S. Rigdon, my brother W. A. Cowdery & Elder W. Parrish, and assisted in writing a prayer for the dedication of the house."
3. ^ Faulring, Scott H., ed., An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1987), 156 footnotes

References

• Roger Launius, The Kirtland Temple: A Historical Narrative. Independence, Missouri: Herald Publishing House, 1986. ISBN 0-8309-0449-2
• Truman O. Angell, Autobiography (1810-1856) in "His Journal," Our Pioneer Heritage 10 (1967):195-213.
• Marilyn Chiat, North American Churches. Lincolnwood, Illinois: Publications International, Ltd., 2004, p. . ISBN 1-4127-1020-0

See also

• Temple (Mormonism)
• List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by geographic region
• Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints)

The Salt Lake Temple is the most well-known Mormon Temple. ... The Nauvoo Temple was built in 1846, destroyed and rebuilt in 2002 Map of the world showing the geographic location of each LDS temple. ... // Africa Asia Central America Europe North America Canada United States Oceania South America See also List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Categories: | | ... This is a list of chronlogical list of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... // On December 27, 1832 — two years after the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ — the movements founder, Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

External links

• Wikisource - Kirtland Temple Dedication - Account of Kirtland Temple dedication from March 1836 issue of Messenger and Advocate, an early Latter Day Saint periodical
• Kirtland Temple - Official site
• Pictures of Kirtland Temple
• Community of Christ - Official site
• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Official site

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 41.625300° -81.362044°
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  • Street map from MapQuest or Google Maps
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image from TerraServer-USA