During the construction of the Nauvoo Temple the Latter-day Saints dedicated
the building, or portions of the building, as required. The following is
a chronology of those occasions:
6 April 1841 -- Cornerstones laid at the four corners of the
building under the direction of Joseph Smith (Smith. History of the
Church, 4:326-331.)
8 November 1841 -- Basement and baptismal font dedicated, under
the direction of Brigham Young (Smith. History of the Church, 4:446-447.)
24 May 1845 -- Capstone laid on southeast corner by Brigham Young.
The southeast corner was also known as "Joseph's corner." (Smith. History
of the Church, 7:417-418.)
30 November 1845 -- Attic rooms dedicated for ordinance work.
Brigham Young gave the prayer in the presense of those who had received
their Endowments from Joseph Smith and who would now administer the same
ordinances to many of the Saints living in Nauvoo and its environs. (Smith. History of the
Church, 7:534-535.)
7 January 1846 -- Sealing altar dedicated by Brigham Young. The altar
was located in Room 1, which was also Brigahm Young's temple office, in the southeast
corner of the attic. (Smith. History of the Church, 7:566.)
8 February 1846 -- Temple dedicated, thus far completed, by Brigham
Young before he left Nauvoo for the West. (Smith. History of the Church,
7:580.) One of those present, Henry Bigler, left a fuller account: "The Twelve met in the southeast
corner, room No. 1, the upper story in the temple, kneeling round the altar and
dedicating the building to the most high and asked His blessings upon our intended
move to the west, also asking Him to enable them someday to finish the lower part of
the building and dedicated it to Him and to preserve the temple as a monument to Joseph Smith,
the Twelve, then left." (Henry W. Bigler, Autobiography, Lee library, BYU.)
30 April 1846 -- Private dedication by those who worked to finish
the temple. The dedicatory prayer was given by Joseph Young, Senior President
of the Seventy, who had been left in charge by Brigham Young of the men
working to finish the temple for dedication. (Watson. Manuscript History
of Brigham Young, pp. 147-148.)
The following from the May 1946 Improvement Era reports on the dedication:
1-3 May 1846 -- Public dedication of the Temple under the direction
of Orson Hyde, senior Apostle living in Nauvoo. There were three
dedicatory services. (Watson. Manuscript History of Brigham Young,
p. 148.) The dedicatory prayer was given by Elder Hyde:
The Temple at Nauvoo was dedicated this evening. Elders Orson Hyde, Wilford
Woodruff, John, Joseph, and Phineas H. Young, J. M. Bernhisel, J. L. Heywood,
and several others were present. Elder Joseph Young offered up the dedicatory prayer, dedicating the
Temple, and all that pertained thereto to the Lord, as an offering to Him as
an evidence of the willingness of His people, to fulfill His commandments, and
build His holy house, even at the risk of their lives, and the sacrifice of
all their labor and earthly goods. He prayed for the Twelve and all the
authorities of the Church, and for the workmen that had wrought upon the
Temple in the midst of persecution, want, and suffering, and for the
deliverance of the poor; that the Lord would direct the brethren of the Camp
of Israel, open the way before them and lead them to a place of His own
appointment for the gathering of all the Saints. That God would avenge the
blood of His servants the Prophets and of the Saints who had been slain for
the testimony of the truth and mete out to our enemies the same measure which
they had meted out to us. (Source: "Manuscript Records of the Nauvoo Temple.")
Holy and Everlasting Father, before Thee this morning we present
ourselves and acknowledge Thy mercy that has been extended to us since
we have been on Thy footstool, and for this opportunity of dedicating this
house. We thank Thee that Thou hast given us strength to accomplish the
charges delivered by Thee. Forgive us our sins and the sins of thy people.
Thou hast seen our labors and exertions to accomplish this purpose. By
the authority of the Holy Priesthood now we offer this building as a sanctuary
to Thy Worthy Name. We ask Thee to take the guardianship into Thy hands
and grant that Thy Spirit shall dwell here and may all feel a sacred influence
on their hearts that His Hand has helped this work. Accept of our offering
this morning, and that soul that blesses this temple let blessings rest
on his posterity to the latest generation, and that soul that shall practice
evil against this temple and Thy House, set Thy face against him and let
evil take the portion of his inheritance. Administer to Thy people and
let Thy honor and glory fall on our heads, not in the eyes of men but in
the day when the world shall become Thy dominion. May we have the honor
to tune the lyre that Thou hast redeemed us from every nation and made
us holy and pure and that we have washed our robes and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb. It must needs be that offenses come, we offer
it as the fruit of our labors and may the oppression under which they groaned
be to our good. We ask that the angel of mercy may be round about this
temple and that light may descend upon us and let us pass to the courts
of the heavenly. Let Thy Spirit rest upon those who have contributed to
the building of this temple, the laborers on it that they may come forth
to receive kingdoms and dominions and glory and immortal power. Accept
of us we pray Thee, inspire every bosom to do Thy will, cause that truth
may lead them for the glorious coming of the Son of God when you come in
the name of the King, the Lord of Hosts shall be the King. Gather us in
Thy Kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen. (Thomas Bullock, Minutes
of the Dedication of the Nauvoo Temple. Historic Sites File. Church Historical
Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.)