London Temple
Dedicatory Prayer

 
God, our Heavenly Father, Thou who hast created all things, 
whose plans, infinite and progressive, ever serve to foster closer 
relationship between Thee and the human family. We, Thy children, 
assemble before Thee this day in gratitude and praise.
 
Thou hast said that Thy work and Thy glory is "to bring to pass the 
immortality and eternal life of man." Therefore, human beings are 
engaged in life's highest activity when they cooperate with Thee in 
bringing about this consummation. Earth with its barren rocks and 
saline seas and lifeless planetary systems would be purposeless 
without the creation of intelligent human beings. Only in their creation 
and eternal destiny do we find the answer to the question:
 
"What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of Man, that 
Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the 
angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour."
 
Plainly Thy glory is not in lifeless formations, but in the "immortality 
and eternal life of man." Temples are but one means of man's 
cooperation with Thee in accomplishing this divine purpose.
 
On the occasion of the dedication of this, the fourteenth temple, may 
we first express overwhelming gratitude just to be alive in this great 
age of the world. We pause this morning to open our hearts to Thee 
for this special privilege. No other time in world history has been so 
wonderful - no other age wherein Thy secret powers have been more 
within human control; in no other era hath Thy purposes been nearer 
human comprehension. Help us, O Lord, truly to live!
 
Next to life we express gratitude for the gift of free agency. When 
Thou didst create man, Thou placed within him part of Thine 
omnipotence and bade him choose for himself. Liberty and conscience 
thus became a sacred part of human nature. Freedom not only to think, 
but to speak and to act is a God-given privilege.
 
Thou didst inspire Thy servant Brigham Young to say, "Every man's 
independence is sacred to him - it is a portion of that same Deity that 
rules in the heavens. There is not a being upon the face of the earth who 
is made in the image of God, who stands erect and is organised as God 
is, that should be deprived of the free exercise of his agency so far as he 
does not infringe upon others' rights save by good advice and good 
example."
 
Personal liberty is the paramount essential to human dignity and human 
happiness. Down through the ages men have been free to accept or to 
reject Thy righteous plan. History records how many have yielded 
to the enticements of the flesh, and how few, comparatively 
speaking, have followed the path of light and truth that leads to 
happiness and eternal life! But Thy mercy, Thy wisdom, Thy love 
are infinite; and in dispensations past Thou hast pleaded, as Thou 
dost now plead, through chosen and authoritatively appointed 
servants, for Thy erring children to heed the gospel message and 
come to Thee. Holy temples are a means of extending Thy loving 
mercy to Thy children even beyond the grave.
 
When in the Middle Ages the church departed from Christ's teachings 
Thou didst inspire honest, upright men here in Great Britain to raise 
their voices against corrupt practices. Mingling with the denunciatory 
messages of Luther and Melanchthon in Germany, and Swingli in 
Switzerland, were the voices of George Wishart and later John Knox 
of Scotland. We thank Thee that before the scorching flames silenced 
his tongue and reduced his body to ashes Thou didst permit George 
Wishart to glimpse that "This realm shall be illuminated with the light 
of Christ's evangel, as clearly as ever was any realm since the days of 
the apostles. The house of God shall be builded in it; yea, it shall not 
lack the very copestone."
 
Much clearer was the inspiration given President Wilford Woodruff, 
and President Joseph Smith, and other more recent apostles, who 
stated prophetically that "Temples of God...will be erected in the divers 
countries of the earth," and that "Temples will appear all over the land 
of Joseph--North and South America- -and also in Europe and elsewhere; 
and all the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, who received not 
the gospel in the flesh, must be officiated for in the temples of God 
before the Saviour can present the kingdom to the Father, saying 
'It is finished.'"
 
We are grateful that in 1837 and 1840 authorised messengers were 
sent to Great Britain to announce to the people of the British Isles that 
God had again spoken from the heavens and re- established in its purity 
and fulness the gospel of Jesus Christ; that thousands accepted the 
message and subsequently emigrated to the headquarters of the Church. 
We thank Thee that Thou, Great Elohim, and Jehovah, Thy Beloved 
Son, answered the fervent appeal of the lad Joseph Smith, and through 
subsequent administrations of angels enabled and authorised him to 
organise the Church of Jesus Christ in its completeness with apostles, 
prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc., as it was established in the 
days of the Saviour and the apostles in the Meridian of Time.
 
In keeping with the unwavering truth that Thy Church must be established 
by divine authority, Thou didst send heavenly messengers to confer upon 
the Prophet Joseph Smith and others the Aaronic and Melchizedek 
Priesthoods, and subsequently all the keys of the priesthood ever held by 
Thy prophets from Adam, the Ancient of Days, through Abraham and 
Moses, Malachi and Elijah, with authority to "turn the heart of the fathers 
to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" down to the 
latest generation. For this consistency, and completeness of restoration 
of authority, we express gratitude on this occasion and praise Thy holy 
name.
 
We express gratitude to Thee for the leaders of Thy Church from the 
Prophet Joseph Smith through the years to the present General 
Authorities--The First Presidency, the Council of the Twelve Apostles, 
the Assistants to the Twelve, the Patriarch to the Church, the First 
Council of the Seventy, the Presiding Bishopric.
 
With humility and deep gratitude we acknowledge Thy nearness, Thy 
divine guidance and inspiration. Help us, we pray Thee, to become 
even more susceptible in our spiritual response to Thee.
 
Bless the presidencies of stakes, high councils, presidencies of missions, 
bishoprics of wards, presidencies of branches, presidencies of quorums, 
superintendencies, and presidencies of auxiliary associations throughout 
the world--make them keenly aware of the fact that they are trusted leaders, 
and that they are to hold sacred that trust as they treasure their lives. 
We are grateful that the members of the Church recognise that the 
payment of tithes and offerings brings blessings and makes possible 
the proclamation of the gospel to the ends of the world, and 
contributes to the carrying out of Thy purposes through the building 
of chapels, tabernacles, and eventually temples wherever the Church 
is organised in all lands and climes.
 
It is fitting that we express appreciation of the signing of the Magna 
Carta in the County of Surrey, the same county in which we meet 
today wherein the promise is given that no freeman shall be taken 
or imprisoned or disseised or outlawed or exiled...without proper 
trial by his peers or by the law of the land.
 
This protection of the individual is in keeping with Thy divine will; 
and any group of men who advocate an ideology that would deprive 
man of this individual right and heritage and make him a vassal of the 
state stamp themselves at once as enemies of Thy divine purposes. 
We express gratitude for the right of free peoples to resort to the ballot, 
and for freedom to meet in legislative halls to consider problems and 
settle difficulties without fear or coercion of dictators, of secret police, 
or of slave camps. O Father, help people everywhere more clearly to 
realise that government exists for the protection of the individual, not 
the individual for the government.
 
Bless, we beseech Thee, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the II, the 
Houses of Parliament, and all branches of government throughout 
her Majesty's realm, that the high reputation of this great government 
for the proper and just enforcement of law may continue to be 
meritoriously maintained.
 
May the United States government with Great Britain, her Dominions, 
and freedom-loving countries everywhere, including South American 
republics, hold so sacredly the principles of self-government, and give 
to their peoples such enjoyment of peace, tranquillity, and opportunities 
for progress as will make communistic governments of dictatorship, of 
mock trials, of unjust imprisonment, of enforced tyranny, so universally 
reprehensible as to be discarded forever by liberty-loving peoples.
 
That peace may eventually prevail, Thou hast again restored in its 
fulness the gospel, and established authoritatively the Church of Jesus 
Christ. Even so, there are millions who are being influenced by false 
ideologies which are disturbing the peace of mind and distorting the 
thinking of honest men and women. O Lord, guide and protect Thy 
messengers in their efforts to convince honest people in all lands and 
climes that Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth, and the light" and that 
"there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby 
we must be saved."
 
Bless well-meaning men in all climes as they strive to hasten the day 
when men will renounce contention and strife and desire to use the 
great nuclear discoveries of the present day not for war and destruction, 
but for peace and spiritual advancement. To this end, we beseech 
Thee to influence leaders of nations that their minds may be averse to 
war, their hearts cleansed from prejudice, suspicion, and hate, and 
filled with a desire for peace and goodwill.
 
While his body lay in the tomb, Christ, Thy Beloved Son, preached to 
the spirits in prison who once were disobedient in the days of Noah, 
thus evidencing that those who have passed beyond the veil must also 
hear the word of God and obey the eternal principles of life and 
salvation.
 
Temples are built to Thy holy name as a means of uniting Thy people, 
living and dead, in bonds of faith, of peace, and of love throughout 
eternity.
 
Help all, O Father, to realise more keenly and sincerely than ever 
before that only by obedience to eternal principles and ordinances of 
the gospel of Jesus Christ may loved ones who died without baptism 
be permitted the glorious privilege of entrance into Thy kingdom. 
Increase our desire, therefore, to put forth even greater effort toward 
the consummation of Thy purposes.
 
To this end, by the authority of the Holy Priesthood, we dedicate this, 
the London Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints, 
and consecrate and set it apart for the sacred purposes for which it 
has been erected. We ask Thee to accept this edifice and to guard it 
from foundation to tower. Protect it from earthquakes, tempestuous 
storms, or other devastating holocausts. We dedicate the ground on 
which it stands and by which it is surrounded. May the baptismal font, 
the ordinance rooms, and especially the sealing rooms be kept holy 
that Thy spirit may be ever present to comfort and to inspire.
 
Bless the persons who are charged to look after all mechanical 
installations and fixtures that they may do so skilfully, faithfully, and 
reverently. Bless the president of the temple and his wife as matron. 
Let humility temper their feelings; wisdom, and kind consideration 
guide their actions. May they, and others, who will be appointed as 
assistants and custodians, maintain an atmosphere of cleanliness and 
holiness in every room. Let no unclean person or thing ever enter 
herein; for, "my spirit," sayeth the Lord, "will not dwell in unclean 
tabernacles"; neither will it remain in a house where selfish, arrogant, 
or unwholesome thoughts abide.
 
Therefore may all who enter this holy temple come with clean hands 
and pure hearts that Thy Holy Spirit may ever be present to comfort,
to inspire, and to bless.
 
If any with gloomy forebodings or heavy hearts enter, may they depart 
with their burdens lightened and their faith increased; if any have envy 
or bitterness in their hearts, may such feelings be replaced by self-
searching and forgiveness. May all who come within these sacred walls 
feel a peaceful, hallowed influence. Cause, O Lord, that even people 
who pass the grounds, or view the temple from afar, may lift their eyes 
from the grovelling things of sordid life and look up to Thee and 
acknowledge Thy providence.
 
Through love for Thee, our Heavenly Father, and their fellow men, 
faithful members of Thy Church, and others who believe in Thee, have 
made possible by tithes and other generous contributions the erection 
and completion of this Thy holy house. Accept of our offering, hallow it 
by Thy presence, protect it by Thy power.
 
With this prayer we re-dedicate our lives to the establishment of the 
kingdom of God on earth for the peace of the world, and to Thy glory 
forever, in the name of Thy Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.