After this a dedicatory hymn, composed by Elder Charles L. Walker, was sung. The vast audience then moved on to the main room above the font, where a prayer of dedication was offered by Apostle Erastus Snow. The sealing room was dedicated by Apostle Brigham Young, Jr. In the assembly room President Young, who had been carried from one apartment to another because of rheumatism, now arose before the vast assembly and spoke in part as follows: "I cannot consent in my feelings to retire from this house without speaking to this people. Perhaps it would not be prudent to say all I have it in my heart to say to those assembled. I will say a few encouraging things to the Latter-day Saints. We are enjoying to-day a privilege which but few have enjoyed since the days of Adam. Solomon built a temple for the performance of certain ordinances, but through apostasy little was accomplished therein. I will not say that Enoch had not temples in which he officiated. His people became so perfect that the Lord took them to another place that removed them from the presence of the wicked.
"The Latter-day Saints have been laboring for over forty years in accordance with the revelations of the Lord to Joseph Smith, who was commanded to establish the kingdom by gathering the Saints, by building temples, by organizing the people as a heavenly family upon the earth. We built a temple at Kirtland and one in Nauvoo. Joseph located the site for one in Jackson County and for another in Far West, Missouri. From these we were driven by ruthless mobs; now we have a Temple which will be completely finished in a few days. There is enough now completed to commence work. Those who can see the spiritual atmosphere can see that many are still glued to the earth. They are lusting and longing for the things of this world, in which there is no profit. While we ought to look after temporal things, we should devote them all to the Kingdom of God. Where are the hearts of this people; where are their forefathers? What are they doing for their own salvation and for that of their forefathers? If we were awake to this great truth, this house would be crowded from Monday morning until Saturday night. This Temple has been built in a warm climate, where the people, including the Lamanites, can come in the winter and labor for their salvation and that of their progenitors. What do you suppose the fathers would say if they could speak from the dead? Would they not say: 'We have lain here thousands of years in this prison house, bound and fettered in the association of the filthy and corrupt.' If they had the power the very thunders of heaven would resound in our ears. All the angels in heaven are looking to this little handful of people. When I think upon this subject I want the tongue of seven thunders to awaken the people to action. When we closed the Endowment House many of the people of the north came to us crying. They begged the privilege to be baptized for their dead. They can now come here, do the work and bid the prisoners go free. I shall never be satisfied until Satan is conquered and driven from the face of the earth." When he made this last remark, he struck the pulpit with a hickory cane and drove the knots of it into the wood. The indentations of the cane still remain upon the pulpit.
Upon the close of the dedication, Wilford Woodruff was appointed to preside over the work in the Temple. This appointment was a most fitting one in view of the spirit of Elijah which had always rested upon him. He worked for many years in the Endowment House in Salt Lake. He was familiar with the ordinances and instructions which belong to the House of God. His whole soul was wrapped up in the temple work for both the living and the dead. Within the walls of a sacred edifice, such as a temple, he found comfort, joy, and consolation. Such work was more important in his mind than public honors, and the station and honors that come from the world. The first to be baptized and confirmed in the new Temple was Sister Susa Young Gates, who preserved for the pages of history in stenographic report a voluminous record of the dedication.
The opening day, two hundred and twenty-four baptisms were performed. Those whose services as administrators in the Temple were given, were Elders John D. T. McAllister, Alonzo Raleigh, and Henry W. Bigler.
March 1st of that year witnessed his seventieth anniversary. On that occasion one hundred and fifty-four maidens and mothers in Israel assembled in the Temple to receive endowments for the dead female relatives of Wilford Woodruff. The address delivered to those gathered on that occasion is given in his journal as follows: "My beloved sisters, I present myself before you this morning, not only with prayer and fasting, but with a heart filled with praise and thanksgiving to my Heavenly Father, for His many mercies and for His kindness to me this day. I am thankful to you also, my sisters, for a blessing of such magnitude as you are bestowing upon me. I do not suppose such a scene as this was ever before enacted upon the earth. Ever since I have been working in this Temple, my mind has been exercised in behalf of the dead. I have a great desire to see my dead redeemed before I pass away.
"A few days ago I went before the Lord in this holy Temple, where I often go to pray. There is no more acceptable spot on this earth to the Lord than this Temple. While in humble prayer, with the subject of temple ordinances resting upon my mind, I prayed the Lord to open the way for the redemption of my dead. The spirit of the Lord rested upon me and gave me the following testimony: 'Let My servant Wilford call upon the daughters and mothers in Zion, and let them enter into My holy Temple on the 1st day of March, the day that My servant Wilford shall see the time allotted to man, three score years and ten. There let them receive their endowments for his dead kindred, and this shall be acceptable unto me, saith the Lord. The dead relatives of My servant shall be redeemed in the spirit world and be prepared to meet My servant at the time of his coming, which shall be at the time appointed unto him, yet not revealed to man in the flesh. Now, go to and perform this work and all shall be accomplished according to the desires of thy heart.'
"This was merely a key to me, a light burst upon my understanding, and I saw an effectual door opened to me for the redemption of my dead. When I beheld this I felt like shouting, 'Glory hallelujah to God and the Lamb.' I did not pursue this course, however, without first making known my testimony to President Young. Upon consulting him, he said that my course was proper; what I did was right; and what I received came from the Lord. He offered to provide several persons himself. In the assembly on this occasion were three of his wives and five of his daughters. I feel thankful to you, my sisters, for this manifestation of your kindness to me. Had you sought the world over you could not have found a birthday present so precious to me as this. If I can redeem my dead and save myself and family I shall be highly gratified. I feel that when we get into the spirit world, we shall see the importance of this day. I pray that we may meet with our kindred dead in the Celestial Kingdom of our God."
Late in the afternoon, at the close of the Temple services, Apostle Woodruff was escorted to St. George Hall, where he was greeted by the large assembly of more than one hundred, who were to join with him around the tables spread with the luxuries of life. The chief ornament of the tables was a three story cake adorned with suitable trimmings. On it were pieces of satin, containing poems composed for the occasion by home talent, Mrs. A. Randall, and Mrs. Emily B. Spencer.
Those were truly his brothers and sisters who in common with him enjoyed the spiritual life within the sacred precincts of God's house. Such manifestations of their love and confidence naturally touched him deeply and awakened within him the joys and satisfactions of the sincerest friendship.
Henceforth his temple work took on new pleasures and brighter hopes. He gave to the work his undiminished and undivided love. He felt the honor of his new calling and nothing that ever came to him in life gave him more supreme satisfaction.