Kirtland Temple

Construction on the Kirtland Temple was started in 1833 and completed in 1836. It was the first place of temple worship built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Early History

The Kirtland Temple was dedicated on Sunday, March 27, 1836. Although the temple could hold almost a thousand people, not everyone that wanted to attend was able to fit inside the temple, so the dedicatory services were repeated on the following Thursday.

At the time that the temple was completed it was one of the largest buildings in Northern Ohio. It was also one of the more beautiful buildings in the area. Two sets of pulpits were put in on the ground floor, and the benches were made so that they could be turned to face either the front or back pulpit. Building the Kirtland temple was a huge sacrifice for the Latter-day Saints, but as recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 88:119, in December 1832, the Saints were commanded by God to build the temple. The members of the Church were poor though, and did not start work on the temple until six months after the commandment was given. The members of the Church were also instructed on how to build the temple (see Doctrine and Covenants 95:15). The members sacrificed much to build the temple. Men gave up working to earn money to work on the temple and women spent days sewing curtains, and making carpets for the temple. One member Daniel Tyler wrote in his journal:

How often have I seen those humble, faithful servants of the Lord, after toiling all day in the quarry, or on the building, when the walls were in [the] course of erection, weary and faint, yet with cheerful countenances, retiring to their homes with a few pounds of corn meal that had been donated. And, in the case of those who lacked a cow to give a little milk, the corn meal was sometimes, for days together, all that they and their families had to subsist upon. When a little flour, butter or meat came in, they were luxuries. Sometimes a little ... molasses ... would be donated, but oftener the hands had to seek a job elsewhere to get a gallon or so, and then return to the labor on the temple (quoted in Karl Ricks Anderson, "Joseph Smith’s Kirtland: Eyewitness Accounts," p. 161).

The Kirtland Temple was the first temple built in the "Last Dispensation of Time." A profound outpouring of the Spirit was manifest at the dedication and surrounding events:

The dedication of the Kirtland Temple in March of 1836 represented the greatest spiritual outpouring in modern Church history. Joseph wrote that, shortly after the dedicatory prayer was offered, “Frederick G. Williams arose and testified that [during the prayer] an angel entered the window and took his seat between Father Smith and himself. David Whitmer also saw angels in the house.”

Later, “Brother George A. Smith arose and began to prophesy, when a noise was heard like the sound of a rushing mighty wind, which filled the Temple, and all the congregation simultaneously arose, being moved upon by an invisible power; many began to speak in tongues and prophesy; . . . and I beheld that the Temple was filled with angels. . . . The people of the neighborhood came running together (hearing an unusual sound within, and seeing a bright light like a pillar of fire resting upon the Temple,) and were astonished at what was taking place.”

Of one of the concluding meetings, Joseph wrote, “The Savior made his appearance to some, while angels ministered to others, and it was a Pentecost and an endowment indeed, long to be remembered, for the sound shall go forth from this place into all the world, and occurrences of this day shall be handed down upon the pages of sacred history, to all generations.” (History of the Church, 2:427–33, as described by Bruce C. Hafen, “When Do the Angels Come?,” Ensign, Apr 1992, 12.)

Uses of the Temple

The temple was not used as Latter-day Saint temples are used today. The Kirtland Temple was used for numerous Church purposes. The main floor was used for Sabbath day and other worship services, the second floor was used as a school to teach people about doctrine, and the third floor was used as a school during the day and as a place for quorum meetings in the evening. It was also a sacred building—nearly half of all the sections (chapters) of the Doctrine and Covenants were received in Kirtland.

In the little more than a year that the Church of Jesus Christ operated the temple, some of the most remarkable spiritual experiences associated with the Church’s early founding occurred. Among the remarkable visitations included Jesus Christ, who visited in an event recorded in the Doctrine & Covenants section 110. During this visit [on April 3], Christ accepted the temple as His house. In addition, Moses and Elijah appeared. Moses gave Joseph Smith the priesthood power to gather Israel. Elijah gave Joseph Smith the priesthood power to seal families together. These two functions remain at the heart of the Church’s teaching and mission today.[1]

Change of Ownership

By 1838, there were disagreements and misunderstandings between Church members and residents of Kirtland. Members were eventually forced to leave Kirtland and the temple.

The Kirtland Temple was owned by the Community of Christ Church until March 5, 2024. The Community of Christ is formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a group that broke away from the Church of Jesus Christ when Brigham Young was named the president and prophet of the Church after Joseph Smith was martyred.

A joint statement from the Community of Christ and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was released on March 5, 2024:

Today, Tuesday, March 5, 2024, the responsibility and ownership for the Kirtland Temple, several historic buildings in Nauvoo, and various manuscripts and artifacts officially transferred from Community of Christ to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for an agreed-upon amount. Together, we share an interest in and reverence for these historic sites and items and are committed to preserving them for future generations.[2]

“We are deeply honored to assume the stewardship of these sacred places, documents, and artifacts,” said Russell M. Nelson, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “We thank our friends at Community of Christ for their great care and cooperation in preserving these historical treasures thus far. We are committed to doing the same.”[3]

Included in the transfer are original elements of the Kirtland temple, including an oval window frame, front door keystone and frame, stone arch, windows, and pieces of original stucco and sandstone.[4]

The great respect leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have for the Community of Christ and its leaders was on display during a news conference Wednesday, [March 6, 2024,] where Emily Utt [with the Historic Sites Division of the Church History Department] and two other Latter-day Saint historians talked about the Kirtland Temple purchase.

“This is one of the most sacred sites in the church and has been so beautifully and carefully cared for by some of the people that I admire most in the world,” Utt said. “I am excited at the possibility of helping take this building into its next chapter.”

“I have loved my relationship with Community of Christ,” Utt said. “Whenever I have visited and gone out and worked on these historic spaces that we’ve owned, I always call them and say, ‘Hey, I’m going to be crawling around a basement. Do you want to come with me and share what you know?’ And I will go crawl around their basements.

“So there’s been this beautiful, shared knowledge and understanding, and we’ve been learning a lot from each other.”

Utt . . . will be spending a lot of time examining and evaluating the Kirtland Temple and its preservation needs.

While the property has changed hands, she said she will continue to rely on Community of Christ leaders and historians. That includes Elder Lachlan Mackay, a Community of Christ apostle, its Historic Sites director and a great-great-great grandson of Joseph Smith.

“In the future, I won’t be able to do these buildings the justice they need without the help of the people that know this building so well,” she said. “I don’t know the Kirtland Temple as well as Lachlan Mackay, and if I want to do even half as good (of a) job as he’s done, he’s going to be on speed dial for me for the next 20 years, just to understand that place.

“I can’t imagine us not working with them to preserve these places moving forward.”[5]

The Kirtland Temple will remain an historic building. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints plans to reopen it March 25, 2024, for public tours at no charge.

External Links

• Kirtland Temple page
• Church News, "Church purchases Kirtland Temple, other historic buildings and artifacts from Community of Christ"
• Church History, "Kirtland Temple"
• Church News, "Read a timeline of the history The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Kirtland"
• Community of Christ's Kirtland Temple website