selves was almost superhuman. Nevertheless, they considered the instruction to complete the building within the specified time to be verily the word of the Lord unto them, and they remembered the utterance of the ancient prophet, "I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."[1] The Saints regarded their act of voting to be equivalent to the affixing of their individual signatures to a note of promise. As to how well they met their obligation and kept their promise, let the achievement of the year speak.
The people had pledged themselves "collectively and individually to furnish as fast as it may be needed, all the money that may be required to complete the Temple at as early a time as possible, so that the dedication may take place on April 6, 1893." The pledge was met in full. Under date of April 21, 1892, the First Presidency issued a general epistle addressed to the Latter-day Saints in Zion and throughout the world, directing that the people gather in their places of worship on Sunday, the first day of May, and devote the day to solemn fasting and prayer. To this call the people responded faithfully. Mingled with their thanksgiving for the manifold blessings of the past, were fervent supplications for success in the work of completing the Lord's House within the time prescribed.[2]
In the work of finishing the Temple, it was all-important that there be a competent, responsible man in charge,
- ↑ See Book of Mormon, I Nephi 3:7.
- ↑ For the epistle in full, see "Contributor," Vol. XIV, pp. 280-281.
