Manifestation of wind and light at the Kirtland Temple dedication
Published October 11, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
On the evening of March 27, 1836, following the earlier dedication of the Kirtland Temple, a solemn meeting of 416 official members of the Church was held within the building. During this session, Joseph Smith instructed the congregation to exercise the spirit of prophecy without fear, promising that those who opened their mouths would receive the spirit. Shortly after, George A. Smith rose and began to prophesy. As he spoke, a sound resembling a rushing, mighty wind filled the entire temple. Instantly, the entire congregation was moved by an invisible power and rose to their feet. Many began to speak in tongues and prophesy, while others witnessed glorious visions. Joseph Smith himself testified that he beheld the temple filled with angels, a fact he declared to the congregation. The manifestation was so powerful that it drew the attention of the surrounding neighborhood. People from the vicinity came running to the site, having heard the unusual sound from within and having observed a brilliant, light-like pillar of fire resting upon the temple, and they were astonished at the extraordinary events transpiring inside.
In Their Own Words
“I gave them instruction in relation to the spirit of prophecy and called upon the congregation to speak, and not fear to prophesy good concerning the saints, for if you will not prophesy the world will not. I told them that the gift of prophecy was the testimony of Jesus. The gift of tongues by the power of the Holy Ghost in the Church, is for the benefit of the servants of God to preach to unbelievers, as on the day of Pentecost. I then called upon the congregation to rise, and not to fear to prophesy. 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; others saw glorious visions; and I beheld the Temple was filled with angels, which fact I declared to the congregation. 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 transpiring.”
— Joseph Smith, History of the Church, Vol. 2, pp. 427–428
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 30 May 1892 (Vol. 54, No. 22). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1892-05-30_54_22 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Additional sources (periodical research): Joseph Smith, Journal, 27 March 1836, in '“An Angel or Rather the Savior” at the Kirtland Temple Dedication: The Vision of Frederick G. Williams,' BYU Studies 56:1, 119. https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/an-angel-or-rather-the-savior-at-the-kirtland-temple-dedication-the-vision-of-frederick-g-williams; ChurchofJesusChristTemples.org, Kirtland Temple, https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/kirtland-temple Full first-person account: History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Period I, Vol. 2 https://archive.org/details/historyofchurcho02smitrich/page/427/mode/2up
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