Kanesville Tabernacle Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States of America

The Kanesville Tabernacle was where Brigham Young was sustained as the second Presi- dent and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The tabernacle was construct- ed for the purpose of housing as many people as possible for a conference in December 1847 to re- organize the First Presidency of the Church. The conference was postponed so that a building large enough could be constructed. The tabernacle, was constructed in three weeks with the help of 200 men, as was believed to have been the largest log structure in the world.1 After its completion, the First Presidency was re- organized on December 27, 1847 with Brigham The Reconstructed Kanesville Tabernacle Young as President and Prophet of the Church Photo courtesy of Alexander L. Baugh with over 1,000 people in attendance. Also, in 1848, upon his return to the Church, Oliver Cowdery Oliver Cowdery’s Testimony Given spoke to largely gathered number of people in the at Kanesville, Iowa1 tabernacle; he “bore a strong testimony to the au- thenticity of the Book of Mormon, and declared that an angel conferred the Priesthood on Joseph “Friends and Brethren—My name is Smith and himself.”2 Cowdery, Oliver Cowdery. In the early history of The original tabernacle was dismantled in this Church I stood identified with her, and one in 1849 because of damage by the spring runoffs; her councils. True it is that the gifts and callings the current structure is a replica. President Gor- of God are without repentance; not because I was don B. Hinckley dedicated the rebuilt Kanesville better then the rest of mankind was I called; but to Tabernacle on July 13, 1996. It now serves as a fulfil the purposes of God, He called me to a high visitor center for people to learn about the Saints and holy calling. migration west to the Salt Lake Valley. “I wrote, with my own pen, the entire Book of Mormon (save a few pages) as it fell from the SOURCES lips of the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he translated it by the gift and power of God, by the means of 1 “Tabernacle of Log Replicated, Dedicated: ‘Herculean the Urim and Thummim, or, as it is called by that Task’ of First Building Done in 3 Weeks,” LDS Church book, “holy interpreters.” I beheld with my eyes, News, July 20, 1996, Z3. and handled with my hands, the gold plates from which it was transcribed. I also saw with my eyes 2 Richard E. Bennett, We’ll Find the Place: The Mormon Exodus and handled with my hands the ‘holy interpreters.’ 1846-1848 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1997), 325. That book is true. Sidney Rigdon did not write it; Mr. Spalding did not write it; I wrote it myself as it fell from the lips of the Prophet. It contains the Everlasting Gospel, and came forth to the children of men in fulfilment of the revelations of John, 2 Kanesville Tabernacle, Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States of America where he says he saw an angel come with the Ever- Visitor Information lasting Gospel to preach to every nation, kindred, tongue and people. It contains principles of salva- tion; and if you, my hearers, will walk by its light Address: and obey its precepts, you will be saved with an ev- 222 E. Broadway erlasting salvation in the kingdom of God on high. Council Bluffs, Iowa 51503 Brother Hyde has just said that it is very important (712) 322-0500 that we keep and walk in the true channel, in order to avoid the sandbars. This is true. The channel is Hours of Operation: here. The holy Priesthood is here. April 1- September 30 “I was present with Joseph when an holy 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM angel from God came down from heaven and October 1 - March 31 conferred on us, or restored, the lesser or Aaronic 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM Priesthood, and said to us, at the same time, that is should remain upon the earth while the earth Admission: stands. Free “I was also present with Joseph when the higher or Melchisedek Priesthood was conferred by holy angels from on high. This Priesthood we then conferred on each other, by the will and com- Further Reading Resources mandment of God. This Priesthood, as was then declared, is also to remain upon the earth until the last remnant of time. This holy Priesthood, or au- thority, we then conferred upon many, and is just William G. Hartley, “Pushing on to Zion: as good and valid as though God had done it in Kanesville, Iowa, 1846-1853,” Ensign, August person. 2002, Vol. 32, 14-23. “I laid my hands upon that man—yes, I laid Gail George Holmes, “The First Mormon Tab- my right hand upon his head (pointing to Broth- ernacle Is Rebuilt in Kanesville, Iowa,” Nauvoo er Hyde), and I conferred upon him this Priest- Journal, Fall 1996, Vol. 8, No. 2, 71-73. hood, and he holds that Priesthood now. He was Maurine Carr Ward and Fred E. Woods, “The also called through me, by the prayer of faith, an ‘Tabernacle Post Office’ Petition for the Saints Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.” of Kanesville, Iowa,” Mormon Historical Studies, Spring 2004, Vol. 5, No. 1, 149-93. SOURCES

1 Brian H. Stuy, ed., Collected Discourses, 5 vols. [Burbank, Calif., and Woodland Hills, Ut.: B.H.S. Publishing, 1987- 1992].