Following is the full text of the dedicatory prayer for the Boston Massachusetts Temple given by President Gordon B. Hinckley on October 1, 2000.
Almighty Father, Thou great Elohim who presides over the universe and sits in judgment on the nations, in humility and with solemn reverence we bow before Thee on this historic day.
We are assembled to dedicate this Thy holy house. It is a special occasion. This temple becomes the 100th operating temple of Thy Church.
We have looked forward to this occasion. We have prayed for this day. We extend our gratitude to all who have labored so faithfully and diligently, often in the face of serious opposition, to bring to pass the miracle of the completion of this temple.
To us it is indeed a miracle. The ground on which it stands, the circumstances of its preservation for this use, and the decision to build it here—all are miracles unto those who have been a part of this process.
Now it is ready for the purposes for which it has been constructed. We are deeply grateful. We thank Thee for Thy marvelous and overruling actions which have made all of this possible.
And now, acting in the authority of the holy priesthood, even the fulness of the priesthood, and in the name of Thine Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, we dedicate unto Thee and unto Him this the Boston Massachusetts Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Dear Father, please accept it as the gift of our hearts and hands. We present it with love for Thee and for Thy precious Son. We pray that Thou wilt bless it with the presence of Thy Holy Spirit. May it ever be sacred unto Thy people. May even those not of our faith look upon it as a hallowed structure, and do so with respect. Save it from the hands of evil men. May neither the vandal nor the destroyer be inclined to damage it or deface it in any way.
O God, the Eternal Father, we acknowledge Thine intervening hand in holding back the adversary in his machinations to delay and stop the construction of this sacred house. Thy Church has prevailed in the courts, and we pray that it will yet prevail. We pray that those who have been bitterly opposed may experience a change of feeling. May their hearts be softened. Wilt Thou touch them by Thy Holy Spirit, that their animosity may turn to gratitude and that their fears may fade as they contemplate, according to their knowledge, the true significance of this House of the Lord.
We are grateful that so many have come to view it, and we pray that a remembrance of this experience may remain with them always, to soften their feelings and lead them in the direction of Thine eternal work for which this house has been designed.
The building has no steeple. We dedicate it as being complete, but pray that the way may be opened for the placement of a steeple with the crowning figure of Moroni, Thine ancient prophet.
Save this house, we pray, from the destructive forces of nature. May it stand against the storm, the wind and the rain, the frost of winter and the heat of summer.
We dedicate the building from the footings to the roof, the walls and the windows, the surrounding grounds, including their parking areas, the grass and the shrubs, the trees and the flowers.
We dedicate the beautiful Baptistry, the endowment rooms, the magnificent celestial room, the sealing rooms with their sacred altars, the halls, the offices, and every other facility and feature of this Thine abode. We consecrate it, and sing forth anthems of holiness to the Lord whose house this now is.
We pray that all who enter may do so with reverence and respect. We pray that they may here serve with love for Thee and with appreciation for Thy great plan for the eternal happiness of Thy children.
Bless the temple presidency, the matron and assistants to the matron, and all who will serve in administering the ordinances of Thy house and in carrying on its various activities.
We pray that Thy people in this temple district may make themselves worthy of every blessing to be found here. May they come, pure in heart and clean in hand, to the House of the Lord with gratitude in their hearts for the marvelous blessings to be gained here. May they be endowed with power from on high and be granted a knowledge of things sacred and divine. May the covenants which they make be binding upon them. Keep them always in the way they should walk. May they sense the wonders of the blessings of eternity to be gained here and here alone.
May nothing less than marriage in Thy holy house, under the authority of the everlasting priesthood, be acceptable unto Thy sons and daughters. May they never forget the sanctity nor hold lightly the importance of the marriage covenant here entered into.
We pray that the presence of this house may give impetus to the work of Thy people in seeking their kindred dead and doing for them that which they cannot do for themselves. May their work for those beyond the veil bring joy into the hearts of all who shall here serve as proxies in behalf of the deceased.
Now, Father, we thank Thee for this land in which we live and for the soil upon which this temple stands. In this area were enacted many of the historic events of the founding of our republic. As was spoken at Kirtland by the Prophet Joseph: "Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the nations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever" (D&C 109:54). Bless Thy work in this nation and throughout the earth that it may grow and prosper, that none shall stay its progress, that the forces of evil shall fall before it, that righteousness may be its watch word, and faith its method. May it "come forth out of the wilderness of darkness, and shine forth fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners" (D&C 109:73).
Bless those who preside in Thy kingdom. May they walk acceptably before Thee, extending love and receiving it from Thy faithful Saints. Bless Thy people everywhere. Hear their prayers. Fortify their homes against the forces of evil. May their sons and daughters grow in righteousness and with faith in Thee. May they be honored and respected among their associates wherever they may find themselves. Bless them to be neighborly and kind, friendly and helpful. May love and peace dwell in the homes of Thy Saints. May they look to Thee and live.
Dear Father, we feel so deeply grateful on this sacred day. Accept of our love. Smile with favor upon us. Grant us that peace which passeth all understanding. Prosper us in our labors in righteousness. May we walk always in Thy light and in obedience to Thy will, we humbly pray in the name of Him who is our Redeemer, our Savior, and our Lord, even Jesus Christ, amen.
