Temple cornerstone ceremonies discontinued

[JAHS]

Temple cornerstone ceremonies discontinued

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that cornerstone ceremonies have been discontinued as a part of temple dedications.

The brief statement issued by the First Presidency reads:

“Construction techniques have advanced to the point that cornerstones are no longer included in large buildings. Therefore, temple cornerstone ceremonies will no longer be part of temple dedications.

The statement was first published on ChurchofJesusChrist.org on Saturday, June 17, the day before the dedication of the Helena Montana Temple.

________________________________

Not sure why it has to do with "construction techniques". Seems like it was more of a ceremony than anything having to do with construction. In earlier days it marked the beginning of the building of the temple, and it provided for time capsules to be placed in the temple to preserve some history of the building and events of the world and church at the time they were built. But I guess all that can be done electronically now.

Edited June 17, 2023 by JAHS

[Calm]

What has been the process in the past?  Was there a separate groundbreaking or site dedication or what that the same thing?

[JAHS]

49 minutes ago, Calm said:

What has been the process in the past?  Was there a separate groundbreaking or site dedication or what that the same thing?

Normally the cornerstone ceremony has happened at the same time and just prior to the temple dedication.
The general authority who gives the dedicatory prayer also leads the cornerstone ceremony.

Site Dedication and groundbreaking ceremonies happen at the same time.

[Calm]

I am glad to hear I was not completely oblivious as I have noticed groundbreaking ceremonies most of the time.

I assume they will still hold the groundbreaking ceremonies then.  I will be quite shocked if that discontinues as that seems doctrinal to me….whether it is or not, lol.

[JAHS]

33 minutes ago, Calm said:

I am glad to hear I was not completely oblivious as I have noticed groundbreaking ceremonies most of the time.

I assume they will still hold the groundbreaking ceremonies then.  I will be quite shocked if that discontinues as that seems doctrinal to me….whether it is or not, lol.

I would say groundbreaking ceremonies are mostly traditional rather than doctrinal. Dedicating the site for a temple might be doctrinal since we have been told that the prophet Moroni dedicated the site for the Manti Utah temple.
Brigham Young said, “Here is the spot where the Prophet Moroni stood and dedicated this piece of land for a temple site, and that is the reason why the location is made here, and we can’t move it from this spot.”

[webbles]

4 hours ago, JAHS said:

Temple cornerstone ceremonies discontinued

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that cornerstone ceremonies have been discontinued as a part of temple dedications.

The brief statement issued by the First Presidency reads:

“Construction techniques have advanced to the point that cornerstones are no longer included in large buildings. Therefore, temple cornerstone ceremonies will no longer be part of temple dedications.

The statement was first published on ChurchofJesusChrist.org on Saturday, June 17, the day before the dedication of the Helena Montana Temple.

________________________________

Not sure why it has to do with "construction techniques". Seems like it was more of a ceremony than anything having to do with construction. In earlier days it marked the beginning of the building of the temple, and it provided for time capsules to be placed in the temple to preserve some history of the building and events of the world and church at the time they were built. But I guess all that can be done electronically now.

The cornerstone ceremony always confused me.  The cornerstone is supposed to be the first stone in the construction but the cornerstone ceremony (at least for modern temples) is done at the very end during the dedication.  So, they can't be placing a cornerstone at that time as the temple is already built.  What did they did in the cornerstone ceremony if the temple is already fully built?  I've never been a part of one but what I've seen in videos is the presiding authority putting some cement around the stone, so it looks more like a capstone ceremony instead of a cornerstone ceremony.

[JAHS]

50 minutes ago, webbles said:

The cornerstone ceremony always confused me.  The cornerstone is supposed to be the first stone in the construction but the cornerstone ceremony (at least for modern temples) is done at the very end during the dedication.  So, they can't be placing a cornerstone at that time as the temple is already built.  What did they did in the cornerstone ceremony if the temple is already fully built?  I've never been a part of one but what I've seen in videos is the presiding authority putting some cement around the stone, so it looks more like a capstone ceremony instead of a cornerstone ceremony.

It's not a stone that is meant to provide support for the temple, but an opening in the foundation that can accommodate a time capsule that contains the mementos and other things that are put in to it. What the cornerstone ceremony involves is the sealing of that box into the foundation with a cover stone with mortar. See the link for an example.
Laying the Cornerstone of the Temple in West Africa

[CV75]

3 hours ago, JAHS said:

It's not a stone that is meant to provide support for the temple, but an opening in the foundation that can accommodate a time capsule that contains the mementos and other things that are put in to it. What the cornerstone ceremony involves is the sealing of that box into the foundation with a cover stone with mortar. See the link for an example.
Laying the Cornerstone of the Temple in West Africa

Then that would be more properly called a cover stone ceremony, especially when there is no cornerstone.

[JAHS]

1 hour ago, CV75 said:

Then that would be more properly called a cover stone ceremony, especially when there is no cornerstone.

 

[Calm]

This is what I think of when I hear of a cornerstone ceremony.  Theodore Turley is a great-great….and I grew up reading some of his journals.  When I went to BYU, I went to Special Collections and had them copy all they had for me in case I missed something.

https://ldsblogs.com/44717/theodore-turley-far-west-prophecy
 

Quote

Early on the morning of the 26th of April–the day mentioned in the revelation–a conference was held, 31 persons were cut off from the Church, and the Apostles and Saints proceeded to the building spot of the Lord’s house. Elder Cutler, the master workman of the house, then recommenced laying the foundation, agreeable to revelation, by rolling up a large stone near the southeast corner.

Seven of the Twelve Apostles were present. They then sang ‘Adam-ondi-Ahman;’ after which they took leave of eighteen Saints, agreeable to the revelation. The conference was then adjourned.

Been awhile though since that was the process.  

[Duncan]

I've been involved in a cornerstone ceremony. This was for our temple when it was dedicated in 2021. It is actually three parts. The first part is the putting of the historical memorabilia (for lack of a better word) in the box and it get sealed in the cornerstone. Some could say it is a coverstone ceremony and it  far less ceremonious than the cornerstone ceremony. The cornerstone ceremony is usually held the day before the actual dedication of the temple, but not always. This is the bigger event where the visiting leaders of the church, invited guests, kids put mortar on the cornerstone, this is the one that you typically see in the Church News. They have the stone, with the date of the temple dedication put in place to cover the historical box and the corner of the temple. Then the third and final event is not really an event per se it is when the construction people blast out all the mortar that was put in when they had the cornerstone ceremony and people who know what they are doing actually put the cornerstone in place, this is usually the day after the temple dedication. It depends on how big the temple is and how many dedicatory sessions it has as to when that happens

[Calm]

That third part cracks me up.

[JAHS]

2 hours ago, Calm said:

That third part cracks me up.

 

 

[The Nehor]

On 6/19/2023 at 8:55 AM, Duncan said:

I've been involved in a cornerstone ceremony. This was for our temple when it was dedicated in 2021. It is actually three parts. The first part is the putting of the historical memorabilia (for lack of a better word) in the box and it get sealed in the cornerstone. Some could say it is a coverstone ceremony and it  far less ceremonious than the cornerstone ceremony. The cornerstone ceremony is usually held the day before the actual dedication of the temple, but not always. This is the bigger event where the visiting leaders of the church, invited guests, kids put mortar on the cornerstone, this is the one that you typically see in the Church News. They have the stone, with the date of the temple dedication put in place to cover the historical box and the corner of the temple. Then the third and final event is not really an event per se it is when the construction people blast out all the mortar that was put in when they had the cornerstone ceremony and people who know what they are doing actually put the cornerstone in place, this is usually the day after the temple dedication. It depends on how big the temple is and how many dedicatory sessions it has as to when that happens

And now that the incompetents have put on their show of “helping” we should fix this before the whole building collapses.