. . . I then made a short address and called upon the several quorums, and all the congregation of saints to acknowledge the Presidency as Prophets and Seers, and uphold them by their prayers, the all covenanted to do so by rising; I then called upon the quorums and congregation of saints to acknowledge the 12 Apostles who were present as Prophets and Seers and special witnesses to all the nations of the earth, holding the keys of the kingdom,1 to unlock it or cause it to be done among them; and uphold them by their prayers, which they assented to by rising . . . I next called upon the quorums and congregation of saints to acknowledge the Presidents of the seventys who act as their represent[at]ives as Apostles and special witnesses to the nations to assist the 12 in opening the gospel kingdom, among all people and to uphold them by their prayer's which they did by rising . . .
[after reading the dedicatory prayer] . . . I then bore testimony of the administering of angels. -
1. This marks a practice continued today: sustaining the Twelve Apostles as prophets and seers. The list was longer at this first instance, including special witnesses to all the nations of the earth and holders of the "keys of the kingdom" a phrase that would have different meanings in Smith's sermons, later including the possession of certain kinds of knowledge, i.e., the Nauvoo endowment ordinance.