--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Richards, George F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 33 number: 7 published: 1930-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "George F. Richards, “Latter-day Temples,” *Improvement Era* 33, no. 7 (May 1930): 470–473." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3307unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera3307unse start_page: 470 end_page: 473 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1930-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3307unse publication_year: 1930 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1930, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Latter-day Temples Latter-day Temples By GEORGE F. RICHARDS Of the Council of the Twelve and President of the Salt hake Temple FANATICISM! With this flippant word many thought- less people answer the ques- tion: Why do "Mormons" "build temples? Unprejudiced men acquainted with the beliefs which impel the Latter-day Saints to erect such edifices and make countless other sacrifices absolve them from this charge. As a matter of fact, the accusation of stressing temporal things too much is quite as com- mon as the other. A fanaticism resulting in the construction of temples which considering the time in which they were built indicated outstanding skill and workmanship, is not compatible with the practical qual- ities exhibited by this people, qual- ities which gave them the vision of fruitful lands wrought out of a desolate and forbidding wilderness. "DESIDES, fanaticism is not a quality which a large group can transmit from one generation to another, particularly in an age when the determination to think for one's self is so rampant. And Latter-day Saints of the third, fourth and fifth generations engage in temple building and temple work with the same ardor as did those of the first. This motivating power is found in their interpreta- tion of the prophet Malachi's dec- laration as quoted to Joseph Smith by the Angel Moroni: "And he [Elijah] shall plant in the hearts of the children the promise made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers. If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming." These words, together with explanations and command- ments given in this day by our Lord, convince Latter-day Saints that temple ordinances are necessary to exaltation, that family ties to endure beyond this life must be made by authority and in places and in a manner acceptable to him. It is perhaps no exaggeration to say that one may search the annals of Biblical or secular history in vain for a more loyal devotion to principle than is seen in the erec- tion of these temples and the vol- untary work done therein. The Saints went about their tasks calmly though with untiring en- ergy. There was real drama and much that bordered on tragedy in the building of the first one, that at Kirtland, erected at a cost of $70,000. The people were in such poverty that every stone and piece of lumber going into its con- struction represented money which, judged humanly, should have been spent for food, shoes or clothing. V/TOBS were raging, not only 1 ■*■ about Kirtland, but in Mis- souri also their murderous hate was manifest. Some of the breth- ren were tarred and feathered. W. W. Phelps wrote from Clay County: "Our clothes are worn out; we want the necessaries of life, and shall we lease, buy, or other- wise obtain land where we are, to till that we may raise enough to eat?" Weary men who had toiled long hours with hammer, saw or trowel, when a rifle had seemed more necessary, were obliged to The Author guard by night the work which had been accomplished so painfully by day, that it should not be des- troyed by malicious enemies. r. ' EORGE A. Smith hauled the ^ first load of stone for the Kirt- land temple, June 5, 1833, and on the same day Hyrum Smith and Reynolds Cahoon commenced ex- cavating for the foundation, a la- bor "which they finished with their own hands." Remember, the Church was then but three years old, scarcely out of its swaddling clothes, and the possessions of its members consisted almost solely of an unconquerable determination, inspired by faith, to accomplish the work designed to prepare mankind for the coming of the Lord. During this period there were some apostasies, among those too weak to endure the pressure being men heretofore prominent in the work; but their changed spirit, from one sweet and peaceful to the antithesis, convinced faithful mem- bers that their lot within the Church, in spite of difficulties, was more endurable than was that of those who had left the fold. "P\ID the prophetic leaders foresee ^ that they were not to retain possession of the building erected at such sacrifice? Perhaps not, but who can say? In inspired vision Joseph Smith saw his people driven from their homes and settle in the Rocky Mountains and, while he probably did not anticipate such a complete exodus, he voiced the pre- diction long before their expulsion from Illinois, August 6, 1842, to be exact. Some careful students of the rec- ord feel that the Prophet did not expect the entire people to leave Nauvoo. Perhaps so, and yet on one occasion, as he and some others were crossing the Mississippi, com- ment was made on the beauty of the city and their leader remarked with a smile that it was a beautiful "resting place." The Improvement Era for May, 1930 471 Notwithstanding the difficulties, the Kirtland temple was dedicated March 27, 1836, less than six years after the organization of the Church. The Almighty indicated his approval of his oppressed peo- ple by a marvelous outpouring of his spirit within the temple walls and by physical manifestations outside, a pillar of fire which appeared to hover over the building, and which brought in excited haste those living in the neighborhood. the profession. The Church leader settled the matter by saying: "I wish you to carry out my designs. I have seen in vision the splendid appearance of that building illumi- nated, and will have it built ac- cording to the pattern shown me." in the revelations. In July, 1831, the Lord designated the exact spot where a temple should be erected in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, and on August 3, 1871, Joseph Smith with several compan- ions assembled on the lot and he HTHE conditions under -*- which the Nauvoo temple was commenced were some- what better. The corner stone was laid April 6, 1841, with impressive ceremonies. Sidney Rigdon, the prin- cipal speaker, said the Saints "had seen the blood of the innocent flow, and heard the groans of those dying for the wit- ness of Jesus; in all those scenes of tribulation, h i s confidence, h i< s courage and his joy had been in- creasing instead of diminishing. Now the scene has changed; perse- cution had in a measure subsided; peace and safety, friendship and joy crowned their assembling; and their endeavors to serve God were respected and viewed with in- terest."* However, sufficient clouds still enveloped the community to dis- courage a people less tenacious. Frequent false charges were brought against the Prophet and his asso- ciates, conspiracies within and without the Church were formed, and before the building was com- pleted Joseph and Hyrum Smith had sealed their testimony with their blood. CURPRISE is often expressed at ^ the architectural skill manifest- ed in these early Church edifices. The Prophet once had a discussion with the man engaged to direct the building in Nauvoo. Joseph Smith was determined that round win- dows should be used in a certain part, and the architect insisted that this was a violation of all rules of Not only did he see the outward dedicated the ground for this pur- appearance of the structure, but pose. the meaningful ordinances On April 26, 1838, a revelation which should be performed was given designating Far West, therein were likewise re- as a gathering point for the Saints vealed. This was unfold- and a place where a temple should ed to his vision gradually, be built; and on July 4th the cor- The Kirtland temple ap- ner stones were laid. parently was but a step to greater things. There the "COUR days after the pioneers Savior appeared to *- emerged from Emigration Joseph Smith Canyon and looked over the sun- V*\ baked, desolate Nauvoo Temple (left) Kirtland Temple (right) *History of the Church, Vol. 4, page 328. and Oliver Cowdery, and impor- tant keys were restored and valu- able instructions given. But in Nauvoo ordinances and the sig- nificant part they play in the exal- tation of the living and the dead were made known. A FTER the Prophet's martyr- "^dom, his followers, distressed but undaunted by the dangers which beset them, pressed on until the structure was ready for use. Then, to avoid arousing an already hostile sentiment, it was privately dedicated, April 30, 1846, and on May 1st of that year, after the de- parture of most of the Saints, it was publicly dedicated in the pres- ence of about three hundred people. Although the Kirtland and Nau- voo temples were the first to be erected in this dispensation, they were not the first to be mentioned Salt Lake valley, and almost before a seed had been placed in the soil, President Brigham Young struck with his cane the parch- ed ground where the greatest of all "Mormon" build- ings now stands and declared, "Here we will build a temple to our God." Harassed by In- dians, in danger of starvation because of the grasshop- pers, threatened with extermina- tion through an invading army sent by the gov- ernment to quell an imaginary re- bellion, struggling with the na- tural hardships of a new country where ditches and canals had to be dug, for without water crops would fail and without crops star- vation was certain, the people never for a moment lost sight of this ob- jective. The site of the Salt Lake temple was dedicated February 14, 1853, and the corner stone laid April 6, 1853. The rock was hauled twen- ty miles, much of it with ox teams, and the people contributed joy- fully. Their hopes were centered in its slowly raising walls though many of them, including their leader, could hardly have hoped to live to see its completion. In the presence of forty thousand people the capstone was laid April 6, 1892, and one year later, just forty years from time of commencement, 472 The Improvement Era for May, 1930 Salt Lake Temple (upper left). Manti Temple (lower left). St. George Temple (upper right). Logan Temple (lower right). the finished building was dedicated by President Wilford Woodruff. "DEFERENCE is made to these -^ early difficulties to show how deeply imbedded in the hearts of the people is the significance of this work. On November 9, 1871, ground was dedicated for the St. George temple in southern Utah. Some parts of the building were dedicated January 1, 1877, so that ordinance work might be commenced. The entire building was dedicated April 6, 1877, and endowments were given therein January 11, 1877. According to a statement of Pres- ident Woodruff, this was "the first time endowments for the dead had been given in any temple in this dispensation." A commanding site overlooking the city of Logan in northern Utah was dedicated May 17, 1877, and the corner stone for the build- ing was laid on the 1 9th of the fol- lowing September. Speaking to the Saints at the time ground was broken, President Young said: "From the architect to the boy who carries the drinking water to the men that work on the building, we wish them to understand that wages are entirely out of the question. We are going to build a house for ourselves and we shall expect the brethren and sisters, neigh- borhood after neighborhood, ward after ward, to turn out their proportion of men to come here and labor as they shall be notified by the proper authorities." '"TIMBER was hauled from the canyons and a saw mill erected on the ground. The completed building was dedicated May 17, 1884, by President John Taylor. The usual blessing was invoked on the site of the Manti temple in central Utah, April 25, 1877. At the time, President Young, his own death imminent, made re- marks similar to those made at Lo- gan, a month later, already quoted, but with this additional thought: "It is not in keeping with the char- acter of Saints to make the building of temples a matter of merchandise. * * * The Gospel is free, and we are at liberty to rear this temple to the name of the Lord without charging anybody for our services. "t fDr. Talmage's "House of the Lord," pages 218 and 231. QN April 14, 1879, the corner ^ stone was laid, and the build- ing was dedicated May 21, 1888, by President Woodruff, and to ac- commodate the crowds who had assembled, the ceremonies were re- peated on the two following days: "On the first day, just as Professor Smyth was concluding the offertory — a selection from Mendelssohn — a number of the Saints in the body of the hall and some of the brethren in the west stand, heard most heavenly voices singing. It sounded to them as angelic, and ap- peared to be behind and above them, and many turned their heads in that direction, wondering if there was not another choir in some other part of the building. There was no other choir, however. Some of the Saints saw the spirits of Presidents Young and Taylor, J. M. Grant and others in the temple, and the heads of some of the speakers were surrounded by a halo of heavenly light during the services." * * * '"PHE Hawaiian temple at Laie is *■ located on one of the scenic spots of the world, and is an archi- tectural gem. It is surrounded by fertile fields rich in tropical verdure, and overlooks the ocean. Presi- dent Joseph F. Smith selected the site and it was dedicated by him The Improvement Era for May, 1930 473 June 1, 1915. The completed building was dedicated by Presi- dent Heber J. Grant, November 27, 1919, and the services of that occasion were continued for five days. President Smith also dedicated the temple site at Cardston, Al- berta, Canada, July 27, 1913, and the beautiful building erected there was upon completion dedicated by President Grant, August 26, 1923. The Arizona temple at Mesa was dedicated October 23, 1927, by President Heber J. Grant, who on November 28, 1921, had in- voked the blessings of the Al- mighty upon the site. '"THOSE who have never done -1- temple work cannot appreciate its significance; and its full import, perhaps, is never fully grasped by any mortal. For example, W. W. Riter, a very thoughtful man, once made a statement something like this: "I have worked in the Salt Lake temple now for seventeen years, have given serious thought to the ordinances performed here, and can truthfully say that new light on this subject has come to me al- most daily." A notable characteristic of Lat- ter-day Saints is that their hope lies in the future quite as much as in the present, and they view temple work as a necessary step toward the Celestial Kingdom, both for the living and for those who have passed on. This explains their willingness to sacrifice their all, even life itself, to make this step possible. Mobs might drive them tem- porarily from the place where temples are yet to be built, might shed the blood of their leaders, rob the Saints of homes and other pos- sessions, drive them into a wilder- ness where, according to all hu- man judgment, they must die of starvation or fall a prey to blood- thirsty Indians, cause a few wa- vering ones to falter and turn back. But no power under heaven could quench the temple building spirit of this people, so firmly convinced are they that the Al- mighty would reject them if they failed in devotion to this principle. To do so would be a renunciation of their most sacred beliefs. This work naturally makes one forget self. People thus en- gaged follow, in a measure, the example of our Savior, by do- ing for others the things which they cannot do for themselves. The poor give their time joyfully, and many men and women of compara- tive wealth also engage in this gra- tuitous redemptive service. 'T'O a careful observer, doubtful as to the value of temple work, the abundant evidences of spiritual growth of those who engage in it is most convincing. There is a calm and sweet serenity about them which is indeed heavenly. In all these modern temples great spiritual manifestations have been given; the veil separating us from the immortals has at times become transparent or has been lifted entirely. Some of these things have been witnessed by large numbers of people and others by single individuals; but most of them are of a character so solemn that the participants are reluctant to mention it. The subjoined statement will give an idea of the extent of temple work. To appreciate these figures one must remember that some of the ordinances listed require many hours to complete. Totals of temple ordinances performed from the baginning, 1842 to December 31, 1929, in all Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Living Dead Baptisms 6,973,367 Endowments „__..239.022 4,449,670 Ordinations. Elders 3,310 1,822,119 Sealings, Wives to Husbands 119,263 640,977 Children Sealed.... 98,899 1,009,038 Adoptions . 2,507 14,693 Special Ordinances 14,771 6,205 477,772 14,916.069 Reports for the month of December, 1929, from three Temples had not been received at the time these figures were compiled. — Certified by Duncan M. Mc- Allister, Records Custodian. "M"0; one must ascribe the will- "^ ingness to build temples and work therein to loftier motives than are found in blind fanaticism. Having sublime faith in the mod- ern revelations, Church members view their contributions of time and money not as sacrifices but as privileges which, if they endure to the end, will entitle them and their faithful loved ones I to a fulness of joy — eternal life in the presence of ce- lestial beings. Canadian Temple (at top). Arizona Temple (lower left). Hawaiian Temple (lower right)