The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-06
Price Two Cents.

simple accompaniment OF MASSEY cOrnlcd and
Dorc pillar, was bat i'll supplied by the spindle
tower, high walls, fiat pilasters, and gro
tesque ornaments of the edfice before me,
reminding me more OF some gigantic, half mo-
dern,built church, with its circular lights and bow
windows, than building had supposed OF pure
y original design, or even constructed IN the tine
Gothic, Grecian or Egyptian styles The effect,
however, became greatly modified on further ex-
animation. The magnitude of the pile-lhe ac-
curacy beauty and finish of its parts, and the sin
guar mode OF its erection, which has hitherto
been effected entirely by the voluntary and prof
Tered efforts OF the inhabitants, all conspired to
overcome my scruples and alter my first impress
SONS. The whole edifce is erected of sort of
white granulated limestone, resembling marble,
and admirably adapted to the purposes of build
ing. While IN the act OF examining the premises
person stepped out and politely offered to show
me through the interior of the building. gladly
accepted the invitation, and followed him To the
entrance. My attention here was perfectly rivet-
ed by the stupendous height of the ceiling, the
masslvencss and quantity of the timber, and the
number OF workmen, who, althoughn the hottest
part OF the season, were laborlng away with an
alacry and perseverance, that would have asto-
nlshed the majority of New York carpente S.
Everything seemed to be done in the most tho
rough manner The materials were of the first
quality, and even the tools of the best possible
description, and assisted by every process of mo-
dern ingenuity and abor-savlng invention. My
first excursion was to the basement This part of
the edifice extended principally in one immense
apartment, some hundred and forty feet in length
paved, which was informed however would be
shortly done, and heaps of half finished work and
building materials were scattered promiscuousy
around. One object, however in an advanced
state OF completion, attracted my attention this
was the baptisma font, as il was termed-a huge
ehptical shaped mass of stone placed in the mid
die OF the room, and intended, l supposed, from
the cavity IN the middle, to receive the holy wa
ter. The employment Of this structure is intimate
ly connected with some Of their religious obser-
vances what they were did not enquire, but its
effect when finished, with. its beautiful cornice
and massive horns, and surrounded by the
figures of eight oxen, cut out of stone and placed
in the attitudes OF guarding its approach, will, in
the gloom and silence OF the apartment, be highly
imposing. The builder of the edi6ce, man Of
superior skill and intelligence, here offered HIM
selito conductsme through and explain the con-
structon of the building. This l promptly and
gladly accepted but will not impose on your
patience by any minute detail Of the many OBJ
lects here beheld worthy of observation. Suffice
it to say, that in the basement, where the great
part of the woodwork, finished and ready for
putting up, was carefully stored, was continually
astonished at the quantity of material, and the
accuracy and perfection exhibited in the compile
ton of every part. This was particularly OBJ
servable in the execution Of some pillar caps
which were to surround the tower. These were
carved in somewhat grotesque imitation OF the
human countenance, on which, whatever opinion
might be entertained regarding the nature OF the
sentiment they inspired, there could be no differ
ence concerning the accuracy and finish exhibited
III lnelr COmpieuOn. / cannot IOrDedI nOuClnS
several fine images of oxen 1 observed thrown
carelessly aside in one corner OF the apartment.
Upon examination, found they were executed
of wood, formed by joining together pieces of
plank, but with fidelity and perfection OF detail
difficult to surpass. In the earlier stages of the
building, they had been placed around the fort,
but now, owing TO their mutilation by visiters,
being about to be substituted by those OF stone,
had been laid aside as useless and were rapidly
going to destruction. At the intimaton of my
ccerone, now proceeded to ascend the building.
had always, from child, possessed a certain
perverse and premature desire for scrambling up
70 the very top Of matters and things. sorry am |
to say, though not sufficiently extended beyond
mere temporal affairs but now, with saint
for guide, and a holy ediice to mount by, felt
a laudable conviction of turning my wayward pro-
penstes to better account but, alas in the
present instance, as / soon discovered, by such
an ordeal of tlting planks, shifting beams, and
Jacob ladders, that more than half anticipated
my physical material would fall sacrifice to my
spiritual aspirations Through the space of four
or five stories, we mounted in this way before we
came to a halt on the roof. Here we paused a
moment to catch view of the fine prospect be-
meath, and then proceeded to ascend the tower.
Here, indeed, the splendor of the scene amply re-
warded us for the trouble Of its attaining. The
survey of Nauvoo, with its broad, rectangular
streets, and its innumerable gardens and houses,
scattered over an interminable extent-the CLASSY
bosom of the Mississippi, stretching far to the
north and south, studded with RATS, keels, and
steamboats-the steep woody bluffs and rich corn
fields OF Illinois, undu!atng to the very horizon
and, last of ALL the wild lands of Missouri, sweep
ing away in plain after plain and ridge upon
ridge, until mingling forest and prairie faded in
distanee-all conspred to enhance the scene
a single beam, with no other support than a bare
foothold could afford, had its effect for from
its dizzy height we could behold range upon
range of massive timber, diminishing, dwin-
supporting, abutting, meeting, diverging,
crossing and opposing, in all the varehes OF ar
chitectural combination, until all distinction IA
ded in the may depth; through their lntersuces
the pigmy workmen could be seen, far down, bu-
silly engaged in their Liliputian tasks, from which
continually arose the confused but resoundng din
ofthe plane, hammer and saw 1t would be use
less here to enter into detail OF the skill, lnge-
nuity or immense labor expended on the upper
part of the building-the perfect adjustment OF
timber in the tower, or the admirable system OF
joining and joint covering on the roof-tlese are
subjects interesting alone to the architect or build
err, and even to others would require far greater
| space than present to illustrate. Suffice TO
say, allowing for time, distractions, poverty, pau
| city OF mechanics, and the daily anticipation Oh
| danger, consider the temple an extraordinary
| building. After half an hours chat with my IN
telligent guide, whose manners were the Periec-
ton OF the old school, cordially thanked him Tor
his politeness and took my leave. In CONCLUSION
of the temple then let me add, the expense OF
construction is stated at two hundred thousand
dollars its dimensions are 1873 feet long by 80
broad, and I55 feet high, with the tower. Its or
der OF architecture is partly original, partly COM
poynded of Grecian and Egyptian, and its object
is lefty ecclesiastical, though built undoubtedly
in great measure to attract visiters and thence
converts. twill probably be completed in some
twelve or fourteen months. With some three or
four drives around town, and twice that number
of pedestrian excursions, which, however, offered
nothing particularly worthy of notice, took my
leave OF Nauvoo. few words, however, before
| conclude, concerning the position and cha rae
ter of the Mormons may not prove unacceptable.
Their whole history, and even present existence,
offers a strange contrast to all precedents. They
profess to perfectly and purely organized sys-
tenn of the Christian religion, and yet talk oil desEe-
rate resistance in case of attack they do not de-
ny the use ofthe sword, and Jet suffer themselves
to be driven from place to place. II the nan OF
| what their accusers bring against them be true,
they live in direct and palpabIe contradiction OF
| every civilized custom and relgion-in open NO.
lation of every precept Of christianity, and IN per-
| petual infraction of every law oil the land. We