Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-11-26
The c.. eat Mormon Temple.

The G.. eat Mormon Temple.
salt AXE letter IN the Missouri Republican.
The work commenced many years ago,
hut wa arrested in the year 1857, at the
,me hen the Mormons exhibited aspirit
Of lns IGordination toward the officers of
the Gsheral Government and Gen. John
sun was sent with sufficient military force
TO compel due respect 10 the authorities Of
de United STATES. All work was then
suspended on the temple, and prcpara
uous~tre made by the Mornons to burn
der town and migrate to some yet more
rrsaote place Of settlement.
Thcse troubles, however, were pacifica
seI. aud nattels resumed their wontcd
sspect. But the architect Cf the temple,
Tor somc rcaseu, WAS dissatisfied with the
work done, aud the entire massive fouEda-
,iuns were taken up and the stones reaid.
au not sufficiently familiar with the
tcrhuics Of architecture to describe III pro-
irssioual crms the work done But that
winch strikes every observer in the very
remark ,bIe soIidity Of the .tone work -
Il. appears to be laid th' re to remain a
thousand years, furnishing an unyieIdiug
support to the immense building that is to
rest upou it The oundatioD is deep, the
stones large, well selected, perfectly join
Ied, with iunumela able arches, uprg ght and
reversed T. trust no architect will cliti-
else tba, expression. What | mean by it
is, that the arches Of immense strength,
are both right side up AMI bottom side up.
Lent that plain.) The stones comprising
tbu foundation are large, fquare blocks
ofgranite, brought fifteen miles, and it is
Of similar stouo that the entire structure is
to be buli. 1t covers a large space, say
200 by leo. saw an ou'side view Of the
upper portion. The style Of architecture
is somewhat novel. The trout view shows
three wers, the celtre more elevated
shan those at the side. The rear end
presents a view OF three towers also, the
side walls being strengthened with power
!ul abutmepts covered with pinucles -
The walls are LOFTY, and the entire air OF
The building, as represented iii the view
saw, is imposing. There is no excess of
ornament. All is substantial, dign fed
and impressive. This building is not for
the use of the congregations of the people,
but for the priestly ordinances Of the
church, The people in their assemb ages
will meet in another building in the rear,
Of which shall speak.
The work on the temple building sp-
pears to be suspended now. l saw no
sorkmen, and was Informed that no de
finite period could be assigned for its Gem.
pletion. Immediately in the rear OF ii is
the beginning OF the tabernacle, building
intended for the gathering OF the people
1t is projected on large scale, and is
land on very peculiar design
in marked contrast with the temple de-
sign. 1t is to be an oval building-egg
shaped. l was told that the interior
would correspond to the shape of an egg
AT present fifty-two massive abutmenls o
solid masonery, ten ieet by four, show
the exterior limo Of tho structure. From
the top Of these abutmeuts the oval roo
will spring. The floor will be ova
downwards, seated with rising seats, as al
ampitheater. There will be close bull
side walls. As the building is Intended
for the vast Congregations, ventilation ant
light is looked to, and the building vii
be nearly all windows and doors. 1
covers space Of two hundred and twenty
five dep by one hundred and seventy five
feet wide, and is calculated to hold tel
thousand people. Here the teachers ant
elders will ealighten the people and theil
united songs will 60 up. The cost of thes
buildings must be immense. But all il
contributed by the members of the Nor
mon church in labor and money, T'hsi