The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1885-07-10
SALT LAKE.
THE GRAND AVID STATELY NOR
mon TABERNACLE.
The Largest House OF Worship In
America The Sermons Heard
The Music other Notes.


large structure built In elliptical shape.
the top also being oval. Its length Is
2G3 feet, 1873 In width, and 20 feet in
height The domellke roof overhead IL
neatly draped In rich lestoons of har-
monious colors that adds much to Its APP
pearanoe. Its seating capacity Is 1860,
although 1900 has been within its walls.
At one end is broad gallery with two
wings facing each other, back of-which
Is one OF the grandest pipe organs in
the land. These two wings are used for
the choir and Will seat about 2OOO per-
sons. The young ladies occupying one
side, the gentlemen the other side. This
great body Of singers together with
splendid orchestra and the loud tones OF
the great organ seems ut times to swell
out In such force as to shake the massive
walls and then dying away into such
gentle and soft tones that among the
vast audience the slightest rustic can be
heard. Services are held every Sunday
FROM 2 to 4 O'Clock p. M, and for nearly
an hour before the time the wide streets
are filled with the multiiudes
on their way to the largest house Of
worship In America. There are three
long rows Of seats facing the audience
and in front of the choir, each ron a
| little higher than that below 1t. On the
lowest Sits the bishop and elders, on the
next ~ dignitaries who represent the IL
apostles, the third or highest is occupied
by the president and his two counsellors,
one on each side. These three constitute
the highest authority In the church.
The services were opened by an anthem
from the choir, and after prayer the
sacrament was administered, as it is
done on every Sunday aud during the
delivery Of the sermon, as 1t takes full
| two hours to dispense IL to the thousands
assembled. The bishops each have large
silver baskets, and rising, break the
| bread In fragments and these, with huge
silver pitchers of water they do not use
wine on any oCoasion) were passed
around TO the communicates, and every
! one OF the saints, Old and young, partake
| OF the sacred food and drink. The ser
mon Is hardly unlike those of the ordin-
airy orthodox churches, quoting the same
scriptures and about the same interpre-
tation. They usually close, however, or
did upon this occasion, with severe
denunclation Of gentlles aud gentle
churches, and also the United States
courts. or course they believe their road
as the only one to the "better beyond. :"
| The most OF the audience consisted OF
foreigners, not at all intellectual In ap-
pearance and we judge great portion
| of the Mormon following are OF this
class. This does not mean, however,
that they are all ignorant by any means,
for there are many of them the most
talented and learned that our colleges
send forth ms graduates, and as well
bred and well informed as any other
| locality. Their manners are very cotir-
teous and they will treat n non-encroaeh-
ing gentle with n warmth that makes one
feel at home. We were extended the
Inequalities Of the family OF Daniel IL.
Wells, frat counsellor to the President,
and we never had more generous re-
ception. 10 his son-in-law, win S.
Hedges, we are indebted for lovely
ride over the richest part OF Salt Lake
Valley. A visit to and description OF
the interesting points in the city. 10
the second wife and daughters OF Mr..
| Wells we were very grateful for an ex-
cellent dinner at their farm several miles
from the city, where the ladies also rem
dered some very fine music.
We forgot to say that the music in the
Tabernacle was grand, 1t was even mot
than grand 1t has become far-famed,
and Scott says II they have as many
pretty faces MS we saw, and as fair music
as we heard there in the Mormon heaven
that he will change his route before
"snow flies" The Temple! What a
fine piece OF masonry, what stipend
GUS pile of glittering granite. Reared
away over here in sunny Utah. Ii is
built wholly Of the hardest and spark
ling granite and in the finest style OF ar
chitecture; as smooth surface as glass
and closely fitted as u watch. Ii IL
lU0x200 feet and its walls 100 feet in
height. Each Of the four corners is sur
mounted with a tower 200 feet high,
while the front center will stand 800 feet
above the ground. 1t was begun In
1852 and up to 1883 had cost much over
S2,OoO,OOO, and though constantly AT
work on II is yet unoompleted
When finished 1t will be used
for the most scared rites OF the
church and not for open meetings
1t Is four stories high and as you ascend
each floor IL IL to be finished in style
far surprising the one below and they
are TO represent four heavens, the fourth
being the finest heaven Of all and upon
which no eyes but those of Latter Day
Saints will be allowed to look, and they
such saints as are beyond the power Of
SHINING. They also believe that Jesus
Christ will appear bodily In this temple
when he begins his reign on earth. Neal
this Ia the Endowment House. another
very sacred place which We were mex
permitted TO see, and In which 1t Is sale
Mormon men and women seal them
selves to each other through sacred riteI
10 be husbands and wives In the worlC
to come, whether they are SO in this III,
or not. The ceremonies are quite inter
esting to read rs detailed by q backslidel
In the faith. In another corner OF thu
lot is the Assembly Hall, pretty build
ing that seats $500, and Is used for tn,
private meetings of the church. This
with the Temple Tabernacle and En-
dowment House, all situated on 10
acre block, are surrounded by a ston,
wall 20 feet in height. The acoustic
properties Of the great tabernacle, seat
ing 1900 people, are SO perfect that
pin can be heard ms Ii is dropped from
the remotest corner of the building
During PATHS visit year ago the hous
was Tiled, at high prices, so great Is tn
charm that line music has for this PEG
pie. Its opera houses, two good ones
are well patronized the entire year.
salt Lake City has many large stores
among which is the Zion cooperative
which sells ut retail annually S6,000,00
worth Of goods. Its principal trade
from MormOns from all parts of the tel
ritory. The city has several hotels, an
though the Walker house Is said to b
the best, 1t is a very poorly manage
concern and very thin excuse for tn
best In city as fine as Salt Lake, w
shall pass IL next time and not pay 81
day for 81 fare.
Here we met MIR. Bancroft, manager
and 5. w. Eocles, general passengt
agent Of the Denver and Rio Grand
western, two very clever young gentl,