Wichita eagle., 1888-01-28
THE KIRKLAND MORMONS.
THE TEMPLE AFTER HALF A GEN.
TURY HAS PASSED.

Inc House In Which the Followers OF
Joseph Smith Worship the God of Nor
mountaineering Description of the
Building-In Earlier Days.
After several attempts to settle in various
parts of the state Of New York, the first real
colony of the Mormons drifted into Kirkland.
They were guided thither by Sidney Rigdon,
who was the most wonderful preacher of
their early days. The arrival of several hum
dred Mormons in this little village was an
event Of no mean Importance, even in the
days when immigration was so rapidly seek
ing the favored spot OF the west-the north
ern part of Ohio. and yet, in those days of
rapid development, the building Of such a
temple as that of the Mormons was Won
der. Even at this day building Of such
size would be a severe tax upon villages that
are tenfold the size of Kirkland. But the
Mormons who built it gave cheerfully each
one bis tenth to the labor, materials, or
money for the four years from 1892 to 1856,
the entire cost being estimated at $4,000.
The size upon the ground is so feet by 60,
and the eastern gable runs up into a square
tower surmounted by domed belfry to the
height of I25 feet. Two lofty stories above
a low basement are covered by a shingled
roof pierced with dormer windows Large
Gothic windows of the Henry VIII shape
are filled with by 9 glass and afford relief
to the solid walls of stone and stucco that
have so well survived the ravages of quite
half a century, though the iron rust streaking
the exterior, the moss grown shingles, the
wasps' nests under the caves, and the two inn
mense chimneys, already tottering to their
fall, give evidence of approaching ruin. At
least this was the case until very few years
ago, when the building was partially reno
waited and put into a much more habitable
shape.
Directly under the pediment is this inscrip-
ton in golden letters upon a block Of white
marble: House of the Lord Built by the
Church Of Christ 1884" The original in
scription had the words 'of the Latter Day
Saints in place Of the words 'of Christ.
A small plot is rallied off by light fence,
passing through which we stand upon the
broad stone steps that lead to the solid green
doors, paneled in old fashioned shapes, and
opening into vestibule which extends across
the entire front AT either end of the vesti-
bule Is a seni-circular stairway, and the floor
above is cut away from the wall far enough
to allow the light to enter from above, thus
giving the effect of the cabin of a steamer
The temple register room is at the right I'M
der the stairway. Here is very interesting
record of visitors to the place On the
blank wall parallel with the front is the LA
dies Entrance at the right, and the ''Gen-
tlemen's Entrance" at the left. The follow
ing inscriptions decorate the wall between
the doors: "Laus Deo,n "Crux Mihi Ancho-
IA, Magma Neritas ct Prevalent
As we enter the main auditorium we notice
that it does not extend to the two stories, as
is usual with New England meeting houses
On the contrary, the ceiling is high, and so
only one story has been used. This allows
the story above to be used for other purposes,
TO be described hereafter. And yet, as one
enters the room the columns of carved wood
give the effect of a gallery. The columns,
however, are simply contrivances to give
effect to the arch in the center Of the ceiling.
The columns were also of considerable use for
the working Of windlasses etc At the time
when large curtains were let down to separate
the men from the women, and again to sep
arate the larger from the smaller of each sex,
not only could the audience be halved and
quartered in this way, but even the pews
were supplied with benches that could be
moved from one side TO the other, so that the
whole audience might face directly about at
very short notice. The object of this was
that they might change their mode of wor-
ship, and turn from one cluster of puipits at
one end of the room to another cluster of
pupits at the other end The clusters of
pulpits rise in each instance three tiers, with
three in tier Therefore, the room is well
supplied with pulpits, there being nine in each
end
At the eastern end of the room the cluster
of pulpits is devoted to the Aaronic priest
hood, which also included the Levitical priest
hood and administered the temporal affairs
of the church. Each of the three pulpits in
the upper tier has upon the front the letters
''B. ?. A." meaning Bishop Presiding over
Aaronic Priesthood The middle tier has
the letters "P. A. P" Presiding Aaronic
Priest. The lower tier has up. A. T." Pre-
siding Aaronic Teacher A smaller pulpit
below is labeled "P A d. Presiding
Aaronic Doorkeeper. The pulpits against
the western end are built up against ali outer
window, with alternate panes of red and
white glass in the arched transom. These
pulpits were occupied by the spiritual leaders,
or the MelchiSedec priesthood, Joe Smiths
seat being in the highest tier This tier of
pulpits is marked M P. c. Melchisedec
marked M p II. P.,n Melchisedec Presiding
High Priest; the lower tier is marked IN II.
Z. Melchisedec High Priest A simple desk
below served for the Melchisedec Presiding
Elder. The letters are in red curtain cord.
The desk itself like all the pulpits above is
covered with green calico.
In the earlier days it was arranged that
curtains from above could be dropped be
4,
but also so arranged that while those of one
degree might shut themselves away from the
audience .'for consultation" they could not
hide themselves from their superior. in &C.
clesiastical rank In the earlier days also
rich velvet upholstery set off tho carved work
of the pulpits, and golden letters shone from
spots which are now simply marked by black
paint. The gilt holdings which formerly
ornamented the plain white finish of the
woodwork were first taken away by the van
dalS and then entirely removed by the faith
full Upon the walls may be read the mot
toes: NO Cross, no Crown" The Lord
Reigneth; Let His People Rejoice" Great
is Our Lord and of Great Power" while from
the window over the Melchisedec pulpitS is
the text, Holiness to the Lord"
The whole auditorium will comfortably
hold COO people. but 1t was often packed so
full that relays Of worshipers came and
went during a single service. The high
pews in the corner We're for the best singers
in Israel In one Of these pews, the natives
assert, an insane woman was i'll the habit of
rising and footing on horn whenever the
sentiments of the officiating minister did not
meet with her approval Smith was in the
habit of announcing from bis lofty pulpit:
The truth is good enough without dressing
UP, but Brother Rigdon will now proceed to