Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-04-02

eyes. the deaf regain their hearing and
the dumb their speech.
Only for a short time did the Saints re.
tain their possession Of this holy build
ing. In iS35 and 1875 they were com.
PEELED to flee for their lives, and the
temple came into the hands NJ apustatce
II was dcilcd and the glory OF God lcit
Il. It IS now claimed BY the josephitcs,
who use Il ior meeting house.
The Nauyao Temple.
As soon as the Saints had settled in
Nauyoo they directed their attention
towards temple building, and bcluti.
MI spot was selected for the purpose.
This was accepted Of the Lord. who In
revelation IN January 10. iAAt gave
| further Instructions concerning the work
OF the Church. Chosen messengers were
70 be sent 10 the Saints. telling them TO
| bring together yalusbles Of lll kinds for
this temple Il was 10 excel the first
house in every respect. The same rcvc.
lation also gave Instructions concerning
baptism for the dcad-an ordinance
which 'bulonrcth 10 My house, except
IN the days Of your poverty. wherein yc
arc not able TO build house unto Me"
The Saints obcycd the voice OF God. aud
on April 9th, 1856 the corner stones were
laid.
on the morning Of this day q vast pro.
cession proceeded to the ground. A
square Of people was formed, aud the
/ speakers went to the stand a, the south.
east corner stone. Sidney Rigdon al.
/ dressed the vast assembly. The prophet
then lowered the corner stone, pronounc-
ing the following
| "Ihr principal corner stone. In representation
/ of thc First Presidency o. upN lu'y lal uhon1f
| oithc grritG1i. and my 80 Weic wmala until
| The whole fabric is completed, and may ihe
| limc De accomplished pe-iHy. ihu Che suuu
may have place 10 aorn.u Gei and the sen
| Of Am have whore go iig lla lcii'
| The southwest corner stone was next
laidby Don Carlos smith, presiding over
/ the Hugh Priests. The northwest corner
was laid under the direction OF the
] High Council and the northeast by
| Bishop Newell X Whitney, representing
/ the Aaronic Priesthood.
This was time OF rejoicing by the
/ Saints. 1hsconlefcncc lasted I've days
aud the Prophet chccfcd The hearts Of
/ the people With comforting speeches
The work. now progressed rapidly.
Eighteen stone cutters were dressing the
rock for the building. A general tithing
/ record was opened and donations came
In freely. Faithful Elders went Into the
woods to obtain the necessary lumber.
u Is worth while mentioning that the
| sisters took a prominent part in con-
| tribu,lng cash to tie funds. ON the
/ suggestion Of Hyrum Smith, they were
| solicited TO donate one cent week, and
responded so promptly that large sums
I OF money came IN in this way
In the fall Of 1891 a hapiismal font was
built In the basement NJ the temple. The
/ Prophet describes this w the following
/ terms THE baptismll font Is situai 4 Ia
| the centre Of the basement room, under
the main hall OF the temple. It Is con.
/ structed Of pine timber, and put to.
/ gcther Of slaves tongued and groyCd
/ oval shaped, sixteen feet long east aud
west. and twelve feet wide, seven feet
| high from the foundation, the basin four
feet deep. The moulding OF the cap and
/ base are formed ofbcautiinl carved work
/ In antique style. The sides are finished
with panel work. A flight Of stairs on
the north and south sides, leading up and
down into the basin, is guarded by side
railing. The font stands upon twelve
oxen, four on each side and two AZ each
| end, their heads, shoulders and fore legs
projecting out from under the font: they
are carved out Of pine plank, glued to-
/ gether, and copied after the most beau
tiiul tiye-ycar old steer that could be
found IN the country. This font
was built for the haptiSms for the dead
until the temple shall be finished. when
a more durable one will supply lis place. "
The hfst person officiating for the dead
In this font was Reuben MBride. Several
miraculous cures from diseases followed
the Observance OF the sacred rite,
strengthening the faith Of the Saints.
ON the '6lh Of October, iSls, the work
was SO for advanced that meetings could
be held w the temple. and the following
Sunday Apostle John Taylor addressed
/ a congregation there. On May q, 1914.
the phctpreached, on which occasion
/ the sacrament was administered 10 the
/ Saints, the emhlems being bread and
water, for the FIRST time.
The niartyrdom OF Joseph and HyTum
delayed the work for some time, but il
vas soon recommended, and notwith.
standing all difficulties, the capstonc was
laid on May ~, iNi5, about 9 O'Clock
q. m, There was q large concourse Of
Saints present President Brigham
Young laid the stone, after which he
said:
The lau stone Is laid uron the temp.e. and
| pray the Almighty in the name of lrlul, 10
defend us BOO This place, and sustain us, until iha
temple j finished and all have goi our enl0W-
meats
The congregation then shouted,
"Hosannal Hosanna' Hosanni to God
and the lamb Amen Amenl Amen
and Ameni"
In the lall Of 1915 meeting was held
IN the temple. attended by five thousand
people, and il was dedicated so Ear as
now completed to the Lord as "a monu,
ment ofthe Saints liberality fidelity and
faith"
During the months Of December, 1875,
] and January 1850, many SAINTS received
their endowments and although the
! exodus commenced In fcbrI1ry. 1870,
the work Of finishing the building pro.
| crossed.
On April goth it was dedicated
! privately ON account of the prosecutions
Of the mob, and this being done, the
Saints He'd across the river TO join their
brethren IN exile
The history Of the Nauvoo Temple
from this time Is a sad one. Like The
Temple Of solomon, It was the object OF
repeated acts OF vandalism The mob
took possession Of il and prolaued It In
various ways. In November, 1873, II
was sci IRE TO and in few minutes il
was enwlppcd in flames. The following
graphic description M the History OF
| Hancock County reminds the reader
! somewhat Of losephus on the destmc-
ton Of lcu5alcm'
'lt W1. beautiful night and about q O'Clock