Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-12-24

Tower Of Babel was religious structure,
and II Is known to such as the Temple
Of Belus.
The following description Of this his
toiical monument Is taken from the
Museum OF Antiquity" p.4s,; RI
This prodlgious pile consisted Of eight
towers. each seyeniy-hve feet high. rising one
upon another. with an outside winding stalrrase
to 1t, summit which. with is chapel on The TOP,
reaches height Of Goo feet. On this suinmtis
where the chapel Of Deius was erected. which
contained probably the most expensive furniture
Of any In the world. Our golden image. fofty
fee, high. was valued al siz.soo,ooo. and The
whole Of the sacred utensils were reekoned 10 be
worth ssoo,ooo.ooo."
The nature Of the relics OF religious
structures and implements found upon
the abiding places OF the laredites will
be better understood by considering the
character Of the sources from whence
the models were derived.
The first recorded art OF religious wor.
ship found in the Bible Is that of Cain
and Abel. But in the Book OF Abraham.
Pearl OF Great Price, we read that sacri.
ice was offered to the Lord by Adam.
The victim was lamb; and our great
la,her was informed by an angel from
Heaven that this sacrifice was simili.
tude OF the sacrifice OF the Son Of God,
for the redemption Of the world.
he next mention that Is made Of this
religious rite Is the case OF Noah, Gen.
$, 10. This Is the first time that an altar
IS mentioned in the Scriptures, and that
+, the term blirnt-ofiering first occurs. No
reference Is made In either case TO a
temple. or any other covering under
which the rites were performed, although
there might have been such in the very
earliest times, and from the affairs and
sacred houses being erected for the wor-
ship of the Cod OF heaven the idole of
idolatry and the building OF idolatrous
temples was probably derived. as the
counterfeit always follows the genuine.
| Upon tho occasion Of Noah's sacrifice
II Is stated that rthc Lord smelled a
sweet sayor." and IN some other in.
stances similar Words are used.
1t was not probably the smell Of burn
ing. flesh that pleased the Lord as much
as II was an evidence OF the faith Of the
oiierer in,the sacrifice Of the promised
Rcdeemer, typifed in the offering. a
similar victim, smoking from an idol
atfotis altar. was an abomnation TO Him.
because II was a sign Of iniideliiy and
| defiance.
From this early use OF sacrifice, both
true and false. affairs and temples have
appeared among all nations, In all times,
and from the primitive and simple idea
first revealed from heaven. AS pure
symbol OF faith and love towards God
there grew up vast system of idolatry,
embracing the most horrible and disgust
ing monsirosities, founded upon the
theory that the revenge OF the Deity was
to be graiihed. His vanity fa,tered, and
the God made as pleased as possible
by holocaus,s OF human sacri.
fee. THERE'S no doubt that such was
the practice OF the tower builders.
The Jaredites were highly favored in
having a man of God to lead them.
They were also fully acquainted with the
idolatrous practices OF their contemp.
oraries. They belonged TO race oil
monument builders. The colony had
seen nothing else in all their days of a
public and national character bu,