Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-04-07
LAST STONE ON THE TEMPLE.
A Building That Has Been Nearly Forty
Years in Construction.

Years in Construction.
SALT LAKE CITY, Ayril THE last
stone of the great Mormon temple has
been laid. The scaffolding from the five
spires has been removed On the fifth,
which is the central eastern tower. rises
the bronze figure Of the angel Gabriel. 1t
is from a design made by c. E Dallin,
the noted Boston sculptor, who is q native
of Utah. Just thirty-nine years ago the
corner stone Of this unique structure,
standing alone among American religious
institutions, was laid amid the most i'm
pressive ceremonies.
Brief History of the Temple.
The inscriIti ton In golden letters set into
smooth stone tells the story in brief. 1t is as
follows: Holiness to the Lord" THE House
of the Lord" Built by the Church of Christ
of Latter Day Saints" Commenced April G.
Is B." Con pleted =" The Temple block
was the first piece OF ground laid out in the
settlement of Salt Lake City. On reaching the
spot the Mormon president, accompanied by
the Twelve APOSTLES, proceeded to the spot
and, striking ais cane in the earth, said: Here
will be the temple OF our God. Here are the
forty acres O the Temple. The city can be
laid out perfectly square, north and south, east
and west" At Sp. M. the entire body of pio-
neer settlers convened ON the Temple grounds
and ratified by unanimous vote the action of
their leaders.
Brigham Young the Designer.
While the building has been under the
supervision If several architects, the de-
signer in fact was Brigham Young him
self. Except for raising the towers several
courses Of stone, doing away with the
weather vanes, and placing the bronze fig
ure of Gabriel where it now stands, the
outside design of the building is very little
ifyin h.
building there will be heroic statue Of
Brigham. SCULPTOR Dallin has the work
in charge, and SIC, 900 of the SO, 600 which
1t Is to cost has already been subscribed
This amount has been raised in sums not
exceeding so cents from the individual, so
as to give all the Mormons a chance to par
ticipate in building the statue Of their
great leader.
The Dedication Ceremonies.
The ceremonies of dedication were at
tended by representatives of every Nor
mon camp in the world. Fully $4,000
saints from without were here. At 1l:30
the priesthood, according to rank, from
apostles down to elders, filed into the
tabernacle, and at IL o'clock proceeded to
the temple, headed by President Wood
ruff. The pre- sidency, consisting Of Wood
ruff, Canon and Smith, took position ON a
platform erected for the purpose and
the people ranged around The
band played the "Capstone March,"
and then the tabernacle choir, consisting
of 500 well trained voices, sang the @Tem-
pie" anthem. When President Woodruff
laid the capstone by touching an electric
button the shouts of 1Hozannan by the as
sembled multitude of the faithful shook
the Temple block. The roar could be
heard for a mi around As climax to
the demonstra Jon the hymn 1.-THE spirit
of God like fire is burning" was started
by the band and the choir and the multi
tude Joined in grand chorus. In the aft
ernoon address rs were delivered full Of re-
lgious zeal.