The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-04-22

Friend, | take it as it's given,
AM l think our little Katiels
Snlilin' thanks at you from heaven.
THE NEW MORMON TEMPLE
a View OF the nteYior..l,npressions of Ono
Who Saw II.
tnter-Ocean Special Correspondence:
] was kindly invited. with many other
lon-Mormons, TO visit the new Mormon
temple.
This is the last of the four great
temples, the largest, the richest in
every respect, and cost probably much
more than the other three put to-
gether, and the first one everenteredhy
u gentle after being completed: 1t was
only at almost the last moment that
the authorities concluded to grant this
privilege. After the dedication no gem
tile, under any pretense, will ever en-
ter it's sacred portals. There is IL pre-,
Sailing impression outside of Utah,
that these temples are for public meet
ings, and like the tabernacle, will be
open to the public when meetings oc-
cur, and to strangers visiting the city
at all times, but this is not so; it is for
the ordinances of the church, wholly
and entirely.
All marriages ara celebrated there,
the most important probably in point
OF ceremony OF any enacted, taking sew
eral hours in its performance. Baptism
is also another ordinance of great i'm
portance and religiously observed. l
know Il Mormon lady who was bap-
tized 100 times in Il day Tor dead
friends. Baptism for the remission Of
sins is like confession in the Catholic
church, freely to be used If considered
necessary or desired. The priesthood
of the Mormon church in point of num-
bers is beyond all the other religions
combined, and embraces the Aaronic
and that after the Order of Mclchiscdic,
and takes within its folds almost every
male member of the church in some of
its degrees, and working rs perfectly
church. The Mormon religion con-
ligions of the world, to say moth
ling Of ~spiritnalism, astrology, and the
mysticisms of the most ancient religion
of history, embracing the esoteric and
the cXoteric, the former confined, in u
more or less degree, to the higher de.
grees in the holy priesthood. All these
temples face to the east. and every part
of the great structure within and with.
out has its significance. In the twenty.
three years that have occasionally
written upon this subject | have found
always something new to write about,
md when Joseph Cook learned the
whole thing in II four days visit here
my astonishment ran be imagined. |
make this little depression that the
reader may better understand a brief
description of the temple. The design
Of this temple is the inspiration of
Brigham Young, and nothing has ever
been built, perhaps, Mt least in this
country, with so much stability and
perfection as this temple. It's built of
tine granite quarried out of tho big
boulders at the mouth Of Little Cotton
wood canon twenty miles distant,
quite II portion of which was brought
by OK teams, and every piece of which
was marked ut the quarry for the posi-
ton it was to occupy, brought to the
temple block, cut to fit, and in the
whole structure not u, chip was used,
and not a particle of lime, just alittle
cement in the seams. Whenthe reader
considers that its foundation is 16 feet
wide and 10 feet high, that its walls
are 1915 feet high and 8 feet thick ut
the bottom and 6 feet thick at the top,
with six large towers whose spires ar,
from l94 feet in height t. 222a feet,
measuring upon the ground 1865 x0g
feet, some idea. may be formed of the
cost and labor religious enthusiasm
has been able to accomplish. The
actual cost is not known, probably
SO, 800, 900 would be a fair estimate.
The time occupied in its building
has been precisely forty years, to ac.
cord with the building of Solomon's
temple, us recorded in the bible.
|, Tho interior is simply magnificent
4 and grand beyond description. From
top to bottom no q crack of any kind
in the massive halls: staircascs, audi
forums the hau of the pricsthoods
with their grand pulpits. the beautiful
reception rooms. the baptismal room
with its fine font resting upon twelve
golden oxen of life size, its ~twelvecom.
partments with bnthtub and toilet al,.
continents, finished in onyx; the many
rooms for the different orders of the
priests, the affairs. the rich furniture,
the 1000 electric lights. the rich drap,
cries, the display OF arts, the illumi-
mated windows, the decorated walls,
the rich ornaments, the riga with its
soft music, the newness and the grand
aur of the whole is something to re.
member.
There have been 1000 recommends
issued by the different wards in the
territory for admission to the temple.
and the dedication and the visiting OF
these members of the church is divided
so that, the entire exercises will con
linuc twelve days.
The Mormons may be justly proud o,
this great achievement which does
them honor and credit, and stamps ta.o
honesty of their cohvictions and t!icir
implicit faitlin their religion what,
ever it may lie. From every Mormon
pulpitait has becnsprcached that every
member Of the church desiring to visit
the temple and receive new blessing
must be at peace with the worlds and
If they have any feelings that arg mt
of byotherly love they must be recon
ciled before they apply for ADMISSION.
There are in this country 43o ef1fegei
and universities, with !, Az prstcssoss am,
teachers. 81