The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-07
TIE MORMON TEMPLE.

| SALT IAEE, April 6.-1he great new
| Mormon temple was dedicated today II
| the presence Of throng or believers.
This is the huge structure the site for
which was selected on July %. 1871, the
| fifth day after the Mormon pioneers en-
tered the Great Salt Lake valley. Bfig-
ham Young, president Of the church, with
a number of the apostles, was viewing
the prospect in the place selected as his
new home, where all seemed barren
waste. In passing the southwest corner OF
the lot on which the temple now stands,
| he struck his cane in the ground and ex-
claimed: Here will be the temple of our
God" The material selected for the
foundation is frestone. and the walls are
built of cut granite. On Feb ., 1913,
ground was broken, and 250 men were put
to work on the excavation. The capstone
was laid OF April 6, 1892, at which time
the date for the dedication was fixed for
April 6, 1888 The building is lSo}3 feet
| long and 90 feet wide, covering an area OF
| 81. $50 square feet. The foundation wall
| is Is feet thick and Ii feet deep. On this
the granite walls are 8 feet thick on the
| bottom and narrow to 3 feet at the top.
| There are six towers. three on the east
and three on the west. Those on the east
are 200 seet high and on the west l9i feet.
! The east central tower OF the building IS
| 222 l5 feet high, surmounted by inquire
with trumpet to his lips, proclaiming
| the gospel.
+, The east part of the temple is for the
I Melchisedec priesthood representing the
| higher or spiritual affairs; the west Is Tor
| the Aaronic priesthood, representing tenn
poral existence The figure on the east
central tower symbolizes the angel named
! in the fourteenth chapter and sixth verse
of the Revelation of st. John. There are
| in the building many stones, symoollcai
| of the different conditions OF mankind.
| Around the base are earth stones. Above
| these are moon stones, showing the moon
| in its various phases, and emblematlc OF
| terrestrial glory Still higher than these
are the sun stones. typical of the celestial
| or highest glory of the heavens. There are
| also star stones, representing the glory OF
| the stars On the west tower IS Ursa
| Major pointing to the polar tar, and IN
dicating that there is Il fixed guide Tor
| fallen mankind to return to GOD. Then
there are cloud stones, and others OF like
| symbolical nature. The architecture of
| the building is without q known parallelln
ancient or modern times. There are four
doors to the temple, two in the west and
! two in the east corner towers. The cost OF
| the building, as near as can be aScertalned,
will be slightly in excess of 80, ,0O0, 900. The
]
| Lake City as the one described in the first
| two verses of the fourth chapter of Micah.
/ 1t is anticipated that the ceremonies
will extend over period of fourteen days,
but the chief interest centered IN today )
proceedings. The assembly room in the
| fourth story is the largest IN the building,
and it was in this that the services were
! conducted 1t accommodates about $500
| persons, or 5000 persons at the two ses-
! sions to be held each day. Arrangements
have been perfected to admit between
J 60 coo and 20 600 persons before the serv-
! ices are at an end, and there is a strong
probability from the official reports re-
ceived that even the latter number will be
exceeded. The services in the temple were
as secret as those OF Il Masonic lodge. The
morning services lasted until l.
O'Clock In the mean time no one came
| ont. None but high dignitarieS of the
church were admitted once the services
had begun.
President Woodruff, after the singing
of several hymns. delivered the Gedlcatory
PRAYER. Councillor George q. Cannon de.
| iivered an address, which is described as
being full OF comfort and consolation to
the saints. President Woodruff then
spoke comforting words and uttered a
prophesy concerning the future of the peo-
pie of God.
President Joseph Smith told of the
building of the temple and mentioned
with blessing some of the chief ones who
had forwarded tnis work. He then put
the question whether those present felt
that The Lord had accepted the house ded-
cated TO him. Tremendous shouts of ap
provai were returned. This was followed
by the singing of Arise Ye Saints, and
the morning services were closed.
At the afternoon service delegates were
admitted by ticket from various states,
from British Columbia to Arizona, to the
number of 2.l50, and equal secrecy was
observed Considerable time was taken
in showing the delegations through the
temple, which is gorgeously furnished
and adorned.