Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-07-05
hfANT1 1EMPLr.

buildings which cover the Temple
block, the hustle about the tithing
yard and the coming and going OF peo.
pie at the Cerdo House, the Official
Of the head OF the church,
one sees. IN Salt Lake City few evb-
of tho power and numerical
strength of Mormonism. But on a
Sunday all is changed. Promptly at
o'clock every Sunday afternoon serv-
ices are held In the enormous, oddly
constructed tabernacle, which was
built from plans devised by Brigham
Young, and Is capable Of seating 900
people, Long before the hour named
the outpour commences, and Ia short
time every seat in the vast elllptical
shaped, oval-roofed building Is filed.
In the faces OF the assembled throng
the student Of physiognomy can find
material for the studies Of lifetime.
Homely people, with sharp, deep-set
eyes and long noses predoninate. Few
Of the women are good looking and not
one ina Thousand b really handsome.
What one would term strikingly loos-
ing men are equally rare. 1t Is easy to
see from what sources Mormonism haa
in the main, drawp ttsfouowera,
Fully Interesting rs the worshlppers
themselves Is tbs Interior Of the great
tabernacle Ia which they Worship. AT
the rear end Of the building stands the
second largest organ In America built
wholly by Mormon artisans. 60 the
right and left OF the organ are 800
seats, assigned to the members OF the
great choir. In terFaced pew5 in front
cit the higher members Of the Melchtz-
ideck priesthood from which the
apostles are selected, In the center Of
this throug is a raised dais, upon
which sits the president OF the church
In front OF the president are ranged
the apostles and stiH further forward
the bishops and elders 10 the rear
Stretches away row after row. Of seats,
built Ia amphi- -theater fashion. The
4 gallefy .alone seats 1000 people, There
\ are d score of exits, and the bpilding
In case OF fire or accident, could be
cleared in five minutes. The acous-
( tic effects are- wonderful When the
building is empty a person standing
4 IN the faarmost row Of seats In the galt
I lery can hear tho sound made by pin
/ dropped on the presidents daia 240
feet away, ! yrs told by Mormon
speakers that It inspires one to elo-
4 quence to speak In such q place,
| on the Sunday when the Lords Sup
4 per Ia observed, tho. services are very
\ long, usually lasting three hours. They
open with the singing Of tho hymn,
"His Temple Is His 0wn,n tho whole
congregation Joining with an effect
that is most impressive end awe
inspiring. Prayer and tho reading Of
the Mormon creed by two Of the elders
follow George Il Cannon blesses the
4 twelve baskets Of broken bread. 4
hymn is played, an elder explains the
significance Of the bread, and then It
i Is distributed among the congregation
\ bg tho white-haired ushers, every
Mormon, young aud old, pagtaking. LII
\ the Same way Che water, which the
\ AIorfnons use instead of vino, IS also
n distributed The Observance Of the
4 Lords Supper occupies about an hour,
and Is followed by addresses inter-
spergod by singing. The speakers are
I commonplace, both in their subject
4 matter end in their delivery, confning
themselves as rule to the porsecu-
tions of the saints and the misdeeds Of
their prosecutors. References to the
Book Of Mormon are few in number,
the speakers seeming determined to
A thrust1t into the background as much
as possible.
Every Mormon village and settle
ment has its tabernacle, where aer9-
ices very much like. those I have been
describing are heldnovery week The
secret and mystic rftos Of the church
are performed in the several temples,
no the latter Geatiles arc steruly de-
MED admission, and o mormon cannot
i gain entrance without q recommends
tion from his bishop. The outsider
cannot appreciate the reverential awe
A With which the simple-minded Nor
mons regard the temples Of their faith.
| Angelic visitors arc thought TO have
\ Joined III the dedication Of the temple
at Afahti, end BY many it waa devoatly
y Believed that Christ would appear in
person whom the Salt Lake City tenn
pie was dedicatod Tho endowment
ceremonies, which are performed Ia
tine tenples, have often been described,
but q other temple rites, equally
strange and absurd, but little Is
known. One Of the most curious is
baptism for tho dead a saint as
sumes the name and goes through the
ceremony OF immersion for dead rela.
tive. This baptism by proxy enables
those who passed away before, the
Angel Moroni appeared to JOSEPH
Smith 10 enjoy the blessings Of the
new dispensatIon. The practice 9.
baptiaui for the dehd has often beer
carried TO the most ridiculous ex
! tremes. President Woodruff has beer
baptized for 5000 dead relatives, whose
! names and agoss she data necessary
I for the performance Of the ceremony
J he spent months IN searching OUT On'
4 would think that with this much &C
8 complished, Abe seli-sacrineing olC
: gentleman would have been content +
I rest from his labors, but he has gon'
! still further in order to assure ths
= celestial welfare Of his dead klnsmen
d When he was in charge Of the tempt
Il i at ST. George he RECEIVED divine rev