Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-20

lasting three hours. They open with the
singing Of the hymn "Iiis temple Is His own"
tho whole congregation Joining with an ef-
feet that Is most impressive and awe-lnsplr-
ing. Prayer and the reading Of the Mormon
creed by two Of tho eidors follows. George
l.. Cannon hlesses the twelve baskets Of
broken bread. hymn IL played. an elder
explains the Significance Of the bread, and
then Il ls distributed among tho congrcga-
ton BY the whte-haired nshcrs, every Nor
mon, young and old, partakng. In the same
way tho winter. which tho Mormons use In
stead Of wine, Is also distributed. Tho OBJ
serynnco Of tho Lords Supper occupies
about m hour, and Is followed by addresses
interpreted by singing. Tho speakers arc
commonplace. both In their subject matter
and In thclr delivery, continuing themselves
ms rule TO the prosecutions Of the saints
and tho mlsdeods OF their prosecutors lief
ercnres 10 the Book Of Mormon are few In
number. the speakers seeming determined
10 thrust It into the background as much as
possible.
Every Mormon village and settlement has
ia tabernacle, whore services very Ike those
| have been describing age held every week.
The secret aud mystic rites of the church
arc performed In tho several temples. 10
the latter Gcntilos are stornly denied admis-
sion. and Mormon cnnnot gain entrance
without recommendation from his bishop.
The outsider cannot appreciate the reyoren-
| tial awe with which tho simple-minded Nor.
4 mons rogntd tho temples Of thet faith. AM
/ gelio visitors are thought 10 have Joined In
/ the dedication " the tempe at Manti, and
l by many II wus deyoutly believed that Christ
/ would appear In person whom the Salt Lake
/ City tenplo was dedicated. The endowment
ceremoniea which arc performed In the tenn
pies, have often been described, but OF othoi
tcmplo rites. equally strange and absurd, hui
little IS known. one Of tho most curious u
baptism for the dead. saint assume, Ia,
name and goes through the ceremony q i'm
nerslon for dead relative. This baptism
by proxy enables those who passed away be
iorr the Angel Moroni appeared 10 JOSEPH
Smith 60 enjoy tho blossings Of the new dis
pOnsatlon. Tile pmctice Of baptlsm for tn
dead has often been carried to tho mos
ridiculous extremes, President Woodruff
has beon baptized for 5000 dead relatives
whose MINES and ages--tho data necessar,
for the performance Of tho eorcmony-h
spent months IN searching out one woul,
taIul, that, with this much accomplished
tho solf'mcrllcng old gentleman would hay
been cohtont 20 rest from his labors. but h
has gone stIil further in order TO assure IN
celestial welfare OF his dead kinsmen. Whe
he was IN charge Of the temple at 81. Georg
he received n divine revelation that he coul
call on tho men and women Of st. George {
so through the ondowmonts for his dead
io says that this revelation nlled his sou
with Joy aud that he proceeded To act on
forthwith, In single day i5i OF tho womo
Of 81. George went through the endowment
for the same number Of his dead female reln
tlyes. and up To tho present limo tho soul
welfare OF some $500 OF them Inns thus bee
Annnreh. rlnuaAnha hnNn nYnllnl Ihnm