The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-27


voices of the preachers. 1t is the ter
restial kingdom, in which there is no
love, no mercy, but only dire tribula ton.
Those who people it can hope Sonly to be
the servants of those who attain 10 the
higher salvation.
From this room one passes upstairs to
the rooms which represent the higher
Kingdoms of the heavens. He first enters
into room in which all the effects are
sbudued. The electric lights, high up on
the wall, are so covered with ground
glass that the light they shed enables
those who are with him. Pictures are
hung on the walls, and costly draperies
shade the deep windows, but one can
tell little of them because of the dark
ness of the ROOM
Through heavy curtain at the end of
the room, however, are caught glimpses
of bright light breaking from a room
still further on on the same floor, and
the novitiateS are told that they are
about to enter upon the chamber which
in human way illurtrates the glory of
the highest salvation-the celestial king
dom, which is to the terrestrial kingdom
as the sun is to the moon.
Every human temptatio to enter upon
this glory is held out to the novidate.
Europe and America have been searched
over to add to the luxury of this apart
ment. Thick velvet carpets, like those of
the palaces of the Orient. cover the
floors. Divans are scattered about over
the floors. and covered with the richest
of fabrics. Heavy hangings of almost
priceless material are draDed from the
high ceiling TO the floor sweeping down
to shut out the light of the windows.
Great Greek columns arise from the
floor almost to the ceiling, forty feet
above, and some are surmounted with
the busts of the presidents of the Church,
the men who in the scheme of Mormon
salvation are to take their places among
the gods and to be rulers of earths ere
ated for them and their descendants.
and John Taylor were in place when the
Temple was dedicated, and the bust of
MILFORD Woodruff has since been placed
or a fourth column.
On the ceiling is a symbolic effect rep
resentative of the joys to be derived
from entrance into the celestial kingdom.
It is covered throughout it's whole eX-
tent with representations of fruits and
flowers, made true TO nature by sculD-
ture and coloring. Standing be'ow, the
effect is one of the greatest richness and
profussion, which is intensified by the bril-
liant yet soft light of the numerouselec-
trio globes, which thow theft light N
the ceiling, to be reflected thence to the
floor below
1t is to such glory that the Mormon Is
to attain through his ODE lien .e 10 the
revelations of joseph Smith. Foremost
of these and the one absolutely necessary
to obtain an entrance into the celestial
kingdom, is the revelation on plural mar
riage. Unless this is obeyed the Mormon
can hope only to be an angel and to
dwell in the celestial realms. But # it
is obeyed ne may aspire to take III on
himself the "fulness of glory" to become
a god even as Adam is the god Of this
world in Mormon theology, and to rule
over world of his own.
In the great day of salvation he will
be privileged to call his wives and chill
dren from the grave and gather them
about him so that he may preside as
priest and patriarch, king and lord"
over his ever increasing Dosterity We
for saying that those who enter upon
this salvation shall not lose the Joy of
earth, but shall eat, drink and be mer-
~ with their friends, and that the power
Of endless increase will contribute to his
power and dominion in Mormon theology
and to rule over a world of his own
In his journey through these apart
ments the Mormon nov1tlate has learned
many things which are not for the world
to know, and which ne may not reveal
without breach of othes of most solemn
portent. He has learned signs that will
always enable him 10 tell when he meets
one OF the faithful. He has gained
new idea of his faith and a conception
Of the principals which make the Nor
mons "a peculiar people" and, more
over. he is fitted to enter into the other
mysteries that are hidden in the great
building
He is free to so from the celestial
room now and to enter upon the holy
Of holies,' the alter room in which men
and women are married for time and
eternity. Here it is that the ties bind
Ing in heaven must be made. When the
Mormon man takes wife or wives UNI
to himself he kneels at an alear made of
wood cut from one OF the sacred spots
in Mormon legend. The floor is made of
little tiles OF hard wood taken from the
forests Of the newton. The dome above
him is a mass Of colored glass, through
which electric lights shine and east upon
those beneath a peculiar glow.
When married here the ties do not end
al the grave. Il IS the privilege OF the
husband to cali frem the earth in the
day Of salvation those wives who have
been faithful TO his counsels. Should
any refuse to consent 10 his taking more
wives, and SO obeying the commandment
given by the prophet. he may leave such
IN the grave. never 10 be raised for
glory in the world 10 come. Marriages /
made here may be dissolved only by the
priesthood that solemnized them. for the I
authority of The government IS not rec
1snized as binding upon those who pre- /
tend 10 represent God upon the earth to- |
day.
There are other privileges. too. for the +
initiated ore. He has been taught that /
IN the fourth century after Christ the |
true gospel was taken away from the /
world because Of the general apsstasy +
n mankind and was not reSorei un;il /
early in this century. when il was given I
10 Joseph Smith. He Is also taught thar i
he only means o. salvation Is. through /
Baptism BY the proper authorities Of the |
church holding the true goshpei
AS the Mo-aons do not wish % Der 1
rom salvation the inEn0cent ones who /
lived in the centuries between. the Nv /
ng today are privileged TO be baptized /
n the names Of their dead ancestors
These rites are perfornei IN 2 font ~