The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-03-17
LOCAL WRITER
TELLS MORE OF
! MORMON TEMPLE
HOLDS TT AMONG MOST WON
DERFUL MASTERPIECES OF
ARCHITECTURAL ART

dropping Of a PIN can be distinctly
heard in any part of the room, we
were seated in the balcony fully two
hundred feet from where pin was
dropped, and we plainly heard when
it reached the floor The exits Of the
building are so arranged, that an en-
tire audience of many thousand per-
sons can reach the outside in five
minutes. Large doors opening out
ward are distributed all around the
structure. This was q well provised
arrangement, made by the builder,
nearly half century ago, prior to
the thought of any legislature on the
subject, which came in later years on
account of the many large fires In
various parts of the country, for the
lack. of such facilities. The heat
problem, at the time of construction
of this building, was not solved, and
it is only few years since heating
plant was placed, which makes the
building available for use in all sea-
sons. We were told that Mr.. Young
advised his followers that some fu-
ture generation would provide it with
the necessary heating apparatus. The
organ for number of years the lar
gest in the United States, now ranks
fifth. The guide said it was complet-
ed nm 1896 at a cost of one hundred
and twenty five thousand dollars and
has five thousand five hundred pipes,
ranging from to 80 inches in length.
We had the pleasure of attending two
recitals and can attest to the musical
ability of the presiding organist; also
to the wonderful depth of tone and
melody of the instrument at which he
presided. Electricity provides the
motive power for the organ. Recitals
are given at noon each day; except
Sunday, for the benefit of tourists
and other visitors. Those at which
we were present, the audiences num-
bered from twelve to fifteen hundred
persons, mostly non-residents.
The tabernacle is open to visitors at
all times. When no services are be-
ing held guides take companies of
tourists through it. A building des-
ignated General Assembly Hall"
near by, in which services are con-
Quoted in the various languages, as
great many of the Mormons are fore
igners. Attention is called by guides
to all points Of interest, and as they
explain, they also court inquiry as to
their faith and customs. The entire
absence of criticism of any other
mode of worship than their own and
a very tactful and lucid exposition Of
that doctrine was especially MOTTO
able.
A bronze life-sized statue or Joseph
Smith the founder Of the faith stands
near the Temple. He, it is claimed
received a revelation from the angel
Moroni as to the location Of the metal
plates on which the book of Mormon
was engraved, which he unearthed
and translated from the original He
brew and Egyptian into English. A
statue of Hiram Smith, brother Of
the immortal Joseph, as the founder
of the church is designated by his
followers, stands near that of his cell
ebrated brother. Hiram is credited
with being a witness to the findings
of the writings, which we were told
now rested securely in the temple.
Upon the strength these writing their
doctrine created, and they claim they
are the inspired historical record of
the ancient inhabitants Of this con-
tinent.
A colony of Jews was said to have
left Jerusalem several hundred years
to be the lost tribe of Israel, led by
a prophet named Levi who served the
people during the time Of jeremiah.
This company embarked on the Per.
sian gulf being guided by Providence
to the western coast of South Amer
lea and were the ancestors of the
American Indians.
The record of their wanderings and
CAIg- Iao1fx,or .r~,fL
served on these metal plates. The
last prophet of these people was Nor
mon who entrusted the plates to his
son Moroni who after seeing the peo-
pie meet with many reverses and
many of their number destroyed was
commanded to hide the said plates
in the hill of Comora in western New
York where they were found by the
prophet Smith after he had received
revelation from the Angel Moroni
telling him where they were.
There was no explanation offered as
to the fact that Lehi and his follow
ers left Jerusalem four hundred years
before the time of Christ though the
book is said to be in part history
of the Christ and His workings whom
they acknowledge as their Savior.
On the pinnacle of the temple rests
a life size bronze figure representing
the Angel Maroni with trumpet, in
the act of proclaiming to the worlu
the Latter Day Saints exposition Of
the necessary qualifications for this
life and the life to come. / CLEANED
from conversation with one of their
leaders that the King James version
Of the Bible made use of by all de-
nominations, was their guide plus the
book of Mormon.
The golden rule he also specified as
one of their fundamental principals,
which all must admit is a good rule
to live and die by. Our Baptist
friends will approve of the tenet of
faith which teaches immersion. The
idea of a state of probation after
death is also endorsed, though not
designated in the same language as
other denominations believing that
doctrine, they ascribe to this time,
between death and the final resurrec-
r IA q