Arizona republican., 1921-11-29
5000 ATTEND DEDICATION OF SITE OF NEW $500, 900
 |. ). 5. TEMPLE AT MESA


 J. w. Lesueur, president; o. s. Stapley. John. Cummard and Andrew Kimball, courtcillors; J. T. Lesueur, treasurer. and c. c. Salisbury, secre- tary..
 No Detail Overlooked
 No detail had been overlooked by the committee on arrangements in making plans for the dedication ser vices. A speakers platform had been erected just south of the temple site proper with seating arrangements for speakers and church dignitaries on the platform proper and for a chorus of 300 voices on an extension of the rostrun.
 Directly in front of this platform was the plot of ground on which the temple is to be built. The space, kS3 feet inches long and 123 feet wide, had been cleared by members of the Maricopa stake and fenced off with steel wire. The structure itself, according to tentative plans com pleted ip Salt Lake City, is to be 1S31s feet long by 123 feet wide and 60 feet high. It is to be of reinforced concrete. Finishing materials have not been decided upon as yet.
 On each side of the speaking plat form, seats had been provided for perhaps 1000 but the crowd conl- pletely overwhelmed the committed Automobile parked on all four sides of the platform and these were filled with spectators. while hundreds Of others stood throughout the service, which lasted nearly three hours.
 Music a Feature of Program
 The service opened at 1880 o'clock with orchestra selections by the Mesa Union, High school orchestra At 2 o'clock, the children of the Sunday schools in the Maricopa stake, all carrying yellow chrusanthemums, joined in community singing. As they sang they marched around the tenn pie foundation, spreading palm leaves as they went The combined stake choir of several hundred voices sang Let the Mountains Shout for Joy" after the string orchestra of 15 pieces of the Second Ward chapel had played several selections.
 Rey L. Pratt, president Of the Mex ican mission. which comprises all Mexican people in the Southwest, pronounced the invocation. ,, Anthony w. Ivens. second coun- selor to President Grant spoke next. President Ivens is well known to all members of the Maricopa stake and to the older residents of Arizona, for he is one of the true pioneers or the valley. He came to Arizona AZ years ago on a church mission and for many years made his home in the valley, being among one of the first settlers.
 .sThe dedication of this site is but the beginning and almost the small est part of the work we have to do in the building of this temple, he said.
 Material Side of Work Later
 "The material, part of the work comes later. Then comes the sac- rificing. These temples do not come spontaneously but are a result Of our own labor and liberality We must give back to the Lord por- tion of that which he has given to us.
 You people of the Marieopa stake are not strong in number of wealth 1 but it is our hope that your temple may be finished without delay John W. McMurrin, president of the i California mission, spoke on IT he
 Need of Temples"
 | .I know of no other occasion IT | the history of the church just like this" President McMurrin said. Il | is indeed an occasion of occasions | this rearing of a magnificent templt 1 consecrated to the work of God where | only a few years ago was a grea i desert"
 A male chorus sang the Arizon; II temple anthem, entitled Hall tn l Day." written by Miss Bertha A
 Kleinman. a member of the Maricop' | stake.
 President Grants remarks an
 prayer followed. the meeting bein
 brought to a cl,se by Andrew Kim
 ball, president of the St. Joseph stalk who pronounced the benedicton- All Mesa schoo were closed dur ing the afternoon, that the childre might attend the dedication service. A half holiday also was observed i the business section of the city, prac tically every store closing at o'cloc in the afternoon Some reopened aft CT completion of the services. Discuss Construction Plans At a meeting at the home of O. Stapley Monday morning, at whic time organization of a temple dis trict was perfected, plans for carry ing on construction work were dis cussed. It was decided that arch itects should start immediately O completion of details in connectio with building the temple. As 500 as these plans are finished, a super intendent will be put in charge ( the work which will then procee without interruption. Completion ( the temple is d matter of month and possibly years, it was agreed. The Mesa temple is to be tn eighth built by the church and tn sixth present day temple, two havin been abandoned. The first temp was erected at Kirtland. Ohio, 1888. It has since been abandone' The second war constructed at Nau VOC, H., and it also has been abar doned.
 The biggest of all present day ten pies is at Salt Lake City, the seat ( the church. There are temples { St. George and Manti, Utah, in Car \ ada and in the Hawaiian islands. Among the church dignitaries al tending the dedication services Mesa yesterday in addition to tho: of the Maricopa stake, were: ' President Hebpr I Grant. AnthC