The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-09-06
MORMON TEMPLE COMPLETED

After fifteen years of construction
a new Mormon temple has been com
pleted and dedicated at Cardston
Canada. The following account of i
is taken from a newspaper there:
A Mormon temple at Cardston
Alberta, dedicated Sunday is thu
eighth of it's kind to be built by thi.
religious society. 1t has been more
than fifteen years in building ant
the actual cost is considerably more
than one million dollars.
1t is not place of worship or fol
gatherings of any kind, being used
only in carrying out the rituals and
ordinances of the church. After its
dedication, no persons other than
Mormons, will be allowed within its
walls, nor will it's own members who
use liquors, tobacco, tea or coffee.
The House of Mystery-as it is
often called-visited by thousands of
tourists previous to it's dedication,
and whether the visitor subscribes
to its tenets, much of interest will be
found in its stately architecture and
faultless furnishings
The style of architecture re-
sembles the ancient temples of the
Aztecs. The impression of so1idity
and strength is due not alone to the
massive pile of granite, but to it's
straight lines as we'll Hardly a
curve is visible in the whole exterior.
Rows of small windows from the
roof to the terrace emphasize the
effect of pillars, and square cornices
are used wherever available.
On entering the outer court
which by design resembles the
Court of the Gentiles' in Solomon's
temple-a sense of symmetry in
white marble first impresses the eye
This gradually resolves itself into
marble walls, and mosaic floors, with
flower beds and fountains.
From the terrace the mountains of
the great divide are seen. Old Chief
across the Kne in Montana, with his
square, roof-shaped crest $500 feet
in the air, leads the array
Inside the Temple
At the entrance to the temple are
the Offices of those who inquire into
the credentials of those who seek to
enter. The candidates wait in the
assembly room until accepted, when
men and women separate to their
respective dressing rooms, where
they battle and anoint with oil, and
each dons his temple robe, all of
white
The assembly room itself deserves
more than a passing glance. The |
woodwork is of oak, wondrously |
polished and waxed, but without |
varnish, as is all of the woodwork |
of the temple. This leaves the wood
a beautiful gray with a hint of
brown, which harmonizes with the
silver gray of the walls. The fresco
Of almost life size figures adorns the
upper half of the walls, representing
Christ breaking bread with the
[ndians-for the Mormons believe
that Christ came to America when he
was on earth, and taught the Ameri-
ian Indians.
This room will seat about $50 per-
sons, and no room in this vast build
ng is planned to seat more
Just above the assembly room is
he bapttstry, where huge fount, its
ines all curves contrasting yet fitting
nto the straight lines elsewhere, is
leld by the heads and shoulders of
welve oxen. Twelve columns, ella
,oratelv decorated, emphasize that
,ropehtic number, concentrating
lot only the IL tribes of Israel, but
he twelve apostles as we'll The
ken are not symbolical, denoting !
imply strength. The room and the
,alleries above it are ornate with
decorations and elaborate with gold. 5
When people are contemplating 7
natrimony, or wish to do any Of |
heir services for the dead, certain /
ducation is especially planned for q
hem. A group Of from forty to s
ixty is taken thru the temple at one 3
ime. After passing the assembly f
DOM and DOMINIC their temple r
obes, they are seated in the creation {
Dom and hear an appropriate C
ecture. 6
The history of creation is told v
nem, much of it is pictured on the b
'alls. Here the artist has given his $
of the seven days: Let b
here be light" ''The earth was +
-ithout form and void and so on "
ntil the earth. was ready to be in O
abited by man. r
The Garden Room
From this the candidates are
ken into room of softly blended
o1ors. AS if the beautiful gray
rown oak were not sufficiently ex-
ressive, silvery birds eye maple was r.