Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1943-01-28
OHIO MORMONS

Il
i OHIO MORMONS
4 Did you know that the first Nor
mon Temple ever built was in Ohio
In the gently rolling country callet
the Western Reserve is Kirkland
Visiting at Willoughby, / walket
five miles southest Of that beautifu
village through charming country
From every little hill as a vantage
point / could see in the distance the
Mormon Temple. A tower 40 feet
high added to the visibility.
It was very much like New Eng
land church, although much larger
being 80 by 60 feet square, and
three stories high. AS ! drew near
/ was impressed by the fact that
Mormon people were just like all
kindly, hospitable Ohio people.
Next door to the temple lived one
of their number. who was keeper of
the keys. He seemed more than
willing to guide us through the
building and te explain it. AS We
entered, we noticed there were two
great arched doors, dividing the
church into two halves, one for the
males and one for the females.
The church was further divided by
a drop curtain, which was at the
time rolled to the ceiling Of the
third floor. We soon discovered
there was not one pulpit only, as
we might expect, but twelve! In
fact there were four tiers of pulpits,
one above the other, with three pull
pits to each tier, making twelve.
Twelve is a great number in the
Bible, there were twelve tribes,
twelve divisions of the Land Of
Promise, and twelve apostles. as
we'll as twelve gates to the celestial
city. In this church there are many
grades of authority, or privilege.
and this seemed to be suggested BY
the pulpits one above another.
The pulpits were carved from
wood, lacquered with cleaning
white, standing out in contrast with
the dark walnut trimming of the
church. The guide emphasized the
gradation in priesthoods, Melchiza-
dek, Aaron and Christ. Joseph
Smith, having written the Book of
Mormon in 1880, with the aid of
angels and golden spectacles, came
to Kirkland in 1881, with so fam
lilies of his followers.
He claimed authority as prophet
to inspiration and obedience. Vol
unteer labor quarried the stone, and
built the structure, in three years.
1888 to 1886. Joseph Bump was
the architect, and the building cost
$65,OOO, a fragment of the cost, If
built today. For time the move
ment grew rapidly, in numbers and
in wealth, and prosperity was evil
dent. Smith started a bank, him.
self the cashier.
The bank failed utterly. Feeling
was felt and shown by the many
creditors, and this daily increased.
In 1888 they found they would
have to move westward. Driven
out of Kirkland, they settled in Mis-
souri,, were driven out again, and
settled at Nauvoo, Illinois. Here
another substantial temple was
erected. Then came division, and a
paper was printed by the opposition.
Smith promptly destroyed the press
and ruined the shop. He was ar !
rested and thrown into Jail, where
an infuriated mob broke In, and
murdered the prohpet and his broth |
er, Hyrum Smith.
A wiser leader and a shrewd or
ganizer was now to take his place.
About July /, 1874, Brigham Young
assumed command, and
some new ideas. Smith
had been q candidate for president
of the United States, and Young
came from the east where he had
been campaigning for his friend.
With 143 men, Young led that
historic trek to the wilderness OF
Utah. That unknown territory was
then in Mexico, and held out prom
ise of peace to the harassed fugi- |
tives. This migration, one of the
greatest feats of history, was over
long untried road, and tools, food
and belongings had to be trans
ported.
Coming out Of the pass. Young |
looked SO miles toward Salt Lake,
and said, 'This is the place!" Plows
started, irrigation followed. bitches
still lead the water down the broad
streets of Salt Lake City. this i'm
portant station in the west.
An aged Mormon told me his
pushing a cart. as
many did. across the bitter desert,
froze ears, face. scalp and that her
head was bare all her life. Perse-
cution made them heroic, fanatical.
they argue by the hour for their
faith.
On all buildings you will see Il.
D. ST." Latter Day Saints" and
Holiness Unto the Lord" Coming
out Of the Kirkland church. I mo-
ticed this inscription: House Of the