TEMPLE SITE AT FAR WEST, MISSOURI
From Ohio the Church migrated westward, and gathering-centers were established in Missouri, principally in Jackson, Clay, and Caldwell counties. No time was lost in useless grieving over the enforced abandonment of the Temple at Kirtland. Even at that early day, but seven years after the organization of the Church, the people had come to regard persecution as an inevitable incident of their religion, and spoliation as their heritage. Resolutely they went to work in preparation for another temple, and a site was chosen at Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri. On the 5th of August, 1837, "the Presidency, High Council, and all the authorities of the Church in Missouri, assembled in council at Far West, and unanimously resolved to go on moderately and build a house unto the name of the Lord in Far West, as they had means."[20] On the 26th of April, 1838, a revelation was received directing the time and manner of beginning the work:
"Let the city, Far West, be a holy and consecrated land unto me, and it shall be called most holy, for the ground upon which thou standest is holy; therefore I command you to build an house unto me, for the gathering together of my Saints, that they may worship me; and let there be a beginning of this work, and a foundation, and a preparatory work, this following summer; and let the beginning be made on the fourth day of July next, and from that time forth let my people labor diligently to build an house unto my name, and in one year from this day let them re-commence laying the foundation of my house."[21]
On the fourth day of July, 1838, the corner stones were laid to the accompaniment of military parade and solemn procession.[22] It is plain from the revelation of April 26, 1838, that even the laying of the foundation of this proposed temple would not proceed uninterruptedly. The corner stones were placed on July 4th as had been commanded, and on the 8th another mention of the site is made with a specific requirement respecting the future work of the apostles. "Let them take leave of my Saints in the city of Far West, on the 26th day of April next, on the building spot of my house, saith the Lord."[23] The months following were marked by persecution and violence; hostile opponents declared that the commission should never be fulfilled. History attests, however, that on the 26th day of April, 1839, the apostles, several other officers of the Church, and a number of the members, assembled in the early hours of the morning, sang their hymns, delivered their exhortations, and began the work of laying the foundation stones. On the occasion two vacancies in the Council of the Twelve were filled by the ordination of Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith, whose nominations had previously been voted upon. The apostles then took leave of the others present and proceeded on their missions. Almost immediately after the events last recorded, the Saints were forced to abandon their homes in Missouri.
The Latter-day Saints regard the long delay in the erection of temples on the dedicated sites in Missouri as largely the result of their own defection, neglect, and disobedience to the word of the Lord, in consequence of which their enemies were permitted to prevail. When, in 1834, the Saints in Missouri were subject to cruel persecution, their fellow religionists in the eastern branches of the Church were directed to go to their aid, and to send men with money to purchase the lands adjacent to the chosen sites, and moreover to consecrate their possessions to the redemption of Zion. To these requirements there was unsatisfactory response; and even in Zion's Camp, as the body of between one hundred and fifty and two hundred men who set out from Ohio for Missouri as directed, was called, there was much disaffection, murmuring, and lack of faith. On June 22, 1834, the Lord said through Joseph, the prophet:
"Behold, I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my people, speaking concerning the Church and not individuals, they might have been redeemed even now."[24]
Thus, through their own transgressions the Saints were hindered in the work required at their hands, and the harvest of blessings predicated upon this specific labor, has not yet ripened.
THE NAUVOO TEMPLE
After their expulsion from Missouri, the "Mormon" refugees turned their faces toward the east, crossed the Mississippi and established themselves in and about the obscure village of Commerce, Hancock County, Illinois. The people demonstrated again their marvelous recuperative power, and without delay or hesitation set about establishing new homes and a temple. By the early part of June, 1839, dwellings were in course of construction, and soon the hamlet was transformed into a city. To this new abiding place the Saints gave the name Nauvoo,—which to them meant all that the name City Beautiful could convey. It was situated but a few miles from Quincy, in a bend of the majestic river, giving the town three water fronts. It seemed to nestle there as if the Father of Waters was encircling it with his mighty arm.[25]
The best and most suitable site within the limits of the city as planned was selected, purchased, and duly set apart as the temple ground. The corner stones were laid April 6, 1841—the day on which the Church entered upon the twelfth year of its troubled yet progressive career. In the ceremonial of the day the Nauvoo Legion—a body of militia organized under the laws of Illinois,—took a conspicuous part, and two volunteer companies from Iowa Territory participated.[26] The south-east corner-stone was placed in position under the immediate direction of the First Presidency, and over it the President pronounced the following benediction:
"This principal corner-stone in representation of the First Presidency, is now duly laid in honor of the Great God; and may it there remain until the whole fabric is completed; and may the same be accomplished speedily; that the Saints may have a place to worship God, and the Son of Man have where to lay His head."
Sidney Rigdon of the First Presidency then pronounced the following:
"May the persons employed in the erection of this house be preserved from all harm while engaged in its construction, till the whole is completed, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Even so. Amen."[27]
After a recess of one hour, the congregation re-assembled and the remaining corner stones were laid in the order indicated. The south-west corner-stone was laid under the direction of the High Priests' organization, and the president pronounced the following:
"The second corner-stone of the temple now building by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in honor of the Great God, is duly laid, and may the same unanimity that has been manifested on this occasion continue till the whole is completed; that peace may rest upon it to the laying of the top-stone thereof, and the turning of the key thereof; that the Saints may participate in the blessings of Israel's God, within its walls, and the glory of God rest upon the same. Amen."
The north-west corner-stone was then lowered to its place under the superintendency of the High Council, with a benediction by Elias Higbee, as follows:
"The third corner-stone is now duly laid; may this stone be a firm support to the building that the whole may be completed as before proposed."
The stone at the north-east corner was laid by the Bishops, and Bishop Whitney pronounced the following:
"The fourth and last corner-stone, expressive of the Lesser Priesthood, is now duly laid, and may the blessings before pronounced, with all others desirable, rest upon the same forever. Amen."[28]
Regarding the proper order of procedure in temple building, the prophet Joseph Smith wrote as follows in connection with the laying of the corner-stones at Nauvoo:
"If the strict order of the Priesthood were carried out in the building of temples, the first stone would be laid at the south-east corner, by the First Presidency of the Church. The south-west corner should be laid next; the third, or north-west corner next; and the fourth, or north-east corner last. The First Presidency should lay the south-east corner stone and dictate who are the proper persons to lay the other corner stones.
"If a temple is built at a distance, and the First Presidency are not present, then the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are the persons to dictate the order for that temple; and in the absence of the Twelve Apostles, then the Presidency of the Stake will lay the south-east corner stone; the Melchisedek Priesthood laying the corner stones on the east side of the temple, and the Lesser Priesthood those on the west side."[29]
The Nauvoo Temple was erected by the people, who contributed liberally both through tithes and freewill offerings of money and labor. Most of the work was done by men who tithed themselves as to time, and devoted their energies in the proportion of at least one day in ten to labor on the Temple.[30]
The work progressed slowly but without marked interruption; and this fact becomes surprising when the many unfavorable conditions are considered. The Saints had found but temporary respite from persecution; and as the Temple rose opposition increased.[31]
Interest had been aroused and energy stimulated in temple matters, through a revelation by which the Lord made known His will and the provisions of heavenly law concerning the sacred ordinance of baptism for the dead. It will be remembered that no provision for this rite had been made in the Kirtland Temple, for at the time of the erection of that structure nothing thereto pertaining had been revealed in modern times. On January 19, 1841, the Lord had spoken through the prophet, explaining the need of a holy house with its baptistry, largely and specifically for the benefit of the dead.[32] So eager were the Saints to render vicarious service in behalf of their dead, that before the temple walls were much above the basement level, the construction of a font was in progress. On November 8, 1841, the font was ready for dedication, and the ceremony was performed by the prophet himself. Thus, long before the Temple was finished, ordinance work was in progress within its precincts, the font being enclosed by temporary walls. A description written by Joseph Smith follows:
"The baptismal font is situated in the center of the basement room, under the main hall of the Temple; it is constructed of pine timber, and put together of staves tongued and grooved, oval shaped, sixteen feet long east and west, and twelve feet wide, seven feet high from the foundation, the basin four feet deep; the moulding of the cap and base are formed of beautiful carved work in antique style. The sides are finished with panel work. A flight of stairs in the north and south sides lead up and down into the basin, guarded by side railing.
"The font stands upon twelve oxen, four on each side, and two at each end, their heads, shoulders, and fore-legs projecting out from under the font; they are carved out of pine plank, glued together, and copied after the most beautiful five-year-old steer that could be found in the country, and they are an excellent striking likeness of the original; the horns were formed after the most perfect horn that could be procured.
"The oxen and ornamental mouldings of the font were carved by Elder Elijah Fordham, from the city of New York, which occupied eight months of time. The font was enclosed by a temporary frame building sided up with split oak clapboards, with a roof of the same material, and was so low that the timbers of the first story [of the Temple] were laid above it. The water was supplied from a well thirty feet deep in the east end of the basement."[33]
Beside the baptistry, other parts of the Temple were prepared for temporary occupancy while yet work on the walls was in progress, and on Sunday, October 30, 1842, a general assembly was convened therein. This is recorded as the first meeting held in the Temple.[34] At later dates other meetings were held within the unfinished structure; and notwithstanding the violent opposition of foes without, and yet more effective hindrances caused by the apostate spirit manifested by a few within the Church, the work was vigorously prosecuted.
It was not permitted that Joseph Smith the prophet, nor Hyrum Smith, one-time counselor in the First Presidency and later Patriarch of the Church, should live to see the completion of the building. On the 27th of June, 1844, these men of God fell victims of the bullets of assassins, at Carthage, Illinois.[35] Though heavy the blow and cruel the affliction suffered by the Saints in the martyrdom of their leaders, the work of the Church showed scarcely perceptible hindrance. Within two weeks after the dread event, construction on the Temple was resumed, and from that time till the completion the work was prosecuted with increased vigor and determination. A few months prior to his martyrdom, Patriarch Hyrum Smith, acting as one of the Temple Committee, had made a call on the women of the Church, asking from them a weekly subscription of one cent apiece, the money to be used in purchasing material, particularly glass and nails, for the Temple. It is recorded that "there was soon a great anxiety manifest among the sisters to pay their portion, and nearly all paid a year's subscription in advance."[36]
The Church archives for 1844 and 1845 contain numerous references to the progress of the work. On the 24th of May, 1845, the capstone was laid, with impressive ceremony, under the direction of President Brigham Young and other members of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, beside whom there were in attendance many general and local authorities of the Church. After the top-stone had been duly laid, the President said:
"The last stone is laid upon the Temple, and I pray the Almighty in the name of Jesus to defend us in this place, and sustain us until the Temple is finished and we have all got our endowments."[37]
Then followed the solemn and sacred shout: "Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! To God and the Lamb! Amen! Amen! and Amen!" This was repeated a second and a third time; and in conclusion the President said: "So let it be, thou Lord Almighty."[38]
The somber clouds of persecution were gathering and thickening about the devoted people. Under counsel from their leaders the people prepared once again to leave their homes; and this time they resolved to go beyond the boundaries of civilization. A general exodus was imminent; and as early as February, 1846, this had begun. Most of the Saints, however, remained for a short time; and with these the completion of the Temple was the main purpose and object of life. Though they knew the sacred edifice would soon be abandoned, they labored diligently to complete it, even to the smallest detail.
By October, 1845, the building was so well advanced that large assemblies therein were possible. The general autumnal conference of the Church for that year was held within the walls; and the congregation present on October 5th numbered fully five thousand souls. During December, 1845, and the early months of 1846, many of the Saints received their blessings and endowments in the Temple, for which purpose parts of the structure had been duly consecrated; but not until the end of April was the building as a whole ready for dedication.
The Nauvoo Temple was constructed for the most part of a close-grained, light-gray limestone, a material at once hard and durable, yet easily tooled, and therefore readily adapted to ornamental finish. The entire building was one hundred and twenty-eight feet by eighty-eight feet, and sixty-five feet high in the clear. The top of the spire was one hundred and sixty-five feet above the ground and bore the figure of a flying herald sounding a trumpet. The plan of construction was that of a solid and stable four-walled building, two and a half stories high, with a hexagonal tower at the front rising in four terraces and a dome. Over the front center door, and immediately beneath the base of the tower, appeared an inscription:
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
Built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Holiness to the Lord
On the outside were thirty pilasters, nine on each side and six at each end. At its base each pilaster presented in hewn relief the crescent moon, and ended above in a capital of cut stone depicting the face of the sun allegorically featured, with a pair of hands holding horns. Above the capitals was a frieze or cornice in which appeared thirty star-stones. In the late hours of April 30, 1846, the Temple was privately, yet officially, dedicated, in the presence of such general authorities of the Church as could be convened. President Joseph Young of the First Council of Seventy offered the dedicatory prayer. The semi-private character of the dedication was due to the thought that possibly there would be interference in a public ceremony, so active was the spirit of intolerance and persecution. On the day following, that is to say May 1, 1846, services of a general and public nature were held in the Temple, under the direction of Elders Orson Hyde and Wilford Woodruff of the Council of the Twelve Apostles.
The Saints had met the requirement made of them by the Lord in the building of another House to His name. Ordinance work continued a few months more, even though the exodus of the people was in progress. In September, 1846, the Nauvoo Temple was in possession of the mob; and the people whose energy and substance, whose sweat and blood had been spent in its rearing, were driven into the wilderness or slain. For two years the once hallowed structure stood as an abandoned building; then on November 19, 1848, it fell a prey to the wanton act of an incendiary. After the conflagration, only blackened walls remained where once had stood so stately a sanctuary. Strange to say, an attempt was made by the Icarians, a local organization, to rebuild on the ruins, the professed intent being to provide for a school; but while the work was in its early stages a tornado demolished the greater part of the walls. This occurred on May 27, 1850. What remained of the Temple has been taken away as souvenirs or used as building material for other structures. Stones of the Temple have been carried into most of the states of the Union and beyond the seas, but upon the site where once stood the House of the Lord not one stone is left upon another. Before the demolition of the Nauvoo Temple was complete, the Latter-day Saints had established themselves in the vales of Utah, and were already preparing to build another and a greater sanctuary to the name and service of their God.
FOOTNOTES
1. Doctrine and Covenants 36:8; compare Malachi 3:1.
2. Doctrine and Covenants 42:36.
3. See Doctrine and Covenants sec. 52; see also sec. 54.
4. History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol. I, p. 189.
5. See Doctrine and Covenants 57:1-4.
6. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. I, p. 199; also the "Life of Joseph Smith" by George Q. Cannon, p. 119; see also "History of Utah" by Orson F. Whitney, Vol. I, p. 91.
7. Doctrine and Covenants sec. 88:119, 120.
8. See Doctrine and Covenants sec. 95.
9. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. I, pp. 349, 350.
10. Doctrine and Covenants 97:10-17.
11. See "Life of Joseph, the Prophet" by Edward W. Tullidge, pp. 187-189.
12. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. I, page 400.
13. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol. II, pp. 205, 206.
14. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. II, pp. 368, 369.
15. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. II, pp. 380-382.
16. See Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 109, where the prayer appears in full.
17. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. II, pp. 427, 428.
18. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. II, p. 428.
19. Doctrine and Covenants sec. 110. See also "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Vol. II, pp. 434-436.
20. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. II, p. 505.
21. Doctrine and Covenants sec. 115:7-11.
22. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. III, pp. 41, 42.
23. Doctrine and Covenants 118:5.
24. Doctrine and Covenants 105:2; see also 103:23, and compare 105:8, 9; the two sections should be read in full.
25. See "The Story of Mormonism" by the author, p. 35.
26. See Joseph Smith's Journal, April 6, 1841; see "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. IV, pp. 327-329.
27. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. IV, p. 329.
28. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. IV, p. 330.
29. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. IV, p. 331.
30. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. IV, p. 517.
31. In the "Times and Seasons" of May 2, 1842, appeared an editorial dealing with the progress of work on the Temple, and this writing has been incorporated in the prophet's journal. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Vol. V, pp. 608-610.
32. See Doctrine and Covenants 124:28-31. For an extended extract see pages 73-74 of this book.
33. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. IV, pp. 446, 447.
34. "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. V, p. 182.
35. See "History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Vol. VI, pp. 612-631; also Doctrine and Covenants, sec. 135.
36. "Historical Record," Salt Lake City, June, 1889, Vol. VIII, pp. 865, 866.
37. See "Historical Record," Salt Lake City, June, 1889, Vol. VII, p. 870.
38. "Historical Record," Vol. VII, p. 870.
CHAPTER VI
THE GREAT TEMPLE AT SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH—HISTORICAL
Where in 1847 nought but a wilderness of sagebrush and sunflowers stretched from the Wasatch barrier westward toward the shores of the great salt sea, now appears a stately city, even as was then foreseen in prophetic vision. On the site selected but four days after the advent of the pioneer band of "Mormon" colonizers, stands a massive structure, dedicated to the name of the Most High. It is at once an object of wonder and admiration to the visitor, and a subject of sanctifying joy and righteous pride to the people whose sacrifice and effort have given it being.
On the east center tower appears an inscription, the letters deep-cut in stone and lined with gold:
Holiness to the Lord
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
Built by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Commenced April 6, 1853
Completed April 6, 1893
In one of the upper rooms a splendid art window presents an excellent view of the completed building, with side inscriptions as follows:
These memorial tablets in stone and jeweled glass give the essentials as to dates in the history of the great Temple; some further data, however, may be of interest to the reader.
The Temple Block, a square of ten acres, was laid off in 1847, and is today one of the choicest sites within the city. At the General Conference of the Church held in April, 1851, an official vote was taken whereby the erection of the Temple was authorized. Be it remembered that this action was that of a people despoiled and in poverty, struggling with the unsubdued desert, the while menaced by hostile savages; and that at the time the entire population of Utah did not exceed thirty thousand souls, of whom fewer than five thousand were living within the area of the prospective city. A general epistle issued by the First Presidency of the Church, April 7, 1851, is instructive in this connection:
"A railroad has been chartered to extend from the Temple Block in this city to the stone quarry and mountain on the east, for the conveyance of building materials; the construction to commence immediately. * * * We contemplate laying a wall around the Temple Block this season, preparatory to laying the foundation of a Temple the year following; and this we will be sure to do, if all the Saints shall prove themselves as ready to pay their tithing, and sacrifice and consecrate of their substance, as freely as we will; and if the Saints do not pay their tithing, we can neither build nor prepare for building; and if there shall be no Temple built, the Saints can have no endowments, and if they do not receive their endowments, they can never attain unto that salvation they are anxiously looking for."[1]
It had been decided to surround the entire block by a substantial wall. The beginning of work on this enclosure was deferred through lack of material and men until August 3, 1852; but from that date it progressed with fair rapidity, and on May 23, 1857, the wall was finished, practically as it now stands. It extends a full city block,—one eighth of a mile in each of its four directions; and, it is interesting to note, these dimensions are practically the same as those which, according to Josephus, enclosed the grounds on which stood the Temple of Herod.[2] The wall has a base of cut stone,—a red sandstone from the mountains on the east; the base is four feet in height, and supports courses of adobes which extend ten feet higher; then follows a coping of red sandstone one foot in thickness, giving the wall a total height of fifteen feet. The adobes are hidden by a durable dressing of cement. Passage to and from the square is provided for by large gates in the center of each of the four sides. When this wall was built, City Creek ran through Temple Block; the stream is now confined to a straight channel north of the block; and the arches under which the stream once passed may be seen in the base of the wall both on the east and west sides.
The construction of the wall, in itself a great and costly undertaking for people situated as were its builders, was but an incident to the greater labor of erecting the Temple. Interest in the work was never allowed to flag; it was the theme of both poet and preacher, and the ever-pressing duty was kept in public view. The people were given to understand that the commission to build the Lord's House was theirs, and not that of their leaders alone.
The site was dedicated and ground first broken for the foundation February 14, 1853. The occasion was a notable one, and was observed by the Saints as a day of general rejoicing. Between the date of breaking ground and the time of the next succeeding conference of the Church, preparations for the laying of the corner-stones were carried on with determination and vigor. The glad event occurred on the 6th of April, 1853—the twenty-third anniversary of the organization of the Church,—and was celebrated by the people with such evidences of thanksgiving and genuine joy as assured their devotion to the work so auspiciously begun. Civic and military bodies took part; there were processions with bands of music, and solemn services with prayer. The mayor of the city was marshal of the day; the city police served as a guard of honor, and the territorial militia marched with the congregation of the Saints. The placing of the corner-stones was celebrated as an accomplished triumph, though but a beginning.
Let it not be imagined that the work was carried through without hindrance or set-back. The foundation was commenced at the south-east corner June 16, 1853, and was completed July 23, 1855. A course of rubble was laid on the actual foundation and this was succeeded by courses of flagstone. The work had gone forward but slowly, when, in 1857, a serious interruption occurred. At that time the people prepared to abandon their homes, temporarily at least, and seek an abiding place elsewhere in the desert. The cause of the portending exodus was the approach of an armed force sent by the United States government to subdue an alleged rebellion in Utah. This military movement had been ordered through an utter misunderstanding of facts, based on vicious misrepresentation. The coming of the soldiery had been heralded with dire threats of violence; and while the people knew themselves innocent of any act of disloyalty toward the government or its officers, they had not forgotten the harrowing scenes of organized persecution in Missouri and Illinois, due to misapprehension, and they preferred the uncertainties of the desert to the dread alternative of a possible repetition of the past. In the saddening preparations for departure, the people carefully covered the foundation work on the site of the Temple; excavations were re-filled, and every vestige of masonry was obscured. At that time no part of the foundation had been carried above ground-level. When the covering-up process was complete, the site showed nothing more attractive than a remote resemblance to the barren stretch of a roughly plowed field.
It is pleasing to note that a peaceable adjustment between the army and the people was effected. The Saints returned to their homes; and the soldiers established a camp,—afterward to become a post,—at a distance of forty miles from the city.[3]
The interruption in building operations thus occasioned was followed by a short period of comparative inactivity, after the return of the people. The foundations were uncovered; but, before the resumption of stone-laying, it was found that the rubble overlying the foundation proper and immediately under the flagstone layers seemed to have less stability than was required; and straightway both flagging and rubble were removed. Stone of best quality was substituted, and the work of actual construction was continued with renewed energy. The reconstruction was a work of years.
The temple enclosure was for a brief period the communal center of mechanical industry,—the one great work-shop of the intermountain commonwealth. The Church had established there its public works, comprising a power plant in which the energy of City Creek was harnessed to the wheel, air-blast equipment, iron foundry, and machine shops for the working of both wood and metal.[4] Much of the work here done had no connection with the extensive building operations on Temple Block.
Beside the interruptions and delays already noted, other hindrances were inevitable, and, under the best of conditions progress could be but slow. Not until years after the "move" incident to the entrance of the federal soldiery, had the material of the main structure been decided upon. As far back as the October conference of 1852 the question of material had been considered. Oolite from the quarries in Sanpete County, red sandstone from the hills near-by, adobes with intermixed pebbles,—each had been suggested; and the matter was brought to vote, though it must be admitted, the question presented was somewhat indefinite in form. At the forenoon session of the conference on October 9, 1852, President Heber C. Kimball submitted the question: "Shall we have the Temple built of stone from Red Butte, adobes, rock, or the best stone the mountains afford?" In reply a resolution was adopted by unanimous vote to the effect "that we build a Temple of the best materials that can be obtained in the mountains of North America, and that the Presidency dictate where the stone and other materials shall be obtained." The action is significant as showing the faith, reliance, and determination of the people. The Temple they were about to rear should be in every particular the best the people could produce. This modern House of the Lord was to be no temporary structure, nor of small proportions, nor of poor material, nor of mean or inadequate design. It was known at the outset that the building could not be finished for many a long year, for decades, perhaps, and by that time this colony would have become a commonwealth, the few would have grown to a multitude of souls. The Temple was to be worthy of the great future. Sandstone, oolite, adobe blocks, each and all were considered, and in turn rejected. The decision was to this effect,—the walls should be of solid granite. An enormous deposit of this durable stone had been discovered in the Cottonwood canyons, twenty miles to the south-east, and to those faith-impelled people it was enough to know that suitable material was available. At whatever cost of toil and sacrifice, at whatever toll of self-denial and suffering, it should be procured.
The so-called "temple granite" is in reality a syenite, and occurs as an immense laccolith in the Cottonwood section of the Wasatch. The erosion of long ages had cut deep canyons through the eruptive mass; and glaciers, descending with irresistible force, had dislodged and transported countless boulders, many of them of colossal size. These isolated blocks, known as erratics, furnished the supply of building stone; it was not found necessary to quarry into the granite mountain-mass in place. In the canyon the boulders were divided mostly by the use of hand-drills and wedges, though low power explosives were used to a small extent. The rough blocks were conveyed at first by ox-teams; four yoke were required for each block, and every trip was a labored journey of three or four days. A canal for the conveyance of the rock by water was projected, and, indeed, work thereon was begun, but the plan was abandoned as the prospect of railroad transportation became more certain.
The plan of the building was given by Brigham Young, President of the Church, and the structural details were worked out under his direction by the Church architect—Truman O. Angell. A description by the latter was published as early as 1854, both in Utah[5] and abroad.[6] For convenience of comparison with the details of actual construction as now appear, this early announcement of what was then to be is here reproduced:
"The Temple Block is forty rods square, the lines running north and south, east and west, and contains ten acres. The center of the Temple is one hundred and fifty-six feet six inches due west from the center of the east line of the block. The length of said House, east and west, is one hundred and eighty-six and a half feet, including towers, and the width ninety-nine feet. On the east end there are three towers, as also on the west. Draw a line north and south one hundred and eighteen and a half feet through the center of the towers, and you have the north and south extent of ground plan, including pedestal.
"We depress into the earth, at the east end, to the depth of sixteen feet, and enlarge all around beyond the lines of wall three feet for a footing.
"The north and south walls are eight feet thick, clear of pedestal; they stand upon a footing of sixteen feet wall, on its bearing, which slopes three feet on each side to the height of seven and a half feet. The footing of the towers rises to the same height as the side, and is one solid piece of masonry of rough ashlars, laid in good lime mortar.
"The basement of the main building is divided into many rooms by walls, all having footings. The line of the basement floor is six inches above the top of the footing. From the tower on the east to the tower on the west, the face of the earth slopes six feet; four inches above the earth on the east line, begins a promenade walk, from eleven to twenty-two feet wide, around the entire building, and approached by stone steps on all sides.
"There are four towers on the four corners of the building, each starting from their footing, of twenty-six feet square; these continue sixteen and a half feet and come to the line of the base string course, which is eight feet above the promenade walk. At this point the towers are reduced to twenty-five feet square; they then continue to the height of thirty-eight feet, or the height of the second string course. At this point they are reduced to twenty-three feet square; they then continue thirty-eight feet high, to the third string course. The string courses continue all around the building, except when separated by buttresses. These string courses are massive mouldings from solid blocks of stone.
"The two east towers then rise twenty-five feet to a string course, or cornice. The two west towers rise nineteen feet and come to their string course or cornice. The four towers then rise nine feet to the top of battlements. These towers are cylindrical, having seventeen feet diameter inside, within which stairs ascend around a solid column four feet in diameter, allowing landings at the various sections of the building. These towers have each five ornamental windows on two sides, above the basement. The two center towers occupy the center of the east and west ends of the building, starting from their footings thirty-one feet square, and break off in sections in line with the corner towers to the height of the third string course. The east center tower then rises forty feet to the top of battlements; the west center tower rises thirty-four feet to the top of battlements. All the towers have spires, the details of which are not decided on.
"All these towers, at their corners, have octagon turrets, terminated by octagon pinnacles five feet diameter at base, four feet at first story, and three feet from there up. There are also on each side of these towers two buttresses, except when they come in contact with the body of the main building. The top of these buttresses show forty-eight in number, and stand upon pedestals. The space between the buttresses and turrets is two feet at first story. On the front of two center towers are two large windows, each thirty-two feet high, one above the other, neatly prepared for that place.
"On the two west corner towers, and on the west end, a few feet below the top of battlements, may be seen in bold or alto relievo, the great dipper, or Ursa Major, with the pointers ranging nearly towards the North Star. (Moral, the lost may find themselves by the Priesthood.)
"I will now glance at the main body of the House. I have before stated that the basement was divided into many rooms. The center one is arranged for a baptismal font, and is fifty-seven feet long by thirty-five feet wide, separated from the main wall by four rooms, two on each side, nineteen feet long by twelve wide. On the east and west sides of these rooms are four passages twelve feet wide; these lead to and from by outside doors, two on the north and two on the south. Further east and west from these passages are four more rooms, two at each end, twenty-eight feet wide by thirty-eight and one-half long. These and their walls occupy the basement. All the walls start off their footings, and rise sixteen and one-half feet, and there stop with ground ceiling.
"We are now up to the line of the base string course, eight feet above the promenade, or steps rising to the Temple, which terminates the cope of pedestal, and to the first floor of said House. This room is joined to the outer courts, these courts being the width between towers, sixteen feet by nine in the clear. We ascend to the floors of these courts (they being on a line with first floor of main house) by four flights of stone steps nine and one-half feet wide, arranged in the basement work; the first step ranging to the outer line of towers. From these courts doors admit to any part of the building.
"The size of the first large room is one hundred and twenty feet long by eighty feet wide; the height reaches nearly to the second string course. The room is arched over in the center with an elliptical arch which drops at its flank ten feet, and has thirty-eight feet span. The side ceilings have one-fourth elliptical arches which start from the side walls of the main building, sixteen feet high, and terminate at the capitals of the columns or foot of center arch, at the height of twenty-four feet. The columns obtain their bearings direct from the footings of said house; these columns extend up to support the floor above.
"The outside walls of this story are seven feet thick. The space from the termination of the foot of the center arch to the outer wall, is divided into sixteen compartments, eight on each side, making rooms fourteen feet by fourteen, clear of partitions, and ten feet high, leaving a passage six feet wide next to each flank of center arch, which is approached from the ends, These rooms are each lighted by an elliptical or oval window, whose major axis is vertical.
"The second large room is one foot wider than the room below; this is in consequence of the wall being but six feet thick, falling off six inches on the inner, and six on the outer side. The second string course provides for this on the outside. The rooms of this story are similar to those below. The side walls have nine buttresses on a side, and have eight tiers of windows, five on each tier.
"The foot of the basement windows are eight inches above the promenade, rise three feet perpendicular, and terminate with a semi-circular head. The first story windows have twelve feet length of sash, to top of semi-circular head. The oval windows have six and one-half feet length of sash. The windows of the second story are the same as those below. All these frames have four and one-half feet width of sash.
"The pedestals under all the buttresses project at their base two feet; above their base, which is fifteen inches by four and a half feet wide, on each front, is a figure of a globe three feet eleven inches across, whose axis corresponds with the axis of the earth.
"The base string course forms a cope for those pedestals. Above this cope the buttresses are three and a half feet, and continue to the height of one hundred feet. Above the promenade, close under the second string course, on each of the buttresses, is the moon, represented in its different phases. Close under the third string course, or cornice, is the face of the sun. Immediately above is Saturn with her rings. The buttresses terminate with a projected cope.
"The only difference between the tower buttresses, and the one just described is, instead of Saturn being on them, we have clouds and rays of light descending downwards.
"All of these symbols are to be chiseled in bas-relief on solid stone. The side walls continue above the string course, or cornice, eight and a half feet, making the walls ninety-six feet high, and are formed in battlements, interspersed with stars.
"The roof is quite flat, rising only eight feet, and is to be covered with galvanized iron, or some other metal. The building is to be otherwise ornamented in many places. The whole structure is designed to symbolize some of the great architectural work above.
"The basement windows recede in, from the face of outer wall to sash frame, eighteen inches, and are relieved by a large caveto. Those windows above the base recede from face of wall to sash frame, three feet, and are surrounded by stone jambs formed in mouldings, and surmounted by labels over each, which terminate at their horizon, excepting the oval windows, whose labels terminate on columns which extend from an enriched string course, at the foot of each window, to the center of major axis.
"My chief object in the last paragraph is to show to the judgment of any who may be baffled, how those windows can be come at, etc. All the windows in the towers are moulded, and have stone jambs; each being crowned with label mouldings.
"For further particulars, wait till the House is done, then come and see it.
"The whole House covers an area of twenty-one thousand eight hundred and fifty feet."
The entrance of the Union Pacific Railway into Utah, in 1868, served temporarily to retard work on the Temple, as the call for laborers on the great trans-continental line was deemed imperative. Eventually, however, the activity in railroad construction operated as a great assistance in the undertaking; for, to the main line, branches succeeded; and, by 1873, a side line had reached the granite quarries. From the city station a track was constructed up South Temple Street, and into Temple Block.
The work of construction proceeded so slowly as to arouse a feeling akin to impatience in the hearts of over-anxious Saints, and mild restraint was called for. At other times gentle urging was necessary. The work was apportioned to the people of the Territory, which, for convenience, was divided into temple districts. Stakes and wards and quorums of the Priesthood were assigned their parts, and an effective system of divided labor and responsibility was developed.[7]
President Brigham Young died in 1877, at which time the granite walls of the Temple had reached a height of about twenty feet above ground. During the administration of his successor, President John Taylor, the work was continued without important interruption for another decade, and thereafter was urged with even greater vigor under the direction of Wilford Woodruff, the next President of the Church. As the concluding laps of a race are generally marked by increased energy incident to the final spurt—the supreme effort to reach, the end in glory and triumph, as in a powerful drama, interest becomes more intense, and action more concentrated with the approach of the finale, so, in this great undertaking, the fact that the end was looming above the horizon of sight called forth redoubled energies on the part of the people. When the granite had risen to the square, and when the spires began to appear in place, a feeling of almost feverish anxiety was manifest throughout the Church.
LAYING OF THE CAPSTONE
The sixth day of April, 1892, was determined upon as the date for placing in position the capstone of the Temple, and the announcement was hailed with joy in every ward and branch of the Church, and in every household of the Saints.
The day marked the close of the annual Conference, and was hallowed by all the observances of solemn assembly. As a preliminary to the principal ceremony, a vast congregation had assembled in the Tabernacle at an early hour, and in this the several organizations of the Priesthood occupied distinctive places on the main floor while the galleries were reserved for the accommodation of the general public. At the close of an impressive service, the multitude proceeded in formal procession to the open space on the south side of the Temple, where a temporary platform had been erected with the flag of the nation waving above. An adjoining stand accommodated the choir, which numbered over two hundred singers. There was band music of the highest order, and every essential element of fervent worship combined with joyous celebration had been provided.
Over forty thousand people were gathered within the confines of Temple Block; and other thousands, unable to find a place in the great square, stood in the streets or looked down from roofs and windows of adjoining buildings. It is of record unchallenged that this assembly was the largest ever known in Utah. At high noon the special service was begun. The music of both band and choir, the marches, and anthems, and hymns, had been specially composed for the joyous occasion. The prayer was offered by President Joseph F. Smith, of the First Presidency, and the great "Amen" was echoed by two score thousand throats. A hymn followed; and then the venerable President of the Church, Wilford Woodruff, stepped to the front and announced that the auspicious moment, so long awaited, had arrived. These were his ringing words:
"Attention all ye house of Israel, and all ye nations of the earth! We will now lay the top-stone of the Temple of our God, the foundation of which was laid and dedicated by the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, Brigham Young."
At this juncture the president closed an electric circuit on the stand, and the granite hemisphere, forming the highest block of the great Temple, slowly descended into position. Then followed a scene the like of which is never enacted by this people except on occasions of extraordinary solemnity, namely, the rendering of the sacred Hosanna shout. Led by Lorenzo Snow, President of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, the forty thousand Saints shouted as with the voice of one:
"Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! to God and the Lamb! Amen! Amen! Amen!"
This was repeated thrice, each shout accompanied by the waving of white kerchiefs.
From the roof of the building came the voice of the architect-in-charge, J. Don Carlos Young, declaring that the capstone was duly laid, and choir and congregation broke forth in triumphant song:
"The Spirit of God like a fire is burning!
The latter-day glory begins to come forth;
The visions and blessings of old are returning,
And angels are coming to visit the earth.
We'll sing and we'll shout with the armies of heaven,
Hosanna, hosanna to God and the Lamb!
Let glory to them in the highest be given,
Henceforth and forever; Amen and Amen!"
Elder Francis M. Lyman of the Council of the Twelve then proposed the adoption of the resolution presented below:
"Believing that the instruction of President Woodruff, respecting the early completion of the Salt Lake Temple, is the word of the Lord unto us, I propose that this assemblage pledge themselves, collectively and individually, to furnish, as fast as it may be needed, all the money that may be required to complete the Temple at the earliest time possible, so that the dedication may take place on April 6th, 1893."
The adoption was manifested by a deafening shout from the assembled multitude, accompanied by the raising of hands. The final anthem was the glorious "Song of the Redeemed"—particularly appropriate to the hour; and the benediction was pronounced by President George Q. Cannon.
The topstone and the granite block upon which it immediately rests form a sphere. Within the lower half a cavity had been prepared; and in this were placed certain books and other articles, so that, as the capstone was laid, it formed a secure and massive lid to this stone receptacle. The stone contains a copy of the Holy Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Voice of Warning, Spencer's Letters, Key to Theology, Hymn Book, Compendium, Pearl of Great Price, and some other books; also photographs of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George Q. Cannon, and Joseph F. Smith, a photograph of the Temple as it appeared at the time; and, in addition, an engraved tablet of copper setting forth the principal dates in the history of the building and bearing the names of the general authorities of the Church as they stood April 6, 1853, and as constituted at the time of the capstone ceremony, April 6, 1892.
Later in the day, the top-stone was surmounted by the great statue—a figure intended to represent Moroni, the heavenly messenger who ministered to the youthful prophet, Joseph Smith, in 1823. The figure, over twelve feet in height, is of copper heavily gilded. It is in the form of a herald with a trumpet at his lips.[8]
COMPLETION OF THE BUILDING AND ITS DEDICATION
The adoption of a plan or the formal passing of a resolution by vote is an easy matter, compared with which the working out of that plan, the achieving of what was provided for by the vote, may be a gigantic task. Such was the contrast between the action of the assembled multitude on the 6th of April, 1892, and the work accomplished in the year that followed.
When the capstone of the Temple was laid, the scene inside the walls was that of chaos and confusion. To finish the interior within a year appeared a practical impossibility. The task the people had taken upon themselves was almost superhuman. Nevertheless, they considered the instruction to complete the building within the specified time to be verily the word of the Lord unto them, and they remembered the utterance of the ancient prophet, "I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."[9] The Saints regarded their act of voting to be equivalent to the affixing of their individual signatures to a note of promise. As to how well they met their obligation and kept their promise, let the achievement of the year speak.
The people had pledged themselves "collectively and individually to furnish as fast as it may be needed, all the money that may be required to complete the Temple at as early a time as possible, so that the dedication may take place on April 6, 1893." The pledge was met in full. Under date of April 21, 1892, the First Presidency issued a general epistle addressed to the Latter-day Saints in Zion and throughout the world, directing that the people gather in their places of worship on Sunday, the first day of May, and devote the day to solemn fasting and prayer. To this call the people responded faithfully. Mingled with their thanksgiving for the manifold blessings of the past, were fervent supplications for success in the work of completing the Lord's House within the time prescribed.[10]
In the work of finishing the Temple, it was all-important that there be a competent, responsible man in charge, who should be invested with executive authority in every department of the labor. While the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve retained in their hands the directing power, they needed an agent who could be trusted to act with promptness, decision, and authority on every question that should arise. The choice of the presiding authorities for a man to fill this responsible position fell upon John R. Winder, who was at that time Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, and who afterward became First Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church. At the time of his appointment to the responsible position of General Superintendent of Temple Work, April 16, 1892, President Winder was in his seventy-second year, yet he possessed the energy and activity of youth, combined with the wisdom and discretion that age alone can give. Under his efficient supervision, work on the interior of the Temple progressed at a rate that surprised even the workers. Laborers of all classes, mechanics, masons, plasterers, carpenters, glaziers, plumbers, painters, decorators, artisans and artificers of every kind, were put to work. The people verily believed that a power above that of man was operating to assist them in their great undertaking. Material, much of which was of special manufacture, came in from the east and the west, with few of the usual delays of transit.
Heating and lighting systems were installed; and this installation necessitated the erection of a boiler house, with all accessories of equipment. Moreover, the Annex had to be built. At this point it may be well to explain that each of the Temples in Utah is connected with a separate structure, known as the Annex,—in the nature of an ante-building,—in which preliminary services are held, and wherein record is made of the ordinance work to be done by the parties present, before they are permitted to enter the Temple on the day of service. The Annex to the Temple in Salt Lake City stands about one hundred feet north from the main structure.
Even as late as one month prior to the date set for the dedication, there was so much yet to be done, as to make many feel that for once at least, the people had been mistaken in their belief that the Lord had spoken, and that the completion of the work by the time set, was a physical impossibility. On the 18th of March, 1893, the First Presidency issued the following epistle:
"To the Officers and Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:
"The near approach of the date for the dedication of the Temple of our God moves us to express with some degree of fulness our feelings to our brethren, the officers of the Church, who with us bear the Priesthood of the Son of God, and to the Latter-day Saints generally; to the end that in entering that holy building we may all be found acceptable ourselves, with our households, and that the building which we shall dedicate may also be acceptable unto the Lord.
"The Latter-day Saints have used their means freely to erect other Temples in these valleys, and our Father has blessed us in our efforts. Today we enjoy the great happiness of having three of these sacred structures completed, dedicated to and accepted of the Lord, wherein the Saints can enter and attend to those ordinances which He, in His infinite goodness and kindness, has revealed. But for forty years the hopes, desires, and anticipations of the entire Church have been centered upon the completion of this edifice in the principal city of Zion. Its foundation was laid in the early days of our settlement in these mountains; and from that day until the present, the eyes of the members of the Church in every land have been lovingly directed toward it. Looking upon it as the Temple of temples, the people during all these years have labored with unceasing toil, undiminished patience, and ungrudging expenditure of means to bring it to its present condition of completion; and now that the toils and the sacrifices of forty years are crowned so successfully and happily, now that the great building is at last finished and ready to be used for divine purposes, need we say that we draw near an event whose consummation is to us as a people momentous in the highest degree? Far-reaching in its consequence, as that occasion is certain to be, what remains for us to say in order to impress the entire Church with a sense of its tremendous importance?
"On this point, surely nothing; yet may we offer a few words upon a phase that directly touches it. No member of the Church who would be deemed worthy to enter that sacred house can be considered ignorant of the principles of the Gospel. It is not too much to presume that every one knows what his duty is to God and to his fellowman. None is so forgetful as to have lost sight of the admonition that we must be filled with love for and charity toward our brethren. And hence none can for a moment doubt the supreme importance of every member of the congregation being at peace with all his or her brethren and sisters, and at peace with God. How else can we hope to gain the blessings He has promised save by complying with the requirements for which those blessings are the reward?
"Can men and women who are violating a law of God, or those who are derelict in yielding obedience to His commands, expect that the mere going into His holy house and taking part in its dedication will render them worthy to receive, and cause them to receive, His blessing?
"Do they think that repentance and turning away from sin may be so lightly dispensed with?
"Do they dare, even in thought, thus to accuse our Father of injustice and partiality, and attribute to Him carelessness in the fulfilment of His own words?
"Assuredly no one claiming to belong to His people would be guilty of such a thing.
"Then must those who are unworthy cease to expect a blessing from their attendance at the Temple while sin unrepented of still casts its odor about them, and while bitterness or even an unforgiving coolness exists in their hearts against their brethren and sisters.
"On this latter subject we feel that much might be said. In the striving after compliance with the apparently weightier matters of the law, there is a possibility that the importance of this spirit of love and kindness and charity may be underestimated. For ourselves, we cannot think of any precept that at present requires more earnest inculcation.
"During the past eighteen months there has been a division of the Latter-day Saints upon national party lines. Political campaigns have been conducted, elections have been held, and feelings, more or less intense, have been engendered in the minds of brethren and sisters upon one side and the other.
"We have been cognizant of conduct and have heard of many expressions that have been very painful to us and have grieved our spirits.
"We know they have been an offense unto the God of peace and love, and a stumbling block unto many of the Saints.
"We feel now that a time for reconciliation has come; that before entering into the Temple to present ourselves before the Lord in solemn assembly, we shall divest ourselves of every harsh and unkind feeling against each other; that not only our bickerings shall cease, but that the cause of them shall be removed, and every sentiment that prompted and has maintained them shall be dispelled; that we shall confess our sins one to another, and ask forgiveness one of another; that we shall plead with the Lord for the spirit of repentance, and, having obtained it, follow its promptings; so that in humbling ourselves before Him and seeking forgiveness from each other, we shall yield that charity and generosity to those who crave our forgiveness that we ask for and expect from heaven.
"Thus may we come up into the holy place with our hearts free from guile and our souls prepared for the edification that is promised! Thus shall our supplications, undisturbed by a thought of discord, unitedly mount into the ears of Jehovah and draw down the choice blessings of the God of Heaven!
"As your brethren, sustained by your vote and in your faith as the First Presidency of the Church, we have this to say to the Latter-day Saints, in our individual as well as our official capacity: If there is a single member of the Church who has feelings against us, we do not wish to cross the threshold of the Temple until we have satisfied him and have removed from him all cause of feeling, either by explanation or by making proper amends and atonement; neither would we wish to enter the sacred portals of that edifice until we have sought an explanation, or amends, or atonement, from any against whom we may have either a real or fancied grievance.
"In now announcing this course for ourselves, we say to all the other officers of the Church that we desire them to follow our example. We wish them from the highest to the lowest and throughout all the stakes and wards of Zion to take heed of this counsel. Let them invite all who may have feelings against them to come forward and make them known; let them then endeavor to correct any misapprehensions or misunderstandings which may exist, or give redress for any wrong or injury that may have been done.
"We say the same—and when the officers have taken the course indicated we wish them to say the same—to the individual members of the Church. We call upon them to seek to have the fellowship of their brethren and their sisters, and their entire confidence and love; above all to seek to have the fellowship and union of the Holy Ghost. Let this spirit be sought and cherished as diligently within the smallest and humblest family circle, as within the membership of the highest organization and quorum. Let it permeate the hearts of the brothers and sisters, the parents and children of the household, as well as the hearts of the First Presidency and Twelve. Let it mellow and soften all differences between members of the Stake Presidencies and the High Councils, as well as between neighbors living in the same ward. Let it unite young and old, male and female, flock and shepherd, people and Priesthood, in the bounds of gratitude and forgiveness and love, so that Israel may feel approved of the Lord, and that we may all come before Him with a conscience void of offense before all men. Then there will be no disappointment as to the blessings promised those who sincerely worship Him. The sweet whisperings of the Holy Spirit will be given to them and the treasures of heaven, the communion of angels, will be added from time to time, for His promise has gone forth and it cannot fail!
"Asking God's blessing upon you all in your endeavor to carry out this counsel, and desirous of seeing it take the form of a united effort on the part of the whole people, we suggest that Saturday, March 25, 1893, be set apart as a day of fasting and prayer. On that occasion we advise that the Presidencies of Stakes, the High Councils, the Bishops and their Counselors, meet together with the Saints in their several meeting houses, confess their sins one to another, and draw out from the people all feelings of anger, of distrust, or of unfriendliness that may have found a lodgment; so that entire confidence may then and there be restored and love from this time prevail through all the congregations of the Saints."