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Summarized by Kent Larsen
A temple is topped: Angel faces east atop Mormon center
Nashville TN Tennessean 8Feb00 D1
By Kathrin Chavez: Staff Writer
FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE -- A crowd of 200 watched as a statue of the Angel
Moroni was placed on the new Nashville Temple. The placement of the
statue marks the beginning of the end of construction on the building,
which is scheduled to be completed in April.
"The significance of the angel goes back to our religious beginnings.
We're so excited about having a temple right at our door after years of
having to go so far," said church member Buryl McClurg of Franklin.
Setting in place the gold leaf covered fiberglass statue was a two-hour
process. An 11-foot, nearly 10-ton marble spire was first hoisted onto
the Temple. Then three workers outside the spire and one inside guided a
cable into the spire until the statue settled in place. With the statue,
the height of the Temple tops out at 69 feet from the ground.
The final placement was greeted with applause, smiles and even a few
tears from the crowd. When completed, the 11,000 square foot building
will be sheathed in marble.
The Tennessean article also gives basic information about the purpose of
temples, the LDS Church, and the LDS Church's current building program,
which still expects to complete and dedicate another 30 Temples this
year. It also says that LDS Church membership in Tennessee has nearly
doubled from 15,000 in 1980 to 29,000 now.
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