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By Rosemary Pollock
New York Times Looks at Nauvoo Temple
NAUVOO, ILLINOIS -- A seven-foot statue of the angel Moroni will be
hoisted 150 feet above the ground to top the Nauvoo, Illionois Temple
sometime in September. Striking in its skin of gold leaf and with a
trumpet raised to its lips, the statue is the crowning touch on the
50,000 square-foot building that heralds the return of the temple of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Nauvoo. The
Temple's return to Nauvoo was the subject of a New York Times article
earlier this week.
"Ever since the prophet announced the rebuilding of the temple, it's
been the focal point of the church," said Richard K. Sager, President
of the Nauvoo Mission. Cornerstones of the newly built temple were
laid last November. The walls are up, the roof is on and the five
floors are in place. The windows are of hand-blown glass and the
building's exterior is sheathed in limestone cut to resemble the
original stones. A dedication ceremony is set for next year.
"This building will last over 500 years," said Elder Ronald Prince,
construction manager for the project. The new building contains a
steel frame and reinforced concrete floors. The original floors were
wood and were destroyed when arsonists set the temple on fire in 1846.
Prospects of increased tourism have prompted the city to adopt a new
zoning law with designated bus and truck routes. Currently, the
Church's longstanding visitor's center sees about 200,000 people sign
in annually. "They come to see buildings of the original town that
the church has restored and operated as a historic area for years,"
said Elder Snow, the church's local spokesman.
Mayor Thomas J. Wilson, who is not Mormon and serving his third term,
said he is grateful to the church for building a 200-car garage for
public use. "That will be a big plus," he said. "Some say we have our
share of tourists as it is," he added.
For The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is a sacred
place. "There's a calm, sweet, peaceful feeling that you get in
Nauvoo that you just don't get out in the world," Elder Snow said.
Source:
Mormons Rebuild a Temple on Hallowed Ground
New York Times 16Jul01 N1
By Gustav Niebuhr
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