| OCR Text |
Show New Temple Announced for Seattle Area S KATIE E: , WASH. A new temple, the third to be announced this year, will be built in Seattle, the First Presidency announced here Nov. 15. The announcement followed a meeting in the Seattle North Stake Center with stake presidents and other officers representing approximately 170,000 Church members living in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, northern Idaho and British Columbia. President Spencer W. Kimball said a site for the n dollar temple would be announced multi-millio- later. Construction is not expected to begin until late 1976 with completion to follow in approximately two years. Church members living in the temple district will be asked to contribute a portion of the cost of the construction. The Seattle Temple will be the 19th in use worldwide, President Kimball noted. The other two new temples announced this year were the Sao Paulo Temple, announced March 1, and the Tokyo Temple, announced Aug. 9. Two other temples, one the first to be completed in Utah in pioneer days, were rededicated this year after extensive renovation. The Arizona Temple in Mesa was rededicated April 15 and the St. George Temple was rededicated Nov. 11. However, that same year, on July 31, 1938, the Seattle Stake was created with Alexander Brown as president, and on June 29, 1947 the Spokane Stake was organized with Albert I. Morgan as president. Stakes also were added to Oregon in Beaverton, Eugene, Nyssa and another in Portland. It was then 1951 and the two states contained some 30,000 members. Alaska and British Columbia experienced much slower growth. Only 45 members were listed in Alaska in 1940, although this figure increased to more than 300 ten years later. British Columbia actually lost members between 1930 and 1940, dropping from nearly 600 to about 450, although the population of the area grew from nearly 700,000 to more than 800,000. It was in the 1950s that growth in the Pacific Northwest really began to climb. In 10 years Church membership in Washington tripled and more than doubled in Oregon. Both states nearly doubled again the following 10 years. The Northwestern States Mission, when it was divided to form the Pacific Northwest Mission Jan. 1, 1968, was known as a leader in baptizing converts. There are now more than three dozen stakes in the Seattle Temple district and growth is expected Announcement of the Seattle Temple reflects the of the Church in the Pacific Northwest. However, that rapid growth hasn't always been characteristic of the Church in the area. Early Mormon pioneers moving into the Pacific Northwest met with difficulty. A Washington State Historical Society newsletter giving some history of Kitsap County, Wash. notes: "A Mormon colony planted the orchard at Panther Lake which still exists, The Mormons were sent here from Utah but gave up because of Indian growth opposition." It wasn't until 1897 that the Northwestern States Mission was formed in Oregon. An earlier mission of the same name was organized in Illinois in 1878 but 11 years later was limited to the Northern States and later to Illinois. The mission in Oregon covered the entire geographical area, under the direction of mission Pres. George C. Parkinson. There was, however, sufficient growth in Oregon to organize the Union Stake June 9, 1901. That stake is now the LaG rande Oregon Stake, one of more than a dozen in the state. Franklin S. Bramwell was president of that first Oregon stake. It wasn't until 37 years later that another stake was organized, this time in Portland. to continue to climb. St. George Temple Dedicated .. By JACK E. threaded through the talks of General Authorities at rededication rites of the historic St. George Temple. Over 25,000 members of the Church, admitted by ticket, witnessed the services, held in six separate sessions and presided over by President Spencer W. was Kimball. President Kimball was assisted by his counselors, Presidents N. Eldon Tanner and Marion G. Romney. Others attending were President Ezra Taft Benson of the Council of the Twelve, most of the members of the Twelve, Patriarch to the Church Eldred G. Smith, Presiding Bishop Victor L. Brown, four Assistants to the Twelve and a member of the First Council of the Seventy. Also speaking briefly at the sessions were Pres. Reed Whipple, temple president, and his counselors, Pres. Andrew O. MacArthur and Pres. Theron M. Ashcroft. The dedicatory prayer was offered by President Kimball at the Tuesday morning session, and then the words of President Kimball's prayer were read at succeeding sessions by his counselors when they conducted. The text of the dedicatory prayer begins on page 5. Long lines gathered at the east and north doors of the temple one hour before each session. Members of all ages attended the historic event. The First Presidency and the temple . presidency- were clad in white, making an impressive sight. Choirs from stakes within the temple district provided appropriate and excellent music, and prayers were offered by stake presidents within the district. '':" ' ' ,.'' ' , ., I - ..... .. ..... ST. GEORGE, UTAH Atheme of rededication of selves ..'" ,. JARRARD Church News Staff Writer ., ,.. , ..... , ,.... .H.'..: 4,, . .' i'.,-- "4'41 ........,........ .:",. ,,,,..:::,::: .,..,::,.;...A'.,::..::?:: While Monday was a blustery, chilly day, Tuesday, the first day of the sessions, dawned bright and warm. The temple gleamed in the southern Utah sun, its stark whiteness radiant against the coral sandstone hills surrounding this normally quiet town. The freeways into St. George Monday and Tuesday were loaded with cars carrying those scheduled for a Monday afternoon solemn assembly for priesthood leaders and other families heading for the regular sessions. The First Presidency and President Kimball's secretary, D. Arthur Haycock, arrived Monday in President Kimball's car. The rest of the General Authorities, their wives and others came by chartered bus from Salt Lake City. Motels were bulging and restaurants n had long lines at pre- - and times. Many families brought their food with them, and the park and grounds of the nearby stake center had groups , L. ' I Continued on page 8 ''....;.;1, ., T.::,:.:',:::,.'z':' ., ,. - , .':':'':''''''.''.:':':".' ...,.:- - ''.. r.,:.Z.44:''':'!:k:r ...,.;i,4'1:'';:,:::tt,!!"':',,...1:'::...;;1.,,;,:riZ,. ,,...: ki'...'kr' li ..,:'":.. '::::r ::.:.:.:::'::.r::r:,:::::: 4),' '4....:.:,$!':.,::,:;''.: r':.:4;'..:r.;41.1:4:In'':':.;.:.:i;$:.':?',tt" ?,:,,kr.:.....:;?::1' '. ''.:,.....,:',,...,;.., , :;i4....411:.::;!:1:;:.;;;:tÁlifti44 .f.:.:.:.4::11;t:9:'.:r ':. '''.:'....'1.r'r' i:PZ!gr:'.;1:::'4..rN:::i:.:::).:''':'):0.n..L , ',:.....t;A:.... ,:'(4,:.:t1;:;t:,:eli;i rt N. 774k.4,.4 t .. '''''''';',,.,, :':',:X4'..4'..: pot-sessio- scattered around eating. The long lines waiting to get into their respective sessions showed happy faces. The conversation and laughter, however, was subdued as the people realized that "where they stood was holy ground." Several Navajo sisters caught the eye of some of the visitors as they stood in line in their beautiful native velvet dresses. Work on the landscaping of --the grounds is still going on, removing the scars of reconstruction. Pansies have been placed in flower beds in the :;', t,i: t '''; 1 trt ,.. ,..;":. .2 .., ';' ; I ' t ':. ''''''' :0 1 1 Iti; t.,... 1 , 1 I I Lasmsawswt President N. Eldon Tanner, President Spencer W. Kimbal, Presider Reed Whipple and President Marion G. Romney stand at entrance. WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 15, 1975 CHURCH - 3 |
