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Show Brigham City Tabernacle Is an Historic Attraction BY FAYE JENSEN BRIGHAM CITY, UTAH The beautiful Box Elder Stake tabernacle, facing west on Brigham Citys Main Street, and framed by the majestic Wasatch Mountains to the east, has held a place in the hearts of Mormon residents since the cornerstone was laid on May 9, 1865 by Brigham Young, and Jesse W. Fox, church surveyor. Pioneers arrived in Brigham City in the spring of 1851, and as the population increased they needed a place of worship large enough to hold conferences of the stake and for other community gatherings. The buildirg is located on what at the time was called Sagebrush Hill, where water flowed in three directions. Shortly after the cornerstone was laid, pioneers began hauling rock and lumber from the nearby mountains, piling the materials on the building site. Construction was begun in 1876 by men who had brought their skills when they came to Utah. Everything was donated, their time, talents and materials. Sacrifices were made by the women and children as well as the men, and the walls rose, stone upon stone, and it took years to do. Much of the cash outlay of $5,000 was obtained from the sale of contributed produce, including Sunday egg collections. Church News Correspondent The ecclesiastical community at that tune encompassed the whole of Box Elder County and into southcentral Idaho, an area larger than Connecticut The tabernacle was tower, no vestry and no east end of the building, the pulpit. Galleries were finished with four spires, no gallery. The pulpit was in the and the choir loft was behind added later The tabernacle was dedicated as a place of worship and culture for the people of Box Elder County on Oct 26, 1890 after 25 years of hard work. The home-mad- e benches on the mam floor, and those in the gallery, could accommodate 1,200. It is believed that the tabernacle was designed by Truman 0. Angell, church architect. Brother Angell designed the Assembly Hall in Salt Lake City, and there is a remarkable resemblance of the tabernacle here to that building. A hot-ai- r furnace was installed at a cost of $400. On Feb. 9, 1896, while the people were gathering for the and Sunday afternoon service, the furnace the tabernacle caught fire. The building was immediately cleared, ar.d no one was injured. In less than an hour little remained of the building except the blackened stone walls. Everything made of wood was burned, and the plaster was skinned over-reacte- off. The weekly newspaper told the story in its headline: "Brigham Citys Splendid Tabernacle Is No More. Two days later, the announcement was made by authorities that the tabernacle would be rebuilt within the still standing walls. This time the project was rushed. Priorities were given to the project from the General Authorities in Salt Lake City to the local presiding officers. Craftsmen were called back to perform their skills, and they were partially reimbursed for their work. Native materials pine and red cedar, were obtained locally, some from Salt Lake City. In just 13 months after the fire the new tabernacle was completed. An itemized statement read at the dedication showed receipts were $15,095.54, and expenditures amounted to heart-breakin- Stake mission presidents are, from left, Edwin D. Summers, Glenn L. Hawkes, Lee D. Packer and Rulon L. Smart. 4 Primary teachers and stake missionaries visited the homes of each Primary in late October to explain the Primary program, and answer questions about the church. The Friend magazine was accepted and emoyed in each home Parent involvement was encouraged. Families were delighted with this personal touch. Pictures of each Primary class were taken. With a wntten message from the Primary, these pictures were placed in 30 copies of the Book of Mormon. At Christmas time, the Primary workers vent caroling to the homes of the Primary children, presenting a Book of Mormon along with a plate of cookies to each family. Mothers and fathers were sometimes amazed, and, sometimes with glistening eyes, expressed heartwarming gratitude for the effort and time given to their children by the Primary workers. $15,177.04. President George Q. Cannon of the First Presidency gave the dedicatory prayer on March 21, 1897. The new building contained 16 spires and the tower. Inside a ves- - The Brigham City Tabernacle, rebuilt in 1 897 after a fire, is still used for stake conferences and other functions. tibule was added, and the seating capacity increased by 400. The pulpit and choir seats had been changed from 'tie east to west end of the assembly hall. A motif called quartcrfoil is used on the panel in front of the benches surrounding the galleries. The galleries are supported by Roman Doric columns, and the ceiling decorations are of ornamental cast plaster. Architecture is a blending of Gothic and motifs. The steep buttresses along the sides are of brick, capped by white members of tall rectangles, with steewindows ply pitched gables. The tall, po.nted-archehave stained-glas- s panes, and are placed in the walls of native stone. The unusually fine tonal quality of the Reuter organ is enhanced by the superb acoustical properties of the Continued on page 14 neo-Goth- d Children Love Primary Non-Memb- er Continued from page g Another activity of the year was a Family Night Out party for Primary children and their families. Dinner was served to 125 children and parents. A short program was presented, including talks by the children telling of their love for their families, a demonstration of a Family Home Evening by a family in the Palo Alto Stake, and the singing by the Primary children of the hymn "There Is Beauty All Around. At the close of the program, the 1973 Family Home Evening manual was shown and its use explained. Each family was then given a copy of the manual. Selected family games concluded a most enriching evening together. Primary workers, anxious to interest parents of Primary children in other facets of the church, invited their families to a missionary open house. Families were taken to the Spring Dance Festival, and the mothers were invited to attend Relief Society. seeds Through these experiences, were being planted, nourished, and grown. A better understanding of the gospel resulted. Meaningful friendships, firmly rooted in love, were formed between Primary workers and Primary families. A special family of five, recent converts, and now active in the Palo Alto 2nd Ward, testify that their hearts were touched through this program of love A grateful Blazer boy and his mother, new members of the Sunnyvale Ward, will long remember the example and spirit of the Primary workers. The prompting of an eager daughter and her friendly relationship with a Primary worker convinced another mother to investigate the church, and with her daughter, to join the church. There are numerous other stories that Prihave resulted from the president Primary program. mary Marilyn Taylor summed up the success of the program by saying, We are all so excited about what is happening this year. Trading in the fall of 1973 was a rewarding experience. Primary enrollment and attendance increased markedly. Each month has been filled with spiritual experiences and meaningful activities. During the Christmas open house, many parents expressed gratitude for the wonderful change they are seeing in the lives of their children. Being part of this program has made us more aware of our responsibilities in futhenng the Lords Primary-Missionar- y work. Sister "The rewards are manifold, There is a chance to Taylor continued. really involve oneself in service, a chance to plant the seeds of the gospel, and to see these children and their parents touched by the gospel light, and a chance to know that Primary is for every child." WEEK ENDING MARCH 23, 1974 CHURCH 5 |