To the Bishops and Members of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, Residing in the various Settlements
throughout these Mountains:
BELOVED BRETHREN AND SISTERS:
The Temple at , Washington County, Utah Territory, rapidly approaches
completion. Already some portions of it are in a condition to be used, and in a few weeks we
expect to be administering ordinances therein for the living and the dead. The General Con-
ference of the Church was adjourned on the 8th instant to hold its next session at 10 A.M.
on the 6th of April in the Temple at St. George. We hope the entire building will be com-
pleted by that time and that we shall be able to dedicate it to the Lord, our God. In the days
of our poverty, and while we had no Temple in which to administer ordinances for the dead
and to give endowments and to perform sealings and other ordinances for the living, the Lord
permitted us to erect an in this . This we have used for many years,
and many ordinances have been administered therein; but there are other important ordi-
nances which have not been, and cannot be, administered, except in a Temple built and dedi-
cated to the Most High for that purpose. Such a Temple we now have so far completed at St.
George that we can commence attending to these ordinances there. The mind of the Spirit to
us has been that we should, for the present at least, discontinue in the Endowment House in
this city the work of baptisms for the dead, of giving endowments and of sealing, and that,
hereafter, these ordinances should be performed in the Temple, or the Temples that shall be
built. This announcement we have made to the Saints. They have been profoundly moved
thereat. They are aroused to action. They now begin to appreciate how precious are the
opportunities they have had. Never before has there been such an anxiety displayed for the
privileges of the Endowment House. The prospect of it being closed causes the people to think
of their baptisms, endowments and sealings. They now perceive, as probably they never did
before, how convenient it would be to have a Temple completed in this part of the .
This would save them the lengthy journey to and from St. George. The want of Temples at
other convenient points to which the Saints can repair to receive their ordinances will now be
felt at other places besides Salt Lake City. Especially will this be the case where persons wish
to marry. The Lord has taught us how important it is that our marriages should be solem-
nized according to the laws He has given, in holy places, where wives can be joined to hus-
bands for time and all eternity. What Latter-day Saint can be satisfied with any marriage
or authority less than this? Which of them, if he understands the laws of God, can feel
indifferent as to whether his wife shall be his for eternity or for time only; or whether his
children shall be born in the covenant and be legal heirs to the priesthood or have to become
such by adoption? It is for these and other ordinances that we are commanded of the Lord
to build Temples. We are now abundantly able to build them, and in them should the ordi-
nances be administered which have been acceptable only in the days of our poverty in other
places. At an holy altar in the Temple of the Lord can ordinances be administered to those
who are deemed worthy which they cannot receive elsewhere.
We feel led to say to the Latter-day Saints throughout these mountains: Let us
arise and build Temples unto our God at such places as He shall designate, into which we
and our children can enter and receive those blessings that He has in store for us. Let the
Bishops of the settlements in , , , , , , , and Counties call the people of their Wards together and ascertain from them how
much each one is willing to subscribe in labor and means, monthly, quarterly, or annual-
ly, towards the erection of a Temple at , Sanpete County. Let the Bishops of the
Wards in , , , , , , , and Counties call
the people of their Wards together and ascertain from them how much each one will donate
in labor and means, monthly, quarterly, or annually, towards the completion of the Temple in
this city. Let the Bishops of the various Wards in , and Counties in
Utah Territory, and in the Counties of and in , call public
meetings and learn from the people what each one is willing to do, monthly, quarterly or an-
nually, towards the erection of a Temple at , Cache County. And at these meetings
the amount each person shall subscribe should be placed opposite his or her name, so that
what can be depended upon may be known in writing. Each Bishop can then make a state-
ment over his own signature to the of the amount of labor and means that
his Ward will furnish in the aggregate and that he will be responsible for.
To the Bishops and Members of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, Residing in the various Settlements
throughout these Mountains:
BELOVED BRETHREN AND SISTERS:
The Temple at , Washington County, Utah Territory, rapidly approaches
completion. Already some portions of it are in a condition to be used, and in a few weeks we
expect to be administering ordinances therein for the living and the dead. The General Conference of the Church was adjourned on the 8th instant to hold its next session at 10 A.M.
on the 6th of April in the Temple at St. George. We hope the entire building will be completed by that time and that we shall be able to dedicate it to the Lord, our God. In the days
of our poverty, and while we had no Temple in which to administer ordinances for the dead
and to give endowments and to perform sealings and other ordinances for the living, the Lord
permitted us to erect an in this . This we have used for many years,
and many ordinances have been administered therein; but there are other important ordinances which have not been, and cannot be, administered, except in a Temple built and dedicated to the Most High for that purpose. Such a Temple we now have so far completed at St.
George that we can commence attending to these ordinances there. The mind of the Spirit to
us has been that we should, for the present at least, discontinue in the Endowment House in
this city the work of baptisms for the dead, of giving endowments and of sealing, and that,
hereafter, these ordinances should be performed in the Temple, or the Temples that shall be
built. This announcement we have made to the Saints. They have been profoundly moved
thereat. They are aroused to action. They now begin to appreciate how precious are the
opportunities they have had. Never before has there been such an anxiety displayed for the
privileges of the Endowment House. The prospect of it being closed causes the people to think
of their baptisms, endowments and sealings. They now perceive, as probably they never did
before, how convenient it would be to have a Temple completed in this part of the .
This would save them the lengthy journey to and from St. George. The want of Temples at
other convenient points to which the Saints can repair to receive their ordinances will now be
felt at other places besides Salt Lake City. Especially will this be the case where persons wish
to marry. The Lord has taught us how important it is that our marriages should be solemnized according to the laws He has given, in holy places, where wives can be joined to husbands for time and all eternity. What Latter-day Saint can be satisfied with any marriage
or authority less than this? Which of them, if he understands the laws of God, can feel
indifferent as to whether his wife shall be his for eternity or for time only; or whether his
children shall be born in the covenant and be legal heirs to the priesthood or have to become
such by adoption? It is for these and other ordinances that we are commanded of the Lord
to build Temples. We are now abundantly able to build them, and in them should the ordinances be administered which have been acceptable only in the days of our poverty in other
places. At an holy altar in the Temple of the Lord can ordinances be administered to those
who are deemed worthy which they cannot receive elsewhere.
We feel led to say to the Latter-day Saints throughout these mountains: Let us
arise and build Temples unto our God at such places as He shall designate, into which we
and our children can enter and receive those blessings that He has in store for us. Let the
Bishops of the settlements in , , , , , , , and Counties call the people of their Wards together and ascertain from them how
much each one is willing to subscribe in labor and means, monthly, quarterly, or annually, towards the erection of a Temple at , Sanpete County. Let the Bishops of the
Wards in , , , , , , , and Counties call
the people of their Wards together and ascertain from them how much each one will donate
in labor and means, monthly, quarterly, or annually, towards the completion of the Temple in
this city. Let the Bishops of the various Wards in , and Counties in
Utah Territory, and in the Counties of and in , call public
meetings and learn from the people what each one is willing to do, monthly, quarterly or annually, towards the erection of a Temple at , Cache County. And at these meetings
the amount each person shall subscribe should be placed opposite his or her name, so that
what can be depended upon may be known in writing. Each Bishop can then make a statement over his own signature to the of the amount of labor and means that
his Ward will furnish in the aggregate and that he will be responsible for.