Joseph Smith Black – Visiting Early Church Sites

Visiting the Early Church Sites

I was on this trip that I decided to go with Andrew Jenson on a tour through the eastern states, as I had not been out of the mountains since I was a boy, arriving in 1850. Previous to starting, I signed a contract with D. S. Cahoon and J. J. Clothier for them to do mason work on our meetinghouse, arranged for the balance of the material and also for the commencement of the work. which however did not commence until after my return. In our Eastern trip we designed to visit all the places where the Church was organized. the Hill Cumorah and other places of note.

On the 6th of September, we started from Salt Lake City, having been previously set apart and blessed for the short mission to the East. We went on the Denver and Rio Grande and arrived in Kansas City on the 9th and took lodging. Kansas City is an enterprising and progressive city with a population of about 150,000 with cable street cars and in some places elevated street cars. On the morning of the 9th we took the cable line on the 13th Street and rode to where it connects with the line leading to Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, about six miles. Our party consisted of Elder Edward Stevenson, Andrew Jenson and myself. We arrived at Independence about 11 o’clock and went directly to a Joscphite meeting. I was introduced to the presiding officer, also the Bishop invited me home to take dinner with him. After dinner he hitched up his team and buggy and we rode around Independence and vicinity and followed the old road which we could trace in places where the Saints had traveled in 1833. when they were expelled from the County.

We also visited the temple lot which was dedicated by the Prophet Joseph and seven others in 1831, for the erection of a temple and for the gathering of the Saints in the latter days. The temple lot contains three acres and is enclosed by a wire fence and is claimed by the Hedrickites, a small faction numbering about 25, presided over by Elder R. Hill. They do not believe in the Old Testament of the Bible. They do not believe in a High Priesthood, nor in any revelations since 1838. The lot is thinly studded with trees about six years old. and covered with a thick growth of grass and weeds. It is said to be the highest elevation east of the Rocky Mountains and west of the Alleghenies, and about the center of the United States. It is very singular that the young Prophet Joseph should make such it central and beautiful selection as this for a great city, which he predicted should be built up on that site, but we are informed that the Lord revealed to him that the central place for the gathering of the Saints in the last dispensation in the west by the borders of the Lamanites, This was while he was in Kirtland, Ohio, and it W<IS not ‘Until the arrival of himself and others from Ohio that the Lord pointed out the spot to him. I humbled myself in prayer before the Lord, and said “0 Lord. preserve the life of Thy servant to help to bring to pass Thy wonderful purposes, but if my life is not prolonged may my posterity be faithful and assist in the redemption of this beautiful land of Promise.”

L. W. Brackenberry was the bishop who introduced me to the widow of John E. Page who had been an Apostle in early days of the Church. as I desired to become acquainted with her, and talk with her on the days of Nauvoo. I thanked the Bishop for his kindness and bade him goodbye. In our conversation on our ride he displayed an intense hatred for the Iv10111l0nS in Utah. I informed Mrs.  Page that I desired to make some inquiries in regard to some things that were said to be practiced in Nauvoo, and as she was a wife of one of the twelve, she was in a position to learn the truth about these things. It was asserted and also denied that Joseph Smith taught the doctrine of plural marriage and that it was practiced by him and others. She said. “Mr. Black, this is my opinion,” handing me an article which she had written and published in a newspaper. I scanned it over and saw that she had utterly denied such doctrine and practice. I said to her. “This is very strange. as there is much evidence to prove that such doctrine was both taught and practiced. Can you not recall anything that might give color to the rumor?” “Well.” she said “it might have grown out of an incident that took place wherein Brigham Young and George C. Adams took a couple of young girls to live with them and Joseph did not denounce it.” I said probably there were other incidents that might refresh her memory, and I named over several. She became very talkative and said, “Well, Mr. Black I will tell you the cause of husband leaving the Church. He became alienated toward Joseph, lost the spirit. became bewildered and strayed away, and assisted in after years to organize the Hedrickites Society.” She introduced me to her son, Jerome E. Page who treated me very kindly and after thanking the lady for her courtesy I bid her goodbye and left for the RR. Station, accompanied by her son, who appeared to take much interest in the Utah Saints. We accepted an invitation to preach in the Hedrickite meetinghouse next evening. We returned to Kansas City and next morning went onto the Big Blue, where the Coalville Branch of the Church was formerly located.

At evening we assembled in the Hedrickite meetinghouse. which was a frame building 18′ x 20’. nothing but the frame and weather boarding. They informed me that on two previous occasions they had endeavored to build a brick house and while the work was on the way the one in charge had suddenly sickened and died, which was also the case with his successor. It had caused a kind of superstitious feeling and they thought that the time had not come for them to build a substantial house upon the ground. The meeting was well attended and many were outside. The meeting was addressed by Elders Stevenson, Black, and Jenson occupying about one and one-half hours. At the close they appeared to be pleased. as several flocked around us and shook hands with us and invited us home with them. I ate breakfast with a family who asked me to read a passage in the Bible to them. I asked them if they had any special choice. They said they did not. I said. “I will read the first one I happen to open to and I opened to Isaiah second chapter and read:

“And it shall come to pass in the last days the Mountain of the Lord’s House shall be established in the tops of the mountains and shall he exalted in the tops of the hills and all.”

We arrived in Richmond at 3 :00 p.m. The town is nicely located and contains about 2600 inhabitants. It has a nice courthouse and a beautiful college on the outskirts and in the center a beautiful park of about ten acres. Coal in abundance is found seventy-three feet underground and sells for two dollars a ton, corn sells tor a dollar fifty a bushel. After dinner we went to cemetery  about one mile from town. We arrived at the resting place of Oliver Cowdrey, one of the three witnesses of the Book the of Mormon.  No stone marked the place, only a heavy growth of weed and bramble. Nearby lies the remains of Jacob Whitmer. one of the eight witnesses of the Book of Mormon, We also visited the grave of David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses, who had recently departed this life. There was quite a number of Blacks entered here, who had lived in that city. A few years previous a cyclone had passed over that county. which had torn up and broken to pieces nearly all the gravestones. We paid a visit to John C. Whitmer. the son of David Whitmer, who agreed to show us the manuscript of the Book of Mormon and also the facsimile of the characters shown to Prof Anthony of New York by Martin Harris. After some talk, we were delighted in the prospect of accomplishing one of the main objects of our mission and that was to get the copy and read the history of the Church prior to the year 1838. This was kept by John Whitmer, the first historian of the Church. which he stole when he apostatized in Missouri, and they are now kept in a large box by the Whitmers,

John C. Whitmer, who is President of the Whitmer faction, gave us an order on his cousin David. to get the record from him. We went immediately and presented the order to David, who went into another room for the records but soon returned and informed us that the clerk, Snyder by name, had the keys and had left for Kansas City. He brought what he claimed to be the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, The manuscript was musty looking and brown with age. But the writing was plain and easily read, it contains 463 pages of foolscap, closely written on both sides and sewed together with yarn.  Brother Jenson. being a printer, asked Mr. Whitmer why the manuscript was frequently cut into and other marks. We viewed the characters and also got a copy of them.

Before leaving Salt Lake, in the historian’s office, Apostle Richards brought from a place of safe keeping a large hunch of paper, some of which were partly rotten with age and showing decay. He said, “Brothers, this is part of the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon. It was deposited in the southeast corner of the Nauvoo house, placed there by the hands of Joseph Smith the Prophet. and recorded in the book of the law of the Lord, by the Prophet Joseph When the house was torn down. Mr. Bidamon, who was then the owner, found the manuscript and made a present of it to the Church. Mr. Whitmer informed us that if we would call on our way back from the east he would arrange so that we could see the Church history that had been kept by John Whitmer.

Richmond is a place that Zion’s camp passed through the morning previous to camping on fishing River. Also. in the year 1838, Joseph and his brother were confined and chained together in that place and held for the mob trial before Judge Austin A King. It was here that the Prophet gave his famous rebuke to the mob guard, which stopped their vulgar and profane abuse.

A party was detailed and also guns loaded to shoot the brethren. but God overruled it otherwise. The Whitmers are a faction that believe in the divine mission of Joseph Smith up to the year 1838. They believe in the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, They have no organization except a president. Their members number about one hundred. On September 13. early in the morning we viewed the spot where the jail had stood. It was now tom down. but we reflected on the time when Joseph, Hyrum, Rigdon, P. P. Pratt and Lyman Wight and others were chained together. and what for? Because they dared serve God according to His commandments and the dictates of their conscience.

Richmond, Sept. 14. We started for Lawson, 20 miles distance. We took breakfast there. This is a beautiful rolling prairie country. Lawson contains about 800 inhabitants. We arrived at Almira, a station on Crooked River about 10 o’clock a.m. Crooked River is rightly named. It is a stream from two to three rods wide. skirted on both sides by heavy timber. on each side are occasional farm houses and clearings. The soil is good. the principal crop is corn with occasionally patch of tobacco and sweet potatoes, Herds of hogs run at large in the woods and the ground is covered with nuts. The people are affable and kind. but very indolent and ignorant. We started for Bogard Ford, where the Crooked River battle was fought. We found no roads leading to the place. but followed trails through the woods as it is located about three miles below Almira station. We proceeded along the bluff to the battle ground”. crossed the river and went to the house of old man Thompson, who had lived there since the year after the battle of 1839. His son, about thirty years old, accompanied us and also a Mr. McDonald. who lived near the place and owned the land.

September 15th we started at seven thirty and a one mile walk brought us to a town called Marble, We arrived at Far West at 25 minutes to twelve. This place had been designated for the gathering of the Saints, after their expulsion from Jackson County in 1838. It contained a population of 10.000, 150 houses. 4 stores, 3 grocery stores, 6 blacksmith shops, 2 hotels and a printing office, The town was laid on a one mile square, with the comers of the four sections joining on an elevation, where the Temple was to be located. There is some of the land cultivated, some with grass and some with timber.  The Temple site W.1S located on a beautiful elevation. The ground was broken and dedicated on the 3rd of July. 1837. in the presence of about 1500 people. It is 80 x 110 feet and it is said that the four cornerstones were laid with appropriate ceremony and remain as placed there till this day. A solitary cottonwood tree has grown out of the excavation about 50 feet high and 18 inches in diameter at the butt. The lot contains three acres. and is enclosed by wire fence. and owned by Jacob B. Whitmer, son of John Whitmer, one of the eight witnesses to the Book of Mormon. I asked him if he had any faith in the prediction of the erection of the Temple upon that ground, or why he kept it vacant. He answered. “No, he had no particular faith in the prediction of the erection of the Temple, but he thought he would fence it in and let it lie.” It was here the Saints made their last stand and being besieged by numerous army, they were forced to surrender. after Joseph and a number of the leading brethren had been betrayed into the hands of the enemy.

We got a good dinner at the Whitmer’s who said he had full faith in the Book of Mormon, but not in Joseph Smith. He said his father died a firm believer in his testimony as attached to the Book of Mormon, After dinner he hitched up his team and took us over to Kingston, for which he would not charge anything, but I handed him a couple of dollars. We arrived at Kingston at 3 o’clock p.m. but before leaving Far West we repaired to the Temple lot at the S.E. Corner and kneeling on the cornerstone we each offered up our prayers to the Almighty.

We then hired a conveyance to take us to Catalba, ten miles. This is a small place, only a few houses. Here We stopped tor the night and dined on excellent fried chicken and hog meat cured in ice without salt. This place is located three miles from Shoal Creek, where what is known as the Haun’s Mill Massacre was perpetrated by Capt. Jennings, of the mob militia, Oct. 30, 1838.  The surrender of Far West took place one day later. Procuring a guide in the person of J. W. Searwood, we started by paths through the woods to Shoal Creek. We arrived at the place of the massacre at 9 o’clock a.m. The Creek is from three to four rods wide, with a steep bluff on the south and some nice farming land on the East. At the time of our visit, it was very low and we crossed on some rocks, dry shod. There are five of the logs yet remaining in the creek. which had been part of the dam of Haun’s gristmill. The town was located on the north side of the creek as was the noted blacksmith shop, spoken of in the history of the Church. The place is covered with a large growth of locust trees, but where the cabins once stood and also the blacksmith shop, could easily be found by the decayed ruin. It was in this shop where the besieged settlers took refuge and many of them were shot at through the cracks between the logs. After the surrender. a young boy by the name of Herrick had crawled in under the bellows and while pleading for mercy, had his brains beat out by the butt of a gun in the hands of a demon. After the mob had thrown him into it well a little north of the blacksmith shop. It was also there that old father McBride was hacked with an old corn cutter. Charles Ross and two or three men, after the others had fled, covered up the well. Charles Ross assisted Fuller, a son of one of the slain, to put one of the old mill burrs on the edge of the well, The well is situated 94 paces from the old mill site a little north of west. This crude stone designates the last resting place of those who were charged with no crime, except being Mormons, After spending two or three hours looking at the surroundings, we started for Breckenridge where we arrived at one o’clock p.m. Breckenridge, a town located on the prairie has about 800 inhabitants and is beautifully located. After dinner we took the train for Chillicothe, a town on Grand River, 20 miles distant.

Gallatin-The city is situated on a hill on the south side of Grand River. The population is about 2300. The old square is fenced by a chain fence. The old court house is torn down. Nice business blocks surround the square. It is the county scat of Daviess County and is made famous by the election riot which took place at the August election 1838 when some of the mob tried to prevent Mormons from voting, It was there that John L. Butler made his famous light. He afterwards became Bishop of Spanish Fork. Utah.

Two mobbers were said to have been killed and six wounded. Both parties prepared for conflict and a general guerilla warfare ensued. Early in Sept. 1838 many of the mob assembled at Millport, four miles from Gallatin on the Grand River while a considerable company of the Mormons assembled at Diahman, five miles above Gallatin on the Grand River. Millport was abandoned and burned. Also Gallatin was partly deserted. It was here that Jerry Black, Justice of the Peace, signed an agreement with the Mormons that he would use his best influence for peace and that all citizens should have their legal rights and that he would use his judicial power to that. For this offense hemade complaint before Judge King and had some of the brethren arrested.

On the morning of the 17^th, we set out for Adam-ondi-Ahman, on the north side of Grand River. about 80 miles cast from Independence and 6 miles from Gallatin. “This is the place,” said Joseph. “where Adam offered up sacrifice after having been driven out of the Garden of Eden,” and is known by the citizens as Adam’s Grove. Here we found an old leaky skiff. which we bailed out. but found it too small to hold all three of us, so Elder Jenson waded and pulled the boat while Stevenson and I rode. We came onto a beautiful bottom. which we followed about a mile. It was covered with heavy crops of com and vines. We went up the Bluff and followed a trail until we came to a house. We inquired of the lady the road to McDonald’s farm. She said “This way. gentlemen,” pointing to her  door. which we entered and found by the back of the house a trail leading into the woods.

We followed the trail down a swale a short distance until we came to a house on a hill overlooking the bottoms of Grand River. We saw a lady standing in the yard and asked her if she could tell us where Adam-ondi-Ahrnan was. She said. “Here. and this is Lyman Wight’s house we now occupy,” They had lived there since 1838. Her husband had been one of the mob and had died about six years before. She pointed to a high knoll and said. “There is where they say Adam is buried.”

We went up the west side of the hill. which was covered with prickly pears, the only kind known to exist in Missouri. On gaining the top. sure enough there was a large mound. The top was covered with flat stones of various sizes and looked like it might at some time have been some kind of structure. but it is now all fallen down. The rocks are all flat from 2 to 6 inches thick. and some very large. The mound is on the brink of the hill where it breaks abruptly off to the Grand River bottom. It is on a point of a beautiful ridge covered with timber and grass, On the mound stood a large Hackberry tree, the timber is said to be much more dense than it was fifty years ago. The mound is 36 feet across from north to south and from east to west, and 108 feet in circumference at the base. It is the highest point in the vicinity. We are informed that it was here that Adam offered sacrifice after he had been driven out from the Garden of Eden and also shortly before his death, met his posterity and blessed them. Joseph laid out a town here for a Stake of Zion. but. nothing remains but Lyman Wight’s house, which is a two-story log.

Before leaving the hill We knelt and thanked the Lord for the privilege We had in viewing the sacred spot. We returned to Mrs. McDonald’s house. which is situated about 300 feet southwest from the mound. We had a good dinner with her after which Brother Stevenson pointed out to us a beautiful little bottom covered with grass. “This.” said he. “Is the place Joseph and brethren were watching for an attack from Millport” The mound is 100 rods from the river due north. The bluff is quite steep. and the country here is heavy with timber on both sides of the river for miles back and then merges into a beautiful prairie country.

We left Diahman at 4 p.m. and in our minds we could see a Stake of Zion built up on this beautiful location, where the Lord again shall favor Zion. On our return we struck the river higher up and there was no boat, so we all had to wade. This point is known as the old Mormon ford, but had not been used for many years. At 6 p.m. We arrived at Gallatin. well satisfied with our visit. We had traveled about 15 miles.

We started from Gallatin September 18. at 6 a.m. and arrived at Liberty at II a.m. This is a town of about 2500 inhabitants. Situated on rolling hills and has a fine courthouse and a beautiful college. on a high elevation on the outside of the city. We visited the old Liberty Jail. in which Joseph and his brethren had been confined for six months. It is a desolate looking place. Part of the stone wall on the west has tumbled down. It was grown up with high weeds and some small locusts. which I cut down and got it photographed. Brother Stevenson and myself stood at the door while Elder Jenson sat on top of the wall, I gave a darkey 25 cents to pick open the door. which had not been opened for many years. As we went inside the building. which was very musty and damp. the floor which was composed of 2 inch oak planks, was mostly rotten. We also visited the old jailer,   James H. Ford. who had charge of the prisoners. He said he took the best care of them he could and that it was a lie that they had been fed on human flesh. He said the prisoners were very nice men. The jail is situated on a street running north and south on the west side of the courthouse and about two blocks north of the courthouse. It is 22 by 22 feet 6 inches on the outside. The door is in the cast end. and faces the street. It is 5 feet 6 inches high and two feet six inches wide. There are two openings near the ground, two feet wide and one foot high. with iron bars across the opening. These afford light and air to the lower story. The building was of hewn logs, one foot square and was covered over the top with the same. The logs were covered with a large pile of rock, a two-foot stone wall was built around the logs on the outside. leaving a space of one foot between the rock wall and the logs. This was filled with loose rock, making the wall four feet thick. There were two doors of two inches, and lined with sheet iron. one swinging in and the other out. The rooms were divided by a floor of two-inch planks, making an upper and lower room. The height of the upper room. six and one half feet. and lower six feet. making the room inside 14 by 14 fed six inches. There was a small opening on each of two feet long and six inches wide, letting in light and air to upper rooms. Indeed it was a dismal place, and indication of the inhumanity of the former settlers, The old jailer informed us that owing to the darkness of the jail the prisoners all got sore eyes. We left Liberty at 4 p.m., and arrived at Kansas City the same evening, much satisfied with our ramblings through Missouri,

September 19 at 9:30 a.m. We left Kansas City for Memphis, Tenn., which is four hundred and eighty-seven miles. After leaving Kansas City we passed through a beautiful country, mostly rolling prairies, until we entered Arkansas, where we traveled through miles of swampy land covered with heavy timber. In several places we not iced logging camps, from which they hauled the logs to the railroad to be shipped to the sawmills, quite a distance, Shortly before we reached the Mississippi River, the ground was slightly elevated above the surrounding surface. There we saw the first cotton plantation worked by Negroes, which was quite a novelty to us who had been raised in the far West.  On arriving at the river, which is one mile wide at this point, our train and also a freight train was run side by side onto a ferry boat. While crossing. a large steamer came puffing up the river, a steamboat which made the scenery indeed grand and picturesque to see.,

We arrived at Palmyra. New York on September 27th at 4:00 p.m. This is a nice place; population of about 3.000. The main street runs east and west and is 8 rods wide, with beautiful shade trees on each side. The cross streets are 4 rods wide, We had an interview with Mr. Ford, who was well acquainted with Joseph Smith and family, when Joseph was a boy. He told us many ridiculous stories about the family. but being questioned he finally admitted that he knew nothing bad about them except what he had heard. We next visited John S. Gilbert. the man who printed the first Book of Mormon, He and his wife received us kindly. He is well preserved and hearty and is 86 years old. He answered questions frankly. We asked him what denomination he belonged to; he answered. “None.” He said we could record him as a Christian. He answered. “Not by a damsite, I do not believe in Joseph Smith. God nor the Bible.” However, he stated that he wanted to live right and would risk the future, He had kept one of the first editions of the Book of Mormon and had recently sold it for $500.  He said David Whitmer had made statements in the book which were not true. He represented that they were short of means and that they wanted to sell the manuscript, which was not so, as the pay was all arranged for before the printing was commenced. He was questioned in regards to the manuscript from which the book was printed and he said they set it up in sticks and cut the manuscript in places and also made marks where they wrapped, which corresponded with the manuscript we had seen at Whitmer’s in Missouri. The one in Whitmer’s possession had the signatures all in one handwriting, while the original was signed by the witnesses in their own handwriting.

We next visited the house in which the printing was done. It is a three-story building on Main Street and is still in good preservation. The sidewalk on Main is paved with beautiful blue rock, Beautiful residences are on each side with lawns and flowers in front, All the cross streets are lined with trees as are also the country roads. For planting these trees and keeping them alive, a man is am sitting on the far famed Hill Cumorah, where Moroni hid the plates containing the history of the Nephites and also of the Jaredites. which is now published in part in the Book of Mormon. This is the highest hill in the surrounding country. The ridges in this part arc all north and south. none crosswise.  This is singular and gives the country a beautiful appearance, The north end of the hill is steep with some cobble rock on the surface. Originally it was covered with timber. which is now mostly cut away. The cast side of the hill has been plowed to the summit but has been abandoned. On the east side on the north end stand a large elm tree. Corn is growing on the west side about 1/3 the way to the top. The summit to the north end is growing and gently slopes to the south for some distance and is quite rocky. A short distance from the north end on the west side is a small grove of beechnut trees. One stump remains on the ridge. Some grass and thistles grow on the hill. It is about one mile long and flattens out as it runs south. It is all cultivated 011 the south with buckwheat and com, some orchards and a few limns. The plates are said to have been found about two-thirds up to the summit on the north end and a little to the west. We were shown roots of the trees from near where the plates had been taken. Before leaving. we went into the grove. which was very thick. and each offered lip our thanks to the Lord.

We took the train and arrived in Fayette Township, where the Church was organized. The house is located three and one-half miles from the Seneca River and about the same distance Waterloo, a city.

September 28. 5:20. I am now sitting on a rotten log, which once formed part of the Whitmer house, in which the Church was organized. It was a double log house. one and a half stories and is now torn down and some of the  logs lie by the well. which is a little northwest of the house and is good yet. Onley have built a house a mile to the northeast of the old location. and on a little higher ground. The place where the old house stood is now covered with a beautiful cover. It is a beautiful rolling country. with fine farms and dosed with wire fence. and the (and is in a high state of cultivation. We took the night train for Rochester at which place we arrived at 12:00 o’clock in a cold drizzling rain. We were besieged by hack drivers and runners, One politely invited me to step into his buggy, and. said he. “I will take you to where you can have a nice bed and a nice woman.” I answered him. “I have not lost any woman. nor am  that kind. and can find my own bed.” Which we did at the Gency Park Hotel.

Sept. 29. started tor Niagara Falls a18:25. and arrived at 12:40. Went and viewed the falls and rode in the Maid of the Mist, a small steamboat. Went through Victoria Park on the Canadian side, and saw the rapids and the whirlpool: visited Goat Island. Loony and Three Sisters Islands: looked through the museum until my eyes ached. It was with awe and admiration that I viewed the great falls. Goat Island contains 62 acres. covered with heavy timber and is surrounded with beautiful chariot drives and is crossed by macadamized walks in different directions. There are three suspension bridges on the Niagara River below the falls. They are very grand. The longest has a span of about 1000 feet. It has been raining the last two days. but there has been no frost yet. We started at 10:45. Oct. I. for Chicago. We passed through Buffalo and traveled on the west shore of Lake Eric. We passed through Painesville where my sister Mary was married in 1832 to John McDonald. We stopped over at a station called Willowby, four miles from Kirtland, at which place we arrived at 7:00 p.m. The surrounding country is very hilly, with deep hollows, but the land appears to be quite rich. Some corn is raised, which is very good but most of the cultivated land is in grapes.

Kirtland the Temple stands on a hill which is flat, and a few residences are in the near vicinity. The Temple is claimed by the Josephites who have in the place a membership of about 30. We stopped with the President Mr. Kelly. who is also one of their twelve apostles. as also is his brother and Mr. Griffith, The old store on the place is kept in the old building, which was formerly occupied by Whitney, This is where Joseph Smith’s first child was born  The place has a gloomy appearance. Grass and weed” grow up to the walls and the doorsteps of the Temple. The inside has been repaired by Josephites and has quite a neat appearance, We were shown through the Temple by Mr. Griffith, who has charge. There are pulpits at each end of the building. for the seating of the different grades of the Priesthood. The seats in the body of the hall can be arranged so that the audience can face either way. We went into the pulpit and up on the tower, where we could have a beautiful view of the surrounding country. The building was erected in 1834. and is a credit to the Saints of that time. as they were mostly poor. Mr. Griffith played upon the organ and sang one or two hymn s composed by E. R. Snow. These are now in their hymn book.