The Manti Utah Temple (formerly the Manti Temple) is the fifth constructed temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Located in the city of Manti, Utah, it was the third LDS temple built west of the Mississippi River, after the Mormons' trek westward. (The St. George and Logan Utah temples preceded it.) The Manti Temple was designed by William Harrison Folsom, who moved to Manti while the temple was under construction. The temple dominates the Sanpete Valley, and can be seen from many miles. Like all LDS temples, only church members in good standing may enter. It is one of only two remaining LDS temples in the world where live actors are used in the endowment ceremonies (the other is the Salt Lake Temple); all other temples use films in the presentation of the endowment.[1] It is an early pioneering example of four rooms representing the journey of life.[2]
History[]
Temple Selection[]
Brigham Young announced the decision to build an LDS temple in Manti on June 25, 1875, and dedicated the site on April 25, 1877. On the day of the dedication, Young took Warren S. Snow to the southeast corner of the temple site and told him, "Here is the spot where the Prophet Moroni stood and dedicated this piece of land for a Temple site, and that is the reason why the location is made here, and we can't move it from this spot."[3]
The Salt Lake Temple had been announced in 1847, but construction was still underway and not finished until 1893. The Manti Temple was built, along with the St. George and Logan temples, to satisfy the church's immediate need for these structures. The site for the temple was the Manti Stone Quarry, a large hill immediately northeast of town. Early Mormon settlers in the area had prophesied that this would be the site of a temple. When Young announced the building of the temple, he also announced that the Template:Convert plot would then be known as "Temple Hill."[3]
1888 Temple Dedication[]
Manti Temple dedication admission, signed by Wilford Woodruff
The temple was completed in 1888, and a private dedication was held on May 17, 1888, with a prayer written by Wilford Woodruff. Three public dedications were held on May 21–23, 1888, and were directed by Lorenzo Snow.[4]
The newest history of the Church: Saints gives a description of this unique event:
Wilford Woodruff and George Q. Cannon arrived at the Manti temple in the middle of the night on May 15, 1888. They had left Salt Lake City a few days earlier, traveling after sundown to avoid marshals. The last leg of their trip was a forty-mile carriage ride through treacherous canyon terrain. Navigating in darkness, the driver had twice run the carriage off the road, nearly sending the apostles crashing down the mountain.
Wilford had come to Sanpete Valley to dedicate the third temple in Utah. Since appearing at public events would endanger George and other Church leaders, Wilford had decided to dedicate the temple in a small, private ceremony. Later, the Saints would hold a public dedication without him for those who had a special recommend from their bishop or stake president.
The beauty of the new temple was breathtaking. Constructed with cream-colored limestone from the nearby mountains, it rose atop a hill overlooking a sea of wheat fields. Delicately carved trimmings and colorful murals adorned the temple’s interior, and two magnificent spiral staircases stood as if suspended in air, without a single pillar for support.
Completing the temple was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult time for Wilford...(Disunited in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and persecution from the government siezing other church properties.)...
With these matters looming over the Church, Wilford dedicated the Manti temple on May 17, 1888. In the celestial room, he knelt at an altar and offered a prayer, thanking God for the wondrous blessing of another temple in Zion.
“Thou hast seen the labors of Thy Saints in the building of this house. Their motives and their exertions are all known to Thee,” he prayed. “We this day present it to Thee, O Lord our God, as the fruit of the tithings and freewill offerings of Thy people.”
The following week, apostle Lorenzo Snow presided at the Manti temple’s public dedication. Before the first session began, many Saints in the temple’s assembly hall heard angelic voices singing throughout the room. At other times, Saints saw halos or bright manifestations of light around speakers. Some people reported seeing Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, and other personages. While Lorenzo read the dedicatory prayer, someone in the congregation heard a voice say, “Hallelujah, hallelujah, the Lord be praised.”
For the Saints, these spiritual manifestations were signs of God’s watchful care. “They comfort the people,” wrote one witness to the outpourings, “being an evidence that in the most cloudy times, the Lord is with them.” [5]
Other Temple Notes[]
The Manti Temple was the location of the Holy of Holies until the Salt Lake Temple was dedicated. The room was then used for sealings until it was closed in the late 1970s.
A 1966 study found that 52 percent of temple work was being done in either the Salt Lake, Logan, or Manti temples, even though there were 13 operating temples by that time. This led to the building of the Ogden and Provo temples to relieve the strain on the older pioneer-era temples.[6] Template:Clear left
Renovations[]
The Manti Temple has undergone various remodeling and renovations. Construction of a great stone stairway leading up the hill to the west temple doors began in 1907.[7] In 1935, the temple was fully lit at night for the first time.Template:Citation needed In 1940 the stone stairs were removed and work began to beautify the grounds.[7] Between 1944 and 1945 the annex, chapel, kitchen, Garden Room, and men's and women's areas were remodeled. There was once a tunnel beneath the east tower of the temple through which wagons and cars could pass, but it was closed off in the 1960s.
In 1981 church officials decided that the interior of the temple needed extensive remodeling. The renovation took four years, during which murals and original furniture were restored, offices were enlarged and remodeled, a separate door was made to the baptistry, water and weather damage were repaired, an elevator was installed, and locker rooms were improved among many other projects. In June 1985, Gordon B. Hinckley directed the rededication ceremonies.[8][9] Exterior preservation efforts have also occurred since that time.[10]
Style[]
The Manti Temple combines the Gothic Revival, French Renaissance Revival, French Second Empire, and Colonial architectural styles. The temple has Template:Convert of floor space, eight sealing rooms, four ordinance rooms, and a Celestial room. The exterior is made of fine-textured, cream-colored oolite limestone from quarries in the hill on which the temple now stands. The two towers of the temple are Template:Convert tall, and the open center spiral staircases inside the towers are marvels of pioneer ingenuity.
Temple presidents[]
Notable temple presidents have included: Daniel H. Wells (1888–91); Anthon H. Lund (1891–93); John D. T. McAllister (1893–1906); Robert D. Young (1933–43); Jack H. Goaslind Jr. (2000–03); and Ed J. Pinegar (2009–12).[11] The current temple president is Lon B. Nally (2015–).[12][11]
Temple District[]
Carbon County, Utah[]
- Helper Utah Stake
- Price Utah Stake
- Price Utah North Stake
- Price Utah YSA Stake
- Wellington Utah Stake
Emery County, Utah[]
Millard County, Utah[]
Sanpete County, Utah[]
- Ephraim Utah Stake
- Ephraim Utah YSA 1st Stake
- Ephraim Utah YSA 2nd Stake
- Manti Utah Stake
- Moroni Utah Stake
- Mount Pleasant Utah Stake
- Mount Pleasant Utah North Stake
Sevier County, Utah[]
- Central Valley Utah Stake
- Gunnison Utah Stake
- Monroe Utah Stake
- Richfield Utah Stake
- Richfield Utah East Stake
- Salina Utah Stake
Wayne County, Utah[]
Temple Presidents[]
- Douglas M. Dyreng 2018–
- Lonnie B. Nally 2015–2018
- George S. Grimshaw 2012–2015
- Ed J. Pinegar 2009–2012
- J. Bruce Harless 2006–2009
- Archie M. Brugger 2003–2006
- Jack H. Goaslind Jr. 2000–2003
- Graham W. Doxey 1997–2000
- Lee R. Barton 1994–1997
- Garth P. Monson 1991–1994
- Earl R. Olsen 1988–1991
- Alma P. Burton 1985–1988
- Wilbur W. Cox 1978–1985
- June W. Black 1974–1978
- Reuel E. Christensen 1968–1974
- A. Bent Peterson 1959–1968
- Lewis R. Anderson 1943–1959
- Robert D. Young 1933–1943
- Lewis Anderson 1906–1933
- John D. T. McAllister 1893–1906
- Anthon H. Lund 1891–1893
- Daniel H. Wells 1888–1891
Access[]
Template:Main article Temple access is available to church members who hold a current temple recommend, as is the case with all operating Latter-day Saints temples. An adjacent visitors center is open to the public. An LDS Church meetinghouse is across the street on the East, which is also open to the public.
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ Template:Citation
- ↑ Boyd K. Packer. The Holy Temple, p. 35
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Template:Citation
- ↑ Template:Citation
- ↑ Saints Vol II, Ch 37
- ↑ Template:Citation
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Template:Citation
- ↑ Template:Citation
- ↑ Template:Citation
- ↑ Template:Citation
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Manti Utah Temple: Presidents", ldschurchtemples.com, accessed July 5, 2016.
- ↑ Template:Citation
Manti Utah Temple[]
Manti Utah Temple is the third temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints built west of the Mississippi River, after the pioneers westward trek. It is the biggest landmark of the Sanpete Valley. The temple was completed in 1888, and a private dedication was held on May 17, 1888, with a prayer written by Wilford Woodruff (1807-1898).