A long time ago in the little town of Nauvoo was built a House of GOD – a Temple. The builders abandoned it shortly after completion.
It was later destroyed.
There are sacred places all over the world, some public, some private. All are for the glory and worship of GOD.
Temples
Synagogues
Mosques
Cathedrals
Sacred Groves
Natural Wonders
Many Places.
Having visited and worshipped in many of these wonderful places, I often wondered what the Temple on the banks of the Mississippi River would have been like. I grew up near this site and knew much of its history.
I wondered . . .
For some unknown reason we (my wife and myself) found ourselves driving along the Mississippi River highway that went through the town of Nauvoo, Illinois, in central USA.
Turning the bend in the road that led into the town . . .
What have we here?
There was the Temple as seen in pictures of old.
WOW!
It was essentially in its completed state, but not quite.
Questions – Questions – Lot’s of Questions.
The Temple would be completed and open to the public the following Spring.
- - - -
It is now the following Spring and we once again wended our way back to Nauvoo.
Yes, the Temple was still there and complete. Landscaping was to perfection with the view westward to the bend of the river unobstructed.
We settled into the campsite a short distance away. The campground was rather small, but for this special occasion it was filled to overflowing.
Reservations were our saving grace. Visitors were from everywhere. About ¾ of the license plates were from Utah which is a 2 day drive away.
It rained.
It was not raining Friday on arrival, but it rained Saturday.
At our appointed time to visit the Temple, it stopped raining. It stayed stopped until our return to camp. There was no rain during the visit to the Holy Place.
And it was Holy – Sacred.
Interior construction had been done by craftsmen. Wooden fittings were perfect. Painting was flawless. Finishes were without blemish. Seams blended into oblivion.
The style was based on what was believed to have been the style of the original Temple. There were the modern improvements, but were blended into the past as if the electric lights were interchangeable with candle and lamp lighting.
Original artwork was everywhere having been created for this special place.
Modern heating and air conditioning were well hidden as were the fire doors which no one ever hopes to use.
There were 4 rooms that stand out for me. These were teaching rooms based on time.
The first was regarding Creation. The art work (all original) began with the cosmos and ended with the complete world of Nature.
The second room was designed around the Edenic period when man first came to be. The artwork was nature in all its splendor.
The Third room was built around man in his present spiritual state which was considerable less splendid that Eden. The artwork was the four seasons with the laws of nature evident.
The Fourth room was plain white with Spiritual emphasis as its theme.
Each succeeding room was a little larger and a bit brighter in lighting than the previous room.
Then there was the Fifth Room – The Celestial Room.
Bright in white and gold.
Some four stories high.
Two plate glass mirrors facing each other indicating eternity extending into the past and into the future.
A room of silence.
A room never to be forgotten.
For me, the core of the Nauvoo Temple.
At present the Nauvoo Temple is open to the public. It will remain so until sometime in early June 2002. It will then be dedicated and no longer available for public use.
I thank GOD for places like this. I thank GOD for the privilege of visiting another of His Holy Places.
