938-9, but I take it for granted that the reference given is sufficient to cover this ground.

TEMPLE BUILT BY SACRIFICE.

Let us here pause a moment and see what it took to build the Temple. That structure cost more than one million dollars; the Saints were poor, and a great deal of the time the Temple was in course of erection they were harassed by their enemies. The Prophet Joseph was forced into exile to avoid his enemies who tried to drag him to Missouri, and therefore he could not devote his personal attention to the building of the Temple as he otherwise would have done; and in this way the work was retarded to some degree by the enemies of the people. Moreover, the building of that structure was not like building one today. The Saints could not order their timber from the lumber yard in a state of preparation for the Temple. There were no iron foundries from which they could obtain the required metal properly prepared; but on the contrary, every detail had to be performed by the Saints. The timber had to be hewed in the far off forests of Wisconsin, carried to Nauvoo, and cut into boards and for the various uses of the Temple. The stone had to be cut and polished from the quarries, and the whole work had to be supplied out of the tithing of the people. If the Lord had required all of their time how would they have supported their families? Of course, He could have cared for them, but it was but the tenth, mark you, of their time and means that was required. And yet some of our friends complain that the Temple was not completed inside of six months! Naturally under these conditions it would take a number of years to complete the building.

We have seen that the Saints were diligent up to May, 1842.^[11] Let us now see if they did not continue their diligence. Of course, there were some who were not diligent; but not of the faithful, not of those who followed the Twelve. At the April conference, 1844, the Patriarch Hyrum Smith, addressing the Saints, said:

"I am one of the committee (i. e., Temple committee); the committee tell me the quarry is blockaded, it is filled with rock, the stone cutters are wanting work; come on with your teams as soon as conference is over. It is not necessary for me to tell who will come and do it; I will prophesy that you will do it. There is not one in the city but that will do right if they know it, only one or two exceptions, and they are not worth notice; God will take care of them, and if He doesn't, the devil will." (T. & S., 5:597).

Now, I know that Hyrum Smith was a prophet of God, the Lord declared it, and his prophecy did not fail. This shows the willingness of the Saints to do this work as late as 1844.

In a communication to the Times and Seasons, October 13, 1844, signed "C," we have the following:

"The Temple is rising even faster than could have been anticipated, and has a very imposing appearance."

Again on page 744, of volume 5, Times and Seasons, (December 15, 1844), this is stated:

"The Temple has progressed with greater rapidity since the death of Joseph and Hyrum than ever it had done before; and things in this city never looked more prosperous."

And in an editorial in this same paper of May 15, 1845:

"The Temple progresses rapidly and the Saints being united (as we have heretofore said), are industrious, frugal and determined."

Then in the Times and Seasons, volume 6, page 926:

"After a little more than four years of hard labor, in truly troublesome times, and not, too, without the loss of the best blood in the Church, on the morning of the 24th ult. (April, 1845), at a little past 6, a goodly number of Saints had the honor, and glory to witness the capstone of the Temple laid in its place."

In a letter from Elder John Taylor to Joseph Cain (Mill. Star, 8:31), we find this:

"My feelings were very peculiar while standing in the font, which is of stone, and passing through the rooms when I thought how the Saints had labored and striven to complete the building."

And in the Times and Seasons, volume 6, page 1017:

"On Sunday, the 5th of October (1845) through the indefatigable exertions, unceasing industry, and heaven blessed labors, in the midst of trials, tribulations, poverty, and worldly obstacles, solemnized, in some instances, by death, about 5,000 Saints had the inexpressible joy and great gratification to meet for the first time in the house of the Lord in the city of Joseph (Nauvoo). From mites and tithing, millions had risen up to the glory of God, as a Temple where the children of the last kingdom, could come together and praise the Lord."

There are other passages; but these ought to suffice on this point of the diligence of the Saints. But some one will say, all this testimony is from those who are interested—from your friends. Should we take the testimony of our enemies, those who are interested in our downfall, and who are not acquainted with these facts? However, I will add the testimony of one who hoped that the Temple would not be finished. In the Messenger and Advocate of June, 1846, published by Sidney Rigdon, I quote the following:

"That people [the Saints with Brigham Young] were told that they would not finish that Temple which THEY were building. They were told that they would get the roof on, and do some of the inside work, but never would finish it."

Now mark this; he adds:

"No people ever labored harder to prove the above declaration false. No pains were spared; but where has it terminated? Just as we said it would."

Here we have the testimony of Sidney Rigdon, who opposed the Twelve and the Church and the building of that Temple. Yet he says they were diligent, but when he says it was not completed, he spoke too soon. This article was written just shortly after the exodus commenced, and at that time the Temple was not quite finished; but it was finished before all the Saints' left Nauvoo.

I suppose that it is unnecessary to continue this branch of the subject any further, but since our Church members have to meet the sophistry on the part of the elders of the "Reorganization," we will.

NAUVOO TEMPLE COMPLETED.

In proof that the Temple was completed I present the following evidence. In the Times and Seasons, volume 6, page 1017, we find the following:

"It certainly afforded a holy satisfaction to think that since the 6th of April, 1841, when the first stone was laid, amidst the most straightened circumstances, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has witnessed their bread cast upon waters; or more properly their obedience to the commandments of the Lord appear in the tangible form of a Temple, entirely enclosed, windows in, with temporary floors, pulpits, and seats to accommodate so many persons preparatory to a general conference."

And on page 1018:

"The font and the other parts of the Temple will be in readiness in a few days to commence the administration of holy ordinances of endowment, for which the faithful have long diligently labored and fervently prayed, desiring above all things to see the beauty of the Lord and inquire in His holy Temple."

Now, this was given in October, 1845, and we learn that the font—that is the permanent font, which replaced the former and temporary one—also the other parts of the Temple would be in readiness in a few days to commence the administration of holy ordinances. I wish now