Words as Temple Decoration

Several temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints use words to decorate the temple.  For example, at the entrance to the Cardston Alberta Temple there is this verse by Orson Whitney that I found here.  Here is the verse:

Where spreads a feast unknown to festive halls.
Freely partake, for freely God hath given
And taste the holy joys that tell of heaven.

Here learn of Him who triumphed o’er the grave,
And unto men the keys, the Kingdom gave;
Joined here by powers that past and present bind
The living and the dead perfection find.

 In other temples a verse of scripture is used.  In the Mesa Arizona Temple, above the celestial room doors (seen from the grand staircase) is part of D&C 93:36:

THE GLORY OF GOD IS INTELLIGENCE

I think it was also in the Mesa Temple (but may have been elsewhere) that the beatitude found in Matthew 5:8 is inscribed on a wall:

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD

The Idaho Falls Temple has  Habukkuk 2:20 on the wall in a foyer area:

BUT THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE: LET ALL THE EARTH KEEP SILENCE BEFORE HIM.

Of course most temple exteriors contain the words:

HOLINESS TO THE LORD
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD

The Salt Lake Temple contains a scroll stone engraved with the words:

I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA

The original Nauvoo Temple had inscriptions in the lower assembly hall.  Above the Melchizedek Priesthood pulpits, following the arch of the ceiling in gilded letters were the words:

THE LORD HAS SEEN OUR SACRIFICE - COME AFTER US

Both the Kirtland Ohio and Nauvoo Illinois Temples had assembly halls with three initials on each of the 24 pulpits.  The Kirtland Temple had the Melchizedek Priesthood pulpits engraved with the following from top to bottom:

M.P.C. (Melchizedek Presiding Council)

P.M.H. (Presiding Melchizedek High Priesthood)

M.H.P. (Melchizedek High Priesthood)

P.E.M. (Presiding or Presidency Elders Melchizedek)

On the eastern Aaronic Priesthood side the initials are from top to bottom:

B.P.A. (Bishop Presiding over Aaronic Priesthood)

P.A.P. (Presiding or Presidency Aaronic Priests)

P.T.A. (Presiding or Presidency Teachers Aaronic Priesthood)

P.D.A. (Presiding or Presidency Deacons Aaronic Priesthood)

 This website claims that in the Nauvoo Temple the initials were, on the Melchizedek Priesthood side:

P.H.P. (President of the High Priesthood)
P.S.Q. (President of the Seventy Quorums)
P.H.Q. (President of the High priests Quorum)
P.E.Q. (President of the Elders Quorum)

 And on the Aaronic Priesthood side there were the initials:

P.A.P. (President of the Aaronic Priesthood)
P.P.Q. (President of the Priests Quorum)
P.T.Q. (President of the Teachers Quorum)
P.D.Q. (President of the Deacons Quorum)

The assembly hall in the Salt Lake Temple contains inscriptions above the pulpits on each end.  They are:

Aaronic Priesthood

and

Melchizedek Priesthood

The Manti Temple doorknobs contain what is claimed to be stylized Arabic (stylized to the point where the inscription cannot be interpreted today), a common art form used by Masons (the doorknob maker was a mason).  For more information, read the book The Manti Temple.  This book was printed to commemorate the centennial of the Manti Temple.

In Islam since images are often considered idol worship, their mosques and other buildings are often decorated with verses from the Koran, usually extremely stylized.  So using text to decorate religious architecture is not even unique to Christianity (which has many examples of using scriptures to decorate churches).  I also read a newspaper article a few years ago that featured an old Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel with scriptures written on each of the roof trusses visible in the chapel.

The Oakland California Temple has relief sculptures of Christ in the New Testament and The Book of Mormon on the temple exterior.  On the New Testament Side the inscriptions are:

BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD -Matt 5:8
SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS -Matt 6:33

On The Book of Mormon side it reads:

BEHOLD, THEY SAW A MAN DESCENDING OUT OF HEAVEN AND HE WAS CLOTHED IN A WHITE ROBE
BEHOLD, I AM JESUS CHRIST WHOM THE PROPHETS TESTIFIED SHOULD COME INTO THE WORLD- 3 Ne 11:2&10

There is also a large plaque quoting 3 Nephi 17 in the courtyard of the Oakland Temple.

Surely there are many more examples of words being used to decorate temples.  Words can remind of of scriptures and easily put us in the right frame of mind.  Also, they are easier to understand than the hidden symbols frequently used in temples.  Scriptures can bring the spirit and remind us of things we should be focused on.

Although not decorative, when the Logan Temple was gutted they found a wall full of engravings in the plaster hidden beneath the surface.  The inscriptions (with spelling errors galore) had names, mentioned that they were being persecuted, and gave other historical information.

I hope some of you know of engravings on temples and can add a comment telling us how words are used to decorate temples.  We can also discuss how words could be used in future temple architecture, or what you think of the inscriptions I have highlighted so far.  Please comment.

Latter-day Saint Temple Murals - Pt 4 - The Idaho Falls and LA Temple Murals

This is a continuation of my discussion on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Temple Murals.  You can find the other parts by clicking on the respective links:

Part 1:  The Beginnings of Temple Murals
Part 2: The Manti and Salt Lake Temple Murals
Part 3: The Spireless Temple Murals
Celestial Room Murals

So far I have discussed murals through the Mesa Arizona Temple.  Today I will discuss the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple and the Los Angeles California Temple and their murals.  These two temples used murals to a great degree.  Both baptisteries included murals.  In addition, both celestial rooms have murals (which I discussed in this post) which are very uncommon.  The only other temples with celestial room murals (to my knowledge) are the Hamilton New Zealand Temple (Brett posted on this blog and told me about that one) and the Logan Temple sort of has celestial room murals, but not really.  The original Logan Temple celestial room had murals added in 1929.  You can read more here.

The Idaho Falls Idaho Temple Murals

Idaho Falls Temple Baptistery

As I stated above, the murals start in the baptistery.  In the 2 pictures I am showing, you can see that one mural is of the baptism of Jesus Christ.  I'm not sure what the other mural is of, or if there are 4 murals total in the room, or just the 2 pictured.  I assume the other mural(s) are of baptisms in the scriptures.

Idaho Falls Temple Baptistery

Idaho Falls Temple Creation Room

The creation room mural is fairly simple and is done in a 1940s style.  It is also fairly dark.  I mention this because as one progresses through the endowment, the rooms get lighter.

Idaho Falls Temple Garden Room

The two trees at the front of the garden room represent the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil found in the Garden of Eden.  The outlines and some details of these two trees are carved into the wall, which is really cool.

Idaho Falls Temple Garden Room Detail

The garden room has many different deep colors.  I also like the abundance of plants and animals in this mural.  They are jammed into every space.

Idaho Falls Temple World Room

 The world room has murals with people in them.  Here you see a husband and wife working together plowing a field as a reminder that we are to work in this fallen world.  On another wall pioneers in covered wagons are coming through a canyon.  All along the wall filled with windows are seagulls coming to save the pioneers from crickets that were devastating their crops.  The message of the room is that the world is fallen (shown through the need for work, the sagebrush and not lush landscape), the joy and success of that work (husband and wife happily getting along, pioneers successfully emigrating), the struggles in life (work, being forced to emigrate, the trial of the crickets) and the grace from God (the seagulls miraculously coming to save the pioneers by eating the crickets).  Progression is shown as this room is lighter than the garden room (partly due to light sagebrush and white seagulls).  It is fitting that the brightest part of the painting - the seagulls (which cover a wall of bright windows) represent the help from God.  This is a great message for a world room to convey.

Idaho Falls Temple Celestial Room

The Celestial Room has an extremely rare celestial room mural.  The mural shows a lot of people in white socializing with one another.  Some carry flowers, books, etc.  The landscape is full of lush grass as a sort of Elysian Fields image of heaven.  Vibrant colors have returned (remember in the world room the colors were faded, not the deep colors of the garden room).  Families are together.  I haven't seen a picture of it, but I have done a session in this temple so I'll tell you about the rest of the mural.  Along one wall there is John the Revelator writing as an angel is talking to him.  In vision he is seeing Zion, the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven as recorded in the Book of Revelation.  It really is a wonderful way to do a celestial room.  Above the mural the ceiling soars into the spire and windows let in a lot of light.

 

The Los Angeles California Temple Murals

I found a Time Magazine article on the LA Temple.  It can be found here.  Here is an excerpt:

But most interesting is the second floor, containing the Five Rooms—"a series of classrooms explaining the purpose of life, where we come from, what we are doing, where we are going."
No. 1 is the Creation Room—ovalshaped, with murals of the sun and moon. No. 2 is the Garden of Eden, "where," reads a sign, "Adam and Eve made their great decision." Next is the World Room, with murals inspired by Death Valley, which "represents the lone and dreary world, the testing ground." No. 4 is the Terrestrial Room, "fourth stage on the path to celestial glory, the step before entering the Celestial Kingdom." One of its walls opens onto the fifth room decorated as a luxurious sitting room, with well-upholstered chairs and settees, delicate murals and elaborate chandeliers.
This represents the Celestial Kingdom itself, "where exalted man may dwell in the presence of God."

The Los Angeles Temple baptistery has a mural of the baptism of Jesus.

LA Temple Baptistery

The endowment rooms are huge!  The creation room appears to be in vibrant colors starting with darkness and showing a spectacular sun.

LA Temple Creation Room

The garden room is lush with vibrant colors.  It appears brighter and lighter than the previous room.  There is a mural in the lobby of the Jordan River Utah Temple that is based on the LA Temple garden room.  That mural shows a lamb and lion laying down together.

LA Temple Garden Room

The world room depicts Adam and Eve after leaving the Garden of Eden.  I think this is the last temple endowment room mural to include people (Manti and Idaho Falls also show people).  The room is even brighter and lighter than the previous rooms with faded colors.

 LA Temple World Room

I also notice that the world room landscape is exaggerated and grand.  It is something you might find in an epic movie, which is fitting as the temple is near Hollywood.  I am told these rooms are huge, but I have never actually attended this particular temple.  If you have, please comment with your insights.

LA Temple World Room

There are no murals in the terrestrial room (that I know of) but as you can see, the room is huge.

LA Temple Terrestrial Room

The celestial room also contains murals.  The image is faded, but they appear to show a landscape of some sort.

LA Temple Celestial Room

There has been some debate on this blog, but I'm almost certain now that this next photo is of the Hamilton New Zealand Celestial room that appears to have received a celestial room mural at some point.

Hamilton New Zealand Celestial Room

The Idaho Falls and LA Temples were the last temples with live presentation of the endowment (the Bern Switzerland Temple was dedicated between the two temples and was the first temple to use a video to present the endowment).  As temples started using film for the endowment, the need for different rooms to present the endowment, and the accompanying murals in those rooms, was lost.  Luckily the last temples with murals went all out.  They had baptistery and celestial room murals.  They had people in the world room murals.  The murals were partly sculpted in Idaho Falls.  The murals showed progression and taught lessons.  As the era of temple murals ended, some of the best murals were produced.  It was between the dedications of the Idaho Falls and LA Temples that the Manti Temple garden and world room murals were painted.  In my opinion, this is when the most creativity went into temple paintings.  Perhaps God inspired the artists more than usual because he knew we wouldn't have new murals until the last few years (mid 2000s) when they became standard again.

Celestial Room Murals

Today's brief post is about murals in celestial rooms of Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Although many temples have murals, there are really only two with murals in their celestial rooms.  Here are the details:


Idaho Falls Idaho Temple.  I've only been in this temple once, but I really liked the celestial room mural.  As you can see in the photos the mural shows green fields and mountains with people dressed in white socializing.  It is a very nice image of celestial life.  People are reading and one man is giving flowers to a woman.  This reminds us of the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 130:2 which reads: And that same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy.  The mural also shows part of the Book of Revelation.  One wall has John the Revelator writing as an angel shows him the city of New Jerusalem descending out of heaven as written in Revelation 21:2.

Los Angeles California Temple. This temple has a celestial room mural shown in the picture (Sorry about the quality, it is the only picture I have of this temple's celestial room).  It looks to me like an nice nature scene.





These temple celestial room murals are interesting and unique. It is interesting to note that the Idaho Falls and Los Angeles Temples were planned at the same time and completed about 10 years apart due to World War II.  This probably explains the fact that both have celestial room murals.  I'm guessing that the idea didn't catch on with future temples because deciding what to use as a mural in a celestial room is a little difficult, and because the church started building more temples rapidly after these temples.  Also, after the L.A. Temple was completed, temples switched to using film for the endowment.  This meant that murals weren't included in future temples (until about the last 10 years).  I would like to see celestial room murals in some new temples.  I think they were an interesting experiment that unfortunately died when the endowment switched to film.  I still think they can work and would make wonderful Celestial Rooms and add a lot of variety to temples.  For now just I'll just have to enjoy these two special temples.  I hope to some day see the Los Angeles California Temple celestial room mural.  I have actually seen other paintings in temple celestial rooms.  For instance, the four corner columns in the Logan Utah Temple celestial room have a hilly landscape painted on them, although it is on such a small portion of the room that I don't really consider it a mural.  The Vernal Utah Temple (and I'm sure several other temples) has a painting of Christ on a wall in the celestial room, which is nice.  I should also note that a few temples have stained glass scenes in their celestial rooms.  The most notable examples are the San Antonio Texas, Palmyra New York, and Winter Quarters Nebraska Temples which have stained glass windows depicting the Tree of Life.

Well, Those are my thoughts on celestial room murals in Latter-day Saint temples.  If you know more, have questions, or just want to discuss something, please comment.  You could write about what you'd put in a celestial room mural.

This is an addition to the original post:

Original Logan Temple Celestial Room With Murals

The Logan Temple also originally had celestial room murals (well, they were added in 1929).  They weren't wrap around murals, but rather huge paintings.  They were of Joseph Smith Jr. heading by the Hill Cumorah and Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery receiving the Aaronic Priesthood from John the Baptist.  For more information see The Logan Temple The First 100 Years by Nolan P. Olsen.

I have also noticed that the Vernal Utah Temple technically has a mural of the second coming of Jesus Christ in its celestial room.  See part 5 of my temple murals post for that image.  I say that it technically has a mural, because the picture is attached to the wall and the room is planned around the piece, although it isn't a mural covering all the walls like those in Idaho Falls or Los Angeles.

The Hamilton New Zealand Temple Celestial Room also has murals seen below.

Hamilton New Zealand Celestial Room With Murals