Today finds me in Salt Lake City, Utah, home of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints (The Mormons). Prior to leaving Australia I looked at Trove to see what I could find out about the famous Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.
The first article I am sharing is from 1884.
There was a description from 1925 that I found in several regional Australian newspapers.
A transcription of the above article:
Trawling through Trove I have found many articles which mention the Tabernacle, its famous choir and the sights of Salt Lake City. I am one of the lucky folk who have visited in person on several occasions and have heard performances of the choir.
The first article I am sharing is from 1884.
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| 1884 'MISCELLANEOUS.', Darling Downs Gazette (Qld. : 1881 - 1922), 11 October, p. 2 Supplement: SUPPLEMENT TO THE DARLING DOWNS GAZETTE, viewed 25 January, 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article170586588 |
There was a description from 1925 that I found in several regional Australian newspapers.
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| 1925 'The Great Mormon Tabernacle.', Lachlander and Condobolin and Western Districts Recorder (NSW : 1899 - 1952), 16 September, p. 3, viewed 25 January, 2016, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article213517194 |
The Great Mormon Tabernacle.
When out seeing something of the Great West, I visited Salt Lake City, in the State of Utah, the headquarters of the Mormons. Fortunately it was the week of their semi annual conference, so I had special oppor tunities -both for inquiry and observation.
In the heart of the city stands the Mor mon Temple, but into it no "Gentile" is allowed to enter. Close by it, however, is the huge "Tabernacle," shaped like an oblong dish-cover with the handle off. It is immense in its capacity, holding about 10,000 people, and at almost all the meetings I at- . tended it was crowded, sometimes to over- flowing. Its acoustics are remarkable. When it is empty and silent you can stand at one end of tbe vast auditorium and hear what a person at the other end may say in the faintest whisper. You can hear him even if he rubs his hands softly together — "Wash- ing his hands with invisible soap," asThomas Hood puts it— and the dropping of a pin on the floor is equally audible. When the building is full, the noise of people coughing or moving in and out interfere with this. But one day, when I was in the middle , of the long side-gallery and could not hear for the stir, I retired to the extremity of the gallery to make my way out, when suddenly, just as I reached the stairway, the speaker's voice, though he had not raised it in the slightest degree, became loud and clear,sounding so near that I could scarcely be- lieve he was not close beside me, though he was really far away at the remotest part of the long and vast building.— Rev. David Macrae, in the "Dundee Courier.
I was surprised to find a photo from 1936 that I can share as it is out of copyright.
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| McMicken, Alfred E., 1872-1964, (compiler.) 1936, Great Mormon Tabernacle and Sea Gull Monument, Salt Lake City, Utah from State Library of Victoria Collection
In 1937 a long term guide at the Tabernacle retired.
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