Logan, Utah

After traveling through the Logan Canyon for a decent way, you’ll find yourself in Logan, Utah, home of Utah State University and the second-longest-serving temple in the world. The temple itself is situated high on a hill. I’m struck by its distinct outer appearance: unlike any other LDS temple, it is built of a dark, beautiful limestone, and its two white towers pop out in a striking contrast to the earth-toned stone.

Photo note: I believe I found most of these photos on http://thetrumpetstone.blogspot.com/, so check them out as well. They really are a fascinating blog.

Photo by David C. Moore

Of course, it didn’t always look like that. It was originally painted white, much like the St. George Utah Temple, and looked much more like this:

I’m glad the paint was removed, because that dark stone—I wish we had more temples in dark stone, to be honest.

It’s a temple with some interesting history behind it. According to the writings of former Logan Temple President Marriner W. Merrill, one day, while he was working in the temple, he looked out the window and saw men on horseback riding up to the temple. President Miller went out to meet them and asked them who they were and what they wanted. The leader of the group said to him, “I am Satan and these are my people.” The man calling himself Satan then commanded President Merrill to cease the work being done in the temple, and when President Miller refused, Satan threatened to “scatter this congregation of people throughout these valleys, and we will keep people from coming to the temple. We will whisper in their ears and discourage them from attending the temple. This will stop your temple work.” President Merrill then commanded them to depart by the authority of the priesthood. The men vanished.

President Merrill later became Elder Merrill of the Quorum of the Twelve. I don’t know much more about the story than that. A more full version is contained in the book Saints of Sage and Saddle, a collection of like stories compiled by one Austin E. Fife. I don’t know the paper source of the story, whether it was a journal of Merrill’s, attributed to him by another writer, given in a talk, or what. I should look that up.

When it comes to the architecture, the Logan Temple has a bit of a sad story. It was one of the original pioneer temples. I love those temples. I mean, of course, a temple is a temple, and the same Spirit resides in all of them. However, there is something special to me about the old Romanesque/Victorian Gothic/Renaissance architecture that made those early temples so unique. And I’m touched by the realization that they were made by hand, carved with the most basic of tools and limited resources. I mean, the way I understand it, the construction work was the tithing of some of the carpenters and masons—they would just work for free on the Temple one day out of ten (that’s the story I heard about the Salt Lake Temple—correct me if I’m wrong).

The reason I reminisce so is because the temple interior was gutted in the 1970s during a remodeling. Now, this is another temple I have never been to. I have come to understand that the newer interior is more modern and stark than the original. I can’t tell from the photos I have, so if you have more information about this, please let me know!

Solemn Assembly Room

Celestial Room

I suspect that this is the new Celestial Room—it resembles the Provo Temple’s, built around the same time-ish (1970s).

Celestial Room

I believe that this is the original Celestial Room—I think it was labelled such when I found it—as it resembles the Manti Temple’s more than anything else.

Molding detail

Presumably prior to the remodel. It was during the era of the Logan Temple remodel that the Church was producing some of its most modern-looking temples and chapels. It was also during this era that the Church was selling or demolishing a number of its older tabernacles, much to the dismay of many of the members who had long cherished the buildings. Perhaps the most poignant of these demolitions was the Coalsville Tabernacle in Utah. Architecturally, it looked like a combination of the Assembly Hall on Temple Square and the Provo Tabernacle—a gorgeous gothic structure with that top-heavy, thick-walled LDS flair that was typical of the era (read more at https://www.dialoguejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/sbi/articles/Dialogue_V05N04_44.pdf). In defense of the Church, it was also a matter of where tithing funds would go—operating a vehicle of salvation and temporal relief is different from operating a museum, and some of these buildings are quite expensive to keep up, especially as they require seismic and electric upgrades to be in alignment with new safety laws. Since then, the Church has moved into a more classical and timeless architectural direction, which move I heartily laud, and has made more of a move to preserve the old tabernacles, several of which have been or are being converted into temples (Copenhagen, Denmark; Vernal, Utah; and Provo City Center, Utah). But it still hurts to imagine ripping out the old pioneer handiwork. President Kimball was reportedly pained to do so as well.

Doorknob detail

This appears to be in a museum. This one was definitely from The Trumpet Stone blog. Again, check them out (http://thetrumpetstone.blogspot.com/). I suspect that most of these photos are. Anyway, these carved doorknobs are also one of those aspects of the old pioneer temples I find so endearing. Hugh Nibley wrote a paper on the carvings on the doorknobs of the Manti Temple, discussing the symbols engraved thereon. I’ll hop on that when I get to Manti (next post).

Ordinance Room (Garden?)

Ordinance Room (Garden?)

Ordinance Room (Telestial?)

Ordinance Room (Terrestrial?)

Baptismal Font

This is most certainly the new font.

“Gold Room”

This special sealing room was called the Gold Room. Prior to the construction of the Manti and Salt Lake Temples, this room served as the Holy of Holies. There is only one Holy of Holies in all the temples and it is presently in the Salt Lake Temple, through the doors that sit between the two old sealing rooms. My understanding is that any sealing room in any temple may serve as the Holy of Holies if needed. I’ll talk more about that when I get to the Salt Lake Temple.

Sealing Room (I am guessing this one is modern)

Sealing Room

This sealing room appears to be older, with the same stained glass as the Gold Room. The altar is very similar to those seen in the Salt Lake Temple.

Sealing Room

This appears to be a sealing room in one of the two towers. I have always wanted to visit one of these rooms, but have never had the opportunity.

“Gold Room”

Spiral stair

These spiral stairs feature in a number of the old pioneer temples. The rebuilt Nauvoo Temple also features a similar spiral stair.

Spiral stair

Spiral stair

This is almost definitely from the original temple, because the molding of the arch and doorway are very reminiscent of the Salt Lake Temple. Unless the remodeled temple remained true to that architectural style. If the new annex is any hint, however, that isn’t the case:

Photo by Angela Oakeson