Things to see - The St. George Tabernacle

The St. George Tabernacle
18 s. main st

Labeled "The Jewel in the Desert," the St. George Tabernacle is a beautiful building reminiscent of a typical New England-style chapel. Its interior, which seats 1,200, was renovated and restored in the 1993, and it is now open for church services, daily music recitals, and the weekly Dixie History and Music Series. The clock below the tabernacle spire was built by Thwaites and Reed, the oldest clockmakers in the world and the company responsible for maintaining Big Ben.




More on the St. George Tabernacle

It took the Mormon Pioneers 13 years to build the Tabernacle. This may seem like a lot until you consider that the limestone used in the three-foot-thick basement walls had to be hand-quarried from the foothills north of the city while the red sandstone boulders for the two-and-one-half foot walls were hand-quarried from a site different site near the Red Hills Golf Course. The 56-foot trusses were cut 32 miles distant and hand-hewn with a broad axe. The spiral staircase and banister also had to be hand carved. Built under difficult circumstances, the St. George Tabernacle stands as a symbol of pioneer heritage. In 1993 much of the tabernacle was restored to resemble as closely as possible its original state.

Life in Southern Utah was not easy for those early saints. They in southern Utah dealt with the relentless requirements of the wilderness, flooding rivers, grasshoppers and every foot of ditch, carrying water to the land, channeled through the red dirt with a shovel. Yet in the first year they grew 100,000 pounds of cotton, managed to maintain themselves and establish a settlement. But their situation was far from secure. When Brigham Young saw their condition he instituted the building of the Tabernacle. There was a need for a building. There was a need for employment at which people could earn their sustenance and maintain their dignity with meaningful work. There was a need for a unifying purpose to bond them together as a community. So Brigham Young declared that they should build the Tabernacle, a magnificent structure in New England style, a jewel in the desert which would seat at least 1200 people. An emotional group of men and women in the frontier town of St. George Utah, only three years from settlement, met together to dedicate the beginning of their much needed Tabernacle. After meeting in make- shift willow boweries, so anxious were they to have a place for worship and other public gatherings, that the minute the basement was completed, they moved in. They offered a dedicatory prayer and for the next eight years this basement became their meeting place. When finally the building was completed with the Tower in place, the formal dedication was scheduled on the birthday of their beloved prophet, Brigham Young, whose original vision of building a Tabernacle had given this pioneer people so much hope for the future. Eagerly, they left the basement and with feelings of pride and awe, moved upstairs into the main hall. It was a glorious time. In thirteen years, with almost non-existent cash flow these settlers had created an unbelievable treasure. A building that stands today as a reminder of their amazing courage in the face of almost insurmountable obstacles.

The Glass

Upon having the very best for their beloved Tabernacle, they ordered 2244 panes of glass from New York City. It was a daring move. There was little cash flow among the residents of St. George and glass couldn't very well be brought across the plains in a bouncing wagon. Instead, it was transported by ship all the way around South America and into the harbor at Los Angeles. Then they had a serious problem. Before the glass could be released a freight bill of $800 was due. David Cannon, local church leader and well-respected citizen of St. George was assigned the challenge of raising the money to bring the glass from California. As the time of departure arrived he had only $200 in his pocket. Nevertheless, with great faith, he prepared to make the journey, praying that the Lord would open the way. At the same time in the near-by town of Washington, a Danish immigrant named Peter Nielson had saved $600 in gold pieces to enlarge his two-room adobe house. He knew of David Cannon's dilemma, but he had already lent money to a perpetual emigration fund over the years to help new members come to Utah from Europe. They were supposed to pay him back but so far no one had. After spending a sleepless night, and struggling with the problem, Peter arose early, walked the distance from Washington to St. George. Just as the wagons were ready to leave for California, Peter arrived and placed the $600 in gold into David Cannon's hand. An amazing thing then happened to Peter. The money that had been owed him for so many years began to trickle in and soon he had enough to finish his home. Today visitors will notice that many of the original panes are still in place. A closer examination reveals some really wonderful examples of old glass.

The Balcony

One of the most unusual events in the building of the Tabernacle happened after the U-shaped balcony was crafted and firmly in place. Miles Romney, master builder, schooled in English architecture and supervisor of the Tabernacle construction designed two elegant circular staircases. He called them his crowning achievements. They were attached to either side of the foyer-type room at the entrance to the main hall. As the people ascended both staircases the top steps lead onto and were even with the balcony. It seemed a perfect architectural arrangement. There was just one problem. Upon close observation, Brigham Young discovered the balcony was so high, people sitting there could not see the pulpit. Miles Romney reminded the prophet the stairways were permanent and could not be moved. So, Brigham Young recommended the balcony be lowered. And while everyone thought this impossible, Brigham Young surprised them by devising an ingenious plan. This caught the interest of Miles Romney who agreed and complied. Strong men were stationed at each post of the U-shaped balcony. With the use of braces and jacks, each man in unison with the others, using his full physical strength lifted the whole balcony in one piece at one time. The posts were cut off to the desired height by other workers and the balcony was replaced, lower than before. Brigham's plan had worked. Today, Tabernacle audiences who climb up the staircases to their original height will step down an easy 8 steps to the balcony, but that is alright, because now they can see the pulpit just fine.

The Clock and The Bell

Life changed for the better with the addition of the new bell and clock as part of the Tabernacle tower. Up until then the pioneers had set their few timepieces by the sun as it came up each morning, and signaled townspeople with an old bass drum. As the tower went up they retired the drum and gladly gave up the sun as the way to tell time. Gone were meetings and school classes late in starting and slow to close. Gone were water turns that over-lapped and other inconveniences brought about by everyone's personal interpretation of sun time. Being on time was not only important but now possible with the handsome clock superbly built in London and the clear- ringing bell from Troy, New York, both brought to St. George through much personal sacrifice. One townsperson recalled: "It was grand to have a clock. We loved it because it gave us prestige. It raised the morale of the people. We went to church on time, came home on time, opened and closed parties on time. The old town had moved forward. They had a clock and a bell. From now on people were born by the clock, they died by the clock."
So proud were they of the new town bell, they first put it to work in a temporary position on the main floor to signal lunchtime for the workers. Once in the tower it triumphantly announced Brigham Young's arrival, sounded the passing of local pioneers, made known the deaths of presidents of the Church and Nation, and on January 6, 1896 it tolled for two hours and forty minutes to proclaim that Utah had become a state.

A Building of Purpose

Since the time of dedication in 1876, the Tabernacle served the people of St. George in grand style. Whether a Sunday worship service, a political town gathering or the funeral of a member of the Mormon faith or a non- member, the Tabernacle provided a respected meeting place for the townspeople. Choirs and singing groups were welcome and patriotic programs encouraged. So grateful were the early pioneers for this enclosed place of beauty, it became the focal point of their life and activities. Often, people who were not Mormons benefited as well, as told in the story of Father Scanlon.

The Father Scanlon Story

In the 1880's Silver Reef, about 25 miles north of St. George became a booming mining town with the discovery of a silver vein. Miners appeared in this frontier town which was first named Bonanza City and merchants started many frontier businesses. Some St. George settlers even found a market for their farm goods. One person, in particular, remembered from this time was Father Lawrence Scanlon, who with a few other Catholic fathers, was sent to Silver Reef to attend to the religious needs of the miners and some townsfolk. He was an outgoing, friendly person who right away formed friendships with leaders of the Mormon faith. A feeling of mutual trust and respect developed. Through this exchange, they offered him the use of the Tabernacle for a High Mass. Father Scanlon with only the most limited of conditions for holding church services accepted with delight. He would hold the Mass on one condition, that the music and text be learned and provided in Latin by the St. George Stake Choir. They agreed. This was an historical moment for St. George and the Tabernacle when this group of miners, far from their homes filed into this beautiful structure, tall in the desert, rimmed by the brilliant red hills. Many townspeople were invited and attended. There was a feeling of warmth and friendship . The choir under the direction of John M. Macfarlane, performed amazingly well in Latin. The Tabernacle had once again proved its value. It wasn't too much later that the silver mine gave out and the silver boom faded away. The people of St. George were sorry to see Father Scanlon go. He had been a devoted friend.

A Place Chosen

In the 1890's the Church was deeply in debt and the nation was in the midst of a depression when Lorenzo Snow became the fifth president of the Church. After many days of wrestling with the problem and after seeking the answer in prayer he was prompted to call a special conference in St. George. Without knowing why he left for St. George, going part way by train and then by carriage. It was a difficult trip for the 86 year old prophet, but the people were thrilled to welcome their leader and the Tabernacle was packed. As he stood at the pulpit, looking frail, he first praised the people for their faith and courage. Then he paused and the congregation became very quiet. They would soon know what had compelled him to make the long trip to St. George. He seemed to gather strength, and then began to speak, "The time has come for every Latter Day Saint to do the will of the Lord and pay his tithing in full. That is the word of the Lord to you and it will be the word of the Lord to every settlement throughout the land. . . " President Snow returned home by carriage to Salt Lake City, giving this same message to every settlement along the way.The saints did respond, the Lord poured out blessings upon them and the debt of the Church was paid. The rains came to save the crops of the folks here, and a wonderful lesson was learned about the value of sacrifice in the eyes of the Lord. Tithing has always been the law given by the Lord to his people.

The Tabernacle Today

Today, history has been preserved in the restoration of this jewel of a pioneer structure which still serves St. George as a cultural center. From around the world visitors are welcome to enjoy its beauty, take tours and hear programs of music and culture. While much of the Tabernacle has undergone other restoration from time to time, through the years, its new re-opening in 1993 shows a building as close to the original as possible. Many believe the St. George Tabernacle is the finest example of design and chapel builder's art in the entire Mormon experience. And the society these stalwart people formed remains strong and vital.