President Gordon B. Hinckley announced Sunday the LDS Church will rebuild the Nauvoo Temple, gutted by arson in 1848 and its ruins later toppled by a tornado.
The church began restoring other historic buildings in the western Illinois town of Nauvoo in 1960 and has a thriving historic and cultural center there. But the site of the ruined temple has remained empty, its massive limestone blocks, some weighing 4,000 pounds, removed by scavengers 150 years ago.Only a few of the ornamental stones from the temple remain, one in the Smithsonian. Church members making their pioneering trek west took the 1,500-pound bell from the temple with them to the Salt Lake Valley. The Nauvoo Bell is now on display on Temple Square and chimes on the hour.
"I feel impressed to announce that among all the temples we are constructing, we plan to rebuild the Nauvoo Temple," President Hinckley said in the closing moments of the church's 169th Annual General Conference in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City.
"A member of the church and his family have provided a very substantial contribution to make this possible. We are grateful to them. It will be a while before it happens, but the architects have begun their work," President Hinckley said.
The Nauvoo Temple was the second temple built by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, under the direction of its first leader, the Prophet Joseph Smith. The temple was the crown jewel of Nauvoo, a city the pioneering church built on the banks of the Mississippi River beginning in 1839.
The community around Nauvoo, envious of the church community's prosperity and opposed to church politics and doctrines, killed Joseph Smith in 1844 and forced a mass exodus from the city in 1846.
Today, tourists making cultural pilgrimages to see the restored parts of Nauvoo help sustain the small, present-day population. The church in modern times has located temples in larger population centers. "It will be somewhat isolated," President Hinckley said of the new Nauvoo Temple. "But during the summer months we anticipate it will be very busy, and the new building will stand as a memorial to those who built the first such structure there on the banks of the Mississippi."
Until an official announcement is made, it can only be presumed the temple will be rebuilt on the original site and in the original design.
The original temple grounds, now owned by the church, cover about four acres encircled by a wrought-iron fence.
"It looks like Temple Square -- but without the temple," said Durell Noland Nelson, president of the Nauvoo, Illinois, Stake.
The remains of the temple foundation have been excavated, and visitors can see the basement, which was used for baptisms. The temple grounds are landscaped and enjoy vigorous tourism, President Nelson said.
Last year, the church purchased about eight acres to the west of the temple grounds from the Catholic Church. Prior to purchase, the area had been used for a Catholic monastery and academy.
The LDS Church also owns a small section of the block to the north of the temple grounds where it operates Clark Store -- a temple information center. Properties to the east and south are privately owned, President Nelson said.
The Easter Sunday announcement that a destroyed temple will be rebuilt is symbolic of resurrection themes that were part of other addresses at the conference.
President Hinckley said he was in Jerusalem two weeks ago, "that great and ancient city where Jesus walked 2,000 years ago."
President Hinckley summarized Christ's birth, upbringing, ministry, crucifixion and resurrection. The resurrected Christ was "real, as real as he had been in mortal life."
"And so on this wonderful Easter morning, as the servants of the Almighty, as prophets and apostles in his great cause, we lift our voices in witness and testimony of our immortal Savior. He came to earth as the Son of the Everlasting Father," President Hinckley said. "He is our triumphant Lord. He is our redeemer who atoned for our sins. Through his redeeming sacrifice, all men shall rise from the grave. He has opened the way whereby we may gain not only immortality, but also eternal life."
President Thomas S. Monson, first counselor in the First Presidency, said he is asked on occasion what question he would ask if the Savior appeared to him. "My reply is always the same: 'I would ask no question of him. Rather, I would listen.' "
"When Jesus walked and taught among men, he spoke in language easily understood. Whether he was journeying along the dusty way from Perea to Jerusalem, addressing the multitudes along the shore of the Sea of Galilee or pausing beside Jacob's well in Samaria, he taught in parables."
President Monson related accounts of individuals without physical eyesight but whose spiritual faculties were very keen. "On this Easter morning, and always, may our light so shine that we glorify our Heavenly Father and his son, Jesus Christ, whose name is the only name under heaven whereby we might be saved."
President Boyd K. Packer, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve, talked about the role of the church's bishops, who are volunteers in the sense that they are not paid for their service but are called to perform priesthood service and do not volunteer for the office.
"Do not doubt that an ordinary soul called from the ranks to be bishop can give inspired counsel and correction," President Packer said. "Bishops are inspired. Each of us has agency to accept or reject counsel from our leaders, but never disregard the counsel of your bishop, whether given over the pulpit or individually."
Staff writer Jason Swensen contributed to this report.