Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the Lord." (Haggai 1:8)
"The mountain of the Lord's house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills." (Isaiah 2:2)
These two Old Testament scriptures were among the inspirations for constructing the historic Yosemite Chapel, the oldest structure in Yosemite National Park — 130 years old on June 7.
Built in a traditional New England style, this small church is hard to miss at the west side of the developed Yosemite Valley section, identified on official National Park Service maps as "chapel."
Inside a spectacular canyon, with a nearby meadow, the Merced River and the thunderous Yosemite Falls also in the area, this may be an unrivaled picturesque setting for a religious structure anywhere in the nation.
A chapel like this is a rarity in the heart of such a natural treasure.
However, not everyone first embraced the chapel's scenic location. For example, Galen Clark, an early California resident who pushed for protection of Yosemite Valley and the surrounding area said, "It seems almost sacrilege to build a church within the portals of this the grandest of all God's temples. It is like building a toy church within the walls of St. Peter's Cathedral in Rome. But it will clearly show the contrast between the frail and puny works of man, as compared with the mighty grandeur and magnificence of the works of God, and I hope it will do good."
That's according to "The Yosemite Chapel 1979-2006," an official history by Shirley Sargent.
Her book says the Yosemite Union Chapel Association, which incorporated in May of 1878, had a goal of erecting "an undenominational house of worship" in Yosemite Valley.
A fundraising campaign raised $1,511.70 to get the construction started. "Building shares certificates," given to contributors, had the two inspirational Old Testament scriptures printed on them.
The chapel was first used on June 7, 1879, comfortably seating 125 people. Even the legendary environmentalist and Yosemite fan John Muir spoke in the new chapel that day on the geologic processes that formed Yosemite.
The chapel had no regular minister for its first 45 years. So, it was only when a cooperative minister was visiting Yosemite on a Sunday that any official church services were held there in its early years.
Weddings were also held there, with the first one on Oct. 24, 1884.
The church was originally built at the base of the "Four-mile Trail," southwest of its current location. It was moved to its present site in 1901.
A.T. Guinn was the first official church minister, though he had struggles with operating expenses. Plans in the 1920s for a $300,000 larger interdenominational church in Yosemite were halted, due to a lack of funds.
Instead, outdoor services were sometimes held near the Ahwahnee Meadow, to the east. Easter services were also held outdoors at Mirror Lake.
Sargent's research found the Yosemite Chapel wasn't financially solvent until 1944.
The chapel at both of its locations was plagued by occasional flood waters.
In 1965-66, the church's sagging roof was fixed and it was also raised five feet above the ground to make flooding less likely, in addition to overall refurbishing work.
Two vandals, both high on drugs, damaged the interior of the church significantly on June 12, 1969.
By Nov. 12, 1973, the chapel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Following that designation, additional funds became available to do additional restoration work on the chapel.
Mice destroyed the chapel's piano and organ in the early 1980s, but donations later replaced them.
A winter 1997 flood raised the Merced River and closed Yosemite Valley from early January to mid-March that year. With standing water 6 to 10 feet high, the chapel was flooded again.
It recovered. Chapel improvements continue today. In late April 2009, sidewalks in front of the chapel were replaced.
But despite a stormy history, the chapel remains and continues to serve both Yosemite residents and visitors.
It holds Sunday morning worship at 9:15 a.m. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, a second 11 a.m. Sunday service, plus a 7 a.m. prayer group and a 7 p.m. service, both on Thursday, are typically held.
Kenneth "Brent" Moore has served as the chapel's nondenominational pastor since 2000.
More information is available at: www.YosemiteValleyChapel.org
E-MAIL: lynn@desnews.com