Thinking Posted December 30, 2018 Posted December 30, 2018 The Salt Lake and St. George Temples have front doors that I have never seen open. I've been to several weddings at each temple. The bride and groom exit the temple from a side or back door. The wedding party usually gathers on the steps of a front door for some pictures, but the doors are locked. It seems that at some time these doors would have been used, but no longer. Does anybody know the history of these doors?
JLHPROF Posted December 30, 2018 Posted December 30, 2018 There are numerous LDS urban legends about these doors. But I haven't been able to find any record that those rumors were actually intended by those who built the temple. I may have to research it a bit more to find the origin of the legends. I do recall the actors playing Pres. Woodruff and Joseph F. Smith entering by the east doors in the film "Mountain of the Lord". I do know that the nooks on either side of the SL doors were to hold the statues of Joseph and Hyrum that now stand on Temple Square. 1
Rain Posted December 30, 2018 Posted December 30, 2018 I can't tell you about Salt Lake and St George like you asked for. My husband says that his dad said when they had a solemn assembly in the Mant temple assembly room that the prophet came directly through the doors on the east side. Possibility that is the case with Salt Lake and St George? 1
Jane_Doe Posted December 30, 2018 Posted December 30, 2018 6 hours ago, Thinking said: The Salt Lake and St. George Temples have front doors that I have never seen open. I've been to several weddings at each temple. The bride and groom exit the temple from a side or back door. The wedding party usually gathers on the steps of a front door for some pictures, but the doors are locked. It seems that at some time these doors would have been used, but no longer. Does anybody know the history of these doors? Can't speak to St George or SLC, but my new local temple is Fort Collins, and they likewise have a set of front doors you will never see open-- in fact they physically don't open. They exist for the photo shoot. Meanwhile, people enter and exit the nearby doors, and don't get in the way of the photos. It's a practical logistic thing. 1
Duncan Posted December 30, 2018 Posted December 30, 2018 I have an 1893 photo of the Salt Lake Temple, during the dedication, showing people going into a door, I am going to assume they don't open very often! worst place to trick or treat😏 3
CV75 Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 7 hours ago, Thinking said: The Salt Lake and St. George Temples have front doors that I have never seen open. I've been to several weddings at each temple. The bride and groom exit the temple from a side or back door. The wedding party usually gathers on the steps of a front door for some pictures, but the doors are locked. It seems that at some time these doors would have been used, but no longer. Does anybody know the history of these doors? When I took a tour some 10 years ago, the docent explained it had to do with visitors wandering in off the street, permitting better check points at the recommend desk and better HVAC control. 3
mfbukowski Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 (edited) It has been my impression for a long time that the Eastern Temple doors are supposed to be where the Savior will enter at the second coming. I have no idea if this is Docrine or true or anything else is just a wisp of memory somewhere in the back of my brain. I usually avoid going there because of all the cobwebs. Edited December 31, 2018 by mfbukowski 3
mfbukowski Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 Aha! The Eastern gate of Jerusalem has been sealed and is supposedly where the Savior will enter. Don't know if that applies anything else though. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_(Jerusalem)
mfbukowski Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 (edited) Aha again Ezekiel 44 1- 3 44 Then he brought me back the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary which looketh toward the east; and it was shut. 2 Then said the Lord unto me; This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall enter in by it; because the Lord, the God of Israel, hath entered in by it, therefore it shall be shut. 3 It is for the prince; the prince, he shall sit in it to eat bread before the Lord; he shall enter by the way of the porch of that gate, and shall go out by the way of the same. Edited December 31, 2018 by mfbukowski 1
JAHS Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 From what I have been told the East and West towers represent the priesthood. Placing the doors between the towers is a metaphor of the necessity of passing through the priesthood ordinances, (such as baptism, confirmation, temple marriage, etc.) to enter God's Kingdom and His Presence. Those eastern niches by the door that people like to stand in were actually designed to hold statues of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. The statues were placed there almost 20 years after the temple was completed, but they were eventually moved to another location on Temple Square, The following pic shows where the East and west doors opened in to 2
JLHPROF Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 4 hours ago, mfbukowski said: Aha! The Eastern gate of Jerusalem has been sealed and is supposedly where the Savior will enter. Don't know if that applies anything else though. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Gate_(Jerusalem) 35 minutes ago, JAHS said: From what I have been told the East and West towers represent the priesthood. Placing the doors between the towers is a metaphor of the necessity of passing through the priesthood ordinances, (such as baptism, confirmation, temple marriage, etc.) to enter God's Kingdom and His Presence. Those eastern niches by the door that people like to stand in were actually designed to hold statues of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. The statues were placed there almost 20 years after the temple was completed, but they were eventually moved to another location on Temple Square, The following pic shows where the East and west doors opened in to These are two of the legends I referred to. 1. That they are reserved for the Savior (some say the golden plaque door on the SL east tower actually represents the golden gate, not the east doors). 2. That passing through the eastern doors requires passing through certain ordinances. A third version is that the progress through the ordinances of the temple involve entering from the west and only ever exiting from the east doors, representing Heavenly beings formerly from the Celestial room/kingdom falling to the lone and dreary world. Again though I don't know if any of these beliefs were established by the builders of these temples, and therefore they don't explain the OP's question why those doors aren't generally used. 1
JAHS Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 16 minutes ago, JLHPROF said: Again though I don't know if any of these beliefs were established by the builders of these temples, and therefore they don't explain the OP's question why those doors aren't generally used. Since the annex was built there is no reason for them to be used. I think they are kept shut simply to control where people go in and out of the temple and for security reasons. Also, if people were constantly going in and out of those doors they would track in a lot of dirt and let bugs and dust in. 1
strappinglad Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 IIRC years ago there was an explosive device place at the east doors. True??
Duncan Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 2 minutes ago, strappinglad said: IIRC years ago there was an explosive device place at the east doors. True?? http://deseretdigest.blogspot.com/2015/07/who-bombed-salt-lake-temple.html 2
mfbukowski Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 13 hours ago, JAHS said: From what I have been told the East and West towers represent the priesthood. Placing the doors between the towers is a metaphor of the necessity of passing through the priesthood ordinances, (such as baptism, confirmation, temple marriage, etc.) to enter God's Kingdom and His Presence. Those eastern niches by the door that people like to stand in were actually designed to hold statues of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. The statues were placed there almost 20 years after the temple was completed, but they were eventually moved to another location on Temple Square, The following pic shows where the East and west doors opened in to Makes sense because east and west symbolize birth and death, the sun is born in the East and dies in the West.
mfbukowski Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 (edited) 12 hours ago, JLHPROF said: These are two of the legends I referred to. 1. That they are reserved for the Savior (some say the golden plaque door on the SL east tower actually represents the golden gate, not the east doors). 2. That passing through the eastern doors requires passing through certain ordinances. A third version is that the progress through the ordinances of the temple involve entering from the west and only ever exiting from the east doors, representing Heavenly beings formerly from the Celestial room/kingdom falling to the lone and dreary world. Again though I don't know if any of these beliefs were established by the builders of these temples, and therefore they don't explain the OP's question why those doors aren't generally used. All these symbols are very ancient and were known among the temple architects under Brigham Young. The presence of Saturn stones for example represents a the revival of a long-lost mythology. Edited December 31, 2018 by mfbukowski
JLHPROF Posted December 31, 2018 Posted December 31, 2018 5 hours ago, mfbukowski said: All these symbols are very ancient and were known among the temple architects under Brigham Young. The presence of Saturn stones for example represents a the revival of a long-lost mythology. Which mythology are you referring to? I always thought they were there to represent either worlds without number, or a higher order of kingdoms than Celestial.
bluebell Posted January 1, 2019 Posted January 1, 2019 This article highlights the scale model that is in the southern visitors center on temple Square. The angles aren’t great but maybe it can help show what’s on the other side of the doors. https://www.ksl.com/?sid=10952281&nid=148
Calm Posted January 1, 2019 Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) I like these views: http://www.mccann.on.ca/the-salt-lake-temple/smzbqfgxjfpmadxv50yparbrtvhn2q Found that through https://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/scaled-model-provides-salt-lake-temple-open-house-experience Is the open side the east or west? I am thinking it is the east. Edit: Changed my mind unless I am wrong about the Garden of Eden room. Thinking it is the west. Unless that map is wrong...it has the garden opposite the baptistery while the model has the baptistery below the Garden, right? added yet again: actually I don't think that is the Garden room, but whatever room looks like the postGarden world now that I looked at a closeup of the room rather than just depended on colouring (bottom picture of model link) Edited January 1, 2019 by Calm 1
bluebell Posted January 1, 2019 Posted January 1, 2019 I think the open side is the south? It’s the side of the temple and not the ends where the doors are that is cut out. I’ve seen it in person quite a few times but I don’t remember where the doors go. I was just there two weeks ago and wish I would have known about this topic then!
Calm Posted January 1, 2019 Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) 4 minutes ago, bluebell said: I think the open side is the south? It’s the side of the temple and not the ends where the doors are that is cut out. I’ve seen it in person quite a few times but I don’t remember where the doors go. I was just there two weeks ago and wish I would have known about this topic then! There are two sides cut out. Easiest seen at the model builders' link. 7th picture down. Will see if I can post it. Edited January 1, 2019 by Calm 1
bluebell Posted January 1, 2019 Posted January 1, 2019 Just now, Calm said: There are two sides cut out. Easiest seen at the model builders' link. Will see if I can post it. Oh yes, I see it now. Yes it’s the east side that is cut out.
Calm Posted January 1, 2019 Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) 38 minutes ago, bluebell said: Oh yes, I see it now. Yes it’s the east side that is cut out. Yes, the closed side is missing the gold plaque, etc. Here is a good picture of it minus the logo across the image. https://www.freeimages.com/premium/salt-lake-temple-east-side-160636 Looks identical until you get to the part below the spires, which is rectangular stone with the Big Dipper on the west and arched windows and Holiness to the Lord on the east. The map makes it look slightly different. The doors look like they enter into the second up rooms next to the staircases. Nothing unusual about the rooms themselves. Edited January 1, 2019 by Calm 1
mfbukowski Posted January 1, 2019 Posted January 1, 2019 1 hour ago, JLHPROF said: Which mythology are you referring to? I always thought they were there to represent either worlds without number, or a higher order of kingdoms than Celestial. I am looking for other sources and I think there was actually a thread on this subject here several years ago. But the point is essentially that to the ancients Saturn was comprable to what we would call Kolob. I'm not crazy about the tone of this blog but I think it is pretty close to correct about the mythology as I recall. And it seems to me that the architects clearly wanted to avoid direct reference to the mythology, by representing Saturn from "above." as concentric circles. I am looking for other references. http://mormonprophecy.blogspot.com/2008/10/saturnian-symbolism-in-salt-lake-temple.html?m=1
Calm Posted January 1, 2019 Posted January 1, 2019 (edited) The 9th picture of the MormonNewsroom slideshow shows details of the side entrance rooms best, but it cuts off the floor by the doors and is still at an angle. Looks like they have stairways leading up rather than the grand doors of the two floors up. You can't really see the very back from the model builders' page. It has a larger chandelier and wood wall paneling part way up unlike the upper rooms, so looks like the 'grandest' side rooms to me. Edited January 1, 2019 by Calm
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