[Apostle John Taylor diary] On the morning of Saturday, May 24th, 1845, we repaired to the Temple with great secrecy for the purpose of laying the corner stone, there were but few that knew about it; the band playing on the walls and the people hearing it, hurried up. About six o'clock A.M., the brethren being assembled, we proceeded to lay the stone; at quarter past six the stone was laid; after which Bro. Young prayed, his voice being heard distinctly, by the congregation below; and the congregation shouted Hossanna, Hossanna, Hossanna to God and the Lamb, Amen, Amen, and Amen. Bro. Kay sung a song composed for the occasion by W. W. Phelps, called the capstone.183 Although there were several officers watching for us to take us; yet we escaped without their knowledge; when the singing commenced we left unnoticed, and they had not an opportunity of seeing us.
A hole being made in the stone for the reception of several articles, I sent 5 volumes of the Times and Seasons, (1st volume commencing November 1st, 1839) and seven numbers of the sixth volume, ending April 15th, 1845. A file of Neighbors from January 1st, 1845, to May 28th, 1845, inclusive; also a copy of my history of the Missouri persecutions; and three pamphlets I printed in the Isle of Man, one entitled Methodism, weighed in the balance and found wanting; the other two entitled Calumny refuted and Truth defended. (1)
-- May 25, 1845
[Anointed Quorum] Sunday evening prayer circle at Willard Richards's office until 11:30 p.m. (or "12 Oclock," according to Stanley B. Kimball, ed., On the Potter's Wheel: The Diaries of Heber C. Kimball [Salt Lake City: Signature Books-Smith Research Associates, 1987].) with Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, George A. Smith, Amasa M. Lyman, John E. Page, Orson Pratt, Newel K. Whitney, George Miller, Levi Richards, John Smith, Joseph Young, and William Clayton . (2)
-- May 25, 1845. Sunday.
[William Clayton Journal] ...At a little after 8 Brother Kimball called and I went with him to Dr. Richards to meet with the quorum for prayer. Present President B. Young, H. C. Kimball, W. Richards, G. A. Smith, A. Lyman, John E. Page and O. Pratt of the Twelve. N. K. Whitney, and G[eorge] Miller, Trustees, and Levi Richards, Patriarch John Smith, Joseph Young and myself. We had a good time and felt that our prayers would be answered. We broke up about half past eleven. (3)
-- May 27, 1845
Brigham Young receives "a respectful letter from Governor [Thomas] Drew in reply to our Memorial to him as governor of Arkansas; stating his inability to protect us in the state of Arkansas, and suggesting the propriety of our settling in Oregon, California, Nebraska or some other country where we will be out of the reach of our persecutors." Young's "Memorial" to Drew, sent May 1, asked, "Will it be too much to ask you to convene a special session of your State Legislature, and furnish us an asylum where we can enjoy our rights of conscience and religion unmolested?" (4)
-- May 28, 1845
Final testimony in the trial of five men accused in the murders of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. (4)
[Nauvoo Temple] Workmen began to lay the timbers for the attic story and tower. (5)
[Newspaper] - Announcement: "The Capstone of the Temple" -- Editorial -- States that the Capstone of the Temple was recently laid, and describes the ceremony.
- Announcement: "Carthage" - Court Proceedings for Mr. Daniels -- Editorial -- Describes Daniels' trial for the murder of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.
- Letter to the Editor: Nauvoo's Needs in Government -- Orson Hyde -- Asks what type of protection Nauvoo has without their charter and their militia.
- Letter to the Editor: Rigdonite Problems -- Signed, "Telemachus" -- Blames Rigdonites for vandalism and destruction in the city of Nauvoo.
- Announcement: "Notice to the Eastern Churches" - Disfellowshipment Announced -- Brigham Young -- Describes the disfellowshipment of Elder Brannan.
- Announcement: Deaths and Obituary -- Editorial -- Caroline Smith, wife of William Smith (30). (6)
-- May 28, 1845, Wednesday
[William Clayton Writings] On Wednesday the 28th of May the first ``bent'' of the attic story of the temple was raised by the carpenters, and up to this time they continued to raise the timber works with pleasing rapidity.
Thus the work of this temple has progressed from the beginning to the present time without any serious accident except in the incident which happened at the stone quarry. The blessing of God has attended the whole progress of the work, and it has advanced beyond our most sanguine expectations. Our enemines have threatened all the time, and for the last two years we have had very little cessation from writs and other efforts of the enemy to prevent our finishing it. Many prophecies have been uttered against it; but the Saints have invariably pursued a steady course of perseverance. As the building has progressed, the Saints have increased their donations and tithings; and this Spring has exceeded all past times for liberality and donations from the brethern. (7)
Footnotes:
1 - 'The John Taylor Nauvoo journal, January 1845-September 1845,' BYU Studies 23:3 (1983) edited by Dean C. Jessee
2 - Quinn, D. Michael, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power, Signature Books, 1994, Appendex: Meetings and Initiations of the Anointed Quorum, 1842-45, http://amzn.to/origins-power
3 - George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton
4 - On This Day in Mormon History, http://onthisdayinmormonhistory.blogspot.com
5 - Brown, Lisle (compiler), Chronology of the Construction, Destruction and Reconstruction of the Nauvoo Temple
6 - http://boap.org/LDS/Nauvoo-Neighbor
7 - Fillerup, Robert C., compiler; William Clayton Nauvoo Diaries and Personal Writings, A chronological compilation of the personal writings of William Clayton while he was a resident of Nauvoo, Illinois. http://www.boap.org/LDS/Early-Saints/clayton-diaries
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