VSON OF JOHN A. ROBNSON Winter - 1936 t will be remembered that in the winter of 1936 the Auditorium was just a skeletized structure, which was boarded up where the brick walls. and glass front are now, and was covered with tar paper and the dome was a ribbed concrete slab. Mv wife and were members of the Stone Church Choir. was in the bass section, sitting next to George Hulmes, who was the President of the Choir at that time, and my wife was 01rer in the contralto section. Now, Apostle E. J. Gleazer was the speaker that molning. had always loved to hear him talk. To use my own expression, "He never pulled his punches. He chose his text on the Redemption of Zion" and thought: This.is going to be pretty good. During the singing of the anthem my eyes wer e directed to the big vdndow in the south end of the Stone Church over the balcony. began to note particularly what beauty was in the playing of the lights at that tir:1e of day, which seemed to be.iust perfect... the light came through from the sun, and forgot all about Brother Gleazer. 1\.s was contemnlating the beauty of the sunlight through those windows, the whole front of' the church,just faded away and as stood there, a maryelous view was given me, for the Auditorium was finished as perhaps we see it today. But my eyes were directed to the dome and saw it was copper-covered. Then bega."l to observe ther progress and look around and was standing in what is no'jil the Hedrikite Temple Lot, but no buildings were on it. There were two cross-walks that net in the center; one led from the Auditorium to the Stone Church - that was the north and south walk; and there was also an east and west walk. looked down the east 1Nalk (to my left, facing the \udi torium) and there saw "The Temple" -magnificent beyond description. Now, didn't see many of the details of the Temple, just saw the beautiful building that was there 8ld the snot it was on. didn't see enough of the Temple to see in detail, except the magnificent part of' it that appeared like unto the Nauvoo Temnle.
-2- Vision of John A. Robinson 1936 Then began to notice the highways around the Stqne Church There was no more Lexington Street, but the church faced Kansas Street on the same foundfltion where it is now,. The first thing noticed was that Lexington Street, as it curves around in front of the Stone Church now, was closed in the vision, and the street that the church was facing was Kansas, 1 Nhich runs straigbt on and makes that a "Temple :Square". A big highway was back (south) of the Auditorium, leading east and north from livest Lexington Street, through the Brighami te 17-acre plot, and turning north into 1.1\/alnut. There were 63-l/3 acres in the original Temple Lot. As noted before, the Auditorium had a copper-covered dome. Now as the story goes, the copper dome was a checking potnt for my after reference, for if a different type dome covering (was installed, the oth.er predictions might be unfulfilled. So when, years later copper was chosen, it increased my faith in what saw. Story of the Copper De Three kinds of covering for the concrete dome were offered, one by Sheffie1d Steel for a stainless steel roof. Others of the Committee thought that copper or stainless steel would be beyond our abilit: to finance and they suggested an aluminum covering, but Bishop DeLapp held out strongly for the copper dome and President Frederick M. Smith also, because of his observance of the copper domes in Europe hudreds of years old. So my \Tision of a copper dome was "on the beam". also saw the.auditorium finished as it is now, with a white stone front and the present brick was covered with this white stone. As sat in the choir, all of this was transpiring in my mind and then heard Brother Gleazer p ounding the pulpit and he was saying: will build Zion, sai th the Lor d. The Use of the Stone Church The Stone Church was no more used for congregational ga theringt Again, was in the interior of the Stone Church, but donrt know where: was not up in the choir yet; and thet'e saw the soft glow of lights
-3- Vision of John A. Robinson 1936 and heard the organ playing soft music and people coming and going, those who came in to pray and worship. Twenty-six years later, 1962, the Stone Church bulletin announcement reads: The Stone Church Sanetuary will be open daily, during the day and evening, for meditation and prayer." Thj_s corroborates my vision. n order to make this a r:1.atter of record, wrote to President Frederick rii. Smith something like this: told him of the experience had had and "know that you are deeply interested in this and that you have had a vision of the things to come. want to submit to you this experience." told him the whole thing, even about E. J. Gleazer pounding the pulpit and saying: " will build Zion." l Some people don t realize how much a lot o that we are in the process of the redemption of Zion. the folks feel Maybe that was given to me because have lived to be as old as am (82) and can be helpful to them. ft.fter wrote this letter got a reply from Fred ill. that said he was very much interested in my account of the finishing of the Auditorium, of, shall we sfly, the day-dream,as he meant it was a vision in the day. "There was only one thing that you missed," he was the great highway coming up Walnut St,reet and ending at the Temple Lot, dividing those inside streets from the tig highways. saw a building north o-p the Stone Church, where we have built the Education Building. That building was carried over to Bowen Street and in it was an auditorium seating uossibly 2,500 people. \iljhat we have bui1 t is only a start on the finished structure of my vision. (As di eta ted on October 17, 1962 to Thelma Kenepp)
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