one of the most prosperous farmers in Northern 

 Alberta and has the satisfaction of realizing that 

 his success has come from his own efforts, aided 

 only by the great soil fertility and excellent 

 climate a bountiful nature has given "Sunnv 

 Alberta." 



Now he has been chosen for practically the 

 highest honor the province has to bestow, and 

 for the while the destiny of Alberta's people 

 lies in his hands and the future of the famous 

 mixed-farming area in his legislative guiding. 

 The qualities which made him a successful 

 farmer should go a long way to make him the 

 successful premier of a farming province and 

 the career which commenced in Canada as a 

 farmer's hired man can attain yet greater heights. 



The Cardston Temple 



By F. J. Cowdery, Dept. Natural Resources, 

 C. P. R. Calgary. 



Begun in 1913 and now nearing completion 

 is the Mormon Temple at Cardston, a small 

 town on a Southern Alberta branch of the Can- 

 adian Pacific Railway. This edifice, which has 

 cost more than 

 a million dol- 

 lars to build, is 

 at tract ing 

 thousands of 

 tourists from 

 all parts of the 

 continent. 



The town of 

 Cardston has 

 been the centre 

 of the Mormon 

 faith inCanada 

 since 1887, 

 when a comp- 

 any of immi- 

 grants from 

 Utah, induced 

 by the rank 

 growth reach- 

 ing to a horse- 

 man's stirrups, made their home there. It 

 the highest point in the centre of the settlement 

 that has sprung into existence that this monu- 

 ment of the Mormon faith has b'een erected. 



The first impression of the structure is of a 

 huge pyramid or bell-tent. On closer inspec- 

 tion its beauty and simplicity of design com- 

 mand attention. One of its most striking fea- 

 tures is the total absence of all curves, the archi- 

 tect designing entirely in straight lines. The 

 structure is in the shape of a Maltese Cross, 

 118 feet square and more than one hundred feet 

 in height. The outer walls are of light grey 

 granite and concrete, six feet thick, and this 

 solidarity of construction has been followed 

 throughout. 



is on 



For Ceremonial Purposes Only 



It should be mentioned that the purpose of 

 the temple is not for general worship but for 

 the carrying out of certain ceremonies and ritual, 

 such as marriages, ordinations and baptisms. 

 After dedication, the temple may only be entered 

 by Mormons of good standing. Such may not 

 smoke, drink coffee or tea or any alcoholic stimu- 

 lants. Until dedication, however, all have free 

 access to the building, the uses of which are 

 fully explained to the visitor. 



After the cold austerity of the exterior, the 

 richness of the interior decorations afford a 

 strong contrast. The woodwork and panelling 

 is undoubtedly among the finest on the Amer- 

 ican Continent, while the paintings and mural 

 decorations are by some of the foremost Am- 

 erican artists, some of whom have been steadily 

 at work for more than a year. 



Facing the main entrance or Assembly room, 

 is the Baptistry, directly in the centre of the 

 building. The huge concrete and marble font 

 here rests on the back of twelve life-size oxen, 

 symbolical of the twelve tribes of Israel. As- 

 cending, the visitor reaches three lecture rooms, 



used in con- 

 nection with 

 the marriage 

 services. These 

 are- known as 

 the Creation 

 Room, the Gar- 

 den Room and 

 the World 

 Room. The 

 first of these is 

 decorated in 

 oak, with eb- 

 ony and maple 

 inlay. On the 

 walls are por- 

 trayed scenes 

 representing 

 the different 

 phases of the 

 creation of the 

 world from chaos to cosmos. In the Gar- 

 den Room are depicted scenes from the 

 Garden of Eden, while the wood-work is of 

 bird's eye maple inlaid with ebony and tulip. 

 The third of the lecture rooms is intended to 

 represent conditions on earth after sin and dis- 

 cord entered, and is in direct contrast with the 

 Garden Room. This room is finished in the 

 finest South American walnut. 



Terrestrial and Celestial Halls 



Ascending still higher is the Terrestrial Room, 

 panelled in African mahogany, where a sum- 

 mary of the lectures given in the previous rooms 

 is given those being married. The final upward 

 step brings us to the Celestial Room, typifying 



174 



