"The baptismal font was instituted as a simile of the grave, and was commanded to be in a place underneath where the living are wont to assemble, to show forth the living and the dead."[[4]]
On the north side of the baptistry is a large room divided into a number of apartments used as dressing rooms and in which are performed certain ordinances of anointing, for men. A similar arrangement for women exists on the south side. In these ceremonies only women administer to women, and men to men.
The Lower Lecture Room: On the east of the lower corridor are two assembly rooms. The first of these is about forty by forty-five feet, and is finished and furnished in great plainness. Its walls are without ornament; and, except for the six electroliers, the only approach to decorative embellishment is a drinking fountain of variegated marble and onyx on the south side. The room is comfortably carpeted but in marked simplicity,—without a suggestion of bright color. The seats are folding lecture chairs, of plain design, and provision is made for two hundred and fifty persons. This room is used for preliminary instruction purposes, and may be called for convenience the Lower Lecture Room.
The Garden Room: In striking contrast with the room last described is the apartment on the south, entered from the lecture room by an arched doorway hung with portieres. While of about the same size as the room described, and seated to accommodate the same number of persons, in all its appointments it is of more elaborate design. Ceiling and walls are embellished with oil paintings—the former to represent clouds and sky, with sun and moon and stars; the latter showing landscape scenes of rare beauty. There are sylvan grottoes and mossy dells, lakelets and brooks, waterfalls and rivulets, trees, vines and flowers, insects, birds and beasts, in short, the earth beautiful,—as it was before the Fall. It may be called the Garden of Eden Room, for in every part and appurtenance it speaks of sweet content and blessed repose. There is no suggestion of disturbance, enmity or hostility; the beasts are at peace and the birds live in amity. In the centre of the south wall, is a platform and an altar of prayer, reached by three steps. The altar is upholstered in velvet, and on it rests the Holy Bible. On the sides of the altar are large doorways opening directly into a conservatory of living plants.
The Grand Stairway starts near the south end of the lower corridor already described. It is provided with a stately newel post and a massive balustrade, both of solid cherry. This stairway comprises thirty-five steps with three landings, and at its top is the upper corridor, running forty feet north and south. A large canvas depicting the resurrected Christ instructing the Nephites on the western continent occupies twenty feet of wall space on the east of this corridor; and smaller paintings adorn the other walls.
The World Room: Leading off to the west from the first landing below the top of the grand stairway is a side corridor nine feet wide and fifteen feet long. This contains an art window in rich colors, elliptical in form, about ten feet in height, depicting the expulsion from Eden. It is of special significance in the journey from the Garden Room below to the symbolical apartment into which this side passage leads. At either end the corridor terminates in an arch way; between these the ceiling is of fine panel work. The room is of equal size with those below, forty-five by forty feet. It is carpeted in rich brown, and is seated in the usual way. At the west end is an upholstered prayer altar, on which are placed in readiness for use the Holy Scriptures. Near the altar is a stairway leading to a small waiting room adjoining the elevator landing.
The walls are entirely covered with scenic paintings and the ceiling is pictured to represent sky and cloud. The earth scenes are in strong contrast with those in the Garden Room below. Here the rocks are rent and riven; the earth-story is that of mountain uplift and seismic disruption. Beasts are contending in deadly strife, or engaged in murderous attack, or already rending their prey. The more timorous creatures are fleeing from their ravenous foes or cowering in half-concealed retreats. There are lions in combat, a tiger gloating over a fallen deer, wolves and foxes in hungry search. Birds of prey are slaying or being slain. On the summit of a rugged cliff is an eagle's eyrie, the mother and her brood watching the approach of the male bird holding a lambkin in his claws. All the forest folk and the wild things of the mountain are living under the ever-present menace of death, and it is by death they live. The trees are gnarled, misshapen, and blasted; shrubs maintain a precarious root-hold in rocky clefts; thorns, thistles, cacti, and noxious weeds abound; and in one quarter a destructive storm is raging.
The scenes are typical of the world's condition under the curse of God. Nevertheless there is a certain weird attractiveness in the scenes and in their suggestiveness. The story is that of struggle and strife; of victory and triumph or of defeat and death. From Eden man has been driven out to meet contention, to struggle with difficulties, to live by strife and sweat. This chamber may well be known as the room of the fallen world, or more briefly, the World Room.
The Terrestrial Room: From the north-west corner of the room last described is a large door-way leading into another apartment, lofty, spacious, and beautiful. Its general effect is that of combined richness and simplicity. Following the elaborate decoration of the World Room, this is restful in its soft coloring and air of comfort. The carpet is of lavender velvet woven with simple figures. The walls are of pale blue, the ceiling and woodwork of white with trimmings in gold. At the west end is a large mirror framed in white and gold. The chairs are upholstered to harmonize with the floor-covering. From the paneled ceiling hang three electroliers, massive, yet simple, holding opaline globes. Two sets of conical shades enclosing incandescent bulbs occupy circular recesses in the ceiling, and torch-shaped brackets supporting additional lamps are affixed to the wall pilasters. A few framed canvases hang from the walls, the largest of which is the original painting by Girard—Joseph interpreting the dreams of the butler and baker. Other pictures are delineations of incidents in the life of Christ and scenes in Bible lands.
An upholstered altar stands near the east end of the room, with copies of sacred writ in place. In this room, lectures are given pertaining to the endowments and emphasizing the practical duties of a religious life. It is therefore commonly known as the upper lecture room, but in view of its relation to the room that follows, we may for convenience designate it the Terrestrial Room. At the east end is a raised floor reached by three steps, across which springs an arch of thirty feet span. The arch is supported by five columns between which hangs a silken portiere in four sections. This is the Veil of the Temple.