The House of the Lord: A Study of Holy Sanctuaries, Ancient and Modern

Because non-Mormons are not allowed inside Latter-day Saint Temples, curiosity seeders have tried through a variety of means, specially upon completion of the Salt Lake City edifice in 1893 to ascertain what the interior looks like and what activities transpire therein. This inordinate interest prompted church leaders to commission Professor James E. Talmage in 1911, three months before he was ordained an apostle, to compile a visual and textual representation for the general public. Despite an earlier unauthorized foray into the temple by a camera-toting intruder, Talmage’s assignment would represent the first time the good quality views of the interior would be framed and the ordinances would be discussed in print with the church’s blessing.