Comments on: About The Salt Lake Mormon Tabernacle

By: Mormon Soprano

Mormon Soprano — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 00:36:46 +0000

Gary, thanks for your comment, and your enthusiasm!
In answer to your question, there are 360 members in the Choir.
Best wishes, MoSop

By: Gary R.Jensen

Gary R.Jensen — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 18:06:00 +0000

Such a beautiful building. I traveled a number of times thru UTAH and made a point to stop and listen to the choir practicing for a Christmas concert. Of course someone was there to demonstrate the acustics by dropping the pins on the timpani heads. Just AWESOME.

Last evening (Nov.24th) we watched the concert for AMERICA. AGAIN, AWESOME!! The renovation on the tabernacle is mind boggling. It is gorgeous. Could you tell me how many members make up the choir? I thank you for your time and God bless you all.

By: Mormon Soprano

Mormon Soprano — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 22:38:23 +0000

Randy, Great question! Simple answer: No. The baptismal font formerly located inside the SLC Tabernacle was a standard tiled font approximately 6 feet x 4 feet in diameter and 4.5 feet deep, used for baptism of general church membership. Extended answer: There are two types of baptismal fonts in the LDS faith. #1. Fonts built for the purpose of baptising new members of the church - age 8 and up. #2. Fonts built in Holy Temples used exclusively for proxy baptisms for deceased ancestors. Only the fonts which are built in Temples rest upon oxen statues, which symbolize the gathering of the 12 tribes of Israel, and the strength upon which God’s work rests.

By: Randy Smith

Randy Smith — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 20:25:28 +0000

Does the tabrenacle font have 12 oxen under it ?

By: mormonsoprano

mormonsoprano — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:01:52 +0000

Sue - thanks for reading, and your comment! According the the church history website, the Baptistry at the SLC Tabernacle was dedicated in 1958. Many thousands of baptisms were performed there (including my own father and mother). By the 1980's and 90's the baptistry was used less and less frequently. Wards in the surrounding area now had larger meeting houses and Stake buildings, with their own fonts available. A trip to Temple Square was no longer necessary. The Tabernacle font remained in limited use, by reservation only, up until December 2004. In January 2005 under the direction of President Gordon B. Hinckley, the Tabernacle was closed for seismic retrofitting and extensive renovations. The Tabernacle baptistry was removed as part of the renovation, and provided space for the new Choir Administrative Office. A list of the many upgrades and changes can be found here

By: Sue Copinga

Sue Copinga — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:55:03 +0000

I very much enjoyed your blog. It was very interesting and beautifully done. You have a great talent. I wonder if you might know when the Tabernacle Baptismal font stopped being used for “live” baptisms. I joined the church in 1962 and was baptized there. We lived on 2700 South, and used the Tabernacle for our stake meetings at that time.

By: Mormon Tabernacle Choir Practice - a blog by Jackie Ann Patterson

Mormon Tabernacle Choir Practice - a blog by Jackie Ann Patterson — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 05:48:23 +0000

[...] the public is invited to come and go at will. At times nearly every available seat in the large Tabernacle was taken. The sound is magnificent! If you’re in Salt Lake City, make a point to hear [...]

By: Margaret Dansie

Margaret Dansie — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:01:35 +0000

This was great! I sent it to my sister who is visiting from NC sept 17 & 18. We plan to attend the rehearsal on the 18th in the conference center. We hope to tour Temple Square, too.