Recent Daily Herald coverage of the new Nauvoo LDS Temple claims that it was constructed as closely as possible to the original.

There is actually very little about it other than the exterior that resembles the other.

The weather vane adorning the tower of the former was of the Angel Gabriel, not Moroni. Volume 7 of the LDS "History of the Church" has a wealth of information.

Like the Kirtland Temple, it was built in meetinghouse style. It was used for dancing and General Conference. Temple work was done in the attic story.

Both new and old temples, as with the Salt Lake Temple, are covered with the symbols of Freemasonry. There were five LDS lodges of Masons in Nauvoo, Keokuk and Montrose, Iowa.

Although meetings were conducted in other buildings, the temple became the first LDS meetinghouse in Nauvoo, although those of other denominations and their schools were already present.

Nauvoo was not just inhabited by Mormons. The Masonic lodge building was in service by 1842, long before the temple was completed.

If members of the church suffered to provide means for the temple, the leaders never noticed. After leaving Missouri in 1839 with only the shirts on their backs (supposedly), within about three years all of 10 notables were living in fine brick homes, had built a large armory and other buildings, and were supporting multiple wives and children.

Grant N. Mildenhall

American Fork