Through the Camera Lens
The Dawning of a New Day in Nauvoo, Part 2
by Scot Facer Proctor

I drove quickly down to "the grove" where Joseph used to preach to capture this silhouette of the temple. The time: nearly 6:05AM. The temple now is truly the center of Nauvoo.

I love the spire of the temple graced by the statue representing the angel Moroni. I used to tell my tours while we stood in the bottom of the depression of grass where the temple once stood, "Now, if you look at the Nauvoo water tower behind us you can get some kind of perspective. That tower is 128 feet high. The original spire of the temple was 162 ½ feet high-34 ½ feet higher than that water tower. You can imagine in your mind's eye how this was such a site for the citizens of Nauvoo." You don't have to imagine any more. By the way, I was listening to one of the builders of the temple the other day and he said "the top of the spire of the new temple is 162 feet 5 inches."

This seems to be the image of "the dawning of a new day in Nauvoo" and reminds me of the light that has burst forth upon the world. It also reminds me of the stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands (as referred to in the second chapter of Daniel).

I ran around the south side of the temple to see this view. There is not an angle of the temple I don't like to shoot.

When you literally walk around this edifice you have to keep your eyes constantly on the temple so you can see and capture the beautiful scenes. As a photographer, you can see this light at this position but not six feet forward or six feet back, and if you look away you miss the light.

I can't decide which is my favorite wall of the temple-I think it's the eastern wall, but I may waffle on that. I do love the inscription of HOLINESS TO THE LORD-THE HOUSE OF THE LORD centered upon it. It reminds me of Alma chapter 5: "have ye received his image in your countenance?"

Lest you think I can't take a picture of the whole temple here is one. The light has changed. Look closely: it's now nearly 6:19AM. I've gained nearly three f-stops on the camera and lost the softer temperature.

Click here to go on to Part 3 of
The Dawning of a New Day in Nauvoo.

(All photographs Copyright 2002 Scot Facer Proctor)

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Scot and Maurine Proctor at the Southeast Cornerstone of the Nauvoo Temple on June 27, 2002.

Scot and Maurine Proctor have taught Institute classes for sixteen years, have published numerous books on Church History and scripture studies, are the former editors of This People Magazine, and are speakers in the Church Education System circuit (including Know Your Religion and BYU Women's Conference).