The Mormon temple is a splendid structure of stone, quarried within the bounds of the city; its breadth is eighty feet, and its length one hundred and forty, independent of an outer court of thirty feet, making the length of the whole structure one hundred and seventy feet.  In the basement of the temple is the baptismal font, constructed in imitation of the famous brazen sea of Solomon; it is supported by twelve oxen, well modelled and overlaid with gold.  Upon the sides of the font, in panels, are represented various scriptural subjects, well painted.  The upper story of the temple will, when finished, be used as a lodge-room for the Order Lodge and other secret societies.  In the body of the temple, where it is intended that the congregation shall assemble, are two sets of pulpits, one for the priesthood, and the other for the grandees of the church.

The cost of this noble edifice had been defrayed by tithing the whole Mormon church.  Those who reside at Nauvoo and are able to labour, have been obliged to work every tenth day in quarrying stone, or upon the building of the temple itself.  Besides the temple, there are in Nauvoo two steam saw-mills, a steam flour-mill, a tool-factory on a large scale, a foundry, and a company of considerable wealth, from Staffordshire, have also established there a manufacture of English china.

The population of the holy city itself is rather a mixed kind.  The general gathering of the saints has, of course, brought together men of all classes and characters.  The great majority of them are uneducated and unpolished people, who are undoubtedly sincere believers in the prophet and his doctrines.  A great proportion of them consist of converts from the English manufacturing districts, who were easily persuaded by Smith’s missionaries to exchange their wretchedness at home for ease and plenty in the promised land.  These men are devotedly attached to the prophet’s will, and obey his orders as they would those of God himself.

These aliens can, by the law of Illinois, vote after six months’ residence in the state, and they consequently vote blindly, giving their votes according to the will of Joe Smith.  To such an extent does his will influence them, that at the election in Nauvoo (1842) there were but six votes against the candidates he supported.  Of the Mormons, I believe the majority to be ignorant, deluded men, really and earnestly devoted to their new religion.  But their leaders are men of intellect, who profess Mormonism because of the wealth, titles[30], rank, and power which it procures them.