Religion: For the Faithful Only

For nearly a week the peaceful, prosperous town (pop. 15,000) of Idaho Falls, on the lush east bank of Idaho’s Snake River, had been swarming with Mormon pilgrims and sightseers at the rate of 8,000 a day. The Chamber of Commerce scoured the countryside for 50 miles around to find places for travelers to eat and sleep.

The cause of this fomentation of tourists was a gleaming, new, $750,000 Latter-day Saints Temple. The sixth temple in the U.S., it was to be dedicated in an elaborate three-day ceremony.

For five days last week the temple was open to all—backsliders and non-Mormons included. During the dedication ceremony and forever after, the seven-acre sanctuary will be closed to all but church members in extra good standing.*

*To enter a temple, good-standing Mormons must be “morally clean,” accept doctrines and sustain authorities of the church, have no sympathy with new-rule-breaking polygamists. Anybody may go into a not-so-holy Mormon tabernacle or church.