Sunday Afternoon Session: President Gordon B. Hinckley
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As the church moves general conference from the historic Tabernacle to the new Conference Center, it is done with love and a reverence for the building and those who built it.
"What a remarkable structure this has been. But it has grown too small for our needs. At the time of its building, it was a tremendous undertaking, built to accommodate all who wished to attend conference."
The Tabernacle was begun in 1863 and was first used for the October 1867 conference. The gallery was added for the April conference of 1870.
"It has served the needs of this church and this community through all of the years. General conferences have been held here. The voices of prophets have spoken out from this podium. The law and the testimony have been quoted and declared."
It has been the home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Mormon Youth Chorus and Symphony and is the first home of the Utah Symphony. "What a remarkable and useful building it has been. What great purposes it has served. I know of no other structure like it in all the world."
While the church can broadcast to wherever it wishes, watching a television screen is not the same as being in the hall with the speakers and singers.
The new Conference Center will seat 21,000, nearly 3 1/2 times the capacity of the Tabernacle. Conference will be held there in April with the building likely dedicated six months later.
