KIRTLAND, Ohio — The Mormon Tabernacle Choir returned to its musical roots Sunday, spending several hours in Kirtland, Ohio, where many LDS hymns were composed.

In two separate groups, the 300-plus choir members went inside the Kirtland Temple and sang "The Spirit of God Like a Fire Is Burning," the hymn composed for the temple's dedication in 1836. While in the temple building, which is owned by the Community of Christ, the choir also sang "Redeemer of Israel."

The choir visited Kirtland during a tour that began Thursday and will conclude July 3. It is in the area for a concert in Cleveland tonight.

Lachlan Mackay, director of historic sites for the Community of Christ, which owns the Kirtland Temple, said a choir performed from lofts in the four corners of the building's main floor. He said church founder Joseph Smith attended a choir rehearsal in the building on March 16, 1836, and recorded in his journal, "At evening, met the quorum of singers in the chapel (which is a reference to the temple). They performed admirably considering the advantages they have had."

To the delight of local Latter-day Saints and some tourists in Kirtland on Sunday, choir members sang three hymns outdoors, standing on a slope with the John Johnson Inn in the background.

Karl Anderson, an author and historian who has been involved in the development of LDS sites in Kirtland for the past 30 years, said that Kirtland is of interest not only to Latter-day Saints but also to others interested in American history.

"Kirtland boasts the only known restoration of an ashery in North America," he said, "an ashery being the first chemical industry from which potash and fertilizer were extracted to make gunpowder last, cleansing agents for wool and other uses. It boasts one of the few water-powered sawmills still in existence, where youngsters and adults can see 19th century industry in action.

"Historically, to see the more than 300 members of the most famous choir in the world come back to where it really originated in tiny Kirtland, Ohio, shows the powerful growth of a religious movement," Anderson said.

Mackay commented on two previous visits by the Tabernacle Choir since he has been in Kirtland. "It's always a joy to host the choir," he said. "One of the highlights of my 15 years in Kirtland is singing 'The Spirit of God Like a Fire is Burning' with them.

While listening, I generally close my eyes for a few moments and imagine that we might be at the dedication in 1836."

---

E-mail: gerry@desnews.com