| 786 from which, and from Brother Higby's own mouth, and the spirit he showed, he was declared guilty by the council, and he was cut off from the church. The council then demanded his license, and the church book, which he utterly refused to give up; therefore, resolved that the proceedings of the council be sent to Kirtland; and noted among the churches. Copied into the Kirtland record, June 29, 1833.
An explanation of the plot of the city of Zion, sent to the brethren in Zion, the 25th of June, 1833:
This plot contains one mile square, all the squares of the plot contain ten acres each, being forty rods square. You will observe that the lots are laid off alternately in the squares; in one square running from the south and north to the line through the centre [center] of the square; and in the next, the lots run from the east and west to the centre [center] line. Each lot is four perches in front, and twenty back, making one half of an acre in each lot, so that no one street will be built on, entirely through the street; but, one square the houses will stand on one street, and on the next one, another, except the middle range of squares, which runs north and south, in which range are the painted squares.
The lots are laid off in these squares north and south, all of them; because these squares are forty perches by sixty, being twenty perches longer than the other, their greatest length being east and west, and by running all these squares, north and south, it makes all the lots in the city of one size.
The painted squares in the middle are for public buildings. The one without any figures is for store houses for the bishop, and to be devoted to his use. Figure first is for temples for the use of the presidency; the circles inside of the square, are the places of the temples. You will see it contains twelve figures, two are for the temples of the lesser priesthood. It is also to contain twelve temples. The whole plot is supposed to contain from fifteen to twenty thousand people: you will therefore see that it will require twenty four buildings to supply them with houses of worship, schools &c.; and none of these temples are to be smaller than the one of which we send you a draft. This temple is to be built in the square marked figure first; and to be built where the circle is, which has a cross on it; on the north and south of the plot where the line is drawn, is to be laid off for barns, stables, &c., for the use of the city; so that no barns or stables will be in the city among the houses; the ground to be occupied by these, must be laid off according to wisdom.
On the north and south are to be laid off the farms for the agriculturist, and sufficient quantity of land to supply the whole plot; and if it cannot be laid off without going too great a distance from the city, there must also be some laid off on the east and west.
When this square is thus laid off and supplied, lay off another in the same way, and so fill up the world in these last days; and let every man live in the city for this is the city of Zion. All the streets are of one width, being eight perches wide. Also, the space round the outer edge of the painted squares, is to be eight perches between the temple and the street on every side.
No one lot, in this city, is to contain more than one house, and that to be built twenty five feet back from the street, leaving a small yard in front, to be planted in a grove, according to the taste of the builder; the rest of the lot for gardens, &c.; all the houses to be built of brick and stone.
The names of the temples to be built the same as written, June 24th, except a transposition under numbers 19, 20, and 21, thus: house of the Lord, the law of the kingdom of heaven, and messenger to the people; for the high priesthood after the order of Aaron.
The scale of the plot is forty perches to the inch.
A description of the house of the Lord, which is to be built first, in Zion:
This house of the Lord for the presidency, is eighty seven feet long, and sixty one feet wide, and ten feet taken off of the east end for the stairway, leaves the inner court, seventy eight feet by sixty one, which is calculated and divided for seats in the following manner, viz: The two aisles four feet wide each; the middle of the pews, are eleven feet ten inches long, and three feet wide each; and the two lines drawn through the middle, are four inches apart; in which space a curtain is to drop at right angles, and divide the house into four parts if necessary. The pews of the side blocks are fourteen and a half feet long and three feet wide. The five pews in each corner of the house, are twelve feet six inches long. The open spaces, between the corner and side pews are for fire places; those in the west are nine feet wide, and the east ones are eight feet and eight inches wide, and the chimney carried up in the wall where they are marked with a pencil.
The pulpit in the west end of the house is to be occupied by the high priesthood, as follows: Number one, is of the president and his council. Number two, is for the bishop and his council. Number three for the high priests;
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