(ANALYSIS) KENSINGTON, Maryland — The seven-story temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints looms high above the Interstate 495 Beltway in the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. — and someone spray-painted on an adjoining wall “Free Dorothy,” inspired by “The Wizard of Oz.”

The six gold-tipped spires of the temple, originally dedicated in 1974, stoke intrigue like Emerald City in the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland. Part of the attraction is that the Latter-day Saints temple is off-limits to the public — except for an open house, which has not taken place in nearly 50 years, since 1974.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — commonly known as the Mormon Church — has about 215 (58 more planned) temples across the country. Unlike a regular church or “stake center,” these facilities are dedicated to the “House of the Lord.” Church members use them for various ordinances that include marriages, baptisms and proxy baptisms for those who have died.

ReligionUnplugged.com has reported how the Mormon church claims to have roughly 16 million members worldwide attend 18,000 churches, 215 temples and four universities. Yet, the church’s growth has slowed to just over 1.5% annually because of declining birthrates. Pew Research Center data shows 97% of Latter-day Saints consider themselves Christian, but only 51% of U.S. adults consider Mormonism as a Christian religion. Pew data also shows that Latter-day Saints are more involved in their congregations than any sector of Christianity, surpassing Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox Christians alike.

Some sources report that roughly 13,000 Latter-day Saints live in the Washington D.C. area, while the D.C. temple also serves a larger group of 150,000 Latter-day Saints on the East Coast.

While the D.C. temple has been closed for renovation for several years, church officials delayed the rededication of the Washington temple to host a few months of public tours from April until June. Once the temple is dedicated on Aug. 14, it could years before non-Mormons can visit again.

I held my Eventbrite ticket high as I drove through the white metal fence, and I was surprised to find parking. I was even more surprised when several ushers offered me a wheelchair because there would be seven stories of steps to climb — so being wheeled into an elevator was a much better situation for me.

I wasn't there as a journalist. I was just a hefty man in a wheelchair. I was just like others, from CNN’s Wolf Blitzer to NAACP President Derrick Johnson, and from members of Congress to justices on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Larry Savoy, president of Washington’s Archbishop Carroll High School, also took the tour. “I have always wanted to take a tour inside the temple, and what amazed me was that there was not a lot of open space for meetings but rooms for smaller ceremonies like baptisms and weddings,” Savoy said.

He added, “The people were so nice.” Savoy’s comments reminded me of Cole Godwin, a researcher at the temple visitors center who helped me do research on my great-grandfather. Godwin was a nice man who died a few years ago.

Jonathan Affeltranger was also very nice. Even though he didn’t know that I was a journalist, he pushed my chair during the entire tour and helped me back to my car. He told me he also was a free mason, and we had plenty to share. 

As he pushed me into the temple, we came up to a beautiful picture of an African American woman with her child. I thought about how African Americans were not allowed full membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints until 1978. I couldn't wait to call a friend, Brian Powell, who is the only African American high priest in the church.

“They usually have an open house before a building is dedicated,” said Powell, who added very little. “I just don’t have much to say, good or bad.”

But Affeltranger had plenty to say, especially about the practice of baptizing people on behalf of friends and loved ones who have passed away.

As people entered the temple grounds, an usher gave me a flyer that said, “Jesus Christ himself was baptized and taught us baptism is required to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5). In our church meeting houses, baptisms are performed for the living after they’re eight years old. Through family research we also identify our ancestors and perform baptisms in their behalf in our temple.”

On the second floor of the temple was a large baptismal font mounted on 12 marble oxen, symbolizing the 12 tribes of Israel. As a Christian, I too believe in baptism, but I didn’t embrace everything that I saw.

According to Mormon teachings, “the practice of baptism for the dead is mentioned by the Apostle Paul in (1 Corinthians) 15:29,” which states, “Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?”

The third floor of the temple is devoted to dressing rooms filled with white baptismal robes and towels, and the fourth floor is devoted to the bridal dressing room and the gathering place prior to her wedding. I noticed that the higher the floor, the brighter the lighting got. Someone pointed out that the building was designed with thin marble to allow sunlight.

One of the most sacred places in the temple is the Celestial Room on the sixth floor, where people come, sit quietly and pray. The Mormon leaders say this is a place to “feel close to and commune with God.” There are no ceremonies in this space.

On the seventh floor is the Sealing Room, where couples are married. The church leaders say the authority to seal and bind families is mentioned in the New Testament book of Matthew (Mattew 16:19).

More than 330,000 people have visited the Mormon temple since April, and visitors ranged from members of Congress to the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. While the temple was ornate, what was more beautiful was the site of small children putting on shoe covers to walk on the floor.

As Jonathan pushed me to the elevator and I prepared to leave the temple, I realized that most of the work done in the temple was the work of the church, compared to sitting and listening to sermons.  

When I looked across the parking lot, I thanked Jonathan, and we promised to stay in touch. I may never see inside this temple again, but I saw many smiles and reasons to hope in humanity. I also hope to see my new friend again.

Senior contributor Hamil Harris is an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, and has been a lecturer at Morgan State University. Harris is minister at the Glenarden Church of Christ and a police chaplain. A longtime reporter at The Washington Post, Harris was on the team of Post reporters that published the series “Being a Black Man.” He also was the reporter on the video project that accompanied the series that won two Emmy Awards, the Casey Medal and the Peabody Award. In addition to writing for ReligionUnplugged, Harris contributes to outlets such as The Washington Post, USA Today, The Christian Chronicle and the Washington Informer.