On Tuesday night, Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles delivered a keynote address to the New York LDS Professional Association (NYLDSPA) dinner, held at the Riverside chapel in Manhattan. He remarked on his experiences at the Mormon Pavillion at the 1964 World’s Fair held in New York City, which celebrates its fiftieth anniversary this year.
In 1964, Elder Perry lived in Scarsdale, New York and was a stake leader over missionary work and he was a member of the committee for the World’s Fair. The Church had its exhibit near the subway entrance used by the fair visitors, and had a large front facade imitating the Salt Lake Temple and a replica of the Christus statue. The Mormon Pavillion, as the Church’s display was called, also featured the film “Man’s Search for Happiness.”
Elder Perry recalled the visit of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to the Mormon Pavilion as the most exciting event of the two-year run of the World’s Fair. His favorite assignment to work at the Pavilion was the Book of Mormon table, where copies of the Book of Mormon sold for fifty cents a piece. The World’s Fair bolstered the Church’s interfaith efforts and also influenced the growth of the Church in the New York City area.
More than 400 people were in attendance at the dinner, where the NYLDSPA also honored Princeton University scholar Robert P. George with its Visionary Leadership Award. The Mormon Newsroom reported on the dinner and Elder Perry’s remarks.
