Show THE TEMPLE agreeably to previous notice the people men women arid and children began to assemble on the temple block about 10 a m monday february 1853 as clear and lovely a day as the sun ever shone on G S L city with from one to three inches of snow on the ground in some places and others quite bare with some six inches of frost in the earth though the thaw was mild through the day while the people were assembling they hey wei e c cheered with the sweetest strains from the brass wid aid capt ballos bands president young arrived at 10 I 1 and with his council and the assembly witnessed the survey of the site of the temple by jesse W fox auder the superintendence of truman 0 angel architect which was completed about 11 when the president and council the twelve apostles ac removed to the east line and marshal little assisted by the police pointed out the various lines hines to the great multitude consisting of several thousands who formed around it a hollow square and retained that position while tiie the president addressed them in a most thrilling speech of about thirty minutes so as to be heard distinctly in all parts of the vast assembly the president briefly recounted many vicissitudes through which the church biad had passed the difficulties I 1 hey had bad had bad to encounter in ohio missouri and Illi and how they had been led by an overruling providence to this consecrated spot that seven years tomorrow to morrow he be left nauvoo not knowing which beack t ack he be should go only as he had learned by dreams and visions and revelations that there was a good place for the saints in the mountains and that when he arrived on the spot where he then was he declared that the place for a temple though the valley had bad not then been explored yet messengers had gone to the north to the west arid and to the south to find a better place but they had not then returned there were many witnesses present who would have testified to this truth had they been called on ed no one need be discouraged because they have not had all the privileges legs that mandof many of the older members have had bad of being robbed and driven and mobbed and plundered of every thing they had on earth for he would promise all who would remain faithful that they should have as much as they wanted in some fota or other for they should be proved in all things neither was it required of the saints now to sacrifice all they possessed and deprive themselves of the comforts and necessities necess ites of life to build a temple as it was in kirtland if the saints aou would ld pay their tithing r for that would be an abundance and all that would be needed neither did he be want any one to pay tithing who did not wish to who did not do it cheerfully for the lord had bad no need of it he wanted no endowments himself and many of his brethren needed no endowments they had had i deceived all the endowments they could have from the hands of the prophet joseph before the temple in was completed even all the keys and tokens necessary to admit them thein into the celestial king kingdom d om that the blessings blessing s for them to gain by paying 11 tithing and helping to build a house unto the loid loi d was their own endowments and that of their friends living and dead and for all the upright that it mattered not whither we were permitted to enjoy the temple gewere we were about to build or be driven f from rom it the day of after ter it was finished it was for us to do our duty and leave the event with our heavenly father and let him do as it him good with his own louse house some might query whether a revelation had been given to build a house to the lord but he be is a wicked and slothful til servant who boeth nothing but what liis his lord com mandeth when he his masters will I 1 know a temple is n eded and so do you arid and when we know a thing why do we need a revelation to compel us to do that thing if the lord and all the people wanted a revelation I 1 could give one concerning this temple i T jn a few days I 1 shall be able to give a plan of the temple on paper and then it if all heaven or any good man on the earth will sug suggest gest any improvements we will receive and adopt them the rail kail road must be before we can do much towards laying the he foundation of this temple I 1 which we wish to do on the ath of april next brethren what 5 say ay you to this bro joseph often remarked that a revelation was no more necessary to build a temple than a dwelling house if a man knew he needed a kitchen a bed room a cook room a wash room a parlor a dining room ac he needed no revelation to inform him of th the e f faal act and 1 I and my brethren around me know w aliat I 1 ia t is is wa wanting in a temple having M received all the orin ordinances ances belonging therein just as we well ll 11 as we do what is wanting in a convenient dwelling house the united bands of music were then invited to the centre cent tre the standard bearer planted hi his ensign on the center stake of the temple plat in f full ull view of the whole multitude the musicians foi toiled ined a circle cir cle around and 6 gave ave a soul cheering strain to auld long lang syne president kimball then offered the coise consecrating crating prayer aiom a small bugy buggy from which the president had addressed the assembly in which he be then sat with counselor richards calling on his father in heaven for a blessing on all his saints and especially upon bro brigham the prophet and president bitof of nis his church for length of days day 3 and wisdom to see the work completed which was then commenced commence a that he would store his mind with the riches of eternity that he be might want for no good thing that tha t revelations and dreams and visions might be given in i ful f alness ness and that he be might be provided for in basket babbet i store that his wives and children m abt be blest with the choicest of heavens blessings and of the blessin blessings 11 rs of the earth that he might be blessed in his flocks a and his herds in his gardens and his vineyards in his fields and in his storehouses and in every thing that pertained unto him and his associates in the ministry witti with him and then their families with like blessing the ile the apostles apostle and their families with like blessings and all who had the holy priesthood and that the Pries priesthood tho od might be sustained nedon on the earth and no po power prevail against it he prayed also for the various missions on the earth the gathering of the saints the return of ancient israel the up building of jerusalem the restoration of the Lama Loma t the he redemption of zion and that the gospel might speedily go to all nations the sick be healed the mourners comforted the saints rejoice and be prospered in all their labors and that the way might be opened tor for the coming of the SON of man the ground for the he temple was consecrated to the I 1 MOST high god to be a holy place where no unclean tb thing ing should ever approach calling upon his heavenly father to protect it from every th thing ill 9 that was evil and that he would bless bles s the archi architect tel t the superintendent Superintend eat the Formen arid and all the laborers ou on the temple with wisdom and understanding and knowledge and ana perser verance in the midst of all difficulties cul ties and their wives and children and ancl bless them in basket in store in orchards and vineyards and every thing even as he had prayed for the president even that thai they might be faithful faitha ua to the end and receive their blessings in the temple and that the angels of heaven might demend defend and visit them in in that house and dwell therein and that god himself might meet his servants there and administer to them and thus he continued praying and it seemed he knew not when to stop till his lungs failed him and he said amen and all the people wit h joyful hearts shouted AMEN the fhe presidency soon repaired to the south east corner of the temple site where they soon succeeded ded in picking around a piece of earth about one foot square assisted by the twelve e J M grant rant mayor of the city and others but while vi hile do doing 11 n g this a one dollar silver piece fell on the square agot no one knowing from whence it came president munhall Eun hall prophesied that it was a good token and means would not be wanted to build the temple after the earth was loosed around about six six inches deep president irit young youn said it was his privilege to remove that and took the lump about one toot foot square upon his spade and lifted it high up and said get out of my way for I 1 am going to throw this and there he held beld it about one minute before he could get room to lay jay it down from off the temple site so 90 darise were the multitude around the president then addressed the multitude and declared the ground broken tor for the temple blessed the people in m the name of the lord and diss missed the assembly and all said amen some went home and some went to work to prepare for laying the foundation of the house and much earth was removed that afternoon for it was a general turn tum out of the saints and those who could had their tools ready IM mediately immediately after the adjournment the Pres presidency ideue eucy T and many others repaired to the machine and nd old blacksmith shop now occupied by the su sugar zar corn pany and saw one advance in in the hydraulic press towa towards ads making sugar which was i very cry satisfactory and some boiling but the day was too cool within doors to wash the beets perfectly or perhaps annd ml them but we have no reason to doubt that we have a v e the m materials ateria lg in in our mid midst st from this time forth foith 1 to make all the sweet we need thus we give the history of this day from our recollection havin having Z had reason to anticipate till an I 1 houi bour that men should test rest that we would have had a full report from an experienced reporter |