[FIGURE] Feb 14^th 1853 This was an important and interesting
day to the saints in the valley & even in all the world the saints
met upon the Temple block in a vast body to break the ground
for another Temple the people commenced gathering at an
early hour & at 11 oclok there were thousands upon the
ground President Young & counsel The quorum of the Twelve
with many of the quorums of the Church were on the ground. All the bands
of music in the city were present. at 11 oclok President Brigham Young
Heber C Kimball & Willard Richards got into a Buggy inside
the square surrounded by the quorum of the Twelve President Young
arose and addressed the people and said our history is to well
known for me to speak of it now. We shall now again attempt
to build another Temple we have tried it many times bet have
not been able to finished them so as to occupy them for any length
of time we may not now but we will triy it we may Just as
well build a Temple that will cost a Million of dollars as well
as not & we would be just as well off & better to than before
And I would just as well build a Temple that would cost
a million of Dollars if I knew we should be driven from
it in a month by our enemies as though we should occupy
it a Thousand years it is all the same with me for when the
Lords commands us to do any thing we should do it just
as freely without asking the whys & wharefore whether we have
the privilege of enjoying it or not. If you ask if it is the will of
God for us to build a Temple I answer yes it is the will of God
we should build a Temple we cannot attend to the ordinances of
the House of the Lord without it. If you ask if I have received a
revelation or vision upon the subject I would answer yes I
have been in vision much of the time upon the subject I knew it
was the will of God that we should build a Temple on thise same
ground when I first came into the valley and while the brethren
were exploring out I said all the time this is the place for the city & Temple

it is the will of God that we should do all we can in this valley
& surrounding country for the benefit of the people if the people needed
it I would give them a written revelation upon this subjct
but do you not know that it is your duty to build up Houses for your
own benefit you want a buttery Bedrooms & other convenie[n]t
rooms in your dwelling house well we want a Temple more
than we want dwelling houses. I will relate some of the sayings
of Joseph while in Kirtland He said conserning the building of that
Temple that it grieved him & also the spirit of God to think that
the saints were not willing to build a Temple by the counsel of the
priesthood without a written revelation & commandm[en]t from
God that was it not for the penurious feelings of the people the Lord would
not give revelations & commandm[en]ts as he does whenever the
Lord finds the people willing to do good build up his kingdom & do good
without being commanded He will be more pleased with them

I will bring forth my art & plan for a Temple then if any
man can present any better plan or get faith enough to
call to his aid any of the old Nephites or any of the Anci[en]ts
& will present a better plan than mine will be we will
receive it.

A word to the people I wish to ask if you want
a commandment evry year to require you to pay your
Tithing when it is a standing law unto Israel & has been
from the days of Abraham you all know this well if you
dont want to pay your tithing or any portion of you I dont
want you should it is for your good not mine I dont
want a Temple to get my endowments in For I got my
Endowments and all the blessings appertaining thereto under
the hands of Joseph before his death & before the Temple was
built in Nauvoo & so did somy counsellors and a part of the
Tweleve get theirs before the Temple was built. Brother Joseph
seemed urged by the spirit of God to perform this work
Had he not have done it he might have died without conferring
the Keys upon others. if this people pay their tithing we
shall have an abundance in the store house to build a
Temple with without giving all you have got yet all
you have should be upon the Alter ready to be offered if
necessary I shall ask the people to come & work out
their Tithing by labour for that is what we want I
believe we shall have your help. 7 years ago tomorrow
at 7 oclok I crossed the Missippi River I believed then
that God had a good place in the mountains for us &
would lead us to it and He has done it for which I feel
thankfurl. if some feel quite sorry for not having the
privilege of suffering with us but I will promise you all
if you will be faithful that you shall have the privilege of
suffering & being tried as much as you will wish let all
men be satisfied faithful & Humble and God will bless you

Heber C Kimball then arose & with uplifted hands to heaven
offered up a fervent Heart felt prayer to God imploreing his
blessing upon President Young & councellors & all the Authorites
of the Church with the whole house of Israel He then dedicated
the ground unto God & prayed for the blessings of the Lord to
attend them in building the Temple & all the public works in
Zion

At the close of the prayer the presidency & Twelve walked to
the South East cornor of the ground laid out for the Temple
the ground being frozen President Heber C Kimball comm[enc]ed
breaking the ground with a pick then President Richards then
Orson Hyde Parley Pratt, W Woodruff, J Taylor A. Lyman
C. C. Rich E. T. Benson L. Snow E Snow & F. D. Richards then
the ground was broke & President Young took out the first turf
while taking it out silver Dollar was flung from some one in
the congregation which strut in the hole brother Kimball said
that was an Omen that we should hav a plenty of mony
to build the temple with. (Orson pratt was at washington &
G. A. Smith at Provo all the rest of the Twelve were present)
as soon as the turf was taken out the congregation was dismissed
& the people rushed to the hole to get a chance to throw a little
dirt out. My Father Aphek Woodruff Aged 78 years, myself
Wilford Woodruff Aged 46 years and My Son Wilford Woodruff Jr
Aged 12 years, all flung out dirt out of the foundation for
this important Temple. After leaving the Temple ground I went
in company with the Presidency & Twele to see the New sugar
works opeprate I saw the Hydraulic press oparate in presing
out the Juice it was a splendid esstablishment Brother Joseph
Russell of Marimichi had furnished about $50000 dollars
to purchase the machinery & apperatus & get it to the valley
to make sugar from the beet. My children Willford, Phebe
& Susan Also Emma & Sarah were all present at the breaking
of the ground for the foundation of the Temple