170 years ago today - Feb 14, 1853

[Ground breaking for Salt Lake Temple]

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 [Salt Lake 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.

[Brigham Young preaches:] 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. ...

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 this 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 ...

7 years ago to morrow 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 thankful...

Heber C Kimball then arose & with uplifted hands to heaven offered up a fervent Heart felt prayer to God imploring his blessing upon President Young & Councellors & all the Authorities of the Church with the whole house of Israel. He then dedicated the ground unto God ...

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[ence?]d breaking the ground with a pick ... While taking it out [a] silver Dollar was flung from some one in the congregation which struk in the hole. Brother Kimball said that was an Omen that we should have a plenty of mony to build the temple with. ... 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...

[Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]

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