AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG, ON THETEMPLE BLOCK, GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, FEB. 14, 1853.
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If the congregation will give me their attention, I will detain thembut a short time. Our history is too well known to render it necessary forme to enter into particulars on the subject this morning. Suffice it tosay, to this congregation, that we shall attempt to build a temple to thename of our God. This has been attempted several times, but we have neveryet had the privilege of completing and enjoying one. Perhaps we may inthis place, but if, in the providence of God, we should not, it is all thesame. It is for us to do those things which the Lord requires at our hands,and leave the result with Him. It is for us to labor with a cheerful goodwill; and if we build a temple that is worth a million of money, and itrequires all our time and means, we should leave it with cheerful hearts,if the Lord in His providence tells us so to do. If the Lord permits ourenemies to drive us from it, why we should abandon it with as much cheerfulnessof heart as we ever enjoy a blessing. It is no matter to us what the Lorddoes, or how He disposes of the labor of His servants. But when He commands,it is for His people to obey. We should be as cheerful in building thistemple, if we knew beforehand that we should never enter into it when itwas finished, as we would though we knew we were to live here a thousandyears to enjoy it.
If the inquiry is in the hearts of the people-"Does the Lord requirethe building of a temple at our hands?" I can say that He requiresit just as much as ever He required one to be built elsewhere. If you shouldask, "Brother Brigham, have you any knowledge concerning this? haveyou ever had a revelation from heaven upon it?" I can answer truly,it is before me all the time, not only to-day but it was almost five yearsago, when we were on this ground, looking, for locations, sending our scoutingparties through the country, to the right and to the left, to the northand the south; to the east and the west; before we had any returns fromany of them, I knew, just as well as I now know, that this was the groundon which to erect a temple-it was before me.
The Lord wished us to gather to this place, He wished us to cultivatethe earth, and make these valleys like the Garden of Eden, and make allthe improvements in our power, and build a temple as soon as circumstanceswould permit. And further, if the people and the Lord required it, I wouldgive a written revelation, but let the people do the things they know tobe right. Permit me to ask the question-do you not know that it is yourduty to accumulate your daily bread, to cease your wickedness? Are not theseduties required at your hands? Do you not know this of yourselves? Thereis not an individual in this assembly that does not understand this, thatis not as well convinced of it as I am.
Concerning revelations pertaining to building temples, I will give youthe words of our beloved Prophet while be was yet living upon the earth.Many of us that are here to-day, were with him from the commencement ofthe church. He was frequently speaking upon the building of temples in Kirtland,Missouri, and Illinois. When the people refused in Kirtland to build a temple,unless by a special revelation, it grieved his heart that they should beso penurious in their feelings as to require the Lord to command them tobuild a house to His name. It was not only grievous to him, but to the HolySpirit also. He frequently said, that if it were not for the covetousnessof the people, the Lord would not give revelations concerning the buildingof temples, for we already knew all about them; the revelations giving usthe order of the Priesthood make known to us what is wanting in that respectat our hands. If you should go to work to build a dwelling house, you knowyou would want a kitchen, a buttery, sitting rooms, bedrooms, halls, passages,and alleys. He said, you might as well ask the Lord to give revelation uponthe dimensions and construction of the various apartments of your dwellinghouses, as upon the erection of temples, for we know before hand what isnecessary.
Concerning this house, I wish to say, if we are prospered we will soonshow you the likeness of it, at least upon paper, and then if any man canmake any improvement in it, or if he has faith enough to bring one of theold Nephites along, or an angel from heaven, and he can introduce improvements,he is at liberty so to do. But wait until I dictate, and construct it tothe best of my ability, and according to the knowledge I possess, with thewisdom God shall give me, and with the assistance of my brethren; when theseare exhausted, if any improvement can be made, all good men upon the earthare at liberty to introduce their improvements. But I trust this peopledo not require commanding, every day of their lives, to pray, to do untoothers as they would that others should do unto them: I trust they do notwant a special command for this; if not, upon the same principle, they willnot want any commandment upon the subject of building a temple, more thanwhat is before them.
A few words to this people, upon the principles which were laid beforethem yesterday, in the tabernacle. One thing is required at the hands ofthis people, and to understand which there is no necessity for receivinga commandment every year, viz.-to pay their tithing. I do not suppose fora moment, that there is a person in this Church, who is unacquainted withthe duty of paying tithing, neither is it necessary to have a revelationevery year upon the subject. There is the law-pay one tenth. I wish to sayto you, and I wish you to tell your neighbors, if there is any man or womanwho do not want to pay their tithing, we do not want they should. It isfor you particular benefit, and that of every individual upon the face ofthe earth. To me, as an individual, it is no matter whether you build atemple or not; I and my brethren have received our endowments, keys, blessings-allthe tokens, signs, and every preparatory ordinance, that can be given toman, for his entrance into the celestial gate.
The Prophet's feelings were often wounded because he was under the necessityof giving commandments concerning duties that were already before the people,until the temple was completed; but had he not done so, the temple wouldnot have been built; had he waited until the minds of the people were opened,and they were led to see and do their duty, without commandment, he wouldhave been slain before the keys of the Priesthood could have been committedto others, but the Lord put it into his heart to give this power to hisbrethren before his martyrdom
If the people will pay their tithing, we have all the means we can askor wish for. If the tithing is paid, we do not want the brethren and sistersto give up their surplus property, for there will be a great surplus inthe storehouse of the Lord. This is what is required of this people, notto give all they have, though it should be constantly upon the altar, butto be ready, if required; but if the people will pay their tithing punctually,there will be an abundance, yes, and a surplus. For me to ask the peopleif they will give their surplus property, would be useless. I shall notask any such question, but I shall now ask the people to pay their labortithing, that we may excavate this foundation, and prepare for the stonework by the 1st of April. I expect to see a great turn out, no doubt weshall have all the help we can require.
While the brethren are before me, let me say, that we cannot commenceto lay rock here without time, and we cannot get the stone for the foundationwithout the railroad from this place to the quarry is completed; these twoitems must be attended to. This is sufficient to say upon that matter.
Let us revert for a moment to the past, to the years we have spent intoil and labor, though very agreeably. Seven years ago to-morrow, abouteleven o'clock, I crossed the Mississippi river, with my brethren, for thisplace, not knowing, at that time, whither we were going, but firmly believingthat the Lord had in reserve for us a good place in the mountains, and thatHe would lead us directly to it. It is but seven years since we left Nauvoo,and we are now ready to build another temple. I look back upon our laborswith pleasure. Here are hundreds and thousands of people that have not hadthe privileges that some of us have had. Do you ask, what privileges? Why,of running the gauntlet, of passing through the narrows. They have not hadthe privilege of being robbed and plundered of their property, of beingin the midst of mobs and death, as many of us have.
Only be faithful, brethren and sisters, and I promise that you shallhave all such privileges as shall be for your good. You need not be discouraged,or mourn, because you were not in Jackson County persecutions, or were notdriven from Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, and stripped, robbed, and plunderedof all your property. Do not mourn and feel bad, because you were not inNauvoo; have no fears, for if the word of the Lord is true, you shall yetbe tried in all things, so rejoice and pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks, even if it is in the spoiling of your goods, for it isthe hand of God that leads us, and will continue so to do. Let every manand woman sanctify themselves before the Lord, and every providence of theAlmighty shall be sanctified for good to them. I will now close my remarks.