Part 40 (1/2)
HEBER C. KIMBALL CHIEF JUSTICE AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF DESERET--IN THE LEGISLATURE--LAYING THE CORNER STONES OF THE SALT LAKE TEMPLE--HEBER'S CONSECRATION PRAYER--HIS PROPHECY IN RELATION TO THE TEMPLE--HE PREDICTS ANOTHER FAMINE.
President Kimball's experience was now more than ever of a mixed and varied character; a natural concomitant of his position as a leader in the settlement of a new country. As first counselor to his chief, and only second to him in influence among the people, we find him taking part and helping to direct in all the important movements affecting the growth and prosperity of Zion.
In March, 1849, the Provisional Government of the State of Deseret was organized, pending the action of Congress on a pet.i.tion for a Territorial Government. The election, held on the twelfth of that month, resulted in the unanimous choice of the following officers.
Brigham Young, Governor; Willard Richards, Secretary; Newel K. Whitney, Treasurer; Heber C. Kimball, Chief Justice; John Taylor and N. K.
Whitney, a.s.sociate Justices; Daniel H. Wells, Attorney-General; Horace S. Eldredge, Marshal; Albert Carrington, a.s.sessor and Collector of taxes; Joseph L. Heywood, Surveyor of highways; and the Bishops of the several wards as magistrates.
Heber was also Lieutenant-Governor of the Provisional State of Deseret.
At the October conference of 1849, his voice is heard introducing the subject of the Perpetual Emigration Fund, for the benefit of the poor Saints who were unable to gather to Zion. The sum of $5,000 was raised that season by voluntary donations, and Bishop Edward Hunter despatched to the frontier as general agent of the Church, to superintend the emigration.
At the session of the Legislature of Deseret, held in March, 1851, Heber C. Kimball was President of the Council branch of the a.s.sembly, and, in September of the same year, a member of the Council of the first session of the Legislative a.s.sembly of the Territory of Utah.
The corner stones of the Salt Lake Temple were laid on the sixth of April, 1853, the south-east corner stone being laid by the First Presidency, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, a.s.sisted by Patriarch John Smith. President Young delivered the oration and President Kimball offered the consecration prayer. This prayer is worth preserving in his history. It was as follows:
”O G.o.d, the Eternal Father, in the name of Thy Son Jesus Christ of Nazareth, we ask Thee to look upon us at this time in Thy tender mercy. Thou beholdest that Thy servants, Brigham and his council, have laid the corner stone of a holy house, which we are about to erect unto Thy name. We desire to do it with clean hands and pure hearts before Thee, and before Thine holy angels.
”We thank Thee that we are permitted to live in the flesh, and have a place upon Thy footstool, and partake daily of the bounties Thy hand bestows, for Thou art our father, and Jesus Christ is our elder brother.
”Inasmuch, O Lord, as we desire to erect a house to Thy name, and if it seemeth Thee good to come and take up Thine abode on the earth, that Thou mayest have a place to lay Thy head, we pray Thee to a.s.sist us to erect it in purity before Thee, and the heavenly hosts.
”We ask Thee to help us so to conduct ourselves, that all the holy Prophets, the angels of heaven, with Thee and Thy son, may be engaged continually for our welfare, in the work of salvation and eternal lives. Bless us in this attempt to glorify Thee. Bless this portion of the earth we dwell upon--even these valleys of the mountains, which we have consecrated unto Thee. Cause them to bring forth the productions of the soil in rich abundance. Bless the seeds that are placed therein by Thy servants and handmaidens. And inasmuch as they are disposed to do Thy work, and erect a temple to Thy name, which is their fixed purpose and determination, let the heavens be gentle over them. May the earth be sanctified for their good, and the seeds they throw into it yield to them an hundred fold in return. We pray Thee to bless such men and women--may the blessings of the Almighty richly attend them--and multiply them in their families, in their herds and flocks, in strength and in health, in salvation and in eternal lives.
”We also pray for those who do not feel favorably disposed to Thy work--may Thy blessings not attend them, but may they go backward and not forward, may they wither and not increase, and may the strength that they might have received, through their faithfulness to Thy work be multiplied and divided amongst these Thy servants who are determined to keep Thy commandments, and sanctify their affections unto Thee.
”Look upon Thy servant Brigham, O Lord, and let Thy Holy Spirit rest mightily upon him this day, and from henceforth. May he live to dictate the erection of Thy house, see the top stone brought on with rejoicing, and administer the keys of salvation and eternal life unto his brethren therein. Bless his council in common with him, may they live to a good old age, and glorify G.o.d in all their days; may they never want for food and raiment, for fathers and mothers, for wives and children, and for the power of Thy Spirit to inspire them, and those Thou hast given them.
”Pour out Thy Spirit upon Thy servants, the Twelve Apostles; may Thy power abide upon them, to qualify them for the responsible calling unto which Thou hast called them. Also, in connection with them, let Thy Spirit rest upon the Quorums of the Seventies, the High Priests, the Bishops, the High Council, the Elders, Priests, Teachers, and Deacons; and upon every faithful member of Thy church in these valleys of the mountains, and in all the world.
”Now, O G.o.d, we dedicate this stone to Thee. May this spot be holy, and all that pertaineth to it. And inasmuch as there shall be an enemy, or a person that are evil-disposed towards Thy house, and they shall endeavor to lay snares for the feet of Thy people, may they be caught in their own net, be overwhelmed in their own dilemma, and have no power nor influence in the least to hurt Thy saints from this time henceforth forever. May the power of the Mighty G.o.d of Jacob fortify Thy servants, enabling them to execute righteousness before Thee the Lord our G.o.d.
”Hear us, O Lord, for we dedicate this, the south-east corner stone unto Thee, praying that it may sleep in peace, be preserved from decay, for it is the chief corner-stone of the house we shall rear to Thy name. May the same blessings attend the other three corner-stones, and all the works Thy servants shall set their hands to do, from this time henceforth and forever.
”Bless the architect, the superintendent, the foremen of the various departments, and all the laborers that shall raise a hand, or move a thing for the erection and perfection of this Thine house; and provide for them, their wives, their children, and all that pertains unto them, that they may want for no good or necessary thing, while they are engaged in Thy service, and from this time henceforth and forever.
”We dedicate ourselves unto Thee, with our wives, our children, our flocks, and our herds, with all the settlements and possessions that pertain to Thy people in these valleys of the mountains. And all the praise and glory we will ascribe to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.”
In after years, President Kimball predicted, in relation to this temple, that when its walls reached the square the powers of evil would rage and the Saints would suffer persecution. The walls of the Salt Lake Temple ”reached the square” in November, 1882, eight months after the pa.s.sage by Congress of the celebrated ”Edmunds law.” One year later, in November, 1883, occurred the trial of Rudger Clawson for polygamy under the provisions of that law, in the Third District Court of Utah Territory. This, the first gun of the campaign, was the signal for the inauguration of an anti-Mormon crusade, which, for bitterness and cruelty, takes rank in the history of religious persecution with the deeds of the dark ages. Thus was fulfilled another prediction of the prophet Heber, fifteen years after his mortal eyes were closed in death.
The character of those early times, the condition of the people, and the part played by President Kimball as a public teacher, are further shown in the following selections from his sermons, in which he deals more or less with the temporal situation:
In August, 1853, we find him addressing the Saints in the Tabernacle as follows:
”I know you will prosper and live in peace in the mountains of the Great Salt Lake, and be perfectly independent. You will have food and raiment, houses and lands, flocks and herds, and everything your hearts can desire, that there is in heaven and on earth, _if you but do as you are told_. You will live in peace and G.o.d will be your defence.[A] * * I have said often, you may write blessings for yourselves, and insert every good thing you can think of, and it will all come to pa.s.s on your heads, IF YOU DO RIGHT.” * * * * *
[Footnote A: In the same spirit, a few years later, Aug. 30. 1857, Heber uttered this stirring prophecy: ”Wake up, ye Saints of the Most High, and prepare for any emergency that the Lord our G.o.d may have pleasure in bringing forth! We never shall leave these valleys--till we get ready; no, never: no, never! We will live here till we go back to Jackson County, Missouri. I prophesy that, in the name of Israel's G.o.d.” The congregation shouted ”Amen,” and President Young said, ”It is true.”]