"The Spirit of prophecy foresees future events. God does not bring to pass a thing because you say it shall be so, but because He designed it should be so, and it is the future purposes of the Almighty that the Prophet foresees. That is the way I prophesy, but I have predicted things I did not foresee, and did not believe anybody else did, but I have said it, and it came to pass even more abundantly than I predicted; and that was with regard to the future situation of the people who first came into this valley. Nearly every man was dressed in skins, and we were all poor, destitute, and distressed, yet we all felt well. I said, 'it will be but a little while, brethren, before you shall have food and raiment in abundance, and shall buy it cheaper than it can be bought in the cities of the United States.' I did not know there were any Gentiles coming here, I never thought of such a thing; but after I spoke it I thought I must be mistaken this time. Brother Rich remarked at the time, 'I do not believe a word of it.' And neither did I; but, to the astonishment and joy of the Saints, it came to pass just as I had spoken it, only more abundantly. The Lord led me right, but I did not know it.
"I have heard Joseph say many times, that he was much tempted about the revelations the Lord gave through him—it seemed to be so impossible for them to be fulfilled. I do not profess to be a Prophet; but I know that every man and woman can be, if they live for it."
Though Heber did not "profess to be a Prophet," he was one nevertheless, and manifested the gift of prophecy, as is generally admitted, to a greater extent than any other man in the Church, excepting the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Brigham was in the habit of saying: "Heber is my Prophet." In a conversation with Col. Thomas L. Kane on the occasion of the visit of the latter to the Territory, at the time of the settlement of the "Utah War" troubles, President Young said: "Brother Kimball said in Nauvoo, 'If we have to leave our houses we will go to the mountains, and in a few years we will have a better city than we have here.' This is fulfilled. He also said, 'we shall have gold, and coin twenty-dollar gold pieces.' We came here, founded a city, and coined the first twenty-dollar gold pieces in the United States.[A] Seeing the brethren poorly clad, soon after we came here, he said, 'it will not be three years before we can buy clothing cheaper in Salt Lake Valley than in the States.' Before the time was out, the gold-diggers brought loads of clothing, and sold them in our city at a wanton price."
[Footnote A: Heber was one of the principal movers in procuring the stamp with which these gold pieces were coined.]
CHAPTER LIX.
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 petition 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, Associate Justices; Daniel H. Wells, Attorney-General; Horace S. Eldredge, Marshal; Albert Carrington, Assessor 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.