"Now, O God, 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 God of Jacob fortify Thy servants, enabling them to execute righteousness before Thee the Lord our God.
"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 passage 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 God 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 pass 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 God 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 God." The congregation shouted "Amen," and President Young said, "It is true.">[
"The Lord can turn the nations as I can an obedient horse. They are governed and controlled by the Almighty as much as we are. What can they do against us? Why, nothing whatever, but if we do not do right they will be a scourge in the hands of God to scourge us, just as the Indians are at this time. * * There never would have been a disturbance if this people had done as they were told. There is not a settlement in these mountains but were instructed by Brother Brigham to build good forts and live in them. Have any of them built forts? * * The Indians are now upon us, and our brethren are scattered off, three, four and five families in a place, exposed to the Lamanites. * * * * * * *