The Heber C. Kimball Prophecy

I was intrigued by this article I saw online today in which states that Salt Lake was ranked among the most sinful cities in America.  I thought of the prophecy I knew I had heard given by one of the early leaders of the Church about how Salt Lake City would one day be one of the most wicked cities in the world.  I searched and this is the quote I found from Heber C. Kimball: “After a while the Gentiles will gather by the thousands to this place, and Salt Lake City will be classed among the wicked cities of the world.”  This is from a talk in 1868 by Heber C. Kimball (apparently published by the Deseret News 23 May 1931), and today’s online article sounds like a pretty solid fulfillment of his prophecy.  As I looked at it I realized that different parts of the talk have been quoted extensively over the years as a warning to the Saints.  Not only will Salt Lake become (or has become I should say) one of the most wicked cities of the world, but the warning to the Saints is that they will be seriously tried in their faith.

A year ago I wrote about the portion of this Heber C. Kimball talk that discusses the great test that will come upon the Saints.  Since then Elder Cook also mentioned it in conference, “Heber C. Kimball was one of the original Twelve Apostles of this dispensation and First Counselor to President Brigham Young. He warned: ‘The time is coming when … it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from the face of an enemy to the people of God. Then … look out for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many will fall.’ He concluded that there is ‘a TEST coming.’”  Clearly Elder Cook’s quoting of this indicates his own belief that it really will happen.  The original Heber C. Kimball talk outlines a chronological series of events in this order:

1.       An “army of Elders will be sent to the four quarters of the earth” in our missionary labors

2.       “Gentiles will gather by the thousands to this place, and Salt Lake City will be classed among the wicked cities of the world”

3.       “A spirit of speculation and extravagance will take possession of the Saints”

4.       “Persecution comes next and all true Latter-day Saints will be tested to the limit.  Many will apostatize”

It seems safe to say that the first three have already taken place, or at least that they are taking place now.  The fourth seems to yet await us, though it becomes increasingly easier to envision how that might happen as the political thinking of the world diverges more and more from the Church.  Elder Hales also warned us of the fulfillment of this, “In recent decades the Church has largely been spared the terrible misunderstandings and persecutions experienced by the early Saints. It will not always be so. The world is moving away from the Lord faster and farther than ever before.”

                Our safety it seems lies in the scriptures and in holding fast to the words of God despite the influences that are around us.  I think Mormon’s description of the power of the word of God sums it up: “Whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked—And land their souls, yea, their immortal souls, at the right hand of God in the kingdom of heaven” (Helaman 3:29-30).  Following the word of God is indeed a “narrow course” that can seem very difficult at times, but it is the only way to protect ourselves from “the snares and wiles of the devil.”  Our devotion to God’s words will be our protection as we prepare for the uncertain times ahead.  As the Savior put it, “And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come” (JSM 1:37).