| By Author | [ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Other Symbols ] |
| By Title | [ A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z | Other Symbols ] |
| By Language |
|
Download this book: [ ASCII | HTML | PDF ] Look for this book on Amazon Tweet |
Title: Life of Heber C. Kimball, an Apostle - The Father and Founder of the British Mission
Author: Whitney, Orson F.
Language: English
As this book started as an ASCII text book there are no pictures available.
*** Start of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Life of Heber C. Kimball, an Apostle - The Father and Founder of the British Mission" ***
http://bencrowder.net/books/mtp. Volunteers: Hilton
Campbell, Byron Clark, Ben Crowder, Meridith Crowder,
Cameron Dixon, Brian Jarvis, Ted Lee.
LIFE OF
HEBER C. KIMBALL,
AN APOSTLE;
THE FATHER AND FOUNDER OF THE BRITISH MISSION.
----
BY ORSON F. WHITNEY.
----
It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy
in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who, in the
midst of the crowd, keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of
his character.--_Emerson_.
----
PUBLISHED BY THE KIMBALL FAMILY,
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.
PRINTED AT THE JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR OFFICE.
1888.
TO THE MEMORY OF
My GRANDFATHER;
AND TO THE GREAT
Cause of Truth,
_For which he lived and died; and to all who love that
Memory and that Cause,
This Volume is reverently Dedicated by_
THE AUTHOR.
PREFACE.
In presenting this work to the public, I not only fulfill the desires
of my own heart and those of my kindred who have undertaken to publish
what is here written and compiled, but likewise, I am persuaded, the
wish of our departed ancestor. Laying the foundation for such a work
while living (as the copious selections from his own writings will
testify), he left its bringing forth as a sacred legacy to his
posterity.
For many years this duty, unenjoined in words, but accepted by all in
the light of a behest, was permitted to lie dormant. The death of
President Kimball, on the 22nd of June, 1868, was a calamity so sudden
and heavy in its effect upon his family, as to almost paralyze thought
and effort. Though trained to independence and self-reliance, under
his wise government, and never pampered in ease and luxury, they had
ever looked to him for guidance and support, and had never known the
weight of responsibility resting upon him as their parent and
provider, only as from time to time he had taken certain ones into his
confidence and permitted them to share his burdens.
In his absence they were as sheep that had lost their shepherd. "Who
will provide for us now, and what shall we do to earn a livelihood?"
Such were the thoughts presented to their minds, and the questions
asked of their secret souls, as they looked around upon their temporal
situation. The division of the parental estate had left them
comfortable, though far from rich, None of his sons had trades, but
all had been brought up to work. Realizing that a city life was no
longer their lot, they resolved to separate, and, following the
example of their ancestors for generations, go forth and colonize new
regions. Some moved north, and others south, but few remaining in the
city of their birth, and at the expiration of fifteen years, many had
become almost as strangers to each other.
About the year 1883 a spirit of inquiry commenced to manifest itself
among the members of the Kimball family, causing them to "feel after"
and evince more interest in each other's welfare. This sentiment
increasing, some of the elder members at length opened a
correspondence on the subject of a family reunion. By many this was
deemed impracticable, owing to their scattered condition; some living
in Idaho, some in southern Arizona, and others in California; and
nearly all in circumstances which, it was thought, would hardly
justify the necessary outlay. But the desire to meet and mingle with
each other finally grew so urgent and so general among them--as though
some unseen power were at work in their midst, with this object in
view--that it was determined to hold the reunion, no matter what
sacrifice it entailed.
During the summer of 1886, a number of the family met and appointed a
Committee on Reunion, selecting for the day, June 14th, 1887, (the
eighty-sixth anniversary of their father's birth) and as the place of
meeting, Fuller's Hill Gardens, Salt Lake City. There came together on
that memorable occasion, fully three hundred members and relatives of
the Kimball family, with others who had been invited to take part in
the celebration. A programme, previously arranged, consisting of
speeches, recitations, readings, vocal and instrumental music, etc.,
was carried out to the satisfaction and enjoyment of all, and the
remainder of the time spent in amusement, festivity and recreation. A
spirit of peace and union, powerful and indescribable, pervaded the
assembly and permeated the whole occasion, causing every heart to
swell with love, and many an eye to glisten with tears of gratitude
and joy. As though, indeed, the spirits of the departed were there,
bringing with them the sweet influences of the celestial world, to
weld anew, as links of a broken chain, the souls of those so long
separated. It was, in truth, a day never to be forgotten.
There were present, of the family of President Kimball, nineteen sons,
six daughters, and several of his widows, besides grand-children, and
many other relatives, near and remote.
One of the features of the programme was a sketch of the life of Heber
C. Kimball, written for the occasion and read by his grandson, the
author of this work. This incident determined and united the family on
a project mooted by its members and partly executed several years
before. It was the publication of the life of Heber C. Kimball. On the
evening of the day of reunion the male members of the family met and
appointed a committee of five on publication. Several thousand dollars
of undivided property, still in the estate, was devoted to the
purpose, and the author hereof solicited, and by unanimous voice
chosen and engaged to write the history.
Such, in brief, were the immediate causes of the coming forth of this
volume.
In the execution of my task, I have felt strongly moved upon by the
spirit of my grandsire, and verily believe that his presence, though
unseen, has hovered near me.
This book is written from the standpoint of a Latter-day Saint. It
makes no apology for the honest expression of views, which, however
false or fanatical they may seem to others, are in the opinion of the
author only such as ought to be entertained by every sincere believer
and defender of the faith. It is issued with the humble and earnest
hope that it may go forth as a messenger of Truth to help prepare the
way for greater things that shall glorify God and redeem Zion. The
life of a man like Heber C. Kimball, with its lessons of faith and
humility, of virtue, courage and devotion, cannot fail, if prayerfully
read, to do something in this direction.
Wherever possible, I have allowed the subject to speak for himself. In
lieu of converting facts found of record in his Journal into "original
matter," I have presented them mostly in all their freshness and
simplicity; as flowers of the field, with the dew and fragrance of
their native meadow yet clinging to them. This has been done, not only
out of deference to the wishes of his relatives, who desired that much
of what their father had written should be incorporated in the book of
his life, but because I have deemed it best to thus project upon the
reader's mental vision, by means of the most superior process, the
portrait of the man and his mission as painted by himself.
I cannot close this introductory without expressing my deep sense of
indebtedness to the kind friends who have aided and encouraged me in
the bringing forth of this, my first book. Their name is legion, but
limited space will only permit the mention of a few. To President
Wilford Woodruff and others of the Apostles I am indebted for kind
words and encouragement, and for the appointment of a committee, at my
request, to read the manuscript and pass upon it critically, as to
doctrinal and historical points, before placing it in the hands of the
printer; to Elder George Reynolds, for his intelligent advice and
labors as one of said committee; and to Edward W. Tullidge Esq., the
veteran author, for a collection of facts relating to my subject,
gathered during his extensive experience as historian and biographer.
Last, but not least, in this limited reference, I am under obligations
of gratitude to my uncle, Solomon F. Kimball, the chief promoter of
this work, who first approached me on the subject of writing his
father's life, and who, in all the toils incident to such an
undertaking, has proved my staunch and faithful friend.
My labor, I need hardly say, in conclusion, has been one of love and
duty. I have fulfilled, imperfectly I know, conscientiously I am as
certain, what I considered a sacred trust; the result of which I now
lay at the feet of an indulgent public.
ORSON F. WHITNEY.
NOVEMBER, 1888.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
A Pre-existent Glimpse--God's Noble and Great Ones--Heber C. Kimball
a Predestined Prophet--Opening of the Last Dispensation--Heber's
Birth and Parentage--Early Incidents of His Life--Clouds and
Sunshine
CHAPTER II.
A Romantic Episode--Heber's Marriage with Vilate Murray--A Soldier
and a Free Mason--His Stern Arraignment of the Ancient Order--Death
of Heber's Father and Mother
CHAPTER III.
Heber's Poetic Nature--A Rough Diamond--Early Religious
Experience--Joins the Baptist Church--"Signs in the Heavens
Above"--Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young--The Everlasting Gospel
CHAPTER IV.
Heber Embraces Mormonism--A Baptism of Fire--Death of Miriam
Young--Vilate Kimball a Mother to the Orphans--Heber Ordained an
Elder--Resolves to Visit Kirtland
CHAPTER V.
The Land of Shinehah--Arrival of Heber and Brigham in
Kirtland--Their First Meeting with the Prophet--The Kimballs and
Youngs Remove to Ohio--Vexatious Suits and Mob Violence--Fallen on
Perilous Times
CHAPTER VI.
The Gathering of the Titans--Heber's Testimony of Joseph and the
Twelve--Their Mighty Mission--The Test of Faith--Zion's Camp
CHAPTER VII.
The Redemption of Zion--Enoch's City to Return--Object of The United
Order--Cause of the Jackson County Expulsion--The Wheat from the
Chaff
CHAPTER VIII.
The Zion's Camp Expedition--Joseph as a Prophet General--Finding of
the Bones of Zelph, the Ancient--Rebellion in the Camp--Joseph
Predicts a Scourge--Heber's Failure as a Launderer--Zion's Camp
Saved by a Storm
CHAPTER IX.
The Fishing River Revelation--Why Zion was not Redeemed--The Cholera
in Camp--The Test of Faith Complete--The Shadow of a Coming Event
CHAPTER X.
Building the Temple--Joseph and Heber Working in the Quarry--The
Theological School--A Lesson on Faith--Call of the Twelve--Heber C.
Kimball Ordained an Apostle
CHAPTER XI.
First Mission of the Twelve--Heber Revisits the Scenes of his
Childhood--Mobbing an Abolitionist--"The Accuser of the
Brethren"--Days of Repentance and Reformation
CHAPTER XII.
Heber's Description of the Temple--Its Dedication--Angels
Administer--The "Beloved Disciple" John Seen--The Solemn
Assembly--The Elders Endowed with Power from on High--Heber's Lone
Mission
CHAPTER XIII.
The Worship of Mammon--The Temporal Above the Spiritual--The
Kirtland Bank--Financial Disasters--Apostasy--Heber Sorrows Over the
Degeneracy of the Times
CHAPTER XIV.
Zion's Ship Among the Breakers--"Something New Must be Done to Save
the Church."--Heber C. Kimball Appointed to Open the British
Mission--Spiritual Things to the Front--Righting the Ship--Heber's
Prophecy to Willard Richards--"Yea, in the Name of the Lord, Thou
Shalt Go With Me"--The Departure for England
CHAPTER XV.
Farewell to Native Land--"Upon the Wide, Wide Sea"--Heber's Dream of
Joseph--A Ship Out of Her Reckoning--A Dying Child Healed--Apostle
Hyde Preaches on Board--Arrival at Liverpool--The Elders Leap Ashore
CHAPTER XVI.
Strangers in a Strange Land--The Elders Led by the Spirit to
Preston--"Truth Will Prevail"--The Reverend James
Fielding--Wonderful Fulfillment of Heber's Prophecies--A People
Prepared for the Gospel--The Elders Preach in Preston
CHAPTER XVII.
Satan Alarmed--The Powers of Evil Conspire Against the
Elders--Chapels and Churches Closed Against Them--The Reverend Mr.
Fielding in his Real Colors--The Work Continues to Spread--An Army
of Demons Attack the Elders--The Dawn and Victory
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Reverend Mr. Fielding Forbids the Elders to Baptize their
Converts--Apostle Kimball's Answer: "They are of Age and Can Act for
Themselves"--Premier Gladstone and Secretary Evarts--Free Agency and
Unrighteous Dominion--Heber C. Kimball Baptizes in the River
Ribble--A Miracle
CHAPTER XIX.
The Elders Separate for the Better Prosecution of Their
Work--Jennetta Richards--The Preston Branch Organized--Heber Goes to
Walkerfold--Another Minister's "Craft in Danger"--More of Heber's
Prophecies--"Willard, I Baptized Your Wife To-day."
CHAPTER XX.
The Mission of Elias--The Symbolism of the Universe--The Past
Preparatory to the Present and Future--The Way Prepared for the
Fullness of the Gospel--The "Lesser Lights" of England--Fielding,
Matthews and Aitken--The Stars Paling Before the Sun
CHAPTER XXI.
The Temperance Reform in Preston--A Work Preparatory to the
Gospel--Preaching in the "Cock Pit"--Heber Writes Home an Account of
His Mission--The Work in Cumberland--Episode of Mary Smithies--"She
Shall Live to Become a Mother in Israel."
CHAPTER XXII.
Heber Writes to Willard in Bedford--The Elders Become Licensed
Preachers--The "Milk" and "Meat of the Word"--Rapid Spread of the
Work--Miracles--Heber's Dream of the Bull and Field of Grain--A
Disappointed Mob
CHAPTER XXIII.
The Voice of the Good Shepherd--Heber Converts Whole Villages--The
Spirit of the Master Upon His Servant--The Christmas Conference in
Preston
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Work of God not Dependent upon Man--Humility a Source of
Power--Every Man Chosen and Fitted for his Sphere--Example of Paul
the Apostle--Heber "Hits the Rock" in Longton--The Apostles Visit
the Branches Prior to Returning to America
CHAPTER XXV.
Condition of the Church at Home--Pruning off the Dead Branches--A
Day of Choosing--Apostates Conspire to Overthrow the Church--Flight
of the Prophet from Kirtland--Fall of Oliver Cowdery and other
Apostles--"Show Unto us Thy Will, O Lord, concerning the Twelve!"
CHAPTER XXVI.
Heber's Farewell to Chatburn--An Affecting Scene--His Sympathy for
the Poor of England--The April Conference in Preston--Two Thousand
Saints Assemble--Joseph Fielding Appointed to Preside over the
British Mission
CHAPTER XXVII.
Departure for Liverpool--Heber's Letter to the Saints in Chatburn
and Downham--His Prediction concerning Thomas Webster--Its Strict
Fulfillment
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The Elders Sail for Home--A Storm at Sea--How Heber Found Favor with
the Steward--Arrival at New York--The "Garrick" again
Victorious--Journey to Kirtland--On to Far West--Happy Meeting with
Joseph and the Brethren
CHAPTER XXIX.
The Land where Adam Dwelt--The Saints Impelled Toward their
Destiny--Persecution Revives--Adam-ondi-Ahman--The Altar of the
Ancient of Days
CHAPTER XXX.
Times that Tried Men's Souls--The Mob Gathering Against Far
West--Battle of Crooked River--Death of David W. Patten Days of
Darkness and Disaster
CHAPTER XXXI.
The Fall of Far West--Joseph and his Brethren Betrayed to the
Enemy--Heber Facing the Traitors--His Fearless Denunciation and Firm
Testimony--Atrocities of the Mob--Heber's Prophecy of
Retribution--He Visits the Prophet in Richmond Jail
CHAPTER XXXII.
Memorial to the Missouri Legislature--A Chapter of Infamy--How
Missouri Redressed the Wrongs of the Suffering Saints--Brigham and
Heber Setting in Order the Church--Arranging for the Exodus
CHAPTER XXXIII.
The First Presidency Instruct the Apostles--Brigham Young Chosen
President of the Twelve--The Exodus Begun--Heber Tarries in Missouri
to Minister to his Imprisoned Brethren--His Faithful but Fruitless
Efforts for their Release--The Lord Speaks to Heber
CHAPTER XXXIV.
A Word for the Fallen--Only God Knoweth the Wherefore and Why--Orson
Hyde's Repentance and Return to the Church--Heber C. Kimball and
Hyrum Smith his Champions--Isaac Russell's Apostasy--Heber Writes to
the Church in England
CHAPTER XXXV.
The Brethren in Liberty Jail--Judge King's Coup D'Etat--The Mob
Again Threaten Far West--Fiends in Human Form--The Prophet Regains
His Freedom--The Apostles Fulfill Revelation--First Conference of
the Church in Illinois
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Nauvoo the Beautiful--Heber's Prediction Over the Fated City--Elder
Rigdon's Alarm--Heber's Second Encounter with Evil Spirits--Parley
P. Pratt Escapes from Prison, Fulfilling Heber's Prophecy
CHAPTER XXXVII.
An Epidemic of Disease--Joseph Heals the Multitude--Brigham and
Heber Start on their Mission to England--Sickness by the Way--Heber
Poisoned--His Life Saved by Brigham
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
On to Kirtland--Miraculously Supplied with Money--Condition of
Affairs at the Old Church Headquarters 281
CHAPTER XXXIX.
The Apostles Sail for England--Growth of the British Mission During
Heber's Absence--Labors of Elders Woodruff and Taylor--First Council
of the Twelve Among the Nations--Willard Richards Ordained an
Apostle
CHAPTER XL.
Heber Visits the Branches Raised up During His Former Mission--His
Report of their Condition and Standing--First General Conference at
Manchester
CHAPTER XLI.
Founding the London Conference--Apostles Kimball, Woodruff and Smith
Chosen for the Work--Seeking for a Man with the Spirit of God--The
First Convert--The Elders Hold Open-air Meetings in Tabernacle
Square
CHAPTER XLII.
Father Corner Baptized--The Apostles Visit the Reverend Robert
Aitken--Heber Attacked with Cholera--The Work in other Parts--Second
Conference at Manchester--Brigham Accompanies Heber to
London--Conversion of the Rev. James Albion
CHAPTER XLIII.
Opening of the Year 1841 in London--Encouraging Success of the
Elders--Heber C. Kimball Blesses the Queen of England--The Woolwich
Branch Organized--Organization of the London Conference--The
Prospect of War Between Great Britain and the United States Hastens
the Return of the Apostles to America
CHAPTER XLIV.
Heber Organizes the Birmingham Conference--Meeting of the Apostles
in Manchester Prior to Returning to America--Orson Hyde Present on
his way to Palestine--The Extensive Work of One Year
CHAPTER XLV.
The Apostles Sail for Home--Arrival at New York--Heber's Letter to
the "Millennial Star"--Happy Meeting With the Prophet and the Saints
at Nauvoo--Labors Spiritual aid Temporal--Heber's Phrenological
Chart
CHAPTER XLVI.
Revelation of Celestial Marriage--Secrecy the Price of Safety--
Joseph Tests Heber and Makes him his Confidant--How Vilate Kimball
was Converted--Heber and Vilate give their Daughter Helen to the
Prophet in Celestial Marriage
CHAPTER XLVII.
John C. Bennett's Apostasy--Heber and the Twelve sent out to Refute
his Slanders--Heber's Famous Sermon: "The Clay in the Hands of the
Potter"--Inception of the Relief Society--Vilate's Vow and Heber's
Prayer
CHAPTER XLVIII.
Heber's Last Mission to the Gentiles--Joseph Smith a Candidate for
the Presidency of the United States--The Apostles his
Electioneerers--The Martyrdom--Return of the Twelve to Nauvoo
CHAPTER XLIX.
Choice of Joseph's Successor--A Miracle--The Mantle of Joseph Falls
Upon Brigham Young--Heber C. Kimball his Right Hand Man
CHAPTER L.
The Work Moves on in Spite of Persecution and Apostasy--The Nauvoo
Temple Finished and Dedicated--The Saints Prepare for their Removal
to the Rocky Mountains
CHAPTER LI.
The Exodus--Heber's Prophecy Fulfilled--Evacuation of Nauvoo--The
Camp of Israel on Sugar Creek--Brigham and Heber Lead the Church
Westward--Arrival at the Missouri River
CHAPTER LII.
Destination of the Saints--The Call for the Mormon Battalion Heroic
Response of the Exiles--Brigham, Heber and Willard as Recruiting
Sergeants--Departure of the Battalion--The Camp of Israel Goes into
Winter Quarters--The Fall of Nauvoo
CHAPTER LIII.
The Word and Will of the Lord Concerning the Camp of Israel--The
Pioneers Start for the Rocky Mountains--Names of the
Heroes--Incidents of the Journey West
CHAPTER LIV.
Arrival at Grand Island--The Pioneer Buffalo Hunt--Heber Kills his
First Bison--The Spirit of Levity Rebuked--The Pioneers Reach Fort
Laramie
CHAPTER LV.
The Pioneers Cross the Platte--Governor Boggs and the
Missourians--Col. Bridger--"A Thousand Dollars for a Bushel of
Wheat"--The Pioneers' First Glimpse of the Valley of the Great Salt
Lake
CHAPTER LVI.
The Pioneers Enter the Valley--Exploring and Colonizing--A Renewal
of Covenants--Selection of Inheritances--Return of the Leaders to
Winter Quarters
CHAPTER LVII.
The First Presidency Reorganized--Heber Attains to "The Honor of the
Three"--Second Journey to the Mountains--Sickness and
Distress--Heber's Character as a Colonizer
CHAPTER LVIII.
The Cricket Plague--Saved by the Gulls--Heber's Famous
Prophecy--"States Goods" Sold in Great Salt Lake City Cheaper than
in New York
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
CHAPTER LX.
The Famine of '56--Heber a Second Joseph--A Savior to his
People--Vilate a Ministering Angel--A Strange Piece of
Counsel--President Kimball's Letters Descriptive of the Famine to
His Son William, in England
CHAPTER LXI.
The Hand-cart Emigration--Perishing in the Snow--Heroic Conduct of
William II. and David P. Kimball--President Kimball's Plea and
Exertions in Behalf of the Sufferers--The Utah War--The Great
Rebellion
CHAPTER LXII.
Some of Heber's Family History--A Patriarchal Household--Names of
his Wives and Children--Episode of Abram A. Kimball--Peter, the
Child of Promise--Heber at Family Prayers--David H. Kimball's
Story--Heber P. and Solomon F. Kimball in the Black Hawk War
CHAPTER LXIII.
Anecdotes and Reminiscences of Heber C. Kimball--The Man as Others
Knew him--Golden Grains from the Sands of Memory
CHAPTER LXIV.
Gems from the Words of Heber--Spirit Rappings--Address at the
Funeral of Mary Fielding Smith--Love, Unity and the Courage of the
Righteous--Joseph and the Keys of the Kingdom--Cultivation of
Spirits--Heaven and Hell--Administration of Angels and the Spirits
of the Ancients--The Resurrection--The Spirit World--The Clay and
the Potter--A Cause of Apostasy--A Miraculous Cane--The Church in
Heaven
CHAPTER LXV.
Gems from Heber's Words Continued--His Striking View of Time and
Eternity--His Words and Works at the Last Conference Preceding his
Death--His Last Sermon
CHAPTER LXVI.
Death of Vilate, the Wife of Heber's Youth--President Brigham Young
Preaches her Funeral Sermon--His Feeling Tribute to her
Memory--Heber Prophesies of his Own Death
CHAPTER LXVII.
Death of Apostle Kimball--All Israel Mourns--Expressions in Honor of
the Illustrious Dead
CHAPTER LXVIII.
Obsequies of President Kimball--Tributes and Testimonies of his
Brother Apostles--"He was a man of as Much Integrity as Any Man who
Ever Lived"--Earth Returns to Earth and the Spirit Unto God Who Gave
it
APPENDIX.
A Glimpse of the Great Beyond--Thrilling Experience of David Patten
Kimball--Lost in the Desert--Communing with the Spirits of the
Departed--David Predicts his own Death and the Death of Four
Others--The Fulfillment
CHAPTER I.
A PRE-EXISTENT GLIMPSE--GOD'S NOBLE AND GREAT ONES--HEBER C. KIMBALL A
PREDESTINED PROPHET--OPENING OF THE LAST DISPENSATION--HEBER'S BIRTH
AND PARENTAGE--EARLY INCIDENTS OF HIS LIFE--CLOUDS AND SUNSHINE.
Men like Heber C. Kimball are not accidents. They are emphatically and
in the truest sense, children of destiny. If we seek their origin, and
would know their truth, we must not halt beside the humble cradle
which "lulled their infant cares to rest." We must rise on spirit
wings above the mists and vapors of mortality, and survey them in the
light of an eternal existence, a life without beginning or end. Says
one of old:
"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that
were organized before the world was; and among all these there
were many of the noble and great ones; and God saw these souls
that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he
said, 'These I will make my rulers'; for he stood among those that
were spirits, and he saw that they were good, and he said unto me,
Abraham, thou art one of them, thou wast chosen before thou wast
born."
Again, unto Jeremiah:
"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou
camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained
thee a prophet unto the nations."
What is true in this respect of ancient prophets, is true also of
modern prophets, for verily are their origin, their mission and their
destiny the same.
It devolved upon the subject of this writing to come forth at a time
which has no parallel in all the ages of the past. The day of God's
power and of Zion's glory was about to dawn. The Sun that set in blood
behind Judea's hills was soon to rise o'er Zion's mountain-tops and
flood the world with light. The latter-day dispensation was opening.
All things in Christ were to be gathered in one. The curtain of
history had risen on the last act of the tragedy of Time.
Would God leave the world without "great and noble ones" at such an
hour?
----
Heber Chase Kimball was born into this life June 14th, 1801. The same
soil produced him that in colonial times brought forth an Ethan Allen,
the hero of Ticonderoga, and in later years the wondrous twain of
spirits known to the world as Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.
A far greater work than the capture of a British fortress was in the
future of this Mormon triad of "Green Mountain boys," who went forth
"in the name of the great Jehovah" to invade the strongholds of Satan,
and plant the banner of gospel truth above the ramparts of his
conquered citadels.
Heber's birthplace was the town of Sheldon, Franklin County, Vermont,
ten miles from the shores of Lake Champlain. He was the fourth child
and second son in a family of seven, the order of whose birth was as
follows: Charles Spaulding, Eliza, Abigail, Heber Chase, Melvina,
Solomon and Daniel Spaulding, the last named of whom died in infancy.
These were all born in Sheldon.
His father's name was Solomon Farnham Kimball, a native of
Massachusetts, where he was born in the year 1770. He was "a man of
good moral character," and, though he professed no religion, taught
his children correct principles. His mother's maiden name was Anna
Spaulding; she was a strict Presbyterian, lived a virtuous life, and,
according to her best knowledge, reared her family in the ways of
righteousness. She was the daughter of Daniel and Speedy Spaulding,
and was born in Plainfield, New Hampshire, on the banks of the
Connecticut river.
The Kimballs were of Scotch descent, their ancient name, it is
believed, being Campbell. Heber's grandfather and a brother came from
England, in time to assist in gaining the independence of the
colonies. In America his ancestors and those of the Prophet Joseph
Smith were related by marriage.
Heber derived his given name from a Judge Chase, of Massachusetts, by
whom his father was reared from a boy, and who chanced to visit his
former protege soon after his son was born. The judge himself proposed
the christening, and the parents being nothing loth, Heber Chase
Kimball became the infant's name.
This Judge Chase, though presumably "learned in the law," like many of
his class in those primitive, common sense days was not above
following the humbler pursuits of life. He was a blacksmith, and
taught Heber's father that trade, and when he had married, helped him
to establish his smithy in the town of Sheldon.
"At the close of the Revolutionary War," says Heber, "my father was
thirteen years old, and I can remember his rehearsing to me some of
the scenes of the war.
"He was captain of a company of militia in Sheldon, and wore a cocked
hat of the old English style, a straightbodied coat, and short
breeches with a knee buckle, long stockings, and Suwarrow boots with a
pair of tassels.
"He was partly bald, had dark-brown hair, blue eyes, sandy whiskers
and light complexion; he was five feet, eleven inches high, and
weighed two hundred pounds and upwards.
"He engaged in farming and clearing land, burning the wood into coal
and ashes; he had also a forge and trip-hammer, in the manufacture of
wrought iron.
"About the time of the embargo, before the last war with England, my
father lost his property, as it was invested in salts, potash and
pearlash; the embargo, having shut down the gate of commerce between
the United States and England, left his property in his hands without
much value."
In February, 1811, the Kimballs migrated from Vermont, and settled in
West Bloomfield, Ontario County, New York, five hundred miles from
their former home, where the head of the family reengaged in his
occupations of farmer and blacksmith, to which he now added that of
builder. He was aided in his new venture by Judge Towsley, of Scipio,
Cayuga County, who had employed him for several months as foreman in a
blacksmith shop.
Heber thus describes the journey from Sheldon to West Bloomfield, with
incidents of their subsequent experience in that then new country:
"My father took my mother and six children in a sleigh, with one span
of horses, a change of clothing for each of us, and some blankets to
wrap us in; when we reached St. Albans, my father bought each of his
boys a hat, which was the first hat I ever had on my head. We traveled
on Lake Champlain, on the ice, and the wind being very high, my hat
was blown off and lost.
"We traveled on the ice up to Whitehall, a distance of one hundred and
ten miles, where, spring being open, he traded his sleigh for a wagon
and proceeded to West Bloomfield.
"He built an academy in West Bloomfield, also two tavern stands and
several private dwellings; he made nearly all of the edge tools, such
as scythes, augers, axes, knives, etc., also plow-shares and
agricultural implements, for the country around, to a distance of
fifty or sixty miles; and sometimes he had eight forges employed at
once.
"He continued living in West Bloomfield during the 'last war' with
England, which place was on the thoroughfare between Albany and
Buffalo, on what was called 'the public turnpike,' and on which the
soldiery passed during the war (1812-15). It was flourishing times,
there being plenty of business and money, and most men in business
became involved, so that when the war closed bankruptcy became common,
as every merchant, tavern-keeper and grog-shop had a banking
establishment, and issued 'shin-plasters' from one cent up to five
dollars.
"My father lost the greater portion of his property, which broke him
up in that place. He then moved two and one-half miles east, half way
between East and West Bloomfield, where he bought a farm of a Mr.
Stewart, near a small lake called Stewart's Pond; on this farm there
was a little improvement. Here he established blacksmithing, built a
large tavern stand, barns and other out-houses, and once more set out
an orchard of various kinds of fruit trees.
"This was in the year 1816, which was called the cold season; the same
year that the black spot was seen on the sun. The following year we
had little to subsist upon; for some three weeks we gathered milk
weeds, and boiled and ate them, not having salt to put on them. It was
with difficulty that bread could be procured."
Evidently the elder Kimball was a man of force and energy, qualities
which his son Heber inherited, and in turn transmitted to his
posterity. The Kimballs, with scarcely an exception, are, in this
respect, of just such sterling stuff as their sire and grandsire, and
invariably "show the mettle of their pasture," as colonizers, wherever
their lot is cast.
The limited amount of schooling that Heber received in these days of
his childhood and early youth, extended from his fifth to his
fourteenth year, and was of the quality usually found in the primitive
village schools of the day. He was not an ardent lover of books, but
drew his lessons from life and nature in all their multiplied and
varied phases. It was "about the time of the great eclipse in 1806"
that he commenced going to school. The eclipse he "remembered well,"
as his father was about starting on a journey, but was obliged to wait
on account of the darkness.
At the age of fourteen he was put to work in his father's blacksmith
shop, and acquired a knowledge of that useful trade. When he was
nineteen, his father having met with further reverses, he was thrown
entirely upon his own resources, and now began to taste the first
bitter experience of his life.
He was a singular compound, in his nature, of courage and timidity, of
weakness and strength; uniting a penchant for mirth with a proneness
to melancholy, and blending the lion-like qualities of a leader among
men, with the bashfulness and lamb-like simplicity of a child.
He was not a coward; a braver man probably never lived than Heber C.
Kimball. His courage, however was not of that questionable kind which
"knows no fear." Rather was it of that superior order, that
Christ-like bravery, which feels danger and yet dares to face it. He
had all the sensitiveness of the poet--for he was both a poet and a
prophet from his mother's womb--and inherited by birthright the power
to feel pleasure or suffer pain, in all its exquisiteness and
intensity.
Hear his own pathetic story of his early hardships:
"At this time, I saw some days of sorrow; my heart was troubled, and I
suffered much in consequence of fear, bashfulness, and timidity. I
found myself cast abroad upon the world, without a friend to console
my grief. In these heart-aching hours I suffered much for want of food
and the comforts of life, and many times when two or three days
without food to eat, being bashful and not daring to ask for it.
"After I had spent several weeks in the manner before stated, my
oldest brother, Charles, hearing of my condition, offered to teach me
the potter's trade. I immediately accepted the offer, and continued
with him until I was twenty-one.
"While living with my brother, he moved into the town of Mendon,
Monroe, County, New York, six miles north of Bloomfield, towards the
city of Rochester, where he again established the potter's business."
Here Heber finished learning his trade and commenced working for
wages. Six months later he purchased his brother's business and set up
in the same line for himself, in which he prospered for upwards of ten
years.
CHAPTER II.
A ROMANTIC EPISODE--HEBER'S MARRIAGE WITH VILATE MURRAY--A SOLDIER AND
A FREE MASON--HIS STERN ARRAIGNMENT OF THE ANCIENT ORDER--DEATH OF
HEBER'S FATHER AND MOTHER.
Meanwhile, the sun of love dawned on his horizon. In one of his rides
he chanced to pass, one warm summer day, through the little town of
Victor, in the neighboring County of Ontario. Being thirsty, he drew
rein near a house where a gentleman was at work in the yard, whom he
asked for a drink of water. As the one addressed went to the well for
a fresh bucketful of the cooling liquid, he called to his daughter
Vilate, to fetch a glass from the house, which he filled and sent by
her to the young stranger.
Heber was deeply impressed with the beauty and refined modestly of the
young girl, whose name he understood to be "Milaty," and who was the
flower and pet of her father's family. Lingering as long as propriety
would permit, or the glass of water would hold out, he murmured his
thanks and rode reluctantly away.
How suggestive this incident, of Whittier's pretty tale, "Maud
Muller:"
"Thanks" said the Judge, "a sweeter draught
From a fairer hand was never quaffed."
It was not long before he again had "business" in Victor, and again
became thirsty (?) just opposite the house where the young lady lived.
Seeing the same gentleman in the yard whom he had accosted before, he
hailed him and asked him for a cup of water. This time the owner of
the premises offered to wait upon him in person, but Heber, with the
blunt candor for which he was noted, nearly took the old gentleman's
breath by saying, "if you please, sir, I'd rather My-Laty would bring
it to me."
"Laty," as she was called in the house, accordingly appeared and did
the honors as before, and returned blushing to meet the merriment and
good-natured badinage of her sister and brothers.
She, however, was quite as favorably impressed with the handsome young
stranger, as he with her. More visits followed, acquaintance ripened
into love, and on the 7th of November, 1822, they were married.
Vilate Murray--for that was her name--was the youngest child of
Roswell and Susannah Murray. She was born June 1st, 1806, in Florida,
Montgomery County, New York. At the time of her marriage she was only
in her seventeenth year.
The Murrays, like the Kimballs, were of Scotch descent, and came to
America during the Seven Years' War. As a race they were gentle,
kind-hearted, intelligent and refined. Through many of them ran a vein
of poetry. Vilate herself wrote tender and beautiful verses. She was
an ideal wife for a man like Heber C. Kimball, by whom she was ever
cherished as the treasure that she was.
Heber was now past twenty-one, and fast developing into as fine a
specimen of manhood as one might wish to behold. Tall and powerful of
frame, with piercing black eyes that seemed to read one through, and
before whose searching gaze the guilty could not choose but quail, he
moved with a stateliness and majesty all his own, as far removed from
haughtiness and vain pride, as he from the sphere of the upstart who
mistakes scorn for dignity, and an overbearing manner as an evidence
of gentle blood.
Heber C. Kimball was a humble man, and in his humility, no less than
his kingly stature, consisted his dignity, and no small share of his
greatness. It was his intelligence, earnestness, simplicity, sublime
faith and unwavering integrity to principle that made him great, not
the apparel he wore, nor the mortal clay in which his spirit was
clothed. Nevertheless, nature had given him a noble presence in the
flesh, worthy the godlike stature of his spirit.
"A combination and a form, indeed,
Where every God did seem to set his seal
To give the world assurance of a man."
The son and grandson of a soldier, he had early enrolled in an
independent horse company of the New York State militia. Under Captain
Sawyer, of East Bloomfield, and his successor in command, he trained
fourteen years; one year more would have exempted him from further
military service. He remarks, with honest pride, that he was never
brought before a court martial or found delinquent in his duty.
Heber was also a Free Mason. In 1823 he received the first three
degrees of masonry in the lodge at Victor. The year following, himself
and five others petitioned the chapter at Canandaigua, the county seat
of Ontario County, for the degrees up to the Royal Arch. The petition
was favorably considered, but before it could be acted upon the Morgan
anti-mason riot broke out, and the Masonic Hall, where the chapter
met, was burned by the mob and all the records consumed.
Says Heber, "There are thousands of Masons who lived in those days,
who are well aware of the persecution and unjust proceedings which
were heaped upon them by the anti-Masons; not as many as three of us
could meet together, unless in secret, without being mobbed.
"I have been as true as an angel from the heavens to the covenants I
made in the lodge at Victor.
"No man was admitted into a lodge in those days except he bore a good
moral character, and was a man of steady habits; and a man would be
suspected for getting drunk, or any other immoral conduct. I wish that
all men were masons and would live up to their profession; then the
world would be in a much better state than it is now."
Commenting on the degeneracy of the Ancient Order--the old, old story
of the persecuted becoming persecutors--he continues:
"I have been driven from my houses and possessions, with many of my
brethren belonging to that fraternity, five times, by mobs led by some
of their leading men. Hyrum Smith received the first three degrees of
masonry in Ontario County, New York. Joseph and Hyrum Smith were
Master Masons, yet they were massacred through the instrumentality of
some of the leading men of that fraternity, and not one soul of them
has ever stepped forth to administer help to me or my brethren
belonging to the Masonic Institution, or to render us assistance,
although bound under the strongest obligations to be true and faithful
to each other in every case and under every circumstance, the
commission of crime excepted."
Yes, Masons, it is said, were even among the mob that murdered Joseph
and Hyrum in Carthage Jail. Joseph, leaping the fatal window, gave the
masonic signal of distress. The answer was the roar of his murderers'
muskets and the deadly balls that pierced his heart.
Heber continued to prosper in business, working in his pottery in
summer, and at his forge in winter. He purchased land, built houses,
planted orchards, and otherwise "situated himself to live comfortably."
In the spring of 1825, he gave his father a home with him in Mendon.
The old gentleman was now a widower, his wife, Heber's mother, having
died in February, 1824, at West Bloomfield, of consumption. Her
husband survived her a little over a twelve-month, when he, too, fell
a victim to the same malady.
It is a coincidence worthy of note that the deaths of Heber and Vilate
were also about one year apart, she passing away first, and he, like
his father, following soon the footsteps of his beloved partner to the
spirit land.
We have traced his life's record through its initial stages. He was
now fairly on the threshold of his remarkable career.
CHAPTER III.
HEBER'S POETIC NATURE--A ROUGH DIAMOND--EARLY RELIGIOUS
EXPERIENCE--JOINS THE BAPTIST CHURCH--"SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS
ABOVE"--HEBER C. KIMBALL AND BRIGHAM YOUNG--THE EVERLASTING GOSPEL.
Heber's temperament was religious and poetical. Sociable as he was,
and even bubbling over with mirth, at times, his soul was essentially
of a solemn cast. He loved solitude, not with the selfish spirit of
the misanthrope, but for the opportunities it gave of communing with
his own thoughts--a pleasure that only poet minds truly feel--and of
listening to the voice of God and nature, expressed in all the
countless and varied forms of life.
He was capable of sensing fully--though probably he had never seen or
heard--those sublime words of the poet:
"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods;
There is a rapture on the lonely shore;
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar.
I love not man the less, but nature more,
From these our interviews; in which I steal
From all I may be, or have been before,
To mingle with the universe and feel
What I can ne'er express, yet cannot all conceal."
True, he was a diamond in the rough, but a diamond, nevertheless, for
all of its incrustations. Unlettered and untaught, save in nature's
school, the university of experience, where he was an apt and profound
scholar, he was possessed of marvelous intuition, a genius God-given,
which needed no kindling at a college shrine to prepare it for the
work which providence had designed.
Not but that education would have polished the gem, causing it to
shine with what the natural eye would deem a brighter lustre; but the
fact remains that Heber C. Kimball, as he was, not as he might have
been, was best adapted for the divine purpose, the career marked out
for him by the finger of Deity.
It is not strange that a nature of this kind, solemn, thoughtful and
inspirational, should have been led early to seek "an anchor for the
soul," a knowledge of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. But his
search for many years was in vain; he found not among the sects of
Christendom the precious pearl which an honest soul will sell all that
it hath to obtain.
"From the time I was twelve years old," says he, "I had many serious
thoughts and strong desires to obtain a knowledge of salvation, but
not finding anyone who could teach me the things of God, I did not
embrace any principles of doctrine, but endeavored to live a moral
life. The priests would tell me to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
but never would tell me what to do to be saved, and thus left me
almost in despair.
"During the time I lived in Mendon, I mostly attended the meetings of
the Baptist church, and was often invited to unite myself with them. I
received many pressing invitations to unite with different sects, but
did not see fit to comply with their desires, until a revival took
place in our neighborhood. I had passed through several of their
protracted meetings and had been many times upon the anxious bench to
seek relief from the 'bands of sin and death.' But no relief could I
find until the meetings were passed by.
"At this time I concluded to put myself under the watch-care of the
Baptist church and unite myself to them; as soon as I had concluded to
do this, the Lord administered peace to my mind, and accordingly, the
next day I went, in company with my wife, and we were baptized by
Elder Elijah Weaver; and we partook of the sacrament on that day for
the first and also the last time with them."
Such was his initiation into religion, as pertaining to a Christian
sectarian church. Though not in accord with the Baptist faith in all
its teachings, it seemed to him to be nearest right according to the
Bible; probably from the stress laid upon baptism by immersion,
manifestly the Bible mode, and the only true way of being "born of the
water." Besides, he deemed it wise to put a "guard" upon himself, to
"keep him from running into evils."
The peace of mind that he experienced, as the sanction of the Holy One
upon a prudent and conscientious act, was but the prelude and prophecy
of far greater things to follow. The heavens were bestirring
themselves. The invisible world was up in arms. Truth and Error were
taking the field. The latter-day conflict had begun. The signs of the
coming of the Son of Man were showing themselves in the heavens.
It was the eventful night of September 22nd, 1827. Says Heber C.
Kimball:
"I had retired to bed, when John P. Greene, who was living within a
hundred steps of my house, came and waked me up, calling upon me to
come out and behold the scenery in the heavens. I woke up and called
my wife and Sister Fanny Young (sister to Brigham Young), who was
living with us, and we went out-of-doors.
"It was one of the most beautiful starlight nights, so clear that we
could see to pick up a pin. We looked to the eastern horizon, and
beheld a white smoke arise toward the heavens; as it ascended it
formed itself into a belt, and made a noise like the sound of a mighty
wind, and continued southwest, forming a regular bow dipping in the
western horizon. After the bow had formed, it began to widen out and
grow clear and transparent, of a bluish cast; it grew wide enough to
contain twelve men abreast.
"In this bow an army moved, commencing from the east and marching to
the west; they continued marching until they reached the western
horizon. They moved in platoons, and walked so close that the rear
ranks trod in the steps of their file leaders, until the whole bow was
literally crowded with soldiers. We could distinctly see the muskets,
bayonets and knapsacks of the men, who wore caps and feathers like
those used by the American soldiers in the last war with Britain; and
also saw their officers with their swords and equipage, and the
clashing and jingling of their implements of war, and could discover
the forms and features of the men. The most profound order existed
throughout the entire army; when the foremost man stepped, every man
stepped at the same time; I could hear the steps. When the front rank
reached the western horizon a battle ensued, as we could distinctly
hear the report of arms and the rush.
"No man could judge of my feelings when I beheld that army of men, as
plainly as ever I saw armies of men in the flesh; it seemed as though
every hair of my head was alive. This scenery we gazed upon for hours,
until it began to disappear.
"After I became acquainted with Mormonism, I learned that this took
place the same evening that Joseph Smith received the records of the
Book of Mormon from the angel Moroni, who had held those records in
his possession.
"John Young, sen., and John P. Greene's wife, Rhoda, were also
witnesses.
"My wife, being frightened at what she saw, said, 'Father Young, what
does all this mean?'
"'Why, it's one of the signs of the coming of the Son of Man,' he
replied, in a lively, pleased manner.
"The next night similar scenery was beheld in the west by the
neighbors, representing armies of men who were engaged in battle."
A wonderful foreshadowing, truly, of the warfare to be waged between
the powers of good and evil, from the time Truth sprang from earth and
Righteousness looked down from heaven upon the boy Joseph, predestined
to bring to light the buried records of the past.
In Mendon began the intimacy and friendship of Heber C. Kimball with
his life-long colleague, Brigham Young. The Youngs and Greenes, like
the Kimballs, were from Vermont, and had moved into Mendon a few
months prior to the event just related. In religion they were Reformed
Methodists, but, being in lowly circumstances, were looked down upon
by the proud members of the flourishing church to which they belonged.
They had suffered greatly from sickness, and had seen much sorrow and
affliction.
Heber's generous heart and that of his noble wife were touched with
sympathy and compassion for their situation. Says he: "To them my
heart was united, because a principle had existed in my breast from
earliest childhood, to plead the cause of suffering innocence, to go
on the side of the oppressed at all times; neither do I remember to
have ever varied from this fixed principle at any time in my life; I
have many times turned aside from the company of those who were highly
esteemed in the world, and sought the society of the poor and humble,
those who loved the ways of the Lord better than the praise of the
world."
He found in these families, which were related, congenial associates,
for they too were seekers after truth, and truth they were all
destined, ere many days, to find.
Sometime in the fall or winter of 1831, about three weeks after Heber
and his wife had joined the Baptist church, five Elders of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints came from Pennsylvania to Victor,
five miles from Mendon, and tarried at the house of Phineas H. Young.
They were Eleazer Miller, Elial Strong, Alpheus Gifford, Enos Curtis
and Daniel Bowen. Hearing of these men, Heber was prompted by
curiosity to visit them, "when," says he, "for the first time I heard
the fullness of the everlasting gospel."
The glorious news of a restored gospel and a living priesthood,
commissioned of and communicating with the heavens; the promise of the
Holy Ghost with signs following the believer, as in days of old; the
wondrous declaration of angels revisiting the earth, breaking the
silence of ages, bringing messages from another world;--all this fell
upon the heart of this God-fearing man, and on the hearts of his
friends and companions, like dew upon thirsty ground. As the voice of
a familiar spirit, it seemed an echo from the far past--something they
had known before.
To hear, with Heber, was to believe. He was convinced that they taught
the truth, and was constrained to receive their testimony. He saw,
more clearly than ever, that he had embraced but a portion of the
truth in the Baptist faith; that the creeds of Christendom, the
religions of the world, were but remnants of the everlasting gospel,
broken off fragments of that grand Rock of Ages, the same in all
generations; mixtures of truth and error; lesser lights at best in the
broad firmament of human faith; and that now, when the Sun had once
more arisen, the stars that lit the night must pale away.
Both Heber and Brigham received the word gladly, and were impelled to
testify of its divinity. Then the power of God fell upon them.
"On one occasion," says Heber, "Father John Young, Brigham Young,
Joseph Young and myself had come together to get up some wood for
Phineas H. Young. While we were thus engaged we were pondering upon
those things which had been told us by the Elders, and upon the saints
gathering to Zion, when the glory of God shone upon us, and we saw the
gathering of the saints to Zion, and the glory that would rest upon
them; and many more things connected with that great event, such as
the sufferings and persecutions that would come upon the people of
God, and the calamities and judgments that would come upon the world.
"These things caused such great joy to spring up in our bosoms that we
were hardly able to contain ourselves, and we did shout aloud
'Hosannah to God and the Lamb.'"
This heavenly vision, vouchsafed as the reward of faith and pure
desires, only made them eager to know more of the "marvelous work and
wonder" which the God of Israel had set His hand to perform, in
fulfillment of the words of His ancient prophets. The Holy Ghost had
fallen upon them, as on Cornelius of old, before baptism. They had
plucked from the Tree of Life, from branches overhanging the wall,
luscious fruit, whose sweetness and flavor made them long to enter the
garden and more fully satisfy the desire of their souls.
Heber, accordingly, proposed a journey to Pennsylvania, the state from
whence the Elders came, where several branches of the Church were
established. It was winter; January, 1832. Putting his horses to the
sleigh, he and his companions set off upon the journey, a distance of
one hundred and twenty-five miles. The party consisted of Heber C.
Kimball, Brigham Young, Phineas Young and the wives of the two latter.
The branch they visited was in Columbia, Bradford County; that from
which the Elders came, in Rutland, Tioga County.
They tarried about six days, attending the meetings of the Church,
witnessing the manifestations of the gifts of the spirit, such as
speaking in tongues, interpretations and prophecy, and learning more
of the nature and mission of the great latter-day work. They returned
home rejoicing, praising God, and bearing testimony by the way.
CHAPTER IV.
HEBER EMBRACES MORMONISM--A BAPTISM OF FIRE--DEATH OF MIRIAM
YOUNG--VILATE KIMBALL A MOTHER TO THE ORPHANS--HEBER ORDAINED AN
ELDER--RESOLVES TO VISIT KIRTLAND.
Heber, be it remembered, was a potter, and, though fairly well-to-do
in the world, continued to labor at his trade for a livelihood.
One day in April, of the spring following his visit to Pennsylvania,
as he was working in his shop, in the act of forming a vessel on the
wheel, Alpheus Gifford entered. This Elder was then on his second
mission to those parts, in company with others of his brethren. The
conversation turning on the subject of the gospel, Heber said:
"Brother Alpheus, I am ready to go forward and be baptized."
What followed is thus graphically told. Says Heber: "I arose, pulled
off my apron, washed my hands and started with him, with my sleeves
rolled up to my shoulders, and went a distance of one mile, where he
baptized me in a small stream in the woods. After I was baptized I
kneeled down and he laid his hands upon my head and confirmed me a
member of the Church of Jesus Christ, and said unto me, 'In the name
of Jesus Christ, and by the authority of the holy Priesthood, receive
ye the Holy Ghost;' and before I got up off my knees he wanted to
ordain me an Elder; but I plead with him not to do it, for I felt
myself unworthy of such a calling, and such an office."
This event, so important to Heber C. Kimball and his posterity, took
place on Monday, the fifteenth of April, 1832. Brigham Young had been
baptized the day before, by Elder Eleazer Miller. Two weeks later,
Heber's wife, Vilate, was baptized by Joseph Young.
A branch was raised up in Mendon numbering over thirty souls; its
members were as follows:
John Young, sen., and Mary his wife,
Brigham Young and Miriam his wife,
Phineas H. Young and Clarissa his wife,
Joseph Young,
Lorenzo D. Young and Persis his wife,
John P. Greene and Rhoda his wife and their children,
Joel Sanford and Louisa his wife,
William Stillson and Susan his wife,
Fanny Young,
Isaac Flummerfelt, wife and children,
Ira Bond and his wife Charlotte,
Heber C. Kimball and Vilate his wife,
Rufus Parks,
John Morton and Betsey his wife,
Nathan Tomlinson and his wife,
Israel Barlow with his mother, brothers and sisters.
The reception of the Holy Ghost was to Heber a veritable "baptism of
fire." He thus describes his remarkable experience:
"Under the ordinances of baptism and the laying on of hands, I
received the Holy Ghost, as the disciples did in ancient days, which
was like a consuming fire. I felt as though I sat at the feet of
Jesus, and was clothed in my right mind, although the people called me
crazy.
"I continued in this way for many months, and it seemed as though my
body would consume away; at the same time the scriptures were unfolded
to my mind in such a wonderful manner that it appeared to me, at
times, as if I had formerly been familiar with them."
Thus did the Comforter, the spirit of truth, bringing things past to
remembrance and showing things to come, move upon the heart of this
"mighty man of valor," whom the Lord was raising up for a marvelous
future work. One of the weak things of earth, through whom the
Omnipotent would yet thresh the nations by the power of His Spirit.
The branch in Mendon began to nourish, and the gifts of the spirit
were poured out upon its members. This branch is reputed to have been
the second in the Church to receive the gift of tongues; one of the
branches in Pennsylvania being the first in which that gift was
manifested.
Such a pentecostal renewal could scarcely take place without a
corresponding movement of opposition on the part of the powers of
darkness. The inevitable was at hand. Satan commenced to rage, and the
Saints were annoyed and persecuted. Heber's former friends turned
against him. His creditors combined to push him to the wall. During
one week five or six executions were taken out against him. His
brother Solomon was the only one outside the Church, willing to lend
him a helping hand in his financial troubles, resulting from the
inimical actions of his neighbors and old-time associates. His brother
Charles, who had formerly befriended him, was dead. But the Lord
opened his way, much to the chagrin of his persecutors, and he
obtained money to meet his liabilities, so that none of his property
was sold at auction.
In September following the organization of the branch in Mendon,
Brigham Young's wife, Miriam, died. She had been feeble for months,
but in her expiring moments, filled with a supernatural vitality, she
clapped her hands and praised God, calling upon all around to join her
in so doing. She continued in this happy state until she breathed her
last, moving her lips in prayer when her voice could no longer be
heard. Heber remarks that the death-bed scene of this zealous and
devoted Saint was to him another testimony of the truth and power of
the everlasting gospel. Vilate Kimball took charge of Miriam's two
little daughters, and, thenceforth, until after they removed from
Mendon, the families of Brigham and Heber were as one.
In the meantime, the latter had been ordained an Elder, under the
hands of Joseph Young, and labored with him and Brigham in the
ministry. They visited Genesee, Avon and Lyonstown, baptizing many and
building up branches of the Church. The following incident, related by
Heber, shows how powerfully the Holy Ghost wrought through him in his
ministrations:
"Brother Ezra Landon preached in Avon and Genesee, baptized eighteen
or twenty, and being afraid to confirm them and promise the Holy
Ghost, he requested me to confirm them, which I did according to the
best of my knowledge, pronouncing but a few words on the head of each
one, and invariably saying, 'receive ye the Holy Ghost in the name of
Jesus Christ.' Immediately the Holy Ghost fell upon them, and several
commenced speaking in tongues before they arose from their knees, and
we had a joyful time. Some ten or twelve spoke in tongues, neither of
whom had ever heard any person speak in tongues before, they being the
first baptized in that place."
The region in which he was laboring is thus interestingly described:
"From the time Father Bosley located near Avon, he found and plowed up
axes and irons, and had sufficient to make his mill irons, and had
always abundance of iron on hand without purchasing.
"In the towns of Bloomfield, Victor, Manchester, and in the regions
round about, there were hills upon the tops of which were
entrenchments and fortifications, and in them were human bones, axes,
tomahawks, points of arrows, beads and pipes, which were frequently
found; and it was a common occurrence in the country to plow up axes,
which I have done many times myself.
"I have visited the fortifications on the tops of those hills
frequently, and the one near Bloomfield I have crossed hundreds of
times, which is on the bluff of Honeyoye River, at the outlet of
Honeyoye Lake.
"In that region there are many small deep lakes, and in some of them
the bottom has never been found. Fish abound in them.
"The hill Cumorah is a high hill for that country, and had the
appearance of a fortification or entrenchment around it. In the State
of New York, probably there are hundreds of these fortifications which
are now visible, and I have seen them in many other parts of the
United States."
Readers of the Book of Mormon will remember that in this very region,
according to that sacred record, the final battles were fought between
the Nephites and Lamanites. At the hill Cumorah, the Nephites made
their last stand prior to their utter extermination, A. D., 385.
Thus was Heber preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles, above the graves
of the ancients of Israel, whose records with the fullness of that
Gospel, and the relics of their prowess and civilization, were now
"whispering from the dust."
But another scene was about to shift in his life's drama. He had
planned to visit Kirtland, the bosom of the Church, and home of Joseph
the Prophet.
CHAPTER V.
THE LAND OF SHINEHAH--ARRIVAL OF HEBER AND BRIGHAM IN KIRTLAND--THEIR
FIRST MEETING WITH THE PROPHET--THE KIMBALLS AND YOUNGS REMOVE TO
OHIO--VEXATIOUS SUITS AND MOB VIOLENCE--FALLEN ON PERILOUS TIMES.
Kirtland, at the time arrived at in our narrative, was the
head-quarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The
home of the Prophet of God and many of the leading Elders of Israel,
it was also the spot designated by revelation where the first temple
was to be built in this dispensation.
The Church, organized at Fayette, Seneca County, New York, on the 6th
of April, 1830, had entered on the third year of its existence, and
the Saints throughout the eastern parts had been commanded to gather
westward. Kirtland and its vicinity, or "the land of Shinehah," as it
is named in revelation, had been settled as a stake of Zion since
early in 1831, and from there, in the summer of the same year, had
gone forth a colony of Saints to purchase and occupy "the land of
Zion," in the western confines of Missouri. That region was then the
nation's frontier, bordering on a wilderness inhabited by wild beasts
and savages, and but sparsely peopled itself by whites scarcely less
ignorant and cruel.
The Gospel, preached by the first missionaries sent westward from New
York, in October, 1830, had taken a firm hold among the
honest-in-heart of Northern Ohio. Among those who had embraced the new
faith--new, indeed, and wonderful to that generation--were Sidney
Rigdon, Edward Partridge and Newel K. Whitney. The Pratts, the
Whitmers, and other noted families were already numbered among the
followers of the "Mormon" Prophet, and it was Parley P. Pratt, Oliver
Cowdery and other Elders who had first brought the Gospel to Kirtland.
The new branch throve so rapidly as to soon eclipse in importance all
others; an event no doubt divinely ordered, as the Saints at large, in
December, 1830, were commanded to "assemble together at the Ohio."
Late in October, or early in November, 1832, Heber C. Kimball, in
company with Brigham and Joseph Young, arrived in Kirtland. They had
traveled by team a distance of three hundred miles. Their first
meeting with the Prophet, whom they had come so far to see, was on the
8th day of November. Joseph was felling trees in the forest when the
party approached. It is related that, on seeing Brigham, he said:
"There is a man who will yet preside over this Church."
As to Heber, the heart of Joseph was at once knit with his, in
friendship like unto that of David and Jonathan; and this feeling of
brotherly love, like a golden chain, uniting these two noble souls,
was destined to endure unbroken through time and eternity.
Says Heber: "We saw brother Joseph Smith and had a glorious time;
during which Brother Brigham spoke in tongues before Joseph, this
being the first time he had heard anyone speak in tongues. He rose up
and testified that the gift was from God, and then the gift fell upon
him and he spoke in tongues himself. He afterwards declared it was the
pure, or Adamic language that he spoke. Soon after this the gift of
tongues commenced in the Church at Kirtland generally. We had a
precious season and returned with a blessing in our souls."
In the fall of 1833, Elder Kimball disposed of his possessions in
Mendon, and settled his affairs preparatory to gathering to the bosom
of the Church. He had borne faithful testimony to the inhabitants of
the place which had been his home for so many years, but, with few
exceptions, they had turned a deaf ear to his warning words. Heber was
the only one of his father's household to embrace the Gospel. His
brother Solomon, though friendly, and at one time, like Agrippa,
"almost persuaded," did not come within the fold.
No sooner was Heber ready to start Zionward, than he was again beset
by petty persecutions. This time they were not only malicious, but of
an out and out dishonest character. Notwithstanding he had settled all
his accounts, and paid every penny that he owed--"unless it was two
cents to one man, in a case where change could not be procured"--and
left debts owing to him, uncollected, to the amount of "some hundred
dollars," attachments were issued at the instance of some of his
neighbors, and his goods seized by officers of the law.
Rather than be delayed by a law-suit, in which, owing to religious
prejudice, he had little hope of receiving fair treatment, he settled
the unjust claims and departed.
His family at this time consisted of himself and wife, and their two
children, William Henry and Helen Mar. Judith Marvin, an elder
daughter, and Roswell Heber, a younger son--the first and latest born
of the household--had died. Brigham Young and his two little daughters
went in the same wagon with the Kimball family to Kirtland. They
reached their destination about the last of October, or early in
November. They first occupied a house belonging to Elijah Smith, uncle
to the wife of Bishop N. K. Whitney; but Heber soon had a home of his
own, which he continued to share with his friend and brother Brigham,
until the latter procured a separate domicile.
It is an interesting fact that Brigham was the builder of Heber's
house in Kirtland, he being a carpenter and joiner, as well as a
painter and glazier.
"When I got to Kirtland," says Elder Kimball, "the brethren were
engaged in building the House of the Lord. The commandment to build
the House and also the pattern of it, were given in a revelation to
Joseph Smith, jun., Sidney Rigdon, and Frederick G. Williams, and it
was to be erected by a stated time. The Church was in a state of
poverty and distress, in consequence of which it appeared almost
impossible that the commandment could be fulfilled. Soon after our
arrival, there was a contribution called for to finish the
school-house and printing office; I contributed the glass for the
house, and I gave Brother Hyrum Smith two hundred dollars for the
building of the temple."
The newly arrived pilgrims had fallen on perilous times. Mobocracy was
rife and rampant; persecution was raging against the Church, both in
Ohio and in Missouri. The infernal regions seemed stirred to their
depths at the prospect of a temple, whose walls, now climbing
heavenward, gave promise of salvation and deliverance for the living
and the dead; the unlocking of prison doors, the bursting of spirit
dungeons, the smiting off of fetters from the limbs of the slave of
sin, and the ushering forth of the penitent captive into the life and
light of gospel liberty. Keys were about to be restored whereby the
heavens would be brought nearer to the earth, the prophets of the past
would minister in holy places to the prophets of the present, and the
cause of human redemption receive such an impetus as would shake the
throne of Satan to its foundations. No wonder the dominions of Sheol
were agitated.
"Our enemies," says Heber, "were raging and threatening destruction
upon us. We had to guard night after night, and for weeks were not
permitted to take off our clothes, and were obliged to lie with our
fire-locks in our arms, to preserve Brother Joseph's life and our own.
Joseph was sued before a magistrate's court in Painesville, on a
vexatious suit. I carried him from Kirtland to Painesville, with four
or five others, in my wagon, every morning for five days, and brought
them back in the evening. We were often waylaid, but managed to elude
our enemies by rapid driving and taking different roads. Esquire
Bissell defended the Prophet and he came off victorious.
"At this time our brethren in Jackson County, Missouri, were also
suffering great persecution; about twelve hundred were driven,
plundered and robbed, their houses burned, and some of the brethren
were killed.
"Mobs were organized around Kirtland, who were enraged against us,
ready to destroy us."
Such was the state of affairs with the Church of the living God, at
the close of the year 1833. Such was the nature of the action upon
which the hero of this history had entered. But he was of the gold,
not the dross of the earth, and passed through the fire, purified, yet
not consumed.
CHAPTER VI.
THE GATHERING OF THE TITANS--HEBER'S TESTIMONY OF JOSEPH AND THE
TWELVE--THEIR MIGHTY MISSION--THE TEST OF FAITH--ZION'S CAMP.
Joseph, Brigham and Heber together in Kirtland! By what strange
fatality were these mighty lives thus interwoven? We have seen how
Brigham and Heber came together, and how, from thenceforth, the
currents of their lives and fortunes ran parallel. Now they were
joined with Joseph, their prophet chief, like streams that swell a
river.
Interesting is it also, if only as a coincidence, that so many of the
leading spirits of the latter-day work should have been natives of
Vermont--a diadem for thee, proud State, and one which thou wilt prize
in coming time!--from whence scattered, ere acquaintance with the
Gospel or with each other began, to meet as co-laborers in the same
great cause, among the hills and dales of Northern Ohio. As though the
heavens had decreed their lives should thus commingle.
And the heavens had so decreed. It was not chance, it was destiny
"shaping their ends," and fulfilling her mission in their behalf. And
though from the ends of the earth--what matter names or nativity?--it
had been the same. "He that scattered Israel will gather him." From
all nations that fated blood, when goes Jehovah's fiat forth, like the
rain-drops sprinkled upon the hills, must trickle back to the Ocean
whence it came.
It was a coalescing of divine affinities, the relinking of a spirit
chain, which, though it often part, is never broken, and though
seemingly divided, forever inseparable.
"Are you ever going to be prepared to see God, Jesus Christ, His
angels, or comprehend His servants, unless you take a faithful and
prayerful course?"
"Did you actually know Joseph Smith?"
The questions are Heber C. Kimball's, addressed in later years to a
congregation of the Saints.
"No," he answers for them, and continues:
"Do you know Brother Brigham? No."
"Do you know Brother Heber? No; you do not."
"Do you know the Twelve? You do not; if you did you would begin to
know God, and learn that those men who are chosen to direct and
counsel you, are near kindred to God and to Jesus Christ, for the
keys, power and authority of the kingdom of God are in that lineage."
This, then, was the purpose, the divine intending, for which they were
now in conjunction; "noble and great ones," great in the heavens and
great upon the earth, ordained as "rulers" ere morning stars sang
gladsome greeting, or Sons of God shouted for joy around the cradle of
the infant world. This, the object of their descent from celestial
empires; to build up a Kingdom unto God, and prepare the world for the
coming of Him "whose right it is to reign." Jewels from Jehovah's
diadem, diamonds in the dust, unseen of saint or sinner in all their
lustre, concealed from a world unworthy of the light it could not
comprehend.
Had Heber's inspired mind probed the secret of Joseph's thought,
expressed in his own oft-quoted words: "Would to God, brethren, I
could tell you who I am!"
As Prophet, Seer, and Revelator to the Church of Jesus Christ, its
president and earthly head, and holder of the keys of the last
dispensation, Joseph was already in the high and holy office for which
he was predestined and fore-ordained. Not so, Brigham; not so, Heber;
not so their apostolic compeers. A trial of their faith was first
necessary, a trial now near at hand, to prove them worthy in the flesh
of the great calling whereunto they were called in the eternal
councils.
In the month of February, 1834, came a commandment from the Almighty
unto His prophet, to "gather up the strength of His house," and "go up
and redeem Zion;" in other words, to recover from the hands of a
fierce and merciless mob the lands in Jackson County, Missouri, from
which the Saints had been driven.
Such were the origin and object of Zion's Camp. Such, the nature of
the perilous duty laid upon them.
CHAPTER VII.
THE REDEMPTION OF ZION--ENOCH'S CITY TO RETURN--OBJECT OF THE UNITED
ORDER--CAUSE OF THE JACKSON COUNTY EXPULSION--THE WHEAT FROM THE
CHAFF.
The redemption of Zion! The building of the new Jerusalem!
Theme of the ancient prophets and glory of the latter days!
Such was the sublime mission given to the Saints of the Most High.
Thus came the word of the Lord concerning it, March, 1831:
"Wherefore, I, the Lord, have said, gather ye out from the eastern
lands, assemble ye yourselves together ye elders of my Church; go
ye forth into the western countries; * *
"And with one heart and with one mind, gather up your riches that
ye may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed
unto you,
"And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city
of refuge, a place of safety for the Saints of the Most High God;
"And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the
Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come
unto it, and it shall be called Zion.
"And it shall come to pass, among the wicked, that every man that
will not take his sword against his neighbor, must needs flee unto
Zion for safety.
"And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under
heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war
one with another.
"And it shall be said among the wicked, let us not go up to battle
against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore
we cannot stand.
"And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered
out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with
songs of everlasting joy."
With this glorious object in view, this sublime motive firing their
souls and filling their hearts with holy zeal, the Saints, in the
summer of 1831, had commenced gathering upon the land of Zion--Jackson
County, Missouri, the chosen site of the great city and temple of God.
Their purpose, to fulfil prophecy, to found the modern Zion, New
Jerusalem, capital city of the kingdom of God. A counterpart of the
Zion of Enoch, sanctified of old and taken into the heavens, to return
in latter times as a leaven of righteousness, to leaven this lump of
clay, the mother earth of our mortality, and make it like unto itself,
and in due time a glorified planet, purified, redeemed, and from sin
forever free.
To prepare the world for that supreme hour "when the Lord shall bring
again Zion," was and is the mission of the Saints of latter days. And
this that the scripture might be fulfilled, which says:
"The Lord hath brought down Zion from above.
"The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath.
"The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength:
"And truth is established in her bowels:
"And the heavens have smiled upon her:
"And she is clothed with the glory of her God:
"For he stands in the midst of his people."
The meeting of the Zions! The marriage of the worlds! Zion from
beneath, the type of truth from earth, embracing Zion from above, the
symbol of righteousness from heaven.
"And they twain shall be one!"
Preparatory to this miraculous event, and indeed to render it
possible, the order of Enoch, the system of divine economy whereby the
Zion of the ancients was redeemed and sanctified, had been newly
revealed to the Zion-builders of the last days.
What says Moses of Enoch and his city?
"And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one
heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no
poor among them."
Oh, the sweetness of those simple words! Oh, the sublimity of the
picture they portray! Liberty, equality, fraternity! This is Zion--THE
PURE IN HEART!
But the Saints in Jackson County, Missouri, were not all that the Lord
requires of a people chosen to execute a purpose so sacred, so
sublime. "There were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and
strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by
these things they polluted their inheritances." Then was the lash of
the Philistine applied, and they were driven forth from the goodly
land. Satan hath his mission, as well as Christ.
Be it not inferred, however, that these hapless victims of mobocratic
tyranny were utterly wicked and depraved, or that all were equally
culpable in the eyes of Him, who, to punish the transgressors,
permitted their enemies to come against them. With all their faults
they were better far than their oppressors, more than the peers, in
every Christian virtue, of the people of the world around them. Yet,
judged by the higher law, the Gospel standard, which the world had not
received, and were not under the same obligation to obey, these
"children of the Light" were found remiss in many things.
The Kingdom of heaven is likened unto a field of grain, gathered unto
the threshing-floor. The purpose of divine punishment is to purify.
Upon the wheat and the chaff, alike, fell the iron flail of
persecution.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE ZION'S CAMP EXPEDITION--JOSEPH AS A PROPHET-GENERAL--FINDING OF
THE BONES OF ZELPH, THE ANCIENT--REBELLION IN THE CAMP--JOSEPH
PREDICTS A SCOURGE--HEBER'S FAILURE AS A LAUNDERER--ZION'S CAMP SAVED
BY A STORM.
"Gather up the strength of my house, and go up and redeem Zion!" Such
was the burden of God's command to Joseph and his brethren in
Kirtland. Such was their interpretation of the divine message and
call.
Bidding farewell to his family and friends, whom he hardly dared hope
he would ever meet again in the flesh, Heber enrolled himself in the
little band of heroes who set out from Kirtland early in May, 1834.
They were about one hundred strong, well armed and equipped, and were
led by the Prophet Joseph in person. Subsequently their number
increased to two hundred and five souls. But Heber will tell his own
story of that eventful pilgrimage. Says he:
"Brother Joseph received a revelation concerning the redemption of
Zion, part of which remains to be fulfilled. He sent messengers to the
east and to the west and to the north and to the south, to gather up
the Elders, and he gathered together as many of the brethren as he
conveniently could, with what means they could spare, to go up to
Zion, to render all the assistance that we could to our afflicted
brethren. We gathered clothing and other necessaries to carry up to
our brethren and sisters who had been plundered; and putting our
horses to the wagons, and taking our firelocks and ammunition, we
started on our journey; leaving only Oliver Cowdery, Sidney Rigdon and
a few aged workmen who were engaged on the temple; so that there were
very few men left in Kirtland. Our wagons were about full with
baggage, etc., consequently we had to travel on foot.
"We started on the 5th of May, and truly this was a solemn morning to
me. I took leave of my wife and children and friends, not knowing
whether I would see them again in the flesh, as myself and brethren
were threatened both in that country and in Missouri by enemies, that
they would destroy us and exterminate us from the land.
"There were about one hundred brethren in our company who started for
Zion. These brethren were nearly all young men, and nearly all Elders,
Priests, Teachers and Deacons. The second day we arrived at New
Portage, being about forty miles, at which place on the 7th we made
regulations for traveling, and appointed a paymaster, whose name was
Frederick G. Williams, and put all our moneys into a general fund.
Some of the brethren had considerable, and others had little or none,
yet all became equal. While here one of my horses received a kick from
another horse, which obliged me to trade away my span, and get another
span of older horses, from Jonathan Taylor. We then proceeded on our
journey twelve miles to the Chippeway River. Here we pitched our tents
under a fine grove.
"The next day we were divided into companies of twelve each, and
captains were appointed over each company. I organized my company in
the following manner, appointing two to attend to cooking, two to see
that fires were made, two to prepare the tent at night and likewise
the bedding, and also to strike the tent each morning, two to fetch
and provide water, one to do the running, two to attend the horses,
see that the wagon was greased and everything prepared for starting.
My business was to see that the company was provided for, and that all
things were done in order. Our living generally was very good, being
able to buy bread from the bakers or inhabitants on the way through
the settled part of the country. After this we purchased flour and had
to bake our own bread. We sometimes had to live on Johnny cake and
corn dodger, and sometimes our living was scant. Every night before we
went to bed we united in our tent and offered up our prayers before
the Lord for protection. This was done by all the companies, at the
sound of a trumpet; and at the sound of a trumpet in the morning,
every man was upon his knees, each one being called upon in his turn
to be mouth in prayer. The same order was attended to in each tent.
There were general officers appointed over the company, viz: Joseph
Smith, commander; Dr. F. G. Williams, quartermaster and historian of
the camp; Zerubbabel Snow and Nathan Tanner, commissaries of
subsistence; Sylvester Smith, adjutant; and Roger Orton, captain of
the guard.
"On the 8th we started on our journey, and on Saturday the 10th we
passed through Mansfield, and camped for the Sabbath in Richfield. On
Sunday the 11th Brother Sylvester Smith preached and the sacrament of
bread and wine was administered to the company. On Monday the 12th we
crossed over the Sandusky plains, and through the Indian settlements.
We then passed through a long range of beech woods where the roads
were very bad. In many instances we had to fasten ropes to the wagons
to haul them out of the sloughs and mud holes by hand. While passing
through the woods the brethren scattered on each side of the road and
went to hunting for wild game. We came to Belle Fontaine, where we
first discovered refractory feelings in Sylvester Smith.
"We passed through a very pleasant country to Dayton, Ohio, where we
crossed the Miami river, which is a very beautiful stream; the water
being only about two and a half feet deep, most of the brethren waded
it. We arrived at this place on Friday the 16th. The brethren were in
good spirits, and the Lord was with us. On Saturday the 17th we passed
into Indiana, just over the line betwixt the States of Ohio and
Indiana, where we camped for the Sabbath, having traveled forty miles
that day; our feet were very sore and blistered, and our stockings
were wet with blood, the weather being very warm. I walked most of the
journey, letting the lame and footsore ride in my stead. I frequently
invited the Prophet to ride, seeing him lame and footsore. On such
occasions he would bless me and my team with a hearty good will. My
team performed the journey very well.
"During the night a spy from the enemy attempted to get into our camp,
but was stopped by the guard. We had our sentinels or guards appointed
every night, on account of spies continually harrassing us. This
evening there was quite a difficulty between some of the brethren and
Sylvester Smith, on occasion of which Brother Joseph was called to
decide the matter. Finding quite a rebellious spirit in Sylvester
Smith, and to some extent in others, he said they would meet with
misfortunes, difficulties and hindrances, 'and you will know it before
you leave this place;' exhorting them to humble themselves before the
Lord, and become united, that they might not be scourged. A very
singular occurrence took place that night and the next day, concerning
our teams. On the following morning when we arose we found almost
every horse in the camp so badly foundered that we could scarcely lead
them a few rods to the water. The brethren then deeply realized the
effects of discord. When Brother Joseph learned the fact he exclaimed
to the brethren that for a witness that God overruled and had His eye
upon them, that all those who would humble themselves before the Lord
should know that the hand of God was in this misfortune, and their
horses should be restored to health immediately; and by twelve o'clock
the same day the horses were as nimble as ever, with the exception of
one of Sylvester Smith's which soon afterwards died.
"May 21st we passed through Indianapolis, the capital of Indiana,
where we crossed White River. The teams forded the river, and most of
the brethren crossed over the new bridge which was unfinished. We had
been threatened by our enemies that we should not go through the town,
but we passed through unmolested. Everything appeared to be in perfect
silence as we went through, although the people looked aghast as if
fear had come upon them. At night we camped on an open spot, the top
of an eminence. Here we lost one horse.
"On Sunday, the 25th, we arrived at the edge of Illinois; we had no
meeting, but attended to washing and baking to prepare for our
journey. On the 26th we resumed our march. At night we were alarmed by
the continual threatening of our enemies. I would here remark that
notwithstanding so many threats were thrown out against us, we did not
fear, nor hesitate to proceed on our journey, for God was with us, and
angels went before us, and we had no fear of either men or devils.
This we know because they (the angels) were seen. On Tuesday we came
to the Okaw, a fork of the Kaskaskia River, where we found two canoes;
we lashed them together and they served as a kind of ferry boat. We
took our baggage out of our wagons, put it on board and ferried it
across; then took our wagons and horses, and swam them across, and
when they got to the opposite shore the brethren fastened ropes into
the tongues of the wagons and helped the horses and wagons out of the
river. Others felled trees and laid them across the river, and thus
helped themselves over. In this way we all crossed in safety.
Wednesday, the 28th, we reached the township of Decatur, where we lost
another horse. Saturday the 31st, at night, we camped one mile from
Jacksonville and prepared for the Sabbath.
"On Sunday, June 1st, we had preaching all day, and many of the
inhabitants of the town came out to hear. Brother John S. Carter
preached in the morning. By this time the inhabitants began to flock
down in companies to hear the preaching, as they understood we were
professors of religion and had a meeting in the morning. Brother
Joseph then proposed that some of the brethren should set forth
different portions of the Gospel in their discourses. He called upon
Brother Joseph Young to preach upon the principles of free salvation.
He then called upon Brother Brigham Young to speak, who set forth
baptism as essential to salvation. He was followed by Brother Orson
Hyde, who proved by the scriptures that baptism was for the remission
of sins. Lyman E. Johnson spoke at some length upon the necessity of
men being upright in their walk, and keeping the Sabbath day holy.
Brother Orson Pratt delivered an excellent discourse on the principles
of the final restoration of all things. The services of the day were
concluded by a powerful exhortation from Eleazer Miller. His voice was
said to be heard a mile and a half. I would here remark concerning
Brother Eleazer Miller, who was one of the first that brought the
Gospel to us at Mendon, New York: when he used to retire to a little
grove near my house for secret prayer, he would get so filled with the
Spirit and the power of the Holy Ghost that he would burst out in a
loud voice so that he was heard by the surrounding inhabitants for
more than a mile. After the services were over, many strangers were in
our camp making remarks upon the preaching which they had heard. They
said that Brother Joseph Young, by his preaching, they should judge
was a Methodist. They thought Brother Brigham Young was a close
communion Baptist. Brother Orson Hyde they supposed was a Campbellite
or reformed Baptist. Brother Lyman E. Johnson they supposed was a
Presbyterian, and Brother Orson Pratt a Restorationer. They enquired
if we all belonged to one denomination. The answer was, we _were_ some
of us Baptists, some Methodists, some Presbyterians, some Cambellites,
some Restorationers, etc.
"On Monday morning when we passed through Jacksonville, they undertook
to count us; and I heard one man say, who stood in the door of a
cabinet shop, that he had counted a little rising of five hundred, but
he could not tell how many there were. This thing was attempted many
times in villages and towns as we passed through, but the people were
never able to ascertain our number.
"While traveling in Indiana some spies came into our camp. While we
were eating dinner on the 21st of May, three gentlemen came riding up
on very fine looking horses and commenced their enquiries of various
ones concerning our traveling in so large a body, asking where we were
from, and where we were going. The reply was as usual, some from
Maine, some from New York, some from Massachusetts, some from Ohio,
and some replied, we are from the east, and as soon as we have done
eating we shall be going to the west again. They then addressed
themselves to Dr. Williams, to see if they could find out who the
leader of the camp was. The doctor replied, we have no one in
particular. They asked if we had not a general to take lead of the
company. The reply was, no one in particular. But, said they, is there
not some one among you whom you call your captain, or leader, or
superior to the rest? He answered, sometimes one, and sometimes
another, takes charge of the company so as to not throw the burden
upon any one in particular. These same spies, who had come from the
west, passed us that same day, and the next.
"On Monday, June 2nd, we crossed the Illinois River. The enemy had
threatened that we should not pass over, but we were ferried across
without any difficulty. Here we were counted by the ferryman and he
declared we were five hundred in number, although there were only
about one hundred and fifty of us. Our company had increased since we
started from Kirtland in consequence of many having volunteered and
joined us from the different branches of the Church through which we
had passed on our journey. We camped on the west bank of the river
until the next day.
"On Tuesday, the 3d, several of us went up with the Prophet to the top
of a mound on the bank of the Illinois River, which was several
hundred feet above the river, and from the summit we had a pleasant
view of the surrounding country. We could overlook the tops of the
trees and the meadow or prairie on each side the river as far as our
eyes could extend, which was one of the most pleasant scenes I ever
beheld. On the top of this mound there was the appearance of three
altars, which had been built of stone, one above the other, according
to the ancient order; and the ground was strewn with human bones. This
caused in us very peculiar feelings, to see the bones of our fellow
creatures scattered in this manner,--fellow creatures who had been
slain in ages past. We felt prompted to dig down into the mound, and
sending for a shovel and hoe, we proceeded to move away the earth. At
about one foot in depth we discovered the skeleton of a man, almost
entire; and between two of his ribs we found an Indian arrow, which
had evidently been the cause of his death. We took the leg and thigh
bones and carried them to Clay County. All four appeared sound.
Brother Brigham Young has yet the arrow in his possession. It was a
common thing to find bones thus bleaching upon the earth in that
country.
"The same day we pursued our journey. While on our way we felt anxious
to know who the person was who had been killed by that arrow. It was
made known to Joseph that he had been an officer who fell in battle,
in the last destruction among the Lamanites, and his name was Zelph.
This caused us to rejoice much, to think that God was so mindful of us
as to show these things to His servant. Brother Joseph had enquired of
the Lord and it was made known to him in a vision.
"While we were refreshing ourselves and teams, about the middle of the
day, Brother Joseph got up in a wagon and said he would deliver a
prophecy. After giving the brethren much good advice, he exhorted them
to faithfulness and humility, and said the Lord had told him that
there would be a scourge come upon the camp in consequence of the
fractious and unruly spirits that appeared among them, and they would
die like sheep with the rot; still if they would repent and humble
themselves before the Lord, the scourge in a great measure might be
turned away; 'but, as the Lord lives, this camp will suffer for giving
way to their unruly temper;' which afterwards actually did take place
to the sorrow of the brethren.
"The same day when we had got within one mile of the Snye, we came to
a very beautiful little town called Atlas. Here we found honey, for
the first time on our journey, that we could buy. We purchased about
two-thirds of a barrel. We went down to the Snye and crossed over that
night in a ferry boat and camped for the night on the west bank. There
was a great excitement in the country through which we had passed, and
also ahead of us; the mob threatened to stop us; guns were fired in
almost every direction through the night.
"We pursued our journey on the 4th and camped on the bank of the
Mississippi River. Here we were somewhat afflicted, and the enemy
threatened much that we should not cross over the river out of
Illinois into Missouri. It took us two days to cross the river, as we
had but one ferry boat, and the river was one mile and a half wide.
While some were crossing others spent their time in hunting, fishing,
etc. When we had all got over we camped about one mile from the little
town of Louisiana, in a beautiful oak grove, immediately on the bank
of the river.
"At this place there were some feelings of hostility again manifested
by Sylvester Smith, in consequence of a dog growling at him while he
was marching his company up to the camp, he being the last that came
over the river. The next morning Brother Joseph said that he would
descend to the spirit that was manifested by some of the brethren to
show them the folly of their wickedness. He rose up and commenced by
saying, 'If any man insults me, or abuses me, I will stand in my own
defence at the expense of my life; and if a dog growl at me, I will
let him know that I am his master.' At this moment Sylvester Smith,
who had just returned from where he had turned out his horses to feed,
came up, and hearing Brother Joseph make those remarks said, 'If that
dog bites me I'll kill him.' Brother Joseph turned to Sylvester and
said, 'If you kill that dog I'll whip you;' and then went on to show
the brethren how wicked and unchristian-like such conduct appeared
before the eyes of truth and justice.
"On Friday, the 6th, we resumed our journey. On Saturday night we
camped among our brethren at Salt River, in the Allred settlement, in
a piece of woods by a beautiful spring of water, and prepared for the
Sabbath. On the Sabbath we had preaching. We remained here several
days, washing our clothes and preparing to resume our journey. Here we
were joined by Hyrum Smith and Lyman Wight, with another company. The
camp now numbered two hundred and five men, all armed and equipped. It
was delightful to see the company, for they were all young men, with
one or two exceptions, and all in good spirits.
"We were now reorganized in the following order: Joseph Smith was
acknowledged commander-in-chief; Lyman Wight was chosen general of the
camp; then Brother Joseph chose twenty men for his life guard, I being
one of them; Brother George A. Smith was Brother Joseph's
armor-bearer; Hyrum Smith was chosen captain of the life guard; the
remainder of the camp was organized into companies as before stated.
We had twenty-five wagons, two horses on each, and on some three. One
day while we remained here our general marched us out on a large
prairie. He then proceeded to inspect us, examine our firelocks, etc.
Afterwards we were marched in platoons, and, an object being placed,
we discharged our pieces in order to try them. We were drilled about
half a day, and then returned to the camp.
"My first attempt at washing my clothes took place at Salt River. My
shirts being extremely dirty, I put them into a kettle of water and
boiled them for about two hours, having observed that women who washed
boiled their clothes, and I supposed by so doing they boiled out the
dirt; I then took them and washed them, endeavoring to imitate a woman
washing as near as I could. I rubbed the clothes with my knuckles
instead of the palm of my hand, and rubbed the skin off so that my
hands were very sore for several days. My attempts were vain in trying
to get the dirt out of the clothes. I wondered at this considerably,
and scolded and fretted because I could not get the dirt out, and
finally gave it up, and wrung them and hung them out to dry. Having no
flat-irons to iron them, I took them to Sisters Hollbrook and Ripley
to get them ironed. When they saw them they said I had not washed my
clothes. I told them I had done my best, and although I had boiled
them two hours before washing, and had washed them so faithfully that
I had taken the skin off my knuckles, still I had not been successful
in getting the dirt out. They laughed heartily, and informed me that
by boiling before washing I had boiled the dirt into them.
"On the 12th we again resumed our march; many of the inhabitants went
with us several miles; they seemed to have much respect for us. We
traveled about fourteen miles and camped on a large prairie.
"We tarried in the middle of this prairie, which was about
twenty-eight miles across, on account of a rupture which took place in
the camp. Here F. G. Williams and Roger Orton received a very severe
chastisement from Brother Joseph for not obeying orders. In this place
further regulations were made in regard to the organization of the
camp.
"A day or two after this, Bishop Partridge met us, direct from Clay
County, as we were camping on the bank of the Wacondah River, in the
woods. We received much information from Brother Partridge concerning
the hostile feelings and prejudices that existed against us in all
quarters of Missouri. It gave us great satisfaction to receive
intelligence from him, as we were in peril and threatened all the
time. I will here mention one circumstance that transpired during our
stay at this place, which was that of Brother Lyman Wight baptizing
Dean Gould, as he was not previously a member of the Church, yet had
accompanied us all the way from Kirtland.
"We pursued our journey, following the bank of the river, for several
miles. As we left the river and came into a very beautiful prairie,
Brother William Smith killed a very large deer, which made us some
very nourishing soup, and added to our comfort considerably.
"On Wednesday, the 18th, at night, we camped one mile from the town of
Richmond, Ray County. On Thursday, the 19th, we arose as soon as it
was light and passed through the town before the inhabitants were up.
As Luke Johnson and others were passing through before the teams came
along, Brother Luke observed a black woman in a gentleman's garden
near the road. She beckoned to him and said, 'come here massa.' She
was evidently much agitated in her feelings. He went up to the fence
and she said to him, 'there is a company of men lying in wait here who
are calculating to kill you this morning as you pass through.' This
was nothing new to us as we had been continually threatened through
the whole journey, and death and destruction seemed to await us daily.
This day we only traveled about fifteen miles. One wagon broke down
and the wheels ran off from another, and there seemed to be many
things to hinder our progress, although we strove with all diligence
to speed our way forward. Our intentions were when we started to go
through to Clay County that day; but all in vain.
"This night we camped on an elevated piece of land between two
branches of the Fishing River. Just as we halted and were making
preparations for the night, five men rode into the camp and told us we
should see hell before morning, and such horrible oaths as came from
their lips I never heard before. They told us that sixty men were
coming from Richmond, who had sworn to destroy us, also seventy more
were coming from Clay County, to assist in our destruction. These men
were black with passion, and armed with guns, and the whole country
was in a rage against us, and nothing but the power of God could save
us. All this time the weather was pleasant. Soon after these men left
us we discovered a small black cloud rising in the west, and not more
than twenty minutes passed away before it began to rain and hail; but
we had very little hail in our camp. All around us the hail was heavy;
some of the hailstones, or rather lumps of ice, were as large as hens'
eggs. The thunder rolled with awful majesty, and the red lightnings
flashed through the horizon, making it so light that I could see to
pick up a pin almost any time through the night. The earth quaked and
trembled, and there being no cessation it seemed as though the
Almighty had issued forth his mandate of vengeance. The wind was so
terrible that many of our tents were blown down. We were not able to
hold them up; but there being an old meeting house close at hand, many
of us fled there to secure ourselves from the storm. Many trees were
blown down, and others were twisted and wrung like a withe. The mob
came to the river two miles from us, but the river had risen to that
height that they were obliged to stop without crossing over. The hail
fell so heavily upon them that it beat holes in their hats, and in
some instances even broke the stocks off their guns; their horses,
being frightened, fled, leaving the riders on the ground. Their powder
was wet, and it was evident that the Almighty fought in our defense.
This night the river raised forty feet.
"In the morning I went to the river in company with Brother Joseph
Smith, Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young and others, as we had it in
contemplation to proceed that morning to Liberty, Clay County; but we
could not continue our journey as there was no way to cross the river.
It was then overflowing its banks; and I have seen the river since and
proved that it was fully forty feet from the top of its banks to the
bottom. Previous to this rain falling, it was no more than ankle deep.
Such a time never was known by us before; still we felt calm all
night, and the Lord was with us. The water was ankle deep to us all
night, even on that eminence, so we could not sleep.
"At this place W. W. Phelps, S. W. Denton, John Corrill and many
others from Liberty joined us; from whom we received much information
from the brethren who had been driven from Jackson County, and learned
of the fixed determination of our enemies to drive or exterminate them
from that county.
"The next day, when we moved into the country we saw that the hail had
destroyed the crops, and we saw that it had come in some directions
within a mile and in other directions within a half mile of our camp.
After passing a short distance the ground was literally covered with
branches of the trees which had been cut off by the hail. We went a
distance of five miles on the prairie to get food for our horses and
also to get some provisions for ourselves, and to get into some secure
place where we could defend ourselves from the rage of the enemy. We
stayed there three or four days, until the rage of the people was
somewhat allayed.
"On the 21st Colonel Sconce and two other leading men from Ray County
came to see us, desiring to know what our intentions were, 'for,' said
he, 'I see that there is an almighty power that protects this people,
for I started from Richmond, Ray County, with a company of armed men,
having a fixed determination to destroy you, but was kept back by the
storm and was not able to reach you.' When he came into camp he was
seized with such a trembling that he was obliged to sit down in order
to compose himself. When he desired to know what our intentions were,
Brother Joseph arose and began to speak; and the power of God rested
upon him. He gave a relation of the sufferings of our people in
Jackson County, and also many of our persecutions and what we had
suffered from our enemies for our religion; and that we had come one
thousand miles to assist our brethren, to bring them clothing, and to
reinstate them upon their own lands; that we had no intentions to
molest or injure any people, but only to administer to the wants of
our afflicted brethren; and that the evil reports which were
circulated about us were false, and were circulated by our enemies to
get us destroyed.
"After he had finished speaking, the power of which melted them into
compassion, they arose and offered him their hands, and said they
would use their influence to allay the excitement which everywhere
prevailed against us. They accordingly went forth and rode day and
night to pacify the people. They wept because they saw we were an
afflicted people, and that our intentions were pure.
"The next day the sheriff of that county, named Neil Gilliam, came to
deliver a short address to us. We formed into companies and marched
into a grove a little distance from the camp, and there formed
ourselves into a circle, and sat down upon the ground. Previous to Mr.
Gilliam's address he (Gilliam) said, I have heard much concerning
Joseph Smith, and I have been informed that he is in your camp; if he
is here I would like to see him.' Brother Joseph arose and said 'I am
the man.' This was the first time he was made known during the journey
of one thousand miles. Mr. Gilliam then arose and gave us some
instructions concerning the manners and customs of the people, their
disposition, etc., and what course we should take in order to gain
their favor and protection.
"On the Sabbath day while we were in this place, being in want of
salt, I took it upon me to go to some of the inhabitants and get some.
Brother Cyrus Smalling took his rifle and went along with me. After
passing through a path enclosed by hazel bushes, about two miles from
the camp, I discovered a deer a little distance ahead of us standing
across the path. I made motions to Brother Smalling, and he, drawing
up his rifle over my shoulder, which served for a rest, fired and hit
the deer just behind the shoulder. It ran a few rods and fell. We cut
a pole and fastening the deer on it, got it on our shoulders and
carried it along to camp, when we dressed it and divided it among the
different companies, and had an excellent feast.
"Here Brothers Ezra Thayer and Thomas Hayes were taken sick with the
cholera. We left them there, and also brother Joseph Hancock, who had
been taken with the cholera during the storm, and who was the first
person attacked with it. Brother Joseph called the camp together, and
told us that in consequence of the disobedience of some who had not
been willing to listen to his words, but had been rebellious, God had
decreed that sickness should come upon us, and we should die like
sheep with the rot; and said he, 'I am sorry, but I cannot help it.'
When he spake these things it pierced me like a dart, having a
testimony that so it would be."
CHAPTER IX.
THE FISHING RIVER REVELATION--WHY ZION WAS NOT REDEEMED--THE CHOLERA
IN CAMP--THE TEST OF FAITH COMPLETE--THE SHADOW OF A COMING EVENT.
Here, while the Camp rested on Fishing River, the Lord made further
known His will concerning the redemption of Zion. The revelation was
given on the 22nd of June, the same day that the Prophet repeated his
warning in relation to the coming scourge. The points most pertinent
to our narrative are here given:
"Behold I say unto you, were it not for the transgressions of my
people, speaking concerning the church and not individuals, they
might have been redeemed even now;
"But behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things
which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of
evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to
the poor and afflicted among them,
"And are not united according to the union required by the law of
the celestial kingdom;
"And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the
law of the celestial kingdom, otherwise I cannot receive her unto
myself.
"And my people must needs be chastened until they learn obedience,
if it must needs be, by the things which they suffer. * * * * * *
"Therefore, in consequence of the transgression of my people, it
is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for a little
season for the redemption of Zion. * *
"But inasmuch as there are those who have hearkened unto my words,
I have prepared a blessing and an endowment for them, if they
continue faithful. * * *
"I have heard their prayers, and will accept their offering; and
it is expedient in me, that they should be brought thus far for a
trial of their faith."
Those who had families in the east were then told that they might
return, while the rest were required to remain in Missouri. The Saints
were instructed to observe wisdom and humility, and "lift up an ensign
of peace" to their enemies and to all the world, while awaiting the
day of God's power and of Zion's redemption.
The real purpose of the Almighty in relation to this important event
was foreshadowed in a revelation given February 24th, 1834, the one
calling for the organization of Zion's Camp. Therein the Lord says:
"Behold I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by
power;
"Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead
them like as Moses led the children of Israel,
"For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham,
and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a
stretched out arm:
"And as your fathers were led at the first, even so shall the
redemption of Zion be."
While there is no doubt that, had the Lord's people been prepared,
they might have been redeemed according to His word, it is also
evident that the times were not then ripe for that event. This will be
shown more plainly as we proceed.
Continuing his narrative, Heber says;
"On Monday, June 23rd, a council of high priests met, according to
revelation, to choose some of the first Elders to receive their
endowments; being appointed by the voice of the spirit, through Joseph
Smith the Prophet. Edward Partridge was called and chosen to go to
Kirtland and receive his endowments, with power from on high, and to
also stand in his office as a bishop to purchase land in Missouri.
Also W. W. Phelps, Isaac Morley, John Whitmer, David Whitmer, Algernon
S. Gilbert, Peter Whitmer, Simeon Carter, Newel Knight, Thomas B.
Marsh, Lyman Wight, Parley P. Pratt, Christian Whitmer, and Solomon
Hancock were severally called and chosen to receive their endowments
in Kirtland with power from on high.
"On the morning of the 24th we started for Liberty, Clay County, where
our brethren were residing who had been driven from Jackson County,
taking our course round the head of Fishing River, in consequence of
high water. When we got within five or six miles of Liberty, General
Atchison and several other gentlemen met us, desiring that we would
not go to Liberty, as the feelings of the people in that place were
much enraged against us. Changing our course and bearing to the left,
we pursued our way across a prairie; then passing through a wood we
came to Brother Sidney Gilbert's where we camped on the bottom of Rush
Creek, in a field belonging to Brother Burgett.
"The destroyer came upon us as we had been warned by the servant of
God. About 12 o'clock at night we began to hear the cries of those who
had been seized. Even those on guard fell with their guns in their
hands, and we had to exert ourselves considerably to attend to the
sick, for they were stricken down on every hand. Thus it continued
until morning when the camp was separated into several little bands,
and dispersed among the brethren.
"I was left at the Camp in company with Joseph B. Noble, John D.
Parker, Luke Johnson and Warren Ingalls, in care of those who were
sick. We stayed with, and prayed for them, hoping they would recover,
but all hope was lost, for about six o'clock in the morning John S.
Carter expired. When the cholera first broke out he was the first who
came forward to rebuke it; when he was immediately seized by it, and
was the first to die. In about thirty minutes after Seth Hitchcock
died, and it seemed as though we must all sink under the power of the
destroyer.
"We were not able to obtain lumber to make them coffins, but were
under the necessity of rolling them up in their blankets and burying
them in that manner. We placed them on a sled, which was drawn by a
horse about half a mile, and buried them in a little bluff by the side
of a small branch of Rush Creek. This was accomplished by dark. Our
hopes were that no more would die, but while we were uniting in prayer
with uplifted hands to God, we looked at our beloved brother, Eber
Wilcox, who was gasping his last. At this scene my feelings were
beyond expression. Those only who witnessed it can realize anything of
the extent of our sufferings; and I felt to weep and pray to the Lord,
that he would spare my life that I might behold my dear family again.
I felt to covenant with my brethren and my God never to commit another
sin while I lived. We felt to sit and weep over our brethren, and so
great was our grief that we could have washed them with our tears. To
realize that they had traveled a thousand miles through so much
fatigue to lay down their lives for their brethren, increased our love
for them.
"Brothers Brigham and Joseph Young came from Liberty and assisted us
to bury Brother Wilcox. Their presence gave us much consolation. About
12 o'clock at night we placed Brother Wilcox on a small sled which we
drew to the place of interment with one hand on the rope and the other
bearing our firelocks for defense. While two were digging the grave
the others stood with their arms to defend them.
"While Brother Luke Johnson was digging, the cholera attacked him with
cramping and blindness. Brother Brigham laid hold of him and pulled
him out of the grave, and shook him about, talked to and prayed for
him, and exhorted him to jump about and exercise himself, when it
would leave him for a few moments, then it would attack him again; and
thus we had the greatest difficulty to keep the destroyer from laying
us low. Soon after we returned another brother was taken from our
little band; thus it continued until five out of ten were taken away.
"After burying these five brethren I was seized by the hand of the
destroyer, as I went in the woods to pray. I was instantly struck
blind, and saw no way whereby I could free myself from the disease,
only by jumping and thrashing myself about, until my sight returned to
me and my blood began to circulate in my veins. I started and ran some
distance, and by this means, through the help of God, I was enabled to
extricate myself from the grasp of death. This circumstance took place
in a piece of woods behind Brother Gilbert's house.
"On the 26th Algernon Sidney Gilbert, keeper of the Lord's storehouse,
signed a letter to the governor, in connection with others, which was
his last public act, for he had been called to preach and he said he
would rather die than go forth and preach the Gospel to the wicked
Gentile nations. The Lord took him at his word; he was attacked with
the cholera and died about the 29th.
"Brothers Erastus Budd and Jesse Johnson Smith, a cousin of the
Prophet, died at Brother Gilbert's about the same time.
"While we were here, the brethren being in want of some refreshment,
Brother Luke Johnson went to Brother Burgett to get a fowl, asking him
for one to make a broth for Elder Wilcox and others; but Brother
Burgett denied him it, saying, 'In a few days we expect to return back
into Jackson County, and I shall want them when I get there.' When
Brother Johnson returned he was so angry at Burgett for refusing him,
he said, 'I have a great mind to take my rifle and go back and shoot
his horse.' I told Luke to never mind; that such actions never fail to
bring their reward.
"Judge how we felt, after having left the society of our beloved
families, taking our lives in our hands and traveling about one
thousand miles through scenes of suffering and sorrow, for the benefit
of our brethren, and after all to be denied of a small fowl to make a
little soup for brethren in the agonies of death. Such things never
fail to bring their reward, and it would be well for the Saints never
to turn away a brother who is penniless and in want, or a stranger,
lest they may one day or other want a friend themselves.
"I went to Liberty, to the house of Brother Peter Whitmer, which place
I reached with difficulty, being much afflicted with the disease that
was among us. I stayed there until my return home, receiving great
kindness at the hands of the brethren.
"The destroyer having afflicted us four days, ceased. Sixty-eight were
attacked by the disease, of which number fourteen members of Zion's
Camp died.
"June 30th I started for home in company with Lyman Sherman, Sylvester
Smith, Alexander Badlam, Harrison Burgess, Luke Johnson and Zera Cole.
They elected me their captain.
"We proceeded on our journey daily, the Lord blessing us with strength
and health. The weather was very hot, but we traveled from thirty-five
to forty miles a day, until about the 26th of July, when we arrived in
Kirtland; having been gone from home about three months, during which
time, with the exception of four nights, I slept on the ground.
"On my arrival home I found my family well, and I felt to rejoice in
the Lord that He had preserved my life through so many dangers.
Concluding that I had finished my mission to which the Lord had called
me, after resting a few days, I established my pottery and began
business."
Thus ended that remarkable expedition; remarkable for its object, for
the issues involved, for its tragic episodes, examples of heroism and
miraculous manifestations of divine power. What had it achieved? some
may ask. Nay, might not many be tempted to query, Was not the mission
of Zion's Camp a failure?
"What have you accomplished?" was the sneering taunt of the apostate
and of those weak in faith, met by the remnant of the little band on
their return to Kirtland. "Just what we went for;" the meek, though
firm reply of such men as Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young.
And they were right. To them it was no failure. The trial of their
faith was complete. Their offering, like Abraham's, had been accepted.
They had been weighed in the eternal balance, and were not found
wanting.
But what of Zion and her redemption?
Let the word of the Lord, the God of Enoch, the God of Joseph give
answer:
"THE REDEMPTION OF ZION MUST NEEDS COME BY POWER."
Power dwells in unity, not in discord; in humility, not pride; in
sacrifice, not selfishness; obedience, not rebellion.
Zion's Camp, if it failed at all in fulfilling its mission, failed for
precisely similar reasons to those which had caused the expulsion of
the Saints from Jackson County; reasons which, in ancient times, kept
Israel wandering for forty years in the wilderness, within sight of
their coveted Canaan, which they were not permitted in that generation
to possess. Like Moses, these modern pilgrims beheld, as from Pisgah's
top, their promised land: like Moses, on account of transgression,
they were not permitted to "cross over." No doubt there were Calebs
and Joshuas in the Camp, who were worthy. But the great event, in the
wisdom of the Highest, was not then destined to be.
It was left for a future generation and its Joshua to go up in the
might of the Lord and redeem Zion.
Yet not alone upon Zion's Camp must rest the responsibility of their
failure to redeem Zion. It bears with at least equal weight upon those
whom they came to succor.
What said the Lord concerning them?
"Behold, they have not learned to be obedient, * * * but are full
of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as
becometh Saints, to the poor and afflicted among them."
Is not the episode of the fowl, related by Heber, a tell-tale straw
before the wind in this connection? Can a people honey-combed with
selfishness build up Zion?
"And are not united according to the union required by the law of
the celestial kingdom;"--
Again that injunction of unity, the secret of Zion's redemption.
"Except ye are one ye are not mine."
"And Zion cannot be built up unless it is by the principles of the
law of the celestial kingdom, otherwise I cannot receive her unto
myself."
Wonderful revealing, this. What is it but to say that the United
Order, the Order of Enoch, the Order of Zion, is the order of the
celestial worlds, where the Gods, a divine brotherhood, have "all
things common?"
"Therefore it is expedient in me that mine elders should wait for
a little season, for the redemption of Zion."
Is it marvelous that this should be; that a work of such magnitude
should require preparation; that Zion, city of holiness, should be
built up only by the pure in heart? Ah, reader, the redemption of Zion
is more than the purchase or recovery of lands, the building of
cities, or even the founding of nations. It is the conquest of the
heart, the subjugation of the soul, the sanctifying of the flesh, the
purifying and ennobling of the passions. Greater is he who subdues
himself, who captures and maintains the citadel of his own soul, than
he who, misnamed conqueror, fills the world with the roar of drums,
the thunder of cannon, the lightning of swords and bayonets, overturns
and sets up kingdoms, lives and reigns a king, yet wears to the grave
the fetters of unbridled lust, and dies the slave of sin.
In her children's hearts must Zion first be built up and redeemed;
"every man seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things
with an eye single to the glory of God." When the fig-tree of Israel's
faith puts forth such leaves, then know that the summer is nigh.
"And this cannot be brought to pass, until mine elders are endowed
with power from on high."
And yet were these same elders, unendowed, sent forth to redeem Zion?
Surely the Lord did not design it then to be. Else, would he not have
endowed them before-hand? This admitted, and what becomes of their
"failure?"
Ah, there are many such failures in a sublime success. They are but
steps in the stairway of triumph and victory.
What did Zion's Camp achieve? It cast the shadow of a coming event;
struck the spark that shall kindle to a flame; fixed on the horizon of
history a shining star, the herald of a glory yet to come.
CHAPTER X.
BUILDING THE TEMPLE--JOSEPH AND HEBER WORKING IN THE QUARRY--THE
THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL--A LESSON ON FAITH--CALL OF THE TWELVE--HEBER C.
KIMBALL ORDAINED AN APOSTLE.
The work now engaging, almost exclusively, the attention of the Church
in Kirtland, was the building of the Temple. This edifice was begun in
June, 1833. The walls were partly reared when, in the year following,
the expedition for the relief of the Missouri Saints took from
Kirtland nearly all the able-bodied men whose means and energies,
otherwise, would have been employed upon the Lord's House.
But the sacred enterprise was not suffered to languish. The elders
left in charge were untiring in their efforts to promote the work. The
brethren labored day and night, and the sisters--among the foremost,
as ever, in a good cause--were not one whit behind. Says Heber:
"Our women were engaged in knitting and spinning, in order to clothe
those who were laboring at the building; and the Lord only knows the
scenes of poverty, tribulation and distress which we passed through to
accomplish it. My wife had toiled all summer in lending her aid
towards its accomplishment. She took a hundred pounds of wool to spin
on shares, which, with the assistance of a girl, she spun, in order to
furnish clothing for those engaged in building the temple; and
although she had the privilege of keeping half the quantity of wool
for herself, as a recompense for her labor, she did not reserve even
so much as would make a pair of stockings, but gave it for those who
were laboring at the house of the Lord. She spun and wove, and got the
cloth dressed and cut and made up into garments, and gave them to the
laborers on the temple. Almost all the sisters in Kirtland labored in
knitting, sewing, spinning, etc., for the same purpose; while we went
up to Missouri to endeavor to reinstate our brethren on the lands from
which they had been driven.
"Elder Rigdon, when addressing the brethren upon the importance of
building this house, spake to this effect: That we should use every
effort to accomplish this building by the time appointed; if we did
the Lord would accept it at our hands; and on it depends the salvation
of the Church, and also of the world. Looking at the sufferings and
poverty of the Church, he frequently went upon the walls of the
building, both by night and day, and wept, crying aloud to the
Almighty to send means whereby we might accomplish the building.
"After we returned from our journey to the West, the whole Church
united in this great undertaking, and every man lent a helping hand.
Those who had not teams went to work in the stone quarry and prepared
the stones for drawing to the house.
"The Prophet, being our foreman, would put on his tow frock and tow
pantaloons and go into the quarry. The Presidency, High Priests and
Elders all alike assisting. Those who had teams assisted in drawing
the stone to the house. These all laboring one day in the week,
brought as many stones to the house as supplied the masons through the
whole week. We continued in this manner until the walls of the house
were reared. The committee who were appointed by revelation to
superintend the building were Hyrum Smith, Reynolds Cahoon and Jared
Carter. They used every exertion in their power to forward the work."
During the winter of 1834-5, Heber attended the theological school
established in Kirtland. Here originated the lectures on faith,
contained in the book of Doctrine and Covenants. It was the custom, at
these meetings, to call upon a certain number to speak for the
edification of the others. Heber, on one occasion, was invited to
address them on the subject of faith. Every passage of scripture
bearing on the theme having been quoted by previous speakers, and not
wishing to repeat what they had said, he was left to depend entirely
upon the Spirit. He began by relating the following anecdote, the
incident of which had occurred in his own family:
"My wife, one day, when going out on a visit, gave my daughter Helen
Mar charge not to touch the dishes, for if she broke any during her
absence she would give her a whipping when she returned. While my wife
was absent my daughter broke a number of the dishes by letting the
table leaf fall, and then she went out under an apple tree and prayed
that her mother's heart might be softened, that when she returned she
might not whip her. Her mother was very punctual when she made a
promise to her children, to fulfill it, and when she returned she
undertook, as a duty, to carry this promise into effect. She retired
with her into her room, but found herself powerless to chastise her;
her heart was so softened that it was impossible for her to raise her
hand against the child. Afterwards, Helen told her mother she had
prayed to the Lord that she might not whip her."
Heber paused in his simple narrative. Tears glistened in the eyes of
his hearers; the Prophet Joseph was weeping like a child. He told the
brethren that that was the kind of faith they needed; the faith of a
little child, going in humility to its Parent, and asking for the
desire of its heart. He said the anecdote was well-timed.
A grammar school was opened in Kirtland the same winter, taught by
Sidney Rigdon and William E. McLellin. Most of the Elders, including
the Prophet, attended this school. Some of them were very apt pupils
and made rapid headway. Heber's progress, however, was only moderate.
Grammar, as a study, afforded him little delight. The mysteries of
syntax seemed to elude his mental grasp, as the will-o'-the-wisp the
eye and hand of its pursuer. A lover of choice language, and, when
loftily inspired, a user of much that was beautiful and sublime; a
never-failing fountain of poetic thought and imagery; the
technicalities of his mother tongue nevertheless seemed to baffle him.
His forte lay elsewhere. He was a philosopher, rather than an orator.
Many excelled him in speaking, but few, as thinkers, were his equals.
If, in the gift of speech, the power of expression, he fell below many
of his confreres, he had thoughts, ideas, inspirations, toward which,
as eagles toward the sun, their loftiest oratory soared in vain. His
words, though humble, were as sparks of prophecy from the Spirit's
flaming forge; his inspired utterances, casual as they sometimes
seemed, were like oracles and decrees of fate.
"I used to tell Brother Heber I never wanted him to say anything but
good of me," an Apostle once remarked, significantly, in the hearing
of the writer.
Some six weeks after the establishment of the grammar school, a
meeting of the Camp of Zion was called to assemble, to receive what
was termed "a Zion's blessing." At this meeting it was announced by
the Prophet that "those who went to Zion with a determination to lay
down their lives, if necessary, it was the will of God that they
should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard
for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh--even
fifty-six years should wind up the scene."
Foremost of these evangelists, were to be chosen twelve men, to be
known as the Twelve Apostles.
The calling of the Twelve had been revealed to Joseph as early as
June, 1829. In the same revelation it was given to Oliver Cowdery and
David Whitmer--whose calling, the Lord said, was the same as that of
the Apostle Paul--to "search out the Twelve," and make known to them
their mission.
Little thought Heber that he was to be one of them, and would live to
make his name illustrious as a bearer of glad tidings to the nations.
It is doubtful that he even knew, at that time, of the intention to
choose the Apostles. The revelations were not published then, as now,
and few had access to the manuscripts in those early days.
The day set for the choosing of the Twelve was Saturday, February
14th, 1835. The meeting having been duly organized, an expression was
taken whereby the Elders present signified their willingness and
"anxious desire" to have the Spirit of the Lord dictate in the choice
of the Apostles. The three witnesses--Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer
and Martin Harris, each in turn then offered prayer. They were blessed
under the hands of the First Presidency, and then proceeded to call
forth the Twelve.
The first three chosen were Lyman E. Johnson, Brigham Young and Heber
C. Kimball. They were called into the stand, and, after expressing
themselves in relation to the holy calling about to be conferred upon
them, were ordained under the hands of the First Presidency and the
Three Witnesses. "These brethren," says Heber, "ordained us to the
Apostleship." Here is a copy of his ordination blessing:
"Heber C. Kimball shall be made like unto those who have been
blessed before him, and he shall be favored with the same
blessing; that he may receive visions, the ministration of angels,
and hear their voices, and even come into the presence of God.
That many millions may be converted by his instrumentality, that
angels may waft him from place to place, and that he may stand
unto the coming of our Lord; that he shall be made acquainted with
the day when Christ shall come; that he shall be made perfect in
faith; that the deaf shall hear, the lame shall walk, the blind
shall see, and greater things than these shall he do; and that he
shall have boldness of speech before the nations, and great
power." Etc.
The next day Orson Hyde, David W. Patten, Luke S. Johnson, William E.
McLellin, John F. Boynton and William Smith were chosen in like
manner. The remaining three of the Twelve were Parley P. Pratt, Orson
Pratt and Thomas B. Marsh, who were absent at the time of choosing.
Parley was ordained an Apostle on February 21st, Thomas B. Marsh on
the 25th or 26th of April, and Orson Pratt on the 26th of that month.
No history of this important event would be complete without the
famous "Charge to the Twelve," delivered by President Oliver Cowdery.
It was as follows:
"DEAR BRETHREN:--Previously to delivering the charge I shall read
a part of a revelation. It is known to you that previous to the
organization of this Church in 1830, the Lord gave revelations or
the Church could not have been organized.
"The people of this Church were weak in faith compared with the
ancients. Those who embarked in this cause were desirous to know
how the work was to be conducted. They had read many things in the
Book of Mormon concerning their duty and the way the great work
ought to be done; but the minds of men are so constructed that
they will not believe without a testimony of seeing or hearing.
The Lord gave us a revelation that in process of time there should
be twelve chosen to preach His Gospel to Jew and Gentile. Our
minds have been on a constant stretch to find who these twelve
were.
"When the time should come, we could not tell, but we sought the
Lord by fasting and prayer, to have our lives prolonged to see
this day, to see you, and to take a retrospect of the difficulties
through which we have passed. But having seen the day, it becomes
my duty to deliver to you a charge. And first, a few remarks
respecting your ministry. You have many revelations put into your
hands, revelations to make you acquainted with the nature of your
mission. You will have difficulties by reason of your visiting all
the nations of the world. You will need wisdom in a two-fold
proportion to what you have ever had. You will have to combat all
the prejudices of all nations." He then read the revelation and
proceeded to say, "Have you desired this ministry with all your
hearts? If you have desired it, you are called of God, not of man,
to go into all the world." He read again from the revelation, what
the Lord said to the twelve brethren. "You have your duty
presented in revelation. You have been ordained to the Holy
Priesthood. You have received it from those who had their power
and authority from an angel. You are to preach the Gospel to every
nation. Should you in the least degree come short of your duty,
great will be your condemnation, for the greater the calling, the
greater the transgression. I, therefore, warn you to cultivate
great humility, for I know the pride of the human heart. Beware
lest the flatterers of the world lift you up. Beware lest your
affections are captivated by worldly objects.
"Let your ministry be first. Remember the souls of men are
committed to your charge, and if you mind your calling you shall
always prosper. You have been indebted to other men in the first
instance for evidence, on that you have acted. But it is necessary
that you receive a testimony from Heaven for yourselves, so that
you can bear testimony to the truth of the Book of Mormon, and
that you have seen the face of God; that is more than the
testimony of an angel. When the proper time arrives, you shall be
able to bear this testimony to the world. When you bear testimony
that you have seen God, this testimony God will never suffer to
fall, but will bear you out, although many will not give heed, yet
others will. You will therefore see the necessity of getting this
testimony from Heaven. Never cease striving until you have seen
God face to face. Strengthen your faith, cast off your doubts,
your sins and all your unbelief, and nothing can prevent you from
coming to God. Your ordination is not full and complete till God
has laid His hand upon you. We require as much to qualify us as
did those who have gone before us. God is the same. If the Savior
in former days laid His hands on His disciples, why not in the
latter days?
"With regard to superiority I must make a few remarks. The ancient
Apostles sought to be great; but, brethren, lest the seeds of
discord be sown in this matter, understand the voice of the Spirit
on this occasion, God does not love you better or more than
others. You are to contend for the faith once delivered to the
Saints. Jacob, you know, wrestled till he obtained. It was by
fervent prayer and diligent search that you have obtained the
testimony that you are now able to bear. You are as one. You are
equal in bearing the keys of the kingdom to all nations.
"You are called to preach the Gospel of the Son of God to the
nations of the earth. It is the will of your Heavenly Father that
you proclaim His Gospel to the ends of the earth and the islands
of the sea. Be zealous to save souls. The soul of one man is as
precious as the soul of another. You are to bear this message to
those who consider themselves wise, and such may persecute you;
they may seek your life. The adversary has always sought the lives
of the servants of God. You are, therefore, to be prepared at all
times to make a sacrifice of your lives, should the Lord require
them in the advancement and building up of His cause. Murmur not
at God. Be always prayerful, be always watchful. You will bear
with me while I relieve the feelings of my heart. We shall not see
another day like this. The time has fully come. The voice of the
Spirit has come to set these men apart. You will see the time when
you will desire to see such a day as this, and you will not see
it. Every heart wishes you peace and prosperity, but the scene
with you will inevitably change. Let no man take your Bishopric,
and beware that you lose not your crowns. It will require your
whole souls. It will require courage like Enoch's. The time is
near when you will be in the midst of congregations who will gnash
their teeth upon you. This Gospel must roll and will roll till it
fills the whole earth.
"Did I say congregations would gnash upon you? Yea, I say nations
will gnash upon you. You will be considered the worst of men. Be
not discouraged at this. When God pours out His Spirit the enemy
will rage, but God, remember, is on your right hand and on your
left. A man, though he may be considered the worst, has joy who is
conscious that he pleases God. The lives of those who proclaim the
true Gospel will be in danger. This has been the case ever since
the days of righteous Abel.
"The same opposition has been manifest whenever men came forward
to publish the Gospel. The time is coming when you will be
considered the worst by many, and by some the best of men. The
time is coming when you will be perfectly familiar with the things
of God. This testimony will make those who do not believe your
testimony, seek your lives. But there are whole nations who will
receive your testimony. They will call you good men. Be not lifted
up when you are called good men. Remember you are young men, and
you shall be spared. I include the other three. Bear them in mind
in your prayers, carry their cares to a throne of grace. Although
they are not present yet you and they are equal.
"This appointment is calculated to create an affection in you, for
each other, stronger than death. You will travel to other nations.
Bear each other in mind. If one or more is cast into prison, let
the others pray for him and deliver him by their prayers.
"Your lives shall be in great jeopardy, but the promise of God is
that you shall be delivered. Remember you are not to go to other
nations till you receive your endowment. Tarry at Kirtland until
you are endowed with power from on high. You need a fountain of
wisdom, knowledge and intelligence such as you never had. Relative
to the endowment, I make a remark or two, that there be no
mistake. The world cannot receive the things of God. He can endow
you without worldly pomp or great parade. He can give you that
wisdom, that intelligence and that power which characterized the
ancient Saints and now characterizes the inhabitants of the upper
world. The greatness of your commission consists in this; you are
to hold the keys of this ministry. You are to go to the nations
afar off; nations that sit in darkness. The day is coming when the
work of God must be done. Israel shall be gathered. The seed of
Jacob shall be gathered from their long dispersion. There will be
a feast to Israel the elect of God. It is a sorrowful tale, but
the Gospel must be preached and His (God's) ministers be rejected,
but where can Israel be found, and receive your testimony and not
rejoice? Nowhere. The prophecies are full of great things that are
to take place in the last days. After the elect is gathered out,
destruction shall come on the inhabitants of the earth. All
nations shall feel the wrath of God after they have been warned by
the Saints of the Most High. If you will not warn them others will
and you will lose your crowns. You must prepare your minds to bid
a long farewell to Kirtland, even till the great day come. You
will see what you never expected to see. You will need the mind of
Enoch or Elijah and the faith of the brother of Jared. You must be
prepared to walk by faith, however appalling the prospect to human
view. You, and each of you should feel the force of the imperious
mandate. Son, go labor in my vineyard, and cheerfully receive what
comes, but in the end you will stand while others will fall. You
have read in the revelation concerning ordination. Beware how you
ordain, for all nations are not like this nation. They will
willingly receive the ordinances at your hand to put you out of
the way. There will be times, when nothing but the angels of God
can deliver you out of their hand. We appeal to your intelligence,
we appeal to your understanding, that we have so far discharged
our duty to you. We consider it one of the greatest condescensions
of our Heavenly Father in pointing you out to us. You will be
stewards over this ministry.
"We have work to do that no other men can do. You must proclaim
the Gospel in its simplicity and purity, and we commend you to God
and the word of His grace. You have our best wishes, you have our
most fervent prayers that you may be able to bear this testimony,
that you have seen the face of God. Therefore call upon Him in
faith and mighty prayer till you prevail, for it is your duty and
your privilege to bear such testimony for yourselves. We now
expect you to be faithful, to fulfill your calling, there must be
no lack here. You must fulfill in all things, and permit us to
repeat, all nations have a claim on you. You are bound together as
the three witnesses were, you, notwithstanding can part and meet
and meet and part again till your heads are silvered o'er with
age."
He then took them separately by the hand and said: "Do you with full
purpose of heart take part in this ministry, to proclaim the Gospel
with all diligence with those your brethren, according to the tenor
and intent of the charge you have received." Each of them answered in
the affirmative.
Thus were chosen the first Twelve Apostles of the last dispensation.
The first quorum of Seventies, their co-laborers in the ministry, was
called into existence about the same time, its members being selected,
as the Twelve had been, from the survivors of Zion's Camp, whose faith
and integrity had been tried and proven.
The Apostles assembled from time to time to receive instructions from
the Prophet, and strengthen each other in the Lord. One evening when
they had met together for this purpose, the grand revelation on
Priesthood (now forming the first half of Section 107 of the book of
Doctrine and Covenants) was given.
Sunday, April 5th, 1835. Says Heber: "The Twelve had not all, as yet,
been together, and as the time drew near that we should travel to the
east, we appointed this day to bear our testimony unto our brethren
and friends. We were all assembled together with the exception of
Brother Orson Pratt, who had not yet been with us. We proceeded to
speak according to our ages, the oldest speaking first. This day
Brothers Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young and Heber C.
Kimball spoke. Sunday, 12th, Brothers Orson Hyde, William E. McLellin,
Parley P. Pratt, and Luke S. Johnson spoke. Sunday, 19th, Brothers
William Smith, John F. Boynton and Lyman E. Johnson spoke, closing the
testimony of the Twelve Apostles to the people in Kirtland at that
time. Sunday, 26th, Brother Orson Pratt entered the house while we
were opening the meeting and praying and wishing for his arrival. He
was ordained an apostle, and we received our charge from Joseph Smith,
the Prophet."
The eldest of the Apostles, Thos. B. Marsh, thus became president of
the quorum; though the Twelve were all equal in authority. This order
was agreeable to the will of Heaven.
CHAPTER XI.
FIRST MISSION OF THE TWELVE--HEBER REVISITS THE SCENES OF HIS
CHILDHOOD--MOBBING AN ABOLITIONIST--"THE ACCUSER OF THE
BRETHREN"--DAYS OF REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION.
The Apostles started on their first mission, May 4th, 1835. They
traveled through the eastern states and Upper Canada, preaching,
baptizing, setting in order the branches of the Church, counseling the
Saints to gather westward, and collecting means for the purchase of
lands in Missouri and the completion of the Lord's House in Kirtland.
Like the Apostles anciently, they went forth two by two, traveling
"without purse or scrip," and preaching by the way. Heber's first
companion was William Smith, brother to the Prophet.
Separating at Dunkirk, New York, on the 5th of May, the Apostles met
in conference on the 9th, at Westfield, Chautauqua County. Here they
sat in council upon the first case brought before them for
adjudication. A local traveling Elder named Joseph Rose had been
teaching erroneous doctrine and perverting the word of God, in that he
spiritualized the literal promise of the Savior; that before His
second coming the sun should be darkened and the moon turned to blood.
Rose asserted that the Jewish church was the sun, darkened, and the
Gentile church, the moon, which should be turned to blood. He was
shown his error and reproved sharply, whereupon he humbly acknowledged
his fault.
At Mendon, his former home, Heber and his companion, Elder Orson Hyde,
were confronted by a Baptist priest named Fulton, who withstood them
harshly. Says Heber: "He called us false prophets, and, rejecting our
testimony, advised us to go home. We declared unto him that we should
go forth preaching the Gospel, and no power should stay us. I told him
if he did not repent of his sins and be baptized for the remission of
them, he would be damned; which made him angry. We then passed on
until we came to a pure stream of water, and there cleansed our feet,
bearing testimony against him, as the Lord commanded."
At the Lyonstown conference, on the 6th of June, it was Heber's turn
to preside; the Twelve having been instructed by the Prophet to
preside in turn at their meetings according to their ages. From here
Elder Kimball traveled in company with Elder Luke Johnson towards
Pillowpoint, the place of the next conference. In the town of Rose
they were cordially received, but in Hewton were turned away from
twelve houses, where they had solicited entertainment. At midnight
they put up at an inn, retiring supperless to bed, as they had but one
shilling with which to pay for their lodging. A walk of six miles
before breakfast next morning brought them to Esquire David
Ellsworth's where they were warmly welcomed and hospitably
entertained. The Apostles blessed the kind souls who thus administered
to their wants, and who, on bidding them farewell, gave them money,
wished them God-speed and wept at their departure. About one year
later the whole family embraced the Gospel.
At Pillowpoint, Jefferson County, a conference was held on the 19th of
June. Here the council tried John Elmer, a member of the Church, for
holding views and doctrines opposed to the principles of truth. "When
called upon, he stated that he had had many visions and revelations,
and that the Lord had revealed to him of a certainty that He would
make His second appearance within fifteen years; also that the Spirit
of God often came upon him and threw him down, and caused him to
disfigure himself, or die the death of the righteous, or of the
wicked, and then come to life again in the presence of others, to
convince them that he was a man of God and had great power. He also
stated that in one of his visions the Lord Jesus appeared personally
and laid His hands upon him and sanctified him, both soul and body,
and that he was now immortal or changed, so that he would never die.
He stated that he could hold red-hot iron or live coals of fire in his
hands without receiving any injury; together with other curious
notions and vagaries, ascribing them all to the power of God; and that
he never would deny them, although the Council and whole Church should
decide against him. The Council endeavored to show him that he was
deceived by the adversary, but to no effect. He said he would rather
be expelled from the Church than give up any of his views or say they
were not of God. Consequently the Church lifted their hands against
him."
While at Sackett's Harbor, Heber received a letter from his wife,
apprising him of the birth of his son, Heber P., at Kirtland, on the
1st of June. His joy found vent in a characteristic burst of humor. He
propounded the following riddle to the brethren: "I have three
children now, and have not seen one of them." This was quite a puzzle
to them, until he explained that the _one_ he referred to was the
infant born since he left home.
He next visited his native state, Vermont, and remained several days
among the scenes of his childhood, visiting and preaching to his
relatives and acquaintances, and wherever opportunity arose. Some
believed, but did not obey the Gospel. A false prophet named Davison
had gone through the country some time before, deceiving the people
with pretended miracles. They were therefore prejudiced against the
true faith, with its new and strange promises of spiritual gifts and
blessings.
Crossing over the Green Mountains, taking a bypath through a lonely
and densely timbered wilderness, his only companions the wild animals
and screech-owls inhabiting those solitudes, he arrived at St.
Johnsbury, and met in council with his brethren on the 17th of July.
They held their meetings in a large barn belonging to a Mr. Snow. It
was in this neighborhood that the Snow, Farr, Badger and Bingham
families embraced the Gospel. Apostle Erastus Snow was born at St.
Johnsbury, November 9th, 1818.
With sore and blistered feet, Heber now traveled alone down the
Connecticut river into New Hampshire, visiting the town of Plainfield,
where his mother was born. He met with considerable opposition, even
among his own kindred. At Bradford the Twelve sat in council and tried
Elder Gladden Bishop for teaching false doctrine. He was suspended
from fellowship. Heber next visited Boston, in company with Apostles
Thomas B. Marsh and Brigham Young, and after spending several days
with the Saints in that city, where each was presented with a new suit
of clothes by Sisters Fanny Brewer, Polly Voce and others, they went
northward to the state of Maine. On the way they stopped at Dover, and
were shown through a large cotton factory, the work-hands all
suspending operations and gazing with much curiosity at the "Mormon
Apostles."
The last conference of the year 1835 was held at Farmington, Maine, on
the 28th of August. Having fulfilled their mission, the Apostles
agreed to return to Kirtland, and separated with that understanding,
after appointing a day and hour to meet upon the steamboat wharf in
Buffalo.
At Concord, New Hampshire, under date of September 3rd, Heber writes
thus in his journal: "Here I understood an Abolitionist named Davis
was going to deliver a lecture at the Court House. I went with the
other stage passengers to hear his principles. After waiting some time
for the gentleman, instead of seeing his person as we anticipated, we
beheld an uproar among the people, and our ears were saluted with the
howls of three or four hundred demons in human shape who were in
search of the Abolitionist; and not finding him in the State House, or
streets, they commenced demolishing a building and searching others.
After a little while the peace officers prevailed on them to desist.
They then prepared an effigy, which they carried through the streets
on a rail for some time; then forming an assembly before the State
House, had an oration delivered on the subject and burned the effigy,
while the men of the city dared not open their mouths or say ought to
them. They then went to a place where they had three pieces of cannon,
which they continued firing until daylight. This was a night of
peculiar feeling; reflecting upon the night when my brethren were
driven from their homes in Jackson County, Missouri, by a similar mob,
and also considering that the time might come when I might fall into
the hands of a like band of ruffians, my cry to the Lord was, Save the
man from the hands of these foul monsters. There was such an uproar in
the city next morning, that it took five men to hold the horses while
the passengers got into the stage. This man was one of the first
lecturers on Abolitionism in that country, and it was then very
unpopular."
At Plainfield, Heber tarried two days with his cousin, Charles
Spaulding, in the house where his mother was born and reared. From him
he received a legacy of seven dollars, left him by his aunt, Speedy
Spaulding, who had died a short time before. This money enabled him to
pursue his journey. By way of Albany, New York, Palmyra and the hill
Cumorah, he proceeded to Canandaigua, where lived his sister Melvina
(Mrs. James M. Wheeler) and to Byron, the home of his sister Abigail
(Mrs. Jesse Mum). Thence he rode on to Buffalo, the stage arriving
just one hour ahead of the appointed time. His brethren, the Apostles,
were all there awaiting him.
Taking passage on board the steamer "United States," they had gone as
far as Dunkirk when the vessel struck a rock and sprung a leak. She
made for Erie, but reached there with difficulty, being obliged to run
upon a sand-bar to keep from sinking. Hailing a passing boat, the
Apostles left the disabled steamer, and on board the other arrived at
Fairport, from which point they had sailed nearly five months before.
Here they hired wagons and drove on to Kirtland, reaching home on the
25th of September.
While the Apostles were absent upon this mission, the "accuser of the
brethren" had been busy sowing discord, with a view to causing
coldness and estrangement between the First Presidency and the Twelve.
Two of the Apostles, Orson Hyde and William E. McLellin, had been
suspended during their absence and called home for trial, and, so
great was the influence brought to bear by misrepresentation upon the
minds of the Presidency, they had been led to mistrust the fidelity of
others.
The charge against Elders Hyde and McLellin was for speaking and
writing disrespectfully of President Rigdon, in his manner of
conducting the Kirtland school. The charge was substantiated, and the
brethren confessed their fault and were restored to fellowship.
The accusations against the Twelve were more serious. It was said that
they had sought to be independent of the presiding quorum of the
Church, and had failed to fulfill their mission, in not preaching, at
the Freedom conference, the gathering to Zion, or the collection of
means for the Kirtland Temple and the purchase of lands in Missouri.
Both charges were proved to be groundless.
At the council, where the Apostles laid their grievances before the
Presidency, and "all things were reconciled," the Prophet Joseph, it
is said, made a covenant with the Twelve that never again would he
entertain a charge against them on one-sided testimony, or pass
judgment upon them even in thought, without first giving them an
opportunity of being heard in their own defense.
If this noble, just, and charitable resolve had always been adhered to
by the Saints of God, in whom, if in any people, such a principle
should find its exponents and exemplars, how many bitter
heart-burnings might have been spared; how many reputations remained
unblasted, enmities unaroused, wounds uninfected! Had the idle gossip,
the malicious slanderer, the toadying, truckling tale-bearer, who
oscillates, pendulum-like, between man and man, seeking occasion
against his brother, making him "an offender for a word," coloring all
he hears, and pouring into oft too willing ears his insidious tale of
derogations and detractions;--had such characters invariably been
required to face those whom they accused and to prove their
assertions, who can say that the cause of Zion, the unity and
purification of God's people, would not have been subserved rather
than injured thereby? Are we not too prone to heed the tale-bearer,
the secret enemy, who, striking unawares with "the shaft that flies in
darkness," perchance seeks to build up his own, upon the ruins of his
brother's reputation; and too slow to remember justice and the law of
God--that in the mouths of two or three witnesses, and these not
enemies of the accused, shall every word be established?
Well might Solomon say, and well may it be believed, that among the
things which "the Lord doth hate," are "a false witness that speaketh
lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."
The men who had caused the trouble between the Presidency and the
Apostles, or those whom Heber held responsible, were Warren Cowdery,
Jared Carter and others, who, using Oliver Cowdery and other
influential Elders near the person of the Prophet, as conduits of
their ill-will, wrought injury to their brethren who were far away,
unable, because absent, to defend themselves.
"I will here remark," says Heber, "that every individual who used an
influence against the Twelve on their mission, apostatized and went
out of the Church; and this should remain an everlasting warning to
all others. In those days there was a continual itching in certain
individuals to destroy the union existing between the Twelve and the
First Presidency, and the union in the First Presidency, which thing
they did at last effect, which broke up the Church for a time; for
Oliver Cowdery, Warren Cowdery, Jared Carter, Frederick G. Williams,
and six of the Twelve became disaffected, and turned against Joseph
and those of the Twelve who sustained him."
As, in the end, good comes of evil, and from the compost-heap springs
forth the flower of fragrance and beauty, so from the unhappy event
related, issued good and glad results. From the time the
reconciliation took place between the Presidency and the Twelve, a
reformation commenced in the Church. "Those meetings," says Heber, "of
humiliation, repentance, and confessing of sins, were truly the
beginning of good days to us, and they continued through the
endowment."
CHAPTER XII.
HEBER'S DESCRIPTION OF THE TEMPLE--ITS DEDICATION--ANGELS
ADMINISTER--THE "BELOVED DISCIPLE" JOHN SEEN--THE SOLEMN ASSEMBLY--THE
ELDERS ENDOWED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH--HEBER'S LONE MISSION.
The Kirtland Temple was dedicated on the 27th of March, 1836. It was
yet in an unfinished state, but for some time had been used for
meetings and councils of the Priesthood. From Heber's pen we have the
following description of the edifice and the ceremonies of its
dedication:
"This building the Saints commenced in 1833, in poverty, and without
means to do it. In 1834 they completed the walls, and in 1835-6 they
nearly finished it. The cost was between sixty and seventy thousand
dollars. A committee was appointed to gather donations; they traveled
among the churches and collected a considerable amount, but not
sufficient, so that in the end they found themselves between thirteen
and fourteen thousand dollars in debt. This house was 80 x 60 feet,
and 57 feet high to the eaves. It was divided into two stories, each
22 feet high and arched overhead. Ten feet were cut off from the front
by a partition, and used as an entry or outer court, which also
contained the stairs. This left the main room 55 x 65 feet in the
clear, both below and above. In each of these rooms were built two
pulpits, one in each end. Each pulpit consisted of four different
apartments; the fourth standing on a platform raised a suitable height
above the floor; the third stood directly behind and elevated a little
above the fourth; the second in rear of and elevated above the third;
and in like manner the first above the second. Each of these
apartments was just large enough and rightly calculated to seat three
persons, and the breastwork in front of each of these three last
mentioned was constituted of three semicircles joining each other, and
finished in good style. The fourth or lower one, was straight in
front, and had an elegant table leaf attached to it, that could be
raised at pleasure for the convenience of administering the sacrament,
etc. These pulpits were alike in each end of the house. One was for
the use of the Melchisedek or High Priesthood, and the other for the
Aaronic or lesser Priesthood. The first or highest apartment was
occupied by the First Presidency over the whole Church; the second
apartment by the Melchisedek High Priesthood; the third by the
President of the High Priest's Quorum; and the fourth by the President
of the Elders and his two counselors. The highest apartment of the
other pulpit was occupied by the Bishop of the Church and his two
counselors; the next by the President of the Priests and his two
counselors; the third by the President of the Teachers and his two
counselors; and the fourth by the President of the Deacons and his two
counselors.
"Each of these apartments had curtains hanging from the ceiling over
head down to the top of the pulpit, which could be rolled up or
dropped down at pleasure; and when dropped down would completely
exclude those within the apartment from the sight of all others. The
room itself was finished with slips and seats so calculated that by
slipping the seats a little the congregation could change their faces
toward either pulpit they chose; for in some cases the high Priesthood
would administer, and in other cases the lesser Priesthood would
administer. The room was also divided into four compartments by means
of curtains or veils hanging from the ceiling over head down to the
floor, which could be rolled up at pleasure, so that the house could
be used all in one or divided into four rooms and used for different
purposes. Thus the house was constructed to suit and accommodate the
different quorums of the Priesthood and worship peculiar to the
Church. The first story or lower room was dedicated for divine worship
alone. The second story was finished similar in form to the first, but
was designed wholly for instructing the Priesthood, and was supplied
with tables and seats instead of slips. In the attic, five rooms were
finished for the convenience of schools and for different quorums of
the Church to meet in. There was no baptismal font in this temple, the
ordinance of baptism for the dead not having been revealed.
"At the time of dedication the first story was finished, also the
attic, but the second story was in an unfinished condition.
"At the dedication an address was delivered by Elder Rigdon, from
Matthew 8th chap., 18th, 19th and 20th verses--more particularly the
20th. He spoke two hours and a half. The tenor of his discourse went
to show the toils, sufferings, privations, and hardships the brethren
and sisters had to endure while building this house, and compared it
with the sufferings of the Saints in the days of the Savior. After the
address the voice of the assembly was taken in reference to receiving
and upholding the several presidents of the different quorums in their
standing. The vote was unanimously in the affirmative in every
instance. A hymn was sung, and then we had an interesting address from
President Joseph Smith, and closed with a dedication prayer written by
the Prophet.
"During the ceremonies of the dedication, an angel appeared and sat
near President Joseph Smith, sen., and Frederick G. Williams, so that
they had a fair view of his person. He was a very tall personage,
black eyes, white hair, and stoop shouldered; his garment was whole,
extending to near his ankles; on his feet he had sandals. He was sent
as a messenger to accept of the dedication. The Priesthood was
organized according to the proper order. During the whole of the
dedication each quorum was placed in its respective station.
Everything was conducted in the best of order, and profound silence
maintained."
The Temple having been dedicated, the Apostles and Elders received
their endowments, according to the promise of the Lord in Missouri.
Says Heber:
"We had been commanded to prepare ourselves for a solemn assembly. At
length the time arrived for this assembly to meet; previous to which
the Prophet Joseph exhorted the Elders to solemnize their minds, by
casting away every evil from them, in thought, word and deed, and to
let their hearts become sanctified, because they need not expect a
blessing from God without being duly prepared for it, for the Holy
Ghost would not dwell in unholy temples. This meeting took place soon
after the house of the Lord had been dedicated. * * *
"When the Prophet Joseph had finished the endowments of the First
Presidency, the Twelve and the Presiding Bishops, the First Presidency
proceeded to lay hands upon each one of them to seal and confirm the
anointing; and at the close of each blessing the whole of the quorums
responded to it with a loud shout of Hosanna! Hosanna! etc.
"While these things were being attended to the beloved disciple John
was seen in our midst by the Prophet Joseph, Oliver Cowdery and
others. After this all the quorums arose in order, together with the
three Presidencies; and the Twelve then presented themselves
separately and individually before the First Presidency, with hands
uplifted towards heaven, and asked of God whatever they felt to
desire; and after each individual petition the whole of the quorums
answered aloud Amen! Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! To God and the Lamb,
forever and ever, amen and amen!
"The 6th day of April being the day appointed for fasting and prayer,
all the Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons, numbering about four
hundred, met together in the House of the Lord to attend to further
ordinances; none being permitted to enter but official members who had
previously received their washings and anointings. Water being
provided, the First Presidency, after girding themselves with towels,
proceeded to wash the feet of the Twelve. After they got through the
Twelve girded themselves and washed the feet of the Seventies. They
then took their seats, each quorum seating themselves in their
respective places and continued in fasting and prayer, prophesying and
exhortation until evening. A sufficient quantity of bread having been
provided to feed this whole assembly, it was broken by the First
Presidency of the Church and Twelve, after which the congregation
knelt while a benediction was pronounced upon it by the First
Presidency; and afterwards the Twelve took it and administered to the
congregation. Then wine, also being provided, was blessed by the First
Presidency and in like manner served to the congregation by the
Twelve. This order of things is similar to that which was attended to
by the Savior, amongst His disciples, previous to His ascension. The
meeting continued on through the night; the spirit of prophecy was
poured out upon the assembly, and cloven tongues of fire sat upon
them; for they were seen by many of the congregation. Also angels
administered to many, for they were also seen by many.
"This continued several days and was attended by a marvelous spirit of
prophecy. Every man's mouth was full of prophesying, and for a number
of days or weeks our time was spent in visiting from house to house,
administering bread and wine, and pronouncing blessings upon each
other to that degree, that from the external appearances one would
have supposed that the last days had truly come, in which the Spirit
of the Lord was poured out upon all flesh, as far as the Church was
concerned, for the sons and daughters of Zion were full of
prophesying. In this prophesying great blessings were pronounced upon
the faithful, and also great cursings upon the ungodly, or upon those
who had smitten us. During this time many great and marvelous visions
were seen, one of which I will mention which Joseph the Prophet had
concerning the Twelve. His anxiety was and had been very great for
their welfare, when the following vision was manifested to him, as
near as I can recollect:
"He saw the Twelve going forth, and they appeared to be in a far
distant land. After some time they unexpectedly met together,
apparently in great tribulation, their clothes all ragged, and their
knees and feet sore. They formed into a circle, and all stood with
their eyes fixed upon the ground. The Savior appeared and stood in
their midst and wept over them, and wanted to show Himself to them,
but they did not discover Him. He (Joseph) saw until they had
accomplished their work, and arrived at the gate of the celestial
city; there Father Adam stood and opened the gate to them, and as they
entered he embraced them one by one and kissed them. He then led them
to the throne of God, and then the Savior embraced each one of them
and kissed them, and crowned each one of them in the presence of God.
He saw that they all had beautiful heads of hair and all looked alike.
The impression this vision left on Brother Joseph's mind was of so
acute a nature, that he never could refrain from weeping while
rehearsing it."
"I continued through the winter," says Heber, "some of the time going
to school, and the residue laboring with my hands, until May, 1836,
when I enquired of the Prophet Joseph if I should go on a mission to
preach, or go to school; he replied I might do either, for the Lord
would bless me in the course I should pursue. Accordingly, on the 10th
of May I left Kirtland and proceeded to Fairport, where I took
steamboat and arrived in Buffalo the next day. From that place I
passed on to the northeast, preaching where doors were open, and
baptizing for the remission of sins such as believed.
"June 13th, I arrived at Sackett's Harbor. I had the pleasure of
meeting Brothers Luke Johnson and Orson Pratt, who were laboring with
all their might for the cause of God in that region.
"From that place I went on the steamer _United States_ to Ogdensburg,
St. Lawrence Co., N. Y., and from thence passed on about three miles
from the village, when I was stopped by a shower of rain, which drove
me into the house of Mr. Chapin for shelter, and making known my
calling, the people immediately desired a meeting, and called in their
neighbors, when I preached to them for about an hour. Many staid until
midnight, and before I was up the next morning they called upon me
requesting I should preach again that day in the school house, which I
did, and at night it was again thronged with those who were eager to
hear. The second morning they likewise called on me, and would not let
me go until they knew the truth of my testimony, for by this time the
country round was in an uproar of excitement. On the fourth morning I
was called out of bed, and baptized three. I remained seven days
preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven, and baptized and
confirmed seven. The promise was fulfilled, for those who believed
spoke in tongues, and the sick were healed. A woman named Davis had
been confined to her bed for five years, not able to do anything
during that time, and scarcely able to sit up, who was given up to die
by the doctors. I baptized and confirmed her a member of the Church,
and at the same time prayed for her, and rebuked the disease, and
commanded it to depart from her in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
She began to amend from that very hour, and in less than one week she
was performing her usual household duties, walked into the streets and
attended meetings, to the astonishment of the people. Sister Chapin
and others were also healed of their infirmities. Sister Davis'
husband was considered a staunch Universalist. He was convinced and
baptized."
Thence I journeyed to Plattsburg, where I staid all night with a Mr.
Mansfield, who was very friendly to me. I then went in a steamer to
St. Albans, Vt., and visited my friends in Sheldon and Bakersfield,
traveled through various parts of Vermont, visited Wright's settlement
on the top of the Green Mountains, where some were believing. I met
Elder Solon Foster at Potsdam, preaching there once, and eight or nine
bore testimony to the truth of the Gospel.
"After an absence of about five weeks I returned to Ogdensburg, met
the brethren whom I had baptized, and they rejoiced at my return. When
I got to the house of Brother Heman Chapin, he was grinding his scythe
and fixing his cradle to commence cutting his wheat. I proposed to him
if he would furnish me a tow frock and pantaloons to put on, and a
rake, I would go into the field and rake and bind all he could cut. He
declared there was no man living could do it. Said I, 'never mind,
Brother Chapin, its nearly as easy for me to do it as to say it.' The
next morning after the dew had passed off we went into the field,
commencing at a piece of wheat which he said had three acres in it.
Said I, 'go ahead, Brother Heman, we'll cut down this piece before
dinner.' About the time he took the last clipp of the three acres I
had it bound in a bundle before he had hardly a chance to look round,
and about that time the horn blew to call us to dinner. We started
back to his house; he never spoke or said one word to me, appearing
rather confounded. The next Sabbath such a congregation of hearers I
had never seen in the United States; for priests and people had come
for twenty-five miles distance, to see and hear that "Mormon" who had
performed a thing that had never before been done in that country, for
Brother Chapin had proclaimed this occurrence unknown to me. I tarried
several days in those regions, preaching and baptizing.
"August 25th, while we were assembled for a meeting our hearts were
filled with joy by the arrival of Joseph Smith, Sen., the patriarch,
and his brother John Smith, who were on a mission to bless the
churches in the eastern states.
"On the 27th, the church, numbering twenty, that I had baptized, came
together and received patriarchal blessings under the hands of
President Joseph Smith, Sen.
"Sunday, 28th, Father John Smith preached at 10 a. m., and four of us
bore testimony to the Book of Mormon and the truth of the work. In the
afternoon we administered the sacrament, confirmed three and blessed
the little children of the branch.
"Monday, 20th, we ordained Levi Chapin a Teacher and Alvin Simons an
Elder to watch over the church. I then went to Black Lake, preached
and baptized one; then preached at Potsdam and baptized another.
Returned to the township of Oswegatchie, called the church together at
Ogdensburg, which numbered twenty-eight, and bade them farewell. I
left the church rejoicing in the Lord, and many around believing the
testimony.
"Thence I pursued my journey to Victor, Ontario County, where I met
Vilate, my wife, who was visiting her friends, and I tarried a few
days with them. Thence we pursued our journey to Buffalo. Here a
magistrate came forward and paid five dollars for our passage to
Frankfort, a distance of one hundred and eighty miles. The passengers
were chiefly Swiss emigrants. After sitting and hearing them for some
time, the Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and I was enabled to preach
to them in their own language. They seemed much pleased and treated us
kindly. We had a very heavy gale while going up the lake, so that
every passenger almost and some of the hands were very sick. Many were
frightened, and one woman died, she being very feeble when she came on
board. But we reached our destination without accident, and arrived in
Kirtland, October 2nd. I was gone nearly five months, visited many of
my friends, preached much, and baptized thirty. This was the first
mission I took alone. The Lord was with me and blessed me, and
confirmed the word with signs following."
CHAPTER XIII.
THE WORSHIP OF MAMMON--THE TEMPORAL ABOVE THE SPIRITUAL--THE KIRTLAND
BANK--FINANCIAL DISASTERS--APOSTASY--HEBER SORROWS OVER THE DEGENERACY
OF THE TIMES.
"Ill fares the land; to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates and men decay."
During the absence of Apostle Kimball in the east, a grievous change
had come over the Church in Kirtland. The greed of gain, the spirit of
speculation was abroad in the land. Mammon had reared his altars on
consecrated ground; the money-changer was within the temple. The love
of the things of earth had usurped, in many hearts, the love of the
things of heaven, and comparatively few were free from the
soul-destroying influence of idolatry. Idolatry? Yes; the bowing down
to the modern Baal, the worship of wealth--the god of gold--the lust
after the ways and pleasures of the world.
The order of Christ's kingdom is the order of creation: firstly
spiritual, secondly temporal. When this order is subverted, "chaos is
come again." Sorrow is the inevitable consequence of apostasy from the
spiritual to the temporal. "To be carnally-minded is death; but to be
spiritually-minded is life and peace." Does not the fall of man
illustrate this principle? Can he descend from heaven to earth without
causing and enduring pain?
The spiritual must sway the temporal, the earthly be ruled by the
heavenly. How else shall it be sanctified? It is the spirit in man
that moves the body, not the body the spirit. In the Church, Christ's
body, the spiritual must reign supreme. The temporal on the heart's
throne is ever the usurper; the spiritual crowned and sceptred, ruler
by right divine.
Jacob is spiritual; Japheth is temporal. The mission of Israel and the
mission of the Gentiles are as the poles antipodal; God's ways and
man's ways, as heaven and earth apart.
"We were very much grieved," says Heber, "on our arrival in Kirtland,
to see the spirit of speculation that was prevailing in the Church.
Trade and traffic seemed to engross the time and attention of the
Saints. When we left Kirtland a city lot was worth about $150; but on
our return, to our astonishment, the same lot was said to be worth
from $500. to $1000., according to location; and some men, who, when I
left, could hardly get food to eat, I found on my return to be men of
supposed great wealth; in fact everything in the place seemed to be
moving in great prosperity, and all seemed determined to become rich;
in my feelings they were artificial or imaginary riches. This
appearance of prosperity led many of the Saints to believe that the
time had arrived for the Lord to enrich them with the treasures of the
earth, and believing so, it stimulated them to great exertions, so
much so that two of the Twelve, Lyman E. Johnson and John F. Boynton,
went to New York and purchased to the amount of $20,000 worth of
goods, and entered into the mercantile business, borrowing
considerable money from Polly Voce and other Saints in Boston and the
regions round about, and which they have never repaid."
The Prophet Joseph says of those times: "The spirit of speculation in
lands and property of all kinds, which was so prevalent throughout the
whole nation, was taking deep root in the Church. As the fruits of
this spirit, evil surmising, fault-finding, disunion, dissension and
apostasy followed in quick succession, and it seemed as though all the
powers of earth and hell were combining their influence in an especial
manner to overthrow the Church at once and make a final end. The enemy
abroad and apostates in our midst united in their schemes, flour and
provisions were turned towards other markets, and many became
disaffected towards me, as though I were the sole cause of those very
evils I was strenuously striving against, and which were actually
brought upon us by the brethren not giving heed to my counsel."
During this period, the Kirtland Safety Society was organized, with a
view to controlling the prevailing sentiment and directing it in
legitimate channels. The ablest and staunchest men in Israel,
including the Prophet and most of the Apostles, were made officers and
members of the association.
Then came the financial crash of 1837, by which so many of the banking
and business houses of the country were prostrated. Nearly all the
banks, one after another, suspended specie payment, "and gold and
silver rose in value in direct ratio with the depreciation of paper
currency." The Kirtland Bank shared a similar fate to many others, and
went down in the whirlpool of financial ruin. One of the causes
alleged for its failure was the misfeasance of some of those who were
entrusted with the funds of the Bank. Heber says that Warren Parrish,
one of the clerks, "afterwards acknowledged that he took $20,000, and
there was strong evidence that he took more. Those of integrity in the
Church replaced the stolen money at the expense of all they had." A
counterfeit, falsely reputed to have been issued by the Bank, was also
used by its enemies as a means to effect its overthrow.
As usual the onus of responsibility was placed upon the shoulders of
the Prophet, although he had withdrawn from the institution some time
before. He was falsely accused of dishonesty and fraud, and condemned
beyond measure, by men in and out of the Church, as though he were the
sole and intentional cause of the catastrophe.
"This order of things," continues Heber, "increased during the winter
to such an extent that a man's life was in danger the moment he spoke
in defence of the Prophet of God. During this time I had many days of
sorrow and mourning, for my heart sickened to see the awful extent
that things were getting to. The only source of consolation I had, was
in bending my knees continually before my Father in Heaven, and asking
Him to sustain me and preserve me from falling into snares, and from
betraying my brethren as others had done; for those who apostatized
sought every means and opportunity to draw others after them. They
also entered into combinations to obtain wealth by fraud and every
means that was evil.
"At this time, I had many dreams from the Lord; one of them I will
relate. I dreamed that I entered the house of John F. Boynton, in
which there was a panther; he was jet black and very beautiful to look
upon, but he inspired me with fear; when I rose to leave the house he
stood at the door with the intention to seize on me, and seeing my
fear, he displayed his beauty to me, telling me how sleek his coat
was, and what beautiful ears he had, and also his claws, which
appeared to be of silver, and then he showed me his teeth, which also
appeared to be silver. John F. Boynton told me that if I made myself
familiar with him he would not hurt me, but if I did not he would. I
did not feel disposed to do so, and while the panther was displaying
to me his beauty, I slipped through the door and escaped, although he
tried to keep me back by laying hold of my coat; but I rent myself
from him. The interpretation of this dream was literally fulfilled.
The panther represented an apostate whom I had been very familiar
with. I felt to thank the Lord for this dream, and other intimations
that I had, which, by His assistance, kept me from falling into
snares."
The hour was approaching when Heber C. Kimball was destined to make
his great mark as an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, to perform a
work that would perpetuate his memory, and make his name "a household
word" upon the lips of tens of thousands in both hemispheres.
CHAPTER XIV.
ZION'S SHIP AMONG THE BREAKERS--"SOMETHING NEW MUST BE DONE TO SAVE
THE CHURCH"--HEBER C. KIMBALL APPOINTED TO OPEN THE BRITISH
MISSION--SPIRITUAL THINGS TO THE FRONT--RIGHTING THE SHIP--HEBER'S
PROPHECY TO WILLARD RICHARDS--"YEA, IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, THOU
SHALT GO WITH ME"--THE DEPARTURE FOR ENGLAND.
At this crisis in the affairs of the Church, the Lord revealed to
Joseph that "something new" must be done for its salvation. The good
ship Zion, storm-tossed and tempest-driven, her sails rent, her
timbers sprung, a portion of her officers and crew in open mutiny, was
drifting with fearful rapidity toward the rocks and breakers of
destruction.
Joseph was denounced as a "fallen prophet" by men who had been his
immediate friends and confidential advisers, and the divinity of his
mission was being doubted by many who had received through him a
testimony of the truth, the gift of the Holy Ghost, a knowledge of God
and Christ, whom to know is life eternal.
"No quorum in the Church," says he, "was entirely exempt from the
influence of those false spirits who were striving against me for the
mastery. Even some of the Twelve were so far lost to their high and
responsible calling, as to begin to take sides, secretly, with the
enemy."
What "new thing," under these circumstances, was destined to "save the
Church?" In what way was Joseph's mission, as a prophet of the living
God, to be revindicated in the eyes of the Saints and of the world?
"On Sunday, the 4th day of June, 1837," says Heber C. Kimball, "the
Prophet Joseph came to me, while I was seated in front of the stand,
above the sacrament table, on the Melchisedek side of the Temple, in
Kirtland, and whispering to me, said, 'Brother Heber, the Spirit of
the Lord has whispered to me: 'Let my servant Heber go to England and
proclaim my Gospel, and open the door of salvation to that nation.'"
The thought was overpowering. He had been surprised at his call to the
apostleship: now he was overwhelmed. Like Jeremiah he staggered under
the weight of his own weakness, exclaiming in self-humiliation: "O,
Lord, I am a man of stammering tongue, and altogether unfit for such a
work; how can I go to preach in that land, which is so famed
throughout Christendom for learning, knowledge and piety; the nursery
of religion; and to a people whose intelligence is proverbial!"
"Feeling my weakness to go upon such an errand, I asked the Prophet if
Brother Brigham might go with me. He replied that he wanted Brother
Brigham to stay with him, for he had something else for him to do. The
idea of such a mission was almost more than I could bear up under. I
was almost ready to sink under the burden which was placed upon me.
"However, all these considerations did not deter me from the path of
duty; the moment I understood the will of my heavenly Father, I felt a
determination to go at all hazards, believing that He would support me
by His almighty power, and endow me with every qualification that I
needed; and although my family was dear to me, and I should have to
leave them almost destitute, I felt that the cause of truth, the
Gospel of Christ, outweighed every other consideration.
"At this time many faltered in their faith; even some of the Twelve
were in rebellion against the Prophet of God. John F. Boynton said to
me, 'If you are such a fool as to go at the call of the fallen
prophet, Joseph Smith, I will not help you a dime, and if you are cast
on Van Dieman's land, I will not make an effort to help you.' Lyman E.
Johnson said he did not want me to go on my mission, but if I was
determined to go, he would help me all he could; he took his cloak
from off his back and put it on mine; which was the first cloak I ever
had.
"Brothers Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith, Sen., Brigham Young, Newel K.
Whitney and others said, 'Go and do as the Prophet has told you, and
you shall prosper and be blessed with power to do a glorious work.'
Hyrum, seeing the condition of the Church, when he talked about my
mission, wept like a little child; he was continually blessing and
encouraging me, and pouring out his soul in prophecies upon my head;
he said: 'Go, and you shall prosper as not many have prospered.'"
Elder Orson Hyde, who had had some disagreement with the authorities
and was thought to be disaffected, gave a noble proof of his integrity
by asking forgiveness of the brethren, and requesting the privilege of
accompanying Apostle Kimball on his mission to England. He was
accordingly set apart, with Elder Kimball and Priest Joseph Fielding,
for that purpose.
Says Heber: "The Presidency laid their hands on me and set me apart to
preside over the mission, and conferred great blessings upon my head;
said that God would make me mighty in that nation in winning souls
unto Him; angels should accompany me and bear me up, that my feet
should never slip; that I should be mightily blessed and prove a
source of salvation to thousands, not only in England but America.
"After being called on this mission, I daily went into the east room
in the attic story of the temple and poured out my soul unto the Lord,
asking His protection and power to fulfill honorably the mission
appointed me by His servants. A short time previous to starting, I was
laid prostrate on my bed with a stitch in my back, which suddenly
seized me while chopping and drawing wood for my family. I could not
stir a limb without crying out from the severeness of the pain.
Joseph, hearing of it, came to see me, bringing Oliver Cowdery and
Bishop Partridge with him; they prayed for and blessed me, Joseph
being mouth, beseeching God to raise me up; he then took me by the
right hand and said, 'Brother Heber, I take you by your right hand in
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and by virtue of the Holy
Priesthood vested in me I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to
arise, and be thou made whole.' I arose from my bed, put on my
clothes, and started with them and went up to the temple, and felt no
more of the pain afterwards."
Though amazed and overwhelmed at his call to this duty, the voice of
the Spirit in his own heart had long since told him that he would some
day be required to perform just such a work. As with all men of
destiny, the mountain of his mission loomed before him dimly in the
distance, casting its shadow athwart his soul, and there were times
when, worn and wearied with life's common cares, he sought within that
shade shelter and repose from the noontide's heat and toil. Thus doth
the ideal subserve the real, of which, what is it but the prophecy?
Some months prior to his appointment, in a conversation with Willard
Richards in the streets of Kirtland, soon after the latter was
baptized, Heber, filled with the spirit of prophecy, had predicted for
himself a mission to the shores of Europe.
"Shall I go with thee?" enquired Willard.
"Yea, in the name of the Lord, thou shalt go with me when I go," Heber
replied.
But Willard was now in the eastern states, on a special business
mission, and the day of Heber's departure was drawing near. Just one
day before he left for England, Elder Richards returned, and was
reminded by the Apostle of the prediction he had uttered five months
before. Willard, being involved in business, and not having received a
formal call, did not see how he could go. But, on consulting with the
First Presidency, and obtaining their consent, and his partner in
business, Brigham Young, agreeing to take charge of their affairs in
his absence, he was enabled to fulfill his covenant with Heber, and
was set apart the same evening to accompany the mission to England.
Heber received the following letter of recommendation from the First
Presidency:
"At a conference of the Elders of the Church of Latter-day Saints,
held in Kirtland, Geauga County, Ohio, on the fourth day of June,
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and
thirty-seven, Elder Heber C. Kimball, the bearer of this, was
unanimously appointed, set apart and ordained to go at the head of
this mission to England, to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to
the people of that nation, as it is believed and practiced by us.
From the long acquaintance which we have had with this our worthy
brother, his integrity and zeal in the cause of truth, we do most
cheerfully and confidently recommend him to all candid and upright
people as a servant of God and faithful minister of Jesus Christ.
We do furthermore beseech all people who have an opportunity of
hearing this our brother declare the doctrine believed by us, to
listen with attention to the words of his mouth.
"JOSEPH SMITH,
"SIDNEY RIGDON,
"HYRUM SMITH,
"_Presiding Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints_."
The day of departure came; Tuesday, June 13th, 1837. The solemn scene
of Heber's parting with his family cannot be more tenderly or
graphically told than in the words of Elder Robert B. Thompson, who
thus describes it:
"The day appointed for the departure of the Elders to England having
arrived, I stepped into the house of Brother Kimball to ascertain when
he would start, as I expected to accompany him two or three hundred
miles, intending to spend my labors in Canada that season.
"The door being partly open, I entered and felt struck with the sight
which presented itself to my view. I would have retired, thinking that
I was intruding, but I felt riveted to the spot. The father was
pouring out his soul to that
'God who rules on high,
Who all the earth surveys:
That rides upon the stormy sky,
And calms the roaring seas,'
that he would grant him a prosperous voyage across the mighty ocean,
and make him useful wherever his lot should be cast, and that He who
'careth for sparrows, and feedeth the young ravens when they cry'
would supply the wants of his wife and little ones in his absence. He
then, like the patriarchs, and by virtue of his office, laid his hands
upon their heads individually, leaving a father's blessing upon them,
and commending them to the care and protection of God, while he should
be engaged preaching the Gospel in a foreign land. While thus engaged
his voice was almost lost in the sobs of those around, who tried in
vain to suppress them. The idea of being separated from their
protector and father for so long a time was indeed painful. He
proceeded, but his heart was too much affected to do so regularly. His
emotions were great, and he was obliged to stop at intervals, while
the big tears rolled down his cheeks, an index to the feelings which
reigned in his bosom. My heart was not stout enough to refrain; in
spite of myself I wept, and mingled my tears with theirs. At the same
time I felt thankful that I had the privilege of contemplating such a
scene. I realized that nothing could induce that man to tear himself
from so affectionate a family group, from his partner and children who
were so dear to him,--nothing but a sense of duty and love to God and
attachment to His cause."
In order to realize the situation so touchingly described, it must be
remembered that in those early days, ere the age of steamships and
railways had fairly arrived, a mission to Europe, comparatively easy
now, seemed almost like a voyage to another world.
Heber continues:
"At 9 a. m., I bade adieu to my family and friends, and in company
with Elders Orson Hyde, Willard Richards, and Priest Joseph Fielding,
started without purse or scrip on my mission, this being the first
foreign mission of the Church of Christ in the last days. We arrived
at Fairport on Lake Erie that afternoon, and about an hour after took
passage on a steamboat for Buffalo.
"We were accompanied by Brothers Brigham Young, John P. Greene, Levi
Richards, and Sisters Vilate Kimball, Rhoda Green, Mary Fielding, and
others, to Fairport. Sister Mary Fielding gave me five dollars, with
which I paid my passage and Brother Hyde's to Buffalo; we were also
accompanied to Buffalo by R. B. Thompson and wife, who were on their
way to Canada, where he intended to labor in the ministry. After a
pleasant voyage we reached Buffalo the next day, where we expected to
receive some funds from Canada to assist us on our journey, but were
disappointed, as Brothers Goodson, Russell and Snyder did not meet us
there according to promise.
"From Buffalo we went down by the canal towards Lyonstown. While
walking on its bank I found an iron ring about one and one-fourth
inches in diameter, which I presented to Elder Richards, saying, 'I
will make you a present of this; keep it in remembrance of me; for our
friendship shall be as endless as this ring.' We had but very little
means, but determined to prosecute our journey, believing that the
Lord would open our way. We accordingly took passage in a line boat on
the Erie Canal to Utica, a distance of 250 miles; from thence on the
railroad to Albany, where our party divided.
"From Albany I went with Brother Richards about 30 miles, to his
father's, in Richmond, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, where we
arrived on the 20th, and obtained forty dollars from his brother
William which he was owing to him. This enabled us to prosecute our
journey. We bade them a last farewell, as Willard's father and mother
and sister died a short time afterwards. The next day we returned to
Albany and took passage in a steamboat to New York, where we arrived
on the evening of June 22nd, and again met Orson Hyde and Joseph
Fielding. We also met with Brothers John Goodson, Isaac Russell and
John Snyder, who had come by the way of Canada to join the mission.
"We found a vessel ready to sail, but not having sufficient means, we
were obliged to wait until we could obtain funds to pay our passage,
and procure an outfit for the voyage. We found Elder Elijah Fordham,
the only member of the Church in that city, who having no house of his
own, we lodged at Mrs. Fordham's, Elijah's sister-in-law. Being short
of funds, we hired a small room in an unfinished store-house of
Brother Fordham's father, who was very wealthy, as he owned many
storehouses and buildings, but never invited us into his house to
sleep or eat, though he did invite us to assist him two days in
raising a building, as a compensation for lying on his store-house
floor.
"Brother Fordham seemed to be mute in relation to Mormonism. I told
him if he was faithful and remained in New York, there would be a
branch of the Church raised up before we returned.
"Sunday, 25th, we fasted, prayed, administered the sacrament, held
council for the success of the mission, and had a joyful time. In the
afternoon two sectarian priests came in, to find fault, but they were
soon confounded, and left.
"On the 28th we deposited 180 of Orson Hyde's "Timely Warnings," in
the New York post office, addressed to the priests and ministers of
different denominations in the city. We also distributed many to the
citizens, and at the same time conversed with them on the subject of
the Gospel. Our sojourn in the city opened the door for Brothers
Parley and Orson Pratt to introduce the Gospel there. Many persons who
subsequently came into the Church have referred to the "Timely
Warnings" which they had read. We spent considerable time in prayer to
our Heavenly Father for His guidance and protection; to make our way
plain before us; to bless us with a prosperous voyage across the
mighty ocean; make us a blessing to each other, and the captain and
crew with whom we should sail.
"In New York we were subject to many inconveniences; had to lay amid
straw and blankets upon the ground; to buy our victuals; yet we did
not feel discouraged; believing that the Lord would open up our way
and guide us to our destination.
"Brother Fordham made me a present of ten dollars, and concluded to
accompany us on our mission, but upon mature consideration, we thought
it best for him to stay there; believing that the Lord had a people in
that city, and that there would be a church built up there before our
return.
"Having obtained sufficient money to pay our passage across the
Atlantic, eighteen dollars each, we laid in a stock of provisions, and
went on board the new packet ship _Garrick_, of 900 tons, bound for
Liverpool."
CHAPTER XV.
FAREWELL TO NATIVE LAND--"UPON THE WIDE, WIDE SEA"--HEBER'S DREAM OF
JOSEPH--A SHIP OUT OF HER RECKONING--A DYING CHILD HEALED--APOSTLE
HYDE PREACHES ON BOARD--ARRIVAL AT LIVERPOOL--THE ELDERS LEAP ASHORE.
"Adieu, adieu, my native shore
Fades o'er the waters blue;
The night-winds sigh, the breakers roar,
And shrieks the wild sea-mew.
Yon sun that sets upon the sea
We follow in his flight;
Farewell, awhile, to him and thee,
My native land--Good night!"
At ten o'clock on the morning of July 1st, 1837, the _Garrick_ weighed
anchor, and, being towed down the river by a steamer as far as Sandy
Hook, set sail oceanward. A few hours later Heber lost sight of his
native land. Say he:
"I had feelings which I cannot describe, when I could no longer behold
its shores, and when I bade adieu to the land of my birth, I felt to
exclaim:
'Yes, my native land, I love thee:
All thy scenes I love them well:
Friends, connections, happy country,
Can I bid you all farewell?
Can I leave you,
Far in distant lands to dwell?'
"However, when I reflected on the causes which had induced me to leave
it for awhile, and the work which depended upon me, I could likewise
say:
"I go, but not to plough the main,
To ease a restless mind."
"I was actuated by a different motive than either to please myself, or
gain the riches and applause of the world; it was a higher
consideration than these that induced me to leave my home. It was
because a dispensation of the Gospel had been committed to me; and I
felt an ardent desire that my fellow creatures in other lands might
hear the sound of the everlasting Gospel, obey its requisitions,
rejoice in the fullness and blessings thereof, and escape the
judgments which will come upon the ungodly."
Only souls where sentiment and feeling dwell, who have been upon the
mighty waters, floating like an insect on a leaf amid the immensity of
the liquid waste, can realize that awful loneliness, that sense of
helplessness and utter dependency upon a power superior to man's.
Atheism, thy home is not the boundless deep! Ocean, thou art
religious, thou art worshipful, and throwest heavenward the thoughts
of man as though they were thy spray!
Especially was it so with Heber and his companions, God-fearing men,
upon whom rested the burden of a mission fraught with salvation to
thousands. The solemnities of eternity encompassed them. They felt as
little children in the presence of the Infinite. And children they
were in their humility. Not in their own strength went they forth, but
in the strength of Him who made the seas, and who holdeth their waters
in the hollow of His hand.
"Angels shall accompany thee and bear thee up!"
Were they not even now upon the vessel, in mid-ocean, guiding it
unerringly toward its destiny? Aye, lest at any time that fated bark
should "dash its foot against a stone."
"While crossing the sea," says Heber, "I dreamed that the Prophet
Joseph came to me while I was standing upon the forecastle of the
ship, and said, 'Brother Heber, here is a rod (putting it into my
hands), with which you are to guide the ship. While you hold this rod
you shall prosper, and there shall be no obstacles thrown before you
but what you shall have power to overcome, and the hand of God shall
be with you.' After this I discovered every kind of obstruction was
placed before the ship to stop its progress; but the bow being sharp,
the obstacles were compelled to move out on either side; and when the
ship would come to a mountain, it would plow its course straight
through, as though it was in water. This rod which Joseph gave me was
about three and a half feet in length. His appearance was just as
natural as I ever beheld him in the flesh. He blessed me and
disappeared."
It is a singular fact that during fifty years, the period covered by
the history of Mormon emigration from the nations abroad, not a
ship-load of Latter-day Saints, not a vessel bearing the Elders of
Israel to or from foreign shores, has ever been lost at sea. Even
rough captains and sailors have learned to regard this with feelings
akin to reverential awe, and to accept as a good omen, an assurance of
a safe and prosperous voyage, the presence of Mormon Elders or
emigrants among their ship's passengers.
In such a light, Heber's dream of Joseph and the rod wherewith he was
to "guide the ship," takes on added interest and significance.
Remarkable, too, that this same ship, the _Garrick_, now on its first
voyage, after twice ploughing the Atlantic with Apostles Kimball and
Hyde on board--for on this vessel they returned to America--was
doomed, on almost its very next voyage, to go down at sea, in the year
1841.
Heber continues his narrative:
"During the voyage we were hailed by a large vessel throwing up a
signal of distress. Our captain hauled to, and with his speaking
trumpet enquired what was wanted. The answer was, 'we are bound for
Quebec, but are lost, having lost our reckoning.' Our captain took an
observation, and through his speaking trumpet gave them the latitude
and longitude, and the course for them to steer, showing them that
they were about a thousand miles from the American shore. They replied
that they thought they were close to the shore and were afraid of
running on the reefs for several days past. This reminded me that when
a person has lost his course, or is out of the way, it is necessary to
apply to the Lord, through a Prophet, Seer and Revelator, to put him
right.
"Our passage was very agreeable, the winds for the most part being
favorable. On the banks of Newfoundland we saw several large fish,
called by some, whales, and by others, finners; also many porpoises
and different species of fish. We were kindly treated by the officers
and crew; their conduct was indeed praiseworthy. Had we been their own
relatives, they could not have behaved more kindly, or treated us
better. Thus the Lord answered our prayers, for which I desire to
praise His holy name.
"The Lord also gave us favor in the eyes of the passengers, who
treated us with the greatest respect. During the voyage, a child
belonging to one of the passengers was very sick, and given up by the
doctor to die; consequently its parents had given up all hopes of its
recovery, and expected to have to commit their little one to the
ocean. Feeling a great anxiety for the child, I went to its parents
and reasoned with them, and laid before them the principle of faith,
and told them that the Lord was able to restore their child,
notwithstanding there was no earthly prospect of its recovery. To
which they listened with great interest. Shortly after, having an
opportunity to secretly lay hands upon the child, I did so, and in the
name of Jesus Christ rebuked the disease which preyed upon its system.
The spirit of the Lord attended the administration, and from that time
the child began to recover, and in two or three days after it was
running about, perfectly well. Afterwards I informed the parents that
I had laid hands on their child, and they acknowledged that it was
healed by the power of the Almighty.
"Our health, while on the water, was good, with the exception of
Brothers Richards and Fielding, who were sick a day or two.
"Sunday, July 16th, I went to the captain and asked the privilege for
one of us to preach on board. He very obligingly agreed, and appointed
1 o'clock, p. m., when it would be most suitable for himself and the
crew to attend. I requested Elder Hyde to speak, and notified the
captain, crew and passengers of the intended meeting for preaching on
the aft quarter deck. At the time appointed there was a congregation
of between two and three hundred persons assembled, who listened, with
great attention and deep interest, to the discourse. I think I never
heard Brother Hyde speak with such power and eloquence. He spoke on
the subject of the resurrection, which was necessarily condensed, the
time being limited on account of the duties of the crew. The
congregation was composed of persons of different faiths, and from
different nations, English, Irish, Scotch, French Germans, etc.,--both
Jews and Christians. A great feeling was produced upon the minds of
the assembly, who had never heard the subject treated in like manner
before; and from the conversation we had afterwards with several of
them, I believe that good was done. The congregation appointed a
committee who came to us and returned thanks for the favor conferred
on them.
"On the 18th, the captain sent a man up to the masthead to look for
land. He had not been up long before he cried out, "land," which was
the Irish shore. It caused joy and gratitude to arise in my bosom to
my heavenly Father for the favorable passage so far, and the prospect
of soon reaching our destination. We sailed up the Irish Channel,
having Ireland on our left and Wales on our right. The scenery was
very beautiful and imposing.
"At daybreak, on July 20th, we arrived in the river Mersey, opposite
Liverpool, being eighteen days and eighteen hours from our departure
from the anchorage at New York. The packet ship _South America_, which
left New York at the same time we did, came in a few lengths behind,
thus losing a wager of ten thousand dollars which had been made the
day of starting. She had been seen daily during the voyage, but never
passed us. The sight was very interesting to see these two vessels
enter port with every inch of canvas spread.
"When we first sighted Liverpool I went to the side of the vessel and
poured out my soul in praise and thanksgiving to God for the
prosperous voyage, and for all the mercies which He had vouchsafed to
me, and while thus engaged, and contemplating the scene presented to
my view, the spirit of the Lord rested down upon me in a powerful
manner, and my soul was filled with love and gratitude. I felt humble,
while I covenanted to dedicate myself to God, and to love and serve
Him with all my heart.
"Immediately after we anchored, a small boat came along-side, when
several of the passengers, with Brothers Hyde, Richards, Goodson and
myself got in and went to shore. When we were within six or seven feet
of the pier, I leaped on shore, followed by Elders Hyde and Richards,
and for the first time in my life I stood on British ground, among
strangers, whose manners and customs were different from my own. My
feelings at that time were peculiar, particularly when I realized the
importance and extent of my mission; the work to which I had been
appointed and in which I was shortly to be engaged. However, I put my
trust in God, believing that He would assist me in publishing the
truth, give me utterance, and be a present help in time of need.
"Elders Hyde, Richards, and myself, being without purse or scrip,
wandered in the streets of Liverpool, where wealth and luxury abound,
side by side with penury and want. I there met the rich attired in the
most costly dresses, and the next minute was saluted with the cries of
the poor with scarce covering sufficient to screen them from the
weather. Such a wide distinction I never saw before. Looking for a
place to lodge in, we found a room belonging to a widow in Union
Street, which we engaged for a few days."
CHAPTER XVI.
STRANGERS IN A STRANGE LAND--THE ELDERS LED BY THE SPIRIT TO
PRESTON--"TRUTH WILL PREVAIL"--THE REVEREND JAMES FIELDING--WONDERFUL
FULFILLMENT OF HEBER'S PROPHECIES--A PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE
GOSPEL--THE ELDERS PREACH IN PRESTON.
After landing on this foreign shore, Heber's mind for a season was
overshadowed with gloom. Among strangers and without money--for he had
not a penny in his pocket--and reflecting on the wretched state of
affairs in far away Kirtland, where the Prophet of God, whom he loved
as his own soul, was surrounded by enemies, and his own family in
lowly circumstances in the midst of persecution, his spirits were much
depressed. It was then that he had the following night vision. Says
he:
"I was in a great water, swimming, and had swam away, trying to make
land, although I saw no land, until I had become weary and tired, when
I began to sink; then an angel came to me and placed his hand under my
chin, for some time keeping me from sinking, until I had rested and
gained strength; he blessed me and said, 'Brother Heber, you shall now
have strength to swim ashore.' I again began to swim, and it appeared
as though every time I stretched forth my arms and feet, I would move
rods at each stroke, and continued doing so until I reached land."
This dream, coming as such dreams generally do, in a season of deep
depression, was as a spring of pure water in the desert to the parched
lips of the weary traveler. As a promise of success, it was amply
verified in the subsequent experience of the father and founder of the
British mission. "Rods at a stroke" is indeed a strikingly appropriate
figure, illustrating the labors in the vineyard of this faithful and
mighty servant of the Lord.
"The time we were in Liverpool," he continues, "was spent in council,
and in calling on the Lord for direction. While thus engaged, the
Spirit of the Lord was with us and we felt greatly strengthened. Our
trust was in God, who could make us as useful in bringing down the
kingdom of Satan, as He did the ram's horns in bringing down the walls
of Jericho; and in gathering out a number of precious souls, who were
buried amid the rubbish of tradition, and who had no one to show them
the way of truth."
"Go to Preston," said the Spirit of the Lord, and to Preston they went
accordingly. The place indicated was a large manufacturing town in
Lancashire, thirty-one miles from Liverpool. They arrived there about
four o'clock in the afternoon of July 22nd.
It was election day in Preston. Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, who had
ascended the throne just three days before the landing of the Elders
on her dominions, had ordered a general election for members of
Parliament. In the very midst of this busy and interesting scene,
Heber and his companions alighted from the coach. He thus describes
the spectacle:
"I never witnessed anything like it in my life. Bands of music
playing. Flags flying in all directions. Thousands of men, women and
children parading the streets, decked with ribbons characteristic of
the politics of the several candidates. Anyone accustomed to the
peaceable and quiet manner in which the elections in America are
conducted, can scarcely have any idea of an election as carried on in
England. One of the flags was unrolled before us, nearly over our
heads, the moment the coach reached its destination, having on it the
following motto: 'TRUTH WILL PREVAIL,' in large gilt letters. It being
so very seasonable, and the sentiment being so very appropriate to us
in our situation, we cried aloud, 'Amen! Thanks be to God, TRUTH WILL
PREVAIL!'"
The Elders took a room in Wilfred Street, in a house belonging to a
widow. Joseph Fielding, in the meantime, went in quest of his brother,
the Reverend James Fielding, who was pastor of a church in Preston.
Returning shortly, he was the bearer of a polite message from the
reverend gentleman, inviting the Elders to visit him that evening.
Accordingly, Apostles Kimball and Hyde and Elder Goodson went, and
were kindly received by Mr. Fielding and his brother-in-law, Mr.
Watson, a minister from Bedford. They conversed upon the subject of
the Gospel until a late hour. Next morning the Elders received from
Mrs. Watson a slight testimonial of her appreciation of their visit,
in the shape of a half crown piece.
The Reverend James Fielding, who was destined to be an instrument of
Providence for the establishment of Mormonism in Preston--its first
foreign foothold--was a brother to Miss Mary Fielding, the same who,
with others, accompanied Heber from Kirtland to Fairport, when he
started on his mission to England. She subsequently became the wife of
Hyrum Smith, the martyr, and mother of Joseph F. Smith, the Apostle.
At this juncture, it will be well to refer to an extraordinary
prophecy of Heber C. Kimball's, uttered in the spring of 1836, which
connects itself in an interesting manner with the mission he was now
about to fulfill. Apostle Parley P. Pratt, over whom the prediction
was made, narrates the incident as follows:
"It was now April; I had retired to rest one evening at an early hour,
and was pondering my future course, when there came a knock at the
door. I arose and opened it, when Elder Heber C. Kimball and others
entered my house, and being filled with the spirit of prophecy, they
blessed me and my wife, and he prophesied as follows:
"'Brother Parley, thy wife shall be healed from this hour, and shall
bear a son, and his name shall be Parley; and he shall be a chosen
instrument in the hands of the Lord to inherit the Priesthood and to
walk in the steps of his father. He shall do a great work in the earth
in ministering the word and teaching the children of men. Arise,
therefore, and go forth in the ministry, nothing doubting. Take no
thought for your debts, nor the necessaries of life, for the Lord will
supply you with abundant means for all things.
"'Thou shalt go to Upper Canada, even to the city of Toronto, the
capital, and there thou shalt find a people prepared for the fullness
of the gospel, and they shall receive thee, and thou shalt organize
the Church among them, and it shall spread thence into the regions
round about, and many shall be brought to the knowledge of the truth
and shall be filled with joy; and from the things growing out of this
mission shall the fullness of the Gospel spread into England, and
cause a great work to be done in that land.'
"This prophecy was the more marvelous because, being married near ten
years, we had never had any children; and for near six years my wife
had been consumptive, and had been considered incurable. However, we
called to mind the faith of Abraham of old, and judging him faithful
who had promised, we took courage."
Both these prophecies, the one relating to the birth of his son, and
the other to his Canadian mission, were literally and marvelously
fulfilled. Parley P. Pratt, jun., was born March 25th, 1837, eleven
months after the event was thus foretold. Among the "people prepared
for the fullness of the Gospel" whom Parley the Apostle found "in the
city of Toronto," in strict accordance with Heber's inspired words,
was John Taylor, afterwards an Apostle and the President of the
Church, and a powerful champion of Mormonism in the British Isles;
also Joseph Fielding, Heber's fellow missionary, and his sisters, Mary
and Mercy, who had lately emigrated from England. The Fieldings of
Canada wrote to their reverend brother in Preston an account of the
rise and progress of the latter-day work, and thus prepared him for
the advent of the Elders upon British shores. He, in turn, told his
congregation and exhorted them to pray to the Lord to send His
servants unto them. Obedient to his counsel, the worthiest and most
pious members of his flock commenced praying for the coming of the
Elders from America. Their faith shook the heavens, and in dreams and
visions many were shown the very men whom the Lord was about to send
into their midst. Heber C. Kimball, especially, on his arrival in
Preston was recognized by persons who had never until then beheld him
in the flesh.
Thus, "from things growing out of this mission" to Canada, had the
fullness of the Gospel "spread into England," according to Heber's
prediction. Thus, like Parley in the city of Toronto, had Heber found
in Preston, souls who were prepared to receive his message. The angels
of God had been before him, and left their foot-prints upon the
people's hearts.
The day after their arrival in Preston, being the Sabbath, the
brethren, on the invitation of Mr. Fielding, repaired to Vauxhall
Chapel, where he held forth from his own pulpit. "We sat before him,"
says Heber, "praying to the Lord to open up the way for us to preach."
At the close of the service, the reverend gentleman, of his own
accord--for no one had requested it--gave notice that an Elder of the
Latter-day Saints would preach in his chapel at 3 o'clock in the
afternoon. The news spread rapidly, and a large congregation assembled
at the appointed hour, to hear the Elders from America.
The first speaker was Heber C. Kimball. Says he: "I declared that an
angel had visited the earth, and committed the everlasting Gospel to
man; called their attention to the first principles of the Gospel; and
gave them a brief history of the nature of the work which the Lord had
commenced on the earth; after which Elder Hyde bore testimony to the
same, which was received by many with whom I afterwards conversed;
they cried 'glory to God,' and rejoiced that the Lord had sent His
servants unto them. Thus was the key turned and the Gospel
dispensation opened on the first Sabbath after landing in England."
Another appointment was given out for the brethren in the evening,
when Elder Goodson preached, and Joseph Fielding bore testimony, and
still another for the Wednesday night following, when Apostle Hyde
held forth and Elder Richards added his testimony. The chapel was
filled to overflowing, and many were "pricked in their hearts," being
convinced of the truth, "and began to praise God and rejoice
exceedingly."
Thus was the first opening made for the preaching of the Gospel in the
British Isles and on the continent of Europe. Thus it was--to use the
Reverend Fielding's famous phrase--that "Kimball bored the holes,
Goodson drove the nails, and Hyde clinched them."
CHAPTER XVII.
SATAN ALARMED--THE POWERS OF EVIL CONSPIRE AGAINST THE ELDERS--CHAPELS
AND CHURCHES CLOSED AGAINST THEM--THE REVEREND MR. FIELDING IN HIS
REAL COLORS--THE WORK CONTINUES TO SPREAD--AN ARMY OF DEMONS ATTACK
THE ELDERS--THE DAWN AND VICTORY.
Meanwhile, the powers of darkness had taken counsel against these
servants of the Lord. Not without a struggle would Satan loose his
hold, and permit the gates of salvation to open for the eastern, as
they had already opened for the western hemisphere. The evil one had
seen that the Church in America was trembling on the verge of
dissolution. To give it fresh impetus, and infuse new life into the
seemingly sinking system, was the object of the Apostles' mission to
the shores of Albion. The opening of that mission it was Satan's fell
purpose to thwart, and for which he was now gathering, far and near,
the embattled hosts of hell.
The Elders might be said to have "stolen a march" on the Adversary, in
securing, already, three hearings at Vauxhall Chapel, with the
favorable results before noted. This much could not be retrieved, but
the enemy of righteousness hoped to prevent a repetition of such
scenes, and to hinder those who believed, from obeying the Gospel by
going down into the waters of baptism. For know, O reader--if thou art
a stranger to this truth--that Satan is well satisfied with their
condition who "only believe" in Jesus, if they are not "born of the
water" according to His righteous example and holy will.
[Illustration: Vauxhall Chapel, 1875.]
Acting on the principle, it may be presumed, that a thing to be
recovered should first be sought for where it was lost, the evil one
determined to use for his purpose the Reverend James Fielding, the
very man who had befriended the Elders, and given them their first
public opportunity of declaring the message they had been sent to
deliver. Strange enough after what had passed--though sufficiently
frequent, in similar phases, since those days, to be no longer a cause
of wonderment--he found that reverend gentleman in precisely the mood
best suited to his dark design. Like all who fear man more than they
love the Lord, preferring the praise and honors of the world to the
approval of a good conscience and the favor of their Maker, the
Reverend James Fielding, when he had noticed the marvelous effect of
the Elders' preaching, and contemplated the present and prospective
results, in the leading away of his flock to drink at other fountains
and browse in other pastures, shrank back appalled from the picture
presented to his view. Willing to sate his appetite for the new and
marvelous, and even obey a doctrine which promised worldly honors and
emoluments, he was not willing to humble himself "even as a little
child" and seek the kingdom of God at the sacrifice of every earthly
consideration.
Had he forgotten the text which, perchance, he had a hundred times
preached glibly from: "He that taketh not his cross and followeth
after Me, is not worthy of Me"? Or, like many other Christian divines,
"having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof," was he
satisfied to believe that those words had lost their meaning for this
generation? Be it as it may, here is the record that will meet him at
the day of judgment:
"The Rev. James Fielding, who had so kindly invited us to preach in
his chapel, learning that a number of his members believed our
testimony, and that some had requested to be baptized, shut his doors
against us and would not suffer us to preach in his chapel any more;
alleging for an excuse that we had preached the doctrine of baptism
for the remission of sins, contrary to our arrangement with him.
"I need scarcely assure my friends that nothing was said to him from
which any inference could be drawn that we should suppress the
doctrine of baptism. We deem it too important a doctrine to lay aside
for any privilege we could receive from mortals. Mr. Fielding had been
apprised of our doctrines before we saw him, having received several
communications from his brother Joseph, and his two sisters, Mary and
Mercy, who wrote to him from Canada, in which letters our doctrines
were clearly laid down. We likewise conversed with him on the subject
at our interview. He, having been traditioned to believe in infant
baptism, and having preached and practised the same a number of years,
saw the situation he would be placed in if he obeyed the Gospel; that
notwithstanding his talents and standing in society, he would have to
come into the sheepfold by the door, and after all his preaching to
others, have to be baptized himself for the remission of sins by those
who were ordained to that power. These considerations no doubt had
their weight upon his mind, which caused him to act as he did; and
notwithstanding his former kindness he soon became one of our most
violent opposers.
"However, his congregation did not follow his example, they having
some time been praying for our coming, and having been assured by Mr.
Fielding that he could not place more confidence in an angel than he
did in the statements of his brother Joseph, respecting this people;
consequently they were in a great measure prepared for the reception
of the Gospel, probably as much so as Cornelius was anciently.
"Having now no public place to preach in, we began to preach at night
in private houses, which were opened in every direction, when numbers
came to hear and believed the Gospel."
Thus was Satan unsuccessful in stopping the spread of the work. The
smoking flax was bursting into flame, and all his efforts could not
quench it. Chapels and churches he might close, for of them he held
the keys, but the hearts of the humble and pure were in God's keeping,
and to these sacred temples His servants had ready access.
Then came the stroke climacteric; the _dernier ressort_ of satanic
hostility.
"Saturday evening," says Heber C. Kimball, "it was agreed that I
should go forward and baptize, the next morning, in the river Ribble,
which runs through Preston.
"By this time the adversary of souls began to rage, and he felt
determined to destroy us before we had fully established the kingdom
of God in that land, and the next morning I witnessed a scene of
satanic power and influence which I shall never forget.
"Sunday, July 30th, about daybreak, Elder Isaac Russell (who had been
appointed to preach on the obelisk in Preston Square, that day,) who
slept with Elder Richards in Wilfred Street, came up to the third
story, where Elder Hyde and myself were sleeping, and called out,
'Brother Kimball, I want you should get up and pray for me that I may
be delivered from the evil spirits that are tormenting me to such a
degree that I feel I cannot live long, unless I obtain relief.'
"I had been sleeping on the back of the bed. I immediately arose,
slipped off at the foot of the bed, and passed round to where he was.
Elder Hyde threw his feet out, and sat up in the bed, and we laid
hands on him, I being mouth, and prayed that the Lord would have mercy
on him, and rebuked the devil.
"While thus engaged, I was struck with great force by some invisible
power, and fell senseless on the floor. The first thing I recollected
was being supported by Elders Hyde and Richards, who were praying for
me; Elder Richards having followed Russell up to my room. Elders Hyde
and Richards then assisted me to get on the bed, but my agony was so
great I could not endure it, and I arose, bowed my knees and prayed. I
then arose and sat up on the bed, when a vision was opened to our
minds, and we could distinctly see the evil spirits, who foamed and
gnashed their teeth at us. We gazed upon them about an hour and a half
(by Willard's watch). We were not looking towards the window, but
towards the wall. Space appeared before us, and we saw the devils
coming in legions, with their leaders, who came within a few feet of
us. They came towards us like armies rushing to battle. They appeared
to be men of full stature, possessing every form and feature of men in
the flesh, who were angry and desperate; and I shall never forget the
vindictive malignity depicted on their countenances as they looked me
in the eye; and any attempt to paint the scene which then presented
itself, or portray their malice and enmity, would be vain. I perspired
exceedingly, my clothes becoming as wet as if I had been taken out of
the river. I felt excessive pain, and was in the greatest distress
for some time. I cannot even look back on the scene without feelings
of horror; yet by it I learned the power of the adversary, his enmity
against the servants of God, and got some understanding of the
invisible world. We distinctly heard those spirits talk and express
their wrath and hellish designs against us. However, the Lord
delivered us from them, and blessed us exceedingly that day."
Elder Hyde's supplemental description of that fearful scene is as
follows, taken from a letter addressed to President Kimball:
"Every circumstance that occurred at that scene of devils is just as
fresh in my recollection at this moment as it was at the moment of its
occurrence, and will ever remain so. After you were overcome by them
and had fallen, their awful rush upon me with knives, threats
imprecations and hellish grins, amply convinced me that they were no
friends of mine. While you were apparently senseless and lifeless on
the floor and upon the bed (after we had laid you there), I stood
between you and the devils and fought them and contended with them
face to face, until they began to diminish in number and to retreat
from the room. The last imp that left turned round to me as he was
going out and said, as if to apologize, and appease my determined
opposition to them, 'I never said anything against you!' I replied to
him thus: 'It matters not to me whether you have or have not; you are
a liar from the beginning! In the name of Jesus Christ, depart! He
immediately left, and the room was clear. That closed the scene of
devils for that time."
Years later, narrating the experience of that awful morning to the
Prophet Joseph, Heber asked him what it all meant, and whether there
was anything wrong with him that he should have such a manifestation.
"No, Brother Heber," he replied, "at that time you were nigh unto the
Lord; there was only a veil between you and Him, but you could not see
Him. When I heard of it, it gave me great joy, for I then knew that
the work of God had taken root in that land. It was this that caused
the devil to make a struggle to kill you."
Joseph then related some of his own experience, in many contests he
had had with the evil one, and said: "The nearer a person approaches
the Lord, a greater power will be manifested by the adversary to
prevent the accomplishment of His purposes."
An answer this, for the unbelieving and sophistical, who argue, with
the shallow reasoning of Job's comforters, that they have sinned most
who suffer most, and are ever ready to ascribe spiritual
manifestations, good or evil, to madness, drunkenness or imbecility.
It is needful, we are told, to experience opposites, to be enabled to
choose intelligently between them; and to those who have this
experience, and who "take the Holy Spirit for their guide," the way to
judge is as plain "as the daylight from the dark night."
'Tis Contrast sways unceasing sceptre
O'er vast Appreciation's realm;
E'en Gods, through sacrifice descending,
Triumphant rise to overwhelm.
So was it with the Apostles and Elders in Preston, after their
terrible encounter with the powers of evil, at Sunday day-break, July
30th, 1837. The Spirit of the Lord, with peace and joy that "passeth
understanding," dawned with the Sabbath sun upon their souls. They had
tasted of the bitter, and would thenceforth more fully know the sweet;
encompassed about by "the horror of darkness," they hailed with
ecstacy till then unknown, the glory of the golden morn.
Referring to the morning of his contest with the demons, Apostle
Kimball says:
"Notwithstanding the weakness of my body from the shock I had
experienced, I had the pleasure, about 9 a. m, of baptizing nine
individuals and hailing them brethren and sisters in the kingdom of
God. These were the first persons baptized into the Church in a
foreign land, and only the eighth day after our arrival in Preston."
"A circumstance took place which I cannot refrain from mentioning, for
it will show the eagerness and anxiety of some in that land to obey
the Gospel. Two of the male candidates, when they had changed their
clothes at a distance of several rods from the place where I was
standing in the water, were so anxious to obey the Gospel that they
ran with all their might to the water, each wishing to be baptized
first. The younger, George D. Watt, being quicker of foot than the
elder, outran him, and came first into the water."
"The circumstance of baptizing in the open air being somewhat novel, a
concourse of between seven and nine thousand persons assembled on the
banks of the river to witness the ceremony. It was the first time
baptism by immersion was administered openly, as the Baptists in that
country generally have a font in their chapels, and perform the
ordinance privately."
"In the afternoon Elder Russell preached in the market place to a
congregation of about five thousand persons, numbers of whom were
pricked to the heart.
"I had visited Thomas Walmesley's house, whose wife was sick of the
consumption and had been for several years; she was reduced to skin
and bones, a mere skeleton; and was given up to die by the doctors. I
preached the Gospel to her, and promised her in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ if she would believe, repent and be baptized, she should
be healed of her sickness. She was carried to the water, and after her
baptism began to amend, and at her confirmation she was blest, and her
disease rebuked, when she immediately recovered, and in less than one
week after she was attending to her household duties."
Sister Walmesley, the subject of this episode, is still living. She
resides in Bear Lake County, Idaho, and though far advanced in years,
at last accounts was hale and hearty.
Thus was a miracle wrought that day, and nine souls initiated into the
kingdom of God; the first fruits of the Gospel in a foreign land. The
names of those baptized were George D. Watt, ------ Miller, Thomas
Walmesley, Ann Elizabeth Walmesley Miles Hodgen, George Wate, Henry
Billsbury, Mary Ann Brown and Ann Dawson.
CHAPTER XIX.
THE ELDERS SEPARATE FOR THE BETTER PROSECUTION OF THEIR WORK--JENNETTA
RICHARDS--THE PRESTON BRANCH ORGANIZED--HEBER GOES TO WALKERFOLD--
ANOTHER MINISTER'S "CRAFT IN DANGER"--MORE OF HEBER'S PROPHECIES--
"WILLARD, I BAPTIZED YOUR WIFE TO-DAY."
Having gained a foothold in Preston, and lifted the ensign of the
latter-day work, around which the ransomed of the Lord were beginning
to rally, the Elders decided to separate and carry the Gospel into
other counties. They met in council the day after the first baptisms
in the River Ribble, and "continued in fasting and prayer, praise and
thanksgiving until two o'clock in the morning." Elders Richards and
Goodson were appointed to go on a mission to the city of Bedford, and
Brothers Russell and Snyder to Alston, in Cumberland. Apostles Kimball
and Hyde, with Priest Fielding, were to remain and labor in and around
Preston. A day or two later the brethren departed for their fields of
labor.
The second important step in the founding of the British mission was
now taken.
"On Wednesday, August 2nd," says Elder Kimball, "Miss Jennetta
Richards, a young lady, the daughter of a minister of the Independent
Order, who resided at Walkerfold, about fifteen miles from Preston,
came to the house of Thomas Walmesley, with whom she was acquainted.
Calling in to see them at the time she was there, I was introduced to
her, and we immediately entered into conversation on the subject of
the Gospel. I found her very intelligent. She seemed very desirous to
hear the things I had to teach and to understand the doctrines of the
gospel. I informed her of my appointment to preach that evening, and
invited her to attend. She did so; and likewise the evening following.
After attending these two services she was fully convinced of the
truth.
"Friday morning, 4th, she sent for me, desiring to be baptized, which
request I cheerfully complied with, in the river Ribble, and confirmed
her at the water side, Elder Hyde assisting. This was the first
confirmation in England. The following day she started for home, and
wept as she was about to leave us. I said to her, 'Sister, be of good
cheer, for the Lord will soften the heart of thy father, that I will
yet have the privilege of preaching in his chapel, and it shall result
in a great opening to preach the Gospel in that region.' I exhorted
her to pray and be humble. She requested me to pray for her, and gave
me some encouragement to expect that her father would open his chapel
for me to preach in. I then hastened to my brethren, told them of the
circumstances and the result of my visit with the young lady, and
called upon them to unite with me in prayer that the Lord would soften
the heart of her father, that he might be induced to open his chapel
for us to preach in."
While awaiting the issue of this event, the brethren continued their
ministerial labors. The record resumes:
"Sunday, 6th, Elder Hyde preached in the marketplace to a numerous
assemblage, both rich and poor, who flocked from all parts 'to hear
what these dippers had to say.' After he was through with his
discourse I gave an exhortation, and when I had concluded a learned
minister stepped forth to oppose the doctrines we advanced, but more
particularly the doctrine of baptism, he being a great stickler for
infant baptism. The people thinking that he intended to offend us,
would not let him proceed, but seemed determined to put him down, and
undoubtedly would have done so had not Brother Hyde interposed and
begged permission for the gentleman to speak; telling the congregation
that he was prepared to meet any arguments he might advance. This
appeased the people, who listened to the remarks of the reverend
gentleman, after which Brother Hyde spoke in answer to the objections
which had been offered, to the satisfaction of nearly all present, and
the minister appeared somewhat ashamed. Some of the people hissed at
him and told him not to do the like again. One individual came up and
asked him what he now thought of his baby baptism; when another took
him by the hand and led him out of the throng."
It was now deemed advisable to confirm all who had been baptized and
organize them into a branch, twenty-eight persons having been baptized
in Preston, but only one confirmed. The converts were accordingly
requested to meet at the house of Sister Ann Dawson, where the Elders
had their lodgings. It was the evening of the third Sabbath they had
spent in England. The meeting having convened, after some preliminary
remarks by the Elders, they confirmed twenty-seven members and
organized the Preston branch, the first branch of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in a foreign land. While attending to
these sacred duties, the Spirit of the Lord was poured out upon them
in a powerful manner, causing them to rejoice exceedingly.
And now came the fulfillment of Heber's prophecy to Jennetta Richards,
daughter of the minister of Walkerfold. The early part of the week
brought two letters to Elder Kimball, one from Miss Richards, and the
other from her father. The latter read as follows:
_Mr. H. C. Kimball,_
Sir:--You are expected to be here next Sunday.
You are given out to preach in the forenoon, afternoon and
evening. Although we be strangers to one another, yet, I hope we
are not strangers to our blessed Redeemer, else I would not have
given out for you to preach. Our chapel is but small and the
congregation few,--yet if one soul be converted it is of more
value than the whole world.
"I remain, in haste,
"JOHN RICHARDS."
Taking coach from Preston on the following Saturday afternoon, a
little before dark Heber arrived at the door of the Revered John
Richards, in Walkerfold. On entering the house he was warmly greeted
by Mr. Richards, who said: "I understand you are the minister lately
from America?" Heber replied in the affirmative. The reverend
gentleman then bade him welcome and exclaimed: "God bless you!"
Refreshments were served and conversation ensued until a late hour, to
the satisfaction of the whole family.
"Next morning," says Heber, "I accompanied the reverend gentleman to
his chapel at the hour appointed. He gave out the hymns and prayed,
and I preached to an overflowing congregation on the principles of
salvation. I likewise preached in the afternoon and evening, and they
seemed to manifest great interest in the things which I laid before
them. Nearly the whole congregation were in tears. After I had
concluded the services of the day Mr. Richards gave out another
appointment for me to preach on Monday evening, which I attended to.
By request of the congregation I likewise preached on Wednesday
evening. A number believed the doctrines I advanced, and on Thursday,
17th, six individuals, all members of Mr. Richards' church, came
forward for baptism. James Smithies and his wife Nancy were two of the
number."
This result was more than the good pastor had anticipated. He had
listened with deep interest to, and had been willing for his
congregation to hear, the simple yet powerful testimony of the Mormon
Apostle, who, fired with the Holy Ghost, and all unmindful of the
studied arts and graces of pulpit oratory, spake, like his Master of
yore, "as one having authority." But conversions of this kind he had
not counted upon. Fearful of losing his entire flock, and also his
salary, if any more such preaching were to be heard in his chapel, he
informed Elder Kimball that he would be obliged to close his pulpit
against him. Unlike Mr. Fielding, however, he manifested no bitterness
of spirit, but after denying him this privilege, continued to treat
his Mormon guest with great kindness and hospitality.
Heber's mind had been prepared for the change. "One night," says he,
"while at Mr. Richards' house, I dreamed that an elderly gentleman
came to me and rented me a lot of ground, which I was anxious to
cultivate. I immediately went to work to break it up; and observing
young timber on the lot, I cut it down. There was also an old building
at one corner of the lot which appeared ready to fall. I took a lever
and endeavored to place the building in a proper position, but all my
attempts were futile, and it became worse. I then resolved to pull it
down, and with the new timber build a good house on a good foundation.
While thus engaged, the gentleman of whom I had rented the place came
and found great fault with me for destroying his young timber, etc.
"This dream was fulfilled in the following manner: After Mr. Richards
let me preach in his chapel, I baptized all of his young members, as I
had before baptized his daughter. He then reflected upon himself for
letting me have the privilege of his chapel; told me that I had ruined
his church, and had taken away all his young members. I could not but
feel pity for the old gentleman, but I had a duty to perform which
outweighed all other considerations."
Heber now began to preach in private houses, which were opened in the
neighborhood, and "ceased not to declare the glorious tidings of
salvation." Among his interested auditors, still, was the Reverend
John Richards. His daughter Jennetta was very sorrowful over the turn
affairs had taken, and wept much at his refusal to allow Elder Kimball
to preach in his chapel. Heber told her to be of good cheer, for he
believed that the Lord would soften her father's heart, and cause him
to reopen his chapel.
The fulfillment is noted as follows:
"Sunday, 27th, I went along with him to his meeting, feeling a desire
to hear him preach. After he had finished his discourse, I was
agreeably surprised to hear him give out another appointment for me to
preach in his chapel. I accordingly preached in the afternoon and
evening. The words were with power. The effect was great upon the
people, for they were in tears, and the next day I baptized two more,
both of them members of Mr. Richards' church. Although he had preached
in that parish upwards of thirty years, and his members, as well as
the inhabitants of the place and vicinity, were very much attached to
him, yet when the fulness of the Gospel was preached, the people,
notwithstanding their attachment to and regard for their venerable
pastor, when convinced of their duty came forward and followed the
footsteps of the Savior, by being buried in the likeness of His
death."
While laboring in this neighborhood, Heber had a dream in which
Willard Richards appeared to him and said: "You are wanted at Preston,
and we cannot do without you any longer."
"The next morning," says he, "I started for Preston where I found that
I was anxiously expected by the brethren, who had received a letter
from Brother Richards, and one from Brother Russell, giving an account
of their proceedings since they left Preston. There was also a letter
from my wife, which contained many precious items of news from
Kirtland. Elder Hyde praised the Lord on seeing me. Brother Goodson
had likewise returned from Bedford, where he and Brother Richards had
labored; he gave us an account of their mission and success in raising
up a little branch of nineteen."
Another of Heber's prophecies--one of those seemingly casual though
fateful utterances for which he was famous--must here be mentioned.
"Willard, I baptized your wife to-day," were his words addressed to
Elder Richards just after Jennetta Richards joined the Church. Willard
and Jennetta had not yet seen each other. The sequel is in Willard's
own words, taken from his diary. Time: March, 1838:
"I took a tour through the branches, and preached. While walking in
Thornly I plucked a snowdrop, far through the hedge, and carried it to
James Mercer's and hung it up in his kitchen. Soon after, Jennetta
Richards came into the room, and I walked with her and Alice Parker to
Ribchester, and attended meeting with Brothers Kimball and Hyde at
Brother Clark's.
"While walking with these sisters, I remarked, 'Richards is a good
name; I never want to change it; do you, Jennetta.' 'No; I do not,'
was her reply, 'and I think I never will.'"
"Sept. 24th, 1839, I married Jennetta Richards, daughter of the Rev.
John Richards, independent minister at Walkerfold, Chaigley,
Lancashire. Most truly do I praise my Heavenly Father for His great
kindness in providing me a partner according to His promise. I receive
her from the Lord, and hold her at His disposal. I pray that He may
bless us forever. Amen!"
CHAPTER XX.
THE MISSION OF ELIAS--THE SYMBOLISM OF THE UNIVERSE--THE PAST
PREPARATORY TO THE PRESENT AND FUTURE--THE WAY PREPARED FOR THE
FULNESS OF THE GOSPEL--THE "LESSER LIGHTS" OF ENGLAND--FIELDING,
MATTHEWS AND AITKEN--THE STARS PALING BEFORE THE SUN.
The mission of Elias is the mission of preparation, the lesser going
before the greater, opening up the way. The day-star heralding the
dawn. The wedge of truth piercing the wall of prejudice, cleaving the
ranks of error, creating the gap through which shall ride on victory's
flaming wheels, the chariot of Righteousness.
"Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
me."
What Christ is to the Father, Elias is to the Son; messenger and
symbol of His Majesty. And hath not Elias also his fore-runner? The
mantle of Elias falls on many shoulders; the shadow of that mantle on
many more.
Life, the universe, is one vast symbolism. Earth fore-shadows heaven.
The stars, the worlds on high, are of higher worlds typical; a climax
of constellations, a ladder of light, a burning stairway of immortal
glories.
"System on system, countless worlds and suns,
Linked in division, one yet separate,
The silver islands of a sapphire sea,
Shoreless, unfathomed, undiminished, stirred
With waves which roll in restless tides of change."
Planet above planet, step by step, lustre upon lustre "until thou come
nigh to Kolob;" Kolob, lord of light, king of kokaubeam, nearest unto
the throne of God.
And shall it not be seen when all history is written, on earth as in
heaven, where it exists as a prophecy; when all secrets are revealed
and hidden things made known; that Time with all its ages is a chain,
a climax, an ascending scale of dispensations, merging in each other,
and all into one, like rills and rivers mingling with the ocean; that
men and nations from the beginning have carved out the way for other
men and nations; that human lives and human events, like sections of
machinery turned by the enginery of Omnipotence, have fitted into and
impelled each other, under the controlling, guiding master mind and
hand that "doeth all things well?"
Was not the past all preparatory to the present? Does not the present
foreshadow the future? Are not influences at work, even now; doctrines
being taught, truths put forth by pulpit, play and press; discoveries
made in art and science; antiquities unveiled and mysteries brought to
light, that are surely paving the way for the revelations of Jesus
Christ, past, present and to come? Is not the knowledge now possessed
by the Saints, glorious though it be, but a foretaste, the antepast of
a greater feast of knowledge yet to follow?
The mission of Elias is the mission of preparation, the lesser going
before the greater, opening up the way.
The mantle of Elias falls on many shoulders; the shadow of that mantle
on many more.
###
In America, it was Sidney Rigdon, Alexander Campbell and other orators
and divines, who prepared the way before Joseph Smith and the fullness
of the everlasting gospel. In England, the Fieldings, the Matthews,
the Aitkens and other lights, shed the lustre of advanced thought over
the path-way soon to be brightened by the beams of eternal truth.
Receiving not the light themselves, they nevertheless bore witness of
its approach, and unknowingly made ready the minds of many for its
acceptance. The more lustrously they shone, the greater their measure
of power, the higher, wider, deeper, more advanced and more liberal
their doctrines, the nearer they approximated, although they knew it
not, to what the world terms "Mormonism," what men in other ages
called "Christianism," but what the Gods in eternity have glorified as
the Gospel of life and salvation.
This preparatory work, like the work which was to follow, was both
spiritual and temporal. In America, the sword of a Washington, the pen
of a Jefferson had carved out the legend of liberty, "All men are
equal," ere the Gospel trump was heard again proclaiming, to high and
low, rich and poor, "Peace on earth, good will to men." In England,
Victoria had ascended the throne, and the spirit of reform, in church
and state, was rolling, a billow of victory, over the land. Society
was moved to its center. Old institutions were crumbling. The
iconoclast was abroad. Steam and electricity had begun their miracles;
science was exploding superstition; tyrant's thrones were tottering;
Liberty's upheaval in the west had shaken the very pillars of the
east; the "former things" were passing away; He that "sat upon the
throne" was making "all things new."
Thus had God prepared the way for the advent of the everlasting
Gospel.
As we have seen, the man chosen to pioneer the work on Europe's
shores, to lead the assault on Satan's strongholds in the old world,
and wave back over the Atlantic to his chief the signal of truth
triumphant among the nations, was Heber C. Kimball.
Speaking of those "lesser lights" who went before him and his brethren
and unwittingly helped them to establish Mormonism in the British
Isles, Heber says, referring now to the mission of Elders Richards and
Goodson to the city of Bedford:
"A minister by the name of Timothy R. Matthews, a brother-in-law to
Joseph Fielding, received them very kindly, and invited them to preach
in his church, which was accepted, and in it they preached several
times, when a number, amongst whom were Mr. Matthews and his lady,
believed their testimony, and the truths which they proclaimed. Mr.
Matthews had likewise borne testimony to his congregation of the truth
of these things, and that they were the same principles that were
taught by the Apostles anciently; and besought his congregation to
receive the same. Forty of his members went forward and were baptized,
and the time was appointed when he was to be baptized. In the
interval, however, Brother Goodson, contrary to my counsel and
positive instructions, and without advising with any one, read to Mr.
Matthews the vision seen by President Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon,
which caused him to stumble, and darkness pervaded his mind; so much
so, that at the time specified he did not make his appearance, but
went and baptized himself in the river Ouse; and from that time he
began to preach baptism for the remission of sins. He wrote to Rev.
James Fielding saying that his best members had left him."
"Mr. Matthews was a gentleman of considerable learning and talent. He
had been a minister in the established church of England, but seeing
many things in that church contrary to truth and righteousness, and
feeling that an overturn was nigh at hand, and that the church was
destitute of the gifts of the Spirit, and was not expecting the Savior
to come to reign upon the earth, as had been spoken by the prophets;
he felt led to withdraw from that body, and gave up his prospects in
that establishment. He then began to preach the things which he verily
believed, and was instrumental in raising up quite a church in that
place."
This of the Reverend Mr. Fielding, in Preston:
"Mr. James Fielding had been a minister in the Methodist Church, but
for some of the above causes had withdrawn from that society, and had
collected a considerable church in Preston. Those gentlemen, with
their congregations at the time we arrived were diligently contending
for that faith which was once delivered to the saints; but they
afterwards rejected the truth. Notwithstanding they did not obey the
Gospel, the greater portion of their members received our testimony,
obeyed the ordinances we taught, and are now rejoicing in the
blessings of the new and everlasting covenant."
Of the Rev. Robert Aitken, the most famous of these reform ministers,
Tullidge, our local historian, says:
"He seems to have been almost a Whitefield in his eloquence and
magical influence over the people. He was emphatically the most
popular 'new light' of the period in England. For years he had been
preaching very successfully against 'the corruptions of the
established church.' His mission had been quite a crusade against the
English Episcopacy, and he had established many flourishing chapels in
Liverpool, Preston, Manchester, Burslem, London and elsewhere. In the
metropolis he founded 'Zion's chapel' and what is interesting in the
case was that his themes on the ancient prophecies and their
fulfillment in 'these latter days' were very like what might have been
heard from Alexander Campbell or the eloquent Sidney Rigdon, before as
well as after he became a Mormon Elder. The Rev. Robert Aitken was
also powerful in his 'warnings to the Gentiles,' and his sermons were
often glorious outbursts of inspiration, when he dwelt upon the
prospect of a latter-day church rising in fulfillment of the
prophets."
But the power and influence of this brilliant star were about to wane.
A greater luminary had arisen--the very Latter-day Church of which he
had spoken--before whose rays the light of "Zion's Chapel" must pale
as pales the starlight before the morn.
Concerning this celebrated expounder of the Bible, and _pounder_ of
the Book of Mormon--for such it seems he literally was--Apostle
Kimball writes:
"Soon after our arrival in England, many of the Aitkenites embraced
the Gospel, which caused considerable feeling and opposition in the
ministers belonging to that sect. Having lost quite a number of
members, and seeing that more were on the eve of being baptized, the
Rev. Robert Aitken came to Preston, and gave out that he was going to
put down Mormonism, expose the doctrines, and overthrow the Book of
Mormon. He made a very long oration on the subject, was very vehement
in his manner, and pounded the Book of Mormon on the pulpit many
times. He then exhorted the people to pray that the Lord would drive
us from their coast; and if the Lord would not hear them in that
petition, that He would smite the leaders.
"The next Sunday Elder Hyde and myself went to our meeting room, read
the thirteenth chapter of first Corinthians, and strongly urged upon
the people the grace of charity which is so highly spoken of in that
chapter, and made some remarks on the proceedings of the Reverend
Robert Aitken, who had abused us and the Book of Mormon so very much.
In return for his railing we exhorted the Saints to pray that the Lord
would soften his heart and open his eyes that he might see that it was
hard to 'kick against the pricks.' This discourse had a very good
effect, and that week we had the pleasure of baptizing fifty into the
kingdom of Jesus, a large number of whom were members of Mr. Aitken's
church."
Thus did the sheep of Israel, straying in Idumean pastures, continue
flocking back into the Master's fold. They knew the voice of their
Shepherd when He called, and a stranger they would no longer follow.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE TEMPERANCE REFORM IN PRESTON--A WORK PREPARATORY TO THE
GOSPEL--PREACHING IN THE "COCK PIT"--HEBER WRITES HOME AN ACCOUNT OF
HIS MISSION--THE WORK IN CUMBERLAND--EPISODE OF MARY SMITHIES--"SHE
SHALL LIVE TO BECOME A MOTHER IN ISRAEL."
One of the great movements in England, commenced just prior to the
landing of the Elders, was the temperance reform. Undoubtedly this was
a work preparatory to the advent of the Gospel, and one recognized as
such, not only by the Elders, but by their converts connected with the
temperance cause.
"In almost every place we went," says Elder Kimball, "where there was
a temperance hall, we could get it to preach in, many believing that
we made men temperate faster than they did; for as soon as any obeyed
the Gospel they abandoned their excesses in drinking; none of us drank
any kind of spirits, porter, small beer, or even wine; neither did we
drink tea, coffee or chocolate."
It is an interesting fact that this temperance movement began in
Preston, where later was first proclaimed in Britain the glad tidings
of the Gospel. Very fitting and appropriate, and quite in keeping with
our theme, that the lesser movement should thus precede the greater,
and from the same starting-point go forth preparing the way.
Herein, too, is sound Gospel philosophy. The spirit of the Lord and
the demon of alcohol are essentially antagonistic. That which corrupts
the body or darkens the mind, has nothing in common with Mormonism.
The Holy Ghost dwelleth not in unclean tabernacles. To be ready for
the reception of that spirit which maketh manifest the things of God,
and retain its light within the lamp of the soul, the heart must be
pure, the mind unclouded, the body clean and undefiled.
On the first Sunday in September, 1837, the Saints in Preston
commenced holding meetings in what was known as the "Cock Pit." It was
a large and commodious place, capable of seating eight hundred
persons, and situated in the center of the town. It had formerly been
used by the sporting fraternity for the purpose indicated by its name,
but recently had been converted into a temperance hall. Says Heber,
describing this unique, historic edifice:
"The space for cock-fighting was an area of about twelve or fifteen
feet in the center, around which the seats formed a circle, each seat
rising about a foot above another, till they reached the walls of the
building. When we leased it the area in the center was occupied by the
singers, and our pulpit was the place where the judges formerly sat,
who awarded the prizes at cockfights. We had to pay seven shillings
per week for the use of it, and two shillings per week for lighting;
it being beautifully lit up with gas. The building was about
twenty-five feet from 'the Old Church,' probably the oldest in
Lancashire."
On the 6th of September Elder Kimball paid a visit to the little
branch in Walkerfold, where the Saints were suffering much
persecution. Some had been driven from their homes, and otherwise ill
treated for the cause of Christ, by their own fathers and mothers. The
sight of Heber's face revived their sinking spirits, and they again
rejoiced in the Lord. Later in the month he again visited the branch
at Longridge and Walkerfold, and found it prospering. Several more
were added to the Church during his stay. He next visited and preached
at Barshe Lees and Ribchester, baptizing two persons at the former
place, and then returned to Preston.
About this time Heber wrote a letter to his wife, in Kirtland, giving
some account of his mission. In it the following passages occur:
"You stated in your letter that some of the Twelve were coming to
England next spring, calculating to bring their wives with them. This
I have no objections to, but if they do they had better bring money to
support them. They had better take Brother Joseph's advice and leave
their wives at home, for if they bring them here they will repent the
day they did so. I do not wish to bring my wife to this country to
suffer. If they could see the misery that I do they would not think of
such a thing. The Savior says, 'he that is not willing to leave father
and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, houses and lands,
for my sake and the Gospel, is not worthy of me.' We have hired our
lodgings since we have been here and bought our own provisions. We eat
but one meal a day at home, for the brethren invite us to dinner and
supper with them, and they frequently divide their last loaf with us.
They do all in their power, and I feel to bless them in the name of
the Lord. There are 55 baptized in Preston, and it is as much as they
can do to live, and there are but two or three that could lodge us
over night if they should try; in fact there are some that have not a
bed to sleep on themselves. The Lord says 'take no thought for the
morrow,' and this is the way I feel for the present. I commit myself
into His hands, that I may always be ready to go at His command. I
desire to be content with whatsoever situation I am placed in.
"I feel contented about you. I know the Lord will take care of you,
and preserve you until I come home, and feed you and clothe you, and
the children. Give me your prayers and you shall have mine. Be
faithful, my dear companion; our labors will soon be over, when we
shall meet to part no more forever."
Thus, it appears, the work in England was beginning to attract the
attention of the Church at home, and stirring a desire in the breasts
of the Apostles to "thrust in their sickles and reap" where the field
was so "white unto the harvest." Heber's practical advice about
leaving their wives at home while they went forth in the ministry, had
its effect upon the minds of the brethren, and the custom has
prevailed from that day to this, almost universally throughout the
foreign missions of the Church.
In the meantime how fared it with the brethren in the north, Elder
Russell and Priest Snyder, who had been sent with the Gospel into
Cumberland?
"Brother Snyder returned from the north where he had traveled in
company with Brother Russell. He stated that they met with
considerable opposition while preaching the gospel, that they had
baptized about thirty, and that others were investigating. After
spending a few days with us," says Elder Kimball, "he and brother
Goodson took their leave for America. Brother Goodson pretended to
have business of importance which called him home. He had over 200
books of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants which he refused to let me
have, although I proffered to pay him the money for them on my return
to America. He carried them back, and on arriving in Iowa Territory he
burned them, at which time he apostatized and left the Church.
"Although we were deprived of the labors of Brothers Goodson and
Snyder, the work of the Lord continued to roll forth with great power,
for those of us who remained received greater strength. Calls from
all quarters to come and preach were constantly sounding in our ears,
and we labored night and day to satisfy the people, who manifested
such a desire for the truth as I never saw before. We had to speak in
small and very crowded houses, and to large assemblies in the open
air. Consequently our lungs were often very sore, and our bodies worn
down with fatigue. Sometimes I was guilty of breaking the priestly
rules. I pulled off my coat and rolled up my sleeves and went at my
duty with my whole soul, like a man reaping and binding wheat, which
caused the hireling priests to be very much surprised. They found much
fault with us, and threatened us continually, because we got all of
their best members. We told them all we wanted was the wheat; they
could keep the rest."
Next comes an interesting incident in Heber's ministry, relating
closely to one branch of his numerous family. Says he:
"I will mention a circumstance in relation to the first child born in
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Great Britain,
which was on the 7th of October, 1837, at Barshe Lees. She was the
daughter of James and Nancy Smithies, formerly Nancy Knowles. After
she was born her parents wanted to take her to the church to be
sprinkled, or christened, as they call it. I used every kind of
persuasion to convince them of their folly; it being contrary to the
scriptures and the will of God; the parents wept bitterly, and it
seemed as though I could not prevail on them to omit it. I wanted to
know of them why they were so tenacious. The answer was, 'if she dies
she cannot have a burial in the churchyard.' I said to them, 'Brother
and Sister Smithies, I say unto you in the name of Israel's God, she
shall not die on this land, for she shall live until she becomes a
mother in Israel, and I say it in the name of Jesus Christ and by
virtue of the Holy Priesthood vested in me.' That silenced them, and
when she was two weeks old they presented the child to me; I took it
in my arms and blessed it, that it should live to become a mother in
Israel. She was the first child blessed in that country, and the first
born unto them."
The child's name was Mary Smithies. She grew to womanhood, emigrating
with her parents to America, and became Heber's wife, and the mother
of five of his children.
Apostle Kimball next took a tour through some villages south of
Preston, in company with Brother Francis Moon. The people "flocked in
crowds" to hear him. At Longridge five preachers were among the large
congregation of interested listeners. At Eccleston he had the
privilege--a rare one--of preaching in a Methodist chapel. During this
journey he baptized ten persons, two of whom were Methodist preachers.
By this time the Church in Preston had become numerous, and it was
found necessary to organize them into five branches, which was
accordingly done on the 8th of October. Priests and Teachers were
ordained to take charge of the branches. Thursday evenings were set
apart for prayer meetings in various places, and on the Sabbath the
whole body assembled at the main hall to partake of the sacrament, and
receive general instructions. The greatest harmony and love prevailed,
and "as little children" the Saints rejoiced in doing the will of God.
Heber spent the principal part of his time in the country, "leaving
Preston Monday mornings, and returning on Saturday evenings."
CHAPTER XXII.
HEBER WRITES TO WILLARD IN BEDFORD--THE ELDERS BECOME LICENSED
PREACHERS--THE "MILK" AND "MEAT OF THE WORD"--RAPID SPREAD OF THE
WORK--MIRACLES--HEBER'S DREAM OF THE BULL AND FIELD OF GRAIN--A
DISAPPOINTED MOB.
Feeling some anxiety about the work in Bedford, where Elder Richards
was still laboring, Heber wrote to him as follows:
"PRESTON, OCT. 12th, 1837.
"_Dear Brother Richards:_
"With pleasure I take my pen in hand to let you know that
I have not forgotten you. Brother Hyde and myself have labored all
the time, night and day, so that we have not had much time to
sleep. There are calls on the right and left. In Preston there
are about one hundred and sixty members. At Walkerfold I have
built up one branch; one in Barshe Lees, in Yorkshire; one in
Ribchester; one in Penwortham, and one in Thornley. We have built
up those branches besides laboring in Preston nearly all the time;
so you can judge whether or no we have been idle. There are ten
calls where we can only fill one. Have had a very bad cold on my
lungs, so that I have had to hold up for a few days, to recruit my
health. Our congregations have been so large that our lungs have
failed to make all the people hear. Brother Fielding has been with
me part of the time; he has not preached much, but has baptized,
and visited from house to house.
"The harvest is ripe and many are thirsting for the word of life.
May God give you energy to go forth in His name, and cry aloud and
spare not; and I say unto you, Brother Richards, if you stay in
that place much longer there will contentions arise, until the
little branch will be broken up and scattered to the four winds.
And I say this in the name of the Lord: go forth into the country
without purse or scrip, as God has commanded, and if you should
leave the branch two or three weeks the Saints will take no harm,
and the Lord will bless you in so doing. Go fifteen or twenty
miles; cry repentance, and let the big things alone; for this is
the way that the hearts of the people are closed up in Bedford, by
Elder Goodson preaching those things he was commanded to let
alone. I have scarcely meddled with the prophecies; I have only
preached the first principles of the Gospel to the people, doing
the same that I teach you to do. The churches in the country I
stay with a few days, and then leave them two or three weeks; they
are praising the Lord and are glad to see me when I visit them.
"Brother Richards, I am not forgetful of your kindness to me and
the brethren while with us; but I have a godly jealousy over you
for your welfare and prosperity in the cause of Christ.
"HEBER C. KIMBALL."
Willard, it appears, had been praying to receive the mind and will of
the Lord through his brethren, the Apostles, to direct him in his
labors. His prayer being answered, he went forth with renewed energy,
preaching and baptizing, laboring diligently and with success, until
March, 1838, when he returned to Preston.
Heber continues: "The effect of the Gospel of Jesus Christ now began
to be apparent, not only in the hearts of believers, but likewise in
the hearts of those who rejected it. Our meeting in Preston being
disturbed by the Methodist ministers, we got our hall licensed, and
two gentlemen named Joseph Brown and Arthur Burrows, who were
policemen, proffered their services to preserve the peace, and protect
us from any further disturbance; which they continued to do as long as
we stayed in that land. Many began to persecute us for preaching
without a license from the authority of the nation. This idea of
obtaining a license from the secular authority was somewhat novel to
us; but after consulting our friends, amongst whom was Mr. John
Richards' son, an attorney practising in Preston, we found it was
according to the laws of England. Brothers Hyde and I therefore made
application to the Quarter Sessions and obtained licenses, by the
assistance of Mr. Richards; and for which service he refused
compensation.
"The following is a copy of my license:
"'LANCASHIRE TO WIT. } This is to certify that at the General
Quarter Sessions of the Peace, held by adjournment at Preston in
and for said county, the eighteenth day of October, in the first
year of the reign of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, Heber Chase
Kimball came before the Justices present, and did then and there
in open court, take the oaths appointed to be taken, instead of
the oaths of allegiance and supremacy; and also the abjurgation
oath; and subscribed his name thereto, pursuant to the several
laws in that behalf made and provided.
"'E. GORST,
"'Deputy Clerk of the Peace in and
for said county.'
"Having now obeyed the requisitions of the law, we felt ourselves
tolerably secure, knowing that our enemies could not lawfully harm us.
I wrote to Brother Richards that I had taken the oath to be true to
Her Majesty and see that the laws were executed, also the abjurgation
oath provided for foreigners who were not naturalized, and obtained a
license as a preacher of the Gospel; and recommended him to do the
same at Bedford: but they made him take the oath of allegiance before
they granted him his license to preach. After we had obtained our
licenses, to our surprise we found there were only a few licensed
preachers in Preston; and when they abused me I told them if they did
not cease their abuse I would see the laws put in force according to
the oaths I had taken; and this generally silenced them.
"Although we had many persecutors who would have rejoiced at our
destruction, and who felt determined to overthrow the work of the
Lord, yet there were many who were friendly, who would have stood by
us under all circumstances, and would not have been afraid to hazard
their lives in our behalf. The church in Preston now numbered two or
three hundred souls, with more being added continually.
"November 14th, I wrote to Willard Richards, exhorting him to teach
the first principles of the Gospel only; telling him that if the
people would not receive them they would not receive anything else;
the more simple he could be, the better it would be for his hearers,
Brother Goodson having left about 20 Books of Mormon in his
possession, I told him to sell all that he could, either to saint or
sinner; to get him some clothes, and to make himself warm and
comfortable."
The wisdom of the Apostle's counsel to give first the "milk of the
word" to those who were infants in faith, reserving the "meat" for
such as became strong, is self-evident. No vessel can contain beyond
its capacity. Food, in kind and quantity, must ever keep pace with the
growth, and be suited to the condition of the one to whom it is
administered.
It is human nature to oppose that which is new. The pride of man
revolts at the idea of admitting himself in error, and his
preconceived notions to be false, or even defective. The flesh,
naturally inert, dislikes change that brings toil and study, even for
the soul's salvation. Self-interest pleads in various ways, in favor
of the old, and against the new. Thus hoary tradition, antique error,
sits warmed and comforted, a welcome guest, alike in palace and in
hovel, while Truth, a pilgrim, hungry and cold, without stands
shivering in the frosty air.
All truth may be new to the ignorant, though old as eternity to the
Gods, and whom the Gods make wise. Much that is true, is not
expedient. The Prophet Joseph could not tell all he knew, even to the
Elders; nor the Elders all they knew to the people, Paul, caught up
unto "the third heaven;" Joseph, unto "the seventh heaven," saw and
heard things unspeakable, things "unlawful to be uttered." The
mysteries of God's kingdom are not for the world, nor for novices in
the faith until it is wisdom in the Lord, "lest they perish."
The effect of Elder Goodson's folly in reading to the Reverend Mr.
Matthews the vision of the triple glories, when his mind was just
beginning to grasp the Gospel's first principles--sufficiently novel
and far enough advanced to test his neophyte faith to the utmost--is
only one of many like instances in Mormon missionary experience.
Prudence demands that truth be inculcated by gradual degrees. "Cry
nothing but repentance to this generation," is a word of supreme
wisdom to the Lord's servants, laboring in His vineyard among the
tender vines and fragile flowers of humanity. Eagles build their nests
in strong and high places. Truth is loftier and mightier than many
eagles.
The Apostle's record continues:
"Having an appointment to preach in the village of Wrightington, while
on the way I stopped at the houses of Brothers Francis Moon and Amos
Fielding, when I was informed that the family of Matthias Moon had
sent a request for me to visit them, that they might have the
privilege of conversing with me on the subject of the Gospel.
Accordingly Brother Amos Fielding and I paid them a visit that
evening. We were very kindly received by the family, and had
considerable conversation on the subject of my mission to England, and
the great work of the Lord in the last days. They listened with
attention to my statements, but at the same time they appeared to be
prejudiced against them. We remained in conversation until a late
hour, and then returned home. On our way Brother Fielding observed
that he thought our visit had been in vain, as the family seemed to
have considerable prejudice. I answered, 'be not faithless but
believing; we shall yet see great effects from this visit, for I know
that some of the family have received the testimony, and will shortly
manifest the same;' at which remark he seemed surprised.
"The next morning I continued my journey to Wrightington and Hunter's
Hill. After spending two or three days in that vicinity preaching, I
baptized seven of the family of Benson, and others, and organized a
branch.
"I returned by the way of Brother Fielding's, with whom I again
tarried for the night. The next morning I started for Preston, but
when I got opposite the lane leading to Mr. Moon's, I was forcibly led
by the Spirit of the Lord to call and see them again. I therefore
directed my steps to the house. On my arrival I knocked at the door.
Mrs. Moon exclaimed, 'come in! come in! You are welcome here! I and
the lassies (meaning her daughters) have just been calling on the
Lord, and praying that He would send you this way.' She then informed
me of her state of mind since I was there, and said she at first
rejected my testimony, and endeavored to think lightly on the things I
had advanced, but on trying to pray, the heavens seemed to be like
brass over her head, and it was like iron under her feet. She did not
know what was the matter, saying, 'certainly the man has not bewitched
me has he?' and upon inquiring she found it was the same with the
lassies. They then began to reflect on the things I told them, and
thinking it possible that I had told them the truth, they resolved to
lay the case before the Lord, and beseech Him to give them a testimony
concerning the things I had testified of. She then observed that as
soon as they did so light broke in upon their minds; they were
convinced that I was a messenger of salvation; that it was the work of
the Lord, and they had resolved to obey the Gospel. That evening I
baptized Mr. Moon and his wife, and four of their daughters.
"The same night I went to Leyland, and stayed with Francis Moon, and
the next morning I went to Preston where I stayed about three weeks
with Brother Hyde.
"During this time our enemies were not idle; they heaped abuse upon us
with an unsparing hand and issued torrents of lies concerning us,
which I am thankful to say did not injure us. Among those most active
in publishing falsehoods against us and the truth were many of the
clergy, who were afraid to meet us face to face in honorable debate,
although particularly requested so to do. We only asked three days'
notice of the time of discussion, so as to notify the people. But they
sought every opportunity to try to destroy our characters, and
propagate their lies concerning us, thus showing that they loved
darkness rather than light. We frequently called upon the ministers of
various denominations, who had taken a stand against us, to come
forward and investigate our religion before the world, in an honorable
manner, and bring forth their strong reasons to disprove the things we
taught, and convince the people by sound argument and the word of God,
if they could, that we did not preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This
they declined. They kept at a respectful distance, and only came out
when they knew we were absent, with misrepresentations and abuse. It
is true we suffered some from the statements which they thought proper
to make, when we could not get an opportunity to contradict them; but
generally their reports were of such a character as carried their own
refutation with them.
"I visited Mr. Moon again, and baptized the remainder of his family,
consisting of thirteen souls, the youngest of whom was over twenty
years of age. They received the Gospel as little children, and
rejoiced exceedingly in its blessings. The sons were very good
musicians, and the daughters excellent singers. When they united their
instruments and voices in the songs of Zion, the effect was truly
transporting.
"Before I left England there were about thirty of that family and
connections baptized, five of whom, Hugh, John, Francis, William and
Thomas Moon, were ordained to be fellow laborers with us in the
vineyard, and I left them rejoicing in the truths they had embraced.
"In all my labors I was greatly assisted by the Spirit of the Lord,
and my soul was comforted exceedingly; for the sick were healed, the
lame walked, and in several cases where persons had lain upon their
beds in a consumptive state for many years and were not able to sit
up, they would be taken in a carriage, perhaps a mile, to the water,
where I baptized, laid my hands upon them and confirmed them, that
they might receive the Holy Ghost, and rebuked their disease in the
name of Jesus Christ, and said unto them 'be thou made whole,' and
they would leap and shout glory to God, and begin to mend from that
hour. This was a common occurrence on our first mission to England.
Many scores of persons were healed by our sending a handkerchief to
them.
"I was instrumental in building up churches in the following places,
viz.; Eccleston, Wrightington, Askin, Dauber's Lane, Exton, Chorley,
Whittle, Hunter's Hill, and Leyland Moss, after laboring about four
weeks, and baptizing in the neighborhood of two hundred persons, which
caused me to rejoice that I had not labored in vain. More loving and
affectionate Saints I never saw before; they were patterns of
humility. All the above villages are within a short distance of each
other, and near to Preston.
"After my return from those places I took a tour to the northeast of
Preston, in company with Brother Joseph Fielding, where we labored a
short time with considerable success, and raised up churches in
Ribchester, Thornley, Stoney Gate Lane, and at Clithero, a market town
containing several thousand inhabitants. At Clithero I baptized a
preacher named Thomas Smith and six members of the Methodist Church,
immediately after I had preached the first time.
"One night while at the village of Ribchester I dreamed that in
company with another person I was walking, and we saw a very extensive
field of wheat; more so than the eye could reach; such a sight I had
never witnessed. The wheat appeared perfectly ripe and ready for
harvest. I was very much rejoiced at the glorious sight which
presented itself; but judge of my surprise, when on taking some of the
ears and rubbing them in my hands, I found nothing but smut; not any
sound grain could I find. I marveled exceedingly and felt very
sorrowful, and exclaimed 'what will the people do for grain! Here is a
great appearance of plenty, but there is no sound wheat.'
"While contemplating the scenery, I looked in another direction, and
saw a small field in the form of the letter L, which had the
appearance of something growing in it. I immediately directed my steps
to it, and found that it had been sown with wheat, some of which had
grown up six inches high, other parts of the field not quite so high,
and some had just sprouted. This gave me some encouragement to expect
that at the harvest there would be some good grain. While thus
engaged, a large bull, looking very fierce and angry, leaped over the
fence, ran through the field, and stamped down a large quantity of
that which had just sprouted, and after doing considerable injury he
leaped over the fence and ran away. I felt very much grieved that so
much wheat should be destroyed when there was such a prospect of
scarcity.
"When I awoke next morning the interpretation was given me. The large
field with the great appearance of grain, so beautiful to look upon,
represented the nation in which I then resided; which had a very
pleasing appearance and a good show of religion; which made great
pretensions to piety and goodness, and consequently of the gifts of
the Spirit. The small field I saw, clearly represented the region of
country where I was laboring, and where the word of truth had taken
root, which was in the shape of the letter L, and it was growing in
the hearts of those who had the gospel, some places having grown a
little more than others. The village I was in was that part of the
field where the bull did so much injury; for during my short visit
there, most of the inhabitants were believing, but as soon as I
departed, a clergyman belonging to the Church of England came out and
violently attacked the truth, made a considerable noise, crying,
"False Prophet! Delusion!" and after trampling on truth and doing all
the mischief he could before I returned, he took shelter in his
pulpit.
"However he did not destroy all the seed, for after my return I was
instrumental in building up a branch in Ribchester. A mob of Catholics
had combined, that when I went to baptize any persons they would pelt
me with stones. I made arrangements with each of the candidates to go
singly to the place of baptism, and about the time the last one got
there I started quickly, got to the place and baptized them all. As I
was baptizing the last one the mob came up and were disappointed in
their vengeance, for I came out of the water, and they did not know
how many I had baptized."
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE VOICE OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD--HEBER CONVERTS WHOLE VILLAGES--THE
SPIRIT OF THE MASTER UPON HIS SERVANT--THE CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE IN
PRESTON.
"My sheep know my voice, and a stranger they will not follow." So said
the Shepherd of Israel.
The test is true in all time. How many in these latter days bear
witness, that, until Mormonism came, they had no religion, and desired
none, but were instantly converted on first hearing it proclaimed.
Again, how many wandered in quest of it, from church to church, from
creed to creed, scarce knowing what they sought, yet conscious of "an
aching void" which nothing else could fill, and only happy when at
last it was supplied.
"My sheep know my voice, and a stranger they will not follow."
A remarkable instance of this truth now occurred in Heber's ministry.
Says he:
"Having mentioned my intention of going to Downham and Chatburn, to
several of the brethren, they endeavoured to dissuade me from going,
informing me there could be no prospect of success whatever, as
several ministers of different denominations had endeavored in vain to
raise churches in these places, and had frequently preached to them,
but to no effect, as they had resisted all the efforts and withstood
the attempts of all sects and parties for the last thirty years, who,
seeing all their attempts fail, had given them up to hardness of
heart. I was also informed they were very wicked places. However this
did not discourage me, believing that the Gospel of Jesus Christ could
reach the heart, when the gospels of men proved abortive; I
consequently told those brethren that these were the places I wanted
to go to, for that it was my business not to call the righteous but
sinners to repentance.
"The next day we received a very pressing invitation to preach in
Chatburn, but having given out an appointment to preach in Clithero
that evening, I informed them that I would not be able to comply with
their request that night; this did not satisfy them, they continued to
solicit me with the greatest importunity, until I was obliged to
consent to remain with them, and requested Elder Fielding to attend to
the appointment at Clithero; there was a feeling of reluctance on his
part to go, as he feared the rabble might break up his meeting; but
seeing the importunity of the people that I should stay with them in
Chatburn, he consented to go to Clithero alone. As he feared it might
be, so it was; his meeting was broken up.
"In Chatburn I was cordially received by the inhabitants, who turned
out in great numbers to hear me preach. They procured a large tithing
barn, placing a barrel in the center, upon which I stood. I preached
to them the first principles of the Gospel, spoke in simplicity upon
the principles revealed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the
conditions of pardon for a fallen world and the blessings and
privileges of those who embraced the truth; I likewise said a little
on the subject of the resurrection. My testimony was accompanied by
the Spirit of the Lord, and was received with joy, and these people
who had been represented as being hard and obdurate, were melted into
tenderness and love. I told them that, being a servant of the Lord
Jesus Christ, I stood ready at all times to administer the ordinances
of the Gospel, and explained what was necessary to prepare them for
baptism; that when they felt to repent of and forsake their sins, they
were ready to be baptized for the remission of sins, like the jailor
and his household, and Cornelius and his house. When I concluded I
felt someone pulling at my coat, exclaiming, 'Maister, Maister,' I
turned round and asked what was wanted. Mrs. Elizabeth Partington
said, 'Please sir, will you baptize me?' 'And me?' And me?' exclaimed
more than a dozen voices. Accordingly I went down into the water and
baptized twenty-five. I was engaged in this duty, and confirming them
and conversing with the people until after midnight."
The next morning I returned to Downham, and baptized between
twenty-five and thirty in the course of the day.
"The next evening I returned to Chatburn. The congregation was so
numerous that I had to preach in the open air, and took my stand on a
stone wall, and afterwards baptized several. These villages seemed to
be affected from one end to the other; parents called their children
together, spoke to them on the subjects which I had preached about,
and warned them against swearing and all other evil practices, and
instructed them in their duty.
"We were absent from Preston five days, during which time Brother
Fielding and I baptized and confirmed about 110 persons; organized
branches in Downham, Chatburn, Waddington and Clithero; and ordained
several to the lesser Priesthood, to preside. This was the first time
the people in those villages ever heard our voices, or saw an
American.
"I cannot refrain from relating an occurrence which took place while
Brother Fielding and myself were passing through the village of
Chatburn on our way to Downham: having been observed approaching the
village, the news ran from house to house, and immediately the noise
of their looms was hushed, and the people flocked to their doors to
welcome us and see us pass. More than forty young people of the place
ran to meet us; some took hold of our mantles and then of each others'
hands; several having hold of hands went before us singing the songs
of Zion, while their parents gazed upon the scene with delight, and
poured their blessings upon our heads, and praised the God of heaven
for sending us to unfold the principles of truth and the plan of
salvation to them. The children continued with us to Downham, a mile
distant. Such a scene, and such gratitude, I never witnessed before.
'Surely,' my heart exclaimed, 'out of the mouths of babes and
sucklings thou hast perfected praise.' What could have been more
pleasing and delightful than such a manifestation of gratitude to
Almighty God; and from those whose hearts were deemed too hard to be
penetrated by the Gospel, and who had been considered the most wicked
and hardened people in that region of country."
"A rare scene, indeed, and a suggestive one, for the parallel of which
the mind must leap backward nigh two thousand years:
"On the next day, much people that were come to the feast, when
they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.
"Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and
cried, Hosanna; Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the
name of the Lord.
"The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye
prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him."
So was it with this servant of Christ, this brother of Jesus in the
British Isles. The hireling priests, the pharisees of Christendom,
prevailed nothing. The "world went after him," whole villages at a
sweep, singing praises, and shouting in tones of rapture: "Blessed is
he that cometh in the name of the Lord."
There was divine harmony in all this. In Heber, his character, manner
and methods--we say it reverently--there was much of the Christ; the
might of the lion, with the meekness of the lamb. His, also, was the
Savior's lineage; in his heart a kindred spirit, in his veins the
self-same blood. Where causes are similar, should there not spring
similar results?
And is it not truly a Christ-like sentiment, with which he concludes
his description of that wonderful scene:
"In comparison to the joy I then experienced, the grandeur, pomp and
glory of the kingdoms of this world shrank into insignificance, and
appeared as dross, and all the honor of man aside from the Gospel as
vanity. The prayer of my heart was, 'O Lord do thou bless this people,
save them from sin, and prepare them for Thy celestial kingdom, and
that Thy servant may meet them round Thy throne; and grant, O Lord,
that I may continue to preach the Gospel of Christ, which shall cause
the hearts of the poor to rejoice, and the meek to increase their joy
in the Lord; which shall comfort the hearts of the widows and cheer
the soul of the orphan; and that I may be an instrument in Thy hands
of bringing them to Zion, that they may behold Thy glory and be
prepared to meet the Savior when He shall descend in the clouds of
heaven."
On Christmas a special conference was held in Preston by the Apostles.
About three hundred of the Saints assembled, delegates being present
from the various branches in and around Preston, extending some thirty
miles. Joseph Fielding was ordained an Elder, and ten Priests and
seven Teachers were ordained and set apart to take charge of the
several branches where they resided.
At this conference, the Word of Wisdom, the temperance revelation of
the Church, was first publicly taught in Great Britain. The Elders had
taught it more by example than precept heretofore. It became almost
universally observed among the brethren. In the "Cock Pit," where this
conference was held, had first been lifted the standard of temperance
reform. It was the motto on one of the banners of this movement,
"Truth will Prevail," which greeted the Elders so opportunely, as an
omen of success now verified, on their arrival in Preston from
Liverpool, five months before. Says Apostle Kimball:
"The Spirit of the Lord was with us; and truly the hearts of the
Elders were rejoiced beyond measure when we contemplated the glorious
work which had been done, and we had to exclaim, 'Blessed be the name
of the Lord, who has crowned our labors with such success!' During the
conference we confirmed fourteen members and, blessed about one
hundred children."
One hundred little children blessed in Preston, Christmas, 1837!
A beautiful and fitting celebration of that blessed day of days, when
"unto us a Child was born" to take away the sins of the world; when
God descended from His throne and took upon Him flesh, exchanging
crown for cross, and sceptred rule for martyrdom, in the cause of
man's redemption. Shine out, ye blazing stars, and sun and moon give
forth your warmth and lustre! Ye cannot dim the glory, nor vie the
matchless love, of Him who set you there to light and cheer, on,
onward to celestial heights the world He died to save!
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE WORK OF GOD NOT DEPENDENT UPON MAN--HUMILITY A SOURCE OF
POWER--EVERY MAN CHOSEN AND FITTED FOR HIS SPHERE--EXAMPLE OF PAUL THE
APOSTLE--HEBER "HITS THE ROCK" IN LONGTON--THE APOSTLES VISIT THE
BRANCHES PRIOR TO RETURNING TO AMERICA.
Preaching the Gospel and converting sinners unto Christ never yet
depended for success upon man's learning or the music of oratory. The
unlettered fishermen of Galilee, proclaiming in simple words "Christ
crucified," were far more powerful in winning souls from error's ways
and melting the hearts of the multitude, than would all the orators
have been; the Herods, Ciceros, or Demosthenes, of Judea, Greece and
Rome.
The reason is not, as some suppose, that learning and oratory are
valueless in the cause of Christ, or necessarily a hindrance, as was
Saul's armor upon youthful David. The example of the eloquent and
erudite Paul suffices to disprove such a fallacy. The secret is simply
this: that God had chosen those humble fishermen, and not the learned
orators of the age, for that especial work, and endowed them with
power from on high. No man, learned or unlearned, can build up God's
Kingdom, except He be with him, and the Holy Ghost work through him.
God is the doer of His work, not man, and no flesh can glory in His
presence. It was the Holy Ghost in Paul, as it was the Holy Ghost in
Peter, not the learning or illiteracy of either, that wrought the
wonders of which they were capable.
The Holy Ghost dwells only in hearts that are pure and humble.
Humility, next to virtue, is the one grand requisite of a servant of
God. Pride and vanity are synonyms of weakness; humility, another name
for strength. Men of learning and language, whom nature and education
have made "spokesmen," need not be any less humble--though men of
little learning and much language are very apt to be. Pride, in rags
or in purple, is the offspring of ignorance; while learning is the
parent of humility.
The eloquent and learned man, humble and filled with the Holy Ghost,
is manifestly more capable, in his sphere, and more successful, than
one without his advantages would be. But turn the tables, reverse the
conditions, and, in his sphere, the unlearned man, intelligent,
God-fearing and inspired, looms a giant, where his more polished
brother might seem a pigmy by comparison. The faculty of adapting self
to circumstances is invaluable for the missionary to possess. In
saying that he was "all things to all men," the brave and faithful
Paul did not brand himself a hypocrite. Rather, did he not mean he
could accommodate himself to his surroundings; enter into the feelings
and sympathies of "all men:" the high, the low, the rich, the poor,
the learned and the illiterate; at home in palace or in hovel;
feasting in gratitude at luxury's board, or sharing thankfully the
crust of poverty; holding spell-bound by his oratory the charmed sages
of Athens, or melting his jailor's heart with the simple pathos of his
tale.
Such was Paul, the eloquent and learned Apostle; a vessel formed and
fashioned, like all others, for his work. It was his mission to be
"brought before Caesar"; the mission of most of his brethren to
preach, like their Master, "the Gospel to the poor." It will yet fall
to the lot of God's servants to stand before kings and rulers, as did
Elijah, Nathan and Daniel of old. But in the days of Heber, of Joseph,
and of Brigham, the Gospel was chiefly to the poor and humble, who
received it gladly and rejoiced in the God of their salvation.
Returning now to the Apostles in Preston:
"Immediately after the conference," wrote Heber, "Elder Hyde and I
went to a village near the sea shore called Longton, where we
published to the listening crowds the glad tidings of salvation.
Brothers Hyde and Goodson had preached several discourses there, and
numbers were believing, but none had been baptized. The people asked
Brother Hyde why he did not 'bring Kimball down, to hit the rock a
crack with his big sledge and let the water flow out.' I preached from
Hebrews 6th chapter, 1st verse: 'Therefore not leaving the principles
of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying
again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God.' I preached a plain and simple discourse, and according to
my calling I taught them to repent and be baptized, that they might be
saved, and if they did not they would be damned. Elder Hyde bore
testimony. After meeting I baptized ten, and in the morning after,
several more. It being very cold weather--the streams all frozen
over--we had to repair to the sea to administer the ordinance.
"January 24th, I left Preston and went to Longton with Brother Hyde.
We preached once each, and baptized ten; from thence returned to
Preston and stayed two or three days. Then I started on a mission to
Eccleston and other places, visiting six branches and strengthening
them. I was absent about eighteen days and baptized fifteen; the
weather being so cold that many dared not go into the water. Returned
to Preston and stayed three days. On the Sabbath Elder Hyde and
myself administered the sacrament and confirmed twelve. From thence
went to Longton and baptized three, ordained one priest, one teacher,
and one deacon, and blessed about thirty children. Again returned to
Preston. From thence went to Whittle; preached once, and baptized
five; and returned to Preston February 23rd.
"From this time to our departure from England we were continually
engaged in the work of the ministry, proclaiming the everlasting
Gospel in all the regions round, and baptizing all who believed and
repented of their sins. The Holy Ghost, the comforter, was given to us
and abode with us in a remarkable manner."
"The time when we expected to return to our native land being near at
hand, it was considered best for us to spend the short time we had to
remain in visiting and organizing the branches; placing such officers
over them, and giving such instructions as would be beneficial to them
during our absence. Accordingly Brothers Hyde, Fielding and myself
visited a branch nearly every day, and imparted such instructions as
the Spirit directed. We first visited the branches south of Preston,
and after spending some time in that direction we journeyed to the
north, accompanied by Brother Willard Richards, who had returned from
Bedford March 7th, where he had been proclaiming the Gospel. In
consequence of sickness his labors had not been so extensive as they
otherwise would have been, and were confined within a short distance
of the city of Bedford, where he raised up two small branches of about
forty members, which he set in order, and ordained James Lavender an
Elder, and other officers to preside. He had labored under
considerable difficulty in consequence of the conduct of Elder
Goodson, who taught many things which were not in wisdom, and which
proved a barrier to the spread of the truth in that region. His health
being poor, he was not able to preach much.
"While we were attending to our duties in that section we received a
very pressing invitation from a Baptist church, through the medium of
their deacon, to pay them a visit, stating that the society were
exceedingly anxious to hear from our lips the wonderful things we had
proclaimed in the regions round about. We endeavored to excuse
ourselves from going, as our engagements were such that it would
require the short time we had to stay to attend them. They seemed
determined not to take a denial and pleaded with such earnestness that
we could not resist their entreaties, and we finally consented to go
and preach once. Having arrived at the village, which was between
Downham and Burnley, we found a large congregation already assembled
in the Baptist chapel, anxiously waiting our arrival. The minister
gave out the hymns and Elder Hyde spoke on the resurrection with great
effect, after which the minister gave out another hymn, which was sung
by the assembly, and then he requested me to address them. I spoke
briefly on the first principles of the Gospel. During the services the
congregation was overjoyed, tears ran down their cheeks, and the
minister could not refrain from frequently clapping his hands for joy,
while in the meeting. After the service was over he took us to his
house where we were very kindly entertained. After partaking of his
hospitality, he with some more friends accompanied us to our lodgings,
where we remained in conversation until a very late hour. The next
morning while we were preparing to depart we were waited upon by
several of the citizens who requested us to preach again that day,
stating that great interest was felt by the inhabitants, many of whom
were in tears, fearing they should hear us no more, and that a number
of influential men had suspended operations in their factories to
allow their workmen the privilege of hearing us preach; but we were
obliged to deny them, as it was necessary to attend to the
appointments we had previously made. We could scarcely go away from
them, and when we did so they wept like little children. Such a desire
to hear the Gospel I never saw equalled before.
"After commending them to the grace and mercy of God, we went to
Downham, where we preached in the afternoon, after which we baptized
several and confirmed forty. In the evening we called the churches of
Chatburn, Downham, Clithero and Waddington together, and after
confirming some, we ordained Priests, Teachers and Deacons to preside
over the branches.
"From thence we went to Preston, and after a short stay visited
Penwortham and Longton, and organized the churches in those places,
which numbered about fifty members each."
CHAPTER XXV.
CONDITION OF THE CHURCH AT HOME--PRUNING OFF THE DEAD BRANCHES--A
DAY OF CHOOSING--APOSTATES CONSPIRE TO OVERTHROW THE CHURCH--
FLIGHT OF THE PROPHET FROM KIRTLAND--FALL OF OLIVER COWDERY AND
OTHER APOSTLES--"SHOW UNTO US THY WILL, O LORD, CONCERNING THE
TWELVE!"
While the Apostles are setting in order the Church in England,
preparatory to their departure for America, let us fly before them
over the sea and note some of the changes which have taken place since
they left Kirtland.
The Church had suffered terribly from the ravages of apostasy. At no
time in its history has it seemed so near destruction, as in the early
part of 1837, the period of the opening of the British Mission. The
causes are noted elsewhere in these pages, and deserve a niche in the
temple of memory for all time. The Ohio mobbings, the Missouri
persecutions, the martyrdom, the exodus, nor all that Zion's cause has
suffered since, have imperilled it half so much as when mammon and the
love of God strove for supremacy in the hearts of His people, and the
Saints, for a time forgetful of their high calling, laid aside their
spiritual mission and went groveling after "the beggarly elements of
the world."
Only once in the history of the work, has its almighty Author found it
necessary to reveal that "something new must be done for the salvation
of the Church."
That "something new," as we have seen, was a great spiritual movement,
to counteract the tendency to carnal or temporal things, which was
resting like the sleep of death upon the drooping eyelids of the Zion
of God.
To root out the deadly Upas-tree, rouse Zion from her slumber beneath
its pestilential shade, and prune off the withered branches from the
Tree of Life, was the first care of the Prophet after despatching the
Elders for England.
A conference assembled "in committee of the whole Church" at Kirtland,
on Sunday, September 3rd, 1837. At this conference the various quorums
of the Priesthood were presented to the people for their action.
President Sidney Rigdon presented the name of Joseph Smith, junior, to
the Church, to know if they still looked upon him as the President of
the whole Church, and would receive and sustain him in that position.
The vote was unanimous in the affirmative.
President Smith then presented Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G.
Williams as his counselors, and to constitute with himself the three
first Presidents of the Church. Elder Rigdon was sustained
unanimously, but the motion failed as to F. G. Williams. President
Smith then put in nomination Oliver Cowdery, Joseph Smith, senior,
Hyrum Smith, and John Smith, as assistant counselors; these four,
together with the first three, to be considered the heads of the
Church. Carried unanimously.
It was voted that Newel K. Whitney continue to hold his office as
Bishop in Kirtland, and that Reynolds Cahoon and Jared Carter continue
to act as the Bishop's counselors.
The Twelve Apostles were then presented, one by one, when Thomas B.
Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde,
Parley P. Pratt, William Smith and William E. McLellin, were received
and unanimously sustained in their Apostleship. Luke Johnson, Lyman
Johnson and John F. Boynton were rejected and cut off, though given
the privilege of confessing and making satisfaction. The cause of the
difficulty with Elders Boynton and Johnson was their "leaving their
calling to attend to other occupations."
Five members of the High Council were also objected to by the people,
and new ones chosen in their stead. John Gaylord, James Forster,
Salmon Gee, Daniel S. Miles, Joseph Young, Josiah Butterfield and Levi
Hancock were retained in office as Presidents of the Seventies, while
John Gold was rejected.
A similar conference was held at Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri,
then the head-quarters of the Church in that region, on the 7th of
November 1837, and another on the 5th of February, 1838. The
Priesthood was reorganized and the Church set in order, in the same
manner as had been done in Kirtland. Hyrum Smith was sustained, in
lieu of Frederick G. Williams, as one of the three First Presidents,
in which office he had before been acting. Elder Boynton and the two
Elders Johnson were reinstated in the Quorum of the Twelve, though
later they again fell away. Bishops Edward Partridge, Isaac Morley and
Titus Billings were retained in office; while Presidents William W.
Phelps and John Whitmer were severed from the Church; the former
afterwards returned.
Against these brethren "Elder Lyman Wight stated that he considered
all other accusations of minor importance, compared to their selling
their lands in Jackson County; that they had set an example which all
the Saints were liable to follow. He said that it was a hellish
principle, and that they had flatly denied the faith in so doing."
Thus was the line of demarcation being drawn. Thus were "the
inhabitants of Zion" commencing to "judge all things pertaining to
Zion." There had been a day of calling; a day of choosing now had
come, and they who were "not Apostles and Prophets" were beginning to
be known.
During the absence of the Prophet and Elder Rigdon in Missouri,
whither they had gone to superintend the work of purification, Warren
Parrish, John F. Boynton, Luke Johnson, Joseph Coe, and others, in
Kirtland, dissented from the Church and combined together for its
overthrow. They were encouraged and assisted by apostates and
prominent Elders of the Church in Missouri. These dissenters called
themselves "the Church of Christ," the "old standard," openly
renouncing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and
denouncing the Prophet Joseph and all who adhered to him, as heretics.
So bitter became the apostate and mobocratic spirit in Kirtland, that
they who raised their voices in defense of the Prophet of God, at once
endangered their lives. Apostle Brigham Young, who stood firm and
immovable at Joseph's side, was forced to flee to save himself from
the fury of the enemy, who were enraged at his bold, outspoken stand
in favor of the Prophet, and against his foes and traducers. Three
weeks later, on January 12th, 1838, the Prophet and President Rigdon
also fled from Kirtland, for Missouri, followed by human blood-hounds,
armed and thirsting for their lives, a distance of two hundred miles.
Kirtland was now no longer a fit abiding place for the Saints. The
faithful of the body of the Church commenced migrating to Missouri,
where the work of purification went on.
At Far West, in April, 1838, Presidents Oliver Cowdery and David
Whitmer were excommunicated from the Church. The charges sustained
against the former were for urging vexatious law-suits against the
brethren, slandering President Joseph Smith, contempt of the Church in
not attending meetings, leaving his calling in which God had appointed
him by revelation, for the sake of filthy lucre, and turning to the
practice of law; disgracing the Church by being connected in the bogus
business, dishonesty, and, finally, for "leaving or forsaking the
cause of God, and returning to the beggarly elements of the world, and
neglecting his high and holy calling, according to his profession."
President Whitmer was charged with not observing the Word of Wisdom;
neglecting meetings and possessing the same spirit as the dissenters,
writing letters to the dissenters in Kirtland, unfavorable to the
cause of God and the character of His Prophet, neglecting the duties
of his calling and separating himself from the Church, and signing
himself President of the Church of Christ, after being cut off from
the Presidency, in an insulting letter to the High Council.
On the same day Apostle Lyman E. Johnson was excommunicated, and soon
after Apostle William E. McLellin fell away.
On the 8th of July, 1838, at Far West, the Prophet Joseph and the
remainder of the Twelve met in solemn council and unitedly besought
the Throne of Grace for guidance, light and help.
"Show unto us Thy will, O Lord, concerning the Twelve!"
Such was the burden of their prayer, to which the Lord made answer as
follows:
"Verily, thus saith the Lord, let a conference be held
immediately, let the Twelve be organized, and let men be appointed
to supply the place of those who are fallen. Let my servant Thomas
remain for a season in the Land of Zion, to publish my word. Let
the residue continue to preach from that hour, and if they will do
this in all lowliness of heart, in meekness and humility, and long
suffering, I, the Lord, give unto them a promise that I will
provide for their families, and an effectual door shall be opened
for them, from henceforth; and next spring let them depart to go
over the great waters, and there promulgate my Gospel, the
fullness thereof, and bear record of my name. Let them take leave
of my Saints in the city Far West, on the 26th day of April next,
on the building spot of my house, saith the Lord. Let my servant,
John Taylor, and also my servant John E. Page, and also my servant
Wilford Woodruff, and also my servant Willard Richards, be
appointed to fill the places of those who have fallen, and be
officially notified of their appointment."
John Taylor and John E. Page were ordained Apostles December 19th,
1838, and Wilford Woodruff on the 26th of the following April. Willard
Richards received his ordination in Preston, England, after the
arrival there of the Apostles in April, 1840. George A. Smith was
added to the quorum the same day that Wilford Woodruff was ordained,
to fill a vacancy caused by the fall of another of the Twelve. All,
save John E. Page, who fell from grace a few years later, have won
immortal fame in Israel, and left to posterity the legacy of a
spotless name.
Let us now return to the Apostles and their work in England.
CHAPTER XXVI.
HEBER'S FAREWELL TO CHATBURN--AN AFFECTING SCENE--HIS SYMPATHY FOR THE
POOR OF ENGLAND--THE APRIL CONFERENCE IN PRESTON--TWO THOUSAND SAINTS
ASSEMBLE--JOSEPH FIELDING APPOINTED TO PRESIDE OVER THE BRITISH
MISSION.
We left Apostles Kimball and Hyde, with their associates in the
ministry, visiting the various branches of the mission they had
founded, preparatory to taking farewell leave of the Saints and
sailing for America. They agreed to hold a general conference in
Preston on the 8th of April, the day before their departure.
"In the interval," writes Heber, "I went and visited the branches in
the regions of Clithero and Chatburn, and on the morning when I left
Chatburn many were in tears, thinking they should see my face no more.
When I left them, my feelings were such as I cannot describe. As I
walked down the street I was followed by numbers; the doors were
crowded by the inmates of the houses to bid me farewell, who could
only give vent to their grief in sobs and broken accents. While
contemplating this scene I was constrained to take off my hat, for I
felt as if the place was holy ground. The Spirit of the Lord rested
down upon me and I was constrained to bless that whole region of
country. I was followed by a great number to Clithero, a considerable
distance from the villages, who could then hardly separate from me. My
heart was like unto theirs, and I thought my head was a fountain of
tears, for I wept for several miles after I bid them adieu. I had to
leave the road three times to go to streams of water to bathe my
eyes."
"Who can read this," says Tullidge, beautifully, "without a feeling of
profound veneration for the great and good man whose memory is
enshrined in the hearts of the British Saints as their spiritual
father? That touching scene is enough to immortalize the character of
Heber C. Kimball as a true apostle of Christ; and the pathos is
actually heightened when he is seen alone by the wayside weeping, or
by the streams washing away those sacred tears."
Heber C. Kimball was indeed a true apostle of Christ, one of the
called and chosen; a prophet and a servant of God, in nature as well
as name.
The Prophet Joseph told him in after years that the reason he felt as
he did in the streets of Chatburn was because the place was indeed
"holy ground," that some of the ancient prophets had traveled in that
region and dedicated the land, and that he, Heber, had reaped the
benefit of their blessing.
It being known that the Elders were about to leave England, great
numbers flocked to hear them, and many were baptized. Their labors
were consequently very arduous. Says Elder Kimball:
"Some days we went from house to house, conversing with the
people on the things of the kingdom, and would sometimes be
instrumental in convincing many of the truth: and I have known as
many as twenty persons baptized in one day, who have been
convinced on such occasions. I have had to go into the water to
administer the ordinance of baptism six or seven times a day, and
frequently after having come out of the water and changed my
clothes, I have had to turn back to the water before I reached my
lodgings; this, too, when the weather was extremely cold, the ice
being from twelve to fourteen inches thick. The weather continued
so about twelve weeks, during which time I think there were but ten
days in which we were not in the water baptizing. The harvest was
indeed plenteous, but the laborers were few."
The following passage of reflections on the poor of England is worthy
of the great philanthropic heart of Heber C. Kimball:
"This was very extraordinary weather for that country, as I was
informed that some winters they had scarcely any frost or snow, and
the oldest inhabitants told me that they never experienced such a
winter before. In consequence of the inclemency of the weather,
several manufacturing establishments were shut up, and several
thousands of men, women and children were thrown out of employment,
whose sufferings during that time were severe; and I was credibly
informed, and verily believe, that many perished from starvation. Such
sufferings I never witnessed before. The scenes which I daily beheld
were enough to chill the blood in my veins. The streets were crowded
with men, women and children who begged from the passengers as they
walked along. Numbers of those poor, wretched beings were without
shoes or stockings, and scarcely any covering to screen them from the
inclemency of the weather; and daily I could discover delicate females
walking the streets gathering up the animal refuse, and carrying it to
places where they could sell it for a penny or half-penny. And thus
they lived through the winter. At the same time there were hundreds
and thousands living in wealth and splendor. I felt to exclaim, O
Lord, how long shall these things exist! How long shall the rich
oppress the poor, and have no more care or interest for them than the
brutes of the field, nor half so much! When will distress and poverty
cease, and peace and plenty abound! When the Lord Jesus shall descend
in the clouds of heaven, then the rod of the oppressor shall be
broken. Hasten the time, O Lord, was frequently the language of my
heart when I contemplated the scenes of wretchedness and woe which I
daily witnessed.
"Great numbers were initiated into the Kingdom of Heaven; those who
were sick were healed; those who were diseased flocked to us daily;
and truly their faith was great, such as I hardly ever witnessed
before, consequently many were healed of their infirmities. We were
continually employed day and night, some nights hardly closing our
eye-lids. The task was almost more than we could endure; but realizing
the circumstances of this people, their love of the truth, their
humility and unfeigned charity, caused us to use all diligence and
make good use of every moment, for truly our bowels yearned over
them."
Touching the prospects of the missionary work in England, he adds:
"The work kept spreading; the prospect of usefulness grew brighter and
brighter, and the field opened larger and larger; while the cries of
'Come, and administer the words of life unto us,' were more and more
frequently sounding in our ears. I do not remember during the last six
months I was in England of retiring to my bed earlier than midnight,
which was also the case with Brothers Hyde and Fielding.
"Sunday, April 8th, the day of the conference, came. The Saints began
to assemble at an early hour. By nine o'clock there were from six to
seven hundred present from various parts of the country. After the
meeting was opened by singing and prayer, we had a representation of
the following branches, viz.: Preston, Penwortham, Walkerfold,
Thornley, Ribchester, Chatburn, Clithero, Barshe Lees, Waddington,
Leyland Moss, Leyland Lane, Eccleston, Hunter's Hill, Euxton, Whittle,
Dauber's Lane, Bamber Bridge, Longton, Southport, Downham, Burnley,
Bedford, Alston, Brampton, Bolton, Chorley. The total number of Saints
represented were about two thousand, which, with the exception of the
branches in Preston, Bedford and Cumberland, were principally raised
up by my own labors, as I spent my time in the branches, except on
Sundays, when I preached in Preston. The branch in Preston numbered
about four hundred, that in Bedford forty, and the branch in
Cumberland sixty."
All this was the work of only eight months. Two thousand had been
baptized and enough branches organized to form the base work of three
or four conferences, incorporating in the missionary work about that
number of the counties of England. Thus the work had already widely
spread, yet only three or four Elders had been out in the ministry.
Heber C. Kimball himself had converted in eight months about one
thousand five hundred souls. He continues:
"We gave instructions to the official members, reminding them of their
several duties and callings, and the responsibilities which rested
upon them; pressing upon them the necessity of being humble and
faithful in the discharge of their duties, so that by patience,
meekness and love unfeigned, they might commend themselves to God, and
the Church of Jesus Christ, over whom the Holy Ghost had made them
guardians.
"Feeling it necessary for the good of the kingdom to leave someone in
authority over the whole church, I nominated Joseph Fielding to
preside, with Willard Richards as his first counselor, and William
Clayton his second counselor. The nominations met with the approbation
of the whole assembly, who agreed to hearken to their instructions and
uphold them in their offices. These brethren were then ordained to the
High Priesthood, and set apart to preside over the Church in England.
Eight Elders, several Priests, Teachers and Deacons, were set apart
and ordained to the several offices to which they were called. One of
the brethren ordained was going to Manchester, and another to the city
of London."
"We then confirmed forty individuals, after which about one hundred
children were blessed. The same day twenty persons were baptized for
the remission of sins. We then proceeded to administer the sacrament
to the numerous assembly, and gave some general instructions to the
whole church respecting their duty to God and to each other, which
were listened to with great attention.
"At this conference we were favored with the company of Elder Willard
Richards, also Elder Russell, who had returned from Cumberland. He met
with considerable opposition from his own kindred, as well as from
ministers of the different denominations, who sought every opportunity
to destroy his influence. Notwithstanding the great opposition he was
instrumental in bringing upwards of sixty souls into the kingdom of
God, and left them rejoicing in the truth, under the watchcare of
Elder Jacob Peart. Thus the great work was commenced in three places,
Preston, Bedford and Alston, which forcibly reminds me of the parable
of the leaven which the woman hid in the three measures of meal."
The conference closes with another of those almost dramatic pictures
with which this eventful history abounds.
"At 5 p. m.," says the Apostle, "we brought the conference to a close,
having continued without interruption from 9 a. m., and appointed 7
o'clock the same evening to deliver our farewell addresses. At the
appointed time we repaired to the 'Cock Pit' which was crowded to
excess. Brother Hyde and myself spoke to them concerning our labors in
that land, the success of the ministry, and the kindness we had
experienced at their hands, and told them we expected before long to
see them again, after we had visited the Church and our families in
America. When we spoke of our departure their souls were melted; they
gave vent to their feelings and wept like little children, and broke
out in lamentations like the following: 'How can we part with our
beloved brethren!' 'We may never see them again!' 'O, why must you
leave us!' I could not restrain my feelings, and they found vent in a
flood of tears. It would have been almost an impossibility for us to
have left this affectionate people, if we had not had the most
implicit confidence in the brethren who had been appointed to preside
over them in our absence; but knowing they had the confidence of the
Church, we felt that affairs would be conducted in righteousness.
"Immediately after dismissing the congregation we met the official
brethren, about eighty, and instructed them in their duties, and
dismissed at 1 o'clock the next morning."
CHAPTER XXVII.
DEPARTURE FOR LIVERPOOL--HEBER'S LETTER TO THE SAINTS IN CHATBURN AND
DOWNHAM--HIS PREDICTION CONCERNING THOMAS WEBSTER--ITS STRICT
FULFILLMENT.
At nine o'clock on the morning of April 9th, Elders Kimball, Hyde and
Russell left Preston for Liverpool. Through the kindness of the
Saints, many of whom assembled to bid them farewell, they were
provided with means to take them back to Kirtland. With tearful eyes
they were gazed at by the multitude until the coach was lost to view.
"Notwithstanding the variegated scenery of the country," says Heber,
"which in England is very beautiful, my mind reverted back to the time
when I first arrived in that country, and the peculiar feelings that
possessed me when I traveled from Liverpool to Preston eight months
before. Then I was a stranger in a strange land, and had only to rely
upon the kindness and mercy of that God who had sent me there. While I
mused on these things, my soul was humbled within me, for I had now
hundreds of brethren to whom I was united in bonds the most endearing
and sacred, and who loved me as their own souls, and whose prayers
would be continually offered up for my welfare and prosperity.
"After a ride of about four hours we arrived at Liverpool, and
ascertaining that the ship in which we intended to sail would not
leave port as early as expected, in consequence of a great storm, in
which several vessels had been wrecked and many lives lost, we took
lodgings for a few days until the vessel should depart.
"We were accompanied by Elders Fielding and Richards, who felt
desirous to obtain all the information they could respecting the
government of the Church, as our opportunities of instruction had been
limited while in Preston, it being almost impossible to have much
private intercourse, as there were so many who wished to converse with
us on the subject of the Gospel, etc. But in this they were
disappointed, for as soon as it was known in Preston and other places
that our departure was delayed, Elder Clayton and numbers of the
brethren came to visit us in Liverpool.
"I wrote the following farewell to the Church of Latter-day Saints in
Chatburn and Downham:
"'LIVERPOOL, April 15, 1838.
"'_Beloved Brethren_:
"'Having given all diligence to make known unto you
the common salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ, which ye have so
joyfully received from my lips, I feel now to write to you a few
words for your consolation, and the confirming of that hope which
is possessed by you, that ye may be steadfast and immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, that it may be made
manifest unto all men that our labors have not been in vain.
"'Be kind and affectionate one towards another, manifesting your
faith by your works--doing as well as saying. If there is any one
among you destitute of daily food, feed him; if any one be naked,
clothe him; if any one be cast down, raise him up; if any among
you are sick, send for the Elders, or Priests, that they may come
and pray for you, and lay their hands upon you, and the prayer of
faith shall heal the sick; therefore, brethren, let your faith be
centered in God, for He is able to do all things, to forgive sins
and heal the sick, for you know this, that God has said _these
signs shall follow them that believe_.
"'Now, brethren, I exhort you in the name of my Master, to contend
for that faith which was once delivered to the Saints; for the
same faith will produce the same effects; for God has not changed,
neither has His word changed; heaven and earth shall pass away,
but there shall not one jot or tittle of His word fail; all shall
be fulfilled, whether it be by His own voice or the voice of His
servants, it is all the same; therefore, brethren, do not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth forth from the
mouth of God.
"'Dear brethren and sisters, be patient, be humble, be prayerful,
visit your secret places. Pray in your families morning and
evening, ye who are heads of families, and neglect not the
assembling of yourselves together; but speak often one to another
concerning the things of the kingdom, and diligently follow after
every good thing, remembering that the diligent hand maketh rich.
Let these things be and abound with you, and ye shall be neither
barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of God. Let your eyes be
single, and your bodies shall be filled with light.
"'Now, to you, brethren, who have been ordained to watch over the
flock, I would say, stand in your places and magnify the offices
which ye have received of the Lord Jesus, to feed His sheep. Feed
the lambs; watch over the flock in all things; be not partial to
any one; remember these things, and the blessing of God shall
attend you in all things.
"'Dear brethren and sisters, I give you the gratitude of my heart
for the kindness which you have bestowed upon me and my brethren;
for when I was hungry, ye fed me; when I was naked, ye clothed me;
when I was destitute, ye gave me money; when I was a stranger, ye
took me in and lodged me; and, as ye have done these things to me
and my brethren in our necessities, my heavenly Father shall
minister unto you in your necessities; for I am not forgetful of
those things and I do ever remember you in my prayers, praying my
heavenly Father to sustain you, and enable you to walk worthy of
the holy vocation unto which ye have been called, unto the end.
Amen.
"'Finally, brethren and sisters, farewell. Pray for me and my
brethren; and may the God of all grace sanctify you wholly, and
bring you into my Father's kingdom.
"'Adieu. This from your beloved brother in Christ,
"'HEBER C. KIMBALL.'"
One more incident remains to be told, ere with the Elders we take
leave of England. At Liverpool, April 13th, "Good Friday," Apostle
Kimball penned the following:
"_Dear Brothers and Sisters in Preston_:
"It seemeth good unto us and also unto
the Holy Spirit to write you a few words which cause pain in our
hearts, and will also pain you when they are fulfilled before you;
yet you shall have joy in the end. Brother Webster will not abide
in the Spirit of the Lord, but will reject the truth, and become
the enemy of the people of God, and expose the mysteries which
have been committed to him, that a righteous judgment may be
executed upon him, unless he speedily repent.
"When this sorrowful prediction shall be fulfilled, this letter
shall be read to the Church, and it shall prove a solemn warning
to all to beware.
"Farewell in the Lord."
This letter, signed by the two Apostles, Heber C. Kimball and Orson
Hyde, was sealed in the presence, and committed to the care, of Elders
Joseph Fielding and Willard Richards. These brethren, on returning to
Preston, had Elder William Clayton and Deacon Arthur Burrows examine
the sealed missive critically, and placed marks and dates upon it, in
order to be able to testify, if necessary, that it had not been
opened.
The fulfillment of the prediction was most accurate. Thomas Webster,
the individual referred to in the epistle, was a member of the Preston
branch, a man of promise and ability, quite popular with the Saints,
and his integrity at the time unquestioned. Desiring that he should
prosper. Presidents Fielding and Richards watched over and prayed for
him, and "he continued to grow in the knowledge of the kingdom, and
spoke with power for some months." A change then came over him; he
became dissatisfied, and preferred certain charges against the
presiding Elders. These charges were proven to be false, or of no
account, and Webster was required to acknowledge his error, or cease
acting in his office. He refused to do either. On the following
Sunday, in a private house, he administered the sacrament to six of
his followers, one of whom had been excommunicated from the Church,
while another had not even been baptized. For this offense Webster was
deprived of his membership.
The letter of the Apostles was then opened and read to the Church,
Brothers Clayton and Burrows first testifying publicly that the seal
had never been broken. It was feared that Webster's popularity would
draw many after him, but the reading of the prediction concerning him
utterly destroyed his influence, and more fully confirmed the Saints
in their faith.
Webster, ambitious to create a following, and well aware of his
popularity, applied for permission to come before the Church and
publicly plead his cause, which request was wisely denied, as he had
refused to appear, when required, the Sabbath before. Soon after
placards were posted up in different parts of Preston reading as
follows; "A lecture will be delivered at Mr. Giles' chapel, to expose
the mysteries of Mormonism, by Thomas Webster." This announcement he
fulfilled, though with little effect, thus making good in strictest
detail the prophecy of Heber C. Kimball, uttered six months before.
Return we now to the Apostles and Elder Russell, in Liverpool, about
to take passage on board the _Garrick_, bound for New York.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE ELDERS SAIL FOR HOME--A STORM AT SEA--HOW HEBER FOUND FAVOR WITH
THE STEWARD--ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK--THE "GARRICK" AGAIN VICTORIOUS--
JOURNEY TO KIRTLAND--ON TO FAR WEST--HAPPY MEETING WITH JOSEPH AND THE
BRETHREN.
Homeward bound!
Sheathed the sword and furled the banner.
The battle won, the fortress stormed and taken.
For a little season, rest and change, ere again the trumpet sounds,
and the warrior is resummoned to the fray.
It was indeed a campaign of victory from which the Elders were
returning. The laurel wreath was theirs, bravely and fairly earned.
Yet not for worldly honors and applause had they been striving. These,
to the true servant of Christ, are ever the last consideration. The
praise of man they neither expected nor desired. Their reward was with
them, a reward never wrongly bestowed; the approval of a good
conscience and the favor of their Maker; meed only of worthy motives,
and of duty well performed.
Again on board the _Garrick_, upon the bosom of the heaving main.
It was on the 20th of April, 1838, that the Elders embarked for home.
"Soon after we left Liverpool," says Heber, "a great storm came on,
with a head wind, which continued without cessation for several days,
and did considerable damage to the vessel; the bowsprit was broken
twice, by the force of the wind, with only the jib sail set; the boom
likewise came down with great force, near where the captain was
standing, but he fortunately escaped; several other parts of the
rigging were much torn and injured. During the continuance of the
storm, Brothers Hyde and Russell were very sick. After this we had
more favorable weather.
"When we had been on the water two weeks, I asked permission of the
captain for one of us to preach, which request was cheerfully complied
with, and the second cabin was prepared for the occasion. Brother
Russell preached, after which Brother Hyde made some observations;
they were listened to with great attention, and the congregation
appeared very much satisfied.
"The Lord gave us favor in the eyes of the captain and passengers, who
treated us with respect and kindness. One reason for obtaining this
universal favor of the ship's company was, the steward of the ship had
charge of a fine Durham cow, which was larger than the medium size of
our oxen; the cow became sick and the steward was very sorry, because
she was their only dependence to supply the cabin passengers with
milk. I went and looked at the cow and discovered that she could not
raise her cud. I told the steward to cut for me a half dozen slices of
fat pork, as large as my hand, which he did; and I gave them to the
cow, when she soon got well. From that time forth the steward sent us
turtle soup, wine, and every luxury the ship afforded, and made us
many presents.
"May 12th, we came in sight of New York, and in the evening secured a
landing, after a passage of twenty-two and a half days."
It will be remembered that the _Garrick_, on its first voyage, bearing
these Elders to England, won a wager of ten thousand dollars, arriving
at Liverpool a few lengths ahead of the packet ship _South America_,
both vessels having left New York at the same time, and keeping in
sight of each other during the whole of the way. Another victory was
now scored by the _Garrick_ in arriving at the port of New York.
Was it because these Mormon Apostles were again on board, returning
themselves from a great spiritual contest, in which God had given them
the victory? Judge, reader, for yourself. Here is the Apostle Heber's
record of the event:
"There was a wager made at Liverpool whether the _New England_ or the
_Garrick_ would arrive in port first. When we passed Sandy Hook the
_New England_ was four or five miles ahead of us; some of our officers
remarked she would go in before us, but I told them she would not, as
I had said at Liverpool we would go in first. At this time neither of
the ships were sailing more than three knots an hour, when suddenly
the wind left the sails of the _New England_, and a fair wind struck
our sails, and we ran in one hour ahead of her."
Continuing, the prophet Heber says:
"We landed and went into the city of New York with several of the
passengers, who purchased some refreshments, and after we returned,
bade us partake with them, and we all rejoiced together; we then bowed
before the Lord and offered up the gratitude of our hearts for all His
mercies, in prospering us on our mission, and bringing us safely
across the mighty deep, to behold once more the land of our nativity,
and the prospect of soon embracing our families and friends.
"Sunday, 13th, we went in search of Brother Fordham, whom we found
after some trouble. He was glad to see us, and immediately took us to
the house of Brother Wandel Mace, where we were glad to see our
beloved brother Orson Pratt, who was then laboring in that city, and
who, with his brother Parley P. Pratt, had been instrumental in
bringing many into the kingdom there. And now I had the pleasure of
witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecy I delivered to Brother
Fordham when I started for England.
"We accompanied Brother Orson Pratt to the house where the Saints
assembled to worship. We found about eighty persons assembled, all of
whom had recently joined the Church. After singing and prayer, I was
requested to give an account of our mission to England, which I did.
In the evening Elders' Russell and Hyde preached; afterwards some came
forward and offered themselves as candidates for baptism. The short
time we were in New York was spent very agreeably with the Saints.
"On the 14th we bade adieu to the brethren, and continued our journey
by steamboat, railroad and canal, and arrived at Kirtland May 22nd,
having been absent eleven months and nine days.
"I found my family in good health, and as comfortably situated as I
could expect; our joy was mutual. The Saints likewise welcomed us
home, for which I felt thankful to my heavenly Father.
"But my journey was not yet ended; for soon after my arrival in
Kirtland I commenced making preparations to move my family to the
State of Missouri, where Brother Joseph and the greater part of the
authorities of the Church, and almost all the members who had any
faith in Mormonism, had already removed. The cause of their removal to
the west was the persecutions to which they were subject in Kirtland.
The brethren who yet resided there, although very kind and
affectionate, were weak in the faith, in consequence of trials and
temptations. This caused us to grieve exceedingly, and we resolved to
cheer them up as much as we possibly could. We preached in the house
of the Lord a few times, recounted our travels and the great success
that had attended our labors; also the marvelous work which the Lord
had commenced in England. They began to take courage, their confidence
increased, their faith was strengthened, and they again realized the
blessings of Jehovah.
"About the 1st of July I commenced my journey with my family,
accompanied by Elders Orson Hyde, Erastus Snow and Winslow Farr, two
brothers by the name of Badger, and the widow Beeman, with their
families, numbering about forty souls. We took wagons to Wellsville,
on the Ohio River, about a hundred and thirty miles; then took
steamboat to St. Louis, also thence to Richmond on Missouri River.
Elder Hyde stayed at Richmond several days. We there procured wagons
and went to Far West, where we arrived in safety on the twenty-fifth
of July, and had a happy meeting with Joseph, Hyrum and Sidney, some
of the Twelve, and numbers of our friends and brethren, some of whom
were so glad to see us, that tears started in their eyes when we took
them by the hand.
"During our journey from Kirtland to Missouri, the weather was
extremely warm, in consequence of which I suffered very much, my body
being weakened by sickness, and I continued very feeble for a
considerable length of time.
"Sunday, July 20th, I met Joseph, Sidney and Hyrum on the public
square, as they started for Adam-Ondi-Ahman. Joseph requested me to
preach to the Saints and give them a history of my mission, saying,
'It will revive their spirits and do them good,' which I did, although
I was scarcely able to stand. I related many things respecting my
mission and travels, which were gladly received by them, whose hearts
were cheered by the recital, while many of the Elders were stirred up
to diligence, and expressed a great desire to accompany me when I
should return to England."
CHAPTER XXIX
THE LAND WHERE ADAM DWELT--THE SAINTS IMPELLED TOWARD THEIR
DESTINY--PERSECUTION REVIVES--ADAM-ONDI-AHMAN--THE ALTAR OF THE
ANCIENT OF DAYS.
The land where Adam dwelt. The site of the Garden of Eden. The place
where the Ancient of Days shall sit, and the God of heaven shall again
visit His people. As saith the prophet Daniel:
"I beheld till the thrones were cast down and the Ancient of Days
did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head
like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his
wheels as burning fire.
"A fiery stream issued and come forth from before him: thousand
thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand
stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
* * *
"I saw in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of man
came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days,
and they brought him near before him.
"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that
all people, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion
is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his
kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. * * * * * *
"I beheld and the same horn made war with the Saints, and
prevailed against them;
"Until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the
Saints of the Most High; and the time came that the Saints
possessed the kingdom."
Here, in this most ancient region, where, parallel with the stream of
Time, the great river of mortal life arose, had pitched their tents
the Saints of latter days.
Here dwelt Adam and Eve in the world's infancy; here they tasted of
the fruit forbidden, and were driven forth from Eden, their fall
predestined that mortal man might be. Here the great sire of mankind
built altars unto God, offering sacrifice unto the Father in
commemoration of the atonement of the Son. Here fell the first martyr;
here righteous Abel's blood was spilt; here burst the awful thunders
of heaven's awakened wrath upon the guilty head of earth's first
murderer. Here Adam, bowed with age, blessed the righteous residue of
his seed, and predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity to the
latest generation.
All this ere the days of Peleg, in whose days "was the earth divided;"
ere Enoch's city rose to heaven, or the ark of Noah floated over a
wave-buried world. Ere Babel's towering folly mocked the skies; ere
wrecked was language on confusion's strand; ere the great river of
humanity, dividing into rills, went forth to water with the streams of
life the soil of every land.
Here, in the times of restitution, when all things in Christ are
gathered in one, Adam, Michael, the great Prince, Ancient of Days, is
to come in power and glory, revisiting the scenes of his earthly
pilgrimage.
America, the old world, not the new! Cradle of man, mother of nations,
grave of empires!
Unto Missouri, land of promise; the ancient, the chosen, the favored
above all other lands, had the Lord's Prophet, Joseph, led His
covenant people.
Spring Hill, Daviess County, Missouri, one of the settlements of the
Saints in this region, had been renamed by revelation,
Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said the Lord, "it is the place where Adam
shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as
spoken of by Daniel the Prophet."
Verily were the Saints of the Most High being driven toward their
destiny. The "horn" that made war with them and "prevailed against
them," was surely pushing them on to final victory. Was it not
destiny, too, that they should thus retrace the steps of their great
ancestor, who, driven forth from Eden,[A] dwelt in Adam-ondi-Ahman?
[Footnote A: Jackson County, Missouri, from whence the Saints were
driven, is reputed to be the ancient site of the Garden of Eden.]
Heber was now with his people at Far West, in "the land where Adam
dwelt," ready to perform his part of the labor in preparing the
kingdom of the Son of God for the coming of the Ancient of Days.
"Soon after my arrival," says he, "Bishop Partridge gave me a lot and
sufficient lumber to build a house. Charles Hubbard made me a present
of forty acres of land, and another brother gave me a cow. All the
brethren were remarkably kind in contributing to my necessities. About
the last of August, after I had spent much labor, and nearly finished
my house, I was obliged to abandon it to the mob, who again commenced
persecuting the Saints, driving off their cattle and destroying their
property."
The origin of this persecution was much the same as that of the
Jackson County trouble, five years before. The thrift and enterprise
of the Saints, with their growing power and influence, had aroused the
jealous fears of their Gentile neighbors, and what the scheming
villainy of political demagogues left undone, the malice of sectarian
priests accomplished, in kindling the wrath of the ignorant and
fanatical against them.
An election riot in Gallatin, Daviess County, on the 6th of August,
1838, where a combined effort was made to prevent the Mormons from
voting, and several of the brethren were under the necessity of using
force to defend themselves against their bullying assailants, was made
the pretext for further outrages against the community to which they
belonged. The Saints in that locality being helplessly in the
minority, were at the mercy of the mob which now rose against them.
One of the methods employed by the leaders of the lawless banditti to
enlist sympathy for their own cause, and arouse the public mind
against their victims, was to destroy property belonging to
non-Mormons, their own followers in some instances, and then ride
through the country advertising it as the work of Mormons, against
whom any tale, however false or atrocious, was readily believed. Some
of the mob even fired upon a church while its occupants were
worshiping on the Sabbath day, and then spread the alarm that the
Mormons had "riz" and were destroying property, demolishing churches
and interfering with free religious worship.
These atrocious falsehoods, worthy only of fiends incarnate, bore
legitimate fruit in deeds equally devilish and appalling. The people
rose _en masse;_ the Saints were driven from their homes, their houses
plundered and burned, their fields laid waste, and men, women and
children fled for their lives in all directions, pursued by their
merciless oppressors.
What followed, Heber's record thus relates:
"After hearing of the mobbing, burning and robbing in Gallatin,
Daviess Co., and the region round about, the brethren of Caldwell went
directly to Adamondi-Ahman, which is on the west fork of Grand River.
Thomas B. Marsh, David W. Patten, Brigham Young, myself, Parley P.
Pratt and John Taylor amongst the number. When we arrived there we
found the Prophet Joseph, Hyrum Smith and Sidney Rigdon, with hundreds
of others of the Saints preparing to defend themselves from the mob
who were threatening the destruction of our people. Men, women and
children were fleeing to that place for safety from every direction;
their houses and property were burnt and they had to flee half naked,
crying, and frightened nigh unto death, to save their lives.
"While there we laid out a city on a high elevated piece of land, and
set the stakes for the four corners of a temple block, which was
dedicated, Brother Brigham Young being mouth; there were from three to
five hundred men present on the occasion, under arms. This elevated
spot was probably from two hundred and fifty to five hundred feet
above the level of Grand River, so that one could look east, west,
north or south, as far as the eye could reach; it was one of the most
beautiful places I ever beheld.
"The Prophet Joseph called upon Brother Brigham, myself and others,
saying, 'Brethren, come, go along with me, and I will show you
something.' He led us a short distance to a place where were the ruins
of three altars built of stone, one above the other, and one standing
a little back of the other, like unto the pulpits in the Kirtland
Temple, representing the order of three grades of Priesthood; 'There,'
said Joseph, 'is the place where Adam offered up sacrifice after he
was cast out of the garden.' The altar stood at the highest point of
the bluff. I went and examined the place several times while I
remained there."
An episode of peace in time of war. A glimpse of heaven's blue through
a rift in the gathering storm.
A fiery ordeal was before the Saints. The Church, tried with poverty
and tempted by the prospect of wealth, had survived and maintained its
integrity. It had also withstood the world's scorn, the wrath and
ridicule of the ungodly. Nor had fiery trials been wanting, whereby
the faith of some had been proven, the supposed faith of others
weighed in the balance and found wanting. A general test was now to be
applied. The faith and integrity of the whole Church were about to
pass through the fierce flames of affliction; between the upper and
nether millstones of official tyranny and mob violence.
CHAPTER XXX.
TIMES THAT TRIED MEN'S SOULS--THE MOB GATHERING AGAINST FAR
WEST--BATTLE OF CROOKED RIVER--DEATH OF DAVID W. PATTEN--DAYS OF
DARKNESS AND DISASTER.
The fall and winter of 1838 was one of the darkest periods in Church
history. Mobocracy on one hand, and apostasy on the other, dealt the
cause of God cruel blows, such as no human work could hope to
withstand. The tempest of persecution, briefly lulled, burst forth
with tenfold fury; no longer a city or county--a whole state rose in
arms against God's people, bent upon their destruction. "The dogs of
war" were loosed upon the helpless Saints, and murder and rapine held
high carnival amid the smoking ruins of peaceful homes and ravaged
fields.
Then fell the mask from the face of hypocrisy. Treason betrayed
itself. Apostles, Presidents, and Elders fell from the faith and
joined hands with the robbers and murderers of their brethren. Satan
laughed! The very mouth of hell seemed opening to engulf the Kingdom
which He who cannot lie has sworn shall stand forever.
Truly, those were "times that tried men's souls."
Like a rock in mid-ocean, facing the storm, unmoved by wind or wave,
stood Heber C. Kimball; among the truest true, among the bravest
brave.
Referring to the time of his visit to Adam-ondi-Ahman, he says:
"In a few days an express came with the news that the mob was
gathering in every part of Missouri to come against the Saints in Far
West. We therefore returned to Caldwell County.
"Thomas B. Marsh left the day previous to the rest of the Twelve,
pretending there was something very urgent at home, and when we
arrived at Far West, October 22nd, we learned that he and Orson Hyde
had left the city. Brother Hyde was sick when we went to Diahman.
"The Saints, tenacious of their liberties and sacred rights, resisted
the unlawful designs of the mob, and with courage worthy of them
guarded their families and their houses from their aggressions. But
not without the loss of several lives, among whom was my much esteemed
and lamented friend David W. Patten, who fell a sacrifice to the
spirit of persecution and a martyr to the cause of truth. The
circumstances of his death I will briefly relate.
"It being ascertained that a mob had collected on Crooked River, led
by the Rev. Samuel Bogard, a Methodist preacher, a company of
sixty or seventy persons immediately volunteered in Far West to watch
their movements, and if necessary repel their attacks. They chose
Elder Patten for their leader, and commenced their march about
midnight, and came up to the mob at the dawn of October 25th. As the
brethren were marching quietly along the road near the top of the
hill, they were fired upon, when young O'Banyon reeled out of the
ranks, and fell mortally wounded. Thus the work of death commenced,
when Captain Patten ordered his men to charge the mob, who proved to
be on the creek below. It was yet so dark that little could be seen,
looking to the west; but the mob could see Captain Patten and his men
in the dawning light, when they fired a broadside and three or four of
the brethren fell. Captain Patten ordered the fire returned, giving
the watchword, 'God and Liberty.' The brethren charged the camp, when
the mob were soon put to flight and crossed the river at the ford. One
of the mob fired from behind a tree, and shot Captain Patten, who
instantly fell mortally wounded, the ball having pierced his abdomen.
"Immediately on receiving the intelligence that Brother Patten was
wounded, I hastened to see him and found him in great pain, but still
he was glad to see me; he was conveyed about four miles to the house
of Brother Stephen Winchester; during his removal his sufferings were
so excruciating that he frequently desired us to lay him down that he
might die; but being desirous to get him out of the reach of the mob,
we prevailed upon him to let us carry him among his friends. We
carried him on a kind of bier, fixed up from poles.
"Although he had medical assistance, his wound was such that there was
no hope entertained of his recovery, and this he was perfectly aware
of. In this situation, while the shades of time were lowering, and
eternity with all its realities opening to his view, he bore a strong
testimony to the truth of the work of the Lord, and the religion he
had espoused. He was perfectly sensible and collected until he
breathed his last, which occurred at about ten o'clock in the evening.
Stephen Winchester, Brother Patten's wife, Bathsheba W. Bigler, with
several of her father's family were present at David's death.
"The principles of the Gospel which were so precious to him before,
afforded him that support and consolation at the time of his
departure, which deprived death of its sting and horror. Speaking of
those who had fallen from their steadfastness he exclaimed, 'O that
they were in my situation! For I feel that I have kept the faith, I
have finished my course, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown,
which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me.' Speaking to his
beloved wife, he said, 'whatever you do else, O do not deny the
faith.' He all the time expressed a great desire to depart. I said to
him 'Brother David, when you get home, I want you to remember me.' He
replied, 'I will.' At this time his sight was gone. A few minutes
before he died, he prayed as follows, 'Father, I ask Thee in the name
of Jesus Christ, that Thou wouldst release my spirit, and receive it
unto Thyself.' And he then said to those who surrounded his dying bed,
'Brethren, you have held me by your faith, but do give me up, and let
me go, I beseech you.' We accordingly committed him to God, and he
soon breathed his last, and slept in Jesus without a groan.
"This was the death of one who was an honor to the Church and a
blessing to the Saints; and whose faith, virtues and diligence in the
cause of truth will be had in remembrance by the Church of Jesus
Christ from generation to generation. It was a painful way to be
deprived of the labors of this worthy servant of Christ, and it cast a
gloom upon the Saints; yet the glorious and sealing testimony which he
bore of his acceptance with heaven and the truth of the Gospel was a
matter of joy and satisfaction, not only to his immediate friends, but
to the Saints at large.
"I took Dr. Avard with me to Far West, a distance of three miles, to
Elder Rigdon's house, where we found Brother Patrick O'Banyon, who was
wounded in nearly the same manner as Brother Patten. He also died in a
short time, firm and steadfast in the faith. He was perfectly calm and
composed, and bore a strong testimony to the truth of Mormonism.
"Gideon Carter, who was also a faithful Saint, was shot in the head,
and left dead on the ground, so defaced that the brethren did not at
first know him.
"This was a gloomy time!"
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE FALL OF FAR WEST--JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN BETRAYED TO THE
ENEMY--HEBER FACING THE TRAITORS--HIS FEARLESS DENUNCIATION AND FIRM
TESTIMONY--ATROCITIES OF THE MOB--HEBER's PROPHECY OF RETRIBUTION--HE
VISITS THE PROPHET IN RICHMOND JAIL.
The thunder-cloud of war now rolled upon the doomed city of Far West.
Heber's narrative continues:
"On the 30th we discovered several thousand of the mob coming to Far
West, under pretence of being government troops; they passed through
our corn and wheat fields, making a complete desolation of everything
they came across.
"Brother Brigham and I were appointed captains of fifty, in a hurry,
and commanded to take our position, right in the thoroughfare on which
the mob was advancing to the city, momentarily anticipating the awful
tragedy of a bloody massacre. Joseph was with us giving counsel.
"The army came up to within good rifle shot, and halted; seeing our
temporary fortifications, which we had thrown up the night previous,
by pulling down some of our houses, and fixing up our wagons; they
dared not approach nearer, but retreated to Goose Creek, about
three-fourths of a mile, screaming, hallooing and screeching; the
devils in hell could not have made a more hideous howling. The mob
declared there were fifteen hundred of us; but to my certain knowledge
there were only about one hundred and fifty in that line.
"The word came to us that Joseph Smith and several others were to be
given up, otherwise they would massacre every man, woman and child. In
order to prevent this horrible threat from being executed, Joseph gave
himself up, with Elders Sidney Rigdon, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman Wight,
and George W. Robinson, they having been betrayed into the mob camp by
Col. George M. Hinkle and other apostates, on the 31st of October.
"November 1st, the mob, professing to be the regular militia of the
state of Missouri, numbering about 7,000, surrounded Far West, we were
all taken prisoners and then marched a short distance into a hollow,
where Col. Lucas had previously pointed his cannon, in full range, so
that if we had not laid down our arms, he could easily sweep us into
eternity, which was his design. We were then formed into a hollow
square, and commanded by Col. Lucas to ground arms and deliver up our
weapons of war, although they were our own private property. We were
then marched back a short distance, on the public square in Far West,
where we were again formed into a hollow square, near the house of
Brother Beeman.
"The mob then commenced plundering the citizens of their bedding,
clothing, money, wearing apparel, and everything of value they could
lay their hands upon; and also attempting to violate the chastity of
the women in sight of their husbands, pretending they were hunting for
prisoners and fire-arms.
"The most of us had not had any food for twenty-four hours, not having
time to go to our houses to get it. When these troops surrounded us,
and we were brought into a hollow square, the first persons that I
knew were men who had once professed to be beloved brethren, and they
were the men who piloted these mobs into our city, namely William
McLellin and Lyman E. Johnson, two of the twelve; John Whitmer and
David Whitmer, two of the witnesses to the Book of Mormon; William W.
Phelps and scores of others, hail fellows well met. A portion of the
troops were painted like Indians, and looked horrible, led by Neil
Gillium, who styled himself 'The Delaware Chief;' who, with many
others cocked their guns upon us and swore they would blow our brains
out, although we were disarmed and helpless.
"William E. McLellin wanted to know where Heber C. Kimball was. Some
one pointed me out to him as I was sitting on the ground. He came up
to me and said: 'Brother Heber, what do you think of the fallen
prophet now? Has he not led you blindfolded long enough? Look and see
yourself, poor, your family stripped and robbed, and your brethren in
the same fix; are you satisfied with Joseph?' I replied, 'Yes, I am
more satisfied with him a hundred fold than ever I was before, for I
see you in the very position that he foretold you would be in; a Judas
to betray your brethren, if you did not forsake your adultery,
fornication, lying and abominations. Where are you? What are you
about? You, and Hinkle, and scores of others; have you not betrayed
Joseph and his brethren into the hands of the mob, as Judas did Jesus?
Yes, verily, you have; I tell you Mormonism is true, and Joseph is a
true prophet of the living God; and you with all others that turn
therefrom will be damned and go to hell, and Judas will rule over
you.'
"Soon after this, when things began to be a little more quiet, I
desired to go to my home to get something to eat as I had not eaten
anything for many hours. I asked some of the mob standing near, if I
could not have the privilege to go to my house, a little distance off;
they referred me to their captain, who was Bogard, the Methodist
preacher. I went to him and told him what I wanted. He first spoke of
sending some one with me, as I would be liable to be shot if found
alone. In a short time says he, 'I will go with you.' He went down to
my house; my wife prepared some dinner, and he ate with me; then we
returned, and I took my seat on the ground with my brethren who were
under guard.
"The next day, 2nd, I was permitted to return to my house, but was
told not to leave the city, as it was surrounded by a strong guard to
prohibit anyone leaving the place; they were engaged in taking every
man who seemed to have any influence, and putting them in chains to
stand a trial. They were pointed out by the apostate allies of the
mob.
"We were brought up at the point of the bayonet and compelled to sign
a deed of trust, transferring all our property to defray the expenses
of this war made on us by the State of Missouri. This was complied
with, because we could not help ourselves. When we walked up to sign
the deeds of trust to pay these assassins for murdering our brethren
and sisters, and their children; ravishing some of our sisters to
death; robbing us of our lands and possessions and all we had on
earth, and other similar "services," they expected to see us cast down
and sorrowful, but I testify as an eye witness that the brethren
rejoiced and praised the Lord, for His sake taking joyfully the
despoiling of their goods. Judges and magistrates, Methodist,
Presbyterian, Campbellite and other sectarian priests stood by and saw
all this going on, exulting over us, and it seemed to make them more
angry that we bore our misfortunes so cheerfully. Judge Cameron said,
with an oath, 'See them laugh and kick up their heels. They are
whipped, but not conquered.'
"On the 6th, Gen. Clark delivered his noted extermination speech, and
read over the names of the brethren who were made prisoners, to await
a trial for something, they knew not what, and placed under a strong
guard. In order that the tyrant may not be forgotten I insert a
portion of his speech:
"Gentlemen, you whose names are not attached to this list of
names, will now have the privilege of going to your fields and of
providing corn, wood, etc., for your families. Those who are now
taken will go from this to prison, be tried and receive the due
demerit of their crimes. But you (excepting such as charges may be
hereafter preferred against) are at liberty as soon as the troops
are removed that now guard the place, which I shall cause to be
done immediately. It now devolves upon you to fulfill the treaty
that you have entered into, the leading items of which I shall now
lay before you.
"The first requires that your leading men be given up to be tried
according to law; this you have complied with.
"The second is that you deliver up your arms--this has also been
attended to. The third stipulation is that you sign over your
properties to defray the expenses that have been incurred on your
account; this you have also done. Another article yet remains for
you to comply with, and that is, that you leave the State
forthwith; and whatever may be your feelings concerning this, or
whatever your innocence is, it is nothing to me. General Lucas
(whose military rank is equal to mine) has made this treaty with
you, and I approve of it. I should have done the same had I been
here, and am therefore determined to see it executed.
"The character of this State has suffered almost beyond
redemption, from the character, conduct and influence that you
have exerted; and we deem it an act of justice to restore her
character by every proper means.
"The order of the Governor to me was that _you should be
exterminated_, and not allowed to remain in the State. And had not
your leaders been given up, and the terms of the treaty complied
with before this time, _your families would have been destroyed
and your houses in ashes_.
"There is a discretionary power vested in my hands, which,
considering your circumstances, I shall exercise for a season. You
are indebted to me for this clemency. I do not say that you shall
go now, but you must not think of staying here another season, or
of putting in any crops; for the moment you do this the citizens
will be upon you; and if I am called here again, in case of
non-compliance with the treaty made, do not think I shall act as I
have done now. You need not expect any mercy, but _extermination,
for I am determined the Governor's order shall be executed_.
"As for your leaders, do not think, do not imagine for a moment,
do not let it enter your minds that they will be delivered and
restored to you again, for their _fate is fixed, the die is cast,
their doom is sealed_.
"I am sorry, gentlemen, to see so many apparently intelligent men
found in the situation that you are; and oh! if I could invoke
that great Spirit of the unknown God to rest upon and deliver you
from that awful chain of superstition, and liberate you from those
fetters of fanaticism with which you are bound--that you no longer
do homage to a man.
"I would advise you to scatter abroad and never again organize
yourselves with Bishops, Priests, etc., lest you excite the
jealousies of the people and subject yourselves to the same
calamities that have now come upon you.
"You have always been the aggressors, you have brought upon
yourselves these difficulties, by being disaffected, and not being
subject to rule, and my advice is, that you become as other
citizens, lest by a recurrence of these events you bring upon
yourselves irretrievable ruin."
"He also said: 'You must not be seen as many as five together, if
you are, the citizens will be upon you and destroy you, but you
should flee immediately out of the state. There is no alternative
for you but to flee, you need not expect any redress; there is
none for you.'"
"I was present," continues Heber, "when that speech was delivered, and
I can truly say 'he is a liar and the truth is not in him,' for not
one of us had made any such agreement with Lucas, or any other person;
what we did was by compulsion in every sense of the word, and as for
Gen. Clark and his 'unknown God,' they had nothing to do with our
deliverance, but it was our Father in heaven, the God of Abraham, of
Isaac, and of Jacob, in whom we trust, who liveth and dwelleth in the
heavens, and the day will come when our God will hold him in derision
with all his coadjutors."
"Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Hyrum Smith, Parley P. Pratt, Lyman
Wight, Amasa Lyman and George W. Robinson were marched off for
Independence, Jackson County. It was rumored that all of the men who
were in the Crooked River battle would be taken prisoners, therefore
many of them fled to the north, before the guards were placed around
the city.
"I have no doubt that I would also have been taken a prisoner, for
every means was adopted by Hinkle to have me taken, but he could not
remember me. The mob had not become acquainted with Brother Brigham,
as he lived three or four miles from the city on Mill Creek; and I had
not been there over three weeks when the mobbing commenced, and was
only known by the brethren, and many of them I had not seen since my
arrival."
Heber's wonderful influence over men, that power of controlling and
subduing their passions which won for him from the Prophet Joseph the
surname of "peace-maker," here found an opportunity for its exercise.
"One afternoon," says he, "I sent my son William on an errand, a short
distance, when one of the guards drew up his rifle and threatened to
blow out his brains if he stepped one inch further towards the house.
Through the agency of some of my brethren I was notified of it. I went
to the man and spoke to him in a friendly manner, and conversed with
him about the beautiful country, it being more beautiful than England
and the nations I had been traveling in. He became very much
interested; in a short time I pointed out my son William; says I,
'that is my son.' He said, 'if that is one of your sons, he may pass,
he may go home;' afterwards the man came to my house several times and
became very friendly.
"I merely mention this, to show the perils we were in, men, women and
children; death and destruction waiting on us; and this spirit aroused
by apostates such as Hinkle, who sold Joseph and his brethren, and
actually received money for betraying them.
"The murders, house-burnings, robberies, rapes, drivings, whippings,
imprisonments, and other sufferings and cruelties inflicted upon the
people of God, under the illegal orders of Missouri's Executive, have
only in part been laid before the world, and form a page in history
unsurpassed and unparalleled in the history of religious
persecution--that foulest of all crimes. This historic page alone can
credit Lilburn W. Boggs and his minions with feeding the ministers of
the proscribed religion on the flesh of their murdered brethren; the
odium of which is fully shared by the ministers of different
denominations who participated in these vile atrocities. If hell can
furnish a parallel where is it?
"I have not the ability to write what I saw and felt and realized, but
will leave it to eternity to reveal the scenes of those days. I can
say before God, angels, heaven and earth, that I am innocent of
violating any law of the state of Missouri, and my brethren are
equally innocent and virtuous, true to their God and their country.
"The measure they meted to the Latter-day Saints shall be measured to
them again, and upon all those who had a hand in our persecution and
expulsion, and those who consented to it, four-fold, full, running
over, and pressed down; and AS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY LIVETH, I SHALL
LIVE TO SEE IT COME TO PASS![A]
[Footnote A: During the great Civil War (1861-65) this region was
literally baptized in fire and blood.]
"After the mob departed, I accompanied Brother Brigham to Richmond
jail, to see our brethren. We found Joseph, Hyrum, Sidney and others
chained together in one room, and others confined in other places,
amongst the most dissolute associations. We scarcely had the privilege
of speaking to our brethren more than to say, 'how do you do,' every
eye being upon us in suspicion. We put up at a public house for the
night, and I bear testimony, from our feelings and the spirit
manifested in that house, that there were legions of devils present; I
do not remember that either of us slept any that night.
"November 29th, the brethren were removed to Liberty Jail, in Clay
County, and put in close confinement."
CHAPTER XXXII.
MEMORIAL TO THE MISSOURI LEGISLATURE--A CHAPTER OF INFAMY--HOW
MISSOURI REDRESSED THE WRONGS OF THE SUFFERING SAINTS--BRIGHAM AND
HEBER SETTING IN ORDER THE CHURCH--ARRANGING FOR THE EXODUS.
The brethren who retained their liberty addressed a memorial to the
Missouri Legislature, setting forth the wrongs that the Saints had
suffered in that state, and humbly petitioning for redress of
grievances. As a concise statement of the Missouri persecutions, with
much of which the history of Heber C. Kimball is identified, and
himself being one of the signers of the document, it is here given a
place in this volume:
"We, the undersigned petitioners and inhabitants of Caldwell
County, Missouri, in consequence of the late calamity that has
come upon us, taken in connection with former afflictions, feel it
a duty we owe to ourselves and our country to lay our case before
your honorable body for consideration.
"It is a well known fact, that a society of our people commenced
settling in Jackson County, Missouri, in the summer of 1831, where
they, according to their ability, purchased lands and settled upon
them, with the intention and expectation of becoming permanent
citizens in common with others.
"Soon after the settlement began, persecutions began; and as the
society increased persecution also increased, until the society at
last was compelled to leave the county; and although an account of
these persecutions has been published to the world, yet we feel
that it will not be improper to notice a few of the most prominent
items in this Memorial.
"On the 20th of July, 1833, a mob convened at Independence, a
committee of which called upon a few of the men of our Church
there, and stated to them that the store, printing office, and
indeed all other mechanic shops must be closed forthwith and the
society leave the county immediately.
"These propositions were so unexpected that a certain time was
asked for to consider the subject, before an answer should be
returned, which was refused, and our men being individually
interrogated, each one answered that he could not consent to
comply with their propositions. One of the mob replied that he was
sorry, for the work of destruction would commence immediately. In
a short time the printing office, which was a two-story building,
was assailed by the mob and soon thrown down, and with it much
valuable property destroyed. Next they went to the store for the
same purpose; but Mr. Gilbert, one of the owners, agreeing to
close it, they abandoned their design. Their next move was the
dragging of Bishop Partridge from his house and family to the
public square, where, surrounded by hundreds, they partially
stripped him of his clothes, and tarred and feathered him from
head to foot. A man by the name of Allen was also tarred at the
same time. This was Saturday and the mob agreed to meet the
following Tuesday, to accomplish their purpose of driving or
massacreing the society.
"Tuesday came, and the mob came also, bearing with them a red flag
in token of blood. Some two or three of the principal men of the
society, offered their lives if that would appease the wrath of
the mob, so that the rest of the society might dwell in peace upon
their lands. The answer was that unless the Society would leave
_en masse_, every man should die for himself. Being in a
defenseless situation, to save a general massacre, it was agreed
one half of the society should leave the county by the 1st of
January, and the remainder by the first of the following April. A
treaty was entered into and ratified and all things went on
smoothly for awhile. But some time in October, the wrath of the
mob began again to be kindled, insomuch that they shot at some of
our people, whipped others, and threw down their houses and
committed many other depredations; indeed the society of Saints
were harassed for some time both day and night, Their houses were
brick-batted and broken open, women and children insulted, etc.
"The store-house of A. S. Gilbert and Co. was broken open,
ransacked and some of the goods strewed in the streets.
"These abuses, with many others of a very aggravated nature, so
stirred up the indignant feelings of our people, that when a party
of them, say about thirty, met a company of the mob of about
double their number, a skirmish took place, in which some two or
three of the mob, and one of our people were killed. This raised,
as it were, the whole country in arms, and nothing would satisfy
them but the immediate surrender of the arms of our people, and
they forthwith to leave the county. Fifty-one guns were given up,
which have never been returned or paid for, to this day.
"The next day parties of the mob, from fifty to seventy, headed by
priests, went from house to house, threatening women and children
with death if they were not off before they returned. This so
alarmed them that they fled in different directions: some took
shelter in the woods, while others wandered on the prairies till
their feet bled. In the meantime, the weather being very cold,
their sufferings in other respects were very great.
"The society made their escape to Clay County as fast as they
possibly could, where the people received them kindly and
administered to their wants. After the society had left Jackson
County, their buildings, amounting to about two hundred, were
either burned or otherwise destroyed; and much of their crops, as
well as furniture, stock etc., which if properly estimated would
make a large sum, for which they have not as yet received any
remuneration.
"The Society remained in Clay County nearly three years, when at
the suggestion of the people there, they removed to that section
of the country known now as Caldwell County. Here the people
purchased out most of the former inhabitants, and also entered
much of the wild land. Many soon owned a number of eighties, while
there was scarcely a man that did not secure to himself at least a
forty.
"There we were permitted to enjoy peace for a season; but as our
society increased in numbers and settlements were made in Daviess
and Carroll Counties, the mob spirit spread itself again.
"For months previous to our giving up our arms to General Lucas'
army, we heard little else than rumors of mobs collecting in
different places, and threatening our people. It is well known
that the people of our Church, who had located themselves at De
Witt, had to give up to a mob, and leave the place,
notwithstanding the militia were called out for their protection.
"From De Witt the mob went towards Daviess County, and while on
their way there took two of our men prisoners and made them ride
upon the cannon, and told them they would drive the Mormons from
Daviess to Caldwell and from Caldwell to hell, and that they would
give them no quarter, only at the cannon's mouth. The threats of
the mob induced some of our people to go to Daviess to help to
protect their brethren, who had settled at Diahman on Grand river.
The mob soon fled from Daviess County; and after they were
dispersed and the cannon taken, during which time no blood was
shed, the people of Caldwell returned to their homes, in hope of
enjoying peace and quiet; but in this they were disappointed, for
a large mob was soon found to be collecting on the Grindstone
forks of Grand River, from ten to fifteen miles off, under the
command of Cornelius Gillium, a scouting party of which came
within four miles of Far West and drove off stock belonging to our
people in open day light.
"About this time word came to Far West, that a party of the mob
had come into Caldwell County to the south of Far West, and were
taking horses and cattle, burning houses and ordering inhabitants
to leave their homes immediately; and that they had then actually
in their possession three men prisoners. This report reached Far
West in the evening and was confirmed about midnight. A company of
about sixty men went forth under the command of David W. Patten
to disperse the mob as they supposed. A battle was the result, in
which Captain Patten and two of his men were killed and others
wounded. Bogart, it appears, had but one killed and others
wounded. Notwithstanding the unlawful acts committed by Captain
Bogart's men previous to the battle, it is now asserted and
claimed that he was regularly ordered out as a militia captain to
preserve the peace along the line of Ray and Caldwell Counties.
That battle was fought four or five days previous to the arrival
of General Lucas and his army. About the time of the battle with
Captain Bogart a number of our people who were living near Haun's
mills, on Shoal Creek, about twenty miles below Far West, together
with a number of emigrants who had been stopped there in
consequence of the excitement, made an agreement with the mob
which was about there, that neither party should molest the other,
but dwell in peace. Shortly after this agreement was made a mob
party of from two to three hundred, many of whom are supposed to
be from Chariton County, some from Daviess, and also those who had
agreed to dwell in peace, came upon our people there, whose number
in men was about forty, at a time when they little expected any
such thing and without any ceremony, notwithstanding they begged
for quarter, shot them down as they would tigers or panthers. Some
few made their escape by fleeing, eighteen were killed and a
number more were severely wounded.
"This tragedy was conducted in the most brutal and savage manner.
An old man, after the massacre was partially over, threw himself
into their hands and begged for quarter when he was instantly shot
down; that not killing him they took an old corn cutter and
literally mangled him to pieces. A lad of ten years of age, after
being shot down also begged to be spared, when one of them placed
the muzzle of his gun to his head and blew out his brains.
"The slaughter of these not satisfying the mob they then proceeded
to rob and plunder.
"The scene that presented itself after the massacre to the widows
and orphans of the killed is beyond description. It was truly a
time of weeping, of mourning and of lamentation.
"As yet we have not heard of any being arrested for these murders,
notwithstanding there are men boasting about the county that they
did kill on that occasion more than one "Mormon;" whereas all our
people who were in the battle with Captain Patten against Bogart,
that can be found, have been arrested, and are now confined in
jail to await their trial for murder.
"When General Lucas arrived near Far West and presented the
Governor's order, we were surprised greatly, yet we felt willing
to submit to the authorities of the state. We gave up our arms
without reluctance. We were then made prisoners and confined to
the limits of the town for about a week, during which time the men
from the country were not permitted to go to their families many
of whom were in a suffering condition for the want of food and
firewood, the weather being very cold and stormy. Much property
was destroyed by the troops in town during their stay there, such
as burning house logs, rails, corn cribs, boards, etc., the using
of corn and hay, the plundering of houses, the killing of cattle,
sheep, and hogs and also the taking of horses not their own; and
all this without regard to owners or asking leave of anyone. In
the meantime men were abused, women insulted and abused by the
troops--and all this while we were kept prisoners.
"Whilst the town was guarded we were called together by the order
of General Lucas, and a guard placed close around us, and in that
situation were compelled to sign a deed of trust for the purpose
of making over our individual property, all holden as they said,
to pay all the debts of every individual belonging to the Church,
and also to pay for all damages the old inhabitants of Daviess may
have sustained in consequence of the late difficulties in that
county.
"General Clark now arrived and the first important move made by
him was collecting of our men together, on the square, and
selecting out about fifty of them' whom he immediately marched
into a house and confined close. This was done without the aid of
the sheriff or any legal process. The next day forty six of those
taken were driven, like a parcel of menial slaves, off to
Richmond, not knowing why they were taken, or what they were taken
for. After being confined in Richmond more than two weeks, about
one half were liberated. The rest, after another week's
confinement, were most of them required to appear at court and
have since been let to bail.
"Since General Clark withdrew his troops from Far West, parties of
armed men have gone through the county, driving off horses, sheep
and cattle and also plundering houses. The barbarity of General
Lucas' troops ought not to be passed over in silence. They shot
our cattle and hogs merely for the sake of destroying them,
leaving them for the ravens to eat.
"They took prisoner an aged man named Tanner, and without any
reason for it, he was struck on the head with a gun, which laid
his skull bare. Another man by the name of Carey was also taken
prisoner by them and without any provocation had his brains dashed
out by a gun. He was laid in a wagon and there permitted to remain
for the space of twenty-four hours, during which time no one was
permitted to administer to him comfort or consolation; and after
he was removed from that situation, he lived but a few hours.
"The destruction of property at and about Far West is very great.
Many are stripped bare as it were and others partially so.
Indeed, take us as a body, at this time we are a poor and
afflicted people, and if we are compelled to leave the state in
the spring, many, yes a large portion of our society, will have to
be removed at the expense of the state, as those who might have
helped them are now debarred that privilege in consequence of the
deed of trust we are compelled to sign, which deed so operated
upon our real estate that it will sell for little or nothing at
this time.
"We have now made a brief statement of some of the most prominent
features of the troubles that have befallen our people since our
first settlement in the state, and we believe these persecutions
have come in consequence of our religious faith, and not for
immorality on our part. That instances have been, of late, when
individuals have trespassed upon the rights of others and thereby
broken the laws of the land, we will not attempt to deny; but yet
we do believe that no crime can be substantiated against any of
the people who have a standing in our Church of an earlier date
than the difficulties in Daviess County.
"And when it is considered that the rights of this people have
been trampled upon from time to time with impunity, and abuses
heaped upon them almost innumerable, it ought in some degree to
palliate for any infraction of the law which may have been made on
the part of our people.
"The late order of Governor Boggs to drive us from this state, or
exterminate us, is a thing so novel, unlawful, tyrannical and
oppressive, that we have been induced to draw up this memorial,
and present this statement of our case to your honorable body,
praying that a law may be passed, rescinding the order of the
Governor to drive us from the state, and also giving us the
sanction of the Legislature to inherit our lands in peace.
"We ask an expression of the Legislature, disapproving of the
conduct of those who compelled us to sign a deed of trust, and
also disapproving of any man or set of men taking our property in
consequence of that deed of trust, and appropriating it to the
payment of damage sustained in consequence of trespasses committed
by others.
"We have no common stock; our property is individual property and
we feel willing to pay our debts as other individuals do. But we
are not willing to be bound for other peoples' debts also. The
arms which were taken from us here, which we understand to be
about six hundred and thirty, besides swords and pistols, we care
not so much about, as we do the pay for them, only we are bound to
do military duty, which we are willing to do, and which we think
was sufficiently manifested by the raising of a volunteer company
last fall at Far West, when called upon by General Parkes to raise
troops for the frontier.
"The arms given up by us we consider were worth between twelve and
fifteen thousand dollars; but we understand they have been greatly
damaged since taken, and at this time probably would not bring
near their former value. And as they were both here and in Jackson
County, taken by the militia, and consequently by the authority of
the state, we therefore ask your Honorable Body to cause an
appropriation to be made by law, whereby we may be paid for them,
or otherwise have them returned to us and the damages made good.
The losses sustained by our people in leaving Jackson County, are
so situated that it is impossible to obtain any compensation for
them by law, because those who have sustained them are unable to
prove those trespasses upon individuals. That the facts do exist
that the buildings, crops, stock, furniture, rails, timber, etc.,
of the society, have been destroyed in Jackson County, is not
doubted by those who are acquainted in this upper country; and
since trespasses cannot be proven upon individuals, we ask your
Honorable Body to consider this case and if in your liberality and
wisdom you can conceive it to be proper to make an appropriation
by law to these sufferers, many of whom are still pressed down
with poverty in consequence of their losses, would be able to pay
their debts, and also in some degree be relieved from poverty and
woe; whilst the widow's heart would be made to rejoice, and the
orphan's tears measurably dried up and the prayers of a grateful
people ascend on high, with thanksgiving and praise to the author
of our existence for that beneficent act.
"In laying our case before your Honorable Body, we say that we are
willing, and ever have been, to conform to the Constitution and
laws of the United States, and of this state. We ask in common
with others the protection of the laws. We ask for the privilege
guaranteed to all free citizens of the United States and of this
state, to be extended to us, that we may be permitted to settle
and live where we please, and worship God according to the
dictates of our conscience without molestation. And while we ask
for ourselves this privilege we are willing all others should
enjoy the same.
"We now lay our case at the feet of your Legislature, and ask your
Honorable Body to consider it, and do for us, after mature
deliberation, that which your wisdom, patriotism and philanthropy
may dictate.
"And we as in duty bound will ever pray.
"A committee appointed by the citizens of Caldwell County, to
draft this memorial and sign it in their behalf. {
EDWARD PARTRIDGE,
HEBER C. KIMBALL,
JOHN TAYLOR,
THEODORE TURLEY,
BRIGHAM YOUNG,
ISAAC MORLEY,
GEORGE W. HARRIS,
JOHN MURDOCK,
JOHN M. BURK.
"Far West, Caldwell County, Missouri,
Dec. 10, 1838."
The only recognition given by the Legislature to this pathetic appeal,
this soul-harrowing recital of "bitter, burning wrongs," enough to
melt a heart of stone,
"To stir a fever in the blood of age,
And make the infant's sinews strong as steel,"
was the appropriation of the paltry sum of two thousand dollars, to be
distributed among the people of Daviess and Caldwell Counties, "_the
Mormons not excepted_."
O lavish generosity! Two thousand dollars for a city sacked and
pillaged, fields and farms laid waste, and homes given to the flames;
not to mention murders, rapes, expulsions and other outrages nameless
for their enormity, committed upon a helpless people by a ruthless
mob, in the sovereign name of the state of Missouri!
"THE MORMONS NOT EXCEPTED!"
O world-wide philanthropy! Magnanimity unparalleled! As though the
Mormons had not been the main, and well-nigh only sufferers from this
horrible and hellish invasion. Indeed, the only other losses
sustained--barring those inflicted by the oppressed people in sheer
self-defense--were from depredations by the mobocrats themselves upon
their own sympathizers, committed in such a way as to seem the work of
Mormons, who were falsely accused of the devilish deeds and the public
mind thus inflamed against them.
And then, the manner of distributing this princes' ransom! Surely the
tactics of the average Indian agent and post-trader there had their
origin. The notorious Judge Cameron had charge of the distribution; a
wretch whose unpitying gaze had surveyed complacently the wrongs and
cruelties heaped upon the helpless Saints, his serene equanimity of
temper being disturbed only by the patience and superhuman
cheerfulness of the brethren when compelled at the point of the
bayonet to sign away their property to pay the expenses of the war
waged against them. He was assisted by a man named McHenry.
Says Heber C. Kimball:
"Judge Cameron drove in the hogs belonging to the brethren (many of
which were identified) shot them down in the streets, and, without
further bleeding they were half-dressed, cut up and distributed by
McHenry to the poor, charging four or five cents per pound; which,
together with a few pieces of refuse calicoes, at double and treble
price, soon consumed the appropriation."
And thus did the great state of Missouri redress the wrongs of ten
thousand innocent people, robbed and trampled on without provocation
by its mob militia, led on and fired to their deeds of blood and
plunder by political demagogues and hireling priests of Christendom.
And this in the broad daylight of the nineteenth century, in a land of
religious liberty, on soil consecrated by the blood of patriots--
ancestors of the people thus trampled on and despoiled--and in the
presence of American judges, magistrates and priests, affecting the
calling, but disgracing the name, of Christian!
Brigham and Heber, in the absence of their fellow Apostles--the
remainder of the Twelve who had not gone over to the enemy, being in
prison for the Gospel's sake, or away on missions--proceeded to set in
order the Church at Far West, which was more or less scattered and
demoralized from the effects of the recent persecution. They were
obliged to move secretly and with the utmost caution, their lives and
liberties being in jeopardy from apostate spies and prowling
mobocrats. They reorganized the High Council, "expressed their
fellowship with all who desired to do right," and filled the vacancies
occasioned by the absence of brethren who had fled out of the state to
save their lives.
On the nineteenth of December, they ordained John Taylor and John E.
Page to the apostleship.
The next step of the Apostles was to arrange for the exodus of the
Saints _en masse_, from this land of tyrants, traitors and mobocrats,
the blood-stained soil of Missouri.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
THE FIRST PRESIDENCY INSTRUCT THE APOSTLES--BRIGHAM YOUNG CHOSEN
PRESIDENT OF THE TWELVE--THE EXODUS BEGUN--HEBER TARRIES IN MISSOURI
TO MINISTER TO HIS IMPRISONED BRETHREN--HIS FAITHFUL BUT FRUITLESS
EFFORTS FOR THEIR RELEASE--THE LORD SPEAKS TO HEBER.
From Liberty Jail, January 16th, 1839, the First Presidency addressed
the following letter of instructions to the Apostles:
"BROTHERS H. C. KIMBALL AND B. YOUNG:
"_Joseph Smith Jun., Sidney Rigdon and Hyrum Smith,
prisoners for Jesus' sake, send greeting:_
"In obedience to your request in your letter, we say to you as
follows: It is not wisdom for you to go out of Caldwell with your
families yet for a little season, until we are out of prison,
after which you may act at your pleasure; but though you take your
families out of the State, it will be necessary for you to return,
and leave as before designed, on the 26th of April.
"Inasmuch as we are in prison, for a little season, if need be,
the management of the affairs of the Church devolves on you, that
is the Twelve.
"The gathering of necessity is stopped; but the conversion of the
world need not stop, but under wise management can go on more
rapidly than ever.
"Where churches are built, let them continue where they are, until
a door is open to do otherwise, and let every Elder occupy his own
ground, and when he builds a church, let him preside over it, and
let not others run in to trouble him; and thus let every man prove
himself unto God that he is worthy. If we live, we live; and if we
die for the testimony of Jesus, we die; but whether we live or
die, let the work of God go on.
"Let the churches in England continue there till further
orders--till a door can be opened for them, except they choose to
come to America and take their chance with the Saints here. If
they will do that let them come; and if they choose to come, they
would do well to send their wise men before them, and buy out
Kirtland, and the regions round about, or they may settle where
they can till things may alter.
"It will be necessary for you to get the Twelve together, ordain
such as have not been ordained, or at least such of them as you
can get, and proceed to regulate the Elders as the Lord may give
you wisdom. We nominate George A. Smith and Lyman Sherman to take
the places of Orson Hyde and Thomas B. Marsh.
"Brethren, fear not, but be strong in the Lord and in the power of
His might. What is man that the servant of God should fear him, or
the son of man, that he should tremble at him. Neither think it
strange concerning the fiery trials with which we are tried, as
though some strange thing had happened unto us. Remember that all
have been partakers of like afflictions. Therefore, rejoice in
your afflictions, by which you are perfected and through which the
Captain of our Salvation was perfected also. Let your hearts and
the hearts of all the Saints be comforted with you, and let them
rejoice exceedingly, for great is our reward in heaven, for so the
wicked persecuted the prophets which were before us. America will
be a Zion to all that choose to come to it, and if the churches in
foreign countries wish to come, let them do so. Say to Brother P.
P. Pratt that our feelings accord with his; he is as we are, and
we as he. May peace rest upon him in life and in death.
"Brethren, pray for us, and cease not till our deliverance comes,
which we hope may come. We _hope_, we say, for our families' sake.
"Let the Elders preach nothing but the first principles of the
Gospel, and let them publish our afflictions--the injustice and
cruelty thereof, upon the house tops. Let them write it and
publish it in all the papers where they go. Charge them
particularly on this point.
"Brethren we remain yours in hope of eternal life,
"SIDNEY RIGDON.
"JOSEPH SMITH, JR.
"HYRUM SMITH.
"N. B. Appoint the oldest of those of the Twelve, who were first
appointed, to be the president of your quorum.
"J. S.
"S. R.
"H. S."
Agreeable to the instruction contained in the postscript of this
letter, Brigham Young was sustained by the Apostles as president of
their quorum. There were but two, it will be remembered, of the
original Twelve, who were his seniors. One of these, Thomas B. Marsh,
had apostatized, and the other, the lamented David W. Patten, was now
filling a martyr's grave.
"On February 7th," says Apostle Kimball, "I accompanied Brother
Brigham to Liberty to visit Joseph and the brethren in prison. We had
the privilege of going in to see and converse with them; stayed at
Liberty over night. Next morning we were permitted to visit the
prisoners again while they were at breakfast, and returned during the
day to Far West. When we left there Lyman Sherman was somewhat unwell.
In a few days after our return he died. We did not notify him of his
appointment.
"I fitted up a small wagon, procured a span of ponies, and sent my
wife and three children in company with Brother Brigham Young and his
family, with several others, who left Far West, Feb. 14th. Everything
my family took with them out of Missouri could have been packed on the
backs of two horses: the mob took all the rest.
"Being a stranger there, I was requested by Joseph, Brigham and
others, to tarry and assist in getting the brethren and families out
of Missouri, and to wait upon those brethren who were in prison.
"I went to Liberty almost every week to visit the brethren; generally
the only way I had to communicate with them was through the grates of
their prison. Many times, after I had traveled forty or fifty miles to
see them, I was denied the privilege by the jailor and the guards.
"I sent one hundred dollars by Brother Stephen Markham to Joseph, and
also various sums at different times by other individuals.
"March 15th, the Prophet Joseph and others petitioned Judge Tomkins,
or either of the Supreme Judges of the state of Missouri, for a
state's writ of _habeas corpus_, that he and his brethren might be
brought before either of those judges, that justice might be
administered. I was requested by Joseph to go to Jefferson City and
present the petition. Theodore Turley was appointed to accompany me.
We took copies of the papers by which the prisoners were held, with
the petition to the Supreme Judges, and immediately started a distance
of 300 miles; visited the judges, and laid the whole matter before
them individually, according to our best abilities; neither of them
would take any action in the case, although they appeared friendly,
and acknowledged that the brethren were illegally imprisoned. We also
presented a petition to the Secretary of State, the Governor being
absent. He appeared very kind, but like the other officers he had no
power to do good!
"We immediately returned to Liberty, where we arrived on the 30th and
made Joseph and the rest of the prisoners acquainted with the result
of our mission, through the grate of the dungeon, as we were not
permitted to enter the prison. Joseph told us to be of good cheer, for
the Lord would deliver him and his brethren in due time; he also told
us to tell the brethren to be of good cheer, and get all the Saints
away as fast as possible.
"In company with Brother Turley, I visited Judge Austin A. King, who
was angry with us for presenting his illegal papers to the Supreme
Judges. He treated us very roughly. I returned to Far West, April 5th.
"My family having been gone about two months, during which time I
heard nothing from them; our brethren being in prison; death and
destruction following us everywhere we went; I felt very sorrowful and
lonely. The following words came to my mind, and the Spirit said unto
me, 'write,' which I did by taking a piece of paper and writing on my
knee as follows:
"FAR WEST, April 6th, 1839.
"_A word from the Spirit of the Lord to my servant, Heber C.
Kimball:_
"Verily I say unto my servant Heber, thou art my son, in whom I am
well pleased; for thou art careful to hearken to my words, and not
transgress my law, nor rebel against my servant Joseph Smith, for
thou hast a respect to the words of mine anointed, even from the
least to the greatest of them; therefore thy name is written in
heaven, no more to be blotted out for ever, because of these
things; and this Spirit and blessing shall rest down upon thy
posterity for ever and ever; for they shall be called after thy
name, for thou shalt have many more sons and daughters, for thy
seed shall be as numerous as the sands upon the sea shore;
therefore, my servant Heber, be faithful, go forth in my name and
I will go with you, and be on your right hand and on your left,
and my angels shall go before you and raise you up when you are
cast down and afflicted; remember that I am always with you, even
to the end, therefore be of good cheer, my son, and my spirit
shall be in your heart to teach you the peaceable things of the
kingdom. Trouble not thyself about thy family, for they are in my
hands; I will feed them and clothe them and make unto them
friends; they never shall want for food nor raiment, houses nor
lands, fathers nor mothers; brothers nor sisters; and peace shall
rest upon them forever; if thou wilt be faithful and go forth and
preach my gospel to the nations of the earth; for thou shalt be
blessed in this thing: thy tongue shall be unloosed to such a
degree that has not entered into thy heart as yet, and the
children of men shall believe thy words, and flock to the water,
even as they did to my servant John; for thou shalt be great in
winning souls to me, for this is thy gift and calling; and there
shall be no gift withheld from thee, if thou art faithful.
Therefore, be faithful, and I will give thee favor in the eyes of
the people; be humble and kind and you shall obtain kindness; be
merciful and you shall obtain mercy; and I will be with you even
unto the end. Amen."
CHAPTER XXXIV.
A WORD FOR THE FALLEN--ONLY GOO KNOWETH THE WHEREFORE AND WHY--ORSON
HYDE'S REPENTANCE AND RETURN TO THE CHURCH--HEBER C. KIMBALL AND HYRUM
SMITH HIS CHAMPIONS--ISAAC RUSSELL'S APOSTASY--HEBER WRITES TO THE
CHURCH IN ENGLAND.
"Be merciful and you shall obtain mercy." The word of the Lord unto
His servant Heber. The word of the Lord unto His disciples in days of
old. The voice of universal charity, breathing forth the spirit of
Christ upon a weak, a sinful and a fallen world.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
Why should we rail at the fallen? Why not rather weep, when a brother
or a sister sins? Why hate them for what is their misfortune? The
heavens wept over fallen Lucifer, and even Michael, the archangel,
contending with him for the body of Moses, "durst not bring against
him a railing accusation?"
None but the tempted know what trials are; none but the fallen what
the fallen suffer, or how they endured ere they fell. None but God can
fully know the why and wherefore of their fall.
"We see but half the causes of our deeds,
Seeking them wholly in the outer life."
What we deem chance, may be destiny; what we term accident, design. A
greater knowledge than man's, the knowledge of a God, can alone
elucidate the mystery of mortal actions, as seen by the dim uncertain
light of the flickering lantern of human wisdom.
He who is the Judge; who "putteth down one and setteth up another;"
who is angry with none save with those who will not in all things
acknowledge and obey Him; who bringeth order out of chaos, light out
of darkness, strength from weakness, life from death, and victory from
seeming failure and defeat; He only can entirely tell why some succeed
where others fail, why some are weak and some are strong, why false
and true are found together; why "there must needs be an opposition
all things;" why demons as well as angels are essential; why sun and
shadow cross each other; why joy and sorrow, sweet and bitter, wine
and wormwood, are in life's cup commingled; why the beacon lights the
breaker's foam; why the stranded wreck, and the bark safely anchored,
each must tell its tale and point its moral for the welfare of future
generations.
"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."
"To err is human; to forgive divine."
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest
of these is charity."
"About this time," says Heber, "Orson Hyde came to me feeling very
sorrowful for the course he had pursued the past few months; he said
it was because of fear (Brother Hyde was sick just before the Far West
troubles commenced), and now lamented his folly and asked me what he
should do. I told him to give up his school, remove his family and
gather with the Church. He wanted to know if I thought the brethren
would forgive him. I said, 'Yes.' He then asked, 'Will you defend my
case?' And I promised him I would."
Heber was as good as his word, and through his mediation Brother Hyde
was forgiven, after a humble confession, and restored to fellowship.
He was also reinstated in his Apostleship, which he thenceforth
magnified unto the end of his days.
Heber enlisted as his fellow champion of the cause of Brother Hyde,
President Hyrum Smith, great-hearted and merciful as himself, and
when, at the next conference of the Church, Joseph presented the name
of Orson Hyde to the congregation for their action, Hyrum and Heber
pleaded for him so earnestly that the Prophet said: "If my brother
Hyrum and Heber C. Kimball will defend Orson Hyde, I will withdraw my
motion."
Thus did the voice of mercy, the voice of God, in two of His noblest
sons, plead and not in vain for the fallen.
And what of Oliver, and David, and Sidney, and scores of others who
fell from grace, but many of whom, penitent at life's eleventh hour,
returned to lay the offering of a broken heart and a contrite spirit
upon the altar of God's infinite love? Will they not find mercy, and
meet a judgment more just, than we in our narrow charity know how to
mete out to the erring?
Verily they will; and more joy will there ever be in the mansions of
our Father, over the returning prodigal, the soul that was lost and is
found, than in the steadfast faith of the righteous multitude, whose
reward is that they need no repentance.
Another Elder who fell away during this time of trouble, was Isaac
Russell, Heber's fellow missionary to England. About thirty families
followed him, accepting him as their leader. Viewing with sorrow the
fall of such men, his former faithful companions in the ministry,
Heber's mind turned with some solicitude to the church in England,
which they, with himself, had been instrumental in founding. He wrote
to Joseph Fielding, President of the Church in that land, as follows:
"I have only received two letters from you since I came here. If
you knew the feelings I have for the welfare of that people your
pen would not be so idle. May God stir you up to diligence to feed
His sheep; for they are children of my begetting through the
Gospel. Think it not strange that I speak thus; for you know the
feelings that a father has for his children.
"Now, brethren, be faithful and visit the churches, and exhort the
Saints to be faithful in all things, and not lay down their watch
for a moment; for there is great danger of falling beneath the
powers of darkness. Don't think hard of me, brethren, for my
plainness, for I am a plain man, and God requires it of me, and
the same of you. Don't keep the Saints in ignorance of those
things I have made you acquainted with--that is, our sufferings,
for they will know them when I come, and they will have to pass
through similar scenes. Don't be selfish; for it will not
impoverish you to tell them all that I tell you.
"Your sister Mary left here about eight weeks ago, also the rest
of the wives of the prisoners, thinking that they would be out in
a few days. There are ten in prison; they are all well and in good
spirits. I am going to see them to-morrow if the Lord will.
"Mobs are common in this country; it is getting so that there is
no safety anywhere in this land. Prepare yourselves for trouble
wherever you go, for it awaits you and all others that love the
Lord and keep His commandments.
"Brethren, I want you to go to the north where Brother Russell
labored, and see what situation the Saints are in, for I have some
fears about them. Go and strengthen them in the name of the Lord,
for I think that Russell is leading them astray.[A]
[Footnote A: This letter preceded, only by a few weeks, an epistle
from Isaac Russell to the Saints in Alston, England, of a nature
"calculated to deceive and lead astray."]
"Brethren, I can truly say that I have never seen the Church in a
better state since I have been a member of it. What there are left
are firm and steadfast, full of love and good works.
"They have lost all their earthly goods, and are now ready to _go
and preach the Gospel to a dying world!_
"We have ordained about one hundred Elders into the Seventies.
There are about one hundred and fifty who have gone into the
vineyard this winter to preach the Gospel, and many more will go
in the spring, and several will come to England with me in the
summer or fall.
"Elder Rigdon was bailed out of prison, and has left Missouri.
About ten thousand had gathered to this state. By the first of
May, next, there will not be one left who has any faith. Not
one-fourth part had any teams to move with, and we had two hundred
miles to travel before we could get out of the state. I think
their deliverance is a great miracle."
CHAPTER XXXV.
THE BRETHREN IN LIBERTY JAIL--JUDGE KING'S COUP D'ETAT--THE MOB AGAIN
THREATEN FAR WEST--FIENDS IN HUMAN FORM--THE PROPHET REGAINS HIS
FREEDOM--THE APOSTLES FULFILL REVELATION--FIRST CONFERENCE OF THE
CHURCH IN ILLINOIS.
Joseph and his brethren were still in the hands of the enemy, but the
hour of their deliverance was drawing nigh. They had suffered severely
in their confinement from the cruelty of their captors, but most of
them had borne up bravely. Elder Rigdon, whose faith was beginning to
fail under the terrible tension of trial, rashly exclaimed in a moment
of despair: "Jesus Christ was a fool to me in suffering." Soon after,
he was released on bail and set at liberty. The others were destined
to tarry in chains a little longer.
Judge King now ordered the removal of the prisoners from Liberty to
Daviess County, fearing a change of venue might be obtained to some
other place where the feeling against them was less intense, and the
prospect for a fair trial more favorable.
Heber C. Kimball and another of the brethren were appointed to visit
Judge Hughes, a friend of Joseph's, and get him to attend the sitting
of the court in Daviess County.
"The Judge," says Heber, "who had formerly been an Indian agent, and
was a very rough man in his language, cursed the judges, the governor,
and everybody else who would not step forward and help the brethren
out of the hands of their persecutors, for he did not believe they
were guilty of any of the crimes alleged against them; he said there
was no proof that they had committed any crime worthy of imprisonment
or death, and that the Mormons had been meanly treated in Missouri.
"There were several men in Liberty who were very friendly to the
brethren. I called on them when I went there, and they treated me with
great civility. General Doniphan and General Atchison and several of
the foremost men of the town were among them.
"Those I have mentioned and several others, revolted at the scenes
enacted against the Mormons, and would have liberated the brethren had
it not been for 'outside pressure,'--that is, the strong prejudice
against us by the people, and their bloodthirstiness to kill the
prophets."
Meanwhile, the mob, not content with the ruin they had wrought,
continued to threaten the few Saints who remained in Far West,
evidently determined to carry out the order of their chief, Governor
Boggs, to "exterminate the Mormons, or drive them from the state." The
main body of the Church, numbering from ten to twelve thousand souls,
had already left the state, and were beyond the reach of Missourian
mobs, encamped upon the hospitable shores of Illinois.
"On the 14th of April, 1839," continues Heber, "the committee who had
been left to look after the wants of the poor, removed thirty-six of
the helpless families into Tenney's grove, about twenty-five miles
from Far West. I was obliged to secrete myself in the corn-fields and
woods during the day and only venture out in the evening, to counsel
the committee and brethren in private houses.
"On the morning of the 18th, as I was going to the committee room to
tell the brethren to wind up their affairs and be off, or their lives
would be taken, I was met on the public square by several of the mob.
One of them asked, with an oath, if I was a Mormon.
"I replied, 'I am a Mormon.'
"With a series of blasphemous expressions, they then threatened to
blow my brains out, and also tried to ride over me with their horses,
in the presence of Elias Smith, Theodore Turley and others of the
committee.
"It was but a few minutes after I had notified the committee to leave,
before the mob gathered at the tithing house, and began breaking
clocks, chairs, windows, looking-glasses and furniture, and making a
complete wreck of everything they could move, while Captain Bogart,
the county judge, looked on and laughed. A mobber named Whittaker
threw an iron pot at the head of Theodore Turley and hurt him
considerably, when Whittaker jumped about and laughed like a madman;
and all this at the time when we were using our utmost endeavors to
get the Saints away from Far West. The brethren gathered up what they
could, and fled from Far West in one hour. The mob staid until the
committee left, and then plundered thousands of dollars worth of
property which had been left by the brethren and sisters to assist the
poor to remove.
"One mobber rode up, and, finding no convenient place to fasten his
horse to, shot a cow that was standing near, while a girl was milking
her, and while the poor animal was struggling in death, he cut a strip
of her hide from the nose to her tail, to which he fastened his
halter.
"During the commotion of this day, a great portion of the records of
the committee, accounts, history, etc., were destroyed or stolen.
"Hearing that Joseph and the brethren had escaped from their guard
while they were on their way from Daviess to Boone County, to which
place they had obtained a change of venue, I called upon Shadrach
Roundy, with whom I started immediately towards Quincy.
"On reaching Keetsville, I stopped at the house of Col. Price. The
Colonel, hearing of my arrival, came directly into the house, and
discovering who I was, said, 'Joseph and Hyrum Smith and the other
prisoners have escaped.' I enquired what he knew about them. He
answered, 'their guard took breakfast here this morning; they have
turned back, saying they were going to Richmond, by way of Tenney's
Grove. I know that the guard has been bribed, or they would evince
more interest by pursuing them.' After we had partaken of refreshment,
Brother Roundy and I pursued our course towards Quincy about fourteen
or fifteen miles.
"Being thoroughly satisfied that the prisoners had escaped, we turned
back towards Far West. When we arrived at Tenney's Grove a man came to
me and presented an order drawn on me by Joseph Smith for $500, saying
it was for horses furnished him. I immediately raised $400, which I
paid him, when he proceeded to Richmond, Ray County, where he paid out
some of the money to secure lands that we had been driven from.
"Brother Roundy and myself started a few hours after for Richmond,
being on our way to Far West, for the purpose of visiting Parley P.
Pratt and others, in jail. On our arrival at Richmond, I went directly
to the prison to see Parley, but was prohibited by the guard, who said
they would blow my brains out if I attempted to go near him. In a few
minutes Sister Morris Phelps came to me in great agitation, and
advised me to leave forthwith, as Parley P. Pratt had told her that a
large body of men had assembled with tar, feathers and a rail, who
swore they would tar and feather me, and ride me on a rail, suspecting
I was the one who assisted Joseph and the other prisoners to escape. I
immediately informed Brother Roundy, we jumped on our horses and fled
towards Far West, which was distant; we rode all night, and reached
Far West about the break of day, expecting Brother Brigham Young and
the Twelve to arrive there that day."
April 26th, 1839, was the day appointed by revelation for the Apostles
to take leave of Far West on the building spot of the Lord's House. As
usual, when times and seasons are given--for foreknowledge is power,
with evil spirits as well as good--Satan had diligently sought to make
the word of God of no effect. The mob, with their apostate allies who
had betrayed to them the secrets of the kingdom, had sworn that this
revelation should not be fulfilled; and having driven the Saints from
their homes, leaving only a few scattered families in and around Far
West, and imprisoned the Church leaders, they flattered themselves
that their wicked oath had been verified.
Little knew they the men they were dealing with, still less that God
whose word they had vainly sought to falsify; Him who hath said:
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away."
Heber continues: "I kept myself concealed in the woods, and passed
round the country, notifying the brethren and sisters to be on hand at
the appointed time for the laying of the corner stone.
"April 25th. This night, which was a beautiful, clear moonlight,
Elders Brigham Young, Orson Pratt, John E. Page, John Taylor, Wilford
Woodruff, George A. Smith, and Alpheus Cutler, arrived from Quincy,
Illinois, and rode into the public square early on the morning of the
26th. All seemed still as death.
"April 26th, we held a conference at the house of Brother Samuel
Clark, cut off 31 persons from the Church, and then proceeded to the
building spot of the Lord's house, where, after singing, we
recommenced laying the foundation, agreeably to the revelation given
July 8th, 1838, by rolling a stone, upwards of a ton weight, upon or
near the south-east corner.
"In company with Brother Brigham Young, we ordained Wilford Woodruff
and George A. Smith (who had been previously nominated by the First
Presidency, accepted by the Twelve, and acknowledged by the Church at
Quincy) members of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Darwin Chase
and Norman Shearer, (who were liberated from Richmond prison on the
24th inst, where they had been confined about six months for the cause
of Christ) Seventies. They sat on the south-east corner stone while we
ordained them.
"The Twelve then individually called upon the Lord in prayer, kneeling
on the corner stone; after which 'Adam-ondi-Ahman' was sung.
"The brethren wandered among our deserted houses, many of which were
in ruins, and saw the streets in many places grown over with weeds and
grass.
"We went to Father Clark's, breakfasted, and before sunrise departed.
I accompanied my brethren, riding thirty miles that day. We continued
our journey to Quincy, where I found my family well and in good
spirits, on the 2nd of May.
"On reading the words of inspiration which I had written, my wife bore
record to the truth of that part which says, 'trouble not thyself
about thy family for they are in my hands; I will feed them and clothe
them, and make unto them friends; for they never shall want for food
nor raiment.' I learned from her that my family continued with Brother
Brigham until they crossed the Mississippi, to the town of Atlas, in
Illinois, where, through the instrumentality of George Pitkin, my wife
got introduced to a widow Ross, who let her have a very nice
comfortably fitted up room, and who was as kind to her as an own
mother or sister; here my wife tarried seven weeks. At the end of that
time John P. Greene took his horses and wagon and carried my family up
to Quincy, forty miles, and rented a good house, where I found her on
my leaving Missouri. She had had no lack of friends, and had every
comfort bestowed on her that she could have had among her own kindred.
And I can say in my heart, God bless them all, and my Brother Brigham
for his great kindness in assisting them into Illinois. In relation to
that part which said I should have many sons and daughters, she rather
doubted that, as the thought had never entered into her head, or mine,
that the Lord would establish in this Church the doctrine of plurality
of wives, in my day; still I believed it would be restored to the
earth in some future time.
"May 3rd, I went in company with Elder Brigham Young, Orson Pratt,
John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith, and rode four miles
to Mr. Cleveland's to visit Joseph and Hyrum, who were as glad to see
us as we were to see them, once more enjoying their liberty. I spent
the day with them, and it was one of the greatest days of rejoicing in
my life, to once more have the privilege of conversing with the
Prophet, in freedom.
"May 4th, I attended a general conference of the Church near Quincy,
at which the Saints from all the regions round about assembled. It was
a time which will long be remembered by the Saints, being the first
conference held after their expulsion. The cases of Brothers William
Smith and Orson Hyde were brought up. The conference granted them the
privilege of appearing personally before the next conference of the
Church to give an account of their conduct, but in the meantime they
were suspended from exercising the functions of their office. The
conference sanctioned the proceedings of the Twelve on the Temple
block at Far West, and also sanctioned the intended mission of the
Twelve to Europe.
"The meetings continued for three days. Elder Rigdon was appointed
delegate to go to Washington and lay the grievances of the Saints
before the general government. It was also resolved that a number of
Elders should accompany the Twelve on their mission to Europe."
CHAPTER XXXVI.
NAUVOO THE BEAUTIFUL--HEBER'S PREDICTION OVER THE FATED CITY--ELDER
RIGDON'S ALARM--HEBER'S SECOND ENCOUNTER WITH EVIL SPIRITS--PARLEY P.
PRATT ESCAPES FROM PRISON, FULFILLING HEBER'S PROPHECY.
The scene now changes to Commerce, afterwards named Nauvoo, the famous
gathering place of the Saints in Illinois. Situated in a graceful bend
on the east bank of the Mississippi, on an eminence commanding a noble
view of the broad river and beyond, Nauvoo, even as the site of the
lovely city it soon became, well merited its appellation of "the
Beautiful."
It was forty miles above Quincy, in which hospitable town the exiled
Saints had found a resting place and kindly welcome, after their
expulsion from Missouri.
In this region the Saints had commenced gathering, and, having
purchased lands, were now busily engaged building up the new stake of
Zion. The Church had been purified by its baptism of fire, and much of
its human dross "burnt and purged away." Most of its members that
remained were of the pure gold, refined by suffering, and throughout
the community a better feeling prevailed than ever before.
Heber's first visit to Commerce was on Sunday the 12th of May. On the
25th he again went up the river, with several others of the Twelve,
and spent the day in council with Joseph and the brethren. While on
the water, standing by the railing of the boat, gazing in admiration
at the beautiful site of Nauvoo, Heber observed: "It is a very pretty
place, but not a long abiding home for the Saints."
This remark was carried to the ears of Elder Rigdon and his family,
who were comfortably quartered in a nice stone house built by Dr.
Isaac Galland, from whom the Saints had purchased some of their lands.
Heber's reputation as a prophet was by this time pretty well
established in Israel, and Sidney, who had had about as much
persecution as he could stand, and was in nowise hankering after a
repetition of the Missouri scenes, was considerably alarmed at his
words, dreading their prophetic potency. At the council, which was
held at the house of the Prophet Joseph, Sidney remarked that he had
some feelings against Elder Kimball, and then, referring to the
prediction of the latter in relation to the city of the Saints, said,
petulantly:
"I should suppose that Elder Kimball had passed through sufferings and
privations and mobbings and drivings enough, to learn to prophesy good
concerning Israel."
With a mixture of meekness and humor, Heber replied:
"President Rigdon, I'll prophesy good concerning you all the time--if
you can get it."
The retort amused Joseph, who laughed heartily with the brethren, and
Elder Rigdon yielded the point.
Joseph now advised the Apostles, such as had not done so already, to
move their families up to Commerce. Says Heber:
"I immediately went and moved my family up in a wagon, to a place
belonging to Brother Bozier, about one mile from Commerce, where I
pulled down an old stable, and laid up the logs at the back end of the
Bozier house, putting a few shakes on to cover it; but it had no floor
nor chinking; and in this condition I moved my family into it;
whenever it rained, the water stood near ankle deep on the ground.
There were some half dozen families in the Bozier house.
"One night I was awakened out of my sleep by my wife making a noise as
if choking; I asked what was the matter; she replied that she had
dreamt that a personage came and seized her by the throat and was
choking her. I immediately lit a candle, and saw that her eyes were
sunken and her nose pinched in, as if she was in the last stage of the
cholera. I laid my hands upon her and rebuked that spirit in the name
of Jesus and by the power of the holy Priesthood, and commanded it to
depart. In a moment afterwards I heard some half a dozen children in
different parts of the Bozier House crying as if in great distress;
the cattle began to bellow and low; the horses neighed and whinnied;
the dogs barked, and hogs squealed; the hens cackled, and the roosters
crowed, and everything around was in great commotion. In a few minutes
afterwards I was sent for to lay hands on Sister Bentley, formerly the
wife of David W. Patten, who was seized in a similar manner to my
wife. My wife continued quite feeble for several days from the shock.
"One day while visiting Joseph, he took me a walk by the river side,
when he requested me to relate the occurrence at Brother Bozier's.
After I had done so, I also told him of our vision of the evil spirits
in England, on the opening of the Gospel to that people. He then gave
me a relation of many contests that he had had with Satan, and his
power that had been manifested from time to time since the
commencement of bringing forth the Book of Mormon. I will relate one
circumstance that took place at Far West, in a house that Joseph had
purchased, which had been formerly occupied as a public house by some
wicked people. A short time after he got into it, one of his children
was taken very sick; he laid his hands upon the child, when it got
better; as soon as he went out of doors, the child was taken sick
again; he again laid his hands upon it, so that it again recovered.
This occurred several times, when Joseph inquired of the Lord what it
all meant; then he had an open vision, and saw the devil in person,
who contended with Joseph, face to face, for some time. He said it was
his house, it belonged to him, and Joseph had no right there. Then
Joseph rebuked Satan in the name of the Lord, and he departed and
touched the child no more.
"July 2nd, I went with Joseph, Hyrum, Sidney and others, over the
river to Montrose; rode four miles and looked out the site of the town
of Zarahemla. We dined at Brother Woodruff's. After dinner we all went
to Brigham Young's, when Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith were
blessed as two of the Twelve Apostles; and Theodore Turley was blessed
as a Seventy. Brother Hyrum gave the Twelve some good advice on the
nature of their mission; to practice prudence and humility in their
preaching, and to strictly hold on to the authority of the Priesthood.
Brother Joseph taught many glorious and important principles to
benefit and bless them on their mission; teaching them to observe
charity, wisdom, and a fellow feeling for each other, and love one
towards another, in all things, and under all circumstances, unfolding
keys of knowledge, to detect Satan, and preserve us in the favor of
God."
Some time before Heber had written to Elder Parley P. Pratt, who was
still in prison in Missouri, giving him the particulars of the
conference at Far West, on the 26th of April, with the resolution of
the Priesthood that the Twelve should have their shackles stricken
off, and go forth preaching the Gospel to the world, leaving their
families to be provided for, in their absence, by the Bishops. He
added:
"The Presidency feel well towards you. They say you must come out of
that place, and so I say; for I do not feel as though I can go to
England until I take you by the hand. When this takes place my joy
will be full. Be of good cheer, brother; a few days now, and you shall
see the salvation of God; and I shall see you in other lands,
publishing peace to the captives. My determination is to be a man of
God, and to try to save souls from their sins, let others do as they
may. I will try to keep my eye on the mark, that is, Christ, the Son
of the living God, His grace assisting me. The Twelve have all left
Quincy. Your brother Orson is about twenty-five miles from here.
Whatever you do, do quickly!
"July 10th," continues the prophet Heber, "Elder Parley P. Pratt
arrived from his imprisonment in Missouri. When I heard that he was in
Quincy I went there and assisted him and Orson Pratt up to Commerce.
His escape caused much rejoicing among the Saints. A few days
afterwards he and I purchased five acres each, of woodland, from Hyrum
Kimball. They lay adjoining each other, one mile from the river. He
and I went to work to cut each a set of logs fourteen by sixteen feet
in length, which we cut in one day. We then invited some of the old
citizens, viz., Brother Bozier, D. H. Wells, Lewis Robison and others
to come and assist us to put them up; as our people were mostly
prostrate by sickness. We drew them and put them up the next day. I
got a man to assist me to hew puncheon for the floor, and to make some
shakes to cover the roof, which were similar to a shingle, or a stave
for a barrel. I drew the rock and built a chimney, and just got to the
ridge of the house, when I was taken down prostrate by the chills and
fever. My wife was also laid prostrate. In the meantime Brother Orson
Pratt moved his family into the little shanty with me."
CHAPTER XXXVII.
AN EPIDEMIC OF DISEASE--JOSEPH HEALS THE MULTITUDE--BRIGHAM AND HEBER
START ON THEIR MISSION TO ENGLAND--SICKNESS BY THE WAY--HEBER
POISONED--HIS LIFE SAVED BY BRIGHAM.
Twelve months had elapsed since the word of the Lord came for the
Apostles to depart and "go over the great waters" to promulgate the
Gospel. They had fulfilled the revelation in so far as to take leave
of the Saints in Far West, at the time and place appointed, but the
toils and trials incident to settling their new home had unavoidably
delayed their departure from America.
One of these trials was an epidemic which swept over Nauvoo and the
neighboring towns, prostrating many of the inhabitants with sickness;
partly due, no doubt, to the moist, malarial nature of the soil in and
around the lower portions of the new settlement, but greatly enhanced
by the physical weakness of the Saints, resulting from their recent
privations and sufferings in Missouri. So general and widespread was
the sickness that scarcely a family in Nauvoo or the vicinity entirely
escaped the scourge.
[Illustration: Joseph Smith]
[Illustration: Hyrum Smith]
But this unhappy condition of affairs--rendered doubly disheartening
from following so closely upon the Missouri troubles--was not without
its recompense. It was the occasion of a marvelous and miraculous
display of divine power in behalf of the Lord's afflicted people.
Heber thus describes the event:
"July 22nd, the Prophet Joseph arose from his bed of sickness, when
the power of God rested upon him, and he went forth administering to
the sick. He commenced with the sick in his own house, then visited
those who were camping in tents in his own dooryard, commanding the
sick in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to arise from their beds and
be whole; when they were healed according to his words. He then went
from house to house, and from tent to tent, upon the bank of the
river, healing the sick by the power of Israel's God, as he went among
them. He did not miss a single house, wagon or tent, and continued
this work up to 'the upper stone house,' where he crossed the river in
a boat, accompanied by Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John E. Page,
John Taylor and myself, and landed at Montrose. He then walked into
the cabin of Brother Brigham Young, who was lying very sick, and
commanded him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to arise and be
made whole. He arose, healed of his sickness, and then accompanied
Joseph and his brethren of the Twelve, and went into the house of
Brother Elijah Fordham, who was insensible, and considered by his
family and friends to be in the hands of death. Joseph stepped to his
bedside, looked him in the eye for a minute without speaking, then
took him by the hand and commanded him in the name of Jesus Christ to
arise from his bed and walk. Brother Fordham immediately leaped out of
his bed, threw off all his poultices and bandages, dressed himself,
called for a bowl of bread and milk, which he ate, and then followed
us into the street. We then went into the house of Joseph B. Noble,
who was also very sick, and he was healed in the same manner.
"Joseph spoke with the voice and power of God.
"When he had healed all the sick by the power given unto him he went
down to the ferry boat, when a stranger rode up almost breathless, and
said that he had heard that Joseph Smith was raising the dead, and
healing all of the sick, and his wife begged him to ride up and get
Mr. Smith to go down and heal her twin children, about three months
old. Joseph replied, 'I cannot go, but will send some one.' In a few
minutes he said to Elder Woodruff, 'You go and heal those children,
and take this pocket handkerchief, and when you administer to them,
wipe their faces with it, and they shall recover.' Brother Woodruff
did as he was commanded, and the children were healed.
"The mob spirits, when they saw men whom they thought were dying,
arise from their beds, and pray for others, stood paralyzed with fear;
yet those same men would have killed Joseph and his brethren if they
had had an opportunity. Joseph recrossed the river to his own home and
I returned to mine, rejoicing in the mercies and goodness of God. This
was a day never to be forgotten by the Saints; nor by the wicked; for
they saw the power of God manifest in the flesh."
"August 4th, being Sunday, the Saints met to partake of the sacrament,
and received an exhortation from the Prophet Joseph, impressing upon
them the necessity of being righteous and clean of heart before the
Lord. He also commanded the Twelve to go forth without purse or scrip,
according to the revelations of Jesus Christ.
"During the night of August 23rd, my son, David Patten, was born in
Commerce, in the log cabin I had put up at the end of the Bozier
house. We had a heavy thunderstorm that night, but the hand of the
Lord was over us. As soon as my wife was able I moved my family into
the new log house that I had built."
September came, and the Apostles prepared to take leave of their
families and friends and depart on their mission to Europe. Again the
evil one laid his plans to circumvent them. As he once afflicted
righteous Job, striving to overthrow his trust in God, he now sought
by similar means to undermine the faith and integrity of these
latter-day servants of the Lord. But his efforts were unavailing; he
had the same class of spirits to contend with as in days of old; men
who could say with the patient man of Uz, though bowed in sorrow and
humiliation: "I know that my Redeemer liveth," and "though He slay me,
yet will I trust in Him."
"September 14th," says Heber, "President Brigham Young left his home
at Montrose to start on the mission to England. He was so sick that he
was unable to go to the Mississippi, a distance of thirty rods,
without assistance. After he had crossed the river he rode behind
Israel Barlow on his horse to my house, where he continued sick until
the 18th. He left his wife sick with a babe only three weeks old, and
all his other children were sick and unable to wait upon each other.
Not one soul of them was able to go to the well for a pail of water,
and they were without a second suit to their backs, for the mob in
Missouri had taken nearly all he had. On the 17th Sister Mary Ann
Young got a boy to carry her up in his wagon to my house, that she
might nurse and comfort Brother Brigham to the hour of starting.
"September 18th, Charles Hubbard sent his boy with a wagon and span of
horses to my house; our trunks were put into the wagon by some
brethren; I went to my bed and shook hands with my wife who was then
shaking with a chill, having two children lying sick by her side; I
embraced her and my children, and bade them farewell. My only well
child was little Heber P., and it was with difficulty he could carry a
couple of quarts of water at a time, to assist in quenching their
thirst.
"It was with difficulty we got into the wagon, and started down the
hill about ten rods; it appeared to me as though my very inmost parts
would melt within me at leaving my family in such a condition, as it
were almost in the arms of death. I felt as though I could not endure
it. I asked the teamster to stop, and said to Brother Brigham, 'This
is pretty tough, isn't it; let's rise up and give them a cheer.' We
arose, and swinging our hats three times over our heads, shouted:
'Hurrah, hurrah for Israel.' Vilate, hearing the noise, arose from her
bed and came to the door. She had a smile on her face. Vilate and Mary
Ann Young cried out to us: 'Good bye, God bless you.' We returned the
compliment, and then told the driver to go ahead. After this I felt a
spirit of joy and gratitude, having had the satisfaction of seeing my
wife standing upon her feet, instead of leaving her in bed, knowing
well that I should not see them again for two or three years.
"We were without purse or scrip, and were carried across the prairie,
about fourteen miles, to a shanty near the railway, where Brother O.
M. Duel lived. We were unable to carry our small trunks into the
house; Sister Duel seeing our feeble condition, assisted the boy to
carry them in.
"Sep. 19th, Brother Duel took us in his wagon to Lima, about twelve
miles. When he left us he gave each of us a dollar. Brother Bidwell
then carried us in his wagon to John A. Mickesell's, near Quincy,
about twenty miles. The fatigue of this day's journey was too much for
our feeble health; we were prostrated, and obliged to tarry a few days
in Quincy.
"Sep. 25th, we left Quincy about 11 a. m., as we felt considerably
better. My sorrow was great, to see so many of our brethren sick and
dying, in consequence of being driven, and exposed to hunger and cold.
Brother Lyman Wight took us in a one horse wagon and carried us to
Brother C. C. Rich's at Burton, where we slept through the night.
Brother Wight predicted many things, and left his blessings with us
when he bade us farewell.
"Sep. 26th, Brother Rich carried us to Brother Wilber's; while on the
road the chills came on me again, and I suffered much pain and
fatigue.
"Sep. 27th, Brother Wilber took us in a buggy about twenty-five miles
to the house of James Allred, in Pittsfield.
"Sep. 28th, Father Allred carried us to the place where Brother Harlow
Redfield lived. There we preached to a small branch of the Church, on
Sunday, 29th.
"Sep. 30th, Brother Rodgers carried Brother Brigham to Brother
Decker's, and myself to Mr. Roswell Murray's; they were living within
a few rods of each other, near Winchester in Scott County.
"Here we also found a few brethren in the Church, who had been smitten
and robbed of their property in Missouri; who were once more in
comfortable circumstances, rejoicing in the Lord.
"Oct. 1st, we were carried to Lorenzo D. Young's, a brother of Brigham
Young, where we stayed and recruited our strength until the 4th, when
he carried us to Jacksonville, where we stayed the night.
"Oct. 5th, a sister in the Church hired a horse and buggy to carry us
to Springfield, and Brother Babcock drove us there, a distance of
thirty-five miles, where we were gladly received by the brethren and
nursed. Brother Brigham was confined to his bed by sickness. Brother
Libius T. Coon, who was practicing medicine, attended upon him. Here
we found Brothers G. A. Smith, Turley, and R. Hedlock.
"I went from house to house, strengthening the brethren and teaching
them the things of the kingdom. I was so far recovered that I preached
on the Sabbath. They got a two horse wagon and harness, for which they
paid fifty-five dollars, and collected thirty-five dollars in money,
for the company.
"Judge Adams, one of the judges of the Supreme Court, took me to his
house; I stayed with him three nights and the most part of three days.
He gave me five dollars when I left. My father-in-law, Roswell Murray,
went with us on a visit to his friends in the East.
"Oct. 11th, resumed my journey in company with Brothers Young, Turley,
Smith, Hedlock and Murray. The brethren exchanged horses in
Springfield, and with the assistance we received from the brethren
living there, we succeeded in obtaining one horse and a two-horse
wagon, in which the sisters fitted up a bed for Brother Brigham to
ride on, as he was unable to sit up. We traveled eight miles with the
three-horse team, and put up at the house of Father Baker. When we
went into the house, Brother George A. Smith, while stooping down to
warm him at the fire, dropped a small flask bottle, containing tonic
bitters, out of his pocket, on the hearth, and broke it; at this
occurrence Father Baker was very much astonished, and said, 'You're a
pretty set of Apostles, to be carrying a bottle of whisky with you.'
We explained to him that the bottle contained some bitters which the
brethren at Springfield had prepared for George A. because of his
sickness; this appeased his righteous soul, so that he consented to
allow us to stay through the night.
"Oct. 12th, we pursued our journey towards Terre Haute; traveled all
day; most of the brethren being very sick I walked most of the way; at
night I slept in the wagon with my father-in-law and Brother Hedlock,
and caught cold; the next morning I had to go until twelve o'clock
before I had anything to eat, and then it was transparent pork and
corn dodger. My health again began to fail; the wagon broke down
twice, and the chills came on me about two in the afternoon, and held
me till night; then the fever held me all night. I had the chills and
fever three days, and lost my appetite. The third chill was so severe
that it seemed as though I could not live till night. We arrived at
Terre Haute about dusk on the 17th; Brother Young and I put up at Dr.
Modisett's. In the evening I became very ill. The doctor said he could
give me something that would do me good, that would relieve me of my
distress, and I would probably get a nap; but the old man was so drunk
that he did not know what he did, and he gave me a tablespoonful of
morphine; his wife saw him pour it out, but dared not say a word,
although she believed it would kill me. In a few minutes after I took
it, I straightened up in my chair, complaining of feeling very
strange, and felt as though I wanted to lie down. On my attempting to
go to the bed, I reeled and fell to the floor. There was hardly a
breath of life in my body. Brother Brigham rolled me over on my back,
put a pillow under my head, and inquired of the doctor what he had
given me, and then learned that he had given me morphine. I lay there
for a long time; when I came to, Brother Brigham was attending to me
with a fatherly care, and manifesting much anxiety in my behalf. I
told him, 'Don't be scared, for I sha'n't die.' In a short time after
he had got me on the bed, I commenced vomiting, and continued doing so
most of the night. It was through the closest attention of Brother
Young and the family that my life was preserved through the night. In
the morning Brothers Smith, Turley, Hedlock and Murray came to see us.
They laid their hands on me and prayed for me. When they left they
wept. Father Murray felt very sorrowful; said he, 'we shall never see
Heber again; he will die.' I looked up at them and said, 'Never mind,
brethren, go ahead, for Brother Brigham and I will reach Kirtland
before you will.' Brother Brigham gave them all the money we had
except five dollars, and told them to take good care of the team, and
make all possible speed to Kirtland. They started the same day. In
about an hour after they departed I arose from my bed."
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
ON TO KIRTLAND--MIRACULOUSLY SUPPLIED WITH MONEY--CONDITION OF AFFAIRS
AT THE OLD CHURCH HEADQUARTERS.
Having partly recovered from the effects of this narrow escape from
death, Heber and his fellow Apostle resumed their journey to Kirtland.
The record continues:
"October 23rd, Brother James Modisett took us in his father's carriage
twenty miles, to the house of Brother Addison Pratt. From thence we
were carried by Dr. Knight to Pleasant Garden, and put up with Brother
Jonathan Crosby. We found a few brethren who were well and in good
spirits. We remained there three days, preaching to the few brethren,
and those who wished to hear. Dr. Knight and some others gave us some
money to assist us on our mission.
"Oct. 25th, I received a letter from my wife, giving an account of her
sickness since I left; also of our children William and Helen.
"Oct. 26th, Brother Babbitt took us in his buggy twelve miles, to the
house of Brother Scott; they were very glad to see us, and we tarried
with them through the night.
"Oct. 27th, Brother Scott sent his little son John, who carried us to
Belleville, fifteen miles--several miles of the journey in a rain
storm, which obliged us to put up at an inn for the remainder of the
day and night. Brother Brigham was very sick and obliged to go to bed.
I sat up and waited upon him, and spent the evening with the landlord
and his lady, preaching to them; they received our testimony and were
very kind to us.
"The next morning we took stage, and started on our way towards
Kirtland. While in Pleasant Garden we obtained some money, so that
with the five dollars we had left when the brethren left us on the
18th it amounted to $13.50. When we got into the stage we did not
expect to ride many miles. We rode as far as Indianapolis, paid our
passage, and found we had sufficient means to carry us to Richmond,
Indiana.
"When we arrived at Richmond we found we had means to take us to
Dayton, to which place we proceeded and tarried over night, waiting
for another line of stages. We expected to stop here and preach until
we got means to pursue our journey. Brother Brigham went to his trunk
to get money to pay the bill, and found we had sufficient to pay our
passages to Columbus, to which place we took passage in the stage and
tarried over night. When he paid the bill he found he had sufficient
means to pay our passage to Worcester. We tarried till the after part
of the day and then took passage to Worcester. When we arrived there,
Brother Brigham went to his trunk again to get money to pay our bill,
and found sufficient to pay our passages to Cleveland. When we reached
a little town called Strongsville, about twenty miles from Cleveland,
towards evening, Brother Brigham had a strong impression to stop at a
tavern when we first came into the town; but the stage did not stop
there, so we went on. We arrived at Cleveland about 11 o'clock at
night, took lodgings, and remained till next morning.
"Nov. 3rd, being Sunday, in the morning we went to the Episcopalian
church. While returning to the hotel we met my father-in-law, and
learned that Elders Turley, Smith and Hedlock had just arrived in
Cleveland. Father Murray was as much astonished to see me alive as
though he had seen one risen from the dead. I don't think I ever saw a
man feel better than he did when I met him in the street. We walked
with him a short distance, and met the brethren who were in good
health, compared with what they had been, and in fine spirits. We
learned that they stopped at the tavern in Strongsville, where Brother
Brigham had such strong impressions to stop the night previous. They
had picked up Elder John Taylor, at Dayton, where he was left at a
tavern very sick with the ague and fever a few days before, by Father
Coltrin, who proceeded to Kirtland.
"Brothers Taylor and Hedlock got into the stage with us, which left
early in the afternoon; they rode as far as Willoughby. We proceeded
to Kirtland and arrived the same evening, thus fulfilling the
prediction made on my sick bed.
"Brother Brigham had one York shilling left, and on looking over our
expenses we found we had paid out over $87.00 out of the $13.50 we had
at Pleasant Garden, which is all the money we had to pay our passages
with. We had traveled over 400 miles by stage, for which we paid from
8 to 10 cents a mile, and had eaten three meals a day, for each of
which we were charged fifty cents, also fifty cents for our lodgings.
Brother Brigham often suspected that I put the money in his trunk, or
clothes; thinking that I had a purse of money which I had not
acquainted him with; but this was not so; the money could only have
been put in his trunk by some heavenly messenger, who thus
administered to our necessities daily as he knew we needed.
"I made my home at Dean Gould's at the house of Ira Bond. The family
were all very kind to me, and made me as comfortable as they could. I
remained with them most of the time I was in Kirtland, two days of
which I was sick with chills and fever.
"There was a division of sentiment among the brethren in Kirtland,
many of whom had lacked the energy to move to Missouri, while some
lacked the inclination. On Sunday, Elder Taylor preached in the Temple
in the forenoon and I preached in the afternoon. I compared the people
there to a parcel of old earthen pots that were cracked in burning,
for they were mostly apostates who were living there. Martin Harris,
Cyrus Smalling and others were much offended at what I said, and asked
me whom I referred to in my comparisons. 'No one in particular,' said
I, 'but to anyone whom the coat fits.' John Moreton and others
declared I should never preach in the house again. On the Sunday
following, Brother Brigham and Brother Taylor were the speakers.
"While we tarried, a council was held with Brothers Kellogg, Moreton
and others who took the lead in Kirtland. We proposed that some of the
Elders should remain there and preach for a few weeks. John Moreton
replied that they had had many talented preachers, and he considered
that men of such ordinary talents as were on this mission could do no
good in Kirtland. He thought probably Brother John Taylor _might_ do,
but he was not sure."
CHAPTER XXXIX.
THE APOSTLES SAIL FOR ENGLAND--GROWTH OF THE BRITISH MISSION DURING
HEBER'S ABSENCE--LABORS OF ELDERS WOODRUFF AND TAYLOR--FIRST COUNCIL
OF THE TWELVE AMONG THE NATIONS--WILLARD RICHARDS ORDAINED AN APOSTLE.
Journeying eastward, the Apostles arrived in New York, where they
tarried for some time, preaching the Gospel and adding new members to
the Church in that city. On the 19th of December, 1840, Apostles John
Taylor and Wilford Woodruff, with Elder Theodore Turley and others,
sailed for Liverpool on board the _Oxford_. Three months later to a
day, Apostles Young and Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, George
A. Smith and Elder Reuben Hedlock followed in their wake on board the
_Patrick Henry_.
After a very stormy passage, they reached Liverpool on the sixth of
April, the anniversary of the organization of the Church, ten years
before. They there found Elder John Taylor with about thirty Saints
who had just received the Gospel in that place. A day or two later
they went on to Preston by railroad, where Heber and his companions
were warmly welcomed by a multitude of Saints who had assembled there
to meet them. They arrived in Preston on the anniversary of Heber's
departure in 1838.
It will now be proper to take a brief retrospective view of the
progress of the British Mission during the two years interim between
the departure of Elders Kimball and Hyde for America, and the return
of Heber to the scene of his former successful labors. The most
important event that had taken place in this interval was the planting
of the Gospel standard in the great manufacturing town of Manchester.
This opening was made by Elder William Clayton, in October, 1838. The
branch in that place grew so rapidly as to soon rival Preston, and in
a short time it became the headquarters of the whole British Mission.
Scotland had also been opened by Elders Mulliner and Wright, though
the work had as yet taken little root in that land.
In and around Preston and the other towns and villages opened during
the first mission of the Elders to England, the work had gradually
spread under the presidency of Elders Fielding, Richards and Clayton.
During the stormy period which had just spent its fierceness upon the
Saints in America, the Church in England had not escaped persecution,
though, compared with the sufferings of the former, the trials of the
British Saints were a mere bagatelle. A novel incident connected with
the death of one of the Saints--the first death that occurred in the
mission--is thus related:
"Sister Alice Hodgin died at Preston, September 2nd, 1838, and it was
such a wonderful thing for a Latter-day Saint to die in England that
Elder Richards was arraigned before the Mayor's Court at Preston,
October 3rd, charged with 'killing and slaying the said Alice with a
black stick,' etc., but was discharged without being permitted to make
his defense, as soon as it was discovered that the iniquity of his
accusers was about to be made manifest."
The arrival of Apostles Taylor and Woodruff at Liverpool on the 11th
of January, 1840, opened the second period of the British Mission.
They were welcomed by Mr. George Cannon, brother-in-law of Elder
Taylor and father of George Q. Cannon, the present Apostle, then a
mere youth, and not yet connected with the cause in which he was
destined to play so important a part. Sunday they spent in Liverpool,
and the next day proceeded on to Preston.
At a council held at the house of Willard Richards, after the arrival
of these Apostles, it was arranged that Elders John Taylor and Joseph
Fielding should go to Liverpool, and lift the standard of Mormonism in
that important city; Hyrum Clark to Manchester, where Elder Clayton
was given charge of Church affairs; and Wilford Woodruff and Theodore
Turley to the Potteries in Staffordshire, and to Birmingham if the
Spirit so led. Elder Richards was to have the privilege of "moving
wherever the Spirit directed." The Elders were instructed to report to
their respective presidents.
On the following day, January 18th, after meeting and blessing each
other, the brethren separated and departed for their various fields of
labor.
The marvelous success of Apostle Woodruff in Staffordshire and
Herefordshire, in the latter of which counties, in a little over one
month, he converted several hundred souls, including upwards of forty
preachers of the United Brethren; with the important labors of Elder
Taylor in Liverpool and vicinity, and of Elder Turley in Birmingham,
(which town became a Mormon stronghold second only in importance to
London) would fill a volume in themselves. We can barely glance at
such achievements in following the individual history of Heber C.
Kimball.
Immediately upon the arrival of President Young and the Apostles who
accompanied him, a council of the Twelve and a conference of the
Saints was called to convene at Preston on the 14th of April.
At this gathering there were present of the Apostles, Brigham Young,
Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford
Woodruff and George A. Smith. Brigham Young was called to the chair,
and was unanimously sustained as the standing President of the Twelve.
Willard Richards was ordained an Apostle and added to the quorum by
unanimous voice, and according to previous appointment by revelation.
It was moved by Heber C. Kimball and seconded by Willard Richards that
twenty of the Seventies, or more at the discretion of the President,
be sent for to assist in the work of the ministry.
On the second day of the council Heber C. Kimball was the presiding
Apostle. The various branches of the Church in England and Scotland
were represented, showing an aggregate membership of 1671 souls,
including the Priesthood. The official numbers were as follows:
Elders, 34; Priests, 52; Teachers, 38; Deacons, 8. Total of
Priesthood, 132. President Kimball laid before the meeting the
importance and propriety of ordaining a Patriarch to give patriarchal
blessings to the Saints, and Bleazard Corbridge was accordingly chosen
for that office.
It was decided that the Saints who wished to emigrate should receive
recommends from the Church in Britain to the Church in America, and
that no persons should receive such recommends who had money, unless
they assisted the poor according to the counsel of the Twelve.
It was further determined that a monthly periodical be published, to
be known as _The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star_, with Parley P.
Pratt as its editor; and that a committee of three, namely, Brigham
Young, Parley P. Pratt and John Taylor be appointed to make a
selection of hymns for the use of the Saints.
The conference closed on the 16th of April, having been in session
three days.
The time had now come for the Apostles to separate, to go into
different parts of the Lord's vineyard. It was thought wisdom for
Elder Heber C. Kimball to visit the churches which he had built up
while in England on his former mission; for Orson Pratt to go north on
a mission to Scotland, John Taylor to continue his labors in
Liverpool, Parley P. Pratt to proceed to Manchester to begin the
publication of the _Star_, George A. Smith to go into the Potteries,
and Brigham Young and Willard Richards to accompany Elder Woodruff
into his field of labor. These arrangements were at once carried out
by the brethren, and the work spread on every hand, with redoubled
energy and multiplied success.
CHAPTER XL.
HEBER VISITS THE BRANCHES RAISED UP DURING HIS FORMER MISSION--HIS
REPORT OF THEIR CONDITION AND STANDING--FIRST GENERAL CONFERENCE AT
MANCHESTER.
Pursuant to the appointment of his quorum at the conference, Heber
visited the Saints whom he had brought into the Church during his
former mission. Elder Willard Richards accompanied him, pending
preparations for his mission to Herefordshire.
They first visited the branch in Walkerfold, the home of the Rev. John
Richards, whose daughter Jennetta Willard had married, in fulfillment
of Heber's prediction. They found Sister Richards in a very low state
of health, but after they had anointed and laid hands upon her,
according to the ordinance of the Church, she immediately began to
amend.
The Reverend Mr. Richards, who was feeling very sorely the effects of
the preaching of Mormonism in his pastorate, on seeing Elder Kimball
in his house, ordered him to leave. Heber meekly complied, much to the
grief of Sister Richards and her aged mother, who wept aloud at his
departure. The Walkerfold branch, though small, had suffered more
persecution in proportion to its numbers than any other, but its
members, with scarcely an exception, had remained steadfast in the
faith.
Heber's report continues:
"From thence we returned to Preston, where I left Brother Richards to
prepare for his mission to Herefordshire, and proceeded from thence to
Dauber's Lane and Eggleston. We found there two branches rejoicing in
the Lord. After a short visit with them, I returned to Preston; and
after two days I started on a visit to the north. I went alone, by way
of Walkerfold, on my way to Clithero, where I held meetings on the
Sabbath, and administered the sacrament to nearly two hundred Saints.
It was a time of refreshing to them and to myself, as I had not seen
them for more than two years. It had been said there, as in other
places, that I would never return to them again; but they now saw me
again, and knew that myself and many of my fellow laborers had come;
and that our message and our zeal were the same as formerly, and
therefore I was received with greater joy than ever. I stayed at Elder
T. Smith's, where on Monday I was joined by Elder Fielding from
Preston.
"On Wednesday we went to Chatburn and held meeting in the evening.
There was great joy in the place. The next day we went to Downham and
held meeting that evening and many came to hear. We bore testimony to
the Gospel, and of the work of the Lord in these last days. The people
were very attentive. When we had closed, a certain man wished to ask a
few questions; he appeared much agitated; in fact we were reminded of
the prediction in the Book of Mormon, that 'men would anger and
tremble because of the truth.' He demanded some evidence of the truth
of the Gospel, or message, of which we testified; but would not tell
us what evidence would satisfy him, so we could only repeat our
testimony to him, and let him go, with no other evidence than what
ourselves and tens of thousands of others had believed and were
satisfied with. The Saints had a time of rejoicing. On Saturday we
returned to Chatburn and held meeting, after which three persons were
baptized and added to the Church. On the Sabbath the meeting was held
in a large barn, no house being sufficiently large to convene the
people. There were many to hear, who were very attentive. We ordained
two Priests. In the evening four others were baptized. Some who had
left the society, wished they had been faithful, and some of them
returned by humble repentance and being re-baptized. There appears to
be something peculiar in the people of this place; others had tried in
vain to enlist them into their folds; but on hearing the first
preaching of the fullness of the Gospel they were overwhelmed in tears
of repentance, and more than twenty were immediately baptized. It is a
small village, but the number of members soon increased to about
ninety. They have mostly stood fast. We have never received anything
like an insult all the time we visited the place, and we feel bound to
bless them.
"On Monday we returned to Clithero; after meeting five more were
baptized. On Tuesday evening two were baptized in Waddington. Since
then we have heard that eight more have been baptized, and others
ready.
"The next day we started for Ribchester, calling at Walkerfold on our
way, where we found Sister Richards in good health. We reached
Ribchester on Friday, and held meeting in the evening; the Saints were
comforted. The next day we returned to Preston. I consider that I have
never seen the Saints in better spirits. They say it seems like old
times; they can receive their patriarchal blessings under the hand of
Brother Mellin, as he is ordained to the office of an Evangelist. Some
speak in tongues and prophesy, and others have visions, etc., as was
foretold by the Prophet Joel, concerning the last days. We can truly
say the Lord has begun to restore all things, as spoken by the
prophets.
"After this we went to Longton, and held meeting, and the next day
started for Southport, many of the brethren accompanying us as far as
the river Astlam. There was no bridge, and to save us the trouble of
going round, a brother carried us over on his shoulders. We held one
meeting in Southport, and one in Churchtown. At Southport there was a
sister sick and not expected to live. She was healed by administering
the ordinance, and next day she went with us two miles on foot. We
ordained one Elder and one Teacher, and on our way back preached to
the Saints in Longton, exhorting them to have their lamps trimmed and
burning, ready to go forth to meet the Bridegroom. We then returned to
Preston. On Saturday we met the officers in council, and on the
Sabbath met with the Church as usual.
"On Monday evening a number of the Saints met at Brother T. Moon's, in
Penwortham, to receive their patriarchal blessings. We were with them,
and gave them such instruction as was necessary.
"Wednesday, I accompanied Elder Clayton to Manchester; found Elders
Young, P. P. Pratt and J. Taylor there; tarried there with them till
Saturday the 30th, when Elders Young, Taylor and myself took the train
for Liverpool; met with the Church there on the Sabbath, and had a
good time, the Saints rejoiced, and others believed.
"A number of the Saints had taken their passage for America on board
the ship _Britannia_. We spent some time with them for several days.
June 5th we took leave of them. They were in good spirits, expecting
to move from the dock at 2 p.m. We blessed them, and commended them to
the Lord. I then took leave of Elders Young and Taylor, and returned
by train to Preston. I found Brother Fielding and the Saints rejoicing
in the Lord. At this time I can truly say that I never felt more to
rejoice than I have done in my late visits to the churches. The
Saints, in general, as they have been baptized into one body, are
partakers of one spirit, whether they be Jew or Gentile, bond or free.
I also take this opportunity to say, that I have lately received a
letter from my wife, giving us good tidings from America. The work is
moving steadily, but not slowly through that land, bearing on its way
through the states and cities of that vast continent. The Saints are
getting over their pains and sufferings, at least in a great measure,
and are enjoying health. I would say to my brethren in the ministry
that their families are well, and I feel to congratulate them on the
hope and glorious prospect of one day not far remote when we shall
rest from our labors in the kingdom of God. It is evident our labor is
not in vain in the Lord. In almost every branch I have visited the
numbers are increasing. The stone is actually growing into a mountain,
and we know that it must soon fill the whole earth. May the Lord
hasten the time. Amen."
Heber rejoined his quorum at Manchester, where a general conference
convened on the sixth of July. The meetings were held in "Carpenter's
Hall," a building almost as famous in the history of the British
Mission as the celebrated "Cock Pit" in Preston.
The Apostles in the mission were all present excepting Orson Pratt,
who was in Edinburgh, unable to attend on account of the great
distance, and his arduous labors in opening the Scottish Mission.
Parley P. Pratt was chosen to preside.
The new hymn-book was introduced and received the unanimous
approbation of the meeting. A number of brethren were ordained to the
ministry and then President Young called upon those officers whose
circumstances would permit them to devote themselves entirely to the
work of the ministry, and who would volunteer to do so, to stand up,
when the following names were taken: B. Young, H. C. Kimball, John
Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, G. A. Smith, Wm. Clayton,
Reuben Hedlock, H. Clark, Theodore Turley, Joseph Fielding, Thomas
Richardson, Amos Fielding, John Parkinson, John Wytch, John Needham,
H. Royle, John Blezard, D. Wilding, Charles Price, Joseph Knowles,
William Kay, Samuel Heath, Wm. Parr, R. McBride and James Morgan.
President Fielding and his counselors were relieved of the charge of
presiding over the mission, and several Elders were appointed to
various fields of labor in England, Scotland and Ireland.
President Young gave administrative directions to the Elders previous
to their separation. He then blessed the congregation and the
conference adjourned.
CHAPTER XLI.
FOUNDING THE LONDON CONFERENCE--APOSTLES KIMBALL, WOODRUFF AND SMITH
CHOSEN FOR THE WORK--SEEKING FOR A MAN WITH THE SPIRIT OF GOD--THE
FIRST CONVERT--THE ELDERS HOLD OPEN-AIR MEETINGS IN TABERNACLE SQUARE.
The next notable movement determined on by the Apostles was the
founding of the London Conference. The men chosen for this work were
Heber C. Kimball, Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith. Leaving
Manchester on the 4th of August, Heber joined his companions in
Herefordshire, whence the three proceeded on to London, preaching and
baptizing by the way.
They reached their destination about four o'clock in the afternoon of
the 18th, and were kindly received by a Mrs. Allgood, of No. 19, King
Street, Borough, who gave them needed refreshments and directed them
to lodgings in the neighborhood. Two days later they reported to the
_Millennial Star_ as follows:
"We are well and in good spirits, and are going to see the people in
different parts, and see what we can do in this small world; for
London looks like a small world. Give us your prayers and direct your
letters as above."
It was well ordered that three such characters as these, with their
indomitable will power and perseverance, added to child-like faith and
humility, were sent to break Gospel ground in the British Metropolis.
The task was no easy one. London, with all its churches and
cathedrals, its high-priced ministers and princely churchmen, its
Bibles, missions, schools, and evangelical agencies of every
description, was the devil's stronghold, nevertheless; and the
prospect might have dismayed, with its hardships, spirits less
valiant, souls less faithful, than those selected for the ordeal.
For days the Apostles wandered through the streets of the great city,
viewing its wonderful sights, visiting its places of interest and
historic note, and all the while looking for an opportunity to deliver
their message, and for souls to receive their testimony. Among other
places they went to "Zion's Chapel" and heard the Reverend Robert
Aitken, the same great preacher from whom Heber, on his former
mission, had won so many disciples in Preston. They were profoundly
impressed with his eloquence and the sublime truths he uttered, but to
them his efforts were those of one who was "building without the
foundation." They had previously heard an Aitkenite preacher at Union
Chapel, Waterloo Road, and had also called on the Reverend J. E.
Smith, of Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, their object being to find an opening
for their ministry.
Still following very much the example of Heber's first mission to
England, the three Elders next attended a meeting of the Temperance
Society in Temperance Hall, St. George's Row, near the Elephant
Castle. Here Elder George A. Smith was given the privilege of making a
short speech. It was the first public effort of a Mormon Elder in
London, though it was more in the nature of a temperance testimony
than the introduction of Mormonism to the metropolis. Subsequently the
brethren addressed another meeting at the same place on the subject of
temperance, and succeeded in engaging the hall for preaching purposes,
though they were not permitted to occupy it immediately. They gave out
an appointment to preach the Gospel there on the 7th of September.
One day, as they were strolling through the streets, "to see if they
could find a man with the Spirit of God," Heber accosted an amiable
looking stranger and asked him if he was a preacher. He replied that
he was, and informed the brethren that he had been in America, and had
come to London for the purpose of going to South Australia; but had
suffered much from sickness in his family, having just buried one
child, while another was then lying at the point of death.
"Your child shall live," said Heber C. Kimball.
The stranger then gave them some information in regard to places for
preaching, and they parted from him. On the same day they called at
his house; he was not at home, but his child was better.
The next day the servants of the Lord went again over the city. This
time they found the object of their search; "a man in whom was the
Spirit." His name was Corner. He lived at No. 52 Ironmonger Row, St.
Luke's Parish, near the Church. He and his household received the
testimony of the Elders and opened their doors for the preaching of
the Gospel.
This, however, was not enough; though the brethren praised God for
this manifestation of His favor. They longed to reach the ears of the
multitude, and declare to them the message that "burned like fire in
their bones." At the expiration of twelve days, finding no immediate
prospect for an indoor opening of the kind they were in quest of, they
determined to go into the streets and lift up their voices.
It was Sunday morning, August 30th, 1840. Wending their way through
the crowded streets and winding thoroughfares, in search of some
public place where they knew the common people were wont to assemble
on the Sabbath, to hear all sorts of harangues from all sorts of
speakers, the three Apostles, after walking three miles, stopped in
Tabernacle Square, "Old Street." A promiscuous assembly had gathered
there--men of all creeds and opinions--and an "open-air" meeting was
in progress. It was an Aitkenite preacher who was addressing them.
Mixing with the multitude, the Elders listened respectfully to what he
was saying, and gradually edged their way towards the spot where he
was standing.
When the Aitkenite minister had concluded his discourse a Presbyterian
preacher took his place and was about to begin.
"Sir!" exclaimed a voice in the crowd, addressing the preacher. All
eyes were turned in the direction of the sound. A man stepped forward.
It was Heber C. Kimball. "Sir," he said, "There is a preacher from
America present, who would like to speak to the assembly when you have
got through your service."
The Presbyterian, not to be outdone in courtesy, and perhaps proud of
the honor of introducing an American preacher to a British public,
addressing the people, said:
"I am informed that there is a minister from America present. I
propose that he shall speak first."
The proposition was readily accepted, and the people drew near, alive
with curiosity at the novelty of hearing a preacher from America.
Apostle George A Smith was the one selected for the occasion. He
mounted the chair resigned by the Presbyterian, and addressed the
audience for about twenty minutes.
Next came the Presbyterian, and at the close of his remarks Heber C.
Kimball again advanced.
"Will there be any objection to our preaching here at 3 o'clock?" he
inquired.
"No; not at all," answered the Presbyterian. "What denomination do you
belong to?"
"To the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Heber replied.
"Oh, I have heard of them," exclaimed the Presbyterian quickly, his
countenance and whole manner changing. "They are a bad people; they
have done much hurt; they divide churches; we don't want to hear you."
He then mounted the chair again and said to the people:
"I have just heard that the last man who spoke belongs to the
Latter-day Saints." And then he began to rail against the Apostles and
their faith.
After he had thus vented himself, Elder Kimball mildly inquired:
"Will you let me step into the chair to give out an appointment for a
3 o'clock meeting?"
But the minister angrily refused, whereupon Heber raised his voice and
informed the people that some American preachers would preach there at
3 o'clock.
A vast congregation assembled at the appointed hour to hear them, the
conduct of the Presbyterian and the excitement of the morning having
helped to increase it materially.
Elder Wilford Woodruff was the first preacher. After singing and
prayer, he read from the first chapter of Paul's Epistle to the
Galatians, the 8th and 9th. verses:
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel
unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed.
"As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any
other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
accursed."
A direct thrust at apostate Christendom, with its multitudinous
variety of "other gospels," all differing from each other and from the
great original.
Brother Woodruff did not fail that day to hold them up a glass wherein
they might see the "inmost parts" of Paul's dread meaning, made
applicable in words of telling force to the Christian denominations of
that great city.
Then came Heber C. Kimball with his sledge-hammer blows of testimony,
driving home the truth of the Apostle's words, as with a mallet of
mighty power. He told them of the great apostasy that had taken place
since the days of Paul, and of the restoration of the Gospel in the
latter days, closing with an earnest testimony to the divine mission
of Joseph Smith, the great Prophet whom God had raised up in the land
of America.
The people gave good attention and seemed much interested in what they
had heard.
After the meeting Mr. Corner, the person already noticed, invited the
three Apostles home to his house; so, withdrawing from the crowd, they
went to 52 Ironmonger Row, St Luke's Parish.
But Heber was not yet satisfied. The inward monitor which he knew
never erred told him that his day's labor was not accomplished. Scarce
knowing why, but surrendering himself to the dictates of the Spirit,
he retraced his steps and wended his way alone back to Tabernacle
Square, leaving Elders Woodruff and Smith at "Father Corner's,"
conversing on the things of the Kingdom.
The crowd had not yet dispersed from the Square, but stood in groups
here and there, discussing eagerly the events of the day, and the
strange things told them by the American preachers. As Heber
approached he was immediately recognized--and, indeed, his was a
presence, once seen, not easily to be forgotten--and the surprised and
pleased multitude, thronging round him, besought him to speak to them
again.
He willingly complied and addressed them long and earnestly. More
powerful than ever was his testimony. He was alone, but the Spirit was
with him, and with the Spirit Heber C. Kimball was a host.
Breathlessly they listened, and at the close several men whom he had
never seen until that afternoon, came forward and invited him home to
their houses.
The ice was broken. His testimony had prevailed. The good seed sown by
the wayside had taken root, as it were, in the very crevices of the
stony pavements of the world's metropolis.
CHAPTER XLII.
FATHER CORNER BAPTIZED--THE APOSTLES VISIT THE REVEREND ROBERT
AITKEN--HEBER ATTACKED WITH CHOLERA--THE WORK IN OTHER PARTS--SECOND
CONFERENCE AT MANCHESTER--BRIGHAM ACCOMPANIES HEBER TO LONDON--
CONVERSION OF THE REV. JAMES ALBION.
The first baptism in London took place on Monday the 31st of August,
the day following the events related in the last chapter. It was
"Father Corner" who offered himself as a convert to the Elders, and it
was Heber C. Kimball who baptized him. The ceremony was performed at
the Public Baths, after which the new member was confirmed under the
hands of the three Apostles at his own house.
Thus was laid the foundation of the London Conference.
Leaving Elder Woodruff for several days, Heber and George A. went to
Deptford, for the purpose of establishing a branch there. While they
were gone, Brother Woodruff made the second convert--a woman. He also
obtained from the directors of a Methodist chapel permission to preach
in a school-house at Bowl Court, Shoreditch.
Sunday morning, September 6th, the Apostles filled the appointment
made by Elder Woodruff, who preached first, followed by Elders Kimball
and Smith. These were the first gospel sermons delivered by the Elders
in a meeting house in London, though they had each addressed an
audience briefly, at Temperance Hall, on the subject of temperance.
In the afternoon they preached again out of doors in Tabernacle
square; and in the evening returned to preach in the Methodist school
house. When they arrived, however, they discovered that a plan had
been formed by several preachers of that denomination for one of their
own number to occupy the evening, fearing lest some should receive the
testimony of these "dangerous men" from America. Already had the
Methodists of London taken the alarm.
Discovering this ministerial intrigue against them the three Apostles
went their way, but that evening they found four persons who received
their testimony and offered themselves for baptism.
On the Monday following, Heber and George A. visited the celebrated
Robert Aitken. He received them courteously, and acknowledged that
their doctrines were scriptural, but said he was fearful of deception.
At this period he was in a very disturbed state of mind concerning
Mormonism, for the mission which the Apostles brought from America
seemed so much like a surprise-fulfillment to him of the glowing
sermons of his own ministry. Probably Mormonism troubled Robert Aitken
more than it did any other man in England, and it is not a little
singular that soon afterwards he returned to the Orthodox Established
Church from which he had dissented, and became again one of its
ministers.
On the evening of the day they visited the Rev. Mr. Aitken the Elders
opened their course of sermons in Temperance Hall, St. George's Road,
but they had no audience worthy the occasion. About thirty only were
said to be present; but Apostle Woodruff preached to them for over an
hour, and then Heber followed. At the close they paid "seven and
sixpence" for the hall for the evening--a large sum from the pockets
of these Evangelists at that time, yet they trusted in the Lord for
future results.
Thus having made an opening in London, Wilford Woodruff returned a
while to superintend his former field of labor; but Heber C. Kimball
and George A. Smith remained to hold the situation.
On the 19th of September Heber was stricken down with cholera. The
attack was so severe that it seemed as if he could not live till
morning. He rallied, however, and by the blessing of God was raised up
to continue his labors. The next morning, being the Sabbath, he went
into the water and baptized four persons.
Meanwhile the work in other parts had been making rapid headway. After
much labor it had at length been firmly established in Scotland, under
the presidency of Orson Pratt; and had been carried into Ireland and
the Isle of Man by Apostle John Taylor. Several of the native Elders
had also penetrated Wales. President Brigham Young, in the absence of
Parley P. Pratt, who had gone to America to bring his family to
England, had been busy publishing the _Millennial Star_, the hymn book
and Book of Mormon, in which labors he was assisted by Willard
Richards. The emigration of the Saints to America had also commenced.
Thus was the good work rolling on.
On the 6th of October, 1840, was held the second general conference at
Manchester. There were present of the Twelve, Brigham Young, Heber C.
Kimball, Willard Richards, Orson Pratt, George A. Smith, and Wilford
Woodruff. Orson Pratt presided.
It was found that twenty-seven conferences had been organized at this
period, besides many branches not then incorporated. The
representation showed an increase since the last general conference of
one thousand one hundred and thirteen members; twenty-five Elders;
ninety-six Priests; fifteen Teachers, and thirteen Deacons. Several
places of special interest may be noted as represented: London, by
Heber C. Kimball; members, eleven, Priests, two; Birmingham, four
members; Glasgow, by Elder Mulliner, one hundred and ninety-three
members, eight Elders, seven Priests, five teachers and three Deacons;
Edinburgh, by Orson Pratt, forty-three members and two Priests;
Manchester, by Brigham Young, members, three hundred and sixty-four;
Elders, four; Priests, twenty-seven; Teachers, six; and one Deacon;
Wilford Woodruff's Conferences, members, one thousand and seven;
Elders, nineteen; Priests, seventy-eight; Teachers, fifteen, and one
Deacon. Altogether three thousand, six hundred and twenty-six members
of the Church were represented, more than double the number reported
at the Conference six months before.
After this Conference Elders Woodruff and Smith returned to London,
while Heber remained for a time with President Young in Manchester,
waiting to accompany him to the metropolis; the latter having resolved
to visit London and assist his co-laborers in the arduous work of
building up that important conference.
The two Apostles set out upon their journey on the 25th of November,
1840. On their way they stopped at the Potteries in Staffordshire,
where they met Elder George A. Smith, who was paying a visit to his
former field of labor, having left Brother Woodruff in London. They
also went to Birmingham, where Elder Lorenzo Snow was then laboring.
On the 30th they took train for London, and arrived there the same
evening.
They found Brother Woodruff "well and in good spirits," but with a
tale to tell of his experience since he saw them last, "whose lightest
word" was well calculated to "harrow up the soul."
It will be remembered that Heber C. Kimball and his confreres, who
opened the British Mission in 1837, had a terrible encounter with evil
spirits on the day of the first baptisms in Preston. A similar ordeal
had been experienced by Apostle Woodruff on the night of the first
Sabbath after his return from Manchester.
Himself and Elder Smith had held a sacrament meeting that day at
Father Corner's, with a few Saints who had gathered there, during
which "the Spirit bore testimony that there would be a great work done
in London."
Satan, it seems, was also aware of this fact, and it displeased him
mightily.
That night, while lying in his bed, meditating upon the mission in
that city and determining to warn its inhabitants, and "overcome the
powers of darkness," a personage appeared to the Apostle Wilford whom
he took to be the "Prince of darkness." "He made war with me," says
the Apostle, "and attempted to take my life. As he was about to
overcome me I prayed to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ for
help. I then had power over him, and he left me, though much wounded.
Afterwards three persons, dressed in white, came to me and
administered to me, when I was immediately healed and delivered of all
my troubles."
Such, in brief, was the thrilling tale told by Apostle Woodruff to his
fellow servants in Christ, on their arrival in the British capital.
The next evening, December 1st, President Young preached his first
sermon in London at Barnett's Academy, 57 King's Square, Goswell Road.
Heber C. Kimball followed him. The President remained about ten days
in London, and then returned to Manchester.
In a letter to his wife, written about this time, Heber gives somewhat
of a detailed account of the President's visit to the metropolis, and
other events that were happening in different parts of the mission:
LONDON, December 3rd, 1840.
MY DEAR VILATE:--
"I feel to rejoice to hear from you once more. Elders Young and
Woodruff and myself have been traveling all day to see some of the
sights of this great city. We visited the Tower of London. We
entered into one room 150 feet by 33; there, arranged in regular
and chronological order, were no less in number than twenty-two
equestrian figures, representing many of the most celebrated kings
of England, accompanied by their favorite lords and men of rank,
all of them, together with their horses, in the armor of the
respective periods when they flourished,--many, indeed, in the
identical suits in which they appeared while living. There were
500,000 stands of arms, and cannon, taken from all parts of the
world, in their conflicts with other nations; and all the jewelry
and crowns of the kings and queens. I wish you could see them,
for we can see better than we can write about them. We went to see
the Thames tunnel; from thence returned home to our lodgings. Mrs.
Morgan presented me with a letter from you, dated Oct. the 11th. *
* * I felt to rejoice at hearing from you, that you are still
alive and in good spirits, and to hear of the good times that you
have in Nauvoo, and the good tidings that President Smith is
laying before the Saints; I should like to be there if it was
right in the sight of God. But I feel no liberty as yet to come
home, but I think I shall soon. I want to see you and my little
children, and I want to see Brother Joseph, Brother Rigdon and
Brother Hyrum, and all of my old friends that have gained my
affections, that have stood through thick and thin, through evil
reports as well as good; they are the ones that I wish to live
with on earth, and I believe I shall; for I have no desire for
anything else but to press forward for the celestial world. I
don't expect to find much rest this side of that, but I feel to
prepare for the worst and hope for the better. I have strong
sensations of what is coming on the earth. I shall not be
disappointed if I get home about the time to have a little sport
with my brethren. As you say, a hint to the wise is sufficient. I
am sorry to hear that some of our brethren have denied the faith,
that is, some of them that went from this country, but it is just
what I expected, and told them so; they thought they were going to
be fostered by the Church in that place; they might have known
better, for they knew the Saints had been driven, and robbed of
all their goods, and they could not expect help from them, but
rather the reverse. I don't know but they think it will hinder the
work of the Lord if they turn away; they are mistaken there, for
it will advance the work just as much for them to turn away as it
will for them to remain; so it is all the same with the Lord. The
Savior says we cannot do anything against the truth, but for it. I
have got so I feel perfectly easy about these things, for they are
the work of God and not the work of man. I know no other way than
to be subject to the powers that be. I pray my Father will give me
this disposition, for I wish to be in the hand of God as the clay
in the hands of the potter. The Lord has His own way of doing His
own work, and we have got to submit to Him instead of His
submitting to us. I feel well in mind--never felt better in my
day--but I am afflicted in body with bad colds. The weather is
cold and wet, and the smoke is so bad some of the time that they
have to light up their lamps in the middle of the day, it is so
dark. It is very unhealthy for me, and it is so for my brethren.
Times grow worse and worse in this country; the people are driven
almost to desperation; the times appear sad and gloomy. I had some
conversation with a Frenchman the other evening; he says it is
hard times in France; all lands seem to share in the same fate;
distress on all sides.
"I will begin where I left off at Liverpool on the 31st. I stated
to you that Elder Young and myself were going to Wales. This was
on Saturday,--the distance of twenty miles, seven miles by
steamboat, and the rest by coach. Got there in the evening--at the
town of Harder. On the Sabbath we preached twice; had as many as
could hear us; it appeared that everyone believed our testimony.
We were called to pray for the sick. One young man lay sick with
the fever, and a Methodist preacher received a blessing, and one
woman. They were healed, and began to proclaim it aloud to be the
power of God. Sunday was the 1st day of November; on the 2nd we
started back to Manchester by the way of Lynn; there were some
baptized the day we left. I heard there were about thirty others
ready to go forward the first opportunity. The six Methodist
preachers that sent for us are going to be baptized if they have
not been already. There has another work broke out in Wales,
fourteen miles from the place where we went. The last news we had
from them, there were fifty-two baptized. We received a line from
Elder Pratt yesterday, stating that there were about ninety
baptized in those two places. After we got to Manchester on the
5th, I took coach for Clithero in Yorkshire, thirty miles distant.
I preached four times in Clithero, once in Waddington, once in
Chatburn, once in Downham. I remained with them six days, and
baptized several while there. In a few weeks' time there have been
about forty baptized; these are some of them from the old
churches; the excitement seems to be as great as it was when I
first went into that place. There were scores that believed my
testimony that had formerly been much opposed to this work. The
opposition is great in that part. They collected in mobs to break
up my meetings, but did not carry their designs into execution.
The devil is mad, and the work spreads in all parts. They are
publishing pamphlets in all directions, and the papers are full of
all kinds of lies. If things continue as they have for a short
time past, we shall be driven from this country. In the places
that I have mentioned the spirit has been poured out upon them;
they speak in tongues, interpret, prophesy, dream dreams, see
visions, and there seems to be great humility. There seems to be a
revival through this land. * * * * * *
"On the 25th of November Elder Young and myself started for
London. I felt quite feeble when we started. I will continue my
epistle from the 5th of December. The day we started we went
twenty miles to Macklesfield, and stayed all night. There is a
church of nearly one hundred members there. It is a silk
manufacturing town of about 60,000 inhabitants. The next morning
we went to the potteries; stayed two nights; preached to the
Saints; the world's people came in throngs; they acted more like
devils than like men. There are many coming into the Church in
this place. The gifts are among the Saints; this makes the devil
mad. Many are turned out of their work because of their religion.
Many go hungry and look pale for the want of a little food to eat.
When I have a penny in my pocket it goes freely. I have taken
pains to ask them; some tell me they have not half enough to
eat--and have a little child to the breast at the same time. These
things are hard. I will stop, for I cannot paint the scenes that
are before me daily; these things grow worse and worse. From
there we went to Birmingham; found Elder Snow; on Sunday evening
heard him preach for the first time. After he got through Elder
Young and myself bore testimony. The Saints felt to rejoice, and
some believed. There are 300,000 inhabitants in that city and
only eighteen Saints.
* * * * * * * * *
"Sunday, the 6th. I have been to St. Paul's Church this forenoon
with the brethren. It was so dark they had to light up the church
with gas. A considerable part of this letter I have written in
the day time, and have had to write by a candle. It is very
disagreeable to me, and makes me feel bad and sick. Not one of us
feels well. Brother Smith's lungs are very bad; he will not be
able to stay in this country. He is at the potteries, where he
will remain until he goes home. * * *
"December 12th. You will think I have been lazy since I commenced
this. Elder Young left here yesterday for Herefordshire; it was
thought best for me to remain here for a short time with Elder
Woodruff. The prospect seems to be better than it has been. There
was one man baptized this week, and several more are believing. I
shall stay here about three weeks if all things go well. Now, my
dear Vilate, be of good cheer, for all things will go well; and
pray much, and hearken to counsel from those that are over you. *
* * My love to all of the Saints in Christ. Remember me to my
little children, and kiss them for me. Oh, how I want to see you
all!
I am your husband forever,
H. C. KIMBALL."
About this time the Reverend James Albion, an independent minister,
with his wife and daughter became favorably impressed with Mormonism.
He offered his chapel to Elders Kimball and Woodruff for them to
preach in, and told his congregation that he was a Latter-day Saint,
and should be baptized, and that they were no longer to consider him
their minister unless they followed his example and joined the Saints.
This made a great stir among his committee and congregation.
On the evening of the closing Sunday of the year, the Elders preached
by appointment of Mr. Albion in his chapel, to the largest
congregation they had addressed in London. There were present priests
and people of many denominations. While Elder Woodruff was speaking a
Wesleyan minister arose and opposed him, "which had a good effect, for
the congregation seeing the Spirit he was of, turned against him, and
the committee refused him permission to speak there any more." Thus
ended the Apostolic labors of the year.
CHAPTER XLIII.
OPENING OF THE YEAR 1841 IN LONDON--ENCOURAGING SUCCESS OF THE
ELDERS--HEBER C. KIMBALL BLESSES THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND--THE WOOLWICH
BRANCH ORGANIZED--ORGANIZATION OF THE LONDON CONFERENCE--THE PROSPECT
OF WAR BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES HASTENS THE RETURN
OF THE APOSTLES TO AMERICA.
The new year opened auspiciously for the work of God in the great city
of London. On the first of January, the Church there numbered
twenty-one souls, and ere another day had dawned two more were added
unto the fold of Christ.
As usual the converts were mostly of the poor and lowly classes,
willing indeed to share their last crust with the Lord's servants, who
had sacrificed so much to bring the Gospel to their doors, but unable,
in their extreme poverty, to render much assistance in a pecuniary
way. Everything was dear in London. While exercising the most rigid
economy the Elders found it impossible to subsist upon much less than
a pound per week, individually. They had hired lodgings at No 40,
Ironmonger Row, near Father Corner's, and were keeping up a regular
meeting house,--the Academy in Goswell Road. Never before were they so
straitened financially.
But conversions and baptisms were becoming more frequent, and the
clouds of discouragement which had so long hung over them, were
beginning to clear away.
Apostle Woodruff baptized the daughter of the Reverend James Albion,
who had been so friendly to the Elders, and soon afterwards Heber C.
Kimball baptized the minister himself.
Heber visited Woolwich, where he preached once and converted four
persons, who immediately offered themselves for baptism. They wandered
up and down the Thames until 9 o'clock at night, seeking for a
suitable place to administer the ordinance, but were unsuccessful
owing to the mud and ice on the banks of the river. Next day Heber
brought his converts to London and baptized them at the public baths
in Tabernacle Square. Dr. William Copeland was also baptized that day.
Concerning this time, Heber writes:
"The waters have begun to be troubled, and I pray that they may
continue until the Lord gathers out His people from this city. I can
say I never felt a greater desire for a place than I have for London;
it is the metropolis of the world and the depot of wickedness. All
manner of debauchery that can be thought of is practiced here.
"But the ice is broken in London, and the Gospel has got such a hold
that the devil can not root it out."
Satan, however, continued to do all that he could in opposition to the
Elders, by stirring up the wrath of sectarian priests and bigoted
people against them.
It seems that prior to starting on this mission, Heber had been
promised by the Prophet that he should see the Queen of England. The
fulfillment occurred as follows: On the 26th of January Victoria
opened the British Parliament. Apostles Kimball and Woodruff, with Dr.
Copeland and several other friends, started out for the purpose of
witnessing the royal pageant. Arriving at St. James' Park at 10 a.m.,
they beheld an immense concourse of people, extending in two unbroken
lines from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords. It was estimated
that from three to four hundred thousand people were assembled.
Through the courtesy of one of the Queen's life-guards--and no small
favor was it on that day--Heber and his party succeeded in getting a
place in the front line, past which the grand procession was to move.
The royal cortege passed within ten feet of where they stood, so that
they obtained a fair view of Her Majesty, both going to and returning
from the Houses of Parliament. The Queen sat in a gorgeous state
carriage, drawn by eight cream colored horses, richly caparisoned. At
her left hand sat Albert, the Prince Consort. Following were six
carriages, each drawn by six horses, containing members of the royal
family, lords and nobles.
Says Heber: "We saw her, as the Prophet Joseph had told us. She made a
low bow to us, and we returned the compliment. She looked pleasant;
small of stature; with blue eyes; an innocent looking woman. Prince
Albert is a fine looking man. All things went on pleasantly. No
accidents."
It was on this occasion that Heber C. Kimball blessed Queen Victoria,
with the tradition of which so many of the Saints are familiar.
Passing so close to them, and seemingly bowing directly and personally
to the Apostles, Heber returned the royal salute with a hearty "God
bless you," addressed to the Queen as she passed. Her Majesty of
course is not aware of the fact that on that day she received an
Apostle's benediction, but no one who has noted in faith the prophetic
potency of Heber C. Kimball's words uttered on less occasions, will
doubt the efficacy of such a blessing, even on the head of a queen of
England.
Baptisms continued in London, and the Elders now had good
congregations. Heber organized a branch in Woolwich of those whom he
had baptized there.
On the 8th of February a package of the Book of Mormon was received,
when Elders Kimball and Woodruff went to Stationers' Hall and secured
the copyright of the book in the name of Joseph Smith, Jun.
At this time there was a strong probability of war between Great
Britain and the United States, and the Elders began to think of
returning to their native land. President Young wrote to Heber and
Wilford to prepare for an early departure.
The cause of the threatened war was the imprisonment of Mr. McLeod, a
British officer, in Lockport jail, New York, which state was trying
him for arson; and the Americans seemed resolved on executing him. The
case at issue was the burning of the _Caroline_ on Lake Erie, in 1837,
during the troubles in Canada. Great Britain maintained that he was
acting under British orders and demanded his release.
On the 11th of February, Elder Lorenzo Snow arrived in London to take
charge of the Church there after the departure of Elders Kimball and
Woodruff. Heber and Lorenzo together visited Woolwich, which was fast
developing into an important branch, and on their return the first
London conference was held in Barnett's Academy.
It was Sunday, February 14th, 1841. On this day the London Conference
was organized. There were present at the organization Elders Heber C.
Kimball, Wilford Woodruff, Lorenzo Snow, William Pitt and four
Priests. The meeting was called to order by Elder Kimball, and after
singing and prayer the President called upon the official members to
represent their respective branches. They were as follows:
The Church at Ipswich, represented by Elder Pitt, consisting of twelve
members, one Elder, one Priest and one Teacher.
The Church at Bedford, represented by Robert Williams, Priest,
consisting of forty-two members and one Priest; seven had moved and
two died.
The Church at Woolwich, represented by John Griffith, Priest,
consisting of six members, one Priest.
The Church in London, represented by Elder Kimball, consisting of
forty-six members, one Elder, two Priests; generally in good standing;
excellent prospect of a continued increase.
James Albion was ordained an Elder; Thomas Barnes a Teacher; R.
Williams an Elder to oversee the Church at Bedford; Richard Bates a
Priest in the Church at Woolwich; John Sheffield a Teacher in the
branch at Bedford and A. Painter a Teacher at Woolwich.
The above named persons were ordained under the hands of Elders
Kimball, Woodruff and Snow.
It was then moved by Elder Kimball and seconded by Elder Woodruff,
that Elder Lorenzo Snow be appointed President of the London
Conference, and also to take the superintendency of the Church in
London.
Much valuable instruction was given by Apostles Kimball and Woodruff
in relation to the duties of the official members, and the conference
then adjourned to Sunday, the 16th of May.
Immediately after the conference Heber started for Manchester to join
President Young. He had just received a letter from his wife, Vilate,
saying that the Prophet Joseph was very anxious for the return of the
Twelve, as both countries were then in the greatest excitement over
the prospect of war. As for the Apostles themselves, they could not
but realize that their situation as American missionaries was very
precarious, and that their immigration of that year was in imminent
danger of being interrupted by the British government.
CHAPTER XLIV.
HEBER ORGANIZES THE BIRMINGHAM CONFERENCE--MEETING OF THE APOSTLES IN
MANCHESTER PRIOR TO RETURNING TO AMERICA--ORSON HYDE PRESENT ON HIS
WAY TO PALESTINE--THE EXTENSIVE WORK OF ONE YEAR.
On his way to Manchester Heber tarried a few days at Bedford,
strengthening the Saints in that place, and adding new members to the
Church. He also visited Birmingham and there organized a conference.
One hundred and seven members were represented, and nine persons
ordained to the ministry. Elder Alfred Cordon was appointed president.
The Birmingham Conference became one of the largest and most important
conferences in the mission.
On the 6th day of April, 1841, the Apostles met as a quorum in
Manchester, for the transaction of business prior to their departure
for America. The meetings, which were open to the Saints, were held in
Carpenter's Hall. The members of the quorum present were Brigham
Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt,
Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, Willard Richards and George A. Smith.
Orson Hyde had lately arrived from America on his way to Jerusalem,
whither he had been sent on a mission to the house of Judah.
The representation of the churches and conferences throughout the
mission being called for, it was found that thirty-three conferences
and branches were represented, aggregating a membership of five
thousand eight hundred and fourteen, with one hundred and thirty-six
Elders, three hundred and three Priests, one hundred and sixty-nine
Teachers, and sixty-eight Deacons. This enumeration did not include
some fifty members not connected with any branch, and nearly eight
hundred Saints who had emigrated to America during the year.
Several ordinations were performed, and the following business was
transacted:
"Resolved, That Manchester, Stockport, Dukinfield, Oldham, Bolton and
all the neighboring branches be organized into one conference to be
called the Manchester Conference.
"That the church in Brampton, Alston, and Carlisle be included in one
conference;
"That the churches of Liverpool, Isle of Man, Wales, viz., Overton,
Harding and Elsmere, be organized into one conference, to be called
the Liverpool Conference;
"That the Macclesfield Conference include Macclesfield, Northwich,
Middlewich, and Lostock;
"That the Edinburgh Conference include Edinburgh and vicinity, and
that the conference of Glasgow include Glasgow, Paisley, Bridge of
Weir, Johnston, and Thorny Bank.
"Resolved, that G. D. Watt preside over the Edinburgh Conference; that
Thomas Ward preside over the Clithero Conference; that Lorenzo Snow
preside over the London Conference; that J. Gaily preside over the
Macclesfield Conference; that A. Cordon preside over the Staffordshire
Conference; that J. Riley be ordained a High Priest and preside over
the Birmingham Conference; that J. McAuley preside over the Glasgow
Conference; that Thomas Richardson preside over the Gadfield Elm
Conference; that Wm. Kay preside over the Froomes Hill Conference;
that Levi Richards have the superintendence of the Garway Conference;
that P. Melling, Patriarch, continue to preside over the Preston
Conference, and that J. Sanders preside over the Brampton Conference."
The above resolutions were adopted unanimously. Elder J. Albertson was
then given a patriarchal blessing, under the hands of Father Melling,
after which he was himself ordained a Patriarch by the Apostles.
During the meeting a very richly ornamented cake, a present from New
York, from a Sister Adams to the Twelve, was exhibited and then
divided among the congregation. While the distribution was going on,
several appropriate hymns were sung, and a powerful and general
feeling of delight pervaded the meeting. Under the inspiration of the
moment, Elder Parley P. Pratt composed the following lines and handed
them to the clerk who read them to the congregation:
"When in far distant regions
As strangers we roam,
Far away from our country,
Our friends and our home;
When sinking in sorrow,
Fresh courage we'll take,
As we think on our friends,
And remember the cake."
Several discourses were then delivered, and this memorable and happy
meeting--the first and last at which so many members of the early
Twelve met together in a foreign land, came to a close.
The Apostles next issued their first general epistle to the Saints in
England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man. It was a
well-worded, even eloquent document, full of wise counsel and timely
instruction. Having now set in order the affairs of the Church
throughout the mission, the Apostles, all save Orson Hyde, who was
bound for Palestine, and Parley P. Pratt, who was left to preside over
the British mission, prepared to return to America.
A great work had been accomplished by these faithful and devoted men
of God, during the past year. The mission founded by Heber C. Kimball
and his brethren in 1837, was now established upon a broad and
permanent basis, and the mighty stream of Israel's emigration from
foreign shores set in motion.
CHAPTER XLV.
THE APOSTLES SAIL FOR HOME--ARRIVAL AT NEW YORK--HEBER'S LETTER TO THE
"MILLENNIAL STAR"--HAPPY MEETING WITH THE PROPHET AND THE SAINTS AT
NAUVOO--LABORS SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL--HEBER'S PHRENOLOGICAL CHART.
On the 20th day of April, 1841, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Orson
Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith and Willard
Richards, with a company of Saints, sailed from Liverpool on board the
ship _Rochester_, bound for New York. They landed there on the 20th of
May, having been just one month upon the water, and remained in that
city until the 4th of June.
In a letter to the editor of the _Millennial Star_, Heber thus relates
what followed:
"On the 4th of June I started for home, in company with Elders Young
and Taylor. Elder O. Pratt remained in New York to republish the book
he had printed in Edinburgh, Scotland, giving a history of the coming
forth of the Book of Mormon, and of which he intended to publish 5,000
copies. Elders G. A. Smith and Hadlock stayed in Pennsylvania, not
having the means of getting home. I had to borrow four pounds myself,
and the Saints in New York gave us some help. May the Lord bless them
fourfold.
"We went by way of Philadephia to Pittsburg, the distance being four
hundred miles by railway and canal. We went on the swift line, for
which we paid fourteen dollars, the slow line carrying for nine
dollars. After staying four days at Pittsburg, we set sail on board
the steamboat _Cicero_ on the 12th of June, and when we had proceeded
about fifteen miles she ran on a sand bank, where we were detained
three days; in fact the boat ran aground several times, the water was
so low. We were three weeks on board before we arrived at Nauvoo. I
never experienced warmer weather at this season before, and many
persons are dying of cholera on board the steamboats on the river. I
would advise persons coming by way of the rivers to start earlier in
the spring. It will be much cheaper for the Saints to come by way of
New Orleans, the cost of which is about five pounds ten shillings, and
they will come much quicker and with greater ease. If they prefer
coming by way of New York, they will do well to go from thence by way
of Chicago, as it will be both cheaper and quicker than by way of
Philadelphia. I would advise the Saints to come in the cool part of
the season, on account of their health.
"We landed in Nauvoo on the 1st of July, and when we struck the dock I
think there were about three hundred Saints there to meet us, and a
greater manifestation of love and gladness I never saw before.
President Smith was the first one that caught us by the hand. I never
saw him feel better in my life than he does at this time; this is the
case with the Saints in general. When we got in sight of Nauvoo we
were surprised to see what improvements had been made since we left
home. You know there were not more than thirty buildings in the city
when we left about two years ago, but at this time there are twelve
hundred, and hundreds of others in progress which will be finished
soon. On Friday last seventy Saints came to Nauvoo, led by Lorenzo
Barnes, from Chester County, Pennsylvania, in wagons, living in tents
by the way. On the next day a company came in wagons from Canada, all
in good spirits; and in two or three days after they all obtained
places to live in. They are coming in from all parts of this vast
continent daily and hourly, and the work is spreading in all of this
land, and calls for preaching in all parts. You will recollect that
when we built our houses in the woods there was not a house within
half a mile of us. Now the place, wild as it was at that time, is
converted into a thickly populated village. Our old friends who were
driven from Missouri are my neighbors; for instance, the Allreds,
Charles Hubbard, Charles Rich, and hundreds of others that I could
mention that you know. I wish you were here, if it were right. I can
say with propriety, as to the knowledge I have of things, I never knew
the Church in so good a state as at the present time; they feel well
and in good spirits, and filled with love and kindness. Most of our
English brethren have got themselves places and houses built for them,
and others building, and many of them say they never felt better in
their lives and have no desire to return to their native land, for
they have houses and land of their own, what they never before were in
possession of. They are generally enjoying good health and spirits.
There has been some sickness among them during their long journey, and
a few deaths. I will mention some names. Thomas Smith and his wife,
and his daughter Diana; she died the day I got home. Brother Smith and
his wife died before they got to St. Louis. They were from Clithero,
Lancashire. Brother Henry Nightingale. He got shot through his thigh;
it was an accident. He survived the misfortune only two weeks. His
wife was at my house this week. He died about the time I got home. He
was from Preston. John Stevenson, from Longton; also Sister Wyche,
from the Potteries; William Blacast's wife, from Longton, is dead;
also Brother Rigby's wife, from Clayton, and James Carlbridge, from
Thornby. The sickness is generally among the new comers.
"On the 3rd of July the Nauvoo Legion was called out to celebrate our
independence. There was judged to be about 8,000 people present. There
was an oration delivered by President Rigdon to the satisfaction of
all present. We had a heavenly time; all was peace and harmony; there
was no drunkenness on that day as I discovered; there is no public
house that keeps spirits, nor grocery, and in fact none except in case
of sickness is used in the city of Nauvoo. You will not find a more
temperate people than the Latter-day Saints in this or any other
country.
"I never saw crops look better than they do in this place at present.
The wheat is in general cut, and secured. Provisions are cheaper;
flour is $2.25 a hundred and will be less soon. Corn is brought into
the city for twenty-five cents a bushel; bacon from seven to eight
cents per pound; butter ten cents; other things in proportion. The
whole country for many miles is cultivated with corn, wheat, potatoes,
and all kinds of produce; it looks as though the blessing of God
rested upon the crops in this region, and it is noticed by the
inhabitants that come from other parts, for the crops are better here
than in other parts of the country, or counties around this place.
Most of the Saints have plenty growing to last them for a year, and to
spare; and the blessing of God rests on this people, and I know for
one that God is here, and that to bless his people, and the devil
cannot hinder, for it is the work of the great God, and it must and
will roll forth.
"On the 4th of July, being the Sabbath day, the Saints came together
to the amount of 5,000 to hear us give a detail of our mission to
England. Then was a time of rejoicing I assure you. Our place of
meeting was in a grove close by the temple, as we have no other place
at present. There is every effort made to complete the house of the
Lord; they devote every tenth day for that purpose. The basement story
is nearly finished, which is considered to be half of the stone work.
It is going to be very magnificent. They intend to have the walls
finished this fall if possible. Elders G. A. Smith and Hadlock got
here on the 14th, both well. We found our families well, except Sister
Taylor, who was quite low. She has now recovered.
"Elders Young and Taylor send much love to you all, and I am sure all
would if they knew that I was writing to you. Give my love to Elders
Snow, Richards and Adams, and to all of the officers and members in
that land. Please to give my respects to Sister Pratt and to Sister
Olive and to all your families. My wife joins with me in love to you
both and to Sister Olive and Mary Ann, and may the Lord bless you with
long life and good days, and keep you safe till you return to your own
country with your own family, is the wish and prayer of your brother
in Christ. Elder Orson Pratt arrived here this week; he went to
Sackett's Harbor; his wife's sister came with him. He and his family
are well. Your brother William is well.
"As to crops that are growing in the Iowa, there is thought to be
enough to supply all the Saints in Nauvoo and Iowa for one year. Such
sights you never saw before. There is a greater improvement by one
half than there was in Far West in the same time. Our enemies begin to
threaten us, for you know they cannot bear to see us prosper.
"I must now come to a close. There are five of the Twelve got home. We
are all well and in good spirits. We think much about you and yours,
and our brethren and sisters in that land. I hope we shall see them
all soon, and hope also that they may be faithful, and hearken unto
counsel, for they that hearken to counsel will be wise, and their
lives will be prolonged on the earth. I exhort them to observe these
things, and to be subject to the powers that be. They have my best
wishes for their welfare both temporal and spiritual. Now, fare you
well a little season, my dear brother in Christ."
Heber's time was now more or less taken up with temporal affairs. The
work of God was growing so rapidly that the Prophet, in order to
devote more of his time to spiritual concerns, was obliged to roll
some of the burden of the public business from his own shoulders upon
those of the Twelve. At a conference held on the 16th of August, 1841,
Joseph remarked "that the time had come when the Twelve should be
called upon to stand in their place next the First Presidency, and
attend to the settling of immigrants, and the business of the Church
at the Stakes, and assist to bear off the kingdom victorious to the
nations." They were also directed to build the cities which Joseph had
designed, namely, Nauvoo, Zarahemla, Warren, Nashville and Ramus, and
while attending to these duties in person, to send missionaries into
different parts to preach the gospel.
Brigham and Heber also served in a semi-military capacity, being made
chaplains in the Nauvoo Legion soon after their return from England.
At intervals, while engaged in the new labors assigned them, the
Twelve continued to send their general epistles to the churches
abroad.
At the close of the April conference of 1842, Presidents Young,
Kimball and others of the Twelve ordained two hundred and seventy-five
Elders, the largest number ordained in one day since the formation of
the Church. Thus, in labors spiritual and temporal, under the
direction of the Prophet of God, Heber and his brethren continued to
fulfill their sacred mission.
About this time there came to Nauvoo a celebrated phrenologist of the
period, who applied to the Prophet for the privilege of examining the
heads of himself and several of his chief Apostles, designing to
publish their charts. Joseph, Brigham, Heber and Willard were chosen
for types, and their charts were incorporated in the Prophet's
history. Here is Heber's:
_Phrenological Chart of Elder Heber C. Kimball; by A. Crane, M. D.,
Professor of Phrenology_.
PROPENSITIES.
Amativeness.--10, large. Extreme susceptibility; passionately fond of
the company of the other sex.
Philoprogenitiveness.--7, full. Interested in the happiness of
children; fond of their company.
Inhabitiveness.--4, medium or small. Somewhat indifferent to places as
such; easily changes location.
Adhesiveness.--8, f. Solicitous for the happiness of friends, and
ardent attachments to the other sex.
Combativeness.--7, f. Great powers of exertion and sustaining under
opposition and difficulties.
Destructiveness.--6, m. Ability to control the passions, and is not
disposed to extreme measures.
Secretiveness.--9, l. Great propensity and ability to conceal
feelings, plans, etc.
Acquisitiveness.--6, m. Freeness to spend money; love of it chiefly
for its uses and what it will buy.
Alimentativeness.--7, f. A good appetite, but not excessive;
partiality for a variety of rich, hearty dishes.
Vitativeness.--6, m. or s. Indifferent to life; views the approach of
death without fear.
FEELINGS.
Cautiousness.--8, f. Provision against prospective dangers and ills,
without hesitation or irresolution.
Approbativeness.--10, l. Ambition for distinction; sense of character;
sensibility to reproach, fear of scandal.
Self-esteem.--9, l. High-mindedness, independence, self-confidence,
dignity, aspiration for greatness.
Concentrativeness.--7, f. Can dwell on a subject without fatigue, and
control the imagination.
Benevolence.--9, l. Kindness, goodness, tenderness, sympathy.
Veneration.--8, f. Religion, without great awe or enthusiasm;
reasonable deference to superiority.
Firmness.--10, l. Stability and decision of character and purpose.
Conscientiousness.--9, l. High regard for duty, integrity, moral
principle, justice, obligation, truth, etc.
Hope.--7, f. Reasonable hopes, a fine flow of spirits; anticipation of
what is to be realized.
Marvelousness.--7, f. Openness to conviction without blind credulity;
tolerable good degree of faith.
Imitation.--10, f. A disposition and respectable ability to imitate,
but not to mimic, or to act out.
Prepossession.--7, l. or f. Attached to certain notions; not disposed
to change them, etc.
Ideality.--10, l. Lively imagination; fancy, taste love of poetry,
elegance, eloquence, excellence, etc.
PERCEPTIVES.
Admonition.--7, f. or m. Desirous to know what others are doing; ready
to counsel, and give hints of a fault or duty, etc.
Constructiveness.--9, l. Great mechanical ingenuity, talent and skill.
Tune.--9, v. l. or l. Great musical taste and talent; conception of
melody.
Time.--4, s. or v. s. Forgetfulness of dates, ages, appointments, day
of the month, etc.
Locality.--11, v. l. or l. Great memory of places and position.
Eventuality.--10, l. Retentive memory of events and particulars.
Individuality.--8, f. With very large causality, and comparison, great
observation, with deep thought, etc.
Form.--8, f. Cognizance, and distinct recollection of shapes.
Size.--5, m. s. or v. s. Inaccurate measurement of magnitude,
distance, etc.
Weight.--11, v. l., l. or f. Knowledge of gravitation, momentum, etc.
Color.--9, f. or m. Moderate skill in judging of colors, comparing and
arranging them.
Language.--7, f. Freedom of expression, without fluency or verbosity;
no great loquacity.
Order.--9, l. Love of arrangement, everything in its particular place.
Number.--8, f. Respectable aptness in arithmetical calculations,
without extraordinary talent.
REFLECTIVES.
Mirthfulness.--10, l. Wit, fun, mirth, perception and love of the
ludicrous.
Causality.--9, l. Ability to think and reason clearly, and perceive
the relations of cause and effect.
Comparison.--10, l. A discrimination; power of illustration; ability
to perceive and apply analogies.
This chart is not only worth preserving as a curiosity, but it is, in
many respects, an excellent index of Heber's character and
idiosyncrasies.
CHAPTER XLVI.
REVELATION OF CELESTIAL MARRIAGE--SECRECY THE PRICE OF SAFETY--JOSEPH
TESTS HEBER AND MAKES HIM HIS CONFIDANT--HOW VILATE KIMBALL WAS
CONVERTED--HEBER AND VILATE GIVE THEIR DAUGHTER HELEN TO THE PROPHET
IN CELESTIAL MARRIAGE.
A startling innovation, a test designed to try, as never before, the
faith and integrity of God's people now came upon them. Not in the
shape of fire and sword, nor toilsome pilgrimage, nor pestilence, nor
wealth, nor poverty. Ah! no; something far different from these, and
far more difficult to bear.
A grand and glorious principle had been revealed, and for years had
slumbered in the breast of God's Prophet, awaiting the time when, with
safety to himself and the Church, it might be confided to the sacred
keeping of a chosen few. That time had now come. An angel with a
flaming sword descended from the courts of glory and, confronting the
Prophet, commanded him in the name of the Lord to establish the
principle so long concealed from the knowledge of the Saints and of
the world.
That principle was the law of celestial or plural marriage!
Well knew the youthful Prophet the danger of his task. Well knew he
the peril and penalty of disobedience. Fearing God, not man, he bowed
to the inevitable, and laid his life--aye, was it not so?--upon the
altar of duty and devotion.
Among those to whom Joseph confided this great secret, even before it
was committed to writing, was his bosom friend, Heber C. Kimball. Well
knowing the integrity of his heart, so many times tested and found
true, he felt that he ran no risk in opening to Heber's eyes the
treasured mysteries of his mighty soul.
But why careful, among so many friends, to select only a few as the
recipients of such a favor? Would not the Saints have died to a man in
defense of their Prophet--God's seer and revelator? Alas, none knew so
well as Joseph the frailty of man, the inherent weakness and
wickedness of the human heart.
"Many men," said he, "will say, 'I will never forsake you, but will
stand by you at all times.' But the moment you teach them some of the
mysteries of the kingdom of God that are retained in the heavens, and
are to be revealed to the children of men when they are prepared for
them, they will be the first to stone you and put you to death.
"It was this same principle that crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, and
will cause the people to kill the Prophets in this generation."
What! would even the Saints have so done? Did not some of those who
_were_ Saints then, so do?
Had not Joseph said many times--are not men now living who heard him
say: "Would to God, brethren, I could tell you who I am! Would to God
I could tell you what I know! But you would call it blasphemy, and
there are men upon this stand who would want to take my life."
"If the Church," said he, "knew all the commandments, one half they
would reject through prejudice and ignorance."
No wonder, then, that he should choose his confidants; for their sakes
no less than his own. For these also are Joseph's words:
"When God offers a blessing, or knowledge to a man, and he refuses to
receive it, he will be damned."
Revelation is ever the iconoclast of tradition; and such is the
bigotry of man, his natural hatred of the new and strange, as opposed
to his personal interests or private views, that the very lives of
those whose mission is to introduce and establish new doctrines,
though designed as a blessing to humanity, are ever in danger from
those whose traditions would thus be uprooted and destroyed.
Joseph was not a coward; it was he who said that a coward could not be
saved in the kingdom of God; but neither was he lacking in caution,
especially when warned of the Lord of the necessity for its exercise.
Therefore, was he now revealing, to a chosen few, whom God had
prepared to receive what he should tell them, one of the grand
principles of the everlasting Gospel, "unlawful to be uttered" to the
multitude, yet one day to be thundered from the house-tops in the ears
of all living, with many other mighty truths locked in the treasure
house of future time, of which eternity still holds the key.
Before he would trust even Heber with the full secret, however, he put
him to a test which few men would have been able to bear.
It was no less than a requirement for him to surrender his wife, his
beloved Vilate, and give her to Joseph in marriage!
The astounding revelation well-nigh paralyzed him. He could hardly
believe he had heard aright. Yet Joseph was solemnly in earnest. His
next impulse was to spurn the proposition, and perhaps at that
terrible moment a vague suspicion of the Prophet's motive and the
divinity of the revelation, shot like a poisoned arrow through his
soul.
But only for a moment, if at all, was such a thought, such a suspicion
entertained. He knew Joseph too well, as a man, a friend, a brother, a
servant of God, to doubt his truth or the divine origin of the behest
he had made. No; Joseph was God's Prophet, His mouth-piece and oracle,
and so long as he was so, his words were as the words of the Eternal
One to Heber C. Kimball. His heart-strings might be torn, his feelings
crucified and sawn asunder, but so long as his faith in God and the
Priesthood remained, heaven helping him, he would try and do as he was
told. Such, now, was his superhuman resolve.
Three days he fasted and wept and prayed. Then, with a broken and a
bleeding heart, but with soul self-mastered for the sacrifice, he led
his darling wife to the Prophet's house and presented her to Joseph.
It was enough--the heavens accepted the sacrifice. The will for the
deed was taken, and "accounted unto him for righteousness." Joseph
wept at this proof of devotion, and embracing Heber told him that was
all that the Lord required. He had proved him, as a child of Abraham,
that he would "do the works of Abraham," holding back nothing, but
laying all upon the altar for God's glory.
The Prophet joined the hands of the heroic and devoted pair, and then
and there, by virtue of the sealing power and authority of the Holy
Priesthood, Heber and Vilate Kimball were made husband and wife for
all eternity.
Heber's crucial test was in part over. Vilate's trial was yet to come.
The principle of celestial marriage was now known to them, so far as
their own eternal covenant was concerned, but the doctrine of
plurality of wives which it involves, was yet to be revealed. How
Heber and Vilate received and embraced this feature of the principle
is thus tenderly told by their daughter Helen:
"My mother often told me that she could not doubt the plural order of
marriage was of God, for the Lord had revealed it to her in answer to
prayer.
"In Nauvoo, shortly after his return from England, my father, among
others of his brethren, was taught the plural wife doctrine, and was
told by Joseph, the Prophet, three times, to go and take a certain
woman as his wife; but not till he commanded him in the name of the
Lord did he obey. At the same time Joseph told him not to divulge this
secret, not even to my mother, for fear that she would not receive it;
for his life was in constant jeopardy, not only from outside
influences and enemies, who were seeking some plea to take him back to
Missouri, but from false brethren who had crept like snakes into his
bosom and then betrayed him.
"My father realized the situation fully, and the love and reverence he
bore for the Prophet were so great that he would sooner have laid down
his life than have betrayed him. This was one of the greatest tests of
his faith he had ever experienced. The thought of deceiving the kind
and faithful wife of his youth, whom he loved with all his heart, and
who with him had borne so patiently their separations, and all the
trials and sacrifices they had been called to endure, was more than he
felt able to bear.
"He realized not only the addition of trouble and perplexity that such
a step must bring upon him, but his sorrow and misery were increased
by the thought of my mother hearing of it from some other source,
which would no doubt separate them, and he shrank from the thought of
such a thing, or of causing her any unhappiness. Finally he was so
tried that he went to Joseph and told him how he felt--that he was
fearful if he took such a step he could not stand, but would be
overcome. The Prophet, full of sympathy for him, went and inquired of
the Lord; His answer was, 'Tell him to go and do as he has been
commanded, and if I see that there is any danger of his apostatizing.
I will take him to myself.'
"The fact that he had to be commanded three times to do this thing
shows that the trial must have been extraordinary, for he was a man
who, from the first, had yielded implicit obedience to every
requirement of the Prophet.
"When first hearing the principle taught, believing that he would be
called upon to enter into it, he had thought of two elderly ladies
named Pitkin, great friends of my mother's, who, he believed, would
cause her little, if any, unhappiness. But the woman he was commanded
to take was an English lady named Sarah Noon, nearer my mother's age,
who came over with the company of Saints in the same ship in which
father and Brother Brigham returned from Europe. She had been married
and was the mother of two little girls, but left her husband on
account of his drunken and dissolute habits. Father was told to take
her as his wife and provide for her and her children, and he did
so.[A]
[Footnote A: Heber was told by Joseph that if he did not do this he
would lose his Apostleship and be damned.]
"My mother had noticed a change in his manner and appearance, and when
she inquired the cause, he tried to evade her questions. At last he
promised he would tell her after a while, if she would only wait. This
trouble so worked upon his mind that his anxious and haggard looks
betrayed him daily and hourly, and finally his misery became so
unbearable that it was impossible to control his feelings. He became
sick in body, but his mental wretchedness was too great to allow of
his retiring, and he would walk the floor till nearly morning, and
some times the agony of his mind was so terrible that he would wring
his hands and weep like a child, and beseech the Lord to be merciful
and reveal to her this principle, for he himself could not break his
vow of secrecy.
"The anguish of their hearts was indescribable, and when she found it
was useless to beseech him longer, she retired to her room and bowed
before the Lord and poured out her soul in prayer to Him who hath
said: 'If any lack wisdom let him ask of God, who giveth to all men
liberally and upbraideth not.' My father's heart was raised at the
same time in supplication. While pleading as one would plead for life,
the vision of her mind was opened, and, as darkness flees before the
morning sun, so did her sorrow and the groveling things of earth
vanish away.
"Before her was illustrated the order of celestial marriage, in all
its beauty and glory, together with the great exaltation and honor it
would confer upon her in that immortal and celestial sphere, if she
would accept it and stand in her place by her husband's side. She also
saw the woman he had taken to wife, and contemplated with joy the vast
and boundless love and union which this order would bring about, as
well as the increase of her husband's kingdoms, and the power and
glory extending throughout the eternities, worlds without end.
"With a countenance beaming with joy, for she was filled with the
Spirit of God, she returned to my father, saying: 'Heber, what you
kept from me the Lord has shown me.' She told me she never saw so
happy a man as father was when she described the vision and told him
she was satisfied and knew it was from God.
"She covenanted to stand by him and honor the principle, which
covenant she faithfully kept, and though her trials were often heavy
and grievous to bear, she knew that father was also being tried, and
her integrity was unflinching to the end. She gave my father many
wives, and they always found in my mother a faithful friend."
Helen also refers in her narrative to the sensation caused in Nauvoo,
one Sabbath morning, prior to the return of the Twelve from England,
by a sermon of the Prophet's on "the restoration of all things," in
which it was hinted that the patriarchal or plural order of marriage,
as practiced by the ancients, would some day again be established, The
excitement created by the bare suggestion was such that Joseph deemed
it wisdom, in the afternoon, to modify his statement by saying that
possibly the Spirit had made the time seem nearer than it really was,
when such things would be restored.
These facts serve to show something of the nature and extent of the
sacrifice made by the Saints in accepting this principle, and likewise
the pure, lofty, religious motives actuating both men and women who
could thus heroically embrace a doctrine against which--as is
generally the case with the gospel's higher principles--their
traditions and preconceived notions instinctively rebelled.
Soon after the revelation was given, a golden link was forged whereby
the houses of Heber and Joseph were indissolubly and forever
joined.[A] Helen Mar, the eldest daughter of Heber Chase and Vilate
Murray Kimball, was given to the Prophet in the holy bonds of
celestial marriage.
[Footnote A: The Prophet Joseph, I am informed, in blessing Heber C.
Kimball, told him that his inheritance in Zion should adjoin his on
the north.]
CHAPTER XLVII.
JOHN C. BENNETT'S APOSTASY--HEBER AND THE TWELVE SENT OUT TO REFUTE
HIS SLANDERS--HEBER'S FAMOUS SERMON: "THE CLAY IN THE HANDS OF THE
POTTER"--INCEPTION OF THE RELIEF SOCIETY--VILATE'S VOW AND HEBER'S
PRAYER.
Without doubt, the revelation of the great principle of plural
marriage was a prime cause of the troubles which now arose,
culminating in the Prophet's martyrdom and the exodus of the Church
into the wilderness. True, the old causes remained, sectarian hatred
and political jealousies, and these were the immediate reasons for
such results. But back of all was the eternal warfare of truth and
error, battling each for the world's supremacy, and the mailed hand of
Omnipotence pushing the chosen people along the thorn-strewn,
blood-sprinkled path of a glorious destiny.
John C. Bennett, an individual who had wormed himself into the good
graces of the Saints, like the serpent of old among the flowers of
Eden, at this juncture apostatized, not finding the Church of God,
with its pure and wholesome laws, a safe refuge for vice, or a
suitable arena for the antics of rascality. Excommunicated for his
vile practices, he at once entered the lecture field--that favorite
resort of vengeful apostates--and sought to abuse the public mind in
relation to the Latter-day Saints and their religion. His charges were
so atrocious as to half defeat their own purpose, the more intelligent
at once rejecting them for what they were--outrageous fabrications.
Many of the ignorant and fanatical, however, believed them. The
Prophet therefore called a council of leading Elders, including Heber
C. Kimball and others of the Twelve, to consider the advisability of
sending missionaries through the states to preach the gospel--the
principles which the Saints really believed and were authorized to
teach--and expose and refute the slanderous charges of the man Bennett
and other apostates.
This council was held in the latter part of August, 1842. It was
decided to hold a special conference at once and nominate the Elders
who were to go upon this mission. Accordingly, on the 29th of August a
conference convened at Nauvoo, at which three hundred and eighty
Elders volunteered for the purpose.
One of these was Heber C. Kimball. He, in company with Brigham Young,
George A. Smith and Amasa Lyman (who had lately been ordained an
Apostle under the hands of the other three), having been instructed by
the Prophet, set out upon this mission early in September. They held
their first meeting at Lima, where they addressed a large assembly in
a grove, in relation to the slanderous reports of John C. Bennett.
Their labors and subsequent movements were outlined as follows in a
letter to the editor of the _Times and Seasons:_
"DEAR BROTHER:
"Having commenced our mission yesterday, we held our first
conference at Elder Isaac Morley's. We had a good time. The
brethren here are in good spirits. We ordained nineteen Elders and
baptized twelve. We expect next Saturday and Sunday to hold a two
days' meeting in Quincy, being the 17th and 18th instant; on the
24th and 25th at Payson; the 1st and 2nd of October at Pleasant
Vale; the 8th and 11th of October at Pittsfield; the 15th and 16th
of October at Apple Creek, in Green County. From thence we shall
proceed to Jacksonville and Springfield.
"If you please, notice the above in your paper, for the benefit of
those friends scattered abroad.
"Yours in the everlasting covenant,
BRIGHAM YOUNG,
H. C. KIMBALL.
"MORLEY SETTLEMENT,
September 12, 1842."
Having fulfilled their mission, Brigham and Heber returned together to
Nauvoo on the 4th of November.
The opening of the year 1843 was a period of rejoicing to the Saints
at Nauvoo, the Prophet having been honorably discharged from his
arrest under the Missouri writ, by the U. S. District Court of
Illinois, Judge Pope presiding. Grateful for this, the Twelve issued a
proclamation to the Saints to observe the 17th of January as a day of
fasting, prayer and thanksgiving for the Prophet's deliverance. On the
next day Joseph invited his friends to a feast to commemorate the
event, Heber being one of the number.
On the evening of March 7th a meeting was held at the house of Elder
Kimball, which was crowded. Heber addressed the assembly, taking for
his text, Jeremiah xviii, 2-5, on the figure of the clay in the hands
of the potter. Joseph was so pleased with his sermon that he deemed it
worthy of special notice in his history. This was the origin of
Heber's famous sermon--"the clay in the hands of the potter," so
familiar to the Saints, and well worthy of remembrance, not only for
the masterly way in which it was presented, but for the depth of the
doctrine therein contained.
Probably it was Heber's early profession--it will be remembered that
he was by trade a potter--that first impressed him with this important
theme, with its train of associate thoughts and images. And herein was
shown the thoughtful, observant nature of his mind, which drew from
simplest as well as sublimest objects that wealth of simile, the rich
fund of metaphor and comparison in which his sayings were so prolific.
Thus also was evinced the poet nature of the man, though he probably
never wrote a line of verse.
Heber's powers as a speaker--though he never sought the distinction or
claimed the title of orator--were well recognized, even at that early
day. As a persuader, not with tinkling phrases and flowery rhetoric,
to please the ear, but by simple words and the power of the Holy
Ghost, to move the heart, he had few equals.
Some days after the meeting referred to, a petition reached Nauvoo
from Boston, signed by twelve hundred names, asking for Elders Heber
C. Kimball and Orson Hyde to come and labor in that city. A similar
petition was also sent from Salem, Massachusetts, by Elder Erastus
Snow. Before going on another mission, however, Heber, in connection
with the Prophet, took an active part in creating an organization
which has since become famous in the midst of Israel. It was no other
than the Relief Society, the preliminary meeting of which was held at
the house of Heber C. Kimball in Nauvoo. In view of the scarcely less
famous organizations which have sprung up since, known as the Young
Men's and Young Ladies' Mutual Improvement Associations of the
Latter-day Saints, it is interesting to note that the former movement
originated among the young people, for whose welfare Heber was at that
time specially and zealously laboring. We quote from the Prophet's
history:
A SHORT SKETCH OF THE RISE OF THE YOUNG GENTLEMEN AND LADIES' RELIEF
SOCIETY.
"In the latter part of January, 1843, a number of young people
assembled at the house of Elder H. C. Kimball, who warned them
against the various temptations to which youth is exposed, and
gave an appointment expressly for the young at the house of Elder
Billings; and another meeting was held in the ensuing week at
Brother Farr's school-room, which was filled to overflowing. Elder
Kimball delivered addresses, exhorting the young people to study
the scriptures, and enable themselves to 'give a reason for the
hope within them,' and to be ready to go on to the stage of
action, when their present instructors and leaders had gone behind
the scenes; also to keep good company and to keep pure and
unspotted from the world.
"The next meeting was appointed to be held at my house; and
notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, it was completely
filled at an early hour. Elder Kimball, as usual, delivered an
address, warning his hearers against giving heed to their youthful
passions, and exhorting them to be obedient and pay strict
attention to the advice and command of their parents, who were
better calculated to guide the pathway of youth than they
themselves.
"My house being too small, the next meeting was appointed to be
held over my store. I addressed the young people for some time,
expressing my gratitude to Elder Kimball for having commenced this
glorious work, which would be the means of doing a great deal of
good, and said the gratitude of all good men and of the youth
would follow him through life, and he would always look back upon
the winter of 1843 with pleasure. I experienced more embarrassment
in standing before them than I should before kings and nobles of
the earth; for I knew the crimes of which they were guilty, and
knew precisely how to address them; but that my young friends were
guilty of none of them, and therefore I hardly knew what to say.
"I advised them to organize themselves into a society for the
relief of the poor, and recommended to them a poor lame English
brother [Maudesley], who wanted a house built, that he might have
a home amongst the Saints; that he had gathered a few materials
for the purpose, but was unable to use them, and had petitioned
for aid. I advised them to choose a committee to collect funds for
this purpose, and perform this charitable act as soon as the
weather permitted. I gave them such advice as I deemed was
calculated to guide their conduct through life and prepare them
for a glorious eternity.
"A meeting was appointed to carry out these suggestions, at which
William Cutler was chosen president, and Marcellus L. Bates,
clerk. Andrew Cahoon, C. V. Spencer and Stephen Perry were
appointed to draft a constitution for the society, and the meeting
adjourned to the 28th of March, when the said committee submitted
a draft of a constitution, consisting of twelve sections. The
report was unanimously adopted, and the meeting proceeded to
choose their officers. William Walker was chosen president;
William Cutler, vice-president; Lorin Walker, treasurer; James M.
Monroe, secretary; Stephen Perry, Marcellus L. Bates, R. A.
Allred, Wm. H. Kimball and Garret Ivans, were appointed a
committee of vigilance. The meeting then adjourned until the next
Tuesday evening.
"The next meeting was addressed by Elders Brigham Young, Heber C.
Kimball and Jedediah M. Grant, whose instructions were listened to
with breathless attention."
The Relief Society afterwards became distinctively a woman's
organization.
Heber's next mission was through the eastern states, in company with
President Young and others, collecting means for the temple and the
Nauvoo House, which were then in course of erection. They left Nauvoo
early in June, 1843. The day before starting, Vilate Kimball penned
these tender lines and presented them as a token of love to her
husband:
"NAUVOO, June 8th, 1843.
"MY EVER KIND AND AFFECTIONATE COMPANION:
"I write these few lines for you to look upon when you are far
distant from me, and when you read them remember they were penned
by one whose warm, affectionate heart is ever the same towards
you; _yea, it is fixed, firm as a decree which is unalterable_.
Therefore, let your heart be comforted, and if you never more
behold my face in time, let this be my last covenant and testimony
unto you: that I am yours in time and throughout all eternity.
This blessing has been sealed upon us by the Holy Spirit of
promise, and cannot be broken only through transgression, or
committing a grosser crime than your heart or mine is capable of,
that is, murder.
"So be of cheer, my dearest dear,
For we shall meet again
Where all our sorrows will be o'er,
And we are free from pain.
"V. KIMBALL."
Heber's full heart responded as follows:
"O God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ wilt Thou
bless her with peace and with a long life; and when Thou shalt see
fit to take her, let Thy servant go with her; and dwell with each
other throughout all eternity; that no power shall ever separate
us from each other; for Thou, O God, knowest we love each other
with pure hearts. Still, we are willing to leave each other from
time to time, to preach Thy word to the children of men. Now, O
God, hear Thy servant, and let us have the desires of our hearts;
for we want to live together, and die, and be buried, and rise and
reign together in Thy kingdom with our dear children; in the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen."
This tender interchange of affection, be it remembered, was after
Heber and Vilate had embraced the principle of plural marriage; a
point which fails to sustain the position assumed by most Christian
philosophers, as to the "brutalizing and debasing effects of Mormon
polygamy."
Here is another little gem of Vilate's, written several years later:
LINES WRITTEN BY VILATE KIMBALL TO HER COMPANION HEBER C. KIMBALL.
"No being round the spacious earth
Beneath the vaulted arch of heaven,
Divides my love, or draws it thence,
From him to whom my heart is given.
"Like the frail ivy to the oak,
Drawn closer, by the tempest riven,
Through sorrow's flood he'll bear me up
And light with smiles my way to heaven.
"The gift was on the altar laid;
The plighted vow on earth was given;
The seal eternal has been made,
And by his side I'll reign in heaven.
WINTER QUARTERS,
January 17, 1847."
The last verse of this beautiful little poem delicately tells the
whole story of the sacrifice made by this noble and devoted pair, and
the reward of their fidelity in accepting the great principle whose
"seal eternal" had bound them together for time and all eternity.
The Apostles returned from their mission to the east on the 22nd of
October, 1843. Heber's purely missionary labors were drawing to a
close. The hour of the Prophet's martyrdom was approaching, and upon
the shoulders of the Twelve, as the First Presidents of the Church,
was about to roll the burden of the kingdom of the latter days.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
HEBER'S LAST MISSION TO THE GENTILES--JOSEPH SMITH A CANDIDATE FOR THE
PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES--THE APOSTLES HIS ELECTIONEERERS--THE
MARTYRDOM--RETURN OF THE TWELVE TO NAUVOO.
On the 21st of May of the fateful year 1844, Heber C. Kimball left
Nauvoo on his last mission to the Gentiles. He accompanied President
Brigham Young and other Apostles and Elders, about one hundred in all.
The object of their mission was unique. It was to present to the
nation the name of Joseph Smith as a candidate for the presidency of
the United States.
The steamer _Osprey_, on which the Elders took passage for St. Louis,
left the wharf at Nauvoo amid the cheers and acclamations of those on
shore, who shouted: "Joseph Smith, the next President of the United
States!"
Alas! little knew those faithful souls, who went forth full of hope
and patriotism that bright May morning, that they had looked their
last upon the living features of their beloved Prophet, whom they were
thus offering as a political savior to the nation; that within six
weeks, while they were yet absent on their errand, a deed would be
done which, for cruelty and atrocity, and for fearful consequences
upon the guilty--shedders of innocent blood!--must stand without a
parallel in the annals of modern crime.
Doubtless there was a destiny in the absence from the Prophet's side,
at such a time, of men like Heber C. Kimball and Brigham Young. Of all
those about him, upon these men, as upon two pillars of power, Joseph
at that time most leaned. Of the original Twelve Apostles, according
to the Prophet's own testimony, this twain alone had never "lifted up
their heels against him." Satan knew best when to strike, and chose
the fell moment to lay his fatal snare when Brigham, Heber and others
of Joseph's wisest counselors were away. God had so ordered and
permitted.
St. Louis was reached by the Apostles on the 22nd of May. Calling the
Church together in that city, Elders Young and Kimball instructed them
spiritually and politically. The Saints there numbered nearly seven
hundred souls. Thence, a journey of thirteen days brought them to the
capital of the nation.
Heber C. Kimball and Lyman Wight were now traveling together.
Following is a digest of their letters to the Prophet, Elder Wight
acting as scribe:
"We have got a petition signed, with our names attached, in behalf
of the Church, asking for a remuneration for our losses, and not
for our rights, or redress, for they would not receive such a
petition from us. It was thought by Judge Semple, Judge Douglas,
General Atchison, and Major Hughes, that our petition would carry
if it was not too late in the season. Judge Semple handed it to
the committee on public lands. He said he would do the best he
could for us. General Atchison is of the opinion if we could sue
the state of Missouri for redress of grievances, that there was
virtue enough in the state to answer our demands, 'for,' said he,
'_they are ashamed of their conduct_.' Douglas and Semple are of
the same opinion. Brother Kimball and myself spared no pains
during our stay at Washington. We left on the 11th inst. for
Wilmington, Delaware. Thence journeying to Philadelphia on the
13th.
"On the 21st we shall attend conference at Wilmington, and go
thence to New York and Boston, and so continue from place to place
until we shall have accomplished the mission appointed unto us. *
* * Just returned from Wilmington Conference, accompanied by
several of the brethren and sisters who went from this place. We
can truly say that this was one of the most pleasant trips in our
life. We went down on the steamer _Balloon_, and returned by
railway.
"Our Conference commenced on Saturday, the 22nd. The brethren came
in from the adjacent country, and after much instruction from
Brothers Kimball and Wight, we took a vote to know whether they
would go whithersoever the Presidency, Patriarch and Twelve went,
should it be to Oregon, Texas or California, or any other place
directed by the wisdom of Almighty God. The Saints, numbering
about one hundred, rose to their feet and exclaimed,
'whithersoever they go, we go,' without a dissenting voice. This
was truly an interesting meeting. We have not the least idea that
any one will back out; they are nearly all men of wealth and have
commenced this morning to offer all surplus property for sale,
that whenever you say go, they are ready. We ordained ten as
promising young Elders as we ever laid hands upon. They pledged
themselves to start this week and go through the state of Delaware
from house to house, and proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is at
hand.
"On Sabbath, the 23rd, we preached alternately to a large and
respectable congregation, and left the warmest of friends in that
place, both in and out of the Church.
"Yours as ever,
"H. C. KIMBALL,
"LYMAN WIGHT."
A letter from Vilate Kimball to her husband, from which we make the
following extracts, describes the scenes that were then taking place
in Nauvoo:
"June 7th, 1844.
"MY DEAR HUSBAND:
"Nauvoo was never so lonesome since we lived here as it is now. I
went to meeting last Sunday for the first time since conference.
Neither Joseph, nor Hyrum, nor any of the Twelve were there, and
you may be assured that I was glad when meeting was over. * * *
"June 11th. Nauvoo was a scene of excitement last night. Some
hundreds of the brethren turned out and burned the press of the
opposite party. This was done by order of the city council. They
had only published one paper (_Nauvoo Expositor_) which is
considered a public nuisance. They have sworn vengeance and no
doubt they will have it.
"June 24th. Since I commenced this letter, varied and exciting
indeed have been the scenes in this city. I would have sent this
to you before this time, but I have been thrown into such
confusion I know not what to write. Nor is this all: the mails do
not come regularly, having been stopped by high water, or the
flood of mobocracy which pervades the country. I have received no
letter by mail from you since you left.
"Nothing is to be heard of but mobs collecting on every side. The
Laws and Fosters and most of the dissenting party, with their
families, left here a day or two since. They are sworn to have
Joseph and the city council, or to exterminate us all. Between
three and four thousand brethren have been under arms here the
past week, expecting every day the mob would come upon us. The
brethren from the country are coming in to aid in the defense of
the city. Brother Joseph sent a message to the Governor,
signifying if he and his staff would come into the city he would
abide their decision; but instead of the Governor coming here he
went to Carthage, and there walked arm and arm with Law and
Foster, until we have reason to fear he has caught their spirit.
He sent thirty men from there day before yesterday to arrest
Brother Joseph, with an abusive letter, saying, if thirty men
cannot do the business thousands can, ordering the brethren who
had been ordered out to defend the city against the mob to deliver
up their arms to their men and then disperse.
"Yesterday morning (although it was Sunday) was a time of great
excitement. Joseph had fled and left word for the brethren to hang
on to their arms and defend themselves as best they could. Some
were dreadfully tried in their faith to think Joseph should leave
them in the hour of danger. Hundreds have left; the most of the
merchants on the hill have gone. I have not felt frightened,
neither has my heart sunk within me till yesterday, when I heard
Joseph had sent word back for his family to follow him, and
Brother Whitney's family were packing up, not knowing but they
would have to go, as he is one of the city council. For a while I
felt sad enough, but did not let anybody know it, neither did I
shed any tears. I felt a confidence in the Lord that He would
preserve us from the ravages of our enemies. We expected them
here to-day by the thousands, but before night yesterday, things
put on a different aspect--Joseph returned and gave himself up for
trial. He sent a messenger to Carthage to tell the governor he
would meet him and his staff at the big mound at eight o'clock
this morning, with all that the writ demanded. They have just
passed here to meet the Governor for that purpose. My heart said,
'Lord, bless those dear men and preserve them from those that
thirst for their blood!' What will be their fate the Lord only
knows, but I trust He'll spare them. The governor wrote that if
they did not give themselves up, our city was suspended upon so
many kegs of powder, and it needed only one spark to touch them
off. If you were here you would be sure to be in their midst,
which would increase my anxiety."
Now fell the thunderbolt!
On the 20th of June Joseph, feeling himself hedged around by his
enemies, had written for the immediate return of the Apostles. It was
his last communication to them in mortality. Seven days later, on the
evening of the 27th of June, 1844, Joseph and his brother Hyrum were
assassinated in Carthage Jail.
Heber and Lyman Wight were in Salem, Massachusetts, when the dreadful
news came. It struck Heber to the heart. He tried hard not to believe.
Yet he, and the Apostles generally, traveling in different parts, on
the night of the assassination had felt a severe mental shock, for
which they could not account until the terrible news reached their
ears.
Grief-stricken and almost crushed with sorrow, the Twelve turned their
sad steps homeward. Heber and Lyman took the cars for Boston, where
they remained during the day, and then proceeded to New York.
Returning to Boston to consult with their quorum, on the 24th of July
in company with President Brigham Young they set out for home. At
Albany they were joined by Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt and Wilford
Woodruff. They traveled night and day, and arrived at Nauvoo on the
6th of August, forty days after the martyrdom.
CHAPTER XLIX.
CHOICE OF JOSEPH'S SUCCESSOR--A MIRACLE--THE MANTLE OF JOSEPH FALLS
UPON BRIGHAM YOUNG--HEBER C. KIMBALL HIS RIGHT HAND MAN.
In the death of its Prophet and Patriarch, the Church had received a
stunning blow, but with superhuman vitality it revived from the shock,
and rose up in God-like energy to renew its mission of salvation to
mankind. Mighty men were they who had fallen, but God's work rests not
upon man, and under the magic stroke of the wand of Omnipotence other
great men had risen to fulfill their destiny and perpetuate the works
and memories of the martyred slain.
But who was now the leader of Israel? Such was the problem presenting
itself to the people. In the absence of their Prophet the Saints felt
like sheep without a shepherd. He had carried the Church, as if an
infant in arms, from the very hour of its birth, nursing it with the
milk of revelation. It was now no longer a babe, yet still, as a
little child, it had need to be led, by one in whom was the spirit and
wisdom of the heavens.
A crisis had come. The First Presidency was no more. Death had
dissolved that quorum. Next, stood the Twelve, an independent body,
now holding the keys of the kingdom, from Joseph, its earthly founder.
But this fact, though known to the Apostles, upon whom he had rolled
that burden and conferred that authority, was not so patent to the
people. The order of the Priesthood was not so well known then as now.
Experience had not supplemented revelation on these points, and
doubtless there were many Saints in Nauvoo, as there are many now, who
were not informed upon things which had been plainly taught them for
years.
Besides, Sidney Rigdon, one of the three first presidents, was alive,
to press his claims to the leadership, and not a few of the Saints
openly favored his ambitious pretensions.
Who was to decide in such a controversy, and how was the right man to
be known?
God had provided the way.
Elder Rigdon, on hearing of the martyrdom, had come in haste from
Pittsburgh, whither he had retired some months before from the
troubles and turmoils of persecuted Saint-life in Nauvoo, to offer
himself as the "guardian" and "great leader" whom he declared was
necessary to save Israel. Thus, the true shepherd, having "laid down
his life for the sheep," the false one returned when the wolves had
fled and the danger was thought to be over, to seize the laurels which
another's valor had won. And this, forsooth, was the comforting
message that he bore to the affrighted people:
"The anti-Mormons have got you! You can't stay in the country!
Everything is in confusion! You can do nothing! You lack a great
leader! You want a head; and unless you unite upon that head
you're blown to the four winds. The anti-Mormons will carry the
election. A guardian must be chosen."
Such was the situation at Nauvoo when Brigham, Heber and their
companions returned. Parley P. Pratt and George A. Smith had arrived
some time before.
The great day came which Sidney Rigdon had set apart for the choosing
of a guardian for the Church--August 8th, 1844. Sidney had spoken,
urging his own claims as "the identical man whom all the prophets had
written and sung about" with their eyes upon that very hour and
occasion; which vain-glorious remark provoked from Parley P. Pratt the
humorous retort that he, himself, was "the identical man that the
prophets had not sung or written one word about." Brigham Young was
now addressing the vast congregation which assembled on that memorable
day, in the grove where the Prophet had so often given the word of the
Lord to Israel:
"If the people want Brother Rigdon to lead them, they may have him,"
Brigham declared. "But I say unto you, the Twelve have the keys of the
kingdom of God in all the world. The Twelve are pointed out by the
finger of God. Here is Brigham; have his knees ever faltered? Have his
lips ever quivered? Here is Heber and the rest of the Twelve, an
independent body, who have the keys of the Priesthood, the keys of the
kingdom of God to deliver to all the world; this is true, so help me
God! They stand next to Joseph, and are the First Presidency of the
Church."
It was the voice of "one having authority." The dullest ear could
detect the difference between such tones, such words, trembling with
power, and the vain and empty babblings of the special pleader,
Sidney. Which of these men the Spirit had chosen, was already manifest
to the pure in heart among that mighty multitude.
But a still more marvelous manifestation awaited them. As Brigham
proceeded his whole being became transfigured; his face shone like an
angel's; his form seemed to dilate and expand, as though he were being
lifted from the floor; his voice changed; his look, his very manner
was that of another.
IT WAS JOSEPH, NOT BRIGHAM, WHO WAS SPEAKING!
Thousands saw it and testified of its truth. The mantle of the dead
Prophet had fallen upon the shoulders of the living. Joseph, from
behind the vail, had pointed out his own successor. God spake that day
through Brigham Young, "and all the people said Amen!"
No truer friend had Brigham Young than Heber C. Kimball.[A] "Brother
Brigham" had been his choice from the first, for he knew that he was
the chosen of the Almighty, and as he had before stood by Joseph, he
now stood firm at the side of his successor, a pillar of faith and
power not to be broken.
[Footnote A: Heber often said that his love for Brigham exceeded his
love for any member of his own family.]
CHAPTER L.
THE WORK MOVES ON IN SPITE OF PERSECUTION AND APOSTASY--THE NAUVOO
TEMPLE FINISHED AND DEDICATED--THE SAINTS PREPARE FOR THEIR REMOVAL TO
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
The work of God was only expedited by the efforts made for its
overthrow. The Apostles continued to send out missionaries to the
nations, and hurried on the completion of the Temple.
Elder Rigdon, after his ineffectual attempt to seize the leadership of
the Church, had returned to Pittsburg, to nurse, as best he might, his
wounded pride and disappointed ambition. Many, like him, were
apostatizing and dividing into factions, but the main body of the
Saints, "taking the Holy Spirit for their guide," stood true to
Brigham and the Twelve. The Spirit was poured out mightily upon the
faithful, and the good work, in spite of persecution and apostasy,
went rolling on.
[Illustration: Residences of Church leaders in Nauvoo.]
It soon became evident to the enemy that the death of the Prophet, so
far from destroying, or even impeding Mormonism, had only given it
fresh impetus, an energy which they feared, if allowed to increase,
might prove irresistible. They therefore renewed the attack, Brigham,
Heber and the Twelve now being the especial objects of their animus.
Does not this fact, alone, tell where lay the authority?
The chief inciters of the opposition were the Laws, the Fosters, and
the Higbees, apostates who had betrayed and sacrificed Joseph and
Hyrum, with others who now joined them in their warfare against the
Twelve. The most strenuous efforts were made, generally under cover of
law, to get President Young into their power; and even his life, it is
said, was attempted by the midnight assassin. Knowing their fell
purpose, and remembering the fate of the martyrs, Joseph and Hyrum,
who had tested the virtue of official pledges and the protecting
majesty of the law in Illinois, Brigham and Heber wisely determined
not to be taken.
From their secret retreats, where they were compelled to hide, at
times, from the malice of their would-be destroyers, the Apostles came
forth, on the morning of Saturday, the 24th of May, 1845, to lay the
cap-stone on the south-east corner of the Temple. The edifice was in
due time completed and dedicated, and many of the Elders and Saints
received their endowments within its sacred walls.
The incident which gave rise to the story of "Bogus Brigham," with
which many of our readers are no doubt familiar, happened about this
time. The sheriff from Carthage was at the door of the Temple to
arrest President Young, who was inside the building. Bishop William
Miller, who resembled the President, throwing on Heber C. Kimball's
cloak, (mistaking it for Brigham's, which was of the same size and
color) sallied out and was arrested in his stead and taken to
Carthage. The _ruse_ worked so well that it was not discovered until
after their arrival at the anti-Mormon headquarters, where "Bill
Miller" was recognized, and the wrath and discomfiture of his captors
knew no bounds. The real Brigham was, of course, by that time, well
out of the way and laughing at the chagrin of his persecutors.
In the meantime, preparations were in progress for the exodus. The
anti-Mormons were clamoring for the removal of the entire community of
Latter-day Saints from the state, and they, seeing no alternative but
to comply with this outrageous demand, or experience a repetition of
the murderous scenes of Missouri, had resolved to again sacrifice
their homes and seek a land of peace and liberty in the wilds of the
savage west.
Before coming to the conclusion to thus expatriate themselves, the
Saints, through their leaders, had petitioned the President of the
United States, James K. Polk, and the Governors of all the states
excepting Missouri and Illinois, for aid and protection from the
efforts of those who were plotting their destruction. But the appeal
was in vain. The Church leaders then entered into negotiations with
their enemies, of the nature of which the following document will
testify:
"NAUVOO, ILLINOIS, Oct. 1st, 1845.
"_To Gen. J. Hardin, W. B. Warren, S. A. Douglas and J. A.
McDougal:_
"MESSRS:--In reply to your letter of this date, requesting us 'to
submit the facts and intentions stated by us in writing, in order
that you may lay them before the Governor and people of the
state,' we would refer you to our communication of the 24th ult.
to the 'Quincy Committee,' etc., a copy of which is herewith
enclosed.
"In addition to this we would say that we had commenced making
arrangements to remove from the country previous to the recent
disturbances; that we have four companies, of one hundred families
each, and six more companies now organizing, of the same number
each, preparatory to a removal.
"That one thousand families, including the Twelve, the High
Council, the trustees and general authorities of the Church, are
fully determined to remove in the spring, independent of the
contingencies of selling our property; and that this company will
comprise from five to six thousand souls.
"That the Church, as a body, desire to remove with us, and will,
if sales can be effected so as to raise the necessary means.
"That the organization of the Church we represent is such that
there never can exist but one head or presidency at any one time.
And all good members wish to be with the organization: and all are
determined to remove to some distant point where we shall neither
infringe nor be infringed upon, so soon as time and means will
permit.
"That we have some hundreds of farms and some two thousand houses
for sale in this city and county, and we request all good citizens
to assist in the disposal of our property.
"That we do not expect to find purchasers for our temple and other
public buildings; but we are willing to rent them to a respectable
community who may inhabit the city.
"That we wish it distinctly understood that although we may not
find purchasers for our property, we will not sacrifice it, nor
give it away, or suffer it illegally to be wrested from us.
"That we do not intend to sow any wheat this fall, and should we
all sell, we shall not put in any more crops of any description.
"That as soon as practicable, we will appoint committees for this
city, La Harpe, Macedonia, Bear Creek and all necessary places in
the county, to give information to purchasers.
"That if these testimonies are not sufficient to satisfy any
people that we are in earnest, we will soon give them a sign that
cannot be mistaken--WE WILL LEAVE THEM.
"In behalf of the Council, respectfully yours, etc.,
"BRIGHAM YOUNG, President,
"WILLARD RICHARDS, Clerk."
Agreeable to the terms of this covenant, which satisfied the
commissioners named, and for a time also satisfied the anti-Mormons
whom they represented, the Saints, trusting in God, and hoping little
from their cruel and inhuman oppressors, were now preparing for the
exodus of the Church and its pilgrimage to the Rocky Mountains--an
event foreseen and predicted by the Prophet Joseph in August, 1842.
CHAPTER LI.
THE EXODUS--HEBER'S PROPHECY FULFILLED--EVACUATION OF NAUVOO--THE CAMP
OF ISRAEL ON SUGAR CREEK--BRIGHAM AND HEBER LEAD THE CHURCH
WESTWARD--ARRIVAL AT THE MISSOURI RIVER.
A spectacle sublime. An exiled nation, going forth like Israel from
Egypt, into the wilderness, there to worship, unmolested, the God of
their fathers in His own appointed way; that from their loins might
spring a people nursed in the spirit of prophecy, made stalwart by
tribulation, that should leap from the mountains in a day to come, and
roll back, an avalanche of power, to regain possession of their
promised land.
Such was the meaning of that exodus. The future will justify the
action of the past.
On Tuesday, February 17th, 1846, Heber C. Kimball left Nauvoo, in
company with Bishop N. K. Whitney, and, crossing the Mississippi,
joined the camp of Israel on Sugar Creek, with their faces toward the
Rocky Mountains. Heber's prediction over the fated city, which had so
alarmed Elder Rigdon seven years before, was being fulfilled; the
evacuation of Nauvoo and the exodus of the Saints from Illinois had
begun. President Young had left the city two days before, Heber,
having sent his family away on the 16th, had tarried behind with
William Clayton and Bishop Whitney, to secure and bring Church
property needed for the pioneers. Sugar Creek was the starting point.
Here, for nearly two weeks, some of the advance companies had been
anxiously awaiting the coming of their leaders.
At half-past one, Brigham and Heber dined together in George D.
Grant's tent, on bean porridge, after which frugal meal, the
President, with Heber C. Kimball, Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, John
Taylor, George A. Smith and Willard Richards went up the valley east
of the camp about half a mile, and held a council. A letter was read
from Samuel Brannan, with a copy of an agreement between Elder Brannan
and Postmaster-General Benson. The matter concerned a proposition of
certain politicians at Washington and members of the government to the
Mormon leaders, to take possession of California and divide the lands
with them as a great "land grab" for these statesmen, in return for
proffered protection to the Mormons. The proposition was at once
rejected.
On the 18th, Heber accompanied President Young and several others back
to Nauvoo, where many of the Saints still lingered, most of whom were
getting ready to join the camp as soon as possible, while others, like
those of earlier days in Kirtland and Far West, were preparing to fall
away. A number of meetings, public and private, were held in the
Temple, at the last one of which, on Sunday the 22nd, a panic was
caused by the snapping of a piece of timber in the settling of the new
floor under the weight of the multitude. Several people were seriously
injured. The same afternoon, Brigham, Heber and John Taylor returned
to camp.
The companies were being organized and made ready to start. They
comprised about four hundred wagons, all heavily loaded, with not over
half the number of teams necessary for a rapid journey. Most of the
families were supplied with provisions for several months; but a
number, regardless of counsel, had started in a destitute condition,
and some with only provisions for a few days.
Colonel Stephen Markham had about one hundred pioneers to prepare the
road in advance of the main body. Colonel Hosea Stout with about one
hundred men acted as police, armed with rifles. Colonel John Scott
with a hundred men accompanied the artillery.
On the morning of Sunday, March 1st, the camp was notified to be ready
to start at noon. At half past ten Heber went to meeting and stated
that President Young was unwell, and further addressed the assembly as
follows:
"It is the President's will that the camp should remove to some
other location, because while we are so near Nauvoo the brethren
are continually going back and neglecting their teams and
families, and running to Brother Brigham about a little property
they have here or there. No doubt many will be tried, but we shall
see the kingdom of God established and all the kingdoms of this
world become the kingdoms of our God and His Christ." He
encouraged the brethren to go forward. "The grass will start
before long. They were not going out of the world. If Nauvoo has
been the most holy place, it will be the most wicked place." He
then called upon all who meant to go ahead to say aye. The
brethren responded heartily. "No doubt you mean to have President
Young for your leader. We will do all that he says and everything
will be right. A plague came upon Zion's Camp for disobedience
when on our way to Missouri, and some of our best men fell
victims, and so it would be again under like circumstances. I want
no man to touch any of my things without my leave. If any man will
come to me and say that he wants to steal I will give him the
amount. Cease all your loud laughter and light speeches, for the
Lord is displeased with such things, and call upon the Lord with
all your might."
Such was Heber's first pioneer address to the Camp of Israel.
All tents were now struck, and about noon the camp began to move. They
traveled in a north-westerly direction about five miles, and at night
camped again on Sugar Creek. The ground was covered with snow, but by
dint of shoveling and scraping space was soon made for the tents, and
in a short time quite a primitive little city had sprung up as if by
magic from the frozen earth. Large fires were built in front of the
tents and wagons, corraled in circular array according to the custom
of the plains, and all were made as comfortable as possible under the
circumstances.
Notwithstanding their hardships and privations, past, present and
prospective, a spirit of remarkable cheerfulness reigned throughout
the camp; songs were sung, jokes passed and stories told, and, in
spite of the situation and forbidding surroundings, everybody seemed
determined to "make the best of it" and be contented and happy.
Doubtless the romance of the situation helped to season it and make it
palatable; but above all was it due to the presence and sustaining
power of the Holy Spirit, the peace that "passeth understanding,"
which rested upon the homeless pilgrims, causing them to rejoice, like
the Saints of old, in suffering tribulation for the truth's sake.
At a seasonable hour the merriment was hushed. Heads were bowed in
reverent prayer. The God of Israel was invoked in behalf of His cause
and people; these whose home from henceforth was the houseless plain
and prairie, and the remnant left behind to the mercies of the mob in
the doomed city of Nauvoo. Guards were then placed, the flickering
firelight waned and died in the wintry stillness, and the Camp of
Israel, all save the watchful sentries, slept.
Near the Chariton River, on the 27th of March, the organization of the
camp was perfected. It was divided into companies of "hundreds,"
"fifties" and "tens," with captains appointed over each. The Apostles
were placed at the heads of divisions, as presidents. Commissaries
were also appointed for each company, with a Commissary General. The
camp consisted of two grand divisions, presided over respectively by
Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball; the former, as President and
General-in-Chief, directing the whole. Occasionally the President
would return and gather a council of the captains and Apostles at
Heber's encampment, and at other times Heber would go over with his
captains to Brigham's camp, for the same purpose.
The law of the Lord was laid down in great strictness, honesty and
morality being especially enjoined. Innocent amusement and recreation
were encouraged by the leaders, in moderation, as tending to divert
the people's minds from their past troubles, and lighten their present
toils, but excess of mirth and loud laughter were deprecated and
denounced. The Church had again been cleansed of much of its dross, by
leaving it behind, and in the main it was a faithful and a pure people
that journeyed westward to find another promised land.
The vanguard under Brigham and Heber reached the Missouri River about
the middle of June, and received a friendly welcome from the
Pottowatomie and Omaha Indians.
CHAPTER LII.
DESTINATION OF THE SAINTS--THE CALL FOR THE MORMON BATTALION--HEROIC
RESPONSE OF THE EXILES--BRIGHAM, HEBER AND WILLARD AS RECRUITING
SERGEANTS--DEPARTURE OF THE BATTALION--THE CAMP OF ISRAEL GOES INTO
WINTER QUARTERS--THE FALL OF NAUVOO.
Where now shall fancy's roving pinion rest?
'Mid barren regions of the boundless West,
Where silvery streams through silent valleys flow
From mountains crested with eternal snow;
Where reigns no creed its rival creed to bind,
Where exiled faith a resting-place shall find,
Where builds the eagle on the beetling height
And wings o'er freedom's hills unfearing flight.
The point in view of the leaders of Israel was the Valley of the Great
Salt Lake, a portion of Mexican territory located in the tops of the
mountains, in the very heart of the American desert. Discouraging as
were all reports relating to this barren and inhospitable region, a
thousand miles farther on over trackless plains and bleak mountains
swarming with wild beasts and savages, these intrepid men resolved to
go forward, trusting in God and braving every peril. At least it was a
land of liberty, uninfested by mobs and heartless priests and
politicians, and with the wintry sky above, and the frozen earth
beneath, or in summer the burning rocks and waterless wastes around
them, they felt safer far in the society of wild Indians and savage
wolves, than in the midst of the Christian civilization they had left
behind.
Far from the realms where civilization reigns,
Where Freedom's bastards bind her sons in chains,
They sought a home within the western wild,
And fraternized the forest's dusky child;
No fiercer found, less savage in the test,
Than priestly tyrants trampling the oppressed.
Journeying towards the Missouri river they founded temporary
settlements, or "traveling stakes of Zion," recruiting their strength
with needed rest along the way, and putting in crops for their own use
or for their brethren to reap who came after them. Two of these
settlements were named Garden Grove and Mt. Pisgah, the latter over a
hundred miles in the rear of the vanguard now resting on the Missouri
river.
It was the design of the leaders to leave the main body of the people
in these places, while they, with a picked band of pioneers, hastened
on to the Rocky Mountains that season. But an incident now occurred
which changed their plans and delayed the departure of the pioneers
until the following spring.
Word was brought to head-quarters on the Missouri, that a United
States army officer with a squad of soldiers had arrived at Mt.
Pisgah, with a requisition for five hundred men, to be furnished by
the Mormons, to enter the army and march to California to take part in
the war against Mexico.
Imagination can alone picture the surprise, almost dismay, with which
this startling news was received. What! the nation whose people had
thrust them from its borders, robbed them of their homes and driven
them into the wilderness, where it was hoped they might perish, now
calling upon them for aid? And this in full face of the fact that
their own oft reiterated appeals for help had been denied?
It was even so; five hundred able-bodied men, the flower of the camp,
were wanted. And this in the heart of an Indian country, in the midst
of an exodus unparalleled for its dangers and hardships, when every
active man was needed as a bulwark of defense and a staff for the aged
and feeble. For even delicate women, thus far, had in some instances
been driving teams and tending stock, owing to the limited number of
men available.
On the other hand, it was their country calling, and these sons and
daughters of the pilgrims and patriots loved their country, loved its
institutions and its laws, though the government of that country, in
the hands of self-seeking demagogues and politicians, had been as a
cruel step-mother rather than a tender parent to them.
What was to be done? What would the leaders decide to do? Such were
the questions that flew like lightning through the camp, as these
thoughts came rushing to mind. They were not left long unanswered.
On the 1st of July, Capt. James Allen, the recruiting officer, acting
under orders of Col. S. F. Kearney at Fort Leavenworth, having arrived
at "The Bluffs," went into council with Brigham Young, Heber C.
Kimball, Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, Willard Richards, George A. Smith,
John Taylor, John Smith and Levi Richards. Wilford Woodruff was at
Mount Pisgah, where he had received Captain Allen and his party a few
days before. The brethren were assured that the offer to accept the
services of a battalion of Mormon soldiers in the Mexican war, was
made by the government in kindness, and meant as a means of assistance
to the community, whose young and intelligent men might thus proceed,
at the government's expense, to the ultimate destination of their
whole people, and look out the land and prepare the way for their
brethren who came after them. This was the object, it was said, quite
as much as to enlist their services in their country's cause.
Whether convinced or not that such was the case, the result of the
council's deliberations was a resolve to raise the troops. Brigham
Young, Heber C. Kimball and Willard Richards, in the role of
recruiting sergeants, at once set out for Mt. Pisgah, a distance of
one hundred and thirty miles, to execute the order for the Battalion.
Colonel Thomas L. Kane, that noble friend of the Mormon people, who
had arrived at the Bluffs, thus summarizes the result: "A central mass
meeting for council, some harangues at the more remotely scattered
camps, an American flag brought out from the storehouse of things
rescued, and hoisted to the top of a tree-mast, and, in three days,
the force was reported, mustered, organized and ready to march."
The Mormon Battalion set out for the west about the middle of July.
The project of the Pioneers, of going to the mountains that season,
was now of course abandoned, and the Camp of Israel prepared to go
into "Winter Quarters." This was the name given to their settlement on
the Missouri, the principal part of which was on the west side of the
river, five miles above Omaha of to-day. It is now known as Florence.
Seven hundred houses of log, turf and other primitive materials,
neatly arranged and laid out with streets and byways; well supplied
with workshops, mills and factories, and with a tabernacle of worship
in the midst; the whole arising from a pretty plateau overlooking the
river, and well fortified with breast-work, stockade and block-houses,
after the fashion of the frontier;--such was Winter Quarters, the
principal one of these so-called "traveling stakes of Zion." Here, in
these humble, prairie settlements, surrounded by Indians, whose savage
hearts God had wondrously softened into sympathy and friendship for
His exiled people, the Camp of Israel, the residue of twenty thousand
souls, which the Saints had numbered in Illinois, passed the winter of
1846.
Meanwhile, in September of that year, the remnant left in Nauvoo,
between six and seven hundred souls, after a gallant defense of their
city against the mob, which, in violation of every treaty, came upon
them in overwhelming numbers, were driven from their homes at the
point of the bayonet, and thrown, men, women and children, sick, dying
and shelterless, upon the western shores of the Mississippi. And
this--shades of the patriots!--while their brethren, the heroes of the
Mormon Battalion, were marching to fight their country's battles on
the plains of Mexico!
CHAPTER LIII.
THE WORD AND WILL OF THE LORD CONCERNING THE CAMP OF ISRAEL--THE
PIONEERS START FOR THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS--NAMES OF THE HEROES--INCIDENTS
OF THE JOURNEY WEST.
The "Word and Will of the Lord concerning the Camp of Israel in their
journeyings to the West," was given through President Brigham Young at
Winter Quarters on the 14th of January, 1847. It was the first written
revelation sent out to the Church since the death of the Prophet
Joseph. Agreeable to its instructions, the Saints began to prepare for
their journey to the mountains.
Early in April the pioneers started from Winter Quarters. This famous
band numbered one hundred and forty-eight souls, including three women
and two children. The _personnel_ of the company as it left the
Missouri River, was as follows:
1 Brigham Young.
2 Heber C. Kimball.
3 Orson Pratt.
4 Wilford Woodruff.
5 George A. Smith.
6 Willard Richards.
7 Amasa Lyman.
8 Ezra T. Benson.
9 John S. Fowler.
10 Jacob D. Burnham.
11 Joseph Egbert.
12 John M. Freeman.
13 Marcus B. Thorpe.
14 George Wardel.
15 Thomas Grover.
16 Barnabas L. Adams.
17 Roswell Stevens.
18 Starling Driggs.
19 Albert Carrington.
20 Thomas Bullock.
21 George Brown.
22 Jesse C. Little.
23 Phineas H. Young.
24 John Y. Greene.
25 Thomas Tanner.
26 Addison Everett.
27 Truman O. Angell.
28 Lorenzo D. Young.
29 Briant Stringham.
30 Albert P. Rockwood.
31 Joseph S. Schofield.
32 Luke Johnson.
33 John G. Holman.
34 Edmund Ellsworth.
35 Sidney Alvarus Hanks.
36 George R. Grant.
37 Millen Atwood.
38 Samuel Fox.
39 Tunis Reppelyee.
40 Eli Harvey Pierce.
41 William Dykes.
42 Jacob Weiler.
43 Stephen H. Goddard.
44 Tarlton Lewis.
45 Henry G. Sherwood.
46 Zebedee Coltrin.
47 Sylvester H. Earl.
48 John Dixon.
49 Samuel H. Marble.
50 George Scholes.
51 William Henrie.
52 William A. Empey.
53 Charles Shumway.
54 Andrew P. Shumway.
55 Thomas Woolsey.
56 Chancy Loveland.
57 Erastus Snow.
58 James Craig.
59 William Wordsworth.
60 William P. Vance.
61 Simeon Heyd.
62 Seely Owen.
63 James Case.
64 Artemas Johnson.
65 William C. A. Smoot.
66 Benjamin Franklin Dewey.
67 William Carter.
68 John G. Losee.
69 Burr Frost.
70 Datus Ensign.
71 Benjamin Franklin Stewart.
72 Horace Monroe Frink.
73 Eric Glines.
74 Ozro Eastman.
75 Seth Taft.
76 Horace M. Thornton.
77 Stephen Kelsey.
78 John S. Eldredge.
79 Charles D. Barnham.
80 Almon L. Williams.
81 Rufus Allen.
82 Robert T. Thomas.
83 James W. Stewart.
84 Elijah Newman.
85 Levi N. Kendall.
86 Francis Boggs.
87 David Grant.
88 Howard Egan.
89 William A. King.
90 Thomas P. Cloward.
91 Hosea Cushing.
92 Robert Byard.
93 George P. Billings.
94 Edson Whipple.
95 Philo Johnson.
96 Carlos Murray.
97 Appleton M. Harmon.
98 Willam Clayton.
99 Horace K. Whitney.
100 Orson K. Whitney.
101 Orrin Porter Rockwell.
102 Nathaniel Thomas Brown.
103 Jackson Reddin.
104 John Pack.
105 Francis M. Pomeroy.
106 Aaron Farr.
107 Nathaniel Fairbanks.
108 John S. Higbee.
109 John Wheeler.
110 Solomon Chamberlin.
111 Conrad Klineman.
112 Joseph Rooker.
113 Perry Fitzgerald.
114 John H. Tippitts.
115 James Davenport.
116 Henson Walker.
117 Benjamin W. Rolfe.
118 Norton Jacobs.
119 Charles A. Harper.
120 George Woodard.
121 Stephen Markham.
122 Lewis Barney.
123 George Mills.
124 Andrew S. Gibbons.
125 Joseph Hancock.
126 John W. Norton.
127 Shadrach Roundy.
128 Hans C. Hanson.
129 Levi Jackman.
130 Lyman Curtis.
131 John Brown.
132 Matthew Ivory.
133 David Powell.
134 Hark Lark (colored).
135 Oscar Crosby (colored).
136 Joseph Matthews.
137 Gilburd Summe.
138 John Gleason.
139 Charles Burke.
140 Alexander P. Chessley.
141 Rodney Badger.
142 Norman Taylor.
143 Green Flake (colored).
The above names, with the exception of the first eight (the Apostles)
are given in their order, as divided into companies of tens.
The three women who accompanied the pioneers were Ellen Sanders, one
of the wives of Heber C. Kimball; Clara Decker, a wife of Brigham
Young; and Harriet P. Young, her mother, wife of Lorenzo D. Young. The
children were Sobieski Young, son of Lorenzo, and Perry Decker, own
brother to Clara Decker Young.
President Brigham Young was the leader of the company, which, as seen,
numbered among its members seven others of the Twelve. Apostles Parley
P. Pratt, Orson Hyde and John Taylor were absent on missions.
The object of the pioneers, as shown, was to explore the region of the
Great Salt Lake, and if possible find a home for the Saints in the
midst of the Rocky Mountains. A few leaves from Heber's pioneer
journal will now be interesting. He writes:
"On the 5th day of April, 1847, I started with six of my teams and
went out about four miles, where I formed an encampment with several
others of my division. The same day I returned home and remained in
Winter Quarters during the conference on the 6th. On the 7th and 8th I
was still making preparations for my journey, and called my family
together and spent some time in giving them instructions, blessing
them and dedicating and consecrating them to the Most High God."
Horace K. Whitney, one of the pioneers and Heber's son-in-law, who was
present at this family meeting, in his own journal says:
"Brother Kimball expressed his feelings at length. He said that any
person who attempted to come into his family and sow discord among
them, and promote disunion, and strive to alienate their minds from
him in his absence, would be cursed. 'Don't you think so, Brother
Whitney?' addressing my father. Father replied, 'Yes.' He further
observed that there was not that person living in the world in whom he
placed more confidence than he did in Bishop Whitney, and that there
was no person in the world who would have so much influence in his
(Brother K's.) absence as Bishop Whitney, and he recommended him to
them as a worthy, good and exemplary man, to counsel them in his
absence. He told his wife Vilate that if any person should presume to
come into his house and speak against him, or any member of his
family, while he was gone, to arise and command them to leave the
house, _in the name of Heber C. Kimball!_"
"On the 8th," continues Heber, "Brother Parley P. Pratt arrived in
Winter Quarters, having returned from his mission to England. Those of
the Twelve who had departed, hearing of his arrival, returned, and in
the evening we held a council at Dr. Richard's office; and it was a
time of rejoicing with us to behold our beloved brother and companion
in tribulation. He gave us a history of his mission, and of the
success, peace and prosperity of the Saints in England. They had
annihilated the Joint Stock Company, cut Reuben Hedlock and Ward off
from the Church, who were the instigators of it, being the men we had
left to preside there, and who had called the Elders of Israel from
their duties of preaching life and salvation, and set them to
preaching up joint-stockism to get gain. Now things have changed, and
the Elders are all preaching the everlasting Gospel, and an entire
reformation has commenced, and may the Lord God of Israel roll it
forth until Israel shall be saved!
"On the 9th the Twelve started again on their journey. My son William
carried out President Young, Bishop Whitney (who was going with us a
few miles) and myself in my carriage. The whole camp, after our
arrival, started out and went to within four miles of Pappea, being
about fourteen miles from Winter Quarters, and camped for the night. I
lodged in the wagon with President Young, as he had fitted up a wagon
for him and me to lodge together through the journey.
"In the course of the evening Bishop Whitney and myself went some
distance upon the prairie, where we bowed down before the Lord and
both offered up our prayers to the Most High God in behalf of the
pioneers and the Twelve, that they might be protected and upheld and
sustained by the Almighty; that His angels might go before them to
lead them to a land which the Lord should designate to be a resting
place for His people Israel; also in behalf of our families, our wives
and children, and all Israel that are left behind.
"In the forenoon of Sunday, the 11th, we arrived at the Elk Horn,
which we crossed by means of a raft that had been constructed by some
of the first pioneers that went on, at a point two and a half miles
south of its junction with the Platte. Seventy-two wagons crossed the
'Horn,' three of which afterwards returned to Winter Quarters, leaving
the others to go on with the pioneers. It was not our intention to
have encroached on the Sabbath, but the camp were in a disordered
state, some being on one side of the 'Horn,' and some on the other,
and it was thought wisdom to get them together, lest they should be
attacked by Indians and be unprepared for defense."
Leaving the Camp to pursue its journey towards the Platte river, the
Apostles with Bishop Whitney now returned to Winter Quarters to greet
Elder John Taylor, who had just arrived from Europe, bringing with him
over two thousand dollars for the Church. From him they learned that
Elder Orson Hyde was also on his way west. On the 15th, Heber, Brigham
and others rejoined the Pioneers beyond the Elk Horn.
The camp was now organized as a military body, into companies of
hundreds, fifties and tens, agreeable to "the word and will of the
Lord," with the following as officers:
Brigham Young, Lieutenant-General; Stephen Markham, Colonel; John Pack
and Shadrach Roundy, Majors; Captains of companies, Wilford Woodruff,
Ezra T. Benson, Phineas H. Young, Luke Johnson, Stephen H. Goddard,
Charles Shumway, James Case, Seth Taft, Howard Egan, Appleton M.
Harmon, John Higbee, Norton Jacobs, John Brown, and Joseph Matthews.
Thomas Bullock was appointed clerk, and Thomas Tanner captain of
artillery. The "artillery" consisted of one cannon mounted on a pair
of wheels, and taken along to frighten hostile Indians into a due
regard for the rights of the pioneers, or to perform more serious
execution if found necessary.
General Young instructed the camp as follows: The men were to travel
in a compact body, every man to keep his loaded gun in his hand, or,
if a teamster, in his wagon, ready for instant use; every man to walk
by the side of his wagon unless sent by the officer in command, and
the wagons to be formed two abreast, where practicable, on the march.
At the call of the bugle, at five A. M., the pioneers were to arise,
assemble for prayers, get breakfast, and be ready to start at the
second call of the bugle at seven. At night, at half past eight, at
the command from the bugle, each was to retire for prayer in his own
wagon, and to bed at nine o'clock. Tents were to be pitched on
Saturday nights, and the Sabbath kept.
Thus organized and equipped, the pioneers proceeded on their way,
traveling up the north bank of the Platte. Towards the latter end of
April they found themselves in the heart of the Pawnee Indian country.
"At one o'clock p. m. of April 21st," says Heber, "we stopped to feed
beside a long narrow lake, close by the river. As soon as the wagons
were formed in a semi-circle on the banks of the lake, a guard was
placed to watch the Indians and take care of our teams. Many of the
Indians had forded the river and followed us to where we stopped,
among the number the grand chief of the Pawnee nation, 'Shefmolun.' He
presented several certificates signed by travelers who had previously
passed through the Pawnee country, all setting forth that the Pawnee
chief was friendly and that they had made him presents of a little
flour, powder, lead, etc. His object appeared to be to obtain
something from the camp. I made him a present of some salt, some
tobacco, etc, and President Young also gave him some powder, lead,
salt and other articles. Many of the brethren also contributed a
little flour, etc. But with all this the old chief did not appear
satisfied. He seemed to intimate that he expected larger presents from
such a large company, and also said he did not like us to travel
through their country, he was afraid we would kill their buffalo and
drive them off. This was interpreted by a young man of the tribe who
could talk a little English. There was not the least appearance of
hostility, but, on the contrary, all who came appeared friendly and
pleased to shake hands with us. Brother Shumway says there are about
twelve thousand of the Pawnees in this neighborhood, and it is
reported there are as many as five thousand warriors among them. We
have no fears, however, because their only object appears to be to
plunder, and it is the calculation of the brethren to be on the alert
and well prepared by night and by day.
"We continued our journey till half past five, and then formed the
encampment on the banks of the Loup Fork of the Platte river. The
brethren were called together and addressed by President Young in
reference to what passed at the Pawnee village, their apparent
dissatisfaction, etc., and he recommended that we have a strong guard
over our horses and around the camp through the night. He then called
for volunteers to stand guard, and about one hundred responded, and in
the number nearly all the Twelve. President Young and myself both
volunteered and stood the first part of the night, till one o'clock.
It was very cold indeed, and about the middle of the night it rained
again.
"Thursday, 22nd. Morning fine but cool. We have not been troubled by
the Indians, and all is peace and quiet around the camp. The cannon
was unlimbered last night and placed outside the wagons, ready for
action in case of necessity. There were some merry jokes passed this
morning on account of two of the picket guard losing their guns, and
Colonel Markham losing his hat, during the night. It is reported that
they were found asleep on their posts, and those who found them took
their guns, etc., to stir up their minds by way of remembrance and to
show what the Indians might do while they were sleeping on guard. It
is easy to suppose that after the brethren have traveled twenty miles
in the day, taken care of their teams, made fires and cooked their
victuals, and stood guard night after night, that it will require some
energy to keep themselves awake."
The Loup Fork was crossed with difficulty and considerable danger,
owing to the quicksands. Heber and others leaped into the stream, at
one time, to prevent some of the wagons being overturned. A couple of
rafts were built, and the sands packing down more firmly as the horses
continued fording, the passage was finally effected without accident
or loss. During the next few days, however, several valuable horses
were lost, two of them being killed by the accidental discharge of
guns, and the others stolen by Indians.
Several of the brethren were shot at by Indians, while out hunting for
the stolen animals.
The camp was quite complete in its equipment, industrial, military,
literary and otherwise. Ever and anon, as often as the wagons needed
repairs, Burr Frost the blacksmith and his assistants would put up
their portable forge and reset the tires of wheels, etc. William
Clayton and Willard Richards, scribes and historians, invented a
machine to measure the distance. This was done by driving a nail into
one of the spokes of a wagon wheel, which at every revolution was made
to strike upon a saw projecting from the wagon. The circumference of
the wheel being known, the number of its revolutions indicated the
distance.
The country through which they were passing is thus described: "The
country is beautiful and pleasing to the eye of the traveler,
notwithstanding there is only the same kind of scenery from day to
day, namely, on the left the majestic Platte, with its muddy waters
rolling over the universal beds of quicksands, the river frequently
hid from view by the many handsome cottonwood groves; before and
behind, on the right and left, a vast level prairie, and on the right
at a distance the continued range of majestic bluffs. There is a
loveliness and beauty connected with the scenery from day to day, but
the country is not at all calculated for farming purposes, not only on
account of the scarcity of timber, but also on account of the sandy
nature of the whole surface of land."
CHAPTER LIV.
ARRIVAL AT GRAND ISLAND--THE PIONEER BUFFALO HUNT--HEBER KILLS HIS
FIRST BISON--THE SPIRIT OF LEVITY REBUKED--THE PIONEERS REACH FORT
LARAMIE.
About the 1st of May the Pioneers reached Grand Island. Here the
prairies swarmed with buffalo, in herds of tens of thousands. A grand
hunt was indulged in by the brethren, most of whom had never seen a
buffalo before, and after much exciting sport, ten of the animals were
killed and brought to camp. The following sketch, descriptive of this,
the first buffalo hunt of the Pioneers, is from the graphic pen of
Horace K. Whitney:
"Some time before we arrived here, we saw through a spy-glass
three buffalo grazing on the top of the bluff to our right, some
five or six miles. Two or three footmen went out in pursuit, also
three horsemen, viz., Porter Rockwell, Thomas Brown and Luke
Johnson. Just before we arrived here we saw a large herd some
distance in advance of us, also about five or six miles to our
right. Brother O. Pratt counted seventy-four by the aid of his
spy-glass. They are now quite visible from our present stopping
place. It is about fifty yards across the channel to Grand Island
at this place. We traveled about four miles and crossed a slough
or pond, which 'puts up' from the river, about noon. Soon after,
Porter, T. Brown and Luke Johnson returned. They had wounded, as
they supposed mortally, two buffaloes, which, however, managed to
get away from them. About one o'clock p.m., we descried, at the
distance of five or six miles to our right, on the side of the
hill or bluff, two or three herds of buffalo grazing. An immediate
halt was made. A band of ten or twelve horsemen (hunters) speedily
collected and made arrangements for the chase. They soon got ready
and started. Brother Heber soon followed. The wagons traveled
along slowly, being in full view of the chase. The horsemen took a
circuitous route, in order to head the herd, but were prevented
from doing so immediately by an unforeseen occurrence. An antelope
passing by near us was shot at by one of the brethren (a footman)
but the shot did not take effect. Directly the animal made
towards the bluff, seeing which, two dogs went off in full chase.
The three went right among the buffaloes which, alarmed at the
appearance of the dogs, began to move off. Soon after, the
horsemen made their appearance upon the brow of the hill.
"Now commenced a scene which defies all description. Every
spy-glass that could be found in the camp was put into immediate
requisition, and the scene became one of intense interest to us
all, as spectators. As soon as the buffaloes discovered the
approach of the hunters, they increased their speed (which before
had been slow) to a full gallop, and, passing along the side of
the hill were followed by the hunters in quick and hot pursuit,
leaving a cloud of dust in their rear. Most of the hunters, by
riding in among them, succeeded in getting a fair shot, although
they did not all prove fatal, a number of the herd making their
escape that were shot through the body. Brother Heber rode in
among them, made a shot at one and brought him down. His horse,
partly alarmed at the discharge of the gun, and partly at the
sight of the animals, suddenly started and came very near throwing
him. Porter rode up to one (by way of experiment) and shot him
full in the forehead, but without making the least impression, the
hide of the skullpiece being an inch thick, besides being covered
with a large mass of coarse matted hair, as we discovered after
the animals were brought in. The chase ceased about 4 p.m. and the
hunters came up to us about 5 p.m. The fruits of the day's work
were as follows: one bull, three cows, and six calves, making ten
buffaloes. Five wagons were immediately unloaded to bring in the
game. A little after dark they returned, and the meat was
distributed, one quarter of an animal being given to each ten."
After this day's sport, President Young cautioned the brethren not to
kill game wantonly, as it was displeasing to the Lord. Said he: "If we
slay when we have no need, we will need when we cannot slay."
The advice was timely. A spirit of excessive levity had crept into the
camp, dancing, card-playing and other games, some of them vain and
foolish in the extreme, occupying most of the time of the brethren
when they had stopped for rest.
Heber, noticing this tendency, reproved them and warned them of the
evil results to which such things would lead. Next day, Saturday, May
28th, President Young addressed the camp in relation to the same
subject. He sharply rebuked the offenders, and declared that he would
not go one step farther in company with such a spirit as they then
possessed. He appealed to them as men of God, to bear in mind their
high and holy calling and the noble purpose of their mission. Apostle
Orson Pratt and others also spoke, counseling the brethren to use
their spare time in reading, and storing their minds with useful
knowledge; to cease their profanity, loud laughter and excess of
mirth, and fast and pray more, that the spirit of their mission might
rest upon them.
A general reformation was the result. The brethren repented, and,
confessing their faults, resolved to eschew the evils complained of.
They faithfully kept their word, and a better feeling prevailed in the
camp from that hour.
On the second of June the Pioneers arrived opposite Fort Laramie, 543
miles from Winter Quarters, which distance they had traveled in about
seven weeks. Here they were joined by a small company of Saints from
Mississippi, who had spent the winter in Pueblo. The first half of
their journey to the mountains was now over.
CHAPTER LV.
THE PIONEERS CROSS THE PLATTE--GOVERNOR BOGGS AND THE
MISSOURIANS--COL. BRIDGER--"A THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A BUSHEL OF
WHEAT"--THE PIONEERS' FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE VALLEY OF THE GREAT SALT
LAKE.
The pioneers now crossed the Platte, hiring a flatboat for that
purpose from Mr. Bordeaux, a Frenchman, the principal man at the fort.
From him they learned that their old enemy, Governor Boggs, of
Missouri, had recently passed over with two companies, on their way to
California. True to his instincts and traditions, Governor Boggs had
maligned the characters of the Mormons to Mr. Bordeaux, who answered
that the Mormons could not be any worse than his party, who were
quarreling and stealing all along the way.
Prior to crossing the river the pioneers had broken a new road over
the plains for several hundred miles, along which tens of thousands of
the Saints subsequently traveled. It was known for many years as the
"old Mormon road," until the railroad came to cover it up and
obliterate almost from recollection the toils and trials of the
ox-team journeys of early days. But now the brethren were in the wake
of the Missouri companies, traveling towards the land of gold.
At the Black Hills they were seven days in crossing the river. Having
there overtaken the Missourians, they ferried them over, also, at the
rate of $1.50 for each wagon and load, taking their pay in flour, meal
and bacon at Missouri prices. By this time their stock of provisions
was well-nigh exhausted. To have it thus replenished in the Black
Hills, and at the hands of their old enemies, the Missourians, they
regarded as little less than a miracle.
In this locality Heber discovered a fine spring of clear, cold water,
which he named for himself, "Kimball's Spring."
The Missourians, who traveled on Sundays, while the pioneers rested
and kept the holy day, were quarreling among themselves continually,
and, not satisfied with this, began to insult and annoy their Mormon
neighbors. One evening, as Heber and Ezra T. Benson were riding ahead
of their company to look out a camping ground, six men, dressed as
Indians, being clothed in white and blue blankets, suddenly sprang up
from the grass, about half a mile to the left of the road, and
mounting their horses started on. Seeing that the sight of their
blankets failed to terrify the Mormon scouts, who continued leisurely
on their way, one of the party left his companions and retracing a few
steps, motioned with his hand for the brethren to go back. They kept
on, however, and the pseudo savage and his comrades then scampered off
and disappeared behind a ridge some distance ahead.
Heber and his companion rode on, and having gained the summit, were
just in time to see the six Missourians, for such they were, ride into
camp, no doubt to relate how badly they had scared the two "Mormons."
The brethren treated the matter with silent contempt, though naturally
a little indignant at the gratuitous insult offered them.
Independence Rock on the 21st of June; South Pass on the 26th. Two
days later Colonel Bridger came into camp. In council with the Mormon
leaders, he gave them some information, mostly of a discouraging
character, in regard to the region towards which they were traveling,
and in conclusion said that he would give a thousand dollars for the
first bushel of wheat raised in Salt Lake Valley.
On went the heroic band, nothing daunted, wading rivers, crossing
deserts and climbing mountains; trusting in God and their great
destiny. It did not desert them. On the afternoon of Saturday, July
24th, 1847, their dust-covered wagons emerged from the mouth of the
ravine now known as Emigration Canyon, and the Valley of the Great
Salt Lake burst like a vision of glory upon their enraptured view.
Ah! marvel nothing if the eye may trace
The care-lines on each toil-worn hero's face,
Nor yet, if down his cheek in silent show,
The trickling tides of tender feeling flow;
Tears not of weakness, nor of sorrow's mood,
As when o'er vanished joys sad memories brood,
Far richer fount those fearless eyes bedewed,
They wept the golden drops of gratitude.
Wherefore! Ask of the bleak and biting wind,
The rivers, rocks and deserts left behind,
The rolling prairie's waste of moveless waves,
A path of pain, a trail of nameless graves;
The city fair where widowed loneliness
Weeps her lost children in the wilderness;
The river broad along whose icy bridge
Their bleeding feet red-hued each frozen ridge;
The Christian world that drove them forth to die
On barren wilds beneath a wintry sky.
Would e'en the coldest heart forbear to say
Good cause had gratitude to weep that day?
Or censure for a flow of manly tears
That brave-souled band, immortal Pioneers?
CHAPTER LVI.
THE PIONEERS ENTER THE VALLEY--EXPLORING AND COLONIZING--A RENEWAL OF
COVENANTS--SELECTION OF INHERITANCES--RETURN OF THE LEADERS TO WINTER
QUARTERS.
Heber and Brigham entered the Valley together, on the ever memorable
"Twenty-fourth," the day chosen by the Pioneers to celebrate their
advent into the chambers of the mountains. As a matter of fact,
however, Apostle Orson Pratt with Elder Erastus Snow and others, sent
on from Bear River ahead of the main company to break a road over the
mountains and through the canyons, had penetrated to and partly
explored the Valley three days before. Heber remained behind with the
President, who was ill, having contracted the mountain fever.
Arriving at the camp of Elder Pratt, they found that the brethren had
pitched their tents beside two small streams of pure water, and were
already engaged in ploughing and putting in crops. A shower of rain
fell that afternoon.
The next day being the Sabbath, the usual services were held and the
sacrament administered to the congregation. The speakers of the day
were George A. Smith, Heber C. Kimball, Ezra T. Benson, Wilford
Woodruff, Orson Pratt and Willard Richards. The main theme of the
discourses, naturally enough, was the "land of promise" in the
"mountains of Israel," unto which the God of Jacob had led the
vanguard of His covenant people.
The several days ensuing were passed in exploring the land and
planning future prospects.
"Monday July 26th," says Heber, "I rode out in company with President
Young and the Twelve, to visit some of the high hills which lie a
little north of here. We went on a high peak which President Young
named 'Ensign Peak,' and from thence had a very pleasing view of the
Valley, and a great portion of the Salt Lake. On returning, Elders
Richards, Benson and myself bathed in the Warm Springs. We found it
very pleasant and refreshing. Brother Mathews and John Brown have been
across the Valley to the mountain west, and say it is about sixteen
miles to the mountain, but there is no fresh water after leaving the
outlet."
Next day, Tuesday the 27th, Elder Amasa Lyman, who with others had
left the pioneer camp at Fort Laramie, to meet a detachment of the
Battalion at Pueblo and lead them on to the Valley, arrived in advance
of his company with Elders Rodney Badger, Roswell Stevens and Samuel
Brannan, the last named from California. Says Heber; "I rode out again
with President Young and some others to visit the Hot Springs, and
counsel on the matter of some of the soldiers of the Battalion
accompanying Brother Brannan to San Francisco. Some of the Utah
Indians visited the camp during the day and the brethren traded with
them. They appeared poor and barely clad. Some of the brethren have
been to the mountains to get a log for a skiff.
"Wednesday 28th: Yesterday after riding around a little, we started
for the Salt Lake and arrived in sufficient time to bathe in it. The
water is much saltier than sea water, and it is supposed it would
yield 35 per cent, of pure salt. This morning we started back to camp
and at 8 o'clock in the evening I attended a general meeting, when the
brethren were addressed by President Young on various subjects. We
have selected a place for a city about half a mile north of here, and
calculated to lay it off in ten-acre lots, each block to be divided
into 8 lots of 1 1/4 acres each, exclusive of the streets.
"Thursday 29th. This morning I went in company with President Young to
meet the soldiers and the Pueblo company. We met them in the canyon.
The brethren seemed highly pleased to see us. We got back to camp
about five o'clock.
"Friday 30th. This morning the Twelve met in council with the officers
of the Battalion. In the evening the soldiers were called together and
addressed by President Young. The meeting was opened by 'Hosannas,'
and closed by requesting the brethren to build a bowery to hold our
meetings under.
"Sunday, August 1st, Brother Markham says that there are already about
fifty-three acres of land plowed and most of it planted with corn,
beans, garden seeds, etc. There have been thirteen plows and three
drags at work nearly all the week. At ten o'clock we assembled for
meeting in the bowery. It was decided to build a stockade of adobies,
and adobie houses, and a number of men were selected to commence
making adobies to-morrow.
"We also took a vote to have all the wagons move up and form one camp
at the east end of the city."
The foregoing excerpts from Heber's journal will suffice to show the
nature of the initial labors of the pioneers in preparing a home for
themselves and their brethren and sisters who were to follow them.
A renewal of covenants now took place, the leaders setting the example
by being rebaptized. President Young baptized his brethren of the
Twelve who were present, confirmed them, and sealed upon them anew
their Apostleship. Heber C. Kimball then baptized and confirmed
President Young. This event took place on the sixth of August.
In the afternoon of the day following the Apostles selected their
inheritances, Heber C. Kimball taking a block north of the Temple,
President Young a block east and running south-east, Orson Pratt a
block south, Wilford Woodruff a block cornering the Temple block and
adjoining Elder Pratt's, George A. Smith a block on the west, and the
others lots in the near vicinity.
The same evening Heber baptized fifty-five members of the camp, in
City Creek, for the remission of their sins; and the next day, August
8th, the remainder of the camp renewed their covenants by baptism.
At a special conference on the 22nd of August, a stake of Zion was
organized, with Father John Smith as President. It was resolved that
the city then being built should be called the City of the Great Salt
Lake. The various creeks and canyons surrounding were also christened,
and, on motion of Heber C. Kimball, the river to the west of the
settlement was named the Western Jordan.
In the course of his remarks at this conference. Heber used the
following prophetic language: "Brother Brigham is going to be greater
than he was; he will be greater in strength, in beauty, and in glory.
Call upon God and we shall increase here. Away with the spirit of
alienation, and let us be united. This is a paradise to me. It is one
of the most lovely places I ever beheld."
Having now established their feet, spiritually and temporally, upon
this chosen land, the leaders and pioneers, with most of the returning
members of the Battalion, harnessed their teams, and bidding farewell
to their brethren and sisters who were to tarry, set out upon the
return journey to Winter Quarters.
Several companies were now upon the road under the captaincy of such
men as Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor, Edward Hunter, Daniel Spencer and
Jedediah M. Grant. On the 4th of September, President Young and his
company met Apostle P. P. Pratt and Captain Sessions, with their
divisions, on the Little Sandy. Here the quorum of the Twelve held a
council, and the President was under the necessity of rebuking two of
the Apostles "for undoing what the majority of the quorum had done in
the organization of the camps for traveling." Says President Woodruff
in his journal: "President Young said he felt eternity resting upon
him, and was weighed down to the earth with this work; and that
Brother Kimball felt it also, more than any other man except himself.
He should chastise any one of the quorum when out of the way. He had
done it for our good, and had been constrained to it by the power of
God.
"Brother Kimball then addressed President Young: 'I want you, Brother
Brigham,' he said, 'to save yourself, for you are wearing down. I feel
tender towards you, to live, and if I and my brethren do wrong, tell
us of it, and we will repent.'"
On the Sweetwater, they met Apostle Taylor and his company, and were
treated by them to a rich feast, prepared as a surprise to the
returning pioneers.
The Indians had now commenced to be troublesome, prowling around the
camps, stealing horses and cattle, and committing other petty
depredations. An exciting though bloodless affray took place between
them and the pioneers on the morning of the 21st of September. The
brethren were just getting ready to start, when the alarm was given by
the men who had been sent out to gather up the horses, that the
Indians were "rushing" them--driving them off. The camp flew to arms,
just in time to receive the onslaught of the savages, who, emerging
from the timbers and firing their guns, charged upon them at full
speed. There were at least two hundred mounted warriors. A return
volley from the pioneers broke the Indian charge, and the brethren
then gave chase, Heber C. Kimball and Wilford Woodruff leading the
counter charge with impetuous zeal. Dashing almost alone at the
swarming savages, the sight of their daring courage spread
consternation among their foes, who broke and fled incontinently.
The old chief who had directed the attack now shouted to his band and
proclaimed peace to the pioneers, telling them that he and his
warriors were good Sioux, and had mistaken them for Crows or Snakes,
with whom they were at war. The brethren thought it good policy to
accept the excuse, transparent though it was, and to appear satisfied
with the explanation. The chief proposed the smoking of the pipe of
peace with them, and wanted the "big chief of his Mormon brothers" to
go to his camp. This, however, was not deemed prudent, but Heber, Col.
Markham and Apostle Woodruff went instead, hoping thus to recover
their horses, eleven of which had been stolen that day, besides many
others on the Sweetwater.
Heber and his companions were kindly received by the Indians, who were
camped about five miles away, and smoked the pipe of peace with their
leading men. Seeing some of the stolen animals in camp, Heber walked
deliberately up to them, took their ropes out of the hands of the
astonished savages, and coolly returned with them, amid the grunts and
approving nods of his swarthy admirers. They named him "the
bald-headed chief." Says he:
"I saw quite a number of horses that were stolen from us on the
Sweetwater, but President Young suggested that we say nothing about
these for the present; but when we should get to Fort Laramie to offer
Mr. Bordeaux $100 to procure them for us; inasmuch as it was deemed
inexpedient to take them by force, numbering as they did some eight
hundred men, and their camp comprising upwards of one hundred lodges.
It was chiefly through my own exertions that we recovered the most of
the horses, and I verily believe that if I had had a few more men with
me of sufficient energy and resolution, while at their camp, I could
have secured all of the stolen horses."
It was President Young's wise policy to placate the Indians and win
their friendship, for the sake of future emigrations.
At Fort Laramie, President Young, Apostle Kimball and others of the
Twelve dined with Commodore Stockton, from the Bay of San Francisco,
who was eastward bound.
Continuing on their way, the pioneers and Battalion "boys" arrived in
safety at Winter Quarters on the 31st of October. Upon the joy of
their meeting with their families and with the Saints, we need not
dwell. They found that during their absence peace and prosperity had
generally prevailed.
CHAPTER LVII.
THE FIRST PRESIDENCY REORGANIZED--HEBER ATTAINS TO "THE HONOR OF THE
THREE"--SECOND JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS--SICKNESS AND DISTRESS--
HEBER'S CHARACTER AS A COLONIZER.
Another notable change in the eventful career of Heber C. Kimball. The
quorum of the First Presidency, which had remained vacant since the
death of Joseph, was now reorganized. Brigham Young, the chief Apostle
of the Twelve, was chosen President of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints in all the world, with Heber C. Kimball and Willard
Richards as his counselors.
The subject of the reorganization had been considered by the leaders
soon after their return to Winter Quarters from the Valley, but it was
not until the fifth of December that the matter assumed definite
shape. At a feast and council held on that day at the house of Elder
Orson Hyde, who had presided at Winter Quarters during the absence of
the pioneers, the question was presented to the Apostles by President
Young. Those present were then called upon, in their order, to express
their views in relation to the subject, when Heber C. Kimball, Orson
Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, Willard Richards, George A. Smith, Amasa
Lyman, and Ezra T. Benson spoke to the question. President Young
closed.
Orson Hyde then moved that Brigham Young be President of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that he nominate his two
counselors to form the First Presidency. Wilford Woodruff seconded the
motion, and it was carried unanimously.
President Young then nominated Heber C. Kimball as his first
counselor, and Willard Richards as his second counselor, and the
nominations were unanimously sustained.
This action of the Apostles in their council was sustained by the
Saints in general conference assembled, on the 27th of December, 1847.
The conference lasted four days and was attended by at least one
thousand people. It was held in the new log tabernacle at Winter
Quarters, a building erected especially for the purpose. The
reorganization of the Presidency was confirmed at the October
conference of the following year, in Great Salt Lake City.
Apropos of this event:--In a patriarchal blessing upon the head of
Heber C. Kimball, given by the Patriarch Hyrum Smith, at Nauvoo, on
the 9th of March, 1842, the following language occurs: "You shall be
blest with a fulness and shall be not one whit behind the chiefest; as
an Apostle you shall stand in the presence of God to judge the people;
and as a Prophet you shall attain to THE HONOR OF THE THREE!"
On the 24th of May, 1848, the First Presidency organized the main body
of the Saints on the Elk Horn, preparatory to the second journey to
the Rocky Mountains. The camp consisted of six hundred wagons, the
largest pioneer company that had yet set out to cross the plains.
Under Brigham and Heber they were led in safety to Zion's mountain
retreat, arriving in Salt Lake Valley in September, 1848.
The journey, however, was one of severe trial to President Kimball and
his family. His daughter Helen, who had married Horace K. Whitney,
eldest son of Bishop Whitney, had lost by death her first babe, a
daughter, in the Spring of '47, while her husband was absent with the
pioneers; and in the journey of '48, she lost her second born, a son,
whom she considered as a little martyr. So great was the sorrow of the
poor mother over this second calamity, that she was not only brought
to death's door, but her reason was for a time overthrown. Vilate
herself was prostrated by her daughter's deep distress, and it was
only by dint of Heber's mighty faith and powerful will, that either of
them were kept alive. Again and again he administered to the
sufferers, praying that God would spare their lives, and declaring in
prophetic words to them and the whole camp that they "should not die."
Thus it was, throughout the entire journey to the mountains. That
season of dire trouble Heber and his family ever after looked back
upon as one of the extraordinary trials of his life.
But it also brought out the noble qualities of Vilate's sister wives,
who daily administered strength and succor to the family. For Heber,
prior to this, and even before leaving Nauvoo, had taken many wives,
and like Abraham and Jacob of old, had become the head of a
patriarchal house-hold. His family, at this time, including his
adopted children and those dependent upon him for support, numbered
over one hundred souls.
The residue of Heber C. Kimball's history is confined to the land
which his wives and children now inhabit, and where much of it that
may never be written by mortal pen is cherished as precious memories
in the hearts of tens of thousands. From here on, we are more than
ever compelled to cull from a superabundant variety of incidents the
leading events of a life which now saw some of its best and busiest
days.
During the remaining two decades of his mortal existence, his history,
so inseparably interwoven with that of the great work to which he had
given all his energy and heart's devotion, is largely the history, for
the same period, of the development of this intermountain region.
Though leaning in his temperament to the spiritual, he was also by
nature a colonizer, with the elements of a great leader in his
composition. Next to those of Brigham Young, will the name and fame of
Heber C. Kimball live in the hearts of God's people and forever shine
in the annals of Latter-day Israel as one of the foremost of that
hardy and heroic band, who, under God, redeemed and beautified this
barren waste, "making its wilderness like Eden, and its desert like
the garden of the Lord."
CHAPTER LVIII.
THE CRICKET PLAGUE--SAVED BY THE GULLS--HEBER'S FAMOUS
PROPHECY--"STATES GOODS" SOLD IN GREAT SALT LAKE CITY CHEAPER THAN IN
NEW YORK.
Now came a series of trials differing from anything the Saints had yet
experienced. Indeed, it seemed as if they were fated to literally
"endure all things," and like the Master they served, the great
Captain of salvation, be "made perfect through suffering." Hitherto
they had been warred against by the powers of evil and their
fellow-men. Now their opponents were the blind forces of nature, and
creatures of another class.
The year 1848 was the year of the cricket plague. Myriads of these
destructive pests, an army of famine and despair, rolled in black
legions down the mountain sides and attacked the growing fields of
grain. The tender crops fell an easy prey to their fierce voracity.
They literally swept everything before them. Starvation with all its
terrors seemed staring the poor settlers in the face.
They were saved by a miracle. In the midst of the work of destruction,
when it seemed as if nothing could stay the devastation, great flocks
of gulls suddenly appeared filling the air with their white wings and
plaintive cries, and settled down upon the half ruined fields. At
first it seemed as though they came but to destroy what the crickets
had left. But their true purpose was soon apparent. They came to prey
upon the destroyers. All day long they gorged themselves, and, when
full, disgorged and feasted again; the white gulls upon the black
crickets, like hosts of heaven and hell contending, until the pests
were vanquished and the people were saved. The heaven-sent birds then
returned to the lake islands whence they came, leaving the grateful
people to shed tears of joy at the wonderful deliverance wrought out
for them.
[Illustration: Brigham Young]
Still there was a season of scarcity. The surplus of the first
harvests in the Valley had barely been sufficient to meet the wants of
the emigration, which had commenced pouring in from the frontiers and
from Europe; and now that the crickets had played such havoc with the
crops, there was danger, in spite of the interposition of the gulls,
of some suffering from hunger. This was only averted by the exercise
of the highest wisdom and broadest charity, and the partial observance
of the principle of the United Order, which the Saints had before
sought to introduce, and still have it in their mission to establish.
The people were put upon rations, all sharing the same, like members
of one great family. Many, however, in order to swell their scanty
store, went out and dug roots with the Indians, or cooked and ate the
hides of animals with which they had covered the roofs of their
houses.
It was during this time of famine, when the half starved, half-clad
settlers scarcely knew where to look for the next crust of bread or
for rags to hide their nakedness--for clothing had become almost as
scarce with them as bread-stuffs--that Heber C. Kimball, filled with
the spirit of prophecy, in a public meeting declared to the astonished
congregation that, within a short time, "States goods" would be sold
in the streets of Great Salt Lake City cheaper than in New York and
that the people should be abundantly supplied with food and clothing.
"I don't believe a word of it," said Charles C. Rich; and he but
voiced the sentiment of nine-tenths of those who had heard the
astounding declaration.
Heber himself was startled at his own words, as soon as the Spirit's
force had abated and the "natural man" had reasserted himself. On
resuming his seat, he remarked to the brethren that he was "afraid he
had missed it this time." But they were not his own words, and He who
had inspired them knew how to fulfill.
The occasion for the fulfillment of this remarkable prediction was the
unexpected advent of the gold-hunters, on their way to California. The
discovery of gold in that land had set on fire, as it were, the
civilized world, and hundreds of richly laden trains now began pouring
across the continent on their way to the new El dorado. Salt Lake
Valley became the resting-place, or "half-way house" of the nation,
and before the Saints had had time to recover from their surprise at
Heber's temerity in making such a prophecy, the still more wonderful
fulfillment was brought to their very doors. The gold-hunters were
actuated by but one desire; to reach the Pacific Coast; the thirst for
mammon having absorbed for the time all other sentiments and desires.
Impatient at their slow progress, in order to lighten their loads,
they threw away or "sold for a song" the valuable merchandise with
which they had stored their wagons to cross the Plains. Their choice,
blooded, though now jaded stock, they eagerly exchanged for the fresh
mules and horses of the pioneers, and bartered off, at almost any
sacrifice, dry goods, groceries, provisions, tools, clothing, etc.,
for the most primitive out-fits, with barely enough provisions to
enable them to reach their journey's end. Thus, as the Prophet Heber
had predicted, "States goods" were actually sold in the streets of
Great Salt Lake City cheaper than they could have been purchased in
the City of New York.
Referring to this incident, in a sermon, a few years later, Heber
says:
"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.
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 Assembly,
and, in September of the same year, a member of the Council of the
first session of the Legislative Assembly 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,
assisted 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 God, 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 assist
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 God 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 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. *
* * * * * *
"There are a few things I wanted to say. One is, TAKE CARE OF YOUR
GRAIN; for it is of more worth to you than gold and silver. I know you
will see harder times before another harvest than you have seen this
season. There is enough, and we need never want bread, but if we do
not take the right course we are _sure to see sorrow_, and THE
GREATEST YOU HAVE EVER SEEN."
Mark the stress laid upon the subject of storing up grain for a day of
famine. This theme forms almost the staple of President Kimball's
sermons for the next three years. With the eye of faith he saw the
famine afar off, and strove with all the power of his earnest and
prophetic nature to impress this fact upon the minds of his hearers,
that they might be prepared for the gaunt spectre's coming. But they
heeded him not, to any general extent, and in due time suffered the
consequences of their neglect.
A year later he touched on the subject of home manufactures:
"Will the time ever be that we can make our clothing? We nearly can at
this time. I would like to see the people take a course to make their
own clothing, make their own machinery, their own knives and their own
forks, and everything else we need, for the day will come when we will
be under the necessity of doing it, for trouble and perplexity, war
and famine, bloodshed and fire, and thunder and lightning will roll
upon the nations of the earth, insomuch that we cannot get to them,
nor they to us."
The next is a retrospective glimpse:
"I was one of the first, in connection with President Young, who came
to this valley when it was a desolate region, and we could not even
get a chart from Fremont nor from any other man, from which to learn
the course to this place. I was one who helped to pick out the road.
When we got to the upper ferry of Platte River, half of our company
had not a mouthful of bread. I recollect one day, I believe it was on
the Platte, Brother Brigham said to me, 'Brother Heber, what do you
think about it, do you think we shall go any further?' I knew he asked
this question to try me. I replied, I wanted to go the whole journey
and find some white sandstone and see what there was in the earth.
There never was a day when I would not go with him until we found a
location. I knew there was a place somewhere, though at times the
prospect appeared dreary. But here it was on high. It is the best
country I ever saw."
By this time the approach of the famine was beginning to be felt. In
the course of some remarks at a special conference in Provo, July
13th, 1855, President Kimball said:
"Perhaps many feel a little sober because our bread is cut off, but I
am glad of it, because it will be a warning to us, and teach us to lay
it up in future, as we have been told. How many times have you been
told to store up your wheat against the hard times that are coming
upon the nations of the earth? When we first came into these valleys
our President told us to lay up stores of all kinds of grain that the
earth might rest once in seven years. The earth is determined to rest,
and it is right that it should. It only requires a few grasshoppers to
make the earth rest, they can soon clear it. This is the seventh year;
did you ever think of it?"
Then came the famine, the second one in the history of the Saints, in
fulfillment of the warning words of their prophets and seers. It was
the famine of 1856.
CHAPTER LX.
THE FAMINE OF '56--HEBER A SECOND JOSEPH--A SAVIOR TO HIS PEOPLE--
VILATE A MINISTERING ANGEL--A STRANGE PIECE OF COUNSEL--PRESIDENT
KIMBALL'S LETTERS, DESCRIPTIVE OF THE FAMINE, TO HIS SON WILLIAM,
IN ENGLAND.
In this famine, which was likened unto the famine of Egypt, Heber C.
Kimball played a part like unto that of Joseph of old; feeding from
his own bins and storehouses, filled by his providence and foresight
in anticipation of the straitness of the times, the hungry
multitude--kindred, strangers and all--who looked to him for succor.
His own family were put upon short rations, to enable him to minister
more effectually to the wants of others.
He had taken his own counsel, and stored up grain for the famine he
had predicted, and when the time of scarcity came he had on hand
thousands of bushels of wheat, with bran and shorts, corn and barley
in abundance; all of which, however, was used before the next
harvest-time.
Several hundred bushels of wheat he lent to President Young, to help
feed those who were dependent on the President, while he himself
personally undertook to relieve hundreds of the poor of Salt Lake
City.
The following letter from Bishop John B. Maiben forms an interesting
link in the historic chain of that period:
"MANTI, SANPETE CO.,
"January 16th, 1877.
"_S. F. Kimball_,
"_Salt Lake City_,
"DEAR BROTHER:--In answer to your enquiries in
relation to the flour I distributed for your father, I will say:
"That during the early part of the year 1856, in what is known as
the "time of the famine," when a great many persons who in other
respects were esteemed well to do, were under the necessity of
eating thistle roots, sego roots and other wild plants for
sustenance of themselves and families, owing to the extreme
scarcity of breadstuff, there being none in the market at any
price; at this critical juncture President Heber C. Kimball, who
had by wise economy and prescient forethought garnered up a
quantity of surplus grain, requested my assistance to distribute
flour to the families of the Saints in small quantities adapted to
their number and necessity, charging them only $6.00 per 100 lbs,
then the standard Tithing Office price. Although there was no
flour in the market, still some individuals were selling at $25.
to $30. per 100 lbs. To the best of my recollection some 20,000 to
30,000 lbs. of flour were thus distributed in various amounts,
varying from five to fifty lbs., according to the size of the
family.
"This act of generosity and fatherly care on the part of the late
Heber C. Kimball was only in keeping with his general character as
a man of sterling integrity and a faithful steward before the Lord
to his fellow-men, and thus his memory is justly enshrined in the
hearts of the Saints, who fondly cherish the hope to enjoy his
society after a glorious resurrection.
"Yours Very Truly,
"J. B. MAIBEN."
Many are the acts of mercy and charity related of President Kimball
and his family, especially his noble and unselfish partner, Vilate,
during this time of sore distress. They kept an open house, and fed
from twenty-five to one hundred poor people at their table, daily,
besides making presents innumerable of bread, flour and other
necessaries, which were then literally worth their weight in gold.[A]
[Footnote A: While thus feeding the poor on the best that her larder
afforded, Vilate would send her own children into the fields to dig
roots (artichokes) which she would cook for them. This, with coarse
corn bread, while her guests were served with wheaten bread, potatoes
and boiled beef, was the frequent diet of the Kimball family during
the famine of "fifty-six."]
It was Vilate's chief delight to sally forth with a basket on her arm,
filled with nicely cooked edibles and little domestic comforts, and
seek out some poor, obscure person, in need of help, though perhaps
too proud or timid to make it known. She would often go to the houses
of such persons, on finding that they were away from home, and provide
for their needs in their absence, in order that they might meet a glad
surprise on their return, without knowing the good angel who had
visited them.
It is related that, during this famine, a brother, sorely in need of
bread, came to President Kimball for counsel how to procure it.
"Go and marry a wife," was Heber's terse reply, after relieving the
immediate wants of the applicant.
Thunderstruck at receiving such an answer at such a time, when he
could hardly provide food for himself, the man went his way, dazed and
bewildered, thinking that President Kimball must be out of his mind.
But the more he thought of the prophetic character and calling of the
one who had given him this strange advice, the less he felt like
ignoring it. Finally he resolved to obey counsel, let the consequences
be what they might. But where was the woman who would marry him? was
the next problem. Bethinking himself of a widow with several children,
who he thought might be induced to share her lot with him, he mustered
up courage, proposed and was accepted.
In that widow's house was laid up a six months' store of provisions!
Meeting President Kimball shortly afterwards, the now prosperous man
of family exclaimed:
"Well, Brother Heber, I followed your advice--"
"Yes," said the man of God, "and you found bread."
President Kimball's letters to his son William, who was then in
England, will fully tell the story of the famine, and also many of the
current events of that period:
"GREAT SALT LAKE CITY,
"February 29, 1856.
"TO MY DEAR SON WILLIAM, AND TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
"My family, with yours, are all in good health and spirits. I have
been under the necessity of rationing my family, and also yours,
to two-thirds of a pound of breadstuff per day each; as the last
week is up to-day, we shall commence on half a pound each--at the
same time they all begin to look better and fatter, and more
ruddy, like the English. This I am under the necessity of doing.
Brother Brigham told me to-day that he had put his family on half
a pound each, for there is scarcely any grain in the country, and
there are thousands that have none at all scarcely. We do this for
the purpose of feeding hundreds that have none.
"My family at this time consists of about one hundred souls, and I
suppose that I feed about as many as one hundred besides.
"My mill has not brought me in, for the last seven months, over
one bushel of toll per day, in consequence of the dry weather, and
the water being frozen up--which would not pay my miller. When
this drought came on, I had about seven hundred bushels of wheat,
and it is now reduced to about one hundred and twenty-five
bushels, and I have only about twenty-five bushels of corn, which
will not provide for my own family until harvest. Heber has been
to the mill to-day, and has brought down some unbolted flour, and
we shall be under the necessity of eating the bran along with the
flour, and shall think ourselves doing well with half a pound a
day at that. * * * We have some meat and perhaps about seventy
bushels of potatoes, also a very few beets and carrots; so you can
judge whether or not we can get through until harvest without
digging roots; still we are altogether better off than the most of
the people in these valleys of the mountains. There are several
wards in this city who have not over two weeks' provisions on
hand.
"I went into the tithing office with Brother Hill and examined it
from top to bottom, and, taking all the wheat, corn, buckwheat and
oats, there were not to exceed five hundred bushels, which is all
the public works have, or expect to have, and the works are pretty
much abandoned, the men having been all turned off, except about
fifteen who are at work on Brother Brigham's house and making some
seed drills for grain, as we will be obliged to put in our grain
by drilling, on account of the scarcity, which probably will not
take over one-third of the grain it would to sow broadcast.
"We shall probably not do anything on the public works until
another harvest. The mechanics of every class have all been
counseled to abandon their pursuits and go to raising grain. This
we are literally compelled to do, out of necessity. Moreover,
there is not a settlement in the Territory but is also in the same
fix that we are. Some settlements can go two months, some three,
some can, probably, at the rate of half a pound per day, till
harvest. Hon. A. W. Babbitt even went to Brother Hyde's provision
store the other day, and begged to get twenty or twenty-five
pounds of flour, but could not. This I was told by William Price
who is the salesman of the store. Money will not buy flour or
meal, only at a few places, and but very little at that. I can
assure you that I am harrassed constantly; I sell none for money
but let it go where people are truly destitute. Dollars and cents
do not count now, in these times, for they are the tightest that I
have ever seen in the Territory of Utah. You and your brethren
can judge a little by this. As one of the old Prophets said,
anciently, 'as with the people so with the Priest,' we all take it
together.
"Some of the people drop many big tears, but if they cannot learn
wisdom by precept, nor by example, they must learn it by what they
suffer.
"Now is the time for us to be like unto Joseph of old--lay up
stores for ourselves, and our children; and thousands, and
hundreds of thousands from the old world, the United States, and
North and South America will flee to this place to get down by the
side of Joseph's cribs, and granaries, and storehouses, to get
that which will sustain life from "these poor deluded creatures"
that they drove from the United States, and were not willing that
they should have shelter in the land of their birth, and the
privilege of worshiping our God and our Father who organized and
prepared this earth for His children, and those who would keep His
commandments; and killed our Prophet, our Patriarch, and Apostles,
and hundreds of others and thousands of men, women, and children,
the widows and fatherless, who died on the plains in consequence
of their oppression. Will they receive the rod in consequence of
this? Yes, I can say in truth, in the name of Israel's God, they
shall receive fourfold pressed down. I can say in my heart, I wish
to God this people would all listen to counsel, and do at the
start as they are told, and move as one man, and be one. If this
were the case, our enemies would never have any more power over
us, our granaries never would be empty, nor would we see sorrow.
There is not a good, wise, humble Saint that is filled with the
elements of eternal lives, but what knows that this is true as
well as myself. * * * * * *
"Now, as to my own stock--cattle, horses and sheep. My sheep are
on Antelope Island. Peter Hanson is with them, and Joseph Toronto
is with Brother Brigham's, five miles beyond. Some portions of the
Island are covered with snow nearly three feet deep. The sheep
range on the tops of the mountains where the wind has blown off
the snow, and they do first rate. My cattle, sixty head of them,
were put in Cache valley with the church cattle, and those of
other individuals, numbering about two thousand five hundred head,
with some forty or fifty horses, some six or eight of which were
mine. When the snow fell in that valley about ten inches deep,
the fatter portion of the cattle broke and came over into Box
Elder and Weber valleys, and scattered hither and thither. It is
supposed that one-half of those two thousand five hundred head are
dead. Whether mine are all dead I know not. My John horse fled
out of that valley down on the Weber and died. Old Jim, Elk, Kit
and Kurley remained in Cache valley, and they were with about
forty head of other horses when last seen, but they have not been
heard of for a considerable time, and whether living or dead we
know not. The snow is about waist deep in that valley. Week before
last, Heber and some other boys started to go there, but when they
got to the divide between that valley and Box Elder, the snow was
about twelve feet deep, and they were obliged to return. Heber
found the Lize mare and your two mules on the Weber, and brought
them home. They were so poor that they almost staggered.
"The Carr boys have lost most all of their cattle, as they were in
Cache valley. Old Daddy Stump went there also, and most of his
died. Brother Shurtliff had some ninety cows of Brother
Brigham's, and he says that they are all dead except ten or a
dozen. Brothers Hooper and Williams told me that they had lost
about seven hundred head. Mr. Kerr, a Gentile, told me that he
had six or seven hundred head, and they were all dead. Messrs.
Gilbert and Gerrish had about as many, and they are all dead, as
are also Livingston and Bell's, and, from the accounts from all
the brethren north of this place, we learn that they have lost
half of their stock, and this destruction seems to be more or less
throughout the Territory, and many cattle and horses are dying in
the city There may be more or less of these cattle living, but
they are scattered from the Malad to this place. There are some
forty head of cattle on the Island, probably living.
"Some of the Indians have killed some cattle in Utah Valley. Judge
Drummond, being there, issued a writ for them. T---- J---- had
the writ, and summoned a posse, without consulting Brother
Brigham, and, anxious to obtain a few dimes from Uncle Sam, went
over to Cedar Valley, and came to the lodge where the Indians
were. Battest drew his rifle upon George Parish, who warded it
off on firing, and one of the brethren drew a revolver, and shot
Battest through the head, and he fell dead. In a very short time
after this three of our brethren were found dead; one of their
names was Carson. They were herd boys. Brother Hunsaker's son
has never been found yet--supposed to be dead. Last evening we
received news that two more of the brethren were dead, and one
mortally wounded, and that the horses were taken from the company
who were going to get back some of the cattle from the Indians. It
happened in the cedars, between Rush and Cedar valleys, the
brethren not expecting any Indians were anywhere about.
"The more reckless portion of the Indians have gathered together,
and taken something over one hundred head of cattle and horses,
and the last we heard, they were making their way toward the
Sevier, taking the west side of the mountains, on the borders of
the desert. General Wells has issued orders to Gen. Cownover to
raise men and pursue them, and take away the cattle from them. We
have received no news as yet from this company. This difficulty
has arisen from our Judges, Kinney and Drummond, and some of our
foolish brethren who are ready to run at their nod.
"There have been courts in session here for weeks and weeks, and I
suppose that one hundred and fifty or two hundred of the brethren
have been hanging around, with the council house filled to the
brim. This scenery continuing for a long time, one day Brother
Brigham sent Thomas Bullock to take their names, for the purpose
of giving them missions, if they had not anything to do of any
more importance. So Brother Brigham counseled me to make a
selection--for Los Vegas some thirty, who are ordered to sell
their possessions and go with their families as soon as the
weather will permit, for the purpose of going down on to the Rio
Virgin to raise cotton; Another company of forty-eight to go to
Green River to strengthen up that settlement, make farms, build
mills, etc., and some thirty-five or forty to go north to Salmon
River, where Thomas J. Smith is, to strengthen up that post; some
thirty to go to Carson Valley to strengthen that post; some thirty
to go into the lead business near the Los Vegas; and eight to go
to the East Indies. There are eighteen called to Europe, and seven
to Australia.
"We left Fillmore on the day of the adjournment of the
Legislature, which took place at five o'clock A. M. We got home in
about four days.
"The Deseret Dramatic Association are now performing on the
evenings of Wednesdays and Saturdays; "She stoops to Conquer"
comes off for the second time to-morrow night. A benefit to
Bernard Snow is to be given on Monday night, when will be played,
'Virginius.'
"Brother Smoot has made a selection of one hundred men,
principally young men, to go back with ox teams to fetch on the
Church goods that lie in Missouri and St. Louis, if there are
cattle enough left alive to do so. Your brother David, Brigham
Young, Jr., and George Grant's son George, will go with them.
"Heber and Phoebe are living with Ruth and Christeen. Heber is a
very steady, good boy, and takes a great burden from my shoulders,
by waiting on the family and seeing to things.
"You can say to the brethren that I see their wives occasionally
at the public places. They are all well so far as I know; I have
all I can do and no time to visit. Say to all the brethren that
they are most kindly remembered by me. I would be glad to write to
them all.
"This letter is for the benefit of all, as it gives the general
news. We shall expect to see you home next season, as Brother
Brigham has sent word, which you will get before you get this.
"God bless Brother Franklin, Brother Spencer, yourself, with all
the rest of the brethren. Your dear mother is sitting beside me
and wishes to be remembered kindly to her son William.
"Brother Brigham and all the brethren are well and would say, if
they were present, Amen.
"From your father in the gospel of your Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ, to his son, William H. Kimball.
"HEBER C. KIMBALL."
The story is continued in his letter of a later date, as follows:
"GREAT SALT LAKE CITY,
"April 13th, 1856.
"My Son William:
"We have not received a line from you or Daniel since August 19th,
and all the news that we have received was from a business letter
that came from Franklin, by the last southern mail. * * * * *
"As to matters at home, things are going on in peace, with the
exception of the disturbances with some of the Utes. They have
killed eight of our brethren in Utah, and drove away many cattle
and horses.
"The times are said to be more close this season than they have
ever been in the valleys; and this is universal through all the
settlements. There are not more than one-half of the people that
have bread, and they have not more than one-half or one-quarter of
a pound a day to a person. A great portion of the people are
digging roots, and hundreds and thousands, their teams being dead,
are under the necessity of spading their ground to put in their
grain. There is a pretty universal break with our merchants, as
there is no one to buy their goods, and their stock are mostly
dead. My family, with yours, have only one-half a pound of
bread-stuff to a person, a day. We have vegetables and a little
meat. We are doing first rate, and have no cause but to be very
thankful; still I feed hundreds of others, a little, or they must
suffer. Brother Brigham, myself, and others have been crying unto
this people for more than three years, to lay up their grain for a
time when they would have much need of it. My family, with yours,
I can say with propriety, look more healthy, and fair, and rugged,
and athletic, than they did when they had plenty to eat. * *
"I shall be very glad when you return home to take a little of my
burden off my shoulders, for it has been extremely hard for me and
your mother to calculate, devise and administer to near one
hundred that are dependent on us, besides hundreds of others that
are teasing us constantly for something to eat; still your father
has got a spirit in him that is like an old lion, that endures by
the help of the Almighty; but your mother is very sympathetic, and
it gives her much sorrow, not because your children and mine cry
for bread, but because of others. There was no need of my
rationing my family, but I did it for the sake of keeping hundreds
of others alive. I foresaw these times more than three years ago,
and prepared myself, more or less, for it.
* * * * * *
"This people have been told to build forts around their cities,
and gather up together and be one, and to build store-houses and
lay up grain to last seven years, and hundreds of other things.
Have they done it? No. What is the consequence? Eight more of our
brethren slain! No bread! No clothing except what we buy of the
ungodly, when they are universally taught to make their clothing,
so that we may be independent of any of the nations; for the
connection between us and the world will be closed, in a measure.
This you and your brethren in the old world can see through a
glass clearly, not darkly. War, death, desolation of nations,
famine and desolating sickness, are becoming prevalent throughout
the old world, and in the United States it will be more so, and
that soon, and they (the United States) will have all they can do
to attend to their own concerns at home, without troubling
themselves about the Mormons.
"At our April conference there were about three hundred
missionaries selected for different missions; some thirty or forty
to go to Europe and the United States, and about one hundred to
Carson Valley, to try to sustain that place; a large company to
Green River, another to Los Vegas and another to Salmon River. All
business is given up for the present on the public works. Not much
of any building is going on in the city, as all mechanics are
advised to go to tilling the earth. The majority of the people
feel well; your mother's health is rather poor, still she is
about. I see Mary and Melissa and the children every day. Helen,
your sister, has just come in with the little Vilate--well, Heber,
David and all the boys, with all the family, are well, and say,
'Give my kind love to brother William, and all the faithful
Elders.' I am still continuing my own improvements, making good
rock fence and setting out many fruit trees.
"Now I will come to a close by saying, God bless you and Franklin,
Daniel and all in that land, and all that believe on your words.
Even so, amen.
"HEBER C. KIMBALL."
And thus did this father in Israel not only give to the people the
word of the Lord in time for a general provision against the day of
famine, but when it came, his patriarchal care and benevolence were
the means of preserving many from absolute want, and some perhaps from
starvation.
CHAPTER LXI.
THE HAND-CART EMIGRATION--PERISHING IN THE SNOW--HEROIC CONDUCT OF
WILLIAM H. AND DAVID P. KIMBALL--PRESIDENT KIMBALL'S PLEA AND
EXERTIONS IN BEHALF OF THE SUFFERERS--THE UTAH WAR--THE GREAT
REBELLION.
The year 1856 witnessed another calamity, upon the harrowing details
of which it would indeed be painful to dwell. It was the year of the
famous hand-cart emigration, in which several hundred souls, overtaken
by winter on the plains, perished in the snows and from starvation.
On hearing of the situation of these poor emigrants, the most
strenuous efforts were made by the authorities and the people in the
Valley to rescue them from their terrible fate. Presidents Young,
Kimball and others despatched all their teams, loaded with bedding and
provisions, to the relief of the sufferers, and prayers in public and
in private were offered up throughout the entire Territory for the
deliverance of the unfortunate companies from the destruction
impending over them.
Among those sent out to meet the hand-carts, were two of the sons of
President Kimball, William H. and David P., the former of whom had
just arrived home from England; also Joseph A. Young, George W. Grant
and others. These brave men by their heroism--for it was at the peril
of their own lives that they thus braved the wintry storms on the
plains--immortalized themselves, and won the undying gratitude of
hundreds who were undoubtedly saved by their timely action from
perishing.
David P. Kimball, George W. Grant and C. Allen Huntington carried
upwards of five hundred of these emigrants on their backs across the
Sweetwater, breaking the thin ice of the frozen river before them, as
they waded from shore to shore. The effects of the severe colds then
contracted by these brethren, remained with them, and finally conduced
to the death of the two former, while the survivor, Brother
Huntington, is a sufferer from the same cause to this day.
The situation and sufferings of the emigrants were the main theme of
the Tabernacle discourses at the time. President Kimball thus refers
to them on the 2nd of November of that fatal year:
"Some find fault with and blame Brother Brigham and his council,
because of the sufferings they have heard that our brethren are
enduring on the plains. * * But let me tell you most emphatically that
if all who were entrusted with the care and management of this year's
immigration had done as they were counseled and dictated by the First
Presidency of this Church, the sufferings and hardships now endured by
the companies on their way here would have been avoided. Why? Because
they would have left the Missouri river in season, and not have been
hindered until into September. * * Our brethren and sisters on the
plains are in my mind all the time, and Brother Brigham has given, to
those who wish it, the privilege of going back to help bring them in.
If I do not go myself I will send a team, though I have already sent
back nearly all my teams, and so has Brother Brigham. Those who have
gone back never will be sorry for or regret having done so. If
brothers Joseph A. Young, my son William H., George D. Grant, and my
son David P. had not gone to the assistance of those now on the plains
I should always have regretted it. If they die during the trip, they
will die while endeavoring to save their brethren; and who has greater
love than he that lays down his life for his friends?"
"Were I in the situation of some of you, I would not sleep another
night before starting to the assistance of the people that are now
struggling through the snow. * * As Brother Brigham has said, I would
rather be helping in those on the plains than be here, if
circumstances and duty would permit. We offered our offering and
started to go but the Lord ordered it otherwise and we came home. But
we have done a better work than if we had gone. * * There would have
been no general stir in behalf of our brethren on the plains; but
scores and hundreds have now gone to meet them, and they have had good
weather so far, have they not?"
The last of the hand-cart companies, the fifth one of the season,
commanded by Edward Martin, arrived in Salt Lake City about the 1st of
December. They had numbered nearly six hundred souls at starting, but
lost over one-fourth of their number by death.
Let the curtain fall over the tragic scene.
During the exciting period of the "Utah War," the subject of which,
treated at length, would cover the four years from 1857 to 1861, the
time of the sojourn of "Johnston's army" in the valley, Heber was one
with Brigham in the bold yet patriotic stand taken by Zion's leader in
repelling the hostile invasion. We need not dwell upon the oft-told
tale. President Kimball was a man of peace, and not of war, and,
though not lacking in courage, preferred to battle with error and the
powers of evil, than with his fellow-men.
In the spring of 1858, when the Saints, to the number of 30,000,
abandoned their homes at the approach of the army, President Kimball
accompanied the exodus of his people south as far as Provo, whence he
returned, after peace was assured, to his home in Salt Lake City early
in July. The soldiers had marched quietly through the deserted city,
crossed the Jordan, and camped at Cedar Valley, forty miles
south-west, opposite the town of Lehi, where they founded Camp Floyd,
afterwards renamed Fort Crittenden, and occupied it until the autum of
1861, when the troops were withdrawn to take part in the war of the
Great Rebellion.[A]
[Footnote A: General A. S. Johnston, who led this army to Utah, fell
at the battle of Shiloh, April 6th, 1862, fighting on the side of the
Confederacy. He was a brave and brilliant soldier, and one of the
recognized great generals of the war.]
Apropos of the war:--In an old memorandum book belonging to President
Kimball, in which he sometimes noted down his thoughts, appears the
following:
"GREAT SALT LAKE CITY,
"March 27th, 1859.
"The word of the Lord to me, Heber C. Kimball. At 9 o'clock in the
evening the Lord said to me that division would take place between the
north and south within six years, and much blood would be spilt, and I
should live to see it."
CHAPTER LXII.
SOME OF HEBER'S FAMILY HISTORY--A PATRIARCHAL HOUSEHOLD--NAMES OF HIS
WIVES AND CHILDREN--EPISODE OF ABRAM A. KIMBALL--PETER, THE CHILD OF
PROMISE--HEBER AT FAMILY PRAYERS--DAVID H. KIMBALL'S STORY--HEBER P.
AND SOLOMON F. KIMBALL IN THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
A few leaves from President Kimball's domestic life will now be in
order. His was one of the most interesting, as likewise one of the
most numerous families in the Church. Like the patriarchs and prophets
of old, whose example he religiously followed, he was the husband of
many wives and the head of a multitudinous posterity.
Moreover, it is safe to say that no family in Israel, in its domestic
relations, better exemplified the true nature and purpose of the
polygamic principle, than the family of Heber C. Kimball.
That much of this was due to his wise government and upright example,
none who knew him will doubt, but that it was also largely the result
of the nobility of character displayed by the true and faithful women
who honored him as husband, father and friend, there is as little room
for question. We can only regret that circumstances uncontrollable
prevent our dwelling in detail upon their heroic lives and virtues.
Only here and there an incident, by modesty reluctantly supplied, has
been furnished in response to solicitation for the purposes of this
work.
We are enabled, however, to present in this chapter a complete list of
the members of Heber's family, the names of the wives and children
which God had given him, with whatever incidents relating to them that
have come into the author's possession.
Reference has already been made to the fact that, before leaving
Nauvoo, Heber, like many of his brethren, had entered upon his career
as a polygamic patriarch. The story of Sarah Noon, his second wife,
has been partly told in a former chapter. The other wives we cannot
name in their order, but will speak of them in proceeding as the
course of our narrative suggests.
VILATE MURRAY,*[A] Heber's first wife, was the mother of ten children.
Their names are as follows:
[Footnote A: The star attached to names in this chapter signifies
deceased.]
Judith Marvin,*
William Henry,
Helen Mar,
Roswell Heber,*
Heber Parley,*
David Patten,*
Charles Spaulding,
Brigham Willard,*
Solomon Farnham,
Murray Gould.*
Heber's children by Sarah Noon were:
Adelbert Henry,*
Sarah Helen,*
Heber.*
Sarah, it will be remembered, was a widow with two little daughters
when he married her. The names of these children were Betsy and
Harriet Noon.
After the death of the Prophet Joseph, who had also taken many wives,
most of his widows were married, for time, to Brigham, Heber and
others of the martyr's brethren. The wives of the Prophet who wedded
Heber C. Kimball were Sarah Ann Whitney,* eldest daughter of Bishop N.
K. Whitney; Lucy Walker, Prescindia Huntington, Sarah Lawrence, Mary
Houston, Martha McBride.+[A] Sylvia P. Sessions,* Nancy Maria Smith+
and Sarah Scott.+
[Footnote A: Names marked thus, whether living or dead, unknown.]
The children of the first-named are as follows:
David,* } died in infancy
David O.,* } died in infancy
David Heber,
Newel Whitney,
Horace Heber,
Maria,
Joshua,
Newel has fulfilled a mission to the Southern States, and is now an
acting Bishop of the Church in Logan, Cache County, Utah.
Heber's wife Lucy bore to him:--
Rachel Sylvia,*
John H.,
Willard H.,*
Lydia H.,
Anna S.,
Eliza,
Washington,
Franklin H.*
It is related that during the illness of the boy Willard, who died in
infancy, his father and another Elder were administering to him, when
the latter began to promise life, a speedy recovery, etc., to the
little sufferer. In the midst of it Heber, seized with a sudden
inspiration, cried: "Hold!" The Elder paused, they took their hands
from off the child's head, and he died in a few minutes.
"AUNT PRESCINDIA," who is a notable woman in Israel, with an unwritten
history of great interest, is the mother of two children by Heber,
namely:
Prescindia Celestia,*
Joseph.
The latter is the Bishop of Meadowville, Rich County, Utah, and has
been a member of the Territorial Legislature.
The other widows of the Prophet who married Heber, had no children by
him.
Among his wives when he came out of Nauvoo, were Clarissa and Emily
Cutler, sisters, both the daughters of Alpheus Cutler, who left the
Church while at Winter Quarters. When the Saints removed to the Rocky
Mountains, Clarissa and Emily remained with their father, each with an
infant son in arms. Clarissa's child was named Abram A., and Emily's,
Isaac A. Feeling impressed that their mothers would never come to the
mountains, Heber, on leaving them to go west with the pioneers,
blessed his little sons and, while his hands were upon Abram's head,
prophesied that he would some day come to the home of his people, and
would afterwards return for his brother Isaac.
There was a fatality in his father's words, as usual.
Fifteen years later, the mothers of both boys being dead, Abram came
to Utah and joined the Church. He was baptized by Enoch Reese, under
his father's direction. On returning to the house after his baptism,
his father confirmed him, ordained him an Elder and set him apart for
a mission to the states, to go and bring his brother to Utah, thus
resealing the blessing bestowed upon him in his childhood. Abram
fulfilled his mission and returned, bringing his brother with him.
Isaac also was baptized, and he and Abram afterwards went upon
missions to Great Britain. The latter is now Bishop of Kanosh, Millard
County, Utah.
Another incident of a prophetic nature may here be noted. One of
Heber's wives, Mary Ellen Abel, or "Aunt Mary Ellen" as she is
familiarly known, had lived with him for fourteen years and no child
had blessed their union. Her husband prophesied that she should bear a
son, and his name should be Peter. In due time the son was born and
named, but was not destined to live to grow to manhood. This was her
only child.
RUTH REESE, another of Heber's wives, was the mother of:--
Susannah R.,*
Jacob R.,*
Enoch H.*
In memory we yet can hear the well-known voice of Grandfather Kimball,
calling to his sons in stentorian tones: "Abraham! Isaac! Jacob! Come
in to prayers!" For these names, with many others of Scriptural
origin, were all included in his family nomenclature.
CHRISTEEN GOLDEN, who, with many others, was married to him in Nauvoo,
was the mother of:--
Cornelia C.,*
Jonathan Golden,
Elias Smith,
May Margaret.
Jonathan and Elias both have been on missions to the Southern States.
The former is president of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement
Associations of Bear Lake Stake. Elias was a member of the house
branch of the Utah Legislature during its twenty-eighth session,
January, 1888.
The Gheen sisters, Anna* and Amanda were likewise among his "honorable
women." The issue of the first marriage was as follows:--
Samuel H.,
Daniel H.,
Andrew H., } twins.
Alice, } twins.
Sarah.
Andrew fulfilled a long and faithful mission to the Indian Territory
in 1885-6-7, and is still recognized as the president of that mission.
He is the present administrator of the Kimball estate.
AMANDA'S children are:
William G.,
Albert H.,
Jeremiah,*
Moroni.
"Jerry" was accidentally killed by falling from a railway train,
between Fort Scott and Camas, Kansas, on the night of May 25th, 1887,
while on his way to Europe to fulfill a mission.
The sisters Harriet and Ellen Sanders next occur to mind. The latter
has already been mentioned as one of the three women who accompanied
the pioneers from Winter Quarters to the Rocky Mountains in 1847.
HARRIET'S offspring:--
Harriet,*
Hyrum H.,
Eugene.
(Hyrum fulfilled an honorable mission to the Southern States.)
ELLEN'S:--
Samuel,*
Joseph S,* } twins.
Augusta,* } twins.
Jedediah,
Rosalia.
FRANCES SWAN,* one of Heber's wives who left him, was the mother of
one child, a daughter named for herself.
Heber also married Martha Knight,+ by whom he had one child, a son;
name unknown.
One of his last wives was Mary Smithies,* the same whom, in her
infancy, in a far-off land, he had blessed and promised that she
should live to become "a mother in Israel." Her children are:--
Melvina,
James,*
Wilford,
Lorenzo,
Abbie.
In the foregoing lists we have classed together the wives who were the
mothers of his children. Besides these there were many others, most of
them aged ladies and widows whom he merely supported, without living
with them. Following is a list of their names:--
Mary Fielding Smith,*[A]
[Footnote A: Widow of Hyrum Smith, sealed to Heber for time.]
Margaret McMinn,*
Hannah Moon,*
Dorothy Moon,
Adelia Wilcox,
Huldah Barnes,
Eliza Cravath,
Mary Ann Shefflin,*
Charlotte Chase,
Theresa Morley,*
Ruth L. Pierce,
Maria Winchester,*
Laura Pitkin,*
Abigail Pitkin,*
Ruth Wellington,*
Abigail Buchanan,*
Sophronia Harmon,*
Sarah Stiles.+
Elizabeth Hereford,+
Rebecca Williams,+
Sarah Buckwater.+
Mary Dull.+
Thus it will be seen that Heber C. Kimball was the husband of
forty-five wives,[A] and the father of sixty-five children. Truly a
patriarchal household.
[Footnote A: At the funeral of his wife Vilate, Heber, pointing to the
coffin, said: "There lies a woman who has given me forty-four wives."]
It may well be surmised that the government and support of a family of
such dimensions were no small tax upon the wisdom, patience and
provident care of even the wisest and most opulent. Forever banished
be the thought--aspersion upon reason and consistency as it is--that
self-seeking, ease-desiring human nature would take upon itself such
burdens and responsibilities from any motive less honorable and pure
than that which Mormonism maintains is the true one. Luxury and lust
go frequently hand in hand; licentiousness and honest toil but rarely.
Heber C. Kimball was a man of industry, a man of virtue, of
self-denial, who would sooner have thought of severing his right hand
from his body, than to have cherished an unchaste sentiment, or
sacrificed a principle to sin or selfish ease. He was often heard to
declare that the plural order of marriage, with its manifold cares and
perplexities, had cost him "bushels of tears."
Yet his was an exemplary family--as much so as any in all Israel,
polygamous or otherwise. His wives loved each other as sisters, and
dwelt together in peace and unity; while his children, especially the
males, sons of various mothers, clung together with an affection all
but clannish in its intensity. Woe betide the luckless wight, who,
even in childhood's days, imposed upon a "Kimball boy." The whole
family of urchins would resent the insult, and that, too, with
pluckiness surpassing even their numbers.
Family prayer was an institution in the Kimball household. Morning and
evening the members were called in to surround the family altar and
offer up praise and petitions to the Throne of Grace. It is a common
remark to this day that such prayers are seldom heard as were wont to
issue from the heart and lips of Heber C. Kimball. Reverence for Deity
was one of the cardinal qualities of his nature. Nevertheless, it was
noticeable that the God to whom he prayed was a being "near at hand
and not afar off." He worshiped not as "a worm of the dust,"
hypocritically meek and lowly, or as one conscious of naught but the
meanness of his nature, and the absence of merit in his cause. But in
a spirit truly humble, confessing his sins, yet knowing something of
the nobility of his soul, he talked with God "as one man talketh with
another;" and often with the ease and familiarity of an old-time
friend.
On one occasion, while offering up an earnest appeal in behalf of
certain of his fellow-creatures, he startled the kneeling circle by
bursting into a loud laugh in the very midst of his prayer. Quickly
regaining his composure and solemn address, he remarked,
apologetically: "Lord, it makes me laugh to pray about some people."
Heber loved his children, and was justly proud of his numerous and
noble posterity. If at times he appeared stern, and was severe in his
correction, it was not that he loved them less, but their welfare and
salvation more. He made no compromise with sin, but nipped it in the
bud, though the soil wherein it grew were the hearts of his dearest
friends and relations. His greatest desire for his family was that
they should be humble, virtuous and God-fearing. The riches, fashions,
and even culture of the world were as nothing in his eyes, compared
with honesty, morality and the treasures of eternal truth.
Nor was he morose and sullen, because thus sober-minded and religious.
Mingling with his deeply earnest, profoundly solemn nature was a keen
sense of humor, a continuous play of mirth, like sunlight gilding the
edges of a cloud.
One day (it was July 23rd, 1864, and a grand celebration of Pioneer
day was on the tapis) he drove down to the shop of James Lawson the
blacksmith, to have some repairing done to his carriage, a long
vehicle with seats on either side. He had about fifteen of his boys in
the carriage, all urchins ranging from ten to thirteen years.
"James," said he, with a merry twinkle in his eye, "I have no shoes
for these boys, and I'm going to have them out in the procession
to-morrow in this carriage, so that their feet can't be seen."
Then, with a proud glance at his youthful progeny, he added: "There is
a load of Elders; I have ordained them all myself."
He often took his children into his confidence, giving them practical
lessons in the virtues he desired them to cultivate. His son David H.
relates the following:
"One day President Young made a call upon father for $1,000., for some
public purpose, and not having the ready cash, he was at a loss to
know where to get it. At his suggestion we went down in the garden and
bowed ourselves in prayer, father calling upon the Lord to direct him
in the matter. We then arose and started down the street, and he
remarked that the Lord would answer our prayer and direct him aright.
When even with Godbe's corner, William Godbe came out of his store and
told him that, in looking through his safe, he had come across about
$1,000 in gold-dust, belonging to him, which his son Heber P. had left
there for him some time before, though father until then knew nothing
about it."
In the Spring of 1866 his son, Col. H. P. Kimball, was called into
southern Utah at the head of a company of minute men, to aid in
subduing the Indians in the Black Hawk War. His son David P. was also
called, but having just returned from a mission to England, with his
brother Charles, he was honorably released, and his younger brother,
Solomon, sent in his stead. The evening before they started, Heber
called their mother, Vilate, and her children into his room, and spent
several hours with them, giving them much good counsel and explaining
to them the relationship of the Lamanites, as a branch of the house of
Israel, with the latter-day work, and the important part they were
destined to play in this dispensation. He then blessed Heber and
Solomon, and promised them in the name of the Lord that they should
not see an Indian while they were gone.
This promise, though meant for their welfare, and, it may be added,
for the welfare of the Lamanites as well, was quite a disappointment
to the two brothers, who were anxious, not only to see the Indians,
but to have a "brush" with them. Solomon had often heard of a fight
which his brother William and others had had with the red men in
Battle Creek Canyon, some years before, in which William had the horn
of his saddle punctured by a bullet while ascending the ravine, thus
narrowly escaping being wounded or killed. Solomon had seen the
saddle, which had a romantic charm for him, and he now wanted to see
the Indians. The remainder of the story we will give in his own words:
"We were gone ninety days and rode hundreds of miles, following the
tracks of different bands of hostile Indians, and were close upon them
a great many times. They were attacking settlements all around us,
killing the settlers and driving off stock. At one time, after the
Indians had made a raid on Round Valley (Scipio) killing one man and
running off five hundred head of stock, Col. Kimball left a part of
his command at Thistle Valley to hold the fort at that place, while he
went to intercept the Indians on the Sevier River. We had gone but a
few hours, when the Indians made a raid on the fort at Thistle Valley,
running off all their horses, killing one of the party and wounding
another.
"After our company returned home we were drawn up in line in front of
the Court House, where President Young, my father, and others came
down to see us. Father, looking at Heber and myself, whose clothing
and countenances showed hard service, asked us if we had seen an
Indian while we were gone. Our humiliating reply was, 'No.' He laughed
and said, 'Didn't I tell you so?' and then added: 'I would rather have
them kill you, than to have one of my sons shed their blood.'"
But a volume might be filled with incidents of like character in his
experience, and then the half remain untold. Suffice this, at present,
for his inner life and private family history.
Preaching, colonizing, traveling through the settlements, encouraging
the Saints in their toils and sacrifices; sitting in council among the
leaders of Israel; ministering in sacred and holy places, and
otherwise laboring for and blessing the Lord's people:--so wore away
the remaining years of Heber C. Kimball on this planet. His name was
literally "a household word" in Israel. "Brother Heber" was everywhere
honored and beloved. Even the Gentiles esteemed him, admiring his
honesty and outspoken candor, let him lash as he might with the whip
of his tongue, the wrong-doer outside, or the hypocrite inside the
Church. Loved and honored as are few men in this life, he returned in
measure full to overflowing the affection of the hearts which God had
given him.
CHAPTER LXIII.
ANECDOTES AND REMINISCENCES OF HEBER C. KIMBALL--THE MAN AS OTHERS
KNEW HIM--GOLDEN GRAINS FROM THE SANDS OF MEMORY.
At this point in our history we deem it proper to introduce a series
of anecdotes and reminiscences relating to President Kimball, nearly
all of which were contributed, at the author's invitation, especially
for this work. These flowers of incident culled from the gardens of
recollection, cannot fail to interest the reader, while they
illustrate, as nothing else could, the character and conduct of this
remarkable man.
The first is from Brother N. B. Baldwin, of Fillmore, who writes as
follows:
"My first acquaintance with Elder Kimball was in Zion's Camp, in the
Spring and Summer of 1834. The following winter the young and
middle-aged Elders, all who conveniently could, were called in to
attend school in Kirtland, Ohio. William E. McLellin was the teacher
of the grammar classes, grammar being then taught on the Kirkham plan,
by lecture and repetition. Our class consisted of Joseph Smith (who,
in the absence of the teacher at other duties, took charge of the
class), David W. Patten, Heber C. Kimball, Benjamin Winchester, Nathan
B. Baldwin and others that I do not now recollect.
"It seemed to be very hard for Brother Kimball to memorize sentences
by hearing them repeated. One time when he was thus at fault, Joseph,
in a jocular mood, said to him; 'Repeat that correctly, or I will take
a stick and whip you as I would a little child.'
"With his model meekness, Brother Kimball smilingly said; 'Well, you
may whip me.'
"'Yes,' said Joseph, 'it would be just about like whipping a little
child. YOU ARE JUST AS INNOCENT AS A LITTLE CHILD.'"
This simple anecdote furnishes not only a key to the character of
Heber C. Kimball, showing his native meekness and veneration, but also
an evidence of the estimation in which he was held by the Prophet,
even at that early day. Jesus said that "except ye become as little
children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
ELDER WILLIAM B. BARTON contributes the following:
"It was my happy privilege, while filling a mission to England in
1874-5-6 to receive my appointment to labor in the Liverpool
Conference. This conference included, among others, a few branches
that were left of the once flourishing conferences of Clithero and
Preston. I realized that I was traveling on historic ground. I found
some few Saints still in that land, who were personally acquainted
with the early Elders and Apostles who first preached and established
the gospel in Preston; and I found that while all were kindly
remembered, none had made as indelible and lasting an impression on
their minds as Brother Heber C. Kimball. They pointed out with
pleasure and reverence the places where he and others had stood forth
proclaiming the restored gospel. Among these were the Market-place,
the Cock Pit, and the Rev. James Fielding's Chapel. I was fortunate in
securing a photograph of this chapel, but had no idea at the time that
it would ever be used to illustrate a history of the founder of the
British mission.
"This Mr. Fielding and a Mr. Aitken were two of twelve men who had
united together and made a vow that they would neither eat nor drink
until the Lord revealed to them whether he would raise up His Church
in their day. The Lord did make known to them that he had already
established His Church on the earth, and in due time His servants
would be sent with authority to preach and baptize. Brother Kimball
visited Mr. Aitken and bore a powerful testimony of the truth, and
prophesied to him that if he rejected the message of salvation, he
would lose his influence, his flock would leave him, and he would go
down; all of which was fulfilled to the very letter, with regard to
him and Mr. Fielding also. Mr. Fielding had commenced to build a more
commodious church, but he never finished it, and he himself was for a
long time an inmate of Grosvenor hospital; a place where unfortunate
and aged clergymen spent their declining years."
"Among the early converts of Apostle Kimball in that land were the
sisters Mary Ann and Margaret Heaton Topping, whose parents were
opposed to and never joined the Church. Brother Kimball counseled them
to obey their parents, and told them that the time would come when
they would cease to object to their attending the meetings of the
Saints. Said he: 'When I say come, come, and all will be well,' which
promise was literally fulfilled. He warned one of these sisters not to
marry a young man she was engaged to, as he would apostatize and leave
the Church, and told her that her future husband was not then in the
Church, but would come in and remain faithful; and, said he, 'You
shall see the man you are going to marry at the conference that I will
notify you to attend.' These remarkable promises were all fulfilled,
and Sister Topping is alive to-day to bear witness of their truth."
BROTHER CHARLES HUBBARD, an old friend of Heber's, whom he mentions
repeatedly in his history, relates this incident:
"As is well known, President Brigham Young, when he crossed the
Mississippi River from Montrose, in September, 1839, and started on
his mission to England, was very sick. He was brought to the house of
Heber C. Kimball, in Nauvoo. Brother Kimball was also sick with the
same disease (ague) but after the fever went off he climbed upon his
house and was trying to finish the roof, when his brother missionary
(Brigham) came out to walk a little to try his strength. In the effort
he fainted and fell to the ground. Brother Kimball, not having
strength to lift him, called to me, just across the river, to come and
help assist Brother Brigham into the house, where, after placing him
upon the bed, we administered to him and he recovered consciousness.
When I left, Brother Heber followed me to the door and said:
"'Charley, I doubt very much if Brigham ever rises from that bed.'
"But he had no sooner uttered the words, than he spoke up, as with
another voice, and said, 'He _shall_ live, and shall start upon this
mission with me to-morrow morning.' And they did start the very next
morning, on their mission to England.'"
ELDER JACOB HAMBLIN leaves the following on record:
"At the April conference I, with others, was called on a mission to
the Indians in Southern Utah, in 1854. We commenced our labors at a
place we called Harmony.
"About the end of May of that year, President B. Young, Heber C.
Kimball, P. P. Pratt and others, to the number of twenty persons, came
to visit us. President Young gave much instruction, etc. Brother
Kimball prophesied that if the brethren were united they would be
prospered and blessed, but if they permitted the spirit of strife and
contention to come into their midst, the place would come to an end in
a scene of bloodshed.
"Previous to this meeting, President Young asked some brethren who had
been into the country south of Harmony, if they thought a wagon road
could be made down to the Rio Virgin. Their replies were very
discouraging, but in the face of this report Brother Kimball
prophesied in this meeting that a road would be made from Harmony over
the Black Ridge, and a Temple would be built on the Rio Virgin, and
the Lamanites would come from the east side of the Colorado River and
get their endowments in it. All these prophecies have been fulfilled."
One of the Elders laboring in the Manti Temple writes:
"In an early day when President Young and party were making the
location of a settlement here, President Heber C. Kimball prophesied
that the day would come when a temple would be built on this hill.
Some disbelieved and doubted the possibility of even making a
settlement here. Brother Kimball said, 'Well, it will be so, and more
than that, the rock will be quarried from that hill to build it with,
and some of the stone from that quarry will be taken to help complete
the Salt Lake Temple.' On July 28th, 1878, two large stones, weighing
respectively 5,600 and 5,020 pounds, were taken from the Manti stone
quarry, hauled by team to York, the U. C. R. R. terminus then, and
shipped to Salt Lake City to be used for the tablets in the east and
west ends of the Salt Lake City Temple.
"At a conference held in Ephraim, Sanpete County, June 25th, 1875,
nearly all the speakers expressed their feelings to have a temple
built in Sanpete County, and gave their views as to what point and
where to build it, and to show the union that existed, Elder Daniel H.
Wells said 'Manti,' George Q. Cannon, Brigham Young, Jr., John Taylor,
Orson Hyde, Erastus Snow, Franklin D. Richards, Lorenzo Young, and A.
M. Musser said 'Manti stone quarry.' I have given the names in the
order in which they spoke. At 4 p. m. that day President Brigham Young
said: 'The Temple should be built on Manti stone quarry.' Early on the
morning of April 25th, 1877, President Brigham Young asked Brother
Warren S. Snow to go with him to the Temple hill. Brother Snow says;
'We two were alone: President Young took me to the spot where the
Temple was to stand; we went to the southeast corner, and President
Young said; 'Here is the spot where the prophet Moroni stood and
dedicated this piece of land for a Temple site, and that is the reason
why the location is made here, and we can't move it from this spot;
and if you and I are the only persons that come here at high noon
to-day, we will dedicate this ground."
The late George Nebeker said that President Kimball told him, many
years ago, that he would live to see the kings and great ones of the
earth pass by his door. Brother Nebeker resided in the nineteenth
ward. The railway at that time was not thought of in Utah. But the
iron horse now rushes along the street immediately in front of Brother
Nebeker's family residence, and he himself lived to see such
celebrities as President Grant, the Emperor of Brazil and other royal
and great ones literally pass by his door.
MRS. MAMIE HOOPER JENNINGS, daughter of the late Captain Hooper,
relates:
"Brother Kimball gave my father a half dollar, telling him that as
long as he kept it he should never want for money. Father placed faith
in the promise, and testified often that he had realized its truth; he
had never wanted for money, in any sum, from that time."
A FRIEND:
"He said to me one day, taking up a small stick from the ground, 'You
see this stick. If it had remained down there you never would have
noticed that there was any dirt clinging to it. But now that I hold it
up you observe it is covered with dirt. It is just so when a man is
put into office. He may be just as clean before he gets there as those
around him, but his being lifted up above them makes his faults more
manifest, and he is far more apt to be criticised than before.'"
The veteran Bishop, A. H. RALEIGH, speaks thus from his exile:
"Having fortunately been privileged with a personal acquaintance with
the late Heber C. Kimball, from the early days of Nauvoo to the time
of his decease, a period of about twenty-five years, I venture
confidently to submit that no stronger or more forcible illustration
of the peculiarity of his character can be presented than the notable
eccentricity manifested in the subdivisions of plat E. Salt Lake City,
which he fashioned by personally directing city surveyor J. W. Fox,
Sen., in laying out and platting, and myself in naming the streets,
while drafting the resolution which, when passed by the City Council,
made it a legal survey. Though it has undergone some slight changes in
the remodeling of a few lots, as also a few streets, and changing a
few of these names, with a small addition to the plat, far the most of
the original remains to be a lasting monument to his memory. The great
variety of form and size of lots, involving corners, angles, widths
and lengths of streets, together with their peculiar names, almost
exhausting the names of the fruit and vegetable kingdom, are all
characteristic of the man, familiarly called 'Brother Heber,' ever
evincing a strong desire to imitate nature in its eternal variety and
beauty; the same in his plain, easy, natural demeanor in his daily
intercourse with his fellows, either in public or private life, giving
evidence of the presence of one of nature's noblemen, one of the
noblest works of God,--an honest man."
FATHER J. L. HEYWOOD writes from Panguitch:
"Brother Kimball was naturally of a jovial turn of mind. When working
at the pottery business he would sometimes use a chip to turn his
crocks, remarking that he 'did not care who stole his trade, as long
as they did not steal his tools.'
"In relation to some protuberances on his forehead he remarked that
they were the 'horns of Joseph' with which to push the people
together, referring to his labors as an Apostle.
"President B. Young once said that Brother Kimball could go to the
city of Washington, D.C., and build up a church, and the way he would
do it was by beginning so small."
ELDER JUNIUS F. WELLS:
"One day he entered the Union Academy, taught by Dr. Doremus, and
taking off his high-crowned straw hat that he used so much to wear,
made a profound bow to the school, without saying a word. Then, while
the students were gazing at him with fixed eyes and open mouths, he
said solemnly: 'Boys; never call your father _the old man_.' With
another polite bow, and without saying another word, he turned and
left the hall. The impression made by his presence and laconic speech
was most profound."
ELDER CHARLES W. STAYNER:
"President Kimball's hat blew off on Main Street, one day, and as he
was pursuing it, one of a party of men with whom he had been
conversing on the corner, laughed at him. Stopping in his chase, he
turned around and addressing that person said: 'Never mind; your hat
will blow off some day, but your head will be in it.' The man to whom
he spoke afterwards apostatized."
SOLOMON F. KIMBALL:
"I heard father prophecy that a certain Elder would lose all his means
and die a poor man, because he neglected his spiritual duties to
attend to his temporal affairs. I have seen that prophecy fulfilled."
JAMES LAWSON'S narrative:
"In 1855, Heber C. Kimball sent for me (I had just been married
thirteen days) and said, 'Brother James' I want you to give your wife
Betsy a divorce,' I said, 'Brother Kimball what is the matter? There
is nothing wrong with us, and we think everything of each other?' He
said, 'Nothing is the matter, but here is the divorce and I want you
to sign it.' I signed it and he told me to send her home to her mother
(Sarah Noon[A]) which I did. At the same time I asked her if she had
been making any complaints to Bro. Kimball against me. She said,
'Never, to anybody.' I did not sleep a wink that night, and no one
knows what I suffered in my feelings. I prayed frequently to the Lord
and enquired of Him what all this meant. Towards morning I received an
answer to my prayers. The Spirit said unto me, 'Be comforted, my
servant James, all will come out right.' Soon after this Brother
Kimball went to the Legislature, which was held at Fillmore, and was
absent from home about two months. When he returned he gave me a
mission to Carson Valley and told me to get Betsy and bring her to the
Endowment House with me. I did so and he sealed us for time and all
eternity.
[Footnote A: Heber's first plural wife.]
"After this took place I said, 'Brother Kimball what did you do that
for?' He said, 'Brother James, I did it to try you as I was tried. I
will tell you. After I had returned from my second mission to England
in 1841, the Prophet Joseph came to me one evening and said, 'Brother
Heber, I want you to give Vilate to me to be my wife,' saying that the
Lord desired this at my hands.' Heber said that in all his life before
he had never had anything take hold of him like that. He was
dumbfounded. He went home, and did not eat a mouthful of anything, nor
even touch a drop of water to his lips, nor sleep, for three days and
nights. He was almost continually offering up his prayers to God and
asking him for comfort. On the evening of the third day he said,
'Vilate, let's go down to the Prophet's' and they went down and met
him in a private room. Heber said, 'Brother Joseph, here is Vilate.'
The Prophet wept like a child, said Heber, and after he had cleared
the tears away, he took us and sealed us for time and all eternity,
and said, 'Brother Heber, take her, and the Lord will give you a
hundred fold."
COL. ROBERT SMITH, a veteran friend of President Kimball's, and for
many years almost like a member of his family, says:
"In 1857, I was working for Brother Heber and asked him for some
goods, which he refused to let me have. Feeling bad over it, I went
home and laid the matter before the Lord. The next morning when I came
to work, Brother Heber called me into his room and said, 'Robert, what
have you been complaining to the Lord for, about his servant Heber?
Here are the things you asked me for, and after this don't go to the
Lord about every little thing that happens."
"In the year 1855, he was moving a herd of sheep on to the Church
Island, with a flat boat; the water was very shallow in some places
and the boat got fastened on a sand-bar, and we could not get it off.
There were about six of us in all. After working for some time and
accomplishing nothing, Brother Heber returned to the shore, which was
but a short distance, and getting behind some grease-wood he bowed
down in prayer. Then coming back to the boat, he said, 'come boys,
let's give her another trial, she'll move now.' All took hold and
pushed and it went off the bar all right, and we arrived at the Island
that night."
"At one time, putting his hand on his heart, he remarked that unless a
man knew that Jesus was the Christ, he could not stand in this Church.
"He said that the Lord would allow all manner of abominations to come
to Zion, in order to purify His people. This was in 1856.
"He saw in vision a U. S. Marshal in pursuit of one of his daughters,
who had a small babe in her arms.[A]
[Footnote A: The heroine of this episode, which actually occurred, was
Mrs. Melvina Kimball Driggs, wife of Bishop Apollos Driggs, one of the
victims of the anti-polygamy crusade under the "Edmunds Law."]
"He said that this government would dissolve pretty much all the laws
passed by our legislature, and that the time would come when the
government would stop the Saints from holding meetings. When this was
done the Lord would pour out His judgments."
"At family prayers, just a little while before his death, he remarked
that the angel Moroni had visited him the night before and informed
him that his work on this earth was finished, and he would soon be
taken."
FATHER O. N. LLILJENQUIST once said to the author:
"My first impression of President Kimball was far from favorable. He
was preaching in the Tabernacle, and belaboring a certain man very
severely, and I did not like his harshness. The next time I met him
was in the Endowment House, and if ever I saw a man look like a God,
and act as humble as a little child, that man was Heber C. Kimball.
All my prejudice vanished in a moment."
BISHOP JAMES WATSON:
"In 1864, soon after my arrival in Utah, I went with my brother Joseph
to see President Kimball about a lot I desired to purchase. We found
him at his mill on City Creek, superintending some workmen. Being
introduced to him, I said: 'President Kimball, I wish to buy a lot
which I am informed belongs to you.'
"Eyeing me in a very searching manner, he said: 'I have sold many lots
and never received the pay for them,' and then turned away and resumed
his directions to the workmen.
"I was very much hurt at his abrupt manner, especially as his words
seemed to intimate that I was one who would not pay my debts, a
reputation I had not earned. 'Have you any further business with me?'
he asked, turning towards me again, after the lapse of a few moments.
'No sir,' said I sternly, and walked away.
"Some time elapsed, and we did not meet, for I avoided him whenever I
saw him coming. One day, however, we met face to face, he on his way
to the Endowment House, and I near the Temple Block, where I was then
working. Smiling amiably and reminding me that I had avoided him
several times, he asked: 'Have you got a lot yet?' 'No sir,' I
answered, coolly, although my blood was warmed by the recollection
which his words called up. 'Well, you'll get one,' said he, 'and
you'll get it of me, too.' (I inwardly resolved that I never would.)
'Yes, you'll come and get it of me,' he repeated, and we separated.
"Being determined that his words should not come to pass, (for I was
not at all won over by his change of manner) I went and purchased a
lot from a sister in the Church, paid her for it, and put up a house
on the land. I then asked her for the deed, but she told me she did
not have one.
"'Well, who holds the title to the land, then?' I asked.
"'Heber C. Kimball,' she replied.
"I was dumb-founded. 'Well, I shall not buy it of him,' I said to
myself, but I resolved to go and get the deed for her. Brother Kimball
received me very kindly, and my feelings were somewhat softened
towards him. Almost the first question he asked was: 'Have you got a
lot yet?' 'Yes, sir,' I replied, and then told him I had come to get
sister ------'s deed. 'Why, I cannot give her a deed,' said he, 'for
she has never paid me for that lot.' I then told him what I had done,
and he said with a smile, 'I told you you would have to come to me for
a lot. Wait here a moment,' he added, and went into his office.
Returning presently, he handed me a deed for the land, made out in my
name, and said: 'There, I'll make you a present of that deed, and
you've already paid for the land; God bless you,' and we parted
friends.
"Another incident I will relate:
"On the morning of the 15th day of April, 1865, my wife and I were
going through the Temple block towards the Endowment House, as we had
been previously requested by our Bishop to go and get our endowments.
I was in a very thoughtful mood and prayed silently in my own mind
that the Lord would give me grace to always adhere to the truth and
have my mind quickened by the Holy Ghost, so that I might always be
able to decide between truth and error and to have courage to defend
the principles of the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
"We overtook President H. C. Kimball and were walking leisurely along,
when Willard G. Smith overtook us and said to President Kimball, 'Have
you heard the news? President Lincoln was assassinated last night
while at the theatre in Washington. See the flags are at half mast.'
After some little conversation we entered the Endowment House. The
thought of the sad death of President Lincoln weighed heavily on my
mind, and made a deep impression on me. In going through the House
Brother Kimball gave us a very impressive lecture. Fixing his eyes on
me, he said:
"'Do you know that you will yet be called upon to stand in front of
the enemy?' Then he paused for a reply.
"After studying a few seconds, I answered, 'No, sir.'
"Giving me a piercing look, he said: 'Don't you believe it.' I
answered 'No, sir.'
"Gazing at me intently he said, 'Don't you believe what I say?' I
answered 'How can I believe, when I have no evidence or knowledge of
it?' 'You foolish man,' he said, 'If you had a knowledge you would not
require any belief.'
"Pointing to me again, he said: 'You will yet be called upon to stand
in front of the enemy, while bullets will fly around as thick as hail.
Yet not a hair of your head shall be hurt. Do you believe that?'
"After a little study I answered, '_No, sir_.' He seemed a little
perplexed at my obstinacy and asked, 'Why don't you believe it?' I
said, 'Because I have been in a hail-storm, and I know that it is
impossible to be in a hail-storm without being hit, and if the bullets
are to fly around me as thick as hail, I am sure I will be hit.' He
said 'Don't you think if you saw them coming you could _juke_ them?' I
said I thought I could. 'But,' said he, 'they come so quick you cannot
do it.'
"Then fixing his eyes upon me, he said: 'The day will come when you
will stand in the front rank in face of the enemy, while the bullets
will fly around you like a hail-storm, but if you will live pure and
keep your garments clean, not one hair of your head will be hurt. _Do
you believe that?_'
"I said: 'Brother Kimball, I believe what you say.'"
ELDER EDWARD STEVENSON:
"I cheerfully contribute the following, concerning one of the greatest
prophets of the nineteenth century--Heber C. Kimball: In 1856 a little
group of friends, convened in the House of the Lord, were engaged in
pleasant conversation on the isolated condition of the Latter-day
Saints.
"'Yes,' said Brother Heber (by which name he was so familiarly known),
'we think we are secure here in the chambers of the everlasting hills,
where we can close those few doors of the canyons against mobs and
persecutors, the wicked and the vile, who have always beset us with
violence and robbery, but I want to say to you, my brethren, the time
is coming when we will be mixed up in these now peaceful valleys to
that extent that it will be difficult to tell the face of a Saint from
the face of an enemy to the people of God. Then, brethren, look out
for the great sieve, for there will be a great sifting time, and many
will fall; for I say unto you there is a _test_, a TEST, a TEST
coming, and who will be able to stand?'
"The emphasis with which those words were spoken I shall never forget.
"I was with Brother Heber on the occasion of his last meeting at
Bountiful, Davis County, Utah, just previous to his death. He seemed
full to overflowing; for over two hours he held the audience; that
meeting and the deep instructions will endure in the hearts of true
Saints while eternities roll on.
"While working with him in the House of the Lord in 1856-7, how often
I have heard him speak against pride and covetousness and the fear of
riches, being fearful of the Lord's displeasure and consequent
judgments. Said he: 'If the Saints will repent, the Lord's wrath will
be turned away, but they will not repent until it is too late.'"
PRESIDENT A. O. SMOOT:
"A short time before Brother Heber was taken ill with his last
sickness, I drove through with him from Provo to Salt Lake. He was
unusually free in his conversation, it being almost a ceaseless flow
of prophecies in relation to individuals in and out of the Church. He
foretold, with what I have since realized to be the greatest accuracy,
what would befall certain men. Some of those of whom he prophesied are
still in good standing, but many who were in good standing then, have
fallen, as he said they would."
PRESIDENT A. F. MCDONALD:
"My first intimate acquaintance with President Kimball occurred in
1868, I being then in charge of the Tithing Office at Provo. He often
called into the office to do business. His public discourses about
this time were the most earnest and impressive that I had ever heard;
and on several occasions in the Provo meeting house, he clearly
foreshadowed the time of trial the Saints are now passing through, and
to a period still before us. He often used the language 'A test, a
test is coming.'
"On one occasion, when he was stopping with us during a two days'
conference, he came into the Tithing Yard where I was busy putting up
hay, and called me towards him and said: 'Do you want me at your
house, or would you rather not have us there?' I answered that it was
a pleasure and honor to have him there. Looking intently at me, he
said: 'I want to say to you that you have seen your worst days; you
have had some hard times and trials in the past, but from this time it
will be better for you. In whatever you are called to do, or whatever
you put your hands to accomplish, you will be prospered and prevail.'
This is true so far in my experience.
"On another occasion in 1863, during a two days' meeting in Provo, I
invited several brethren to dinner. Brother Kimball was present.
During the chat at the table, conversation turned on the number of
children I then had, being at that time six boys; hearing this reply
he said: 'Yes, and the next, the seventh, will be a boy also, and he
will be the noblest, the most talented, and the greatest you have
had.' Brother R. L. Campbell, who I remember was present, said in a
free and jocular way: 'If it should come a girl, what then?' Upon
which Brother Kimball observed; 'It will not come a girl, but a boy,
and you will see it.' One year and four days after, a boy was born,
and Brother Kimball, again attending a two days' meeting at Provo,
called to see him and directed that he be blessed and given the name
of 'Heber,' by which name he is known in our family and has grown to
manhood, as we believe to fulfill the words spoken of him.
"On the night of Brother Kimball's accident at Provo, a short time
before his death, I was with him. I took a silk handkerchief from my
pocket and tied it over his head, and then suggested that I go and
call on President B. Young, then at the house of Bishop Wm. Miller, to
come and administer to him; but he said: 'I command _you_ to
administer to me and anoint me with oil in the name of the Lord; do
not be in the least afraid; you hold the same Priesthood and authority
from God as President Young or myself, and God hears and answers the
prayers of His humblest servants and people.' I administered to him
accordingly, and he soon revived, becoming quite free and jocular with
us, and about two o'clock in the morning at his suggestion I went
home. On the following day, myself and wife called to see him. He was
much improved and quite sociable, his conversation being original,
incisive, and a continual feast of inspiration. As we were leaving he
asked his wife (Lucy W.) to get my handkerchief that I had put on his
head the previous night, and addressing my wife he said: 'Here, Betty,
take this handkerchief, and be sure that you never wash it, but keep
it as it is, and when you have sickness in your family, exercise the
prayer of faith, and it will prove a blessing, and will be a bond
between you and me for ever!' My wife has sacredly kept that
handkerchief."
ELDER JOHN NICHOLSON gives a valued contribution in the following:
"In accordance with your request I furnish you with a brief outline of
a discourse delivered by your grandfather, the late Heber C. Kimball,
in 1867. The occasion was the usual afternoon service. Whether it was
held in the Bowery or the old Tabernacle, I do not distinctly
recollect, but think it was the latter. My memory is, however, quite
distinct in relation to the subject of the discourse; especially the
prophetic part of it, with which I was specially impressed.
"President Kimball opened by stating that there were many within
hearing who had often wished that they had been associated with the
Prophet Joseph. 'You imagine,' said he, 'that you would have stood by
him when persecution raged and he was assailed by foes within and
without. You would have defended him and been true to him in the midst
of every trial. You think you would have been delighted to have shown
your integrity in the days of mobs and traitors.
"'Let me say to you, that many of you will see the time when you will
have all the trouble, trial and persecution that you can stand, and
plenty of opportunities to show that you are true to God and his work.
This Church has before it many close places through which it will have
to pass before the work of God is crowned with victory. To meet the
difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a
knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties
will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess
this personal knowledge or witness will fall. If you have not got the
testimony, live right and call upon the Lord and cease not till you
obtain it. If you do not you will not stand.
"'Remember these sayings, for many of you will live to see them
fulfilled. The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to
endure on borrowed light. Each will have to be guided by the light
within himself. If you do not have it, how can you stand? Do you
believe it?
"'How is it now? You have the First Presidency, from whom you can get
counsel to guide you, and you rely on them. The time will come when
they will not be with you. Why? Because they will have to flee and
hide up to keep out of the hands of their enemies. You have the Twelve
now. You will not always have them, for they too will be hunted and
will have to keep out of the way of their enemies. You have other men
to whom you look for counsel and advice. Many of them will not be
amongst you, for the same reason. You will be left to the light within
yourselves. If you don't have it you will not stand; therefore seek
for the testimony of Jesus and cleave to it, that when the trying time
comes you may not stumble and fall.'
"The main object of the discourse was to impress the people with the
importance of having light and knowledge direct from God within
themselves. The prophetic part was given as the leading reason why
they should be in possession of an individual testimony, as it defined
to some extent the character of the trials to which the Saints would
be subjected. That Brother Kimball's predictions have been, in part,
at least, already fulfilled, must be clear to all who are familiar
with the events of the last few years. In the course of his remarks on
the occasion in point he several times said: 'You will have all the
persecution you want and more too, and all the opportunity to show
your integrity to God and truth that you could desire.'
"The foregoing statement is probably not as absolutely correct as
could have been given immediately after the delivery of the discourse,
but it is so in substance. Probably there are many others who heard it
who will remember it when it is brought to their recollection."
ELDER HENRY W. NAISBITT adds this endorsement:
"I was present on the occasion when President Heber C. Kimball
delivered the discourse described in the foregoing communication, and
the statement as therein given is correct, as I remember it."
WM. H. BEARD ESQ. sends the following from his home in Spiceland,
Indiana:
"In the spring of 1884, I called at the home of your father, the late
lamented H. K. Whitney, and while there had the pleasure of viewing a
fairly executed portrait of the deceased President Kimball, and having
previously read something of him as viewed by Gentile historians, I
conceived the idea of learning from his own people, those who had
known him long and well, his religious and social standing, during
some of the most eventful periods of his life. I conversed with quite
a number of persons who claimed to have known him, and the universal
expression was 'he was a true, noble and worthy man.' In glancing over
the musty pages of a reporter's book used on that occasion I find an
account of the following interview with an old-time friend of the
deceased, written with an unsteady hand, but still legible, and marked
with conspicuous head lines. I give the report just as it appears,
thinking, perhaps, you may find in it a few facts worthy of
remembrance.
"The gentleman who favored me with this interview, was bending beneath
the weight of accumulated years, but he seemed to possess an
extraordinarily brilliant mind, coupled with a remarkable gift of
memory. After extending the usual courtesies due a stranger, I
ventured to ask: 'Will you please tell me what you know of the late
Heber C. Kimball?' A pleasant smile lit up his face, and in a calm,
steady voice he proceeded in substance as follows. 'I have known
President Kimball for more than half a century. I knew him in his
youth, through all the changing developments of his early manhood, and
when his hair was whitened, and his cheeks furrowed by the approach of
age. He was a brave, noble and dignified man, possessing more true
virtues than the world will ever know. He was an affectionate husband,
a devoted father and a kind and generous friend. He always had
consolation for the despondent, a helping hand for the needy, and a
tear for the sorrowing and afflicted. In oratory he was not eloquent,
but his thoughts were always expressed in such a calm, pleasing and
effective manner as to deeply impress his hearers. He was strong in
his religious convictions, thoroughly familiar with every tenet of the
Mormon faith, and a fervent advocate of the right. He admired true
manliness in every relation of life, and was always found on the side
of justice and truth. He firmly believed in the ultimate triumph of
the church, and often spoke of the wrongs endured by the Latter-day
Saints in their continuous struggles for religious freedom. He was a
leading light for his oppressed people, and no one ever knew him
unfaithful to his trust, or unduly exacting in his official life. He
loved to share our sorrows, and enjoy our happiness, for he had a warm
and generous heart. His mind was broad and searching, and had he
possessed a penchant for military renown, he could have succeeded
admirably as a commander of armies. As a statesman he could have been
an honor to the republic, and had it not been for his unpopular faith
he could have filled almost any position in life to which humanity
aspires. In the death of this great man the Church has lost one of its
most valued members; but our society through all the coming years,
will remember him in their prayers, and continue to contribute sacred
tears to his memory and great moral worth.'"
As an appropriate ending for this chapter, we append a truthful
tribute from the pen of PRESIDENT GEORGE Q. CANNON:
"Heber Chase Kimball was one of the greatest men of this age. There
was a certain nobility about his appearance as well as his disposition
that would have made him conspicuous in any community, and the Church
of Jesus Christ afforded ample scope for the exercise of his ability,
and the trying scenes through which he passed called into play his
best powers.
"He was a man of commanding presence, with eyes so keen as to almost
pierce one through, and before which the guilty involuntarily quailed.
He was fearless and powerful in rebuking the wrong-doer, but kind,
benevolent and fatherly to the deserving. He possessed such wonderful
control over the passions of men, combined with such wisdom and
diplomacy, that the Prophet Joseph Smith called him 'the peace-maker.'
His great faith, zeal, earnestness, devotion to principle,
cheerfulness under the most trying circumstances, energy, perseverance
and honest simplicity marked him as no ordinary man. He possessed
great natural force and strong will power, yet in his submission to
the Priesthood and obedience to the laws of God he set a pattern to
the whole Church. His example throughout life was one of which his
posterity may ever think with pride, and which the Saints generally
will do well to follow.
"No man, perhaps, Joseph Smith excepted, who has belonged to the
Church in this generation, ever possessed the gift of prophecy to a
greater degree than Brother Kimball. Although not at all pretentious,
he was somewhat celebrated among his acquaintances for his prophetic
inspiration. Scores of predictions were made by him and literally
fulfilled.
"Brother Kimball was the only one of his father's family who embraced
the gospel, but now his is one of the most numerous families in the
Church. At the time of his death, he was the father of sixty-five
children, of whom thirty males and eleven females were then living.
His direct descendants now number nearly two hundred souls."
CHAPTER LXIV
GEMS FROM THE WORDS OF HEBER--SPIRIT RAPPINGS--ADDRESS AT THE FUNERAL
OF MARY FIELDING SMITH--LOVE, UNITY AND THE COURAGE OF THE RIGHTEOUS
--JOSEPH AND THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM--CULTIVATION OF SPIRITS--
HEAVEN AND HELL--ADMINISTRATION OF ANGELS AND THE SPIRITS OF THE
ANCIENTS--THE RESURRECTION--THE SPIRIT WORLD--THE CLAY AND THE
POTTER--A CAUSE OF APOSTASY--A MIRACULOUS CANE--THE CHURCH IN HEAVEN.
Before closing the record of his eventful career, we propose to
present here some gems from the public sayings of President Kimball,
as serving to show still further the spirit and character of the man,
his views of life and death, time and eternity, and likewise forming
links in the chain of his history that might otherwise be lacking. In
the hurry of his later years he kept no regular journal, as in the
earlier part of his life, thus leaving his biographer to gather
information from whatever sources were available.
These selections cover a period of years, from 1852 down to the time
of his death.
His first sermon published in the Journal of Discourses, happens to
touch on modern spiritualism. He says:
"The invisible world are in trouble; they are knocking, and rapping,
and muttering; and the people are inquiring of them to know concerning
the things of God, and there is not a soul of them can tell them
anything about the end of the world. They are in a dreadful situation;
and in the city of Rochester, near where I used to live, the last
information I received from there, there were one hundred and
thirty-five spiritual writers in that city. I have a brother-in-law
there, who is a Presbyterian priest; he couldn't enquire of God about
future things, so he enquired of the spirits; but they could not tell
him anything about the dead nor the living. They are just about as
intelligent in their revelations as this world are in theirs. They are
all in commotion--what is going to be done? I will tell you--God is
going to make a short work upon the earth, and the invisible world are
troubled about it."
His second published discourse was a funeral address in memory of Mary
Fielding Smith, the wife of Hyrum Smith, who died at his house
September 22nd, 1852. Here is his tribute to that estimable woman:
"As regards Sister Mary Smith's situation and circumstances, I have no
trouble at all, for if any person has lived the life of a Saint, she
has. If any person has acted the part of a mother, she has. I may say
she has acted the part of a mother, and a father, and a bishop. She
has had a large family, and several old people to take care of, and
which she has maintained for years by her economy and industry.
"One thing I am glad of, and I feel to rejoice in the providence of
God that things have been as they have. She came here sick on the
Sabbath, eight weeks ago last Sunday, for me to lay hands upon her.
She was laid prostrate upon her bed, and was not able to recover
afterwards. I felt as though it was a providential circumstance that
it so happened. She always expressed that she knew the thing was
dictated by the Lord that she should be placed in my house, though
accidentally. She probably would not have lived so long, had she been
where she could not have had the same care. On Tuesday evening, eight
weeks and two days since, she came here sick; from that time until her
death she was prayerful and humble. I have never seen a person in my
life that had a greater desire to live than she had, and there was
only one thing she desired to live for, and that was to see to her
family; it distressed her to think that she could not see to them; she
wept about it. She experienced this anxiety for a month previous to
her death. * * * I am glad I did right to Sister Mary, and took care
of her, and that my family had the pleasure of nourishing her; the
satisfaction that this gives me is worth more to me than a hundred
thousand dollars. Do I believe they know it in heaven? Yes, as much as
you do. I want to live all the time in righteousness, as I know that
God sees me and all the works of His hands." * * * * *
A lesson on love and unity is here given:
"The Gospel and plan of salvation that I have embraced, is music to
me; it is sweet to my body, and congenial to my spirit; and it is more
lovely than anything else I have ever seen since I have been in the
world. I love it, and that is why I love this people better than any
other people on God's earth, because there was never a better people;
that is, I am speaking of the majority of them.
"The world considers it to be quite ridiculous for us to be of one
heart and of one mind. It is this union among those who are faithful
'Mormons,' that makes the world afraid of us. * * Jesus says, '_Except
ye are one, ye are not mine_.' There is more oneness in this people
than in any other people that ever lived upon the earth. There was not
that oneness in the days of Jesus, and I suppose there never has been
since the days of Enoch. Because there was such a oneness among the
people of Enoch, and they could not continue to be one and live with
the people in the same world, God took them and their city with a part
of the earth to Himself, and they sailed away like one ship at sea
separating from another."
The power of unity and the courage of the righteous are thus
portrayed:
"When Brother Brigham and myself and others left Kirtland to go to
Missouri with Joseph Smith, was there any fear in us? No. It never
entered into our hearts from the day we started to the time we
returned. I had a spirit on me as much superior to this earth, as the
earth is superior to the degraded spirits of the wicked that dwell on
its face. It was the Spirit of the Lord that stood by me, and diffused
strength into my body, and into my limbs, until the very hair of my
head felt all alive. Did they fear us in that upper country? Yes, they
ran as though they were never going to stop in the world. We felt
perfectly able to clear out that country to Nova Scotia, and we could
have done it, with two hundred and five men, if the Lord had commanded
us, as the Gideonites in days of old. Yes; two hundred and five men,
with the Spirit and power of God upon them and their faces shining
like the sun, it cannot be told what they could accomplish, neither
can we form any conception of it."
Here is a testimony that Joseph gave the keys of the Kingdom to the
Twelve:
"Since Brother Joseph stepped behind the vail, Brother Brigham is his
lawful successor. I bear testimony of what Brother Joseph said on the
stand at Nauvoo, and I presume hundreds here can bear witness of the
same. Said he, 'these men that are set here behind me on this stand, I
have conferred upon them all the power, Priesthood, and authority that
God ever conferred upon me.' There are hundreds present this day who
heard him utter words to that effect more than once. The Twelve had
then received their endowments. Brother Joseph gave them the
endowments, and keys and power were placed upon them by him, even as
they were placed upon him by Peter, James and John, who ordained him.
That is true, gentlemen, because they held the Apostleship last, and
had the authority to confer it upon him, or any whom the Father had
chosen. Brother Joseph called and ordained the twelve Apostles of the
last days, and placed that power upon them."
Relative to the cultivation of spirits he says:
"If you do not cultivate yourselves, and cultivate your spirits in
this state of existence, it is just as true as there is a God that
liveth, you will have to go into another state of existence, and bring
your spirits into subjection there. Now you may reflect upon it, you
never will obtain your resurrected bodies, until you bring your
spirits into subjection. I am not talking to this earthly house of
mine, neither am I talking to your bodies, but I am speaking to your
spirits. I am not talking as to people who are not in the house. Are
not your spirits in the house? Are not your bodies your houses, your
tabernacles or temples, and places for your spirits? Look at it;
reflect upon it. If you keep your spirits trained according to the
wisdom and fear of God, you will attain to the salvation of both body
and spirit. I ask, then, if it is your spirits that must be brought
into subjection? It is; and if you do not do that in those bodies, you
will have to go into another estate to do it. You have got to train
yourselves according to the law of God, or you will never obtain your
resurrected bodies."
Here is a view of the location of heaven and hell:
"You are talking about heaven and about earth, and about hell, etc.;
but let me tell you, you are in hell now, and you have got to qualify
yourselves here in hell to become subjects for heaven: and even when
you have got into heaven, you will find it right here where you are on
this earth. When we escape from this earth, we suppose we are going to
heaven. Do you suppose you are going to the earth that Adam came from?
That Eloheim came from? Where Jehovah the Lord came from? No. When you
have learned to become obedient to the father that dwells upon this
earth, to the Father and God of this earth, and obedient to the
messengers He sends--when you have done all that, remember you are not
going to leave this earth. You will never leave it until you become
qualified, and capable, and capacitated to become a father of an earth
yourselves. Not one soul of you ever will leave this earth, for if you
go to hell, it is on this earth; and if you go to heaven, it is on
this earth; and you will not find it anywhere else."
It was the view of President Kimball that the angels are daily around
us. Says he:
"I am now in my fifty-fourth year; I am a Latter-day Saint, full in
the faith, and not only in the faith, but I have a knowledge of the
truth of this work. I know that God lives and dwells in the heavens;
for I have asked Him scores of times, and hundreds of times, for
things, and have received them. Is not that a pretty good proof that
He hears me, when I ask him for things and get them; and is not that a
proof that He lives, and dwells in the heavens? I think it is. I
suppose He dwells there. He could not dwell anywhere else, but in what
particular portion He dwells, I do not precisely know, though He is
not so far off as many imagine. He is near by, His angels are our
associates, they are with us and around about us, and watch over us,
and take care of us, and lead us, and guide us, and administer to our
wants in their ministry and in their holy calling unto which they are
appointed. We are told in the Bible that angels are ministering
spirits to minister to those who shall become heirs of salvation."
We have the spirits of the ancients, also, administering to the Saints:
"Who have you now in your midst? Have you Abraham and Isaac and the
Apostles Peter, James and John? Yes, you have them right in your
midst--they are talking to you all the time." * * * *
"Who are you to be subject to? You say you are willing to be subject
to God--to Jesus Christ. You are willing if Peter came along, to
listen to him. Well, Peter is here, John is here, Elias is here,
Elijah is here, Jesus is here, and the Father is here. What! in
person? If not in person, their authority is here, with all the power
that ever was or ever will be, to seal men and women up to
everlasting."
Of the imperishable part of man and of the resurrection, he says:
"So far as we are concerned, we were taken from the earth, and we may
expect to return to it again; and that portion of me which is pure,
after the dross of this mortality is separated from it, I expect will
be Brother Heber. It is that which will be resurrected; but all that
is not pure will remain; that is it will not go back into my body
again; and if there are ten parts out of the hundred which are dross
and corruption they will remain in the earth; I do not expect to take
that up again, but I expect to take up the purified element that will
endure forever; still the dross is beneficial in its place."
* * * * * *
"Now, will you go and pollute yourselves, and lose the right and title
to a resurrection, to dwell with the Saints, and with God the Father,
and His Son Jesus Christ, who is my brother?"
Of the departed Willard Richards and the labors of the Elders of
Israel in the spirit world, he gives quite a broad glimpse:
"He (Willard) has gone; and it will not be long before Brother Brigham
and Brother Heber follow after. He has gone to the world of spirits to
engage in a work he could not do if he had remained in the flesh. I do
not believe he could have done as much work for the general good of
the cause of God, had he remained in the flesh, as he can accomplish
now in the spirit; for there is a work to do there--the Gospel to
preach, Israel to gather, that they may purify themselves, and become
united in one heart and mind.
"What! in the spirit world? Have I not told you often that the
separation of body and spirit makes no difference in the moral and
intellectual condition of the spirit? When a person, who has always
been good and faithful to his God, lays down his body in the dust, his
spirit will remain the same in the spirit world. It is not the body
that has control of the spirit, as to its disposition, but it is the
spirit that controls the body. When the spirit leaves the body the
body becomes lifeless. The spirit has not changed one single particle
of itself by leaving the body. Were I to fall into a mud-hole I should
strive to extricate myself; but I do not suppose I should be any
better, any more righteous, any more just and holy when I got out of
it than when I was in it.
"Our spirits are entangled in these bodies--held captive as it were
for a season. They are like the poor Saints, who are for a time
obliged to dwell in miserable mud shanties that are mouldering away,
and require much patching and care to keep them from mingling with
mother earth before the time. They feel miserable in these old
decaying tabernacles, and long for the day when they can leave them to
fall and take possession of a good new house.
"It seems natural for me to desire to be clothed upon with immortality
and eternal life, and leave this mortal flesh; but I desire to stick
to it as long as I can be a comfort to my sisters, brethren, wives and
children. Independent of this consideration I would not turn my hand
over to live five minutes. What else could give birth to a single
desire to live in this tabernacle, which is more or less shattered by
the merciless storms which have beat upon it, to say nothing of the
ravages made upon it by the tooth of time? While I cling to it I must
of necessity suffer many pains, rheumatism, head-ache, jaw-ache and
heart-ache; sometimes in one part of my body and sometimes in another.
It is all right; it is so ordained that we may not cling with too
great a tenacity to mortal flesh, but be willing to pass through the
vail and meet with Joseph, and Hyrum, and Willard, and Bishop Whitney
and thousands of others in the world of spirits.
"Are they all together as we are to-day? I believe all Israel have to
be gathered; and to accomplish this the Elders, both in this and the
world of spirits, will go forth to preach to the spirits in prison.
Where? Down in hell. I appeal to the Elders who have been from this
place to preach the Gospel to the world, if it was not like going from
heaven to hell. It is a world of sorrow, pain, death and misery, and
you cannot make anything else of it."
Here is something on death and the after life:
"As for death, I do not trouble myself much about it. When the time
comes for me to depart from this life and go into what we call
eternity, to pass through the vail, it is simply to leave the body to
rest awhile, and blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for their
sleep shall be sweet unto them. Death is merely a sleep of the body,
and all the fear I have concerning it is what arises from my
conditions. I was taught in my youth that after death I had to go
directly into the bowels of hell, and go down, down, down, because
there was no bottom to it. I am not troubled about any such thing as
that, for I never expect to see any worse hell than I have seen in
this world. And those who do not the works of righteousness, and are
not worthy to be gathered with the spirits of the Saints, will go into
precisely such society, in the world of spirits, as they are now in.
"The spirits of the Saints will be gathered in one, that is, of all
who are worthy; and those who are not just, will be left where they
will be scourged, tormented and afflicted, until they can bring their
spirits into subjection and be like clay in the hands of the potter,
that the potter may have power to mould and fashion them into any kind
of vessel, as he is directed by the Master Potter."
In another sermon, he thus enlarges upon his favorite theme of "the
clay in the hands of the potter:"[A]
[Footnote A: Heber's exposition of this theme was highly approved by
the Prophet Joseph, who declared it to be the true interpretation.]
"The potter tried to bring a lump of clay into subjection, and he
worked and tugged at it, but the clay was rebellious and would not
submit to the will of the potter, and marred in his hands. Then of
course he had to cut it from the wheel and throw it into the mill to
be ground over, in order that it might become passive; after which he
takes it again and makes of it a vessel unto honor, out of the same
lump that was dishonored. * * There may ten thousand millions of men
go to hell, because they dishonor themselves and will not be subject,
and after that they will be taken and made vessels unto honor, if they
will become obedient. * * Can you find any fault with that?"
He gives the following wise hint on one of the causes of apostasy:
"I will give you a key which Brother Joseph Smith used to give in
Nauvoo. He said that the very step of apostasy commenced with losing
confidence in the leaders of this Church and kingdom, and that
whenever you discerned that spirit, you might know that it would lead
the possessor of it on the road to apostasy. * *
"No man or woman can have the spirit of prophecy and at the same time
do evil and speak against their brethren; and you will find that man
or that woman barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of God, and
filled with disputations."
Next come some reminiscent allusions, coupled with a prophecy:
"How much would you give for even a cane that Father Abraham had used,
or a coat or ring that the Savior had worn? The rough oak boxes in
which the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum were brought from Carthage, were
made into canes and other articles. I have a cane made from the plank
of one of those boxes, so has Brother Brigham and a great many others,
and we prize them highly and esteem them a great blessing. I want to
carefully preserve my cane, and when I am done with it here I shall
hand it down to my heir, with instructions to him to do the same.[A]
And the day will come when there will be multitudes who will be healed
and blessed through the instrumentality of those canes, and the devil
cannot overcome those who have them, in consequence of their faith and
confidence in the virtues connected with them. * * * *
[Footnote A: This cane is now in the possession of Bishop Abram A.
Kimball, who testifies that healing virtues attach to it.]
"If I had those relics of Abraham and the Savior which I have
mentioned, I would give a great deal for them. In England when not in
a situation to go, I have blessed my handkerchief and asked God to
sanctify it and fill it with life and power, and sent it to the sick;
and hundreds have been healed by it; in like manner I have sent my
cane. Dr. Richards used to lay his old black cane on a person's head
and that person has been healed through its instrumentality, by the
power of God. I have known Joseph hundreds of times to send his
handkerchief to the sick, and they have been healed. There are persons
in this congregation who have been healed by throwing my old cloak on
their beds."
This of the Church organization in heaven:
"When you go into heaven, into the celestial world, you will see the
Church organized just as it is here, and you will find all the
officers down to the Deacon. Our Church organization is a
manifestation of things as they are in heaven, and you are all the
time praying that the Church here may be brought into union and set in
order as it is in heaven."
CHAPTER LXV.
GEMS FROM HEBER's WORDS CONTINUED--HIS STRIKING VIEW OF TIME AND
ETERNITY--HIS WORDS AND WORKS AT THE LAST CONFERENCE PRECEDING HIS
DEATH--HIS LAST SERMON.
As President Kimball advanced in years the tone of his mind seemed to
deepen, and often was displayed not only that quaint originality which
made him a marked individual throughout his life, but he frequently
flashed out thoughts at once brilliant and profound. Here, for
instance, is a philosophical spark on "Time and Eternity," struck from
his mind at the age of sixty:
"People talk much about time and eternity, and they say they do not
care so much for eternity as they do for time. And again, others say
they do not care so much about time as they do about eternity. They do
not think for a moment what they are talking about. What is time?
(striking the pulpit.) That is all there is about it. That little
circumstance of my striking the pulpit is in eternity. It is eternity
on the right and on the left, behind and before, and the time being,
as it appears to us, is the centre of it. So we pass on from time to
eternity every day we live. We are in eternity. Civilized nations have
divided a portion of eternity into seconds, minutes, hours, days,
months and years for their own convenience, to mark their passage
through time.
"The uncivilized or savage tribes of men, the American Indians, for
instance, have no other calendar than incidents in nature, such as the
rising and setting of the sun, hence they count by so many sleeps; the
full and dark of the moon, hence they count by so many moons. In
short, the only idea we have of time is gathered from natural
phenomena in eternity. We might introduce here a comparison of a ship
in the middle of the Atlantic. Is it not a pathless waste of waters
all around to the passengers on board, except on the frail timbers
where they stand? So it is with eternity, with this difference,
eternity is shoreless.
"Let the brethren and sisters come to the conclusion that now is the
time to set out anew, and then continue from this time henceforth and
forever in doing right. If any of you have been in the practice of
drinking spirituous liquors to excess, cease at once the wicked and
destructive practice. If such a practice is committed, it has its
time, and makes its mark on the broad face of eternity; if you cease
the practice no time is given to it, and it cannot leave its trace on
eternity from that instant until you again commit the same wrong. This
reasoning will apply to every other wrong committed by the children of
men.
"Let us spend time in doing right, and we shall receive in the Lord's
time right for right, grace for grace. If we do not associate with the
wicked world any more than is unavoidably necessary for the time
being, do you think they will have anything in common with us in
eternity?--or we with them? No."
The thought that the present moment is the centre of all eternity is
worthy of a philosopher and a poet. So also is the idea that our evil
deeds, performed in time, make their mark "on the broad face of
eternity." His figure of the ship in mid-ocean with "the pathless
waste of waters all around," is decidedly beautiful. In fact, these
passages, with many others that might be quoted from his sermons and
sayings, show how largely Heber C. Kimball was endowed with those
qualities of mind known as causality and comparison. Who can doubt
that, had he been classically educated, he would have taken high rank
among profound and learned men?
The thirty-eighth annual conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints was the last conference he attended. He there spoke
several times. Of his first address the reporter says:
"President H. C. Kimball reasoned on the principle of unity, its
growth among the Saints, and the course to be pursued by them--the
obedience, faithfulness and diligence necessary to reach that
condition of unity required of us. We look forward with anticipation
to building up the centre stake of Zion; and many are anxious for it
and will expect to be included among those called to go to Jackson
county, who realize but little of the progress they have to make
before they are prepared to do so. We have to become much more united,
to put away evil from us, to shun evil speaking, and realize the full
meaning of the injunction, 'touch not Mine anointed, and do My
Prophets no harm.' If we do wrong we must make restitution, cease all
wickedness, shun iniquity of every kind, and live to so possess the
Spirit of God that it will guide and direct us. The angels and holy
beings in the eternal worlds are interested in the work of God in
which we are engaged; they watch its progress; and they exercise care
over those who are laboring to spread truth and righteousness."
Of his address to the Saints at a succeeding meeting of the
conference, the Church reporter continues:
"President H. C. Kimball said if anybody wished to see a miracle they
had only to look upon the congregation before him, and look back over
the growth of the Church from the time when the entire members of it
could be seated in a small room; and we are increasing rapidly. He
urged the exercise of increasing watchcare over our growing sons and
daughters. They should all attend meetings regularly, learn the
principles of truth and grow up to be more useful. He was in favor of
ordaining the boys to the Priesthood, and watching and training them
with great care, that they might learn of the power and importance of
the blessing thus bestowed upon them. The spirit and sealing power of
Elias are with President Young, to seal together the fathers and the
children, that they may be one and that the whole people may be united
in working out salvation. We should all take a course to save our
offspring; and the man who cannot save his children--his family,
cannot save himself."
The following is the notice of his last public speaking, which
occurred on the 7th of June, just previous to his death:
"President H. C. Kimball spoke at some length on the power and order
of the Priesthood, instructing the congregation upon various things
connected therewith. He pointed out the blessings flowing from
obedience to the authority which the Lord has conferred upon His
servants on the earth; and the evil results which follow disobedience
and rebellion; for the Lord governs and rules in all worlds, and we
cannot, if we would, get to any place where His power is not."
His closing words at this time were almost a prophecy of his
approaching end; being upon the subject of family training, during
which he quoted from the revelation wherein the Lord commands His
servants to set their houses in order.
CHAPTER LXVI.
DEATH OF VILATE, THE WIFE OF HEBER'S YOUTH--PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG
PREACHES HER FUNERAL SERMON--HIS FEELING TRIBUTE TO HER MEMORY--HEBER
PROPHESIES OF HIS OWN DEATH.
On the 22nd of October, 1867, there was gloom in the household of
Heber C. Kimball. On that day died Vilate, the partner of his youth,
the noble and unselfish sharer of his life's joys and sorrows. In the
sixty-second year of her age, after an almost unexampled life of toil,
heroism and self-sacrifice, God called her home to a glorious rest.
One of the immediate causes which led to her death--though for months
she had been a sufferer, and the sun of her life was visibly
setting--was the untimely end of her son, Brigham Willard Kimball, who
died on the plains while returning from a mission to England. Vilate
took the death of her son very much to heart, and her grief over the
event is supposed to have hastened the termination of her own life.
Her loss was a heavy blow to her sorrowing husband. Heber's struggle,
in faith and prayer, to hold her to earth, was almost as great as that
of death to take her away. He related that when she first fell sick,
on going into her room to administer to her, he saw, standing at the
head of her bed, an evil spirit, a female. Kneeling down he prayed,
and then rebuked the apparition in the name of Jesus. It disappeared,
but soon returned with a host of fallen beings.
He then called in several other Elders, and unitedly they rebuked the
evil spirits, when they departed, and he saw them no more at that
time.
Thus he struggled on, hoping and praying to the end that she might be
spared. Sometimes, in his yearning for the continuance of their
companionship here a while longer, it seemed as though he would
prevail with the Lord. But the last hope of this at length faded, the
end came, and he bowed in resignation to the inevitable.
"I shall not be long after her," was the sad prophecy that fell from
his quivering lips, as he followed the remains of his beloved partner
to the tomb.
The thread of Vilate's life has been fully traced in that of her noble
husband, at whose side she stood as a helpmeet and a heroine for five
and forty years. But the record has only been traced, not told, and
angel tongues must take up the theme which mortal pen were powerless
to unfold.
Her pure spirit took its heavenward flight at about three o'clock in
the afternoon. The funeral services over her remains were held on
Wednesday the 24th of October, at her residence in Salt Lake City.
There were present on the occasion to pay their last respects to her
sainted memory, President Brigham Young, Elders Orson Pratt, John
Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Geo. A. Smith, Geo. Q. Cannon, Joseph F.
Smith, of the Twelve Apostles; Patriarchs John Smith, John Young;
President Joseph Young; Bishops P. H. Young, Lorenzo Dow Young, John
Sharp, E. F. Sheets; many principal citizens and a vast concourse of
friends.
After appropriate singing, and a prayer by Elder Joseph Young,
President Brigham Young pronounced the funeral address. He said that
he had not come to weep because the body of Sister Kimball was laid in
the coffin; if he wept it was because he saw his friends weeping
around him, but there was no cause for weeping, and he would say, let
us dry up our tears. He was reminded of the time when the deceased and
Brother Kimball stood by him when his first wife was taken from him.
He felt then to rejoice in the glorious hopes which the gospel had
revealed to them, and he could say of those who had died that there
was no period known to them in which they could experience so much joy
as when they had passed through the portals of death and entered upon
the glorious change into the spirit world. He had known intimately
Sister Kimball for nearly forty years, and from that time to this, if
any person ever found fault with her, it was more than he knew. Her
life, conversation, feelings, kindness to her family and to her
neighbors seemed all to come before him, and he could say of a truth
that a better woman never lived--according to her knowledge. She was
ever disposed to do good and to meet every obligation that devolved
upon her. He had been cherished and comforted by her in hours of
affliction, and knew her kindness of heart. Since he had heard of her
death, he had experienced none but joyful feelings--for she had lived
the life of a Saint--till he had come to sit beside her bier. It did
not belong to the manhood which God had given them to mourn on such
occasions, but it was through the weakness of their fallen nature that
they were overcome. Her spirit had now passed into the spirit world,
to wait with the spirits of the just the morning of the resurrection.
She had kept the faith, and with all who had partaken of the holy
Priesthood, was beyond the powers of death, and can no more be
afflicted. It was his faith that Joseph the Prophet would be the first
resurrected of the last dispensation, and that to him would be
committed the keys of the resurrection, and through him would the
powers of the resurrection be extended to others till all who had been
faithful would be resurrected in glory. He concluded with kindly words
of the deceased, reiterating affectionate sentiments, and assuring the
afflicted family and friends that her life had been as honorable as
any woman who had ever lived, and that she had secured her
resurrection with the just.
President Young was followed by others, including President Kimball,
who spake most touchingly of the virtues of his faithful wife.
Her remains were laid in the family burial ground.
So closed the mortal career of one of the noblest of women, the purity
and loftiness of whose character will loom as a monument through
coming ages, while the memory of her good deeds will shine forever
like the pathway of the just.
CHAPTER LXVII.
DEATH OF APOSTLE KIMBALL--ALL ISRAEL MOURNS--EXPRESSIONS IN HONOR OF
THE ILLUSTRIOUS DEAD.
The words of Heber were indeed prophetic, that he should not be long
on earth after the departure of the beloved wife of his youth. The
event for which both had earnestly prayed, that they might live and
die, and rise and reign together, was destined by the heavens to be.
On the morning of the 22nd of June, 1868,--eight months later to a
day--death again entered the household, leveling his fatal shaft at
the mighty heart of its patriarchal head. At the age of sixty-seven
years, his mind yet unimpaired, his iron frame unbent by age, but with
health shattered by toil and trial in the service of his Maker, Heber
C. Kimball, the Apostle of Jesus Christ, the tried and trusted friend
of God, passed peacefully from earth away.
His death was superinduced by a severe fall, sustained by him several
weeks before. He had driven from Salt Lake City to Provo, alone,
arriving there in the night. While nearing his residence in that city,
where lived his wife Lucy and her family, the wheels of his buggy went
suddenly into a ditch, throwing him over the forward wheels violently
upon the ground. After lying for some time stunned and helpless, and
chilled by the night air, he was finally discovered and assisted into
the house by his friend, Bishop A. F. Macdonald.
This accident, though he partly recovered from its effects, was the
immediate fore-runner of his fatal sickness.
The _Deseret Evening News_ of Monday, June 22nd, 1868, in an extended
editorial thus announced his death:
"A prince and a great man has this day passed from among us!
President Heber Chase Kimball, who was born June 14th, 1801, fell
asleep at 20 minutes to 11 o'clock this morning, June 22nd, after
a pilgrimage on the earth of sixty-seven years and eight days.
Many of the residents of this city will be prepared to hear this
sad news; but upon the Saints throughout this Territory and in
foreign lands, it will fall unexpectedly and heavily. Two weeks
ago yesterday he preached in the new tabernacle, and those who
listened to him on that occasion could not have imagined from his
appearance that in so brief a period as has since elapsed we
should only have his lifeless remains to gaze upon. Since he was
thrown from his buggy last spring in Provo, his family and
intimate associates have noticed that his health was not so good
as it had been; but a casual observer would not have perceived any
change; he moved around and attended to his duties with his
accustomed diligence and vigor. On the 10th instant, at the mass
meeting in the new tabernacle, it was remarked that his face was
very much flushed. He complained that day of dizziness, and
torpidity of his right side; he attributed the feeling to
rheumatism, with which he was sometimes affected. The next day,
Thursday, the 11th, he went down town twice; but his family and
others noticed that in walking, he did not use his right leg with
his usual freedom. On Friday, the 12th, he arose in the morning
and dressed himself; but was compelled to return to bed. His son
Heber called upon him, and he conversed quite freely with him
about his affairs. This was the last conversation of any length
that he had with any person. It was soon plainly apparent that he
was attacked with paralysis of the right side, and from this time
until his death, he was only able to utter a sentence
occasionally, though most of the time he appeared to be fully
conscious of everything transpiring around him. When his
particular friends called upon him, especially Presidents Young
and Wells, he seemed to arouse himself to speak, and by the
pressure of their hands and the beaming of his countenance, would
signify his pleasure at seeing them. Until Saturday last it was
hoped that he would recover and be himself again. Every
indication of a change for the better was eagerly noted. Every one
was reluctant to admit that Brother Heber would not recover. If
such a thought presented itself it was immediately repelled. But
on Saturday evening it was visible to all that he was changing for
the worse. Yesterday he failed rapidly. From early in the
morning until afternoon his body suffered, though he himself
seemed unconscious of it. He was administered to by President
Young and the Twelve, and he was much relieved. Towards evening he
rallied, opened his eyes and for some time was conscious, and
appeared to recognize those who stood around him. This was the
last awakening of the faculties prior to death.[A] He relapsed
into unconsciousness, and gradually passed away without a
contortion of countenance or the slightest movement of a limb. * *
* His family and many of his friends were in the room where he
lay, and so peacefully did life leave his body, that some five
minutes had elapsed before those who were watching his countenance
were satisfied that his spirit had fled. Like a babe falling into
a gentle slumber, he passed away. It was a frequent remark of his
that he should not die. Those who stood around his bedside were
reminded of it by President Young--who saw his beloved and
faithful friend and fellow-laborer breathe his last--quoting the
remark, and adding that Brother Heber was not dead, he had gone to
sleep. Gloom and death were not there. None experienced those
undefinable feelings of dread which sometimes prevail on such
occasions. Sadness there was; but it was not mingled with doubt;
it was for the loss of the society of the loving husband, the
tender father, the steadfast friend, the wise counselor and the
undaunted leader. Yet this grief was not the only feeling. If
there can be any pleasure in contemplating the separation of the
body and spirit under any circumstances, then that chamber in
which the earthly remains of Heber C. Kimball lay this morning was
a place of joy. It was a scene of victory and triumph. A faithful,
unflinching servant of God, one who had passed through the most
severe ordeals with unyielding integrity, had met man's great
enemy, and through the atonement of the Savior and the previous
promises which he had given, had come off conqueror. What a host
of faithful ones have awaited his arrival in the spirit world!
Recall the names, beginning with Joseph, the head of the
dispensation, and what a glorious list is presented to the mind!
With what ineffable gladness will they meet and welcome him to
that happy land! Will it not be home to him when he meets those
bright ones with whom he has labored so long and so familiarly,
and who know his guileless simplicity, his truthfulness, his
unshrinking faith, his integrity and worth?
[Footnote A: His last words, uttered distinctly the evening before
his death, were: "Truth, eternal Truth."]
"As this news is flashed with lightning speed from one end of the
Territory to the other, profound grief will fill every heart. The
love of the Saints for Brother Heber is deep-rooted and universal.
A great people will this day mourn in learning of his departure,
and how deep will be the sorrow also of his brethren and sisters
in foreign lands! Yet it is not for him we should mourn. He is
ransomed and free. We yet remain in thralldom. The course of those
who live is not finished, the battle is not won. The supreme wish
of every heart who witnessed his departure doubtless was that
their end might be like his."
On the same day the Mayor of the City issued the following:
"TO THE CITIZENS OF SALT LAKE CITY.--
"As a token of respect to the memory of our esteemed friend and
fellow-citizen, the late HON. HEBER C. KIMBALL, whose demise took
place at his residence in this city, at 10-40 this a. m., it is
hereby requested, that all unite throughout the city in closing
their respective houses of business on Wednesday the 24th inst,
being the day appointed for the funeral obsequies of deceased.
"DANIEL H. WELLS, Mayor.
"MAYOR'S OFFICE, SALT LAKE CITY,
"June 22d, 1868."
The following telegrams, sent from different parts of the Territory,
will show how universal was the respect paid to the honored dead:
"LOGAN, 22nd.
"PRESIDENT B. YOUNG:
"We feel very sorry, but not without hope, respecting President
Kimball's death.
"PETER MAUGHAN."
"SPRINGTOWN, 23d.
"TO THE BISHOPS OF SANPETE CO.:
"A great and worthy man in Israel is fallen--President Heber C.
Kimball--not by transgression, but by the providence of God. The
distance is too great for us to attend his funeral to-morrow.
This, therefore, is to request your congregations, to meet
to-morrow at two o'clock p. m., and offer up their prayers and
condolence in behalf of the bereaved family, as a tribute of
respect to the memory of the illustrious dead, thereby respecting
ourselves.
"ORSON HYDE."
"ST. GEORGE, 24th.
"PRESIDENT B. YOUNG:
"The Saints of the south, assembled in the St George Bowery,
mingle their tears with yours in the funeral obsequies of our
lamented brother, President Heber C. Kimball. With his bereaved
family we deeply sympathize; with all Israel we mourn his loss,
and with him we rejoice that he has entered into his glory.
"ERASTUS SNOW."
Here is the City's tribute to his memory:
"At a regular meeting of the City Council of this city, on Tuesday
evening last, the 23rd inst, his Honor the Mayor, announced the
death of the Honorable Heber C. Kimball, and, on his suggestion, a
committee was appointed to draft resolutions expressive of the
feeling of the council on the occasion.
"Councilor Burton, on behalf of the committee, presented the
following preamble and resolution, which were read and unanimously
adopted:
"_Whereas_, It has pleased the Almighty, in the dispensations of
His Providence, to remove from our midst by the hand of death our
esteemed fellow citizen and much beloved President, Heber C.
Kimball, who, with unwavering integrity and untiring zeal, has
ever been a faithful laborer in the cause of truth and an earnest
advocate of civil and religious liberty, and of every principle
calculated to ennoble and elevate humanity; therefore, be it
"_Resolved_, That while we recognize the hand of the Lord in all
things, we deeply feel the loss which the community has sustained
in his death, and in common with the citizens of this city and
Territory, and the Latter-day Saints throughout the world, we most
sincerely sympathize with his family and friends in this their sad
bereavement.
"The Council adjourned without the transaction of further
business.
"DANIEL H. WELLS, Mayor.
"ROBERT CAMPBELL, Recorder.
"Council Chamber,
"June 23rd, 1868."
A full account of the funeral of President Kimball is reserved for the
next and final chapter.
CHAPTER LXVIII.
OBSEQUIES OF PRESIDENT KIMBALL--TRIBUTES AND TESTIMONIES OF HIS
BROTHER APOSTLES--"HE WAS A MAN OF AS MUCH INTEGRITY AS ANY MAN WHO
EVER LIVED"--EARTH RETURNS TO EARTH AND THE SPIRIT UNTO GOD WHO GAVE
IT.
The day set for the funeral of President Kimball was Wednesday, the
24th of June. The place, the large Tabernacle, Salt Lake City. His own
desire, expressed many times before his death, was that it should be
held at his private residence, and with as little display as possible;
but out of deference to public sentiment, and to accommodate the great
multitude of his friends who desired to be present, it was found
necessary to hold the services in the Tabernacle.
Throughout the city on that day, all ordinary business was suspended,
and draped flags, at half mast, swung to the breeze from the tops of
public and private buildings. It was a general time of mourning. The
very heavens seemed weeping in unison with the earth. The skies were
hung with black clouds, the solemn thunders roared, the wind sighed
and moaned, and the rain fell heavily.
Long before the hour for the commencement of the services, thousands
were on their way to the Tabernacle to pay the last tribute of respect
to the memory of the mighty dead; one whom all Israel revered and
mourned as a father and a friend. Notwithstanding the pouring rain,
fully eight thousand people assembled within the vast auditorium. Many
of the settlements and counties throughout the Territory were
represented by their leading men.
While the masses congregated at the Tabernacle, Presidents Brigham
Young and Daniel H. Wells, with the Apostles and many others,
representing general and local authorities in the Priesthood, repaired
to the late residence of President Kimball, where the funeral
procession formed under the personal supervision of President Young.
The procession moved from the residence at 2 o'clock p. m., in the
following order:
1st. Croxall's brass band, consisting of Messrs. M. Croxall, C. Evans,
R. Golightly, T. McIntyre, W. D. Williams, J. Croxall, T. Croxall, T.
Griggs, J. Cartwright, J. Currie, W. Foster, C. Sansom, B. Eardley, H.
Sadler, J. Wakeham, W. Adkins, G. Wareing, D. Evans, H. Sperry and W.
Lloyd.
2nd. Of the High Council, Elders W. Eddington, J. L. Blythe, C. V.
Spencer, W. H. Folsom, T. E. Jeremy, J. Squires, P. Nebeker and G. W.
Thatcher.
3rd. Of the Presidency of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion, Elders D.
Spencer and G. B. Wallace.
4th. Of the Presidency of the Seventies, Elders Joseph Young, L. W.
Hancock, A. P. Rockwood, H. S. Eldredge and J. Van Cott.
5th. The Presidency of the High Priests, Elders John Young, S. W.
Richards and E. D. Woolley.
6th. Presiding Bishop E. Hunter and his Counselors, L. W. Hardy and J.
C. Little.
7th. Of the Twelve Apostles, Elders Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford
Woodruff, Geo. A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson, Lorenzo Snow, Geo. Q. Cannon
and Joseph F. Smith.
8th. President Brigham Young and Counselor Daniel H. Wells.
9th. The corpse, in a neat coffin wrapped in black broadcloth and
deeply fringed with white cashmere and black lace, borne by twelve
pall-bearers, namely, Elders R. T. Burton, T. McKean, G. W. Grant, L.
S. Hills, B. Y. Hampton, W. Calder, H. Heath, A. Dewey, H. S. Beatie,
H. P. Richards, H. Dinwoodey, and John T. Caine.
Immediately following the remains walked the three eldest sons of
President Kimball, namely, William H., Heber P., and David P.,
succeeded by his wives, the elder sons and daughters, the younger sons
and daughters, and many other relatives in the rear. The families of
Presidents Young and Wells in carriages, and a number of the most
prominent citizens on foot, terminated the procession.
To the solemn strains of the "Dead March in Saul," from Captain
Croxall's band, the cortege, passing down East, North and West Temple
Streets, successively, to the west gate of Temple Block, entered the
Tabernacle at door No. 32, north side, and occupied reserved seats in
front of the stand. The casket with the remains was deposited on a
draped bier raised from the middle aisle. Seven elegant vases of roses
and other beautiful flowers were placed upon the coffin. During the
services a bird flew into the building and, alighting on the coffin,
remained for several minutes.
In consonance with the solemnity of the scene, the interior of the
Tabernacle was draped in mourning.
The assemblage was called to order by President Brigham Young.
The choir then sang the following hymn, composed for the occasion by
Sister Eliza R. Snow:
Be cheer'd, O Zion--cease to weep:
Heber we deeply loved:
He is not dead--he does not sleep--
He lives with those above.
His flesh was weary; let it rest
Entombed in mother Earth,
Till Jesus comes--when all the bless'd,
To life will be brought forth.
His mighty spirit, pure and free
From every bond of Earth,
In realms of immortality,
Is crowned with spotless worth.
He lives for Zion:--he has gone
To plead her righteous cause,
Before the High and Holy One--
Let all the Saints rejoice.
Let wives and children humbly kiss
The deep-afflicting rod:
A father to the fatherless,
God is the widow's God.
Elder George Q. Cannon offered the opening prayer.
The choir sang "Farewell all earthly honors," with the chorus "There
is sweet rest in heaven," and remarks were then made as follows, by
the speakers named:
ELDER JOHN TAYLOR.
"Were I to give way to my feelings at the present time I should
not be able to address this congregation. I feel as, I suppose,
most of you feel--sympathy with the family of the deceased who now
lies before us. When I speak of this as being my feeling, I am
aware that I express the feeling of the generality of this people.
In this bereavement that has afflicted us, we all participate. A
wave of sorrow has rolled throughout the Territory, and feelings
of sympathy and sorrow gush up from the fountains of every heart.
We have met at this time to pay the last tribute of respect to no
ordinary personage, but to a good man who was called and chosen,
and faithful; who has spent a lifetime in the cause of God, in the
establishment of the principles of truth and in trying to upbuild
the Church and Kingdom of God on the earth; who has endeared
himself by his acts of kindness, affection, integrity,
truthfulness and probity to the hearts of thousands of Latter-day
Saints, who feel to mourn at this time with no ordinary sorrow.
"That he is esteemed and venerated by this people as a friend, a
counselor and a father, this immense congregation, who have met on
this inauspicious occasion, is abundant testimony and proof, if
any is wanting. But his life, his acts, his services, his
self-abnegation, his devotion to the cause of truth, his
perseverance in the ways of righteousness for so many years have
left a testimony in the minds, feelings and hearts of all who feel
to mourn his departure from our midst. But we meet not at the
present time particularly to eulogize the acts of Brother Kimball,
who is one of the First Presidency, and who stands, or who has
stood as one of the three prominent men that live on the face of
the earth at the present time.
"We do not mourn over him as over an individual in a private
capacity; neither, when we reflect on the circumstances with which
we are surrounded, and the gospel we believe in, do we mourn that
he lies there as he is. For although to us he is absent and
lifeless and inanimate, yet his spirit soars above clothed upon
with immortality and eternal life. And as he has been in
possession of the principles of eternal truth, by and bye, when
the time shall roll around, that gospel and the principles of
truth that he has so valiantly proclaimed for so many years, will
resurrect that inanimate clay, and He who, on the earth proclaimed
"I am the resurrection and the life," will cause him again to be
resuscitated, reanimated, revivified and glorified, and he will
rejoice among the Saints of God worlds without end.
"It is not then an ordinary occasion upon which we have met at the
present time. It is not to talk particularly about our individual
feelings and bereavement, although they are keen, poignant and
afflictive; but we meet at the present time to perform a ceremony
and to pay our last respects to the departed great one who lies
before us. We do not mourn as those who have no hope; we do not
sympathise with any foolish sympathy. We believe in those
principles, that he, for so many years, has so strenuously
advocated, and believing in them, we know that he has simply
passed from one state of existence to another. It is customary
for men to say "how have the great fallen!" But he has not fallen.
It is true that he has gone to sleep for a little while. He
sleeps in peace. He is resting from his labors and is no more
beset with those afflictions with which human nature always has to
contend: he has passed from this stage of action, he has got
through with the toils, perplexities, cares and anxieties in
regard to himself, his family, and in regard to the Church with
which he was associated; and in regard to all sublunary things,
and while mortals mourn "a man is dead," the angels proclaim "a
child is born."
"We believe in another state of existence besides this; and it is
not only a belief, but it is a fixed fact, and hence for a man of
God to bid adieu to the things of this world is a matter of
comparatively very small importance. When a man has fought the
good fight; when he has finished his course; when he has been
faithful, lived his religion and died as a man of God, what is
there to mourn for? Why should we indeed be sorrowful? There is a
church here on earth; there is a church also in the heavens. He
has migrated from one, and has passed into the other.
"We have had leave us before, Joseph, Hyrum, David Patten,
Willard, Jedediah, and a mighty host of good, virtuous, pure, holy
and honorable men. Some have died, as it were, naturally; others
have been violently put to death. But no matter, they are each of
them moving in his own sphere. Brother Kimball has left us for a
short time that he may unite with them. And whilst we are engaged
carrying on the work of God, and advancing and maintaining those
principles which he so diligently propagated and maintained while
he was on the earth, he is gone to officiate in the heavens with
Jesus, with Joseph and others for us. We are seeking to carry out
his will, the will of our President and the will of our Heavenly
Father, that we may be found fit to associate with the just who
are made perfect, and be prepared to join with the Church
triumphant in the heavens. It is this that our religion points us
to all the time.
"We embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he who now lies
before us was one of the first to proclaim it to thousands that
are here. And what did that teach us? To repent of our sins, and,
having faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, to be baptized for the
remission of our sins, to have hands laid upon us for the
reception of the Holy Ghost and to gather together to Zion that we
might be instructed in the ways of life; that we might know how to
save ourselves--how to save the living and how to redeem the dead;
that we might not only possess a hope that blooms with immortality
and eternal life; but that we might have a certainty, an evidence,
a confidence that was beyond doubt or peradventure, that we were
preparing ourselves for a celestial inheritance in the kingdom of
our God. And when a man goes to sleep as Brother Kimball has done,
no matter how, he lays aside the cares of this world; the weary
wheels of life stand still, the pulse ceases to beat, the body
becomes cold, lifeless and inanimate; yet at the same time the
spirit still exists, has gone to join those who have lived before;
who now live and will live for evermore. He has trod the path that
we have all to follow, for it is appointed to man once to die, and
after that, we are told, the judgment. We have all to pass through
the dark valley of the shadow of death, and as I said before, it
matters little which way this occurs; but it does matter a great
deal to us whether we are prepared to meet it or not; whether we
have lived the life of the righteous; whether we have honored our
profession; whether we have been faithful to our trust; whether we
are prepared to associate with the spirits of the just made
perfect, and whether when He who has said "I am the resurrection
and the life" shall sound the trump we shall be prepared to come
forth in the morning of the first resurrection.
"Joseph Smith stands at the head of this dispensation. His brother
Hyrum Smith was associated with him. They were both assassinated.
No matter; they are gone. Brother Heber is now gone, and whilst we
mourn the loss they rejoice at meeting one with whom they were
associated before; for he was the friend of Joseph and Hyrum
Smith, and he was the friend of God, and God is his friend, and
they are his friends. And as they associated together in time so
they will in eternity. It behooves us then not to think so much
about dying, but about our living, and to live in such a way that
when we shall fall asleep, no matter when, or how it may
transpire, that our hearts may be pure before God. When I look
upon a man like Brother Kimball, I feel like saying let my last
end be like his. Let my life be as spotless, as holy and as pure,
that I may stand accepted before God and the holy angels. Our
ambition ought to be to live our religion, to keep the
commandments of God, to obey the counsel that those lips now
silent and cold have so often given to us; to honor our calling
and profession, that we may be prepared to inherit eternal lives
in the celestial kingdom of our God. May God help us to do so, in
the name of Jesus, Amen."
ELDER GEORGE A. SMITH.
"The occasion which has called us together is truly one of
mourning; but our mourning is not as the mourning of those who
have no hope. Our father, our brother, our President, has fallen
asleep. He has fallen asleep according to the promise that those
who die unto the Lord should not die, but should fall asleep.
Still, the circumstances with which, we are surrounded cause us to
feel keenly, deeply this bereavement of his company, of his
counsel, of his support, of his society, and the benefit of that
wisdom which ever flowed from his lips. Short is the journey from
the cradle to the grave, and all of us are marching rapidly in
that direction; and the present occasion is certainly calculated
to inspire in our minds a desire that in all our lives and actions
we may be prepared for that coming event, that we may be prepared
to rest in peace, and in the morning of the first resurrection to
inherit eternal life and celestial exaltation. The association
which we have had with President Kimball has been of long
standing. He entered the church early after its organization. In
1832, with President Brigham Young, he visited Kirtland, and made
himself personally acquainted with the Prophet Joseph, whose bosom
friend he was from the time of their first acquaintance until the
day of his death. President Kimball was a man that seemed
embarrassed when called upon to speak in public in the early part
of his ministry. My first acquaintance with him was in 1833, when
in company with President Young he moved his family to Kirtland.
The Saints were then building the Kirtland Temple. He had but
little means, but he subscribed two hundred dollars and paid over
the money. Efforts were being made to build another house, for
school and other purposes, and he subscribed one hundred dollars
for that also, to buy the nails and glass. That was the first
public meeting at which I ever saw Heber C. Kimball. When he was
chosen one of the Twelve Apostles, and they were called into the
stand to bear their first testimony as Apostles to the Saints,
there was an embarrassment and a timidity about his appearance
that was truly humble. And when he went abroad to preach, many
felt almost afraid to have Brother Kimball preach because he had
not as great a flow of language as some others. But it turned
out, I am sorry to say, that some of those who were the most
eloquent seemed to be those who fell off by the wayside. It was a
dark hour around the Prophet in Kirtland, many having apostatized,
and some of them prominent Elders, when Brother Kimball and some
others were called upon to take a mission to England. He went
abroad when some of the first Elders were covered with darkness,
and apostasy ran rampant through the Church. He started almost
penniless, made the trip across the ocean, introduced the gospel
to England, and laid the foundation for the great work that has
since been accomplished there, accompanied by Orson Hyde, Willard
Richards and Joseph Fielding. Brothers Kimball and Hyde remained
in England about one year, and in that time 1,500 were baptized
there. It was strange, the power and influence which he had over
persons whom he had never before seen. On one occasion he went out
five days to some town which he had never visited before, and
among people whom he had never seen and who had never seen him,
yet in those five days he baptized eighty-three persons. It seemed
that there were a power and influence with him beyond that which
almost any other Elder possessed. He returned home just in time
to find the Saints in their troubles in Missouri. He had hardly
got home until the clouds of mobocracy intensified by apostasy
again gathered around the Prophet. In a short time after, Joseph
was in prison and his counselors were in prison and all were
closely guarded.
"During this time President Kimball visited the prison, the Judges
and the governor, and exerted himself to relieve the prisoners;
and he had a peculiar influence with him, so that he could pass
among our enemies unharmed, when others were in danger.
"When the Saints were driven from Missouri, as soon as their feet
were planted in Nauvoo, he built with his own hands a log cabin
for his family, and started again to renew his mission to Great
Britain, with President Young and others of his quorum. It is not
my intention to trace his history, but I have culled out these few
circumstances to show you his integrity, his faithfulness, and his
untiring labors to benefit mankind.
"We are called now to mourn; but we do not mourn as those who have
no hope. Brother Kimball was a man who was the son of nature. The
literature he loved was the word of God. He was not a man to read
novels. He studied the revelations of Jesus. His heart was filled
with benevolence. His soul was filled with love; and he was always
ready to give counsel to the weakest child that came in his way.
Thousands and thousands will remember him with pleasure.
"As we follow him to his last resting place, we must recollect
that those men who stood side by side with Joseph Smith the
Prophet, who bore with him his burdens, and shared his troubles;
who stood shoulder to shoulder with President Young while he faced
the storm of apostasy, mob power and organized priestcraft, are
rapidly passing away. Brother Kimball was foremost among them.
Joseph loved him, and truly it may be said that Brother Kimball
was a Herald of Grace. May we all so live that with our brother we
may inherit the blessings of celestial grace, is my prayer in the
name of Jesus, Amen."
ELDER GEORGE Q. CANNON.
"The scene in which we are participating this day reminds us more
strongly than any language can do, how frail is mortal existence,
and how slight a tenure we all have upon this life. Two weeks ago,
to-day, he, whose lifeless remains we now surround, was moving
among us in this Tabernacle; if not in the enjoyment of perfect
health, yet in the enjoyment of such a degree of health as not to
inspire us with any apprehensions as to his life. If we had been
asked, How long is Brother Heber likely to live? the probable
answer would have been, he is as likely to live ten or twenty
years as any other period. But since then, two weeks, two brief,
short weeks, have gone, and we have assembled ourselves together
to pay our last respects to his memory. It seemed to me when I
entered the building, and sat down and looked upon the
congregation, that the greatest eloquence I could indulge in would
be silence. Yet it is due to him that our voices should be heard
in instruction to those who remain, and in testimony of his great
worth; and if possible to spread before them, the great and
glorious example which he has set for us, and which if we will but
emulate and follow, will result in the attainment of the most
glorious blessings of which mortal heart can conceive.
"I have known Brother Heber from my childhood. To me he has been a
father. I never was with him but what he had good counsel to give
me. And when I speak this I speak what every one who was
acquainted with him might say. He was full of counsel, full of
instruction, and he was always pointed in conveying his counsel in
plainness to those to whom he imparted it.
"Have we any cause, in reality, to mourn to-day? Have we any cause
for grief and sorrow? When I stood by his bedside and saw his
spirit take its departure there was no death there; there was no
gloom. I had seen but two persons die before, and they died by
violence; but when I watched Brother Heber I asked myself, Is this
death? Is this that which men represent as a monster, and from
which they shrink with affright? It seemed to me that Brother
Heber was not dead, but that he had merely gone to sleep. He
passed away as quietly and as gently as an infant falling asleep
on its mother's lap; not a movement of a limb; not a contortion of
his countenance; and scarcely a sigh. The words of Jesus, through
Joseph, were forcibly brought to my mind,--"they that die in me,
their death shall be sweet unto them." It was sweet with him.
There was nothing repulsive, nothing dreadful or terrible in it,
but on the contrary it was calm, peaceful and sweet. There were
heavenly influences there, as though angels were there, and no
doubt they were, prepared to escort him hence to the society of
those whom he loved and who loved him dearly. I thought of the
joy there would be in the spirit land, when Joseph, and Hyrum, and
David, and Willard, and Jedediah, and Parley would welcome him to
their midst, and the thousands of others who have gone before, and
like them have been faithful. What a welcome to their midst will
Brother Heber receive! to labor and toil with them in the spirit
world in the great work in which we are engaged.
"It is now twenty-four years lacking three days, since Joseph and
Hyrum were taken away from us. Twenty-four years so fruitful in
labor, so abundant in toil, so rich in experience! During that
period Brother Heber has never wavered, never trembled. It may be
said of him with as much truthfulness to-day, as was said by
Brother Brigham on one occasion in Nauvoo, 'his knees never
trembled, his hands never shook.' He has been faithful to God; he
has been true to his brethren; he has kept his covenants; he has
died in the triumphs of the faith; and as the Savior has said,
'that which is governed by law is preserved by law and perfected
and sanctified by the same;' so will it be with him. He has gone
to the paradise of God, there to await the time when this
corruption shall put on incorruption, when this mortality shall
put on immortality.
"My brethren and sisters, here is an incentive to us to be
faithful. Contrast the death of this man with the death of the
apostate--the traitor. Contrast the future--as it is revealed to
us in the revelations of Jesus Christ--of this man, with the
future of the renegade from the truth, and the wicked and those
who love not God and who keep not His commandments. Are there any
incentives presented to us this day to be faithful? They are too
numerous for me to dwell upon or mention. There is every reason
why we should be faithful. It is easier to keep the commandments
of God than it is to break them. It is easier to walk in the path
of righteousness than it is to deviate from it. It is easier and
more pleasant to love God than it is to break His commandments.
"Then let us be true to God. Let us walk each day so that we may
be worthy, when our life is ended, to associate with him whose
spirit inhabited this tabernacle that lies here, and with others
who have gone before, and with those who remain, that we may dwell
together with them eternally in the heavens; which may God grant,
for Christ's sake, Amen."
PRESIDENT D. H. WELLS.
"It is a great calamity to humanity when a great and good man
falls. Earth needs their services. Good men are too scarce. The
loss is not so much to them as it is to us who remain--as it is to
humanity who are still left to wield an influence against the
wickedness which is on the earth, and to sustain holy and
righteous principles which the Lord has revealed from the heavens
for the guidance of man. Herein is the loss which we feel when
such men as Bro. Kimball are taken away, He has made his mark. He
has earned imperishable fame, and he will live in the hearts of
the good, the true and the faithful--in the hearts of the just;
and he will be remembered by the wicked, for he has often invaded
the realms of darkness and sustained holy and righteous principles
with all his might, power and influence, all the days of his life.
It is true, for him we need not mourn, because he has passed to
that home where Satan has no power. He has secured to himself a
crown of eternal glory and righteousness in the celestial kingdom
of our God. Not that he will come immediately unto this
exaltation. The Savior of the world, himself, did not enter into
His glory on the dissolution of His spirit and body; He went first
to minister to the spirits in prison, being clothed with the holy
Priesthood. So with our brother and beloved friend, for he is
still our friend, and, as has been remarked, he was the friend of
God and of all good men. He is not lost. He has only gone to
perform another portion of the mission which he has been engaged
in all his life, to labor in another sphere for the good of
mankind, for the welfare of the souls of men. But he has laid for
himself a foundation that is imperishable, on which a
superstructure of glory and exaltation will grow and increase
throughout all eternity.
"I do not stand here to eulogize our friend and brother to-day,
but to satisfy my own feelings and pay a tribute of respect to his
memory, for I loved him and he loved me, and he loved this people.
He has friends also where he is gone. Who can answer the question
whether they are more numerous than those who have assembled
together to-day and those throughout this Territory? Who can say
that they are not more numerous on yonder shore? Yet it matters
not. Those who are faithful will yet be gathered with him and
others, and come with him to a celestial glory, and with him dwell
where there is no sorrow nor affliction. He rests from his labor,
from the toil which surrounded him on the earth. This is, to-day,
a source of consolation to his family and friends, to those who
were intimately connected with him. They may be assured that he
rests in peace. Let his example be followed; let his teachings be
remembered; let us all live so that we may have a reasonable hope
of meeting with him and being associated with him in a never
ending future.
"May God help us to be faithful unto the end, as he has been; to
fight the good fight and keep the faith, that at last, with him
and those who have gone before, we may be found worthy to walk the
golden streets of that eternal city, whose builder and maker is
God: Amen."
PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG.
"I wish the people to be as still as possible and not to whisper.
I do not know that I can speak so that you can hear me; but if I
can I have a few reflections to lay before you. We are called here
on this very important occasion, and we can say truly that the day
of this man's death was far better to him than the day of his
birth. I will relate to you my feelings concerning the departure
of Brother Kimball.
"HE WAS A MAN OF AS MUCH INTEGRITY, I PRESUME, AS ANY MAN WHO EVER
LIVED ON THE EARTH.
"I have been personally acquainted with him forty-three years and
I can testify that he has been a man of truth, a man of
benevolence, a man that was to be trusted. Now he has gone and
left us. I will say to his wives and his children, that I have not
felt one particle of death in his house nor about it, and through
this scene we are now passing I have not felt one particle of the
spirit of death. He has fallen asleep for a certain purpose,--to
be prepared for a glorious resurrection; and the same Heber C.
Kimball, every component particle of his body, from the crown of
his head to the soles of his feet, will be resurrected, and he, in
the flesh, will see God and converse with Him; and see his
brethren and associate with them and they will enjoy a happy
eternity together.
"Brother Kimball has had the privilege of living and dying in his
own house in peace; and has not been followed up by mobs and
massacred. I consider this a great consolation to his family and
friends; and it is a great comfort to me to think that Brother
Heber C. Kimball had the privilege of dying in peace. It is not a
matter of regret; it is nothing that we should mourn for. It is a
great cause of joy and rejoicing and comfort to his friends to
know that a person has passed away in peace from this life, and
has secured to himself a glorious resurrection. The earth and the
fullness of the earth and all that pertains to this earth in an
earthly capacity, is no comparison with the glory, joy and peace
and happiness of the soul that departs in peace. You may think I
have reason to mourn. Brother Heber C. Kimball has been my first
counselor for almost twenty-four years. I am happy to state, it is
a matter of great joy to me; this is the third counselor that has
fallen asleep since I have stood to counsel this people--and they
have died in the faith, full of hope; their lives were filled up
with good works, full of faith, comfort, peace and joy to their
brethren. I have looked over this matter. In the fourteen years
that Brother Joseph presided over the Church, three of the
prominent counselors he had apostatized. This was a matter of
regret. Sidney Rigdon, F. G. Williams and William Law, whom many
of this congregation knew in Nauvoo, apostatized and left Brother
Joseph. I have not been under the necessity of mourning and
lamenting over the apostasy of any one of my counselors, and I
hope I shall never have this to regret. I had rather bury them by
the score than see one of them apostatize.
"A great deal could be said concerning Brother Kimball, whose
remains are here. He is not dead. His earthly tabernacle has
fallen asleep to be prepared for this glorious resurrection that
you and I live for. What can we say to one another? Live as he
has lived; be as faithful as he has been; be as full of good works
as his life has manifested to us. If we do so, our end will be
peace and joy, and we will fall asleep as peacefully. I held my
watch with one hand and fanned him with the other, while he
breathed his last.
"For this family to mourn is perhaps natural; but they have not
really the first cause to do so. How would you feel if you had a
husband or a father that would lead you from the truth? I would to
God that we would all follow him in his example in our
faithfulness, and be as faithful as he was in his life. To his
wives, his children, his friends, his brethren and sisters, to
this family whom God has selected from the human family to be his
sons and daughters, I say let us follow his example. He has gone
to rest. We can say of him all that can be said of any good man.
The Lord selected him and he has been faithful and this has made
him a great man; just as you and I can become if we will live
faithful to our God and our religion. There is no man but what can
do good if he chooses; and if he be disposed to choose the good
and refuse the evil. If any man choose the evil he will dwindle,
especially if he has been called to the holy Priesthood of the Son
of God. Such a man will dwindle and falter, stumble and fall; and
instead of becoming great and good, he will be lost in
forgetfulness.
"We pay our last respects unto Brother Kimball. I can say to the
congregation, we thank you for your attention. We are happy to see
you here. It would be a pleasure to us if it would be prudent, and
we had time, for you to see the corpse; but it would not be
prudent and we have not the time. This, perhaps, will be a matter
of regret to many of you; but you must put up with it. I want to
say to every one who wishes to see Brother Heber again, live so
that you will secure to yourselves a part in the first
resurrection, and I promise you that you will meet him and shake
hands with him. But if you do not live so, I can give you no such
promise.
"Now, my friends, I feel to bless you; and the family, the wives
and the children of Brother Heber C. Kimball. I bless you in the
name of Jesus Christ. Will you receive the blessings which a
father and husband has placed upon your heads? If you live for
them you will enjoy them. I think he has never cursed one of his
family; but his heart was full of blessings for them. He has
blessed his brethren and sisters and neighbors and friends. His
heart was full of blessings; but he was a scourge to the wicked
and they feared him. Now, my friends, I cannot talk to you, my
sore throat will not let me. But I feel to thank you for your
kind attention here to-day, in paying our respects to the remains
of Brother Kimball, and may God bless you. Amen."
At the close of the President's remarks, the choir sang: "O my Father,
Thou that dwellest," and Bishop Edwin D. Woolley pronounced the
benediction.
The procession then returned, proceeding to the spot selected by
President Kimball as the final resting place of his mortal remains.
Here, beside the grave of his beloved Vilate, his body was entombed.
And now occurred a remarkable, though purely natural phenomenon. As
the first clods of earth fell upon the coffin, the setting sun burst
forth from his cloudy covering, shedding a golden halo of glory upon
the scene, while instantaneously in the eastern horizon appeared a
rainbow, the bright and beauteous token of promise, directly spanning
the grave. It was no illusion; and as the last particles of mother
earth were gathered above the still bosom that slept below, the
rainbow dissolved.
----
So passed from earth the immortal part of him whom men named Heber C.
Kimball; one of God's "noble and great ones," recalled with honor from
the toils of time to share with Him the triumphs of eternity. Freed
from his mortal prison-house of sorrow and of pain, his mission in
this life completed, he sought once more the scenes and society of
Home, in the realms of eternal rest.
Past angels, Gods and sentinels, who guard
The gates celestial, challengeless and free,
That sovereign spirit soared unto its own;
By shouting millions welcomed back again,
With all his new-won laurels on his brow--
The meed of valor and of victory--
To exaltations endless as THE LIVES.
APPENDIX.
A GLIMPSE OF THE GREAT BEYOND--THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF DAVID PATTEN
KIMBALL--LOST IN THE DESERT--COMMUNING WITH THE SPIRITS OF THE
DEPARTED--DAVID PREDICTS HIS OWN DEATH AND THE DEATH OF FOUR
OTHERS--THE FULFILLMENT.
The following narrative, under the caption of "A Terrible Ordeal," was
originally published in a little volume called "Helpful Visions," the
fourteenth book of the Faith-Promoting Series, issued from the office
of the _Juvenile Instructor_, in 1887. It was edited then, as now, by
the author of this work. Its relevancy to the present volume will be
apparent as we proceed.
On the 22nd of November, 1883, David Patten Kimball, fourth son of
Heber Chase and Vilate Murray Kimball, departed this life. Nearly two
years before his death, he wrote to his sister Helen, in Salt Lake
City, the letter from which the appended extract is taken. This letter
was dated January 8th, 1882. David was then a resident of Jonesville,
or Lehi, Arizona, three miles from Mesa, where the letter was written.
The experience related was of so remarkable a character as to meet
with dubiety on the part of some, especially those inclined to be
skeptical regarding spiritual manifestations. Some went so far as to
ascribe the sights and scenes through which the narrator claimed to
have passed, to the fevered fancy of a mind disordered by strong
drink. Nor is this surprising, when it is remembered that even the
Apostles of Jesus, on the day of Pentecost, were accused of being
"drunken with new wine," when the power of the Spirit fell upon them
and they "spake with tongues and prophesied." Skepticism is the same
in all ages. What is here presented is the plain and simple testimony
of an honest man, who firmly adhered to it till the day of his death,
which occurred in literal fulfillment of things told him "while in the
spirit."
Here is the excerpt from David's letter. The events described took
place while he was returning home from a trip to Prescott, the capital
of Arizona, in the early part of November, 1881:
"On the 4th of November, I took a very severe cold in a snow storm
at Prescott, being clad in light clothing, which brought on
pneumonia or lung fever. I resorted to Jamaica ginger and pepper
tea to obtain relief and keep up my strength till I could reach
home and receive proper care. On the 13th I camped in a canyon ten
miles west of Prescott, my son Patten being with me. We had a team
of eight horses and two wagons. That night I suffered more than
death. The next night we camped at Mr. McIntyre's, about twenty
miles farther on. I stopped there two nights and one day, during
which time I took nothing to drink but pepper tea. On the 16th we
drove to Black's ranch, twenty-eight miles nearer home, and were
very comfortably located in Mr. Black's house.
"About 11 p. m. I awoke and to my surprise saw some six or eight
men standing around my bed. I had no dread of them but felt that
they were my friends. At the same time I heard a voice which
seemed to come from an eight square (octagon) clock on the
opposite side of the house. It commenced talking and
blackguarding, which drew my attention, when I was told to pay no
attention to it. At this point I heard the most beautiful singing
I ever listened to in all my life. These were the words, repeated
three times by a choir: 'God bless Brother David Kimball.' I at
once distinguished among them the voice of my second wife, Julia
Merrill, who in life was a good singer. This, of course,
astonished me. Just then my father commenced talking to me, the
voice seeming to come from a long distance. He commenced by
telling me of his associations with President Young, the Prophet
Joseph and others in the spirit world, then inquired about his
children, and seemed to regret that his family were so scattered,
and said there would be a great reformation in his family inside
of two years. He also told me where I should live, also yourself
and others, and a great many other things. I conversed freely with
father, and my words were repeated three times by as many
different persons, exactly as I spoke them, until they reached
him, and then his words to me were handed down in a like manner.
"After all this I gave way to doubt, thinking it might be only a
dream, and to convince myself that I was awake, I got up and
walked out-doors into the open air.
"I returned and still the spirit of doubt was upon me. To test it
further I asked my wife Julia to sing me a verse of one of her old
songs. At that, the choir, which had continued singing, stopped
and she sang the song through, every word being distinct and
beautiful. The name of the song was, 'Does He Ever Think of Me.'
"My eyes were now turned toward the south, and there, as in a
large parquette, I beheld hundreds, even thousands, of friends and
relatives. I was then given the privilege of asking questions and
did so. This lasted for some time, after which the singing
commenced again, directly above me. I now wrapped myself in a pair
of blankets and went out-doors, determined to see the singers, but
could see nothing, though I could hear the voices just the same. I
returned to my couch and the singing, which was all communicative
and instructive, continued until the day dawned. All this time the
clock I have mentioned continued its cursing and blackguarding.
"Mr. and Mrs. Black were up in due time and got breakfast. I arose
and made my toilet, plain as it was, and took breakfast with my
host and hostess. When my boy got ready to start, I went to pay my
bill, and to my surprise heard a voice say or communicate: 'David
Kimball has paid his bill.' When I got into the wagon, my guards,
or those who were around my bed during the night, were still with
me. My father had told me that he and President Young and others
would visit me the next night.
"We drove on until about 11 a. m., when a host of evil spirits
made their appearance. They were determined to destroy me, but I
had power of mind to pay no attention to them, and let them curse
all day without heeding them any more than possible. Five times
they made a rush _en masse_ to come into the wagon, the last one,
where I was, but were kept off by my friends (spiritual). About 2
p. m. I told my boy to stop and we would water our horses. We
used for this purpose barrels that we had along with us. After
this I walked to the west side of my wagons, and looking to the
east, I saw and heard the evil spirits floating in the air and
chanting curses upon Brigham Young. I saw two other groups of the
same kind, but did not hear them. Then I looked to the south, and
the whole atmosphere was crowded with fallen spirits, or those who
had not obtained bodies. Others who tried to torment me were
spirits who had lived upon the earth. Having seen so many and
being complimented by my guard for seeing so well, I became a
little timid and asked my spiritual friends if they had any help.
The answer was, 'Yes, plenty.' I now told my boy to drive on--he
was entirely oblivious of all that was taking place with me--and
soon after I was so exhausted that I fell into a troubled sleep
and must have slept quite a little while.
"After I awoke I seemed to be left alone, and was lying on my
back, when, all at once, I saw an old man and two young girls.
This vision coming on me so suddenly, I was startled, and finding
my guard gone, I jumped out of the wagon and got up on the spring
seat beside my boy. But I could not get away from them. I was
told in a coarse, gruff voice that the devil was going to kill me,
and that he would follow me night and day until he destroyed me. I
remembered the promise father had made me the night before--that
he intended to visit me the next evening--and I nerved up and
tried to pay no attention to my persecutors, but I must confess I
was frightened.
"We arrived at Wickenburg just at sundown. The old man and the
girls were tormenting and tantalizing me all the way, but never
coming very near to me. We got supper and I took a room at
Peeple's hotel and retired about 10 p. m. When everything was
quiet my spirit friends, eight in number, returned and my
tormentors were required to leave. Soon after, a glorious vision
burst upon me. There were thousands of the Saints presented to
me, many who had died at Nauvoo, in Winter Quarters, on the plains
and in Utah.
"I saw Brother Pugmire and many others whom I did not know were
dead. When my mother came to me it was so real and I was so
overjoyed that I exclaimed aloud. So powerful was this vision that
I asked President Young, who seemed to be directing matters, three
times to relieve me, or I would faint. A great many others passed
in regular order; and I recognized nearly all of them, and was
told the names of all I did not know. My father sat in a chair
with his legs crossed and his hands clasped together, as we have
often seen him. Those who passed along had hidden him from my
view till then.
"This scene vanished, and I was then taken in the vision into a
vast building, which was built on the plan of the Order of Zion. I
entered through a south door and found myself in a part of the
building which was unfinished, though a great many workmen were
busy upon it. My guide showed me all through this half of the
house, and then took me through the other half, which was
finished. The richness, grandeur and beauty of it defied
description. There were many apartments in the house, which was
very spacious, and they differed in size and the fineness of the
workmanship, according to the merits on earth of those who were to
occupy them. I felt most at home in the unfinished part, among the
workmen. The upper part of the house was filled with Saints, but I
could not see them, though some of them conversed with me, my
father and mother, Uncle Joseph Young and others.
"My father told me many things, and I received many reproofs for
my wrong-doings. Yet he was loth to have me leave, and seemed to
feel very badly when the time came for me to go. He told me I
could remain there if I chose to do so, but I plead with him that
I might stay with my family long enough to make them comfortable,
to repent of my sins, and more fully prepare myself for the
change. Had it not been for this, I never should have returned
home, except as a corpse. Father finally told me I could remain
two years, and to do all the good I could during that time, after
which he would come for me; he mentioned four others that he would
come for also, though he did not say it would be at the same time.
"On the 18th of November, about noon, we left Wickenburg (which is
twenty-two miles from Black's Ranch where we stopped the previous
night) on our journey home. I was exhausted from what I had
experienced, and could feel my mind fast giving away, but I had
confidence that I would reach home alive. There were no Elders to
administer to me and no kind friends to look after my wants except
my son, who had all he could do in looking after eight horses and
two wagons. As my mind wandered and grew weaker, I was troubled
and led by influences over which I had no power, and my friends,
the good spirits, had all left me.
"We drove about twenty miles that afternoon, camping about eight
miles from water, on the Salt River desert, which is about fifty
miles across. During the fore part of the night I heard the horses
running as though they were frightened. My son was asleep, but I
got up and put my overcoat across my shoulders and went out where
they were and got them quieted down. I was about to return to the
wagon, when the same old man with gray whiskers, who had tormented
me before, stepped between me and the wagons. He had a long knife
in his hand. I was frightened and fled, he pursuing me and telling
me he was going to kill me. What I passed through I cannot
describe, and no mortal tongue could tell. I wandered two days and
three nights in the Salt River desert, undergoing the torments of
the damned, most of the time, which was beyond anything that
mortal could imagine.
"When my mind was restored, and the fever which had raged within
me had abated, I found myself lying on a bleak hill-top, lost in
the desert, chilled, hungered, thirsty and feeble. I had scarcely
any clothing on, was barefooted, and my body full of cactus from
head to foot. My hands were a perfect mat of thorns and briars.
This, with the knowledge that no one was near me, made me realize
the awful condition I was in. I could not walk. I thought I would
take my life, but had no knife or any thing to do it with. I tried
to cut an artery in my arm with a sharp rock I had picked up,
hoping I might bleed to death, but even this was denied me. The
wolves and ravens were hovering around me, anxiously awaiting my
death. I had a long stick and I thought I would dig a deep hole
and cover myself up the best I could, so the wolves would not
devour my body until I could be found by my friends.
"On the night of the 21st, I could see a fire about twenty-five
miles to the south, and felt satisfied that it was my friends
coming after me. I knew the country where I was; I was about eight
miles from houses where I could have got plenty of water and
something to eat, but my strength was gone and my feet were so
sore I could not stand up. Another long and dreary day passed, but
I could see nothing but wolves and ravens and a barren desert
covered with cactus, and had about made up my mind that the
promise of two years' life, made by my father, was not to be
realized. While in this terrible plight, and when I had just
about given up all hope, my father and mother appeared to me and
gave me a drink of water and comforted me, telling me I would be
found by my friends who were out searching for me and that I
should live two years longer as I had been promised. When night
came I saw another fire a few hundred yards from me and could see
my friends around it, but I was so hoarse I could not make them
hear. By this time my body was almost lifeless and I could hardly
move, but my mind was in a perfect condition and I could realize
everything that happened around me.
"On the morning of the 23rd, at daylight, here they came, about
twenty in all, two of my own sons, my nephew William, Bishop E.
Pomeroy, John Lewis, John Blackburn, Wiley Jones and others, all
friends and relatives from the Mesa, who had tracked me between
seventy-five and one hundred miles. I shook hands with them, and
they were all overjoyed to see me alive, although in such a
pitiable plight. My own feelings I shall not undertake to
describe. I told them to be very careful how they let me have
water, at first. They rolled me up in some blankets and put me on
a buck-board and appointed John Lewis to look after me as doctor
and nurse. After I had taken a few swallows of water, I was almost
frantic for more, but they wisely refused to let me have it except
in small doses every half hour.
"I had about seventy-five miles to ride home. We arrived at my
place in Jonesville on the afternoon of the 24th of November, when
my wife and family took charge of me and I was tenderly and
carefully nourished. In a few days I was around again. I told my
experience to President McDonald, Bishop Pomeroy, C. I. Robson and
others, and most of them believed me, but my word was doubted by
some. The report had gone out that I had been drinking and was
under the influence of liquor. This was an utterly false report. I
told them I had just two years to live, so they could tell whether
it was a true manifestation or not.
"Now, Sister Helen, during the last twelve years I have had doubts
about the truth of 'Mormonism,' because I did not take a course to
keep my testimony alive within me. And the letter I wrote you last
August, I suppose caused you to feel sorrowful, and you prayed for
me and God heard your prayers. And our father and mother plead
with the Lord in my behalf, to whom I will give the credit of this
terrible but useful ordeal through which I have passed and only in
part described, an ordeal which but few men have ever been able to
endure and relate what I have seen and heard.
"Now, my dear sister, you have a little of your brother David's
experience, and let who will think that I have been drinking. I
know these things were shown to me for my own good, and it was no
dream but a glorious and awful reality. My story is believed by my
brethren who have respect for me. I will console myself with the
knowledge I have obtained. Let the world wag on, and let hell and
the devil keep up their warfare against the Saints of God--I know
for myself that 'Mormonism' is true. With God's help, while I live
I shall strive to do good, and I will see you before long and tell
you all, as it never will be blotted out of my memory.
"With kind regards, in which my wife and children join, I remain,
as ever,
"Your affectionate brother,
"DAVID P. KIMBALL."
----
ACCOUNT OF PATTEN KIMBALL AND OTHERS, REGARDING THE SEARCH FOR AND
FINDING OF HIS FATHER.
The following is an account furnished by Solomon F. Kimball, brother
of David, who was in Mesa at the time of the occurrences described,
and thoroughly conversant with the facts:
"On the morning of November 19th when Patten arose and missed his
father, he thought probably he had gone out to hunt for the
horses, and felt no uneasiness concerning him. He made a fire,
prepared breakfast and waited some time, but could not see or hear
him anywhere. The horses came strolling into camp and were tied
up, fed and watered. Patten then ate his meal, saddled a horse and
rode back towards Wickenburg, until he came to a small place
called Seymour on the Hassayampa, but could find out nothing of
his father's whereabouts. He went back to the wagon and hunted the
country close around camp but found nothing but his father's
overcoat, which was a few hundred yards from the wagon. It being
an old camp-ground, it was impossible to find his tracks. He
finally came to the conclusion that he had gone towards home, so
he hitched up his team and drove homeward until he came to Mr.
Calderwood's at Agua Fria (Cold Water). At this place there was a
well dug on the desert about twenty miles from Salt River. Patten
had traveled about twenty-two miles before reaching this point,
but was disappointed in not hearing anything of his father. He had
traveled all night and Mr. Calderwood was up and around when he
arrived. He related his story to him and was advised by him to
leave his team there and take the best pair of horses, and hitch
them to his buckboard and go on to the Mesa. Here he could get
help to come and hunt for the missing man. The distance was forty
miles, which would take all the rest of the day (the 20th). He
acted on the advice, however, and arrived at his destination at 9
p. m. The news was circulated, and in less than two hours, twenty
of the best and most experienced men at Mesa and Jonesville were
on the road, taking Patten back with them. They also took a wagon
to carry water and provisions, but most of them were on the best
of horses. They had sixty miles to ride before beginning the
search, which was accomplished by daylight next morning. After
feeding their horses and eating a lunch they held a consultation
and agreed to abide by the following rule. If any one of the party
found his tracks he was to make a smoke and this would call the
others in that direction. They then started out in different
directions. They scoured the country until about noon, when Sern
Sorenson and Charles Rogers found his tracks. They supposed they
were about twelve miles from where he was lost, and about ten
miles from Agua Fria, close to the main road on the south side.
They soon gathered some brush and started a fire, putting on
plenty of green weeds, etc., to cause a smoke, and soon attracted
the attention of their comrades. His tracks were followed. They
wound round and round, going in no particular direction. Some
places he would cross his tracks eight or ten times in going one
hundred yards, which made it quite difficult to follow.
"After spending a part of the afternoon in trailing him up, the
tracks finally took a direct course leading to the north. By this
time all the searching party were together.
"Another meeting was held and the plan adopted was for eight
horsemen, four on each side of his tracks, to ride at a
considerable distance apart, so as to cut off the track if it
turned to the right or left, and two or three of the best trailers
to keep on the tracks, while the buckboard and wagon followed up.
These were out of sight most of the time, as very good time was
made by the trailers after this plan was adopted. The ground was
quite soft, and those on the trail would gallop their horses for
miles, but darkness soon put an end to their work for this day, a
good thing for both men and animals.
"They had traveled upwards of one hundred miles in about twenty
hours. They were working men and had plenty of strength to carry
them through under all circumstances. They camped on the highest
ground that could be found close by, and made a large fire which
was kept up all night by those on guard.
"As soon as it was light enough to see the tracks, every man was
at his place moving as fast as he could under the circumstances.
"This was the morning of the 22nd. One great drawback they met
with that day was that when they would come to a deep ravine where
water had run during rainy weather, the tracks would follow up
sometimes for miles and then continue in the former direction.
Places would frequently be found in the sand where the lost one
had dug down for water with his hands. Now and then they would
find a piece of his clothing and see places where he had run into
the fox-tail cactus, cat's-claw and other thorny bushes. One place
was found where he had broken off the limb of a tree for a walking
stick. The party followed his tracks all day without stopping,
only as they were obliged to, on account of losing the trail or
from some other cause.
"Darkness overtook them again, but nothing could be seen or heard
of the missing man. They slept on his tracks, keeping up a fire
all night as before. His sons and others could not rest, and
followed his tracks after dark by striking matches and putting
them close to the ground to see if they might possibly find him.
Some thought they could hear a sound, but it was so indistinct
they could not discern the direction from which it came. It was
indeed he who called, for they were then only a few hundred yards
from him, but he was too hoarse to make them hear. On the morning
of the 23rd at daylight his anxious friends were on his tracks,
and had gone but a short distance when Charles Peterson saw him.
He had a long staff in his hand, and had raised up as high as he
could get, being on one knee and the other foot on the ground, and
was stretching himself as far as he could and looking eagerly for
their arrival. The crowd made a rush, and in a few seconds were
with him, Bishop E. Pomeroy being the first. He was in his right
mind and knew all present, and was glad to shake them by the hand,
calling each by name. He was in good spirits and joked the boys
frequently and gave them instructions to be careful in giving him
water, etc. There was no water except in a canteen that had been
reserved for his especial use. The company suffered themselves
for want of water. They had traveled upwards of one hundred and
fifty miles in less than forty-eight hours.
"David had dug a deep hole with his stick and had used his hands
to move the dirt. He said he was digging his own grave. He was
rolled in blankets and put on the buckboard. All drove to the
nearest houses, seven or eight miles distant, on the Hassayampa,
where they refreshed themselves with water and something to eat.
Soon they were on the road homeward. They drove to Mr.
Calderwood's, which was about thirty miles, and stayed all night.
He was very kind to them and told them to help themselves to
anything he had, such as hay, grain and food. He acted the man in
every respect. A large number of men had also left Phoenix in
search of David, among them being the U.S. Marshal, and others.
White men and Indians were riding over the desert in every
direction. Next morning the company drove to Jonesville, forty
miles distant, where they arrived about 3 p.m.
"David was carried into his house where he was surrounded by his
loving wife and children.
"When he recounted his experience, he said that one thing that
kept him from choking to death for want of water, was the damp
pebbles which he dug from low ravines and held in his mouth. The
Indians said that no human being could walk as far as he did and
go without water four days and five nights and live. The party
that found him said he must have walked at least seventy-five
miles, some said one hundred.
"He testified that on the afternoon of the 22nd, his father and
mother came and gave him water and told him that his friends would
find him. His clothing was all gone except his under garments,
which were badly torn.
"Before leaving home on his trip to Prescott, David had worked
several days fixing up his books and accounts and burning up all
useless papers, after which he told his wife that he felt
different in starting on this trip from anything that he had ever
felt before. He said it seemed to him that he should never
return. He told her that if this proved to be the case, he had
fixed his business up in such a shape that she would have no
trouble, and would know as much about it as himself. She
frequently spoke of these curious remarks, and felt considerably
worried. When the news came that he was lost, all was plain to
her, and she never expected to see him come home alive. Nothing
could comfort her, and she watched night and day until he was
brought home."
----
In the fall of 1883, David came to Salt Lake City on a visit to his
sister Helen and others, to whom he confirmed with his own lips all
that his letter contained, and told other things in relation to his
marvelous experience. He declared solemnly that he was perfectly sober
when he passed through the trying ordeal related, and bore a powerful
testimony to the truth of "Mormonism." He seemed a little reticent to
most of his relatives, and talked but little of his strange
experience, feeling pained that so many doubted his word, and being
unwilling to make himself obstrusive. When he bade his friends
farewell before returning south, there was something in his manner
which seemed to say that he was taking leave of them for all time.
This visit was no doubt made with that prospect in view, for it was
almost two years from the time he was lost on the desert. He returned
home to St. David, Cochise County, Arizona, and almost the next news
that came from there was the tidings of his death.
A letter from his nephew, Charles S. Whitney, who was then living with
him, written home on the 22nd of November, 1883, contained this:
"Uncle David died this morning at half-past six, easily, and
apparently without a bit of pain. Shortly before he died, he
looked up and called, 'Father, father!' All night long he had
called for Uncle Heber. You remember hearing him tell how Grand-pa
came to him when he was lost on the desert, and how he plead for
two years more and was given that much longer to stay. Last
Saturday, the day he was so bad, was just two years from the day
he was lost, and to-day is just two years from the day his father
and mother came to him and gave him a drink of water, and told him
that his friends would find him and he should live two years
longer. He knew that he was going to die, and bade Aunt Caroline
good-bye day before yesterday."
During the last two years of his life David revealed to three of his
personal friends the names of the four persons whom his father had
told him in vision that he should come for, at or near the time when
he would return for him. He exacted the promise from these friends
(who, it seems, had some doubt regarding the divine nature of his
vision, which doubt he was anxious to dispel) that they would not
divulge the names of these individuals until after their death. The
names, with respective dates of decease, are as follows:
William H. Hooper; died December 30th, 1882.
Horace K. Whitney; died November 22nd, 1884.
Heber P. Kimball; died February 8th, 1885.
William Jennings; died January 15th, 1886.
As will be seen, the longest interval given from the death of David P.
Kimball is two years, one month and twenty-three days. William H.
Hooper, who was the first of the four to go, preceded David by about
eleven months, while Horace K. Whitney, the second to depart, followed
him one year later to a day.
*** End of this LibraryBlog Digital Book "Life of Heber C. Kimball, an Apostle - The Father and Founder of the British Mission" ***
Copyright 2023 LibraryBlog. All rights reserved.