Part 46 (1/2)
”'Well, who holds the t.i.tle 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; G.o.d 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 a.s.sa.s.sinated last night while at the theatre in Was.h.i.+ngton. 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 G.o.d. 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.”