Part 47 (1/2)
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 pa.s.sions 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 circ.u.mstances, 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 G.o.d 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 h.e.l.l--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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d 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--G.o.d 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 circ.u.mstances, 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 G.o.d 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 circ.u.mstance 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 nouris.h.i.+ng 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d'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, G.o.d took them and their city with a part of the earth to Himself, and they sailed away like one s.h.i.+p 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 G.o.d upon them and their faces s.h.i.+ning 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 G.o.d 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 Apostles.h.i.+p 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d, or you will never obtain your resurrected bodies.”
Here is a view of the location of heaven and h.e.l.l: