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."