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.