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.