Life of Heber C. Kimball, an apostle

by Orson F. Whitney

CHAPTER LXVI.

DEATH OF VILATE, THE WIFE OF HEBER'S YOUTH—PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG PREACHES HER FUNERAL SERMON—HIS FEELING TRIBUTE TO HER MEMORY—HEBER PROPHESIES OF HIS OWN DEATH.

On the 22nd of October, 1867, there was gloom in the household of Heber C. Kimball. On that day died Vilate, the partner of his youth, the noble and unselfish sharer of his life's joys and sorrows. In the sixty-second year of her age, after an almost unexampled life of toil, heroism and self-sacrifice, God called her home to a glorious rest.

One of the immediate causes which led to her death—though for months she had been a sufferer, and the sun of her life was visibly setting—was the untimely end of her son, Brigham Willard Kimball, who died on the plains while returning from a mission to England. Vilate took the death of her son very much to heart, and her grief over the event is supposed to have hastened the termination of her own life.

Her loss was a heavy blow to her sorrowing husband. Heber's struggle, in faith and prayer, to hold her to earth, was almost as great as that of death to take her away. He related that when she first fell sick, on going into her room to administer to her, he saw, standing at the head of her bed, an evil spirit, a female. Kneeling down he prayed, and then rebuked the apparition in the name of Jesus. It disappeared, but soon returned with a host of fallen beings.

He then called in several other Elders, and unitedly they rebuked the evil spirits, when they departed, and he saw them no more at that time.

Thus he struggled on, hoping and praying to the end that she might be spared. Sometimes, in his yearning for the continuance of their companionship here a while longer, it seemed as though he would prevail with the Lord. But the last hope of this at length faded, the end came, and he bowed in resignation to the inevitable.

"I shall not be long after her," was the sad prophecy that fell from his quivering lips, as he followed the remains of his beloved partner to the tomb.

The thread of Vilate's life has been fully traced in that of her noble husband, at whose side she stood as a helpmeet and a heroine for five and forty years. But the record has only been traced, not told, and angel tongues must take up the theme which mortal pen were powerless to unfold.

Her pure spirit took its heavenward flight at about three o'clock in the afternoon. The funeral services over her remains were held on Wednesday the 24th of October, at her residence in Salt Lake City. There were present on the occasion to pay their last respects to her sainted memory, President Brigham Young, Elders Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Geo. A. Smith, Geo. Q. Cannon, Joseph F. Smith, of the Twelve Apostles; Patriarchs John Smith, John Young; President Joseph Young; Bishops P. H. Young, Lorenzo Dow Young, John Sharp, E. F. Sheets; many principal citizens and a vast concourse of friends.

After appropriate singing, and a prayer by Elder Joseph Young, President Brigham Young pronounced the funeral address. He said that he had not come to weep because the body of Sister Kimball was laid in the coffin; if he wept it was because he saw his friends weeping around him, but there was no cause for weeping, and he would say, let us dry up our tears. He was reminded of the time when the deceased and Brother Kimball stood by him when his first wife was taken from him. He felt then to rejoice in the glorious hopes which the gospel had revealed to them, and he could say of those who had died that there was no period known to them in which they could experience so much joy as when they had passed through the portals of death and entered upon the glorious change into the spirit world. He had known intimately Sister Kimball for nearly forty years, and from that time to this, if any person ever found fault with her, it was more than he knew. Her life, conversation, feelings, kindness to her family and to her neighbors seemed all to come before him, and he could say of a truth that a better woman never lived—according to her knowledge. She was ever disposed to do good and to meet every obligation that devolved upon her. He had been cherished and comforted by her in hours of affliction, and knew her kindness of heart. Since he had heard of her death, he had experienced none but joyful feelings—for she had lived the life of a Saint—till he had come to sit beside her bier. It did not belong to the manhood which God had given them to mourn on such occasions, but it was through the weakness of their fallen nature that they were overcome. Her spirit had now passed into the spirit world, to wait with the spirits of the just the morning of the resurrection. She had kept the faith, and with all who had partaken of the holy Priesthood, was beyond the powers of death, and can no more be afflicted. It was his faith that Joseph the Prophet would be the first resurrected of the last dispensation, and that to him would be committed the keys of the resurrection, and through him would the powers of the resurrection be extended to others till all who had been faithful would be resurrected in glory. He concluded with kindly words of the deceased, reiterating affectionate sentiments, and assuring the afflicted family and friends that her life had been as honorable as any woman who had ever lived, and that she had secured her resurrection with the just.

President Young was followed by others, including President Kimball, who spake most touchingly of the virtues of his faithful wife.

Her remains were laid in the family burial ground.

So closed the mortal career of one of the noblest of women, the purity and loftiness of whose character will loom as a monument through coming ages, while the memory of her good deeds will shine forever like the pathway of the just.