CHAPTER LXVIII.
OBSEQUIES OF PRESIDENT KIMBALL—TRIBUTES AND TESTIMONIES OF HIS BROTHER APOSTLES—"HE WAS A MAN OF AS MUCH INTEGRITY AS ANY MAN WHO EVER LIVED"—EARTH RETURNS TO EARTH AND THE SPIRIT UNTO GOD WHO GAVE IT.
The day set for the funeral of President Kimball was Wednesday, the 24th of June. The place, the large Tabernacle, Salt Lake City. His own desire, expressed many times before his death, was that it should be held at his private residence, and with as little display as possible; but out of deference to public sentiment, and to accommodate the great multitude of his friends who desired to be present, it was found necessary to hold the services in the Tabernacle.
Throughout the city on that day, all ordinary business was suspended, and draped flags, at half mast, swung to the breeze from the tops of public and private buildings. It was a general time of mourning. The very heavens seemed weeping in unison with the earth. The skies were hung with black clouds, the solemn thunders roared, the wind sighed and moaned, and the rain fell heavily.
Long before the hour for the commencement of the services, thousands were on their way to the Tabernacle to pay the last tribute of respect to the memory of the mighty dead; one whom all Israel revered and mourned as a father and a friend. Notwithstanding the pouring rain, fully eight thousand people assembled within the vast auditorium. Many of the settlements and counties throughout the Territory were represented by their leading men.
While the masses congregated at the Tabernacle, Presidents Brigham Young and Daniel H. Wells, with the Apostles and many others, representing general and local authorities in the Priesthood, repaired to the late residence of President Kimball, where the funeral procession formed under the personal supervision of President Young.
The procession moved from the residence at 2 o'clock p. m., in the following order:
1st. Croxall's brass band, consisting of Messrs. M. Croxall, C. Evans,
R. Golightly, T. McIntyre, W. D. Williams, J. Croxall, T. Croxall, T.
Griggs, J. Cartwright, J. Currie, W. Foster, C. Sansom, B. Eardley, H.
Sadler, J. Wakeham, W. Adkins, G. Wareing, D. Evans, H. Sperry and W.
Lloyd.
2nd. Of the High Council, Elders W. Eddington, J. L. Blythe, C. V. Spencer, W. H. Folsom, T. E. Jeremy, J. Squires, P. Nebeker and G. W. Thatcher.
3rd. Of the Presidency of the Salt Lake Stake of Zion, Elders D. Spencer and G. B. Wallace.
4th. Of the Presidency of the Seventies, Elders Joseph Young, L. W. Hancock, A. P. Rockwood, H. S. Eldredge and J. Van Cott.
5th. The Presidency of the High Priests, Elders John Young, S. W. Richards and E. D. Woolley.
6th. Presiding Bishop E. Hunter and his Counselors, L. W. Hardy and J. C. Little.
7th. Of the Twelve Apostles, Elders Orson Pratt, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, Geo. A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson, Lorenzo Snow, Geo. Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith.
8th. President Brigham Young and Counselor Daniel H. Wells.
9th. The corpse, in a neat coffin wrapped in black broadcloth and deeply fringed with white cashmere and black lace, borne by twelve pall-bearers, namely, Elders R. T. Burton, T. McKean, G. W. Grant, L. S. Hills, B. Y. Hampton, W. Calder, H. Heath, A. Dewey, H. S. Beatie, H. P. Richards, H. Dinwoodey, and John T. Caine.
Immediately following the remains walked the three eldest sons of President Kimball, namely, William H., Heber P., and David P., succeeded by his wives, the elder sons and daughters, the younger sons and daughters, and many other relatives in the rear. The families of Presidents Young and Wells in carriages, and a number of the most prominent citizens on foot, terminated the procession.
To the solemn strains of the "Dead March in Saul," from Captain Croxall's band, the cortege, passing down East, North and West Temple Streets, successively, to the west gate of Temple Block, entered the Tabernacle at door No. 32, north side, and occupied reserved seats in front of the stand. The casket with the remains was deposited on a draped bier raised from the middle aisle. Seven elegant vases of roses and other beautiful flowers were placed upon the coffin. During the services a bird flew into the building and, alighting on the coffin, remained for several minutes.
In consonance with the solemnity of the scene, the interior of the
Tabernacle was draped in mourning.
The assemblage was called to order by President Brigham Young.
The choir then sang the following hymn, composed for the occasion by
Sister Eliza R. Snow:
Be cheer'd, O Zion—cease to weep:
Heber we deeply loved:
He is not dead—he does not sleep—
He lives with those above.
His flesh was weary; let it rest
Entombed in mother Earth,
Till Jesus comes—when all the bless'd,
To life will be brought forth.
His mighty spirit, pure and free
From every bond of Earth,
In realms of immortality,
Is crowned with spotless worth.
He lives for Zion:—he has gone
To plead her righteous cause,
Before the High and Holy One—
Let all the Saints rejoice.
Let wives and children humbly kiss
The deep-afflicting rod:
A father to the fatherless,
God is the widow's God.
Elder George Q. Cannon offered the opening prayer.
The choir sang "Farewell all earthly honors," with the chorus "There is sweet rest in heaven," and remarks were then made as follows, by the speakers named: