Before closing the record of his eventful career, we propose to present here some gems from the public sayings of President Kimball, as serving to show still further the spirit and character of the man, his views of life and death, time and eternity, and likewise forming links in the chain of his history that might otherwise be lacking. In the hurry of his later years he kept no regular journal, as in the earlier part of his life, thus leaving his biographer to gather information from whatever sources were available.
These selections cover a period of years, from 1852 down to the time of his death.
His first sermon published in the Journal of Discourses, happens to touch on modern spiritualism. He says:
"The invisible world are in trouble; they are knocking, and rapping, and muttering; and the people are inquiring of them to know concerning the things of God, and there is not a soul of them can tell them anything about the end of the world. They are in a dreadful situation; and in the city of Rochester, near where I used to live, the last information I received from there, there were one hundred and thirty-five spiritual writers in that city. I have a brother-in-law there, who is a Presbyterian priest; he couldn't enquire of God about future things, so he enquired of the spirits; but they could not tell him anything about the dead nor the living. They are just about as intelligent in their revelations as this world are in theirs. They are all in commotion—what is going to be done? I will tell you—God is going to make a short work upon the earth, and the invisible world are troubled about it."
His second published discourse was a funeral address in memory of Mary
Fielding Smith, the wife of Hyrum Smith, who died at his house
September 22nd, 1852. Here is his tribute to that estimable woman:
"As regards Sister Mary Smith's situation and circumstances, I have no trouble at all, for if any person has lived the life of a Saint, she has. If any person has acted the part of a mother, she has. I may say she has acted the part of a mother, and a father, and a bishop. She has had a large family, and several old people to take care of, and which she has maintained for years by her economy and industry.
"One thing I am glad of, and I feel to rejoice in the providence of God that things have been as they have. She came here sick on the Sabbath, eight weeks ago last Sunday, for me to lay hands upon her. She was laid prostrate upon her bed, and was not able to recover afterwards. I felt as though it was a providential circumstance that it so happened. She always expressed that she knew the thing was dictated by the Lord that she should be placed in my house, though accidentally. She probably would not have lived so long, had she been where she could not have had the same care. On Tuesday evening, eight weeks and two days since, she came here sick; from that time until her death she was prayerful and humble. I have never seen a person in my life that had a greater desire to live than she had, and there was only one thing she desired to live for, and that was to see to her family; it distressed her to think that she could not see to them; she wept about it. She experienced this anxiety for a month previous to her death. * * * I am glad I did right to Sister Mary, and took care of her, and that my family had the pleasure of nourishing her; the satisfaction that this gives me is worth more to me than a hundred thousand dollars. Do I believe they know it in heaven? Yes, as much as you do. I want to live all the time in righteousness, as I know that God sees me and all the works of His hands." * * * * *
A lesson on love and unity is here given:
"The Gospel and plan of salvation that I have embraced, is music to me; it is sweet to my body, and congenial to my spirit; and it is more lovely than anything else I have ever seen since I have been in the world. I love it, and that is why I love this people better than any other people on God's earth, because there was never a better people; that is, I am speaking of the majority of them.
"The world considers it to be quite ridiculous for us to be of one heart and of one mind. It is this union among those who are faithful 'Mormons,' that makes the world afraid of us. * * Jesus says, 'Except ye are one, ye are not mine.' There is more oneness in this people than in any other people that ever lived upon the earth. There was not that oneness in the days of Jesus, and I suppose there never has been since the days of Enoch. Because there was such a oneness among the people of Enoch, and they could not continue to be one and live with the people in the same world, God took them and their city with a part of the earth to Himself, and they sailed away like one ship at sea separating from another."