Life of Heber C. Kimball, an apostle

by Orson F. Whitney

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."