——
So passed from earth the immortal part of him whom men named Heber C. Kimball; one of God's "noble and great ones," recalled with honor from the toils of time to share with Him the triumphs of eternity. Freed from his mortal prison-house of sorrow and of pain, his mission in this life completed, he sought once more the scenes and society of Home, in the realms of eternal rest.
Past angels, Gods and sentinels, who guard
The gates celestial, challengeless and free,
That sovereign spirit soared unto its own;
By shouting millions welcomed back again,
With all his new-won laurels on his brow—
The meed of valor and of victory—
To exaltations endless as THE LIVES.
APPENDIX.
A GLIMPSE OF THE GREAT BEYOND—THRILLING EXPERIENCE OF DAVID PATTEN KIMBALL—LOST IN THE DESERT—COMMUNING WITH THE SPIRITS OF THE DEPARTED—DAVID PREDICTS HIS OWN DEATH AND THE DEATH OF FOUR OTHERS—THE FULFILLMENT.
The following narrative, under the caption of "A Terrible Ordeal," was originally published in a little volume called "Helpful Visions," the fourteenth book of the Faith-Promoting Series, issued from the office of the Juvenile Instructor, in 1887. It was edited then, as now, by the author of this work. Its relevancy to the present volume will be apparent as we proceed.
On the 22nd of November, 1883, David Patten Kimball, fourth son of Heber Chase and Vilate Murray Kimball, departed this life. Nearly two years before his death, he wrote to his sister Helen, in Salt Lake City, the letter from which the appended extract is taken. This letter was dated January 8th, 1882. David was then a resident of Jonesville, or Lehi, Arizona, three miles from Mesa, where the letter was written.
The experience related was of so remarkable a character as to meet with dubiety on the part of some, especially those inclined to be skeptical regarding spiritual manifestations. Some went so far as to ascribe the sights and scenes through which the narrator claimed to have passed, to the fevered fancy of a mind disordered by strong drink. Nor is this surprising, when it is remembered that even the Apostles of Jesus, on the day of Pentecost, were accused of being "drunken with new wine," when the power of the Spirit fell upon them and they "spake with tongues and prophesied." Skepticism is the same in all ages. What is here presented is the plain and simple testimony of an honest man, who firmly adhered to it till the day of his death, which occurred in literal fulfillment of things told him "while in the spirit."
Here is the excerpt from David's letter. The events described took place while he was returning home from a trip to Prescott, the capital of Arizona, in the early part of November, 1881:
"On the 4th of November, I took a very severe cold in a snow storm at Prescott, being clad in light clothing, which brought on pneumonia or lung fever. I resorted to Jamaica ginger and pepper tea to obtain relief and keep up my strength till I could reach home and receive proper care. On the 13th I camped in a canyon ten miles west of Prescott, my son Patten being with me. We had a team of eight horses and two wagons. That night I suffered more than death. The next night we camped at Mr. McIntyre's, about twenty miles farther on. I stopped there two nights and one day, during which time I took nothing to drink but pepper tea. On the 16th we drove to Black's ranch, twenty-eight miles nearer home, and were very comfortably located in Mr. Black's house.