A Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel 27
Joseph Smith, Jun., reiterates this prediction of our Savior's nearly
1800 years after its utterance: "For verily the voice of the Lord is
unto all men;" _Doc. & Cov_. 1. 2; "And the voice of warning shall be
unto all people;" _verse_ 4. "Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto
the ends of the earth;" _verse_ 11.
Joseph Smith, Jun., spent the labors of his life, for the
accomplishment of the great work of preaching the Gospel to all the
world, and it has been the great object of the labors of the Latter-day
Saints for more than fifty years. Considering the magnitude of the work
it is being rapidly accomplished.
Jesus called the Gospel, the "Gospel of the kingdom." Of what kingdom
did he speak, unless of a kingdom of God on the earth which this Gospel
was to establish? Even the kingdom which Daniel speaks of: "And in the
days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which
shall never be destroyed: * * and it shall stand forever;" _Dan_. 2.
44. "And there was given him (the Son of Man) dominion, and glory, and
a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him;"
7. 14; "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the Saints of
the Most High;" _verse_ 27. The kingdom which this Gospel was to build
up, is the great object for which all Latter-day Saints labor.
One of the great burdens of the ancient prophets was the gathering of
Israel in the latter days, that Jerusalem might be established, and
Zion built up, that the law might go forth from Zion, "And the word of
the Lord from Jerusalem;" _Isa_. 2. 3.
It is evident from the tenor of the inspired writings, that this
kingdom is to consist of gathered Israel, and therefore the gathering
of Israel must be a part of "This Gospel of the kingdom." Some one must
receive authority to organize the means for accomplishing this great
gathering of the latter days.
The former great gatherer and deliverer of Israel was Moses, and he,
very naturally, was the one to restore that authority to the earth
after the fulness of the Gentiles should come in.
Through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, Jos. Smith, Jun., understood
this, and had the faith to receive the administrations of Moses, and
he has left the fact on record. "And Moses appeared before us, and
committed unto us the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four
parts of the earth, and the leading of the ten tribes from the land of
the north;" _Doc. & Cov_. 110. 11.
He preached "This Gospel of the kingdom," the obedient received the
Holy Ghost, and it moved them to gather together, and Israel, for over
fifty years, has been gathering to form that kingdom in fulfilment of
the predictions of the ancient prophets.
Joseph Smith, Jun., is the first man of whom we have any record, for
some 1800 years, that has labored for the fulfilment of the predictions
of the ancient prophets; _Doc. & Cov_. 1. 18.
The Lord said, through his prophet Micah, "In the last days it shall
come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be
established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above
the hills; * * and many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let
us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of
Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths:
for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from
Jerusalem;" _Mic_. 4. 1, 2.
For many years there has been a "House of the Lord" in Salt Lake City,
in the top of the mountains, and for more than thirty years, the
people of many nations have been saying, "Come and let us go up to the
mountain of the Lord."
That there will be a place called Zion from which "The law shall go
forth," distinct from Jerusalem, is evident from Isaiah, "When the Lord
of Hosts shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem;" 24. 23.
How is it that Joseph Smith, Jun., first organized the means for the
partial fulfilment of this prophecy, and left, at his death, the
authority and instructions necessary to complete its fulfilment, by the
building of a great city to be called Zion, in the state of Missouri,
which in fulfilment of the prophecy, shall become the capital of this
western hemisphere, if he did not obtain his knowledge of the whole
matter through Divine inspiration?
The Jaredite prophet, Ether, some 2500 years ago, foretold "That a New
Jerusalem should be built up upon this land (America), unto the seed of
Joseph;" _Ether_ 13. 4, 6.
There is a wonderful connection between this passage in the Book of
Mormon, and the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah, the result of one
spirit of inspiration, acting upon different men, in countries, long
distances apart, and at different periods of time.
It is quite as unaccountable on any other grounds than that of
inspiration, that Joseph Smith, Jun., after many centuries had elapsed
since these predictions of the prophets, should declare to the world
that the time was at hand for their fulfilment, and that he should have
the confidence to indicate the identical spot, on this great land of
North America, where this city of Zion is to be built. "This is the
land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion. * * * Behold, the
place which is now called Independence, is the center place, and a spot
for the temple is lying westward;" _Doc. & Cov_. 57. 2, 3.
JOSEPH SMITH AS A FULFILLER OF BOOK OF MORMON PROPHECIES.
The first Nephi, 2400 years before the days of Joseph Smith, the
Prophet, had a vision of the discovery and colonization of America by
Europeans. He also saw the record of the Jews (the Bible) come forth
from the Gentiles to the remnant of the seed of his brethren (the
American Indians). He says, "After it had come forth unto them, I
beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the
Gentiles unto them:" 1 _Nephi_ 13. 38, 39.
Admitting that this prophecy has been partly fulfilled, by Christian
denominations who have sent missionaries and the Bible among the
Indians, it remained for Joseph Smith, Jun., to initiate the fulfilment
of the second part of the prophecy, that other books, besides the
Bible, should come forth to the children of Lehi, which should bear
testimony of the truth of the Bible.
The Book of Mormon was the first of this series of books, which were
to be carried forth among the American Indians, after the Bible. It
has been followed by the book of Doctrine and Covenants, containing
revelations and instructions concerning the latter-day work, and by
inspired translations from the writings of Enoch, Abraham and Moses,
which all bear record of the truth of the Jewish prophets, and of the
teachings of Jesus and his apostles, as foretold they would do by the
prophet Nephi.
This same prophet further says, "There is nothing which is secret, save
it shall be revealed; * * * there is nothing which is sealed upon the
earth, save it shall be loosed. Wherefore, all things which have been
revealed unto the children of men, shall at that day be revealed;" 2
_Nephi_ 30. 17, 18. The context of this passage shows that it speaks of
the latter days.
The following is nearly a parallel passage in meaning: "And he shall
send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven
must receive until the times of restitution of _all things_, which God
hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets _since the world
began_;" _Acts_ 3. 20, 21.
That is, all the knowledge that has ever been revealed to man will
be restored to the earth. All that was revealed to Adam and the
ante-diluvian prophets; to Noah and the Jaredite prophets; to Abraham;
to Moses and the Jewish prophets; to the Nephite prophets; to the
primitive apostles of our Savior, and many others, to whom the Lord has
shewn all things from the beginning of the world to the end thereof.
After many centuries had passed, in which man's wisdom had failed to
comprehend the meaning of the phrase, "The restitution of all things,"
or the grand fulfilment of prophecy comprehended in a "Dispensation
of the fulness of times"--a time in which all the knowledge and power
of all times will be gathered into one--Jos. Smith, Jun., appears in
the United States of America, and claims that the Lord has authorized
him to open up this grand dispensation of a fulness, and that for this
purpose he has bestowed upon him first, and then through him upon
others, all the keys and powers of the Priesthood which had been held
in former dispensations.
"For unto you, (the twelve) and those (the first presidency) who
are appointed with you, to be your counselors and your leaders, is
the power of this Priesthood given, for the last days and for the
last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fulness of times,
which power you hold in connection with all those who have received a
dispensation at any time from the beginning of creation;" _Doc. & Cov_.
112. 30-32.
In _sec_. 110 we are informed that Jesus Christ, Elias, Moses, and
Elijah the prophet, appeared to Jos. Smith, Jun., and others, and
bestowed upon them the keys of the holy Priesthood, held in other
dispensations, that they might be concentrated in this.
In these last two quotations, from _Doc. & Cov_., we have an account of
the bestowal of the necessary authority upon certain persons, for the
opening up of the gathering dispensation of the latter times, that is
perfectly consistent with the Book of Mormon and the Bible.
No man, unless endowed by Divine inspiration, could have conceived of
such a sacramental feast as is represented in the following, to which
will be gathered in the latter times, the great dignitaries of all
dispensations, with Jesus Christ at their head, together holding all
the keys, authority and powers of the holy Priesthood, pertaining to
the redemption of man and of the earth.
"For the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with
you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal
the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting Gospel, *
* * and also with Elias, to whom I have committed the keys of bringing
to pass the restoration of all things," and with John the Baptist,
"whom I have sent unto you, my servants, Jos. Smith, Jun., and Oliver
Cowdery, to ordain you unto this first Priesthood which you have
received. * *
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