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When Mormonism began in 1830 it was
called the Church of Christ by its founder, Joseph
Smith. Then in 1834 the official name was changed to The
Church of The Latter Day Saints. On April 17, 1838 Smith
had a "revelation" in which the Lord named it "The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (Doctrine
& Covenants 114:3-4). Smith said
God gave them that
name because Mormons were Christ’s church in the
latter days. The following prophecies by Joseph
Smith show
why Mormons believed they were in the "latter
days" at that time.
Joseph Smith prophesied at the LDS
Conference on April 6, 1843 that "There are those of
the rising generation who shall not taste death till
Christ comes" (History of the Church, vol. 5,
p. 336; Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 286).
162 years ago Smith said that Christ would come before
that generation all died. But that generation died long
ago and Christ still has not come, so it was a false
prophecy.
On April 2, 1843 Smith prophesied that
difficulties in South Carolina would result in much
bloodshed before Christ’s Second Coming (Doctrine &
Covenants 130:12-13). Verse 13 links this prophecy
to Doctrine & Covenants 87 dated Dec. 25, 1832 in
which Smith predicted that a war between the Northern
and Southern states would begin in South Carolina and
end with the destruction of all nations
and the Lord’s coming (D. & C. 87:7-8).
The last verse of Doctrine & Covenants 87
commanded the people in 1832 to "Stand ye in the holy
places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord
come." Smith gave this prophecy 173 years ago, so
none of those people are still living. The Lord has not
come yet, so this was a false prophecy just like most of
the other things predicted in Doctrine & Covenants
87.
On February 14, 1835, Smith called a
meeting in which the original 12 Apostles of the Mormon
Church were ordained. At that meeting Smith said, "It
was the will of God that those who went to Zion (Jackson
County, Missouri), with a determination to lay down
their lives, if necessary, should be ordained to the
ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the
last time, or the coming of the Lord,
which was nigh—even fifty-six years should wind up
the scene." When 56 years are added to 1835 it
also points to 1891 as the time for Christ’s
Second Coming.
On April 2, 1843 Smith said in
Doctrine & Covenants 130:14-15 that while he was
praying about the Second Coming, a voice said, "Joseph,
my son, if thou livest until thou art
eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the
face of the Son of Man." Smith was born December 23,
1805, so 85 years added to that date would make it
1890 or 1891 for Christ’s Second Coming.
In the History of the Church vol.
5, p. 336, Smith quoted this prophecy and then
said, "I prophesy in the name of the Lord God,
and let it be written—the Son of Man will not come in
the clouds of heaven till I am eighty-five
years old." But Christ did not come in 1890 or 1891 so
that was also a false prophecy.
On January 4, 1833 Joseph Smith
prophesied,
I am
prepared to say by the authority of Jesus Christ, that
not many years shall pass away before the
United States shall present such a scene of bloodshed
as has not a parallel in the history of our nation;
pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will sweep
the wicked of this generation from off the face of
the land, to open and prepare the way for the
return of the lost tribes of Israel from the north
country. The people of the Lord, those who have
complied with the requirements of the new covenant,
have already commenced gathering together
to Zion, which is in the state of Missouri;
therefore I declare unto you the warning
which the Lord has commanded to declare unto
this generation, remembering that the eyes
of my Maker are upon me, and that to Him I am
accountable for every word I say, wishing nothing
worse to my fellow-men than their eternal salvation;
therefore, "Fear God, and give glory to Him, for
the hour of His Judgment is come."
Repent ye, repent ye, and embrace the everlasting
covenant, and flee to Zion, before
the overflowing scourge overtake you,
for there are those now living upon the earth
whose eyes shall not be closed in death until they see
all these things, which I have spoken fulfilled
(History of the Church, vol. I, pp. 315-316).
Some claim that the Civil War was a
fulfillment of the first part of this prophecy. But
Smith’s local newspaper contained similar
predictions about the Civil War before he
gave this prophecy or the one in Doctrine & Covenants
87.
In this 1833 "prophecy" Smith said that
"pestilence, hail, famine, and earthquake will
sweep the wicked of this generation
from off the face of the land." But the wicked
of that generation died just like the wicked died in the
generations before it and after it. They did not die the
way Smith said they would. Smith also said when
the wicked were swept off of the face of the land it
would prepare the way for the return of the lost tribes
of Israel from the "north country." But the ten "lost
tribes" of Israel didn’t return to Israel or to America
in that generation or since then.
Smith said that the people of the Lord
(Latter Day Saints) "have already commenced
gathering together to Zion, which is in
the state of Missouri" and urged
his hearers in 1833 to "Flee to Zion"
before the overflowing scourge overtake you."
Mormons began gathering to Zion in Jackson County,
Missouri but trouble there forced them to move to
Nauvoo, Illinois in 1839. But no "overflowing scourge"
overtook them even though they left Zion. Mormons have
not "gathered" to Missouri since they left in 1839.
Smith also said, the "The hour of His
(God’s) judgment is come." If God’s judgment
came in 1833 everyone living since then has missed it!
Smith said "there are those now living
upon the earth whose eyes shall not be closed in
death until they see all these things,
which I have spoken fulfilled." He said that 172
years ago in 1833, but that generation all died
without seeing any of this prophecy
fulfilled, so it was a false prophecy. These prophecies
help explain why Mormonism’s official name is The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Those who want to read more on this
subject can do so in Voice of Warning by Parley
P. Pratt. It is published in numerous editions by the
LDS Church. Next time we will discuss some of the
beliefs that Mormons have about Christ’s future kingdom.
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