Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Doctrines
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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