A PROPHECY OF MALACHI.
The following prediction is one made by an ancient prophet:
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4: 5, 6).
The Prophet Joseph Smith testifies that this was fulfilled on the third day of April, 1836. At that time the body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was situated in Kirtland, Ohio, where they had erected a temple to the Lord. It was in this temple that the vision was received by Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, in which the Prophet Elijah appeared unto them. They describe his appearance and message as follows:
"After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us, for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said—Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he (Elijah) should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors."