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.