Joseph Smith, the great latter-day prophet, announced to the world fifty years ago, that the fullness of the Gentiles would come in and Israel be restored to the lands of their inheritance in the same generation existing when he made the prediction; or, that there were persons then living who would not sleep in death until all should be fulfilled in relation to the covenant made with the house of Jacob. But it is not till now, when the tree is so plainly putting forth its buds, that some of the more orthodox Bible believers among the sects are beginning to observe the portentous character of the signs of the times.
The fulfilled predictions of Joseph Smith are very numerous. But we are only enabled in the present writing, to comparatively do little more than touch upon his prophetic character. A prophet "is a person illuminated, instructed, or inspired by God to announce future events." We have, we believe, succeeded in showing that such was the calling for which Joseph was divinely selected.
Among the subjects upon which Joseph Smith was called to exercise the prophetic gift was the wars that were, in this generation, to produce upon the earth, the most terrible scenes of destruction and carnage. We here present an extract from a revelation given Dec. 25th, 1832:
"Verily, thus saith the Lord, concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls. The days will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at that place.
"For behold the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call upon other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they also shall call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations; and thus war shall be poured out upon all nations.
We presume our reader is aware that the first shot of the American war of the rebellion was fired in South Carolina, and that during the progress of that fratricidal and bloody conflict, the Southern Confederacy sent Messrs. Mason and Slidell to the Court of St. James, with full powers to treat with the British Government to secure the aid of the latter in accomplishing the object of the secession from the Union of States. These are matters of history. These two representatives of the Confederacy were brought into more than ordinary notoriety by the fact of their having been taken, by federal authority, from the deck of a British vessel, but subsequently liberated on demand of the government of Great Britain.
The fact that Joseph Smith prophesied the breaking out of the American war, together with some striking details connected with it, twenty-nine years before its occurrence, cannot be denied, the prediction having been published to the world almost ever since it was enunciated. This stamps him as a foreteller of future events. As the declaration is given with such exactness, it could not have been the result of mere human ingenuity or foresight. In fact, so absent was the general anticipation of such a disaster that the production was treated with ridicule, contempt and scorn, as soon as published. From whence came Joseph's gift to foresee and foretell? It must have emanated from a power and intelligence greater than that naturally possessed by man. It is evident that his mind was illuminated by the God of Heaven.
The other portion of the prediction relating to Great Britain will also be fulfilled, as well as every word that has been uttered by the gift and power of the Most High. She will yet call upon other nations. The tocsin of war will sound and armed hosts will meet in the crash of battle, for war will be poured out upon all nations. This is the great day of preparation for the controversy of the Lord of Hosts with the inhabitants of the earth. Europe is alive with armed men. She is bristling with bayonets and fearful of the approach of the inevitable conflict.
Perplexity and distress already appear. These are but the beginning of sorrows. Knowing what is coming upon the earth, a day of calamity, we call upon all men and women to receive the message of the Gospel, restored to the earth in this generation, through the instrumentality of a prophet. We call upon all to repent, be baptized by one holding authority by immersion in water for the remission of sins, and receive the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands. We testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, that this is the will of God, manifested in these days, by revelation and commandment.
Liverpool, England, April 6th, 1880.