Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 3/MILLENNIUM. No. X.

MILLEN[N]IUM. No. X.

Continued from page 19.

The apostasy of the Gentiles is a subject, that I believe, is no where disputed in all the professing world—It is acknowledged by all, that the present generation of religious Gentiles is in a state of confusion and distraction: the cry of heresy, delusion, false prophet, and false christ, which is every where sounded in our land, is testimony to the point, and not only to the point, but is conclusive also, that this generation have departed from the principles of the true faith, and are led by false spirits, and teach one another doctrines which are not according to godliness. There is no fact plainer in the world, than the fact that the church of Christ has disappeared: for if one society had remained as organized by the apostles, there would have been a living pattern to have formed others by, and the difficulties which now exist in the religious world, could not have existed at all. But in consequence of every society, which the apostles formed, being broken up, the world is left without a pattern: and this is one of the great reasons of their present confusion and darkness; of their strife and partyism, because they cannot agree as to the order of a church, as originally established by the apostles: some think it was one way, and some think it was another; and one attempt is made after another to restore the true order of the church, to the world. But instead of getting it done, the sects only multiply, party, upon party, and opinion upon opinion; leaving the world, in relation to the order of the church of Christ, where they found it. They have as yet, never been able either to restore to the world the church, or the gospel on which it was founded. Let them restore to one another what they will, or what they can, the gospel and the church, they have not, nay, they cannot restore! and that for this reason, because they are in a state of apostasy: and God has devoted them to destruction, unless they will learn the things which he has caused to be written for the salvation of his people, which are of the house of Israel. See Jeremiah, 12:14, 15, 16, 17. In vain will the Gentiles of this generation attempt to reform themselves, or others, or to obtain what they have lost, so long as this sentence stands written by the authority of the Holy Spirit. "If ye continue in his goodness, otherwise thou shalt be cut off." Romans, 11:22. So sure as ever this sentance [sentence] was penned by the inspiration of God, so sure the Gentiles will seek to reform themselves, and others, in vain, so as to retain the kingdom of God among them: for as sure as ever the Lord caused the above sentence to be written, so certain the present Gentile world, with, all its parties, sects, denominations, reformations, revivals of religion, societies, and associations, are devoted to destruction; for, "continue" in the goodness of God, they have not: and cut off they must be, as sure as ever Paul was inspired of the Holy Spirit to write, and to make known the will of God to man, and to reveal his purposes to the generations which were to succeed him on the earth; for he has declared, and that never to be controverted (though it may be caviled at,), that the Gentiles should be cut off, if they ever apostatized from the truth as the Jews had done before them; and that, when this time came, (I mean the time to prepare for the cutting off of the Gentiles,) that the Lord would set his hand again to recover his people, which he had scattered; and that he would gather them and bring them again to the land of their fathers, and build them up a holy people unto himself.—This is the testimony of all the holy prophets since the world began: they all saw it and understood it, and wrote of it—it was one of the principal topics on which the Savior dwelt while in the flesh—the apostles considered it of the first consequence to all—they spoke of it; they wrote of it; they warned the world about it; they comforted the hearts of the disciples with it; they rejoiced in the anticipation of it, and they glorified God that he had ever purposed, in the divine mind, to bring in such a day of glory and rejoicing, as the glorious day of redemption, when they should receive their bodies glorified like the glorious body of the Savior, and obtain the end of their faith, even the salvation of their souls.

The Millen[n]ium is that order of things which will follow the second advent of the Savior into the world, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired of all them that believe. But previous to the time of the Millen[n]ium, there must great changes take place in the world, both political and religious—great revolutions will take place among men to prepare the way of the Son of man; and such revolutions, and changes, as never took place since the world began: changes which will effect the whole inhabitants of the world, to the remotest bounds of the universe—no corner so sequestered as not to feel their influence—no cave too deep to hear the sound thereof, and to feel the influence of the unparalleled events which will precede the Millen[n]ium.—The way of this day of wonders will be prepared by a general commotion of all nature: even eternity itself shall feel it: the lightnings shall flash, the thunders shall roar, and earthquakes bellow, until the lower creation trembles: angels shall fly to and fro through the midst of heaven, crying to the inhabitants of the earth, and proclaiming the judgments of God against them: Gentile sectarianism shall fall like a tottering fabric, the foundation of which has given way. Such will be the terrors which will precede the Millen[n]ium that all faces will gather blackness, and nation will lash against nation, kingdom against kingdom, empire against empire, country against country, and people against people.—The saints of God, which are scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth, shall be gathered together, both men and heavenly messengers will be employed in gathering them until not one shall be left of all the saints of the Most High, but they shall all be gathered together, and shall be taught and instructed until they are prepared for the reception of their King, and then he will unvail the heavens, and all nations, tongues, kindreds, and languages, shall see him, and at his presence the wicked, which remain, shall perish, and the righteous only be left. And then comes the Millen[n]ium, which will last for one thousand years.