Chapter IV: Part 4

A little more than four months after the death of the Patriarch, Joseph Smith, Sen., in a revelation given to his son Joseph, occurs the following: "That my servant Hyrum may take the office of Priesthood and Patriarch, which was appointed unto him by his father, _by blessing and also by right_, that from henceforth he shall hold the keys of the patriarchal blessings upon the heads of all my people, that whoever he blesses shall be blessed, and whoever he curses shall be cursed; that whatsoever he shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever he shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven;" _Doc. & Cov_. 124. 91-93.

From this we learn, that Joseph Smith, Sen., inherited the Patriarchal Priesthood, by right from the fathers over the house of Israel in this dispensation. For this right to have descended to him, by lineage, he must of necessity be an Ephraimite, for Ephraim, by the right of appointment and ordination by his father Jacob, is the head of Israel. This fact is plainly stated in the Scriptures: "Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel, for he was the firstborn; but, forasmuch as he defiled his father's bed, his birthright was given unto the sons of Joseph the son of Israel: and the genealogy is not to be reckoned after the birthright;" 1 _Chron_. 5. 1.

Just before his death, in blessing Ephraim and Manasseh, Jacob adopted the sons of Joseph as his own. Said he, "Let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;" _Gen_. 48. 16. For this reason, these two sons of Joseph, each, had a name as the head of tribes in Israel, "and he set Ephraim before Manasseh;" _Gen_. 48. 20.

The Lord further declared through his prophet Jeremiah, "I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn;" 31. 9.

By virtue of this adoption of Ephraim, as the head of the house of Israel, and Joseph Smith, Sen., being the oldest son of Ephraim, holding the Priesthood in this dispensation, he is Patriarch of the whole church, by right. This right should be perpetuated in his family, as the oldest branch of the tribe of Ephraim.

If, from any cause, there should be failure of a son to exercise this right, then the office would be filled from the next eldest branch of the family.

This has been the case in the short history of the church. When Joseph and Hyrum were martyred, the latter had no son old enough to fill the office of patriarch, and John, his eldest living brother, was ordained to the office vacated by his death.

After the death of father John Smith, the office reverted back to the family of Hyrum Smith, for his oldest son John had grown to manhood, and was ordained Patriarch of the whole church.

Bible.

_Gen_. 8. 21, 22 God covenanted with Noah, that he would not again destroy all flesh.

9. 1 God blessed Noah and his sons, and said, be fruitful and multiply.

24-27 Noah cursed Canaan, and blessed Shem and Japhet.

12. 1-3 the Lord promised Abraham that in his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed. 26. 4.

7 the land of Canaan promised to Abraham and his seed.

13. 15-17 I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth.

14. 18, 19 Melchisedek took bread and wine and blessed Abraham.

16. 10 the angel said to Hagar, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly.

17. 6 I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

7 God covenants to be a God to Abraham and his seed.

16 Abraham is promised that Sarah should be a mother of nations.

19 the Lord promised to establish his covenant with Isaac.

20 Ishmael to become a great nation.

22. 17 the seed of Abraham to possess the gate of their enemies.

24. 60 Rebecca to be the mother of thousands of millions.

25. 23 Rebecca is promised that she should be the mother of two nations.

27. 28, 29 Isaac's blessing on his son Jacob.

39, 40 Jacob's blessing on Esau.

28. 1-4 Isaac sends Jacob to Padan-aram and blesses him.

31. 55 Laban kissed and blessed his sons and daughters.

32. 12 Jacob claims the blessings of Abraham and Isaac.

24-29 the Lord wrestles with and blesses Jacob at Peniel.

35. 10-12 the Lord names Jacob Israel, and declares that a company of nations shall come of him.

46. 2-4 Jacob is promised that he should be made a great nation in Egypt, and be brought out again.

48. 15-20 Jacob's blessings on the sons of Joseph.

49 1 Jacob called his sons together to bless them.

22-24 Joseph a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall; * * * from thence is the shepherd, the stone of Israel.

Book of Mormon.

1 _Nephi_ 5. 5 I have attained a land of promise.

2 _Nephi_ 1. 31, 32 the seed of Zoram to be blessed with the seed of Nephi.

3. 3 Lehi promised Joseph that his seed should not be utterly destroyed. 25.

5 a righteous branch to be raised up from the loins of Joseph.

24 a mighty man to be raised up among the seed of Joseph the son of Lehi.

4. 9 the blessing of the children of Laman left on the children of Lemuel.

_Ether_ 1. 43 none greater than the nation I will make of thee.

2. 7, 15 but they shall come forth to a land of promise choice above all other lands.

Pearl of Great Price.

_Page_ 26. Abraham sought for the blessings of the fathers, and obtained his right to the office of high priest, which came down to him through the fathers from Adam.

_See sermon by P. P. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 1. page 256_.

" _J. Smith, " " 6, " 237_.

" _B. Young, " " 9, " 86, at Mill Creek_.

" _B. Young, " " 9, " 279_.

" _B. Young, Des. News, " 11, " 68_.

" _B. Young, Des. Eve. News, June 2, 1877, at Logan_.

" _B. Young, Mil. Star, Vol. 15, page 493_.

_Article, Mil. Star, Vol. 4, page 1_.

" " " _15, page 486_.

" _J. A. Little, Mil. Star, Vol. 18, page 145_.

" _Geo. Taylor, " " 19, page 796_.

" _C. W. Penrose, " " 29, page 177_.

_O. Spencer's Letters to Rev. Wm. Crowel, No. 9_.

_A pamphlet, Items on Priesthood, by John Taylor_.

_A Pamphlet, Succession in the Priesthood, by John Taylor_.

_History of J. Smith, June 1829_.

" " _April 13, 1833_.

" " _May 2, 1835_.

" " _July 2, 1839_.

" " _April 28, 1842_.

" " _May 1, 1842_.

CHRIST'S FIRST COMING.

The oldest Bible prophecy, of the coming of Christ, is in Jacob's blessing on Judah: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come;" _Gen_. 49. 10.

When Christ was born, the sceptre had not wholly departed from Judah, for Herod the king, who reigned at the time of his birth, was virtually king of Judea. Christ was condemned to be crucified by Pontius Pilate, a Roman governor. The Shiloh had come and the sceptre had entirely departed, for Judah was under Gentile rule.

The records of three dispensations assert that Christ came to his own, and they did not receive him; _John_ 1. 11. 3 _Nephi_ 9. 16. _Doc. & Cov_. 6. 21. He came to his own covenant people, the house of Israel, and, though they still retained most of the forms of the Mosaic ritual, they had apostatized from the faith of their fathers, had drank deep into pagan philosophy, had become wicked and corrupt, and, when the Shiloh came, they new him not, rejected him, and were the means of his death.

The numerous prophecies of the first coming of Christ, in both the Jewish and Nephite records, had a veritable fulfilment in his birth, life, sufferings, death and resurrection, and furnish overwhelming testimony of the Divine inspiration of those records. That Jesus Christ was the same being who called Abraham from his native country, who led Israel out of the land of Egypt with mighty miracles and wonders, who made known to them his law amid the thunderings of Sinai, who delivered them from their enemies, who chastened them for their disobedience, who inspired their prophets, and whose glory filled Solomon's temple, is evident from all the inspired writings, and in none more so than in the Bible.

His lamentation over Jerusalem evidences that, in his humanity, he had not forgotten his former exalted position: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often _would I have gathered_ thy children together, * * and ye would not;" _Matt_. 23. 37. It was this creator of the world, this mighty ruler, this controller of the destinies of the human family, who, in his last moments, cried out in the agony of his soul, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" _Mark_ 15. 34.

He was the great sacrifice for the world's redemption. It was a sacrifice worthy of Deity. How grandly, how nobly it was made! It was made in the meridian of time, and it changed the character of dispensations. Israel ceased to be a nation, and the Gentile rule was ushered in, to continue for many long centuries, in which God's chosen people were to suffer terrible persecutions. We must look at Jesus Christ in his true character of God and Savior, in order to form a proper conception of the great sacrifice which has opened, to the human family, the way to immortality.

Bible.

_Deut._ 18. 15-19 a prophet to be raised up in Israel like unto Moses.

_Psalm_ 22. several prophecies concerning Christ.

69. 20, 21 in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

118. 22, 23 the stone which the builders rejected. 26.

_Isa_. 7. 14 a virgin shall conceive and bear a son.

9. 2 the people that sat in darkness have seen a great light. 6, 7

42. 1 he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 3, 4.

53. 3 he is despised and rejected. 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12.

_Mic_. 5. 2 of thee shall he come forth that is to be ruler in Israel.

_Zech_. 9. 9 just and lowly and sitting on an ass. 10.

11. 12 so they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

_Acts_ 3. 22, 23 he that will not hear that prophet shall be cut off.

Book of Mormon.

1 _Nephi_ 10. 4, 5 six hundred years after Lehi left Jerusalem Messiah should come.

12. 4-4 a great destruction to take place before Christ should appear to the Nephites.

19. 10 the God of Abraham yieldeth himself up.

11, 12 at his death Christ shall manifest himself to the house of Israel.

2 _Nephi_ 9. 5 he suffered himself to become subject to men in the flesh, that all men might be subject to him.

10. 3 expedient that Christ should come among the more wicked part of the world.

25. 26 we talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, prophesy of Christ, preach of Christ.

26. 24 he layeth down his life that he may draw all men to him.

_Mos_. 3. 5-10 the Lord came among the children of men, was crucified and rose from the dead, that a righteous judgment might come on them. 13, 15.

4. 2 Jesus, the Creator of heaven and earth, who shall come among men.

13. 33-35 Moses and all the prophets since the world began, prophesy of Christ.

15. 1-11 God, himself, shall come down among the children of men.

_Alma_ 39. 18, 19 as necessary that the plan of salvation should be known before, as well as after the coming of Christ.

_Hel_. 14. 12 Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Creator of heaven and earth.

3 _Nephi_ 1. 9-14 Christ made known to Nephi, that, on the morrow he would come into the world.

20. 23 the prophet of whom Moses spake was Jesus Christ.

_Ether_ 3. 16 Christ said to the brother of Jared, as I appear to thee in the spirit, so will I appear to my people in the flesh.

Doctrine and Covenants.

_Sec_. 20. 26, 27 not only those who believe after he comes, but all those from the beginning, as well as those who shall come after.

76. 39 who was in the bosom of the Father before the worlds were made.

CHRIST'S SECOND COMING.

Christ's first coming attracted comparatively little attention. He was born a helpless infant, under very humble circumstances. Through the ministration of an angel, a few shepherds rejoiced over his advent, and some wise men, who must have known of, and believed in prophecies concerning him, visited and made presents to him. They were warned to leave the country in a private manner, on account of the evil designs of Herod. He grew up in obscurity, performed his labors in the ministry, in affliction and persecution and apparently, to men, died the death of a malefactor.

At his second appearance he will come "With clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him;" _Rev_. 1, 7. "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all;" _Jude_ 14, 15. "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth;" _Psalm_ 72. 8. "Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him;" _verse_ 11. "The Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth;" _Doc. & Cov_. 65. 5.

When will Christ come in his glory and power? This question many millions of the human family have asked, and the query still remains unanswered. Jesus said to his disciples, "Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not;" _Luke_ 12. 40. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;" 2 _Pet_. 3. 10. "But the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes;" _Doc. & Cov_. 49. 7.

The Lord has not told us that there shall be no period of time designated in which he will come, but that neither the day nor the hour shall be known. Had we a correct chronology we might, perhaps, approximate very closely to the year, for according to _Sec_. 77. 12, it will be in the beginning of the seventh thousand years. It will be a time of destruction for the wicked; "The Lord shall punish the host of the high ones _that are_ on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth;" _Isa_. 24. 21. "The Lord who shall come down upon the world with a curse to judgment; yea, upon all the nations that forget God, and upon all the ungodly among you;" _Doc. & Cov_. 133. 2.

There will be great commotion and changes in the elements; "The foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgressions thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again;" _Isa_. 24. 18-20.

The fulfilment of the prophecies and the signs of the times indicate that the coming of the Son of Man is nigh at hand. The Lord through Joseph, the Seer, also informs us that this is the case. "Not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light, and the moon shall be bathed in blood, and the stars shall become exceeding angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree;" _Doc. & Cov_. 88. 87.

Israel requested Moses, when around Mount Horeb, that they might no more hear the voice of the Lord, nor see his glory, lest they should die. They had not faith to behold his presence, and the law of carnal commandments was given them. When they were about to enter into the land of their inheritance, Moses rehearsed these things to them, and repeated what the Lord had said to him concerning a future prophet: "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him;" _Deut_. 18. 18, 19. The Book of Mormon informs us that this prophet was Jesus Christ: "Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me;" 3 _Nephi_ 20. 23.

Peter, when he reproved the Jews for killing the "Prince of life," repeated this prophecy, rendering the latter part of it a little plainer: "Every soul, which will not hear that Prophet shall be cut off from among the people;" _Acts_ 3. 22, 23. It is evident from _verses_ 19-21, that the time when those who would not hear that prophet should be cut off, would be at the time of the restitution of all things, when he whose right it is shall reign, and the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.

The prophet Joseph says, "I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following--'Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man: therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.' I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time;" _Doc. & Cov_. 130. 14-17.

"I have asked of the Lord concerning his coming; and while asking the Lord, he gave me a sign and said, 'In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year; but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant.' * * *

"I also prophesy, in the name of the Lord, that Christ WILL NOT COME IN FORTY YEARS; and if God ever spoke by my mouth, he will not come in that length of time. Brethren, when you go home, write this down, that it may be remembered. * * * Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that he would come;" _His. of J. Smith, March_ 10, 1844.

Bible.

_Job_ 19. 25 he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth.

_Psalm_ 50. 3-5 our God shall come and shall not keep silence.

_Matt_. 16. 27 the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father. _Chap_. 25. 31-46

_Acts_ 1. 11 this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven.

1 _Thess_. 3. 13 at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints.

_Heb_. 9. 28 shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation.

1 _Peter_ 4. 13 that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad.

1 _John_ 2. 28 and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

3. 2 when he shall appear we shall be like him.

Book of Mormon.

3 _Nephi_ 26. 3 Christ expounded all things from the beginning to the time he shall come in his glory.

28. 7 the three disciples to remain until Christ come in his glory.

29. 2 ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming.

Doctrine and Covenants.

_Sec_. 33. 17, 18 verily, I say unto you, that I come quickly.

34. 6 preparing the way of the Lord for his second coming.

35. 15 the poor and the meek shall be looking for my coming.

45. 38-44 shall be looking to the coming of the Son of Man.

74, 75 all nations shall be afraid because of the glory of the Lord.

_See Sermon by O. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 18, page 57_.

" " " " " _15, " 53_.

" " _W. Woodruff, J. of D., Vol. 15, page 275_.

_History of J. Smith, April 6, 1843_.

THE SCATTERING OF ISRAEL.

During the administration of Moses, the Lord promised Israel, conditionally, many blessings and curses. The former if they were obedient to his commandments, the latter if they were rebellious. These promises were, in their nature, prophetic. Evidently, no man, unless inspired by the Holy Ghost, as was Moses, could have thought of blessings and curses so varied and comprehensive in their nature, much less have spoken and recorded them.

The subject of the scattering of Israel is historical, and needs to be well understood, in order to comprehend the great work of their gathering in the latter times. A moderate comprehension of the scattering of Israel requires much careful study of their history in the Old Testament, and as written by that eminent Jewish historian, Josephus, a general knowledge of history, and of the many prophecies yet to be fulfilled concerning them.

If a complete history of the house of Israel were written, it would be the history of histories, the key of the world's history for the past twenty centuries. The student is particularly recommended to study the last chapters of _Deuteronomy_, from the beginning of the twenty-seventh to the end of the book.

The scattering of the seed of Joseph, among all nations, was foreshadowed in the blessing of his father, Jacob: "Joseph is a fruitful bough, even a fruitful bough by a well, whose branches run over the wall;" _Gen_. 49. 22.

A terrible prophetic picture of the afflictions which the Lord would heap upon Israel, is drawn by Moses in the twenty-sixth chapter of _Leviticus_. If persistently disobedient, they were to be scattered among all nations and suffer great afflictions in the lands of their enemies.

The prophet Abijah said to the wife of Jeroboam, "The Lord shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river;" 1 _Kings_ 14. 15. This prophecy was fulfilled when the ten tribes were carried into captivity by the king of Assyria 721, B. C.; 2 _Kings_ 17. In the Apocrypha, the prophet Esdras states that these ten tribes went a year and a half journey into the north country; 2 _Esdras_ 13. 39-45. That many remained is evident from _verses_ 48 and 49 of the same chapter.

The great historian of Israel, Josephus, who wrote nearly 800 years after the captivity of the ten tribes, corroborates this view of the subject. Speaking of the return of the Jews under Esdras, he says: "Many of them took their effects with them, and came to Babylon, as very desirous of going down to Jerusalem, but then the entire body of the people of Israel remained in that country, wherefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond the Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers;" _Ant. B_. 11. _C_. 5. Over twenty-six centuries these scattered tribes of Israel, which Josephus declared, 1800 years ago, were an immense multitude in Asia, have continued to mix up with the nations of the earth.

The second great scattering of Israel was brought about by the Babylonish captivity. The Lord said through the prophet Jeremiah, "I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon;" 20. 4. There is an account of the fulfilment of this prophecy in 2 _Kings, chapters_ 24 and 25. Jerusalem was desolated and only the poor left to till the land.

The Jews, like the ten tribes before them, were scattered among the nations of Asia. In _Ezra, Chap_. 2, we have an account of those who returned to build the waste places of Judah, but multitudes of them remained in their scattered condition, as is evident from the book of Esther. Some nine years after the completion of the term of their captivity, they were scattered from India to Ethiopia, through the 127 provinces of the Persian empire; 8. 9.

Jeremiah prophesied the entire desolation of Judah; "Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive;" 13. 19. It was nearly 600 years from the consummation of the Babylonish captivity to the fulfilment of this prophecy, by the final destruction of the Jews, as a nation, by the Romans, when a remnant of some 97,000 were sold into slavery in the cities of the Roman empire, and were scattered wherever the caprice of their masters led them.

During this period, from the Babylonish captivity to the destruction of Jerusalem, the Jews suffered much from their enemies, and many thousands were sold into slavery. A few references to Josephus will assist to comprehend this subject:

_Ant. B_. 11. _C_. 5. Miserable condition of the Jews as represented to the prophet Nehemiah.

_B_. 11. _C_. 6. Haman said to the king of Persia, "There is a certain wicked nation (the Jews), and it is dispersed over all the habitable earth that is under thy dominion."

_B_. 12. _C_. 1. The first Ptolemy took a great many captives in Judea and carried them into Egypt.

_B_. 12. _C_. 2. The second Ptolemy liberated 120,000 Jews who where in bondage in Egypt.

_B_. 12. _C_. 3. Antiochus set free all the Jews who had been carried captive.

_B_. 12. _C_. 4. The Samaritans were in a flourishing condition, and much distressed the Jews, cutting off parts of their land, and carrying off slaves.

_B_. 12. _C_. 5. The daily sacrifice was taken away, and 10,000 Jews carried captive.

_B_. 14. _C_. 7. The Jews were scattered over the habitable earth. Cassius, the Roman general, carried 30,000 Jews captive.

_B_. 14. _C_. 11. Four Jewish cities sold into slavery for taxes.

_B_. 15. _C_. 3. Not a few ten thousands of Jews that dwelt about Babylonia.

_B_. 16. _C_. 2. A great multitude of Jews dwelt in the cities of Ionia.

_B_. 16. _C_. 6. The cities of Asia and Lybia ill-treated the Jews. The northern part of Africa was then called Lybia.

These references to Josephus, and their contexts, well considered, will greatly assist the student in forming a proper idea of the scattered condition of the Jews about the commencement of the Christian era.

We have no knowledge of the location or condition of that part of the ten tribes who went into the north country.

B. C. 600, a colony left Jerusalem, under one Lehi, to people the western hemisphere. Eleven years after, it was followed by another under the direction of Mulek. Their descendants have scattered over the American continent from Cape Horn to the Arctic Sea.

This branch of the house of Israel may truly be said to be scattered over half the globe. The Book of Mormon, and the monumental ruins they have left on the land, give us all the information we have of them down to the year 1492, A. D., when Christopher Columbus discovered America.

Since that time, their history forms a part of the general history of the continent, which is a record of the fulfilment of many of the prophecies, in the Bible and Book of Mormon, concerning the scattering of Israel.

Bible.

_Deut_. 28. 37 thou shalt become a proverb and a by-word.

64 Israel to be scattered from one end of the earth even unto the other. _Chap_. 32. 26.

_Psalm_ 106. 27 to overthrow their seed also among the nations.

_Isa_. 5. 13 my people have gone into captivity.

10. 3 what will ye do in the day of visitation?

32. 14 the multitude of the city shall be left.

42. 24 who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers.

64. 10 Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.

_Jer_. 5. 15-18 I will bring a nation upon you from afar. _Deut_. 28. 49-57.

6. 8-12 their houses, fields and wives shall be turned to others. 7. 15 and I will cast you out of my sight.

8. 3 which remain in all the places whither I have driven them.

9. 11 I will make the cities of Judah desolate. 16.

10. 22 to make the cities of Judah desolate. 25.

15. 4 I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth.

34. 17 to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.

_Ezek_. 20. 23 I would disperse them through the countries. _Chap_. 22. 15. _Chap_. 34. 6. _Chap_. 36. 19.

_Hos_. 7. 8. Ephraim hath mixed himself among the people.

_Joel_ 3. 2 the Lord will plead with all nations who have scattered his people.

_Amos_ 7. 17 Israel shall surely go into captivity.

9. 9 I will sift the house of Israel among all nations.

_Mic_. 3. 12 Zion shall be ploughed as a field.

_Zach_. 7. 14 I scattered them with a whirlwind among all nations.

10. 9 I will sow them among the people.

_Matt_. 23. 38 your house is left unto you desolate. _Luke_ 13. 35.

_James_ 1. 1 to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad.

Book of Mormon.

1 _Nephi_ 10. 12-14 the house of Israel to be scattered over all the face of the earth. _Chap_. 14. 14. _Chap_. 22. 3.

13. 14 the seed of the brethren of Nephi to be scattered and smitten of the Gentiles.

39 other books to come forth to the convincing of the Jews who were scattered over the face of the whole earth.

19. 14 they shall wander in the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a by-word.

22. 4 the more part of all the tribes have been led away and are scattered, to and fro, on the isles of the sea.

5 the Jews to be scattered among all nations, because they hardened their hearts against the Holy One of Israel. 2 _Nephi_ 10. 5, 6, 22.

7 the Lord shall raise up a mighty nation in this land, and by them shall our seed be scattered.

2 _Nephi_ 6. 8 the Lord showed Jacob that those at Jerusalem had been slain and scattered. 11.

25. 14, 15 the final destruction of Jerusalem foretold.

16 the Jews to be scourged until they believe in the Messiah.

_Hel_. 15. 12 the Lamanites to be hunted, and smitten, and scattered.

3 _Nephi_ 10. 7 the places of your dwellings shall become desolate, until the time of the fulfilling of the covenant to your fathers.

16. 4 the remnant of their seed who shall be scattered on the face of the earth.

20. 27 which blessings upon the Gentiles shall make them mighty, unto the scattering of my people. _Mormon_ 5. 9, 20.

_Mormon_ 5. 15 this people shall be scattered and become dark.

_Ether_ 13. 11 they are they who were scattered and gathered from the four quarters of the earth, and from the north country.

GATHERING OF ISRAEL.

It will appear to the most casual reader, that the Gathering of Israel is predicated on its having been scattered. That part of the subject needs to be well studied, to obtain a proper conception of the great work of gathering in the latter times.

As general as was the scattering of Israel so must the gathering be. If the dispersion was over all the earth, and among all nations, so the gathering must be out of all nations, and from all parts of the earth.

When we reflect that it is thirty-two centuries since the enemies of Israel began to oppress them in the land of Canaan, that about one-third of the time they were a people in that land, they were, more or less, in bondage to their enemies; that seven hundred years before the coming of Christ the ten tribes were scattered throughout western Asia; that we have no record that any have as yet returned to the land of their inheritance; that nearly 600 years before Christ the Babylonish captivity took place, and that, according to the Book of Esther only a part of the Jews ever returned, but were scattered through the 127 provinces of the Persian empire; that Asia was the hive from which swarmed the nomadic tribes who overran Europe; that at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans the Jews were scattered over the known world; we may well ask the question, Does not Israel to-day constitute a large proportion of the human family? With this comprehensive view of the subject of the scattering, we the better understand such passages as the following, "I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them;" _Jer_. 23. 3. "Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity, and out of darkness;" 1 _Nephi_ 22. 12.

Our Savior had a clear conception of the magnitude of this gathering when he said, "He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other;" _Matt_. 24. 31.

"And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled;" _Luke_ 21. 24. That is until the Gentile rule shall wane before the growing power of Israel, when, "Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation;" _Isa_. 45. 17. When "They shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors;" 14. 2.

Then will the promise made to Abraham be fully realized by his children, "And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;" _Gen_. 22. 17. Then will Abraham be the heir of the world, "Through the righteousness of faith;" _Rom_ 4. 13.

It is evident from the Book of Mormon, that the Jews, as well as other portions of the house of Israel, will believe in Jesus Christ and accept the Gospel, before they are gathered to the land of their inheritance.

The first Nephi, about 600 years before the final dispersion of the Jews, recorded the following very comprehensive prophecy about their gathering: "And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations, for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation, until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind; and when that day shall come, that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time. The day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things, and the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvellous work and a wonder among the children of men;" 2 _Nephi_ 25. 15, 16, 17.

Bible.

_Deut_. 30. 3 Lord will gather Israel from all nations whither he has scattered them.

_Neh_. 1. 9 the Lord will gather those that are scattered from the uttermost part of heaven.

_Psalm_ 50. 5 gather my Saints together who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

_Isa_. 2. 2 in the last days the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the tops of the mountains.

5. 26, 27 he will lift up an ensign to the nations.

10. 20, 22 the remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob.

11. 11-16 set his hand the second time to recover the remnant.

18. 1-3 see ye when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains.

27. 12, 13 ye shall be gathered one by one.

29. 22, 23 Jacob shall not now be ashamed.

35. 10 the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion.

40. 2 speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem. 9, 11.

43. 5, 6 I will bring thy seed from the east.

9 let all nations be gathered together, let the people be assembled.

49. 12 these shall come from far, from the north and from the west.

22 lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people.

23 kings shall be thy nursing fathers.

51. 3 the Lord will comfort Zion.

11 the redeemed of the Lord shall return.

52. 9-12 the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

54. 7 with great mercies will I gather thee.

56. 1-8 the stranger that keepeth his hand from doing evil, will the Lord gather with the outcasts of Israel.

60. 3 the Gentiles shall come to thy light.

4 thy sons shall come from far. 5, 6, 10, 16.

61. 4 they shall repair the desolations of many generations.

62. 7 till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

66. 20 they shall bring your brethren out of all nations.

_Jer_. 3. 14 take one of a city and two of a family.

17 all nations shall be gathered to Jerusalem.

18 the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel.

16. 14-16 it shall no more be said, the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt. I will send for many fishers.

23. 8 Lord liveth which led the children of Israel out of the north country.

25. 34 the days of your dispersions are accomplished.

30. 3 I will bring again the captivity of my people. 10, 18.

31. 8-14 I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the coasts of the south. They shall come with weeping.

32. 37-44 I will give them one heart, I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

33. 9 Israel shall be an honor to me before all the nations of the earth. 14, 16.

50. 4, 5 they shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward.

_Ezek_. 11. 17 I will assemble you out of the countries.

20. 34-42 in my holy mountain shall the house of Israel serve me.

28. 25 when I shall be sanctified in Israel, in the sight of the heathen.

34. 11-31 Lord will deliver his sheep out of all places where they have been scattered in a cloudy and dark day.

37. 21-28 Israel shall be one nation, and one king shall reign over them.

_Joel_ 2. 15, 16 blow ye the trumpet in Zion, gather the people.

_Zeph_. 3. 19, 20 I will make you a praise among all people.

Book of Mormon.

1 _Nephi_ 10. 14 the house of Israel to be gathered in.

19. 15-17 then will he remember the isles of the sea.

2 _Nephi_ 6. 11 when the Jews shall come to a knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered again to the lands of their inheritance.

9. 2 when they shall be restored to the true church, they shall be established in their lands of promise.

10. 7 when they believe that I am Christ, I have covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored to the lands of their inheritance.

30. 7 8 the Jews shall begin to believe in Christ, and to gather.

_Jacob_ 6. 2 he shall set his hand the second time to recover his people.

3 _Nephi_ 5. 26 then shall they know their Redeemer, and be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.

20. 29-33 the Jews shall believe in Jesus Christ, then will the Father gather them together again.

21. 1 a sign that I will gather in my people from their long dispersion.

26-28 at that day shall the work of the Father commence among all the dispersed of my people.

_Mormon_ 5. 14 the record of the Nephites to go to the Jews, that they may believe in Christ.

Doctrine and Covenants.

_Sec_. 29. 7, 8 be gathered in one place, and be prepared against the day of tribulation.

42. 36 be gathered in one when I shall come to my temple.

45. 17 day of redemption shall come, and the restoration of scattered Israel.

25 but shall remain until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

43 and the remnant shall be gathered unto this place.

69 there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation.

57. 1, 2 the land of Missouri consecrated for the gathering of the Saints.

58. 56 let the work of the gathering not be in haste.

63. 36 I will that my Saints should be assembled upon the land of Zion.

101. 13 and they that have been scattered shall be gathered.

20-22 the Lord will appoint the places for the gathering of his Saints.

64-69 must gather my people, according to the parable of the wheat and tares.

105. 24 boast not of faith or mighty works, but carefully gather together.

110. 11 Moses delivered the keys of the gathering of Israel.

125. 2 let them gather to places I shall appoint, by my servant Joseph.

133. 7 go ye out from Babylon, gather ye out from the nations.

_See Sermon by J. Smith, J. of D., Vol. 6, page 237_.

" " _B. Young, " " 2, " 266_.

" " " " " _12, " 161_.

" " " " " _12, " 226_.

" " _J. Taylor, " " 19, " 150_.

" " _O. Pratt, " " 18, " 16_.

" " _G. Q. Cannon," " 15, " 202_.

_O. Spencer's Letters to Rev, Wm. Crowel, No. 10_.

_Article, Mil. Star, Vol. 4, pages 161 and 177_.

" " " _22, " 321, 339, 362, 379_.

" _by J. J., Mil. Star, Vol. 33, pages 209, 294, 325, 449_.

" _by D. McK., Mil. Star, Vol. 38, page 296_.

_History of J. Smith, April 21, 1834_.

BOOK OF MORMON--EVIDENCES OF ITS DIVINE AUTHENTICITY.

In order that the predictions of the ancient prophets might be fulfilled, it was necessary that a book should be brought forth to the world which should be a record of truth. This book must also come forth from the earth.

The prophet Enoch, according to Bible chronology, lived 969 years before the flood.

On a certain occasion, the Lord made known to him many things that should transpire a short period before his latter-day coming. He said, "Great tribulation shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve; and righteousness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine own elect from the four quarters of the earth." _P. of G. P., page_ 21.

The Book of Mormon, in every particular, fulfils this very ancient prediction of Enoch's. It is a record of truth; it was brought forth from the earth; it bears testimony of the Only Begotten Son of God; of his birth, death, resurrection, teachings, and ministrations among the Nephites. Righteousness has been sent down out of heaven by the restoration of the Priesthood, with all its authority, ordinances, and blessings, through which, alone, righteousness can be made manifest.

The latter-day gathering of Israel has been inaugurated, and righteousness, and truth are sweeping the earth as with a flood, and gathering the elect from the four quarters of the earth.

This wonderful prophecy of Enoch's was reiterated by prophets who lived many centuries after him. The Psalmist David, who lived until 1015 B. C., mentions this event in connection with the latter days: "Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven;" _Psalms_ 85. 11.

The prophet Isaiah, also, saw in prophetic vision these great events of the latter days, when he said: "Let the skies pour down righteousness; let the earth open and let them"--that is, the earth and the skies together--"bring forth salvation;" 45. 8.

According to the twenty-ninth chapter of _Isaiah_. there was to be a people who like Ariel, or Jerusalem, were to be brought down and they should speak out of the ground, their speech was to be low out of the dust.

The predictions in _verses_ 1-6 of this chapter have been fulfilled in every particular, in the history of the Nephites and in the coming forth of their record, the Book of Mormon.

For an account of the fulfilment of many of the predictions in this chapter, see _P. of G. P., pages_ 49-54.

Ezekiel's prophecy, in _chapter_ 37, _verses_ 16-20, concerning the sticks of Judah and Joseph, is literally fulfilled in this generation. The most of the Latter-day Saints are of the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Joseph. There can be but one conclusion with regard to the Bible, and that is, that it is the stick of Judah referred to by Ezekiel.

The stick or record of Joseph, is fitly represented by the Book of Mormon, which is a record of the Nephites, who are descendants of Joseph who was sold into Egypt. They are both, to-day, in the hands of Ephraim.

A very good explanation of this subject is contained in 2 _Nephi, chapter_ 3. Lehi was rehearsing to his son Joseph, some important promises which the Lord made to their father, Joseph, who was sold into Egypt. The special promise to which we refer is in the twelfth verse.

"Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter-days; and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord."

The following from the writings of O. Pratt, is very appropriate to this subject.

"If the historical parts of the Book of Mormon be compared with what little is known from other sources, concerning the history of ancient America, there will be found much evidence to substantiate its truth; but there cannot be found one truth among all the gleanings of antiquity that clashes with the historical truths of the Book of Mormon.

"If the prophetical part of this wonderful book be compared with the prophetical declarations of the Bible, there will be found much evidence in the latter to establish the truth of the former. But though there are many predictions in the Book of Mormon, relating to the great events of the last days, which the Bible gives us no information about, yet there is nothing in the predictions of the Bible that contradicts in the least, the predictions of the Book of Mormon.

"If the doctrinal part of the Book of Mormon be compared with the doctrines of the Bible, there will be found the same perfect harmony which we find on the comparison of the prophetical parts of the two books. Although there are many points of the doctrine of Christ that are far more plain and definite in the Book of Mormon than in the Bible, and many things revealed in relation to doctrine that never could be fully learned from the Bible, yet there are not any items of doctrine in the two sacred books that contradict each other, or clash in the least.

"If the various books which enter into the collection, called the Book of Mormon, be carefully compared with each other, there will be found nothing contradictory in history, in prophecy, or in doctrine.

"If the miracles of the Book of Mormon be compared with the miracles of the Bible, there cannot be found in the former anything that would be more difficult to believe, than what we find in the latter.

"If we compare the historical, prophetical, and doctrinal parts of the Book of Mormon, with the great truths of science and nature, we find no contradictions--no absurdities--nothing unreasonable. The most perfect harmony, therefore, exists between the great truths revealed in the Book of Mormon, and all other known truths, whether religious, historical, or scientific." _Divine Authenticity of B. of M., page_ 56.

A person educated in the doctrines and traditions of modern Christianity, could not have written the Book of Mormon, for many of its important doctrines do not agree with those of the Christian sects.

They do not believe in the ministry of angels, in miracles, in signs, in dreams and in visions. The book had its origin in those things, much of it is made up of an account of them.

Lehi, the most prominent patriarch of the aboriginal American race, was warned by an angel that Jerusalem would be destroyed; 1 _Nephi_ 1. 11, 13. That he might not be destroyed with it, the Lord warned him in a dream to take his family and depart into the wilderness; 2. 2. In the nineteenth verse of this last chapter, the Lord spake to Nephi, and blessed him on account of his great faith.

Nephi, who wrote the first two books of the Book of Mormon, had wonderful visions and manifestations. An infidel, or deist, having no faith in manifestations from God, could not have written the book; equally impossible that it could have been written by a sectarian Christian.

Was the Book of Mormon written for a romance? It would spoil the interest of a work of fiction, for the writer to commence it with a sketch of the plan of his story. Yet the two books of Nephi, which commence the Book of Mormon, are a very plain, prophetic sketch of the then future history of the people of America.

Besides, what writer of fiction could expect to interest the literary world of the nineteenth century, with an account of the organization of a church, on the American continent, exactly after the pattern of the primitive church in Asia, with advocating baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and with an almost verbatim repetition of Christ's sermon on the Mount. Such a fiction would be wanting in all the elements of modern romance.

Skeptics, Christian divines, and writers of romance are not the men to stake their reputation on the enunciation of such principles as the following: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not and is not baptized shall be damned." "Harlotry is the most abominable of all sins in the sight of God, except it be the sin against the Holy Ghost." In fact, it is the teaching of such pure principles in the Book of Mormon that makes it so very unpopular with a large portion of mankind.

The Book of Mormon, as a whole, must be either true or false. If false, the Bible is equally so, for there is no antagonism between the two.

The former states that it and the Bible shall grow together for the confounding of false doctrine in the latter times. The writer of a book of errors would hardly have staked his reputation on the fact that his book was an evidence of the truth of the Bible, and _vice versa_. That one is a witness of the truth of the other is readily evident to any one who will honestly compare them.

Written by different authors, under very different circumstances, and on opposite sides of the globe, such perfect concordance would have been impossible, unless the authors had all been actuated by the same Spirit of divine inspiration.

The admission is general that the Bible was written and compiled on the Eastern hemisphere, and, more or less continuously through a period of some 1500 years. The fact is generally recognized that the Book of Mormon was written on the Western hemisphere, and by those who had nothing to do in getting up the Bible.