Posted on 12/27/2013 5:07:49 AM PST by Colofornian
...But if this people should be brought into bondage, as the Israelites were in ancient days, Zion must be led forth out of bondage, as Israel was at the first. In order to do this God has prophesied that he will raise up a man like unto Moses, who shall lead his people therefrom.
Whether that man is now in existence, or whether it is someone yet to be born; or whether it is our present leader who has led us forth into these valleys of the mountains, whether God will grant unto us the great blessing to have his life spared to lead forth his people like a Moses, we perhaps may not all know...God...may spare our present leader to lead this people on our return to Jackson County. But whether it be he or some other person, God will surely fulfill this promise. This was given before our Prophet Joseph Smith was taken out of our midst. Many of us no doubt thought when that revelation was given that Joseph would be the man. I was in hopes it would be Joseph, for I had no idea that he was going to be slain, although I might have known from certain revelations that such would probably be the case, for the Lord had said unto him, before the rise of this Church, that he would grant unto him eternal life even though he should be slain, which certainly was an indication that he might be slain. But we still were in hopes that he would live and that he would be the man who, like Moses, would lead this people from bondage. I do not know but he will yet...
(Excerpt) Read more at journalofdiscourses.com ...
Go back a few generations from Mitt Romney, and you get his direct ancestors, the Pratt brothers.
From Orson Pratt's March 1873 "discourse": "In order to do this God has prophesied that he will raise up a man like unto Moses, who shall lead his people therefrom."
Pratt is referencing the 1834 Joseph Smith "prophecy," as found in Doctrine & Covenants 103:15-17:
15 Behold, I say unto you, the redemption of Zion must needs come by power; 16 Therefore, I will raise up unto my people a man, who shall lead them like as Moses led the children of Israel. 17 For ye are the children of Israel, and of the seed of Abraham, and ye must needs be led out of bondage by power, and with a stretched-out arm."
Was Pratt absolutely certain this future leader would be Joseph Smith? (Yes and no) While Pratt allowed for it to be someone other than Smith, he still used the words "no doubt" at one point in his discourse re: the Mormon "return to Jackson County. But whether it be he or some other person, God will surely fulfill this promise. This was given before our Prophet Joseph Smith was taken out of our midst. Many of us no doubt thought when that revelation was given that Joseph would be the man. I was in hopes it would be Joseph..."
Now, some Lds may simply "write this off" as the mere conjecture of an 1873 Mormon "apostle."
But fast forward to nine years ago this month, when Duane S. Crouther published this book:
As can be seen in clicking on the above link, the author references Pratt's discourse to promoting the Second Coming of Joseph Smith. [Be sure you keep reading into page 86 for how Crowther further develops that prophecy]
But, what does a Utah publisher (Cedar Fort) of Crowther's work have to do with such prophecy promotion through the Mormon Church publishers?
Well, Crowther's book can be ordered through Deseretbook.com! And Deseretbook.com is directly owned by the Mormon Church!
See: Deseret Book Publisher: Prophecy: Key to the Future by Duane S. Crowther
When you review pp. 84-86 of a book that can be ordere d via the publishing house of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you'll see they are indeed promoting The Second Coming of Joseph Smith!
In fact, on page 86, Crowther cites the 1868 Heber C. Kimball prophecy -- found here: Prophecy: Key to the Scripture, Cedar Fort publishing, p. 86
[And for FR threads on Kimball's 1868 Second Coming of Joseph Smith "prophecy" see: An Army of Elders -- Heber C. Kimball [1868 Mormon leader prophecy: Second Coming of Joseph Smith] AND: The Return of the Prophet Joseph Smith [Will 2014 bring the second coming of Joseph Smith?]]
In this Deseret Book obtainable work, what did Crowther say re: Kimball's "prophecy" (p. 86):
I practice law in this county, the LDS temple in Independence is a scourge on the landscape, alien
Which of these buildings do you reference? (Or is it all of them?)
This link provides a picture of the various Mormon groups and their adjacent land/building: Temple Lot: Scroll down to the picture in which this caption appears:
A panoramic view of Temple Lot from the U.N. Plaza to the west. Significant buildings (left to right):
Stone Church (a historic congregational building of the Community of Christ),
Church of Christ Temple Lot,
Community of Christ Temple,
Mormon Independence Visitor Center (slightly visible to the left down the hill from the auditorium),
Community of Christ Auditorium.
[Note: Community of Christ used to be called the Reorganized Church of Latter-day Saints...this included Joseph Smith's first wife, Emma, and Smith's son, grandson, etc. as "prophets"]
Temple Lot is barely existing...and the mainstream Mormons salivate over acquiring its property one day. The Mormon Independence Visitor Center is owned by the mainstream Mormons' Lds church body.
So much for Mormon unity, eh?
See also how Lds church repurchased 20 of original 63 acres, but not original cornerstone marker area: Independence Temple: Site dedicated but temple not constructed
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