Ancient Prophecies Fulfilled and Preparation for Messiah's Coming

My dear brethren and sisters, I never enjoyed a conference better in my life than the one we are now holding; for I delight in hearing the workers in Zion express their views. This is a remarkable congregation, and last night we also had this house filled to overflowing, with Sunday school workers. When I see these large congregations gathered together in the tops of the mountains it fills my heart with joy, because I can see in it the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Yesterday the choir rendered a beautiful anthem, suggesting that the mountain of the Lord's house would be established in the tops of the mountains. The Prophet Isaiah spoke of this. He was a great prophet. He prophesied of the coming forth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ a long time before His birth into the world. He also prophesied of the coming forth of the Gospel in the dispensation of the fullness of times, as, well as the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. He said: ¶

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. ¶

"And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." ¶

Brethren and sisters, where did you come from? You came from the various nations of the earth, and in your presence here is fulfilled one of the greatest signs that will ever be given to this generation before the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ¶

When our Savior was among men he rebuked them because they took no notice of the fulfillment of prophecy. He said, "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" He said further: "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth night unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Jesus wanted to impress them that they should rather look to the fulfilment of prophecy than to the precepts of men. He himself respected all that the holy prophets uttered. In His memorable sermon on the mount He said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." ¶

The Prophet Jeremiah also prophesied concerning the gathering, in the following language: ¶

"I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: ¶

"And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding." ¶

When you find a pastor that will teach the children of men according to the heart of God, you will find one that has perfect reverence for the words of Jesus wherein He says, "Men shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." ¶

It has been eighteen hundred years since any one has come forth and testified that they have seen the face of God, until among all the nations of the earth they are beginning to look upon the Eternal Father as an imaginary creature. Through transgression the Lord withdrew the Gospel from the children of men. Jesus foreshadowed this when He said to the Jews, "The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." He was finally put to death, according to prophecy, and after His resurrection He appeared unto the Apostles. On one occasion they asked Him, "Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power." Again, when His disciples asked him "what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?" He said, among other things, "And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.'' He also said, "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Here are two remarkable signs that were to precede the coming of the Son of Man. ¶

Now, the Lord our God has opened the heavens in these last days, in accordance with the prophecy of Jesus Christ, and the Father and the Son have appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The Gospel of Christ has been restored, in fulfillment of prophecy, and it is being preached in all the world for a witness, according to the prediction of the Savior. The Elders of Israel have stood up in your midst and spoken as they were moved upon by the Holy Ghost. "When you heard them you said in your heart that what they said was true; for behold it went through your systems like fire. God poured out upon you the convincing power of His Holy Spirit, and gave you a witness that the Elders were servants of God and were speaking under the influence of the Spirit of truth. Hence you yielded obedience to the Gospel. This also is in accordance with the words of Jesus wherein He says, "My sheep know my voice; but a stranger they will not follow." The voice of the Spirit of God led you out from the nations of the earth. As Elder Teasdale testified here this morning, "No man can come to me, except the Father which sent me draw him." When that Spirit rests upon the honest in heart their greatest desire is to help build up the kingdom of God. ¶

A portion of Israel is now gathered together, but in a little while you will find another prophecy will be fulfilled, and that is the prophecy that Jesus made to the three Nephites who, having power over death, are still living upon this continent. He spoke to them of a time when they would perform a great and mighty work among the Gentiles; and that has not yet been fulfilled, but it will be. You will find that many districts where the Elders of Israel cannot reach will be penetrated by these men who have power over death; and when the honest in heart see the power and authority that is with them, they will feel like Nicodemus did of old, (but I trust they will have more faith and courage) when he said, "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." These three men are going to perform a great work in the program of the last days, as is the beloved disciple, John, whom Christ refers to when He says, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?" According to a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Savior said unto Peter, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? for he desired of me that he might bring souls unto me, but thou desiredst that thou mightest speedily come unto me in my kingdom. I say unto thee, Peter, this was a good desire, but my beloved has desired that he might do more, or a greater work yet among men than what he has done before; yea, he has undertaken a greater work; therefore I will make him as flaming fire and a ministering angel; he shall minister for those who shall be heirs of salvation who dwell on the earth." ¶

My testimony is that these men are going abroad in the nations of the earth before the face of your sons, and they are preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive the Gospel. They are administering to those who are heirs of salvation, and preparing their hearts to receive the truth, just as the farmer prepares the soil to receive the seed. The Lord has promised that He would send His angels before the face of His servants, and He does so. ¶

You are here, my brethren and sisters, in a gathered capacity, in fulfillment of prophecy. This is the day spoken of by Jeremiah: ¶

"Therefore, behold the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be said, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; "But, The Lord liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them; and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers. ¶

"Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks." ¶

Brethren and sisters, your sons are fulfilling this prophecy today in the nations of the earth. Speaking of Zion that should be established in power and glory in the last days, the prophet says: ¶

"The Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit." ¶

In conclusion, let me say to my young brethren and sisters and to my friends who are under the sound of my voice, I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer of the world, and through His atoning blood all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel which He has revealed in these last days through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that Joseph Smith was an inspired man, raised up of God to usher in the dispensation of the fulness of times; yea, that time which all the holy prophets looked forward to. My testimony is that through your faith and diligence in keeping the commandments of God, every gift and blessing that He has ever promised unto the children of men is yours, whereby you can be brought back into the presence of our Father and crowned heirs of glory, immortality and eternal life. Behold, this is the day of the Lord's preparation We are preparing for the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and His coming is near at hand. He will come in the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. I also testify unto you that the words of the Prophet Malachi are true when he said, "For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them. neither root nor branch." I say unto you when that voice goes forth among the children of men, "Lo, the bridegroom cometh; go ye forth to meet him," it will be a sorrowful day for the children of men. It will be a day of weeping and wailing among those who have taken "the broad way." As Jesus himself has prophesied, they will cry for the rocks to fall upon them, to hide them from the wrath of Him who shall come; for no man can stand in the presence of God, except he be cleansed every whit from sin. ¶

May God bless you, my brethren and sisters, and fill you with His Holy , Spirit, that your greatest desire may be to build up the kingdom of God upon the earth, that we all may keep our garments clean and unspotted from the world, and strive to set an example worthy of imitation, that we may be justified of the Lord and be prepared for His coming; which is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶