The Greatest Event in the Modern World: The Gathering and the Rejection of the Gospel of Peace

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hammath, and from the islands of the sea. ¶

"And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." ¶

Eighty-one years ago, in the little town of Fayette, Seneca county, New York, the Lord set up an ensign to the nations. It was in fulfillment of the prediction made by the prophet Isaiah, which I have read. That ensign was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was established for the last time, never again to be destroyed or given to other people. It was the greatest event the world has seen since the day that the Redeemer of the world was lifted upon the cross, and meant more to mankind than anything else that has occurred since that day. No event should have been heralded among the people with greater effectiveness, and received with greater evidences of joy and satisfaction. The nations should have rejoiced and welcomed ¶

it with gladness of heart, for with it came the establishment of divine truth in the earth, — the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation unto all who believe. The world had been without this gospel for many hundreds of years ; ever since the great apostasy and turning away from the truth which had been established by the primitive Church. ¶

Following the raising of this ensign, the Lord sent forth His elders clothed with the priesthood and with power and authority, among the nations of the earth, bearing witness unto all peoples of the restoration of His Church, and calling upon the children of men to repent and receive the gospel ; for now it was being preached in all the world as a witness before the end should come, — that is, the end of the reign of wickedness and the establishment of the millennial reign of peace. The elders went forth as they were commanded, and are still preaching the gospel and gathering out from the nations the seed of Israel unto whom the promise was made. Thus our fathers were gathered and brought into the true fold in fulfillment of the prophecies made in ancient times by men inspired of the Lord, that He would recover a remnant of His people from the four corners of the earth. Scattered Israel is being gathered into the fold. Some have rejected the testimony of the elders through ignorance and prejudice, not understanding the significance of the message delivered unto them. Others have rejected the truth wilfully because of the evil in their hearts and their subjection to unrighteousness. ¶

From time to time, some one, filled with hatred of the truth, in the blind desire to destroy the work of the Lord, appeals to the nations to cast out the elders of Israel who are carrying this message of salvation unto all who will believe, and warning others that they may be left without excuse. It would be a sorry day for any nation, where the gospel is being preached, should it conclude to drive the elders of the Church from its borders and deny them the right to preach the gospel among the people. The elders insure peace unto the nations, so long as they will hear the message of salvation and will protect and defend the truth. When the time comes that the nations will cast the elders out, and no longer receive their testimony, but "bow to Satan's thrall," as we heard in the anthem this afternoon, woe be unto them. We read in the word of the Lord that after the testimony of the elders will come wrath and indignation upon the people. For after their testimony will come the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause suffering and sorrow and men shall fall upon the ground for fear. There shall come also the testimony of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea heaving themselves beyond their bounds. All things shall be in commotion and men's hearts shall fail them because of fear that shall come upon the people. These things shall follow the testimony of the elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when the people of the world reject them and drive them from their borders. We go unto them with a message of peace, of truth, of eternal salvation, calling upon them to repent of their sins and enter into the true fold, where they may receive rest. When ¶

they will not do this, but to the contrary, will listen to the unrighteous and condemn the truth, then God will withdraw the Gospel from among them. In that day the time of the Gentiles will be fulfilled, and the gospel will be carried to the Jews. For this gospel must be preached to them as well as to the Gentile nations, and a remnant of the Jews will gather — as they are gathering since the dedication of their land for their return — in Palestine, and as a remnant of Ephraim and his fellows are now gathering to the land of Zion. The Jews, in due time will be established in their own land, and the Lord will come, according to His promise, unto His people in the hour of their distress, and will deliver them from their enemies. Then will they look upon Him and discover His wounds and shall say : "What are these wounds in Thine hands." And He shall answer them : "Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." Then will they fall down and worship Him as their Redeemer — the Son of God. After that they will be cleansed of their sins and shall receive the gospel. And the nations that seek to destroy Jerusalem in that day will the Lord destroy, for he shall be King over all the earth and righteousness shall prevail among the people. Zion shall be established on this continent; Jerusalem will be re-established on the old continent, and wickedness will depart from the earth; for when Christ comes and the righteous with Him, the wicked will be as stubble and will be consumed. ¶

Therefore, I desire to bear my testimony unto all people and say unto those who raise their hands against this work, see that you do it not, for this is the work of God. He has established it, and when you reject it, you reject Him, and after the testimony of the elders will come the testimony of trouble and distress as the prophets have predicted. ¶

May the Lord bless all the Latter-day Saints and all the honest and upright everywhere, and help us to be faithful and true, that we may keep His commandments and escape from the destruction that in due time will come upon the wicked, is my prayer, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶