So now is the time for us to remember the words of our church
leaders. True, we will see some difficult times. But we can take heart
from these words.
BRUCE R. McCONKIE
“It is our firm conviction as a people that the stars and stripes will
be waving triumphantly in the breeze, as a symbol of the greatness and
stability of the United States of America, when the Lord comes. This
nation was established to be the Lord’s base of operations in this final
gospel dispensation. From it the gospel is to go to every other nation
and people. The greater its influence among the nations of the world,
the more rapidly the gospel spreads. But the Lord has told us that all
nations, the United States included, shall cease to be when he comes”
(The Millennial Messiah, 491).
JOSEPH SMITH
“We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by
Joseph Smith when he said: ‘Even this nation will be on the very verge
of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the
Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff
upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution
away from the very verge of destruction” (Church Historian’s Office,
Salt Lake City, July 19, 1840) (The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 623 -
624).
JOSEPH SMITH
Words of James Burgess:
“In the month of May 1843, several miles east of Nauvoo, the Nauvoo
Legion was on parade and review, at the close of which Joseph Smith made
some remarks upon our condition as a people and upon our future
prospects, contrasting our present condition with our past trials and
persecutions by the hands of our enemies; also upon the Constitution and
government of the United States, stating that the time would come when
the Constitution and government would hang by a brittle thread and would
be ready to fall into other hands, but this people, the Latter-day
Saints, will step forth and save it. . . .I, James Burgess, was present
and testify to the above” (The Words of Joseph Smith, 279).
EZRA TAFT BENSON
“The Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith there would be an
attempt to overthrow the country by destroying the Constitution. Joseph
Smith predicted that the time would come when the Constitution would
hang, as it were, by a thread, and at that time ‘this people will step
forth and save it from the threatened destruction’ (Journal of
Discourses, 7:15). It is my conviction that the elders of Israel, widely
spread over the nation, will at that crucial time successfully rally
the righteous of our country and provide the necessary balance of
strength to save the institutions of constitutional government” (The
Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 618 - 619).
On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 11:49 AM, Daniel Kelly Ogden wrote:
There are some extraordinary and very timely thoughts from President
Harold B. Lee (speaking in October 1973) circulating on the Internet. I
looked into the quotation carefully and have confirmed that the words
below are accurate; at the end I list the sources. Latter-day Saints
and all Americans need this right now. (Someone might even want to
forward this to Glenn Beck; he needs to see it!)
President Lee:
Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave
beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship,
but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised
up, will never fail.
This is the cradle of humanity, where
life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of
the New Jerusalem. . . . This is the place where the Savior will come to
His temple.
We are living in a time of great crisis. The
Country is torn with scandal and with criticism, with faultfinding and
condemnation. There are those who have downgraded the image of this
nation as probably never before in the history of the country.
I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the
greatest country in all the world. . . . It is the nation that will
stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through.
We must be on the optimistic side. This is a great
nation; this is a great country; this is the most favored of all lands.
While it is true that there are dangers and difficulties that lie ahead
of us, we must not assume that we are going to stand by and watch the
country go to ruin. We should not be heard to predict ills and
calamities for the nation. On the contrary, we should be providing
optimistic support for the nation.
You must remember . . .
that this church is one of the most powerful agencies for the progress
of the world, and we should . . . all sound with one voice. We must
tell the world how we feel about this land and this nation and should
bear our testimonies about the great mission and destiny that it has.
If we do this, we will help turn the tide of this great country and
lessen the influence of the pessimists. We must be careful that we do
not say or do anything that will further weaken the country. It is the
negative, pessimistic comments about the nation that do as much harm as
anything to the country today. We who carry these sacred
responsibilities must preach the gospel of peace, and peace can only
come by overcoming the things of the world. Now, we must be the dynamic
force that will help turn the tide of fear and pessimism.
(Excerpts from a talk given at Ricks College Devotional Assembly, “Have
Faith in America,” October 26, 1973, and printed in two sources: Ye Are
the Light of the World: Selected Sermons and Writings of Harold B. Lee,
340, 350-351, and The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J.
Williams, 365-366.)
There are some extraordinary and very timely thoughts from President Harold B. Lee (speaking in October 1973) circulating on the Internet. I looked into the quotation carefully and have confirmed that the words below are accurate; at the end I list the sources. Latter-day Saints and all Americans need this right now. (Someone might even want to forward this to Glenn Beck; he needs to see it!)
President Lee:
Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail.
This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the New Jerusalem. . . . This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple.
We are living in a time of great crisis. The Country is torn with scandal and with criticism, with faultfinding and condemnation. There are those who have downgraded the image of this nation as probably never before in the history of the country.
I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. . . . It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through.
We must be on the optimistic side. This is a great nation; this is a great country; this is the most favored of all lands. While it is true that there are dangers and difficulties that lie ahead of us, we must not assume that we are going to stand by and watch the country go to ruin. We should not be heard to predict ills and calamities for the nation. On the contrary, we should be providing optimistic support for the nation.
You must remember . . . that this church is one of the most powerful agencies for the progress of the world, and we should . . . all sound with one voice. We must tell the world how we feel about this land and this nation and should bear our testimonies about the great mission and destiny that it has.
If we do this, we will help turn the tide of this great country and lessen the influence of the pessimists. We must be careful that we do not say or do anything that will further weaken the country. It is the negative, pessimistic comments about the nation that do as much harm as anything to the country today. We who carry these sacred responsibilities must preach the gospel of peace, and peace can only come by overcoming the things of the world. Now, we must be the dynamic force that will help turn the tide of fear and pessimism.
(Excerpts from a talk given at Ricks College Devotional Assembly, “Have Faith in America,” October 26, 1973, and printed in two sources: Ye Are the Light of the World: Selected Sermons and Writings of Harold B. Lee, 340, 350-351, and The Teachings of Harold B. Lee, edited by Clyde J. Williams, 365-366.)
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