A False Prophecy by D. A. PARSONS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 7, 1909

A False Prophecy

By D. A. PARSONS

Mormonism— No. 5

A False Prophecy

D. A. PARSONS

Assuming that even a half-fulfilled prediction is sufficient evidence of divine inspiration, our Mormon friends frequently cite Joseph Smith’s “Revelation on War” as proof that he was a prophet of God. They base their argument on that part of the prophecy predicting that South Carolina would rebel against the federal government, and thus precipitate war between the Southern and Northern States. But no one can fully appreciate the intrinsic value of such “proof” until he discovers that other important predictions in the “Revelation” have proved utterly false.

We give that part of the “Revelation” pertaining to the late Civil War, also a repetition of it made in 1843; and we quote them as evidence that Mr. Smith was not a true prophet:—

“Verily, thus saith the Lord, concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass, beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina, which will eventually terminate in the death and misery of many souls:—

“The days will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at that place. [How?] For behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call upon other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations; and thus war shall be poured out upon all nations.”

“I prophesy in the name of the Lord, that the commencement of the difficulties which will cause much bloodshed previous to the coming of the Son of man will be in South Carolina.

“It may probably arise through the slave question. This a voice declared to me while I was praying earnestly on the subject, Dec. 25, 1832.”—“Doctrines and Covenants,” Secs. 87, 130.

A recent Mormon publication, entitled “A new Witness for God,” destroys all significance in the above prediction that South Carolina would rebel. In a long and labored argument to prove that the prophecy was not a fraud, perpetrated at a later date than 1832, this new witness for God produces proof that South Carolina had threatened to rebel, and, in fact, was in a state of rebellion for several weeks before the prophecy was made. We quote from this Mormon orthodox work:—

“It is true that there was considerable agitation, about the time of the prophecy, on the question known in American politics as ‘State rights.’ In 1830 had occurred the great Senate debate on that subject between Robert Y. Hayne, of South Carolina, and Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts. On that occasion the champion from South Carolina advocated the doctrine known as ‘nullification.’ . . . The question again approached the acute stage in 1832, when the sovereign convention of the people of South Carolina was called, which adopted what was known as the ‘Nullification Ordinance’ [Nov. 24, 1832]. The leading features of this were, (1) a declaration that the tariff act of 1832, being based upon the principle of protection to manufacturers, and not with the view to raising revenue, was unconstitutional, and therefore null and void; (2) a provision for testing the constitutionality of this act before the courts of the State; (3) that in case the measures thus adopted for the purpose stated should be forcibly resisted by the federal authorities, then the State of South Carolina was declared to be no longer a member of the federal Union.”

“It was in December, 1832, the same month in which the revelation and prophecy under consideration was given, that this issue between South Carolina and the federal government about reached its climax.”—“A New Witness for God,” pages 317-319.

These telltale admissions bear witness to the real origin of the prophecy under consideration, and hence they are destructive to Mormonism. They prove that South Carolina had, on Nov. 24, 1832 (the prophecy is dated a month later), defied the federal government, pronounced certain federal laws null and void, and threatened to secede from the Union if the United States did not grant her demands. Therefore South Carolina had been in a state of rebellion for thirty-one days before Joseph Smith predicted a rebellion! Then what inspired him?

It did not require the prophetic gift to read the newspapers, and understand this condition of affairs; nor was it a token of divine inspiration in Joseph Smith to foresee that such a course, if persisted in, would end in war. Even Andrew Jackson, who was then president of the United States, foresaw this danger, and issued a proclamation saying that “it would necessarily bring the federal and State authorities in conflict; and if the citizens of South Carolina took up arms against the United States, they would be guilty of treason.” Was Andrew Jackson therefore a prophet of God?—He was not; neither was Joseph Smith.

The strongest proof that a prophet is not an ambassador of Christ is the failure of his predictions. “When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously.” Deut. 18:22. Tested by this divine rule, the “Revelation on War” becomes a witness against Joseph Smith and a weapon against Mormonism; for the prediction that the rebellion in South Carolina would terminate in a universal conflict proved untrue.

Some assert that the “Revelation” does not teach that a universal war would begin with that rebellion, but the pitiful weakness of such a quibble must be apparent to all. To use the words of Lord Macaulay, “such a subterfuge seems rather to deserve a flogging than a refutation;” for the wording of the prophecy is too plain to be misunderstood.

The prediction made in 1832 was, “The days will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at that place”—“beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina.” Therefore it was the war “beginning at the rebellion of South Carolina,” and no other which the “Revelation” said would “be poured out upon all nations.” And just how it would spread from America to England and from thence to all Europe was also foretold. “For,” says the “Revelation,” “behold, the Southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and the Southern States will call upon other nations, even the nation of Great Britain, as it is called, and they shall also call upon other nations; and thus war shall be poured out upon all nations.”

No prediction could be more explicit, and no prophecy could more utterly fail. Asheville, N. C.