The early 19th century was a
period of ardent millennial expectations amongst most Americans, Mormons were a
part of this context and most believed the advent of the second coming rapidly
approaching. William Miller believed he unlocked the biblical code that
revealed the exact time of the second coming and (perhaps millions of) his
followers (Millerites) across a wide swath of denominations prepared for
Christ’s imminent return. Though Mormons did not generally subscribe to
Miller’s predictions, they too thought the Savior would soon return. With
phrases like “I come quickly,” the language of the new revelations certainly
built on those expectations.
I believe that there is a wide range of
beliefs regarding the Second Coming within LDS culture. For some it is still
considered to be imminent—after all, if it was close in the 1830s and things
were bad then, clearly it is closer and things are much worse today. For
others, it just lingers in the back of their minds only coming up with a lesson
like this, to be quickly shoved down again with a laundry list of more
things to think about someday.
Through scripture (from ancient to modern—Old
Testament to Doctrine and Covenants) we see people throughout time believing
that they were close to the end times. In the famous Mormon proof-text
scripture for the Great Apostasy, Paul pleads with the Thessalonians to not be
so worked up “thinking the day of Christ is at hand” because he argues there
must “come a falling away first” (2 Thessalonians 2). People have made careers
and spent lifetimes trying to decipher the signs of the times much like William
Miller despite Matthew’s admonition that none of us know--“not [even] the angels of
heaven” (Matthew 24:36).
In a 1972 Priesthood General Conference Session, then Prophet Harold B. Lee talked of a number of different "wolves" lurking among the membership of the church (listen or read it here). He added:
There are among us many loose writings predicting the calamities which are about to overtake us. Some of these have been publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the world to the horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon which there cannot be unquestioned reliance. Are you priesthood bearers aware of the fact that we need no such publications to be forewarned, if we were only conversant with what the scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness?
Let me give you the sure word of prophecy on which you should rely for your guide instead of these strange sources which may have great political implications.
If we ever wonder when a prophet is speaking as a prophet, I would argue we don't hear "let me give you the sure word of prophecy" very often--in fact, I can't find any other general conference examples since 1971 other than people quoting Peter. This should make us think. He continues by saying we should rely on the revelations of the restoration. He specifically mentions the JST of Matthew 25 (JS-M in the PGP) and Doctrine and Covenants sections 38, 45, 101, and 133.
He continues,
These are some of the writings with which you should concern yourselves, rather than commentaries that may come from those whose information may not be the most reliable and whose motives may be subject to question. And may I say, parenthetically, most of such writers are not handicapped by having any authentic information on their writings.
In a 1972 Priesthood General Conference Session, then Prophet Harold B. Lee talked of a number of different "wolves" lurking among the membership of the church (listen or read it here). He added:
There are among us many loose writings predicting the calamities which are about to overtake us. Some of these have been publicized as though they were necessary to wake up the world to the horrors about to overtake us. Many of these are from sources upon which there cannot be unquestioned reliance. Are you priesthood bearers aware of the fact that we need no such publications to be forewarned, if we were only conversant with what the scriptures have already spoken to us in plainness?
Let me give you the sure word of prophecy on which you should rely for your guide instead of these strange sources which may have great political implications.
If we ever wonder when a prophet is speaking as a prophet, I would argue we don't hear "let me give you the sure word of prophecy" very often--in fact, I can't find any other general conference examples since 1971 other than people quoting Peter. This should make us think. He continues by saying we should rely on the revelations of the restoration. He specifically mentions the JST of Matthew 25 (JS-M in the PGP) and Doctrine and Covenants sections 38, 45, 101, and 133.
He continues,
These are some of the writings with which you should concern yourselves, rather than commentaries that may come from those whose information may not be the most reliable and whose motives may be subject to question. And may I say, parenthetically, most of such writers are not handicapped by having any authentic information on their writings.
I love the end part—“most of these writers
are not handicapped by having any authentic information in their writings.” It is easy to make claims when you're not relying on evidence.
We don’t need to master every last verse of the book of Revelation to be prepared for the future; we don’t need to rely on someone else’s crazy analyses. There is safety in knowing modern-day revelation. The analogies that section 45 gives us are significant. The Second Coming comes as a thief in the night for everyone (v19), except the faithful. The faithful see the signs and know it is coming just as much as when they see a fig tree start to show its leaves they know summer is just around the bend (v37). (For you non-fig tree experts: new leaves begin to shoot out of fig trees in early summer, after spring has passed. So if the fig tree leaves are beginning to show it clearly is the beginning of summer.)
We don’t need to master every last verse of the book of Revelation to be prepared for the future; we don’t need to rely on someone else’s crazy analyses. There is safety in knowing modern-day revelation. The analogies that section 45 gives us are significant. The Second Coming comes as a thief in the night for everyone (v19), except the faithful. The faithful see the signs and know it is coming just as much as when they see a fig tree start to show its leaves they know summer is just around the bend (v37). (For you non-fig tree experts: new leaves begin to shoot out of fig trees in early summer, after spring has passed. So if the fig tree leaves are beginning to show it clearly is the beginning of summer.)
I like Almira Mack Covey's admonition to her sister as she pled with her to believe: Behold the coming of our Saviour is nigh at hand, and this generation will not pass away until he appear in his glory and we ought to be prepared for the day, although we may not either of us live to see that day; yet if we wish to be happy we must be prepared for it whether in life or death we may abide the day.
The Second Coming may not have come as quickly as Almira expected it to, but if we're prepared, we'll be fine - come what may.
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