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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : When the Constitution “Hangs by a Thread” – The White Horse Prophecy in Modern Mormonism

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 When the Constitution “Hangs by a Thread” – The White Horse Prophecy in Modern Mormonism



Following the Mormon expulsion from Missouri in 1838, Joseph Smith made a trip to Washington, D.C. “to present to the National Congress the petition of the Saints for a redress of their grievances, suffered in Missouri” (History of the Church 4:xxvi). Arriving in November 1839, Smith met with several powerful politicians of that day, including President Martin Van Buren, and left Washington in disappointment. As the story goes, President Van Buren told the Mormon prophet, “Gentlemen, your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you...If I take up for you I shall lose the vote in Missouri” (Allen and Leonard, The Story of the Latter-day Saints, p.144).

Joseph Smith’s frustration with both political parties led to a considerable amount of rhetoric predicting divine judgment on the United States government. On page 137 of his book Quest for Refuge, Mormon historian Marvin S. Hill wrote, “To secure legal sanction for his call to arms, Smith petitioned Congress to form Nauvoo into a federal district and grant him authority to command federal troops in defense of the city. He warned his closest friends [in the Nauvoo City Council] that ‘if Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they will be broken up as a government, and God shall damn them, and there shall be nothing left of them—not even a grease spot.’” Needless to say, Congress ignored his petition and life went on.

Another of Smith’s predictions, the “White Horse Prophecy,” gets its name from the biblical book of Revelation. The prophecy has been given a dubious distinction since there is no evidence that Smith ever gave it in a public setting. Instead, its pedigree goes back to two Mormons, Edwin Rushton and Theodore Turley, who said they personally heard Joseph Smith give this prediction at Smith’s home on or about May 6, 1843. Smith allegedly gave numerous predictions in this prophecy, but the portion that is most repeated speaks of a day when the Constitution of the United States will “hang by a thread.” It will be “preserved and saved” by a White Horse, A.K.A. the Mormon Church.

Mormon apologists find it necessary to place doubt on the prophecy since it contains information that is certainly spurious. For instance, it speaks of a revolution that “will take place in America,” leaving it “without a supreme government.” There will be no peace except “in the Rocky Mountains.” England, for a time, will be neutral during this conflict and will only intervene to “stop the shedding of blood.” It also states that “the two Popes, Greek and Catholic, will come together and be united.” This has not prohibited LDS leaders from picking out the portions they feel are still appropriate.

In a general conference message in October 1918, sixth LDS President Joseph F. Smith said that “it was never spoken by the prophet in the manner in which they [Rushton and Turley] have put it forth.” “It is simply false,” Smith said, “that is all there is to it.” Still, this did not stop Smith from condoning at least part of the prophesy five years earlier. “Joseph Smith, the prophet, was inspired to affirm and ratify this truth, and he further predicted that the time would come, when the Constitution of our country would hang as it were by a thread, and that the Latter-day Saints above all other people in the world would come to the rescue of that great and glorious palladium of our liberty” ( Conference Report, October 1912, p.10).

In 1855, Young declared in the Salt Lake Tabernacle that “when the Constitution of the United States hangs, as it were, upon a single thread, they will have to call for the ‘Mormon Elders to save it from utter destruction; and they will step forth and do it” (Journal of Discourses 2:182). In 1868, Young again referred to the White Horse Prophecy when he said, “How long will it be before the words of the prophet Joseph will be fulfilled? He said if the Constitution of the United States were saved at all it must be done by this people. It will not be many years before these words come to pass” (JOD12:204). Apparently Mormon Apostle John Widtsoe felt the above statements were factual since he included them in his book, Discourses of Brigham Young (pp.360-361).

In an October 1942 conference message, J. Reuben Clark, at that time a Mormon apostle, said, “You and I have heard all our lives that the time may come when the Constitution may hang by a thread. I do not know whether it is a thread, or a small rope by which it now hangs, but I do know that whether it shall live or die is now in the balance” (Conference Report, October 1942, p.58).

Speaking in general conference in 1961, Mormon Apostle Ezra Taft Benson (he would become Mormonism's 13th President in 1985) stated, “In connection with attack on the United States, 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” (Conference Report, October 1961, p.70).

read more: http://www.mrm.org/white-horse-prophecy


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2012/7/20 14:40Profile
Miccah
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 Re: When the Constitution “Hangs by a Thread” – The White Horse Prophecy in Modern Mo

And just think, we Christians are helping to vote in Romney as President of the United States.

Why are alarm bells not ringing off the hook???


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Christiaan

 2012/7/20 15:08Profile
DEADn
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 Re:

Is voting for Obama the way to go then? Personally, I don't like either of them. I may be voting 3rd party this year.


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John

 2012/7/20 15:16Profile
ccchhhrrriiisss
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 Re:

As much as I abhor Mormonism, this particular "White Horse Prophecy" has been rejected by the very cult that is accused of espousing it.

And, Miccah, there are many sincere believers here who love the Lord and speak to Him constantly through prayer and the study of His Word. Many might feel inclined that Mitt Romney would be a better choice over the next four years than Barack Obama. No one should be so audacious as to assert that such an opinion or vote is an endorsement of Mormonism or a mythical "White Horse Prophecy" that the Mormon leadership says that they don't believe.


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Christopher

 2012/7/20 15:59Profile
Miccah
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 Re:

chris wrote,

Quote:
No one should be so audacious as to assert that such an opinion or vote is an endorsement of Mormonism...



Brother, I love you, truly. But this is exactly what it is.

Christians are endorsing a cult memeber that holds to nothing that Christ died for, and then go on to say that the ends justify the means. They don't.


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Christiaan

 2012/7/20 16:05Profile
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 Re:


This should not surprise us because all religions seek the domination of a country and state.

It is only the one true religion from above that is of another kingdom therefore we as Christians are happy not to control a country because we have a King of a heavenly kingdom of which we are a part.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2012/7/20 16:07Profile
rainydaygirl
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 Re:

No one should be so audacious as to assert that such an opinion or vote is an endorsement of Mormonism or a mythical "White Horse Prophecy" that the Mormon leadership says that they don't believe
-----
Chris can i ask you in all sincerity do you think anything the Mormon leadership says about this or anything is true? do you trust them to be honest?

i am not challenging your right to vote, for Romany or Obama just wondering?

rdg

 2012/7/20 16:09Profile
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 Re:

Miccah,

Quote:

Brother, I love you, truly. But this is exactly what it is.

Christians are endorsing a cult memeber that holds to nothing that Christ died for, and then go on to say that the ends justify the means. They don't.



I love you too, Miccah. However, you are making a very wrong assumption here, brother.

When I choose to shop at Safeway, I am not endorsing the CEO or religion for which the CEO belongs.

When I choose to buy a Ford, I am not endorsing the denomination of the Ford family.

When I buy a Macintosh/iPhone/iPod or load iTunes/Quicktime on to my computer, I am not endorsing the new age religious views of Steve Jobs.

Do you see how "guilt by association" can be a flawed assertion?

A person who might think that Mitt Romney is a better choice than Barack Obama or over the prospect of NOT voting (and, thus, allowing Barack Obama to have another four years in the office) cannot be accused of endorsing the religion of the man.

My parents purchased corn from the Amish the other day in Central Tennessee. My parents are not Amish and have no plans on joining an Amish sect. My parents simply like their corn. It would be incorrect and dishonest to assert that my parents are somehow endorsing the Amish any more than those who bought tents from Paul or fish from Peter were endorsing the Christian faith.

The truth isn't quite so convoluted. Some believers simply think that Mitt Romney would be better for that secular office (President of the US) than the current person in that office (Barack Obama). Many believers are aware that NOT voting can easily result in the current person being gifted with another term.


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Christopher

 2012/7/20 16:16Profile
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 Re:

Hi rainydaygirl,

The burden of proof is not for that cult to "prove" that they don't believe the assertion. The burden of proof is with the person who made the assertion in the first place.

I have researched this and can find no evidence that it is true. Thus, to claim that it is true might result in a believer unwittingly spreading a lie. It doesn't matter that the lie was motivated by a disgust for the lies of the Mormon cult. Lying about an unbeliever or cult member is still a lie. We should be of pure speech and not given to rumor. There are enough problems with the Mormon religion than to be forced to give ourselves over to myths about it.

As for guessing whether there is motivation for Mormon officials to lie about such a thing: The Mormon cult has historically believed much crazier and unbiblical things. So, I can't understand why they would choose to have denied such a claim many years before any Mormon ever ran for President.

Now, I can't make a determination about whether the Mormons are honest in their denial of this thing. Personally, I don't even care. However, I do think that believers owe it to God to be completely pure in our speech. We should never repeat a rumor and declare it as a "fact" or as anything more than just a rumor.


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Christopher

 2012/7/20 16:24Profile
Miccah
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 Re:

Chris,

Thank you for the love brother :)

We keep making these rounds. Maybe you can understand that I am not talking about purchasing a form of goods where you have NO idea where and by whom it comes from. I am talking about a Christian knowingly voting for a cult member who stands against Christ, to lead our nation.

I promise you Chris, if Mitt Romney trys to sell me an apple, I will not buy it, knowing that he is involved in satanic worship.

If Mitt Romney tries to get me to vote for him, I will not vote for him, knowing that he is involved in satanic worship.

Apples and Oranges Chris.


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Christiaan

 2012/7/20 16:34Profile





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