--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Crockwell, George W. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 14 number: 3 published: 1911-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'George W. Crockwell, "Joseph Smith, a Prophet of God. III," *Improvement Era* 14, no. 3 (January 1911): 259–262.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1403unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1403unse start_page: 259 end_page: 262 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1911-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1403unse publication_year: 1911 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1911, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Joseph Smith, a Prophet of God. III Joseph Smith, a Prophet of God. BY ELDER GEORGE W. CROCKWELL. III. Next let me present for consideration a revelation given December 25, 1832, called the revelation on war. You will find it in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 87. Take the revelation up a verse at a time, and consider the verses separately: Verse 1. 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. You will note there is no equivocation, but a bold assertion: "Thus saith the Lord, concerning the wars that will shortly come to pass." You will also please take notice that the Lord uses the word wars in the plural — meaning more than one: that these wars will start at South Carolina — that is, the war starting there will be the first, and others are to follow. There is no claim that the wars which are to follow will be in consequence of that first war, nor will they be a continuance of that war. I shall take this question up more fully later on. Did the first war, or rebellion, start at South Carolina? If so, that part was literally fulfiled. History states that on April 12, 1861, some twenty-nine years after the date the revelation was given, South Carolina rebels led against the north part of the United States, and that General P. G. T. Beauregard opened fire, and gave a heavy bombardment to Fort Sumter. This was the beginning of one of the most fratricidal wars in the world's history. Father fought against son, and brother against brother, and it did terminate in the death and misery of many souls. Let the figures of history show that the civil war terminated in the death and misery of many souls as foretold by the Prophet Joseph Smith: The whole number of men called in the Union service was over two million six hundred ninety thousand men, of whom one million four hundred thousand were in actual service. Nearly sixty thousand were killed in battle, and about thirty-five thousand were mortally wounded, one hundred eighty-four thousand died of disease in camps and hospitals. Thus about three hundred thousand perished on the Union side and about the same number of the Confederates perished, making a total loss of six hundred thousand to the nation. — Library of Universal History, Vol. 7, page 2921. Thus was the prophecy in regard to the death of many souls literally fulfiled; as to the misery of many souls, in addition to the grief for loved ones, and the misery of those who died from disease in camps, etc., as given above, I will give further figures from history: About four hundred thousand were crippled or disabled for life, on both sides. The records of the war department show that two hundred and twenty thousand Confederates were made prisoners during the war, of whom nearly twenty-six thousand died of wounds or disease during captivity, while of one hundred twenty-six thousand Union soldiers captured, nearly twenty-three thousand died while prisoners. It is estimated that the whole number of Union captives [was one hundred and ninety-six thousand, of whom forty-one thousand died in captivity. With the above figures before him, no person will deny that the war did terminate in the death and misery of many souls. Verse 2, Doctrine and Covenants, Section 87, reads: "The days will come that war will be poured out on all nations, beginning at that place." (South Carolina.) Now the question is, who is going to cause this war to be poured out on all nations? Not man; the revelation reads: "Thus saith the Lord, it is He that will do it." And he does not say that this war that is to be poured out on all nations is a continuance of the Civil war, nor in consequence of it, but that war will be poured out on all nations, and the war starting at South Caro- JOSEPH SMITH, A PROPHET OF GOD. 261 Una will be the first or beginning of the war that is to be poured out on all nations. How has this been fulfiled? Let us turn to history and see if war has been poured out on all nations, beginning at South Carolina: A D. 1861: Rebellion, or Civil War, in the U. S. Franco-Mexican war, in which the Spanish, French and British invaded Mexico. Mexico was the scene of almost continued civil war until 1876. 1862: Greek revolution. Polish insurrection against Russian Authority. Mohammedan rebellion in China. Garibaldi, determined on the forcible annexation of Rome to the Italian kingdom, with a force of volunteers raised in Sicily, defeated an Italian force at Reggis. 1864: Civil war in Japan. The Schk-swig-Holstein war, in which Denmark, Austria, Prussia, and the German powers were involved. War between Japan and Peru. Republics of Laplata, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentine were at war against Paraguay. Soongaria gained its independence from China. During the civil war in Japan the Mikado's troops fired upon the ships of England, France, Holland and the United States. These powers compelled her to pay an indemnity of three million dollars. War broke out between Spain &nd Peru. Chili joined Peru in this war. The gigantic rebellion of Tac-ping Wong, China, was suppressed after much bloodshed. 1865: Chili joined Peru in the war with Japan. In war with the Kahn of Bokham, the Russians seized Tashkend this year and Khojend the year following. 1866: Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia concluded an alliance with Peru in the war with Spain. Revolt in the Island of Crete against the Turks. Prussia formed an alliance with Italy and conjointly declared war against Austria. This is known as the seven weeks war. Prussia also concluded treaties of peace with Bavaria, Wurtemburg, Baden, Hesse, Saxony and Darmstadt the same year. 1868: Revolution in Spain in which the army rebelled. Insurrectien in Cuba against Spanish authority. Spain had many insurrections during this and for several years following, caused by the dissolute and tyrannical conduct of Queen Isabella. 1868 to 1878. Ten years of war in Cuba which was closed by compromise. 1869: Carlists broke out in an insurrection in the northeast part of Spain. It was promptly suppressed by Government troops. 1870. The French and Chinese have a battle at Tientsin. France declared war against Prussia. All the German states rallied to the aid of Prussia. This was called the Franco-German war. 1871: No sooner was a preliminary treaty of peace between France and Germany ratified, than France became involved in a bloody civil war. China and Prussia were at war. 1872: The Carlists broke "nit in insurrection in the north of Spain. 1873 to 1875. Spain was aim continually the scene of war between the Carlists and the government Holland became involved in a war with the Achinese of the Island of Sumatra, in 1873. There was war between Russia and Khiva. In the fall of 1873 the Russians defeated the Turkomans. The Mohammedan rebellion in the southwest province of Younan, China, was quelled. The Sultan poisoned himself rather than be taken prisoner. (to be continued.) Portland. Oregon.