Joseph Smith, a Prophet of God. V

JOSEPH SMITH, A PROPHET OE GOD. 429 Now, is the war here spoken of to be poured out on all nations? Let us return to the former part of the verse, and see if we can learn what was done. The Southern states called on Great Britain and the Southern states called on France and Spain, as proven. This passage must, then, mean that by one nation calling on another, in case of trouble, war will be poured out on all nations. How has this part been fulfiled? In 1861, the Franco-Mexican war — Spain and England also in- vaded Mexico with France; 1865, Chili joined Japan in the war with Peru; 1866, Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia conducted an alliance with Peru in the war with Spain; 1870, French against Prussia — all the Germans rallied to the aid of Prussia; 1877, Zulus invaded South Africa — Great Britain went to the relief of the Boers. This list could be continued, but a sufficient number has been quoted to clearly prove a literal fulfilment. And it shall come to pass after many days slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshaled and disciplined for war (verse 4). This was in part fulfiled in the Civil war. According to the records of the war department- there were eighty-four colored, or negro, regiments, enlisted in the Union army. A total number of two hundred thousand slaves were marshaled and disciplined for service and fought against their masters. The present conditions in the South justify the expectation of future trouble between the races in that section. It is a familiar saying in those states, "The North thought at the close of the war that the negro question was settled. The question at issue then was settled, but another has arisen which no doubt will take more shedding of blood. This is the question of race equality before the law." The negro, in many of the Southern states, has been practi- cally disfranchised, although guaranteed by the 15th amendment equal rights. This present treatment of the race, their advance in education, and their inherent love of liberty, (in the minds of many) will cause the colored people to take up arms and demand their rights under the Constitution from their former masters. And it shall come to pass also that the remnants who are left of the land will marshal themselves and shall become exceedingly angry, and shall vex the Gentiles with a sore vexation (verse 5).

430 IMPRO VEMENT ERA . I do not deem it necessary to go deeply into the proof that this part of the revelation was fulfiled. I shall only refer briefly to the fact that in the years 1872 to 1876, the Sioux Indians, under Sitting Bull and other noted chiefs, gave the United States one of the hardest Indian wars in the history of the nation, which did not end until after the great Custer massacre on the Little Big Horn, June 15, 1876, when the entire regiment, with General Custer himself, was slain. There was not a man left to tell the tale. The knowledge that this massacre took place is in the minds of many. A treaty of peace was finally signed in September, 1876. Again, in 1870, the Sioux went on the war path. A bloody war followed, and after a number of sanguinary battles in the bad lands of South Dakota, in December of that year and the Janu- ary following, in which the United States army was often defeated, many men were lost in battle. At times it looked as if the Indians were so firmly entrenched in their strongholds that it was an impossibility to route them. After a number of desperate battles, the Indians were finally subdued by the U. S. cavalry, under the command of General Nelson A. Miles. They most certainly did fulfil that part of the revelation, it seems to me. Portland, Oregon. (TO BE CONTINUED.) The Bible's Three Hundredth Anniversary. It was in 1611 that the greatest book in the English language appeared in authorized form, having received the approval of James I, King of England. It is now announced that the tercentenary anniver- sary of the publication of the King James translation of the Holy Bible will be celebrated in England, beginning; March 26, and in the United States beginning April 23. Before the King James version appeared, the English Church was divided in support of different versions. So, in 1604, at a conference, it was decided to make a new translation, which, because he sanctioned it, was called after King James I. It settled many disputes, and resulted in one undisputed and accepted version, simple in language, great in literary achievement, and preserving the majesty and sublimity of the original, impossible at a later time, when the language and thought of the English had grown more quibbling and corrupt. Besides, it set up a literary standard, which to this day has influenced all English literature. The celebration is worthy of observance.

The Home Guard. BY NEPHI ANDERSON, AUTHOR OF "ADDED UPON," "THE CASTLE BUILDER," "DAUGHTER OF THE NORTH," ETC. Amanda had come home' alone from the Sunday evening meeting, and after she had put her sleeping babe to bed, she had gone out on the front porch to enjoy the cool evening breeze. Feeling tired, she lay back in the old rocker, closed her eyes, and let the subdued night noises lull her to sleep. The ten o'clock express, whistling for the station, awoke her with a start. She rubbed her eyes, arose and walked slowly down the path to the gate, where she stood until the puffing train drew out and sped away down the valley. Seeing the form of a man coming up the road from the sta- tion, Amanda withdrew from the gate to the shelter of the porch. The man slackened his pace as he drew near the house, and when he reached the gate he stopped. He had something in his hand which looked like a suit case. He stood for some time peering at the house, then opened the gate and came walking along the path. Amanda moved to the light of the open door, and stood there watching. She did not feel alarmed — it was likely one of the folks, or the neighbors; but why had he acted so oddly by the gate? She recognized him when he reached the steps of the porch, but she stood silent, rooted to the spot, her bewildered eyes star- ing fixedly at her husband. "Amanda," said he, "don't you know me?'' "George, is it really you? When — how — what are you doing here? Why did you not tell me? Are you ill?" She backed from him into the room, and he followed. They saw each other more clearly by the light of the lamp. He took