--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1845 to 1846. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 6 number: 19 published: 1845-12-15 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Important Notice to the Saints,” *Times and Seasons* 6, no. 19 (December 15, 1845): 1066–1068." printed_title: IMPORTANT NOTICE TO THE SAINTS. source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-12-15_6_19 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v6n19.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-12-15_6_19 start_page: 1066 end_page: 1068 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1845 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1845-12-15_6_19 publication_year: 1845 --- # Important Notice to the Saints A copy of the Great Proclamation of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to all the Kings of the world, to the Presidents, Governors, Rulers, and People of all nations, has just come to hand, with a request that we should circulate it as widely as possible through the kingdoms of Europe. As we are about publishing a considerable number of copies of this proclamation, we feel particularly to call the attention of the saints to it at the present time. They must be already aware that they are conjointly engaged in a work, on the accomplishment of which hang important events; and, also that, according to the testimony of the ancients who have spoken of it, but little time is to be given for its fulfilment [fulfillment.] Since the organization of the church of God, much has been done by the establishment of the principles of truth, while tens of thousands have boldly stepped forward and avowed their love for God by obedience to his counsel, and some have not forborne to shed their blood in its defence [defense], still comparatively speaking, but few of the great men of the earth have heard anything of the work of God, and still fewer have declared themselves at all in its favor. This proclamation is of vast importance to the Saints of God, to the whole Gentile world, as well as to all the house of Israel. It is made in fulfilment [fulfillment] of the commandments and revelations of God of both ancient and modern times, being an invitation and call to the Gentile nations to receive the gospel of Christ, and come to the assistance of the saints in carrying out the great principles and plan of salvation, and the accomplishment of that work which will end in the coming of Messiah, and great preparation of the marriage supper of the Lamb. Such a call and proclamation is necessary, in order that the present generation may be left without excuse, as the great events of the last days are being fulfilled. In all ages of the world, when the cup of the iniquity of any people was full, and the Lord was about to bring his judgments upon them, he has first sent a warning voice amongst them that all might have a chance of escape and be left without excuse, as in the case of Noah and Lot. We are informed that it should be in like manner at the coming of the Son of Man, and the prophets have all dwelt largely on the great calamities that await the Gentile nations. In these last days, the Lord has decreed that, previous to the grand consummation about to take place, a universal warning must be given, and all be left without apology. The gospel has been adopted to the capacity of all, both high and low, and that He may judge the world in righteousness. He has resolved that all may have an opportunity of obeying his commandments, from which none are exempt. This proclamation bears testimony to the nations of the earth that the kingdom of God has come, as has been predicted by the ancient prophets, and prayed for in all ages, even that kingdom which shall fill the whole earth and stand forever. That in connection with the establishment of this kingdom, the authority of the holy priesthood, and apostleship with the keys thereof, have been restored, holding the power to bind on earth that which shall be bound in heaven, and to loose on earth that which shall be loosed in heaven. By virtue of this authority, a message is sent to all commanding them to repent and obey the gospel of the Son of God, with a promise that the obedient shall realize the blessings of the Holy Spirit which have been again dispensed to man. The American Indians, whose origin has long been a subject of dispute, and which the learned have sought in vain to come to a knowledge of, are here set forth in their true character, through the instrumentality of their records which have been revealed, and that they are about to have restored to them the blessings of the gospel and the holy priesthood, with all its attendant privileges, which were enjoyed by their progenitors, and thereby become a civilized and righteous nation in their own land. It is set forward that the Lord has appointed a temple and holy city to be built on the continent of America, for the endowment and ordinances pertaining to the priesthood and for the Gentiles and remnants of Israel to resort unto, in order to worship the Lord, to be taught in his ways and walk in his paths, and finish their preparations for the coming of the Lord. A command is also given to the Jews among all nations, to prepare to return to Jerusalem in Palestine, and to re-build that city and temple unto the Lord. Thus, America and Jerusalem are set forth as two places of gathering for the nations, and they may escape the judgments about to overtake the world, as the prophets have testified, that in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance. Through this medium the rulers and people of all nations are invited to lend their assistance in accomplishing these great and important events, and informed that their salvation depends upon their receiving blessings at the same altar with Israel. They are also informed that, if they withhold their hand, and refuse to come forward to the help of the servants of the Lord, it will not effect the success and final triumph of the work; for it is the work of the great God, for which his word and oath have been pledged from before the foundation of the world. And the same promise and oath have been renewed unto man from the beginning, down through each succeeding dispensation, and confirmed again by his own voice, out of the heavens in the present age; therefore he is bound to fulfil [fulfill] it, and overcome every obstacle. The loss will be on their own part, and not on the part of God or of his Saints, should the people neglect their duty in the great work of modern restoration. The nations of the earth are informed that none of them can be idle spectators of the work of God, but must be affected in either one way or another, for or against the kingdom of God in the fulfilment [fulfillment] of the prophets of the great restoration, and return of his long dispersed covenant people. When then the Lord has consummated this great work, and Jerusalem has become the seat of empire, and the great center and capital of the old world, priests, bishops, and clergy of every denomination will have to yield their pretended claims to the priesthood, together with titles, honors, creeds and names, and reverence and obey the true and loyal priesthood of the order of Melchisedeck and of Aaron, restored to the rightful heirs the authority of Israel; or the death and famine will consume them, and the plague sweep them quickly down to the pit, as in the cases of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who pretended to the priesthood, and rebelled against God's chosen priests and prophets in the days of Moses. We wish to call the attention of all the elders and saints to the subject of the circulation of this proclamation. Let them bear in mind, that they are all equally concerned in this matter with us, and that it is in fulfilment [fulfillment] of an express commandment of God that it is published. We shall have to distribute a great number of them gratis, and as the saints are under equal obligation with ourselves to have it published, we hereby call upon them to resist us with pecuniary means, in the fulfilment [fulfillment] of this. This may be effected by the presiding elders of conferences and branches raising contributions in their several districts and forwarding the moneys thereby received to us, here for that purpose. We have twenty thousand copies in press, and when they are out we do not wish the distribution of them to be confined to the agents of our publications alone, but request that all the presiding elders, officers, and members of all the branches will exert every means in their power to have copies forwarded to all the clergy and men of note in their circuit, and thereby clear their garments of the blood of all men, that they may be found spotless at the judgment seat of Christ. WILFORD WOODRUFF.