Chapter 25
Serious Times Ahead For the United States
"Therefore thus saith the Lord;
Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty,
every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbor:
behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord,
to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine;
and I will make you to be removed into
all the kingdoms of the earth."
— Jeremiah 34:17

We are told that if Israel is obedient it shall be blessed spiritually and temporally. As previously mentioned, we are Israel. We are as much Israel as the Israelites mentioned in the Bible, and the laws and covenants entered into by our ancient forebear are as binding on us today as they were upon them. The twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy pronounces great blessings upon obedient Israel: "And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God." (Deut. 28:1-2.)

Then the Lord goes on for the next twelve verses and enumerates various great blessings which shall be for His obedient followers. In verse 15, however, He warns them of what will befall them if they are not obedient: "But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee." (Deut. 28:15.)

Then the Lord, in the remaining fifty-three verses, enumerates the many diseases, plagues, and oppressions which shall come upon ancient Israel, and us, modern Israel.

If we have kept note as we read along through the previous chapters of this book, it will be seen that we have fallen short of such required obedience. It might be interesting to read all of that chapter in Deuteronomy and see what the Lord might have in store for many of us, the (latter-day) disobedient of Israel. If we understand what occurred to ancient Israel because of their disobedience, then we know that not all of that which was foretold in that chapter has been fulfilled. There is still more to come.

At this time, we will be concerned about our latter days and what a few Church leaders have said in regard to our serious times. One quote is from General George Washington while at Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War. The statements that we will be reading are not presented here with the intent of being overly dramatic. They are, however, presented so that the reader will be able to get an idea of the seriousness of today’s situation, and what prophecies have been foretold due to our lack of attention to the critical things of liberty and righteousness.

That which follows in this chapter will be set a little differently than in other chapters. This presentation is done with no dialogue running between the quotes; the object is to let the reader analyze them for his own purposes. These references, as presented here, are not intended to be the last word on the subject, many more could also have been used. These are just a few quotes that might be of interest, and pertinent at this time in our nation’s history, as a result (speaking collectively and not individually) of our not living up to our covenants. We must not think that these coming plagues are due to the wickedness of the "Gentiles" only.

We Have Been Warned
(EZRA TAFT BENSON)
"If American freedom is lost — if America is destroyed — if our blood-bought freedom is surrendered — it will be because of Americans . . . it may be by Americans who salute the flag, sing the national anthem, march in patriotic parades, cheer Fourth of July speakers — normally good Americans, but Americans who fail to comprehend what is required to keep our country strong and free, Americans who have been lulled away into a false security." (CR, April 1968, p. 50.

"Unfortunately, we as a nation have apostatized in various degrees from different Constitutional principles as proclaimed by the inspired founders." (General Conference, October 1987; The Ensign, Nov., 1987, p. 6.)

"Our complacency as a nation is shocking — yes, almost unbelievable! We are a prosperous nation. Our people have high-paying jobs. Our incomes are high. Our standard of living is at an unprecedented level. We do not like to be disturbed as we enjoy our comfortable complacency. We live in the soft present and feel the future is secure. We do not worry about history. We seem oblivious to the causes of the rise and fall of nations. We are blind to the hard fact that nations usually sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity. I say to you with all the fervor of my soul: We are sowing the seeds of our own destruction in America and much of the free world today. It is my sober warning to you today that if the trends of the past thirty years — and especially the past five years — continue, we will lose that which is as priceless as life itself — our freedom — our liberty — our right to act as free men. It can happen here. It is happening here. The sad and shocking story of what has happened in America in recent years must be told. Our people must have the facts. There is safety in an informed public. There is real danger in a complacent, uninformed citizenry. This is our real danger today. Yes, the truth must be told even at the risk of destroying, in large measure, the influence of men who are widely respected and loved by the American people. The stakes are high. Freedom and survival is the issue." (AEHDT pp. 90-91.)

"I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world." (CR, October 1988, p. 103.)

(JOSEPH SMITH)
"Verily thus saith the Lord, peace shall soon be taken from the earth, And it has already begun to be taken; for a lying spirit has gone out upon all the face of the earth and shall perplex the nations, and shall stir them up to anger against one another. . . ." (A revelation on war, November, 1837; Elders’ Journal I, November 2, 1837, p. 28; Unpublished Revelations, Vol. I, Part 41:1-2.)

(EZRA TAFT BENSON)
"We live in a day of great challenge. WE LIVE IN THAT TIME of which the Lord spoke when he said, "Peace shall be taken from the earth, and the devil shall have power over his own dominion." (D&C 1:35.) We live in that day which John the revelator foresaw when "the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Rev. 12:17)." (Priesthood Leadership Meeting, April 4, 1986; The Ensign, May, 1986, p. 79.)

"Should it be of concern to us when the mouthpiece of the Lord keeps constantly and consistently raising his voice of warning about the loss of our freedom as he has over the Years? There are two unrighteous ways to deal with his prophetic words of warning: you can fight them or you can ignore them. Either course will bring you disaster in the long run." (CR, April 1965, p. 122.)

"Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they somehow will be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion. The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?" (General Conference, October 1980; The Ensign, November 1980, p. 34.)

God’s Controversy
(JOSEPH SMITH)
"Verily, I say unto you, that the day of vexation and vengeance is nigh at the doors of this nation, when wicked, ungodly and daring men will rise up in wrath and might, and go forth in anger, like as the dust is driven by a terrible wind; and they will be the means of the destruction of the government and cause the death and misery of many souls; but the faithful among my people shall be preserved in holy places during all these tribulations." (A Revelation given west of Jackson County, Missouri, on July 17, 1831; Letter from W. W. Phelps to Brigham Young, dated August 12, 1861, Joseph Smith Collection, Church Historian’s Office; Unpublished Revelations, Vol. I, Part 10:6, p. 57-58, Compiled by Fred C. Collier.)

(J. REUBEN CLARK, JR.)
". . . one thing seems sure, we will not get out of our present difficulties without trouble, serious trouble. Indeed, it may well be that our government and its free institutions will not be preserved except at the price of life and blood. . . ." (Quoted by Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, April 1963, pp. 111-112.)

(BRIGHAM YOUNG)
"Every man that used his influence to send an army here, if the Constitution is carried out, (and the day will come, as the Lord lives, when we shall be able to carry it out), will be at the disposal of the hemp, if we say so." (JD, 8:225.)

(EZRA TAFT BENSON)
"The great destructive force which was to be turned loose on the earth and which the prophets for centuries have called the "abomination of desolation" is vividly described by those who saw it in vision. Ours is the first generation to realize how literally these prophecies can be fulfilled now that God, through science, has unlocked the secret to thermonuclear reaction." (CR, October 1961, p. 70.)

(JOHN TAYLOR)
"God will speedily have a controversy with the nations of the earth, and as I stated before, the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way to overthrow governments, to destroy dynasties, to lay waste thrones, kingdoms and empires, to spread abroad anarchy and desolation, and to cause war, famine and bloodshed to overspread the earth." (JD, 23:63.)

(BRUCE R. McCONKIE)
"Peace has been taken from the earth. The angels of destruction have begun their work, and their swords shall not be sheathed until the Prince of Peace comes to destroy the wicked and usher in the great Millennium. Bands of Gadianton robbers will infest every nation, immorality and murder and crime will increase, and it will seem as though every man’s hand is against his brother. It is one of the sad heresies of our time that peace will be gained by weary diplomats as they prepare treaties of compromise, or that the Millennium will be ushered in because we will learn to live in peace and to keep the commandments, or that the predicted plagues and promised desolations of latter days can in some way be avoided. We must do all we can to proclaim peace, to avoid war, to heal disease, to prepare for natural disasters — but with it all, that which is to be shall be. We know that the world will go on in wickedness until the end of the world. . . . We do not know when the calamities and troubles of the last days will fall upon any of us as individuals or upon bodies of the Saints. . . . We can rest assured that if we have done all in our power to prepare for whatever lies ahead, He will then help us with whatever else we need. We do not say that all of the Saints will be spared and saved from the coming day of desolation. But we do say there is no promise of safety and no promise of security except for those who love the Lord and who are seeking to do all that he commands. It may be, for instance, that nothing except the power of faith and the authority of the priesthood can save individuals and congregations from the atomic holocausts that surely shall be. And so we raise the warning voice and say: Take heed, prepare; watch and be ready. There is no security in any course except the course of obedience and conformity and righteousness." (Special message for Mapleton Stake members, October, 1980, "Stand Independent Above All Other Creatures"; The Ensign, May, 1979.)

"Nor are the days of our greatest sorrows and our deepest sufferings all behind us. They too lie ahead. We shall yet face greater perils, we shall yet be tested with more severe trials, and we shall yet weep more tears of sorrow than we have ever known before. From the top of the peak where the soles of our feet now tread, we can look forward, crest upon crest, to the Zion of God which one day will be ours if we walk in the course charted by those who have gone before. We cannot see the whole course; many things are hidden from our view. Mountain trails wind through valleys and over crests, around ledges, and through forests. We do not know the length of the journey nor the perils that await us. But what we can see causes us to rejoice and to tremble. We tremble because of the sorrows and wars and plagues that shall cover the earth. We weep for those in the true Church who are weak and wayward and worldly and who fall by the wayside as the caravan of the kingdom rolls forward. . . . All that is yet to be shall go forward in the midst of greater evils and perils and desolations than have been known on earth at any time. As the Saints prepare to meet their God, so those who are carnal and sensual and devilish prepare to face their doom. As the meek among men make their calling and election sure, so those who worship the God of this world sink ever lower and lower into the depths of depravity and despair. Amid tears of sorrow — our hearts heavy with forebodings — we see evil and crime and carnality covering the earth. Liars and thieves and adulterers and homosexuals and murderers scarcely seek to hide their abominations from our view. Iniquity abounds. There is no peace on earth. We see evil forces everywhere uniting to destroy the family, to ridicule morality and decency, to glorify all that is lewd and base . . . Gadianton robbers fill the judgment seats in many nations. An evil power seeks to overthrow the freedom of all nations and countries. Satan reigns in the hearts of men; it is the great day of his power. The wicked and ungodly shall be swept from the Church. The way ahead is dark and dreary and dreadful. There will yet be martyrs; the doors in Carthage shall again enclose the innocent. If we, as a people, keep the commandments of God; if we take the side of the Church on all issues, both religious and political; if we take the Holy Spirit for our guide; if we give heed to the words of the apostles and prophets who minister among us — then, from an eternal standpoint, all things will work together for our good." (CR, April, 1980; The Coming Tests and Trials and Glory; The Ensign, May, 1980, pp. 71-73.)

(JOSEPH SMITH)
"You will see the Constitution of the United States almost destroyed; it will hang by a thread, as it were, as fine as the finest silk fiber. Father will be against son, and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother. The most terrible scenes of murder and bloodshed and rapine that has ever been looked upon will take place. When you see this land bound with iron you may look toward Jackson County." (A prophecy supposedly made by Joseph Smith, Jr., in the presence of Edwin Rushton and Theodore Turley in Nauvoo, Ill., 1843, as recorded by Rushton, Commonly known as the "White Horse Prophecy".)

(GEORGE ALBERT SMITH)
President Smith said, "I have had a troublesome vision of another great and terrible war that made the war (WW II) look like a training exercise, and people died like flies. It began at a time when the Soviet Union’s military might dwarfed that of the United States, and we, that is the United States, would have missiles that carried an atomic bomb in Europe. I saw the United States withdraw its missiles to appease the Soviet Union, and then the war began." He also said that we would have big missiles in deep holes he described like grain silos which the Soviets would try to destroy by their own missiles. They would hit military installations and certain cities also. He said that the President at that time would be of Greek extraction. Until then all the Presidents would be of British or Northern European ancestry. He continued that the U.S. would be bound by numerous entangling alliances and would take away weapons owned by the people. He talked some about the initial attack and the ground warfare. . . . One tactic, especially in Europe, was to transport thousands of tanks in big trucks like semitrailers on the super highways to have them located where they wanted them when the war was to begin . . . he repeated to our parents, "Think of the worst condition of the depression. Can you think of something? . . . You know how Sunday School picnics are complete with salad, chicken, root beer, and dessert, and everyone has a wonderful time. That worst time of the depression will seem like a Sunday School picnic when compared with how conditions will be after that great war ." (Extracted from the "Vision of George Albert Smith," (Winter of 1946) as personally witnessed and recorded by David H. Horne.)

(GEORGE WASHINGTON)
"I do not know whether it is owing to the anxiety of my mind, or what, but this afternoon as I was sitting at this very table engaged in preparing a dispatch, something in the apartment seemed to disturb me. Looking up, I beheld standing opposite to me a singularly beautiful female. So astonished was I, for I had given strict orders not to be disturbed, that it was some moments before I found language to inquire the cause of her presence. A second, a third, and even a fourth time, did I repeat my question but received no answer from my mysterious visitor except a slight raising of the eyes. By this time I felt strange sensations spreading through me. I would have risen, but the riveted gaze of the being before me rendered volition impossible. I essayed once more to address her, but my tongue had become powerless. Even thought itself suddenly became paralyzed. A new influence, mysterious, potent, irresistible, took possession of me. All I could do was to gaze steadily, vacantly, at my unknown visitant. Gradually the surrounding atmosphere seemed as though becoming filled with sensations, and grew luminous. Everything about me seemed to rarefy, the mysterious visitor herself becoming more airy, and yet more distinct to my sight than before. I now began to feel as one dying, or rather to experience the sensations which I have sometimes imagined accompany dissolution. I did not think, I did not reason, I did not move, all were alike impossible. I was only conscious of gazing fixedly, vacantly, at my companion. Presently, I heard a voice saying, ‘Son of the Republic, look and learn.’ While at the same time my visitor extended her arm eastwardly. At this the dark, shadowy angel placed a trumpet to his mouth and blew three distinct blasts; and taking water from the ocean, he sprinkled it upon Europe, Asia and Africa. Then my eyes beheld a fearful scene: From each of these countries arose thick, black clouds that were soon joined into one. And throughout this mass there gleamed a dark red light by which I saw hordes of armed men, who moved with the cloud, marching by land and sailing by sea to America, which country was enveloped in the volume of the cloud. And I dimly saw these vast armies devastate the whole country and burn the villages, towns and cities that I had beheld springing up. As my ears listened to the thundering of the cannons, clashing of swords and shouts and cries of millions in mortal combat. . . . The scene instantly began to fade and dissolve and I at last saw nothing but the rising, curling vapor I at first beheld. This also disappearing, I found myself once more gazing upon my mysterious visitor, who, in the same voice I had heard before said, ‘Son of the Republic, what you have seen is thus interpreted: Three great perils will come upon the Republic. The most fearful is the third, passing which the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the republic learn to live for his God, his land and union. With these words the vision vanished, and I started from my seat and felt that I had seen a vision wherein had been shown me the firth, progress and destiny of the United States." (Excerpted from "George Washington’s Vision" of the destiny of the United States, while in Valley Forge, 1777, as recorded from the account of Anthony Sherman, who claimed receiving the account from General Washington just after the vision.)

(ORSON PRATT)
"The Lord, therefore has a controversy among them [all the nations of the Gentiles], the same as he had with the Egyptian nation, with this difference, that the Egyptians did not have the same length of time to consider the message which you have . . . if you do not receive it, the Lord, who is long suffering, will . . . withdraw his servants from your midst. When that day shall come there shall be wars, not such wars as have come in centuries and years that are past and gone, but a desolating war. When I say desolating, I mean that it will lay these European nations in waste. Cities will be left vacated, without inhabitants. The people will be destroyed by the sword of their own hands. Not only this but many other cities will be burned; for when contending armies are wrought up with terrible anger, without the Spirit of God upon them, when they have not that spirit of humanity that now characterizes many of the wars amongst the nations, when they are left to themselves, there will be no quarter given, no prisoners taken, but a war of destruction, of desolation, of the burning of the cities and villages, until the land is laid desolate. What about my own nation — the American nation? What can I say more than I have said in times that are past? They have had a great desolating war; a war between the North and the South in which many hundreds of thousands were destroyed. . . . That war . . . was nothing, compared to that which will eventually devastate that country. The time is not very far distant in the future, when the Lord God will lay his hand heavily upon that nation [America]. . . . What then will be the condition of that people, when this great and terrible war shall come? It will be very different from the war between the North and the South. Do you wish me to describe it? I will do so. It will be a war of neighborhood against neighborhood, city against city, town against town, country against county, state against state, and they will go forth destroying and being destroyed and manufacturing will in a great measure, cease, for a time, among the American nation. Why? Because in these terrible wars, they will not be privileged to manufacture, there will be too much bloodshed — too much mobocracy — too much going forth in bands and destroying and pillaging the land to suffer people to pursue any local vocation with any degree of safety. What will become of millions of the farmers upon that land? They will leave their farms and they will remain uncultivated, and they will flee before the ravaging armies from place to place; and thus will they go forth burning and pillaging the whole country; and that great and powerful nation [America], now consisting of some forty millions of people, will be wasted away, unless they repent. Now these are predictions you may record. You may let them sink down into your hearts. And if the Lord your God shall permit you to live, you will see my words fulfilled to the very letter. They are not my words, but the words of inspiration — the words of the everlasting God, who has sent forth his servants with this message to warn the nations of the earth." (Discourse delivered in the North Branch Meeting Room, of the London Conference, Sunday, March 9, 1879; Journal of Discourses, 20:150-151.)

(JOHN TAYLOR)
"He saw Salt Lake City become a great and beautiful city, with cement streets and roads and the people had become wealthy. Great beautiful homes covered the city and he said that the city was extended to almost the point of the mountains south of the now 1951 State prison. The people had become indifferent to the counsel and advice of the authorities of the Church and were more interested in the accumulating of wealth than they were in living their religion, and at this time there began to be war and bloodshed. He saw blood running down the gutters of Salt Lake City as though it were water. People were fighting among themselves until it became so serious that the entire Church records were all taken across the Colorado River. President Taylor said to her: "If you are alive at that time, be sure that you are not far behind the records, because after the Church records leave and are secure, the very powers of hell will be turned loose, and there will be such destruction that but very little life will remain. Not only Salt Lake but other adjoining cities will be destroyed and in the east, in Missouri, in Jackson County, civilization will become entirely extinct. All means of transportation such as railroads and highways will be destroyed, the only means of travel will be on foot, and all manufacturing of all kinds will be entirely destroyed. Be sure when you see these things come, see that you have buttons, needles, and things to work with in order to make yourself clothing, thread and cloth as far as possible because all tools and every kind of machinery will be destroyed. It will become such a destructive war that the sufferings and driving of the people from Nauvoo will only be as a drop in the bucket compared with the suffering that will take place at this time, until one-half of the people will not follow the leaders and one-half of the others will die and turn because of the sufferings they will have to go through, but the Lord will bless those who stay with authorities and they shall not all be destroyed. They will travel south and will finally form a circle something like a horseshoe before they return to Jackson County, Missouri. Those who will be privileged to help build Jackson County will be those who are willing and glad to obey the counsel and advice of the authorities placed over them, and they will not only be willing to listen to their counsel and advice but will ask that they might receive it in order to be guided and protected out of this great time of want and distress. The saints will be taxed so heavily that they will cry to the Lord day and night for deliverance. He said also that we would be few in numbers and would assist the Lamanites in building the New Jerusalem in Jackson County. The vision was so terrible that he asked the Lord to close it but he saw that those who would keep the commandments and adhere to the authorities of the Church would survive and God would protect them as He did the children of Israel." (A Vision of John Taylor, as recorded by Edward Lunt, as an event that took place during a Conference at Cedar City, Utah, which President Taylor was attending; Found in the Lundwall Rare Manuscript file, Microfilm Roll #2.)

(WILFORD WOODRUFF)
"I went to bed at the usual hour, half past nine o’clock. I had been reading the Revelations in the French language. My mind was calm, more so than usual if that were possible. I composed myself for sleep, but felt a strange stupor come over me and I apparently became partially unconscious. Still I was not asleep nor awake, but had a strange far-away dreaming feeling. Then I was in Salt Lake City walking through the streets. In parts of the city and upon the door of every house, I saw a badge of mourning, and I could not find a house, but what was in mourning. The next I knew I was this side of Omaha. It seemed I was above the earth looking down upon it as I passed along on my way east. I saw the roads full of people, principally women, with just what they could carry in bundles on their backs, traveling to the mountains on foot. And I wondered how they would get there with nothing but a small pack on their backs. It was remarkable to me that there were so few men among them. It did not seem as though trains were running; the rails looked rusted and the roads abandoned. Indeed, I have no conception of how I traveled myself as I looked down upon the people. Next I saw Washington, D.C., and found the city a desolation. The White House was empty and the Halls of Congress likewise. Everything was in ruin and the people seemed to have fled from the city and left it to take care of itself. I was next in the city of Baltimore. . . . The dead were everywhere. I saw their bodies piled up, filling the square. I saw women cut the throats of their own children for the sake of their blood. I saw them suck it from their veins to quench their own thirst, and then lie down in the streets and die. I thought this was the end; but not so. Seemingly in an instant I was in Philadelphia where everything was still. No living soul was to be seen to greet me. It seemed as though the whole city was without inhabitants . . . everywhere I looked the putrefaction of the dead bodies created such a stench that It was impossible for any creature to remain alive. I next found myself on Broadway in New York. There it seemed as if the people had done all they could to overcome the disease. But in wandering down Broadway, I saw the bodies of beautiful women lying, some dead, and others in a dying condition, on the sidewalks. I saw men crawl out of the basements and violate the persons of some that were alive, then kill them and rob their dead bodies of the valuables they had on them. Then before they could return to their basements, they themselves rolled over a time or two in agony and died. And wherever I looked, I saw the same sights — horror and desolation, rapine and death. No horse, no carriages, nor omnibuses, nor streetcars — nothing but death and destruction everywhere. I cannot paint in words the horrors that seemed to encompass me about; it was beyond description or thought for me to conceive. Immediately after, I seemed to be standing on the left bank of the Missouri River, opposite the city of Independence — but I saw no city. I saw the whole states of Illinois and Missouri and part of Iowa, a complete wilderness of desert with no living human being there. I then saw a short distance from the river, twelve men draped in the robes of the Temple, standing in a square, or nearly so. I understood it to represent the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. And they with uplifted hands were consecrating the ground and laying the cornerstone of the Temple. And I heard the angels singing the most heavenly music. The words were: "Now is established the Kingdom of God and His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever! And the kingdom shall never be thrown down, for the Saints have overcome! I rolled over on my bed and the clock struck twelve. The vision had occurred between 9:30 p.m. and midnight." (Excerpted from Wilford Woodruff’s vision of the United States, as found in his journal, December 16, 1878.)

(HEBER C. KIMBALL)
"Lay up your stores, and take your silks and fine things, and exchange them for grain and such things as you need, and the time will come when we will be obliged to depend upon our own resources; for the time is not far distant when the curtain will be dropped between us and the United States. When that time comes, brethren and sisters, you will wish you had commenced sooner to make your own clothing. I tell you, God requires us to go into home manufacture; and, prolong it as much as you like, you have got to do it. You will also see the day that you will wish you had laid up your grain, if you do not do it now; for you will see the day, if you do not take care of the blessings God has given to you, that you will become servants, the same as the world will. We have told you this before. You have been exhorted, year after year, to prepare for hard times: you have been told this often enough. . . . This will come to pass. I suppose there are many who don’t believe it. to such it is like a tune that strikes upon the drum of the ear, passes off, and is forgotten." (JD, 5:10.)