Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-06
SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

we are llklnk III II tlWlN "a N'ilt"lN
calamities. Great disasters occur on
both land and sea, The record Of fire
and food. earthquake and famine, rail-
road wrecks, labor disturbances, dis
putes between nations rumors OF war
peculation graft corporate rapacity,
the domination OF capital. combinations
among trusts on the one hand and
among unions to resist the power Of
wealth on the other hand, secret organi-
cations against life and property, DISCO
luton OF marriage bonds, social corrup-
tion in high society aud in low life,
libel. fraud, fierce recriminaton, polltI'
cal chicanery. intrigue for office and
general commotion are signs Of the
times, and are Of the kind predicted In
ancient and in modern scripture as
hera iding the great contamination and
the end Of the world. by that term Is
not meant the destruction Of this plan
et as some people imagine. but Tho
breaking up and dissolution OF the pow
ers of this world ruled over by the
prince Of darkness,
There have been commissions Of ma
ture and Of society from time imme-
mortal but no such congeries Of events
such AS are foreshadowed as signs Vt
the coming OF the Son of Man as those
which have recently appeared. We,are
not among the alarmists OF the latter
days, but We do not close our eyes 10
the occurrences Of the present, nor
think II right to fail in giving a warn
ing as to the approaching change In
the worlds affairs. To those who be-
lieve in the Second Advent these por-
tents are highly significant, and II Is
well for them to heed the monition to
'stand in holy places and not be
moved" when these calamities appear.
And while "evl men and seducers wax
worse and worse" and falsehood ana
yiliihcaton abound to refrain from
reviling and retaliation and "in patience
possess their souls"
The terrible catastrophe at Meridian.
Mississippi recalls the driving and mob
hing of our Elders there and the MUIR
der Of Mormon" missionary in that
neighborhood "A few years ago. And
also the prediction in section So of the
Doctrine and Covenants, given when
the Elders were sent out to warn the
world in the early days of the history Of
this Church. which was this; "And
after your testimony cometh wrath and
indignation upon the people; Tor after
your testimony cometh the testimony Of
earthquakes that shall cause groanngs
in the midst of her, and men shall fall
upon the ground, and shall not be able
10 stand, And also cometh the testi-
mony of the voice of thunderings.
and the voice of lghtnings, and the
voice of tempests, and the voice Of the
waves Of the sea, heaving themselves
beyond their bounds And all things
shall be In commotion; and surely,
mems hearts shall fail them: for fear
shall come upon all people
The great tidal wave which has over
whelmed some Of the Society islands,
ms related In our news columns on
Monday, was an awful visitation and is
one Of the tribuatons Of the latter
times. So are the cyclones that have
swept different parts Of the United
States since the testimony Of the Elders
has been borne TO the people. We note
with pleasure that when our mission
aries are exposed TO these visitations.
they are not only preserved by divine
power, but they exhibit that courage
and render that assistance to others
which is characteristic OF the true ser.
wants OF the living God,
The testimony borne to the noble con.
duct and character of our brethren by
the American Consul at Tahiti Is wor.
thy OF special note, and illustrates the
course of our missionaries generally,
whose self-sacrihce abiding faith and
undaunted courage are fruits of the
religion which they and their parents
have espoused. While they are traduc.
ed and misrepresented by professed
Christian ministers and their names
are cast out as eyll they 20 forward
and perform their duty, Drawing the
wrath Of their enemies, the opposition
Of hostile men and the fury " the elc.
ments.
They are preaching tho gospel OF the
Kingdom as witness unto all nations"
before the end" SHAH come, and this
also is among the signs Of the times
Immediately preceding the advent Of
The Son Of Man. Let nations az well
as individuals wake up and behold the
tokens of approaching events, aud pre-
pare for the day OF the Lord, which is
tYigb M hond1