Fear and Loathing in the Imminent Mormon Eschaton

This week’s lessons focus heavily on the signs of the Second Coming of Christ, centered around a revelation (D&C § 45) produced by Joseph Smith on 7 March 1831. The rhetorical themes in the lessons manuals are of fear and safety—fearful and dreadful events as portends of the imminent Second Coming, from which members will only find safety by staying close to the church.

End-Times Propheteering in Ohio

The preface to this section in the Doctrine and Covenants says that it was received in response to “many false reports, lies, and foolish stories were published in the newspapers, and circulated in every direction, to prevent people from investigating the work, or embracing the faith.” This is may wither be referring to Eber D. Howe’s critical articles in the Painesville Telegraph that he started publishing in January 1831, or to Alexander Campbell’s widely circulated review of the Book of Mormon entitled Delusions, published in February 1831.

Joseph Smith arrived in Kirtland between these two events on 4 February 1831. On the same day of his arrival, Smith produced a revelation directing the Kirtland membership to build him a house of residence and instructing Edward Partridge “to leave his merchandise and to spend all his time in the labors of the church.” Only five days later, Smith would produce another revelation commanding members to “consecrate all thy properties that which thou hast unto me with a covenant and deed which cannot be broken & they shall be laid before the bishop of my church.” Notably, the wording of this revelation would be changed in the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants to read “consecrate of thy properties” rather than “consecrate all thy properties, and references to taking care of the poor would also be added. This corresponds with a number of other significant changes made to Smith’s revelations in 1835.

As mentioned last week, around this time (date uncertain) D&C § 43 was also produced, which established Joseph Smith as a the sole person authorized to speak for the Lord to the church, and also commanded the members to physically support him, followed by warnings of the destruction of the wicked. So within a matter of days after arriving in Kirtland, we have Joseph commanding the Kirtland coverts to build him a house, consecrate all their properties to the church of which he is the exclusive head, and to provide him physical support—all in the Lord’s name, and mixed in the language of imminent apocalypticism.

Signs in the Heavens

The early Mormons were firm believers that the apocalypse was near, like many other Christians of their time. They interpreted contemporary events as signs that Biblical prophecies were being fulfilled in preparation for the Second Coming of Christ. One such event was the highly anticipated annular solar eclipse occurring on 12 February 1831 that affected significant portions of the southern and eastern United States. Interest in the eclipse was divided between rationalists and those who still interpreted such events as omens of the imminent eschaton. Rationalists writers penned: “Idle fears and gloomy forebodings of evil formerly raised by the appearance of phenomena caused by the regular operation of natural laws, have yielded to pleasing admiration; a change which the march of science and general diffusion of knowledge have largely contributed to effect.” Another wrote: “Those who entertain the opinion that eclipses of the sun are tokens of the Divine displeasure can produce no warrant from scripture for their irrational belief. If we would look for the signs of the displeasure of God towards a nation, we can see them, not in eclipses, but in national sins and depravity of morals.”

Despite these hopeful projections among contemporary rationalists, considerable anticipation and fear were experienced by many in the lead up to the eclipse. Mark Lyman Staker explains:

However, traveling dram-shops still did brisk business, and not all felt confidence in rational arguments and discourses on scientific astronomy. Some felt vague fear of looming danger. One correspondent reported that an "old shoe-black" accosted an individual in front of the newspaper office "and asked him if he was not afraid. For, said he, with tears in his eyes, the world is to be destroyed to-morrow; the sun and moon are to meet ... and a great earthquake was to swallow all!" in Virginia, itinerant Baptist preacher and slave Nat Turner considered the eclipse a sign that the time to act had arrived. "I has a vision—and saw white and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened—the thunder rolled in the Heavens, and blood flowed in streams." He mobilized companions and they prepared a slave insurrection that exploded later that year.

Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Settings of Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations, p. 97

In Ohio, the eclipse turned out to be major disappointment. Residing well outside the path of annularity, the Painesville Telegraph reported that “The Great Eclipse, which has been advertised for several years past … was quite a failure. To us, the Sun was only eclipsed by the clouds, which are common at this season of the year.” Despite this letdown, only a few weeks later Joseph Smith produced a revelation that warned the Mormons to look for signs and wonders in the heavens, including the sun being darkened and the moon turned to blood.

The Apocalypse of Joe Smith

Before we turn to the lesson manuals, it is worth considering the text upon which they are based in Doctrine and Covenants § 45. The entirety of this revelation deals with the Second Coming of Christ and the events predicted to precede. The language throughout weaves fearful imagery regarding the deterioration of society and the destruction of the wicked with warnings that such things are near at hand and that members should prepare themselves to witness these events in their own lifetimes. In what follows below, I present segments of D&C § 45 to highlight this fear-based rhetoric regarding the apocalypse (red) with that of its imminence and the need for watchful preparation (blue).

22 Ye say that ye know that the end of the world cometh; ye say also that ye know that the heavens and the earth shall pass away;
23 And in this ye say truly, for so it is; but these things which I have told you shall not pass away until all shall be fulfilled.

26 And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men’s hearts shall fail them, and they shall say that Christ delayeth his coming until the end of the earth.
27 And the love of men shall wax cold, and iniquity shall abound.
28 And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, a light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fulness of my gospel;
29 But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men.
30 And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
31 And there shall be men standing in that generation, that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.
32 But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die.
33 And there shall be earthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations; yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another.

36 And when the light shall begin to break forth, it shall be with them like unto a parable which I will show you—
37 Ye look and behold the fig trees, and ye see them with your eyes, and ye say when they begin to shoot forth, and their leaves are yet tender, that summer is now nigh at hand;
38 Even so it shall be in that day when they shall see all these things, then shall they know that the hour is nigh.
39 And it shall come to pass that he that feareth me shall be looking forth for the great day of the Lord to come, even for the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.
40 And they shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath.
41 And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke.
42 And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven.
43 And the remnant shall be gathered unto this place;
44 And then they shall look for me, and, behold, I will come; and they shall see me in the clouds of heaven, clothed with power and great glory; with all the holy angels; and he that watches not for me shall be cut off.

47 Then shall the arm of the Lord fall upon the nations.
48 And then shall the Lord set his foot upon this mount, and it shall cleave in twain, and the earth shall tremble, and reel to and fro, and the heavens also shall shake.
49 And the Lord shall utter his voice, and all the ends of the earth shall hear it; and the nations of the earth shall mourn, and they that have laughed shall see their folly.
50 And calamity shall cover the mocker, and the scorner shall be consumed; and they that have watched for iniquity shall be hewn down and cast into the fire.

56 And at that day, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.
57 For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.

63 Ye hear of wars in foreign lands; but, behold, I say unto you, they are nigh, even at your doors, and not many years hence ye shall hear of wars in your own lands.
64 Wherefore I, the Lord, have said, gather ye out from the eastern lands, assemble ye yourselves together ye elders of my church; go ye forth into the western countries, call upon the inhabitants to repent, and inasmuch as they do repent, build up churches unto me.
65 And with one heart and with one mind, gather up your riches that ye may purchase an inheritance which shall hereafter be appointed unto you.
66 And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God;
67 And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion.
68 And it shall come to pass among the wicked, that every man that will not take his sword against his neighbor must needs flee unto Zion for safety.
69 And there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation under heaven; and it shall be the only people that shall not be at war one with another.
70 And it shall be said among the wicked: Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand.
71 And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing with songs of everlasting joy.

Doctrine and Covenants § 45:22–23, 26–33, 36–44, 47–50, 56–57, 63–71

As one can see, this revelation is absolutely soaked in fear-based rhetoric and the literal treatment of Biblical scripture. This fear of the forthcoming apocalypse is balanced with promises that the righteous who gather in Zion (i.e. the church) will be spared the judgements awaiting the wicked. Thus, only those not devoutly allied with the church have need to fear.

The Imminent Second Coming

Now let’s turn to the lesson manuals. Here forward, I will apply the same highlighting that I used for D&C § 45 above, to demonstrate how the same fear-motivated rhetoric is employed in the lesson manuals. The overarching message is that members should be watchful for the signs of the Second Coming within their own lifetime, but so long as they cling to the church and are found among the faithful they have will be safe from the terrible judgements and destruction awaiting the wicked. Let’s turn to each manual in turn.

Individuals and Families

We live in perilous times, and that can be troubling. Even Jesus’s disciples, when they heard Him prophesy of the calamities that would occur in our day, “were troubled." The early Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, were also troubled by the perilous times in which they lived. Among other things, there were “many false reports … and foolish stories” that were undermining the gospel message. But the Lord’s response, then and now, is “be not troubled." Yes, there is wickedness, but there is also evidence that God is hastening His work. Yes, there are perils predicted to precede the Second Coming, and we should be aware of them. But these aren’t just warnings of danger; they are also signs that God’s promises are about to be fulfilled. Perhaps this is why Doctrine and Covenants 45—a revelation that describes many of these signs in detail—was received “to the joy of the Saints."

War, iniquity, and desolation will precede the Savior’s Second Coming. But “be not troubled,” the Lord said, “for, when all these things shall come to pass, ye may know that the promises which have been made unto you shall be fulfilled."

How can you help family members understand what it means to watch for the Savior’s Second Coming? Maybe you could think of an event that you are anticipating and share ways that you are “watching” for that event. Or you could bake something together and watch for signs that it is ready to eat. What are we doing to watch for the Savior’s Second Coming?

Come, Follow Me — Individuals and Families Manual, 2 May 2021

These lesson emphasizes that these are perilous times full of wickedness and falsehoods designed to undermine the church, and that members should be alert to such perils as evidences that God is hastening his work and the Second Coming is close at hand. How does this rhetoric affect how members interact with the outside world? What sort of relationships are they encouraged to foster?

Sunday School

How can you help class members see both the sobering warnings and the hopeful promises in section 45? ... Why would the Lord want us to know about these things in advance? What can we do to receive the promised blessings?

Perhaps class members could share advice with each other about how to be optimistic and hopeful as we face the calamities foretold for our day. To help class members look forward to the Second Coming with faith instead of fear, you might show the video “Men’s Hearts Shall Fail Them” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). In what sense are people’s hearts failing them in our day? (see verse 26). What counsel did President Nelson give in this video to help us face fearful situations with peace?

Come, Follow Me — Sunday School Manual, 2 May 2021

The Sunday School manual speaks in more vague terms, relying on D&C § 45 to provide the specifics. As highlighted above, those specifics are pretty grim. To drive the point home, the lesson provides the video featured above, entitled “Men’s Hearts Shall Fail Them,” and asks members to identify how people’s hearts are failing them today. This provides an opportunity to project one’s own fears onto others, while reassuring oneself that they have nothing to fear because they are safe within the church. How does the messaging that awful calamities await those who are not devotees of the church reinforce notions of Mormon exceptionalism?

Primary

Help the children think about how they feel when they know that someone special is coming to visit them, like a grandparent or a friend. How do they prepare for the visit? Show a picture of the Savior, and read part or all of Doctrine and Covenants 45:44–45. Tell the children how you feel about the Savior coming again, and let them share their feelings.

Help the children you teach think of ways the gospel prepares the world for the Savior’s Second Coming.

It can be frightening for children to read about the wars, wickedness, and destruction that are prophesied to occur before the Savior’s Second Coming. How can you help them look forward with joy to this promised day?

What did Jesus say that the signs of His Second Coming would be like? To help the children discover the signs we should be looking for, assign each child (or group of children) to read a few verses from Doctrine and Covenants 45 that describe these signs. Verses 26–27, 31–33, 40–42 could be used, for example. Let the children share what they found. Which of these signs are being fulfilled today?

Come, Follow Me — Primary Manual, 2 May 2021

The Primary lesson takes on the most positive tone, focusing on the joy of meeting the Savior over emphasizing the deterioration of society and destruction of the wicked. The language of the lesson and its suggested questions definitely give the impression that the children definitively will see Christ in their lifetime, and makes it as tangibly present as visits from their grandparents. Such a literal treatment of the predictions in Doctrine and Covenants § 45 reinforces the notion that the scriptures are a literal history and contain messages that should be interpreted as applying literally in our modern day lives. Such a fundamentalist view of scripture is the culprit of countless abuses by Christians throughout the ages. What sort of worldview is being shaped by teaching children to interpret scripture literally and to expect the Second Coming of Christ as a literal event likely to happen in their own lifetime? How will such a worldview affect their attitudes and behavior as they develop later in life?

Safety and Protection in Zion

One more theme I want to highlight from this week’s Come, Follow Me lessons is that of the place of refuge and separation from the world. The concept of Zion has changed in the church from the early days of New York and Ohio, or even from the early Utah period. Originally, followers of the Mormon movement envisioned themselves as participating with the converted Lamanites in establishing the New Jerusalem (also known as Zion) as a gathering place and refuge for the righteous to wait out the calamities that would befall the rest of the wicked world. Joseph Smith famously designated Independence, Missouri as the location of this New Jerusalem, but the modern church as shifted the emphasis from Missouri to a figurative gathering of members into the fold of the church. Still, the concept of Zion—now meaning the body of the church—as being a shelter and refuge from God’s wrath remains a prominent idea among the Latter-day Saints. This week’s lessons provide one example.

Zion is a place of safety for the Saints of God.
The Saints in Joseph Smith’s time were eager to build Zion, the New Jerusalem, as described in the Book of Mormon (see Ether 13:2–9) and in Joseph Smith’s inspired revision of the Bible (see Moses 7:62–64). What do you learn about Zion—both the ancient city of Enoch’s day and the latter-day city—from Doctrine and Covenants 45:11–15, 66–71? Today the command to establish Zion refers to establishing God’s kingdom wherever we live—wherever the children of God gather to the safety of His “everlasting covenant." What can you do to help build Zion where you are?

Come, Follow Me — Individuals and Families Manual, 2 May 2021

I can “stand in holy places.”
In Doctrine and Covenants 45:32, the Lord taught that His disciples will find safety in the last days by standing in holy places—places that are special to the Lord. How can you help the children recognize the holy places in their lives?

Place pictures of a home, a church building, and a temple in different places throughout the room. Give clues describing these places, and invite the children to stand near the picture you are describing. Read the first line from Doctrine and Covenants 45:32. Testify that we are blessed when we spend time in holy places like our homes, our church buildings, and the temple. Ask the children to talk about how they feel when they are in holy places like these.