D&C 85-87: Come Follow Me with Sam

 Welcome! It looks like, based on my notes, this is just going to be about Section 87, the war chapter


Section 85

No comment at this time

Section 86

No comment at this time

Section 87

Section 87 is remarkable in the accuracy of its prediction of the events of the civil war, especially since in 1832, many thought the crisis was blown over. S&S comment that Orson Pratt kept a copy of the revelation with him and shortly after Abraham Lincoln was elected, he procured it to citizens in Omaha Nebraska. "It created a great sensation... A great many persons came forward and examined the book from which the revelation was read to see the date, to satisfy themselves that it was not a thing of recent manufacture."

Here are some other comments by S&S

"The American Civil War was only the beginning of a series of conflicts, each leading up to the world-war of 1914. This is all the more remarkable, because since the middle of the 19th century, the peace movement in the world assumed so definite proportions as to warrant the hope that there would be no war in the 20th century."

"The clouds are now gathering in preparation for another conflict even more terrible and destructive of life and property. League of Nations, or United Nations delegates, cannot stop it, because people will not repent and they have rejected the Gospel."

"Christ teaches that the meek shall inherit the Earth, not the warriors. History teaches the same truth."

This last quote I found striking, but also debatable, as it does not seem clear that history teaches that, and I'm not sure it is possible to be meek without being a warrior, but I think it captures a certain sentiment that is the same as the revelation section.

The summum bonum is best summarized by this quote from Ezra Taft Benson in Preach My Gospel

“We are commanded by God to take this gospel to all the world. That is the cause that must unite us today. Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self-destruction. Only the gospel will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family.”

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