This lost LDS Classic was originally printed in the The Latter-day Saints Millennial Star, or simply The Millennial Star, which was the longest running periodical ever operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It ran from 1840 all the way to 1970. As the official organ of the church in the British Mission specifically and Europe generally the newspaper was often overseen by the Apostle who acted as President of the British Mission. In 1855, that man was Apostle Franklin D. Richards , who had been called as an Apostle in 1849. Elder Richards is most famous for organizing, editing, and printing the first ever edition of The Pearl of Great Price in an effort to better acquaint the British Saints with the history and revelations of the Prophet Joseph Smith. The author of this article is unknown. It could have been Richards himself given the writing conventions of the day, but that is ultimately suppositional.
The article itself should be a classic of Latter-day Saint literature. After recounting a short history of the Restoration the author asserts the supremacy of the Kingdom of God, the Restored Church, to all other earthly organizations, including every single government on the planet. It also teaches the truth that all the nations on the planet will one day have to submit to the Kingdom of God, surrendering their power and acknowledging the Kingdom’s superior authority. Further, while it admits to the possibility of the Saints engaging in violence, it explains that the church is built up by peaceful means based on virtue and righteousness and testifies that the true course when faced with violence is to suffer affliction, commit your cause to the Lord, and allow Him to hand out justice as He sees fit. It also affirms the ultimate triumph of Zion not only as a metaphorical place but as real world location dedicated to the principles of the Gospel and obedience to God. Though it may seem long with its four pages of double columns, it is not only very readable but worth reading for all those who better seek to understand the purpose and destiny of God’s prophesied latter-day Church and Kingdom.
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