Show R ON THE WATERS I 1 I 1 I 1 f disasters have been so past went and appalling during the few iced years as to shook the civil world they have not been ed to calamities upon the broad bosom wom of I 1 tb the ocean but have occurred upon BaTi navigable gable rivers rl ivere which aowad natu be free from such neither have they been oln the result of furious owr stort 44 which lash laah the waters into an demty of rage snapping mapping huge wa AB if they were frail pipe ota waa and engulfing ill fated vessels the with i unfortunate living freight ne nabet ast dreaded or of all catastrophes the e flip bip on fire hw been an incident det the of great frequency fae quency resulting in e most horrible holocausts the increase of maritime disasters has been such as to constitute a latter day phenomenon thinking people are led to reflect upon the conducing causes causes but the solution of the question is enveloped in mystery those who are religiously inclined regard it as a sign of the times in unison with affairs in general which are sadly madly out of joint A few days since in treating upon existing conditions and what they indicate we referred to a specific prediction made by joseph smith the prophet tp the effect that peace would not many years hence be taken from the earth In I 1 n connection con lection with this af allusion lusion it was shown that a comparatively pacific spirit throughout the world was being supplanted by the genius of contention and combinations constantly arising in every phase and department of life each pitted against the others while the associations themselves were racked with internal splits these conditions are developed in all departments from the smallest concerns of men to those involving the relations of nations and kingdoms with each other these are an the incipient stages of war being the primary elements of actual conflict the object of treating upon the subject was to show that the prophet had predicted by inspiration the present situation besides pointing by the same sam e divine gift to a still stil I 1 more appalling state of affairs which would be the legitimate outgrowth of the incipient elements elemente of gigantic contention for the same purpose we direct attention now to the phenomenal destruction of late years upon the oceans and navigable rivers of the world on this subject the prophet joseph smith made a direct prediction the indications for the fulfilment fulfillment of which before a great while are strongly marked A portion of the prophecy containing this forecast occurs on page of the book of doctrine and covenants and embodies these words wherefore the days will come that no flesh shall be safe upon the waters ia the safety with which companies of latter day saints have traveled over the ocean on their way to the gathering places of the church has been a marked feature in the history of this people this being a gathering dispensation those who have received the gospel through the preaching of the elders have flocked to where the main body of adherents was located uhe like doves to the windows hundreds of companies have traversed the ocean on the way to central points yet not one casualty of any extent has ever occurred on the journeys this providential preservation has been the result of the fact that the overwhelming bulk of the people composing those parties of pilgrims have been mhd honest and pure in heart those of a contrary quality have been rare exceptions it appears however that the virtue of the main body will not always be effective in preserving those who are not pure and upright so great will become the danger of maritime travel on ocean an and river driver that only the worthy win will have bae the divine providence thrown over and around them hence the revelation already quoted from says and it shall come to pass in days to come that none is able to go up to the land of zion upon the waters but he that is upright of heart |