| Show WILL THE JEWS GATHER IN TAXES JAMES PICTON of nephi writes a letter t er of enquiry upon a subject of much interest to all latter day saints who give any attention to the principles of the religion they profess events as they are transpiring and those thos e that are expected to occur in the near future it is in relation to the gathering of the jews to palestine the point being as to whether they will perform that work in a 91 state of belief in and obedience to the gospel or not A reasonable inference can only be reached reache dupon upon this question by bya a consideration gide ration ot what nas been revealed upon the subject as a whole most of the statements in the scriptures which have reference to the gathering of the remnants of judah in the latter days areg ilent upon the point embodied ra the interrogation ri of our correspondent pon dent while a few have a more or less les plain intimation regarding their religious status when that development of the work of the latter days shall be exhibited before the eyes of all people pe orple the book of mormon is 19 perhaps more specific in that regard than any other record we possess and lit it is aside perhaps f from rom the dimmed immediate late revelations given through joseph smith the most reliable book upon religious matters in existence so far as relates to the ground covered by it in proof of this we will wih here introduce a statement made by the prophet him self on nov 1841 speaking of what transpired in a council held by him with the twelve Twel he said 1 I told the brethren that the book of mormon was the most correct of any book on earth and aad the keystone of our religion and a man would get nearer to god by abiding by its precepts than by any other book it will be proper now to ascertain what the book of mormon says upon this point there are many passages that could be selected but space will not admit one let the investigator read from verse third to eighth i inclusive of the chap of the II 11 book of nephi it is there stated that after the bringing forth of the record book of mormon and its publication li among the gentiles many would believe in it this his has been fulfilled it was then to be carried to the remnants of the house of israel on this land the Lama they were also to receive it and be brought to the knowledge of the gospel as it existed among their fathers this has been partially fulfilled then comes this direct reference to the jews I 1 and it shall come to pass that the jews which are scattered also shall begin to believe in christ and they shall begin to gather in upon the lace face of the land and as many as shall b believe in christ shall become a delightsome people A question that here presents itself is whether the belief ed to is that which has always exists in n orthodox judaism of the anticipation of a messiah or deliverer or er is it an acceptance cep tance of the christ who came in the meridian of time it is evidently the latter as it is a condition of mind that is to ensue in connection with the gathering or shortly preceding it not something in that has long existed it boull would not necessarily follow that all or even the bulk of those who gath gata er would be impregnated with this faith as many might go to the land of their fathers expecting a messiah without believing that jesus was he who was to come there might be other considerations also on the grounds of relationship and business that might cause numbers to join in the exodus of the remnant of judah from the nations to the promised land the prophet nephi however seems to make it clear that there will be some who will gather in a state of belief and obedience as the two conditions cannot well be separated in considering this feature of the last dispensation we must take into account the fact that the gospel is first to the gentiles and next to ane jews in these days the last are first and the first shall be last this is made clear both in the old scriptures and modern revelation hence the elders after warning 11 the gentile nations will be given a special mission to carry the message to tile the jews there will be two conditions necessary for that work the fulfillment of the times of the gentiles which there is reason tor for believing is nol far distant and toe turning of thersey by tho the lord for the opening of that part of the dispensation in relation to the gathering of the jews that it may be verified doubtless the veil of unbelief will by the ibe preparation atthe lord fall from the laces of att at least a portion of them if the labors of the elders after the expiration of the times limes of the gentiles are to be exclusively devoted to the house of israel including the jews proper it is not presumable that their efforts under tinder the bles blessing of lof god will be entirely en fruitless A aside side from the belief of a portion of them and other inducements already referred to to gather to the promised land a proportion of the hebrew race may under divine manipulation be impelled to join the exodus from the nations by the ger general aeral conditions condit ioos that will exist at the time many of the prophets indicate that the gathering will take place enla in a day of ven geande and fury when war bloodshed le and wholesale bankruptcy will prevail the wonderful preservation through past ages of the jews as a distinct race will avail them greatly in seeking a way vay to escape from froin calamities that are to precede the coming of the son of man at after ter the renewal of the jews as a national entity the prophets predict that they will become objects of general hatred one reason for this is to be ther the raising alsing up to them of two prophets who are to have power given them to perform mighty works to the vexation of the nations who will combine for their destruction this is the explanation given by the prophet joseph in relation to the two witnesses spoken of in the alth chapter of the revelations of st john christ is to appear in an ho bur ur of great peril to the jews and rescue them their enemies when that shall take place it is clearly indicated that probably proba anly oly the bulk of them will be un believers in toe identity of jesus of nazareth dw the deliverer they will then e however be disi bused and discover that he whom their fathers crucified was indeed the Chrls stand tand great will oe their mourning because of his having havin been rejected then shall a nation re be b born orn in a day as a fountain for washing away uncleanness shall be opened and the hebrew race will receive the birth of tile the water and of the spirit in penning this article we have not made voluminous quotations from the prophets but those who search the ip tures ancient and modern will find the pleases phases of the question embodied here enumerated in them taking the material as a whole the inference is in favor of the theory that when the jews will gather only a portion of them will be in a condition condit ioa of belief and obedience while probably the great bulk will be less favorably situated |
