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Our Nation |
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History testifies that the Almighty both protected and guided
America's formation, from driving the Pilgrims to Massachusetts, an
area outside of the King's charter, to delivering the fledging
continental army from sure capture at the Battle of Brooklyn and
finally to inspiring the writing of the US Constitution. America
became the land of refuge to which persecuted Christians in the Old
World could flee for safety and freedom, especially for the liberty
to worship God according to their conscience. As a result, divine
blessings graced the emerging nation as she codified unalienable
personal rights in its foundational laws. The United States became
a Christian nation composed primarily of devout citizens who daily
tried to serve their God and Savior.
American freedom created a haven in which the Lord
restored His church as it once existed during the lives of the
apostles. Since the Reformation began reforming a corrupt church,
devout Christians searched for the pure church of Jesus Christ. We
believe that the Lord restored His church through Joseph Smith in
the first half the nineteenth century. It is the culmination of the
Puritan hope, the return of the pristine New Testament church.
Since then, its missionaries have been proclaiming the Savior’s
gospel and inviting all people to come into Christ’s kingdom and
prepare for the glorious return of Jesus Christ.
While the restored church grew phenomenally well during
the life of Joseph Smith, only a small percentage of Americans, and
even a smaller number of Europeans, entered the restored church.
The restored gospel was rejected by most of these people. In
particular, when the church appealed to the Federal Government for
the return of its property taken when Missouri forcibly expelled all
its members from the state, all three branches of government ignored
its’ pleas.
In the parable of the marriage supper, Jesus predicted
that those first invited would ignore the invitation. The Master
gave His response to their rejection: “The wedding is ready, but
they which were bidden were not worthy” (Mat 22:8). Luke’s
gospel gives a more stern response: “None of those men which were
bidden shall taste of my supper” (Lu 14:24). His servants were
commanded to invite others to attend the joyful celebration. He
said, “Bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt,
and the blind” (Lu 14:21).
Today, America is a far different place. Liberty and
faith still reside side by side, moral virtues are still espoused,
and self-reliance is still admired, but doubt is prevailing,
immorality is multiplying, crime is abounding, pagan precepts are
exonerated, dependence, especially financial dependence, is
increasing. Meanwhile, America’s denominations are waning and
Christian values are fading.
America’s decline has been accompanied by the rise of
the third world. Christianity is growing in many of those nations.
They are beginning to answer the invitation to prepare for the
marriage supper of the Lamb. For America to fulfill its purpose,
its people must also prepare.
The invitation to prepare for the marriage supper of the
Lamb has been continually extended by the church restored under the
hand of Joseph Smith. Latter-day revelation invites the world, “Prepare
ye the way of the Lord, prepare ye the supper of the Lamb, make
ready for the Bridegroom” (D&C 65:1c). Elsewhere, it states, “Let
the cry go forth among all people: Awake and arise and go forth to
meet the Bridegroom. Behold, and lo, the Bridegroom cometh, go ye
out to meet him. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord”
(D&C 108:3c-d).
Time is short. Jesus is about ready to descend, but His
kingdom is not ready. The difficulties in America are God’s way of
calling us to repentance. Our national condition will continue to
deteriorate until Americans repent. Those that refuse will find
themselves shut out from the marriage supper and watch believing
Christians from the third world take their place.
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