In his page, "Fulfilled Prophecies of Joseph Smith," Jeff Lindsay wrote the following under the heading "Apostles to Depart from Far West on 26 April 1839":
During
the turmoil of 1838 in Missouri and in Kirtland, the Quorum of
the Twelve became somewhat chaotic. Joseph sought revelation from God on the
activities of the Twelve and received in return the revelation in Section 118
of the Doctrine and Covenants, received July 8, 1838:
Next spring let them depart to go
over the great waters, and there promulgate my gospel, the fulness thereof, and
bear record of my name. Let them take leave of my saints in the city of Far
west on the twenty-sixth day of April next, on the building spot of my house,
saith the Lord.
Persecution
soon drove the saints out of Far West, while Joseph was imprisoned under
inhumane conditions. Many saints were killed. Fulfilling the Lord's instructions
at that time seemed impossible. In fact, enemies of the Church learned of this
revelation and were determined to keep it from happening. Mob members in Far
West declared that any Mormons showing up in that town near the assigned date
would be murdered. In spite of such threats, the members of that Quorum managed
to enter Far West just after midnight on the morning of the 26th of April,
where they laid the cornerstone for the temple, ordained two new apostles and
other officers, sang a hymn, had a prayer, and then departed in accordance with
the instructions they had from the Lord.
Today I came across the following report of the fulfillment of this prophecy from the non-LDS newspaper, The Kansas City Times, published March 7, 1949:
THEIR 'DARK DAYS' GONE
MORMONS HAD TO SNEAK INTO MISSOURI 110 YEARS AGO.
On April 26, 1839, beave Band filed Into Mirabile
and Stood at Temple Sit to Make a Prophecy Come True.
(By The Star's Own Services.)
MIRABILE, MO., March 6.—It will be soon the 110th anniversary
of a secret pilgrimage to this community by a group of exiled Mormon leaders
who made the visit in substantiation of a divine revelation supposedly received
by the Mormon prophet Joseph Smith, on July 8, 1838. This revelation said that
on April 26, 1839, the twelve Apostles of the Latter Day Saints church would
take leave of their brethren at the Mormon capital of Far West, which at that
time would correspond to the Temple site in present Mirabile township,
"and from thence depart over the great waters to preach the gospel in
foreign lands." But many things had happened after the promulgation of
this revelation. The so-called "Mormon War" had flared in Caldwell
and Daviess counties, strongholds of Mormonism at that time in Missouri. This
"war" had resulted in the defeat of the Mormons and their expulsion
not only from Caldwell but from the entire state.
ANTAGONISM IS AROUSED
Non-Mormons who had heard of the prophecy calling the meeting
at the Far West temple site in April 26, had reason to jeer and assert that
this was one prophecy of "Joe Smith" which would not be fulfilled.
They didn't believe that any Mormon would be brave enough to return to Caldwell
county, after the defeat the sect had received in the fall of 1838.
Yet the prophecy was brought to pass on the day and on the
spot designated in the revelation.
Five of the church apostles, accompanied by other high church
officials, arrived in small groups to avoid arousing suspicion of their enemies
in the state, many of whom were still hunting down, Mormons.
They gathered in the dim dawn at the corner-stone spot. The
apostles appointed two more apostles to make a quorum of seven and went to work
on church business.
THEY WASTE NO TIME
One of the two appointees was George Albert Smith, grandfather
of a later president of the church. The group ordained several new officials,
excommunicated a long list of backsliders, sang some church songs and placed in
position a second corner stone for the temple, which they had hoped would be
completed on the site.
However, they decided that in view of the difficult times, it
would be wiser to stop further work on the Temple "until the Lord should
show the way for its completion." Then the seven apostles told their
church brethren good-by, and in accordance with the prophecy, departed by
devious ways eastward to carry out their appointed missions overseas.
Among the church leaders present at that dawn meeting were
Brigham Young, Heber Kimball, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff and George Albert
Smith, all destined to become well known in Mormon annals. The brethren
departed as they came, in small groups to avoid hostile contacts.
Remembering that they had been offered out of Missouri, they
went away rejoicing that Joseph Smith's revelation had been fulfilled. This
explains why April 26 is an important date in Mormon history. The revelation
has been fulfilled and the second corner stone of the Temple laid.
However, the Temple was not built—unless it is considered that
the dream of the early church leaders found expression in the magnificent
Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City.
Today the excavation for the Temple is nearly filled with
drifted soil of 110 years. The corner stones have been chipped away by the
throngs of sightseers. Each year, dozens of faithful Mormon pilgrims come to
the site to pray. Many take some soil back to their homes in small containers.
The rancor is gone, but it took many decades to die out. The site of the Temple
excavation belongs to the Mormon church. ("Their 'Dark Days' Done,"
The Kansas City Times, March 7, 1949, 11. Such would later be reprinted
as "A Mormon Prophecy Fulfilled in Missouri," Missouri Historical
Review 48, no. 1 (October 1953):113)
Image from The Kansas City Times:
(click to enlarge)
Image from Missouri Historial Review:
For more on Joseph Smith's prophecies, see:
Resources on Joseph Smith's Prophecies