And it shall come to pass, after
many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshaled
and disciplined for war. (D&C 87:4)
The Civil War broke out in 1861
and by 1865, all American slaves were freed from their masters. However, a
careful reading of the prophecy demonstrates that the slaves spoken of were to
rise up “many days” after war would be “poured out upon all nations” [World Wars
I and II]. Their masters would not be plantation owners, but men who would be “marshaled
and disciplined for war.”
In 1958, Bishop Joseph L. Wirthlin
provided an interesting interpretation of the meaning of “slaves.” He acknowledged
the fact that many people suppose that the prophecy refers to slaves in the
Southern States during the Civil War. “But I believe, brothers and sisters,
that it was intended that this referred to slaves all over the world . . .
where the right and the privilege to worship God and to come to a knowledge that
Jesus Christ is His Son is denied them” (Conference Report, October
1958, p. 33).
In 1989, the Berlin Wall was
breached and eliminated by “slaves” who rose up in Germany. Inspired by their
success, other “slaves” in other Eastern European countries began to rise up and
were successful in helping to part the iron curtain and to break up the former
Soviet Union. In the same general time period, tens of thousands of Chinese “slaves”
rose up in rebellion at Tiananmen Square of China to resist the oppression that
denied their freedom. (Allen H. Richardson and David E. Richardson, 1000
Evidences For The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2 vols. [2d
ed.; South Jordan, Utah: Artisan Enterprises, 2011], 1:35)
Further Reading: