Now, we will prove by the prophet Joseph Smith that the
same year, 1891, is the commencement of the reign of righteousness. In Section
130, Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph was told that if he lived to be 85 years
old he would live to see the scene wound up or the Redeemer on the earth. He
was born December 23rd, 1805, and if we give him the 85 years, we could not
count the year 1805, we should have to count 1806, as the year 1805 was mostly
gone before he was born, therefore, we have 1806 and 85, making 1891; again in
the year 1835 Joseph was told positively that 56 years would wind up the scene,
which we believe was the reign of iniquity and transgression: 56 and 1835 are
1891. Thus we have abundant proof that that year will begin the reign of
righteousness, and God's people be acknowledged, for the earth is to be given
to them. He has said: "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's
good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Therefore, we trust to see
iniquity commence to wane, on this planet, with the Dragon and Serpent in 1891.
(Robert Smith, A
Series of Lectures on the Signs of the Times
[Payton, Utah: Juvenile Instructor Office, 1887], 39-40)
Re. 1891 tied into his
esoteric views about the origin of the pyramids and their dimensions:
The third proof that the Egyptians were not the builders
is, that it is built throughout astronomically, and, at that time, 2170 B. C.,
we learn by history, and by the hieroglyphics of the period, and even before,
that they understood nothing about astronomy; and Josephus, a Jewish historian,
states that Abraham taught the Egyptians astronomy, and the best proof of this
is that after his time the hieroglyphics of Egypt were plentifully bestowed in
representation of the heavenly bodies. We now turn to the star-markings of the
great pyramid. The south polar star, at that time, 2170, looked down a tube on
the south side of the building made of red granite, and which is eight inches
in diameter, nicely polished, and runs to the king's chamber and marks a period
about 250 inches from the entrance, and as the inch, in the pyramids, denotes
one year in time, about the year 250 of the Millennium we shall have some great
event which we are unable to explain at present, but we can assure our readers,
who remain faithful till that period, that they will find the star in its place
as marked in the pyramid. On the opposite side there is another tube of the
same size and material, and although at a different angle, marks the position
of the north polar star at the date 2170, B. C. and strikes the grand gallery
at the twelfth inch from the south end, and as the gallery measures 1891 inches
(according to Orson Pratt's interpretation of the stone step which we will
explain) 12 from 91 leaves 79 so in the year 1879, the polar star Uranus (which
was polar star at the time 2170) is to mark some great event in that year, and
as that year is already past, the event was that the star Uranus appeared, as
truly as he is marked in the pyramid, and in that year 1879 he governed a 4
planet perihelion of planets, and marked the beginning of signs, we believe,
that were predicted by our Savior, as appearing in the last days, who, when
asked by His disciples what would be the sign of His coming and of the end of
the world, said "There will be signs in the heavens, and on earth;
earthquakes in divers places, etc." (Matthew xxiv). Uranus gives
the first sign, which with its mates remained in perihelion until 1881, when we
had the second great sign: a perihelia of five planets, and, as there have
never been five planets in perihelia before in all planet history, it is
regarded as one of the signs of the coming of our Lord; the polar star,
therefore, gave us a sure mark both of the building, and also of the great sign
of destruction which com-menced in that year, for the angel of the Lord flew
through the midst of heaven with the everlasting gospel to preach to those who
dwell on earth, saying with a loud voice, "Fear God, and give glory to Him
for the hour of His iudgment is come." (Ibid., 30-31)