Thursday, February 3, 2022

B.H. Roberts (August 1914) on World War 1 as a Fulfillment of D&C 87:3

In a sermon delivered at the Salt Lake Tabernacle and recorded by F. W. Otterstrom and later published in Liahona: The Elders' Journal, B.H. Roberts, on August 16, 1914, understood World War 1 to be a fulfillment of D&C 87:3:

 

Great Britain's Sympathy.

 

Great Britain so far sympathized with the South that she permitted vessels to be constructed in her dock yards, whose purpose was to prey upon the commerce of the United States. One case was notorious, that of the Alabama, fitted out in the docks of Birkenhead near Liverpool, and when fully equipped, left England's shores to prey upon American commerce, until finally, as you know, the settlement of the Alabama claims became an important incident in the diplomatic controversy between England and the United States; England consenting, finally, to pay an indemnity of $15,000,000 for breaking the neutrality that she should have maintained. So we have the complete fulfillment of this portion of the wonderful prediction that the Southern States would call upon other nations, and especially, the nation of Great Britain.

 

Well, so far as the United States is concerned, in this great latter-day war progrant, it would seem that America has fulfilled the part that was predicted concerning her activities in it. I sincerely trust that nothing remains of a warlike nature for our country to learn. I hope we have reached and passed our danger point; but, mark you, the rest of this prediction—namely, that Great Britain will call upon other nations, in order to defend themselves against other nations, and thus war should be poured out upon all nations—that remains to be fulfilled—or, we may say, is now in progress of fulfillment.

 

Since the attempted treaty between the Southern Confederacy and Great Britain, the work of treaty making has been going on in the world. Nation has allied itself with nation, now in this interest and now in that interest, for the purpose of maintaining themselves against each other, preserving what has come to be called in the language of the times, "the balance of power" among the nations of Europe.

 

Grouping of the Nations.

 

As matters now stand under the making of the treaties, we now have nations grouped in the following manner, or they were so grouped up to the time of the outbreak of the present hostilities; namely: Germany, Austria and Italy, in one group, forming what is known as the Triple Alliance; this on the one hand; on the other, Russia, France and Great Britain, constituting what is known as the Triple Entente, or triple understanding, the understanding between these three great powers that in certain eventualities they would be pledged to sustain each other against the aggression of other nations, especially against the aggressions of the Triple Alliance. The minor nations of Europe, of course, gravitate to one or the other of these larger groups; and thus we find nations linked together by treaties as predicted in this prophecy. But mane 3'ou this, notwithstanding treaty and counter-treaty, plot and counter-plot, all of it, if we may believe the utterances of these great combinations of nations, all of it in the interest of peace; for we have not yet found a statesman or group of statesmen so madly in love with war that they have formed treaties for the sake of war in itself, but all of it is done from their several standpoints, in the interest of peace. The cry is—"Peace, peace!" and these combinations are made ostensibly in the interest of peace, and yet there is no peace; and God has decreed, in this wonderful prediction through his servant, here being considered, that notwithstanding all the treaties of these nations "war shall be poured out upon all nations!" In conversation with President Penrose, a few days ago, in the President's office, I heard him say that he really never appreciated what was meant by the term "poured out" until this recent and sudden uprising of the nations, by which war and the spirit of it seems indeed to be poured out upon all nations. The spirit of our times is truly revealed by the saying of Joel, namely: "Beat your plowshares into swords; change your pruning hooks into spears; and let the weak say, I am strong." It is a noted fact that even the smaller nations of Europe are filled with war cries, and though weak, yet they think themselves strong.

 

Italy, a member of the "Triple Alliance," has not yet entered the conflict, holding that the terms of her treaty in the Triple Alliance is that she shall sustain Germany and Austria in the event of an aggressive war being made upon them. She is under no obligation, as she interprets her duty, to stand with them if they be the aggressors, and her interpretation of the matter, up to the present time, is that the war on the part of Germany and Austria is one of aggression rather than of defense. Hence she holds aloof and proclaims her neutrality but while that is the case with Italy now, it is extremely questionable if she will be able to maintain neutrality as the great war, the greatest I believe in all history, proceeds in its development.

 

War in the Orient.

 

In the Far East the ally of England, Japan, seems altogether too anxious to plunge into war, and to fulfill, I suppose, what she regards as her treaty obligations with Great Britain, and is upon the eve of declaring war upon Germany (she has since done so). Thus the spirit of war extends not only throughout Europe but into the Far East; and if Japan enters into the arena it will be difficult doubtless for other nations in the Orient to keep out of the conflict. The decree is that war shall be poured out upon all nations, and really it seems as if there was great danger that we have come to that time; and here let me say: One would be overwhelmed with horror at the impending conflict if it were not for the fact that underlying it all and taking account of the trend of things during the past quarter of a century, it seems that a time would surely come when war would be poured out upon all nations. The inevitable trend of things, I say, no less than the voice of prophecy proclaim this. And, of course, if inevitable, as I believe it to be, then as well come now as at any time. As well that the nations should learn the terrible lesson that is to be taught them by war now—and perhaps can only be taught them by war—as later. If by war they must be taught the lessons of peace, then I say as well come now as at any time, that we may hasten through this narrow war period and emerge forth into the era of peace to the earth and the inhabitants thereof that has been predicted by the prophets. That is the only thing that enables one to reconcile himself to the horror that now broods over Europe, because of the war spirit that is rampant in the midst of the nations.

 

Here let me say, while I think of it, and lest some chance word of mine might give offense, it is not my intention to undertake to lay the blame of present conditions upon this nation or upon that. I am not conscious of any personal bias in the matter. I think I could discuss this question, as between these nations, without any personal animosities or feeling in the case; and it is not necessary for me to undertake to lay blame at the door of this nation or that. I believe I can conduct you to the lessons I would teach here, without engaging in any such undertaking as that would be; and so I intend in this discussion no offense to any nationality whatsoever, and trust that you here present, and representing as you do, doubtless, all the nations that are engaged in this war, I pray you do not make me an offender for any chance word that may be uttered.

 

Now, as things stand, after two weeks of skirmishing and trying to locate the centers of strength in each other's armies, we see the nations of Europe embattled from near the northern frontier of Switzerland, extending along the frontiers of Germany and France, up to Belgium, thence through Belgium along the Meuse river to Diest. A line of battle is drawn along the course indicated, and as nearly as one may estimate it from the reports, 2,000,000 of men are in battle array, on each side, equipped with the most modern means of destroying each other. The science of war is developed to its highest perfection in each army. On both sides is courage and valor; the youth of the nations are facing each other in embattled hosts. Truly, "red Battle stamps his foot, and nations feel the shock." Eastward, on the Austrian frontiers, and German and Russian frontiers, other hosts are gathered and confront each other. Russia, it is said, with 2,000,000 of men in her first line of invasion, and back of them in the second line some 3,000,000 of men, armed and equipped for war. Facing them are Germans and Austrians in great but perhaps in unequal numbers.

 

An Awful Spectacle.

 

Too awful is that spectacle. The German leaders announce that they are willing to sacrifice 100,000 men on their side for a passage through Belgium. The contemplation of the destruction of such masses of human beings makes one feel that individual men are but as flies in the conflict. Truly the spirit of war is poured out upon the nations when with such equinimity they can thus contemplate the destruction of human life. You could hardly expect that God would look forward to such a scene as this without sending forth a prophet to make proclamation of the awful calamity now impending over the nations; and it was part of his gracious work, and worthy of him, and worthy of his prophet, that he should come forth and announce this war program to the world, that the world might know that God had not left them without his word of warning before this sudden destruction should come upon them. ("A Mormon View of the World War of 1914: Fulfillment of Joseph Smith's Prophecies of 1832," Liahona: The Elders' Journal 12, no. 17 [October 20, 1914]: 259-60)

 

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