Saturday, March 5, 2022

Alice Smith McKay's (and the Tanner's) Abuse of the "Annual Register of the History of Europe" to Downplay the Prophetic Nature of D&C 87

The Tanners, relying on the work of Alice Smith McKay, wrote the following against Joseph Smith and the so-called “Civil War Prophecy” (D&C 87):

 

Alice Smith McKay did a great deal of research with regard to Joseph Smith’s revelation concerning the Civil War and came to the conclusion that it was only “the natural result of the stirring conditions of that particular period of history.” In her thesis she made these interesting observations:

 

In 1831, a French Scholar and publicist, Alexis de Tocqueville, came to the United States. He became interested in the study of the machinery of the government and as a result wrote his famous treatise on “Democracy in America.” He predicted the “inevitable separation” of the North and the South after his study of existing conditions. (“A Psychological Examination of a Few Prophecies of the Early Founders of Mormonism,” unpublished Master’s thesis, University

of Utah, 1930, p. 15)

 

In the Annual Register of the History of Europe, published in London, 1832 (p. 406) is the following prediction of the conditions of the United States:

 

Civil war and a dissolution of the union seems thus to be approaching.

 

This statement was given at the same time that Joseph Smith gave his prophecy. The conditions at South Carolina pointed directly to war. Joseph Smith a man of foresight and wisdom, accurately interpreted the facts and information known. . . . The prediction was given at a period of actual preparation for war in South Carolina. (Ibid., p. 19) In view of the historical evidence, as presented, the most reasonable conclusion is that this Civil War prediction was the natural result of the stirring conditions of that particular period of history. The data in this short discussion indicates very forcibly that this utterance was not “Beyond the power of human sagacity to discern or to calculate.” (Ibid., p. 20A) (Jerald Tanner and Sandra Tanner, Mormonism: Shadow or Reality? [5th ed.; Salt Lake City: Utah Lighthouse Ministry, 1987, 2008], 191)

 

The McKay thesis can be found online here. With respect to the reference to the Annual Register, it appears on page 17 (not 19). Be that as it may, the Tanners correctly quote McKay; McKay quotes the work as saying Civil War seems to be approaching (as if, in 1832, it was common knowledge Civil War would happen in the then-future). However, the Annual Register is available online:

 

The Annual Register, or a View of the History, Politics, and Literature, of the Year 1832 (London: Baldwin and Cradock, 1833)

 

However, it reads differently than how McKay (and those who follow her, such as the Tanners) quoted it. Speaking of the fears concerning a potential Civil War in 1832 and the "nullification" crisis (emphasis added):

 

While civil war, and a dissolution of the Union seemed thus to be approaching, General Jackson, his four years having expired, had been re-elected President. He lost no time in assembling Congress. . . .

 

Firstly, note that the text does not use “sees” but “seemed”—the impression McKay et al., want to give is that, in 1833 when this volume of the Annual Register was published, it was believed Civil War in the U.S. was commonly believed. It was not. It was at the time before the resolution of the nullification crisis, but for the author of this article, it was a past event. This can be seen in the fact that the article continues to discuss the various measures taken by Jackson et al., to resolve the nullification crisis.


This criticisms, apart from being based on a misquotation of a source, is also another failed attempt to downplay the prophetic nature of D&C 87.


Further Reading:


Resources on Joseph Smith's Prophecies