The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that an unrighteous course God’s children tend to follow is to reject the gospel when His servants are sent to teach it.
It always has been when a man was sent of God with the priesthood and he began to preach the fullness of the gospel, that he was thrust out by his friends, who are ready to butcher him if he teach things which they imagine to be wrong; and Jesus was crucified upon this principle. – History of the Church, 5:423–25
In fact, as has been noted by Seventy H. Verlan Andersen, apostasy, with one exception, has followed every single gospel dispensation. Because it has followed every dispensation, we should only expect that we, too, are heading towards an apostasy.
Religious history testifies that, with the single exception of the inhabitants of the City of Enoch, no people to whom the gospel has been given have remained faithful to their covenants for more than a few generations. Time after time the Lord has established his Church among a group who have lived his commandments for a few years and then fallen away thus bringing upon themselves his judgments. This cycle of human folly which so many prophets have noted, has repeated itself with such consistent regularity, that any group which finds itself to be the favored recipients of the gospel would do well to assume that their own apostasy is certain and the only question about it is how long it will take. . . . The fact that the Lord has found it necessary to restore his gospel so many times is in itself evidence of the regularity with which apostasy has occurred because the only thing which will cause the destruction of his Church is the wickedness of its members. – The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil
Apostle Orson F. Whitney explained that the Great Apostasy resulted because the members of the church were willing to give up principles of the gospel in order to become popular with the world.
[The ancient church] had been torn asunder; it had apostatized from the truth; they who were faithful had been put to death, and in their place sprang up a race of compromisers, who were willing to barter away to the world the principles of truth, being too weak and cowardly to stand and die for their convictions as their fellow laborers had done. They were willing to give up this principle, and concede that point, to amalgamate for the purpose of making them popular and palatable the doctrines of the pure Christian faith with the pagan ideas of ancient Rome. – JD 26:262
It is often believed that because of this apostasy, the Priesthood was taken from the church. However, President Brigham Young teaches us that it was actually the church that departed from the Priesthood.
It is said the Priesthood was taken from the Church, but it is not so, the Church went from the Priesthood. – Discourses of Brigham Young, pg 107
Church leaders have noted that we, too, are following along the same course of apostasy that ultimately destroyed the ancient church.
It is a very apparent fact that we have traveled far and wide in the past 20 years. What the future will bring I do not know. But if we drift as far afield from fundamental things in the next 20 years, what will be left of the foundation laid by the Prophet Joseph Smith? It is easy for one who observes to see how the apostasy came about in the primitive church of Christ. Are we not traveling the same road? – Joseph Fielding Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith Journal, Dec 28, 1938
I tell you we are beginning to follow along the course of the early Christian church. So long as that church was persecuted from without, it prospered, but when it began to be polluted from within, the church began to wither. There is creeping into our midst, and I warn you brethren about it, and I urge you to meet it, a great host of sectarian doctrines that have no place amongst us. The gospel in its simplicity, is to be found in the revelations, the teachings of the Prophet and the early leaders of the Church. We shall make no mistake if we follow them. – J. Reuben Clark, Jr., 1944 General Conference
Read your books. There is a startling parallel between the course that is coming in to us today and the course that was in the early Church, so startling that one becomes fearful. – J. Reuben Clark, Jr., General Conference April 1952
In recent years I have felt, and I think I am not alone, that we were losing the ability to correct the course of the Church… Both Alma and Helaman told of the church in their day. They warned about fast growth, the desire to be accepted by the world, to be popular, and particularly they warned about prosperity. Each time those conditions existed in combination, the Church drifted off course. All of those conditions are present in the Church today. – Boyd K. Packer, Let Them Govern Themselves, Reg. Rep. Seminar, March 30, 1990
Because of this apostasy we are heading into, apostate doctrines have been creeping into our teachings so much so that it has become unpopular to teach the true gospel of Jesus Christ.
Not only are there apostates within our midst, but there are also apostate doctrines that are sometimes taught in our classes and from our pulpits and that appear in our publications. And these apostate precepts of men cause our people to stumble. – Ezra Taft Benson, 1969 General Conference
It has become unpopular to preach the unadulterated gospel in the stakes of Zion. – Life of Joseph Fielding Smith, Joseph Fielding Smith & John J. Stewart, page 211
By ignoring this coming apostasy, we only endanger our own salvation.
To fail to consider the possibility that the members of the Church are again “falling away” would be to ignore one of the most thoroughly documented lessons of history. Especially is this true in light of the fact that the cultural, political, and educational life of Church members has become so deeply and thoroughly involved with that of non-members that they are being overwhelmingly influenced by the “ways of the world.” Through newspapers and magazines, motion pictures and television, schools and lecture halls, and a thoroughly integrated economic system, Church members come into close and continuous contact with those not of their faith… Some may assume that a “Gentile apostasy” in these latter days cannot occur because Christ’s Church is here to stay this time. They may assume that widespread departure from gospel principles by Church members is contrary to prophecy. While the scriptures do assure us that the Church will continue to exist and be divinely led by prophets of the Lord right up until his Second Coming, they do not state that all, or even a majority of its members will follow those prophets. On the contrary, they foretell extensive, and in some cases, almost total defection from true principles. – H. Verlan Andersen, The Great and Abominable Church of the Devil
These findings are scary considering the judgments of God have always followed those who have rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In consequence of rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Prophets whom God hath sent, the judgments of God have rested upon people, cities, and nations, in various ages of the world, which was the case with the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, that were destroyed for rejecting the Prophets. – Joseph Smith, History of the Church, 5:256–57
Excellent article! We are well on our way to apostasy. Wake up!
When you let the treasonous military taking orders from pagans run the our church, and willfully turn our people over into the lap of the church of the devil (through militant sciences), then the spirit ceases, callings come from militarily hacked heads and not from so called inspired leaders. According to apostle Dallan H. Wells, the kingdom of God will not be handed unto the saints until we have a people (constitutionally law abiding LEADERS) who will REFUSE to turn our people over into the lap of the devil. He states we need to grapple with all the distress they throw at us until the Lord sees that we are serious to let HIM lead us and not the pagan military that rules american armies like they do the world armies. We will die lie Israel did in the times of Jeremiah. The monstrosities poured out onto the innocent people of this nation is grossly unacceptable and TREASONOUS and every form of crimes against humanity is full under sway and instigated against all people of this nation. Through the communist programs of MKULTRA/MONARCH trauma based mind control against each individual in the world and now the USA. by militant MIA chips, Angel chips, voice to skull tech, silent sound spread spectrum etc..etc..etc…. Every form to seize a human’s rights away from him or her. who they marry, what they are allowed to eat (nothing good if they choose to kill you with malnutrition), what you wear, if you are allowed to shower, even control of what you see, or what and when you buy. They take everything because they live after the order of CAIN/SATAN. Destroy your brothers and sisters and take their stuff.
A new perspective on an old quote.
“Even this nation [church] will be on the verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground and when the Constitution [Restoration] is on the brink of ruin this people will be the staff upon which the nation [church] shall lean and they shall bear the Constitution [Restoration] away from the very verge of destruction.”
(Joseph Smith Papers, LDS Church Historical Archives, Box 1, March 10, 1844.)
Only the elders of the church can save the doctrines and ordinances of the Restoration from ruin by opposing the influence of a corrupt oligarchy (B’nai B’rith) a secret society and secret combination over the leaders of the church.
This article seems to be written as fodder for those who want to be offended at the General Authorities, changes in policy, and their clarifications of doctrine.
This is the important part of the last H. Verlan Anderson quote from the article above: “the scriptures do assure us that the Church will continue to exist and be divinely led by prophets of the Lord right up until his Second Coming”.
So, follow the prophet. End of story. No matter if it conflict with your social, political, or other beliefs, to paraphrase another prophet.
“The Church” can refer to the top leadership, the more local leaders, or members themselves.
The apostasy referred to by our previous prophets and apostles has always referred to individual apostasy, though sometimes the word ‘church’ is used when talking about a bunch of individual members.
One of the promises we have in this final dispensation is that the Church as a whole– as lead by the First Presidency and Twelve- will not apostatize nor be led astray.
The quotes used to make it sound otherwise have been cherry-picked and taken out of context. One of them either doesn’t exist at all, or is misattributed; there is no talk from the 1944 where J. Reuben Clark or anyone else mentioned ‘sectarian doctrines’. In fact, that phrase shows up no place in all of the Journal of Discourses, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, or General Conference 1942-present, as a quick check in the LDS Scripture Citation Index attests.
The next quote used from J. Reuben Clark,
“Read your books. There is a startling parallel between the course that is coming in to us today and the course that was in the early Church”– is preceded by advice to follow the living prophet, and followed by a warning to those who interpret scripture and doctrine differently from Christ’s duly ordained representative.
But hopefully that’s really what you were trying to say.
The quote from Clark in 1944 is correct. BYU scripture index deleted the talk. If that’s not telling you something, I don’t know what is.
The BYU Scripture Index was created by humans who miss things. On further investigation, both J. Reuben Clark’s talk and one given immediately before his, by David O. McKay, are missing. “Deleted” is unlikely, but I’m willing to look at any evidence you have. Every one of those talks had to be written up and loaded into the Index, and then laboriously cross-referenced. Let’s not assume malintent right off the bat.
Either way, a closer look at President Clark’s talk reveals he’s worried about the members, not warning of what the leading quorums are doing. They were, and are, leading aright.
Both of those missing talks can be read at https://archive.org/stream/improvementera4711unse/improvementera4711unse_djvu.txt
They are on the same topic– the dangers of members adopting the world’s ways and teaching them to the youth and each other. The quote you used from President Clark has important context in the sentence immediately after the place you chose to end the quote. I’m including more than that, beginning with the last sentence you used.
“We shall make no mistake if we follow them. We shall make mistakes, and we shall lead our youth, or some of them, to apostasy if we try to harmonize our simple beliefs with the philosophy and the speculations of sectarian doctrines. When you can hear in our Sunday Schools in some of our most prominent wards, that we do not need to worry much or think much about the First Vision, we do not need to think very much about the atoning sacrifice of Christ—that is a mystery; we do not need to think very much about the power of healing or functions of the priesthood, but only about our cultural and material achievements, we would better be careful.
We must not ‘liberalize,’ and I put that term in quotes, our teachings; we must accept them as God gave them to us and there must be amongst us a unity in faith. We used to hear that expression often when I was a boy, I have not heard it for a long time, but it is a good term to get back into our vocabularies.
May the Lord give us unity, may he inspire us with his Spirit, may he give all of us humility, make us humble, teach us how little we know, and may he give us a realizing sense of our obligation towards the youth, to see to it that no word or thought or act of ours shall tamper with their faith.”
Rhonda, what you’re doing here really hurts those of us trying to defend the Church against those trying to make it look bad. You tried to discredit one quote, when given more context actually strengthens the original point. When you try and dismiss points based on a single quote, while ignoring the many others makes apologists look dishonest. We don’t think you’re trying to be, we just want to let you know how it appears.
Since the Lord will let the members have what they want, the Church can vary from the will of God, see the examples here, the 116 pages, the law of consecration, etc.
We are in great danger if we don’t recognize the dangers modern and ancient prophets have and are warning about
This is the promise, that we will be led by prophets who speak with God in this day. Follow the prophet, he knows and is helping lead the way.
Let’s be honest. That’s a shallow answer that provides no substance to the discussion.
1. Reference the promise
2. Those prophets that are warning of apostasy are wrong? Then how are they leading the way?
3. How does one objectively identify who the prophets are? D&C 28:7 the Lord told Joseph that if he didn’t behave, the keys would be given to another. How do we objectively know if that has or has not happened since that time?
Hooray Rhonda! Would it be accurate to say that you’re not even a hair’s width off from the truth?
To all: abide by the truth, follow the living prophet, and keep your covenants! Our leaders make mistakes, but the grace of Jesus Christ is sufficient to overcome those mistakes! There is great peace in knowing that this is His restored church—not the brethren’s.
The ranks of the priesthood of Christ are marshaled here and in heaven. Gather around the standard bearer and remain faithful! All will be made right at the appointed time. Until then, be an example of the believers…to the believers!
Finally, don’t be afraid to hope for the glorious destiny of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Joseph Smith evoked in “the Standard of Truth”. These are blessed times to be on Earth!
It is the objective of the oligarchical secret society of our day, which has influence over the leadership of the Church, to turn the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints into what the Supreme Court of the United States has become. They want half of the Quorum of the Twelve to be women and half to be men. They want half of the Quorum of the Twelve to be liberals and half to be conservative. The steps in this process are nearing completion. A paramount step in this process is by removing the patriarchal elements of the ordinances of the House of God, which now have been done. With this change the road is clear to ordain women to the Melchizedek priesthood and filling vacancies in the Twelve with women.
The only way to stop this process is by the body of the priesthood withholding their sustaining vote and demanding that the holy ordinances of the House of God be adjusted back to what God intended them to be. Joseph Smith taught that the ordinances are not to be ‘altered’ or ‘changed.’ Otherwise, the corrupt oligarchy that has so much influence over this nation will hold sway over the Church and turn the Church into their vision of what they believe the Novus Ordo Seclorum and all of its institutions should be.
If the priesthood of the Church don’t care then we’re witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecies of Isaiah (Isa. 24:5-6; Isa. 3:12).
I’ve been struggling with the terrifying belief that this church is indeed on a rapid spiral into full apostasy under the current leadership. I’ve been praying and meditating, asking God to help me be humble and not rebellious, to let me know if my feelings are wrong. But what started as worries and suspicions seems to be confirmed week in and week out. There is no doubt now that the priesthood is being destroyed. They aren’t just going to give it to women. I believe they’ll be giving it to increasingly younger children. I have a hard time seeing how any of the changes could be considered some kind of greater restoration. So, as Austin says, is the only solution to stop confirming this presidency? We have this confirmation process for a reason, and if we sit and do nothing while the church is dismantled brick-by-brick, then I guess we do get the church we ask for.