Christ's first coming attracted comparatively little attention. He was born a helpless infant, under very humble circumstances. Through the ministration of an angel, a few shepherds rejoiced over his advent, and some wise men, who must have known of, and believed in prophecies concerning him, visited and made presents to him. They were warned to leave the country in a private manner, on account of the evil designs of Herod. He grew up in obscurity, performed his labors in the ministry, in affliction and persecution and apparently, to men, died the death of a malefactor.

At his second appearance he will come "With clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him;" Rev. 1, 7. "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all;" Jude 14, 15. "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth;" Psalm 72. 8. "Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him;" verse 11. "The Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God which is set up on the earth;" Doc. & Cov. 65. 5.

When will Christ come in his glory and power? This question many millions of the human family have asked, and the query still remains unanswered. Jesus said to his disciples, "Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not;" Luke 12. 40. "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;" 2 Pet. 3. 10. "But the hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor shall they know until he comes;" Doc. & Cov. 49. 7.

The Lord has not told us that there shall be no period of time designated in which he will come, but that neither the day nor the hour shall be known. Had we a correct chronology we might, perhaps, approximate very closely to the year, for according to Sec. 77. 12, it will be in the beginning of the seventh thousand years. It will be a time of destruction for the wicked; "The Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth;" Isa. 24. 21. "The Lord who shall come down upon the world with a curse to judgment; yea, upon all the nations that forget God, and upon all the ungodly among you;" Doc. & Cov. 133. 2.

There will be great commotion and changes in the elements; "The foundations of the earth do shake. The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgressions thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again;" Isa. 24. 18-20.

The fulfilment of the prophecies and the signs of the times indicate that the coming of the Son of Man is nigh at hand. The Lord through Joseph, the Seer, also informs us that this is the case. "Not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man, and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light, and the moon shall be bathed in blood, and the stars shall become exceeding angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig tree;" Doc. & Cov. 88. 87.

Israel requested Moses, when around Mount Horeb, that they might no more hear the voice of the Lord, nor see his glory, lest they should die. They had not faith to behold his presence, and the law of carnal commandments was given them. When they were about to enter into the land of their inheritance, Moses rehearsed these things to them, and repeated what the Lord had said to him concerning a future prophet: "I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him;" Deut. 18. 18, 19. The Book of Mormon informs us that this prophet was Jesus Christ: "Behold, I am he of whom Moses spake, saying, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me;" 3 Nephi 20. 23.

Peter, when he reproved the Jews for killing the "Prince of life," repeated this prophecy, rendering the latter part of it a little plainer: "Every soul, which will not hear that Prophet shall be cut off from among the people;" Acts 3. 22, 23. It is evident from verses 19-21, that the time when those who would not hear that prophet should be cut off, would be at the time of the restitution of all things, when he whose right it is shall reign, and the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ.

The prophet Joseph says, "I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following—'Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man: therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.' I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time;" Doc. & Cov. 130. 14-17.

"I have asked of the Lord concerning his coming; and while asking the Lord, he gave me a sign and said, 'In the days of Noah I set a bow in the heavens as a sign and token that in any year that the bow should be seen the Lord would not come; but there should be seed time and harvest during that year; but whenever you see the bow withdrawn, it shall be a token that there shall be famine, pestilence, and great distress among the nations, and that the coming of the Messiah is not far distant.' * * *

"I also prophesy, in the name of the Lord, that Christ WILL NOT COME IN FORTY YEARS; and if God ever spoke by my mouth, he will not come in that length of time. Brethren, when you go home, write this down, that it may be remembered. * * * Jesus Christ never did reveal to any man the precise time that he would come;" His. of J. Smith, March 10, 1844.

Bible.

Job 19. 25 he shall stand in the latter day upon the earth.

Psalm 50. 3-5 our God shall come and shall not keep silence.

Matt. 16. 27 the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father. Chap. 25. 31-46

Acts 1. 11 this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven.

1 Thess. 3. 13 at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints.

Heb. 9. 28 shall he appear the second time, without sin unto salvation.

1 Peter 4. 13 that when his glory shall be revealed ye may be glad.

1 John 2. 28 and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

3. 2 when he shall appear we shall be like him.

Book of Mormon.

3 Nephi 26. 3 Christ expounded all things from the beginning to the time he shall come in his glory.

28. 7 the three disciples to remain until Christ come in his glory.

29. 2 ye need not say that the Lord delays his coming.

Doctrine & Covenants.

Sec. 33. 17, 18 verily, I say unto you, that I come quickly.

34. 6 preparing the way of the Lord for his second coming.

35. 15 the poor and the meek shall be looking for my coming.

45. 38-44 shall be looking to the coming of the Son of Man.

74, 75 all nations shall be afraid because of the glory of the Lord.

See Sermon by O. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 18, page 57.

" " " " " 15, " 53.

" " W. Woodruff, J. of D., Vol. 15, page 275.

History of J. Smith, April 6, 1843.