Passages are numerous in the inspired writings which assert that the wicked shall be destroyed. The prophet Isaiah, speaking of the latter times, says, "Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the Lord shall be consumed;" 1. 27, 28.

The Lord further declared through the same prophet, that, because the inhabitants of the earth had defiled it, the curse had devoured it; "And they that dwell therein are desolate;" 24. 5, 6. "For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;" 26. 21.

Many of the sayings concerning the destruction of the wicked are general in their application, to all times in which wickedness is prevalent. But there are many passages in the inspired writings which point to the latter times for a general destruction of the ungodly, and the cleansing of the earth from wickedness.

The following from Isaiah are of this character. "For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies. * * For it is the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompense for the controversy of Zion;" 34. 2-8.

"For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many;" 66. 16.

The Book of Doc. & Cov. being a record of revelations concerning the dispensation of the fulness of times, it says much concerning the destruction of the wicked, and the redemption of man, and of the earth.

It is evident that the visions of the prophet Joseph were vivid and well defined on this subject, for the Lord said through him, "The hour is nigh, and the day soon at hand when the earth is ripe: and all the proud, and they that do wickedly, shall be as stubble, and I will burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that wickedness shall not be upon the earth;" 29. 9, 14-21. Sec. 64. 24.

The records of the times are a daily testimony of the fulfilment of the following: "And in that day shall be heard of wars and rumors of wars, and the whole earth shall be in commotion, and men's hearts shall fail them;" sec. 45. 26. And men shall be standing in that generation in which these things shall appear, "That shall not pass, until they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land;" verse 31.

"Among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices, and curse God and die. And there shall be earthquakes also in divers places, and many desolations; yet men will harden their hearts against me, and they will take up the sword, one against another, and they will kill one another;" verses 32, 34.

The testimony of the elders is the great preparatory work for the destruction of the wicked in this dispensation. Their labors are "To bind up the law and seal up the testimony, and to prepare the saints for the hour of judgment which is to come;" sec. 88. 84. And, after their testimony, "cometh wrath and indignation upon the people;" verse 88.

The testimonies that will follow the testimony of the elders are fearful to contemplate: "For after your testimony cometh the testimony of earthquakes, that shall cause groanings in the midst of her (the earth), and men shall fall to the ground, and shall not be able to stand. And also cometh the testimony of the voice of thunderings, and the voice of lightnings, and the voice of tempests, and the voice of the waves of the sea, heaving themselves beyond their bounds. And all things shall be in commotion; and surely men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people;" sec. 88. 89-91.

These testimonies are becoming historical facts. The words of the ancient prophets are being fulfilled. That Joseph Smith, Jun., saw and predicted their fulfilment, evidences the divinity of his mission.

Bible.

Job 4. 8 they that sow wickedness reap the same.

18. 5-21 curses on the wicked. Chap. 20. 4-29.

Psalm 1. 4, 5 nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

2. 4, 5 the Lord shall have them in derision.

7. 11-16 God is angry with the wicked every day.

9. 17 the wicked shall be turned into hell.

37. 28 the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

35, 36 I have seen the wicked in great power, and he passed away.

Isa. 2. 19 they shall go into holes of the rocks and caves of the earth.

18. 6 the carcasses of the wicked shall be left to the beasts of the earth.

24 1-12 the earth is made empty, because both priests and people have gone astray.

28. 22 a consumption determined upon the whole earth.

29. 20 for the terrible one is brought to nought.

21 that make a man an offender for a word.

63. 1-6 the wicked kingdoms shall be broken. Jer. 25. 30-38. Dan. 2. 44.

Jer. 23. 19, 20 a whirlwind shall fall on the head of the wicked.

Mal. 4. 1 the day cometh that shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts.

Matt. 13. 49 the angels shall sever the wicked from the just.

Luke 21. 25, 26 signs in the sun and moon and stars. Men's hearts failing them.

1 Peter 4. 17 judgment must first begin at the house of God.

Rev. 2. 23 I will kill her children with death.

8. 7 the plagues of hail, fire and blood, 8.

Chap. 9. the plagues of the last days.

Chap. 16. the seven vials of wrath poured out.

Chap. 17. the great mystery, Babylon.

18. 1-24 the fall of Babylon.

19. 20, 21 the destruction of the beast and the false prophet.

Book of Mormon.

1 Nephi 11. 36 all nations to be destroyed that fight against the apostles of the Lamb.

14. 3 the great and abominable church destroyed.

6 wo to the Gentiles! if they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.

17 the wrath of God poured out upon the mother of harlots.

22. 13 that great and abominable church shall be drunken with her own blood.

14 those that fight against Israel shall be turned one against another.

23 all churches not built up in righteousness to be consumed as stubble.

2 Nephi 6. 15 those who do not believe in Christ shall be destroyed.

9. 16 the filthy shall go into everlasting fire.

27 wo unto him that has the commandments of God, and transgresseth them.

26. 3-6 terrible destruction of the wicked at the crucifixion of Christ. 3 Nephi, Chapters 8. 9. 10.

27. 1, 2 in the last days all nations shall be drunken with iniquity, and be visited with terrible destruction.

Mos. 15. 26 those who have known the commandments of God, and not kept them, shall have no part in the first resurrection.

16. 1, 2 when all shall see that the judgments of God are just, the wicked shall be cast out.

Alma 5. 57 the names of the wicked shall be blotted out.

9. 28 those who have been evil shall reap the damnation of their souls.

11. 41 the wicked remain as though there had been no redemption made.

12. 16 he that dieth in his sins, shall die as to things pertaining to righteousness. 17, 18.

40. 13 those who choose evil to be cast into outer darkness 14, 26.

41. 4 those who work evil shall have evil restored to them. 5.

Hel. 14. 18 those who do not repent are hewn down and cast into the fire.

3 Nephi 20. 23 every soul that will not hear that prophet shall be cut off. Deut. 18. 15. Acts 3. 22, 23.

Mormon, Chapters 2-6. great destruction of the Nephites for their wickedness.

Ether 11. 7 great destruction of the Jaredites for their wickedness.

Doctrine & Covenants.

Sec. 35. 11 without faith nothing shall be shown except desolation on Babylon.

56. 1 in the day of visitation and of wrath on the nations.

63. 6 the day of wrath shall come upon them as a whirlwind. 32, 33.

Sec. 87. concerning the wars that shall come to pass, beginning at South Carolina.

88. 79 the wars and perplexities of nations.

97. 21-24 the Lord's scourge shall pass over by night and by day.

101. 14 mine indignation is soon to be poured out upon all nations. 89.

103. 2 on whom I will pour out my wrath without measure.

112. 24 vengeance cometh speedily on the inhabitants of the earth. 25, 26.

130. 12 the beginning of the wars of the latter times to be in South Carolina.

133. 2 the Lord shall come down with a curse to judgment.

136. 35 now cometh the day of their calamity.

Pearl of Great Price.

Page 20. the blood of the righteous to be shed in the meridian of time, in the days of wickedness and vengeance.

21. the Lord to come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance. The earth shall rest; but before that day there shall be great tribulations among men.

22. Enoch saw the coming of the Son of man in the last days, but, before that day, he saw great tribulation among the wicked. He saw that the sea was troubled, and men's hearts failed them with fear for the judgment of Almighty God.

38. the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, before the destruction of Jerusalem.

39. before the coming of the Son of Man in the last days, nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famine, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. The Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached to all nations, for a witness, and again shall the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet be fulfilled.

See History of Joseph Smith, July 2, 1839.

" " " May 18, 1843.

O. Spencer's Letters to Rev. Wm. Crowel, No. 11.

P. P. Pratt's Voice of Warning.