It will appear to the most casual reader, that the Gathering of Israel is predicated on its having been scattered. That part of the subject needs to be well studied, to obtain a proper conception of the great work of gathering in the latter times.

As general as was the scattering of Israel so must the gathering be. If the dispersion was over all the earth, and among all nations, so the gathering must be out of all nations, and from all parts of the earth.

When we reflect that it is thirty-two centuries since the enemies of Israel began to oppress them in the land of Canaan, that about one-third of the time they were a people in that land, they were, more or less, in bondage to their enemies; that seven hundred years before the coming of Christ the ten tribes were scattered throughout western Asia; that we have no record that any have as yet returned to the land of their inheritance; that nearly 600 years before Christ the Babylonish captivity took place, and that, according to the Book of Esther only a part of the Jews ever returned, but were scattered through the 127 provinces of the Persian empire; that Asia was the hive from which swarmed the nomadic tribes who overran Europe; that at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans the Jews were scattered over the known world; we may well ask the question, Does not Israel to-day constitute a large proportion of the human family? With this comprehensive view of the subject of the scattering, we the better understand such passages as the following, "I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them;" Jer. 23. 3. "Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity, and out of darkness;" 1 Nephi 22. 12.

Our Savior had a clear conception of the magnitude of this gathering when he said, "He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other;" Matt. 24. 31.

"And Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled;" Luke 21. 24. That is until the Gentile rule shall wane before the growing power of Israel, when, "Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation;" Isa. 45. 17. When "They shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors;" 14. 2.

Then will the promise made to Abraham be fully realized by his children, "And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;" Gen. 22. 17. Then will Abraham be the heir of the world, "Through the righteousness of faith;" Rom 4. 13.

It is evident from the Book of Mormon, that the Jews, as well as other portions of the house of Israel, will believe in Jesus Christ and accept the Gospel, before they are gathered to the land of their inheritance.

The first Nephi, about 600 years before the final dispersion of the Jews, recorded the following very comprehensive prophecy about their gathering: "And after they have been scattered, and the Lord God hath scourged them by other nations, for the space of many generations, yea, even down from generation to generation, until they shall be persuaded to believe in Christ, the Son of God, and the atonement, which is infinite for all mankind; and when that day shall come, that they shall believe in Christ, and worship the Father in his name, with pure hearts and clean hands, and look not forward any more for another Messiah, then, at that time. The day will come that it must needs be expedient that they should believe these things, and the Lord will set his hand again the second time to restore his people from their lost and fallen state. Wherefore, he will proceed to do a marvellous work and a wonder among the children of men;" 2 Nephi 25. 15, 16, 17.

Bible.

Deut. 30. 3 Lord will gather Israel from all nations whither he has scattered them.

Neh. 1. 9 the Lord will gather those that are scattered from the uttermost part of heaven.

Psalm 50. 5 gather my Saints together who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

Isa. 2. 2 in the last days the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the tops of the mountains.

5. 26, 27 he will lift up an ensign to the nations.

10. 20, 22 the remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob.

11. 11-16 set his hand the second time to recover the remnant.

18. 1-3 see ye when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains.

27. 12, 13 ye shall be gathered one by one.

29. 22, 23 Jacob shall not now be ashamed.

35. 10 the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion.

40. 2 speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem. 9, 11.

43. 5, 6 I will bring thy seed from the east.

9 let all nations be gathered together, let the people be assembled.

49. 12 these shall come from far, from the north and from the west.

22 lift up my hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people.

23 kings shall be thy nursing fathers.

51. 3 the Lord will comfort Zion.

11 the redeemed of the Lord shall return.

52. 9-12 the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem.

54. 7 with great mercies will I gather thee.

56. 1-8 the stranger that keepeth his hand from doing evil, will the Lord gather with the outcasts of Israel.

60. 3 the Gentiles shall come to thy light.

4 thy sons shall come from far. 5, 6, 10, 16.

61. 4 they shall repair the desolations of many generations.

62. 7 till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

66. 20 they shall bring your brethren out of all nations.

Jer. 3. 14 take one of a city and two of a family.

17 all nations shall be gathered to Jerusalem.

18 the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel.

16. 14-16 it shall no more be said, the Lord liveth that brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt. I will send for many fishers.

23. 8 Lord liveth which led the children of Israel out of the north country.

25. 34 the days of your dispersions are accomplished.

30. 3 I will bring again the captivity of my people. 10, 18.

31. 8-14 I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the coasts of the south. They shall come with weeping.

32. 37-44 I will give them one heart, I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

33. 9 Israel shall be an honor to me before all the nations of the earth. 14, 16.

50. 4, 5 they shall ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward.

Ezek. 11. 17 I will assemble you out of the countries.

20. 34-42 in my holy mountain shall the house of Israel serve me.

28. 25 when I shall be sanctified in Israel, in the sight of the heathen.

34. 11-31 Lord will deliver his sheep out of all places where they have been scattered in a cloudy and dark day.

37. 21-28 Israel shall be one nation, and one king shall reign over them.

Joel 2. 15, 16 blow ye the trumpet in Zion, gather the people.

Zeph. 3. 19, 20 I will make you a praise among all people.

Book of Mormon.

1 Nephi 10. 14 the house of Israel to be gathered in.

19. 15-17 then will he remember the isles of the sea.

2 Nephi 6. 11 when the Jews shall come to a knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered again to the lands of their inheritance.

9. 2 when they shall be restored to the true church, they shall be established in their lands of promise.

10. 7 when they believe that I am Christ, I have covenanted with their fathers that they shall be restored to the lands of their inheritance.

30. 7 8 the Jews shall begin to believe in Christ, and to gather.

Jacob 6. 2 he shall set his hand the second time to recover his people.

3 Nephi 5. 26 then shall they know their Redeemer, and be gathered from the four quarters of the earth.

20. 29-33 the Jews shall believe in Jesus Christ, then will the Father gather them together again.

21. 1 a sign that I will gather in my people from their long dispersion.

26-28 at that day shall the work of the Father commence among all the dispersed of my people.

Mormon 5. 14 the record of the Nephites to go to the Jews, that they may believe in Christ.

Doctrine & Covenants.

Sec. 29. 7, 8 be gathered in one place, and be prepared against the day of tribulation.

42. 36 be gathered in one when I shall come to my temple.

45. 17 day of redemption shall come, and the restoration of scattered Israel.

25 but shall remain until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.

43 and the remnant shall be gathered unto this place.

69 there shall be gathered unto it out of every nation.

57. 1, 2 the land of Missouri consecrated for the gathering of the Saints.

58. 56 let the work of the gathering not be in haste.

63. 36 I will that my Saints should be assembled upon the land of Zion.

101. 13 and they that have been scattered shall be gathered.

20-22 the Lord will appoint the places for the gathering of his Saints.

64-69 must gather my people, according to the parable of the wheat and tares.

105. 24 boast not of faith or mighty works, but carefully gather together.

110. 11 Moses delivered the keys of the gathering of Israel.

125. 2 let them gather to places I shall appoint, by my servant Joseph.

133. 7 go ye out from Babylon, gather ye out from the nations.

See Sermon by J. Smith, J. of D., Vol. 6, page 237.

" " B. Young, " " 2, " 266.

" " " " " 12, " 161.

" " " " " 12, " 226.

" " J. Taylor, " " 19, " 150.

" " O. Pratt, " " 18, " 16.

" " G. Q. Cannon," " 15, " 202.

O. Spencer's Letters to Rev, Wm. Crowel, No. 10.

Article, Mil. Star, Vol. 4, pages 161 and 177.

" " " 22, " 321, 339, 362, 379.

" by J. J., Mil. Star, Vol. 33, pages 209, 294, 325, 449.

" by D. McK., Mil. Star, Vol. 38, page 296.

History of J. Smith, April 21, 1834.