Prophetic Future
Doctrine and Covenants 84:114-115
Nevertheless, let the bishop go unto the city of New York, also to the city of Albany, and also to the city of Boston, and warn the people of those cities with the sound of the gospel, with a loud voice, of the desolation and utter abolishment which await them if they do reject these things. . . . For if they do reject these things the hour of their judgment is nigh, and their house shall be left unto them desolate.
Wilford Woodruff
On 21 August 1863, the Saints had gathered in Logan, Utah to welcome President Brigham Young and others of the Church authorities. The next day, President Young asked Wilford Woodruff to address the congregation.
Yea, the day will come, after your fathers, and these prophets and apostles are dead, you will have the privilege of going into the towers of a glorious Temple built unto the name of the Most High (pointing in the direction of the bench), east of us upon the Logan bench; and while you stand in the towers of the Temple and your eyes survey this glorious valley filled with cities and villages, occupied by tens of thousands of Latter-day Saints, you will then call to mind this visitation of President Young and his company. You will say: That was in the days when Presidents Benson and Maughan presided over us; that was before New York was destroyed by an earthquake; it was before Boston was swept into the sea, by the sea heaving itself beyond its bounds; it was before Albany was destroyed by fire; yea, at that time you will remember the scenes of this day. Treasure them up and forget them not. President Young followed and said: “What Brother Woodruff has said is revelation and will be fulfilled”. (Deseret News, Vol. 33, page 678)
Orson Pratt
“They must perish, unless they repent. They will be wasted away, and the fulness of the wrath of Almighty God will be poured out upon them, unless they repent. Their cites will be left desolate. A time is coming when the great and populous city of New York- the greatest city of the American Republic, will be left without inhabitants. The houses will stand, some of them, not all. They will stand there, but unoccupied, no people to inherit them. It will be the same in regard to numerous other cities.” (Journal of Discourses, 20:152)
“The great, powerful and populous city of New York, that may be considered one of the greatest cities of the world, will in a few years become a mass of ruins. The people will wonder while gazing on the ruins that cost hundreds of millions to build, what has become of its inhabitants. Their houses will be there, but they will be left desolate. So saith the Lord God. That will be only a sample of numerous other towns and cities on the face of this continent.” (Journal of Discourses 12:344)
