Saving the Constitution

Here's an eye opener:  a faithful member of my church said he would NOT get involved with a political movement unless the President of our church told him to.  Hmmmmm.  Let's review what the leadership of my church has been saying for more than a century . . .

1.  A statement of Joseph Smith, according to Orson Hyde:  "The time will come when the Constitution and the country would be in danger of an overthrow; and . . . if the Constitution be saved at all, it will be by the Elders of this Church."  Journal of Discourses, Vol. 6, p. 152, January 3, 1858

2.  Prophecy of Joseph Smith (March 10, 1844):  "Even this nation will be on the verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground and when the Constitution is on the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction."  Joseph Smith Papers, LDS Church Historical Archives, Box 1, D. Michael Stewart, Ensign, Vol. 6, No. 6, June 1976, pp. 64-65

3.  The Apostle Erastus Snow:  "We were told by the Prophet Joseph Smith, that the United States Government and people would undermine one principle of the Constitution after another, until its whole fabric would be torn away, and that it would become the duty of the Latter Day Saints and those in sympathy with them to rescue it from destruction, and to maintain and sustain the principles of human freedom for which our fathers fought and bled."  Journal of Discourses, Vol. 26, p. 226, May 31, 1885

4.  The Apostle Boyd K. Packer:  "Will the Constitution be destroyed? No. It will be held inviolate by this people; and as Joseph Smith said 'the time will come when the destiny of this nation will hang upon a single thread, and at thsi critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction'."

5.  The Apostle Ezra Taft Benson in General Conference of April 1965:  "The Prophet Joseph Smith declared it will be the Elders of Israel who will step forward to help save the Constitution, NOT THE CHURCH . . . Brethren, if we had done our homework and were faithful, we could step forward at this time and help save the country.  The fact that most of us are unprepared to do it is an indictment we will have to bear.  The longer we wait, the heavier the chains, the deeper the blood, the more the persecution, and the less we can carry out our God-given mandate and world wide mission. The war in heaven is raging on earth today.  Are you being neutralized in the battle?"

6.  The Apostle Harold B. Lee:  "[Latter-day Saints] devoutly believe that if [the constitution] should be in danger of being overthrown, their lives, if need be, are to be offered in defense of its principles."  Harold B. Lee, 'True Patriotism - An Expression of Faith', April 13, 1941

7.  The Prophet David O. McKay:  "Next to being one in worshiping God, there is nothing in this world which this Church should be more united than in upholding and defending the Constitution of the United States.  If members of the Melchizedek Priesthood allow the U.S. Constitution to be destroyed they not only forfeit their rights to the Priesthood, but to a place in this highest degree of glory as well."  David O. McKay, The Instructor, Feb. 1956, p. 34

This is a brief sampling.  Much more could be quoted.  Ezra Taft Benson spoke frequently and forcefully on this subject.  So . . . to my friend and fellow members of the church . . . are you still waiting for church leadership to tell you to step up?