“For Out of Zion Shall Go Forth the Law”

K. Douglas Bassett

Why the Religious Life?, Petersen, pp. 200-201, 305-307

[Part of the dedicatory prayer at the Idaho Falls Temple] “We thank thee that thou hast revealed to us that those who gave us our constitutional form of government were men wise in thy sight and that thou didst raise them up for the very purpose of putting forth that sacred document… . We pray that kings and rulers and the peoples of all nations under heaven may be persuaded … to adopt similar governmental systems, thus to fulfill the ancient prophecy of Isaiah [and Micah] that ‘out of Zion shall go forth the law.’” (George Albert Smith, Improvement Era, Oct. 1945, p. 564)
“He [God] will assemble the Natives, the remnants of Joseph in America; and make of them a great, and strong, and powerful nation: and he will civilize and enlighten them, and will establish a holy city, and temple, and seat of government among them, which shall be called Zion. And there shall be his tabernacle, his sanctuary, his throne, and seat of government for the whole continent of North and South America forever. In short, it will be to the western hemisphere what Jerusalem will be to the eastern. And there the Messiah will visit them in person; and the old Saints, who will then have been raised from the dead will be with him. And he will establish his kingdom and laws over all the land… . The city of Zion, with its sanctuary and priesthood, and the glorious fulness of the gospel, will constitute a standard which will put an end to jarring creeds and political wranglings, by uniting the republics, states, provinces, territories, nations, tribes, kindred, tongues, people, and sects of North and South America in one great and common bond of brotherhood… . Americans! This mighty and strange work has been commenced in your midst, and must roll on in fulfillment.” ([originally published Apr. 6, 1845], Messages of the 1st Presidency 1:259-261)

Latter-Day Commentary on the Book of Mormon

References