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Show 37 a temporary setback. Before the coming of the "Bridegroom," Zion must be established, and Jackson County was the place appointed cy the Lord. The exhiled Saints re-established themselves in Illinois, but they felt they would quickly be restored to their lands in Missouri. Going back to Jackson County has become synonymous for the ushering in of the millennium and remains so to this day. The doctrine of the gathering played a significant roll in 19th century Mormon history. It was a doctrine that pervaded all important decisions. According to Joseph Smith: "There is no other way for the Saints to be saved in these last days." And the "gathering together of all the Saints, must take place before the Lord comes to 'take vengeance upon the ungodly.'"21 Mprmon perceptions of the millennium and the doctrine of the gathering were to have an important impact on the Utah War strategy of which the White Mountain Expedition was a part. It was imperative that the gathering remain intact; the millennium with its attendant destructions was too close. Several important facets of Mormon doctrine emerged during the Nauvoo, Illinois period which would ultimately come to bear on the subject at hand. The revelation concerning the political kingdom of God was received on April 7, 1842.22 The iJLngdom was the same as described by the prophet Daniel when he interpretted the dream of Nebuchadnezzar. In this dream, Daniel saw the establishment of the kingdom of God in the last days. A figure representing all the kingdoms of the world was seen. Its head was of gold, the arms and breast of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet were part iron and part clay. A stone was then "cut out of the mountain without hands" and shattered the image. The stone then grew into a mountain that filled the whole earth. Daniel defined the stone as the kingdom of God in the last days. |
