As I was pondering those verses from Ether 8 about the secret/murderous combinations earlier today, I got to thinking about what Prophets and Apostles in my lifetime have stated to the Church as a whole about secret combinations being among us in our day.
"Again I warn that there are amongst us evil influences plotting and conspiring to destroy all that we hold sacred in our Church and in the nation." (President J. Reuben Clark, October 1939 General Conference)
"[Satan] plans to destroy liberty and freedom....and to set up in place thereof the greatest and most widespread, and most complete tyranny that has ever oppressed men. He is working under such perfect disguise that many do not recognize either him or his methods." (President Heber J. Grant, October General Conference, 1942)
"Do not think that all these usurpations, intimidations, and impositions are being done to us through inadvertancy or mistake, the whole course is deliberately planned and carried out; its purpose is to destroy the Constitution and our Constitutional government." (President J. Ruben Clark, October 1949 General Conference)
"Gadianton robbers fill the judgement seats in many nations. An evil power seeks to overthrow the freedom of all nations and countries." (Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, April 1980 General Conference)
"Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world." (President Ezra Taft Benson, October 1988 General Conference)
"We live in a time of war, that spiritual war that will never end. Moroni warned us that the secret combinations begun by Gadianton ‘are had among all people. . . . Wherefore, O ye Gentiles [and the term gentile in that place in the Book of Mormon refers to us in our generation], it is wisdom in God that these things should be shown unto you, that thereby ye may repent of your sins, and suffer not that these murderous combinations shall get above you. . . . Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you. (Apostle Boyd K. Packer, 16 January 2007 BYU Devotional)
That doesn't seem like a whole lot. Surely I must be missing some. Anybody aware of any I missed?
Warnings about secret combinations
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lundbaek
- Level 34 Illuminated
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buffalo_girl
- Level 34 Illuminated
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Re: Warnings about secret combinations
Gosh! I hope we get to take a break from "that spiritual war that will never end" during the Millennium. I'm really, really tired of people who break things and trash my Father's Creation.
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truthseeds
- captain of 100
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Re: Warnings about secret combinations
"As bearers of the priesthood, we have been placed on earth in troubled times. We live in a complex world with currents of conflict everywhere to be found. Political machinations ruin the stability of nations, despots grasp for power, and segments of society seem forever downtrodden, deprived of opportunity, and left with a feeling of failure." ~ President Monson
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ktg
- captain of 100
- Posts: 840
Re: Warnings about secret combinations
President Benson: "Secret combinations flourished because, as Helaman tells us, the Gadianton robbers 'had seduced the more part of the righteous until they had come down to believe in their works and partake of their spoils'... even as today." Ensign May 1987.
And our nation will continue to degenerate unless we read and heed the words of the God of this land, Jesus Christ, and quit building up and upholding the secret combinations which the Book of Mormon tells us proved the downfall of both previous American civilizations.” April 1975 General Conference
"I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. (See D&C 1:14–16; D&C 84:49–53.) It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world." Ensign Nov 1988.
President John Taylor
said:
I am sorry to see this murderous influence prevailing throughout the world, and perhaps this may be a fitting occasion to refer to some of these matters. The manifestations of turbulence and
uneasiness which prevail among the nations of the earth are truly lamentable…These feelings which tend to do away with all right, rule, and government, and correct principles are not from
God…This feeling of communism and nihilism, aimed at the overthrow of rulers and men in a spirit of diabolism, which is contrary to every principle of the Gospel… These things are beginning to spread among and permeate the nations of the earth. Do we expect them? Yes. These secret combinations were spoken of by Joseph Smith, years and years ago. I have heard him time and time again tell about them, and he stated that when these things began to take place the liberties of this nation would begin to be bartered away. (JD 22:142-3)
Bruce R. McKonkie: "Next Moroni turns the key so that all who have ears to hear can understand what the secret combination is and can identify those who build it up. 'For it cometh to pass,' he says, ' that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries.' This is a worldwide conspiracy. It is now entrenched in many nations, and it seeks dominion over all nations. It is Godless, atheistic, and operates by compulsion. It is communism." The Millennial Messiah, p. 66
President Hinckley made this statement in his October 2001 Conference address right after the attacks of September 11th:
“We of this Church know something of such groups. The Book of Mormon speaks of the Gadianton robbers, a vicious, oath-bound, and secret organization bent on evil and destruction. In their day they did all in their power, by whatever means available, to bring down the Church, to woo the people with sophistry, and to take control of the society. We see the same thing in the present situation."
More: http://www.geocities.com/graymada/sc.html
And our nation will continue to degenerate unless we read and heed the words of the God of this land, Jesus Christ, and quit building up and upholding the secret combinations which the Book of Mormon tells us proved the downfall of both previous American civilizations.” April 1975 General Conference
"I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. (See D&C 1:14–16; D&C 84:49–53.) It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world." Ensign Nov 1988.
President John Taylor
said:
I am sorry to see this murderous influence prevailing throughout the world, and perhaps this may be a fitting occasion to refer to some of these matters. The manifestations of turbulence and
uneasiness which prevail among the nations of the earth are truly lamentable…These feelings which tend to do away with all right, rule, and government, and correct principles are not from
God…This feeling of communism and nihilism, aimed at the overthrow of rulers and men in a spirit of diabolism, which is contrary to every principle of the Gospel… These things are beginning to spread among and permeate the nations of the earth. Do we expect them? Yes. These secret combinations were spoken of by Joseph Smith, years and years ago. I have heard him time and time again tell about them, and he stated that when these things began to take place the liberties of this nation would begin to be bartered away. (JD 22:142-3)
Bruce R. McKonkie: "Next Moroni turns the key so that all who have ears to hear can understand what the secret combination is and can identify those who build it up. 'For it cometh to pass,' he says, ' that whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries.' This is a worldwide conspiracy. It is now entrenched in many nations, and it seeks dominion over all nations. It is Godless, atheistic, and operates by compulsion. It is communism." The Millennial Messiah, p. 66
President Hinckley made this statement in his October 2001 Conference address right after the attacks of September 11th:
“We of this Church know something of such groups. The Book of Mormon speaks of the Gadianton robbers, a vicious, oath-bound, and secret organization bent on evil and destruction. In their day they did all in their power, by whatever means available, to bring down the Church, to woo the people with sophistry, and to take control of the society. We see the same thing in the present situation."
More: http://www.geocities.com/graymada/sc.html
