Question: Did Joseph Smith give a false prophecy by claiming that queens would pay respect to the Relief Society within ten years?

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Criticism

• Critics claim that Joseph prophesied that queens would pay their respects to the Relief Society within ten years of its formation. That no queens did so is held up as a sign of false prophecy.

Source(s) of the criticism

• Richard Abanes, One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church (New York: Four Walls Eight Windows, 2003), 464, 617 n. 23 ( Index of claims )
• D. Michael Quinn, The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power (Signature Books, 1994), 634.

Response

Critics generally do not cite the entire text. Abanes, One Nation, for example, cites only: "I now prophecy that before ten years shall roll around, the queens of the earth shall come and pay their respects to this Society." Abanes then notes, "No queens have ever fulfilled this prophecy.".

Note, however, the material highlighted in bold, which Abanes omits:

I now deliver it as a prophecy, if the inhabitants of this state, with the people of the surrounding country, will turn unto the Lord with all their hearts, ten years will not roll around before the kings and queens of the earth will come unto Zion, and pay their respects to the leaders of this people; they shall come with their millions, and shall contribute of their abundance for the relief of the poor, and the building up and beautifying of Zion.^[1]

Conclusion

Clearly, the people of Illinois did not embrace the gospel, and so Joseph's prophecy's conditions were not met.

It is telling that critics omit the qualifier as they try to discredit Joseph.

Endnotes

1. [note]  Joseph Smith, Jr., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, selected by Joseph Fielding Smith, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 1976), 227. off-site See also History of the Church, 4:605–606. Volume 4 link

Further reading

FAIR web site

• Gilbert W. Scharffs, The Truth about ‘The God Makers’ (Salt Lake City, Utah: Publishers Press, 1989; republished by Bookcraft, 1994), chapter 15. Full text FAIR link ISBN 088494963X. off-site