Constitution to Hang by a Thread

The “constitution to hang by a thread” is a statement often attributed to Joseph Smith. The following is the “only known contemporary account of this well-known prophecy of Joseph Smith”:

A few Item from a discourse delivered by Joseph Smith July 19 1840

Read a chap in [Ezekiel] concluding with this saying and when all these things come to pass and Lo they will come then shall you know that a Prophet hath been among you

Afterwards read the parable of the 12 olive trees and said speaking of the Land of Zion that It consists of all N. & S America but that any place where the Saints gather is Zion which every righteous man will build up for a place of safety for his children that The olive trees are 12 stakes which are yet to be built not the Temple in Jackson [County, Missouri] as some suppose for while the 12 olive stakes are being built we will be at peace but the Nations of the Earth will be at war.

our cry from the 1st has been for peace and we will continue pleading like the Widow at the feet of the unjust judge but we may plead at the feet of Majistrates and at the feet of Judges At the feet of Governors and at the feet of senators & at the feet of the Pre[s]idents for 8 years it will be of no avail. We shall find no favor in any of the courts of this government.  The redemption of Zion is the redemption of all N & S America and those 12 stake must be built up before the redemption of Zion can take place and those who refuse to gather and build when they are commanded to do so cease to be Saviours of men and are henceforth good for nothing but shall be cast out and trodden underfeet of men for their transgression as Reed Peck was when he aplied in the name of an apostate for business in a store in Quincy They told him that they wanted no apostates round them and showed him the door At this same store the Authorities of this Church could have obtained almost any amount of credit they could have asked—

We shall build the Zion of the Lord in peace untill the servants of that Lord shall begin to lay the foundation of a great and high watch Tower and then shall they begin to say within themselves what need hath my Lord of this tower seeing this is a time of peace &c—Then the Enemy shall brak come as a thief in the night and scatter the servants abroad when the seed of these 12 Olive trees are scattered abroad they will wake up the Nations of the whole Earth Even this Nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground and when the constitution is upon the brink of ruin this people will be the Staff upon which the Nation shall lean and they shall bear away the constitution away from the very verge of destruction—Then shall the Lord say go tell all my servants who are the strength of mine house my young men and middle aged &c come to the Land of my vineyard and fight the battle of the Lord—Then the Kings & Queens shall come then the rulers of the Earth shall come then shall ail saints come yea the Foreign saints shall come to fight for the Land of my vineyard for in this thing shall be their safety and they will have no power to choose but will come as a man fleeth from a sudden destruction—But before this the time shall be when these who are now my friends shall become my enemies and shall seek to take my life and shall be m there are those now before me who will more furiously pursue me and the more dilligently seek to my life and be more blood thirsty upon my track than ever were the Missouri Mobbers You say among yourselves as did them of old time it is I & is it I  But I know these things by the visions of the Almighty.

But brethren come ye yea come all of you who can come and go to with your mights and build up the cities of the Lord and whosoever will let him come and partake of the poverty of Nauvoo freely for those who partake of her poverty shall also shall also partake of her prosperity. And it is now wisdom in God that we should enter into as compact a city as posible for Zion and Jerusalem and must both be built up before the coming of Christ This will near a half of a century How long will it take to do this 10 years Yes more than 40 years will pass before this work will be accomplished and when these cities are built then shall the coming of the Son of man be

Now let all who can coolly and deliberately dispose of their property come up and give of their substance to the [poor?] that the hearts of the poor may be comforted and all may worship god together in holiness of heart Come brethren come all of you.—And I prophecy in the name of the Lord that the state of Illinois shall become a great mountain and mighty mountain as a city set upon a hill that cannot be hid and a great that giveth light to the world and The city of Nauvoo als[o] shall become the greatest city in the whole world.—

Curse that man who says to his neighbor you are a mean man because you do not believe as I do I now invite all liberall minded men to come up to Nauvoo and help to build up the city of our God We are not greatly distressed no nor ever will be This is the principle place of gathering therefore let the brethren begin to roll in like clouds and we will sell you lots if you are able to pay for them and if not you shall have them without money and without price

The greater blessing is unto those who come in times of adversity. For many will come to us in times of prosperity that will stand at the corners of the street saying with long pharisaical faces don to those that come after them dont go near Bro Joseph dont go near the authorities of the church for they will pick your pockets they will rob you of all your money Thus will they breed in our midst a spirit of dissatisfaction and distrust that will end in persecution and distress—

Now from this hour bring every thing you can bring and build a Temple unto the Lord a house into the mighty God of Jacob. We will build upon the top of this Temple a great observatory a great and high watch tower and in the top thereof we will Suspend a tremendous bell whi that when it is rung shall rouse the inhabitants of Madison wake up the people of Warsaw and sound in the ears of men [in] Carthage  Then comes the ancient records yea all of them dig them yea bring them forth speedily

Then shall the poor be fed by the curious who shall come from all parts of the world to see this wonderful temple Yea I prophecy that pleasure parties shall come from England to see the Mamoth and like the Queen of Sheba shall say the half never was told them. School houses shall be built here and High schools shall be established and the great men of the [earth] shall send their sons here to board while they are receiving their education among us And even Noblemen shall crave the priviledge of educating their children with us and these poor saints shall chink in their pockets the money of these proud men received from such as come and dwell with us

Now brethren I obligate myself to build as great a temple as ever solomon did if the church will back me up. Moreover it shall not impoverish any man but enrich thousands I prophecy that the time shall be when these saints shall ride proudly over the mountains of Missouri and no Gentile dog nor Missouri dog shall dare lift a tongue against them but will lick up the dust from beneath their feet and I pray the father that many here may realize this and see it with their eyes. And if it should be (Stretching his hand towards the place and in a melancholly tone that made all hearts tremble) will of God that I might live to behold that temple completed and finished from the foundation to the top stone I will say Oh Lord it is enough Lord let thy servant depart in peace, which is my ernest prayer in the name of the L Jesus Amen on this day the Stake of Macedonia over which Father Jhon Smith presided was publicly appointed.¹

In May 1843, James Burgess reports that Joseph Smith said the “Constitution and Government would hang by a brittle thread.”:

In the month of May 1843. Several miles east of Nauvoo. The Nauvoo Legion was on parade and review. At the close of which Joseph Smith made some remarks upon our condition as a people and upon our future prospects contrasting our present condition with our past trials and persecutions by the hands of our enemies. Also upon the constitution and government of the United States stating that the time would come when the Constitution and Government would hand by a brittle thread and would be ready to fall into other hands but this people the Latter day Saints will step forth and save it.

General Scott and part of his staff on the American Army was present on the occasion.

I James Burgess was present and testify to the above (James Burgess Notebook, Church Archives).²

The following are statements made by various leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on this topic in the 19th century.³

In 1854, Brigham Young stated:

The progress of revolution is quite considerable in every government of the world.  But is the revolution for the constitutional rights of the people in progress?  No: it is on the retrograde.  I know how they can be brought back to the people, and the Government be redeemed and become one of the most powerful and best on the earth.  It was instituted in the beginning by the Almighty.  He operated upon the hearts of the Revolutionary Fathers to rebel against the English King and his Parliament, as he does upon me to preach “Mormonism.”  Both are inspired by him; but the work unto which they are called is dissimilar.  The one was inspired to fight, and the other to preach the peaceable things of the kingdom of God.  He operated upon that pusillanimous king to excite the colonists to rebellion; and he is still operating with this nation, and taking away their wisdom, until by-and-by they will get mad and rush to certain destruction. 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 the nation will hang upon a single thread.  At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction.”  It will be so. With regard to the doings of our fathers and the Constitution of the United States, I have to say, they present to us a glorious prospect in the future, but one we cannot attain to until the present abuses in the Government are corrected.⁴

Orson Hyde said in 1858:

Now, in relation to the Constitution of the United States, I want to speak a few words.  There is a great deal of sacredness attached to the Constitution of the United States by this people:  that is all right and good.  The Constitution is well enough, and so is anything that serves the purpose for which it was created, provided that purpose be a good one.  It was designed and created with a good intention.  If it serves the purpose and end of its creation, it is good; and when it has served the end of its creation, the purpose and design of the Almighty are accomplished, and I do not know that he has any more particular use for it.  He may then lay it aside as a relic to be respected and honoured for the good it has done, for aught I know. It is said that brother Joseph in his lifetime declared that the Elders of this Church should step forth at a particular time when the Constitution should be in danger, and rescue it, and save it.  This may be so; but I do not recollect that he said exactly so.  I believe he said something like this–that the time would come when the Constitution and the country would be in danger of an overthrow; and said he, If the Constitution be saved at all, it will be by the Elders of this Church.  I believe this is about the language, as nearly as I can recollect it. The question is whether it will be saved at all, or not.  I do not know that it matters to us whether it is or not:  the Lord will provide for and take care of his people, if we do every duty, and fear and honour him, and keep his commandments; and he will not leave us without a Constitution.⁵

Brigham Young stated in 1868:

And I tell you further, Elders of Israel, that you do not know the day of your visitation, neither do you understand the signs of the times, for if you did you would be awake to these things.  Every organization of our government, the best government in the world, is crumbling to pieces.  Those who have it in their hands are the ones who are destroying it.  How long will it be before the words of the prophet Joseph will be fulfilled?  He said if the Constitution of the United States were saved at all it must be done by this people.  It will not be many years before these words come to pass.  How long will it be before they will be coming here for bread, for the bread of life, and for the bread which sustains the body?  Do you know this?  You do not.  This community live as it were from hand to mouth.  They must learn to lay up food.  Notwithstanding all that has been said to the people on this subject, not one man to thirty has bread sufficient to last him one year.  As our mechanics are paid, they might have laid up their hundreds if not their thousands a year.  Brethren, learn.  You have learned a good deal it is true; but learn more; learn to sustain yourselves; lay up grain and flour, and save it against a day of scarcity.⁶

In 1879, John Taylor said:

And then the day is not far distant when this nation will be shaken from centre to circumference.  And now, you may write it down, any of you, and I will prophesy it in the name of God.  And then will be fulfilled that prediction to be found in one of the revelations given through the Prophet Joseph Smith.  Those who will not take up their sword to fight against their neighbor must needs flee to Zion for safety.  And they will come, saying, we do not know anything of the principles of your religion, but we perceive that you are an honest community; you administer justice and righteousness, and we want to live with you and receive the protection of your laws, but as for your religion we will talk about that some other time.  Will we protect such people?  Yes, all honorable men.  When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations.  This is part of the programme, and as long as we do what is right and fear God, he will help us and stand by us under all circumstances. Therefore, Latter-day Saints, fear God; work the works of righteousness; live your religion; keep the commandments and humble yourselves before him; be one, and be united with the holy priesthood and with each other, and I will tell you in the name of God that Zion will rise and shine and the power of God will rest upon her; and her glory will be made manifest, and we will rejoice in the fulness of the blessings of the Gospel of peace; and the work of God will go on and increase until the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our God and his Christ, and every creature in the heaven and on the earth and under the earth will be heard to say, Blessing, and glory, and honor and praise and power, might and majesty and dominion be ascribed to him that sits upon the throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever.  Amen.⁷

The same year, John Taylor stated:

The Prophet Joseph Smith said that “The Constitution of the United States was given by the inspiration of God.”  But good, virtuous and holy principles may be perverted by corrupt and wicked men.  The Lord was opposed by Satan, Jesus had his Judas, and this nation abounds with traitors who ignore that sacred palladium of liberty and seek to trample it under foot.  Joseph Smith said they would do so, and that when deserted by all, the elders of Israel would rally around its shattered fragments and save and preserve it inviolate. But even this, good as it was, was not a perfect instrument; it was one of those stepping stones to a future development in the progress of a man to the intelligence and light, the power and union that God alone can impart to the human family.⁸

In 1881, George Q. Cannon said:

. . . the day will come–and this is another prediction of Joseph Smith’s–I want to remind you of it, my brethren and sisters, when good government, constitutional government–liberty–will be found among the Latter-day Saints, and it will be sought for in vain elsewhere; when the Constitution of this land and republican government and institutions will be upheld by this people who are now so oppressed and whose destruction is now sought so diligently.  The day will come when the Constitution, and free government under it, will be sustained and preserved by this people.⁹

On another occasion in the same year, George Q. Cannon stated:

It seems like a very strange thing to say, but on all proper occasions I say it with a great deal of pleasure, at home and from home, that I have been taught from early life that the day would come when republican institutions would be in danger in this nation and upon this continent, when, in fact, the republic would be so rent asunder by factions that there would be no stable government outside of the Latter-day Saints; and that it is their destiny as a people, to uphold constitutional government upon this land.  Now, a great many people think this is a chimera of the brain; they think it folly to indulge in such an idea; but the day will come nevertheless.  There are those in this congregation who will witness the time that the maintenance of true constitutional government upon this continent will be dependent upon this people, when it will have to be upheld by us.¹⁰

Sources:

1. Smith, Joseph. “Howard and Martha Coray Notebook, 19 July 1840″. The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph. Comp. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook. Orem, Utah: Grandin Book, 1991. 415-418; hereafter Words.↩
2. Words. 279, note 1.↩
3. Portions of these statements are referred to in Words. 419, note 9.↩
4. Young, Brigham. Journal of Discourses. 7:14-15.↩
5. Hyde, Orson. Journal of Discourses. 6:151-152.↩
6. Young, Brigham. Journal of Discourses. 12:204.↩
7. Taylor, John. Journal of Discourses. 21:8.↩
8. Taylor, John. Journal of Discourses. 21:31.↩
9. Cannon, George Q. Journal of Discourses. 23:104.↩
10. Cannon, George Q. Journal of Discourses. 23:122-123.↩

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