The extinct civilizations of the past now speak to us out of the dust of the ages, giving warning against the same conditions which brought them down to oblivion.
Listen to what they say!
The ancient prophets who lived in America among those destroyed civilizations saw us of today through the eye of revelation. They referred to us as gentiles, and one of these prophets said: “… O ye Gentiles, how can ye stand before the power of God, except ye shall repent and turn from your evil ways?
“Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power, and at his great command the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll?
“Therefore, repent ye, and humble yourselves before him, lest he shall come out in justice against you. …” (Morm. 5:22–24.)
Another ancient American prophet, long since dead and now speaking to us out of the dust, said:
“… behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.
“And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.” (Ether 2:10–11.)
An ancient prophet named Mormon, who lived here in America fifteen hundred years ago, said: “Behold, I speak unto you as if ye were present, and yet ye are not. But behold, Jesus Christ hath shown you unto me, and I know your doing.
“And I know that ye do walk in the pride of your hearts; and there are none save a few only who do not lift themselves up in the pride of their hearts, unto the wearing of very fine apparel, unto envying, and strifes, and malice, and persecutions, and all manner of iniquities. …” (Morm. 8:35–36.)
There are many people on this Western Hemisphere who have in their veins the blood of some of the tribes of Israel. To them this prophet said: “Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel.
“Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved.
“Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God. …” (Morm. 7:2–3, 5.)
And then we have this, also pertaining to us who live today, and coming from another ancient American prophet who speaks out of the dust to us today: “… these things doth the Spirit manifest unto me; therefore I write unto you all. And for this cause I write unto you, that ye may know that ye must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, yea, every soul who belongs to the whole human family of Adam; and ye must stand to be judged of your works, whether they be good or evil;
