VISION GIVEN TO JOHN TAYLOR, and shared with SARAH ANN LUNT

A PROPHETIC VISION GIVEN BY the PROPHET, JOHN TAYLOR

TO SARAH ANN LUNT

in her home in Cedar City, Utah in 1886, two years before President Taylor’s death.

Attested to by Edward Lunt, January 9, 1952 in Mesa, Arizona.  Recorded in Social Selection Library at Brigham Young University

 President John Taylor and other associates were in Cedar City holding Stake Conference.  They were staying in the home of Bishop Hendry Lunt.  President Taylor had stayed home from the morning session to rest.  In mid-morning he came into the kitchen where Sister Lunt (Sarah Ann) was preparing dinner and related the vision to her that he had had while in his room.

He said, “I saw Salt Lake City become a great and beautiful city, with cement sidewalks and streets, wealthy people, beautiful homes extending almost to the top of the mountain south of the Utah State Prison.   People had become indifferent.  War began among the people.  I saw blood running down the gutters of Salt Lake City as if it were water.  People were fighting among themselves until it became so serious that the entire Church records were taken across the Colorado River.  If you are alive at that time, be sure you are not far behind the records, because after the Church records leave and are secure, the very powers of hell will be turned loose and there will be such destruction that but little life will remain.

Not only in Salt Lake City but other adjoining cities will be destroyed.  And in the east, in Missouri, in Jackson County, civilization will become entirely extinct. 

All means of transportation such as highways and railroads will be destroyed.  The only means of travel will be on foot.  Manufacturing of all kinds will be entirely destroyed.  Be sure when you see these things come that you have buttons, needles and things to work with in order to make clothing.  Thread and cloth (as much as possible) because all tools and things to work with will be destroyed (such as machinery). 

It will be such a destructive war that the sufferings and drivings of the people from Nauvoo will only be as a drop in the bucket compared with the suffering that will take place at that time - - until half of the people will not follow the Church leaders at that time, and half of the others will die or turn away because of the sufferings they will have to go through.  But the Lord will bless those who stay with the Church authorities and they shall not be destroyed.  They will travel south and finally form a circle, something like a horseshoe, before they return to Jackson County, Missouri.

Those who will be privileged to help build Jackson County will be placed over them.  They will not only be willing to listen to their counsel and advice but will ask that they might receive it – to be guided and protected heavily.  They will cry to the Lord day and night for deliverance.  They will be few in numbers and will assist the Lamanites in building the New Jerusalem in Jackson County.

The vision was so terrible that President John Taylor asked the Lord to close it up.  But he saw that those who would keep the commandments and adhere to the authorities of the Church would survive; and the Lord would protect them as He did the people of Israel.  After telling this, the Prophet, John Taylor, said to my mother, “Sister Lunt, see that you will always listen to and obey the counsel of the Church authorities and stay with them”.