The Quotes

One Nation under Gods, page xx (hardback)
The Latter-day Saint (LDS) church will then use its financial wealth and political power base to rebuild the government and restore economic prosperity.

Such an action, it is believed, will precipitate the return of Jesus Christ, who in turn will establish a global theocracy headquartered in, of all places, Jackson County, Missouri.¹⁵

One Nation under Gods, page xiv (paperback)
The Latter-day Saint (LDS) church will then rebuild the government and restore economic prosperity (presumably through its financial wealth and political power base).

Such an action, it is believed, will precipitate the return of Jesus Christ, who in turn will establish a global theocracy headquartered in, of all places, Jackson County, Missouri.¹⁵

The References

Endnote 15, page 479 (hardback)
15. Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1958; second edition, 1966), 855. During a December 23, 1866 sermon, Brigham Young declared that at Christ's second coming, he would return to "the land of America" (Brigham Young, December 23, 1866, JOD [Liverpool: B. Young, Jr.; lithographed reprint of original, 1966], vol. 11, 249.)

Endnote 15, page 477 (paperback)
15. Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1958; second edition, 1966), 855. During a December 23, 1866 sermon, Brigham Young declared that at Christ's second coming, he would first appear in "the land of America" (Brigham Young, December 23, 1866, JOD [Liverpool: B. Young, Jr., 1867; lithographed reprint of original, 1966], vol. 11, 279.)

The Problems

There are actually two parts to this endnote. The first part references an entry in the book Mormon Doctrine related to the term Zion. There is no problem with this reference by the author.

The second part of the endnote deals with a statement by Brigham Young and recorded in the Journal of Discourses. The problem is that the reference provided is incorrect. Volume 11, page 249, is the beginning of a sermon by Brigham Young entitled "God's Kingdom on Earth," and it was delivered in the Tabernacle, June 17th, 1866. It was reported by G.D. Watt. Notice that the date of the sermon does not match the date provided by Abanes. The sermon talks about the Kingdom of God, as established by God and administered by His priesthood, but it does not talk about where Jesus Christ will reign upon His return. At no place in this sermon does the phrase "the land of America" appear.

On page 272 of the same volume is a sermon by Brigham Young entitled "The Nature of the Kingdom of God." It was delivered in the Tabernacle, December 23, 1866, and reported by G.D. Watt. This sermon matches the date provided by Abanes, but not the page number. A careful reading through the sermon turns up the phrase "the land of America" in only one place: on page 279. Thus, it is possible that the reference by Abanes is simply a typographical error (249 vs. 279) that someone failed to catch. (Of course, such inaccuracy makes it very difficult to track down sources. It is good that this reference was corrected in the paperback edition.) The pertinent, in-context statement is as follows:

When he comes again he will not come as he did when the Jews rejected him; neither will he appear first at Jerusalem when he makes his second appearance on the earth; but he will appear first on the land where he commenced his work in the beginning, and planted the garden of Eden, and that was done in the land of America.

Notice that the statement says that Jesus will "appear" first in America. It does not state what Abanes uses it to support, being the concept that Jesus "will establish a global theocracy headquartered in...Missouri."

The bottom line is that the quote doesn't support the assertion that Abanes is trying to establish. The result: a misuse of a source, plain and simple.

Written by Allen L. Wyatt