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Joseph Smith told a group of elders on Feb. 14, 1835, that they were “called to go forth and prune the vineyard for the last time, before the coming of Christ, even 56 years should wind up the scene” (History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 182, and quoted by B.H. Roberts in the October 1890 General conference). Many church members believed Smith and marked their calendars for 1891. They did not forget. They came to the October 1890 General Conference looking for guidance on how to prepare for the end.

This was not a fringe group. George Q. Cannon said: “A great many anticipations have been indulged in connection with that year.” The stress level prompted 10 speakers to talk on the Second Coming. They used various tactics to downplay and dismiss Smith’s 1835 statement. Cannon even attempted to conflate the 1835 statement with a separate, more ambiguous statement that Smith made on April 2, 1843, recorded in D&C 130:14-17. Yet these statements were made eight years apart and are not the same.

By the end of the conference, Cannon stated explicitly that Jesus would not come in 1891 or 1892. Still, Lorenzo Snow said the Second Coming would be “soon.”

On April 6, 1983, Elder Featherstone drafted a letter addressed to twenty- first century members of the Church. It would be deposited in a time capsule at the dedication of the Atlanta Georgia Temple presumably, like other Church time capsules, to be opened fifty years later. This powerful document predicts the millennial ministry of the Savior and the future success of the Saints’ missionary labors in the American South. The opening paragraph describes what Featherstone believed the experience of these future Latter-day Saints would be like fifty years in the future.
Those of you who read this letter have witnessed the second coming of Christ, the day for which we have long awaited. What a glorious experience to live in the day when our Lord, our Redeemer, the very Son of God is reigning personally upon the earth. We can imagine what General Conference must be like, to have the Savior address the people. … Oh what a blessed generation you are and must be.2
Featherstone notes that in his own time the Church was facing great adversity. “I believe we are on the very threshold of great trials. The darkest clouds in the history of the world are on the horizon.”3

But, my dear brothers and sisters, so many wonderful things are ahead. In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns “with power and great glory,” He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.

I Have Questions wrote: ↑

Tue May 26, 2026 6:36 am

The second coming has been just around the corner for Mormons for nearly two hundred years. Nelson in October 2022 spoke in dog whistle fashion about it…

But, my dear brothers and sisters, so many wonderful things are ahead. In coming days, we will see the greatest manifestations of the Savior’s power that the world has ever seen. Between now and the time He returns “with power and great glory,” He will bestow countless privileges, blessings, and miracles upon the faithful.

So what happened in the “days” following that talk that could be construed as “the greatest manifestation of the Saviour’s power that the world has ever seen”? Of course, Nelson (like his predecessors) was just making a vague, unquantifiable assertion to which any and all good luck in a members life could be applied.

I note a subtle change though. Instead of calling every cohort of youth “the chosen generation” they now refer to youth as “the rising generation”. A way of making them believe they are special, without actually saying they are special.

“DCP” wrote: I would be perfectly happy to discuss my view with a good-faith interlocutor. In this case, though, I'll let it suffice to say that, given my open-theistic views, I think that an earlier second coming might well have occurred in a world unlike ours. But that's a contrary-to-fact hypothetical.
And, anyway, according to Doctrine and Covenants 130, Joseph Smith himself wasn't sure what to make of the divine communication that he received:

“Joseph Smith” wrote:14 I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when I heard a voice repeat the following:
15 Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter.
16 I was left thus, without being able to decide whether this coming referred to the beginning of the millennium or to some previous appearing, or whether I should die and thus see his face.
17 I believe the coming of the Son of Man will not be any sooner than that time.

I see no reason to accede to the demand from critics of the Church that we be more rigidly dogmatic on the matter than he was. Candidly, too, I'm disappointed that you would bring up this hoary old chestnut.

Everybody Wang Chung wrote: ↑

Tue May 26, 2026 3:59 pm

Watching the Afore argue that a few angry guys in Illinois successfully derailed God’s entire apocalyptic timeline is pure comedy. Folks, you really can’t make this stuff up.

Everybody Wang Chung wrote: ↑

Tue May 26, 2026 3:59 pm

Watching the Afore argue that a few angry guys in Illinois successfully derailed God’s entire apocalyptic timeline is pure comedy. Folks, you really can’t make this stuff up.

Abaddon wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 16, 2026 7:46 pm

Everybody Wang Chung wrote: ↑

Tue May 26, 2026 3:59 pm

Watching the Afore argue that a few angry guys in Illinois successfully derailed God’s entire apocalyptic timeline is pure comedy. Folks, you really can’t make this stuff up.

i chuckled out loud when i read his response. pure mental gymnastic gold.

I think that an earlier second coming might well have occurred in a world unlike ours.