"Know the Truth and the Truth shall make you Free"

The White Horse Prophecy

Several years before the death of Edwin Rushton in Salt Lake City, in 1904, he was requested to have the White Horse Vision recorded and notarized. This was done, with James H. Anderson acting as recorder and Arnold G. Giauque as notary. This copy was obtained from the son-in-law of Edwin Rushton, Bishop C. N. Christensen, of Salt Lake City.

On or about the sixth day of May, 1843, a grand review of the Nauvoo Legion was held in Nauvoo. The Prophet Joseph complimented them for their good discipline and evolutions performed. The weather being hot, he called for a glass of water. With the glass of water in his hand he said, "I will drink you a toast to the overthrow of the mobocrats", which he did in language as follows:

"Here's wishing they were in the middle of the sea, in a stone canoe with iron paddles, and a shark swallow the canoe, and the Devil swallow the shark, and the Devil locked up in the northwest corner of Hell, the key lost, and a blind man looking for it."

The next morning, a man who had heard the Prophet give the toast, visited the mansion of the Prophet, and so abused him in such bad language that he was ordered outside by the Prophet. It was while the two of them were outside that my attention was attracted to them; and hearing the man speaking in a loud tone of voice, I went toward them, but the abusive man was leaving.

There were then present the Prophet Joseph Smith, Theodore Turley, and myself. The Prophet began speaking to us of the mobbings, and drivings, and persecutions that we as a people had endured. "But," said he, "we will have worse things to endure. Our enemies will have all the mobbings they want. Don't wish them any harm, for when you see their sufferings, you will shed bitter tears for them."

While this conversation was going on, we stood by his south wicket gate in a triangle. Turning to me, he said: "I want to tell you something. I will speak in a parable like unto John the Revelator. You will go to the Rocky Mountains, and you will be a great and mighty people established there, which I will call the `White Horse of Peace and Safety.'"

Little did I think the Prophet of the Lord would so soon be slain in cold blood. When the Prophet said, "You will go--etc.," I asked him where he would be at that time. He answered, "I shall never go there. Your enemies will continue to follow you with persecutions, and they will make obnoxious laws against you in Congress to destroy the White Horse, but you will have a friend or two to defend you and throw out the worst part of the laws, so they will not hurt much.

"You must continue to petition Congress all the time, but they will treat you as strangers and aliens, and they will not give you your rights, but will govern you with strangers and commissioners. You will see the Constitution of the United States almost destroyed. It will hang by a thread, as it were, and that thread as fine as the finest silk fiber."

At this point, the Prophet's countenance became sad, because as he said, "I love the Constitution; it was made by the inspiration of God, and it will be preserved and saved by the efforts of the White Horse and the Red Horse, who will combine in its defense. The White Horse will raise an ensign on the tops of the mountains of peace and safety, where all nations may flee unto for safety.

"The White Horse will find the mountains full of minerals, and they will become very rich. You will see silver piled up in the streets. You will see the gold shoveled up like sand. Gold will be of little value even in a mercantile capacity, for the people of the world will have something else to do in seeking for salvation.

"The time will come when the banks of every nation will fall, and only two places will be safe where the people can deposit their gold and treasures. These places will be with the White Horse and in England's vaults.

"A terrible revolution will take place in the land of America, such as has never been seen before; for the land will be left without a supreme government , and every species of wickedness will run rampant. It will be so terrible that father will be against son, and son against father; mother against daughter, and daughter against mother. The most terrible scenes of murder and bloodshed and rapine that have ever been looked upon, will take place. Peace will be taken from the earth, and there will be no peace only in the Rocky Mountains. This will cause many hundreds and thousands of the honest in heart to gather there; not because they would be Saints, but for safety and because they would not take up the sword against their neighbor.

"You will be so numerous that you will be in danger of famine, but not for want of seed time and harvest, but because of so many to be fed. Many will come with bundles under their arms to escape the calamities, and there will be no escape only by fleeing to Zion.

"Those that come to you will try to keep the laws and be one with you, for they will see your unity and the greatness of your organizations.

"The Turkish Empire, or the Crescent, will be one of the first powers that will be disrupted as a power; for freedom must be given for the Gospel to be preached in the Holy Land.

"The Lord took of the best blood of the nations and planted them on the small islands now called England or Great Britain, and gave them great power in the nations for a thousand years, and their power will continue with them that they might keep the balance of power, that they may keep Russia from usurping power over all the world. England and France are now bitter enemies, but they will be allied together in order to keep Russia from conquering the world.

"The two Popes, Greek and Catholic, will come together and be united. The Protestant Religions do not know how much they are indebted to Henry VIII, for throwing off the Pope's Bull and establishing the Protestant faith. He was the only monarch that could do so at that time, and he did it because the nation was at his back to sustain him.

"One of the popular features in England is the established red coat, a uniform making so remarkable a mark to shoot at; and yet they have conquered wherever they have gone. The reason for this will be known by the world someday. The Lion and the Unicorn of England is the Ensign of Israel. The wisdom and statesmanship of England comes from there being so much of the blood of Israel in that nation.

"While the terrible revolution, of which mention has been made, is going on, England will remain neutral until it becomes so inhuman that she will interfere to stop the shedding of blood. England and France will then unite together and come with the intention of making peace, not to subdue the nation.

"They will find the nation so broken up, so many claiming the right to govern, and yet no responsible government, that it will appear to the other nations or powers as though England had taken possession of this country.

"The Black Horse will flee to the invaders and will join with them, for they will fear of becoming slaves again. Knowing England did not believe in slavery, fleeing to them, they believe, will make them safe. Armed with British bayonets, the doings of the Black Horse will be terrible."

Here the Prophet said he could not bear to look longer upon the scene as shown him in vision, and he asked the Lord to close the scene.

Continuing, he said: "During this time the Great White Horse will have gathered strength, sending out Elders to gather the honest in heart among the Pale Horse, or people of the United States, to stand by the Constitution as it was given by the inspiration of God.

"In these days, God will set up a Kingdom never to be thrown down, for other kingdoms to come unto. And those kingdoms that will not let the Gospel be preached, will be humbled until they will.

"England, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Holland, and Belgium have a considerable amount of the blood of Israel which must be gathered. These nations will submit to the Kingdom of God. England will be the last of the kingdoms to surrender, but when she does, she will do it as a whole in comparison to the way she threw off the Catholic power. The nobility know that the Gospel is true, but it has not enough pomp and grandeur and influence for them to embrace it. They are proud and will not acknowledge the Kingdom of God, or come unto it, until they see the power which it will have.

"Peace and safety in the Rocky Mountains will be protected by a cordon band of the White Horse and the Red Horse. The coming of the Ten Tribes of Israel will take place, and the coming of the Messiah to this people will be so natural that only those who see Him will know that He has come. But He will come and give His laws unto Zion, and minister unto His people. This will not be His coming in the clouds of Heaven to take vengeance on the wicked of the world.

"The temple in Jackson County will be built in this generation. The Saints will think there will not be time to build it, but with all the great help you will receive, you can put up a Great Temple quickly. You will have all the gold, silver, and precious stones; for these things only will be used for the beautifying of the Temple;--all the skilled mechanics you want, and the Ten Tribes of Israel to help you build it.

"When you see this land bound with iron, you may look toward Jackson County."

At this point he made a pause, and looking up as though the vision was still in view, he said, "There is a land beyond the Rocky Mountains that will be invaded by the heathen Chinese, unless great care and protection are given." Speaking of the heathen nations, he said, "Where there is no law, there is no condemnation; and this will apply to them.

"Power will be given to the White Horse to rebuke nations afar off, and they will obey, for the law shall go forth from Zion.

"The last great struggle Zion will have to contend with, will be when the whole of America will be made the Zion of our God. Those opposing will be called Gog and Magog. Some of the nations of the earth will be led by the Russian Czar, and their power will be great; but all opposition will be overcome and this land will be the Zion of our God."

The words of the Prophet made a strong impression upon me, and I have never forgotten them. On an occasion about two weeks later, I was at a meeting where he preached a sermon, which he said should be the greatest of his life. On that occasion he reiterated the matter which I have now written so that the subjects became firmly rooted in my memory, and I know them to be true.

Now, therefore, I testify that these are the inspired words spoken by the Prophet Joseph Smith, as he stood looking up to Heaven. His countenance became white and transparent. He looked as if he had as much of the Heavenly Influence as he could bear and stay with the Saints. His voice was powerful, and his words cut like a two-edged sword.

(SS) Edwin Rushton

(The 3½ Years, p. 153-159; TRUTH 13:106-109)