A few years ago, shortly after the World War, I had a conversation with a prominent minister. He was a great preacher of the gospel as he understood it. In manner he was courteous, and his questions indicated a tolerant spirit. At the close of our talk I said to him: “Doctor, do you not think that this great war and this terrible epidemic of influenza foreshadow some great event such as the second coming of the Son of God?” He replied: “I think so now, but if a man eight years ago had told us that this war and epidemic would come, we would have laughed him to scorn and then crucified him.” I said: “Doctor, men did crucify just such a man.” Then to relieve the deep astonishment depicted on the churchman’s countenance, I told him the story of the Prophet Joseph Smith and the marvelous predictions that he made, by revelation from the Lord, of the Civil War, the World War and the desolating sickness and the overflowing scourge that should cover the land. – Charles A. Callis, “Conference Report,” April 1926, Third Day-Morning Session, p.136