Petersen, M. E. (1971, April). Warnings from the past. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1971/04/warnings-from-the-past?lang=eng
Elder Mark E. Petersen delivers a sermon warning that three great civilizations in the Western Hemisphere have perished by their own moral decay, including crime, sexual deviation, and defiance of God, and that modern nations now face similar risks due to escalating corruption. He highlights contemporary issues such as rising crime costing over $40 billion annually in the U.S., epidemic social diseases from promiscuity, justified premarital relationships by religious leaders, and the normalization of free sex through easy abortion. Petersen critiques societal inconsistencies, including declining church attendance, reduced Bible sales, bans on prayer in public, and the desecration of the Sabbath, while protests against references to God in national symbols persist.
Drawing from Book of Mormon scriptures (e.g., Ether 2:8–12), he emphasizes that this land is reserved for God's purposes, where nations must serve Him or be swept away. He cites historical warnings from figures like Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Daniel Webster, and economist Roger Babson on the dangers of forsaking religious principles, leading to internal ruin. Natural disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, are portrayed as divine signals of impending judgment.
The talk structures its message by contrasting past civilizations' fall with current iniquity, quoting ancient prophets (e.g., Mormon, Moroni) who foresee modern Gentiles' pride, sins, and need for repentance. Petersen urges recognition of God's sovereignty, belief in Jesus Christ, and rejection of atheism, testifying that only Christ's gospel can avert destruction. He concludes with a prayer for awakening and course correction before divine wrath fully comes.