Читать книгу Essentials in Church History - Joseph Fielding Smith - Страница 48

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With the discovery of the mariner’s compass navigators became more bold and daring, and gradually extended their explorations until they discovered the way to India around the Cape of Good Hope. Near the close of the fifteenth century the belief prevailed that the earth was flat and inhabited only on the upper side. Beyond the shores of lands then known it was thought there hung a pall of fog and darkness. The sea was referred to as the “Sea of Darkness” beyond the boundaries known to man. Far off in or beyond the ocean it was believed great dragons had their lair, and if any man should be so unfortunate as to drift among them he would return no more. Mariners had been afraid to traverse the seas far beyond the sight of land. Shortly before the end of this century there came one navigator more daring than his fellows, who proposed to cross the sea. After many pleadings and attempts to interest some one with means in the venture, he finally succeeded and the remarkable feat was done. In accomplishing this he made discoveries that the Lord, in his wisdom, had kept hid from the nations of the east all down through the ages, until in his own due time he desired them to be revealed. Columbus was moved upon by the Spirit of the Lord and crossed the waters in fulfilment of predictions made by a prophet, who lived on this continent, five hundred years before the birth of Christ.