9172. WORLD, End of.—
I hope you will
have good sense enough to disregard those foolish
predictions that the world is to be at an end
soon. The Almighty has never made known to
anybody at what time He created it; nor will He
tell anybody when He will put an end to it, if
He ever means to do it. As to preparations
for that event, the best way for you is to be
always prepared for it. The only way to be so
is, never to say or do a bad thing. If ever you
are about to say anything amiss, or to do anything
wrong, consider beforehand you will feel
something within you which will tell you it is
wrong, and ought not to be said or done. This
is your conscience, and be sure and obey it.
Our Maker has given us all this faithful internal
monitor, and if you always obey it you
will always be prepared for the end of the
world; or for a much more certain event, which is death. This must happen to all; it puts an
end to the world as to us; and the way to be
ready for it is never to do a wrong act.—
To Martha Jefferson.
D. L. J.70.
(1783)
