John A. Widtsoe on Prophecy

Recent events reminded me of this gem from Elder John A. Widtsoe, published in the November 1944 Improvement Era. The issue under consideration was astrology and the article closed with this penultimate paragraph.

Latter-day Saints do not believe in any system that makes man a creature of unknown, unintelligent forces, which destroy human free agency. They do not believe in any system that opens the future to human eyes, and, therefore, destroys the incentive for toil and progress. Patriarchs state possible human destiny, under conditions of obedience to God's law. Prophets do the same in behalf of the Church. There is no fortunetelling in the Church of Christ. The attempts at particular prophecy, as to time and place, have usually failed.

Is it just me, or do you also sometimes wish that Elder Widtsoe was alive today?

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