William Walker witnesses the fulfillment of prophecy in South Africa

During his missionary service in the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, Elder William Walker witnessed a period of severe struggle, characterized by both societal opposition and natural disasters. In September 1854, writing from Fort Beaufort, Walker described the prevalence of a devastating cattle disease and a locust plague that swept across the country, destroying crops and grazing land. The contagion was so sudden and destructive that the colonial government issued a decree mandating that all sick cattle be shot to check the spread of the disease; individuals were authorized to kill infected animals wherever found, under penalty of a five-pound fine for failing to dispose of carcasses properly. Despite thousands of cattle being destroyed—with some individuals killing upwards of fifty to one hundred head—these human efforts proved entirely unavailing. The government further attempted to prevent the contagion through widespread inoculation, yet this practice only exacerbated the spread of the illness. Simultaneously, locust swarms devoured grain and grass, leaving nothing for livestock, to the extent that horses perished from consuming the locusts. Walker viewed these calamities as a fulfillment of the word of God spoken by both ancient and modern prophets regarding divine judgments upon the earth, standing in stark contrast to the 'puny arm of man.' Amidst these hardships and the ongoing difficulty of reaching the local population with his message—during which he famously remarked, 'the devil is determined to starve us out'—Walker and his companions remained steadfast in their faith, choosing to trust in the Lord for their sustenance rather than succumb to discouragement from the powers of earth and hell.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

The word of God spoken by the Prophets, which are on the earth, as clearly demonstrated in the judgments amongst the people, as also in the total failure of any human scheme or preventive or cure. The lung sickness among the cattle has been very destructive. Thousands of cattle were shot, or died of the disease. Some men shot as high as fifty to a hundred head and upwards, but this did not stop the contagion. The government issued a decree that all sick cattle should be shot, and any person finding sick cattle was authorized to shoot them, and if they did not bury them they were liable to a fine of five pounds. Thus all medicines and schemes proved unavailing. The locusts have also been very destructive, eating up the grain and grass, so that there is nothing for the cattle to eat; and in some places the horses have died from eating the locusts. The devil is determined to starve us out, but we trust in the Lord, and He will provide for us.