Ben. E. Rich

“ Why should we doubt that the gift of Eve to Adam, was designed to be eternal? They were married before the Fall, before death came into the world. They were eternal beings not subject to death; death was not considered when God gave her to be his companion and helpmeet. Why then should we conclude that death should void the contract or separate them any more than that it should destroy the spirit? ”

“ There is no such thing as a man being truly rich until he has power over death, hell, the grave, and him that hath the power of death, which is the devil.—J. of D. Vol. I., p. 271.
All men should study to learn the nature of mankind, and to discern that divinity inherent in them. A spirit and power of research is planted within, yet they remain undeveloped.—J. of D. Vol. VII., p. 1.
I am hated for teaching people the way of life and salvation for teaching them principles that pertain to eternity, by which the Gods were and are, and by which they gain influence and power. ”

“ If I become a Latter-day Saint my good neighbors will say I am deceived and led astray, and that I have embraced a doctrine that is in opposition to the teachings of Christ. Of course these things flashed through my mind when I considered and read the Bible to ascertain positively whether these Mormons taught the truth or not. I thought this—well! I have been religious for the purpose of making my peace with God, but I have been mistaken and led astray by men whom God had not sent to preach the gospel ”

“ Have we any hope of enjoying the glory of God in our present sinful condition? Surely not, for nothing sinful or unholy can enter the courts of glory. Then if God has so put in His Church an ordinance for the purpose of enabling us, like Saul, to wash away our sins, why not be prepared to receive it with joy instead of cultivating or encouraging a disposition to ignore it?
"Baptism for the remission of sins is the third principle of the gospel of Christ. Then comes the ordinance of the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. ”

“ The Holy Ghost takes of the Father and of the Son and shows it to the disciples. It shows them things past, present and to come. It opens the vision of the mind, unlocks the treasures of wisdom, and they begin to understand the things of God; their minds are exalted on high; their conceptions of God and His creations are dignified, and "Hallelujah to God and the Lamb in the highest," is the constant language of their hearts. They comprehend themselves and the great object of their existence. ”

“ The more we search into eternal truth, the more we discover that God works upon natural principles. All the requirements which He makes of us are very plain and simple. How natural that the principle of faith should be the primary one of our salvation! With what principle are we more familiar? Faith is the first great principle governing all things; but great and grand as it is, it is dead without works. (James ii: 14-17.) We must not expect salvation by simply having faith that Jesus is the Christ, for the devils in purgatory are that far advanced (James ii: 19.) ”

“ If man, who is as a babe compared with God in intelligence, could resurrect a cup from that little world, do you not think it possible for God, who is the fountain-head of intelligence and power, to restore your body after it has been scattered through out this little world of ours? And as the restoring of that cup appeared very simple to that laboring man, so I believe the resurrection of the body will appear very simple to us when we are on the other side, and fully understand the laws, methods and powers which govern the restoration. ”

“ Is it reasonable to suppose that God would set up two distinct religious bodies, the ministers of which teach different doctrines? After learning from the Bible so much indicating the anxiety of God's inspired servants for a time of perfect unity, I say it is not reasonable to suppose it. And just so long as two distinct religious systems exist, teaching different doctrines and preaching different principles, there exists a conflicting influence, divisions, feelings, perhaps very strong, if the difference in doctrine is very decided. If it is not reasonable, what are we to do? ”

“ They cannot control themselves in the least, but James, Peter, or somebody else must control them. They never can become Gods, nor be crowned as rulers with glory, immortality, and eternal lives. They never can hold sceptres of glory, majesty, and power in the celestial kingdom. Who will? Those who are valiant and inspired with the true independence of heaven, who will go forth boldly in the service of their God, leaving others to do as they please, determined to do right, though all mankind besides should take the opposite course. ”

“ I may have thousands of wealth locked up today, and hold checks for immense sums on the best banking institutions in the world, but have I any surety that I shall be worth a cent tomorrow morning? Not the least. The Lord Almighty can send fire and destruction when He pleases, destroying towns and swallowing up cities in the bellowing earthquake. He can set up kingdoms and make communities wealthy, and bring them to poverty at His pleasure. When He pleases, He can give them wealth, comfort and ease, and on the other hand torment them with poverty, distress and sore afflictions. ”

“ Suppose, that instead of Christ being crucified, it were the President, that the Cabinet instead of the Apostles were murdered, the Congress and not the Seventies were scattered to the four winds, and our citizens were subjected to the fate of the Saints of old in being driven beneath the earth—what would then remain of our nation? It exists now proudly and gloriously, and has existed for more than a century, but such treatment would leave it to future generations as only an incident in history that is, it came, it nourished and it passed away, just as did the true religion in the early days ”

“ Not at all; you are only less familiar with the methods or principles upon which the resurrection depends, that is all. When we have more of the intelligence of heaven, and can understand more regarding the great principle by which the resurrection is brought about, it will appear simple enough. God permits a ray of intelligence to come from heaven; it reaches the mind of man, it gives us knowledge of the telegraph, by which our messages flash from nation to nation in the twinkling of an eye, and opens to our understanding many other wonders of modern science. ”

“ Jesus said, "In my Father's house are many mansions," or kingdoms. They will come forth in the first, second or some other resurrection, if they have not been guilty of the particular sins I have just mentioned; and they will enjoy a kingdom and a glory greater than they had ever anticipated. When we talk about people's being damned, I would like to have all understand that we do not use the term "damnation" in the sense that it is used by the sectarian world. Universal, salvation or redemption is the doctrine of the Bible ”

“ At the present time, when men declare that they have no need of apostles or prophets, they are divided, and subdivided, and in fact carried about by every doctrine that is promulgated—as Paul saw that they would be, if inspired apostles and prophets were not found to lead them. In losing these officers, the Church lost her authority, together with all her gifts and graces, and the so-called Christian churches today are disrobed of all her beautiful garments; and even those who pretend to defend her are crying out that her gifts, graces and ordinances are useless in this age of the world. ”

“ I realize how much happiness God has given me in this world, and how much I should endeavor to please Him, and have therefore devoted more time to reading His word than ever before, and, strange to say, I have found passages quoted by Mr. Durant whenever I have read, and the verses marked in my Bible seem to lead to something else that he has said. His testimony is so deeply rooted in my heart that I almost believe his people will yet be my people, and his faith will be my faith. ”

“ Mourning for the righteous dead springs from the ignorance and weakness that are planted within the mortal tabernacle, the organization of this house for the spirit to dwell in. No matter what pain we suffer, no matter what we pass through, we cling to our mother earth, and dislike to have any of her children leave us. We love to keep together the social family relation that we bear one to another, and do not like to part with each other ”

“ In the Book of Doctrine and Covenants these glories are called telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, which is the highest. These are worlds, different departments, or mansions, in our Father's house. New those men, or those women, who know no more about the power of God, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by another person, suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another's sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they anticipate; they will never be capable of becoming Gods. ”

“ It has been, and is now, believed by numerous individuals, that the brute creation, by increase in knowledge and wisdom, change their physical or bodily organization, through numerous states of existence, so that the minutest insect, in lapse of time, can take to itself the human form, and visa versa. This is one of the most inconsistent ideas that could be possibly entertained in the mind of man; it is called the transmigration of souls. It is enough for me to know that mankind are made to improve themselves. ”

“ The more purity that exists, the less is the strife; the more kind we are to our animals, the more will peace in crease, and the savage nature of the brute creation vanish away. If the people will not serve the devil another moment whilst they live, if this congregation is possessed of that spirit and resolution, here in this house is the Millennium. Let the inhabitants of this city be possessed of that spirit, let the people of the territory be possessed of that spirit, and here is the Millennium. ”

“ It is not only a privilege, but a duty for the Saints to seek unto the Lord their God for wisdom and understanding, to be in possession of the spirit that fills the heavens, until their eyes are anointed and opened to see the world as it really is, to know what it is made for, and why all things are as they are. ”

“ Of course we have no disposition, as Latter-day Saints, even if we had the power, to constrain any person to believe our doctrines. We have not the power; we have not the disposition. We simply wish to explain the nature of that religion of which we are ministers—laboring under a feeling of anxiety to deliver the message with which we have been sent, that our friends may have the privilege of receiving or rejecting it, just as they think proper. ”

“ When you remember the population and the area, it will readily appear that there is great room for more inhabitants, and yet it must be remembered that only a small portion of the ground is fit for cultivation, the greater part being wild hills or sandy desert. The numerous valleys are like fruitful oases in a wilderness of rugged mountains, which latter serve as reservoirs for the snows of winter, that supply the summer rills with water. ”

“ We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam's transgression.
We believe that, through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. ”

“ The gospel of salvation is perfectly calculated to cause division. It strikes at the root of the very existence of mankind in their wickedness, evil designs, passions and wicked calculations. There is no evil among the human family, but at the foundation of which it strikes effectually, and comes in contact with every evil passion that rises in the heart of man. ”

“ Durant on the religious faith of a people who claim to have the keys of a new dispensation committed to them. If their claim is correct, then it is of the utmost importance to the whole human race. If God has indeed spoken from the heavens, it is the duty of His children to listen; on the other hand, if this claim of the Mormons be founded on a myth, then it is our duty to do all in our power to disprove their declarations, and deny that they have any divine commission whatever to proclaim the principles of salvation. ”

“ I assure you, my dear sir, I only wish to refer to a few doctrines from the Bible which are necessary to be understood by you in order that you may obtain eternal life. Thus far we have only examined the first principles of the gospel, but now we will speak of the officers whom Christ placed in His Church, and learn by what means men receive authority to act in the name of God. ”

“ And, of course, we who have faith in God and in His revealed word, as contained in the Old and New Testaments, deplore a state of things that indicates a departure from that respect and reverence which we wish to see existing and manifested on the part of the people towards the Supreme Being.
"What is the reason that people are becoming irreligious? What is the reason that people talk of sacred things lightly? What is the reason that men who have heretofore been respected as ministers of religion are now little thought of? ”

“ We believe that there has been a general and awful apostasy from the religion of the New Testament, so that all the known world have been left for centuries without the church of Christ among them; without a priesthood authorized of God to administer ordinances; that every one of the churches has perverted the gospel, some in one way and some in another. ”

“ And here let me remark that the strength of the Church consists in the personal knowledge and testimony of the members. The Spirit of God fills each member with unfaltering faith, and he builds his superstructure of religious belief on personal knowledge, imparted to him, by the power of the Spirit, through revelation. ”