Brigham Young

“ Who has ordained the passions of the mind and the body, which constitute the soul? Who should control them? To whom should they be devoted? If the vail of the covering that is over us and the nations of the earth were so removed that we could behold the glory, the excellency, the beauty of the attributes that are dispensed by the children of men—for they are appointed by the Lord who has ordained all these things—would not God be in all our thoughts? ”

“ But we have learned that in our organization we are as independent as the angels are in theirs, or as any heavenly being that dwells in eternity.
If a nation transgresses wholesome laws and oppresses any of its citizens or another nation, until the cup of its iniquity is full, through acts that are perfectly under its own control, God will hurl those who are in authority from their power, and they will be forgotten; and he will take another people, though poor and despised, a hiss and a by-word among the popular nations, and instil into them power and wisdom ”

“ If we can realize that everything in all the eternities that ever were and ever will be is ordained of God for the benefit and glory of intelligent beings, we can understand why he said to Joseph, "Against none is my anger kindled, only those who do not acknowledge my hand in all things." ”

“ Missionaries have visited them and men of learning and scientific research; and they have not only learned the geography, but have actually sounded the intelligence of the inhabitants of the whole globe, so far as we yet know, going from west to east, and in the south and north as, far as man can penetrate; and among them all, aside from the revelations in our day, there is not knowledge enough to tell you why God suffered sin to come into the world. You have been told the reason why—that all intelligence must prove facts by their opposite. ”

“ Is there anything that passes with the children of men that the Lord does not control to his glory? That is what the Lord wants every man and woman to understand. If there is good, the Lord is there to dictate it. If there is power, has he not power over all the power there is upon the face of the earth? If there is evil, if there is sorrow, if there is trouble, if there are, trials for his people, is he not there to dictate those sorrows and troubles? All that passes, upon the earth is under his eye ”

“ I will acknowledge the hand of God, not only when our Government is arrayed against this little handful of people, but also when the whole world take the same stand. I am going to acknowledge the hand of God every time. ”

“ Light and darkness are here; the power of God and the power of the enemy are here. It is for us to bring into right subjection every act of our lives and all around us. It is for us to see the hand of God and acknowledge it in all things.
If you want to dance, run a footrace, pitch quoits, or play at ball, do it, and exercise your bodies, and let your minds rest.
The blessings of food, sleep, and social enjoyment are ordained of God for his glory and our benefit, and it is for us to learn to use them and not abuse them, that his kingdom may advance on the earth, and we advance in it. ”

“ Those who cannot serve God with a pure heart in the dance should not dance; though dancing is not an ordinance, except we say it is an ordinance of folly and weakness. I have not the privilege of going to the kanyon to chop and load wood and logs. I do not go to the joiner's bench, as I used to, and toil until my body is nearly wearied to death. But my mind is from eternity to eternity—from the beginning of the creation to the end thereof: it is not confined to the length of a twelve-foot board. ”

“ Could we but behold and realize the handiwork of the Lord in all his doings, and that he has created and ordained everything for the benefit of his creatures, would not that bring us to sense, realize, and understand the hand of the Lord in all things? In consequence of the darkness and traditions that have been over us, many look upon things, acts, and blessings, not knowing whether they flow from the Lord or proceed from some other power.
Who would be deprived of the blessing of sight or of hearing? What amount of money would hire an individual to part with those senses? ”

“ It would also be a great blessing for a people to really understand that the eye of the Lord is upon all his works—that nothing escapes his notice, and that all is composed, organized, and brought forth for the glory, benefit, and use of intelligent beings. There is no true enjoyment in life—nothing that can be a blessing to an individual or to a community, but what is ordained of God to bless his people. ”

“ Whether it is ploughing, sowing, harvesting, building, going into the kanyons, or whatever it is we do, it is all within the pale of the kingdom of God, to forward his cause on the earth, to redeem and build up his Zion, and prepare ourselves, that when the Lord shall usher in the morning of rest we may enter into our labours to officiate for our dead friends back to Adam.
All that have lived or will live on this earth will have the privilege of receiving the Gospel. ”

“ You are organized expressly for the purpose of being exalted, of preserving your identity before the Lord, and being prepared to enter into celestial glory, to be crowned, to receive kingdoms, thrones, and dominions,—to design and act as do the Gods. These principles you are well acquainted with, and they should be continually before you. All intelligent beings are also endowed with certain inalienable rights, privileges, and powers inherent in them. When God organized intelligent beings, he organized them as independent beings to a certain extent, as he is himself. ”

“ But a man or woman that intends, when they go into a room prepared for music and dancing, to serve the Devil a little while, I would to God that they would go to California, where they may serve the Devil all they desire to.
I would rather have a hundred righteous men with whom to face all hell, and the world at its back, than to have all this great community, unless they serve the Lord. ”

“ And whether we see an evil act or a good one performed by an intelligent being, that being has performed the act by his will, by his own independent organization, which is capable of doing good or evil, of choosing light or darkness, of performing that which will promote life, or that which will promote death, or a dissolution of his organization. ”

“ That knowledge has not been upon the earth for centuries, until the Lord revealed it through the Prophet Joseph Smith,—at least not to our knowledge, and we have a pretty good understanding of this world and its inhabitants. There are but very few places in the north, south, east, or west, on the islands or on the continents, that are inhabited by intelligent beings, but what have been penetrated. ”

“ We here enjoy a goodly share of the common blessings of life; and you see a body. of men and women filled with intelligence, and yet you see and hear of some persons who cannot control themselves. God has so ordained that you may learn to control yourselves and work righteousness. It is ordained that you may prove yourselves worthy of every principle and power that are in the Gods to control in eternity. ”

“ The mind of a man who is wholly devoted to the Church and kingdom of God on the earth is powerfully exercised, and he feels all that I can, in proportion to his standing and calling. The minds of such men are exercised from morning until morning again, and they labour more unhealthily than a person does at mowing or chopping wood, and their minds become weary. What do they need? A little relaxation. If you want to dance and rest your minds, dance. ”

“ Many of even these my sisters who are before me to-day have seen the wisdom that is in the Christian, world, while they have been, conversing with their former priests, and, have answered some little question that was a perfect mystery to a priest—a little question which they understood, and the priest did not, and have seen the priests thrown completely off their guard, become dizzy in their heads, and unable to continue the conversation. It is written in this Bible that the woman was found in the transgression, and not the man ”

“ Those that have kept their covenants and served their God, if they wish to exercise themselves in any way, to rest their minds and tire their bodies, go and enjoy yourselves in the dance, and let God be in all your thoughts in this as in all other things, and he will bless you ”

“ If your minds have been wrought up by too much anxiety—if you have had wakeful hours when you ought to have been asleep, in consequence of the threatened danger and troubles,—if you have been afflicted in spirit, and your minds are worn down, which they can be, so long as they are connected with the body, which is apt to wear out, reasonable recreation may be beneficial. ”

“ The principle of pure affection is the gift of God, and it is for us to learn to control it and exercise proper dominion over it; and if we are faithful, we shall see the time when we can say, as our Father in heaven says, I am angry with the wicked ”

“ If you sin not, it is in destroying the evil works, and saving that portion that is ordained for exaltation: that is being angry and sinning not.
We ought to control our passions. God has given us judgment and discretion. Every qualification of man is ordained of God, as well as good and evil. ”

“ You should keep before you, as Latter-day Saints, other principles besides those you may be able to hear or read at any one time. No man can tell you everything in one short discourse. You understand that you have organizations endowed with a certain portion of divine intelligence, which is supreme, absolute, and independent in its sphere. ”

“ So with "Mormonism:" every time they give it a kick, it rises in the scale of power and influence in the world. I am also going to acknowledge the hand of the Lord when I see the day, and I pray that I may, when I can say, Let our Elders pass and repass peaceably, or I will attend to you: let them preach the Gospel, as you do others ”

“ In the course of life there are many of our thoughts, words, and acts that appear to be of minor consequence,—so much so, that we would hardly consider that the Lord would notice them, and are apt to forget that he watches every movement of his creatures, to know whether they appreciate their gifts and blessings which flow from him, or whether they treat them as a thing of naught. ”

“ That always has been a great mystery to the world, and is to this day, with the exception of the knowledge that has gone forth from the Lord through his Prophet Joseph, and then through the Elders of Israel, who have plainly taught many doctrines that were previously a perfect mystery to the people, though they have now adopted many of them into their faith ”

“ The starting-point they have not learned, that no intelligent being could be exalted with the Gods without being subjected to the temptation of sin; that he might know and understand the power of the adversary, the opposite to goodness ”

“ No organized beings are prepared to become associated with or crowned, heirs in the celestial kingdom, until they have passed through these ordeals and have drank of the bitter cup to the dregs, so that they know and understand good from evil. ”

“ They will have Apostles, Prophets, and ministers there, as we have here, to guide them in the ways of truth and righteousness, and lead them back to God. All will have a chance for salvation and eternal life. ”