Brigham Young

“ And while others choose evil principles and build upon a foundation which leads to destruction, let us build upon the principles of eternal salvation, as we have striven to do all the day long.
We are a mystery and a stumbling-block to this generation. One man will say, "What a numbhead that Brigham Young is!" and another that "this people are dupes and fanatics;" and yet no man can controvert, with sound argument, the principles we advance. ”

“ If this people do not, no people upon this earth do. And I am happy in being able to say that they have proved that they place less value upon their farms, houses, and other comforts of life than they do, upon their religion, and that so many of them try to live their religion day by day.
If you have superior wisdom in your midst for your guidance, why do you not learn that fact, and permit yourselves to be guided by that wisdom in your business transactions as well as in doctrine?—for there is no dividing between matters spiritual and temporal. ”

“ No other people can truthfully say that they can handle the things of this world without having their affections placed upon them, even though many of them will endure more or less affliction for their religion. Some will throw themselves under the massive wheels of the car of Juggernaut, and be crushed to pieces, and others will endure all that is possible for their religion, no matter whether it is true or false. There is not so much difficulty in leading persons to death for the religion we profess, as there is in inducing them to live to its pure principles. ”

“ Let those called Latter-day Saints so learn wisdom as to carry out the true principles of government, that they may be able to wisely govern and control all things. Do any suppose that we shall ever war against the principles or form of our National Government? We shall not; for we love and cherish them, and always have and ever expect to, because they are good and just. ”

“ A man who has wisdom to control one wife and five children can control ten wives and one hundred children; then he can control a town, a city, a state, a nation, a kingdom, or the whole world.
Understand and practise those holy and just principles that reach to the comprehending of all wisdom, until the nations of the earth look to Zion for wise counsel. ”

“ The Priesthood does not wait for ignorance: it instructs those who have not wisdom, and are desirous of learning correct principles. But our Government is controlled by ignorance; and thousands who are ignorant of the true principles. of correct government are placed in important positions, and every department is more or less governed by ignorance, folly, and weakness. More imbecility has been manifested in the management of public affairs, of late, than ought to be manifested by any government. ”

“ And although you think that you sustain your Presidency, yet many conduct themselves in some things precisely as do the people in the world. They take a course to destroy themselves politically and religiously, and they will destroy themselves; and so would many of you, if you were destitute of counsellors dictated by the Spirit of the Lord to direct in all things, whether relating to religious or political government. ”

“ I have tried to tell you; but I am sometimes at a loss to convey a correct understanding with words. I should have the language of angels to enable me to exactly convey my ideas, and that would require an audience who understand that language. There are duties which are above affection. Our enemies have driven this people from their homes until their affections are no longer placed upon the things of this world, which is more than all other communities can say in truth. ”

“ It takes the whole man to make a Saint: there are no exceptions in "Mormonism." Learn so to think and direct your acts in every transaction of life, that we may overcome the evil that is sown within us. ”

“ The Government of the United States is Republican in form, and should be in its administration, and requires a man for President who is capable of communicating to the understanding of the people, according to their capacity, information upon all points pertaining to the just administration of the Government. He should understand what administrative policy would be most beneficial to the nation. ”

“ No, they do not: but their ignorance will not prevent the effects. They do not know the consequences of unwise acts; but they will produce evil, whether they understand them or not.
There are those who, it would seem, can never come to understanding: they are apparently stereotyped, never to improve any more, while others have their minds open and constantly learning and increasing in wisdom and understanding. ”

“ They have passed from our affections, and shall we turn round and cling to them? We do not feel to care how soon the Lord sees fit, in his wisdom, to require us to lay them utterly waste." That feeling proves to me that the affections of this people are not placed upon earthly things; still there is a lack of understanding with some in regard to using them aright. If we have made the sacrifice complete in our feelings, we have been driven far enough ”

“ And if people could understand things as they are, there never would be any apostacy—none would fall through lack of faith and good works. In regard to this people's sustaining the First Presidency, they believe that they do; but still there is something beyond which many do not as yet understand: there are instances in which they do not fully sustain the Presidency. It may be asked, "Have not this people voted to sustain the Presidency?" Yes; but do they sustain them in every particular? The great majority sustain them, as far as they understand. ”

“ There is no act of a Latter-day Saint—no duty required—no time given, exclusive and independent of the Priesthood. Everything is subject to it, whether preaching, business, or any other act pertaining to the proper conduct of this life. ”

“ You must enjoy that Spirit, or you cannot walk in the same path with those who are appointed to be your counsellors and teachers. But if you possess that Spirit, instead of taking various by-paths, you will be able to walk in the path that leadeth to life. ”

“ When the people learn to partake of the Spirit which governs this kingdom, and become fully imbued with that Spirit, they will understand the objects, examples, and designs of those who are placed to counsel and direct them. ”

“ They will sustain, with their prayers, every department of the Priesthood as being teachers of the plan of salvation, but do not understand that there is not an act in the lives of intelligencies but what has a tendency to either sustain or oppose—a tendency either for good or evil. ”

“ We have to learn that all the elements are eternal, though their varied earthly forms are organized to be dissolved. We must not place our affections upon these things until they are organized for eternity. ”

“ The Lord gave us the ability to obtain what we have; and if our affections are so chastened that we can measurably realize that he gave us the power to accumulate our possessions—that he organized the elements and gave us bodies and life upon the earth—that all blessings are the gift of the Lord, then we have profited by the experience now offered ”

“ We intend to build a Temple in these mountains, and not act upon the principle of some who have been here ten years without a comfortable dwelling. I want the Elders of Israel to know how to lay the foundation of Zion. ”

“ Last spring I wanted to detect some spirits that I could not make manifest to the people, only in the course I then took. There are those who, when they know that they have liberty to act in a certain manner, do not care about moving in that direction ”

“ If we will take that course, we shall be laying up treasures in heaven. Earthly things will be decomposed, and their reorganization will be by the power of the resurrection: then we shall begin to understand the proper use of element. ”

“ I also want a mill-race dug some three-quarters-of-a-mile in length, and an excavation made for the foundation of a grist-mill. When that is done, we will plan something else for we want every one to have the privilege of being actively engaged in some useful occupation. We want men to labour in every mechanical pursuit that they can ”

“ I understand that a company has been chartered by the Legislative Assembly to make that road; and if those men will come forward, we will take the responsibility of making it. We shall need about five hundred labourers. ”

“ With the exception of a short time during the late difficulties, all persons have always had the privilege of going away from here when they pleased, and have been repeatedly invited to do so, if they wished to ”