Brigham Young

“ I will say to my brethren and sisters, Were your faith concentrated upon the proper object, your confidence unshaken, your lives pure and holy, every one fulfilling the duties of his or her calling according to the Priesthood and capacity bestowed upon you, you would be filled with the Holy Ghost, and it would be as impossible for any man to deceive and lead you to destruction as for a feather to remain unconsumed in the midst of intense heat. ”

“ I can reveal principles that pertain to this oneness—to this holiness of life; but to make the people believe and practise them is another thing. I can preach the Gospel, but I cannot make people obey its mandates when they are not so disposed: that is a matter left entirely to themselves. ”

“ This truth we have, and we offer it, without money or price, to the world who are beguiled, benighted, and deceived by the artful mass of superstition, bigotry, tradition, fashions, customs, cliques, and plans that have been growing and ripening from the days of Adam until now, introducing discord, strife, animosity, anarchy, and crime of every grade, suffering of every kind, and premature death to millions. They are embracing shadows and trying to retain that which will perish in their grasp and leave them desolate. ”

“ When fear comes upon the people that a Bishop or President is leading them astray and introducing evil among them, it proves to me that the people are wrong and are destitute of the power of their holy calling. They are willingly deceived. It is folly to say that a community of Saints who are living up to their callings can be led astray by their Bishop or President. There is no such principle in all the kingdoms God has made. ”

“ A perfect oneness will save a people, because intelligent beings cannot become perfectly one only by acting upon principles that pertain to eternal life. Wicked men may be partially united in evil; but, in the very nature of things, such a union is of short duration. The very principle upon which they are partially united will itself breed contention and disunion to destroy the temporary compact. Only the line of truth and righteousness can secure to any kingdom or people, either of earthly or heavenly existence, an eternal continuation of perfect union ”

“ All organized matter must dissolve and return to its native element, unless it is made pure and holy—capable of enduring eternal burnings. All principles, principalities, powers, thrones, kingdoms, dominions, communities, neighbourhoods, and individuals, with their actions public and private, their feelings and aspirations, that are not concentrated in the oneness taught by our Saviour, will come to dissolution into native element. Says Jesus, "I and my Father are one." They are one in their faith, purposes, and actions,, the Saviour being subject to the Father in all things. ”

“ Let every man stand in his lot and calling as long as he can, and not complain that this Bishop and that President cannot perform his duty. Why can he not? Because you are exercising your faith against him, which, in many instances, is the reason why he is trammelled. If the faith, spirit, and life of the people are right, they would not be troubled with bad Bishops and bad Presidents, and I would not be so troubled with affairs which should be attended to by others. ”

“ You hear the remark that such and such a man is not fit to be a Bishop? I acknowledge that many who are called to be Bishops are not fit for the office, for it is one of the most important offices in the Church to rightly administer in temporal things. A Bishop also ministers in spiritual things, and is required to devote time to the wellbeing and prosperity of his Ward, like a father to a family. It is an office that keenly tries the patience, faith, and feelings of a man. ”

“ All we have to care about is to take care of ourselves and see that we do right. Let us man the ship manfully, every one standing faithfully and firmly to his post, and she will outride every storm and safely bear us to the harbour of celestial bliss. ”

“ We must be one. Our faith must be concentrated in one great work—the building up of the kingdom of God on the earth, and our works must aim to the accomplishment of that great purpose. This people, I am happy to say, are fast improving. In our testimony meeting yesterday, I could not refrain from weeping for joy. What a peaceful, joyous, happy, heavenly spirit rested upon the congregation. Live so, my brethren and sisters, that you can enjoy that Spirit all the time. ”

“ You all know that even such a man would become mighty in the house of Israel, if he had the faith of his Ward. The capacities of all sane persons are capable of enlargement. You may take the weakest man in the Church, if he is faithful, and ordain him a Bishop, and he will grow into wisdom, knowledge, strength, power, light, intelligence, and the spirit of his calling. ”

“ If we do not know it, let us, in the first place, find out whether his Church is here or not and wherever we find it, with its keys and powers, let us bow to its mandates and observe religiously its order.
I will here make a few remarks which I think will check some of the complaints from women about their husbands. I acknowledge that many women know much more than their husbands, and for this reason the faith and confidence in them droop; they do not seek to uphold them in the dignity of their position and calling. ”

“ I have seldom seen enough affliction to prevent my dropping to sleep in a minute after I had lain down to rest and my business for the day was done, and sleeping as soundly as a healthy child in the lap of its mother. God is at the helm. ”

“ The Saviour sought continually to impress upon the minds of his disciples that a perfect oneness reigned among all celestial beings—that the Father and the Son and their minister, the Holy Ghost, were one in their administration in heaven and among the people pertaining to this earth. ”

“ By seeking to cast off her husband—by withdrawing her confidence and goodwill from him, she casts a dark shade upon his path, when, by pursuing a proper course of love, obedience, and encouragement, he might attain to that perfection she had anticipated in him. ”

“ He is the Author of our existence—the Giver of every good and perfect gift, and he must be obeyed, If he has restored the holy Priesthood to the children of men and organized his Church upon the earth ”

“ Let men and women who profess to be Latter-day Saints live their religion, and they will be filled with wisdom, and all these little trifling traits of life will vanish. If my brother or sister commits an overt act, all I wish to know is whether the wrong was intended. ”

“ And again, maybe the husband does not magnify his priesthood, follow diligently the duties of his calling, and increase in the faith of the Gospel, as it is his privilege to do. He should be the head of the wife all the day long. I will venture to say a little more upon this point. I like to see people consistent with the wisdom they profess to have. ”

“ If he does not thus advance, it is because he more or less forsakes his calling and sets his heart upon something besides the holy Priesthood that is placed upon him. There is not a faithful man in this Church but what will increase in his understanding of the ways and duties of life. ”

“ If all the people would so live, there would be no High Council or Bishops' Court necessary to adjudicate upon matters of contention and strife. If a man did not lay his polls on his fence to please me, I would go and turn them, and he would be quite willing that I should be accommodated. ”

“ His mind will expand, the visions of heaven will be opened to him, and truth pertaining to all subjects of art and science will increase within him.
Does not the weakest intellect of a properly organized person know more at ten years of age. ”