Brigham Young

“ If you do not fully live up to the knowledge you have, I can say that you have done about as well as you could. We have a warfare on our hands. Evil is here; the Devil reigns on the earth, and has held dominion on it for thousands of years. ”

“ And would not you like to live long upon the earth, with power to overcome diseases, to overcome your enemies, to enjoy life, to plant gardens, build cities, and adorn and make them beautiful, set out shade trees, orchards, and vineyards, make walks, parks, and ornamental grounds, and have schools, academies, and universities, living six, seven, or eight hundred years and more to enjoy these blessings?
A few thousand years ago mankind outlived many of the present generations. ”

“ We are not here merely to prepare to die, and then die; but we are here to live and build up the kingdom of God on the earth—to promote the Priesthood, overcome the powers of Satan, and teach the children of men what they are created for—that in them is concealed the germ of all intelligence. ”

“ We are here to live to spread intelligence and knowledge among the people. I am here to school any brethren, to teach my family the way of life, to propagate my species, and to live, if in my power, until sin, iniquity, corruption, hell, the Devil, and all classes and grades of abominations are driven from the earth. ”

“ You have the privilege to receive the Spirit of the kingdom, and to rejoice in that Spirit. Then you have the privilege to exercise your faith to live. The first principle that pertains to the intelligence God has bestowed upon us is to know how to preserve the present organization with which we are endowed. It is man's first duty to his existence, a knowledge of which would cause him to use all prudent efforts for the preservation of his life on the earth until his work here is completed. ”

“ They are here to increase and multiply, to enlarge, to gather the house of Israel, redeem Zion, build up the Zion of our God, and to promote that eternal intelligence that dwells with the Gods, and begin to plant it in this earth, and make it take root downward and bring forth fruit upward to the glory of God, until every obnoxious principle in the hearts of men is destroyed, and the earth returns to its paradisaical state, and the Lord comes and dwells with this people, and walks and talks with them as he did with Father Adam. ”

“ Jesus says, "He that liveth and believeth in me shall never die." His body may be laid away to rest for a short time, but he shall not taste of death. When his spirit is released from this mortal tabernacle, the body drops back to mother earth; but the spirit departs with an assurance that the body will not always remain in the dust. The body has merely fallen asleep for a while, to be again quickened and united with the spirit to live forever.
It is recorded, you are aware, that in former days mankind lived to a great age—to over nine hundred years. ”

“ Instead of walking in the dark, not knowing where you are going, or what your lives are for, you will walk in the light and rejoice in your present existence; and instead of spreading sin and iniquity, you will do good and spread intelligence among your families and neighbours and throughout your cities, and continue to increase in the wisdom that promotes the happiness of the children of men and causes them to rejoice in and profit by their present existence. ”

“ Come and be prayed for, and give yourselves wholly, unreservedly, to the Supreme Being,"—when they do not know where he is, what he is, nor what he is doing, nor whether he created us, or not. Yet at times, under that system, the cloud of gloom, of darkness, and terror that has rested on their understandings is removed in a greater or less degree, and they are filled with joy and peace, and exclaim, "I know that my Redeemer lives." ”

“ And in addressing a congregation, though the speaker be unable to say more than half-a-dozen sentences, and those awkwardly constructed, if his heart is pure before God, those few broken sentences are of more value than the greatest eloquence without the Spirit of the Lord, and of more real worth in the sight of God, angels, and all good men. In praying, though a person's words be few and awkwardly expressed, if the heart is pure before God, that prayer will avail more than the eloquence of a Cicero. ”

“ True; but often it is a marvel to me that you have lived up to so much as you have, considering the power of the enemy upon the earth. Few that have ever lived have fully understood that power. I do not fully comprehend the awful power and influence Satan has upon the earth, but I understand enough to know that it is a marvel that the Latter-day Saints are so good as they are. They are improving in the southern settlements, between here and there, and in other places.
Those who live their religion will enjoy the Spirit, and that enjoyment will increase ”

“ It is written that in the latter days the age of man shall be as the age of a tree, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. The Prophet understood that what had been would be again; also that mankind would become blinder in the understandings, and make their days shorter and shorter, until they would become almost extinct; and that then the Lord would begin to revive his Spirit and power and Priesthood among his children ”

“ This is a work in which the female portion of the Latter-day Saints can be efficient co-labourers. The sisters may inquire, "What can we do?" Rule your own passions, and exercise faith until you can govern and control your appetites, instead of drinking tea, coffee, and hot drinks. That is one of the smallest duties I can think of. Permit your bodies to have natural forms; also take pains to have the bodies of your daughters grow naturally, and teach them what they are made for, and that they, through faith, must overcome every besetting sin and every unholy passion and appetite. ”

“ It is not enough for us to have the good Spirit sufficiently to satisfy us that we are prepared to enter into the kingdom of heaven, though this is all that some people desire; but that will not answer the purpose of a Latter-day Saint. ”

“ The great majority say, "All is right." Those few do not understand the true principle of increase. You may plough, sow, plant, irrigate, &c., and you have not power, and will not have for a long time, to produce one kernel of wheat. Some do not seem to realize that the Lord gives or takes away, increases or diminishes at his pleasure. After the Devil, by permission, had stripped Job of his possessions, in a short time the Lord blessed him with a greatly-increased abundance. The Lord suffered the Devil to strip him of what he had blest him with, and then increased those blessings. ”

“ They are nigh unto destruction, and it is for us to so live that we can gain the goodness, glory, and mercy of our God. It is our right to claim his mercy, and our duty to labour to gather all the honest home to Zion. ”

“ They are enumerated in the Scripture, and more has been revealed by the manifestation of the Spirit than has yet been written. If you are satisfied that "Mormonism" is true, and that you have the enjoyment of the Spirit that accompanies the Priesthood, you can rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. You will overcome every evil passion that tends to bring darkness instead of light, hatred instead of love, which should reign predominant in your bosoms. ”

“ They do not know where they are from, nor what they came to this world to do, only as they have been taught by their parents. "My soul rejoices, and I am ready to die," seems to be the ultimatum of their religion. ”

“ You may search the history of the world, and see whether you can find the equal of this people's progress; it exceeds all that is written in the Book of Mormon concerning the prosperity of the Nephites under like circumstances. ”

“ The people here are rich. Look at those who were in Missouri, in Nauvoo, and in Winter Quarters, and there are only a very few but what are now worth more than they ever expected to be. The Lord has increased our flocks and herds until some are sorry they have so many for the Indians and thieves to drive away. ”