Brigham Young

“ Every person who seeks to know right, to understand every principle of truth pertaining to the earth and the heavens, and by obedience to the laws of the Gospel to obtain the Spirit of truth from the great Fountain of truth, when he hears a truth, whether moral, religious, scientific, or mechanical, whether it pertains to God, to man, to the heavens, or to the earth, that truth is congenial to his feelings, and it seems to him that he had known it all his life. Notwithstanding the dreadful effects of the fall of man, almost all men delight in truth and righteousness. ”

“ When God speaks to the people, he does it in a manner to suit their circumstances and capacities. He spoke to the children of Jacob through Moses, as a blind, stiff-necked people, and when Jesus and his Apostles came they talked with the Jews as a benighted, wicked, selfish people. They would not receive the Gospel, though presented to them by the Son of God in all its righteousness, beauty and glory. Should the Lord Almighty send an angel to re-write the Bible, it would in many places be very different from what it now is. ”

“ If men are not righteous themselves, as a general thing they honour and revere a righteous person more than they do the wicked and froward. A few in these latter days have ventured to stem the current of iniquity; defying the finger of scorn they have raised their hands to Heaven saying, "we are for God." They repeat a glorious text, "The kingdom of God or nothing." It is with them, "Heaven or nothing." The Lord must reign and rule.
We did not produce ourselves. We did not make the earth, nor stretch out the starry heavens. ”

“ All who confess that Joseph Smith is sent of God in the latter days, to lay the foundation of his everlasting kingdom no more to be thrown down, and will continue to keep his commandments, are born of God. All those who believe in their hearts and confess with their mouths that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet, at the same time trying with their might to live the holy principles Joseph the Prophet has revealed, are in possession of the Holy Spirit of God and are entitled to a fullness. ”

“ It is his right to control the gold and the silver, the wheat and the fine flour, yea, all the elements that have been enumerated by the searching eye of philosophy and science, and those that are past finding out by mortals in their present state. Has an unholy principle, a wicked influence that leads to death, the right to control the ability and power to do good which God has placed in man? ”

“ Using the same figure, the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are called to right up the world. To turn it over is a gigantic work, but it will be done, for both the righteous on earth, and the sanctified in heaven are working at it, and all power both in heaven and on earth is given to the Saviour by his Father. It is our business to fully comprehend the sayings and doings of the Saviour in his mission on the earth, which is life to all who believe and endure to the end in the pursuit of life eternal. ”

“ When such men go into the world to preach the Gospel though they know not a letter in a book, they will do more real good to erring man than the great and wise can possibly do, though aided by all their learning and worldly influence in the absence of the gift of the Holy Ghost. When the spirit of the preacher is embued with the Spirit and power of God, his words enter the understandings of the honest, who discern the truth and at once embrace it to their eternal advantage. ”

“ When we have passed this earthly ordeal and have proven to the heavens that we are worthy to be crowned with crowns of glory, immortality and eternal lives, then the Lord will say these are yours, but until then we own nothing.
Will all believe as we believe? I know not. I would be pleased if all men would believe the truth and practice righteousness. ”

“ What better, in the sight of Heaven, are those who place their affections upon earthly wealth, than the children of Israel who worshipped a calf?
Those who wish to join us in this great work, must do as we have done, to obtain that which we have obtained. It is not our business to question the validity of any of the laws and ordinances of God. It is no matter to us how simple the ordinance he requires us to submit to, in order to attain a certain end. ”

“ Who removeth the mountains and they knew not; who overturneth them in his anger; who shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble; who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars; who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea ”

“ The plan of salvation cannot be told in one discourse, nor in one day, one month, or one year, for it is from everlasting to everlasting like the Priesthood of the Son of God, without beginning of days or end of life. ”

“ It has not entered into the heart of man to conceive of the greatness of their glory. But the glory of those who enter into the presence of God exceeds all these in glory, as the light of the sun exceeds the light of the moon and stars. All these different glories are ordained to fit the capacities and conditions of men.
Let me say a word in praise of the congregation before me. Here I see people who have gathered from almost every nation of the earth, and they have brought with them their national customs, traditions, education, fashions and language ”

“ We must restore the integrity and confidence which have been lost to the world. The kings upon their thrones have to pay for their positions, for they cannot trust themselves in the hands of their attendants, without bribery. Only the semblance of honour, integrity and confidence are to be found in the world, and even that brings a high price ”

“ God alone has the right to control the intelligence that is in the human family, for he is the giver of it.
Religious people talk a great deal about doing wondrous great things for the Lord—about doing this, that and the other for the glory of God. Every good that man performs is, firstly, for his own benefit and eternal welfare, if he continues in well doing, and secondly, for the common good of others, so far as his example and the influence of good done effects others. ”

“ All the inhabitants of the earth have had the privilege of proving themselves before God in their life time whether they delighted in that which was right or that which was wrong, and according to that, those who have been without law will be judged without law. ”

“ Philosophy has tried to search out God, but it stands aghast amid the great and wondrous works of the great Supreme. It acknowledges a great Designer and Framer of the universe, but how to approach him, it findeth not. ”

“ Render unto God that which is God's. I care not whether it be gold, silver or copper. When men extract the precious metals from the earth, they breathe the air, drink the water and eat the food that belongs to God. ”

“ Man is created for a glorious purpose—for a life that is eternal. A great deal is comprehended in the two words "eternal life;" they entirely exclude death. We have no death to preach, for we should never practice the principles of death, but pursue the path that leads to the continuation of the lives. ”

“ The Lord designs to set up his kingdom in our day, and the commandments he requires us to obey and the duties he makes obligatory for us are easy. We can perform all he requires of us, without hurting us in the least.
Some contend that there is no virtue in the water, but there is virtue in him who has made the commandment, and he has power to pardon sins. ”

“ The generations of men from the beginning have refused to pay homage to their God, and to render unto him that which belongs to him. If men serve God, it is to their advantage; but they suppose that they sacrifice a great deal for God and do him a great service, and are enriching him and impoverishing themselves. ”

“ We may, for comparison's sake, imagine a great king who has many kingdoms to dispose of and many sons to give them to, but one of his sons will not have his kingly father to rule over him, neither will he accept of any of his favours. ”

“ All people live upon the bounty of the Almighty, yet they say that the precious metals are theirs, and they will devote this wealth to their own service, revel in luxury, and do as they please. Those who possess the wealth of this world, possess it by the permission of the Almighty, and then they go needlessly on in the way to destruction. ”

“ Philosophers say the at-mosphere is forty miles deep. Be this as it may, there are no bounds to the elements that compose worlds like this. This earthly ball, this little opake [opaque] substance thrown off into space, is only a speck in the great universe; and when it is celestialized it will go back into the presence of God, where it was first framed. All belongs to God, and those who keep his celestial law will return to him. ”

“ Not unless they are baptized for the remission of sins, and live faithfully in the observance of the words of life, all the rest of their days. "In my Father's house are many mansions." "Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at; because straight is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." A question was asked Joseph Smith if all would be damned, except the Latter-day Saints. ”

“ Could the Lord consistently have given them power over their enemies to whom they were subject while in this state of rebellion to God and his laws, they would have become more wicked than the Romans or other heathen nations of the land. Had he given them power over the Egyptians in the days of Moses, they would have become more wicked than the Egyptians, and would have used this saving power to bring upon them a more sure and terrible destruction. ”

“ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." A man must be born again before he can see the kingdom of God ”

“ They will not welter in hell to an endless eternity, but they will rise higher and higher, and continue to increase in intelligence and love of truth as they advance. There will be an eternal progress in the knowledge of God.
May God bless the people. ”

“ All must have the privilege of proving to God and angels what they will do with the talent and ability God has given them, whether they will waste their blessings in pandering to unholy appetites or use them in the way God has designed they should. This is one great reason why men are permitted to do as they do. ”

“ It is an orthodox doctrine that God has decreed whatsoever comes to pass. He has decreed many things to come to pass, but not all things. He has not decreed that one man shall blaspheme his name, and that another shall often be found on his knees praying to him ”

“ It may be asked whether any person can be saved, except those who are baptized. Yes, all the inhabitants of the earth will be saved, except those that sin against the Holy Ghost. Will they come into the presence of the Father and the Son? ”

“ A life time is too short to tell the extent of the mission of the Saviour to the human family, but I will venture to use one of his sayings, in connection with what I have already quoted from the book of Revelations. ”