Charles C. Rich

“ Forty-seven years may appear a long time with us, but a thousand years is not a long time with the Lord. A few moments with Him is a long time with us. It takes a long time according to our reckoning to do the work the Lord has decreed concerning the children of men in this last dispensation. It is no small matter to preach to all nations and kingdoms of the earth; this has to be done; all people must be warned of the judgments of the Lord that are coming upon the earth. The sound of the everlasting Gospel must go forth to all nations. ”

“ If we seek unto the Lord he will give us wisdom to lead us into all truth. It is a serious thing to say the Lord has spoken through us if he has not. To say thus saith the Lord, when the Lord has not spoken, would subject us to his wrath and displeasure. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. ”

“ His sun shines on the just and the unjust, and He causes the earth to bring forth fruit for the benefit of all. He is impartial in His character, and those who love Him and keep His commandments are accepted of Him. If you will not accept His kindness, if you will not receive His blessings, He is not to blame. They are offered free to all without money and without price. ”

“ There is no blessing that our heavenly Father is not ready to bestow upon us on condition that we observe the laws and ordinances established for the salvation of his Saints. We are brought together from time to time that we may be instructed and learn our duties. There are many things to talk about, we have to select a few and pass by the rest. The principle of marriage is one of great importance; our young men and maidens are called upon to become united and to learn to live together and accomplish all the Lord has commanded. ”

“ We are taught by the revelations given us through the Prophet Joseph, that we should not undertake to teach without the spirit, and I feel that I need its influence and power, that I may speak such things that will be pleasing to the Lord. If I have any pride it is in being an Elder in the Church of Jesus Christ, and having the privilege of presenting the principles of life and salvation to the people, and in preaching the fulness of the Gospel that has been restored to us in the last days. ”

“ If twenty or thirty persons engage in business and we make them more wealthy, and others poor, what difference is there between us and the gentile world? If we do as is done in the world, wherein are we better than they? If we carry out the principle of co-operation with unselfishness of spirit and singleness of heart, it will build us up, and the poor also. We do not want to take one man's means and give to another; that is not the principle intended ”

“ We find we have many things to learn, and we learn daily by our experience something we did not know before, and thus we feel our dependence upon the Lord for wisdom to lead and guide us into all truth. ”

“ I have many times heard persons deliver revelations, in which I had no faith whatever. It is difficult to be deceived, if we know the proper channel through which they are to be received. We, as the Church of Jesus Christ, cannot live without revelation. If we had no revelations in this Church, we would not be the Church of Jesus Christ. It is important when we need revelations, that we understand what channel they should come through. ”

“ He intends to lift his people up, and to make them wealthy. When his will is done among the Saints there will be no poor among them. When this time comes all will form one kingdom and serve one God. We are all entitled to his blessings and all should be devoted to his service.
It is not his will that one should be lifted up and another put down, one be made rich and another poor. We have to keep this principle in view in our co-operative labors and be one, or we are not the Lord's. It is the purpose of the Lord to build up the poor, and these principles are revealed for its accomplishment. ”

“ If the Bishop does not understand the matter and cannot give counsel understandingly let him tell the applicant that he don't know how to counsel in this matter; for we shall be held accountable for our acts and counsels and for everything we do or say. If any persons want to know anything you do not know, tell them to go to some one who does know, so that they may not take a leap in the dark. If I were counseled to leave Bear Lake Valley I would leave. It is right for me to be governed by counsel, and if it is right for me it is right for you also, for this principle will apply to us all. ”

“ We find occasionally among us one who wants to strike out in business on the gentile principle, and a few are always ready to feed and encourage an institution of that kind; but we must learn better and do better, and show by our faith and works that we will not sustain such institutions, but that we will serve the Lord, and sustain our brethren, and discard everything that is set up in opposition to the institutions of Zion. ”

“ If any person other than the Presidency should profess to receive revelations for its government, would you consider them genuine revelations? If so, you would be mistaken. We are entitled to the Holy Spirit to help us in the discharge of our duties and to teach us all that is necessary for our guidance. The Bishop is entitled to the spirit of revelation to teach him his duties, and when guided by that spirit he will never come in collision with those who preside over him. ”

“ It is said that beauty is "only skin deep," and I believe it is so, it will shortly fade away. We should be reasonable on this subject, as well as on others; but when a person is love struck, there is no reason in them. We should never be struck very bad. ”

“ When in Salt Lake some time ago, a lady came round and wanted to sell some notions; she said she had just sold a sister twenty-five yards of lace, only one dollar per yard. When I see such things among the Saints I think it a little extravagant; it needs a great amount of means to support a wife who indulges in many such purchases. Some people have extraordinary notions concerning marriage; they think they must have everything to start with; they don't want to marry unless they can have a carriage, horses, and servants, and many things besides ”

“ And you ladies cannot wear a celestial crown without a husband; if you happen to get a husband who is not entitled to a crown, what are you going to do? If I were a lady I should be careful whom I married: I should want to be pretty sure that the man tried to live his religion as revealed to us. Young folks generally marry because they love, sometimes because they are pretty. ”

“ We should seek to the Lord for knowledge and wisdom that we may deal with each other righteously, that we may establish confidence in each other that cannot be shaken. The Lord wishes to introduce and perfect among his Saints the principles of union. ”

“ We should be as willing that others should enjoy the blessings of the Lord as ourselves. We should be as willing to bless other people as we are to be blessed ourselves. I want you, my brethren and sisters, to think of these things and treasure them up in your hearts. ”

“ One of the Bishops remarked yesterday that the people liked co-operation very much when they obtained big dividends, which principle is very good if it is right. As Latter-day Saints we have to deal with the Lord; he knows our hearts and comprehends our thoughts, and we cannot cover up the secrets of hearts from him. ”

“ Many seek after the honors of the world, none of which are worthy to be compared with the honor of serving God, in proclaiming His Gospel to the inhabitants of the earth. I have had the honor of being in this Church for many years. ”

“ What we do that is right will be approved; that which we do that is wrong will be disapproved. If we are willing and obedient we shall find very little trouble in co-operation. We have embraced it in a small way, and we are expected to handle it honestly; and if we do not handle it honestly, it would be better if we never embraced it at all. ”

“ We should understand that there is safety in counsel, but we should seek for it in the proper manner, and from the proper source. We should go for counsel where we have the right to go. When you need counsel you should go to your Bishop or President, and he will give you good counsel if he has any to give. ”

“ We are a people who profess to be governed by counsel. It never hurts any one to obey the counsels of the servants of God, but we should never ask counsel unless we intend to receive it; you should never ask counsel when your mind is made up concerning the thing you ask. ”

“ It is important we put our trust in God. We may have imagined that we were safe from danger and would stand, but difficulties crowd upon us which we had never considered, and we are tempted and tried to prove whether we are willing to stand the trials or not. ”

“ If we do not so co-operate, others may come in who have no interest in our prosperity, who will trade and traffic, and when they become wealthy would leave us and spend their means elsewhere. This has been our experience in years past with those who have come among us with their merchandize. ”

“ I cannot say much in favor of stores although it is necessary that we have such institutions. The grand object before us is to make what we need, and dispense with outside importations, as much as possible. We must not be content to buy and sell what we get abroad, we want to establish a factory, and make our own clothing. We don't want our wool to go abroad to be manufactured for us ”

“ They owned two large farms, good rock houses and property worth sixty thousand dollars, all accumulated by their labor, industry and economy. Many persons marry those possessing fortunes and soon become poor; they are almost sure to run through their property; they did not earn it, and they don't know how to use it. Concerning marriage, it must be an important matter for God to teach and command obedience to it. ”

“ So it is in the hearts of many who join the Church of Jesus Christ. Some seed has fallen on good ground, and has brought forth fruit. The Lord has said He seeks those who worship Him in spirit and in truth. He is no respecter of persons. He has no favorites—only on the principle of righteousness. ”

“ It is promised that the Saints shall be the richest of all people, and to realize this promise, we must be guided by those placed to lead us. This is the principle of safety and success. Any other course will produce sorrow. ”

“ I have heard it taught by the Presidency that young people should marry, and to commence they should have a straw bed; they should have at least a bed tick, and fill it with straw, and commence any way. ”

“ We should all understand these principles that we may not be deceived, and if revelations are given from any other source professing to guide the Church, we may know they are not from God. All of us have the privilege of receiving revelations. For the Church? By no means; we cannot receive all that are necessary for the performance of our duties. ”

“ What constitutes its importance? In the first place a man cannot have an exaltation without a wife. It was some years before I learned the fact that I could not do much good without a wife and without posterity. ”