Osborne J. P. Widtsoe

“ It is not impossible, then, for man to possess the power to do the works that Jesus did. Indeed, man may do even greater works than those Jesus performed. But to gain the power so to do, one must not only believe in Jesus, one must also keep His commandments. In short, one must add works to faith. Mere belief will save no man, just as mere confidence in one's own ability will never build a locomotive. But when our works make practical our faith, and prove it really true and worth while, then we may claim a realization—a fulfillment—of all that is promised through our diligence. ”

“ To the woman of Samaria, Jesus declared, "Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him." No longer, after the ministry of Jesus, should Jerusalem be the center of divine worship. The world over, men should learn to worship God in spirit and in truth. ”

“ What does it matter, after all, if one lose one's worldly possessions but gain contentment of soul and an assurance of eternal exaltation? There are men who are possessed of untold material wealth who would give all to gain the simple testimony of Jesus possessed by the simplest and humblest member in the Church of Christ. Indeed, true contentment—which is the chief reward of a well-spent life—can come only as the result of service unselfishly rendered. Neither wealth nor poverty can bring about the worth-while, spiritual reward of an act prompted by a worthy motive. ”

“ Of course, it requires courage, patience, and persistent effort to cultivate so supreme a degree of faith. Yet, one who has it not can hardly say with truth that he has learned fully to know God. Indeed, such sublime faith alone marks the truly converted and nobly devoted soul; whereas the lack of such faith reveals a lack of fulness of trust in God—almost a disloyalty to God. One cannot in this world attain to real peace and happiness without implicit faith in God. Without it, one can not keep on keeping on in fervent prayer to God. ”

“ It is truly the most wonderfully unselfish sacrifice, and the sincerest demonstration of love, you will find anywhere recorded. As He approached the day of the awful sacrifice, Jesus Himself declared to His followers, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." And as God the Son manifested thus His great love, so also did God the Father. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." ”

“ One can easily imagine that not only God, but the whole multitude of spirits also, must have been astounded at the selfishness and the arrogance of Lucifer. He was willing to try to save mankind—to force their salvation, in fact—but as reward he would thrust God from His throne, and claim for himself the honor and glory of God. It was as if he had said in his heart, "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God." ”

“ Why should there be devised in the heavens a gracious and liberal plan of salvation? Why, because of man, should the hosts of heaven be plunged into the horrors of civil war? What is man, that the noblest of the spirits of heaven should lay down His life for man's redemption? It is an answer to these questions that we want now to find in the teachings of Jesus. ”

“ So he asked, "How can a man be born when he is old?" Then Jesus answered, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." This Jesus said, of course, of the ordinance of baptism and of the Holy Ghost. Not only, then, must one believe and repent, but one must also be baptized in water in fulfillment of the requirement of the law. Without such a renewal of the spiritual life, a man may not even see the kingdom of God. ”

“ Ralph Waldo Emerson, philosopher and poet, wrote, "Jesus is the most perfect of all men that have yet appeared. The unique impressions of Jesus upon mankind are not so much written as ploughed into the history of this world. He saw with open eye the mystery of the soul. Alone in all history, He estimated the greatness of man." And Daniel Webster declared in his argument in the Girard Will Case, "I believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God. The miracles which He wrought establish in my mind His personal authority and render it proper for me to believe what He asserts." ”

“ I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." It may be said now that the whole world has heard of Jesus, and that most of it has learned to look to Him as its Savior. New life and spiritual light has Jesus given to the world. But while the world has learned to recognize Jesus, the teachers of the world have perverted His doctrine so much that the people hardly know which way to turn. They hunger still, and they thirst for the true teachings of Jesus ”

“ Neither worry, nor any other thing that man may do, can change the nature of things. We are forced therefore to admit that the only cure for worry known to man is that presented by Jesus. His cure consists of a childlike faith and trust in the goodness of God—a trust so simple and strong that anxious care can find no place in the mind. It consists of such a confidence in the providence of God as Abraham displayed when he was commanded to offer his dearly beloved son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice. ”

“ It is in perfect accord with many other sayings of His, some of which you should know, Said He, at one time, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul." At another time He said, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." In the teaching of Jesus, then, the soul of man—his true life—is beyond any earthly price. ”

“ The Savior's law of love is a principle of divine beauty. And so important is it in the Gospel plan of salvation, that it has been specially renewed in our own dispensation. Said Jesus to Joseph Smith, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve Him.
"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
"Every man (shall seek) the interest of his neighbor and (do) all things with an eye single to the glory of God." ”

“ It is indeed a privilege beyond measure to belong to a Church founded upon divine revelation, presided over by the Lord Jesus Himself and conducted by a divinely appointed priesthood, and regulated by the Gospel of Jesus Christ—the divine plan of salvation. Not many people appreciate fully what a priceless blessing is within their reach. They clamor and struggle, sometimes, for membership in some secret brotherhood or other, which will avail them nothing when they shall pass into that other world ”

“ Today there are but few peoples known to mankind that do not acknowledge Jesus the Christ. The wonderful story of His life has thrilled both the young and the old the world over since first it was told. The wisdom, the justice, and the loving kindness of all His teachings, have inspired the nations to make them better. No other man in all the history of the world has exerted so profound an influence on the lives of his fellowmen, and on the laws that govern them. ”

“ It is evident, then, that in the teaching of Jesus, repentance from evil is absolutely necessary if one would enjoy the blessings of the Lord. This is so self-evident a truth that it should not be necessary to state it. In all the affairs of life—in business, in politics, in the industries, in science, in art, in war, in what not—repentance is a fundamental principle of true success. In our daily work we are accustomed to calling our wrongdoings mistakes ”

“ The daily work of Jesus aroused as much wonder as did the physical and spiritual characteristics. His enemies even were constrained to admit that no other man ever spoke with such power and authority as did Jesus. And certainly, no other man has ever displayed such divine power as did Jesus. Throughout Judea, Samaria and Galilee, Jesus demonstrated His marvelous power and authority in healing the sick, in restoring the halt and the maimed, in quieting the storm, and even in raising the dead. ”

“ He can touch the heart of man so that it shall not be centered on wealth—so that the chief affection of man shall not be, Midas-like, the love of gold. Riches in themselves are of no value; but riches as a means of service may be righteously desired. And the Lord Jesus has Himself promised the blessings of the earth to those who honestly seek Him. ”

“ The indebtedness of our fellowmen to us is slight in comparison; their dependence upon us is nil. Yet, we are likely to render harsh judgment against them, and to withhold forgiveness from our hearts, even though we utter in prayer the words, "as we forgive our debtors." But if we deal harshly with our fellowmen who owe us so little, can we expect God, whom we owe so much, to deal gently with us? If we want the Great Creditor to forgive us our large indebtedness, should not we—small creditors that we are—forgive without the asking, and from our hearts, the little debts of our fellowmen? ”

“ But in thinking so and saying so you forget the eternal truth taught by Jesus in the parable of the talents. The big opportunity can come only if every day, like the rose bush, you make the most of that day's chance, and contribute the roses and the fragrance of your life to the world. ”

“ If in the society of men, and in the application of the principles of science, it is so urgently necessary to observe the rules of society and the laws of science, it is very easy to understand that, if we would come into close and constant touch with God, we must observe also the laws of such divine communion. Anything at all that might come between one and real communion with God would be disastrous. Indeed, in the teaching of Jesus, it would constitute the greatest sorrow, the greatest tragedy in human existence. ”

“ In short, Mormonism meets every need in physical life, in mental life, in economic life, in social life, in spiritual life. You have heard people speak of a one-day religion—of a religion remembered on Sunday and forgotten on the other six days of the week. Mormonism is not such a religion, for the doctrine of Jesus is not such a doctrine. Mormonism—or what Jesus taught—is a practical religion that enters into the work of every day—into every calling and profession no matter how humble or exalted that calling or profession may be. It teaches that every day should be a Christ-like day. ”

“ Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
"Moreover," continued Jesus, touching the third conventional form of worship, "when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face ”

“ The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus must cause each one of us to reflect, that, undoubtedly, he has himself many opportunities lying unnoticed at his door. Indeed, while nearly every boy is prone to say when he sees a successful man, "If only I had his chance," the fact remains that he probably had as good a chance as the successful man but failed to make the most of it. Jesus understood well the weakness in men that makes for failure, both temporal and spiritual, and as was his wont illustrated his point by means of a significant parable. ”

“ When we learn that, in the Jewish belief, the heart was the seat of thought and intelligence, then this saying of the Teacher becomes plain indeed. It is impossible for anyone to have two chief centers of interest. If a man devote his thought and intelligence to the laying up of wealth, he will of course neglect his duty to God. For, said Jesus, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." ”

“ The value of worship lies in humility, in laying aside all worldly ambitions, in approaching close to God for the sole purpose of communing with Him. It is better to lose one's worldly life in the service of God, than to gain that worldly life and fail to find God; for he who thus loses the worldly life, shall find life eternal.
"I give unto you these sayings," said Jesus once to Joseph the Prophet, "that ye may understand and know how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of His fulness ”

“ Jesus would do away with such an attitude toward charitable living. He would have people do good for the good's sake; He would have people live right for the sake of right living, He would have people work righteousness for the sake of righteousness. And He emphasized and drove home the thought that if any one worked merely to increase his own honor and to exalt himself in the eyes of men, he should fail, and should be humiliated in the attempt. ”

“ God's creatures everywhere are subject to law; the earth on which we dwell, with the strange and marvelous and mighty phenomena which we here daily observe, is a product of law. Would it not be inconsistent, then, to think that Jesus—who is Himself the God of law—should work in violation of law? His own words in refutation of the statement of the scribes that He was in league with Beelzebub, is a sufficient answer to such a supposition. "If a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." ”

“ And never have I shown myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning, after mine own image.
"Behold, this body which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit, and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear unto my people in the flesh."
{49} The pre-existence of Jesus.
This marvelous vision, the brother of Jared beheld many hundreds of years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem. ”

“ It is no wonder that people are looking for the true God.
{33} "We know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them—that He created man, male and female, after His own image and in His own likeness, created He them, and gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve Him, the only living and true God, and that He should be the only being whom they should worship." ”

“ But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ alone founded His empire upon love, and at this hour millions of men would die for Him. Christ proved that He was the Son of the Eternal. ”

“ In response to his simple, faith-provoked prayer, God revealed Himself to Joseph Smith, and through him, established the Church of Christ anew.
Are not the things that have been accomplished through faith, wonderful? Must it not be a joy, a comfort, to possess the gift of unlimited faith? Like the apostles of old, we feel to pray, "Lord, increase our faith." ”

“ And that is why man should cultivate sincere reverence for God, and reverence for his own personal honor, and reverence for his own personal purity.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." ”

“ It is only by actually putting into operation the principles underlying these activities, and working in obedience to them, that one can accomplish the desired end. And if this is true of material, earthly things, how much more ought it to be true of spiritual, heavenly things. Without faith it is impossible to please God. But faith is of no avail without works. Works constitute the handmaid of faith, and one is not without the other in the Lord. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." ”

“ These and countless other wonders of modern life should teach us what a miracle is. Man performs every day wonders that may almost be called miracles only—since he possesses very limited power—it takes him a long time to get his results. Jesus, acting with divine power, called into play the laws of life, and accomplished in a moment what it would take the man of science an indefinite period to do. ”

“ There has grown up in the world a vicious habit of baptizing infants and little children. Such a practice is wrong. Jesus Himself said of little children, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." Infants and little children have not learned to know the difference between good and evil. They cannot sin. Baptism should not be administered to them till they reach the age of discretion. "Little children need no repentance," wrote the Nephite prophet, "neither baptism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling the commandments unto the remission of sins." ”