Parley P. Pratt

“ It is a kingdom that the wicked will not be permitted again to possess or destroy. How shall we look for it? It will be one of the smallest of governments upon this earth, to which a grain of mustard seed is brought as a comparison. When we see the signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and among different nations, it proves that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand; we may then begin to look around for it. We must not look to Russia, or to England, to become this kingdom, but to the smallest of the governments in this world, one so small that it is compared to a grain of mustard seed. ”

“ We find ourselves a government organized upon these great principles, and a government in peace. This government has to maintain its character, and become a standard, having developed in it every principle for the salvation of the living and the dead; to hold the keys of the Priesthood that bear rule in heaven, on earth, and in hell, and maintain a people built upon it, which is all necessary in order to become a standard. ”

“ To take the republican form of government, and set it up as a standard, would be to set the Jews and the Ten Tribes, when they get home, to creating their own government, religion, and officers. They would say, "This is not a restoration of all things to the order of the fathers. Who ever heard of a nation's rising up, and making its own ministry of angels, its own Prophets, Apostles, and Priesthood to speak the word of God, and to inquire of Him?" The Lord would turn round and say, "I have not chosen this man, you have chosen him and ordained him." ”

“ And in the place of all these false governments and religions, in political and social life, introduce that eternal government, that pure order of things, those eternal principles and institutions, which govern society in those better worlds, the worlds of immortality and eternal life." That is what a man prays for, as well as I can tell it, when he says, "Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven." ”

“ Why can we not go and serve ourselves awhile, and let the kingdom of God take care of itself, or let these good, pious Elders and Apostles that are so attached to it, take care of it?" If it is right for you to set your minds upon warmer climates, upon more convenient timber, and upon making money, then it is right for every one of us to do the same. ”

“ It matters not as to the outward name, whether it takes the name of republic or kingdom, or this, that, or the other; it is not the name that does the business. We call England a monarchy, because its Presidency perpetually comes from one line, it is hereditary. We call the United States a republican government, because they put in a man to rule, and put him out once in four years. ”

“ And unto Peter, the head of the Apostles, Jesus said, speaking of the death Peter should die—"When thou shall be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." ”

“ If one man is mighty, there are more mighty. If a man wants the riches of time and eternity, let him have a good government, education, and the laws of heaven to bring up his children in the right way. He never will get rich as fast as he would if he co-operated with the kingdom of God. You know when anything is wanted of me, I am on hand all the time, though there would not be a man you could hire. ”

“ So I must have gone there more or less prejudiced against that government. What is the fact, against all these prejudices of early life? It is, that government is tolerably good in both countries. The United States have the best institutions of the two, but I tell you, if they had carried them out better for us, we might have been here, not so poor as we are to-day. ”

“ A system shall be developed from heaven, by which the people are to be planted in one, that is, those who embrace it; by which shall be developed among them all, one spirit, one doctrine, one order of Priesthood, worship, power, and government, to lead, direct, control, and say what religion they shall adopt, including every department of government, sufficient for all the affairs of state, both internal and external, and that would contribute to their enlightenment, improvement, defence, exaltation, and their relations with all the world." Such a thing would be a "standard." ”

“ Men require something more than these imperfect systems, which are a mixture of truth and error, that exist in the world, (and they have no better, of course;) they need something else besides their Sunday arrangements, besides this machinery of theories; they need something of every-day practical utility; and this they call civil government and politics, distinct from religion, though in some countries they blend one with the other, and both are in force. ”

“ He says, "Sweep away all abuses, all corruption, all falsehood, all war, all ungodly and selfish ambition; and in its place introduce a new government for universal man, a system that will touch all his wants, religiously, politically, and every other way; which will organise and govern society upon the principles that society is governed upon in heaven." ”

“ So far as heavenly beings have become enlightened by revelation in the laws of eternal government, a sameness exists in their possession of principles of truth, as far as it goes. Some may be in possession of the same portion of truth, but may not possess it in fulness, but it is true so far as it goes, by which all are in union, peace, and love, and by which they all do right, and all glorify God, and maintain an eternal peace and bond of happiness. ”

“ We have been baptized, we have come into the new and everlasting covenant, we are one, our sins are forgiven us, and we have received a portion of the Holy Ghost." Having availed ourselves of all these things, what we are, as individuals, we have gained together as number one and two, and all are justified together, and the common interests of the kingdom are carried out. ”

“ If each person should get his own way, go to where the climate will suit him best, where there are a market and all other conveniences, I want to know, then, where the kingdom of God is? What worldly government could you live under, as the kingdom of God, when you had satisfied these desires? ”

“ For instance—does any man in his senses, believe that the government of the eternal heavens in the presence of God, consists of a variety of kingdoms, empires, republics, and states, governed by various principles, ruled by aspirants, and sometimes by tyrants, that differ widely one from another in the principles by which they rule, one jarring with, and encroaching upon, the other, and frequently going to war with him, having a thousand different ways of worship, and of religious and political administration? ”

“ Baptize the people, if they will repent, after you have taught them to believe in me, their eternal King and great High Priest, who rose from the dead, and ascended up on high in your presence, to reign in heaven, and eventually upon the earth. ”

“ There is no law against unity, against being baptized, against receiving the administration of angels, or the keys of the Apostleship, against laying hands on others that men may be filled with the Holy Ghost. There is no law against these things, thank God. This makes us united, it makes us do our duty, and remain in the spirit of oneness and in faith, operating diligently upon the principles developed by revelation upon revelation, and precept upon precept, and law upon law, and truth upon truth. ”

“ If you take the despotic standard of Russia, or the standard of any other of the nations of Europe, some of them are unlimited in their provisions—the sovereign is the law; others are limited—the sovereign only being part of the law and power, frequent bloody wars arise between the monarch and the people; and those who come direct to the throne by hereditary right are beset by the same evils. Besides that, in Russia there is one kind of religion ”

“ A system of religion, or a people organized upon it, should include every branch of government that they could possibly need for their dwelling with each other, for their organization, peace, welfare, defence, order, happiness, and for their dwelling with neighboring nations. A system of religion that is from heaven never would stop short of including all these principles. ”

“ Which of all the nations will present a government standard, constituted to our position?
"Well, but," you say, "let the Jews take their own standard." Then they will neither have the Christian dispensation, nor that of Moses and the Prophets, because both of these had power in them that the Jews do not profess to have. The Christian religion had its inspired men, Apostles and Prophets. Those the Jews have not got. Moses and the Prophets had their miracles, gifts, powers, and oracles, men who were raised up by heaven, to direct, make laws and governments, and organise a kingdom among the Jews ”

“ To this the Ten Tribes will look, to this will look the scattered remnants that are aware of the promise to Abraham, that in his seed, and not in some other Priesthood and lineage, shall all the nations and people of the earth be blessed. ”

“ Every reflecting person believes as well as I, that if there is a world of immortality at all, where righteousness rules, the same principles, as far as they go, are developed unto all, and adapted to all. Some may have more truth, ascend to greater degrees of perfection, and be able to receive higher and more glorious principles of government than others, even in heaven. ”

“ They used the word kingdom in ancient times, meaning nothing more nor less than government. We should stay gathered, and count one in schools, in meetings, in paying tithing, in paying taxes, in acting our part as members of the community; count one when men are needed, if necessary, to go against the savages; count one in influence, in beauty, in spirit, in faith, and in works; to build Temples, to attend to the ordinances, and administer to the living and the dead, and set an example worthy of imitation. ”

“ They would say, "The Lord is there, the power of God is there;" and if they had any money they would make a deposit of it there, for the nations would be breaking up, and the people would want to escape with their life from war, and distress of nations. The people would say, "There is where we will go to find safety, for there the inhabitants live in union, they have the light of eternal truth, while other people are in darkness and ignorance without measure. ”

“ As the received traditions and religion of the world were at war with the principle of the resurrection presented in my body, I required my ancient Apostles to bear witness of it in Jerusalem and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth, where-ever they could find followers. But I now will raise up you and other men, and ordain you, and cause keys of power to be committed to you, as in days of old, in the same Gospel ordinances and spirit ”

“ A religion not wholly true could not possibly develop all the resources, principles, branches, departments, officers, and powers adapted to the government, organization, peace, order, happiness, and defence of society, and for its regulation while dwelling with foreign departments and powers. ”

“ Your Apostles and your First Presidency, instead of being perplexed with the cares of this world, as to how to plow their fields, or build their cabins, would not have time scarcely to go out of yonder temple to get their breakfast, if we had the temple built. To a people thus consolidated, nations of the earth would come. The kings and queens, and governors and rulers, and a great many of the house of Israel, and people of influence and power out of all nations, would come. ”

“ After they are killed, and the Priesthood is taken from the earth, and the keys of it are gone from the earth also, or hid up, so that no body holds them, and all nations are deceived, as it was written by the Revelator John by this ruling power, which is nothing more nor less than Rome, for that was the world then known—after all this, when the time comes for the word of God to be fulfilled, and for a standard to be set up, what does this book, the Bible, say? ”

“ Men have been in the habit of walking with, of being organised and identified with, religions more or less false, and not sufficient in themselves to carry out all the principles of government; they are a kind of Sunday convenience, separate and distinct from the everyday affairs of life ”

“ This kind of religion not being sufficient for the happiness and government, enlightenment and improvement, education and regulation of mankind, or of society in all its branches, of course men would get up some thing else separate from it, and call that "the policy of civil government." ”

“ Why not stay in England? It is a fine climate, and, in many respects, it has a good soil, with trade, and plenty of coal for fuel. Why not stay in the United States, where you can get sugar for three cents per pound? ”

“ Men will go to California, to the States, or anywhere else, but you could not get them to do it ordinarily without hiring them. But if you appoint them to take a mission without purse or scrip, the same as an angel, they will go to hell, if the Lord will give them a mission there, and be mighty glad to get back as soon as they have done it. ”

“ Some may attain to a celestial glory, of which the sun is typical; others be as telestial beings, the glory of which is compared with the stars, as they appear to our sight; and these two classes may differ as widely from each other as the stars differ from the sun in glory, as seen by man. ”

“ Now with these great characteristics, and plain directions, which any man can gather from the Bible, we need not look to any other place where we may find this kingdom. Then among the Saints right here, where they compose the majority, where there is not another larger government, where they are hemmed in with mountains, and can establish peace, and a kingdom, and a government, and a law. ”