Proclamation

“ So, let the proclamation be what it may that was made to the world, by divine authority, that the inspired men called the gospel, that proclamation was the only thing which could save any person of the human family, and that was the thing which existed before the foundation of the world, the purpose, or scheme of things, which was devised in eternity, through which purpose of his own will God designed to save them that believe. ”

“ The king never issues out a proclamation but to enjoin what the law permits him. He will not issue out a proclamation against law; or, if such a thing should happen by a mistake, we are no more obliged to obey it, than to run our heads into the fire. ”

“ You would imagine that men going forth with the proclamation that the elders bear would receive everywhere that attention that the importance of their proclamation demands, at least until men were satisfied in their own minds of the truth or falsity of the message they bear. ”

“ But that it may be possible for the nature of this decree and of our benevolence to come to the knowledge of all men, it will be your duty by a proclamation of your own to publish everywhere and bring to the notice of all men this present document when it reaches you, that the decree of this our benevolence may not be hidden. ”

“ A Proclamation, made and divysed by the Kyngis Highnes, with the advise of His Honorable Counsaile, for dampning of erronious bokes and heresies, and prohibitinge the havinge of Holy Scripture translated into the vulgar tonges of englische, frenche, or duche, in suche maner as within this proclamation is expressed. ”

“ The proclamation which contains these laws concludes with exhorting all persons who are disposed to disturb the public peace to take flight speedily to some other country, where they can break with impunity the laws of God and man. ”

“ This, in a country where it has been often said, and formerly with justice, that the government is by law, and not by men, might render him perfectly easy. But proclamations have been sometimes dangerous engines in the hands of those in power ”

“ My countrymen, as of the 21st of this month, I signed Proclamation No. ”

“ We Declaring it to be Our Royal Purpose and Resolution, That they and every of them shall from thenceforth be finally Excluded and Debarr'd from receiving any further Favour or Mercy. And lastly We do hereby Revoke, Annul and make void all Proclamations by Us formerly Issued touching the Premisses herein above mentioned, or any of them. ”

“ God’s will, which all men should obey, was revealed in the Law, and though He might appoint governors over them, He remained their King, and no governor who was not a prophet—God’s mere mouthpiece—could command their unquestioning obedience. ”

“ The extraordinary oath with which they accept each king, on his accession, is luminous: “We who are as good as you, and who are more powerful than you, elect you king, that you may protect our rights and liberties.” ”

“ We have now to consider the meaning of the second petition in the Lord's Prayer,—" Thy kingdom come."
The terms king and kingdom, in Scripture, have always reference to truth. For as it is the province of a king to direct, rule and govern, so it is truth that teaches what to do and whither to go, and it is truth, either genuine or seeming, by which power is exercised over the minds of men: as the proverb expresses it—"knowledge is power." ”

“ I. Shew the NATURE and EXTENT of the DUTY. II. The MOTIVE by which the Christian is to be actuated in the discharge of it. I. I am to endeavour to shew the nature of the duty enjoined in the text, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man." We must understand, then, first, What is meant by every ordinance of man; and this the Apostle himself explains to us in the following words: "Whether to the king as supreme, or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him." ”

“ The other grand ordinance of God, magistracy, which he hath in his sovereign wisdom, justice, and goodness, appointed, ordained, and consecrated, for the demonstration, illustration, and vindication of his own glory, and the communication, conservation, and reparation of the peace, safety, order, liberty, and universal good of mankind, is next to that of the ministry of great concern: wherein not only the prudence, policy, property, and liberty of men, but also the conscience, duty, and religion of Christians, have a special interest. ”

“ In vain will such a minister, or the foul dregs of his power, the tools of corruption and despotism, preach up in the speech that spirit of concord, and that obedience to the laws, which is essential to good order. ”

“ Do you attribute any more meaning to those words than a pledge to human beings around you?—I attach no more meaning to those words than I do to a pledge to human beings authorised by law to take such a pledge from me under similar solemn circumstances. ”

“ While the king, and all in authority under him, were believed to govern in justice and mercy, according to the laws and constitution derived to them from the God of nature and transmitted to them by their ancestors, they thought themselves bound to pray for the king and queen and all the royal family, and all in authority under them, as ministers ordained of God for their good ”

“ Do not let us have these 'sluggish kings,' with a mayor of the place to do the real government, but set on the throne of your hearts the principles of your religion, and see to it that all your convictions be translated into practice, and all your practice be informed by your convictions. ”

“ I have ever been a good and faithful subject, and of this I believe my judges to be convinced. I have always preached to my flock patience, obedience, and submission; and my sermons, which you possess, are summed up in these words, ‘Fear God, honour the king.’ If I have contravened the law touching religious assemblies, it was by God’s commandments I contravened them; God must be obeyed before men. ”

“ If there is any form of government under the heavens where we can have legitimate rule and authority, it is among the Saints. In the first place, we have a man appointed by God, and, in the second place, by the people. ”

“ Representative government and the subordination of ecclesiastical to secular authority—or, better still, their separation—are both good things in themselves and favourable conditions to the life of reason. ”

“ For kings, and all that are in authority, that is, inferior magistrates: we must pray for them, and we must give thanks for them, pray for their welfare and for the welfare of their kingdoms, and therefore must not plot against them, that in the peace thereof we may have peace, and give thanks for them and for the benefit we have under their government, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. Here see what we must desire for kings, that God will so turn their hearts, and direct them and make use of them, that we under them may lead a quiet and peaceable life. ”

“ When we turn to the life of her patriot son we see that he no less grandly illustrated the principle, that to such government, so established, the people owe an allegiance which has the binding power of the most solemn obligation. ”

“ King, Constitution, and Church, for ever! which being interpreted, means first, King, or Crown influence, judgeships, and garters;—secondly, Constitution, or fees to the lawyer—places to the statesman—laws for the rich, and Game Laws for the poor;—thirdly, Church, or livings for our younger sons, and starvings for their curates!"
"Ha, ha!" said Brandon, laughing sardonically; "we know human nature!" ”

“ Parliament readmitted to sit, or a Council of State allowed of by the Army, since they only now have the power. The terms to be stood on are Liberty of Conscience to all professing Scripture to be the Rule of their Faith and Worship and the Abjuration of a Single Person. ”

“ When the Supreme Governor first placed man under the obligations and sovereignty of law, He created him in His own image and likeness: endowing him with that holy heart and right inclination which obeys the law of God with ease and delight. ”

“ Item where they desire some reasonable declaration may be made to your people, how they may, if they will, avoid the peril of heresy. No better declaration, we say, can be made than is already by our Saviour Christ, the Apostles, and the determination of the church, which if they keep, they shall not fail to eschew heresy. ”

“ We beg of princes and rulers of States, appealing to their statesmanship and earnest solicitude for the people, to weigh Our counsels in the balance of truth and second them with their authority and favor. ”

“ He has organized the different Quorums, authorities, helps, and governments in his Church and kingdom, to convey his will to his people, and through them to the people of the world, to bring them to a knowledge of correct principles, laws, and ordinances, that they may learn to do right and fear him, that there might be a people on the earth who will fear him, acknowledge his law, and submit to his authority, which is the power of the holy Priesthood. ”

“ Do you grant that the just Laws and Customs which are of the Folks Chusing shall be kept, and do you promise that they shall be Protected, and to the Honour of God receive Affirmance by you, to the utmost of your Power? ”

“ Now, I ask every man and woman who wishes an honorable name in the Church and kingdom of God upon the earth, if they have entertained any idea of going to law, to banish it from their minds at once. We have our Bishop's courts; they can tell us what is right. We have our High Councils, and we have also our Selectmen here who are sustained by the suffrages of the people. ”

“ Thou canst not render homage to abstract Omnipresent Power,
Save through the concrete symbol of visible ordained authority.
Those who obey not man, are oftenest found rebels against God;
And seldom is the delegate so bold, as to order what he knoweth to be wrong.
Yet mark me, proud gainsayer! I say not, obey unto sin;
But, where the Principal is silent, take heed thou despise not the Deputy:
And He that loveth order, will bless thee for thy faith,
If thou recognize His sanction in the powers that fashion human laws. ”

“ You should understand that when you have been voting here to sustain the Presidency of the Church o Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Twelve Apostles, the High Council, the Bishops, and other Quorums, you have been voting to sustain the legitimate and authorized officers of the Church and kingdom of God, whose right it is to rule and govern whenever and wherever the Almighty has a people upon the earth. ”

“ President, Ministers, Deputies, officials, heads of the magistracy and of the army, each, in their own names and in the name of the sovereign people, renewed the ancient oath to live in freedom or to die. ”

“ We most humbly supplicate all Kings, Princes, Sovereign Lords, States and Nations, and generally all persons of what condition soever, to be graciously pleased that these our lawful and indispensable protestations, which in the simplicity and sincerity of our hearts we are obliged to make and do make accordingly, may serve, before God and before them, as a standing testimony for us and our posterity, for the preservation of our rights and for the discharge of our consciences. ”

“ The spiritual authority proceeding from God, must, of right, have jurisdiction over temporal authority proceeding from man. A prince, who is a true Christian, must become a servant of the church, and, at best, the first slave of the clergy. ”

“ For the King and Queen, the peers and lords, and all the good Commoners of this land, and especially for those that hath the good council of the land to govern, that God give them grace such counsel to take and ordain, and so for to work thereafter that it may be loving to God Almighty, and profit and welfare to the royalme, and gainsaying and reproving of our enemy’s power and malice. ”

“ Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is. Acts 13:44. The next Sabbath Day came almost the whole city together to hear the Word of God.
xvii. civil government
We believe the Scriptures teach that civil government is of Divine appointment, for the interest and good order of human society; [1] and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored, and obeyed; [2] except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, [3] who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth. ”

“ We declare all, and all kind of authority, the General, the provincials, the visitors, and other superiors of the said Society to be FOR EVER ANNULLED AND EXTINGUISHED, of what nature soever the said authority may be, as well in things spiritual as temporal. ”

“ In like manner, the Great Governor of all, who makes and administers the laws of the universe, has ordained those laws for the guidance and for the protection of the good—for the purpose of bringing to happiness and of protecting in peace all those who are willing to obey them and thus to do His righteous will. ”

“ These are supposed to be governed by the people and are said to be "governments of the people, for the people and by the people," their general motto being Vox populi, vox Dei, or the voice of the people is the voice of God. ”

“ Let all those whom you shall approve, be admitted into the Order, and all whom you shall reject, be rejected. Let no one have authority over you, so that you may be at liberty to go and dwell where you think proper. ”

“ That it shall be administered with prudence and equity, and so as to answer the great end of government, which is the establishment of the kingdom: He shall order it, and settle it, with justice and judgment. Every thing is, and shall be, well managed, in the kingdom of Christ, and none of his subjects shall ever have cause to complain. ”

“ He tells me that an Act of Comprehension is likely to pass this Parliament, for admitting of all persuasions in religion to the public observation of their particular worship, but in certain places, and the persons therein concerned to be listed of this, or that Church; which, it is thought, will do them more hurt than good, and make them not own, their persuasion. ”