Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Joseph Smith's Dialogue with the Devil..........................3
Parley P. Pratt, Spring 1844
Our Rights.....................................................................12
John Taylor, 23rd April 1845
OneHundred Years Hence...........................................15
Parley P. Pratt, 1845
Priesthood and Obedience.............................................21
Samuel Richards?, 13th November 1852
The Coming Crisis How To Meet It...........................28
Samuel Richards, 30th April 1853
The Origin and Destiny of Woman...............................42
John Taylor, 29th August 1857
A Proclamation on the Economy..................................45
First Presidency & Twelve, 10th July 1875
Poverty & Property.......................................................48
Charles W. Nibley, January 1886
A Conversation with Lucifer.........................................59
Samuel Roundy, 15th February 1925
The 'Simple' Faith..........................................................62
B.H. Roberts, 1930s
Address on the Book of Mormon..................................66
Waird MacDonald, 9th February 1950
Understanding Doctrine................................................76
Sterling W. Sill, 3rd December 1966
The Church Walking With The World..........................79
Matilda C. Edwards
Joseph Smith's Dialogue with the Devil
Parley P. Pratt, Spring 1844
[Enter the Devil with a bundle of handbills, which he is in the
act of posting:]
WANTED IMMEDIATELY,
All the LIARS, SWINDLERS, THIEVES, ROBBERS,
Incendiaries, Cheats, Adulterers, Harlots, Blackguards,
Drunkards, Gamblers, Bogus Makers, Idlers, Busy Bodies,
Pickpockets, Vagabonds, Filthy Persons, Hireling Clergy and
their followers, and all other Infidels, and Rebellious,
Disorderly Persons, for a CRUSADE against
JOSEPH SMITH AND THE MORMONS!!!
BE QUICK! BE QUICK! I say,
or OUR CAUSE WILL BE RUINED!!
and our Kingdom Overthrown,
by that d____d fool of an impostor and his associates,
for even now all EARTH AND HELL IS IN A STEW!!!
[Josh. Smith happens to be passing, and hails his Majesty.]
Smith Good morning, Mr. Devil. How now; you seem to be
much engaged. What news have you got there?
Devil [Slipping his bills into his pocket with a low
bow] Oh! Good morning, Mr. Smith; I hope you are well, sir.
Why I was just out out on a little business in my line; or
finally, to be candid, sir, I was contriving a fair and honourable
warfare against you and your impositions, wherein piety is
outraged, and religion greatly hindered in its useful course; fir to
be bold, sir, (and I despise any thing underhanded,) I must tell
you to your face that you have made more trouble than all the
ministers or people of my whole dominion have for ages past.
Smith Trouble! What trouble have I caused your
majesty? I certainly have endeavoured to treat you, and all other
persons, in a friendly manner, even my worst enemies; and I
always aim to fulfil the Mormon creed; and that is, to my mind,
my own business exclusively. Why should this trouble you, Mr.
Devil?
Devil Ah! your own business indeed! I know not what
you may consider your own business, it is so very complicated;
but I know what you have done, and what you are aiming to do.
You have disturbed the past quiet of Christendom, overthrown
churches and societies; you have dared to call into question the
truth and usefulness of old and established creeds, which have
stood the test of ages, and have caused tens of thousands to come
out in open rebellion, not only against wholesome creeds,
established forms and doctrines, well approved and orthodox, but
against some of the most pious, learned, exemplary, and
honourable clergy, whom both myself and all the world love,
honour, and esteem. And this is not all; but you are causing
many people to think who never thought before, and you would
fain have the whole world athinking, and then where will true
religion and piety be? Alas! they will have no place among men;
for if men keep such a terrible thinking and reasoning as they
begin to do, since you commenced your business, as you call it,
they never will continue to uphold the good old way in which
they have jogged along in peace for so many ages; and thus, Mr.
Smith, you will have overthrown my kingdom, and leave me not
a foot of ground on earth, and this is the very thing you aim at;
but I, sir, have the boldness to oppose you by all the lawful
means which I have in my power.
Smith Really, Mr. Devil, your majesty has of late
become very pious. I think some of your Christian brethren have
greatly misrepresented you. It is generally reported by them that
you are opposed to religion. But
Devil It is false; there is not a more religious and pious
being in the world than myself, nor a being more liberalminded.
I am decidedly in favour of all creeds, systems, and forms of
Christianity, of whatever name or nature, so long as they leave
out that abominable doctrine which caused me so much trouble
in former times, and which, after slumbering for ages, you have
again revived. I mean the doctrine of direct communication with
God, by new revelation. This is hateful, it is impious; it is
directly opposed to all the divisions and branches of the
Christian Church. I never could bear it. And for this very cause, I
helped to bring to condign punishment all the prophets and the
apostles of old; for while they were suffered to live with this gift
of revelation, they were always exposing and slandering me, and
all other good and pious men, in exposing our deeds and
purposes, which they called wicked, but which we consider as
the height of zeal and piety; and when we killed them for these
crimes of dreaming, prophesying, and visionseeing, they raised
the cry of persecution, and so with you miserable and deluded
Mormons.
Smith Then, your most Christian Majesty is in favour
of all other religions but this one, are you?
Devil Certainly, I am fond of praying, singing, church
building, bellringing, going to meeting, preaching, and withal, I
have quite a missionary zeal. I like also long faces, long prayers,
long robes, and learned sermons. Nothing suits me better than to
see people who have been for a whole week oppressing their
neighbour, grinding the face of the poor, walking in pride and
folly, and serving me with all their heart; I say nothing suits me
better, Mr. Smith, than to see these people go to meeting on
Sunday with a long religious face on, and to see them pay a
portion of their illgotten gains for the support of a priest, while
he and his hearers pray with doleful groans and awful faces,
saying, 'Lord, we have left undone the things we ought to have
done, and done the things we ought not;' and then, when service
is ended, see them turn again to their wickedness, and pursue it
greedily all the week, and the next Sabbath repeat the same
things. Now, be candid, Mr. Smith. Do you not see that these,
and all others, who have a form and deny the power, are my
good Christian children, and that their religion is a help to my
cause?
Smith Certainly, your reasoning is clear and obvious as
to these hypocrites, but you would not be pleased with people
getting converted, either at camp meeting or somewhere else,
and putting their trust in that conversion, and in free grace to
save them. Would you not be opposed to this?
Devil Why should I have any objection to that kind of
religion, Mr. Smith? I care not how much they get converted, nor
how much they cry Lord, Lord, nor how much they trust in free
grace to save them, so long as they do not do the works that their
God has commanded them. I am sure of them at last; for you
know all men are to be judged according to their deeds. What
does their good Bible say, 'Not every one that saith Lord, Lord,
shall enter into my kingdom; but he that doeth the will of my
Father which is in heaven.' No, no, Mr. Smith, I am not an
enemy to religion, and especially to the modern forms of
Christianity. So long as they deny the power, they are a help to
my cause. See how much discord, division, hatred, envy, strife,
lying, contention, blindness, and even error and bloodshed, has
been produced as the effect of these very systems. By these
means I gain millions to my dominion, while at the same time
we enjoy the credit of being pious Christians. But you, Mr.
Smith, you are an enemy, my open and avowed enemy; you have
even dared, in a sacrilegious manner, to tear the veil from all
these fine systems, and to commence an open attack upon my
kingdom, and this even when I had almost all Christendom,
together with the clergymen and gentlemen of the press, in my
favour. How dare you venture thus to commence a revolution
with reserve, and without aid or succour, and in the midst of
innumerable hosts of my subjects?
Smith Why, sir, in the first place, I knew that I had the
truth on my side, and that your systems and forms of Christianity
were so manifestly corrupt that one had only to lift the veil from
your fooleries on one side, and to present plain and reasonable
truth on the other, and the eyes of the people could at once
distinguish the difference so clearly that except they chose
darkness rather than light, they would leave your ranks and come
over to truth. For instance, what is easier than to shew, from the
history of the past, that a religion of direct revelation was the
only system ever instituted by the Lord, and the only one
calculated to benefit mankind? What is easier than to shew that
this system saved the church from flood, famine, flames, war,
division, bondage, doubt, and darkness, many times, and that it is
the legitimate way and manner God's government of his own
peculiar people in all ages and dispensations.
Devil To be candid with you, Mr. Smith, I must own
that what you have now said, neither myself nor my most able
ministers have been able to gainsay by argument or fact. But
then you must recollect, that tradition and custom, together with
fashion and popular clamour, have in all ages had more effect
than plain fact and sound reason. Hence you see we are safe, so
long as we continue to cry from the press and pulpit, and in
Sunday schools; that all these things are done away and no
longer needed. In this way, though God may speak, they will not
hear; angels may minister, and they will not believe; visions may
reveal, and they will not be enlightened; prophets may lift their
voice, and their warnings pass unheeded; so you see we still have
them as safe as we had the people in olden time. God can
communicate no message to them which will be examined or
heard with any degree of credence or candour. So for all the
good they get from God, all communication being cut off, they
might as well be without a God. Thus you see, I have full
influence and control of the multitude by a means far more
effectual than argument or reason; and I even dare to teach them
that it is a sin to reason, think, or investigate, as it would disturb
the even tenor of their pious breathings and devout groans and
responses. Smith, you must be extremely ignorant of human
nature, as well as of the history of the past, to presume that
reason and truth would have much effect with the multitude.
Why, sir, look how effectively we warded off the truth at
Ephesus, when Paul attempted to address them in the theatre.
Strange, that with all these examples before you, you should
venture to raise the hue and cry which has so often been
defeated, and this with no better weapons on your side than
reason and truth. Indeed you may thank my Christian spirit of
forbearance that you have escaped so far without a gridiron; but
take care for the future, I may not always be so mild.
Smith But why is your majesty so highly excited
against me and my plans of operation, seeing that you consider
that you have the multitude perfectly safe; and why so enraged
and fearful of the consequences of my course, and the effect of
my weapons, while at the same time you profess to despise them
as weak, and powerless. Alas! it is too true that you have he
multitude safe to all appearance at present, and that truth can
seldom reach them; why not then be content, and leave me to
pursue my calling in peace? I can hardly hope to win to the cause
of truth any but the few who think, and these have ever been
troublesome to your cause.
Devil True, but then you are, in spite of all my efforts,
and that of my fellows, daily thinning our ranks, by adding to the
number of those who think; and such a thinking is kept up that
we are often exposed in some of our most prominent plans, and
placed in any an awkward predicament; and who knows what
defeat, disgrace, and dishonour may befall the pious cause, if
you are suffered to continue your rebellious course....
Smith Well, well. I see plainly you will have a creep
out some how or other, rather than bear the disgrace and stigma
which your conduct would seem to deserve. But forgetting the
past, let me inquire what course you intend to pursue in future,
and whether this warfare between you and me, will still be
prosecuted? and if so, what course do you intend to pursue
hereafter? You know my course. I have long since taken the field
at the head of a mere handful of brave patriots, who are true as
the pole stars, and firm as the rock of Gibraltar. They laugh at
and despise your silly stories; and with nothing but a few plain
simple weapons of truth and reason, aided by revelation, we
boldly make war upon your whole dominion, and will never quit
the field, dead or alive, till we win the battle, and deprive you of
every foot of ground you possess. This is our purpose; and
although your enemy, I am bold and generous enough to declare
it. So you see I am not for taking any unwary advantage,
notwithstanding all your pious tricks upon me and the public.
Devil Mr. Smith, I am too much of the gentleman not
to admire your generous frankness and your boldness, and too
much of a Christian not to appreciate your honesty; but as you
commenced this war, and I only acted at the first defensive, with
the pure motive of defending my kingdom, I think this ought, in
some degree at least, to excuse the means I have made use of;
and that you may have no reason to complain in future, I will
now fully open to you the plan of my future campaign. Here
[pulling out a bundle of handbills] is what I was doing this
morning, when by chance we met; and by the reading of which
you will see my course. Heretofore I have endeavoured to throw
contempt upon your cause, in hopes to smother it and keep it
under, as something beneath the notice of us wellinformed
Christians. For this cause I have generally caused it to be
represented that you are a very ignorant silly man, and that your
followers were made up of the unthinking and vulgar, and not
worthy of notice. But the fact is, you have made such rapid
strides, and have poured forth such a torrent of intelligence, and
gathered such a host of talented and thinking men around you,
that I can no longer conceal these facts under a bushel of burning
lies, and therefore I now change my purpose and my manner of
attack. I shall endeavour to magnify you and your success from
this time forward, and to make you appear much larger than
reality, as you have heretofore fallen short. If my former course
has excited contempt, and caused you to be despised, and thus
kept you out of notice, my future course will be to excite
jealousy, fear, and alarm, till all the world is ready to rise and
crush you as if you were a legion of Sampsons, commanded by
Bonaparte. This, I think, will be more successful in putting you
down than the ignoble course I have heretofore taken so
prepare for the worst.
Smith I care as little for your magnifying powers as I
have heretofore done for your contempt; in fact, I will endeavour
to go ahead to that degree, that what you will say in regard to my
great influence and power, though intended by you for a
falsehood, shall prove to be true, and by so doing I shall be
prepared to receive those whom you may excite against me, and
to give them so warm a reception that they will never discover
your intended falsehood, but will find all your representatives of
my greatness to be a reality; so do your worst, I defy you.
Devil Well, time will determine whether the earth is to be
governed by a prophet, and under the way of truth, or whether
myself, and my Christian friends will still prevail. But
remember, Smith, remember, I beseech you for your own good,
beware what you are doing, I have the priests and editors, with
few exceptions, under my control, together with wealth,
popularity and honour. Count well the cost before you again
plunge into this warfare. Good bye, Mr. Smith, I must away to
raise my recruits and prepare for a campaign.
Smith Good bye to your Majesty.
[They both touch hats and turn away.]
Devil [Recollecting himself and suddenly turning
back,] Oh! I say Mr. Smith, one more word if you please, [in a
low and confidential tone, with his mouth close to his ear,] after
all, what is the use of parting as enemies; the fact is, you go in
for the wheat and I for the tares. Both must be harvested. Are we
not fellowlabourers? I can make no use of the wheat, nor you of
the tares even if we had them; we each claim our own, I for the
burning and you for the barn. Come, then, give the old devil his
due, and let's be friends.
Smith Agreed; I neither want yours nor you mine. A
man free from prejudices, will give the devil his due. Come, here
is the right hand of fellowship you to the tares and I to the
wheat.
[They shake hands cordially]
Devil Well, Mr. Smith, we have talked a long while,
and are agreed at last. You are a noble and generous fellow, and
would not bring in a railing accusation against even a poor old
Devil, nor cheat him of even one cent. Come, it is a warm day,
and I feel as though it is my treat. Let us go down to Mammy
Brewer's cellar, and take something to drink.
Smith Agreed, Mr. Devil; you appear very generous
now.
[They enter the cellar together.]
Devil Good morning, Mrs. Brewer; I make you
acquainted with my good friend, Mr. Smith, the prophet. [The
landlady smiling a little and looking a little surprised,] Why,
Mr. Devil, is that you; sit down, you're tired. But you don't say
this is Mr. Smith, your greatest enemy. I am quite surprised.
What will you have, gentlemen? for is you can drink together, I
think all the world ought to be friends.
Devil As we are both temperance men, and ministers, I
think perhaps a glass of spruce beer apiece will be all right.
What say you, Mr. Smith?
Smith As you please, your Majesty.
[They now take the beer.]
Devil [Holding up his glass.] Come, Mr. Smith, your
health. I propose we offer a toast.
Smith Well, proceed.
Devil Here's to my good friend, Joe. Smith. May all
sorts of ill luck befall him, and may he never be suffered to enter
my kingdom, either in time or eternity, for he would almost
make me forget that I am a devil, and make a gentleman of me,
while he gently overthrows my government, at the same time he
wins my friendship.
Smith Here's to his Satanic Majesty; may he be driven
from the earth, and be forced to put to sea in a stone canoe with
an iron paddle, and may the canoe sink, and a shark swallow the
canoe and its royal freight, and an alligator swallow the shark,
and may the alligator be bound in the northwest corner of hell,
the door be locked, the key lost, and a blind man hunting for it.
[Exit Devil, Prophet, and all]
Our Rights
John Taylor, 23rd April 1845
“Human law, ... is not binding upon any honest man“
All men should be entitled to two kinds of rights: natural and
artificial. Natural rights are embraced in life, liberty and the
pursuits of happiness. Artificial rights consist of powers granted
by legislative enactment; hence the machinery of government.
Now for a case in point. The state of Illinois granted the
City of Nauvoo a charter of "perpetual succession," and that
body had no more right to repeal it than the United States would
have to abrogate and make void the Constitution of the state; or
than Great Britain would have to abolish the Constitution of the
United States, and the man that says differently, is a coward, a
traitor to his own rights and a tyrant; no odds what Blackstone,
Kent, or Story may have written to make themselves and their
names popular, to the contrary.
If the Legislature granted a charter of "perpetual
succession" and they had no such power, they were a clan of
knaves in high places: If they had the power, then the Legislature
that repealed the charter of "perpetual succession" were a set of
licensed robbers, plundering an innocent people with impunity.
Each body is welcome to the honor or disgrace, hang upon which
horn of the dilemma they please.
The act repealing the Nauvoo charter, was an assumption
of might not a prerogative of right.
Men do not enjoy all their rights in any government now
existing. They waive the right by appointing men to make laws
for the safety and convenience of the whole, allowing the
majority to govern. But this is no criterion, or standard to suit the
wants and capacities of the people. Every man is above the law,
and can act as he pleases if he does not interfere with his
neighbor's right.
This is clearly taught in the great foundation of all law,
the ten commandments. Human law, the artificial contrivance of
the intellect, is not binding upon any honest man; nor should it
be any more than the creeds and dogmas of bigots. Laws are for
transgressors.
The Legislature have repealed the Nauvoo charter; and
what then? Why in so doing, the people of Nauvoo are left to
their own resourses. Instead of being protected, they have been
plundered with impunity. Who is to bear the loss of the private
rights which have been infringed upon by this repeal? Can a
private individual sue a Sovereign State? Where will the
Lieutenant General, the Major Generals, etc., take rank
according to their grade and date of commission? There is no
discharge in this war: these questions will have to be answered,
and the foundation and stability of the government tried.
Men have a right to petition and protest, and if either is
unheeded by those entrusted with powers, they, the people,
(oppressed) have what is denominated the reserved right of
protecting themselves from insult.
Nor is it less legal for an insulted individual or
community to resist oppression. For this reason, until the blood
of Joseph and Hyrum Smith has been atoned for, by hanging,
shooting, or staying in some manner, every person engaged in
that cowardly, mean assassination, no Latterday Saint should
give himself up to the law: for the presumption is, that they will
murder him in the same manner. The government has not
redeemed the broken faith of the State; but upon the contrary,
allowed an indicted murderer to sit in the legislative halls,
whereby the whole state becomes accessory to the crime! The
partaker is as bad as the thief.
Neither should civil process come in to Nauvoo, till the
United States, by a rigorous effort, causes the state of Missouri
and the state of Illinois to redress every man that has suffered the
loss of lands, goods, or any thing else, by expulsion and the
robbery from the one state and martyrdom and state plunder in
the other. Commissioners can be appointed to regulate, where
the clandestine forms of law might require the strange work of
God to rebut it.
Let it be proclaimed to the ends of the earth that the lives
of the Saints are their own property, and that they are bound to
protect them, and that they will in the name of Israel's God.
If any man is bound to maintain the law, it is for the
benefit he may derive from it. No man can be compelled in a free
country, to support a law that deprives him of his natural rights,
when, enjoying them is no disadvantage to his neighbor. "Thus,"
says Blackstone, "the statute of King Edward IV, which forbade
the fine gentlemen of those times (under the degree of Lord) to
wear pikes upon their boots and shoes of more than two inches in
length, was a law that savored of oppression."
Well, our charter is repealed; the murderers of the
Smiths are running at large, and if the Mormons should wish to
imitate their forefathers, and fulfil the scriptures making it "hard
to kick against the pricks," by wearing cast steel pikes about four
or five inches long on their boots and shoes, to kick with, that's
the harm?
(The Nauvoo Neighbor, 23 Apr 1845)
OneHundred Years Hence
Parley P. Pratt, 1845
God, through his servants the prophets, has given unto all men a
clue to the futures. In view of this we were cogitating upon our
bed the other night what would be the state of the whole world a
hundred years hence. In quiet succession the events and periods,
which have filled up nearly six thousand years, passed before our
mind's eyes, together with the accompanying, “Thus saith the
Lord.” “I will destroy the earth with a flood after one hundred
and twenty years. There shall be seven years of famine in Egypt.
Israel shall be held captive in Babylon till the land enjoys her
Sabbaths 70 years.” Then came Daniel's members and the exact
time when the Saviour was born, His crucifixion resurrection and
second coming. Thus while looking over the “Has Beens,” we
fell into a deep sleep, and the angel of our presence came to the
bedside and gently said, “Arise.” Now it mattereth not whether
we were in the body or out of it asleep or awake on earth or in
heaven, the sum of the matter is like this: Our guide (for such
we shall designate the angel or being who conducted us) soon
brought us in sight of a beautiful city, and as we were nearing the
place, a pillar of fire seemingly over the most beautiful building,
lit the city and country for a great distance around, and when we
came by the “Temple of the Lord in Zion” in letters of pure
language, and sparkling like diamonds, disclosed where we
were. Our guide went round the city in order to give us a chance
to count the towers; and as it was nearly sunrise, he conducted us
into one, that we might have a fair chance to view the Glory of
Zion by day light. We seemed to be swallowed in sublimity.
The pillar of fire, as the sun arose magnificently or majestically,
mellowing into a white cloud for a shade for the city from heat.
The dwelling so brilliant by night, had the appearance of
precious stones.
This is the fulfillment of the Word of Isaiah, “For brass I
will bring gold, for iron I will bring silver, and for wood, brass,
and for stones, iron; I will also make thine officers peace and
thine executors righteousness.”
Now the eyes of our understandings began to be
quickened and we learned that we were one hundred years
hence, (or ahead of common life) and we glorified. The veil that
hides our view from the glory of the upper deep had been taken
away and all things appeared to us as to the Lord. The great
earthquake, mentioned by John and all the Prophets before him,
had leveled the mountains over the whole earth.
The sea had rolled back as it was in the beginning, the
crooked was made straight. and the rough places made plain.
The earth yielded her increase and the knowledge of God exalted
man to the society of resurrected beings. The melody and
prayers of the morning in Zion showed that the Lord was there,
and truly so; for after breakfast, the chariot of Jesus Christ was
made ready for a pleasure ride, and the chariots of His Hundred
and Fortyfour Thousands glittered in the retinue of earth's
greatest and best; so glorious that the show exhibited the
splendor of Gods, whose Father's name they bore on the front of
their crown.
Our curiosity excited us to inquire what day they
celebrated, to which our guide replied, “This is the feast day of
the Lord to Joseph and Hyrum Smith, for being martyred for the
truth, held yearly on the seventh day of the fourth month
throughout all the tribes of Israel.”
Flesh and blood cannot comprehend the greatness of the
scene. The worthy of the earth with Adam at their head. The
martyrs of different dispensations with Abel at their head and
honorable men from other worlds, composed our assemblage of
dignity majesty and divinity, so much above the little pageantry
of man in his selfmade greatness, that we almost forgot that
mortals ever enjoyed anything more than misery, in all the pomp
and circumstance of man's power over man. This was a feast
day for Christ this was the triumph of Kings and Priests unto
God, and was a holiday of eternity. Who could be happier than
he who was among this holy throng? No one! And away we
rode out of Zion among her Stakes.
At the first city out we found the same spirit all were
one. While there, the following news by post came from the
east. It was read from one of the papers just published that
morning. In digging for the foundation for our new Temple in
the one hundred and twentyfourth city of Joseph, near where it
is supposed the City of New York once stood, a large square
stone was taken from the ruins of some building, which by a
seam in it, indicated more than mere stone; the seam being
opened disclosed a lead box about six inches square. This box
was soon found to contain several daily papers of its time,
together with some coins of the old government of the United
States. It will be recollected that all the inhabitants of this city
which were spared from calamity, were slung out when the earth
was turned upside down some forty or fifty years ago for their
wickedness.
The account of fire in one of the papers was truly
lamentable, destroying as the paper stated, more than twentyfive
millions worth of property in about three months. Each paper
contained a large number of murders, suicides, riots, robberies,
and hints of wars expected, with columns of divisions among the
Sectarian churches about slavery, and the right way. The archer
of paradise remarked, as these horrors of old times were being
read, that all that was enacted of Babylon, before Satan was
bound. Joseph Smith said, “Lord, we will put these papers and
coin in the repository of relics and curiosities of Satan's kingdom
of the old world,” which was agreed to by all after exhibiting the
coin. The silver coin contained the words, “United States of
America,” and “Half Dollar” round the image of an eagle on one
side, and a woman sitting upon the word, “Liberty” and holding
up a night cap between 13 stars over “1845” on the other side.
The only ideas that could be gathered from all this was
that the government had fallen from the splendor of an eagle to
the pleasure of a woman, and was holding up the night cap as a
token that the only liberty enjoyed then was star light liberty,
because their deeds were evil. Another coin had the appearance
of gold with “Five Dollars” upon it, but upon close examination
it was found to be nothing but fine brass. While this was going
on the Lord said, “Beware of the levee of old,” let us enjoy our
day.
In a moment this band of brethren were off, and what
could equal the view? No veil no voice the heavens were in
their glory and the angels were ascending and descending: This
earth was in its beauty. The wolves and sheep the calves and
lions, the behemoths and the buffalo, the child and the serpent
enjoyed life without fear and all men were one.
As we were passing to another city amid all this
perfection of the reign of Jesus Christ before his ancients
gloriously, we discovered the fragments of a hewn stone of a
beautiful blue color with an abbreviated word, “Mo” and the
figures “1838” upon it, to which the Lion of the Lord, (Brigham
Young) exclaimed, “The wicked are turned into hell and
forgotten, but the righteous reign with God in glory,” and it
seemed as if the echo came from a redeemed world, “Glory.”
After about five hours ride among the cities and stakes of
Zion, we returned to the Capitol to partake of the Feast of the
martyrs, where Jesus Christ sat at the head of the Fathers and
Mothers, sons and daughters of Israel. It was a sight which the
world, even Babylon in its best days never saw or witnessed.
Says Jesus Christ, as every eye turned upon him,
“Our Father and thine
Bless me and mine Amen.”
“Death and Satan being banished;
And the veil for ever vanished;
All the earth again replenished,
And in beauty appears.
So we'll sing Hallelujah,
While we worship our Saviour,
And fill the earth with cities
Through the Great Thousand Years.”
Our eye next caught a map showing the earth as it was
and is. We were delighted with the earth as it is. Four rivers
situated a little south of Zion, for Zion is situated on the sides of
the north. The first river is called Passon and runs west, and the
second is called Gian, and runs south, the third is called
Hundakal and runs north and the fourth is called the Faulers, and
runs east. These rivers divide the earth into four quarters as it
was in the days of Adam. And, with their tributaries, give an
uninterrupted water communication over the face of the world.
For in the beginning the earth was not called finished till it was
very good for everything.
By the paper we were reading we learned that rain was
expected in the beginning of the seventh month according to the
laws of the Lord, for the promise is, "It shall rain moderately in
the first and seventh months, that the plowman shall overtake the
reaper." Contemplating the greatness of the earth in its glory,
with Jesus Christ for her King, President and Law Giver, with
such wise counselors as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Elijah,
Peter and Joseph, we were imperceptibly led to exclaim, “Great
is the wisdom, great is the Glory, and great is the power of man
with his Maker.” When in a sudden our guide came in and said,
“You must drink wine with the Lord in His kingdom and then
return.” This we did, and many things we saw are not lawful to
utter, and can only be known as we learn from them, by the
assistance of a guardian an angel.
When we were ready to return our guide observed
“Perhaps you would like to look through the Urim and
Thummim of God upon the abominations of the world in the day
of its sin.” “Yes,” was our reply, and he handed us the holy
instrument. One look and the soul sickened. Eye hath not seen
ear hath not heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man
what folly, corruption, and abominations are wrought among
men, to gratify the lusts of the flesh; the lust of the eye, and the
cunning of the devil, but they shall come.
We returned, and awoke, perfectly enamored with the
glory of Zion to be, as well as the splendor and harmony of “The
Feast of the Martyrs.” Determining in our minds at some future
day to give a sketch of the temple, wherein Jesus Christ sat and
reigned with the righteous.
There was not a Canaanite in the land, nor anything to
hurt or destroy in all the Holy Mountain, when the earth shall be
full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea, in
short the heavenly reality of One Hundred Years Hence.
(From The Nauvoo Neighbor, 1845)
Priesthood and Obedience
Samuel Richards?, 13th November 1852
Men in their ambition have ever sought for power, to rule and to
exercise a controlling influence over their fellow men, and
generally but little regard has been had to the way and means by
which they have come into possession of such power, neither
when obtained, has it always been used with an eye single to the
salvation or benefit of mankind. The desire, we admit, is a very
natural one, from the fact that man is designed by God, and
capacitated in his organisation to be a ruler in a greater or less
degree in the many grades that exist, from having rule over his
own passions, propensities, and person, to that of a family, tribe,
community or society, a state or nation an empire or a kingdom;
and even his ambition may aspire to rule the world, or like God,
peradventure, to sway the sceptre of unnumbered worlds.
All power is not immediately derived from the same
source, but all legitimate right of Government is in the
Priesthood of God. Tyrants and usurpers, under the titles of
Emperors, Kings, and Presidents, have dominion upon the earth,
which has been maintained and is maintained, by the sword and
by blood, all of which is a usurpation of power, gained by might,
and not by right. The very sound of the word Priesthood, to
every man who has a correct idea of the government of God,
imparts a sensation that either elevates his soul with joy, or if he
feels its influence is not within his reach, it abandons him to
despair. It implies a divine right to govern and control, exercised
by God, and imparted to whom He will; and when held by man
under His approbation, is superior to every other power, and
therefore cannot virtually be called in question by any other.
This right of government is so secured that no man can take the
honour or power thereof unto himself, for God calls whom He
will, and confers it upon him in His own appointed way; hence
no man can obtain it without believing and confessing that there
is a medium of immediate communication between him and his
God; and all men who are called as was Aaron, by direct
revelation, and ordained unto the Holy Priesthood are ordained
for men, in things pertaining to God, that reconciliation may be
brought to pass.
By this we learn that the Priesthood administers in a
perfect organization of government, because it is the government
ordained and upheld by a perfect Being; it is a holy and just
authority, because it administers in things pertaining to God, and
partakes of the value of all His attributes. It is reasonable, then,
for us to conclude, that God would require obedience and respect
to be paid to His government wherever found, and that those
who hold the Priesthood should be recognised as his messengers.
Upon a point so selfevident, we have no need to reason
further to authorize us to remark, that in the administration of a
perfect law, there must be perfect obedience to that law, on the
part of the subjects who are governed by it; otherwise there is a
violation of the law, which must be atoned for by the
transgressor; if it were not so, the honour of the law would not be
maintained; but the law of God being perfect, not only provides
for the salvation of all through mercy, but it is also armed with
justice that its supremacy may be maintained by meting out a
just recompense to the transgressor.
This priesthood is now among men upon the earth, and is
in successful operation for their salvation. The King himself,
who holds all power in this Priesthood, was upon the earth more
than eighteen hundred years ago, and desired to reign by virtue
of it, but mankind would not suffer him. He was holy, but men
were so wicked they could not appreciate his goodness, nor his
power; therefore they destroyed him, and would not suffer him
to live upon the earth. And what was the result? That same holy
power and influence which he possessed he conferred upon men,
who were not so perfect as himself, and ordained them to be the
medium of his power, that peradventure their labours and
ministrations might be more adapted to the low grovelling and
degraded condition of those who were to receive them, and
because of it, be better appreciated than His labours and motives
were.
The minds of men generally do not have the capacity to
receive the ministrations of perfect beings; hence each grade of
intelligences is administered unto by the next above in capacity,
power, and glory, like unto the way of life to a Saint, which is
from grace to grace, and from faith to faith, living by that which
is in part until that which is perfect shall come. When the
government of God is thoroughly established upon the earth,
through the immediate agency of men and angels under God's
own supervision, and as so far gained the supremacy over
contending powers, that the King's person can be safe among
men, and be duly honoured by them, then will he again come to
reign, and bring in that which is perfect; then shall a universal
day of peace and righteousness be enjoyed by those who inherit
the earth; for the King has decreed that all who cannot abide and
honour the perfect administration of his laws in that day, shall be
destroyed from off the earth.
According to examples which are recorded in sacred
writ, and which have actually been witnessed by many of the
Saints of the present dispensation, men are called to receive the
Priesthood, and in virtue of it, perform a certain work for which
they seem adapted, and afterwards they are suffered to dishonour
that Priesthood by using the influence which they have gained, to
lead others astray; and thereby dishonour and reproach have at
times been brought upon those who consider it a duty to listen to
their counsel. By being enabled thus to accomplish their
covetous, lustful, and unlawful ends, they have brought disgrace
and suffering upon others, incurred the wrath of God and the
disapprobation of His people upon themselves, and the power of
the Priesthood has altogether departed from them, for its virtue
will not abide with those who violate its laws.
Because of these facts, and the apparent imperfections of men on
whom God confers authority the question is sometimes asked, to
what extent is obedience to those who hold the Priesthood
required? This is a very important question, and one which
should be understood by all Saints. In attempting to answer this
question we would repeat, in short, what we have already
written, that willing obedience to the laws of God, administered
by the Priesthood, is indispensable to salvation; but, we would
further add, that a proper conservative to this power exists for the
benefit of all, and none are required to tamely and blindly submit
to a man because he has a portion of the Priesthood. We have
heard men who hold the priesthood remark, that they would do
anything they were told to do by those who presided over them,
(even) even if they knew it was wrong: but such obedience as
this is worse than folly to us; it is slavery in the extreme; and the
man who would thus willingly degrade himself, should not claim
rank among intelligent beings, until he turns from his folly. A
man of God, who seeks for the redemption of his fellows, would
despise the idea of seeing another become his slave, who had an
equal right with himself to the favour of God; he would rather
see him stand by his side, a sworn enemy to wrong, so long as
there was place found for it among men. Others, in the extreme
exercise of their almighty(!) authority, have taught that such
obedience was necessary, and that no matter what the Saints
were told to do by their Presidents, they should do it without
questions.
When the Elders of Israel will so far indulge in these
extreme notions of obedience, as to teach them to the people, it is
generally because they have it in their hearts to do wrong
themselves. and wish to pave the way to accomplish that wrong;
or else because they have done wrong, and wish to use the cloak
of their authority to cover it with, lest is should be discovered by
their superiors, who would require an atonement at their hands.
We would ask, For what is the Priesthood given unto men? It is
that they may have a right to administer the law of God. Have
they then a right to make void that law? Verily no. When the law
of God has gone forth from His own mouth, and been declared
by the mouths of His Prophets and Apostles, saying, "Thou shalt
not lie"; who can say by virtue of the Priesthood. You may lie
and be approved? The Lord and His Prophets have declared it as
a law unto His People, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Then
who can say, Thou mayest commit adultery, and it will be no
sin? It is written as a law unto the Saints "Thou shalt not kill."
Then we ask again, Who can kill and be forgiven? And in like
manner it might be asked of all the laws of God, who has the
right to make them void? None can revoke the decree but Him
by whom it was given; neither can the laws of God be trampled
upon with impunity or revoked by a lesser power than that by
which they are framed. It is written of God that He cannot lie;
then none need suppose that He will approve of it through His
authority which is on the earth; neither is He the Son of Man that
he should repent, therefore He will maintain the law by which
His kingdom is governed. Should any think that they can give
counsel to gratify their lusts, or answer avaricious ends, and say,
"No one seeth us," while they indulge therein, and indulge in sin
as a sweet morsel, they will learn with sorrow, that an eye which
never sleeps has been upon their path, and He that seeth in secret
shall make manifest, and reward openly every man according to
his deeds, whether good or evil.
If a man could have as much authority as the Almighty,
it would not authorise him to do wrong, nor counsel another to
do wrong, and the man that will administer with partiality, for
the sake of screening iniquity, will find his stewardship will be
taken from him.
In administering the government of God, there are three
parties concerned, viz., the subject who is governed, the person
who governs, and the person by whose permission or under
whose approbation, he governs. Should a person be required to
violate a known law by his President, or if he is not satisfied with
the counsel which he gives, he should not openly rebel against
that President, but if they cannot see eye to eye, he should appeal
privately to the next higher power or President, and where there
three are thus brought together who have a spirit to do right,
right will prevail, and harmony be maintained. While such is the
character of God's government that its genius and policy is to the
end that iniquity may be swept from off the earth, persons need
not think to excuse themselves for performing a known unlawful
act simply because they were told to do it by another; if such an
excuse as this would justify, none would ever need to come
under condemnation; for men would be sure to find someone on
whom to lay the burden of their sins. The day has come when
every one may expect to answer for their own sins, without
attempting to cloak them with another's Priesthood.
Great is the responsibility of that man who is called to
give counsel which involves the salvation of another; and when
such counsel is given, it should be of that pure character, that the
powers above him upon the earth, with angels and God, can
approve. He will then have no occasion to destroy his own
influence and power by telling others that it will be no sin for
them to commit adultery, to lie or steal etc., if they are told to do
it by the Priesthood, and thereby pervert the right ways of the
Lord, and bring reproach upon the honour of His cause. The
Lord asks for no such confidence in His Priesthood as this,
neither do good men who are under its influence. The Priesthood
never demands a wrong at the hands of another, though men who
hold the Priesthood may make such a demand, as has sometimes
been the case, and for which they have had to suffer.
Where the authority of God is, there should the
confidence of all men be reposed, sufficiently to obey its laws,
but not to violate them; for we have not yet learned that it has
power enough to save the transgressor in his sins. Some men
have been so wise as to think the little authority they had was
enough for them to set aside law and revelation, and mete out
justice and judgement upon their own responsibility. But in the
end they have found that responsibility to be greater than they
could bear.
These sentiments are not advanced with the idea of
defining the limits of Divine authority, nor that any one can find
language to portray the extent of the rights and powers of the
Priesthood: for to fully comprehend it, would be to comprehend
God. But they are offered with the consideration that Saints may
be led to see the skill and manifested in its organisation; how
safely it is guarded from the impositions of men, and the
impossibility of sin prevailing where it is duly and wisely
administered, and that none need be imposed upon if they
understood the rights and privileges which it guarantees to them:
then, if they do not avail themselves of this rights, they are left
without excuse. Extreme exercise of power, in cases of such
importance, and upon matters of such infinite moment, should be
studiously avoided, when we consider that every one must render
a faithful account of his stewardship.
Some have supposed that the more authority men have in
the kingdom of God, the greater is their liberty to disregard His
laws, and that their greatness consists in their almost unlimited
privileges, which leave them without restrictions; but this is a
mistaken idea. Those who are the greatest in authority are under
the greatest restrictions; the law of their sphere is greater than
that of those who are in less power, and the restrictions and
penalty of that law are proportionately great; therefore they are
under the greater obligation to maintain the virtue of the law and
the institutions of God, otherwise confidence could not be
reposed in them, but distrust and evil surmisings would be the
result: disaffection would be found lurking in every in every
avenue of society and by thus severing the cords of union, it
would prove the destruction of any people.
A voice from the heavens has again been heard breaking
the silences of ages, with a purpose and determination to
establish the kingdom of God, and introduce a celestial
government upon the earth; and if mankind will respect and obey
those laws when revealed to them, they shall be saved and inherit
a celestial glory. Therefore, had we the voice like the sound of a
trump of the Archangel, that could be heard by all living, or had
we the power of a God to penetrate and make every heart to feel
and realize the truth, we would proclaim it abroad in the ears of
all living Repent ye, repent ye for the hour of God's judgement
has come, and the transgressor shall perish from off the earth,
while the meek shall be redeemed to inherit it forever.
(Millennial Star, 14:594 Nov 13 1852)
The Coming Crisis How To Meet It
Samuel Richards, 30th April 1853
(Millennial Star, 30 April 1853
Volume 15, Pages 273276, 289292.)
The Origin and Destiny of Woman
John Taylor, 29th August 1857
The Latterday Saints have often been ridiculed on account of
their belief in the preexistence of spirits, and for marrying for
time and all eternity, both being Bible doctrines. We have often
been requested to give our views in relation to these principles,
but considered the things of the kingdom belonged to the
children of the kingdom, therefore not meet to give them to those
without. But being very politely requested by a lady a few days
since (a member of the Church) to answer the following
questions, we could not consistently refuse, viz.:
"Where did I come from? What am I doing here?
Whither am I going? And what is my destiny after having
obeyed the truth, if faithful to the end?"
For her benefit and all others concerned, we will
endeavor to answer the questions in brief, as we understand
them. The reason will be apparent for our belief in the pre
existence of spirits, and in marrying for time and all eternity.
Lady, whence comest thou? Thine origin? What art thou
doing here? Whither art thou going, and what is thy destiny?
Declare unto me if thou hast understanding. Knowest thou not
that thou art a spark of Deity, struck from the fire of His eternal
blaze, and brought forth in the midst of eternal burning?
Knowest thou not that eternities ago thy spirit, pure and
holy, dwelt in thy Heavenly Father's bosom, and in His presence,
and with thy mother, one of the queens of heaven, surrounded by
thy brother and sister spirits in the spirit world, among the Gods?
That as thy spirit beheld the scenes transpiring there, and thou
grewest in intelligence, thou sawest worlds upon worlds
organized and peopled with thy kindred spirits who took upon
them tabernacles, died, were resurrected, and received their
exaltation on the redeemed worlds they once dwelt upon.
Thou being willing and anxious to imitate them, waiting
and desirous to obtain a body, a resurrection and exaltation also,
and having obtained permission, madest a covenant with one of
thy kindred spirits to be thy guardian angel while in mortality,
also with two others, male and female spirits, that thou wouldst
come and take a tabernacle through their lineage, and become
one of their offspring. You also chose a kindred spirit whom you
loved in the spirit world (and who had permission to come to this
planet and take a tabernacle), to be your head, stay, husband and
protector on the earth and to exalt you in eternal worlds. All
these were arranged, likewise the spirits that should tabernacle
through your lineage.
Thou longed, thou sighed and thou prayed to thy Father
in heaven for the time to arrive when thou couldst come to this
earth, which had fled and fallen from where it was first
organised, near the planet Kolob. Leaving thy father and
mother's bosom and all thy kindred spirits thou camest to earth,
took a tabernacle, and imitated the deeds of those who had been
exalted before you.
At length the time arrived, and thou heard the voice of
thy Father saying, go daughter to yonder lower world, and take
upon thee a tabernacle, and work out thy probation with fear and
trembling and rise to exaltation. But daughter, remember you go
on this condition, that is, you are to forget all things you ever
saw, or knew to be transacted in the spirit world; you are not to
know or remember anything concerning the same that you have
beheld transpire here; but you must go and become one of the
most helpless of all beings that I have created, while in your
infancy, subject to sickness, pain, tears, mourning, sorrow and
death. But when truth shall touch the chords of your heart they
will vibrate; then intelligence shall illuminate your mind, and
shed its lustre in your soul, and you shall begin to understand the
things you once knew, but which had gone from you; you shall
then begin to understand and know the object of your creation.
Daughter, go, and be faithful as thou hast been in thy first estate.
Thy spirit, filled with joy and thanksgiving, rejoiced in
thy Father, and rendered praise to His holy name, the spirit world
resounded in anthems of praise to the Father of spirits. Thou
bade father, mother and all farewell, and along with thy guardian
angel, thou came on this terraqueous globe. The spirits thou
hadst chosen to come and tabernacle through their lineage, and
your head having left the spirit world some years previous, thou
came a spirit pure and holy. Thou hast obeyed the truth, and thy
guardian angel ministers unto thee and watches over thee. Thou
hast chosen him you loved in the spirit world to be thy
companion. Now crowns, thrones, exaltations and dominions are
in reserve for thee in the eternal worlds, and the way is opened
for thee to return back into the presence of thy Heavenly Father,
if thou wilt only abide by and walk in a celestial law, fulfil the
designs of thy Creator and hold out to the end that when
mortality is laid in the tomb, you may go down to your grave in
peace, arise in glory, and receive your everlasting reward in the
resurrection of the just, along with thy head and husband. Thou
wilt be permitted to pass by the Gods and angels who guard the
gates, on onward, upward to thy exaltation in a celestial world
among the Gods. To be a priestess queen upon thy Heavenly
Father's throne, and a glory to thy husband and offspring, to bear
the souls of men, to people other worlds (as thou didst bear their
tabernacles in mortality) while eternity goes and eternity comes;
and if you will receive it, lady, this is eternal life. And herein is
the saying of the Apostle Paul fulfilled, "That the man is not
without the woman, neither is the woman without the man in the
Lord." "That the man is the head of the woman, and the glory of
the man is the woman." Hence, thine origin, the object of thy
ultimate destiny. If faithful, lady, the cup is within thy reach;
drink then the heavenly draught and live.
(The Mormon, August 29, 1857, New York City)
A Proclamation on the Economy
First Presidency & Twelve, 10th July 1875
To The Latterday Saints
The experience of mankind has shown that the people of
communities and nations among whom wealth is the most
equally distributed, enjoy the largest degree of liberty, are
the least exposed to tyranny and oppression and suffer the
least from luxurious habits which beget vice. Among the
chosen people of the Lord, to prevent the too rapid growth of
wealth and its accumulation in a few hands, he ordained that in
every seventh year the debtors were to be released from their
debts, and, where a man had sold himself to his brother, he was
in that year to be released from slavery and to go free; even the
land itself which might pass out of the possession of its owner by
his sale of it, whether through his improvidence,
mismanagement, or misfortune, could only be alienated until the
year of jubilee. At the expiration of every fortynine years the
land reverted, without cost, to the man or family whose
inheritance originally it was, except in the case of a dwelling
house in a walled city, for the redemption of which, one year
only was allowed, after which, if not redeemed, it became the
property, without change at the year of jubilee, of the purchaser.
Under such a system, carefully maintained, there could be no
great aggregations of either real or personal property in the hands
of a few; especially so while the laws, forbidding the taking of
usury or interest for money or property loaned, continued in
force.
One of the great evils with which our own nation is
menaced at the present time is the wonderful growth of wealth in
the hands of a comparatively few individuals. The very liberties
for which our fathers contended so steadfastly and
courageously, and which they bequeathed to us as a priceless
legacy, are endangered by the monstrous power which this
accumulation of wealth gives to a few individuals and a few
powerful corporations. By its seductive influence results are
accomplished which, were it more equally distributed, would be
impossible under our form of government. It threatens to give
shape to the legislation, both State and National, of the entire
country. If this evil should not be checked, and measures not be
taken to prevent the continued enormous growth of riches among
the class already rich, and the painful increase of destitution and
want among the poor, the nation is liable to be overtaken by
disaster; for, according to history, such a tendency among
nations once powerful was the sure precursor of ruin. The
evidence of the restiveness of the people under this condition of
affairs in our times is witnessed in the formation of societies of
grangers, of patrons of husbandry, trades' unions, etc., etc.,
combinations of the productive and working classes against
capital.
Years ago it was perceived that we Latterday Saints
were open to the same dangers as those which beset the rest of
the world. A condition of affairs existed among us which was
favorable to the growth of riches in the hands of a few at the
expense of the many. A wealthy class was being rapidly formed
in our midst whose interests, in the course of time, were likely to
be diverse from those of the rest of the community. The growth
of such a class was dangerous to our union; and, of all people,
we stand most in need of union and to have our interests
identical. Then it was that the Saints were counseled to enter into
cooperation. In the absence of the necessary faith to enter upon a
more perfect order revealed by the Lord unto the church, this
was felt to be the best means of drawing us together and making
us one. ...
Today, therefore, cooperation among us is no untried
experiment. It has been tested, and whenever fairly tested,
and under proper management, its results have been most
gratifying and fully equal to all that was expected of it,
though many attempts have been made to disparage and decry it,
to destroy the confidence of the people in it and to have it prove
a failure. ...
A union of interests was sought to be attained. At the
time cooperation was entered upon the Latterday Saints were
acting in utter disregard of the principles of selfpreservation.
They were encouraging the growth of evils in their own midst
which they condemned as the worst features of the systems from
which they had been gathered. Large profits were being
concentrated in comparatively few hands, instead of being
generally distributed among the people. As a consequence, the
community was being rapidly divided into classes, and the
hateful and unhappy distinctions which the possession and lack
of wealth give rise to, were becoming painfully apparent. ...
Cooperation has submitted in silence to a great many
attacks. Its friends have been content to let it endure the ordeal.
But it is now time to speak. The Latterday Saints should
understand that it is our duty to sustain cooperation and to do all
in our power to make it a success. ...
Does not all our history impress upon us the great truth
that in union is strength? Without it, what power would the
Latterday Saints have? But it is not in doctrines alone that we
should be united, but in practice and especially in our business
affairs.
Your Brethren,
Brigham Young
Charles C. Rich Wilford Woodruff
George A. Smith George Q. Cannon
Lorenzo Snow Orson Hyde
Daniel H. Wells Brigham Young, Jr.
Erastus Snow Orson Pratt
John Taylor Albert Carrington
Franklin D. Richards
Poverty & Property
Charles W. Nibley, January 1886
A lecture given in the Logan Temple1
The subject of political economy has engaged the attention of
many of the most eminent thinkers and writers, from the days of
the philosopher, Aristotle, down to the present; and during all the
ages of the past, many a system has been formulated by the best
minds, put on paper, appearing quite beautiful in theory, but in
practice all resulting in failure.
The English word economy is derived from the Greek, the
primary meaning of which is a house and a law; especially
pertaining to the income of the household and the disbursement
thereof. To the word economy is added the word political, which
enlarges the meaning to embrace a community – a body politic
— a nation, or the whole world. Any system of political
economy which allows the wealth of a country to be
controlled and gathered in by a few, and thereby gives them
power to oppress their fellows, must be a wrong system. The
true system would be, that which will give society the most
strength to perpetuate itself in contentment and peace.
It would take too much time to even give you the names
of all those who have written on this subject, much less a
synopsis of their theories, but among the most prominent that the
last two hundred years have produced are Adam Smith, Malthus,
John Stuart Mill and Henry George. Others, who are far greater
as thinkers and writers, like Herbert Spencer, Carlyle and
Ruskin, have very clearly pointed out to us wherein our present
systems of supply and demand, competition, usury, rent and
the like, are unjust, and, therefore wrong, but have failed to
clearly define some line of practice that would remedy the great
evils under which the whole world groans and suffers.
1 He was born 1849 in Scotland, and was later married
polygamously. In 1907 was called as Presiding Bishop, and was the
father of Preston Nibley, and grandfather of High Nibley. He died
in 1931.
Perhaps the most prominent truth which Adam Smith points
out in his heavy volumes is this, “That all wealth is the result of
labor.” Labor alone produces wealth. This I think will be
admitted without question; but for the most part of Smith's
theories, new conditions of society have arisen, which he never
dreamed of, and which, as was to be expected, have upset many
of his propositions. For who could anticipate the results and
developments wrought out by the coal and iron, the railroad and
the steamer, and the telegraph with its ocean cables? Who could
have conceived the industrial changes, the spinning mule and the
power loom, the mower and selfbinder, and the thousand and
one laborsaving machines of recent invention would produce?
The doctrine of Malthus, or the “Malthusian theory,” as it is
called, has given rise to endless, foolish speculation. Malthus
declares that population has a tendency to increase faster than
subsistence; that, in fact, we must put some positive or
preventive check to this multiplying of our species, or the food
supply will not be equal to feed our members. On the other hand,
Henry George and others take the opposite view, and say in
effect, since labor produces wealth, the greater number of people
you have on the earth who will labor, the more food and wealth
they will produce.
It is true of political economy as it is of religions, all
systems have some fraction of truth, otherwise they would not
hang together at all; but to say that any of these theorists have
formulated, or can formulate, a complete science which will fit
and govern all the relations of human life and regulate with
justice, all affairs between man and man, is to expect something
which has not been, and never will be, realized. For it is true as
the Scripture has said: “It is not in man that walketh to direct his
steps,” and without the guidance of the Almighty, and the
restraining influences which true religion brings, the world can
never have a complete and successful system of political
economy. No one who has eyes to see, will say that the wealth of
the world is justly distributed.
In a country where one man can, from very small
beginnings, clear over a million dollars every year for twenty or
thirty years, like Governor Stanford of California, and where
another man, nay, thousands of men, are unable to earn bread
sufficient for themselves and their families to live on; where
under the very shadow of the gilded palaces in our great cities,
live thousands of miserable human beings – of our own flesh and
blood every one of them – eking out an almost intolerable
existence, and they cannot sell their labor for sufficient to buy
them food and warmth. In the great city of Chicago, where is at
present stored some seventeen million bushels of wheat, there
are halfclad, barefooted children by the hundreds begging for
breadfamishing for even the bare necessities of life. I say where
such a state of society exists something is radically wrong and
needs changing, or it will change itself in a manner not pleasant
to behold, nor very healthy to the capitalist.
Such a state of affairs was never intended by the beneficent
Father of us all; for are we not all his children, of one family, one
flesh and blood? In the revelations to his Church in our day he
has said: “For what man among you having twelve sons, and is
no respector of them, and they serve him obediently, and he saith
unto the one, be thou clothed in robes and sit thou here; and to
the other, be thou clothed in rags and sit thou there; and looked
upon his sons and saith I am just. Behold, I have given unto you
a parable, and it is even as I am.”2
It is even as I am! God is no respector of persons, and
requires only that his children serve him obediently. To one he
has given much intelligence in certain things, to another he has
given but little; yet when these two serve him obediently, with
the full exercise of every faculty that each one has – then have
they served him equally, and are equally acceptable before him.
And now when we see such wealth on the one hand, and
destitution and want on the other, we naturally ask, why such
poverty amidst such abundance? Certainly something is wrong;
not one thing but many; and being wrong they will have to be set
right. But where's the remedy? – there's the rub! ...
But with the strong, healthy, young person – the young
society like ours – if we can only have pointed out certain rules
of life, certain laws of God (and these latter will always be found
“If we are all here by the equal permission of the Creator, we are
3 D&C 49:19, 20.
4 D&C 49:20
5 The entire book is freely available online at
http://www.henrygeorge.org/pplink.htm
all here with an equal title to enjoy his bounty – with an equal
right to the use of all that nature so impartially offers. This is a
right which is natural and inalienable; it is a right which vests in
every human being, and which, during his continuance in the
world, can be limited only by the equal rights of others. There is
in nature no such thing as a fee simple in land. There is on earth
no power which can rightfully make a grant of exclusive
ownership in land.
If all existing men were to unite to grant away their
equal rights, they could not grant away the right of those who
follow them. For what are we but tenants for a day? Have we
made the earth, that we should determine the rights of those who
after us shall tenant it in their turn? The Almighty, who created
the earth for man and man for the earth, has entailed it upon all
the generations of the children of men by a decree written upon
the constitution of all things – a decree which no human action
can bar and no prescription determine. Let the parchments be
ever so many or possession ever so long, natural justice can
recognize no right in one man to the possession and enjoyment
of land that is not equally the right of all his fellows....
The widespreading social evils which everywhere
oppress men amid an advancing civilization, spring from a great
primary wrong – the appropriation, as the exclusive property of
some men, of the land on which and from which all must live.
From this fundamental injustice flow all the injustices which
distort and endanger modern development, which condemn the
producer of wealth to poverty and pamper the nonproducer in
luxury, which rear the tenement house with the palace, plant the
brothel behind the church, and compel us to build prisons as we
open new schools. ...
Has the first comer at a banquet the right to turn back all
the chairs and claim that none of the other guests shall partake of
the food provided, except as they make terms with him? Does
the first man who presents a ticket at the door of a theatre and
passes in, acquire by his priority the right to shut the doors and
have the performance go on for him alone? Does the first
passenger who enters a railroad car obtain the right to scatter his
baggage over all the seats and compel the passengers who come
in after him to stand up? ...
Our boasted freedom necessarily involves slavery, so
long as we recognize private property in land.6 Until that is
abolished, Declarations of Independence and Acts of
Emancipation are in vain. So long as one man can claim the
exclusive ownership of the land from which other men must live,
slavery will exist, and as material progress goes on, must grow
and deepen.”
But let us consider the injustice of the present system even
in our own midst, without going out into the world for greater
wrongs. Here, we will say is a brother who received the gospel
years ago in his native land and soon “gathered” to Zion. By
arriving here among the first settlers he is enabled to locate on a
choice piece of land, say, near Salt Lake City. As population
increases, his land grows in value. For his labor on the land he
reaps, each year, an abundant harvest, and being close to the city
finds a ready market for his produce.
These harvests are the result of his labor, but apart from any
labor, that land which he located on and which cost him nothing,
has grown to be worth from $100 to $300 per acre, simply
because some twenty thousand people have built and are
inhabiting a city adjacent to his land; and if another twenty or a
hundred thousand people are added to that city, his land
increases in value according to the increase in population. And
all this increase of wealth comes without labor, for as I said he is
more than paid for his labor by the abundant harvests. And now
if some poor brother wishes to get an acre of said land to live on,
he has to pay a yearly rent equal to a yearly interest on the
market value of the land.
This brother who rents, first heard the gospel last year –
rendered willing and prompt obedience to it – gathered with
God's people and has in every way served our Father obediently,
and yet because lie came in last year, and the other brother came
some years sooner, the one has to pay to the other usury or rent
7 D&C 38:26.
what the latter considered a complete title to land, because
although a whole tribe might have consented to the sale, they
would still claim, with every new child born among them, an
additional payment on the ground that they had only parted with
their own rights and could not sell those of the unborn. The
Government was obliged to step in and settle the matter by
buying land for a tribal annuity, in which every child that is born
acquires a share.
When the Lord, through Moses, led the children of Israel to
the promised land, one of the first things done in arranging their
excellent system of political economy was to regulate their land
matters; and while each one was given his stewardship, yet the
title to the land was really held by the tribe in common, and
could never pass to an alien, nor indeed to a brother, except for a
limited number of years.
As a people, we have much to congratulate ourselves on
in our system, but I am free to say that not only our land matters,
but also many other things pertaining to our political economy
will have to be changed. How shall it be done? In regard to land
first of all, I will say that it is my settled opinion, that the land
will not be mine nor yours alone, but will be the common
property of the whole people – will belong to the Church.
When the time comes (to use the words of revelation),
“When my servant will appoint unto this people their portion,
every man equal according to their families, according to their
circumstances and their wants and needs. And let every man deal
honestly and be alike among this people, and receive alike that
you may be one even as I have commanded you.”8 “That you
may be equal in the bands of heavenly things, yea and earthly
things also, for the obtaining of heavenly things. For if ye are not
equal in earthly things ye cannot be equal in obtaining heavenly
things.”9
Now the equality here spoken of does not mean that each
man should have an equal number of acres of land – equal house
room and furnishings, – the same clothing, food, hours of sleep
8 D. & C. 51:3-9.
9 D. & C. 78:5, 6.
and the like with every other man – not that at all; for everything
in nature indicates variety, change, no two things being exactly
alike; and what might be a pleasing and suitable thing for you
might be quite the reverse for me. It was never intended there
should be such an equality – indeed there cannot be, for such a
state of affairs would bring anything but happiness and
contentment. But the equality referred to means the same equal
right we have to the air we breathe, or the sunshine that gladdens
and gives us all equal light and heat.
Pertaining to the laws of the church also, the same
equality exists; as for instance the law of baptism, it is
administered alike to each and all; no one can disregard it and be
saved. In that we are equal. So also at the sacrament table there
is the same equality; so with regard to tithing, – the settlement of
our difficulties and indeed all the general laws of God apply with
equal force and effect to every one of His children. But we are
not to suppose that each one is endowed with the same talent or
faculty, for we know such is not the case. To one is given much,
to another little, and where much is given much will be required.
One may be capable of wisely handling and directing the labor
of others; and there have never yet been wanting laborers who
are more than glad to labor and be directed by the wiser, if only
they are treated as brothers and with that equality and justice that
a righteous overseer would bestow.
It is plain, therefore, that if the land were the property
of the church, each member would be equal in ownership
with every other member, and the profits of it – over and above
the cost of living comfortably, would pass into the general
treasury, instead of into the hands of the few lucky ones who
came first to the country and monopolized all the best land, to
the exclusion of thousands just as willing and obedient Latter
day Saints as ever joined the church. Do not think now that I
blame any one for taking up land and owning it, for under our
present system there is no other way to do. Those who came first
did exactly as we would have done had we been in their places;
but I do say the whole is unjust and with all nations who adhere
to it, will in the end bring revolution and ruin. It must be
changed.
I am aware that some argue that in order to call forth a
man's best energies, in directing or managing any temporal
concern, he must have some other incentive than the general
good of the whole; but I think on examination this idea will be
found to be utterly groundless. For have we not all seen how
thousands of our elders go forth and labor in the ministry for the
good of the whole Church and the glory of God's cause! Indeed,
such labor has been the most earnest and zealous and quite as
hard as any labor that I know of. Nor is this because such labor is
what we call of a spiritual nature, for there have been many
elders engaged in temporal duties, and are now, who work with
as much devotion and solicitude for the success of their efforts as
any individual enterprise could get out of them.
The true incentive for any man or woman to labor is, to
know that it is one's duty, and in the doing of that duty the
more who are benefited by it, the more pleasure will it bring
to the true worker, and the more zealous and excellent will
his labor be. With the land as the common property of the
church, much of the inequality in temporal things, which at
present exists, would be done away from among us, and we
could receive of the fruits of the earth equally, according to our
needs and our wants, so long as our wants were just. One other
objection arises to this idea of common property of land, which I
will briefly refer to and close. And that is the immense power it
would give to the leaders of such a society, which would be
dangerous if it were wielded unrighteously. Certainly such a
system would place great power in some few hands, and I
confess this is one of the chief reasons why I like it. I am for
centralization of power in all things, when it can be centralized
by the common consent of the whole people and administered
with justice and judgment.
Our God is a most beneficent Father – desires to see His
children equal as far as they can possibly be, but He is a terrible
monopolist withal; He is aggressive and jealous of his power;
indeed He wants it all – He and his – and is determined to have
it, too, and will fight it out on that line until every opposing
power is conquered and bound hand and feet. And yet He is so
kind and just with his monopoly. We do not object to working
for His cause for fear of giving him too much power. No! we
want Him to have power – the more the better, for He will use it
justly. And therein is the touchstone of the whole matter; every
man among us will say the more power our leaders have the
better. For is not every true leader something of a God, who
approaches the nearer to that likeness when he does “justice and
judgment?” We are told in the Book of Mormon of a certain
people who “had all things common among them,”10 but we are
also told that every man dealt justly one with another.
The constitution of our society lays down the law of
leadership in these words: “The rights of the priesthood are
inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the
powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only on the
principles of righteousness. That they may be conferred upon us
it is true, but when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify
our pride, or to exercise control, or dominion or compulsion
upon the souls of the children of men in any degree of
unrighteousness, behold the heavens withdraw themselves the
spirit of the Lord is grieved, and when it is withdrawn, Amen to
the Priesthood or the authority of that man.”11 If that part of our
constitution is strictly adhered to, we need never fear about
placing too much power in the hands of our leaders.
(Reprinted from the Economic Order of Heaven,
Joseph W. Musser, Chapter 9
& The Contributor 7:134142)
Samuel H. Roundy, a member of the Church who lived in Salt
Lake City in the early part of this century, relates an interesting
dream wherein he had a conversation with Lucifer. In that
experience Lucifer admitted his continuing desire to deceive the
Saints. While the dream was a personal experience, it
nevertheless illustrates how Satan's purpose is to deceive the
Saints and destroy the work of the Savior:
In the year 1925 about February 15th, I found myself one night
sitting on one side of a table in my home and Lucifer sitting on
the other side. How he came I saw not. I immediately asked this
question:
S. H. Roundy (Signed)
Unpublished Manuscript ,
Church Historical Department
The 'Simple' Faith
B.H. Roberts, 1930s
MENTAL EFFORT REQUIRED
TO MASTER THE THINGS OF GOD
It requires striving intellectual and spiritual to comprehend the
things of God even the revealed things of God. In no
department of human endeavour is the aphorism "no excellence
without labour" more in force than in acquiring knowledge of
the things of God. The Lord has placed no premium upon
idleness or indifference here "seek and ye shall find;" ...
THE PLEA OF "THUS FAR, BUT NO FARTHER"
Mental laziness is the vice of men, especially with reference to
divine things. Men seem to think that because inspiration and
revelation are factors in connection with the things of God,
therefore the pain and stress of mental effort are not required;
that by some means these elements act somewhat as Elijah's
ravens and feed us without effort on our part. To escape this
effort, this mental stress to know the things that are, men raise all
too readily the ancient bar "Thus far shalt thou come, but no
further." Man cannot hope to understand the things of God, they
plead, or penetrate those things which he has left shrouded in
mystery. "Be thou content with the simple faith that accepts
without question. To believe, and accept the ordinances, and then
live the moral law will doubtless bring men unto salvation; why
then should man strive and trouble himself to understand? Much
study is still a weariness of the flesh." So men reason; and just
now it is in fashion to laud "the simple faith;" which is content to
believe without understanding, or even without much effort to
understand. And doubtless many good people regard this course
as indicative of reverence this plea in bar of effort "thus far
and no farther." ...
This sort of "reverence" is easily simulated, and is of such
flattering unction, and is so pleasant to follow "soul take thine
ease" that without question it is very often simulated; and falls
into the same category as the simulated humility couched in "I
don't know," which so often really means "I don't care, and do
not intend to trouble myself to find out."
THE PRAISE OF SIMPLE FAITH
I maintain that the "simple faith" which is so often ignorant and
simpering acquiescence, and not faith at all but simple faith
taken at its highest value, which is faith without understanding of
the thing believed, is not equal to intelligent faith, the faith that is
the gift of God, supplemented by earnest endeavour to find
through prayerful thought and research a rational ground for
faith for acceptance of truth; and hence the duty of striving for
a rational faith in which the intellect as well as the heart the
feeling has a place and is a factor.
But, to resume: This plea in bar of effort to find out the things
that are, is as convenient for the priest as it is for the people. The
people of "simple faith," who never question, are so much easier
led, and so much more pleasant every way they give their
teachers so little trouble. People who question because they want
to know, and who ask adult questions that call for adult answers,
disturb the ease of the priests. The people who question are
usually the people who think barring chronic questioners and
cranks, of course and thinkers are troublesome, unless the
instructors who lead them are thinkers also; and thought, eternal,
restless thought, that keeps out upon the frontiers of discovery, is
as much a weariness to the slothful, as it is a joy to the alert and
active and noble minded. Therefore one must not be surprised if
now and again he finds those among religious teachers who give
encouragement to mental laziness under the pretence of
"reverence"; praise "simple faith"; because they themselves,
forsooth, would avoid the stress of thought and investigation that
would be necessary in order to hold their place as leaders of a
thinking people.
NECESSARY ATTITUDE OF THE CHURCH
IN THE MATTER OF MENTAL ACTIVITY
AND INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Surely, in the presence of this array of incentives, instructions
and commandments to seek for knowledge, taken from the
revelations and other forms of instructions by the Prophet of the
New Dispensation taking into account also the scope of the
field of knowledge we are both persuaded and commanded to
enter whatever position other churches and their religious
teachers may take, the Church of Jesus Christ in the New
Dispensation can do no other than stand for mental activity, and
earnest effort to come to a knowledge of truth up to the very
limit of man's capacity to find it, and the goodness and wisdom
of God to reveal it.
THE LIMITS OF OUR INQUIRIES
Let me not be misunderstood. Again I say, I am aware that there
are limits to man's capacity to understand things that are. That
God also in his wisdom has not yet revealed all things, especially
respecting the Godhead: and that where his revelations have not
yet cast their rays of light on such subjects, it is becoming in man
to wait upon the Lord, for that "line upon line, and precept upon
precept" method by which he, in great wisdom, unfolds in the
procession of the ages the otherwise hidden
treasures of his truths. All this I agree to; but all this does not
prevent us from close perusal and careful study of what God has
revealed upon any subject, especially when that subject is
perused reverently, with constant remembrance of human
limitations, and with an open mind, which ever stands ready to
correct the tentative conclusions of today by the increased light
that may be shed upon the subject on the morrow. Which holds
as greater than all theories and computations the facts the truth.
...
But some would protest against investigation lest it threaten the
integrity of accepted formulas of truth which too often they
confound with the truth itself, regarding the scaffolding and the
building as one in the same thing. ... This holds good in theology
as in science. Not that the universal and fundamental truths in
theology which God has revealed change, but that man's method
of viewing them, and expounding them changes, and let us hope,
changes for the better, for the more clear and perfect
understanding and development of them else there would be no
progress in theology while in all things else there is progress. ...
The Seventies Course in Theology
(Third Year) The Doctrine of Deity
Compiled and Edited by B.H. Roberts
of the First Council of Seventy
Pages iv ix, Sections III VIII
Address on the Book of Mormon
Waird MacDonald, 9th February 1950
President of the Northern California Mission Conference
I would like to talk to you this morning about the Book of
Mormon, because I believe all our missionary work stems from
it. Very few people have ever come into this Church except they
have read this book, and it seems that this book is the thing that
converts them. We have many learned men and almost all of
them have written a book to explain our gospel, and they have
written about the Book of Mormon, and, yet, with all these books
together, they do not convert the people, they may interest them,
but they do not get into the waters of baptism until they have
gone into this book.
What is the Book of Mormon? The greatest student of
the Book of Mormon that this Church has ever had, and the man
who studied it the most, and became the most profound in it, was
Orson Pratt. I would like to read what he said about this book in
1851 while in England – nearly a hundred years ago:
“The Book of Mormon claims to be the sacred history of ancient
America, written by a succession of ancient prophets, who
inhabited this vast continent. The plates of gold, containing this
history were discovered by a young man named Joseph Smith,
through the ministery of a holy angel, on the evening and
morning of the 21st and 22nd of September 1823. Four years
after their discovery, on the morning of the 22nd of September
1827. The angel of the Lord permitted Mr. Smith to take these
sacred records from the place of their deposit. The hill in which
they were found buried is situated near the town of Manchester,
Ontario county, New York with the plates were also found a
Urim and Thummim. Each plate was not far from seven by eight
inches in width and length, being not quite as thick as common
tin. Each was filled on both sides with engraven Egyptian
characters; and the whole were bound together in a volume, as
the leaves of a book. And fastened on one edge with three rings
running through each. This volume was something near six
inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters or
letters upon the unsealed part were small and beautifully
engraved. Mr. Smith, through the Urim and Thummim, and by
the power and gift of God, translated this re cord into the English
language. This translation contains about the same amount of
reading. As the Old Testament. A large edition of this wonderful
book was first published early in 1830.”
12 1 Corinthians 3:1.
13 1 Corinthians 3:2.
14 Hosea 4:6.
of spiritual food, and take a few effective moral exercises.
There are still too many people who require a religious
milk diet and they can't take very much even of that. For them,
sermons must be short and the doctrines weak, and well diluted
with carnal things. When strong spiritual food is fed to some
people, they respond by breaking out in a kind of mental rash.
They complain that they don't believe in meaty doctrines or can't
understand the significance of eternal truths.
... Paul also diagnosed the (Hebrews) problems as being
unable to take any kind of food stronger than milk. He went on
to say: "For everyone that useth milk is unskilful in the word of
righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to
them that are full of age, even those who by reason of use have
their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." 15 He
advised all members of the Church to get these first principles of
the Gospel so firmly established in their hearts on a onceand
forall basis that they would then be able to go on to perfection.
As another great scripture says, "No man can be saved in
ignorance."16 Unless we understand and live some of the more
advanced doctrines of Christ, our own salvation is placed in
jeopardy; and a little good solid spiritual maturity will perform
wonders for our own eternal success.
We presently need more teachers who are capable of
understanding all of the principles of the Gospel...And we also
need more students who are anxious to learn about these divine
truths. It is vitally important that we should not go through life
spiritually emaciated because we live on an unenergized,
skimmed milk diet...
It takes a much stronger diet than milk to be able to
return good for evil or to obey the l0 commandments or to live
the Sermon on the Mount. Someone has said, "What our world
needs more than about anything else is for its people to get off
the bottle." And he didn't mean the liquor bottle, he meant the
milk bottle. He meant that we should be more frequently feed
ourselves on these weighty doctrines that Christ designed to
15 Hebrews 5:13-14.
16 Doctrine and Covenants 131:6.
carry us beyond the baby stage toward perfection.
Our eternal exaltation requires a lot more meaningful
response on our part than a mere passive assent or a nodding of
our mental heads. If we really desire to qualify for God's
presence in the Celestial Kingdom, we need more spiritual
vitamins in our diet and then be willing to take a lot of good
vigorous moral exercises to get them into our bloodstream. We
should develop a faith that is strong enough to live the Golden
Rule, a will strong enough to pay our tithing and have enough
gumption to refrain from starting a rebellion at every doctrine
that we are too immature to understand. Our Heavenly Father
has a very ambitious program outlined for us that will require us
to get out of the cradle, overcome our temptations, and respond
to life like faithful Christian adults. And one of our greatest
ambitions should be to grow up spiritually.
(LDS Church News, 3rd December 1966)
The Church Walking With The World
Matilda C. Edwards
The Church and the World walked far apart
On the changing shores of time,
The World was singing a giddy song,
And the Church a hymn sublime.
“Come give me your hand,” said the merry World,
“And walk with me this way!”
But the good Church hid her snowy hands
And solemnly answered “Nay,
I will not give you my hand at all,
And I will not walk with you;
Your way is the way that leads to death;
Your words are all untrue.”
“Nay, walk with me but a little space,”
Said the World with a kindly air;
“The road I walk is a pleasant road,
And the sun shines always there;
Your path is thorny and rough and rude,
But mine is broad and plain;
My way is paved with flowers and dews,
And yours with tears and pain;
The sky to me is always blue,
No want, no toil I know;
The sky above you is always dark,
Your lot is a lot of woe;
There's room enough for you and me
To travel side by side.”
Half shyly the Church approached the World
And gave him her hand of snow;
And the old World grasped it and walked along,
Saying, in accents low,
“Your dress is too simple to please my taste;
I will give you pearls to wear,
Rich velvets and silks for your graceful form,
And diamonds to deck your hair.”
The Church looked down at her plain white robes,
And then at the dazzling World,
And blushed as she saw his handsome lip
With a smile contemptuous curled.
“I will change my dress for a costlier one,”
Said the Church, with a smile of grace;
Then her pure white garments drifted away,
And the World gave, in their place,
Beautiful satins and shining silks,
Roses and gems and costly pearls;
While over her forehead her bright hair fell
Crisped in a thousand curls.
“Your house is too plain,” said the proud old World,
“I'll build you one like mine;
With walls of marble and towers of gold,
And furniture ever so fine.”
So he built her a costly and beautiful house;
Most splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and her daughters dwelt there
Gleaming in purple and gold;
Rich fairs and shows in the halls were held,
And the World and his children were there.
Laughter and music and feasts were heard
In the place that was meant for prayer.
There were cushioned seats for the rich and gay,
To sit in their pomp and pride;
But the poor who were clad in shabby array,
Sat meekly down outside.
“You give too much to the poor,” said the World.
“Far more than you ought to do;
If they are in need of shelter and food,
Why need it trouble you?
Go, take your money and buy rich robes,
Buy horses and carriages fine;
Buy pearls and jewels and dainty food,
Buy the rarest and costliest wine;
My children they dote on these things,
And if you their love would win
You must do as they do, and walk in the ways
That they are walking in.”
So the poor were turned from her door in scorn,
And she heard not an orphan's cry;
But she drew her beautiful robes aside,
As the widows went weeping by.
Then the sons of the World and Sons of the Church
Walked closely hand and heart,
And only the Master, who knoweth all,
Could tell the two apart.
Then the Church sat down at her ease, and said,
“I am rich and my goods increase;
I have need of nothing, or aught to do,
But to laugh, and dance, and feast.”
The shy World heard, and he laughed in his sleeve,
And mockingly said, aside
“The Church is fallen, the beautiful Church;
And her shame is her boast and her pride.”
The angel drew near to the mercy seat,
And whispered in sighs her name;
Then the loud anthems of rapture were hushed,
And heads were covered with shame;
And a voice was heard at last by the Church
From Him who sat on the throne,
“I know thy works, and how thou hast said,
‘I am rich, and hast not known
That thou art naked, poor and blind,
And wretched before my face;’
Therefore from my presence cast I thee out,
And blot thy name from its place.”
Matilda C. Edwards
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