Gems from the Journals: Selected Quotes from the Sermons Contained in the Journal of Discourses

I give praise and thanks to God for the power found in ancient and modern day revealed scripture. I am grateful for modern day apostles and prophets that have spoken the revealed word of God to give us scripture that is specific for our time and circumstances. It is a great blessing to have their words available to read and profit by. I acknowledge all of the great leaders of the nineteenth century. It is from a small selection of their words that this book is comprised.

Preface

While serving as a young missionary, I had seen a large set of old looking books in the home of a member that I had been visiting. I inquired as to what they contained. I was told that they contained a selection of talks given from the time of Brigham Young up until the later part of the 1800’s. The title of the volume set was The Journal of Discourses. The member said he had been given the set as a wedding gift by his wife, but that he had not had time to read much from them. I had always been fascinated by the lives and times of the early church leaders and it stuck in my mind from that time on that I would read the volumes someday.

Many years later after I was married, my wife learned of my desire, and one year, she bought me the set as a surprise birthday gift. The set would get read from time to time, but it would still be many years until I decided to commit to reading every page and marking them up. The result of that study is this book – a selection of the most impactful quotes, categorized for easy retrieval.

As a young boy I kept a collection of marbles in a special bag that my mother had sewn for me. At school I would trade them and play games with others in order to win more of them. My grandparents had given me some of the best marbles in my collection. Each and every one was very important to me. I would often take them out and look them over one at a time.

Just as I prized those marbles of my youth, I prize each and every one of the quotes contained in this book. May the world see their worth as true pearls of great price; precious gems to be gazed upon and cherished.

Eric Bush

Sammamish Washington

Introduction

About the time church members relocated themselves to the Salt Lake valley; several men learned the profession of shorthand reporting. One of those men was George D. Watt. He utilized his skills to preserve sermons delivered by church leaders. At a certain point, it was suggested that a collection of these sermons be printed at regular intervals and be made available to those living overseas. President Brigham Young approved of the idea, and the publication was carried out in London on a semimonthly basis. It took the form of a journal that people could subscribe to. These journals were subsequently bound into a 26 volume set known as - The Journal of Discourses.

The sermons were delivered by apostles and prophets during the years from 1854 to 1886. The volumes do not contain every sermon delivered during those years, but represent a selection of what was thought to be of most worth. There are also a few sermons from earlier dates that were given by Joseph Smith included. The book that I have produced here is a selection across all of the volumes of impactful quotes that would be of interest to most people. I have chosen to keep all quotations brief and have minimized the amount of surrounding material. I kept quotations completely on topic and there is no need for further searching to find the meat of the topic. Quotes are organized alphabetically by topic to help those looking for a specific subject.

There is a great deal to be gained from a diligent study of God’s word as contained in the Journal of Discourses. The difficulty is in the incredible amount of time and perseverance that it takes to make it through all the discourses in the 26 volume set. This book opens up a view into the magnificent doctrinal teachings of these volumes, and allows a person to immediately benefit without spending hours searching. This book is certainly not a comprehensive publication of all topics found in the volumes, but instead is what I consider to be the gems. I read each sermon thoroughly, as I wanted to be true to the spirit and meaning behind each discourse. I re-read many of them, each time, trying to glean from the wealth of doctrine what was of most worth. If I found the same doctrine presented in more than one discourse, I would have to pick one quote over another for inclusion.

I must caution that this book is not to be used as a teaching tool for the investigator or new member. This is a book of reference for the initiated. Learn and teach the foundational principles and ordinances of the Gospel first – Faith, Repentance, Baptism by water and by the Holy Ghost. Plant and cultivate faith in the Lord Jesus Christ first. This book is not for the faint hearted, or those easily offended. These men delivered their topics the good old fashioned say it like it is way. Christ also taught doctrines that were hard to receive and many left him because of that.

…These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard [this], said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?…From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

I do consider these sermons as being delivered in modern times, by modern day prophets and apostles. Some might think that our time is far distant and removed from the circumstances of the 1800s. The trials faced in their times took a slightly different form, yet in many ways parallel those faced by us today. These great men considered themselves as defenders of the faith to the world. The once isolated Utah was being thrust into the spotlight, just as we today are set up for the entire world to see. They fought valiantly against the worldly influences rushing in upon them and we are called upon to continue that fight.

Brigham Young as president, taught and expounded upon the truths of God’s Kingdom, and perhaps delivered more doctrinal discourses than anyone before or since. What a blessing it was for the people in that day to be able to circulate the teachings of the modern day apostles and prophets. We too are blessed in our day to see and hear, through modern technology, talks by today’s living apostles and prophets. Giving heed to their words is of utmost importance, since they are giving guidance specifically to us today and have stewardship specifically over us.

We do indeed speak of Joseph Smith as a modern day prophet. This would make his teachings and those contained in the Journal of Discourses beneficial to us. There are however certainly exceptions where we should not follow the counsel that is given in the Journal of Discourses. For example, polygamy was still being practiced during those times, and counsel given with regards to that principle is not to be implemented by us today. It can certainly be said that our study of these sermons should not be done at the expense of listening to present day counsel given in current general conferences.

Some have questioned the reliability and even the worth of the writings contained in the journals. And yet, quotes from the Journal of Discourses are often found in Ensign articles and other LDS works. All of the discourses were originally chosen for inclusion because they were, in fact, of a reliable nature and the speakers were indeed acting in their offices as apostles and prophets according to their calling. All discourses were delivered in prominent locations, at official church meetings. Most were delivered in the Salt Lake Tabernacle. Specific callings were even made to individuals to record the speeches.

The Journal of Discourses has never been used for any official church curriculum. This is probably due mostly to its unwieldy size. Any reluctance to accept the Journal of Discourses as a whole probably comes from the fact that there are a few teachings in particular that are found in the volumes that people are not accepting of. Many will say that the statements from a few of the discourses cannot be understood or interpreted correctly as to their meaning. Others will say that some discourses must have been misquoted. These journals seem to be a favorite of the critic, as many of their books quote from them. I will not get side tracked by such arguments, nor will I add any of my own interpretations to anything that might be difficult to explain. I only included selections based on their clarity and sure understanding.

Brigham Young knew of the content of the Journal of Discourses. Acting as president, he gave his official approval for the publication of the discourses. He even had a letter of recommendation from the first presidency printed in the first volume. Many of the volumes have a preface page that mentions the worth of the writings. I present two of them:

"…the words of the Apostles and Prophets, as they were spoken in the assemblies of the Saints in Zion, the value of which cannot be estimated by man, not so much for any great display of worldly learning and eloquence, as for the purity of doctrine, simplicity of style, and extensive amount of theological truth which they develop." (Preface page volume 1)

"The Journal of Discourses deservedly ranks as one of the standard works of the Church, and every right minded Saint will certainly welcome with joy every Number as it comes forth from the press as an additional reflector of the light that shines from Zion's hill." (Preface page volume 8)

How important are the words of modern day apostles and prophets? President Wilford Woodruff related the following story from the life of Brigham Young.

…in regard to the written word of God and the living oracles. …I will refer to a certain meeting I attended in the town of Kirtland in my early days…a leading man in the Church got up and talked upon the subject, and said: You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them. When he concluded, Brother Joseph turned to Brother Brigham Young and said, Brother Brigham I want you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the written oracles and the written word of God. Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now, said he, when compared with the living oracles those books are nothing to me; those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I would rather have the living oracles than all the writing in the books. That was the course he pursued. When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation: Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth. (President Wilford Woodruff, Conference Report, October 1897)

The prophet Joseph Smith did not ask for revelation on teachings that had already been revealed. He knew that we need to learn and live what we have already received by the mouths of apostles and prophets.

It is a great thing to inquire at the hands of God, and we feel fearful to approach him, especially about things which men should obtain in all sincerity for themselves by humility and prayer. (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1: 339.)

We should not be surprised if the heavens remain closed to us in our future searches for knowledge and truth. The prophet Joseph stated the following.

…we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know unless we comply with or keep those we have already received (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5: 134 - 135.)

We are under condemnation if we do not diligently search the scriptures and words of the apostles and prophets. This book makes it possible for all to achieve an understanding and knowledge of many of the important doctrines of Gods kingdom as taught by the first wave of modern apostles and prophets.

This book serves as a primer for a modern day school of the prophets, from simple elementary gospel fundamentals all the way to masterful presentations of the deeper mysteries of the Kingdom of God. It is my hope that this work will help diligent seekers of truth everywhere to come to a greater understanding of the doctrines and beliefs that are at the foundation of God’s Kingdom. May these gems increase your knowledge and lead you on to live a better life worthy of a servant in God’s kingdom in these last days.

…knowledge is power; and the man who has the most knowledge has the greatest power. (Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., 5: 392.)

Major events that occurred during the time period covered by the Journal of Discourses:

1852 - Doctrine of plural marriage publicly acknowledged

1855 - Drought and grasshopper plague hurt Utah economy

1856 – Utah Reformation began

1856 - Heroic rescue of Willie and Martin handcart companies

1857 - Mountain Meadows Massacre took place near Cedar City

1857 - Governor Brigham Young declared martial law in Utah

1858 - Johnston’s Army passed through Salt Lake City

1861 - American Civil War began with shots fired on Fort Sumter

1861 - Transcontinental telegraph completed to Utah

1862 - Congress passed the Morrill Act—the first anti-polygamy law

1864 - Cooperative established in Brigham City

1865 - Civil War ended

1868 - Ute Black Hawk War last major Indian conflict in Utah

1867 - Salt Lake Tabernacle was completed

1867 - Eliza R. Snow authorized to reestablish the Relief Society

1867 - School of the Prophets organized in Salt Lake City

1868 - Church wide cooperative movement inaugurated

1869 - Zion’s Cooperative Mercantile Institution formally opened

1869 - Beginnings of Young Women program

1874 - Poland Act, allowing indictments for plural marriage

1874 - United order movement launched

1875 - Beginnings of Young Men program

1877 - St. George Utah Temple dedicated

1877 - Death of Brigham Young

1880 - John Taylor sustained as third President of the Church

1883 - Seventies quorums restructured and revitalized

1882 - Edmunds Act passed, intensifying the anti-polygamy crusade

1885 - President Taylor and many others went underground

1887 - President John Taylor died in Kaysville, Utah

Some of the people quoted in this book:

Joseph Smith Jr., Brigham Young, George Q. Cannon, Franklin D. Richards, John Taylor, Orson Hyde, Orson Pratt, Parley P. Pratt, Daniel H. Wells, Wilford Woodruff, Heber C. Kimball, Amasa M. Lyman, Ezra T. Benson, George A. Smith, Erastus Snow, Charles W. Penrose, Joseph F. Smith, B.H. Roberts, Lorenzo Snow, And others.

A

Abortion

I knew that before I received Mormonism. I have known of lots of women calling for a doctor to destroy their children; and there are many of the women in this enlightened age and in the most popular towns and cities in the Union that take a course to get rid of their children. The whole nation is guilty of it. I am telling the truth. I won't call it infanticide. You know I am famous for calling things by their names. I have been taught it, and my wife was taught it in our young days, when she got into the family way, to send for a doctor and get rid of the child, so as to live with me to gratify lust. It is God's truth, and I know the person that did it. This is depopulating the human species; and the curse of God will come upon that man, and upon that woman, and upon those cursed doctors. There is scarcely one of them that is free from the sin. It is just as common as it is for wheat to grow. - Heber C. Kimball, 5: 91.

Adam, creation of, mortality of

You believe Adam was made of the dust of this earth. This I do not believe, though it is supposed that it is so written in the Bible; but it is not, to my understanding. You can write that information to the States, if you please—that I have publicly declared that I do not believe that portion of the Bible as the Christian world do. I never did, and I never want to. What is the reason I do not? Because I have come to understanding, and banished from my mind all the baby stories my mother taught me when I was a child. - Brigham Young, 2: 6 - 7.

Adam was made from the dust of an earth, but not from the dust of this earth. He was made as you and I are made, and no person was ever made upon any other principle. - Brigham Young, 3: 319.

…for death passed upon our first parents, Adam and Eve, through their partaking of the fruits of the earth, their systems become infected by it, and the blood formed in their veins, and composed of the elements of the earth, which they partook, and these contain the seeds of dissolution and decay. And this blood, circulating in their veins, which was made up of the fruits of the earth—those things of which they partook—that formed their flesh, and made the deposits that constituted their muscle, and their bones, arteries and nerves, and every part of the body, became mortal and this circulating fluid in their systems produced friction which ultimately wore out the machinery of their organism, and brought it to decay, that it became no longer tenable for their spirits to inhabit, and death ensued; and this was the decree of the Father, In the day you partake of this fruit, you shall die. But this death was the death of the mortal, and not the immortal. - Erastus Snow, 19: 272 - 273.

God has created of one blood all the nations and kingdoms of men that dwell upon all the face of the earth: black, white, copper-coloured, or whatever their colour, customs, or religion, they have all sprung from the same origin; the blood of all is from the same element. Adam and Eve are the parents of all pertaining to the flesh… - Brigham Young, 7: 290 - 291.

Agency

It is the design of the Gospel to save this congregation, all the Latter-day Saints, and all the world besides that will believe the testimony of Jesus and become obedient to the Gospel of salvation. And none need to turn round and say, If it is the design of the Lord, I shall be saved; for its being the will and design of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and of every Saint that ever was or ever will be, that you should be a Saint, will not make you one, contrary to your own choice. All rational beings have an agency of their own; and according to their own choice they will be saved or damned. - Brigham Young, 6: 97.

When God organized intelligent beings, he organized them as independent beings to a certain extent, as he is himself. And whether we see an evil act or a good one performed by an intelligent being, that being has performed the act by his will, by his own independent organization, which is capable of doing good or evil, of choosing light or darkness, of performing that which will promote life, or that which will promote death, or a dissolution of his organization. Then, without the evils being placed before us, we should not be capable of refusing it; without darkness had come into the earth, we should never have learned how to appreciate the light. - Brigham Young, 6: 146.

The world generally have the idea that when truth comes from God, it comes in such overwhelming power, that mankind are compelled to accept whether they will or no. But this is not the case, it never has been the case. If it were the case man would be deprived of that great privilege that he has received from God—that is, his agency, without which man would cease to be the being that he is, the child of God. The Almighty has given unto all the inhabitants of the earth their agency. A man can choose to be a wicked man; he can choose to be a devil, so to speak, if he wish. Will God interpose? Yes; but not to take away his agency. He can turn to wickedness, be corrupt, and do everything that is evil and abominable in the sight of God, so long as life is given to him, and God permits him to do it. He will not take away his agency. If He did, we would cease to be independent creatures with the right to choose. On the other hand, a man can turn to that which is good and holy and pure. He can cherish it, he can seek for it, he can love it. He has that right, he can choose between those two principles. They have been placed before us so that we might choose the good and reject the evil, or choose the evil and reject the good. That is the privilege that is given to us. - George Q. Cannon, 22: 370 - 371.

Amusement, dancing, recreation

I have the privilege of associating myself with my brethren and sisters in the dance. When can I do this without abusing this privilege, and thereby bringing condemnation upon myself? I answer, it is when I have performed every act, every duty that is incumbent upon me, when every necessary labor and requirement is accomplished, when I have served my God and my brethren, when I have performed every act required of me, until nothing remains to be done, but to lie down and rest, to seek recreation, then it becomes my lawful privilege, and not before…When you go to amuse, or recreate yourselves in any manner whatever, if you cannot enjoy the Spirit of the Lord then and there, as you would at a prayer meeting, leave that place; and return not to such amusements or recreation, until you have obtained the mastery over yourself, until you can command the influences around you, that you may have the Spirit of the Lord in any situation in which you may be placed. Then, and not until then, does it become the privilege of you, of me, or of any of the Saints, to join in the festivities designed by our Creator for our recreation. I wish that you would remember it; and that you may, I repeat that it is not your lawful privilege to yield to anything in the shape of amusement, until you have performed every duty, and obtained the power of God to enable you to withstand and resist all foul spirits that might attack you, and lead you astray; until you have command over them, and by your faith, obtained, through prayer and supplication, the blessings of the Holy Spirit, and it rests upon you, and abides continually with you. You can never obtain my consent to engage in amusements and recreations, until you are in this situation, until you are exercised and influenced by the Spirit of the Lord our God. Hear it, all ye Latter-day Saints! Will you spend the time of your probation for naught, and fool away your existence and being? - Brigham Young, 1: 112 - 113.

I have now a request to make of the people, through their Bishops, that during the coming week we bring our dancing parties to a close and prepare to attend to matters of greater importance, as the winter is drawing to a close, and the season for business is approaching. In a few weeks from now, we intend to give the people a few evenings entertainment in our new theatre, which will not be entirely finished; after which, as the spring opens, we shall attend to preparing material for building our Temple, to gathering the poor, to farming and gardening, to building and fencing, &c. - Brigham Young, 9: 218.

The Lord never commanded me to dance, yet I have danced; you all know it, for my life is before the world. Yet while the Lord has never commanded me to do it, He has permitted it. I do not know that He ever commanded the boys to go and play at ball, yet He permits it. I am not aware that He ever commanded us to build a theatre, but He has permitted it, and I can give the reason why. Recreation and diversion are as necessary to our well-being as the more serious pursuits of life. There is not a man in the world but what, if kept at any one branch of business or study, will become like a machine. Our pursuits should be so diversified as to develop every trait of character and diversity of talent. If you would develop every power and faculty possessed by your children, they must have the privilege of engaging in and enjoying a diversity of amusements and studies; to attain great excellence, however, they cannot all be kept to any one individual branch of study. - Brigham Young, 13: 61.

Anger

There is a wicked anger, and there is a righteous anger. The Lord does not suffer wicked anger to be in his heart; but there is anger in his bosom, and he will hold a controversy with the nations, and will sift them, and no power can stay his hand. - Brigham Young, 5: 229.

I will say, there is not a man in this house who has a more indomitable and unyielding temper than myself. But there is not a man in the world who cannot overcome his passion, if he will struggle earnestly to do so. If you find passion coming on you, go off to some place where you cannot be heard; let none of your family see you or hear you, while it is upon you, but struggle till it leaves you; and pray for strength to overcome. - Brigham Young, 11: 290 - 291.

Never let anger arise in your hearts. No, Brigham, never let anger arise in your heart, never, never! Although you may be called upon to chastise and to speak to the people sharply, do not let anger arise in you, no, never! Let us sanctify the Lord God in our hearts and live to his honor and glory and all is right with us; - Brigham Young, 14: 156.

You should never leave your bed chambers until you can get that calm, serene and happy influence that flows from the presence of the Spirit of God, and that is the fruit of that Spirit. So during the day you are apt to get disturbed, angry and irritated about something. You should stop, and not allow that influence to prevail or have place in your heart…Some people will get angry with their wives, husband, children or friends, and will justify themselves and think they are perfectly right because they have some spirit which prompts them to say harsh things. I have known people give themselves great credit for their frankness and candor for speaking angrily and improperly. Why, said they, it is better to 'spit' it out than to keep it in. I think it is far better to keep it in than to let it out. If you do not speak it, nobody knows how you feel, and certainly the adversary does not get the advantage over you. - George Q. Cannon, 15: 376."

Angels, ministrations of

The angels are not fond to descend to this world, because of the coldness of the spirit that reigns in it; they would rather remain in heaven around the throne of God, among the higher order of intelligences, where they can enjoy life, and peace, and the communion of the Holy One. When they are sent, they will come; but they are tolerably well advanced among them that overcome. - Orson Hyde, 1: 126.

Who are angels? They are sanctified men who once lived upon this earth and held the Priesthood just as we do now, and who are co-workers with us. Were there angels along with us on our southern trip? Yes, and I felt as if every hair of my head was filled and quickened with the life-giving power of God. That power was upon brother Brigham, and we were filled with it. - Heber C. Kimball, 10: 237.

When an angel is appointed to perform a duty, to go to the earth to preach the Gospel, or to do anything for the advancement of his Fathers kingdom in any part of the great domain of heaven, the vision of that angel is opened to see and understand the magnitude of the work that is expected of him to perform, and the grand results which will grow out of it. - Brigham Young, 11: 15 - 16.

[Angels] are not in sight; we do not see them; but in the very hour that we need them they are here as the ministers of the covenant to inspire and guide us aright. I know this, gentlemen, just as well as I know that I am here to-day: I know it by the senses that God has given me. - Heber C. Kimball, 7: 167.

Anti-Mormons

In looking over the papers that have been brought from the States, we find that a great proportion of them have been speculating on the cost of exterminating the Mormons; and there is one very uncomfortable speculation about it. One of them, in estimating the cost of a war of extermination against the Mormons, said, We shall have to expend from fifty to a hundred millions, and then we shall have nothing to show for our pay but naked, barren rocks. This is the condition of affairs; but it is a war of principle, and Mormonism must be exterminated, though it is not at all a profitable business. - George A. Smith, 6: 61.

I lived close by where these plates were found. I knew that Joseph found them, from outward circumstances that transpired at the time. I shall not take time to relate but a little of the delicate, kind, benevolent, Christian-like, I will say anti-Godlike feelings of the priests and of the people who professed Christianity at the time that Joseph organized this Church. The very first thing that was circulated was this—Did you hear that Joe Smith and his followers got together last night, blew out the light, stripped themselves stark naked, and there they had the holy roll? This was the story started by the priests in the neighborhood where the plates were found. - Brigham Young, 16: 68.

There is no man on earth, no kindred or tongue on earth, or the whole combined, that raises the hand or voice against the kingdom of God or its policy as now established, but that will be rejected of God, dishonoured of men, and go to ruin with the wrath of Heaven upon them. - Orson Hyde, 8: 233.

Apostates, fate of, reasons for

Those who had the Gospel in the former dispensations, and were made partakers of its spirit, its knowledge, and its powers, and then turned away, and became the enemies of God, and of His Saints, the malicious and wilful opposers of that which they knew to be true, have no forgiveness in this world, neither in the spirit world, which is the world next to come. - Parley P. Pratt, 1: 11.

I will give you a key which brother Joseph Smith used to give in Nauvoo. He said, that the very step of apostacy commenced with losing confidence in the leaders of this Church and kingdom, and that whenever you discerned that spirit, you might know that it would lead the possessor of it on the road to apostacy. - Heber C. Kimball, 3: 269.

If you oppose any of the works of God you will cultivate a spirit of apostacy. If you oppose what is called the spiritual wife doctrine, the Patriarchal Order, which is of God, that course will corrode you with a spirit of apostacy, and you will go overboard; still a great many do so, and strive to justify themselves in it, but they are not justified of God. - Heber C. Kimball, 3: 125.

Some are apt now to say, I don't know anything about this Mormonism, I don't know about the Priesthood. Did you not once know? I thought I did. Did you not once know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet? I thought I did. Did you not once know that this was the kingdom of God set up on the earth? I thought I did, but now I find myself deceived. What is the reason? Because they give way to temptation; they may have had great light, knowledge, and understanding, the vision of their minds may have been opened and eternity exhibited to their view, but when this is closed up, in proportion to the light given to them, so is the darkness that comes upon them to try them. - Brigham Young, 3: 207.

When you hear a man talk against the authorities of this Church and kingdom, you may know he is sliding down hill. He does not know what spirit influences him; he is ignorant that he is in the dark; and, unless he retraces his steps quickly, he will go overboard. You may set that down as a fact all the time. Why? Because, if this is the Church and kingdom of God, and President Young is the elect of God, and his Council and the Twelve and others are the elect of god, and you seek to injure them, you run a great risk, and will be found fighting against God; for Jesus says, He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me; and he that rejecteth you rejecteth me, and he that rejecteth me rejecteth him that sent me. - John Taylor, 7: 325.

Brother Joseph used to counsel us in this wise: The moment you permit yourselves to lay aside any duty that God calls you to perform, to gratify your own desires; the moment you permit yourselves to become careless, you lay a foundation for apostasy. Be careful; understand you are called to a work, and when God requires you to do that work do it. Another thing he said: In all your trials, tribulations and sickness, in all your sufferings, even unto death, be careful you don't betray God, be careful you don't betray the priesthood, be careful you don't apostatize; because if you do, you will be sorry for it. We received a great deal of that kind of counsel, and I have remembered it from that day until the present. - Wilford Woodruff, 21: 284 - 285.

I know persons who apostatized because they supposed they had reasons; for instance, a certain family, after having travelled a long journey, arrived in Kirtland, and the prophet asked them to stop with him until they could find a place. Sister Emma, in the mean time, asked the old lady if she would have a cup of tea to refresh her after the fatigues of the journey, or a cup of coffee. This whole family apostatized because they were invited to take a cup of tea or coffee, after the Word of Wisdom was given. Another family, about the same time, apostatized because Joseph Smith came down out of the translating room, where he had been translating by the gift and power of God, and commenced playing with his little children. Some such trials as these, you know, had to be encountered. I recollect a gentleman who came from Canada, and who had been a Methodist, and had always been in the habit of praying to a God who had no ears, and as a matter of course had to shout and halloo pretty loud to make him hear. Father Johnson asked him to pray in their family worship in the evening, and he got on such a high key, and hallooed so loud that he alarmed the whole village. Among others, Joseph came running out, saying, What is the matter? I thought by the noise that the heavens and the earth were coming together, and said to the man, that he ought not to give way to such an enthusiastic spirit, and bray so much like a jackass. Because Joseph said that, the poor man put back to Canada, and apostatized; he thought he would not pray to a God who did not want to be screamed at with all one's might. - George A. Smith, 2: 214 - 215.

I have been conversant with early Elders, and I am satisfied that a large number of them fell from their positions in the kingdom of God because they yielded to the spirit of adultery; this was the cause of their destruction. - George A. Smith, 11: 10.

Let Mormonism be true or false, the Spaulding story from beginning to end is an unmitigated falsehood. Solomon Spaulding was a Presbyterian minister; he entered into the iron trade in Conneaut, Ohio, but failing in business he took a notion to write a novel; he wrote a book called the Manuscript Found, he took his work to Pittsburg, to a man by the name of Patterson to get it printed, but he failed and never printed it. It was pretended that it fell into the hands of Sidney Rigdon, and that he converted it into the Book of Mormon, and induced Joseph Smith to publish it; whereas it is very well known that there had no connection ever existed between these parties. In the first place, Spaulding never wrote any such work; in the next place, Spaulding never had anything to do with Patterson, and Sidney Rigdon and him were perfect strangers to each other. The first knowledge that Sidney Rigdon had of Joseph Smith was when Parley P. Pratt met him in Ohio, and presented him a printed copy of the Book of Mormon; yet all this has found its way into scientific literature, and you will find it even in the North British Review. - George A. Smith, 11: 9 - 10.

There was a prevalent spirit all through the early history of this Church, which prompted the Elders to suppose that they knew more than the Prophet. Elders would tell you that the prophet was going wrong, men who thought they knew all about this work thirty or forty years some of them before the Lord revealed it, tried to steady the ark. The Church was constantly afflicted with such a class of men…The Church in Kirtland were few in number compared with the inhabitants of the city of Ogden. We had High Council upon High Council, Bishop's trial upon Bishop's trial; and labor and toil constantly to settle difficulties and get our minds instructed in principle and doctrine, and in the power that we had to contend with. - George A. Smith, 11: 7.

I remember very well in the days of Kirtland, hearing men testify that they knew this was the work of God, and that they had seen visions of the armies of heaven and the horsemen thereof, as did Gehazi, the servant of the Prophet, and then, in consequence of the failure of a bank, or because some business transaction did not come out in accordance with their expectations or desires, they would apostatize and come to the conclusion that they never knew anything about it, and become infidels. This shows the weakness to which some individuals have been subject. I also remember, in the great apostacy which took place in Kirtland, that those who apostatized considered that all the talent of the Church had left it, and yet the work rolled right along, and, so far as they were concerned, they were never missed, and were soon forgotten, and nobody could tell where they went to. - George A. Smith, 17: 196.

Apostates, prominent leaders

On the evening after the dedication of the Temple, hundreds of the brethren received the ministering of angels, saw the light and personages of angels, and bore testimony of it. They spake in new tongues, and had a greater manifestation of the power of God than that described by Luke on the day of Pentecost. Yet a great portion of the persons who saw these manifestations, in a few years, and some of them in a few weeks, apostatized. - George A. Smith, 2: 215.

Oliver Cowdery, previous to his apostacy said to President Joseph Smith: If I should leave the Church it would break up. Joseph said to Oliver—What, who are you? The Lord is not dependent upon you, the work will roll forth do what you will. Oliver left the Church, and was gone about ten years; then he came back again, to a branch of the Church in meeting on Mosquito Creek, in Potawattamie County, Iowa. The body of the Church had come off here to the west, but there was still remaining there a branch of about fifteen hundred or two thousand people, and when he came there he bore his testimony to the truth of the Book of Mormon and the divine mission of the Twelve Apostles, and asked to be received into the Church again…when he passed off and went among our enemies he was forgotten, and the work rolled steadily along step by step, so that, ten years after, when he came back to an outside branch, he expressed his astonishment at seeing such a vast body of Saints. Some men in their hours of darkness may feel—I have heard of men feeling so—that the work is about done, that the enemies of the Saints have become so powerful, and bring such vast wealth and energy to bear against them that we are all going to be crushed out pretty soon. - George A. Smith, 17: 200.

…Lyman E. Johnson said, at one of our Quorum meetings, after he had apostatized and tried to put Joseph out of the way. Lyman told the truth, He said, Brethren—I will call you brethren—I will tell you the truth. If I could believe 'Mormonism'—it is no matter whether it is true or not—but if I could believe 'Mormonism' as I did when I traveled with you and preached, if I possessed the world I would give it. I would give anything, I would suffer my right hand to be cut off, if I could believe it again. Then I was full of joy and gladness. My dreams were pleasant. When I awoke in the morning my spirit was cheerful. I was happy by day and by night, full of peace and joy and thanksgiving. But now it is darkness, pain, sorrow, misery in the extreme. I have never since seen a happy moment.. Lyman E. Johnson belonged to the Quorum of the Twelve; he was the first man called when the Twelve were called; his name was first, Brigham Young's second, and Heber C. Kimball's third. The testimony that he gave of his bitter experience is the testimony that every apostate would give if they would tell the truth. - Brigham Young, 19: 41.

You may think that these small matters amount to but little, but sometimes it happens that out of a small matter grows something exceedingly great. For instance, while the Saints were living in Far West, there were two sisters wishing to make cheese, and, neither of them possessing the requisite number of cows, they agreed to exchange milk. The wife of Thomas B. Marsh, who was then President of the Twelve Apostles, and sister Harris concluded they would exchange milk, in order to make a little larger cheese than they otherwise could. To be sure to have justice done, it was agreed that they should not save the strippings, but that the milk and strippings should all go together. Small matters to talk about here, to be sure, two women's exchanging milk to make cheese. Mrs. Harris, it appeared, was faithful to the agreement and carried to Mrs. Marsh the milk and strippings, but Mrs. Marsh, wishing to make some extra good cheese, saved a pint of strippings from each cow and sent Mrs. Harris the milk without the strippings. Finally it leaked out that Mrs. Marsh had saved strippings, and it became a matter to be settled by the Teachers. They began to examine the matter, and it was proved that Mrs. Marsh had saved the strippings, and consequently had wronged Mrs. Harris out of that amount. An appeal was taken from the Teacher to the Bishop, and a regular Church trial was had. President Marsh did not consider that the Bishop had done him and his lady justice, for they decided that the strippings were wrongfully saved, and that the woman had violated her covenant. Marsh immediately took an appeal to the High Council, who investigated the question with much patience, and I assure you they were a grave body. Marsh being extremely anxious to maintain the character of his wife, as he was the President of the Twelve Apostles, and a great man in Israel, made a desperate defence, but the High Council finally confirmed the Bishop's decision. Marsh, not being satisfied, took an appeal to the First Presidency of the Church, and Joseph and his Counsellors had to sit upon the case, and they approved the decision of the High Council. This little affair, you will observe, kicked up a considerable breeze, and Thomas B. Marsh then declared that he would sustain the character of his wife, even if he had to go to hell for it. The then President of the Twelve Apostles, the man who should have been the first to do justice and cause reparation to be made for wrong, committed by any member of his family, took that position, and what next? He went before a magistrate and swore that the Mormons were hostile towards the State of Missouri. That affidavit brought from the government of Missouri an exterminating order, which drove some 15,000 Saints from their homes and habitations, and some thousands perished through suffering the exposure consequent on this state of affairs. Do you understand what trouble was consequent to the dispute about a pint of strippings? - George A. Smith, 3:283.

You that don't know him, have heard of Thomas B. Marsh, who was formerly the President of the Twelve Apostles, but who apostatized some years ago, in Missouri. He is on his way here, a poor, decrepid, broken down, old man. He has had a paralytic stroke—one of his arms hangs down. He is coming out here as an object of charity, destitute, without wife, child, or anything else. He has been an apostate some eighteen years. Most of you know his history. He has been all the time since then afraid of his life—afraid the Mormons would kill him; and he durst not let them know where he was. In meeting with some of the apostates, he said to them, You don't know what you are about; if you want to see the fruits of apostacy, look on me. I thought they could not look on a better example. - John Taylor, 5:115.

If there are any among this people who should ever apostatize and do as I have done, prepare your backs for a good whipping, if you are such as the Lord loves. But if you will take my advice, you will stand by the authorities; but if you go away and the Lord loves you as much as he did me, he will whip you back again. Many have said to me, How is it that a man like you, who understood so much of the revelations of God as recorded in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, should fall away? I told them not to feel too secure, but to take heed lest they also should fall; for I had no scruples in my mind as to the possibility of men falling away. I can say, in reference to the Quorum of the Twelve, to which I belonged, that I did not consider myself a whit behind any of them, and I suppose that others had the same opinion; but, let no one feel too secure: for, before you think of it, your steps will slide. You will not then think nor feel for a moment as you did before you lost the Spirit of Christ; for when men apostatize, they are left to grovel in the dark. I have sought diligently to know the Spirit of Christ since I turned my face Zionward, and I believe I have obtained it. I have frequently wanted to know how my apostacy began, and I have come to the conclusion that I must have lost the Spirit of the Lord out of my heart. The next question is, How and when did you lose the Spirit? I became jealous of the Prophet, and then I saw double, and overlooked everything that was right, and spent all my time in looking for the evil; and then, when the Devil began to lead me, it was easy for the carnal mind to rise up, which is anger, jealousy, and wrath. I could feel it within me; I felt angry and wrathful; and the Spirit of the Lord being gone, as the Scriptures say, I was blinded, and I thought I saw a beam in brother Joseph's eye, but it was nothing but a mote, and my own eye was filled with the beam; but I thought I saw a beam in his, and I wanted to get it out; and, as brother Heber says, I got mad, and I wanted everybody else to be mad…I have come here to get good society—to get your fellowship. I want your fellowship; I want your God to be my God, and I want to live with you forever, in time and eternity. I never want to forsake the people of God any more. I want to have your confidence, and I want to be one in the house of God. I have learned to understand what David said when he exclaimed, I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. I have not come here to seek for any office, except it be to be a doorkeeper or a deacon; no, I am neither worthy nor fit; but I want a place among you as a humble servant of the Lord. - Thomas B. Marsh, 5: 206.

When brother Thomas thought of returning to the Church, the plurality of wives troubled him a good deal. Look at him. Do you think it need to? I do not; for I doubt whether he could get one wife…I considered brother Marsh a great man; but as soon as I became acquainted with him, I saw that the weakness of the flesh was visibly manifest in him. I saw that he was ignorant and shattered in his understanding, if ever he had good understanding. He manifests the same weakness to-day. Has he the stability of a sound mind? No, and never had. And if he had good sense and judgment, he would not have spoken as he has. He has just said, I will be faithful, and I will be true to you. He has not wisdom enough to see that he has betrayed us once, and don't know but what he will again. He has told me that he would be faithful, and that he would do this and the other; but he don't know what he will do next week or next year. I do not know what I shall do next year; I always speak for the present. But a man that will be once fooled by the Devil—a man that has not sense to discern between steel grey mixed and iron grey mixed, when one is dyed with logwood and the other with indigo, may be deceived again. - Brigham Young, 5: 210.

Joseph had few friends; but among the leading Elders of the Church, in Kirtland the High Council, one of the members of the first Presidency, some of the seven Presidents of the seventies, and a great many others were so darkened that they went astray in every direction. They boasted of the talent at their command, and what they would do. Their plan was to take the doctrines of the Church, such as repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, throw aside the Book of Mormon, the Prophet and Priesthood, and go and unite the whole Christian world under these doctrines. Where are they to-day? Like a rope of sand that has vanished to the four winds of heaven. Many of them have already in dust and ashes lamented their fate, they have never been able to prosper in any business, or take a leading part in any capacity. This is the result of that apostacy; and yet it was so great that Joseph himself and his friends had to flee from Kirtland. - George A. Smith, 11: 11 - 12.

I recollect many times when brother Joseph, reflecting upon how many would come into the Kingdom of God and go out again, would say, Brethren, I have not apostatized yet, and don't feel like doing so. Many of you, no doubt, can call to mind his words. Joseph had to pray all the time, exercise faith, live his religion, and magnify his calling, to obtain the manifestations of the Lord, and to keep him steadfast in the faith. Do you not know others who had manifestations almost equal to those Joseph had, but who have gone by the board? Martin Harris declared, before God and angels, that he had seen angels. Did he apostatize? Yes, though he says that the Book of Mormon is true. Oliver Cowdery also left the Church, though he never denied the Book of Mormon, not even in the wickedest days he ever saw, and came back into the Church before he died. - Brigham Young, 2: 258.

Apostles

…from whence does the Apostleship grow? Does it grow out of the High Priesthood?...Let me answer the question. Now recollect that the High Priesthood, and the Lesser Priesthood, and all the Priesthood there is, are combined, centered in, composed of, and circumscribed by, the Apostleship...Joseph was ordained an Apostle—that you can read and understand. After he was ordained to this office, then he had the right to organize and build up the kingdom of God, for he had committed unto him the keys of the Priesthood, which is after the order of Melchizedek—the High Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God. And this, remember, by being ordained an Apostle. Could he have built up the Kingdom of God, without first being an Apostle? No, he never could. The keys of the eternal Priesthood, which is after the order of the Son of God, are comprehended by being an Apostle. All the Priesthood, all the keys, all the gifts, all the endowments, and everything preparatory to entering into the presence of the Father and of the Son, are in, composed of, circumscribed by, or I might say incorporated within the circumference of, the Apostleship…Joseph as an Apostle of the Lamb, with the keys of the eternal Priesthood committed unto him by Peter, James, and John. What for? To build up the Kingdom of God on the earth…The Lesser Priesthood then, you perceive, comes within the purview of the Apostleship, because a man that holds it has a right to act or officiate as a High Priest, as one of the High Council, as a Patriarch, as a Bishop, Elder, Priest, Teacher, and Deacon, and in every other office and calling that is in the Church, from first to last, when duty demands it…some of the brethren began to query, and said we ought to be ordained High Priests; at the same time I did not consider that an Apostle needed to be ordained a High Priest, an Elder, or a Teacher. I did not express my views on the subject, at that time, but thought I would hear what brother Joseph would say about it. It was William E. McLellin who told Joseph, that I and Heber were not ordained High Priests, and wanted to know if it should not be done. Said Joseph, Will you insult the Priesthood? Is that all the knowledge you have of the office of an Apostle? Do you not know that the man who receives the Apostleship, receives all the keys that ever were, or that can be, conferred upon mortal man? What are you talking about? I am astonished! Nothing more was said about it. I know that Joseph received his Apostleship from Peter, James, and John, before a revelation on the subject was printed, and he never had a right to organize a Church before he was an Apostle. - Brigham Young, 1: 134.

Did all the disciples, in the days of the Apostles, see the risen Jesus? No. Did all the disciples have visions? No, they did not. Do they now? No. I know the inquiry may arise, can a person be a real disciple without having visions? Yes, but that person cannot be a special witness to the doctrine he believes in. - Brigham Young, 3: 208 - 209.

"Write it down, and write it back to your friends in the east, that I am an Apostle of Joseph Smith. He was a man of God and had the revelations of Jesus Christ, and the words of Jesus Christ to the people. He did build and establish the kingdom of God on earth, and through him the Lord Almighty again restored the Priesthood to the children of men. Brethren, I am a witness of that; not by my laying hands on the sick and they being healed, nor by the revelations which are given of him in the Bible, but by receiving the same Spirit and