Franklin D. Richards

President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (September 13, 1898 – December 9, 1899)

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (February 12, 1849 – December 9, 1899)

General Conference Addresses

• April 1899 General Conference
  • Be Faithful
    • “If I could speak into the ears of a host of young men, I would say to each one of them, Look around you, my young brother, find a young lady who is waiting for you to come and offer to take her to wife—some faithful girl, who is dutiful and obedient to her parents at home, who has been taught to work and to relieve her mother, and who feels a spirit of ambition and energy to take hold of life.”
    • “If you will get a good, honest-hearted girl, unite with her and plight your troth at the altar of the Lord, in His holy house, and let Him seal your hearts together, and then go into this labor of life and make a home together, you will begin to be happy.”
• October 1898 General Conference
  • Organizing the First Presidency
    • “Now, I want to say to you that the only rule there is about constructing the First Presidency is this: When the quorum of the Twelve Apostles are of one heart and of one mind, and they attain to that faith that the Lord will make manifest His will, then is the time when the Presidency are appointed.”
    • “They that are not afraid to die are the ones that are likeliest to live. The Lord has said, “He that loseth his life for my sake, shall find it,” even life everlasting.””
• April 1898 General Conference
  • Revelations of the Gospel
    • “Now, are we living up to these things as fast as we get them? And are we living by “every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God?” Are we preparing ourselves for the work that is before us? Are we just in the work of preparation?”
  • Signs of the Times
    • “The union that used to be felt among people in neighborhoods is being lost. The confidence of men with men is being lost. We hear it common among the people that we must treat every man in that way that we do not know but he may turn to be dishonest.”
• October 1897 General Conference
  • Books Cannot Give Authority
    • “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a system of things which, in order to be known and understood, must be lived.”
    • “We ought not to forget that the truth is a costly article, and always has been. It has cost the best men that have ever lived in the flesh, their mortal lives, and may yet again.”
    • “We must look out that we do not roll any manner of sin as a sweet morsel under our tongue, but strive with penitence day by day to put away from us everything that is contrary to godliness.”
• October 1885 General Conference
  • We Must Expect Persecution
    • “How do you think the spirits contemplate the necessity of a birth in the nations of the earth where so much harlotry and whoredom exist? I tell you this very presumption of the country in which we live, that we shall not have these children to dwell in our midst and bear the name of Christ in the earth, is a presumption against the very heavens, and against those spirits of the just who are waiting to be made perfect through their sufferings in the flesh.”
    • “Shall we fear today? Let us look back to Israel and see their deliverance—as related in the Bible and Book of Mormon—see what He did in former times. The secret of success is obedience to the commandments of God, and to the covenants we have made with Him.”
• April 1885 General Conference
  • The Kingdom of God
    • “I wish the Saints would put away these foolish ideas. I want to have you realize that you are in a condition of peace and plenty, with liberty, too, for God has made you free. God has made His people free from the bondage of sin and death; we are at liberty, and there is no power on the earth that has the ability to fasten the shackles of sin and Satan upon us. It all depends upon our own conduct, as to whether we are and shall continue free.”
    • “Every man should warn his neighbor; should teach his children and his family, and establish righteousness in his household. Presidents and Bishops should deal with transgressors in the Church, that they may repent, or be cut off. It is that righteousness may be established in the earth that the Lord has commenced His work again, that it may be established not in a little place, but in all the land, and it shall spread until His righteous word and work shall fill the whole earth, as the waters cover the mighty deep.”
  • Present Conditions
    • “Instead of entertaining ill feeling of cultivating malicious designs towards our enemies, will ask the Lord to strengthen us and to qualify us not only for what is upon us now, but for what is before us; for we do not know what there may be for us in the purposes of Jehovah.”
    • “We are learning the principles of the Gospel one after another; how to observe and obey them. We want to know how to hold them in righteousness, because we cannot hold these precious eternal treasures in unrighteousness.”
    • “I wish to exhort the Saints to frequent their closets more than they do; to neglect not their prayers night and morning, and in the season thereof fail not to bow the knee and call your sons and daughters around you.”
    • “Inasmuch as the work of God spreads, and its influence and potency are felt among the nations of the earth, so long will this opposition and this antagonism exist, and we must expect it; it cannot be avoided. It is an eternal consequence of our faith.”
    • “He will not allow the acts of the wicked to come against us any longer than will be for His own glory and our greatest good. Let us feel that we are in the hands of the Lord, that He is our Father and friend. Let us draw near to Him; find Him out, and walk with Him here in the flesh, then we shall know that it will be well with us hereafter.”
• October 1884 General Conference
  • Blessings Follow Certain Ordinances
    • “This was the instruction of the Savior in His day; and if we enter a house and the people receive us not, then we should go away and return not again to that house, and wash our feet with pure water, as a testimony against them in the day of judgment, and thus bear witness unto the Lord that we have offered them salvation, that we have sought to preach to them the principles of everlasting life, that we have offered to them the Gospel of peace and desired to administer unto them a blessing. The same is applicable to a town, village or city that rejects you. In this way you do your duty and leave them in the hands of the Lord.”
  • Remarks
    • “Many of this people, who have lived faithful to their professions, know more today of God and His purposes, than they did fifty years ago. We learn by experience as well as by precept, from the Lord, and as in the light of our experience we have obtained observation and got knowledge, we should not only profit by it ourselves, but as Elders in Israel we should endeavor to benefit and improve each other by our experiences, so that we may increase in understanding before the Lord in all our relations to Him and to each other.”
    • “What is the great object and purpose of this life while we are here upon the earth? What one thing, if possible, is more important than another? It is this: that as our children come to us innocent—for the revelation tells us that all men are innocent when they are born into the world, and have these early years of indemnity from the power of the tempter to tempt them to sin—let us go to and make a better use than we have done of the opportunities we enjoy. Let us instill faith into the tender hearts of our children, faith towards God, obedience to their parents, obedience to the authorities of the Church, that when they come to years of accountability, they may take hold for themselves, with a hearty, strong and loving relish for the principles of the Gospel of divine truth.”
    • “Great and abundant are the blessings that are promised unto those who seek unto the Lord in the days of their youth.”
• October 1883 General Conference
  • The Wicked Disturbed By Judgments
    • “Many of us have been very careless of some of the commandments; words of wisdom which the Lord has seen fit to give to us. We have not used that care, that caution, and that sound discretion in our daily lives before Him, which it is becoming we should do. I propose, brethren and sisters, in view of this matter, that we take these things to heart, and see if we can and ought to draw nearer to God, while He is willing to draw nearer to us, and thus more fully sense His blessings, His mercies, and His loving kindness unto us.”
    • “When men standing in such responsible positions are so backward in their duties, they don’t know the power of God, nor the spirit of their callings; but the moment they step forward and take hold with a prayerful heart, coming from their closets, clothed with the Spirit of God, they find they have the power to make peace and restore union, fellowship and love in the midst of the people, and the people love and bless them in return.”
• April 1883 General Conference
  • Causes of Gratitude
    • “There are other interesting and important phases of our great work which bear a striking analogy to the vine and its branches, but I cannot take time to dwell upon them now, lest I wrong those who have yet to address you. I think perhaps I have said enough to call your attention to the subject and the Spirit will aid you to pursue it. “
• April 1882 General Conference
  • The Lord’s Work
    • “The rulers of our land have undertaken to set snares for our feet, to bring us into subjection to the political will of the Republican party to teach us how to promote party discord, be oppressed with heavy taxes and become burdened with debt. Let us put our trust in the living God, and see that while we violate no law of man unnecessarily, that we do not violate any of the laws of God, so that we may be entitled to His protection and that his blessing may abide with us.”
• April 1880 General Conference
  • Jubilee Year
    • “Will not efforts like these awaken a sense of duty in those who are in need of and receive our mercy, and thus make all hearts glad? And will not our Father in Heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the angels, and the spirits of the just awaiting us, will they not all join with us in thanksgiving and praise to Jehovah for even the little good we are trying to do on the earth?”
  • Performance of Duties
    • “It is the only or greatest regret that I have to-day that any unfaithfulness on my part in the performance of my duties should hinder me from participating more fully in the enjoyment of God’s favors, and advancing more rapidly in the knowledge of himself and of his ways.”
    • “Let the poor rejoice in the kindness and liberality of God and their brethren to them. Let the rich be glad that God has given unto them the means whereby they can bestow blessings upon the poor.”
• October 1879 General Conference
  • Opposition to Revelation
    • “While, then, we see all the blandishments of civilization among us, while we see all the troubles that human governments can make, in our view we have only to trust in God as Daniel did. Notwithstanding the edict of the King, he worshipped the True and Living God. So must we. And peradventure all these things must happen to us.”
• October 1856 General Conference
  • The Handcart Enterprise
    • “It is one thing for a man to learn to live away from home, and to preach the Gospel and magnify his calling there, and it is another thing for a man to learn to live at home, and magnify his calling here. I want to obtain grace, that I may magnify my calling at home and away from home, and I desire the continuation of your confidence, love and faith, that I may live and wisely improve upon that which is not my own; that in the end I may receive the true riches.”
• October 1853 General Conference
  • Advice to Immigrants
    • “You have come to this place with feelings and views as varied as the degree of faith in, and knowledge you have of, the Gospel, and the measure of spirit in which you walk. There are some who, in their own estimation, are well qualified and fully prepared to judge of the propriety and impropriety of everything that exists here; and such, while they may find some few things answer pretty well, will find many things which, in their opinion, are not right, and really need reformation.”
    • “If you are heedless of this day, and calculate on tomorrow, you have no assurance that you will realize your hopes tomorrow.”
    • “The work we are called unto in these last days, calls upon us not to narrow our minds down to the building of a piece of fence, to the enclosing of a piece of land, or to the putting up of a house, alone; but it is our duty while seeking to make an inheritance here, to reach out our prayers in faith and supplication for the general good, and with becoming liberality feel after those who are to enjoy the same blessings we enjoy. We have our duties to ourselves and families to perform, and our daily and hourly duties to our God; but there is a duty we owe, in common with all God’s people, to those who are not yet gathered from the house of bondage.”
    • “Let us not settle down, and become sordid in our affections to anything earthly. It is our duty to seek first the kingdom of God, and the promise is that other things shall be added unto us.”

Other Talks

• Offers of Mercy, Discourse in Salt Lake City, January 11, 1857
  • “What unbounded love and tender mercy are here evinced to this people, while asleep, and enveloped in the dark shadows of death to that fearful extent that the word sleep will not properly express the state of the people. We have been mesmerized and could not be brought out of it without the most extraordinary means being used. We had become like “icebergs,” we were so cold and dead, that when President Young got up to speak he could not free his mind, and has not been able to do so for the last several times that he has spoken, feeling that there was not room in our hearts to receive his words. And what a sight was it in Israel to see the Social Hall filled, with the chief authorities and Elders of the Church, a body of men upon whom rests the responsibility of administering salvation to this earth and its inhabitants, and to see such a fog there, and such darkness that the Presidency could not there free their minds, but had to lift the almighty sledgehammer to break the flinty rock. The mesmerism of the devil was so great, so strong that it required the most stringent teachings to bring the people to the standard of truth, and to a sense of their condition.”
  • “Those who will not make a thorough work of it and obtain the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, it will be a hard case for them ever to find favor with the Lord.”

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