Daniel H. Wells

Counselor to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (October 6, 1877 – March 24, 1891)
Second Counselor in the First Presidency (January 4, 1857 – August 29, 1877)

General Conference Addresses

  • October 1882 General Conference
    • “Mormonism” As True Now As Ever
      • “I can promise every Latter-day Saint that is faithful, that he will have sufficient to try him before he gets through, and the nearer that he lives to his God, the more sore, perhaps, the test that will be made of him; he may rest assured that he will be tried, and tried severely, if he remain faithful.”
      • “The world have forsaken God; they have not the least true conception of the attributes of the Deity; they know no more about the true and living God than those lampposts do.”
      • “When I have seen men who have risen to power and influence through wealth in this Church, it seemed as though the Lord could not make men rich but what they would grow fat and kick the traces, and go to the devil. Look at the history of such men from the beginning, and see how they have acted. They have perhaps run fair for a while, especially whilst they were in a somewhat destitute condition as regards this world’s goods; but as soon as they have become rich, where are they? All along the line of our history, as a church, we have seen them strewn by the way side, they have gone out of the church; instance after instance I could recite within my own knowledge, and you would know of a great many more than I do. This is not necessarily so.”
      • “That is the test. If a man is prospered of the Lord, that is no reason why he should let his riches get between him and his God; if he does, he will make shipwreck of his faith.”
  • April 1880 General Conference
    • Eternal Life
      • “Any people who will corrupt their ways before the Lord are bound for destruction, according to the words of the Lord through the prophets. The principles of truth and virtue, and of temperance and honesty are the foundation of exaltation, and just as certain as people will practise them they will be exalted; and just as sure as they indulge in iniquity, it will lead them down to death and destruction, and that, too, upon natural principles.”
      • “If to know him is life eternal, we cannot attain to eternal life without a knowledge of him.”
  • April 1876 General Conference
  • October 1875 General Conference
    • The Blessing of Life for Evermore
      • “Let us listen to the voice and the whisperings of the Spirit, and if there be an obstacle in the way let us remove it. If we have hard feelings one towards another, envyings, strifes, or anything that is calculated to mar our peace and happiness, let us go and make that right, and then come and partake of the emblems of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through whose sufferings and death an atonement has been worked out for our salvation. Every Latter-day Saint needs the inspiring, refreshing influence of the Spirit of God to flow to him continually.”
      • “No man can get a greater evidence of the Lord’s having forgiven him his sins, than the knowledge that he has actually turned away from them, and that he is living in obedience to the principles of the holy Gospel.”
      • “A person may commit iniquity and think he can hide it up; but let me say to such a person that you know it, and that is one too many, and the Lord knows it, and that is two too many, and out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word will be established, and you will give this evidence against yourself sooner or later.”
      • “The Lord will have a tried people, those who have proven their integrity before high heaven, and none others will be counted worthy to receive and inherit the eternal riches. He that endures faithful to the end, the same will be saved; but the word endure is there, we have to endure all things.”
  • April 1875 General Conference
    • The Saints Have the Priesthood
      • “What is a man good for who flies the track the very moment an obstacle presents itself in his way? Such a man will not obtain salvation and exaltation in the presence of God; he who does that must be unflinching in the path of duty.”
  • October 1873 General Conference
    • The Saving Ordinances of the Gospel
      • “You cannot grapple a spirit to baptize it, neither can you perform the sealing ordinance in the spirit, hence the Savior said there was neither marrying nor giving in marriage in the resurrection. It is an ordinance pertaining to this state of existence, and by those dwelling in the flesh upon the earth have all these ordinances to be performed. If they are not by ourselves during this life they must be done by someone acting for and in our behalf still existing in the flesh, and in the authority of the holy Priesthood, which has come down from heaven.”
  • April 1869 General Conference
    • Cooperation
      • “I should say let every young man, and woman too, learn some way to procure their own subsistence, and to promote their own independence; this is incumbent upon all. No person should be above learning some useful occupation, trade, or business that is calculated to produce something for his own and the general benefit.”
      • “That man only is truly rich who knows how to provide for himself and his household. I do not care how much means he has in his possession, he only is independent who has the means of subsistence within himself, who has the capability of going forth, and, by his own industry, drawing from the elements those things which are necessary for his own subsistence.”
      • “The Latter-day Saints have great cause to rejoice, because they are blessed above all other people. They are learning the ways of the Lord; and more blessed are they still, if they follow in them. They are laying a foundation that will stand forever. There is no principle of virtue, truth, holiness, and righteousness but what is calculated to exalt man in time and forever and ever. Those who build not on these principles are building on sand, and their superstructure will be washed away when the tempest comes; while they who build on the rock of truth will be able to withstand all opposition, and they will eventually obtain that glory and exaltation that the Saints now talk about.”
      • “All the world is after is to try to make the Lord come to their terms; He cannot do it.”
      • “The plan of salvation is amply sufficient to save to the uttermost. How? In our own way? No, in the way that the Lord has devised. If we are saved in His Kingdom we shall have to bow to His laws; we cannot be saved without. He has a right to dictate; He has done so, and it is for us to do His bidding.”
  • April 1867 General Conference
    • Schools And Schoolteachers
      • “If we are only true to ourselves, and are faithful to the end, our reward will be such that we will have no need to complain of it. And even while we pass along through life, the course of the Latter-day Saint is more conducive to happiness and peace than that of any other individual on the face of the earth.”
  • October 1865 General Conference
    • Eternal Life Revealed in the Gospel
      • “Where the Lord appoints me to act is where I wish to be; that is my place and position, and it is my delight to be subservient unto the call, and unto the counsel of those who hold the authority to dictate in the Church and kingdom of God.”
      • “The great mass of mankind are ready to ridicule the people of God, they are ready to ridicule his servants because they stand forth and declare that an angel of the Almighty has come to restore the Gospel in its fullness, and that Joseph Smith was called of God to be his Prophet; all this they say is nonsense, and they reject it without inquiring into the reason why they reject it.”
      • “The great evil that besets the path of the Saints is when they depart from the principles of eternal truth and rectitude, and betray their trust; for this they place themselves in the power of the enemy; and this they do when they are asleep, not when they are wide awake, and they are led little by little until they make shipwreck of their faith and go headlong to the devil, which they would not do while walking in the ways of righteousness.”
  • April 1863 General Conference
    • Building the Temple
      • “We, however, expect to accomplish this work whether you aid us or not; but we call upon the people in this sense, it is your privilege to aid us if you feel willing to do so. We expect you to do as you shall be directed and abide the law you have enlisted to obey; this is your privilege. We expect you will guide your labors according to the rule laid down for you to follow.”
      • “Then let us be faithful and never neglect the opportunity of doing good when presented to us, be it ever so small in our estimation. There is nothing so small but what is necessary, when we are told to do it by those who preside over us. Small things reach to great things.”
  • April 1862 General Conference
    • Instructions on Priesthood
      • “This kingdom is a school to all of us; we are learning our duties, and we should strive to improve and progress in everything that is good, and I think the great majority are improving, and it should be our determination to reduce those things to practice that are for our benefit and salvation.”
  • April 1861 General Conference
    • Kingdom of God and the Governments of Men
      • “Our religion teaches us to draw wisdom from the fountain of wisdom, and to extend it to the minds of others; it opens up to its adherents every privilege which the heart of a righteous man can desire, and it leads on the faithful to glory and honor in worlds of light.”
  • October 1860 General Conference
    • Duties of the Saints
      • “I feel to be active and energetic in the discharge of the duties I have to perform, and not let the time and opportunity pass without accomplishing those things that are required of me. If we omit anything that we can do, it is an opportunity let slip that will not return.”
  • October 1859 General Conference
    • Privileges and Duties of the Saints
      • “Let us be faithful to the covenants we have made. We have made them of our own free will and accord, and have delighted to make them, and blessed God for the privilege. Shall we, then, utterly disregard them—walk them under our feet, as it were? Or shall we treasure them as the most sacred treasure? In the life of the Saint, let the duty of a Saint be the first and foremost consideration; let the public interest be his greatest wish, form the burden of his prayers, and be the chief duty of his life. Let him put away all covetousness, and be wholly devoted to God and his holy religion.”
      • “Let our minds be active, wide awake, and eager to reach out after those things that shall best promote the interests of the kingdom of God. Let us not forget for a moment the mission we are called upon to perform, and not become dull and sluggish in the performance of our duties, and think we have no part or lot in the matter.”
  • April 1857 General Conference
    • True Prosperity
      • “What is prosperity? According to my understanding, it is not so much gaining the things of this world, as it is progressing in the knowledge of God. What are true riches? They are not so much the obtaining of the things of this world, as they are in securing the principles and keys which unlock the treasures of heavenly wisdom, of the knowledge of God and things that pertain to eternity.”

Other Reported Addresses

  • The Principles of the Gospel, Discourse in Salt Lake City, October 28, 1883
    • “The Saints are not going to do wrong. It is not the Saints that do wrong; it is those that apostatize from the Church and become anything else but Saints, and if those people do not remain Saints and keep themselves faithful who are here today, others will come up who will do it.”
  • Opposition to God Among Mankind, Discourse in Provo, Utah, June 1, 1878
    • “In this country there is no religious power predominating, but now that the kingdom of God is established this opposition is brought about and is felt even to a greater extent than before. The world is jealous of its growing power and, hence, its bitter and unrelenting opposition.”
  • Increase of the Stakes of Zion, Discourse in Brigham City, Utah, August 18, 1877
    • “He has given us the opportunity of filling the full measure of our creation with credit to ourselves and honor to His name. And this can be done simply by living our religion, the religion of Heaven.”
    • “Let us give heed to the requirements of heaven, and perform them regardless of the consequences, trusting in God who will sustain even to the death. If we have to meet obstacles, what of it? “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him,” let this be the word in the heart and mind of every man and woman before the Lord.”
  • Dedicatory Prayer, at the St. George Temple, April 6, 1877
    • “We implore thy blessings upon the various congregations of thy people who may assemble in this House from time to time, both in their incomings and outgoings, and may thy blessing and thy spirit dwell herein and rest upon them, for their comfort and edification, and abide richly in their hearts, that they may learn further of thy ways and walk in thy paths.”
  • Purpose of God, Discourse in Salt Lake City, August 9, 1873
    • “The Lord our God never did, and he never will, reveal a principle, give a commandment, or make a requirement of his children on the earth, but what if it is carried out will prove a blessing to every one, for it will enable us to work out our salvation and exaltation by establishing the principles of truth, virtue and honor upon the earth, and these principles, in the very nature of things, must purify and elevate those who live and govern their actions by them.”
    • “A Latter-day Saint should live so that he can bear the scrutinizing eye of the Almighty, in secret as well as in public. This should be his course all the days of his life; then when the day comes in which the wicked will call upon the rocks to hide them from the face of the Lord, he will rejoice in meeting his Father, and will join in rendering praise and thanksgiving to his name, for the privilege of again beholding him.”
  • Character of the Deceased, Remarks in Salt Lake City, February 23, 1873
    • “It has been said of brother Pitt that he did not preach much, but his whole life has been a continual sermon to this generation since he received the Gospel, and before for aught I know. I think that he has performed two or three missions, and I do know that he bore a faithful testimony to the truth of this work, not only by his words but by his acts. He was on a mission all the time. He did not hold himself to himself at any time, but he was continually on the altar, ready to go and to come as he was directed by the servants of God.”
  • The Gospel Plan, Discourse in Brigham City, Utah, June 8, 1872
    • “The kingdom is ours if we will live for it. We may come to an inheritance of all that is worth desiring or possessing, of all that will be of any benefit to us either here or hereafter, if we will live for it.”
    • “Men get notions and ideas foreign to the truth, and they find religion manufactured to their order, and can get any kind that they have a mind to order, just as one who goes to a huckster’s shop can purchase anything he has a mind to pay for. They have their manufactured religion to pay for, for Satan does not work for nothing.”
    • “Men should fear to do wrong, to commit iniquity; they should do themselves the kindness to honor the principles that pertain to their well-being, and to eternal life and exaltation.”
    • “No man can get a greater testimony of the forgiveness of his sins by the Lord, than a knowledge within himself that he has turned away from his evil deeds.”
  • The Death of President Heber C. Kimball, Discourse in Salt Lake City, June 24, 1868
    • “It is true, for him we need not mourn, because he has passed to that home where Satan has no power. He has secured to himself a crown of eternal glory and righteousness in the celestial kingdom of our God.”
  • Necessity of Living Near to the Lord, Remarks in Salt Lake City, March 22, 1868
    • “It is our privilege, nay, more, it is our duty to seek to the Lord frequently, that we may enjoy the full measure of His Spirit.”
  • Eternal Life, Remarks in Salt Lake City, August 18, 1867
    • “Instead of walking according to the precepts and commandments of God as taught by His servants holding the Holy Priesthood, they have done as the Prophet foretold—taught for the commandments of God the precepts of men.”
    • “Would I partake of the sacrament with my hat or gloves on? No; I would take them off, and let my soul ascend in prayer and thanksgiving to my heavenly Father that I had been permitted to partake of the ordinance of the House of God.”
    • “Let us, therefore, take heed how we prescribe a path for the Lord to walk in, or subvert the ways of truth which the Lord has revealed for the guidance of the children of men. We have no right to do it.”
    • “Then let us have respect to these things and live our religion, shun all associations with the wicked and ungodly, and walk faithfully before the Lord our God all our days, that we may be entitled to dwell in that holy city whose streets will be paved with gold and whose maker and founder is God.”
  • Joseph Smith Taught By Revelation, Discourse in Salt Lake City, June 30, 1867
    • “It was thus that schisms crept into the church, and men began to reason themselves out of the principles of their most holy faith.”
    • “Salvation is within the reach of every human being, because the restitution is as good as the fall. Here is the platform, and if men are not saved it is their own fault.”
    • “That is the way the Lord works. He takes the poor weak things of the earth to confound those who are wise and mighty in their own estimation.”
    • “The “Mormons” are sometimes accused of being uncharitable, but the fact is, “Mormonism” will save all who can be saved.”
  • Universal Salvation, Remarks in Salt Lake City, May 31, 1863
    • “When they choose the path of evil they do it on their own responsibility. A great portion of the world will reject the good and cleave to the evil; this has been so from the beginning. As astonishing as it may appear, a vast majority of mankind will not receive the truth, but they will reject it and trample under their feet the oil and the wine, crucify the Redeemer afresh, slay the Prophets, and overthrow truth and righteousness as long as they have power to do so.”
  • The Great Blessings Enjoyed By the People in Deseret, Remarks in Salt Lake City, March 29, 1863
    • “As I said in the beginning, the world is opposed to us, but we have nothing to do with them in one sense, but to do our duty and sustain righteous principles with an eye single to the glory of God; in this he will sustain us and bring us off victorious at last.”
    • “I know of no better way than to be obedient to the calls made upon us from time to time, to respond to them in that free way that shall prove to God that all we have and all we can do is held and devoted to the promotion of the cause we have espoused, regardless of the consequences.”
    • “We should not hesitate when anything is proposed to be done for the promotion of the cause of God on the earth, but should say, Make way, prejudices; go by the board, whatever traditions would rise up. When the Lord speaks, let everything else give way; as the masses of the people would fall back on the approach of the king, so let our own ideas and prepossessed notions give place to the word of the Lord and to the wisdom that emanates from him; let everything else become subservient to those principles, doctrines and truths.”
    • “Let them do as they please, that is no reason why we should falter, change our course in the least, or alter our views; but let us press onward continually and prove to the Lord that we are true and faithful to him.”
    • “People often speak jestingly of the holy things which we hold, or should hold sacred. I have heard people do it, and always tell them they would satisfy my feelings much better if they would not make a jest of things I hold sacred.”
    • “No man has liberty to do evil, though he may have the power, nor has he any right to do evil. There is no law against doing right, but the law is against doing wrong. Man has power to do right or wrong as he pleases, but he is held responsible for that power and the exercise of it.”
  • Enjoyment of Liberty Under the Kingdom of God, Remarks in Salt Lake City, October 26, 1862
    • “It is our duty to sustain the principles of truth, virtue, and integrity, and every principle that has been revealed from the Almighty to his children on the earth. If it is the duty of one man to do this, it is the duty of every man to do the same; and every man will be found wanting unless he obeys this Heavenly message.”
  • Eternal Salvation, Remarks in Salt Lake City, September 14, 1862
    • “While they hold up the Bible as the all-sufficient guide to the possession of life eternal, they at the same time inculcate a principle which would never have given them a Bible. They fasten their faith and hope for salvation upon revelations given to another people, in another age and under other circumstances.”
    • “Truth will prevail, while all man-made systems, on which the whole world stands convicted before High Heaven, will be swept away, as this people and this work progresses, because truth must and will prevail.”
  • Influence of Parents in Training Their Children, Remarks in Salt Lake City, May 25, 1862
    • “I apprehend that when a child comes to maturity he will have to stand and act upon his own volition; when he comes to this state he has both the knowledge and the power to act for himself, and in that case the responsibility attaches to the child and not to the parents.”
    • “Man is the most independent being upon God’s footstool, for he has his free volition to do right or wrong; he has the power to reject the evil and choose the good if he chooses, and if he wants to consign himself to oblivion and go back to native element let him follow in the path of the ungodly; but, if, on the other hand, he wants to endure and dwell with God and holy angels, to have knowledge and power to understand all intelligence and finally become one of the Gods of eternity, let him take a course to produce that effect, and let him use his influence to bring to pass that which is calculated to exalt and bring him up finally upon the platform of the Gods of eternity.”
    • “Let each and every one exercise their influence in this way, to promote holy and righteous principles upon the earth. Religion is glorious where it brings peace to the soul and contentment to the mind.”
  • Responsibilities Resting Upon the Saints, Remarks in Salt Lake City, May 4, 1862
    • “If there are those among us who want to go to the world, let them go till they get their fill, and we would rather they would do this than stay here and contaminate the Saints of the Most High.”
  • Encouragement of Home Manufactures, Remarks in Salt Lake City, March 16, 1862
    • “We desire to prove our integrity to ourselves and to our God. This perhaps is in the bosoms of all the Saints; they would like to show that they are willing to abide the teachings that come from the President to them, and to lay the foundation for bringing those things from the elements which they require. Let us endeavor to make a little calculation, exercise our intellects, be active and energetic, and combine together the ability which we find in our midst; let us also combine our efforts and means as well as our faith.”
  • Agency of Man to Practice Good or Evil Principles, Remarks in Salt Lake City, March 6, 1862
    • “We are found in the world in sin, ignorance, and degeneracy, surrounded by all the influences of evil, having our traditions in common with the rest of mankind, and from all this the Gospel is capable of reclaiming us; from all that is hateful, such as strife, discord, dissension, and every species of sin and iniquity, our religion is calculated and designed to save and redeem us, if we will let it, by availing ourselves of its power.”
    • “To live here and perform the duties of today is the present business of the Latter-day Saints, and to lay a foundation that will carry us safely through this and prepare us for that life which is to come, and it is also our duty to obey those principles which are revealed through obedience to the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we will continue to be faithful and seek after those principles that will tend to exalt us here, then we will be exalted hereafter; but it is of no use thinking of being exalted in the eternal worlds unless we apply those principles in our conduct here.”
  • Political Economy, Remarks in Salt Lake City, September 29, 1861
    • “We are counseled and taught by our brethren to prepare ourselves for self-existence, to look after those things which are calculated to make us free and independent.”
    • “It is not a thing of a moment, and then to pass away; but it is the kingdom of God that shall remain forever and forever. This is what we are striving to build up; and let us take hold of it in such a manner as we can carry it on, and at the same time sustain ourselves. To do this, we must produce those things that are necessary for our temporal existence; and let us be careful not to destroy what the Lord has given us before we produce another supply from the elements around us. It is our business, and duty, too, to take care of all that the Lord has put into our hands, and not because a word has been said about tea, to go and burn it up or throw it away; but we should put all we are made stewards over to the best possible use.”
    • “We know that the Devil seeks to thwart and overthrow the kingdom, and in all the enterprises that this people engage in, they may expect his opposition.”
    • “There is a contention here among the influences we have around us which is—whether the Latter-day Saints will maintain themselves independent of the Devil and his co-adjutors, or whether they will forever be dependent upon their enemies.”
  • Building Up of the Kingdom of God, Discourse in Logan, Utah, September 10, 1861
    • “The Gospel of salvation has been promulgated—has reached our ears where we dwelt among different nations and countries, and has brought us to these mountain regions. And now what is our duty? Shall we be like the world from which we have been gathered out? If this is our intention, we might as well have stayed in our native country, where we could have ripened for destruction as well as here. But if we have essayed to be servants of the Most High, to be his children, to be his chosen and peculiar people, and for which purpose we are gathered out from among the Gentile nations, let us not do as they do, but let us do according to the high behest of Heaven, who has given us an appointment, and called us forth to build up his kingdom in these last days. Let us follow implicitly the instructions of those whom God has appointed to guide our minds and direct our steps; or, to use other words, let us believe our religion and faithfully live it.”
    • “To build up Zion is a temporal labor; it does not consist simply in teaching: teaching is to instruct us how to properly apply our labor, the sooner and better to accomplish the end in view.”
    • “We need everything that other people need, except sin, and no people need that. We need everything else that is necessary to build up any other kingdom, and we have to produce it from the elements with which we are surrounded.”
    • “Never strike hands with the Devil; never seek to make friends of Christ and Baal. They cannot be friends. If we do not let go the hand of the Devil, we must the hand of Christ. Christ has long ago refused to hold communion with Satan. We cannot hold one with one hand, and the other with the other hand. If we try this, the first we know we shall find ourselves entirely on the side of the Devil.”
    • “You have nothing except that which the Lord God has entrusted to your care. It belongs to him.”
    • “There is only one principle that may be considered our own, and that is our will. You can do as you are told, or you can refuse to do it. You can seek good and do it, or you can seek evil and do it. In this you are left to be your own judge.”
  • Facilities in Utah, Remarks in Salt Lake City, June 9, 1861
    • “The Lord our God has done this, and has brought this people to it. Here is a land prepared for us, where we can build and inhabit, multiply and increase, and become a great and a mighty people. My heart has rejoiced when I have reflected upon those things—when I have reflected and looked at the facilities put into our hands for the improvement and advancement of this people.”
    • “All nations are in darkness and are corrupt before the Lord, and he has set his hand to establish a kingdom that shall be righteous—to establish the principles of truth and virtue, that will form a nucleus for his kingdom, which we have so much desired to see in our day and generation.”
  • The Gospel of Salvation, Discourse in Salt Lake City, April 14, 1861
    • “As the Gospel opens our eyes, the more light and intelligence we get, the more we see, and the more we reform in ourselves.”
    • “That person who is wicked does not live, according to the proper definition of the term. We may say that he exists, but scarcely lives, except as he lives in wickedness, which is only a temporary existence.”
    • “Not heeding the whisperings of the Spirit which are calculated to shield us from those evil tendencies and ways—calculated to preserve us and attend upon our footsteps, we get into trouble and difficulty; but if we strive to do as well as we can, and submit to those influences which are calculated to shut out evil, we shall then increase in knowledge and in all the gifts and graces of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
    • “As far as is consistent with the principles of truth, strive to please each other, instead of pursuing an opposite course, or one that is calculated to harass and injure each other’s feelings.”
    • “After men begin to express their doubts and fears around, one to another, they go astray fast. Their unholy sentiments begin to be established in their darkened minds like cardinal or fundamental principles. They think they begin to see that they have been in error in embracing that Gospel which they profess, and the first thing they know they are landed in the whirlpools of apostasy; they suddenly find out that they never did believe in “Mormonism,” and that if they did believe it they were in error, for they now find out that it is all a humbug; and thus they go on to destruction. If such persons could control their minds in the commencing stage of apostasy, and be humble, seek wisdom, light, and knowledge from the Lord, they could be saved. Then they could be preserved, and not go in the way which many who were our brethren have gone, who have sunk themselves in darkness and misery, and finally into hell. If they would remember when they begin to see things which they dislike and feel inclined to find fault—if they would then remember their prayers and seek unto the Lord, ask him to keep their minds enlightened—to give them freely of his Spirit to guide them continually, they would be safe. But people in this condition invariably neglect their prayers; they begin to see faults in their brethren—to find fault with the authorities.”
  • Privileges and Responsibilities of the Saints, Discourse in Salt Lake City, September 30, 1860
    • “We should strive to get faith in everything that pertains to this work, and feel that it rests upon our shoulders to perform, and that it behooves each one of us to live in that way that will promote our own interests therein, and give us light and knowledge, which will enable us to cultivate that Spirit in our bosoms which has been promised, as a well of water springing up into everlasting life, to all the faithful Saints.”
    • “When the Spirit of the Lord influences any man, especially the true and faithful Saint, it fills him with joy and peace, and makes him humble in the performance of duties.”
    • “We should so live as to acknowledge the Good Spirit continually. We cannot do this unless we let the Spirit of God rule in temporalities as well as in spiritual matters.”
    • “It is a consolation and a great assistance to a man who tries to be a Saint to receive a word of encouragement from a friend. It prepares the heart for the warfare of life; it makes a man feel stronger in the Lord. He is thereby prepared to perform his duties as a member of the kingdom of God upon the earth. We all have a great variety of duties to perform; some are required to act in one way, and some in another. None can say that they have no part or lot in the matters in this kingdom.”
  • Building Up the Kingdom of God, Discourse in Salt Lake City, September 16, 1860
    • “It should be the feeling of every heart, not to build up ourselves, but to build up the kingdom of our God. How is this to be accomplished? We are to be united as the heart of one man. We have difficulties to contend with, as the people of God always had. We need food and clothing, but we do not need the wickedness which other people revel in, or the wastefulness with which others trample under their feet the good things bestowed upon them by our Heavenly Father; but we require that wisdom that will enable us to live and accomplish the most good, in the best way, in the work in which we are engaged. It is our business to provide for ourselves and our households those things that are necessary to make them comfortable.”
    • “If we clothe ourselves with that Spirit, we shall be blest with its guidance and inspirations from time to time; we shall have line upon line and precept upon precept.”
    • “Let us all strive to be in the way of our duty, and ready to jump into any place and work. No matter what is to be accomplished, do it with an eye single to the glory of God and the advancement of his kingdom.”
    • “Let the people impugn a man’s motives as much as they please; if he pursues a righteous course, it will bring him out right at last.”
    • “It is my desire to throw around my family and friends a good influence—to instill into their minds something better, higher, and nobler.”
  • Objects of the Gathering, Remarks in Salt Lake City, June 17, 1860
    • “I feel to rejoice continually in connection with my brethren in this work in which we are all engaged. No matter what order of occupation we are in, it is all for this sole object—to establish righteousness and peace, and put down every species of wickedness.”
    • “Then let us pursue this course, that our children may honor us in their day and generation, that they may be an honor and an ornament in the Church and kingdom of God, instead of being a disgrace to those they associate with.”
  • Devotedness to “Mormonism”, Remarks in Salt Lake City, October 16, 1859
    • “The world generally have an idea, and it is too true with many of the Latter-day Saints, that they know better about their everyday affairs than the Lord.”
    • “Let not the Evil One place any barrier between us and our daily righteous walk.”
    • “There are too many among us who shake hands with the Devil; and while this is so the Lord cannot bless this people as he wants to bless them. Were he to pour out the multiplicity of blessings he has in store upon them now, it would send many of them to destruction; otherwise his great blessings will save them when they understand them. It is necessary we should live near to the Lord.”
    • “It is not the great things of the kingdom that cause men to fall away and go to destruction. It is the small things of life.”
  • Importance of Home Manufactures, Remarks in Salt Lake City, September 1, 1859
    • “The inducements for the Saints to be faithful are certainly very great. There is no happiness, no joy, nothing worth living for, outside the religion of Jesus Christ—the principles of life and salvation, or “Mormonism,” as it is now called by many. These principles embrace everything, as our President has told us, which is worth knowing or possessing.”
    • “If we live according to the understanding we have of right, the promise is that more light and truth will be imparted to us, and in this way may we go on unto perfection.”
    • “Let us be truly obedient in the things we do know; and then, if we have a desire for the things we do not know, the Lord will perhaps give them to us. A father feels more like giving to a child that has complied with his requests than to one that has not. Another thing: We frequently ask for things that we have no business with. Let us be careful about this, and faithfully practice upon that we have already received.”
    • “I feel a peculiar joy and an unspeakable satisfaction myself in the things of God. I have desired a greater degree of intelligence, that I might be more useful and of greater benefit in the kingdom of God. I do not know that I have coveted anything in this world, only to be more useful in building up the kingdom of Christ in my day and generation.”
  • Lifegiving Influence of Mormonism, Remarks in Salt Lake City, March 22, 1857
    • “Let the Spirit of truth come upon persons and their minds expand, and you at once see a difference in their countenances. Who among us has not noticed this? I know that the Spirit of the Lord gives life, and that men grow younger when they come into this kingdom and live their religion. This is true, although unbelievers may make sport of it. I know that the feelings of the righteous are enlivened, their flesh and blood are quickened, and they become a glorious people; they receive and enjoy the Spirit of the Lord.”
    • “We have no need of being roused from a state of lethargy, if we will let the Spirit lead us; and the Lord will prosper us; for the man and the woman that keeps His Spirit is right: with it the people can bring as much again to pass as they can otherwise. They are stronger in their minds and in their judgments, and are more capable of gathering around them the comforts of life for their subsistence.”
    • “We read that Satan shall be bound a thousand years. How is this to be accomplished? By our becoming so impregnated with the principles of the Gospel—with the Holy Ghost—that the enemy will have no place in us or in our families, and shedding forth that influence in our neighborhoods. The adversary is first to be driven from ourselves, then from our families, then from our neighbors, next from our Territory, and eventually from the nations, until he shall find no place upon the face of the whole earth: then will he not be bound? Yes, so far as this earth is concerned; and that is the way in which it is to be done, in my humble opinion.”
    • “Let us not be lazy, but let us ever be alive to the interests of the kingdom of God, and expend our time and strength for the interest and benefit of that kingdom; for the Devil has had the use and benefit of this world nearly long enough.”
  • Misapplication of the Term Sacrifice, Remarks in Salt Lake City, March 1, 1857
    • “We have that advantage over the devil; we can, if we have a mind to, resist him, and he will flee from us. He can be cast out, and he is subject to us. We have the length and breadth of ourselves clear from being contaminated with him. I will say that, without fearing successful contradiction. If he overcomes us, we first let down the bars, and invite him to enter; or he would not come further than our heels.”
    • “The Lord gave us our agency to do as we please, and it is for us to say whether we will be for God or the devil. We may make ourselves angels to the devil, or Saints of the Most High.”
    • “It is necessary for you to keep the Holy Ghost. If you have not got it, you must get it, and never be without it. You must shed forth that influence on your family, as brothers Joseph and Heber told you this morning, or they will leave you. They will not stay with a man who is destitute of it, if they are good women, neither should they.”
  • The Parable of the Sower, Remarks in Salt Lake City, February 22, 1857
    • “I have told you, and others have, that we have no expectations in this life of a worldly nature but what will go into the grave with us when we go. “Mormonism” and the Priesthood which we have resting upon us reach behind the veil, and what we have to do here is to prepare ourselves in this channel for the blessings we expect to receive hereafter.”
    • “No matter whether in spiritual or temporal affairs, the principle is the same, faithfulness is required.”
    • “Do we see and appreciate the blessing of this Gospel which has been made known to us? Sometimes I think we do, and at other times I think we become careless and indifferent. This should never be, but we should progress and increase in the knowledge of God and in faith, for it is a treasure indeed, and is like all other things pertaining to the kingdom of God. We must be faithful to increase in it, as well as in light and knowledge. Let us get the truth and stick to it, and not let it slip through our fingers.”
    • “These are the principles which unite us together; let us keep them warm in our bosoms, and be alive and continue to increase in the knowledge of God. Let us strive to have our minds expand, and let us perform our duties with an eye single to the glory of God, and the advancement of His cause. In this course we see our own salvation and eternal exaltation, and find the road we ought to travel, and we cannot find anything outside of this worth having. We are interested in it; it is the best investment we can make. No matter how poor a person may be, he can be faithful and work the work of righteousness, and it is the poor and meek that will inherit the earth.”
    • “We are aware that the world is arrayed against us, and has it not been so from the beginning? But what have they been able to accomplish against this people? If they have driven and scattered us, they have scattered the seed still wider, and it will be so again. They do not know who they are fooling with; they are fooling with the Lord. He knows how to set up His kingdom, and if we are submissive in His hands, like clay in the hands of the potter, we shall not again be scattered and peeled. We have heretofore been driven measurably because of our unrighteousness, and of our unworthiness, and God’s inability through that cause to bless us, and because of the wickedness of the wicked. How soon would another persecution have come on us I cannot say, if the people had not turned around and sought the Lord with penitent hearts.”
  • Duty of Sustaining and Upholding the First Presidency, Discourse in Salt Lake City, March 9, 1856
    • “Our cause affords sufficient occupation to absorb the attention, energies, and ability of every man and woman in the world, aside from the few who embrace the faith. We will say, then, that whatever the First Presidency wish to accomplish should be sustained; and they should be supported by the entire mass of the people, in order that the people may be united, and that all operations may be carried out as directed from day to day.”
    • “I would like brethren to come into this kingdom with an understanding that their salvation will cost them all they have got and all they ever will have.”
    • “I have always felt that if I did my duty from day to day, and remained faithful to the end, I should get a reward that would be perfectly satisfactory to me, whatever it might be: therefore I never concern myself about what is going to be my reward in future life.”
    • “That is the way in which I at first looked at “Mormonism,” and it is the way I have looked at it ever since. I am so strong in the belief of the doctrine, that I recommend every one of the brethren and sisters to look at it in the same light in which I do. It is the all-absorbing topic with me; and it is no matter what I am called to do in this work, it is for the sake of truth—no matter how tired and fatigued I may be, it is for the sake of truth.”
    • “The heavens are ready to shower down blessings, if the people are ready to receive and sufficiently appreciate them.”
  • Persecutions, Duties and Privileges of the Saints, Address at the Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, July 24, 1854
    • “This day, in reality, is the anniversary of our birth day as a free people. We may say that it was a bloodless conquest, and yet our path has not been strewn with flowers, as witness the parting pang when exhausted strength has been laid low in the dust, and bitter tears have only been dried in view of a better future.”
    • “The kingdom will advance, and bring with it the treasures of knowledge, wisdom, and power, just so fast as the Lord finds that he has a people ready, willing, and capable of receiving, and bearing it off. If we would hasten the time for the coming of the Son of Man with power and great glory, we must increase our diligence, hasten ourselves in the attainment of every perfection, and by our purity and excellence bring unto ourselves Heaven’s excellence and purity.”
    • “It is always well to remember and acknowledge the kind hand of Providence, from whom we receive every good and perfect gift.”
    • “Let not folly nor wickedness be committed in Israel, lest we be called upon to put away the workers of iniquity from our midst, and thus cleanse Israel from sin and guilt.”

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