_THE POWER OF EVIL_
_Lucifer_--There was a devil in heaven, and he strove to possess
the birthright of the Savior. He was a liar from the beginning, and
loves those who love and make lies, as do his imps and followers here
on the earth. 8:279-80.
The spirits that were cast out of heaven, which you know are recorded
to have been one-third part, were thrust down to this earth, and have
been here all the time, with Lucifer, the Son of the Morning, at their
head. 4:133.
The spirits of devils have been deprived of bodies, and that
constitutes their curse, that is to say, speaking after the manner of
men, you shall be wanderers on the earth, you have got to live out of
doors all the time you live.
That is the situation of the spirits that were sent to the earth, when
the revolt took place in heaven, when Lucifer, the Son of the Morning,
was cast out. Where did he go? He came here, and one-third part of the
spirits in heaven came with him. Do you suppose that one-third part of
all beings that existed in eternity came with him? No, but one-third
part of the spirits that were begotten and organized and brought forth
to become tenants of fleshly bodies to dwell upon this earth. They
forsook Jesus Christ, the rightful heir, and joined with Lucifer, the
Son of the Morning, and came to this earth; they got here first. As
soon as Mother Eve made her appearance in the garden of Eden, the Devil
was on hand. 3:368-369.
As it has always been, and will be yet for some time, when the sons of
God assemble together Satan will be on {105} hand as an accuser of the
brethren, to find fault with those who are trying to do good. 11:141.
The power of the Devil is limited; the power of God is unlimited. 3:267.
Who owns this earth? Does the Devil? No, he does not, he pretended to
own it when the Savior was here, and promised it all to him if he would
fall down and worship him; but he did not own a foot of land, he only
had possession of it. He was an intruder, and is still; this earth
belongs to him that framed and organized it, and it is expressly for
his glory and the possession of those who love and serve him and keep
his commandments; but the enemy has possession of it. 15:5.
If true principles are revealed from heaven to men, and if there are
angels, and there is a possibility of their communicating to the human
family, always look for an opposite power, an evil power, to give
manifestations also; look out for the counterfeit. 240.
I frequently think of the difference between the power of God and the
power of the Devil. To illustrate, here is a structure in which we
can be seated comfortably, protected from the heat of summer or the
cold of winter. Now, it required labor, mechanical skill and ingenuity
and faithfulness and diligence to erect this building, but any poor,
miserable fool or devil can set fire to it and destroy it. That is just
what the Devil can do, but he never can build anything. The difference
between God and the Devil is that God creates and organizes, while the
whole study of the Devil is to destroy. Every one that follows the evil
inclinations of his own natural evil heart is going to destruction, and
sooner or later he will be no more. I pray you Latter-day Saints to
live your religion. 13:4. {106}
What, then, is the mission of Satan, that common foe of all the
children of men? It is to destroy and make desolate. 11:240.
The Devil delights in the work of destruction--to burn and lay waste
and destroy the whole earth. He delights to convulse and throw into
confusion the affairs of men, politically, religiously and morally,
introducing war with its long train of dreadful consequences. It is
evil which causeth all these miseries and all deformity to come upon
the inhabitants of the earth. But that which is of God is pure, lovely,
holy and full of all excellency and truth, no matter where it is found,
in hell, in heaven, upon the earth, or in the planets. 11:240.
Every providence and dispensation of God to his earthly children tends
directly to life and salvation, while the influences and powers exerted
by the enemy upon mankind and every suggestion of our corrupt natures
tends to death. 10:221.
The adversary presents his principles and arguments in the most
approved style, and in the most winning tone, attended with the most
graceful attitudes; and he is very careful to ingratiate himself into
the favor of the powerful and influential of mankind, uniting himself
with popular parties, floating into offices of trust and emolument by
pandering to popular feeling, though it should seriously wrong and
oppress the innocent. 11:238.
Show me one principle that has originated by the power of the Devil.
You cannot do it. I call evil inverted good, or a correct principle
made an evil use of. 3:157.
The Devil's forces are particularly marshalled against us. 5:353.
You are aware that many think that the Devil has rule {107} and power
over both body and spirit. Now, I want to tell you that he does not
hold any power over man, only so far as the body overcomes the spirit
that is in a man, through yielding to the spirit of evil. The spirit
that the Lord puts into a tabernacle of flesh, is under the dictation
of the Lord Almighty; but the spirit and body are united in order that
the spirit may have a tabernacle, and be exalted; and the spirit is
influenced by the body, and the body by the spirit.
In the first place the spirit is pure, and under the special control
and influence of the Lord, but the body is of the earth, and is subject
to the power of the Devil, and is under the mighty influence of that
fallen nature that is of the earth. If the spirit yields to the body,
the Devil then has power to overcome the body and spirit of that man,
and he loses both.
Recollect, brethren and sisters, every one of you, that when evil is
suggested to you, when it arises in your hearts, it is through the
temporal organization. When you are tempted, buffeted, and step out of
the way inadvertently; when you are overtaken in a fault, or commit an
overt act unthinkingly; when you are full of evil passion, and wish to
yield to it, then stop and let the spirit, which God has put into your
tabernacles, take the lead. If you do that, I will promise that you
will overcome all evil, and obtain eternal lives. But many, very many,
let the spirit yield to the body, and are overcome and destroyed. 2:255.
Evil is with us, it is that influence which tempts to sin, and which
has been permitted to come into the world for the express purpose
of giving us an opportunity of proving ourselves before God, before
Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother, before the holy angels, and before
all good men, that we are determined to overcome the evil, and cleave
to the good, for {108} the Lord has given us the ability to do so.
Consequently, when the evil is present with me, I have a little
fighting to do, I must turn and combat it until it is eradicated from
my affections, as well as from my actions, that I may have power to do
all the good I wish to perform. Every person is capable of this, all
can bridle their tongues, and cease from every evil act from this time
henceforth and forever, and do good instead. 1:91.
There are but two parties on the earth, one for God and the other for
the world or the evil one. No matter how many names the Christian or
heathen world bear, or how many sects and creeds may exist, there are
but two parties, one for heaven and God, and the other will go to some
other kingdom than the celestial kingdom of God. 14:73.
Do not imagine that I am in the least finding fault with the Devil. I
would not bring a railing accusation against him, for he is fulfilling
his office and calling manfully; he is more faithful in his calling
than are many of the people. God is not yet going to destroy wickedness
from the earth. How frequently we hear it reiterated from the pulpit
that he is going to destroy all wickedness. No such thing. He will
destroy the power of sin. The work the Savior has on hand is to reduce
the power of the Devil to perfect subjection; and when he has destroyed
death and him that has the power of it, pertaining to this world, then
he will deliver up the kingdom spotless to the Father. 9:108.
Cease to mingle with the wicked. Many of our Elders seem to believe
that Christ and Baal can yet be made friends. How many times Elders
of Israel try to make me fellowship the Devil, or his imps, or his
servants; also try to make you fellowship your enemies, to amalgamate
the feelings of the Saints and the ungodly! It cannot be done; {109} it
never was done, and never can be accomplished. Christ and Baal never
can be friends. One or the other must reign triumphantly on the earth,
and I say that Jesus Christ shall reign, and I will help him; and Baal
shall not reign here much longer--the Devil shall not have power much
longer upon the land of Joseph. 8:325-6.
Who is the enemy of mankind? He who wishes to change truth for error
and light for darkness; he who wishes to take peace from a family,
city, state or nation and give the sword in return. He is my enemy, he
is your enemy and the enemy of mankind. Who is the friend of mankind?
He who makes peace between those who are at enmity, who brings together
those who, perhaps, through some misunderstanding, have been at
variance with and lost friendship and fellowship for each other, and
shows them that their ill-will is without foundation and existed simply
because they did not understand each other. 16:24.
Who is your enemy and mine? He that teaches language that is
unbecoming, that presents falsehood for truth, that furnishes false
premises to build upon instead of true, or that is full of anger and
mischief to his fellow beings. I call no others enemies. 16:24.
Can error live? No, it is the very plant of destruction, it destroys
itself; it withers, it fades, it falls and decays and returns to its
native element. Every untruth, all error, everything that is unholy,
unlike God, will, in its time, perish. 14:93.
You need have no fear but the fear to offend God. 4:369.
Who are the evildoers? Those who have had the light presented to them,
and rejected it. 8:357.
If we live so as to enjoy the spirit of the faith that we {110} have
embraced there is no danger of our being deceived. 14:157.
The wicked cannot do anything against the truth. Every move they make
to crush the Kingdom of God will be attended with the signal blessings
of the Almighty for its further extension and ultimate triumph. All
their efforts will result in the overthrow of sin and iniquity, and the
increase of righteousness and the Kingdom of God upon the earth. 8:175.
_False Spirits_--There are many spirits gone out into the world,
and the false spirits are giving revelations as well as the Spirit of
the Lord. 3:44.
There are myriads of disembodied evil spirits--those who have long ago
laid down their bodies here and in the regions round about, among and
around us; and they are trying to make us and our children sick, and
are trying to destroy us and to tempt us to evil. They will try every
possible means they are masters of to draw us aside from the path of
righteousness. 6:73-4.
The children of men give heed to the deceiving spirits that are abroad,
and that is the cause of the ten thousand errors, wrongs, sins and
divisions which are in the world, and for this reason the multitude are
unable to distinguish between the voice of the Good Shepherd and the
voice of the stranger. 16:75.
It was revealed to me in the commencement of this Church, that the
Church would spread, prosper, grow and extend, and that in proportion
to the spread of the Gospel among the nations of the earth, so would
the power of Satan rise. It was told you here that Brother Joseph
warned the Elders of Israel against false spirits. It was revealed to
me that if the people did not receive the spirit of {111} revelation
that God had sent for the salvation of the world, they would receive
false spirits and would have revelation. Men would have revelation,
women would have revelation, the priest in the pulpit and the deacon
under the pulpit would have revelation, and the people would have
revelation enough to damn the whole nation, and nations of them, unless
they would hearken to the voice of God. It was not only revealed to
Joseph but to your humble servant, that false spirits would be as
prevalent and as common among the inhabitants of the earth as we now
see them. 13:280.
No man gets power from God to raise disturbance in any Branch of the
Church. Such power is obtained from an evil source. 9.93.
We may be within the pale of the Kingdom of God on earth, yet we are
liable to be overcome of evil. There are many spirits who have gone
abroad in the world, and men are overcome by false spirits, and led
astray from the path of truth. They will begin by doing some evil thing
out of sight, and say, "O, it is nothing, it is a mere trifle, and the
Lord is merciful and forgiveth sin." The sins which are considered
trifles lay the foundation for greater evils, and expose men to be
tempted, and buffeted by Satan, and they will be overcome little by
little, until by and by they are overtaken in a fault which is more
aggravating in the sight of justice, which lays the foundation for
another trial more severe, and to be buffeted more by the Devil, for
they lay themselves more liable to his power. 2:121.
Suppose I were to teach you a false doctrine, how are you to know it if
you do not possess the Spirit of God? As it is written, "The things of
God knoweth no man but by the Spirit of God." 18:72.
Our doctrine is right--there is no deception in it. It {112} requires
no argument, for it is a self-evident fact. Still, when we meddle with
that which we know nothing about, we are apt to fall into error and
differ; but we have so much which we do know, and think about and talk
about, that we have no time to speculate about that which we do not
know. We know that God lives. 10:327.
What is called spirit-rapping, spirit-knocking, and so forth, is
produced by the spirits that the Lord has suffered to communicate to
people on the earth, and make them believe in revelation. 7:239.
When we go into the world we find quite a portion of the people who
belong' to a class called Spiritualists. They would like to have it
considered that "Mormonism" is nothing but Spiritualism. A great many
want to know the difference between the two. I will give one-feature
of the difference, and then set the whole scientific world to work to
see if they can ever bring to bear the same feature in Spiritualism.
Take all who are called Spiritualists and see if they can produce the
order that is in the midst of this people. Here are system, order,
organization, law, rule, and facts. Now see if they can produce any
one of these features. They cannot. Why? Because their system is from
beneath, while ours is perfect and is from above; one is from God, the
other is from the Devil, that is all the difference. 13:266.
Spiritualism is a mass of confusion, it is a body without parts and
passions, principle or power. 13:266.
There is evil in the world, and there is also good. Was there ever
a counterfeit without a true coin? No. Is there communication from
God? Yes. From holy angels? Yes; and we have been proclaiming these
facts during nearly thirty years. Are there any communications from
evil {113} spirits? Yes; and the Devil is making the people believe
very strongly in revelations from the spirit world. This is called
Spiritualism, and it is said that thousands of spirits declare that
"Mormonism" is true; but what do that class of spirits know more than
mortals? Perhaps a little more in some particulars than is known here,
but it is only a little more. They are subject in the spirit world to
the same powers they were subject to here. 7:240.
Mesmerism is an inverted truth; it originated in holy, good and
righteous principles, which have been inverted by the power of the
Devil. 3:156.
The principle of animal magnetism is true, but wicked men use it to an
evil purpose. Speaking is a true gift, but I can speak to the glory of
God, or to the injury of his cause and to my condemnation, as I please;
and still the gift is of God. The gift of animal magnetism is a gift of
God, but wicked men use it to promote the cause of the Devil, and that
is precisely the difference. 3:370.
I know of many whom mesmerism has led out of this Church; they would
see the sick healed, and attribute it to the power of God; would fall
under its influence, embrace and practice it, and thus give the Devil
power over them to lead them out of the Kingdom of God. They could not
tell whether it was the power of God or the power of the Devil. What
is the reason? They had not the light of revelation within them; they
had not the knowledge of God. Are you not aware how easily we may be
deceived? 3:156.
There are many Elders in this house who, if I had the power to
mesmerize that vase and make it dance on that table, would say that it
was done by the power of God. Who could tell whether it was done by the
power of God or the power of the Devil? No person, unless he had the
{114} revelations of Jesus Christ within him. I suppose you are ready
to ask Brother Brigham if he thinks the power of the Devil could make
the vase dance. Yes, and could take it up and carry it out doors, just
as easy as to turn up a table and move it here and there, or to cause a
rap, rap, rap, or to bake and pass around pancakes, or to get hold of
a person's hand, and make him write in every style you can think of,
imitating George Washington's, Benjamin Franklin's, Joseph Smith's, and
other autographs. Can you tell whether that is by the power of God or
by the power of the Devil? No, unless you have the revelations of Jesus
Christ. 3:157.
I have seen the effects of animal magnetism, or some anomalous sleep,
or whatever it may be called, many a time in my youth. I have seen
persons lie on the benches, on the floor of the meeting house, or on
the ground at their camp meetings, for ten, twenty, and thirty minutes,
and I do not know but an hour, and not a particle of pulse about them.
That was the effect of what I call animal magnetism; they called it the
power of God, but no matter what it was, I used to think that I should
like to ask such persons what they had seen in their trance or vision;
and when I got old enough and dared ask them, I did so. I have said to
such persons: "Brother, what have you experienced?" "Nothing." "What do
you know more than before you had this; what do you call it--trance,
sleep or dream? Do you know any more now than before you fell to the
earth?" "Nothing more." "Have you seen any person?" "No." "Then what is
the use or utility of your falling down here in the dirt?" I could not
see it, and consequently I was an infidel to this. But I said then as
I say now--"Show me a church that God has organized, and you will find
apostles {115} to rule, govern, control, dictate, and give counsel.
You will find prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, governments,
helps, and diversities of tongues. When the Church and Kingdom of God
is upon the earth you will find all these things and you will also hear
prophesying therein." 14:113.
Many people in this city do not know whether astrology is true or
not, whether it is of God or the Devil; hence they are liable to be
deceived, as is every person unless they have the power of revelation
within themselves. If there are any brethren here who have been
studying astrology, and they were called upon to speak, would they
not say that they believed it to be a true science? They would; they
testify that they know it to be true. But what does it do for them?
It leads them into thousands of errors. Does God ever lead you into
error? Is he mistaken when he reveals? No; when he sets you to make
calculations and figures, I will insure you that every sum will prove
and come out precisely right. The Lord does not deceive people, but
astrology and mesmerism do lead them astray. How many deceptions are
there in the world? Millions, for a great many spirits have gone forth
into the world to deceive the people. Spirit rappings are of the same
class. 3:156.
_Priestcraft_--The priests are angry because they are afraid that
their religion is nothing but a sandy foundationed fabric; and whenever
they meditate upon the subject and humble themselves, and the Spirit
of the Lord finds its way to their hearts and convicts them, the truth
then is made manifest before them, and they begin to learn the falsity
of their systems; and when that spirit leaves them, they become angry.
"Mormonism" is declared to be true by hosts of witnesses, and this
makes the priests angry; for {116} this Gospel bears its own weight and
testimony, and they know not how to gainsay it. True, I have aimed to
point out their errors; but it is not you or me that they are opposed
to, although they throw their darts at us; but it is the spirit of
conviction that goes with the report of this work; for wherever it
goes it strikes conviction to the heart, and that is what disturbs the
priests and the people. 5:4-5.
Go to the United States, into Europe, or wherever you can come across
men who have been in the midst of this people, and one will tell you
that we are a poor, ignorant, deluded people; the next will tell you
that we are the most industrious and intelligent people on the earth,
and are destined to rise to eminence as a nation, and spread, and
continue to spread, until we revolutionize the whole earth. If you pass
on to the third man, and inquire what he thinks of the "Mormons," he
will say they are fools, duped and led astray by Joe Smith, who was a
knave, and a false prophet, and a money digger. Why is all this? It is
because there is a spirit in man. And when the Gospel of Jesus Christ
is preached on the earth, and the Kingdom of God is established, there
is also a spirit in these things, and an almighty spirit too. When
these two spirits come in contact one with the other, the spirit of
the Gospel reflects light upon the spirit which God has placed in man,
and wakes him up to a consciousness of his true state, which makes him
afraid he will be condemned, for he perceives at once that "Mormonism"
is true. "Our craft is in danger," is the first thought that strikes
the wicked and dishonest of mankind, when the light of truth shines
upon them. Say they, "If these people called Latter-day Saints are
correct in their views, the whole world must be wrong, and what will
become of our time-honored institutions, and of our {117} influence,
which we have swayed successfully over the minds of the people for
ages. This Mormonism must be put down." So priestcraft presents a bold
and extended front against the truth. 1:188.
It is not in my being called a Quaker, a Methodist or a "Mormon" that
is the true cause of contention between these two great powers--Christ
and Belial; but it is in the fact that God has established his Kingdom
upon the earth and restored the holy Priesthood which gives men
authority and power to administer in his name. 11:238.
Instead of seeking unto the Lord for wisdom, they seek unto vain
philosophy and the deceit and traditions of men, which are after the
rudiments of the world and not after Christ. They are led by their own
imaginations and by the dictates of their selfish will, which will lead
them in the end to miss the object of their pursuit. 10:209.
_Sin and Wickedness_--God permits sin, or it could not be here.
13:151.
The law is for the transgressor. 15:161.
All evil is from beneath, while all that is good is from God. 13:267.
Aside from the revelations in our day, there is not knowledge enough
to tell you why God suffered sin to come into the world. You have been
told the reason why--that all intelligence must prove facts by their
opposite. 6:144.
I wish you to understand that sin is not an attribute in the nature of
man, but it is an inversion of the attributes God has placed in him.
Righteousness tends to an eternal duration of organized intelligence,
while sin bringeth to pass their dissolution. 10:251.
Sin has come into the world, and death by sin. I frequently ask myself
the question: Was there any necessity {118} for sin to enter the world?
Most assuredly there was, according to my understanding and reasoning
powers. Did I not know the evil I could never know the good; had I not
seen the light I should never be able to comprehend what darkness is.
Had I never tried to see and behold a thing in darkness I could not
understand the beauty and glory of the light. If I had never tasted the
bitter or the sour how could I define or describe the sweet? 13:59.
The annoyances, difficulties, errors, perplexities, sorrows, and
troubles of this life, from first to last, are in consequence of sin
being in the world. For me to say it is not right for sin to be in the
world, or if we, as intelligent beings, come to the conclusion that sin
entered the world by chance, through some mistake, and it was contrary
to the design of him who created us, we should err. 14:98.
Let a Saint diverge from the path of truth and rectitude, in the least,
no matter in what, it may be in a deal with his neighbor, in lusting
after that which is not in his possession, in neglecting his duty, in
having an over anxiety for something he should not be anxious about, in
being a little distrustful with regard to the providences of God, in
entertaining a misgiving in his heart and feeling with regard to the
hand of the Lord towards him, and his mind will begin to be darkened.
3:222.
The law of God is pointed against sin and iniquity, and where they
appear it is unbending in its nature and must, sooner or later, hold
sovereign rule against them, or righteousness could never prevail.
3:256.
Paul asks, "Shall we sin that righteousness may abound?" No, there is
plenty of sin without your sinning. We can have all the experience we
need, without sinning ourselves, therefore we will not sin that good
may come, {119} we will not transgress the law of God that we may know
the opposite. There is no necessity for such a course, for the world
is full of transgression, and this people need not mingle up with it.
3:224.
It is as manly and as praiseworthy for an individual to make the choice
to do good, work righteousness and love and serve God--it is more
noble, than to choose the downward road. One or the other will be the
choice of every individual. Do not trifle with evil, or you will be
overcome by it before you know. 12:231.
Many imbibe the idea that they are capable of leading out in teaching
principles that never have been taught. They are not aware that the
moment they give way to this hallucination the Devil has power over
them to lead them onto unholy ground; though this is a lesson which
they ought to have learned long ago, yet it is one that was learned by
but few in the days of Joseph. 3:318.
It is far better to die in a good cause than to live in a bad one; it
is better to die doing good than to live doing evil. 11:134.
Sin is in the world, but it is not necessary that we should sin,
because sin is in the world; but, to the contrary, it is necessary that
we should resist sin, and for this purpose is sin necessary. Sin exists
in all the eternities. Sin is coeternal with righteousness, for it must
needs be that there is an opposition in all things. 10:2.
Look at ourselves--run over our own experience, and we shall discover
that ourselves, our neighbors, our friends, our acquaintances, and
all people do not always know when they are happy. In other words,
if you could crowd an individual or a community into heaven without
experience, it would be no enjoyment to them. They must know the
{120} opposite; they must know how to contrast, in order to prize and
appreciate the comfort and happiness, the joy and the bliss they are
actually in possession of. 5:294.
There is a clear distinction made between the sinner and the ungodly.
A person to be ungodly must have known godliness, and must have a
knowledge of what the Lord requires concerning him. There are many in
the midst of this people who believe the Gospel with all their hearts,
but yet do wickedly; this makes them ungodly. 2:258.
I would not associate with those who blaspheme the name of God, nor
would I let my family associate with them. By this you may know whether
you are in the path that leads to life and salvation. If you can hear
the name of the Deity lightly spoken of and blasphemed, and not be
shocked at it, you may know that you are not in that path. 12:219-220.
Improvement belongs to the spirit and plan of the heavens. To improve
in our minds, to increase in wisdom, knowledge and understanding,
to gather every item of knowledge that we can in mechanism and in
science of every description, respecting the earth, the object of the
organization of the earth, the heavens, the heavenly bodies--all this
is of Heaven, it is from God; but when a person or a people begin to
dwindle, to lessen and to take the downward course, they are going from
heaven and heavenly things. 16:65.
Many of us have been taught the doctrine of total depravity--that man
is not naturally inclined to do good. I am satisfied that he is more
inclined to do right than to do wrong. There is a greater power within
him to shun evil and perform good, than to do the opposite. 9:247.
The wickedness of the children of men is what influences {121} them to
fear. They are not afraid of their own laws, because they originated
from themselves; they can manage them and blot them out of existence
whenever they wish. But when that which is said to be the Kingdom
of God, or the theocracy of heaven, is upon the earth, many of the
inhabitants thereof tremble, and fear that it is not correct. 7:148.
How much does it take to prepare a man, or woman, or any being, to
become angels to the Devil, to suffer with him to all eternity? Just
as much as it does to prepare a man to go into the celestial kingdom,
into the presence of the Father and the Son, and to be made an heir to
his Kingdom, and all his glory, and be crowned with crowns of glory,
immortality, and eternal lives. 3:93.
Let not your feelings be afflicted or in anywise troubled by the
sayings and doings of the wicked, for they are in the hands of the
Almighty, and he will dispose of individuals and nations as seemeth him
good. He must give them an opportunity to receive the truth and prepare
themselves to dwell eternally with him, or to reject it and prepare
themselves to be cut down as cumberers of the ground, suffer the wrath
of the Almighty, and perish and be wasted away until they will be known
no more. Seek for that which will endure. 7:270.
It is not right, I will say, for people to know the truth and live in
disobedience to it; it is not right for them to understand the ways
and providences of God as they are dealt out to the people on the
earth, when they live and are determined to live in violation of every
commandment and law of God; and because they do so live, ignorance
covers them as with a mantle, shuts out the light of truth from them,
and keeps them in darkness; and if the light were to {122} shine upon
them, as it does now and as it did in the days of the Apostles, would
they receive it? No, they would not. Light has come into the world, but
the wicked choose darkness rather than light. Why? It was told in days
of old that their deeds were evil. That is the fact today--"They choose
darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil," and their
hearts are fully set in them to do evil. 15:64.
Let the wicked say what they please, for their breath is in their
nostrils, and all their glory is like the grass and the flower of the
grass that passeth away. They are here but for a moment, and soon those
who know them now will know them no more for ever. They will soon be as
though they had not been upon the earth. 7:270.
The hand of the Almighty is over the wicked, and he handles them
according to his good pleasure, as he does the Saints. His hand is over
us, and his hand is over them. But there is a thick mist cast before
their eyes, so they do not discern the truth of "Mormonism." Do you
wonder that they are mad, when they see the progress of truth? I do
not. 4:38.
I never believed that the righteous have ever suffered as much as the
wicked. 11:274.
The wicked do not know how to enjoy life, but the closer we live to God
the better we know and understand how to enjoy it. Live so that you can
enjoy the Spirit of the Lord continually. 10:336.
_Temptation_--I am happy, brethren, for the privilege of having
temptation. A great many people have thought that in my life I was
not tempted like other men. I tell them if I am it is none of their
business; it is nothing to them. Some say, "Brother Brigham, you slide
along and {123} the Devil lets you alone." If I have battles with him,
I can overcome him single handed quicker than to call in my neighbors
to help me. If I am tempted to speak an evil word, I will keep my lips
locked together. Says one, "I do not know about that, that would be
smothering up bad feelings, I am wonderfully tried about my neighbor,
he has done wrong, he has abused me and I feel dreadful bad about it.
Had I not better let it out than to keep it rankling within me?" No. I
will keep bad feelings under and actually smother them to death, then
they are gone. But as sure as I let them out they will live and afflict
me. If I smother them in myself, if I actually choke them to death,
destroy the life, the power, and vigor thereof, they will pass off and
leave me clear of fault, and pure, so far as that is concerned; and no
man or woman on earth knows that I have ever been tempted to indulge in
wicked feelings. Keep them to yourselves.
If you feel evil, keep it to yourselves until you overcome that evil
principle. This is what I call resisting the Devil, and he flees from
me. I strive not to speak evil, not to feel evil, and if I do, to keep
it to myself until it is gone from me, and not let it pass my lips.
3:195.
Thousands of temptations assail, and you make a miss here and a slip
there, and say that you have not lived up to all the knowledge you
have. True; but often it is a marvel to me that you have lived up
to so much as you have, considering the power of the enemy upon the
earth. Few that have ever lived have fully understood that power. I do
not fully comprehend the awful power and influence Satan has upon the
earth, but I understand enough to know that it is a marvel that the
Latter-day Saints are as good as they are. 8:285. {124}
It is necessary in the very nature of things, in the economy of heaven,
that we should be tried and tempted in all things, in order to prove
ourselves and prepare ourselves to enjoy that eternal life that is
prepared for the just. The time will be when people will not be tempted
as they now are--when there will be no Tempter upon the earth. The
knowledge and intelligence that will be diffused among the people will
enable them to live a time and a season without the Tempter. But we
live in a day when the power and rule of that evil principle is more
excessive upon the earth than it ever has been. 7:268.
When we neglect any one of these duties, the enemy says, "I have made
so much ground." If the-Devil can induce an Elder to drink a little,
he is not satisfied with this triumph, but says to him, "Your wife and
children know it, don't pray tonight." The Elder says to his family,
"I feel tired tonight, we won't have prayers." The enemy says, "I have
gained another point." You indulge still further, and you will find
other excuses. Your head is not right, your heart is not right, your
conscience is not right, and you retire again without praying. By and
by, you begin to doubt something the Lord has revealed to us, and it is
not long before such a one is led away captive of the Devil. 18:216.
When you are tempted to do wrong, do not stop one moment to argue, but
tell Mr. Devil to walk out of your barn. 3:359.
When the Devil cannot overcome an individual through temptation to
commit wickedness, when he sees that a person is determined to walk in
the line and travel straight forward into the celestial kingdom, he
will adopt a course of flattery, will strive to exercise a pleasing
influence and move along smoothly with him, and when he sees an
opportunity {125} he will try to turn him out of the way, if it is only
to the extent of a hair's breadth. 3:318.
Do not suppose that we shall ever in the flesh be free from temptations
to sin. Some suppose that they can in the flesh be sanctified, body and
spirit, and become so pure that they will never again feel the effects
of the power of the adversary of truth. Were it possible for a person
to attain to this degree of perfection in the flesh, he could not die,
neither remain in a world where sin predominates. Sin has entered into
the world, and death by sin. I think we shall more or less feel the
effects of sin so long as we live, and finally have to pass the ordeals
of death. Do not understand that in the flesh we shall ever overcome
the power of sin to such a degree that we shall never taste death. I do
not look for any such thing, though what we call death, or laying down
this body, is only the door to a higher state of life for the faithful.
If we live our religion it will enable us to so overcome sin that it
will not reign in our mortal bodies but will become subject to us,
and the world and its fulness will become our servant instead of our
master. 10:173.
As soon as a man hears the Gospel preached and becomes convinced of its
truthfulness, he is tempted of the Devil, who, whenever there is an
opportunity, suggests doubt for his reflection. If he entertain these
doubting influences it is not long before what he believed true becomes
a matter of conjecture. Another may receive the Gospel, travel and
preach it faithfully, feeling in his heart to exclaim, "Glory to God
in the highest," having no other motive than to do good to his fellow
beings. By and by he perhaps is left to himself, saying--"I wonder if I
really was {126} right?" This single doubt is perhaps the beginning of
his apostasy from the Church. 18:215.
Serve God according to the best knowledge you have, and lay down and
sleep quietly; and when the Devil comes along and says, "You are not
a very good Saint, you might enjoy greater blessings and more of the
power of God, and have the vision of your mind opened, if you would
live up to your privileges," tell him to leave; that you have long
ago forsaken his ranks and enlisted in the army of Jesus, who is your
captain, and that you want no more of the Devil. 4:270.
When temptations come to you, be humble and faithful, and determined
that you will overcome, and you will receive a deliverance, and
continue faithful, having the promise of receiving blessings. 16:164.
_Apostasy_--It is most astonishing to every principle of
intelligence that any man or woman will close their eyes upon eternal
things after they have been made acquainted with them, and let the
gay things of this world, the lusts of the eye, and the lusts of the
flesh, entangle their minds and draw them one hair's breadth from the
principles of life. 4:59.
If the candle of the Almighty does not shine from this place, you need
not seek for light anywhere else. 4:93.
To know the truth of my testimony he must have the visions and
revelations of God for himself. And when he gets them, and turns aside
becoming a traitor to the cause of righteousness, the wrath of God will
beat upon him, and the vengeance of the Almighty will be heavy upon
him. 2:140.
It was said here this morning that no person ever apostatized, without
actual transgression. Omission of duty {127} leads to commission. We
want to live so as to have the Spirit every day, every hour of the day,
every minute of the day, and every Latter-day Saint is entitled to
the Spirit of God, to the power of the Holy Ghost, to lead him in his
individual duties. 10:296.
He will make false prophecies, yet he will do it by the spirit of
prophecy; he will feel that he is a prophet and can prophesy, but he
does it by another spirit and power than that which was given him of
the Lord. He uses the gift as much as you and I use ours. 3:364.
Let a man or woman who has received much of the power of God, visions
and revelations, turn away from the holy commandments of the Lord, and
it seems that their senses are taken from them, their understanding and
judgment in righteousness are taken away, they go into darkness, and
become like a blind person who gropes by the wall. 2:301.
The person that forsakes the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ will find
himself ruined for time and eternity. How are they looked upon who
have received the Spirit of the Gospel and forsaken it? With a few
exceptions, they are despised by the good and wise among men, by the
noble and ignoble; all despise them, and they are in a most miserable
condition. 7:146.
Whenever there is a disposition manifested in any of the members of
this Church to question the right of the President of the whole Church
to direct in all things, you see manifested evidences of apostasy--of a
spirit which, if encouraged, will lead to a separation from the Church
and to final destruction; wherever there is a disposition to operate
against any legally appointed officer of this Kingdom, no matter in
what capacity he is called to act, if persisted in, {128} it will be
followed by the same results; they will "walk after the flesh in the
lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they,
self-willed; they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities." 11:136.
When a man begins to find fault, inquiring in regard to this, that, and
the other, saying, "Does this or that look as though the Lord dictated
it?" you may know that that person has more or less of the spirit of
apostasy. Every man in this Kingdom, or upon the face of the earth,
who is seeking with all his heart to save himself, has as much to do
as he can conveniently attend to, without calling in question that
which does not belong to him. If he succeeds in saving himself, it has
well occupied his time and attention. See to it that you are right
yourselves; see that sins and folly do not manifest themselves with the
rising sun. I repeat that it is as much as any one can well do to take
care of himself by: performing every duty that pertains to his temporal
and eternal welfare. 8:12.
What is that which turns people away from this Church? Very trifling
affairs are generally the commencement of their divergence from the
right path. If we follow a compass, the needle of which does not point
correctly, a very slight deviation in the beginning will lead us, when
we have traveled some distance, far to one side of the true point for
which we are aiming. 12:125.
When men lose the spirit of the work in which we are engaged, they
become infidel in their feelings. They say that they do not know
whether the Bible is true, whether the Book of Mormon is true, nor
about new revelations, nor whether there is a God or not. When they
lose the spirit of this work, they lose the knowledge of the things of
God in time and in eternity; all is lost to them. 8:316. {129}
Those who leave the Church are like a feather blown to and fro in the
air. They know not whither they are going; they do not understand
anything about their own existence; their faith, judgment and the
operation of their minds are as unstable as the movements of the
feather floating in the air. We have not anything to cling to, only
faith in the Gospel. 15:136.
If the people would live their religion, there would be no apostasy and
we would hear no complaining or faultfinding. If the people were hungry
for the words of eternal life, and their whole souls even centered on
the building up of the Kingdom of God, every heart and hand would be
ready and willing and the work would move forward mightily and we would
advance as we should do. 13:153.
Men begin to apostatize by taking to themselves strength, by hearkening
to the whisperings of the enemy who leads them astray little by little,
until they gather to themselves that which they call the wisdom of man;
then they begin to depart from God, and their minds become confused.
18:231.
You have known men who, while in the Church, were active, quick and
full of intelligence; but after they have left the Church, they have
become contracted in their understandings, they have become darkened
in their minds and everything has become a mystery to them, and in
regard to the things of God, they have become like the rest of the
world, who think, hope and pray that such and such things may be so,
but they do not know the least about it. This is precisely the position
of those who leave this Church; they go into the dark, they are not
able to judge, conceive or comprehend things as they are. They are like
the drunken man--he thinks that everybody is the worse for liquor but
himself, and he is the only sober man in the neighborhood. {130} The
apostates think that everybody is wrong but themselves. 16:65.
You hear many say, "I am a Latter-day Saint, and I never will
apostatize"; "I am a Latter-day Saint, and shall be to the day of my
death." I never make such declarations, and never shall. I think I have
learned that of myself I have no power, but my system is organized to
increase in wisdom, knowledge, and power, getting a little here and a
little there. But when I am left to myself, I have no power, and my
wisdom is foolishness; then I cling close to the Lord, and I have power
in his name. I think I have learned the Gospel so as to know, that in
and of myself I am nothing. 1:337.
If you want to see the principle of devilism to perfection, hunt among
those who have once enjoyed the faith of the holy Gospel and then
forsaken their religion. We have the best and the worst. Why the worst?
Because the Devil prompts men and women of the meanest and lowest grade
to embrace the Gospel and get a foothold in the Kingdom of God to
destroy it. 7:145.
People do, however, leave this Church, but they leave it because they
get into darkness, and the very day they conclude that there should
be a democratic vote, or in other words, that we should have two
candidates for the presiding Priesthood in the midst of the Latter-day
Saints, they conclude to be apostates. There is no such thing as
confusion, division, strife, animosity, hatred, malice, or two sides to
the question in the house of God; there is but one side to the question
there. 14:92.
If the Saints neglect to pray, and violate the day that is set apart
for the worship of God, they will lose his Spirit. If a man shall
suffer himself to be overcome with anger, and curse and swear, taking
the name of the Deity in vain, {131} he cannot retain the Holy Spirit.
In short, if a man shall do anything which he knows to be wrong, and
repenteth not, he cannot enjoy the Holy Spirit, but will walk in
darkness and ultimately deny the faith. 11:134.
What have the Latter-day Saints got to apostatize from? Everything that
there is good, pure, holy, God-like, exalting, ennobling, extending
the ideas, the capacities of the intelligent beings that our Heavenly
Father has brought forth upon this earth. What will they receive in
exchange? I can comprehend it in a very few words. These would be the
words that I should use: death, hell and the grave. That is what they
will get in exchange. We may go into the particulars of that which they
experience. They experience darkness, ignorance, doubt, pain, sorrow,
grief, mourning, unhappiness; no person to condole with in the hour of
trouble, no arm to lean upon in the day of calamity, no eye to pity
when they are forlorn and cast down; and I comprehend it by saying
death, hell and the grave. This is what they will get in exchange for
their apostasy from the Gospel of the Son of God. 16:160.
Why do people apostatize? You know we are on the "Old Ship Zion." We
are in the midst of the ocean. A storm comes on, and, as sailors say,
she labors very hard. "I am not going to stay here," says one; "I don't
believe this is the 'Ship Zion.'" "But we are in the midst of the
ocean." "I don't care, I am not going to stay here." Off goes the coat,
and he jumps overboard. Will he not be drowned? Yes. So with those who
leave this Church. It is the "Old Ship Zion," let us stay in it. 10:295.
Will there still be apostasy? Yes, brethren and sisters, you may expect
that people will come into the Church and then apostatize. You may
expect that some people will run well for a season, and then fall out
by the way. 2:250. {132}
Many receive the Gospel because they know it is true; they are
convinced in their judgment that it is true; strong argument overpowers
them, and they are rationally compelled to admit the Gospel to be true
upon fair reasoning. They yield to it, and obey its first principles,
but never seek to be enlightened by the power of the Holy Ghost; such
ones frequently step out of the way. 2:250.
What has already become of those who, during our short existence
as a Church, have come out against us, politically, judicially, or
otherwise, those who have raised their puny arms to destroy the Kingdom
of God from the earth! They have become powerless, like the dew before
the rising sun; they have vanished away, their names are almost
forgotten; and if this is not the case with all, it will be. 18:232.
One of the first steps to apostasy is to find fault with your Bishop;
and when that is done, unless repented of, a second step is soon taken,
and by and by the person is cut off from the Church, and that is the
end of it. Will you allow yourselves to find fault with your Bishop?
No; but come to me, go to the High Council, or to the President of the
Stake, and ascertain whether your Bishop is doing wrong, before you
find fault and suffer yourselves to speak against a presiding officer.
9:141.
God is at the helm of this great ship, and that makes me feel good.
When I think about the world, and the enemies of the cause of God, I
care no more about them than I do for a parcel of mosquitoes. All hell
may howl, and they may run up and down the earth and seek whom they may
destroy, but they cannot move the faithful and pure in heart. Let those
apostatize who wish to, but God will save all who are determined to be
saved. 4:111. {133}