_THE CHURCH AND KINGDOM OF GOD ON EARTH_
_Israel_--Who are Israel? They are those who are of the seed of
Abraham, who have received the promise through their forefathers; and
all the rest of the children of men, who receive the truth, are also
Israel. My heart is always drawn out for them, whenever I go to the
throne of grace. 1:107.
Israel is dispersed among all the nations of the earth; the blood of
Ephraim is mixed with the blood of all the earth. Abraham's seed is
mingled with the rebellious seed through the whole world of mankind.
16:75.
The Elders who have arisen in this Church and Kingdom are actually of
Israel. 2:268.
Those islanders and the natives of this country are of the House of
Israel--of the seed of Abraham, and to them pertain the promise; and
every soul of them, sooner or later, will be saved in the Kingdom of
God, or be destroyed root and branch. 6:199.
Again, if a pure Gentile firmly believes the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
and yields obedience to it, in such a case I will give you the words of
the Prophet Joseph: "The effect of the Holy Ghost upon a Gentile, is to
purge out the old blood, and make him actually of the seed of Abraham."
2:269.
We are to build up and establish Zion, gather the House of Israel, and
redeem the nations of the earth. This people have this work to do,
whether we live to see it or not. This is all in our hands. 8:68.
It is obligatory upon us to see that the House of Israel {670} have
the Gospel preached to them; to do all that is in our power to gather
them to the land of their fathers, and to gather up the fulness of the
Gentiles before the Gospel can go with success to the Jews. 12:113.
We are now gathering the children of Abraham who have come through the
loins of Joseph and his sons, more especially through Ephraim, whose
children are mixed among all the nations of the earth. The sons of
Ephraim are wild and uncultivated, unruly, ungovernable. The spirit
in them is turbulent and resolute; they are the Anglo-Saxon race, and
they are upon the face of the whole earth, bearing the spirit of rule
and dictation, to go forth from conquering to conquer. They search wide
creation and scan every nook and corner of this earth to find out what
is upon and within it. I see a congregation of them before me today.
No hardship will discourage these men; they will penetrate the deepest
wilds and overcome almost insurmountable difficulties to develop
the treasures of the earth, to further their indomitable spirit for
adventure. 10:188.
_The Church and the Kingdom_--Out of this Church will grow the
Kingdom which Daniel saw. This is the very people that Daniel saw would
continue to grow and spread and prosper; and if we are not faithful,
others will take our places, for this is the Church and people that
will possess the Kingdom forever and ever. 8:143.
We shall preach on, we shall struggle on until the kingdoms of this
world shall become the Kingdom of our God and his Christ. 11:240.
This is the Kingdom of God on the earth. The people that sit before
me, in connection with the many thousands that are upon the earth, are
the people of God. If we have become so taught that the Lord sees that
we shall be capable {671} of managing, governing, and controlling the
Kingdom of God upon the earth in a more perfect manner than it has been
heretofore, you may rest assured that this people are bound to victory.
Just as fast as we are capable of rightly dispensing the principles of
power, of light, of knowledge, of intelligence, of wealth, of heaven,
and of earth, just so fast will they be bestowed upon this people.
5:327.
If this Gospel goes to the uttermost parts of the earth and fulfils its
destiny as predicted by the Prophets, by Jesus and by the Apostles,
it will eventually swallow up all the good there is on the earth; it
will take every honest, truthful and virtuous man and woman and every
good person and gather them into the fold of this Kingdom, and this
society will enlarge, spread abroad and multiply, and will increase in
knowledge until the members composing it know enough to lengthen out
their days and man's longevity returns, and they begin to live as men
did anciently. 11:303.
What will be the final result of the restoration of the Gospel,
and the destiny of the Latter-day Saints? If they are faithful to
the Priesthood which God has bestowed upon us, the Gospel will
revolutionize the whole world of mankind; the earth will be sanctified,
and God will glorify it, and the Saints will dwell upon it in the
presence of the Father and the Son. 12:113.
_An Object of the Church_--We are exhorted to make our own heaven,
our own paradise, our own Zion. 9:170.
We have an object in view, and that is to gain influence among all the
inhabitants of the earth for the purpose of establishing the Kingdom of
God in its righteousness, power and glory, and to exalt the name of the
Deity, and cause that name by which we live to be revered everywhere
that he may be honored, that his works may be honored, {672} that we
may be honored ourselves, and deport ourselves worthy of the character
of his children. 11:274.
If the Latter-day Saints think, when the Kingdom of God is established
on the earth, that all the inhabitants of the earth will join the
Church called Latter-day Saints, they are mistaken. I presume there
will be as many sects and parties then as now. Still, when the Kingdom
of God triumphs, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that
Jesus is the Christ, to the glory of the Father. Even the Jews will do
it then; but will the Jews and Gentiles be obliged to belong to the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? No; not by any means.
Jesus said to his disciples, "In my Father's house are many mansions;
were it not so I would have told you; I go to prepare a place for
you, that where I am, there ye may be also," etc. There are mansions
in sufficient numbers to suit the different classes of mankind, and a
variety will always exist to all eternity, requiring a classification
and an arrangement into societies and communities in the many mansions
which are in the Lord's house, and this will be so for ever and ever.
Then do not imagine that if the Kingdom of God is established over the
whole earth, all the people will become Latter-day Saints. They will
cease their persecutions against the Church of Jesus Christ, and they
will be willing to acknowledge that the Lord is God, and that Jesus is
the Savior of the world. 11:275.
_The Kingdom of God to Develop Gradually_--The Kingdom we are
talking about, preaching about and trying to build up is the Kingdom
of God on the earth, not in the starry heavens, nor in the sun. We are
trying to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth to which really
and properly everything that pertains to men--their feelings, their
{673} faith, their affections, their desires, and every act of their
lives--belong, that they may be ruled by it spiritually and temporally.
10:328.
In that helpless infant upon its mother's breast we see a man, an
Apostle, a Saint,--yea generations of men with kingdoms, thrones, and
dominions. Then the life of that little frail mortal is fraught with
great and mighty results, and its value is inestimable.
If this be true of an infant, what may we expect to grow out of this
infant Kingdom? We may look forward to all that belongs to greatness
and goodness, to might and power, to dominion and glory. Then how
jealously we ought to guard the rights of this infant power? How
zealous and constant we should be in maintaining its interests and
supporting its laws and sacred institutions! 9:170-171.
We are called to establish the Kingdom of God literally, just as much
as we are spiritually. If we do not build it up in a temporal point of
view, we will not accomplish what we are called to do; we will come
short of our duty, and be removed out of the way, and others will be
called to succeed us who will perform the labor we are called to do.
10:332.
I do not believe that the City of Enoch made greater advancement, in
the same period of time, than this people have done in the twenty-six
years of their career, which is saying a great deal for them. 3:374.
_The Effect of the Kingdom of God_--What is the Kingdom of God
going to accomplish on the earth? It will revolutionize not only the
United States, but the whole world, and will go forth from the morning
to the evening, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the
same, so shall be the ushering forth of the Gospel until the whole
{674} earth is deluged with it, and the righteous are gathered. 2:190.
No unrighteous person, no person who is filthy in their feelings will
ever enter into the Kingdom of God. 3:275.
As this Kingdom of God grows, spreads, increases, and prospers in its
course, it will cleanse, thoroughly purge, and purify the world from
wickedness. He who supposes his house to be built upon a rock, and well
calculated to withstand any test that may be applied to it, finds, when
it is tried by the Gospel of the Kingdom, that its foundation proves
to be sand, and the whole fabric appears nothing in which a man may
securely trust for salvation. 1:190.
When the Kingdom of God is fully set up and established on the face
of the earth, and takes the preeminence over all other nations and
kingdoms, it will protect the people in the enjoyment of all their
rights, no matter what they believe, what they profess, or what they
worship. If they wish to worship a god of their own workmanship,
instead of the true and living God, all right, if they will mind their
own business and let other people alone. 2:310.
If we wish this Church and Kingdom of God upon earth, to be like a
fine, healthy, growing tree, we should be careful not to let the dead
branches remain too long. 3:274.
_Government of the Kingdom of God_--Every kingdom will be blotted
out of existence, except the one whose ruling spirit is the Holy Ghost,
and whose king is the Lord. 2:124.
It may be asked what I mean by the Kingdom of God. The Church of Jesus
Christ has been established now for many years, and the Kingdom of God
has got to be established, even that Kingdom which will circumscribe
all the kingdoms of this world. It will yet give laws to every nation
that exists upon the earth. This is the Kingdom that {675} Daniel,
the Prophet, saw should be set up in the last days. What Daniel saw
should come to pass in the latter times is believed by nearly all the
religious societies of Christendom. The only great difference between
us and them is in the method of its establishment. 11:275.
When this Kingdom is organized in any age, the Spirit of it dwells
in the hearts of the faithful, while its visible department exists
among the people, with laws, ordinances, helps, governments, officers,
administrators, and every other appendage necessary for its complete
operation to the attainment of the end in view. 10:18.
The Lord designs to build up a Kingdom that will be both a spiritual
and temporal Kingdom upon the earth. The earth and the kingdoms thereof
will be given unto the Saints of the Most High God. Will they be
rich then? Do you not think they will possess the gold mines and the
treasures of the earth? Yes. But some cry out, "That is not yet." That
is right. How long will it be until then? As soon as we are prepared to
receive them. 10:332.
If we ever attain faith enough to obtain the Kingdom of God, as we
anticipate, we shall obtain all the wealth there is for this Kingdom
in time and eternity. We shall not rob other kingdoms, but we shall
possess the eternity of matter that lies in the path of the onward
progress of this Kingdom, and still eternity and its fulness will
continue to stretch out before us. The great powers of eternal wisdom
will be exercised to enhance the wealth, beauty, excellency and glory
of this Kingdom, previous to its being introduced into the presence of
the Father and the Son. This work we have to help perform. 10:301.
I have learned years ago that the Lord stands at the helm that guides
Zion's ship. He is its Dictator; and unless {676} we work exactly to
the line that is marked out by him, our works will be in vain. This
has been my experience from the beginning. In every branch and avenue
of our lives we must learn to work to the line of truth. It is for us
to know what ought to be done, and then do it. Though there should be
no earthly prospect of accomplishing it, we can certainly try; and if
we try with all our might, that act will prove at least a resolute
and determined mind, adorned with patience and perseverance. And if,
with all our resolute endeavors we are still unable to accomplish our
purpose, the Lord will be very likely to stretch forth his hand and
give the victory. 6:315.
If this people live to the principles they have embraced, they will
be capable of counselling the nations; for we build upon a just
foundation, and our principles are truth, righteousness, and holiness.
Let us stand by those principles until they crush out folly from these
valleys, and we become teachers of wisdom to the nations. 7:66.
_It Will Continue_--All is right. God can carry on his own work.
This Kingdom will stand forever. 8:69.
The Lord will never suffer this people to dwindle down, and be hid up
in a corner; it cannot be; neither does he want any person to help them
but himself. 1:364.
God has commenced to set up his Kingdom on the earth, and all hell and
its devils are moving against it. Hell is yawning and sending forth its
devils and their imps. What for? To destroy the Kingdom of God from the
earth. But they cannot do it. 5:75.
The soldiers of the Lord are in the mountains, in the canyons, upon the
plains, on the hills, along the mighty streams, and by the rivulets.
Thousands and thousands {677} more are for us than those who are
against us, and you need not have any fears. 5:57.
My heart is comforted. I behold the people of God, that they have been
hunted, cast out, driven from the face of men. The powers of earth and
hell have striven to destroy this Kingdom from the earth. The wicked
have succeeded in doing so in former ages; but this Kingdom they
cannot destroy, because it is the last dispensation--because it is the
fulness of times. It is the dispensation of all dispensations, and will
excel in magnificence and glory every dispensation that has ever been
committed to the children of men upon the earth. The Lord will bring
again Zion, redeem his Israel, plant his standard upon the earth, and
establish the laws of his Kingdom, and those laws will prevail. 8:36.
If there are any hearts or spirits in this city, or elsewhere, that
are fearfully wondering whether or not we are going to be destroyed,
or whether this Church will endure and become the mighty power in the
earth, according to the predictions of the servants of God, I will say
to all such trembling souls, you need entertain no such fears. You need
have only one fear, and that is with regard to yourselves, lest you
should leave the light that the Lord has imparted to you and wander
into darkness, returning to the beggarly elements of the world, lusting
again after the things of the world in their sinful state. 19:3.
We cannot help being Saints; we cannot prevent the rolling forth of
the work of God; in and of ourselves we have no power to control our
own minds and passions; but the grace of God is sufficient to give us
perfect victory. The power of the Lord our God helps us, and the Devil
and his emissaries help us--the one on the one hand, the other on {678}
the other hand. We have power to receive the truth or reject it, and we
have power to reject the evil or receive it. 8:226.
When the wicked have power to blow out the sun, that it shines no more;
when they have power to bring to a conclusion the operations of the
elements, suspend the whole system of nature, and make a footstool of
the throne of the Almighty, they may then think to check "Mormonism"
in its course, and thwart the unalterable purposes of heaven. Men may
persecute the people who believe its doctrines, report and publish
lies to bring tribulation upon their heads, earth and hell may unite
in one grand league against it, and exert their malicious powers to
the utmost, but it will stand as firm and immovable in the midst of
it all as the pillars of eternity. Men may persecute the Prophet, and
those who believe and uphold him, they may drive the Saints and kill
them, but this does not affect the truths of "Mormonism" one iota,
for they will stand when the elements melt with fervent heat, the
heavens are wrapt up like a scroll, and the solid earth is dissolved.
"Mormonism" stands upon the eternal basis of omnipotence. Jehovah is
the "Mormonism" of this people, their Priesthood and their power; and
all who adhere to it will, in the appointed day, come up into the
presence of the King Eternal, and receive a crown of life. 1:88.
_The Business of Latter-day Saints_--Our work is to bring forth
Zion, and produce the Kingdom of God in its perfection and beauty upon
the earth. 9:293.
We have no business here other than to build up and establish the
Zion of God. It must be done according to the will and law of God,
after that pattern and order by which Enoch built up and perfected the
former-day Zion, which {679} was taken away to heaven, hence the saying
went abroad that Zion had fled. By and by it will come back again,
and as Enoch prepared his people to be worthy of translation, so we,
through our faithfulness, must prepare ourselves to meet Zion from
above when it shall return to earth, and to abide the brightness and
glory of its coming. 18:356.
I have Zion in my view constantly. We are not going to wait for angels,
or for Enoch and his company to come and build up Zion, but we are
going to build it. We will raise our wheat, build our houses, fence
our farms, plant our vineyards and orchards, and produce everything
that will make our bodies comfortable and happy, and in this manner we
intend to build up Zion on the earth and purify it and cleanse it from
all pollutions. Let there be an hallowed influence go from us over all
things over which we have any power; over the soil we cultivate, over
the houses we build, and over everything we possess; and if we cease to
hold fellowship with that which is corrupt and establish the Zion of
God in our hearts, in our own houses, in our cities, and throughout our
country, we shall ultimately overcome the earth, for we are the lords
of the earth; and, instead of thorns and thistles, every useful plant
that is good for the food of man and to beautify and adorn will spring
from its bosom. 9:284.
_Individual Labor Required in the Kingdom of God_--We have all
kinds of fish in the Gospel net. 3:120.
The Lord will have a tried people. 16:28.
To be a Saint in the full sense of the word, is to be something very
nearly perfect. If, however, we are striving to the utmost of the
ability God has given us to prove that we are willing to serve him and
perform our duties, we are justified. We have the Kingdom of God to
build up, Zion {680} to redeem; we have to sanctify ourselves so that
we may be prepared to be caught up with the Church of the Firstborn,
and if we improve every day and hour, then if we die we shall be found
justified. But if we continue to live, we must become Saints in very
deed, or come short of the fulness of the glory of God that is to be
revealed. 16:41.
Many Latter-day Saints think when they have obeyed the Gospel, made a
sacrifice in forsaking their homes, perhaps their parents, husbands,
wives, children, farms, native lands, or other things held dear, that
the work is done; but it is only just commenced. The work of purifying
ourselves and preparing to build up the Zion of God on this continent
has only just begun with us when we have got as far as that. 13:313.
A great many think that the Kingdom of God is going to bless them and
exalt them, without any efforts on their part. This is not so. Every
man and woman is expected to aid the work with all the ability God has
given them. Each person belonging to the human family has a portion of
labor to perform in removing the curse from the earth and from every
living thing upon it. When this work is performed, then will they
possess all things. 10:301.
We have no correct individual interest separate from this Kingdom; if
we have true interest at all, it is in the Kingdom of God. 3:154.
_The Kingdom of God or Nothing_--When the Kingdom of God is
established, if each member of that Kingdom singly and individually
will do his or her duty it will take care of itself, for it is a
living, self-moving, self-sustaining, independent and heaven-ordained
establishment. 11:249.
The Kingdom of God is all that is real worth. All else is not worth
possessing, either here or hereafter. Without {681} it, all else would
be like a dry tree prepared for the burning--it is all consumed and the
ashes are driven to the four winds. 8:185.
To me it is the Kingdom of God or nothing upon the earth. Without it
I would not give a farthing for the wealth, glory, prestige and power
of all the world combined; for like the dew upon the grass, it passeth
away and is forgotten, and like the flower of the grass it withereth,
and is not. Death levels the most powerful monarch with the poorest
starving mendicant; and both must stand before the judgment seat of
Christ to answer for the deeds done in the body. 11:126.
With us, it is the Kingdom of God, or nothing; and we will maintain it,
or die in trying--though we shall not die in trying. It is comforting
to many to be assured that we shall not die in trying; but we shall
live in trying. We will maintain the Kingdom of God, living; and if we
do not maintain it, we shall be found dying not only a temporal, but
also an eternal death. Then take a course to live. 5:342.
If you give anything for the building up of the Kingdom of God, give
the best you have. What is the best thing you have to devote to the
Kingdom of God? It is the talents God has given you. How many? Every
one of them. What beautiful talents! What a beautiful gift! It is more
precious than fine gold that I can stand here and give you my ideas,
and you can rise up and tell me what you think and feel, and thus
exchange our ideas. It is one of the precious gifts bestowed upon human
beings. Let us devote every qualification we are in possession of to
the building up of God's Kingdom, and you will accomplish the whole of
it. 8:346. {682}