Judge not, that ye be not judged. Let no man judge his fellow being,
unless he knows he has the mind of Christ within him. We ought to
reflect seriously upon this point; how often it is said--"Such a person
has done wrong, and he cannot be a Saint, or he would not do so." How
do you know? We hear some swear and lie; they trample upon the rights
of their neighbor, break the Sabbath by staying away from meeting,
riding about the city, hunting horses and cattle, or working in the
canyons. Do not judge such persons, for you do not know the design of
the Lord {428} concerning them; therefore, do not say they are not
Saints. What shall we do with them? Bear with them. The brethren and
sisters from the old countries frequently place great confidence in the
American Elders who have been their pastors, but some trifling thing
occurs that does not appear right to them, and they say in a moment,
"That Elder is not a Latter-day Saint." Judge no man. A person who
would say another is not a Latter-day Saint, for some trifling affair
in human life proves that he does not possess the Spirit of God. Think
of this, brethren and sisters; write it down, that you may refresh your
memories with it; carry it with you and look at it often. If I judge my
brethren and sisters, unless I judge them by the revelations of Jesus
Christ, I have not the spirit of Christ; if I had, I should judge no
man. 1:339.
I am very thankful that it is not our province, in our present
condition, to judge the world; if it were, we would ruin everything. We
have not sufficient wisdom, our minds are not filled with the knowledge
and power of God; the spirit needs to contend with the flesh a little
more until it shall be successful in subduing its passions, until the
whole soul is brought into perfect harmony with the mind and will of
God. And we must also acquire the discretion that God exercises in
being able to look into futurity, and to ascertain and know the results
of our acts away in the future, even in eternity, before we will be
capable of judging. 19:7.
If you are ever called upon to chasten a person, never chasten beyond
the balm you have within you to bind up. 9:124-5.
When a man has power over his neighbor, over his fellow-being, and puts
him in torment, which is like the {429} flames of everlasting fire,
so that he never dares to speak his mind, or walk across the street,
or attend to any branch of business without a continual fear of his
oppressor, and of the rod hanging over him for punishment, it is worse
than to kill and eat him. That is as the torment of hell. 2:140.
_Respect for Neighbors_--Treat the passing strangers with kindness
and respect; treat all kindly and respectfully who respect you and your
rights as American citizens. 10:249.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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