Gospel Doctrine: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. SmithSmith, Joseph F. (Joseph Fielding)
Religion
Gospel Doctrine: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Joseph F. Smith
Smith, Joseph F. (Joseph Fielding)
Latter Day Saint churches
{56} The moment a man says he will not submit to the legally
constituted authority of the Church, whether it be the teachers, the
bishopric, the high council, his quorum, or the First Presidency,
and in his heart confirms it and carries it out, that moment he cuts
himself off from the privileges and blessings of the priesthood and
Church, and severs himself from the people of God, for he ignores the
authority that the Lord has instituted in his Church. These are the men
that generally get crotchets in their heads, that get inspiration (from
beneath), and that are often so desirous to guide the Church, and to
sit in judgment upon the priesthood. The only safe way for us to do,
as individuals, is to live so humbly, so righteously and so faithfully
before God that we may possess his Spirit to that extent that we shall
be able to judge righteously, and discern between truth and error,
between right and wrong; and then we shall know when a decision is
rendered against us that in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, we
are in error, and that the decision is right; and although we may, at
the time, not be fully able to see and feel its justness, yet will be
constrained to say that "inasmuch as there are sixteen chances against
one for me to be wrong, I will gracefully and, humbly submit." The pith
of the matter is: the Lord has established his Church, organized his
priesthood, and conferred authority upon certain individuals, councils
and quorums, and it is the duty of the people of God to live so that
they shall know that these are acceptable unto him. If we begin to
cut off this one and that one, and set their authority aside, we may
just as well at once set God aside, and say that he has no right to
dictate.--_Journal of Discourses,_ Vol. 24, pp. 187-194, 1884, Ogden,
June 21, 1883.
THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS. I say to my brethren that the book of
Doctrine and Covenants contains some of the most glorious principles
ever revealed to the world, some that have been revealed in greater
fulness than they were {57} ever revealed before to the world; and
this, in fulfilment of the promise of the ancient prophets that in the
latter times the Lord would reveal things to the world that had been
kept bidden from the foundation thereof; and the Lord has revealed them
through the Prophet Joseph Smith.--_Oct. C. R.,_ 1913, p. 9.
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