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
thought, that the illness that comes to us, the afflictions that we
suffer, the accidents that we meet with in life, and the troubles that
beset us on our way in the journey of life, are attributable either
to the mercy or the displeasure of God. Sometimes we are prone to
charge God with causing our afflictions and our troubles; but if we
could see as God sees, if we could understand as he understands, if
we could trace the effects back to the cause, and that truly, by the
spirit of correct understanding, we would unquestionably discover that
our troubles, or suffering, or affliction are the result of our own
indiscretion or lack of knowledge, or of wisdom. It was not the band
of God that put affliction and trouble upon us. The agency that he has
given to us left us to act for ourselves--to do things if we will that
are not right, that are contrary to the laws of life and health, that
are not wise or prudent--and the results may be serious to us, because
of our ignorance or of our determination to persist in that which we
desire, rather than {71} to yield to the requirements which God makes
of us.--_Improvement Era,_ Vol. 20, p. 821, July, 1917.
GOD'S WARFARE. God is the greatest man of war of all, and his Son is
next to him, and their warfare is for the salvation of the souls of
men. It would not be necessary for them to use violence or force,
nor to permit their children to use violence nor force in order to
conquer if they would but humble themselves, and obey the truth. For,
after all, nothing will conquer, nothing will win but the truth; and
so far as the wars that are going on in the world are concerned, we
not only want to see peace established among the children of men, but
also justice, but above all things, truth, that justice, peace and
righteousness may be built upon this foundation and not depend upon
the covetousness, pride, vanity, evil desire, and just for power in
man.--_Oct. C. R.,_ 1914, p. 129.
WE ARE IN GOD'S IMAGE. When Brother Penrose shall pray, he will pray
unto the Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in whose image
and likeness we are made, or were born into the world, and in whose
likeness and image we are, for we are God's children, and therefore
must resemble his Son in person, and also spiritually, so far as we
will obey the principles of the gospel of eternal truth. For, we were
foreordained and predestined to become conformed to his likeness
through the wise and proper use of our free agency.--_Oct. C. R.,_
1914, p. 8.
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