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
We are engaged in the great latter-day work of preaching the gospel to
the nations, gathering the poor, and building up Zion upon the earth.
We are working for the triumph of righteousness, for the subjugation
of sin and the errors of the age in which we live. It is a great and
glorious work. We believe it is right to love God with all our hearts,
and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We believe it is wrong to
lie, steal, commit adultery, or do any act forbidden by the gospel of
Christ. We believe in all the teachings of the {100} Savior and in
everything that is good and moral, and calculated to exalt mankind or
to ameliorate their condition, to unite them in doing good. These are
among the principles of the gospel, and these principles have been
taught to us from the commencement of our career as members of this
Church. These principles are carried out among us to an extent not to
be found among any other people. We do not believe in worshiping God
or being religious on the Sabbath day only; but we believe it is as
necessary to be religious on Monday, Tuesday and every day in the week,
as it is on the Sabbath day; we believe that it is necessary to do to
our neighbors as we would they should do unto us, during the week as
it is on the Sabbath. In short, we believe it is necessary to live our
religion every day in the week every hour in the day, and every moment.
Believing and acting thus, we become strengthened in our faith, the
Spirit of God increases within us, we advance in knowledge, and we are
better able to defend the cause we are engaged in.
To be a true representative of this cause a man must live faithful to
the light that he has; he must be pure, virtuous and upright. If he
comes short of this he is not a fair representative of this work. The
gospel of Jesus Christ is the perfect law of liberty. It is calculated
to lead man to the highest state of glory, and to exalt him in the
presence of our heavenly Father, "with whom is no variableness, neither
shadow of turning." If there is any folly to be seen in the midst of
this people, it is the folly and weakness of man, and is not because
of any failing or lack in the plan of salvation. The gospel is perfect
in its organization. It is for us to learn the gospel, and to become
acquainted with the principles of truth, to humble ourselves before
God that we may bring ourselves into subjection to his laws, and be
continually willing to listen to the counsels of those whom the Lord
has appointed to guide us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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