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
Men and women should become settled in the truth, and founded in the
knowledge of the gospel, depending upon no person for borrowed or
reflected light, but trusting only upon the Holy Spirit, who is ever
the same, shining forever and testifying to the individual and the
priesthood, who live in harmony with the laws of the gospel, of the
glory and the will of the Father. They will then have light everlasting
which cannot be obscured. By its shining in their lives, they shall
cause others to glorify God; and by their well-doing put to silence the
ignorance of foolish men, and show forth the praises of him who hath
called them out of darkness into his marvelous light.--_Improvement
Era,_ Vol. 8, pp. 60-62, 1904-5.
NO CAUSE FOR WORRY. The Saints and their leaders have redeemed
the waste places, founded Christian homes, churches, and schools;
established industries--because of the very nature of their
necessities. Why should they not be permitted to enjoy the fruits of
their toils, and why be sneered at and condemned for their energy and
enterprise, and especially by men who prove themselves to be hypocrites
and liars, who live on what others have produced? Are the Saints to
be condemned because they have appropriated the land, paid for it by
hard labor, cultivated and made the best out of it by their united
strength, under the inspired direction of wise leaders? It will be
noted that it is not the people who are complaining, for they have been
assisted in many ways to better themselves by such leaders; but it is
the ministers, who have no interest whatever, either in our material
or spiritual advancement. And then again, {108} are such leaders to be
condemned because they have directed and led the way in these things?
Had they not done so, whence would our enterprises, our temporal
salvation, have come? Never by the help of sectarian ministers, that
much is true, at least.
No; young man, you need not be troubled over ministerial accusations
against this people, nor over what the people of the world say against
us. I have no fears for the Church from these sources, but I confess
I have fears when our young men begin to weaken, and to take sides
against their fathers; to profess to think that the priesthood is
selfish and self-seeking; to follow lies and accusations rather than
plain truth; to join in derision against the leaders of the Saints,
and to laugh when unfriendly editors and ministers hold them up to
ridicule. I fear, when young men deny the truth and follow falsehood;
when they become self-sufficient, unvirtuous, worldly and proud; when
the sterling qualities of their fathers are derided by them; when they
seek the plaudits of men of the world rather than the kingdom of God
and his righteousness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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