We are placed on this earth to prove whether we are worthy to go into the celestial world, the terrestrial or the telestial, or to hell.—J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 269.
Serve God according to the best knowledge you have, and lie down and sleep quietly; and when the devil comes along and says, You are not a very good Saint, you might enjoy greater blessings and more of the power of God, and have the vision of your mind opened, if you would live up to your privileges, tell him to leave; that you have long ago forsaken his ranks and enlisted in the army of Jesus, who is your captain, and that you want no more of the devil.—J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 270.
The spirit of truth will do more to bring persons to light and knowledge than flowery words.—J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 21.
Many people are unwilling to do one thing for themselves in case of sickness, but ask God to do it all.—J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 25.
I would rather be chopped to pieces at night, and resurrected in the morning each day throughout a period of three score years and ten, than be deprived of speaking freely, or be afraid of doing so.—J. of D., Vol. I., p. 364.
A man never can be a polished scoundrel, until he can figure in polished society. It proves the truth of the saying, that it takes all the revelations of God, and every good principle in the world to make a man perfectly ripe for hell.—J. of D., Vol. I., p. 362.
Let the past experience be buried in the land of forgetfulness, if the Lord will; but if this is done at all, it will be by showing kindness towards us in the future. If they wish us to forget the past, let them cease to make and circulate falsehoods about us, and let all the good people of the Government say,—"Let us do this people good for the future, and not try to crush them down all the day long by continuing to persecute them."
If we are here by chance, if we happened to slip into this world from nothing, we shall soon slip out of this world to nothing, hence nothing will remain.—J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 60.
The devil is just as much opposed to Jesus now as he was when the revolt took place in heaven. And as the devil increases his numbers by getting the people to be wicked, so Jesus Christ increases His numbers and strength by getting the people to be humble and righteous. The human family are going to the polls by and by, and they wish to know which party is going to carry the day.—J. of D., Vol. IV., p. 38.
If we are a company of poor, ignorant, deluded creatures why do they not show us a better example?—J. of D., Vol. I., p. 365.