Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon"

by Ben. E. Rich

We read in the Bible, that there is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars. In the Book of Doctrine and Covenants these glories are called telestial, terrestrial, and celestial, which is the highest. These are worlds, different departments, or mansions, in our Father's house. New those men, or those women, who know no more about the power of God, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, than to be led entirely by another person, suspending their own understanding, and pinning their faith upon another's sleeve, will never be capable of entering into the celestial glory, to be crowned as they anticipate; they will never be capable of becoming Gods. They cannot rule themselves, to say nothing of ruling others, but they must be dictated to in every trifle, like a child. They cannot control themselves in the least, but James, Peter, or somebody else must control them. They never can become Gods, nor be crowned as rulers with glory, immortality, and eternal lives. They never can hold sceptres of glory, majesty, and power in the celestial kingdom. Who will? Those who are valiant and inspired with the true independence of heaven, who will go forth boldly in the service of their God, leaving others to do as they please, determined to do right, though all mankind besides should take the opposite course. Will this apply to any of you? Your own hearts can answer.—J. of D., Vol. I., p. 312.

Suppose the devil does tempt you, must you of necessity enter into partnership again with him, open your doors, and bid him welcome to your house, and tell him to reign there? Why do you not reflect, and tell master devil, with all his associates and imps, to be gone, feeling you have served him long enough.—J. of D., Vol. I., p, 323.

If true principles are revealed from heaven to men, and if there are angels, and there is a possibility of their communicating to the human family, always look for an opposite power, an evil power, to give manifestations also; look out for the counterfeit.—J. of D., Vol. VII,, p. 240.

When death is passed, the power of Satan has no more influence over a faithful individual; that spirit is free, and can command the power of Satan. The penalty demanded by the fall has been fully paid; all is accomplished pertaining to it, when the tabernacle of a faithful person is returned to earth. All that was lost is passed away, and that person will again receive his body. When he is in the spirit world, he is free from those contaminating and condemning influences of Satan that we are now subject to. Here our bodies are subject to being killed by our enemies our names to being cast out as evil. We are prosecuted, hated, not beloved; though I presume that we are as much beloved here as the spirits of the saints are in the spirit world by those spirits who hate righteousness. It is the same warfare, but we will have power over them. Those who have passed through the vail have power over the evil spirits to command, and they must obey.—J. of D., Vol. VII., p. 240.

Oppression, persecution, afflictions, and other trials and privations are necessary as a test to all professing to be Saints, that they may have an opportunity to witness the workings of the power which is opposed to truth and holiness.—J. of D., Vol. VII., p. 242.

Let the spirit that comes from the eternal world, which at the outset is pure and holy, with the influence God gives to it, master all the passions of the body, and bring it under subjection to the will of Christ. That course makes us Saints.—J. of D., Vol. VII., p. 243.

Whether a truth be found with professed infidels, or with Universalists, or the Church of Rome, or the Methodists, the Church of England, the Presbyterians, the Baptists, the Quakers, the Shakers, or any other of the various and numerous different sects and parties, all of whom have more or less truth, it is the business of the Elders of this Church (Jesus, their elder brother, being at their head,) to gather up all the truths in the world pertaining to life and salvation, to the gospel we preach, to mechanism of every kind, to the sciences, and to philosophy, wherever it may be found in every nation, kindred, tongue, and people, and bring it to Zion. The people upon this earth have a great many errors, and they have also a great many truths. This statement is not only true of the nations termed civilized those who profess to worship the true God, but is equally applicable to pagans of all countries, for in their religious rites and ceremonies may be found a great many truths which we will also gather home to Zion. All truth is for the salvation of the children of men—for their benefit and learning for their furtherance in the principles of divine knowledge.—J. of D., Vol. VII., p. 283.

The Latter-day Saints understand the Bible as it reads, but the generality of modern Christians disagree with us, and say it needs interpreting. They cannot believe our Lord means what He says in the 16th chapter of Mark, when He tells His Apostles to "go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe," etc. "Now," say they, "we cannot believe that as it is written, but we have a very pretty interpretation which suits us much better than the plain text. And furthermore we have a sweeping argument that will destroy all your system from beginning to end, and prove there is to be no more revelation." Let us look at the passage here referred to. John, while upon the Isle of Patmos, had a revelation which, he wrote, and he concluded the same by saying, "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away His part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." When this book, the Bible, was compiled, it was selected by the council of Carthage from a pile of books more than this pulpit could hold, which has been printed, and bound in almost all shapes and sizes, and called the Bible. John's revelation was one of the many books destined by that council to form the Bible. And the saying which we have quoted, and which constitutes the sweeping argument of modern Christians against new revelation, only alludes to this particular book, which was to be kept sacred, as the word of the Lord to John, and not to the whole Bible; nor does it prohibit the Saints in his day, or the Saints in any future time, from getting new revelation for themselves. That is not all; if we turn to the writings of Moses, we find the same sentiment, and almost the same language used. Moses says, "Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you." So if such quotations are given with the intent to shut the heavens, and put an end to all new revelation, then the revelations given to prophets who arose after Moses, and the revelations given to Jesus Christ and His Apostles, including John and his revelation on the Isle of Patmos, all amount to nothing, and are not worthy of our notice. This "sweeping argument," when it is examined, sweeps away rather too much; besides, John's gospel and his epistle to his bretheren were written after he wrote his revelation on the Isle of Patmos; consequently he would destroy his own system; but it sets forth the ignorance and short-sightedness of those who have not the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy.—J. of D. Vol. I., p. 242.

Let us dedicate ourselves, our families, our substance, our time, our talents, and everything we have upon the face of this world, with all that will hereafter be entrusted to us, to the Lord our God; let the whole be devoted to the building up of His kingdom upon the earth.—J. of D. Vol. I., p. 200.

Teach your families how to control themselves; teach them good and wholesome doctrine, and practice the same in your own lives. This is the place for you to become polished shafts in the quiver of the Almighty.—J. of D. Vol. I., p. 47.