What manner of people ought we to be who are called to carry out this work? We ought to be the Saints and children of God in very deed. Our hearts ought to be open and prepared to receive instruction, light and truth, and to carry out all principles which may be communicated unto us […]
Posts by John Taylor Wilford Woodruff:
226. What Building Zion Requires of Us, Wilford Woodruff, 1882
We occupy a very important position in the world. There are very few of the inhabitants of the earth who are laboring to build up Zion. There are very few, apparently, who are able to abide the law of God. There are very few who are willing to sacrifice anything for eternal life and salvation…. […]
223. Babylon – Zion’s Antithesis, Wilford Woodruff, 1881
Now the question is, how can we keep oil in our lamps? By keeping the commandments of God, remembering our prayers, do as we are told by the revelations of Jesus Christ, and otherwise assisting in building up Zion. When we are laboring for the kingdom of God, we will have oil in our lamps, […]
Thoughts on Zion #52: John Taylor, A Champion for Zion
For my first four decades as a member of the LDS Church, the only thing I could remember about President John Taylor was that he was in the room when Joseph Smith was martyred. Nothing else stood out for me about him until I started studying the early Brethren’s teachings about building a Zion society […]
221. Economic Unity, John Taylor, 1878
Now I will mention some things here that my attention has been called to, in regard to union, and union of effort. We have had a great deal said about the United Order, and about our becoming one. And some people would wish—Oh, how they do wish, they could get around that principle, if they […]
219. Babylon – Zion’s Antithesis, Orson F. Whitney, 1889
How was this miracle of Enoch’s city accomplished? Not by an empty and vain profession of righteousness; not by men seeking themselves, and their own honor and glory; not by heaping up gold and silver and precious stones; not by making a golden calf and bowing down and worshiping it; not by the rich grinding […]
214. What Zion is and is not, Wilford Woodruff, 1880
This Church has continued to rise. It is the only true church upon the face of the whole earth. Its history is before the world. It has continued to grow and increase from the day it was organized until the present time. This is the Zion of God. We see an embryo of it in […]
213. Babylon – Zion’s Antithesis, Erastus Snow, 1868
…cease to feed and build up the wicked who will not labor with us to develop the resources of the country and help to build up Zion. God has called us to turn away from the folly of sustaining and building up Babylon—the worshippers of mammon—those who have no interest in common with us in […]
Thoughts on Zion #51: Zion – One of 3 Grand Foundations
Ten months ago, this column included quotes by early LDS apostles and prophets showing that they saw Zion as something other than the Mormon Church or the prophesied New Jerusalem. Among the now-700+ quotes gathered from talks given during Utah’s territorial years, are eleven which strongly indicate that the same leaders saw Zion as one […]
Zion – Love applied to the realm of economics
In 1877, Brigham Young taught: “Supposing that the property of the whole community were divided today equally amongst all, what might we expect? Why a year from today we should need another division, for some would waste and squander it away, while others would add to their portion. The skill of building up and establishing […]
206. Zion Prophesied, Orson Pratt, 1873
God will shield us by his power, if we are to be led forth out of bondage as our fathers were led, at the first. This indicates that there may be bondage ahead, and that the Latter-day Saints may see severe times, and that unless we keep the commandments of God, we may be brought […]
204. Babylon – Zion’s Antithesis, Brigham Young, 1870
That angel delivered the keys of this apostleship and ministry to Joseph Smith and his brethren, and commanded them to blow the Gospel trump through all the nations of the earth, and to cry to all who love and wait patiently for the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, “Come out of her, my people, […]
Thoughts on Zion #50: Determined to Build a Zion Here
In this 50th “Thoughts on Zion” article, we’re exploring the determination by the early LDS apostles and prophets to establish a Zion in Utah. Starting out with my favorite Brigham Young quote about building Zion which always makes me smile – “I desire [Congress] to let us alone…. Let them attend to their own business, […]
203. What Zion is and is not, George Q. Cannon, 1869
The evils that have flourished so long in what is called the Old World have been transplanted to this land. If Western men travel through the Eastern States they are struck with the great distinction of classes that exist there. There is an aristocracy of wealth fast growing up there; and at the same time […]
199. What Building Zion Requires of Us, Wilford Woodruff, 1874
…faith is required on the part of the Saints to live their religion, do their duty, walk uprightly before the Lord and build up his Zion on the earth. Then it requires works to correspond with our faith. – Wilford Woodruff, 10/9/1874
198. Babylon – Zion’s Antithesis, Erastus Snow, 1874
For the last dozen years many of this people have been going on in the way that our fathers and the world generally walk in; and instead of building up Zion, have been after their personal and individual interests. – Erastus Snow, 5/8/1874