“It now remains with us to bear off this kingdom, build up Zion, and establish the law thereof, until Christ shall reign King of nations….” – President Brigham Young, 6/7/1853 In other words, until Christ returns, our job is to prepare by building up His kingdom [which is spiritual] and building Zion [which is temporal]. […]
Central to The Gospel
As I scoured the Journal of Discourses for every quote mentioning “build Zion” or “establish Zion”, I was surprised to discover a huge amount of them showed that building Zion was a central element of the Gospel, right up there with “preach the gospel” and “redeem the dead”. I do not make the mistake of faulting our current church leaders for not pursuing Zion as vigorously as Brigham Young and John Taylor did. Having read the economic history of the early Saints, I realized that the Saints were literally conquered by the US Government, and, consequently, their efforts to build a Zion society were put to an end. We are left to languish in Babylon. The Good News is that Babylon will fall. And since it will, shouldn’t we be getting ready to build Zion when it does? I believe the Church is making preparations, although quietly. We should too.
2. Central to The Gospel: Brigham Young on 7/29/1852
“Don’t mention Joseph Smith — never mention the Book of Mormon or Zion, and all the people will follow you. ” – Brigham Young, 7/29/1852
1. Central to The Gospel: Brigham Young on 7/29/1852
“If I lay down the Book of Mormon, I shall have to deny that Joseph is a Prophet; and if I lay down the doctrine and cease to preach the gathering of Israel and the building up of Zion, I must lay down the Bible; and consequently, I might as well go home as undertake […]
508. Central to The Gospel – Erastus Snow quote, 1883
I fully realize what Elder Woodruff said this morning concerning the aged Elders of Israel passing away, and that the responsibility and labor of bearing off this kingdom will soon rest upon the generation which is growing up in our midst, upon which will devolve the work of carrying the Gospel to those who have […]
494. Central to The Gospel – Wilford Woodruff quote, 1875
…the full set time has come to build up and favor Zion, to build up the kingdom of God, to warn the world and prepare them for the judgments of the Almighty. – John Taylor, 1/9/1881
489. Central to The Gospel – Brigham Young quote, 1852
What has been said to you? What has been said to me? If we will preach this doctrine, the people almost universally will follow us and say, “Don’t mention Joseph Smith—never mention the Book of Mormon or Zion, and all the people will follow you.” I said, It would not do them any good, if […]
475. Central to The Gospel – Wilford Woodruff quote, 1858
How the soul of the Prophet [Joseph] rejoiced when he beheld the work of God spreading abroad in the earth, the truth received by the children of men, and the promises of God verified to the letter in the gathering of the Saints, and a way prepared for the establishment of Zion upon the earth. […]
455. Central to The Gospel – Brigham Young quote, 1853
…we will round up our shoulders, and bear up the ponderous weight, carry the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, gather Israel, redeem Zion, and continue our operations until we bind Satan, and the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ; and no power can hinder it…. […]
433. Central to The Gospel – John Taylor quote, 1878
…God had revealed himself to the human family and had restored the everlasting Gospel, and that with it came all these other things—apostles and high priests and elders and patriarchs and bishops and high councilors and all the various organizations of the Church and kingdom of God as they now exist upon the earth, all […]
427. Central to The Gospel – Brigham Young quote, 1859
We have the promise, if we seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, that all necessary things will he added to us. We should not be distrustful, but seek first to know how to please our Father and God—seek to know how to save ourselves from the errors that are in the world… […]
420. Central to The Gospel – Wilford Woodruff quote, 1873
Let us be faithful, for the Lord is going to protect us, and build up Zion. He will also gather Israel, rebuild Jerusalem and prepare the way for his second coming, in the clouds of heaven. – Wilford Woodruff, 1/12/1873
404. Central to The Gospel – Brigham Young quote, 1877
If we will faithfully mind our own concerns, live our religion, do good to all men, preach the Gospel to the nations of the earth, gather up the honest in heart, build up and establish Zion in the earth, send the Gospel to the House of Israel, and live and serve God in all things, […]
399. Central to The Gospel – Erastus Snow quote, 1884
The work before us is a great one… Israel is to be gathered, Jerusalem rebuilt, Zion established, the vineyard of the Lord pruned and the corrupt branches cut off and cast into the fire…. – Erastus Snow, 2/2/1884
392. Central to The Gospel – John Taylor quote, 1859
What makes us so buoyant and joyful on occasions like this? Why is it that the Spirit and power of God is more visibly manifested at the time of our General Conference, when the authorities of the Church from all parts are assembled together to talk on the things of God, regulate the affairs of […]
386. Central to The Gospel – Brigham Young quote, 1855
…we will roll on the Kingdom of our God, gather out the seed of Abraham, build the cities and temples of Zion, and establish the Kingdom of God to bear rule over all the earth, and let the oppressed of all nations go free. – Brigham Young, 7/8/1855
380. Central to The Gospel – Brigham Young quote, 1852
If I lay [aside] the Book of Mormon, I shall have to deny that Joseph is a Prophet; and if I lay [aside] the doctrine and cease to preach the gathering of Israel and the building up of Zion, I must lay [aside] the Bible; and consequently, I might as well go home as undertake […]