Topic: US Constitution, Matches 32 quotes.

Fundamental Things Enduring

Now, I would not for a moment have it understood that anything that I have in mind to say will be in conflict with anything that we have heard at this conference. I have no such intention, no such thought, nor do I believe that to be the case, for I believe that the fundamental things in our government, in the Constitution of the United States, are here to endure. Moreover, I believe that it is the business and responsibility of Latter-day Saints to uphold and sustain these sacred principles which bear the stamp of approval of God himself, and we should be loyal unto them. I am, however, going to say this, boldly—The present world civilization shall not endure, for God has said it. It is bound to pass away. May I also say I care not how soon that comes.

The Decree of The Lord Concerning the Wicked

When I say this, do not misunderstand me. I do not say nor believe that things which are good will pass away, but because man has become sensual, devilish and fallen man, and because he will not hearken to the voice of inspiration and revelation from God, and walk in righteousness, keeping his commandments, the decree has gone forth that all man-made covenants, obligations and governments shall be changed and come to an end.

Source: Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
General Conference, April 1935

Topics: US Constitution

On the 17th of September, 1887, a great celebration was held in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia in honor of the 100th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. The President of the United States, Grover Cleveland, and other distinguished guests were present on that occasion. A chorus of one thousand people rendered the beautiful poem of the German poet Schiller, entitled “An Appeal to Truth,” which had been put to music by Mendelssohn. As they sang the lines of the poem: “Upon the divine truth of the freedom of man and the knowledge of God, does our civilization stand,” the guests stood with bowed heads in gratitude for the blessings of the Lord. Then President Cleveland arose and among other things said: “When we look down one hundred years and see the origin of our Constitution, when we contemplate all its trials and triumphs, when we realize how completely the principles upon which it is based have met every national need and every national peril, how devoutly should we say with Franklin, ‘God governs in the affairs of men,’ and how solemn should be the thought that to us is delivered this ark of the people’s covenant and to us is given the duty to shield it from impious hands. Another centennial day will come, and millions yet unborn will inquire concerning our stewardship and the safety of the Constitution. God grant that they may find it unimpaired.” Today, there are forces at work to undermine this sacred gift of our fathers. These forces are expressed in acts and words of disrespect for law, order, and authority. Lord Macaulay feared for our democratic institutions, and once expressed the thought that institutions purely democratic “must sooner or later, destroy liberty or civilization, or both.” In reply to this thought of the great English essayist, we can only say that we hope that the citizens of our great republic will have from age to age a finer reverence and greater love for the principles of human rights which are set forth in the Constitution of our country. When our fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence and gave us the divine thought: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” we must ever remember that there are no rights that are not duties. The Declaration of Independence was not justified if it was not obligatory. So this is true with the still greater document of government, the Constitution of the United States. “There are no rights that are not duties.”

Source: Elder Levi Edgar Young
General Conference, October 1934

Topics: Rights; US Constitution

Judge Marshall of Wisconsin in the case of Borgnis vs. Falk County, in a decision written by him for the Supreme Court of Wisconsin, said:

“At no period has appreciation of the great work of the fathers been more important than now. We need to sit anew at their feet, revive knowledge that the result was wrought by a body of men, representatives of the great seat of learning of the English speaking races of two hemispheres, and otherwise men of broad experience, many of whom had been students of all federal governments of all prior ages in preparation for the special task—as the historian declared, ‘the goodliest fellowship of lawgivers whereof this world has record,’ a body dominated by specialists, inspired by ennobling love for their fellow-men and the thought that they wrought, not for their age alone, but for the ages to come, and so sought to avoid the infirmities of previous systems of government by the people, by carefully providing that no change in letter or spirit should occur except in a particular and most deliberate and conservative way.”

Source: Elder Charles H. Hart
General Conference, April 1931

Topics: America, Heritage; America, History; US Constitution

Civil And Religious Laws Are Separate

The beginnings of it in this dispensation were had when Martin Luther struck from the people of the Old World the shackles which bound them to a policy by which the church sought to dominate the state and government in civil, as well as religious affairs—a thing which the Lord has told us is not his will, that we are responsible to him for our faith, for the morality and the righteousness of our lives. He has told us just as definitely that we are responsible to the civil law, so far as the control of our temporal affairs is concerned. What could be accomplished without the proper administration of civil law? There would be no protection for society, the weak would be subject to the power of the strong, to prevent all of which fundamental laws of our country have been enacted by wise men. How wisely the Constitutional law of our country has been framed! It provides for a legislative body to carefully study and enact the laws of our country. These men are not to execute the laws that they themselves make it—would be a dangerous thing—but an administrative department of government is provided, which is to execute and administer the law enacted by the legislative body. They are just laws. It may be that laws have been enacted which were in a sense undesirable. A way is provided by which they may be abrogated or amended, and that is the proper mode of procedure.

Source: President Anthony W. Ivins
General Conference, October 1927

Topics: US Constitution

Now, coming to our own land, our own Constitution, I think we hardly appreciate sufficiently what this Constitution means to us and to the work of the Lord. It is my belief that this Constitution, which the Lord declared he established, is for the benefit of all mankind. Verse 77, Section 101, reads as follows: “According to the laws and constitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles.” Certainly, the fundamental, governing principles which the Lord has established on the earth under the name of the Constitution of the United States, were meant for all men, everywhere. These principles, with their accompanying freedom and liberty, are inseparably connected with our great latter-day work, it seems to me; for the Lord tells us that this freedom, this liberty, was brought about through the hands of wise men whom he raised up. Without this great Government of ours, this God-given Constittion, the gospel of Jesus Christ could never have found an abiding place in the earth. They are connected, correlated, interlocked one with the other; for the Constitution, like the gospel itself, is for the benefit of all flesh, for all mankind.

Source: Bishop Charles W. Nibley
General Conference, April 1925

Topics: US Constitution

Edmund Randolph of Virginia described the effort to deal with the issue at the Constitutional Convention:

“The general object was to produce a cure for the evils under which the United States labored; that in tracing these evils to their origins, every man had found it in the turbulence and follies of democracy.”

Source: Edmun Randolph

Topics: Democracy; US Constitution

When we look down one hundred years and see the origin of our Constitution, when we contemplate all its trials and triumphs, when we realize how completely the principles upon which it is based have met every national need and every national peril, how devoutly should we say with Franklin, ‘God governs in the affairs of men,’ and how solemn should be the thought that to us is delivered this ark of the people’s covenant and to us sealed with the test of a century. It has been found sufficient in the past, and it will be found sufficient in all the years to come, if American people are true to their sacred trust. Another centennial day will come, and millions yet unborn will inquire concerning our stewardship and the safety of the Constitution. God grant they may find it unimpaired; and as we rejoice to-day in the patriotism and devotion of those who lived one hundred years ago, so may those who follow us rejoice in our fidelity and love for Constitutional liberty.

Source: President Grover Cleveland
in Philadelphia at the centennial exercises in honor
of the drafting of the Constitution in 1887

Topics: America, Future; America, History; Responsibility; US Constitution

In questions of power, then, let no more be said of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution.

Source: Thomas Jefferson

Topics: Government, Limited; US Constitution

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