Topic: Righteousness, Matches 5 quotes.

Much has been said during this conference relative to law and order. It seems to me that the Latter-day Saints have been taught from their youth that the Constitution of the United States, and that great document of human rights, the Declaration of Independence, were written by men inspired of our heavenly father. Mr. Babson said recently, “The United States of America at the present time is blessed with everything except religion.” I feel that not only as a nation, but sometimes as a people, the thing we need most is a return to simple faith in God our Father. We need in our home-lives more of the Spirit of God to lead and guide us. We need to have more family prayer. We need to pray in the spirit and meaning of the word.

Source: Elder Henry A. Gardner
General Conference, October 1927

Topics: Righteousness

The Standards by Which We Wish to be Judged

No true Americans desire to be judged by the Benedict Arnolds of our country, but they desire to be judged by men like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and others who have been devoted to the principles upon which this country stands and to the Constitution of our country, who respect that Constitution, who stand for the obeying of the laws of the country, and who have given their lives, or offered their lives, for the country. Those are the people whose lives we desire shall be the standard by which the United States of America shall be judged—not by the law-breakers. We desire that the Latter-day Saints shall be judged by those who keep the commandments of the Lord, who obey the word of wisdom, who obey the commandment to give to the Lord one-tenth of all that shall come into their hands, who attend to their family and their secret prayers, who are ready and willing to go, without money and without price, to the uttermost ends of the earth to proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and who do it under the inspiration of the Spirit of the living God.

Source: President Heber J. Grant
General Conference, October 1922

Topics: Duty; Righteousness

The great statistician, Babson, in a convention of business men at Pittsburgh a few years ago, speaking on this question of law and order, which is a problem now with our large centers of population, said this:

“If you gentlemen are assuming that it is the police and government that preserve law and order in this nation, and create the conditions of safety in which you live and do business, you are mistaken. It is the church which makes this nation safe.”

Source: Elder Charles H. Hart
General Conference, April 1922

Topics: Righteousness

Not only is it an obligation to lead a clean and virtuous life, an honest and moral life in our association as members of the Church, but also in every other association. No man is a good citizen if he leads an immoral life. No officer is a good citizen who winks at and condones the violations of law. Such men may be found who will cry themselves hoarse in lauding the “Stars and tripes,” and prate about the Constitution and the principles of human liberty, and are frequently found at the primaries and conventions seeking nominations to public office, but if they are unclean they are not good citizens. “When the wicked rule the people mourn.” Hence the obligation to choose good men and wise men for places of public trust.

Source: Elder Rulon S. Wells
General Conference, October 1921

Topics: Righteousness; Voting

What is the real cause of this trend toward the welfare state, toward more socialism? In the last analysis, in my judgment, it is personal unrighteousness. When people do not use their freedoms responsibly and righteously, they will gradually lose these freedoms. . . .

If man will not recognize the inequalities around him and voluntarily, through the gospel plan, come to the aid of his brother, he will find that through “a democratic process” he will be forced to come to the aid of his brother. The government will take from the “haves” and give to the “have nots.” Both have last their freedom. Those who “have,” lost their freedom to give voluntarily of their own free will and in the way they desire. Those who “have not,” lost their freedom because they did not earn what they received. They got “something for nothing,” and they will neither appreciate the gift nor the giver of the gift.

Under this climate, people gradually become blind to what has happened and to the vital freedoms which they have lost.”

Source: Howard W. Hunter
“The Law of the Harvest.”
Speeches of the Year, 1965-1966, pp. 1-11, Devotional Address, Brigham Young University, 8 March 1966.

Topics: Government, Wealth Transfer; Righteousness; Socialism; Welfare

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