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The Constitution and laws of the United
States resemble a theocracy more closely than any government now on the earth, or that
ever has been so far as we know, except the government of the Children of Israel to the
time when they elected a king.
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What do I understand by a
theocratic government? One in which all laws are enacted and executed in righteousness,
and whose officers possess that power which proceedeth from the Almighty. That is the kind
of government I allude to when I speak of a theocratic government, or the Kingdom of God
upon the earth. It is, in short, the eternal powers of the Gods.
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If the Kingdom of God, or a
theocratic government, was established on the earth, many practices now prevalent would be
abolished.
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One community would not be
permitted to array itself in opposition to another to coerce them to their standard; one
denomination would not be suffered to persecute another because they differed in religious
belief and mode of worship. Every one would be fully protected in the enjoyment of all
religious and social rights, and no state, no government, no community, no person would
have the privilege of infringing on the rights of another; one Christian community would
not rise up and persecute another.
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But few, if any, understand what
theocratic government is. In every sense of the word, it is a republican government, and
differs but little in form from our National, State, and Territorial Governments; but its
subjects will recognize the will and dictation of the Almighty. The Kingdom of God
circumscribes and comprehends the municipal laws for the people in their outward
government, to which pertain the Gospel covenants, by which the people can be saved; and
those covenants pertain to fellowship and faithfulness. Discourses of Brigham Young,
p.354
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The Gospel covenants are for
those who believe and obey; municipal laws are for both Saint and sinner.
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Whoever lives to see the Kingdom
of God fully established upon the earth will see a government that will protect every
person in his rights. If that government was now reigning upon this land of Joseph, you
would see the Roman Catholic, the Greek Catholic, the Episcopalian, the Presbyterian, the
Methodist, the Baptist, the Quaker, the Shaker, the Hindo, the Mahometan, and every class
of worshipers most strictly protected in all their municipal rights and in the privileges
of worshiping who, what, and when they pleased, not infringing upon the rights of others.
Does any candid person in his sound judgment desire any greater liberty?
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In the sincere observances of the
principles of true religion and virtue, we recognize the base, the only sure foundation of
enlightened society and well-established government.
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There is no other platform that
any government can stand upon and endure, but the platform of truth and virtue.
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Discourses of Brigham Young,
p.355
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We mean to sustain the
Constitution for the united States of America and all righteous laws.
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We will cling to the Constitution
of our country, and to the government that reveres that sacred charter of freemen's
rights; and, if necessary, pour out our best blood for the defense of every good and
righteous principle. Discourses of Brigham Young, p.358
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How long will it be before the words of
the prophet Joseph will be fulfilled? He said if the Constitution for the united States of America
were saved at all it must be done by this people.
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When the day comes in which the Kingdom of God will bear
rule, the flag of the United States will proudly flutter unsullied on the flagstaff of
Liberty and Equal Rights, without a spot to sully its fair surface; the glorious flag our
fathers have bequeathed to us will then be unfurled to the breeze by those who have power
to hoist it aloft and defend its sanctity.
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When the Constitution for the United
States of America hangs, as it were, upon a single thread, they will have to call for the
"Mormon" Elders to save it from utter destruction; and they will step forth and
do it.
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I expect to see the day when the Elders
of Israel will protect and sustain civil and religious liberty and every Constitutional
right bequeathed to us by our fathers, and spread these rights abroad in connection with
the Gospel for the salvation of all nations. Discourses of Brigham Young, p.360 – 361
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Will the Constitution be
destroyed? No; it will be held inviolate by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said,
"The time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread. At
this critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened
destruction." It will be so. Discourses of Brigham Young, p.469
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God will have a free people, and while we have a
duty to perform,. to preach the gospel, we have another to perform, that is, to stand up
in the defense of human rights, the rights of our children, and in the defense of the
rights of this nation and of all men no matter who they may be, and God being our helper
to maintain those principles and to lift up a standard for the honorable of this and other
nations to flock to, that they may be free from the tyranny and oppression that is sought
to be crowded upon them.
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This is a duty we have to perform. It is a duty
that our families demand of us, it is a duty that the honest in this nation demand of us
and that God demands of us and we will try and carry it out God being our helper. If other
people can afford to trample under foot the sacred institutions of this country, we
cannot. If other people trample upon the Constitution and pull it to pieces, we will
gather together the pieces and rally around the old flag, or what is left of it, and
proclaim Liberty to the world, as the Prophet Joseph said we would.
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We propose to contend for human rights, for the
Constitution for the United States of America, and the rights and privileges of man and the freedom of
humanity. We will live our religion and keep the commandments of God.
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We will cleave unto the truth and maintain virtue
and righteousness, and seek for the Spirit of the Lord. We will be humble, faithful and
diligent, and we will pray for our enemies and for all men.
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We will become saviors on Mount Zion to be full
of kindness and longsuffering and contend against the sins and corruption of the world,
and cherish purity and holiness in the Lord our God.
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We will make covenants, Celestial covenants, with
our brethren and with our wives and we will be true to them and they to us in time and in
eternity.
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We will try to do right and fear
God and observe His Laws and seek to pursue a course that our Heavenly Father will
approve, and we will have His spirit to be with us and rejoice together in the fullness of
the Gospel of Peace and we will build up the Kingdom of God in all the earth and in the
name of Israel’s God we will do it. John Taylor
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Will the Constitution be destroyed? No; it will be held inviolate
by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, "The time will come when the destiny of
the nation will hang upon a single thread. At this critical juncture, this people will
step forth and save it from the threatened destruction." It will be so.
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| John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, p.219 |
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REALITY OF THE KINGDOM:
To UPHOLD the Constitution for the united States of America.
-- When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution for the united
States of America, the elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth and
proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to
the oppressed of all nations. This is part of the program, and as long as we do what is
right and fear God, he will help us and stand by us under all circumstances.
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John Taylor, -- JD, 21:8, August 31, 1879.
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| John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, p.222 |
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Besides the preaching of the gospel, we have another mission,
namely, the perpetuation of the free agency of man and the maintenance of liberty,
freedom, and the rights of man. There are certain principles that belong to humanity
outside of the Constitution, outside of the laws outside of all the enactments and plans
of man, among which is the right to live. God gave us the right and no man: No government
gave it to us, and no government has a right to take it away from us.
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| John Taylor, The Gospel Kingdom, p.307 |
Men may try to forge chains for us, but we will snap them asunder as Samson
did, by the power of God. God being our helper, we will maintain the
principles of eternal truth; we will maintain and cherish the principles of
freedom and liberty of all kinds, for all men, for every son and daughter of Adam; and we will never
rest until the world shall be revolutionized with these principles, until
all men everywhere shall proclaim themselves free.
It will not be only like the bell they sounded when they proclaimed the
Declaration of Independence, and liberty throughout the land; but we will
proclaim liberty to the world, salvation to the human family, freedom of
thought and freedom of action, with power to worship God as they please,
when they please, and where they please, all over the face of the wide
earth. We will never rest until the shackles are knocked off from all men,
and all men everywhere are free and equal. These are the designs of God, and
God will consummate them, and no power can stop His hand.
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John Taylor JD 14:253
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