On this day of national significance, this Inauguration Day, when the United States will once again do that which is most extraordinary in the history of nations, when this great Representative Republic will engage in a peaceful transfer of power; on this day, I have compiled a great many scriptural texts that reveal God’s purposes for our great nation. I hope that greater light and knowledge on this subject will provide an eternal perspective, that we might judge more righteously how to act in our civic duties. I pray we will have a clear view even in these times of great confusion and unrest, that we might not be deceived, and that we might provide sound judgement and leadership to or fellow countrymen.
God is the Founder of Free Governments
Latter-Day scripture reveals to us the desire that God has for his children that they live under free governments. We have evidence of this divine gift of liberty in the Old Testament when God councils Israel against installing a king and gives grave warnings of the bondage that will come if they don’t heed the prophet. Of course, we know the story, and when Israel insist on a king, in express opposition to the council of the Lord, the Lord acquiesces and grants their wish with a stern warning. These warnings teach us that the concentration of power leads to oppression, which by its very nature is evil, and this oppression destroys agency and leads God’s children to sin.
“We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion.” (D&C 121:39)
Our Lord desires to be our one true and righteous King and he would guard us against the kinds of governments that destroy agency. Governments that consolidate power in a central authority are of that nature which Isaiah speaks, “they which lead thee, cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.” (Isaiah 3:12) Even in the ancient Kingdom of Israel, this immortal truth was known, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” (Proverbs 29:2)
The greater scriptural evidence that the Lord desires his children to live under free Governments is found in the scriptures of the Restoration. The Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants reveal unique truths about the divine nature of free governments because they are records written specifically for free nations established by the hand of God in the promised land. We can read in the Book of Mormon a national saga of the great blessings that come from righteous leadership and the establishment of free governments and the great destruction that comes when a people abandon these true principles. The Nephites had their own George Washington moment, when a great leader dedicated to the liberty and prosperity of his people, chose to instruct them in the principles of liberty and reject the offer of kingship in favor of democracy.
“It is not expedient that we should have a king; for thus saith the Lord: Ye shall not esteem one flesh above another, or one man shall not think himself above another; therefore I say unto you it is not expedient that ye should have a king… if it were possible that ye could always have just men to be your kings it would be well for you to have a king. But remember the iniquity of king Noah and his priests; and I myself was caught in a snare, and did many things which were abominable in the sight of the Lord, which caused me sore repentance” (Mosiah 23:7-9)
“Now it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is common for the lesser part of the people to desire that which is not right; therefore this shall ye observe and make it your law—to do your business by the voice of the people… And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land… I command you to do these things, and that ye have no king; that if these people commit sins and iniquities they shall be answered upon their own heads…”
“I desire that this inequality should be no more in this land, especially among this my people; but I desire that this land be a land of liberty, and every man may enjoy his rights and privileges alike, so long as the Lord sees fit that we may live and inherit the land, yea, even as long as any of our posterity remains upon the face of the land… he also unfolded unto them all the disadvantages they labored under, by having an unrighteous king to rule over them; Yea, all his iniquities and abominations, and all the wars, and contentions, and bloodshed, and the stealing, and the plundering, and the committing of whoredoms, and all manner of iniquities which cannot be enumerated—telling them that these things ought not to be, that they were expressly repugnant to the commandments of God...”
“They assembled themselves together in bodies throughout the land, to cast in their voices concerning who should be their judges, to judge them according to the law which had been given them; and they were exceedingly rejoiced because of the liberty which had been granted unto them. Alma did walk in the ways of the Lord, and he did keep his commandments, and he did judge righteous judgments; and there was continual peace through the land.” (Mosiah 29:26-43)
“They were a free people, that they were free from the oppressions of the king…” (Alma 21:21) “This land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land…” (2 Nephi 10:11)
Reserved & Preserved for a Purpose:
Latter-Day Scripture reveals that God kept this land in reserve, making it a land of promise, establishing free nations with a promise that those nations would retain their liberty so long as they would serve the God of this land, who is Jesus Christ. Through the Book of Mormon record we see how the liberty given to the peoples of this land is preserved so long as they fulfilled his purposes. We must understand the purposes of the Lord, if we expect to protect those purposes in our civic duties, and by so doing preserve a land of liberty. What does the Book of Mormon reveal to us about the great purpose for which this land was reserved?
In 3 Nephi, the Lord reveals the part America would play in the fulfillment of God’s ancient covenants. “For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth from them unto a remnant of your seed, that the covenant of the Father may be fulfilled which he hath covenanted with his people.” (3 Nephi 21:4) It is clear that the purpose for which we have been blessed with unprecedented freedom and prosperity, is first and foremost, to bring about a Restoration of the gospel. Not only for ourselves and our own nation, but so these principles might “come forth” and be brought to all the house of Israel. This is the first purpose of our Lord, that His covenants and promises might be fulfilled.
We have a duty to God to preserve this nation in a way that enables these truths to go forth to all the world, to bless the lives of God’s children in every nation where liberty can penetrate. Surely the ensign prophesied in ancient times, a standard raised up “upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on a hill,” (Isaiah 30:17) speaks not only of the gospel standard and His Kingdom that will gather God’s elect, but also of that nation whose star spangled ensign would move ahead of his servants in the proclaiming of the gospel. Upon the laws of this land, cradled in the freedoms it upholds, and the leadership it wields in the world, goes forth the gospel into “uttermost parts of the earth.”
“For, verily, the sound must go forth from this place into all the world, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth—the gospel must be preached unto every creature.” (D&C 58:64) In this prophecy we must not forget the star spangled banner that is unfurled in this place and lifted up as a standard of liberty to the whole world, it too is a great part of this restorative latter-day work, for surely “He will lift up an ensign to the nations from far,” (Isaiah 5:26) an ensign of truth and liberty.
A Land of Liberty: A Promise and a Curse
With such a paramount purpose in God’s plan, it shouldn’t surprise us that there is a great promise given those who live in righteousness in this promised land, and of course, a great curse to those who receive this blessing and turn away from the Lord. “And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land… Wherefore, I will consecrate this land unto thy seed, and them who shall be numbered among thy seed, forever, for the land of their inheritance; for it is a choice land, saith God unto me, above all other lands, wherefore I will have all men that dwell thereon that they shall worship me, saith God.” (2 Nephi 10:11, 19)
The promise is simple, “Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.” (1 Nephi 4:14) The curse is simple too, “This people shall keep my commandments, saith the Lord of Hosts, or cursed be the land for their sakes.” (Jacob 2:28-29)
The curse is simply they flip side of the coin. “Whoso should possess this land of promise… should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them… And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity…” Our blessings and responsibilities make us capable of receiving the greater condemnation should we not attend to our duty, but the blessings we are promised are of a grand scale and should we live worthy of them we can think only of our happy state.
“Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written… And these are my thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands… which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.” (Ether 2:8-15)
Our liberties are not lost in one great act of wickedness, liberty is lost slowly, it is willed away one piece at a time. Moroni understood the importance of constant vigilance. He warned against those first turnings away from our Lord, “And it came to pass that Moroni was angry with the government, because of their indifference concerning the freedom of their country.” (Alma 59:13) “I fear exceedingly that the judgments of God will come upon this people, because of their exceeding slothfulness, yea, even the slothfulness of our government, and their exceedingly great neglect towards their brethren.” (Alma 60:14)
What follows this slothful neglect of righteousness and liberty is moral degradation and iniquity. “The anger of the Lord is already kindled against you; behold, he hath cursed the land because of your iniquity. And behold, the time cometh that he curseth your riches, that they become slippery, that ye cannot hold them; and in the days of your poverty ye cannot retain them. And in the days of your poverty ye shall cry unto the Lord; and in vain shall ye cry, for your desolation is already come upon you, and your destruction is made sure; and then shall ye weep and howl in that day, saith the Lord of Hosts. And then shall ye lament, and say:… O that we had remembered the Lord our God in the day that he gave us our riches… O that we had repented in the day that the word of the Lord came unto us; for behold the land is cursed, and all things are become slippery, and we cannot hold them.” (Helaman 13:30-36)
The Book of Mormon contains all the council and warnings necessary for our generation to do our duty to God and our country.
Where Much is Given…
“For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be required; and to whom the Lord has committed much, of him will men ask the more.” (JST, Luke 12:57)
The Declaration of Independence boldly proclaimed the immutable self-evident truths that, “All men are created equal,” that they are endowed by their “Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” These words were inspired of God and laid forth the foundation of a nation dedicated to this proposition, and bound by Constitutional law to protect all those natural God-given rights. Let’s explore these rights as they are defined in scripture, for it is essential to our fulfillment of the purposes of God for our nation, and our duty to that nation, to have a correct understanding of how God defines the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Life
“Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body.” (Matthew 10:28) When we see life as God sees life, we come to understand that that this gift endowed by our Creator has purpose far beyond mortal survival. While many have lived under oppressive governments in the this world, their agency was so degraded that their lives had little value in this world. Our founders understood the connection between really living and being free. Patrick Henry’s famous quote, “Give me liberty, or give me death,” embodies an essential characteristic of life as our Father in Heaven sees it.
Agency is so essential to life that Satan, who sought to destroy the agency of man, was cast out of God’s presence. To understand why, we must understand that words such as freedom, liberty, and agency are only fully understood when exercised upon the foundations of truth. We learn in scripture that all of the essential characteristics of life cannot exist unless there is “opposition.” “For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so… righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.” (2 Nephi 2:11)
The principle of opposition spoken of here is often misunderstood among latter-day saints as referring to the trials of mortal life, and though the mortal condition creates that type of opposition that leads to personal growth through trials and tribulations, to be understood fully this principle must be seen in the context of the Garden of Eden and the Fall. It was here that God placed before Adam and Eve a choice, that they might exercise agency through choice, specifically two choices in opposition to one another; on one side is life (progression) and the other is death (and end to progression.) All liberty, freedom, or agency operate on this same principle.
We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, and among these are life, which life is nothing except we can recognize the choice before us. We must identify the opposition, which enables agency, and use that agency to choose life, or else “there would have been no purpose” in our creation and no power in our endowment of these rights. In reality, without the proper exercise of agency there is no purpose in creation at all.
“Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.” (2 Nephi 2)
Agency is only retained through obedience to the law upon which it is predicated. (D&C 130:21) What the modern American seeks, is some perverted notion of freedom in which there is no law, for there is no right or wrong, no natural consequence in the philosophies of moral-relativism that prevail in our society. “And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.” (2 Nephi 2)
The endowment of Constitutional law built upon immutable truths is a grand pillar, a supernal support to our progression toward God. George Washington said that religion and morality were indispensable pillars of support to the preservation of our nation, and so it is that Constitutional law (when honored) is a great support to the preservation of our faith. “And now… there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon. And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man… it must needs be that there was an opposition [a choice]; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter. Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.” (2 Nephi 2:11-16)
Freedom of religion, of thought, of conscience, and of worship are often referred to by our Founding Fathers as our first liberties. Understood in this light we get a better sense of why. It is for this purpose that agency was given, that we might be free to choose to follow Christ to the salvation of our souls. “And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ” (Mosiah 5:8)
The blessing of life, which in the Declaration of Independence is named first among those unalienable rights, was understood by our founders to contain all those natural rights that enable the family of man to live fully. To worship, to provide, to progress, and to live at peace. Our Founders believed that the only form of legitimate government was one instituted for the purpose of securing those natural rights. Those natural rights were given by God so that each individual and family might live in a way consistent with this description from the Book of Mormon:
“And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due. And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin… he being an enemy to all righteousness. But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish.” (Mosiah 4:13-16)
Liberty
In truth, freedom and liberty are not the right to do whatever you want without consequence. Liberty is sustained and maintained upon principles of truth and only through obedience to these truths can we retain our Liberty. “Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh… And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.” (2 Nephi 2:27)
Consequences follow every choice, whether for good or bad, good choices lead to good consequences and bad choices lead to bad consequences. Consequences on a societal level may not always be immediately apparent, but the consequences will come in time. If we desire to retain our liberty we must accept the Lord’s conditions upon which that freedom is given. “Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free; entangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean, until the Lord comes.” (D&C 88:86)
When we understand the purpose for which God endowed us with life and liberty we will understand the purpose of government. Our Constitution was constructed upon a foundation of divinely inspired principles and it was for the integrity of those principles in a civil society that it was constructed. The first of those principles is the defense of our first liberty, our freedom to worship God. “That they might have the liberty of worshiping the Lord their God according to their desires…” (Alma 21:22)
God has commanded that we “stand fast in this liberty wherewith ye have been made free, and that ye trust no man to be a king over you.” (Mosiah 23:12) Knowing that there are other forms of government as oppressive as Monarchies and tend to the same evil, the Lord has commanded us to govern ourselves by the voice of the people. “He established laws, and they were acknowledged by the people; therefore they were obliged to abide by the laws which he had made.” (Alma 1:1) From these scriptural passages we must come to understand that Governments of the people, by the people, and for the people are the most effective at protecting liberty and provide the best conditions for the progression of children of God.
Pursuit of Happiness
“Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.” (2 Nephi 2:25)
The Prophet Joseph Smith captured our true feelings when he declared: “Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.” Should it not confirm our testimonies in the divinely inspired formation of our nation, that our Founders with one accord did sign their names in support of the Declaration of Independence, “With a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,” they mutually pledged to each other their “Lives, our Fortunes, and their sacred Honor,” in the cause of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Despite what the world today would have people believe, there are not many diverse ways to pursue happiness. Sure, there is much diversity in human life and association, but the scriptures teach us there is but one true way to happiness. We are made free by God and kept free by adherence to his laws. We are aided in our pursuit of happiness by this blessed nation and those solid protections of our Constitution, but we must strive to remain free for this purpose; that we might enter in “this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life. …” (2 Ne. 31:17–18.) For the Lord said, “Enter ye in at the strait gate… because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matt. 7:13–14.)
John Adams said that a government built upon our founding principles, and dedicated to the preservation of individual liberty, would provide for a happy people. He was not unfamiliar with words of Christ which teach that it is truth that, “shall make you free.” (John 8:32) Our founders believed in truth, they believed in absolute moral laws, and upon these laws they built our Republic. Benjamin Franklin, exiting Constitution Hall in Philadelphia, was approached by people on the street asking him, “What kind of Government have you made for us?” He quipped, “A Republic, if you can keep it.” There are few who have found it in this life, and fewer who have kept it. There is but one way to find it and one way to keep it, we must understand the principles upon which it is governed and live true to those principles.
Christ made this positive statement: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6.) The often repeated demise of human civilizations stands as evidence of these immutable truths, for in every instance when morality and law are rejected, happiness slips from their grasp. As in the days of Helaman, “Ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head.” (Helaman 13:38)
So clearly, there is no happiness in wickedness (Alma 41:10), but what does the pursuit of happiness look like in the Lord’s way? Nephi gives us a concise outline of the pursuit of happiness in 2 Nephi 5, he simply states, “We lived after the manner of happiness.” (2 Nephi 5:27) What is the manner of happiness? Can we apply Nephi’s prescription to our civic life today? 2 Nephi 5: 10-27
Manner of Happiness
· Obedience to God’s Laws: “We did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things… the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly…”
· Self-Reliance & Provident Living: “For we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind… I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands…”
· Prepare for Defense Against Enemies: “[We] did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us…”
· Education and Industry: “And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance…”
· Free Exercise of Religion: “And I, Nephi, did build a temple…”
· Government of the People: “And it came to pass that they would that I should be their king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king…
· Follow the Prophets: “I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people.”
Free Governments are Established by God to Fulfill His Purposes
Again in our times the Lord brought a people to this land of promise and established among them a free government. The events of the founding of this nation were prophesied anciently by Nephi, and what he saw reveals to us the primary purpose of these events in bringing about a restoration of His gospel to the whole world. (1 Nephi 13)
“I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms… the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles. I beheld many waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren. I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.”
“I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters. I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful… the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them…”
“The Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations. They did prosper in the land; and I beheld a book [bible], and it was carried forth among them. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and [the angel] said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles…”
“Thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance. Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen. I will be merciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment. I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb…”
“And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be…”
“I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true… These records… shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved… they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.” (1 Nephi 13)
The Constitutional Government of the United States of America was Inspired of God
In the restoration of the fullness of times we learn the most about the type of mortal government most desirable to God. In the Doctrine & Covenants the Lord proclaims his hand in the establishment of our Constitutional Republic. This knowledge is powerful, and unique to Latter-day Saints, as we have no reason to doubt the foundations of this nation. We know that it was built upon the Rock of our Redeemer and that so far as the people of our nation honor its divine origins and principles and live righteously, we will retain our liberty. Let’s explore the extensive revelations on constitutional law in the Doctrine & Covenants”
“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; That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment. Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood.” (D&C 101:77-80)
“We believe that governments were instituted of God for the benefit of man; and that he holds men accountable for their acts in relation to them, both in making laws and administering them, for the good and safety of society. We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life.”
“We believe that all governments necessarily require civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the same; and that such as will administer the law in equity and justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of the people if a republic, or the will of the sovereign.
“We believe that religion is instituted of God; and that men are amenable to him, and to him only, for the exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them to infringe upon the rights and liberties of others; but we do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in prescribing rules of worship to bind the consciences of men, nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the freedom of the soul.”
“We believe that all men are bound to sustain and uphold the respective governments in which they reside, while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by the laws of such governments; and that sedition and rebellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and should be punished accordingly; and that all governments have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgments are best calculated to secure the public interest; at the same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of conscience.”
“We believe that every man should be honored in his station, rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty; and that to the laws all men owe respect and deference, as without them peace and harmony would be supplanted by anarchy and terror; human laws being instituted for the express purpose of regulating our interests as individuals and nations, between man and man; and divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules on spiritual concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by man to his Maker.”
“We believe that rulers, states, and governments have a right, and are bound to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious belief; but we do not believe that they have a right in justice to deprive citizens of this privilege, or proscribe them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence are shown to the laws and such religious opinions do not justify sedition nor conspiracy.”
“We believe that the commission of crime should be punished according to the nature of the offense; that murder, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general peace, in all respects, should be punished according to their criminality and their tendency to evil among men, by the laws of that government in which the offense is committed; and for the public peace and tranquility all men should step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders against good laws to punishment.”
“We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered and another proscribed in its spiritual privileges, and the individual rights of its members, as citizens, denied.”
“We believe that all religious societies have a right to deal with their members for disorderly conduct, according to the rules and regulations of such societies; provided that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing; but we do not believe that any religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life, to take from them this world’s goods, or to put them in jeopardy of either life or limb, or to inflict any physical punishment upon them. They can only excommunicate them from their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship.”
“We believe that men should appeal to the civil law for redress of all wrongs and grievances, where personal abuse is inflicted or the right of property or character infringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same; but we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves, their friends, and property, and the government, from the unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons in times of exigency, where immediate appeal cannot be made to the laws, and relief afforded.” (D&C 134:1-11)
“Verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land, it is my will that my people should observe to do all things whatsoever I command them. And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me. Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land; And as pertaining to law of man, whatsoever is more or less than this, cometh of evil.” (D&C 98:4-7)
Certainly our Lord, the King of Heaven and Earth, understands fully the limitations of earthly governments, the struggle of human societies to advance in righteousness, and the regular set-backs and common pitfalls of the natural man. America has not been a perfect nation, the nation has struggled to advance toward the realization of its own elevated principles, but the Doctrine & Covenants reveals the Lords optimism in our nations progress. We should take courage from the following passages, we should see in them the reason that our prophets have lead the Church in loyalty to this nation despite the abuses, injustices, and indignities our Church has suffered under this government.
“Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the nations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever.” (D&C 109:54)
“Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land. Wherefore, be subject to the powers that be, until he reigns whose right it is to reign, and subdues all enemies under his feet.” (D&C 58:21-22)
“All things shall be made sure, according to the laws of the land.” (D&C 51:6)
“Ye shall obtain power to organize yourselves according to the laws of man… hat your enemies may not have power over you; that you may be preserved in all things; that you may be enabled to keep my laws; that every bond may be broken wherewith the enemy seeketh to destroy my people.” (D&C 44:4-5)
The Enemy Within:
It is clear from scripture that the enemies of Free Government are enemies of righteousness. “Because of their sins and their wickedness, which was above all the wickedness of the whole earth, because of their secret murders and combinations; for it was they that did destroy the peace of my people and the government of the land.” (3 Nephi 9:9) “And thus they did obtain the sole management of the government, insomuch that they did trample under their feet and smite and rend and turn their backs upon the poor and the meek, and the humble followers of God.” (Helaman 6:39)
Consider Nephi’s description of his times, the conditions and trials are astonishingly similar to our times:
“And it came to pass that because of so much contention and so much difficulty in the government, that they had not kept sufficient guards in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla.” (Helaman 1:18)
“For as their laws and their governments were established by the voice of the people, and they who chose evil were more numerous than they who chose good, therefore they were ripening for destruction, for the laws had become corrupted. Yea, and this was not all; they were a stiffnecked people, insomuch that they could not be governed by the law nor justice, save it were to their destruction.” (Helaman 5:2-3)
“And seeing the people in a state of such awful wickedness, and those Gadianton robbers filling the judgment-seats—having usurped the power and authority of the land; laying aside the commandments of God, and not in the least aright before him; doing no justice unto the children of men; Condemning the righteous because of their righteousness; letting the guilty and the wicked go unpunished because of their money; and moreover to be held in office at the head of government, to rule and do according to their wills, that they might get gain and glory of the world, and, moreover, that they might the more easily commit adultery, and steal, and kill, and do according to their own wills—“
“Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years; and when Nephi saw it, his heart was swollen with sorrow within his breast; and he did exclaim in the agony of his soul: Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren. But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren.” (Helaman 7:4-9)
It is also clear that the forces of tyranny are well organized, committed, and never relenting. “They were united in the hatred of those who had entered into a covenant to destroy the government.” (3 Nephi 7:11) Understanding the character of the internal threats to our free government are essential to our effectiveness in guarding against them. We must be ever vigilant, for as Thomas Jefferson said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.” As those who are blessed with political liberty, we have a great duty to protect it and preserve it, that the purposes of God might be fulfilled. We must remember always the purpose for which God has established us a free nation. We can discover these purposes in the stories of the Book of Mormon, as in the book of Alma.
“And now the design of the Nephites was to support their lands, and their houses, and their wives, and their children, that they might preserve them from the hands of their enemies; and also that they might preserve their rights and their privileges, yea, and also their liberty, that they might worship God according to their desires.” (Alma 43:9)
Without continual loyalty to those founding principles of liberty the enemies of liberty will prevail, as we have a sober warning in the Book of Mormon. At a time of great peril for their free government Captain Moroni “rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole… And he fastened on his head-plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should a band of Christians remain to possess the land—Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.” Moroni “poured out his soul to God,” and dedicated all the land to be “a chosen land, and the land of liberty,” and said, “Surely God shall not suffer that we, who are despised because we take upon us the name of Christ, shall be trodden down and destroyed, until we bring it upon us by our own transgressions.” (Alma 46)
“And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written upon the rent part, and crying with a loud voice, saying: Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.”
“When Moroni had proclaimed these words, behold, the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God; or, in other words, if they should transgress the commandments of God, or fall into transgression, and be ashamed to take upon them the name of Christ, the Lord should rend them even as they had rent their garments.”
“Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression.” (Alma 46)
“Those who were desirous that Pahoran should remain chief judge over the land took upon them the name of freemen; and thus was the division among them, for the freemen had sworn or covenanted to maintain their rights and the privileges of their religion by a free government.” (Alma 51:6)
“And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land… And the regulations of the government were destroyed, because of the secret combination of the friends and kindreds of those who murdered the prophets. And they did cause a great contention in the land, insomuch that the more righteous part of the people had nearly all become wicked; yea, there were but few righteous men among them.” (3 Nephi 7:2, 6-7)
There are distressing parallels between these Book of Mormon passages and our days, that may cause some to despair, but we must always remember that we can recover our liberty if we will seek to live those principles upon which liberty is founded. “That this my people may recover their rights and government, who have dissented away from you because of your wickedness in retaining from them their rights of government…” (3 Nephi 3:10)
…Much is Required
The ultimate realization of God’s purposes will be to establish a righteous people, a Zion, right here in North America. In preparation for His second coming Christ commanded his people to “establish the cause of Zion.” (D&C 6:6) Our Constitutional government was an critical step in realizing this goal. A government designed to protect our first liberty to worship and live as our conscience dictates. A government designed to leave people free to assemble, teach and preach, and pursue happiness upon the foundation of Christ. This government gives each individual the personal space to exercise agency unto righteousness. So, how must we live to show our gratitude for this great gift of liberty? What must we each do individually to establish Zion?
After giving us the command to “establish the cause of Zion,” the Lord continues with this prescription for how such a task will be accomplished. (D&C 6)
“Seek not for riches but for wisdom… if you desire, you shall be the means of doing much good in this generation. Say nothing but repentance unto this generation; keep my commandments, and assist to bring forth my work, according to my commandments, and you shall be blessed… [that] thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea, convince them of the error of their ways…”
“Trifle not with sacred things… Be patient; be sober; be temperate; have patience, faith, hope and charity... Be faithful and diligent in keeping the commandments of God, and I will encircle thee in the arms of my love.”
“Fear not to do good… for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward. Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail. Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not… be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.”
What will Zion look like? What kind of society is the result of righteous living by it’s citizens? It is described best in 4 Nephi:
“And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people. And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God. There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.” (4 Nephi 1:15-17)
What kind of society will we have? A happy one! Could there be a better fulfillment of the promise of that great founding proclamation of our American belief? That declaration of our independence which boldly proclaimed the immutable self-evident truths that, “All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” then this happy state for which we work and pray. May we ever be vigilant, ever striving to teach and persuade our fellow citizens in the principles of freedom, and ever guarded against that personal moral decay that has forever proceeded the destruction of free peoples.
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