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Chapter 10, A New Beginning
Brigham and the Kingdom of God
The Quote
One Nation under Gods, page 222
He assured his followers: "[W]e 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."89
The Reference
Endnote 89, page 554
89. Young, July 8, 1855, in JOD, vol. 2, 317.
The Problems
This is one of two quotes used by Abanes from a single discourse by Brigham Young.
The author uses these quotes to bolster his belief that Brigham Young felt the Kingdom of God
was on earth, that it was synonymous with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and
that it would oppressively rule over everyone else.
As was shown in an examination of the earlier quote used by Abanes (see the
article here), President Young didn't believe that the Kingdom of God
was on the earth, nor did he believe it was synonymous with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints. This particular quote from President Young bears further scrutiny, however, so that we can
discover the type of scholar that Abanes really is. Take a look at the full quote, in context. (The
bold portion of the quote indicates the words used by Abanes.) In talking about the coming
Kingdom of God, Brigham Young stated:
They will ask, "If I bow the knee and confess that he is that Saviour, the Christ,
to the glory of the Father, will you let me go home and be a Presbyterian?" "Yes." "And not persecute
me?" "Never." "Won't you let me go home and belong to the Greek Church?" "Yes." "Will you allow me to
be a Friend Quaker, or a Shaking Quaker?" "O yes, anything you wish to be, but remember that you must
not persecute your neighbors, but must mind your own business, and let your neighbors alone, and let
them worship the sun, moon, a white dog, or anything else they please, being mindful that every knee
has got to bow and every tongue confess. When you have paid this tribute to the Most High, who created
you and preserves you, you may then go and worship what you please, or do what you please, if you do
not infringe upon your neighbors."
The brethren who spoke this morning had not time to explain these points, and I have
only just touched upon the subject.
The Church of Jesus Christ will produce this government, and cause it to grow and
spread, and it will be a shield round about the Church. And under the influence and power of the
Kingdom of God, the Church of God will rest secure and dwell in safety, without taking the trouble
of governing and controlling the whole earth. The Kingdom of God will do this, it will control the
kingdoms of the world.
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 flag staff 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.
Up to this time we have carried the world on our backs. Joseph did it in his day,
besides carrying this whole people, and now all this is upon my back, with my family to provide for
at the same time, and we will carry it all, and bear off the Kingdom of God. And you may pile on
state after state, and kingdom after kingdom, and all hell on top, and 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.
Does such a Kingdom sound oppressive? According to Brigham Young (and contrary to
Richard Abanes statements about the Mormons' beliefs), people will be able to worship as they like and
live in peace with each other. In fact, President Young makes several points in closing his discourse:
- People can worship any way they like (even "worship the sun, moon, a white dog, or anything else they please")
- Neighbors will not infringe upon neighbors.
- The Church of Jesus Christ will produce this government. (But it will not be that government, as was made clear in President Young's remarks earlier, in the same talk.)
- The Church of God will dwell in safety.
- The Church of God will not govern or control the whole earth. (The Kingdom of God will, but not the Church of God.)
- The United States will still exist under the Kingdom of God, and separate from the Church of God.
- The Kingdom of God will "let the oppressed of all nations go free."
Through selective use of words, taken out of context, Richard Abanes tries to assert beliefs that
Brigham Young never had. Is this the mark of a fair or scholarly treatment of the LDS? By suppressing the full
context of Brigham Young's discourse, Richard Abanes fails to show that his entire conspiratorial hypothesis
concerning the LDS falls like a house of cards. Is this the mark of honest journalism?
Unfortunately, the way in which Richard Abanes uses his quotes only shows his sloppy style and his
pre-conceived (and ill-conceived) feelings concerning the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Written by Allen L. Wyatt
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