3/26/02
"A person's freedom should never be suppressed by men, by
Satan, nor by
our
Lord. Men should never be in bondage one to another. While
Satan would
like us
under his control, God does not control the actions of men. He
has
given us our
agency to combat the trials, temptations, and evils of every
kind.
However, he
gives certain principles that, if followed, will lead us back
to his
presence.
God's kingdom is founded upon perfect liberty. Every man,
woman, and
child has
the right to worship God according to the dictates of his own
conscience. Each
person alone is responsible to his creator for his individual
acts."
—
Delbert L. Stapley, "Using
Our
Free Agency," Ensign,
May 1975, p. 22
3/24/03
"The path of safety to the learned and all of us in the
kingdom of God
is
to hearken and obey the counsels of God in all things." —
Delbert L. Stapley, May 5,
1964, "BYU Speeches of the Year," p.
3
(6/24/03)
"God revealed to Moses that He 'created man in his own image
and after
his
likeness.' (See Gen.
1:26-27)
How lofty and inspiring this knowledge is to his children here
on the
earth, to
know that they have not evolved from some lower organism of
life, as
teachers of
evolution would have us believe, but are the literal offspring
of
Deity.
"Man's evolution does not concern his origin and beginning.
God
determined
the fact of his form and creation; but man's evolution as a
son of God
is to
rise towards the likeness of his Eternal Father in heaven by
perfecting
his
God-given abilities and powers which, in an embryonic state,
are like
God's, but
presently are not fully developed." — Delbert L. Stapley,
"Man, A
Child of God," "BYU Speeches of the Year," 1962 p. 2
(9/10/03)
"Perhaps this statement will cause us to remember how small we
are in
comparison to our God, who is all-knowing and all-powerful.
The Lord
taught
Moses a great lesson in this regard. After he had shown Moses
by vision
the
workmanship of his hands, he withdrew from Moses, and his
glory was not
upon
him. Moses was left unto himself, and he fell unto the earth
exhausted.
It was
many hours before he again received his natural strength, and
when he
did, he
humbly said: 'Now for this cause I know that man is nothing,
which
thing I never
had supposed.' (Moses
1:10.)
This counsel should remind all of us to be meek and contrite
of
spirit."
— Delbert L. Stapley, "General Conference Reports," 1 April
1967, p.
34
(9/27/03)
"Here is prophetic evidence of the continuity of God's
latter-day
kingdom
when established upon the earth. Daniel emphasized that point
dramatically when
he said, 'The dream is certain and the interpretation thereof
sure.'
The
kingdom, prophesied Daniel, is not to be destroyed; it is not
to be
left to
other people; and it shall stand forever. How convincing and
certain
this
declaration is!" - Delbert L. Stapley, "General Conference
Reports," October 1959, p. 72
(9/8/04)
"I believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can
save the
world if its members will live as saints of God should. Each
time we
let down in
living gospel principles, someone is sure to observe our
conduct and
form an
unfavorable opinion about us and the spiritual values of the
Church.
Our
faithfulness gives meaning to the doctrines we teach. The
Savior
emphasized this
statement by saying: 'Let your light so shine before men, that
they may
see your
good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.' (Matt.
5:16.)" - Elder Delbert L.
Stapley, "Our
Responsibility:
To Save the World,"
Ensign, December 1971, p. 95
11/18/04
"It was only after the death of Christ's apostles that
revelation
ceased.
The pure doctrines Christ taught became diluted with the
philosophy of
the
world, and profane innovations appeared in the ordinances of
the
church.
Eventually, that which had once been clear and understandable
became
mythical
and confusing. Confusion is the field where Satan operates to
deceive
and lead
mankind astray. Jesus and His apostles predicted a 'falling
away' (see 2
Thes. 2:1-4), which did occur,
and Christianity entered a long night of
darkness." - Delbert L.
Stapley, "What
Constitutes
the True Church,"
Ensign, May 1977, p. 22
(12/10/04)
"Faith and works complement each other. Faith impels works,
and good
works
make faith even firmer and stronger. Of this there is no end.
Faith
adheres to
intelligent life. Indeed, it is constituent with it. Nothing
progressive or
creative in character was ever begun without having been
initiated by
faith. It
is the basic power behind all others." - Delbert L. Stapley,
May 5,
1964,
"BYU Speeches of the Year," 1964 p. 10
(1/27/05)
"Honesty and integrity as perfected virtues in parents are
more likely
to
become the heritage and rich endowments of their children.
Parents
cannot give
to their children that which they do not possess. All these
fine ideals
and
principles that are a part of the gospel teachings, together
with all
the
virtues that make for good character and good life, should be
perfected
in each
of us. In that perfection they become a part of our nature,
and when
parenthood
comes, these virtues are more apt to be transmitted to our
children. We
read in
Proverbs: 'The just man walketh in his integrity: his children
are
blessed after
him.' (Prov.
20:7.) How true
and basic this statement is!" - Delbert L. Stapley, "Honesty
and
Integrity," Ensign, June
1971, p. 105
2/18/06
"The same gifts of the Spirit which prevailed in the church at
the time
of Jesus are prevalent today. Some of these gifts are:
revelation,
healing, miracles, prophecy, and many others—as found in
First
Corinthians, twelfth chapter;
Doctrine
and Covenants, forty-sixth section;
and in the tenth
chapter of Moroni in the Book of
Mormon. Charity—the pure love of Christ—will be in
evidence among its membership.
"The same power which Jesus gave to His apostles that
'whatsoever ye
shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever
ye shall
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven' (Matt.
18:18) will also be in the true
church today. There are ordinances and blessings bestowed by
an
authorized ministry to Church members. These covenants and
obligations,
if entered into and obeyed, apply not just for this life, but
for all
eternity." - Delbert L. Stapley, "What
Constitutes
the True Church,"
Ensign (CR), May 1977, p.21
4/22/06
"The Savior taught his disciples: 'No man can serve two masters:
for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will
hold
to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and
mammon.' (Matt.
6:24.)
"This can be stated another way: You cannot serve both God and
Satan.
Life is a real challenge, but blessed with God-given powers, we
can
overcome every stratagem and obstacle Satan may place in our
path. The
path to eternal life may not be an easy one to follow with all
the
worldly enticements about us, but when we consider the rewards
and
blessings we gather if we travel the narrow way, it is worth
every
sacrifice we make." - Delbert L. Stapley, "The
Path
to Eternal Life," Ensign
(CR), January 1974, p.42
11/13/06
"Surely if the transgressions of men continue in an upward
trend, and
the world becomes ripe in iniquity, the judgments of God will be
poured
out in great measure upon the wicked of the earth. Our only hope
of
heavenly protection is in establishing righteousness and
humility in
the hearts of men everywhere. The Lord has promised that he
shall have
power over his saints and shall reign in their midst. It takes
real
courage and purpose to live a saintly life." - Delbert L.
Stapley, "Our
Responsibility:
To Save the World,"
Ensign (CR), December 1971, p.94
12/6/06
"Live to be worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. If
you have
its spiritual influence, it will bring conviction into your
hearts. It
will build testimony and create in you a desire to love the
Lord. You
will manifest that love by keeping his laws and commandments and
serving him. The Holy Spirit will testify to the truth of these
teachings and you will know, as the apostle Paul knew, that the
gospel
of Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation. (See
Rom. 1:16.)"
- Delbert L. Stapley, "The
Path
to Eternal Glory," Ensign
(CR), July 1973, p.99
2/21/07
"The present-day world is threatened by agencies of destruction.
Darkness of mind, hearts shaken by impulses of selfishness, the
prevalence of error, evil, ignorance of that which is the right
and the
wrong, corruption, sin, and wickedness, all these and more, now,
as in
the historic past, constitute the means by which human society
could
destroy itself. That such may not come to pass is the ardent
hope of
all who seek righteousness as their way of life. Their seeking
will not
be in vain if they turn to '...the kingdom of God and his
righteousness...' (Matt.
6:33.) for a realization of
their aspirations. All that the kingdom represents is opposed to
the
destructive forces which I have enumerated. The righteous, we
are told,
will inherit the earth. That condition will only be attained
when the
kingdom of God, through its saving power will triumph over evil
and
wickedness." - Delbert L. Stapley, Conference Report, April
1964,
Afternoon Meeting, p.136
3/23/07
"Parents should build comradeship and love in the home and
eliminate
strained relations to insure stability and security of home life
for
children. In dealing with children there should always be love
and
kindness, yet firmness, when setting up controls and rules of
conduct.
"Youth, if properly taught, for the most part expect and desire
restrictions to guide them in social activities and dates.
Safeguards
and protective counsel are necessary to fortify them against
familiarities and intimacies that lead to sin.
"What appears to youth as fun, excitement, or glamour may
present
lurking dangers. If parents enjoy the confidence of their
children and
know what their plans are, they will then be able to see the
hidden
perils before them and from the experience of parenthood give
protective guidance and counsel to help control their emotions
and to
safeguard virtue and honor, so essential to youth for a happy
and
satisfying life." - Delbert L. Stapley, Conference Report,
October
1956, Afternoon Meeting, p.121-122
8/6/07
"We marvel at the numerous and varied discoveries that are
achieved in
the laboratories of industry, in universities of learning, and
through
private research. If man would concentrate the same degree of
research
in the laboratory of his soul, he would discover life's
purpose and
God's way to attain eternal life. This should be man's
greatest and
most important goal." - Delbert
L. Stapley, "Conference Report," October 1966, Third
Day—Morning Meeting, p.112
9/17/07
"Men who by search and research discover the truths of the
kingdom of
heaven may have to abandon many of their cherished
traditions and even
their theories of imperfect philosophy and science if they
would
possess the pearl of great price, God's kingdom which, with
its
standards, principles, ideals, and holy ordinances is the
gospel plan
of life, salvation, exaltation, and glory." - Delbert
L. Stapley, "Conference Report," October 1965, First
Day—Morning Meeting, p.13
3/26/09
"Perhaps in Church
assemblies
today we do not
stress sufficiently the importance of gospel covenants and the
Saints'
obligation to them. It is our duty to learn and understand the
sacred
and binding nature of the covenants we accept at baptism and
the
covenants and obligations associated with all other ordinances
of the
gospel found along that narrow path which leads to life
eternal." - Delbert L. Stapley,
"Conference Report,"
April 1959, Afternoon Meeting, p.108
5/1/09
“What
should
men and women look
for to distinguish the kingdom of heaven, the goodly pearl,
from all
other churches? There are many facets to this goodly pearl. …
“… covenants: (1) The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is a covenant between God and his people. (2) When baptized by an authorized servant of God, we covenant to do God's will and to obey his commandments. (3) By partaking of the Sacrament we renew all covenants entered into with the Lord and pledge ourselves to take upon us the name of his Son, to always remember him and keep his commandments. (4) There is an oath and covenant which belongs to the priesthood wherein men receiving this holy power pledge themselves faithfully to keep all the commandments of God and to magnify their callings in the priesthood, which is God's gift of his power and authority unto them. (5) In connection with all ordinances pertaining to the temples of our God, men and women accept covenants and obligations which relate to the endowment and to the eternity of the marriage and family relationship. All these doctrines and more are necessary and vital to the salvation, exaltation and eternal happiness of God's children.” - Delbert L. Stapley, “Conference Report,” October 1965, First Day—Morning Meeting, p.14
5/8/09
"We cannot mix evil with good and attain the
eternal mansions of our Heavenly Father.
Our duty is to constantly do the works of righteousness. The
Lord has
said that light and truth, which is the word of God, forsake
the evil
one. (See
D&C
93:37.) Without light and truth
in our lives, we are subject to the powers of Satan." -
Delbert L.
Stapley, “The Path to Eternal Life,” Ensign (CR),
January 1974, p. 42
6/14/09
“No man, following the example and
dedication of the Christ, should become ashamed or afraid of
his true
Christian status and lack courage and strength, in the face of
opposition or the taunting of men, to remain true, firm, and
steadfast
to his conviction of what is right in the sight of God. This
life is a
probationary state wherein men and women are tried and proven
in the
crucible of mortal existence.” - Delbert
L.
Stapley, “Conference
Report,” April 1966, First Day—Morning Meeting, p.
26
8/19/09
“The
natural inclination of man is to rely solely upon himself and
to ignore
the purpose of his existence as well as his relationship to
God who is
his spiritual father. If man will recognize his divine origin,
he will
then realize his Heavenly Father will not leave him alone to
grope in
darkness of mind and spirit, but will make available a power
to
influence him in right paths and into standards of good
behavior. The
Holy Ghost is that power.” - Delbert
L. Stapley, “Conference Report,” October 1966,
Third Day–Morning Meeting, p. 114
4/5/10
"Although we would not want it otherwise, there is so much
knowledge
present in the world today; and tomorrow and each succeeding
day
thereafter discovery, invention, and knowledge will continue
to
increase and become so conveniently available that mental
development
and learning will come earlier and earlier in the life of
youth. With
it, unless youth is well grounded in the faith, will come
worldly
sophistication and material pursuits and pleasures. Without
maturity of
feelings and judgment, wrong roads and attitudes can be easily
taken
that would impair the promise to them of a rich, useful, and
happy
life." - Delbert L. Stapley, “Conference Report,”
October 1956, Afternoon Meeting, p. 121
7/13/10
"The Church provides every opportunity for us to use our
God-given
talents, gifts, and powers. However we must learn obedience to
authority and to keep all the commandments of God." - Delbert
L. Stapley, "Conference Report," April 1952, Second
Day-Morning Meeting, p. 49
"If the tender, profound, and sympathizing love practiced and recommended by Jesus were paramount in every heart, the loftiest and most glorious ideals of human society would be realized and little would be wanting to make this world a kingdom of heaven. Love is indeed heaven upon the earth, since heaven above would not be heaven without it." - Delbert L. Stapley, "Conference Report," October 1970, Afternoon Meeting, p. 44
7/23/11
"The
Lord has counseled his people to pray over their flocks and
herds, which applies to every man's interests. If we faithfully
live the gospel and honor the Holy Priesthood of God, we have a
right and claim upon him for his blessings and the inspiration
to guide us in making proper decisions for the conduct of our
businesses in this period of economic uncertainty. There are
serious rough spots ahead, flashing warning lights of caution
that Latter-day Saints cannot ignore. … Business and markets are
sensitive to any change in world conditions. We must recognize
the signs of the times as indicated by prophecy and have vision
and wise understanding of national and world trends to safeguard
our interests and thus strengthen the cause of Zion, even as
Joseph of old so wisely planned and prepared against the days of
famine and adversity, and thus became a great benefactor to the
Egyptians and his father's family. We need all th help that
faith, prayer, and inspiration can give." - Delbert
L. Stapley, "Conference Report," April 1953, Third Day-Morning
Meeting, p.119
