Controversial Sayings

God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret.... It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know... that he was once a man …

I was answered that I must join none of them [the religious sects of the day], for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: 'the…

They have souls, and are subjects of salvation. Go into Cincinnati or any city, and find an educated negro, who rides in his carriage, and you will see a man who has risen by the powers of his own mind to his exalted state of respectability.

Had I anything to do with the negro, I would confine them by strict law to their own species, and put them on a national equalization.

I believe the Bible as it read when it came from the pen of the original writers. Ignorant translators, careless transcribers, or designing and corrupt priests have committed many errors.

For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever; and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people.

And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren...

And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing.

Unless a man receives revelations, he cannot be saved.

There are two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations.

This church, being 'the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased.'

If I had forty wives in the United States, they did not know it, and could not substantiate it, neither did I ask any lawyer, judge, or magistrate for them. I live above the law, and so do this people.

It is the first principle of the Gospel to know for a certainty the Character of God, and to know... that he was once a man like us....

We believe that as we are now God once was, and by the practice of virtue and righteousness, by obedience unto law and authority, He has become what He is, and as He is, man may become, on the same principle.

It is an unchangeable decree of God, that whenever God gives a commandment to a man, if that man will not obey that commandment, he will be damned.

All spirits are pure that come from the presence of God.

I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see.

The simple doctrine of the Christian Godhead, set forth in the New Testament is corrupted by the meaningless jargon of these creeds, and their explanations; and the learned who profess a belief in them are wandering in the darkness of the mysticisms …

And it shall come to pass, after many days, slaves shall rise up against their masters, who shall be marshaled and disciplined for war.

If men do not comprehend the character of God, they do not comprehend themselves.