Saturday, September 5, 2009

a child can tell the truth

The idea generally prevails in Christian countries that it requires men to be qualified, and learned, and eloquent, to stand before the people and act as religious teachers. I will give you the reason why this is so. When a false theory has to be maintained, it requires to be set forth with much care; it requires study, and learning, and cunning sophistry to guild over a falsehood and give it the semblance of truth, and make it plausible and congenial to the feelings of the people; but the most simple and unlearned person can tell the truth. A child can tell the truth… Education is a good thing, and blessed is the man who has it, and can use it for the dissemination of the gospel without being puffed up with pride. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty… that no flesh should glory in His presence.


Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. XI., p. 214 as quoted in Doctrine and Covenants Commentary by Hyrum M. Smith and Janne M. Sjodahl. Deseret Book. 1965. p.192, 193

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