Stephen Palmer, from God’s Laws of Finance sent this link on Sunday. Its a great talk from Brigham Young from 1863, where he talks about tithing and how money affects us. Here’s a snippet:
“I could have made this whole people rich long ago if I had possessed their confidence, as I should, but if I had made them rich, through the blessings of the Lord, I expect it would have destroyed them.”
Have a read through the talk – time really hasn’t changed the way to think about money has it?
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I don’t get it. Is he saying that his method of making the people rich was based upon Babylonian principles? Thus, they would have become rich but destroyed their souls? Or, is he saying that his method of making the people rich was based upon Zion principles, having all things common. Thus, the Lord would have blessed them and there would have been no rich or poor among them, they partaking of the heavenly gift? If the latter, how exactly does this destroy one’s soul? I’m not understanding how “the blessings of the Lord” destroys a people. If they are receiving blessings of the Lord, does this not mean they are engaging in righteous behavior? If they are prospered in the land, does this not mean that they are creating Zion, having all things in common? What exactly is brother Brigham talking about?
I believe he’s referring to examples evident both in the Book or Mormon and modern times that the Lord blesses us for righteous living by prospering in the land, but all too often we cannot endure the riches well. The riches (blessings of the Lord) often cause us to loose sight of our righteousness, lose our dependence on the Lord, take strength in the arm of flesh – and thus lose the blessings on the Lord and our souls end up destroyed. Its the Pride Cycle that Pres Benson so eloquently described. (humble -> righteous -> blessings -> pride -> downfall -> repeat).