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Journal of Discourses

Wilford Woodruff in the Journal of Discourses

All 65 of his sermons, 1855 to 1885 — what he returned to, and where each one is printed.

Updated

Fourth president of the church, who issued the 1890 Manifesto ending the public practice of plural marriage. He kept a near-daily journal for sixty-five years.

65 sermons by Wilford Woodruff appear in the Journal of Discourses — 4.6% of the whole series — printed across 22 volumes, 1855 to 1885. That makes him the 7th most-printed speaker in the Journal.

Sermons by Wilford Woodruff, per volume
2 — 1 sermons23 — 0 sermons4 — 5 sermons45 — 3 sermons6 — 2 sermons67 — 1 sermons8 — 2 sermons89 — 4 sermons10 — 2 sermons1011 — 3 sermons12 — 2 sermons1213 — 2 sermons14 — 2 sermons1415 — 4 sermons16 — 2 sermons1617 — 3 sermons18 — 5 sermons1819 — 4 sermons20 — 0 sermons2021 — 5 sermons22 — 7 sermons72223 — 3 sermons24 — 2 sermons2425 — 1 sermons25

In his own words

The tables below say what Wilford Woodruff preached about. This is what it sounded like.

I thank God I live in this day and age of the world. I thank God that I heard the Gospel. I thank the Lord I have been made partaker of the holy priesthood in connection with the Gospel, and all the fears I have had have been about myself and friends. I never had any fears about the kingdom of God. I do not have any today. I realize and understand, as well as I know any thing, that this kingdom is ordained to stand. It will grow and increase. Zion will arise and put on her beautiful garments. The only fears that I have are with regard to myself, my family, my wives and my children. We are surrounded with temptations which have a tendency to lead us away. We have got to guard against them; we have got to increase our faith and live nearer and nearer to the Lord.

Wilford Woodruff, Duties and Responsibilities of the Priesthood and Saints Generally—Zion Shall not Be Overcome—The Wicked Shall Slay the Wicked—The End Near, Journal of Discourses, Volume 21

What he returned to

Every speaker in the Journal preaches on faith, repentance and the gathering. These are the subjects Wilford Woodruff raised more often than the Journal does as a whole — the ones that distinguish his preaching from the rest of the series.

Subjects raised more often than the Journal average
SubjectSermonsShare of his sermonsvs. Journal average
Signs of the Times46%8.8×
Redemption of the Dead711%7.0×
Patriarchal Marriage35%6.6×
Ezekiel35%6.0×
Inspiration58%5.8×
Jews812%5.5×
Last Days812%5.2×
Ephraim46%5.2×

Subject tags are generated by a language model reading each sermon. The comparison is against the rate for all 1,426 sermons in the Journal, so a figure of 3× means the subject appears three times as often in his sermons as in the series overall.

Every sermon, in order

The complete list as the Journal prints them. Titles are the printed titles, which routinely name four or five unrelated subjects in one line — each one links to the discourse itself at journalofdiscourses.com.

VolumeYearTitle
Volume 21855The Church and Kingdom of God, and the Churches and Kingdoms of Men
Volume 41857The Facilities Afforded By the Handcart Movement for the Gathering of Israel—The Saints Specially Opposed By the Devil in Any New Enterprise—Reformation
Volume 41857The People Asleep—Those Holding the Priesthood Must Magnify Their Callings or Be Removed—The Saints to Be Tried Even Unto Death
Volume 41857Necessity of Obeying the Instructions and Revelations Given—The Importance of Obtaining the Holy Ghost—The Labors of the Saints Are for Their Own Salvation, and not to Enrich the Lord
Volume 41857Intelligence Comes From God—Seek First the Kingdom of God—Great Changes to Take Place on the Earth—Israel of the Last Days—Why the Jews Cannot Be Converted
Volume 41857The Latter-Day Work—Necessity of An Inspired Leader to Stand at the Head of Israel, Etc., and to Dictate in Spiritual and Temporal Affairs
Volume 51858Inspiration and Teachings of the Spirit
Volume 51858Necessity of Adhering to the Priesthood in Preference to Science and Art
Volume 51858Blessings—Trials—Obedience to Counsel, Etc
Volume 61859Blessings of the Saints—Condemnatory State and Conduct of the Christian World, Etc
Volume 61859Blessings of the Saints, Etc
Volume 71860Early Events of the Church, Etc
Volume 81861Testimony of the Spirit of Truth—Effects that Followed the Gospel Anciently and that Follow It Now, &c
Volume 81861Blessings of the Saints—Training of Children
Volume 91862Blessings Enjoyed By the Saints
Volume 91862Privileges of the Saints, &c
Volume 91862Preaching the Gospel to, and Helping the Lamanites—Obedience to Counsel
Volume 91862Necessity of the Living Oracles Among the Saints—Exhortation to Obedience to Counsel
Volume 101865Fulfilment of Prophecy—Power of the Gospel—Consistency of Its Principles
Volume 101865Inspiration Necessary for the Preaching of the Gospel—Value of Our Present Life, Etc
Volume 111867Influence of the Moral Law—Degeneracy of Mankind—Blessings to Be Gained By Keeping the Commandments of God—Nations Will Be Punished for Their Iniquity—Necessity of the Saints Living Their Religion
Volume 111867The Priesthood Ancient and Modern—God's Dealings With the Children of Men in Every Age—Final Triumph of His Kingdom
Volume 111867Necessity of Unity in Faith and Practice
Volume 121869The Pleasure and Trials of Missionary Labors—Improvement in the South—Every Gospel Principle Righteous and Essential
Volume 121869The Gospel of Jesus Christ—Essential to Abide Its Laws
Volume 131871The Holy Ghost—Laboring in Faith—The Kingdom of God—Patriarchal Marriage
Volume 131871On the Death of Elder Ezra T. Benson
Volume 141872Eventful Times
Volume 141872The Work of God—Authority of President Young—Keeping the Commandments of God
Volume 151873His Testimony—The Fulfilling of Prophecy—Advice to Mothers
Volume 151873Comprehensiveness of the Latter-day Work
Volume 151873The Signs of the Coming of the Son of Man—The Saints' Duties
Volume 151873His Acquaintance With the Deceased—Incidents in the Latter's Life Since He Joined the Church
Volume 161874Home Manufacture—Offenses Must Needs Come—Zion is Growing in Importance on the Earth—The Kingdom of God is Now Established—Second Coming of Christ—Unpopularity of Our Religion—The Holy Ghost is the Infallible Testimony to the Believer—The Gospel Embraces All Truth
Volume 161874Unchangeableness of the Gospel—God Has Chosen the Weak Things of the World to Confound the Wise—Prophecies Relating to the Latter-Day Work—Joseph Smith's Ministry—Zion to Be Built Up—Baptism for the Dead—The Order of Enoch—Babylonish Fashions
Volume 171875Union is Strength—United Order Will Bring About Temporal Salvation—The Time Has Come to Favor Zion—The Judgments of God Are at the Door of This Generation
Volume 171875The Gospel of Christ Unpopular in Every Age of the World—We Have to Live By Faith—God Has Decreed that His Kingdom Will Be Established—The Priesthood Conferred Upon Joseph Smith By Holy Angels—All Blessings to Be Obtained From the God the Saints Worship
Volume 171875Saints Are Chosen—Eternal Life Worth More Than All Things Else—Works Must Correspond With Faith—Prayer to God a Duty
Volume 181877Little Children Are Innocent, and All Will Be Saved—God, a Personage of Tabernacle—The Life of the Savior, a Life of Suffering—Second Coming of Christ
Volume 181877Parable of the Ten Virgins—Importance of the Last Dispensation—Responsibilities Resting Upon the Elders—Judgments at the Door—The Lamanites—Home Manufactures—Laying Up Wheat
Volume 181877The Resurrection—Laying the Cornerstone of the Temple in Jackson County—Mission of the Twelve Apostles—Baptism of Nearly Six Hundred of the "United Brethren"—The Saints Hold the Keys of Salvation for All Israel—Judgments Await the Wicked—Folly of the Fashions
Volume 181877Infidelity of the Christian World—Duties and Responsibilities of the Saints—Necessity of a Temple, and Works in Behalf of the Dead
Volume 181877Simplicity and Unchangeableness of the Gospel—It Must Be Preached in All the World Before the Savior Comes—Duties and Responsibilities of the Saints
Volume 191878The Work Progressing—Prophecy Fulfilled—We Shall All Obey the Law of Death
Volume 191878Not Ashamed of the Gospel—Thirty Years Progress in the Mountains—The Gospel Unchangeable—Joseph Inspired—President Young's Work—Work of the Twelve—Labors in St. George Temple—Gathering of the Spirits of the Dead
Volume 191878The Blessings Realized By the Saints—Men Die, But Their Works Remain—a Day of Infidelity—the Coming Glory of Zion—Temple Building Again—Blessing at St. George
Volume 191878Faith—Fulfillment of Prophecy—Restoration of the Gospel—Priesthood
Volume 211881No Man Can Build Up the Church of Christ Without the Priesthood—Responsibility of the Priesthood—Christ Coming in this Generation—Great Changes and Judgments Approaching—Exhortation to Righteousness
Volume 211881Duties and Responsibilities of the Priesthood and Saints Generally—Zion Shall not Be Overcome—The Wicked Shall Slay the Wicked—The End Near
Volume 211881Responsibilities of the Priesthood—Exhortation to Faithfulness, Etc
Volume 211881Revelation, Prophesying, Predictions of the Servants of God, Etc
Volume 211881Organization of the First Presidency—Responsibility of the Saints, Etc
Volume 221882The Saints Have Cause to Rejoice—Their Labors and Future
Volume 221882The Object of Assembling Together—The Sacrament, Etc
Volume 221882The Responsibility to Preach the Gospel, Etc
Volume 221882The Work of the Saints in this Generation, Etc
Volume 221882The Channels of Communication From God to Man—Dreams, Visions, Etc
Volume 221882Liberty of Conscience—The Unrighteousness of Religious Persecution—Eternal Truths Revealed—Indestructibility of the Principles of the Gospel, Etc
Volume 221882Funeral Discourse
Volume 231883Man's Free Agency—The Gospel Restored—Opposition to God's Work—Increase of Wickedness—The World Warned of Retribution—The Saints Exhorted to Righteousness
Volume 231883Liberty of Conscience—Man Accountable to God—The Fall of Adam and Eve Preordained—Redemption and Resurrection—The Gospel in Ancient and in Modern Times—Fulfillment of Prophecy—A Falsehood Refuted—Patriarchal Marriage—Its Purity and Its Eternal Purpose
Volume 231883Hardship the Heritage of the Saints—The Necessity of Trial Forgiveness of Enemies—Inspired Dreams, "Get the Spirit of God"—The Great Work Expected of the Saints—Labors Among the Lamanites
Volume 241884Importance of the Work of God—"The Kingdom of God or Nothing"—Apparent Insignificance of the Church at First—Its Growth—Ancient Men of God—Personal Reminiscence—What is Required of the Saints—How Joseph Smith's Prayers Were Answered
Volume 241884Object of Meeting Together—Our Dependence Upon the Spirit of the Lord—Certain Rights Which Belong to All Mankind—Unpopularity of God's Servants in All Ages of the World—A Man Must Be Born Again Before He Can Understand the Things of God—The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints—The Gospel the Same in All Dispensations—How the Gospel Was Restored—The Gift of the Holy Ghost—Utah Built Up By the Power of God—Joseph Smith Received All
Volume 251885"Truth is Mighty and Will Prevail"—Introduction of the Principles of Eternal Truth—Fulfillment of Prophecy in Our Own Time—Principles of the Gospel Worthy of Consideration—Their Unpopularity—Peculiar Position of the Latter-Day Saints—The Kingdom of God Predicted By the Prophets—Joseph Smith—No Power Can Stay the Hand of Almighty—The Gospel of Christ is the Law of Salvation—Persecution—Polygamy—Treat Our Fellow Men

Ask MormonGPT about Wilford Woodruff

All 65 of his sermons are indexed in full. Every answer cites the volume and discourse it came from.

What did Wilford Woodruff teach about Signs of the Times? What did Wilford Woodruff teach about Redemption of the Dead? What did Wilford Woodruff teach about Patriarchal Marriage? What is Wilford Woodruff best known for saying in the Journal of Discourses?

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