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Journal of Discourses · 1881
Journal of Discourses, Volume 21
41 sermons by 9 speakers, published in 1881. The full contents, and what the volume is about.
Updated 2026-08-21
Volume 21 of the Journal of Discourses was published in 1881 and prints 41 sermons by 9 speakers. The volume that follows the Reynolds decision, in which the Supreme Court upheld the federal ban on plural marriage.
John Taylor dominates it with 13 of the 41 sermons, followed by Orson Pratt with 10.
A passage from this volume The contents below list everything printed in it. This is what it sounded like.
Mormonism, in a sense, is opposed to formality. All that there is associated with it is meant for use, and there are results expected to accrue from all the practices of the Church that have been established by revelation, and everything is intended to aid in the great work which we call salvation. To be sure, that is a very common word, it is a word that we are all familiar with, it is something that we have heard from the time that we were children, from the time that we went to Sabbath school, and before we went there, and after we attained to youth and manhood. But in the light of the Gospel how narrow and contracted and how offensive the word in its sectarian sense becomes to us, so much so that many of us scarcely like to use it; we would prefer to use another expression which more thoroughly carries with it all the ideas associated with the reception and practice of the Gospel.
Henry W. Naisbitt, Salvation Dependent Upon Effort and Progress—We Should not Be Discouraged By Difficulty , Journal of Discourses, Volume 21 Who preaches in it
Subjects What this volume returns to, by how many of its sermons carry each subject: Holy Ghost (26), Zion (22), Book of Mormon (17), Gathering of Israel (16), Priesthood (16), Baptism (16), Jesus Christ (13), Melchizedek Priesthood (13), Revelation (12), Resurrection (11), Temples (11), Apostasy (10).
Contents Every discourse in the volume, in printed order. The titles are the Journal's own — a single discourse routinely lists four or five unrelated subjects — and each links to the discourse itself at journalofdiscourses.com.
No. Title Speaker
1 The Object of the Gathering of the Saints—Conflict Between the Powers of God and Evil—The World Growing Worse—Work of God Progressing—Exhortation to Righteousness and the Spirit of Union John Taylor 2 Law of Celestial Marriage—The Resurrection and Judgment—Extent of the Mission of the Savior Joseph F. Smith 3 A Funeral Sermon By President John Taylor, Preached Over the Remains of Joseph M. Cain, Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Cain John Taylor 4 Rest Signifies Change—Time As Related to Eternity—Wonderful Mechanism of the Human Body—Integrity in the Face of Opposition Erastus Snow 5 All Temporal Concerns Need the Attention of the Saints—We Should Prepare for the Evils Coming Upon the Earth—Cooperation and the United Order—Functions of the Two Priesthoods—Home Manufactures John Taylor 6 Salvation Dependent Upon Effort and Progress—We Should not Be Discouraged By Difficulty Henry W. Naisbitt 7 The Word of the Lord to the Church Given Through the Authorities—Authorities Should Be Sustained—Powers of the Priesthood—Sphere of Woman Charles W. Penrose 8 Cooperation and the United Order—The Saints Should Be Governed By the Law and Will of God—The Approaching Calamities Upon the World—Should Be Willing to Forsake Earthly Interests for the Gospel's Sake John Taylor 9 Comprehensiveness of the Lord's Prayer—The Rule and Government of God—The Revelation of the Father and Son to Joseph Smith, and the Bestowal Upon Him of the Priesthood—Development of Theocratic Laws and Principles—Object of Gathering—Religious Freedom—Our Relations With the General Government John Taylor 10 Spiritual Gifts Attainable—Unchangeableness of God—Universality of the Right to Revelation—The Saints Glorify the God of Revelation—Necessity of Self-Government George Q. Cannon 11 Insufficiency of Mere Belief in Christ—Extent and Application of the Atonement—Necessity of Divine Authority to Enable Man to Administer the Gospel—Joseph Smith Called of God Charles W. Penrose 12 Effects of the Preaching of the Gospel—Object of the Gathering—Manifestations of the Ancients to Joseph Smith—The Gospel to Departed Spirits—Duties of the Saints to Each Other—The Kind of Men Wanted to Go on Missions John Taylor 13 The Principle of Revelation and Its Application to the Several Phases of Life—How the Brotherhood of Man Shall Be Evolved Henry W. Naisbitt 14 Eternal Nature of the Gospel—The Principle of Life and Increase—The Source of All Intelligence—Right of the Creator to Govern the Creature—Duties of the Saints John Taylor 15 No 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 Wilford Woodruff 16 On the Book of Mormon—Destiny of the Kingdom of God and the Saints Orson Pratt 17 Difference Between the Latter-Day Saints and All Other Professing Christians Charles W. Penrose 18 Progress of the Saints to Union in Faith and Practice—The United Order Orson Pratt 19 How a Knowledge of God is Obtained—The Gospel to the Dead—Various Dispensations of the Most High to Mankind—Power of the Priesthood—Restoration of the Gospel Through Joseph Smith—Failings of the Saints—Corruptions of the Wicked John Taylor 20 The Book of Mormon An Authentic Record Orson Pratt 21 Southern States Mission John Morgan 22 Duties and Responsibilities of the Priesthood and Saints Generally—Zion Shall not Be Overcome—The Wicked Shall Slay the Wicked—The End Near Wilford Woodruff 23 Pre-Existence, in Spiritual Form, of Man, the Lower Animals and the Earth—The Temporal Probationary State—The Millennium—The Final Change Orson Pratt 24 Sustaining the Authorities—Power of the Priesthood—Faithfulness Required, Etc John Taylor 25 The Inspiration of the Lord's Servants—Revelation—The Resurrection, Etc Charles W. Penrose 26 Man to Be Judged By Law—A Law Given to All Things—The Law of Gravitation—How It Varies By Distance—Law of Projection—Law of Elliptic Forms, Having the Same Length of Year—Law of Orbital Velocity—Its Variations Depending on Distance—Wise Adaptation—Intelligent Selections of Law—Laws of Nature Counteracted Orson Pratt 27 The Great Principles of Truth As Taught By Revelation to the Ancients, and Also to the Saints in Our Day John Taylor 28 The Power of God to Communicate Intelligence—Difference in Capacity Between the Mortal and the Immortal—The Future of Man, Etc Orson Pratt 29 Natural Fulfillment of Prophecy—The Israelites and the Gentiles George Q. Cannon 30 The Gathering of the Saints—Their Sufferings—Ancient Predictions Fulfilled—Crickets and Their Miraculous Destruction—Crops Saved—Desert Made Fruitful—God's Kingdom in the Mountains—Its Future Destiny—The Coming of the Lord Orson Pratt 31 Responsibilities of the Priesthood—Exhortation to Faithfulness, Etc Wilford Woodruff 32 Visions of Moses—Rebellion in Heaven—Satan Cast Down—Our First Parents Fell—Before the Fall They Were Immortal—After the Fall, Mortal—The Command to Multiply Was Given to Two Immortal Beings—This Command More Fully to Be Carried Into Effect, After the Resurrection, Etc Orson Pratt 33 Revelation, Prophesying, Predictions of the Servants of God, Etc Wilford Woodruff 34 A Double Birthday—The Authority of the Priesthood, Etc Orson Pratt 35 Organization of the First Presidency—Responsibility of the Saints, Etc Wilford Woodruff 36 Introductory Remarks—Heaven and Earth to Pass Away—Not Annihilated—Heaven and Earth not Created From Nothing—Materials Eternal—Materials Under the Dominion of Laws—Central and Orbital Forces—Compound and Elementary Substances—Earth in the Beginning—No Mortality, Then Known, on this Creation—The Fall—The Earth's Baptism in Water—Its Baptism in Fire—Its Baptism By the Spirit—Its Justification—Its Sanctificati Orson Pratt 37 The Increase and Future of the Saints—True Education, Etc Henry W. Naisbitt 38 The Eternities Before the Saints—The Sublimity of the Gospel, Etc John Taylor 39 The Gospel—A Practical and Comprehensive Religion, and the Means of Eternal Exaltation Charles W. Penrose 40 The Order and Duties of the Priesthood, Etc John Taylor 41 Opposition to the Work of God, Etc John Taylor
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