Righteousness Exalteth a Nation
Douglas E. Brinley
Education Conference ·
June 06, 2009
Douglas E. Brinley, whose book credits include “America's Hope: Why
Every Other Civilization Has Failed and What We Can Do to Save This
One,” focused his remarks on a concept from an Old Testament verse:
Righteousness exalteth a nation (Prov. 14:34).
He outlined the four groups who have lived on the American continent, which is a land of promise:
1. The Antediluvians, or all those who lived before the time of Noah,
2. The Jaredites,
3. The Lehites/Mulekites, and
4. Gentiles/Latter-day Christians
The Lord’s stipulations for this land can be reduced to this, he said: serve God or be swept off.
“For
behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore
he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it
is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of
iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off”
(Ether 2:10).
Citing scriptures from the Book of Mormon and the
Doctrine and Covenants that foretell destruction if the inhabitants of
this land do not repent and if they cast the righteous out from among
them, Brinley said that Latter-day Saints have a responsibility to know
what is going on in politics and in the government and to stand up for
what is right.
He quoted President Ezra Taft Benson, who said,
“This nation will, in a measure at least, fulfill its mission even
though it may face serious and troublesome days. The degree to which it
achieves its full mission depends upon the righteousness of its people.”
“We
know that the final dispensation will not end in defeat,” Brinley said.
“We must be great students of the Book of Mormon that we may be
Latter-day Saints.”