Elder Parley P. Pratt preached in the Council House on Government. He showed that no human government ever had the power to originate or establish a system of true religion; but, that a true religion contained within itself the germs of all true government that intelligent beings could reasonably desire in the heavens or on the earth. His illustrations were exceedingly forcible and in a clear and able manner. He brought the sacred scriptures and ancient history, under contribution to demonstrate the position he advanced.
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dec. 5, 1852, 1]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, July 2006]