These words echo with a familiar sound in the post-Constitutional era. “Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in bondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood” (D&C 101:79–80). The Restoration of the gospel in our day was made possible because the Lord established a framework in which agency played a central role and equality enabled the promulgation of eternal principles. Brigham Young said, “I am for the kingdom of God. I like a good government, and then I like to have it wisely and justly administered. The government of heaven, if wickedly administered, would become one of the worst governments upon the face of the earth. No matter how good a government is, unless it is administered by righteous men, an evil government will be made of it” (Discourses of Brigham Young, comp. John A. Widtsoe [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1954], 147).
Joseph Fielding Smith makes the case for learning from the past. He stated: “As were the ancient inhabitants, so we are under commandment to make our government conform to the righteous principles of the government of God” (The Progress of Man [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1964], 261).
President Smith also cites the testimony of Calvin Coolidge that good government has spiritual principles at its core:
I have here something that is just as good as scripture, written by President Calvin Coolidge; I am going to read it to you: “Our government rests upon religion. It is from that source that we derive our reverence for truth and justice, for equality and liberality, and for the rights of mankind. Unless the people believe in these principles they cannot believe in our government. There are only two main theories of government in the world. One rests on righteousness and the other on force. One appeals to reason, and the other appeals to the sword. One is exemplified in the republic, the other is represented by a despotism.
“The government of a country never gets ahead of the religion of a country. There is no way by which we can substitute the authority of law for the virtue of man. Of course we endeavor to restrain the vicious, and furnish a fair degree of security and protection by legislation and police control, but the real reform which society in these days is seeking will come as a result of our religious convictions, or they will not come at all. Peace, justice, humanity, charity—these cannot be legislated into being. They are the result of divine grace.”
Well, words like that, I believe, are spoken by inspiration. This is a warning to the people of this nation, coming from a former president of the United States. It is in full harmony with the word of the Lord in the Book of Ether in the Book of Mormon, in regard to this land. We cannot get away from the God of this land, without dire consequences following. (Doctrines of Salvation, 3 vols., ed. Bruce R. McConkie [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–1956], 3:317)