Every man Quote by Wilford Woodruff
““When we read any portion of Scripture, which did not agree with our traditions, every man had his own system of spiritualizing, to make it bend to his own views. Instead of this, we have now learned that God means what He says, and says what He means. . . . When He gives to us revelations of the greatest moment to us, will He not set forth His mind and will in their true meaning, as He intends they shall be fulfilled, and as He intends we shall understand them? The Latter-day Saints as a people have learned to take God at His word.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: General Conference Address, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1905
The quote stresses that scripture should be taken at its plain meaning rather than twisted to fit personal traditions; true understanding comes from accepting God’s words as they are.
In simple terms: Take scripture at face value, not as a tool for personal bias.
Accept divine revelation directly.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal study
- teaching
- church meetings
- family discussions
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you discern literal meaning from cultural context?
- What role should tradition play in understanding scripture?
It may overlook the value of thoughtful interpretation in complex passages.