D&C 104

As mentioned in the previous blog, the united order is the law of consecration and stewardship. The Lord said -

"I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine.
15 And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 104:14 - 15)

Everything we possess or believe we own are all gifts by His providence. And -

"...it is expedient that I, the Lord, should make every man accountable, as a steward over earthly blessings, which I have made and prepared for my creatures." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 104:13)

President J. Reuben Clark Jr. stated -

"The basic principle of all the revelations on the United Order is that everything we have belongs to the Lord; therefore, the Lord may call upon us for any and all of the property which we have, because it belongs to him. This, I repeat, is the basic principle." (Church News, 1 Sept. 1945, p. 4.)

President Spencer W. Kimball explained -

"In the Church a stewardship is a sacred spiritual or temporal trust for which there is accountability. Because all things belong to the Lord, we are stewards over our bodies, minds, families, and properties. (See D&C 104:11–15.) A faithful steward is one who exercises righteous dominion, cares for his own, and looks to the poor and needy. (See D&C 104:15–18.)

These principles govern welfare services activities. May we all learn, obey, and teach these principles. Leaders, teach them to your members; fathers, teach them to your families. Only as we apply these truths can we approach the ideal of Zion." (In Conference Report, Oct. 1977, pp. 124–25; or Ensign, Nov. 1977, p. 78).

And this -

"...must needs be done in mine own way; and behold this is the way that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints, that the poor shall be exalted, in that the rich are made low." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 104:16)

President Lee explained the concept of rich and poor -

"the poor shall be exalted” and “the rich . . . made low...When I tell you that the poor shall be exalted, the definition we followed is, ‘to be lifted up to pride and joy to success.’ That is the definition we followed, and the rich being made low isn’t communistic, it isn’t socialistic. It means that those who have leadership, who have skills, who have means, that are willing to contribute, we put that strong man to work with the one who is in need, and we go to work on their problems." (Church News, 8 July 1961, p. 15.)

I conclude with N. Eldon Tanner's testimony -

"...I know of no situation where happiness and peace of mind have increased with the amassing of property beyond the reasonable wants and needs of the family." (In Conference Report, Oct. 1979, p. 120; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, pp. 81–82.)