Prophets, Principles and National Survival
Compiled by Jerreld L. Newquist
Synopsis: Published in 1964, this book is a 500+ page compilation of the teachings of the prophets on various (and numerous) political issues and concerns, ranging from "A Need for Unity in Upholding Constitution" to "Supreme Court - Not Revered Above Constitution" to "Today's Liberal" to "The Only Answer - The Free Market" to "Full Economic Freedom" to "Property Rights Essential to Liberty" to "Unconstitutional Taxation" to "Government Plunder" to "Child Labor Laws" to "Minimum Wage" to "Foreign Aid - A Subversive Plot?" to "U.N. - Communist Dominated" and many, many more topics.
Strong Points: This book is an invaluable resource. It provides the great service of compiling the teachings of the prophets, up to 1964, on a wide range of political issues. It stands as a ready resource to answer the follies of liberal Mormons who would tow the line of the political left. The book is also impressive in its range of prophets quoted from: Not just the expected - Ezra Taft Benson, J. Reuben Clark, David O. McKay - but also many less heard from on the matters - Mark E. Petersen, Albert E. Bowen, Stephen L. Richards, John Taylor, etc., etc. In addition to this, the book contains many footnotes with quotes from Founding Fathers, as well as J. Edgar Hoover, and the great lights of the Austrian school of economics such as Ludwig von Mises and Friedrich A. Hayek, which elaborate and add to the principles discussed in the main text. This compilation is one of the most useful and important works available to lovers of freedom and the Gospel.
Weak Points: The book is now out of print and therefore is difficult to obtain. Also, it was compiled back in 1964, and there were other valuable additions that could have been made to the book since that time, which of course are missing.
Interesting: 4.9/5
Must Read: 4.9/5
Overall: 5/5
Selected Quote: "I am saying to you that to me the Constitution of the United States of America is just as much from my Heavenly Father as the Ten Commandments. When that is my feeling, I am not going to go very far away from the Constitution, and I am going to try to keep it where the Lord started it...." (President George Albert Smith, p. 74).