Forgive before Repentenace and Heavenly Father Will Be Equally as Merciful to You — Willard Richards (July 2, 1839)
Ever keep in exercise the principle of mercy and be ready to forgive our brother on the first intimations of repentance & asking forgiveness & should we even forgive our brother or even our enemy before they repent or ask forgiveness our heavenly father would be equally as merciful unto us.
Discourse, 2 July 1839, as Reported by Willard Richards, p. 11, The Joseph Smith Papers.
Righteousness Defined as Being Just & Merciful — Howard Coray (May 21, 1843)
Righteousness is not that which men esteem holiness. That which the world call righteousness I have not any regard for. To be righteous is to be just and merciful. If a man fails in kindness justice and mercy he will be damed for many will say in that day Lord. have we not Prophesied in thy name and in thy name done many wonderful works but he will say unto them ye workers of iniquity &c
Discourse, 21 May 1843, as Reported by Howard Coray, pp. 37-38, The Joseph Smith Papers.
Show Mercy Toward Enemies, but Defend Your Rights — Wilford Woodruff (December 18, 1843)
President Smith made an eloquent speech upon the subject manifested mercy towards his enemies when they were in his power but he lifted up his hands towards heaven & declaired that if Missouri Came against us any more he would fight them & defend his rights.
“Journal (January 1, 1843 – December 31, 1844),” December 18, 1843 – December 22, 1843, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed August 28, 2023, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/Gk7
