The Seventy's Course in Theology

Fourth Year

The Atonement

BY B. H. ROBERTS

Of the First Council of the Seventy

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life."—Jesus.

Salt Lake City

1911

Introduction

POINTS OF DIFFERENCE.

The Seventy's Year Book No. IV, differs from the other numbers in two particulars:

First, in that there are no special lessons suggested as in the three previous numbers; nor are there any suggestions as to the manner of treating a subject. In the three preceding numbers of the Year Book suggestions on "discourse building" were made; for gathering the materials, arranging a plan, beginning the discourse, conducting it, and completing it, (see Year Book No. III Lesson XXXI), together with such side suggestions on "clearness" and "strength"—the two great essentials in the expression of thought—as were considered necessary. It is now concluded that the manner of thought expression, so far as our Year Books for the present are concerned, might be allowed to rest there; leaving it to the student to refer to those suggestions—to which the class teachers at need should direct his attention—and to the consultation of such special works as treat exclusively upon the manner of expression to be found in the current text books on composition and rhetoric, used in our high schools, and academies. I would also suggest in this line Pittenger's little work on "Extempore Speech, How to acquire and practice it;" and also the admirable work of Professor Nelson of the Brigham Young University, Provo, on "Preaching and Public Speaking," a new and revised edition of which has been recently issued by the Deseret News Publishing Company.

Second. Instead of giving an Analysis of each lesson followed by unconnected Notes bearing upon the subjects compiled from a wide range of authorities—a method largely followed in the Year Book No. III—the author has written a connected treatise upon the Atonement, and for that reason has substituted the word "Discussion" for the word "Notes" as being more appropriate to the method of treatment. Other than this the general plan of the work is the same as that followed in the previous Year Books.

A PRELIMINARY READING SUGGESTED.

It is suggested to all the classes that the first step in dealing with the present Year Book, should be to require every member to read the entire treatise through. This should be done rapidly, not with the thought that such reading will yield a complete and thorough understanding of, or mastery of the subject, but just to get acquainted somewhat with the spirit of the treatise, the scope of the inquiry, the largeness of it, the majesty and glory of the subject. All which will enable the student to be somewhat conscious, as he seeks to master the separate lessons, of the conclusions to which he is being led. Without such preliminary reading, except where students already have clear views of the Atonement, each lesson will be something of a groping forward without always appreciating to what culmination the movement of the respective lessons is tending.

The preliminary reading need not occupy more than one week. No more time than that should be allowed for it. It is supposed that this Year Book will be completed by the first of January, 1912.

THE THEME OF YEAR BOOK IV.

The doctrine of the Atonement through the expiatory suffering and death of Christ, can only be rightly understood when considered in its relationship to the Intelligences—i. e., men—that are affected by it. Hence this treatise opens with a consideration of Intelligences as related to the Atonement. Necessarily this will involve the restatement of some of the matter of the Seventy's Year Book No. II, dealing with the "Outline History of the Dispensations of the Gospel, Part I—, "Prelude to the Dispensations" where such subjects as "Intelligences and Spirits," "The Relationship of the Intelligences;" "The Purposes of God in Relation to Man;" "The Free Agency of Intelligences," and the like are discussed. But as the present use of the principles there set forth will be different from the former use of them, the repetition necessary to a clear understanding of the great theme to be developed may not be amiss, but, on the contrary, positively helpful to a fuller appreciation of the principles them selves, as well as a right appreciation of the bearing they have upon the subject of the Atonement.

The writer has approached his theme from a new standpoint. Instead of beginning with the work of the Christ when he appeared on earth as the son of Mary, he has begun with those eternal Intelligences that were to be affected by this earth-life, by the "fall" and the "Atonement," and by "Hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised before the world began." (Paul to Titus.) This is followed by consideration of the council in heaven, wherein the order of earth-life for the spirits of men is considered, what shall accrue to them from it; necessarily the fall and plan of man's redemption; the war in heaven, the advent of man on earth; the fall; revelation of the plan for man's salvation; the Atonement in ancient times, through all the ages in fact, and so finally to the consideration of the various elements that enter into the great theme, making up the philosophy of the Atonement.

As to the importance of the subject, need anything be said? It is the very heart of the Gospel from whose pulsations the streams of both spiritual and eternal physical life proceed. It is the fact which gives vitality to all things else in the Gospel. If the Atonement be not a reality then our preaching is vain; our baptisms and confirmations meaningless; the eucharist a mere mummery of words; our hope of eternal life without foundation; we are still in our sins, and we Christian men, of all men, are the most miserable. A theme that affects all this cannot fail of being important. And yet, how our writers upon theology have neglected this subject! Save for the treatise of the late President John Taylor on the "Mediation and Atonement of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," we have no work devoted wholly to the subject. President Taylor's treatise was published twenty-nine years ago (1882); there was but a very limited edition published at the time, and that is not yet sold out! Aside from this treatise—and even that is quite limited in its scope, chiefly a compilation of scripture texts upon the fact of the Atonement—our speakers and writers have treated the theme merely incidentally. It is time, then, that our Seventies—the special witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ, including as a central fact of their testimony the Atonement, should give special and extended study to this theme of themes.

DIFFICULTY OF THE SUBJECT.

Is the subject difficult? Certainly. But "To Become a Seventy, Means Mental Activity, Intellectual Development, and the Attainment of Spiritual Power." Such men will not be daunted because the subject is difficult, but rather will rejoice at it, even as a strong man rejoices to run a race, or fight a battle, or undertake hard tasks wherein lies adventure and danger and great glory. Such men will remember that as all great things are attended with risk, so the hard is the good; and "truth's a gem that loves the deep." Go and search for it.

THE APPENDIX.

In an appendix there will be found a statement of "Other Views of the Atonement" than those set forth in the body of the treatise. These are the views of the Roman Catholic church, the great Protestant divisions of modern Christendom, and of so-called liberal Christendom, the latter comprised of those who accept—speaking broadly—the theory of evolution and higher criticism.

No lessons have been formulated in this division of the work, but the class teachers can readily make lesson formula from the divisions and subdivisions of the matter there presented if they so elect; if not then it may be left for the student's private perusal; or out of the matter may be formulated special lectures, and much advantage gained by putting the views there expounded in comparison and contrast with the doctrines of the regular text of the Year Book.

BOOKS OF REFERENCE.

It is difficult to name books of reference for this subject; such as are available are named repeatedly in the table references given with each lesson, and in the body of the work. Attention should be called to the necessity of each Seventy possessing what in previous Year Books has been called the "Seventy's Indispensable Library." This library is made up of the standard books of the Church on Doctrine, viz.:

The Bible,

The Book of Mormon,

The Doctrine and Covenants,

The Pearl of Great Price, containing the Book of Moses, the Book of Abraham, and some of the Writings of Joseph Smith.

The above books are certainly indispensable to every Seventy, and should be owned by every member of our quorums. The First Council, in their recommendations, added to the above list, "Richards and Little's Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel," and called the set the "Seventy's Indispensable Library." Arrangements were made by the First Council to hav these books in suitable sizes and uniform bindings, and obtainable in sets at special prices, and they are still to be had in this form. It is also suggested that to these books be added a good standard dictionary, say either the Students' Standard Dictionary, Funk and Wagnall's; price, $2.50, cloth; or Webster's College Dictionary; price, $3.00. These books are recommended in cases where the unabridged dictionaries of these publishers are considered too expensive; when the unabridged editions can be afforded, they are all the more desirable.

The four books of Scripture referred to above are very frequently quoted in the text of this treatise, and are the main authorities used. Besides these it is recommended that the student obtains

"Mediation and Atonement of Our Lord Jesus Christ," by John Taylor;

"The Articles of Faith," Talmage.

Orson Pratt's Works, Remarkable Visions and the Kingdom of God. (These works are cited for the benefit of those who have them. We regret to say that the Works of this great apostle have been allowed to go out of print.)

"The Gospel," Roberts.

The Improvement Era of January, 1909, Vol. XII, containing the "King Follett Sermon," with explanatory notes by this writer; also the Improvement Era for April, 1907, for Article on Immortality. Same author.

The Seventies should also remember that the Improvement Era is the organ of the Priesthood quorums, and that from time to time supplemental articles will appear bearing upon our current work, and for this reason Seventies should subscribe, if it is possible, for this magazine in order to keep in touch with our work.

THE SEVENTY'S YEAR BOOK.

The importance of Seventies having a complete set of the Seventy's Year Books cannot be over-emphasized. There is constant reference made in the present Number to previous Numbers; and the student who is not in possession of those books is by so much deprived of the opportunity to complete his inquiry on the division of the subject he may have in hand. As there are now four of the Year Books issued, they could be bound together; or in more convenient form, two numbers can be bound together at a cost of seventy-five cents, postage prepaid, and those desirous of preserving the set would do well to order them in that form.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

This exercise is continued in the present Year Book as being too valuable to be omitted from our lessons; and by this time it is our presumption that had it been omitted, instead of continued as a suggestion at the head of each lesson, our class teachers and the members of the classes themselves, would have continued the practice that has now been an interesting feature of the Seventy's lessons through three successful years. The purpose for which this feature of our class exercise was introduced, and the manner of conducting it, the new teachers and students will find explanations of in the Introduction of Year Book No. I, to which attention is hereby directed.

To the Seventies we now commend the great theme of this present Year Book, with the prayer that they may be impressed with its beauty, its effectiveness, and its glory.

The Seventy's Course in Theology.

FOURTH YEAR.

The Atonement.

PART I.

Eternal Intelligences and Progress.

LESSON I.

SPECIAL TEXT: "Intelligence is eternal, and exists upon a self-existing principle. It is a spirit^[D] from age to age and there is no creation about it." (Joseph Smith, "King Follett Sermon," April, 1844.)

[Footnote A: This little work (206 pages) is by William Pollard, some years Professor of Rational Philosophy in St. Louis University. It is a short treatise on the "Initial Philosophy," the ground work necessary for the consistent pursuit of knowledge, (1896).]

[Footnote B: I cite the abridged (teachers') edition of the Professor's, "Principles of Psychology.">[

[Footnote C: This sermon as published in the "Era" is accompanied by explanatory notes, hence the "Era" is cited. It is also published in "Journal of Discourses," Vol. VI.]

[Footnote D: "A spirit from age to age"—not "Spirit from age to age:" but a "spirit"; that is an entity, a person, an individual. The Prophet's statement here could well be taken as an interpretation of Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:29. See Lesson II.]

DISCUSSION.

1. Intelligence Defined: The sense in which the term "Intelligence" is to be used in this discussion is that of a mind, or an intelligent being, Milton make's such use of the term as the latter when he represents Adam as saying to the angel Raphael, who has given him a lesson on human limitations:

"How fully hast thou satisfied me, pure
Intelligence of heaven, angel serene!"^[A]

[Footnote A: "Paradise Lost," viii:181.]

And so Alfred Tennyson:

"The great Intelligences fair
That range above our mortal state."^[A]

[Footnote A: "In Memoriam," lxxxv.]

God is also sometimes referred to as the "Supreme Intelligence." It is in this sense, then, that I use the term Intelligence; a being that is intelligent, capable of apprehending facts or ideas; possessed of power to think.

2. Intelligence: Consciousness: In other words the term Intelligence is descriptive of the thing to which it is applied. Therefore Intelligence (mind) or Intelligences (minds), thus conceived are conscious. Conscious of self and of not self; of the me and the not me. "Intelligence is that which sees itself, or is at once both subject and object." It knows itself as thinking, that is, as a subject; thinking of its self, it knows itself as an object of thought—of its own thought. And it knows itself as distinct from a vast universe of things which are not self; itself the while remaining constant as a distinct individuality amid the great universe of things not self. Fiske calls Consciousness "the soul's fundamental fact;" and "the most fundamental of facts."^[A] It may be defined as the power by which Intelligence knows its own acts and states. It is an awareness of the mind. By reason of it an Intelligence, when dwelling in a body—as we best know it (man)—knows itself as seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching; also as searching, and finding; as inquiring and answering; as active or at rest; as loving or hating; as contented or restless; as advancing or receding; as gaining or loosing, and so following in all the activities in which Intelligences, as men, engage.

[Footnote A: "Studies in Religion," p. 245.]

3. Generalization: By another power or faculty of Intelligence (mind) it can perceive, as connected with the things that sense perceives, something that cannot be taken in by sense perception; that is to say, Intelligence can generalize. Sense can get at the individual, concrete thing only: "this triangle," "this orange" "that triangle," "those oranges," etc. By the consideration of the individual, concrete object, however, the mind can form an idea, a concept, a general notion—"triangle," "orange"—which does not specify this or that individual object, but "fits to any individual triangle or orange past, present, or future, and even the possible oranges that never shall be grown."^[A] In other words Intelligence can rise from consideration of the particular to the general.

[Footnote A: "The Truth of Thought," p. 41.]

4. Perception of a priori^[A] Principles: Again there are a priori principles, which the mind can perceive to be incontrovertible and of universal application, by mere reflection upon the signification of the principles and without going into the applications.^[B] Such for example as that one and one make two. That two and one make three. Also, to continue the illustration above, borrowed from the late Professor Wm. James, for some time Professor of Psychology in Harvard University.—"White differs less from gray than it does from black; that when the cause begins to act the effect also commences. Such propositions hold of all possible 'ones,' of all conceivable 'whites' and 'grays' and 'causes.' The objects here are mental objects. Their relations are perceptually obvious at a glance, and no sense-verification is necessary. Moreover, once true, always true, of those same mental objects. Truth here has an 'eternal' character. If you can find a concrete thing anywhere that is 'one' or 'white' or 'gray' or an 'effect' then your principles will everlastingly apply to it. It is but a case of ascertaining the kind, and then applying the law of its kind to the particular object. You are sure to get truth if you can name the kind rightly, for your mental relations hold good of everything of that kind without exception."^[C]

[Footnote A: A priori, from something prior or going before, hence from antecedent to consequent; from cause to effect. See illustrations in the text quoted from James.]

[Footnote B: "Truth of Thought," p. 41.]

[Footnote C: "Pragmatism"—James—(1908), pp. 209, 210.]

5. Imagination: By a mind-power known as imagination, or imaginative memory, Intelligences, as known to us through men, can hold before consciousness, in picture, what has been perceived by an outward sense, and this even when the outward sense has been shut off from the outward world of matter. I once saw an orange tree with a number of ripe oranges scattered through its branches, but on other branches were orange blossoms. What the outward senses then perceived, when I was standing before the tree, has been shut off, but at will I can call before the vision of my mind and hold in consciousness the picture of that tree with its mixture of ripe fruit and fruit blossoms. This power of imagination, is also constructive. Intelligences (men) can put before themselves in mental picture, combinations which are fashioned from the varied stores of memory.^[A] As I have elsewhere said: I am this moment sitting at my desk, and am enclosed by the four walls of my room—limited as to my personal presence to this spot. But by the mere act of my will, I find I have the power to project myself in thought to any part of the world. Instantly I can be in the crowded streets of the world's metropolis. I walk through its well remembered thoroughfares, I hear the rush and roar of its busy multitudes, the rumble of vehicles, the huckster's cries, the cab-men's calls, sharp exclamations and quick retorts in the jostling throngs, the beggar's piping cry, the sailor's song, fragments of conversation, broken strains of music, the blare of trumpets, the neighing of horses, ear-piercing whistles, ringing of bells, shouts, responses, rushing trains and all that mingled din and soul-stirring roar that rises in clamor above the great town's traffic.

[Footnote A: "Sensations, once experienced, modify the nervous organism, so that copies of them arise again in the mind after the original outward stimulus is gone. No mental copy, however, can arise in the mind, of any kind of sensation which has never been directly excited from without.

"The blind may dream of sights, the deaf of sounds, for years after they have lost their vision or hearing; but the man born deaf can never be made to imagine what sound is like, nor can the man born blind ever have a mental vision. In Locke's words, already quoted, 'the mind can frame unto itself no one new simple idea.' The originals of them all must have been given from without. Fantasy, or Imagination, are the names given to the faculty of reproducing copies of originals once left. The imagination is called 'reproductive' when the copies are literal; 'productive' when elements from different originals are recombined so as to make new wholes" (Wm. James: "Psychology," p. 302).]

At will, I leave all this and stand alone on mountain tops in Syria, India, or overlooking old Nile's valley, wrapped in the awful grandeur of solemn silence. Here I may bid fallen empires rise and pass in grand procession before my mental vision and live again their little lives; fight once more their battles; begin again each petty struggle for place, for power, for control of the world's affairs; revive their customs; live again their loves and hates, and preach once more their religions and their philosophies—all this the mind may do, and that as easily and as quickly as in thought it may leave this room, cross the street to a neighbor's home, and there take note of the familiar objects within his habitation.^[A]

[Footnote A: "Mormon Doctrine of Deity," p. 132.]

6. Ratiocination:^[A] "The mind (Intelligence) can combine various general principles or individual facts and principles; and in the combination and comparison of them, it can perceive other facts and principles.^[B] In other words, Intelligence is capable of reasoning; of building up conclusions from the data of its knowledge. It has the power of deliberation and of judgment; by which it may determine that this state or condition is better than another state or condition. That this, tending to good, should be encouraged; and that, tending to evil, should be discouraged, or, if possible, destroyed.

[Footnote A: The process of deducing conclusions from premises.]

[Footnote B: "The Truth of Thought," p. 40.]

7. Power of Volition: Intelligence, as embodied in man, is also conscious of the power, within certain limitations, to will, and to perform what he wills to do: To rise up, to sit down; to raise his arm, to let it fall; to walk, to run, to stand; to go to Paris, to Berlin, or to Egypt; to write a book, to build a house, to found a hospital; to control largely his actions, physical and moral; he can be sober or drunken; chaste, or a libertine; benevolent or selfish; honest or a rogue. Having deliberated upon this and that and having formed a judgment that one thing is better than another, or that one condition is better than another, he has power to choose between them and can determine to give his aid to this and withhold it from that. So that volition, within certain limitations at least, seems also to be a quality of Intelligence.^[A] It is of course possible to conceive of Intelligence and its necessarily attendant consciousness, existing without volition; but Intelligence so conceived is shorn of its glory, since under such conditions it can make no use whatsoever of its powers. Its very thinking would be chaotic; its consciousness distressing. If active at all its actions would be without purpose and as chaotic as its thinking would be, unless it could be thought of as both thinking and acting as directed by an intelligent, purposeful will external to itself: which would still leave the Intelligence a mere automaton, without dignity or moral quality, or even intellectual value.^[B] I therefore conclude that while it is possible to conceive of Intelligence with its necessarily attendant consciousness as without volition, still, so far as we are acquainted with Intelligence, as manifested through men, volition—sometimes named soul-freedom or free-agency is a quality that within certain limitations, attends upon Intelligences and may be an inherent quality of Intelligence, a necessary attribute of its very essence, as much so as is consciousness itself.

[Footnote A: Seventy's Second Year Book, Lesson I and IV.]

[Footnote B:

"Freedom and reason make us men,
Take these away, what are we then?
Mere animals, and just as well
The beasts may think of heaven or hell."
—"Latter-day Saints' Hymn Book," p. 263.]

8. Recapitulation: We have found, then,

1. That Intelligences are eternal—self-existing intelligent entities;

2. That they are called Intelligences because intelligence is their chief characteristic;

3. That being intelligent consciousness is in them a necessary quality;

4. That they are both self-conscious, and conscious of an external universe not self;

5. That Intelligences have the power to generalize—to rise from the contemplation of the particular to the general, from the individual to universal;

6. That Intelligences can perceive the existence of certain a priori principles that are incontrovertible—necessary truths—which form a basis of knowledge;

7. That Intelligences as known through men possess a power of imagination or imaginative memory by which they hold pictures of sense perceptions before the mind and may form from them new combinations of thought and consciousness;

8. That Intelligences have power to reason (ratiocination), to deliberate, to form judgments;

9. That Intelligences have volition, physical, mental and moral, within certain limitations—a power both to will and to do; in other words they are free, or free agents.

It should be understood that these brief remarks respecting Intelligence and Intelligences are in no sense a treatise, even brief and cursory, on psychology; they are made merely to indicate some of the chief qualities that are inseparably connected with Intelligence and Intelligences so that when the words are used in this treatise, some definite idea may be had as to what is meant.

LESSON II.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

ETERNITY OF INTELLIGENCES.

SPECIAL TEXT: "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be." (Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93:29.)

DISCUSSION.

1. Eternity of Intelligence: In the preface of St. John's Gospel it is written: "I. the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. * * And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-4, 14). This is in plain allusion to the Christ, and bears witness, as all are agreed,^[A] to the co-eternity of the Word of Christ with God, the Father.

[Footnote A: See "Commentary," Jamieson,—Fauset-Brown on St. John 1:1-4. Also "International Revision Commentary," Schaff—on St. John 1:1-4. The latter contrasting Gen. 1:1 with St. John's "in the beginning," says that the sacred historian (Moses) starts from the beginning and comes downwards, thus keeping us in the course of time. John starts from the same point, but goes upwards, thus taking us into the eternity preceding time. In Gen. 1:1, we are told that God "in the beginning created,"—an act done in time. Here (John 1:1) we are told that "in the beginning the Word was," a very strongly antithetical to "come into being" (verses 3, 14, comp. 8:58), and implying an absolute existence preceding, the point referred to. As that which is absolute self-existent, not created—that which is—is eternal, so the predication of eternity is involved in the clause before us taken as a whole. He who thus "was in the beginning," who, as we afterwards read, "was with God," and "was God," here bears the name of the "Word," Logos, which means both reason—[intelligence?] and word [expression?] For justification of the interpolated words in brackets, I refer to Dummelow's Commentary on the same passage: "Logos has two meanings in Greek: (1) Reason or intelligence as it exists inwardly in the mind; and (2) reason or intelligence as it is expressed outwardly in speech and both these meanings are to be understood when Christ is called the "Word of God." Commentary on John 1:1-4.]

In the Doctrine and Covenants this doctrine of the co-eternity of the "Word" with God is reaffirmed, and also is expressed more explicitly. "John," the Christ is represented as saying, "saw and bore record of the fullness of my glory. * * * And he bore record saying, 'I saw his glory that he was in the beginning before the world was. Therefore in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation, the light and the Redeemer of the World'" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:6-9).

2. Extension of the Doctrine of Co-eternity: But not only is the doctrine of the co-eternity of the Christ with God the Father affirmed in this revelation, but that co-eternity is extended to the spirits (Intelligences—of which more later) of men. "Verily I say unto you," the Christ is represented as saying, "I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the first born. * * * Ye, [addressing the brethren present when the revelation was given]—Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is spirit [that is, that part of you which is spirit—i. e., Intelligence—that was in the beginning with God], even the spirit of truth."

3. Extension of the Doctrine of Co-Eternity to all Intelligences: In a subsequent verse this doctrine of co-eternity is extended to the whole race of men; "man [the race] was also in the beginning with God." And that statement is immediately followed with this: "Intelligence, or the light of truth [that which perceives truth], was not created or made, neither indeed can be" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:29). Let us recapitulate: The co-eternity of the Christ and God the Father "in the beginning before the world was," is affirmed. Then the like co-eternity of the spirits of the men present when the revelation was given is affirmed. After which the like co-eternity of "Man"—used in the generic sense, meaning the race, is affirmed; followed by the declaration that "Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be," then of course, it follows that Intelligences are eternal, self-existing things.

It may be urged, however, that the word "Intelligence" in the revelation quoted above is used in the singular, not in the plural form. And hence may refer to "Intelligence" in general, as being uncreated and unbeatable, and not to the eternity of individual Intelligences. But the passage immediately preceding the declaration "Man also was in the beginning with God," stands as an explanation of that declaration. The word Intelligence in the passage quoted is governed as to its meaning by "Man" in the sentence—"Man was also in the beginning with God:" and now, "Intelligence," [the intelligent entity in man, in the race—and surely the Intelligence in each man is a complete and separate entity] "was not created or made, neither indeed can be." In other words, these Intelligences are as eternal as God is, or as the Christ is, or the Holy Spirit. This becomes more apparent when we learn in a subsequent verse of the revelation that "man is spirit" (verse 33). That is, in the inner fact of him, in the power and glory of him, man is not so many pounds avoirdupois of bone, muscle, lime, phosphate, water and the like; but in the great fact of him he is spirit—spirit substance and Intelligence.^[A] And so far as human or revealed knowledge can aid one in forming a conclusion, there is no "Intelligence" existing separate and apart from persons, from intelligent entities, from individuals. Either it exists as persons, or as preceding from them, as a power or force, but never separated from them, any more than a ray of light is separated from the luminous body whence it proceeds. So that if any affirm a "universal Intelligence," or "Cosmic Mind," or "Over Soul," in the universe, it is an influence, a power proceeding either from an individual Intelligence or from harmonized individual Intelligences, a mind atmosphere proceeding from them—a projection of their mind power into the universe, as the sun and all suns, project light and warmth into the universe.^[B]

[Footnote A: "That is the more real part of a man in which his characteristics and his qualities are. All the facts and phenomena of life confirm the doctrine that the soul is the real man. What makes the quality of a man? What gives him character as good or bad, small or great, lovable or detestable? Do these qualities pertain to the body? Every one knows that they do not. But they are qualities of the mind. Then the real man is not the body, but the living soul" (Samuel M. Warren, "World's Parliament of Religions," Vol. I, p. 480).]

[Footnote B: "Mormon Doctrine of Deity," p. 166-169, where the subject is discussed at some length under the title, "Of God, the Spirit of the Gods.">[

4. Proof of the Co-eternity of all Intelligences: In further evidence of the eternal existence of individual Intelligences I quote from the Book of Abraham:

"If two things exist and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them. * * * If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal" (Book of Abraham, Chs. 3, 16, 18).

To this may be added the teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith who, in the closing days of his earthly ministry, dwelt much upon this subject and treated it with great emphasis. At the conference of the Church at Nauvoo in April, 1844, in a sermon, he said.

"The soul—the mind of man—the immortal spirit—where did it come from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say that God created it in the beginning, but it is not so; the very idea lessens man in my estimation. I do not believe the doctrine. I know better. Hear it, all ye ends of the world, for God has told me so, if you don't believe me, it will not make the truth without effect We say that God himself is a self-existent being. Who told you so? It is correct enough, but how did it get into your head? Who told you that man did not exists in like manner, upon the same principles? Man does exist upon the same principles. * * * The mind or the intelligence which man possess is co-equal, [co-eternal]^[A] with God himself. I know my testimony is true. * * * I am dwelling on the immorality of the spirit of man. Is it logical to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it (i. e., the intelligence) had a beginning? The intelligence of spirits had no beginning, neither will it have an end. That is good logic. That which has a beginning may have an end. There never was a time when there were no spirits, for they are co-equal [co-eternal] with our Father in heaven. * * * Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle. It is a spirit from age to age and there is no creation about it. * * * The first principles of a man are self-existent with God."^[B]

[Footnote A: The Prophet could not have intended to teach that the intelligence in man was "co-equal with God," except as to being co-equal in eternity with God, since the Book of Abraham teaches that God is more intelligent than all other intelligences (Ch. iii:19), and the Prophet himself taught the same truth. Hence the insertion of the word above in brackets. It must be remembered that the report of this discourse was not stenographic and this was doubtless a verbal error, due to imperfect reporting.]

[Footnote B: King Follett Sermon, April, 1844, "Improvement Era," Vol. XII, Jan. 1909. Also "Journal of Discourses," Vol. VI.]

5. Words used Interchangeably: Here it is necessary to repeat with some additions, what was said in Year Book II, on the use of words interchangeably: It is often the case that misconceptions arise through a careless use of words, and through using words interchangeably, without regard to shades of differences that attach to them; and this in the scriptures as in other writings. Indeed, this fault is more frequent in the scriptures perhaps than in any other writings for the reason that, for the most part, they are composed by men who did not aim at scientific exactness in the use of words. They were not in most cases equal to such precision in the use of language, in the first place; and in the second, they depended more upon the general tenor of what they wrote for making truth apparent than upon technical precision in a choice of words; ideas, not niceness of expression, was the burden of their souls; thought, not its dress. Hence, in scripture, and I might say especially in modern scripture, a lack of careful or precise choice of words, a large dependence upon the general tenor of what is written to convey the truth, a wide range in using words interchangeably that are not always exact equivalents, are characteristics. Thus the expression, "Kingdom of God," "Kingdom of Heaven," "the Whole Family in Heaven," "the Church of Christ," "the Church of God," are often used interchangeably for the Church of Christ when they are not always equivalents; so, too, are used the terms "Spirit of God," and "Holy Ghost;" "Spirit of Christ," and "the Holy Ghost;" "Spirit," and "Soul;" "intelligences," and "spirits," and "angels." I mention this in passing, because I believe many of the differences of opinion and much of the confusion of ideas that exist arise out of our not recognizing, or our not remembering these facts. Hereafter let the student be on his guard in relation to the use of the words "intelligences," "spirits," "soul," "mind," etc.; and he will find his way out of many a difficulty.

Let the closing part of the quotation from the Prophet's discourse above be considered in the light of the suggestions made here respecting the use of words interchangeably. It is observed that he uses the words "Intelligence" and "spirit" interchangeably—one for the other; and yet we can discern that it is the "intelligence of spirits," not "spirits" entire (see next subdivision) that is the subject of his thought. It is the "Intelligence of Spirits" that he declares uncreated and uncreatable—eternal as God is. The same interchangeable use of the terms is to be observed in the Book of Abraham (Ch. iii:16-28) and in other scriptures.

LESSON III.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

INTELLIGENCES AND SPIRITS.

SPECIAL TEXT: "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and to your Father; to my God and your God." (Jesus Christ: St. John xx:19.)

DISCUSSION.

1. Uncreated "Intelligences" and "Spirits": In the Book of Mormon we have the revelation which gives the most light upon the spiritexistence of Jesus, and, through his spirit-existence, light upon the spiritexistence of all men. The light is given in that complete revelation of the pre-existent, personal spirit of Jesus Christ, made to the brother of Jared, ages before the spirit of Jesus tabernacled in the flesh. The essential part of the passage follows:

"Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ And never have I showed myself to man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold this body which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit, and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear unto my people in the flesh."^[A]

[Footnote A: Ether, Ch. iii:14-16.]

What do we learn from all this? First, let it be re-called that according to the express word of God "intelligences" are not created, neither indeed can they be. Now, with the above revelation from the Book of Mormon concerning the spirit-body of Jesus, before us, we are face to face with a something that was begotten, and in that sense a "creation," a spirit, the "first born of many brethren;" the "beginning of the creations of God." The spirit is in human form—for we are told that as Christ's spirit-body looked to Jared's brother, so would the Christ look to men when he came among them in the flesh; the body of flesh conforming to the appearance of the spirit, the earthly to the heavenly. "This body which ye now behold is the body of my spirit"—the house, the tenement of that uncreated intelligence which had been begotten of the Father a spirit, as later that spirit-body with the intelligent, uncreated entity inhabiting it, will be begotten a man. "This body which you now behold is the body of my spirit," or spirit-body. There can be no doubt but what here "spirit" as in the Book of Abraham, and in the passages quoted from the Prophet's King Follet's Sermon, is used interchangeably with "intelligence," and refers to the uncreated entity; as if the passage stood: "This is the body inhabited by an intelligence." The intelligent entity inhabiting a spirit-body make up the spiritual personage. It is this spirit life we have so often thought about, and sang about. In this state of existence occurred the spirit's "primevil childhood;" here spirits were "nurtured" near the side of the heavenly Father, in his "high and glorious place;" thence spirits were sent to earth to unite spirit-elements with earth-elements—in some way essential to a fullness of glory and happiness. "Man is Spirit. The elements are eternal, and Spirit and Element inseparably connected receive a fullness of joy; and when separated man cannot receive a fullness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; Yea, man is the tabernacle of God even temples."^[A] Hence spirits are sent to earth, to take on its elements, and to learn the lessons earth-life has to teach. The half awakened recollections of the human mind may be chiefly engaged with scenes, incidents and impressions of that former spirit life; but that does not argue the non-existence of the uncreated intelligences who preceded the begotten spiritual personages as so plainly set forth in the revelations of God.

[Footnote A: Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:32-35.]

The difference, then, between "spirits" and "intelligences," as here used, is this: Spirits are uncreated intelligences inhabiting spiritual bodies; while "intelligences," pure and simple, are intelligent entities, but unembodied in either spirit bodies or bodies of flesh and bone. They are uncreated, self-existent entities; but let it be observed, in passing, that nothing is here said in relation to the form of these intelligent entities, nor anything as to their mode of existence. Indeed, so far as I know, nothing has been revealed in relation to their form or mode of existence; nothing beyond the fact of existence, their eternity and the qualities necessary to them as Intelligences.

2. Jesus and Men of the same Order of Intelligences: The scriptures teach that Jesus Christ and men are of the same order of beings; that men are of the same race with Jesus, of the same nature and essence; that he is indeed our elder brother. "For it became him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: [i. e., essence or nature; or, regarding men's spirits, of one Father] for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."^[A] Hence, though the Christ is more perfect in righteousness, and more highly developed in intellectual and spiritual powers than men, yet these differences are of degree, not of kind; so that what is revealed concerning Jesus, the Christ, may be of infinite helpfulness in throwing light upon the nature of man and the several estates he has occupied and will occupy hereafter. The coeternity of Jesus Christ with God, the Father, and the extension of the principle of co-eternity of the Intelligences in men with Jesus Christ and God has been already pointed out.^[B]

[Footnote A: Heb. ii:10, 11.]

[Footnote B: Lesson II, this treatise.]

Again at the resurrection of the Christ, according to the testimony of St. John, the Master said to Mary of Magdala: "Go to my brethren [the apostles] and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God" (St. John 20:17). Hence we have Jesus and the apostles with the same Father, the same God, and the fact of brotherhood proclaimed. If such relation exists between Jesus and the apostles, then it exists between Jesus and all men, since the apostles were men of like nature with other men. In his great discourse in Mars Hill, Paul not only declares that God "hath made of one blood all nations of men"—but he also quoted with approval the Greek poet Aratus, where the latter says: "For we are also his (God's) offspring;" and to this the apostle adds: "For as much, then, as we are the offspring of God [hence of the same race and nature], we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art after man's device."^[A] Our own nature, one might add, in continuation of the apostle's reasoning, should teach those who recognize men as the offspring of God, better than to think of the Godhead as of gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art after man's device, since the nature of the offspring partakes of the nature of the parent; and our own nature teaches us that men are not as stocks and stones, though the latter be graven by art after the devices of men.

[Footnote A: Acts xvii:26-30.]

Paul might also have quoted the great Hebrew poet: "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the Gods. * * * * I have said ye are Gods; and all of you are children of the Most High."^[A]

[Footnote A: Psalms lxxxii:1, 6, 7.]

The matter is clear then, men and Gods are of the same race; Jesus is the Son of God, and so, too, are all men the offspring of God, and Jesus but the first born of many brethren. Eternal Intelligences are begotten of God, spirits; and hence are sons of God—a dignity that never leaves them. "Behold," said one of old, "now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."^[A]

[Footnote A: I John iii:2. I am not unmindful of the array of evidence that may be massed to prove that it is chiefly through adoption, through obedience to the Gospel of Christ, that man in the scripture is spoken of as being a son of God. But this does not weaken the evidence for the fact for which I am contending, viz., that man is by nature the son of God. He becomes alienated from his Father and the Father's kingdom through sin, through the transgression of the law of God; hence the need of adoption into the heavenly kingdom, and into son-ship with God. But though alienated from God through sin, man is nevertheless by nature the son of God.]

3. Jesus the First Born of Many Brethren: Sure it is that God, the Father, is the Father of the spirits of men. "We," says Paul, "have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?" (Heb. 12:9).

According to this, then there is a "Father of Spirits." It follows, of course, that "spirits," have a father—they are begotten. It should be remarked that the term, "spirits" in the above passage cannot refer to self-existent, unbegotten intelligences of the revelations, considered in the foregoing lessons; and certainly this relationship of father to spirits is not one brought about in connection with generation of human life in this world. Paul makes a very sharp distinction between "Fathers of our flesh" and the "Father of spirits" in the above. Father to spirits is manifestly a relationship established independent of man's earth-existence; and, of course, is an existence which preceded earth-life, and where the uncreated Intelligences are begotten spirits. Hence, the phrase "shall we not be subject to the Father of spirits and live?"

Christ is referred to by the writer of the epistle to the Colossians, as the "first born of every creature" (i:15); and the Revelator speaks of him as "the beginning of the creation of God" (Rev. 3:14); and in the revelation already quoted so often (Doc. & Cov. Sec. xciii) Jesus represents himself as being in the "beginning with the Father;" and as "the first born."

The reference to Jesus as the "first born of every creature" cannot refer to his birth into earth-life, for he was not the first-born into this world; therefore, his birth here referred to must have reference to the birth of his spirit before his earth life.

The reference to Jesus as the "beginning of the creation of God," cannot refer to his creation or generation in earth-life; for manifestly he was not the beginning of the creations of God in this world; therefore, he must have been the "beginning" of God's creation elsewhere, viz., in the spirit world, where he was begotten a spiritual personage; a son of God.

The reference to Jesus as the "first born"—and hence the justification for our calling him "our Elder Brother" cannot refer to any relationship that he established in his earth-life, since as to the flesh he is not our "elder brother" any more than he is the "first born" in the flesh; there were many born in the flesh before he was, and older brothers to us, in the flesh, than he was. The relationship of "elder brother" cannot have reference to that estate where all were self-existent, uncreated and unbegotten, eternal Intelligences; for that estate admits of no such relation as "elder," or "younger;" for as to succession in time, the fact on which "younger" or "elder" depend, the Intelligences are equal, that is,—equal as to their eternity. Therefore, since the relationship of "elder brother" was not established by any circumstance in the earth-life of Jesus, and could not be established by any possible fact in that estate where all were self-existing Intelligences, it must have been established in the spirit life, where Jesus, with reference to the hosts of Intelligences designed to our earth, was the "first born spirit," and by that fact became our "Elder Brother," the "first born of every creature," "the beginning of the creations of God,".as pertaining to our order of existence.

4. Views of Sir Oliver Lodge on the Eternity of Mind: Some scientists also bear testimony to the truth of the principle here contended for. Sir Oliver Lodge, when arguing for the reality of that mysterious, vital "something" which builds up from earth elements an oak, an eagle or a man, closes with the question, "Is it something which is really nothing, and soon shall it be manifestly nothing?" "Not so," he answers, "nor is it so with intellect and consciousness and will, nor with memory and love and adoration, nor all the manifold activities which at present strangely interact with matter and appeal to our bodily senses and terrestrial knowledge; they are not nothing, nor shall they ever vanish into nothingness or cease to be. They did not arise with us; they never did spring into being; they are as eternal as the Godhead itself, and in the eternal Being they shall endure for ever. * * * And surely in this respect there is a unity running through the universe, and a kinship between the human and the Divine; witness the eloquent ejaculation of Carlyle:^[A]

[Footnote A: Of Paul, too, and of David before him. See Hebrews ii:6, and Psalms viii:4.]

'What then, is man! What, then, is man!

'He endures but for an hour, and is crushed before the moth. Yet in the being and in the working of a faithful man is there already (as all faith from the beginning, gives assurance) a something that pertains not to this wild death-element of Time; that triumphs over Time, and is, and will be, when Time shall be no more."—"Science and Immortality," pp. 160, 161.

LESSON IV.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

INTELLIGENCES AND PROGRESS.

SPECIAL TEXT: "They who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate, shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever." (Book of Abraham, Ch. iii:24-26.)

DISCUSSION.

1. The Varying Degrees of Intelligence Among Intelligences: We are already made aware of the fact in the preceding lessons that though Intelligences are equal in eternity of existence, it does not follow that they are equal in degree of intelligence. (Lesson II. Subdivision 4.) "If two things exist," said the Lord to Abraham, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them. * * * These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they."^[A]

Not only do intelligences differ in regard to the degree of intelligence, but they differ also in moral quality and greatness and nobility.

"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the Intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones; And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast born."^[A]

[Footnote A: Book of Abraham, Ch. iii.]

The "among all these were many of the noble and great ones;" and "he saw that they were good," clearly manifests that reference is made to capacity, to largeness of mind-power, and to moral quality; and from among these "noble and great ones," shall the "rulers" come. Abraham was a type of the "noble and great ones," and was chosen before he was born, and assigned to the part he took in his earth life, and is known preeminently as the "friend of God," the "Father of the faithful." Similarly was Jeremiah foreknown and foreordained to be a Prophet (Jeremiah i:5); so, too, was St. John, the friend of Jesus, (I Nephi, xiv:18-27). So also the Christ was chosen and his mission appointed—he was "the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the World" (Rev. xiii:8). And in his great prayer, before his passion, he said: "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."^[A]

[Footnote A: St. John xvii:5.]

Varying degrees of intelligence, then, among the Intelligences, as also varying degrees of greatness and nobility of soul and of moral quality are established; and doubtless the variation in the pre-earth existence is as great as it is in earth life.

2. The "One" More Intelligent Than All—God: When it is conceded that among Intelligences there are varying degrees of intelligence, and greatness and nobility and moral quality, then it follows that there may be One who is the most intelligent of all, greatest, noblest, best; most wise and most powerful. And how far this greatest and best may arise above the other Intelligences, who may say? There are no terms of comparison for the superlative. It rises above all comparisons, and how far above that to which it stands next—how far above the "better" the "best" rises—none may say. The same holds as to the "greatest" and the "noblest"—how far "greatest" rises above "great;" how far "noblest" rises above "noble," or "best" above "good," none may say. It may be that the "most intelligent," may mean not only more intelligent than any other one out of the mass of Intelligences, but more intelligent than all combined; and this indeed is the interpretation I place upon the following passage in the Book of Abraham: "These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other, there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than them All." That is, than "All" combined, and for that reason is He God. "I dwell in the midst of them all," says the Lord to Abraham. "I now, therefore, have come down unto thee to deliver (i. e., reveal, see verses 1-15, Ch. iii) unto thee the works which my hands have made, wherein my wisdom excelleth them all, for I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the Intelligences thou hast seen" (Book of Abraham, Ch. iii:19-21). And to this agrees the following doctrine of the Prophet: "In knowledge there is power. God has more power than all other beings, because he has greater knowledge; hence he knows how to subject all other beings to himself. He has power over all" (Sermon at Nauvoo, April 8th, 1843, Hist, of the Church, Vol. V, p. 340.) And as I have said elsewhere: This Mighty Intelligence, who is "more intelligent than All" is also the All-Wise One; the All-Powerful One! What he tells other Intelligences to do must be precisely the wisest, fittest thing that they could anywhere or anyhow learn—the thing which it will in all ways behoove them with right loyal thankfulness, and nothing doubting, to do. There goes with this, too, the thought that this All-Wise One is the Un-Selfish One, the All-Loving One, the One who desires that which is highest, and best; not for Himself alone, but for all; and that, too, will be best for Him. His glory, His power, His joy will be enhanced by the uplifting of all, by enlarging them; by increasing their joy, power, and glory. And because this Most-Intelligent One is all this, and does all this, the other Intelligencies worship Him, submit their judgments and their will to His judgment and His will. He knows, and can do that which is best; and this submission of the mind to the most Intelligent, Wisest—wiser than All—is worship. This is the whole meaning of the doctrine and the life of the Christ expressed in—"Father, not my will but Thy will, be done."

3. The Capacity of Intelligences for Progress: If what has been set forth as to the qualities, or attributes of Intelligences be true—that they are conscious of self and of not self; that they have powers of perception, comparison, deliberation, reason, judgment, imagination and volition, (See Lesson I, this treatise) then they have in them the inherent elements of progress. All they need with this inherent equipment for progress is proper environment and action, and the guidance of the Highest Intelligence; at least it must be admitted, as to the last, that progress would be more sure, more rapid when so guided.

4. Purpose in the Earth-Life of Man: To provide the means and opportunity for progress the earth-life of man was planned. As God stood among the Intelligences, he said to those that were with him:

"We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; and they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever."^[A]

[Footnote A: Book of Abraham, Ch. iii:24-26.]

That is, interpreting the closing declaration, they shall have the blessings of eternal progress. Progress, then, is the purpose for which the earth life of man was planned—that Intelligences might be "added upon," and that eternally.

"This is my work and my glory," says the Lord, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man;" (Book of Moses, Ch. i:39, Pearl of Great Price). That is of man as man. Not the immortality of the personal Intelligence or spirit of man, for that is already assured; but the immortality of the spirit and body in their united condition, and which together constitute "man;" or the soul, for, in the revelations of God in this last dispensation, the spirit and the body are said to be the "soul:" "Through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. And the spirit and the body is the soul of man. And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 88:14-16).

Again, "Men are that they might have joy," said the Prophet Lehi.^[A] "Men are that they might have joy!" Have we here the reappearance of the old Epicurean doctrine, "pleasure is the supreme good, and chief end of life?" No, verily! Nor any other form of old "hedonism"—the Greek ethics of gross self-interest. For mark, in the first place, the different words "joy" and "pleasure." They are not synonymous. The first does not necessarily arise from the second, "joy" may arise from quite other sources than "pleasure;" from pain, even, when the endurance of pain is to eventuate in the achievement of some good: such as the travail of a mother in bringing forth her offspring; the weariness and pain and danger of toil by a father, to secure comforts for loved ones. Nor is the "joy" here contemplated the "joy" of mere innocence—mere innocence, which say what you will of it, is but a negative sort of virtue. A virtue that is colorless, never quite sure of itself, always more or less uncertain, because untried. Such a virtue—if mere absence of vice may be called virtue—would be unproductive of that "joy" the attainment of which is set forth in the Book of Mormon as the purpose of man's existence; for in the context it is written, "They [Adam and Eve] would have remained in a state of 'innocence.' Having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin." From which it appears that the "joy" contemplated in our Book of Mormon passage is to arise from something more than mere innocence, which is, impliedly, unproductive of "joy." The "joy" contemplated in the Book of Mormon passage is to arise out of man's knowledge of evil, of sin; through knowing misery, sorrow, pain and suffering; through seeing good and evil locked in awful conflict; through a consciousness of having chosen in that conflict the better part, the good; and not only in having chosen it, but in having wedded it by eternal compact; made it his by right of conquest over evil. It is a "joy" that will arise from a consciousness of having "fought the good fight," of having "kept the faith." It will arises from a consciousness of moral, spiritual and physical strength. Of strength gained in conflict. The strength that comes from experience; from having sounded the depths of the soul; from experiencing all emotions of which mind is susceptible; from testing all the qualities and strength of the intellect. A "joy" that will come to man from a contemplation of the universe, and a consciousness that he is an heir to all that is—a joint heir with Jesus Christ and God; from knowing that he is an essential part of all that is. It is a joy that will be born of the consciousness of existence itself—that will revel in existence—in thoughts of and realizations of existence's limitless possibilities. A "joy" born of the consciousness of the power of eternal increase. A "joy" arising from association with the Intelligences of innumerable heavens—the Gods of all eternities. A "joy" born of a consciousness of being, of intelligence, of faith, knowledge, light, truth, mercy, justice, love, glory, dominion, wisdom, power; all feelings, affections, emotions, passions; all heights and all depths! "Men are that they might have joy;" and that "joy" is based upon and contemplates all that is here set down. (New Witnesses, Vol. III, pp. 199-120.)

[Footnote A: II Nephi ii:25.]

The foregoing considerations discover the purpose of God in the earth-life of man to be the progress and joy of men, kindred Intelligences with God; and with that progress and joy of kindred Intelligences, there must be an ever widening manifestation of the glory of God. "The glory of God is Intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:36); but not "Intelligence" only as it inheres in Himself; but also as it finds expression and development in others.

5. A Union of Spirit and Element Essential to a Fulness of Joy: In this progress of Intelligences there must be movement, action, new environment, estates, experiences through which they pass.—Hence Intelligences are begotten spirits, and spirits are begotten men—the "deathless element"—Intelligence—must be united with earth-element, to learn what earth-life has to teach, and get itself expressed through earth-elements; which also—so far as such elements shall be essential to an added dignity and power to the spirit of man—will be made immortal, become an indissoluble part of the spiritual personage, the spirit and the body thus inseparably united constituting the "soul of man."^[A] "Man is spirit."^[B] "The elements"—earth elements—"are eternal; and spirit and element, inseparably connected receive a fullness of joy; and when separated man cannot receive a fullness of joy." Hence for man, earth-existence became a necessity to progress, and therefore it was provided.

[Footnote A: "Now, verily I say unto you, that through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. And the spirit and the body is the soul of man. And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul;" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 88, verses 14, 15, 16).]

[Footnote B: Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:33, 34.]

LESSON V.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE WAR IN HEAVEN.

[Footnote A: As side reading, I suggest "Milton's Paradise Lost," and Elder Orson F. Whitney's "Elias," Canto III.]

SPECIAL TEXT: "And there was war in heaven: Michael and, his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was there place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out. He was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." (Rev. xii.7-9.)

DISCUSSION.

1. Recapitulatory: The fact of the Eternity of Intelligences, their essential qualities, their capacity for progress, the necessity for union with earth-elements in order to attain a fulness of joy, the purpose of God with reference to man's earth-life—all these subjects having been treated in the preceding lessons; we are now prepared to consider the several steps taken with reference to bringing to pass the earth-life of the spirits of men.

Running throughout the Hebrew scriptures, but more or less vague, there are traces of the pre-earth existence of intelligences, and of strife and struggle in that existence; rebellion and war; failure of certain ones to keep first estates, their being cast out and reserved in chains of darkness to some future day of judgment; some reference also to eternal life that was promised of God before the world was made. Though these lack somewhat in clearness, let me, if they may not be set forth in anything like order, at least mass them, that they may be before us in one view.

2. The Hebrew Scriptures on the War in Heaven: In the very beginning of the Hebrew scripture God, in the creation, is represented as addressing others engaged with him in the creation work: "And God said let us make man in our image, after our likeness."^[A] Then after the Fall: "And the Lord God said: Behold the man has become as one of us to know good and evil."^[B] Perfectly blending with this idea of a plurality of divine Intelligences engaging in the work of creation is the Lord's question to Job: "Gird up now thy loins like a man, for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me: Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"^[C]

[Footnote A: Gen. i:26.]

[Footnote B: Gen. iii:22.]

[Footnote C: Job xxxviii:4-7.]

It seems, then, that there were sons of God before the foundations of the earth were laid, or even the measuring line was stretched upon it. And may it not have been these Sons of God, whom God addressed in the creation work, saying to them: "Let us make man in our image"—"The man has become as one of us?"

On the return of the Seventy whom Jesus sent out on a special mission into every city and place where he himself proposed to go, they said: "Lord, even the devils are subject to us in thy name." To which Jesus answered: "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" (Luke x:17, 18). As if he would say, "Your victory over evil spirits in my name, is not the first I have won over Satan. I saw him as lightning fall from heaven."^[A] One other reference to Lucifer in this same connection is made by the Christ; when addressing contentious Jews, he said: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it."^[B]

[Footnote A: There is much confusion among the commentators on this passage c. f. Jamieson—Fausset-Brown with the International Revision Commentary on the passage. Dummelow's Commentary, however, says: "Our Lord poetically compares Satan's discomfiture at the successful mission of the Seventy, to his original fall from heaven." He also regards John viii:44, as referring to the same event.]

[Footnote B: St. John viii:44.]

In the Book of Revelation, however, and also in Jude, this "war in heaven" is more minutely described. In the former it is said:

"And there was a war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time."^[A]

[Footnote A: Rev. xii:7-12.]

And this from Jude: "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day" (Jude 6). Peter also alludes to this event when he says: "God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment" (II Peter ii:4).^[A]

[Footnote A: It is upon these declarations of Scripture that Milton has based his gorgeous epic, "Paradise Lost.">[

2. Modern Scriptures on the War in Heaven: These are the scripture passages which I said in a vague way represent both the pre-earth existence of Intelligences, and a state of strife, struggle, rebellion, war; attended with the loss of "first estate," and place in heaven, being thrust out into outer darkness. But what the point of controversy, the cause of difference upon which the "war" was based—all this we are left in ignorance of in these scriptures; and even in those other scriptures yet to be quoted, the brevity is painful, and yet they shed great light upon conditions that one feels must have existed in heaven, from the passages of Hebrew scripture massed above. In the Doctrine and Covenants occurs the following passage:

"Behold, the Devil was before Adam [speaking of Adam in the Garden of Eden, and of his temptation], for he rebelled against me, saying give me thine honor, which is my power; also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; and they were thrust down and became the Devil and his angels. And behold there is a place prepared for them from the beginning, which place is hell."^[A]

[Footnote A: Doc. & Cov., Sec. 29:36-38.]

Again, in the revelation called the "Vision," or "Vision of the Three Glories," the Prophet says:

"And this we saw also, and bear record, that an angel of God who was in authority in the presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begotten Son, whom the Father loved, and who was in the bosom of the Father—was thrust down from the presence of God and the Son. And was called Perdition, for the heavens wept over him—he was Lucifer, a son of the morning. And we beheld and lo, he is fallen! is fallen! even a son of the morning. And while we were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we should write the vision, for we beheld Satan, that old serpent—even the Devil—who rebelled against God, and sought to take the kingdom of our God, and his Christ."^[A]

[Footnote A: Doc. & Cov., Sec. 76:25-38.]

The Book of Abraham, after representing God's purpose to create an earth in order that the Intelligences in the midst of whom he dwelt might have earth-existence, and be put in the way of eternal progress (Ch. iii:24, 26), then asks: "Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first. And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and, at that day, many followed after him" (Book of Abraham, Ch. iii:27-28).

Again in the Book of Moses (Pearl of Great Price), after detailing an experience which Moses had with Satan, the Lord said to him:

"That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying: Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. But, behold, my beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me, Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; and he became Satan, yea, even the Devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice."^[A]

[Footnote A: Book of Moses iv:1-4.]

This last passage from the Book of Abraham discloses the important truth that this war in heaven was connected with a controversy concerning the redemption of man from conditions in which, apparently, the contemplated earth-life would involve him. The controversy concerned also the choice of One to perform this work of redemption. Two offered themselves, but the terms of one involved at least the sacrifice of two mighty principles; one, the agency of man; the other, the honor and glory of God. "Here am I, Father, send me," said the Christ. Then Lucifer—the Light Bearer, and "one in authority in the presence of God"—said: "Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy Son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor." But the first spake again, saying,^[A] "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." Whereupon the election fell upon the Christ, and Lucifer rebelled.

[Footnote A: I am presenting the order of events here as they may be implied from the two accounts here presented, one from the Book of Abraham, the other from the Book of Moses. The former is a very brief statement, the latter, more elaborate.]

LESSON VI.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE BATTLE FOR MAN'S MORAL FREEDOM IN MAN'S EARTH-LIFE.

SPECIAL TEXT: "All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all Intelligence also. Otherwise there is no existence." (Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93.)

DISCUSSION.

1. Of the Nature of Moral Freedom: The controversy in the heavenly council between Christ and Lucifer, gives emphasis to the importance of man's agency—his freedom to will and to do as he shall elect. The choice of the Christ as the Redeemer of the world cannot be regarded as being connected with any event by which the agency or moral freedom of Intelligences was then created. It was the maintenance of that which already existed rather than the creation of any new thing which was involved. Indeed the moral freedom of Intelligences is something which is as eternal as they are. Freedom is an attribute of Intelligences and may not be taken from them without robbing them of all joy and glory and dignity of existence. "Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all Intelligence also, otherwise there is no existence. Behold, here is the agency of man and here is the condemnation of man, because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light. And every man who receiveth not the light is under condemnation, for man is spirit."^[A]

[Footnote A: Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93:30-33.]

Whenever God, therefore, speaks of the agency or moral freedom of man,^[A] reference is had to the spirit or Intelligence which constitutes the real man, "for man is spirit," that is, mind, Intelligence is the real fact of him. All truth and all Intelligences are independent in that sphere in which God has placed them, to act for themselves, otherwise there is no existence (see above quotation). That is to say, there is no existence where this fact of the freedom of truth and of Intelligences does not obtain. Freedom of man, then, means freedom of the Intelligence which is the chief fact of man; freedom in all estates through which he shall be called to pass, in all spheres in which God shall place him to act, the quality of freedom never leaves him. In obedience or in rebellion against God, it is his freedom that keeps him in either condition, and ministers to his joy or his misery respectively.

[Footnote A: It will be observed that these terms are used interchangeably.]

"I know," says the Nephite Prophet Alma, "that he [God] granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life; yea, I know that he alloteth unto men, according to their wills; whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction" (xxix:4).

The second Nephi says: "The Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great mediation of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."^[A] Upon these principles it is manifest that God designed that freedom should follow Intelligences into their earth-life.

[Footnote A: II Nephi ii:27.]

2. Moral Freedom to Follow Man in all Estates: When the earthlife was proposed, Intelligences were about to exercise that freedom in a new sphere of existence; in a new environment, under new, and to them, doubtless, strange conditions. The plan Lucifer proposed involved the destruction of his freedom. "Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man," says the Lord. "Here am I," said Lucifer, "send me. I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind that not one soul shall be lost."^[A] Under this plan, Intelligences were to have an earth-life in which there would be no losses; a world where there was nothing adventurous and dangerous, a "game" in which there are no real stakes; all that was "hazarded" would be given back. All must be saved; and no price is to be paid in the work of salvation. The last word is to be sweet. All is to be "yes," "yes" in the universe.^[B] The fact of "no" was nowhere to stand at the core of things. There could be no seriousness attributed to life under such a plan, since there were to be no insuperable "noes" and "losses;" no genuine sacrifices anywhere; nothing permanently drastic and bitter to remain at the bottom of the cup. "I will redeem all mankind, that not one soul shall be lost," said Lucifer; "and surely I will do it." Man was to have nothing to do in the achievement, all was to be done for him. He was to be passive, merely. Not a thing to act, but something to be acted upon. Such only could be the outcome of a world where all mankind would be saved, "that not one soul should be lost." It would be an utterly meaningless world. Without heroism; listless indifference would claim it. Passage through such an estate would add nothing to Intelligences. And yet, beyond question, there were natures among the Intelligences of heaven that longed for such a scheme of things, so much they dreaded danger, adventure and the stress of life that comes from individual struggle and individual responsibility. "Give us ease, let us have things done for us without our concern and the pain of striving," is their cry. And a third part of the hosts of heaven Lucifer turned away from the Lord in that day, because they made this election, and they became the devil and his angels (Doc. & Cov., Sec. xxix).

[Footnote A: Book of Moses, Ch. iv:4.]

[Footnote B: The expressions here used are a paraphrase of a passage in a lecture of the late Prof. Wm. James, on "Pragmatism" (page 295), on the thought, "May not the notion of a world already saved in toto anyhow, be too saccharine to stand.">[

3. The Thoughts of a Modern Philosopher: Mr. Wm. James, in his "Pragmatism," has a very wonderful passage bearing upon the whole thought here dwelt upon; and it is so pregnant with suggestion relative to our theme, so supported by philosophical thought and analysis of human nature, both strong and weak, that one marvels at the idea and thought in it which so parallels our own doctrines advanced in the Book of Moses—the doctrines above considered and given to the Church, in large part, in the very first years of her existence.^[A] The following is the passage from Mr. James:

[Footnote A: For full account of the Book of Moses, see Seventy's Year Book. No. I, Lessons v and vi. It was published in full by F. D. Richards in the Pearl of Great Price, 1851, Liverpool, England.]

"Suppose that the world's Author put the case to you before creation, saying: 'I am going to make a world not certain to be saved, a world the perfection of which shall be conditional merely, the condition being that each several agent does its own "level best." I offer you the chance of taking part in such a world. Its safety, you see, is unwarranted. It is a real adventure, with real danger, yet it may win through. It is a social scheme of co-operative work genuinely to be done. Will you join the procession? Will you trust yourself and trust the other agents enough to face the risk?

"Should you, in all seriousness, if participation in such a world were proposed to you, feel bound to reject it as not safe enough? Would you say that, rather than be part and parcel of so fundamentally pluralistic and irrational a universe, you preferred to relapse into the slumber of nonentity from which you had been momentarily aroused by the tempter's voice?^[A]

[Footnote A: Of course this proposition of relapsing into "nonentity" is no part of the "Mormon" scheme of thought, since the actual proposition of our revelations was made to Intelligences alike uncreated and uncreatable, and alike indestructible; so that while in the exercise of their freedom these Intelligences might decline participation in the scheme of things proposed, they could not sink back into nonentities.]

"Of course, if you are normally constituted, you would do nothing of the sort. There is a healthy-minded buoyancy in most of us which such a universe would exactly fit. We would therefore accept the offer—'Top! and schlag auf schlag!" It would be just like the world we practically live in; and loyalty to our old nurse Nature would forbid us to say no. The world proposed would seem 'rational' to us in the most living way.

"Most of us, I say, would therefore welcome the proposition and add our fiat to the fiat of the creator. Yet perhaps some would not; for there are morbid minds in every human collection, and to them the prospect of a universe with only a fighting chance of safety would probably make no appeal. There are moments of discouragement in us all, when we are sick of self and tired of vainly striving. Our own life breaks down, and we fall into the attitude of the prodigal son. We mistrust the chances of things. We want a universe where we can just give up, fall on our father's neck, and be absorbed into the absolute life as a drop of water melts into the river or the sea.

"The peace and rest, the security desiderated at such moments is security against the bewildering accidents of so much finite experience. Nirvana means safety from this everlasting round of adventures of which the world of sense consists. The Hindo and the Buddhist, for this is essentially their attitude, are simply afraid, afraid of more experience, afraid of life!

"And to men of this complexion, religious monism comes with its consoling words: 'All is needed and essential—even you and your sick soul and heart. All are one with God, and with God all is well. The everlasting arms are beneath, whether in the world of finite appearance you seem to fail or to succeed.' There can be no doubt that when men are reduced to their last sick extremity, absolutism is the only saving scheme. Pluralistic moralism simply makes their teeth chatter, it refrigerates the very heart within their breast. * * *

"I find myself willing to take the universe to be really dangerous and adventurous, without therefore backing out and crying, no play. I am willing to think that the prodigal son attitude, open to us as it is in many vicissitudes, is not the right and final attitude towards the whole of life. I am willing that there should be real losses and real losers, and no total preservation of all that is. I can believe in the ideal as an ultimate, not as an origin, and as an extract, not the whole. When the cup is poured off, the dregs are left behind forever, but the possibility of what is poured off is sweet enough to accept.

"As a matter of fact, countless human imaginations live in this moralistic and epic kind of a universe, and find its disseminated and strung along successes sufficient for their rational needs. There is a finely translated epigram in the Greek anthology which admirably expresses this state of mind, this acceptance of loss as unatoned for, even though the lost element might be one's self:

"A shipwrecked sailor, buried on this coast,
Bids you set sail.
Full many a gallant bark, when we were lost,
Weathered the gale."

"It is, then, perfectly possible to accept sincerely a drastic kind of a universe from which the element of 'seriousness' is not to be expelled. Whoso does so is, it seems to me, a genuine pragmatist. He is willing to live on a scheme of uncertified possibilities which he trusts; willing to pay with his own person, if need be, for the realization of the ideals which he frames."^[A]

[Footnote A: "Pragmatism" (1908), Wm. James, pp. 290-297.]

4. The Startling Parallel Between the Reflections of the Philosopher and the Doctrines of the Book of Moses: Such the voice of a modern, and, without disparagement of others, I think I may venture to say, our greatest American, philosopher. In this statement, as I said in introducing it, Professor James puts the case of the proposed earth-existence of man, as set forth in the early revelations to the Church, in a way that is startling. The proposition put to Intelligences before the earth was made, in each case; an earth-life full of adventure and danger, safety not guaranteed,^[A] in each case; the counter plan proposed that would guarantee safety rejected; and yet the existence of some "morbid minds" among the spirits—found "in every human collection," to whom "the prospect of a universe with only a fighting chance" made no appeal, and accordingly their rejection of it, and their rebellion. But, thank God, the Christ in that great council prevailed, as also he prevailed in the war of the Rebellion in Heaven, which followed upon that Council's decision. The Christ's spirit stood for the freedom of man in that great controversy. He stood for a serious earth-life for Intelligences, in which though there would be some losses, many losses, in fact, yet also there would be much gain and glory. Gain, however, that could not be obtained but through great strivings; the exercise of all the great virtues, of trust and patience, endurance and courage, wisdom and temperance, together with faith and hope and charity. Thank God, I say, that Jesus the Christ, in the pre-existence, stood for all those things which make earth-life worth while and existence itself endurable—for the moral freedom of man.

[Footnote A: "We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these [Intelligences] may dwell; and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; and they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever" (Book of Abraham, Ch. iii:24-26).]

5. The Spirit of Lucifer: In the closing paragraph of Lesson V it is stated that two mighty principles were involved in the plan of earth-life for Intelligences. One the agency of man; the other, the honor and glory of God. The first has been considered; the second must now receive attention:

"I will redeem all mankind that one soul shall not be lost; and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor." To this the Christ is said to have replied: "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever" (Book of Moses, Ch. iv:1, 2). These two propositions represent the spirit of the two characters here in contention. The one, self-seeking, vainglorious, selfish—willing that the agency of man shall be destroyed if only he may be exalted. Willing that Intelligences shall be bereft of freedom—if only he can be Lord. "And surely I will do it," self sufficiency. "Wherefore give me thine honor!" With which would go also the power of God and the glory! (See Book of Moses, Ch. iv:3.) Hence this scheme of Lucifer's contemplated not only the despoliation of man, but the dishonoring of God. Truly the ambition of Lucifer was boundless, as his selfishness was fathomless. Well might the poet make lord Wolsey say:

"I charge thee, fling away ambition;
By this sin fell the angels."^[A]

[Footnote A: King Henry VIII.]

6. The Christ Spirit: In contrast with Lucifer's characteristics revealed in this controversy, contemplate the plan and character of the Christ. Standing as it does in antithesis to the agency-destroying plan of Lucifer, it must be held to be agency-preserving, hence offers not salvation to all so "that one soul shall not be lost," but predicates salvation upon compliance with some conditions, on obedience, say, to God. Under this agency-preserving plan, then, the Christ said: "Father, thy will be done." Equivalent to saying, Father, let thy freedom-preserving plan obtain, and be carried into effect—"Thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever!" And it was in this spirit that the work of the atonement was wrought out in the earth-life of the Christ. "I came down from heaven," said he, "not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me" (St. John vi:38). "I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which sent me" (St. John v:30). Thrice in that hour when the shadows and sorrows due to a world's sin were falling upon him, the Christ prayed, "O, my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me: except I drink it, thy will be done" (Matt. xxvi). And when the betrayer came, and with him the agents of the earthly government, and one drew the sword to resist them, the Christ chided him, and told him to put up his sword, and gave his impulsive follower to understand that his course in submitting to the world's forces was voluntary on his part. "Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" (Matt. 26:53, 54.) And so "he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. ii:8). Such the spirit of the Christ—humble submissiveness—

"Thy will, O God, not mine be done,
Adorned his mortal life."

LESSON VII.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE FALL OF MAN.

SPECIAL TEXT: "Adam fell that man might be; men are that they might have joy." (II Nephi ii:25.)

DISCUSSION.

1. A Suggested Review: It is suggested to the student that he at this point review, either in class or by private reading, the following lessons in Seventy's Course in Theology, Second Year Book:

Lesson V.—Preparation of the Earth for the Abode of Man.

Lesson VII.—The Adamic Dispensation I.

Lesson VIII.—The Adamic Dispensation II.

Lesson IX.—The Adamic Dispensation III.

I refer the student to those lessons in order that the necessity might be avoided of entering again into detail on those subjects; for here I shall only say respecting the "fall" so much as may be necessary to keep up the continuity of the theme.

2. The "Fall" of Man as Related to the Purposes of God: From what is set forth in Part I of this treatise, it is evident that the "fall of Adam" did not surprise the purposes of God with reference to man's earth life. Nor is it thinkable that it was an accident, or that it in any way thwarted the original purposes of God in respect of man. Indeed the subject as developed up to this point brings us to the fall of man as the next step in the sequence of the purposes of God in regard to man's earth life. There must be a transition from a spirit-existence to a man-existence for those Intelligences in heaven designed for habitation on our earth. There must be brought to pass a change from heavenly conditions to earth conditions if the Intelligences designed for habitation on our earth are to have the experiences that earth life can impart; a life where evil is manifest and active; where the moral harmony is broken; where men must walk by faith, and not by sight. This transition from spirit-existence to man-existence; from a state of moral harmony to one where moral harmony is broken and evil is active is called "the fall;" and was essential to the accomplishment of God's purposes. Of its details, and its processes it becomes one to speak cautiously, for but little is revealed, and beyond what is revealed upon the subject, we have no knowledge.

3. "Adam Fell that Men Might Be:" I think it cannot be doubted when the whole story of man's fall is taken into account that in some way—however hidden it may be under allegory—his fall was closely associated with the propagation of the race. Before the fall we are told that Adam and Eve were in a state of innocence; but after the fall "The eyes of them both were opened and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons," and also hid from the presence of the Lord.^[A]

[Footnote A: Gen. iii:7-9.]

In an incidental way Paul gives us to understand that Adam in the matter of this first transgression "was not deceived," but that the woman was.^[A] It therefore follows that Adam must have sinned knowingly, and perhaps deliberately; making choice of obedience between two laws pressing upon him. With his spouse Eve, he had received a commandment from God to be fruitful, to perpetuate his race in the earth. He had also been told not to partake of a certain fruit of the Garden of Eden; but according to the story of Genesis, as also according to the assertion of Paul, Eve, who with Adam received the commandment to multiply in the earth, was deceived, and by the persuasion of Lucifer, induced to partake of the forbidden fruit. She, therefore, was in transgression, and subject to the penalty of that law, which from the scriptures, we learn included banishment from Eden, banishment from the presence of God, and also the death of the body. This meant, if Eve were permitted to stand alone in her transgression, that she must be alone also in suffering the penalty thereof. In that event she would have been separated from Adam, which necessarily would have prevented obedience to the commandment given to them conjointly, to multiply in the earth. In the presence of this situation, therefore, it is to be believed that Adam was not deceived, either by the cunning of Lucifer or the blandishments of the woman, deliberately, and with a full knowledge of his act and its consequences, and in order to carry out the purpose of God in the existence of man in the earth, he shared alike the woman's transgression and its effects, and this in order that the first great commandment he had received from God, viz—"Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it"—might not fail of fulfillment. Hence "Adam fell that men might be."

[Footnote A: "Adam was not deceived, but the woman, being deceived, was in the transgression" III Tim. ii:14.]

4. The Nobility of Adam in the Fall: The effect of this doctrine upon the ideas of men concerning the great Patriarch of our race will be revolutionary. It seems to be the fashion of those who assume to teach the Christian religion to denounce Adam in unmeasured terms; as if the fall of man had surprised, if, indeed, it did altogether thwart, the original plan of God respecting the existence of man in the earth. The creeds of the churches generally fail to consider the "fall" as part of God's purpose regarding this world, and, in its way, just as essential to the accomplishment of that purpose as the "redemption" through Jesus Christ. Certainly there would have been no occasion for Atonement and redemption had there been no fall; and hence no occasion for the display of all that wealth of grace and mercy and justice and love—all that richness of experience involved in man's earth life, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ, had there been no fall. It cannot be but that it was part of God's purpose to give man these experiences and display the above named qualities in their true relation, for the benefit and blessing and enlargement and ultimate uplifting of man; and since there would have been no occasion for displaying them but for the fall, it logically follows that the fall, no less than the Atonement and redemption, must have been part of God's original plan respecting the earth probation of man. The fall, undoubtedly, was a fact as much present to the foreknowledge of God as was the atonement, and the act which encompassed it must be regarded as more praise-worthy than blame-worthy, since it was essential to the accomplishment of the divine purpose. Yet, as I say, those who assume to teach the Christian religion roundly denounce Adam for his transgression^[A] and especially for the recital of the circumstances of his fall, "The woman thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." In which they seem to find an attempt to shift responsibility for the fall upon woman instead of a plain statement of fact. The truth is, that nothing could be more courageous, sympathetic, or nobly honorable than the course of our world's great Patriarch in his relations to his wife Eve and the fall. The woman by deception of Lucifer is led into transgression, and stands under the penalty of a broken law. Banishment from the presence of God; banishment from Eden and the presence of her husband, if he partakes not with her in the transgression; dissolution of spirit and body—physical death—all await her, and her alone! Thereupon the man, not deceived, but knowingly (as we are assured by Paul), also transgressed. Why? In one aspect of the case in order that he might share the woman's banishment from the dear presence of God, and with her to die—than which no higher proof of love could be given—no nobler act of chivalry performed. But primarily he transgressed that "Man might be." He transgressed a less important law that he might comply with one more important, if one may so speak of any of God's laws.

[Footnote A: See Seventy's Year Book No. II, Lesson VIII.]

5. The Purpose and Effect of the Fall: Adam transgressed, or fell, "that man might be," as the Book of Mormon states it.^[D] That is to say, that man might "be" (i. e., exist), in earth life; and not only "be" but "be" as man; an eternal Intelligence begotten a spirit in the heavenly kingdom, and now on earth taking on through painful process and at much hazard eternal elements of matter as a covering, a body, that there might be a fullness of joy, and power, and without which union of spirit and element there could be no fullness of joy or power (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93).

Also Adam fell that man might "be" in the environment of earthlife; in the midst of broken harmonies, where good and evil are seen in conflict; in a life of adventure and danger; in a life where real losses may have to be sustained; and sorrows as well as joys are realities; where death as well as life is encountered; and where spiritual deaths may be as endless, as spiritual lives may be eternal. To bring to pass these conditions essential to man's earth-experiences, on which is to be builded his future progress, the "fall" must be; which is only another way of saying that the transition from heaven conditions to earth must be made. In no way else could this earth department of God's great university for Intelligences be established. May it not, however, from some points of view be regarded as a misnomer, this "fall?" Certainly it is but an incident in the process of rising to greater heights. It is but the crouch for the spring; the steps backward in order to gain momentum for the rush forward; a descending below all things only that there might be a rising above all things. Such the benefits to arise from the fall; at least to some, and doubtless to the benefit ultimately, of most of the Intelligences that participate in earth-life, though there will be real losses in the adventure.^[B] The fall is to eventuate in the advantage of God's children, then, in the main. Adam did not sin because deceived by another. He did not sin maliciously, or with evil intent; or to gratify an inclination to rebellion against God, or to thwart the Divine purposes, or to manifest his own pride. Had his act of sin involved the taking of life rather than eating a forbidden fruit, it would be regarded as a "sacrifice" rather than as a "murder." This is to show the nature of Adam's transgression. It was a transgression of the law—"for sin is the transgression of the law"—that conditions deemed necessary to the progress of eternal Intelligences might obtain. But Adam did sin. He did break the law, which is sin, and violation of law involves the violator in its penalties, as surely as effect follows cause. Upon this principle depends the dignity and majesty of law. Take this fact away from moral government and your moral laws become mere nullities. Therefore, notwithstanding Adam fell that men might be, and that in his transgression there was at bottom a really exalted motive—a motive that contemplated nothing less than bringing to pass the highly necessary purposes of God with respect to man's existence in the earth—yet his transgression of law was real; he did brave the conditions that would be brought into existence by his sin; it was followed by certain moral effects in the nature of men and in the world. The harmony of things was broken; discord ruled; changed relations between God and men took place; moral and intellectual darkness, sin and death—death, the wages of sin—stalked through the world, and made necessary the Atonement for man, and his redemption.

[Footnote A: Elsewhere of this Book of Mormon passage I have said: In the second book of Nephi, chapter ii, occurs the following direct, explicit statement: Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy.

This sentence is the summing up of a somewhat lengthy discussion on the Atonement, by the Prophet Lehi. It is a most excellent and important generalization, and is worthy to be classed with the great generalizations of the Jewish scriptures, such for instance as that in the closing chapter of Ecclesiastes, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man;" Paul's famous generalization: "As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive;" or the Apostle James' summing up of religion: "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to kep one's self unspotted from the world." Or the Messiah's great summing up of the whole law and gospel: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment, and the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thy self. On these two commandments hang all the law and all the prophets." I care not whether you regard the literary excellence of this Book of Mormon generalization or the importance of the great truths which it announces, I repeat it, it is worthy in every way to stand with the great generalizations quoted above.]

[Footnote B: A question presses on the optimists, * * * Are the rebellious and the sinful not also on the up grade? Ultimately and in the last resort will not they, too, put themselves in time with the harmony of existence? Who is to say? Time is infinite, Eternity is before us as well as behind us, and the end is not yet. There is no "ultimately" in the matter, for there is no end; There is room for an eternity of rebellion and degradation and misery as well as of hope and love" ("Science and Immortality," Sir Oliver Lodge, p. 291)—and hence, doubtless, real losses to be sustained.]

LESSON VIII.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE FALL OF MAN.—(Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "And now behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not have fallen; but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state which they were [in], after they were created; and they must have remained for ever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore, they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things."

NOTES.

1. Be Fruitful.—Importance of Life: The purpose of God in the earth-life of man already has been considered (Lesson IV, Subdivision 4), and it was found to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man as man; and to bring to him an increase of joy, by enlargement of capacity to enjoy; by adding upon him new powers of self expression; by adding an earth-body to a heavenly born spirit; "for man is spirit:" but "spirit" in order to receive "a fullness of joy" must be inseparably connected with element (Doc. & Cov. Sec. xciii:32-35, also note 2, Year Book II, Lesson II); hence the earth life of Intelligences; hence the advent of Adam and his wife Eve upon our earth; hence the commandment "Be fruitful;" hence the importance of man obtaining his body (Lesson II, note 2); hence the resurrection from the dead, which brings to pass the eternal union of spirit and body (element), to be sanctified as a "soul;" for the "spirit and the body is the soul of man" (Doc. & Cov., Sec. xxxviii:15). These principles enlarge the view of the importance of the earth-life of man, and give the idea of sanctity to the commandment, "Be fruitful." Undoubtedly the most important thing in life is life itself, since there flows from life all other things—experiences, joys, sorrows, sympathies, achievements, righteousness, honor, power—it is the root, the base of all. To protect and preserve life, whence spring all things else, God has issued his decree. "Thou shalt not kill"—the Everlasting's cannon, fixed alike against self-slaughter and the killing of others; and on the crime of murder is placed the heaviest of all penalties—"whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed" (Gen. ix:6); "No murderer hath eternal abiding in him" (I John iii:15).

And on the other hand, for the promotion of life, what encouragement has God not given? First, this commandment, "Be fruitful and multiply and replenish (refill) the earth;" second, in making sex desire and love of offspring the strongest of passions, refining both, however, by the sentiment of love, and confining by his law the exercise of these life-functions to the limits of wedlock relations. "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them; they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate" (Psalms 127:3-5). And when the Lord would give his highest blessing to Abraham, his friend, for his supreme act of obedience, he could but say: "In blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice" (Genesis, xxii:17-18). And to Jacob the Lord also said: "Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people" (Gen. xlviii:4).

2. Nature's Testimony to the Value of Life: In nature, too, this law of life is written, until our philosophers who treat on life in its various forms, declare that the very "object of nature is function"—i. e., life, (Lester F. Ward, Outlines of Sociology, 1904, Ch. V). So superabundant is the fertility of all forms of life, animal and vegetable, that if it were not limited by destructive agencies the earth would soon be overwhelmed. "Every being," says Mr. Darwin, "which during its natural life time produces several eggs or seeds, must suffer destruction during some period of its life, and during some season or occasional year, otherwise, on the principle of geometrical increase, its numbers would quickly become so inordinately great that no country could support the product. * * * There is no exception to the rule that every organic being naturally increases at so high a rate, that, if not destroyed, the earth would soon be covered by the progeny of a single pair. Even slow-breeding man has doubled in twenty-five years, and at this rate, in less than a thousand years, there would literally not be standing room for his progeny. * * * In a state of nature almost every full-grown plant annually produces seed, and amongst animals there are very few which do not annually pair. Hence we may confidently assert, that all plants and animals are tending to increase at a geometrical ratio,—that all would rapidly stock every station in which they could any how exist—and that this geometrical tendency to increase must be checked by destruction at some period of life" ("The Origin of Species," p. 50, 51, 52).

What is the significance of this rich endowment with the power of reproduction in all forms of life, animal and vegetable, until it assumes the appearance of actual redundancy? Is it not nature's testimony to the fact of the desirability of life? And hence she has equipped the various species with power to perpetuate life, notwithstanding the destructive forces with which life in its great variety of forms has to contend. Is life—especially human life—worth living? Undoubtedly, since nature has so abundantly provided the means for its perpetuation, and God has given the commandment, "Be fruitful and replenish the earth."

3. "The Fall" Regarded as Beneficent by Adam and Eve: Much that is remarked in the foregoing paragraphs of this lesson on the nature of the fall finds its warrant in the Book of Moses, (Pearl of Great Price) and in the Book of Mormon, in what is said of Adam and Eve, and what is said by them when the fact of the Atonement was expounded to them; for one of the effects the fall seems to have had upon Adam and his spouse—the effect of transition from heaven conditions to earth conditions—was to veil their knowledge, to some extent, as to pre-earth life conditions and purposes of God;^[A] hence they lost their knowledge apparently of the earth-life scheme of things, and had to be instructed anew as to the plan of "eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."^[B] And after Adam had been re-instated in a knowledge of the things of God, and made to understand that notwithstanding he had fallen yet could he be redeemed, "and all mankind, even as many as will"—"In that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God. And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient. And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters."^[C]

[Footnote A: It will be observed that in speaking of Adam and Eve and their part in the affairs of our earth and the beginning of the human race upon it. I am passing by the evident allegory of Genesis as to the earth origin of Adam and Eve. Our doctrine regard these first parents of the human race as simply coming from another sphere upon a mission to this earth to perform the work assigned them in peopling the earth as prepared for them at their advent. The account in Genesis of man's earth origin, of his being made of the dust of the earth, and woman manufactured from man's rib gives in allegory the process of the generation of human life. But human life is but a continuation of pre-earth existing life which has no beginning and which will have no end, being of the eternal things. So that in the system of philosophic thought that is born of the revelations in which the New Dispensation of the gospel has its origin, man was not moulded from the earth as a brick nor woman manufactured from a rib; but, as well stated by Elder Parley P. Pratt, the earth having been prepared and made ready for the human race, "A royal planter now descends from yonder world of older date, and bearing in his hand the choice seeds of the older Paradise, he plants them in the virgin soil of our new born earth. They grow and flourish there, and, bearing seed, replant themselves, and thus clothed the naked earth with scenes of beauty, and-the air with fragrant incense. Ripening fruits and herbs at length abound. When lo! from yonder world is transferred every species of animal life. Male and female, they come, with blessings on their heads, and a voice is heard again, "Be fruitful and multiply." Earth, its mineral, vegetable and animal wealth, its Paradise prepared, down comes from yonder world on high a son of God, with his beloved spouse. And thus a colony from heaven * * * is transplanted on our soil. The blessings of their Father are upon them, and the first great law of heaven and earth is again repeated, "Be fruitful and multiply." Hence, the nations which have swarmed our earth." "Key to Theology," Ch. vi.]

[Footnote B: Titus i:2. Also Book of Moses, Ch. v:1-12. For a fuller consideration of the facts of the text see Seventy's Year Book II, Lesson XI. Notes 5 and 6.]

[Footnote C: Book of Moses (Pearl of Great Price) Ch. v. 10-12.]

4. Book of Mormon View of the Fall—Necessary to the Purposes of God: After a most remarkable process of reasoning upon the fact of opposite existences, good and evil, sin and righteousness, and reaching the conclusion that there "must needs be an opposition in all things," the Nephite prophet applies his principles to the fall of Adam in the following passage:

"To bring about his [God's] eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents. * * * It must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter; wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore man could not act for himself, save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other. And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose, that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God, and because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable for ever he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said, Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil. And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit, they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth. And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth. And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh: wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents. And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not have fallen; but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created, must have remained in the same state in which they were, after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; and men are that they might have joy."^[A]

[Footnote A: II Nephi ii:15-25. For a treatise on "Opposite Existences," see "New Witnesses for God," Vol. III, pp. 219-227.]

5. Summary of Views of the Fall: I shall depend on the two foregoing passages, to sustain, in large measure, the views of this lesson, viz., that the fall of Adam was not an accident; that it did not surprise the purposes of God with reference to man's earth-life, much less thwart them; that the fall was as much embraced in the sovereign purposes of God with reference to the earth-life of man as was the Atonement; that without the first the second could not be; that the transition from heaven conditions to earth conditions, the fall, in some way was connected with the propagation of the earth-life of man: "Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed" is the declaration of Eve, allowed to stand in the Book of Moses as an undoubted truth. But for the transgression of Adam, as the Prophet Lehi tells us, in the above passage, "all things which were created, must have remained in the same state which they were [in] after they were created; and they must have remained forever and had no end. And they [Adam and Eve] would have had no children: Wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin." But Adam made the necessary transition from a state of mere innocence, he fell that man might be, and that the experiences of earth-life might follow, and eventuate in something better and greater than mere innocence, viz., in virtue; which is goodness, and strength, acquired by conquest of evil.^[A]

[Footnote A: See Seventy's Year Book No. II, Part II, Lesson IX, p. 50. On this distinction between mere innocence and virtue, Professor Joseph Le Conte of the University of California says: "It will, I think, be admitted by all that innocence and virtue are two very different things. Innocence is a pre-established, virtue a self-established, harmony of spiritual activities. The course of human development, whether individual or racial, is from innocence through more or less discord and conflict to virtue. And virtue completed, regarded as a condition, is holiness, as an activity, it is spiritual freedom. Not happiness nor innocence but virtue is the goal of humanity. Happiness will surely come in the train of virtue, but if we seek primarily happiness we miss both. Two things must be borne steadily in mind; virtue is the goal of humanity; virtue can not be given, it must be self-acquired. * * * Why could not man have been made a perfectly pure, innocent, happy being, unplagued by evil and incapable of sin? I answer: The thing is impossible even to Omnipotence, because it is a contradiction in terms. Such a being would also be incapable of virtue, would not be a moral being at all, would not in fact be man. We can not even conceive of a moral being without freedom to choose. We can not even conceive of virtue without successful conflict with solicitations to debasement. But these solicitations are so strong and so often overcome us, that we are prone to regard the solicitations themselves as essential evil, instead of our weak surrender to them." (Evolution and Its Relation to Religious Thought—1902—pp. 372-3.)]

LESSON IX.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE DOCTRINE OF THE ATONEMENT IN ANCIENT TIMES—THE OLD TESTAMENT.

SPECIAL TEXT: "When Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover, he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood and without shedding of blood is no remission." (Heb. ix:19-22.)

DISCUSSION.

1. The Idea of an Atonement of Ancient Origin: From the earliest times the fact of an Atonement for man is foreshadowed. "The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat," said Eve, to the Lord. "And the Lord God said unto the serpent * * * I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."^[A]

[Footnote A: Gen. iii:13, 15.]

In this passage Christians with justice have always seen the proclamation of the good tidings of the final victory over sin. "It is in Christ that the seed of the woman crushes the serpent."^[A]

[Footnote A: Dummelow's Commentary on Gen. iii.]

2. Atonement Foreshadowed in Ancient Sacrifices: The Atonement is also foreshadowed in the sacrifices of burnt offerings of Adam, his son Abel and the early Bible patriarchs. So meagre is the Bible account of the origin of sacrifices that some have doubted if they bore any relation to the sacrifice to be offered by the Christ, or were at all of divine origin.^[A] Our scripture, however, the Book, of Moses, sets the matter at rest for Latter-day Saints; for there it is written:

[Footnote A: "In tracing the history of sacrifice, from its first beginning to its perfect development in the Mosaic ritual, we are at once met by the long-disputed question, as to the origin of sacrifice; whether it arose from a natural instinct of man, sanctioned and guided by God, or whether it was the subject of some distinct primeval revelation. * * * The great difficulty in the theory which refers it to a distinct command of God, is the total silence of Holy Scriptures—a silence the more remarkable, when contrasted with the distinct reference made in Gen. ii to the origin of the Sabbath. Sacrifice, when first mentioned, in the case of Cain and Abel, is referred to as a thing of course; it is said to have been 'brought' by men; there is no hint of any command given by God. This consideration, the strength of which no ingenuity has been able to impair, although it does not actually disprove the formal revelation of sacrifice; yet at least forbids the assertion of it, as of a positive and important doctrine." (Smith's "Bible Dictionary"—Hackett ed.—Art. "Sacrifice," Vol. IV, p. 2770).

Was sacrifice in its origin "a human invention or a divine institution; and whether any of the sacrifices before the law, or under the law, were sacrifices of expiation. Eminent and numerous are the authorities on both sides of these questions; but the balance of theological opinion preponderated greatly for the affirmative in each of them. On the lower point, however, (viz., were the sacrifices sacrifices of expiation) most of those who deny that there was an expiatory sacrifice before the law, admit its existence under the law; and on the first, those who hold that sacrifice was of divine origin, but became much corrupted, and was restored by the Mosaic law, do not in substance differ much from those who hold it to have been a human invention, formally recognized, and remodelled by the law of Moses." Kitto's "Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature," Art. "Sacrifices." The difficulty and doubt in respect of both questions presented by these authorities is overcome by the passage which follows in the text from the Book of Moses.]

"And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name of the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence. And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord.^[A] And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord. And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him, I know not, save the Lord commanded me. And then the angel spake saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore. And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying: I am the only begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and forever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will."

[Footnote A: This doubtless gives the ground of explanation for the acceptance of Abel's offering for a sacrifice, the firstlings of his flock; and the rejection of Cain's offering, the fruits of the ground (Gen. iv:3-7). The one was brought in compliance with the appointment of God, the other was not of divine appointment, but was an unwarranted deviation from the commandment, hence, "the Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering," but not unto Cain's. In Kitto's article on "Sacrifices" there is another very great reason urged as to why Abel's sacrifice was acceptable and why Cain's was not. It is reasonable, and in harmony with the importance of the whole doctrine of the Atonement, and I have nowhere else found the idea so well expressed. "It amounts then to this—that Cain, by bringing an eucharistic (expressing thanks merely) offering, when his brother brought one which was expiatory, denied virtually that his sins deserved death, or that he needed the blood of Atonement. Some go further, and allege that in the text itself, God actually commanded Cain to offer a piacular [expiatory, atoning] sacrifice. The argument does not require this additional circumstance; but it is certainly strengthened by it. When Cain became angry that Abel's offering was regarded with divine complacency, and his own refused, God said to him, 'Why art thou wroth; and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.' Now the word 'chattah,' translated 'sin' denotes in the law a 'sin-offering' and the word translated 'lieth' is usually applied to the recumbency of the beast. It is therefore proposed to translate the clause, 'sin-offering coucheth at the door; which by paraphrase would mean, 'an animal fit for a sin-offering is here, couching at the door, which thou mayest offer in sacrifice, and thereby render to me an offering as acceptable as that which Abel has presented." (Kitto's "Bible Literature," Art. "Sacrifice.")]

This clearly establishes the divine origin of sacrifices among the antediluvian patriarchs; and, indeed, of all antiquity;^[A] and also the fact, that they but foreshadowed the great sacrifice to be made in due time by the Son of God himself. Doctor Wm. Smith, the author of the "Old Testament History," says:

[Footnote A: A strong moral argument in favor of the divine institution of sacrifice, somewhat feebly put by Hallet (Comment, on Heb. xi:4, cited by Magee, "On the Atonement"), has been reproduced with increased force by Faber ("Prim. Sacrifice," p. 183). It amounts to this: