The Seventy's Course in Theology

SECOND YEAR

Outline History of the Dispensations of the Gospel

Compiled and Edited by

B. H. ROBERTS

Of the First Council of the Seventy

"The things of God are of deep import; and time and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thoughts can only find them out."—Joseph Smith.

Salt Lake City

1908

SEVENTY'S YEAR BOOK NO. II

INTRODUCTION.

The Seventy's Year Book No. II is a series of forty-four lessons on "The Outline History of the Dispensations of the Gospel." As our Year Book No. I was a rapid survey of the whole body of scriptures recognized by the Church, so the present Year Book is a like rapid, general survey of the principle dispensations of the Gospel given to men upon this earth. As the survey of the scripture books was made for the purpose of forming a general idea of the books as a body of sacred literature, and that some idea might be learned of their essential unity; so this present outline survey of the chief dispensations of the Gospel is intended to give some general views of the Gospel not otherwise obtainable, and to fix in the mind of the student the idea of essential unity in the Gospel in all dispensations: Establishing the idea that there is but one Gospel; and that, the "everlasting gospel;" the same through all ages. That it was the plan devised in heaven before the foundations of the earth were laid, and will endure as a means of salvation so long as there are men to be saved.

The Treatment of the Theme: The treatment of the theme is substantially the same as in Year Book No. I. That is to say, an analysis of the subject of the lesson is given, in which the lesson is subdivided under those heads into which the subject naturally falls. For the information, of the student texts and books are cited accompanying usually each subdivision of the subject and these references in every case should be carefully read so far as the books cited can be obtained by the student; and as the books to which citations in the main are made, the four books recognized by the Church as Holy Scripture, each Seventy student should have these. Accompanying each lesson are a series of notes, sometimes detached, but often, in this Year Book, they constitute a brief continuous treatise upon the subject in hand, which should be amplified by wide reading and deep study on the part of the student. In all cases where no citation of authorities is given at the close or in the body of the note, they are written by the compiler and editor or are taken from his works.

In this connection I would say a word in relation to the several les, sons which I have called "A Prelude to the History of the Dispensations." It may be thought that these lessons are difficult, and deal with matters not necessary to the main subject. Of course the author of this Year Book holds a different view or the lessons would not be presented. To him the principles there developed are fundamental and essential to a right understanding of the Dispensations of the Gospel; and should not be omitted because they invite attention to lines of thought somewhat unusual to us in the study of the Gospel. It is the existence of these principles in our Theology that makes "Mormonism" a religion and not a mere sect. They constitute an essential part of the message we have for the world; and the ministry of the Church should master these subjects, though thinking upon them is unusual and the mastery of such themes is slowly acquired. Let it be remembered that "The things of God are of deep import; and time and experience, and careful and ponderous and solemn thought can only find them out."

SCRIPTURE READING AND SPECIAL TEXTS:

Scripture Reading Exercises are to continue throughout the year, though Special Texts printed with each lesson are abandoned in this Year Book, as it is hoped that the advantage of collecting or noting special texts of the scripture, and striking passages from other choice literature, while reading, has been sufficiently demonstrated to now become a habit with those who read good books.

PREPARATION OF LESSONS.

In no case should it be regarded as a complete preparation of the lesson to merely glance over the analysis and read the notes. The lesson as constructed is merely to be regarded as an outline of the particular theme as the whole Year Book itself is to be looked upon as a mere outline tracing of the History of the Gospel in the successive ages through which it sweeps. The lessons indicate a method of treatment that may be followed; but original research by reading, consulting authorities, and thorough thinking should be employed in the preparation of the student; and the Year Book looked upon and used as merely a help and guide in this investigation.

What is said in the Introduction of Year Book, No. I, in relation to Class Teachers, Manner of Lesson Treatment, Home Reading, the Preparation of Lessons, Opening Exercises and Prayer, should be considered standing instructions to the Seventies through the ensuing year in their class meetings. And it will be well to consider these topics in the Introduction of Year Book No. I before beginning the exercises outlined in this year's work, that the minds of the class may be refreshed in those matters and the exercises and preparation work be made to conform to these instructions.

In addition to what is in the Introduction to Year Book No. I, we suggest that from observation of the class work during the past year, the Seventies have not reached the character of work that may be reasonably expected of them in treating topics of the lessons assigned to them. We have a right to expect that members of our quorums when assigned a lesson, or any part of it, will become such masters of the subject, at least of that part of it assigned to them, that they will be able to make an intelligent presentation of it, clear cut, with a beginning, a middle, and a conclusion to it; and something that will be an intelligent statement at least of the subject, instead of being through with an important topic by a two or three minute statement of it, of which half is apology or excuse. These topics certainly require a ten or fifteen or twenty minute exposition that shall be worth while. And while we would not be severe in our criticism of the past, or too demanding for the future, certainly it can reasonably be expected that Seventies will make some exertion that will give the results here alluded to. We want, in the first place, work; in the second place, work; in the third place, work; and then work; and more work; and better work. That program will spell success. There is no excellence without labor, and much of it.

TEXT BOOKS AND AUTHORITIES.

Relative to the text books. All of the books recommended in the Introduction of last year's course are available and necessary as authorities in this present year's course, and in addition to these works of reference, a good, General History will be of great service. That of P. V. N. Meyers, prepared for Colleges and High Schools, (Ginn & Company, Publishers, Boston) being perhaps the most desirable, price $1.50.

In the Apostatic division of our treatise, Part V, numerous references are made to Ecclesiastical histories and works of a theological character, some of which would be difficult to obtain, such as "Mosheim's Institutes of Ecclesiastical History;" Neander's "History of the Christian Religion;" Schaff's "History of the Apostolic Church;" Mosheim's "History of Christianity in the First Three Centuries;" Hefele's "History of Christian Councils;" "Millman's History of Christianity in the First Three Centuries;" Lardner's "Works," and the like. But "The Students Ecclesiastical History," written by Dr. Philip Smith, author of the "Old Testament" and "New Testament Histories," frequently quoted in Seventy's Year Book No. I, and in this, published by Harper Brothers in two volumes, (price $3.00), is within the reach of all; and on the whole is a very fine Compendium of Ecclesiastical History, quite dispassionate in tone, and generally trustworthy, and brings events down to the death of Luther, 1540.

Also there is in print the "Ecclesiastical History" by Eusebius Pamphilus. Bishop of Caesarea, covering the first three Christian centuries. Eusebius is generally styled the "Father of Ecclesiastical History," and those who can obtain this authority are dealing with original sources of information. The work is translated from the Greek, and published and obtainable through any of our book stores. In this connection we urge our members to gradually obtain; but as soon as may be, these reference books, as no workman can get along without tools.

The Improvement Era: We call attention also to the Improvement Era, the Organ of the Seventies and of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations, with its special Seventy's department, The Seventy's Council Table. This magazine affords the First Council opportunity to reach every quorum of Seventy once every month throughout the year—Twelve communications each year, of several pages of printed matter, bearing upon Seventies work;—suggestions in class work; dealing with questions of quorum administration; with questions of doctrine, and history, and exposition of the scriptures. How valuable an adjunct it has become in our work! We enjoin it upon our presidents that they see to it that all subjects in the Era of special interest to their several quorums be brought forth to said quorums by the Presidents, and read for the information of the quorum, that all may be benefited by the instruction. From reports made to the General Secretary, Elder J. G. Kimball, we learn that some two thousand Seventies take the Era, so that with each monthly issue of the Era we are in touch with that many individual Seventies. Many more of our members, however, should subscribe for this magazine, and the Presidents should urge members to subscribe for and read it as one of the best means of keeping in touch with the work of the Seventies.

The Seventy's Course in Theology

SECOND YEAR

Outline History of the Dispensations of the Gospel

PART I

PRELUDE TO THE DISPENSATIONS

LESSON I.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

INTELLIGENCES AND SPIRITS.

[Footnote A: The following appears as a note preceding the article in question, from which article most of the notes in this and in lessons following in Part I are taken: "Elder Roberts submitted the following paper to the First Presidency and a number of the Twelve Apostles, none of whom found anything objectionable in it, or contrary to the revealed word of God, and therefore favor its publication.—Editors.">[

NOTES.

1. Intelligencies-Co-Eternal: "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, for they are gnolaum, or eternal." (Book of Abraham ch. 3, 16, 18.)

2. Intelligencies, Eternal, Self-existent: "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 exist in like manner, upon the same principles? Man does exist upon the same principles. * * * * * The mind or the intelligence which man possesses is co-equal, [co-eternal^[A]], with God himself. I know my testimony is true."—Joseph Smith, (Mill. Star, Vol. XXIII, p. 262.)

[Footnote A: It must be remembered that these sermons of the prophet were reported in long hand, and by several persons (See History of the Church, Vol. IV, p. 556-note); and hence verbal inaccuracies may exist, of which the above is doubtless one. The Prophet could not have meant to have taught 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 intelligencies (ch. iii:19) and the Prophet himself, as will be seen in subsequent quotations, teaches the same truth. Hence the insertion of word above in brackets.]

3. The Nature of Intelligencies: There is in that complex thing we call man, an intelligent entity, uncreated, self existent, indestructible, He—for that entity is a person; because, as we shall see, he is possessed of powers that go with personality only, hence that entity is "he," not "it,"—he is eternal as God is; co-existent, in fact, with God; of the same kind of substance or essence with deity, though confessedly inferior in degree of intelligence and power to God. One must needs think that the name of this eternal entity—what God calls him—conveys to the mind some idea of his nature. He is called an "intelligence;" and this I believe is descriptive of him. That is, intelligence is the entity's chief characteristic. If this be a true deduction, then the entity must be self-conscious, and "others—conscious," that is, he must have the power to distinguish himself from other things—the "me" from the "not me." He must have the power of deliberation, by which he sets over one thing against another; with power also to form a judgment that this or that is a better thing or state than this or that. Also there goes with this idea of intelligence a power of choosing one thing instead of another, one state rather than another. These powers are inseparably connected with any idea that may be formed of an intelligence. One cannot conceive of intelligence existing without these qualities any more than he can conceive of an object existing in space without dimensions. The phrase "the light of truth" [Doc. & Cov., Sec. xciii.] is given in one of the revelations as the equivalent for an "intelligence" here discussed; by which is meant to be understood, as I think, that intelligent entities perceive the truth, are conscious of the truth, they know that which is, hence "the light of truth," "intelligence." Let it be observed that I say nothing as to the mode of the existence of these intelligences, beyond the fact of their eternity. But of their form, or the manner of their subsistence nothing, so far as I know, has been revealed, and hence we are without means of knowing anything about the modes of their existence beyond the fact of it, and the essential qualities they possess, which already have been pointed out.

4. Words Used 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 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 expressions, "Kingdom of God," "Kingdom of Heaven," "the Whole Family in Heaven," "the Church," "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 "the Holy Ghost;" "Spirit" and "Soul;" "intelligencies," and "spirits;" "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 "intelligencies," "spirits," "soul," "mind," etc.: and he will find his way out of many a difficulty.

5. Intelligence Eternal—Not Created: "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. xciii. 29.)

"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. * * * * * I take my ring from my finger and liken it unto the mind of man—the immortal part, because it has no beginning. Suppose you cut it in two; then it has a beginning and an end; but join it again and it continues one eternal round. So with the spirit of man. As the Lord liveth, if it had a beginning it will have an end. * * * * Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle. It is a spirit ^[A] from age to age and there is no creation about it. * * * * * The first principles of a man are self-existent with God."—Joseph Smith—(Mill. Star, Vol. 23, p. 262.)

[Footnote A: Observe in the above quotation from the Prophet, how he sometimes uses the word "spirit" interchangeably with "intelligence," but mark, he twice uses the expression, "intelligence of spirits.">[

6. The Difference Between "Spirits," and Uncreated "Intelligencies:" In the Book of Mormon we have the revelation which gives the most light upon spirit-existence of Jesus, and, through his spirit-existence, light upon the spirit-existence 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 unto 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.

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, 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 "primeval 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 fulness of glory and happiness (Doc. & Cov. Sec. xciii:32-35)—and to learn the lessons earth-life had to teach. The half awakened recollections of the human mind may be chiefly engaged with scenes, incidents and impressions of that spirit life; but that does not argue the non-existence of the uncreated intelligences who preceded the begotten spiritual personage as so plainly set forth in the revelations of God.

The difference, then, between "spirits" and "intelligencies," as here used, is this: Spirits are uncreated intelligencies inhabiting spiritual bodies; while "intelligencies," pure and simple, are intelligent entities, but unembodied in either spirit bodies or bodies of flesh and bone. They are uncreated, self-existent entities, possessed of "self-consciousness," and "other-consciousness"—they are conscious of the "me" and the "not me"; they possess powers of discrimination, (without which the term "intelligence" would be a solecism) they discern between the evil and the good; between the "good" and "the better." They possess "will" or "freedom,"—within certain limits at least ^[A]—the power to determine upon a given course of conduct, as against any other course of conduct. This intelligence "can think his own thoughts, act wisely or foolishly, do right or wrong." To accredit an "intelligence" with fewer or less important powers than these, would be to discredit him as an "intelligence" altogether.

[Footnote A: We see that this is true as to men as intelligencies. As one remarks: "Within certain temporary material limitations, man is free. He cannot speak if he be dumb, nor see if he be blind; but, mentally and morally, he is always free. He can think his own thoughts, act wisely or foolishly, do right or wrong."—(See Great Questions, p. 21.)]

7. Effect of the Doctrine of the Eternal Existence of Intelligences on Our Terminology: The conception here set forth in the doctrine that intelligencies are co-eternal with God, uncreated and uncreatable, self-existent, indestructible, will be to change somewhat the currently accepted notion in regard to pre-existence of intelligencies and spirits, and in a way the number of estates through which they pass. It is customary for us to say that there are three grand estates of existence through which intelligencies pass in the course of their exaltation to resurrected, immortal, divine beings (See Jacques's Catechism, chap, vi.): first, their pre-existence as spirits, sons and daughters of God, in the spirit world; second, these spirits clothed upon with mortal bodies—earth-life of men and women; third, spirits inhabiting bodies that have been resurrected, immortal beings clothed with imperishable bodies prepared for eternal advancement in the kingdoms of God. But the doctrine of the Prophet and of the scriptures he gave to the world, require us to recognize before the first estate as set forth in the above order, the existence of the self-existent intelligences before they are begotten spirits, sons and daughters of God. So that it could be said that there are four estates in which intelligences exist instead of three; namely; self-existent, uncreated and unbegotten intelligences, co-eternal with God; second, intelligences begotten of God spirits; third, spirits begotten men and women, still sons and daughters of God; fourth, resurrected beings, immortal spirits inhabiting imperishable bodies, still sons and daughters of God, and in the line of eternal progression, up to the attainment of divine attributes and powers. Still, if we have regard to those changes through which intelligences pass, rather than to their status before and after those changes, then we may still say that so far as the matter has been revealed there are three estates or changes through which intelligences pass in the course of their development or evolution into divine beings; and thus preserve the terminology of our sacred literature to which we are accustomed. (See Book of Abraham, ch. iii:22-26. Also Jaques' Catechism, ch. vi.)

LESSON II.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE RELATIONSHIP OF INTELLIGENCES.

NOTES.

1. Men and Jesus of the Same Order of Beings: 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: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." (Heb. ii:10, 11.) Hence while very far removed from us in that the Christ is more perfect in righteousness, and more highly developed in intellectual and spiritual powers than we, 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 co-eternity of Jesus Christ with God, the Father, is quite universally held to be set forth in the preface of John's gospel, which is so familiar that it need not be quoted here. Moreover, to us who accept the new' dispensation of the gospel, through the revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the doctrine of John's preface comes with increased emphasis by reason of the proclaimed extension of the principle of the co-eternity of God, the Father, and Jesus Christ, to other beings, namely, to men; and by asserting also the fact that the intelligent entity in man, the mind, intelligence, was "not created or made, neither indeed can be." The following is from the revelation:

"John saw and bore record of the fulness 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, the Spirit of Truth, who came into the world because the world was made by him, and in him was the life of men and the light of men."

Such is the account which Jesus gives of John's testimony; and now Jesus himself:

"And now, verily, I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the first born. * * * * * Ye [referring to the brethren who were present when the revelation was given] were also in the beginning with the Father, that which is spirit, even the spirit of truth. * * * * * Man [meaning the race] was also in the beginning with God. 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 whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation, for man is spirit."

Here we have the co-eternity of Jesus and of all men most emphatically stated: "I was in the beginning with the Father. * * * * * Ye were also in the beginning with the Father, that which is spirit;" that is, that part of man that is spirit. "Man," that is all men, the term is generic—"man was in the beginning with God." And then mark what follows: "Intelligence"—the part that was with God in the beginning, the entity of man which cognizes truth, that perceives that which is, mind, say,—"intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be."

2. Jesus as the First Born: 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?"

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 note; and certainly this relationship of fatherhood 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. Fatherhood to spirits is manifestly a relationship established independent of man's earth-existence; and, of course, in an existence which preceded earthlife, 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;" and the Revelator speaks of him as "the beginning of the creation of God;" 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 hare 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 as to 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 intelligencies; 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. (See note 10, lesson v.)

3. Why God is God: "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. * * * * * I dwell in the midst of them all; * * * I rule in the heavens above, and the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligencies thine eyes have seen from the beginning." (Word of the Lord to Abraham, Book of Abraham, ch. iii: 19-21.) "I am more intelligent than them all." By this expression I do not understand the scripture to mean that God is more intelligent than any one of the other intelligencies, but more intelligent than all of them combined. His intelligence is greater than that of the mass. It is this fact doubtless which makes this One, "more intelligent than them all," God. He is the All-Wise One! The All-Powerful One! What he tells other intelligencies 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.^[A] There goes with this, too, the thought that this All Wise One, will be the Unselfish One, the-All-Loving One, the One who desires that which is highest, and best; not for Himself alone, but for all; and that will be best for Him too. 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 All Intelligent One is all this, and does all this, the other intelligences 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 the whole meaning of the doctrine and the life of the Christ expressed in—"Father, not my will but Thy will, be done."

[Footnote A: The language here is paraphrased from Carlyle's lecture, "The Hero as King.">[

5. The Desire of God for the Advancement of Other Intelligences: "The first principles of man are self-existent with God. God himself, finding he was in the midst of spirits and glory, because he was more intelligent, saw proper to institute laws whereby the rest could have a privilege to advance like himself. The relationship we have with God places us in a situation to advance in knowledge. He has power to institute laws, to instruct the weaker intelligences, that they may be exalted with himself, so that they might have one glory upon another, and all that knowledge, power, glory, and intelligence which is requisite in order to save them in the world of spirits. This is good doctrine. It tastes good. I can taste the principles of eternal life, and so can you. They are given to me by the revelations of Jesus Christ; and I know that when I tell you these words of eternal life as they are given to me, you taste them, and I know that you believe them. You say honey is sweet, and so do I. I can also taste the spirit of eternal life. I know it is good; and when I tell you of these things which were given me by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, you are bound to receive them as sweet, and rejoice more and more."—Joseph Smith. (Mill. Star, Vol. XXIII, p. 262.)

6. Value of the Doctrine of Eternal Existence: But what is the value of this doctrine of the eternal existence of uncreated intelligences? In what way does it contribute to the better apprehension of that which is, the truth? These considerations, of course, should not be and are not our first concern. Our first consideration should be and has been the truth of the thing. But since that is now settled by what God has revealed about it, we may well, if possible, ascertain what helpfulness there is in the doctrine, for the right apprehension of the general scheme of things. This apprehension, I believe, it affects in a very vital way. As matters now stand, the usually accepted Christian doctrine on the matter of man's origin is that God of his free-will created of nothing the spirits and bodies of men. That they are as he would have them, since in his act of creation he could have had them different if he had so minded. Then why should he—being infinitely wise and powerful and good, for so the creeds represent him—why should he create by mere act of volition beings such as men are, not only capable of, but prone to, moral evil? Which, in the last analysis of things, in spite of all special pleadings to the contrary, leaves responsibility for moral evil with God? God's creative acts culminating thus, the next pertinent questions are: Then what of the decreed purpose of God to punish moral evil? and what of the much vaunted justice of God in that punishment? Wherein lies the just responsibility of man if he was so created as to love evil and to follow it? It is revolting to reason, as it is shocking to piety to think, that God of his own free will created some men, not only inclined to wickedness, but desperately so inclined; while others, he of his own volition created with dispositions naturally inclined toward goodness. In like manner stands it with man in relation to his inclination to faith, and to disbelief: and yet, under the orthodox belief all are included under one law for judgment! Under the conception of the existence of independent, uncreated, self-existent intelligences, who by the inherent nature of them are of various degrees of intelligence, doubtless differing from each other in many ways, yet alike in their eternity and their freedom; with God standing in the midst of them, "more intelligent than them all," and proposing the betterment of their condition—progress to higher levels of being, and power through change—under this conception of things how stand matters? There is the begetting of these intelligences, spirits; the spirits, men; the men, resurrected personages of infinite possibilities; at each change increased powers for development are added to intelligences, yet ever present through all the processes of betterment is the self-existent entity, the "intelligencies," with the tremendous fact of his consciousness and his moral freedom, and his indestructibility;—he has his choice of moving upward or downward in every estate he occupies; often defeating, for a time, at least, the benevolent purposes of God respecting him, through his own perverseness; he passes through dire experiences, suffers terribly, yet learns by what he suffers, so that his very suffering becomes a means to his improvement; he learns swiftly, or slowly, according to \ inherent nature of him, obedience to law; he learns that "that which is governed by law, is also preserved by law, and perfected and sanctified by the same; and that which breaketh law abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself and willeth to abide in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice nor judgment. Therefore they must remain filthy still." (Doc. & Cov. sec. 88:34, 35.) This conception of things relieves God of the responsibility for the nature and status of intelligences in all stages of their development; their inherent nature and their volition make them primarily what they are, and this nature they may change, slowly, perhaps, yet change it they may. God has put them in the way of changing it by enlarging their intelligence through change of environment, through experiences; the only way God effects these self-existent beings is favorably; he creates not their inherent nature; he is not responsible for the use they make of their freedom; nor is he the author of their sufferings when they fall into sin: that arises out of the violations of law to which the "intelligence" subscribed, and must be endured until its lessons are learned.

[Note: To the class teachers. When giving this lesson make your appointment for lesson six, which is a discourse. This will give plenty of time for preparation. The class ought to expect much from him or those who receive the assignment. Make it an occasion.]

LESSON III.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE PURPOSE OF GOD IN RELATION TO MAN.

NOTES.

1. The purpose of God in His Creations: "And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me I pray thee why these things [the creations of God upon which Moses had looked] are so, and by what Thou madest them. * * * And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. * * * * * And by the Word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth. And worlds without number have I created; and I also create them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only begotten. And the first man of all men have I called Adam, which is many. * * * And it came to pass that Moses spake unto the Lord, saying: Be merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant will be content. And the Lord God spake unto Moses, saying: The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine. And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof, even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words. For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."—(Pearl of Great Price, Book of Moses, ch. i:30-39.)

2. The Purpose of Man's Earth-Existence: "Q. For What purpose are the spirits of men sent to take bodies upon the earth?

"A. That they may be educated, developed, and perfected; that they may enjoy a fulness of knowledge, power, and glory forever, and thus increase the dominion and glory of God. (Jacques' Catechism, ch. 6.)

"We came to this earth that we might have a body and present it pure before God in the celestial kingdom. The great principle of happiness consists in having a body. The devil has no body, and herein is his punishment. He is pleased when he can obtain the tabernacle of man, and when cast out by the Savior he asked to go into the herd of swine, showing that he would prefer a swine's body to having none."—Joseph Smith, Richards & Little's Compendium—"Gems", p. 288.

3. "Man is Spirit: The elements an eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably connected receive a fulness of joy; and when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples." (Doc. & Cov. sec. xciii, 33-35.)

4. All Present at the Pre-creation Council: "The first step in the salvation of man is the laws of eternal and self-existent principles. Spirits are eternal. At the first organization in heaven we were all present, and saw the Savior chosen and appointed and the plan of salvation made, and we sanctioned it."—Joseph Smith, Richard and Little's Compendium, "Gems," p. 288.

5. Council of the Gods:

In Solemn council sat the Gods;
From Kolob's height supreme,
Celestial light blazed forth afar
O'er countless kokaubeam;
And faintest tinge, the fiery fringe
Of that resplendent day,
'Lumined the dark abysmal realm
Where earth in chaos lay.

Silence self-spelled; the hour was one
When thought doth most avail;
Of worlds unborn the destiny
Hung trembling in the scale.
Silence o'er all, and there arose,
Those kings and priests among,
A Power sublime, than whom appeared
None nobler 'mid the throng.

A stature mingling strength with grace.
Of meek though God-like mien,
The love-revealing countenance
Lustrous as lightning sheen;
Whiter his hair than ocean spray.
Or frost of alpine hill.
He spake;—attention grew more grave,
The stillness e'en more still.

"Father!"—the voice like music fell,
Clear as the murmuring flow
Of mountain streamlet trickling down
From heights of virgin snow.
"Father," it said, "since one must die,
Thy children to redeem.
Whilst earth, as yet unformed and void,
With pulsing life shall teem;

"And thou, great Michael, foremost fall,
That mortal man may be,
And chosen Saviour yet must send,
Lo, here am I—send me!
I ask, I seek no recompense.
Save that which then were mine;
Mine be the willing sacrifice,
The endless glory, Thine!

"Give me to lead to this lorn world,
When wandered from the fold,
Twelve legions of the noble ones
That now thy face behold;
Tried souls, mid untried spirits found;
That captained these may be,
And crowned the dispensations ail
With powers of Deity.

"A love that hath redeemed all worlds.
All worlds must still redeem;
But mercy cannot justice rob—
Or where were Elohim?
Freedom—man's faith, man's work, God's grace—
Must span the great gulf o'er;
Life, death, the guerdon or the doom.
Rejoice we or deplore."

Silence once more. Then sudden rose
Aloft a towering form.
Proudly erect as towering peak
'Lumed by the gathering storm;
A presence bright and beautiful,
With eye of flashing fire,
A lip whose haughty curl bespoke
A sense of inward ire.

"Give me to go!" thus boldly cried.
With scarce concealed disdain;
"And hence shall none, from heaven to earth,
That shall not rise again.
My saving plan exception scorns;
Man's agency unknown;
As recompense, I claim the right
To sit on yonder throne!"

Ceased Lucifer. The breathless hush
Resumed and denser grew.
All eyes were turned; the general gaze
One common magnet drew.
A moment there was solemn pause;
Then, like the thunder-burst,
Rolled forth from lips omnipotent—
From Him both last and first:

"Immanuel! thou my Messenger,
Till time's probation end.
And one shall go thy face before,
While twelve thy steps attend.
And many more, on that far shore,
The pathway shall prepare.
That I, the First, the last may come,
And earth my glory share.

"Go forth, thou chosen of the Gods,
Whose strength shall in thee dwell!
Go down betime and rescue earth,
Dethroning death and hell.
On thee alone man's fate depends,
The fate of beings all.
Thou shalt not fail, though thou art free—
Free, but too great, to fall."

—Whitney's "Elias," Canto III.

[Note: A careful study of all the scriptural references should be made of all lessons, but particularly of this lesson.]

LESSON IV.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE FREE AGENCY OF INTELLIGENCES.

NOTES.

1. Free Agency: First as to the word "free." The authorities define it to mean having liberty to follow ones own views, desires, inclinations, or choice. Possessed of self-initiatory power. Hence exempt from the arbitration, dominion or direction of others. By "free agency" is meant the power or capacity of acting freely, that is, without constraint of the law. A rational agent whose actions are determined by his own unstrained will. Wayland in his University sermons says, man was endowed with the gift of free agency. He has the same power to disobey the law of God as to obey it. If a man is not a free agent he is not the authority of his actions, and has, therefore, no responsibility, no moral personality at all. (Standard Dictionary). The term "moral agent," means practically the same thing as "free agent." "A moral agent is a being that is capable of those actions that have a moral quality, and which can properly be denominated good or evil in a moral sense."

2. Analysis of mind Operations in Free Agency: I believe the student of the subject of the "free agency of intelligences" will find the following analysis on the freedom of the will, summarized from Guizot, helpful.

(a) Power of Deliberation: The mind is conscious of a power of deliberation; before the intellect passes the different motives of action, interests, passions, opinions, etc. The intellect considers, compares, estimates, and finally judges them. This is a preparatory work which precedes the act of will.

(b) Liberty, Free Agency or Will: When deliberation has taken place—when man has taken full cognizance of the motives which present themselves to him, he takes a resolution, of which he looks upon himself as the author, which arises because he wishes it, and which would not arise unless he did wish it—here the fact of agency is shown; it resides complete in the resolution which man makes after deliberation; it is the resolution which is the proper act of man, which subsists by him alone; a simple fact independent of all the facts which precede it or surround it.

(c) Free Will, or Agency Modified: At the same time that man feels himself free, he recognizes the fact that his freedom is not arbitrary, that it is placed under the dominion of a law which will preside over it and influence it. What that law is will depend upon the education of each individual, upon his surroundings, etc. To act in harmony with that law is what man recognizes as his duty; it will be the task of his liberty. He will soon see, however, that he never fully acquits himself of his task, never acts in full harmony with his moral law. Morally capable of conforming himself to his law, he falls short of doing it. He does not accomplish all that he ought, nor all that he can. This fact is evident, one of which all may give witness; and it often happens that the best men, that is, those who have best conformed their will to reason have often been the most struck with their insufficience.

(d) Necessity of Eternal Assistance: This weakness in man leads him to feel the necessity of an external support to operate as a fulcrum for the human will, a power that may be added to its present power and sustain it at need. Man seeks this fulcrum on all sides; he demands it in the encouragement of friends, in the councils of the wise; but as the visible world, the human society, do not always answer to his desires, the soul goes beyond the visible world, above human relations, to seek this fulcrum of which it has need. Hence the religious sentiment develops itself: man addresses himself to God, and invokes his aid through prayer.

(e) Man Finds the Help He Seeks: Such is the nature of man that when he sincerely asks this support he obtains it; that is, seeking it is almost sufficient to secure it. Whosoever feeling his will weak invokes the encouragement of a friend, the influence of wise councils, the support of public opinion, or who addresses himself to God by prayer, soon feels his will fortified in a certain measure and for a certain time.

(f) Influence of Spiritual World on Liberty: There are spiritual influences at work on man—the empire of the spiritual world upon liberty. There are certain changes, certain moral events which manifest themselves in man without his being able to refer their origin to an act of his will, or being able to recognize the author. Certain facts occur in the interior of the human soul which it does not refer to itself, which it does not recognize as the work of its own will. There are certain days, certain moments in which it finds itself in a different moral state from that which it was last conscious of under the operations of its own will. In other words, the moral man does not wholly create himself; he is conscious that causes, that powers external to himself act upon and modify him imperceptibly—this fact has been called the grace of God which helps the will of man, while others see in it the evidences of predestination.

3. Free Agency More Than a Mere Choice Between Alternatives: "When most people talk of believing in moral freedom, they mean by freedom a power which exhausts itself in acts of choice between a series of alternative courses: but, important though such choice as a function of freedom is, the root idea of freedom lies deeper still. It consists in the idea, not that a man is, as a personality, the first and the sole cause of his choice between alternative courses, but that he is, in a true, even if in a qualified sense, the first cause of what he does, or feels, or is, whether this involves an act of choice, or consists of an unimpeded impulse. Freedom of choice between alternatives is the consequence of this primary faculty. It is the form in which the faculty is most noticeably manifested; but it is not the primary faculty of personal freedom itself. That this faculty of the self-origination of impulse is really what we mean by freedom, and what we mean by personality also, is shown by the only supposition which is open to us, if we reject this. If a man is not in any degree, be this ever so limited, the first cause or originator of his own actions or impulses, he must be the mere transmitter or quotient of forces external to his conscious self, like a man pushed against another by the pressure of a crowd behind him. In other words, he would have no true self—no true personality at all." (Mallock, see note 4.)

4. Free Agency in Practical Life—Literature—History: In his work on the "Reconstruction of Religious Belief," (a work by the way, we recommend to our Seventies) W. H. Mallock devotes a chapter to "Mental Civilization and the Belief in Human Freedom," the tenor of which assumes that in the practical affairs of life, in literature and in history, we proceed upon the assumption that man is a free agent and can determine, within certain limits at least, both his physical and moral conduct; and argues that without this power, the life of man would be meaningless. In the matter of love he decides with Shakespeare's Iago that "It is in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are the gardens to the which our wills are gardeners." That this is true he holds to be "attested not only by the private experiences of most civilized men, but also by all the great poetry in which the passion of love is dealt with." "Such poetry is," in Shakespeare's words, "a mirror held up to nature; and it is only recognized as great because it reflects faithfully." In the matter of heroism in the face of physical danger, he holds that the same story repeats itself. "A man who for some great end undergoes prolonged peril, and deliberately wills to die for the sake of that end if necessary, is no doubt valued, because such conduct 'originates in the man's conscious self, which he has deliberately chosen, when he might just as well have chosen its opposite and which is not imposed on him by conditions, whether within his organism or outside it." The virtue which arises from forgiveness of sin exists in consequence of recognition of this force we call agency in man. "Forgiveness," says our author, "is an act which, in the absence of a belief in freedom, (free agency) not only would lose its meaning, but could not take place at all. To forgive an injury, implies that bad as the offence may have been, the man who committed it was better than his own act, and was for this reason not constrained to commit it; and while it is only the assumption of the better potential self in him that makes him a subject to whom moral blame is applicable, it is only for the sake of this self that forgiveness can abstain from blaming. The believer in freedom says to the offending party, 'I forgive you for the offense of not having done your best.' The determinist (one who believes that man has not the power of free will) says: 'I neither forgive nor blame you; for although you have done your worst, your worst was your best also.'" Of the great characters of literature, Mr. Mallock also says: "They interest us as born to freedom, and not naturally slaves, and they pass before us like kings in a Roman triumph. Once let us suppose these characters to be mere puppets of heredity and circumstance, and they and the works that deal with them lose all intelligible content, and we find ourselves confused and wearied with the fury of an idiot's tale." Historical characters are placed in the same category. All praise or blame only has meaning as we regard these historical characters as free moral agents: "All this praising and blaming is based on the assumption that the person praised or blamed is the originator of his own actions, and not a mere transmitter of forces. Man's significance for men in the whole category of human experiences 'resides primarily in what he makes of himself, not in what he has been made by an organism derived from his parents, and the various external stimuli to which it has automatically responded." ("The Reconstruction of Religious Belief," W. H. Mallock.)

5. The Fact of Free Agency Assumed in the Jewish Scripture: It will be matter of surprise perhaps to the student that in the scriptural references upon the subject of free agency of intelligencies no references are cited in either the Old or the New Testament. The reason is that so far as the writer knows there is no explicit text in either covering the exact point. The "freedom" of man, however, free agency, power to obey or disobey the law of God, is everywhere pre-supposed throughout both the Old and New Testaments. It is a doctrine nowhere in doubt from the first commandment in Genesis to the last in the Book of Revelation. Of what significance is the commandment in Genesis: "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die"—of what significance, I say, is this law to man if he possesses not the power within himself to obey it or disobey it? Then in the last chapter of the last book of the Bible (as now arranged) it is written: "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. * * * And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely"—of what significance to man is this scripture if he has not the power of his own volition to keep the commandments of God that he may have right to the tree of life; or to accept the invitation of the Lamb and the Bride to come and "take of the water of life freely?" "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely!" What a mockery is here if man cannot "will" to take of the waters of life! Is it thinkable that the "Lamb," the loving Christ, would issue an invitation to man in a matter so important as partaking of the water of life, if man has no power to accept such invitation? Is the Christ capable of such mockery? One could think it of some malicious demon; but of Messiah, never!

I have said that so far as known to this writer there is no passage either in the Old or New Testament that explicitly teaches the free agency of intelligencies of men; but implicitly free agency is taught in many passages throughout the Jewish scriptures of which the above quoted passages are but examples. In lesson IX of Part II of the First Year Book (p. 53) attention is called to the fact that in the Book of Esther the name of Deity does not occur; and yet it may be said to be the general opinion of all Bible scholars that in no book in the sacred collection is the presence of God more felt than in that same Book of Esther! So it is in respect of this doctrine of free agency and the Jewish scriptures. Though this doctrine is nowhere explicitly designated in terms in the Old or New Testament, yet every where throughout the sacred book its presence is felt, and the fact of it is everywhere assumed.

[Note: This is a brief treatise on the spiritual and natural creations, but is too long for insertion in the notes of this lesson. Where available I suggest it be read to the quorums.]

LESSON V.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

PREPARATION OF THE EARTH FOR THE ABODE OF MAN.

[Footnote A: This is to be but a glimpse of a very great subject, which some day may be expanded by the author of this Year Book into a treatise on the "Mormon Doctrine of Creation.">[

NOTES.

1. Matter: That of which the sensible universe and all existent bodies are composed; anything which has extension, occupies space, or is perceptible by the senses; body, substance. Matter is usually divided by philosophical writers into three kinds or classes; solid, liquid, and aeriform. Solid substances are those whose parts firmly cohere and resist impression, as wood or stone. Liquids have free motion among their parts, and easily yield to impression, as water and wine. Aeriform substances are elastic fluids, called vapors and gases, as air and oxygen gas. (Webster's International Dictionary.)

2. Matter in Itself: "What matter is, in itself and by itself, is quite hopeless of answer and concerns only metaphysicians. The "Ding an sich" * * * is forever outside the province of science. If all men stopped to quarrel over the inner inwardness of things, progress, of course, would cease. Science is naive; she takes things as they come, and rests content with some such practical definition as will serve to differentiate matter from all other forms of non-matter. This may be done strictly provisionally in this place, by defining matter as that which occupies space and possesses weight. Using these two properties it is readily possible to sift out matter from all the heterogeneous phenomena that present themselves to the senses, and that, in this place, is what we want. Thus, wood, water, copper, oil and air are forms of matter for they evidently possess weight and fill space. But light, heat, electricity and magnetism we cannot consider to fill so many quarts or weigh so many pounds. [Light, heat, electricity—are properties of matter.] They are, therefore, forms of non-matter. In like manner, things such as grace, mercy, justice and truth, while they are existing entities as much as matter, are unquestionably non-matter" [Grace, mercy, etc., are qualities of spirit, which itself is doubtless matter, but of finer quality than that which is recognized by the senses.] ("The New Knowledge," R. K. Duncan, p. 2.)

3. Indestructibility of Matter: "The gradual accumulation of experiences, has tended slowly to reverse this conviction [i. e. that matter may be annihilated]; until now, the doctrine that matter is indestructible has become a commonplace. All the apparent proofs that something can come out of nothing, a wider knowledge has one by one cancelled. The comet that is suddenly discovered in the heavens and nightly waxes larger, is proved not to be a newly-created body, but a body that was until lately beyond the range of vision. The cloud which in the course of a few minutes forms in the sky, consists not of substance that has just begun to be, but of substance that previously existed in a more diffused and transparent form. And similarly with a crystal or precipitate in relation to the fluid depositing it. Conversely, the seeming annihilations of matter turn out, on close observation, to be only changes of state. It is found that the evaporated water, though it has become invisible, may be brought by condensation to its original shape. The discharged fowling-piece gives evidence that though the gunpowder has disappeared, there have appeared in place of it certain gases, which in assuming a larger volume, have caused the explosion." "First Principles," (Herbert Spencer), p. 177, Appleton Edition, 1896.

4. Uncreatability of Matter: "Conceive the space before you to be cleared of all bodies save one. Now imagine the remaining one not to be removed from its place, but to lapse into nothing while standing in that place. You fail. The space which was solid you cannot conceive becoming empty, save by transfer of that which made it solid. * * * However small the bulk to which we conceive a piece of matter reduced, it is impossible to conceive it reduced into nothing. While we can represent to ourselves the parts of the matter as approximated, we cannot represent to ourselves the quantity of matter as made less. To do this would be to imagine some of the constituent parts compressed into nothing; which is no more possible than to imagine compression of the whole into nothing. Our inability to conceive matter becoming non-existent, is immediately consequent on the nature of thought. Thought consists in the establishment of relations. There can be no relation established, and therefore no thought framed, when one of the related terms is absent from consciousness. Hence it is impossible to think of something becoming nothing, for the same reason that it is impossible to think of nothing becoming something—the reason, namely, that nothing cannot become an object of consciousness. The annihilation of matter is unthinkable for the same reason that the creation of matter is unthinkable."—First Principles, p. 181.

5. Conservation of Mass: "This law, known as the law of the conservation of mass, states that no particle of matter, however small, may be created or destroyed. All the king's horses and all the king's men cannot destroy a pin's head. We may smash that pin's head, dissolve it in acid, burn it in the electric furnace, employ, in a word, every annihilating agency, and yet that pin's head persists in being. Again, it is as uncreatable as it is indestructible. In other words, we cannot create something out of nothing. The material must be furnished for every existent article. The sum of matter in the universe is 'X' pounds,—and, while it may be carried through a myriad forms, when all is said and done, it is just-'X' pounds." (The New Knowledge, R. K. Duncan, p. 3, 1905.)

6. Extension of Matter Through Infinite Space: "Through all eternity the infinite universe has been, and is, subject to the law of substance. * * * The extent of the universe is infinite and unbounded; it is empty in no part, but everywhere filled with substance. The duration of the world (i. e. universe) is equally infinite and unbounded; it has no beginning and no end: it is eternity. Substance is everywhere and always in uninterrupted movement and transformation: nowhere is there perfect repose and rigidity; yet the infinite quantity of matter and of eternally changing force remains constant." (The Riddle of the Universe, Erast Haeckel, p. 242.)

Compare the foregoing note with the Book of Moses (P. G. P., chap, i; also chap, vii:30,31; also Book of Abraham chap, iii:1-19.)

7. The Prophet Joseph Smith's Views of Creation: "There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes. We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified, we shall see that it is all matter. (Doc. & Cov. Sec. cxxxi.) * * * You ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out of nothing, and they will answer, "Don't the Bible say He created the world?" And they infer from that word 'create' that it must be made out of nothing. Now the word create came from the word baurau, which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize, the same as man would organize material and build a ship. Hence we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of—chaos—chaotic matter, which is element and in which dwells all the glory. Elements had an existence from the time He [God] had. The pure principles of elements can never be destroyed, they may be organized and reorganized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end." (Mill. Star, vol. 23, p. 248.)

"The world and earth are not synonymous terms. The world is the human family. The earth was organized or formed out of other planets which were broken up and remodeled and made into the one on which we live. The elements are eternal. * * * In the translation 'without form and void' [Gen. i:2] it should read, 'empty and desolate.' The word 'created' should be 'formed,' or 'organized.'" (Richards & Little's "Compendium," p. 287—"Gems,")

"Professor Luther T. Townsend of Boston University in a new book entitled Adam and Eve, in which he discusses the question as to whether the first chapters of Genesis are history or myth, dealing with the second verse of the first chapter of Genesis—'And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep—' he claims that the literal rendering of it is this: 'And the earth had become (past perfect tense) 'tohu' a wreck and 'lohu' without inhabitant. This desolate and tenantless condition agrees perfectly with what science reports of the general epoch; and there can be little doubt on scientific grounds," continues Prof. Townsend, "that during the break up of the ice age a darkness denser than that of the densest London fogs was upon the face of the floods." (Press Comment, Prof. Townsend's book.)

This sustains the position of the Prophet Joseph stated above.

8. New Theory of Earth Structure:—"In recent years theories of mountain formation have changed like everything else scientific. * * * The new theories hark back to the original formation of the earth. The conception of a hot drop of a world swinging in space, gradually cooling and forming a shell as smooth as a billiard ball, has been partly abandoned. The nebular hypothesis has been modified, the so-called meteoritic hypothesis has been found inadequate; and the more plausible planetesimal theory of Professors Chamberlin and Salisbury has been put forth.

"The latest theory argues the formation of the world by gradual accretions from planetary bodies. It assumes the origin of our solar system in a common spiral nebula—the nebula being in a thin solid or liquid state, as suggested by the spectrum analysis of it. The knots or portions of the nebula showing the most concentration, are the nuclei of future planets, and the thinner haze the portions from which the knots are formed. All these knots move about the central mass (the sun) in elliptical orbits of considerable eccentricity. The planetesimals are gathered in, and through accretions from such a world as ours, by the crossing of the elliptical orbits in the course of their inevitable shiftings." ("The High Alps," by John C. Van Dyke, Scribner's Magazine, June, 1908.)

9. Worlds Organized on Pre-Arranged Plan: "The organization of the spiritual and heavenly worlds, and of spiritual and heavenly beings, was agreeable to the most perfect order and harmony: their limits and bounds were fixed irrevocably, and involuntarily subscribed to in their heavenly estate by themselves, and were by our first parents subscribed to upon the earth. Hence the importance of embracing and subscribing to principles of eternal truth by all men upon the earth that expect eternal life." (Joseph Smith, Conference at Nauvoo, Oct. 8, 1843, Millennial Star, vol. XXII, p. 231.)

10. Our Revelations Local: That is, our revelations in the Scriptures—all four books—pertain to our earth, and its heavens; to those intelligencies, spirits, men, angels, arch-angels, God, and Gods, pertaining to that order of existences to which we belong. I call attention to the fact for the reason that I believe the principle indicated is very important, not only in the discussion in hand, but it has an important bearing upon the whole phraseology and meaning of our scriptures. When God's word says, for instance, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," etc.; and "thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the hosts of them," he has reference not to any absolute "beginning" or absolute "finishing," but only the "beginning" and "finishing" as pertaining to our earth and the order of creation with which it is connected; and the "hosts" that pertain to our order of existence, not absolutely to all existences. The revelations we have received of God, let it be said again, are local, they relate to us and our order of existence; they may not at all, except in the most casual and general way, refer to that order of worlds connected with and governed by the Pleiades, or of Orion, much less to the further removed constellations and their systems of worlds.

We learn from the Pearl of Great Price that when the Lord gave those revelations to Moses by which the prophet was enabled to write the creation story of our earth, the local character of those revelations was expressly stated: "Worlds without number," said the Lord to Moses, "have I created—but only an account of this earth and the inhabitants thereof give I unto you—Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the words which I speak. * * * In the beginning I created the heavens and the earth on which thou standest." The subject is too important for treatment in a mere note, but in passing I desired to call attention to the important bearing it has upon the subject in hand, as also upon our whole system of thought and exposition of the scriptures.

LESSON VI.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

(A Discourse)

EXTENT AND GRANDEUR OF THE UNIVERSE.^[A]

[Footnote A: In lieu of the usual detached notes, in lesson viii and ix, I present an unbroken discussion of the Fall of Adam and the Purpose of Man's Earth Life, which I think will be more satisfactory than any collection of detached notes that I could present to the students upon this very important subject. The students will be under the necessity of selecting from the discussion such ideas and data as wrill apply to the part of the subject assigned to him.

Suggestion to the class teacher: Make your assignment today for Lesson XIII, a discussion and see note on Lesson six.]

NOTES.

1. Suggestion on the Lesson Treatment: No analysis is given to this lesson. It is designed to give those to whom the subject is assigned—and one, two, or even more may be assigned to the subject—an opportunity to make their own sub-divisions and work out their own treatment in their own way. It should be said in passing, however, that it is to be hoped that the treatment will have some relationship to previous lessons in part I of the present Year Book. It could receive such a treatment, for instance, as would lead to the justification of the doctrine set forth in lesson V on the fact of our scripture revelations being local; that is, revelations that pertain to our earth and its heavens as set forth in the Book of Moses, chapters i and ii. Also it could be made to contribute to the reasonableness of the existence of Great and Presiding intelligencies in various parts of the universe, of their controlling and directing their worlds and world-systems in harmony with the great and eternal laws by which the universe is evidently governed. This much to suggest merely that there is a relationship between this subject and the lessons that have preceded it.

2. Sources of Information: Almost any school text book on astronomy will give information on the extent and grandeur of the universe. Especially would I recommend Newcomb's "Popular Astronomy," Harper & Brothers, Publishers, New York; Gillet & Rolf's Astronomy; and "Other Worlds than Ours," by Richard A. Proctor, in which the plurality of worlds studied under the light of recent scientific researches, could be consulted to advantage. "A history of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom," by Andrew D. White, vol. I, chap. 3, could be consulted to advantage; not so much with reference to a description of the extent or grandeur of the universe, as for the light he throws upon the struggle that took place in the development of the ideas which led to the modern conception of the structure of the universe and the laws that governed therein. For a description of the extent and grandeur of the universe, as also for an account of the resistence to scientific ideas in relation thereto, Draper's "Intellectual Development of Europe," Volume II, chapter viii, could be consulted, and the same authors "Conflict Between Religion and Science." Some valuable quotations on the same subject are to be found in "New Witness For God," Chapters xxviii, xxix.

3. Suggestions Upon the Structure of Discourses and Lectures: In the Seventy's Year Book No. 1, there were six lessons in which suggestions were made on the matter of the formation of lectures, or discourses. The six lessons, however, were really but one. The suggestions then given went no further than to admonish the student to give definite form to his discourse, urging that there should be

1. An Introduction.

2. A Discussion.

3. A Conclusion.

We again call attention to the necessity of adhering to this definite plan, if the discourse is to be instructive or intellectually entertaining.

4. Clearness: The most important concern of a speaker is to make himself understood. If he fails in this he fails in everything. This is true of every speaker. It is doubly true of one who has a message from God to deliver to the world. Clearness then in the expression of ideas is the first quality to be considered. The first essential to clearness in the expression of his ideas is for the speaker himself to have definite knowledge of his subject. Clearness of expression must be preceded by definite knowledge and clear thinking. The chief cause of obscurity in expression is a lack of systematic, clear-cut thinking. Men speak as they train themselves to think. If men will only train themselves to do systematic thinking, speech, or expression of thought, will largely take care of itself. Men generally may not be conscious of it, but it is true nevertheless that the mind is constantly thinking. It seems to be an essential of its nature to do so. One cannot stop thinking even if he would, so long as he is awake and conscious. What we call the mind will think about something, but we usually allow it to drift aimlessly in its thought. It is earned away hither and thither by every passing object, noise, or word that suggests an idea; or else we allow it to be driven to and fro in the realm of our imagination by every passing fancy. No effort is made to control it. We think of everything in general and nothing in particular. What is needed in our intellectual development is mind-control. Obedience of the mental faculties to the will. The mind should be compelled to work out lines of thought upon any subject that is given to it to reflect upon, until it has arranged in orderly fashion all the present knowledge and ideas possessed on the given subject. And thinking, be it remembered, is but arranging knowledge in orderly fashion in relation to our ideas, with the view of arriving at definite conclusions. Elsewhere in illustration of these views, I have said: 'Er. no. I have been a visitor in families where parents have undertaken to put the children of the households on their good behaviour. I have seen the father and mother undertake instanter to make the children polite to each other, considerate to parents, gentle in word and deed; and I have seen the children look up in astonishment and then go on in the same boisterous and quarrelsome way to which they were accustomed. The father and mother on this dress parade occasion could not make their children understand what had not previously been made a habit to them. The children could not understand for the simple reason that perhaps never before, or only once or twice before, with long intervals between, were they corrected in their manners. Parents in order to have their children appear well must give them daily training until politeness and good behaviour become habitual to them. And only in this way can they become ladies and gentlemen—gentle in speech towards father and mother, gentle in conduct towards brother and sister, respectful to strangers and well behaved in all the relations of child life. In order to produce this the training must be continuous. Not harsh or rough but exacting, nevertheless. So it is with the powers of the mind. A man who has never trained his mental powers in logical methods of thought cannot hope to stand before an audience and succeed as a public teacher. To bring together beautiful and logical thoughts that will be instructive to those who listen and satisfactory to himself—this power can only be acquired by thorough and constant mental discipline. It is only to be acquired by earnest effort, by hard work. But remember, to be a Seventy means just that—work, mental activity, leading to intellectual development, and to the attainment of spiritual power.

5. The Cultivation of Thought-Power: Thought upon a subject in any broad sense embraces substantial knowledge of all the facts, and all the reasoning that may be based upon the facts. Education in the proper sense is the cultivation of the power of thought, with the added power of expressing those thoughts in some forceful manner. "How then," asks Mr. Pittinger, whom we so frequently quoted in lessons of this class in Year Book No. l, "How, then, shall thought-power be increased? There is no royal road. Every one of the faculties by which knowledge is accumulated and arranged or digested into new forms grows stronger by being employed upon its own appropriate objects." Mental activity is the means by which the material of knowledge is gathered, and all faculties strengthened for future gathering. Each fact gained adds to the treasury of thought. A broad and liberal education is of exceeding advantage. This may or may not be of the schools. Indeed, they too often substitute a knowledge of words for a knowledge of things. That fault is very serious * * * * * for the only way by which even language can be effectively taught, is by giving terms to objects, the nature of which has been previously learned. But many persons need to speak who cannot obtain an education in the usual sense of the word—that is, college or seminary training. Must they keep their lips forever closed on that account? By no means. A thousand examples, some of them the most eminent speakers the world has produced, encourage them to hope. Let such persons learn all they can. Wide, well-selected, and systematic reading will do wonders in supplying the necessary thought-material. Every book of history, biography, travels, popular science, which is carefully read, and its contents fixed in the mind, will be available for the purposes of public speech. Here a word of advice may be offered, which, if heeded, will be worth many months of technical education at the best colleges in the land; it is this: Have always at hand some work that in its own sphere possesses real and permanent merit, and read it daily until completed. If notes are made of its contents, and the book itself kept on hand for reference, so much the better. If some friend can be found who will hear you relate in your own words what you have read, this also will be of great value. Many persons, especially in our own country, [America] spend time enough in reading the minute details of the daily papers to make them thoroughly acquainted in ten years with forty volumes of the most useful books in the world. Think of it! This number may include nearly all the literary masterpieces. Which mode of spending the time will produce the best results? One newspaper read daily would amount to more than three hundred in a year, and allowing each paper to be equal to ten ordinary book pages, the result would be three thousand pages annually, or six volumes of five hundred pages each. In ten years this would reach sixty volumes! This number, comprising the world's best books in history, poetry, science, and general literature, might be read slowly, with meditation and diligent note-taking by the most busy man who was willing to employ his leisure in that way. * * * * * Neither will the speaker have to wait until any definite quantity of reading has been accomplished before it becomes serviceable to him. All that he learns will be immediately available, and, with proper effort, the facility of speech and the material for speaking will keep pace with each other."

PART II.

Antediluvian Dispensations.

LESSON VII.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE ADAMIC DISPENSATION—I.

NOTES.

1. Dispensation: A dispensation, without reference to any specific application or limitations of the term, is the act of dealing out or distributing, such as the dispensation of justice by courts, the dispensation of blessings or afflictions by the hand of Providence. Theologically a dispensation is defined as one of the several systems of bodies of law in which at different periods God has revealed His mind and will to man, such as the Patriarchal Dispensation, the Mosaic Dispensation, or the Christian Dispensation. The word is also sometimes applied to the periods of time during which the said laws obtain. That is, the period from Adam to Noah is usually called the Patriarchal Dispensation. From Noah to the calling of Abraham, the Noachian Dispensation; and from Abraham to the calling of Moses, the Abrahamic Dispensation. But the word dispensation as connected with the Gospel of Jesus Christ means the opening of the heavens to men; the giving out or dispensing to them the word of God; the revealing to men in whole or in part the principles and ordinances of the Gospel; the conferring of divine authority upon certain chosen ones, by which they are empowered to act in the name, that is, in the authority of God, and for Him. That is a dispensation as relating to the Gospel.

2. The Advent of Adam on Earth: The earth, "warmed and dried by the cheering rays of the now resplendent sun, is prepared for the first seeds of vegetation. 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. In after years, when Paradise was lost by sin; when man was driven from the face of his heavenly Father, to toil, and droop, and die; when heaven was veiled from view, and, with few exceptions, man was no longer counted worthy to retain the knowledge of his heavenly origin; then darkness veiled the past and future from the heathen mind; man neither knew himself, from whence he came, nor whither he was bound. At length a Moses came, who knew his God, and would fain have led mankind to know Him too, and see Him face to face. But they could not receive His heavenly laws or bide His presence. Thus the holy man was forced again to veil the past in mystery, and in the beginning of his history assign to man an earthly origin. Man, moulded from the earth as a brick! Woman, manufactured from a rib! Thus, parents still would fain conceal from budding manhood the mysteries of procreation, or the sources of life's everflowing river, by relating some childish tale of new-born life, engendered in the hollow trunk of some old tree, or springing with spontaneous growth like mushrooms from out the heaps of rubbish. O man! when wilt thou cease to be a child in knowledge?"—Parley P. Pratt's "Key to the Science of Theology" chap. VI.

3. "Be Fruitful": It has already been shown (Lesson II) that the purpose of God in the earth-life of man was 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 fulness of joy" must be inseparably connected with element (Doc. & Cov. Sec. xciii. 32-35, also note 2 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 [the whole] 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 no 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.)

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 forces of life, the earth would soon be overwhelmed. "Every being," says Mr. Darwin, "which during its natural lifetime 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, not withstanding 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."

4. The Symbols of Life and Death: "The Tree of Life.—so called from its symbolic character as a sign and seal of immortal life. Its prominent position in the midst of the garden where it must have been an object of daily observation and interest, was admirably fitted to keep them [Adam and Eve] habitually in mind of God and futurity."

"Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.—so called because it was a test of obedience by which our first parents were to be tried, whether they would be good or bad, obey God or break his commandments.'

"Thou Shalt not Eat of it. * * * Thou Shalt Surely Die.—no reason assigned for the prohibition, but death was to be the punishment of disobedience. A positive command like this was not only the simplest and easiest, but the only trial to which their fidelity could be exposed." (Commentary Critical and Explanatory of the Old and New Testament, Jamieson-Fossett-Brown.)

In the above symbols, together with the commandment and penalty to follow disobedience, we have assembled the great mysteries of this world—Life, Death, Good, Evil, the fact of man's Agency—power to order his own course, to obey or disobey; continued life for obedience, which is but conformation to the law of life; and death for disobedience, or departure from the conditions on which life is predicated. The Tree of Life was the symbol of eternal life, for later when man had partaken of the fruit of the Tree of Death—the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil—God is represented as saying, in effect, since the man has become as one of us to know good and evil, lest he put forth his hand now and partake also of the tree of life and eat and live forever, let us send him forth from the garden and guard the tree of life by cherubims with flaming sword. And so it was ordered.—(Genesis iii:22-25) See also Alma ch. xii:22-27; also Alma ch. xii, 1-10.

Death was symbolized in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil—in the day thou eatest of it, thou shalt surely die—hence the Tree of Death. Death we learn from other scriptures than Genesis, is both temporal and spiritual. What is here called temporal death is physical death, separation of spirit and body, the dust returning to the earth whence it came; but the spirit, being as we have seen a thing immortal, survives in conscious life and goes to the world of spirits. "Dust thou art, and to dust thou shalt return," was not written of the spirit of man. The spiritual death is the breaking of the union of the soul with God, separation, alienation from God. (See Alma, chapters 12, 13, 42.) Man's disobedience to God would break this union of the soul with God, and hence spiritual death. But while partaking of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge would bring death, both spiritual and temporal, yet it would bring also the knowledge that would make men as Gods, to know good and evil; and to this end, doubtless, was planned the whole scheme of man's earth-life. This to be developed in lessons that follow.

LESSON VIII.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE ADAMIC DISPENSATION—II.

NOTES.^[A]

The Fall of Adam—The Purpose of Man's Earth-Life.

[Footnote A: In Lessons VIII and IX, in place of detached notes a brief treatise is given upon The Fall of Adam; and the Purpose of Man's Creation; recounting the various views entertained upon that subject by the great divisions of Christendom, as also the views set forth in the revelations of God. This treatment is rendered necessary by the nature of the subject.]

In the second book of Nephi occurs the following direct, explicit statement: "Adam fell that man might be, and men are that they might have joy."

This assertion concerns two of the mightiest problems of theology:

1st, The reason for Adam's fall;

2nd, The purpose of man's earth-existence.

Silence of the Creeds.

No where in the creeds of men—the creeds of men! those great crystallizations of Christian truths as men have conceived those truths to he; those embodied deductions of the teachings of Holy Scripture—no where in them, I repeat, are these two great theological questions disposed of on scriptural authority.

Presbyterian View.

The Westminster Confession of Faith, which embodies the accepted doctrine of one of the largest bodies of Protestant Christendom, ascribes the purpose of all the creative acts of God to be "The manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom and goodness."^[A] And in an authoritative explanation of this part of the creed it is said, "The design of God in creation was the manifestation of his own glory." And again, "Our confession very explicitly takes the position that the chief end of God in his eternal purposes and in their temporal execution in creation and providence is the manifestation of his own glory. * * * * * The scriptures explicitly assert that this is the chief end of God in creation. * * * * The manifestation of his own glory is intrinsically the highest and worthiest end that God could propose to Himself."^[B]

[Footnote A: Westminster Confession, chap, iv—Of Creation—Section 1.]

[Footnote B: In proof of this last declaration the expounder cites Col. i:16; Prov. xvi:4; Rev. iv:11; Rom. xi:36. See Commentary on the Confession of Faith with questions for theological students and Bible classes by the Rev. A. A. Hodge D. D. chapter iv. The reading of the passages quoted will convince any one that the statement of the creed is but poorly or not at all sustained by them.]

The only business I have here with this declaration of the purpose of God in creation—including the creation of man, of course—is simply to call attention to the fact that it no where has the direct warrant of scripture.

Episcopalian View.

The great Protestant body of Christians known as the "Episcopal Church" whose chief doctrines are embodied in "The Book of Common Prayer," is silent upon the two subjects in question, viz. "why" Adam fell; the "object" of man's existence. Their "Articles of Faith," it is true, speak of the "fall" of Adam, and its effect upon the human race, but nowhere do they attempt to say "why" it was that Adam fell; or give a "reason" for man's existence. Their creeds proclaim their faith in God, "the Maker and Preserver of all things, both visible and invisible;" but no where declare the purpose of that creation, and consequently have no word as to the "object" of man's existence.

Roman Catholic View.

The exposition of the Catholic creed on the same point, as set forth in the Douay Catechism is as follows:

"Ques. What signify the words creation of heaven and earth?

"Ans. They signify that God made heaven and earth and all creatures in them of nothing, by his word only.

"Ques. 'What moved God to make them?

"Ans. His own goodness, so that he may communicate himself to angels and to man for whom he made all other creatures."

Speaking of the creation of the angels, the same work continues:

"Ques. For what end did God create them? [the angels].

"Ans. To be partakers of his glory and to be our guardians."

Referring again to man's creation the following occurs:

"Ques. Do we owe much to God for creation?

"Ans. Very much, because he made us in such a perfect state, creating us for himself, and all things else for us."^[A]

[Footnote A: Douay Catechism chapter iii.]

From all which it may be summarized that the purposes of God in the creation of man and angels, according to Catholic theology, is—

First, that God might communicate himself to them;

Second, that they might be partakers of his glory.

Third, that he created them for himself, and all things else for them.

While this may be in part the truth, and so far excellent, it has no higher warrant of authority than human deduction, based on conjecture, not scripture; and it certainly falls far short of giving to man that "pride of place" in existence to which his higher nature and his dignity as a son of God entitles him.

Mormon View.

"Adam fell that man 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 both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."^[A] 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,"^[B] and also hid from the presence of the Lord.

[Footnote A: Gen. ii:25.]

[Footnote B: Ibid iii:7. also Lehi: "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." (II Nephi ii:22-24. See also Book of Moses chap v. 11.)]

In an incidental way Paul gives us to understand that Adam in the matter of the 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. 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 it is therefore to be believed that Adam not deceived either by the cunning of Lucifer or the blandishments of the woman, deliberately, and with full knowledge of his act and its consequences, and in order to carry out the purpose of God, in the creation of man, 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. Thus "Adam fell that man might be."

[Footnote A: Tim. ii:14.]

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 not 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, as essential to the accomplishment of that purpose as the "redemption" through Jesus Christ. Certainly there would have been no occasion for the "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 the gospel of Jesus Christ, had there been no "fall." It cannot be but that it was part of God's purpose to display these qualities in their true relation, for the benefit and blessing and experience and enlargement 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 "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 "redemption;" 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 Christianity roundly denounce Adam for his transgression. "The Catholic Church teaches," says Joseph Faa' Di Bruno, D. D., "that Adam by his sin has not only caused harm to himself, but to the whole human race; that by it he lost the supernatural justice and holiness which he received gratuitously from God, and lost it, not only for himself, but also for all of us; and that he, having stained himself with the sin of disobedience, has transmitted not only death and other bodily pains and infirmities to the whole human race, but also sin, which is the death of the soul."^[A]

[Footnote A: Catholic Belief, p. 6.]

And again:

"Unhappily, Adam by his sin of disobedience, which was also a sin of pride, disbelief, and ambition, forfeited, or, more properly speaking, rejected that original justice; and we, as members of the human family, of which he was the head, are also implicated in that guilt of self-spoliation, or rejection and deprivation of those supernatural gifts; not indeed on account of our having willed it with our personal will, but by having willed it with the will of our first parent, to whom we are linked by nature as members to their head."^[A]

[Footnote A: Catholic Belief, p. 330.]

Still again, and this from the Catholic Catechism:

"Q. How did we lose original justice?

"A. By Adam's disobedience to God in eating the forbidden fruit.

"Q. How do you prove that?

"A. Out of Rom. v:12. 'By one man sin entered into the world, and by sin death; and so unto all men death did pass, in whom all have sinned.'

"Q. Had man ever died if he had never sinned?

"A. He would not, but would live in a state of justice and at length would be translated alive to the fellowship of the angels."^[A]

[Footnote A: Douay Catechism, p. 13.]

From a Protestant source I quote the following:

"In the fall of man we may observe, 1. The greatest infidelity. 2. Prodigious pride. 3. Horrid ingratitude. 4. Visible contempt of God's majesty and justice. 5. Unaccountable folly. 6. A cruelty to himself and to all his posterity. Infidels, however, have treated the account of the fall and its effects, with contempt, and considered the whole as absurd; but their objections to the manner have been ably answered by a variety of authors; and as to the effects, one would hardly think any body could deny. For, that man is a fallen creature, is evident, if we consider his misery, as an inhabitant of the natural world; the disorders of the globe we inhabit, and the dreadful scourges with which it is visited; the deplorable and shocking circumstances of our birth; the painful and dangerous travail of women; our natural uncleanliness, helplessness, ignorance, and nakedness, the gross darkness in which we naturally are, both with respect to God and a future state; the general rebellion of the brute creation against us; the various poisons that lurk in the animal, vegetable, and mineral world, ready to destroy us; the heavy curse of toil and sweat to which we are liable; the innumerable calamities of life, and the pangs of death."^[A]

[Footnote A: Buck's Theological Dictionary, p. 335.]

In its article on man the dictionary just quoted also says:

"God, it is said, made man upright, (Eccl. vii:29), without any imperfection, corruption, or principle of corruption in his body or soul; with light in his understanding, holiness in his will, and purity in his affection. This constituted his original righteousness, which was universal, both with respect to the subject of it, the whole man, and the object of it, the whole law. Being thus in a state of holiness, he was necessarily in a state of happiness. He was a very glorious creature, the favorite of heaven, the lord of the world, possessing perfect tranquility in his own breast, and immortal. Yet he was not without law: for the law of nature, which was impressed on his heart, God superadded a positive law, not to eat of the forbidden fruit (Gen. ii:17) under the penalty of death natural, spiritual, and eternal. Had he obeyed this law, he might have had reason to expect that he would not only have had the continuance of the natural and spiritual life, but have been transported to the upper paradise. Man's righteousness, however, though universal, was not immutable, as the event has proved. How long he lived in a state of innocence cannot easily be ascertained, yet most suppose it was but a short time. The [Transcriber's note: break in the text here appears to be a printer's error in the original] tion, or rejection and deprivation of those supernatural gifts; not indeed positive law which God gave him he broke, by eating the forbidden fruit. The consequence of this evil act was, that man lost the chief good; his nature was corrupted; his powers depraved, his body subject to corruption, his soul exposed to misery, his posterity all involved in ruin, subject to eternal condemnation, and for ever incapable to restore themselves to the favor of God, to obey his commands perfectly, and to satisfy his justice."^[A]

[Footnote A: Buck's Theological Dictionary, p. 182.]

Another Protestant authority says:

"The tree of knowledge of good and evil revealed to those who ate its fruit secrets of which they had better have remained ignorant; for the purity of man's happiness consisted in doing and loving good without even knowing evil."^[A]

[Footnote A: Old Testament History William Smith, L. L.D., chap. ii.]

From these several passages as also indeed from the whole tenor of Christian writings upon this subject, the fall of Adam is quite generally deplored and upon him is laid a very heavy burden of responsibility. It was he, they complain, who

"Brought death into the world, and all our woe."

One great division of Christendom in its creed, it is true, in dealing with the fall, concedes that "God was pleased according to his wise and holy counsel, to permit [the fall] having purposed to order it to his own glory."^[A]

[Footnote A: Westminster Confession chapter vi, section 1.]

And in an authoritative explanation of this section they say, "That this sin [the fall] was permissively embraced in the sovereign purpose of God." And still further in explanation: "Its purpose being God's general plan, and one eminently wise and righteous, to introduce all the new created subjects of moral government into a state of probation for a time in which he makes their permanent character and destiny depend upon their own action." Still, this sin described as being permissively embraced in the sovereign purpose of the Deity, God designed "to order it to his own glory;" but it no where appears according to this confession of faith that the results of the fall are to be of any benefit to man. The only thing consulted in the theory of this creed seems to be the manifestation of the glory of God—a thing which represents God as a most selfish being—but just how the glory of God can be manifested by the "fall" which, according to this creed, results in the eternal damnation of the overwhelming majority of his "creatures," is not quite apparent.

Those who made this Westminster Confession, as also the large following which accept it, concede that their theory involves them at least in two difficulties which they confess it is impossible for them to meet. These are, respectively:

First, "How could sinful desires or volitions originate in the soul of moral agents created holy like Adam and Eve;" and, second, "how can sin be permissively embraced in the eternal purpose of God and not involve him as responsible for the sin?" "If it be asked," say they "why God, who abhors sin, and who benevolently desires the excellence and happiness of his creatures, should sovereignly determine to permit such a fountain of pollution, degradation, and misery to be opened, we can only say, with profound reverence, 'Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.'"^[A]

[Footnote A: Commentary on the Confession of Faith, A. D. Hodge, pp. 105-108.]

These difficulties, however, are the creed's and those who accept it, not ours, and do not further concern our discussion at this point.

Infidels—under which general term (and I do not use it offensively) I mean all those who do not accept the Christian creeds, nor believe the Bible to be a revelation—infidels, I say, quite generally deride the fall of man as represented both in the creeds of Christendom and in the Bible. They regard the tremendous consequences attendant upon eating the forbidden fruit as altogether out of proportion with the act itself, and universally hold that a moral economy which would either design or permit such a calamity as the fall is generally supposed to be, as altogether unworthy of an all-merciful and just Deity. Thomas Paine referring to it says:

"Putting aside everything that might excite laughter by its absurdity, or detestation by its profaneness, and confining ourselves merely to an examination of the parts, it is impossible to conceive a story more derogatory to the Almighty, more inconsistent with his wisdom, more contradictory to his power than this story is."

In their contentions against the story of Genesis, no less than iu their war upon "the fall" and "original sin" in the men-made creeds of Christendom, infidels have denounced God in most blasphemous terms as the author of all the evil in this world by permitting, through not preventing, the fall; and they have as soundly ridiculed and abused Adam for the part he took in the affair. He has been held up by them as weak and cowardly, because he referred his partaking of the forbidden fruit to the fact that the woman gave to him and he did eat; a circumstance into which they read an effort on the part of the man to escape censure, perhaps punishment, and to cast the blame for his transgression upon the woman. These scoffers proclaim their preference for the variations of this story of a "fall of man" as found in the mythologies of various peoples, say those of Greece or India.^[A] But all this aside. The truth is that nothing could be more courageous, sympathetic, or nobly honorable than the course of this world's great Patriarch in his relations to his wife Eve and the "fall." The woman by deception is led into transgression, and stands under the penalty of a broken law. Banishment from the presence of God, banishment from the presence of her husband—death, await her. Thereupon the man, not deceived, but knowingly (as we are assured by Paul), also transgresses. Why? In one aspect of the case in order that he might share the woman's banishment from the comfortable presence of God, and with her die—than which ho 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. The facts are, as we have already seen, that the conditions which confronted Adam in his earth-life were afore time known to him; that of his own volition he accepted them, and came to earth to meet them.

[Footnote A: See Ingersoll's Lectures, "Liberty of Man, Woman and Child," where the great orator, contrasts the story of the Pall given in the Bible with that of Brahma in the Hindoo mythology, and extravagantly praises the latter to the disparagement of the former.]

LESSON IX.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE ADAMIC DISPENSATION—III.

NOTES.

The Purpose of Man's Earth-Life.—"Men are that they might have joy."

That is to say, the purpose of man's earth-life is in some way to be made to contribute to his joy, which is but another way of saying that man's earth-life is to eventuate in his advantage.

"Men are that they might have joy!" What is meant by that? Have we here the reappearance of the old Epicurean doctrine, "pleasure is the supreme good, and chief end of life?" No, verily! Nor any form of ancient or modern Hedonism^[A] whatsoever. 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," even from pain, 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. Moreover, whatever apologists may say, it is very clear that the "pleasure" of the Epicurean philosophy, hailed as "the supreme good and chief end of life," was to arise from agreeable sensations, or what ever gratified the senses, and hence was, in the last analysis of it—in its roots and branches—in its theory and in its practice—"sensualism." It was to result in physical ease and comfort, and mental inactivity—other than a conscious, self-complacence—being regarded as "the supreme good and chief end of life." I judge this to be the net result of this philosophy since these are the very conditions in which Epicureans describe even the gods to exist;^[B] and surely men could not hope for more "pleasure," or greater happiness than that possessed by their gods. Cicero even charges that the sensualism of Epicurus was so gross that he represents him as blaming his brother, Timocrates, "because he would not allow that everything which had any reference to a happy life was to be measured by the belly; nor has he," continues Cicero, "said this once only, but often."

[Footnote A: "Hedonism: The doctrine of certain Greek philosophers; in ethics, gross self-interest. Hedonism is the form of eudemonism that regards pleasure (including avoidance of pain) as the only conceivable object in life, and teaches that as between the lower pleasures of sense and the higher enjoyments of reason or satisfactory satisfied-respect, there is no difference except in the degree, duration and hedonic value of the experience, there being, in strictness, no such thing as ethical or moral value." Standard Dictionary.]

[Footnote B: In Cicero's description of the Epicurean conception of the gods he says: "That which is truly happy cannot be burdened with any labor Itself, nor can it impose any labor on another, nor can it be influenced by resentment or favor, because things which are liable to such failings must be weak and frail. * * Their life [i. e. of the gods] is most happy and the most abounding with all kinds of blessings which can be conceived. They do nothing. They are embarrassed with no business; nor do they perform any work. They rejoice in the possession of their own wisdom and virtue. They are satisfied that they shall ever enjoy the fulness of eternal pleasure. * * * Nothing can be happy that is not at ease." (Tusculan Disputations, The Nature of the Gods).]

This is not the "joy," it is needless to say, contemplated in the Book of Mormon. Nor is the "joy" there 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 know no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin."^[A] 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 rough and thorough 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 "joy" that will will arise from a consciousness of having "fought the good fight," of having "kept the faith." It will arise 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 the 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 realization 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.

[Footnote A: II Nephi ii:23.]

Here, then, stands the truth so far as it may be gathered from God's word and the nature of things: There is in man an eternal, uncreated, self existing entity, call it "intelligence," "mind," "spirit," "soul"—what you will, so long as you recognize it, and regard its nature as eternal. There came a time when in the progress of things, (which is only another way of saying in the "nature of things") an earth-career, or earth existence, because of the things it has to teach, was necessary to the enlargement, to the advancement of these "intelligences," these "spirits," "souls." Hence an earth is prepared; and one sufficiently advanced and able, by the nature of him to bring to pass the events, is chosen, through whom all earth-existence, with all its train of events—its mingled miseries and comforts, its sorrows and joys, its pains and pleasures, its good, and its evil—may be brought to pass. He comes to earth with his appointed spouse. He comes primarily to bring to pass man's earth-life. He comes to the earth with the solemn injunction upon him. "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." But he comes with the knowledge that this earth-existence of eternal "Intelligences" is to be lived under circumstances that will contribute to their enlargement, to their advancement. They are to experience joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure; witness the effect of good and evil, and exercise their agency in the choice of good or of evil. To accomplish this end, the local, or earth harmony of things must be broken. Evil to be seen, and experienced, must enter the world, which can only come to pass through the violation of law. The law is given:—"Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day thou eatest of it thou shalt surely die." The woman, forgetful of the purpose of the earth mission of herself and spouse is led by flattery and deceit into a violation of that law, and becomes subject to its penalty. But the man, not deceived, but discerning clearly the path of duty, and in order that earth-existence may be provided for the great host of "spirits" to come to earth under the conditions prescribed—he also transgresses the law, not only that men might be, but that they might have that being under the very circumstances deemed essential to the enlargement, to the progress of eternal Intelligences. 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 a "murder." This to show the nature of Adam's transgression. It was a transgression of the law—"for sin is the transgression of the law"^[A]—that conditions deemed necessary to the progress of eternal Intelligences might obtain. Adam sinned that men might be, and not only "be," but have that existence under conditions essential to progress. But Adam did sin. He did break the law; 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 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 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; darkness, sin and death stalked through the world, and conditions were brought to pass in the midst of which the eternal Intelligences might gain those experiences that such conditions had to teach.

[Footnote A: I John iii 4.]

Now as to the second part of the great truth—"men are that they might have joy"—viewed also in the light of the "Intelligence" or "spirit" in man being an eternal, uncreated, self-existing entity. Remembering what I have already said in these pages as to the nature of this "joy" which it is the purpose of earth existence to secure, remembering from what it is to arise—from the highest possible development—the highest conceivable enlargement of physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual power—what other conceivable purpose for existence in earth-life could there be for eternal Intelligences than this attainment of "joy" springing from progress? Man's existence for the manifestation alone of God's glory, as taught by the creeds of men, is not equal to it. That view represents man as but a thing created, and God as selfish and vain of glory. True, the Book of Mormon idea of the purpose of man's existence, is accompanied by a manifestation of God's glory; for with the progress of Intelligences there must be an ever widening manifestation of the glory of God. It is written that "the glory of God is Intelligence;" and it must follow, as clearly as the day follows night, that with the enlargement, with the progress of Intelligences, there must ever be a constantly increasing splendor in the manifestation of the glory of God. But in the Book of Mormon doctrine, the manifestation of that glory is incidental. The primary purpose is not in that manifestation but the "joy" arising from the progress of Intelligences. And yet that fact adds to the glory of God, since it represents the Lord as seeking the enlargement and "joy" of kindred Intelligences, rather than the mere selfish manifestation of his own, personal glory. "This is my work and my glory," says the Lord, in another "Mormon" scripture, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man;"^[A] and therein is God's "joy." A "joy" that grows from the progress of others; from bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of "man." Not the immortality of the "spirit" of man, mark you, for that immortality is already existent; but to bring to pass the immortality of the spirit and body in their united condition, and which together constitutes "man," "the soul"—the whole man; for "the spirit and the body is the soul of man;" and the resurrection of the dead is the redemption of the soul—the whole man. And the purpose for which man is, is that he might have "joy;" that "joy" which, in the last analysis of things, should be even as God's "joy," and God's glory, namely, the bringing to pass the progress, enlargement and "joy" of others.

[Footnote A: Pearl of Great Price i:39.]

LESSON X.^[A]

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE ADAMIC DISPENSATION—IV.

[Footnote A: As in the case of lesson viii and ix it is thought that the brief treatis which is here given on "The Problem of Moral Evil" will be more serviceable than detached notes, and hence it is given in their stead. It might be well also to assign the subject of the lesson to one of the more experienced of the elders for a discourse, giving ample time for preparation.]

NOTES.

1. The Problem of the Existence of Moral Evil: The existence of evil in the world has ever been a vexed problem for both theologians and philosophers, and has led to the wildest speculations imaginable. It will be sufficient here, however, if I note the recognition by high authority of the difficulties involved in the problem. Of those who have felt and expressed these difficulties, I know of no one who has done so in better terms than Henry L. Mansel in his celebrated Lectures on "The Limits of Religious Thought" (1858), in the course of which he says:

"The real riddle of existence—the problem which confounds all philosophy, aye, and all religion too, so far as religion is a thing of man's reason, is the fact that evil exists at all; not that it exists for a longer or a short duration. Is not God infinitely wise and holy and powerful now? and does not sin exist along with that infinite holiness and wisdom and power? Is God to become more holy, more wise, more powerful hereafter; and must evil be annihilated to make room for his perfections to expand? Does the infinity of his eternal nature ebb and flow with every increase or diminution in the sum of human guilt and misery? Against the immovable barrier of the existence of evil, the waves of philosophy have dashed themselves unceasingly since the birthday of human thought, and have retired broken and powerless, without displacing the minutest fragment of the stubborn rock, without softening one feature of its dark and rugged surface."

This truly great writer then proceeds by plain implication to make it clear that religion no more than philosophy has solved the problem of the existence of evil:

"But this mystery, [i. e. the existence-of evil], vast and inscrutable as it is, is but one aspect of a more general problem; it is but the moral form of the ever-recurring secret of the Infinite. How the Infinite and the Finite, in any form of antagonism or other relation, can exist together; how infinite power can co-exist with finite activity;'how infinite wisdom can co-exist with finite contingency; how infinite goodness can co-exist with finite evil; how the Infinite can exist in any manner without exhausting the universe of reality;—this is the riddle which Infinite Wisdom alone can solve, the problem whose very conception belongs only to that Universal Knowledge which fills and embraces the Universe of Being."

In the presence of these reflections it cannot be doubted, then, that the existence of moral evil is one of the world's serious difficulties; and any solution which may be given of it that is really helpful, will be a valuable contribution to the world's enlightenment, a real revelation "a ray of light from the inner facts of things."

In the Book of Mormon there is such ray of light, a word that is helpful.

The statement of the doctrine in question occurs in a discourse of Lehi's on the subject of the Atonement. The aged prophet represents happiness or misery as growing out of the acceptance or rejection of the Atonement of the Christ, and adds that the misery consequent upon its rejection is in opposition to the happiness which is affixed to its acceptance: "For it must needs be," he continues, "that there is an opposition in all things. If [it were] not so * * * righteousness could not be brought to pass; neither wickedness; neither holiness nor misery; neither good nor bad. Wherefore [that is, if this fact of opposites did not exist], all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it [the sum of things] should be one body, it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing [i. e. the absence of opposite existences which Lehi is supposing] must needs destroy the wisdom of God, and his eternal purposes; and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God."

[Footnote: II Nephi ii.]

The inspired man, however, even goes beyond this, and makes existences themselves depend upon this law of opposites:

"And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness, there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness, there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not, there is no God. And if there is no God, we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things; neither to act nor to be acted upon, wherefore, all things must have vanished away."

This may be regarded as a very bold setting forth of the doctrine of antinomies, and yet I think the logic of it, and the inevitableness of the conclusion unassailable. "The world presents us with a picture of unity and distinction," says S. Baring-Gould, in his excellent work "Origin and Development of Religious Beliefs" "Unity without uniformity, and distinction without antagonism. * * * * * Everywhere, around us and within us, we see that radical antimony. The whole astronomic order resolves itself into attraction and repulsion—a centripetal and a centrifugal force; the chemical order into the antimony of positive and negative electricity, decomposing substances and recomposing them. The whole visible universe presents the antimony of light and darkness, movement and repose, force and matter, heat and cold, the one and the multiple. The order of life is resumed in the antimony of the individual and the species, the particular and the general; the order of our sentiments in that of happiness and sorrow, pleasure and pain; that of our conceptions in the antimony of the ideal and the real; that of our will in the conditions of activity and passivity.^[A] The American Philosopher, Emerson, also has something like this. He says: Polarity, or action and reaction, we meet in every part of nature; in darkness and light; in heat and cold; in the ebb and flow of waters; in male and female; in the inspiration and expiration of plants and animals; in the systole and diastole of the heart; in the undulations of fluids and of sound; in the centrifugal and centripetal gravity; in electricity, galvanism and chemical affinity. Superinduce magnetism at one end of the needle, the opposite magnetism takes place at the other end. If the south attracts, the north repels. To empty here, you must condense there.' An inevitable dualism bisects nature, so that each thing is a half, and suggests another thing to make it whole; as, spirit, matter; man, woman; subjective, objective; in, out; upper, under; motion, rest; yea, nay. * * * * * Every sweet hath its sour, every evil its good." (Emerson's "Compensation.")

[Footnote A: "Origin and Development of Religious Belief" Vol. II pp. 22, 23.]

In view of the utterances of the Book of Mormon already quoted I am justified in saying that evil as well as good is among the eternal things. Its existence did not begin with its appearance on our earth. Evil existed even in heaven; for Lucifer and many other spirits sinned there; rebelled against heaven's matchless King, waged war, and were thrust out into the earth for their transgression.

Evil is not a created quality. It has always existed as the background of good. It is as eternal as goodness; it is as eternal as law; it is as eternal as the agency of intelligences. Sin, which is evil active, is trangression of law; and so long as the agency of intelligences and law have existed, the possibility of the trangression of law has existed; and as the agency of intelligences and law have eternally existed, so, too, evil has existed, eternally, either potentially or active, and will always so exist.

Evil may not be referred to God for its origin. He is not its creator, ^[A] it is one of those independent existences that is uncreate, and stands in the category of qualities of eternal things. While not prepared to accept the doctrine of some philosophers that "good and evil are two sides of one thing." I am prepared to believe that evil is a necessary antithesis to good, and essential to the realization of the harmony of the universe. "The good cannot exist without the antithesis of the evil—the foil on which it produces itself and becomes known." As remarked by Orlando J. Smith, "Evil exists in the balance of natural forces. * * * * * It is also the background of good, the incentive to good, and the trial of good, without which good could not be. As the virtue of courage could not exist without the evil of danger, and as the virtue of sympathy could not exist without the evil of suffering, so no other virtue could exist without its corresponding evil. In a world without evil—if such a world be really conceivable, all men would have perfect health, perfect intelligence, and perfect morals. No one could gain or impart information, each one's cup of knowledge being full. The temperature would stand forever at seventy degrees, both heat and cold being evil. There could be no progress, since progress is the overcoming of evil. A world without evil would be as toil without exertion, as light without darkness, as a battle with no antagonist. It would be a world without meaning." Or, as Lehi puts it, in still stronger terms—after describing what conditions would be without the existence of opposites—"Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it [i. e. the sum of things] should be one body, [i. e. of one character—so called good without evil] it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. Wherefore, it [the sum of things] must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing [the absence of opposites] must needs destroy the wisdom of God, and his eternal purposes; and also, the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God."^[B]

[Footnote A: Lest some text-proofer should extort, upon the me and cite the words of Isaiah—"I make peace and create evil"—the only text of scripture ascribing the creation of evil to God—I will anticipate so far as to say that it is quite generally agreed that no reference is made in the words of Isaiah to "moral evil;" but to such evils as may come as judgments upon people for their correction, such as famine or tempest or war: such an "evil" as would stand in natural antithesis to "peace," which word precedes, "I create evil," in the text—"I make peace and create"—the opposite to peace, "The evil of afflictions and punishments, but not the evil of sin" (Catholic Comment on Isaiah 45: 7). Meantime we have the clearest scriptural evidence that moral evil is not a product of God's: "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." That is to say, God has nothing to do with the creation of moral evil; "But every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." (James i: 13-15).]

[Footnote B: Nephi ii:13.]

As there can be no good without the antimony of evil, so there can be no evil without its antimony, or antithesis—good. The existence of one implies the existence of the other; and, conversely, the non-existence of the latter would imply the non-existence of the former. It is from this basis that Lehi reached the conclusion that either his doctrine of antinomies, or the existence of opposites, is true, or else there are no existences. That is to say—to use his own words—"If ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness, there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness, there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not, there is no God, and if there is no God, we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon: wherefore, all things must have vanished away."^[A]

[Footnote A: Nephi ii:13.]

But as things have not vanished away, as there are real existences, the whole series of things for which he contends are verities. "For there is a God," he declares, "and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them is; both things to act, and things to be acted upon."

After arriving at this conclusion, Lehi, proceeding from the general to the particular, deals with the introduction of this universal antimony into our world as follows:

"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.^[B] 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.

[Footnote B: On such a proposition Dr. Jacob Cooper, of Rutgers College, at the head of an article on "Theodicy," the justification of the divine providence by the attempt to reconcile the existence of evil with the goodness and sovereignty of God, says (August, 1903), "There must be an alternative to any line of conduct, in order to give it a moral quality. We have to deal with, not an imaginary, but a real world; not with a state of things wholly different from those by which character is developed. If there are to be such qualities as righteousnesss, virtue, merit, as the result of good action, there must be a condition by which these things are possible. And this can only be where there is an alternative which may be embraced by a free choice. If the work of man on earth is to build up character, if his experience is disciplinary, by which he constantly becomes better fitted for greater good and a wider sphere of action, then he must have the responsibility of choosing for himself a course different from one which appeals to the lower qualities in his nature.">[

LESSON XI.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE ADAMIC DISPENSATION—V.

NOTES.

1. The Descendants of Adam: The account of the family of Adam in the Book of Genesis is painfully brief and gives no idea of the number of sons and daughters born to him. During the first one hundred and thirty years it gives an account of but three sons; Cain, Abel, and Seth. "And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years, and he beget sons and daughters." (Gen. 5:3). Before the account of the birth of Cain is given, however, the sacred historian says: "And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living." (Gen. 3:20). In the Book of Moses (P. G. P.) there is an account of sons and daughters being born to the pair sometime before the birth of Cain, and even an account of their beginning to divide two and two and to till the land and to tend flocks; "and they also begot sons and daughters," all this previous to the birth of Cain. (Book of Moses, ch. 5:2, 3). Even in the Genesis' account of Cain's birth there seems to be something of an inference that sons and daughters had been born to Adam and Eve preceding Cain's birth, because some special hope seems to attach to the birth of Cain, Eve saying, when she bore him, "I have gotten a man from the Lord;" and the Book of Moses adds this conclusion to her words, "Wherefore he may not reject his (the Lord's) words." But alas! how that mother's hopes were to be blighted, for the record just quoted says, "But behold, Cain hearkened not." (Book of Moses, ch. 5:16). And the final result of his rejection of God's counsels are perhaps the saddest of all history.

2. The Wickedness of Cain: The Book of Moses represents the descendants of Adam as being early influenced by the flattery and evil persuasions of Lucifer who had been cast out of heaven to the earth. (Book of Moses, ch. 5:13.) Cain seemed especially subject to his influence and "loved Satan" more than God. (Ibid 28). A league and covenant was made in fact between the pair, and Satan even abdicated his place of bad eminence as chief rebel against God in favor of Cain. "And Satan swear unto Cain that he would do according to his commands. And all these things were done in secret, and Cain said truly, I am Mahan the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain, wherefore Cain wras called Master Mahan and he gloried in his wickedness." (Book of Moses, ch. 5:30, 31.) This throws some light upon an obscure passage in Genesis (IV:7), "If thou doest well,' the Lord is represented as saying to Cain on the latter's displeasure at his offering to the Lord not being accepted, 'shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his [Lucifer's] desire, and thou shalt rule over him." The question is whose desire shall be unto Cain? And who shall Cain rule over? The commentators usually assume that it is Abel who is to have the desires unto Cain, and over whom Cain is to rule, a most absurd conclusion, unless we can believe that God designed to place righteous Abel under the dominion of the evil minded Cain which is unthinkable. The truth of the matter is, that the record in Genesis is evidently imperfect, and should be as we find it in the Book of Moses, which represents that Satan's desires shall be towards Cain; He shall rejoice in Cain because the latter is a wicked man; and to win him completely to his kingdom Satan is even walling to abdicate his throne and consent for Cain to rule over him. All of which indicates the desperate wicked disposition of Cain before he reached the climax of his crimes in the murder of his brother, Abel.

3. Josephus on the Wickedness of Cain and His Descendants: "And when Cain had travelled over many countries, (after God's sentence upon him) he, with his wife, built a city named Nod, which is a place so called, and there he settled his abode; where also he had children. However, he did not accept of his punishment in order to amendment, but to increase his wickedness; for he only aimed to procure everything that was for his own bodily pleasure, though it obliged him to be injurious to his neighbors. He augmented his household substance with much wealth, by rapine and violence; he excited his acquaintance to procure pleasure and spoils by robbery, and became a great leader of men into wicked courses. He also introduced a change in that way of simplicity wherein men lived before; and was the author of measures and weights; and whereas they lived innocently and generously while they knew nothing of such arts, he changed the world into cunning craftiness. * * * * * Even while Adam was alive, it came to pass, that the posterity of Cain became exceeding wicked, every one successively dying, one after another, more wicked than the former. They were intolerable in war, and vehement in robberies; and if any one were slow to murder people, yet was he, bold in his profligate behavior, in acting unjustly, and doing injuries for gain." (Josephus' "Antiquities" Book I chap. II).

4. Seth and His Descendants: Adam was more fortunate in his son Seth and his posterity. It is written that "God revealed himself unto Seth and he rebelled not, but offered an acceptable sacrifice like unto his brother Abel. And to him also was born a son and he called his name Enos, and then began these men to call upon the name of the Lord, and the Lord blessed them. And a book of remembrance was kept, in which was recorded, in the language of Adam, for it was given unto as many as called upon God to write by the spirit of inspiration; and by them their children were taught to read and write, having a language which was pure and undefiled." (Book of Moses, ch. V. 3-6.)

Of the righteousness of Seth's posterity, Josephus himself says: "Now this posterity of Seth continued to esteem God as the Lord of the universe, and to have an entire regard to virtue for seven generations; but in process of time they were perverted, and forsook the practices of their forefathers; and did neither pay those honors to God which were appointed them, nor had they any concern to do justice toward men; but for what degree of zeal they had formerly shown for virtue, they now showed by their actions a double degree of wickedness, whereby they made God to be their enemy."

But notwithstanding the wickedness even among the descendants of Seth, (Book of Moses, ch. VI:15) still there was a line of righteous men preserved through whom the holy priesthood continued in the earth and among them were preachers of righteousness. (Book of Moses, ch. VI:7).

5. The offering of Sacrifices Commanded: No explanation is given in Genesis as to the reason why sacrifice was to be offered. There is simply a statement of fact that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord, but that Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and that the Lord had respect unto Abel's offering, but not unto Cain's. It must be evident that this effort at honoring God was taught by their father, but why they were so taught is not stated. In the Book of Moses (P. G. P.), however, the matter is made very clear. "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. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord." (Book of Moses, ch. V:4, 5). There appears as yet, however, no explanation for this offering of sacrifices. With the fall of Adam there seems to have come a forgetfulness of the plan of salvation devised in the counsels of the Eloheim before Adam's earth-life began. And it needed the aforesaid commandment to Adam to bring to pass the introduction of those symbols which were intended to figure forth the Atonement of the Christ. And though Adam, in his fallen state, had apparently lost his recollection of these things ordained before the foundations of the world, yet he was obedient to the commands 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 dost in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son for evermore. 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 for ever, that as thou hast fallen thou mayest be redeemed, and all mankind, even as many as will." (Book of Moses, ch. VI, 6-9).

6. The Gospel Fully Revealed to Adam: It would seem also that Adam about this time received even more full explanations respecting his redemption than is given in the passage of the Book of Moses, quoted in the foregoing note; for in the passage attributed to Enoch sometime after the event above quoted, it is said: "And he [God] called upon * * * Adam by his own voice, saying: I am God; I made the world, and men before they were in the flesh. And he also said unto him: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you. And our father Adam spake unto the Lord, and said: Why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water? And the Lord said unto Adam: Behold I have forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden. Hence came the saying abroad among the people, That the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of the children, for they are whole from the foundation of the world. And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good. And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves, and I have given unto you another law and commandment. Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, everywhere, must repent, or they can in no wise inherit the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of Adam, Man of Holiness is His name, and the name of his Only Begotten is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, a righteous judge, who shall come in the meridian of time. Therefore, I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children, saying: That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory. * * * * And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water. And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man. And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost. This is the record of the Father, and the Son, from henceforth and forever; and thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years, from all eternity to all eternity. Behold, thou art one in me, a Son of God; and thus may all become my sons. Amen." (Book of Moses, chs. VI:51-59, 64-68).

Thus a dispensation of the Gospel was committed unto Adam, and the means of his redemption was clearly made known unto him. He was not left to perish in ignorance of God's purposes in respect of his earth life, and whatever intellectual or spiritual darkness, had come over him as a consequence of his fall and his banishment from Eden it was now dispelled by this dispensation of the gospel given unto him, granting to him a knowledge of that eternal life "which God that cannot lie, promised before the world began." (Titus, i; 2.)

LESSON XII.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)