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THE VITALITY OF
MORMONISM
BRIEF ESSAYS ON DISTINCTIVE DOCTRINES OF THE
CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS
JAMES E. TALMAGE
One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church
BOSTON
RICHARD G. BADGER
THE GORHAM PRESS
OF
mde>.
J2 191P
Copyright, 1919, by Jambs E. Talmagb
All Rights Reserved
Made in the United States of America
The Gorham Press, Boston, U. S. A.
PREFACE
The message of "Mormonism" is of summoning interest
in the world today. People of serious mind are not satis-
fied with the unsupported generalization that it is naught
but the outgrowth of delusion and error.
Fungi of fallacy, particularly in the field of modern re-
ligious systems, are of no such sturdy growth and wholesome
fruitage as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
has progressively manifested.
"Mormonism," mis-named though it be, stands for the
principles of eternal truth as enunciated by our Lord Jesus
Christ, and by His duly commissioned Apostles and Proph-
ets. The basis of "Mormonism" is fairly summarized in
the following outline of facts and premises :
1. The eternal existence of a living personal God; and
the preexistence and eternal duration of mankind as His
literal offspring.
2. The placing of man upon the earth as an embodied
spirit to undergo the experiences of an intermediate pro-
bation.
3. The transgression and fall of the first parents of the
race, by which man became mortal, or in other words was
doomed to suffer a separation of spirit and body through
death.
4. The absolute need of a Redeemer, empowered to over-
come death and thereby provide for a reunion of the spirits
and bodies of mankind through a material resurrection from
death to immortality.
7
8 Preface
5. The providing of a definite plan of salvation, by obedi-
ence to which man may obtain remission of his sins, and be
enabled to advance by effort and righteous achievement
throughout eternity.
6. The establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ in
the "meridian of time," by the personal ministry and aton-
ing death of the foreordained Redeemer and Savior of man-
kind, and the proclamation of His saving Gospel through
the ministry of the Holy Priesthood during the apostolic
period and for a season thereafter.
7. The general "falling away" from the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, by which the world degenerated into a state of apos-
tasy, and the Holy Priesthood ceased to be operative in the
organization of sects and churches designed and effected
by the authority of man.
8. The restoration of the Gospel in the current age, and
the reestablishment of the Church of Jesus Christ by the
bestowal of the Holy Priesthood through Divine revelation.
9. The appointed mission of the restored Church of Jesus
Christ to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordi-
nances thereof amongst all nations, in preparation for the
near advent of our Savior Jesus Christ, who shall reign
on earth as Lord and King.
The short essays following have been published at weekly
intervals through two years; they number therefore one
hundred and four. Concise rather than exhaustive treat-
ment has been attempted. No apology is offered for reitera-
tion of quotations or comment ; repetition seemed preferable
to the introduction of cross references.
JAMES E. TALMAGE.
Salt Lake City, Utah,
February 3, 1919.
CONTENTS
PAGX:
1. The Mustard Seed and the Tree — Development, not Growth
Alone 13
2. What the "Mormons" Believe — Their Articles of Faith . 18
3. What's ik a Name? — Is "Mormonism" Misunderstood be-
cause of Its Unpopular Title? 22
4. "Mormonism" — A Distinctive Religious System ... 26
5. Direct and Sure — The Church Bold yet Tolerant ... SO
6. Wheat and Weeds — Successive Apostasies from the Gospel . 33
7. A New Dispensation — Authority by Restoration not Through
Succession 36
8 Divine Command and Human Agency — The Church a De-
mocracy 39
9. The Holy Trinity— Unity of the Godhead .... 42
10. Original Sin— Are All to Suffer from it Eternally? . . 45
11. The Cooperative Plan of Salvation — Christ Alone Cannot
Save You 48
12. The Need of a Redeemer — Man Cannot Exalt Himself . . 61
13. Christ's Unique Status — As Redeemer and Savior of the
World 55
14. Philosophy of the Atonement — Its Two-fold Effect . . 58
15. How Does Christ Save? — His Plan Combines Justice and
Mercy 61
16. Heaven and Hell — Graded Conditions in the Hereafter . 65
17. In the Realm of the Dead — Paradise — What of the Spirits
in Prison? 68
18. Why Are They Baptized for the Dead? — Elijah the
Prophet on the American Continent 71
19. Obedience is Heaven's First Law — Conditions of Citizenship
in the Kingdom of God 75
20. The Devils Believe and Tremble — Faith not Mere Belief . 78
21. The Voice of John the Baptist Again Heard — Repent Ye,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand I .... 82
22. Arise and Wash Away Thy Sins— The Only Way ... 86
23. Are Babes to be Damned? — A Horrible Misconception . . 89
24. The Watery Grave— And the New Birth 93
25. The Baptism of Fire — Power of the Spirit . ... 96
26. In the Name of God, Amen I — Authority of the Holy Priest-
hood Again Operative on Earth 99
9
10 Contents
PAQB
27. For Time Only or for Eternity— Human Institutions and
Divine Authority 103
28. Apostles akd Prophets Necessary — Tlie Primitive Church
and the Church of Latter Days 106
29. When Darkness Covered the Earth — The Long Night of
Apostasy 109
SO. The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee — Light of the
Gospel Again Shines 114
31. The Beginning or the End — Ushering in of the Last Dis-
pensation 117
32. A God or Miracucs — Wonders Wrought by Devils . . , 120
S3. Is the Bible Sufficient? — Scriptures of Many Peoples . . 124
34. A Messenger — From the Presence of God .... 128
35. Scriptures of the American Continent — The Book of
Mormon 132
36. By the Mouth of Witnesses — Shall the Truth be Established 137
37. Voices of the Dead — A Testimony from the Dust . . . 140
38. A New Witness of the Christ — An Independent Scripture . 144
39. When Christ Stood on American Soil — His Church Estab-
lished Among the Ancient Americans 147
40. East and West in One Acclaim — That Jesus is the Christ 151
41. Sheep of Another Fold — Shepherds and Sheep-herders . 154
42. From God to Man — Divine Communication in the Current
Age 157
43. The Tragedy of Israel— A Nation Without a Country . . 161
44. The Gathering of the Tribes— Judah and Israel to Come
into Their Own 165
45. America the Land of Zion — The Place of the New Jerusa-
lem 169
46. The Coming of the Lord — The Consummation of the Ages . 173
47. The Federation of the World — A Thousand Years of Peace 176
48. Thy Kingdom Come !— So Pray We Yet 179
49. Freedom to Worship God — Man's Divine Birthright . . 182
50. The Law of the Land— Should We Submit to It? . . . 186
51. Church and State— Independent but Mutually Helpful . 189
52. Religion of Daily Life — A Practical Test . . . .193
53. America the Cradle of Liberty — No King to Rule in the
Land 196
54. Democracy of American Origin — The Founding of an An-
cient Republic 199
55. Perpetuity of American Nation — Assured by Prophecy . 202
56. Law of the Tithe— The Lord's Revenue System . . . 206
57. The United Order — No Longer Mine and Thine, but the
Lord's and Ours 209
58. The Word of Wisdom — Sanctity of the Body .... 212
Contents 11
FA6B
59. Ukchastitt tke DoMiNAJfT Evil — Infamy of a Double
Standard of Virtue «1T
60. Not Good for Mait to be Alone— Companionship of the
Sexes 220
61. Tnx Death Does Yott Part— Is there no Hope Beyond? . 233
62. They Neither Marry— Nor Give in Marriage . . . .227
63. Celestial Marriage — Eternal Relationship of the Sexes . . 230
64. There Was War in Heaven— Primeval Conflict over Satanic
Autocracy 233
65. We Lived BEroEE We Were Born — Our Primeval Childhood 236
66. Man is Eternal — Successive Stages of Existence . . . 239
67. In the Lineage of Deity — Man's Divine Pedigree . . . 243
68. Unending Advancement — Infinite Possibilities of Man's Es-
tate 245
69. The Living and the Dead — Both to Hear the Gospel . . 248
70. God of the Living — All Live unto Him 251
71. Beyond the Grave — Repentance Possible even There . . 254
72. Opportunity Here and Hereafter — Free Agency and its
Results 257
73. The Spirit World — Paradise and Hades 260
74. How Long Shall Hell Last? — The Duration of Punish-
ment 263
75. Salvation and Exaltation — Advancement Worlds Without
End 266
76. Deity as Exalted Humanity — Man is a God in Embryo . 269
77. Be Ye Perfeci-— Is It Possible 273
78. The Glory of God is Intelligence — Knowledge is Power in
Heaven as on Earth 276
79. When Ignorance is Sin — Opportunity Entails Accounta-
bility 279
80. Knowing and Doing — Knowledge May Help to Condemn
or Save 282
81. AViLL Many or Fev/ be Saved? — Our Place Beyond the Grave 285
82. The Graves Shall be Opened — And the Dead Shall Live . 288
83. Resurrection of the Dead — When Shall it be? . . . 292
84. Reaching After the Dead — "Lest We Forget" . . .295
85. The House of the Lord — Why do the Latter-day Saints
Build Temples? 298
86. The Second Death — Spiritual Banishment Like unto the
First 301
87. Antiquity of the Gospel — As Old as Adam .... 304
88. The Origin of Sacrifice— Coeval with the Race . . . 308
89. Simplicity of the Gospel — None Need Err Therein . .311
90. The Will or God— Though Opposed, Yet Eventually Su-
preme 314
91. God's Foreknowledge — Not a Determining Cause . . . 317
Contents
12
93. Abe Men Created EauAL? — Individualism is Eternal .
93. Ethics and Religion — A Distinction with a Diflference .
94. Religion Active and Passive — Effort Essential to Salvation .
95. Retmember the Sabbath Day — A Law unto Man from the
Beginning
96. The Foolishness of God — And the Wisdom of Men
97. Freedom Through Obedience — Release from Autocracy of
Sin
98. He Went and Washed — And Came Seeing
99. The Rod of Iron— A Dependable Support
100. Liar and Murderer— From the Beginning
101. On the Devil's Ground — Prisoners to Satan
103. What Doth It Profit a Man?— Worldly
Loss
103. The Garden of God— And the Weeds of Human Culture
104. The Last Dispensation — Today is the Sum of all the Yes-
terdays 358
Gain — ^Eternal
PAOV
320
324
327
330
333
336
339
343
346
349
352
355
THE VITALITY OF MORMONISM
— 1 —
THE MUSTARD SEED AND THE TREE
DevelopTnenty Not Growth Alone
Y does "Mormonism" persist? The question is
w^,
perennial, while the fact implied therein commands
increasing interest and concern.
Determined attempts were made to stifle the system at its
birth, to destroy the mustard seed at the planting; and,
paradoxically, in proportion as the actuality of its
survival has become generally evident, the assumed certainty
of its imminent decline has been the more confidently pro-
claimed. The fall of the spreading tree, whose branches
afford unfaihng food and shelter, has been predicted time
and again, but never realized.
On the sixth day of April, 1830, the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized as a body cor-
porate at Fayette in the State of New York, with a mem-
bership of six persons. True, at that time a few times six
had associated themselves more or less closely with the new
religious movement; but, as the laws of the State specified
six as the minimum required to form a religious corporation,
only that number took part in the legal procedure. And
they, save one, were relatively obscure.
The name of Joseph Smith had already been heard beyond
his home district. He was at the time a subject of widening
notoriety if not of enviable fame. The Book of Mormon,
13
14 The Vitality of Mormonism
purporting to be a record of the aboriginal peoples of the
Western Continent, had already been published. In refer-*
ence to the title page of this work the appellation "Mor-
mons" came to be fastened upon members of the Church.
Such a beginning as that of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints would seem to afford little ground of
either hope or fear as to future developments. What was
there to cause hostile concern over the voluntary associa-
tion of six men and a few of their friends in an organization
of openly expressed purpose, and that, the peaceful pro-
mulgation of what they verily believed to be the uplifting
religion of life, the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Whatever
may be the answer to the query, the fact that the Church
met opposition, which for a long period was increasingly
severe, is abundantly attested by history.*
Today the "Mormon" Church is known, by name at least,
throughout the civilized world, as well as among most of
the semi-cultured peoples in the remoter parts of the earth
and on the islands of the sea. The six have increased to
over half a million adherents.
The growth of the organization is apparent to even the
poorly informed. But the Church has not only grown; it
has developed. Between growth and development there is
an essential difference ; and not a few of the grave mistakes
of men, even in every-day affairs — in business, in politics,
in statesmanship — are traceable to our confusing and con-
founding the two. Growth alone is the result of accretion,
the accumulation of material, the amassing of stuff. Devel-
opment involves an extension of function, a gradation of
efficiency, a passing from immaturity to maturity, from the
seed to the fruiting tree.
♦See the author's "Story and Philosophy of *Mormoni«mV' 136 pp.,
The D«s0ret News, Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Mustard Seed and the Tree 16
Growth produces big things, and not only things of this
sort but men. Between bigness and greatness, however,
there is a distinction of kind. Growth is a measure of bulk,
of quantity; it is specified as "so many" or "so much";
development is a gradation of quality; its terms are "so
good" or "so bad." Our nation boasts a constantly increas-
ing host of big men; the great men of the country may be
more easily counted. And as with men so with institutions.
Dead things may grow, as witness the tiny salt crystal
in its mother-brine — at first a microscopic cube, then a huge
hexahedron limited only by the size of the container or
other external conditions. Development, however, is the
characteristic of life, to which mere growth is essentially
secondary and subordinate.
The vital character of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints has been evident from the first. "Mor-
monism" lives because it is healthy, normal and undeformed.
In general, a healthy organism is assured of life, barring
destruction from external violence or deprivation of physical
necessities ; whereas one that is abnormal and sickly is
doomed to decline. Opposition to the Church, the pitiless
maltreatment to which its people have been subjected, par-
ticularly in the earlier decades of its history, comprising
mobbings, drivings, spoliation, scourgings, and assassina-
tion, have operated to strengthen the Church, body and
soul. True, the heat of persecution has scorched aiid with-
ered a few of the sickly plants, such as had little depth of
sincerity ; but the general effect has been to promote a fuUer
growth, and to make richer and more fertile the Garden of
the Lord.
The Church has never experienced a distinctive period of
reduced membership. Always the present has been the time
of its highest achievement. In spite of persecution, some
16 The Vitality of Mormonism
of which sprang from misplaced sincerity and zeal while
much was bom of ignorance and fanaticism, the strength
of the institution, measured in terms of loyalty, devotion
and unswerving adherence to the principles of the restored
Gospel, has steadily increased.
It is a notable fact that its members are imbued with
the testimony of certitude as to the genuineness of the Gos-
pel they have espoused and the perpetuity of the Church.
This has been a distinguishing feature from the beginning.
Apostasy from the organization is so rare as to be neg-
ligible. Excommunicants, who are deprived of their mem-
bership through failure to live up to the high standard of
morality and duty required by the revealed law of the
Church, while not numerous exceed by many fold those who
voluntarily withdraw and affiliate with other religious bodies.
"Mormonism" is definite and incisive in its claims. It
speaks to the world in no uncertain tone. Its voice is virile ;
its activities are strong. It presents an unbroken front
and is unafraid. Its attitude is not hostile, though strongly
aggressive. Its methods are those of reason and persuasion,
coupled with a fearless affirmation of testimony as to the
surpassing importance of its message, which message it
labors to convey to every nation, kindred, tongue and people.
It is not too much to affirm that the leaven of "Mormon-
ism" is leavening the world and its theology. Every studi-
ous reader of recent commentaries on the Holy Scriptures,
and of theological treatises in general, is aware of a surpris-
ing progressiveness in modern views of things spiritual,
amounting in many instances to an abandonment of what
were once regarded as the fundamentals of orthodoxy.
In the new theology "Mormomsm''^ has pioneered the way.
In its early days the Church received the ward of the
Lord avouching the perpetuity of the organization. While
The Mustard Seed and the Tree 17
no individual was promised that he should not fall away,
and though the forfeiture of the Holy Spirit's companion-
ship was specified as the sure and incalculable loss to all
who wilfully persisted in sin, the blessed assurance was
given that the Church of Jesus Christ was established for
the last time, never to be destroyed, nor again driven from
the earth through apostasy. Men may come and men may
go, but the Church shall go on forever.
There has never been revision nor amendment in the funda-
mental law of the Church, and the only changes are those
natural to development, expansion and adaptation to new
conditions.
The world is full of sects and churches, and there is
scarcely one that has not a counterpart in a revised or
reformed or reorganized sect. But the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints i^ no sect; it is an orighial
creation^ established upon the earth in this age as a restora-
tion. There will never be a reformed or reorganized variant
of this, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The faith of the people is no whit weakened because of
their fewness. This very condition was foretold. Nearly
six centuries before the Savior's birth, a Hebrew prophet
on the Western Continent predicted the establishment of
this Church in the last days, and testified of it, as he had
seen in vision, that its members would be found in all parts
of the earth, but that their numbers would be relatively
small. See Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 14.
^'Strait i^ the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth
unto life, and few there be that find it.'* (Matt. 7:14, also
Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 14:14.)
The doors of the Church are open to all, rich and poor,
learned and unlearned; and the pleading invitation to enter
and become partakers of the blessings that pertain both to
18 The Vitality of Mormonism
mortality and to the eternities beyond is freely extended —
to you and yours and to everybody, near and afar off, even
as many as the Lord our God shall calL
— a —
WHAT THE "MORMONS" BELIEVE
Their Articles of Faith
WKH^E it may be impossible for any religious body
to set forth in a brief statement all the distinguish-
ing features of its doctrines and practise, it has become
usual for churches to embody the fundamentals of their
belief in condensed form as creeds. When asked for a con-
cise presentation of the principal doctrines accepted by his
people, Joseph Smith, through whose instrumentality the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was estab-
lished, responded with the Articles of Faith presented below.
This was in the year 184<1.
From the time of their first promulgation The Articles
have been in force as an authorized statement of belief ; and
they were early adopted as such by the Church in general
conference assembled.
The Articles of Faith
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son
Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
What the "Mormons" Believe 19
We believe that men will be punished for their own sins,
and not for Adam's transgression.
3.
We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all
mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordi-
nances of the Gospel.
4.
We believe that the first principles and ordinances of
the Gospel are: — (1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; (2)
Repentance; (3) Baptism by immersion for the remission
of sins; (4) Laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy
Ghost.
We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy,
and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority,
to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances
thereof.
6.
We believe in the same organization that existed in the
Primitive Church, viz. : apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers,
evangelists, etc.
7.
We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation,
visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.
8.
We believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as it
is translated correctly ; we also believe the Book of Mormon
to be the word of God.
80 The Vitality of Mormonism
9.
We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does
now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many
great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of
God.
10.
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the
restoration of the Ten Tribes ; that Zion will be built upon
this [the American] continent; that Christ will reign per-
sonally upon the earth; and that the earth will be renewed
and receive its paradisiacal glory.
11.
We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God ac-
cording to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow
all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where,
or what they may.
12.
We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers,
and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the
law.
13.
We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, vir-
tuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say
that we follow the admonition of Paul, we beheve all things,
we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope
to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtu-
ous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after
these things, — Joseph Smith,
What the "Mormons" Believe J61
To most of these items many sects professing Christianity
could confidently pledge allegiance; to many of them all
Christian bodies subscribe. Belief in the existence and
powers of the Holy Trinity, in Jesus Christ as the Savior
and Redeemer of the human race, in man's individual ac-
countabiHty for his acts, in the acceptance of sacred writ
as the Word of God, in the rights of worship according to
the dictates of conscience, in the moral virtues — these pro-
fessions and beliefs are a common creed in the realm of pres-
ent-day Christendom. There is no peculiarly "Mormon"
interpretation, in the light of wliich these principles of faith
and practise are viewed by the Latter-day Saints, except,
perhaps, in a certain simplicity and literalness of accept-
ance.
The Articles of Faith are confessedly but an incomplete
summary of doctrine, as the ninth of the series avers. The
atmosphere of the Church is that of expectancy, of reverent
waiting for further revelation of the Divine will and purpose.
"Mormonism" is alive, and therefore grows and develops
with the years. It promulgates latter-day Scripture as
well as the Holy Writ of centuries remote; and strict com-
parison demonstrates consistency and harmony in spirit
and principle.
"Mormonism" affirms itself to be the embodiment of the
essential requirements of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as
proclaimed by the Master Himself, and by His duly ordained
Apostles in the Primitive Church, and as taught and ad-
ministered under Divine authority in the present dispen-
sation. "Mormonism" is new only as a reestablishment, a
restoration. It is the embodiment of the eternal Gospel,
come again.*
*For more detailed treatment see the author*! "The Articles of
Faith," 480 pp., The Desert Newt, gait Lake Oty, Utah.
22 The Vitality of Mormonism
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
Is "Mormonism*' Misunderstood Because of Its Unpopular
Title?
WHAT'S in a name? So asked one who has been called
the chief of English bards ; and hosts of thoughtful
minds have been conscious of the same insistent query spring-
ing up as a conception original to each. Who but the
superficial will venture to deny the influence of names ? We
are all subject to the witchery of bias and of prejudice for
or against; and the odium or the good repute of a name
ofttimes determines our provisional acceptance or rejection
of that for which it stands.
Most of us are in the habit of putting up our knowledge
in little packages, duly ticketed. These we stow away in
more or less orderly fashion, and though we glance be-
times at the label we are apt to forget what any one of the
parcels really contains.
"Mormonism" is an unpopular name; the truths for which
it stands, the principles which it embodies, are more readily
believed in if left unlabeled.
It should be borne in mind that the term "Mormon" with
its several variants was first applied by way of nickname
to the people now so designated. But nicknames may be
so sanctified by effort and achievement that they become
titles of respect and profound significance. To this fact
history lends definite and abundant testimony.
The term "Christian" was first applied as an epithet of
contempt. You know how it was hurled in hatred and dis-
dain at the disciples in Antioch. See Acts 11 :26. Yet the
Whafs in a Name? 23
followers of Christ accepted the name and hallowed it by
sacrifice and righteous deeds; and today the world counts
but one distinction greater than being called a Christian,
and that is to be a Christian in fact.
The "Mormon" people do not resent the misnomer by
which they are commonly known, and which has been put
upon them by popular usage. They deplore, however, the
possible misunderstanding that the Church to which they
belong professes to be the church of Mormon. It should
be known that Mormon was a man, a very distinguished and
a very able man it is true, an eminent prophet and historian
according to the record bearing his name, but a man never-
theless. The "Mormon" Church affirms itself to be in no
sense the church of Mormon, nor the church of Joseph
Smith, nor of Brigham Young, nor of any man other than
the Savior and Redeemer of the race. The true name of this
Church, the designation by which it is officially known is
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-da^ Saints.
This is an age of multitudinous sects, cults, and religious
societies in general, and the number increases year by year.
Strictly speaking a sect is a branch or offshoot of a primary
institution, and in this sense numerous sects have arisen
and others may arise, all professing something in common
though differing in particulars ofttimes to the point of
antagonism.
Most of the existing sects designate themselves as
"churches" with a distinctive forename to each. As the
term "church" in its ordinary and broad usage is a com-
mon possession, unprotected by letters patent or other guar-
anty of exclusiveness, its general employment as an alterna-
tive for "sects" or cognate nouns is no breach of law, order
or custom.
Narrowing our consideration to that of churches profess-
24 The Vitality of MorTnonism
ing Christianity, we meet the question as to whether there
can be two or more diverse sects, opposed to each other in
essentials of belief and practise, and both or all be in reality
the Church of Jesus Christ. Can a church that is divided
against itself, or a multitude of sects with discordant doc-
trines and conflicting claims to priestly authority, be one
and all the same church, and that the Church of God?
The question has been answered by the churches them-
selves ; and their emphatic reply in the negative is expressed
in the names by which these organizations have chosen to
be known. Some have elected to be called after the names
of their founders or eminent promoters, as Lutherans, Cal-
vinists, Wesleyans, Campbellites. Others proclaim by their
self-chosen titles a preference for appellations denoting some
descriptive feature of their plan of organization or govern-
mental system, as Episcopal, Presbyterian, Congregational.
Yet others attach so great significance to distinctive points
of doctrine as to make that the mark of identity, such as
Unitarian, Trinitarian, Universalist, Baptist.
None of us can consistently challenge the vested right
of religious associations to choose their own names. More-
over, the designations of existing sects, with few exceptions,
are self-explanatory, significantly expressive, and eminently
appropriate. In general the names tell, as explicitly as any
brief title could do, just what the respective sect, society
or church professes to be.
Organizations planned and operated for individual and
social betterment, whether known as churches or otherwise,
are commendable institutions. Inasmuch as membership
therein is a matter of personal choice, no objection should
be raised against rules established by common consent or ma-
jority decision for the admission of new applicants or for
the discipline of members, provided, of course, that such
What's in a Namef 35
rules be administered without infringement upon the rights
of outsiders.
But can any association of men, conceived and effected
on human initiative, be anything other than an earthly
institution, even though its aims be lofty and its activities
the most praiseworthy?
The Church of Jesus Christ, as an institution both earthly
and heavenly, that is to say having vital relation to mortal
life and to eternity, cannot have been originated at human
instance. That church is not the fruitage of man's planting,
neither the offshoot of other and older institutions. The
Church of Jesus Christ, therefore, is not, nor can it be, a
sect.
The Book of Mormon affirms that the Lord Jesus Christ,
shortly after His ascension in Judea, visited the early inhab-
itants of the Western Continent and estabhshed His Church
amongst them. As He had done in Galilee, so in America.
He chose and ordained Twelve Disciples, to whom He gave
authority to administer the ordinances of the Gospel, which,
as the Lord taught, are essential to salvation. He very
clearly set forth that His Church was to be rightly named,
as the following record attests.
The Twelve, whom He had commissioned to build up the
Church, prayed for instruction, saying: "Lord, we will that
thou wouldst tell us the name whereby we shall call this
Church; for there are disputations among the people con-
cerning this matter." And the Resurrected Lord, there
present in visible Person, answered them in this wise:
"Verily, verily I say unto you, why is it that the people
should murmur and dispute because of this thing? Have
they not read the Scriptures, which say ye must take upon
you the name of Christ, which is my name? For by this
name shall ye be called at the last day. And whoso taketh
26 The Vitality of Mormonism
upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall
be saved at the last day. Therefore whatsoever ye shall
do, ye shall do it in my name; therefore ye shall call the
Church in my name; and ye shall call upon the Father in
my name, that He will bless the Church for my sake. And
how be it my Church, save it be called in my name? For
if a church be called in Moses' name, then it be Moses'
church; or if it be called in the name of a man, then it be
the church of a man ; but if it be called in my name, then it
is my Church, if it so be that they are built upon my gospel."
(Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 27.)
The members of the Church aver that the distinguishing
features of their religious system, in short, the essentials
of the philosophy of "Mormonism" are epitomized in the
name of their organization — The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints.
If the name be used without Divine warrant, its assump-
tion can not fail to be regarded as a sacrilege ; if it has been
authoritatively bestowed one need look no further for expla-
nation of the vitality exhibited by the Church in so impres-
sive a degree from the day of its organization to the present.
_ 4 —
"MORMONISM"
A Distinctive Religious System
IN the popular classification of religious bodies, the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, if in-
cluded at all, is generally given mention apart from churches
and sectarian institutions in general. The segregation is
eminently proper, for this Church is strictly unique.
*'M or monism" 27
No well informed commentator, no capable critic in either
friendly or hostile mood, has classed "Mormonism" as the
sectarian oifspring of any mother church, nor as any mere
variation of a preexisting body. No church on earth claims,
acknowledges or admits any community of origin with the
commonly known but mis-called "Mormon" Church. Nor
does the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints assert
any such relationship with other bodies.
At this point it is well to consider the fact that toleration
in religious belief and practise is a fundamental tenet of
"Mormonism." This is set forth in one of the formulated
Articles of Faith: "We claim the privilege of worshiping
Almighty God according to the dictates of our own con-
science, and allow all men the same privilege, let them wor-
ship how, where, or what they may."
We demand no prerogatives, ask no privileges, beyond
what we readily accede to be the common rights of mankind.
Our distinctive teachings and the claims of the Church as
to its commission to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and
administer the saving ordinances thereof, must be judged
on their merits, and in the spirit of testimony, which we
believe the honest-hearted inquirer may gain for himself
in the course of unbiased investigation.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is unique
in that it solemnly aiBrms to the world that the new dispen-
sation, foretold in prophecy as a characteristic of the last
days precedent to the second advent of Christ, is estab-
lished, and that the Holy Priesthood, with all its ancient
authority and power, has been restored to earth.
"Mormonism" affirms that such restoration was a neces-
sity, inasmuch as mankind had fallen away from the Gospel
of Christ during the dark ages of history, with the inevitable
consequence that the Holy Priesthood had been taken from
28 The Vitality of Mormonism
the earth, and authority to administer the essential and sav-
ing ordinances of the Gospel had been lost. The condition
of spiritual darkness was foretold by prophets who lived
prior to the meridian of time, as also by Jesus Christ while
in the flesh, and by His Apostles, who were left to continue
the ministry after the Lord's departure.
Furthermore, the fact of the great falling away or gen-
eral apostasy is admitted, and indeed affirmed, by high
ecclesiastical authority. Consider the forceful declaration
of tlie Church of England, embodied in her official "Homily
Against Peril of Idolatry," first published about the middle
of the 16th century, and still in force as "appointed to be
read in churches."
"So that laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, all ages,
sects, and degrees of men, women, and children of whole
Christendom — an horrible and most dreadful thing to think
— have been at once drowned in abominable idolatry; of all
other vices most detested of God, and most damnable to
man; and that by the space of eigbt hundred years and
more."
Prophets of olden times were permitted to look beyond
the black night of apostasy and to behold the glorious dawn
of the restoration. John, the Apostle and Revelator, having
seen the events in vision, wrote of the realization as then
already attained:
"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, hav-
ing the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell
on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue,
and people. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give
glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and
worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
the fountains of waters." (Rev. 14:6-7.)
We affirm the literal fulfilment of this gladsome promise
"Morinonisin" 29
through the ministration of angels in these latter days, by
which the Holy Priesthood has been renewed to man. Thus,
in 1823, an angelic personage ministered to Joseph Smith,
and later delivered to the mortal prophet the ancient record
from which the Book of Mormon has been translated. This
record contains "the fulness of the everlasting Gospel" as
delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants of the
Western Continent.
Then, on May 15, 1829, John the Baptist, who held the
keys of the Lesser or Aaronic Priesthood in the earher dis-
pensation, appeared in his resurrected state and ordained
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to that order of Priest-
hood, comprising "the keys of the ministering of angels,
and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immer-
sion for the remission of sins." (Doctrine & Covenants 13.)
Later, the presiding three of the ancient Twelve Apostles
ordained these men to the holy apostleship, conferring upon
them the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood, which comprises
all authority for the administration of the prescribed ordi-
nances of the Gospel, and for the building up of the Church
of Jesus Christ in the current dispensation, preparatory to
the coming of the Christ to reign on earth.
This is the distinctive claim of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints. Being under Divine commission so
to do, the Church proclaims these solemn truths, with full
recognition of the individual rights of men to believe or dis-
believe according to their choice.
so The Vitality of Mormonism
— 5 —
DIRECT AND SURE
The Church Bold Yet Tolerant
THE establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints was no experiment. Its actual
organization as a body corporate was preceded by visita-
tions of heavenly beings, by definite revelation, by proph-
ecies as to the unfolding plan of the Divine purpose in these
latter days, and by the publication of the Book of Mormon
— a volume of Scripture which, though comprising the rec-
ord of ancient peoples, was new to the modem world.
These and other heavenly manifestations, including the
bestowal of the Holy Priesthood with its expressly defined
authority and appointment to organize and build up the
Church, were made through Joseph Smith, who at the time
of the first visitation was a lad in his fifteenth year.
To the earnest student of this unprecedented series of
events a certain dominant characteristic is apparent — the
positiveness and certitude with which the successive avowals
of the youthful prophet were set forth. From his testimony
of the glorious theophany by which the dispensation of the
fulness of times was inaugurated, down to his last inspired
utterances immediately preceding his martyrdom, his doc-
trinal teachings, his affirmations and prophecies were un-
weakened by qualification or ambiguity.
Plain and unembellished by studied rhetoric or dramatic
eff^ect, his solemn averments were free from even the shadow
of the tentative or provisional. He voiced his message fear-
lessly and in the strength of simplicity, with no restraining
afterthought of opposition, ridicule or persecution.
Direct and Sure 81
True to the character of a real prophet, he gave out only
as he received — line upon line, precept upon precept, here
a little and there a little. And behold, the precepts have
arrayed themselves into a scriptural unity; the lines have
fallen into order as verses of a revealed epic; and the little
has grown to the fulness of the everlasting Gospel.
The mission of Joseph Smith and that of the Church he
was instrumental in founding have from the first been before
the world in their true colors. Though the unity of unalter-
able purpose and unchanging plan is impressively apparent,
there is nothing in the latter-day Scripture that savors of
policy or obscure intent.
Granted that the claims of the Church are bold ones, even
strikingly so, and that some of them when first enunciated
stood in disturbing contrast with certain theological dog-
mas long regarded as orthodox. Nevertheless, they were
presented with an assurance such as only the certainty of
their Divine source could justify or sufficiently explain.
In this age of free speech and liberty of conscience it is
surely allowable to put forth views and publish affirmations
relating to religious belief, even though the doctrines be
opposed to earlier conceptions, provided the rights of men
to accept or reject be duly respected. Consider the follow-
ing instances of the solemn avowals made by Joseph Smith.
He declares that in answer to prayer, in the spring of
1820, he was visited by two Personages, in the form and
likeness of perfect men and amidst light and glory inde-
scribable, who were none other than God the Eternal Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ; and that the former pointing to
the latter said "This is my beloved Son, hear Him."
Then on September 21, 1823, Joseph Smith was visited
by the angel Moroni, who disclosed to him the depository of
the ancient records from which the Book of Mormon has.
38 The Vitality of Mormonism
been since translated. Part of the angel's message on this
occasion, as recorded in the words of the latter-day prophet,
was "that God had a work for me to do; and that my name
should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds,
and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken
of among all people." (Pearl of Great Price, p. 89.)
Is it conceivable that an unschooled youth, of obscure
parentage and humble surroundings, would venture to assert
such future distinction without the assurance of unmistak-
able commission.'*
Another of Moroni's predictions is thus stated by Joseph
Smith: "He informed me of great judgments which were
coming upon the earth, with great desolations by famine,
sword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments
would come on the earth in this generation."
Furthermore, the angel cited Scripture from both the Old
Testament and the New, relating to the gathering of Israel,
vicarious work for the dead, and other characteristics of the
last days, declaring that all these earlier prophecies were
about to be fulfilled.
In 1832 a revelation was received by Joseph Smith defi-
nitely foretelling the civil war in this country, and specify-
ing the defection of the State of South Carolina as the be-
ginning. This portentous prediction followed: "The days
will come that war will be poured out upon all nations," and
that by bloodshed, famine, plagues, as well as by earth-
quakes and other destructive natural agencies, the inhabi-
tants of the earth would be brought into mourning and
humility.
Wheat and Weeds 88
— 6 —
WHEAT AND WEEDS
Successive Apostasies from the Gospel
THE kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which
sowed good seed in his field; But while men slept,
his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat." (Matt.
So hath it been from the beginning; so will it be until the
end.
The Lord God gave commandment unto Adam, and
straightway Satan countered with sophistry and falsehood
disguised as half the truth. Adam preached the Gospel and
administered its essential ordinances amongst his posterity;
"And Satan came among them, saying: I am also a son of
God; and he commanded them, saying: Believe it not; and
they believed it not, and they loved Satan more than God.
And men began from that time forth to be carnal, sensual,
and devilish." (Pearl of Great Price, p. 21.)
Thus, even during the hfetime of the first patriarch,
many of his descendants fell into apostasy and denied the
God with whom their great progenitor had talked face to
face.
From Adam to Noah righteous men taught and testified
of the truth, denounced sin and warned sinners; yet all the
while Satan sowed assiduousl}^ the tares of wickedness in the
hearts of men, and with such evil success that, excepting
Noah and his household, the whole human family became cor-
rupt. So awful was the condition that the floods came and
swept the ungodly race from the earth; and their rebellious
spirits passed into the state of duress, in which they re-
34} The Vitality of Mormonism
mained until the way of repentance was opened to them
anew by the ministry of the disembodied Christ over twenty-
three centuries later. See 1 Peter 3:18-20.
As the cliildren of men multiplied and nations developed
after the Deluge, the wholesome plants of Divine truth
struggled against the rank growth of error; therefore the
Lord commanded Abraham to leave his idolatrous country
and kindred, that through him and his posterity the saving
powers of the Priesthood might be preserved among men.
The tares of idolatry and its inseparable abominations grew
apace. Even the harrowing experiences of Egyptian bond-
age failed to extirpate the weeds from Israel, though the
fertilizing effect of humility under suffering did much to
nurture and sustain the precious grain of the covenant.
At the time of the Exodus the Israelites constituted the
few whom the Lord could call His own; and they had to
undergo a disciplinary probation — a course of intensive and
purifying cultivation, covering four decades in the wilder-
ness— before they were deemed fit to enter the land of their
inheritance. They were distinguished as Jehovah-worship-
ers, and as such stood apart from the more thoroughly
apostate and degenerate world.
But even Israel's fields were full of tares; and the Lord
mercifully suspended the fulness of the Gospel require-
ments, which, because of violation, would have been a means
of condemnation ; and the law of carnal commandments, gen-
eralized as the Mosaic Code, was given instead — as a school-
master, whose rigid insistence and compelling restraint,
whose rod of correction would, in the course of centuries,
prepare the covenant though recreant people for the re-
establishment of the Gospel— as was effected through the
personal ministry of the Redeemer. See Gal. 3 :23-26.
Following the Messianic ministry and apostolic dispensa-
Wheat and Weeds 35
tion, another cloud of apostasy enveloped the world, and for
well-nigh sixteen centuries held the race befogged in its
clammy mists. In this murky and fetid atmosphere the
weeds of superstition, unbelief and human dogma flour-
ished as a dank tropical jungle, while belief in revealed
truth survived only as a wilted growth amidst the prevalent
insalubrity.
The last apostasy was general, alike on both hemispheres.
For nearly two centuries after its establishment on the West-
ern Continent, the Church of Jesus Christ flourished to the
blessing of its members. Then followed disruption and apos-
tasy, the bitter fruitage of sin; and so was fulfilled the sad-
dening prophecy of Alma concerning the Nephites :
"Yea, and then shall they see wars and pestilences, yea,
famines and bloodshed, even until the people of Nephi shall
become extinct. Yea, and this because they shall dwindle
in unbelief, and fall into the works of darkness, and las-
civiousness, and all manner of iniquities. Yea, I say unto
you, that because they shall sin against so great light
and knowledge, yea, I say unto you, that from that day,
even the fourth generation shall not all pass away, before
this great iniquity shall come." (Book of Mormon,
Alma 45.)
Following each of these epoch-marking declensions, from
the Adamic to the current dispensation, there has come a
period of revival, rejuvenescence, or as now witnessed, a
definite restoration and reestablishment of the Church of
Jesus Christ, by which the tares, though not yet rooted up
to be burned, have been at least prevented from choking
out the wheat.
The application of our Lord's parable of the wheat and
the tares to the great falling away, or the last general
apostasy, is thus shown in latter-day Scripture : "And after
36 The Vitality of Mormonism
they [the Apostles of old] have fallen asleep, the great
persecutor of the church, the apostate, the whore, even
Babylon, that maketh all nations to drink of her cup, in
whose hearts the enemy, even Satan, sitteth to reign, be-
hold he soweth the tares ; wherefore the tares choke the
wheat and drive the church into the wilderness." (Doctrine
& Covenants 86:3; compare Rev. 12:6, 14.)
But the day of the Church's exile is ended. In unosten-
tatious triumph she has returned after enforced absence,
and is established anew for the blessing of all who make
themselves fit to be partakers of her bounty.
— ■ 7 —
A NEW DISPENSATION
Authority by Restoration Not Through Succession
TO act officially in affairs of government, to administer
public laws and ordinances, a man must have been
duly elected or appointed and must have qualified as the
law provides. If there be but the shadow of doubt as to
his legal competency, his acts, say as president, senator,
governor, judge or mayor, are almost sure to be challenged;
and, if his claims to authority be invalid, his so-called offi-
cial acts are justly pronounced null and void, while the
quondam pretender may be liable to severe penalty.
In like manner authority to administer the ordinances of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ must be definitely vested through
personal conferment as the law of God prescribes.
"And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that
is called of God, as was Aaron." (Heb. 5:4).
^ Aaron was called and set apart to the priestly office by
A New Dispensation 87
revelation from God through Moses, and retributive punish-
ment fell upon all who essayed to minister without authority
in the priest's office. Consider the awful fate of Korah and
his associates (Num. 16), the instance of Uzziah king of
Judah (2 Chron. 26), and, in New Testament times, that
of Sceva's sons (Acts 19), all of whom brought upon them-
selves condign penalty for blasphemously arrogating the
right to officiate in the name of the Lord.
How great a lesson is writ for warning and guidance
in the history of Saul, king of Israel. He had received his
anointing under the hand of Samuel the prophet. On the
eve of battle, when Samuel delayed his coming to offer sacri-
fices for victory, Saul presumptuously officiated at the altar,
failing to realize that, king though he was, his royal
authority did not empower him to serve even as a deacon
in the household of God. His sacrilege was one of the
principal causes that led to his rejection by the Lord.
While in the flesh Christ chose His Apostles and ordained
them, bestowing upon them specific authority. Those who
were afterward called through revelation, e. g., Matthias,
Saul of Tarsus who came to be known as Paul the Apostle,
Barnabas, and others, were ordained by those previously
invested with the Holy Priesthood.
Elders, priests, bishops, teachers and deacons in the
Primitive Church on the Eastern hemisphere were all similar-
ly ordained; and so a succession was maintained until the
Church, corrupted and apostate, was no longer worthy to
be called the Church of Jesus Christ, because it was not;
and the real Church, characterized by investiture of the
Holy Priesthood, was lost to mankind.
When the Resurrected Lord established His Church on
the Western Continent, He called and personally commis-
sioned Twelve Disciples; and later, others were with equal
S8 The Vitality of Mormonism
definiteness and certainty called and ordained to priestly
functions by revelation through those in authority ; and this
order continued in the West until, through transgression,
the people became apostate and succession in the priesthood
no longer obtained. See Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11
and later chapters.
There is but one church on the earth today claiming
authority in the Holy Priesthood by direct succession from
the Primitive Church; and surely none can consistently
assert priestly powers by spontaneous origination. The
rational interpretation of history reveals the literal fulfil-
ment of ancient prophecy in the absolute loss of sacerdotal
authority during the early centuries of the Christian Era;
so that present-day claim to the Priesthood through un-
broken succession from the Apostles of old rests upon
arbitrary assertion only.
If a mother church be devoid of Divine commission in
the Holy Priesthood, definitely and authoritatively vested,
no sect springing from that parent institution can inherit
the Priesthood.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints positive-
ly avers that it lays claim to no priestly authority through
mortal succession reaching back to the Primitive Church
of the East, nor by descent from the Nephite Church of
Christ as established on the Western Continent.
To the contrary, this Church affirms the complete cessa-
tion of Divine commission in churchly organizations, and the
consequent necessity of a restoration — a new dispensation
from the heavens.
This Church disavows any and all derivation of appoint-
ment or commission, direct or implied, from other organiza-
tions. Catholic or Protestant, "established" or dissenting
churches sects or parties. It defends the rights of all men,
Divine Command and Hitman Agency 89
whether church members or not, to worship as thej severally
choose to do, and to believe in and advocate the genuineness
of any sect or church to which they elect to belong; and,
by the same principle qf liberty, it claims the right to set
forth its own professions and doctrines, the while bespeaking
for these a dispassionate and prayerful consideration.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints avows
that the Holy Priesthood has been restored to earth in the
present age, by means and manner strictly in accord with
prophecy; and that through direct bestowal from the
heavens the authority to administer the ordinances of the
Gospel, which are indispensable to individual salvation, is
operative today in preparation for the advent of the Lord
Jesus Christ, which is near, as hath been predicted by the
mouths of holy prophets and by the coming Lord Himself.
— 8 —
DIVINE COMMAND AND HUMAN AGENCY
The Church a Democracy
THE compound character of the name-title — The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — has elicited
inquiries from many thoughtful readers. Does the organ-
ization profess to be The Church of Jesus Christ, or The
Church of the Latter-day Saints?
The answer is — both.
As we have already seen, our Lord designated the Church
established by Himself in the meridian of time as "My
Church," that is to say. His Church — The Church of Jesus
Christ. And, as also shown, when the Savior ministered
in the resurrected state to the ancient inhabitants of
40 The Vitality/ of Mormonism
America, He established His Church amongst them, and
particularly directed that the institution be called by His
name as the only properly descriptive title. See Book of
Mormon, 3 Neplii 27.
When the Church was reestablished upon earth through
the instrumentality of Joseph Smith the prophet, in 1830,
it was provisionally called the Church of Jesus Christ, in
harmony with the principle and practise established by the
Savior among the Nephites, and to express the Lord's
specific designation of the latter-day body as "My Church."
The early revelations given to the Church contain frequent
mention of common consent or the voice of the members,
as essential in matters of administration. The following
excerpts are illustrative :
"No person is to be ordained to any office in this church,
where there is a regularly organized branch of the same,
without the vote of that church."
"And all things shall be done by common consent in the
church, by much prayer and faith, for all things you shall
receive by faith. Amen." (Doctrine & Covenants 20 and
26.)
After the people had been trained through the revealed
word and by actual experience in the affairs of Church
government, when they had learned the basal lesson that
upon every member rests a measure of responsibility, and
that in consistency and justice each is entitled to part
and voice in the activities of the organized body, the Lord
specified in the following manner the expanded and com-
plete name by which the institution was to be known. He
spoke by revelation directed to the High Council and "unto
all the elders and people of my Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints, scattered abroad in all the world. For
thus shall my Church be called in the last days, even The
Divine Command and Human Agency 41
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (116:3-4).
The name thus conferred is a self-explanatory and ex-
clusive title of distinction and authority. It is an epitome
of the cardinal truths and of the philosophical basis of the
system commonly called "Mormonism." Every prayer that
is offered, every ordinance administered, every doctrine
proclaimed by the Church, is voiced in the name of Him
whose Church it is.
Nevertheless, as an association of human membership,
as a working body having relation with the secular law, as
a religious society claiming the rights of recognition and
privilege common to all, it is the people's institution, for
the operation of which, so far as such is dependent upon
them, they are answerable to themselves, to the organiza-
tion as a unit, and to God.
The plan of organization and government of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that of a theo-
democracy, whose organic constitution has been revealed
from heaven and is accepted by the members as their guide
in faith, doctrine and practise.
The Church receives commandments through revelation,
and when such are promulgated the assembled body takes
action, voting to accept and to obey the same so far as the
Divine direction calls for service.
Such a conception as that of the Church rejecting a
Divine revelation is extreme, and suggests an improbable
contingency. Nevertheless, individuals having membership
in the Church may ignore or reject the commandments of
God, and so exhibit the spirit of apostasy in a degree pro-
portionate to their disaffection; but such declension by
the Church in its entirety is neither to be supposed nor
feared.
Adam had his agency, and chose to use it in disobeying
42 The Vitality of Mormordsm
the Lord's injunction. Of the commandment and the alterna-
tive we read : "And I, the Lord God, commanded the
man, saying: Of every tree of the garden thou mayest
freely eat, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil; thou shalt not eat of it. Nevertheless, thou mayest
choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remem-
ber that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest ' thereof
thou shalt surely die." (Pearl of Great Price, pp. 13-14.)
The same principle applies to persons and to the Church
as a whole today. God has not established His Church to
make of its members irresponsible automatons, nor to exact
from them blind obedience. Albeit, blessed is the man who,
while unable to fathom or comprehend in full the Divine
purpose underlying commandment and law, has such faith as
to obey. So did Adam in offering sacrifice, yet, when
questioned as to the significance of his service, he answered
with faith and assurance worthy the patriarch of the race:
"I know not, save the Lord commanded me."
— 9 —
THE HOLY TRINITY
Unity of the Godhead
WE believe in God the Eternal Father, and in His
Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."
So runs the first of the "Articles of Faith" of the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A similar assevera-
tion of belief has place in most creeds or churches called
Christian. The Scriptures affirm the existence of the Su-
preme Trinity, constituting the Godhead, the governing
Council of the heavens and the earth.
The Holy Tr'mity 4S
The very name "Trinity" which is commonly current in
the literature of Christian theology, connotes three distinct
entities, and such we believe to be the scriptural signification
and therefore expressive of the actual constitution of the
Godhead. Three Personages are comprised, each designated
by the exalted title "God", and each of whom has separately
and individually revealed Himself to mankind; these are (1)
God the Eternal Father, (2) God the Son, or Jesus Christ,
and (3) God the Holy Ghost.
That the three are individually separate and distinct
Personages is evidenced by such Scriptures as the follow-
ing. As our Lord Jesus Christ emerged from the baptismal
waters of Jordan, John, the officiating priest, recognized the
visible sign of the Holy Ghost, while he saw before him
the Christ with a tangible body of flesh and bones, and heard
the voice of the Eternal Father saying : "This is my beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:16, 17). The
three Personages were there present, each manifesting Him-
self in a different manner to mortal sense, and plainly,
each distinct from the others.
Again, in that last solemn interview with His apostles
on the night of the betrayal, the Lord Jesus thus cheered
with sublime assurance their sorrowful despair: "But when
the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from
the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from
the Father, he shall testify of me." (John 15:26.) Could
the members of the Trinity be more definitely segregated?
That the Comforter is the Holy Ghost is expressly set forth
in the preceding chapter (John 14:26), and in that passage
also the Father and the Son are as separately specified.
That the Eternal Father and His Son Jesus Christ are
individual Personages is clear from the very fact of the
relationship expressed, for no being can be his own father
44 The Vitality of Mormonism
or his own son. The numerous Scriptures in which Christ is
shown as pra3^ing to His Father abundantly testify of Their
distinct personality; and, furthermore, amidst the indescrib-
able glory of our Lord's transfiguration, from out of the
cloud came the voice of the Father, avowing again : "This
is my beloved Son."
The individual members of the Holy Trinity are united
in purpose, plan, and method. To conceive of disagree-
ment, differences, or dissension among them would be to
regard them as lacking in the attributes, of perfection that
characterize Godhood. But that this unity involves any
merging of personality is nowhere attested in Scripture,
and the mind is incapable of apprehending such a union.
In the course of His soulful High-Priestly prayer, Christ
supplicated the Father in behalf of the Apostles, asking
"that they may, be one" as He and the Father were one
(John 17:11). Surely the Lord did not intimate that He
would have the Apostles lose their individuality and become
one person; and indeed, He had long before assured them
that at a time which is even yet future they "shall sit upon
twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt.
19:28.)
Human knowledge concerning the attributes of God and
the nature of the Godhead is such as has been revealed from
the heavens. Divine revelation is the ultimate source of all
we know of the being and personality of the Deity. Through
revelation in ancient days God was made known to man —
to Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and the prophets.
And in the present age, after mankind had in great measure
come to reject the plain and simple truths of a personal
God and His actual Son Jesus Christ, such as the Scriptures
affirm, the Father and the Son have revealed Themselves
anew.
Original Sin 45
Joseph Smith has given us his solemn testimony that in
the early spring of 1820, while engaged in solitary prayer,
to which he had been impelled by scriptural admonition
(James 1:5), he was visited by the Eternal Father and
His Son Jesus Christ, and that the Father, pointing to
the Christ, spake, saying: "This is my beloved Son, hear
Him."
In this wise was ushered in the Dispensation of the Ful-
ness of Times, foretold by the Apostle of old (Eph. 1:10).
In 1820 there was on earth one mortal who knew beyond
all question that the human conception of Deity, as an
incorporeal essence of something possessing neither form
nor substance, is as devoid of truth in respect to both the
Father and the Son as its statement in formulated creeds
is incomprehensible.
Joseph Smith has proclaimed anew to the world the
simple truth that the Eternal Father and His glorified Son
Jesus Christ are in form and stature perfect Men; and
that in Their physical likeness mankind has been created in
the flesh.
— 10 —
ORIGINAL SIN
Are All to Suffer from it EternaUyf
E believe that men will be punished for their own
W
sins, and not for Adam's transgressions."
Belief in original sin, with its dread incubus as a burden
from which none can escape, has for ages cast its depress-
ing shadow over the human heart and mind. Accepting as
fact the account outlined in Genesis concerning the trans-
gression of the parents of the race, every thoughtful reader
must have wondered as to whether he is to suffer throughout
46 The Vitality of Marmonism
this life and beyond for a deed in which he had no part, and
for which, according to his natural conception of justice and
right, he was not even indirectly responsible. If he assumes
an affirmative answer to his honest query, he must have stood
aghast at the seeming injustice of it all.
The Scriptures proclaim in definite terms the fact of in-
dividual responsibility, and as an indispensable consequence,
the Free Agency of Man. Freedom to choose or reject and
accountability for the choice go hand in hand. The word of
Divine revelation made the matter plain very early in the
history of mankind. To evil-hearted Cain the Lord said:
"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou
doest not well, sin lieth at the door." (Gen. 4:7.)
A knowledge of good and evil is essential to progress, and
the school of experience in mortality has been provided for
the acquirement of such knowledge. The Divine purpose was
thus enunciated by an ancient Hebrew prophet :
"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. . . . Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh;
and all things are given them which are expedient unto man.
And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through
the great mediation of all men, or to choose captivity and
death, according to the captivity and power of the devil;
for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto
himself." (Book of Mormon, S Nephi 2:16 and 27.)
And a later prophet voiced the eternal truth as addressed
to his wayward fellows :
"And now remember, remember, my brethren, that who-
soever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever
doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are
free." (Book of Mormon, Helaman 14:30.)
Original Sm 47
But, many have asked how can man be regarded as free
to choose right or wrong when he is predisposed to evil
through the heritage of original sin bequeathed to him by
Adam? Heredity at most is but tendency, not compulsion;
and we have no warrant for doubt in the light of revealed
truth concerning the inherent justice and mercy of God that
every element of cause or inflicted tendency will be taken
into righteous account in the judgment of each and every
soul. The man who can intelhgently ask or consider the
question framed above shows his capability of distinguishing
between good and evil, and can not consistently excuse
himself for wilful wrongdoing.
Our first parents disobeyed the command of God by
indulging in food unsuited to their condition; and, as a
natural consequence, they suffered physical degeneracy,
whereby bodily weakness, disease, and death came into the
world. Their posterity have inherited the resultant ills, to
all of which we now say flesh is heir ; and it is true that these
human imperfections came through disobedience, and are
therefore the fruits of sin. But as to accountability for
Adam's transgression, in all justice Adam alone must an-
swer. The present fallen status of mankind, as expressed in
our mortal condition, was inaugurated by Adam and Eve;
but Divine justice forbids that we be accounted sinners
solely because our parents transgressed.
Though the privations, the vicissitudes, and the unrelent-
ing toil enforced by the state of mortal existence be part of
our heritage from Adam, we are enriched thereby; for in
just such conditions do we find opportunity to develop the
powers of soul that shall enable us to overcome evil, to choose
the good, and to win salvation and exaltation in the man-
sions of our Father.
48 The Vitality of Mormonism
If the expression "original sin" has any definite significa-
tion it must be taken to mean the transgression of our
parents in Eden. We were not participators in that of-
fense. We are not inheritors of original sin, though we be
subjects of the consequences. The millions who have been
slaughtered or have otherwise met death because of the
greatest war in history, and those other and more millions
of helpless dependents who have endured such agonies as to
make of death a blessed relief, are all involved in the fright-
ful results of the precipitation of war by their respective
rulers; yet who can doubt that when a just accounting is
called, those who brought about the carnage and the suffer-
ing shall be made to answer, not the irresponsible victims?
And to everyone who has suffered blamelessly. He who notes
even the sparrow's fall shall give full meed of recompense.
Why waste time and effort in bewailing what Adam did?
Better is it to face like men the actual conditions of our
existence and to meet the requirements of righteous living.
From the effects of Adam's transgression full redemption
is assured through the atonement wrought by Jesus Christ
our Lord. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
all be made aHve." (1 Cor. 15:22.)
— 11 —
THE COOPERATIVE PLAN OF SALVATION
Christ Alone Cannot Save You
WE believe that through the Atonement of Christ all
mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws
and ordinances of the Gospel."
In earlier articles of this series it has been shown that
The Cooperative Plan of Salvation 49
mortality is divinely provided as a means of schooling and
test, whereby the spirit offspring of God may develop their
powers and demonstrate their characters. Every one of us
has been advanced from the unembodied or preexistent state
to our present condition, in which the individual spirit is
temporarily united with a body of flesh and bones. Yet this
promotion to the mortal state is regarded by many as a
degradation ; and we are prone to bewail the fallen condition
of the race as an unmitigated calamity. The Scriptures
make plain the glorious truth that man may rise far above
the plane upon which he existed before his birth in the flesh.
We have stooped that we may conquer; we have been per-
mitted to descend only that we may attain greater heights.
The transgression of our parents in Eden was foreseen,
and the Divine plan provided a means of redemption. The
Eternal Father, who is verily the Father of our spirits,
well understood the diverse natures and varied capacities of
His unembodied children; and it was plain to Him, even
from the beginning, that in the school of mortal life some
would succeed while others would fail ; some would be faithful
and others false; some would choose the good, others the
evil; some would seek the way of life while others would
follow the road to destruction. He foresaw that His com-
mandments would be disobeyed and His law violated; and
chat men, shut out from His presence and left to themselves
would sink rather than rise, would retrograde rather than
advance, and would be lost to the heavens. It was plain to
Him that death would enter the world, and that the posses-
sion of bodies by His children would be of brief individual
duration.
A Redeemer was chosen, and that even before the founda-
tion of the world. He, the first-born among all the spirit
children of God, was to come to earth, clothed with the
60 The Vitality of Mormonism
attributes of both Godhood and manhood, to teach men the
saving principles of the eternal Gospel and so establish on
earth the terms and conditions of salvation. In consum-
mation of His mission, Christ gave up His life as a voluntary
and vicarious sacrifice for the race. Through the Atone-
ment wrought by Him the power of death has been over-
come; for while all men must die, their resurrection is as-
sured. The effect of Christ's Atonement upon the race is
twofold : ,
1. The eventual resurrection of all men, whether right-
eous or wicked. This constitutes Redemption from the
Fall, and, since the Fall came through individual trans-
gression, in all justice relief therefrom must be made uni-
versal and unconditional.
2. The providing of a means whereby reparation may
be made and forgiveness be obtained for individual sin.
This constitutes Salvation, and is made available to all
through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
Between redemption from the power of death and salva-
tion in the Kingdom of Heaven there is a vital difference.
Man alone cannot save himself; Christ alone cannot save
him. The plan of salvation is cooperative. The Atone-
j ment effected by the Lord Jesus Christ has opened the way ;
it is left to every man to enter therein and be saved or to
turn aside and forfeit salvation. God will force no man
either into heaven or into hell.
Jacob, a Nephite prophet, has given us a masterly sum-
mary of the results of our Lord's Atonement, both as to the
universal redemption from death, and the conditions upon
which individual salvation may be obtained:
"For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the
merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a
power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come
The Need of a Redeemer 61
unto man by reason of the fall ; and the fall came by reason
of transgression; and because man became fallen, they were
cut oiF from the presence of the Lord; Wherefore it must
needs be an infinite atonement; save it should be an infinite
atonement, this corruption could not put on incorruption.
Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must
needs have remained to an endless duration. ... And it
shall come to pass, that when all men shall have passed
from this first death unto life, insomuch as they have become
immortal, they must appear before the judgment-seat of the
Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, and then
must they be judged according to the holy judgment of
God. . . . And he sufFereth this, that the resurrection might
pass upon all men, that all might stand before him at
the great and judgment day. And he commandeth all men
that they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having
perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot
be saved in the kingdom of God. And if they will not repent
and believe in his name, and be baptized in liis name, and
endure to the end, they must be damned ; for the Lord God,
the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it." (Book of Mormon,
2Nephi9:6, 7, 15, 22-24).
— 12 ^
THE NEED OF A REDEEMER
Man Cannot Exalt Himself
THE Scriptures inform us that, prior to his transgres-
sion in Eden, Adam held direct and personal com-
munion with God; and that one of the immediate conse-
quences of his fall, which was brought about through dis-
52 The Vitality of Mormonism
obedience, was his forfeiture of that exalted association.
He was shut out from the presence of God, and though
he heard the Divine Voice he no longer was permitted to
behold the Presence of the Lord. This banishment was to
the man spiritual death; and its infliction brought into
effect the predicted penalty, that in the day of his sin he
would surely die. See Gen. 2:17; Pearl of Great Price,
p. 14.
Through partaking of food unsuited to their condition
and against which they had been specifically forewarned,
the man and his wife became subject to physical degeneracy ;
and, eventually, as Satan the arch-tempter had foreseen,
both the man and the woman had to suffer bodily death.
Their offspring were directly affected by the hereditary
enthralment, to which Abel fell a victim even during the
life- time of his parents.
Death came into the world through sin ; the imperfections
and frailties incident to the mortal state are conducive
to sin; and man is prone in an inexcusable degree to readily
yield thereto. So general is sin operative in the world
that the wise comment of the ancient preacher stands un-
challenged: "There is not a just man upon earth, that
doeth good and sinneth not." (Eccles. 7:20). And the ad-
monitory precept given by John the Apostle has lost none
of its inspired forcefulness with time: "If we say that we
have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in
us." (1 John 1:8).
This sinful and fallen condition of mankind and the
universal infliction of death are dominant elements of Satan's
diabolical scheme to subdue the embodied spirits, whom he,
as the rebellious son of the morning, had failed to draw
to his standard in the conflict of primeval hosts. See Rev.
12:7-9; Isa. 14:12; also Doctrine & Covenants 29:36-38 and
The Need of a Redeemer 63
76 :25-27. God provided a way by which His spirit-children
would become embodied as a means of advancement; Satan
introduced degeneracy and death in an attempt to thwart
the Divine purpose.
Death may claim its victim in infancy or youth, in the
period of life's prime or when the snows of age have settled
heavily upon the venerable head; it may come through dis-
ease or accident, by violence, or as what we call the result
of natural causes ; but come it must, as Satan well knows ;
and in that knowledge lies his present though but temporary
triumph. But the ways of God, as they ever have been and
ever shall be, are infinitely more potent than the deepest
designs of men or devils; and the Satanic machinations to
make death perpetual and supreme were foreseen and pro-
vided against even before the first man had been clothed in
flesh. The Atonement wrought by Jesus Christ was ordained
to overcome death, and to provide a means of ransom from
sin and consequent deliverance from the dominion of Satan.
As the natural and inevitable penalty incident to Adam's
fall came upon the race through individual transgression, it
would be manifestly unjust and therefore impossible as part
of the Divine plan to make all men suffer the results thereof
without provision for emancipation. "Wherefore, as by
one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and
so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned :
. . . Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came
upon all men to condemnation ; even so by the righteousness
of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of
life." (Rom. 5:12, 18). And further: "For since by man
came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive." (1 Cor. 15:21, 22; see further Book of Mormon,
Mosiah 3:11, 12).
54 The Vitality of Motmonism
Without assistance from some power superior to his own,
fallen man would remain eternally in his state of spiritual
bamshment from the presence of God. He is tainted and
defiled through sin; and though he must pass the gates of
death, that change from the embodied to the disembodied
state cannot consistently be regarded as a means of ransom
from the effect of transgression. We find in Nature an
analogy applicable to our present demonstration; though in
its use the present writer claims no credit for originaUty.
The lifeless mineral, belonging to the lowest of the "three
kingdoms," may grow big through accretion of substance,
and may attain relative perfection of structure and form
as in the crystal. But, though placed in the most favor-
able environment, no mineral particle unassisted by the
power incident to life can become part of a Hving organism
such as the plant. The living plant, however, may reach
down to the mineral plane, and by absorption and assimila-
tion make the mineral part of its own organic tissue. So the
plant, though of itself utterly powerless to attain the yet
higher plane of animal tissue, may be assimilated by the
animal and become part thereof. And so with respect to
either plant or animal substance becoming a constituent
of human tissue.
So for the advancement of man from his present fallen
state to the higher condition of spiritual life, a power
greater than his own is requisite. Through the operation
of laws obtaining in the spiritual world man may be reached
and lifted ; himself he cannot exalt. A Redeemer and Savior
is essential to the accomplishment of the Father's plan,
which is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life
of man" (Pearl of Great Price, p. 7) ; and that Redeemer
and Savior is Jesus the Christ, beside whom there is and
can be no other.
T
Chris fs Unique Status 56
— 13 —
CHRIST'S UNIQUE STATUS
As Redeemer and Savior of the World
O hosts of earnest and thoughtful people, comprising
many who devoutly believe in the efficacy of our Lord's
atoning death as a means of redemption from death and
salvation from sin, it is a matter of surpassing wonder that
the sacrifice of a single life could be made an effective
means of emancipation for mankind.
Scriptures ante-dating the Savior's earthly life plainly
aver that the Atonement to be made by Him was to be a
vicarious sacrifice, voluntary and love-inspired on His part,
and universal in its application so far as human-kind would
avail themselves of its beneficent means. These conditions
were confirmed by the personal affirmations of the embodied
Christ, and are attested by Scriptures post-dating the tragic
consummation on Calvary.
The concept of vicarious service, in which one may act
or officiate for and in behalf of another, is as old as the
race. It is, however, fundamentally opposed to the un-
scriptural assumption that the merits of one man may be
accounted to the cancellation of another's sins. Scriptures
both ancient and modern, the traditions of the human family,
the rites of altar sacrifice, and even the sacrileges of heathen
idolatry involve the basal conception of vicarious atone-
ment. This principle, of Divine establishment in its original
and uncorrupted form, was revealed to Adam (Pearl of
Great Price, pp. 19-20), who offered sacrifices in the simili-
tude of the then future death of the Lamb of God, and was
taught and practised by later prophets down to the time
of Christ.
56 The Vitality of Mormonism
The Scriptures relieve us from the assumption that any
ordinary mortal, by voluntarily giving up his life even as a
martyr to the best of causes, could become a ransom for the
sins of his fellows and a victor over death. Jesus Christ,
though He lived and died as one of the human family, was
of unique nature. Never has another such as He walked the
earth. Christ was the only Being among all the embodied
spirit-children of God suited to and acceptable as the
great sacrifice of atonement, in these definite and distinct
respects :
1. He was the One chosen and foreordained in the
heavens to this specific service.
2. He was and is the Only Begotten of the Father in
the body, and therefore the only Being ever born to earth
who possessed in their fulness the inherent attributes of
both Godhood and manhood.
3. Pie was and is the one and only sinless Man who has
lived in mortality.
Concerning our Lord's foreordination as the Redeemer
and Savior, He has given us personal testimony with which
the utterances of prophets who lived before His birth and
apostles who taught after His death are in harmony. Twen-
ty-two centuries before the meridian of time, the then mi-
embodied Christ revealed Himself to a Book of Mormon
prophet, saying: "Behold I am he who was prepared from
the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold
I am Jesus Christ." (Book of Mormon, Ether 3:14). Unto
Moses the Father spake, saying: "Thou art in the similitude
of mine Only Begotten, and mine Only Begotten is and shall
be the Savior." (Pearl of Great Price, p. 2). These Scrip-
tures are in accord with Peter's testimony of Christ as "a
Lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was
foreordained before the foundation of the world." (1 Peter
1:19-20).
Christ's Uniqtie Status 57
As the Eternal Father's Only Begotten Son in the flesh,
Christ possessed the inborn power to withstand death in-
definitely, and this just as naturally as that He, being the
offspring of a mortal mother, should derive the ability to
die. Jesus Christ inherited through the operation of the
natural law of heredity the physical, mental, and spiritual
attributes of His parents — the Father immortal and glori-
fied, the mother human. He could not be slain until His
hour had come, the hour in which He would voluntarily give
up His life, and permit His own decease as an act of will.
How else are His definite asseverations concerning Himself
to be construed.? Consider for example this: "Therefore
doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I
might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay
it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I
have power to take it again." (John 10:17-18). And fur-
ther: "For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he
given to the Son to have life in himself." (John 5:26).
Christ died, not as other men have died or shall die,
because of inability to escape death, but for a special pur-
pose by voluntary surrender. Thus, the atoning sacrifice
was no usual death of an ordinary man, but the decease of
One who had the power to live. It was a sacrifice, indeed ! *
As a sinless Man Christ was exempt from the dominion
of Satan; and was sublimely conscious of His own perfect
probity. He challenged assailants with the pertinent de-
mand "Which of you convinceth me of sin.?" (John 8:46);
and in the hour of His entrance into Gethsemane solemnly
averred: "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing
in me." (John 14:30).
♦For comprehensive treatment see the author's work "Jesus the
Christ," 800 pp.. The Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utah.
68 The Vitality of Mormonism
Had our Lord died as the result of Satan's power over
Him through transgression, His death would have been but
an individual experience, expiatory in no degree of any
offenses but His own. His absolute freedom from spot or
blemish of sin made Him eligible. His humility and willing-
ness rendered Him acceptable as the propitiatory sacrifice
for the sins of the world. In these respects, as in that
of His having life in Himself and therefore power over death.
He was of a status absolutely unique among men. With
this knowledge spake the ancient Hebrew prophet, saying:
"As the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given
under heaven, save it be this Jesus Christ of which I have
spoken, whereby man can be saved." (Book of Mormon, 2
Neplii 25:20).
— 14i —
PHILOSOPHY OF THE ATONEMENT
Its Two-fold Effect
BELIEF in the efficacy of the death of Jesus Christ as
a means of atonement, whereby redemption and salva-
tion are made possible, is an essential feature of distinctive-
ly Christian religion. That belief if sustained by works con-
stitutes faith in or acceptance of the Christ as the Only
Begotten Son of God, and is supported by the Holy Scrip-
tures of all ages. Nevertheless, to most of us, the fact of
the Atonement is a great mystery.
Be it remembered that the effect of the Atonement is
two-fold : ( 1 ) Redemption of the human race from physical
death, which entered the world as a result of Adam's trans-
gression; and (2) Salvation, whereby means of relief from
the results of individual sin are provided.
miosophy of the Atonement 59
Victory over death and the tomb became manifest in the
resurrection of the crucified Christ. Of all who have lived
in the flesh He was the first to come from the grave with
spirit and body reunited, a resurrected, immortalized Soul.
Justly, therefore, is He called "the firstfruits of them that
slept" (1 Cor. 15:20); "the firstborn from the dead" (Col.
1:18); and "the first begotten of the dead." (Rev. 1:5).
Immediately following our Lord's resurrection, "many
bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the
graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city,
and appeared unto many." (Matt. 27:52-53).
We learn that in due time everyone who has lived and
died on earth shall be resurrected, "they that have done
good, unto the resurrection of life ; and they that have done
evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:29).
However, the order in which we shall be resurrected is de-
termined by individual conditions of righteousness or guilt.
(See 1 Cor. 15:23; Rev. 20:5-6.) A latter-day Scripture,
describing the general resurrection of the just, incident to
the approaching advent of Christ, embodies the Lord's
declaration in these words : "The trump of God shall sound
both long and loud, and shall say to the sleeping nations.
Ye saints arise and live; ye sinners stay and sleep until I
shall call again." (Doctrine and Covenants 43:18).
The second eff^ect of the Atonement makes salvation pos-
sible to all men through obedience to the laws and ordinances
of the Gospel; and of these the following are fundamental:
(1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; (2) Repentance; (3)
Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; (4) Laying
on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
It is evident that but for the Atonement accomplished
by the Savior, there could be no resurrection from the dead
60 The Vitality of Mormonism
(see Book of Mormon, 2 Neplii 9:7-12); and advancement
from the disembodied state would be impossible. And just
as plainly the Scriptures declare that without the Atonement
of Christ mankind would be left in their sins, without means
of making amends therefor and receiving remission thereof.
We have learned but little of the eternal laws operative in
the heavens; but that God's purposes are accomplished
through and by law is beyond question. There can be no
irregularity, inconsistency, arbitrariness or caprice in His
doings, for such would mean injustice. Therefore, the
Atonement must have been effected in accordance with law.
The self-sacrificing life, the indescribable agony, and the
voluntary death of One who had life in Himself with power
to halt His torturers at any stage, and whom none could
slay until He permitted, must have constituted compliance
with the eternal law of justice, propitiation and expiation
by which victory over sin and death could be and has been
achieved. Through the mortal life and sacrificial death of
our Lord Jesus Christ the demands of justice have been
fully met, and the way is opened for the lawful ministration
of mercy so far as the effects of the Fall are concerned.
Sin, followed by death, came into the world through the
transgression of one man. The entailment of mortality upon
that man's posterity, with all its elements of a fallen state,
is natural, we say, because we think we know something about
heredity. Is it any more truly natural that one man's
transgression should be of universal effect than that the
redeeming and saving achievement of One, fully empowered
and qualified for the work of atonement, should be of uni-
versal blessing? The ancient Apostles were explicit in an-
swer. Thus spake Paul: "Therefore as by the offence of
one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even
so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all
How Does Christ Save? 61
men unto justification of life." (Rom. 5:18). And further:
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and
men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for
all." (1 Tim. 2:5-6).
Christ, victor over sin and death, established His right to
prescribe the conditions under which man may attain salva-
tion, and these are summarized as obedience to the laws and
ordinances of the Gospel. That the physical, mental, and
spiritual agony preceding and accompanying the crucifixion
was real and necessary to the accomplishment of His fore-
appointed mission has been affirmed by the Christ in the
current dispensation: "For behold I, God, have suffered
these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would
repent ; but if they would not repent, they must suffer even
as I. Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest
of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore,
and to suffer both body and spirit: and would that I might
not drink the bitter cup and shrink — Nevertheless, glory be
to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparation
unto the children of men. Wherefore, I command you again
to repent." (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-20).
— 15 —
HOW DOES CHRIST SAVE.?
His Flan Combines Justice and Mercy
THE results of the Atonement accomplished by the Lord
Jesus Christ comprise (1) universal deliverance from
bodily death, that is to say the assured resurrection of all
the dead, and (2) deliverance from the effects of individual
sin.
6t The Vitality of Mormonism
It is but just that since death has been entailed upon the
entire race through the act of our first parents, redemption
therefrom should be likewise universal, without effort or
sacrifice on our part. We shall each be resurrected from
death, our disembodied spirits tabernacling again in their
bodies of flesh and bones, whether we be relatively clean, or
filthy from sin; but the time or order of our respective
liberation from the grave will be determined by our state of
righteousness or guilt. So the Scriptures aver. (See e. g.
John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:28; Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi
9:6-13; and Doctrine and Covenants 88:96-102.)
Herein is a lawful adjustment between justice and mercy.
We are mortal through no personal fault; we shall be made
immortal without personal merit. Such is justice. And
though many have committed crimes far more heinous than
Adam's disobedience, even they shall eventually be absolved
from their hereditary mortality. Such is mercy.
The Divine plan of salvation, made effective through the
Atonement, is hkewise of universal application, so that every
man may become a beneficiary thereof; but that plan is not
self-operative. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints summarizes the conditions in this wise:
"We believe that men will be punished for their own sins,
and not for Adam's transgression.
"We believe that, through the Atonement of Christ, all
mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordi-
nances of the Gospel."
However great his moral weakness and sinful tendencies
entailed by heredity, every responsible individual knows right
from wrong, with some degree of conviction ; and in the final
judgment of that soul every element, whether of extenuation
or crimination, will be taken into due account. Means of
making amends for sin, and thereby establishing eligibility
Ho'm Does Christ Save? 63
as fit subjects for remission or forgiveness, are freely offered
to all men; but the prescribed conditions must be complied
with or the incubus of sin can not be lifted.
Salvation is not to be had for the mere asking. It is too
precious a pearl to be wantonly cast at the feet of the un-
repentant and unregenerate who, heedless of its eternal
worth, would fain tread it into the mire wh rein they wallow.
Christ's plan for saving the souls of men contemplates no
universal and unconditional remission of sins. That would
be justice travestied and mercy corrupted. So far as I am
personally responsible for sin, I, and I alone am accountable.
This is just. But though I make all material restitution
possible to my brother whom I may have wronged, I cannot
alone wipe the stain of guilt from my soul. To obtain
remission from God whose laws I have violated, to be again
reconciled to Him through expiation for my transgression,
I am in dire need of help. That help is provided through
obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. I am not left without hope; but on the contrary
have the Divine assurance of possible emancipation. This
is mercy, indeed.
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he
that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16). So
spake the Christ. The belief here specified must mean that
active, vital, potent belief which we distinctively designate
faith. A mere assent of the mind to any proposition, with-
out application and action, remains a mental concept and
nothing more. Our Lord's association of belief with baptism
is proof that no empty or idle belief can avail to save.
Genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ naturally leads to
obedience to His commands; and the firstfruits of faith are
embodied in repentance. None but the truly repentant be-
liever is an acceptable subject for baptism.
64 The Vitality of MorTnonism
Thus no man can consistently hope for salvation in the
Kingdom of God except through the Atonement of Jesus
Christ; and the Atonement is made operative for the remis-
sion of sins through individual compliance with the con-
ditions explicitly set forth by "the author of eternal salva-
tion unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5:9). Christ's
method of saving souls is that of providing definite means,
which any one may accept or reject to his own eternal gain
or loss.
Universal amnesty for crime may serve to increase crime.
God's system of benevolence, which comprises and exceeds
all that we call charity, consists in helping sinners to help
themselves. Indiscriminate giving fosters pauperism in
both the temporal and the spiritual sense. Man alone can-
not save himself; and just as truly, Christ alone cannot save
him. Obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel
is the price of salvation.
An ancient Hebrew prophet thus set forth in simplicity the
plan of salvation dependent upon the Atonement of Christ:
"His blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen
by the transgression of Adam, who have died, not knowing
the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly
sinned. But, wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth
against God; for salvation cometh to none such, except it
be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus Christ."
(Book of Mormon, Mosiah 3:11-12).
In these latter days the Lord hath given this command-
ment unto the Church : "Thou shalt declare repentance and
faith on the Savior and remission of sins by baptism and
by fire, yea, even the Holy Ghost." (Doctrine and Covenants
19:31.)
Heaven and Hell 65
— 16 ^
HEAVEN AND HELL
Graded Conditions m the Hereafter
THE destiny of souls in the hereafter is a subject of
persistent interest and concern in human belief and
speculation. Even pagan literature and the languages of
heathendom testify to a general though ofttimes vague con-
ception of two widely separated places or strongly con-
trasted states of future existence, which are in the main
equivalent to the heaven and the hell of dogmatic theology.
The Holy Scriptures generalize the future estate of the
righteous as heaven, and the opposite as hell, without giving
warrant, however, for the belief that but two places or king-
doms are provided, to one or the other of which every soul
is to be consigned according to the balance-sheet of his life's
account, and perhaps on a very small margin of merit or
guilt. Equally unscriptural is the inference that the state
of the soul at death determines that soul's place and envir-
onment throughout eternity, forever deprived of oppor-
tunity of progression.
When left to his imagination, without the guidance of
revelation, man conjures up a heaven and a hell to suit his
fancy. Thus, to the mind of the savage, heaven is a hunt-
ing-ground with game a-plenty ; to the carnal, heaven prom-
ises perpetual gratification of senses and passions ; to the
lover of truth and the devotee of righteousness, heaven is
the assurance of limitless advancement in wisdom and
achievement. And to each of these, hell is the eternal real-
ization of deprivation, loss, disappointment and consequent
anguish.
66 The Vitality of Mormonism
Divine revelation is the only source of sure knowledge as
to what awaits man beyond the grave, and from this we
learn that at death the spirits of all men pass to an inter-
mediate state, in which they associate with their kind, the
good with the good, the wicked with the wicked, and so
shall endure in happiness or awful suspense until the time
appointed for their resurrection. Paradise is the dwelling
place of relatively righteous spirits awaiting the glorious
dawn of the resurrection. The final judgment, at which
all men shall appear before the bar of God, is to follow
their resurrection from the dead. We shall stand in our
resurrected bodies of flesh and bones to receive from Jesus
Christ, who shall judge the world, the sentence we individ-
ually merit, whether it be "Come ye blessed of my Father"
or "Depart from me ye cursed.'' (See Matt. 25:31-46.)
In His solemn discourse to the Apostles immediately
prior to the betrayal our Lord sought to cheer their sad-
dened hearts with the assurance, "In my Father's house are
many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare
a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John
14:2, 3.)
Here is conclusive proof of varied conditions in the world
beyond; and the teacliings of Paul are incisive as to the
state of resurrected souls : "There are also celestial bodies,
and bodies terrestrial ; but the glory of the celestial is one,
and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one
glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and an-
other glory of the stars : for one star difFereth from another
star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead."
(1 Cor. 15:40-42.)
Latter-day revelation avers even more explicitly the fact
Heaven and Hell 67
of numerous and graded states provided for the souls of
men. There is a Celestial Kingdom, into which shall enter
all who have won not alone Salvation, but Exaltation. And
who are these blessed ones?
"They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and
believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of
his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this
according to the commandment which he has given; that
by keeping the commandments they might be washed and
cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit."
(Doctrine & Covenants, 76).
Next in order is the Terrestrial Kingdom, in which shall
be saved those who, though honorable according to the
codes of men, have failed in valiant and aggressive service
in the cause of God, and also those who have died in igno-
rance of the prescribed "laws and ordinances of the Gospel."
"Behold, these are they who died without law, and also
they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the
Son visited, and preached the gospel unto them, that they
might be judged according to men in the flesh; who received
not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards re-
ceived it. These are they who are honorable men of the
earth, who were blinded by the craftiness of men."
Yet lower is the Telestial Kingdom, and of its inhabitants
we read:
"These are they who received not the gospel of Christ,
neither the testimony of Jesus. These are they who deny
not the Holy Spirit. These are they who are thrust down
to hell. These are they who shall not be redeemed from
the devil, until the last resurrection, until the Lord, even
Christ the Lamb shall have finished his work. . . . But be-
hold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the
telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars
68 The Vitality of Mormonism
in the firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the sea
shore."
Far below the lowest of these kingdoms of glory is the
fate or state decreed for the souls who have sinned in the
full light of knowledge and with conscious guilt, those who
having received the testimony of Christ have ruthlessly and
wantonly denied it in the interest of temporary gain or
gratification, who have fallen so far in transgression as to
be known by the awful name "sons of perdition," for whom
no forgiveness is promised. (See Doctrine & Covenants,
76:32-38).
Thus is it provided that every soul shall inherit accord-
ing to his deserts under the inviolable laws of God. Salva-
tion is relative. He who attains the Telestial state is saved
from the fate of utter Perdition; he who wins a place in
the Terrestrial is raised above the lesser glory; and those
who merit exaltation in the Celestial kingdom are supremely
blessed, for they shall dwell and serve with God and His
Christ eternally.
— 17 —
IN THE REALM OF THE DEAD
Paradise — What of the Spirits in Prison?
«TX TE believe that through the Atonement of Christ all
VV mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws
and ordinances of the Gospel."
No limitation is here expressed with respect to the living
or the dead. Who are the living but the few just now taber-
nacled in mortal bodies destined sooner or later to die?
Who are the dead but the uncounted mynads who once lived
in the flesh and have already passed to the world of the
In the Realm of the Dead 69
disembodied? If the Atonement accomplished by the Lord
Jesus Christ be a means of salvation to the few only who
constituted the living during some specific period, or even
to all who have heard and accepted the Gospel while in the
body, the sacrifice made by the Son of God becomes of
limited and small effect. The sure word of Scripture de-
clares otherwise.
Christ afiirmed that His mission as the Redeemer and
Savior of the race extended beyond the grave. Consider
the profound significance of His words: "Verily, verily, I
say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the
dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God : and they that
hear shall live. . . . Marvel not at this: for the hour is
coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear
His voice. And shall come forth ; they that have done good,
unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil,
unto the resurrection of damnation." (John 5:25-29).
Jesus Christ died upon the cross in the literal sense in
which all men die. While the corpse lay in the rock-hewn
sepulchre the immortal Christ existed as a disembodied
Spirit. Where was He, and what were His activities in
the interval between His death on Calvary and His emer-
gence from the tomb with spirit and body reunited — a resur-
rected Soul.'^ The most natural assumption is that He went
where the spirits of the dead ordinarily go; and that in
the sense in which He had been while in the flesh a Man
among men. He was during the period of disembodiment
a Spirit among spirits. The Scriptures confirm this con-
ception as true.
While in the bodiless state our Lord ministered among
the departed, both in Paradise and in the prison realm
where dwelt in a state of durance the spirits of the disobedi-
ent. To this effect testified Peter: "For Christ also hath
70 The Vitality of Mormonism
once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He
might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but
quickened by the Spirit: By which also He went and
preached unto the spirits in prison." (1 Peter 3:18, 19).
And further: "For, for this cause was the gospel preached
also to them that are dead, that they might be judged
according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in
the spirit." (1 Peter 4:6).
One of the two condemned malefactors crucified by our
Lord's side reviled Him; the other, who was penitent, sup-
plicated the dying Christ saying: "Lord, remember me
when thou comest into thy kingdom"; and to this appeal
the Lord replied with the blessed assurance: "Verily I say
unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke
23:42, 43).
The spirit of Jesus and that of the repentant sinner left
their crucified bodies and went to the same place in the
spirit world. But neither of them at that time went to
Heaven, the abode of the Eternal Father; for, on the third
day following, Jesus, then a resurrected Being, positively
stated to the weeping Magdalene: "I am not yet ascended
to my Father," and added as to an event then future, "but
go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my
Father, and your Father ; and to my God, and your God."
(John 20:17).
Christ and the contrite thief went to Paradise; but Para-
dise is not the distinctive abode of God. To infer that
the crucified transgressor was saved by his dying con-
fession, and was granted a special passport to Heaven with
sins unexpiated and without his compliance with "the laws
and ordinances of the Gospel" is to disregard both letter
and spirit of Scripture, and to ignore both reason and the
sense of justice. We find here no warrant for belief in
Whi/ Are They Baptized for the Dead? 71
the efficacy of death-bed confession as a means of grace.
Only through individual faith, repentance, and works can
remission of sins be obtained. The dying malefactor who
won from the Christ the comforting promise of a place in
Paradise had manifested both faith and repentance. The
blessing promised him was to the effect that he should that
day hear the Gospel preached in Paradise. In the accept-
ance or rejection of the message of salvation he would be
left an agent unto himself. The requirement of obedience
to "the laws and ordinances of the Gospel" was not waived,
suspended, or superseded in his case, nor shall it be for
any soul.
For the dead who have lived and died in ignorance of the
requirements of salvation, as, in another sense, for the dis-
obedient who later come to repentance, the plan of God
provides for the vicarious administration of the essential
ordinances to the living posterity in behalf of their dead
progenitors. Of this saving labor Malachi prophesied in
solemn plainness (Malachi 4:5, 6); and the glorious fulfil-
ment has been witnessed in this modern age. The great
Temples reared by the Latter-day Saints are maintained in
large part for the service of the living in behalf of the
dead.
— 18 —
WHY ARE THEY BAPTIZED FOR THE DEAD.?
Elijah the Prophet on the American Continent
IN one of his letters to the Corinthians, Paul the Apostle
discusses the resurrection of the dead, which was a sub-
ject of contention at the time of his writing. Having shown
that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all mankind
72 The Vitality of Mormonism
shall be eventually redeemed from bodily death, the
scholarly Apostle asks: "Else what shall they do which
are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why
are they then baptized for the dead?" (1 Cor. 15:29). As
the question is put by way of finality and climax to the
preceding argument and is without explanatory comment,
we must conclude that the subject involved no new or
strange doctrine; but to the contrary that the people both
understood and practised the ordinance of vicarious bap-
tism by the living in behalf of the dead.
To Nicodemus our Lord declared in such plainness as
to preclude dispute: "Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God." (John 3:5). That this new birth comprises water
baptism by immersion, as was at that time being admin-
istered by John the Baptist, and the higher baptism of the
Spirit, wliich Christ Himself came to give, is evident from
the scriptural context. Note the incisiveness of our Lord's
affirmation that without baptism man cannot enter the'
kingdom of God. No distinction is made, no exceptions are
implied. The indispensable condition is applicable to all
men whether Kving or dead.
Nicodemus, though a scholar and a master in Israel,
failed to understand the full import of our Lord's words,
and in seeming bewilderment asked: "How can a man be
born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into
his mother's womb, and be born?" (Verse 4).
With at least equal pertinency it may now be asked:
How can a man who has died without baptism be baptized?
Can he enter the second time into his body of flesh and
be immersed in water? The answer is that the living may
be baptized for the dead. No one who accepts as a reality
the Atonement of Jesus Christ in behalf of all humankind
Whi/ Are They Baptized for the Bead? 73
can consistently deny the efficacy of vicarious service, in
which one person officiates in behalf of another, provided
of course that the labor be done by Divine appointment.
In the last chapter of the Old Testament the prophet
Malachi describes a condition of the last days immediately
precedent to the second advent of the Christ: "For, be-
hold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all
the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble:
and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord
of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."
(Malachi 4:1).
This fateful prediction is followed by the blessed prom-
ise, expressed in the words of Jehovah : "Behold, I will send
you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and
dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart
of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children
to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a
curse." (Verses 5, 6).
Joseph Smith the modem prophet solemnly affirms that
in 1836 Elijah the prophet of ancient Israel appeared in
the Temple that had been erected by the Latter-day Saints
at Kirtland, Ohio, and effected the fulfilment of Malachi's
prediction by this declaration: "Behold, the time has fully
come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi, testi-
fying that he (Elijah) should be sent before the great
and dreadful day of the Lord come, to turn the hearts of
thQ fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers,
lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse." (Doctrine &'
Covenants, 110:14-15).
This union of the interests of the departed fathers with
those of their yet living descendants is a necessary prepara-
tion for the coming of the Lord, as affirmed by Joseph
Smith: "The earth will be smitten with a curse, unless
74 The Vitality of Morinonism
there is a welding link of some kind or other, between the
fathers and the children, upon some subject or other, and
behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the
dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect ; neither
can they without us be made perfect." (D. C. 128:18).
The Latter-day Saints are distinguished as a Temple-
building people. Through direct revelation the Lord has
made plain that baptism and associated ordinances for the
dead, as also certain endowments of the living, are accept-
able only when administered in structures specially reared
and consecrated for this sacred service.
In the spirit realm, as in our material world of mortals,
the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being preached; and among
both dead and living the authoritative proclamation is
made : Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. To
be competent to officiate for his dead, a man must first
comply with the laws and ordinances of the Gospel in his
own behalf.
There is an element of particular fitness in the fact that
the appointed minister, through whom the vicarious service
of the living in behalf of the dead has been inaugurated
in the current dispensation, is none other than Elijah, who
was taken from earth without passing through the change
we call death, and who therefore held a peculiar and special
relationship to both the living and the dead.
True to the commission conferred through Elijah's mod-
ern ministry, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints rears Temples to the name and service of the living
God, and in those sacred structures carries forward the
appointed service for the salvation of the uncounted dead
who have passed away in ignorance as to the necessity of
compliance with the laws and ordinances of the Gospel,
without which compliance no man can have place in the
Kingdom of God.
Obedience is Heaven's First Lam 76
— 19 —
OBEDIENCE IS HEAVEN'S FIRST LAW
Conditions of Citizenship in the Kingdom of God
WE believe that through the Atonement of Christ all
mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and
ordinances of the Gospel. (Articles of Faith, 3).
Pope's famous Hne, "Order is Heaven's first law," has
often been misapplied. Order is a result of compliance with
established requirements ; of necessity, therefore, it cannot
be first. It is an effect, not the primary cause. A more
thoughtful generalization leads to the conclusion that obe-
dience is the basal law of Heaven, and that this law is
equally valid and as truly operative in things pertaining to
mortality.
Jesus Christ, through whom the plan of salvation has been
made available to mankind, has prescribed the conditions
under which we may become its beneficiaries — the terms
by which citizenship in the Kingdom of God m.ay be se-
cured.
Among these specified conditions is baptism by immersion
for the remission of sins. The gross materialist, who wil-
fully refuses to see or to acknowledge anything beyond the
affairs of earth, may ask: How can water wash aWay sin?
In answer be it said, water cannot remove the stain of guilt;
nevertheless, obedience to the law of baptism as required
by Jesus Christ is truly a means of securing forgiveness.
Obedience, not water, is the cleansing unction.
Have you never read of Naaman, captain of the Syrian
hosts, who sought relief from his leprosy through the minis-
tration of Elisha, the man of God? Read 2 Kings, chap. 5.
76 The Vitality of Mormonism
The prophet commanded the leper to wash himself seven
times in Jordan, and promised that through obedience the
man would be cleansed. But the haughty Syrian was of-
fended at the simplicity of the requirement. He had expected
some ceremonial spectacle of power, a display of miracle.
But by the counsel of his servant he went "and dipped him-
self seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the
man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh
of a little child, and he was clean." The waters of Jordan
had no special virtues of healing, but obedience eff^ected a
cure from the leprous afiliction, which was rightly regarded
as at once a bodily disease and a curse.
And what of the widow, whose sons were to be sold into
bondage because she could not pay her late husband's debt?
Read 2 Kings 4:1-7. She came to Elisha in agony of
soul; and the prophet told her to take the one little pot of
oil in her house, and pour from it into as many vessels as
she could borrow. With scrupulous care she complied with
every detail of the instructions given her by the man of
God, and the vessels were filled from the single cruse. Then
she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell
the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children
of the rest."
Obedience is a source of power, even as is prayer. When
the Jews marveled at the wisdom of Christ, He told them
of a very simple yet eff*ective way of obtaining, each for
himself, knowledge of supreme worth. "My doctrine is not
mine," said He, "but his that sent me. If any man will do
his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of
God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:16, 17).
In every-day aff^airs we comply without question with the
requirements essential to the results we desire. Electricity
lights our homes, propels our vehicles, drives our machinery.
Obedience is Heaven's First Law 77
transmits our messages, but only on condition that we obey
to the minutest detail the laws by which that mystic force
operates. We may cause the sunlight to record indelibly
the beauties of the landscape, or the features of a friend,
but only through obedience to the laws of light and the
numerous mechanical adjustments incident to the use of
the camera. And as we fully and unreservedly obey, the
result is sure.
Why then should it be a thing strange in our eyes that
through obedience to established and eternal law the higher
or spii-itual powers should be invoked to our service? The
effect is equally sure. The Christ has given us solemn as-
surance : "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."
(Mark 16:16).
In the present age, the unalterable necessity of obedience
as a means of blessing has been reaffirmed through the
prophet Joseph Smith:
"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the
foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are
predicated; And when we obtain any blessing from God, it
is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."
(Doctrine and Covenants 130:20, 21).
And further: "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what
I say, but when ye do not what I say, ye have no prom-
ise." (82:10).
There is no element of uncertainty in the plan of salva-
tion, far less of inconsistency or caprice in the judgment
to be rendered on individual lives, for that would imply
injustice. The plan is simple. Man is in a fallen condition,
beset with weaknesses and sin. Means are provided whereby
he may rise, and, through the corridors of death and the
portals of the resurrection, reach the way of eternal pro-
gression. These means are all comprised in obedience to
78 The Vitality of Mormonism
the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. It is only by com-
pliance with the laws of our community and nation that
we have title to personal liberty and to a share in the bless-
ings and privileges provided by the government under which
we live. Shall the terms of citizenship in the Kingdom of
God be less definite than in the nations officered by men?
Divine authority for the naturalization of mankind in
that eternal Kingdom has been restored to earth in the
current age. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints calls upon all peoples, irrespective of race or nation-
ality, to cultivate an abiding faith in God, to turn from
sin in contrite and genuine repentance, to be baptized by
the authority of the Holy Priesthood, and to receive the
assured companionship of the Holy Ghost through the lay-
ing on of hands.
On the high authority of the Holy Scriptures, the direct
word of God to man, be it said: There is no other road
to Salvation.
r— 20 —
THE DEVn.S BELIEVE AND TREMBLE
Faith Not Mere Belief
E believe that the first principles and ordinances of
w
the Gospel are : (1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ ;
(2) Repentance; (3) Baptism by immersion for the remis-
sion of sins; (4) Laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost. (Articles of Faith, 4).
Faith in God is the first, the fundamental, the basal
principle of the Gospel ; as, indeed, faith, in the more gen-
eral usage of the term, is the impelling cause to activity even
in ordinary affairs. Faith and belief are not infrequently
The Devils Believe and Tremble 79
confused, and the words are too commonly regarded as
synonymous. An approach to identity of meaning appears
in early English, in consequence of which fact belief is
sometimes given the more definite signification of faith in
our versions of the Holy Scriptures. Belief may be noth-
ing more than a mental assent to any proposition^^ prin-
ciple, or alleged fact ; whereas faith impHes such confidence
and conviction as shall inspire to action. Belief is by com-
parison passive, a mere agreement or tacit acceptance only ;
faith is active and positive, and is accompanied by works.
Faith is vivified, vitalized, living belief.
Even the devils believe that Jesus is the Christ, and so
fully that they tremble at the prospect of the fate fore-
shadowed by that belief (see James 2 :19). Their belief may
amount even to certain knowledge, but they remain devils
nevertheless. Consider the man possessed by a demon in the
country of the Gadarenes. When he beheld Jesus afar off he
ran to the Master, and worshiped Him, while the evil spirit
by whom the man was controlled acknowledged the Lord,
calling Him "Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God."
(Mark 5; for analogous instances see Mark 1:23-27, and
3:8-11).
Strikingly similar in form, yet vitally different in spirit
and effect, is this testimony of the demons as compared with
Peter's confession of his Lord. To the Savior's question
"Whom say ye that I am?" Peter replied in practically the
same words voiced by the unclean spirits: "Thou art the
Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt. 16:15, 16).
Peter's faith had already been tested, and had demon-
strated its vital power. Through faith the Apostle had
forsaken much that had been dear, and had followed his
Lord in persecution and suffering. His knowledge of God
as the Eternal Father and of Jesus Christ as the Redeemer
80 The Vitality of Mormonism
may have been no greater than that of the demons; but
while to them that knowledge was an added cause of con-
demnation, to him it was the power of righteous service
and of eventual salvation.
In a theological sense faith includes a moving, vital, in-
spiring confidence in God, and the acceptance of His will as
our law and of His words as our guide in life. Faith in
God is a principle of power, for by its exercise spiritual
forces are made operative. By this power phenomena that
appear to be supernatural, such as we call miracles, are
wrought. Even the Lord Jesus was influenced and in a
measure controlled by the lack of faith or the possession
thereof by those who sought blessings at His hands. We
are told that at a certain time and place Jesus "could there
do no mighty work" because of the people's unbelief, which
was so dense that He marveled at it. (Mark 6:5, 6). Re-
peatedly did the Lord rebuke and admonish with such re-
proofs as "0 ye of little faith," "Where is your faith.?"
and "How is it that ye have no faith?" In glorious con-
trast rang out His words of benediction to those whose
faith had made it possible for Him to heal and to save:
"Thy faith hath made thee whole" and "According to your
faith be it unto you."
Read the record of the youthful demoniac whose agon-
ized father brought his son to the Master, pleading pit-
iably "If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us
and help us." To this qualified intercession Jesus replied
"If thou canst believe" and added "All things are possible
to him that beheveth." (Read Mark 9:14-29). The faith
requisite to the healing was not that of the Healer alone,
but primarily faith on the part of the suppliant.
If through faith Divine interposition may be secured to
the accomplishment of what we call material or physical
The Devils Believe and Tremble 81
miracles, and of this the Scriptures contain copious testi-
mony (read Hebrews, chap. 11), is it consistent to doubt
that faith is the appointed agency for invoking and secur-
ing spiritual blessings, even to the attainment of salvation
in the eternal worlds?
As shown in earlier articles, redemption from the power
of death is assured to all through the victory achieved by
Jesus Christ; but salvation is an individual gift, provided
for all who shall establish claim thereto through obedience
to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. Faith in God the
Eternal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ as the Re-
deemer and Savior of the race, and in the Holy Ghost, is es-
sential to the securing of individual salvation. Paul force-
fully declares "But without faith it is impossible to please
him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
(Heb. 11:6).
The Scriptures abound in assurances of salvation to those
who exercise faith in God. The Savior's teachings are con-
clusive :
"He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he
that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark 16:16).
And again:
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and
he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the
wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:36).
But who will venture to affirm that passive belief as dis-
tinguished from active faith is here implied.? Can a man be
said to believe in Jesus Christ in any effective and genuine
sense unless that man shall strive to do the things that
Christ commands? To any such inconsistent assumption,
the Apostle John replies:
"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep
82 The Vitality of Mormonism
his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keep-
eth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not
in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the
love of God perfected : hereby know we that we are in him."
(1 John 2:3-5).
In a revelation through Joseph Smith in 1829 the Lord
Jesus Christ gave this instruction and blessed promise:
"Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you
shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which
manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children
of men." (Doctrine and Covenants 18:18).
— 21 —
THE VOICE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST AGAIN
HEARD
Repent Ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at Hand
THE personal ministry of Jesus Christ in the flesh was
directly heralded by the preaching of John the Bap-
tist, whose voice was that of one crying in the wilderness:
"Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." The
proclamation of the appointed harbinger was vindicated
by the appearance of the Lord Himself, who came and
opened the way of the Kingdom of God to all who would
enter therein.
In these modern days that same John, now a resurrected
personage, has again officiated on earth. In him was vested
of old the authority of the Priesthood of Aaron. On the
15th of May, 1829, a heavenly messenger, who declared
himself to be John known as the Baptist, appeared in light
and glory, and, laying his hands upon the heads of the
modern prophet Joseph Smith and a companion in the min-
istry, conferred upon them the Aaronic Priesthood, say-
ing:
The Voice of John the Baptist Again Heard 83
"Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah
I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, whiQh holds the keys of
the mmistering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance,
and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins."
(Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. 13).
Thus was fulfilled in part the vision prophecy of the an-
cient Revelator, that in the last days an angel would come,
"having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that
dwell on the earth." (See Rev. 14:6, 7).
Repentance, which stands eternally established as an in-
dispensable condition of salvation, is today proclaimed
anew under the authority of the restored Priesthood, and
the call is to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. The
second advent of the Christ is near, and but little time re-
mains to prepare for His coming, which shall be in power
and great glory, to the accompaniment of the resurrection
of the righteous dead, the glorification of the worthy who
are still in tlie flesh, and the destruction of the wilfully and
hopelessly wicked.
Repentance, as the ordained requirement whereby remis-
sion of sins may be attained, consists essentially in a gen-
uine sorrow for sin and comprises: (1) a personal convic-
tion of guilt; (2) an earnest desire to secure foregiveness ;
and (3) a resolute determination to forsake sin and follow
the path of righteous living. The first step in the course of
effective repentance consists in the acknowledgment or
confession of sin before God; the second in the sinner for-
giving those who have sinned against him; and the third
in his acceptance of Christ's atoning sacrifice as shown by
a willingness to obey the further requirements embodied in
the Gospel of salvation.
1. Without sincere confession of sin repentance is im-
possible. The Apostle John declared the solemn truth:
84 The Vitality of MorTnonism
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful
and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." (1 John 1:8, 9).
In this modern age the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ
has been heard to the same effect:
"Verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, forgive sins unto
those who confess their sins before me and ask forgiveness,
who have not sinned unto death."
And further:
"By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins.
Behold, he will confess them and forsake them." (Doctrine
and Covenants 64:7; and 58:43).
2. The sinner must be willing to grant forgiveness to
others if he would secure that boon to himself. In teaching
us how to pray, the Lord specified the condition on which
forgiveness may rationally be asked: "Forgive us our
debts as we forgive our debtors." No hope of forgiveness is
justified if in our hearts we are unforgiving, "For," said the
Christ, "if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men
their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your tres-
passes." (Matt. 6:14, 15).
Through His revelations to the restored Church in the
current age, the Lord has emphasized this essential element
of repentance:
"Wherefore I say unto you, that ye ought to forgive one
another, for he that forgiveth not his brother his trespasses,
standeth condemned before the Lord, for there remaineth
in him the greater sin. I, the Lord, will forgive whom I
will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men."
(Doctrine and Covenants 64:9, 10).
The Voice of John the Baptist Again Heard 85
3. Contrite repentance will naturally lead the penitent
to do all he can to make amends for past offenses, and to
comply with the conditions on which forgiveness is predi-
cated. And as he learns that baptism at the hands of one
invested with Divine authority is essential, he will seek such
a servant of God, and humbly submit himself to the ordi-
nance whereby citizenship in the Kingdom of God may be
established.
Without repentance salvation is impossible. The Savior
followed the ringing call of His forerunner with the com-
mand; "Repent ye and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15).
So also taught the Apostles of old, that God "commandeth
all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). And in the
present dispensation the word of God has come through the
Prophet Joseph Smith:
"And we know that all men must repent and believe on
the name of Jesus Christ, and worship the Father in his
name, and endure in faith on his name to the end, or they
cannot be saved in the kingdom of God." (Doctrine and
Covenants 20:29).
Against the awful danger of procrastination, whereby
the ability to repent may be forfeited, the Book of Mor-
mon solemnly warns:
"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to
meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for
men to perform their labors, . . . For behold, if ye have
procrastinated the day of your repentance, even until death,
behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil,
and he doth seal you his ; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord
hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and
the devil hath aU power over you." (Book of Mormon,
Alma 84:32, 35).
86 The Vitality of Mormonism
— 22 —
ARISE AND WASH AWAY THY SINS
The Only Way
WE believe that the first principles and ordinances of
the Gospel are: (1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ;
(2) Repentance; (3) Baptism by immersion for the remis-
sion of sins; (4) Laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost. (Articles of Faith, 4).
"Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Such was the
eager, anguished, almost despairing cry of the humbled
multitude who, at the first Pentecost following the cruci-
fixion of Christ, were brought to a realization of their
awful guilt through the inspired utterances of Peter, the
presiding Apostle.
What shall we do.? What can we do? Is hope yet open
to us? This is the wail of contritely penitent souls, every-
where, always. When convicted of sin at the bar of his own
conscience through genuine repentance, when at last able to
see himself in all the repulsive pollution of his transgression,
the self-accusing sinner yearns with fervid purpose to make
all possible reparation and is zealous to learn and obey
the conditions of forgiveness, if such there be.
To every soul thus brought into the depths through the
benign though afflicting influences of repentance, to all who
thus appeal for mercy and rescue, the answer is direct and
prompt :
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall re-
ceive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (See Acts 2:37-39).
The promise of remission is as wide as the domain of
Arise and Wash Away Thy Sin^ 87
sin; for, excepting those (and be it said to our comfort that
the J are few) who sink so far into the quagmire of iniquity
as to be numbered among the "sons of perdition," to whom
effective repentance is impossible, all may be saved by com-
pliance with the requirements set forth by the Author of
the plan of salvation. The need of forgiveness is likewise
universal; "for there is not a just man upon earth, that
doeth good, and sinneth not" (Eccles. 7:20).
Is it not reasonable, and wholly in keeping with the ordi-
nary ways of men in their mutual dealings, that some sub-
stantial evidence shall be demanded to attest the genuine-
ness of the repentance we voice in words? Is it enough that
the debtor shall merely acknowledge his obligation and
express regret that he has not heretofore been able to meet
it? He must do something more, or he remains forever in
debt. The seal by which repentance is validated is Bap-
tism in water for the remission of sins; for by this is the
blood of Jesus Christ made effective to cleanse from sin.
(See 1 John 1:7).
The voice in the wilderness heralding the advent of the
Lord, the proclamation that aroused Jerusalem and rever-
berated throughout Judea and Galilee, was "the baptism of
repentance for the remission of sins." (Mark 1:4; Luke
3 :3 ) . The cleansing ordinance was not to be administered
indiscriminately, however; it was reserved for those who
had brought forth "fruits meet for repentance," those whose
profession of penitence was a true index to their contrite
state.
Saul of Tarsus when rebuked for his ill-directed zeal in
persecuting the Lord's own, exclaimed in agony: "What
shall I do. Lord?" By the mouth of devout Ananias came
the answer: "Arise, and be baptized and wash away thy
sins." (See Acts 22). And Saul, thereafter known as
88 The Vitality of Mormonism
Paul, a preacher of righteousness and an Apostle of the
Lord Jesus Christ, taught the saving doctrine that by bap-
tism in water comes regeneration from sin.
Pastors and prophets who ministered to the ancient fold
of Christ on the American continent led the people in the
same path, that of repentance and baptism by water, the
only way by which remission of sins could then or can ever
be secured. Read for yourselves in the Book of Mormon,
which is verily the Scripture of the Western Continent :
"For the gate by which ye should enter, is repentance,
and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your
sins by fire, and by the Holy Ghost." (2 Nephi 31 :17).
"Shew unto your God that ye are willing to repent of
your sins, and enter into a covenant with Him to keep His
commandments, and witness it unto Him this day, by going
into the waters of baptism." (Alma 7:15).
Hear the words of the Lord Jesus Christ through the
prophet Mormon:
"Turn, all ye Gentiles from your wicked ways, and re-
pent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and
of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and
your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts,
and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wick-
edness and abominations, and come unto me, and be bap-
tized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your
sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be num-
bered with my people, who are of the house of Israel." (3
Nephi 30:2).
And further:
"The first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism
cometh by faith, unto the fulfilling the commandments ; and
the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins."
(Moroni 8:25).
Are Bahes to he Damned? 89
To His commissioned servants in the current age, the
bearers of the Holy Priesthood again restored to earth, the
Lord has given commandment that they proclaim anew to
the world the same unchangeable truth, that only through
baptism is remission of sins promised. Thus we read:
"But thou shalt declare repentance and faith on the
Savior and remission of sins by baptism and by fire, yea,
even the Holy Ghost." (Doctrine and Covenants 19:31).
Such is the immutable law of God throughout the ages.
There is no other way provided on earth or in heaven by
which the merits of the Atonement of Jesus Christ may
bring salvation to mankind.
ARE BABES TO BE DAMNED?
A Horrible Misconception
THAT baptism is essential to individual salvation is a
tenet of most Christian churches. But baptism is
enjoined as an indispensable requisite to remission of sins,
and as the one and only gate of admission to the Church
of Jesus Christ or the Kingdom of God. Faith in God and
genuine repentance are prerequisites to effective baptism.
In all consistency and justice, therefore, baptism can be
required of those only who are capable of exercising faith
and of rendering repentance.
The undeveloped mind of a babe is incapable of conceiv-
ing sin, of experiencing faith, or of comprehending repent-
ance. Why then should babes be baptized.?
We search in vain for scriptural authority or sanction
of the practise of infant baptism. Christ took little chil-
90 The Vitality of Mormonism
dren into His arms and blessed them, saying to those who
would have kept the innocents from Him "Suffer little chil-
dren, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such
is the kingdom of heaven.'* (Matt. 19:14).
But He did not baptize them; and, as an early writer has
tersely remarked: "From the action of Christ's blessing
infants, to infer they are to be baptized, proves nothing so
much as that there is a want of better argument; for the
conclusion would with more probability be derived thus:
Christ blessed infants, and so dismissed them, but baptized
them not ; therefore infants are not to be baptized."
The unscriptural and repellent dogma of inherent degen-
eracy and the contaminating effect of original sin, by
which every child is bom vile in the sight and judgment of
God, long cast its dark shadow over the minds of men.
From this conception sprang the practise of infant bap-
tism and the per\^erted doctrine of assured damnation for
all babes who die unbaptized. Even the most radical of
churches has modified its teaching on this subject, and
today permits its members to believe that children who
die without baptism pass to a state of partial happiness
and content, though forever denied the beatific vision of
God.
It is conceded, of course, that no dictum, dogma, or doc-
trine of men can determine the fate of souls, infant or adult,
in the hereafter; nevertheless, theologic precepts have direct
effect upon the thoughts and lives of mankind. It is cheer-
ing to know that practically all Christendom today repudi-
ates the frightful heresy of the eternal condemnation of
babes who die without baptism.
Hear now the word of "Mormonism" on the matter and
note the time of its enunciation. In 1830 the Book of
Are Babes to he Damned? 91
Mormon was first published. Therein we read, in an epistle
of the ancient prophet Mormon to his son Moroni:
"Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your
Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to
call the righteous, but sinners to repentance : the whole need
no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore little chil-
dren are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin ;
wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me,
that it hath no power over them; and the law of circum-
cision is done away in me. And after this manner did the
Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore,
my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before
God, that ye should baptize little children. Behold I say
unto you, that this thing shall ye teach, repentance and
baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of
committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent
and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little chil-
dren, and they shall all be saved with their little children.
And their little children need no repentance, neither bap-
tism. Behold, baptism is unto repentance to the fulfilling
the commandments unto the remission of sins. But little
children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of
the world. . . . Little children cannot repent; wherefore
it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God
unto them, for they are all alive in him because of his
mercy. And he that saith, that little children need bap-
tism, denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at nought
the atonement of him and the power of his redemption."
(Book of Mormon, Moroni 8:8-20).
So proclaims the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints to the world today. Faith in God, repentance of
sin, baptism by water and of the Spirit, are required of
every soul that comes to years of accountability and powers
92 The Vitality of MormonisTn
of comprehension ; but without faith and repentance, of
which only understanding minds are capable, baptism is but
a perversion of the Gospel ordinance.
The Scriptures relating to baptism in all ages and of all
peoples are in harmony as to the conditions essential to
the proper reception of the saving rite. In a revelation
on Church government given through Joseph Smith the
Prophet, in April, 1830, the Lord Jesus Christ thus de-
fined the status of acceptable candidates for baptism:
"All those who humble themselves before God, and desire
to be baptized and come forth with broken hearts and con-
trite spirits, and witness before the church that they have
truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon
them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to
serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that
they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remis-
sion of their sins, shall be received by baptism into His
Church." (Doctrine & Covenants 20:37).
These conditions exclude all who have not reached the
age and capacity of discretion and understanding; and by
specific commandment the Lord has forbidden the Church
to administer baptism to others:
"No one can be received into the Church of Christ, unless
he has arrived unto the years of accountability before God,
and is capable of repentance." (Verse 71).
By revelation the Lord has designated eight years as the
age at which children may be baptized into the Church.
At an earlier age, however, children are to be brought to
the elders of the Church, and be blessed by the laying on
of hands in the name of Jesus Christ, after the pattern set
by the Master in the course of His personal ministry.
The Watery Grave 93
— 24 —
THE WATERY GRAVE
And the New Birth
WHILE our Lord tarried at Jerusalem following the
first Passover festival after the beginning of His
public ministry, there came unto Him by night a certain
ruler of the Jews. The visitor was of the Pharisees and a
member of the great Sanhedrin, or supreme council of the
nation. There is significance in the circumstance that
Nicodemus sought Christ by night. Read John 3:1-21.
We must credit the man with a genuine desire to learn of
the doctrines taught by the newly recognized Prophet from
Galilee, whose fame was already widely spread; but it ap-
pears that pride of station or fear of criticism led him to
seek an interview under cover of darkness and privacy.
Speaking for himself and probably for his official asso-
ciates, Nicodemus thus addressed the Savior: "Rabbi, we
know that thou art a teacher come from God : for no man
can do these miracles that thou doest, evccpt God be with
him."
Without waiting for specific questions, "Jesus answered
and said unto him. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except
a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The learned Jew expressed surprise, if not incredulity.
"How can a man be born when he is old?'' he asked; "can
he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be
bom?" Even after further explanation of the plan pro-
vided for the salvation of mankind, the eminent Rabbi and
Sanhedrist exclaimed: "How can these things be?" Our
Lord's reply must have been humbling if not humiliating
to the man : "Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not
94 The Vitality of Mormonism
these things?" The conditions of citizenship in the king-
dom of God are so simple that even the unscholarlj may
understand and obey.
Beyond question the second birth specified to Nicodemus
as so thoroughly indispensable that without it no man can
ever see the kingdom of God is baptism by water, and by
the ministry of the Spirit or the Holy Ghost.
The efficacy of baptism as a means of securing remission
of sins and of attaining entrance to the Church of Jesus
Christ, which is the kingdom of God, lies in the fact that
this is the ordinance prescribed by Divine authority,
whereby the Savior's atoning sacrifice may be made oper-
ative and effective. Salvation is not to be had for the mere
asking ; it is nevertheless made accessible to all through faith
and prescribed works.
Simple as is the outward or physical process, there is
profound symbolism in the baptismal rite. As seen, Christ
compared it to a birth, an entrance into a new world or
state of being. No such symbolism obtains in baptism ex-
cept by complete immersion in water and a coming forth
therefrom.
Water baptism has also been very impressively compared
to burial and resurrection; and the comparison is meaning-
less except the baptism b€ by immersion followed by a rising
from the watery grave. Paul evidently so knew, as his
words attest: *'Know ye not that so many of us as were
baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death:
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the
glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness
of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness
of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrec-
tion." (Rom. 6:3-5; see also Col. S:l^).
The Watery Grave 95
Christ Himself was baptized "to fulfill all righteousness,"
and His baptism at the hands of John was by immersion, as
is evidenced by the fact that He "went up straightway out
of the water."
Have you read the story of the contrite Ethiopian
eunuch, treasurer to Queen Candace? After listening to
Philip's exposition of the Scriptures, as the two rode to-
gether, the Ethiopian desired baptism, and, Philip consent-
ing, "he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they
went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch ;
and he baptized him. And when they were come up out
of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip,
that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way
rejoicing." (See Acts 8:26-S9). Did Philip, who was di-
rected in this ministry by the angel of the Lord, err in
administering baptism by immersion.''
Theologians are generally agreed that for centuries after
the time of Christ immersion was the only mode of author-
ized baptism; and philologists testify that the very word
"baptize" is derived from the Greek verb meaning to im-
merse or bury. The Holy Scriptures prescribe baptism by
immersion as essential to salvation, and none other form
is validated by the Word of God.
To the Nephites on the Western Continent the resurrected
Lord appeared soon after His ascension from the Mount of
Olives. He gave the people explicit instructions as to the
way in which the essential ordinance of baptism by immersion
was to be administered.
Baptism as prescribed by revelation in the present age is
after the same pattern; and every baptism administered in
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is by
immersion. (See Doctrine & Covenants 20:72-74).
96 The Vitality of Mormonism
— 25 —
THE BAPTISM OF FIRE
Power of the Spirit
WE believe that the first principles and ordinances of
the Gospel are : — (1) Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ ;
(2) Repentance; (3) Baptism by immersion for the remis-
sion of sins; (4) Laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost. (Articles of Faith 4).
John the Baptist proclaimed the necessity of repentance
and of baptism by water, which latter he administered to
all who came in contrition seeking admission to the kingdom
of God. With equal fervency, this voice crying in the
wilderness foretold a second or higher baptism, which,
however, John was not authorized to give. This he char-
acterized as the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost, ordained
to follow his administration, and to be given by that Mightier
One, whose preeminence John delighted to proclaim. This
was the Baptist's testimony:
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but
he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes
I am not worthy to bear : he shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost, and with fire." (Matt. 3 :11).
That the Mightier One referred to was none other than
Jesus the Christ is thus set forth in the words of John:
"Behold the Lamb of God. . . . This is he of whom I
said. After me cometh a man which is preferred before me:
for he was before me. . . . And I knew him not: but he
that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me.
Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and re-
maining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the
Holy Ghost." (John 1:29-33).
The Baptism of Fire 97
In His incisive instructions to Nicodemus respecting the
works essential to salvation, the Savior did not stop with
the specification of the watery birth. Baptism by immersion
in water, though administered by one invested with the power
of the Holy Priesthood, is incomplete without the quicken-
ing effect of the Spirit. "Bom of water and of the Spirit"
is the indispensable status of every man who shall gain ad-
mission to the kingdom of God.
While yet in the flesh our Lord specifically and repeatedly
assured the Apostles that after His departure the Com-
forter or the Spirit of Truth would be sent unto them; and
the scriptural context plainly shows that these expressive
appellations have reference solely to the Holy Ghost. Amidst
the solemnities of His ascension, the Lord reiterated these
assurances of a spiritual baptism, saying: "For John truly
baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the
Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts 1:5).
A rich fulfilment was realized at the succeeding Pentecost,
when the assembled Apostles were endowed with unprece-
dented power from heaven, being filled with the influence of
the Holy Ghost so that they spake in tongues other than
their own as the Spirit gave them utterance. An outward
manifestation of this Divine investiture was seen in the
tongues of flame which rested upon them severally. The
Lord's promise, so miraculously fulfilled upon themselves,
was repeated by the Apostles to those who sought their in-
struction. Conditioned upon their repentance and baptism
in water, Peter assured the penitent Jews that they should
"receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38).
That the bestowal of the Holy Ghost is an ordinance re-
quiring higher authority than that by which water baptism
may be performed is evidenced by Scripture. Philip — not
98 The Vitality of Mormonism
the Apostle Philip, but presumably one of the seven men
who had been set apart for a lesser ministry (Acts 6:3-6) —
preached to the Samaritans and baptized many. Plainly
Philip was empowered to administer water baptism; and it
is equally clear that an authority greater than his was
requisite for the higher baptism of the Spirit or the con-
ferring of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. To
this the Scriptures testify:
"Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard
that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto
them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down,
prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid
they their hands on them, and they received the Holy
Ghost." (Acts 8:14-17).
Very illuminating is the instance of Paul's ministry unto
certain devout Ephesians (Acts 19:1-7) who professed to
have been baptized "unto John's baptism," but who were
plainly uninstructed as to the necessity of the baptism of the
Spirit. It is probable that these men had submitted to im-
mersion by unauthorized hands ; and therefore Paul caused
that they be baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus. And
when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost
came on them; and they spake with tonjriies, and proph-
esied."
To the Twelve Disciples who were ordained by the resur-
rected Lord among the Nephites on the American continent,
Christ gave special power, so that all baptized believers upon
whom they would lay their hands should receive the Holy
Ghost; and thus is the assurance recorded:
"Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words,
and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized,
In the Naine of God, Amen! 99
for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost,
and shall receive a remission of their sins." (Book of
Mormon, 3 Nephi 12:2; see also Moroni, chap. 2.)
And in this modern day, the authority of both the Lesser
or Aaronic Priesthood, which is requisite to water baptism,
and of the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood, without which
the gift of the Holy Ghost cannot be authoritatively be-
stowed, has been restored to earth, through the Prophet
Joseph Smith. The Elders of the Church today are com-
manded to preach the Gospel, to baptize the penitent, "And
to confirm those who are baptized into the church, by the
laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the Holy
Ghost, according to the Scriptures." (Doctrine & Covenants
20:41).
— 26 —
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN!
Authority of the Holy Priesthood Again Operative on Earth
WE believe that a man must be called of God, by proph-
ecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who
are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in
the ordinances thereof. (Articles of Faith No. 5).
We have seen that certain ordinances, prescribed by the
Lord Jesus Christ, are indispensable to salvation. Without
baptism by water and the conferment of the Holy Ghost by
the laying on of hands no man can enter the kingdom of
God, for so the Lord hath affirmed and so the Scriptures
attest.
The outward form, mode, or operation in each of these
sacred and far-reaching rites is notably simple. So far as
the physical procedure is concerned, any man of ordinary
100 The Vitality of Mormonism
ability may learn to perform the ceremony, and that with
a few minutes' oral instruction or reading. The same may
be said of many ordinances prescribed in human institutions.
One may readily commit to memory and learn to speak with
due impressiveness the words by which a college degree is
conferred upon the successful student, the formula by which
man and woman are united in the bonds of wedlock, or the
judicial pronouncement by which one prisoner is restored to
liberty and another condemned.
But, as everybody knows, to make the utterance effective
he who speaks must be invested with specific authority,
without which his presumption to officiate would be a punish-
able offense under the secular law. Are consistency and
reason less to be considered in matters of Divine admin-
istration than in the affairs of mortals?
Healing ministry to the afflicted in the name of Jesus
Christ is one of the gifts of the Spirit implanted in the
Church. The Apostles of old so administered, and with
such effect that disease was stayed and evil spirits were
rebuked. Certain vagabond Jews once attempted to imitate
Paul in his authoritative functions, and among them were
the seven sons of Sceva chief of the priests. (See Acts 19:
11-18). Unto a suffering demoniac these evil and pre-
sumptuous men, void of authority and power, undertook to
minister, solemnly pronouncing the words: "We adjure
you by Jesus," and then, as if to put beyond question the
Name in which they blasphemously essayed to speak, added
"whom Paul preacheth." But the demon in the man laughed
them to scorn, and cried aloud in derision : "Jesus I know,
and Paul I know; but who are ye.?"
The Apostles who were with the Lord in the flesh had been
ordained by Him to the Holy Priesthood; and Paul who
was later called into the ministry was ordained by the lay-
In the Name of God, Amen! 101
ing on of hands of those in authority. (Acts 13:2-4). Even
the evil spirits acknowledged their authority, as earher the
demons had acclaimed the Christ "Jesus, thou Son of the
Most High God." (See Mark 5:7). But for the vaga-
bond pretenders there was contempt and humiliation.
And what of the impressive lesson taught by the experi-
ence of Simon the sorcerer.? (See Acts 8:18-24). He
marveled at the power demonstrated through the Apostles ;
for to the baptized believers upon whom they laid their
hands came the Holy Ghost with manifestations of spiritual
endowment. His mind, heart and motive darkened by sin,
Simon sought to buy with money the power that only the
call of God could impart: "But Peter said unto him,
Tliy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that
the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast
neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not
right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy
wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine
heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art
in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity." (Acts
8:20-23).
Far surpassing anything and all that man can bestow is
the authority to preach the Word of God and administer
Divine ordinances through the investiture of the Holy Priest-
hood. While Israel lived under the Law, bereft of the ful-
ness of spiritual light such as the Gospel alone can give,
Jehovah repeatedly manifested His righteous jealousy or
zeal in behalf of His appointed servants and against all
who pretended to arrogate authority unto themselves. Read
the story of wicked Korah and his associates in their at-
tempt to minister in the priest's office (Numbers 16) ; con-
sider the rejection of Saul, king of Israel, who offended by
undertaking to discharge the functions of the Lord's proph-
102 The Vitality of Mormonism
et (1 Sam. 13:8-14). And think of Uzziah, king of
Judah, who died an outcast and a leper, through the visita-
tion of punishment for having presumed to officiate without
priestly ordination. (2 Chron. 26).
In the establishment of His Church among the ancient
Americans, the Lord was specific in conferring upon certain
men the authority to baptize, to lay on hands for the giving
of the Holy Ghost, administer the sacrament of bread and
wine, and otherwise to officiate in the ordinances pertaining
to the Holy Priesthood. By personal ordination the Lord
invested His chosen representatives to minister in His Name.
(Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11:21, 22; 12: 1, 2; 18:5).
So also, in the present age, authority to minister in the
saving ordinances of the Gospel must be given of God, not
assumed by man. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints proclaims to the world that the Holy Priesthood,
which is the appointment and authority to officiate in the
name of God, has been restored to the earth in modern days,
through direct dispensation from the heavens by angelic
ministry to the Prophet Joseph Smith. The imperative
urgency of the call is thus set forth in current revelation:
*'And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the
mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last
days. And they shall go forth and none shall stay thtm,
for I the Lord have commanded them. . . . Wherefore
the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all
that will hear may hear: Prepare ye, prepare ye for that
which is to come, for the Lord is nigh. . . . For I
the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of
allowance. Nevertheless, he that repents and does the com-
mandments of the Lord shall be forgiven." (Doctrine &
Covenants 1).
For Time Only or for Eternity 103
— n —
FOR TIME ONLY OR FOR ETERNITY
Human Institutions and Divine Authority,
ORGANIZATION is essential to human advancement.
The Divine affirmation that it is not good for man to
be alone may be apphed not only to the union of the sexes
in honorable marriage, upon which the perpetuity of the
race depends, but also to the association of humankind in
community life, without which cooperation is impossible and
the achievements of united purpose would he unknown.
It is natural and necessary that men shall establish and
maintain institutions for community betterment. The con-
stitution of every liberal government recognizes the right
of individuals to associate themselves in any organization
having worthy purpose, in harmony with the spirit of law
and order, and not interfering with the rights and privileges
of non-members.
Thus, men may institute societies, associations, and clubs,
guilds, fraternities, and orders. They may designate their
organization as a church if they choose, and may enact rules
prescribing conditions of admission, and providing for the
administration of the institution's affairs. They may go so
far as to say that no man shaU be admitted to the church
thus created except he be baptized by immersion in water
by one of the officials, and that the seal of membership shall
be the pronouncing of a formula accompanied by the laying
on of hands.
But who of us would hazard his reputation as a rational
being by asserting or even believing that such baptism, ad-
ministered by an authority created by man, can be of effect
104 The Vitality of M or monism
in assuring remission of sins, or that it shall be recognized
as efficacious by the powers of Heaven?
Churches, societies, or other associations, established on
purely human initiative are institutions of men; they can
never be aught else. It is in line with consistency that such
organizations bear the names of men, or that they be known
by some appellation expressive of their origin, their consti-
tution, their peculiarities of government, their location, or
some other distinguishing feature. Could it be counted less
than sacrilege to attach the name of Deity to a church called
into being in the manner we have assumed?
The Church of the apostolic epoch was the organization
that Christ had established. He very expressively called
it My Church (Matt. 16:18); and after His departure,
every ordinance therein was administered in the name of
Jesus Christ. By Divine assurance those ordinances were
of effect, not only on earth but in Heaven, not alone for
time, but for eternity. Of man-made institutions, of
artificial growths though bearing the titles of churchly cults,
the Lord emphatically declared: "Every plant, which my
heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."
(Matt. 15:13).
In the course of His ministrations on the Western Con-
tinent, Jesus Christ established His Church, and thus an-
swered certain inquiries as to the name by which that Church
should be called :
"Whatsoever ye shall do, ye shall do it in my name ; there-
fore ye shall call the church in my name; and ye shall call
upon the Father in my name, that he will bless the church
for my sake. And how be it my church, save it be called
in my name? For if a church be called in Moses' name,
then it be Moses' church ; or if it be called in the name of
a man, then it be the church of a man; but if it be called
For Time Only or for Eternity 105
in my name, then it is my church, if it so be that they are
built upon my gospel." (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 27:7, 8.)
The acts of a pubhc official, whether of local or national
status, are effective only within the limits of the jurisdiction
he represents. City ordinances can be enforced within the
boundaries of the municipality, but not beyond. State
legislatures are powerless to enact laws for interstate regula-
tion. Congress is limited in specific jurisdiction to the
national domain. Yet, in the face of these fundamental
facts, there are men who assume that it is within their
province to legislate in spiritual affairs, and to alter, annul,
or supersede by their own enactments, the laws established
by Divine authority relating to membership in the Kingdom
of God.
In the current age the Lord has established His Church
upon the earth, and has made plain the portentous fact
that while honorable obligations, agreements, and contracts
among men may be valid under human laws. He is in no way
bound by such exercise of mortal agency as conditioning the
future of the soul after death. Ponder these declarations
of Jesus Christ, given to His Church in 1843:
"All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths,
vows, performances, connections, associations, or expecta-
tions, that are not made, and entered into, and sealed, by
the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as
well for time and for all eternity, .... are of no efficacy,
virtue or force, in and after the resurrection from the dead;
for all contracts that are not made unto this end, have an
end when men are dead And everything that is in
the world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or
principalities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever
they may be, that are not by me, or by my word, saith the
Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall not remain after
106 The Vitality of Mormomsm
men are dead, neither in nor after the resurrection, saith
the Lord your God." (Doctrine & Covenants 132:5-13).
— 28 —
APOSTLES AND PROPHETS NECESSARY
Th^ Primitive Church and the Church of Latter Days
WE believe in the same organization that existed in the
Primitive Church, viz.: apostles, prophets, pastors,
teachers, evangelists, etc. (Articles of Faith, No. 6).
Most people who profess belief in Christianity accept as
a scriptural fact the establishment of the Church of Jesus
Christ, through the Lord's personal ministry, in the early
days of what we call the Christian Era, the period that has
been expressively designated the meridian of time. During
the many centuries between the days of Moses and the
advent of Christ in the flesh, Israel had lived under the Law,
between which and the Gospel a clear distinction is drawn
in Scripture. Paul's explicit segregation of the two is
cogent, and ample for illustration:
"But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut
up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto
Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that
faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For
ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus."
(Gal. 3:23-26).
The Law of Moses, the schoolmaster's administration
which was constituted for the discipline of a people unpre-
pared to receive the higher tutoring of the Gospel, was ful-
filled and therefore abrogated as a formal and obligatory
Apostles and Prophets Necessary 107
sjstem through the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus
Christ. While tliis fulfilment is evidenced by the whole tenor
of New Testament Scripture, a most direct and concise
declaration may be quoted with profit from the Nephite
Scriptures, recorded by holy men who officiated under Divine
commission on the American continent throughout a period
of approximately six centuries before and four centuries af-
ter the birth of Christ. The prophet Nephi who was living
at the time of our Lord's death, resurrection, and ascension,
incorporates in his record the words of the Resurrected
Savior as follows:
"Behold I say unto you, that the law is fulfilled that
was given unto Moses. Behold, I am he that gave the law,
and I am he who covenanted with my people Israel: there-
fore, the law in me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the
law ; therefore it hath an end. Behold, I do not destroy the
prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, verily
I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled." (Book of Mormon,
S Nephi 15:4-6).
A studious reading of the four Gospels demonstrates that
while our Lord recognized the Jewish hierarchy as admin-
istrators of an existing system of government, and com-
plied with all lawful requirements thereof as such applied to
Himself, He proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom in place
of the Mosaic Law, and ordained men to a higher Priesthood
than that of Aaron under which the priests of the Jews
claimed to operate. He commissioned the Twelve Apostles
(Matt. 10:1; Mark 3:14; Luke 6:13), and afterward the
Seventy (Luke 10:1). Unto the eleven Apostles who had
remained faithful the Lord gave the parting instruction,
shortly before His ascension: "Go ye into all the world,
and preach the Gospel to every creature." The Apostles
labored with devoted energy, "And they went forth, and
108 The Vitality of Motmonism
preached every where, the Lord working with them, and
confirming the word with signs following." (See Mark
16:15-20).
The Apostles clearly understood that though the Master
had passed from earth He had left with them authority and
commandment to build up the Church as an established or-
ganization. One of their early official acts was to fill the
vacancy in their own body, which had been created by the
apostasy and death of Judas Iscariot. It is evident that
they considered the apostolic body to comprise twelve mem-
bers and that the needs of the Church required the organiza-
tion to be made complete. By official action Matthias was
added to the eleven. (See Acts 1 :21-26).
Under the administration of the Apostles and others who
officiated by their direction in positions of lesser authority,
the Church of Jesus Christ grew in membership and influ-
ence. For ten years or more following our Lord's ascen-
sion, Jerusalem was the headquarters of the Church, but
branches were established in the outlying provinces, and
these branches, or local "churches," were officered by
bishops, deacons, and other ministers, who were chosen and
ordained by apostolic authority.
We find, operating in their sacred callings in the Primi-
tive Church, apostles, prophets, evangehsts, pastors, teach-
ers, elders, bishops, priests and deacons. The purpose of
these several offices is declared to be "For the perfecting
of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying
of the body of ChHst." (Eph. 4 :12).
Every office so established is necessary to tlie development
of the Church, which has been aptly compared to a per-
fect body with its several members, each adapted to particu-
lar function and all coordinated for the common good. In
an organization planned and established through Divine
When Darkness Covered the Earth 109
wisdom, there are neither superfluities nor parts wanting.
Eye, ear, hand, and foot, each is essential to the symmetry
and physical perfection of the body ; in the Church no one
in authority can rightly say to his feUow: "I have no need
of thee." (See 1 Cor. 12:12-21).
The Primitive Church was of comparatively short dura-
tion. The world fell into spiritual darkness, and a restora-
tion of power and commission from the Heavens became
necessary to the reestablishment of the Church with its
ancient blessings and privileges. The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims the imperative need
of "the same organization that existed in the "Primitive
Church," and solemnly avers that through the ministration
of heavenly beings the Church of Jesus Christ is restored
to earth, for the salvation of mankind both living and dead.
— 29 —
WHEN DARKNESS COVERED THE EARTH
The Long Night of Apostasy
WE accept as fact the belief common to Christendom
that the Church of Christ was established under our
Lord's personal direction and that during the early period
of apostolic administration the Church was blessed with
rapid growth and marvelous development. A question of
profound importance confronts us : Has the Church of Jesus
Christ maintained an organized existence upon the earth
from the apostolic age to the present.^
We affirm that with the passing of the apostolic period
the Church drifted into a condition of apostasy, whereby
succession in the Holy Priesthood was broken; and that
110 The Vitality of Mormonism
the Church as an earthly organization operating under
Divine direction and having authority to officiate in spir-
itual ordinances ceased to exist among men.*
We affirm that this great apostasy, whereby the world
was enshrouded in spiritual darkness, was foretold by the
Savior Himself while He lived as a Man among men, and
by His prophets both before and after the period of His
life in mortality.
The apostolic ministry continued in the Primitive Church
for about sixty years after the death of Christ, or nearly
to the end of the first century of the Christian Era. For
some time thereafter the Church existed as a unified body,
officered by men duly invested by ordination in the Holy
Priesthood, though, even during the lifetime of some of the
Apostles, the leaven of apostasy and disintegration had
been working. Indeed, hardly had the Gospel seed beeji
sown before the enemy of all righteousness had started assid-
uously to sow tares in the field; and so intimate was the
growth of the two that any forcible attempt to extirpate
the tares would have imperiled the wheat. The evidences
of spiritual decline were observed with anguish by the
Apostles who, however, recognized the fulfilment of earlier
prophecy in the declension, and added their own inspired
testimony to the effect that even a greater falling away
was imminent.
The apostasy progressed rapidly, in consequence of a
cooperation of disrupting forces without and within the
Church. The dreadful persecution to which the early
Christians were subjected drove great numbers of Christians
to renounce their allegiance to Christianity, thus causing a
widespread apostasy from the Church. But far more
♦ See the author's "The Great Apostasy,** 170 pp.. The Deseret News,
Salt Lake City, Utah.
When Darkness Covered the Earth 111
destructive was the contagion of evil that spread within the
body, manifesting its effects mainly in the following devel-
opments :
(1) The corrupting of the simple principles of the
Gospel of Christ by admixture with the so-called philosoph-
ical systems of the times.
(2) Unauthorized additions to the rites of the Church,
and the introduction of vital changes in essential ordinances.
(3) Unauthorized changes in Church organization and
government.
The result of the degeneracy so produced was to bring
about an actual apostasy of the entire Church.
The Apostasy Predicted
Isaiah beheld in vision the condition of mankind during
the darkness of the spiritual night; and he pictures the
earth as languishing in desolation : "The earth also is defiled
under the inhabitants thereof; because they have trans-
gressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the ever-
lasting covenant." (Isa. 24:1-6).
That the general transgression meant something more
than a violation of Mosaic statutes is evident from the fact
that nowhere in Scripture is the Law of Moses called an
"everlasting covenant," but to the contrary, the covenant
of the Gospel is clearly differentiated from the Law.
The prophet Amos foresaw the time of famine and thirst,
the day of futile search for the Word of God. "Behold,
the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine
in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall
wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the
east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the
Lord, and shall not find it" (Amos 8:11-1^).
112 The Vitality of Mormonism
Christ specifically warned the disciples against the im-
pending departure from the truth: "Take heed that no
man deceive you" said He, "For many shall come in my
name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceive many." (Matt.
24:4, 5). And further: "Then if any man shall say unto
you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there
shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew
great signs and wonders ; insomuch that, if it were possible,
they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you
before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he
is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret
chambers; believe it not." (Verses 23-26).
The Apostles bore warning testimony to the same awful
certainty. Paul admonished the elders at Ephesus to be
on their guard against the wolves that would invade the
fold, and against false teachers who would assert themselves
"speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after
them." (See Acts 20:28-30). The same Apostle thus
wrote to Timothy : "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that
in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking
lies in hypocrisy ; having their conscience seared with a hot
iron." (1 Tim. 4:1, 2; see also 2 Tim. 4:1-4; and 2 Thess.
2:3, 4).
Peter prophesied, in language so plain that all may com-
prehend, of the heresies that would be preached as doctrine :
"But there were false prophets also among the people, even
as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that
bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways ; by reason of
whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2 Peter
2:1,2).
When Darkness Covered the Earth IIS
John the Revelator expressly predicted the restoration
of the Gospel (Rev. 14:6, 7); and such restoration would
be impossible had not the Gospel been taken from the eartii.
Book of Mormon Scriptures foretold in plainness the great
falling away and the subsequent restoration of the Gospel
of Christ. (See 1 Nephi 13: 5-9; 3 Nephi 16:7).
The Apostasy Affirmed
The apostate condition of Christendom has been recog-
nized and affirmed by high ecclesiastical authority. Let a
single citation suffice. The Church of England thus pro-
claims the fact of degeneracy, as set forth in her "Homily
against Peril of Idolatry," published about the middle of
the sixteenth century and retained to this day as an official
declaration :
"So that laity and clergy, learned and unlearned, all ages,
sects, and degrees of men, women, and children of whole
Christendom — an horrible and most dreadful thing to think
— have been at once drowned in abominable idolatry; of
all other vices most detested of God, and most damnable to
man; and that by the space of eight hundred years and
more."
By revelation through Joseph Smith the prophet the
Lord thus confirmed the predictions of His ancient servants
with respect to the apostasy of mankind: "For they have
strayed from mine ordinances, and have broken mine ever-
lasting covenant. They seek not the Lord to establish his
righteousness, but every man walketh in his own way, and
after the image of his own God, whose image is in the like-
ness of the world, and whose substance is that of an idol."
(Doctrine & Covenants 1:15, 16).
The universal apostasy has been succeeded by the restora-
tion of the Gospel, of which blessed truth the Church of
114 The Vitality of Mormonism
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints bears testimony to the
world.
4 — 30 —
THE MORNING BREAKS, THE SHADOWS FLEE
Light of the Gospel Again Shvnes
WE believe in the same organization that existed in the
Primitive Church, viz.: apostles, prophets, pastors,
teachers, evangelists, etc. (Articles of Faith, No. 6).
As one of the signs whereby men may know when the
Lord's coming is near, Christ specified this feature of the
latter times: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations ;
and then shall the end come." (Matt. 24:14). As this
follows in immediate sequence to our Lord's prediction of
the general apostasy, incident to which false prophets would
arise, iniquity abound, and love for the truth wax cold, an
actual restoration of the Gospel had to occur, or the
Savior's words recorded in the 24th chapter of Matthew
would be inconsistent and their fulfilment impossible.
The Revelator John was shown the scenes of the days
immediately before the latter-day advent of the Christ.- In
recording the vision as then already past he wrote:
"And I saw another angel fly in the njidst of heaven, hav-
ing the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell
on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue,
and people, Saying with a loud voice. Fear God, and give
glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and
worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and
the fountains of waters." (Rev. 14:6, 7).
If an angel was to come to earth, bringing the Gospel,
the fact is plain that the Gospel could not be at that time
The Morning Breaks, the Shadows Flee 115
upon the earth. The Gospel, which the angel would bring,
was to be preached "to every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people"; and this in strict and logical con-
sistency with the Lord's personal prophecy quoted above,
that one of the distinguishing signs of the last days was
that the Gospel of the kingdom, "this Gospel," that is to
say, the Gospel that He had proclaimed, would be "preached
in all the world for a witness unto all nations."
But, many have asked, had we not the Gospel.? The
Holy Bible, which is the scriptural repository of the Gospel
record has been among men from the time of its earliest
compilation; why then the necessity of a restoration? Yes,
we had the Bible; but the Gospel is something other and
greater than a book.
The Holy Scriptures, invaluable and sacred though they
be, profess to be only the letter of the Gospel. Is it reason-
able to assume that the mere possession of a Bible, or even
a perfect memorization of its contents, could give to man
the authority to administer the ordinances prescribed
therein.? It is quite as plausible to say that if one owns
a copy of the statutes of his state or nation and learns
therefrom the duties of sheriff, judge, governor or presi-
dent, the knowledge thus acquired would be authority for
him to administer in the respective offices. Statutes are
not self-operative.
The Holy Scriptures define and prescribe certain admin-
istrative ordinances, such as water baptism and the laying
on of hands for the bestowal of the Holy Ghost, which or-
dinances, unless the Lord Christ spoke fable and falsehood,
are indispensable to individual salvation. But the right
and authority to administer those essential and saving or-
dinances cannot be arrogated to one's self by ever so
intensive a study of the scriptural record.
116 The Vitality of Mormonism
The angel seen by the Revelator, in vision of the then
distant future, was to bring to earth not the bare record
and letter of requirement as to baptism and other rites, for
this the world already would have, in part at least; but he
was to restore to earth the Divine commission, the actual
appointment and authority to officiate in those sacred and
saving ordinances, in short the power of the Holy Priest-
hood, which the world would not at that time possess.
We affirm that on the 15th of May, 1829, a heavenly
messenger appeared on the earth in light and glory, and,
laying his hands upon the heads of Joseph Smith and an
associate in the ministry, Oliver Cowdery, conferred upon
them the Lesser or Aaronic Priesthood, saying:
"Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Mes-
siah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys
of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance,
and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins ; and
tills shall never be taken again from the earth, until the
sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in
righteousness." (Doctrine & Covenants, Sec. 16).
The personage who thus appeared and officiated as an
angel of light announced himself as John, known of old as
tlie Baptist, and stated that he acted under instructions
from the Apostles Peter, James, and John, who held the
presidency of the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood in the
earlier Gospel dispensation. Later, Joseph Smith and
Oliver Cowdery were visited by the presiding Apostles of
old, Peter, James and John, who ordained them to the
Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, which comprises
the fulness of authority operative in the Church of Jesus
Christ.
In accordance with this high commission the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been established ; and
The Beginning of the End 117
presents to the world today "the same organization that
existed in the Primitive Church, viz.: apostles, prophets,
pastors, teachers, evangelists, etc."
Come ye and share the priceless blessings of the restored
Gospel, for verily, the darkness of the long night of apos-
tasy has been dispelled, and the spiritual light of heaven
again illumines the earth.
"The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lol Zion's standard is unfurled.
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world."
— 31 —
THE BEGINNING OF THE END
Ushering in of the Last Dispensation
THE inauguration of the last or current dispensation of
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is verily the Dispen-
sation of the Fulness of Times, was in this wise.
In the year 1820 there lived at Manchester, N. Y., Joseph
Smith Jr. then in his fifteenth year, the third son in a re-
spected and pious family. At the time of which we speak
great excitement with much sectarian rivalry was manifest
in religious matters, and the boy Joseph was seriously con-
cerned as to which of the contending sects was the true
Church of Christ; for it was plain that all could not be
right. Let us read the account written by himself.
"During this time of great excitement, my mind was called
up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though
my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept my-
118 The Vitality of Mormonism
self aloof from all these parties, though I attended their
several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In
process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the
Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with
them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the
different denominations, that it was impossible for a person
young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things,
to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who
was wrong.
"My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and
tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians
were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and
used all the powers of either reason or sophistry to prove
their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were
in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists
in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to estab-
lish their own tenets and disprove all others. In the midst
of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said
to myself. What is to be done.?^ Who of all these parties
are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of
them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it.? While
I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by
the contest of these parties of religionists, I was one day
reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse,
which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of
God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not;
and it shall be given him.
"Never did any passage of scripture come with more
power to the heart of man than this did at this time to
mine. ... At length I came to the conclusion that I must
either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do
as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came
to the determination to ask of God, concluding that if He
The Beginning of the End 119
gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give
liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture. . . . After I
had retired to the place where I had previously designed
to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone,
I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart
to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was
seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and
had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my
tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gath-
ered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were
doomed to sudden destruction.
"But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver
me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon
me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into
despair and abandon myself to destruction — not to an
imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from
the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had
never before felt in any being — just at this moment of
great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head,
above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually
until it fell upon me.
"It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered
from the enemy which held me bound. When the light
rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and
glory defy all description, standing above me in the air.
One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said,
pointing to the other — This is my beloved Son, hear Him!
"My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know
which of all the sects was right, that I might know which
to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of my-
self, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages
who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was
right — and which I should join.
120 The Vitality of Mormonism
"I was answered that I must join none of them, for
they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me
said that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight;
that those professors were all corrupt; that 'they draw
near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me ;
they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having
a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.' "
(See Pearl of Great Price, pp. 83-85).
Thus ended the long night of spiritual darkness in which
man had groped for centuries. Thus was begun the dis-
pensation of which the ancient prophets had spoken, in
preparation for the coming of the Christ to reign on earth
as Lord and King.
This glorious and unprecedented manifestation of the
Father and the Son to a mortal was followed in later
years by visitations of angelic personages through whom
the Holy Priesthood was again restored to earth, and
under whose direction the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints was established in April, 1830. Joseph Smith
was a prophet of the living God. His testimony is before
the world. The saving ordinances of the Gospel are again
administered under Divine authority, and the means of
salvation are offered freely to all mankind.
A GOD OF MIRACLES
Wonders Wrought hy Devils
WE believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation,
visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, etc.
(Articles of Faith, No. 7).
A God of Miracles 1^1
The personal ministry of Jesus Christ in the flesh was
characterized by many mighty works — signs, wonders, mir-
acles, as they are severally called. The Apostles who
labored to build up the Church after the Master's departure
attested the divinity of their calling and priesthood by
manifestations of power surpassing the ordinary attributes
of mortals. Thus, these holy men were endowed with the
ennobling gifts of the Spirit, which have been inherent in
the Church of Christ in all ages.
Multitudes have been troubled by the disquieting query
as to why the gifts of prophecy, visions, revelation, healing,
and the power to speak in diverse tongues are not apparent
in the sectarian churches of modern times, and have found
partial satisfaction in the assumption, unfounded and un-
scriptural though it be, that all such gifts and graces ceased
with the passing of apostolic days and are not required as
testimonies of the Spirit in a more enlightened age. That
these spiritual gifts did cease as the apostasy of the
Primitive Church progressed is doubtless true ; but that the
cause of the cessation was anything else than transgression
by which the apostasy was brought about is unsupported
by Scripture.
In His parting commission to the Apostles, the Resur-
rected Christ gave this combined command and promise:
"Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ;
but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs
shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast
out devils ; they shall speak with new tongues ; They shall
take up serpents ; and if they drink any deadly thing, it
shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and
they shall recover." (Mark 16:15-18).
It is evident that the several gifts of the Spirit are the
122 The Vitality of Mormonism
products of faith in God and obedience to His command-
ments. That these manifestations are brought about
through the power of the Holy Priesthood and are char-
acteristic thereof is set forth in Paul's teachings: "And
God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily
prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts
of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." (1
Cor. 12:28).
Mormon, a prophet who ministered on the American con-
tinent in the latter part of the fourth century, solemnly
declared that miracles will not cease in the Church so long
as there shall be a man upon the earth to be saved : "For it
is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith
that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore if
these things have ceased, wo be unto the children of men,
for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain." (Moroni
7:37).
Mark his inspired words addressed to those "who deny
the revelations of God, and say that they are done away,
that there are no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor
healing, nor speaking with tongues, and the interpretation
of tongues."
"Behold I say unto you, he that denieth these things,
knoweth not the gospel of Christ ; yea, he has not read the
scriptures; if so, he does not understand them. For do
we not read that God is the same yesterday, today, and
for ever ; and in him there is no variableness neither shadow
of changing? And now, if ye have imagined up unto your-
selves a god who doth vary, and in him there is shadow of
changing, then have ye imagined up unto yourselves a god
who is not a God of miracles. But behold, I will shew unto
you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and it is that same
A God of Miracles 123
God who created the heavens and the earth, and all things
that in them are." (Moroni 9:7-11).
Miracles are not promised save to those who believe and
obey as the Lord hath commanded. However marvelous
they may be as gaged by physical standards, the gifts of
the Spirit appeal to the unbelieving and carnal mind only
as unusual and curious phenomena; while to the man of
faith they testify of the power and purposes of God. Many
people followed Jesus about through morbid curiosity,
clamoring to see some strange thing wrought; and degen-
erate Herod Antipas, before whom our Lord was brought in
bonds, was interested and amused, because "he hoped to
have seen some miracle done by Him." (Luke 23:8.)
Through a revelation to the Church in 1831 the Lord
Jesus Christ gave this solemn admonishment against the
craving for spiritual gifts to gratify curiosity.
"Wherefore, beware lest ye are deceived; and that ye
may not be deceived, seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always
remembering for what they are given. For verily I say unto
you, they are given for the benefit of those who love me
and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to
do, that all may be benefited that seeketh or that asketh
of me, that asketh and not for a sign that he may consume
it upon his lusts." (Doctrine and Covenants 46:8-9).
We are not justified in regarding miracles as infallible
testimony of Divine power and authority, for powers of the
baser sort work wonders, to the deceiving of many. The
magicians of Egypt were able to imitate in small measure
the miracles of Moses. John the Revelator told of evil
powers deceiving men by what seemed to be supernatural
achievements, and he saw unclean spirits, whom he knew to
be "the spirits of devils working miracles." (See Rev. 13:
13-14<, and 16:13-14). And the Savior Himself by this
124 The Vitality of Mormonism
solemn warning armed the disciples against deception:
"There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and
shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it
were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Matt.
24:24).
The distinguishing feature of a miraculous manifestation
of the Holy Spirit, as contrasted with a wonder wrought
through other agencies, lies in the fact that the former is
always done in the name of Jesus Christ and has for its
object the fostering of faith and the furthering of Divine
purposes.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rejoices
in the possession of the several gifts and graces with which
the Church of old was endowed; and within her pale signs
do follow them that believe. Come and see.
W
IS THE BIBLE SUFFICIENT?
Scriptures of Many Peoples
E believe the Bible to be the word of God, as far as
it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book
of Mormon to be the word of God. (Articles of Faith,
No. 8).
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accepts
the Holy Bible for just what it purports to be, nothing
less, nothing more. Taken as a whole the Holy Bible is
a collection of sacred and historical writings, depicting
though incompletely the Divine dealings with mankind on
the Eastern Hemisphere from the creation down to about
the close of the first century after Christ. The Old Testa-
ment contains a brief record of pre-Mosaic time, but is
7* the Bible Sufficient? 126
largely a history of the Semitic people or Hebrews, as they
lived under the Law of Moses. The New Testament is dis-
tinctively the Scripture of the Gospel as contrasted with
the Law, and is devoted to the earthly ministry of the
Savior and to the growth of His Church under apostolic
administration. The compilation as it now stands is the
work of men, and our modern translations from the original
Hebrew of the Old Testament and Greek of the New have
been made by skilled linguists and learned theologians.
But the wisdom of even the wisest of men may be faulty,
and the understanding of the prudent may be biased and
dangerously imperfect. The many revisions and successive
versions of the Bible, made as the errors of earlier rendi-
tions became strikingly apparent, testify to the unreliabiUty
of scholarship in the translation of sacred writ. Moreover,
it is an indisputable fact that the compilation of books con-
stituting our present version is incomplete; for within the
Bible itself more than a score of books, epistles, or other
writings not included are mentioned, and generally in such
a way as to show that those lost Scriptures were considered
authentic and genuine. Furthermore, numerous Biblical
passages are tinged with what scholars call "gloss" — that
is wording intended to convey the private interpretation of
the translator.
The Latter-day Saints openly proclaim their reserva-
tion as to incorrect translation. We are in harmony with
all able and earnest students of the Scriptures in accepting
the Bible as the Word of God, only so far as it is translated
correctly.
But we hold that there are now extant other Scriptures,
of equal validity with those of the Holy Bible, and in no
sense in conflict therewith nor a substitute therefor. For
nearly six centuries before and about four centuries after
126 The Vitality of Mormonism
the birth of Christ, the American continent w6ls inhabited
by a detached body of Israelites, who developed into power-
ful nations. Their existence was unknown to the people of
the East. Is it unreasonable to believe that unto the west-
em fold God sent His shepherds, and that prophets offi-
ciated amongst them by Divine appointment?
That the Book of Mormon would be rejected by many
on the specious and untenable claim that they already had
a Bible and that there could be no other Scriptures, the
Lord foretold by the mouth of the prophet Nephi:
"And because my words shall hiss forth, many of the
Gentiles shall say, A Bible! A Bible! We have got a
Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible.
"Know ye not that there are more nations than one?
Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all
men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of
the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above, and in the
earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the chil-
dren of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
"Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive
more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two
nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I re-
member one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak
the same words unto one nation like unto another. And
when the two nations shall run together, the testimony of
the two nations shall run together also.
"And I do this that I may prove unto many, that I am
the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak
forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And be-
cause that I have spoken one word, ye need not suppose
that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet fin-
ished ; neither shall it be, until the end of man ; neither from
that time henceforth and forever.
7* the Bible Sufficientf 1%1
"For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews, and thej shall
write it ; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites, and they
shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes
of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they
shall write it ; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the
earth, and they shall write it.
"And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the
words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the
words of the Jews ; and the Nephites and the Jews shall have
the words of the lost tribes of Israel ; and the lost tribes of
Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews."
(2 Nephi 29).
Thus is predicted the bringing forth of yet other Scrip-
tures, not extant among known nations today, viz., the
records of the Lost Tribes of Israel, to whom the Book of
Mormon indicates the Resurrected Christ went to minister
after His visitation to the Nephites. In the present or
last dispensation numerous revelations have been given by
Jesus Christ to His modern prophets. Many of these are
before the world in the volume of latter-day Scripture
known as the Doctrine and Covenants.
It is noticeable that we make no reservation respecting
the Book of Mormon on the ground of incorrect transla-
tion. To do so would be to ignore attested facts as to
the bringing forth of that book. Joseph Smith the
prophet, seer, and revelator, through whom the ancient
record has been translated into our modem tongue, ex-
pressly avers that the translation was effected through the
gift and power of God, and is in no sense the product of
linguistic scholarship.
The Bible in its original form, and in modern versions
so far as correctly translated, contains the Word of God.
Without it, the world would be plunged into spiritual
128 The Vitality of MorTnonism
gloom. Nevertheless there are other Scriptures already
published, and yet others are to come.
A MESSENGER
From the Presence of God
THE discovery of the ancient record known to mankind
as the Book of Mormon was no affair of chance. To
the contrary, both the finding of the plates of gold and the
translation of the inscriptions were specifically the result
of Divine direction. So the following facts attest.
On the 21st of September, 1823, Joseph Smith of Man-
chester, N. Y., was visited by an angelic personage who
announced himself as Moroni, "A messenger sent from the
presence of God."
"What!" the skeptical may exclaim, "A heavenly being
visiting the earth and talking to a man in these modem
days?" To which interrogatory a fair rejoinder is Why
not.? Has the God of Heaven changed in nature and at-^
tributes, or found need of altering and revising His former,
and most simple methods of communicating with men?
To the priest Zacharias in days of old came one saying
"I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God, and am
sent to speak unto thee." (Luke 1:19). To the prophet
Joseph Smith in latter times came a messenger with th^
same form of annunciation.
Both Gabriel and Moroni were ambassadors from the
Eternal One, who is the same yesterday, today and for-
ever, and "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of
turning." (James 1: 17; Heb. 13:8).
A Messenger 129
Part of Moroni's message delivered at this visitation is
thus stated by the latter-day prophet: "He said there was
a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an ac-
count of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the
source from whence they sprang. He also said that the
fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as
delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. Also,
that there were two stones in silver bows — and these stones,
fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the
Urim and Thummim — deposited with the plates; and the
possession and use of these stones were what constituted
'seers' in ancient or former times; and that God had pre-
pared them for the purpose of translating the book. . . .
While he was conversing with me about the plates, the
vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place
where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and
distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it."
On going to the place the next day Joseph Smith located
the stone box, and with the aid of a lever removed the
cover. His record continues:
"I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden
by the messenger, and was again informed that the time
for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would
it, until four years from that time; but he told me that I
should come to that place precisely in one year from that
time, and that he would there meet with me, and that I
should continue to do so until the time should come for
obtaining the plates."
At the close of the fourth probationary year, the plates
and accessories were given into the custody of the latter-
day seer. Of this occasion and subsequent developments
he wrote as foUows:
ISO The Vitality of Mormonism
"At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the
Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the twenty-
second day of September, one thousand eight hundred and
twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another
year to the place where they were deposited, the same
heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this
charge: that I should be responsible for them; that if I
should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of
mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my
endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should
call for them, they should be protected.
"I soon found out the reason why I had received such
strict charges to keep them safe, and why it was that the
messenger had said that when I had done what was required
at my hand, he would call for them. For no sooner was
it known that I had them, than the most strenuous exer-
tions were used to get them from me. Every stratagem
that could be invented was resorted to for that purpose.
The persecution became more bitter and severe than before,
and multitudes were on the alert continually to get them
from me if possible. But by the wisdom of God, they re-
mained safe in my hands, until I had accomplished by them
what was required at my hand. When, according to ar-
rangements, the messenger called for them, I delivered them
up to him; and he has them in his charge until this day,
being the second day of May, one thousand eight hundred
and thirty-eight."
Subsequent revelations showed that Moroni was the last
of a long line of prophets whose translated writings con-
stitute the Book of Mormon. By him the ancient records
had been closed about 420 A. D. ; by him the graven plates
had been deposited in the stone vault wherein they lay
buried over fourteen centuries; and through his appointed
A Messenger 131
embassage tliej were given into the possession of the latter-
day seer whose work of translation is before us.
Joseph Smith, unschooled beyond the rudiments of what
we call an education, unversed in any tongue but the ver-
nacular Enghsh, was wholly unequipped according to all
human standards to translate the language of a nation long
extinct, and, except for certain Indian traditions, forgotten.
But the operation of a power higher than human, by which
the engraved plates were brought forth from the earth, was
to be effective in making the long-buried chronicles intel-
ligible to modern readers.
It was no part of the Lord's plan to entrust the translat-
ing to man's linguistic skill; and, moreover, at that time
the Rosetta Stone still lay buried beneath the debris of
ages, and there was not a man upon the earth capable of
rendering an Egyptian inscription into English. As the
Book of Mormon avers, the original writing was Egyptian,
modified through the isolation of the ancient peoples on
the Western Continent, and designated Reformed Egyp-
tian.
It was divinely appointed that the sacred archives should
be restored to the knowledge of men through the gift and
power of God. Had it not been written that in the latter
days the Lord would accomplish a marvelous work and a
wonder, whereby the wisdom of the wise would fail and
the understanding of the learned be hidden? (See Isa. 29:
13, 14). And this because men would put their dogmas
and precepts above the revealed word? (Verse 13). In
the translation of the Book of Mormon there was to be no
gloss of fallible scholarship, no attempt to improve and
embellish the plain, simple and unambiguous diction of the
original scribes who wrote by inspiration. Therefore was
the commission laid upon one who was rated among the
18^ The Vitality of Mormonism
weak of the earth, but whose ministry, nevertheless, has
confounded the mighty. (See 1 Cor. 1 :S7, 28).
— 35 —
SCRIPTURES OF THE AMERICAN CONTINENT
The Book of Mormon
I HE Book of Mormon is preeminently an American
book, comprising the history of the aboriginal peoples
of the New World. It professes to be the modem trans-
lation of certain records, covering the period from B. C.
600 to about A. D. 420, with which is incorporated the
abridgment of a yet earlier history. The original account
was inscribed on thin sheets of gold, in small characters of
the Reformed Egyptian style. The plates were taken from
tlieir repository on the side of a hill near Palmyra, New
York. This was in September, 1827; and in the early
months of 1830 the Enghsh translation was published.
The Book of Mormon story deals in part with the gen-
eral history of the ancient peoples, their rise and faU as
nations, their wars and intrigues of state, their alternating
epochs of material prosperity and adversity ; but more par-
ticularly it preserves an account of the Divine revelations,
the prophets and prophecies with which the ancient Ameri-
cans were blessed; and thus the work stands before the
world as the Scriptures of the Western Continent.
This is the story in brief. In the closing years of the
7th century B. C. there lived in Jerusalem a person of in-
fluence and wealth named Lehi. He was a righteous man
and a prophet, of the tribe of Manasseh and therefore a
descendant of Joseph, son of Jacob.
Scriptures of the American Continent 133
At the time of which we speak, Lehi and his wife were
the parents of four sons, of whom the elder two were of
disobedient and unruly character, in which respect they
stood in striking contrast to their dutiful brothers. Other
children, both sons and daughters, are of later mention.
Those were troublous days for Israel. The people had
largely forgotten the God of their fathers ; and the calami-
ties voiced by Moses and the prophets as the contingent
result of sins against which the people had been specifically
warned, were multiplying apace. Already the shadows of
the Babylonian captivity were falling athwart the nation.
Many prophets, Lehi among them, lifted their voices in
admonition and warning, crying repentance to the recreant
Israelites, and predicting that unless they turned from
their wickedness the City of David, their national boast
and pride, would be despoiled and Israel be made captive.
Instead of heeding these men of God, the people went wild
with resentment and tried to slay them.
In the year 600 B. C, when Zedekiah ascended the throne
of Judah, the word of the Lord came to Lehi directing him
to take his family and flee from Jerusalem into the wilder-
ness of Arabia. The scattering of the Israelitish nation
had been foretold, and the departure of Lehi and his house-
hold, together with another entire family which was of the
tribe of Ephraim, and part of a third, was in line with
the general dispersion. Had it not so been declared by
Isaiah .f* "For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant,
and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the
Lord of hosts shall do this." (2 Kings 19:31; also Isa.
37:32).
The migrating colony journeyed by slow stages for
about eight years in the desert, during which time Lehi and
his faithful younger son Nephi received many revelations of
134 The Vitality of Mormonism
the Divine word and will, through which the purpose of
their own exodus was made known, as were also the portend-
ing vicissitudes of the nation from which they had become
expatriated by the Lord's command. Eventually they
reached the shores of the Arabian sea, where, divinely
directed, they built a vessel, in which they were carried by
wind and current across the ocean to the western coast of
South America.
So long as unity prevailed the colony prospered in the
Promised Land, and with high birth-rate and few deaths
soon became a numerous people. With prosperity came
pride and avarice, and the inevitable accompaniment, dis-
sension. The more righteous part chose Nephi for their
leader and called themselves Nephites, while the rebellious
and evil faction came to be known as Lamanites or follow-
ers of Laman, who was the eldest and most wicked of Lelii's
sons.
As the decades linked themselves into centuries the breach
between Nephites and Lamanites became wider, the enmity
fiercer, and the disparity in customs and culture greater;
though for brief and exceptional periods there was truce
between them. The Nephites maintained a relatively high
standard of civilized activity, while the Lamanites became a
degenerate people, of nomadic and predatory life, devoted
mostly to warfare and the chase ; and as a mark of Divine
displeasure they were cursed with a dark ruddy skin.
Many and bloody were the wars they waged against their
more peaceable contemporaries. Nevertheless the Nephites
developed and throve in proportion to their varying degrees
of allegiance to the laws of God as made known by the suc-
cession of prophets whom the Lord raised up among them ;
and their departures from the ways of righteousness were
followed by the disciplinary suffering incident to Lamanite
Scriptures of the ATnerican Continent 135
victories, which were permitted to afflict them at intervals.
Thej fled before their aggressive foes, moving northward
and eastward ; so that in the course of centuries they swept
over a large part of the area now embraced by Mexico and
the United States.
The Gospel of salvation was taught and the fundamental
ordinances were administered among the Nephites ; and the
resurrected Lord, Jesus Christ, ministered among them in
Person, and declared them to be the sheep of that other fold
to which He had referred while preacliing to the Jews. See
John 10:16.
About 420 A. D., the Nephites, having fallen into wicked-
ness all the more convicting because of their intellectual
superiority, were utterly destroyed as a nation by their
hereditary enemies. The exterminating conflict was fought
in the vicinity of Palmyra, in the present State of New
York. The savage but victorious Lamanites have lived on
as the degraded race of red men, whom Columbus found in
the land on the occasion of his re-discovery of the Western
Continent. Such is the origin of the American Indians.
They are of Israelitish descent, belonging to the House of
Joseph who was sold into Egypt.
From the time of Lehi's exodus from Jerusalem down
to the end of Nephite history, a circumstantial record was
kept by scribes set apart to the work. That record has
been restored to humaij knowledge, and the translated part
has been given to the world as the Book of Mormon.
The announcement of such a discovery as that of the
plates of Mormon, and of such an achievement as the trans-
lation of the records into English, could not fail to attract
the attention of both layman and scholar. But the an-
nouncement was treated with contempt and vigorous denun-
ciation.
136 The Vitality of Mormonism
The reason for this hostile rejection is found in the fact
that Joseph Smith, the translator, avowed that he had not
accomplished the marvelous work by his own or other human
power alone, but that the resting-place of the ancient plates
had been revealed to him by an angel, who appeared in light
and glory, and announced himself as that same Moroni who
had sealed up and buried the inscribed plates over fourteen
centuries earlier. A further cause for the popular opposi-
tion to the Book of Mormon lay in Joseph Smith's solemn
testimony that he had been empowered to make the trans-
lation through the direct inspiration of God.
This avowal introduced the element of the supernatural.
If Joseph Smith spoke truly, miracles had not ceased, and
direct revelation from God to man was of modem certainty.
Such a conception was wholly opposed by theological theory
and churchly dogma. And yet, why in reason should direct
revelation from the heavens be more of an improbability to^
day than in the centuries of long ago.? Except as to the
extent of the writing, is the bringing forth of the Book of
Mormon any more of a marvel than the inspired reading of
the mystic words by Daniel in the midst of Belshazzar's riot-
ous feast? (See Dan. 5:25-31). And surely the means by
which the writing was done appears far more mysterious in
the case of the Chaldean king than in the ordinary and
human way of engraving the Book of Mormon plates.
The Book of Mormon is before the world. It has been
distributed by millions of copies in English and other mod-
em tongues. Let it be understood that in no sense does the
Book of Mormon profess to be a substitute for the Holy
Bible, or to be in any way related thereto except as a paral-
lel volume of Scripture. The Bible is essentially a record
of the deahngs of God with His people of the East; the
Book of Monnon is an embodiment of Divine revelations to
By the Mouth of Witnesses 187
the people of the West. So far as the two books touch
common themes they are in harmony; and in no particular
are they contradictory of each other.
BY THE MOUTH OF WITNESSES
Shall the Truth he Established
MOSES voiced the word of Jehovah unto Israel, saying
that by the testimony of competent witnesses should
questions of fact be established ; and our Lord in the flesh re-
affirmed the ancient rule for common observance (Matt. 18:
16), and, on a particular occasion, cited it in vindicating
to the casuistical Jews His claim to Divine authority.
(John 8:17, 18). It is a vital element of jurisprudence,
and is at once reasonable and indispensable in practise.
The Book of Mormon predicts its own coming forth in
latter times, and presents the specific prophecy that the
plates on which the ancient record was engraved would be
shown to three witnesses, and later to certain others. The
sacred character of the plates forbade their display for
the gratification of curiosity; and, moreover, it was the
stated purpose of the Lord that the restored Scriptures be
accepted or rejected by men according to the reader's
measure of faith or lack thereof.
Respecting the bringing forth of the Book of Mormon in
the latter days, the Lord thus spake through Nephi the
prophet: "Wherefore at that day when the book shall be
delivered unto the man of whom I have spoken, the book
shall be hid from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of
none shall behold it save it be that three witnesses shall
138 The Vitality of Mormonism
behold it, by the power of God, besides him to whom the
book shall be delivered; and they shall testify to the truth
of the book and the things therein. And there is none
other which shall view it, save it be a few according to the
will of God, to bear testimony of his word unto the children
of men : for the Lord God hath said. That the words of the
faithful should speak as if it were from the dead. Where-
fore, the Lord God will proceed to bring forth the words
of the book; and in the mouth of as many witnesses as
seemeth him good, will he establish his word; and wo be
unto him that rejecteth the word of God." (2 Nephi 27).
The angel, Moroni, who delivered the plates to Joseph
Smith, received them back into his keeping after the trans-
lation of the unsealed portion had been effected. The lat-
ter-day prophet had been instructed to guard the plates
with vigilant care, and was warned against any temptation
to use the sheets of gold for personal gain. They were
preserved inviolate while in his hands; and were shown by
him only as the Lord directed. In June, 1829, three men,
designated through revelation, were chosen to view the
plates, and the occasion was one of heavenly visitation.
The Testimony/ of Three Witnesses
"Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and
people unto whom this work shall come, that we, through
the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ,
have seen the plates which contain this record, which is
a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites,
their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, who came
from the tower of which hath been spoken; and we also
know that they have been translated by the gift and power
of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore
we know of a surety that the work is true. And we also
By the Mouth of Witnesses 189
testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon
the plates ; and they have been shewn unto us by the power
of God, and not of man. And we declare with words of
soberness, that an angel of God came down from heaven,
and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and
saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know
that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord
Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these
things are true; and it is marvellous in our eyes, neverthe-
less the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should
bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the com-
mandments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And
we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our
garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless
before the judgment-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with
Him eternally in the heavens. And the honour be to the
Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is
one God. Amen. Oliver Cowdery^ David WliUmer, Martin
Harris.'^
This solemn affirmation was never revoked nor in the least
degree modified, though all of the three were later severed
from the Church for transgression. To the time of death
each maintained the truth of his testimony, despite ridicule
and divers sufferings through persecution.
Shortly after the witnessing of the plates by the three,
other eight persons were permitted to see and handle the
records, as they thus attest:
The Testimony of Eight Witnesses
"Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and
people unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smith,
Jun., the translator of this work, has shewn unto us the
plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appear-
140 The Vitality of Mormonism
ance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith
has translated, we did handle with our hands; and we also
saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance
of ancient work, and of curious workmanship. And this
we bear record with words of soberness, that the said Smith
has shewn unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know
of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of which
we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world
to witness unto the world that which we have seen; and
we lie not, God bearing witness of it. Christian Whitmer,
Jacob Whitmer, Peter Whitmer, Jun., John WhitmeTy
Hiram Page, Joseph Smith, Sen., Hyrum Smith, Samuel H.
Smith.''
Three of these eight died out of the Church, yet not one
of the whole number ever was known to deny his testimony.
Had policy figured in the matter, as doubtless would have
been the case in the fraudulent exploitation of a spurious
book, the Church might have been expected to tolerate
misconduct on the part of members so vitally prominent in
its affairs; but the ban of excommunication fell, as justice
demanded, without respect to persons. The biography of
each of the eleven witnesses has been widely published.
Their testimonies appear in every copy of the Book of
Mormon. Read and consider.
— 37 —
VOICES OF THE DEAD
A Testimony from tlie Dust
ONf September 22, 1827, Joseph Smith, a youthful resi-
' dent of Manchester, N. Y., took from the side of a hill
in that vicinity a book made up of thin leaves of beaten
Voices of the Dead 141
gold, held together by rings after the fashion of our mod-
ern loose-leaf records. As described by the finder, and by
others to whom they were shown, these golden leaves or
plates were engraved with fine characters having all the ap-
pearance of ancient and curious workmanship.
The engraved plates had been laid away with care and
attention to preservation; for, when uncovered, they were
found, together with certain other antique objects, resting
in a small vault or box of stone. "The box in which they
lay," wrote Joseph Smith, "was formed by laying stones to-
gether in some kind of cement. In the bottom of the box
were laid two stones crossways of the box, and on these
stones lay the plates and the other things with them." The
top slab or lid of the box "was thick and rounding in the
middle on the upper side, and thinner towards the edges, so
that the middle part of it was visible above the ground, but
the edge all around was covered with earth."
As subsequent examination proved, the graven characters
constituted a history of the aboriginal peoples of the
Western Continent, of whom the existing tribes of American
Indians are the posterity. A part of the ancient record
has been translated into English and the modem version
was first published in 1830 as The Book of Mormon.
The Book of Mormon contains pointed and specific pre-
dictions of its own coming forth in the latter days; and
these prophecies harmonize with the Biblical Scriptures.
The ancient peoples whose voice is again heard among the
living were of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and
therefore of the family of Joseph, son of Jacob. With this
fact in mind, the thoughtful student finds profound signifi-
cance in the otherwise obscure words of Ezekiel (37:15-20) :
"The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, More-
over, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon
14^ The Vitality of Mormonism
it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions :
then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the
stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his com-
panions: And join them one to another into one stick; and
they shall become one in thine hand."
To the puzzled questioners who would ask the meaning
of all this, the prophet was told to declare the Lord's pur-
pose in this wise: "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold I will
take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim,
and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with
him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one
stick, and they shall be one in mine hand."
Plainly the record of Judah, which we recognize as the
Holy Bible, was to be supplemented by the record of
Joseph; and the bringing forth of the latter was to be
effected by the direct exercise of Divine power, for the
Lord said "I will take the stick of Joseph"; and of the
two He averred "they shall be one in mine hand," even as
the prototypes had become one in the hand of Ezekiel.
If the testimony of scholars as to Biblical chronology be
reliable, Lehi and his colony had already crossed the great
waters and become well established in America when Ezekiel
voiced this significant prophecy concerning the "stick" or
record of Joseph as being distinct from that of Judah.
The prediction has been fulfilled. The Holy Bible and the
Book of Mormon, the records of Judah and Joseph respec-
tively, are before the world, each attesting the authenticity
of the other, and each standing as an irrefutable testimony
of the atoning life, death, and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ.
A century and a half earlier, Isaiah had cried wo unto
Ariel, the City of David; and had made distinction between.
Judah who then occupied Ariel or Jerusalem, and another
Voices of the Dead 143
people with whom comparison is made. Note the pre-
diction : "And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak
out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the
dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar
spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out
of the dust." (Isa. 29:4).
The Book of Mormon contains pointed and specific pre-
dictions of its own coming forth in the latter days, and these
prophecies harmonize with the Biblical Scriptures. Nephi,
foreseeing the eventual annihilation of his people as the
result of transgression, and having been shown in vision the
degraded future of the Lamanites, whom he designated "the
seed of my brethren," spoke of the promised restoration
of the records in this wise:
"But behold, I prophesy unto you concerning the last
days; concerning the days when the Lord God shall bring
these things forth unto the children of men. After my
seed and the seed of my brethren shall have dwindled in
unbelief, and shall have been smitten by the Gentiles; yea,
after the Lord God shall have camped against them round
about, and shall have laid siege against them with a mount,
and raised forts against them; and after they shall have
been brought down low in the dust, even that they are not,
yet the words of the righteous shall be written, and the
prayers of the faithful shall be heard, and all those who
have dwindled in unbelief shall not be forgotten. For
those who shall be destroyed shall speak unto them out of
the ground, and their speech shall be low out of the dust,
and their voice shall be as one that hath a familiar spirit;
for the Lord God will give unto him power, that he may
whisper concerning them, even as it were out of the ground ;
and their speech shall whisper out of the dust." (2 Nephi
26).
144 The Vitality of Mormonism
The nation thus "brought down" has spoken "out of the
ground" ; her speech has come forth "out of the dust" ; for
the original of the Book of Mormon was actually taken out
of the ground, and the voice of the sacred record is as that
of one speaking from the dust of the past.
— 38 —
A NEW WITNESS OF THE CHRIST
An Independent Scripture
HE angel Moroni, who made known to Joseph Smith
the existence and repository of the inscribed plates
from which the Book of Mormon has been translated, in-
formed the modern prophet that the metallic pages con-
tained the fulness of the everlasting Gospel as delivered by
the Savior to the former inhabitants of the Western Conti-
nent. The book is more than a series of annals and chron-
icles.
Invaluable as the ancient record may have proved in
giving to man the history of a once mighty but now extinct
nation, in demonstrating the origin and significance of tra-
ditions cherished by the degenerate Indians as evidence of
a more enhghtened past, in explaining ethnological data
otherwise unrelated and largely inexplicable — in these re-
spects the Book of Mormon could have been nothing more
than an important contribution to the common fund of
human knowledge, possibly of great academic interest but
certainly of smaU vital value.
No apology could he consistently demanded for surprise,
wonder, or even incredulity over the announcement of a
messenger sent from the presence of God to restore to the
A New Witness of the Christ 14^5
possession of mortals a mere history of dynasties and
kingdoms, of migrations and battles, of cities builded and
destroyed, and of the rise and fall of commonwealths.
The miraculous interposition of Divine power in such a
matter is without recorded precedent and apparently lack-
ing in the essential element of necessity.
The priceless character of the Book of Mormon lies in its
sacredness as a compilation of Holy Scripture, telling prim-
arily of the dealings of God with the ancient peoples of the
West, of the Divine purpose in their isolation on a previous-
ly unknown continent, the teaching and practise of the Gos-
pel with all its essential laws and ordinances enjoined
through revelation entirely apart from the Biblical Scrip-
tures, and particularly of the solemn testimony of a great
nation relating to the atoning death and literal resurrection
of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and Savior of the race.
The avowed purpose of Jehovah, in leading Lehi and his
colony from Jerusalem and conducting them across the great
waters to the American shores, was to separate unto Him-
self a body of Israelites who would be cleansed from false
tradition and the defiling precepts of men respecting the ap-
pointed mission of Christ in the flesh. As Moses was led
into the desert and later into the mountain top, as Elijah
was impelled to seek the cavern's solitude, that each might
the better hear the Divine voice — so a nation was sequestered
in the New World that they might learn the word of re-
vealed truth in its simplicity and plainness.
In the mind of God it had been decreed that the Hfe,
death, and resurrection of His Only Begotten Son be at-
tested by other witnesses than Galilee, Samaria and Judea.
While Lehi and his people were journeying through the
deserts of Arabia, the Lord revealed by vision and the visita-
tion of angels unto the prophet and again unto Nephi that,
146 The Vitality of Mormonism
six hundred years later, the Son of the Eternal Father would
be born of the Virgin of Nazareth, that He was to be the
Redeemer of the world, that a prophet would go before
Him crying repentance unto the people and baptizing them
in Jordan, and that twelve Apostles would attend the Savior
and continue to teach and administer after the Lord's death
and resurrection.
The doctrine of the coming Christ and the necessity of
repentance and baptism had been preached by prophets
throughout the six centuries of preparation. At the time of
our Lord's birth at Bethlehem, the predicted signs of the
glad event were witnessed in America, and prominent among
these was the absence of darkness between two days. The
tragedy on Calvary was signalized in the West, as the pro-
phets had foretold, by great disturbances of the earth, and
by the continuation of darkness between two nights.
The more righteous part of the people had been preserved
from destruction; and to a multitude of these, assembled
about the Temple, the crucified and resurrected Lord ap-
peared, with the solemn accompanunent of the Father's
proclamation from the heavens : "Behold my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name :
hear ye Him." (3 Nephi, chap. 11).
The people looked upward, "And behold they saw a Man
descending out of heaven; and He was clothed in a white
robe, and He came down and stood in the midst of them, and
the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon Him, and
they durst not open their mouths, even one to another,
and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel
that had appeared unto them. And it came to pass that
He stretched forth His hand and spake unto the people,
saying. Behold, I am Jesus Christ, whom the prophets
testified shall come into the world; And behold, I am the
When Christ Stood on American Soil 147
light and the life of the world ; and I have drunk out of that
bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified
the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the
which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things
from the beginning."
He permitted them to see and feel the wounds of the cross
in His hands, feet, and side ; and they worshiped Him.
The Book of Mormon is a new and independent witness
of the divinity of Jesus Christ and His Gospel, by which
all mankind may be saved through obedience, and without
which no man can have place in the Kingdom of God.
— 39 —
WHEN CHRIST STOOD ON AMERICAN SOIL
His Church Established Among the Ancient Americans
URING His brief period of mortal ministry our Lord
D
the Christ established His Church, with Apostles em-
powered and directed to administer the ordinances essential
to membership and to build up the institution. This was
done in Palestine ; and from that land the message of salva-
tion was carried into every country known to the inhabitants
of the Eastern Continent. In the period immediately fol-
lowing the Lord's departure, the Apostles prosecuted the
work of the ministry with such zeal and effectiveness that we
read of them: "And they went forth, and preached every-
where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word
with signs following." (Mark 16:20).
We are expressly informed of the rapid growth of the
Church in apostolic times. Paul, writing approximately
thirty years after the Ascension, declared that the Gospel
had been made known to every nation — "preached to every
148 The Vitality of Mormonism
creature under heaven," by which comprehensive statement
the Apostle doubtless meant that the Gospel had been so
generally proclaimed in known lands that all who would
might have learned of it.
The Apostles had been instructed to go into aU the world
and to preach the Gospel to every creature, with the assur-
ance that such as accepted their message and were baptized
as the Lord had commanded would be saved, while such as
rejected the Gospel would be damned.
So far as we know, during the apostolic epoch and for
more than a millennium thei-eafter, the existence of a
Western Continent was known to no one in the East. Never-
theless, at that very time and for centuries before, America
was inhabited by powerful nations, who exhibited the entire
range of attainment from savagery to refinement and culture,
and all the gradations from deviltry to godliness.
It was obviously impossible for the Galilean Apostles, by
any but miraculous and supernatural aid, to carry the
Gospel to the western world, and we find scriptural warrant
for the assertion that they did not so.
Nevertheless, the Church of Jesus Christ was established
upon the American continent, and that through the personal
ministry of the Risen Lord, soon after His ascension from
Mount Olivet. The Book of Mormon contains a circum-
stantial account of this marvelous theophany.
Jesus Christ visited the aboriginal peoples of the Western
Continent. His identity affirmed by the voice of the Eternal
Father and by His own solemn testimony, the Resurrected
Christ, still bearing the wounds of the cross in hands and
feet and side, declared that the old order under the Mosaic
Law was fulfilled and abrogated in Him ; and straightway He
proceeded to organize His Church under the new or Gosj>el
dispensation.
When Christ Stood on American SoU 149
He chose twelve men, whom He ordained to be special wit-
nesses of Himself and the Church; and to them He gave
authority to administer the ordinances essential to salvation,
as He had done on the other hemisphere.
Baptism had been practised among the Nephites prior to
this visitation, and disputation had arisen as to the mode
and purpose of the ordinance. The Savior cautioned the
Nephite Twelve and the people generally against schism and
contention. To the ordained disciples He said:
"On this wise shall ye baptize; and there shall be no dis-
putations among you. Verily I say unto you, that whoso
repenteth of his sins through your words, and desireth to
be baptized in my name, on this wise shall ye baptize them:
behold, ye shall go down and stand in the water, and in my
name shall ye baptize them. And now behold, these are the
words which ye shall say, calling them by name, saying:
Having authority given me of Jesus Christ, I baptize you
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Ghost. Amen. And then shall ye immerse them in the
water, and come forth again out of the water. . . . And
there shall be no disputations among you, as there hath
hitherto been ; neither shall there be disputations among you
concerning the points of my doctrine, as there hath hitherto
been. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the
spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is
the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of
men to contend with anger, one with' another. . . . And
this is my doctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father
hath given unto me. . . And whoso believeth in me, and
is baptized, the same shall be saved ; and they are they who
shall inherit the kingdom of God. And whoso believeth not
in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned." (Book of
Mormon, 3 Nephi 11).
150 The Vitality of MormonisTit
Then by specific commission He empowered the Twelve
Disciples to administer the higher baptism of the Spirit, or
the bestowal of the Gift of the Holy Ghost.
The sacrament of bread and wine was instituted by the
Lord for the further blessing of those who, after due con-
fession of faith and repentance, had been baptized in His
name. As to partaking of the broken and consecrated bread
He gave special commandment : "And this shall ye do in
remembrance of my body, which I have shewn unto you.
And it shall be a testimony unto the Father, that ye do
always remember me. And if ye do always remember me,
ye shall have my Spirit to be with you."
In connection with the administration of the sacramental
wine He said: "Ye shall do it in remembrance of my blood,
which I have shed for you, that ye may witness unto the
Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always
remember me, ye shall have my Spirit to be with you." (18:
7-11).
We read further: "And they who were baptized in the
name of Jesus were called the Church of Christ." (26:21).
Thus was the Church of Jesus Christ organized among the
ancient Americans. For nearly two centuries it flourished
with such fruitage of blessing as had never before been
known. Then the weeds of dissension attained so rank a
growth as to well-nigh smother the tree of the Lord's own
planting. Man-made churches sprang up, and persecution,
foul sister to intolerance, became rampant.
About four hundred years after the visitation of Christ,
the Church in America ceased to exist, for an overwhelming
tide of apostasy had swept the New as well as the Old World,
and by Divine allowance the Nephite nation fell a prey to
its hereditary foes.
East and West in One Acclaim 161
— 40 —
EAST AND WEST IN ONE ACCLAIM
That Jesus is the Christ ■
TWO national histories, separate and distinct, wntten
on opposite hemispheres, unite in circumstantial tes-
timony of the Lord Jesus Christ as the World's Redeemer ;
and these are embodied in independent volumes of Scripture
—The Holy Bible and The Book of Mormon.
The evidence of witnesses, whether individuals, coteries
or nations, refutes itself if it fail in consistency, mutual
support, and agreement in all substantial. The most crit-
ical examination of these two compilations of Scripture as
to this vital feature is invited.
Among the outstanding facts of profoundest import re-
corded in the Bible concerning Jesus Christ and His mission
are these:
1. His preexistence and antemortal Godship.
2. His foreordination as the Redeemer and Savior of
mankind.
3. Predictions of His embodiment in the flesh, as the
Son of the Eternal Father and of mortal woman.
4. The fulfilment of these predictions in His birth as
Mary's Child.
5. The sending of a forerunner, John the Baptist, to
prepare the way for the Lord's public ministry.
6. Christ's eartlily life, covering about a third of a
century, characterized by beneficent service, by author-
itative administration, and by unexceptionable example,
7. The establishment of His Church with duly ordained
Apostles, who, with other ministers invested with the Holy
162 The Vitality of Mormonism
Priesthood, carried forward the work of salvation after
the Lord's departure.
8. The specific and authentic enunciation of the funda-
mental pi-inciples and ordinances of the Gospel, by which
the way of salvation has been opened to all, and without
which none can abide in the Kingdom of God, these com-
prising: (1) Faith in Him as the Son of God and the
Redeemer of the world; (2) Repentance of sin; (3) Bap-
tism by immersion for the remission of sins; and (4) Be-
stowal of the Holy Ghost by the authoritative laying on
of hands.
9. The Lord's sacrificial and atoning death.
10. His actual resurrection, whereby His spirit was
reunited with the crucified body and He became a glorified
and immortalized Soul.
11. His ministry as a Resurrected Being among men.
12. His exaltation to the place He had won at the right
hand of God the Eternal Father.
13. The general apostasy of mankind from the Gospel
of Christ, bringing about an era of spiritual darkness.
14. The restoration of the Holy Priesthood in the lat-
ter days, by which the Gospel would be again preached in
power and its ordinances administered for the salvation of
men.
15. The assurance of our Lord's yet future return to
earth, in glory and judgment, to inaugurate the predicted
Millennium of peace and righteousness.
16. His eternal status as Judge of both quick and dead,
and the eventual Victor over sin and death.
In every particular, even to circumstantial detail, the
Scriptures of the West accord with those of the East in
their solemn witness to these portentous developments of the
Divine plan, which has for its purpose "the immortality and
East aiid West in One Acclaim 163
eternal life of man." The voice of the continents, the in-
dependent testimonies of Judah and Ephraim, the Scrip-
tures of the Jews and those of the Nepliites, are heard in
tuneful harmony bearing true witness to the world of the
everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In vindication of the prophets of both East and West, the
Holy Priesthood has been restored to the earth in this latter
age, and the saving ordinances of the Lord's House are
again administered for the salvation of souls. In this
glorious restoration, coupled with the miraculous bringing
forth of the Book of Mormon, is found a rich fulfilment of
ancient prophecy; for verily Truth has sprung out of the
earth, and Righteousness has come down from heaven. (See
Psa. 85:11).
Now, in olden times at least two witnesses were required
to establish the truth of any important fact; and thus
spake the Lord respecting the independent testimony of
nations concerning Himself: ''Wherefore murmur ye, be-
cause that ye shall receive more of my word.? Know ye not
that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you
that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto
another.? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one
nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall
run together, the testimony of the two nations shall run
together also. . . . Wherefore, because that ye have a
Bible, ye need not suppose that it contains all my words;
neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be
written. . . . For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews,
and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the
Nephites, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak
unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led
away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto
all nations of the earth, and they shall write it. . . . And
154f The Vitality of Mormonism
it shall come to pass that my people which are of the house
of Israel, shall be gathered home unto the lands of their
possessions ; and my word also shall be gathered in one."
(2 Nephi 29).
The theme of this unified anthem of Divine ministry is
the preparation of the race for the impending advent of
the Lord, who shall stand in Bodily Presence upon the earth,
to subdue wickedness and reign in righteousness in company
with all who shall have become His.
— 41 --
SHEEP OF ANOTHER FOLD
Shepherds and Sheep-Herders
OUR Lord's hkening Himself to a shepherd and His
followers to sheep has been an inspiration to poets,
preachers, artists, and devout souls generally throughout
the centuries of our era. While all His discourses are
fraught with a significance that increases with repeated
readings, some of His utterances are of outstanding interest
because of their universal application and personal appeal.
The sermon of the Good Shepherd is prominent in this class.
Read John 10.
None other than the Lord Himself has depicted so force-
fully and yet simply the contrast between shepherd and
sheep-herder, between owner and hireling, between him who
is ready to defend the sheep because he loves them, and the
other who sees in the flock only so much wool, hide, and
mutton.
Our literature contains no more striking differentiation
of devoted service from money -loving effort than that pre-
Sheep of Another Fold 165
sented in this brief, terse, yet comprehensive discourse.
Every efficient laborer is worthy of his hire, or ought to be,
be he plowman, artizan or professional, artist, teacher or
preacher. Far from there being discredit in receiving wage
for work, this reciprocal relationship is a fundamental ne-
cessity of community existence. But he whose sole purpose
and interest is the wage, without devotion to the service
for its intrinsic good, is but a hired servant and likely
so to remain.
Never has been spoken a stronger arraignment of insin-
cere teachers, false pastors, self-seeking hirelings — those
who teach for pelf and divine for dollars, robbers who pose
as shepherds yet avoid the door to the fold and climb up
"some other way," prophets in the devil's employ who, to
achieve their master's purpose, hesitate not to robe them-
selves in assumed sanctity, and appear in sheep's clothing
while inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matt. 7:15).
In the record of this profound discourse, one verse ap-
pears as an abrupt interpolation, bearing little relation aside
from imagery with preceding or following verses. This
reads : "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold :
them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and
there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (John 10:16).
The Bible contains no related passage affording explana-
tion. Commentators treat this verse as an isolated and
unconnected utterance, and content themselves with the sug-
gestion that the "other sheep" may be the Gentile nations
who are to be brought into the Jewish fold under the one
Shepherd. The Jews who heard the Lord speak so under-
stood Him. The Book of Mormon, however, illumines our
understanding of the quoted Scripture, and explains the
Lord's purpose in speaking as He did and in leaving the
subject without further exposition.
156 The Vitality of Mormonism
Shortly after His ascension, Christ visited a detached
body of Israelites then existing as a great nation on the
Western Continent. To them He declared Himself to be
the slain and resurrected Son of God, through whom alone
salvation was made possible to man. He gave them pre-
cepts and commandments, and chose twelve disciples whom
He ordained to teach the Gospel and to administer in His
name the ordinances thereof. To them He said, referring
to the Jews amongst whom He had lived and died :
"This much did the Father command me, that I should
tell unto them: That other sheep I have, which are not of
this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my
voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. And
now because of stiifneckedness and unbelief, they understood,
not my word; therefore I was commanded to say no more
of the Father concerning this thing unto them. . . . And
verily, I say unto you, that ye are they of whom I said:
Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I
must bring, and they shall hear my voice ; and there shall be
one fold, and one shepherd. And they understood me not,
for they supposed it had been the Gentiles ; for they under-
stood not that the Gentiles should be converted through
their preaching. And they understood me not that I said
they shall hear my voice ; and they understood me not that
the Gentiles should not at any time hear my voice; that I
should not manifest myself unto them, save it were by the
Holy Ghost. But behold, ye have both heard my voice,
and seen me; and ye are my sheep, and ye are numbered
among those whom the Father hath given me." (Book of
Mormon, 3 Nephi 15:16-24).
It is evident that even the Jewish Apostles had failed to
apprehend the real significance of the Master's words; for
they had vaguely surmised that He would manifest Himself
From God to Man 157
in personal ministry among the Gentiles, oblivious to the
fact that He had been sent to the lost sheep of the House
of Israel; and that only through the ministrations of His
ordained representatives would the Gospel be declared to
the Gentile world.
But, as other parts of the sacred record make plain,
the Gospel is offered freely to the Gentiles of the earth,
and they through acceptance and obedience shall be num-
bered with Israel and be made partakers of the blessings
assured by covenant to the righteous. See Book of Mor-
mon, 2 Nephi 30:2; 3 Nephi 16:13.
FROM GOD TO MAN
Divine Communication in the Current Age
WE believe all that God has revealed, all that He does
now reveal, and we believe that he will yet reveal
many great and important things pertaining to the King-
dom of God. (Articles of Faith, No. 9).
Revelation, direct and personal from God to men, is the
dominant theme of Scripture. Expunge from the Bible
all record of actual revelation and reference thereto, and
what remains.? Nothing more than a variety of historical
sketches, chronicles, genealogical data, some chapters of
ethical value, a few poetical rhapsodies, proverbs, and alle-
gories.
Every believer in the authenticity of the Holy Bible ac-
knowledges that God literally spake to Adam, Enoch, Noah,
Abraham, Jacob, and Moses, and that specific revelation
was given to Israel during the time of the Judges, and on
158 The VitaUty of Mormonism
to David and Solomon, tlience to John who was the im-
mediate forerunner of the Messiah. The actuality of
Divine revelation through duly constituted prophets, seers,
and revelators, has been so generally accepted throughout
the ages, and is so abundantly attested, that by all rules
of argument and debate the burden of proof naturally and
.properly falls upon him who denies.
Continued revelation of the Divine will and purpose is
in harmony with the spirit of the times. In no phase of
human effort and advancement, save only that of the soul's
salvation, do men venture to assert or even think that we
have learned all there is to learn. What of a college pro-
fessor in chemistry, geology, or astronomy, who would con-
fine his students to the conning of books that tell of early
discoveries, with the dictum that nothing remains to be dis-
covered, instead of guiding them in laboratory and field,
and in the searching of the outer deep with telescope and
spectroscope, in the confident hope of finding new truths?
Revelation is God's means of communication with His
children, and we deny the consistent and unchangeable
character of Deity when we say that God has revealed Him-
self to man, but cannot or will not do so again. Is it
reasonable to hold that in one age the Church of Christ
was blessed, enlightened, and guided by direct revelation
and that at another time the Church is to be left to itself,
sustained only by the dead letter of earlier days? The
living Church must be in vital communication with its
Divine Head.
The Christ Himself was a revelator, through whom the
Father's will was made known to man. Notwithstanding
His personal authority as Jehovah, God though He had
been, was, and is, while He lived as a Man among men
Jesus Christ declared His work to be that of One greater
From God to Man 159
than Himself, from whom He had been sent, and by whom
He was instructed and directed. Note His words: "For
I have not spoken of myself; but the Father wliich sent
me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and
what I should speak. And I know that his commandment
is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as
the Father said unto me, so I speak." (John 12:49-50).
The recreant and unbelieving Jews rejected their Lord
because He came to them with a new revelation. Had
they not Moses and the prophets? What more could they
need.'' They openly boasted "We are Moses' disciples,"
and added "We know that God spake unto Moses; as for
this fellow, we know not from whence he is." (John 9:28-
29). Those who deny the possibility of present day reve-
lation are not distinguished by originality; they follow a
beaten path, hard trodden by ignoble feet.
The Apostles ministered under the guiding influence
of revelation. Paul writing to the Corinthians said: "But
o
God hath revealed them [Divine truths] unto us by his
Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep
things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a
man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the
things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."
(1 Cor. 2:10-12).
The imperative need of continued revelation appears in
the fact that new conditions and unprecedented combina-
tions of circumstances arise with the passage of time, and
Divine direction alone can meet the new issues.
The Apostle John knew that in the last days, these
present days, the voice of God would be heard calling His
people from the Babylon of sin to the Zion of safety:
"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying. Come out
of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins.
160 The Vitality of Mormonism
and that ye receive not of her plagues." (Rev. 18:4; see
also 14:6).
Nephi, an ancient prophet whose record appears in the
Book of Mormon, addressed himself to the unbelievers of
the last days, and thus predicted the bringing forth of
additional Scriptures: "And it shall come to pass, that the
Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words of a book,
and they shall be the words of them which have slumbered.
And behold the book shall be sealed : and in the book shall
be a revelation from God." (2 Nephi, 27:6-7).
Through the Hebrew prophet Malachi the Lord promised
additional revelation in the last days, by the coming of
Elijah with a special and particular commission. (Mai. 4:
5-6). These prophecies have been fulfilled to the letter in
modern time, the first by the bringing forth of the Book
of Mormon and its publication to the world: the latter by
the inauguration of vicarious work for the dead through
the personal visitation of Elijah, a work now in vigorous
prosecution in the Temples erected and maintained by the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Not only has the voice of God been heard in modern
times, but His words spell rebuke and reproof unto those
who would close His mouth and estrange Him from His
people. Verily hath He spoken, "proving to the world
that the Holy Scriptures are true, and that God does in-
spire men and call them to his holy work in this age and
generation, as well as in generations of old, thereby show-
ing that he is the same God yesterday, to-day, and for
ever." (Doctrine & Covenants 20:11-12). Of old the
Lord proclaimed: "Wo be unto him that shall say, We
have received the word of God, and we need no more of
the word of God, for we have enough" (Book of Mormon,
2 Nephi 28:29) ; and in this age hath He spoken words of
w
The Tragedy of Israel 161
admonition and warning: "Deny not the Spirit of revela-
tion, nor the Spirit of prophecy, for wo unto him that
denieth these things." (Doctrine & Covenants 11:25).
— 43 —
THE TRAGEDY OF ISRAEL
A Nation Without a Country
E believe in the literal gathering of Israel, and in
the restoration of the Ten Tribes, etc. (Articles of
Faith, No. 10).
The gathering of Israel is contingent upon the fact of
that people's dispersion. Consideration of the scattering
is a necessary prehminary to a study of the reassembling of
Israel's hosts.
God made covenant with Abraham that through him
and his posterity should all nations of the earth be blessed.
A rich fulfilment of the promise is found in the earthly
birth of the Christ through the lineage of Abraham. Fur-
ther and related fulfilment appears in the effect of the dis-
tribution of Israelites amongst other nations through en-
forced dispersion.
Abraham's descendants through his son Isaac and grand-
son Jacob have been distinctively known since Jacob's time
as Israelites, or the Children of Israel. As the Old Testa-
ment avouches they grew to be a mighty nation, distin-
guished in certain respects from all other peoples. They
were particularly characterized as "Jehovah worshipers,"
professing allegiance to the living God, whilst all the rest
of the world was pagan and idolatrous. By their world-
wide dispersion a knowledge of the true and living God
has been diffused.
162 The Vitality of Mormonism
So long as the Israelites were true to the Divine cove-
nants made with Abraham, and reaffirmed severally with
Isaac and Jacob, they prospered in material things as in
spiritual power. So far as they became alienated through
pagan practises and unrighteous affiliations, they suffered
both individually and as a nation.
The Lord set before them the alternative of blessed per-
petuity incident to their faithfulness, or disruption and
subjugation to alien powers as the sure result of disobedi-
ence to Divine requirement. Both sacred and secular his-
tory make plain that Israel chose the evil part, forfeiting
the promised blessings, reaping the foretold curses.
At the death of Solomon the nation was divided. Ap-
proximately two of the twelve tribes became established
as the Kingdom of Judah, and came in time to be currently
known as Jews ; the rest of the tribes retained the title
Kingdom of Israel, though known also by the name of
Ephraim. The division led eventually to the eclipse of
botli kingdoms as autonomous powers among the known
nations of the earth.
The Kingdom of Israel was subdued by the Assyrians
about 721 B. C. ; the people were carried into captivity,
and later disappeared so completely from history as to
be designated the Lost Tribes. These are the ten tribes
whose restoration is predicted as an event of latter times.
The Kingdom of Judah maintained a precarious and par-
tial independence for a little more than a century after
the Assyrian captivity, and then fell a prey to the conquer-
ing hosts of Nebuchadnezzar. After seventy years of
bondage, the period specified through prophecy by Jere-
miah (25:11,12; 29:10), a considerable number of tJie
people were permitted to return to Judea, where they re-
built the temple, and vainly strove to reestablish themselves
The Tragedy of Israel 163
on the scale of their vanished greatness. They were im-
poverished by the aggressions of Syria and Egypt, and
eventually became tributary to Rome, in which condition
of vassalage they existed at the time of Christ's earthly
ministry amongst them.
From the numerous Biblical prophecies relating to
Israel's dispersion the following are cited as particularly
illustrative :
"And the Lord shall scatter you among the nations, and
ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither
the Lord shall lead you." (Deut. 4:27.)
"And I will scatter thee among the heathen, and disperse
thee in the countries, and will consume thy filthiness out of
thee." (Ezek. 22:15).
"For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of
Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve,
yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth." (Amos
9:9).
"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall
be led away captive into all nations : and Jerusalem shall
be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the
Gentiles be fulfilled." (Luke 21:24.).
And so, in progressive stages, the covenant people of
God have been scattered. The bringing of a body of
Israelites to the Western Continent six centuries before the
birth of Clirist, of which the Book of Mormon bears rec-
ord, was part of the general dispersion, and was so recog-
nized by Nephite prophets.
Since the destruction of Jerusalem and the final disrup-
tion of the Jewish nation by the Romans, A. D. 71, the
Jews have been largely wanderers upon the face of the
earth, outcasts among the nations, a people without a
country, a nation without a home. Israel has been sifted
164 TJie Vitality of Mormonism
"like as corn is sifted in a sieve"; but, be it remembered
that coupled with the dread prediction was the assuring
promise "Yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth."
The record made by that division of the house of Israel
which took its departure from Jerusalem, and made its way
to the Western Hemisphere about 600 B. C, contains many
references to the dispersions that had already taken place,
and to the continuation of the scattering which was to the
writers of the Book of Mormon yet future. In the course of
the journey to the coast, the prophet Lehi, while encamped
with his family and other followers in the valley of Lemuel
on the borders of the Red Sea, declared what he had learned
by revelation of the future "dwindling of the Jews in un-
belief," of their crucifying the Messiah, and of their scat-
tering "upon all the face of the earth." He compared
Israel to an olive tree, the branches of which were to be
broken off and distributed; and he recognized the exodus
of his colony, and their journeying afar, as an incident in
the general plan of dispersion.
Nephi, the son of Lehi, also beheld in vision the scatter-
ing of the covenant people of God, and on this point added
his testimony to that of his prophet-father. He saw also
that the seed of his brethren, subsequently known as the
Lamanites, were to be chastened for their unbelief, and that
tJiey were destined to become subject to the Gentiles, and
to be scattered before them. Down the prophetic vista of
years, he saw also the bringing forth of sacred records,
other than those then known, "unto the convincing of the
Gentiles, and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and
also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the
earth."
After their arrival on the promised land, the colony led
by Lehi received further information regarding the dis-
The Gathermg of the Tribes 165
persion of Israel. The prophet Zenos, quoted by Nephi,
had predicted the unbelief of the house of Israel, in conse-
quence of which these covenant ones of God were to "wander
in the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a by-word,
and be hated among all nations."
The brothers of Nephi, skeptical in regard to these
teachings, asked whether the things of which he spake were
to come to pass in a spiritual sense, or more literally ; and
were informed that "the house of Israel, sooner or later,
will be scattered upon all the face of the earth, and also
among all nations" ; and further, in reference to dispersions
then already accomplished, that "the more part of all the
tribes have been led away; and they are scattered to and
fro upon the isles of the sea"; and then, by way of pre-
diction concerning further division and separation, Nephi
adds that the Gentiles shall be given power over the people
of Israel, "and by them shall our seed be scattered."
The day of deliverance for Israel is near at hand; the
restoration of the ancient Kingdom of Judah, and of the
remnants of all the tribes distributed throughout the earth,
as well as bringing forth from their long exile the tribes
that have been lost, are particularly specified as events of
the current dispensation, directly precedent to the second
advent of the Christ.
— 44 —
THE GATHERING OF THE TRIBES
Judah and Israel to Come Into Their Own
WE believe in the literal gathering of Israel, and in the
restoration of the Ten Tribes, etc. (Articles of
Faith, No. 10).
166 The Vitality of Mormonism
As complete as was the scattering, so shall the gathering
of Israel be. Great as has been the chastisement of the
covenant though recreant people, all through their cen-
turies of suffering they have been sustained by the Divine
promise of recovery and rehabilitation. Though despised
of men, a large part of them gone from the knowledge of
tlie world, the people of Israel are not lost to their God,
who knows whither they have been led or driven. Note the
paternal affection, in which appears commiseration for the
plight into which they had brought themselves through sin :
"And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their
enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor
them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant
with them : for I am the Lord their God." (Lev. 26 :44 ; see
also Deut. 4:26-31).
Isaiah thus forcefully proclaims the purposes of God
to be fulfilled in the last, the current, age: "And it shall
come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand
again the second time to recover the remnant of his people,
which shall be left. . . . And he shall set up an ensign for
the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and
gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four
corners of the earth." (Isa. 11:11-12).
So mom-entous shall be the assembling of the tribes in
their respective places of gathering, that the event shall
be held to surpass the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian
bondage, for thus hath the Lord spoken: "Therefore, be-
hold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more
be said, The Lord livcth, that brought up the children of
Israel out of the land of Egypt; But The Lord liveth,
that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the
north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them:
and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto
The Gathering of the Tribes 167
their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the
Lord, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for
many hunters, and they shall hunt them from, every moun-
tain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks."
(Jer. 16:14-16).
To these Biblical citations let us add the words of the
Lord Jesus Christ, given to His Apostles just prior to
His death and specified as one of the signs to precede His
later coming: "And he shall send his angels with a great
sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect
from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
(Matt. 24:31).
Two gathering centers are distinctively mentioned, and
the maintenance of a separate autonomy for the ancient
kingdoms of Judah and Israel is repeatedly affirmed in
Scripture, with Jerusalem and Zion as the respective capi-
tals. In the light of modern revelation by which many
ancient passages are illumined and made clear, we hold that
the Jerusalem of Judea is to be rebuilt by the reassembled
house of Judah, and that Zion is to be built up on the
American continent by the gathered hosts of Israel, other
than the Jews. When such shall have been accomplished,
Christ shall personally rule in the earth, and then shall
be realized the glad fulfilment: "For out of Zion shall go
forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."
(Isa. 2:3; see also Joel 3:16: Zeph.'3:14).
Book of Mormon prophecies are plain in defining the
extent and purpose of the latter-day gathering. Be it re-
membered that it was the people who once constituted the
kingdom of Judah, the Jews, not the entire house of Israel,
who rejected Jesus as the Son of God and the fo reappointed
Redeemer. By the Nephites who dwelt on the American
continent, an Israelitish branch. He was received and wor-
168 The Vitality of Mormonism
shipped as the Christ (see Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11) ;
and the tenor of Book of Mormon Scriptures warrants the
inference that He was accepted by the Lost Tribes, to
whom He went to minister in person after His several visi-
tations in the resurrected state to the Nephites. (See 3
Nephi 15:15 and 16:1-3; compare 2 Nephi 29:12-13).
The rehabilitation of the Jewish nation is assured, and
the prominent part to be taken in that work by Gentile
nations is defined in prophecy. So spake Jehovah through
His prophet Nephi :
"But behold, thus saith the Lord God: When the day
cometh that they shall believe in me, that I am Christ, then
have I covenanted with their fathers that they shall be
restored in the flesh, upon the earth, unto the lands of their
inheritance. And it shall come to pass that they shall be
gathered in from their long dispersion, from the isles of
the sea, and from the four parts of the earth; and the
nations of the Gentiles shall be great in the eyes of me,
saith God, in carrying them forth to the lands of their
inheritance. Yea, the kings of the Gentiles shall be nurs-
ing fathers unto them, and their queens shall become nurs-
ing mothers ; wherefore, the promises of the Lord are great
unto the Gentiles, for he hath spoken it, and who can
dispute.?" (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 10:7-9; see also
25:15-17).
The work of gathering is well under way; and among
the far-reaching results of the World War is the partici-
pation of the Gentile nations in providing for the reas-
sembling of Israel. It is the privilege of the Gentiles to
assist in the gathering of the Jews on the Eastern, and the
other branches of Israel on the Western Continent; and
so far as they shall accept the Gospel of Jesus Christ the
Gentiles shall be numbered with the covenant people and
America the Land of Zion 169
share with them the plenitude of blessings, in their own
right, for, verily, God is no respecter of persons.
— 45 —
AMERICA THE LAND OF ZION
The Place of the New Jerusalem
WE believe in the literal gathering of Israel, and in the
restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion will be
built upon this [the American] continent; etc. (Articles
of Faith, No. 10).
The Holy Bible makes frequent mention of Zion and
Jerusalem with the context showing that the terms are
used interchangeably if not as precise synonyms. This
application of different names to the same place is justi-
fied by the fact that within the walls of the Jerusalem of
old was a hill specifically called Mount Zion, and by con-
traction, Zion.
But the two names appear in other Biblical passages
with distinctive meaning, indicating different places, and
expressive of contrast instead of identity. For example,
consider the prophecy voiced by Isaiah relating to a time
yet future: "Oh Zion that bringest good tidings, get thee
up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest
good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength: lift it up,
be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your
God." (Isa. 40:9).
The same prophet refers to a Zion of the last days in
which the righteous shall be safeguarded, this to be in a
mountainous land, with the "munitions of rocks" as a de-
fense; and he particularly states that the land is very far
off. (See Isa. 33: 14-17).
170 The Vitality of Mormonism
More definite than Bible prophecies, however, are the
predictions relating to the latter-day Zion made by pro-
phets who ministered on the American continent many cen-
turies prior to the rediscovery of the New World by Colum-
bus. In the Book of Moitnon the names Zion and New
Jerusalem are used with allied meaning and sometimes
synonymously.
Near the beginning of the sixth century before Christ's
birth. Ether, a Jaredite prophet, compiled the history of his
people from the time of their coming to America soon
after the dispersion from Babel. Even before they had
crossed the ocean, the sanctity of the Western Continent as
a foreappointed land for people who would observe the
laws of righteousness was made known to the Jaredites. In
a summary of Ether's record, Moroni the Nephite who lived
a thousand years after the extinction of the Jaredites, says
of the latter:
"And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop
beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they
should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was
choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had pre-
served for a righteous people. And he had sworn in his
wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess
this land of promise from that time henceforth and for-
ever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they
should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should
come upon them. . . . For behold this is a land which is
choice above all other lands ; wherefore he that doth possess
it shall serve God, or shall be swept off; for it is the ever-
lasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of
iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept
off." (Book of Mormon, Ether 2:7-10).
America the Land of Zion 171
The inspired admonition of these ancient prophets to
the inhabitants of America today, that they observe and
uphold the principles of righteousness, which embody just
government and true hberty under equitable laws, may
profitably be taken to heart by people of all conditions and
degrees.
America is the Land of Zion, and as the people of this
continent render allegiance to the God of Israel who is
verily the God of all mankind, the land shall be sacred to
liberty as the inheritance of the house of Israel. In it the
Gentiles shall be potent, and shall be numbered with Israel
according to their deserts. To the Nephites the Lord gave
this far-reaching and blessed promise.
"But behold, this land, saith God, shall be a land of thine
inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the
land. And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the
Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land, who
shall raise up unto the Gentiles. And I will fortify this
land against all other nations. And he that fighteth
against Zion shall perish, saith God; for he that raiseth
up a king against me shall perish, for I, the Lord, the king
of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them
for ever, that hear my words." (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi
10:10-14).
Zion is to be established on this continent, and as the
word of modern revelation avers, in the western part of the
United States (See Doctrine and Covenants 45:64-71; 57:
1-5). The time of the blessed consummation is conditioned
by the fitness of the people. Hither shall come the hosts
of scattered Israel, and the Lost Tribes from their long
obscurity. Here shall yet be built the City of the Lord,
Zion, the New Jerusalem, which in time shall be made one
with the "Holy City," which the Revelator saw "coming
172 The Vitality of Mormomsm
down from God, out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband." (Rev. 21:2).
Holy Scriptures, of both ancient and latter days, aver
that the Lost Tribes of Israel shall be brought forth from
the place whereunto the Lord has led them, and shall figure
in the general gathering incident to the Dispensation of
the Fulness of Times. Touching this feature of the Divine
purpose in the time of restoration, we are told:
"And they who are in the north countries shall come in
remembrance before the Lord, and their prophets shall hear
his voice and shall no longer stay themselves, and they shall
smite the rocks, and the ice shall flow down at their pres-
ence. And an highway shall be cast up in the midst of the
great deep. Their enemies shall become a prey unto them.
And in the barren deserts there shall come forth pools of
living water; and the parched ground shall no longer be
a thirsty land. And they shall bring forth their rich
treasures unto the children of Ephraim my servants. And
the boundaries of the everlasting hills shall tremble at
their presence. And there shall they fall down and be
crowned with glory, even in Zion, by the hands of the
servants of the Lord, even the children of Ephraim; and
they shall be filled with songs of everlasting joy. Behold,
this is the blessing of the everlasting God upon the tribes
of Israel, and the richer blessing upon the head of Ephraim
and his fellows." (Doctrine & Covenants 133:26-34).
w
The Coming of the Lord 173
— 46 —
THE COMING OF THE LORD
The Consummation of the Ages
E believe . . . that Christ will reign personally upon
the earth; etc. (Articles of Faith, No. 10).
"Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into
heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you
into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen
him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11). So spake the white-
robed angels to the Apostles as the resurrected Christ
ascended from their midst on Mount Olivet. The assertion
is definite, unambiguous, easy to comprehend. Jesus the
Christ is to return to earth "in like manner" as He went,
therefore as a material Being, a living Personage, having
a tangible immortalized body of flesh and bones.
The actuaHty of the Lord's future advent is attested by
the utterances of holy prophets both before and since the
brief period of His ministry in the flesh, and by His own
unequivocal avowal. Consider the following:
"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his
Father with his angels ; and then he shall reward every
man according to his works." (Matt. 16:27).
"For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words,
of him shaU the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come
in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."
(Luke 9:26; comjiare Mark 8:38).
The Master had so eff*ectively instructed the Apostles con-
cerning His assured death and His later return to earth
in power and glory, that they eagerly inquired as to the
time and signs of His coming. (See Matt. chap. 24).
174 The Vitality of Mormonism
Though they failed to comprehend the full import of His
reply, He told them that many great developments would
intervene between His departure and return; but as to the
certainty of His advent as Judge, and Lord, and King,
Jesus left no excuse for dubiety in their minds. Through-
out the apostolic period the Lord's coming was preached
with the emphasis of inspired and convicting testimony.
Book of Mormon prophecies concerning the great event
are no whit less exphcit. To the Nephites the resurrected
Christ preached the Gospel of salvation; "And He did ex-
pound all things, even from the beginning until the time
that He should come in His glory." (Book of Mormon,
3 Nephi 26:3).
Questions of supreme import to every one of us are these:
(1) When will Christ come? (2) What shall be the purpose
and attendant conditions of His coming?
The date of the Lord's advent has never been revealed
to man, nor shall it be. Prior to His resurrection Jesus
Himself did not know it, as witness His words : "But of that
day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels
which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father."
(Mark 13:32).
In the present age the Father hath declared: "And they
have done unto the Son of Man even as they listed ; and He
has taken His power on the right hand of His glory, and
now reigneth in the heavens, and will reign till He descends
on the earth to put all enemies under His feet, which time
is nigh at hand. I, tlie Lord God, have spoken it, but the
hour and the day no man knoweth, neither the angels in
heaven, nor shall they know until He comes." (Doctrine
and Covenants 49:6-7).
In the light of such scriptural affirmations we may dis-
miss as empty conjecture all alleged determinations as to
The Coming of the Lord 175
the precise time of the Lord's appearing. Nevertheless,
the specified signs and conditions by which is shown the
imminence of the event are definite, and from these we know
that the great daj^ of the Lord is very near. So near is
the consummation that the intervening period is called "to-
day"; and on the morrow mankind shall rejoice or tremble
at the presence of the Lord. (See Doctrines and Cove-
nants 64:23-25).
Christ's advent shall be made with the accompaniment
of power and great glory. While in suddenness and un-
expectedness to the unobserving it shall be comparable to
the coming of a thief in the night, it shall be a manifesta-
tion of surpassing glory to all the world: "For as the
lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the
west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
(Matt. 24:27).
With the Lord's appearing a general resurrection of
the righteous dead shall be effected, and many then in the
flesh shall be changed from the mortal to the immortal state
without the intervening experience of prolonged disembodi-
ment or the sleep of the grave. (See 1 Thess. 4:14-17).
"And the face of the Lord shall be unveiled; And the
saints that are upon the earth, who are alive, shall be quick-
ened, and be caught up to meet Him. And they who have
slept in their graves shall come forth ; for their graves shall
be opened, and they also shall be caught up to meet Him
in the midst of the pillar of heaven." (Doctrine and Cove-
nants 88:95-97).
Then shall be established the era of peace, the predicted
Millennium, in which Christ shall dwell with men, and shall
rule in the earth as Lord and King.
176 The Vitality of Mormonism
— 47 —
THE FEDERATION OF THE WORLD
w
A Thousand Years of Peace
E believe . . . that Christ will reign personally
upon the earth, and that the earth will be renewed
and receive its paradisiacal glory. (Articles of Faith, No.
10).
Through the lurid gloom of smoke and fire in which the
nations have been enshrouded, amidst the awful stench of
blood that has sickened the world, mankind has had reason
to rejoice in the enlightening beams of comforting assur-
ance that an era of peace is to be established. And this
shall be a peace that cannot be broken, for righteousness
shall rule, and man's birthright to liberty shall be inviolate.
Of necessity this blessed state shall be attained only after
due preparation; for in the economy of God it would be as
incongruous to force upon mankind an unappreciated and
undesired boon as to arbitrarily afflict with an undeserved
curse.
The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign personally
upon the earth is near at hand, for the Scriptures so attest.
Prophecies relating to this impending event specify a period
of a thousand years, distinctively known as the Millennium,
which in certain conditions shall differ from both preceding
and succeeding time. While this period is nowise indica-
tive of a limitation to the Lord's dominion, it specifies the
duration of a particular part of His ministry, even as the
epoch of His administration in the flesh is measurable in
terms of years and days.
Unto righteous Enoch, who walked with God and was
The Federation of the World 177
taken bodily from the earth (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5), the
certainty of the millennial reign was revealed over thirty
centuries before the Lord's birth in mortality, as is thus
recorded: "And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day
of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell
on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand
years." (Pearl of Great Price, p. 45).
In glorious vision John, the apostle and revelator, fore-
saw Christ's personal reign, during which Satan is to be
bound :
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judg-
ment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them
that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the
word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast,
neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their
foreheads, or in their hands ; and they lived and reigned with
Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not
again until the thousand years were finished." (Rev. 20:4,
5 ; see also verse 2).
The Millennium is to be a Sabbatical era, when the earth
shall rest; and men, relieved from the tyranny of Satan,
shall, if they will, live in righteousness and peace. Man, to
whom was given dominion over the earth and its creatures,
shall rule by love, for enmity between him and the brute
creation shall cease, and the ferocity and venom of the
beasts shall be done away. So hath the Lord avowed
through the prophet Isaiah. (See Isa. ch. 65).
We are definitely assured that the Millennium is to be
inaugurated by the advent of Christ, and that Satan's
power over men shall be restrained, and further, that after
the thousand blessed years are finished, Satan shall be
loosed for a season, and such as elect to follow him shall
eventually go with him to eternal condemnation. See Rev.
178 The Vitality of Mormonism
20:7, and consider these words of the Lord Christ spoken
in the current dispensation:
"For in my own due time will I come upon the earth in
judgment, and my people shall be redeemed and shall reign
with me on earth. For the great Millennium, of which I
have spoken by the mouth of my servants, shall come ; For
Satan shall be bound, and when he is loosed again he shall
only reign for a little season, and then cometh the end of
the earth. . . . Hearken ye to these words ; Behold, I am
Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Treasure these
things up in your hearts, and let the solemnities of eternity
rest upon your minds." (Doctrine and Covenants 4B:
29-34).
The following revelation is equally specific:
"For I will reveal myself from heaven with power and
great glory, with all the hosts thereof, and dwell in right-
eousness with men on earth a thousand years, and the
wicked shall not stand. . . . And again, verily, verily, I
say unto you, that when the thousand years are ended, and
men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the
earth but for a little season; And the end shall come, and
the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away,
and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth." (Doc-
trine and Covenants 29:11, 22, 23).
It is evident from citations given and from all Scripture
bearing upon the subject, that the Millennium is to precede
the consummation spoken of as "the end of the world."
In the era of peace both mortal and immortalized beings
will tenant the earth; and though sin will not be wholly
abolished nor death banished, the powers of righteousness
shall be dominant. Though Satan shall afterward regain
a measure of power over mankind, his time will be short
and the earth shall eventually b^ restored to its paradisi-
Thy Kingdom Come! 1T9
acal glory, and become a fit abode for the glorified children
of our God and His Christ.
— 48 —
THY KINGDOM COME!
So Pray We Yet
UR Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy
O
name. Thy kingdom come."
Thus did the Master teach His disciples to pray; and
the injunction has never been abrogated. The passing of
the centuries has demonstrated the need of ever increasing
fervency in the supplication Thy kingdom come !
But if this petition be anything more than words, it
implies a conviction on the part of the supplicant that the
kingdom specified has not yet been established on the earth,
and that it will be set up in due time. And, if there is
to be a kingdom, there must needs be a living, reigning
King.
In the Gospel according to Matthew the phrase "kingdom
of heaven" repeatedly occurs; while in the writings of the
other evangeKsts and throughout the epistles, the corre-
sponding expression is "kingdom of God," "kingdom of
Christ," or simply "kingdom." In many instances these des-
ignations are used with the same meaning, though a distinc-
tion is apparent in others. The several scriptural usages
of the terms comprise :
1. A signification practically identical with that of
"The Church of Jesus Christ."
2. The designation of the literal kingdom, material and
spiritual, over wliich Christ the Lord shall rule by personal
ministration in days yet future.
180 The Vitality of Mormonism
Under the first conception, the "kingdom" of scriptural
mention has been already established as an organization
among men, and is today in a state of war against sin,
with its powers and resources mobilized in defense of free-
dom of worship and for the salvation of the race. Plainly,
when we speak of the Church as the Kingdom we refer to
an institution already extant on the earth, not one that
is yet to come.
The Church of Jesus Christ asserts no right of control
in the government of nations; and its jurisdiction in tem-
poral affairs is limited to matters of organization and
discipline within itself, such as are essential to the mainte-
nance and perpetuity of any community body.
The Kingdom of God and the Church of Christ are vir-
tually synonymous terms. We do not pray that this or-
ganization shall come; for it is now existent. We pray
and strive for its growth and development, for the spread
of its saving principles, and for their acceptance by all
mankind. But the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than the
Church as the latter exists today, and when fully estab-
lished will be seen to be a development thereof. Its advent
is yet to be prayed for.
This relationship is made clear through a revelation
given to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
in 1831:
"Hearken, and lo, a voice as of one from on high, who
is mighty and powerful, whose going forth is unto the ends
of the earth, yea, whose voice is unto men — Prepare ye the
way of the Lord, make his paths straight. The keys of
the kingdom of God are committed unto man on the earth,
and from thence shall the gospel roll forth unto the ends
of the earth, as the stone which is cut out of the mountain
Thy Kingdom Come! 181
without hands shall roll forth, until it has filled the whole
earth. . . . Call upon the Lord, that his kingdom may go
forth upon the earth, that the inhabitants thereof may re-
ceive it, and be prepared for the days to come, in the
which the Son of Man shall come down in heaven, clothed
in the brightness of his glory, to meet the kingdom of God
which is set up on the earth. Wherefore may the king-
dom of God go forth, that the kingdom of heaven may
come, that thou, O God, mayest be glorified in heaven so
on earth, that thy enemies may be subdued; for thine is
the honour, power and glory, for ever and ever. Amen."
(Doctrine & Covenants, Sec. 65).
When the Messiah comes to rule and reign. He will be
accompanied by the hosts of the righteous who have already
passed through the change of death ; and the righteous who
are yet in the flesh shall be caught up to meet Him, and
shall descend with Him as partakers of His glory. Then
shall the Kingdom of God on earth be made one with the
Kingdom of Heaven. Then shall be realized the glorious
fulfilment of the prayer taught by the Christ, and voiced
by men through the ages past, Thy Kingdom come.
The Kingdom of Heaven on earth is to be a literal gov-
ernment, administered under the supreme direction of Jesus
Christ the King. No longer shall men arrogate to them-
selves the power of might to exercise dominion over their
fellows, nor exalt themselves on thrones, nor bedeck them-
selves with crowns and scepters.
That the extent and jurisdiction of the kingdom shall be
world-wide was declared by Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar,
depicting "what shall be in the latter days." Thus spake
the prophet:
"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven
set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the
182 The Vitality of Mormonism
kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break
in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand
for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was
cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake
in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the
gold; the great God hath made known to the king what
shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and
the interpretation thereof sure." (Dan. 2:44-45; see also
verse 28).
— 49 —
FREEDOM TO WORSHIP GOD
Man^s Divine Birthright
WE claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God
according to the dictates of our own conscience, and
allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how,
where, or what they may. (Articles of Faith, 11).
The derivation of the word "worship" is significant. It
is the lineal descendant of a pair of Anglo-Saxon terms —
weolrth meaning "worthy," and scipe, an ancient form
of the termination "ship" signifying condition or state. The
combination as perpetuated in our expression "worship"
means worthy-ship, and connotes the attribute of worthi-
ness on the part of the object of adoration.
Man cannot intelligently worship in ignorance; and this
basal fact is supported and strengthened by the inspired
affirmation of a modern prophet: "It is impossible for a
man to be saved in ignorance." (Doctrine & Covenants
131:6).
The devout worshiper must have some conception of
the ennobling or emulatory character of his deity, whether
that deity be an idol made with hands or the true and
Freedom to Worship God 183
living God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth.
Worship to be genuine, to be what the word implies, must
be voluntary, willing, soulful homage. It is typified by
actual praying as contrasted with the formality of saying
one's prayers.
Worship is no matter of mere form; it consists not of
posture nor gesture, neither of ritual nor of creed — any
more than prayer consists of words. Under compulsion,
or for the hypocritical purposes of effect, one may me-
chanically perform all the outward ceremonies of an es-
tablished style of adoration, yet, without sincerity his
effort is but a mockery of worship.
Worship, then, is a matter of conscience, and as such
its observance is one of man's inalienable rights. Free-
dom in worship is part of the Divine birthright of the race ;
and, as a natural consequence, no earthly power can justly
interfere therewith so long as its exercise involves no tres-
pass upon individual or community rights.
The Latter-day Saints accept as divinely inspired the
constitutional provision by which religious liberty is pro-
fessedly guarded — that no law shall ever be made "respect-
ing an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof"; and we confidently beheve that with the
spread of enlightenment throughout the world, a similar
guaranty will be established in every nation.
Religious intolerance is inconsistent with democratic
government; yet this species of prejudice is manifest even
amongst the most progressive nations of the age. Zeal
ofttimes breeds indiscretion and injustice. It is easy for
one who believes that he has the truth to become unchar-
itable toward those who will not or cannot see as he sees.
We find simple explanation of the fact that the early fol-
lowers of Christ, zealous for the new faith into which they
184j The Vitality/ of Mormonism
had been baptized, should look with disdain upon their
fellows still groping in spiritual darkness. Even John,
who has come to be known as the Apostle of Love, became
on more than one occasion intolerant and resentful toward
unbehevers. He and his brother were incensed at the
Samaritans' rejection of the Lord, and would fain have
called fire from heaven to consume the offenders; but this
vengeful desire was met by Jesus with incisive rebuke, as
thus expressed:
^'Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For
the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to
save them." (Luke 9:51-56; see also Mark 9:38-41; com-
pare John 3:17).
Intolerance is unscriptural and un-Christian. Our
Lord's teachings are imbued with the spirit of forbearance
and love even toward enemies and persecutors.
But let us not forget that there is a vital difference be-
tw^een toleration and acceptance. To assume that because
I have respect for my neighbor's belief I must believe and
act as he does would be to surrender my own rights. To
regard all religious systems, all sects and churches, as
essentially of equal worth and worthiness, is to make of
religious profession a matter of mere convenience and con-
ventionality.
I verily believe, with the full force of my soul's convic-
tion, that there is and can be but one Church of Jesus
Christ upon the earth, possessing the blessings and powers
of the Holy Priesthood, with the authority to administer
the ordinances requisite to salvation. Nevertheless, I can
and do admit freely and without reservation the right of
any man to believe that I am wrong ; and I hold that neither
of us is justified in assaihng the other except by means of
persuasion, demonstration, and testimony.
Freedom to Worship God 185
To preach the doctrines of men as the precepts of
Christ, to supplant the eternal principles of the Gospel
by the dogmas of human conception, is to commit grievous
sin and incur fearful culpability. Christ and His apostles
gave solemn and repeated warning against the heresies of
false teachers. Thus wrote Paul to the Galatians:
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any
other gospel unto you than that which we have preached
unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I
now again. If any man preach any other gospel unto you
than that ye have received, let him be accursed." (Gal.
1:8-9).
Some have thought to find in this and cognate Scriptures
an excuse for intolerance, and even for persecution. But
is it otherwise than consistent with justice and reason to
hold that any man who preaches his own doctrines or
those of other men under the name of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ stands convicted of blasphemy, and deserving of the
curse of God? The Apostle cited above left no doubt as
to the genuineness of the Gospel he so vigorously defended,
as witness the following:
"But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was
preached of me is not after man. For I neither received
it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of
Jesus Christ."
Each of us may accept or reject the message of eternal
life, the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and by all reason and
consistency each shall garner the fruitage of his choice.
186 The Vitality of Mormonism
— m —
THE LAW OF THE LAND
Should We Submit to It?
WE believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers,
and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustain-
ing the law. (Articles of Faith, 12).
Religion is essentially a matter of every-day life. It
has as much to do with the adjustment of the individual to
his material environment as with his abstract belief in
matters spiritual. A man's religion should be a concrete
demonstration of his conceptions concerning God and the
Divine purposes respecting himself and his fellows. Any-
thing less lacks both the form of godliness and the power
thereof.
The Master associated love for God with love for fellow-
man ; and surely love comprises duty, and duty means effort
and action. See Matt. 22:35-40. A very large part of
the course of education provided in the school of mortality
is attained through association with our kind and the
righteous observance of duty in community life. We are
not here to be recluses nor to hold ourselves aloof from
public service, but to live in a state of mutual helpfulness
and effective cooperation.
It is a fundamental necessity that laws shall be estab-
lished among men for general governance; and obedience
to law is the obvious duty of every member of organized
society. Violation of the law, therefore, is not only a secu-
lar offense but a transgression of the principles of true
religion. This world would be a happier one if men car-
ried more religion into their daily affairs — into business,
The Law of the Land 187
politics, and statesmanship. Mark you, I say religion, not
church. Under existing conditions it is imperative that
State and Church he kept separate; and this segregation
must be maintained until the inauguration of Christ's per-
sonal reign.
Loyal citizenship is at once a characteristic and a test
of a man's religion; and as to the incumbent duties of citi-
zenship, the voice of the people, as expressed through the
estabhshed channels of government, must determine.
Obedience to secular authority is enjoined by Scripture;
and the Lord Christ exemplilSed the principle in His own
life, even to the extent of meeting a demand that could have
been legally challenged. When the tax collector called for
tribute money, the following instructive colloquy occurred
between Jesus and Peter: "What thinkest thou, Simon, of
whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of
their own children, or of strangers .f* Peter saith unto him.
Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him. Then are the children
free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go
thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that
first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth thou
shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them
for me and thee." (Matt. 17:25-27. For a discussion of
this incident and lessons associated therewith see the
writer's work "Jesus the Christ").
On another occasion a treacherous snare was laid to
make Christ appear as an offender against the Roman
power. Certain wicked Pharisees sought to entangle Him
by the question: "What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give
tribute unto Caesar, or not?" The Lord's reply was a
telling lesson in the matter of submission to the law.
"Shew me the tribute money," said He, "And they brought
unto Him a penny. And He saith unto them, Whose is
188 The Vitality of Mormonism
this Image and superscription? They say unto Him,
Caesar's. Tlien saith He unto them, Render therefore unto
Caesar the things which are Caesar's ; and unto God the
things that are God's." (Matt. 22:15-21).
The Apostles made it clear that respect for the law
and its officers was a part of the religious duty of the
saints. In writing to Titus, who was in charge of the
Church at Crete, Paul thus admonished him to teach his
flock to be orderly and law-abiding: "Put them in mind
to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magis-
trates, to be ready to every good work." (Titus 3:1).
To the saints in Rome the same Apostle wrote, empha-
sizing their duty toward the civil power, pointing out the
necessity of secular government, and designating the officers
of the law as ministers of God:
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For
there is no power but of God: the powers that be are or-
dained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power,
resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall
receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a
terror to good works, but to the evil. . . . For for this
cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers,
attending continually upon this very thing. Render
therefore to aU their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due;
custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to
whom honour." (Rom. 13:1-7).
To the same effect the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ
has come to the Church in this age. Thus spake He in
1831:
"Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that
keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws
of the land: Wherefore, be subject to the powers that
be, until He reigns whose right it is to reign, and subdues
Church and State 189
all enemies under His feet." And the distinction between
the laws of the Church and the laws of the nation is empha-
sized in the further word: "Behold, the laws which ye have
received from my hand are the laws of the church, and in
this light ye shall hold them forth." (Doctrine & Covenants
58:21-23).
Loyal and whole-souled support of the government,
service to country, and devotion to the interests of the
nation, are requirements of the religion embodied in the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
— 61 —
CHURCH AND STATE
Independent But Mutually Helpfvl
THE teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat-
ter-day Saints concerning the duty of its members,
and of all men, in relation to the secular law, are set forth
in Section 134 of the Doctrine & Covenants, which is one
of the standard works of the Church. This is part of the
law of the Church, and has been adopted as a guide in faith
and practise by the members in general conference assem-
bled.
Of Governments and Laws in General
"1. We beheve that governments were instituted of
God for the benefit of man, and that He holds men ac-
countable for their acts in relation to them, either in
making laws or administering them, for the good and safety
of society.
"2. We believe that no government can exist in peace,
190 The Vitality of Mormonism
except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure
to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right
and control of property, and the protection of life.
"S. We believe tliat all governments necessarily require
civil officers and magistrates to enforce the laws of the
same, and that such as will administer the law in equity and
justice should be sought for and upheld by the voice of
the people (if a republic), or the will of the sovereign.
"4. We believe that rehgion is instituted of God, and
that men are amenable to Him, and to Him only, for the
exercise of it, unless their religious opinions prompt them
to infringe upon the rights and hberties of others; but we
do not believe that human law has a right to interfere in
prescribing rules of worsliip to bind the consciences of men,
nor dictate forms for public or private devotion; that the
civil magistrate should restrain crime, but never control
conscience; should punish guilt, but never suppress the
freedom of the soul.
"5. We believe that aU men are bound to sustain and
uphold the respective governments in which they reside,
while protected in their inherent and inalienable rights by
the laws of such governments; and that sedition and re-
bellion are unbecoming every citizen thus protected, and
should be punished accordingly; and that aU governments
have a right to enact such laws as in their own judgment
are best calculated to secure the public interest, at the
same time, however, holding sacred the freedom of con-
science.
"0. We believe that every man should be honored in his
station: rulers and magistrates as such, being placed for
the protection of the innocent and the punishment of the
guilty ; and that to the laws, all men owe respect and defer-
ence, as without them peace and harmony would be sup-
Church and State 191
planted by anarchy and terror; human laws being insti-
tuted for the express purpose of regulating our interests
as individuals and nations, between man and man, and
Divine laws given of heaven, prescribing rules on spiritual
concerns, for faith and worship, both to be answered by
man to his Maker.
"7. We believe that rulers, states, and governments
have a right, and are bound to enact laws for the protec-
tion of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious
belief; but we do not believe that they have a right in
justice, to deprive citizens of this privilege, or proscribe
them in their opinions, so long as a regard and reverence
are shown to the laws, and such religious opinions do not
justify sedition nor conspiracy.
"8. We believe that the commission of crime should be
punished according to the nature of the offense; that mur-
der, treason, robbery, theft, and the breach of the general
peace, in all respects, should be punished according to their
criminality, and their tendency to evil among men, by the
laws of that government in which the offense is conunitted;
and for the public peace and tranquillity all men should
step forward and use their ability in bringing offenders
against good laws to punishment.
"9. We do not believe it just to mingle religious influ-
ence with civil government, whereby one religious society
is fostered, and another proscribed in its spiritual privi-
leges, and the individual rights of its members as citizens,
denied.
"10. We believe that all religious societies have a right
to deal with their members for disorderly conduct accord-
ing to the rules and regulations of such societies, provided
that such dealings be for fellowship and good standing;
but we do not believe that any religious society has au-
192 The Vitality of Mormonism
thority to try men on the right of property or life, to take
from them this world's goods, or to put them in jeopardy
of either life or limb, neither to inflict any physical punish-
ment upon them; they can only excommunicate them from
their society, and withdraw from them their fellowship.
"11. We believe that men should appeal to the civil law
for redress of all wrongs and grievances, where personal
abuse is inflicted, or the right of property or character in-
fringed, where such laws exist as will protect the same ; but
we believe that all men are justified in defending themselves,
their friends, and property, and the government, from the
unlawful assaults and encroachments of all persons, in
times of exigency, where immediate appeal cannot be made
to the laws, and relief afi'orded.
"12. We believe it just to preach the gospel to the
nations of the earth, and warn the righteous to save them-
selves from the corruption of the world; but we do not
believe it right to interfere with bond servants, neither
preach the gospel to, nor baptize them, contrary to the
will and wish of their masters, nor to meddle with or influ-
ence them in the least, to cause them to be dissatisfied with
their situations in this life, thereby jeopardizing the lives
of men; such interference we believe to be unlawful and
unjust, and dangerous to the peace of every government
allowing human beings to be held in servitude."
Religion of \Daily Life 193
— 52 —
RELIGION OF DAILY LIFE
A Practical Test
WE believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent,
virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we
may say that we follow the admonition of Paul — we believe
all things, we hope all things, we have endured many
things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there
is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praise-
worthy, we seek after these things. (Articles of Faith,
13).
In this brief statement the Latter-day Saints proclaim
the practical character of their religion — a religion that
embraces not alone definite conceptions of spiritual matters
and belief as to conditions in the hereafter, doctrines of
original sin and the actuality of heaven and hell, but also
and more particularly of present, current, every-day duties,
in which self-respect, love for fellow-men, and devotion to
God are the guiding principles.
Religion without personal morality, professions of godli-
ness without charity, church membership without consistent
conduct in the common affairs of life are but as sounding
brass and tinkling cymbals — noise without music, the
words of prayer witliout the spirit.
"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth
not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's
religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God
and the Father is this : To visit the fatherless and widows
in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the
world." (James 1:26,27).
A good test of a man's religion is its utility. Religious
194 The Vitality of Mormonism
profession used as a cloak — and that too often reserved for
Sunday wear, hiding in part the shabby rags of sin — is but
sacrilege. In any attempt to analyze a religious system
or creed it is pertinent to examine the results of its opera-
tion in the lives of its adlierents. This is as simple and fair
as to judge a tree by the quality of its substance and fruit.
Altruism is an essential ingredient of a religion that is
worth while.
"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is
a liar : for he that loveth not liis brother whom he hath seen,
how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this
commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God
love his brother also." (1 John 4:20, 21).
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invites
attention to its work of unselfish, practical, unremitting
benevolence. In missionary service the Church has been
active since the date of its organization ; and this systematic
labor, because of its extent and unique methods, has at-
tracted attention and stimulated comment in practically aU
nations of the earth. Actuated by a genuine love for hu-
manity and the desire to obey the Divine command respect-
ing such, the Church sends out every year hundreds of mis-
sionaries to proclaim its message to the world. These de-
voted servants comprise men and women called from all vo-
cations, who serve without salary or any other form of
material remuneration. Furthermore, they pay their own
way in traveling to their appointed fields of labor and while
serving therein, except so far as they may receive assistance
from those who become interested in their work.
A desire common to young Latter-day Saints is to so live
that they shall be found worthy to be called into service to
spend a period of years, generally from two to four, as
traveling ministers of the Gospel of Christ. They offer
I
Religion of (Daily Life 195
their message without money or price, carrying it to the
doors in city and country, distributing literature, inviting
conversation, but never forcing themselves upon unwilling
hearers. Who can consistently affirm that such faithful
servants as these are insincere or devoid of that love for
fellow-men without which genuine love of God is impossible?
The benevolence that manifests itself in material giving
is impressed as a duty upon members of the Church, and
while every one is taught to assist the needy by individual
effort, a system of orderly contribution and distribution is
maintained. In each Ward and Branch of the Church an
organization of women known as the Relief Society is oper-
ative. Its particular function is that of caring for the
needy and the afflicted, without exclusive distinction as to
whether the subjects of their ministration are members of
the Church or not. The Relief Society receives contribu-
tions of money, clothing, food and other commodities and
distributes these as occasion requires, beside maintaining
a system of visitation to the needy, giving aid in nursing,
comfort in bereavement, and relief from distress in every
way possible.
The Church teaches the efficacy of prudent fasting,
moderate abstinence from food at stated times, as an acces-
sory to prayer; and the first Sunday of each month is ol>-
served as a fast-day. On that day the people are invited
to meet for special devotional service, and by common con-
sent and custom they contribute at least the equivalent of
the meals omitted through the fasting of the family. These
offerings are received by the local officers and are distri-
buted under their direction to the worthy poor. If there
be a surplus in any Ward it is applied to the needs of other
Wards in which the proportion of dependent poor is
greater.
196 The Vitality of Mormonism
By these and other methods, including the tithing system
to be considered later, are the Latter-day Saints taught to
give of their substance for worthy purposes, and in such a
way as to avoid indiscriminate charity whereby perchance
unworthy dependency would be fostered. We believe that
the harmony of our prayers will become a discord if the
cry of the deserving poor accompany our supplications to
the throne of Grace.
— 53 —
AMERICA THE CRADLE OF LIBERTY
No King to Rule in the Land
THE commanding position of the United States among
the world powers, and the prominent place the Amer-
ican nation is to maintain as the exponent and champion
of human rights, were foreseen and predicted centuries be-
fore the beginning of the Christian Era. Such is the Book
of Mormon record.
The prophet Nephi was one of the original company,
who, under the leadership of his father Lehi, left Jerusalem
in the year 600 B. C, and journeyed to the Arabian shore,
thence voyaging to the American continent in a vessel they
had constructed as, centuries earlier, Noah had built an ark
under Divine guidance.
In the early stages of the exodus, while the travelers were
journeying seaward through the deserts of Arabia, the Lord
revealed unto Nephi that a part of the posterity of his
brethren would be smitten by the righteous wrath of God;
and it was specifically shown that the nation into which
the little company was to develop would be isolated beyond
America the Cradle of Liberty 197
the seas from all other peoples. Thus runs the account of
the revelation to Nephi the prophet, the events being chron-
icled in the past tense as though already accomplished :
"And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many
waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my
brethren. And it came to pass that the angel said unto
me, Behold the wrath of God is upon the seed of thy
brethren. And I looked and beheld a man among the Gen-
tiles who was separated from the seed of my brethren by
the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it
came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth
upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren,
who were in the promised land." (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi
13:10-12).
Lehi and his people were Hebrews ; all other nations are
designated in the Book of Mormon as Gentiles. As later
parts of the record make plain, "the promised land" is the
continent of America. The "man among the Gentiles,"
who was to come across the many waters and discover the
descendants of Nephi's brethren upon whom the wrath of
God had fallen, was Christopher Columbus whose mission
was as surely foreappointed as was that of any prophet.
Then follows the prediction of the migration of the Pilgrim
Fathers, who are described as "other Gentiles" going forth
out of captivity; while the subsequent occupation of the
land by multitudes of the Gentiles who would prosper as a
nation and would subjugate the Indians is impressively
set forth. The struggle of the American colonies for in-
dependence was foretold, and the assurance that the power
of God would be exercised to give them victory over "their
mother Gentiles", or the British nation, was inscribed on
enduring metal before the existence of the western world
had found place even in the dreams of mankind.
198 The Vitality of Mormonism
Thus runs the ancient record: "And it came to pass
that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth
out of captivity, did humble themselves before the Lord;
and the power of the Lord was with them ; And I beheld that
their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the
waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them.
And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and
also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were
gathered together against them to battle. And I, Nephi,
beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity,
were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all
other nations." (1 Nephi 13:16-19).
In the economy of God, America, which is veritably the
land of Zion, was aforetime consecrated as the home of a
free and independent nation. It is the divinely assured in-
heritance of the "House of Israel'^; and people of all na-
tionalities who will abide by the laws of righteousness, which
embody the principles of true liberty, may become by adop-
tion members of the House of Israel. For a wise purpose
this promised land, the American continent, was long kept
from the knowledge of men ; and the hand of the Lord has
been potent in directing its discovery and in the establish-
ment of the nation of promise and destiny thereon. Nephite
prophets reiterated this solemn assurance, and proclaimed
as the will and purpose of God that the government of the
land should be a government of the people and not the
tyranny of kings.
Lehi was explicit in avowal of the Lord's purpose in con-
secrating America as the home of free men, on conditions of
righteousness : "Wherefore I, Lehi, prophesy according to
the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall
none come into this land, save they shall be brought by the
hand of the Lord. Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto
Democracy of American Origin 199
him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall
serve him according to the commandments which he hath
given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore,
they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it
shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound,
cursed shall be the land for their sakes ; but unto the right-
eous it shall be blessed for ever. And behold, it is wisdom
that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of
other nations ; for behold, many nations would overrun the
land, that there would be no place for an inheritance."
(2 Nephi 1:6-8).
— 54. —
DEMOCRACY OF AMERICAN ORIGIN
The Founding of an Ancient Republic
DEMOCRACY is indigenous to America.
One of the earliest recorded experiments of repre-
sentative government by the people was undertaken on the
Western Continent; and it was a success.
These statements are not made with reference to the
establishment of the United States of America as a free and
independent nation, but to events that antedated by nearly
a century the birth of Christ.
At that time North America was inhabited by two great
peoples, the Nephites and the Lamanites, each named after
an early leader, and both originally of one family stock.
Except for brief periods of comparative peace the two
nations lived in a state of hostility due to Lamanite aggres-
sion.
The Nephites were progressive, cultured, and of peaceful
200 The Vitality of Mormonism
desires, while the Lamanites became degenerate, dark-
skinned and barbarous. Eventually the Nephite nation
was destroyed by its savage foes; the Lamanites persisted
and are represented today by their direct descendants, the
American Indians.
For five centuries prior to the events now under consider-
ation each nation had been governed by a succession of
kings. The Lamanite rulers exercised autocratic sway and
relied upon physical force for their power. Some of the
Nephite monarchs were almost as bad, though many were
notably considerate and just.
The last of the Nephite sovereigns was Mosiah; he died
91 B. C. after a righteous reign of thirty-three years.
King in name, he called his people brethren and counted
himself their trusted and presiding servant.
A short time before his death Mosiah called for an ex-
pression from his people as to whom they desired to succeed
him on the throne. There was a united answer; the people
wanted the king's son, to whom it was said "the kingdom
doth rightly belong." But Aaron, the people's choice, de-
clined the crown, as did his brothers in turn; for all these
sons of Mosiah were devoted to the preaching of the Gospel
and esteemed the labors of the ministry above the royal
estate.
Mosiah seized the opportunity occasioned by the people's
loyalty and unity to awaken them to the fact that the
powers of government were inherent within themselves, and
to urge them to exercise their sovereign rights and assume
the privileges and responsibilities of self-rule. He recom-
mended that they abolish the monarchy and establish a
Republic according to "the voice of the people."
In a stirring proclamation he set forth the potential
dangers of kingly rule and admonished the nation to guard
Democracy of American Origin 201
its liberty as a sacred possession, and to delegate the gov-
erning power to officers of its own choosing, whom he called
judges, who should be elected by popular vote, and who
could be impeached if charged with iniquitous exercise of
power and be removed if found unworthy. King Mosiah
summarized in a masterly way the fundamentals of true
democracy. After reciting the wrongs the people had suf-
fered under monarchical oppression, he continued in this
wise:
"Therefore choose you by the voice of this people, judges,
that ye may be judged according to the laws which have
been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which
were given them by the hand of the Lord.
''Now it is not common that the voice of the people
desireth anything contrary to that which is right; but it is
common for the lesser part of the people to desire that
which is not right ; therefore this shall ye observe, and make
it your law to do your business by the voice of the people.
"And if the time comes that the voice of the people
doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments
of God will come upon you, yea, then is the time he will
visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto
visited this land.
"And now if ye have judges, and they do not judge you
according to the law which has been given, ye can cause
that they may be judged of a higher judge.
"If your higher judges do not judge righteous judgments,
ye shall cause that a small number of your lower judges
should be gathered together, and they shall judge your
higher judges, according to the voice of the people.
"And I command you to do these things in the fear of
the Lord: and I command you to do these things, and
that ye have no king. . . .
S02 The Vitality of Mofmonism
"And now I desire that this inequality should be no
more in this land, especially among this my people; but I
desire that this land be a land of liberty, and every man
may enjoy his rights and privileges alike." (Book of Mor-
mon, Mosiah 29.)
The affairs of government were to be the concern of
the whole commonwealth; for, as the king proclaimed with
convincing plainness, "the burden should come upon all the
people, that every man might bear his part." It is gratify-
ing to know that the Nephites adopted the proposition,
straightway set about creating election districts, and at
the appointed time chose by vote the first elective rulers
of the new Republic.
From American soil, which of all was first to be pre-
pared for the cultivation of representative government by
the people, the seed of democracy shall be carried to every
other land, until all men are free, in accordance with Divine
intent.
— 55 —
PERPETUITY OF AMERICAN NATION
Assured hy Prophecy
AS late as but a few months prior to that fateful date
— August 1, 1914 — when the war storm burst in
Europe, some of the world's great ones, eminent in scholar-
ship and leaders of thought, aggressively proclaimed their
belief that a great war was impossible. They held that the
affairs of nations were so intimately related, the interests
common to humanity so closely knit, as to safeguard the
Perpetuity of American Nation 203
world against any such devastating conflict as would be
entailed by the outbreak of war among great nations with
the frightfully efficient enginery of destruction developed by
present-day science. There was neither ambiguity nor
reservation in the academic pronouncement that the human
race, in its course of evolutionary progression, had happily
risen above the barbarous incentive to wholesale murder
and ruthless destruction such as characterized the less
cultured epochs of history.
Certain optimistic protagonists averred that if, contrary
to their demonstrated facts and figures, great nations should
plunge recklessly into war, the struggle would of necessity
be brief, for the total wealth of the world was insufficient to
maintain for more than a few weeks at most the waging
of war with modern equipment.
Yet in spite of all prognostications, as though derisively
flouting the wisdom of the wise, August 1, 1914, was so
deeply crimsoned that the weathering of ages future will
not dull the stain. That day and all the days since have
witnessed the fulfilment of the prediction relating to the
last dispensation, the time in which we live, as voiced by
Isaiah:
"Behold, I will proceed to do a mai'vellous work among
this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the
wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understand-
ing of their prudent men shall be hid." (Isa. 29:14.)
Verily the accumulated wisdom of men has failed us in
the time of need, has failed to forecast and fails to expound
the dread happenings of these eventful times. Where is
the master mind that can interpret the problems of con-
temporary history, with factors innumerable, with relations
so intricate and differentials so varied that the calculus
of time is inadequate to solve?
204 The Vitality of Mormonism
Human reasoning unillumined by Divine revelation offers
but dark and insecure refuge from the turmoil of current
events. Whither then shall we look for guidance? Or,
must we abandon ourselves to the despairing conclusion
that to the storm-lashed ocean of the ominous present there
is no haven of hope, and to our buffeted bark no anchor
of comforting assurance?
To him who listens in faith there rises even above the
roar of strife, the voice of prophecy citing earlier predic-
tion of events now materializing in rapid sequence, and
telling of the eventual triumph of righteousness and the vin-
dication of man's right to liberty and happiness.
The great world conflict was predicted by both ancient
and modem prophets. Joseph Smith, speaking the word
of God, told of the imminent outpouring of war upon all
nations, wisdom of the world's wise men to the contrary not-
withstanding. And in these utterances the modern prophet
spake in harmony with the predictions of earlier seers, as
did he also of the promises made concerning America, wliich
is described as a land choice above all others. Read these
words of assurance given through an ancient Jaredite : "Be-
hold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall
possess it, shall be free from bondage, and from captivity,
and from all other nations under heaven if they will but
serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath
been manifested by the things which we have written."
(Book of Mormon, Ether 2:12.)
Furthermore, hearken unto the following with reference
to this same choice land, spoken unto the ancient in-
habitants of this continent through Jacob the Nephite:
"But behold, this land, saith God, shall be a land of thine
inheritance, and the Gentiles shall be blessed upon the land.
And this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles,
Perpetuity of Americcm Nation 205
and there shall be no kings upon the land, who shall raise
up unto the Gentiles. And I will fortify this land against
all other nations." (2 Nephi 10:10-12.)
We hold that the Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution of the United States are inspired documents,
veritable scriptures of the nation, framed by men under
Divine direction, men specifically empowered and raised up
for this high mission ; and that these charters of liberty
constitute a pattern after which the governments of the
nations shall be shaped. Thus shall be fulfilled, in part at
least, the prophecy of the ancient revelator, that out of
this land, which in solemn truth is the land of Zion, shall
go forth the law of the Lord unto the world at large. In
the majesty of her high destiny our Nation has taken
a stand as the champion of freedom and human rights. Her
enduring greatness is conditioned only by the righteousness
of her people, who, if they will but serve the God of the
land — the God of Heaven and earth — shall never be sub-
ject to alien domination.
It is not written in the book of destiny that America
shall bow the knee to autocracy; but, to the glorious con-
trary, it is inscribed on the scroll of the Divine purpose,
that this, the land of Zion, shall be the haven of refuge to
the oppressed: "And it shall be said among the wicked:
Let us not go up to battle against Zion, for the inhabitants
of Zion are terrible; wherefore we cannot stand. And it
shall come to pass that the righteous shaU be gathered out
from among all nations, and shall come to Zion, singing
with songs of everlasting joy." (Doctrine & Covenants 45:
70-71.)
206 The Vitality of Mormonism
— 56 —
LAW OF THE TITHE
The Lord's Revenue System
PAYMENT of tithes was required under the Law of
Moses. Indeed, the early prominence given to this
requirement has led to the incorrect assumption that tithe-
pajing had its beginning in an Israelitish statute. Tithing
is older than Israel. Abraham paid a tenth part of his
gains to Melchizedek, who was king of Salem and priest of
the Most High God (Gen. 14:20 and Heb. 7:1-8); and
Jacob made a covenant to devote to the Lord's service a
tenth of all that would come into his hands. (Gen. 28:22.)
Following the development of the children of Israel into
a theocratic nation, the practise of paying tithes in kind
became one of the features by which they, the worshipers
of Jehovah, were distinguished from all other peoples. The
requirement was expHcit and its application general, to rich
and poor alike. Thus we read: "And all the tithe of the
land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the
tree, is the Lord's: it is holy unto the Lord. . . . And
concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of
whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy
unto the Lord." (Lev. 27:30, 32.)
As long as the people faithfully complied with the law of
the tithe they prospered ; and when they failed the land was
no longer sanctified to their good. Hezekiah (2 Chron. 31:
5-10) and Nehemiah (Neh. 13:10-13) reproved the people
for their negligence in the matter and awakened them to the
jeopardy that threatened; and, later, Malachi voiced the
word of Jehovah in stern rebuke, forceful admonition, and
Law of the Tithe 207
encouraging promise, relative to the payment of the Lord's
tenth :
"Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But
ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offer-
ings. Ye are cursed with a curse : for ye have robbed me,
even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the
storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove
me now herewith, said the Lord of hosts, if I will not open
you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that
there shall not be room enough to receive it." (Mai. 3:8-10.)
At the time of our Lord's personal ministry the law had
been supplemented by innumerable rules, comprising un-
authorized exactions often based upon mere trivialities.
Christ approved the tithe but made plain the fact that other
duties were none the less imperative. See Matt. 23 :23.
During recent years great interest has been manifest in
the matter of the tithe, among theologians, ministers and
intelligent laymen; and the reestablishment of tithe-paying
as a religious duty has been strongly advocated. It is
important to know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Lat-
'ter-day Saints has observed this requirement from the
early days of its history — not because it was operative in
ancient Israel, nor because it was law and custom among
the Jews in the days of Christ, but because it has been
authoritatively established through modern revelation in
the Church. In 1838 the Lord systematized the practise
upon which the people had voluntarily entered, and defined
the tithe as a tenth of one's individual possessions: "And
this," said He, "shall be the beginning of the tithing of
my people. And after that, those who have thus been tithed,/
shall pay one tenth of all their interest annually; and this
shall be a standing law unto them for ever, for my Holy
Priesthood, saith the Lord." (Doctrine & Covenants 119:
208 The Vitality of Mormonism
3-4.) The manner in which the tithes of the people are
to be paid and the channels through which the contribu-
tions are to be distributed and used in the work of the
Church are specifically set forth.
As of old, so in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-
day Saints today, tithing is the divinely established revenue
system by which the pecuniary needs of the ecclesiastical
community are provided for. And as of old so today, tithe-
paying must be a voluntary free-will sacrifice, not to be
exacted by secular power nor enforced by infliction of
fines or other material penalties. The obligation is self-
assumed; nevertheless it is one to be observed with full
purpose of heart by the earner who claims standing in
the Church and who professes to abide by the revealed
word given for the spiritual development of its members.
It is essential that men learn to give. Without pro-
vision for this training the curriculum in the school of
mortality would be seriously defective. Human wisdom has
failed to devise a more equitable scheme of individual con-
tribution for community needs than the simple plan of the
tithe. Every one is invited to give in amount proportioned
to his income, and to so give regularly and systematically.
The spirit of giving makes the tithe holy ; and it is by means
thus sanctified that the material activities of the Church
are carried on. Blessings, specific and choice, are promised
the honest tithe-payer; and these blessings are placed
within the reach of all. In the Lord's work the widow's
penny is as acceptable as the gold-piece of the millionaire.
Tithing is the rental we are asked to pay on the property
committed to our keeping and use. We are but temporary
holders, lessees of property the ultimate title of which is
vested in Him who created all that is.
The Latter-day Saints believe that the tithing system
Th€ United Order 209
has been divinely appointed for their observance; and they
esteem themselves blessed in thus being permitted to have
part in the furtherance of God's purposes. Under this
system the people have prospered severally and as an organ-
ized body. It is the simple and effective revenue law of the
Church ; and its operation has been a success from the time
of its estabHshment. Amongst us it obviates the necessity
of taking up collections in religious assemblies, and makes
possible the promulgation of the Church's message through
the printed and spoken word, the building and maintenance
of Temples for the benefit of both living and dead, to an
extent that would be otherwise unattainable.
— 57 —
THE UNITED ORDER
No Longer Mine and Thine, But the Lord^s and Ours
WE live in a material world, and certain material
possessions are essential to life, to say nothing of
convenience and comfort. Man must have food, clothing,
and shelter; and he should have the means of intellectual
enjoyment, wholesome recreation, and the desirable com-
forts of Hfe. All these things are comprised in what we
call wealth, and under present social conditions are repre-
sented by the one word money. Is it not true that money or
its equivalent — the essential things that money can buy —
must be counted among the necessities of life.'^
By misquotation we hear it said that money is the root of
all evil; but the Scriptures say not so. The inspired declar-
ation reads : "For the love of money is the root of all evil."
(1 Tim. 6:10.) As soon as one sets his heart on money he
^10 The Vitality of Mormonism
becomes unbalanced in mind and spirit; his vision and per-
spective are disturbed.
In view of the prevailing conditions of social unrest, of
protest against existing systems whereby the distribution
of wealth is becoming more and more disproportionate, the
consequent dissatisfaction with governments, and the half-
smothered fires of anarchy discernible in almost every na-
tion, we find comfort in the God-given promise of a better
plan — ^a plan that provides without force or violence to
establish a rational equality, to take the weapons of des-
positsm from the oppressor, to banish poverty, and to give
to every man the opportunity to live, labor, and rejoice in
the field or sphere to which he is adapted. From the
tyranny of misused wealth, as from every other form of
oppression, the truth will make men free. To deserve real
freedom, and to enjoy the blessings thereof to the full, man-
kind must subdue selfishness, which is the potent enemy of
godliness.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has
been put under training in the practise of altruistic livingy
in liberality, and in the overcoming of selfishness, by the
Lord's requirement of the tithe and other free-will offerings
and efforts. We regard the tithe system, however, as but a
step in the course of advancement toward the consecration
of all our possessions, time, talents and ability, to the service
of God.
Within a few months after the organization of the
Church the voice of the Lord was heard in the matter,
foreshadowing a development yet future, in preparation for
which the tithing system was established. The day is com-
ing when none amongst us shall speak of mine and thine,
but all we have shall be accounted ours and the Lord's.
In tliis confident expectation we indulge no vague dreams
The United Order 211
of communism, fostering individual irresponsibility, and
giving the idler an excuse for hoping to live at the expense
of the thrifty; but in the assurance that every man shall
be a steward of the property entrusted to his care, with
the certainty of being required to give a full account of his
stewardship. The varied and graded vocations will still
exist; there will be laborers whose qualifications are for
physical toil, managers who have proved their ability to
lead and direct, some who can best serve with the pen,
others with the plow; there will be engineers and mechanics,
artizans and artists, farmers and scholars, teachers and
authors — each laboring so far as practicable in the sphere
of his choice but each required to work, and to work where
and how he can be of the greatest service. Equal rights are
to be insured, for thus the Lord hath spoken:
"And you are to be equal, or in other words, you are to
have equal claims on the properties, for the benefit of
managing the concerns of your stewardships, every man
according to his wants and his needs, inasmuch as his
wants are just." (Doctrine and Covenants 82:17.)
Only the idler would suffer under such an order of things
as is here outlined, and against him the edict of the Al-
mighty has gone forth. We read in the revelations of the
Church: "Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall
not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer."
(42:42.)
In the early part of the apostolic ministry, the unity
and devotion of the Church was such that the members
established a system of community ownership; (Acts 2:44-
46; 4:32-37; 6:1-4) and during the brief period of its
operation the people prospered temporally and spiritually.
More than thirty centuries earlier the people of Enoch
had rejoiced in a similar condition of oneness, and their
21^ The Vitality of Mormonism
righteousness was such that "The Lord came and dwelt with
His people. . . . And the Lord called His people Zion,
because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in
righteousness; and there was no poor among them." (Pearl
of Great Price, p. 38.)
The people of whom the Book of Mormon bears record
also attained a blessed state of equality and with cor-
responding results. The Twelve Disciples, whom Christ had
specially commissioned, ministered with such effectiveness
that the people "had all things common among them, every
man dealing justly one with another." (3 Nephi 26:19.)
Further, "Therefore they were not rich and poor, bond and
free, but they were all made free, and partakers of the
heavenly gift." (4 Nephi 1 :3.) Of them the prophet wrote:
"Surely there could not be a happier people among all the
people who had been created by the hand of God." (Verse 16.)
The United Order will be a success when it is established
by Divine direction. The tithing system has failed when-
ever meddled with by the secular power. Common owner-
ship can never be enforced by the law of the land. It must
be a religious observance, of voluntary acceptance devoid
of compulsion or restraint ; and as such, the world shall
yet see this, the Lord's plan, in successful operation.
— 58 —
THE WORD OF WISDOM
Sanctity of the Body
"T^NOW ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that
X Vthe Spirit of God dwelleth in you.'^ If any man
defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy ; for the
The Word of Wisdom 213
temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." (1 Cor. 3 :16;
see also 6:19; and Doctrine & Covenants 93:35.)
In these and kindred Scriptures the sanctity of the
human body is affirmed vnih impressive simplicity. The
word of God stands in strong contrast with the erroneous
assumption that the body is a hindrance and burden to
the spirit and ought to be contemned and kept in sub-
jection by self-imposed afflictions. The lust of the flesh
as manifested in perverted appetites and passions is a very
real temptation, and servitude thereto is among the com-
monest of sins ; but this is the evil against which the saints
of old were so solemnly warned in the foregoing citation.
If the mortal state be an advancement beyond the pre-
existent or unembodied condition, and a preparation for a
yet more exalted existence, and so the Scriptures attest,
then the body of flesh and bones is an endowment of supreme
worth.
The genius of the current age recognizes the nobility of
the mortal tabernacle in fact if not in theory; and as a
result of this advanced conception, means for the main-
tenance of health and preservation of the body and the con-
servation of its divinely implanted functions are taught in
school and college and are enforced by statute for com-
munity observance.
After long centuries of painful experience the race is
coming to understand that the human body is essentially
good; and the word of God so proclaimed even in the be-
ginning. I venture to affirm that every natural appetite,
yearning, passion of the human organism is inherently
good; and that evil comes not from the normal satisfying
of these cravings but from the perversion thereof.
As early as 1833 the Lord spake to the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in warning against the use of
214 The Vitality of Mormonism
stimulants and narcotics, and in counsel as to matters of
food and drink. This revelation is currently known as
The Word of Wisdom
"That inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong
drink among you, behold it is not good, neither meet in the
sight of your Father, only in assembling yourselves together
to offer up your sacraments before him.
"And, behold, this should be wine, yea, pure wine of the
grape of the vine, of your own make.
"And, again, strong drinks are not for the belly, but
for the washing of your bodies.
"And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the
belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises
and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill.
**And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly.
"And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs
God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use
of man.
"Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in
the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and
thanksgiving.
"Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I,
the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanks-
giving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly;
"And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used
only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.
"All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts,
to be the staff of life, not only for man but for the beasts
of the field, and the fowls of heaven, and all wild animals
that run or creep on the earth;
"And these hath God made for the use of man only in
times of famine and excess of hunger.
The Word of Wisdom «15
"All grain is good for the food of man, as also the fruit
of the vine, that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground
or above the ground.
"Nevertheless, wheat for man, and com for the ox, and
oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and
for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals,
and for mild drinks, as also other grain.
"And all saints who remember to keep and do these say-
ings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall re-
ceive health in their navel, and marrow to their bones ;
"And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge,
even hidden treasures;
"And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not
faint.
"And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the
destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of
Israel, and not slay them. Amen." (Doctrine & Covenants
89.)
Hot drinks, against which the people are specifically
warned, are understood to include tea and coffee, and the
counsel against their use was preached and published long
before chemists and physiologists had recognized the
deleterious effect of thein and caffein, which are poisonous
alkaloids contained in the beverages named. The inhibition,
however, applies in another sense to all liquids at high
temperatures. To this point special interest attaches in
view of recent demonstrations in science. Dr. Wm. J.
Mayo, a surgeon of prominence, declared in an address de-
livered in San Francisco, June, 1915, that hot drinks are
among the dominant causes of gastric ulcers and cancer.
The Word of Wisdom is generally but not universally
observed in its entirety by the Latter-day Saints; and it is
pertinent to inquire as to the results revealed by the vital
216 The Vitality of Mormonism
statistics of the people. The Presiding Bishopric of the
Church report that, for the six year period ending with
1916, deaths among Latter-day Saints in the organized
Stakes, due to cancers and malignant ulcers of the stomach,
averaged 15.83 per 100,000 of population. For the United
States registration area as a whole, during the six year
period covered by the latest available report, which, how-
ever, is earlier than the sexennium of the latest Church
statistics, the average mortality from stomach cancer is
28.3 per 100,000. Deaths from all cancerous afflictions
among members of the Church during the last six years
averaged 31.15 per 100,000, or only 2.85 more per 100,000
than the national rate of mortality from stomach cancer
alone for the six years last reported.
The statistics of the Church show for its members
resident in organized communities exceptionally low death-
rate, high birth-rate, and high average age at death, as
compared with the official reports of corresponding data
for the registration area of the country at large.
Of the certified causes of death "Mormons" lead the
country in one, and that one is old age.
The Divine promise of health, prosperity, and prolonged
life are in course of rich fulfilment among the Latter-day
Saints, as in part the natural efFect of obedience to the
word of the Lord embodied in the Word of Wisdom.
Unchastity the Dommant EvU 217
— 59 —
UNCHASTITY THE DOMINANT EVIL
Infamy of a Double Standard of Virtue
THE Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pro-
claims the law of personal purity as a Divine com-
mandment, the violation of which constitutes one of the
most grievous of sins. We hold that the requirement is
equally binding upon both man and woman, and that a
standard by which he is excused and she condemned is
infamously unjust. Expressive of the attitude of the
Church upon this subject, the following excerpts are taken
from a pamphlet issued by the late President Joseph F.
Smith, who at the time of writing was the presiding official
in the Church.
"What has come to be known in present day literature as
the social evil is a subject of perennial discussion, and the
means proposed for dealing with it are topics of contention
and debate. That the public conscience is aroused to the
seriousness of the dire condition due to sexual immorality
is a promising indication of prospective betterment. No
more loathsome cancer disfigures the body and soul of
society today than the frightful affliction of sexual sin.
It vitiates the very fountains of life and bequeaths its
foul effects to the yet unborn as a legacy of death.
'''Infidelity to marriage vows is a fruitful source of
divorce, with its long train of attendant evils, not the least
of which are the shame and dishonor inflicted on unfortunate
though innocent children. The dreadful effects of adultery
cannot be confined to the erring participants. Whether
openly known or partly concealed under the cloak of guilty
218 The Vitality of Mormonism
secrecy, the results are potent in evil influence. The im-
mortal spirits that come to earth to tabernacle in bodies
of flesh have the right to be well-born, through parents
who are free from the contamination of sexual vice.
"It is a deplorable fact that society persists in holding
woman to stricter account than man in the matter of sexual
ofi^ense. What shadow of excuse, not to speak of justifica-
tion, can be found for this outrageous and cowardly dis-
crimination? Can moral defilement be any the less filthy
and pestilential in man than in woman? Is a male leper
less to be shunned for fear of contagion that a woman
similarly stricken?
"Oh the baseness, the injustice, the dishonor of it all !
Happily the early promulgators of this shameful conception
of a double standard of morals for the sexes are hidden
in the oblivion of the past. Let the infamy in which they
should rightly share be borne by those who countenance
the current acceptance of so vicious a distinction! Visualize
the spectacle. Man, who is by nature the protector and de-
fender of woman, ready to stone to social death the adul-
teress, in whose sin he was partner!
"So far as woman sins it is inevitable that she shall suff'er,
for retribution is sure whether it be immediate or deferred.
But in so far as man's injustice inflicts upon her the con-
sequence of his off^enses, he stands convicted of multiple
guilt. And man is largely responsible for the sins against
decency and virtue, the burden of which is too often fastened
upon the weaker participant in the crime.
"Horrifying as the condition is, it is nevertheless a black
reality, that hordes of women prostitute their bodies and
souls for money and find no lack of eager buyers. Who
is the more depraved — the vendor or the purchaser of
woman's honor? In many cases a power of discernment
Unchastity the Dominant Evil 219
and analysis superior to human attainment is essential to a
just verdict, but it appears certain that whatever of palli-
ation through stress of circumstance may be found for the
woman, guilty lust is too generally the primal motive of
the man.
"The low esteem in which strict sexual morality is cur-
rently held is an element of positive danger to the nation
as a human institution, to say nothing of the wholesale
debauching of souls as an offense against Divine decree.
With such awful examples as history furnishes, it is a
matter of astonishment that governments should be so nearly
oblivious to the disintegrating forces springing from viola-
tions of the moral law amongst their citizenry.
"The grandeur of ancient Greece, the majesty of Rome,
once the proud rulers of the world, have disappeared; and
the verdict of history specifies the prevalence of sexual im-
morality as among the chief of the destructive agencies by
which the fall of those mighty peoples was effected.
"Is our modem nation to bring upon itself the doom
of destructive depravity.? The forces of disintegration are
at work throughout the land, and they operate as insidiously
as does the virus of deadly contagion. A nation-wide
awakening to the need of personal sanitation and of rigorous
reform in the matter of sexual morality is demanded by the
exigencies of the times.
"The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the divinely ordained
panacea for the ills that afflict humanity, and pre-eminently
so for the dread affliction of sexual sin. Note the teachings
of the Master while He ministered among men in the flesh —
they were primarily directed to individual probity and
rectitude of life. The letter of the Mosaic Law was super-
seded by the spirit of personal devotion to the right. 'Ye
have heard,' said He, *that it was said by them of old time,
220 The Vitality of Mormonism
Thou slialt not commit adultery : But I say unto you, That
whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath com-
mitted adultery with her already in his heart.' (Matt. 5:
27, 28.) The sin itself may spring from the sensual
thought, the lustful glance; just as murder is often the
fruitage of hatred or covetousness.
"We accept without reservation or qualification the af-
firmation of Deity through an ancient Nephite prophet :
'For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And
whoredoms are an abomination before me. Thus saith the
Lord of Hosts.' "
— 60 —
NOT GOOD FOR MAN TO BE ALONE
Companionship of the Sexes
WHEN this earth, a new unit amongst uncounted
worlds, had developed to a condition suited to human
habitation, God created man in His own personal, physical
image, and gave him dominion over the earth and its
manifold belongings. Beside the man stood the woman,
sharing with him the divinely bestowed honor and dignity
of supremacy over all lesser creations; for the Lord God
had said: "It is not good that the man should be alone; I
will make him an help meet for him." (Gen. 2:18.)
So begins the first page of human history relating to this
planet: "In the image of God created He him; male and
female created He them."
The earliest recorded commandment to the newly em-
bodied pair provided for the procreation of their kind;
for unto them the Lord said: "Be fruitful, and multiply,
and replenish the earth." That the wedded state thus
Not Good for Man to be Alone 221
inaugurated was to be the permanent order of life amongst
Adam's posterity is attested by the further Scripture:
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and
shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
(Gen. 2:24.)
Inasmuch as the union of the sexes is the only way by
which the perpetuity of the race is possible, such union is
essentially as beneficent as it is necessary. Lawful, that is
to say righteous, association of the sexes, is an uplifting and
ennobling function to the participants, and the heritage
of earth-life to preexistent spirits who are thereby advanced
to the mortal state. Conversely, all sexual union outside
the bonds of legitimacy is debasing and pernicious, not only
to the guilty parties themselves, but to children who are
thus ill-born, and to organized society in general.
The stability of society demands that the divinely estab-
lished institution of marriage shall be administered under
secular law, whereby the family unit shall be a legalized
entity, with responsibilities and obligations clearly defined,
the rights of husband, wife and children protected, property
interests safeguarded, and inheritance regulated.
But the marriage covenant is more than a legalized con-
tract. It is a solemn sacrament, under which the parties
are made eligible to the blessing of Divine approval, and
by which they are answerable both to the law of man and
to the Power that transcends all human institutions. That
marriage is honorable is as true today as when the precept
was written in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
The Latter-day Saints accept the doctrine of the imper-
ative necessity of wedlock and the sanctity thereof; and
they apply it as a requirement to all who are not prohibited
by physical or other disability from assuming the sacred
responsibilities of the married state. They hold as part of
^22 The VitaUty of Mormonism
the birthright of every worthy man the privilege and
duty of standing at the head of a household, the companion
of a virtuous wife, both imbued with the hope of posterity,
which by the blessing of God may never become extinct ; and
equally ennobling is the desire of every worthy woman to
be a wife and mother in the family of mankind.
We repudiate and abhor the pernicious doctrine that the
sexual relation is but a carnal necessity, inherent in human
kind because of fleshly desire, or that celibacy is a feature
of exalted status more acceptable than marriage in the
sight and judgment of God. Touching this matter the
Lord hath spoken through direct revelation in the current
age, saying:
"And again, I say unto you, that whoso forbiddeth to
marry is not ordained of God, for marriage is ordained of
God unto man. Wherefore it is lawful that he should have
one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that
the earth might answer the end of its creation, and that
it might be filled with the measure of man, according to his
creation before the world was made." (Doctrine & Coven-
ants 49: 15-17.)
Without the power of perpetuating his kind man is in
part bereft of his glory; for small is the possibility of
achievement within the limited range of an individual life.
Grand as may seem to be the attainments of a man who
is really great as gaged by the best standards of human
estimation, the culmination of his glorious heritage lies in
his leaving offspring from his own body to carry forward
the worthy efforts of their sire. And as with the man,
so with the woman.
We regard children literally as gifts from God, commit-
ted to our parental care, for whose support, protection, and
training in righteousness we shall be held to a strict ac-
Tia Death Does You Part 223
counting, remembering the solemn admonition and profound
affirmation of the Christ : "Take heed that ye despise not
one of these little ones ; for I say unto you, That in heaven
their angels do always behold the face of my Father which
is in heaven." (Matt. 18:10.)
But the bringing of children into the world is but part
of God's beneficent plan of uplift and development through
honorable marriage. Companionship of husband and wife
is a divinely appointed means of mutual betterment; and
according to the measure of holy love, mutual respect and
honor with which that companionship is graced and sancti-
fied, do man and woman develop toward the spiritual stature
of God. It is plainly the Divine intent that husband and
wife should be each the other's great incentive to effort and
achievement in good works.
Blessed indeed are the wedded pair who severally find in
each a help meet for the other.
— 61 —
TILL DEATH DOES YOU PART
Is There No Hope Beyond?
IT is not good that man should be alone.
This is the word of God. It is inscribed on the first
page of human history. The affirmation was given special
application to the marital state, whereby the perpetuity
of the race would be insured in the distinctive family order.
To this end "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his
mother, and shall cleave unto his wife : and they shall be one
flesh." (Gen. 2:24.)
At the very beginning of man's existence as an embodied
spirit, the Divine fiat against promiscuity in the associa-
224 The Vitality of Mormonism
tion of the sexes was promulgated. Anthropologists aver
that even in the most primitive communities kinship was
recognized as an established feature, and laws relating to
the sexual relationship obtained.
The family unit is therefore the universal order amongst
mankind, and is of Divine establishment. Both the Mosaic
code and the law of the Gospel, in which it was fulfilled
and superseded, recognized the sanctit}^ of family ties and
prescribed regulations for the maintenance thereof.
The family institution comprises more than the wedded
union of husband and wife with its mutual obligations and
responsibilities. The status of parenthood is the flower
of family existence, while marriage was but the bud. Under
the revealed law parents are as truly answerable to God
for the adequate discharge of duty to their children as for
the faithful observance of the marriage covenant respecting
themselves.
Within the family established and maintained according
to the Divine word, man and woman find their holiest and
most ennobling happiness. Individual development — the
education of the soul for which earth-life has been provided
— is incomplete without the impelling and restraining ex-
periences incident to the responsibilities of the wedded and
parental state.
Is the family relationship to end with death?
Are husbands and wives to be separated, and the mutual
claims of parents and children to be nullified by the grave .^^
If so, then surely the sting of death and the victory of
the grave are enduring verities ; for the dead would be lost
to us and we to them. Such a conception affords ample
explanation of the prevalence of black at funerals. The
sombre pall and sable trappings are all in place if bereave-
ment on earth means everlasting separation.
TUl Death Does You Part gS5
The dread assumption — let us not say belief, for who does
not hope that a brighter destiny awaits us? — has been
fostered by custom and ignorance, and even taught as
doctrine by substituting the precepts of men for the word
of God. It is embodied in the marriage ceremony, wherein
the officiating minister, addressing the principals at the
moment of their supreme concern, says: I join you in the
bonds of matrimony until death does you part.
How like the thud of clods upon the casket in an open
grave ! Must we tolerate the shadow of death as an intrud-
ing guest at every wedding .^^
Verily so, if marriage be nothing more than an earthly
contract, regulated by law solely as a human institution;
for no legislature, congress, or parliament of men, no synod,
church, council, or ecclesiastical hierarchy of human origin-
ation, can legislate or administer ordinances of other than
earthly validity. To claim jurisdiction in post-mortal af-
fairs on the basis of human assumption is both sacrilege and
blasphemy.
The current marriage ceremony, uniting the parties un-
til death does them part, is framed in consistency and
propriety. As an institution of men it is honorable and
legally binding. And so are all the obligations and endow-
ments resulting therefrom, including the exalting status of
parenthood. But all such relationships are to end with
death if validated only by man's authority. Can we con-
sistently affirm that if the grave terminates the claim of
parents upon each other it shall not likewise end the claim
of parents upon children, and of children upon parents?
But behold, there is hope! God has provided a way by
which the family unit may survive the grave and endure
throughout eternity. It is the Divine intent that marriage
226 The Vitality of Mormonism
be an eternal union, and that the relationship between
parents and offspring shall be made valid in the here-
after as here.
We affirm that the Holy Priesthood has been restored
to earth by direct dispensation from the heavens, and this
in accordance with prophecy and Scripture, and that the
authority of this Priesthood, when administered as God has
directed, is effective both on earth and in heaven. (Com-
pare Matt. 16:19; 18:18.)
We affirm that even as baptism, when administered as
our Lord prescribed, by those invested with the Holy Priest-
hood, shall be a means to salvation beyond the grave, so
other ordinances, including the sealing of wives to husbands
and children to parents, may be authoritatively solemnized
so as to be valid after death. To this effect hath the
Lord spoken respecting the everlasting covenant, which
embraces marriage for both time and eternity.
"Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world,
and he marry her not by me, nor by my word; and he
covenant with her so long as he is in the world, and she
with him, their covenant and marriage are not of force
when they are dead, and when they are out of the world.
Therefore, they are not bound by any law when they are
out of the world. Therefore, when they are out of the
world they neither marry nor are given in marriage. . . .
And again, verily I say unto you, if a man marry a wife by
my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting
covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of
promise ... it shall be done unto them in all things
whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time, and
through all eternity, and shall be of full force when they
are out of the world ; and they shall pass by the angels, and
the Gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and glory
They Neither Marry 227
in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which
glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds
for ever and ever." (Doctrine and Covenants 132.)
— m —
THEY NEITHER MARRY
Nor Give in Marriage
CERTAIN Sadducees once came to Christ with a ques-
tion concerning marital relations following the resur-
rection. The real point of their inquiry was in part hidden,
or, in current vernacular, camouflaged. Their chief purpose
was that of disputing the doctrine of the resurrection itself,
the actuality of which the Sadducees as a sect strenuously
denied.
They cited a case, presumably hypothetical, of a woman
who had been married, and then six times remarried under
the levirate law, and seven times widowed, and who event-
ually had died, childless. The question as submitted was:
"Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the
seven ?"
"Jesus answered and said unto them. Ye do err, not know-
ing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the
resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in mar-
riage, but are as the angels of God in heaven." (Matt.
22:28-30.)
Three of the evangelists make record of the incident;
and the most extended version of our Lord's reply is given
by Luke (20:34-38). From this we gather that while
marriage and giving in marriage — that is to say the associa-
tion of eligible parties in wedlock, and the authoritative
228 The Vitality of Mormonism
solemnization of the union by a duly qualified official — are
necessary and honorable undertakings among mortals, they
to whom the Savior referred shall neither marry nor be given
in marriage in the resurrection, but at best shall be made
equal to the angels.
The inquisitorial Sadducees must have felt the force of
the Master's rebuke in being told that they were in error
"not knowing the scriptures nor the power of God," for
they prided themselves on their learning and superior qual-
ities of understanding. Nevertheless, the reproof was mer-
ited, for had they opened their hearts to the spirit of
Scripture, had they considered with honest desire to com-
prehend the words of the Lord who spoke to them, whose
utterances were and are Scripture of the highest and most
sacred order, they would have been able to distinguish be-
tween ceremonies performed for time only under the regu-
lations of human law, and ordinances administered by the
authority of God for both time and eternity.
Sacred rites that pertain both to the period of mortality
and to the life beyond must be solemnized on earth. Com-
pliance with the laws and ordinances of the Gospel, or the
rejection of these, determines the individual test for which
the world was prepared as the abode of men — to "prove
them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever
the Lord their God shall command them." (Pearl of Great
Price, p. 66,)
Thus, in the case of the initiatory ordinance, baptism,
it is essential that it be administered to mankind in the
flesh; for Scripture nowhere avers that in and after the
resurrection men shall be baptized in water for the remission
of sins done in mortality. And so is it with respect to
marriage.
True, as we have heretofore seen, the merciful economy
They Neither Marry 229
of God makes possible the vicarious administration of bap-
tism for the disembodied, that is for the dead prior to their
resurrection; but the actual baptism is to be solemnized by
and upon mortal beings, who, having been already baptized
for themselves, may officiate for their dead kindred by com-
plying with the revealed laws and regulations. So also the
marital union of the worthy dead, who have lived in lawful
and honorable wedlock as regulated by secular law, may be
confirmed and superseded by the ordinance of Celestial Mar-
riage, wherein the family relationship is perpetuated by
sealing under the authority of the Holy Priesthood, to be
of force and effect in and after the resurrection from the
dead.
The family relationship was primarily designed to be
perpetual; and only as mankind have forfeited or rejected
the ministration of the Holy Priesthood has mere temporal
union become a necessary yet but partial substitute for the
eternal order of marriage. Paul's comprehensive precept
"Neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman
without the man, in the Lord" (1 Cor. 11:11) has an
application beyond the marital state in mortality.
The full measure of progression in eternity is unattain-
able without the perpetuity of the family organization;
and the family unit must be established on earth through
the order of Celestial Marriage, which comprises marriage
for time as well as for eternity, or, in the case of the dead
by the confirmation and extension of earthly wedlock
through the vicarious sealing of the parties in Celestial
Marriage. Otherwise, that is if the marriage of any couple
shall have been by secular authority only, without the
authority of the Holy Priesthood, the parties shall find in
the resurrection that neither are they married nor can
they then be given in marriage.
ftSO The Vitality of Mormonism
Following the visitation of the Risen Christ to the Ncph-
ites on the Western Continent we read of the marriage in-
stitution associated with specific blessings, indicating the
authorized administration of the higher and eternal order
of matrimony: "And they were married, and given in mar-
riage, and were blessed according to the multitude of the
promises which the Lord had made unto them." (Book of
Mormon, 4 Nephi 11.)
Concerning those who are wedded for tliis life only, the
word of God as revealed in the present age is in strict
accord with the Lord's affirmation to the Sadducees:
"Therefore, when they are out of the world, they neither
marry, nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels
in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to min-
ister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceed-
ing, and an eternal weight of glory." (Doctrine & Coven-
ants 132:16.)
— 63 —
CELESTIAL MARRIAGE
Eternal Relationship of the Sexes
"T^TEITHER is the man without the woman, neither the
La woman without the man, in the Lord." (1 Cor. 11:
This scriptural epigram loses much of its significance
if restricted to the period of mortal life. Admitting the
actuality of individual existence after death, both during
the interval of disembodiment and beyond in the resurrected
state, we must in consistency accept the fact of the eternity
of sex. Man will be man and woman woman in the here-
after as here.
Celestial Marriage S31
Marriage as regarded bj the Latter-day Saints is or-
dained of God and designed to be an eternal relationship.
The Church affirms it to be not only a temporal and legal
contract, of binding effect during the mortal life of the
parties, but also a solemn covenant that shall endure beyond
the grave. In the complete ordinance of marriage as admin-
istered within the Church, the man and the woman are
placed under covenant of mutual fidelity and union not until
death does them part, but for time and for all eternity.
A contract as far-reaching as this, extending not only
throughout the period of earth-life, but beyond death, re-
quires for its validation an authority superior to any that
can be originated by human enactment; and such authority
is found in the Holy Priesthood, which, given of God, is
eternal.
Only as God delegates authority to man, with promise
that administration under that authority shall be acknowl-
edged in heaven, can any contract be made in this world
and be of assured validity after the death of the parties
concerned. Marriage is properly authorized by legal
statute; and every contract of matrimony entered into as
the law provides is honorable, and unless dissolved by the
operation of law is effective during the life of the respective
parties thereto. But it is beyond the power of man to
legislate for eternity.
This is made plain in a revelation given to the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 184)6, part of which
follows :
"All covenants, contracts, bonds, obligations, oaths,
vows, performances, connections, associations, or expecta-
tions, that are not made, and entered into, and sealed, by
the Holy Spirit of promise, of him who is anointed, both as
well for time and for all eternity, and that too most holy,
232 The Vitality of Mormonism
by revelation and commandment .... are of no efficacy,
virtue or force, in and after the resurrection from the dead ;
for all contracts that are not made unto this end, have an
end when men are dead. . . . And everything that is in the
world, whether it be ordained of men, by thrones, or princi-
palities, or powers, or things of name, whatsoever they may
be, that are not by me, or by my word, saith the Lord, shall
be thrown down, and shall not remain after men are dead,
neither in nor after the resurrection, saith the Lord your
God." (Doctrine and Covenants 132:7, 13.)
In application of this principle and law to the covenants
of matrimony, the revelation continues :
"Therefore, if a man marry him a wife in the world, and
he marry her not by me, nor by my word; and he covenant
with her so long as he is in the world, and she with him, their
covenant and marriage are not of force when they are dead,
and when they are out of the world ; therefore, they are not
bound by any law when they are out of the world."
This holy order of matrimony, involving covenant and
blessing for both time and eternity, is distinctively known
in the Church as Celestial Marriage, and is administered
to those only who are adjudged to be of worthy life, eligibk
for admission to the House of the Lord; for this sacred
ordinance together with others of eternal validity may be
solemnized only within the Temples reared and dedicated
for such exalted service.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, how-
ever, sanctions and acknowledges legal marriages for mor-
tality alone, and solemnizes such unions, as the secular law
provides, between parties who do not enter the Temple or
who voluntarily choose the lesser and temporal order of
matrimony. The ordinance of Celestial Marriage comprises
and includes marriage for time, and is therefore administered
There Was War in Heaven 283
to none who are not legally eligible to marry according
to the law of the land.
Marriage that shall be valid after death must be solem-
nized here, as must all other ordinances required of men in
the flesh, and that under the authority given of God for
earthly administration. The resurrected state of those,
otherwise worthy, who are wedded for mortality alone and
that under laws created by man, is set forth in both ancient
and modern Scripture as that of angels or ministers, un-
blessed by eternal increase:
"For these angels did not abide my law, therefore they
cannot be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, with-
out exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity, and
from henceforth are not Gods, but are angels of God, for
ever and ever." (Doctrine and Covenants 132:17.)
— 64 —
THERE WAS WAR IN HEAVEN
A
Primeval Conflict Over Satanic Autocracy
ND there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels
fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought
and his angels. And prevailed not; neither was their place
found any more in heaven." See Rev. 1% :7-9.
John the Revelator beheld in vision this scene of primeval
conflict between the hosts of unembodied spirits. Plainly
this battle antedated the beginning of human history, for
the dragon or Satan had not then been expelled from heaven,
and at the time of his first recorded activity among mortals
he was a fallen being.
In this antemortal contest the forces were unequally di-
234 The Vitality of Mormomsm
vided ; Satan drew to his standard only a third of the spirit
children of God (Rev. 12:4; Doctrine and Covenants 29:
36-38 and 76:25-27), while the majority either fought with
Michael or refrained from active opposition, and so accom-
phshed the purpose of their "first estate." The angels who
followed Satan "kept not their first estate" (Jude 6) and
so forfeited the glorious possibilities of an advanced or
"second estate." (Pearl of Great Vticq}'^^!* QQ,) The
victory was won by Michael and his angels; and Satan,
theretofore a "son of the morning," was cast out of heaven,
yea "he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast
out with him." (Rev. 12:9.)
About eight centuries prior to John's time, the principal
facts of these momentous occurrences were revealed to Isaiah
the prophet, who lamented with inspired pathos the fall of
so great a one as Lucifer, and specified selfish ambition as
the cause. Read Isa. 14:12-15.
The question at issue in the war in heaven is of first
importance to human-kind. From the record of Isaiah we
learn that Lucifer, then of exalted rank among the spirits,
sought to aggrandize himself without regard to the rights
and agency of others. He aspired to the unrighteous
powers of absolute autocracy. The principle for which
Michael, the archangel contended, and which Lucifer sought
to nullify, comprised the individual liberties or the free
agency of the spirit hosts destined to be embodied in the
flesh. The whole matter is set forth in a revelation given
to Moses and repeated through Josepli Smith, the first
prophet of the present dispensation:
"And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That
Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine
Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning,
and he came before me, saying — Behold, here am I, send
There Was War in Heaven S35
me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that
one soul shall not be lost, and surely I wiU do it ; wherefore
give me thine honor. But, behold, my Beloved Son, which
was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto
me — Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.
Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and
sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord
God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him
mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I
caused that he should be cast down. And he became Satan,
yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and
to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as
many as would not hearken unto my voice." (Pearl of
Great Price, pp. 15-16.)
Thus it is shown that before this earth was tenanted by
man, Christ and Satan together with the hosts of the
spirit offspring of God existed as intelligent individuals,
with abihty and power of choice, and freedom to follow the
leaders whom they elected to obey. In that innumerable
concourse of spirit intelligences, the Father's plan, whereby
His children would be advanced to their second estate, was
submitted and doubtless discussed.
Satan's plan of compulsion whereby all would be forcibly
guided through mortality, bereft of freedom to act and
agency to choose, so circumscribed that forfeiture of salva-
tion would be impossible and not one soul could be lost,
was rejected; and the humble offer of Jesus the Firstborn —
to live among men as their Exemplar, observing the sanctity
of man's agency while teaching men to use aright that Divine
heritage — was accepted. The decision brought war, which
resulted in the vanquishment of Lucifer and his angels, and
they were cast out, deprived of the boundless privileges in-
cident to the mortal or second estate,
JIS6 The Vitality of Mormonism
Ever since the beginning of human existence on earth,
the deposed son of the morning and his followers have been
compassing the captivity of souls. The plan of salvation
is the gospel of liberty. And now, in these the last days,
immediately precedent to the return of Christ, who shall
come to rule in righteousness on earth, the arch-fiend is
making desperate effort to enthrall mankind under the
autocracy of hell. The conflict under which the earth has
been made to groan was a repetition of the premundane
war, whereby the free agency of spirits was vindicated;
and the eventual issue of the later struggle was equally as-
sured.
— 65 —
WE LIVED BEFORE WE WERE BORN
Our Primeval Childhood
IT is a grievous error to assume that mortal birth marks
the beginning of one's individual existence. Quite as
reasonable is it to hold that death means annihilation of the
soul. The preexistent or antemortal state of man is as
plainly affirmed by Scripture as is the fact of life beyond the
grave.
We are too prone to regard the body as the man, and
this mistake breeds the thought that life in the flesh is all
there is to existence. There is in man an immortal spirit
that existed as an intelligent being before the body was be-
gotten, and that shall continue to exist as the same im-
mortal individual after the body has gone to decay. Divine
revelation attests the solemn truth that man is eternal.
No one who accepts the Holy Bible as the word of God
can consistently deny the preexistence of the Lord Jesus
We Lived Before We Were Born 2S7
Christ. In the first chapter of the Gospel written by John,
Christ is designated as the Word, and the Savior's preexist-
eiice and primeval Godship are thus set forth : "In the begin-
ning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God." We read further: "And the Word
was made flesh, and dwelt among us." (John 1:1 and 14.)
Our Lord's personal testimony is to the same effect. Of
the disciples he asked: "What and if ye shall see the Son
of Man ascend up where he was before.?" (John 6:6^.) And
on another accasion He averred "I came forth from the
Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the
world, and go to the Father." (John 16:28.) In solemn
prayer He implored, "And now, O Father, glorify thou me
with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee
before the world was." (John 17:5.)
Nevertheless, as to earthly birth Christ was born a Child
and lived to maturity as a Man among men. Even as His
bodily birth was the union of a preexistent spirit with a
tabernacle of flesh and bones, such also is the birth of every
human being.
Everyone of us was known by name and character to the
Father, who is "the God of the spirits of all flesh" (Num-
bers 16:22; 27:16), in our antemortal or primeval child-
hood ; and from among the hosts of His unembodied children
God chose for special service on earth such as were best
suited to the accomplishment of His purposes. In illustra-
tion consider the Lord's definite revelation to Jeremiah the
prophet: "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee;
and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified
thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
(Jer. 1:5.)
More than twelve centuries before Jeremiah's time God
had revealed unto Abraham the fact of the preexistence of
^38 The Vitality of Mormonism
the spirits of mankind, as also the diverse capacities of those
spirits, and the Divine purpose in preparing the earth for
their habitation. Thus runs the record:
"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intel-
ligences that were organized before the world was; and
among all these there were many of the noble and great ones ;
And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood
in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my
rulers ; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he
saw that they were good ; and he said unto me : Abraham,
thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast
born. And there stood one among them that was like unto
God, and he said unto those who were with him : We wiU go
down, for there is space there, and we will take of these
materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may
dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will
do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command
them; And they who keep their first estate shall be added
upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not
have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their
first estate; and they who keep their second estate shall
have glory added upon their heads forever and ever." (Pearl
of Great Price, pp. 65-66.)
Our life in the flesh is but one stage in the course of the
soul's eternal progress, a link connecting the eternities past
with the eternities yet to come. The purpose of our mortal
probation is that of education, training, trial, and test,
whereby we demonstrate whether we will obey the command-
ments of the Lord our God and so lay hold on the boundless
opportunities of advancement in the eternal worlds, or elect
to do evil and forfeit the boon of citizenship in the King-
dom of Heaven.
The condition upon which mankind may have place in that
Man is Eternal 239
Kingdom is compliance with the requirements laid down by
Jesus Christ the Redeemer and Savior of the world, whose
name is "the only name which shall be given under heaven,
whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men."
(Pearl of Great Price, p. 33.)
— 66 --
MAN IS ETERNAL
Sticcessive Stages of Existence
THERE are four states, conditions, or stages in the
advancement of the individual soul, specified in Sa-
cred Writ. These are (1) the unembodied, (2) the em-
bodied, (3) the disembodied, and (4) the resurrected state.
In other words, ( 1 ) every one of us lived in an antemortal
existence as an individual spirit; (2) we are now in the
advanced or mortal stage of progress; (3) we shall live in
a disembodied state after death, which is but a separation
of spirit and body; (4) and in due time each of us, whether
righteous or sinful, shall be resurrected from the dead
with spirit and body reunited and never again to be separ-
ated.
As to the certainty of the antemortal state, commonly
spoken of as preexistence, the Scriptures are explicit. Our
Lord Jesus Christ repeatedly averred that He had lived
before He was born in flesh (see John 6:69.', 8:58; 16:28;
17:5); and as with Him so with the spirits of all who
have become or yet shall become mortal.
We were severally brought into being, as spirits, in that
preexistent condition, literally the children of the Supreme
Being whom Jesus Christ worshiped and addressed as
Father. Do we not read that the Eternal Father is "the
240 The Vitality of Mormonism
God of the spirits of all flesh" (Numb. 16:22; 27:16), and
more specifically that He is "the Father of spirits"? (Heb.
12:9.) In the light of these Scriptures it is plainly true
that the spirits of mankind were there begotten and born
into what we call the preexistent or antemortal condition.
The primeval spirit birth is expressively described by
Abraham to whom the facts were revealed, as a process of
organization and the spirits so advanced are designated as
intelligences: "Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abra-
ham, the intelligences that were organized before the world
was ; and among all these there were many of the npble and
great ones." (Pearl of Great Price, p. 65.) 2> •'
The human mind finds difficulty in apprehending the
actuality of infinite or eternal process, either from the
present onward to and beyond what we call in a relative
sense perfection, on, on, without end; or backward through
receding stages that had no beginning. But who will affirm
that things beyond human comprehension cannot be.?
In the antemortal eternities we developed with individual
differences and varied capacities. So far as we can peer
into the past by the aid of revealed light we see that there
was always gradation of intelligence, and consequently of
ability, among the spirits, precisely as such differences exist
amongst us mortals.
"That all men are created equal" is true in the sense in
which that telling epigram was written into the scriptures
of the Nation as a self-evident truth; for such laws as
men enact in righteousness provide for the protection of
individual rights on a basis of equality and recognize no
discriminating respect of persons. But if applied as mean-
ing that all men are born with equal capacities, or even
inherent abilities in like measure for each, the aphorism
becomes absurd and manifestly false.
Man is Eternal 241
Every spirit born in the flesh is an individual character,
and brings to the body prepared for its tenancy a nature
all its own. The tendencies, likes and dislikes, in short the
whole disposition of the spirit may be intensified or changed
by the course of mortal life, and the spirit may advance
or retrograde while allied with its mortal tabernacle. Stu-
dents of the so-called science with a newly coined name.
Eugenics, are prone to emphasize the facts of heredity to the
exclusion of preexistent traits and attributes of the in-
dividual spirit as factors in the determination of character.
The spirit lived as an organized intelligence before it
became the embodied child of human parents ; and its pre-
existent individuahsm will be of effect in its period of earth
life. Even though the manifestations of primeval person-
alit}^ be largely smothered under the tendencies due to
bodily and prenatal influence, it is there, and makes its
mark. This is in analogy with the recognized laws of
phj^sical operation — every force acting upon a body pro-
duces its definite eff'ect whether it acts alone or with other
and even opposing forces.
The genesis of every soul lies back in the eternity past,
bej^ond the horizon of our full comprehension, and what
we call a beginning is as truly a consummation and an end-
ing, just as mortal birth is at once the commencement of
earth life and the termination of the stage of antemortal
existence.
The facts are thus set forth in the revealed word of
God:
"If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent
than the other yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is
more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they
existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after,
242 The Vitality of Mormonism
for tliey are gnolaum, or eternal." (Pearl of Great Price,
p. 65.)
To every stage of development, as to every human life,
there is beginning and end; but each stage is a definite
fraction of eternal process, which is without beginning or
end. Man is of eternal nature and of Divine lineage.
— 67 —
IN THE LINEAGE OF DEITY
Man's Divine Pedigree
THE spirits of mankind are the offspring of God. The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints so af-
firms on the basis of scriptural certainty, and as wholly
reasonable and consistent.
The preexistent or antemortal state of man has been
heretofore demonstrated. God the Eternal Father is the
actual and literal Parent of spirits. That many of these
spirits in their embodied state manifest more of human
weakness than of Divine heritage, that they grasp the earth-
ly present with little regard for the heavenly past and with
less for the yet greater possibilities of the heavenly future,
is no proof to the contrary of the revealed truth that man
belongs to the lineage of God.
Of all the spirit children begotten of the Eternal Father
throughout the eons past, Jesus Christ was the firstborn.
To this solemn truth the Christ has testified in the current
age: "And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the begin-
ning with the Father, and am the firstborn." And as to
the human family in general, ponder our Lord's further
avowal: "Ye were also in the beginning with the Father."
(Doctrine & Covenants 93:21, 23.)
In the Lmeage of Deity 243
The Scriptures aver that all things existing upon earth,
including man, were created spiritually prior to their em-
bodiment in earthly tabernacles; and furthermore, that
mortal man is fashioned after the image of God. In short,
all earthly existences are material expressions of preexist-
ent entities. The human body, so far as it is normal, unde-
formed and unimpaired, is a presentment of the spirit itself.
One of the essential and distinguishing characteristics of
life is the power to select and utilize in its own tabernacle,
whether plant, animal, or human, the material elements
within its reach, so far as such are necessary to its growth
and development. This is true alike of the unborn embryo
and of the mature being.
Man's spirit, therefore, is in the likeness of its Divine
and Eternal Father, and in the operations of the functions
of life it shapes the body to conform with itself. How
could the spirit be otherwise than in the image of God if
it be divinely begotten and bom.?
The conformation of the body to the likeness of the pre-
existent spirit is attested in a revelation to an ancient
prophet and seer, wherein the Lord Jesus Christ, then in
the unembodied state, showed Himself to His mortal serv-
ant, saying: "Seest thou that ye are created after mine
own image.'' Yea, even all men were created in the begin-
ning, 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." (Book of Mormon, Ether, 3:15, 16).
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches
that the spirit of man being the offspring of Deity, and the
himian body though of earthly composition yet being, in
244 The Vitality of Mormonism
its perfect condition, the very image of God, man, even in
his present and so-called fallen condition, possesses inher-
ited traits, tendencies, and powers that tell of his Divine
descent; and that these attributes may be developed as to
make him, even while mortal, in a measure Godlike. If this
be not true we have to explain a vital exception to what we
regard as an inviolable law of organic nature — that like
begets like, and that perpetuation of species is in com-
pliance with the condition "each after his kind."
The actuality of the spiritual procreation, with which
mortal birth is analogous, is expressed in the inspired hymn
by a latter-day poetess, Eliza R. Snow:
0 my Father, Thou that dwellest
In the high and glorious place.
When shall I regain thy presence,
And again behold thy face?
In thy holy habitation.
Did my spirit once reside!
In my first primeval childhood,
Was I nurtured near thy side!
For a wise and glorious purpose
Thou hast placed me here on earth,
And withheld the recollection
Of my former friends and birth;
Yet ofttimes a secret something-
Whispered, "You're a stranger here";
And I felt that I had wandered
From a more exalted sphere.
1 had learned to call thee Father,
Through thy Spirit from on high;
But until the Key of Knowledge
Was restored, I knew not why.
In the heavens are parents single?
No; the thought makes reason stare!
Truth is reason, truth eternal
Tells me I've a Mother there.
T
Unending Advancement 245
When I leave this frail existence,
When I lay this mortal by,
Father, Mother, may I meet you
In your royal courts on high?
Then, at length, when I've completed
All you sent me forth to do.
With your mutual approbation
Let me come and dwell with you.
— 68 —
UNENDING ADVANCEMENT
Infinite Possibilities of Man's Estate
HE spirit of man is in the image of God, whose child
it is, and every human body conforms, in the meas-
ure determined by its perfection or physical defects, to the
spirit that tenants it. Furthermore, we know that the
spirit existed in the ante-mortal state, that after death
it lives as a disembodied individual, and that later it shall
be reunited with the body of flesh and bones in an ever-
lasting union through the resurrection inaugurated by our
Lord Jesus Christ.
If man be the spirit offspring of God, and if the possi-
bilities of individual progression be endless, to both oi
which sublime truths the Scriptures bear definite testimony,
then we have to admit that man may eventually attain to
Divine estate. However far away it be in the eternities
future, what eons may elapse before any one now mortal
may reach the sanctity and glory of godhood, man never-
theless has inherited from his Divine Father the possibili-
ties of such attainment — even as the crawling caterpillar
or the corpse-like chrysalis holds the latent possibility, nay,
barring destruction, the certainty, indeed, of the winged
imago in all the glory of maturity.
246 The Vitality of Mormonism
Progression in mortality, that is true progression, ad-
vancement of the soul in developing the attributes of godli-
ness, achievement in righteousness that shall endure beyond
death and resurrection, is conditioned upon compliance
with spiritual law, just as bodily health is dependent upon
the observance of what we call natural law. Between the
two there may be difference of degree, but not essentially
of kind. Physical exercise is indispensable to the develop-
ment of body, and quite as certainly is spiritual activity
requisite to the healthful and normal development of the
soul.
Through valiant service, by unreserved obedience to the
requirements embodied in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, never-
ending advancement is made possible to man. Thus, within
the soul are the potentialities of godhood. Such high at-
tainment is specifically the exaltation of the soul as distin-
guished from salvation. Not all who are saved in the here-
after shall be exalted. One may refrain in large measure
from committing particular sins or sin in general, and so
gain title to a degree of salvation far above the lot of the
gross offender, nevertheless his goodness may be merely
passive, and thus distinctly apart from the active, ag-
gressive, positive godliness of him who is valiant in right-
eous service.
The incident of the rich young Jew who came in quest
of instruction as to his duty is in point. See Matt. 19 :16-
26. "Good Master," said he, "what good thing shall I do
that I may have eternal life?" The Lord answered "If thou
wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" and in re-
sponse to further inquiry cited the standard requirements
of the Mosaic Law. In simplicity, and seemingly devoid
of aU sense of self-righteousness, the young man rejoined:
Unending Advancement J847
"All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack
I yet?" Then Jesus replied "If thou wilt be perfect, go
and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou
shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."
The young ruler, for as such he is designated, yearned to
know what he should do beyond ordinary observance of
"Thou shalt" and "Thou shalt not" of the decalog. He
went away sorrowful in contemplation of the sacrifice re-
quired of him for the attainment of perfection. Love of
worldly things was this man's besetting ailment. The Great
Physician diagnosed his case and prescribed a suitable rem-
edy.
Through the latter-day prophet, Joseph Smith, the Lord
has specified the conditions of exaltation in the eternal
worlds, by describing those who thus attain:
"They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and
believed on His name and were baptized after the manner
of His burial, being buried in the water in His name, and
this according to the commandment which He has given.
That by keeping the commandments they might be washed
and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit
by the laying on of the hands of him who is ordained and
sealed unto this power. . . . They are they who are Priests
and Kings, who have received of His fulness, and of His
glory, and are Priests of the Most High, after the order
of Melchizedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which
was after the order of the Only Begotten Son. Wherefore,
as it is written, they are Gods, even the sons of God." (Doc-
trine & Covenants 76:51-58.)
And further, of the supremely blessed we read :
"Then shall they be Gods, because they have no end;
therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, be-
cause they continue; then shall they be above all, because
S48 The Vitality of Mormonism
all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be Gods,
because they have all power, and the angels are subject
unto them. Verily, verily I say unto you, except ye abide
my law, ye cannot attain to this glory." (132:20, 21.)
But aU shall be subject to the Eternal Father and His
Son Jesus Christ, as thus attested:
"Wherefore all things are theirs, whether life or death,
or things present, or things to come, all are theirs and they
are Christ's and Christ is God's." (76:59.)
— 69 —
THE LIVING AND THE DEAD
Both to Hear The Gospel
^|"\HE Atonement of Jesus Christ is the means by which
JL salvation has been placed within the reach of all man-
kind— poor and rich, bond and free, and, be it added, living
or dead.
We have seen in the light of scriptural demonstration
that, except through compliance with the laws and ordi-
nances of the Gospel as enunciated and prescribed by the
Lord Jesus Christ, no man can attain a place in the King-
dom of God.
What then of the dead, who have lived and passed with-
out so much as hearing that there is a Gospel of salva-
tion or a Savior of the race.? Are they to be hopelessly
and forever damned.? If so, the phrase "eternal justice"
should be stricken from Scripture and literature, and "in-
famous injustice" substituted.
Think of the myriads who died before and at the Deluge,
of the hosts of Israel who knew only the Law and died
The Livmg arid tJie Bead 849
in Ignorance of the Gospel, and count in with them the mil-
lions of their pagan contemporaries ; then think of the gen-
erations who passed away during the long dark night of
spiritual apostasy, predicted by prophecy and attested by
history; and contemplate the heathen and but partly civ-
ilized tribes of the present day. Are these, to whom no
knowledge of the Gospel has come, to be under eternal
condemnation in consequence?
In the hereafter the saved and the lost are to be segre-
gated. The Scriptures so avouch. Therefore, were there
no salvation for these who have died in ignorance of Christ's
Atonement and His Gospel, these benighted spirits could
never associate with their descendants who have been priv-
ileged to live in an age of Gospel enlightenment, and who
have made themselves eligible for salvation by faith and its
fruitage, obedience.
I have read of a heathen king, who, through the zealous
efforts of missionaries whom he had tolerantly admitted to
his realm, was inclined to accept what had been presented
to him as Christianity and make it the religion of his peo-
ple. Though he yearned for the blessed state of salvation
which the new religion seemed to offer, he was profoundly
affected by the thought that his ancestors, the dead chief-
tains of his tribe, together with all the departed of his
people, had gone to their graves unsaved. When he was told
that while he and his subjects could reach heaven, those
who had died before had surely gone to hell, he exclaimed
with a loud oath "Then to hell I will go with them."
He spoke as a brave man. Though, had he been more
fully informed he would have known that the Gospel of
Jesus Christ entails no such dire certainty ; but that, on the
contrary, the spirits of his noble dead would have oppor-
tunity of learning, in the world of the disembodied, the
2160 The Vitality of Mormonism
saving truth which in the flesh had never saluted their ears.
The Gospel is heing preached to the dead. Missionary
service in the spirit world has been in progress since its
inauguration by the disembodied Christ while His crucified
body lay in the tomb. (John 5:25.)
Christ's promise from the cross to the penitent thief
dying by His side, that the man should that day be in
paradise with the Lord, tells us where the Savior's spirit
went and ministered during the interval between death and
resurrection. Paradise is not heaven, if by that name we
mean the abode of God and the place of the supremely
blessed; for in the early light of the resurrection Sunday
the Risen Lord decisively affirmed that He had not then
ascended to His Father. (See John 20:17.)
Peter tells of the Lord's ministry among the disembodied :
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for
the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to
death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which
also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." (1
Peter 3:18-19.)
The terms of salvation are equally binding upon the
quick and the dead: "For for this cause was the gospel
preached also to them that are dead, that they might be
judged according to men in the flesh, but live according
to God in the spirit." (1 Peter 4:6.)
The Atonement would be shorn of its sublime import
and eff^ect were its provisions limited to the relative few
who have complied with the ordinances of the Gospel in the
body. But the Scriptures abundantly show that the Atone-
ment is of universal effect, reaching every soul, both in the
certainty of resurrection from death and in the oppor-
tunity for salvation through individual obedience. With
particular reference to redemption from death Jacob, a
God of the Living 261
Nephite prophet, thus spake: "Wherefore it must needs
be an infinite atonement ; save it should be an infinite atone-
ment, this corruption could not put on incorruption."
(Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 9:7.)
Obedience to Gospel requirements is likewise of universal
application. It follows that if any man has failed, either
through neglect or lack of opportunity to meet the require-
ment, the obligation is not cancelled by death.
— 70 —
GOD OF THE LIVING
All Live Unto Him
BUT as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye
not read that which was spoken unto you by God,
saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead,
but of the living." See Matt. 22:23-33.
These words of the Master were addressed to a party of
Sadducees, who had asked, though in irony, concerning cer-
tain details of the resurrected state, all the while holding
to their unscriptural dogma that there could not be a resur-
rection from the dead.
The Lord dismissed their circumstantial instance with terse
reproof and brief explanation, and went direct to the real
point of their question — the actuality of the resurrection
then future. He cited a Scripture often quoted in the
rabbinical discourses of the time, daily sung in the refrain
of the temple chants, and of frequent recurrence in their
ceremonial orisons: "I am the God of Abraham, and the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
S52 The Vitality of Mormonism
Jehovah's affirmation of His own identity as expressed
in this passage was made to Moses at Horeb. See Exo. 3.
At that time Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, with whom He
who there spake unto Moses from amidst the fiery splendor
of the burning bush had made covenant of everlasting
effect, were dead. The climax of the Master's explanatory
and positive doctrine was unanswerable: "He is not a
God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him."
(Luke 20:38.)
Small wonder that certain of the Scribes exclaimed,
"Master, thou hast well said," nor that the multitude "were
astonished at His doctrine." To acclaim as one of the dis-
tinguishing titles of Jehovah that He was the God of the
patriarchs whom they most revered, and yet hold that
those worthies were dead in the Sadducean sense of death,
was inconsistency itself.
The real import of death varies with the point of view.
Looked at from this side of the veil it means bereavement,
departure, separation, and as some ignorantly profess to
believe, annihilation. From the other side it is seen in its
verity as the disembodiment of the living, active, intelli-
gent spirit, which existed before its entrance into a taber-
nacle of flesh and bones, which maintains its individuality
after bodily dissolution, and which is destined to be reem-
bodied in the resurrection.
In these several states of existence the spirit is the same
being, with specific powers and functions, endowed with
agency or choice, and therefore strictly accountable. Death
of the body in no sense extinguishes the conscious person-
ality of the spirit nor does it terminate individual account-
ability.
Peter tells us of disembodied spirits who had lived in the
flesh during the Noachian dispensation, and who through
God of the Living 263
disobedience and wilful rejection of the Gospel had incurred
bodily destruction, and imprisonment of their undying
spirits throughout the centuries from Noah to Christ. Unto
them the disembodied Savior went and preached the Gospel.
They were therefore alive, possessed of understanding, and
capable of accepting or again rejecting the Gospel of sal-
vation.
Yet they were all numbered among the dead as man
counts the departed ; and for that matter so was the Christ,
for His visitation to those "spirits in prison" was made
during the interval of His death on the cross and His
emergence from the tomb with spirit and body reunited —
a resurrected Soul.
The Nephite prophet Alma set forth in words of inspired
plainness the continuity of intelHgent existence after death:
"Now concerning the state of the soul between death and
the resurrection. Behold, it has been made known unto
me, by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as
they are departed from this mortal body; yea, the spirits
of all men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home
to that God who gave them life. And then shall it come
to pass that the spirits of those who are righteous are re-
ceived into a state of happiness, which is called paradise;
a state of rest ; a state of peace, where they shall rest from
all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow. . . . Now
this is the state of the souls of the wicked; yea, in dark-
ness, and a state of awful, fearful, looking for the fiery in-
dignation of the wrath of God upon them ; thus they remain
in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise, until the
time of their resurrection." (Book of Mormon, Alma 40.)
And as to the individual existence in and after the resur-
rection, the same revelator has given us this Scripture:
"Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death:
264 The Vitality of Mormonism
and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this tem-
poral death, that all shall be raised from this temporal
death. The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in
its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to
its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we
shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we
know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.
Now this restoration shall come to all, both old and young,
both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked
and the righteous." (Alma 11.)
71
BEYOND THE GRAVE
Repentance Possible Even There
IN view of scriptural affirmation that between His death
and resurrection Christ visited and ministered to the
spirits who had been disobedient, and who, because of un-
expiated sins were still held in duress, it is pertinent to
inquire as to the object and scope of the Savior's ministry
among them. (See 1 Peter 3:18-19; and 4:6.)
His preaching "to the spirits in prison" must have been
purposeful and positive. Moreover, it is not to be as-
sumed that His message was other than one of relief and
mercy. Those to whom He went had long been in a state
of durance, deprivation and suffering. To them came the
Redeemer to preach, not to further condemn, to show them
the way that led to light, not to intensify the darkness
of their despair.
Had not that visit of deliverance been long predicted.?
Centuries earlier Isaiah had voiced the word of Jehovah
Beyond the Grave 265
concerning the state of proud and wicked spirits: "And
they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered
in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after
many days shall they be visited." (Isa. 24:22; see also
42:6, 7.) David, conscious of his own transgression, but
thrilled with contrition and hope, sang in measures of min-
gled sorrow and joy: "Therefore my heart is glad, and
my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For
thou wilt not leave my soul in hell." (Psa. 16:9-10.)
Inasmuch as Christ preached the Gospel to the dead,
His ministry must have included the affirmation of His own
atoning death, the inculcation of faith in Himself and in
the whole plan of salvation, which includes as a funda-
mental essential, contrite repentance acceptable unto God.
Peter specifies the purpose of the Savior's introduction
of the Gospel to departed spirits as "that they might be
judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to
God in the spirit." (1 Pet. 4-6.) Through latter-day revela-
tion we learn that among the inhabitants of the terrestrial
world, or lesser kingdom of glory, are "they who are the
spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and
preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged
according to men in the flesh; who received not the testi-
mony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it."
(Doctrine and Covenants 76:73-74.)
Progression, then, is possible beyond the grave. Ad-
vancement is eternal. Were it otherwise, Christ's ministry
among the disembodied would be less than fable and fiction.
Equally repugnant is the thought that though the Savior
preached faith, repentance and other principles of the
Gospel to the imprisoned sinners in the realm of spirits,
their compliance was impossible.
It is not difficult to conceive of disembodied spirits be-
256 The Vitality of Mormonism
ing capable of faith and repentance. Death has not de-
stroyed their status as individual intelligences. As they
hear the glad tidings of the Gospel some will accept, and
others, the obstinate and rebellious, will reject and for a
further period will have to languish in prison.
Besides the principles of the Gospel there are certain
ordinances involving material works, which are indispensa-
ble to salvation. Among these the Scriptures specify bap-
tism by immersion in water, and the reception of the Holy
Ghost by the imposition of authorized hands. How can
a man be baptized when he is dead.'' The answer is that
the necessary ordinances may be administered vicariously
for the dead to their living representatives in the body.
Thus, as a man may be baptized in his own person for him-
self, he may be baptized as proxy for his ancestral dead.
Herein we find point and explanation of Paul's challenging
question to the doubting Corinthians: "Else what shall
they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise
not at all.? why are they then baptized for the dead.?" (1
Cor. 15:29.)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints affirms
that the Divine plan of salvation is not bounded by the
grave; but that the Gospel is deathless and everlasting,
reaching back through all the ages that have sped, and
forward into the eternities of the future. Vicarious service
by the living in behalf of the dead is in line with and a
result of the supreme vicarious sacrifice embodied in the
Atonement wrought by the Savior of the world.
Largely for the administration of ordinances in behalf
of the dead the Latter-day Saints build and maintain Tem-
ples, wherein the living posterity enter the waters of bap-
tism and receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the
Holy Ghost, as representatives of their departed progeni-
Opportunity Here and Hereafter 267
tors. This labor was foretold through Malachi as a nec-
essary and characteristic feature of the last dispensation,
preceding the advent of Christ in glory and judgment.
Thus, the dead fathers and living children are turned
toward one another in the affection of a kinship that is
to endure throughout eternity. (See Mai. 4:5-6.)
We solemnly aver that on April 3, 1836, Elijah the an-
cient prophet came to earth and committed unto the re-
stored Church the authority and commission to administer
in behalf of the dead. (See Doctrine and Covenants 110:
13-16.)
— 72 —
OPPORTUNITY HERE AND HEREAFTER
Free Agency and Its Results
REPENTANCE and other good works, whereby the
saving grace of Christ's Atonement may be made of
individual effect for the remission of sins, are possible to
the dead; and furthermore, the required ordinances of the
Gospel may be administered to the living in behalf of the
departed.
Let it not be assumed that the doctrine of vicarious labor
for the disembodied implies, even remotely, that the ad-
ministration of ordinances in behalf of the dead operates
in the least degree to interfere with the right of choice
and the free exercise of agency on their part. They are
at liberty to accept or reject ministrations intended for
their benefit; and so they wiU accept or reject in accord
with their penitent or unregenerate condition, even as is
the case with those whom the Gospel message reaches in
mortality.
268 The Vitality of Mormonism
Though baptism be authoritatively administered to a
living person as proxy for a dead ancestor, that spirit will
derive no immediate advancement nor salvation thereby if
he has not yet attained faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, or
if he be still unrepentant. Even as Christ has made sal-
vation possible to all, though few there be who accept the
prescribed conditions in the flesh, so vicarious ordinances
may be administered for many in the spirit realm who are
not yet prepared to avail themselves of the opportunities
thus placed within their reach.
It is evident that labor in behalf of the dead is two-fold;
that performed on earth would remain incomplete and futile
but for its supplement and counterpart beyond the veil.
Missionary work is in progress there — work compared with
which the evangelistic labor on earth is relatively of small
extent. There are preachers and teachers, ministers in-
vested with the Holy Priesthood, all engaged in proclaiming
the Gospel of Jesus Christ to spirits still sitting in dark-
ness. This great labor was inaugurated by the Savior dur-
ing the brief period of His disembodiment. It is reasonable
and consistent to hold that the saving ministry so begun
was left to be continued by others duly authorized and com-
missioned; just as the work of preaching the Gospel and
administering therein among the living was committed to
the Apostles of old through their ordination by the Lord
Himself.
Missionary service in the spirit world is primarily ef-
fective among two classes: (1) those who have died in
ignorance of the Gospel — i. e., those who have lived and
died without law, and who therefore cannot be condemned
until they have come to the knowledge and opportunity
requisite to obedience; and (2) those who failed to comply
with the laws and ordinances of the Gospel in the flesh, and
Opporttmity Here cmd Hereafter 259
who through the experiences of the other world have come
to the contrite and receptive state.
It is unreasonable and vitally opposed to both letter and
spirit of Holy Scripture to assume that neglect or rejection
of the call to repentance in this hfe can be easily remedied
by repentance hereafter. Forfeiture through disobedience
is a very real loss, entailing deprivation of opportunity
beyond all human computation. Refusal to hear and heed
the word of God is no physical deafness, but a manifesta-
tion of spiritual disease resulting from sin. Death is no
cure for such. The unrepentant state is a disorder of the
spirit, and, following disembodiment, the spirit will still be
afflicted therewith.
What ages such an afflicted one may have to pass in prison
confines before he becomes repentant and therefore fit for
cleansing, we may not know. The unrepentant hosts who
rejected the Gospel in the days of Noah remained in thral-
dom until after the crucifixion of Christ. (See 1 Peter
3:18-20.) The prophet Amulek admonished the people to
repent while opportunity permitted. Consider his inspired
appeal :
"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to
meet God. ... Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to
that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to
my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit
which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out
of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess
your body in that eternal world. For behold, if ye have
procrastinated the day of your repentance, even until
death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of
the devil, and he doth seal you his." (Book of Mormon,
Alma 34:32-35.)
Revelation in the current age confirms the earlier Scrip-
260 The Vitality of Mormonism
tures in emphasizing the fact that mortality is the proba-
tionary state, and that the individual achievements or for-
feitures in this life will be of eternal effect, notwithstanding
the merciful provision made for advancement in the here-
after. The celestial kingdom of glory and eternal com-
munion with God and Christ is provided for those who obey
the Gospel when they learn of it. The lower or terrestrial
state will be the inheritance of such as "received not the
testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received
it." Yet lower is the telestial abode of the less deserving;
and deepest of all, the awful banishment of the sons of
perdition. (See Doctrine and Covenants 76.)
— 73 —
THE SPIRIT WORLD
Paradise and Hades
IT is a common practise to designate the place, the time,
or the state of existence following death as the here-
after; indeed, that term is defined by lexicographers as
the future life. The application is a broad one, too broad
to be regarded as descriptive except in the matter of se-
quence.
Nevertheless, the expression is a convenient one, and is
practically synonymous with the poet's phrase "the great
unknown." Its usage is a confession of uncertainty or
ignorance of what awaits us beyond; and as to duration it
embraces eternity, without divisions or periods either as
to condition or time. Holy Scripture is more definite, and
like Paul's commanding call, on Mars' Hill, to the wor-
shipers of "the unknown God," sunmions us to hear and
learn the truth.
The Spirit World 261
The world of the disembodied was known to the Hebrews
as Sheol and to the Greeks as Hades; and these terms,
meaning the unseen or unknown world, are translated Hell
in our version of the Old and New Testaments, respectively.
In a few New Testament passages referring to the state
of the damned, Gehenna is the original of the term Hell.
"Paradise" first appears in the Bible in the Savior's utter-
ance from the cross promising the penitent thief a place
there (Luke 23:43) ; and the word occurs subsequently but
twice. Paradise is distinctively the abode of the righteous
during their period of disembodiment, and is in contrast
with the "prison" tenanted by disobedient spirits. (1 Peter
3:19, 20.)
The several places or states mentioned above have refer-
ence to the existence of disembodied spirits, and therefore
embrace only that period of the hereafter between death
and resurrection. Beyond the spirit world, with its Para-
dise and its prison, lies the eternity of the resurrected state,
in the which men shall endure, with spirits and bodies re-
united, redeemed from the thraldom of death, and, accord-
ing to the record of their mortal lives, saved or condemned.
The hereafter, therefore, comprises severally the disem-
bodied and the reembodied existences of the individual; and
these must be distinctly segregated in any rational concep-
tion of the future life based on Scripture. Read the testi-
mony of the prophet Alma:
"Now concerning the state of the soul between death and
the resurrection. Behold, it has been made known unto
me, by an angel, that the spirits of all men, as soon as they
are departed from this mortal body ; yea, the spirits of all
men, whether they be good or evil, are taken home to that
God who gave them life.
S62 The Vitality of Mormonism
"And then shall it come to pass that the spirits of those
who are righteous are received into a state of happiness,
which is called paradise; a state of rest; a state of peace,
where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all
care, and sorrow, etc.
"And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the
wicked, yea, who are evil; for behold, they have no part
nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they
chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of
the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their
house ; and these shall be cast out into outer darkness ;
there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth ;
and this because of their own iniquity; being led captive
by the will of the devil.
"Now this is the state of the souls of the wicked; yea, in
darkness, and a state of awful, fearful, looking for the fiery
indignation of the wrath of God upon them; thus they
remain in this state, as well as the righteous in paradise,
until the time of their resurrection." (Book of Mormon,
Alma 40:11-14.)
It is evident that the final judgment of mankind is to
be reserved until after the resurrection; while in another
sense judgment is manifest in the segregation of the dis-
embodied, for in the intermediate state like will seek like,
the clean and good finding companionship with their kind,
and the wicked congregating through the natural attrac-
tion of evil for evil.
The essential features of the intermediate state are de-
ducible from the Lord's parable of the rich man and Laz-
arus. Read Luke 16:19-31. While it would be critically
unfair to affirm doctrinal principles on the incidents of an
ordinary story, we cannot admit that Christ would teach
falsely even in parable; and therefore we accept as true
How Long Shall Hell Last? 263
our Lord's portrayal of conditions in the spirit world.
That righteous and unrighteous dwell apart between death
and resurrection is made clear. Paradise, or, as the Jews
liked to designate that blessed abode, "Abraham's bosom,"
is not the place of final glory, any more than the hell to
which the rich man's spirit went is the final habitation of
the lost. Between the two, however, "there is a great gulf
fixed." To that intermediate state of existence men's works
do follow them (Rev. 14:13); and the dead shall find that
in their bodiless state their condition is that for which they
have prepared themselves while in the flesh.
— 74 —
HOW LONG SHALL HELL LAST.?
The Duration of Punishment
WE are accustomed to speak broadly of salvation and
condemnation in the hereafter as reward and pun-
ishment, respectively. The Scriptures justify this usage,
and furthermore make plain the fact that reward or pun-
ishment will be a natural and inevitable heritage resulting
from individual righteousness or sin.
The Eternal Judge of the quick and the dead is bound
by His own inviolable laws — and no less so than by His
Divine attributes of justice and mercy — to exalt every de-
serving soul, and to validate and enforce the loss and suf-
fering consequent to wilful wickedness. Verily, the Lord
God is no respecter of persons, condoning the unexpiated
sins of favorites and inflicting punishment upon others for
but equal guilt. Such an unbelievable condition would mean
injustice and vindictiveness.
^64) The Vitality of M or monism
Everlasting blessedness is thoroughly consistent with
justice. The souls that attain to salvation and eternal life
"shall have glory added upon their heads forever and'
ever." (Pearl of Great Price, p. ^Q.) But the thought of
never-ending punishment as the fate of all who die in their
sins is repugnant; and rightly so.
As reward for righteous living is to be proportionate
to deserts, so punishment for sin must be graded according
to the offense. The purpose of punishment is disciplinary,
reformatory, and in support of justice. God's mercy is as
truly manifest in the expiatory suffering, which He allows,
as in the endless joys of salvation, which He bestows.
As to the duration of punishment, we may take assurance
that it shall be measured to the individual in just accord-
ance with the sum of his iniquity. That every sentence
for sin must be interminable is as directly opposed to a ra-
tional conception of justice as it is contradictory of the
revealed Word of God.
It was mercifully foreordained that even the prisoners
thronging the pit should in due time be visited (Isa. 24:21-
22), and be offered means of amelioration (42:7). David
sang right rapturously, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in
heU." (Psa. 16:10.)
True, the Scriptures speak of endless punishment, and
depict everlasting burnings, eternal damnation, and the
sufferings incident to unquenchable fire, as features of the
judgment reserved for the wicked. But none of these awful
possibilities are anywhere in Scripture declared to be the
unending fate of the individual sinner.
Blessing or punishment ordained of God is eternal, for
He is eternal, and eternal are all His ways. His is a
system of endless and eternal punishment, for it will always
exist as the place or condition provided for the rebellious
How Long ShaU HeU Last? %65
and disobedient; but the penalty as visited upon the indi-
vidual will terminate when through repentance and expia-
tion the necessary reform has been effected and the utter-
most farthing paid.
Even to hell there is an exit as well as an entrance; and
when sentence has been served, commuted perhaps by re-
pentance and its attendant works, the prison doors shall
open and the penitent captive be afforded opportunity to
comply with the law, which he aforetime violated. But the
prison remains, and the eternal decree prescribing punish-
ment for the offender stands unrepealed. So it is even
with the penal institutions established by man.
To this effect hath the Lord spoken in the current age:
"I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord ; yea, even I am
He, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of the world.
. . . And surely every man must repent or suffer, for I,
God, am endless. Wherefore, I revoke not the judgments
which I shall pass, but woes shall go forth, weeping, wail-
ing and gnashing of teeth, yea, to those who are found on
my left hand. Nevertheless it is not written that there
shall be no end to this torment, but it is written endless
torment. Again, it is written eternal damnation . . . for,
behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given
from my hand, is endless punishment, for Endless is my
name. Wherefore eternal punishment is God's punishment.
Endless punishment is God's punishment."
The revelation continues: "Therefore I command you
to repent — repent lest I smite you by the rod of my mouth,
and by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings
be sore — how sore you know not! how exquisite you know
not! yea, how hard to bear you know not! For behold, I,
God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not
suffer if they would repent. But if they would not repent,
266 The Vitality of Mormonism
they must suffer even as I, which suffering caused myself,
even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain,
and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and
spirit: and would that I might not drink the bitter cup
and shrink — Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I
partook and finished my preparations unto the children
of men." (Doctrine & Covenants 19.)
The inhabitants of the telestial world — the lowest of
the kingdoms of glory prepared for resurrected souls, shall
include those "who are thrust down to hell" and "who shall
not be redeemed from the devil until the last resurrection."
(76:82-85.) And though these may be delivered from hell
and attain to a measure of glory with possibilities of pro-
gression, yet their lot shall be that of "servants of the
Most High, but where God and Christ dwell they cannot
come, worlds without end." (v. 112.) Deliverance from
hell is not admittance to heaven.
— 75 —
SALVATION AND EXALTATION
Advancement Worlds Without End
IMPROVEMENT, advancement, progression, here and
hereafter, are basal principles of the Divine plan with
respect to the souls of men. Earth-life with its varied
experiences of joy and sorrow, of success and failure, of
temptation and resistance thereto, all the bitter and the
sweet of mortal existence may be turned to eventual good
in the development of the individual soul.
We hold as reasonable, scriptural, and true, that ad-
vancement in righteous achievement and power for good
Salvation and Exaltation ^67
shall be a feature of the future life, both during the period
of disembodiment and in and after the resurrection from
the dead. Nevertheless, ability to progress in eternity is
largely conditioned by the thoroughness of our education in
the school of mortality.
Our status in the hereafter will be found to be primarily
dependent upon the merits or demerits of our life here;.
and beyond as in this world ability to advance will be
varied and graded. Wilful neglect here may forfeit both
ability and opportunity there. Hence, though in the mercy
of God the Gospel is being preached in the spirit world, and
vicarious administration of the essential and saving ordi-
nances is provided for, to the end that the repentant dead
"might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live
according to God in the spirit" (1 Peter 4:6), disembodied
spirits may be incapacitated and ineligible even for repent-
ance, and for the benefits of baptism administered in their
behalf upon earth, until they shall have learned in the
spirit world the primary lessons that they ignored or re-
jected while in the flesh. To this eff^ect spake Alma the
prophet :
"There was a space granted unto man in which he might
repent; therefore this life became a probationary state; a
time to prepare to meet God; a time to prepare for that
endless state, which has been spoken of by us, which is after
the resurrection of the dead." (Book of Mormon, Alma
12:24.)
"For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare
to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for
men to perform their labors.
"And now as I said unto you before, as ye have had so
many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you, that ye do not
procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end;
268 The Vitality of Mormonism
for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for
eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in
this life, then cometh the night of darkness, wherein there
can be no labor performed.
"Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis,
that I wijl repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye
cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess
your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that
same spirit will have power to possess your body in that
eternal world.
"For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your
repentance, even until death, behold, ye have become sub^
jected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his;
therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you,
and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power
over you." (34:32-35.)
Some degree of salvation shall be granted to every soul
who has not forfeited all claim thereto. But Salvation as
a graded state provided for all who have not sinned unto
the incurring of the dread penalty of the second death is
far exceeded by the Exaltation provided for the valiant
righteous. Of such as are worthy of a measure of salva-
tion, yet who have failed to lay hold on the higher blessings
and privileges of eternal life, including the perpetuity of
the family relation through the sealing ordinances admin-
istered under the authority of the Holy Priesthood, title
to which is to be won by individual effort by and through
the laws and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the
Lord has spoken in this dispensation, saying that they "are
appointed angels in heaven, which angels are ministering
servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far
more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory.
For these angels did not abide my law, therefore they can-«
Deity as Exalted Humanity 269
not be enlarged, but remain separately and singly, without
exaltation, in their saved condition, to all eternity, and
from henceforth are not Gods, but are angels of God, foi>
ever and ever." (Doctrine & Covenants 132:16-17.)
Progression in eternity is to be along well defined lines;
and thus the inheritors of any specific order or kingdom
of glory may advance forever without attaining the par-
ticul|lir exaltation belonging to a different kingdom or
order. Of those who shall belong to the Telestial or lowest
kingdom of glory we read:
"But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants
of the Telestial world, that they were as innumerable as
the stars in the fiiTnament of heaven, or as the sand upon
the sea shore; and heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall con-
fess to him who sits upon the throne for ever and ever. For
they shall be judged according to their works, and every
man shall receive according to his own works, his own
dominion, in the mansions which are prepared. And they
shall be servants of the Most High, but where God and
Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end." (76:
109-112.)
— 76 —
DEITY AS EXALTED HUMANITY
Man Is a God in Embryo
W) read of our Lord's presence at a winter festival in
Jerusalem, the Feast of Dedication. As He stood in
Solomon's Porch He was assailed with questions from
some of the more prominent Jews; and His answers so
stirred their priestly wrath that they essayed to stone Him
270 The Vitality of Mormonism
to death. Read John 10:22-42. The chief cause of their
anger lay in Christ's affirmation of His actual relationship
to the Father as the veritable Son of God. To the assault
of the infuriated and sin-blinded Jews Jesus responded
with these words : "Many good works have I showed you
from my Father ; for which of those works do ye stone me .?"
And the answering howl of the mob was: "For a good
work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because
that thou, being a man, makest thyself God."
Blasphemy was the blackest crime in the Mosaic cate-
gory; and the prescribed penalty was death by stoning.
The essence of this capital offense lay in falsely claiming
for one's self or attributing to man the authority belonging
to God, or in ascribing to Deity unworthy attributes. Jesus
had proclaimed to the angry Jews His inherent power to
grant eternal life unto all who would believe on Him and
do the things He taught. Hence the frightful charge of
blasphemy hurled at the Son of God, who spake as the
Father gave commandment.
Our Lord reminded them that even human judges of
their own, being empowered by Divine authority and there-
fore acting in the administration of justice as representa-
tives of Deity, were called gods (see Psalm 82:1, 6); and
then, with sublime pertinence asked : "Say ye of him, whom
the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou
blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God.?"
The actuality of the relationship between Jesus the Son
and God the Father as set forth in the Scriptures cited is
in accord with Scripture in its entirety; and that human-
kind are veritably children of that same Father, Jesus
Christ being the Firstborn of the spirits, and therefore our
Elder Brother, is attested by the same high and unques-
tionable authority.
Deity as Exalted Humanity 271
The Jews denied and blasphemously decried the Godship
of Christ because He was to them a man, the reputed son
of a carpenter, and His mother, brothers and sisters were
known to them as familiar townsfolk. Christ emphatically
afBrmed that He was following His Father's footsteps, as
witness His words on another occasion, when the Jews tried
to kill Him because He had said "that God was his Father,
making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and
said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son
can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father
do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the
Son likewise." Read John 5 :17-23. In the verse following,
Jesus declared that unto Him the Father showed all things
that He, the Father, did. In connection with the same
occurrence He declared, "My Father worketh hitherto, and
I work."
It is plain that Jesus Christ recognized the literal rela-
tionship of Sonship which He bore to the Father; and
moreover, that He was pursuing a course leading to His
own exaltation, a state then future, which course was es-
sentially that which His Father had trodden aforetime.
To the Father's supremacy He repeatedly testified, and ex-
pressly stated, "My Father is greater than I." (John
14:28.)
Jesus Christ lived and died a mortal Being, though dis-
tinguished in certain essential attributes from all other
mortals because of His status as the Only Begotten of
God His Father in the flesh. Yet Jesus Christ has attained
the supreme exaltation of Godship, and has won His place
at the right hand of the Eternal Father. Ponder the sig-
nificance of His words: "For as the Father hath life in
himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in him-
self." (John 5:26.) The teachings of the Church of
S72 The Vitality/ of Mormonism
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on this affirmation by
the Lord Jesus were set forth by Joseph Smith the prophet
in this wise:
"As the Father hath power in Himself, so hath the Son
power in Himself, to lay down His life and take it again,
so He has a body of His own. The Son doeth what He
hath seen the Father do: then the Father hath some day
laid down His life and taken it again; so He has a body
of His own."
And further : "God Himself was once as we are now, and
is an exalted Man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens.
That is the great secret. If the veil was rent to-day, and
the Great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who
upholds all worlds and all things by His power, was to
make Himself visible — I say, if you were to see Him to-day,
you would see Him like a man in form — like yourselves
in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for
Adam was created in the very fashion, image, and likeness
of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked
and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes
with another."
We read further: "The Father has a body of flesh and
bones as tangible as man's; the Son also." (Doctrine &
Covenants 130:22.)
Our belief as to the relationship of humanity to Deity
is thus expressed:
"As man is God once was ; as God is man may be."
Be Ye Perfect 273
— ■ 77 —
BE YE PERFECT
Is It Possible?
SOME knowledge of the attributes of God is essential to
intelligent worship. Granted that finite man cannot
comprehend infinity; yet consistency forbids us carrying
this self-evident truth to the extent of saying that because
God is infinite man can have no conception of His nature or
character.
If God be but a vast formless nonentity, filling all space
and therefore illimitable, substanceless, devoid of body and
parts, incapable of emotions and passions. He is not my
Father, I am not His son. To the contrary, the Scriptures
affirm that humankind are the children of God, fashioned
after His likeness in both spirit and body ; and conversely,
He must be of definite form and feature, possessed of a
body perfect in all its parts, and He likewise perfect in all'
His acts.
On the night of the betrayal, while comforting the sor-
row-stricken Eleven by solemn and lofty discourse, Jesus
said unto them: "Ye believe in God, believe also in me.
... If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father
also : and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him."
The faithful PhiHp broke in with an appealing request:
"Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us." The Lord's
response was an unequivocal avowal that He was His Fath-
er's exact presentment, so that whosoever had seen Him
had seen unto what and whom the Father was like. Note
the explicit and withal pathetic words of the heavy-hearted
Christ: "Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast
274 The Vitality of Mormonism
thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath
seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the
Father?" See John 14:1-10.
Jesus Christ, the Man, was and is in the express like-
ness of His Father's Person; and, since the consummation
of His mission in the flesh and His victory over death
whereby comes the resurrection, He has been exalted to the
Father's state of glory and perfection. See Heb. 1 :l-4.
Though the thoughts and activities of God be as far
above the ways of men a.s the heavens are above the earth,
they are nevertheless of a kind with human yearnings and
aspirations, so far as these be the fruitage of holiness, pur-
ity, and righteous endeavor. Though our planet be but as
a drop of the ocean compared with the many greater orbs,
it is not the least of all; and what we have come to know
of other worlds is primarily based on analogy with the
phenomena of our own. Notwithstanding that Deity is per-
fect and humanity grossly imperfect, we may learn much
of the Higher by a study of the lower in its true and normal
phases.
As an impressive and profound climax to one division of
the sublime discourse. The Sermon on the Mount, the
Master said: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your
Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matt. 5:48.)
What led up to this utterance, calling for the explana-
tory "therefore" by which the relation of premises and con-
clusion is expressed? A studious reading of the entire chap-
ter gives answer. Following the Beatitudes and certain
well defined admonitions and precepts, the Lord made plain
the distinction between the Law under which Israel had
professedly lived from Moses down, and the higher require-
ments of the Gospel taught by Christ. Again and again
the introductory, "Ye have heard that it was said by them
Be Ye Perfect 275
of old time," is followed by the authoritative, "But I say
unto you." Obedience to the Gospel, which comprises all
the essentials of the Law, was enjoined as the means by
which man may become perfect, even in the sense in which
the Father in heaven is perfect.
It is a significant fact that when Jesus Christ, a resur-
rected and glorified Being, visited the Nephite branch of
the House of Israel on the Western Continent, He included
Himself with the Father as the existent ideal of perfection,
as thus appears: "Therefore I would that ye should be
perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is per-
fect." (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 12:48).
The road to exaltation and perfection is opened through
the Gospel of Christ. We cannot rationally construe our
Lord's admonition as implying an impossibility. We are
not required to assume that man in mortality can attain
the perfection of an exalted and glorified personage, such
as either the Father or Jesus Christ. However, man may
be perfect in his sphere as more advanced intelligences may
be in their several spheres ; yet the relative perfection of the
lower is vastly inferior to that of the higher. We can
conceive of a college freshman attaining perfection in his
class ; yet the honors of the upper classman are beyond ;
and graduation, though to him remote, is assured if he do
but maintain his high standing to the end.
After all, individual perfection is relative and must be
gaged by the law operative upon us. In 1832 the Lord
thus spake through His prophet Joseph Smith: "And
again, verily I say unto you, that which is governed by
law is also preserved by law, and perfected and sanctified
by the same." (Doctrine & Covenants 88:34.)
The law of the Gospel is a perfect law; and the sure
effect of full obedience thereto is perfection. Of those who
276 The Vitality of Mormonism
attain exaltation in the celestial kingdom Christ has de-
clared: "These are they who are just men made perfect
through Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, who
wrought out this perfect Atonement through the shedding
of his own blood." (76:69.)
— 78 —
THE GLORY OF GOD IS INTELLIGENCE
Knowledge Is Power in Heaven as on Earth
IN a revelation to Abraham the Lord made known the
existence of spirits appointed to take bodies upon the
earth. These spirits were designated as "the intelligences
that were organized before the world was"; and elsewhere
in the same record spirits are called inteUigences. See
Pearl of Great Price, pp. 65, 66.
This usage of the term has gained a place in modern
English, as lexicographers agree. The Standard Diction-
ary gives us the following as one of the specific definitions
of intelligence: "An intelligent being, especially a spirit
not embodied; as the intelligences of the unseen world; the
Supreme Intelligence."
The word is current as connoting (1) the mental capac-
ity to know and understand; (2) knowledge itself, or the
thing that is known and understood; and (3) the person
who knows and understands. Beside these there are other
minor usages.
In the revelation above cited the Lord impressed upon
His ancient prophet and seer the fact that some of the
spirits were more intelligent than others; and then pro-
claimed His own Divine supremacy by the declaration: "I
am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all.
The Glory of God is Intelligence 277
. . . I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath,
in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences thine
eyes have seen from the beginning. I came down in the
beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast
seen."
In such wise did God make known anciently the power
by virtue of which He is supreme over all the intelligences
that exist — the fact that He is more intelligent than any
and all others. In the heavens as upon the earth the aphor-
ism holds good that Knowledge is Power, providing that
by "knowledge" we mean application, and not merely men-
tal possession, of truth. In a revelation through Joseph
Smith the prophet given in 1833, the character of Divine
authority and power is thus sublimely summarized: "The
Glory of God is Intelligence." (Doctrine & Covenants
93:36.)
The context of the passage shows that the intelligence
therein referred to as an attribute of Deity is spiritual
light and truth; and that man may attain to a measure
of this exalting light and truth is thus made certain: "He
that keepeth His commandments receive th truth and light,
until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things. . . .
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."
The antithesis of light and truth is darkness and false-
hood ; the former is summarized as righteousness, the latter
as evil. Reverting to the figure of mortality as a school
for embodied spirits, we must admit that every pupil who
ignores or rejects the truth as presented to him through
the revealed word and his own experience is culpably re-
sponsible for his ignorance.
278 The Vitality of Mormonism
Not all knowledge is of equal worth. The knowledge
that constitutes the wisdom of the heavens is all embraced
in the Gospel as taught by Jesus Christ; and wilful igno-
rance of this, the highest type of knowledge, will relegate
its victim to the inferior order of intelligences. Another
latter-day Scripture may be cited as an inspired generaliza-
tion embodying an eternal truth relating to our subject:
"It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance."
(Doctrine & Covenants 131:6.)
Can it be otherwise? If a man be ignorant of the terms
on which salvation is predicated he is unable to comply
therewith, and consequently fails to attain what otherwise
might have been his eternal gain. The ignorance that thus
condemns is responsible ignorance, involving wilful and
sinful neglect. Lack of the saving knowledge that one has
had no opportunity to acquire is but a temporary defi-
ciency; for Eternal Justice provides means of education
beyond the grave. Every one of us will be judged accord-
ing to the measure of light and truth we have had oppor-
tunity to acquire. Even the untutored heathen who has
lived up to his highest conceptions of right shall find means
of progression. Part of the blessing to follow the second
advent of Christ is thus stated : "And then shall the heathen
nations be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall have
part in the first resurrection; and it shall be tolerable for
them." (45:54.)
The intelligence that saves comprises knowing and doing
what is required by the Gospel of Christ; and such intelli-
gence will endure beyond death. "Whatever principle of
intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us
in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge
and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obe-
When Ignorance is Sin 279
dience than another, he will have so much the advantage in
the world to come." (130:18, 19.)
Intelligence as to Godly things, which are summarized
in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, leads to an ever increasing
understanding and comprehension of God Himself, and this
is knowledge supreme; for as the praying Christ affirmed:
"This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only
true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John
17:3.)
— 79 —
WHEN IGNORANCE IS SIN
Opportunity Entails Accountability
IT is an aphorism of the courts that ignorance of the
law is no valid excuse for crime. If this rule be just
it must rest upon the assumption that knowledge of what
the law demands or forbids is an inherent and natural pos-
session, or that it is so readily accessible that no one is
justified in failing to become informed.
The normal individual of a civilized community requires
no specific instruction to know that theft, falsification,
drunkenness, adultery or murder is fundamentally wrong,
since each of these crimes is a violation of his conscience
and a pronounced offense against public weal. If, however,
he enter restricted territory within which registration is
legally demanded, and he, not knowing of the requirement,
fails to register, he is technically a law-breaker subject to
the penalties prescribed. True, his offense is that of omis-
sion or non-compliance and his ignorance may or may not
be taken into account as a mitigating circumstance, this
depending, perhaps, upon local conditions and the discre-
280 The Vitality of Mormonism
tion of the magistrate as warranting leniency or demanding
the full measure of punishment.
As thus in the ordinary affairs of men so with regard
to the laws of God, framed for the governance of souls
and providing for their salvation. One's inherent conscious-
ness warns him against criminal actions but fails to in-
form him of certain definite requirements, without com-
pliance with which he is debarred from admission to the
Kingdom of God. There is no inborn knowledge by which
man knows that baptism by immersion in water, and the
higher baptism of the Spirit through the imposition of
hands are essential to salvation; nevertheless our Lord's
words to Nicodemus are alike binding upon every soul:
"Except a man be bom of water and of the Spirit, he can-
not enter into the Kingdom of God." (John 3:5.)
Is it less reasonable with respect to spiritual require-
ments than in secular matters to expect of every one an
acquaintance with the law as it applies to himself, pro-
viding, of course, such knowledge is accessible to all.^ But
some may honestly assert inability to apprehend the neces-
sity of obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gos-
pel, even though they had informed themselves as to the
letter of the prescribed conditions. Such may ask: Are
men to suffer penalty in the hereafter because they cannot
understand what is required of them in mortality.? The
degree of their culpability is to be determined by the funda-
mental cause of their ineptitude in matters spiritual. Fail-
ure to comprehend may be due to bias or to lack of desire
to know. The record of our Lord's ministry presents an
instance in point, coupled with a remedy for the spiritual
disorder by which ignorance was fostered and truth ig-
nored.
It was at the Feast of Tabernacles. Read John 7:14-18.
When Ignorance is Sm 281
The Jews were greatly troubled over His teachings; a few
believed, more doubted and questioned, and some were so
resentful as to want to kill Him. The more honest in
the multitude desired to know for themselves whether the
Master spoke by the power and authority of God or as a
man, for as a man only was He generally regarded. "Jesus
answered them, and said. My doctrine is not mine, but
his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall
know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I
speak of myself."
Are you unable to realize that baptism is essential to
salvation? Perhaps the cause lies in the fact that you
have never developed the essential condition of faith in
the Lord Jesus Christ; or, perchance, you have never re-
pented of your sins. Faith and repentance, as the Scrip-
tures aver, are prerequisites to effective baptism; and it
is as unreasonable to expect a faithless unrepentant sinner
to comprehend the essentiality of baptism as to expect one
untrained in the rudiments of arithmetic to understand
algebra.
Wilful ignorance of Gospel requirements is sin. Man
is untrue to his Divine lineage and birthright of reason when
he turns away from the truth, or deliberately chooses to
walk in darkness while the illumined path is open to his
tread. Positive rejection of the truth is even graver than
passive inattention or neglect. Yet to every one is given
the right of choice and the power of agency, with the cer-
tainty of his meeting the natural and inevitable conse-
quence.
We learn of three principal states or graded kingdoms
into which souls shall enter under Divine judgment — the
Celestial, the Terrestrial, and the Telestial— and the in-
heritance of each soul shall be determined by his measure
J88S The Vitality of Mormonism
of obedience to the laws of God, as the Lord's revelation
through the prophet Joseph Smith attests: "For he who
is not able to abide the law of a celestial kingdom cannot
abide a celestial glory. And he who cannot abide the law
of a terrestrial kingdom cannot abide a terrestrial glory.
He who cannot abide the law of a telestial kingdom cannot
abide a telestial glory; therefore he is not meet for a king-
dom of glory." (Doctrine & Covenants 88:22-24.)
— 80 —
KNOWING AND DOING
Knowledge May Help to Condemn uf Save
BY way of summary and climax to His lofty yet simple,
and withal unparalleled discourse, since named The
Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ thus spake: "There-
fore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth
them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his
house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods
came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it
fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one
that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not,
shaU be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house
upon the sand : And the rain descended, and the floods came,
and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it feU:
and great was the fall of it." (Matt. 7:24-27; compare
Luke 6:47-49.)
This Sermon has stood through the centuries in a class
of its own. The address is before us as a living preceptor
thrilled with the spirit of sincerity and action as opposed
to wordy profession and careless neglect. The closing sen-
Knowing and Doing 283
tences quoted above express, in language suited alike to
child and sage, a generalization of deep import — that ac-
tions not words alone, works not empty belief, doing not
merely knowing what to do, are conditions indispensable to
the salvation of the soul.
Many of those who were so signally privileged and
blessed as to personally hear the Master were astonished
at His doctrine and deeply moved by the simple and con-
vincing presentation: "For he taught them as one having
authority, and not as the scribes." (Matt. 7:29.) Our
Lord was qualified to teach as He did, not only by reason
of the sufficing fact that He bore the Father's commission,
but because He had done and was doing just what He re-
quired of others. The authority of Divine precept was
united in Him with that of unimpeachable example. The
burden of all scriptural direction relating to the attain-
ment of a place in the Kingdom of God is : Do the works
that are prescribed.
Ever consistent, unchangeable as the Father Himself, our
Lord affirmed the same necessity of works when He min-
istered among the Nephites on the American continent soon
after His ascension from the Mount of Olives in Palestine.
Having declared that His doctrine was the doctrine of the
Father, the Resurrected Christ thus proclaimed:
"Whoso believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall
be saved; and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom
of God. And whoso believeth not in me, and is not bap-
tized, shall be damned. Verily, verily, I say unto you, that
this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father ;
and whoso believeth in me believeth in the Father also, and
unto him will the Father bear record of me; for he will
visit him with fire 8ind with the Holy Ghost. . . . And
again I say unto you, Ye must repent and be baptized in
284 The Vitality of Mormonism
my name, and become as a little child, or ye can in no wise
inherit the kingdom of God. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
that this is my doctrine, and whoso buildeth upon this,
buildeth upon my rock, and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against them. And whoso shall declare more or
less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same
Cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock, but he
buildeth upon a sandy foundation, and the gates of hell
standeth open to receive such, when the floods come and
the winds beat upon them." (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi
11:33-40.)
The accumulated experience of the world sustains the
soundness of the principle thus emphasized in the Savior's
teachings. An alien immigrant to our shores may desire
to attain the full status of citizenship; but desire alone
will never enfranchise him. He must first learn the legal
requirements, and then comply therewith in every detail.
A student of the Scriptures may have learned, and that
to his own complete conviction, that faith in the Lord
Jesus Christ, repentance of sin, baptism by water and of
the Spirit, are the prescribed conditions of citizenship in
the Kingdom of God; ^nt that knowledge serves only to
make him the more blameworthy if he fails to act. Even a
letter-perfect memorization of all Scripture if unaccom-
panied by ob€dience to the laws and ordinances of the
Gospel is invalid as title to salvation, and does but intensify
the guilt incident to wilful neglect.
Opportunity to avail one's self of the saving provisions
of the Gospel may not always be within individual reach,
for neglect may forfeit the ability to repent. The Word
of the Lord to the world today is thus proclaimed : "I the
Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allow-
ance. Nevertheless, he that repents and does the com-
Will Many or Few Be Saved? 285
mandments of the Lord shall be forgiven, and he that re-
pents not, from him shall be taken even the light which
he has received; for my Spirit shall not always strive with
man, saith the Lord of Hosts." (Doctrine & Covenants
1:31-33.)
— 81 —
WILL MANY OR FEW BE SAVED.?
I
Our Place Beyond the Grave
N the course of our Lord's last journey from Galilee
to Jerusalem, which proved to be His solemn march
to Calvary and the tomb, He threaded the towns and vil-
lages of the region, teaching and preaching by the way.
Multitudes were impressed by His lofty precepts and His
simple exposition of plain, every-day religion; and many
questions were submitted to Him, some based on curiosity
or even less worthy motives, others inspired by genuine
interest.
"Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be
saved?" (Luke 13:23.)
The inquiry was and is of great moment. We observe
as a striking and significant fact, that while the Lord no-
wise treated the query as improper, yet He gave no specific
or direct answer. Indeed, so far as the record enables us
to judge He purposely left the question unanswered; though
He gave a most impressive sermon in connection therewith.
Note again the question, and part of the response:
"Then said one unto him. Lord, are there few that be
saved.? And he said unto them. Strive to enter in at the
strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter
in, and shall not be able."
286 The Vitality of Mormonism
As the succeeding verses tell, the instruction was en-
larged upon to show that neglect or procrastination in
obeying the requirements of salvation may result in dire
jeopardy to the soul. Moreover, the people were warned
that their Israelitish lineage would not save them ; for
many who were not of the covenant people would believe
and be admitted to the Lord's presence, while unworthy
Israelites would be thrust out. So is it that "There are
last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be
last." (Verse 30.)
Uplifting and invaluable as this teaching is, it has, never-
theless, but an indirect bearing upon the clean-cut question :
Will many or but few be saved? The people to whom
Jesus was speaking were incapable of understanding a
plain answer to the question, and would have been misled
thereby. For, had He said "Few" they would have con-
strued the reply to mean that only a few, and they the
Jews, would find a place in "Abraham's bosom," while all
the rest would be consigned to sheol. Had the Lord an-
swered "Many" they would have taken His word to mean
that the great majority shall attain supreme bliss in the
kingdom of heaven, and only a few are to find a place in
hell. Either inference is untrue.
Later, on the night of the betrayal, the Lord said to the
sorrowful Apostles: "In my Father's house are many
mansions; if it were not so I would have told you." Here
we find conclusive refutation of the old and still current
superstition, that but two states, conditions, or places —
heaven and hell — are established for souls in eternity. Sal-
vation is graded ; and every soul shall inherit the condition
for which he is prepared.
Paul comprehended this great truth, as appears from
his declaration that in the resurrection some souls shall
WUl Many or Few Be Saved? ^87
be of the celestial order, comparable in glory to the sun;
others shall attain but a terrestrial state, of which the
brightness of the moon is typical; while the graded condi-
tions of others shall be as the varying light of the stars.
See 1 Cor. 15:41, 42. Here we have two kingdoms of glory
distinctively specified — the celestial and the terrestrial, and
a third to which no name is given.
Modem revelation is in strict accord with Holy Writ of
ancient record, and is explicit in affirming the graded con-
ditions that await the souls of men. As made known in
1832 through the prophet Joseph Smith (see Doctrine &
Covenants, Sec. 76) there are three main kingdoms or de-
grees of glory in the hereafter — (1) the Celestial, of which
the sun is relatively typical, (2) the Terrestrial, as far
below the first as the moon is inferior to the sun in efful-
gence, and (3) the Telestial, which is the kingdom referred
to by Paul but without name.
The Celestial inheritance is for those who have accepted
the Gospel of Christ and have rendered valiant service in
the cause of righteousness ; those who have yielded obedience
to aU the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
Into the Terrestrial order shall enter those who have
failed to lay hold on the privileges of eternal life while in
the flesh; "honorable men of the earth" perhaps, accord-
ing to human standard, yet blinded "by the craftiness" of
false teachers, false philosophy, science falsely so called.
These shall inherit glory, but not a fulness thereof.
The Telestial state is provided for those who have re-
jected the Gospel and testimony of Christ, and who merit
condemnation. "These are they who are liars, and sor-
cerers, and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever
loves and makes a lie." Among them shall be varied de-
grees, even as the stars differ in glory.
288 The Vitality of Mormonism
Far below this condition is that of the sons of perdition
— those who have sinned in full consciousness, those who
have shed innocent blood. The comparative few who reach
this state of extreme degradation are doomed to dwell "with
the devil and his angels in eternity, where their worm dieth
not, and the fire is not quenched, which is their torment."
Thus, those who attain even the Telestial state are
saved from the depths of perdition; while the inheritors
of the higher glories are saved from the condition of the
less exalted.
Consider anew the question asked of Christ: "Lord, are
there few that be saved .^"
And the answer revealed in the present age : "But behold,
and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the telestial
world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the
firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the sea shore."
(Doctrine & Covenants 76:109.)
THE GRAVES SHALL BE OPENED
And the Dead Shall Live
**TT THY should it be thought a thing incredible with you,
VV that God should raise the dead.?" (Acts 26:8.)
So asked Paul of King Agrippa when arraigned before
him a prisoner in bonds approximately thirty years after
our Lord's resurrection. At that time the Apostles and
the saints generally suffered severe persecution because of
their persistent testimony of the Christ, crucified and risen.
The powerful Sadducees denied the actuality of a resurrec-
tion; their opponents, the Pharisees, professed a belief in
The Graves Shall Be Opened 289
the resurrection, but all save those who had been converted
to Christianity through faith and repentance denounced the
solemn testimonies of Christ's resurrection as fiction and
falsehood.
That the spirit of Jesus Christ returned from the abode
of the disembodied and reentered the body till then repos-
ing in the sepulchre is specifically affirmed in Holy Writ.
In the early dawn of that most memorable Sunday in his-
tory He was seen by Mary Magdalene and then by others,
some of whom were permitted to reverently touch His feet.
In the evening He stood amongst the Apostles and quieted
their fears by the assuring demonstration: "Behold my
hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see;
for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have."
(Luke 24:39.)
That the body they beheld was the identical body in
which the Lord had lived amongst them was evident from
the presence of the wounds made by the crucifiers. To fur-
ther assure the devoted company that He was no shadowy
form, no immaterial being, but a living Personage with bod-
ily organs, internal as weU as outward, He asked: "Have
ye here any meat.?" They brought broiled fish and other
food, and He "did eat before them."
Christ was the first of all men to emerge from the tomb
with spirit and body reunited, a resurrected immortalized
Soul. Therefore, is He rightly called "the firstfruits of
them that slept," as also "the firstborn from the dead,"
and "the first begotten of the dead." (1 Cor. 15:20; Col.
1:18; Rev. 1:5.) The victory over death thus achieved by
the foreordained Redeemer of the race was positively and
abundantly foretold. That a literal resurrection shall
come to all who have or shall have lived and died on earth
is quite as strongly attested in Scripture.
290 The Vitality of Mormonism
Two general resurrections are specified; these we may
distinguish as the first and the final, or as the resurrection
of the just and that of the unjust respectively. Hear the
words of Christ Himself relating to the dead and their
assured coming forth: "For the hour is coming, in the
which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. And
shall come forth ; they that have done good, unto the resur-
rection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the res-
urrection of damnation." (John 5:28, 29.)
The first resurrection began with that of Jesus Christ
and was continued thereafter as we read : "And the graves
were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept
arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection,
and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."
(Matt. 27:52, 53.) The resurrection of the just is to be
made general at the time of the Lord's approaching advent
in glory ; but a fixed gradation is established as Paul
averred: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and be-
come the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man
came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead^
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first-
fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."
(1 Cor. 15:20-23.)
The Millennium is to be inaugurated by a glorious re-
demption of the righteous from the power of death; and
of them it is written: "Blessed and holy is he that hath
part in the first resurrection: on such the second death
hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of
Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Rev.
20:6.) Of the unworthy we read in thrilling contrast:
"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand
years were finished."
The Graves Shall Be Opened ^91
Of the imminence of His coming and in further specifica-
tion of the distinction between the resurrection of the just
and that of the unjust the Lord has said through revela-
tion in the current age: "Hearken je, for, behold, the
great day of the Lord is nigh at hand. For the day com-
eth that the Lord shall utter his voice out of heaven; the
heavens shall shake and the earth shall tremble, and the
trump of God shall sound both long and loud, and shall
say to the sleeping nations. Ye saints arise and live; ye
sinners stay and sleep until I shall call again." (Doctrine
& Covenants 43:17, 18.)
The Book of Mormon is explicit in description of the
literal and universal resurrection: "Now, there is a death
which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ
shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall
be raised from this temporal death; The spirit and the
body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb
and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we
now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand be-
fore God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright
recollection of all our guilt. Now this restoration shall
come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both
male and female, both the wicked and the righteous ; and
even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be
lost; but all things shall be restored to its perfect frame,
as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be
arraigned before the bar of Christ the Son, and God the
Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one eternal God, to
be judged according to their works, whether they be good
or whether they be evil." (Alma 11:42-44.)
J^9^ The Vitality of Mormonism
— 83 —
RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
When Shall It Be?
r[E eventual resurrection of every soul who has lived
and died on earth is a scriptural certainty. The
resurrection consists of a literal and material reembodi-
ment of spirits, following their post-mortal experience in
the spirit world, whether this shall have been the freedom
and joy of Paradise or the restraint and remorse of the
prison house. We are destined to exist through the eterni-
ties beyond the resurrection with spirit and body reunited.
Only in such union is a fulness of glory, opportunity, and
achievement possible.
Thus spake the Lord Jesus Christ to the Church in 1833:
"For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit
and element, inseparably connected, receiveth a fulness of
joy. And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of
joy." (Doctrine and Covenants 93:33-34.)
The word of ancient Scripture affirms beyond any rea-
sonable question or doubt that Jesus Christ, who has been
exalted to authority and power by the side of His and
our Eternal Father, exists as a Spirit clothed in an immor-
talized body of flesh and bones ; for in such a body did He
manifest Himself after His resurrection; and in that same
body did He ascend from Olivet in the full sight of the
apostles, while angelic attendants solemnly proclaimed:
"This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into
heaven." (Acts 1:11.)
When the Savior does so return. His body wiU be found
Resurrection of the Bead S93
to bear the marks of the cruel piercings received on Cal-
vary; and He shaU say: "These wounds are the wounds
with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. I
am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified.
I am the Son of God." (Doctrine and Covenants 45:52.)
The Eternal Father is likewise a Spirit tabernacled in
an immortalized "body of flesh and bones as tangible as
man's." (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22.)
So shall it be with every one of God's spirit-children who
has been bom in flesh ; he shall be resurrected in flesh ; for,
through the infinite Atonement, physical death is but a
temporary separation of spirit from body.
But though a fulness of joy eternal is possible only to
resurrected beings, not all shall find that ineff^able hap-
piness. To the contrary, many shall be consigned to an-
guish and remorse unspeakable, because of their misdeeds
in the body and their unrepentant state during the period
of disembodiment.
The resurrection from the dead was inaugurated by
Christ, who had power over death, and who laid down
His body and took it up again as and when He willed.
(John 10:17-18.) Other resurrections of the righteous
dead followed. (Matt. 27:52-53; and Book of Mormon, 3
Nephi 23:9-10.) This, the first resurrection, or that of the
just, has been in operation since. John the Baptist, and
both Peter and James, each of whom met a martyr's death,
have severally appeared upon the earth and ministered in
their resurrected bodies in these latter times. (Doctrine
and Covenants 13; and 27:8-13.) In this circumstance
the continuance of service in the Holy Priesthood, through
both mortal and resurrected beings, is profoundly exempli-
fied.
Moroni, a Nephite prophet who died about 420 A. D.,
294 The Vitality of Mormonism
appeared as a resurrected man to Joseph Smith in 1823,
and at later times, and committed to the latter-day prophet
the original record from wliich the Book of Mormon has
been translated. (See Pearl of Great Price, p. 88.)
Christ affirmed that there would be a resurrection of the
just and a later resurrection of the unjust, or resurrection
unto life and damnation, respectively. (John 5:29.) Apos-
tolic Scriptures are definite in segregating individual resur-
rections, in that every man shall come forth "in his own
order" according to worthiness. (1 Cor. 15:20-23; Rev.
20:4-6.)
The imminent but yet future advent of Jesus Christ is
to be accompanied by a general resurrection of the just,
while the yet unregenerate dead shall remain in their unre-
pentant state of duress until the Lord's blessed reign of a
thousand years on earth shall have passed. Then, in a
period following shall come the resurrection of the wicked.
The Book of Mormon makes plain that the resurrec-
tion of both just and wicked shall precede the last judg-
ment: "And they [the dead] shall come forth, both small
and great, and all shall stand before his bar, being re-
deemed and loosed from this eternal band of death, which
death is a temporal death. And then cometh the judgment
of the Holy One upon them." (Mormon 9:13-14.)
No spirit shall remain disembodied longer than he de-
serves, or than is requisite to accomplish the just and mer-
ciful purposes of God. The resurrection of the just began
with Christ; it has been in process and shall continue till
the Lord comes in glory, and thence onward through the
Millennium. The final resurrection, or that of the wicked,
the resurrection to condemnation, is to be yet later.
Reaching After the Dead 295
— 84 —
REACHING AFTER THE DEAD
"Lest We Forgef'
THE Latter-day Saints are deeply concerned in the
identification of their dead, back through the genera-
tions to the remotest extent possible. This is exemplified
by the persistent ardor of the people in the compilation
and preservation of genealogical records, the collating of
items of lineage, and the formulation of true family pedi-
grees, by which the facts as to the relationship of ancestors
to posterity may be determined.
In this specific activity the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is not working alone; for it is a notable
fact that during the last seven or eight decades, interest
in genealogical matters has developed to a degree thereto-
fore unknown in modem history. The living are reaching
backward to learn of their dead. And in this movement,
as in many other distinguishing features of particular
epochs, a power superior to man's unguided purpose is
operative.
The immediate motive in such undertakings may vary
with the individual Many, doubtless, are eager to trace
their pedigree to an illustrious source according to human
estimate of eminence; and of these some find disappoint-
ment. As literature attests, many spurious pedigrees have
been fabricated. It was probably against such that Paul
inveighed in his terse admonition to both Timothy (1 Tim.
1:4) and Titus (3:9) and through them to the Church,
to eschew fables and endless genealogies, from the discus-
sion of which only contention would result.
296 The Vitality of Mormonism
The Latter-day Saints have a specific, and, indeed, unique
purpose in genealogical investigation. They seek not no-
bility nor aristocracy of ancestry, but the facts, let the
line lead where it may ; and the shadow of falsification would
be fatal to their object.
Every believer in individual existence beyond the grave —
and everybody believes in or fears the certainty of such
a state — hopes and yearns for the blessed condition we call
salvation. On the authority of Scripture the Church pro-
claims that "through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind
may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of
the Gospel"; and conversely, that without compliance with
the laws and ordinances prescribed by Jesus Christ no man
can have place in the Kingdom of God.
Who can doubt this basal and portentous truth in the
light of the Savior's definite and unqualified affirmation to
the learned Jew, Nicodemus, respecting baptism by water
and of the Spirit (see John 3:5), which requirements are
among the fundamental laws and ordinances of the Gospel?
In His comprehensive declaration our Lord made no dis-
crimination of classes, drew no distinction between the liv-
ing and the dead. But what of the unnumbered hosts who
have lived and died without a knowledge of the indispensa-
bility of baptism, or, though they knew yet never had op-
portunity to be baptized by one holding the authority of
the Holy Priesthood to so administer.? Are they irrecov-
erably lost.? A frightful thought!
When Death is reaping so rank a harvest through war,
pestilence, and famine, can we bear to believe it.?
What of those beloved fathers, husbands, brothers, sons
— yours or some others' — who have fallen on the blood-
drenched fields beyond the seas — are they, because unbap-
tized, to be forever shut out from the Kingdom of God,
Reaching After the Dead S97
even though they have died martyrs to the cause of the
Divine purpose in the vindication of the liberties of man-
kind?
Verily, No! The living may be baptized for the dead,
as they were in earlier dispensations. Ponder the profound
significance of Paul's climacteric question relating to the
actuality of the resurrection: "Else what shall they do
which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at
all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" (1 Cor.
15:29.)
Those still in the flesh may officiate vicariously for their
departed progenitors; but for this service the genealogy
of the dead is indispensable. Furthermore, vicarious ordi-
nances are administered only in sacred Temples, reared,
dedicated, and maintained for this ministry ; for so the Lord
has directed.
Hence the Latter-day Saints are diligently seeking out
the records of their dead and are ministering for them in
holy Temples. This we hold to be the bounden duty of the
living in behalf of the departed, the discharge of which is
as truly essential to our exaltation as to theirs.
"For their salvation is necessary and essential to our
salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers Hhat they
without us cannot be made perfect'; neither can we with-
out our dead be made perfect." (Doctrine and Covenants
128:15; see also Hebrews 11:40.)
298 The Vitality of Mormonism
— 85 —
THE HOUSE OF THE LORD
Why do the Latter-day Saints Build Temples f
THE Latter-day Saints are known and distinguished
as a Temple-building people. They, in common with
religious bodies in general, build houses of worship, which
for the different sects range from humble chapels to great
churches, imposing synagogs, spacious tabernacles and
stately cathedrals; but for none of these edifices is the
claim advanced that they are Temples in the true and spe-
cific sense of the term.
Be it remembered that Temples are not designed for
purposes of general assembly or congregational worship
as are church buildings in general, but for the administra-
tion of sacred ordinances. It is both interesting and in-
structive to note that this characteristic applies alike to
heathen temples and to exclusive sanctuaries reared to the
name of the true and living God. In pagan temples of
olden time, the altar of sacrifice stood at the entrance;
and though devotees thronged about the altar, none but the
officiating priests were admitted to the actual shrine within
the temple itself.
So also with the Tabernacle of the Congregation, wliich
was a portable sanctuary, constructed by the Israelites in
their migration from Egypt; and so with the imposing
Temples of Solomon, Zerubbabel and Herod, in each of
which were spacious courts enclosed by outer walls, with
altar and other equipment, within which courts the people
congregated ; but the sanctuary itself was a relatively small
structure, reserved for the most holy ordinances and cere-
The House of the Lard «99
monial ministry. Similarly the Temples erected and main-
tained by the Latter-day Saints are reserved for the sol-
emnizing of sacred ordinances, and are distinctively other
than meeting-houses used for pubHc worship.
True to the Divine commission laid upon Israel, the
Nephite colonists erected a Temple on the Western Conti-
nent as early as 570 B. C, about thirty years after their
exodus from Jerusalem. The Book of Mormon informs us
that this structure was patterned after the Temple of Solo-
mon, though greatly inferior in size and splendor. (2
Nephi 5:16.)
The Latter-day Saints build Temples because they are
commanded so to do through the direct word of modern
revelation ; and in this divinely imposed labor they recognize
the purposes of God with respect to the salvation and pos-
sible exaltation of mankind.
Through the Atonement wrought by Jesus Christ the
eventual resurrection of all who have lived and died is
assured. This dehverance from the power of death is an
essential element of Redemption ; and Christ is the one and
only Redeemer of the race.
By compliance with the prescribed terms as embodied in
the Gospel, men may be saved from the blighting effects
of sin. This condition constitutes Salvation ; and since pro-
vision therefor is made effective through the Atonement,
Christ is the one and only Savior of the race.
Great and glorious as is the boon of Redemption from
the grave, greater and more glorious as are the conditions
prescribed for the soul's Salvation, the revealed Gospel of
Jesus Christ provides yet more transcendent blessings in
the plan for Exaltation, whereby resurrected man may ad-
vance from one stage of relative perfection to another, with
powers of eternal increase and never ending progression.
SOO The Vitality of Mormonlsm
The laws and ordinances of the Gospel so far as required
for Salvation — specifically the individual exercise of saving
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, true repentance, submission
to baptism by immersion at the hands of one having author-
ity, and to the higher baptism of the Spirit by the author-
itative imposition of hands for the bestowal of the Holy
Ghost — these requirements may be met and the saving ef-
fects thereof secured by the living without Temples. But
baptism for the dead, as also the endowments incident to
the Holy Priesthood with its boundless possibilities of ad-
vancement, in short, administration of the laws and ordi-
nances of the Gospel of Christ requisite to Exaltation in
the eternal worlds, can be solemnized only in Temples
erected and dedicated for these holy purposes, for so the
Lord hath declared. See Doctrine & Covenants 124:28-41.
As indicated above, Temples are not for the benefit of the
living alone. Existing Temples are maintained for the sal-
vation and exaltation of both living and dead; and the
ordinances administered therein in behalf of the dead out-
number many fold the administrations for the living.
Vicarious service for the departed is peculiar to the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and rightly
so, for to this Church has the commission for this high
ministry been given. In the last chapter of Malachi we
find a vivid description of the condition of mankind in the
last daj^s, and a prophecy of gladsome promise. On April
8, 1836, in the first Temple erected in modern times, that
at Kirtland, Ohio, a glorious manifestation was given to
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, in the course of which
Elijah ministered in person to the two modem prophets,
saying:
"Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of
by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he (Elijah) should
The Second Death 801
be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord
come, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and
the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten
with a curse. Therefore the keys of this dispensation are
committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that
the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the
doors." (Doctrine & Covenants 110:14-16.)
The requirements of the Gospel are universally appli-
cable, to bond and free, to living and dead. In the plenitude
of Divine mercy provision is made whereby the myriads
who have died without a knowledge of the required condi-
tions, or without opportunity of compliance therewith, may
be ministered for by their living posterity. Thus the de-
parted fathers, if they be repentant in the spirit world,
may be made partakers of the blessings provided through
the Atonement of Christ. "For for this cause was the gos-
pel preached also to them that are dead, that they might
be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according
to God in the spirit." (1 Peter 4:6.)*
— 86 --
THE SECOND DEATH
Spiritual Banishment Like Unto the First
IN the Revelation written by John, the second death is
referred to several times, and always as the dread fate
of the ungodly or wilfully wicked. Physical death is asso-
ciated with sorrow ; and the anguish of bereavement is often
so deep that only the assurances of immortality and the
* See the author's "The House of the Lord," 333 pp., with iUustra-
tions of modern Temples, The Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utah.
30^ The Vitality of Mormonism
certainty of a resurrection can effectively palliate or relieve.
The mere mention or thought of a second death is horrify-
ing. What is this frightful eventuality? And is it to be
the lot of the many or the few.''
We have seen that a means of redemption is provided
even for those who are cast into hell; and that every soul
shall be resurrected in due time, whether he be righteous, or
foul with sin. The second death, therefore, whatever its
nature or extent, is a feature of the final judgment, at
which each shall stand in his resurrected body of flesh and
bones to receive the sentence of honor or of shame.
We are without scriptural warrant for assuming that the
second death is another separation of body and spirit, or
that the spirit shall undergo dissolution and cease to be.
The spirit of man is eternal ; and the resurrected body shall
be everlasting. The soul knows not annihilation, neither
loss of personality in an impossible Nirvana. You will be
yourself and I myself throughout eternity, with quickened
senses, amplified powers of perception and vastly increased
capacity for happiness or suffering. Neither heaven nor
hell can be gaged by the yard-stick of human conception.
In what then does the second death consist? John wrote
of an event following the resurrection of the wicked and
the pronouncement of judgment: "And death and hell were
cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." (Rev.
20:14.) The "lake of fire" as elsewhere explained by the
Revelator is the abode of Satan and those over whom he
has gained power. The second death therefore is final
consignment to the dominion of Satan, and, of necessity,
banishment from the presence of God and Christ.
The condition of death that Adam brought immediately
upon himself through disobedience was essentially a spiritual
change, whereby he was shut out from the presence of God ;
The Second Death 808
and this befell him in the very day of his transgression, as he
had been warned it would. Bodily death, though an un-
escapable result, was nevertheless secondary, and was de-
ferred until Adam had reached the age of 930 years.
As eternal life consists in knowing God and His Son Jesus
Christ (John 17:3; Doctrine and Covenants 132:24), so
eternal condemnation or spiritual death is essentially banish-
ment from the Divine presence, with corresponding for-
feiture of glory and power appertaining to exaltation. The
word of latter-day revelation, relating to Adam's spiritual
death, and to the final or as we call it, the second death,
which is reserved for the ungodly, runs as follows : "Where-
fore I the Lord God caused that he should be cast out from
the Garden of Eden, from my presence, because of his
transgression, wherein he became spiritually dead, which is
the first death, even that same death, which is the last
death, which is spiritual, which shall he pronounced upon
the wicked when I shall say. Depart, ye cursed." (Doctrine
and Covenants 29:41.)
The Lamanite prophet, Samuel, had a clear understand-
ing of the matter, as thus expressed: "But behold, the
resurrection of Christ redeemeth mankind, yea, even all
mankind, and bringeth them back into the presence of the
Lord. Yea, and it bringeth to pass the condition of re-
pentance, that whosoever repenteth, the same is not hewn
down and cast into the fire; but whosoever repenteth not,
is hewn down and cast into the fire, and there cometh upon
them again a spiritual death, yea, a second death, for they
are cut ofF again as to things pertaining to righteousness."
(Book of Mormon, Helaman 14:17-18.)
We are assured that all who win place and part in the
first resurrection — distinctively the resurrection of the just
— shall be exempt from the second death, and shall find
304 The Vitality of Mormonism
their way open to exaltation in the presence of God.
There is a place or condition of punishment even deeper
than hell. This is prepared for those who have sinned most
grievously, who have received the testimony of Christ and
afterward wilfully and with consciousness of what they were
doing, have surrendered themselves to the power and service
of Satan. "They are they who are the sons of perdition,
of whom I say that it had been better for them never to
have been born. . . . These are they who shall go away into
the lake of fire and brimstone, with the devil and his angels,
and the only ones on whom the second death shall have any
power." (Doctrine and Covenants 76:32-37.)
-- 87 —
ANTIQUITY OF THE GOSPEL
As Old as Adam
THE old Anglo-Saxon words "god" and "spel," from
which our Anglicized term Gospel is a lineal descend-
ant, signified in combination "the good news of God." In
a theological sense, and indeed according to common usage,
"The Gospel" is thus defined: "Good news or tidings, espe-
cially the announcement of the salvation of men through
the atoning death of Jesus Christ." (Stand. Diet.)
It is noteworthy that the word does not occur in the Old
Testament, which is usually regarded as the record, in part,
of the Semitic peoples, and of God's dealings with them
through the medium of the Mosaic Law. The definite
distinction between this Law and the Gospel of Jesus Christ
is strikingly illustrated by the segregation of the Holy Bible
into Old and New Testaments.
Antiquity of the Gospel 806
The teachings of Christ and later those of the Apostles
emphasized the superiority of the Gospel over the Law,
which latter was likened by Paul to a schoolmaster whose
function was to discipline, train and instruct, in prepara-
tion for the greater revelation of the Gospel. See Gal.
3:23-29. These and other kindred facts have led to the
erroneous assumption that the Gospel was first revealed to
mankind when Christ came in the flesh.
Nevertheless, the Gospel, comprising not alone precepts
but the accompanying authority of the Holy Priesthood to
administer ordinances, was preached to men in the earliest
period of human history. The necessity of (1) faith in
the then unembodied but chosen and ordained Savior of
mankind, (2) the indispens ability of repentance as a means
leading to remission of sins, (3) the Divine requirement
of baptism by immersion in water, and (4) spiritual baptism
through the power of the Holy Ghost — which constitute the
fundamental principles and ordinances of the Gospel — was
preached and administered to Adam, the patriarch of the
race, and by him to his posterity. Through a revelation
to Moses this is recorded of Adam, following the Fall:
"And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared
unto Adam saying .... Thou shalt do all that thou doest
in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon
God in the name of the Son 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." (Pearl of Great Price,
p. 20.)
As wickedness increased among men "God cursed the earth
with a sore curse and was angry with the wicked, with all
606 The Vitality of Mormonism
the sons of men whom He had made. For they would not
hearken unto His voice, nor believe on His Only Begotten
Son, even Him whom He declared should come in the meridian
of time, who was prepared from before the foundation of
the world. And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from
the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from
the presence of God, and by His own voice, and by the gift
of the Holy Ghost." (p. 26.)
The prophet Enoch testified further: "But God hath
made known unto our fathers that all men must repent.
And He called upon our father Adam by His own voice,
saying: .... If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken
unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgres-
sions, 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 chidren of
men, ye shaU receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (p. 33).
Enoch taught the same Gospel and administered baptism
to repentant believers, and Noah, duly ordained, labored
in similar ministry: "And it came to pass that Noah con-
tinued his preaching unto the people, saying: Hearken, and
give heed unto my words. Believe and repent of your sins
and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, even as our fathers, and ye shall receive the Holy
Ghost, that ye may have all things made manifest; and if
ye do not this, the floods will come in upon you ; nevertheless
they hearkened not." (p. 48).
So, from Adam to the Deluge, which came because of the
unbelief and apostasy of the race, the ordinances of the
Gospel were known and administered. Reverting to Biblical
Scripture we read that the Gospel was preached unto Abra-
ham, with the assurance that all who would abide therein
Antiquity of the Gospel 307
should be accounted as Abraham's children. See Gal. 3:6-
18. Through the prophet Joseph Smith a fuller account
of Jehovah's promise to Abraham is given us, the Lord
saying: "I will bless them through thy name; for as many
as receive this Gospel shall be called after thy name, and
shall be accounted thy seed, and shall rise up and bless
thee, as their father"; and the particularity of the blessing
wherein all families of the earth might share through the
lineage of Abraham was to be "the blessings of the Gospel,
which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal."
(Pearl of Great Price, p. 58).
As Abraham's posterity became sinful, the lesser law,
which when codified came to be known as the Law of Moses,
was prescribed instead of the Gospel, which had been
preached aforetime and which was later taught by the Lord
Jesus Christ. Following the apostolic administration apos-
tasy again darkened the world; and now, in the current or
last dispensation, the Gospel has been restored anew with
all its ancient authority, power, and blessings. The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims these glad
tidings to the world. This Gospel is new only in the fact
of its restoration to earth according to prophecy. It is
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which was preached to and by
Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and a host of other men of
God who ministered anciently; it is the Gospel that was
taught by the Savior Himself and by His Apostles ; it is the
Eternal Gospel brought again to earth in preparation for
the advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
308 The Vitality of Mormonism
—88—
THE ORIGIN OF SACRIFICE
Coeval with the Race
THAT the offering of material things as sacrifices to
Deity dates from Adamic days is attested in Genesis
4 :3-5, wherein we read that both Cain and Abel made offer-
ings unto the Lord. The Biblical record shows that the
practise continued to and beyond the Deluge, aud through-
out the patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations among the
Semitic peoples, who were distinguished as Jehovah wor-
shipers. Non-scriptural history is no less definite in making
the sacrifice of animals an essential feature of pagan cere-
monial, even in the earliest times of which we have account.
That Noah, Abraham, Jacob and other patriarchs and
prophets builded altars and sacrificed thereon is admitted by
all to whom the Holy Bible is authentic ; and the Mosaic code
regulated the ordinance of sacrifice while silent as to its
origin or even its establishment in Israel.
That pagan sacrifices were originally in imitation of the
Semitic practise is higlily probable, though both may have
been derived from a common and, as generally regarded, a
prehistoric pattern. This conception is no whit weal^ened
by the corruptions and abominations incident to heathen
idolatry, which reached the extreme of atrocity in the im-
molation of human victims on the altars of defilement and
sacrilege; for, without the directing and restraining power
of Divine revelation, unauthorized innovations and unholy
extremes were inevitable.
Israelitish sacrifices may be conveniently classified as
bloody and bloodless, the former comprising all offerings
The Origin of Sacrifice S09
involving the ceremonial slaughter of animals, and the latter
consisting in the offering of vegetables or their manufactured
products. The bloody sacrifices were early associated with
the idea of expiation, or propitiation for sin, the offerer,
whether an individual or the community as a whole, acknowl-
edging guilt and craving propitiation through the death of
the animal made to serve as proxy for the human offender.
The animal victim intended for sacrificial death had to
be chosen in accordance with specific requirements. Thus,
it was to be of the class designated as clean, and within this
class only domestic cattle and sheep and certain birds —
pigeons and turtle-doves — were acceptable. Furthermore,
it was essential that the selected animal be without physical
defect or blemish; and thus all that were deformed, maimed
or diseased were absolutely excluded. Physical defects were
held as typical of spiritual blemish, or sin ; and "God cannot
look upon sin with the least degree of allowance."
These requirements of relative perfection on the part of
the victim were in accord with the fact that the slaughter of
animals as a priestly rite by Divine direction was in pre-
figurement of the then future sacrifice of the Christ Himself,
whose atoning death would mark the consummation of His
ministry in mortality. While the animal victims slain on
Israel's altars figuratively bore the sins of the people, who
by their observance of the sacrificial rite sought propitiation
for their offenses, or reconciliation with God, from whom
they had become estranged through transgression, Jesus
Christ actually bore the burden of sin and provided a way
for a literal reconciliation of sinful man to God. The prin-
cipal sacrifice in the Mosaic dispensation was that of the
Passover; and the superseding of the type by the actual is
forcefully expressed by Paul: "For even Christ our pass-
over is sacrificed for us." (1 Cor. 5:7.)
310 The Vitality of Mormonism
Theologians, Bible scholars generally, and ethnologists
as well, admit the absence of all record both in the Bible and
in profane history concerning the origin of sacrifice. The
writer of the article "Sacrifice" in one of our Bible Diction-
aries (Cassell's), which article is in line with other learned
commentaries, says, following an array of facts : "On these
and other accounts it has been judiciously inferred that
sacrifice formed an element in the primeval worship of man ;
and that its universality is not merely an indirect argument
for the unity of the human race, but an illustration and con-
firmation of the first inspired pages of the world's history.
The notion of sacrifice can hardly be viewed as a product
of unassisted human nature, and must therefore be traced
to a higher source and viewed as a Divine revelation to primi-
tive man."
That "Divine revelation to primitive man" is now before
the world; and the much-talked-of historical difficulty as to
the origin of sacrificial rites is definitely solved by revelation
from God to man in the current age, whereby parts of the
ancient Scriptures not contained in the Bible have been re-
stored to human knowledge. As the natural and inevitable
consequence of his transgression, Adam forfeited the high
privilege of holding direct and personal association with
God. In his fallen state the man was commanded by the
voice of the Lord to offer in sacrifice the firstlings of his
flocks.
"And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared
unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the
Lord? And Adam said unto him : I know not, save the Lord
commanded me. And then the angel spake, saying: This
thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of
the Father, which is full of grace and truth. Wherefore,
thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and
Simplicity of the Gospel 311
thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son
for evermore." (Pearl of Great Price, p. 20.)
This, then, was the origin of the sacrificial ordinance on
earth. Its purport as the prototype of the atoning death
of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be effected approximately four
millenniums later, was revealed to Adam, who, through obe-
dience, attained salvation. With the Savior's sacrificial
death the significance of animal sacrifices was superseded as
part of the Israelitish ritual. The law of sacrifice is still
operative however; and the acceptable offering is thus
specified in the present age: "Thou shalt offer a sacrifice
unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a
broken heart and a contrite spirit." (Doctrine & Cove-
nants 59:8.)
—89—
SIMPLICITY OF THE GOSPEL
None Need Err Therein
SALVATION of the soul consists essentially in the attain-
ment of a state of blessedness beyond the grave, and
therefore comprises immunity from the penalties incident to
condemnation. Both salvation and condemnation involve
graded conditions, or degrees, every soul receiving accord-
ing to his just deserts, based on his works done in the flesh,
be they good or evil.
Our individual status in the hereafter, both during the
period of disembodiment and in the resurrection from bodily
death, will be determined by the record of our earthly life,
which will be fully declared by what we actually are. In the
judgment of souls conflict of testimony or evidence will be
impossible. Every fact bearing upon our condition of
312 The Vitality of M or monism
worthiness or guilt, of cleanliness through righteousness or
defilement through sin, will be known.
To each of these asseverations the Holy Scriptures of
both former and current time bear abundant and unequivo-
cal testimony. The same high and unimpeachable authority,
embodying the very words of Divine decree, declares that
only by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ is salvation in the Kingdom of God possible
unto man.
Consider the fundamental rite,- which is baptism. The
words of the Christ to the timid but truth-seeking rabbi of
Jerusalem are as free from ambiguity as language makes
possible : "Verily, verily, I say unto thee. Except a man be
born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God." (John 3 :5.)
This solemn affirmation was made to Nicodemus at the
time of great excitement and controversy in Judea and
neighboring provinces over the activities of John the Bap-
tist, who was boldly preaching the necessity of baptism at
his own hands as of one having particular authority, and
who was administering baptism by immersion to all repent-
ant applicants. John further declared that the watery
baptism in which he officiated would be followed by a higher
endowment to be administered by a Mightier One than him-
self, and this he designated the baptism of fire and the Holy
Ghost. Our Lord's declaration to the uninformed "master
of Israel" set the seal of an authority higher than John's
on the absolute necessity of baptism as conditioning man's
attainment of salvation.
The crucified and resurrected Christ left this parting com-
mand and commission with the Apostles : "Go ye therefore,
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matt.
Simplicity of the Gospel 813
28 :19) ; and further declared : "He that belleveth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned." (Mark 16:16.)
To the Nephite branch of the Israelitish stock on the
American continent the Lord taught the same doctrine in
language and style as simple as before: "And again I say
unto you, Ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and
become as a little child, or ye can in no wise inherit the king-
dom of God." (Book of Mormon, 3 Nephi 11 :38.) In full
harmony with these ancient injunctions, the Lord has said
to the Church in the present dispensation : "Go ye into all
the world, preach the gospel to every creature, acting in the
authority which I have given you, baptizing in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And
he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that
believeth not shall be damned." (Doctrine & Covenants
68:8,9.)
Could Scripture be simpler or plainer? Without baptism
administered by the requisite authority, salvation in the
Kingdom of God is impossible, else the Word of God is void.
But baptism to be effective must be preceded by repentance
of sin. When unrepentant sinners came to John the zealous
Baptist denounced them in stinging epithet as a "generation
of vipers" and laid upon them the condition to make them-
selves acceptable by bringing forth fruits meet for repen-
tance.
But to repent of sin in humility and contrition, with the
earnest purpose and soulful desire of making amends for
offenses done and thereby to become reconciled with and
acceptable to God, one must have unqualified trust and faith
in Him. The basal principles and fundamental ordinances
of the Gospel, through which alone the saving efficacy of the
Atonement wrought by Jesus Christ is made certain in as-
314* The Vitality of Mormonism
suring individual salvation, are ranged in the following
order, as the Scriptures prove: (1) Faith in God the Eter-
nal Father, and in His Son Jesus Christ as the Redeemer
and Savior of humankind, and in the Holy Ghost; {%) re-
pentance in full purpose of heart — active, vital repentance
that shall lead and impel to good works and renun-
ciation of sin; (8) baptism by immersion in water; and
(4) bestowal of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of
hands — both ordinances being administered by men duly
authorized to officiate by ordination to the Holy Priesthood.
The man of thoughtful mind and contrite heart cannot
fail to find inexpressible comfort and profound cause for
devout thanksgiving and praise through contemplating
God's infinite mercy in having made so simple and easy these
indispensable conditions of salvation. Had the terms been
such as only vast wealth could meet, or the requirements so
intricate or strenuous that great physical strength or high
intellectual ability were necessary to accomplish the feat of
compliance, then indeed the mortal or fallen state of the
race would be deplorable beyond conception; and, withal,
justice would be eliminated from the category of Deity's at-
tributes. But lo! The Gospel plan is so simple that the
child may comprehend, and he that runs may read.
—90—
THE WILL OF GOD
Though Opposed, Yet Eventually Supreme
DO you believe that "whatever is is right"? I do not; I
cannot believe it. If right means accordance with
the will of God surely there is much wrong in the world.
The Wm of God S16
But, it is argued, God is omnipotent, and therefore has
power to direct all things as He wills. Granted. Never-
theless both scriptural and secular history, as also the tur-
bulent course of current events combine to show that trans-
gression of Divine law is as old as the race, and as persist-
ent.
God has given to man agency and liberty of action. It
is the will of God that this birthright of human freedom
shall be inviolate ; but it is contrary to the Divine intent that
man shall abuse his agency, and misconstrue his liberty as
license for wrong-doing. And as with the individual, so with
communities and nations.
In the course of Israel's troubled journey from Egypt,
where they had dwelt as in a "house of bondage," to Canaan
the land of their promised inheritance, the Lord gave them
many laws and established ordinances, with promise of bless-
ing for compliance, and warning of calamity if they proved
disobedient. As the sacred record progresses, the fact is
made plain that Israel had chosen the evil alternative, for-
feiting the blessings and reaping the curses.
In the days of Samuel the Israelites clamored for a king.
They were tired of the theo-democracy under which they
had prospered, and wanted to be "like all nations," a mon-
archy, with a king wearing a crown, swaying a scepter, and
sitting enthroned in state. Read 1 Samuel, chapter 8. This
condition had been foreseen and foretold: nevertheless the
people erred in their demand, and the Lord yielded under
protest. There is real pathos in His words to the prophet :
"They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me,
that I should not reign over them." They had their king,
and a long succession of monarchs, some of whom proved to
be veritable tyrants, and the people groaned under the op-
pression against which they had been forewarned.
316 The Vitality of Mormonism
Was it the will of God, think you, that Israel should sin ?
Can it be the Divine will that any man or nation shall come
under the thrall of iniquity? Is it the will of God that man
shall make of himself a drunken sot, with reason dethroned,
and naught but his brutish passions alert? Or that man
shall oppress his fellows by unrighteous dominion, robbing
them of the rights upon which God Himself refuses to in-
fringe even though those rights be grossly misused ? Is it the
will of God that woman's virtue shall be bartered for gold,
and that vice shall stalk unchallenged through the world?
To hold that these abominations accord with the Divine
will is to make God responsible for them, and therefore the
author of sin. The very thought is blasphemous.
God's omnipotence is manifest in the over-ruling by which
eventual good results from immediate evil. The crime of
the ages, consummated on the slopes of Calvary, has proved
to be the means of salvation to the world ; but the awful guilt
of the betrayal, of the false testimony and the crucifixion is
no whit diminished by the glorious outcome.
Through the successive captivities and the general disper-
sion of Israel, which came as the consequence of infidelity to
Jehovah, a knowledge of the true and living God has been
diffused among even benighted and idolatrous peoples. And
thus the nation's calamity has been made to serve Divine
purposes.
I cannot look upon the frightful carnage and inhuman
atrocities of the world war as a manifestation of the direct
will of God. This dreadful conflict was brought on through
lust of power and greed of gain. It sprang from an unlioly
determination to rob mankind of God-given rights, and to
subject the race to autocratic domination. It is a repetition
of the issue at stake in the primeval struggle, when Michael,
the champion of free agency, led his hosts against Lucifer's
God*s Foreknowledge 317
myrmidons, who sought to rule by might. ( See Rev. 12 :7-9.)
In the free exercise of agency and the right of decision
our nation deliberately and solemnly entered the great con-
flict in the interests of righteousness. Out of the seething
carnage shall crystallize the lustrous gems of peace and the
liberties of men; and thus enriched the world shall be the
more prepared to receive the Christ, whose coming is near,
and whose dominion shall be holy, whereby the rights of all
men shall be respected and assured.
God's power and glory shall be manifest in eventual vic-
tory for the right, and in the good that shall spring from
present evil. But in the eternal accounting, responsibility
for the crime whereby war was precipitated shall weigh
upon the man, men, nation or nations who did the devil's
bidding in the attempt to enthrall mankind.
Thus the hand of God is potent in the furtherance of
right; and though His will be violated and His command-
ments transgressed, evil shall be followed by good. Divine
displeasure is directed against all "who confess not His hand
in all things, and obey not His commandments." (Doctrine
& Covenants 59:21.)
—91—
GOD'S FOREKNOWLEDGE
Not a Determming Cause
ROPHECY is one of the specified gifts of the Spirit,
and one of the distinguisliing graces of the Church of
Christ. If there be prophecy there must be prophets, men
through whom the purposes of God are made known to the
people at large. Prediction of events more or less remotely
future is a prophetic function, though constituting but part
of the gift of prophecy.
318 The Vitality of Mormonism
Divine revelation of what is to come is proof of fore-
knowledge. God, therefore, knows, and has known from the
beginning, what shall be, even to the end of the world. The
transgression of Adam was foreknown, even before the man
was embodied in flesh; and because of the results entailed
upon humankind a Redeemer was chosen, even "the Lamb
slain from the foundation of the world." The earthly life,
ministry, and sacrificial death of the Savior were all fore-
seen, and their certainty was declared by the mouths of hol^
prophets.
The apostasy of the Primitive Church, the long centuries
of spiritual darkness, the restoration of the Gospel in these
latter days in a land specifically prepared as the abode of
a liberty-loving nation — each of these epoch-marking events
was known to God, and by Him was revealed through proph-
ets empowered to speak in His name.
But who will venture to affirm that foreknowledge is a de-
termining cause.? God's omniscience concerning Adam can-
not reasonably be considered the cause of the Fall. Adam
was free to do as he chose to do. God did not force him to
disobey the Divine commands Neither did God's knowledge
compel false Judas to betray the Christ, nor the recreant
Jews to crucify their Lord.
Surely the omniscience of God does not operate to make
of men automatons ; nor does it warrant the superstition of
fatalism. The chief purpose of earth life, as a stage in the
course of the soul's progression, would be nullified if man's
agency was after all but a pretense, and he a creature of
circumstance compelled to do as he does.
A mortal father who knows the weaknesses and frailties of
his son may by reason of that knowledge sorrowfully pre-
dict the calamities and suffering awaiting his wayward boy.
He may foresee in that son's future a forfeiture of blessings
God's Foreknowledge 319
that could be won, loss of position, self-respect, reputation,
character, and honor. Even the dark shadows of a felon's
cell and the night of a drunkard's grave may loom in the
visions of that fond father's soul. Yet, convinced by experi-
ence of the son's determination to follow the path of sin,
he foresees the dread developments of the future, and writhes
in anguish because of his knowledge.
Can it be truthfully said that the father's foreknowledge
is even a contributory cause of the evil life of his boy? To
so hold is to say that a neglectful parent, who will not
trouble himself to study the character of his son, who shuts
his eyes to sinful ways, and rests in careless indifference as
to the probable future, will by his very heartlessness benefit
the boy, because the father's lack of forethought diminishes
the son's tendency toward dereliction.
By way of further illustration, consider the man versed
in meteorology, who by due consideration of temperature,
air-pressure, humidity, and other essential d'ata, is able to
forecast weather conditions. He speaks with the assurance
of long experience in foretelling a storm. The storm comes,
bringing benefit or injury, contributing to the harvest per-
haps or destroying the ripening grain ; but, whether it be of
good or ill effect, can he who prophesied of the approaching
storm be held accountable for its coming?
It may be argued, however, that in these illustrative in-
stances neither the mortal parent nor the human forecaster
had power to alter the respective course of events, while
God can direct and over-rule as He wills. But, be it re-
membered that God has granted agency unto His children,
and does not control them in its exercise by arbitrary force.
He impels no man toward sin ; He compels none to righteous-
ness.
320 The Vitality of Mormonism
The Father of our spirits has a full knowledge of the na-
ture and disposition of each of His children, a knowledge
gained by observation and experience in the long ages of our
primeval childhood, when we existed as unembodied spirits,
endowed with individuality and agency — a knowledge com-
pared with which that gained by earthly parents through
experience with their children in the flesh is infinitesimally
small. In that surpassing knowledge God reads the future
of child and children, of men individually and of men col-
lectively. He knows what each will do under given condi-
tions, and sees the end from the beginning. His foreknowl-
edge is based on intelligence and reason. He foresees the
future of men and nations as a state that naturally and
surely will be ; not as a state of things that must be because
He has arbitrarily willed that it shall be.
"Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of
the world." (Acts 15:18.)
He willed and decreed the mortal state for His spirit off-
spring, and prepared the earth for their schooling. He pro-
vided all the facilities necessary to their training, and thus
proclaimed His purpose:
"For behold, this is mj work and my glory — to bring to
pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Pearl of
Great Price, p. 7.)
--92—
ARE MEN CREATED EQUAL.?
Individualism is Eternal
DEMOCRACY holds as a distinguishing and fundamental
principle the recognition of individual rights and
privileges. The Uving units of a democratic system are citi-
Are Men Created Equal? 321
zens, not subjects. Before the law, so far as it be admin-
istered in justice, all citizens are on a plane of equality. In
the exercise of the elective franchise, for example, the ballot
of the poor man, the unscholarly, the weak, sick or maimed,
counts just as much as that of the millionaire, the university
graduate, or the athlete. All this is inherent in democracy
as a pohtical system. If through corrupt administration a
citizen suffers deprivation of his rights, the fault, grievous
though ti be, is not chargeable to the system but to the
officials who have misused the authority delegated to them.
In this sense it is affirmed in the Declaration of Independ-
ence, as the first of the truths therein set forth as self-evi-
dent, and as assuring to all their inalienable rights "that all
men are created equal;" and in this sense the affirmation is
irrefutable. No other foundation could support a stable
structure of government by the people.
But it is manifest folly to carry this conception of the
legal equality of citizenship to the extreme of assuming that
all men are alike in capacity, ability, or power. As long as
mankind live in communities there will be leaders and fol-
lowers, men of prominence, and of necessity others who
are relatively obscure, men of energy and idlers, and conse-
quently masters and servants.
Doubtless much of the existing disparity among men, such
as the inequitable distribution of wealth, the unrighteous ac-
quisition of power and its iniquitous exercise, is pernicious
— evil in the sight of God and ominously wrong under the
laws of man. Nevertheless, attempts to right such wrongs
by illegal force, and to establish a false equality by promis-
cuously taking from one to give to another, tend toward dis-
ruption and anarchy.
We are confronted by this profound fact : Individualism
is an attribute of the soul, and as truly eternal as the soul
itself.
322 The Vitality of Mormonism
(1) In the unembodied, preexistent or antemortal state,
we were decidedly unequal in capacity and power.
(2) We know we are not equal here in the world of mor-
tals.
(3) Assuredly we shall not be equal after death, either in
the intermediate state of disembodiment or beyond the resur-
rection.
We read that Jeremiah was chosen from among his fel-
lows and ordained before he was born to be a prophet unto
the nations (Jer. 1:5) ; and a similar fore-ordination is in-
dicated by Isaiah (49:1, 5.) Abraham definitely avers that
among the unembodied spirits there were differences, some
were noble and great and others less adapted to the duties
of rulership : "Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham,
the intelligences that were organized before the world was ;
and among all these there were many of the noble and great
ones. And God saw these souls that they were good, and
he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will
make my rulers." (Pearl of Great Price p. 65-66.)
The God of spirits recognized particular qualifications in
some, and selected them to be leaders among men. Let us
not assume that the "rulers" thus divinely chosen are neces-
sarily those whom men would later elect to be their leaders.
Many of God's great ones have been and are counted among
the despised of earth. So it was with the Christ Himself,
and so with many of His prophets, apostles and revelators
unto mankind.
Bom into the flesh with diverse capacities, subjected
here to varied environment, which may be favorable or op-
posed to the development of inherent tendencies toward either
good or evil, we as a race are creatures of disparity, in-
equality, and heterogeneous circumstance. But all color of
injustice disappears in the light of assurance that, in the
Are Men Created Equal? 323
judgment of souls, every condition shall be weighed in the
accurate balances of Justice and Mercy.
But what of the hereafter — shall we not be made equal
there? Not in the sense that our individuality shall be
subverted or radically changed. We shall find beyond more
gradations in society than we have ever known on earth.
But the basis of classification will be essentially different.
Here we are rated according to what we have — of wealth,
learning, political or other influence due to circumstance;
there we shall find our place according to what we really
are.
Ponder the significance of our Lord's assurance of the
"many mansions" in the Father's kingdom (John 14:1-3)
and consider Paul's summary of varied glories. (1 Cor.
15:40-41.)
Through later Scripture we are told of distinct king-
doms or worlds of graded order, comparable to the sun,
moon, and stars respectively. There are the Celestial, the
Terrestrial, and the Telestial kingdoms, in which the souls
of men shall abide and serve as their attainments in right-
eousness or their disqualification through sin shall determine.
Concerning the inhabitants of the Telestial world, the lowest
of the specified kingdoms of glory, we read : "For they shall
be judged according to their works, and every man shall re-
ceive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the
mansions which are prepared." (Doctrine & Covenants
76:111.)
324 The Vitality of Mormonism
—OS-
ETHICS AND RELIGION
A Distinction With a Difference
UNDOUBTEDLY there are many people who, while of
earnest intent and practise, of worthy, honorable, and
moral life, neither profess religion nor confess belief in it. At
least, so they would say if questioned. Closer analysis would
probably show that by religion these good people had under-
stood Church membership or actual affiliation with some re-
ligious organization. And their conception is not irrational
nor fundamentally wrong; though such membership or af-
filiation is no assurance of personal religion.
The foundation of all religion is a real belief, or, more
accurately, faith, in the existence of a Supreme Being upon
whose beneficence man is dependent and to whom he is ac-
countable for his conduct. With this belief, man cannot fail
to recognize the superlative duty of learning God's will and
of living according to His revealed word and law.
Mankind being by nature gregarious, and indeed unsuited
to solitary existence, will congregate according to commun-
ity interests, beliefs and aspirations. In the tribal organi-
zations of peoples whom we call semi-civilized, there is gen-
erally a distinctive religion for each tribe ; even though it be
but a phase of paganism; and their unenlightened souls are
held together by their generic conception of worship. Among,
larger and more advanced nations differences in religious
conceptions are manifest, and people associate in rival sects
and churches. Voluntary membership in any such body is
at least a profession of belief in its distinguishing tenets.
But beside these there are many who aver that ethics is
Ethics and Religion 325
sufficient, and that a moral life will insure salvation in the
world to come. Granted that religious profession without
morality is but mockery and hypocrisy. Nevertheless, be-
tween the merely ethical and the really religious life, there
is vital distinction.
To assume that an ethical or even a strictly moral course
of conduct is all-sufficient for the soul's salvation would be
to repudiate Scripture, deny the essential efficacy of the
Atonement, dethrone the Christ, and eliminate God from
earthly affairs. Such an assumption proclaims the stupen-
dous error that mortal man is competent to save himself —
on his own terms, and according to a standard established by
human agency.
Religion is more than a code of morals. Man can no more
be saved by ethics than can he live by bread alone. The
spiritual nutriment, without which no soul can develop to
the exalted status of eternal life, consists of "every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
The very purpose for which this earth was created as an
abiding place for the spirit-children of God during their
brief period of embodiment in flesh was to test and "prove
them herewith to see if they will do all things whatsoever
the Lord their God shall command them." (Pearl of Great
Price p. 66.)
It is conceivable that etliics may measurably satisfy the
conscience of one who really believes that mortal life is the
sum total of existence ; though I seriously doubt that such
a being exists. If he lives, he is dangerously liable to stifle
conscience, and to follow the easier though pernicious
prompting to eat, drink and be merry whilst he may, tak-
ing no thought for the morrow of eternity.
But, it is fair to ask, shall not morality count in the
judgment to come? Beyond question. Yes. God's word so
3^6 The Vitality of Mormonism
declares. The clean minded who, however, fail to comply
with the specified laws and ordinances of the Gospel of Christ,
are not to be cast into the society of the spiritually filthy ;
neither are they to be exalted with the valiant who have right-
eously obeyed the requirements of the Gospel.
There is a hell to which shall go the "liars, and sorcerers,
and adulterers, and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and
makes a lie." Furthermore, there is a kingdom prepared to
receive the "honorable men of the earth who were blinded by
the craftiness of men" — the unfortunate and deluded who
have followed after human theories and precepts to the ignor-
ing of God and His word, the misled devotees of "science
falsely so called."
And above all else is the state of eternal life and exalta-
tion provided for those who, while in the flesh, lived the
religion of Christ, "who received the testimony of Jesus, and
believed on his name and were baptized after the manner of
his burial"; for "these are they who are just men made per-
fect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who
wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding
of his own blood." (Doctrine & Covenants 76.)
The Lord's affirmation is definite : "He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved" ; for if his belief be \dtal he will
make the morality that Christ taught the foundation of his
religion. "But he that believeth not shall be damned," what-
ever his standard of ethics may be. (See Mark 16:16.)
Religion Active and Passive 327
—94—
RELIGION ACTIVE AND PASSIVE
Effort Essential to Salvation
RELIGION to be worth while must be a vital element of
life and work. It is of both temporal and spiritual
significance, value and effect. It has to do with individual
morality, with mutual dealings and associations of men even
in ordinary, every-day affairs, with the great problems in-
volved in family unity and efficiency and with the little
things that make or mar the home, with work and play, with
the duties of citizenship, statesmanship and public service
generally.
AH these relationships are human and earthly, and the
honorable discharge of duties arising therefrom approaches
ethical perfection. But man's standard of etliics is of neces-
sity unstable, variable and, withal, unsatisfying to the soul
having a healthful hunger for spiritual nourishment.
Who of us has not felt at times the spontaneous yearn-
ings and aspirations incident to our deep inborn conviction
of life beyond death.? We may weaken these emotions by per-
sistently ignoring them; we may effectively stifle them by
rude force; we may render them dormant by the poisonous
anodyne of false philosophy and the boastful pride of man's
mis-caUed wisdom; but kill them we can not, for they were
divinely implanted and are deathless.
And as there is a hereafter, in which every soul of us shall
live in continuation of the eternal existence of which earth-
life is but a span, so surely shall our status there be de-
termined by the deeds done in the body, whether they be good
or evil.
328 The Vitality of Mormonism
Religion, then, has to do not only with this life but with
that to come. We are but sojourners on earth; and, pro-
foundly important as is this mortal experience, it is, after
all, mainly a probation, and essentially a preparation for
eternity.
It is temporarily easier to be passive than aggressive,
whether we claim for our guiding code man's rules of ethics
or the clear-cut requirements of the Gospel of Christ. There
are more good men on earth than men who are good for
much.
The Gospel demands something greater than avoidance
of actual sins of commission. The culpability of neglect and
omission may justly condemn the soul. Wilful spurning of
Divine opportunity may work eternal loss. Though the
Scriptures affirm the possibility of progression after death,
nowhere do we find ground for assuming that failure to obey
the Gospel on earth will be nullified by immediate remission
beyond. We have no basis for computing the ages that shall
be requisite to make amends there for wanton failure here.
There is a time in the eternal existence of souls which has
been specifically made the time of repentance and test; and
that is the period of mortality. Paul's forceful admonition
is of universal application : "Lay hold on eternal life" while
opportunity is found (1 Tim. 6:12, 19). For, be it remem-
bered that the Lord has spoken concerning the wilfully unre-
pentant: "From him shall be taken even the light which he
has received, for my Spirit shall not always strive with man,
saith the Lord of Hosts." (Doctrine & Covenants 1 :33.)
Sin is conducive to lethargy in things spiritual; the Gos-
pel inspires to hfe and activity. Contentment with the
things of this world, so long as they go to suit us, with no
thought of what shall follow, is the devil's lullaby. In the
moment of supreme complacency when we are expressing by
Religion Active and Passive 329
word, act, thought, or through sheer inaction, the stultifying
soliloquy "Soul, take thine ease," may come the summoning
decree: "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required
of thee." Read Luke 12:16-21.
When will men awaken to the imperative yet persuasive
summons to repentance? Are not the awful vicissitudes of
the days of war and death sufficient to arouse us to some
realization of the solemnities of eternity? As a nation we
have valiantly waged war for the vindication of the rights,
privileges, and liberties of men. As individuals we are sum-
moned by the call of God to resist iniquity, and to make
peace and reconciliation with Him through obedience to the
laws and ordinances of the Gospel.
Only through active, vital faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,
effective repentance of wrong-doing, baptism by immersion
for the remission of sins, and the bestowal of the gift of the
Holy Ghost or the higher baptism of the Spirit, can salva-
tion be attained in the Kingdom of God, for so the Holy
Scriptures aver.
The pleading call of the ancient prophet is yet in force.
Hear ye, and heed: "Now I say unto you, that ye must
repent, and be born again: for the Spirit saith, If ye are
not bom again, ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven;
therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye
may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on
the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world,
who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteous-
ness." (Book of Mormon, Alma 7 :14.)
830 The Vitality of Mormonism
—95—
REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY
T
A Law unto Man from the Beginning
HE Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ac-
cepts Sunday as the Christian Sabbath and proclaims
the sanctity of the day. We admit without argument that
under the Mosaic Law the seventh day of the week, Saturday,
was designated and observed as the Holy Day, and that the
change from Saturday to Sunday was a feature of the apos-
tolic administration following the personal ministry of
Jesus Christ. Greater to us than the question of this day
or that in the week, is the actuality of the weekly Sabbath,
to be observed as a day of special and particular devotion
to the service of the Lord.
The Sabbath was prefigured if not definitely specified in
the record of the creation, wherein we read, following the
account of the six days or periods of creative effort: "And
God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that
in it he had rested from all his work which God created and
made." (Gen. 2:3.)
In the early stages of the Exodus the Israelites were com-
manded to lay in a double portion of manna on the sixth day,
for the seventh was consecrated as a day of holy rest; and
this was signalized by the Lord's withholding manna on the
Sabbath day. See Exo. 16 :23-30. There is no proof that
Sabbath observance by Israel at this early date was an in-
novation; and it may be reasonably regarded as a recogni-
tion of an established order by reenactment in the new dis-
pensation. Later, when the decalog was codified and pro-
mulgated on Sinai, the Sabbath law was made particularly
Remember the Sabbath Day 331
explicit, and the Lord's rest was cited as its foundation :
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days
shalt thou labour, and do all thy work : But the seventh day
is the sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do
any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manser-
vant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates : For in six days the Lord made
heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested
the seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day,
and hallowed it." (Exo. 20:8-11.)
The keeping of the Sabbath as a day of surcease from
toil and of particular devotion came to be a national char-
acteristic of the Israelites, whereby they were distinguished
from pagan nations ; and rightly so, for the observance of
the Holy Day was specified as a distinctive sign of the cove-
nant between Jehovah and His people. See Exo. 31 :13.
In the course of Israelitish history successive prophets
admonished and rebuked the people for neglect or profana-
tion of the Sabbath. Nehemiah ascribed the affliction of the
nation to the forfeiture of Divine protection through Sab-
bath violation (see Neh. 13:15-22); and by the mouth of
Ezekiel the Lord reaffirmed the significance of the Sabbath
as a mark of His covenant with Israel, and sternly upbraided
those who observed not the day. ( See Ezek. 20 :12-24. ) To
the detached branch of Israel, which, as the Book of Mor-
mon avers, was transplanted to American soil. Sabbath ob-
servance was no less an imperative requirement. See Jarom
1:5; Mosiah 13:16-19; 18:23.
Long before the birth of Christ the original purpose of
the Sabbath and the spirit of its service had come to be
largely lost sight of among the Jews; and rabbinical rules
had introduced numerous technicalities, which made of the
day one of discomfort and severity. This condition was
3S2 The Vitality of Mormonism
strongly denounced by our Lord in reply to the many criti-
cisms heaped upon Him because of the healings and other
good works wrought by Him on the Sabbath. "The sabbath
was made for man, and not man for the sabbath," said He,
and then continued with the profound affirmation: "The
Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath." (Mark 2 :27, 28.)
Christ came not to destroy the Law of Moses but to fulfil
it ; and through Him the law was superseded by the Gospel.
The Savior rose from the tomb on the first day of the week ;
and that particular Sunday, as also the next, was rendered
forever memorable by the bodily visitation of the resur-
rected Lord to the assembled Apostles and others. To the
believers in the crucified and risen Savior Sunday became the
Lord's Day (Rev. 1 :10), and in time took the place of Sat-
urday as the weekly Sabbath in the Christian churches.
The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that Sunday is the
acceptable day for Sabbath observance, on the authority of
direct revelation specifying the Lord's Day as such. In this,
a new dispensation, and verily the last — the Dispensation
of the Fulness of Times — the law of the Sabbath has been
reaffirmed unto the Church. It is to be noted that the reve-
lation, part of which follows, was given to the Church on a
Sunday (August 7th, 1831.)
"And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted
from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and
offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day. For verily this
is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and
to pay thy devotions unto the Most High. Nevertheless thy
vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at
all times. But remember that on this the Lord's day, thou
shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the
Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and
before the Lord. And on this day thou shalt do none other
The Foolishness of God 333
thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart
that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that
thy joy may be full." (Doctrine & Covenants 59:9-13.)
We believe that a weekly day of rest is no less truly a
necessity for the physical well-being of man than for his
spiritual growth; but, primarily and essentially, we regard
the Sabbath as divinely established, and its observance a
commandment of Him who was and is and ever shall be. Lord
of the Sabbath.
F
THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD
And the Wisdom of Men
OR the preaching of the cross is to them that perish
foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the
power of God. . . . Because the foolishness of God is wiser
than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
(Cor. 1:18, 25.)
So spake Paul in olden days, and he knew whereof he
spake. Rich in the learning of Jews and Greeks, ripe in
scholarship and experience, he possessed breadth of fore-
sight and depth of insight far exceeding the average capacity
of men; and to these superior qualifications of mind must
be added the transcendent spiritual endowments of the
apostle, the prophet, the seer, the revelator.
His abnegation and humility are no less striking than the
incontestable sincerity and genuineness of his avowals. In-
spired philosopher as he was, he discriminated with keen per-
ception and clear vision between knowledge and wisdom, and
with masterly skill contrasted the fallible teachings of men
with the unshakable averments of prophecy.
334 The Vitality of Mormonism
The Greeks of Paul's time prided themselves on their
learning, philosophy, and science, much of which last was
"falsely so called." By such the preaching of the cross, the
teachings of the Gospel, the precepts of eternal life were ac-
counted but vain babblings. Those pagan Greeks were mind-
trained but spirit-dwarfed. And that type of misshapen
monstrosity is not yet extinct.
The brutal protagonists of autocratic tyranny, whose bar-
barous kultur impels to crimes innumerable and atrocities
indescribable, profess to regard the might of righteousness
as but maudlin sentiment and puerile weakness. Boastful
of material achievements and the temporary success of their
diabolical system of selfishness and arrogance, they blas-
pheme the name and power of the living God, whose will it
is that every soul be free.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the Di-
vine will and purpose. That Gospel enjoins obedience to
righteous law as the guaranty of individual liberty. It en-
dures as the unchanging expression of eternal wisdom,
though by carnally-minded sinners ridiculed as foolishness.
As early as 1833, in a revelation through the prophet
Joseph Smith, the Lord declared that both strong drinks
and hot drinks were injurious to the body. In that period
the use of alcoholic beverages was common, and the consump-
tion of hot drinks, particularly as tea and coffee, was well
nigh universal. Promulgation of the Divine warning against
these harmful customs was treated as a fad born of fanati-
cism. Inexorable fact has compelled acknowledgment of the
Word of Wisdom (see Doctrine & Covenants, Sec. 89) as the
pronouncement of Nature's God. Prohibition of the use of
intoxicants has become a question of supreme international
importance. The efficiency of armies and navies is seen to be
gravely conditioned thereby. Some of the world's most emi-
The Foolishness of God
nent surgeons aver that the habitual use of hot drinks is one
of the most effective causes of gastric ulcer and cancer,
which are classed among the deadliest of maladies.
The same revelation voices a direct inhibition against the
use of tobacco by man, and this avowal, now branded as
extreme and uncalled for, is destined yet to become the basis
of secular enactment.
The immoderate use of flesh faods was specified by Divine
utterance as harmful. The exigencies of war enforced re-
striction of meat eating, and the nation was bettered thereby.
Unchastity, the dominant vice of the ages, has been tol-
erated as an irrepressible feature of the social system, and
this notwithstanding the warning fiat of Jehovah against
marital infidelity and sexual sin in all its hideous phases.
The imperative demand for efficiency in this crucial age of
stress and struggle has literally forced a measured though
lamentably inadequate acceptance of the Divine require-
ment, for the statistical data of incapacity due to so-called
social diseases are so astounding and show a condition so
frightful as to make plain that the very foundations of civi-
lization are jeopardized.
Men have been prone to turn deaf ears to the voice of
God, delivered through the prophets always in season to
avert threatening calamities; and have rested in the lethal
contentment of self-confident ability to deal in their own
way with the problems of life. How surpassingly wiser
would it be, as shown in the light of our dearly-bought ex-
perience, to acknowledge the wisdom of God's beneficence,
and profit thereby. Prophecy is direct and sure, science lag-
gard and tentative. One is the advance message from God,
the other man's belated and ofttimes distorted version of the
truth.
Mormonism proclaims the Gospel of Christ as the panacea
336 The Vitality of Mormonism
for the ills of men and nations. Its proclamation to the
world is the assurance of peace on earth and good will
among men, through obedience to the laws and ordinances
of the Gospel. The veriest moiety of the wisdom of God
transcends the accumulated knowledge of men in its en-
tirety.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is calling
aloud to every nation, kindred, tongue and people : Have
faith in God. Deal justly with one another. Make amends
for past wrongs before opportunity is forfeited. Strive to
enter in at the gate to the Kingdom of God while yet you
may, for verily the time is short, and the coming of the Lord
is near. Repent and be baptized, every one of you, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, by which ye shall
be guided in the paths of truth and inherit salvation at the
great and terrible day of the Lord which is nigh, even at
your doors.
—97—
FREEDOM THROUGH OBEDIENCE
Release from Autocracy of Sin
"/^ OME unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
V^ and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you,
and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye
shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30.)
A blessed invitation indeed !
Seemingly faint at heart over the unbelief of the people,
our Lord had sought strength in prayer. With the soulful
eloquence characteristic of the anguish-laden communion
which at recurrent periods He had with the Father, the
Freedom Through Obedience 387
Savior voiced His reverent gratitude that God had imparted
a testimony of the truth to the humble and lowly whom He
likened unto trusting babes, rather than unto men proud in
their learning and arrogant in self-assumption.
Then turning to the common people, the multitude who
had just witnessed His miracles and listened to His lofty
yet simple precepts. He urged anew their acceptance of
Him and His Gospel in one of the grandest outpourings of
spiritual emotion recorded for man to read.
His summoning yet pleading call was addressed to priest-
ridden and Rome-governed Jews. Many of them yearned
for release from thraldom, but the national spirit had been
so broken that most of them had become inured to vassalage
and tolerant of bondage.
The priestly hierarchy was boastful of its status, and
strove effectively to deceive the people into the belief that
they were free while sweating under the burdens of unright-
eous exaction.
What had Christ to offer in mitigation of their grievous
state.? Certainly not the emancipation for which false rab-
binical precept had led them to look — the reestablishment
of the throne of David as an earthly kingdom, destined to
subjugate all other nations by force of arms and make su-
preme the scepter of rehabilitated Israel.
Christ's kingdom was not, is not, nor ever shall be a merely
secular or political dominion. His throne and crown are
not of earthly make.
The people of Israel had brought themselves into bondage.
Their vanished glory and fallen status had been foretold as
an alternative fate, which would fall upon them if they de-
parted from the covenant and proved recreant to the God
of their fathers. But more burdensome than Roman master-
ship was the literal serfdom of priestly misrule. Rome was
338 The Vitality of Mormonism
tolerant and conciliatory, while those who for the time sat
in Moses' seat gloried in the shackles they had riveted upon
the people through a blasphemous misapplication of the Law.
To the overladen and weary Jews came the offer of rest
and peace. The Lord pleadingly invited them from drudg-
ery to pleasant service, from the well-nigh unbearable bur-
dens of ecclesiastical exaction and traditional formalism to
the liberty of true worship, from slavery to freedom.
But they would not.
The Gospel He offered was and is the embodiment of
liberty, untainted by selfish license. True, it entailed obe-
dience and submission ; but even if such could be likened unto
a yoke, what was its burden in comparison with the incubus
under which they groaned.''
The offer, the call, the invitation is in full force and effect
today. Transgression of the law is primarily or indirectly
the cause of all suffering. Obedience to righteous law is the
price of liberty. In such obedience lies happiness.
By a government of the people, administered in equity,
every man is under wholesome restriction in compliance with
which he finds privilege and protection.
Irresponsibility is directly opposed to enduring freedom.
But what are the restraints of democracy in contrast with
enslavement under autocratic rule.? How easy the yoke,
how light the burden, and how glorious the blessings of right-
eous government!
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the expression of the eternal
truth that shall make men free. It prescribes obedience,
compliance, voluntary submission as the conditions of en-
franchisement in the kingdom of God. In its conflict with
sin the Gospel neither slays nor makes men prisoners. Its
weapons are persuasion, invitation, and awakening summons.
Its antagonists suffer self-inflicted punishment, bring upon
He Went and Washed 839
themselves imprisonment within the bars of lost opportunity,
and formulate their own sentence of eventual banishment as
alien enemies of the truth.
Liberty through obedience was the theme of Benjamin,
the ancient prophet and king who thus addressed his penitent
people, respecting their acknowledgment of Christ as the
Author of salvation:
"And under this head, ye are made free, and there is no
other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other
name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would
that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you
that have entered into the covenant with God, that ye should
be obedient unto the end of your lives." (Book of Mormon,
Mosiah 5:8.)
And unto the repentant and obedient of the present day
the Lord has spoken through the prophet Joseph Smith :
"Abide ye in the liberty wherewith ye are made free ; en-
tangle not yourselves in sin, but let your hands be clean,
until the Lord come." (Doctrine & Covenants 88:86.)
The Lord has spoken, saying to all men and nations:
Come unto me in faith, doubting not; repent of your sins;
be baptized for the remission thereof; and ye shall receive
the Holy Ghost and He shall guide you in the truth that
shall make you free.
—OS-
HE WENT AND WASHED
And Came Seeing
HE ninth chapter of John contains an absorbingly
T
graphic account of a man who had been born blind,
yet who was made to see through the ministrations of the
Lord Jesus Christ. As in every other miracle wrought by
340 The Vitality of Mormonism
the Savior, the outward or visible procedure in this case
was strikingly simple.
Jesus anointed the sightless eyes with clay, and said unto
the man: "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam." The sequel is
thus tersely recorded: "He went his way therefore, and
washed, and came seeing."
The man had been a mendicant, a blind beggar, and as
such was a familiar character in his neighborhood. Word
of the miracle spread and a great stir arose among both the
common folk and the learned Pharisees. The day of the
healing was the Sabbath, and the hypercritical Pharisees
laid stress on this point as proof that He who had given
sight to the blind man was obviously a sinner, for He had
healed on the Holy Day, whereon all manner of work was
forbidden.
With the assurance characteristic of a sincere mind that
knows whereof it speaks, and with incisive directness, the
happy recipient of our Lord's bounty replied: "Whether
he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that,
whereas I was blind, now I see."
Then the inquisitors questioned the man anew as to the
precise means by which his eyes had been opened ; but he re-
fused to repeat what they had already treated with derision,
and ironically inquired if they were about to join the dis-
ciples of the Healer. This served but to increase their anger.
They boasted of being disciples of Moses, but as for Christ,
whom they referred to as "this fellow," they furiously de-
clared that they knew not whence He came.
They were enraged that an illiterate beggar should an-
swer so boldly in their scholarly presence; but the man was
more than a match for them all. His rejoinder was madden-
ing because it flouted their vaunted wisdom, and, withal, was
unanswerable.
He Went and Washed 341
"Why, herein is a marvellous thing," said he, "that ye know
not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
Now we know that God heareth not sinners : but if any man
be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened
the eyes of one that was born blind. If this man were not
of God, he could do nothing."
Unable to cope in argument or demonstration with the
erstwhile sightless beggar, those blinded Pharisees could at
least exercise their official authority, however unjustly, by
excommunicating him from the congregation of the synagog,
and this they promptly and wickedly did.
The case in all its bearings is typical of current condi-
tions, as indeed it has been of men in all ages. Physical
blindness is a grievous affliction, and relief therefrom cor-
respondingly gladsome. But it is of the body only, and
though permitted to endure till death, it shall end.
For that deeper darkness — blindness of mind and heart —
the grave is no curative. As between the sightless beggar
and the sin-proud Pharisees, the latter were by far the
blinder. He reverently rejoiced in the gift of sight, for he
knew that he had been blind and that afterward he saw;
they boasted of their vision, though living in darkness, and
refused enlightement.
"Wo unto the blind that will not see ; for they shall per-
ish." (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 9:32.)
The requirements of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are the
same today as in "the meridian of time" when the Master
taught among men in Person. Likewise are there now many
blind eyes, some of which are opened through the enlighten-
ment of obedience, while others grow more and more dark-
ened by the spreading cataract of false teaching, skepticism,
and wilful sin.
343 The Vitality of Mormonism
Away with the benighting Pharisaism that sets the pre-
cepts of men above the revealed word of God ! For spiritual
blindness so induced, the Divine Healer offers sure relief.
Oh, sightless man, anoint thine eyes with the balm of com-
pliance with the laws and ordinances of the Gospel as enunci-
ated by the Redeemer of men. Do but desire the light with
repentant heart and with the deep full earnestness of a liv-
ing faith, and then, in the waters of baptism be washed, and
ye shall come, seeing.
Of deep import are these words of the Lord given unto
an ancient Hebrew seer:
"And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the
devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of
the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads,
that they perish, and are lost." (Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi
12:17.)
Man is not the author of the plan of salvation ; and blind
indeed are they who suppose that precepts, theories or sys-
tems originated or contrived by man can substitute or super-
sede the means divinely appointed for the redemption of man-
kind.
To the groping, sightless soul is offered the unction of
faith and the ability to repent ; and in the Siloam of baptism
shall be received the enlightenment that guides the soul,
once blind, now seeing, along the path leading to eternal life.
The Rod of Iron 343
— 99 —
THE ROD OF IRON
A Dependable Support
UNTO Lehi, a prophet of Jerusalem, who by Divine com-
mand had gone with his family from the city into the
wilderness, came the word of the Lord in vision.
The man stood by a tree, the fruit of which he found to be
sweet, and "desirable to make one happy"; for, as he ate
of it his soul was nlled with peace and joy unspeakable.
Near the tree, separating it from a spacious plain wherein
great concourses of people had gathered, flowed a turbulent
river of muddy, filthy water. The head of the stream was
visible in the distance, and from this to the tree, alongside
the river's treacherous bank, ran a narrow path, paralleling
which was a rod of iron, firmly secured, and so placed that
one could hold to it while treading the pathway.
Numerous people were observed moving toward the head
of the stream, striving to lay hold on the iron rod, but dense
mists of darkness arose, and enshrouded them, so that many
became bewildered, and, abandoning their purpose of reach-
ing the tree, were lost in the murky depths of the river.
Of the more faithful and determined, he saw and testified :
"And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing for-
ward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the
rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist
of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did
come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree." (Book of
Mormon, 1 Nephi 8:24; read chaps. 8 and 15).
An explication of the ^^sion was given through inspira-
tion. The tree shown to the prophet was the tree of life.
544 The Vitality of Mormonism
and its fruit the salvation of the soul. Of the rod of iron
it is written: "That it was the word of God; and whoso
would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast
unto it, they would never perish ; neither could the tempta-
tions and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them
unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction." (1 Nephi
15:24).
The river of foul waters typified the great gulf separating
"the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of
God", and the state of loss and condemnation, which shall
be the inevitable fate of the wilfully and unregenerate wicked.
The present is an age of whirl and swirl, in which many
reach out confusedly and despairingly for support, buffeted
by the waves of theologic dogma, swept hither and thither
by the creeds and precepts of men, blown about by the winds
of conflicting doctrines, bewildered by the mists of darkness,
which are "the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the
eyes and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men."
(12:17).
The rod of iron is the Word of God unto man, the same
yesterday, today, and forever. Faith in God, and in His
Son Jesus Christ as the Redeemer and Savior of men, and
contrite repentance of sin mark the beginning of the nar-
row path. We must hold fast to the rod, for the mists of
darkness are dense and confusing; and it is easy to let go,
to slip and slide and fall.
But with firm hand on the rod, stedfast feet on the path,
we are led into the clear and purifying waters of baptism,
without whose invigorating ablution we are unable to pro-
gress. Cleansed and strengthened we press on, even though
the mists thicken; and by the enlightening baptism of the
Spirit, which is administered by the authorized laying on
of hands, we reach the tree, entitled to live thereafter glad-
The Rod of Iron 845
dened and made strong by its sweet and nourishing bounty.
The rod of iron is still in place, fast, secure, a dependable
support for every soul who strives with full purpose of
heart to reach the tree of life. Clinging thereto we make
sure progress, though the filthy waters beat hard by the
narrow path. Let go, and we slip, then slide, and if we fail
through strenuous effort and the aid of an outstretched
helping hand to regain our grasp, we are swept away, car-
ried by the torrent of confusion and uncertainty, perhaps
into the engulfing Charybdis of fatalism or the dread
ScyUa of atheistical despair.
Mark you, that rod is unbendable, unbreakable, immov-
able. The pathway endures, is never in need of repairs by
addition, new construction, or reinforcement. These are
no product of man's skill. It is sadly true, however, that
men have essayed to make roads, the while proclaiming
that their broad highways lead to the tree of life. But
never has one such thoroughfare been constructed to the
promised destination ; nor can it be. For a time these man-
made roads are alluring in their macadamized smoothness,
but they crumble and are worn into pitfalls, unsightly and
dangerous.
"Enter ye in at the strait gate : for wide is the gate, and
broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many
there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate,
and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few
there be that find it." (Matt. 7:13, 14).
84*6 Tlie Vitality of Mormonism
— 100 —
LIAR AND MURDERER
From the Beginning
THE Scriptures are equally definite in affirming the
existence of both individual Gods and devils.
Of the former we recognize three, the Holy Trinity, com-
prising God the Eternal Father, God the Son who is our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and God the Holy Ghost,
these three individual Personages constituting the presiding
council having supreme power and authority throughout the
universe, and collectively known as the Godhead.
The devils are many, and their chieftain is Satan, who
though unembodied is as truly an individual being as is any
one of us. He is the personage who in the primeval world
bore the exalted title of Lucifer, a son of the morning,
and who with his rebelHous horde was cast out, prior to the
peopling of the earth. (See Rev. 12:7-9; also Doctrine &
Covenants 29:36-38, and 76:25-27; and Isa. 14:12-15).
On the best authority, that of the Lord Jesus Christ, we
learn something of the character of this fallen son of the
morning, the antagonist of righteousness, and the enemy of
God and man. In denouncing the false beliefs and evil
practises of certain unregenerate Jews, Christ spoke in these
definite and forceful terms:
"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning,
and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.
When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is
a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the
truth, ye believe me not." (John 8:44-45).
Liar and Murderer 347
A liar and a murderer from the beginning! He it was
who beguiled the mother of the race, and that by the most
dangerous of all falsehoods, the half-truth, in the use of
which he is a past master.
He it was who taught the awful secret of murder to the
fratricide, Cain, baiting the hook of infamous temptation
with the lie, that, by slaying his brother, Cain would come
into possession of Abel's flocks, and have much gain beside.
(See Pearl of Great Price, pp. 22 and 23).
He it was who deceived Israel, by inducing them to revolt
against the theo-democracy under which they had pros-
pered, and to clamor for a king. Under kingly rule the
nation was brought into vassalage and obscurity.
Primordially he and his angels were "cast out into the
earth", and here they have since been, going up and down
in the world, seeking whom they may deceive.
He is the author of sophistry and degrading skepticism,
and of the whole foul mass of the philosophy and science
"falsely so called", by which mankind are led to doubt the
word of God, to becloud the Scriptures with vain imaginings
and private interpretations, and to narcotize the mind with
the poison of human invention as a substitute for revealed
truth.
He is an adept at compounding mixtures of truth and
falsehood, with just enough of the one to inspire a danger-
ous confidence, and of the other a toxic portion.
Beware of his prescriptions, his tonics and medicaments.
Remember that water may be crystal clear, and yet hold in
solution the deadliest of poisons.
He it is who has deceived peoples, tribes, and races, into
servile submission to self-constituted rulers, and made of
the masses slaves of autocrats, rather than to assert and
maintain their rights as free men, whatever the effort and
sacrifice be.
848 The Vitality of Mormonism
He it is who seeks to lead men captive at his will, to
destroy their power of agency and choice, to dupe them into
bartering their birthright of freedom for the nauseating
pottage of present expediency.
He it is who has cajoled men into the unscriptural con-
ception that there are ways, many and variable, by wliich
salvation is attainable, other than the one and only way
provided by the Savior of souls.
He is the arch-deceiver, the master sophist, the prime dis-
sembler, the prince of hypocrites.
Concerning the devil's plan of subverting the rights of
man, and of those who support it, Moroni, the last of the
Nephite prophets, wrote:
"Whoso buildeth it up, seeketh to overthrow the free-
dom of all lands, nations, and countries ; and it bringeth
to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by
the devil, who is the father of all lies; even that same liar
who beguiled our first parents ; yea, even that same liar who
hath caused man to commit murder from the beginning;
who hath hardened the hearts of men, that they have mur-
dered the prophets, and stoned them, and cast them out
from the beginning." (Book of Mormon, Ether 8:25).
Though great be Satan's power, deliverance therefrom is
provided through compliance with the Gospel of Jesus
Christ, at whose advent, now near at hand, the promised
millennium of peace shall be inaugurated, a blessed feature
of which is that the devil shall be rendered impotent to
further subjugate the souls of men, and "that he should
deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should
be fulfilled." (Rev. 20:3).
On the Devil's Ground 849
—101—
ON THE DEVIL'S GROUND
Prisoners to Satan
IN the decisive issues of war there are victors and van-
quished; the casualties comprise killed, wounded, and
prisoners. Generally, capture by the enejny is the form of
individual calamity most dreaded by the gallant soldier who
knows he is fighting for the right, and particularly so if the
foe be ruthless or treacherous.
In the battle of life as a whole, analogous conditions and
categories obtain. The slain may have fallen in honor ; for
the disabled there is hope of recovery; but the fate of the
captured is one of apprehension or dread certainty, ofttimes
of horror.
When one is taken prisoner as the result of venturesome
curiosity, reckless exposure, or disobedience to orders, he
must bear the blame as well as the suffering consequent on
capture. Many are prisoners because thoughtlessly, wil-
fully, or defiantly, they have trespassed upon the devil's
ground, without warrant of duty or justifiable excuse. The
soldier's part is to keep within the lines until ordered for-
ward in attack to dislodge the foe.
Hosts of capable souls have heedlessly put themselves into
the enemy's power by yielding to the treacherous invitation
to fraternize with sin. Such a one is made welcome in the
camp of the foe, and, at first a visitor, he sooner or later
awakens to the fact that he is a prisoner, and withal a de-
serter from the ranks of patriotism and honor.
The young man, rich in hope and promise, sets out to see
the world for himself — ^just to see, that's all, he says — and is
350 The Vitality of Mormonism
overpowered in the grog-shop trench or the wanton's den —
a prisoner in the power of a merciless and exulting foe.
Solemn as the sound of doom, piercing as the blast of
angel's trump, is the Lord's affirmation: "Whosoever com-
mitteth sin is the servant of sin." (John 8:34.)
Who can find so much as excuse to think of himself as a
freeman when he knows he is a slave — to base passion, to
dishonorable desire, to hypocrisy and crime?
The prisoner's ^ate is as commonly the result of negative
sin — of neglect, indolence, failure to do — as it is the conse-
quence of ill-directed activity and positive transgression.
Refusal to comply with the prescribed laws and ordinances
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to permit or invite capture
by the arch-enemy of souls.
Obedience is the test of allegiance, and he whom we obey,
the leader we elect to follow, is the master who directs our
destiny, whether in the liberty of righteousness or the serf-
dom of sin.
"Know ye not," wrote Paul of old to the proud Romans,
"that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his
servants ye are to whom ye obey ; whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness.^" (Rom. 6:16.)
The certainty of capture by the enemy through passive
irresolution or aggressive violation of Divine law, together
with the actuality of the captive state was set forth by a
Hebrew prophet on the Western Hemisphere centuries before
the birth of Christ, as f oUows :
"For the kingdom of the devil must shake, and they which
belong to it must needs be stirred up unto repentance, or
the devil will grasp them with his everlasting chains, and
they be stirred up to anger and perish.
"For behold, at that day [this latter, modem, present
On the DeviVs Ground 351
day] shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and
stir them up to anger against that which is good.
"And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal
security, that they will say, All is well in Zion; yea, Zion
prospereth, all is well; and thus the devil cheateth their
souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.
"And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them
there is no hell; and he saith unto them, I am no devil, for
there is none; and thus he whispereth in their ears until he
grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no
deliverance.
"Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death,
and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized there-
with, must stand before the throne of God, and be judged
according to their works, from whence they must go into the
place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone,
which is endless torment." (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi
28:19-23.)
It is evident from the foregoing and from the following,
that captivity to the devil shall extend into the eternities as
the state of those who have failed to establish their status
as citizens in the Kingdom of freedom :
"For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your
repentance, even until death, behold, ye have become sub-
jected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his ;
therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you,
and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over
you; and this is the final state of the wicked." (Alma
34:35.)
Q)5^ The Vitality of Mormonism
— 102 —
WHAT DOTH IT PROFIT A MAN?
Worldly Gam — Eternal Loss
OR what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the
whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a
man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mark 8:36-37).
These are questions put by the Teacher of teachers.
They are related; we may consider them as one. Simple,
like unto all the Master's teachings — for high precept and
profound philosophy are embodied in the interrogatory —
the question is searching, peremptory, challenging. Who
that hears or reads can brush it aside? Compelling in its
incisive brevity, it is of haunting directness. Once con-
sidered, even cursorily, it will not down; once admitted to
the inner consciousness, it will not out. The baubles of earth
are set over against the priceless jewels of heaven; the fleet-
ing things of mortality are put in contrast with the endur-
ing verities of eternity.
Granted that this is a material world, and that experience
in material affairs is a pervading and indispensable element
in the curriculum of life's school, it is no less truly a fact
that earth-life is neither the beginning nor the end of in-
dividual existence and progression.
Material belongings, relative wealth or poverty, physical
environment — the things on which we are prone to set our
hearts and anchor our aspirations, the things for which we
sweat and strive, ofttimes at the sacrifice of happiness and
to the forfeiture of real success — these after all are but
externals, the worth of which in the reckoning to come shall
be counted in terms of the use we have made of them.
What iDoth It Profit a Man? 868
Is the plow more than the field to be furrowed, or the
sickle than the ripened grain? Can gold stay the hunger
pangs better than the nourishing food that the money
may buy?
The context with which occurs the crucial interrogation
quoted above points the question sharply : "Whosoever will
come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it ;
but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's^
the same shall save it."
The cross to be taken up may be heavy, perhaps to be
dragged because too burdensome to be borne. We are apt
to assume that self-denial is the sole material of our cross ;
but this is true only as we regard self-denial in its broadest
sense, comprising both positive and negative aspects. One
man's cross may consist mostly in refraining from doings to
which he is inclined, another's in doing what he would fain
escape. One's besetting sin is evil indulgence ; his neighbor's
a lazy inattention to the activities required by the Gospel
of Jesus Christ, coupled perchance with puritanical rigor
in other observances.
But the great question, striking home to every thoughtful
soul, is that of the Master — "For what is a man profited, if
he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" (Matt.
16:26).
It is possible then for a man to lose his own soul. To
deny is to reject the Lord's own doctrine. The safeguard
against such incalculable loss is specifically indicated — to
follow the Savior; and this can mean only keeping His com-
mandments, whatever the temporary suffering or worldly
sacrifice may be.
The occasion of Christ's question with its accompanying
brief but forcefid discourse was this: He had reiterated
354 The Vitality of Mormonism
to the disciples, with greater directness than ever before,
the facts of His approaching death and the ignominy that
would be forced upon Him. Peter, impetuous and impulsive
as ever, exclaimed "Be it far from thee Lord : this shall not
be unto thee." In that remark, though well-intended and
bold, lay the suggestion that Jesus should avert the impend-
ing tragedy to Himself, and save His own life. The Lord's
reply to Peter was a rebuke of the severest kind.
Then followed the avowal that one who saves his' life at
the cost of righteous duty shall lose it, and the comforting
assurance that he who is ready to sacrifice his life in the
Master's service shall find it. If this be true with life as
the stake, how more so shall it be with wealth, station,
worldly power, or pet but false theory and doctrine, as
the thing to be gained or lost?
Consider the words of Jacob the Nephite :
"O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of
men ! When they are learned they think they are wise, and
they hearken not unto the counsel of God for they set it
aside, supposing they know of themselves — ^wherefore, their
wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. . . . Behold,
the way for man is narrow but it lieth in a straight
course before him; and the keeper of the gate is the Holy
One of Israel; and He employeth no servant there; and
there is none other way, save it be by the gate, for He
cannot be deceived; for the Lord God is His name. And
whoso knocketh, to him will He open; and the wise, and
the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up
because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches ;
yea, they are they, whom He despiseth ; and save they shall
cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before
God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not
open unto them." (Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 9).
The Garden of God 355
—108—
THE GARDEN OF GOD
And the Weeds of Human Culture
''T)UT He answered and said, Every plant, which my heav-
XJ enly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up."
(Matt. 15:13.)
This significant and comprehensive avowal by the Lord
Jesus Christ while in the flesh was spoken by way of re-
joinder to a report from certain disciples that the Pharisees
were offended at His doctrine. Some of the learned scribes
and punctilious Pharisees had voiced the criticism that our
Lord's disciples were in transgression because they ignored
the tradition respecting the ceremonial washing of hands.
The Master's rebuke was incisive and severe. He demanded
of the casuistical complainers : "Why do ye also transgress
the commandment of God by your tradition?" And He cited
the glaring instance of the then current violation of the Di-
vine command respecting the honor due to parents from their
children, as occasioned by the hierarchic vagary of the Cor-
ban practise, by which undutiful children were enabled to
escape their filial obligations. Then, calling to the multi-
tude He loudly proclaimed, in denunciation of the unlawful
exaction of arbitrary rule: "Hear and understand: Not
that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that
which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man."
Who that heard could fail to note the clear differentiation
between man-made rules and Divine law, between human
tradition and the commandments of God.''
Then followed the sweeping declaration cited above.
356 The Vitality of Mormonism
What were the plants of Pharisaical tradition but noxious
tares, doomed to be rooted up and burned?
Only the wheat of Divine planting shall be gathered into
the garner of the Lord. But, as so impressively taught in
parable, the wholesome grain and the poisonous tares are al-
lowed to grow together for a season, lest perchance the pre-
mature extirpation of the weeds imperil the wheat.
Nations and kingdoms rise and fall, sometimes by God's
immediate direction and through the instrumentality of men
foreordained to the occasion, sometimes by Divine permis-
sion or allowance incident to the exercise of individual or
national agency.
I cannot believe that God ever planted the noisome fungus
of tyranny or kingly despotism. Nevertheless it has been
permitted to flourish rankly in the soil of ignorance and false
tradition ; and its spores have been surreptitiously scattered
even in the fields of fair freedom's flowers.
With God as with man there is a time of seeding and a
time of harvest. Only now has the world been even measur-
ably prepared for government based on the consent of the
people, for the kind of government that shall yet be es-
tablished in other lands as it has been already developed in
America. Fifty, twenty, aye, even ten years ago, to have at-
tempted forcibly to uproot the weeds of autocracy would
have endangered the precious wheat of real democracy. There
is a dominant element of timehness in all the works of God--
Verily He doeth all things well, and in propitious season.
Have you never read that in the last days all things shall
be in commotion.'* We live in the predicted time of shaking,
when every unstable structure shall totter, and only such as
are established upon an eternal foundation shall stand. The
writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews so understood, as wit-
ness his admonitory precept:
The Garden of God 86T
"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh." The refer-
ence is to Christ. "For if they escaped not who refused him
that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we
turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose
voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, say-
ing, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also
heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the re-
moving of those things that are shaken, as of things that
are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may
remain." (Heb. 12:25-27.)
The things of God are not to be shaken even by the boom
of man's heaviest artillery ; they shall abide in spite of bomb
and shell. But the works of human craft shall be shattered.
Not only so as to material structures, but likewise man's
sophistries, erroneous theories, conjectures, philosophy, and
such science as is falsely so called.
Institutions of human origin may persist long years, but
shall surely come to an end. In and after the resurrection
they shall have neither place nor name. Institutions es-
tablished by the authority of heaven alone can endure.
To administer in the ordinances of God requires an au-
thority distinctively different from any that man can origi-
nate or arrogate to himself. Let Caesar regulate the things
of Caesar, if you will, but let not Caesar essay to administer
the things of God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is eternal,
it shall never be destroyed nor shaken. The laws of God
are immutable and compliance therewith, in mode as well
as in spirit, is indispensable to salvation. Thus hath the
Lord decreed:
"Behold! mine house is a house of order, saith the Lord
God, and not a house of confusion. Will I accept of an
offering, saith the Lord, that is not made in my name ! Or,
will I receive at your hands that which I have not appointed !
868 The Vitality of Mormonism
And will I appoint unto you, saith the Lord, except it be by
law, even as I and my Father ordained unto you, before the
world was ! I am the Lord thy God, and I give unto you this
commandment, that no man shall come unto the Father but
by me, or by my word, which is my law, saith the Lord.
And everything that is in the world, whether it be ordained
of men, by thrones, or principaHties, or powers, or things of
name, whatsoever they may be, that are not by me, or by
my word, saith the Lord, shall be thrown down, and shall
not remain after men are dead, neither in nor after the resur-
rection, saith the Lord your God. For whatsoever things
remain are by me ; and whatsoever things are not by me shall
be shaken and destroyed." (Doctrine & Covenants 132.)
—104—
THE LAST DISPENSATION
Today is the Sum of all the Yesterdays
THE student of history recognizes distinct epochs, per-
iods and ages in the chronicles of events, and classifies
his subject-matter accordingly. Single facts and isolated
occurrences may be of immediate importance; but when
studied in relation to one another they take on a vastly
augmented significance.
This is equally true with respect to both secular and
sacred history. In the latter field, which comprises the
record of God's direct dealings with man and the unfolding
of the Divine purpose as attested by prophecy and its fulfil-
ment, the existence of progressive plan and orderly design
is strikingly apparent.
Holy Writ affirms a succession of dispensations, each
The Last Dispensation 359
characterized by distinctive features of Divine authority and
commission revealed to man. Illustrative of these dispensa-
tions are the Adamic, the Noachian, the Abrahamic, and the
Mosaic. In due course came the Meridian dispensation,
glorified by the personal ministry of our Lord, the Christ;
and this was immediately succeeded by the Apostolic dis-
pensation.
Both Christ and the Apostles foretold a great falling
away, a general apostasy, a long era of spiritual darkness,
which was to be succeeded by a new dispensation distin-
guished by the restoration of the Gospel and the establish-
ment of the Church of Christ on earth for the last time.
The Scriptures affirm that the new dispensation is to com-
prise all the authority, powers, and gifts of earlier dispensa-
tions, and is therefore distinctively a time of restitution,
reorganization, and restoration. It is appropriately named
the Last Dispensation, and the Dispensation of the Fulness
of Times.
The comprehensiveness of this period of restoration was
forcefully expressed by Paul: "That in the dispensation of
the fulness of times he might gather together in one all
things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are
on earth." (Eph. 1:10.)
Peter, addressing the penitent Jews, who were pricked to
the heart because of their guilty consciousness of having
consented to the Lord's death, held out to them hope of for-
giveness in a time then far future, the time of restitution of
which the prophets had spoken. Ponder his profound ad-
monition and assuring promise:
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins
may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come
from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus
Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the
360 The Vitality of Mormonism
heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all
things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy
prophets since the world began." (Acts 3:19-21.)
The Dispensation of the Fulness of Times has been in-
augurated. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is again preached
upon earth, and the Holy Priesthood is made operative by
direct bestowal from the heavens, for the administration of
the ordinances without which no man can enter the Kingdom
of God.
In the year 1820, God the Eternal Father, and His Son
Jesus Christ manifested Themselves as bodily Personages to
Joseph Smith; and from the mouth of the resurrected and
glorified Savior the youthful prophet received the glad tid-
ings that the predicted time of restoration had arrived.
Thus was ushered in the Last Dispensation. The darkness
incident to the long night of apostasy was dispelled; the
glory of the heavens once more illumined the world; the
silence of centuries was broken ; the voice of God was heard
again by man.
Visitations of other heavenly personages followed. John
the Baptist, who held the keys of the Lesser or Aaronic
Priesthood, appeared as a resurrected being and conferred
upon Joseph Smith authority to minister in the ordinance
of baptism for the remission of sins. Peter, James and John
ordained him to the Higher or Melchizedek Priesthood, in-
cluding the Holy Apostleship; Moses brought to earth the
commission of gathering scattered Israel; Elijah transmit-
ted the appointment of vicarious service in behalf of the
dead. (See Mai. 4^5, 6.)
The great consummation shall be realized in the return of
Christ to earth, in power and glory, to rule and reign, as
the holy prophets have foretold. The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints appeals to the world to heed
The Last Dispensation 361
the fast ripening signs of the Lord's coming, to repent and
be baptized, bj which means alone is salvation through Christ
attainable. Heed ye the merciful warning of the Lord, our
Savior :
"Wherefore, be faithful, praying always, having your
lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may
be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom: For behold,
verily, verily, I say unto you, that I come quickly. Even
so. Amen." (Doctrine and Covenants 33:17-18.)
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