The doctrine of the brotherhood of man and the principles of united order and co-operation show the necessity of giving ourselves for the common good. This intense desire of the Church for service to all, for human brotherhood, are probably nowhere better shown than in the work for the dead.
**All Must Be Saved.** Temple work rests on the principle of the Great Plan that all must be saved, or at least given the opportunity of salvation. Persons who have been unable to accept the Gospel ordinances on earth, are not necessarily denied the privileges of membership in the Church or refused the blessings which come to those who accept the truth. For such dead persons vicarious work must be done in all the essential ordinances of the Church. Vicarious work is not new, for it has been practiced in various forms from the first day. In common daily life, a man is given authority to do official work for another, when a "power of attorney" is conferred. The work of Jesus Christ was essentially vicarious, for he atoned for the act of Adam.
**Earthly Ordinances.** Great, eternal truths make up the Gospel plan. All regulations for man's earthly guidance have their eternal spiritual counterparts. The earthly ordinances of the Gospel are themselves the reflections of heavenly ordinances. For instance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost and temple work are really earthly symbols of realities that prevail throughout the universe; but, they are symbols of truths that must be recognized if the Great Plan is to be fulfilled. The acceptance of these earthly symbols is part and parcel of correct earth-life, and being earthly symbols they are distinctly of the earth, and can not be performed elsewhere than on earth. In order that absolute fairness may prevail and eternal justice may be satisfied, all men to attain the fulness of their joy must accept these earthly ordinances. There is no water baptism in the next estate, nor any conferring of the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of earthly hands. The equivalents of these ordinances prevail no doubt in every estate, but only as they are given on this earth can they be made to aid, in their onward progress, those who have dwelt on earth. For that reason those who have departed this life without having accepted the earthly ordinances, which constitute in part the conditions of entrance to the Church, must have that work done for them on earth. By proxy they must be baptized by water, receive the laying on of hands and accept of the temple ordinances. By this method the path to eternal life is invariable; in fairness and without discrimination, all must tread it. Were there any departure from this order, it would be a short time only until men might take upon themselves the authority of devising various methods whereby eternal joy might be obtained. This would be unnatural, because definite order prevails throughout nature.
**A Work of Love.** To do work for the dead involves much sacrifice on the part of the living. Genealogies must be collected, exact information concerning dates of births and deaths and other fundamental data must be obtained, and the better part of a day is required to take the endowments for each dead person—and all this, usually, for a person long dead, of whom the worker may have no definite knowledge beyond name and time of his life. It follows that only by love for one's fellowmen can the work be done. Young and old may do work for the dead in the temples; and young and old are, indeed, engaged in it. Especially in the evening of life, when time is more plentiful for such work, do many persons give themselves fully to this labor of love. As a result of temple work for the dead, to which thousands of people give their time and means, a great flood of love for humanity is poured out upon the people.
**The Need of Records.** Before the earth passes away into its next stage of existence, work must be done in the temples for all the living and all the dead. Only when this is done, will the curtain be rolled up, and the vision of complete existence given to man. To do work for the dead, who in life did not accept the Gospel, will require complete genealogies of the human race. To secure these is a gigantic task. The diverse conditions of human life, and the vicissitudes of the race have been such that frequently genealogies have not been written and often have been lost. The most careful search of man will not reveal them all. However, as has been explained, in an intelligent universe, nothing is wholly lost. The record of every man exists and by some means will be found before the work on earth is completed. Meanwhile, no external power will come to man's aid, until he has used his own efforts, and therefore it becomes necessary for men to search out existing genealogies of the human race. When that has been done, in the years to come, man may rest secure that the gods who direct our earth, will come to the rescue of this important part of the work of salvation.
Consequently there is intense interest in the Church in all genealogical matters. Every person is on the lookout for his own genealogy; when that is completed, he searches for those of others. Such work intensifies family loyalty and devotion, from which virtues proceed. It follows, also, that the Church records and preserves with utmost care the genealogical histories of its members. Sacred history shows that at all times, when the Church has been on earth, genealogies have been carefully kept and recorded.
**The Result.** Work for the dead has far-reaching results. First of all, it establishes a close communion among those who have lived and who are living on earth. The hearts of the children are turned to the fathers, and the hearts of the fathers are turned to the children. This, indeed, is the vital principle of the Great Plan—that all may work together to the ultimate good of each.
The principle of infinite, loving brotherhood among men, as exemplified in the work for the dead, may be applied in the daily lives of the living. If so much work is done, so much time and energy expended and so much care bestowed upon the salvation of the dead, how much more should we help and support and love the living. The living must always be man's first concern. This principle, carried into our daily lives, means that we must continually and at our own sacrifice help each other. Then only will the sacrifice for the dead not be in vain.
Work for the dead is no doubt symbolic of the great universal law that things of the universe move onward together, not singly. So great is this principle in its application to daily life, among the living, that it rises to be one of the mightiest principles that contribute to human brotherhood and brotherly love.
We are not the last spirits to enter upon the earth career. There are yet countless numbers of unborn spirits waiting for the privilege of receiving earthly bodies and of tasting the sorrows and the joys of earth. The living, who understand the Great Plan, must not then confine their attention to themselves and to those who have gone before. The waiting spirits must be a concern of our lives.
**Eternity of Sex.** It has already been said that sex is an eternal principle. The equivalent of sex has always existed and will continue forever. As the sex relation, then, represents an eternal condition, the begetting of children is coincidently an eternal necessity. We were begotten into the spirit world by God the Father, and have been born into the world which we now possess.
**The Waiting Spirits.** According to the Great Plan, all who, in the Great Council, accepted the Christ, will in time appear on earth, clothed with mortal bodies. All these spirits must be born as children into the world. A high purpose, if not the main one, of the earth work must be, therefore, to continue the race by begetting children and properly caring for them until they reach maturity. Undoubtedly, the waiting spirits are hoping patiently for their turn to reach the earth—a glorious step in the progressive advancement of man, which the spirits have earned by their righteous lives.
**The Meaning of the First Command.** This doctrine makes clear the meaning of the first great command, to multiply and replenish the earth. It is not only for the joy and satisfaction of humanity that the sex relation, with the possibility of begetting offspring, prevails on earth, but as much for the fulfilment of the eternal Great Plan. It becomes a necessary duty, for all wedded persons who dwell on earth, to bring children into the world. This is the greatest and holiest and most necessary mission of man, with respect to the waiting spirits. Fatherhood and motherhood become glorified in the light of the eternal plan of salvation.
The doctrine that wedded man and woman should not beget children or should limit the number of children born to them, is contrary to the spirit of the Great Plan, and is a most erroneous one. Let the waiting spirits come! Let children be born into the earth! Let fatherhood and motherhood be the most honored of all the professions on earth! Marriage resulting in parenthood is a great evidence of the reality of the brotherhood of man, of the unselfishness of man. However, only in the marriage relation should children be begotten. Looseness of life, between man and woman, is the most terrible of human iniquities, for it leads, assuredly, to the physical decay of the race. With the sanction of the Priesthood, men and women should contract to live together as husband and wife.
**The Family.** The unit of society is the family. The family circle is intimate, and in it the keenest human loves prevail. As the family develops so will society, as a whole, develop. By children comes complete family life. Without children, family life is incomplete. Children are, then, a real necessity in the fulfilling of the possibilities of the Church. The true Church always encourages the begetting of children; the intensifying of family life, and the dignifying of all the duties pertaining to procreation.
**Celestial Marriage.** If sex is eternal, it follows of necessity, that the marriage covenant may also be eternal. It is not a far step to the doctrine that after the earth work has been completed, and exaltation in the next estate has been attained, one of the chief duties of men and women will be to beget spiritual children. These spirits, in turn, in the process of time, will come down upon an earth, there to obtain an acquaintance with gross matter, and through the possession of earthly bodies to control more fully, and forever, the manifold forces surrounding them. It is one of the rewards of intelligent development, that we may be to other spiritual beings, what our God has been to us.
Among those who understand the Gospel, marriage may be, and indeed should be, for time and eternity. Marriage that lasts only during the earth life is a sad one, for the love established between man and woman, as they live together and rear their family, does not wish to die, but to live to grow richer with the eternal years. Marriage for time and eternity establishes a unique relation between husband and wife. Their children belong to them for time and eternity; the family is continued from this earth into the next life, and becomes a unit in the eternal life, and, in all family relations, the vision is cast forward, in anticipation of an undying relationship.
**The Sealing Powers.** Naturally, the power to seal men and women to each other, for time and eternity, and to seal children to their parents for eternal ages, is a supreme power, committed to man's keeping. The President of the Church is the only person on the earth who holds the keys of these sealing ordinances. True, he may delegate his power to workers in the temples, so that celestial marriages and sealings may go on, but such delegated authority may be withdrawn at any moment. In that respect, it differs wholly from the power of the Priesthood, which can be withdrawn from a man only who is found in sin. It is proper that only one man should hold this power, for it is of infinite effect, and should be guarded with the most jealous care, and kept from the frail prejudices and jealousies of men.
The power to bind for time and eternity is the power, also, to loose that which has been bound, should it be found necessary. Undoubtedly, under human conditions, mistakes may be made, but if such mistakes are made and are not rectified on earth, they will, no doubt, under a supervising intelligent Being, be rectified in the hereafter. It is, however, only through the sealing power that the eternal relationship of the sexes, the eternal increase of life, and the consequent eternal joy, may be obtained.
The relations of the few and the many lead to great problems which are of the gravest import to humanity.
**Community Defined.** A community is a body of people having common interests and, usually, living in the same place, under the same laws and regulations. From the beginning of time, individuals have associated and grouped themselves into communities. Every Church is a community of believers. The Church which conforms to the whole law is the one characterized by authority and operating under authoritative laws.
**The Individual in the Community.** A community is a great organism, with individuality which must express itself in adaptation or opposition to law.
Since the community is composed of individuals, each with independent wills and agencies, nothing must be done, as a community, to prevent the full unfolding of the individual, for the more progressive the individuals, the more progressive is the community. While the community is under responsibility to each individual, the individual, having accepted a place and life in the community, must not do anything that will restrain other individuals of the community. Whatever is good for the many, must always take preference. This does not interfere, in the least, with full individual development, since the greatest individual development always comes from proper adaptation to law. When each individual faithfully obeys the law, the community is safe.
**The Rights of the Community.** The community has rights which are as inalienable as the free agency of individuals. An individual who will not obey the community laws should move out of the community. Those who remain must yield obedience to the laws established for the public good. This was well brought out in the Great Council, when Lucifer fell because he was not one with the community. In that great day, as in our day, the many had the right to demand that their good be considered as of primary importance.
**Training for the Community.** In view of the supremacy of the community it becomes indispensable that the powers of the individual be so unfolded as to be of service to the community. No man can selfishly stand aside and say "I am sufficient unto myself; in the community I have no interest; though I obey its laws, I do not serve it." It is not sufficient that a man obey the laws of the community; he must vigorously serve the community. Every act of every man's life must relate itself to the good of other men. This is fundamental in the Gospel, and should be fundamental in the daily relations of men.
This justifies the modern training now given men for the necessary pursuits and common tasks of daily life. Whatever is necessary, may and should be made honorable and dignified. All pursuits are made professional, so that all who serve the good of the many, may find the same joy in their work whatever it may be. All men should be trained for service to the community.
It is an interesting commentary on the present-day Church that President Brigham Young was one of the first men in America to establish schools in which the training of men for the actual affairs of life was made pre-eminent. Today we train for citizenship, whether in the Church or in the State. In such training lies the hope of the community for its future. By such training will a feeling of community responsibility be established among men.
**The Supremacy of the Community.** From all this and from what has been said in preceding chapters, it is clear that the Great Plan was so devised that men may unitedly work out their salvation. Man may not stand alone. Brotherhood is the great principle on which the Church is based.
There is but one nature. All things, visible or invisible, belong to the one universe.
**The Intelligence of Nature.** Each and all of the numerous forces in the universe may be subjected to the will of man. In the universe are untold numbers of intelligent beings, whose main business it is to discover the ways of nature, and by an intelligent control of nature, to acquire greater power of advancing development. The holy spirit fills all things, and by its means the thoughts and minds of these increasing intelligent beings are everywhere felt. Intelligence permeates the universe.
The question is often asked, "Does nature, as we know it, the rocks and trees and beasts, possess intelligence of an order akin to that of man?" Who knows? That intelligence is everywhere present is beyond question. By the intelligent God, nature is directed. The forming of a crystal or the conception of a living animal is, somehow, connected with an intelligent purpose and will. This fruitful field of conjecture should be touched with care, for so little definite knowledge concerning it is in man's possession.
**A Living Earth.** It seems to be well established that the earth as a whole, is a living organism. It had a beginning; it will die or be changed, and after is purification it will be brought into greater glory as a resurrected organism. Even the symbolism of baptism was performed for the earth when the waters descended in the great flood. All this can simply mean that the earth, as well as all on it, are subject to the fundamental Plan, involving the atonement of Jesus Christ.
The earth as an organism does its work perfectly well. It is without sin. "The earth abides the law of a celestial kingdom, for it fills the measure of its creation, and transgresses not the law. Wherefore it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it." If the earth is a living organism, it seems more than likely that all things on earth possess a measure of life and intelligence.
**The Lower Animals.** The lower animals were created by the power of God. All things created by him, have first been created spiritually, then temporally, after which they pass again into the spiritual life. Animals were created spiritually before they were given material existence. If the meaning of this doctrine is that animals lived before this, they certainly may live hereafter. That which is essential in animals is probably indestructible. Our knowledge of this subject is extremely limited, and whatever is said about it, is conjectural and subject to revision.
**All for the Use of Man.** Nevertheless, rocks and trees and beasts, are for the use of man, to be used by him in moderation and with wisdom. Man is at the head of the creations on earth. It is his duty to make proper use of them all. Whoever teaches that any part of the universe is not for the benefit of man, is in error.
**Man's Conquest of Nature.** It is the simplest of present-day doctrines that the vastness of nature makes it impossible for man to comprehend more than the minutest part of it. Yet, in the true philosophy of life, nothing is more certain than that the greatest mystery of nature may at some time be understood. The great purpose of man's existence is a complete understanding of all the mysteries of nature. True, the understanding that will give him full mastery over nature will come little by little. In the end, man shall know all that he desires. Even in that happy day he shall not be able to change one law of nature; only by intelligent control may he apply nature's laws to desired ends. With this certainty man may go onward hopefully. Nature is inexhaustible and man shall not, in all the endless ages, explore it completely; he shall only in the eternal days become more conscious of its infinite majesty—thereby comes the everlasting joy of man. Great hope of conquest enables man to meet his daily tasks, with lifted head and fearless courage. Man knows that all his search shall be successful, if he only search with might and main and have patience to wait.
**Miracles.** Man is of limited power; whatever he can not understand or duplicate may be called miraculous; and only in that sense can miracles be allowed. The miracles of the Savior were done only by superior knowledge. Nothing is unnatural. All that has been done, man may do as he increases in power. The conception of intelligence guiding the destinies of men, makes it possible that, in our behalf, wonderful things are often done, that transcend our understanding, but which are yet in full and complete harmony with the laws of nature. For ourselves we must discover all of nature that we can. In time of need, when our own knowledge does not suffice, the Master may give his help. Thus, after man has used his full knowledge and failed, the sick may be healed, the sorrowing, comforted, or wealth or poverty may come, provided we draw heavily enough upon the unseen forces about us. Help so obtained is not unnatural. A miracle is simply that which we can not understand, and at which we marvel.
**Harmony of Man and Nature.** Vast, unnumbered forces lie about us. The possible power of man, as he grows in knowledge, is quite beyond our under standing. All that is required of man is that he place himself in harmony with the interacting forces, operating in all directions. If the forces are not fully understood, he must search them out, and as best he can, must place himself so that they are with him rather than against him. To enjoy nature is our privilege and duty. No life finds joy above its harmonious associations with the things that lie about it in nature. All this is merely in accord with the fundamental doctrines already laid down. The Church possessing the truth, always fosters, encourages and respects all honest investigation of nature.
Consideration has been given, in the preceding chapters, to the pre-existent life, the course of the Gospel on the earth, and man's relationship to God, to the Church and to his fellowman. Man must, also, give respectful consideration to himself, as an individual.
**The Importance of the Body.** Attention has already been called to the fact that the condition of the body limits, largely, the expression of the spirit. The spirit shines through the body only as the body permits. The body is essentially of the earth; and, in the earth career, the earthly envelope of the spirit would naturally determine the expression of man's powers. If the body is in poor condition from birth, man must strengthen it as the days increase; if it is strong from the beginning, he must make it stronger.
**Food.** A first consideration for the proper maintenance of bodily health, is the proper feeding of the body. Man should use food adapted to the body and seasonable according to nature. In accordance with the Word of Wisdom, meat should be used sparingly, and no food should be used to excess.
**Exercise.** The elimination of unassimilated food from the human body is quite as important as the taking in of food. For that purpose, physical exercise must be taken regularly. Moreover, exercise develops and strengthens all parts of the body. Manual labor, which usually is looked upon as inferior to mental labor, is in reality a means of improving the body, permitting hard mental labor and making possible a fuller expression of man's spirit. Man's life should not be given wholly to physical work, but it should constitute a vital part of it.
**Rest.** Just as necessary as is food or exercise, is the change called rest. If the same muscles be exercised continuously they will surely tire and good work can, then, no longer be done with them. Regular rest should be given the body. Frequently, a change from one kind of work to another is a sufficient rest; but in many cases, cessation from effort is necessary to recuperate man's strength, properly. The natural law requiring regular sleep should be obeyed, though none should sleep too long. One day out of seven, the Sabbath, should be devoted, particularly, to matters concerning God and the spiritual life, which too often are submerged during the other days, in the material affairs of life. An occasional fasting is very desirable, since, for a few hours, it gives some organs of the body a complete rest. At present, the Church practice is to fast twenty-four consecutive hours once each month. The food thus saved, in conformity with the fundamental spirit of brotherhood, is distributed among those who have need of it, by ward officers specially appointed for that purpose.
**Stimulants.** In normal health, food, exercise, rest, love of God and fellowman and daily work, furnish a natural and sufficient stimulation for all the duties of life. In fact, none other should be allowed, if the best physical health is to be retained. Therefore, alcohol in all its forms, tobacco, tea, coffee and the variety of drugs should not be used. There is double danger in the use of stimulants: first, they tend to undermine the strength of the man, and, second, they take away from man his mastery of himself. Under the influence of a drug, man is urged on by the drug itself, and not by his own strength of will. This is most dangerous. A man who loses control of himself, never knows just what he may do.
**Moral Purity.** The body is much concerned in the moral purity of the man. Men and women must keep themselves pure or there will be a loss of life and procreative power. Moreover, men must keep themselves as pure as do women. No reasoning, based on natural law, justifies two standards of morality, one for the man and the other for the woman.
**The Gospel and the Sound Body.** The sound body is a Gospel requirement, for only with a sound body can man work out his mission and have full joy. Working effectively and to make others happy, can be done only in a healthy body. Every effort should be made to keep our bodies as sound as possible. It is a part of a rational theology.
After all, the body is only the tabernacle of the spirit. The spirit within, the essential part of man, must be developed as much as possible during the earth career.
**The Senses.** Knowledge is the material on which the mind works. In every progressive life fresh knowledge must be gathered as the days go by. The senses of man are the gateways through which that knowledge enters. The senses of man must be developed, therefore, as completely as is possible. Seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and feeling must all be developed fully and joyously for the pleasure and benefit of man. Without sharp senses, man may not have the highest earthly joy.
**The Reasoning Power.** It is not sufficient for the contentment of man that he gather knowledge, and add fact to fact. All new information must be compared with other information, so that conclusions may be drawn, and new knowledge brought into view. By this process of reasoning, on the basis of acquired knowledge, man may rise by sure steps to a high degree of understanding. Man must train himself, with all his might, to use this wonderful faculty of reason, so that he may intelligently read new knowledge from all he learns. A fact, of itself, is lifeless; only when it is compared with other facts, does it leap into life, and show forth its hidden meaning.
**The Feelings.** The sense of feeling is but a poor expression for the one great sense by which man may directly communicate with the region of the unseen. Through this sense, man stands on the border line between earth and the external universe. Those who have communion with the forces about them, because of their greater refinement of feeling, have comfort which is attainable in no other manner.
Moreover, our feelings with respect to our fellow men should be cultivated. We must learn to sympathize with them in their distresses, rejoice with them in their joys, and pity them in their sins. The education of the feelings is a great duty of man.
**The Spiritual Sense.** This sense is closely akin to the feelings. The virtues of man, such as hope, charity, and mercy, can reach high development only on the basis of the conviction that the unseen world may be known. When this conviction grows upon a man, and he reaches out for a fuller understanding of it, his spiritual sense develops, new worlds are opened to him and he conforms to the intelligent love which made the Great Plan possible.
**Symbolism.** Moreover, as man develops, he learns to be content to know eternal truths only in great symbols. That is, he learns to be satisfied to know that he does not fully know. This has already been dwelt upon and need not be further emphasized. The Sacrament, as an ordinance of the Church is one of the great symbols of the suffering and death of Jesus for the sake of mankind, that the Great Plan might be fulfilled. Bread is eaten and water is drunk as symbols of the body and blood of the Savior, given in the atoning sacrifice. Every other ordinance is similarly symbolic. Back of the symbols lies the whole Great Plan in all of its gradations. God demands that the sacrament be partaken of frequently, so that the atoning sacrifice of Jesus may be held before the people continually; so with the other great symbols of the Church. By them the realities of eternal life are held before us.
**Education.** The whole of life is education, or training for further work. No wonder, therefore, that, in the correct philosophy of life, schools and other devices for the training of man's powers are foremost. Education is and must be carried onward fully and abundantly, in the Church of Christ. The support of education is, indeed, a test of the truthfulness of the Church.
All must work—in defense if for no other reason. Without some kind of labor, body and mind will deteriorate. Clearly, however, all cannot do the same work, unless each man does practically all the variety of work necessary for the production of the things necessary in his life. In a complex civilization of many needs, that would be impossible or wasteful. The great satisfaction of earth-life is to be content with whatever work may come.
**Variety of Earthly Tasks.** In obedience to God's command, man must devote himself to the work of subduing the earth. This is no simple task, for the earth is an organism of many elements. Moreover, the needs of man are varied and manifold, to the satisfying of which, the subjection of the earth is ordained. There is an endless variety of tasks, for body and mind, to be accomplished by the men and women of earth. These tasks differ greatly; some concern themselves chiefly with the body; others, chiefly with the mind; and yet others with both body and mind. Some deal with this, and others with that, essential need; some with this, and others with that, necessary condition. The vocations of man are almost numberless. Much unhappiness has come to men because they have been obliged in life to follow one vocation when they would rather follow another. If a man thus be unhappy in his daily work the whole of his life is akin to failure, because he does not truly realize the possible joys of life. Occasionally, the discontent is due to the unwillingness of the man to earn his bread in the sweat of his brow. This is due to ignorance. Earnest, sincere labor, requiring steady and full effort, is the source of many abiding joys.
**All Work May be Intelligent.** If intelligence pervades all things, and if all things belong to the Great Plan, including the labors in which man lives and moves, then all tasks may and should be made intelligent and appealing to mind as well as to body. Rational as it is, it is however a relatively new thought, that to every task, if properly illumined by knowledge, many forces of the mind may be applied. As man has gained added knowledge, this has become more and more evident. The fact that intelligence may be made to illuminate the so-called humbler tasks, lifts much of the so-called curse from the labor of man. This is another reason for the education of man into an understanding of the full meaning of the necessary tasks of life. It justifies the support of research into all divisions of nature, and stamps with approval honest study and investigation of every kind. All kinds of work must be done; full preparation for every kind of work is fully justified.
**Nothing Temporal.** God has never given a temporal commandment. All God's creative works are first spiritual, then temporal. That is, they were first begotten of the intelligent mind, and must represent some necessity in the Great Plan. Whatever, therefore, is brought into operation on earth for the good of man, must represent great, eternal, spiritual realities. In conformity with this thought, every task, however apparently humble, however apparently remote from fundamental principles, has a spiritual counterpart, and is necessary for the completion of the plan under which man works. It matters little, therefore, whether man devote his life to the tilling of the soil, the making of shoes or the writing of books, so that the work be well done. All such tasks are proper, dignified and necessary parts of the Great Plan, and will lead man along the path of eternal progression. This means that, no matter to what work a man may give himself, providing it is honorable and he do it with all his might, he may rest secure that on the last great day, the work will be transmuted into spiritual values, and as such will be written into the eternal record. The quality and not the kind of work is the final test of man's achievements.
Man knows relatively little. He accepts his part without knowing its meaning in the full economy of God's plan for his children. Wise is the man who spends his strength, with a full heart, in the accomplishment of the nearest work. He will find his work transmuted into things glorious beyond his dreams. More than that: Man need not wait long for the transmutation of his honest work. Strength comes to the man of honest and full endeavor, irrespective of the kind of work, and on this earth his efforts are transmuted into a great and noble joy. All work is holy, and, well done, will bring its own reward, here and in the hereafter.
Without question, men should seek the work they think they love best, or for which they are best fitted. Yet,' the majority of men can do most work in a satisfactory manner. The work that we finally must do, we should accept in the light of its eternal value.
**Subjection of Self.** Nevertheless, to accept a place in society—not always the place one desires; to do well the work that is near at hand—not always the work one wishes; to love and to cherish the work, and to forget oneself in the needs of others, all that is not always easy. Such a life means a subjection of self which can be accomplished only if there is a clear understanding of the plan of salvation.
Time is unceasing. There was a yesterday, there is a today, and there will be a tomorrow. The Gospel plan encompasses all time. Tomorrow has a great place in the eternal plan.
**Today.** The greatest day of all time is today. It is the product of all the past; and is the promise of all the future. If each today is made great, the tomorrows will be surpassingly greater. The one way to draw out of life the keen joys of life, is to think little of tomorrow, but to live mightily today.
**Tomorrow.** Yet, surely, there will be a tomorrow. The sun sets, and we sleep, and we awaken to a new day. Forever there shall come new days. Today is our great day; but there will be another great, a greater day. What tomorrow shall be, depends measureably upon today. At least, the beginning of tomorrow will be as the evening of today. As we spend today, so will the hope of tomorrow be. The ages do not come in leaps, but step by step do they enter into the larger life.
The law of today is that joy will transfigure each coming tomorrow, if our work be well done today. No man knows whether his tomorrow will be on this earth or in another existence, with new duties and under a new environment. Of one thing we are sure, beyond all cavil, that life on earth will continue into an endless future, and the work will be taken up where it was laid down yesterday.
**The Resurrection.** The man whose life is ordered right, worries little about his tomorrow. Full well he knows that, though the body be laid in the grave, it will rise again. He has the absolute assurance of the resurrection. In that resurrection the body will arise purified, possessing only its essential, characteristic parts, which cannot be taken away or transferred to another body. These essential, characteristic parts organized into a body will be the mortal body made immortal.
The resurrection of mortal bodies, on earth, began with Jesus, who on the third day rose from the grave, and after his sojourn among the children of men, took his body with him into heaven. This was the first fruit of the resurrection, made possible by the atonement of the Christ. Since that time, the resurrection of man may have continued, and no doubt will continue, in the future; for many spirits have laid down their earthly bodies, and all must be raised from the grave. In the resurrection, order and law will prevail, and the just deserts of men will be kept in mind.
**Our Place in the Hereafter.** Into a new, great world shall we enter after the journey on earth has ended. In this new world we shall continue our work of progression, forever and forever, under the prevailing laws. Our progress, there, and the laws revealed to us, will depend upon our own actions and upon our own willingness to abide by the laws already known to us.
Our place in that life will depend on our faithfulness here. Whatever a man has gained on earth, will rise with him in the resurrection. All that he gained in the spirit world, before he came on earth, will likewise rise with him. All men will be saved, but the degree of that salvation will vary even as our varying work on earth. There will be glory upon glory, and there will be different degrees of advancement, some like unto the sun, some like unto the moon, while other glories will differ even as the infinite stars of the heavens differ in the brightness.
In the Great Plan there is no provision for the eternal damnation of man. At the best, men will be ranged according to their stage of progression—some higher, some lower. In a universe ruled by intelligent beings, filled with love for each other, there can be no thought of an endless damnation only as men, by opposition to law, destroy themselves. Endless punishment and eternal punishment, terms often used, but of little meaning to the human mind, mean simply God's punishment, which is beyond our understanding. Those who refuse to accept truth or to abide by law, will gradually take less and less part in the work of progression. They will be left behind, while their intelligent fellows, more obedient, will go on. In nature there is no standing still; those who do not advance, will retrograde, become weaker and finally wither, and be forgotten in their low estate.
**The Destiny of Man.** The intelligence called man cannot be destroyed. Eternal life is therefore the destiny of man. But, eternal life is life open-eyed, ready-minded, seeking, accepting and using all knowledge that will assist in man's progress. To continue forever, upward, that is eternal life and the destiny of man.
In the high heavens yet hang the stars. Throughout the infinite universe still play the hosts of mighty forces. The full conquest of the earth by man is yet to be accomplished. As things were when man opened his eyes after birth, so do they appear to be today. Yet, during the years that have gone, the man has changed; for now he knows his origin and his destiny, and the purpose of his life on earth. He knows that throughout the seeming sameness there is progressive change; that, as he has changed, so has the world changed, too; that the all pervading Intelligent God of the universe is engaged in a progressive development.
Man has found his place amidst the things about him. Whence? Whither? He knows; and with smiling courage sets out to subdue the tasks of the day, knowing well that the day's labor, whatever it may be, in righteousness, shall count for him in the endless journey which he is making.
**The Unknown Meaning.** The man has learned that in an infinite universe, admitting of endless development, things may not be fully known. The very essence of things must forever be the goal, towards which intelligence strives. Nevertheless, man also knows that to approach by slow degrees, but steadily, the full knowledge which gives unmeasured power over natural forces, is the way of progress. So he is content to let each day speak one new word of the unknown meaning of the universe.
The universe is one. All things in it are parts of one whole. The dominating spirit of the vastness of space and of its contents is the dominating spirit of the least part of that which constitutes the whole. It matters not then, to what a man give himself. In everything and anything may the riddle of the universe be read, if the search be continued long enough. Modest in his possessions, yet courageous in his hope of ultimate conquest, he stands before the things of his life, small or great, knowing of a surety that in them lie the truths that overwhelm the universe.
"Flower in the crannied wall,I pluck you out of the crannies,I hold you here, root and all, in my hand,Little flower—but if I could understandWhat you are, root and all, and all in all,I should know what God and man is."
Knowing all this, and the outline of his origin and destiny, man must be forever engaged in extending the philosophy, in accordance with which he orders and guides his life.
**The Earth-Law.** On earth the man dwells today. Great are the conceptions revealed to him concerning the constitution, progress and destiny of the universe. Marvelous to his understanding is the knowledge of his full and vital place in the scheme of things. Yet, encompassed by earth conditions, he strives to assemble all this vast, divine and wondrous knowledge, and out of it to draw some simple formula, in the language of man, that may be applied in the affairs of earth, and which shall be a simple guide to him in all that he may do.
Such a formula was sought and found by the first man, and has been used by the righteous of all ages. In the meridian of time, when Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, came upon earth to fulfil the central thought in the plan of salvation, he stated the formula in words that never have been surpassed. Thus runs the formula, and thus is worded the law of the earth: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hangeth the law and the prophets."
This, in short, is man's duty while he dwells in the flesh. His God, his fellowman and himself—the three concerns of his life. We say it is the earth-law, but like all other things of the earth, it stands for huge spiritual meanings, and is therefore an eternal law for all times and for all places.
**To Love God.** What does it mean, to love God with one's heart and soul and mind? Certainly, a love of the heart and the soul and the mind can not be given to a Being who is not known nor understood. Such love is more than a blind obedience. In such a love there must be a rational understanding of God's nature and of his place in the universe and of his relation to men. There must be in such a fulness of love an acceptance of God's superior knowledge, of his intelligent Plan for man and of his supreme and final authority. Such a love can not well be forgotten or survive, unless God is part of a universe, the orderly outlines of which can be fathomed by the human mind, That such knowledge may be possessed by man, and that a real unfeigned love for God may be developed, has been taught in the preceding pages. Neither can God be fully loved unless he is obeyed; and the first command is simple, "Multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it."
**To Love a Neighbor as Oneself.** To love oneself—that is easy. Instinctively, from the first day, we have reached out for our own greater good. Every personal philosophy makes the man the center. To love our neighbor equally well—"that's the rub." His will is not our will; his ways, not our ways. Yet, only by the progress of all, can each gain the greatest advancement. The fundamental conceptions of a universe filled with eternal matter and forces, and a host of individual intelligent beings, make it clear that only by complete harmony of all intelligent beings can the interests of each be served, in the work of subjugating, by intelligent conquest, the forces of universal nature.
To love one's neighbor, then, a man must first know fully his own origin and destiny and possible powers; then he may soon learn the need of loving his fellowman, if his love for himself shall grow great. This commandment is not inferior to the first.
**The Triumph of Man.** The eternal, conscious, willing being, having become an earthly man, stands before the law of the earth. If he strives, all the days of his life, to bring into perfect accord, the God who rules, his earthly brother and himself, he will at length win the victory in the battle of his life. Out of such a life will come, among other gifts, controlled personal desires, subjection to law, a recognition of the great power of man, and the harmonious adjustment of contending forces to the completion of the Great Plan which governs man's earth-life. Whether living or dead, such a person has triumphed, and the journey from the dim beginning has not been in vain. To such souls comes the reward of the unspeakable joy of a perfect understanding of the meaning of life, and the living peace that passeth understanding—through which appears the vital future, ever vigorously progressing towards an increasing, virile goal.
Have you tried the virtue of the law of the earth? If you have not, try it now, for it is good.
The doctrines and views set forth in the preceding pages, based on the teachings of the elders of the Church, especially of the Prophet Joseph Smith, may be confirmed by a study of the doctrinal standards of the Church, namely, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. The following references, chosen almost at random, from these standards, especially from the Doctrine and Covenants, are for the immediate use of those who wish to pursue the study somewhat more in detail. For a critical study, an exhaustive examination must necessarily be made of the doctrinal standards and of the mass of books and printed sermons on the system of belief of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Such students will find the existing indexes or concordances to the standard authorities of most value.[A] but they will also obtain much ready help from the several existing excellent compilations of references, classified under doctrinal headings.[B] A list of Church literature may be obtained from the Deseret News and Deseret Sunday School Union Bookstores, Salt Lake City, Utah.
[Footnote A:Cruden's Concordance to the Bible(or some other goodconcordance).A Complete Concordance to the Book of Mormon(GeorgeReynolds).A Concordance to the Book of Doctrine and Covenants(JohnA. Widtsoe). No index has as yet been made for thePearl of GreatPrice, but the book is small and may be read easily in its entirety.]
[Footnote B:The Compendium(Richards and Little) is the type after which most of the later compilations have been fashioned.]
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:28; 42:61; 46:18; 84:19; 88:78-80, 118, 119; 89:19; 90:15; 93:11-14, 29-36, 53; 101:25; 128:14; 130:18, 19; 131:6.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 3:2; 9:7-9; 28:13; 29:31-35; 49:17; 76:13, 22-24; 82:4; 86:9; 88:13, 25, 26, 34-45; 93:21-23, 29; 105:5; 121:30-32; 130:20, 21; 131:7; 132:8.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 3:18-21; Moses 1:33, 35; 3:5, 9.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:19; II Nephi 11:5; Alma 13:6, 7;34:9; 42:16.
**Bible,** Job 38:4-7; Jer. 1:5; John 9:2; 17:5; Heb. 12:9; Rom.6:23.
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 9:7-9;
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 12:11, 31; 29:4, 5; 30:9; Moroni 10:4, 5;Mosiah 18:28.
**Doctrine and Covenants,** Lectures on Faith 7:8; sections 50:24; 93:12-14, 20; 132:20.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 32:32; Mosiah 4:12.
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 3:2, 4, 10; 6:2; 76:2-4; 88:13, 41; 93:1, 12-15, 29-38; 107:54, 55; 110:1-4, 130:1-3, 22.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 4:1-31.
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 45:71; 58:18; 77:2; 88:15; 93:28, 33, 34; 98:8; 128:19; 133:33.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 2:25; Enos 1:3; Ether 3:6-20.
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 9:3-6; 10:66; 18:11-13; 19:16-19; 29:35-42, 46; 58:28; 74:7; 76:25, 26, 39-41, 69; 93:29-39; 98:8; 101:78; 104:17; 121:32.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 3:18, 25, 26.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 4:33; 6:4; II Nephi 2:3, 6, 27; 9:5, 25-26; 10:23-25; 31:21; Alma 3:26; 7:12; 12:31; 13:3; Mosiah 3:5; 4:6-9; Helaman 14:30.
**Bible,** Gen. 2:17; Isa. 63:9; Matt. 18:11; John 1:29; 3:14, 15; 12:23; Rom. 3:25; 5:15; 6:23; I Tim 2:5; Gal. 3:13; Jude 1:6; Rev. 12:7.
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 82:4; 88:35-40; 93:38; 128 sec.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:18; 21:6; II Nephi 9:18, 25; Alma 12:25; 30:11; 34:16.
**Bible,** Neh. 9:17; Acts 15:18.
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 27:11; 29:35-41; 38:1-3; 107:53, 54; 116:1.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham chaps. 4 and 5.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 2:9-25; Alma 12:22, 23, 31; 18:29;Mosiah 2:25; 3:16: 4:2; Mormon 9:12.
**Bible,** Gen. chap 3; Rom. 5:12.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Book of Moses, Book of Abraham; Writings of Joseph Smith.
**Bible,** Genesis; The Gospels.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 18:18; 19:24; 27:11; 29:34; 39:6; 50:43; 76:56-58; 78:15-18; 84:37, 38; 93:1-17; 107:53-56; 121:28-32; 132:19, 20, 23, 37.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 3:1-5.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 12:31.
**Bible,** Gen. 1:26; Deut. 10:17; Exo. 15:11; Psalms 86:8; Dan. 2:47; I Cor. 8:5; Rev. 17:14.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 5:2; 27:18; 29:30, 31; 59:14; 93:26;95:4.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 1:12; II Nephi 2:4; Alma 7:13; Ether2:15.
**Bible,** Gen. 6:3; Prov. 1:23; Dan. 4:8; John 16:13.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 4:7; 9:8; 41:3; 42:16, 61; 46:28; 50:29;59:14; 68:33; 89:18, 19; 121:26-33.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 21:2, 3; 31:3; Alma 11:41; 32:34;34:39; Moroni 10:10.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 10:12, 23-33, 63; 29:28, 29, 36-40; 35:9;52:14; 76:28; 84:67; 88:114; 121:4; 124:98; 129:8.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 2:17; III Nephi 13:12; 18:15; Mosiah16:5; Moroni 7:12.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 10:67; 11:24-26; 20:1; 21:1-3; 22:3; 26:2; 29:42, 43; 41:2, 3; 42:8; 43:8; 45:14; 50:44; 58:23; 76:54; 115:4.
**Faith**
**Doctrine and Covenants,** Lectures on Faith, sections 18:18; 35:9;41:3; 44:2; 45:8; 49:11-14; 52:20; 85:1, 2; 136:42.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:6, 17; II Nephi 25:26; Enos 1:8;Mosiah 8:18; Ether 12:10.
**Bible,** Genesis 15:6; Exodus 4:5; Numbers 20:12; Psalms 119:66;Prov. 16:20; John 5:24; 20:29; Acts 8:37; 10:43; II Cor. 5:7.
**Repentance**
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:32, 33; 18:42; 20:29; 39:18; 90:34.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:18; II Nephi 30:4; Alma 12:24; 26:22;Mosiah 27:24.
**Bible,** Matt. 3:2; Luke 13:3; II Peter 3:9; Rev. 3:19.
**Baptism**
**Doctrine and Covenants** 18:42; 20:37, 72-74; 55:2; 68:8, 25-27; 76:51; 128:12.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 28:18; Moroni 8:4-22.
**Bible,** Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Luke 3:3; John 1:33; 3:23; ICor. 12:13; Eph. 4:5.
**Gift of the Holy Ghost**
**Doctrine and Covenants** 20:41; 33:15; 35:6; 76:52, 114-118; 121:26-32.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 31:36.
**Bible,** Acts 8:17; 9:17; 19:2-6.
**Doctrine and Covenants,** Lectures on Faith. Sections 18:27; 20:2, 3, 38-71; 27:1-18; 84:14-21, 35-39; 107:1-5, 40-52; 112:31, 32; 128:20.
**Book of Mormon,** Mosiah 29:42; Alma 4:4; 6:1; 13:1-3, 5-20;Helaman 8:18.
**Bible,** Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-18; Psalms 110:4; John 15:16; Acts 14:23; Heb. 2:17; 3:1; 4:14; 5:1; 7:3, 15-28; I Peter 2:5; Titus 1:5; II Tim. 1:6.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 20:60-67; 26:2; 28:13; 68:19-21; 78:1; 104:21; 107, whole section; 124:123-145.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 84:18, 21, 35; 107:30-32; 113:8; 121:36-46; 128:9-11; 132:28, 45-49.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 5:3; I Nephi 10:23.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 3:4; 6:9; 19:33; 20:20; 29:34; 56:1; 58:21; 63:55; 64:34; 82:10; 88:22-39; 98:4-7; 101:43-62; 103:31-34; 105:5; 124:49; 130:19, 20, 21; 134, whole section.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 2:23, 27; 9:25; Alma 30:3, 11; 42:17;Mosiah 5:8; 2:32-37; Moroni 8:25.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:1-2, 23; 4:5; 19:21, 22; 36:4-8; 33:8-12; 38:11; 42:63; 45:20; 49:11-14; 84:87; 90:11; 112:30.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 13:21; 36:8; 84:5; 105:33; 109:5; 110:8;124, whole section; 128:15, 24; 133:2.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 5:6; 33:15; III Nephi 11:1; Jacob 1:17;Mosiah 1:18; 2:1-7; Alma 10:2; Helaman 3:9; 10:7.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:10; 38:24; 42:27; 59:6; 81:4; 88:81; 136:20-27.
**Book of Mormon,** Jacob 5:66; Mosiah 27:3; 29:38; Alma 1:26.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 26:30; 33:4; Mosiah 18:21; Ether 12:27.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 42:30-39, 53-55, 71-73; 51:1-20; 44:6; 52:40; 78:1-2; 82:1-24; 83:1-6; 85:1-5, 9-12; 92:1-2; 104:1-86; 105:34; 119:1-7.
**Book of Mormon,** III Nephi 26:19; IV Nephi 1:2, 3, 16.
**Bible,** Numbers 18:26-28; Lev. 27:30; II Chron. 31:5, 6; Neh. 10:37, 38; Mal. 3:18; Matt. 19:16-21; Luke 18:12; Acts 4:31-32, 35; Heb. 7:5.
**Doctrine and Covenants** sections 2 and 128; 21:1; 47:3; 57:3; 93:8-17; 110:13-16; 124:33; 127:5-8; 128:2-5.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 26:30; Mosiah 2:4.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 18:42; 20:70, 71; section 25; 29:46, 47; 49:15-17; 55:4; 68:25-27; 74:5, 6; 83:4, 5; 84:27, 28; 93:40-42; 131:2; section 132.
**Bible,** Gen. 1:27; 15:5; 2:18, 23; 20:12; Deut. 7:3; I Cor. 11:11.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 38:23; 50:40; 55:4; 69:7; 88:77, 79, 118, 119, 127, 137; 90:8, 15; 93:53; 95:17; 130:19.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 20:17; 29:24, 31, 32; 45:58; 49:16, 19; 59:18, 21; 77:2, 3; 88:20-45; 89:15; 103:7; 130:9.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 8:6; Ether 6:4; 13:9.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 42:24; 49:19-21; 59:14-20; 63:16; 88:124; section 89; 132:41.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 29:32-35.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 18:12; 29:26-28; 45:45-54; 63:20, 21, 49; section 76; 77:1; 88:14-42; 101:25, 78; 130:9-11.
**Book of Mormon,** Mosiah 16:9.
**Bible,** Daniel 12:2; Job 19:25; Luke 24:34; Rom. 8:24; Rev. 1:18; 20:5,6.
**Book of Mormon,** Mosiah 23:15.
**Bible,** Matt. 22:34-40.