Elect of Elohim.
In solemn council sat the Gods;From Kolob's height supreme,Celestial light blazed forth afarO'er countless kokaubeam;And faintest tinge, the fiery fringeOf that resplendent day,'Lumined the dark abysmal realmWhere earth in chaos lay.Silence. That awful hour was oneWhen thought doth most avail;Of worlds unborn the destinyHung trembling in the scale.Silence self-spelled, and there arose,Those kings and priests among,A power sublime, than whom appearedNone nobler 'mid the throng.A stature mingling strength with grace,Of meek though God-like mien;The glory of whose countenanceOutshone the noonday sheen.Whiter his hair than ocean spray,Or frost of Alpine hill.He spake;—attention grew more grave,The stillness e'en more still."Father!"—the voice like music fell,Clear as the murmuring flowOf mountain streamlet trickling downFrom heights of virgin snow."Father," it said, "since one must die,Thy children to redeem,From spheres all formless now and void,Where pulsing life shall teem:"And mighty Michael foremost fall,That mortal man may be;And chosen Savior yet must send,Lo, here am I—send me!I ask, I seek no recompense,Save that which then were mine;Mine be the willing sacrifice,The endless glory Thine!"Give me to lead to this lorn world,When wandered from the fold,Twelve legions of the noble onesThat now thy face behold;Tried souls, 'mid untried spirits found,That captained these may be,And crowned the dispensations allWith powers of Deity."Who blameless bide the spirit stateShall clothe in mortal clay,The stepping-stone to glories all,If man will God obey,Believing where he cannot see,Till he again shall know,And answer give, reward receive,For all deeds done below."The love that hath redeemed all worldsAll worlds must still redeem;But mercy cannot justice rob—Or where were Elohim?Freedom—man's faith, man's work, God's grace—Must span the great gulf o'er;Life, death, the guerdon or the doom,Rejoice we or deplore."Still rang that voice, when sudden roseAloft a towering form,Proudly erect as lowering peak'Lumed by the gathering storm;A presence bright and beautiful,With eye of flashing fire,A lip whose haughty curl bespokeA sense of inward ire:"Send me!"—coiled 'neath his courtly smileA scarce concealed disdain—"And none shall hence, from heaven to earth,That shall not rise again;My saving plan exception scorns.Man's will?—Nay, mine alone.As recompense, I claim the rightTo sit on yonder throne!"Ceased Lucifer. The breathless hushResumed and denser grew.All eyes were turned; the general gazeOne common Magnet drew.A moment there was solemn pause—Listened Eternity,While rolled from lips OmnipotentThe Father's firm decree:"Jehovah, thou my Messenger!Son Ahman, thee I send;And one shall go thy face before,While twelve thy steps attend;And many more on that far shore,The pathway shall prepare,That I, the First, the last may come,And earth my glory share."After and ere thy going down,An army shall descend—The host of God, and house of himWhom I have named my friend.Through him, upon Idumea,Shall come, all life to leaven,The guileless ones, the sovereign Sons,Throned on the heights of heaven."Go forth, thou Chosen of the Gods,Whose strength shall in thee dwell!Go down betime and rescue earth,Dethroning death and hell,On thee alone man's fate depends,The fate of beings all.Thou shalt not fail, though thou art free—Free, but too great to fall."By arm divine, both mine and thine,The lost thou shalt restore,And man, redeemed, with God shall be,As God forevermore.Return, and to the parent foldThis wandering planet bring,And Earth shall hail thee Conqueror,And Heaven proclaim thee King."'Twas done. From congregation vastTumultuous murmurs rose;Waves of conflicting sound, as whenTwo meeting seas oppose;'Twas finished. But the Heavens wept;And still their annals tellHow one was Choice of Elohim,O'er one who fighting fell.("Elias," Canto III, Part One.)
In solemn council sat the Gods;From Kolob's height supreme,Celestial light blazed forth afarO'er countless kokaubeam;And faintest tinge, the fiery fringeOf that resplendent day,'Lumined the dark abysmal realmWhere earth in chaos lay.
Silence. That awful hour was oneWhen thought doth most avail;Of worlds unborn the destinyHung trembling in the scale.Silence self-spelled, and there arose,Those kings and priests among,A power sublime, than whom appearedNone nobler 'mid the throng.
A stature mingling strength with grace,Of meek though God-like mien;The glory of whose countenanceOutshone the noonday sheen.Whiter his hair than ocean spray,Or frost of Alpine hill.He spake;—attention grew more grave,The stillness e'en more still.
"Father!"—the voice like music fell,Clear as the murmuring flowOf mountain streamlet trickling downFrom heights of virgin snow."Father," it said, "since one must die,Thy children to redeem,From spheres all formless now and void,Where pulsing life shall teem:
"And mighty Michael foremost fall,That mortal man may be;And chosen Savior yet must send,Lo, here am I—send me!I ask, I seek no recompense,Save that which then were mine;Mine be the willing sacrifice,The endless glory Thine!
"Give me to lead to this lorn world,When wandered from the fold,Twelve legions of the noble onesThat now thy face behold;Tried souls, 'mid untried spirits found,That captained these may be,And crowned the dispensations allWith powers of Deity.
"Who blameless bide the spirit stateShall clothe in mortal clay,The stepping-stone to glories all,If man will God obey,Believing where he cannot see,Till he again shall know,And answer give, reward receive,For all deeds done below.
"The love that hath redeemed all worldsAll worlds must still redeem;But mercy cannot justice rob—Or where were Elohim?Freedom—man's faith, man's work, God's grace—Must span the great gulf o'er;Life, death, the guerdon or the doom,Rejoice we or deplore."
Still rang that voice, when sudden roseAloft a towering form,Proudly erect as lowering peak'Lumed by the gathering storm;A presence bright and beautiful,With eye of flashing fire,A lip whose haughty curl bespokeA sense of inward ire:
"Send me!"—coiled 'neath his courtly smileA scarce concealed disdain—"And none shall hence, from heaven to earth,That shall not rise again;My saving plan exception scorns.Man's will?—Nay, mine alone.As recompense, I claim the rightTo sit on yonder throne!
"Ceased Lucifer. The breathless hushResumed and denser grew.All eyes were turned; the general gazeOne common Magnet drew.A moment there was solemn pause—Listened Eternity,While rolled from lips OmnipotentThe Father's firm decree:
"Jehovah, thou my Messenger!Son Ahman, thee I send;And one shall go thy face before,While twelve thy steps attend;And many more on that far shore,The pathway shall prepare,That I, the First, the last may come,And earth my glory share.
"After and ere thy going down,An army shall descend—The host of God, and house of himWhom I have named my friend.Through him, upon Idumea,Shall come, all life to leaven,The guileless ones, the sovereign Sons,Throned on the heights of heaven.
"Go forth, thou Chosen of the Gods,Whose strength shall in thee dwell!Go down betime and rescue earth,Dethroning death and hell,On thee alone man's fate depends,The fate of beings all.Thou shalt not fail, though thou art free—Free, but too great to fall.
"By arm divine, both mine and thine,The lost thou shalt restore,And man, redeemed, with God shall be,As God forevermore.Return, and to the parent foldThis wandering planet bring,And Earth shall hail thee Conqueror,And Heaven proclaim thee King."
'Twas done. From congregation vastTumultuous murmurs rose;Waves of conflicting sound, as whenTwo meeting seas oppose;'Twas finished. But the Heavens wept;And still their annals tellHow one was Choice of Elohim,O'er one who fighting fell.
("Elias," Canto III, Part One.)
The Law of Obedience.
Man Helpless.—When Adam and Eve had transgressed the divine command by partaking of the forbidden fruit, it was as if the human race had fallen into a pit, from which they were powerless, by any act of their own, to emerge. They could not climb out, for they did not know how to climb; and even had they known, there was no means by which to climb. Human endeavor, unassisted, could accomplish nothing in the way of deliverance. Man in his mortal condition needed spiritual enlightenment, having forgotten all that he had previously known. In other words, he needed a ladder, that he might climb out of the pit, and that ladder was furnished in the revelation, of the Gospel of Christ. Without it there is no salvation, no exaltation. The Tower of Babel symbolizes the situation: All man's efforts to reach heaven, without divine assistance, must end in confusion and failure.
Redemption by Grace.—The gospel ladder rests upon the rock of Christ's atonement—an act of grace, a free gift from God to all mankind—the wicked as well as the righteous. All profit by it, for, as the result of that atonement, all are brought forth from the grave. And this is eminently just: Adam's posterity were consigned to death for no deed of their own doing. It is fitting, therefore, that their redemption should come unconditionally.
Salvation by Obedience.—But redemption is not salvation, nor salvation exaltation, as already explained. Men must "work out their salvation" (Phillipians 2:12), and gain exaltation by continuous upward striving. Salvation and exaltation, while depending primarily upon the grace of God, are also the fruits of man's acceptance of the gospel, and his steadfast adherence thereto, until it shall have done for him its perfect work. There are degrees of glory—"many mansions" in the great house of God, and the highest are reserved for those who render to the Master of the house the fulness of their obedience.
"Salvation means a man's being placed beyond the power of all his enemies. * * * Until a man can triumph over death, he is not saved. * * * To get salvation we must not only do some things, but everything which God has commanded" ("Joseph Smith's Teachings," pp. 146-150).
Heaven's First Law.—"Order is heaven's first law," says human wisdom. "Not so," says divine inspiration, "obedience is heaven's first law, and order follows as the result."[A]Without obedience, spiritual growth, eternal progress, is impossible. Says Joseph the prophet: "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundation 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" (D&C 130:20,21).
Illustrations of Obedience.—That obedience is required from those who become and remain members of the Church of Christ, should not surprise any intelligent student of political science, nor even a casual observer of the everyday life of men and nations. All governments demand from their people obedience to the laws enacted for the general welfare. Without such obedience, there would be no peace, no protection. This is readily conceded by most men as to human governments; but some people think it strange that divine government should be administered upon like principles, and for similar, though higher, ends.
A friend of mine once said to me: "Why do I need to belong to a church, to subscribe to a creed, or to undergo any ordinance, in order to be saved? I have always been truthful, honest, virtuous, benevolent—why will this not suffice to make my peace with God and pave my way to heaven?"
Aliens and Naturalization.—I answered on this wise: "Let me use a comparison to illustrate the point. Suppose you were an alien, born in Great Britain, in Scandinavia, or in some other foreign land, and you came to America desiring to become a citizen of the United States. When told that you must take out citizenship papers, forswear allegiance to every foreign power, and honor and uphold the Constitution and laws of this Republic, suppose you were to reply: `Why, what is the need of all that? I am a good man, I have always done right, and am clean, moral, and upright in conduct and conversation—why is that not sufficient to entitle me to vote, to hold office, pre-empt land, and enjoy all the rights and privileges of an American freeman?' Do you think such a plea would avail? No, you do not. You see its inconsistency as quickly as would the government unto whom it might be made. You would not expect to become a citizen of the United States upon your own terms. Why, then, should you hope for admittance into God's kingdom upon any other conditions than those which the King himself has laid down?"
Man's Proper Attitude.—Truthfulness, honesty, virtue, and benevolence are precious possessions, inestimable treasures. They enrich the soul under all conditions, outside or inside the kingdom of God; but they are not valuable enough to purchase a passport into that kingdom. We must not count upon our personal qualities, however admirable and commendable, to gain us admission into the divine presence. Man's proper attitude, as a seeker for salvation, is one of humility, not of self-righteousness. When the Pharisee and the Publican prayed in the Temple at Jerusalem, the former thanking the Lord that he was better than other men, and the latter meekly murmuring: "God be merciful to me, a sinner," the Savior, pointing to the Publican, said: That man is justified, rather than the other, "for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 18:13,14).
Obedience Better Than Sacrifice.—"Obedience is better than sacrifice." So said obedient Samuel to disobedient Saul. Adam's obedience in offering sacrifice without knowing why, simply because the Lord had commanded him (Moses 5:6) Abraham's obedience in offering Isaac—for the same reason—was far more precious in the sight of heaven than the sacrifice itself. In Abraham's case the will was taken for the deed, and the Father of the Faithful was blessed as abundantly as if the sacrifice had been consummated.
Dead Letter and Living Oracle.—Suppose, however, that Abraham had not obeyed the Lord's second command, "Lay not thy hand upon the lad." In that event he would have been in transgression, and could not have been blessed any more than if he had disobeyed in the first instance. In the face of that second command, he could not have pleaded consistently that he was under obligation to obey the first. "My word is my law," saith the Lord, and his latest word, even though it seem to contradict an earlier behest from the same source, must always be given precedence. The choice in such a case is between the dead letter and the living oracle.
All Blessings Come by Obedience.—It is the rod of power which smites the rock of divine providence, causing it to flow with the waters of human weal.
The Justice of God.—When the Savior uttered his exhortation: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," and added, "For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45), he did not mean that the Lord makes no distinction between the two classes; but meant that he is just to both—just even to the unjust, upon whom he sends his rain and sunshine, causing their orchards to bloom and their vineyards to bear equally with those of the righteous. Nevertheless, all who receive such blessings must merit them. If the unjust (unjust here) had not kept their first estate, thereby showing some degree of obedience to divine law, they would not have been given a second estate, where the sunlight and the rains could reach them. In this second estate, however, further obedience is requisite, in order that greater benefits may follow.
Blessings Bestowed by Law.—God's blessings are temporal as well as spiritual, and their bestowal is regulated by law. A bad man may be a good farmer or a good artisan, and reap reward for obedience to the law of industry in the exercise of his vocation. But there are greater blessings than those which come from the workshop and the harvest field; and they can be had only by obedience to the higher laws governing their distribution. One cannot become a member of the Church of Christ by being an expert tiller of the soil. It requires more than the skill of a mechanic to get into the kingdom of heaven. There is but one way into that kingdom—a way pointed out by the finger of God—and any person who tries to get in by picking the lock or by climbing over the wall, will be treated as a trespasser, as a would-be thief and robber.
What Must Man Do for Himself?—What particular acts of obedience are required of man, in order that God, who redeemed him, may likewise save and exalt him? What must he do for himself, that he may profit fully by the great things done in his behalf? How shall this alien become naturalized? The ladder having been let down into the pit, how shall the fallen avail himself of the divine assistance offered?
The answer is plain: He must climb, if he would get out. While there was no ladder, he could not, and all his intelligence and skill were unavailing. But now, if he will use his God-given powers and the means provided, he may climb from earth to heaven, round by round. If he refuses to climb, who but himself is responsible for his remaining in the pit?
The Most Important Personage.—This gospel code—this way into the kingdom—what is it? What does it consist of? What are the divine laws of naturalization? What requirements are made of those who would be identified with the Church of Christ—who would be saved in this world and in the world to come? The man who can answer, to the spiritually unenlightened, such questions as these, is easily the most important personage of his generation. Such a man was the Apostle Peter, and such another was the Prophet Joseph Smith.
The Pentecostal Proclamation.—When Peter, on the day of Pentecost, preached "Christ and him crucified," and the conscience-stricken multitude cried out: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" a question was propounded which the most learned philosophers of that age could not answer. Caesar, sitting upon the throne of the world, would have been mystified had the question been put to him: What shall men do to be saved? Not so Peter, the Galilean fisherman. He knew what men must do, and he straightway told them what to do:
"Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
[Footnote A: An idea advanced by President George Q. Cannon.]
Faith.
The First Requirement.—Faith, however, not repentance, is the first requirement. The probable reason why Peter omitted to mention faith at that time, was because he perceived that the multitude already had faith, already believed what he had told them of the crucified Redeemer. Had it been otherwise, they would not have been "pricked in their heart." and would not have anxiously inquired, "What shall we do?" Belief was the first requirement made by the Savior, through his chosen twelve, when he sent them "into all the world" to "preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:16). He declared salvation dependent on faith and works: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." For faith is shown by works (James 2:18), and each is dead without the other.
The Foundation of All Righteousness.—Faith, according to the Doctrine and Covenants, is "the first principle in revealed religion, and the foundation of all righteousness." There are few things more lucid in our literature than the Lectures on Faith which form the fore part of that sacred volume—one of the four doctrinal standards of the Church; the other three being the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Pearl of Great Price. Beginning with the text, "Now faith is the substance [assurance] of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1), the lecturer goes on to say:
The Moving Cause of All Action.—"If men were duly to consider themselves, and turn their thoughts and reflections to the operations of their own minds, they would readily discover that it is faith, and faith only, which is the moving cause of all action in them; that without it both mind and body would be in a state of inactivity, and all their exertions would cease, both physical and mental."
"Were this class to go back and reflect upon the history of their lives, from the period of their first recollection, and ask themselves what principle excited them to action, or what gave them energy and activity in all their lawful avocations, callings, and pursuits, what would be the answer? Would it not be that it was the assurance which they had of the existence of things which they had not seen as yet? Was it not the hope which you had in consequence of your belief in the existence of unseen things, which stimulated you to action and exertion in order to obtain them? Are you not dependent on your faith, or belief, for the acquisition of all knowledge, wisdom, and intelligence? Would you exert yourselves to obtain wisdom and intelligence, unless you did believe that you could obtain them? Would you have ever sown, if you had not believed that you would reap? Would you ever planted, if you had not believed that you would gather? Would you have ever asked, unless you had believed that you would receive? Would you have ever sought, unless you had believed that you would have found? Or, would have been opened unto you? In a word, is there anything that you would have done, either physical or mental, if you had not previously believed? Are not all your exertions of every kind, dependent on your faith? Or, may we not ask, what have you, or what do you possess which you have not obtained by reason of your faith? Your food, your raiment, your lodgings, are they not all by reason of your faith? Reflect, and ask yourselves if these things are not so. Turn your thoughts on your own minds, and see if faith is not the moving cause of all action in yourselves; and, if the moving cause in you, is it not in all other intelligent beings?" * * * *
A Principle of Power.—"As we receive by faith all temporal blessings that we do receive, so we in like manner receive by faith all spiritual blessings that we do receive. But faith is not only the principle of action, but of power also, in all intelligent beings, whether in heaven or on earth. Thus says the author of the epistle to the Heb. 11:3: `Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God; so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.'
"Had it not been for the principle of faith the worlds would never have been framed, neither would man have been formed of the dust. It is the principle by which Jehovah works, and through which he exercises power over all temporal as well as eternal things. Take this principle or attribute—for it is an attribute—from the Deity, and he would cease to exist.
"Who cannot see, that if God framed the worlds by faith, that it is by faith that he exercises power over them, and that faith is the principle of power? And if the principle of power, must be so in man as well as in the Deity? This is the testimony of all the sacred writers, and the lesson which they have been endeavoring to teach to man. * * * *
"It was by faith that the worlds were framed. God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in him. So with man also; he spake by faith in the name of God and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lions' mouths were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this by reason of the faith which was in him.
"Had it not been for the faith which was in men, they might have spoken to the sun, the moon, the mountains, prisons, the human heart, fire, armies, the sword, or to death, in vain!
"Faith, then, is the first great governing principle which has power, dominion, and authority over all things; by it they exist, by it they remain, agreeable to the will of God. Without it there is no power, and without power there could be no creation nor existence!"
A Negative Opinion.—A Christian minister (a Unitarian) once tried to convince me that faith was anything but an admirable quality. He called it contemptible, declaring that it consisted simply of a willingness to believe anything, however improbable or absurd: it was mere credulity, nothing more. When I spoke of faith as a spiritual force, he said I was attaching to the term a significance that it had never borne, and for which there was no warrant. I reminded him of the Savior's words in Matt. 17:19,20: "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." Whereupon he answered flippantly: "Oh, it takes picks and shovels to move mountains."
The Positive View.—I presume he would have conceded, had I pursued the subject further, that there are other ways of removing mountains. I fancy he would have admitted the power of the earthquake in the premises; though he might not have agreed with me that all intelligent action, human or divine, is the result of faith, and that whether mountains are moved with pick-axes or with earthquakes, by man or by his Maker, it is faith that precedes the action and renders it possible. This professed minister of Christ, who denied what Christ had taught, overlooked the fact that the smallest as well as the greatest acts of our lives spring from the exercise of faith.
Faith Fundamental.—God made faith the first principle of the gospel, because that is its proper place. It is the bottom round in the ladder of salvation, the first step in the stairway to perfection. "All things are possible to them that believe."
"As a Grain of Mustard Seed."—When the Savior spoke of the faith that "removes mountains," he was not measuring, either satirically or hyperbolically, the quantity of the faith by the size of the mustard seed. He probably meant that if man would obey the divine law given for his government, as faithfully as the mustard seed obeys the divine law given for its government, he would have infinitely more power than he now possesses. How difficult it seems for man, "the noblest work of God," to live in obedience to the highest principles revealed from heaven for his guidance. Yet the earth, we are told, "abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law" (D&C 88:25).
Faith and Credulity.—Faith, in its incipient stages, may resemble at times mere credulity. The untutored savage who was told by one of the early settlers of New England that if he planted grass seed it would produce gunpowder, believed it, not yet having learned that the white man would lie. He therefore parted with his valuable furs, in exchange for some of the seed, showing that he had faith in the settler's word. But it did not bring the desired result. Faith, to be effectual, must be based upon truth, and though higher than reason, must have a reasonable foundation. The spirit of truth must inspire it. This was not the case with the poor, misguided Indian; he trusted in a falsehood and was deceived. But some good came of it. He ascertained the falsity of the settler's statement. His faith induced him to plant the seed, and though it did not produce gunpowder—that being contrary to its nature—it produced a growth of grass-and a wiser Indian.
Faith, Continued.
Faith Founded on Evidence.—The second of the Lectures on Faith is a discussion of the object upon which faith should rest; that object being God, the evidences of whose existence, as the foundation of all rational belief, are abundantly shown. Lecture Third contains these paragraphs, pertinent to the point now raised:
Essentials for a Perfect Faith.—"Three things are necessary in order that any rational and intelligent being may exercise faith in God unto life and salvation.
"First, the idea that he actually exists.
"Second, a correct idea of his character, perfections, and attributes.
"Third, an actual knowledge that the course of life which he [man] is pursuing is according to his [God's] will. For without an acquaintance with these three important facts, the faith of every rational being must be imperfect and unproductive; but with this understanding it can become perfect and fruitful, abounding in righteousness, unto the praise and glory of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Possibilities of Faith.—Had the Indian's faith been properly founded—had it been a perfect faith, intelligent, rational, heaven-inspired, he could have produced gunpowder or any other commodity from the all-containing elements around him; and that, too, without planting a seed or employing an ordinary process of manufacture. The turning of water into wine, the miraculous feeding of the multitude, the walking upon the waves, the healing of the sick, the raising of the dead, and other wonderful works wrought by the Savior, the apostles, and the ancient prophets—what were they but manifestations of an all-powerful faith, to possess which is to have the power to remove mountains—without picks and shovels, my skeptical Unitarian to the contrary notwithstanding. Such a faith is not mere credulity; it is a divine energy, operating upon natural laws and by natural processes—natural, though unknown to "the natural man," and termed by him supernatural.
The Universal Mainspring.—Faith is the beating heart of the universe—the incentive, the impulse, to all action, the mainspring of all achievement. Nothing was ever accomplished, small or great, commonplace or miraculous, that was not backed up by confidence in some power, human or superhuman, that impelled and pushed forward the enterprise.
An Impelling Force.—It was not doubt that drove Columbus across the sea; it was faith—the impelling force of the Spirit of the Lord (1 Ne. 13:12). It was not doubt that nerved the arm and fired the soul of Washington, inducing him and his ragged regiments to fight on through heat, frost, and hunger of seven long years, to win their country's freedom. It was not doubt that inspired Hamilton, Jefferson, Franklin, and the other patriot fathers, to lay broad and deep the foundations of this mighty republic. It is not doubt that has caused nations to rise and flourish, and raised up great men in all ages and in all climes, to teach, toil, and sacrifice for the benefit of mankind. It is faith that does such things. Doubt undoes, or hinders, what faith achieves. The men and women who have moved this world were men and women who believed, who were earnest and sincere, even if in part mistaken.
Mahomet and Islam.—Carlyle portrays vividly the wondrous transition from weakness to strength that came over the descendants of Ishmael, when they became a believing nation, abandoning idolatry, and accepting Allah as their god, with Mahomet as his prophet:
"To the Arab nation it was as a birth from darkness into light; Arabia first became alive by means of it. A poor shepherd people roaming unnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world; a hero-prophet was sent down to them with a word they could believe; see, the unnoticed becomes world-notable, the small has become world-great; within one century afterwards Arabia is at Granada on this hand, at Delhi on that—glancing in valor and splendor and the light of genius, Arabia shines through long ages over a great section of the world. Belief is great, life-giving. The history of a nation becomes fruitful, soul-elevating, great, so soon as it believes. These Arabs, the man Mahomet, and that one century—is it not as if a spark had fallen, one spark, on a world of what seemed black, unnoticeable sand; but lo, the sand proves explosive powder, blazes heaven-high from Delhi to Granada! I said, the great man was always as lightning out of heaven; the rest of men waited for him like fuel, and then they too would flame."—("Heroes and Hero Worship," Lecture II.)
Achievements of Christendom.—Who can doubt that this same philosophy applies to Christendom and its marvelous achievements, all down the centuries? Is it not faith in the divine Nazarene that has caused Christian nations to thrive, that has enabled Christianity, in spite of its errors, to flourish, to survive the wreck of empires and weather the storms of time? Was not Christ indeed as "lightning out of heaven," sent down to kindle and illumine the world, and has not the world been warmer and brighter for his coming? Is it not the faith of any nation, its trust in and reliance upon some power deemed by it divine, that constitutes its main strength?
Faith Must Be Genuine.—But faith must be genuine. Pretense and formalism will not avail. Hypocrisy is the worst form of unbelief. Honest idolatry is infinitely preferable to dishonest worship. Better burn incense to Diana, believing it to be right, than bow down to Christ in hollow-hearted insincerity. Mighty Rome did not fall, until she had ceased to worship sincerely the gods enshrined within her Pantheon. Glorious Greece did not succumb, until she had proved false to her ancient faith, until her believers had become doubters, until skeptical philosophy had supplanted religious enthusiasm, and the worship of freedom, grace, and beauty had degenerated to unbridled license and groveling sensuality. No nation ever crumbled to ruin until false to itself, false to the true principles of success, the basic one of which is to believe.
The Articles of Faith.—What should Latter-day Saints believe? I can think of no better answer to this question than is contained in the Articles of Faith, formulated by the Prophet Joseph Smith soon after the Church of Christ was organized in this dispensation:
"1. We believe in God the Eternal Father, and in his Son Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
"2. 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 men may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
"4. We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are:—First, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
"5. 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.
"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 continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth: and that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisaical glory.
"11. 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.
"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, 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 praiseworthy, we seek after these things."
Repentance.
The First Fruit of Faith.—The first fruit of faith is repentance. Repentance follows faith as naturally as kindness follows love, as obedience springs from reverence, as a desire to be congenial with, succeeds admiration for, one whose example is deemed worthy of emulation. God commands all men everywhere to repent. A desire to please him and become acceptable in his sight, leads the soul of faith of repentance.
A Gift from God.—No repentance is possible, however, without the Spirit of the Lord, which "giveth light to every man that cometh into the world" (D&C 84:45-47). This is what makes repentance, no less than faith, a gift from God. When his Spirit ceases to strive with men, they no longer desire to repent, and are delivered over to the buffetings of Satan. They deliver themselves over to those buffetings. They make their choice between the spirit of good and the spirit of evil, both of which are in the world, influencing the spirit of man, and they receive their wages from the master whom they list to obey.
The Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost.—A distinction should be drawn between the Spirit "that enlighteneth every man," and the Holy Ghost, whose gifts are given to members of the Church of Christ. The former is an influence, proceeding from the Divine Presence; the latter a personage, one of the Godhead, concerning whom the Prophet Joseph says: "The Father has a body of flesh and bones, as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us" (D&C 130:22).
The Prophet says further upon this subject: "There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God would have left him."—("Joseph Smith's Teachings," p.69.)
Real Repentance.—Repentance is not that superficial sorrow felt by a criminal when caught in the act of wrong-doing—a sorrow not for sin, but for sin's detection, for being taken in transgression. Chagrin is not repentance. Mortification and shame, alone, bring no change of heart toward right living or right feeling. Repentance involves remorse; but even remorse is not all there is to repentance. In its highest meaning and fullest measure, repentance is equivalent to reformation—a resolve to "sin no more," backed by conduct consistent with such a determination. "Repentance is a thing that cannot be trifled with every day. Daily transgression and daily repentance is not that which is pleasing in the sight of God" ("Joseph Smith's Teachings," p. 136). "By this ye may know if a man repenteth of his sins. Behold, he will confess them and forsake them" (D&C 58:43). This is a real, genuine repentance. All who truly repent can be forgiven. These, and these alone, are ready for the cleansing process—baptism for the remission of sins. Without repentance, there is no forgiveness, and consequently no remission of sins.
Damnation No Part of the Gospel.—Damnation is no part of the gospel. Damnation or condemnation is simply the sad alternative, the inevitable consequence of rejecting the means of escape. When men hear the gospel and refuse to obey it, the come under condemnation. This cannot be helped. God would save them, but they will not be saved. They are free agents, and they damn themselves. Says Joseph the prophet: "When God offers knowledge or a gift to a man, and he refuses to receive it, he will be damned." Not because God wishes to damn him, but because damnation is inevitable when one rejects the offer of salvation.
Sin, a Wilful Transgression of Law.—A man sins when he goes contrary to light and knowledge—that is, contrary to the light and knowledge that has come to him. One may blunder in ignorance, and suffer painful consequences; but one does not sin unless one knows better than to do the thing in which the sin consists.
Carlyle on Repentance.—"Of all acts," says Carlyle, "is not, for a man, repentance the most divine? The deadliest sin, I say, were that same supercilious consciousness of no sin;—that is death; the heart so conscious is divorced from sincerity, humility and fact; is dead: it is 'pure' as dead dry sand is pure."—"Heroes and Hero-Worship," Lecture II.
Condemnation Measured by Culpability.—They who refuse to repent will be damned; they damn themselves by that refusal. But damnation is not necessarily permanent, and like salvation or exaltation, it exists in degrees. The degree of condemnation is according to the measure of culpability in those condemned. Even the damned, who repent, can be saved.
Some Souls Incapable of Repentance.—Some sinners cannot repent. Their sins are of such a heinous character as to preclude it. The spirit of repentance cannot lay hold upon them. T heir conduct has so grieved it, that it is completely withdrawn. Consequently they cannot repent, and that is what makes their case hopeless. If they could repent, they could be forgiven; but not being able to repent, the pardoning power cannot reach them. There would be no unpardonable sin if all sinners were capable of repentance. Those who cannot repent, who have committed the sin unpardonable, are called sons of perdition.
A Hint from Shakespeare.—Apropos of the inability to repent, Shakespeare gives a philosophic hint in his tragedy of "Hamlet." Claudius, brother to the king of Denmark, has murdered the king in order to obtain his crown and queen. But remorse gnaws at the murderer's conscience—not a godly remorse, leading to repentance, but the terror that guilty souls feel at the prospect of judgment and retribution. Claudius kneels to pray, but can only pray with his lips, his heart being far from God. It is therefore no prayer at all. "The soul's sincere desire" is lacking.
"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below;Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below;Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
So says the murderous monarch, as he rises from his knees. Prior to his ineffectual attempt to supplicate the Throne of Grace, he thus soliloquizes:
"My fault is past. But O what form of prayerCan serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?'That cannot be, since I am still possessedOf those effects for which I did the murder,My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.May one be pardoned and retain the offense?* * * * * *"Try what repentance can: what can it not?Yet what can it when one can not repent?"("Hamlet," Act. III, Scene III.)
"My fault is past. But O what form of prayerCan serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder?'That cannot be, since I am still possessedOf those effects for which I did the murder,My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.May one be pardoned and retain the offense?* * * * * *"Try what repentance can: what can it not?Yet what can it when one can not repent?"("Hamlet," Act. III, Scene III.)
The unpardonable sin involves utter recreancy to divine light and power previously possessed. It is the sin against the Holy Ghost; but one must first receive the Holy Ghost before he is capable of sinning against it. Such a sin can be committed only by men who have been equipped with every qualification for celestial glory.
The Sons of Perdition.—"Thus saith the Lord, concerning all those who know my power, and have been made partakers there of, and suffered themselves, through the power of the devil, to be overcome, and to deny the truth and defy my power—
"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,
"For they are vessels of wrath, doomed to suffer the wrath of God, with the devil and his angels in eternity;
"Concerning whom I have said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come,
"Having denied the Holy Spirit after having received it, and having denied the Only Begotten Son of the Father—having crucified him unto themselves, and put him to an open shame.
"They 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;
"Wherefore, he saves all except them." (D.&C. 76:31-37,44.)
The Saved and Glorified.—But the saved are rewarded according to their works. The glorified differ like the sun, moon, and stars, typifying, respectively, celestial, terrestrial, and telestial conditions. They who cannot abide any of these conditions, "are not meet for a kingdom of glory," and the utterly disobedient, who will to abide in sin, are fated to "remain filthy still" (D&C 88:22-35).
The Celestial Glory.—The inheritors of celestial exaltation, the highest degree of glory, are they who render to the Great Giver the fulness of their obedience, manifesting a willingness to lay all upon the altar at his bidding. In short, "to do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them" (Abr. 3:25).
"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 hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power.
"And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.
"They are they who are the Church of the first born.
"They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—
"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 to 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—
"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. * * *
"These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ for ever and ever.
"These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven, to reign on the earth over his people.
"These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.
"These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just. * * *
"These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical."—(D.&C. 76:51-59, 62-65, 70.)
The Terrestrial Glory.—They who receive not the gospel here, but receive it hereafter; they who die without law; also "honorable men of the earth, blinded by the craftiness of men;"—
"These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness;
"These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father;
"Wherefore they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.
"These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.—(D.& C. 76:76-79.)
The Telestial World.—Concerning the inhabitants of the telestial world, it is written:
"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.
"These are they who receive not of his fulness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial:
"And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them, for they shall be heirs of salvation. * * *
"These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers and whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.
"These are they who suffer the wrath of God on the earth.
"These are they who suffer the vengeance of eternal fire.
"These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of Almighty God, until the fulness of times when Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work. * * *
"And they shall be servants of the Most High, but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end." (D.&C. 76:82-88, 103-106, 112.)
"And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is one.
"And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon is one.
"And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars is one, for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so differs one from another in glory in the telestial world." (D.&C. 76:96-98; 1 Cor. 15:40,41.)
A Nautical Illustration.—Thirty years ago I was crossing the Atlantic on an ocean liner. I was a first cabin passenger, and besides myself there were forty or fifty others in that part of the vessel. The second cabin had about twice as many passengers, and in the steerage were several hundred more. I found that the first cabin berths—secured by a fortunate few—were not only the best furnished, but the most favorably situated for comfort, convenience, and safety. The food was of the choicest, every possible courtesy was shown to the passengers, and they had the full freedom of the ship. They might go down into the second cabin, or lower down, into the steerage, at will, and return without hindrance or question. They had paid for these privileges, and were therefore entitled to them. The captain and other officers were their associates.
It was different in the second cabin. There the food was not so good, the berths were not so comfortable, and the privileges were fewer. The passengers there might descend into the steerage, but were not permitted upon the upper deck. In the steerage, conditions were even less favorable. The food was still poorer, and the restrictions yet more rigid. The occupants of that section were not allowed even in the second cabin. Having paid only for steerage accommodations, these were all they could consistently claim.
Viewing the situation, I said to myself, What a striking analogy of the final destiny of the human race, as set forth in the revelations of God! All men rewarded according to their works, and saved according to their merits in the eternal mansions of the Father! And I then and there resolved anew that I would be a first cabin passenger on the good ship Zion, over the ocean of life, into the haven of celestial glory.
Men's Desires a Basis of Judgment.—At a date subsequent to February 16, 1832, when Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon received that wonderful vision, portraying the celestial, terrestrial and telestial glories, the heavens were again opened to the Prophet, who thus describes what he saw:
"I beheld the celestial kingdom of God, and the glory thereof, whether in the body or out I cannot tell. I saw the transcendent beauty of the gate through which the heirs of that kingdom will enter, which was like unto circling flames of fire; also the blazing throne of God, whereon was seated the Father and the Son. I saw the beautiful streets of that kingdom, which had the appearance of being paved with gold. I saw Fathers Adam and Abraham, and my father and mother, my brother, Alvin, that has long since slept, and marveled how it was that he had obtained an inheritance in that kingdom, seeing that he had departed this life before the Lord had set His hand to gather Israel the second time, and had not been baptized for the remission of sins.
"Thus came the voice of the Lord unto me, saying—
"All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.
"And I also beheld that all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability, are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven." (History of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 380.)
Grades of Celestial Glory.—The Prophet also taught that there are grades of glory, even in the celestial kingdom; his exact language being: "In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees" (D&C 131:1).