,meridith ,crowder1 ,tod ,robbins4      
,,joseph ,,smith  ,,the                 
,,prophet-,,teacher   ,a ,,discourse    
,,by  ,,elder ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts   ,,the 
,,deseret ,,news  ,,salt ,,lake ,,city1 
,,utah  #aijh     ,copyright1 #aijh4 ,by
 ,b4 ,h4 ,roberts4     ,,table ,,of     
,,contents4  ,i4 ,a ,,great             
,,possibility4  ,,ii4 ,,historical      
,,americans4  ,,iii4 ,,what ,,is ,a     
,,prophet8  ,,iv4 ,,religious ,,and     
,,philosophical ,,beliefs ,,of ,,one    
,,hundred ,,years ,,ago4                
,revelation4     ,ideas of ,deity4      
,of the ,universe4     ,of ,man4        
,man and ,his ,salvation4     ,of the   
,significance of ,salvation and         
,damnation4  ,v4 ,,the ,,prophet',s     
,,correction ,,of ,,sectarian ,,errors4 
,the ,doctrine of ,revelation4     ,the 
,being and ,kind of ,being ,god ,is4    
,creation1 the ,law of ,substance4      
,of ,man's ,origin4     ,election and   
,reprobation4  ,,vi4 ,,the ,,prophet',s 
,,philosophical ,,doctrines4      ,the  

,prophet's ,definition of ,truth4       
,as to ,things--,existences4     ,the   
,reign of ,law4     ,change and ,its    
,tendency4     ,the ,existence of ,good 
and ,evil4     ,the ,intelligent        
,entity4     ,the ,relationship of      
,intelligences4     ,man's ,freedom4    
,eternity of ,relations4  ,,vii4 ,,the  
,,prophet',s ,,generalizations4  ,,viii4
 ,,an ,,american ,,prophet4             
,america the ,old ,world4     ,the      
,constitution of the ,united ,states    
,inspired of ,god4     ,america         
,fortified of ,god ,against ,other      
,nations4     ,,dedication4  ,,to ,,my  
,,mother1 ,,on ,,the ,,anniversary ,,of 
,,her ,,eighty-,,second ,,birthday1     
,,december #ah1 #aijh4  ,for a long     
time1 my ,dear ,mother1 ,i have desired 
to couple remembrance of you with some  
of my works2 and finally have chosen    
this ,discourse upon our great          
,prophet-,teacher to carry with it that 
distinction4 ,to all who read this      
,discourse1 then1 ,i desire to say that 

,i love and honor you2 and that your    
love for me has ever been an inspiration
 to my work4     ,,joseph ,,smith ,,the 
,,prophet-,,teacher  ,a ,discourse,a    
,footnote ,a3 ,this discourse was       
delivered at the ,tabernacle1 ,salt     
,lake ,city1 on ,sunday1 ,december      
#bbnd1 #aijg1 at a ,memorial ,service   
held in honor of the one hundred and    
second anniversary of the ,prophet's    
birth1 #bcrd ,december #ahje4  ---      
,tomorrow will be the one hundred and   
second anniversary of the birth of      
,joseph ,smith1 whom most of you here   
present believe was a ,prophet of ,god4 
,i have been invited to say something   
about him on this occasion4 ,it is not  
at all my intention to deal with the    
incidents of ,joseph ,smith's eventful  
life2 these are familiar to you4 ,if ,i 
could attain the full desire of my      
heart1 ,i would like to set before you  
somewhat the value of this man as a     
teacher of great truths4 ,i desire to   
speak of him as a ,prophet-,teacher1    

that is1 as a ,prophet acting in his    
capacity of ,teacher1 a ,prophet's      
highest and noblest office4  ,as an     
introduction to what ,i desire to say1  
,i shall read a passage from a book     
quite famous for its literary merit--it 
has reached its ninth edition2 also it  
is famous for the character sketches of 
prominent ,americans of the early       
decades of the nineteenth century4 ,the 
book1 ,figures of the ,past1 was written
 by ,josiah ,quincy of the famous       
,quincy family of ,massachusetts1 a     
graduate of ,harvard1 #ahba2 mayor of   
,boston from #ahde to #ahdi4 ,mr4       
,quincy visited ,nauvoo in ,may1 #ahdd1 
forty-three days previous to the        
martyrdom of the ,prophet1 and though   
his ,figures of the ,past was not       
published until #ahhb1 the year of his  
death1 yet his recollections of the     
,prophet and his impressions of ,nauvoo 
were drawn from his journal1 written at 
the time of that visit1 and numerous    
letters written to his friends about the

 same period4 ,mr4 ,quincy places his   
pen-portrait of ,joseph ,smith at       
,nauvoo with similar portraits of such  
eminent ,americans as ,john ,adams1     
,daniel ,webster1 ,john ,randolph1      
,andrew ,jackson1 and the ,french       
soldier and statesman1 ,lafayette4 ,the 
passage ,i am going to read is the      
opening paragraph of the chapter on     
,joseph ,smith at ,nauvoo4     ,i4  ,a  
,,great ,,possibility4       ,it is by  
no means improbable that some future    
text-book1 for the     use of           
generations yet unborn1 will contain a  
question something     like this3 ,what 
historical ,american of the nineteenth  
century has     exerted the most        
powerful influence upon the destinies of
 his     countrymen8 ,and it is by no   
means impossible that the answer to     
that interrogatory may be thus written3 
,joseph ,smith1 the ,mormon             
,prophet4 ,and the reply1 absurd as it  
doubtless seems to most men     now     
living1 may be an obvious commonplace to

 their descendants4     ,history deals  
in surprises and paradoxes quite as     
startling as     this4 ,the man who     
established a religion in this age of   
free     debate1 who was and is today   
accepted by hundreds of thousands as    
a direct emissary from the ,most        
,high--such a rare human being is       
not to be disposed of by pelting his    
memory with unsavory     epithets4      
,reading that passage a few days ago1 ,i
 asked the question3 ,is this rather    
remarkable semi-prediction of ,quincy's 
in the way of fulfillment8 ,tomorrow    
will be the one hundred and second      
anniversary of our ,prophet's birth4 ,it
 is more than one hundred years since he
 came to earth1 and sixty-three years   
since he departed from it4 ,what        
evidence is there before the world that 
would lead any serious-minded person to 
believe that this prediction ,i have    
read in your hearing may find           
fulfillment8 ,certainly1 men will begin 
to say1 enough time has elapsed to      

develop the character of your ,prophet's
 work2 whether he built of wood1 hay1   
stubble1 or of gold or precious stones4 
,is his influence to be merely transient
 and local or did he really deal with   
some universal and permanent truths that
 must remain to influence mankind8      
,,ii4  ,,historical ,,americans4   ,as  
introductory to these considerations1   
let us think about some of these        
historical ,americans whose influence   
upon their countrymen is to be eclipsed1
 perhaps1 by the ,mormon ,prophet4      
,among our patriots and statesmen will  
be remembered ,patrick ,henry1 with his 
doctrine of the inherent right of       
revolution against intolerable          
oppression2 ,jefferson1 and his         
,declaration of ,independence and the   
,statute of ,virginia for ,religious    
,freedom1 the principle of which finally
 found its way into our national and    
state ,constitutions2 ,alexander        
,hamilton and his political             
interpretation of the constitutional    

powers of our general government2       
,webster and his doctrine of the        
sacredness of the ,american ,union of   
,states--the statesman of nationalism2  
,monroe1 with the doctrine which bears  
his name1 politically segregating the   
,american continents from ,europe1 and  
dedicating the western world to free    
institutions2 ,lincoln1 with his        
doctrine of the rightfulness of personal
 freedom for every man1 woman and child 
of ,adam's race--the doctrine of the    
universal application of the            
self-evident principles of the          
,declaration of ,independence--the right
 of men to live1 to be free1 to pursue  
happiness--principles he invoked in     
behalf of the ,african race in the      
,united ,states4 ,among inventors will  
be remembered ,fulton1 ,whitney1 ,morse 
and ,edison2 among the philosophers1    
practical and speculative1 ,franklin1   
,emerson and ,john ,fiske2 among the    
poets1 ,longfellow1 ,poe1 ,whitman1 and 
,lowell2 among the preachers and        

theologians1 ,jonathan ,edwards and his 
cruel orthodoxy2 ,wm4 ,e4 ,channing and 
his ,unitarian liberalism2 ,henry ,ward 
,beecher and his successor1 ,lyman      
,abbott1 with their efforts at          
reconciliation of ,christianity and     
evolution4  ,this enumeration does not  
exhaust the list of historical          
,americans who have powerfully          
influenced their countrymen1 but it will
 not be doubted that they represent the 
very chief of the respective groups that
 have so influenced their countrymen4   
,thinking of the achievements of these  
great ,americans1 and weighing the      
influence of each upon his countrymen1  
do you not really think1 even with      
,josiah ,quincy on our side1 it looks   
presumptuous in us to hold that ,joseph 
,smith may yet exert a greater influence
 over his countrymen than any one of    
these1 his compatriots8 ,that is the    
question ,i propose to put on trial here
 this afternoon4     ,,iii4  ,,what ,,is
 ,a ,,prophet8   ,first of all1 a word  

of definition3 ,this term prophet--what 
do you make of it8 ,generally1 when you 
speak of a prophet1 you have in mind a  
predictor of future events1 one who     
foretells things that are to come to    
pass1 and indeed that is1 in part1 the  
office of a prophet--in part what is    
expected of him4 ,but really this is the
 very least of his duties4 ,a prophet   
should be a forth-teller rather than a  
fore-teller4 ,primarily he must be a    
teacher of men1 an expounder of the     
things of ,god4 ,the inspiration of the 
,almighty must give him understanding1  
and when given he must expound it to his
 people1 to his age4 ,he must be a ,seer
 that can make others see4 ,a ,teacher  
sent of ,god to instruct a people--to   
enlighten an age4 ,this is the primary  
office of a prophet4 ,and now ,i want to
 show you how well and faithfully our   
,prophet performed such duties4  ,to do 
this it is necessary that ,i say        
something about the ideas prevailing in 
the world at the ,prophet's advent among

 men--,i mean as to their religions and 
philosophies1 the doctrines by which    
they were influenced4 ,and this not only
 as to truth1 but also as to error--and 
chiefly as to error1 for1 among other   
things1 a prophet must correct the      
errors of men4 ,it is a capital method  
of teaching truth--this correcting of   
errors4     ,,iv4  ,,religious ,,and    
,,philosophical ,,beliefs ,,of ,,one    
,,hundred ,,years ,,ago4   ,,revelation3
 ,at the commencement of the nineteenth 
century the general idea prevailed in   
,christendom that a great while ago a   
very definite revelation from ,god had  
been given2 angels had visited the earth
 and imparted divine knowledge to men2  
the ,spirit of the ,almighty had rested 
upon some and had given them            
understanding by which they were able to
 declare the mind of ,god and the will  
of ,god4 ,these were prophets4 ,some    
prophets there were who even talked with
 ,god face to face1 as a man speaketh   
unto his friend4 ,so communed ,moses    

with ,god 7,ex4 #cc3aa72 so1 too1       
,isaiah 7,isa4 #f3a-f74 ,but while this 
belief as to revelation in the past     
everywhere prevailed1 orthodox          
,christendom was equally certain that no
 revelation was being given in their    
day2 and not only was no revelation then
 being given1 but neither would there be
 any revelation given in future time4   
,the volume of revelation is completed  
and forever closed1 was dogma in all    
,christendom4 ,there would be no future 
visitation of angels4 ,no more would the
 heavens be opened1 or man stand face to
 face with his ,god1 or speak to his    
,lord as a man speaketh to his friend4  
,all this was ended4 ,the canon of      
scripture was completed1 and forever    
closed4 ,that canon consisted of the    
,old and ,new ,testaments2 all other    
books were secular--this alone sacred4  
,there was no other word of ,god4       
,,ideas ,,of ,,deity3 ,in regard to     
deity1 ,christian men1 at the beginning 
of the nineteenth century1 believed that

 ,god was an incorporeal1 immaterial    
being1 without body--that is1 not       
material1 not matter2 without parts2    
without passions4 ,and yet1 with gravest
 inconsistency1 they held that ,god was 
of love the essence2 that ,he loved     
righteousness1 that ,he hated iniquity2 
that ,he so loved the world that ,he    
gave ,his only begotten ,son that       
whosoever believeth on ,him should not  
perish1 but have everlasting life6      
,notwithstanding this love and this hate
 ,god was without passions6 ,he was1    
too1 according to men's creeds1 without 
form4 ,notwithstanding ,moses1 one of   
the ,god-inspired teachers of men1 said 
that ,god created man in ,his own image1
 in the image of ,god created ,he him2  
and ,jesus1 by a prophet of the ,new    
,testament1 was declared to be the      
express image of ,god's person 7,hebrews
 i3 #b1 #c74 ,notwithstanding this1 ,i  
say1 men1 in the early decades of the   
nineteenth century1 were possessed of a 
morbid terror of anthropomorphism--the  

ascription of human form1 feeling or    
qualities to ,god--as if they could     
escape it and still hold belief in the  
,bible revelation of ,god6 ,or1 for     
matter of that1 hold to any doctrine of 
,god taught either by religion or       
philosophy4 ,at the very least1 if the  
,god-idea survive at all1 ,god must be  
held to possess consciousness1 both     
consciousness of self1 and of other than
 self--self-consciousness1 and          
other-consciousness2 also ,he must be   
thought of as possessed of volition2 and
 what are these but human qualities1    
which present ,god to our thought as    
anthropomorphic8 ,strip ,god of these   
attributes and ,he is reduced to the    
atheists' force2 to blind1 purposeless  
force1 that can sustain no possible     
personal relationship whatsoever to men 
or other things in the universe4 ,as one
 writer in a great magazine recently    
said3 ,if we are to know the ,supreme   
,reality at all1 it can only be through 
the attribution to ,him of qualities    

analogous to1 though infinitely         
transcending1 the qualities which we    
recognize as highest in man1 and        
consequently highest in the world as we 
know it4  ,but ,i must pass by these    
inconsistencies of the creeds of men4 ,i
 shall have no time to discuss them4    
,indeed1 ,i must ask you to think with  
me in headlines1 and to think fast4 ,we 
have no time for argument4 ,we shall    
barely have time to pass over the ground
 proposed1 and must depend upon the     
truth of our statements being           
self-evident1 or conceded to be accurate
 statements of fact4   ,,of ,,the       
,,universe3 ,respecting the universe1   
,christendom1 at the beginning of the   
nineteenth century1 believed that it was
 created of ,god from nothing1 and that 
no great while ago4 ,calling forth from 
nothing was held to be indeed the       
meaning of create4 ,god transcended the 
universe2 was1 in fact1 outside of it2  
was what an ,american philosopher       
7,fiske7 some years afterwards called an

 ,absentee ,god4 ,absent1 except for a  
little jog or poke here and there in the
 shape of a special providence4  ,down  
to a period almost within living memory1
 says ,andrew ,dixon ,white1 in his     
great work1 ,warfare of ,science with   
,theology1 it was held1 virtually       
'always1 everywhere1 and by all1' that  
the universe1 as we now see it1 was     
created literally and directly by the   
voice or hands of the ,almighty1 or by  
both--out of nothing--in an instant1 or 
in six days1 or in both--about four     
thousand years before the ,christian    
era--and for the convenience of the     
dwellers upon the earth1 which was at   
the base and foundation of the whole    
structure4 ,such were the views of men  
concerning the universe during the      
period here considered4   ,,of ,,man3   
,respecting man1 it was taught that     
while he was created of ,god1 his origin
 was purely an earthly one1 his body    
made of the earth1 a spirit breathed    
into him when his body was made1 and so 

man became a living soul4 ,all taught   
that he was a created thing1 a creature4
   ,,man ,,and ,,his ,,salvation3 ,as to
 man's salvation1 some of the creeds    
taught that ,god1 of ,his own volition1 
had foreordained that some men and      
angels were doomed to everlasting       
destruction1 and others predestined to  
eternal life and glory4 ,not for any    
good or ill that they had done or could 
do1 but their fate was fixed by the     
volition of ,god alone4 ,these whom ,he 
would save1 ,he would move by           
irresistible grace to their salvation2  
those whom ,he had pre-determined should
 be damned might not escape1 struggle   
they never so persistently2 no prayers  
could save them2 no act of obedience    
might mitigate their punishment2 no     
hungering and thirsting after           
righteousness1 bring them to            
blessedness2 they must perish1 and that 
eternally6 ,those who perish in         
ignorance of ,christ--the heathen       
races--were damned4 ,the heathen in     

mass1 with no single definite and       
unquestionable exception on record1 are 
evidently strangers to ,god1 and going  
down to death in an unsaved condition4  
,the presumed possibility of being saved
 without a knowledge of ,christ remains1
 after #a1hjj years1 a possibility      
illustrated by no example4 ,so said     
those who expounded this creed4 ,others1
 still1 taught that infants dying in    
infancy without receiving ,christian    
baptism were damned1 and that           
everlastingly4 ,by some1 unbaptized     
infants were denied burial in sanctified
 ground4 ,hell's ,half ,acre was a      
reality in some ,christian graveyards4  
,,of ,,the ,,significance ,,of          
,,salvation ,,and ,,damnation3          
,salvation and damnation meant1 as to   
the former1 the attainment of heaven2 as
 to the latter1 assignment to hell4 ,the
 former1 judging from the descriptions  
of it1 a mysterious1 indefinite state   
enjoyed somewhere beyond the bounds of  
time and space 99 99 99 the saints      

secure abode2 the latter1 a very        
definite place1 with very definite and  
very hot conditions1 that had power to  
endure and that everlastingly1 to the   
eternal misery of the damned4 ,time     
might come and time might go1 but this  
torture1 undiminished1 went on forever4 
,if one gained heaven1 even by ever so  
small a margin1 he entered upon a       
complete possession of all its          
unutterable joys1 equally with the      
angels and the holiest of saints4 ,if he
 missed heaven1 even by ever so narrow a
 margin1 he was doomed to everlasting   
torment equally with the wickedest of   
men and vilest of devils1 and there was 
no deliverance for him4  ,these were    
some of the prevailing ideas1 of the    
philosophy and the religion of men at   
the birth of the ,prophet4 ,a philosophy
 inadequate for any reasonable          
accounting for the universe4 ,a religion
 that was derogatory to ,god and        
debasing to man--errors of both         
philosophy and religion that it was1 ,i 

believe1 the mission of our ,prophet to 
correct4 ,let us follow him as he       
proceeds with his corrections1 his      
setting over against every error above  
enumerated the truth received of ,god4  
,v4  ,,the ,,prophet',s ,,correction    
,,of ,,sectarian ,,errors4   ,,the      
,,doctrine ,,of ,,revelation3 ,against  
the sectarian dogma of the cessation of 
revelation1 ,joseph ,smith proclaimed   
the reopening of the heavens4 ,against  
the doctrine that angels would no more  
visit the earth1 he asserted the        
visitation of angels to him1 revealing  
the existence of the ,book of ,mormon1 a
 new volume of ,scripture4 ,other angels
 brought to the ,prophet the keys of    
authority and power held by them in     
former dispensations4 ,so came ,john the
 ,baptist with the keys of the ,aaronic 
,priesthood2 ,peter1 ,james and ,john1  
with the keys of the ,melchisedek       
,priesthood2 ,moses1 with the keys of   
the gathering of ,israel1 and so        
following4 ,against the doctrine of a   

closed volume of ,scripture1 ,joseph    
,smith asserted the existence of1 and   
the truth of the ,american volume of    
,scripture1 the ,book of ,mormon4       
,against this whole narrow1 bigoted idea
 of revelation held by the ,christian   
world1 he proclaimed a larger view4     
,instead of holding that a few prophets 
among the ,hebrews had been visited of  
,god and received divine inspiration he 
represented ,god as saying3      ,thou  
fool1 that shall say1 ,a ,bible1 a      
,bible1 we have got a ,bible1     and we
 need no more ,bible6 ,have ye obtained 
a ,bible1 save it were     by the ,jews8
 ,know ye not that there are more       
nations than one2     know ye not that  
,i1 the ,lord your ,god1 have created   
all men1 and     that ,i remember those 
who are upon the isles of the sea2 and  
that     ,i rule in the heavens above1  
and in the earth beneath2 and ,i bring  
forth my word unto the children of men2 
yea1 even upon all the     nations of   
the earth8 ,for ,i command all men1 both

 in the east and     in the west 99 99  
99 and in the islands of the sea1 that  
they shall     write the words which ,i 
speak unto them4 99 99 99 ,behold1 ,i   
will     speak unto the ,jews1 and they 
shall write it2 and ,i will also        
speak unto the ,nephites and they shall 
write it2 and ,i will also     speak    
unto the other tribes of the house of   
,israel1 which ,i have     led away1 and
 they shall write it2 and ,i will also  
speak unto all     nations of the earth1
 and they shall write it4  ,joseph      
,smith also represents one of the       
,nephite prophets as saying3            
,behold1 the ,lord doth grant unto all  
nations1 of their own nation     and    
tongue1 to teach his word2 yea1 in      
wisdom1 all that he seeth     fit that  
they should have2 therefore we see that 
the ,lord doth     counsel in wisdom1   
according to that which is just and     
true4  ,this doctrine unites in one     
splendid brotherhood all the ,seekers   
after ,god1 all those who received      

inspiration from the ,most ,high and    
were sent forth from the ,divine        
,presence to instruct their fellow men4 
,joseph ,smith1 ,i say1 unites their    
hands in a splendid brotherhood of the  
,god-inspired men of this world4 ,not   
that all the prophets among the various 
races of men were equally inspired2 not 
that all came with a fulness of truth2  
not that all had the gospel of ,jesus   
,christ4 ,but if they brought not with  
their message the effulgent brightness  
of an all-glorious day1 they brought    
something of twilight which dispelled   
some of the murkiness of the night in   
which the men of their respective races 
had walked2 and those who have groped in
 the density of darkness know how       
grateful is the twilight1 how much      
better it is than darkness4 ,how noble  
is this view of ,god's hand-dealings    
with the children of men in respect of  
revelation1 as compared with that       
narrow1 bigoted view prevailing at the  
beginning of the nineteenth century1    

which held that the ,hebrew ,scriptures 
contained all the word of ,god delivered
 to the inhabitants of the earth6       
,,the ,,being ,,and ,,kind ,,of ,,being 
,,god ,,is3 ,against the dogma that ,god
 was an incorporeal1 immaterial1        
passionless being1 the ,prophet         
announced the splendid doctrine of      
anthropomorphism--,god in the human     
form1 and possessed of human qualities1 
but sanctified and perfected4 ,in the   
first great revelation which opened this
 last dispensation our ,prophet beheld  
,father and ,son as separate persons1   
distinct from each other2 persons in the
 form of men1 but more glorious and more
 splendid1 of course1 than words could  
describe them to be4 ,all through the   
revelations received1 and all through   
his discourses1 the ,prophet reaffirms  
the old doctrine of the ,scriptures1 the
 doctrine of all the prophets1 asserting
 that man indeed was created in the     
image of ,god1 and that ,god possessed  
human qualities1 consciousness1 will1   

love1 mercy1 justice2 together with     
power and glory--in a word1 a ,man      
exalted and perfected4                  
,,creation--,,the ,,law ,,of            
,,substance3 ,in opposition to the      
doctrine that ,god had created the      
universe of nothing1 the ,prophet       
asserted the doctrine of the eternity of
 substance and energy and law1 and their
 infinite extension throughout all      
space2 that creation is but the wisely  
wrought changes made in the modes of    
existences1 which are themselves--in    
their essence--eternal1 the changes     
constantly tending to higher            
developments1 from good to better1 or   
else ministering to that end4   ,,of    
,,man',s ,,origin3 ,against the doctrine
 which ascribed a merely earthly origin 
for man1 body and spirit2 that taught   
that the intelligent entity in man--the 
mind--was a created thing--against this1
 ,i say1 our ,prophet taught that       
,intelligence is not created or made1   
neither1 indeed1 can be4 ,he taught that

 the intelligent entity in man1 which   
men call spirit and sometimes soul1 is a
 self-existing entity1 uncreated and    
eternal as ,god is1 placed in the way by
 ,higher ,intelligences1--and guided by 
their love and counsels1--of increasing 
his own intelligence and power and glory
 and joy4 ,such he represented man to   
be1 and once more crowned him with the  
dignity belonging to his ,divine and    
eternal nature4   ,,election ,,and      
,,reprobation3 ,in regard to that       
monstrous doctrine that ,god1 by the    
exercise of ,his sovereign will1 had    
predestined some men and angels unto    
everlasting life1 while others ,he      
ordained to everlasting death2 and that1
 not because of the good or the evil    
they had done or might do1 but because  
he had so willed it by his sovereign    
will2 that the number of such men and   
angels thus predestined are so          
peculiarly and unchangeably known1 and  
their number so certain and definite    
that it can not be either increased or  

diminished--against this monstrous view 
of the doctrine of salvation for the    
race of men1 our ,prophet declared      
salvation to be free1 and every soul of 
man capable of participating therein1 if
 happily he should seek salvation2 and  
that man could be assured of the help   
and grace of ,god to aid him in the     
attainment of salvation4 ,commenting on 
a passage of ,scripture supposed to     
teach the sectarian doctrine of         
,election and ,reprobation1 the ,prophet
 said3 ,unconditional election of       
individuals to eternal life was not     
taught by the ,apostles4 ,god did elect1
 or predestinate1 that all those who    
would be saved should be saved in       
,christ ,jesus1 and through obedience to
 the ,gospel--other than this there was 
no predestination or election relating  
to the salvation of individuals4  ,on   
the subject of the fate of the          
uninstructed heathen1 as also upon the  
matter of children dying in infancy1 or 
before arriving at the years of         

accountability1 the doctrine of ,joseph 
,smith held that where no law is given  
men will be judged without law1 but will
 stand within the circle of the mercy of
 ,god1 and there is hope1 nay1          
assurance1 of ultimate salvation for the
 heathen4 ,the heathen nations shall be 
redeemed1 and they that knew no law     
shall have part in the first            
resurrection2 and it shall be tolerable 
for them1 are the words of the ,lord    
through the ,prophet4  ,and as for      
infants dying in infancy1 or before     
arriving at years of accountability1 the
 ,prophet taught1 the mercy of ,god     
claims them wholly4 ,they are redeemed  
from the consequences of ,adam's        
transgression by the atonement of       
,christ1 and being without sin          
themselves1 the law against sin has no  
claim upon them1 and they are saved to  
the uttermost without baptism or        
anything else whatsoever1 by the pure   
mercy and justice of ,god4 ,little      
children are alive in ,christ1 even from

 the foundation of the world1 is a      
doctrine of the ,prophet's4   ,,the     
,,doctrine ,,of ,,eternal ,,punishment3 
,against the dogma of the attainment of 
heaven or the assignment to hell1       
involving1 as it did1 the equality of   
the glory in the one1 and equal severity
 of punishment in the other1 our        
,prophet reasserted the justice of ,god 
in providing a graded state of existence
 for men in the future life1 grades that
 correspond to the state of mental1     
moral and spiritual development of every
 soul of man4  ,upon this subject       
,joseph ,smith taught that there are    
many kingdoms of the ,father in which   
men may live1 each in a sphere suitable 
to his nature1 disposition and the      
degree of his development3 moderns would
 say1 ,suitable to the state of his     
evolution4 ,he taught that as there is  
one glory of the sun1 another of the    
moon1 and another of the stars1 so in   
future men will exist in varying degrees
 of glory2 that as the stars of heaven  

differ in infinite degrees of           
brightness1 so also will men in the     
future exist in places and states of    
infinite variety1 corresponding to the  
infinite variations of their            
intelligence1 knowledge1 tastes1        
acquirements1 inclinations1 and         
aspirations4 ,in other words1           
environment will correspond to nature1  
with always the possibility present of  
improving both the environment and the  
nature1 until a fulness of joy is       
attained by each intelligent entity--by 
each man4  ,thus ,joseph ,smith         
promulgated a system of positive        
doctrine respecting the future of man   
that is at once in harmony with the     
relative claims of justice and mercy2   
with human reason and divine law4 ,he   
made known the fact that      ,eternal  
punishment is ,god's punishment4        
,endless punishment is ,god's           
punishment4  ,that is to say1 the       
punishment for sin-which is only another
 way of saying the penalty for          

wrong-doing--takes the title of ,him in 
whose name it is administered1 that is1 
it is ,god's punishment1 or ,eternal's  
punishment1 ,endless' punishment4 ,the  
punishment takes on it the name of ,him 
in whose authority it is administered4  
,moreover1 penalty will always follow   
violation of the law1 in eternity as in 
what we call time4 ,so long as law      
exists1 penalties must also exist4 ,they
 are the necessary concomitants of law1 
without which laws are mere nullities4  
,but because punishments1 so-called1    
take on the name of ,him in whose       
authority they are administered1 and    
because law is necessarily paralleled by
 penalty--therefore punishment will     
always exist for offenders against law2 
in other words is endless--it does not  
follow that each transgressor of the law
 will suffer its penalties eternally4   
,such a conception is revolting to      
reason and derogatory to the justice and
 mercy of ,god4 ,while one must needs   
believe that penalty follows violation  

of law1 the violator only partakes of   
that penalty to the extent that is      
necessary to vindicate the law and      
correct the transgressor's own          
disposition3 whereupon mercy has her    
claims1 that may not be denied3 and the 
one time violator of law1 instructed by 
his experience in suffering1 goes forth 
to walk1 let us hope1 in harmony with   
law1 and hence in peace4  ,thus1 all    
down the line of religious error1 as    
well as in the things here pointed out1 
,joseph ,smith asserted the truth of    
,god1 and maintained it before the      
world4 ,had he done no more than this1  
if this had been the sole achievement in
 the world's realm of thought by our    
,prophet--he would stand in fair way of 
being regarded as the historical        
,american who had exerted the most      
powerful influence upon the destinies of
 his countrymen4 ,but instead of this   
being the end of his achievements it is 
merely the commencement of his life's   
work2 a mere clearing of the ground for 

the new temple of religion and          
philosophy to be erected2 the dismissal 
of the absurdities of old systems to    
make way for the incoming of the new    
system of thought which shall be in     
harmony with the new knowledge of a new 
and glorious age--the incoming          
millennium4  ,i wonder if ,i may venture
 here to draw in outline the suggestion 
of that system8 ,by your leave1 then3   
,in the beginning it is necessary to say
 to you that ,i shall use all ideas1    
doctrines1 philosophies1 science        
principles1 interpretations that ,i find
 brought to the knowledge of the world  
through ,joseph ,smith1 directly or     
indirectly4 ,for while doctrines here   
used are found in the ,book of ,mormon  
and properly should be referred to the  
prophets among ancient ,american peoples
 for their origin1 still the world today
 owe their knowledge of these things to 
the translation of the ,book of ,mormon 
by ,joseph ,smith4 ,so also in relation 
to the ,book of ,moses and the ,book of 

,abraham4 ,so also as to the revelations
 in the ,doctrine and ,covenants2 such  
philosophy and religious principles as  
are there found are given of ,god1 but  
,joseph ,smith received and published   
them1 and for the purposes of what is   
here to be set forth shall stand as his 
doctrines and philosophy1 as well also  
as those utterances that make up the    
subject-matter of his discourses4       
,,vi4  ,,the ,,prophet',s               
,,philosophical ,,doctrines4   ,,the    
,,prophet',s ,,definition ,,of ,,truth3 
,undoubtedly the quest of philosophy is 
,truth4 ,and again1 undoubtedly1        
,philosophy would be greatly helped in  
its search for ,truth if it had but a   
clear conception of what it was trying  
to find2 hence the importance of a clear
 and accurate definition of ,truth4 ,it 
is at this point1 however1 that the     
greatest difficulty arises for the human
 intellect4 ,it is quite generally      
conceded that up to the early decades of
 the nineteenth century no satisfactory 

definition of ,truth had been found4    
,when ,jesus stood bound before         
,pilate's judgment seat1 and testified  
that ,he was born to bear witness of the
 ,truth1 ,pilate--whether in mockery or 
in earnest curiosity we may not now     
know--asked the question3 ,what is      
truth8 ,but the ,divine ,man made no    
answer4 ,most commentators say that1    
without waiting for an answer the ,roman
 procurator departed from the judgment  
hall to speak to the ,jews clamoring on 
the outside2 and all regret the         
opportunity that was there lost of      
receiving a divine answer to the        
question4 ,one set of commentators1     
referring to ,pilate's question1 say to 
him3 ,thou stirrest the question of     
questions1 which the thoughtful of every
 age have asked1 but never man yet      
answered4  ,a secular writer presents   
the same incident as follows3 ',what is 
truth8' was the passionate demand of a  
,roman procurator1 on one of the most   
momentous occasions in history4 ,and the

 ,divine ,person who stood before him1  
to whom the interrogation was addressed1
 made no reply--unless1 indeed1 silence 
contained the reply4 ,often and vainly  
had that demand been made before--often 
and vainly has it been made since4 ,no  
one has yet given a satisfactory answer4
  ,then1 by way of historical           
illustration of this assertion1 our     
author remarks the following3  ,when1 at
 the dawn of science in ,greece1 the    
ancient religion was disappearing like a
 mist at sunrise1 the pious and         
thoughtful men of that country were     
thrown into a condition of intellectual 
despair4 ,anaxagoras plaintively        
exclaims1 ',nothing can be known1       
nothing can be learned1 nothing can be  
certain1 sense is limited1 intellect is 
weak1 life is short4' ,xenophanes tells 
us that it is impossible for us to be   
certain even when we utter the ,truth4  
,parmenides declares that the very      
constitution of man prevents him from   
ascertaining absolute ,truth4           

,empedocles affirms that all            
philosophical and religious systems must
 be unreliable1 because we have no      
criterion by which to test them4        
,democritus asserts that even things    
that are true cannot impart certainty to
 us2 that the final result of human     
inquiry is the discovery that man is    
incapable of absolute knowledge2 that1  
even if the truth be in his possession1 
he cannot be certain of it4 ,pyrrho bids
 us reflect on the necessity of         
suspending our judgment of things1 since
 we have no criterion of truth2 so deep 
a distrust did he impart to his         
followers that they were in the habit of
 saying1 ',we assert nothing2 not even  
that we assert nothing4' ,epicurus      
taught his disciples that truth can     
never be determined by reason4          
,arcesilaus1 denying both intellectual  
and sensuous knowledge1 publicly avowed 
that he knew nothing1 not even his own  
ignorance6 ,the general conclusion to   
which ,greek philosophy came was this3  

that1 in view of the contradiction of   
the evidence of the senses1 we cannot   
distinguish the true from the false2 and
 such is the imperfection of reason1    
that we cannot affirm the correctness of
 any philosophical deduction4  ,i make  
these quotations to show that no        
,teacher satisfactory definition of     
,truth1 either in ancient or modern     
times1 either in religion or philosophy1
 has been given1 and also to call       
attention to the fact that if ,joseph   
,smith has given a definition of ,truth 
that appeals with irresistible force to 
the understanding of men1 it must be a  
strongly original utterance2 a          
revelation of the utmost importance4    
,such a definition1 ,i believe1 he has  
given4 ,in #ahcc he said3  ,truth is    
knowledge of things as they are1 and as 
they were1 and as they are to come4     
,this ,i hold to be the completest      
definition of ,truth found in human     
literature4 ,it deals with relative     
truth1 absolute truth1 and truth        

unfolding or becoming4  ,it may be      
objected that this definition is        
defective in that it appears to make    
,truth depend upon knowledge4 ,truth1   
says the definition1 is knowledge of    
things as they are1 etc4 ,this part of  
the definition deals with relative      
,truth merely4 ,truth as it appears to  
us1 says ,s4 ,baring-,gould1 can only be
 relative1 because we are relative      
creatures1 have only a relative         
perception and judgment4 ,we appreciate 
that which is true to ourselves1 not    
that which is universally true4  ,in    
other words1 and using the language of  
,herbert ,spencer at this point3        
,debarred as we are from everything     
beyond the relative1 ,truth1 raised to  
its highest form1 can be for us nothing 
more than perfect agreement throughout  
the whole range of our experience1      
between those representations of things 
which we distinguish as ideal and those 
presentations of things which we        
distinguish as real4 ,that is to say1 to

 each individual1 knowledge of things as
 they are and as they were will be to   
him the ,truth1 and the fullness        
thereof1 though not necessarily all the 
,truth there is4 ,there is ,truth1      
however1 which does not depend upon     
knowledge2 existences beyond and        
independent of any human knowledge1 at  
least4  ,to illustrate3 ,america        
existed1 though all ,europe was without 
knowledge of it for ages2 until1 in     
fact1 it was discovered by ,columbus4   
,the power of steam always existed1 but 
men did not know it until modern times4 
,so1 also1 with the mysterious force    
called electricity1 it always existed1  
but not until recent years did man know 
it as a force that could be utilized2   
and so as to many other forces and      
truths in ,god's universe that are now  
existing1 and have always existed1 but  
man1 as yet1 has no knowledge of them4  
,the storehouse of ,truth is not yet    
exhausted by man's discoveries4 ,there  
are more ,truths in heaven and earth    

than are yet dreamed of in human        
philosophies4  ,and yet it may be that  
running parallel with those existences1 
substances and relations unknown to man1
 there exist intelligences that cognize 
such existences and relations4 ,to recur
 to one item in the illustrations above3
 ,america existed though all ,europe was
 without knowledge of it until          
discovered by ,columbus2 but ,america   
had inhabitants1 intelligences of her   
own that knew of the existence of these 
,western continents4 ,and so it may be  
if one could be transported to ,mars2   
while there is much that we do not know 
about ,mars--has it an atmosphere and   
oceans8 ,has it great continents and    
mountain ranges8 ,is it inhabited8 ,if  
so1 what is the status of its           
civilization8 ,these all may be         
existences1 realities on ,mars1 but we  
do not know of them1 but there may be   
intelligent inhabitants on ,mars who    
know all these things and a thousand    
more that are unknown to us1 yet known  

to intelligences inhabiting ,mars4 ,and 
so as to the most distant planets and   
planet-systems conceivable4 ,everywhere 
that things exist1 they may be          
paralleled by ,intelligences that       
cognize them4 ,then1 again1 there are   
varying degrees of ,intelligences4      
,where two ,intelligences exist and one 
is more intelligent than another1 it    
leads to the thought that there may be a
 third more intelligent than the first  
two2 thence to a fourth or fifth more   
intelligent still2 thence onward1 rising
 one above another1 in superiority of   
intelligence until you stand in the     
presence of an infinity of              
,intelligences1 or reach ,one more      
intelligent than them all6 ,one who1    
directly or indirectly1 in all councils 
presides2 who guides all movements2 who 
directs all undertakings2 who controls  
all worlds and world-systems2 who loves 
all2 who comprehends all things1 even   
the sum of existences--the ,truth6 ,and 
so in the last analysis of the matter1  

wheresoever there are existences to be  
known1 even though they stretch to      
infinity1 there are also ,intelligences 
that parallel such existences to cognize
 them1 control them1 dominate them1 and 
through them work out ,their will4  ,the
 phrase above--the sum of existence3 we 
have more to do with that4 ,the phrase  
is used by a most faithful and earnest  
,christian man1 the late ,john ,jacques4
 ,instructed by the ,prophet ,joseph    
,smith1 he sang in his hymn on ,truth1  
the following3      ,then say1 what is  
,truth8 ',tis the last and the first1   
,for the limits of time it steps o'er2  
,though the heavens depart and the      
earth's fountains burst1       ,truth1  
the sum of existence1 will weather the  
worst1     ,eternal1 unchanged1         
evermore4  ,surely that which is1 that  
which has been1 and that which is to    
come1 must be the sum of existence1 or  
absolute ,truth2 and all that is1 or has
 been1 or shall be1 has been1 is and    
shall be known by the everywhere        

existing ,intelligences1 who1 with the  
rest of their knowledge1 know           
themselves2 who possess                 
self-consciousness1 as well as          
other-consciousness1 that is1           
consciousness of other things than      
themselves4 ,truth1 indeed1 from this   
view point1 is knowledge of that which  
is1 including self-knowledge of the     
knower4 ,it may be said that the        
absolute ,truth1 even as here set forth1
 is beyond the grasp of the finite mind4
 ,i shall concede the claim2 but because
 finite mind cannot comprehend the sum  
of existence1 or absolute ,truth1 it    
does not follow that the definition we  
are discussing is at fault1 or that it  
can be displaced by one meaning more or 
less4 ,reflection upon the definition   
here presented will develop the fact    
that it contains a self-evident         
proposition of the same nature as the   
statement1 duration is eternal--without 
beginning1 without end4 ,or1 space is   
limitless--it has no point beyond which 

it may not be conceived to extend1 and  
beyond which it does not extend4 ,it is 
vain to say that the finite mind cannot 
comprehend the realities presented by   
these statements4 ,the thing is greater 
than any symbol we can fashion of it by 
word or otherwise2 but we cannot        
conceive the opposite of these          
statements1 i4e41 that space has        
boundaries2 that duration has limits2   
that absolute ,truth is less than the   
sum of existence4 ,in the definition    
herein set forth you have all that is2  
and if in any definition of ,truth there
 is failure to include the sum of       
existences by so much would the         
definition be defective and fail of its 
aim to define ,truth4 ,as to relative   
,truth--every individual man's          
,truth--that is each individual man's   
knowledge of so much of the sum of      
existences as he can make his own1 as   
already pointed out4  ,one other        
reflection on this definition4 ,note the
 words in it3 ,knowledge of things 99 99

 99 as they are to come4 ,this presents 
a view of ,truth seldom if ever met     
with4 ,it gives the idea of movement4   
,truth is not a stagnant pool1 but a    
living fountain2 not a ,dead ,sea       
without tides or currents2 on the       
contrary it is an ocean1 immeasurably   
great1 vast1 co-extensive with the      
,universe--it is the ,universe--        
bright-heaving1 boundless1 endless and  
sublime6 ,moving in majestic currents1  
uplifted by tides in ceaseless ebb and  
flow2 variant but orderly2 taking on new
 forms from ever-changing combinations2 
new adjustments2 new                    
relations--multiplying itself in ten    
thousand times ten thousand ways2 ever  
reflecting the intelligence of the      
,infinite2 and declaring alike in its   
whispers and in its thunders1 the hived 
wisdom of the ages--of ,god6   ,,as ,,to
 ,,things--,,existences3 ,we are next to
 consider the universe in which men1    
angels1 archangels and                  
,gods--,intelligences all--live4  ,there

 are many kingdoms 99 99 99 and there is
 no space in the which there is no      
kingdom2 and there is no kingdom in the 
which there is no space4  ,this was said
 by ,joseph ,smith in #ahcb4 ,the       
context of the passage makes it clear   
that kingdoms here are not groups of men
 or nations over which a monarch reigns2
 but substance1 matter1 worlds and      
systems of worlds1 under the dominion of
 law1 and ,intelligences4 ,it is the    
doctrine of the eternal and everywhere  
existence of matter and space4 ,it is a 
description of the universe as far as it
 is describable4 ,but let us think of   
the passage a moment2 for it requires   
thought to rightly apprehend it4  ,this 
space--what is meant by it8 ,i ask you  
what is between the two walls of this   
hall1 and you would rightly answer      
space1 extension4 ,but what is on the   
outside of each wall--space2 neither    
wall is the end of space1 then4 ,let us 
look higher4 ,what is between us and the
 sun8 ,space--extension4 ,how much of   

it8 ,our astronomers say #ib1jjj1jjj    
miles4 ,what is on the other side of the
 sun in a direct line from us8 ,space4  
,how much1 #ib1jjj1jjj miles8 ,yes1 and 
if #ib1jjj1jjj miles were multiplied by 
#ib1jjj1jjj the product would not       
indicate all the space in a direct line 
from us on the opposite side of the sun4
 ,beyond the point so obtained space    
would still extend4 ,but one wearies of 
these units of measure2 take a ray of   
light4 ,in the single batting of a      
bird's wing light will pass eight times 
round the earth1 that is it will pass   
over a distance of #aih1jjj miles6      
,there are fixed stars--suns--so distant
 from us1 the astronomers say1 that it  
requires hundreds of thousands and even 
millions of years for a ray of light to 
reach us from those distant suns6 ,take 
one of those distant suns and think upon
 it in respect of space1 just as we did 
a moment ago in regard to what is       
between our earth and the sun and beyond
 the sun1 in a direct line from us1 and 

you get the same results4 ,there is no  
means by which the limitless may be     
measured4 ,whatever the length of your  
measuring wand it is still inadequate4  
,by no measurement1 by no conception1   
may one reach the outside curtains      
beyond which space does not extend4 ,and
 so as to time1 duration4 ,what was     
before today8 ,yesterday4 ,and what will
 be after today8 ,tomorrow4 ,take a     
century1 or1 better yet1 a millennium1 a
 period of #a1jjj years--why not take   
#a1jjj1jjj years as a period with which 
to measure duration8 ,it will answer    
just as well as our day of a moment ago4
 ,what preceded our present period of   
#a1jjj1jjj years8 ,a previous #a1jjj1jjj
 of such years4 ,and what will follow   
the present period of #a1jjj1jjj years8 
,another such period4 ,so you may       
continue1 make your period of           
measurement what length of years or     
centuries or millenniums you please1 the
 result will always be the same4 ,it is 
again the attempt to measure the        

limitless1 to encompass that which is   
infinite4 ,the sum of all our thought on
 this head is well stated by ,ernest    
,haeckel in one of his latest works1 the
 very last but one1 ,i believe1 the     
publication of which falls within the   
present decade3  a4 ,the extent of the  
universe is infinite and unbounded2 it  
is empty in no part1 but everywhere     
filled with substance4  b4 ,the duration
 of the world is equally infinite and   
unbounded2 it has no beginning and no   
end2 it is eternity4  ,such may be said 
to be the settled and universal         
conviction of science now2 but it was   
far from such conviction in #ahcb when  
,joseph ,smith said the same in the     
passage--,there are many kingdoms2 99 99
 99 and there is no space in the which  
there is no kingdom2 and there is no    
kingdom in the which there is no space4 
,,the ,,reign ,,of ,,law3 ,there are    
many kingdoms 99 99 99 and to every     
kingdom is given a law2 and to every law
 there are certain bounds also1 and     

conditions4 ,all beings who abide not in
 those conditions 7i4 e41 abide within  
the law7 are not justified4  ,this was  
said in #ahcb4 ,the passage proclaims   
the reign of law throughout this        
infinite universe--through all space1   
through all time2 in all kingdoms2 but  
implies the possibility of departure    
from law4 ,but to every law there are   
certain bounds also and conditions6 ,a  
bold conception this2 especially        
three-quarters of a century ago2 yet it 
is approved by man's experience4 ,the   
power of ocean currents and the winds to
 carry with them objects in the         
direction of their movement is overcome 
by another force or law--the power of   
steam2 the force of gravitation1 by the 
levitating power of gas2 the natural    
tendency of water to seek its level1 by 
the levitating power of heat and the    
absorbing power of the atmosphere1 are  
hurriedly chosen examples4 ,but this    
same idea of law itself having metes and
 bounds1 or law itself being subject to 

law1 ,henry ,drummond1 one of the       
recognized great thinkers of the        
nineteenth century1 more than half a    
century after our ,prophet1 declared to 
be ,one of the most striking            
generalizations of recent science4 ,and 
,john ,fiske said1 ,in order to be      
always sure that we are generalizing    
correctly1 we must make the generalizing
 process itself a subject of            
generalization4 ,which is but a         
recognition of ,drummond's idea that    
laws have their law2 and ,joseph        
,smith's ,to every law there are certain
 bounds also and conditions4 ,already ,i
 have noted in the passage the implied  
possibility of the infraction of law2   
and the idea of law itself implies the  
possibility of disorder1 which must     
result from an infraction1 that is1 a   
departure from1 or violation of1 law4   
,but our ,prophet said3 ,that which is  
governed by law is also preserved by    
law1 and perfected and sanctified by the
 same4 ,that which breaketh a law1 and  

abideth not by law1 but seeketh to      
become a law unto itself1 and willeth to
 abide in sin1 and altogether abideth in
 sin1 cannot be sanctified by law1      
neither by mercy1 justice1 nor judgment4
 ,from all which one is to conclude that
 evil is subject to law as well as good1
 that is1 it cannot remain evil and yet 
produce the effects of good4 ,our       
,prophet teaches1 then1 that through all
 eternity the infinite universe has     
been1 and is1 and will be1 subject to   
law2 but that to every law there are    
certain bounds also and conditions4     
,,change ,,and ,,its ,,tendency3 ,as to 
movement and change in this infinite    
universe1 our ,prophet represents ,god  
as saying3  ,worlds without number have 
,i created4 99 99 99 ,behold1 there are 
many worlds that have passed away by the
 word of my power1 and there are many   
that now stand1 and innumerable are they
 to man4 99 99 99 ,the heavens1 they are
 many1 and they cannot be numbered unto 
man2 99 99 99 and as one earth shall    

pass away1 and the heavens thereof1 even
 so shall another come1 and there is no 
end to my works1 neither to my words4   
,this passage implies constant movement 
in this infinite universe4 ,the         
statement1 ,as one earth shall pass away
 and the heavens thereof1 even so shall 
another come1 corresponds somewhat to   
the modern scientist's notion of        
evolution and devolution4 ,also with his
 statement that ,substance is everywhere
 and always in uninterrupted movement   
and transformation2 nowhere is there    
perfect repose and rigidity2 yet the    
infinite quantity of matter and of      
eternally changing force remains        
constant4 ,and now ,i must ask you to   
accept a somewhat hurriedly stated      
conclusion as to the effect of these    
changes going on in the universe1       
gathered1 indeed1 from the teaching of  
our ,prophet1 but without specific      
quotation1 namely1 that the tendency of 
this movement in the universe1 the      
organization and then the disintegration

 of worlds and world-systems is in the  
direction of the development of1 and for
 the increase of the power and glory of 
truly immortal ,intelligences4 ,this    
conclusion is required by the philosophy
 of ,joseph ,smith4   ,,the ,,existence 
,,of ,,good ,,and ,,evil3 ,respecting   
,good and ,evil1 our ,prophet taught3   
,there must needs be an opposition in   
all things4 ,if it were not so1         
righteousness could not be brought to   
pass2 nor wickedness1 nor holiness1 nor 
misery2 neither good nor bad1 therefore1
 all things must needs be in the absence
 of these opposite existences a compound
 in one4  ,it will require but little   
reflection to establish the truth of    
this doctrine4 ,good implies its        
opposite1 evil4 ,law1 which carries with
 it the idea of order1 implies disorder1
 and takes measures against it4 ,we     
become conscious of the truth of the    
doctrine here announced at every turn4  
,in the astronomic order it is seen in  
the centripetal and centrifugal         

forces--the holding together and the    
flying apart forces4 ,in chemistry it is
 manifest in the composing and          
decomposing forces2 in positive and     
negative electricity4 ,it is seen in    
light and darkness2 heat1 cold2         
movement1 repose2 joy1 sorrow2 pleasure1
 pain2 and so following4 ,our ,prophet's
 teaching on this line runs to the      
extent that existence itself is made to 
depend upon it1 this antinomy of things4
 ,listen3      ,and if ye shall say     
there is no law1 ye shall also say there
 is     no sin4 ,if ye shall say there  
is no sin1 ye shall also say there      
is no righteousness4 ,and if there is no
 righteousness there is no              
happiness4 ,and if there is no          
righteousness nor happiness1 there      
is no punishment nor misery4 ,and if    
these things are not1 there is     no   
,god4 ,and if there is no ,god1 we are  
not1 neither the earth2 for     there   
could have been no creation of things2  
neither to act1 nor     to be acted     

upon4  ,have you ever thought what a    
dreadful world this would be without    
this duality--the opposite existences   
here contended for8 ,imagine all things 
in the world to be white6 ,no contrasts 
in coloring6 ,universal insanity must   
result4 ,the dread of sinking into      
naught is matched by the dread of having
 things resolved into a compound of one4
 ,the absence of this necessary         
opposition in all things is well put1 by
 a very recent philosophical writer1 in 
these terms3      ,evil exists in the   
balance of natural forces4 99 99 99 ,it 
is also     the background of good1 the 
incentive to good1 and the trial of     
good1 without which good could not be4  
,as the virtue of courage     could not 
exist without the evil of danger1 and as
 the virtue of     sympathy could not   
exist without the evil of suffering1 so 
no     other virtue could exist without 
its corresponding evil4 ,in a     world 
without evil--if such a world be really 
conceivable1 all men     would have     

perfect health1 perfect intelligence1   
and perfect     morals4 ,no one could   
gain or impart information1 each one's  
cup of     knowledge being full4 ,the   
temperature would stand forever at #gj  
degrees1 both heat and cold in excess   
being evil4 ,there could be     no      
progress1 since progress is the         
overcoming of evil4 ,a world     without
 evil would be as toil without exertion1
 as light without     darkness1 as a    
battle with no antagonist4 ,it would be 
a world     without meaning4  ,the      
,german philosopher ,kant put the same  
thought in beautiful form when he said1 
in substance3 ,the dove1 as she speeds  
her way through the air1 may marvel at  
the resistance to her flight by the     
atmosphere1 but we know that but for    
that resistance she could not fly at    
all4 ,so far ,kant4 ,applied1 the       
conclusion would be3 ,as the resistance 
of the air to the flight of the dove1 so
 is evil to the progress of             
,intelligences4  ,in the ,december      

number1 #aijh1 of the ,cosmopolitan     
,magazine1 ,i find the following        
reflections1 by ,mr4 ,ambrose ,bierce1  
on the point here discussed2 and while  
not accepting1 without modification1    
every thought expressed1 ,i consider the
 passage too pertinent1 and too rich to 
be denied admittance into these pages3  
,let us for a moment suppose this       
country's reformers to have achieved    
their amiable purpose--their purposes1  
rather1 for these are as the leaves of  
the forest1 and no two alike4 ,we have1 
then1 a country in which are no poverty1
 no contention1 no tyranny nor          
oppression1 no peril to life or limb1 no
 disease--and so forth4 ,how delightful6
 ,what a good and happy people6 ,alas1  
no6 ,with poverty have vanished         
benevolence1 providence1 and the        
foresight which1 born of the fear of    
individual want1 stands guard at a      
thousand gates to defend the general    
good4 ,the charitable impulse is dead in
 every breast1 and gratitude1 atrophied 

by disuse1 has no longer a place among  
human sentiments and emotions4 ,with no 
more fighting among ourselves we have   
lost the power of resentment and        
resistance3 a car-load of ,mexicans or a
 shipful of ,japanese can invade our    
fool's paradise and enslave us1 as the  
,spaniards overran ,peru and the        
,british subdued ,india4 7,hailers of   
the dawn of the new era will1 ,i trust1 
provide that it dawns everywhere at once
 or here last of all47 ,having no       
oppression to resist and no perils to   
apprehend1 we no longer need the courage
 to defy1 nor the fortitude to endure4  
,heroism is a failing memory and        
magnanimity a dream of the past2 for not
 only are the virtues known by contrast 
with the vices1 they spring from the    
same seed1 grow in the same soil1 ripen 
in the same sunshine1 and perish in the 
same frost4 ,a fine race of mollycoddles
 we should be without our sins and      
sufferings6 ,in a world without evils   
there would be one supreme              

evil--existence4 ,we need not fear any  
such condition4 ,progress is infected   
with the germs of reversion2 on the     
grave of the civilization of today will 
squat the barbarian of tomorrow1 with a 
glory in his bosom that will transfigure
 him the day after4 ,the alternation is 
one that we can neither hasten nor      
retard1 for our success baffles us4 ,if1
 for example1 we could abolish war1     
disease1 and famine1 the race would     
multiply to the point of standing room  
only--a condition prophesying war1      
disease1 and famine4 ,wherefore the     
wisest prayer is this1 ,o ,lord1 make   
thy servant strong to fight and impotent
 to prevail4  ,moral evil1 then1 is not 
a created thing4 ,it is one of the      
eternal existences1 just as duration is 
and space4 ,it is as old as law--old as 
,truth1 old as this eternal universe4   
,intelligences must adjust themselves to
 these eternal existences2 this1 the    
measure of their duty4   ,,the          
,,intelligent ,,entity3 ,of man's       

spirit1 called often by other           
names--mind1 intelligence1 ego1 self2   
but by whatever name it is called1 and  
all nice distinctions set aside1 here ,i
 mean that conscious1 self-determining  
entity1 which thinks1 reasons1 wills1   
loves1 aspires--,i mean the real man4   
,let us in our discourse call him       
spirit4 ,of man1 then1 thus understood1 
our ,prophet taught3      ,the soul--the
 mind of man--the immortal spirit--where
 did it come     from8 ,all learned men 
and doctors of divinity say that ,god   
created     it in the beginning2 but it 
is not so2 the very idea lessens man    
in my estimation4 ,i do not believe the 
doctrine4 ,i know better4 99     99 99  
,we say that ,god himself is a          
self-existent ,being4 ,who told you     
so8 ,it is correct enough1 but how did  
it get into your heads8 ,who     told   
you that man did not exist in like      
manner1 upon the same     principles8 99
 99 99 ,is it logical to say that the   
intelligence of     spirits is immortal1

 and yet that it had a beginning8 ,the  
intelligence of spirits had no          
beginning1 neither will it have an      
end4 99 99 99 ,there never was a time   
when there were not spirits2 for        
they are co-eternal with our ,father in 
heaven4 99 99 99 ,the spirit of     man 
is not a created being2 it existed from 
eternity1 and will     exist to         
eternity4  ,man1 then1 in the ,prophet's
 philosophy1 is not a created1 but a    
self-existent entity1 one of the eternal
 things2 not created1 really            
uncreatable1 as also indestructible4    
,not of earth origin1 but existing in   
heavens without number1 brother to all  
,intelligences--brother to the ,christ  
with the rest4 ,i was in the beginning  
with the ,father1 our ,prophet          
represents the ,christ as saying--,i was
 in the beginning with the ,father4 99  
99 99 ,ye the brethren present when the 
revelation was given were also in the   
beginning with the ,father1 that which  
is spirit4 99 99 99 ,man the race was   

also in the beginning with ,god4        
,intelligence was not created or made1  
neither indeed can be4  ,but while these
 spirits or intelligent entities may be 
equal as to their eternity1 they differ 
in the degree of intelligence--so our   
,prophet teaches3 ,where two things     
exist1 one higher than another1 there   
may be another thing higher yet4 ,where 
two things exist1 one superior to       
another1 there may be another still     
superior1 and so on4 ,so where two      
spirits exist1 one being more           
intelligent than the other1 there may be
 another more intelligent than the      
first4 ,yet1 notwithstanding this       
difference in degree of intelligence1   
they are equal as to their eternity4    
,they existed before1 said our ,prophet1
 they shall have no end2 they shall     
exist after1 for they are gnolaum1 or   
eternal4 ,it is this difference in      
,intelligences that leads to order in   
this universe of ours4 ,the more        
advanced ,intelligences governing1      

controlling1 devising1 organizing1      
forming societies1 making               
governments--all which shall tend to    
increase the glory and power and joy of 
,intelligences2 to this end bringing    
into existence what we call worlds1     
world-systems1 guiding them through     
immense cycles of time1 and through     
processes that lead from chaos to       
cosmos1 from telestial to celestial1 and
 when attaining a point beyond which    
they may not be exalted in their present
 forms1 breaking those forms1           
disintegrating them1 throwing them      
back--these baser material things1 not  
,intelligences--back to chaos1 to be    
brought forth again to reach a grander  
cosmos--worlds without number have thus 
passed away1 by the word of ,god's      
power1 and many now stand1 innumerable  
unto man2 and as one earth and its      
heavens shall pass away1 so shall       
another come1 and there is no end to    
these works1 this evolution and this    
devolution4 ,and so the eternal drama   

proceeds4 ,intelligences meanwhile      
standing unhurt amidst this organization
 and disorganization of worlds2 these   
integrating and disintegrating elements1
 this movement from lower to higher     
forms1 from little to greater           
excellences2 yet this without attaining 
to highest or perfect1 because advancing
 in the infinite1 which knows no        
ultimates4 ,meanwhile ,intelligences1   
amid these changes1 under the law of    
eternal progress1 are ever-increasing in
 power1 glory1 might1 dominion1 love1   
benevolence1 charity1 justice1 and all  
else that can make for the increase of  
their power and glory4 ,in which        
strivings and achievements eternal evil 
is present2 makes necessary and         
possible1 in fact1 the very strivings   
and achievements2 and is the foil on    
which good produces itself1 and becomes 
known4   ,,the ,,relationship ,,of      
,,intelligences3 ,it is seen that our   
,prophet taught the eternity of         
,intelligences2 and that they are not   

only not created1 but uncreatable2 that 
though they differ in degree of         
intelligence1 of knowledge1 of love1    
hence differ also in power1 in          
influence1 in glory--in all that comes  
from soul power4 ,the presiding         
,intelligence to that order of things   
and beings to which we belong1 is       
represented as standing among the       
,intelligences destined to our earth1   
and among these there were many of the  
noble and great ones4 ,and the          
,presiding ,intelligence said3 ,these ,i
 will make my ,rulers2 for ,he stood    
among those that were spirits1 and ,he  
saw that they were good4 ,the noble and 
great ones are made ,rulers2 and        
doubtless the principle here operating  
in respect of those ,intelligences      
destined to our earth1 operates in all  
worlds and world systems4 ,some of the  
,noble and ,great ,ones stand at the    
head of worlds and groups of worlds1    
forming ,grand ,presidencies1 in order  
and gradation based upon their power and

 appointment4 ,all which is dependent   
upon their intelligence1 their          
character1 their nobility and           
greatness--measured by their capacity to
 serve4 ,each one of such ,rulers--and  
each ,intelligence1 in fact--independent
 in the sphere in which he is appointed 
to act1 yet acting in harmony1 through  
attainment of the knowledge of ,truth1  
with all other exalted and sanctified   
souls--these are ,gods1 or the ,rulers  
in this ,universe4 ,these make up       
,david's congregation of the ,mighty1 in
 which ,god1 ,more intelligent than them
 all1 standeth and judgeth among the    
,gods4 7,psalms #hb3 #a47 ,and to these1
 in their several stations1 other       
,intelligences owe loyalty1             
submission--call it worship if you like2
 at any rate it must be unshaken        
loyalty1 in order to attain the ends    
proposed in all plans of salvation1     
gospels1 societies1 kingdoms of ,god1   
and the like1 in which plans1 gospels   
and the rest1 each spirit agreed and    

covenanted to accept1 as also to obey   
and honor those appointed to direct and 
bring to pass that which was ordained in
 the councils of ,divine ,intelligences4
 ,at the first organization in heaven1  
said the ,prophet1 speaking with        
reference to matters pertaining to our  
earth1 and the probation of spirits upon
 it in earth-life--at the first         
organization in heaven we were all      
present1 and saw the ,savior chosen and 
appointed1 and the plan of salvation    
made1 and we sanctioned it4 ,this the   
meaning of man the race was also in the 
beginning with ,god4 ,and as to the     
,rulers1 ,presidencies--they are not    
,rulers in the worldly sense of those   
words4 ,government here1 office in the  
kingdom of ,god1 means opportunity for  
service1 not of mastery4 ,ye know that  
the princes of the ,gentiles exercise   
dominion over them1 and they that are   
great exercise authority upon them4 ,but
 it shall not be so among you4 ,but     
whosoever would be great among you1 let 

him be your minister2 and whosoever will
 be chief among you1 let him be your    
servant2 even as the ,son of ,man came  
not to be ministered unto1 but to       
minister1 and to give ,his life a ransom
 for many4 ,so ,joseph ,smith3 ,the     
powers of heaven can only be controlled 
upon the principles of righteousness4   
,when men undertake to cover their sins 
or to gratify their pride or vain       
ambition or exercise control or dominion
 or compulsion upon the souls of the    
children of men in any degree of        
unrighteousness1 the heavens withdraw   
themselves1 the spirit of the ,lord is  
grieved1 and when it is withdrawn1 amen 
to the authority of that man4 ,no power 
or influence can or ought to be         
maintained by virtue of the ,priesthood1
 only by persuasion1 by long suffering1 
by gentleness1 and meekness1 and by love
 unfeigned2 by kindness1 and pure       
knowledge1 which shall greatly enlarge  
the soul1 without hypocrisy1 and without
 guile4  ,this1 the principle of        

heavenly rule4   ,,man',s ,,freedom3    
,through all that is here set forth as  
,joseph ,smith's doctrines1 it will be  
seen that the free moral agency of man  
is regarded as a reality4 ,first1 the   
recognition of man1 as a spirit1 being a
 self-existent entity--not a created    
thing2 man i4e41 all men1 the race was  
in the beginning with ,god4             
,intelligence1 or the light of truth1   
was not created or made1 neither indeed 
can be4 ,then second1 ,all truth is     
independent in that sphere in which ,god
 has placed it1 to act for itself1 as   
all ,intelligence also1 otherwise there 
is no existence4 ,behold1 here is the   
agency of man1 and here is the          
condemnation of man1 because that which 
was from the beginning is plainly       
manifest unto them1 and they receive not
 the light4 ,and every man1 whose spirit
 receiveth not the light1 is under      
condemnation1 for man is spirit4  ,the  
fact of free moral agency runs through  
all the ,prophet's revelations in       

similar spirit4 ,indeed1 in one         
scripture he represents the chief sin of
 ,lucifer as being an attempt to destroy
 the agency of man2 and for which he was
 driven forth from heaven4 ,the effect  
of these two doctrines1 the recognition 
of the spirit of man as an eternal      
being1 and his being a free moral agent1
 is tremendous in accounting for things4
 ,elsewhere1 contrasting this view of   
things with some modern ,christian      
views1 ,i have said3 ,as matters now    
stand1 the usually accepted ,christian  
doctrine on the matter of man's origin  
is that ,god of ,his free-will created  
men4 ,that they are as ,he would have   
them1 since in ,his act of creation ,he 
could have had them different if ,he had
 so minded4 ,then why should ,he--being 
infinitely wise and infinitely powerful1
 and infinitely good--for so the creeds 
represent ,him--why should ,he create by
 mere act of volition1 beings such as   
men are1 not only capable of1 but prone 
to1 moral ,evil8 ,which1 in the last    

analysis of things1 in spite of all     
special pleadings to the contrary1      
leaves responsibility for moral ,evil   
with ,god8 ,god's creative acts         
culminating thus1 the next pertinent    
questions are3 ,then what of the decreed
 purpose of ,god to punish moral ,evil8 
,and what of the much-vaunted justice of
 ,god in that punishment8 ,wherein lies 
the just responsibility of man if he was
 so created as to love ,evil and to     
follow it8 ,it is revolting to reason1  
as it is shocking to piety1 to think    
that ,god1 of ,his own free will1       
created some men1 not only inclined to  
wickedness1 but desperately so inclined2
 while others ,he1 of ,his own volition1
 created with dispositions naturally    
inclined toward goodness4 ,in like      
manner stands it with man in relation to
 his inclination to faith1 and to       
unbelief2 and yet1 under the orthodox   
belief all are included under one law   
for judgment6  ,on the other hand1 under
 the conception of the existence of     

independent1 uncreated1 self-existent   
,intelligences1 who by the inherent     
nature of them are of various degrees of
 intelligence1 doubtless differing from 
each other in many ways1 yet alike in   
their eternity and their freedom2 with  
,god standing in the midst of them1 more
 intelligent than them all1 and         
proposing the betterment of their       
condition--progress to higher levels of 
being1 and power through change--under  
this conception of things1 how stand    
matters8 ,why1 ever present through all 
changes1 through all the processes of   
betterment1 is the self-existent entity 
of the ,intelligence with the tremendous
 fact of his consciousness and his moral
 freedom1 and his indestructibility--he 
has his choice of moving upward or      
downward in every estate he occupies2   
often defeating1 for a time1 at least1  
even the benevolent purposes of ,god    
respecting him1 through his own         
perverseness2 he passes through dire    
experiences1 suffers terribly1 yet      

learns by what he suffers1 so that his  
very suffering becomes a means to his   
improvement2 he learns swiftly or       
slowly1 according to the inherent nature
 of him1 obedience to law2 he learns    
that that which is governed by law is   
also preserved by law1 and perfected and
 sanctified by the same2 and that which 
breaketh the law and abideth not by law1
 but seeketh to become a law unto       
itself1 and willeth to abide in sin1    
cannot be sanctified by law1 neither by 
mercy1 justice nor judgment4 ,therefore 
they must remain filthy still4 ,this    
conception of things relieves ,god of   
the responsibility for the nature and   
status of intelligences in all stages of
 their development2 their inherent      
nature and their volition makes them    
primarily what they are1 and this nature
 they may change1 slowly1 perhaps1 yet  
change it they may4 ,god has put them in
 the way of changing it1 by enlarging   
their intelligence through change of    
environment1 through experiences2 the   

only way ,god effects these             
self-existent beings is favorably2 ,he  
creates not their inherent nature2 ,he  
is not responsible for the use they make
 of their freedom2 nor is ,he the author
 of their sufferings when they fall into
 sin3 that arises out of the violations 
of law1 to which the ,intelligence      
subscribed1 and must be endured until   
the lessons of obedience to law are     
learned4  ,this conception of the order 
of things1 as to the existence of       
,intelligences and in the moral         
government of the world1 discovers a    
harmony in that government which at once
 challenges our admiration1 and bears   
evidence of its truth4   ,,eternity ,,of
 ,,relationships3 ,matching these       
eternal things1 an eternal universe1    
eternal spirit entities1 eternal good1  
with its background of eternal          
evil1--eternal law1 agency and the like1
 is the ,prophet's doctrine of eternal  
relations4 ,intelligences are begotten  
spirits2 spirits are begotten men and   

women2 these become resurrected and     
exalted personages1 spirit and element  
in them being eternally united1 whence  
proceeds the fulness of joy1 and glory1 
and power4 ,the ,prophet taught that    
these relations1 under which such       
begettings proceed in celestial worlds1 
are themselves eternal4 ,the marriage   
covenant which united immortal beings is
 eternal1 hence the eternity of the     
marriage covenant which ,joseph ,smith  
introduced in our dispensation1 called  
the ,new and ,everlasting ,covenant of  
,marriage1 by which marriages1 under the
 law of ,god1 are made in our sacred    
places for time and eternity4 ,thus the 
relationships of exalted ,intelligences 
is also a thing regulated and sanctified
 by law2 and from these relations come  
the family1 a permanent1 eternal        
institution2 whence spring1 also1 all   
other relationships existing among the  
exalted ,intelligences of all worlds and
 world-systems2 until1 indeed1 all are  
bound and united together in bonds of   

relationships founded on mutual         
covenants and agreements1 and sanctified
 by love and sympathy4  ,we may not     
persue this division of our subject     
further now4 ,i merely call your        
attention to these doctrines of the     
,prophet1 without making any attempt to 
weave them into a system of philosophy  
of things1 or of sentient existences2   
but ,i am persuaded that these doctrines
 set forth by the ,prophet-,teacher of  
our dispensation1 not indeed as the     
result of his own1 human meditation1 but
 based upon knowledge which ,god        
revealed to him--therefore1 coming with 
divine sanction--,i am persuaded1 ,i    
say1 that these doctrines contain the   
elements of a physical1 moral and       
spiritual philosophy that will be the   
accepted philosophy of the ,new ,age now
 dawning upon our world2 a philosophy   
that will supersede all other           
philosophies and remain steadfast in    
both the beliefs and affections of      
mankind4 ,the elements1 ,i say1 are here

 in these doctrines2 they await only    
some future ,spencer to weave them into 
synthetic completeness1 that shall be as
 beautiful as it will be true1 to make  
that philosophy acceptable to the higher
 intellects of our age4     ,,vii4      
,,the ,,prophet',s ,,generalizations4   
,a word in relation to the manner of the
 ,prophet's teaching4 ,it was unique in 
its way4 ,he may scarcely be said to    
have made any attempt at creating a     
system of philosophy however much may be
 said for his system of religion and of 
ecclesiastical government4 ,his         
philosophical principles were flung off 
in utterances without reference to any  
arrangement or orderly sequence2 and in 
the main were taught in independent     
aphorisms1 which is a remarkably        
effective way of teaching1 for an       
aphorism resembles the proverb1 and is a
 form in which ,truth is bound to live4 
,it is the ,american philosopher        
,emerson1 ,i think1 who describes a     
proverb to be the language of absolute  

,truth--the statement of ,truth without 
qualification4 ,it is the literature of 
power4 ,fortunate1 indeed1 is the man   
who gives a people or nation a proverb2 
and so1 too1 is the nation or people    
fortunate who receive it4 ,like mercy1  
it is twice blessed1 it blesseth him    
that gives and him that takes4 ,usually 
proverbs are produced by a race's       
experience4 ,proverbs come up out of the
 tribulations of a people4 ,they are    
produced slowly and represent the hived 
wisdom of the ages4 ,books of proverbs  
are not written by men1 to whom they are
 sometimes ascribed1 they represent a   
collection slowly produced through      
centuries4 ,such are the proverbs of our
 ,bible2 proverbs of the ,chinese       
classics2 and the proverbs of the       
,hindoo literature4 ,joseph ,smith gave 
to his age many of these generalized    
truths1 more1 ,i think1 than has fallen 
to the lot of any other teacher1 save   
,jesus1 the ,christ4 ,i can but repeat a
 few of these as examples3      ,the    

glory of ,god is intelligence4      ,it 
is impossible for a man to be saved in  
ignorance4      ,a man is saved no      
faster than he gets knowledge4          
,knowledge saves a man1 and in the world
 of spirits no man can be     exalted   
but by knowledge4      ,whatsoever      
principle of intelligence we attain unto
 in this life     will rise with us in  
the resurrection4      ,if one man1 by  
his diligence1 obtains more knowledge   
than     another1 he will have so much  
the advantage in the world to come4     
,there is a law irrevocably decreed in  
heaven before the     foundations of    
this world1 upon which all blessings are
     predicated2 and when we obtain any 
blessing from ,god1 it is by            
obedience to that law on which it is    
predicated4      ,adam fell that man    
might be1 and men are that they might   
have     joy4      ,this is the glory of
 ,god--to bring to pass the immortality 
and     the eternal life of man4        
,the elements are eternal1 yea1 the     

elements are the tabernacle of     ,god4
 ,man is the tabernacle of ,god1 even   
temples4      ,the elements are eternal1
 and spirit and element1 inseparably    
united1 receive a fulness of joy  ,hence
 the importance of man's     earth life 
in which spirit is united to earthly    
elements4      ,if men do not comprehend
 the character of ,god1 they do not     
comprehend themselves4      ,god        
,himself was once as we are now2 and is 
an exalted ,man2 for     ,adam was      
created in the very fashion1 image and  
likeness of ,god4      ,the spirit of   
man is not a created being2 it existed  
from     eternity1 and will exist to    
eternity4 ,anything created cannot be   
eternal4      ,the spirit and the body  
is the soul of man2 and the resurrection
     from the dead is the redemption of 
the soul4      ,it is the first         
principle of the ,gospel to know for a  
certainty     the character of ,god1 and
 to know that we may converse with ,him 
as     one man converses with another4  

,jesus was in the beginning with the    
,father4 99 99 99 ,man was also in      
the beginning with ,god4 ,intelligence1 
or the light of truth1 was     not      
created or made1 neither indeed can be4 
,jesus treads in the footsteps of ,his  
,father1 and inherits what     ,god did 
before2 and ,god is thus glorified and  
exalted in the     salvation and        
exaltation of all ,his children4        
,the things of ,god are of deep import2 
and time and experience and     careful 
and ponderous and solemn thoughts can   
only find them out4     ,thy mind1 ,o   
man1 if thou wilt lead a soul unto      
salvation1 must     stretch as high as  
the utmost heavens and search into and  
contemplate the darkest abyss and the   
broad expanse of     eternity--thou must
 commune with ,god6  ,the ,prophet      
represents ,god as saying3 ,i give unto 
men weaknesses that they might be       
humble1 and my grace is sufficient for  
all those who humble themselves before  
me4  ,to one who inquired how he        

governed men so well1 he said3 ,i do not
 govern them3 ,i teach men correct      
principles1 and they govern themselves4 
,these sayings1 with many others of like
 character1 in the future literature of 
,america1 philosophical and religious1  
will make its pages blaze with glory4   
,they are destined to become generally  
accepted principles of truth4 ,they will
 become household aphorisms4 ,they are  
words spoken by inspiration of ,god4    
,they come from what ,carlyle calls1 the
 inner ,fact of things4 ,they will live 
to influence the future generations of  
,america1 and of men everywhere4        
,,viii4  ,,an ,,american ,,prophet4     
,,america ,,the ,,old ,,world3 ,there is
 one more thought ,i would like to      
present to you respecting this ,prophet1
 ,joseph ,smith4 ,he is pre-eminently   
the ,american ,prophet4 ,he is not the  
boy prophet2 ,i dislike that term4 ,he  
is not the ,prophet of ,palmyra2 he is  
the ,prophet of the dispensation of the 
fulness of times2 if localized at all he

 must be known as the ,american         
,prophet4  ,never was greater mistake   
made than to suppose that the disciples 
of ,joseph ,smith could be unpatriotic  
,americans4 ,they must be ardently      
patriotic ,americans4 ,that this is     
true1 let me a little show it4 ,a line  
in one of our hymns runs3      ,for in  
,adam-ondi-,ahman1     ,zion rose where 
,eden was4  ,what is the meaning of     
this8 ,it means that the ,prophet taught
 that the ,american continents are not  
the ,new ,world1 but the ,old2 ,teacher 
that ,eden was here in ,america4        
,adam-ondi-,ahman1 the place where ,adam
 dwelt after being driven from ,eden1   
the ,prophet declared to be in          
,missouri1 in the valley of the ,grand  
,river4 ,he represents a gathering      
together there of the patriarchs of the 
antediluvian age3 and tells how they    
blessed ,adam1 or ,michael1 the ,ancient
 of ,days2 and ,adam rose among them and
 blessed the patriarchs1 his posterity1 
and told what should befall them to     

their latest generations4  ,among the   
,patriarchs ,enoch was pre-eminent for  
righteousness4 ,he1 in this western     
hemisphere1 founded a city1 sanctified  
it1 and called it ,zion1 the abode of   
the pure in heart2 for this is          
,zion--wherein that word relates to a   
people--the pure in heart4 ,hence ,zion 
rose where ,eden was1 here in ,america4 
,but in the course of time ,enoch walked
 with ,god3 and he was not2 for ,god    
took him4 ,that is1 according to ,paul1 
,god translated him1 that he should not 
see death 7,gen4 v2 ,heb4 xi72 and      
according to ,joseph ,smith1 this       
happened to his city also2 hence the    
saying1 ,zion's fled4  ,then after the  
,flood1 the ,lord led to these ,western 
continents the ,jaredite colony from the
 ,euphrates valley2 and sixteen         
centuries later the ,nephite colony from
 ,jerusalem4 ,in each case the ,lord    
declared to the peoples so led to the   
,western world that it was a choice land
 above all other lands4 ,the ,savior1 in

 the most glorious manner1 after ,his   
resurrection from the dead1 visited     
these blessed ,western ,continents and  
declared that here should be built a    
,holy ,city by the united efforts of the
 house of ,israel1 chiefly the          
descendants of the ,patriarch ,joseph1  
of ,egyptian fame1 and the ,gentile     
races who have right to an inheritance  
in the land2 and the ,city should be    
called ,zion1 a ,new ,jerusalem4 ,the   
,zion from which the law should go      
forth1 as the word of the ,lord should  
go forth from ,old ,jerusalem4 ,because 
of the future establishment of this     
city1 of ,zion1 upon these western      
continents1 as also on account of       
,enoch's ,zion1 they are called the     
,land of ,zion4   ,,the ,,constitution  
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,inspired 
,,of ,,god3 ,joseph ,smith also taught  
that the ,constitution of the ,united   
,states was a ,god-inspired instrument4 
,it is not right1 he represents the     
,lord as saying1 that one man should be 

in bondage to another2 and hence the    
,constitution should be maintained for  
the preservation of the rights1 and the 
protection of all flesh1 according to   
just and holy principles1 that every man
 may act in doctrine and principle1     
pertaining to futurity1 according to the
 moral agency which ,i the ,lord have   
given unto him1 that every man may be   
accountable for his own sins in the day 
of judgment4 ,and for this purpose have 
,i established the ,constitution of this
 land by the hands of wise men whom ,i  
raised up unto this very purpose4  ,so  
,joseph ,smith's disciples hold the     
,constitution of the ,united ,states to 
be inspired of ,god4 ,i think sometimes1
 however1 that we do not realize all    
that this truth means4 ,we are apt to   
think of things in mass1 and do not take
 the time to analyze them4 ,what does it
 mean to say that the ,constitution of  
the ,united ,states is an inspired      
instrument8 ,undoubtedly1 it means      
primarily that ,god recognizes the right

 of the people1 in their political      
capacity1 to govern themselves4 ,it     
expresses the divine belief1 so to      
speak1 in the capacity of man for       
self-government4 ,it means that the     
people in their political affairs are   
sovereign2 for this is the chief thing  
which distinguishes the ,american       
government from other political systems 
of government4 ,we are not always happy 
in our forms of expression4 ,we do not  
make our terminology always meet our    
ideas4 ,in spite of the fact just       
alluded to--viz41 the people are        
sovereign1 we talk of1 and pray for1    
those who rule over us1 meaning         
presidents1 cabinets1 senators1         
governors1 and the like2 but these are  
not rulers1 they are the people's       
servants1 elected for a limited time to 
administer government according to law1 
under the provisions of our             
,constitution2 but they serve1 they do  
not rule4 ,the people are sovereign1 and
 the people alone are rulers1 and they  

appoint or elect their servants4        
,moreover1 this ,constitution provides  
for the freedom of the press2 for       
freedom of speech2 for freedom and      
independence of the individual4 ,it     
guarantees religious liberty1 hence a   
free church1 as well as a free state1   
each independent of and separate from   
the other4 ,the government is an        
indestructible ,union1 composed of      
indestructible ,states4 ,to hold that   
the ,constitution which provides for    
these things1 is inspired of ,god1 is to
 hold that each of these separate       
things1 as well as the thing in mass1 is
 ordained of ,god by the hands of wise  
men whom ,he raised up to establish this
 system of government2 and to deny to   
the people the enjoyment of these       
several rights1 to undertake1 by any    
means whatsoever1 to thwart the         
realization of government by the people1
 to attempt to defeat the expression of 
their will1 or make it result different 
from what their untrammeled judgment    

would have it1 is to make an infraction 
upon the things that have been ordained 
of ,god4  ,in the above quotation       
concerning the system of ,government    
established by the ,constitution of the 
,united ,states being inspired of ,god1 
we may discern the purpose of ,god in   
the establishment of such a government4 
,that purpose is that every man may     
become directly and personally          
responsible to ,god for his actions in  
matters relating to civil               
government--that every man may be       
accountable for his own sins in the day 
of judgment4 ,the principle is1 however1
 more fully developed in the ,book of   
,mormon than in the quotation here      
considered4 ,the incident which develops
 the principle occurs in the reign of   
the first ,mosiah1 and at a period that 
corresponds with the latter half of the 
second century ,b4,c4 ,the old king     
proposed to his people a revolution in  
the form of government by which monarchy
 should be abandoned and a republican   

form of government established in its   
place4 ,in urging this revolutionary    
measure the good king said3      ,it is 
not common that the voice of the people 
desireth anything     contrary to that  
which is right2 but it is common for the
 lesser     part of the people to desire
 that which is not right2 therefore     
this shall ye observe1 and make it your 
law1 to do your business     by the     
voice of the people4 ,and if the time   
comes that the voice     of the people  
doth choose iniquity1 then is the time  
that the     judgments of ,god will come
 upon you1 yea1 then is the time ,he    
will     visit you with great           
destruction1 even as ,he has hitherto   
visited     this land4 99 99 99 ,and ,i 
command you to do these things in the   
fear     of the ,lord2 and ,i command   
you to do these things1 and that ye     
have no king2 that if these people      
commit sins and iniquities1     they    
shall be answered upon their own heads4 
,for behold1 ,i say     unto you1 the   

sins of many people have been caused by 
the     iniquities of their kings2      
therefore their iniquities are answered 
upon the heads of their kings4 ,and now 
,i desire that this     inequality      
should be no more in this land1         
especially among this     my people2 but
 ,i desire that this be a land of       
liberty1 that every     man may enjoy   
his rights and privileges alike1 so long
 as the ,lord     sees fit that we may  
live and inherit the land2 yea1 even as 
long     as any of our posterity remains
 upon the face of the land4  ,but in    
order that this element of moral        
responsibility may be brought into civil
 government1 it stands to reason that   
every individual must be free and       
untrammeled in the exercise of his      
political duties1 including the casting 
of his vote4 ,each individual must have 
an equal voice in the government4 ,every
 man must be a sovereign in the civil   
institution1 and his vote must represent
 the voice and judgment of a free man4  

,a vote unawed by influence1 and        
uncoerced by any power whatsoever4 ,less
 than this would convert the whole      
scheme of government by the voice of the
 people into mockery4 ,under a system of
 government by the people1 in order to  
retain the element of moral             
responsibility of the people in civil   
affairs1 there must be no appeal but to 
the intelligent judgment of the         
individual4 ,each man's act must be the 
act of a free man2 and those who would  
corrupt the electorate of a government  
where the people rule1 or sway it by any
 other force than by an appeal to       
reason1 would destroy this element of   
personal1 moral responsibility in civil 
government1 and in the case of those of 
us who accept this book from which ,i am
 quoting--if we would appeal to any     
other force than to that of reason or   
resort to any species of coercion1 we   
would be setting ourselves against an   
order of things that ,god has ordained4 
,adherence to these principles is pure  

,americanism4 ,this is constitutional   
morality4 ,this is both the principle   
and the policy that will most inure to  
the perpetuation of our free            
institutions4 ,this is the sheet-anchor 
of our safety as a nation--our surest   
guarantee of ,god's favor4 ,the man who 
promulgated this doctrine of individual1
 personal responsibility to ,god in the 
affairs of civil government1 where the  
people rule1 is worthy to be numbered   
among the greatest of ,american         
statesmen1 ,american teachers1 ,american
 prophets6  ,it means a great deal1 this
 idea that the ,constitution of the     
,united ,states is inspired of ,god6    
,,america ,,fortified ,,of ,,god        
,,against ,,other ,,nations3 ,not only  
did the ,prophet teach the doctrine that
 the ,united ,states ,constitution was  
inspired of ,god1 but he tells us       
through the ,book of ,mormon that ,god  
has fortified this land against all     
other nations4 ,i will read you the     
passage4 ,the ,lord said to ,lehi3      

,behold1 this land shall be the land of 
thine inheritance1 and the     ,gentiles
 shall be blessed upon the land4 ,this  
land shall be a land     of liberty unto
 the ,gentiles1 and there shall be no   
kings upon the     land who shall raise 
up unto the ,gentiles4 ,and ,i will     
fortify this     land against all other 
nations1 and he that fighteth against   
,zion     these continents of the       
western world shall perish1 saith ,god2 
for he that raiseth up a king against me
 shall perish1 for ,i1 the     ,lord1   
the ,king of ,heaven1 will be their     
,king1 and ,i will be a     light unto  
them forever that hear my words4  ,this 
guarantee1 however1 this fortifying this
 land against all other nations1 is upon
 a certain condition3 the condition that
 the ,god of the land1 who is ,jesus    
,christ1 shall be honored by them4 ,on  
this head ,i want to read to you a      
passage from a certain ,american        
statesman1 that ,i can easily believe   
was one of the ,god-inspired men        

appointed to assist in the maintenance  
of true constitutional principles1 as   
others were inspired to found the       
,constitution4 ,i refer to the great    
statesman of nationalism1 ,daniel       
,webster1 who1 before the ,new ,york    
,historical society1 in #aheb1 in his   
last public address1 said3      ,unborn 
ages and visions of glory crowd upon my 
soul1 the     realization of all which1 
however1 is in the hands and good       
pleasure of ,almighty ,god2 but1 under  
,his divine blessing1 it will     be    
dependent on the character and the      
virtues of ourselves1 and of     our    
posterity4 ,if classical history has    
been found to be1 is now1     and shall 
continue to be1 the concomitant of free 
institutions1     and of popular        
eloquence1 what a field is opening to us
 for     another ,herodotus1 another    
,thucydides1 and another ,livy6         
,and let me say1 gentlemen1 that if we  
and our posterity shall be     true to  
the ,christian religion--if we and they 

shall live always     in the fear of    
,god1 and shall respect ,his            
commandments--if we and     they shall  
maintain just1 moral sentiments1 and    
such conscientious     convictions of   
duty as shall control the heart and     
life--we may     have the highest hopes 
of the future fortunes of our country1  
and     if we maintain those            
institutions of government and that     
political     union1 exceeding all      
praise as much as it exceeds all former 
examples of political associations1 we  
may be sure of one     thing--that1     
while our country furnishes materials   
for a thousand     masters of the       
historic art1 it will afford no topic   
for a ,gibbon4     ,it will have no     
decline and fall4 ,it will go on        
prospering and to     prosper4      ,but
 if we and our posterity reject         
religious instruction and     authority1
 violate the rules of eternal justice1  
trifle with the     injunctions of      
morality1 and recklessly destroy the    

political     ,constitution which holds 
us together1 no man can tell how sudden 
a     catastrophe may overwhelm us1 that
 shall bury all our glory in            
profound obscurity4 ,should that        
catastrophe happen1 let it have no      
history6 ,let the horrible narrative    
never be written6 ,let its fate     be  
like that of the lost books of ,livy1   
which no human eye shall     ever read2 
or the missing ,pleiad1 of which no man 
can ever know     more1 than that it is 
lost1 and lost forever6  ,such were the 
sentiments of this patriotic statesman2 
but the beautiful and flowing periods in
 which he expresses his thought1 are in 
no respects better or stronger1 or more 
patriotic than the rugged utterances of 
,joseph ,smith1 in whose utterances     
throughout our sacred books1 there is a 
wealth of pure ,american sentiment that 
is the basis of a patriotism that shall 
yet exceed all praise4  ,in view of all 
that is here set forth1 ,i submit that  
,joseph ,smith was pre-eminently the    

,american ,prophet4  ,standing in the   
midst of these ideas to which we have   
ascended in thought about this man and  
his life's work1 all which tend to      
establish his claims as a ,prophet--a   
,teacher sent of ,god--how unworthy     
indeed seem the attempts of men to stay 
his work1 or defame his character by    
their silly misrepresentations6 ,we hear
 a babel of confused voices coming up   
from the past1 pelting his memory with  
their unsavory epithets1 but all is     
vain2 he may not be disposed of in such 
manner4  ,meanwhile1 the truths he      
taught will live to instruct mankind1   
and of ,joseph ,smith it will yet be    
said--as ,josiah ,quincy half predicted 
sixty-three years ago--,he influenced   
his countrymen more than any other      
historical ,american of his time4