,the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology ,fifth ,year ,divine ,immanence and the ,holy ,ghost ,by ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts ,of the ,first ,council of ,seventy ,he comprehendeth all things1 and all things are before him1 and all things are round about him3 and he is above all things1 and in all things1 and is through all things1 and is round about all things2 and all things are by him1 and of him1 even ,god1 for ever and ever4--,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 #hh4 ,i have always declared ,god to be a distinct personage1 ,jesus ,christ a separate and distinct personage from ,god the ,father1 and that the ,holy ,ghost was a distinct personage and a ,spirit4--,joseph ,smith1 7,june #afth1 #ahdb47 ,salt ,lake ,city #aiab ,introduction4 ,i4 ,,the ,,close ,,of ,,the ,,seventy',s ,,special ,,course ,,in ,,theology4 ,footnote3 ,it is suggested that this ,introduction be treated in the class as a lesson4 ,this ,introduction is intended to serve two purposes3 an ,introduction to the treatise which follows2 and a valedictory to the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology4 ,the latter has reached a period1 for the present at least1 as arrangements are being made to have prepared one course of study in successive annual manuals for the three quorums of the ,melchizedek ,priesthood1 the ,seventies1 ,high ,priests1 and ,elders ,quorums4 ,the reasons for making this change are that the ,gospel is one2 that the duty of becoming acquainted with it rests equally upon ,high ,priests1 ,seventies1 and ,elders2 that which will qualify one of these quorums to preach this one gospel abroad1 will qualify the others for preaching it at home2 and vice versa4 ,each of these quorums1 where there is a sufficient number in each to form a good1 strong class1 will still continue1 as now1 in their separate classes1 though studying the same manual4 ,where the quorums in the smaller wards are not strong enough in numbers to assure a good class separately1 they can meet conjointly for class work and under such circumstances1 having the same text book1 will be a very great advantage4 ,the plan will also economize both time and money in the matter of publishing manuals2 for it is patent that one text book can more readily be produced than three1 and at less expense4 ,these considerations1 it is hoped1 will outweigh any feeling of disappointment which but for them might arise over the discontinuance of the ,seventy's special course in ,theology2 and then1 undoubtedly1 when the new and united course shall be opened1 we may reasonably expect that its lines will be laid on a much larger ground plan1 and in its development there will be employed brethren of such scholarship and talent as shall warrant the expectation of the very best text books that can be produced on the great theme of which they will treat--the ,gospel of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,,ii4 ,,subject ,,of ,,the ,,present ,,year ,,book4 ,so much for the valedictory part of this ,introduction2 and now as to the subject of the present ,year ,book4 ,we have here the consideration of a theme in some respects the loftiest and mightest that the mind of man can be led to contemplate3 ,god ,immanent in the world2 and ,god in union with men through the medium of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,confessedly the subject is one around which much of mystery gathers2 and there are not wanting those who1 on that account1 are in favor of leaving it so1 without attempting an exposition of the nature or offices of the ,spirit ,immanent in the world1 and the ,spirit ,witness to the soul of man4 ,i think no one can be more conscious of human limitations to understand divine things than ,i am4 ,and ,i doubt if any one can have greater appreciation of the need of being careful to keep within the limits of what ,god has revealed upon these subjects2 for it is only what he has revealed that can rightly instruct men in the things of ,god4 ,moreover in no department is the frank and honest confession ,i don't know1 more imperative than in ,theology2 and when it is given as an actual confession of having reached the limits of our knowledge1 it is worthy of all praise4 ,but if it becomes tainted with the spirit of ,i don't care1 then ,i have no respect for it4 ,,iii4 ,,mental ,,effort ,,required ,,to ,,master ,,the ,,things ,,of ,,god4 ,there is another phase in which the same thing occurs4 ,it requires striving--intellectual and spiritual--to comprehend the things of ,god--even the revealed things of ,god4 ,in no department of human endeavor is the aphorism no excellence without labor--more in force than in acquiring knowledge of the things of ,god4 ,the ,lord has placed no premium upon idleness or indifference here--seek and ye shall find2 knock and it shall be opened unto you2 seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom2 yea1 seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom2 seek learning even by study and also by faith--such the admonitions ,god gives in reference to our pursuit of knowledge of divine things4 ,oliver ,cowdery thought the work of translating from the ,nephite plates would be easy4 ,he sought the privilege of translating and was given an opportunity4 ,he1 it appears1 believed that all that would be necessary would be for him to ask ,god1 and without giving further thought the translation would be given him4 ,his expectation in this was disappointed4 ,he failed to translate4 ,then the ,lord said3 ,you supposed that ,i would give it i4 e41 the power to translate unto you1 when you took no thought save it was to ask me2 but behold1 ,i say unto you1 that you must study it out in your mind2 then you must ask me if it be right1 and if it is right ,i will cause that your bosom shall burn within you2 therefore you shall feel that it is right4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #i47 ,the incident illustrates the truth here contended for--achievement in divine things1 progress in the knowledge of them1 comes only with hard striving1 earnest endeavor1 determined seeking4 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,plea ,,of ,,thus ,,far1 ,,but ,,no ,,further4 ,mental laziness is the vice of men1 especially with reference to divine things4 ,men seem to think that because inspiration and revelation are factors in connection with the things of ,god1 therefore the pain and stress of mental effort are not required2 that by some means these elements act somewhat as ,elijah's ravens and feed us without effort on our part4 ,to escape this effort1 this mental stress to know the things that are1 men raise all too readily the ancient bar--,thus far shalt thou come1 but no farther4 ,man cannot hope to understand the things of ,god1 they plead1 or penetrate those things which he has left shrouded in mystery4 ,be thou content with the simple faith that accepts without question4 ,to believe1 and accept the ordinances1 and then live the moral law will doubtless bring men unto salvation2 why then should man strive and trouble himself to understand8 ,much study is still a weariness of the flesh4 ,so men reason2 and just now it is much in fashion to laud the simple faith2 which is content to believe without understanding1 or even without much effort to understand4 ,and doubtless many good people regard this course as indicative of reverence--this plea in bar of effort--thus far and no farther4 ,there is often a great deal of intellectual sin concealed under this old aphorism1 remarks ,henry ,drummond4 ,when men do not really wish to go farther they find it an honorable convenience sometimes to sit down on the outmost edge of the 'holy ground' on the pretext of taking off their shoes4 ,yet1 he continues1 we must be certain that1 making a virtue of reverence1 we are not merely excusing ignorance2 or under the plea of 'mystery' evading a truth which has been stated in the ,new ,testament a hundred times1 in the most literal form1 and with all but monotonous repetition4 7,spiritual ,law1 pp4 #hi1 #ij47 ,this sort of reverence is easily simulated1 and is of such flattering unction1 and so pleasant to follow--soul take thine ease--that without question it is very often simulated2 and falls into the same category as the simulated humility couched in ,i don't know1 which so often really means ,i don't care1 and do not intend to trouble myself to find out4 ,v4 ,,the ,,praise ,,of ,,simple ,,faith4 ,i maintain that simple faith--which is so often ignorant and simpering acquiescence1 and not faith at all--but simple faith taken at its highest value1 which is faith without understanding of the thing believed1 is not equal to intelligent faith1 the faith that is the gift of ,god1 supplemented by earnest endeavor to find through prayerful thought and research a rational ground for faith--for acceptance of truth2 and hence the duty of striving for a rational faith in which the intellect as well as the heart--the feeling--has a place and is a factor4 ,but1 to resume3 ,this plea in bar of effort to find out the things that are1 is as convenient for the priest as it is for the people4 ,the people of simple faith1 who never question1 are so much easier led1 and so much more pleasant every way--they give their teachers so little trouble4 ,people who question because they want to know1 and who ask adult questions that call for adult answers1 disturb the ease of the priests4 ,the people who question are usually the people who think--barring chronic questioners and cranks1 of course--and thinkers are troublesome1 unless the instructors who lead them are thinkers also2 and thought1 eternal1 restless thought1 that keeps out upon the frontiers of discovery1 is as much a weariness to the slothful1 as it is a joy to the alert and active and noble minded4 ,therefore one must not be surprised if now and again he finds those among religious teachers who give encouragement to mental laziness under the pretense of reverence2 praise simple faith because they themselves1 forsooth1 would avoid the stress of thought and investigation that would be necessary in order to hold their place as leaders of a thinking people4 ,,vi4 ,,the ,,incentives ,,to1 ,,and ,,the ,,glory ,,of1 ,,knowledge ,,in ,,the ,,new ,,dispensation4 ,against all the shams of simulated humility and false reverence which are but pleas to promote and justify mental laziness1 ,i launch the mighty exhortations and rebukes of the ,new ,dispensations of the ,gospel of the ,christ--the ,dispensation of the ,fulness of ,times1 in which ,god has promised to gather together in one all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven and which are on earth2 even in him4 ,they are as follows3 ,the glory of ,god is ,intelligence4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #ic47 ,it is impossible for a man to be saved in ,ignorance4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #aca47 ,whatever principles of intelligence we attain unto in this life1 it will rise with us in the resurrection4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #acj47 ,if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another1 he will have so much the advantage in the world to come4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #acj47 ,a man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge1 for if he does not get knowledge1 he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world1 as evil spirits will have more knowledge1 and consequently more power1 than many men who are on the earth4 7,joseph ,smith--,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,iv41 p4 #ehh47 ,knowledge saves a man2 and in the world of spirits no man can be exalted but by knowledge2 so long as a man will not give heed to the commandments he must abide without salvation4 ,if a man has knowledge he can be saved2 although he has been guilty of great sins1 he will be punished for them4 ,but when he consents to obey the ,gospel1 whether here or in the world of ,spirits1 he is saved4 7,joseph ,smith--,minutes of the ,general ,conference of the ,church1 ,april1 #ahdd4 ,improvement ,era1 ,jan41 #aiji1 p4 #ahf47 ,seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom2 yea1 seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom3 seek learning even by study1 and also by faith4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #hh3aah47 ,i give unto you a commandment1 that you teach one another the doctrine of the ,kingdom4 ,teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you1 that you may be instructed more perfectly in theory1 in principle1 in doctrine1 in the law of the gospel1 in all things that pertain unto the kingdom of ,god1 that are expedient for you to understand2 ,of things both in heaven and in the earth1 and under the earth2 things which have been1 things which are1 things which must shortly come to pass2 things which are at home1 things which are abroad2 the wars and the perplexities of the nations1 and the judgments which are on the land1 and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms1 ,that ye may be prepared in all things when ,i shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto ,i have called you1 and the mission with which ,i have commissioned you4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #hh3gi-ij47 ,it is important that we should understand the reasons and causes of our exposure to the vicissitudes of life and of death1 and the designs and purposes of ,god in our coming into the world1 our sufferings here1 and our departure hence4 ,what is the object of our coming into existence1 then dying and falling away1 to be here no more8 ,it is but reasonable to suppose that ,god would reveal something in reference to the matter1 and it is a subject we ought to study more than any other4 ,we ought to study it day and night1 for the world is ignorant in reference to their true condition and relation4 ,if we have any claim on our ,heavenly ,father for anything1 it is for knowledge on this important subject4 7,joseph ,smith--,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,vi41 p4 #ej47 ,god shall give unto you 7the saints7 knowledge by his ,holy ,spirit1 yea by the unspeakable gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 that has not been revealed since the world was until now3 which our forefathers have waited with anxious expectation to be revealed in the last times1 which their minds were pointed to1 by the angels1 as held in reserve for the fullness of their glory2 a time to come in the which nothing shall be withheld1 whether there be one ,god or many ,gods1 they shall be manifest2 all thrones and dominions1 principalities and powers1 shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of ,jesus ,christ2 and also if there be bounds set to the heavens1 or to the seas2 or to the dry land1 or to the sun1 moon1 or stars2 all the times of their revolutions2 all the appointed days1 months1 and years1 and all the days of their days1 months1 and years1 and all their glories1 laws1 and set times1 shall be revealed1 in the days of the dispensation of the fulness of times1 according to that which was ordained in the midst of the ,council of the ,eternal ,god of all other ,gods1 before this world was1 that should be reserved unto the finishing and the end thereof1 when every man shell enter into his eternal presence1 and into his immortal rest4 ,how long can rolling waters remain impure8 ,what power shall stay the heavens8 ,as well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the ,missouri river in its decreed course1 or to turn it up stream1 as to hinder the ,almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven1 upon the heads of the ,latter-day ,saints 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 #aba1 #bf-cc47 ,,vii4 ,,necessary ,,attitude ,,of ,,the ,,church ,,in ,,the ,,matter ,,of ,,mental ,,activity ,,and ,,intellectual ,,development4 ,surely1 in the presence of this array of incentives1 instructions and commandments to seek for knowledge1 taken from the revelations and other forms of instruction by the ,prophet of the ,new ,dispensation--taking into account also the scope of the field of knowledge we are both persuaded and commanded to enter--whatever position other churches and their religious teachers may take1 the ,church of ,jesus ,christ in the ,new ,dispensation can do no other than to stand for mental activity1 and earnest effort to come to a knowledge of truth up to the very limit of man's capacity to find it1 and the goodness and wisdom of ,god to reveal it4 ,the ,new ,dispensation having opened with such a wonderful revelation respecting ,god1 making known as the very first step in that revealed knowledge not only the being of ,god but the kind of beings both the ,father and the ,son are--its representatives may not now attempt to arrest the march of inquiry and plead mystery or humility or reverence as a bar to entrance into those very fields of knowledge ,god has commanded us to enter1 and reap in1 and of which he gives us assurance that our harvest shall be abundant4 ,,viii4 ,,the ,,limits ,,of ,,our ,,inquiries4 ,let me not be misunderstood4 ,again ,i say1 ,i am aware that there are limits to man's capacity to understand things that are4 ,that ,god also in his wisdom has not yet revealed all things1 especially respecting the ,godhead2 and that where his revelations have not yet cast their rays of light on such subjects1 it is becoming in man to wait upon the ,lord1 for that line upon line1 and precept upon precept method by which he1 in great wisdom1 unfolds in the procession of the ages the otherwise hidden treasures of his truths4 ,all this ,i agree to2 but all this does not prevent us from a close perusal and careful study of what ,god has revealed upon any subject1 especially when that study is perused reverently1 with constant remembrance of human limitations1 and with an open mind1 which ever stands ready to correct the tentative conclusions of today by the increased light that may be shed upon the subject on the morrow4 ,which holds as greater than all theories and computations the facts--the truth4 ,these are the principles by which ,i have sought to be guided in these five ,year ,books of the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology1 and in some more than in the one herewith presented4 ,but some would protest against investigation lest it threaten the integrity of accepted formulas of truth--which too often they confound with the truth itself1 regarding the scaffolding and the building as one and the same thing4 ,the effective answer to that may be given in the words of ,sir ,oliver ,lodge3 ,a faith dependent on blinkers and fetters for its maintenance is not likely in a progressive age to last many generations47,science and ,immortality1 p4 #acj47 ,from age to age1 our knowledge is growing from more to more1 remarks ,john ,fiske1 in his ,century of ,science4 ,by this enlarged experience our minds are affected from day to day and from year to year1 in more ways than we can detect or enumerate4 ,it opens our minds to some notions1 and makes them incurably hostile to others2 so that1 for example1 new truths well nigh beyond comprehension1 like some of those connected with the luminiferous ether are accepted1 and old beliefs once universal like witchcraft1 are scornfully rejected4 ,vast changes in mental attitude are thus wrought before it is generally realized4 7,century of ,science1 p4 #ade47 ,this holds good in theology as in science4 ,not that the universal and fundamental truths in theology which ,god has revealed change1 but that men's method of viewing them and expounding them changes1 and1 let us hope1 changes for the better1 for the more clear and perfect understanding and development of them--else there would be no progress in theology--while in all things else there is progress4 ,but here let me conclude ,fiske's noble passage3 ,in this inevitable struggle between vanishing old ideas and incoming new ones there has always been more or less pain1 and hence free thought has not usually been popular4 ,it has come to our life-feast as a guest unbidden and unwelcome2 but it has come to stay with us1 and already proves more genial than was expected4 ,deadening1 cramping finality has lost its charm for him who has tasted of the ripe fruit of the tree of knowledge4 ,in this broad universe of ,god's wisdom and love1 not leashes to restrain us are needed1 but wings to sustain our flight4 ,let bold but reverent thought go on and probe creation's mysteries1 till faith and knowledge make one music as before1 but vaster4 ,,ix4 ,,the ,,right ,,to ,,seek ,,knowledge ,,aside ,,from ,,revealed ,,knowledge4 ,one other thing3 ,such subjects as are treated in this ,year ,book necessarily rest on what ,god has revealed--that is1 for the data1 the facts involved2 but that does not necessarily hold as to illustration and argument for development of the truth and making clear the revealed things of ,god4 ,here one may do as it is said ,clement of ,alexandrea did in urging men to strive for a knowledge of ,christian truth1 rather than a mere belief of it2 such instruction was to come primarily from the ',divine ,word'2 but everything in the range of human learning was to be welcomed as co-operating with him4 ,for ,clement gratefully acknowledged truth wherever found1 whether among heathens or heretics4 ,it should be observed1 however1 that while constantly confirming his propositions from his ,greek writers1 he ever turns for a final appeal to the scriptures--that1 too1 must be our course4 ,so much by way of presenting the spirit in which ,i have pursued my own studies upon the high themes of these ,seventy's ,year ,books1 and this present one in particular4 ,x4 ,,justification ,,for ,,using ,,double ,,title4 ,the subject of ,divine ,immanence and the ,holy ,ghost should be considered together because there are such relations and apparent contrasts subsisting between them--such a likeness and such apparent differences1 that they may properly be understood only when so considered--that is1 conjointly4 ,the conception of ,god immanent in the world1 not in bodily presence1 of course1 but by his spirit--a divine power1 carrying with it everywhere the influence of ,god--proceeding forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space2 the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world--to which all men have access whether following the light of nature or of revelation1 the light which is in all things and the power by which all things are sustained and in which they live and move and have their being--this conception1 with the conception of the ,holy ,ghost as a ,spirit-personage1 union with whom and companionship with whom can only be secured by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the ,gospel1 is a conception that will correct some errors of argumentation that have here and there obtained in the literature of the subject1 and leads to an understanding of things at once rational and uplifting1 because it is a development of the truth as ,god has revealed it4 ,this is the purpose of the treatise--,the ,divine ,immanence1 and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,works ,,of ,,reference4 ,relative to works of reference ,i would remind the student that outside of the scriptures accepted by the ,church the works that may be cited to assist one in studying the subject of this treatise are very scarce1 since the doctrine of the ,church on the subject is so radically different from that of the world4 ,i can therefore only recommend as helpful the following brief list4 ,the ,seventy's ,library1 viz43 ,the ,bible1 ,the ,book of ,mormon1 ,the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,the ,pearl of ,great ,price1 containing the ,book of ,moses1 the ,book of ,abraham1 and some of the ,writings of ,joseph ,smith4 ,the above books are certainly indispensable to every ,seventy1 and should be owned by every member of our quorums4 ,the ,first ,council in their recommendations1 added to the above list1 ,richards and ,little's ,compendium of the ,doctrines of the ,gospel1 and called the set the ,seventy's ,indispensable ,library4 ,elder ,james ,e4 ,talmage's ,articles of ,faith1 ,orson ,pratt's ,works--,kingdom of ,god4 ,rays of ,living ,light1 by ,president ,charles ,w4 ,penrose4 ,scientific ,aspects of ,mormonism1 ,n4 ,l4 ,nelson4 ,the ,gospel1 ,roberts4 ,the ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ,roberts4 ,the ,seventy's ,year ,books1 a complete set4 ,there is constant reference made in the present number to previous numbers2 and the student who is not in possession of those numbers is by so much deprived of the opportunity to complete his inquiry on the division of the subject he may have in hand1 and as this number completes at present the set of ,seventy's ,year ,books1 each member of the respective quorums1 we think1 should be anxious to obtain the complete set4 ,after enumerating the above books1 published by writers in the ,church1 ,i suggest as in a way helpful to an understanding of the trend of modern thinking1 somewhat along the lines of spiritual and scientific thought with which the ,seventies of the ,church ought to be acquainted1 the following3 ,natural ,law in the ,spiritual ,world1 ,henry ,drummond1 #ahic4 ,studies in ,religion1 ,fiske4 ,a ,century of ,science1 ,fiske4 ,reconstruction of ,religious ,beliefs1 ,mallock4 ,the ,religious ,conceptions of the ,world1 ,rogers4 ,science and ,immortality1 ,sir ,oliver ,lodge4 ,all the books enumerated in the above list of works of reference may be obtained at the ,deseret ,sunday ,school ,union ,book ,store1 ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology4 ,,fifth ,,year ,,part ,i ,divine ,immanence4 ,,lesson ,i4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,immanence ,,of ,,god4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,definition of ,immanent4 ,,ii4 ,distinction ,between ,omnipresence and ,immanence4 ,,iii4 ,revelation commits the ,church to the ,doctrine of ,divine ,immanence4 ,,references4 ,any of the standard dictionaries4 ,the ,scripture passages cited in the ,discussion of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,the ,light which now shineth1 which giveth you light1 is through him who enlighteneth your eyes1 which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings2 which ,light proceedeth forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#aa1 #ab47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,definition of ,immanent3 ,the word ,immanent means indwelling1 remaining within2 opposed to transient1 or transitive4,a ,such the definition of the adjective4 ,the noun1 ,immanence1 is defined as the state of being immanent1 a permanent abiding within--indwelling4,b ,as applied to ,god it conveys the idea of essential and permanent ,divine presence in all the universe4 ,it excludes the idea of movement or transition from one place to another in order for the ,deity to be at a given place1 since immanence conveys the idea of ,divine presence being already and constantly at every point in the universe2 hence movement conceived as necessary to presence is not essential1 but is excluded from the conception of immanence4 ,footnote ,a3 ,the ,standard ,dictionary1 ,funk and ,wagnalls4 ,footnote ,b3 ,see both ,standard and ,century ,dictionaries4 #b4 ,distinction ,between ,omnipresence and ,immanence3 ,it may be thought that immanence is but the restatement in another form1 of the attribute of omnipresence in ,deity--simply an affirmation of his every-whereness2 and it must be admitted that there is at least a close resemblance if not identity between the two things for which the two terms stand4 ,and yet there is a difference between immanence and omnipresence4 ,the latter means merely the every-whereness of ,god1 present in all places and at the same time4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,century ,dictionary4 ,immanence means that1 too2 but it means more than that4 ,it means presence accompanied by power2 or presence plus power2 presence accompanied by doing1 or act1 leading to manifestations of ,god's power4 ,in modern philosophy the word is applied to the operations of a ,creator conceived of as in organic connection with the creation2,a and we shall see presently that this is as true in theology as it is in philosophy4 ,footnote ,a3 ,century ,dictionary4 ,joseph ,le ,conte1 ,professor of ,geology and ,natural ,history in the ,university of ,california1 discussing what belief in ,god would be for rational philosophy1 says3 ,it is the belief in a ,god not far away beyond our reach1 who once long ago enacted laws and created forces which continue of themselves to run the machine we call nature1 but a ,god immanent1 a ,god resident in ,nature1 at all times and in all places directing every event and determining every phenomenon2 a ,god in whom in the most literal sense not only we but all things have their being1 in whom all things consist1 through whom all things exist1 and without whom there would be and could be nothing4 ,according to this view the phenomena of ,nature are naught else than objectified modes of divine thought1 the forces of ,nature naught else than different forms of one omnipresent1 divine energy or will2 the laws of ,nature naught else than the regular modes of operation of that divine will1 invariable because he is unchangeable4 ,according to this view the law of gravitation is naught else than the mode of operation of the divine energy in sustaining the cosmos--the divine method of sustentation4 7,evolution and ,its ,relation to ,religious ,thought--#aijb--pp4 #cjj1 #cja47 #c4 ,does ,revelation ,teach ,immanence of ,god3 ,here we may as well consider the question whether or not the scriptures teach the doctrine of immanence as defined above4 ,of the doctrine of ,god's omnipresence there can be no question at all4 ,david states it beautifully3 ,whither shall ,i go from thy spirit1 or whither shall ,i flee from thy presence8 ,if ,i ascend up into heaven thou art there3 if ,i make my bed in hell1 behold1 thou art there4 ,if ,i take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea2 even there shall thy hand lead me1 and thy right hand shall hold me4 ,if ,i say surely the darkness shall cover me2 even the night shall be light about me4 ,yea the darkness hideth not from thee2 but the night shineth as the day3 the darkness and the light are both alike to thee4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,psalms cxxxix3#g-ab4 ,jeremiah is equally as clear in a statement of the same truth1 even if less poetical3 ,can any hide himself in secret places that ,i shall not see him8 saith the ,lord4 ,do not ,i fill heaven and earth8 saith the ,lord4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,jeremiah xxiii3#bd4 ,solomon said of ,god3 ,the heaven1 and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee1 how much less this house that ,i have builded8,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,kings viii3#bg4 ,paul declares that ,god is not far from every one of us2 for in him we live and move and have our being4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts xvii3#bf-bh4 #d4 ,limitations of ,foregoing ,revelations to ,omnipresence3 ,these declarations go at least as far as to establish the omnipresence of ,god1 not of his bodily1 but of his spiritual presence2 but they do not quite express the conception presented in the word immanence which ,i have said equals the attribute of omnipresence plus divine power1 and act4 ,it was left for our modern revelations to present that idea4 ,this is done in the revelation which first declares that the elements--having reference to the elements of the material world--are eternal2 that spirit and element inseparably connected receive a fulness of joy2 that the elements are the tabernacle of ,god4,a ,that is1 in some way1 ,god is immanent1 ever present and everywhere present1 in the universe4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 xciii3#cc-ce4 ,footnote ,b3 ,the ,universe3 ,it may be well to bring before the mind of the student a brief definition of this term universe1 in which we are saying that ,god is immanent1 in order that we may appreciate somewhat at least the largeness of things with which we are dealing4 ,i take the definition from ,haeckel3 7a7 ,the extent of the universe is infinite and unbounded2 it is empty in no part1 but everywhere filled with substance4 7b7 ,the duration of the world 7i4 e4 ,universe7 is equally infinite and unbounded2 it has no end2 it is eternity4 7,riddle of the ,universe1 p4 #bdb47 ,and in this infinite and eternal universe1 ,god1 in some way1 is everywhere present and potentially or actually active--immanent4 #e4 ,god ,not ,only ,everywhere ,present1 ,but ,power and ,act3 ,our theology recognizes ,jesus ,christ as not only divine but ,deity2,a and this ,immanence of ,god in the world is in some of our modern revelations spoken of as the ,light of ,christ3,b ,footnote ,a3 ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,iii1 ,lessons ,,xxxiii and ,,xxxiv4 ,footnote ,b3 ,a near equivalent to this phrase1 the light of ,christ1 is also used in the ,new ,testament in connection with the idea of its being a vital as well as an intelligent principle--the life and the light of the world3 ,in him the ,christ1 see context was life2 and the life was the light of men2 and the light shineth in the darkness1 and the darkness comprehended it not4 ,john was sent to bear witness of that light3 ,that was the true light1 which lighteth every man that cometh into the world4 ,he was in the world1 and the world was made by him1 and the world knew him not4 ,he came unto his own1 and his own received him not4 ,but as many as received him1 to them gave he power to become the sons of ,god1 even to them that believe on his name4 7,st4 ,john's ,gospel i3#a-ab47 ,see also ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxiv3#de-dg4 ,he that ascended up on high1 as also he descended below all things2 in that he comprehended all things1 that he might be in all and through all things1 the light of truth2 ,which truth shineth4 ,this is the light of ,christ4 ,as also he is in the sun1 and the light of the sun1 and the power thereof by which ,it was made2 ,as also he is in the moon1 and is the light of the moon1 and the power thereof by which it was made4 ,as also the light of the stars1 and the power thereof by which they were made4 ,and the earth also1 and the power thereof2 even the earth upon which you stand4 ,and the light which now shineth1 which giveth you light1 is through him who enlighteneth your eyes1 which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings2 ,which light proceedeth forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space4 ,the light which is in all things2 which giveth life to all things2 which is the law by which all things are governed3 even the power of ,god who sitteth upon his throne1 who is in the bosom of eternity1 who is in the midst of all things4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#f-ac4 ,and later in the same ,revelation it is said3 ,judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne ,god1 and governeth and executeth all things2 ,he comprehendeth all things1 and all things are before him1 and all things are round about him3 and he is above all things1 and in all things1 and is through all things1 and is round about all things2 and all things are by him1 and of him1 even ,god1 for ever and ever4 ,and again1 verily ,i say unto you1 he hath given a law unto all things by which they move in their times and their seasons2 ,and their courses are fixed2 even the courses of the heavens and the earth1 which comprehend the earth and all the planets2 ,and they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons1 in their minutes1 in their hours1 in their days1 in their weeks1 in their months1 in their years3 all these are one year with ,god1 but not with man4 ,the earth rolls upon her wings1 and the sun giveth his light by day1 and the moon giveth her light by night1 and the stars also give their light1 as they roll upon their wings in their glory1 in the midst of the power of ,god4 ,unto what shall ,i liken these kingdoms1 that ye may understand8 ,behold1 all these are kingdoms1 and any man who hath seen any or the least of these1 hath seen ,god moving in his majesty and power4 ,i say unto you1 he hath seen him2 nevertheless1 he who came unto his own was not comprehended4 ,the light shineth in darkness1 and the darkness comprehendeth it not2 nevertheless1 the day shall come when you shall comprehend even ,god2 being quickened in him and by him4 ,then shall ye know that ye have seen me1 that ,i am1 and that ,i am the true light that is in you1 and that you are in me1 otherwise ye could not abound4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,ibid4 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#da-ej4 ,a more complete or thorough-going statement of the ever-whereness of ,god in the world1 accompanied with the idea of power--,god immanent1 dynamic1 as well as present1--,i do not remember to have seen4 ,,lesson ,,ii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,nature ,,and ,,powers ,,of ,,the ,,divine ,,immanence4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,relationship of the ,immanent ,spirit to the ,christ4 ,,ii4 ,powers of the ,immanent ,spirit3 7a7 ,creative power2 7b7 ,sustaining power2 7c7 ,vital power2 7d7 ,intelligence-inspiring power4 ,,iii4 ,the ,relationship of the ,immanent ,spirit to an ,eternal ,race of ,divine ,beings4 ,,references4 ,the passages of scripture and other works cited in the ,discussion of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,h4 that ascended up on high1 as also he descended below all things2 in that he comprehended all things1 that he might be in all and through all things1 the light of truth2 which truth shineth4 ,this is the ,light of ,christ the light which is in all things2 which giveth life to all things3 which is the law by which all things are governed3 even the power of ,god who sitteth upon his throne1 who is in the bosom of eternity1 who is in the midst of all things4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 sec4 lxxxviii3#f1 #g1 #ac47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,immanent ,spirit as ,related to the ,christ3 ,it is to be observed that ,immanence of ,god as set forth in the preceding lesson is associated with a personality2 in the passages of scripture quoted in the preceding lesson1 the ,immanence is directly associated with the personality of the ,christ4 ,it is ,the ,light of ,christ that is immanent in the world4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#g4 #b4 ,creative ,power of the ,immanent ,god3 ,it is ,the ,light of ,christ that is in the sun1 and the light of the sun1 and the power thereof by which it was made4,a ,it is ,the ,light of ,christ that is in the moon1 and is the light of the moon1 and the power thereof by which it was made2 as also the light of the stars and the power thereof by which1 they were made2 and the earth also1 and the power thereof1 even the earth on which you stand4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,ibid4 ,footnote ,b3 ,ibid1 verses #h-aj4 #c4 ,sustaining ,power of the ,immanent ,god3 ,this light which proceeded forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space1 ,the ,light of ,christ1 is also the sustaining power of the world as well as the creative power--the light which is in all things2 which giveth life to all things3 which is the law i4 e4 power by which all things are governed3 even the power of ,god4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#ac4 ,the law and power by which all things are governed1 is the late ,elder ,orson ,pratt's foot note on the passage4 ,see foot note k from verse #ac4 ,the earth rolls upon her wings1 and the sun giveth his light by day1 and the moon giveth her light by night1 and the stars also give their light1 as they roll upon their wings in their glory1 in the midst of the power of ,god4 99 99 99 ,behold all these are kingdoms1 and any man who hath seen any or the least of these1 has seen ,god moving in his majesty and power--a manifestation of ,god in the orderly movement of the planetary systems of the world4 #d4 ,vital ,force of the ,immanent ,god3 ,this ,light of ,christ--which fills the immensity of space1 is also a vital1 or life-giving force or spirit--,the ,light which is in all things2 which giveth life to all things4,a ,i am the light of the world1 said ,jesus1 he that followed me shall not walk in darkness1 but shall have the light of life4,b ,in him the ,christ was life2 and the life was the light of men4,c ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#c4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,john viii3#ab4 ,footnote ,c3 ,ibid i3#d4 #e4 ,intelligence-,inspiring ,power of the ,immanent ,god3 ,nor is this ,light of ,christ1 immanent in the world1 creative1 sustaining and vital power only2 but also it has a power of giving intelligence2 it inspires intelligence2 it is the inspiration of ,god which gives to the spirit of man understanding3,a ,the light which now shined1 said the ,lord to his servants1 which giveth you light1 is through him the ,christ who enlightened your eyes1 which is the same light that quickened your understandings2 which light proceedeth forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,there is a spirit in man2 and the inspiration of the ,almighty giveth them understanding2 7,job xxxiii3#h47 ,footnote ,b3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#aa1 #ab4 ,again1 and this from another revelation3 ,for the word of the ,lord is truth1 and whatsoever is truth is light1 and whatsoever is light is ,spirit1 even the ,spirit of ,jesus ,christ2 ,and the ,spirit giveth light to every man that cometh into the world2 and the ,spirit enlighteneth every man through the world1 that hearkeneth to the voice of the ,spirit2 ,and every one that hearkeneth to the voice of the ,spirit1 cometh unto ,god1 even the ,father2,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxiv3#de-dg4 ,see also ,st4 ,john i3#c-ab4 #f4 ,the ,immanent ,spirit's ,relationship to a ,race of ,divine1 ,exalted ,intelligences3 ,we may now say from the analysis of the scriptures so far developed that ,god ,immanent in the world--,the ,light of ,christ--the ,spirit of ,christ--is the power creative2 the sustaining power2 the life-giving power2 and the intelligence-inspiring power4 ,it is the active principle in all these respects2 and is omnipresent4 ,as observed in the opening paragraph of this lesson1 however1 ,god immanent in the world is associated with a personality2 it is directly associated with the personality of ,christ4 ,it is called ,the ,light of ,christ--it proceedeth forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space4 ,it is not then a personality in itself1 that is in the sense of being of individual form1 but proceeds forth from a personality2 it is a presence rather than a person2 an influence1 a spiritual atmosphere1 a power proceeding from another1 and therefore is dependent on that other for its existence rather than being an independent existence2 but as that ,other on which it depends is eternal1 so too this that proceeds forth from the personal presence to fill the immensity of space is likewise eternal4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,from the nature of things one has to develop his subject gradually1 line upon line1 and the writer suggests that the student1 if he finds the statement not fully established as here made1 that he await its fuller statement in later pages4 ,again3 ,this ,god ,immanent1 as we have seen1 is called the ,light of ,christ1 ,the ,spirit of ,christ4 ,for which reason ,i have said above that the ,god ,immanent is associated with the personality of the ,christ4 ,but if the ,god ,immanent may be associated with the ,christ1 may it not also be associated with ,god1 the ,father1 as well as with ,god the son8 ,if ,god the ,son has a spiritual influence1 a light1 an holy atmosphere radiating forth from him into space1 in some manner analogous to the manner in which rays of light radiate from luminous suns in the physical world--may it not be reasonably concluded that ,god1 the ,father1 also has such an influence1 such a spiritual atmosphere proceeding forth from him8 ,and if ,father and ,son have such a spiritual light proceeding forth from their presence1 may it not be that all divine ,intelligences have1 similarly proceeding forth from their presence1 such divine light8 #g4 ,the ,spirit ,atmosphere of ,men3 ,our discussion may be helped here by an appeal to a matter of common experience4 ,we know that every man and woman has an individual influence1 a personal atmosphere extending beyond the personal self1 more or less pronounced1 according to the strength or weakness of his individuality4 ,so generally is this conceded to be true that we designate its kind1 or dominating character2 as good or bad2 refined or coarse2 intellectual or boorish2 spiritual or carnal4 ,if1 then1 one may argue1 the intelligences we know as men possess this atmosphere of personal influence extending beyond the personal self1 how much more angels1 arch-angels1 and the higher ,intelligences who have taken on1 or participated in1 the ,divine ,nature and entered into their exaltation and glory with other innumerable ,divine ,intelligences whom we call ,gods--with how much more reason may we expect that these may have such spiritual influence proceeding forth from their presence8 #h4 ,the ,identity of ,spirit ,influence ,proceeding from all ,divine ,beings3 ,from the scriptures we learn of the perfect oneness subsisting between ,god1 the ,father1 and ,god1 the ,son4 ,i and my ,father are one1 is the oft repeated declaration of the ,christ4,a ,i in thee1 and thou in me1,b is the emphasis he lays upon the oneness of himself and the ,father4 ,granting this moral and spiritual oneness--not physical oneness1 for physically our theology holds ,father and ,son to be distinct and separate individuals,c--but granting this moral1 intellectual and spiritual alikeness--then it must follow that the spiritual influence of each1 the intellectual and moral atmosphere of each1 will be the same4 ,the ,light of ,christ will be the same or identical with the light of the ,father2 and with the light of all ,intelligences who have participated in the divine nature and become one with the ,father and the ,son4 ,so that it might be properly held that the ,god ,immanent is as much the ,light of the ,father as ,the ,light of ,christ2 and since that light would be identical with the light of all perfected and holy beings1 participating in the ,divine nature1 it could receive a name that would generalize it--the ,divine ,spirit1 ,immanent in the ,universe2 or1 ,god1 the ,spirit of the ,gods1,d ,immanent in the ,universe2 any of these characterizations would doubtless be admissible2 but since it is through the ,christ that the ,divine nature and spirit is manifested in our world1 it is but proper that this ,divine ,light which lighteth every man into the world--which is creative1 sustaining1 vital1 and intelligence-inspiring power1 should bear the name of ,christ--and henceforth we shall recognize it as our modern revelations do1 primarily1 as ,the ,light of ,christ4 ,but there has always been a race of divine beings in existence1 an eternal race1 from whom such a divine influence or atmosphere has proceeded forth to fill the immensity of space2 and that is what ,i meant a few paragraphs back when ,i said that as the source whence the ,god ,immanent proceeded is eternal1 so too is the immanence eternal1 has always existed1 and will always exist by whatsoever name it might have been or may be known4 ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john x3#cj2 xvii3#bb1 et seq4 ,footnote ,b3 ,ibid1 verse #ba4 ,footnote ,c3 ,seventy's ,year ,book ,,iii1 ,lesson ,,xxxv4 ,footnote ,d3 ,i have so treated it in my ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 pp4 #aff-afi2 also in the ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,iii1 ,lesson ,,xxxv4 #i4 ,being ,whom ,we ,call ,god3 ,this is that ,spirit which men call ,god1 but know no more2 that something sacred and sublime1 which men recognize as moving wool-shod behind the worlds2 this that ,spirit that permeates all space2 that makes all presence bright2 all motion guides2 the ,power unchanged through ,time's all-devastating flight--,god ,immanent1 the ,spirit proceeding from all ,divine ,intelligences intermingled and harmonized into one ,spirit4 ,this the true light1 which lighteth every man that cometh into the world2 the light of which ,john the ,baptist was the witness2 and of which ,jesus1 to us men1 was the manifestation1,a and to which all men have access--,the ,light of ,christ4 ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john i3#d-ab4 #aj4 ,brigham ,young on ,object of ,existence3 ,we are created for the express purpose of increase1 there is nothing within us but that which can increase1 from the birth to old age2 what is there that is not ordained after eternal law of existence1 for it is the ,deity within us that causes increase4 ,doth this idea startle you8 ,are you ready to exclaim1 what6 the supreme in you8 ,yes1 he is in every person upon the face of the earth4 ,the elements that every individual is made of1 and lives in1 possesses a portion of the ,deity1 this you cannot now understand1 but you will hereafter4 ,the ,deity within us1 is the great principle that causes men and women to increase and to grow in grace and truth4 ,the operation once begun1 strict obedience to the requirements of heaven is necessary to obtain the end for which we were created1 but if we never commence to propagate our species1 and keep the commandments of ,god we cannot attain to the end in view4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,discourse by ,pres4 ,brigham ,young1 ,june #ac1 #aheb4 ,deseret ,news1 ,vol4 #d1 ,no4 #f4 ,,lesson ,,iii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,moral ,,and ,,spiritual ,,value ,,in ,,the ,,conception ,,of ,,the ,,divine ,,immanence4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,of the ,possibility of the ,existence of all the ,divine ,attributes in the ,immanent ,spirit4 ,,ii4 ,christ the ,revelation of the ,immanent ,spirit1 as well as of ,god1 the ,father4 ,,iii4 ,moral and ,spiritual ,effect in the ,sense of the ,nearness of ,god in the ,doctrine of ,divine ,immanence4 ,,references4 ,the ,scriptures and other works cited in the text of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,am ,i a ,god at hand1 saith the ,lord1 and not a ,god afar off8 ,can any hide himself in secret places that ,i shall not see him8 saith the ,lord4 ,do not ,i fill heaven and earth8 saith the ,lord 7,jeremiah xxiii3#bc1 #bd47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,possible ,attributes of the ,immanent ,spirit3 ,so far ,i have refrained from ascribing any attributes1 quality1 or characteristic to the ,immanent ,god not directly warranted by the phraseology of the modern revelations which teach the doctrine of immanence2 creative and sustaining power2 vital force1 and intelligence-inspiring power4,a ,yet if the ,immanent ,god is the spirit proceeding from the presence of ,divine ,beings1 to fill the immensity of space1 and called for us men the ,light of ,christ1 it may well be regarded as true that the ,spirit carries with it the whole nature of ,god1 and in some way1 reflects all characteristics and attributes of ,deity1 the moral attributes of wisdom1 holiness1 truth1 justice1 love1 and mercy as well as the four powers before noted4 ,footnote ,a3 ,see the revelations quoted in preceding lesson4 #b4 ,the ,mission of the ,christ3 ,manifestation of the ,immanent ,spirit3 ,it was part of the mission of the ,christ to manifest this ,immanent ,god1 as well as ,god the ,father4 ,he came to reveal the whole of the divine nature4 ,he was ,god manifested in the flesh2,a in him dwelt all the fullness of the ,godhead bodily2,b it pleased the ,father that in him should all fullness dwell2,c he was the brightness of the ,father's glory and the express image of his person4,d ,but he was also the manifestation of1 the true ,light1 which lighteth every man that cometh into the world4,e ,light of ,christ1 the ,god ,immanent2 the invisible made visible2 the ,unknown ,god of the ,greeks made known in ,jesus ,christ through the preaching of ,paul unto them2 for whom they ignorantly worshiped declared he unto them by preaching ,christ2 saying that ,god whom he preached was not afar off--not far from every one of us3 for in him we live1 and move1 and have our being1,f making direct reference to that ,spirit which fills the immensity of space1 the ,unknown ,god of the ,greeks--the ,god ,immanent1 now manifested by the ,christ whom ,paul was preaching--from whose presence ,david could not flee2 and to whom the darkness was the same as the light--to whom the night shineth as the day4,g ,footnote ,a3 ,tim iii3#af and marginal rendering of manifest in ,oxford ,bible4 ,footnote ,b3 ,col4 ii3#i4 ,footnote ,c3 ,col4 i3#ai4 ,footnote ,d3 ,heb4 i3#c4 ,footnote ,e3 ,st4 ,john i3#i4 ,footnote ,f3 ,acts xvii3#bb-bh4 ,footnote ,g3 ,psalms cxxxix4 #c4 ,moral ,effect of the ,conception of ,immanence1 ,negatively ,expressed3 ,the conception of ,god as ,immanent in the world is of utmost importance both as a religious and a philosophical truth4 ,its effect upon the mind as establishing a sense of nearness of ,god is most salutary in its moral effects1 and uplifting in its spiritual power4 ,to sense that one lives in the presence of the ,divine ,consciousness--that known unto ,god are all his thoughts and all his doings2 to dwell with ,one from whom the darkness and the light are both alike2 from whom there is no fleeing2 for if one ascend into heaven1 lo1 ,he is there2 if one make his bed in hell1 behold1 ,he is there2 if one would take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth or of the sea--there also is this ,immanent ,spirit4,a ,to live thus in a consciousness of the ,divine ,presence and ,power1 makes for righteousness of life4 ,for where may sin and wickedness hide themselves8 ,there is no refuge for them--no escape4 ,if one shall say--surely the darkness shall cover me1 even the night shall be light about him4,b ,iniquity may not hide itself1 and as sin loves not the light1 negatively the moral force of consciously living in the presence of ,god is very great4 ,footnote ,a3 ,psalms cxxxix4 ,footnote ,b3 ,ibid4 #d4 ,moral ,effect of the ,doctrine of ,immanence1 ,affirmatively ,expressed3 ,affirmatively expressed1 the conception and the result of it are even greater1 both morally and spiritually4 ,to live consciously in the presence of ,god must be a source of annoyance and vexation to evil disposed men2 and even to men inclined to virtue1 an embarrassment1 at times1 when they recall their many failures to live in harmony with their ideals4,a ,but1 on the other hand1 for these of the latter class1 when they realize that the ,divine ,presence is sympathetic2 that ,he knows1 not only what's done1 but also what's resisted2 that ,he knows of the struggle for the attainment of virtue--the hungering and the thirsting after righteousness2 that ,he knows the strength of the temptation1 and the weakness of the tempted2 that ,he knows the heart1 each chord1 its various tone2 each spring1 its various bias2 and ,he will judge1 not after the sight of the eyes1 neither reprove after the hearing of the ears1 but with righteousness shall ,he judge1 and reprove with equity2,b judging1 not according to the appearance1 but judge righteous judgment4,c ,men can be assured of a correct registration and truthful report of their deeds1 and a judgment upon them neither partial nor prejudiced2 which1 while it may cause the wicked to tremble1 to men conscious of the uprightness of their intentions1 and of honest effort in right directions1 as ,god gives them vision to see the right--what encouragement to earnest striving this conception of living in the very presence of ,god must bring6 ,what calmness it must bring in the midst of conflict6 what peace6 what assurance of triumph notwithstanding failures1 and losses1 and the sad exhibitions of human weakness--the outgrowth of a fallen human nature6 ,footnote ,a3 ,professor ,joseph ,le ,conte1 ,professor of ,geology and ,natural ,history in the ,university of ,california1 answering a supposed objection that one might not live and work effectively in the presence of the ,immanent ,deity1 said3 ,it may alas6 be true that this view ,immanence of ,god in the world brings us too near ,him in our sense of spiritual nakedness and short-coming4 ,it may1 indeed1 be that we can not live and work in the continual realized presence of the ,infinite4 ,it may1 indeed1 be that we must still wear the evil of a practical materialism on our hearts and minds4 ,it may1 indeed1 be that in our practical life and scientific work we must still continue to think of natural forces as efficient agents4 ,but1 if so1 let us at least remember that this attitude of mind must be regarded only as our ordinary work-clothes--necessary work-clothes it may be of our outer lower life--to be put aside when we return home to our inner higher life1 religious and philosophical4 7,evolution in ,its ,relation to ,religious ,thought--#aijb--pp4 #cjb-c47 ,footnote ,b3 ,isaiah xi3#c1 #d4 ,footnote ,c3 ,st4 ,john vii3#bd4 #e4 ,the ,helpfulness that ,comes from the ,sense of the ,nearness of ,god--,his ,immanence3 ,moreover1 if the view point of this treatise be the true one1 and all the attributes of the ,divine nature are carried over into the ,divine ,spirit that proceeds forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space--being the ,god ,immanent--then one may be assured that living at all times and in all places in the presence of the ,immanent ,spirit1 he resides in the atmosphere1 at least1 of the wisdom1 the love1 and the mercy of ,god2 which can but add to his comfort1 to his assurance1 to his strength4 ,such an one with ,david can say-- ,search me1 ,o ,god1 and know my heart2 try me1 and know my thoughts3 and see if there be any wicked way in me1 and lead me in the way everlasting4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,psalms1 cxl3#bc1 #bd4 ,and else he may say-- ,though ,i walk through the valley of the shadow of death1 ,i will fear no evil2 for thou are near me2 thy rod and thy staff they comfort mc4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,psalm1 xxiii3#bd4 ,under this sense of nearness1 which springs from the doctrine of ,immanence1 one may again say with ,david3 ,behold1 the eye of the ,lord is upon them that fear him1 upon them that hope in his mercy2 ,to deliver their soul from death1 and to keep them alive in famine4 ,our soul waiteth for the ,lord3 he is our help and our shield4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,psalms xxxiii3#ah-bj4 ,and yet again3 ,the ,lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart2 and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit4 ,many are the afflictions of the righteous3 but the ,lord delivereth him out of them all4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,psalms xxxiv3#ah1 #ai4 ,also3 ,god is our refuge and strength1 a very present help in trouble4 ,therefore will not we fear1 though the earth be removed1 and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea2 ,though the waters thereof roar and be troubled1 though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof4 ,there is a river1 the streams whereof shall make glad the city of ,god1 the holy place of the tabernacles of the most high4 ,god is in the midst of her2 she shall not be moved3 ,god shall help her1 and that right early4 ,the heathen raged1 the kingdoms were moved2 he uttered his voice1 the earth melted4 ,the ,lord of hosts is with us2 the ,god of ,jacob is our refuge4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,psalms xlvi3#a-g4 ,all which loving trust comes from that blessed sense of nearness of ,god born of the great doctrine of ,immanence--,god resident in the world1 here and now--a dynamic power in the world--that makes for righteousness1 and of which the ,christ was and is the manifestation1 the ,revealer2 and the ,immanent ,spirit is the ,light of ,christ4 ,,lesson ,,iv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,philosophical ,,value ,,of ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,immanence4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,the ,immanence ,conception a ,result of ,modern ,thinking4 ,,ii4 ,philosophical ,values in ,immanence4 ,,iii4 ,immanence ,conversely--,the ,world ,immanent in ,god4 ,,iv4 ,immanence ,equal--,manifestation ,unequal4 ,,references4 ,the ,scripture passages and works cited in the lesson text4 ,,special ,,text3 ,thou1 ,god1 seest me4 7,gen4 xvi3#ac47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,modern ,revival of the ,doctrine of ,immanence3 ,on the philosophical side of this conception of the ,immanence of ,god1 we are assured that it is the result of the modern world's 7i4e4 post ,kantian7 thinking4,a ,of its value to human thinking and to religion itself1 ,john ,fiske--after pointing out the fact that both ,clement and ,athanasius among the early ,christian fathers had held somewhat to the doctrine of immanence as conceived in more modern philosophy1 viz--,god ,immanent in the universe1 and eternally creative--says3 ,footnote ,a3 ,one can securely say that nothing of crucial import has come forward in the interest of human freedom i4e4 freedom of the human will--man as a free moral agent since ,kant started the inspiring but hitherto little fruitful conception of moral autonomy4 ,instead1 as we have seen1 the world's thinking has been absorbed in questions that thus far have ended in a persuasion of the immanence of the eternal in all things--at best the all-pervasive presence of an immanent spirit4 ,howison1 ,conceptions of ,god1 ,introductions p4 #cb4 ,once really adopt the conception of an ever-present ,god1 without whom not a sparrow falls to the ground1 and it becomes self-evident that the law of gravitation is but an expression of a particular mode of divine action4 ,and what is thus true of one law is true of all laws4 ,the thinker in whose mind divine action is thus identified with orderly action and to whom a really irregular phenomenon would seem like a manifestation of sheer diabolism1 forsees in every possible extension of knowledge a fresh confirmation of his faith in ,god4 ,from his point of view there can be no antagonism between our duty as inquirers and our duty as worshipers4 ,to him no part of the universe is godless4 ,in the swaying to and fro of molecules and the ceaseless pulsations of ether1 in the secular shiftings of planetary orbits1 in the busy work of frost and raindrop1 in the mysterious sprouting of the seed1 in the everlasting tale of death and life renewed1 in the dawning of the babe's intelligence1 in the varied deeds of men from age to age1 he finds that which awakens the soul to reverential awe2 and each act of scientific explanation but reveals an opening through which shines the glory of the ,eternal ,majesty4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,fiske-,studies in ,religion1 pp4 #afg-c1 ,works ,vol4 ,,ix #b4 ,the ,world ,immanent in ,god3 ,still one other thought from the philosophical side of the conception of ,immanence is that it enables one to see not only ,god in nature1 but as a necessary corollary1 nature in ,god--,divine immanence in the world1 and the reciprocal immanence of the world in ,god4,a ,that is to say1 in one view1 ,god's presence and power penetrates and pervades nature--the universe2 in another view1 nature is received into the all-including spiritual presence of ,god3 as the ,one indwells in the other2 so the other dwells in the ,one4 ,footnote ,a3 ,howison--,the ,conception of ,god4 p4 #if4 ,before now the student has doubtless looked into the clear depths of a crystal-like spring of water2 and has seen on the sandy floor of the spring the sunlight that tells him that the sun penetrates the water1 in-dwells in the water1 or1 in poetic terms-- ,the sunshine in water lies sleeping4 ,and as the sunlight penetrates the water so does the water receive and hold the sunlight4 ,as it is in the crystal spring1 so is it in the ocean4 ,and so in the universe with the immanence of ,god and the reciprocal immanence of the world in ,god4 ,as saith the revelation3 ,judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne1 and governeth and executeth all things4 ,he comprehendeth all things1 and all things are before him1 and all things are round him2 and he is above all things1 and in all things1 and is through all things1 and is round about all things2 and all things are by nim1 and of him1 even ,god forever and forever4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#da4 ,the chief value of this statement of the case--apart from the fact of it as a truth--is1 it helps one to understand the completeness of the presence of ,god in the world2 so complete is it1 that the world is also in ,god6 ,also it helps one to an understanding of the more restricted view of the same principle announced in ,st4 ,john1 the declaration of the ,christ3 ,believe me that ,i am in the ,father1 and the ,father in me2 and that he and the ,father are one,a--i4e41 the divine nature and spirit are one4 ,one nature participated in by both ,father and ,son and finally to be participated in by those who are the disciples of the ,christ2 for in his prayer immediately preceding the hour of his passion--the most pathetic and soul-moving prayer preserved in human language--referring to his disciples he said3 ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xiv3#aa2 also xvii4 ,holy ,father1 keep through thine own name those whom thou has given me1 that they may be one as we are4 ,neither pray ,i for these alone1 but for them also which shall believe on me through their word2 that they all may be one2 as thou1 ,father1 art in me1 and ,i in thee1 that they also may be one in us1 and the glory which thou gavest me1 ,i have given them1 that they may be one1 even as we are one3 ,i in them and thou in me1 that they may be made perfect in one4 99 99 99 ,i have declared unto them thy name1 and will declare it2 that the love wherewith thou hast loved me1 may be in them1 and ,i am them4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xvii4 ,paul doubtless refers to the same principle when he says3 ,for this cause ,i bow my knees unto the ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named2 that he would grant you1 according to the riches of his glory1 to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man2 that ,christ may dwell in your hearts by faith2 that ye1 being rooted and grounded in ,jove1 may be able to comprehend with all ,saints what is the breadth and length and depth1 and height2 and to know the love of ,christ which passeth knowledge1 that ye may be filled with all the fullness of ,god4 7,eph4 iii3#ad-ai47 ,and also when he said3 ,let this mind be in you which was also in ,christ ,jesus3 who being in the form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god4 7,philippians ii3#e1 #f47 #c4 ,one ,divine ,nature in ,many ,persons3 ,one divine nature1 then1 is the conclusion2 but a divine nature in manifold persons1 many1 though indeed one1 because harmonized into unity of purpose1 and will2 one divine spirit1 rising from one divine nature--though participated in by many2 a spirit rising from all ,intelligences who have attained to the divine nature and unity in all and through all1 manifesting ,god in his splendor and glory1 as creating1 sustaining1 and guiding power in the universe--both ,immanent and personal4 ,elsewhere ,i have said on this subject3 ,one cannot help being profoundly impressed with the great truth that creation1 throughout its whole extent1 bears evidence of being one system3 that it presents at every point unity of design1 and harmony in its government4 ,nor am ,i unmindful of the force there is in the deduction usually drawn from these premises1 viz41 that the ,creator and ,governor of the universe1 must necessarily be ,one4 ,but ,i am also profoundly impressed by another fact that comes within the experience of man1 at least to a limited extent1 viz43 the possibility of intelligences arriving at perfect agreement1 so as to act in absolute unity4 ,we see manifestations of this principle in human governments1 and other human associations of various kinds4 ,and this1 too1 is observable1 viz41 that the greater and more perfect the individual intelligence1 the more perfect can the unity of purpose and of effort become for the community of intelligences2 so that one need only conceive the existence of perfect intelligences to operate together in order to secure perfect oneness2 then shall come the one system evident in the universe1 exhibiting at every point unity of design1 and perfect harmony in its government4 ,in other words1 oneness can be the result of perfect agreement among many intelligences as surely as it can be the result of the existence of ,one ,only ,intelligence4 ,also1 the decrees and purposes of the perfectly united ,many can be as absolute as the decrees and purposes of the ,one ,only ,intelligence4 ,one is also confronted with the undeniable fact that inclines him to the latter view as the reasonable explanation of the ,oneness that is evidently in control of the universe--the fact that there are in existence many ,intelligences1 and1 endowed as they are with free will1 it cannot be denied that they influence1 to some extent1 the course of events and the conditions that obtain4 ,moreover1 it will be found1 on careful inquiry1 that the explanation of the ,oneness controlling in the universe1 on the theory that it results from perfect agreement or unity of ,many ,intelligences1 is more in harmony with the revelations of ,god on the subject than the theory that there is but ,one ,only ,intelligence that enters into its government4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 pp4 #acg-h4 ,john ,stuart ,mill1 in his ,essay on ,theism1 in speaking of the evident unity in nature1 which suggests that nature is governed by ,one ,being1 comes very near stating the exact truth in an alternative proposition to his first remark1 viz43 ,a4 least1 if a plurality be supposed1 it is necessary to assume so complete a concert of action and unity of will among them1 that the difference is for most purposes immaterial between such a theory and that of the absolute unity of the ,godhead4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,essays on ,religion2 ,theism p4 #acc4 #d4 ,immanence and ,manifestation3 ,we must believe from the scriptures previously considered in these lessons that ,god by his spirit is everywhere and equally present1 but it does not follow that the manifestation of ,god is everywhere and equally the same4 ,there are doubtless persons1 conditions1 and places1 that present more favorable natures and conditions to the manifestation of this universal presence than others4 ,undoubtedly1 if the assumption of this treatise be the right one1 viz41 that the ,god ,immanent1 for us men in the kingdom of the universe we inhabit known as the ,light of ,christ--carries with it the divine attributes of truth1 wisdom1 justice1 holiness1 and love1 with the rest1 then it follows1 since like his affinity,a to like1 that there may be1 as said above1 persons1 conditions and places more congenial to manifestation of the divine spirit than others4 ,there are individual men and perhaps races of men more responsive to the ,divine ,presence and the divine attributes of which that presence is the atmosphere1 than others2 and where this is the case there will be the larger manifestation of ,god4 ,hence the difference observable among individuals and races and at variant times and places4 ,those who draw near to ,god1 he draws near to them in manifestations of his presence and power2 those who love darkness rather than light1 because their deeds are evil1 receive not the light2 the manifestation of ,god in them either in presence or power is not possible because the conditions which attend upon that manifestation are not there4 ,footnote ,a3 ,for intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence2 wisdom receiveth wisdom2 truth embraceth truth2 virtue loveth virtue2 light cleaveth unto light2 mercy hath compassion on mercy1 and claimeth its own2 judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon the throne1 and governeth and executeth all things4 7,doc4 ,cov4 ,sec4 lviii3#cg-dj47 #f4 ,the ,law of ,manifestation of the ,immanent ,spirit3 ,draw nigh unto ,god1 and he will draw nigh to you1,a is the law of divine manifestation4 ,christ1 the ,revealer of the ,divine1 ,immanent ,spirit1 as well as of the person1 character1 brightness1 and glory of the ,father--the manifestation of all that is divine--,came unto his own1 but his own received him not2 but unto as many as received him1 to them gave he power to become the sons of ,god1 even to them that believed on his name4,b ,he that believeth on him 7i4 e4 the ,christ7 is not condemned3 but he that believeth not is condemned already1 because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten ,son of ,god4 ,footnote ,a3 ,james iv3#h4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,john i3#aa1 #ab4 ,and this is the condemnation1 that light is come into the world1 and men loved darkness rather than light1 because their deeds were evil4 ,for every one that doeth evil hateth the light1 neither cometh to the light1 lest his deeds should be reproved4 ,but he that doeth truth1 cometh to the light1 that his deeds may be manifest1 that they are wrought in ,god4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john iii3#ah-ba4 ,,lesson ,v4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,difficulties ,,involved ,,in ,,the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,immanence4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,incompatibility of the ,existence of ,evil in the ,world1 and the ,immanence of ,god4 ,,ii4 ,reason for the ,existence of ,moral ,evil4,a ,,iii4 ,difficulties that ,arise from a ,partial ,view of ,man's ,life4 ,,iv4 ,the ,golden ,age ,promised--the ,millennium4 ,,iv4 ,the ,lessons from ,broken ,harmonies--a ,world wherein ,reigns ,evils4 ,,references4 ,the ,scripture passages and works cited in the lesson text4 ,,special ,,text3 ,thou ,god are of purer eyes than to behold evil1 and canst not look on iniquity3 wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he8 7,habakkuk i3#ac47 ,footnote ,a3 ,under this subdivision of the lesson should be considered especially the matter in note m1 this lesson1 and the lessons cited from ,year ,books ,,ii and ,,iv above and a review of the lessons cited from former ,year ,books in note4 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,incompatibility of ,immanence and ,evil ,stated3 ,it is conceded that the conception of ,god ,immanent in the universe--everywhere existing and everywhere dynamic power1 though not everywhere equally manifested1 carries with it many and great difficulties that attend upon all forms of human thinking when seeking the harmony that one feels must exist in the things that are--in truth4 ,for example3 one naturally would say1 as soon as the conception of the ,immanence of ,god takes firm lodgment in his mind1--why1 then1 if ,god is in his world everywhere present1 and everywhere1 not only powerful1 but all-powerful2 not only knowing1 but all-knowing2 not only good but all-good1 holy in fact1 and cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance,a--why then is there evil in the world1 physical suffering1 and moral wrong1 injustice1 cruelty8,b ,why is the sum of human misery so great8,c ,why is the sum of human happiness so small8,d ,why do the good suffer adversity8 ,why does prosperity so frequently1 in this world at least1 attend upon the wicked8 ,in the words of the ,hebrew prophet addressed to ,god3 ,wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously1 and holdest thy tongue1 when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he8,e ,why do the sins of the wicked involve the innocent--why are the innocent made to suffer with the guilty8,f ,why does truth make such tardy appearance in the world1 and why of so partial rather than of universal distribution8 ,how can freedom co-exist1 that is1 the freedom of man as a free moral agent1 co-exist with the ,sovereign will of the ,all-,powerful and ,immanent ,god8,g ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 i3#ca4 ,also ,habakkuk i3#ac and ,psalms v3#d-f4 ,footnote ,b3 ,we cry out for some explanation--for some philosophy which shall show us how evil is consistent with the infinite goodness4 7,le ,conte1 ,conceptions of ,god1 p4 #ga47 ,footnote ,c3 ,how terribly large is the proportion of evil8 comparing the number of those who are or have been happy1 with the number of those who are or have been unhappy1 can we say that the great pessimist was very far wrong in calling this the worst possible--he did not say the worst conceivable--world4 7,goldwin ,smith1 discussing ,evolution1 ,immortality1 and ,christianity1 in ,north ,american ,review1 ,october1 #aijg1 p4 #aif47 ,footnote ,d3 ,the great quest of humanity is happiness4 ,but was the world created to make us happy8 ,i've studied people in all places and conditions and everywhere ,i've found1 when you get below the surface1 that it's mostly the insincere individual who says1 ',i am a happy man4' 7,thomas ,a4 ,edison1 the great ,american ,inventor in a ,vienna-,austria ,interview on ,success in ,life1 reported in ,new ,york ,world1 ,october #be4 #aiaa47 ,footnote ,e3 ,habakkuk i3#ac4 ,footnote ,f3 ,see ,seventy's ,year ,book ,,ii1 ,lessons ,,iii and ,,ix4 ,also ,year ,book ,,iv1 ,lessons ,,iv and ,,vii and ,,viii4 ,footnote ,g3 ,in order that it may be seen that this is regarded really as doubtful by some powerful minds1 and also as a question of grave importance1 ,i quote the following presentation of it by ,professor ,howison1 and which he prints in italics in the work from which ,i quote it3 ,can the reality of human free-agency1 of moral responsibility and universal moral aspiration1 of unlimited spiritual hope for every soul1--can this be made out1 can it even be held1 consistently with the theory of an ,immanent ,god8 ,this1 for a few awakened minds at least1 now becomes the 'burning question4' 99 99 99 ,at all events1 the time has come when the question whether this is not so should be raised with all emphasis1 and examined to the end4 ,for if our genuine freedom is to disappear when we accept the religion whose ,god is the ,immanent ,spirit1 then the new religion is in truth a decline from the highest conceptions of the historic faith1 and in this regard has no advantage over the religion of the ',unknowable4' 7,conceptions of ,god1 p4 #cj47 ,professor ,le ,conte has a valuable passage apropos these questions which ,i consider too valuable to omit at this point1 though it makes rather an extended quotation4 ,on the great question of moral evil1 its nature1 its origin1 its reason--a question inseparably connected with the conception of ,god1 he says3 ,in a general way ,i agree with his ,professor ,royce's explanation of the dark problem of evil4 ,evil cannot be the true meaning and real outcome of the universe2 on the contrary1 it means the necessary means of the highest good4 99 99 99 ,our moral and religious nature is just as fundamental and essential as our scientific and rational nature4 ,as science is not simply passionless acquisition of knowledge1 but also enthusiasm for truth1 so morality is not passionless rules of best conduct1 but impassioned love of righteousness4 ,and this last is what we call religion2 for religion is morality touched and vivified with noble emotion4 ,now1 the necessary postulate of science1 without which scientific activity would be impossible1 is a rational order of the universe2 and1 similarly1 the necessary postulate of religion1 without such religious activity would be impossible1 is a moral order of the universe4 ,as science postulates the final triumph of reason1 so religion must postulate the final triumph of righteousness4 ,science believes in the rational order1 or in law1 in spite of apparent confusion2 she knows that disorder is only apparent1 only the result of ignorance2 and her mission is1 to show this by reducing all appearances1 all phenomena1 to law4 ,so also religion is right in her unshakable belief in the moral order1 in spite of apparent disorder or evil2 she knows that evil is only apparent1 the result of our ignorance and our weakness2 and her mission is1 to show this by helping on the triumph of moral order over disorder4 ,we may1 if we like1--as many indeed do1--reject the faith in the ,infinite ,goodness1 and thereby paralyze our religious activity2 but then1 to be consistent1 we must also reject the faith in the ,infinite ,reason1 and thereby paralyze our scientific activity4 ,so much for a rational justification of the indestructible faith religion has in the ,infinite ,righteousness1 even in the presence of abounding evil4 ,it is founded on the same ground as our indestructible faith in the reign of law in the natural world1 and is just as reasonable4 ,why is it1 then1 it may be asked1 that every one is willing to admit the postulate of science1 while so many doubt that of religion8 ,i answer3 partly because of feebleness of our moral life in comparison with our physical life2 but mainly because the steady advance of science1 with its progressive conquest of chaos1 and its extension of the domain of order and law1 is a continual verification of the postulate of science1 and justification of our faith therein2 while1 on the contrary1 the progress of morality and religion is uncertain and often unrecognized1 the increase of righteousness and decrease of evil doubtful and even denied4 ,in the presence of such uncertainty1 our faith is often sorely tried4 ,we cry out for some explanation--for some philosophy which shall show us how evil is consistent with the ,infinite ,goodness4 ,we know it is1 for that is a necessary postulate4 ,but--how8,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the ,conception of ,god--,le ,conte's paper1 pp4 #gj-ga4 ,this philosophy so earnestly asked for ,i trust is found in the ,new ,dispensation of the ,gospel1 the light from the revelations in which1 ,i believe1 warrant the conclusions in the above paragraph of the ,lesson text1 and also the conclusions reached in the lessons of previous ,year ,books cited in note f4 ,then ,professor ,le ,conte himself gives a reasonably good explanation for the existence of moral evil1 which it is only just should be given here since ,i have quoted him up to the question of why evil exists4 ,this is his answer3 ,it is that the existence or at least the possibility of a moral being like that of man should exist4 ,there are some things which ,god himself cannot do1 viz41 such things as are contrary to his essential nature1 and such things as are a contradiction in terms and therefore absurd and unthinkable4 ,such a thing would be a moral being without freedom to choose right or wrong4 ,god could not make man eternally and of necessity sinless1 for then he would not be man at all4 ,to make him incapable of virtue1 of righteousness1 of holiness1 for he must acquire these for himself by free choice1 by struggle and conquest4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the ,conception of ,god1 p4 #gb4 #b4 ,things ,seen and ,known but in ,part3 ,one may not find the complete answer to all the questions of the second paragraph of this lesson1 which make up largely the sum of difficulties for the theist1 who believes in ,god ,immanent in the world2 but they are somewhat lessened by remembering that here on our plane of human life we know things but in fragments--,we know in part3 ,we see as through a glass1 darkly2 not face to face2 and will have to await the time of more perfect knowing and seeing before we shall comprehend things as they are in their entirety4 ,a fine illustration of the mistaken conclusions men form by judging of things seen only in part is to be found in the ,prophet ,malachi3 ,your words have been stout against me1 saith the ,lord4 ,yet ye say1 ,what have we spoken so much against thee8 ,ye have said1 ,it is vain to serve ,god3 and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance1 and that we have walked mournfully before the ,lord of hosts8 ,and now we call the proud happy2 yea1 they that work wickedness are set up2 yea1 they that tempt ,god are even delivered4 ,then they that feared the ,lord spake often one to another3 and the ,lord hearkened1 and heard it1 and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the ,lord1 and that thought upon his name4 ,and they shall be mine1 saith the ,lord of hosts1 in that day when ,i make up my jewels2 and ,i will spare them1 as a man spareth his own son that serveth him4 ,then shall ye return1 and discern between the righteous and the wicked1 between him that serveth ,god and him that serveth him not,a ,footnote ,a3 ,mal4 iii3#ac-ah4 ,all which tends to establish the thought that this world is the scene of struggle and trial for man1 not the place of his full triumph and reward4 ,in this world your joy is not full saith the ,lord1 but in me your joy is full4 ,therefore care not for the body1 neither the life of the body2 but care for the soul1 and for the life of the soul2 and seek the face of the ,lord1 always1 that in patience ye may possess your souls1 and ye shall have eternal life4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 ci3#cf-ch4 #c4 ,amid ,broken ,harmonies3 ,we may be helped somewhat in our present earth-view of things1 by holding in consciousness the fact that we live at present in our world amid broken harmonies1 under the effects of the fall1 for a wise purpose in ,god2 in a sphere of trial and test2 in a purposely arranged department of ,god's great university for the instruction of the spirits of men in certain all-important matters1,m involving also our union with earth elements1 leading to a fulness of joy1 and without which union men cannot receive a fulness of joy4,b ,therefore we may say that in our earth-life things are not in a normal state2 but in confusion2 under stress of special trial and development that shall ultimate in higher and better things--in the golden age of the earth and of humanity1 predicted by sages and poets--the millennium of the seers and prophets of ,god1 and the apostles of the ,christ--these all bid us hope for higher and better things than we have known on our present plane of existence--a world where we shall no longer see as through a glass darkly1 but face to face2 when we shall no longer know only in part1 but know even as we are known2 when that which is in part shall be done away1 and that which is perfect is come4,c ,footnote ,m3 ,religion accounts for the existence of evil as probationary1 resistence to the evil being a training of humanity to good4 7,goldwin ,smith in ,north ,american ,review1 ,october1 #aijg4 ,in connection with this statement see ,seventy's ,year ,book ,,ii1 ,lesson ,,iii2 also ,lesson ,,viii1 ,,ix1 ,x1 which deal with ,the ,fall1 ,the ,purpose of ,man's ,earth ,life1 and the ,problem of ,evil47 ,footnote ,b3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 xciii3#cb-ce4 ,footnote ,c3 ,i ,cor4 xiii4 ,there remaineth then a rest for the people of ,god4,a ,they may look for a city which hath foundations1 whose builder and maker is ,god4,b ,the vision of ,st4 ,john1 in which he saw descending out of heaven the ,new ,jerusalem1 is yet to be realized in fact4 ,also what he heard proclaimed by a great voice-- ,footnote ,a3 ,heb4 iv3#i4 ,footnote ,b3 ,heb4 xi3#aj4 ,behold the tabernacle of ,god is with men1 and he will dwell with them1 and they shall be his people1 and ,god himself shall be with them1 and be their ,god4 ,and ,god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes2 and there shall be no more death1 neither sorrow1 nor crying1 neither shall there be any more pain3 for the former things are passed away4 ,and he that sat upon the throne said1 ,behold1 ,i make all things new4 ,and he said unto me1 ,write3 for these words are true and faithful4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,revelation xxi2 also xxii4 ,,lesson ,,vi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,doctrine ,,of ,,divine ,,immanence ,,in ,,the ,,new ,,dispensation3 ,,reconciliation ,,of ,,difficulties4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,difficulty of ,regarding the ,infinite ,power of the ,universe as ,both ,immanent and ,personal4 ,,ii4 ,revelation ,represents the ,infinite ,power of the ,universe as ,personal4 ,,iii4 ,the ,nature of ,man ,requires the ,infinite ,power to be a ,personal ,intelligence4 ,,iv4 ,reconciliation of ,difficulties in ,doctrine of ,immanence as taught in the ,new ,dispensation4 ,,references4 ,the ,scriptures and other works in the text of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,i know that my ,redeemer liveth1 and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth2 and though after my skin worms shall destroy this body1 yet in my flesh shall ,i see ,god3 whom ,i shall see for myself and mine eyes shall behold1 and not another3 though my veins be consumed within me4 7,job xix3#be-bh47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,immanence and ,personality--a ,difficulty3 ,the view here presented of the ,immanence of ,god in the world doubtless contributes in a helpful way to the advanced thought of the modern world in striving to arrive at a knowledge of things as they are1 as they have been1 and as they shall be--the truth4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 xciii3#bd4 ,modern thought has forced the conclusion upon men's minds that there is a power immanent in the world--here and now1 and always has been2 and so far as man can see there always will be2 it is eternal--both ways--to use a phrase of ,professor ,le ,conte's1 looking forward as well as backward1 when using that word eternal4 ,it is the eternal cause of things1 variously named energy1 force1 spirit1 or simply power1 used in some cases with the prefix mechanical or infinite or ,divine or the ,unknowable according to the view point of the speaker or writer2 but by most philosophers recognized as the infinite and eternal energy from which all things proceed1 and which is the same power that in ourselves wells up under the form of consciousness2,a and which by theists of all classes is recognized as ,god4 ,but those who long to conceive and in their lives feel the need of conceiving of this universal power or spirit or force or energy--the infinite and eternal energy from which all things proceed--meet with the difficulty of forming the conception of a power1 infinite1 and all pervasive1 and at the same time personal1 since it is held by philosophers of high authority--and deservedly so--that personality and infinity are terms expressive of ideas which are mutually incompatible4,b ,how then shall this difficulty be overcome8 ,professor ,le ,conte1 a most conscientious man of science1 and also a most devout ,theist1 says1 ,the only rational view is to accept both immanence and personality1 even though we cannot reconcile them4,c ,this1 however1 from the standpoint of modern philosophers and orthodox theologians who identify or confound the immanent power absolutely as ,god himself--and the only ,deity with whom we have to deal--is a somewhat forcing of the human understanding--a case of the heart breathing defiance to the intellect4 ,not that the spirit cannot do this 99 99 99 but that doing it does not amount to philosophy4,d ,i doubt if it amounts to religion either3 for religion no less than philosophy requires harmony in things2 and is necessarily a concern of the intellect as well as of the heart4 ,its conceptions must appeal to the understanding as well as to the emotions4 ,as remarked by ,mr4 ,fiske3 ,our reason demands that there shall be a reasonableness in the constitution of things4 ,this demand is a fact of our psychical spiritual nature as positive and irrepressible as our aceptance of geometrical axioms1 and our rejection of whatever controverts such axioms4 ,no ingenuity of argument can bring us to believe that the infinite ,sustainer of the ,universe will put us to permanent intellectual confusion4 ,that is in regard of spiritual or religious matters2 any more than in other matters4 ,our belief1 he continues1 in what we call the evidences of our senses is less strong than our faith that in the orderly sequence of events there is a meaning which our minds could fathom were they only vast enough4,e ,footnote ,a3 ,fiske1 ,studies in ,religion1 p4 #ajd2 ,works1 ,vol4 ,,ix4 ,the parts within single quotation marks are from ,spencer1 and quoted by ,fiske4 ,footnote ,b3 ,fiske ,cosmic ,philosophy1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 p4 #bbg4 ,also ,professor ,le ,conte says3 ,no one1 we admit1 can form a clear conception of how immanence of ,deity is consistent with personality4 7,evolution and ,its ,relation to ,religious ,thought1 p4 #ccg47 ,footnote ,c3 ,evolution and ,its ,relation to ,religious ,thought1 #aijb1 p4 #ccg4 ,the context is also worthy of being brought into view3 ,no one1 we admit1 can form a clear conception of how immanence of ,deity is consistent with personality1 and yet we must accept both1 because we are irresistibly led to each of these by different lines of thought4 ,science1 following one line of thought1 uncorrected by a wider philosophy1 is naturally led toward the one extreme of pantheistic immanence2 the devout worshiper1 following the wants of his religious nature1 is naturally led toward the other extreme of anthropomorphic personality4 ,the only rational view is to accept both immanence and personality1 even though we can not clearly reconcile them1 i4 e41 immanence without pantheism1 and personality without anthropomorphism4 ,footnote ,d3 ,professor ,howison in ,conception of ,god--,introduction1 p4 #ce4 ,the situation is well represented in the respective attitudes of ,mr4 ,henry ,l4 ,mansel1 a church of ,england minister1 ,dean of ,st4 ,paul's in fact1 and author of the somewhat celebrated ,brampton ,lectures on ,limits of ,religious ,thought--#ahge--2 and ,mr4 ,herbert ,spencer1 author of the ,synthetic ,philosophy4 ,mr4 ,mansel in his second lecture1 after dealing with the difficulties attending upon finite minds dealing with questions of the absolute1 infinite and first cause2 declares that there is a contradiction in the conception of the infinite as personal 7pp4 #hd-he73 and yet in the third lecture he says1 ,it is our duty to think of ,god as personal2 and it is our duty to believe that he is infinite2 notwithstanding1 as ,mr4 ,mansel admits1 we cannot reconcile these two representations with each other1 as our conception of personality involves attributes apparently contradictory to the notion of infinity4 7p4 #ajf73 ,commenting upon this very passage ,mr4 ,spencer says3 ,that this is not the conclusion here adopted 7i4e41 by himself7 needs hardly be said4 ,if there be any meaning in the foregoing argument1 duty requires us neither to affirm nor deny personality4 ,our duty is to submit ourselves with all humility to the established limits of our intelligence3 and not perversely to rebel against them4 ,let those who can1 believe that there is eternal war set between our intellectual faculties and our moral obligations4 ,i for one admit no such radical vice in the constitution of things4 ,first ,principles p4 #aaa4 ,footnote ,e3 ,studies in ,religion1 p4 #ahi4 ,works ,vol4 ,,ix4 #b4 ,revelation ,presents a ,personal ,deity as the ,object of ,man's ,faith and ,worship3 ,the ,old ,testament's revelation of ,god presents him to the world most emphatically as a personal being4 ,god is referred to as ,almighty1 ,all-,wise1 ,all-,holy1 the ,eternal ,creator1 ,sustainer1 and ,moral ,governor of the universe4 ,he is represented as entering into special relations with his highest creature1 man1 who is created in his image1 after his likeness1,a to be his vicegerent on earth1,b and to increase in sympathy and fellowship with himself4,c ,footnote ,a3 ,gen4 #a3bf1 #bg4 ,footnote ,b3 ,gen4 #a3bf-bh4 ,footnote ,c3 ,belief in ,god--,drummelow ,bible ,commentary1 p4 #di4 ,see also ,the ,index in both the ,oxford and ,cambridge ,teacher's ,bible ,helps1 under ,god and especially under the subdivision of ,attributes in the former4 ,when we sum up the impressions and teachings about the ,god of the ancient ,hebrews1 says ,professor ,francis ,brown1 of ,union ,theological seminary1 the general result is very definite4 ,we find a personal ,being of great majesty1 dignity and power1 the ,creator and ,ruler of men1 a being of holiness and transcendence2 a being of righteousness1 who promotes righteousness in others and punishes every breach of it2 whose government is a moral government and from whose decisions there is no appeal2 a being of kindness1 tenderness and helpfulness1 with gracious care for those who confide in him1 whose plans are at length to be worked out and his desires realized in the unity of men under his benevolent sway amid the exhibition of the divine glories of righteousness and universal peace4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the passage is from ,the ,christian ,point of ,view--#aijb--,prof4 ,brown's passage represents only that view of ,god revealed in the ,old ,testament that he asserts is not inconsistent with the ,new4 ,for he immediately adds to the above paragraph3 ,with every stroke of this drawing the ,new ,testament picture is in accord4 ,to this extent the spirit and teaching of ,jesus ,christ indorses the older revelation4 7,ibid above74 ,he then proceeds to show that some conceptions of ,god presented in the ,old ,testament1 as he apprehends them1 are not in harmony with the ,new ,testament4 ,i use the passage from ,professor ,brown1 merely to show that other believers in the ,old and ,new ,testament revelation of ,god1 as well as the ,latter-day ,saints1 regard those revelations as presenting ,god to human consciousness as a personal being4 ,if anything was lacking in the ,old ,testament revelation of ,god as a personal being1 in closest relationship to man1 then assuredly it would be supplied in the ,new ,testament revelation of ,god through the person and character of ,jesus ,christ4 ,for in the ,new ,testament1 in the most emphatic manner1 the ,christ is represented as ,god manifested in the flesh4,a ,he1 under the direction of the ,father1 is ,creator of the world2 he is the brightness of the ,father's glory2 and the express image of the ,father's person4,b ,he so completely represented the ,father that he declared that those who had seen him had seen the ,father2,c also after his resurrection he declared that all power in heaven and in earth had been given unto him1 and in the full glory of that ,god-,power he sent forth his disciples to teach all nations and to baptize them in the name of the distinct persons of the ,god-head4,d ,all that ,jesus was and is1 ,god is2 for the ,christ was ,god manifested in the flesh4 ,emphatically ,god is revealed as a personal being4 ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,tim4 iii3#af4 ,footnote ,b3 ,hebrews i4 ,see also ,discourse by the writer1 ,jesus ,christ the ,revelation of ,god1 in ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ,ch4 ,,iv1 also chapter ,i1 same work4 ,footnote ,c3 ,st4 ,john1 xiv3#h-aa4 ,footnote ,d3 ,matt4 xxviii3#ah-bj4 ,to all this may be added the account of the greatest revelation of all given to man respecting ,god1 in which both ,father and ,son are revealed to be not only persons but each a separate and distinct individual --the unveiling of both ,god the ,father and ,god the ,son to ,joseph ,smith2 ,i saw1 said he1 two personages1 whose brightness and glory defy all description1 standing above me in the air4 ,one of them spake unto me1 calling me by name1 and said1 pointing to the other-- ,this my beloved son1 hear him4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,writings of ,joseph ,smith1 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p #he4 ,needless to say these personages in form were as men4 ,the whole volume of revelation1 the ,old ,testament1 and the ,new1 and all modern revelation1 both in the ,book of ,mormon and in the ,doctrine and ,covenants2 as well also in the discourses and conversations of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 ,god is represented as a person--of whom ,jesus ,christ is the express image1 and explicit manifestation2 and hence believers in revelation are bound to regard ,god as a personal being1 in whose image man was created4 #c4 ,the ,nature of ,man ,requires a ,personal ,god3 ,the necessity of conceiving the being whom men call ,god as personal1 also arises from the nature of man4 ,as it is inconceivable that ,god should love gases1,a so1 too1 is it impossible for man to love1 revere1 or worship mere force1 or energy2 or regard himself as holding any moral relationship whatsoever to it1 though it be proclaimed infinite and eternal4 ,it is soul that responds to soul2 like responds to like2 love to love4 ,soul of man cries out for soul in the ,infinite ,power to make rational a universe which otherwise is irrational1 empty and void of meaning--mechanical merely1 signifying nothing4 ,the central idea of religion1 consists of certain relationships that exist between men and the power recognized as ,god1 involving the thought of duties and of rights4,b ,man knows himself as a person--an intelligence2 conscious of certain existences1 of self-existence1 and conscious of a great number of things not self4 ,he is capable of many and wonderful intellectual and emotional experiences4 ,he deliberates2 he compares things1 contrasts things2 he measures and weighs things1 he sets values upon them2 he prizes one more than another4 ,he is capable of rising from the particular to the general1 from the concrete to the abstract2 from the things of sense-perception to objects of thought1 ideas2 until at last ,i think1 he cries1 ,therefore ,i am4,c ,footnote ,a3 ,the impressive thought is ,sir ,robert ,ball's1 see ,defense of the ,faith and the ,saints1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #ejj4 ,footnote ,b3 ,see ,seventy's ,year ,book ,,iv1 ,lesson ,i4 ,the central and real meaning of the ,christian religion1 in which the self-consciousness of the ,wests finds its true expression1 and which thus far has found no home except in the ,west1 lies exactly in the faith that the ,creator and the creature are reciprocally and equally real1 not identical2 that there is ,fatherhood of ,god and brotherhood of men2 that ,god recognizes rights in the creature and acknowledges duties toward him2 and that men are accordingly both unreservedly and also indestructibly real1 both free and immortal4 ,in that religion alone1 ,i venture to assert1 is the union of this triad of faiths to be found--in ,god1 in freedom1 in immortality--faiths that1 while three1 are inseparably one1 since neither can be stated except in terms of the other two4 7,conceptions of ,god--,howison1 p4 #id47 ,footnote ,a3 ,such ,descartes formula1 and the strength of it as a truth1 and its value as an initial point in philosophy1 has not been shaken in the two and three quarters of a century since it was first published4 ,see ,descartes' ,meditations4 ,in the ,universal ,classics ,library edition of ,descartes1 there is in the ,introduction by ,frank ,sewell1 ,a4 ,m41 a very fine and exhaustive discussion of the above principle1 ,the ,cogito ,ergo ,sum--,its ,nature and ,meaning4 ,subdivision ,,iii and ,,iv of the ,introduction4 ,the ,meditations were first published in ,paris #afda1 ,a4,d4 #d4 ,the ,wonders of ,man's ,mind-,power3 ,but not only does man think1 and from consciousness of the fact deduce his own existence1 but he passes judgment upon things1 determining that this is a better thing1 or state1 or condition than that4 ,he chooses between and among things1 states1 and conditions4 ,he is conscious of a power within himself also to will this or that1 and can become a true cause of certain and very many things within his experience1 especially as concerns his individual movements and conduct4 ,he is equally conscious of certain emotions that pertain to himself4 ,he fears1 is awed2 he experiences sorrow1 hate1 joy1 and1 best of all1 love4 ,and1 certain abnormal individuals aside1 man loves what he conceives to be the beautiful1 the true1 the good4 ,in this1 too1 he is capable of rising in conception from the concrete to the abstract2 from the relative to the absolute2 from the finite to the infinite4 ,he loves the truth of his experience2 but he knows it is limited1 relative1 and he longs for the ,absolute ,truth4 ,he loves the good of his experience1 but again he knows the good of his experience to be relative1 finite1 and he longs for and could love1 and love supremely1 the ,infinitely ,good4 ,he aspires to relationship with it1 to fellowship1 to union1 to one-ship with it4 ,in order to attain to such relationship1 however1 it is obvious that the ,infinite ,power1 the ,infinitely ,beautiful and the ,infinitely ,good must be some thing more than mechanical force4 ,it must be even more than an ,unknown2 something more than a ,mystery1 a mere ,incomprehensible1 an ,inscruitable1 if man is to stand in any sympathetic relationship to it3 for the ,infinite ,power as an admittedly ,unknown1 or as ,inscruitable ,mystery1 leaves that power as incapable of reciprocal1 moral and spiritual relations with man as the ,power conceived as mere mechanical force is4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,these remarks are made in view of what ,mr4 ,herbert ,spencer says of the value of ,a ,mystery ever pressing for an interpretation1 as an ultimate religious truth of the highest possible certainty2 but which1 if analyzed1 will be discovered to be of no more religious value than the conception of the ,infinite ,power as mechanical force4 ,yet ,mr4 ,spencer thus speaks of it3 ,and thus the mystery which all religions recognize1 turns out to be far more transcendent mystery than any of them suspect--not a relative1 but an absolute mystery4 ,here1 then1 is an ultimate religious truth of the highest possible certainty--a truth in which religions in general are at one with each other1 and with a philosophy antagonistic to their special dogmas4 ,and this truth1 respecting which there is a latent agreement among all mankind from the fetish-worshiper to the most stoical critic of human creeds1 must be the one we seek4 ,if ,religion and ,science are to be reconciled1 the basis of reconciliation must be this deepest1 widest1 and most certain of all facts--that the ,power which the ,universe manifests to us ,is utterly inscrutable4 ,first ,principles1 pp4 #dg1 #dh4 #e4 ,the ,immanence of the ,new ,dispensation--,reconciliation of ,difficulties3 ,the ,immanence of ,god1 as we have seen1 and as that conception is commonly held1 presents a difficulty4 ,the difficulty of regarding the ,immanent ,power as being at once immanent in the world and at the same time personal4 ,but that difficulty is overcome in the theology of the ,new ,dispensation by the fact that the ,immanent ,god is conceived as ,spirit or ,spiritual ,light--the ,light of ,christ1 for us men--which proceedeth forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space4 ,the light which is in all things2 which giveth life to all things2 which is the law by which all things are governed3 even the ,power of ,god4,a ,and which is1 according to the testimony of ,st4 ,john the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world1,b and according to the word of the ,lord to ,joseph ,smith is1 the light which now shineth1 which giveth you light1 is through him who enlighteneth your eyes1 which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings4,c ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#ab1ac4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,john1 i3#i4 ,footnote ,c3 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxxviii3#aa4 ,also1 as we have seen 7ante-,lesson ,,iii71 not only is the ,immanent ,spirit the ,divine ,power1 but that spirit carries with it into the immensity of space which it pervades1 at least certain attributes of the ,divine ,intelligence from whom it proceeds1 and becomes the inspiration to intelligence in men1 and the atmosphere of wisdom1 holiness1 truth1 and of love4 ,also the ,immanent ,spirit is a means of union for man1 if he desires it1 if he seeks to make it so by drawing nigh unto ,god1 that ,god may draw nigh unto him--a means of union with the ,divine ,intelligences from whom the spiritual light proceeds1 and of whom the ,christ is the type1 and with whom man is destined1 ultimately1 to associate1 living in the physical presence of such ,intelligences as well as in their spiritual presence1 on terms of intimate friendship--face to face communion2 personal association in councils2 personal cooperation in the divine purposes1 in creation1 in sustentation2 in redemptive processes1 and1 in a word1 in all the ,divine activities1 until man shall be satisfied to the uttermost with his fellowship and perfect union with ,god1 finding in the free harmony of ,divine ,intelligences1 that ,city of ,god1 that moral order1 that expression of the ,absolute1 that completeness1 which seems necessary to a rational universe for man4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,the ,godhead4 ,,the ,,holy ,,trinity4,a 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise74 ,,the ,,holy ,,trinity4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,faith of the ,church in ,god4 ,,ii4 ,scripture ,evidence of the ,trinity4 ,,iii4 ,the ,early ,christian ,conception of the ,holy ,trinity4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed4 ,,iv4 ,worship of the ,godhead4 ,,references4 ,the ,scripture passages and works cited in the ,discussion of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,and ,jesus when he was baptized went straightway out of the water2 and lo1 the heavens were opened unto him1 and he saw the ,spirit of ,god1 descending like a dove1 and lighting upon him3 and lo1 a voice from heaven saying1 ,this is my beloved ,son in whom ,i am well pleased4 7,matt4 iii3#af1 #ag47 ,footnote ,a3 ,this subject is treated more at length in ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,iii1 also in the writer's ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ,ch4 ,,iv1 ,lesson ,,xxxi1 to which the student is referred4 ,its treatment here is merely to get the idea of the relationship that the ,holy ,ghost sustains to the other two personages of the ,trinity4 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,belief in the ,godhead3 ,we believe in ,god the ,eternal ,father1 and in his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 and in the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,articles of ,faith--,joseph ,smith1 from the ,wentworth ,letter #ahdb1 ,hist4 of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 p4 #ece et ,seq4 ,such is the authoritative declaration of the ,church as to its faith in the ,godhead4 ,such is the ,godhead of the ,new ,testament ,scriptures--the ,christian ,trinity4 #b4 ,scripture ,proof of the ,trinity3 ,in four separate ways is this made apparent3 7#a7 at the baptism of ,jesus4 ,as ,jesus1 who is ,god1 the ,son1 came forth from his baptism at the hands of ,john1 a manifestation of the presence of ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 was given in the sign of the ,dove1 which rested upon ,jesus2 while1 lo1 a voice from heaven1 the voice of ,god1 the ,father1 was heard1 saying---,this is my beloved ,son in whom ,i am well pleased2,a 7#b7 in the commission given to the apostles to teach all nations3 and ,jesus came and spake unto them saying1 all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth4 ,go1 therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost1 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you4,b 7#c7 in the vision of ,stephen2 the mob rushed upon ,stephen--,but he1 being full of the ,holy ,ghost1 looked steadfastly into heaven1 and saw the ,glory of ,god1 and ,jesus standing on the right hand of ,god4,c 7#d7 in the apostolic benediction1 viz41 ,the grace of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and the love of ,god1 and the communion of the ,holy ,ghost1 be with you all4,d ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 iii3#af1 #ag4 ,footnote ,b3 ,matt4 xxviii3#ah1 #ai4 ,footnote ,c3 ,acts vii3#ee1 #ef4 ,footnote ,d3 ,,ii ,cor4 xiii3#ad4 ,this ,godhead of three divine persons is emphatically proclaimed in the ,book of ,mormon3 ,they shall be arraigned before the bar of ,christ1 the ,son1 and ,god the ,father1 and the ,holy ,spirit1 which is one ,eternal ,god1 to be judged according to their works4,a ,and after this manner shall ye baptize in my name this after giving the baptismal formula--,i baptize you in the name of the ,father and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost1 see context1 for verily ,i say unto you1 that the ,father and the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost are one--,jesus4,b ,the ,father1 and ,i and the ,holy ,ghost are one4--,jesus4,c ,footnote ,a3 ,alma xi3#dd4 ,footnote ,b3 ,,ii ,nephi xi3#bd1 #bg4 ,footnote ,c3 ,ibid ver4 #cf4 ,see also ,,iii ,nephi xxxiii3#aj2 and ,mormon vii3#g4 #c4 ,the ,doctrine of the ,trinity ,formulated in the ,early ,christian ,church3 ,to these scriptural groupings of the three persons into a holy trinity1 may be added that earliest of post apostolic symbols known commonly as the ,apostles' ,creed1 because of the tradition that it was formulated by the apostles immediately before their dispersion into the world to fulfill the commission given to them by the ,christ to teach all nations2 but which notion is now very generally discredited1 and the truer notion is held to be that this noted summary of ,christian faith arose from small beginnings1 and was gradually enlarged as occasion required in order to exclude new errors from the ,church4,a ,but1 however1 and whoever constructed this so-called ,apostles' ,creed1 this much must be said of it1 viz41 that it represents the almost universal belief of the early ,christian ,church in a ,godhead consisting of three persons1 the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost2 that this is in harmony with the ,new ,testament scriptures1 and is the symbol,b of ,christian faith that grew out of efforts to express the essentials of ,christianity4 ,the creed1 in ,english1 follows3 ,footnote ,a3 ,in acknowledging that it has no claim to that venerable title 7i4 e41 the ,apostles' ,creed71 we must guard against the common assumption1 says ,dr4 ,philip ,smith1 that it is the oldest1 as well as the simplest creed of the ,catholic ,church4 ,true--as we have seen--it may be traced1 in its most essential elements1 from an early post-apostolic age2 but1 its development belongs solely to the ,western ,church1 and its formal adoption1 as a written creed1 is later than the ,nicene4 ,it was the ancient baptismal creed as used in the ,church of ,rome1 and was known as the ,symbolum ,romanum1 or simply ,symbolum1 before it received the epithet of ,apostolorum4 ,its forms were different in different churches2 the earlier forms variously omitting the articles of the descent into hell1 the communion of saints1 the life everlasting1 and the epithet catholic before church4 ,footnote ,b3 ,these creeds obtained also the name of ,symbols4 ,students' ,ecclesiastical ,history1 ,dr4 ,philip ,smith1 ,vol ,i1 p4 #bcd4 ,,the ,,apostles' ,,creed4 ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father1 ,almighty2 and in ,jesus ,christ1 his only begotten son1 our ,lord1 who was born of the ,virgin ,mary by the ,holy ,ghost1 was crucified under ,pontius ,pilate1 buried1 arose from the dead on the third day1 ascended to the heavens1 and sits at the right hand of the ,father2 whence he will come to judge the living and the dead2 and in the ,holy ,spirit2 the holy church2 the remission of sins2 and the resurrection of the body4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,mosheim's ,ecclesiastical ,institutes1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #hj1 ,murdock's translation4 ,the above form1 is as it stood in the fourth century1 a few centuries later it attained in the ,romish ,church its ampler form1 in which it has since been adopted by most ,protestant churches1 as follows3 ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father1 almighty1 maker of heaven and earth2 and in ,jesus ,christ1 his only son1 our ,lord2 who was conceived by the ,holy ,ghost1 born of the ,virgin ,mary1 suffered under ,pontius ,pilate1 was crucified1 dead1 and buried1 he descended into hell1 the third day he arose again from the dead1 ascended into heaven1 and sitteth on the right hand of ,god1 the ,father1 almighty2 from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead4 ,i believe in the ,holy ,ghost1 the holy ,catholic church1 the ,communion of saints1 the forgiveness of sins1 the resurrection of the body1 and the life everlasting4 ,amen4 ,in this form it is called the ,symbolum ,roman--,roman ,symbol4 #d4 ,man's ,allegiance to the ,godhead3 ,this holy ,trinity of ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost1 the ,godhead1 constitutes for the ,christian the creating1 sustaining1 redeeming1 witnessing power of the universe--the supreme ,god4 ,in this ,godhead righteousness1 and holiness1 and truth1 and knowledge1 and wisdom and power1 and glory1 and justice1 and mercy and love1 and all that we do or can recognize as belonging to the divine nature abound in their perfection4 ,this ,godhead is the source of spiritual power and light and glory2 to whom man owes first allegiance2 who is the true and only object--but singularly as well as in unity--of man's worship2 to whom man submits his mind and his will for guidance--for in such submission alone is true worship4 ,,lesson ,,viii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise74 ,,the ,,unity ,,and ,,the ,,distinctiveness ,,of ,,the ,,personages ,,of ,,the ,,godhead4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,the ,oneness of the ,trinity3 its ,nature4 ,,ii4 ,distinctiveness of the ,father as a ,personage4 ,,iii4 ,the ,distinctiveness of the ,son--,divinity of the ,son4 ,,references4 ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ch4 ,,iv2 ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,iii1 lessons xxxiii1 xxxiv and xxxv2 and all the ,scriptures cited in the body of the ,discussion4 ,,special ,,text3 ,the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the love of ,god1 and the communion of the ,holy ,ghost be with you all4 ,amen4 7,,ii ,cor4 xiii3#ad47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,unity of ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost3 ,while conceiving these three ,divine ,personages1 as constituting an organized unit1 a body or ,divine ,council1 it should be remembered that their oneness consist in moral unity1 not physical unity1 or identity of substance or essence4 ,in other words1 they are distinct and separate personages1 in the sense of being three separate and distinct individuals1 a unity only in agreement of purpose1 and unity of will for the accomplishment of certain definite ends1,a to bring to pass the immortality and eternal progress of man4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,the ,three ,personagess4 ,everlasting covenants was made between three personages before the organization of this earth1 and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth3 these personages1 according to ,abraham's record1 are called ,god the first1 the ,creator2 ,god the second1 the ,redeemer2 and ,god the third1 the ,witness or ,testator4--,little ,richards' ,compendium--,gems from the ,prophet's ,teachings--p4 #bhi4 ,footnote ,b3 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 xciii3#bf-ce4 ,book of ,moses1 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 ch4 iii41 ,,ii ,nephi ch4 ii2 also ,new ,witnesses for ,god1 ,vol ,,iii1 ch xl4 where the matter is discussed at great length4 ,jesus himself taught that he and his ,father were one1,a that whosoever had seen him had seen the ,father also2,b that it was part of his mission to reveal ,god1 the ,father1 through his own personality2 for as was the ,son1 so too was the ,father2,c hence ,jesus was ,god manifested in the flesh1 a revelation of ,god to the world2,d a revelation not only of the being of ,god1 but of the kind of being ,god is4 ,footnote ,a3 ,john x3#cj2 xvii3#aa-bb4 ,footnote ,b3 ,john xiv3#i4 ,footnote ,c3 ,john xiv3#a-i2 ,john #a3h4 ,footnote ,d3 ,i ,tim4 iii3#af4 ,footnote3 ,eph iii3#ad-ai4 ,jesus also prayed--and in so doing showed in what the oneness of himself and the ,father consisted--that the disciples might be one with him1 and also with each other1 as he and the ,father were one4 ,not one in person1 not all merged into one individual1 and all distinctions of personality lost2 but one in mind1 in knowledge1 in love1 in will2 one by reason of the indwelling in all of the one spirit1 even as the mind and will of ,god1 the ,father1 was also in ,jesus ,christ4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,john xiv3#aj1 #aa1 #ai1 #bj4 #b4 ,the ,separate ,individual ,existence of the ,father3 ,the existence of ,god1 the ,father1 both ,jesus and the ,apostles accepted as a reality4 ,jesus nowhere attempts to prove ,god's existence4 ,he assumes that and proceeds from that basis with his doctrine4 ,he declares the fact that ,god was his ,father and frequently calls himself the ,son of ,god1 and prays to the ,father in that capacity3 ,as the ,father knoweth me1 even so know ,i the ,father4 99 99 99 ,therefore doth my ,father love me1 because ,i lay down my life for the sheep4 99 99 99 ,this commandment have ,i received of my ,father4 99 99 99 ,the works that ,i do in my ,father's name1 they bear witness of me4 99 99 99 ,for which of those do ye stone me8 ,the ,jews answered him4 99 99 99 ,because that that thou being a man makest thyself ,god4 99 99 99 ,say ye of him1 whom the ,father hath sanctified1 and sent into the world1 ,thou blasphemest2 because ,i said ,i am the ,son of ,god8 ,if ,i do not the works of my ,father1 believe me not4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john x4 ,the statement of ,jesus when instituting the ,sacrament of the ,lord's ,supper3 ,i will not drink hence forth of this fruit of the vine1 until that day when ,i drink it new with you in my ,father's kingdom4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,matt xxvi3#bi4 ,the prayer of ,jesus in ,gethsemane3 ,o my ,father if it be possible1 let this cup pass from me2 nevertheless not as ,i will1 but as thou wilt4 ,and again3 ,o my ,father1 if this cup may not pass away from me1 except ,i drink it1 thy will be done4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,ibid1 verses #ci1 #db4 ,john represents ,jesus as saying in ,gethsemane3 ,father1 the hour is come2 glorify thy ,son1 that thy ,son also may glorify thee4 99 99 99 ,and now1 ,o ,father1 glorify thou me with thine own self1 with the glory which ,i had with thee before the world was4 99 99 99 ,holy ,father1 keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me1 that they may be one as we are4 99 99 99 ,that they all may be one3 as thou1 ,father1 art in me1 and ,i in thee4 99 99 99 ,o righteous ,father1 the world hath not known thee2 but ,i have known thee1 and these have known that thou hast sent me4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xvii4 ,then1 after the resurrection of ,jesus1 he meets ,mary of ,magdala and said to her1 when she in her joy was about to lay hold of him3 ,touch me not2 for ,i have not yet ascended to my ,father2 but go to my brethren1 and say unto them1 ,i ascend unto my ,father1 and your ,father2 and to my ,god and your ,god4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xx4 ,the separate and distinct individual existence of ,god the ,father could not be more emphatically represented than in these scriptures4 #c4 ,the ,separate and ,individual ,existence of the ,son3 ,the scriptures which teach the separate existence of the ,father1 teach also the separate and individual existence of the ,son2 but the question may arise1 ,was ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god1 also ,god8 ,the passage already considered1 in which ,jesus is given equal rank with the ,father and with the ,holy ,ghost1 strongly implies that he is ,divine1 that he is ,deity4 ,in the ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,iii1 ,lesson xxxiii1 in treating at length upon the subject of the divinity of ,jesus1 the conclusion that ,jesus1 as well as the ,father1 is ,god1 is worked out from the fact that ,jesus is called ,god in the ,scriptures2,a that ,jesus declares himself to be ,god--the ,son of ,god2,b that ,jesus is to be worshiped--hence ,god2,c that ,jesus1 under the ,father's direction1 is the ,creator1 hence ,god2,d that ,jesus ,christ is declared to be equal with ,god the ,father1 hence ,god4,e ,all these declarations are sustained by the scriptures and reasoned out in detail in the lesson of ,year ,book ,,iii cited above1 and to that work the student is referred4 ,here it will be only necessary to cite the scriptures which sustain these several specific declarations concerning ,jesus1 the ,christ1 which ,i have done by giving them in the margin4,f ,footnote ,a3 ,isaiah vii3#ad2 ,matt4 i3#bc2 ,isaiah ix3#f4 ,footnote ,b3 ,john x3#cc2 ,matt4 xxvii3#fc1 #fd2 ,matt4 xxviii3#ah1 #ai2 ,heb4 i3#h4 ,footnote ,c3 ,rev4 xix2#aj c4 f2 ,heb4 i3#e1 #f2 ,phil4 ii3#i1 #aj4 ,footnote ,d3 ,st4 ,john i3#a-d2 ,col4 i3#ab-ag2 ,heb4 i3#b4 ,footnote ,e3 ,matt4 xxviii3#ah1 #ai2 ,phil4 iii3#f2 ,heb4 iii3#c2 ,col4 i3#ai3 ii3#i2 ,,ii4 ,nephi xxvi3#ab4 ,footnote ,f3 ,the student will also find an elaborate discussion on the subject in the writer's ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 chapter iv4 ,and also in his ,introduction to the ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #ha-hi4 ,jesus1 then1 is separate and distinct from ,god1 the ,father2 but is nevertheless not only divine1 but ,deity1 equally so with the ,father2 for ,god so declares it1 through his revelation to the world2 but he is united with the ,father in moral union of mind and will1 and purpose4 ,,lesson ,,ix4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,unity ,,and ,,distinctiveness ,,of ,,the ,,personages ,,of ,,the ,,godhead 7,continued74 ,,analysis4 ,,iv4 ,the ,distinctiveness of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,v4 ,the ,divinity of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,vi4 ,unity and ,distinction4 ,,references4 ,all the scriptures cited in the body of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,whoso believeth in me1 believeth in the ,father also1 and unto him will the ,father bear record of me2 for he will visit him with fire1 and with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and thus will the ,father bear record of me1 and the ,holy ,ghost will bear record unto him of the ,father and me3 for the ,father and ,i and the ,holy ,ghost are one4 7,,iii ,nephi xi3#ce1 #cf47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,separate and ,individual ,existence of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,the proofs which set off the ,father and ,son as separate and distinct personalities1 which present them to us as two separate individuals1 also presents the ,holy ,ghost as a separate and distinct personality4 ,for whether we contemplate these divine personages when the three are represented together1 as at the baptism of the ,christ1,a in the vision of ,st4 ,stephen1,b in the baptismal formula1,c or in the apostolic benediction1,d they are always presented in a manner that implies distinctiveness as persons1 however closely united in purpose4 ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 iii3#af1 #ag4 ,footnote ,b3 ,acts vii3#ed-ef4 ,footnote ,c3 ,matt4 xxviii3#ai4 ,footnote ,d3 ,,ii ,cor4 xiii3#ab1 #ad4 ,jesus clearly ascribes to the ,holy ,ghost a distinct personality4 ,he represents the ,holy ,ghost as proceeding from the ,father2,a as sent forth in the name of the ,son2,b as abiding2,c as teaching and as bearing witness2,d as reproving the world of sin1 and of righteousness and of judgment2,e as guiding into all truth1 and revealing the things of ,god to men4,f ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xvi3#bf4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,john xiv3#bf4 ,footnote ,c3 ,st4 ,john xiv3#af4 ,footnote ,d3 ,st4 ,john xiv3#bf and xv3#bf1 #bg4 ,footnote ,e3 ,st4 ,john xvi3#h4 ,footnote ,f3 ,ibid1 verses #ac-ae4 ,the apostles also refer to the ,holy ,ghost in much the same manner3 ,peter represents the ,holy ,ghost as speaking by the mouth of ,david concerning the treachery of ,judas2,a he also represents ,ananias as having lied to the ,holy ,ghost2,b also he represents the ,holy ,ghost as bearing witness with himself and his fellow apostle1 ,john1 to the divinity of the ,christ2,c also the ,holy ,ghost is represented as sending forth men to the ministry3 ,the ,holy ,ghost said1 ,separate me ,barnabas and ,saul for the work whereunto ,i have called them 99 99 99 so they being sent forth by the ,holy ,ghost1 departed unto ,seleucia4,d ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,acts i3#af1 #ag2 c4 f4 ,psalms xli3#i4 ,footnote ,b3 ,acts v3#c4 ,footnote ,c3 ,acts v3#bi-cb4 ,footnote ,d3 ,acts xiii3#b-d4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is represented as forbidding ,paul and ,timothy preaching in ,asia1 and ,bithynia4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts xvi3#f-h3 ,after they were gone through ,phrygia and the region of ,galatia and were forbidden of the ,holy ,ghost to preach in ,asia1 after they were come to ,mysia1 they assayed to go into ,bithynia1 but the ,spirit suffered them not4 ,the fruit of the ,spirit 7the ,holy ,ghost7 is said to be love1 joy1 peace1 longsuffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance2 and as these things can only proceed from a being possessed of attributes that produce them1 we must needs think of the ,holy ,ghost as loving1 as merciful1 as patient1 as meek1 as temperate1 as gentle4 ,all which with the other things preceding here said of him1 clearly established personality for the third person of the ,godhead4 #b4 ,the ,holy ,spirit ,distinct from the ,father and the ,son1 ,both in ,substance and ,personal ,action3 ,on this subject ,elder ,orson ,pratt has the following very valuable passage3 ,that the substance of the ,holy ,ghost is not identical with that of the ,father and the ,son1 is evident from the whole tenor of scripture4 ,jesus says1 ,when the ,comforter is come whom ,i will send unto you from the ,father1 even the ,spirit of truth which proceedeth from the ,father1 he shall testify of me4,a ,this ,comforter could not be the ,father1 because he proceedeth from the ,father4 ,he could not be the ,son1 because he is sent by the ,son4 ,again1 he could not be the ,father1 because it is contrary to the order of heaven for ,jesus to send the ,father4 ,and furthermore1 he could not be the ,son1 because he is represented as another ,comforter1 to be with the disciples1 in the absence of ,jesus4 ,if ,i go not away1 says our ,savior1 the ,comforter will not come unto you1 but if ,i depart ,i will send him unto you4,b ,the persons of the ,father and ,son were to be in one place while the ,comforter was to be in another1 and therefore1 the ,comforter must necessarily be a distinct substance from the ,father and ,son4 ,footnote ,a3 ,john xv3#bf4 ,footnote ,b3 ,john xvi3#g4 ,that the ,holy ,spirit is something more than the mere power or influence exerted by the ,father1 is evident from his possessing an understanding1 a will1 and a power of distinct operation4 ,jesus says1 concerning the ,comforter1 ,howbeit1 when he1 the ,spirit of truth is come1 he will guide you into all truth2 for he shall not speak for himself1 but whatsoever he shall hear1 that shall he speak2 and he will show you things to come4 ,he shall glorify me2 for he shall receive of mine1 and shall show it unto you4,a ,here the ,holy ,spirit is represented as a hearer--a speaker--a guide1 receiving and showing what is received4 ,now such acts can only be the acts of a substance1 possessing understanding and a will4 ,that this substance is distinct from the ,father is evident from his not speaking of himself1 but only speaking what he hears1 which shows1 most plainly1 a separate individuality4 ,if the ,holy ,spirit were the ,father1 would it be reasonable to say1 that he does not speak of himself8 ,does not the ,father speak of himself8 ,if the ,holy ,spirit be only a power or influence from the ,father1 what absurdity would run through the whole of the above passage6 ,what nonsense would it be to say a power or influence hears--a power or influence speaks--a power or influence receives and shows6 ,yet this is the absurdity embraced by the ,socinians4 ,we can only think of speaking1 and hearing1 and willing1 as applicable to a perceptive substance1 and not to a quality4 ,again1 the ,spirit is represented as making intercession for the ,saints4 ,likewise1 says ,paul1 the ,spirit also helpeth our infirmities2 for we know not what we should pray for as we ought2 but the ,spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered4,b ,how could a power or influence of the ,father intercede with the ,father8 ,how could a power or influence groan with groanings unutterable8 ,would the ,father intercede with himself8 ,the absurdity of supposing the ,holy ,spirit to be a mere property or influence of the ,father1 instead of being an intelligent agent of himself1 is so great1 that we do not feel disposed to bring further evidence or proof to establish the distinct identity of the two4,c ,footnote ,a3 ,john xvi3#ac1 #ad4 ,footnote ,b3 ,rom4 viii3#bf4 ,footnote ,c3 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xii1 pp4 #cjf-g4 #c4 ,the ,divinity of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,there remains to be considered the question1 ,is the ,holy ,ghost ,god8 ,undoubtedly4 ,the proof is in the fact that he is a member of the ,holy ,trinity4,a ,also in the fact that ,jesus makes blasphemy against the ,holy ,ghost a greater sin than blasphemy against himself4,b ,this could not be unless the ,holy ,ghost were ,deity1 and in some peculiar way so related to man that makes this sin of blasphemy against him especially heinous4 ,footnote ,a3 ,this subject is to be worked out in greater detail in a subsequent lesson4 ,footnote ,b3 ,all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men1 but the blasphemy against the ,holy ,ghost shall not be forgiven unto men4 99 99 99 ,whosoever speaketh a word against the ,son of ,man1 it shall be forgiven him1 but whosoever speaketh against the ,holy ,ghost it shall not be forgiven him1 neither in this world1 neither in the world to come4 7,matt4 xii3#ca2 also ,mark iii3#bh1 #bi47 ,why hath ,satan filled thine heart to lie to the ,holy ,ghost1 said ,peter to ,ananias1 when the latter had dealt deceitfully in the sale of his land and the gift he had made to the ,church4 ,thou hast not lied unto men1 said the chief ,apostle1 but to ,god6,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts v3#a-ad4 ,from which it is to be concluded that to lie to the ,holy ,ghost is to lie to ,god1 because the ,holy ,ghost is ,god4 ,i may not more fittingly close this and the two preceding lessons on the ,godhead than by quoting a passage upon the subjects of which they treat from the writings of the late venerable ,apostle1 ,orson ,pratt1 who upon both the oneness and the distinctiveness of the three personages of the ,holy ,trinity made the following observations3 #d4 ,the ,persons of the ,godhead ,one ,council3 ,the ,godhead may be illustrated by a council1 consisting of three men--all possessing equal wisdom1 knowledge1 and truth1 together with equal qualifications in every respect4 ,each person would be a separate distinct person or substance from the other two1 and yet the three would form but one council4 ,each alone possesses1 by supposition1 the same wisdom and truth that the three united or the one council possesses4 ,the union of the three men in one council would not increase the knowledge or wisdom of either4 ,each man would be one part of the council when reference is made to his person2 but the wisdom and truth of each man would be the whole wisdom and truth of the council1 and not a part4 ,if it were possible to divide truth1 and other qualities of a similar nature into fractions1 so that the ,father should have the third part of truth1 the third part of wisdom1 the third part of knowledge1 the third part of love1 while the ,son and the ,holy ,spirit possessed the other two-thirds of these qualities or affections1 then neither of these persons could make 'one ,god1 but only a part of a ,god4' ,but because the divisibility of wisdom1 truth1 or love is impossible1 the whole of these qualities dwells in the ,father--the whole dwells in the ,son--the whole is possessed by the ,holy ,spirit4 ,the ,holy ,spirit is one part of the ,godhead in essence2 but the whole of ,god in wisdom1 truth1 and other similar qualities4 99 99 99 ,the oneness of the ,godhead1 as described in the scriptures1 never was intended to apply to the essence1 but only to the perfections and other attributes4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,orson ,pratt's ,works1 ,absurdities of ,immaterialism1 p4 #cj4 ,,lesson ,x4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,special ,,offices ,,of ,,the ,,personage ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,trinity4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,distinctiveness ,among ,divine ,beings4 ,,ii4 ,special ,characteristic and ,office of the ,first ,personage of the ,trinity4 ,,iii4 ,father and ,fathering--,creating and ,sustaining--,directing the ,creation to ,glorious ,ends4 ,,references4 ,the works and passages cited in the body of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,g4 to my brethren1 and say unto them1 ,i ascend to my ,father and your ,father2 and to my ,god and your ,god4 7,jesus--,st4 ,john xx3#ag47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,alikeness and ,diversity in the ,nature of ,divine ,beings3 ,whatever may be said in the scriptures of the union in knowledge1 mercy1 love1 power1 and will--in a word1 whatever may be said of the alikeness of these holy and divine ,personages of the trinity1 it should be so understood as to allow of the thought of some difference in office2 and of some one or more distinctions in their relations to each other1 and in their relationship towards men2 and even in their physical natures when compared one with another4 ,i feel encouraged to make this avowal1 unusual though it may be1 because in nature we may observe both a unity and a diversity4 ,though a given species of grass may have general characteristics in which all the varieties of grasses are alike1 yet men have not yet found two blades of grass precisely alike4 ,in all the leaves of the forest1 there have not yet been found two leaves exactly alike2 among all the hordes of men--the millions living and the millions dead--no two have yet been found one of which is a precise counterpart of the other4 ,it is so everywhere you look in nature2 in animal or plant life2 in mountains1 rivers or valleys2 in the sands or among the shells of the sea shore--everywhere unity of kind1 of groups1 but infinite variety of individuals4 ,that being the general truth taught throughout nature1 may it not hold in reference to ,divine ,personages as well8 ,without absolutely insisting upon it1 ,i shall venture to say ,i think so2 and that in some way--in office1 in function1 in appointment1 in some respects even in physical nature also--there are distinctive characteristics in the three divine ,personages of the ,godhead4 ,setting forth1 and in profoundest reverence1 the ,personages of the ,godhead with reference to their chief functions as each stands related to man1 they appear as ,god1 the ,father2 ,god1 the ,son1 ,redeemer of man2 ,god1 the ,holy ,ghost1 ,witness to man of truth1 of all truth4 ,let us consider each in these capacities respectively4 #b4 ,god1 the ,father3 ,with this conception of ,god as ,father there is associated the larger--but not higher--idea of ,creator4 ,there exists1 ,i think1 a real difference between the idea of father and creator1 and yet one feels1 from our use of terms1 and even from the terminology of holy scripture1 that each idea may include the other4 ,but first as to the distinctions between father and creator4 ,the term father carries with it the notion of generation1 begetting from one's own person1 springing from one's own nature1 and partaking of one's own physical and mental qualities and perhaps likeness1 but the term creator does not necessarily convey that notion1 since a created thing may be external to the nature of the being who created it2 as1 for example1 when ,god created the heaven and the earth4,a ,in this case the heaven and the earth did not bear the image of ,god2 nor was it made in his likeness1 as the result was when ,god said1 ,let us make man in our image1 and after our likeness4 ,so in relation to man2 he begets a son or a daughter by act of generation2 he is a father2 and also1 in a sense1 a creator4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,gen4 i4 ,footnote ,b3 ,athanasius makes the following distinction between begotten and created1 which ,i believe to be true and of great importance as a truth4 ,let it be repeated1 he says1 that a created thing is external to the nature of the being who creates it2 but a generation1 7a begetting1 as a father begets a son7 is the proper off-spring of the nature4 7,quoted in ,shedd's ,hist1 of ,christian ,doctrine1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #cbb47 ,he gathers materials and builds a house2 or with various colored pigments1 brushes1 and stretched canvas he paints a landscape1 or from some rude block of marble with mallet and chisel he hews out the image of a man2 he is a creator4 ,creator of the house1 the painted landscape1 the statue2 and also1 in a certain sense1 after our manner of speech1 we could say the father of them4 ,so that in the terms father and creator there is both a distinction and a sameness4 #c4 ,the ,dual ,idea of ,father and ,creator3 ,i said a moment since that scripture terminology justified this dual idea that goes with the use of father and creator4 ,now to the proof3 ,in ,hebrews we find this passage3 ,we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us1 and we gave them reverence3 ,shall we not much rather be in subjection to the ,father of spirits and live8,a ,from this it is learned that ,god is the ,father of the spirits of men--from which circumstance comes the title--,god1 the ,father4 ,in the ,book of ,moses1 the ,lord1 following an account of the creation1 says3 ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 created all things of which ,i have spoken spiritually1 before they were naturally upon the face of the earth4 99 99 99 ,and ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 had created all the children of men2 and not yet a man to till the ground2 for in heaven created ,i them4 99 99 99 ,and ,i1 the ,lord ,god1 formed man from the dust of the ground1 and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life1 and man became a living soul1 the first flesh upon the earth1 the first man also2 nevertheless all things were before created2 but spiritually were they created and made according to my word4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,heb4 xii3#i4 ,footnote ,b3 ,book of ,moses 7,pearl of ,great ,price71 ch4 iii3#e1 c4 f4 ,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 xxix3#cj-cd2 also ,book of ,abraham1 ch4 iii3#bc4 ,gen4 i3#bf-bg2 c4 f4 ,gen4 ii3#e-g4 ,here we have ,god saying that he had created all the children of men1 and yet there was not a man to till the earth2 for in heaven ,i created them1 that is1 uniting this statement with ,paul's passage1 he had become the ,father of spirits2 and ,father and ,creator are seen to be used synonymously4 ,conversely3 ,nothing is clearer than that ,god1 in the ,scriptures1 is proclaimed the ,creator3 ,creator of heaven and earth and all things that in them are4 ,and now comes one of our ,book of ,mormon writers1 saying3 and they i4 e41 ,father and ,son1 see context are one ,god1 yea1 the very eternal ,father of heaven and of earth4,a ,which can only be understood as creator of heaven and earth4 ,footnote ,a3 ,mosiah xv3#d4 ,again3 ,is the ,son of ,god the very eternal ,father8 99 99 99 ,yea1 he is the very eternal ,father of heaven and of earth1 and all things which in them is4,a ,in the quotation following the terms are used in combination4 ,samuel1 the ,lamanite prophet1 was sent unto the people of a certain city1 that they might know of the coming of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 the ,father of heaven and of earth1 the ,creator of all things1 from the beginning4,b ,from these passages it is evident that the term father is made to include the idea of ,creator4 ,footnote ,a3 ,alma xi3#ch1 #ci4 ,footnote ,b3 ,helaman xiv3#ab4 ,wherein ,jesus is referred to as the ,creator1 the ,father of heaven and earth1 it should be understood that he is so under the direction of the ,god1 the ,father2 ,god 99 99 99 hath 99 99 99 spoken to us by his ,son1 by whom also he 7,god the ,father7 made the worlds 7,hebrews i3#c74 ,to us there is but one ,god1 the ,father1 of whom are all things1--and we in him3 and one ,lord1 ,jesus ,christ1 by whom are all things1 and we by him 7,i4 ,cr4 viii3#f7 99 99 99 ,god1 who created all things by ,jesus ,christ 7,eph4 iii3#i74 ,so that while ,jesus was the immediate creator of things he did so under and by the ,father's direction1 so that the ,father may still be regarded as the first mover in the creation drama1 ,jesus the agency through whom he acted4 #d4 ,father and ,fathering3 ,the chief characteristic1 of the ,first ,personage of the ,godhead1 then1 appears to be that of ,father1 ,creator4 ,and with this goes the extended idea inseparably associated with the notion of ,father1 viz41 fathering--caring for1 sustaining1 upholding4 ,we contemplate this ,holy ,first ,personage1 then1 not only as ,father of spirits2 but one anxious for their welfare1 for their progress4 ,and he himself has declared this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man4,a ,and in the creation drama we have ,god1 the ,father of the spirits1 standing among them and planning for their advancement4 ,god said unto those who were with him3 ,we will go down1 for there is space there1 and we will take of these materials1 and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell2 and we will prove them herewith1 to see if they will do all things whatsoever the ,lord their ,god shall command them2 and they who keep their first estate shall be added upon2 and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate1 and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever4 ,and the ,lord said3 ,whom shall ,i send8 ,and one answered like unto the ,son of man3 ,here a4 ,i1 send me4 ,and another answered and said3 ,here am ,i1 send me4 ,and the ,lord said3 ,i will send the first4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,book of ,moses1 ch4 i3#ci4 ,footnote ,b3 ,book of ,abraham1 ch4 iii3#bd-bg4 ,and so the second personage of the ,godhead was chosen for his office of ,savior of men4 ,but the first ,personage was proposing the plan for adding upon these spirits of heaven4 ,he was planning for their increase in honor and glory for ever and ever2 and that through development2 though increasing their intelligence1 knowledge1 wisdom and spiritual power2 by experiences to be obtained in earth-life among broken harmonies1 when fidelity to truth and virtue and ,god should be tested1 where men should find themselves4 ,he was fathering them4 ,just as in being ,creator he not only creates--causes to exist--but he cares for the creation1 he sustains it2 upholds it2 guides it to some definite end1 to the achievement of some beneficent purpose4 ,such must be our thought of this all glorious ,first ,personage of the ,godhead-,father1 ,creator2 also ,sustaining1 ,guiding1 ,loving ,power of the ,universe4 ,,lesson ,,xi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,special ,,office ,,of ,,the ,,personages ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,trinity 7,continued74 ,,analysis4 ,,iv4 ,special ,office of the ,second ,personage of the ,trinity--,redeemer4 ,v4 ,special ,office of the ,third ,personage of the ,trinity--,witness4 ,,vi4 ,the ,three in ,union4 ,,references4 ,the citations in the body of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,but ,christ being come an ,high ,priest of good things to come 99 99 99 through the ,eternal ,spirit offered himself without spot to ,god1 purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living ,god4 7,hebrews ix3#aa1 #ad47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,god1 the ,son1 ,redeemer3 ,we have found the chief office or function of the first ,personage of the ,godhead1 so may we find the chief office and function of the second1 and much more briefly4 ,more briefly because one ,year ,book of the ,seventy's course in ,theology has already been devoted to him and his work4 ,he is the ,redeemer of men4 ,to be such was his appointment in heaven1 as incidentally1 we have seen in ,lesson ,,ix2 and as it is abundantly declared in the scriptures4 #b4 ,scripture ,declaration of the ,office of the ,christ3 ,and as ,moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness1 even so must the ,son of man be lifted up3 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john iii3#ad4 ,hereby perceive we the love of ,god1 because he laid down his life for us4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,john iii3#af4 ,god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john iii3#af4 ,for ,christ hath also once suffered for sin1 the just for the unjust1 that he might bring us to ,god1 being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the ,spirit4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,peter iii3#af4 ,when we were yet without strength in due time ,christ died for us4 99 99 99 ,being now justified by his blood1 we shall be saved from wrath through him4 99 99 99 ,when we were enemies we were reconciled to ,god by the death of his ,son4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,rom4 v3#f-aj4 ,it hath also been made known unto me1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 wherefore ,i know if there should be no atonement made1 all mankind must be lost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,jacob1 ,book of ,mormon1 vii3#ab4 ,behold1 he suffereth the pains of all men2 yea1 the pains of every living creature both men and women and children1 who belong to the family of ,adam2,a ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,nephi ix3#ba4 ,surely every man must repent or suffer i4 e4 eternal consequence of sin4 4 4 4 ,for behold1 ,i ,god1 have suffered these things for all1 that they might not suffer if they would repent1 but if they would not repent1 they must suffer even as ,i1 which suffering caused myself1 even ,god1 the greatest of all1 to tremble because of pain1 and to bleed at every pore1 and to suffer both body and spirit1 and would that ,i might not drink the bitter cup4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 xix3#af-ah4 #c4 ,the ,offering of the ,christ ,voluntary3 ,the chief office1 then1 of the ,christ is that of ,savior1 ,redeemer4 ,in that work is revealed the love of ,god4 ,god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten ,son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life4,a ,and ,christ so loved men that he voluntarily made the sacrifice3 ,as the ,father knoweth me1 even so know ,i the ,father3 and ,i lay down my life for the sheep i4 e4 for men4 4 4 4 ,therefore doth my ,father love me1 because ,i lay down my life1 that ,i might take it again4 ,no man taketh it from me1 but ,i lay it down of myself4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john iii3#ad-ah4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,john x3#ae-ah4 ,thinkest thou that ,i cannot now pray to my ,father1 and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels8 i4 e4 for his deliverance from those who had taken him for the crucifix4 ,but how then shall the scripture be fulfilled1 that thus it must be8,a ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 xxvi3#eb-ed4 ,though in the shadow of the cross he could have found deliverance from his voluntarily accepted mission had he so elected2 but thanks be to ,god1 he endured and fulfilled his mission to menward4 ,and in that office of ,savior1 ,redeemer1 one recognizes the devotion of the brother and the friend of man2 and in this he made manifest the love of ,god for the world2 even also as he manifested the brightness of ,god's glory1 and the express image of his person1 being indeed the full and complete revelation of ,god to the world--,god manifested in the flesh4 #d4 ,christ the ,mediator3 ,in this second ,personage of the ,godhead1 then1 one may see not only the ,redeemer1 the ,savior1 the ,revealer of ,god2 but through those offices one may also see the ,brother and ,friend of man4 ,the ,mediator1 the one who brings ,god close to man2 the one who brings men close to ,god4 ,the one who reflects ,god into the world4 ,the one who banishes the terror which men have had of ,god1 and reveals the love of ,god1 and the mercy and compassion of the ,father--the one whom the ages longed for--the need of the world as ,mediator between man and violated law--,herald of grace--,christ the ,son of ,god1 by way of pre-eminence2 ,christ1 the ,brother and ,friend of ,man4 #e4 ,god the ,holy ,ghost--,witness in the ,godhead2 ,spirit of ,truth and ,revealer of ,truth3,a ,i give you to understand1 that no man speaking by the ,spirit of ,god calleth ,jesus accursed2 and that no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord but by the ,holy ,ghost1--,paul4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,as this ,divine ,personage of the ,holy ,trinity is to be the subject of several lessons1 and the central thought in this whole treatise here only so much is said of him as will suggest his relationship to the other two personages of the ,godhead1 and indicate his special office4 ,footnote ,b3 ,i ,cor4 xii3#c4 ,then are ye in the straight and narrow path 99 99 99 and ye have received the ,holy ,ghost1 which witnesses of the ,father and of the ,son4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,nephi xxxi3#ah4 ,when the ,comforter is come1 whom ,i will send unto you from the ,father1 even the ,spirit of ,truth which proceedeth from the ,father1 he shall testify of me4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xv3#bf4 ,howbeit1 when he1 the ,spirit of truth1 is come1 he will guide you into all truth3 for he shall not speak of himself2 but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak3 and he will shew you things to come4 ,he shall glorify me2 for he shall receive of mine1 and shall shew it unto you4 ,all things that the ,father hath are mine3 therefore said ,i1 that he shall take of mine1 and shall shew it unto you4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xvi3#ac1 #ae4 ,but the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in my name1 he shall teach you all things1 and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever ,i have said unto you4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xiv3#bf4 ,in these scriptures we have presented the chief office of the ,third ,person of the ,holy ,trinity4 ,the ,holy ,ghost by way of pre-eminence is the ,witness of ,god1 and for the truth of ,god4 ,the ,father's witness2 the ,son's witness2 the ,truth's witness2 and because of this--as the outgrowth of it--the ,guide into all truth2 the ,comforter1 the ,assurer1 the universal ,voice to soul of man of certainty2 the universal ,eye to the spirit of man1 that can and does show him things to come4 ,the ,seer ,power in the ,souls of men4 ,the ,witness for ,god2 who is also ,god1 ,deity2 and the bond of union and communion between ,god and ,souls of men4 ,spirit ,personage of the ,godhead2 one in moral and spiritual union with ,god1 the ,father1 and ,god1 the ,son1 and the cause and special power of union between ,god1 and those who receive the truth4 ,,part ,,iii4 ,the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,lesson ,,xii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,nature ,,and ,,form4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,the ,holy ,ghost ,distinctive in ,physical ,nature from the ,father and the ,son4 ,,ii4 ,spirit ,substance4 ,,iii4 ,person and ,personage ,defined4 ,,references4 ,scripture and works cited in the body of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,let this mind be in you1 which was also in ,christ ,jesus4 7,phil4 ii3#e c4 f4 ,acts x3#ch47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,as ,heretofore ,considered3 ,i have already considered the ,holy ,ghost as a member of the ,trinity2 as a separate ,personage in that ,trinity2 and have spoken to a limited extent of his special office as a ,witness of the truth4 ,but all that has been said has been to present a view of him in association with the other ,personages of the ,godhead4 ,it is now proposed to consider him by himself1 alone--his nature1 his office1 the principles upon which men may unite their lives with his life1 and thus attain perfect spiritual life4 #b4 ,the ,spirit of the ,inquiry3 ,most reverently1 and rather reluctantly1 do ,i address myself to this task4 ,certainly no one could approach it lightly1 much less arrogantly1 as knowing all about it1 when really1 after all1 one knows and can know so little about it2 and that only which it has pleased ,god to reveal in his word1 and inspired his prophets to teach4 ,beyond what is of record in these revelations1 the writer may claim no knowledge of the subject4 ,it is merely to set forth what may be learned from these sources1 grouping the facts as they may be learned by all in that manner which appeals to him as being most orderly and clear1 and that will make for a reverent attitude towards this holy ,personage of the ,godhead4 #c4 ,distinctions in ,nature3 ,it appears that the ,holy ,ghost differs from the other personages of the ,godhead1 in this2 that while the ,father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's1 the ,son also2,a 99 99 99 99 the ,holy ,ghost has not a body of flesh and bones1 but is a personage of spirit4 ,were it not so the ,holy ,ghost could not dwell in us4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,for collected evidence of this truth1 and the doctrine that as the ,son is1 so is the ,father1 see ,seventy's ,year ,book1 ,no4 ,,iii1 ,lesson xxiii1 notes #g1 #h1 #aa4 ,footnote ,b3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 #acj3bb4 ,such the declaration of ,joseph1 the ,prophet1 in some instruction given to the ,church at ,ramus1 ,illinois1 ,april #bnd1 #ahdc2;,a and admitted into the body of the ,doctrine and ,covenants as doctrine of the ,church4 ,footnote ,a3 ,hist4 of the ,church--the ,journal ,history of the ,prophet--,vol4 ,v1 p4 #cbe4 ,with this also1 of course1 the teaching of ,president ,young agrees3 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and issues forth from himself1 and may properly be called ,god's minister to execute his will in immensity2 being called to govern by his influence and power2 but he is not a person of tabernacle as we are and as our ,father in heaven and ,jesus ,christ are4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ej4 #d4 ,spirit1 ,its ,substantive,a ,nature3 ,to aid in a proper understanding of the meaning of the ,prophet in the passage just quoted1 it is necessary to ascertain what is meant by him in using the terms spirit and personage4 ,at ,ramus1 ,illinois1 #agth of ,may1 #ahdc1 the ,prophet1 speaking of ,eternal ,duration of ,matter1 said3 ,there is no such thing as immaterial matter4 ,all spirit is matter1 but is more fine or pure1 i4 e4 than gross matter and can only be discerned by purer eyes4 ,we can not see it1 but when our bodies are purified1 we shall see that it is all matter4,b ,in tracing the thing to foundation1 said the ,prophet in an editorial of the ,times and ,seasons1 ,april1 #ahdb1 and looking at it philosophically1 we shall find a very material difference between the body and the spirit2 the body is supposed to be organized matter1 and the spirit1 by many1 is thought to be immaterial1 without substance4 ,with this latter statement we should beg leave to differ1 and state that spirit is a substance2 that it is a material1 but that it is more pure1 elastic and refined matter than the body2 that it existed before the body1 can exist in the body2 and will exist separate from the body1 when the body will be mouldering in the dust2 and will in the resurrection1 be again united with it4,c ,footnote ,a3 ,substantive 7#b7 ,having substance or reality4 ,example of use3 ,the mind is a substantive existence1 possessing a uniform structure of character1 however fundamentally different from the bodily structure4 ,g4 ,t4 ,curtis1 ,creation and ,evolution1 p4 #dgj4 ,footnote ,b3 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #cic4 ,the passage1 except the introductory sentence1 is admitted into the body of the ,doctrine and ,covenants 7sec4 cxxxi3#g1 #h74 ,footnote ,c3 ,hist4 ,ch1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 p4 #ege4 ,from this1 one is justified in concluding that because the ,prophet refers to the ,holy ,ghost as a spirit1 he does not thereby mean an immaterial being1 or personage2 a being not matter2 but a being1 a personage of finer and more subtle material than flesh and bone1 else the ,holy ,ghost could not dwell in us4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,an important truth hinges upon this doctrine and is considered later4 #e4 ,substantive ,existence of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,upon this line of thought1 that is1 as to immateriality of spirit1 the late ,elder ,orson ,pratt has a most enlightening passage1 which ,i here give at length3 ,some have supposed the ,holy ,spirit to be merely a power or influence1 and not a substance2 these are the views of ,unitarians3 they do not believe that there is a substantive ,holy ,spirit1 but that the ,holy ,spirit is only a quality or attribute of the ,father's substance4 ,we shall first show that the ,holy ,spirit can have no existence as a mere attribute1 or quality1 without some substance to which such quality appertains4 ,it is an admitted principle in all sound philosophy1 that all qualities or powers must be the qualities or powers of something4 ,abstract qualities or powers are inconceivable4 ,motion implies a substance capable of moving or being moved4 ,force implies a substance capable of exerting a power on itself1 or on something external to itself4 ,the various colors of the prism imply a substance capable of producing the sensations of color upon the optic nerve4 ,sound implies a substance in a certain state or condition1 affecting the organ of hearing4 ,taste implies a substance1 exciting its appropriate sensation4 ,as all these qualities and properties imply substance to which they belong1 so do wisdom1 knowledge1 power1 goodness1 love1 and such like qualities1 imply substances to which they adhere4 ,and as we cannot conceive of motion1 force1 color1 or sound existing without a substrate1 so we cannot conceive of wisdom1 knowledge1 goodness1 or virtue subsisting without a substantive being to which these qualities belong4 ,some writers who have obtained a degree of celebrity among the speculative philosophers of modern times1 have advocated a theory 7if indeed1 it may be called a theory71 that power1 forces1 etc41 in the abstract constitute the whole universe4 ,boscovich and his disciples maintained this idea1 and contended that there was no such thing as substance in existence--that the universe was made up1 not of substance1 but of an infinitude of mathematical points1 attracting1 repelling1 and combining with each other according to certain laws4 ,according to this theory it is assumed that repulsions of a certain degree of intensity produce solidity--that those of less intensity produce liquidity1 and that the various degrees of rarity or density depend1 not upon substance1 but upon the attractions and repulsions of points in different degrees of proximity4 ,a celebrated writer of our own day--,isaac ,taylor--is inclined to this theory4 ,after suggesting the idea that substance was not necessary in the constitution of the universe1 he says1 ',the visible and palpable world then1 according to this theory1 is motion1 constant and uniform1 emanating from infinite centres1 and springing1 during every instant of its continuance from the ,creative ,energy4' 7,isaac ,taylor's ,physical ,theory of ,another ,life1 p4 #bch47 ,according to this theory1 attractions and repulsions must exist without anything to be attracted or rexpelled--motion must exist without anything being moved--there must be 'a springing' from 'infinite centres' continuing 'every instant' without anything to be sprung4 ,here are energies1 forces1 and motion1 ascribed not to a substance1 but to empty space1 or nothing4 ,the latter writer1 it is true1 admits a ',creative ,energy4' ,what he means by this is1 that all those varieties of motions were created4 ,but if there is no substance1 there can be nothing but empty space2 but space is not capable of motion1 therefore1 ',creative ,energy' could not create a motion1 until there was something in space to be moved4 ,therefore1 to speak of motion where nothing exists is an absurdity1 only equaled by the absurdity of the notion of a ',god without body or parts4' ,as it is impossible for motion to exist without a substance1 so it is equally impossible and absurd for wisdom1 knowledge1 goodness1 love1 power1 will1 or any other similar attribute or quality to exist separate and apart from substance2 hence the ',creative ,energy' itself could not exist unless a substance existed to which it appertained4 ,the most eminent philosophers of modern times1 with very few exceptions1 have considered substance necessary to the existence of every quality4 ,these were the views of that great master spirit--the renowned ,sir ,isaac ,newton4 ,in the ,scholium1 at the end of the ',principia1' when speaking of ,god1 he says1 ',he is omnipresent1 not by means of his virtue alone1 but also by his substance1 for virtue cannot subsist without substance4' ,the ,holy ,spirit1 therefore1 is a substance1 and must1 like all other substances1 have parts1 bearing relation to space and duration4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,millennial ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xii1 ,no4 #bj4 ,then as to personage3 ,the ,prophet used this term always in the sense of meaning an individual1 including bodily form1 with all that belongs to it2 never in the subtle and vague sense of the philosophers or school men1 mediaeval or modern4,a ,this is evident from use of the term in describing his first vision3 ,i saw two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description4,b ,these two personages were the ,father and the ,son1 of the holy ,trinity1 and whom in later years1 as already seen1 the ,prophet declares to possess bodies of flesh and bone as tangible as man's1 and in form like man's4 ,it follows1 then1 that describing the ,holy ,ghost as a personage of ,spirit1 means only that the ,holy ,ghost differs from the other glorious personages of the ,godhead in the nature of the substance of which1 for want of a better term1 we may say he subsists1 but not necessarily different in form2 and of which we can only say--that is1 of his substance--he is not flesh and bone as are the tabernacles of the ,father and the ,son4 ,footnote ,a3 ,never1 for example1 as ,calvin uses it3 ,what ,i denominate a person is a subsistence of the divine essence which is related to the others and yet is distinguished from them by an incommunicable property4 ,calvin's ,institutes i3#ac2 or as the philosophers use it1 where consciousness1 thought and will seem to be the essentials of personality1 without any reference to form4 7,see ,evolution in ,relation to ,religious ,thought1 ,dr4 ,jos4 ,le ,conte1 p4 #cci47 ,footnote ,b3 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 ,writings of ,joseph ,smith1 ch4 ii4 ,,lesson ,,xiii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,nature ,,and ,,form 7,continued74 ,,analysis4 ,,iv4 ,a ,spiritual ,personage ,revealed4 ,v4 ,the ,holy ,ghost in ,person ,revealed ,,vi4 ,personality of the ,holy ,ghost ,revealed in ,described ,activities4 ,,vii4 ,the mode of ,union ,between the ,holy ,ghost and ,men4 ,,references4 ,the ,scriptures and works cited in the body of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,i beheld that he was in the form of a man2 yet1 nevertheless1 ,i knew that it was the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another4 7,,ii ,nephi xi37 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,a ,personage of ,spirit ,revealed3 ,the ,holy ,ghost may be as the pre-existent spirit of the ,christ was1 before the incarnation2 and of which we have at least one enlightening revelation in the ,book of ,mormon4 ,the brother of ,jared having by faith come into the presence of the ,christ1 that spirit personage1 said to him3 ,behold ,i am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people2 99 99 99 and never have ,i showed myself unto man whom ,i have created1 for never has man believed in me as thou hast4 ,seest thou that ye are created after mine own image likeness4 ,yea1 even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image4 ,behold this body which ye now behold1 is the body of my spirit2 and man have ,i created after the body of my spirit2 and even as ,i appear unto thee to be in the spirit1 will ,i appear unto my people in the flesh4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,book of ,ether1 ch4 iii4 ,i do not say that the spirit-personage of this passage and the personage of spirit1 the ,holy ,ghost1 is declared to be by the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 of like essence or substance1 or even that they are similar in the nature of their substances2 they may be very different4 ,but the passage in ,ether informs us what a spirit-personage may be4 ,he may be as ,jesus was1 a spirit in the form of a man4 #b4 ,the ,holy ,ghost ,revealed3 ,in his ,articles of ,faith1 ,elder ,james ,e4 ,talmage says3 ,that the ,holy ,ghost is capable of manifesting himself in the true form and figure of ,god1 after which image man is shaped1 is indicated by the wonderful interview between the ,spirit and ,nephi1 in which he revealed himself to the ,prophet1 questioned him concerning his desires and belief1 instructed him in the things of ,god1 speaking face to face with the man4 ',i spake unto him1' says ,nephi1 'as a man speaketh2 for ,i beheld that he was in form of a man1 yet nevertheless ,i knew that it was the ,spirit of the ,lord2 and he spake unto me as a man speaketh to another4',a ,footnote ,a3 ,articles of ,faith1 p4 #afd2 and ,i ,nephi xi3#bb4 ,elder ,orson ,pratt refers to the same passage in #ahej1 and makes the following comment3 ,whether this ,spirit that ,nephi saw 'in the form or a man' was the person of the ,holy ,spirit1 or the personal ,spirit of ,jesus1 which1 about six hundred years afterwards took upon himself flesh1 is not definitely stated4 ,the brother of ,jared1 some two thousand years before ,christ1 saw the personal ,spirit of ,christ1 which was in the form of a man4 ,nephi might have seen the same2 but we are rather inclined to believe from the context1 that he saw the personage of the ,holy ,spirit2 if so1 this establishes1 beyond doubt1 the personality of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,of this evidence for the personality and even the individuality of the ,holy ,ghost1 in human form1 it might be said that since the pre-existent spirit of the ,christ1 and doubtless the spirits of all men1 existed in human form1 some one of these of sufficient excellence and holiness could by appointment have ministered unto ,nephi1 and be called the ,spirit of the ,lord4 ,but a close consideration of the context of the quoted passage will1 ,i think1 dispel that idea and leave established the view of the author of the ,articles of ,faith1 and that view to which ,elder ,orson ,pratt more especially inclined1 viz43 that on the above occasion there was given to the ,prophet ,nephi a view of the spirit-personage of the ,holy ,trinity1 known to us in the word of ,god as the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the considerations which lead me to that conclusion are that in the chapter preceding the one in which it is declared that the ,spirit of the ,lord was in the form of a man1 ,nephi had expressed his desire to see and hear1 and know of these things by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 which is the gift of ,god unto all those who diligently seek him4,a ,then in a subsequent verse he remarks3 ,and the ,holy ,ghost giveth authority that ,i should speak these things1 and deny them not4,b ,then follows the narrative in which occurs the statement that the spirit of the ,lord1 which conversed with ,nephi1 was in the form of a man ,this juxtaposition of the terms ,holy ,ghost and the ,spirit of the ,lord1 in the form of a man1 is too significant to doubt of identity of personage4 ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,nephi x3#ag4 ,footnote ,b3 ,ibid #ah4 #c4 ,the ,new ,testament on the ,personality of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,it is also clear from the ,new ,testament scriptures that the ,holy ,ghost is a spiritual personage in the sense presented in this lesson1 for the reason that he is referred to as a personage1 and as doing those things which only a personage1 in the sense of that personage being an individual1 would do4 ,in these scriptures the ,holy ,ghost is quite generally ,,he rather than ,,it4 ,i will pray to the ,father1 said ,jesus1 and he will give you another ,comforter1 99 99 99 even the ,spirit of ,truth whom the world cannot receive1 because it seeth him not1 neither knoweth him2 but ye know him1 for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you4,a ,but the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 99 99 99 he shall teach you all things2,b 99 99 99 ,he shall testify of me4,c ,he will guide you into all truth2 for he shall not speak of himself2 but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak1 and he will show you things to come4 ,he shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you4,d ,and when he is come1 he will reprove the world of sin1 and of righteousness and of judgment4,e ,footnote ,a3 ,john xiv3#af1 #ag4 ,footnote ,b3 ,john xiv3#bf4 ,footnote ,c3 ,john xv3#bf4 ,footnote ,d3 ,john xvi3#ac1 #ad4 ,footnote ,e3 ,john xvi3#h4 ,moreover1 as we have seen in a previous lesson1 the ,holy ,ghost does those things1 performs those offices which may be done only by a person in the sense here considered1 viz4 ,he is represented as proceeding from the ,father2 as sent forth in the name of the ,son2 as abiding2 as teaching2 as bearing witness2 as reproving the world2 as guiding2 and revealing4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,see ,lesson viii1 this treatise where citation to scripture for all these things is given4 ,it is1 however1 proper that attention should be called to the fact that in some cases the ,holy ,ghost is represented by the neuter pronoun ,it and ,itself4 ,the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit4,a ,john calls the ,holy ,spirit the anointing2 ,but the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you1 and ye need not that any man teach you2 but as the same anointing teach you all things1 and is truth1 and is no lie1 and even as it hath taught1 ye shall abide in him4,b ,here we see that the neuter pronoun it is applied to the ,spirit which teacheth all things4,c ,that this anointing1 says ,orson ,pratt1 referred to the ,holy ,spirit is evident1 not only from its 'teaching all things1' but the word is so applied by ,peter3 ',god anointed ,jesus of ,nazareth with the ,holy ,ghost and with power4',d ,elder ,pratt also cites the following instances from the ,book of ,mormon3 ,the ,book of ,mormon in two places uses the neuter pronoun 'it' when speaking of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,nephi says1 ',behold1 there are many that harden their hearts against the ,holy ,spirit1 that it hath no place in them4' ,and again1 he says1 ',if ye will enter in by the way1 and receive the ,holy ,ghost1 it will show unto you all things what we should do4' ,in another place the ,book of ,mormon represents the ,spirit of the ,lord as a person4 ,nephi says of this spirit1 ',i spake unto him as a man speaketh2 for ,i beheld that he was in the form of a man2 yet1 nevertheless1 ,i knew that it was the ,spirit of the ,lord2 and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another4' ,footnote ,a3 ,rom1 viii3#af4 ,footnote ,b3 ,i ,john ii3#bg4 ,footnote ,c3 ,acts x3#ch4 ,footnote ,d3 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 ,,xii1 p4 #cjg4 ,it is1 in his described activities1 however1 that one may find the best idea of the nature of the personal quality of the ,holy ,ghost1 and these activities can only obtain1 as we hope is abundantly set forth in these lessons1 in connection with a personality1 and in the sense of that personality being an individual spirit4 #d4 ,mode of ,union ,between the ,holy ,ghost and ,men3 ,the question will be asked1 however1 how the doctrine of the personality of the ,holy ,ghost1 in the sense of his being a spirit-personage1 in the form of man1 is to be made compatible with the idea that the ,holy ,ghost operates simultaneously upon the minds of many persons2 in fact becomes an indwelling influence and power in them4 ,receive ye the ,holy ,ghost1 is said to all those who accept the ordinances of the gospel--both the first and second part of the ,christian baptism2 and the theory is that though these become an innumerable host1 such as no man can number1 there would still be for each a personal relationship with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,each would receive him2 each would be baptized of the ,spirit2 and that which each would receive would be his bond of fellowship with ,god1 his union with the divine life1 his re-established communion with ,god1 hitherto severed by sin4 ,to each the ,holy ,ghost would be his special source of knowledge1 as we have seen1 of ,god the ,father1 and ,jesus the ,son2,a the ,holy ,ghost would be the life of ,god in the life of each2 the power by which he would be conformed to the very image and likeness of ,god--inducted in fact into the divine nature4 ,how can all this be if the ,holy ,ghost be regarded as a personage1 in the sense of his being an individual2 and necessarily limited by the laws of form and substance8 ,that is to say1 that as a personage1 he is not everywhere present2 as a personage1 not capable of being in two places at the same moment of time2 as a personage1 limited as to the amount of substance or spiritual essence of which he subsists2 as a personage1 not of unlimited or inexhaustible substance1 extending throughout the universe4 ,these conclusions are inevitable from the nature of beings1 however refined of substance or essence1 or however exalted in office and power1 or however glorious1 if to them we ascribe form2 or if ,god in his word prescribes form to them1 as in this case4 ,these conclusions are inevitable where form is the mode of existence4 ,footnote ,a3 ,no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord but by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i ,cor4 xii3#c4 ,i bear record of the ,father1 and the ,father beareth record of me1 and the ,holy ,ghost beareth record of the ,father and me4 ,,iii ,nephi xi3#cb4 ,happily the task does not devolve upon the writer to advance a positive theory with reference to this difficulty4 ,frankly he confesses himself inadequate to such a task4 ,if the ,son of ,god1 so far the ,master ,teacher in this world1 felt it necessary to say1 ,the wind bloweth where it listeth1 and thou hearest the sound thereof1 but canst not tell whence it cometh1 and whither it goeth2 so is every one that is born of the ,spirit,a--if the ,master ,teacher said this1 surely it is becoming in this writer not to attempt in any positive way to give an exposition of that which our ,lord saw proper to leave in the above status4 ,still1 reverently1 and subject to correction that may come with the further unfolding of ,god's revealed word1 one may without presumption suggest how conception of the ,holy ,ghost as a personal spirit may not be incompatible with effectual1 personal contact with each one that shall obey the commandment to be born both of the water and of the ,spirit2 and how the ,holy ,ghost may become an indwelling power in each of such persons regardless of numbers4 ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john iii3#h4 ,in ,lesson ,,ii of this treatise ,i discussed the immanence of ,god in the world1 and developed the thought1 ,i trust clearly1 that there was both with human and divine persons an influence radiating forth from them4 ,and that so far as divine persons were concerned1 since they had attained to participation in the divine nature1 which is essentially one1 their influence was one1 with others likewise so developed1 and divine2 and that so blended into one spiritual atmosphere this influence or ,spirit of ,god became the ,immanent ,deity1 the ,light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world1 and through which ,god is everywhere present and a power in his creations1 throughout the immensity of space4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,it is suggested that the student refresh his mind by reading again ,lesson ,,ii4 ,the point to be made here by reference to the discussion in ,lesson ,,ii is1 that if other ,divine ,intelligences radiate a spiritual influence and power1 is it not conformable to reason to think that the ,holy ,ghost will also radiate a spiritual influence and power from himself that will be all sufficient to bring him in personal contact with the soul of every man who obeys the gospel--the conditions essential to fellowship with the ,holy ,ghost8 ,and may it not be1 and indeed from the nature of the revealed knowledge we have of this ,spirit1 are we not under the necessity of believing that such is his peculiar nature--wholly spiritual1 as we have seen--that he acts more immediately1 and more powerfully upon the consciousness and soul of man than any other spiritual power whatsoever8 ,and is not this the explanation of the fact that he who sins against the testimony which union with the ,holy ,ghost gives1 is under greater condemnation than for any other sin whatsoever8,a ,footnote ,a3 ,he that shall blaspheme against the ,holy ,ghost hath never forgiveness4 7,st4 ,mark iii3#bh47 ,it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift1 and were made partakers of the ,holy ,ghost1 and have tasted the good word of ,god1 and the powers of the world to come1 if they shall fall away1 to renew them again unto repentance2 seeing they crucify to themselves the ,son of ,god afresh1 and put him to an open shame4 7,hebrew vi3#f74 ,illustration2 ,analogy3 ,let us see if analogy will not help us here4 ,we know that self-luminous bodies send forth vibrations that in turn produce light waves2 and these acting upon the organs of sight render visible the objects from which the vibrations proceed4 ,the sun is such a luminous body2 and though its material body is some #ib1jjj1jjj of miles distant1 yet to us men it is a glorious earth-presence1 this sun1 flooding the earth with light and warmth and life-giving power1 without which all life would languish and die4 ,and it is possible1 and to this writer's thought very probable1 that not only to the planet earth of our solar system1 but to some of the other major planets of the system1 though by many hundreds of millions of miles more distant from the sun than our earth1 the sun may perform the same kindly office for them1 not only in the matter of giving them light1 which we know to be the case1 but also the warmth and vital energy essential to their forms of life4 ,but with this we need not concern ourselves now4 ,the analogy ,i suggest is this1 and ,i press it no further than illustration3 ,if a physical1 luminous body can send forth from its presence an energy into such immense space depths1 as we know our sun does1 and conveys its essential qualities of light and heat and vital force to planets at least so distant as our earth is from the sun2 may it not be that a spirit of such dignity and power as we have a right from what is revealed of him to believe the ,holy ,ghost is1 cannot he1 more abundantly1 and even to infinity1 give forth spiritual energy that shall unite to himself all those who are born again--those who obey the gospel8 ,and as one may not separate the ray of light from the luminous object whence it proceeds1 so one may not1 or so it would seem--fail to be completely united with the spirit-personage of the ,holy ,ghost by the direct spiritual energy proceeding forth from his divine presence4 ,this conclusion is not given1 be it remembered1 as a positive dictum as to the mode of union of man with ,god through the fellowship or possession of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is only a tentative suggestion as to a possible mode of that union1 to meet the question as to how it can be possible to regard the ,holy ,ghost as a spirit-personage in the sense of his being an individual--a conclusion forced upon the understanding by the revelations of ,god which present him to us--and at the same time accept the notion--also forced upon the understanding by what is revealed of the ,holy ,ghost--that he is in conscious union with unnumbered millions of minds who have been brought into fellowship with ,god through the spiritual birth4 ,but for the matter itself1 as to any dogmatizing about it--,the wind bloweth where it listeth1 99 99 99 99 ye know not whence it cometh1 nor whither it goeth3 so is every one that is born of the ,spirit4 ,,lesson ,,xiv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,offices 7,i4 ,e41 ,,functions7 ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,,analysis ,i4 ,chief ,office--,witness for ,father and the ,son4 ,,ii4 ,comforter4 ,,iii4 ,teacher4 ,,iv4 ,remembrancer4 ,,references4 ,the ,scripture passages cited in the body of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,when the ,comforter is come1 whom ,i will send unto you from the ,father1 even the ,spirit of truth1 which proceedeth from the ,father1 he shall testify of me4 7,st ,john xv4#bf47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,review of ,former ,statement3 ,it has already been pointed out in ,lesson ,x1 when considering the ,holy ,ghost in association with the ,father and the ,son in the ,godhead1 that his chief office1 in the sense of function1 is to be a witness for the two other divine personages of the ,godhead1 and for the truth of ,god--for the whole volume of it4 ,that description of his office1 however1 was merely incidental1 as explained in a footnote at the time1 and followed only so far as was necessary to indicate merely the chief work of this divine ,spirit4 #b4 ,chief ,function of the ,holy ,ghost--,witness for ,god3 ,it was there emphasized1 however1 that the chief function of the ,holy ,ghost was to be ,witness for ,god the ,father1 and for ,jesus ,christ3 ,ye have received the ,holy ,ghost1 which witnesses of the ,father and of the ,son4,a ,no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord but by the ,holy ,ghost,b ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,nephi xxxi3#ah4 ,footnote ,b3 ,i ,cor4 xii4 ,but when the ,comforter is come 444 he shall testify of me4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john v2#bf4 ,these passages were relied upon to emphasize that conclusion2 and to these the following may be added3 ,i bear record of the ,father1 said ,jesus to the ,nephites1 and the ,father beareth record of me1 and the ,holy ,ghost beareth record of the ,father and me4 ,whoso believeth in me1 believeth in the ,father also1 and unto him will the ,father bear record of me3 for he will visit him with fire and with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and thus will the ,father bear record of me and the ,holy ,ghost will bear record unto him of the ,father and me2 for the ,father1 and ,i and the ,holy ,ghost are one4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,,iii ,nephi xi3#cb-cf4 ,this chief office of the ,holy ,ghost established1 we may now proceed to the consideration of other functions of this ,divine ,personage4 #c4 ,comforter3 ,as the time drew near for ,jesus to make his great sacrifice1 and then depart from the immediate presence of his disciples1 he manifested a great desire to comfort them1 and this he did by promising to send to them from the ,father1 the ,holy ,ghost1 that he 7the ,holy ,ghost7 might abide with them forever4 ,if ye love me1 keep my commandments4 ,and ,i will pray the ,father1 and he shall give you another ,comforter1 that he may abide with you for ever2 even the ,spirit of ,truth2 whom the world cannot receive1 because it seeth him not1 neither knoweth him3 but ye know him2 for he dwelleth with you1 and shall be in you4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john xiv3#af1 #ag4 ,it will doubtless be of interest to note in this connection another promise following immediately upon this one relative to the ,holy ,ghost as a ,comforter1 and very generally overlooked even by ,christians1 namely1 a promise that both the ,father and ,son would also take up their abode with those who keep the commandments4 ,i will not leave you comfortless1 said the ,christ in the verse following the one given in the text above1 ,i will come unto you4 ,yet a little while1 and the world seeth me no more2 but ye see me3 because ,i live1 ye shall live also4 ,at that day ye shall know that ,i am in my ,father1 and ye in me1 and ,i in you4 ,he that hath my commandments1 and keepeth them1 he it is that loveth me3 and he that loveth me shall be loved of my ,father1 and ,i will love him1 and will manifest myself to him4 ,judas saith unto him1 not ,iscariot1 ,lord1 how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us1 and not unto the world8 ,jesus answered and said unto him4 ,if a man love me1 he will keep my words3 and my ,father will love him1 and we will come unto him1 and make our abode with him4 ,when ,orson ,hyde gave a spiritual interpretation to the last statement1 to the effect that it is our privilege to have the ,father and ,son dwelling in our hearts1 the ,prophet ,joseph answered3 ,when the ,savior shall appear1 we shall see him as he is4 ,we shall see that he is a man like ourselves1 and that the same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there1 only it will be coupled with eternal glory1 which glory we do not now enjoy4 ,the appearing of the ,father and the ,son1 in that verse 7,john xiv3#bc7 is a personal appearance2 and the idea that the ,father and the ,son dwell in a man's heart is an old sectarian notion1 and is false4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 cxxx47 #d4 ,the ,holy ,ghost as ,teacher3 ,continuing his discourse on the ,comforter1 ,jesus said3 ,but the ,comforter1 which is the ,holy ,ghost1 whom the ,father will send in my name1 he shall teach you all things1 and bring all things to your remembrance1 whatsoever ,i have said unto you4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,john xiv3#bf4 ,in continuation of his remarks on this subject1 to the disciples1 he told them he had many things to say unto them1 but they could not bear them at that time4 ,howbeit1 said he1 when he1 the ,spirit of ,truth1 is come1 he will guide you into all truth3 for he shall not speak of himself2 but whatsoever he shall hear1 that shall he speak3 and he will show you things to come4 ,he shall glorify me3 for he shall receive of mine1 and shall show it unto you4 ,all things that the ,father hath are mine3 therefore said ,i1 that he shall take of mine1 and shall show it unto you4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,john xvi3#ac-ae4 ,from these passages four important things are learned respecting the powers of the ,holy ,ghost3 7#a7 ,that he will teach all things2 and1 what is equivalent1 guide into all truth4 7#b7 ,he will bring all things to remembrance1 that is1 whatsoever things have been stored in the mind4 7#c7 ,he will show things to come4 7#d7 ,he will take of the things of ,god and reveal them unto men4 ,of the excellence and importance of these several powers it is scarcely needful to speak1 since their excellence is evident upon the mere enumeration of them1 yet one cannot refrain from looking at them more in detail4 ,how excellent a thing it is to have a teacher competent to teach all things1 and guide into all truth4 ,in view of the fact that the saints possessed the ,holy ,ghost1 and that the ,holy ,ghost has these powers1 one can understand the reasonableness of ,john's remarks to the saints1 in which he says3 ,but ye have an unction from the ,holy ,one1 and ye know all things4 99 99 99 ,the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you1 and ye need not that any man teach you3 but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things1 and is truth1 and is no lie1 and even as it hath taught you1 ye shall abide in him4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,john ii2#bj1 #bg4 ,moreover1 to the extent that a man is guided into all truth1 he is preserved from all error4 ,there is no danger of his being deceived1 or led astray by every wind of doctrine1 or the cunning craftiness of false teachers1 so long as he is in possession of that ,spirit which guides into all truth4 ,so taught ,isaiah1 who1 in speaking of the time when the house of ,israel should possess this ,spirit1 said3 ,and though the ,lord give you the bread of adversity1 and the water of affliction1 yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more1 but thine eyes shall see thy teachers2 ,and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee1 saying1 ,this is the way1 walk ye in it1 when ye turn to the right hand1 and when ye turn to the left4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,isaiah xxx3#bj1 #ba4 #e4 ,the ,holy ,ghost as ,remembrancer3 ,as to the second power enumerated1 viz43 the power to bring all things to remembrance2 it is a most practical and important function1 as it would be impossible for man to live the law of the ,gospel without some such grace being conferred upon him by the ,lord4 ,the law of the ,gospel requires men not only to do good to those who do good to them1 but to do good to those who despitefully use them2 not only to lend to those who lend to them1 but to lend to those of whom they may not hope to receive anything in return2 to revile not those who may revile them--in a word1 the law of the ,gospel is summed up in this3 ,be not overcome of evil1 but overcome evil with good4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,romans xii3#ba4 ,see also ,matt4 v1 vi4 ,however fine this may be in theory1 to carry it practically into the affairs of life is difficult4 ,when reviled it seems but natural to answer railing with railing1 blows with blows1 and for injury inflicted1 return as much in kind as is within one's power to inflict4 ,and unless in possession of this grace bestowed by the ,holy ,ghost1 viz41 having brought to one's recollection the things of ,christ's ,gospel1 being reminded in the very moment of temptation of these laws--when smarting under a sense of injustice1 or suffering under wrongs heaped upon one--it would be difficult if not impossible to live up to these heaven-given precepts4 ,but by having the ,holy ,spirit as one's prompter in the moments of temptation1 and by cultivating the ,christian virtue of patience1 this law of the ,gospel1 so contravening the natural disposition of man1 may be complied with1 and the follower of ,christ1 like his ,master1 may be able to say for those who inflict injury upon him1 ,father1 forgive them2 for they know not what they do4 #f4 ,president ,brigham ,young on the ,same3 ,along this line of thought the late ,president ,brigham ,young left on record1 in a discourse delivered on the #bhth of ,august1 #aheb1 ,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 ,i1 a very choice deliverance1 in which he urged righteousness upon the ministry of the ,church everywhere and at all times1 through constant possession of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the passage follows3 ,when ,i heard the brethren exhorting those who are going on missions1 ,i wished them to impress one thing upon the minds of the elders1 for it is necessary that it should be uppermost there1 which may be the means of preserving them from receiving stains on their characters from which very probably they may never recover4 ,if we get a blight on our characters before the ,lord1 or in other words1 lose ground and backslide by transgression1 or in any other way1 so that we are not up even with the brethren1 as we are now1 we never can come up with them again4 ,but this principle must be carried out by the elders wherever they go1 whatever they do1 or wherever they are4 ,one thing must be observed and be before them all the time in their meditations1 and in their practice1 and that is1 clean hands and pure hearts1 before ,god1 angels1 and men4 ,if the elders cannot go with clean hands and pure hearts1 they had better stay here1 and wash a little longer2 don't go thinking when you arrive at the ,missouri river1 at the ,mississippi1 at the ,ohio1 or at the ,atlantic1 that then you will purify yourselves1 but start from here with clean hands and pure hearts1 and be pure from the crown of your heads to the soles of your feet1 then live so every hour4 ,go in that manner1 and in that manner labor1 and return again as clean as a piece of pure1 white paper4 ,this is the way to go1 and if you do not do that1 your hearts will ache4 ,how can you do it8 ,is there a way8 ,yes6 ,do the elders understand that way8 ,they do4 ,you cannot keep your hands clean1 and your hearts pure1 without the help of the ,lord2 neither will he keep you pure without your own help4 ,will you be liable to fall into temptation and be overtaken in sin8 ,yes1 unless you live so as to have the revelation of ,jesus ,christ continually1 not only to live in it today1 or while you are preaching in a prayer meeting1 or in a conference2 but when you are out of the meetings4 ,you must have the ,holy ,spirit all the time1 on ,sunday1 ,monday1 ,tuesday1 and every day through the week1 and from year to year1 from the time you leave home until you return1 so that when you come back1 you may not be afraid if the ,lord ,almighty should come into the midst of the ,saints and reveal all the acts and doings and designs of your hearts in your missions1 but be found clean like a piece of white paper2 that is the way for the elders to live in their ministry at home and abroad4 ,,lesson ,,xv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,office 7,i4 ,e41 ,,functions7 ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost 7,continued74 ,,analysis4 ,v4 ,the ,revealer3 ,the ,spirit of ,prophecy4 ,,vi4 ,miscellaneous ,gifts and ,powers4 ,,vii4 ,personal ,graces ,imparted4 ,,references4 ,the works and ,scripture passages cited in the body of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,howbeit when he1 the ,spirit of truth1 is come1 he will guide you into all truth3 for he shall not speak of himself2 but whatsoever he shall hear1 that shall he speak3 and he will shew you things to come4 ,he shall glorify me3 for he shall receive of mine1 and shall shew it unto you4 7,st4 ,john xvi3#ac1 #ad47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost the ,spirit of ,prophecy and of ,revelation3 ,he will show you things to come4 ,in other words1 the ,holy ,ghost is the spirit of prophecy1 for by it the future has been unfolded to the minds of the prophets2 and by it the scriptures were given4 ,in proof of this ,i quote the apostle ,peter3 ,prophecy came not in old time by the will of man3 but holy men of ,god spake as they were moved upon by the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,and that which they spake was written and became scripture4 ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,peter i3#ba4 ,when an angel visited ,john on ,patmos and that apostle fell at his feet to worship him1 the angel said3 ,see thou do it not4 ,i am they fellow servant1 and of thy brethren that have the testimony of ,jesus which is the ,holy ,ghost3 worship ,god3 for the testimony of ,jesus is the spirit of prophecy4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,rev4 xix3#aj4 ,these facts will exhibit the inconsistency1 nay1 ,i may say1 the absolutely erroneous position of those who insist that while the ,holy ,ghost has continued with men1 prophecy and revelation have ceased4 ,the very fact1 as stated in the fourth item taken from these passages under consideration ,lesson ,,xiv1 subdivision #d1 viz41 that the ,holy ,ghost will take of the things of the ,lord and show them unto men1 also proves that this ,spirit is one of revelation1 and is in harmony with the scripture which saith3 ,but as it is written1 eye hath not seen1 nor ear heard1 neither have entered into the heart of man1 the things which ,god hath prepared for them that love him4 ,but ,god hath revealed them unto us by his ,spirit2 for the ,spirit searcheth all things1 yea1 the deep things of ,god4 ,for what man knoweth the things of a man1 save the spirit of man which is in him8 even so the things of ,god knoweth no man1 but the ,spirit of ,god4 ,now we have received1 not the spirit of the world1 but the spirit which is of ,god2 that we might know the things that are freely given to us of ,god4 ,which things also we speak1 not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth1 but which the ,holy ,ghost teacheth2 comparing spiritual things with spiritual4 ,but the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god3 for they are foolishness unto him3 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,cor4 ii3#i-ad4 #b4 ,joseph ,smith on the ,spirit of ,revelation3 ,the spirit of revelation is in connection with these blessings i4 e4 receiving the ,holy ,ghost1 see context of discourse4 ,a person may profit by noticing the first intimation of the spirit of revelation2 for instance1 when you feel pure intelligence flowing into you1 it may give you sudden strokes of ideas1 so that by noticing it1 you may find it fulfilled the same day or soon2 i4 e4 those things that were presented unto your minds by the ,spirit of ,god will come to pass2 and thus by learning the ,spirit of ,god and understanding it1 you may grow into the principle of revelation1 until you become perfect in ,christ ,jesus4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,joseph ,smith in a discourse to the ,twelve1 #bgth ,june1 #ahci1 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 p4 #cha4 ,he also teaches1 in the same discourse1 that there are two comforters3 one the ,holy ,ghost1 whom he calls the ,first ,comforter2 the other1 ,jesus ,christ1 whom he calls the ,second ,comforter1 in explanation of ,st4 ,john xiv3#ab-bc4 7,see also note e1 ,lesson ,,xiv47 ,there are two comforters spoken of4 ,one is the ,holy ,ghost1 the same as given on the day of ,pentecost1 and that all ,saints receive after faith1 repentance and baptism4 ,their ,first ,comforter or ,holy ,ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence4 ,it is more powerful in expanding the mind1 enlightening the understanding1 and storing the intellect with present knowledge1 of a man who is of the literal seed of ,abraham1 than one that is a ,gentile1 though it may not have half as much visible effect upon the body2 for as the ,holy ,ghost falls upon one of the literal seed of ,abraham1 it is calm and serene2 and his whole soul and body are only exercised by the pure spirit of intelligence2 while the effect of the ,holy ,ghost upon a ,gentile1 is to purge out the old blood1 and make him actually of the seed of ,abraham4 ,that man that has none of the blood of ,abraham naturally must have a new creation by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,in such a case1 there may be more of a powerful effect upon the body1 and visible to the eye1 than upon an ,israelite1 while the ,israelite at first might be far before the ,gentile in pure intelligence4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,the ,other ,comforter3 ,this subject1 in part1 was treated in footnote e1 in ,lesson ,,xiv4 ,i quote what the ,prophet said further upon the subject in this foot note3 ,the ,other ,comforter spoken of is a subject of great interest1 and perhaps understood by few of this generation4 ,after a person has faith in ,christ1 repents of his sins1 and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the ,holy ,ghost1 by the laying on of hands1 which is the first ,comforter1 then let him continue to humble himself before ,god1 hungering and thirsting after righteousness1 and living by every word of ,god1 and the ,lord will soon say unto him1 ,son1 thou shalt be exalted4 ,when the ,lord has thoroughly proved him1 and finds that the man is determined to serve ,him at all hazards1 then the man will find his calling and his election made sure1 then it will be his privilege to receive the other ,comforter1 which the ,lord hath promised the ,saints1 as is recorded in the testimony of ,st4 ,john1 in the #adth chapter1 from the #abth to the #bgth verses4 99 99 99 ,now what is this other ,comforter8 ,it is no more nor less than the ,lord ,jesus ,christ himself2 and this is the sum and substance of the whole matter2 that when any man obtains this last ,comforter1 he will have the personage of ,jesus ,christ to attend him1 or appear unto him from time to time1 and even he will manifest the ,father unto him1 and they will take up their abode with him1 and the visions of the heavens will be opened unto him1 and the ,lord will teach him face to face1 and he may have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the ,kingdom of ,god2 and this is the state and place the ancient ,saints arrived at when they had such glorious visions--,isaiah1 ,ezekiel1 ,john upon the ,isle of ,patmos1 ,st4 ,paul in the three heavens1 and all the ,saints who held communion with the general assembly1 and the ,church of the ,first ,born4 7,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 pp4 #chj-a74 #c4 ,miscellaneous ,gifts and ,powers ,imparted by the ,holy ,ghost3 ,in addition to these special powers of the ,holy ,ghost1 there are a number of gifts and powers enumerated1 as one may say1 in mass in the scriptures1 and yet of highest importance4 ,paul says3 ,now concerning spiritual gifts1 brethren1 ,i would not have you ignorant4 ,ye know that ye were ,gentiles carried away unto these dumb idols1 even as ye were led4 ,wherefore ,i give you to understand1 that no man speaking by the ,spirit of ,god calleth ,jesus accursed3 and that no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord1 but by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,now there are diversities of gifts1 but the same ,spirit4 ,and there are differences of administrations1 but the same ,lord4 ,and there are diversities of operations1 but it is the same ,god which worketh all in all4 ,but the manifestation of the ,spirit is given to every man to profit withal4 ,for to one is given by the ,spirit the word of wisdom2 to another the word of knowledge by the same ,spirit2 to another faith by the same ,spirit2 to another the gifts of healing by the same ,spirit2 to another the working of miracles2 to another prophecy2 to another discerning of spirits2 to another divers kinds of tongues2 to another the interpretation of tongues2 but all these worketh that one and the selfsame spirit1 dividing to every man severally as he will4 ,for as the body is one1 and hath many members and all the members of that one body1 being many1 are one body2 so also is ,christ4 ,for by one ,spirit are we all baptized into one body1 whether we be ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether we be bond or free2 and have been all made to drink into one ,spirit4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,cor4 xii3#a-ac4 #d4 ,president ,young on the ,effect of the ,holy ,ghost ,upon the ,mind of ,man3 ,the ,holy ,ghost takes of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and shows it to the disciples4 ,it shows them things past1 present1 and to come4 ,it opens the vision of the mind1 unlocks the treasures of wisdom1 and they begin to understand the things of ,god2 their minds are exalted on high2 their conceptions of ,god and ,his creations are dignified1 and ,hallelujah to ,god and the ,lamb in the highest1 is the constant language of their hearts4 ,they comprehend themselves and the great object of their existence4 ,they also comprehend the designs of the wicked one1 and the designs of those who serve him2 they comprehend the designs of the ,almighty in forming the earth2 and mankind upon it1 and the ultimate purpose of all ,his creations4 ,it leads them to drink at the fountain of eternal wisdom1 justice1 and truth2 they grow in grace1 and in the knowledge of the truth as it is in ,jesus ,christ1 until they see as they are seen and know as they are known4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bda4 #e4 ,personal ,graces ,imparted by the ,holy ,ghost3 ,in addition to these several spiritual gifts enumerated by ,paul1 he also gives--in his letter to the ,galatians--in like mass1 an enumeration of what ,i think may be called personal graces1 as the fruit of the ,spirit1 having references to the ,holy ,ghost1 since he is directing his remarks to those who have accepted the ,gospel of ,christ4,a ,the enumeration of these graces--fruit of the ,spirit--will gain something in beauty and strength if placed1 as the apostle himself places it1 in contrast with the works of the flesh4 ,footnote ,a3 ,see the ,epistle to the ,galatians1 passim4 ,for1 brethren1 ye have been called unto liberty2 only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh1 but by love serve one another4 ,for all the law is fulfilled in one word1 even in this3 ,thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself4 ,but if ye bite and devour one another1 take heed that ye be not consumed one of another4 ,this ,i say then1 walk in the ,spirit1 and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh4 ,for the flesh lusteth against the ,spirit1 and the ,spirit against the flesh3 and these are contrary the one to the other3 so that ye cannot do the things that ye would4 ,but i4 ye be led of the ,spirit1 ye are not under the law4 ,now the works of the flesh are manifest1 which are these3 ,adultery1 fornication1 uncleanness1 lasciviousness1 idolatry1 witchcraft1 hatred1 variance1 emulations1 wrath1 strife1 seditions1 heresies1 envyings1 murders1 drunkenness1 revellings and such like3 of the which ,i tell you before1 as ,i have also told you in time past1 that they which do such things shall not inherit the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,but the fruit of the ,spirit is love1 joy1 peace1 longsuffering1 gentleness1 goodness1 faith1 meekness1 temperance3 against such there is no law4 ,and they that are ,christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts4 ,if we live in the ,spirit1 let us also walk in the ,spirit4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,gal4 v3#ac-be4 ,,lesson ,,xvi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,promise ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,the ,holy ,ghost ,promised by the ,forerunner of the ,christ4 ,,ii4 ,promised by ,messiah4 ,,iii4 ,promised by ,apostolic ,authority ,universal4 ,,iv4 ,the ,insignia of the ,holy ,ghost--,the ,sign of a ,dove4 ,,references4 ,the works and ,scriptures cited in the body of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,wait for the ,promise of the ,father1 which1 saith he1 ye have heard of me4 ,for ,john truly baptized with water2 but ye shall be baptized with the ,holy ,ghost not many days hence4--,jesus 7,acts #a3d-e47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,john the ,baptist's ,promise of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,when ,john the ,baptist came with his message of ,repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand2 he also said3 ,i indeed baptize you with water unto repentance3 but he that cometh after me is mightier than ,i1 whose shoes ,i am not worthy to bear3 he shall baptize you with the ,holy ,ghost and with fire4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,matt4 iii3#aa2 also ,mark i3#g-i4 ,afterwards ,john bore record that ,jesus of ,nazareth was he of whom he spake4 ,i saw1 said he1 the ,spirit descending from heaven like a dove1 and it abode upon him 7,jesus74 ,and ,i knew him not3 but he that sent me to baptize with water1 the same said unto me1 ,upon whom thou shalt see the ,spirit descending1 and remaining on him1 the same is he which baptizeth with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and ,i saw1 and bear record that this is the ,son of ,god4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,john i3#cb-cd1 in connection with verse #bi-ca4 #b4 ,the ,premise of the ,christ3 ,jesus himself made frequent allusion to this baptism of the ,holy ,ghost2 and1 as we have seen in previous lessons1 expounded 'the functions and powers of that ,spirit4 ,finally1 after his death and resurrection1 and just previous to his departure from among his disciples in ,judea1 he said to them3 ,wait for the promise of the ,father1 which 99 99 99 ye have heard of me4 ,for ,john1 truly baptized with water2 but ye shall be baptized with the ,holy ,ghost not many days hence4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts i3#d1 #e4 ,the reference to the promise made through ,john the ,baptist is obvious2 and the disciples who had anxiously looked for its accomplishment were now informed that its fulfillment was not many days hence4 ,the promise was fulfilled1 for in about seven days,a after the ,messiah's ascension1 on the day of ,pentecost1 the disciples being assembled with one accord1 in one place1 ,suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind1 and it filled all the house where they were sitting4 ,and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire1 and it sat upon each of them4 ,and they were filled with the ,holy ,ghost1 and began to speak with other tongues1 as the ,spirit gave them utterance4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,pentecost came fifty days after the ,passover1 7reckoning from the second day of the ,passover--the #afth of the ,month ,nisan7 on which day the ,lord ,jesus was crucified4 ,allowing that he laid three days in the tomb1 and was with his disciples forty days after his resurrection 7,acts i3#c71 forty-three days of the fifty between ,passover and ,pentecost was accounted for1 leaving but seven between his ascension and the day of ,pentecost1 when the promise of the baptism of the ,spirit was fulfilled4 ,footnote ,b3 ,acts ii #b-d4 ,peter1 under the inspiration of the ,holy ,ghost1 so abundantly given to himself and companions on that day1 preached a discourse which convinced thousands that ,jesus was both ,lord and ,christ1 the ,savior of the world2 and in answering the question of the multitude as to what they should do1 after telling them to repent1 and to be baptized in the name of ,jesus ,christ for the remission of their sins1 he added3 ,and ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for the promise is unto you1 and to your children1 and to all that are afar off1 even as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts ii3#ch1ci4 ,i call attention to the universality of this promise4 ,it was made to those who were listening to the apostles2 but not to them alone1 it extended to their children1 to them also that were afar off--to those who were a hundred years off1 or five hundred1 or five or ten thousand years off2 the promise was to them2 and as if this was not sufficiently universal1 the apostle adds1 even to as many as the ,lord our ,god shall call--call to what8 to as many1 of course1 as are called to yield obedience to the gospel--to all such the promise extends4 #d4 ,special ,promise of the ,holy ,ghost in the ,new ,dispensation of the ,gospel3 ,as the promise made by ,john was repeated and emphasized by the ,savior1 so1 likewise1 has this general promise made by the ,apostle ,peter been repeated and emphasized by the ,lord1 in restoring the gospel to the earth in this dispensation in which we live4 ,to the first elders of the ,church in our day1 he said3 ,as ,i said unto mine apostles1 even so ,i say unto you1 for ye are mine apostles4 99 99 99 ,therefore1 99 99 99 ,i say unto you again1 that every soul who believeth on your words1 and is baptized by water for the remission of sins1 shall receive the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,dov4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 lxxxiv3#fe1 #fd4 ,so to those who have faith in the revelations which the ,lord has given through the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 the promise of the ,holy ,ghost is repeated1 and assurance is made doubly sure4 #e4 ,sign of the ,holy ,ghost3 ,the descent of the ,holy ,ghost upon ,jesus and its abiding with him1 was to be ,john's sign that he it was who would baptize with the ,holy ,ghost and with fire4 ,he knew not who that divine person was in ,israel until this sign should be given to him4 ,hence we have him saying1 after the sign had designated ,jesus as the one who would baptize with the ,holy ,ghost--,i knew him not2 but he that sent me to baptize with water1 the same said unto me1 ',upon whom thou shalt see the ,spirit descending and remaining on him1 the same is he which baptized with the ,holy ,ghost2 and ,i saw and bear record that this is the ,son of ,god4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john i3#cb1 #cd4 ,in the ,holy ,ghost thus designating ,jesus of ,nazareth1 we are informed1 according to ,john's testimony1 that he saw the ,spirit descending from heaven like a dove1 and it abode upon him2,a and to this the other evangelists agree1 except that ,st4 ,luke emphasizes the account by adding in bodily form4 ,the ,holy ,ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him4,b ,the incident has been the occasion of much and varied comment4 ,can it be that the ,holy ,ghost takes on varied and really physical forms8 ,and is that spiritual personage1 such as we have represented the ,holy ,ghost to be in these ,lessons1 really a permanent1 personal spirit-personage1 or is he an evanescent one8 ,appearing now in this form1 now in that8 ,now1 perhaps1 as burning bush2 now as a dove2 now as cloven tongues as of fire2 and now in form of a man8 ,it is more in keeping with the dignity of this ,divine ,personage1 as ,i conceive the revelations describing him1 to think of him as a spirit-personage1 permanent as to his spirit1 individual form2 which would lead us necessarily to the conclusion that these other forms of dove and cloven tongues as of fire1 were but manifestations of his presence only1 not really he1 himself2 these other forms were but insignia of him4 ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,john i3#cb4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,luke iii3#bb4 ,the ,international ,revision ,commentary on the ,new ,testament1 says of the passage3 ,this statement1 in which all four evangelists agree1 is to be understood literally4 ,a temporary embodiment of the ,holy ,spirit occurred to inaugurate our ,lord as the ,messiah4 ,in bodily shape2 that is1 says the ,commentary of ,jamieson-,fausset-,brown1 on the passage in ,matthew iii3#af--that is1 the blessed ,spirit1 assuming the corporeal form of a dove1 descended thus upon his sacred head4 ,and in this form because the emblem of chastity1 purity1 meekness1 gentleness1 beauteousness1 ,dummelow's ,commentary says3 ,as he 7the ,christ7 rises from the baptismal waters1 the ,holy ,ghost1 the living bond of love and unity in the ,godhead descends4 ,the appearance of the ,holy ,ghost in the form of a dove was a symbolic vision1 and1 as spiritual things are spiritually discerned1 the vision was probably seen only by our ,lord and the ,baptist4 ,the dove is the type of the ,spirit because of its innocence1 gentleness and affection4 7,dummelow ,commentary1 p4 #fcb74 ,to this conclusion one is helped by the teaching of the ,prophet of the ,new ,dispensation4 ,joseph ,smith1 in a discourse at the ,nauvoo ,temple1 on the #bith day of ,january1 #ahdc1 said--and his remarks were especially prepared as he was answering some doctrinal questions about the mission of ,john1 the ,baptist1 the greatness of it--,he was entrusted with the important mission to baptize the ,son of ,man1 said the ,prophet2 ,whoever had the honor of doing that8 ,whoever had so great a privilege and glory8 ,whoever led the ,son of ,god into the waters of baptism1 and had the privilege of beholding the ,holy ,ghost descend in the form of a dove1 or rather in the sign of the dove1 in witness of that administration8 ,the sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world1 a witness for the ,holy ,ghost1 and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is a personage1 and is in the form of a personage4 ,it does not confine conform8 itself to the form of a dove1 but in sign of the dove4 ,the ,holy ,ghost cannot be transformed into a dove2 but the sign of a dove was given to ,john to signify the truth of the deed1 as the above is an emblem or token of truth and innocence4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,v1 pp4 #bfj1 #bfa4 ,that exposition1 as it excels all other attempts at exposition in beauty and rationality1 so does it make it possible to hold to the thought of the ,holy ,ghost as a ,spirit-,personage in form like man--nay1 rather1 like his two associates of the holy ,trinity as to form--the most perfect in beauty and stately grandeur of all forms living--although differing in substantive nature1 as spirit matter differs from spirit matter united with tabernacles of flesh and bone4 ,,lesson ,,xvii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,who ,,may ,,receive ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,preparation for ,union4 ,,ii4 ,holy ,temples for ,indwelling ,holy ,spirit4 ,,iii4 ,the ,world and ,holy ,spirit ,incompatible4 ,,iv4 ,the ,case of ,cornelius4 ,,references4 ,works and the ,scriptures cited in the body of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,know ye not that ye are the temple of ,god1 and that the ,spirit of ,god dwelleth in yon8 ,if any man defile the temple of ,god1 him shall ,god destroy2 for the temple of ,god is holy1 which temple ye are4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 iii3#af1 #ag47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,preparation for ,union ,with the ,holy ,ghost3 ,it will be remembered that ,john the ,baptist was sent to preach repentance and baptism before the coming of him who was to baptize with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it will also be observed1 in the teachings of ,peter on the day of ,pentecost1 after his arguments and the power of the ,spirit by which he spake had aroused belief in the minds of the people1 that he required them to repent and to be baptized for the remission of their sins before he gave them the promise of the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts ii3#ch4 ,if we turn to the account given in the ,acts of the ,apostles of the conversion of the people of ,samaria1 we shall find the same order observed4 ,philip went down to that city1 taught them the word1 which they believed1 they repented of their sins1 and were baptized2 then ,peter and ,john came and conferred upon them the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts viii4 ,then1 again1 when ,paul found a number of men in ,ephesus1 who claimed to have been baptized unto ,john's baptism1 yet had not so much as heard of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,paul was careful to rebaptize them--since there seemed to be some doubt as to the validity of their first baptism--before he conferred upon them the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts xix4 ,it appears from these circumstances that faith1 repentance1 and baptism1 precede the reception of1 or the baptism of1 the ,holy ,ghost1 and are1 in fact1 prerequisites to a reception of it4 ,this order1 in respect of these principles and ordinances1 is further sustained by other passages of scripture4 ,the ,holy ,ghost dwells not in unholy temples4 ,therefore man1 as a prospective temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 must receive preparatory cleansing before he can hope to become a temple of ,god1 temple of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,in writing to the ,corinthian ,saints who had received the ,holy ,ghost1 ,paul says3 ,what8 know ye not that your body is the temple of the ,holy ,ghost which is in you1 which ye have of ,god4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i4 ,cor4 vi3#ai4 ,and again3 ,know ye not that ye are the temple of ,god1 and that the ,spirit of ,god dwelleth in you8 ,if any man defile the temple of ,god1 him shall ,god destroy4 ,for the temple of ,god is holy which temple ye are4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i4 ,cor4 iii3#af1 #ag4 ,from these passages this much is learned3 ,that the man who receives the ,holy ,ghost becomes a temple thereof1 even the temple of ,god2 and since it is decreed that if a man defiles the temple of ,god him will ,god destroy1 it may be reasonably inferred that the ,holy ,ghost dwells not in unholy temples2 hence1 through faith in ,god1 sincere repentance of all sins1 and baptism for the remission of them1 man cleanses the prospective temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 his body1 that it may be a fit place for the indwelling of the ,divine ,spirit4 #c4 ,the ,world ,cannot ,receive the ,holy ,ghost3 ,just previous to his crucifixion1 ,jesus said to the apostles3 ,i will pray the ,father1 and he shall give you another ,comforter1 that he may abide with you for ever2 even the ,spirit of ,truth1 whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not1 neither knoweth him4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,john xiv3#af1 #ag4 ,it is evident from this that the world cannot receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and now1 who are the world8 ,i answer1 those who have not yet put on ,christ2 or1 in other words1 those who have not yet entered into the ,kingdom of ,god1 through faith in ,god and ,christ1 repentance and baptism4 ,they are the world2 and1 according to the word of the ,master1 they cannot receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,again3 ,when ,peter and other apostles were brought before the senate of the ,jews1 accused with intent to bring the blood of ,messiah upon them1 ,peter answered3 ,the ,god of our ,fathers raised up ,jesus1 whom ye slew and hanged on a tree4 ,him hath ,god exalted with his right hand to be a ,prince and a ,savior for to give repentance to ,israel and forgiveness of sins4 ,and we are his witnesses of these things2 and so is also the ,holy ,ghost1 whom ,god hath given to them that obey him4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts v3#cj-cb4 ,not1 mark you1 to them who have not obeyed him4 ,this is in harmony with the statement that the world cannot receive the ,holy ,ghost1 and also with the other cases we cited above where the order in presenting the gospel to the people was faith in ,god and ,christ1 repentance1 baptism for the remission of sins1 and then the reception of the ,holy ,ghost4 #d4 ,distinction ,between ,immanent ,spirit and the ,holy ,ghost3 ,at this point we may note and justify the course followed in this treatise in making a distinction between the ,spirit or ,light1 which lighteth every man that cometh into the world1 and the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the first ,spirit1 or light1 lighteth every man that cometh into the world4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is given to those who obey ,god1 that is1 to those who obey the ,gospel4 ,the world cannot receive the ,holy ,ghost2 but the ,light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world seems not so restricted in its contact with men and things2 since besides being the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world1 this light of ,christ1,a is also a universal1 vital spirit1 that proceedeth forth from the presence of ,god to fill the immensity of space4 ,the light which is in all things2 which giveth life to all things2 which is the law by which all things are governed3 even the power of ,god4,b ,which spirit or light is in the sun1 and the light of the sun1 and the power thereof by which it was made2 as also he is in the moon1 and is the light of the moon and the power thereof by which it was made2,c and so with reference to earth and stars4 ,but from what we learn in the ,word of ,god1 as already set forth in this treatise1 the ,holy ,ghost is a special spirit-witness for ,god the ,father1 and of ,god the ,son1 to those who are especially prepared to receive him by faith in1 and obedience to1 the gospel of ,jesus ,christ2 who have repented of their sins and received baptism in water for the remission of them1 thus giving evidence of faith in ,god and acceptance of the ,atonement of the ,christ by receiving the symbols thereof4,d ,to those thus especially prepared1 and to such only1 is witness and union with the ,holy ,ghost possible2 while no such especial preparation for contact with and even enjoyment of the all-immanent ,spirit is anywhere insisted upon2 although1 as we have seen in a previous lesson1,e those who are most in harmony with righteousness1 who hunger and thirst after it1 and who seek to draw near to ,god1 will undoubtedly1 by the great law of spiritual affinity1 enjoy closer union with the ,spirit of ,god--the ,immanent ,spirit--than those who have no such longings for the pure and the good4 ,footnote ,a3 ,see ,lesson ,,ii4 ,footnote ,b3 ,doc4 ,cov4 lxxxviii3#ab1 #ac4 ,footnote ,c3 ,ibid1 verses #g-aj4 ,footnote ,d3 ,see ,seventy's ,year ,book ,,iv1 ,lesson ,,xxi4 ,footnote ,e3 ,see ,lesson ,,iv this treatise1 topic #c ,immanence and ,manifestation4 #e4 ,inter-,changeability of ,words3 ,it would be well to remember also in this connection1 and it may prevent some confusion in the minds of those who read the scriptures1 that by metonymy the words ,spirit1 ,holy ,spirit1 ,spirit of ,god1 ,spirit of ,christ1 and even ,god-are sometimes used when the ,holy ,ghost is meant4 ,in other words1 these terms above given are used inter-changeably4 ,and sometimes the influence of the ,spirit or his powers or even his operations are spoken of as the ,holy ,ghost himself1 and hence confusion in thought1 and perhaps also in what is written in some of our books4 ,this merely by way of parenthesis4 #f4 ,the ,case of ,cornelius3 ,there is an exception1 however1 to this order of things in the ,new ,testament3 the case of ,cornelius1 the devout ,gentile1,a and for this exception there was a special reason4 ,it seems that the apostles applied the narrow and contracted views of the ,jews to the ,gospel4 ,they thought it was to be confined to the house of ,israel--to those of the circumcision4 ,they appeared slow to understand that in ,jesus ,christ all the nations and peoples of the earth were to be blessed1 the ,gentiles as well as the ,jews4 ,consequently1 when the time had come to send the ,gospel to the ,gentiles1 the ,lord opened the way by sending an angel to ,cornelius to tell him that his prayers and alms had come up for a memorial before the ,lord1 and to direct him to send men to ,joppa for ,peter1 who would tell him what he ought to do4,b ,he at once obeyed the heavenly injunction4 ,footnote ,a3 ,some also note the case of ,paul as an exception to the rule1 but ,i think this an error4 ,it is true ,ananias1 on entering the house where ,paul was1 put his hands on him and said3 ,the ,lord1 even ,jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou earnest1 hath sent me1 that thou mightest receive thy sight1 and be filled with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and immediately1 the historian tells us1 there fell from his eyes as it had been scales2 and he received sight forthwith1 and arose and was baptized4 7,acts ix3#ag1 #ah47 ,but in all this ,i see nothing to warrant the assumption that he received the ,holy ,ghost prior to his baptism4 ,footnote ,b3 ,acts x3#a-h4 ,meantime the ,lord prepared ,peter to go to the ,gentiles4 ,in vision he beheld a great net lowered down from heaven1 filled with all manner of beasts1 and a voice cried unto him1 ,rise1 ,peter1 kill1 and eat4 ,but ,peter said1 ,not so1 ,lord2 for ,i have never eaten anything that is common or unclean1 ,what ,god hath cleansed1 that call thou not common1 said the voice4,a ,this was done thrice1 and before he had wholly concluded what the vision could mean1 the messengers from ,cornelius were at the gate--and the ,spirit told him to go with them1 for the ,lord had sent them4 ,footnote ,a3 ,acts x3#i-ag4 ,that ,peter understood the import of this vision to be that the ,gospel was for all mankind1 for all races and nations1 is evident from the fact that when on the following day he went with the messengers to the house of ,cornelius1 he said to him3 ,ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a ,jew to keep company1 or come unto one of another nation2 but ,god hath showed me that ,i should not call any man common or unclean4 ,therefore come ,i unto you without gainsaying1 as soon as ,i was sent for4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts x3#bh4 ,cornelius related to him his vision and expressed himself as ready to receive the commandments of ,god4 ,then ,peter preached to him ,christ and him crucified1 and that whosoever believed on him should have remission of sins4 ,and while ,peter yet spake these words1 the ,holy ,ghost fell on all them which heard the word4 ,and they of the circumcision which believed were astonished1 as many as came with ,peter1 because that on the ,gentiles also was poured out the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,for they heard them speak with tongues1 and magnify ,god4 ,the answer ,peter gave was1 ,can any man forbid water1 that these should not be baptized1 which have received the ,holy ,ghost as well as we8 ,and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the ,lord4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts x3#dd-dh4 ,afterwards1 when they of the circumcision complained of ,peter for going to them who were uncircumcised1 he related the whole matter to them1 and testified that as he began to speak to ,cornelius and his kindred1 the ,holy ,ghost fell on them1 as on us at the beginning4 99 99 99 ,forasmuch then as ,god gave them the like gift as he did unto us1 who believed on the ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 what was ,i1 that ,i could withstand ,god8,a ,when they heard this they held their peace1 and the saying went abroad that ,god had also to the ,gentiles granted repentance unto life4 ,footnote ,a3 ,acts xi3#ae-ag4 ,the object for deviating from the order in which the principles and ordinances of the ,gospel follow each other is obvious--it was that the ,jews might have a witness from ,god that the ,gospel was for the ,gentiles as well as for their own nation4 ,but according to the scriptures1 and1 ,i may say1 according to the nature and relationship of these several principles and ordinances of the ,gospel to each other1 the reception of the ,holy ,ghost comes after faith1 repentance1 and baptism4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph1 in a discourse delivered at ,nauvoo1 #bjth of ,march1 #ahdb1 refers to this case of ,cornelius1 and offers the suggestion that there is a difference between the ,holy ,ghost and the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,that is to say1 judging from the whole tenor of the passage to be quoted--a difference between the special manifestation of the ,holy ,ghost in the case of ,cornelius for a particular purpose1 and the permanent possession of the ,holy ,ghost as a gift from ,god coupled with a right to the manifestations of his powers following after observance of those laws and ordinances which make the necessary preparation for the constant fellowship of the ,holy ,ghost with man4 ,resuming now the quotation3 ,there is a difference between the ,holy ,ghost and the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,cornelius received the ,holy ,ghost before he was baptized1 which was the convincing power of ,god unto him of the truth of the ,gospel1 but he could not receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost until after he was baptized4 ,had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him1 the ,holy ,ghost which convinced him of the truth of ,god1 would have left him4 ,until he obeyed these ordinances and received the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 by the laying on of hands1 according to the order of ,god1 he could not have healed the sick or commanded an evil spirit to come out of a man1 and it obey him2 for the spirits might say unto him1 as they did to the sons of ,sceva3 ,paul we know1 and ,jesus we know1 but who are ye8,a ,footnote ,a3 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 p4 #eee4 ,,lesson ,,xviii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,spirit ,,baptism4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,birth into the ,kingdom3 ,water and ,spirit ,baptism4 ,,ii4 ,the ,testimony of ,enoch4 ,,iii4 ,purification by ,spirit ,baptism4 ,,references4 ,the works and ,scripture passages cited in the body of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of heaven4 99 99 99 ,except a man be born of the water and of the ,spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of ,god4 7,st4 ,john iii3#c1e47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,birth of ,water and of the ,spirit3 ,there1 cometh one mightier than ,i after me1 said ,john the ,baptist4 ,i have baptized you with water1 he continued1 but he shall baptize you with the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,jesus said to ,nicodemus3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto thee1 except a man be born again he cannot see the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,at this the ,pharisees marveled1 and enquired1 ,how can a man be born again when he is old8 ,can he enter the second time into his mother's womb1 and be born8 ,then answered ,jesus in way of explanation--,except a man be born of the water and of the ,spirit1 he cannot enter into the ,kingdom of ,god4,b ,this in plain allusion--it is universally conceded--to the baptism of water and of the ,spirit essential to entrance into the ,kingdom of ,god--into the ,church of ,christ4 ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,mark i3#g1 #h4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,john iii3#c-e4 #b4 ,the ,testimony of ,enoch to the ,necessity of ,water and ,spirit ,baptism3 ,in the ,pearl of ,great ,price occurs a very remarkable testimony of the necessity of water and spirit baptism2 and indeed1 of the whole ,gospel plan of man's redemption1 including an exposition of the ,atonement and the relationship of the symbols of water and spirit baptism to the natural birth into the world4 ,i quote it in extenso--the testimony is that of the ,prophet ,enoch1 the seventh from ,adam3 ,and he said unto them i4 e41 the people to whom he was preaching1 ,because that ,adam fell1 we are2 and by his fall came death2 and we are made partakers of misery and woe4 ,behold ,satan hath come among the children of men1 and tempteth them to worship him2 and men have become carnal1 sensual1 and devilish1 and are shut out from the presence of ,god4 ,but ,god hath made known unto our fathers that all men must repent4 ,and he called upon our father ,adam by his own voice1 saying3 ,i am ,god2 ,i made the world1 and men before they were in the flesh4 ,and he also said unto him3 ,if thou wilt turn unto me1 and hearken unto my voice1 and believe1 and repent of all thy transgressions1 and be baptized1 even in water1 in the name of mine ,only ,begotten ,son1 who is full of grace and truth1 which is ,jesus ,christ1 the only name which shall be given under heaven1 whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men1 ye shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 asking all things in his name1 and whatsoever ye shall ask1 it shall be given you4 ,and our father ,adam spake unto the ,lord1 and said3 ,why is it that men must repent and be baptized in water8 ,and the ,lord said unto ,adam3 ,behold ,i have forgiven thee thy transgression in the ,garden of ,eden4 ,hence came the saying abroad among the people1 ,that the ,son of ,god hath atoned for original guilt1 wherein the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the heads of children1 for they are whole from the foundation of the world4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,adam1 saying3 ,inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin1 even so when they begin to grow up1 sin conceiveth in their hearts1 and they taste the bitter1 that they may know to prize the good4 ,and it is given unto them to know good from evil2 wherefore they are agents unto themselves1 and ,i have given unto you another law and commandment4 ,wherefore teach it unto your children1 that all men1 everywhere1 must repent1 or they can in no wise inherit the ,kingdom of ,god1 for no unclean thing can dwell there1 or dwell in his presence2 for1 in the language of ,adam1 ,man of ,holiness is his name1 and the name of his ,only ,begotten is the ,son of ,man1 even ,jesus ,christ1 a righteous ,judge1 who shall come in the meridian of time4 ,therefore ,i give unto you a commandment1 to teach these things freely unto your children saying3 ,that by reason of transgression cometh the fall1 which fall bringeth death1 and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water1 and blood1 and the spirit1 which ,i have made1 and so became of dust a living soul1 even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven1 of water1 and of the ,spirit1 and be cleansed by blood1 even the blood of mine ,only ,begotten2 that ye might be sanctified from all sin1 and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world1 and eternal life in the world to come1 even immortal glory2 ,for by the water ye keep the commandment2 by the ,spirit ye are justified1 and by the blood ye are sanctified2 ,therefore it is given to abide in you2 the record of heaven2 the ,comforter2 the peaceable things of immortal glory2 the truth of all things2 that which quickeneth all things1 which maketh alive all things2 that which knoweth all things1 and hath all power1 according to wisdom1 mercy1 truth1 justice1 and judgment4 ,and now1 behold1 ,i say unto you3 ,this is the plan of salvation unto all men1 through the blood of mine ,only ,begotten1 who shall come in the meridian of time4 ,and behold1 all things have their likeness1 and all things are created and made to bear record of me1 both things which are temporal1 and things which are spiritual2 things which are in the heavens above1 and things which are on the earth1 and things which are in the earth1 and things which are under the earth1 both above and beneath3 all things bear record of me4 ,and it came to pass1 when the ,lord had spoken with ,adam1 our father1 that ,adam cried unto the ,lord1 and he was caught away by the ,spirit of the ,lord1 and was carried down into the water1 and was laid under the water1 and was brought forth out of the water4 ,and thus he was baptized1 and the ,spirit of ,god descended upon him1 and thus he was born of the ,spirit1 and became quickened in the inner man4 ,and he heard a voice out of the heaven1 saying3 ,thou art baptized with fire1 and with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this is the record of the ,father1 and the ,son1 from henceforth and forever4 ,and thou art after the order of him who was without beginning of days or end of years1 from all eternity to all eternity4 ,behold1 thou art one in me1 a son of ,god2 and thus may all become my sons4 ,amen4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,book of ,moses 7,pearl of ,great ,price71 ch4 vi3#dh-fh4 #c4 ,one ,faith and ,one ,baptism--,but ,two ,ordinances3 ,the foregoing scriptures at once establish the absolute necessity for both water and ,spirit baptism--being really but two phases of one fact--one baptism1 but both phases essential to the one fact1 the one baptism4,a ,without this baptism of water and of ,spirit1 it is evident1 first1 one cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven2 and of course1 outside of the kingdom of heaven there can be no salvation1 nor perfect happiness2 second1 its necessity appears from the very nature of things4 ,footnote ,a3 ,eph4 iv3#d-f4 ,one ,lord1 one faith1 one baptism4 ,i further believe in the gift of the ,holy ,ghost by the laying on of hands4 4 4 4 4 ,you might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man1 if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,baptism by water is but half a baptism1 and is good for nothing without the other half--that is1 the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost4 7,joseph ,smith's ,discourse at ,nauvoo1 ,july #ith1 #ahdc1 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #dii47 ,through water baptism is obtained a remission of past sins2 but even after the sins of the past are forgiven1 the one so pardoned will doubtless feel the force of sinful habits bearing heavily upon him4 ,he who has been guilty of habitual untruthfulness1 will at times find himself inclined1 perhaps1 to yield to that habit4 ,he who has stolen may be sorely tempted1 when opportunity arises1 to steal again4 ,while he who has indulged in licentious practices may again find himself disposed to give way to the seductive influence of the siren4 ,so with drunkenness1 malice1 envy1 covetousness1 hatred1 anger1 and in short1 all the evil dispositions that flesh is heir to4 ,there is an absolute necessity for some additional sanctifying grace that will strengthen poor human nature1 not only to enable it to resist temptation1 but also to root out from the heart concupiscence--the blind tendency or inclination to evil4 ,the heart must be purified1 every passion1 every propensity made submissive to the will1 and the will of man brought into subjection to the will of ,god4 #d4 ,insufficiency of ,man's ,strength--,need of ,god's ,grace3 ,man's natural powers are unequal to this task2 so1 ,i believe1 all will testify who have made the experiment4 ,mankind stand in some need of a strength superior to any strength they possess of themselves to accomplish this work of rendering pure our fallen nature4 ,such strength1 such power1 such a sanctifying grace is conferred on man in being born of the ,spirit--in receiving the ,holy ,ghost4 ,such1 among other things1 is its office1 its work4 ,i do not draw such a conclusion directly from any one passage of scripture1 but from the whole tenor of the teachings of the servants of ,god1 in both ancient and modern times4 ,we have seen that it is this spirit which reproves the world of sin1 of righteousness1 and judgment1,a that guides into all truth1 takes of the things of the ,father and reveals them unto the children of men1 and testifies that ,jesus is the ,christ4 ,these things increase knowledge and faith2 and as the foundations of knowledge and faith are broadened and deepened so are the powers to work righteousness increased4 ,footnote ,a3 ,john xvi3#h-aa4 ,we have seen also that the fruits of the ,spirit are goodness1 righteousness1 truth1 love1 joy1 peace1 and gentleness2,a and as these things are increased in the soul1 viciousness and impurity are rooted out1 until the whole man is changed and in very deed becomes a new creature in ,christ ,jesus--is numbered among the pure in heart1 and blessed are the pure in heart1 for they shall see and dwell with ,god4 ,footnote ,a3 ,gal4 v3#bb4 ,,lesson ,,xix4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercises continued47 ,,spirit ,,baptism 7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,iv4 ,manner of ,spirit ,baptism3 7a7 ,in the ,apostolic ,church2 7b7 ,in the ,church of ,post ,apostolic days2 ,v4 ,spirit ,baptism in the ,new ,dispensation4 ,,vi4 ,philosophy in the ,manner of ,spirit ,baptism4 ,,references4 ,the works and ,scripture cited in the body of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,now when the apostles which were at ,jerusalem heard that ,samaria had received the word of ,god1 they sent unto them ,peter and ,john3 who1 when they were come dozen1 prayed for them1 that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost3 7for as yet he was fallen upon none of them3 only they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus47 ,then laid they their hands on them1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost4 7,acts viii3#ad-ag47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,manner of ,spirit ,baptism3 ,the manner in which the saints under the teachings of the apostles received the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost was through the laying on of hands4 ,in proof of this ,i call attention once more to the labors of ,philip in the city of ,samaria4 ,it is already known how he taught them the gospel1 how they believed it and were baptized2 then we are informed that when the apostles which were at ,jerusalem heard that ,samaria had received the word of ,god1 they sent unto them ,peter and ,john3 who1 when they were come down1 prayed for them that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost 7for as yet he was fallen on none of them3 only they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus74 ,then laid they their hands on them1 and they received the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts viii3#ad-ag4 ,previous to the labors of ,philip among the ,samaritans one ,simon ,magus1 a magician1 had given it out that he himself was some great one1 and his influence among the people was considerable4 ,but he1 too1 became converted to the teachings of ,philip1 and was astonished at the power which attended his administrations1 for the sick were healed1 the lame were cured1 and unclean spirits were cast out of those who were possessed of them4 ,afterwards1 when the apostles ,peter and ,john1 came and conferred the ,holy ,ghost upon those whom ,philip had baptized1 ,simon was present3 ,and when ,simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the ,holy ,ghost was given1 he offered them money1 saying1 ,give me also this power1 that on whomsoever ,i lay hands1 he may receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but ,peter said unto him1 ,thy money perish with thee1 because thou hast thought that the gift of ,god may be purchased with money4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts viii3#ah-bj4 ,paul1 it will be remembered1 found a number of men at ,ephesus who claimed to have been baptized unto ,john's baptism1 but when ,paul questioned them as to the ,holy ,ghost1 they had not heard even that there was such a ,spirit4 ,so doubting the validity of their baptism he rebaptized them2 after which1 when ,paul had laid his hands upon them1 the ,holy ,ghost came on them2 and they spake with tongues1 and prophesied4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,acts xix3#a-f4 ,the same apostle1 also1 in writing to ,timothy1 exhorts him to stir up the gift of ,god which was in him1 and which he had received by putting on of his 7,paul's7 hands1 alluding1 no doubt1 to the time that ,paul bestowed the ,holy ,ghost upon him by the laying on of hands4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,tim4 i3#f4 ,that this practice of laying on hands for the bestowal or baptism of the ,holy ,ghost continued in the primitive ,christian ,church for a long time--at least for three centuries--is evident from the following testimony3 #f4 ,testimony of the ,early ,church to the ,manner of ,spirit ,baptism3 ,of the rites and ceremonies of the third century ,mosheim says3 ,the effect of baptism was supposed to be the remission of sins3 ,and it was believed that the bishop1 by the imposition of hands and by prayer conferred those gifts of the ,holy ,spirit which were necessary for living a holy life4 ,footnote ,a3 ,mosheim's ,church ,history 7,murdock71 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ahi4 ,in a note on the foregoing question1 ,murdock1 the most accurate translator of ,dr4 ,mosheim's great work on church history1 says3 ,this may be placed beyond all controversy by many passages from the fathers of this century4 ,and as it will conduce much to an understanding of the theology of the ancients1 which differed in many respects from ours1 ,i will adduce a single passage from ,cyprian4 ,it is in his epistle4 ,no4 #gc1 p4 #aca3 ,it is manifest where and by whom the remission of sin conferred in baptism is administered4 ,they who are presented to the rulers of the church1 obtain by our prayers and imposition of hands the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,mosheim's ,church ,history1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ahi4 ,in another passage ,cyprian writes3 ,our practice is that those who have been baptized into the ,church should be presented1 that by prayer and imposition of hands they may receive the ,holy ,ghost4 ,while ,augustine1 in the fourth century1 says3 ,we still do what the apostles did when they laid their hands on the ,samaritans and caled down the ,holy ,ghost upon them4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,laying on hands was employed in the ,church for other purposes than imparting the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it was the manner of administering to the sick1 7,mark xvi3#ah2 ,acts xxviii3#h72 and also of conferring authority or priesthood on men4 7,see ,acts vi3#e1 #f2 viii3 #ag2 xiii3#c72 but as we here are only dealing with the ordinance as it relates to a means of imparting the ,holy ,ghost1 ,i do not stop to discuss the other purposes for which it was employed4 ,in subsequent centuries1 however1 this part of the gospel was lost1 or neglected by some of the sects of ,christendom1 and when announced among them today1 it is not unfrequently regarded as a new doctrine4,a ,yet it is not4 ,we have seen that it was a doctrine practiced by the apostles and their immediate successors4 ,indeed1 it is named directly as one of the principles of the doctrine of ,christ by ,paul4 ,the following is the passage3 ,footnote ,a3 ,it is a mistake to suppose all ,christendom to have neglected the practice of this ordinance4 ,the ,catholics teach that ,confirmation 7by the laying on of hands7 is a sacrament instituted by our ,lord1 by which the faithful1 who have already been made children of ,god by baptism1 receive the ,holy ,ghost by prayer1 unction 7or anointing with holy oil called chrism71 and the laying on of the hands of a bishop1 the successor of the apostles4 ,it is thus they are enriched with gifts1 graces and virtues1 especially with the virtue of fortitude1 and made perfect ,christians and valiant soldiers of ,jesus ,christ to stand through life the whole warfare of the world1 the flesh and the devil4 ,the first recorded instance of confirmation being administered to the faithful is in the eighth chapter of the ,acts of the ,apostles1 where ,st4 ,peter and ,st4 ,john confirmed the ,samaritans who had been already baptized by ,st4 ,philip4 ',they prayed for them that they might receive the ,holy ,ghost4 4 4 4 ,then laid they their hands on them and they received the ,holy ,ghost4' 7,catholic ,belief1 ,bruno1 pp4 #ig1 #ih74 ,the ,church of ,england1 and1 of course1 the ,episcopal churches in the colonies and the ,united ,states1 teach practically the same thing4 ,therefore not leaving the principles of the doctrine of ,christ1 let us go on unto perfection2 not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works1 and of faith toward ,god1 of the doctrine of baptisms1 and of laying on of hands1 and of resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,heb4 vi3#a1 #b4 ,and here it may be well to call attention to the fact1 that it is written that ,whosoever transgresseth1 and abideth not in the doctrine of ,christ1 hath not ,god4,a ,and since a large part of the religious world has lost sight of this important doctrine of the laying on of hands for imparting the ,holy ,ghost1 it is one evidence1 among many others1 that they have not ,god2 for the absence of this part of the gospel proves that they have not continued in the doctrine of ,christ4 ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,john #i4 #g4 ,the ,manner of ,spirit ,baptism in the ,new ,dispensation3 ,in restoring the gospel to earth in the present dispensation1 it seems1 from the frequency with which it is mentioned1 that particular prominence is given to this doctrine and ordinance through which the ,holy ,ghost is imparted4 ,out of the many passages in the ,doctrine and ,covenants relating to the subject ,i select the following3 ,in ,april1 #ahcj1 the same month and year in which the ,church of ,christ in this dispensation was organized1 the ,lord in explaining the office and calling of an apostle1 said3 ,an apostle is an elder1 and it is his calling to baptize4 99 99 99 ,and to confirm those who are baptized into the ,church1 by the laying on of hands for the baptism of fire and the ,holy ,ghost1 according to the scriptures4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 xx3#ch1 #da4 ,in a revelation to ,james ,covill1 given in ,january1 #ahca1 calling him to obedience to the gospel and appointing him to be ,god's servant1 even a minister for ,jesus ,christ1 the ,lord said3 ,and this is my gospel3 repentance and baptism by water1 and then cometh the baptism of fire and the ,holy ,ghost1 even the ,comforter1 which showeth all things1 and teacheth the peaceable things of the kingdom4 ,after calling him to be his servant1 the ,lord said3 ,and again1 it shall come to pass1 that on as many as ye shall baptize with water1 ye shall lay your hands1 and they shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 xxxix3#f1 #bc4 ,then in a revelation given to ,sidney ,rigdon1 ,parley ,p4 ,pratt and ,lemon ,copley1 through ,joseph the ,prophet1 on the occasion of these men being sent with the ,gospel to the ,shakers1 the ,lord said3 ,go among this people and say unto them1 like unto mine apostle of old1 whose name was ,peter2 believe on the name of the ,lord ,jesus4 99 99 99 repent and be baptized in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 according to the holy commandment1 for the remission of sins2 and whoso doeth this shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 by the laying on of the hands of the elders of this ,church4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 xlix3#aa-ad4 ,as this last is a general law1 ,i do not consider it necessary to cite further passages1 though the revelations of the ,lord contained in the ,doctrine and ,covenants are replete with them4 ,sufficient has been said to show that the doctrine has been made prominent in this dispensation4 #h4 ,the ,philosophy of ,spirit ,baptism by ,laying on of ,hands3 ,to my mind this ordinance is the most philosophical of any in the gospel4 ,on one occasion as ,jesus passed through a throng of people1 a woman who had been troubled with an issue of blood for twelve years1 and had spent all her living upon physicians1 but received no benefit from them1 came up behind him1 saying in her heart1 if ,i can but touch the hem of his garment ,i shall be healed4 ,and it was so1 even according to her faith2 for pressing through the crowd she laid hold of his garment and was immediately made whole4 ,and ,jesus said1 who touched me8 ,when all denied1 ,peter and they that were with him said1 ,master1 the multitude throng thee and press thee1 and sayest thou1 ,who touched me8 ,and ,jesus said1 ,somebody hath touched me2 for ,i perceive that virtue is gone out of me4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,luke viii3#dc1 #df4 ,now1 what had happened8 ,and why the expression--,somebody hath touched me2 for ,i perceive that virtue is gone out of me8 ,my answer would be that the person of ,jesus1 aye1 and also the very garments he wore1 were so charged with that divine influence--the holy ,spirit1 that when the woman with the issue of blood touched him1 so much of that ,spirit left him to heal her that it was perceptible to him1 and he exclaimed1 ,virtue is gone out of me4 ,so1 when a servant of ,god1 who has the companionship of the ,holy ,ghost1 is filled with that ,spirit1 and possesses authority to act in the name of ,jesus ,christ1 lays his hands upon one who has prepared himself through faith1 repentance1 and baptism1 the ,holy ,spirit is conferred by the one who administers to him upon whom he lays his hands1 and he is baptized of it4 ,these are the laws by which the ,holy ,ghost is received2 these are the conditions that must exist1 in order that man may walk within the circle of his influence1 and in the full and free enjoyment of his companionship4 ,the transmission of the influence of the ,holy ,ghost from one person to another by an observance of the principles and ordinances of the ,gospel we have now considered1 is as natural and philosophical in the spiritual things of the universe1 as it is for electricity or steam to perform the wonders which these forces are now made to enact in the commercial and mechanical worlds1 when the laws upon which the manipulation of them depend are complied with2 but which they will not perform unless the conditions by which their power is made available are complied with4 ,as stated by ,elder ,parley ,p4 ,pratt--whose language1 however ,i slightly modify--to impart a portion of the influence of the ,holy ,spirit by the touch or by the laying on of hands2 or to impart a portion of the element of life from one animal body to another by an authorized agent who acts in the name of ,god1 and who is filled therewith1 is as much in accordance with the laws of nature as for water to seek its own level2 air its equilibrium2 or heat and electricity their own mediums of conveyance4 4 4 4 ,an agent possessed of this heavenly influence cannot impart of the same to another1 unless that other is qualified1 washed1 cleansed from all his impurities of heart1 affections1 habits or practices by the blood of the atonement1 which is generally applied in connection with the baptism of remission4 ,a man who continues in his sins1 and who has no living faith in the ,son of ,god1 cannot receive the gift of the ,holy ,spirit through the ministration of any agent1 however holy he may be4 ,the impure spirit of such a one will repulse the pure influence1 upon the natural laws of sympathetic affinity1 or of attraction and repulsion4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,key to ,theology1 pp4 #if1 #ig1 #ih4 ,in other words1 the ,spirit of ,god will not dwell in unholy temples1 hence sincere repentance and baptism for the remission of sins go before the baptism of the ,spirit1 that men may be cleansed from their sins1 justified before ,god1 and their bodies1 by these means1 made fit dwelling places for the ,holy ,ghost--the living temples of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,life ,,from ,,life--,,spiritual ,,life ,,from ,,spirit4 ,,analysis ,i4 ,the ,gospel ,regarded as the ,power of ,god4 ,,ii4 ,spiritual ,life from ,spiritual ,life--,ye ,must ,be ,born ,again4 ,,iii4 ,parallel between the ,organic and ,inorganic ,worlds4 ,,iv4 ,parallel between the ,spiritual and ,natural ,worlds4 ,v4 ,the ,difference ,between the ,spiritual and the ,natural ,man4 ,,references ,natural ,law in the ,spiritual ,world1 ,henry ,drummond2 and the ,scripture passages cited in the body of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,but the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god3 for they are foolishness unto him3 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned4 7,i ,cor4 ii3#ad47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,gospel the ,power of ,god ,unto ,salvation3 ,we have now reached the place in the development of our theme where it takes on a strong personal interest4 ,the gospel is the power of ,god unto salvation4,a ,it is so for us--for all men4 ,ye must be born again2 99 99 99 except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit he cannot enter into the ,kingdom of ,god4,b ,is this new birth possible to all8 ,we must needs think so if the ,gospel is available to all2 and that is a fact so patent to both justice and revelation that it requires no discussion4 ,god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life4 ,this alone sufficiently proclaims the universal right of men to the hopes and to the saving powers of the ,gospel4 ,ye must be born again6 ,born of the water and of the ,spirit4 ,then with that new birth will there come new life8 ,and what will that life be8 ,that which is born of the flesh1 is flesh2 and that which is born of the ,spirit1 is ,spirit1,c said the ,christ4 ,spirit birth then is the aim of the ,christian baptism--baptism of water and of the ,spirit being the two parts of the one thing1 the first being preparatory for and leading up to the second1 its complement4 ,and with this there draws tremendous consequences4 ,footnote ,a3 ,rom4 i3#af4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,john iii3#e4 ,footnote ,c3 ,st4 ,john iii3#f4 #b4 ,spiritual ,biogenesis3 ,spirit ,life from ,spirit ,life3 ,henry ,drummond in his ,natural ,law in the ,spiritual ,world has a chapter entitled ,biogenesis--meaning thereby that life comes from life1 and he holds that life can come in no other way than from life1 and contravenes the theory that life comes of spontaneous generation4 ,so far as science can settle anything1 he observes1 this question is settled4 ,the attempt to get the living out of the dead has failed4 ,spontaneous generation has had to be given up4 ,and it is now recognized on every hand that ,life can only come from the touch of ,life4 ,huxley categorically announces that the doctrines of ,biogenesis1 or life only from life1 is victorious along the whole line at the present day4,a ,and even whilst confessing that he wishes the evidence were the other way1 ,tyndall is compelled to say1 ,i affirm that no shred of trustworthy experimental testimony exists to prove that life i our day has ever appeared independently of antecedent life4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,critiques and ,addresses4 ,t4 ,h4 ,huxley1 ,f4 ,r4 ,s41 p4 #bci4 ,footnote ,b3 ,nineteenth ,century ,review1 #ahgh1 p4 #ejg4 ,our author parallels this fact of life from life in the spiritual world1 and holds it to be as rigidly true in the one world as in the other4 ,the ,spiritual ,life1 he holds to be the gift of the ,living ,spirit4 ,the theory opposed to this is that a man may become gradually better and better until in the course of the process he reaches that quality of religious nature known as ',spiritual ,life4' ,this ,life is not something added as extra to the natural man2 it is the normal and appropriate development of the natural man4 ,this theory parallels the theory of spontaneous generation in natural life4 ,to this ,drummond opposes ,biogenesis--the law of life from life in the spiritual world4 ,the spiritual man is no mere development of the natural man4 ,he is a ,new ,creation born from above4 ,as well expect a hay infusion to become gradually more and more living until in course of the process it reached vitality1 as expect a man by becoming better and better to attain the ,eternal ,life4 ,our author then draws a strong parallel between the natural and spiritual kingdoms on this subject of biogenesis--life from life4 #c4 ,the ,law of ,biogenesis in the ,natural ,world3 ,let us first place vividly in our imagination the picture of the two great kingdoms of nature1 the inorganic and organic1 as these now stand in the light of the ,law of ,biogenesis4 ,what essentially is involved in saying that there is no ,spontaneous ,generation of ,life8 ,it is meant that the passage from the mineral world to the plant or animal world is hermetically sealed on the mineral side4 ,this inorganic world is staked off from the living world by barriers which have never yet been crossed from within4 ,no change of substance1 no modification of environment1 no chemistry1 no electricity1 nor any form of energy1 nor any evolution can endow any single atom of the mineral world with the attribute of ,life4 ,only by the bending down into this dead world of some living form can these dead atoms be gifted with the properties of vitality1 without this preliminary contact with ,life they remain fixed in the inorganic sphere for ever4 ,it is a very mysterious ,law which guards in this way the portals of the living world4 ,and if there is one thing in ,nature more worth pondering for its strangeness it is the spectacle of this vast helpless world of the dead cut off from the living by the ,law of ,biogenesis and denied for ever the possibility of resurrection within itself4 ,so very strange a thing1 indeed1 is this broad line in ,nature that ,science has long and urgently sought to obliterate it4 ,biogenesis stands in the way of some forms of ,evolution with such stern persistency that the assaults upon this ,law for number and thoroughness have been unparalleled4 ,but1 as we have seen1 it has stood the test4 ,nature1 to the modern eye1 stands broken in two4 ,the physical ,laws may explain the inorganic world3 the biological ,laws may account for the development of the organic4 ,but of the point where they meet1 of that strange borderland between the dead and the living4 ,science is silent4 ,it is as if ,god had placed everything in earth and heaven in the hands of ,nature1 but reserved a point at the genesis of ,life for ,his direct appearing4 ,the power of the analogy1 for which we are laying the foundations1 to seize and impress the mind1 will largely depend on the vividness with which one realizes the gulf which ,nature places between the living and the dead4 ,but those who1 in contemplating ,nature1 have found their attention arrested by this extraordinary dividing-line severing the visible universe eternally into two3 those who in watching the progress of science have seen barrier after barrier disappear--barrier between plant and plant1 between animal and animal1 and even between animal and plant--but this gulf yawning more hopelessly wide with every advance of knowledge1 will be prepared to attach a significance to the ,law of ,biogenesis and its analogies more profound perhaps than to any other fact or law in ,nature4 ,if1 as ,pascal says1 ,nature is an image of grace2 if the things that are seen are in any sense the images of the unseen1 there must lie in this great gulf fixed1 this most unique and startling of all natural phenomena1 a meaning of peculiar moment4 #d4 ,the ,law of ,biogenesis in the ,spiritual ,world3 ,where now in the ,spiritual spheres shall we meet a companion phenomenon to this8 ,what in the ,unseen shall be likened to this deep dividing-line1 or where in human experience is another barrier which never can be crossed8 ,there is such a barrier4 ,in the dim but not inadequate vision of the ,spiritual ,world presented in the ,word of ,god1 the first thing that strikes the eye is a great gulf fixed4 ,the passage from the ,natural ,world to the ,spiritual ,world is hermetically sealed on the natural side4 ,the door from the inorganic to the organic is shut1 no mineral can open it2 so the door from the natural to the spiritual is shut1 and no man can open it4 ,this world of natural men is staked off from the ,spiritual ,world by barriers which have never yet been crossed from within4 ,no organic change1 no modification of environment1 no mental energy1 no moral effort1 no evolution of character1 no progress of civilization can endow any single human soul with the attribute of spiritual life4 ,the spiritual world is guarded from the world next in order beneath it by a law of ,biogenesis--except a man be born again 99 99 99 except a man be born of water and of the ,spirit1 he cannot enter the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,it is not said1 in this enunciation of the ,law1 that if the condition be not fulfilled the natural man will not enter the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,the word is cannot4 ,for the exclusion of the spiritually inorganic from the kingdom of the spiritually organic is not arbitrary4 ,nor is the natural man refused admission on unexplained grounds4 ,his admission is a scientific impossibility4 ,except a mineral be born from above--from the kingdom just above it--it cannot enter the kingdom just above it ,and except a man be born from above1 by the same law1 he cannot enter the kingdom just above him4 ,there being no passage from one kingdom to another1 whether from inorganic to organic1 or from organic natural to spiritual1 the intervention of ,life is a scientific necessity if a stone or a plant or an animal or a man is to pass from a lower to a higher sphere4 ,the plant stretches down to the dead world beneath it1 touches its minerals and gases with its mystery of life1 and brings them up ennobled and transformed to the living sphere4 ,the breath of ,god1 blowing where it listeth1 touches with its mystery of ,life the dead souls of men1 bears them across the bridgeless gulf between the natural and the spiritual1 between the spiritually inorganic and the spiritually organic1 endows them with its own high qualities1 and develops within them these new and secret faculties1 by which those who are born again are said to see the ,kingdom of ,god4 #e4 ,distinction ,between the ,natural and the ,spiritual ,man3 ,our author next proceeds with the application of his principle by drawing the distinction between the ,christian and the non-,christian man--between one born of the ,spirit1 and one not born of the ,spirit4 ,what now1 let us ask specifically1 distinguishes a ,christian man from a non-,christian man8 ,is it that he has certain mental characteristics not possessed by the other8 ,is it that certain faculties have been trained in him1 that morality assumes special and higher manifestations1 and character a nobler form8 ,is the ,christian merely an ordinary man who happens from birth to have been surrounded with a peculiar set of ideas8 ,is his religion merely that peculiar quality of the moral life defined by ,mr4 ,matthew ,arnold as morality touched by emotion8 ,and does the possession of a high ideal1 benevolent sympathies1 a reverent spirit1 and a favorable environment account for what men call his ,spiritual ,life8 ,the distinction between them is the same as that between the organic and the inorganic1 the living and the dead4 ,what is the difference between a crystal and an organism1 a stone and a plant4 ,they have much in common4 ,both are made of the same atoms4 ,both display the same properties of matter4 ,both are subject to the physical laws4 ,both may be very beautiful4 ,but besides possessing all that the crystal has1 the plant possesses something more--a mysterious something called life4 ,this life is not something which existed in the crystal only in a less developed form4 ,there is nothing at all like it in the crystal4 ,there is nothing like the first beginning of it in the crystal1 not a trace or symptom of it4 ,this plant is tenanted by something new1 an original and unique possession added over and above all the properties common to both4 ,when from vegetable life we rise to animal life1 here again we find something original and unique--unique at least as compared with the mineral4 ,from animal life we ascend again to spiritual life4 ,and here also is something new1 something still more unique4 ,he who lives the spiritual life has a distinct kind of life added to all the other phases of life which he manifests--a kind of life infinitely more distinct than is the active life of a plant from the inertia of a stone4 ,the spiritual man is more distinct in point of fact than is the plant from the stone4 ,this is the one possible comparison in nature1 for it is the widest distinction in nature2 but compared with the difference between the natural and the spiritual the gulf which divides the organic from the inorganic is a hair's breadth4 ,the natural man belongs essentially to this present order of things4 ,he is endowed simply with a high quality of the natural animal life4 ,but it is life of so poor a quality that it is not life at all4 ,he that hath not the ,son hath not life2 but he that hath the ,son hath life--a new and distinct and supernatural endowment4 ,he is not of this world4 ,he is of the timeless state1 of eternity4 ,it doth not yet appear what he shall be4 ,the difference then between the spiritual man and the natural man is not a difference of development1 but of generation4 ,it is a distinction of quality1 not of quantity4 ,a man cannot rise by any natural development from morality touched by emotion1 to morality touched by life4 ,were we to construct a scientific classification1 science would compel us to arrange all natural men1 moral or immoral1 educated or vulgar1 as one family4 ,one might be high in the family group1 another low2 yet1 practically1 they are marked by the same set of characteristics--they eat1 sleep1 work1 think1 live1 die4 ,but the spiritual man is removed from this family so utterly by the possession of an additional characteristic that a biologist1 fully informed of the whole circumstances1 would not hesitate a moment to classify him elsewhere4 ,and if he really entered into these circumstances it would not be in another family but in another kingdom4 ,it is an old fashioned theology which divides the world in this way--which speaks of men as ,living and ,dead1 lost and saved--a stern theology all but fallen into disuse4 ,this difference between the living and the dead in souls is so unproved by casual observation1 so impalpable in itself1 so startling as a doctrine1 that schools of culture have ridiculed or denied the grim distinction4 ,nevertheless the grim distinction must be retained4 ,it is a scientific distinction4 ,he that hath not the ,son hath not ,life4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,he that has not spiritually been born is not spiritually alive4 ,now it is this great law which finally distinguishes ,christianity from all other religions4 ,it places the religion of ,christ upon a footing altogether unique4 ,there is no analogy between the ,christian religion and1 say1 ,buddhism or the ,mohammedan religion4 ,there is no true sense in which a man can say4 ,he that hath ,buddha hath life4 ,buddha has nothing to do with life4 ,he may have something to do with morality4 ,he may stimulate1 impress1 teach1 guide1 but there is no distinct new thing added to the souls of those who profess ,buddhism4 ,these religions may be developments of the natural1 mental1 or moral man4 ,but ,christianity professes to be more4 ,it is the mental or moral man plus something else or some ,one else4 ,it is the infusion into the spiritual man of a new life1 of a quality unlike anything else in nature4 ,this constitutes the separate ,kingdom of ,christ1 and gives to ,christianity alone of all the religions of mankind the strange mark of divinity4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,life ,,from ,,life--,,spiritual ,,life ,,from ,,spirit 7,continued74 ,,analysis4 ,,vi4 ,fundamental ,elements in the ,spiritual ,man that are ,absent in the ,natural ,man4 ,,vii4 ,terms ,used to ,express ,elements in ,spiritual ,man4 ,,viii4 ,process of ,regeneration in the ,individual ,man4 ,,ix4 ,insignificance of the ,time ,element4 ,,references4 ,the works and ,scripture cited in the body of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,beloved1 now are we the sons of ,god1 and it doth not yet appear what we shall he3 but we know that1 when he shall appear1 we shall be like him2 for we shall see him as he is4 7,i ,john iii3#b1 #c47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,spiritual ,man ,contrasted with the ,natural3 ,if it shall be asked what it is that constitutes the difference between the natural man and the spiritual man1 the answer1 though necessarily brief1 can take on various forms2 but in the last analysis it will be found to consist in one thing3 ,one has been born again--born of the ,spirit2 the other has not4 ,one has received the ,holy ,ghost2 the other has not4 ,one has the power to know that ,jesus is the ,christ1 the other has no such power4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord but by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,i ,cor4 xii3#c4 ,the body of one is the temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 which is in him1 which he has of ,god1 and he is ,god's1 in body and in ,spirit2,a the other is in no such relationship to ,god4 ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,cor4 vi3#ai1 #bj4 ,one through aceptance of the atonement of the ,christ has access by one ,spirit unto the ,father1,a the other has not4 ,footnote ,a3 ,ephesians ii3#ah1 and context4 ,one is strengthened with might by his ,god's spirit in the inner man1,a the other is not4 ,footnote ,a3 ,ibid iii3#af4 ,one has received the sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth2,a the other has not4 ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,thess4 ii3#ac4 ,one knows that he dwells in ,god and ,god in him1 because ,god hath given him of his ,spirit2,a the other has no such witness4 ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,john iv3#ac4 ,one is under the law of the spirit of life in ,christ ,jesus1 is made free from the law of sin and death2 the other is not2 for they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh1 but they that are after the ,spirit1 the things of the ,spirit2 for to be carnally minded is death2 but to be spiritually minded is life and peace4 ,paul runs the parallel between the spiritual man and the carnal or natural man much further and beautifully3 ,the carnal mind is enmity against ,god3 for it is not subject to the law of ,god1 neither indeed can be4 ,so then they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god4 ,but ye are not in the flesh1 but in the ,spirit1 if so be that the ,spirit of ,god dwell in you4 ,now if any man have not the ,spirit of ,christ1 he is none of his4 ,and if ,christ be in you1 the body is dead because of sin2 but the ,spirit is life because of righteousness4 ,but if the ,spirit of him that raised up ,jesus from the dead dwell in you1 he that raised up ,christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his ,spirit that dwelleth in you4 ,therefore1 brethren1 we are debtors1 not to the flesh1 to live after the flesh4 ,for if ye live after the flesh1 ye shall die3 but if ye through the ,spirit do mortify the deeds of the body1 ye shall live4 ,for as many as are led by the ,spirit of ,god1 they are the sons of ,god4 ,for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear2 but ye have received the ,spirit of adoption1 whereby we cry1 ,abba1 ,father4 ,the ,spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit1 that we are the children of ,god3 ,and if children1 then heirs2 heirs of ,god1 and joint-heirs with ,christ2 if so be that we suffer with him1 that we may be also glorified together4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,romans viii3#a-ag4 #b4 ,the ,terms ,used to ,express the ,contrast3 ,i have chosen to put the distinction between the natural man and the spiritual man--the man unbaptized of the ,spirit and the one born of the ,spirit--in terms that include direct reference to the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it may be put into terms that refer directly to the ,christ1 such1 for example1 as know ye not your own selves how that ,jesus ,christ is in you1 except ye be reprobates8 ,this said to those who had received the ,gospel4,a ,your bodies are members of ,christ4,b ,at that day ye shall know that ,i am in the ,father1 and ye in me1 and ,i in you4,c ,i am the vine1 ye are the branches4,d ,i am crucified with ,christ nevertheless ,i live2 yet not ,i1 but ,christ liveth in me4,e ,footnote ,a3 ,,ii ,cor4 xii3#e4 ,footnote ,b3 ,i ,cor4 vi3#ae4 ,footnote ,c3 ,st4 ,john xiv3#aj4 ,footnote ,d3 ,st4 ,john xv3#d4 ,footnote ,e3 ,gal4 ii3#bj4 ,all which1 however1 amounts to the same thing2 viz41--those born of the spirit live in ,god1 and ,god in them4 ,they have received something that the spiritually unborn have not received2 and though they may carry that precious thing in earthen vessels1 yet is it there4 ,there has come down into such spirit-baptized men a spirit-life which has touched their souls1 and left there a spirit life that is deathless1 and will grow until it conforms the man receiving it to its own image1 and likeness1 and quality1 unless sinned against to the point of blasphemy4 ,of which more later4 #c4 ,the ,process of ,regeneration3 ,what can be gathered on the surface as to the process of regeneration in the individual soul1 asks ,henry ,drummond4 ,from the analogies of biology1 he continues1 we should expect three things3 ,first1 that the new life should dawn suddenly2 second1 that it should come without observation2 third1 that it should develop gradually4 ,on two of these points there can be little controversy4 ,the gradualness of growth is a characteristic which strikes the simplest observer4 ,long before the word ,evolution was coined ,christ applied it in this very connection--,first the blade1 then the ear1 then the full corn in the ear4 ,it is well known also to those who study the parables of nature that there is an ascending scale of slowness as we rise in the scale of life4 ,growth is most gradual in the highest forms4 ,man attains his maturity after a score of years2 the monad completes its humble cycle in a day4 ,what wonder if development be tardy in the ,creature of ,eternity8 ,a ,christian's sun has sometimes set1 and a critical world has seen as yet no corn in the ear4 ,as yet8 ,as yet1 in this long life1 has not begun4 ,grant him the years proportionate to his place in the scale of life4 ',the time of harvest is not yet6' ,again1 in addition to being slow1 the phenomena of growth are secret4 ,life is invisible4 ,when the ,new ,life manifests itself it is a surprise4 ,thou canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth4 ,when the plant lives whence has the life come8 ,when it dies whither has it gone8 ,thou canst not tell2 99 99 99 so is every one that is born of the ,spirit4 ,yet once more--and this is a point of strange and frivolous dispute --this life comes suddenly4 ,this is the only way in which life can come4 ,life cannot come gradually--health can1 structure can1 but not life4 ,a new theology has laughed at the doctrine of conversion4 ,sudden conversion especially has been ridiculed as untrue to philosophy and impossible to human nature4 ,we may not be concerned in buttressing any theology because it is old4 ,but we find that this old theology is scientific4 ,there may be cases--they are probably in the majority--where the moment of contact with the living spirit1 though sudden1 has been obscure4 ,but the real moment and the conscious moment are two different things4 ,science pronounces nothing as to the conscious moment4 ,if it did it would probably say that that was seldom the real moment--just as in the natural life the conscious moment is not the real moment4 ,the moment of birth in the natural world is not a conscious moment--we do not know we are born till long afterward4 ,yet there are men to whom the origin of the new life in time has been no difficulty4 ,to ,paul1 for instance1 ,christ seems to have come at a definite period of time1 the exact moment and second of which could have been known4 ,and this is certainly1 in theory at least1 the normal origin of life1 according to the principles of biology4 ,the line between the living and the dead is a sharp line4 ,when the dead atoms of carbon1 hydrogen1 oxygen1 nitrogen1 are seized upon by life1 the organism at first is very lowly4 ,it possesses few functions4 ,it has little beauty4 ,growth is the work of time4 ,but life is not4 ,that comes in a moment4 ,at one moment it was dead2 the next it lived4 ,this is conversion1 the passing1 as the ,bible calls it1 from death unto life4 ,those who have stood by another's side at the solemn hour of this dread possession have been conscious sometimes of an experience which words are not allowed to utter--a something like the sudden snapping of a chain1 the waking from a dream4,a ,and as it is in death1 so it is in life--life comes suddenly2 as at the last moment it departs suddenly4 ,footnote ,a3 ,natural ,law in the ,spiritual ,world1 pp4 #ia-id4 #d4 ,conformity to ,type3 ,the ,spiritual life of ,god once established in man--what then8 ,what is to come of it8 ,beloved1 said one of old1 now are we the sons of ,god1 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be3 but we know that when he shall appear1 we shall be like him2 for we shall see him as he is4 ,and every man who has this hope in him purifieth himself1 even as he is pure4,a ,but we all1 with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the ,lord1 are changed into the same image from glory to glory1 even as by the ,spirit of the ,lord4,b ,and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the ,spirit1 because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of ,god4 99 99 99 ,for whom he did fore know1 he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son4 ,all which means that man receiving into his soul spirit-life from ,god1 that spirit-life will conform and transform the man receiving it to itself1 until man is brought into perfect union with ,god4,c ,if it were expressed in terms of biology one would say that the spirit life imparted to man would conform to its type1 making man's spirit conform to ,god's spirit1 to the type of the ,christ4 ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,john iii3#b1 #c4 ,footnote ,b3 ,,ii ,cor4 iii3#ah4 ,footnote ,c3 ,on this head the ,prophet of the ,new ,dispensation of the ,gospel1 ,joseph ,smith1 has a fine passage3 ,if you wish to go where ,god is1 you must be like ,god1 or possess the principles which ,god possesses1 for it we are not drawing towards ,god in principle1 we are going from ,him1 and drawing towards the devil4 4 4 4 ,a man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge1 for if he does not get knowledge1 he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world1 as evil spirits will have more knowledge1 and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth4 ,hence it needs revelation to assist us1 and give us knowledge of the things of ,god4 7,minutes of ,april ,conference1 #ahdb4 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,iv1 p4 #ehh47 #e4 ,the ,analogy in ,natural ,life3 ,speaking of this analogy between the natural and spiritual worlds1 in the matter of different kinds of life conforming to the type1 ,mr4 ,drummond says3 7,but before quoting let me call attention to what ,i have before said of using a variant phraseology on the part of ,christian writers whose ideas1 in part at least1 we can accept1 and the phraseology we of the new dispensation would use4 ,i have said in subdivision #b of this ,lesson1 that the idea of being born of the spirit may be put in various terms1 in terms that have direct reference to the ,holy ,ghost1 or terms may be used that refer to the ,christ1 or the ,christ-life1 it is in this last form that ,mr4 ,drummond expresses the idea of the spirit-life in man73 ,what goes on then in the animal kingdom is this--the bird-life seizes upon the bird-germ and builds it up into a bird1 the image of itself4 ,the reptile-life seizes upon another germinal speck1 assimilates surrounding matter1 and fashions it into a reptile4 ,the reptile-life thus simply makes an incarnation of itself4 ,the visible bird is simply an incarnation of the invisible bird-life4 ,now we are nearing the point where the spiritual analogy appears4 ,it is a very wonderful analogy1 so wonderful that one almost hesitates to put it into words4 ,yet ,nature is reverent2 and it is her voice to which we listen4 ,these lower phenomena of life1 she says1 are but an allegory4 ,there is another kind of life of which science as yet has taken little cognizance4 ,it obeys the same laws4 ,it builds up an organism into its own form4 ,it is the ,christ-life4 ,as the bird-life builds up a bird1 the image of itself1 so the ,christ-,life builds up a ,christ1 the image of ,himself1 in the inward nature of man4 ,when a man becomes a ,christian the natural process is this3 ,the living ,christ enters into his soul4 ,development begins4 ,the quickening life seizes upon the soul1 assimilates surrounding elements1 and begins to fashion it4 ,according to the great law of conformity to type this fashioning takes a specific form4 ,it is that of the ,artist who fashions4 ,and all through life this wonderful1 mystical1 glorious1 yet perfectly definite process1 goes on until ,christ be formed in it4 ,the ,christian life is not a vague effort after righteousness--an ill-defined pointless struggle for an ill-defined pointless end4 ,religion is no disheveled mass of aspiration1 prayer1 and faith4 ,there is no more mystery in ,religion as to its processes than in ,biology4 ,there is much mystery in ,biology4 ,we know all but nothing of life yet1 nothing of development4 ,there is the same mystery in the spiritual life4 ,but the great lines are the same1 as decided1 as luminous2 and the laws of natural and spiritual are the same as unerring1 as simple4 ,will everything else in the natural world unfold its order1 and yield to science more and more a vision of harmony1 and religion1 which should complement and perfect all1 remain a chaos8 ,from the standpoint of revelation no truth is more obscure than conformity to type4 ,if science can furnish a companion phenomenon from an every-day process of the natural life1 it may at least throw this most mystical doctrine of ,christianity into thinkable form4 ,is there any fallacy in speaking of the embryology of the new life8 ,is the analogy invalid8 ,are there not vital processes in the spiritual as well as in the natural world8 ,the bird being an incarnation of the bird-life1 may not the ,christian be a spiritual incarnation of the ,christ-life8 ,and is there not a real justification in the processes of the new birth for such a parallel8 ,let us appeal to the record of these processes4 ,in what terms does the ,new ,testament describe them8 ,the answer is sufficiently striking4 ,it uses everywhere the language of biology4 ,it is impossible that the ,new ,testament writers should have been familiar with these biological facts4 ,it is impossible that their views of this great truth should have been as clear as science can make them now4 ,but they had no alternative4 ,there was no other way of expressing this truth4 ,it was a biological question4 ,so they struck out unhesitatingly into the new field of words1 and1 with an originality which commands both reverence and surprise1 stated their truth with such light1 or darkness1 as they had4 ,they did not mean to be scientific1 only to be accurate1 and their fearless accuracy has made them scientific4 ,what could be more original1 for instance1 than the ,apostle's reiteration that the ,christian was a new creature1 a new man1 a babe8 ,or that this new man was begotten of ,god1 ,god's workmanship8 ,and what could be a more accurate expression of the law of conformity to type than this3 ',put on the new man1 which is renewed in knowledge after the image of ,him that created him8' ,or this1 'we are changed into the same image from glory to glory8' ,and elsewhere we are expressly told by the same writer that this conformity is the end and goal of the ,christian life4 ,to work this type in us is the whole purpose of ,god for man4 ',whom ,he did foreknow ,he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his ,son4',a ,footnote ,a3 ,natural ,law in the ,spiritual ,world1 pp4 #bic-f4 #f4 ,the ,end of the ,matter--,we ,shall ,be ,like ,him--,conformed to the ,divine ,image3 ,that is the end then1 for the spiritually born man--he will be conformed into the image of ,god--conformed to the type of the ,spirit-life that has taken up his abode in him4 ,how long shall it take8 ,who knows8 ,and what shall it matter8 ,the important thing is that it shall be done4 ,the important thing for us men is that the spirit-birth takes place2 that union with ,god be formed2 the ages may wait upon the growth1 and full fruitage of that event4 ,it may take aeons of time to make a man1 longer to make ,super-man2 but the eternal years are his who is born of the ,spirit2 and again ,i say the important thing for us men is to have that ,spirit-birth1 and then are we sons of ,god2 and while it doth hot appear what we shall be1 for the height and glory of that is beyond our human vision1 ultimately we shall be like him1 and see him as he is1 and be conformed to the ,christ image1 that is to say1 to the ,divine nature--unless one shall sin against the ,holy ,ghost4 ,,lesson ,,xxii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,sin ,,against ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4 ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,possibility and ,enormity of the ,sin4 ,,ii4 ,the ,word of the ,christ on the ,sin--,hath ,never ,forgiveness4 ,,iii4 ,the ,sin unto ,death--,st4 ,john4 ,,iv4 ,nature of the ,offense--,sin ,against ,truth and ,light--,st4 ,paul4 ,v4 ,all ,sin ,dangerous ,since it ,leads ,towards ,spiritual ,death4 ,,vi4 ,the ,punishment and the ,sin--,high ,treason ,against ,god--,spirit-,murder4 ,,references4 ,the works and ,scriptures cited in the body of the lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,it is impossible for those who were once enlightened1 99 99 99 if they shall fall away1 to renew them again to repentance4 7,hebrews v3#d1 #f47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,possibility and ,enormity of the ,sin3 ,it is possible to so sin against the ,holy ,ghost as to forfeit the spiritual life which his presence in the human soul gives1 and that conformation to the ,divine type which his effectual working would otherwise bring to pass4 ,that being true1 the sin against the ,holy ,ghost must be the most appalling act that can enter into human experience4 ,perhaps the most heinous crime known to human law is the crime of murder1 wherein innocent blood is shed4 ,but that sin which effectually kills spirit-life1 which has for its victim not a human being but a divine being--that overtops in atrocity any possible physical murder4 ,in this concluding chapter of our treatise let us contemplate this awful sin--this master crime4 ,and first let us be sure from the word of ,god that there is such a sin4 #b4 ,the ,teaching of the ,christ ,upon the ,subject3 ,according to ,st4 ,matthew ,jesus said3 ,wherefore ,i say unto you1 all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men3 but the blasphemy against the ,holy ,ghost shall not be forgiven unto men4 ,and whosoever speaketh a word against the ,son of ,man1 it shall be forgiven him3 but whosoever speaketh against the ,holy ,ghost1 it shall not be forgiven him1 neither in this world neither in the world to come4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,matt1 xii3#ca1 #cb4 ,st4 ,mark puts it in this form3 ,verily ,i say unto you1 all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men1 and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme3 but he that shall blaspheme against the ,holy ,ghost hath never forgiveness1 but is in danger of eternal damnation4,a ,st4 ,luke's version is--,whosoever shall speak a word against the ,son of man it shall be forgiven him3 but unto him that blasphemeth against the ,holy ,ghost it shall not be forgiven4,b ,footnote ,a3 ,st4 ,mark iii3#bh1 #bi4 ,footnote ,b3 ,st4 ,luke xii3#aj4 #c4 ,st4 ,john on the ,sin ,unto ,death3 ,this represents practical unanimity in the testimony of these three evangelists upon the subject4 ,and although ,st4 ,john has nothing directly upon the subject in his ,gospel1 yet in his epistle he has a passage which brings him into harmony with the others upon the subject3 ,if a man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death1 he shall ask1 and he shall give life for them that sin not unto death4 ,there is a sin unto death3,a ,i do not say that he shall pray for that4 ,all unrighteousness is sin transgression of the law1 ch4 iii3#d and there is a sin not unto death2,b but also1 as above stated1 there is a sin unto death4 ,footnote ,a3 ,that is1 doubtless1 a sin which kills the spiritual life in man2 that breaks this union with ,god--the sin against the ,holy ,ghost which men have of ,god1 and they become spiritually dead--and it is impossible to revive them to life again4 7,see ,heb4 vi3#f47 ,footnote ,b3 ,john v3#af1 #ag4 #d4 ,nature of the ,sin--,st4 ,paul3 ,paul in his exposition of this doctrine1 throws some light on the nature of this sin3 ,let us go on unto perfection1 is the ,apostle's admonition4 ,not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works1 and of faith toward ,god1 of the doctrine of baptism and of laying on of hands1 and of resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment4 ,and this will we do if ,god permit4 ,for1 glancing back upon some whe had received these fundamental principles and ordinances1 sinned against them and would fain be repeating them--it is impossible for those who were once enlightened1 and have tasted of the heavenly gift1 and were made partakers of the ,holy ,ghost1 and have tasted the good word of ,god1 and the powers of the world to come1 if they shall fall away1 to renew them again unto repentance2 seeing they crucify to themselves the ,son of ,god afresh1 and put him to an open shame4 ,for the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it1 and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed1 receive the blessing from ,god3 but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected1 and is nigh unto cursing2 whose end is to be burned4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,hebrews vi3#a-h4 ,from this it appears that the sin against the ,holy ,ghost is sin against that enlightenment to the human soul which possession of the ,holy ,ghost brings4 ,sin against knowledge of truth which knowledge was produced in the very soul of man by witness of the ,holy ,ghost--is a sin against light and truth4 ,and if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth1 there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin1 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation1 which shall devour the adversaries4 ,he that despised ,moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses2 of how much sorer punishment1 suppose ye1 shall he be thought worthy1 who hath trodden under foot the ,son of ,god1 and hath counted the blood of the covenant1 wherewith he was sanctified1 an unholy thing1 and hath done despite unto the ,spirit of grace8 ,for we know him that hath said1 vengeance belongeth unto me1 ,i will recompense1 saith the ,lord4 ,and again1 the ,lord shall judge his people4 ,it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living ,god4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,heb4 x3#bf1 #ca4 #e4 ,the ,path of ,danger3 ,the wilful sin here condemned is1 of course1 the sin unto death1 not every sin that one might commit1 though every sin that man commits1 small as well as great1 is along the path of danger1 and in the direction of1 and may lead to1 the sin unto death4 ,the path of safety from the sin unto death lies in the other direction2 not in the way of sinful dalliance1 but in a stern battle for righteousness and against sin4 ,headed that way1 there is no danger of the sin unto death2 but every transgression of the law of righteousness--which is sin,a--though not a sin unto death1 leads towards the death of the spirit life planted in the soul by the ,holy ,ghost--hence to be avoided1 shunned4 ,man must not1 even as ,god does not1 look upon sin with the least degree of allowance in himself1 always it must be abhorred and resisted4 ,in that course and in that course alone lies safety4 ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,john iii3#d4 #f4 ,joseph ,smith on the ,sin ,against the ,holy ,ghost3 ,the ,prophet ,joseph in a discourse at the ,general ,conference of the ,church1 held at ,nauvoo in #ahdd1 upon this subject of sinning against the ,holy ,ghost1 said3 ,what has ,jesus said8 ,all sins1 and all blasphemies1 and every transgression1 except one1 that man can be guilty of1 may be forgiven2 and there is a salvation for all men1 either in this world or the world to come1 who have not committed the unpardonable sin1 there being a provision either in this world or the world of spirits4 ,hence ,god hath made a provision that every spirit in the eternal world can be ferreted out and saved unless he has committed that unpardonable sin which cannot be remitted to him either in this world or the world of spirits4 99 99 99 ,i said1 no man can commit the unpardonable sin after the dissolution of the body1 nor in this life1 until he receives the ,holy ,ghost2 but they must do it in this world4 99 99 99 ,all sins shall be forgiven1 except the sin against the ,holy ,ghost2 for ,jesus will save all except the sons of perdition4 ,what must a man do to commit the unpardonable sin8 ,he must receive the ,holy ,ghost1 have the heavens opened unto him1 and know ,god1 and then sin against him4 ,after a man has sinned against the ,holy ,ghost1 there is no repentance for him4 ,he has got to say that the sun does not shine while he sees it2 he has got to deny ,jesus ,christ when the heavens have been opened unto him1 and to deny the plan of salvation with his eyes open to the truth of it2 and from that time he begins to be an enemy4 ,this is the case with many apostates of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,improvement ,era1 ,vol4 ,,xii1 #aiji1 pp4 #ahe-g4 #g4 ,the ,punishment and the ,sin3 ,this is in strict harmony with one of the revelations of the ,new ,dispensation1 portraying the future estates of man in the varying degrees of glory in the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,elsewhere,a ,i have presented the following digest3,b ,footnote ,a3 ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history1 pp4 #dai-dba1 #crd edition4 ,footnote ,b3 ,the ,revelation is in ,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 lxxvi3#be-di4 ,there is a class of souls with whom the justice of ,god must deal1 which will not and cannot be classified in the celestial1 terrestrial1 or telestial glories4 ,they are the sons of perdition4 ,but though they will not be assigned a place in either of these grand divisions of glory1 the revelation from which we draw our information respecting man's future state1 describes the condition of these sons of perdition so far as it is made known unto the children of men4 ,it also informs us as to the nature of the crime which calls for such grievous punishment4 ,the sons of perdition are they of whom ,god hath said that it had been better for them never to have been born2 for they are vessels of wrath1 doomed to suffer the wrath of ,god1 with the devil and his angels in eternity4 ,concerning whom he hath said there is no forgiveness in this world nor in the world to come4 ,these are they who shall go away into everlasting punishment1 with the devil and his angels1 and the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power2 the only ones who will not be redeemed in the due time of the ,lord1 after the sufferings of his wrath4 ,he saves all the works of his hands except these sons of perdition2 but they go away to reign with the devil and his angels in eternity1 where their worm dieth not1 and the fire is not quenched1 which is their torment4 ,the end thereof1 the place thereof no man knoweth4 ,it has not been revealed1 nor will it be revealed unto man1 except to them who are made partakers thereof4 ,it has been partially shown to some in vision1 and may be shown again in the same partial manner to others2 but the end1 the height1 the depth1 and the misery thereof1 they understand not1 nor will anyone but those who receive the terrible condemnation4 ,such the punishment1 now as to the crime that merits it4 ,it is the crime of high treason to ,god1 which pulls down on men this fearful doom4 ,it falls upon men who know the power of ,god and who have been made partakers of it1 and then permit themselves to be so far overcome of the devil that they deny the truth that has been revealed to them and defy the power of ,god4 ,they deny the ,holy ,ghost after having received him4 ,they deny the ,only ,begotten ,son of the ,father after the ,father hath revealed him1 and in this crucify him unto themselves anew1 and put him to an open shame4 ,they commit the same act of high treason that ,lucifer in the rebellion of heaven did1 and hence are worthy of the same punishment with him4 ,they have crucified not the body of the ,lord ,jesus1 but a spirit which united with man's spirit which unhindered in its work1 would have conformed man to the ,divine image--now1 after the sin against the ,holy ,ghost1 impossible4 ,spirit murder has been committed--a divinity slain and the guilty one hath no forgiveness4 ,thank ,god the number who commit that fearful crime is but few4 ,it is only those who attain to a very great knowledge of the things of ,god that are capable of committing it1 and the number among such are few indeed who become so recklessly wicked as to rebel against and defy the power of ,god4 ,but when such characters do fall1 they fall like ,lucifer1 never to rise again2 they get beyond the power of repentance or the hope of forgiveness4 ,,appendix4 ,the next two ,lessons ,i place under the head of ,appendix1 because they open up anew many things treated in the body of the work2 and which ,i would not again refer to only because of the associations given to them in the discourses of the great ,apostle of the ,gentiles1 and the greater ,apostle of the ,new ,dispensation4 ,i throw the ,appendix into the form of lessons1 in the hope that the topics of the respective discourses will be all the more emphasized and appreciated4 ,,lesson ,,xxiii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,paul1 ,,the ,,apostle1 ,,on ,,spiritual ,,gifts ,,in ,,the ,,christian ,,church4 ,,analysis ,i4 ,unity of ,spirit1 but ,diversity of ,gifts4 ,,ii4 ,the ,church as an ,organism ,entitled to the ,manifestation of ,all the ,gifts4 ,,iii4 ,pre-eminence of ,charity ,over ,all ,other ,gifts4 ,,iv4 ,the ,gift of ,prophecy ,preferable to the ,gift of ,tongues4 ,v4 ,decency and ,order to ,be ,observed in ,all ,things4 ,,references4 ,these three chapters in ,paul's ,first ,epistle to the ,corinthians 7,chapters xii1 xiii1 xiv71 and the ,new ,testament1 passim1 for what others have said on ,spiritual ,gifts4 ,,special ,,text3 ,though ,i speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity ,i am become as sounding brass1 or a tinkling cymbal4 7,i ,cor4 viii3#a47 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,source of ,knowledge of the ,christ3 ,now concerning spiritual gifts1 brethren1 ,i would not have you ignorant4 ,ye know that ye were ,gentiles1 carried away unto these dumb idols1 even as ye were led4 ,wherefore ,i give you to understand1 that no man speaking by the ,spirit of ,god calleth ,jesus accursed3 and that no man can say that ,jesus is the ,lord1 but by the ,holy ,ghost4 #b4 ,diversity of ,manifestation1 but ,one ,spirit3 ,now there are diversities of gifts1 but the same ,spirit4 ,and there are differences of administrations1 but the same ,lord4 ,and there are diversities of operations1 but it is the same ,god which worketh all in all4 ,but the manifestation of the ,spirit is given to every man to profit withal4 ,for to one is given by the ,spirit the word of wisdom2 to another the word of knowledge by the same ,spirit2 to another faith by the same ,spirit2 to another the gifts of healing by the same ,spirit2 to another the working of miracles2 to another prophecy2 to another discerning of spirits2 to another divers kinds of tongues2 to another the interpretation of tongues3 but all these worketh that one and the selfsame ,spirit1 dividing to every man severally as he will4 #c4 ,the ,oneness of the ,church1 ,though ,made ,up of ,many ,members3 ,for as the body is one1 and hath many members1 and all the members of that one body1 being many1 are one body3 so also is ,christ4 ,for by one ,spirit are we all baptized into one body1 whether we be ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether we be bond or free2 and have been all made to drink into one ,spirit4 ,for the body is not one member1 but many4 ,if the foot shall say1 ,because ,i am not the hand1 ,i am not of the body2 is it therefore not of the body8 ,and if the ear shall say1 ,because ,i am not the eye1 ,i am not of the body2 is it therefore not of the body8 ,if the whole body were an eye1 where were the hearing8 ,if the whole were hearing where were the smelling8 ,but now hath ,god set the members every one of them in the body1 as it hath pleased him4 ,and if they were all one member1 where were the body8 ,but now are they many members1 yet but one body4 ,and the eye cannot say unto the hand1 ,i have no need of thee3 nor again the head to the feet1 ,i have no need of you4 ,nay1 much more those members of the body1 which seem to be more feeble1 are necessary3 ,and those members of the body1 which we think to be less honorable1 upon these we bestow more abundant honor2 and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness4 ,for our comely parts have no need3 but ,god hath tempered the body together1 having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked3 ,that there should be no schism in the body2 but that the members should have the same care one for another4 ,and whether one member suffer1 all the members suffer with it2 or one member be honored1 all the members rejoice with it4 ,now ye are the body of ,christ1 and members in particular4 ,and ,god hath set some in the church1 first apostles1 secondarily prophets1 thirdly teachers1 after that miracles1 then gifts of healings1 helps1 governments1 diversities of tongues4 ,are all apostles8 are all prophets8 are all teachers8 are all workers of miracles8 have all the gifts of healing8 do all speak with tongues8 do all interpret8 ,but covet earnestly the best gifts3 and yet shew ,i unto you a more excellent way4 #d4 ,the ,vanity of ,gifts ,without ,charity3 ,though ,i speak with the tongues of men and of angels1 and have not charity1 ,i am become as sounding brass1 or a tinkling cymbal4 ,and though ,i have the gift of prophecy1 and understand all mysteries1 and all knowledge2 and though ,i have all faith1 so that ,i could remove mountains1 and have not charity1 ,i am nothing4 ,and though ,i bestow all my goods to feed the poor1 and though ,i give my body to be turned1 and have not charity1 it profiteth me nothing4 #e4 ,the ,excellence and ,qualities of ,charity3 ,charity suffereth long1 and is kind2 charity envieth not2 charity vaunteth not itself1 is not puffed up1 doth not behave itself unseemly1 seeketh not her own1 is not easily provoked1 thinketh no evil2 rejoiceth not in iniquity1 but rejoiceth in the truth2 beareth all things1 believeth all things1 hopeth all things1 endureth all things4 ,charity never faileth3 but whether there be prophecies1 they shall fail2 whether there be tongues1 they shall cease2 whether there be knowledge1 it shall vanish away4 ,for we know in part1 and we prophesy in part4 ,but when that which is perfect is come1 then that which is in part shall be done away4 ,when ,i was a child1 ,i spake as a child1 ,i understood as a child1 ,i thought as a child3 but when ,i became a man1 ,i put away childish things4 ,for now we see through a glass1 darkly2 but then face to face3 now ,i know in part2 but then shall ,i know even as also ,i am known4 ,and now abideth faith1 hope1 charity1 these three2 but the greatest of these is charity4 #f4 ,the ,gift of ,prophecy ,more ,excellent than the ,gift of ,tongues3 ,follow after charity1 and desire spiritual gifts1 but rather that ye may prophesy4 ,for he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men1 but unto ,god3 for no man understandeth him2 howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries4 ,but he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification1 and exhortation1 and comfort4 ,he that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself2 but he that prophesieth edifieth the church4 #g4 ,the ,uncertainty of ,tongues3 ,i would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied3 for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues1 except he interpret1 that the church may receive edifying4 ,now1 brethren1 if ,i come unto you speaking with tongues1 what shall ,i profit you1 except ,i shall speak to you either by revelation1 or by knowledge1 or by prophesying1 or by doctrine8 ,and even things without life giving sound1 whether pipe or harp1 except they give a distinction in the sounds1 how shall it be known what is piped or harped8 ,for if the trumpet give an uncertain sound1 who shall prepare himself to the battle8 #h4 ,paul's ,choice of ,gifts3 ,so likewise ye1 except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood1 how shall it be known what is spoken8 for ye shall speak into the air4 ,there are1 it may be1 so many kinds of voices in the world1 and none of them is without signification4 ,therefore if ,i know not the meaning of the voice1 ,i shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian1 and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me4 ,even so ye1 forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts1 seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church4 ,wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret4 ,for if ,i pray in an unknown tongue1 my spirit prayeth1 but my understanding is unfruitful4 ,what is it then8 ,i will pray with the spirit1 and ,i will pray with the understanding also3 ,i will sing with the spirit1 and ,i will sing with the understanding also4 ,else when thou shalt bless with the spirit1 how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say ,amen at thy giving of thanks1 seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest8 ,for thou verily givest thanks well1 but the other is not edified4 ,i thank my ,god1 ,i speak with tongues more than ye all3 ,yet in the church ,i had rather speak five words with my understanding1 that by my voice ,i might teach others also1 than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue4 #i4 ,confusion ,likely to ,come of the ,gift of ,tongues3 ,brethren1 be not children in understanding3 howbeit in malice be ye children1 but in understanding be men4 ,in the law it is written1 ,with men of other tongues and other lips will ,i speak unto this people2 and yet for all that will they not hear me1 saith the ,lord4 ,wherefore tongues are for a sign1 not to them that believe1 but to them that believe not3 but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not1 but for them which believe4 ,if therefore the whole church be come together into one place1 and all speak with tongues1 and there come in those that are unlearned1 or unbelievers1 will they not say that ye are mad8 ,but if all prophesy1 and there come in one that believeth not1 or one unlearned1 he is convinced of all1 he is judged of all3 ,and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest2 and so falling down on his face he will worship ,god1 and report that ,god is in you of a truth4 #aj4 ,the ,things that ,make for ,edification3 ,how is it then1 brethren8 when ye come together1 every one of you hath a psalm1 hath a doctrine1 hath a tongue1 hath a revelation1 hath an interpretation4 ,let all things be done unto edifying4 ,if any man speak in an unknown tongue1 let it be by two1 or at the most by three1 and that by course2 and let one interpret4 ,but if there be no interpreter1 let him keep silence in the church2 and let him speak to himself1 and to ,god4 ,let the prophets speak two or three1 and let the other judge4 ,if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by1 let the first hold his peace4 ,for ye may all prophesy one by one1 that all may learn1 and all may be comforted4 ,and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets4 ,for ,god is not the author of confusion1 but of peace444 #aa4 ,decency and ,order ,enjoined3 ,if any man think himself to be a prophet1 or spiritual1 let him acknowledge that the things that ,i write unto you are the commandments of the ,lord4 ,but if any man be ignorant1 let him be ignorant4 ,wherefore1 brethren1 covet to prophesy1 and forbid not to speak with tongues4 ,let all things be done decently and in order4 ,,lesson ,,xxiv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,prophet ,,joseph ,,smith ,,on ,,the ,,gifts ,,of ,,the ,,holy ,,ghost4,a ,,analysis4 ,i4 ,conflicting ,opinions of ,men on the ,subject1 ,due to the ,absence of ,revelation4 ,,ii4 ,extravagant ,expectations ,reproved4 ,,iii4 ,all the ,gifts ,distributed ,within the ,church4 ,,iv4 ,manifestation of ,spiritual ,gifts ,not ,always ,outwardly ,discernable4 ,v4 ,admonition as to ,seeking ,spiritual ,gifts4 ,,references4 ,the citations of ,scripture in the body of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,follow after charity1 desire spiritual gifts1 but rather that ye prophesy4 7,paul--,i ,cor4 xiv3#a47 ,footnote ,a3 ,the matter used in the ,discussion is an editorial from the ,times and ,seasons of the #aeth of ,june1 #ahdb2 and if not written by the ,prophet was at least published with his sanction and approval4 ,in his ,journal ,history1 the ,prophet introduces the article as follows3 ,issued an editorial on the ',gift of the ,holy ,ghost1' as follows4 7,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #bf1 et seq47 ,the side headings are not part of the original editorial4 ,,discussion4 #a4 ,not ,every ,supernatural ,manifestation of ,god3 ,various and conflicting are the opinions of men in regard to the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,some people have been in the habit of calling every supernatural manifestation the effects of the ,spirit of ,god1 whilst there are others that think there is no manifestation i4 e41 of ,god connected with it at all2 and that it is nothing but a mere impulse of the mind1 or an inward feeling1 impression1 or secret testimony or evidence1 which men possess1 and that there is no such a thing as an outward manifestation4 ,it is not to be wondered at that men should be ignorant1 in a great measure1 of the principles of salvation1 and more especially of the nature1 office1 power1 influence1 gifts1 and blessings of the gift of the ,holy ,ghost2 when we consider that the human family have been enveloped in gross darkness and ignorance for many centuries past1 without revelation1 or any just criterion by which to arrive at a knowledge of the things of ,god1 which can only be known by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,hence it not infrequently occurs1 that when the ,elders of this ,church preach to the inhabitants of the world1 that if they obey the ,gospel they shall receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 that the people expect to see some wonderful manifestation1 some great display of power1 or some extraordinary miracle performed2 and it is often the case that young members of this ,church for want of better information1 carry along with them their old notions of things1 and sometimes fall into egregious errors4 ,we have lately had some information concerning a few members that are in this dilemma1 and for their information make a few remarks upon the subject4 #b4 ,priesthood and ,church ,organization ,ineffective without the ,holy ,ghost3 ,we believe in the gift of the ,holy ,ghost being enjoyed now1 as much as it was in the ,apostles' days2 we believe that it the gift of the ,holy ,ghost is necessary to make and to organize the ,priesthood1 that no man can be called to fill any office in the ministry without it2,a we also believe in prophecy1 in tongues1 in visions1 and in revelations1 in gifts1 and in healings2 and that these things cannot be enjoyed without the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we believe that the holy men of old spake as they were moved by the ,holy ,ghost1 and that holy men in these days speak by the same principle2 we believe in its being a comforter and a witness bearer1 that it brings things past to our remembrance1 leads us into all truth1 and shows us of things to come2 we believe that 'no man can know that ,jesus is the ,christ1 but by the ,holy ,ghost4' ,we believe in it this gift of the ,holy ,ghost in all its fullness1 and power1 and greatness1 and glory2 but whilst we do this1 we believe in it rationally1 consistently1 and scripturally1 and not according to the wild vagaries1 foolish notions and traditions of men4 ,footnote ,a3 ,see ,book of ,moroni chapter iii4 ,and after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers1 according to the gifts and callings of ,god unto men2 and they ordained them by the power of the ,holy ,ghost which was in them4 #c4 ,man's ,inclination to ,run to ,extremes3 ,the human family are very apt to run to extremes1 especially in religious matters1 and hence people in general1 either want some miraculous display1 or they will not believe in the gift of the ,holy ,ghost at all4 ,if an ,elder lays his hands upon a person1 it is thought by many that the person must immediately rise and speak in tongues and prophesy2 this idea is gathered from the circumstance of ,paul laying his hands upon certain individuals who had been previously as they stated baptized unto ,john's baptism2 which when he had done1 they 'spake in tongues and prophesied4' ,philip also1 when he had preached the ,gospel to the inhabitants of the city of ,samaria1 sent for ,peter and ,john1 who when they came laid their hands upon them for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost2 for as yet he was fallen upon none of them2 and when ,simon ,magus saw that through the laying on of the ,apostles' hands the ,holy ,ghost was given1 he offered them money that he might possess the same power4 ,acts viii4 ,these passages are considered by many as affording sufficient evidence for some miraculous1 visible manifestation1 whenever hands are laid on for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 #d4 ,diversity of ,gifts3 ,we believe that the ,holy ,ghost is imparted by the laying on of hands of those in authority1 and that the gift of tongues1 and also the gift of prophesy are gifts of the ,spirit1 and are obtained through that medium2 but then to say that men always prophesied and spoke in tongues when they had the imposition of hands1 would be to state that which is untrue1 contrary to the practice of the ,apostles1 and at variance with holy writ2 for ,paul says1 ',to one is given the gift of tongues1 to another the gift of prophecy1 and to another the gift of healing2 and again3 ',do all prophesy8 do all speak with tongues8 do all interpret8' evidently showing that all did not possess these several gifts2 but that one received one gift1 and another received another gift--all did not prophesy1 all did not speak in tongues1 all did not work miracles2 but all did receive the gift of the ,holy ,ghost2 sometimes they spake in tongues and prophesied in the ,apostles' days1 and sometimes they did not4 ,the same is the case with us also in our administrations1 while more frequently there is no manifestation at all2 that is visible to the surrounding multitude2 this will appear plain when we consult the writings of the apostles1 and notice their proceedings in relation to this matter4 ,paul1 in ,i ,cor4 xii1 says1 ',now concerning spiritual gifts1 brethren1 ,i would not have you ignorant2' it is evident from this1 that some of them were ignorant in relation to these matters1 or they would not need instruction4 #e4 ,spiritual ,gifts to be ,sought ,after3 ,again1 in chapter xiv1 he says1 ',follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts1 but rather that ye may prophesy4' ,it is very evident from these ,scriptures that many of them had not spiritual gifts1 for if they had spiritual gifts where was the necessity of ,paul telling them to follow after them1 and it is as evident that they did not all receive those gifts by the imposition of the hands2 for they as a ,church had been baptized and confirmed by the laying on of hands--and yet to a ,church of this kind1 under the immediate inspection and superintendency of the ,apostles1 it was necessary for ,paul to say1 ',follow after charity1 and desire spiritual gifts1 but rather that ye may prophesy1' evidently showing that those gifts were in the ,church1 but not enjoyed by all in their outward manifestations4 ,but suppose the gifts of the ,spirit were immediately1 upon the imposition of hands1 enjoyed by all1 in all their fullness and power2 the skeptic would still be as far from receiving any testimony except upon a mere casualty as before1 for all the gifts of the ,spirit are not visible to the natural vision1 or understanding of man3 indeed very few of them are4 ,we read that ',christ ascended into heaven and gave gifts unto men2 and ,me gave some ,apostles1 and some ,prophets1 and some ,evangelists1 and some ,pastors and ,teachers4' ,eph4 iv4 #f4 ,diversity of ,spiritual ,gifts3 ,the ,church is a compact body composed of different members1 and is strictly analogous to the human system1 and ,paul1 after speaking of the different gifts1 says1 ',now ye are the body of ,christ and members in particular2 and ,god hath set some in the ,church1 first ,apostles1 secondarily ,prophets1 thirdly ,teachers1 after that miracles1 then gifts of healing1 helps1 governments1 diversities of tongues4 ,are all ,teachers8 ,are all workers of miracles8 ,do all speak with tongues8 ,do all interpret8' ,it is evident that they do not2 yet are they all members of one body4 ,all members of the natural body are not the eye1 the ear1 the head or the hand--yet the eye cannot say to the ear ,i have no need of thee1 nor the head to the foot1 ,i have no need of thee2 they are all so many component parts in the perfect machine--the one body2 and if one member suffer1 the whole of the members suffer with it3 and if one member rejoice1 all the rest are honored with it4 ,these1 then1 are all gifts2 they come from ,god2 they are of ,god2 they are all the gifts of the ,holy ,ghost2 they are what ,christ ascended into heaven to impart2 and yet how few of them could be known by the generality of men4 ,peter and ,john were ,apostles1 yet the ,jewish court scourged them as imposters4 ,paul was both an ,apostle and ,prophet1 yet they stoned him and put him into prison4 ,the people knew nothing about it1 although he had in his possession the gift of the ,holy ,ghost ,our ,savior was 'anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows1' yet so far from the people knowing ,him1 they said ,he was ,beelzebub1 and crucified ,him as an imposter4 ,who could point out a ,pastor1 a ,teacher1 or an ,evangelist by their appearance1 yet had they the gift of the ,holy ,ghost8 #g4 ,spiritual ,gifts ,not ,always ,outwardly ,discernible3 ,but to come to the other members of the ,church1 and examine the gifts as spoken of by ,paul1 and we shall find that the world can in general know nothing about them1 and that there is but one or two that could be immediately known1 if they were all poured out immediately upon the imposition of hands4 ,in ,i ,cor4 xii1 ,paul says1 ',there are diversities of gifts yet the same spirit1 and there are differences of administrations but the same ,lord2 and there are diversities of operations1 but it is the same ,god which worketh all in all4 ,but the manifestations of the ,spirit is given unto every man to profit withal4 ,for to one is given1 by the ,spirit1 the word of wisdom1 to another1 the word of knowledge by the same ,spirit2 to another faith1 by the same ,spirit2 to another the gifts of healing1 by the same ,spirit2 to another the working of miracles2 to another prophecy2 to another the discerning of spirits2 to another divers kind of tongues2 to another the interpretation of tongues4 ,but all these worketh that one and the self same spirit1 dividing to each man severally as he will4' ,there are several gifts mentioned here1 yet which of them all could be known by an observer at the imposition of hands8 ,the word of wisdom1 and the word of knowledge1 are as much gifts as any other1 yet if a person possessed both of these gifts1 or received them by the imposition of hands1 who would know it8 ,another might receive the gift of faith1 and they would be as ignorant of it4 ,or suppose a man had the gift of healing or power to work miracles1 that would not then be known2 it would require time and circumstances to call these gifts into operation4 ,suppose a man had the discerning of spirits1 who would be the wiser for it8 ,or if he had the interpretation of tongues1 unless someone spoke in an unknown tongue1 he of course would have to be silent2 there are only two gifts that could be made visible--the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy4 ,these are things that are the most talked about1 and yet if a person spoke in an unknown tongue1 according to ,paul's testimony1 he would be a barbarian to those present4 ,they would say that it was gibberish2 and if he prophesied they would call it nonsense4 ,the gift of tongues is the smallest gift perhaps of the whole1 and yet it is one that is the most sought after4 ,so that according to the testimony of ,scripture and the manifestations of the ,spirit in ancient days1 very little could be known about it by the surrounding multitude1 except on some extraordinary occasion1 as on the day of ,pentecost4 ,the greatest1 the best1 and the most useful gifts would be known nothing about by an observer4 ,it is true that a man might prophesy1 which is a great gift1 and one that ,paul told the people--the ,church--to seek after and to covet1 rather than to speak in tongues2 but what does the world know about prophesying8 ,paul says that it 'serveth only to those that believe4' ,but does not the ,scriptures say that they spake in tongues and prophesied8 ,yes2 but who is it that writes these ,scriptures8 ,not the men of the world or mere casual observers1 but the ,apostles--men who knew one gift from another1 and of course were capable of writing about it2 if we had the testimony of the ,scribes and ,pharisees concerning the outpouring of the ,spirit on the day of ,pentecost1 they would have told us that it was no gift1 but that the people were 'drunken with new wine1' and we shall finally have to come to the same conclusion that ,paul did--',no man knows the things of ,god but by the ,spirit of ,god2' for with the great revelations of ,paul when he was caught up into the third heaven and saw things that were not lawful to utter1 no man was apprised of it until he mentioned it himself fourteen years after3 and when ,john had the curtains of heaven withdrawn1 and by vision looked through the dark vista of future ages1 and contemplated events that should transpire throughout every subsequent period of time1 until the final winding up scene--while he gazed upon the glories of the eternal world1 saw an innumerable company of angels and heard the voice of ,god--it was in the ,spirit1 on the ,lord's day1 unnoticed and unobserved by the world4 ,the manifestations of the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 the ministering of angels1 or the development of the power1 majesty or glory of ,god were very seldom manifested publicly1 and that generally to the people of ,god1 as to the ,israelites2 but most generally when angels have come1 or ,god has revealed ,himself1 it has been to individuals in private1 in their chamber2 in the wilderness or fields1 and that generally without noise or tumult4 ,the angel delivered ,peter out of prison in the dead of night2 came to ,paul unobserved by the rest of the crew2 appeared to ,mary and ,elizabeth without the knowledge of others2 spoke to ,john the ,baptist whilst the people around were ignorant of it4 ,when ,elisha saw the chariots of ,israel and the horsemen thereof1 it was unknown to others4 ,when the ,lord appeared to ,abraham it was at his tent door2 when the angels went to ,lot1 no person knew them but himself1 which was the case probably with ,abraham and his wife2 when the ,lord appeared to ,moses1 it was in the burning bush1 in the tabernacle1 or in the mountain top2 when ,elijah was taken in a chariot of fire1 it was unobserved by the world2 and when he was in a cleft of rock1 there was loud thunder1 but the ,lord was not in the thunder2 there was an earthquake1 but the ,lord was not in the earthquake2 and then there was a still small voice1 which was the voice of the ,lord1 saying1 ',what doest thou hear1 ,elijah8' #h4 ,an ,admonition to ,righteousness3 ,the ,lord cannot always be known by the thunder of ,his voice1 by the display of ,his glory or by the manifestation of ,his power2 and those that are the most anxious to see these things1 are the least prepared to meet them1 and were the ,lord to manifest ,his power as ,he did to the children of ,israel1 such characters would be the first to say1 ',let not the ,lord speak any more1 lest we ,his people die4' ,we would say to the brethren1 seek to know ,god in your closets1 call upon him in the fields4 ,follow the directions of the ,book of ,mormon1 and pray over1 and for your families1 your cattle1 your flocks1 your herds1 your corn1 and all things that you possess2 ask the blessing of ,god upon all your labors1 and everything that you engage in4 ,be virtuous and pure2 be men of integrity and truth2 keep the commandments of ,god2 and then you will be able more perfectly to understand the difference between right and wrong--between the things of ,god and the things of men2 and your path will be like that of the just1 which shineth brighter and brighter unto the perfect day4 ,be not so curious about tongues1 do not speak in tongues except there be an interpreter present2 the ultimate design of tongues is to speak to foreigners1 and if persons are very anxious to display their intelligence1 let them speak to such in their own tongues4 ,the gifts of ,god are all useful in their place1 but when they are applied to that which ,god does not intend1 they prove an injury1 a snare and a curse instead of a blessing4