,,the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology ,,third ,,year ,the ,doctrine of ,deity ,compiled and ,edited by ,b4 ,h4 ,,roberts ,of the ,first ,council of ,the ,seventy ,and this is life eternal1 that they might know ,thee1 the ,only ,true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ whom ,thou has sent4--,jesus4 ,it is the ,first ,principle of the ,gospel to know for a certainty the ,character of ,god4--,joseph ,smith4 ,salt ,lake ,city #aiaj ,,seventy',s ,,year ,,book ,,no4 ,,iii4 ,,introduction4 ,the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology1 ,third ,year1 treats directly of the ,doctrine of ,deity4 ,in structure and treatment of the theme1 it follows the general plan of the ,first and ,second ,year ,books4 ,therefore what was said in the ,introduction to the ,first ,year ,book to ,class ,teachers2 and on the ,manner of ,lesson ,treatment2 ,home ,reading and ,preparation2 ,scripture ,reading and ,special ,texts2 and on ,lectures1 will be available here4 ,as quite a number of the ,quorum members will not have ,first and ,second ,year ,books1 it is recommended that the ,presidents or ,class ,teachers bring the suggestions under the above headings to the attention of the classes1 and read them in class4 ,an entire class session indeed1 could be well spent in consideration of methods of work4 ,one modification only is suggested in methods of work4 ,where the ,seventies meet in classes that are only fragments of quorums1 in instances where the number of meetings does not average more than from three to six or eight1 it is thought that better results would be obtained if such a class would convert the occasion into a lesson-study meeting1 for three lessons in the month1 and instead of trying to deliver the lesson statement in lecture form1 remain seated around the table and read the lesson1 hunt up the citations given1 and discuss the notes--in a word study the lesson together and profit by each other's assistance4 ,then1 on the fourth lesson of the month--when the ,seventies are supposed to meet in quorum capacity1 the usual quorum methods could be followed4 ,the importance of the ,subject1 ,the ,doctrine of ,deity3 ,of the importance of the subject treated in this present ,year ,book1 but little need be said1 as its importance is largely self-evident2 but to minds that do not so conceive it1 perhaps its importance will be made apparent by such expressions as these3 ,this is life eternal that they might know ,thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ whom ,thou hast sent4--,jesus1 the ,christ4 ,it is the first principle of the ,gospel to know for a certainty the ,character of ,god2 and to know that we may converse with ,him as one man converses with another4--,joseph ,smith1 the ,prophet4 ,far be it from me to hold that faith in ,god1 and participation in salvation1 depends upon a scientific knowledge of the being1 and the kind of being1 ,god is4 ,the ,soul of man1 self-conscious of the being of ,god1 and enlightened1 if only in a general way--in a way far from what would be regarded as well-arranged knowledge--may yet have faith in ,god4 ,so that ,i am not holding that the very definite knowledge we are seeking through this treatise1 is necessary to first steps in what must always be a progressive faith4 ,i do not address the men for whom these ,lessons are prepared from the standpoint that ,i would have them understand in order that they may believe2 but rather that they may understand--as clearly as ,i can help them to understand--that which they already believe4 ,also that they may more distinctly teach that which they believe1 for surely well-ordered knowledge can have no other effect upon faith than to increase it1 to strengthen it4 ,in any event it would be neglect of duty in men if1 after coming to belief1 they did not study to understand what they believe4 ,it would be doubly a neglect of duty on the part of men who are consecrated by solemn ordination to teach the true doctrine about ,god1 and stand as ,witness for him1 if they should be indifferent to an understanding of the nature and character of ,god4 ,the pleas that are sometimes made on the ground of incomprehensibility of the subject1 resulting in recommendations that the nature and attributes of ,deity had best be left hidden in the mystery supposed to enshroud them2 and that ,god be held as an object of faith rather than of understanding--analyzed1 you shall find such views bottomed rather on indifference than in grace or true modesty4 ,what has been revealed about ,god may be known2 beyond that our treatise does not seek to go1 except where the treatise deals historically with the doctrines and speculations of theologians and philosophers4 ,if this part of the treatise deals at times with ,thin ,thought and difficult abstractions1 two things at least can be said for it1 namely3 7#a7 ,it will furnish good mental exercise2 and 7#b7 ,it will have the effect of making more clear by contrast the simple and beautiful doctrine of ,deity as revealed in the person and character of ,jesus1 the ,christ4 ,,special ,,lessons4 ,there are five special lessons in the course1 viz41 ,lessons ,v1 ,x1 ,,xv1 ,,xxiv and ,,xxxi1 designed to be given in the form of discourses or lectures1 by one or more speakers to each subject as shall be determined upon by the ,presidents and ,class ,teachers4 ,as suggested in previous ,year ,books these ,lessons should be made special occasions by the ,quorums2 and in order that the work shall be well done1 plenty of time should be allowed for preparation by making the assignment for the discourse or lecture1 several weeks in advance4 ,for example1 at the second session of the classes assignments should be made for ,lesson ,v41 and so for each special ,lesson1 allowing from two to three weeks for preparation1 having it understood that something like thorough and intelligent handling of the subject will be expected4 ,it is further suggested that not more than forty-five or at the outside sixty minutes be devoted to the main question1 and then that fifteen or twenty minutes be allowed for criticism and the asking of questions1 to be answered by the principal speaker or speakers who have had the subject in hand4 ,in these special ,lessons1 and quite aside from the main theme of which they treat are parts of two other lessons1 to which the whole class should be required to give attention4 ,these two lessons are first1 ,delivering a ,discourse2 and second1 ,on ,strength of ,expression4 ,the first subject runs through the five special lessons1 the second through but four4 ,it has been the aim of the writer to give one lesson on each of these subjects in the five and four parts respectively1 into which the lessons are divided2 and he entertains the hope that they will be helpful1 at least to those just beginning their efforts at public speech4 ,,suggestions ,,as ,,to ,,part ,,iii4 ,in ,lessons under ,part ,,iii1 ,conceptions of ,god1 it is suggested that the effort of the classes be1 simply to master the information contained in the lessons4 ,it will not be found feasible to undertake a discussion of the various conceptions of ,god presented with any view to reconciliation with each other or with the scripture4 ,strive only for an understanding of what these conceptions are as presented by the advocates of them4 ,,division ,,of ,,lessons4 ,where the ,lessons are thought to contain too much matter for one session of the class it is quite within the province of the ,presidents or ,class ,teachers to divide them2 and it is especially recommended that they do so in ,lessons xxxii1 xxxiii1 xxxiv4 ,,books ,,of ,,reference4 ,the books of reference used in the following lessons would make an extended list1 and in some cases the volumes named could only be found in reference libraries1 as they are now out of print2 it would therefore be of no advantage to give a complete enumeration of them here4 ,i have given copious and extended notes upon many subdivisions of the lessons1 especially where the books quoted would be difficult to obtain4 ,the following named works1 however1 can be obtained and some of them are indispensable3 ,the ,seventy's ,indispensable ,library1 consisting of the ,bible1 ,book of ,mormon1 ,doctrine and ,covenants1 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 ,richards and ,little ,compendium--this set of books in special and uniform bindings can be obtained2 and we suggest that it would be a good thing for prospective missionaries among the ,seventies to get these books in convenient form and durable bindings1 so that when going upon missions they can take books with them with which they are familiar through frequent handling and reading4 ,some ,standard ,dictionary of the ,english ,language1 such as is used in high schools and academies1 where unabridged ,standard ,dictionaries cannot be obtained4 ,a ,dictionary of the ,bible4 7,dr4 ,wm4 ,smith's ,dictionary of the ,bible1 the four-volume edition by ,prof4 ,h4 ,b4 ,hackett1 contains1 it is said1 the fruit of the ripest biblical scholarship of ,england74 ,smith's ,smaller ,dictionary of the ,bible 7one volume7 is the same work condensed4 ,in somewhat the same line1 owing to its very valuable introductory articles 7thirty in number1 one of which1 ,belief in ,god1 we were permitted by the publishers to reproduce in the ,january and ,february numbers of the ,era7 is ,dummelow's ,one-,volume ,bible ,commentary1 published by the ,mac,millan ,company1 ,new ,york4 ,some ,standard ,ecclesiastical or ,church ,history1 such as ,mosheim's or ,dr4 ,neander's4 ,the former can be had both in one or three volumes4 ,the latter is in six volumes4 ,in this line1 and in preference to any other ,church histories--after ,mosheim's and ,neander's--that have fallen under my notice1 ,i recommend for the period it covers--the first ten centuries--,dr4 ,philip ,smith's ,history of the ,christian ,church1 two volumes4 ,the ,ecclesiastical ,history of ,eusebius ,pamphilus1 covering the first three and one half--nearly--,christian centuries2 and the ,early ,christian ,literature ,primers1 four books1 covering the first seven and a half centuries4 ,the ,history of ,christianity4 ,this is a collection from the writings of ,gibbon1 chiefly selected chapters from the author's celebrated ,decline and ,fall of the ,roman ,empire1 edited and annotated by ,peter ,eckler4 ,it is published in one volume1 and as a history of ,christianity's struggle with ,pagan philosophy1 and of the paganization of ,christianity in the ,early ,christian ,centuries1 it is a valuable work4 ,a ,history of ,christian ,doctrine1 by ,wm4 ,g4 ,t4 ,shedd 7two volumes71 is a valuable work4 ,written from a sympathetic view-point of orthodox ,christianity1 but valuable for its history of the development of the orthodox doctrine4 ,the ,nicene ,creed1 by ,j4 ,j4 ,lias1 gives detailed analysis of that somewhat famous symbol of the ,christian faith1 as it is sometimes called 7one volume74 ,story of the ,world's ,worship1 by ,frank ,s4 ,dobbins--#aija--7one volume74 ,ten ,great ,religions1 by ,james ,freeman ,clarke 7two volumes74 ,this work on the general subject1 ,conceptions of ,god1 would be the best here enumerated4 ,history of the ,warfare of ,science with ,theology1 by ,andrew ,dixon ,white 7two volumes74 ,conflict ,between ,religion and ,science1 ,john ,william ,draper 7one volume74 ,by the same ,author1 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe 7two volumes74 ,science of ,religion1 by ,max ,muller 7one volume74 ,by the same ,author1 ,chips from a ,german ,workshop 7two volumes74 ,the ,philosophers3 ,to name the works of the philosophers from ,plato to modern times would be to uselessly enumerate a library4 ,the following works1 however1 could perhaps be obtained by the quorums if not by individuals3 ,outlines of ,lectures on the ,history of ,philosophy1 by ,elmendorf 7one volume74 ,it is in the nature of an amplified index to the subject1 and presupposes some general knowledge of it4 ,maurice's ,moral and ,metaphysical ,philosophy 7two volumes1 #acie pages71 a noble work4 ,typical ,modern ,conceptions of ,god1 ,leighton 7one volume71 #aija4 ,cicero's ,tusculan ,disputations1 7one volume71 translated by ,yonge4 ,spencer's ,first ,principles1 7one volume74 ,john ,fiske's ,studies in ,religion 7one volume74 ,the ,truth of ,thought1 ,poland1 7one volume74 ,scientific ,aspects of ,mormonism1 ,prof4 ,n4 ,l4 ,nelson1 of ,brigham ,young ,university 7one volume74 ,a work not yet fully appreciated4 ,orson ,pratt's ,works1 ,the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity 7,roberts74 ,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,prophet-,teacher4 7,roberts74 ,the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology1 ,numbers ,i and ,,ii4 ,they can be obtained bound together in cloth1 #ge;c4 ,general ,seventy's office4 ,the ,current ,volume of the ,improvement ,era4 ,the organ of the ,priesthood ,quorums4 ,the ,seventy's ,course in ,theology4 ,,third ,,year4 ,the ,doctrine of ,deity4 ,,part ,i4 ,the ,sources of ,man's ,knowledge of ,god4 ,,lesson ,i4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,i4--,,tradition4 ,,analysis ,,references4 ,i4 ,adamic ,tradition4 ,doc4 ,cov4#a ,lectures on ,faith1 ,no4 ,,ii4 ,,ii4 ,antediluvian4#b ,the ,gospel 7,roberts74 ,ch4 ix1 #c;d ,edition4 ,,iii4 ,postdiluvian4#c ,note #a4 ,,iv4 ,tradition ,reversed--,child to ,parent1 ,note #c4 ,consider back to ,adam4 notes #d1 #e1 #f4 ,,special ,,text3 ,can'st thou by searching find out ,god8 ,can'st thou find out the ,almighty unto perfection8 ,job xi3 #g4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,tradition as a ,source of the ,knowledge of ,god3 ,the first evidence men have of the existence of ,god comes from tradition1 from the testimony of their fathers2 and this has been the case from that event known in history as the ,fall1 until the present4 ,nor is this evidence unworthy of serious attention2 it rests upon a surer foundation than is usually accorded it4 ,suppose we go back to its beginning1 to its first introduction into the world1 and observe how well founded it is4 ,according to the account given by ,moses in ,genesis1 previous to the ,fall4 ,adam associated with ,god2 conversed with ,him respecting the works of creation1 and gave names to the cattle and all living things upon the earth4 ,how long continued1 or how intimate this association was1 we are not informed in ,genesis2 but at all events1 it was long enough continued1 and sufficiently intimate to fix definitely in the minds of ,adam the fact of ,god's existence4 ,then when ,adam and his wife transgressed ,god's law1 their recollection of his existence did not vanish1 but they tried to hide from his presence2 and were afterwards visited by the ,lord1 who reproved them for their sin and pronounced the penalty which would overtake them for their transgression4 ,all ,i wish to call attention to in this is the fact that they knew positively of the ,lord's existence before their transgression1 and they did not forget his existence after that event2 but1 on the contrary1 had a lively recollection of what they had seen and heard before they fell4 ,this they related1 undoubtedly1 to their children1 who1 in turn1 transmitted the knowledge to their children1 and so from generation to generation the tradition of ,god's existence has been handed down until the present time4 #b4 ,antediluvian ,tradition of ,god3 ,it will be remembered that ,adam and all the patriarchs previous to the ,flood lived to a very great age4 ,adam lived nine hundred and thirty years1 and during that time ,seth1 ,enos1 ,cainan1 ,mahalaleel1 ,jared1 ,enoch1 ,methuselah1 and ,lamech1 the father of ,noah1 were born4 ,indeed1 the last named patriarch was fifty-six years old when ,adam died2 so that for a number of years he must have had the pleasure of ,adam's acquaintance2 while the patriarchs between ,adam and ,lamech all associated with him for hundreds of years1 and would learn well the story that the grand ,patriarch of our race would have to tell respecting ,eden before the ,fall4 #c4 ,postdiluvian ,tradition of ,god3 ,we are told in ,genesis that when ,lamech was one hundred and eighty-two years old he begat ,noah2 and since ,lamech was fifty-six years old when ,adam died1 ,adam had been dead but one hundred and twenty-six years when ,noah was born4 ,after the birth of ,noah1 ,lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years1 so that ,noah associated with his father1 who had seen ,adam1 for more than five hundred years2 and also with a number of the other patriarchs--with ,enos1 the grandson of ,adam1 and son of ,seth--with ,cainan1 ,mahalaleel1 ,jared and ,methuselah4 ,then1 the sons of ,noah1 ,shem1 ,ham and ,japheth1 all of whom were born before the ,flood1 would likewise be acquainted with a number of these worthies who had lived with ,adam and heard his testimony of ,god's existence4 ,again1 ,noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the ,flood2 that would give him ample time and opportunity to teach his posterity for several generations the tradition respecting ,god1 which he had received from a number of patriarchs1 who lived previous to the ,flood1 and thus the said tradition became firmly fixed in the minds of men4 ,the chronology here followed is that of the authorized version of the ,english ,bible as summarized in the ,second ,lecture on ,faith4 ,doctrine and ,covenants4 #d4 ,the ,bible ,here ,regarded as a ,body of ,tradition3 ,it may be thought that in the foregoing notes1 dealing with tradition1 we have been really appealing to ,revelation1 the ,bible--the product of a divine inspiration resting upon men1 hence ,revelation--not tradition as men commonly understand tradition1 viz3 something handed down from age to age by oral communication without the aid of written memorials4 ,but the ,bible is sometimes regarded in more than one aspect4 ,commonly it is held to be a volume of inspired writings1 revelation indeed2 but it is also regarded as a body of traditions crystalized into writing4 ,as such it has been used in preparing the foregoing notes4 #e4 ,reversed ,order of ,tradition3 ,by this title ,i ask you to reverse the order of considering tradition4 ,instead of beginning with ,adam and coming down through the generations to our own times1 begin with the child of today and go up through the generations of men to ,adam4 ,how do children of our generation get their first idea of ,god8 ,ordinarily from their fathers4 ,in ,christian lands they obtain the ,god idea in childhood at their mothers' knee4 ,and these mothers and fathers from the preceding generation of fathers and mothers2 and these again from a preceding generation of fathers and mothers1 and so following until the stream of tradition is traced to its source1 which the ,bible1 considered as a body of tradition1 now of long standing1 represents to be ,adam1 who was the first man4 ,it is interesting to note1 in passing1 that the ,bible tradition--when we consider the ,bible at no higher value than a volume of tradition--is confirmed in many respects by the tradition of other people than the ,hebrews2 namely1 the ,chaldeans1 ,babylonians1 ,assyrians1 ,phoenicians and ,egyptians4 7,see the ,seventy's ,first ,year ,book1 note #b pp4 #bd1 #be4d7 #f4 ,how ,true ,traditions ,degenerated ,into ,mythology3 ,traces of that tradition1 7of the existence of ,god7 and of these patriarchs connected with it1 may be found in nearly all1 and so far as ,i know1 in all the mythologies of the world1 as well in ancient as in modern times2 as well in the mythology of the civilized ,greeks and ,romans1 as in that of ,india1 ,china1 ,egypt1 and that of the ,american ,indians4 ,the tradition has evidently been corrupted1 added to and twisted into fantastic shapes by the idle fancies of corrupt minds1 but despite all the changes made in it1 traces of this tradition are discoverable in the mythology of all lands4 ,i believe1 too1 with ,crabb1 ,that the fictions of mythology were not invented1 7always7 in ignorance of divine truth1 but with a wilful intention to pervert it2 not made only by men of profligate lives and daring impiety1 who preferred darkness to light1 because their deeds were evil1 but by men of refinement and cultivation1 from the opposition of science1 falsely so-called2 not made1 as some are pleased to think1 by priests only1 for interested purposes1 but by poets and philosophers among the laity1 who1 careless of truth of falsehood1 were pleased with nothing but their own corrupt imaginations and vain conceits4 ,thus the tradition of the patriarchs was1 in time1 degraded1 by some branches of their posterity1 to mythology--a muddy1 troubled pool1 which like a mirror shattered into a thousand fragments1 reflects while it distorts into fantastic shapes the objects on its banks4 ,still1 under all the rubbish of human invention may be found the leading idea--,god's existence2 and that fact alone1 however mis-shapen it may be1 proves how firmly fixed in the human mind is the tradition of the fathers2 while the universality of that tradition goes very far towards proving its truth4 ,scriptural evidences that traditions are sometimes made to distort truth1 revealed or received from the fathers1 may be learned from the following passages3 ,matt4 ,,xv3#b2 ,mark ,,vii3#e1 #i1 #ac2 ,col4 #aa3h2 ,,ii ,thes4 ,,iii3#f2 ,i ,peter #a3ah4 ,footnotes #a4 ,the abbreviations stand for ,doctrine and ,covenants throughout4 ,it is expected that the whole lecture will be read as a preparation for the lesson4 #b4 ,what is the meaning of ,antediluvian8 #c4 ,what of ,postdiluvian8 #d4 ,references to past ,year ,books will occasionally be made throughout our course1 and it should be the desire of every ,seventy to have a complete set of these ,year ,books4 ,numbers ,one and ,two bound together1 in strong cloth1 can now be had by application to the ,general ,secretary of the ,seventies1 price #ge;c1 post paid4 ,,lesson ,,ii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ii4--,,creation--,,the ,,works ,,of ,,god4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,the extent and greatness of ,psalms xix3 #a-f4a ,creation4 ,rom4 #a3ah4 ,evidences of ,theism1 pp4 #afg-age4b ,dummelow's ,commentary on the ,bible4 p4 xcix-cv4#c ,,ii4 ,the ,evidence of ,design in ,creation4 7#a7 ,see ,seventy's ,second ,year ,book1 ,lesson ,,vi1 ,note #b1 for sources of ,information4#d ,also ,notes #a1 #b1 #c1 this lesson4 ,,iii4 ,incompleteness of the ,evidences 7#b7 ,notes #d1 #e4 from ,creation and ,design4 7#c7 ,note #f4 ,,special ,,text3 ,such knowledge is too wonderful for me2 it is high1 ,i cannot attain unto it444,marvelous are ,thy works1 and that my soul knoweth right well4 ,ps4 cxxxix4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,testimony of the ,creation to the ,existence of ,god3 ,when once the idea of the existence of ,god is suggested to the mind of man by the testimony of the fathers1 and represented as he is by that tradition1 as the ,creator of the heavens and the earth1 and also as the great governing and guiding power throughout the universe--very much is discovered in the marvelous works of nature to strengthen and confirm1 almost to a certainty1 the truth of that tradition4 ,man is conscious of his own existence1 and that existence is a stupendous miracle of itself2 he is conscious1 too1 of other facts4 ,he looks out into space in the stillness of night1 and sees the deep vault of heaven inlaid with suns1 the centers1 doubtless of planetary systems1 all moving in exact order and harmony1 in such regularity that he cannot doubt that ,intelligence brought them into being1 and now sustains and directs the forces that preserve them4 ,thus the heavens declare the existence of ,god as well as ,his glory4 ,this thought is in harmony with the tradition of his fathers1 and he recognizes the identity between the ,intelligence that he knows must control the universe1 and the ,god of whom his fathers testify4 ,nor is this all3 but in the mysterious changes which take place on our own planet1 in the gentle ,spring1 luxuriant ,summer1 fruitful ,autumn and nature-resting ,winter1 with its storms and frosts--the mysterious round which brings us our seed time and harvest1 and clothes the earth with vegetation and flowers1 perpetuating that wonderful power we call life1--the strangest fact in all the works of nature--in these mighty changes so essential and beneficent1 man recognizes the wisdom and power of ,god of whom his fathers bear record4 ,as the heavens declare ,god's existence and glory1 so1 likewise1 do these changes and a thousand other things1 connected without earth1 until lost in wonder and admiration1 one exclaims with ,paul1 ,the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen1 being understood by the things that are made1 even ,his eternal power and godhead4 7,rom4 #a3bj47 ,or else ,he calls to mind another ,scripture1 still more sublime-- ,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 ,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 7,doc4 ,cov4 ,sec4 #hh47 ,but wandering oft1 with brute unconscious gaze1 ,man marks not thee2 marks not ,the ,mighty hand1 ,that1 ever busy1 wheels the silent speres6--,thompson4 ,this much we may say1 in conclusion1 tradition confirmed by the works of creation1 lays a broad foundation for an intelligent belief in ,god's existence1 intelligence1 power1 and glory4 #b4 ,the ,law of ,substance and the ,universe4 ,through all eternity the infinite universe has been1 and is1 subject to the law of substance3 99 99 99 99 99 #a4 ,the extent of the universe is infinite and unbounded2 it is empty in no part1 but everywhere filled with substance4 #b4 ,the ,duration of the world 7i4 e4 universe7 is equally infinite and unbounded2 it has no beginning and no end2 it is eternity4 #c4 ,substance is everywhere and always in uninterrupted movement and transformation2 nowhere is there perfect repose and rigidity2 yet the infinite quantity of matter and of eternally changing force remains constant4 7,riddle of the ,universe4 ,ernest ,haeckel p4 #bdb4 ,harper ,brothers1 #aijj4 ,see his whole chapter xii1 on the ,law of ,substance4 ,also ,seventy's ,second ,year ,book1 ,lesson ,v47 #b4 ,extent and ,greatness of the ,universe--,the ,solar ,system3 ,the heavenly bodies belong to two classes1 the one comprising a vast multitude of stars1 which always preserved their relative positions1 as if they were set in a sphere of crystal1 while the others moved1 each in its own orbit1 according to laws which have been described4 ,we now know that these moving bodies1 or planets1 form a sort of family by themselves1 known as the ,solar ,system4 ,this system consists of the sun as its center1 with a number of primary planets revolving around it1 and satellites1 or secondary planets1 revolving around them4 ,before the invention of the telescope but six primary planets were known1 including the earth1 and one satellite1 the moon4 ,by the aid of that instrument1 two great primary planets1 outside the orbit of ,saturn1 and an immense swarm of smaller ones between the orbits of ,mars and ,jupiter1 have been discovered2 while the four outer planets--,jupiter1 ,saturn1 ,uranus and ,neptune--are each the center of motion of one or more satellites4 ,the sun is distinguished from the planets1 not only by his immense mass1 which is several hundred times that of all the other bodies of his system combined1 but by the fact that he shines by his own light1 while the planets and satellites are dark bodies1 shining only by reflecting the light of the sun4 ,a remarkable symmetry of structure is seen in this system1 in that all the large planets and all the satellites revolve in orbits which are nearly circular1 and1 the satellites of the two outer planets excepted1 nearly in the same plane4 ,this family of planets are all bound together1 and kept each in its respective orbit1 by the law of gravitation1 the action of which is of such a nature that each planet may make countless revolutions without the structure of the system undergoing any change4 7,newcomb's ,popular ,astronomy1 ,school ,edition1 pp4 #ajc-d4 ,part ,,iii of ,newcomb's work which deals at length with the ,solar ,system could also be considered with profit47 #c4 ,number and ,distances of the ,fixed ,stars3 ,turning our attention from this system to the thousands of fixed stars which stud the heavens1 the first thing to be considered is their enormous distance asunder1 compared with the dimensions of the ,solar ,system1 though the latter are themselves inconceivably great4 ,to give an idea of the relative distances1 suppose a voyager through the celestial spaces could travel from the sun to the outermost planet of our system in twenty-four hours4 ,so enormous would be his velocity1 that it would carry him across the ,atlantic ocean1 from ,new ,york to ,liverpool1 in less than a tenth of a second of the clock4 ,starting from the sun with this velocity1 he would cross the orbits of the inner planets in rapid succession1 and the other ones more slowly1 until1 at the end of a single day1 he would reach the confines of our system1 crossing the orbit of ,neptune4 ,but1 though he passed eight planets the first day1 he would pass none the next1 for he would have to journey eighteen or twenty years1 without diminution of speed1 before he would reach the nearest star1 and would then have to continue his journey as far again before he could reach another4 ,all the planets of our system would have vanished in the distance1 in the course of the first three days1 and the sun would be but an insignificant star in the firmament4 ,the conclusion is1 that our sun is one of an enormous number of self-luminous bodies scattered at such distances that years would be required to traverse the space between them1 even when the voyager went at the rate we have supposed4 7,newcomb's ,astronomy p4 #ajd47 99 99 99 99 99 ,the total number of stars in the celestial sphere visible with the average naked eye may be estimated1 in round numbers1 as #ejjj4 ,the number varies so much with the perfection and training of the eye1 and with the atmospheric conditions1 that it cannot be stated very definitely4 ,when the telescope is pointed at the heavens1 it is found that for every star visible to the naked eye there are hundreds1 or even thousands1 too minute to be seen without artificial aid4 ,from the counts of stars made by ,herschel1 ,struve has estimated that the total number of stars visible with ,herschel's twenty-foot telescope was about #bj1jjj1jjj4 ,the great telescopes of modern times would1 no doubt1 show a yet larger number2 but a reliable estimate has not been made4 ,the number is probably somewhere between #cj1jjj1jjj and #ej1jjj1jjj4 7,ibid4 p4 #dbb47 #d4 ,the ,design ,argument3 ,the ,design ,argument is wholly grounded on experience4 ,certain qualities1 it is alleged1 are found to be characteristic of such things as are made by an intelligent mind for a purpose4 ,the order of ,nature1 or some considerable parts of it1 exhibit these qualities in a remarkable degree4 ,we are entitled1 from this great similarity in the effects1 to infer similarity in the cause1 and to believe that things which it is beyond the power of man to make1 but which resemble the works of man in all but power1 must also have been made by intelligence1 armed with a power greater than human4 7,john ,stuart ,mill4 ,essay on ,theism1 see ,three ,essays on ,religion1 p4 #afg4 ,the whole essay1 if possible1 should be read47 #e4 ,the ,evidence of a ,designer3 ,the consideration of the external world around him1 even in its broadest aspect1 leads man up to the thought of an ,eternal ,cause2 the study of its phenomena in detail with its marvelous intricacy of harmonious interaction produces the impression of design1 and leads to the thought of a ,designer--i4 e41 of an ,eternal ,cause that is intelligent and free4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,design ,argument is perhaps the most ancient and the most popular of all4 ,it is never actually formulated in the ,bible1 for the ,bible1 as we have seen1 never treats ,god's existence as the subject of argument4 ,but its basis1 the marvelous harmony of the created world1 is the theme of more than one of the ,psalms 7cf4 e4 g4 ,pss4 #ai1 #ajd1 #adg1 #adh72 and ,st4 ,paul comes very near to stating the argument in so many words1 when he says 7,rom4 #a1 #bj7 in depreciation of pagan superstitions and immortality1 that the 'everlasting power and divinity' of the ,creator are clearly discernible from ,his works4 ,granted that the very existence of the world implies an ,eternal ,cause1 what can we learn about that ,cause8 ,the nearest thing to a true first ,cause of which ,i have experience1 is my own personality2 hence there is a presumption that the world's first ,cause will be at least what we know as personal4 ,but that presumption is not all we have to go upon4 ,there are definite indications in nature1 when more closely observed1 that make it impossible to regard the ,eternal ,cause as a merely mechanical originator of the world-process1 that stamp it--or rather ,him--as intelligent and free1 a nature like my own rational nature1 only far above and beyond it4 ,everywhere in nature we see the teleological principle 7as it is called7 at work1 i4 e41 we see means adapted to ends1 and the present subordinated to the future4 ,this adaptation of means to ends manifests itself in a bewilderingly complex way--in each individual member of the great organism1 in the lesser and greater groups1 and in the whole4 ,everywhere1 in fact1 ,i see traces of purpose and design--for such adaptation speaks to me irresistibly of these4 ,my only direct experience of like phenomena is in my own personality1 and so ,i am led to infer a ,designer4 7,commentary on the ,holy ,bible4 ,dummelow1 #aiji1 ,art4 ,belief in ,god1 pp4 ci1 cii47 #f4 ,incompleteness of the ,evidences from ,creation3 ,some extol the evidences for the existence of ,god found in creation1 out of all proportion to their merit4 ,the wonderful structure of the universe1 said ,thomas ,paine1 and everything that we behold in the system of the creation prove to us far better than books can do1 the existence of ,god and at the same time proclaim his attributes4 ,it is by exercise of our reason that we are enabled to contemplate ,god in his works and imitate him in his ways4 ,when we see his care and kindness extended over all his creatures it teaches us our duty towards each other1 while it calls forth our gratitude to ,him4 ,and again1 the ,almighty ,lecturer 7,deity7 by displaying the principles of science in the structure of the universe1 has invited man to study and to imitation4 ,it is as if he had said to the inhabitants of this globe we call ours1 ,i have made an earth for man to dwell upon1 and ,i have rendered the starry heavens visible to teach him science and the arts4 ,he can now provide for his comfort1 and learn from my munificence to all1 to be kind to each other4 ,far be it from me to say any word that would detract from any class of evidence for the truth of ,god's existence2 and for the evidence to be found in the works of creation1 ,i have the profoundest esteem4 ,they do indeed testify of the existence of intelligence higher than of man and these creations do convey to the mind not only the idea of the existence of these higher intelligences but to some extent they reveal their greatness and majesty and power2 and also to some extent the munificence and beneficence of their nature4 ,but the evidences of the works of nature are defective in that they scarcely indicate the relationship of these divine intelligences to man1 or man's relationship to them1 or the purpose and destiny of the creation4 ,standing alone on these evidences of the creation one asks in vain for a complete manifestation of ,god to man4 ,not so much as to his being--bare existence--but as to the kind of being he is4 ,is ,he personal or impersonal8 ,merely a power outside ourselves8 or1 ,is ,he not only a power outside ourselves1 but a power outside ourselves that makes for righteousness8 and does ,he hold personal relations to man1 and men definite and personal relations to ,him8 ,why should man obey ,god8 ,and what is man that ,god is mindful of him8 ,on these questions the revelations from the works of nature are unsatisfactory1 and certainly need the supplemental knowledge that comes from the direct revelations of ,god to man4 ,both ,john ,stuart ,mill and ,dummelow state the weakness or incompleteness of this ,design ,argument4 ,the former in his ,theism--,three ,essays pp4 #afg et4 seq41 and the latter in his ,belief in ,god4 ,nearly all our modern writers on the subject of the design argument depreciate the treatment of it by ,paley in his ,natural ,theology4 ,footnotes4 #a4 ,cf4 ,abbreviation of the latin ,confere1 i4 e4 ,compare4 #b4 ,john ,stuart ,mill1 the above title is a subdivision in his ,three ,essays on ,religion4 7#ahgd ,edition47 #c4 ,this ,commentary is a fine one-volume work1 and gives the very latest results of ,modern ,scholarship in reference to ,bible interpretation4 ,its article on ,belief in ,god1 cited above1 will be published in the ,era for ,january4 #d4 ,see foot note from note #e1 ,lesson ,i of this ,year ,book4 ,,lesson ,,iii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,iii4--,,miscellaneous ,,evidences ,,and ,,arguments ,,for ,,the ,,divine ,,existence4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,the ,soul's ,innate ,consciousness ,a ,history of ,christian of ,god4 ,doctrine 7,shedd71 ,vol4 ,i1 ,book ,,iii1 pp4 #bbc-bdj4 ,general ,history of the ,christian ,religion 7,neander71 ,vol4 ,i ,appendix1 pp4 #eeg-efj4 ,,ii4 ,the ,argument from ,the ,general ,confessions of ,st4 ,augustine ,consent of ,mankind4 7,oxford ,translation71 ,book ,x1 pp4 #ahf-ahh4 ,theism 7,mill71 pp4 #afa-affa 7#a7 ,luke x3#ba1 #bb2 ,john xvii4 7#b7 ,acts xvii3 #bb-bh4 ,notes #d1 #e1 #f1 #g4 ,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 ,god4 ,job xix3#be4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,patristic ,arguments3 ,the ,patristic arguments for the ,divine ,existence rest mainly upon the innate consciousness of the human mind4 ,they magnify the internal evidence for this doctrine4 99 99 99 99 ,god was conceived as directly manifesting himself to the moral sense1 through that ,divine ,word or ,reason who1 in their phraseology1 was the manifested ,deity4 ,in their view1 ,god proved his existence by his presence to the mind4 ,in the ,western ,church1 particularly1 this immediate manifestation and consequent proof of the ,divine ,existence was much insisted upon4 ,augustine in his ,confessions implies that the ,deity evinces ,his being and attributes by a direct operation--an impinging1 as it were1 of ,himself1 upon the rational soul of ,his creatures4 7,history of ,christian ,doctrine 7,shedd7 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #bbi-cj47 #b4 ,the ,heart ,knowledge of ,god3 ,this heart knowledge is1 after all1 to each individual who has it1 the most direct form of evidence for the existence of ,god--the personal intercourse with ,him of our personal spirit--the communion in virtue of which we can say1 ',i know that there is a ,god because ,i know him4 ,i experience in prayer and sacrament and meditation a conviction of ,his reality and ,his presence which is quite as real to me as is the conviction that those things exist which ,i can touch and see4 ,this conviction is clearest and strongest when ,i am at my best1 and ,i attribute all that is best and highest in my character to such communion1 as thousands have done before me4' ,this is the kind of ,knowledge of ,god that cries aloud to us from the ,psalms and ,prophecies1 and underlies the other writings of the ,old ,testament4 ,and the perfection of this communion is to be found in ,jesus ,christ as portrayed for us in the ,synoptic ,gospels 7,lk4 #aj3bb2 cf4 ,mk4 #ac3cb71 but especially in ,st4 ,john 7#e3ai cf4 #aj3ae1 #cj2 cf4 #ad3aa1 etc47 and reaches its climax in the great high-priestly prayer of ,jn4 #ag4 ,after our ,lord's ,ascension and the descent of the ,holy ,spirit1 it takes the form1 for ,christ's members1 of a fellowship with the blessed ,trinity1 ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost4 7#b ,cor4 #ac3ad2 cf4 #a ,jn4 #a3c47 ,being1 however1 in one sense1 a purely personal and individual matter1 this sense of communion is commonly thought to be too subjective to be adduced as an argument for the existence of ,god4 ,it is always open to an objector to say1 ',you assert that you have this feeling2 ,i am willing to admit your sincerity1 but you may be the victim of illusion4 ,all ,i can say is that ,i have no such feeling myself4' ,to such an assertion it seems perhaps inadequate to reply1 ',if you will but assume first provisionally 7as we have to assume many things in practical life17 that existence which you cannot demonstrate1 and then act upon the assumption1 conviction will come with experience4' ,yet such a reply may be enforced and corroborated with all the weight of more than nineteen centuries of personal experience4 ,generation after generation of martyrs and saints have testified in the strongest possible manner to their conviction that ,god is1 and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him4' 7,heb4 #aa3f72 and have been ready to seal the conviction with their life's blood4 7,belief in ,god1 ,dummelow's ,commentary1 p4 c47 ,the ,general ,sense of the ,divine ,existence ,deepened by ,christianity3 ,the consciousness of the ,god in whom we live1 move and have our being4 ,this1 too1 by reason of ,christianity became1 in believers1 a more living1 a more profound sentiment4 ,they the ,christians felt more strongly and vividly the all-pervading presence of that ,god who made himself to be felt by them in nature1 and whose existence to the spirit is undeniable4 ,it was to this undeniable fact of consciousness1 indeed1 they appealed1 in endeavoring to lead the pagans away from the gods which they themselves had made to the acknowledgment of the only true ,god4 ,this appears to us as the one common feature in the mode of expressing themselves on this subject1 which prevailed among the church fathers1 amid all the differences of form between those whose education had led them through the ,platonic philosophy1 and such men as ,tertullian1 who--a stranger and an enemy to philosophical culture--witnessed1 in an original manner1 of that which had penetrated deeply into the vigorous but stern individuality of his character4 7,history of the ,christian ,religion 7,neander71 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #ee-ff47 #b4 ,the ,spirit of ,man ,intuitively ,conscious of ,truth3 ,somewhat akin to this ,heart ,knowledge of ,god is the following very remarkable passage in one of the revelations of ,god through ,joseph ,smith3 ,intelligence or the light of truth1 was not created or made1 neither indeed can be4 ,all truth is independent in that sphere in which ,god has placed it1 to act for itself1 as all intelligence also1 otherwise here is no existence4 ,behold1 here is the agency of man1 and here is the condemnation of man1 because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them1 and they receive not the light4 ,and every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation1 for man is spirit4 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 xciii47 ,as if the ,lord would say3 ,truth is native to the spirit of man1 when unrestrained by man's perverse will--when he has not reached the point where he chooses darkness rather than light because his deeds are evil--then ,truth is native to the spirit of man and will1 when unrestrained1 intuitively rise to meet it as flame leaps toward its kindred flame and unites with it4 ,and it is because the spirit of man refuses to live true to this quality of his spirit that he comes under condemnation when rejecting the truth4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph emphasized this doctrine in his public teachings4 ,on one occasion he said3 ,every word that proceedeth from the mouth of ,jehovah has such an influence over the human mind--the logical mind--that it is convincing without other testimony4 ,faith cometh by hearing4 7,hist4 of the ,ch4 ,vol4 ,v1 p4 #ebf47 #c4 ,defect of ,soul ,consciousness ,argument3 ,they who accept the soul conscious argument labor under the common infirmity that one man cannot by proclaiming with ever so much confidence that he perceives an object1 convince other people that they see it too4 ,if1 indeed1 he laid claim to a divine faculty of vision1 vouchsafed to him alone1 and making him cognizant of things which men1 not thus assisted1 have not the capacity to see1 the case might be different4 ,men have been able to get such claims admitted2 and other people can only require of them to show their credentials4 ,but when no claim is set up to any peculiar gift1 but we are told that all of us are as capable as the prophet of seeing what he sees1 feeling what he feels1 nay1 that we actually do so1 and when the utmost effort of which we are capable fails to make us aware of what we are told we perceive1 this supposed universal faculty of intuition is but ',the dark lantern of the spirit ,which none see by but those who bear it2' and the bearers may fairly be asked to consider whether it is not more likely that they are mistaken as to the origin of an impression in their minds1 than that others are ignorant of the very existence of an impression in theirs4 ,theism 7,mill1 p4 #afb47 ,the proper answer to this argument is found in ,note #b1 this lesson4 #d4 ,the ,consent of ,mankind3 ,as far back as ,cicero in the first century ,b4 ,c4 or even earlier1 pagan thinkers had observed that religion in some form or other is a universal trait in human nature4 ,and though in modern days apparent exceptions of 'atheistical tribes' have been adduced to prove the contrary1 the trend of anthropological science may be said on the whole to support the judgment of antiquity4 ,there may indeed be savages 7though the point has not been proved7 among whom no definite trace of religious observance can be discerned2 but are they normal representatives even of undeveloped humanity8 ,is there no such thing as degradation8 ,and have not even these poor savages some vestige at least of the religious faculty8 ,for that is all our argument really requires4 ,the world-wide progress of ,christian missions to the heathen seems to testify quite triumphantly that no race or tribe of men1 however degraded and apparently atheistic1 lacks that spark of religious capacity which may be fanned and fed into a mighty flame4 ,granted1 then1 that the religious faculty is practically universal among mankind1 what is the significance of this fact8 ,from ancient times it has been regarded as an argument--often 7wrongly7 as a proof that ,god exists4 ,it is called the argument 'from the general consent of mankind4' 7,belief in ,god1 ,dummelow's ,commentary1 p4 ci47 #e4 ,existence of ,gods by ,universal ,consent3 ,in the question now before us1 the greater part of mankind have united to acknowledge that which is most probable1 namely1 that there are ,gods4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,here1 then1 you see the foundation of this question clearly laid2 for since it is the constant and universal opinion of mankind1 independent of education1 custom1 or law1 that there are ,gods1 it must necessarily follow that this knowledge is implanted in our minds1 or1 rather1 innate in us4 ,that opinion respecting which there is a general agreement in universal nature must infallibly be true2 therefore it must be allowed that there are ,gods2 for in this we have the concurrence1 not only of almost all philosophers1 but likewise of the ignorant and illiterate4 ,it must be also confessed that the point is established that we have naturally this idea1 and as ,i said before1 or prenotion1 of the existence of the ,gods4 7,tusculan ,disputations 7,cicero7 ,yonge's ,translation1 pp4 #bbe-f47 #f4 ,cotta's ,comment3 ,on the matter of the foregoing note ,cicero represents ,cotta the ,academician1 as commenting as follows3 ,you have said that the general assent of men of all nations and all degrees is an argument strong enough to induce us to acknowledge the being of ,gods4 ,this is not only a weak1 but a false1 argument2 for1 first of all1 how do you know the opinions of all nations8 ,i really believe there are many people so savage that they have no thoughts of a ,deity4 7,ibid4 p4 #bca47 #g4 ,spencer's ,comment on ,universality of ,religious ,ideas3 ,religious ideas of one kind or other are almost universal4 ,admitting that in many places there are tribes who have no theory of creation1 no word for a deity1 no propitiatory acts1 no ideas of another life--admitting that only when a certain phase of intelligence is reached do the most rudimentary of such theories make their appearance2 the implication is practically the same4 ,grant that among all races who have passed a certain stage of intellectual development there are found vague notions concerning the origin and hidden nature of surrounding things2 and there arises the inference that such notions are necessary products of progressing intelligence4 ,their endless variety serves but to strengthen this conclusion2 showing as it does a more or less independent genesis--showing how1 in different places and times1 like conditions have led to similar trains of thought1 ending in analogous results4 ,that these countless different1 and yet allied1 phenomena presented by all religions are accidental or factitious1 is an untenable supposition4 ,a candid examination of the evidence quite negatives the doctrine maintained by some that creeds are priestly inventions4 7,first ,principles1 ,appleton ,co4's ,edition of #ahif1 pp4 #ac1 #ad47 ,footnotes #a4 ,as these works of reference may be somewhat difficult to obtain1 copious notes are made for this lesson4 ,,lesson ,,iv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,iii4 ,,miscellaneous ,,evidences ,,and ,,arguments ,,for ,,the ,,divine ,,existence4 7,continued47 ,i4 ,,the ,,argument ,,from ,a ,,first ,,cause4 ,,analysis ,,references4 ,i4 ,definition of ,cause4 ,theism 7,mill7 ,three ,essays on ,religion4 pp4 #adb-aed4 ,,ii4 ,necessity of ,causation to ,john ,fisk's ,cosmic ,account for the ,external ,world4 ,philosophy4 ,vol4 ,i1 ,chapter vi on ,causation4 ,first ,principles1 ,herbert ,spencer1 pp4 #cg-dd ,,iii4 ,mind as the ,originator and pp4 #ie-if4 of ,force4 ,,iv4 ,the ,substitution of ,eternal 7#a7 ,note #a4 ,cause for ,first ,cause4 7#b7 ,notes #b and #c4 7#c7 ,notes #d1 #e1 #f1 #g4 7#d7 ,notes #h1 #i4 ,,special ,,text3 ,intelligence1 or the ,light of ,truth1 was not created or made1 neither indeed can be4 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,section cxiii1 #cj7 ,,notes4 #a4 ,definition of ,cause3 ,the power or efficient agent producing anything or event2 agent or agency2 as gravitation is the cause of the stone's falling2 malice is a cause of crime4 99 99 99 ,in a comprehensive sense1 all the circumstances1 7powers1 occasions1 actions1 and conditions7 necessary for an event and necessarily followed by it2 the entire antecedent of an event4 ,efficient ,cause1 the power or agency producing anything or event2 ,material ,cause1 the material out of which by the efficient causes anything is made2 ,formal ,cause1 the pattern1 place1 or form according to which anything is produced by the operation of efficient causes2 ,final ,cause1--,god as uncaused and as the original source of all power1 change1 motion1 and life4 ,styled by ,plato and ,aristotle the ,prime ,mover4 7,standard ,dictionary1 ,funk and ,wagnall47 ,the four last forms of the definition are known as ,aristotelian ,causes4 #b4 ,evidence of ,causation in the ,external ,world3 ,the consideration of the external world around him1 even in its broadest aspect1 leads man up to the thought of an ,eternal ,cause2 the study of its phenomena in detail with its marvelous intricacy of harmonious interaction produces the impression of design1 and leads to the thought of a ,designer--i4 e41 of an ,eternal ,cause that is intelligent and free4 ,man finds in himself a principle of causality in the light of which he interprets the external world4 ,he cannot help regarding the succession of phenomena which he observes as effects--attributing each to some cause1 ,when he examines that again he discovers it to be no true or absolute cause1 but itself the effect of something further back1 and so on4 ,he finds in himself the nearest approach to a vera causa4 ,yet he would recognize the absurdity of calling himself self-caused4 ,and the mind cannot rest in an endless chain of cause-effects4 ,there must be1 he feels1 if you go far enough back1 a real cause1 akin1 in some way1 to man's own power of origination1 yet transcending it--a cause that owns no cause--no source of being--but itself4 7,belief in ,god1 ,dummelow's ,commentary1 p4 ci47 #c4 ,the ,mind and the ,necessity of ,causation3 ,the mind is compelled to believe in the necessity of causation1 and that the cultivated mind1 which can realize all the essential conditions of the cause1 is compelled to believe in its universality4 ,for what is the belief in the necessity and universality of causation8 ,it is the belief that every event must be determined by some preceding event and must itself determine some succeeding event4 ,and what is an event8 ,it is a manifestation of force4 ,the falling of a stone1 the union of two gases1 the blowing of a wind1 the breaking of wood or glass1 the vibration of a cord1 the expansion of a heated body1 the sprouting of a seed1 the circulation of blood1 the development of inflammation1 the contracting of a muscle1 the thinking of a thought1 the excitement of an emotion1--all these are manifestations of force4 ,to speak of an event which is not a manifestation of force1 is to use language which is empty of significance4 ,therefore1 our belief is that necessity and universality of causation is the belief that every manifestation of force must be preceded and succeeded by some equivalent manifestation4 ,or1 in an ultimate analysis1 it is the belief that force1 as manifested to our consciousness1 can neither arise out of nothing nor lapse into nothing--can neither be created nor annihilated4 ,and the negation of this belief is unthinkable2 since to think it would be to perform the impossible task of establishing in thought an equation between something and nothing4 #d4 ,the ,eternal ,cause3 ,the argument for a ,first ,cause admits of being 7existence71 and is1 presented as a conclusion from the whole of human experience4 ,everything that we know 7it is argued7 had a cause1 and owed its existence to that cause4 ,how1 then1 can it be but that the world1 which is but a name for the aggregate of all that we know1 has a cause to which it is indebted for its existence8 ,the fact of experience1 however1 when correctly expressed1 turns out to be1 not that everything which we know derives its existence from a cause1 but only every event or change4 ,there is in nature a permanent element1 and also a changeable2 the changes are always the effects of previous changes2 the permanent existences1 so far as we know1 are not effects at all4#a ,it is true we are accustomed to say not only of events1 but of objects1 that they are produced by causes1 as water by the union of hydrogen and oxygen4 ,but by this we only mean that when they begin to exist1 their beginning is the effect of a cause4 ,but their beginning to exist is not an object1 it is an event1 i4 e41 the uniting of the elements that make the water4 ,if it be objected that the cause of a thing's beginning to exist may be said with propriety to be the cause of the thing itself1 ,i shall not quarrel with the expression4 ,but that which in an object begins to exist1 is that in it which belongs to the changeable element in nature2 and the outward form and the properties depending on mechanical or chemical combinations of its component parts4 ,there is in every object another and a permanent element1 viz41 the specific elementary substance or substances of which it consists and their inherent properties4 ,these are not known to us as beginning to exist2 within the range of human knowledge they had no beginning1 consequently no cause2 though they themselves are causes or con-causes of everything that takes place4 ,experience1 therefore1 affords no evidences1 not even analogies1 to justify our extending to the apparently unmutable1 a generalization grounded only on our observation of the changeable4 ,as a fact of experience1 then1 causation cannot legitimately be extended to the material universe itself1 but only to its changeable phenomena2 of these1 indeed1 causes may be affirmed without any exception4 ,but what causes8 ,the cause of every change is a prior change1 and such it cannot but be2 for if there were no new antecedent1 there would not be a new consequent4 ,if the state of facts which brings the phenomenon into existence1 had existed always or for an indefinite duration1 the effect also would have existed always or been produced an indefinite time ago4 ,it is thus a necessary part of the fact of causation1 within the sphere of our experience1 that the causes as well as the effects had a beginning in time1 and were themselves caused4 ,it would seem1 therefore1 that our experience1 instead of furnishing an argument for a first cause1 is repugnant to it2 and that the very essence of causation as it exists within the limits of our knowledge1 is incompatible with a ,first ,cause4 ,but it is necessary to look more particularly into the matter1 and analyze more closely the nature of the causes of which mankind have experience4 ,for if it should turn out that though all causes have a beginning1 there is in all of them a permanent element which had no beginning1 this permanent element may1 with some justice1 be termed a first or universal cause1 inasmuch as though not sufficient of itself to cause anything1 it enters as a con-cause into all causation4 ,now it happens that the last result of physical inquiry1 derived from the converging evidences of all branches of physical science1 does1 if it holds good1 land us1 so far as the material world is concerned1 in a result of this sort4 ,whenever a physical phenomenon is traced to its cause1 that cause when analyzed1 is found to be a certain quantum of ,force1 combined with certain collocations4 ,and the last great generalization of science1 the ',conservation of ,force1' teaches us that the variety in the effects depends partly upon the amount of the force1 and partly upon the diversity of the collocations4 ,the force itself is essentially one and the same2 and there exists of it in nature a fixed quantity1 which1 7if the theory be true71 is never increased or diminished4 ,here1 then1 we find1 even in the changes of material nature1 a permanent element2 to all appearances the very one of which we were in quest4 ,this it is apparently to which1 if to anything1 we must assign the character of ,first ,cause1 the cause of the material universe4 ,for all effects may be traced up to it1 while it cannot be traced up1 by our experience1 to anything beyond2 its transformations alone can be so traced1 and of them the cause always includes the force itself2 the same quantity of force1 in some previous form4 ,it would seem1 then1 that in the only sense in which experience supports in any shape the doctrine of a ,first ,cause1 viz1 as the primaeval and universal element in all causes1 the ,first ,cause can be no other than ,force4 7,theism ,mill4 ,three ,essays on ,religion1 pp4 #adb-ade47 #e4 ,of ,mind as ,originating ,force3 ,mr4 ,mill in his treatise on ,theism1 from which the foregoing note is quoted1 recognizes the fact that the conclusion with which our quotation ends1 is not the last word on the subject4 ,on the contrary1 he recognizes the fact that the greatest stress of the argument comes forward at that point4 ,for1 ,mr4 ,mill goes on to say1 it is maintained that mind is the only possible cause of ,force2 or rather1 perhaps1 that ,mind is a force1 and that all other forces must be derived from it inasmuch as mind is the only thing which is capable of originating change4 ,this is said to be the lesson of human experience4 ,in the phenomena of inanimate nature the force which works is always a pre-existing force1 not originated1 but transferred4 ,one physical object moves another by giving out to it the force by which it has first been itself moved4 ,the wind communicates to the waves1 or to a windmill1 or a ship1 part of the motion which has been given to itself by some other agent4 ,in voluntary action alone we see a commencement1 an origination of motion2 since all other causes appear incapable of this origination1 experience is in favor of the conclusion that all the motion in existence owed its beginning to this one cause1 viz1 voluntary agency1 if not that of man1 then of a more powerful ,being4 7,theism 7,mill7 p4 #adf47 ,the fact is1 however1 that mind1 spirit1 intelligence 7representing one thing7 is eternal1 not first1 since there can be no first4 7,see ,notes #h and #i47 #f4 ,mind not the ,sole ,originator of ,force3 ,this argument1 our author suggests1 is a very old one1 going back at least as far as ,plato1 and is still a favorite argument with certain metaphysical defenders of natural theology4 ,but ,mr4 ,mill holds that if there be truth in the doctrine that the total amount of force in the universe remains constant1 i4 e41 is not diminished nor increased1 but remains always the same 7the fact is usually called the conservation of force7--then ,this doctrine does not change from true to false when it reaches the field of voluntary agency4 ,the will1 he goes on to say1 does not any more than any other causes1 create force2 granting that it originates motion1 it has no means of doing so but by converting into that particular manifestation a portion of force which already existed in other forms4 ,it is known that the source from which this portion of force is derived1 is chiefly1 or entirely1 the force evolved in the processes of chemical composition and decomposition which constitute the body of nutrition2 the force so liberated becomes a fund upon which every muscular and even every merely nervous action1 as of the brain in thought1 is a draft4 ,it is in this sense only1 that according to the best lights of science1 volition is an originating cause4 ,volition1 therefore1 does not answer to the idea of a ',first ,cause1' since ,force must in every instance be assumed as prior to it2 and there is not the slightest color1 derived from experience1 for supposing force itself to have been created by a volition4 ,as far as anything can be concluded from human experience force has all the attributes of a thing eternal and uncreated4 #g4 ,volition ,does ,not ,answer the ,idea of a ,first ,cause3 ,observe the statement in the above note 7#f71 ,volition1 therefore1 does not answer to the idea of a ,first ,cause2 since force must in every instance be assumed as prior to it4 ,but why must ,force in every instance be assumed as prior to volition8 ,may not eternal things exist together as the two eternal things1 matter and force1 co-exist2 as duration and space co-exist8 ,indeed ,mr4 ,mill in a tentative way suggests the co-eternity of will and force as a possibility4 ,whatever verdict experience can give in the case1 he remarks1 is against the possibility that will ever originates force2 yet if we can be assured that neither does force originate will1 will must be held to be an agency1 if not prior to force yet co-eternal with it2 and if it be true that will can originate1 not indeed force but the transformation of force from some other of its manifestations into that of mechanical motion1 and that there is within human experience no other agency capable of doing so1 the argument for a will as the originator1 though not of the universe1 yet of the cosmos1 or order of the universe1 remains unanswered4 7,theism p4 #adh47 #h4 ,the ,eternal ,cause4 ,in the passage quoted in the above note1 ,mr4 ,mill is very near the truth2 and if only his term will could be dropped for the term ,intelligence1 which represents a larger fact than volition merely1 then ,mr4 ,mill would be exactly right4 ,intelligence stands for consciousness1 self-consciousness and consciousness of not-self2 for reason2 for judgment1 the power that after ratiocination determines that this state or thing is better than that state or thing2 and granting also that volition is a factor of ,intelligence1 7and one sees not how it can be otherwise71 grant this1 and also that intelligence is as eternal as force and matter1 and you have if not every element of a first cause1 at least every element of the ,eternal cause1 which stands for the same thing--,god6 ,but ,mr4 ,mill insists1 and very truly1 that the statement last quoted from him1 in so far at least as it holds that there is within human experience no other agent capable of transforming force from some other of its manifestations into that of mechanical motion1 is not conformable to fact4 ,whatever volition can do1 he says1 in the way of creating motion out of other forms of force1 and generally of evolving force from a latent into a visible state1 can be done by many other causes4 ,chemical action1 for instance1 electricity1 heat1 the mere presence of a gravitating body2 all these are causes of mechanical motion on a far larger scale than any volitions which experience presents to us2 and in most of the effects thus produced the motion given by one body to another1 is not1 as in the ordinary cases of mechanical action1 motion that has first been given to that other by some third body4 ,the phenomenon is not a mere passing on of mechanical motion1 but a creation of it out of a force previously latent or manifesting itself in some other form4 ,volition1 therefore1 regarded as an agent in the material universe1 has no exclusive privilege of origination4 ,so let it be4 ,but this does not diminish the value of that transformation 7and in a sense origination7 of force by intelligence1 by reason of which order is brought forth from disorder--cosmos from chaos4 ,what matters it if great spaces of matter are without form and void1 and darkness is upon the face of the deep1 if only intelligence is there brooding over the mass to give purposive direction to the forces there latent or blindly tumbling in chaotic confusion1 until light and orderly development shall bring forth worlds to answer noble ends4 ,and that the ',eternal ,cause' does thus operate upon co-eternal force and eternal matter is witnessed by the orderly universe1 everywhere giving evidence of the reign of law4 ,it is this fact of an orderly universe1 whose phenomena run backward through a chain of causes that suggest a purposive ,eternal ,cause1 back of it4 ,this necessity for an ,eternal ,cause makes that cause one of the sources of man's knowledge of ,god4 #i4 ,on the ,use of the ,phrase ,eternal ,cause4 ,it will be observed that in the quotation made from the article ,belief in ,god1 in this lesson1 7,note #b7 that the term ,eternal ,cause is used instead of ,first ,cause4 ,it is used by the author of that ,article without explanation4 ,mr4 ,mill uses the term ,first ,cause and ,eternal ,cause interchangeably4 ,the reason for our use of ,eternal ,cause1 instead of ,first ,cause will appear in part from the quotation made from ,mill in note #b1 where the difficulty of arriving at a cause that is not itself an effect to some preceding cause is pointed out2 and where also it is shown that though all causes have a beginning1 there is in all of them a permanent element which had no beginning2 and this permanent element may with some justice be termed a first or universal cause4 ,in both ,mormon ,theism and ,mormon philosophy1 matter is eternal force1 the permanent element in all causation1 according to the suggestion of ,mr4 ,mill1 is eternal2 and intelligence1 with its power to direct force to purposive ends1 is eternal4 ,intelligence1 99 99 99 was not created or made1 neither indeed can be4 7,doc4 and ,cov4 ,sec4 ,,xciii47 ,to talk of beginnings1 then1 or firsts1 in any absolute sense1 in the midst of these eternal things1 is to talk nonsense4 ,as ,mr4 ,herbert ,spencer remarks1 ,we are no more able to form a circumscribed idea of cause1 than of space or time2 and we are consequently obliged to think of the cause which transcends the limits of our thought as positive though indefinite4 ,just in the same manner that on conceiving any bounded space there arrives a nascent consciousness of space outside the bounds2 so1 when we think of any definite cause1 there arises a nascent consciousness of a cause behind it2 and in the one case as in the other1 this nascent consciousness is in substance like that which suggests it1 though without form4 7,first ,principles1 p4 #ie-f47 ,it may be difficult1 then1 especially within the range of human experience or even within human power of conception1 to posit a cause that is not itself an effect of some antecedent cause1 in other words1 a first cause2 but it is not difficult to apprehend an eternal cause1 co-existing with eternal matter and force2 and by the interaction of these eternal things an orderly universe under the reign of law is the outcome4 ,i say it is not difficult to apprehend an eternal cause4 ,i mean1 of course1 it is no more difficult to apprehend an eternal cause than it is to apprehend any other eternal thing--matter or force or extension4 ,footnotes #a4 ,such as space1 duration1 matter1 force4 ,see ,seventy's ,second ,year ,book1 all the notes of ,lesson ,v1 pp4 #bh-cb4 ,,lesson ,v4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,special ,,lesson4 ,,are ,,the ,,sources ,,of ,,man',s ,,knowledge ,,of ,,god1 ,,apart ,,from ,,revelation1 ,,sufficient ,,for ,,an ,,intelligent ,,faith ,,in ,,god8 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,reason ,for ,no ,analysis3 ,as in all these special lessons1 no analysis of the subject is given in this one1 the design being1 that helped by the analysis of other lessons1 the student will exercise his own ingenuity in planning his treatment of the subject here presented4 #b4 ,suggestions to the ,class ,teacher3 ,this subject may with profit be allotted to two or even more speakers4 ,permission should be given members of the class to ask questions which the speakers in these special lessons rather than the teacher should be required to answer4 ,answering questions will be found to be a most excellent mental exercise4 #c4 ,treatment of the ,subject3 ,from the nature of the subject its treatment must be argumentative4 ,see the suggestions as to argumentative discourse1 ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,ii1 pp4 #fh-gb4 #d4 ,introduction1 ,discussion1 ,conclusion3 ,each speaker to the above important1 and rich-with-opportunity question1 should remember our old formula of the ,first and ,second ,year ,book in relation to speeches1 lectures and discourses--viz3 ,in what you say be sure to have a beginning1 a middle1 and an end4 ,that is to say1 an introduction1 a discussion and a conclusion4 ,see ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 #a1 pp4 #ei-fj and also pp4 #hf-hg4 #e4 ,suggestions to the ,speakers3 ,in both the ,first and the ,second ,seventy's ,year ,book1 frequent use of suggestions is made from the work of ,mr4 ,pittinger on ,extempore ,speech1 referring therein to the formation of discourses1 methods of preparation1 gathering materials1 thought-gatherings1 and the like4 ,in these special lessons occasion will arise to quote him again on other phases of the art of expressing thought2 and ,i know of nothing now that could be of more benefit to the young student than what he says in relation to the-- #f4 ,first ,moment of ,speech3 ,having completed all your preparations1 you now anxiously await the commencement of the intellectual battle4 ,this period is often a severe trial4 ,men who are physically brave sometimes tremble in anticipation of speedily standing before an audience4 ,the shame of failure then may appear worse than death itself4 ,as the soldier feels more of cold and shrinking terror when listening for the peal of the first gun1 than afterward1 when the conflict deepens into blood around him1 so the speaker usually suffers more in this moment of expectancy than in any that follows4 ,you behold the danger in its full magnitude1 without the inspiration that attends it4 ,yet whatever effort it may cost1 you must remain calm and collected1 for if not master of yourself1 you cannot expect to rule others4 ,your material must be kept well in hand1 ready to be used at the proper time1 though it is not well to be continually conning over your preparation4 ,that would destroy the freshness of your matter and bring you to the decisive test weary and jaded4 ,you only need such an occasional glance as will assure you that all your material remains within reach4 ,it is seldom possible by any means to banish all fear1 and it is to the speaker's advantage that he cannot4 ,his timidity arises from several causes1 which differ widely in the effects they produce4 ,a conscious want of preparation1 expecially when this arises from any neglect or indolence1 is one of the most distressing sources of fear4 ,a species of remorse then mingles with the embarrassment natural to the moment4 ,if the speaker has no other motive than to win reputation--to minister to his own vanity--he will feel terrified1 as he realizes that shame instead of honor may be the result of his rashness4 ,that man is fortunate who can say1 ,i only speak because ,i feel it to be a duty which ,i dare not refuse--a work that ,i must perform whether well or ill4 ,the lawyer who must defend his client1 the minister who feels that the hour of service has arrived1 the teacher in the presence of his class1 are examples of those who speak under the same kind of compulsion that calls a field laborer out into the burning heat of a ,july noon whether he feels like it or not4 7,extempore ,speech1 pp4 #ahg-h47 ,,lesson ,,vi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,iv4 ,,revelation4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,definition of ,revelation and #a4 ,seventy's ,year ,inspiration4 ,book ,no4 #a1 pp4 #adj-adb4 ,notes #c and #d of that ,,ii4 ,the ,revelation of ,god in the ,bible4 lesson should be made part of this4 ,note #a4 ,,iii4 ,in the ,book of ,moses and the ,book of ,abraham4 ,pearl of ,great ,price4 ,the ,gospel 7,roberts7 ,third ,edition1 ,ch4 x4 ,,iv4 ,in the ,book of ,mormon4 7,covers all divisions of this lesson47 7#b7 ,notes #b1 #c1 #d1 #e4 7#c7 ,note #f4 7#d7 ,note #g4 ,,special ,,text3 ,no man knoweth the ,son1 but the ,father2 neither knoweth any man the ,father save the ,son1 and he to whomsoever the ,son will reveal him4 ,matt4 xi3#bg4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,revelation ,by ,divers ,means3 ,revelation is the name of that act by which ,god makes communication to men4 ,inspiration is the name of that influence1 that divine influence which operates upon the minds of men under which they may be said to receive divine guidance4 7,cambridge ,bible ,helps74 ,the inspiration may be strong or it may be weak4 ,it may be so over-powering in its character that the person for the time being loses largely his own individuality and becomes the mouthpiece of ,god1 the organ through which the ,divine speaks to the children of men4 ,there exist all degrees of inspiration1 from human intelligence and wisdom slightly influenced1 up to that fulness of inspiration of which ,i have spoken4 ,revelations may be made from ,god to man in various ways4 ,they may be made by ,god in his own proper person1 speaking for himself4 ,on such occasions ,i take it that the revelation would be most perfect4 ,i know of no more beautiful or complete illustration of such a perfect revelation than that great revelation with which the dispensation of the fulness of times began1 when ,god the ,father and ,jesus the ,christ1 stood revealed in the presence of ,joseph ,smith1 when every veil was removed1 and the glory of ,god extended throughout the forest in which the ,prophet had prayed2 when he heard the ,father speak to him as one friend speaks to another1 saying3 ,joseph1 this is ,my beloved ,son2 hear him4 ,then followed a conversation with this second ,divine personage1 to whom he was thus so perfectly introduced1 and from whom he received the light and knowledge that laid the foundations of the great latter-day work--,mormonism4 ,there was no imperfection whatsoever in that revelation2 it was complete1 overwhelming1 and one of the most remarkable revelations that ,god has deigned to give to the children of men4 ,revelations may be made1 and have been made1 by the visitation of angels1 such as when ,moroni came and revealed the existence of the ,nephite record1 the ,american volume of scripture1 the ,book of ,mormon2 and who afterwards from time to time1 met with the ,prophet of the last dispensation and gave him knowledge and information as to the manner in which the ,church should be organized1 and how its affairs should be conducted4 ,then again1 revelations may come through the operations of the ,holy ,spirit upon the mind of man1 as when the ,prophet ,joseph took ,urim and ,thummim and with them and by their aid1 under the influence of the ,holy ,spirit1 translated the ,book of ,mormon into the ,english language4 ,in a similar manner the ,lord influences the minds of his servants when preaching the gospel1 and thus delivers his word to the ,church and to the world4 ,through all these various means ,god speaks1 and it is our good fortune to be his witnesses1 that he speaks in these various ways as well in modern days as in ancient times4 #b4 ,the ,bible ,revelation of ,god3 ,the knowledge of ,god with which the ,bible provides us is of a progressive character4 ,it was revealed 'in many parts and in many modes' as men were able to receive it4 ,we therefore find a fuller knowledge in the ,new ,testament than in the ,old1 and among the ,prophets than among the ,patriarchs4 ,throughout the ,bible the existence of ,god is taken for granted2 we are not supplied with arguments to prove it4 ,in earlier days men sometimes had doubts as to whether ,god felt any interest or took any part in the affairs of men1 but they never doubted that ,he exists4 ,the ,bible teaches that the knowledge of ,god is possible for us1 not because he makes himself known unto us2 i4 e4 we are taught that there is such a thing as ,revelation1 ,god has come forth1 out of the thick darkness 7,i ,k #h3ab7 in which he dwells1 and has declared himself to ,his servants in such a way that we may get a true knowledge of ,his character and of his purposes and of his purposes for the world4 7,cambridge ,teachers ,bible ,dictionary47 7,seventy's ,bible1 pp4 #fd-fe74 #c4 ,the ,presence of ,god in the ,bible3 ,the statements about ,god in ,holy ,scripture are uttered with an air of authority1 dogmatically2 not as the result of a long chain of reasoning3 ',the ,lord said' this--did that--or more emphatically1 in the form of a message1 ',thus saith the ,lord1' the teaching of the ,bible is not the result of deductive or inductive reasoning4 ,no direct arguments are adduced to prove the existence of ,god--that is assumed throughout4 ,his attributes may be the subject of argument2 ,his existence1 never4 ,his justice1 ,his wisdom1 ,his power may be momentarily obscured by the mystery of evil in the world--as in the book of ,job4 ,incidentally we may get arguments dealing with the nature of the ,deity1 as e4 g4 the interesting a fortiori argument from creature to ,creator in ,ps4 #id4 ',he that made the eye1 shall he not see8' etc41 which logically carried out becomes in inference of personality in ,god from man's personality--there are arguments such as these either stated or suggested in ,holy ,scripture1 but the existence of ,god never comes within their scope4 ,it lies behind all else2 it is the fundamental conception in the light of which all else is viewed4 ,not only in the ,pentateuch and the ,prophets and the ,psalms1 but in the historical narratives--in the brief and apparently barren records of the accession1 regnal years1 and death of the various kings1 it is made clear that ,god's hand is at work throughout the course of events1 and that ,he is the ever-present ,judge by whom the actions of kind and subject alike are weighed4 ,even in the ,book of ,esther1 in which the divine name never once occurs1 no doubt is left upon the mind as to the providential over-rulings of events both great and small4 ,nay1 in those books which are least formally theological--,job1 ,proverbs1 and ,ecclesiastes1 the works of the 'wise man1' the humanists or philosophers of ,israel--the thought of ,god is present from first to last4 ,they do not grope and search after ,him like the great pagan thinkers4 ,they set out1 not to discover1 but to recognize ,him2 to learn from ,his dealings with nature and human nature more about that divine personality who is the primary presupposition of all their system1 and with whom their heart holds sacred communion even while the intellect stands baffled before the insoluble problems involved in ,his permission of evil in the world ,he rules4 ,belief in ,god4 ,dummelow's ,commentary1 ,r4 ,c4 #d4 ,the ,bible ,a ,picture of the ,world ,with ,god at ,work ,in ,it3 ,the ,bible1 as we have said1 does not offer arguments to prove the existence of the ,deity1 but it offers something which is far more valuable to most of us than any abstract proof4 ,it gives us a concrete1 experimental1 descriptive theology4 ,it shows us a picture of the world with ,god at work in it1 which the devout1 appreciative soul instinctively recognizes as truth4 ,it offers us1 largely in the concrete form of narrative and history1 a theory of the universe which1 rightly understood1 is found to meet the demands of hearts and minds alike2 revealing a ,god whose character is such and whose relation to man is such that in ,him both our needs and our aspirations find satisfaction4 ,at the same time it incidentally provides a theory of human nature 7see especially ,gen4 #a-c7 that affords the only satisfactory key to the raison d'etre of those needs and aspirations--the explanation of man's actual littleness and his potential greatness4--,ibid4 ,d4 ,c4 #e4 ,the ,relations of the ,testimony of ,nature and ,revelation3 ,in the first place1 then1 the indications of a ,creator and of his attributes which we have been able to find in nature1 though so much slighter and less conclusive even as to his existence than the pious mind would wish to consider them1 and still more unsatisfactory in the formation they afford as to his attributes1 are yet sufficient to give to the supposition of a revelation a standing point which it would not otherwise have had4 ,the alleged ,revelation is not obliged to build up its case from the foundation2 it has not to prove the very existence of the being from whom it professes to come4 ,it claims to be a message from a being whose existence1 whose power1 and to a certain extent whose wisdom and goodness1 are1 if not proved1 at least indicated with more or less of probability by the phenomena of nature4 ,the sender of the alleged message is not a sheer invention2 there are grounds independent of the message itself in his reality2 grounds which1 though insufficient for proof1 are sufficient to take away all antecedent improbability from the supposition that a message may really have been received from him4 ,it is1 moreover1 much to the purpose to take notice1 that the very imperfection of the evidences which ,natural ,theology can produce of the ,divine attributes1 removes some of the chief stumbling blocks to the belief of a revelation2 since the objections grounded on imperfections in the revelation itself1 however conclusive against it if it is considered as a record of the acts or an expression of the wisdom of a being of infinite power combined with infinite wisdom and goodness1 are no reason whatever against its having come from a being such as the course of nature points to1 whose wisdom is possibly1 his power certainly1 limited1 and whose goodness1 though real1 is not likely to have been the only motive which actuated him in the work of ,creation4 ,theism 7,mill74 ,from ,three ,essays on ,religion4 7#ahgd74 ,the whole work can be studied with great profit as confirmation of many revealed truths of our day to be found in ,mr4 ,mill's deductions2 also upon the same line of thought may profitably be consulted1 ,book ,,iii of ,shedd's ,history of ,christian ,doctrine1 the chapter on ,evidence of the ,divine ,existence4 #f4 ,the ,revelation of ,god in the ,pearl of ,great ,price3 ,the ,book of ,moses and the ,book of ,abraham in the ,pearl of ,great ,price #a follow the ,bible in the peculiarity of making no argument for the existence of ,god4 ,that existence is assumed4 ,the opening paragraphs of the ,book of ,moses plunge one immediately into the very presence of ,god4 ,thus3 ,the words of ,god1 which he spake unto ,moses at a time when ,moses was caught up into an exceeding high mountain1 and he saw ,god1 face to face1 and he talked with him1 and the glory of ,god was upon ,moses1 therefore ,moses could endure his presence4 ,and ,god spake unto ,moses1 saying3 ,behold1 ,i am the ,lord ,god ,almighty1 and endless is my name2 for ,i am without beginning of days or end of years2 and is not this endless8 ,and1 behold1 thou art my son2 wherefore look1 and ,i will show thee the workmanship of mine hands2 but not all1 for my works are without end1 and also my words1 for they never cease4 ,wherefore1 no man can behold all my works1 except he behold all my glory2 and no man can behold all my glory1 and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth4 7,chapter #a47 ,the ,book of ,abraham with equal force assumes the existence of ,god1 and its opening paragraphs deal with ,abraham seeking his rights to the ,priesthood of ,god1 and announcing himself as one who was a follower of righteousness1 99 99 99 and desiring to receive instruction1 and to keep the commandments of ,god2 and so following4 ,the existence of ,god is a settled question2 and the books here considered are chiefly of value because1 like the revelations of the ,bible1 they unfold the nature of ,god1 and his relationship to man1 rather than argue for his existence4 #g4 ,the ,book of ,mormon on the ,existence of ,god3 ,the ,book of ,mormon1 like the ,bible1 takes the existence of ,god as a thing granted2 and only in one remembered instance is the question of ,god's existence argued4 ,this is in the case of the controversy between ,alma1 the ,high ,priest1 and the desperate ,anti-,christ1 ,korihor4 ,the latter denied the existence of ,god2 ,alma affirmed it4 ,korihor demanded a sign in attestation of the ,divine existence4 ,alma appealed to the consciousness of ,god in the soul of man as manifest in his own knowledge and the experience of others that were present2 to the testimony of the prophets1 to the scriptures1 and to the creation1 as being a witness to the existence of a ,creator--all things denote there is a ,god2 yea1 even the earth1 and all things that are upon the face of it2 yea1 and its motion2 yea1 and also the planets which move in their regular form1 7order7--99 99 99 99 99 witness that there is a supreme ,creator4 ,and from this basis of testimony he affirms the existence of ,god1 and justifies the ,priesthood of ,god1 and the ,church1 in the course that is pursued in teaching faith in and obedience to ,god2 7,alma ,,xxx3 #cg-dd7 and the hope of salvation through the atonement of the ,messiah4 ,footnotes #a4 ,for the origin1 contents1 and character of this collection of revelations see ,seventy's ,first ,year ,book1 ,part ,v1 ,lessons ,v1 ,,vi and ,,vii4 ,,lesson ,,vii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,iv4 ,,revelation4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,v4 ,revelation of ,god in the ,doctrine ,doc4 ,cov4 ,lectures and ,covenants4 on ,faith1 ,lecture ,,ii1 also ,sec4 xx3#ag-bh2 also ,,vi4 ,the ,revelation of ,god to ,joseph ,sec4 lxxvi3#a-bd4 ,notes #a ,smith4 and #b4 ,new ,witnesses for ,god1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,ch4 x4 ,history of the ,mormon ,church4 ,americana1 ,vol4 iv1 7#aiji71 ,ch4 v4 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 ,writings of ,joseph ,smith1 ,ch4 ii4 ,note #c4 ,,special ,,text3 ,i saw two personages1 whose brightness and glory defy all description1 standing above me in the air4 ,one of them spake unto me calling me by name1 and said1 pointing to the other3 ,joseph1 this is ,my beloved ,son1 hear ,him4 ,joseph ,smith1 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #he4 7,edition of #aijb47 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,doctrine and ,covenants on the ,existence of ,god3 ,the ,doctrine and ,covenants in the main is a collection of ,revelations given through ,joseph ,smith4 ,the revelations are not a formal treatise on theology4 ,in all the revelations the existence of ,god1 as would naturally be expected1 is assumed4 ,there is a ,god in heaven who is infinite and eternal1 from everlasting to everlasting1 the same unchangeable ,god1 the framer of heaven and earth1 and all things that are in them4 7,doc4 ,cov4 ,sec4 ,,xx2 #ag74 ,this declaration is made in the revelation which directed the organization of the ,church to be made1 on the #fth day of ,april1 #ahcj4 ,so all through the revelations1 ,god's existence is proclaimed1 but never argued3 ,hear1 ,o ,ye ,heavens1 and give ear ,o ,earth1 and rejoice ye inhabitants thereof1 for the ,lord is ,god1 and beside ,him there is no ,savior4 ,great is ,his wisdom1 marvelous are ,his ways1 and the extent of ,his doings none can find out4 ,his purposes fail not1 neither are there any who can stay his hand2 from eternity to eternity he is the same and his years never fail4 99 99 99 ,and now after the many testimonies which have been given of him1 this is the testimony last of all1 which we give of him1 that he lives2 for we saw ,him1 even on the right hand of ,god1 and we heard the voice bearing record that ,he is the ,only ,begotten of the ,father--that by ,him1 and through ,him1 and of ,him the worlds are and were created and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto ,god4 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 ,,lxxvi4 ,this kind of proclamation recurs at times in other revelations4 #b4 ,the ,lectures on ,faith3 ,in the fore part of the ,doctrine and ,covenants there is a series of six lectures on faith4 ,the lectures1 of course1 are not on the same level of authority with the revelations4 ,they constitute a treatise on the subject of their title drawn up by a committee appointed from among the ,elders of the ,church by the ,high ,council at ,kirtland1 on the #bdth of ,september1 #ahcd4 ,the committee consisted of ,joseph ,smith1 ,oliver ,cowdery1 ,sidney ,rigdon and ,frederick ,g4 ,williams4 7,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #afe47 ,the lectures were first delivered to a class of elders at ,kirtland during the winter of #ahcd-e1 under the title of ,lectures on ,theology4 ,the ,prophet alludes to the circumstance in his journal as follows1 under date of ,december #ast1 #ahcd3 ,our school for the ,elders was now well attended1 and with the lectures on theology1 which were regularly delivered absorbed for the time being1 everything else of a temporal nature4 7,hist4 of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #age-f47 ,on the first of ,january following he refers to the same subject as follows3 ,during the month of ,january ,i was engaged in the school of the ,elders and in preparing the lectures on theology for publication in the ,book of ,doctrine and ,covenants which the committee above named appointed last ,september were now compiling4 ,the following is a foot note from page #agf of the ,history of the ,church1 ,volume ,,ii3 ,these ,lectures on ,theology here referred to were afterwards prepared by the ,prophet1 7,see p4 #ahj71 and published in the ,doctrine and ,covenants under the title ,lectures on ,faith4 ,they are seven in number1 and occupy the first seventy-five pages in the current editions of the ,doctrine and ,covenants4 ,they are not to be regarded as of equal authority in matters of doctrine with the revelations of ,god in the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 but as stated by ,elder ,john ,smith1 who1 when the book of ,doctrine and ,covenants was submitted to the several quorums of the ,priesthood for acceptance1 7,august #ag1 #ahce17 speaking in behalf of the ,kirtland ,high ,council1 bore record that the revelations in said book were true1 and that the lectures were judicially written and compiled1 and were profitable for doctrine4 ,the distinction which ,elder ,john ,smith here makes should be observed as marking the difference between the ,lectures on ,faith and the revelations of ,god in the ,doctrine and ,covenants4 7,see also ,seventy's ,first ,year ,book1 ,part ,v1 ,lesson ,i1 pp4 #ace-ach47 #c4 ,the ,objective ,reality of ,joseph ,smith ,vision3 ,did the visions of ,joseph ,smith have objective reality1 or were they purely subjective1 mere creations of the mind8 ,this question has been extensively debated4 ,of course1 from the ,mormon point of view1 the visions had objective reality4 ,that is to say1 the ,divine personages of the first vision were tangible1 bodily persons4 ,one of them1 in fact1 was the risen ,christ1 who1 when he arose from the dead left a tomb empty2 who1 to some of his doubting disciples1 on appearing to a number of them after his resurrection1 said handle me and see2 for a spirit hath not flesh and bone as ye see me have4 ,and who in further attestation of the reality of his bodily existence ate of a fish and honey-comb in the presence of these same disciples4 ,and we have warrant even of the ,athanasian ,greed that such as the ,father is1 such is the son2 and conversely it follows of necessity that as the ,son is1 so is the ,father6 ,hence the ,father a tangible reality1 a personage of flesh and bone as indeed was and is the ,christ4 ,the ,singularity of ,joseph ,smith's ,vision of ,god3 ,joseph ,smith's vision of ,god is the most singular of any given to mortal man4 ,the only other vision that approaches it is that of ,stephen described in ,acts ,,vii4 ,he being full of the ,holy ,ghost looked up steadfastly unto heaven1 and saw the glory of ,god1 and ,jesus standing on the right hand of ,god1 and said1 ,behold1 ,i see the heavens opened1 and the ,son of man standing on the right hand of ,god4 ,then the ,jews cried out with a loud voice1 stopped their ears that they might not hear his supposed blasphemy1 and ran upon him with one accord1 and stoned him to death4 ,stephens's vision of ,god1 however1 is not equal to ,joseph ,smith's vision for distinctiveness of view1 and definiteness of revelation of the ,father's person4 ,hitherto it could be said--,and no man knoweth 99 99 99 99 the ,father save the ,son1 and ,he to whomsoever the ,son will reveal ,him 7,matt4 xi3#bg72 also ,no man hath seen ,god at any time2 the only begotten ,son1 which is in the bosom of the ,father1 he hath declared him4 7,john i3#ah47 ,the ,father according to these sayings--except for the vision of ,stephen--had kept in the background of revelation2 for the ,jehovah of the ,jews--,god--was but the pre-existent spirit of the ,christ of the ,new ,testament4 7,see also revelation of ,moriancumer1 the brother of ,jared1 ,ether ,,iii47 ,but when the dispensation of the ,fulness of ,times was being ushered in1 it was fitting that a fulness of knowledge of ,god should be revealed to the first great witness and prophet of that dispensation4 ,fitting1 too1 that the ,father should introduce the son to that witness and prophet4 ,nowhere else is there a vision of ,god so perfect1 and glorious as in that vision with which the dispensation of the fulness of times opens--the dispensation in which it is promised that all things shall be gathered together in one--all things in ,christ1 both which are in heaven and which are in earth1 even to him4 7,eph4 ,i3#aj74 ,,lesson ,,viii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,limitations ,,of ,,our ,,revelations4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,the ,earth and its ,relations to the ,gen4 i1 ii4 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,universe4 ,sec4 #hh3db-fa4 ,new ,witnesses for ,god1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,,ii4 ,the ,revelations of ,god to ,moses 7,treatise on ,joseph ,smith47 ,limited to ,our ,earth and ,related ,chs4 xxviii1 xxix1 ,spheres4 xxx4 ,notes #a1 #b1 #c1 #d4 ,book of ,moses1 ,chs4 i1 ii4 ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,ii1 ,lesson ,v1 note #aj4 ,notes1 this lesson1 #e1 #f4 ,,special ,,text3 ,in the beginning ,god created the heaven and the earth4 ,and the earth was without form1 and darkness was upon the face of the deep2 and the spirit of ,god moved upon the face of the waters4 ,gen4 i3#a1 #b4a ,,notes4 #a4 ,view of the ,universe1 7a7 ,mediaeval3 ,in past ages what was called the geocentric theory1 that is1 earth-center theory1 respecting the universe prevailed4 ,it was believed that the earth was in shape flat1 and the immovable center of the universe2 that about it circled sun1 moon and stars in regular order4 ,indeed it was supposed that the specific and only purpose for which the sun was formed was to give light and heat to the earth2 and the moon and stars were formed to give light by night in the absence of the sun4 ,above the earth was bent the vast dome of the blue sky1 its edges apparently resting on the supposed circumfluous waters4 ,above the blue sky was heaven1 the abode of ,god and the blest2 and under the earth was the dark region of hell1 into which was thrust the wicked--the damned4 ,it was believed that ,god1 about six thousand years ago1 created by a word1 out of nothing1 all this universe--earth1 sun1 moon1 stars1 and all things in the earth4 ,that man and all living creatures were moulded from the dust1 and then had breathed into them the spirit of life1 and so became living creatures4 ,this was the view authoritatively asserted by the church4 7,draper47 #b4 ,views of the ,universe1 7b7 ,modern3 ,the views expressed in note #a1 however1 by our modern knowledge is changed4 ,the modern view enforced by absolute knowledge respecting the universe is thus stated by ,john ,w4 ,draper3 ,as there are other globes like our earth1 so1 too1 there are other worlds like our solar system4 ,there are self-luminous suns exceeding in number all computation4 ,the dimensions of the earth pass into nothingness in comparison with the dimensions of the solar system1 and that system1 in its turn1 is only an invisible point if placed in relation with the countless hosts of other systems which form1 with it1 clusters of stars4 ,our solar system1 far from being alone in the universe1 is only one of an extensive brotherhood1 bound by common laws and subject to like influences4 ,even on the very verge of creation1 where imagination might lay the beginning of the realms of chaos1 we see unbounded proofs of order1 a regularity in the arrangement of inanimate things1 suggesting to us that there are other intellectual creatures like us1 the tenants of those islands in the abysses of space4 ,though it may take a beam of light a million years to bring to our view those distant worlds1 the end is not yet4 ,far away in the depths of space we catch the faint gleams of other groups of stars like our own4 ,the finger of a man can hide them in their remoteness4 ,their vast distances from one another have dwindled into nothing4 ,they and their movements have lost all individuality2 the innumerable suns of which they are composed blend all their collected light into one pale milky glow4 ,thus extending our view from the earth to the solar system1 from the solar system to the expanse of the group of stars to which we belong1 we behold a series of gigantic nebula creations rising up one after another1 and forming greater and greater colonies of worlds4 ,no numbers can express them1 for they make the firmament a haze of stars4 ,uniformity1 even though it be the uniformity of magnificence1 tires at last1 and we abandon the survey1 for our eyes can only behold a boundless prospect1 and conscience tells us our own unspeakable insignificance4 ,draper's ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #bii4 ,new ,witnesses for ,god1 ,vol4 ,i 7,treatise on ,joseph ,smith7 ,chapter ,,xxviii4 #c4 ,larger ,worlds and ,larger ,world-,systems than ,ours3 ,these distant suns are1 many of them1 much larger than our sun4 ,sirius1 the beautiful ,dog-star1 is 7so far as can be judged by its amount of light7 nearly #c1jjj times larger1 and therefore its system of dependent worlds must be so much more important than those which form our solar system4 ,its planets may far exceed ours in size and revolve at far greater distances2 for such a sun would throw its beams of light and heat very much beyond a distance equal to that of our ,neptune4--,samuel ,kinns1 ,ph4 ,d41 ,f4 ,r4 ,a4 ,a4 ,s41 in ,harmony of the ,bible with ,science1 second edition1 p4 #bch4 ,man when he looks upon the countless multitudes of stars--when he reflects that all he sees is only a small portion of those which exist1 yet that each is a light and life-giving sun to multitudes of opaque1 and therefore invisible worlds--when he considers the enormous size of these various bodies and their immeasurable distance from one another1 may form an estimate of the scale on which the world 7universe7 is constructed4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #bgi4 #d4 ,the ,argument ,based ,upon the ,data of ,notes ,one1 ,two and ,three3 ,the argument to be based upon the preceding notes is this3 ,since our earth1 and even our solar system1 as presented to us by our modern knowledge1 is so insignificantly small and doubtless inferior to the more splendid worlds and world-systems of the universe1 it would be ridiculous to suppose that the revelations granted to us in our written scriptures were intended to cover all things pertaining to the limitless universe and its equally limitless sentient inhabitants4 ,it is more reasonable to suppose that the revelations vouch-safed to us through our seers are revelations pertaining to our earth and associate spheres--7its heavens72 our ,god1 and those intelligences that pertain to our earth and that order of things with which it is associated4 #e4 ,the ,vision of ,moses3 ,and it came to pass1 as the voice 7of ,god7 was still speaking1 ,moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth1 yea1 even all of it2 and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold1 discerning it by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,and he beheld also the inhabitants thereof1 and there was not a soul which he beheld not2 and he discerned them by the ,spirit of ,god2 and their numbers were great1 even numberless as the sands upon the sea shore4 ,and he beheld many lands2 and each land was called earth1 and there were inhabitants on the face thereof4 ,and it came to pass that ,moses called upon ,god1 saying3 ,tell me1 ,i pray thee1 why these things are so1 and by what thou madest them8 ,and behold1 the glory of the ,lord was upon ,moses1 so that ,moses stood in the presence of ,god1 and talked with him face to face4 ,and the ,lord ,god said unto ,moses3 ,for mine own purpose have ,i made these things4 ,here is wisdom1 and it remaineth in me4 ,and by the word of my power1 have ,i created them1 which is mine ,only ,begotten ,son1 who is full of grace and truth4 ,and worlds without number have ,i created2 and ,i also created them for mine own purpose2 and by the ,son ,i created them1 which is mine ,only ,begotten4 ,and the first man of all men have ,i called ,adam1 which is many4 7,book of ,moses--,pearl of ,great ,price--,ch4 ,i74 #f4 ,the ,limits of ,moses' ,special ,revelation3 ,but only an account of this earth1 and the inhabitants thereof1 give ,i unto you4 ,for behold1 there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power1 and there are many that now stand1 and innumerable are they unto man2 but all things are numbered unto me1 for they are mine and ,i know them4 ,and it came to pass that ,moses spake unto the ,lord1 saying3 ',be merciful unto thy servant1 ,o ,god1 and tell me concerning this earth1 and the inhabitants thereof1 and also the heavens1 and then thy servant will be content4' ,and the ,lord ,god spake unto ,moses1 saying3 ,the heavens1 they are many1 and they cannot be numbered unto man2 but they are numbered unto me1 for they are mine4 ,and as one earth shall pass away1 and the heavens thereof1 even so shall another come2 and there is no end to my works1 neither to my words4 ,for behold1 this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man4 ,and now1 ,moses1 my son1 ,i will speak unto thee concerning this earth upon which thou standest2 and thou shalt write the things which ,i shall speak4 7,book of ,moses--,pearl of ,great ,price--,ch4 ,i3#ce-dj47 ,and it came to pass that the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying3 ,behold1 ,i reveal unto you concerning this ,heaven1 and this ,earth2 write the words which ,i speak4 ,i am the ,beginning and the ,end1 the ,almighty ,god2 by mine ,only ,begotten ,i created these things2 yea1 in the beginning ,i created the heaven1 and the earth upon which thou standest4 ,and the earth was without form1 and void2 and ,i caused darkness to come up upon the face of the deep2 and my ,spirit moved upon the face of the water2 for ,i am ,god4 ,and ,i1 ,god1 said3 ,let there be light2 and there was light4--,thence the revelation proceeds much as in ,genesis1 chapters one and two4 7,see ,book of ,moses--,pearl of ,great ,price--,ch4 ,,ii3#a-c47 ,footnotes #a4 ,in the ,beginning3 ,when the ,bible says1 ,in the beginning ,god created the heaven and the earth2 and thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the hosts of them1 it has reference not to any absolute beginning1 or absolute finishing1 but only to the beginning and finishing as pertaining to our earth and the order of creation with which it is connected1 and the hosts that pertain to our order of existence1 not absolutely to all existences4 ,,lesson ,,ix4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,limitations ,,of ,,our ,,revelations--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,iii4 ,revelation ,respecting ,god1 ,limited ,i ,cor4 viii3#e1 #f4 to the ,divine ,presidency of ,our ,mormon ,doctrine of ,earth and ,related ,spheres4--,its ,deity1 pp4 #aef1 #aei4 ,ibid4 ,heavens4 #bbi-bcc4a ,also ,sermon of the ,prophet1 ,june #af1 #ahdd4 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 #bd1 p4 #ajh et seq4 ,notes4 ,,special ,,text3 ,we know that an idol is nothing in the world1 and that there is none other ,god but one4 ,for though there be that are called ,gods1 whether in heaven or in earth 7as there be ,gods many and ,lords many71 but to us there is but one ,god1 the ,father1 of whom are all things1 and we in him2 and one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 by whom are all things4 ,i ,cor4 viii3#d-f4 ,,notes4 ,transcriber's ,note3 start of this paragraph appears to be missing due to a printer's error in the original4 the passage from ,paul1 ,we know an idol is nothing in the world and that there is none other ,god but one4 ,for though there be that are called ,gods whether in heaven or in earth 7as there be ,gods many and ,lords many7 but to us there is but one ,god1 the ,father1 of whom are all things1 and we in him4 7,i ,cor4 ,,viii1 #e1 #f47 ,commenting1 ,i say1 upon this1 the ,prophet said3 ,paul says there are ,gods many1 and ,lords many1 99 99 99 99 but to us there is but one ,god--that is1 pertaining to us2 and he is in all and through all1 i4 e41 ,his influence or spirit permeates his dominions4 ,but if ,joseph ,smith says there are ,gods many1 and ,lords many1 they cry3--,away with him1 crucify him1 crucify him6 99 99 99 ,paul1 if ,joseph ,smith is a blasphemer1 you are4 ,i say there are ,gods many1 and ,lords many1 but to us only one2 and we are to be in subjection to that one4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,some say ,i do not interpret the ,scriptures the same as they do4 ,they say it means the heathen's gods4 ,paul says there are ,gods many1 and ,lords many1 and that makes a plurality of ,gods1 in spite of the whims of all men4 ,you know1 and ,i testify1 that ,paul had no allusion to the heathen gods4 ,i have it from ,god4 99 99 99 ,i have a witness of the ,holy ,ghost1 and a testimony that ,paul had no allusion to the heathen gods in the text4 7,discourse at ,nauvoo1 ,july #af1 #ahdd4 ,mill4 ,star1 ,vol4 #bd1 p4 #ajh1 et seq47 #b4 ,the ,argument ,based on the ,data of ,note ,one3 ,the argument to be based upon the data of note one1 and the whole subject of ,lessons ,,viii and ,,ix is this3 ,if pertaining to us there is only one ,god to whom we are subject1 then the revelations received are concerning him and his relations to our race2 and our race's relations to him2 they concern themselves with our race's past and future1 and its salvation4 ,those revelations relate to our earth and its heavens or associated spheres4 ,and while in a far off way we may dimly know that other mighty ,divine ,intelligences exist and preside over and guide the destinies of other worlds1 still directly associated with our world1 and our race is ,one ,mighty ,intelligence whom we recognize as the ,father2 another whom we recognize as the ,son2 another intelligence1 unbodied in tabernacle of flesh and bone1 a personage of spirit1 whom we recognize as the ,holy ,spirit2 and these three constitute one presiding council or ,god-head of our earth and its heavens4 ,it is no more a marvel that we should have a ,god-head or great ,presiding ,council for our earth than that we should have a sun for it2 and our having a great ,presiding ,council or ,god-head for our earth or our world-system would no more be in conflict with like grand councils for other worlds and world-systems than our sun would conflict1 disrupt or injure other suns of other world-systems1 since all are of the same nature1 and act under the universal reign of law that preserves the harmony and nicely balanced forces and processes of the universe4 ,so1 too1 the divine ,intelligences of the universe are of one nature in manifold persons2 a system of self-acting beings forming a unity--a free harmony of individual ,divine ,intelligences governing their world and world-systems under the universal reign of moral and spiritual laws4 #c4 ,the ,three ,personages of ,our ,god-,head3 ,everlasting covenant was made between three personages before the organization of this earth1 and relates to their dispensation of things to men on the earth2 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 7,gems1 ,richard and ,little ,compendium47 ,i have not been able to find this passage in any of our ,church annals1 except in the ,gems of the ,richard ,little ,compendium4 ,it stands there on the authority of the late ,elder ,franklin ,d4 ,richards1 of the ,council of the ,twelve1 and ,historian of the ,church4 ,it is also in harmony with the whole tenor of the ,prophet's teaching on the subject of the ,god-,head1 in the last year of his life4 #d4 ,the ,pros and ,cons of ,psalms #hb3f and ,i ,corinthians #h3e1 #f3 ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt3 ,two of these texts1 for instance1 have the significant qualification3 ',being called gods4' ,a man must not be a lawyer to know that the fact that not a few quacks and clowns are called doctors does not make them such4 ,although there be that are called gods either in heaven or on earth 7for there be gods many and lords many72 yet to us there is but one ,god 7#a ,corinthians #h3e1 #f74 ,jesus answered1 referring to ,psalm #hb3f1 ,is it not written in your law3 ,i said ye are ,gods8 ,if he called them gods to whom the word of ,god was spoken 99 99 99 7,john #aj3cd1 #ce74 ,neither ,christ nor ,paul say that they are or were gods1 but simply that they are called gods4 ,mr4 ,roberts' ,answer3 ,one wonders at this argument when he takes into account the evident carefulness of ,mr4 ,v4 as a writer4 ,jesus1 whom he quotes as saying1 the beings referred to as ,gods are but called ,gods1 not that they are so1 really fails to give due weight to the ,psalm which ,jesus quotes3 ,i have said ye are ,gods1 and all of you are children of the ,most ,high 7,psalm #hb3 #f74 ,of this scripture1 ,jesus says3 ,is it not written in your law1 ,i said1 ye are ,gods1 and he quotes with evident approval these inspired words of ,david1 for he adds--the scripture cannot be broken 7,john #aj3cc72 that is1 the scripture of ,david saying1 ye are ,gods1 is true1 it cannot be gain-said4 ,nor is this indorsement of ,david's utterance weakened by the subsequent remark of ,jesus1 ,if he called them ,gods unto whom the word of ,god came1 etc42 for1 when considered in the light of all the ,psalmist said1 and all that ,jesus said1 the called them ,gods by no manner of means signifies that they were not ,gods4 ,david said1 ye are ,gods1 and all of you are children of the ,most ,high 7,psalm #hb3f74 ,the ,jews accused ,jesus of blasphemy1 because he had said he was the son of ,god 7,john #aj3cf72 in defense1 ,jesus quoted the passage from the ,psalms where it is said of men1 ye are ,gods2 and all of you are children of the ,most ,high--as showing that he was but claiming for himself the relationship that in the law of the ,jews was accorded to men--sons of ,god1 children of the ,most ,high1 and hence1 he was not a blasphemer4 ,in other words1 if the ,psalmist could say to those he addressed1 all of you are children of the ,most ,high1 why should he1 the ,christ1 be considered a blasphemer because he called himself the ,son of ,god8 ,surely1 also1 the gentleman has overlooked ,paul's very emphatic declaration in the parenthetical part of the sentence he quotes from him1 viz41 ,there be ,gods many and ,lords many2 yet to us there is but one ,god4 99 99 99 99 ,no wonder that ,moses sent ringing down through the centuries that clarion sentence3 ,hear1 ,o ,israel1 ,our ,god is one ,lord2 that the ,hebrew race stood as the witness of that one ,god1 and fashioned their nomenclature accordingly2 or that ,paul said1 ,though there be that are called ,gods1 whether in heaven or in earth--as there be ,gods many1 and ,lords many--but to us there is but one ,god2 or that ,joseph ,smith1 in the ,dispensation of the ,fulness of ,times1 should take up the same refrain as these ancient servants of ,god1 and say1 ,pertaining to us1 there is but one ,god4 7,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ,roberts-,van ,der ,donckt discussion47 ,footnotes #a4 ,this reference may carry the student beyond the immediate point of the subject in hand1 but it will be well for him to read the pages of the work indicated1 and then extract from them what is there said which bears immediately upon the point in the lesson4 ,,lesson ,x4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 7,,special ,,lesson47 ,,the ,,latter-,,day ,,saints' ,,superior ,,grounds ,,for ,,faith ,,in ,,the ,,existence ,,of ,,god4 7,a ,,discourse7 ,,notes4 #a4 ,suggestion to the ,speaker3 7a7 ,suggestions for constructing a discourse or lecture will be found in the ,seventy's ,year ,book1 ,no4 ,i1 pp4 #ei1 #fj2 also #hf1 #hg2 and ,year ,book ,no4 ,,ii1 pp4 #aac-aae2 also #adi-aej4 7b7 ,the theme of this lesson will call for both expository and argumentative treatment4 ,of argumentative treatment of a subject something1 and doubtless enough1 has been said in ,seventy's ,year ,book1 ,no4 ,,ii1 pp4 #fh-ga1 and it only remains to say a word on exposition4 ,exposition consists merely in explaining the meaning of a proposition or subject1 and giving proof and reasons for the explanations made4 ,it consists in defining terms and setting forth a subject in its various relations1 or presenting principles or rules for the purpose of instructing others4 ,a treatise on grammar1 for instance1 consists principally of exposition4 ,this ,year ,book is an exposition of the ,doctrine of ,deity4 ,clearness being the chief object 7of exposition71 and the nature of the subject excluding ornament1 this kind of matter should be presented in a neat1 concise style4 7,quackenbos ,rhetoric47 #b4 ,the ,first ,moment of ,speech3 ,in our last special lesson a word was said in relation to the first moment of speech4 ,further suggestions from the same authority then quoted may not be amiss here4 ,the most formidable and common foe of the speaker's1 in these preliminary moments1 is a general dread that can neither be analyzed nor accounted for4 ,persons who have never felt its power sometimes make light of it1 but experience will change their views4 ,the soldier who has never witnessed a battle1 or felt the air throb with the explosion of cannon1 or heard the awful cries of the wounded1 is often a great braggart2 while the scarred veteran of a hundred fights never speaks of the carnival of blood without shuddering1 and would be the last1 but for the call of duty1 to brave the danger he knows so well4 ,there may be a few speakers who do not feel such fear1 but it is because they do not know what true speaking is2 they have never known the full tide of inspiration which sometimes lifts the orator far above his conceptions1 but which first struggles in his own bosom like the pent fires of a volcano4 ,they only come forward to relieve themselves of the interminable stream of twaddle that wells spontaneously to their lips1 and can well be spared the pangs preceding the birth of a powerful and living discourse4 ,this kind of fear belongs to every kind of speaking1 but is most intense on those great occasions1 in presence of large audiences1 when men's passions run high4 ,in mere instructive address1 where the ground has been repeatedly gone over and where the effort is mainly of an intellectual character1 it is less noticeable4 ,it resembles the awe felt on the eve of all great enterprises1 and when excessive1 as it is in some highly gifted minds1 it constitutes an absolute bar to public speech4 ,but in most cases it is a source of inspiration rather than of repression4 7,extempore ,speech1 ,pittenger1 pp4 #ahh-i47 ,the lesson in the above passage is that the young speaker should not be discouraged because he experiences this fear--man-fearing spirit1 it is sometimes called--at the beginning of a discourse4 ,the more frightened he is the more hope is there that1 ultimately1 he will succeed2 for his very fright1 or dread1 is a sure token that he has the necessary nervous temperament1 the sensitiveness1 essential to his success in this most wonderful accomplishment of instructive speaking4 #c4 ,strength1 ,force1 ,emphasis3 ,in the special lessons in ,year ,book ,no4 ,,ii1 the subject of clearness in speech was dwelt upon repeatedly4 ,in this and the remaining special lessons in this ,year ,book1 something will be said of strength or force in speech1 and a few suggestions made as to the things essential to acquire this1 after clearness1 most desirable quality of expression4 ,the three terms at the head of this note are used because they are employed by various text books2 they mean1 however1 the same thing4 ,strength1 as the property of a good style in speaking or writing1 consists in such a use and arrangement of words as will make a deep impression on the mind of the reader or hearer4 ,the first requisite of strength is the rejection of all superfluous words1 which constitutes one of the elements of precision also4 ,whatever adds nothing to the meaning of a sentence takes from its strength2 and1 whether it be simply a word1 a clause1 or a member1 should be rejected4 ,in the following passage1 the words in black type convey no additional meaning1 and1 consequently1 a regard for strength requires their omission4 ,examples3 #a4 ,being satisfied with what he has achieved1 he attempts nothing further4 #b4 ,if ,i had not been absent1 if ,i had been here1 this would not have happened4 #c4 ,the very first discovery of it strikes the mind with inward joy1 and spreads delight through all its faculties4 ,observe the difference in strength when the unnecessary words are eliminated3 #a4 ,satisfied with what he has achieved1 he attempts nothing further4 #b4 ,if ,i had been there1 this would not have happened4 #c4 ,the very first discovery of it strikes the mind with inward joy4 ,,part ,,ii4 ,conceptions of ,god4 ,,lesson ,,xi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,antediluvian ,knowledge of ,god2 ,genesis1 ,ch4 iii-x4 ,testimony of-- ,book of ,moses1 ,chs4 iv-viii1 #a4 ,adam1 ,inclusive4 ,especially #b4 ,enoch1 v3#d-i1 #aa1 #ab2 vi3#a2 #ef-eh4 #c4 ,noah1 ,doc4 ,cov4 ,lecture on ,faith ,no4 ,,ii1 verses ,,ii4 ,postdiluvian ,knowledge of ,god2 #ah-bj2 also v4 #cj-cf4 ,testimony of-- ,the ,gospel 7,roberts71 ,ch4 ix 7#c;d ,edition71 ,note #a4 ,genesis1 ,chs4 iii-x4 ,book of ,moses as above4 ,lecture on ,faith ,no4 ,,ii1 #cg-ef4 ,ether1 ,chs4 ,i1 ,,ii1 ,,iii4 ,,special ,,text3 ,this is the book of the generations of ,adam4 ,in the day that ,god created man1 in the likeness of ,god made ,he him2 male and female created ,he them2 and blessed them1 and called their name ,adam1 in the day when they were created4 7,gen4 v3#ab47 ,,notes4 #a4 ,sources of ,information3 ,the sources of information in this lesson are so completely within the reach of all that notes upon the various subdivisions are not considered necessary4 #b4 ,lecture ,,ii ,on ,faith3 ,too much cannot be said of the value of the ,second ,lecture on ,faith in the ,doctrine and ,covenants4 ,nowhere else is the manner in which faith in ,god was brought into the world and preserved among men1 so well worked out as in that lecture4 ,it is a very instructive bit of literature1 and should be highly prized by the ministry of the ,church4 #c4 ,parallel ,between ,adam and ,noah3 ,each of these great patriarchs occupies a singular relationship to the question of faith in ,god4 ,each stood at the head of a great dispensation of the ,gospel4 ,each received the commandment--,be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth1 7,gen4 ,i3#bh1 and ,gen4 ,,ix3#a72 and as ,adam brought with him the knowledge of ,god for men from beyond the ,fall--from ,eden to this side ,eden1 so ,noah brought the knowledge of ,god for men from beyond the flood to this side the flood1 and is a great witness for ,god to men4 ,adam is ,michael4 7,doc4 ,cov4 ,sec4 cvii3#ed47 ,noah is ,gabriel4 7,hist4 of the ,church1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 p4 #chf72 and each was the ,father of all living in his day4 #d4 ,importance of the ,period ,covered in this ,lesson3 ,to be well versed in the history of the period covered by this lesson1 is important4 ,especially in relation to the knowledge of ,god that then existed among men2 for the knowledge then revealed became the foundation of that belief in ,god found in subsequent generations of men in the nations of antiquity4 ,also in this period will be found the roots of those myths and fables in relation to gods1 with which some nations and races of men were pleased to amuse1 and at last deceive themselves4 ,believe me1 it is not a waste of time to study the historic period from ,adam to ,noah2 and from ,noah to ,abraham4 #e4 ,testimony of ,moriancumer3 ,let the student also give more than a passing thought to ,moriancumer1 the ,brother of ,jared1 of the ,book of ,mormon4 ,he brought the knowledge of ,god to the ,western hemisphere2 and the revelation of ,god to him 7,ether3 ,,iii71 was most important1 since it was the source of the knowledge of ,god to that great ,jaredite empire which endured for sixteen hundred years in the ,western hemisphere1 and which was one of the greatest nations of antiquity4 7,ether i3#db1 #dc1 and xv3#b74 ,,lesson ,,xii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,iii4 ,the ,course of ,ancient ,nations in ,meditation and ,atonement4 ,general in ,turning from ,god4 7,president ,john ,taylor7 ,appendix1 pp4 #aij-bje4 ,,iv4 ,the ,nations of the ,euphrates ,valley4 ,history of ,all ,religions 7,burder71 ,introduction4 #a4 ,babylon4 ,also ,part ,,vi1 p4 #eje et seq1 ,notes #a1 #b1 #c4 #b4 ,assyria4 ,gen41 ,chs4 ix1 x1 xi4 ,book of ,abraham1 ,ch4 #a4 #c4 ,chaldea4 ,the ,world's ,worship 7,dobbins71 ,ch4 v4 ,myers' #d4 ,babylonian and ,assyrian ,beliefs ,general ,history1 ,ch4 iv4 in ,god4 ,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #eaa-eai4 ,oxford and ,cambridge ,bible ,helps and ,bible ,treasury1 ,articles on ,babylonia and ,assyria4 ,the ,book of ,daniel1 ,chs4 i-v4 ,,special ,,text3 ,and ,i will sanctify ,my great name1 which was profaned among the heathen which ye have profaned in the midst of them2 and the heathen shall know that ,i am the ,lord1 saith the ,lord ,god1 when ,i shall be sanctified in you before their eyes4 ,ezekiel xxxvi3#bc4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,early ,corruption of the ,doctrine of ,deity3 ,believing that the knowledge of ,god in this world1 started with the information which ,adam brought with him through the fall1 from ,eden 7,see ,lesson ,i1 this ,book71 and with the revelations given in his day1 it is believed by the writer that all traditions and conceptions of ,god which afterwards obtained in very ancient nations were influenced more or less by that knowledge2 and that in so far as confusion1 mystery and idolatry respecting the being and character of ,god existed among those nations1 it resulted from the early apostasy of men in ancient times from ,god4 ,on this head the late ,president ,john ,taylor held the following strong views3 ,it is an important fact1 holding good of other ancient civilizations as well as that of ,egypt1 that the farther we trace back their religious beliefs and mythologies1 the purer does the creed become1 the nearer it approaches to heavenly truth1 and the stronger and more evident are the traces of gospel teachings4 ,this fact alone is sufficient to prove that paganism had its origin in the revelations of heaven1 from which1 in its various diverse branches1 it had turned and strayed1 and by gradual growth1 had become the vile1 inconsistent1 degrading and loathsome system which is abhorred by all pure-minded1 honorable and intelligent people4 ,had the various forms of ancient1 dominant1 pagan worship been radically and entirely different1 with only those features in common that could reasonably be attributed to accident or the inter-communication of races1 the inference would be strong that they had different origins2 but when1 as is the case1 there is a strong family likeness1 and that likeness grows stronger the further it is traced back1 and continually points to a common parentage1 and that parentage is the truth as taught by the early patriarchs and inspired servants of heaven1 our conclusions must necessarily be that these correct and ,god-given teachings were the source from whence the whole sprang1 and the differences in development arose from the varied incidents in the history1 and the peculiar surroundings of the various races that gave a local hue and tinge to their forms of belief4 7,mediation and ,atonement1 pp4 #aif-g74 #b4 ,on the ,great ,diversity of ,beliefs in ,god3 ,a great diversity of religious opinions has prevailed in the world1 and different forms of ceremonies have been and still are observed4 ,the religious notions and practices of mankind early diverged from one another1--the 'sons of men' were soon distinguished from 'the sons of ,god1' the impious from the holy1--and notwithstanding the purgation of the world by a flood1 and the subsequent re-establishment of one common faith no sooner did the earth begin to be peopled again1 than a diversity of religions took place1 each nation and tribe embracing some peculiarity of its own4 ,such has been the fact1 through all the intervening periods of history1 to the present day4 ,each distinct portion of the human family1 especially its larger divisions1 has had its separate religious dogmas and practices1 ranging from pure theism to the grossest idolatry4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 ,introduction1 p4 #i74 #c4 ,on ,the ,cause of ,departure ,from ,true ,conceptions of ,god3 ,after determining1 by extended discussion1 that the great diversity in men's beliefs respecting ,god does not arise from chance1 nor external circumstances1 nor from any necessity arising from the nature of man's mind1 nor from the want of revelation1 ,william ,burder1 in his great work on the ,history of ,all ,religions1 finds the true cause of man's departure from the knowledge of ,god in the radical depravity of the human heart4 ,is not that the true cause8 he inquiries4 ,it seems to us that it can be resolved into no other4 ,of the depravity of the human heart we are not permitted to doubt1 in view of the decisions of the ,bible and the results of observation4 ,this1 existing and reigning in all men1 by nature1 would readily dispose them to a diversity of religious views and practices1 or rather irreligion under various names4 ,it would readily dispose them to depart from the true belief1 and to cast off the restraints of the divine authority4 ,they would be prone to invent many schemes and devices with a view to appease an upbraiding conscience1 and to gratify that ceaseless love of novelty1 which characterizes the human mind4 ,except in those in whom the effects of depravity are counteracted by divine grace1 there would exist a continual propensity to depart from ,god and his institutions--to lose sight of religious truth1 and become involved in gross darkness and superstition4 ,in such a state1 the mind is prepared for every absurdity-- ',nations ignorant of ,god1 contrive ,a wooden one4' ,hence have arisen the altars and demons of heathen antiquity1 their extravagant fictions1 and abominable orgies4 ,hence we find among the ,babylonians and ,arabians the adoration of the heavenly bodies1 the earliest form of idolatry2 among the ,canaanites and ,syrians1 the worship of ,baal1 ,tammuz1 ,magog and ,astarte2 among the ,phoenicians1 the immolation of children to ,moloch2 among the ,egyptians divine honors bestowed on animals1 birds1 insects1 leeks1 and onions2 among the ,persians1 religious reverence offered to fire2 and among the polished ,greeks1 the recognition in their system of faith of thirty thousand ,gods4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 p4 #ab74 #d4 ,babylonia and ,assyria3 ,these were the two great ,eastern empires before which all the old states of ,syria and ,palestine fell4 ,we learn their history partly from the ,bible narrative1 and also from contemporary monuments written in cuneiform characters and recently deciphered4 ,babylonia or ,shinar 7,gen4 #aj3aj7 is the alluvial country on the lower course of the ,euphrates and ,tigris1 of which ,babel or ,babylon the same was the chief city4 ,assyria1 or ,asshur1 occupied the ,tigris valley to the north of ,babylonia4 ,its center lay on the left bank of the ,tigris1 where the great city of ,nineveh stood1 opposite ,mosul4 ,babylon and ,nineveh were long rivals1 but they had a common civilization1 of which the southern alluvium was the original home4 ,their language was ,semitic1 but in the southern country the ,semites seem to have been preceded by another race from whom they acquired many things in their culture and religion1 and to whom the origin of their peculiar cuneiform system of writing is generally ascribed4 ,in process of time ,assyria became the stronger power1 and after the ,egyptians retired from ,mesopotamia1 it began to push forth beyond its original limits4 7,cambridge ,bible ,dictionary--#gj's ,bible--p4 #ad74 #e4 ,the ,second ,babylonian ,kingdom--,or ,chaldea3 ,the supremacy of the ,assyrian ,empire over the old1 or first1 ,babylonian ,monarchy1 lasted but little more than a century4 ,it began #gbh ,b4 ,c4 and was overthrown #fbe ,b4 ,c4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 cf4 pp4 #cc1 #dg47 ,nabopolassar 7#fbe-fje ,b4 ,c47 was the founder of what is known as the ,chaldean or ,new ,babylonian ,empire4 ,at first a vassal king1 when troubles began to thicken about the ,assyrian court1 he revolted and became independent4 ,later he entered into an alliance with the ,median king against his former suzerain4 ,through the overthrow of ,nineveh and the break-up of the ,assyrian ,empire1 the ,babylonian kingdom received large accessions of territory4 ,for a short time thereafter ,babylon filled a great place in history4 ,nabopolassar was followed by his son ,nebuchadnezzar1 whose renown filled the ancient world4 ,one important event of his reign was the taking of the rebellious city of ,jerusalem4 ,the temple was stripped of its sacred vessels of silver and gold1 which were carried away to ,babylon1 and the building itself was given to the flames2 a part of the people were also carried away into the ,great ,captivity1 #ehf ,b4 ,c4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #dg47 #f4 ,the fall of the ,chaldean1 or ,second ,babylonian ,empire4 7#ech ,b4 ,c473 ,the glory of the ,new ,babylonian ,empire passed away with ,nebuchadnezzar4 ,to the east of the valley of the ,tigris and ,euphrates there had been growing up an ,aryan kingdom1 the ,medo-,persian1 which1 at the time now reached by us #eeh-ebi ,b4 ,c4 had become a great imperial power4 ,at the head of this new empire was ,cyrus1 a strong1 energetic1 and ambitious sovereign4 ,coming into collision with the ,babylonian king ,nabonidus1 he defeated his army in the open field1 and the gates of the strongly fortified capital1 ,babylon1 were without further resistance thrown open to the ,persians4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #dh74 ,with the fall of ,babylon the scepter of dominion1 borne so long by ,semitic princes1 was given into the hands of the ,aryan peoples1 who were destined from this time forward to shape the main course of events and control the affairs of civilization4 #g4 ,the ,religion of ,babylonia and ,assyria3 ,the religion of the country was a combination of the ,shamanistic belief #a 7i4 e41 a belief that each force of nature had its spirit1 good or bad7 of the original ,accadian population1 along with the nature-worship of the ,semitic conquerors4 ,inscriptions which have been recently deciphered1 show that the ,babylonians had accounts of the creation and deluge1 in many ways similar to those given in the book of ,genesis4 7,cambridge ,bible ,dictionary--#gj's ,bible--p4 #ag74 #h4 ,underlying ,principles of ,assyrian-,babylonian ,beliefs3 ,the religion of ,assyria and ,babylonia1 was1 in its essential principles1 and in the general spirit of its conceptions1 of the same character of the religion of ,egypt1 and in general as all pagan religions4 ,when we penetrate beneath the surface which gross ,polytheism has acquired from popular superstition1 and revert to its original and higher conceptions1 we shall find the whole based on the idea of the unity of the ,deity1 the last relic of the primitive revelation1 disfigured indeed and all but lost in the monstrous ideas of pantheism2 confounding the creature with the ,creator2 and transforming the ,deity into a god-world1 whose manifestations are to be found in all the phenomena of nature4 ,beneath this supreme and sole ,god1 this great ,,all1 in whom all things are lost and absorbed1 are ranked in an order of emanation corresponding to their importance1 a whole race of secondary deities who are emanations from ,his very substance1 who are mere personifications of ,his attributes and manifestations4 ,the differences between the various pagan religions1 is chiefly marked by the differences between these secondary divine beings4 99 99 99 99 ,the ,chaldea-,assyrian1 especially devoted to astronomy1 saw in the astral1 and especially in the planetary system1 a manifestation of the divine being4 ,they considered the stars as ,his true external manifestation1 and in their religious system made them the visible evidence of the subordinate divine emanations from the substance of the infinite being1 whom they identified with the world1 his work4 7,the ,world's ,worship--,dobbins--pp4 #abf1 #abg74 #i4 ,the ,supreme ,god of the ,assyrians--,ilu3 ,the supreme god1 the first and sole principle from whom all other deities were derived1 was ,ilu1 whose name signified ,god par excellence4 ,their idea of him was too comprehensive1 too vast1 to have any determined external form1 or consequently to receive in general the adoration of the people4 99 99 99 99 ,in ,chaldea it does not seem that any temple was ever specially dedicated to him2 but at ,nineveh1 and generally throughout ,assyria1 he seems to have received the peculiarly national name of ',asshur' 7whence was derived the name of the country1 ,mat ,asshur71 and this itself seems related to the ,aryan name of the deity ,asura4 ,with this title he was great god of the land1 the especial protector of the ,assyrians1 he who gave victory to their arms4 ,the inscriptions designate him as ,master1 or ,chief of the ,gods4 ,he it is1 perhaps1 who is to be recognized in the figure occasionally found on the ,assyrian monuments 7but probably adopted in later times by the ,persians to represent their ,ormuzd71 representing a human bust1 wearing the royal tiara in the middle of a circle borne by two large eagle wings1 and with an eagle's tail4 7,world's ,worship1--,dobbins--pp4 #abf1 #abg74 #aj4 ,doubts of a ,supreme ,god3 ,myers doubts of there being a conception of a supreme ,god in the religion of the ,bablyon-,assyrian peoples4 ,at the earliest period made known to us by the native records1 we find the pantheon to embrace many local deities 7the patron gods of the different cities and nature gods72 but at no period do we find a ,supreme ,god4 ,the most prominent feature from first to last of the popular religion was the belief in spirits1 particularly in wicked spirits1 and the practice of magic rites and incantations to avert the malign influence of these demons4 ,a second important feature of the religion was what is known as astrology1 or the foretelling of events by the aspect of the stars4 ,this side of the religious system was most elaborately and ingeniously developed until the fame of the ,chaldean astrologers was spread throughout the ancient world4 ,yet this ,historian admits that1 alongside these low beliefs and superstitious practices1 there existed1 however1 higher and purer elements4 ,this is best illustrated by the so-called penitential psalms1 dating1 some of them1 from the second millennium ,b4 ,c41 which breathe a spirit like that which pervades the penitential psalms of the ,old ,testament4 ,in confirmation of this statement1 he quotes one of these psalms1 translated by ,jastro3 ,o1 my god1 who art angry with me1 accept my prayer6 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,may my sins be forgiven1 my transgressions be wiped out4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 7,may7 flowing waters of the stream wash me clean6 ,let me be pure1 like the sheen of gold4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #ch47 ,the cuneiform writings on the tablets1 says ,james ,freeman ,clarke1 author of ',ten ,great ,religions1' show us that the ,assyrians also prayed4 ,on an unpublished tablet in the ,british ,museum1 is this prayer of ,king ,asshur-da-ni-pal1 ,b4 ,c4 #fej3 ,may the look of pity that shines in thine eternal face dispel my griefs4 ,may ,i never feel the anger and wrath of the ,god4 ,may my omissions and my sins be wiped out4 ,may ,i find reconciliation with ,him1 for ,i am the servant of ,his power1 the adorer of the great gods4 ,may ,thy powerful face come to my help2 may it shine like heaven1 and bless me with happiness and abundance of riches4 ,may it bring forth in abundance1 like the earth1 happiness and every sort of good4 7,ten ,great ,religions1 p4 #bcd74 #aj4 ,the ,assyrian ,triads--,trinities3 ,below ,ilu1 the universal and mysterious source of all1 was placed a triad1 composed of his three first external and visible manifestations1 and occupying the summit of the hierarchy of gods in popular worship4 ,anu1 the ,oannes of the ,greek writers1 was the lord of darkness2 ,bel1 the demiurgus1 the organizer of the world2 ,ao1 called also ,bin1 that is1 the divine ',son' par excellence1 the divine light1 the intelligence penetrating1 directing and vivifying the universe4 ,these three divine persons esteemed as equal in power and consubstantial1 were not held as of the same degree of emanation1 but were regarded as having on the contrary1 issued the one from the other--,ao from ,oannes1 and ,bel from ,ao4 ,oannes1 the ,lord of the ,lower ,world1 the ,lord of ,darkness1 was represented on the monuments under the strange figure of a man with an eagle's tail1 and for his head dress an enormous fish1 whose open mouth rises over his head1 while the body covers his shoulders4 ,it is under this form that1 ,berosus tells us1 according to ,babylonian tradition1 he floated on the surface of the waters of ,chaos4 ,bel1 the ',father of the ,gods1' was usually represented under an entirely human form1 attired as a king1 wearing a tiara with bull's horns1 the symbol of power4 ,but this god took many other secondary forms1 the most important being ,bel-,dagon1 a human bust springing from the body of a fish4 ,we do not know exactly the typical figure of ,ao or ,bin1 'the intelligent guide1 the ,lord of the visible world1 the ,lord of ,knowledge1 of ,glory and ,light4' ,the serpent seems to have been his principal symbol2 though some other sculptured figures seem to be intended to represent ,bin4 ,a second triad is produced with personages no longer vague and indeterminate in character1 like those of the first1 but with a clearly defined sidereal aspect1 each representing a known celestial body1 and especially those which the ,chaldeo-,assyrians saw the most striking external manifestations of the deity2 these were ,shamash1 the sun2 ,sin1 the moon god2 and a new form of ,ao or ,bin1 inferior to the first1 and representing him as god of the atmosphere or firmament4 ,thus did they industriously multiply deities and representations of them4 7,world's ,worship--,dobbins--p4 #abh-i74 #aa4 ,observations on ,this ,lesson3 ,the notes on this lesson are copious2 made so because it is quite possible that the books quoted may not be within reach of many of the students1 and yet1 of course1 they convey a very incomplete idea of the views of the ,babylonian-,assyrians respecting ,god4 ,it is suggested that some of the members of the class make special preparation on the subject1 by a careful study of the authorities cited in the references given in the analysis of the lesson 7and other authorities71 and deliver a public lecture on the subject4 ,it is really rich in points of contact with the great ,latter-day work1 which will suggest themselves to any well-informed ,elder4 ,footnotes #a4 ,shamanism3 ,a general name applied to the idolatrous religions of a number of barbarous nations4 99 99 ,these nations generally believe in a supreme being1 but to this they add the belief that the government of the world is in the hands of a number of secondary gods1 both benevolent and malevolent toward man1 and that it is absolutely necessary to propitiate them by magic rites and spells4 ,the general belief respecting another life appears to be that the condition of man will be poorer and more wretched than the present1 hence death is regarded with great dread4 7,century ,dictionary47 ,,lesson ,,xiii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,v4 ,belief of the ,egyptians3 ,book of ,abraham 7,p4,g4,p471 ,ch4 i1 #af-ca4 ,hist4 #a4 ,origin of the ,egyptians4 of ,ancient ,egypt 7,rawlinson #ahhb71 ,ch4 iii4 #b4 ,egyptians a ,deeply ,religious ,book of ,abraham1 ,a ,people4 ,divine and ,ancient ,record 7,reynolds71 ,ch4 iv4 #c4 ,esoteric and ,exoteric ,religion ,notes #a1 #b4 in ,egypt4 ,hist4 ,ancient ,egypt #d4 ,significance of ,animal ,worship 7,rawlinson71 ,ch4 x4 by ,egyptians4 ,burder's ,hist4 of ,all ,religions1 ,part vi1 pp4 #eje et seq4 ,story of the ,world's ,worship 7,dobbins71 ,ch4 v4 ,notes #c1 #d1 #e4 ,,special ,,text3 ,and the ,lord shall be known to ,egypt1 and the ,egyptians shall know the ,lord in that day1 and shall do sacrifice and oblation2 yea1 they shall vow a vow unto the ,lord and shall perform it4 ,isaiah xix3#ba4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,origin of the ,egyptians3 ,speaking of the king of ,egypt1 who was reigning at the time the ,lord called ,abraham to be ,his witness among men1 the patriarch said3 ,now this king of ,egypt was a descendant from the loins of ,ham1 and was a partaker of the blood of the ,canaanites by birth4 ,from this descent sprang all the ,egyptians1 and thus the blood of the ,canaanites was preserved in the land4 ,the land of ,egypt being first discovered by a woman1 who was the daughter of ,ham1 and the daughter of ,egyptus1 which in the ,chaldean signifies ,egypt1 which signifies that which is forbidden4 ,when this woman discovered the land it was under water1 who afterward settled her sons in it2 and thus1 from ,ham1 sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land4 ,now1 the first government of ,egypt was established by ,pharaoh1 the eldest son of ,egyptus1 the daughter of ,ham1 and it was after the manner of the government of ,ham1 which was patriarchal4 7,book of ,abraham--,p4 ,g4 ,p4--,ch4 #a2 verses #ba-bf74 #b4 ,confirmation of ,statements ,from ,book of ,abraham on ,origin of ,egyptians3 ,the student will find the origin of the ,egyptians1 according to standard secular histories upon the subject--,bunsen1 ,rawlinson1 ,wilkinson1 and the ,encyclopaedia ,articles--wrapped in mystery4 ,these facts1 however1 may be gathered from the authorities referred to above1 that tend to confirm the important information given in the ,book of ,abraham quoted in note #a1 with reference to the ,egyptians3 ,although located in ,africa they were not an ,african people 7i4 e41 not an indigenous race74 99 99 99 99 ,the ,egyptian language1 while of a peculiar type1 has analogies which connect it both with the ,semitic and with the ,indo-,european forms of speech1 more especially with the former4 ,we must regard the ,egyptians1 therefore1 as an ,asiatic people1 immigrants into their own territory1 which they entered from the ,east4 7,history of ,ancient ,egypt--,rawlinson--,vol4 ,i1 ,ch4 ,,iii74 ,the theory that the ,egyptians immigrated from the ,south--,ethiopia--down the ,nile1 is discussed by these writers1 but usually discredited4 ,josephus1 when speaking of one of the ancient ,egyptian kings ,sethosis1 says1 upon the authority of ,manetho1 that ,sethosis was called ',egyptus1' and that the country also was called from his name1 ',egypt' 7,against ,apion1 ,book ,i3#ae74 ,which circumstance1 doubtless1 is but a confusion of the more ancient facts related in the ,book of ,abraham with reference to ,egyptus1 wife of ,ham1 son of ,noah1 whose descendants inhabited ,egypt4 ,her name1 ,egyptus1 signifying that which is forbidden1 proclaims her race1 a descendant of ,cain1 the murderer1 with whose seed the descendants of ,adam1 through ,seth--to whom pertained the covenants and promises of the priesthood1--were forbidden to inter-marry4 ,but ,ham1 it appears1 violated that injunction1 and married into ,cain's race4 ,his wife's name was ',egyptus1' signifying forbidden2 and their daughter1 who discovered the valley of the ,nile and settled her sons in it1 was also called ,egyptus 7,cf4 v4 #bc and #be1 ,ch4 i4 ,book of ,abraham71 and her name1 following or1 perhaps1 one had better say1 originating the custom of ancient nations in naming lands and cities after the persons discovering them1 or founding them1 or who were prominently connected with their history1 7see ,new ,witness for ,god1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 pp4 #aci-db71--;her name was given to the land she discovered and settled4 #c4 ,ancient ,egyptians ,essentially ,a ,religious ,people3 ,the ,egyptians1 said ,herodotus1 writing in the middle of the fifth century before our ,era--,the ,egyptians are religious to excess1 far beyond any other race of men4 ,religion permeated the whole being of the people1 writes ,rawlinson2 and then quoting ,lenormant1 says3 ,writing was so full of sacred symbols and of allusions to mythology1 that it was scarcely possible to employ it on any subject which lay outside the religion4 ,then again3 ,to understand the ,egyptians1 it is thus absolutely necessary to have something like a clear idea of their religion4 ,the subject is1 no doubt1 one of great complexity and considerable obscurity2 the views of the best authorities with respect to it still differ to no small extent2 but a certain number of characteristic features1 belonging to the inner life1 seem to have obtained general recognition while there is a still more complete agreement as to the outward presentation of the religion in the habits and actions of the people4 7,rawlinson's ,history of ,ancient ,egypt1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #cbb-c74 #d4 ,dual ,nature of the ,egyptian ,religion3 ,it appears to be certain that the ,egyptian religion1 like most other religions in the ancient world1 had two phases or aspects3 ,one1 that in which it was presented to the general public or vast mass of the population4 ,the other1 that which it bore in the minds of the intelligent1 the learned1 the initiated4 ,to the former1 it was a polytheism of a multitudinous1 and1 in many respects1 of a gross character4 ,to the latter it was a system combining strict monotheism with a metaphysical1 speculative philosophy on the two great subjects of the nature of ,god and the destiny of man1 which sought to exhaust those deep and unfathomable mysteries4 ,those who take the lowest views of the ,egyptian religion1 admit that 'the idea of a single1 self-existent deity1' was involved in the conceptions which it set forth1 and is to be found not unfrequently in the hymns and prayers of the ritual4 ,it is impossible that this should have been so1 unless there were a class of persons who saw behind the popular mythology1 understood its symbolical or metaphysical character1 and were able in this way to reconcile their conformity to the established worship with the great truths of natural religion which1 it is clear1 they knew1 and which they must have cherished in their heart of hearts4 #e4 ,esoteric ,doctrine of the ,egyptians3 ,the primary doctrine of the esoteric religion undoubtedly was the real essential ,unity of the ,divine ,nature4 ,the sacred texts taught that there was a single ,being1 ',the sole producer of all things both in heaven and earth1 ,himself not produced of any'--'the only true1 living ,god1 self-originated'--'who exists from the beginning'--'who has made all things1 but has not ,himself been made4' ,this ',being' seems never to have been represented by any material1 even symbolical1 form4 ,it is thought that ,he had no name1 or1 if ,he had1 that it must have been unlawful either to pronounce or write it4 ,he was a pure ,spirit1 perfect in every respect--all-wise1 almighty1 supremely good4 #f4 ,the ,gods of the ,egyptian ,popular ,mythology3 ,the gods of the popular mythology were understood1 in the esoteric religion1 to be either personified attributes of the ,deity1 or parts of the nature which ,he had created1 considered as informed and inspired by ,him ,num1 or ,kneph1 represented the creative mind1 ,phthah the creative hand1 or act of creating2 ,maut represented matter1 ,ra the sun1 ,khons the moon1 ,seb the earth1 ,khem the generative power in nature1 ,nut the upper hemisphere of heaven1 ,athor the lower world or under hemisphere2 ,thoth personified the ,divine wisdom2 ,ammon1 perhaps1 the ,divine mysteriousness or incomprehensibility2 ,osiris 7according to some7 the ,divine goodness4 ,it is difficult1 in many cases1 to fix on the exact quality1 act1 or part of nature intended2 but the principle admits of no doubt4 ,no educated ,egyptian priest certainly probably no educated layman1 conceived of the popular gods as really separate and distinct beings4 ,all knew that there was but one ,god1 and understood that when worship was offered to ,khem1 or ,kneph1 or ,phthah1 or ,maut1 or ,thoth1 or ,ammon1 the one ,god was worshipped under some one of ,his forms or in some one of ,his aspects4 ,it does not appear that in more than a very few cases did the ,egyptian religion1 as conceived of by the initiated1 deify created beings1 or constitute a class of secondary gods who owed their existence to the supreme ,god4 ,ra was not a ,sun-,deity with a distinct and separate existence1 but the supreme ,god acting in the sun1 making ,his light to shine on the earth1 warming1 cheering1 and blessing it2 and so ,ra might be worshipped with all the highest titles of honor1 as indeed might any god1 except the very few which are more properly called genii1 and which corresponded to the angels of the ,christian system4 ,such is ,anubis1 the conductor of souls in the lower world1 and such probably are the four genii of the dead1 ,amset1 ,tuamutef1 ,hapi 7,apis71 and ,kebhsnauf1 who performed so conspicuous a part in the ceremonial of ,amenti4 7,for ,notes #d to #f inclusive1 see ,rawlinson's ,history of ,ancient ,egypt1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #cbc-cbf74 #g4 ,significance of ,animal ,worship ,by ,egyptians3 ,to exhibit in some symbol their ideas of their gods1 was the very essence of ,egyptian religion4 ,this brought about the grossest of superstitious worship4 ,to set forth in symbol the attributes1 qualities and nature of their gods1 the priests chose to use animals4 ,the bull1 cow1 ram1 cat1 ape1 crocodile1 hippopotamus1 hawk1 ibis1 scarabaeus1 were all emblems of the gods4 ,often the head of one of these animals was joined to the body of a man in the sculpture4 ,but let it be remembered1 that the ,egyptians never worshipped images or idols4 ,they worshipped living representations of the gods1 and not lifeless images of stone or metal4 ,their sculptures were never made for worship4 ,they chose animals which corresponded as nearly as possible to their ideas of the gods4 ,each of these sacred creatures was carefully tended1 fed1 washed1 dressed1 nursed when sick1 and petted during its whole life4 ,after death1 its body was embalmed4 ,certain cities were set apart for certain animals1 and apartments of the temples were consecrated to their use4 ,priests were appointed to attend them4 ,not every animal of every kind was worshipped1 only a few of each sacred kind were considered as sacred4 ,a few of the whole number were supported at the expense of the state1 and were attended by great personages4 ,certain animals were worshipped in parts of ,egypt and detested in other parts4 ,thus the hippopotamus was worshipped in ,papaemis alone2 while the ,thebans worshipped the crocodile2 in other places they were hunted to death4 ,popularly1 these animals were regarded as gods1 and were really worshipped4 ,by the ,priests they were regarded simply as the representatives of the gods4 ,if a man killed certain of the sacred animals1 by the laws of ,egypt he must die2 if1 however1 in regard to some of them the killing was accidental1 then he might escape by paying a heavy fine4 7,dobbins ,world's ,worship1 pp4 #aja-b47 ,the ancient ,egyptians had a tradition1 that1 at a certain period1 men rebelled against the gods1 and drove them out of heaven4#a ,upon this disaster taking place1 the gods fled into ,egypt1 where they concealed themselves under the form of different animals2 and this was the first reason assigned for the worship of these creatures4 ,but there was another reason assigned for the worship of these animals1 namely1 the benefits which men often received from them1 particularly in ,egypt4 ,oxen1 by their labor1 helped to cultivate the ground2 sheep clothed them with their wool2 dogs1 among many other services1 prevented their houses from being robbed2 the ibis1 a bird somewhat resembling a stork1 was of great service in destroying the winged serpents with which ,egypt abounded2 the crocodile1 an amphibious creature1 was worshipped because it prevented the wild ,arabs from making incursions2 the ichneumon1 a little animal1 was of great service to them in different ways2 he watches the crocodile's absence and breaks his eggs1 and when he lies down to sleep on the banks of the ,nile1 which he always does with his mouth open1 this little creature jumps out of the mud1 and leaping down his throat1 forces his way down to his entrails1 which he gnaws1 then he pierces his belly1 and thus triumphs over this most dreadful animal4--7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religion1 pp4 #ejg-h47 #h4 ,disparagement ,between ,moral ,code and ,egyptian ,practice3 ,in morals1 the ,egyptians combined an extraordinary degree of theoretic perfection with an exceedingly lax and imperfect practice4 ,it has been said that the forty-two laws of the ,egyptian religion1 contained in the #abeth chapter of the ',book of the ,dead1' fall short in nothing of the teachings of ,christianity1 and conjectured that ,moses1 in compiling his code of laws1 did but 'translate into ,hebrew the religious precepts which he found in the sacred books' of the people among whom he had been brought up4 ,such expressions are no doubt exaggerated2 but they convey what must be allowed to be a fact1 viz41 that there is a very close agreement between the moral law of the ,egyptians and the precepts of the ,decalogue4 7,rawlinson's ,history of ,ancient ,egypt1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ajh74 ,this high praise for the moral law of the ,egyptian religion is borne out by answers that the spirit of man must make before ,osiris in the judgment hall1 where the decisive sentence is pronounced1 either admitting the candidate to happiness1 or excluding him forever4 ,the deceased is obliged to give proof of his knowledge2 he must show that it is great enough to give him the right to be admitted to share the lot of glorified spirits ,each of the forty-two judges1 bearing a mystical name1 questions him in turn2 he is obliged to tell each one his name1 and what it means4 ,nor is this all2 he is obliged to give an account of his whole life4 ,i have not blasphemed1 says the deceased2 ,i have not stolen2 ,i have not smitten men privily2 ,i have not treated any person with cruelty2 ,i have not stirred up trouble2 ,i have not been idle2 ,i have not been intoxicated2 ,i have not made unjust commandments2 ,i have shown no improper curiosity2 ,i have not allowed my mouth to tell secrets2 ,i have not wounded anyone2 ,i have not let envy gnaw my heart2 ,i have spoken evil neither of the king nor my father2 ,i have not falsely accused anyone2 ,i have not withheld milk from the mouths of sucklings2 ,i have not practiced any shameful crime2 ,i have not calumniated a slave to his master4 ,the deceased does not confine himself to merely denying any ill conduct2 he speaks of the good he has done in his lifetime3 ',i have made to the gods the offerings that were their due2 ,i have given food to the hungry1 drink to the thirsty1 and clothes to the naked4' ,we may well1 on reading these passages1 be astounded at this high morality1 superior to that of all other ancient people1 that the ,egyptians had been able to build up on such a foundation as their religion4 ,without doubt it was this clear insight into truth1 this tenderness of conscience1 which obtained for the ,egyptians the reputation for wisdom1 echoed even by ,holy ,scripture4 7,dobbin's ,world's ,worship1 pp4 #aaj1 #aaa74 ,yet notwithstanding this profound knowledge of high moral truth1 the practice of the people1 remarks ,rawlinson1 was rather below1 than above the common level4 ,the ,egyptian women were notoriously of loose character2 and1 whether as we meet with them in history1 or as they are depicted in ,egyptian romance1 appear as immodest and licentious4 ,the men practiced impurity openly1 and boasted of it in their writings2 they were industrious1 cheerful1 nay1 even gay1 under hardships1 and not wanting in family affection2 but they were cruel1 vindictive1 treacherous1 avaricious1 prone to superstition1 and profoundly servile4 7,rawlinson's ,history of ,ancient ,egypt1 ,vol4 #a1 p4 #aji74 ,is not the fact of this disparagement between the moral code and ,egyptian practice1 explained by the ,book of ,abraham1 in its account of the origin of the ,egyptian religion8 ,now the first government of ,egypt was established by ,pharaoh1 the eldest son of ,egyptus1 the daughter of ,ham1 and it was after the manner of the government of ,ham1 which was patriarchal4 ,pharaoh1 being a righteous man1 established his kingdom1 and judged his people wisely and justly all his days1 seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations1 in the days of the first patriarchal reign1 even in the reign of ,adam1 and also of ,noah1 his father1 who blessed him with the blessings of the earth1 and with the blessings of wisdom1 but cursed him as pertaining to the ,priesthood4 7,book of ,abraham1 ,ch4 i2 #be-f74 ,the moral law of the ,egyptian religion1 then1 was doubtless copied from the true religion of the ,antediluvian patriarchs by this wise and righteous ,pharaoh2 but being left in the hands of a people who soon fell away from righteous principles to the practice of gross sensualism1 the divergence between moral theory and moral practice soon set in and drifted ever wider and wider apart1 until we have the result observed and commented upon by the authorities above quoted4 #i4 ,observations on this ,lesson3 ,read ,note ,,ii1 ,lesson ,,xii1 and accept explanation there made as to copious notes for this lesson4 ,also adopt suggestion as to larger treatment of this lesson4 ,footnotes #a4 ,this is1 doubtless1 the ,war in heaven of the ,hebrew ,scriptures1 with the results reversed4 ,,lesson ,,xiv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,vi4 ,beliefs of the ,phoenicians and ,their ,myers ,general ,history4 ,colonies4 ,ch4 vii4 ,mythologies of ,all ,nations #a4 ,the ,phoenicians4 7,crabb71 ,chs4 lv and lvi4 ,the ,story of the #b4 ,their ,principal ,deities4 ,world's ,worship 7,dobbins71 p4 #adb et seq4 ,,vii4 ,persian ,ideas of ,god1 and ,worship4 ,myers' ,general ,history1 #a4 ,the ,persians4 ,ch4 viii4 ,book of #b4 ,persian ,religion and ,worship4 ,daniel1 the ,prophet4 ,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 p4 #eai et seq4 ,ten ,great ,religions 7,clarke71 ,ch4 #a1 and the ,,special ,,text3 ,thus saith the ,lord to ,his anointed1 to ,cyrus3 99 99 99 99 ,i1 the ,lord1 which call thee by thy name1 am the ,god of ,israel4 ,i am the ,lord1 and there is none else1 there is no ,god beside ,me2 ,i girded thee1 though thou hast not known ,me4 7,isaiah xlv3#a1 #b1 #c47 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,phoenicians3 ,ancient ,phoenicia embraced a little strip of broken seacoast lying between the ,mediterranean ,sea and the ranges of ,mount ,lebanon4 99 99 99 ,the ,phoenicians were of ,semitic race4 ,their ancestors lived in the neighborhood of the ,persian ,gulf4 ,from their seats in that region they migrated westward1 like the ancestors of the ,hebrews1 and reached the ,mediterranean before the light of history had fallen upon its shores4 ,the various ,phoenician cities never coalesced to form a true nation4 ,they constituted merely a sort of league or confederacy1 the petty states of which generally acknowledged the leadership of ,tyre or of ,sidon1 the two chief cities4 ,the place of supremacy in the confederation was at first held by ,sidon1 but later by ,tyre4 ,the greatest of the ,phoenician colonies was ,carthage1 on the northern coast of ,africa1 founded by ,dido1 a ,tyrian princess1 #hgh ,b4 ,c4 ,for awhile1 ,carthage contested the mastery of the world with ,rome4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #ed47 #b4 ,the ,gods of the ,phoenicians3 ,the ,phoenicians had somewhat the same religious notions as the ,babylonians1 and worshipped some of the same gods1 ,baal for instance 7,crabb ,ch4 lv474 ,baal was the supreme male divinity of the ,phoenician and ,canaanitish nations4 ,ashtoreth was their female divinity4 ,the name ,baal means lord4 ,he was the sun-god4 ,the name is generally used in connection with other names as ,baal-,gad1 that is ,baal the ,fortune-bringer2 ,baal-,berith or ,covenant-making ,baal2 ,baal-,zebub1 the ,fly-god4 ,the people of ,israel worshipped ,baal up to the time of ,samuel1 at whose rebuke they forsook this iniquity for nearly a hundred years4 ,the practice was introduced again in the time of ,solomon1 and continued to the days of the captivity4 7,dobbin's ,world's ,worship1 p4 #adb74 ,it was with the priests of ,baal1 on ,mount ,carmal1 that ,elijah had his great contest1 in which ,jehovah was vindicated as ,god4 7,see ,i ,kings1 xviii47 #c4 ,the ,worship of ,moloch3 ,saturn was most honored by the ,carthaginians a colony of the ,phoenicians1 be it remembered2 and ,saturn was the ,moloch of the ,jewish scripture4 ,this idol was the deity to whom they offered up human sacrifices1 and to this we owe the fable of ,saturn's having devoured his own children4 ,princes and great men1 under particular calamities1 used to offer up their most beloved children to this idol4 ,private persons imitated the conduct of their princes1 and thus1 in time1 the practice became general2 nay1 to such a height did they carry their infatuation1 that those who had no children of their own purchased those of the poor1 that they might not be deprived of the benefits of such a sacrifice1 which was to procure them the completion of their wishes4 ,this horrid custom prevailed long among the ,phoenicians1 the ,tyrians1 and the ,carthaginians2 and from them the ,israelites borrowed it1 although expressly contrary to the order of ,god4 ,the original practice was to burn these innocent children in a fiery furnace1 like those in the valley of ,hinnom1 so often mentioned in ,scripture2 and sometimes they put them into a hollow brass statue of ,saturn1 flaming hot4 ,to drown the cries of the unhappy victims1 musicians were ordered to play on different instruments--and mothers--shocking thought6--made it a sort of merit to divest themselves of natural affections while they beheld the barbarous spectacle4 ,if it happened that a tear dropped from the eyes of a mother1 then the sacrifice was considered as of no effect2 and the parent who had that remaining spark of tenderness was considered as an enemy to the public religion4 ,in later times they contented themselves with making their children walk between two slow fires to the statue of the idol2 but this was only a more slow and excruciating torture1 for the innocent victims always perished4 ,this is what1 in ,scripture1 is called the making their sons and daughters pass through the fire to ,moloch2 and barbarous as it was1 yet those very ,israelites in whose favor ,god had wrought so many wonders1 demeaned themselves so low as to comply with it4 7,,ii ,kings1 xvi and xxi47 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #eaj1 #eaa74 #d4 ,the ,persians3 ,in remote times some ,aryan tribes1 separating from the other members of the ,aryan family1 sought new abodes on the plateau of ,iran 7,east of the ,euphrates and ,tigris ,rivers1 and between the ,caspian ,sea and the ,persian ,gulf74 ,the tribes that settled in the south became known as the ,persians1 while those that took possession of the mountain regions of the northwest were called ,medes4 ,the names of the two peoples were always very closely associated1 as in the familiar legend1 ',the law of the ,medes and ,persians1 which altereth not4' ,the ,medes were at first the leading people4 ,but the leadership of the ,median chieftains was of short duration4 ,a certain ,cyrus1 king of ,anshan1 in ,elam1 overthrew their power1 assumed the leadership of both ,medes and ,persians1 and soon built up an empire more extended1 so far as we know1 than any established before his time4 7,myers' ,general ,history p4 #ei74 #e4 ,persian ,literature3 ,the literature of the ancient ,persians was mostly religious4 ,their sacred book is called the ,zend-,avesta4 ,the religious system it teaches is known as ,zoroastrianism1 from ,zoroaster1 its supposed founder4 ,this great reformer and teacher is believed to have lived and taught about six centuries before our era4 ,zoroastrianism was a system of belief known as dualism4 ,opposed to the good spirit1 ,ormazd 7,ahura ,mazda71 there was a dark spirit1 ,ahriman 7,angro-,mainyus71 who was constantly striving to destroy the good creations of ,ormazd by creating all evil things2--storm1 drought1 pestilence1 noxious animals1 weeds and thorns in the world without1 and evil in the heart of man within4 ,from all eternity these two powers had been contending for the mastery2 in the present1 neither had the decided advantage1 but in the near future ,ormazd would triumph over ,ahriman1 and evil be forever destroyed4 ,the duty of man was to aid ,ormazd by working with him against the evil-loving ,ahriman4 ,he must labor to eradicate every evil and vice in his own bosom1 to reclaim the earth from barrenness1 and to kill all noxious animals--frogs1 toads1 snakes1 lizards--which ,ahriman had created4 ,herodotus saw with amazement the priests armed with weapons and engaged in slaying these animals as a pious pastime4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #fc74 #f4 ,the ,religion of the ,persians3 ,the religion of the ,medes and ,persians was of great antiquity1 and probably taught by one of the grandsons of ,noah1 who planted colonies in those parts1 soon after the confusion of languages4 ,noah had taught his children the knowledge of the true ,god2 and that they were to trust in ,his mercy1 through the mediation of a ,redeemer4 ,in ,persia1 the first idolaters were called ,sabians1 who adored the rising sun with the profoundest veneration4 ,to that planet they consecrated a most magnificent chariot1 to be drawn by horses of the greatest beauty and magnitude1 on every solemn festival4 ,the same ceremony was practiced by many other heathens1 who undoubtedly learned it from the ,persian and other ,eastern nations4 ,in consequence of the veneration they paid to the sun1 they worshipped the fire1 and invoked it in all their sacrifices1 in their marches they carried it before their kings1 and none but the priests were permitted to touch it1 because they made the people believe that it came down from heaven4 ,but their adoration was not confined to the sun2 they worshipped the water1 the earth1 and the winds1 as so many deities4 ,human sacrifices were offered by them2 and they burnt their children in fiery furnaces1 appropriated to their idols4 ,these ,medes and ,persians at first worshipped two gods1 namely1 ,arimanius1 the god of evil1 and ,oromasdes1 the giver of all good4 ,by some it was believed that the good god was from eternity1 and the evil one created2 but they all agreed that they would continue to the end of time1 and that the good god would overcome the evil one4 ,they considered darkness as the symbol of the evil god1 and light as the image of the good one4 ,they held ,arimanius1 the evil god1 in such detestation that they always wrote his name backward4 ,some ancient writers have given us a very odd account of the origin of this god ,arimanius1 which may serve to point out their ignorance of divine things4 ,oromasdes1 say they1 considering that he was alone1 said to himself1 ',it ,i have no one to oppose me1 where1 then1 is all my glory8' ,this single reflection of his created ,arimanius1 who1 by his everlasting opposition to the divine will1 contributed against inclination to the glory of ,oromasdes4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #ebj1 #eba74 #g4 ,persian ,worship3 ,the great monarchy of ,persia1 founded by ,cyrus #ajj years before1 is now at this period 7#dcj years before ,christ71 already tending toward its decline4 ,a hundred years later1 it is to fall before the triumphant march of ,alexander and his ,macedonians4 ,but now it still retains the ancient faith of ,zoroaster1 though modified by the developments of a thousand years4 ,herodotus describes it as it existed at the period of which we speak4 ,in his insatiate desire for knowledge1 he had gathered up all that he could learn of ,persia1 and says3 ',it is not customary for the ,persians to have idols1 temples1 or altars4 ,they offer sacrifices on the summits of mountains1 not erecting altars or kindling fires1 but they carry the animal to a pure spot1 and there the sacrificer prays for the prosperity of the empire1 the king1 and all others4' 99 99 99 99 99 ',the ,persians believe fire to be a god4' ,herodotus we find to be correct4 ,here are no temples1 no altars1 no idol worship of any kind4 ,the ,supreme ,being is worshipped by one symbol--fire1 which is pure and purifies all things4 ,the prayers are for purity1 the libation the juice of a plant4 ,ormazd has created everything good1 and all his creatures are pure4 ,listen to the priest chanting the litany1 thus3 ',i invoke and celebrate ,ahura ,mazda1 brilliant1 greatest1 best4 ,all perfect1 all-powerful1 all-wise1 all-beautiful1 only source of knowledge and happiness2 he has created us1 he has formed us1 he sustains us4' ',he belongs to those who think good2 to those who think evil he does not belong4' ,he belongs to those who speak good2 to those who speak evil he does not belong4 ,he belongs to those who do good2 to those who do evil he does not belong4' ,this is the religion of the great race who founded the ,persian ,empire4 ,to these worshippers life did not seem to be a gay festival1 as to the ,greeks1 nor a single step on the long pathway of the soul's transmigration1 as to the ,egyptians2 but a field of battle between mighty powers of good and evil1 where ,ormazd and ,ahriman meet in daily conflict1 and where the servant of ,god is to maintain a perpetual battle against the powers of darkness1 by cherishing good thoughts1 good words1 and good actions4 7,ten ,great ,religions--,clarke--pp4 #aa1 #ab7 #h4 ,changes in the ,persian ,religion3 ,the religion of the ,persians underwent a variety of very remarkable revolutions2 for the ,sabians1 having fallen into disgrace1 they were succeeded by another sect1 called the ,magi2 who1 on account of their pretensions to superior knowledge and sanctity1 became extremely popular among the vulgar4 ,nay1 such was the respect paid to them1 that no king could take possession of the throne till he had been first instructed in their principles2 nor could they determine any affair of importance till it had received their approbation4 ,they were at the head both of religion and philosophy2 and the education of all the youth in the kingdom was committed to their care4 ,it is the general opinion1 that the founder of the ,magian religion was one ,zoroaster1 who lived about the year of the world #b1ijj2 and it continued to be the established religion of the country for many years after4 ,the priests kept up continual fires in their temples2 and standing before these fires with mitres on their heads1 they daily repeated a great number of prayers4 ,the name of their chief temple was ,amanus1 or ,namanus1 which signifies the sun2 and is the same with what we find under the name of ,baal in ,scripture4 ,their great reputation induced people to visit them from all parts of the known world1 to be instructed by them in the principles of philosophy and mythology2 and we are assured that the great ,pythagoras studied many years under them4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 p4 #eba74 ,,lesson ,,xv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,special ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,jaredite ,,empire ,,and ,,the ,,religious ,,beliefs ,,of ,,the ,,people4 7,a ,,suggested ,,lecture7 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,adoption of ,previous ,suggestions3 ,the previous suggestions and explanations in these special lessons 7,lessons ,v and ,x71 may be adopted here both by the ,teachers and those to whom this lesson shall be assigned4 #b4 ,the ,jaredite ,empire3 ,this nation was contemporary with those nations whose religions and gods we have been studying thus far4 ,indeed1 it had its origin about the same time that ,babylon1 ,assyria and ,egypt had2 as well as to run its course with them4 ,it will be of undoubted interest to the students to bring together in the form of a lecture so much as may be learned of the religion and worship of this ,western-world-contemporary of ,babylon1 ,assyria and ,egypt4 #c4 ,sources of ,information3 ,the chief source of information for the proposed lecture will be ,moroni's ,abridgment of the writings of ,ether in the ,book of ,mormon1 and those casual references made to the ,jaredite people in other parts of the ,book of ,mormon1 all of which should be carefully sought out1 as they throw important light upon the character of this ancient people and ,empire of the ,western world4 ,also the student will find help by consulting ,roberts' ,new ,witnesses for ,god1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 ,ch4 x2 also ,chs4 from xxiv4 to xxix2 and ,vol4 ,,iii1 ,ch4 xxxi4 ,reynolds' ,dictionary of the ,book of ,mormon1 ,art4 ,jaredite1 ,jared1 ,jared1 ,brother of1 etc4 #d4 ,suggestions to ,speakers3 ,we renew our topic1 ,suggestions to ,speakers1 last dealt with in ,lesson ,x4 ,we are still dealing with the ,first ,moments of ,speech1 and again quote ,mr4 ,pittenger3 ,first ,moments of ,speech3 ,there is a strange sensation often experienced in the presence of an audience4 ,it may proceed from the gaze of the many eyes that turn upon the speaker1 especially if he permits himself to steadily return that gaze4 ,most speakers have been conscious of this in a nameless thrill1 a real something1 pervading the atmosphere1 tangible1 evanescent1 indescribable4 ,all writers have borne testimony to the power of a speaker's eye in impressing an audience4 ,this influence1 which we are now considering1 is the reverse of that picture--the power their eyes may exert upon him1 especially before he begins to speak2 after the inward fires of oratory are fanned into flame the eyes of the audience lose all terror4 ,by dwelling on the object for which we speak1 and endeavoring to realize its full importance1 we will in a measure lose sight of our personal danger1 and be more likely to maintain a calm and tranquil frame of mind4 ,no change should be made in the plan of the speech at the last moment1 as that is very liable to produce confusion4#a ,this error is often committed4 ,the mind has a natural tendency to go repeatedly over the same ground1 revising and testing every point1 and it may make changes1 the consequences of which cannot be in a moment foreseen4 ,but the necessary preparation has been made1 and we should now await the result calmly and hopefully4 ,over-study is quite possible1 and when accompanied by great solicitude1 wearies our mind in advance1 and strips the subject of all freshness4 ,if the eye is fixed too long upon one object with a steadfast gaze1 it loses the power to see at all4 ,so the mind1 if exerted steadily upon a single topic for a long period1 fails in vigor and elasticity at the moment when those qualities are indispensable4 ,that profound thinker and preacher1 ,frederick ,w4 ,robertson1 experienced this difficulty1 and was accustomed to find relief by reading some inspiring paragraphs upon some totally different theme from that he intended to speak about4 ,the energy and enthusiasm of our minds in the moment of speech must be raised to the highest pitch2 the delivery of a living discourse is not the dry enumeration of a list of particulars2 but we must actually feel an immediate and burning interest in the topics with which we deal4 ,this cannot be counterfeited4 ,to clearly arrange all thoughts that belong to the subject1 lay them aside when the work is done until the moment of speech1 and then enter confidently upon them with only such a momentary glance as will assure us that all is right--this is the method to make our strength fully available4 ,this confidence1 while in waiting1 seems to the beginner very difficult1 but experience rapidly renders it easy4 ,m4 ,bautain declares that he has been repeatedly so confident in his preparation as to fall asleep while waiting to be summoned to the pulpit6 ,those who mis-improve the last moments by too much thought and solicitude1 are not the only class of offenders4 ,some persons1 through mere indolence1 suffer the fine lines of preparation which have been traced with so much care to fade into dimness4 ,this error is not infrequently committed by those who speak a second or third time on the same subject4 ,because they have once succeeded1 they imagine that the same success is always at command4 ,no mistake could be greater4 ,it is not enough to have speech-material in a position from which it can be collected by a conscious and prolonged effort1 but it must be in the fore-ground of the mind4 ,there is no time at the moment of delivery of reviving half obliterated lines of memory4 ,the writer once saw a notable case of failure from this cause4 ,a preacher1 on a great occasion1 was much engrossed with other important duties until the hour appointed for his sermon had arrived4 ,with perfect confidence he selected a sketch from which he had preached a short time before1 and with the general course of which he was no doubt familiar4 ,but when he endeavored to produce his thoughts1 they were not ready4 ,he became embarrassed1 talked at random for a short time1 and then had the candor to tell the audience that he could not finish1 and to take his seat4 ,probably half an hour given to reviewing his plan1 would have made all his previous preparation fresh again1 and have spared him the mortification of failure4 ,in this last interval it is also well to care for the strength and vigor of the body1 as its condition greatly influences all mental operations4 ,it is said that the pearl-diver1 before venturing into the depths of the sea1 always spends a few moments in deep breathing and other bodily preparations4 ,in the excitement of speech1 the whirl and hurricane of emotion1 it is advisable to be well prepared for the high tension of nerve that is implied4 ,mental excitement exhausts and wears down the body faster than bodily labor4 ,we must carefully husband our strength that we may be able to meet all demands upon it4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,having now done all we can in advance1 nothing remains but to rise and speak4 ,preparation and precaution are passed4 ,actual work--the most joyous1 thrilling1 and spiritual of all human tasks--is now to be entered upon4 7,extempore ,speech1 pp4 #aij-aie74 #e4 ,another ,word on ,strength3 ,the definition of ,strength as a property of good style in speaking or writing1 was given in ,lesson ,x 7,note #c71 and the first requisite to its attainment was considered4 ,we now consider the second1 which is taken from ,lockwood's ,lessons in ,english3 #f4 ,words of ,connection3 ,the strength of a sentence is increased by careful use of the words of connection4 7a7 ,avoid 'stringing' clauses together loosely with and as a connective4 7,example37 ,they were soon at home and surrounded by the family1 and plied with questions as to what they had seen and what they had heard1 and soon the neighbors came in and then the whole story had to be told again4' ,in this sentence1 there is lack of unity as well as lack of strength4 ,in a sentence containing a series of words or expressions in the same construction1 insert conjunctions between each two words or expressions if the intention is to make the mind dwell upon each particular4 7,example37 ',and the rain descended1 and the floods came1 and the winds blew1 and beat upon that house2 and it fell2 and great was the fall of it4' ,but when the author's object is to give a many-sided view of a subject1 or to convey the idea of rapid movement1 the conjunction should be omitted4 7,example37 ',charity beareth all things1 believeth all things1 hopeth all things1 endureth all things4' ',one effort1 one1 to break the circling host2 ,they form1 unite1 charge1 waver1--all is lost6' 7b7 ,do not weaken the sentence by the omission of the relative pronoun4 ,such omissions are allowable in familiar conversation1 but rarely in careful writing or speaking4 7,example37 ',the idea 7which7 he is working on is fraught with great possibilities4' 7c7 ,do not have two prepositions govern the same noun4 ,this awkward construction is called 'splitting particles4' 7,example37 ',he ran by but did not look into the windows4' 7,better7 ,he ran by the windows1 but did not look into them4 7,lessons in ,english--,lockwood--pp4 #bjj1 #bja74 ,this fault occurs in the following sentence3 ',though virtue borrows no assistance from1 yet it may often be accompanied by1 the advantages of fortune4' ,no one can read these lines without perceiving their decided lack of strength and harmony4 ,a slight change will greatly improve their effect3 ',though virtue borrows no assistance from the advantages of fortune1 yet it may often be accompanied by them4' ,avoid1 on ordinary occasions1 the common expletive 'there1' as used in the following sentence3 ',there is nothing which disgusts us sooner than the empty pomp of language4' ,the sentiment is expressed more simply and strongly thus3 ',nothing disgusts us sooner than the empty pomp of language4' ,this expletive form is proper only when used to introduce an important proposition4 7,quackenbos ,rhetoric1 p4 #bie74 ,footnotes #a4 ,this should be understood1 so far as the ,elders of the ,church are concerned to refer only to ordinary cases of delivering announced lectures or discourses4 ,but in the course of an ,elder's ministry1 when preaching the ,gospel1 he should respond to the promptings of the ,spirit in his ministry1 even to violating the rule here laid down by ,mr4 ,pittenger4 ,,lesson ,,xvi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,viii4 ,beliefs of the ,greeks and of the ,myers' ,general ,history1 ,romans4 ,chs4 x1 xii1 xxiv-xxvi4 #a4 ,the ,origin of the ,greeks and ,burder's ,hist4 of ,all ,romans4 ,religions1 p4 #ebg et seq4 ,myths and ,myth-,makers #b4 ,mythology of the ,greeks and 7,john ,fiske72 ,romans4 ,mythology of ,all ,nations1 ,ch4 i1 et seq4 #c4 ,classification of the ,greek and ,the ,world's ,worship ,roman ,deities4 7,dobbins71 ,chs4 viii and ix4 ,the notes of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,ye men of ,athens1 ,i perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious4 ,for as ,i passed by and beheld your devotions1 ,i found an altar with this inscription1 ',to the ,unknown ,god'2 whom ye ignorantly worship1 him declare ,i unto you4 7,acts xvii3#bb1 #bc47 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,greeks3 ,the ancient people whom we call ,greeks1 called themselves ,hellenes and their land ,hellas4 ,but this term ',hellas' as used by the ancient ,greeks embraced much more than modern ,greece4 ',wherever were ,hellenes there was ,hellas4' ,thus the name included not only ,greece proper and the islands of the adjoining seas1 but also the ,hellenic cities in ,asia ,minor1 in ,southern ,italy1 and in ,sicily1 besides many other ,greek settlements scattered up and down the ,mediterranean and along the shores of the ,hellespont and the ,euxine4 ,yet ,greece proper was the real home-land of the ,hellenes1 and the actual center of ,greek life and culture4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #ga74 ,the historic inhabitants of ,greece were called by the ,romans ,greeks2 but 99 99 99 99 99 99 they called themselves ,hellenes1 from their fabled ancestor ,hellen 7,king in ,phthia in ,thessaly74 ,they were divided into four families or tribes--the ,achaeans1 the ,ionians1 the ,dorians1 and the ,aeolians4 ,the primitive inhabitants of ,greece are supposed to have been the descendants of ,javan1 the son of ,japhet 7son of ,noah71 and hence ,greece was called by the ,hebrews1 ',javan4' 7,anderson's ,general ,history1 p4 #cd47 #b4 ,the ,romans3 ,there were in early times three chief races in ,italy--the ,italians1 the ,etruscans1 and the ,greeks4 ,the ,italians1 a branch of the ,aryan family1 embraced many tribes 7,latin1 ,umbrians1 ,sabines1 ,samnites1 etc471 that occupied nearly all ,central1 and a considerable part of ,southern ,italy4 ,their life was for the most part that of shepherds and farmers4 ,the ,etruscans1 a wealthy1 cultured1 and seafaring people of uncertain race and origin1 dwelt in ,etruria1 now called ,tuscany after them4 ,before the rise of the ,roman people they were the leading race in the peninsula4 ,certain elements in their culture lead us to believe that they had learned much from the cities of ,magna ,graecia4 ,the ,etruscans in their turn became the teachers of the early ,romans1 and imparted to them at least some minor elements of civilization1 including hints in the art of building1 and various religious ideas and rites4 ,through the medium of these cultured communities1 the ,romans were taught the use of letters1 and given valuable suggestions in matters of law and constitutional government4 ,most important of all1 the ,italian peoples were the ,latins1 who dwelt in ,latium1 between the ,tiber and the ,liris4 ,these people1 like all the ,italians1 were near kindred of the ,greeks1 and brought with them into ,italy those customs1 manners1 beliefs and institutions which seem to have been the early common possession of the various ,aryan-speaking peoples4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 pp4 #aif-g74 #c4 ,greek and ,roman ,mythology3 ,the term mythology comes from mythos1 a fable1 and logos1 a discourse1 signifies a fabulous account of things1 particularly of such things as regard false gods and their idolatrous worship4 7,crabb ,mythology of all ,nations1 ,introduction74 ,the mythology of the ,greeks was1 as to the most important particulars1 confessedly borrowed from the ,egyptians4 ,their philosophers1 ,anaxagoras1 ,phythagoras1 ,thales1 and others1 traveled into ,egypt1 where they gathered all the notions there current concerning the gods1 the transmigration of souls1 a future state1 and other points1 which they modeled into a system that was afterwards enlarged and adorned by all the charms and embellishments that poetry and art could furnish4 ,thomas ,dew1 also1 in his ,digest of ,laws1 ,customs1 ,manners and ,institutions of ,ancient and ,modern ,nations1 says1 on the origin of the ,greek religion1--,supposed to have been derived in great measure from the religion of the ,egyptians4 99 99 99 ,still1 large portion was of ,grecian origin1 and that even though taken from ,egypt1 became ,grecian in character4 7p4 #ed47 ,burder in his ,history of ,all ,religions1 says 7p4 #ebg73 ,the ,greeks are supposed to have derived many of their deities from the ,egyptians as well as no small number of their religious ceremonies4 ,the ,egyptians1 no doubt1 at an earlier period1 believed in one ,deity as supreme1 and the ,maker and ,ruler of all things2 but after that they worshipped the sun1 moon1 and stars1 under various forms1 as well as living creatures and lifeless things4 #d4 ,religion of ,greeks and ,romans ,identical in ,essentials3 ,the basis of the ,roman religious system was the same as that of the ,greek4 ,at the head of the pantheon stood ,jupiter1 identical in all essential attributes with the ,hellenic ,zeus4 ,he was the special protector of the ,roman people4 ,to him1 together with ,juno and ,minerva1 was consecrated a magnificent temple upon the summit of the ,capitoline hill1 overlooking the city4 ,mars1 the god of war1 was the favorite deity and the fabled father of the ,roman race1 who were fond of calling themselves the ',children of ,mars4' ,they proved themselves worthy offspring of the war-god4 ,martial games and festivals were celebrated in his honor during the first month of the ,roman year1 which bore1 and still bears1 in his honor1 the name of ,march4 ,janus was a double-faced deity1 to whom the month of ,january was sacred1 as were also all gates and doors4 ,the gates of his temple were always kept open in time of war and shut in time of peace4 ,the fire upon the household hearth was regarded as the symbol of the goddess ,vesta4 ,her worship was a favorite one with the ,romans4 ,the nation1 too1 as a single great family1 had a common national hearth in the temple of ,vesta where the sacred fires were kept burning from generation to generation by six virgins1 daughters of the ,roman state4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 pp4 #bjc-d74 ,the ,greeks and ,romans had many deities in common1 particularly the superior gods1 arising partly from adoption1 on one side or the other1 but more especially from the circumstance that the two countries were peopled by different branches of the same family1 descended from one common ancestor1 ,japhet4 ,at the same time it is evident1 from the difference in the names of the ,greek and ,roman deities1 and in their primary attributes1 that they drew their mythology from different sources1 which may be easily imagined1 when it is considered that they were cut off from all intercourse with each other on their first settlement1 and mingled with different tribes in the course of their migration4 ,the ,tuscans or ,etrurians had1 as is generally admitted1 their mythology as well as their language1 from their ,pelasgian ancestors1 long before the ,grecians and ,romans were known to each other2 but in after ages1 when the intercourse between these two people became intimate1 the ,romans1 without doubt1 borrowed many of the fables of the ,greeks1 to which their poets and historians1 who are very ample in their descriptions of the gods1 added much of their own invention4 7,crabb's ,mythology1 p4 #f47 #e4 ,the ,action and ,reaction ,involved in the ,roman ,conquest of ,greece3 ,the fact of there being much in common in the religion and worship of the ,greeks and the ,romans1 while accounted for in part by a large infusion of ,hellenes into the south part of ,italy and the ,island of ,sicily--by reason of which the ruder ,latin tribes of the north were brought into contact with ,greek culture and civilization--still there was a larger cause for this identity of religion and worship2 and that cause arises out of the reaction of ,greek learning upon the ,roman conquerors of ,greece4 ,the ,roman conquests in ,western ,europe was the subjugation of peoples in a low state of civilization and destitute of any element of strength in their social and national life2 and their conquerors treated them1 for the most part1 as inferiors4 ,but in the ,east the case was different4 ,there the ,romans met with a civilization more advanced than their own which they had already learned to respect1 and an elaborate system of civil government and social usages1 which could not be set aside without undermining the whole fabric of society4 ,hence the ,greeks1 while subjected to the ,roman administration1 were allowed to retain a great part of their institutions1 together with their property and private rights1 and1 from their superiority to the other conquered peoples1 remained the dominant power in the ,east4 ,even in ,asia the despotism of ,rome was much modified by the municipal system of the ,greek colonies and by the influence of ,greek culture4 ,thus it came to pass that1 while the ,western nations were assimilated to ,rome1 in the ,east the ,roman empire became ,greek1 though the ,greek nation in name became ,roman4 ,the effects of this are visible at every turn in the subsequent history1 and to this cause must be referred many anomalies which are traceable at the present day in the condition of ,eastern ,europe4 7,encyclopaedia ,britannica74 #f4 ,the ,classification of ,greek and ,roman ,deities3 ,the ,greek and ,roman deities are distinguished into three classes2 namely1 the ,superior ,gods1 the ,inferior ,gods1 and the ,demi-gods4 ,the ,superior ,gods otherwise called ,dii ,majorum ,gentium1 that is1 gods of the superior houses or families1 answering to the patricians or nobility of ,rome1 were so named because they were believed to be more eminently employed in the government of the world4 ,they were also styled the ',select ,gods1' of whom twelve were admitted into the council of ,jupiter1 and on that account denominated ',consentes4' ,the images of these twelve gods were fixed in the ,forum of ,rome1 six of them being males1 and six females2 their names are given in the following distich by the poet ,ennius3 ',juno1 ,vesta1 ,minerva1 ,ceres1 ,diana1 ,mars1 ,mercurius1 ,jove1 ,neptunus1 ,volcanus1 ,apollo4' ,these twelve gods were supposed to preside over the twelve months2 to each of them was allotted a month3 ,january to ,juno1 ,february to ,neptune1 ,march to ,minerva1 ,april to ,venus1 ,may to ,apollo1 ,june to ,mercury1 ,july to ,jupiter1 ,august to ,ceres1 ,september to ,vulcan1 ,october to ,mars1 ,november to ,diana1 ,december to ,vesta4 ,they likewise presided over the twelve celestial signs4 ,if to these twelve be added the eight following1 namely1 ,janus1 ,saturnus1 ,genius1 ,sol1 ,pluto1 ,bacchus1 ,terra1 and ,luna1 there will be twenty of the first class1 or superior gods4 ,these superior gods were likewise distinguished1 from their usual place of residence1 into ,celestial1 ,terrestrial1 ,marine1 and ,infernal gods4 ,the ,inferior ,gods comprehended what ,ovid called the ',celestial ,populace1' answering to the plebeians among the ,romans1 who had no place in heaven1 as the ,penates1 ,lares--rural-deities1 etc4 ,the third class1 or ,demigods1 was composed of such as derived their origin from a god or goddess and a mortal1 or such as by their valor and exploits had raised themselves to the rank of immortals4 ,of this class was ,hercules1 ,aesculapius1 ,castor1 ,pollux1 ,achilles1 etc4 ,to the list of the ,roman gods1 might be added a fourth class1 called 'novensiles1' which the ,sabines brought to ,rome by the command of ,king ,tatius4 ,they were so named because1 as some suppose1 they were the last of all that were reckoned among the gods4 ,of this class also were the deities by whose help and means1 as ,cicero says1 men are advanced to heaven1 and obtain a place among the gods1 namely1 the moral virtues1 as mercy1 chastity1 piety1 etc4 7,crabb's ,mythology1 pp4 #f1 #g74 ,,lesson ,,xvii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,ix4 ,origin of the ,greek and ,roman ,the ,world's ,worship1 ,deities4 ,ch4 xiii4 ,mythology of ,all ,nations ,x4 ,list and ,character of the ,chief 7,crabb71 ,ch4 ii4 ,the ,greek and ,roman ,deities4 ,world's ,worship 7,dobbins71 ,chs4 viii and ix4 ,,xi4 ,the ,greek and ,roman ,parthenon4 ,burder's ,history of ,,xii4 ,greek and ,roman ,worship4 ,all ,religions1 ,part vi41 pp4 #ebg-ege4 ,myers' ,general ,history1 ,chs4 xii and xxvi1 and ,encyclopaedias1 and ,notes of this ,lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,the ,jews require a sign1 and the ,greeks seek after wisdom2 but we preach ,christ crucified1 unto the ,jews a stumbling block1 and unto the ,greeks foolishness4 ,but unto them that are called1 both ,jews and ,greeks1 ,christ the power of ,god1 and the wisdom of ,god4 #a ,cor4 i3#bb-bd4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,generation of the ,gods3 7a7 ,the ,greeks3 ,chaos 7void space7 was first3 then came into being 'broad-breasted' ,earth1 the gloomy ,tartarus and ,love4 ,chaos produced ,erebus and ,night1 and this last bore to ,erebus ,day and ,ether4 ,earth now produced ,uranus 7,heaven71 of equal extent with herself1 to envelop her1 and the mountains and ,pontos 7,sea74 ,she then bore to ,uranus a mighty progeny--the ,titans2 six males and six females4 ,she also bore ,hottos1 ,briareus and ,gyges4 ,these children were hated by their father1 who1 as soon as they were born1 thrust them out of sight in a cavern of mother ,earth1 who1 grieved at his conduct1 produced the substance of hoary steel1 and1 forming from it a sickle1 roused her children1 the ,titans1 to rebellion against him2 but fear seized on them all except ,kronos1 who1 lying in wait with the sickle with which his mother had armed him1 mutilated his unsuspecting sire4 ,the drops which fell to the earth from the wounds1 gave birth to the ,erinnyes1 the ,giants and the ,mehan nymphs2 and from what fell into the sea1 sprang ,aphrodite1 the goddess of love and beauty4 ,earth finally1 after the overthrow of the ,titans1 bore by ,tartaros her last offspring1 the hundred-headed ,typhoeus1 the father of storms and whirlwinds1 whom ,zeus precipitated into ,tartarus4 ,rhea was united to ,kronos4 ,kronos1 having learned from his parents1 ,heaven and ,earth1 that he was fated to be deprived by one of his sons of the kingdom which he had taken from his father1 devoured his children as fast as they were born4 ,rhea1 when about to be delivered of ,zeus1 besought her parents to teach her how she might save him4 ,instructed by ,earth1 she concealed him in a cavern of ,crete1 and gave a stone in his stead to ,kronos4 ,this stone he afterward threw up1 and with it the children whom he had devoured4 ,when ,zeus was grown up1 he and the other children of ,kronos made war on their father and the ,titans4 ,the scene of the conflict was ,thessaly2 the former fought from ,olympus1 the latter from ,othrys4 ,during ten entire years the conflict was undecided2 at length1 by the counsel of ,earth1 the ,kronids released the ,hundred-handed and called them to their aid4 ,the war was then resumed with renewed vigor1 and the ,titans were finally vanquished and imprisoned in ,tartarus1 under the guard of the ,hundred-handed4 ,the ,kronids then1 by the advice of ,earth1 gave the supreme power to ,zeus1 who1 in return1 distributed honors and dominion among the associates of his victory4 7,the ,world's ,worship--,dobbins--pp4 #aed-e74 7b7 ,the ,romans3 ,the ,romans appear to have borrowed their fictions respecting the creation of the world from the same source as the ,greeks4 ,ovid expressly calls ,chaos1 rudis indigestaque moles1 'a rude indigested heap'2 or1 as ,moses says1 ,the earth without form and void2 after which the poet goes on in a strain very similar to what has already been set forth4 ,the ,etruscans1 who were among the original settlers in ,italy1 gave1 according to ,suidas1 the following account of the creation4 ',god1' says a philosopher of that nation1 'created the universe in six thousand years1 and appointed the same period of time to be the extent of its duration4 ,in the first period of a thousand years1 ,god created the heavens and the earth2 in the second1 the visible firmament2 in the third1 the sea and all the waters that are in the earth2 in the fourth1 the sun1 moon1 and stars2 in the fifth1 every living soul of birds1 reptiles1 and quadrupeds1 which have their abode either on the land1 in the air1 or the water2 and in the sixth1 man alone4' ,now1 when it is considered that in another part of ,scripture it is said1 that 'one day is with the ,lord as a thousand years1 and a thousand years as one day1' it is easy to explain the origin of this fiction4 7,crabb's ,mythology1 ,ch4 ii74 #b4 ,a ,brief ,list of ,some of the ,chief ,greek and ,roman ,deities3 7a7 ,jupiter3 ,jupiter1 the father of gods and men1 is said to have been born in ,crete1 or to have been sent there in infancy for concealment4 ,he was the son of ,saturn1 the god of ,time1 and of ,cybele1 otherwise called ,rhea4 ,he was the most powerful of all the gods1 and everything was subservient to his will4 ,his father1 ,saturn1 had received the kingdom of the world from his brother ,titan1 on condition of destroying all the sons who should be born to him4 ,saturn1 therefore1 devoured his children immediately after birth4 ,this may be considered as having an allegorical meaning2 namely1 that time destroys all things4 7b7 ,apollo3 ,apollo was the son of ,jupiter and ,latona1 and brother of the goddess ,diana4 ,he was born in the island of ,delos1 where his mother fled to avoid the jealousy of ,juno4 ,he was the god of all the fine arts2 and to him is ascribed the invention of medicine1 music1 poetry and eloquence4 ,he presided over the ,muses1 and had the power of looking into futurity4 ,his oracles were in general repute over the world4 ,apollo had various other surnames4 ,he was called ,delius1 from the island where he was born2 ,cynthius1 from a mountain in that island2 ,delphinius1 from the city of ,delphi1 in ,boeotia2 ,didymaeus1 from a ,greek word1 signifying twins2 ,nomius1 which means a shepherd2 ,paean1 from his skill in shooting arrows2 and ,phoebus1 from the swiftness of his motion4 ,it is generally supposed that by ,apollo the sun is to be understood2 for which reason he was called ,sol by the ,latins4 7c7 ,mars3 ,mars was the god of war1 and son of ,jupiter and ,juno4 ,he was educated by the god ,priapus1 who instructed him in every manly exercise4 ,his temples were not numerous in ,greece1 but from the warlike ,romans he received unbounded honors4 ,his priests were called ,salii4 7d7 ,mercury3 ,mercury was the son of ,jupiter and of ,maia1 the daughter of ,atlas4 ,he was born in ,arcadia1 upon ,mount ,cyllene1 and in his infancy was intrusted with the care of the seasons4 ,he was the messenger of the gods1 and more especially of ,jupiter4 ,he was the patron of travelers and shepherds4 ,he conducted the souls of the dead into the infernal regions1 and not only presided over merchants and orators1 but was also the god of thieves and of all dishonest persons4 7e7 ,bacchus3 ,bacchus was the god of wine1 and the son of ,jupiter and ,semele4 ,semele was the daughter of ,cadmus1 celebrated as the inventor of the alphabet1 and of ,hermione1 the daughter of ,mars and ,venus4 ,she was destroyed by the jealous cruelty of ,juno4 ,it is probable that ,bacchus was an ancient conqueror and lawgiver4 ,he was born in ,egypt1 and educated at ,nysa in ,arabia4 ,he taught the culture of the grape1 the art of converting its juice into wine1 and the manner of making honey4 ,he was on that account1 honored as a god by the ,egyptians1 under the name of ,osiris4 7f7 ,vulcan3 ,vulcan was the son of ,juno2 he was the god of fire1 and the patron of all those artists who worked in iron or other metals4 ,he was educated in heaven2 but ,jupiter being offended with him1 hurled him from ,olympus4 ,he lighted on the island of ,lemnos1 and was a cripple ever after4 ,he fixed his residence there1 built himself a palace1 and raised forges to work metals4 ,he forged the thunderbolts of ,jupiter1 and the arms of the gods and demi-gods4 7g7 ,juno3 ,juno was the queen of heaven1 the sister and wife of ,jupiter1 and the daughter of ,saturn and of ,ops1 otherwise called ,rhea4 ,she was born in the isle of ,samos1 and resided there till her marriage with ,jupiter2 her children were ,vulcan1 ,mars1 and ,hebe4 ,the poets represent ,juno with a majesty well befitting the empress of the skies4 7h7 ,minerva3 ,minerva was the goddess of wisdom1 and is said to have sprung1 completely armed and full-grown1 from the brain of ,jupiter4 ,she was immediately admitted into the assembly of the gods1 and became ,jupiter's faithful counselor2 she was the most accomplished of all the goddesses4 ,the countenance of ,minerva1 as generally represented1 was more expressive of masculine firmness than of grace or softness4 7i7 ,venus3 ,venus was the goddess of beauty1 the mother of love1 and the queen of laughter1 grace and pleasure4 ,she is said to have risen from the froth of the sea1 near the island of ,cyprus4 ,the ,zephyrs wafted her to the shore1 where she was received by the ,seasons1 the daughters of ,jupiter and ,themis4 ,as she walked1 flowers bloomed beneath her feet1 and the rosy ,hours dressed her in divine attire4 7j7 ,cupid3 ,cupid1 the son of ,venus1 and god of love1 was represented as a beautiful boy1 with wings1 a bow and arrows1 and generally with a bandage over his eyes4 ,he had wings1 to show his caprice and desire of change4 ,he is described as blind1 because we are apt to shut our eyes to the faults of those we love4 7k7 ,ceres3 ,ceres was the goddess of corn and harvests1 and the daughter of ,saturn and ,vesta4 ,the most celebrated festivals in honor of ,ceres were held at ,eleusis4 ,they were called the ,eleusinian ,mysteries1 on account of the secrecy with which they were conducted4 ,those who were admitted to these solemn assemblies were called the initiated4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #ebh-ecc74 #d4 ,the ,greek ,pantheon3 ,at the head of the ,greek pantheon there was a council of twelve members1 comprising six gods and as many goddesses4 ,the male deities were ,zeus1 the father of gods and men2 ,poseidon1 ruler of the sea2 ,apollo1 or ,phoebus1 the god of light1 of music1 and of prophecy2 ,ares1 the god of war2 ,hephaestus1 the deformed god of fire1 and the forger of the thunderbolts of ,zeus2 ,hermes1 the wing-footed herald of the celestials1 the god of invention and commerce4 ,the female divinities were ,hera1 the proud and jealous queen of ,zeus2 ,athena1 or ,pallas1--who sprang full-grown from the forehead of ,zeus1--the goddess of wisdom and the patroness of the domestic arts2 ,artemis1 the goddess of the chase2 ,aphrodite1 the goddess of love and beauty born of the white sea foam2 ,hestia1 the goddess of the hearth2 ,demeter the earth mother1 the goddess of grains and harvests4 ,these great deities were simply magnified human beings4 ,they surpassed mortals rather in power than in size of body4 ,their abode was ,mount ,olympus and the airy regions above the earth4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #hf74 #e4 ,the ,delphian ,oracle3 ,the most precious part1 perhaps1 of the religious heritage of the historic ,greeks1 from the misty ,hellenic foretime1 was the oracle of ,apollo at ,delphi4 ,the ,greeks believed that in the early ages the gods were wont to visit the earth and mingle with men4 ,but even in ,homer's time1 this familiar intercourse was a thing of the past--a tradition of a golden age that had passed away4 ,in historic times1 though the gods often revealed their will and intentions through signs and portents1 still they granted a more special communication of counsel through what were known as oracles4 ,these communications1 it was believed1 were made sometimes by ,zeus1 but more commonly by ,apollo4 ,not everywhere1 but only in chosen places1 did these gods manifest their presence and communicate the divine will4 ,these favored spots were called oracles1 as were also the responses there received4 ,the most renowned of the ,greek oracles1 as we have intimated1 was that at ,delphi1 in ,phocis4 ,here1 from a deep fissure in the rocks1 arose stupefying vapors1 which were thought to be the inspiring breath of ,apollo4 ,over this spot was erected a temple in honor of the ,revealer4 ,the communication was generally received by the ,pythia1 or priestess1 seated upon a tripod placed above the orifice4 ,as she became overpowered by the vapors1 she uttered the message of the god4 ,these mutterings of the ,pythia were taken down by attendant priests1 interpreted1 and written in hexameter verse4 ,some of the responses of the oracle contained plain and wholesome advice2 but very many of them1 particularly those that implied a knowledge of the future1 were made obscure and ingeniously ambiguous1 so that they might correspond with the event1 however affairs should turn4 ,the ,oracle of ,delphi gained a celebrity wide as the world4 ,it was often consulted by the monarchs of ,asia and the people of ,rome in times of extreme danger and perplexity4 ,among the ,greeks1 scarcely any undertaking was entered upon without the will and sanction of the ,oracle being first sought4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 pp4 #hf1 #hg74 #f4 ,oracles and ,divination ,among the ,romans3 ,there were no true oracles at ,rome4 ,the ,romans1 therefore1 often had recourse to those among the ,greeks4 ,particularly in great emergencies did they seek advice from the celebrated ,oracle of ,apollo at ,delphi4 ,from ,etruria was introduced the art of the haruspices1 or sooth-sayers1 which consisted in discovering the will of the gods by the appearance of the entrails of victims slain for the sacrifice4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #bjd74 #g4 ,worships and ,temples3 ,in the first ages of the world1 men had neither temples nor statues for their gods1 but worshipped in the open air1 in the shady grove1 or on the summit of the lofty mountains1 whose apparent proximity to the heavens seemed to render them peculiarly appropriate for religious purposes4 ,ignorantly transferring to the works of the ,supreme ,being that homage which is only due to their ,author1 they adored the sun as a god1 who1 riding on his chariot of fire1 diffused light and heat through the world2 the moon1 as a mild and beneficent divinity1 who presided over night and silence1 consoling her worshippers for the departure of the more brilliant light of day4 ,it is thought that the ,greeks received from the ,egyptians the custom of building temples1 which were erected1 some in valleys1 some in woods1 and others by the brink of a river1 or fountain1 according to the deity who was destined to inhabit them2 for the ancients ascribed the management of every particular affair to some particular god1 and appropriated to each a peculiar form of building1 according to his or her peculiar character and attributes4 ,but when temples were first erected1 the ancients still continued to worship their gods1 without any statue or visible representation of the divinity4 ,it is supposed that the worship of idols was introduced among the ,greeks in the time of ,cecrops1 the founder of ,athens1 in the year #aeef ,b4 ,c4 ,at first these idols were formed of rude blocks of wood or stone1 until1 when the art of graving1 or carving1 was invented1 these rough masses were changed into figures resembling living creatures4 ,afterwards1 marble1 and ivory1 or precious stones1 were used in their formation1 and lastly1 gold1 silver1 brass1 and other metals4 ,at length1 in the refined ages of ,greece1 all the genius of the sculptor was employed in the creation of these exquisite statutes1 which no modern workmanship has yet surpassed4 ,temples1 statues1 and altars1 were considered sacred1 and to many of them was granted the privilege of protecting offenders4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #bbg-h74 ,,lesson ,,xviii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,xiii4 ,the ,greek and ,roman ,religion4 ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,hist41 7,roberts71 ,,xiv4 ,roman and ,greek ,schools of ,sec4 ii1 pp4 #bb-be4 ,the ,philosophy4 ,world's ,worship 7,dobbins71 ,chs4 viii1 ix4 #a4 ,stoics4 ,notes #a and #b4 #b4 ,epicureans4 ,moral and ,metaphysical ,philosophy 7,maurice71 #c4 ,academics4 ,vol4 ,i1 ,chs4 vi and vii4 ,myers' ,general ,hist41 ,chs4 xxiii4 ,dr4 ,smith's ,history of ,greece1 ,ch4 xiii4 ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ,ch4 iv4 ,cicero's ,tusculan ,disputations 7,yonge's ,translation71 pp4 #bji-cee4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe 7,draper71 ,chs4 v and vi4 ,,special ,,text3 ,behold1 the ,lord doth grant unto all nations1 of their own nation and tongue1 to teach ,his word2 yea1 in wisdom1 all that ,he seeth fit that they should have2 therefore we see that the ,lord doth counsel in wisdom1 according to that which is just and true4 7,book of ,alma1 ,ch4 xxix3#h47 ,,notes4 #a4 ,religion of the ,greeks3 ,general ,view3 ,the religious system of the ,greeks is the embodiment of beauty4 ,no other worship that has ever existed so encouraged the taste for art as this4 ,its literature1 its mythological stories1 its idols and its temples still control and1 to a great extent1 shape the art ideas of the world4 ,its devotees have1 above all other people1 possessed a perception of beauty of form and a fondness of representing it4 ,the people of ,greece appear to have originally come from the northwestern part of ,asia ,minor4 ,they were called the ,hellenes4 ,the worship which they brought from ,asia was the worship of the ',heaven-,father1' the unseen one who dwells in ether1 whose temple is the sky1 and whose altar is properly placed upon the mountain top4 ,the ,hindus called the same being ,dyaus-pitar2 the ,romans1 ,diovis-pater or ,jupiter2 the ,greeks1 ,zeus-pater4 ,one can readily see the resemblance between these names1 and the evidence they bear to the fact that these nations all came originally from one common stock4 ,as the primal ,greek race separated into various parts of ,greece1 different forms began to arise4 ,as sailors from other lands arrived on their shores1 they brought their own gods with them1 and thus many new gods were introduced into ,greece4 ,the lively imagination of the ,greeks1 and the out-door life of their primitive state1 produced a number of tales and legends about the gods4 ,some of these were based on the tales with which their forefathers were familiar in their early home in ,asia4 ,the people lived in separate villages4 ,wandering minstrels and merchants carried these tales of gods and heroes from village to village4 ,poets then caught them up and adorned them with the touches of a livelier fancy4 ,thus1 soon1 a rich and luxuriant system of legendary lore was in possession of the whole people4 ,just as is the case with other nations1 the beings called gods by the ,greeks are but the personifications of the powers and objects of nature1 and the legends but represent the courses of nature and its operations4 ,to these primitive notions imagination afterwards added1 and poetry clothed the whole with a warm glow4 ,thus was formed the popular ,greek faith 7,the ,world's ,worship--,dobbins--pp4 #aej-aeg74 #b4 ,religion of the ,romans3 ,general ,view3 ,long before ,rome was founded1 ,italy was peopled with an industrious class of farmers4 ,but we have scarcely any records of those early times4 ,some of their gigantic buildings1 lakes and canals remain1 but these are almost all that is left4 ,the religious ideas of these early settlers entered into and1 to a great extent1 moulded the religion of the ,romans4 ,the people of ,italy did not have the same vivid imaginations and lively fancies as the people of ,greece4 ,their early worship seems to have been of a more serious character than that of the ,greeks4 ,their gods were freer from moral taint1 and virtue rather than vice was required in followers of the ,roman religions4 ,the poetic art was little cultivated among them1 or for that matter1 in ,rome of a later day4 ,but ,rome soon began to borrow from ,greece1 and to appropriate her gods1 heroes and myths4 ,there are no ,italian-myths corresponding to those of ,greece4 ,in ,virgil and ,ovid1 a few adventures of the ,italian gods are related1 but these are plainly limitations1 or slight modifications1 of the ,greek stories4 7,the ,world's ,worship1 pp4 #agc-d74 #c4 ,zeno3 ,zeno1 founder of the celebrated school of the ,stoics1 lived in the third century before our era 7about #cdj--bfe ,b4 ,c474 ,he taught at ,athens in a public porch 7,stoa in ,greek71 from which circumstance comes the name applied to his disciples4 ,the ,stoics inculcated virtue for its own sake4 ,they believed--and it would be difficult to frame a better creed--that 'man's chief business here is to do his duty4' ,they schooled themselves to bear with composure any lot that destiny might appoint4 ,any sign of emotion on account of calamity was considered unmanly4 ,thus a certain ,stoic1 when told of the sudden death of his son1 is said merely to have remarked1 ',well1 ,i never imagined that ,i had given life to an immortal4' ,stoicism became a favorite system of thought with certain classes of the ,romans1 and under its teachings and doctrines were nourished some of the purest and loftiest characters produced by the pagan world4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 pp4 #ahe-f74 #d4 ,epicurus3 ,epicurus 7#cda--bgj ,b4 ,c47 taught1 in opposition to the ,stoics1 that pleasure is the highest good4 ,he recommended virtue1 indeed1 but only as a means for the attainment of pleasure2 whereas the ,stoics made virtue an end in itself4 ,in other words1 ,epicurus said1 ,be virtuous1 because virtue will bring you the greatest amount of happiness2 ,zeno said1 ,be virtuous1 because you ought to be4 ,epicurus had many followers in ,greece1 and his doctrines were eagerly embraced by many among the ,romans during the later corrupt period of the ,empire4 ,many of these disciples carried the doctrines of their master to an excess that he himself would have been the first to condemn4 ,allowing full indulgence to every appetite1 their whole philosophy was expressed in the proverb1 ',let us eat and drink1 for tomorrow we die4' 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #ahf74 #e4 ,the ,stoics3 ,the ,stoics believed1 7#a7 that there were gods2 7#b7 they undertook to define their character and nature2 7#c7 they held that the universe is governed by them1 and 7#d7 that they exercise a superintendency over human affairs4 ,the evidence for the existence of the gods they saw primarily in the universe itself4 ,what can be so plain and evident1 they argued1 when we behold the heavens1 and contemplate the celestial bodies1 as the existence of some supreme1 divine intelligence by which these things are governed8 ,were it otherwise1 they said1 ,ennius would not with universal approbation have said1 ',look up to the refulgent heavens above ,which all men call unanimously ,jove-- 99 99 99 ,of gods and men the sire4' ,of the nature of the ,deity1 they held two things3 ,first of all1 that he is an animated though impersonal being2 secondly1 that there is nothing in all nature superior to him4 ,i do not see1 says one well versed in their doctrines1 what can be more consistent with this idea and preconception1 than to attribute a mind and divinity to the world1 the most excellent of all beings4 ,that is to say1 the ,stoics held the universe to be a deity2 and ,cicero represents ,zeno as reasoning in the matter in this wise3 ,that which reasons is superior to that which does not2 nothing is superior to the world2 the world1 therefore1 reasons4 ,by the same rule the world may be proved to be wise1 happy1 and eternal2 for the possession of all these qualities is superior to the want of them2 and nothing is superior to the world2 the inevitable consequence of which argument is1 that the world is a deity4 ,he goes on3 ,no part of anything void of sense is capable of perception2 some parts of the world have perception2 the world1 therefore1 has sense4 ,he proceeds1 and pursues the argument closely--,nothing that is destitute itself of life and reason can generate a being possessed of life and reason2 but the world does generate beings possessed of life and reason2 the world therefore1 is not itself destitute of life and reason4 ,he concludes his argument in his usual manner with a simile3 ,if well-tuned pipes should spring out of the olive1 would you have the slightest doubt that there was in the olive-tree itself some kind of skill and knowledge8 ,or if the plane-tree could produce harmonious flutes1 surely you would infer1 on the same principle1 that music was contained in the plane-tree4 ,why1 then1 should we not believe the world is a living and wise being1 since it produces living and wise beings out of itself8 ,again1 reverting to this subject1 ,cicero in representing the doctrines of the ,stoics1 says3 ,now1 we see that there is nothing in being that is not a part of the universe2 and as there are sense and reasons in the parts of it1 there must therefore be these qualities1 and these too1 in a more1 energetic and powerful degree1 in that part in which the predominant quality of the world is found4 ,the world1 therefore1 must necessarily be possessed of wisdom2 and that element1 which embraces all things1 must excel in perfection of reason4 ,the world1 therefore1 is a ,god1 and the whole power of the world is contained in that divine element4 ,besides these 7i4 e41 the universe and the stars1 as part of that universe of course71 there are many other natures1 ,cicero goes on to say1 which have1 with reason1 been deified by the wisest ,grecians1 and by our ancestors1 in consideration of the benefits derived from them2 for they were persuaded that whatever was of great utility to human kind must proceed from divine goodness1 and the name of the ,deity was applied to that which the ,deity produced1 as when we call corn ,ceres1 and wine ,bacchus2 whence that saying of ,terence1 ',without ,ceres and ,bacchus1 ,venus starves4' ,and any quality1 also1 in which there was any singular virtue was nominated a ,deity1 such as ,faith and ,wisdom1 which are placed among the divinities in the ,capitol2 the last by ,aemilius ,scaurus1 but ,faith was consecrated before by ,atilius ,caltatinus4 ,you see the temple of ,virtue and that of ,honor repaired by ,m4 ,marcellus1 erected formerly1 in the ,ligurian war1 by ,q4 ,maximus4 ,need ,i mention those dedicated to ,help1 ,safety1 ,concord1 ,liberty1 and ,victory1 which have been called ,deities1 because their efficacy has been so great that it could not have proceeded from any but from some divine power8 ,in like manner are the names of ,cupid1 ,voluptas1 and of ,lubentine ,venus consecrated1 though they were things vicious and not natural4 99 99 99 99 ,everything1 then1 from which any great utility proceeded was deified2 and1 indeed1 the names ,i have just now mentioned are declaratory of the particular virtue of each ,diety4 ,the ,god of the ,stoics is further described as a corporeal being1 united to matter by a necessary connection2 and1 moreover1 as subject to fate1 so that he can bestow neither rewards nor punishments4 ,that this sect held to the extinction of the soul at death1 is allowed by all the learned4 ,the ,stoics drew their philosophy mainly from ,socrates and ,aristotle4 ,their cosmology was pantheistic1 matter and force being the two ultimate principles1 and ,god being the working force of the universe1 giving it unity1 beauty and adaptation4 #f4 ,the ,epicureans3 ,the ,epicureans held that there were ,gods in existence4 ,they accepted the fact of their existence from the constant and universal opinion of mankind1 independent of education1 custom or law4 ,it must necessarily follow1 they said1 that this knowledge is implanted in our minds1 or1 rather1 innate in us4 ,their doctrine was3 ,that opinion respecting which there is a general agreement in universal nature must infallibly be true2 therefore it must be allowed that there are ,gods4 ,of the form of the ,gods1 they held that because the human body is more excellent than that of other animals1 both in beauty and for convenience1 therefore the ,gods are in human form4 ,all men are told by nature that none but the human form can be ascribed to the ,gods2 for under what other image did it ever appear to anyone either sleeping or waking8 ,yet these forms of the ,gods were not body1 but something like body1 nor do they contain blood1 but something like blood4 ,nor are they to be considered as bodies of any solidity1 or reducible to number4 ,nor is the nature or power of the ,gods to be discerned by the senses but by the mind4 ,they held1 moreover1 that the universe arose from chance2 that the ,gods neither did nor could extend their providential care to human affairs4 ,the duty of worshipping the ,gods was based upon the fact of their superiority to man4 ,the superior and excellent nature of the ,gods requires a pious adoration from men1 because it is possessed of immortality1 and the most exalted felicity2 for whatever excels has a right to veneration4 ,yet all fear of the power and anger of the ,gods should be banished2 for we must understand that anger and affection are inconsistent with the nature of a happy and immortal being4 ,these apprehensions being removed1 no dread of the superior power remains4 ,on the same principles that the existence of the ,gods was allowed1 that is1 on the pre-notion and universal belief of their existence1 it was held that the ,gods were happy and immortal1 to which the ,epicureans added this doctrine3 ,that which is eternally happy cannot be burdened with any labor itself1 nor can it impose any labor on another2 nor can it be influenced by resentment or favor2 because things which are liable to such feelings must be weak and frail4 ,it was generally held by the opponents of ,epicurus that1 as a matter of fact he did not believe in the existence of the ,gods at all2 but dared not deny their existence for fear of the ,athenian law against impiety1 and because such denial would render him unpopular4 ,but after becoming acquainted with his views as to the nature of the ,gods1 one is prepared to accept the criticism of his doctrines which ,cicero puts in the mouth of ,cotta1 in his ,tusculan ,disputations1 viz41 ,epicurus has allowed a deity in words but destroyed him in fact4 #g4 ,the ,sensualism of ,epicureanism3 ,whatever apologists may say1 it is very clear that the pleasure of the ,epicurean philosophy1 hailed as the supreme good and chief end in life1 was to arise from agreeable sensations1 or whatever gratified the senses1 and hence was1 in the last analysis of it--in its roots and branches--in its theory and in its practice--sensualism4 ,it was to result in physical ease and comfort1 and mental inactivity--other than a conscious1 self-complacence--being regarded as ,the supreme good and chief end of life4 ,i judge this to be the net result of this philosophy since these are the very conditions in which ,epicurus describe even the gods to exist2 and surely men could not hope for more pleasure1 or greater happiness than that possessed by their gods4 ,cicero even charges that the sensualism of ,epicurus was so gross that he represents him as blaming his brother1 ,timocrates1 because he would not allow that everything which had any reference to a happy life was to be measured by the belly2 nor has he1 continues ,cicero1 said this once only1 but often4 ,in ,cicero's description of the ,epicurean conception of the gods1 he says3 ,that which is truly happy cannot be burdened with any labor itself1 nor can it impose any labor on another1 nor can it be influenced by resentment or favor1 because things which are liable to such failings must be weak and frail4 99 99 99 ,their life i4 e41 of the gods is most happy and the most abounding with all kinds of blessings which can be conceived4 ,they do nothing4 ,they are embarrassed with no business2 nor do they perform any work4 ,they rejoice in the possession of their own wisdom and virtue4 ,they are satisfied that they shall ever enjoy the fulness of eternal pleasure4 99 99 ,nothing can be happy that is not at ease4 7,tusculan ,disputations1 ,the ,nature of the ,gods1 pp4 #bff-bfh74 #h4 ,the ,academicians3 ,the ,academicians can scarcely be regarded as a school of philosophy1 though they refer their origin to ,plato 7,smith's ,student's ,history of ,greece1 p4 #eif474 ,their name stands for a method of thought rather than for a system of truth4 ,they had no philosophy1 but rather speculated about philosophy4 ,they advocated nothing2 they were the agnostics of their time--that is1 they were people who did not know1 and like our modern agnostics1 had a strong suspicion that nobody else knew4 ,they represented merely the negative attitude of mind in their times4 ,still1 they numbered in their following some of the most considerable men of ,rome1 ,cicero being among the number4 ,the academy is said to have exactly corresponded to the moral and political wants of ,rome in the days of ,cicero4 ,with no genius for speculation1 the better ,romans of that day were content to embrace a system which1 though resting on no philosophical basis1 and compounded of heterogeneous dogmas1 offered notwithstanding1 a secure retreat from religious scepticism and political troubles4 ,my words1 says ,cicero1 speaking as a true ,academician1 do not proclaim the truth1 like a ,pythian priestess2 but ,i conjecture what is probable1 like a plain man4 ,and again3 ,the characteristic of the ,academy is never to interpose one's judgment to approve what seems most probable1 to compare together different opinions1 to see what may be advanced on either side1 and to leave one's listeners free to judge without pretending to dogmatize4 7,ency4 ,brit4 ,art4 ,academy47 ,i believe this description warrants what was said at the beginning of this note1 viz2 that the name ,academician stood for a method of thought rather than for a school of philosophy4 ,,lesson ,,xix4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,xv4 ,religions of ,northern ,europe-- ,draper's ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 #a4 ,the ,scythians2 ,ch4 viii1 pp4 #bdj et seq4 ,the ,world's ,worship1 #b4 ,the ,scandinavians2 7,dobbins71 ,ch4 x4 ,burder's ,history of #c4 ,the ,druids2 ,all ,religions1 ,part ,,vi1 ,sec4 vii1 p4 #ebd et seq4 ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ,ch4 iv4 ,crabb's ,mythology of ,all ,nations1 ,chs4 lxii1 lxiii1 lxiv1 lxv4 ,,special ,,text3 ,i will sanctify ,my great name1 which was profaned among the heathen2 which ye ,israel have profaned in the midst of them2 and the heathen shall know that ,i am the ,lord ,god1 when ,i shall be sanctified in you before their eyes4 ,ezekiel xxvi3#bc4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,scythians3 ,the ,scythians inhabited a large tract of country to the north of ,europe and ,asia4 ,in early times their religion was very simple2 it taught the belief of a ,supreme ,god1 to whom were attributed infinite power1 knowledge1 and wisdom2 it forbade any representation of this being under a corporeal form1 and enjoined the celebration of his worship in consecrated woods4 ,under him1 a number of inferior divinities were supposed to govern the world1 and preside over the celestial bodies4 ,the doctrine of a future state formed an important part of the mythology of these people2 and their fundamental maxims were1 to serve the ,deity with sacrifice and prayer1 to do no wrong to others1 and to be brave and intrepid4 ,but in the course of time1 the religion of the ,scythians degenerated1 a multitude of other divinities were introduced amongst them1 and as they were a warlike people1 they made the god of battles their favorite deity2 to him they consecrated groves of oak1 which were held so sacred that whoever injured them was punished with death4 ,a ,scimitar raised upon the summit of an immense wooden altar was the emblem of this ,god1 to whom they sacrificed horses1 and every hundredth man taken in battle2 the first fruits of the earth1 and a portion of the spoils gained in war1 were the offerings made to the other divinities4 ,the principal ,scythian deities were3 ,tabite1 the ,vesta of later times2 ,papius1 the ,jupiter2 ,apia1 or the ,earth1 the consort of ,papius2 ,stripassa1 the ,venus2 ,oestasynes1 the ,apollo2 ,thamimasides1 the ,neptune4 ,the ,scythians venerated fire1 as the principle of all things2 and the wind and the sword1 as the cause of life and death2 a being called ,zamolxis1 was supposed to have the charge of conducting departed spirits to their respective abodes2 and sacrifices were made to him by the friends of deceased persons on their behalf4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #ebd-e74 #b4 ,the ,scandinavian ,mythology3 ,the ,gothic ,mythology is so called from the ,getae2 or ,goths1 a tribe of ,scythians1 who1 at an early period passed over into ,scandinavia1 whence they over-spread all ,sweden1 ,denmark the islands of the ,baltic1 and the neighboring parts4 ,their mythological scheme is explained in a work called the ',edda1' which was compiled by ,snorro ,sturleson1 in the thirteenth century1 from the poems of the ,scalds or bards particularly one bearing the same name1 and a still older one1 called the ',voluspa4' ,the ,goths1 like the ,indians ,american believed in a supreme being1 to whom they ascribed many of the divine attributes1 but offered him no worship1 which they paid only to the subordinate deities4 ,this being they designated by the name of ',alfader1' that is ',father of all4' ,they believed that giants existed before the gods1 the chief of whom1 named ,odin1 was the offspring of one of them4 ,after this1 according to their fables1 which agree with that of the ,greeks1 a war ensued between the gods and the giants1 which terminated in the destruction of the latter4 ,the gods then proceeded to the work of creation1 and fashioned the globe out of the body of one of the giants1 named ,ymir4 ,before all this1 however1 we find from the ,voluspa1 that in accordance with the ,mosaic account1 ',in the beginning1 there was neither shore nor sea2 the earth was not to be found below1 nor the heavens above4' ,besides ,odin1 before mentioned1 who was the god of war1 and is supposed to be the ,buddha1 or ,bood1 of the ,hindoos1 the gods of the ,gothic mythology were ,frigga1 the wife of ,odin1 and ,thor1 their son1 who1 from the legends told of them1 correspond to the ,osiris1 ,isis1 and ,orus1 of the ,egyptians4 ,among the other children of ,odin1 were ,balder1 a powerful god2 ,boder1 the blind2 ,vidar1 the god of silence1 who walked on the waters and in the air2 ,vali1 the archer2 ,uller1 who presided over trial by the duel2 ,forsette1 the arbiter between gods and men2 ,iduna1 the queen of truth1 who presided over witnesses and oaths2 ,lofen1 the guardian of friendship2 ,synia and ,snootra1 who presided over wisdom and discretion4 ,to these may be added1 ,heimdall1 the son of nine virgins1 and sentinel of the gods2 ,braga1 the god of poetry2 ,niord1 the god of winds and the sea2 ,tyr1 the god of might2 ,eica1 the goddess of medicine2 ,freya1 the wife of ,holder1 and goddess of love2 ,gna1 the messenger of ,frigga2 ,tylia1 the goddess of beauty1 secrecy1 and chastity2 ,siona and ,soona1 presiding over marriage2 and the ,valkyries1 virgins1 who always attended ,odin in battle4 ,among their evil spirits was ,loke1 the spirit of evil and contradiction who was always opposing the gods4 ,besides the giants and gods1 the ,goths1 like the ,greeks and ,romans1 had their ,genii2 like the ,arabians1 their fairies2 and1 like the ,indians1 their dwarfs or pigmies4 ,the genii presided over the destinies of man1 of whom there were three principal--,urda1 ,verdandi and ,skulda1 answering to the ,parcae4 ,i4 e41 the ,fates of ,roman ,mythology4 ,they had their evil as well as good genii1 of whom ,surtur was the prince4 ,that they worshipped the sun and moon may be inferred from two days in the week being sacred to them1 namely1 ,sonndag and ,mondag1 that is1 ,sunday and ,monday4 ,the heaven of the ,goths was in the highest regions of the earth1 and consisted of two abodes1 namely1 the ,valhalla1 or hall of ,odin1 where warriors only were admitted2 and a higher abode1 called ,gimle1 where the good and virtuous1 in general1 were to be admitted4 ,they had also two abodes for the wicked1 namely1 ,nifleheim1 or ,evil home1 and ,nastrond1 or the shore of the ,dead4 ,nifleheim consisted of nine regions1 over whom ,hela1 or ,death1 held absolute sway4 ,mention is also made of two gods of this hell1 instead of the single ,cerberus among the ,greeks and ,romans4 ,the ,goths also held that ,valhalla and ,nifleheim were both perishable abodes2 and that at the last day1 the respective inhabitants of these two places were to be consigned by ,alfader1 either to ,gimle or to ,nastrond1 both of which would be eternal2 a fable evidently borrowed from the ,scripture account of the day of judgment4 ,they denominated this the ,twilight of the ,gods4 7,crabb's ,mythology1 pp4 #afe-afg74 #c4 ,religion of the ,old ,europeans3 ,the religion of the barbarian ,europeans was in many respects like that of the ,american ,indians4 ,they recognized a ',great ,spirit'--omniscient1 omnipotent1 omnipresent4 ,in the earliest times they made no representation of him under the human form1 nor had they temples2 but they propitiated him by sacrifices1 offering animals1 as the horse1 and even men1 upon rude altars4 ,though it was believed that this ',great ,spirit' might sometimes be heard in the sounds of the ,forests at night1 yet1 for the most part1 he was too far removed from human supplication1 and hence arose1 from the mere sorcerous ideas of a terrified fancy1 as has been the case in so many other countries1 star worship--the second stage of comparative theology4 ,the gloom and shade of dense forests1 a solitude that offers an air of sanctity1 and seems a fitting resort for mysterious spirits1 suggested the establishment of sacred groves and holy trees4 ,throughout ,europe there was a confused idea that the soul exists after the death of the body2 as to its particular state there was a diversity of belief4 ,as among other people1 also1 the offices of religion were not only directed to the present benefit of individuals1 but also to the discovery of future events by various processes of divination and augury practiced among the priests4 7,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,draper1 p4 #bdj74 #d4 ,chief ,divinities of the ,scandinavians3 ,the ,scandinavians sacrificed human victims1 and sometimes offered up even their kings1 to appease the gods in times of public calamity4 ,their chief divinities were ,odin or ,wodin1 ,frea or ,friga1 and ,thor4 ,odin or ,wodin is generally supposed to have been a deified war-like prince2 he was the god and father of war1 and was thought to adopt as his children all who died in battle2 he was also worshipped as the god of arts and sciences1 from his having in some degree civilized the countries which he subdued4 ,the fourth day of the week was consecrated to him1 and was called ',odin's day1' which now is corrupted into our ',wednesday4' ,frea or ,friga1 the consort of ,odin1 was the most amiable of all the ,scandinavian goddesses4 ,she was also called ,vanadis1 or the goddess of ,hope2 and under the name of ,hertha she was considered as a personification of earth4 ,virgins of high birth devoted themselves to her service2 and ,friday1 the sixth day of the week1 was named after her4 ,thor1 the eldest and bravest of the sons of ,odin and ,frea1 was the god of the aerial regions2 prayers were addressed to him for favorable winds and refreshing showers2 and ,thursday1 the fifth day of the week1 was dedicated to him4 ,in the earliest times1 the ,scandinavians performed their rites in groves2 but they afterwards raised temples to their gods1 the most magnificent of which were at ,upsal and ,drontheim4 ,the inferior deities of the ,scandinavians were3 ,niorder1 who presided over the seas1 navigation1 hunting and fishing2 ,isminsul1 or the column of the universe2 ,surtar1 prince of the genii of fire2 ,balder1 son of ,odin2 ,tur1 the dispenser of victory2 ,heimdal1 the guardian of the heavens2 ,norder1 the blind1 a son of ,odin2 ,vidar1 the god of silence1 a son of ,odin2 ,braga1 the god of poetry2 ,vati1 the formidable archer2 ,uller1 presiding over trials by duel2 ,hela1 the dreadful goddess of death2 ,torset1 decided the differences of gods and men2 the ,valkyries were goddesses of slaughter2 ,iduna1 the queen of youth2 ,saga1 the goddess of waterfalls2 ,vara1 the witness of oaths2 ,lofen1 the guardian of friendship2 ,synia1 the avenger of broken faith4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #ebe-f74 #e4 ,scandinavian ,notions of ,hell3 ,the notions the ,scandinavians entertained of hell were very remarkable2 it was called ,niflheim1 and consisted of nine vast regions of ice1 situated under the ,north ,pole1 the entrance to which was guarded by the dog of darkness1 similar to the ,grecian ,cerberus4 ,loke1 the evil genius1 who was the cruel enemy of gods and men1 with his daughter ,hela1 the goddess of death2 the giantess ,angherbode1 the messenger of evil2 the wolf ,femis1 a monster1 dreaded by the gods1 as destined to be their destruction1 and the equally formidable serpent1 resided in this gloomy abode2 which has been described by ,gray1 in his ',descent of ,odin4' ,the ,scandinavians believed that what formed their highest enjoyments in this world1 would likewise constitute their happiness in the next4 ,they imagined that the souls of heroes who had fallen in battle would pass their days in hunting shadowy forms of wild beasts1 or in combats with warriors2 and at night would assemble in the hall of ,odin1 to feast1 and drink mead or ale out of the skulls of their enemies whom they had slain in their mortal life4 ,this view of happiness in a future state of existence has prevailed amongst all nations4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #ebe-f74 #f4 ,the ,druids3 ,we have reason to believe that the ,britons inhabited ,england not long after the days of ,noah4 ,we might therefore expect to find resemblances between their religion and the religion of other ancient peoples2 and we are not disappointed4 ,there is a striking correspondence between the system of the ancient ,britons and those of the ,hebrew patriarchs1 the ,brahmins of ,india1 the ,magi of ,persia1 and the ,greek priests4 ,it was one system that was finally conveyed to these different parts of the globe4 ,take1 as a single instance of the many points of comparison1 their idea of ,god4 ,among their names for the supreme ,god which they had in use before the introduction of ,christianity1 were terms which have been literally translated1 ,god1 ,distributor1 ,governor1 the ,mysterious ,one1 the ,eternal1 ,he that pervadeth all things1 the ,author of ,existence1 the ,ancient of ,days4 ,these expressive appellations sufficiently indicate their views of the moral character and attributes of ,god4 7,the ,world's ,worship--,dobbins--p4 #ahh74 #g4 ,druid ,priesthood3 ,the ,celtic priests were called ,druids4 ,all the ,celtic nations1 like the early ,scythians1 performed their religious ceremonies in sacred groves2 and they regarded the oak1 and the mistletoe growing upon it1 with peculiar reverence4 ,their principal deities were3 ,teulates1 the god of war2 ,dis1 the god of the infernal regions1 and the ,pluto of after times2 and ,andate1 the goddess of victory4 ,the god of war was the divinity of the greatest importance2 upon his altars human victims were sacrificed2 and though criminals were deemed the most acceptable offerings1 innocent persons were frequently immolated4 ,druid is derived from the word deru1 which in the ,celtic language signified an oak2 because their usual abode was in woods4 ,these priests were most highly reversed2 they were referred to in all civil1 as well as religious matters2 and so great was their influence in the state1 that even kings could not ascend the throne without their approbation4 ,they were divided into four classes1--druids1 bards1 sarronides1 and vates or eubages2 the first were the supreme chiefs1 and so highly reverenced1 that the inferior orders could not remain in their presence without permission to do so4 ,the bards1 whose ,celtic name signifies a singer1 celebrated the actions of heroes in verse which they sang1 and accompanied on the harp4 ,the sarronides had the charge of instructing youth whom they were enjoined to inspire with virtuous sentiments2 and the vates or eubages had the care of the sacrifices1 and applied themselves particularly to the study of nature4 ,the ,druids enjoyed great privileges2 they were exempted from serving in war and paying taxes4 ,numbers aspired to gain admission into this order of society1 for it was open to all ranks2 but this was rather difficult1 as the candidates were obliged to learn the verses which contained the maxims of their religion and political government4 ,it was unlawful to commit the ,druidical doctrine to writing2 and therefore they were taught1 and transmitted from generation to generation1 entirely by the poems recited by the ,druids1 who required a period of fifteen1 or even twenty years1 to acquire an adequate knowledge on that subject4 ,the ,druids considered the mistletoe as a special gift from the divinity to the oak1 and the gathering of this plant was the most sacred of their ceremonies4 7,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #ebf-g74 #h4 ,druid ,worship3 ,they worshipped in the open air2 it being a maxim with them1 that it was unlawful to build temples to the gods1 or to worship them within walls and under roofs4 ,their favorite place was a grove of oaks1 or the shelter of a majestic tree of this kind4 ,here they would erect stone pillars in one or two circular rows2 and in some of their principal temples1 as particularly that of ,stonehenge1 they laid stones of prodigious weight on the tops of these perpendicular pillars1 which formed a kind of circle aloft in the air4 ,near to these temples they constructed their sacred mounts1 their cromlechs or stone tables for their sacrifices1 and every other necessary provision for their worship4 ,these sacred places were generally situated in the center of some thick grove or wood1 watered by a consecrated river or fountain1 and surrounded by a ditch or mound1 to prevent intrusion4 7,the ,world's ,worship1 p4 #aij74 ,,lesson ,,xx4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,xvi4 ,beliefs of ,india3 ,chips from a ,german ,workshop 7,max ,muller71 #a4 ,the ,vedas4 #b ,vols4 ,science of ,religions 7,max ,muller71 #b4 ,doctrines of the ,vedas4 #a vol4 ,chiefly deals with ,buddhism4 #c4 ,chief ,gods of ,hinduism4 ,article in ,encyclopaedia ,britannica--,buddhism4 ,vedanta ,philosophy 7#ahii71 by ,swami ,vivekananda4 ,dobbins' ,world's ,worship1 ,chs4 xi-xiii4 ,draper's ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,ch4 iii1 and ,notes of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,their idols are silver and gold2 the work of men's hands4 ,they have mouths1 but they speak not2 eyes have they1 but they see not2 they have ears1 but they hear not2 4 4 4 4 they that make them are like unto them2 so is every one that trusteth in them4 ,ps4 cxv4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,vedas3 ,vedas means1 originally1 knowing or knowledge1 and this name is given by the ,brahmans not to one work1 but to the whole body of their most ancient sacred literature4 ,veda is the same word which appears in the ,greek1 ',i know1' and in the ,english1 'wise1' 'wisdom4' ,the name of ,veda is commonly given to four collections of hymns1 which are respectively known by the names of ',rig-veda1' ',yagur-veda1' ',sama-veda1' and ',atharva-veda2' but for our own purposes1 namely1 for tracing the earliest growth of religious ideas in ,india1 the only important1 the only real ,veda1 is the ,rig-veda4 ,the other so-called ,vedas1 which deserve the name of ,veda no more than the ,talmud deserves the name of ,bible1 contain chiefly extracts from the ,rig-veda1 together with sacrificial formulas1 charms1 and incantations1 many of them1 no doubt1 extremely curious1 but never likely to interest any one except the ,sanscrit scholar by profession4 7,chips from a ,german ,workshop 7,muller71 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #h74 #b4 ,doctrine of the ,vedas3 ,the ,vedas1 which are the ,hindo ,scriptures1 and of which there are four1 the ,rig1 ,yagust1 ,saman and ,atharvan1 are asserted to have been revealed by ,brahma4 ,the fourth is1 however1 rejected by some authorities and bears internal evidence of a later composition1 at a time when hierarchical power had become greatly consolidated4 ,these works are written in an obsolete ,sanscrit1 the parent of the more recent idiom4 ,they constitute the basis of an extensive literature4 ,the ,vedas are based upon an acknowledgement of a universal ,spirit pervading all things4 ,of this ,god they therefore necessarily acknowledge the unity2 ',there is in truth1 but one ,deity1 the ,supreme ,spirit2 the ,lord of the universe1 whose work is the universe4' ',the ,god above all gods1 who created the earth1 the heavens1 the waters4' ,the world1 thus considered as an emanation of ,god1 is therefore a part of him2 it is kept in a visible state by his energy1 and would instantly disappear if that energy were for a moment withdrawn4 ,even as it is1 it is undergoing unceasing transformations1 everything being in a transitory condition4 ,the moment a given phase is reached1 it is departed from1 or ceases4 ,in these perpetual movements the present can scarcely be said to have any existence1 for as the ,past is ending1 the ,future has begun4 ,in such a never-ceasing career1 all material things are urged1 their forms continually changing1 and returning1 as it were1 through revolving cycles to similar states4 ,for this reason it is that we may regard our earth1 and the various celestial bodies1 as having had a moment of birth1 as having a time of continuance1 in which they are passing onward to an inevitable destruction1 and that after the lapse of countless ages similar progresses will be made1 and similar series of events will occur again and again4 7,draper1 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #eh-fj74 #c4 ,the ,hindu ,pantheism3 ,but in this doctrine of universal transformation there is something more than appears at first4 ,the theology of ,india is underlaid with ,pantheism4 ,god is one because he is ,all4 ,the ,vedas1 in speaking of the relation of nature to ,god1 make use of the expression that he is the ',material as well as the ,cause of the universe1' 'the ,clay as well as the ,potter4' ,they convey the idea that while there is a prevading spirit existing everywhere of the same nature as the soul of man1 though differing from it infinitely in degree1 visible nature is essentially and inseparably connected therewith2 that as in man the body is perpetually undergoing changes1 perpetually decaying and being renewed1 or1 as in the case of the whole human species1 nations come into existence and pass away1 yet still there continues to exist what may be termed the universal human mind1 so forever associated and forever connected are the material and the spiritual4 ,and under this aspect we must contemplate the ,supreme ,being1 not merely as a presiding intellect1 but as illustrated by the parallel case of man1 whose mental principle shows no tokens except through its connection with the body2 so matter1 or nature1 or the visible universe1 is to be looked upon as the corporeal manifestation of ,god4 7,draper1 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #eh-fj74 #d4 ,the ,two ,aspects of ,pantheism3 ,pantheism1 speaking in a general way1 is of two kinds3 ,first1 the ,pantheism that sinks all nature into one substance1 one essence1 and then concludes that that one substance or essence is ,god4 ,such ,pantheism as this is the purest ,monism--that is1 the one-substance theory of existence2 and is spoken of by some of our philosophers as the purest ,theism--that is1 faith in one ,god4 ,indeed1 ,pantheism1 in this aspect of it1 is looked upon as a sort of exaggerated ,theism2 for it regards ,god as the only substance1 of which the material universe and man are but ever-changing manifestations4 ,it is the form of ,pantheism which identifies mind and matter1 the finite and infinite1 making them but manifestations of one universal being2 but in effect it denies the personality1 by which ,i mean the individuality1 of ,god4 ,this was1 and1 for matter of that1 is now1 the general belief of many millions in ,india4 ,second1 the ,pantheism which expands the one substance into all the variety of objects that we see in nature1 and regards those various parts as ,god1 or ,god expanded into nature1 is the second kind of ,pantheism referred to a moment since4 ,this leads to the grossest kind of idolatry1 as it did in ,egypt1 at the time of which ,i am speaking4 ,under this form of ,pantheism1 men worshipped various objects in nature2 the sun1 moon1 stars2 in fact1 anything and everything that bodies forth to their minds some quality1 or power1 or attribute of the ,deity4 ,this was the ,pantheism of ,egypt2 and led to the abominable and disgusting idolatry of that land4 7,from ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1--,roberts--pp4 #agc-d74 #e4 ,chief ,god--,the ,hindoo ,trinity3 ,the three idols sculptured on the walls of ,elephanta ,cave are found all over ,india1 and constitute the chief gods which are worshipped by the ,hindus4 ,all the human race is said to have come from the highlands of ,central ,asia1 and the worship of these1 our ,aryan forefathers1 was at first exceedingly simple4 ,their manner of life brought them into close contact with nature1 and we learn from the hymns then written1 many of which are still preserved in the ,vedas 7the sacred book of the ,hindus71 that they regarded the powers of nature as manifestations of gods4 ,in the storms1 they supposed these rival gods were quarreling4 ,in the ,vedic hymns1 frequent mention is made of the chief god1 called ,dyaus1 the ',heavenly ,father4' ,also ,aditi1 the ',infinite ,expanse1' is called the mother of all gods4 ,next comes ,varuna1 the ',sky in its ,brightness1' then ,indra1 the ,god of the ',atmosphere2' so running through the whole list4 ,after a time1 the names of the gods are somewhat altered1 and a sort of trinity is formed4 ,agni1 god of fire1 becomes ,brahma2 ,surya1 the sun-god1 becomes ,vishnu1 and ,indra1 the atmosphere-god1 becomes ,siva4 ,these constitute what is called the ,tri-murti1 and are generally said to represent one god as ,creator1 ,preserver or ,destroyer4 ,hindus often write in their honor verses like the following3 ',in those three persons the one ,god was shown-- ,each first in place1 each last--not one alone2 ,of ,siva1 ,vishnu1 ,brahma1 each may be ,first1 second1 third1 among the ,blessed ,three4' ,as to which of the three gods is to be called the ,supreme ,being1 opinions differ4 7,dobbins' ,the ,world's ,worship1 pp4 #bae-baf74 ,,lesson ,,xxi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,xvi4 ,beliefs of ,india--7,continued73 ,chips from a ,german ,workshop 7,max ,muller71 #a4 ,brahaminism--,general ,view4 #b vols4 ,science of ,religions 7,max ,muller71 #b4 ,buddha--,gautama4 #a ,vol4 ,chiefly deals with ,buddhism4 #c4 ,buddhism4 ,article in ,encyclopaedia ,britannica--,buddhism4 ,dobbins' ,world's ,worship1 ,chs4 xi-xiii4 ,burder's ,history of ,all ,religions1 pp4 #fcd-fgb4 ,vendanta ,philosophy 7#ahii71 by ,swami ,vivekananda4 ,draper's ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,ch4 iii2 and notes of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,all the gods of the nations are idols2 but the ,lord made the heavens4 ,honor and majesty are before ,him2 strength and beauty are in ,his sanctuary4 ,ps4 xcvi3#e4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,brahminism3 ,general ,view3 ,brahminism grew out of what is called the ,vedic religion4 ,before ,abraham's day1 the people living in ,central ,asia1 being a simple race1 addressed their prayers to the powers of nature1 as1 for example1 to the storms1 the clouds and the sun1 seeing the ,deity in each of these4 ,hymns were written to these gods1 and this forms the earliest of all sacred books1 only excepting those from which ,moses wrote his account of the early history of the world in ,genesis4 ,this people moved south into ,india4 ,the priesthood arose1 and the other ,vedic books of ceremonies1 sacrifices and liturgical forms were prepared4 ,great commentaries were written on these books1 and all were declared to be inspired4 ,the priests quarreled with the civil chiefs1 but their sacred character was increased by the conflict1 and caste is the result4 ,the priests are the highest caste 7or class72 next come the warriors1 then the merchant1 the farmer1 etc2 last of all the tanners1 buriers of the dead1 etc4 ,these classes never intermarry or intermingle in any way2 it is contaminating to sit together even4 ,about this time idols appear1 and ,gods multiply until they reach the number of #ccj1jjj1jjj4 ,men groaned under this stupendous system of oppressive idolatry4 ,buddha tried in the seventh century before ,christ1 to reform it1 but he failed1 though he succeeded in establishing a new faith which has numbered its converts by the hundreds of millions4 ,but ,brahminism continues to be the religion of ,india1 even until today4 ,starting from the ,veda1 ,hinduism has ended in embracing something from all religions1 and in presenting phases suited to all minds4 ,it is all-tolerant1 all-compliant1 all-comprehensive1 all-absorbing4 ,it has its spiritual and its material aspect1 its esoteric and exoteric1 its subjective and objective1 its rational and irrational1 its pure and impure4 ,it has one side for the practical1 another for the severely moral1 another for the devotional and imaginative1 another for the sensuous and sensual1 and another for the philosophical and speculative4 ,those who rest in ceremonial observances find it all-sufficient2 those who deny the efficacy of works and make faith the one requisite1 need not wander from its pale2 those who are addicted to sensuality may have their tastes fully gratified2 those whose delight is in meditating upon the nature of ,god and of man1 or the relations of matter and of spirit1 the mystery of separate existence1 or upon the origin of evil1 may here indulge their love of speculation4 ,and this capacity for almost limitless expansion causes almost numberless sectarian divisions even among the followers of any given particular line of doctrine4 ,yet there remains much of the old nature-worship1 or more correctly speaking1 of the old devil-worship1 among the ,hindus even at this late day4 7,dobbins' ,world's ,worship1 pp4 #baa-bac74 #b4 ,buddha3 ,the ,enlightened1 the title of ,siddhartha1 or ,gautama1 the founder of ,buddhism4 ,he was born between #efb and #eeb ,b4 ,c4 ,the ,buddhist narratives of his life are overgrown with legend and myth4 ,senart seeks to trace in them the history of the sun-hero4 ,oldenberg finds in the most ancient traditions--those of ,ceylon--at least definite historical outlines4 ,siddhartha1 as ,buddha was called before entering upon his great mission1 was born in the country and tribe of ,sakhyas1 at the foot of the ,nepalese ,himalayas4 ,his father1 ,suddhodana1 was rather a great and wealthy land owner than a king4 ,he passed his youth in opulence at ,kapilavastu1 the ,sakhya capital4 ,he was married and had a son ,rahula1 who became a member of his order4 ,at the age of twenty-nine he left parents1 wife1 and only son1 for the spiritual struggle of a recluse4 ,after seven years he believed himself possessed of perfect truth1 and assumed the title of ,buddha1 'the enlightened4' ,he is represented as having received a sudden illumination as he sat under the ,botree1 or 'tree of knowledge1' at ,bodhgaya or ,buddha-,gaya4 ,for twenty-eight or1 as later narratives give it1 forty-nine days1 he was variously tempted by ,mara4 ,one of his doubts was whether to keep for himself the knowledge won1 or to share it4 ,love triumphed1 and he began to preach1 at first at ,benares4 ,for forty-four years he preached in the region of ,benares and ,behar4 ,primitive ,buddhism is only to be gathered by inference from the literature of a later time4 ,buddha did not array himself against the old religion4 ,the doctrines were rather the outgrowth of those of certain ,brahmanical schools4 ,his especial concern was salvation from sorrow1 and so from existence4 ,there are 'four noble truths'3 7#a7 existence is suffering2 7#b7 the cause of pain is desire2 7#c7 cessation of pain is possible through the suppression of desire2 7#d7 the way to this is the knowledge and observance of the 'good law' of ,buddha4 ,the end is ,nirvana1 the cessation of existence4 ,buddhism was preached in the vulgar tongue1 and had a popular literature and an elaborately organized monastic and missionary system4 ,it made its way into ,afghanistan1 ,bactriana1 ,tibet1 and ,china4 ,it passed away in ,india not from ,brahman persecution1 but rather from internal causes1 such as its too abstract nature1 too morbid view of life1 relaxed discipline1 and overgrowth of monasticism1 and also because ,shivaism and ,vishnuism employed many of its own weapons more effectively4 ,the system has been variously modified in dogma and rites in the many countries to which it has spread4 ,it is supposed to number about #cej1jjj1jjj of adherents1 who are principally in ,ceylon1 ,tibet1 ,china1 and ,japan4 7,century ,dictionary1 ,art4 ,buddha74 #c4 ,the ,original ,elements in ,buddhism3 ,what was original and new in ,buddha was his changing a philosophical system into a practical doctrine2 his taking the wisdom of the few1 and coining as much of it as he thought genuine for the benefit of the many2 his breaking with the traditional formalities of the past1 and proclaiming for the first time1 in spite of caste and creeds1 the equality of the rich and the poor1 the foolish and the wise1 the 'twice-born' and the outcast4 ,buddhism1 as a religion and as a political fact1 was a reaction against ,brahmanism1 though it retained much of that more primitive form of faith and worship4 ,buddhism1 in its historical growth1 presupposes ,brahmanism1 and1 however hostile the mutual relation of these two religions may have been at different periods of ,indian history1 it can be shown1 without much difficulty1 that the latter was but a natural consequence of the former4 ,chips from a ,german ,workshop 7,muller71 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bcd4 #d4 ,absence of ,god in ,buddhism3 ,buddhism has no ,god2 it has not even the confused and vague notion of a ,universal ,spirit in which the human soul1 according to the orthodox doctrine of ,brahmanism1 and the ,sankhya philosophy1 may be absorbed4 ,nor does it admit nature1 in the proper sense of the word1 and it ignores that profound division between spirit and matter which forms the system and glory of ,kapila4 ,it confounds man with all that surrounds him1 all the while preaching to him the laws of virtue4 ,buddhism1 therefore cannot unite the human soul1 which it does not even mention1 with a ,god1 whom it ignores2 nor with nature1 which it does not know better4 ,nothing remained but to annihilate the soul2 and in order to be quite sure that the soul may not reappear under some new form in this world1 which has been cursed as the abode of illusion and misery1 ,buddhism destroys its elements1 and never gets tired of glorying in this achievement4 ,what more is wanted8 ,if this is not the absolute nothing1 what is ,nirvana8 ,such religion1 we should say1 was made for a madhouse4 ,but ,buddhism was an advance1 if compared with ,brahmanism2 it has stood its ground for centuries1 and if truth could be decided by majorities1 the show of hands1 even at the present day1 would be in favor of ,buddha4 ,the metaphysics of ,buddhism1 like the metaphysics of most religions1 not excluding our own ,gnosticism and ,mysticism1 were beyond the reach of all except a few hardened philosophers or ecstatic dreamers4 ,human nature could not be changed4 ,out of the very 'nothing' it made a new paradise2 and he who had left no place in the whole universe for a ,divine ,being1 was deified himself by the multitudes who wanted a person whom they could worship1 a king whose help they might invoke1 a friend before whom they could pour out their most secret griefs4 ,and there remained the code of a pure morality1 proclaimed by ,buddha4 ,there remained the spirit of charity1 kindness1 and universal pity with which he had inspired his disciples4 ,there remained the simplicity of the ceremonial he had taught1 the equality of all men which he had declared1 the religious toleration which he had preached from the beginning4 ,there remained much1 therefore1 to account for the rapid strides which his doctrine made from the mountain peaks of ,ceylon to the ,tundras of the ,samoyedes4 7,ibid1 pp4 #bej-a74 ,,lesson ,,xxii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,xvii4 ,beliefs of ,china3 ,myers' ,general ,history1 ,ch4 ix4 #a4 ,the ,empire4 ,dobbins' ,world's #b4 ,religious ,teachers and ,literature4 ,worship1 ,ch4 xxxiii4 #c4 ,general ,character of ,chinese ,burder's ,history of ,religious ,faiths4 ,all ,religions1 ,part ,,vi1 ,sec4 viii4 #d4 ,confucianism1 ,taoism1 ,buddhism4 ,science of ,religion 7,muller74 ,chips from a ,german ,workshop1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,chs4 x-xiii4 ,,special ,,text3 ,do not to another what you would not have him do unto you4 ,thou needest this law alone4 ,it is the foundation of all the rest4 ,confucius4#a ,,notes4 #a4 ,china3 ,china was the cradle of a very old civilization1 older perhaps than that of any other lands save ,egypt and ,babylonia2 yet ,chinese affairs have not until recently exercised any direct influence upon the general current of history4 ,all through the later ancient and mediaeval times the country lay1 vague and mysterious1 in the haze of the world's horizon4 ,during the ,middle ,ages the land was known to ,europe under the name of ,cathay4 ,the government of ,china from a remote period has been a parental monarchy4 ,the emperor is the father of his people4 ,but though an absolute prince1 he dare not rule tyrannically2 he must rule justly and in accordance with the ancient customs4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #fg47 #b4 ,the ,teachers ,confucius and ,mencius3 ,the great teacher of the ,chinese was ,confucius 7#eea-dgh ,b4 ,c474 ,he was not a prophet or revealer2 he laid no claims to a supernatural knowledge of ,god or of the hereafter2 he said nothing of an ,infinite ,spirit1 and but little of a future life4 ,his cardinal precepts were obedience to parents and superiors1 and reverence for the ancients and imitation of their virtues4 ,he himself walked in the old paths1 and thus added the force of example to that of precept4 ,he gave the ,chinese the ,golden ,rule1 stated negatively3 ,what you do not want done to yourself1 do not do to others4 ,the influence of ,confucius has been greater than that of any other teacher excepting ,christ1 and perhaps ,buddha4 ,another great teacher of the ,chinese was ,mencius 7#cgb-bhh ,b4 ,c474 ,he was a disciple of ,confucius and a scarcely less revered philosopher and moral teacher4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #fh74 #c4 ,chinese ,literature3 ,the most highly-prized portion of ,chinese literature is embraced in what is known as the ,five ,classics and the ,four ,books1 called collectively the ,nine ,classics4 ,a considerable part of the material of the ,five ,classics was collected and edited by ,confucius4 ,the ,four ,books1 though not written by ,confucius1 yet bear the impress of his mind and thought1 just as the ,gospels teach the mind of ,christ4 ,the cardinal virtue inculcated by all the sacred writings is filial piety4 ,it would be difficult to exaggerate the influence which the ,nine ,classics have had upon the ,chinese nation4 ,for more than two thousand years these writings have been the ,chinese ,bible4 ,but their influence has not been wholly good4 ,the ,chinese1 in strictly obeying the injunction to walk in the old ways1 to conform to the customs of the ancients1 have failed to mark out any new footpaths for themselves2 hence one cause of the unprogressive character of ,chinese civilization4 7,myers' ,general ,history1 p4 #fi74 #d4 ,the ,religion of ,china3 ,turn your attention now northward from ,india1 and take into account those great masses of our race inhabiting ,china2 and you will find there1 according to the statement of ,max ,muller3 ,a colorless and unpoetical religion2 a religion we might almost venture to call monosyllabic1 consisting of the worship of a host of single spirits1 representing the sky1 the sun1 storms and lightning1 mountains and rivers2 one standing by the side of the other without any mutual attraction1 without any higher principle to hold them together4 ,in addition to this1 we likewise meet in ,china with the worship of ancestral spirits1 the spirits of the departed1 who are supposed to retain some cognizance of human affairs1 and to possess peculiar powers which they exercise for good or evil4 ,this double worship of human and natural spirits constitutes the old and popular religion of ,china1 and it has lived on to the present day1 at least in the lower ranks of society1 though there towers above it a more elevated range of half religious and half philosophical faith1 a belief in two higher ,powers1 which1 in the language of philosophy1 may mean ,form and ,matter1 in the language of ethics1 ,good and ,evil1 but which in the original language of religion and mythology are represented as ,heaven and ,earth4 ,it is true that we know the ancient popular religion of ,china from the works of ,confucius only1 or from even more modern sources4 ,but ,confucius1 though he is called the founder of a new religion1 was really but the new preacher of an old religion4 ,he was emphatically a transmitter1 not a maker4 ,he says himself3 ',i only hand on2 ,i cannot create new things4 ,i believe in the ancients1 and therefore ,i love them4' 7,science of ,religion--,muller--pp4 #fa-fb74 ,such was the ancient religion of ,china2 and such1 to a very large extent1 is the religion of ,china to this day4 ,it must be remembered that the great ,chinese philosopher ,confucius did not disturb this ancient religious belief4 ,he did not1 in fact1 profess to be a teacher of religion at all1 but was content if he could but influence men to properly observe human relations4 ,on one occasion he was asked how the spirits could be served1 to which he made answer1 ,if we are not able to serve men1 how can we serve the spirits8 ,on another occasion he said to his followers1 ,respect the gods1 and keep them at a distance4 #e4 ,buddhism in ,china3 ,buddhism spread in the south to ,ceylon2 in the north to ,kashmir1 the ,himalayan countries1 ,thibet1 and ,china4 ,one ,buddhist missionary is mentioned in the ,chinese annals as early as #bag ,b4 ,c42 and about the year #abj ,b4 ,c4 a ,chinese general1 after defeating the barbarous tribes north of the ,desert of ,gobi1 brought back as a trophy a golden statute1 the statute of ,buddha4 ,it was not1 however1 till the year #ff ,a4 ,d4 that ,buddhism was officially recognized by the ,emperor ,ming-ti as a third state religion in ,china4 ,ever since1 it has shared equal honors with the doctrines of ,confucius and ,lao-tse1 in the celestial empire4 7,chips from a ,german ,workshop--,muller--,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #bec-d74 #f4 ,the ,three ,chinese ,national ,religions3 ,a ,chinaman may at the same time be an adherent of all three of the national religions4 ,the mass of the ,chinese people accept the three1 and see no inconsistency in so doing4 ,it is somewhat as if we ,americans were at the same time ,protestant1 ,romanist and skeptic4 ,the ,chinese support the priests of all religions1 worship in all their temples1 and believe in the gods of each and all4 ,these three religions differ from each other1 however1 ,dr4 ,edkins has so well defined this difference that we give his words3 ',confucianism speaks to the moral nature4 ,it discourses on virtue and vice1 and the duty of compliance with the law and the dictates of conscience4 ,its worship rests on this basis4 ,the religious veneration paid to ancestors--for that is the worship of this system--is founded on the duty of filial piety4 ,the moral sense of the ,chinese is offended if they are called on to resign this custom4 ',taoism is materialistic4 ,its notion of the soul is of something physical1 a purer form of matter4 ,the soul it supposes to gain immortality by a physical discipline1 a sort of chemical process1 which transmutes it into a more ethereal essence1 and prepares it for being transferred to the regions of immortality4 ,the gods of ,taoism are also very much what might be expected in a system which has such notions as these of the soul4 ,it looks upon the stars as divine4 ,it deifies hermits and physicians1 magicians and seekers after the philosopher's stone and the plant of immortality4 ',buddhism is different from both4 ,it is metaphysical4 ,it appeals to the imagination1 and deals in subtle argument4 ,it says that the world of the senses is altogether unreal1 and upholds this proposition by the most elaborate proofs4 ,its gods are personified ideas4 ,it denies matter entirely1 and concerns itself only with ideas4 ,most of the personages adored by the ,buddhists are known to be nothing but fictitious impersonations of some of these ideas4 ,the ,buddhist worship is not reverence paid to beings believed to be actually existing2 it is a homage rendered to ideas1 and it is only supposed to be reflex in its effects4 ,their worship is useful as a discipline1 but not effectual as prayer4 ,the ,buddhist1 if he can obtain abstraction of mind from the world in any other mode1 need not pray or worship at all4' ,these three systems1 occupying the three corners of a triangle--the moral1 the metaphysical and the material--are supplemental to each other1 and are able to co-exist without being mutually destructive4 ,they rest each on a basis of its own1 and address themselves each to different parts of man's nature4 ,it was because ,confucianism 'knew ,god1 but did not honor ,him as ,god1' that the way was left open for a polytheism like that of the ,buddhists4 ,in the old books of ,china1 ,god is spoken of as the ',supreme ,ruler4' ,he is represented as exercising over mankind an infinitely just and beneficent providence4 ,but the duty of prayer is not enjoined4 ,no worship of ,god by the people is permitted4 ,it was only by the emperor acting vicariously for the people that the ,deity was adored in that country4 ,the system of ,confucius1 wanting this1 was more a morality than a religion4 ,buddhism came to fill this vacancy4 ,individual faith in ,god1 with a rational mode of worship to accompany it1 could not be a result of the religious teaching which preceded it in ,china1 nor were they inculcated by it4 ,in ,buddhism1 the ,chinese found objects to adore of mysterious grandeur1 and richly endowed with the attributes of wisdom and benevolence4 ,the appeal thus made to their religious faith was strengthened by a pompous form of worship4 ,processions and the ringing of bells1 fumes of sweet-smelling incense1 prayers1 chanting and musical instruments were their aids to devotion4 ,no wonder that these additions should prove welcome to the religious susceptibilities of a nation which had hitherto been restricted within the bounds of a system almost exclusively moral1 and which discouraged the worship of ,god by the mass of the people4 7,dobbins' ,world's ,worship1 pp4 #dai-dba74 ,footnotes #a4 ,cf4 ,matt4 vii2#ab4 also ,,ii ,nephi1 xxix2#aa-ad2 and ,alma xxix2 #h4 ,,lesson ,,xxiii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,ancient ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4--7,,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,xviii4 ,belief of ,mohammedans4 ,the ,koran#a of ,mohammed 7,sales's ,translation71 #a4 ,arabia and ,its ,people4 ,preliminary ,discourse1 pp4 #a-acb1 and #b4 ,mohammed--,birth2 ,appearance2 ,koran1 ,chs4 iii and xxx4 ,character2 ,mission4 ,gibbon's ,decline and #c4 ,mohammedanism-,the ,creed4 ,fall of ,rome1 ,vol4 ,,vi1 ,ch4 #ej4 ,draper's ,intellectual ,development of ,europe1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,ch4 xi4 ,hero and ,hero ,worship 7,carlyle71 ,lecture ,,ii4 ,dobbins' ,world's ,worship1 ,ch4 xxxv1 xxxvi and the notes of this lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,o ,lord our ,lord1 how ,excellent is ,thy ,name1 in all the earth6 ,ps4 viii4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,arabia--,the ,land3 ,the ,arabs1 and the country they inhabit1 which themselves call ,jexirat al ,arab1 or the ,peninsula of the ,arabians1 but we ,arabia1 were so named from ,araba1 a small territory in the province of ,tehama2 to which ,yarab the son of ,kahtan1 the father of the ancient ,arabs1 gave his name1 and where1 some ages after1 dwelt ,ishmael the son of ,abraham by ,hagar4 ,the ,christian writers for several centuries speak of them under the appellation of ,saxons2 the most certain derivation of which word is from 'shark1' the east1 where the descendants of ,joctan1 the ,kahtan of the ,arabs1 are placed by ,moses1 and in which quarter they dwelt in respect to the ,jews4 ,the name of ,arabia 7used in a more extensive sense7 sometimes comprehends all that large tract of land bounded by the river ,euphrates1 the ,persian ,gulf1 the ,sindian1 ,indian1 and ,red ,seas1 and part of the ,mediterranean2 above two-thirds of which country1 that is1 ,arabia properly so-called1 the ,arabs have possessed almost from the flood2 and have made themselves masters of the rest1 either by settlements1 or continual incursions2 for which reason the ,turks and ,persians at this day call the whole ,arabistan1 or the country of the ,arabs4 ,but the limits of ,arabia1 in its more usual and proper sense1 are much narrower1 as reaching no farther northward than the ,isthmus1 which runs from ,aila to the head of the ,persian ,gulf1 and the borders of the territory of ,cufa2 which tract of land the ,greeks nearly comprehended under the name of ,arabia the ,happy4 ,the eastern geographers make ,arabia ,petraea to belong partly to ,egypt1 and partly to ,sham or ,syria1 and the ,desert ,arabia they call the deserts of ,syria4 99 99 99 99 ,this country has been famous from all antiquity for the happiness of its climate1 its fertility and riches1 which induced ,alexander the ,great1 after his return from his ,indian expedition1 to form a design of conquering it1 and fixing there his royal seat2 but his death1 which happened soon after1 prevented the execution of this project4 7,koran--,sales--,preliminary ,discourse1 pp4 #a1 #b74 #b4 ,the ,arabians3 ,the ,arabians1 the inhabitants of this spacious country1 which they have possessed from the most remote antiquity1 are distinguished by their own writers into two classes1 viz41 the old lost ,arabians1 and the present4 ,the former were very numerous1 and divided into several tribes1 which are now all destroyed1 or else lost and swallowed up among the other tribes1 nor are any certain memoirs or records extant concerning them2 though the memory of some very remarkable events and the catastrophe of some tribes have been preserved by tradition1 and since confirmed by the authority of the ,koran4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,the present ,arabians1 according to their own historians1 are sprung from two stocks1 ,kahtan1 the same with ,joctan the son of ,eber1 and ,adnan descended in a direct line from ,ishmael1 the son of ,abraham and ,hagar2 the posterity of the former they call al ,arab al ,ariba1 i4 e4 naturalized or insititious ,arabs1 though some reckon the ancient lost tribes to have been the only pure ,arabians1 and therefore call the posterity of ,kahtan also ,motanreba1 which word likewise signifies insititious ,arabs1 though in a nearer degree than ,mostareba2 the descendants of ,ishmael being the more distant graft4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the posterity of ,ishmael have no claim to be admitted as pure ,arabs2 their ancestor being by origin and language an ,hebrew1 but having made alliance with the ,jorhamites1 by marrying a daughter of ,modad1 and accustomed himself to their manner of living and language1 his descendants became blended with them into one nation4 ,the uncertainty of the descents between ,ismael and ,adnan1 is the reason why they seldom trace their genealogies higher than the latter1 whom they acknowledge as father of their tribes2 the descents from him downwards being pretty certain and uncontroverted4 7,ibid1 pp4 #d1 #f1 #g74 #c4 ,mohammed1 ,birth and ,ancestry3 ,mahomet1 or more properly ,mohammed1 the only son of ,abdallah and ,amina1 was born at ,mecca1 four years after the death of ,justinian1 and two months after the defeat of the ,abyssinians1 7,a4 ,d4 #efi7 whose victory would have introduced into the ,caaba the religion of the ,christians4 ,in his early infancy he was deprived of his father1 his mother1 and his grandfather2 his uncles were strong and numerous2 and1 in the division of the inheritance1 the orphan's share was reduced to five camels and an ,ethiopian maid-servant4 ,at home and abroad1 in peace and war1 ,abu ,taleb1 the most respectable of his uncles1 was the guide and guardian of his youth2 in his twenty-fifth year he entered into the service of ,cadijah1 a rich and noble widow of ,mecca1 who soon rewarded his fidelity with the gift of her hand and fortune4 ,the marriage contract1 in the simple style of antiquity1 recites the mutual love of ,mahomet and ,cadijah2 describes him as the most accomplished of the tribe of ,koeish2 and stipulates a dowry of twelve ounces of gold and twenty camels1 which was supplied by the liberality of his uncle4 ,by this alliance the son of ,abdallah was restored to the station of his ancestors2 and the judicious matron was content with his domestic virtues1 till1 in the fortieth year of his age1 he assumed the title of prophet1 and proclaimed the religion of the ,koran4 7,gibbon's ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 ,,vi1 pp4 #bah-bai47 #d4 ,mohammed's ,personal ,appearance3 ,according to the tradition of his companions1 ,mohammed was distinguished by the beauty of his person1 an outward gift which is seldom despised1 except by those to whom it has been refused4 ,before he spoke1 the orator engaged on his side the affections of a public or private audience4 ,they applauded his commanding presence1 his majestic aspect1 his piercing eye1 his gracious smile1 his flowing beard1 his countenance that painted every sensation of the soul1 and his gestures that enforced each expression of the tongue4 ,in the familiar offices of life he scrupulously adhered to the grave and ceremonious politeness of his country2 his respectful attention to the rich and powerful was dignified by his condescension and affability to the poorest citizens of ,mecca2 the frankness of his manner concealed the artifice of his views2 and the habits of courtesy were imputed to personal friendship or universal benevolence4 ,his memory was capacious and retentive2 his wit easy and social2 his imagination sublime2 his judgment clear1 rapid1 and decisive4 ,he possessed the courage both of thought and action2 and1 although his designs might gradually expand with his success1 the first idea which he entertained of his divine mission bears the stamp of an original and superior genius4 ,the son of ,abdallah was educated in the bosom of the noblest race1 in the use of the purest dialect of ,arabia1 and the fluency of his speech was corrected and enhanced by the practice of discreet and seasonable silence4 ,with these powers of eloquence1 ,mahomet was an illiterate barbarian2 his youth had never been instructed in the arts of reading and writing2 the common ignorance exempted him from shame or reproach1 but he was reduced to a narrow circle of existence1 and deprived of those faithful mirrors which reflect to our mind the minds of sages and heroes4 ,yet the book of nature and of man was open to his view2 and some fancy has been indulged in the political and philosophical observations which are ascribed to the ,arabian traveler4 ,he compares the nations and the religions of the earth2 discovers the weakness of the ,persian and ,roman monarchies2 beholds with pity and indignation the degeneracy of the times2 and resolves to unite under one ,god and one king the invincible spirit and primitive virtues of the ,arabs4 7,ibid1 pp4 #bai-bba47 #e4 ,the ,character of ,mohammed3 ,mohammed possessed that combination of qualities which more than once has decided the fate of empires4 ,a preaching soldier1 he was eloquent in the pulpit1 valiant in the field4 ,his theology was simple3 ,there is but one ,god4 ,the effeminate ,syrian1 lost in ,monothelite and ,monophysite mysteries2 the ,athanasian and ,arian1 destined to disappear before his breath1 might readily anticipate what he meant4 ,asserting that everlasting truth1 he did not engage in vain metaphysics1 but applied himself to improving the social condition of his people by regulations respecting personal cleanliness1 sobriety1 fasting1 prayer4 ,above all other works he esteemed almsgiving and charity4 ,with a liberality to which the world had of late become a stranger1 he admitted the salvation of men of any form of faith provided they were virtuous4 ,to the declaration that there is but one ,god1 he added1 and ,mohammed is his ,prophet4 ,whoever desires to know whether the event of things answered to the boldness of such an announcement1 will do well to examine a map of the world in our own times4 ,he will find the marks of something more than an imposture4 ,to be the religious head of many empires1 to guide the daily life of one-third of the human race1 may perhaps justify the title of a messenger of ,god4 7,draper3 ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #ccj47 #f4 ,mohammed and ,supernatural ,appearances3 ,like many of the ,christian monks1 ,mohammed retired to the solitude of the desert1 and1 devoting himself to meditation1 fasting1 and prayer1 became the victim of cerebral disorder4 ,he was visited by supernatural appearances1 mysterious voices accosting him as the ,prophet of ,god2 even the stones and trees joined in the whispering4 ,he himself suspected the true nature of his malady1 and to his wife ,cadijah he expressed a dread that he was becoming insane4 ,it is related that as they sat alone1 a shadow entered the room4 ,dost thou see aught8 said ,cadijah1 who1 after the manner of ,arabian matrons1 wore her veil4 ,i do1 said the prophet4 ,whereupon she uncovered her face and said3 ,dost thou see it now8 ,i do not4 ,glad tidings to thee1 ,o ,mohammed6 exclaimed ,cadijah2 it is an angel1 for he has respected my unveiled face2 an evil spirit would not4 ,as his disease advanced1 these spectral illusions became more frequent2 from one of them he received the divine commission4 ,i1 said his wife1 will be thy first believer2 and they knelt down in prayer together4 ,since that day nine thousand millions of human beings have acknowledged him to be a prophet of ,god4 7,ibid1 pp4 #ccj-a47 #g4 ,mohammedan ,creed3 ,there is no ,god but ,god1 the living1 the self subsisting2 he hath sent down unto thee the book of the ,koran with truth1 confirming that which was revealed before it2 for he had formerly sent down the law1 and the gospel1 a direction unto men2 and he had also sent down the distinction between good and evil4 ,verily those who believe not the signs of ,god shall suffer a grievous punishment2 for ,god is mighty1 able to revenge4 ,surely nothing is hidden from ,god1 of that which is on earth1 or in heaven2 it is ,he who formeth you in the wombs1 as he pleaseth2 there is no ,god but he1 the mighty1 the wise4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is ,god who hath created you1 and hath provided food for you2 hereafter will he cause you to die2 and after that will he raise you again to life4 ,is there any of your false gods1 who is able to do the least of these things8 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is ,god who sendeth the winds1 and raiseth the clouds1 and spreadeth the same in the heaven1 as he pleaseth2 and afterwards disperseth the same2 and thou mayest see the rain issuing from the midst thereof2 and when he poureth the same down on such of his servants as he pleaseth1 behold1 they are filled with joy4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is ,god who created you in weakness1 and after weakness hath given you strength2 and after strength1 he will again reduce you to weakness and grey hairs2 he createth that which he pleaseth2 and he is the wise1 the powerful4 7,al ,koran1 ,chs4 iii and xxx47 #h4 ,comment on the ,creed of ,mohammed3 ,the faith which under the name of ,islam1 he preached to his family and nation1 is compounded of an eternal truth and necessary fiction4 ,that there is only one ,god1 and that ,mahomet is the ,apostle of ,god4 ,it is the boast of the ,jewish apologists1 that1 while the learned nations of antiquity were deluded by the fables of polytheism1 their simple ancestors of ,palestine preserved the knowledge and worship of the true ,god4 ,the moral attributes of ,jehovah may not easily be reconciled with the standard of human virtue2 his metaphysical qualities are darkly expressed2 but each page of the ,pentateuch and the ,prophets is an evidence of his power2 the unity of his name is inscribed on the first table of the law2 and his sanctuary was never defiled by any visible image of the invisible essence4 ,after the ruin of the temple1 the faith of the ,hebrew exiles was purified1 fixed and enlightened by the spiritual devotion of the synagogue2 and the authority of ,mahomet will not justify his perpetual reproach that the ,jews of ,mecca or ,mediana adored ,ezra as the son of ,god4 ,but the children of ,israel had ceased to be a people2 and the religions of the world were guilty1 at least in the eyes of the prophet1 of giving sons1 or daughters or companions to the ,supreme ,god4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,the creed of ,mahomet is free from suspicion or ambiguity2 and the ,koran is a glorious testimony to the unity of ,god4 ,the prophet of ,mecca rejected the worship of idols and men1 of stars and planets1 on the rational principle that whatever rises must set1 that whatever is born must die1 that whatever is corruptible must decay and perish4 ,in the author of the universe his rational enthusiasm confessed and adored an infinite and ,eternal ,being1 without form or place1 without issue or similitude1 present to our most secret thoughts1 existing by the necessity of his own nature1 and deriving from himself all moral and intellectual perfection4 ,these sublime truths1 thus announced in the language of the prophet1 are firmly held by his disciples1 and defined with metaphysical precision by the interpreters of the ,koran4 7,gibbon3 ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 ,,vi1 pp4 #bbb-c74 ,a philosophic theist might subscribe the popular creed of the ,mahometans2 a creed too sublime perhaps for our present faculties4 ,what object remains for the fancy1 or even the understanding1 when we have abstracted from the unknown substance all ideas of time and space1 of motion and matter1 of sensation and reflection8 ,the first principle of reason and revelation was confirmed by the voice of ,mahomet2 his proselytes1 from ,india to ,morocco1 are distinguished by the name of ,unitarians2 and the danger of idolatry has been prevented by the interdiction of images4 ,the doctrine of eternal decrees and absolute predestination is strictly embraced by the ,mahometans2 and they struggle with the common difficulties how to reconcile the prescience of ,god with the freedom and responsibility of man2 how to explain the permission of evil under the reign of infinite power and infinite goodness4 ,the ,god of nature has written his existence on all of his works1 and his law in the heart of man4 ,to restore the knowledge of the one1 and the practice of the other1 has been the real or pretended aim of the prophets of every age2 the liberality of ,mahomet allowed to his predecessors the same credit which he claimed for himself2 and the chain of inspiration was prolonged from the fall of ,adam to the promulgation of the ,koran4 ,during that period some rays of prophetic light had been imparted to one hundred and twenty-four thousand of the elect1 discriminated by their respective measure of virtue and grace2 three hundred and thirteen apostles were sent with a special commission to recall their country from idolatry and vice2 one hundred and four volumes have been dictated by the ,holy ,spirit2 and six legislators of transcendent brightness have announced to mankind the six successive revelations of various rites1 but of one immutable religion4 ,the authority and station of ,adam1 ,noah1 ,abraham1 ,moses1 ,christ1 and ,mahomet1 rise in just gradation above each other2 but whosoever hates or rejects any one of the prophets is numbered with the infidels4 ,the writings of the patriarchs were extant only in the apocryphal copies of the ,greeks and ,syrians2 the conduct of ,adam had not entitled him to the gratitude or respect of his children2 the seven precepts of ,noah were observed by an inferior and imperfect class of the proselytes of the synagogue2 and the memory of ,abraham was obscurely revered by the ,sabians in his native land of ,chaldea2 of the myriads of prophets1 ,moses and ,christ alone lived and reigned2 and the remnant of the inspired writings was comprised in the books of the ,old and the ,new ,testament4 ,the miraculous story of ,moses is consecrated and embellished in the ,koran1 and the captive ,jews enjoy the secret revenge of imposing their own belief on the nations whose recent creeds they deride4 ,for the author of ,christianity1 the ,mahometans are taught by the prophet to entertain a high and mysterious reverence4 ,verily1 ,christ ,jesus1 the son of ,mary1 is the apostle of ,god1 and his word1 which he conveyed unto ,mary1 and a spirit proceeding from him2 honorable in this world1 and in the world to come2 and one of those who approached near to the presence of ,god4#b 7,gibbon3 ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,,vi1 pp4 #bbc-bbf47 #i4 ,islam3 ,mahomet had been wont to retire yearly1 during the month of ,ramadhan1 into solitude and silence2 as indeed was the ,arab custom1 a praiseworthy custom1 which such a man1 above all1 would find natural and useful4 ,communing with his own heart1 in the silence of the mountains2 himself silent2 open to the 'small still voices'2 it was a right natural custom6 ,mahomet was in his fortieth year1 when having withdrawn to a cavern in ,mount ,hara1 near ,mecca1 during his ,ramadhan1 to pass the month in prayer and meditation on those great questions1 he one day told his wife ,kadijah1 who with his household was with him or near him this year1 that by the unspeakable special favor of ,heaven he had now found it all out2 was in doubt and darkness no longer1 but saw it all4 ,that all these ,idols and ,formulas were nothing1 miserable bits of wood2 that there was one ,god in and over all2 and we must leave all idols1 and look to ,him4 ,that ,god is great2 and that there is nothing else great6 ,he is the ,reality4 ,wooden idols are not real2 ,he is real4 ,he made us at first1 sustains us yet2 we and all things are but the shadow of ,him2 a transitory garment veiling the ,eternal ,splendor4 ',allah ,akbar1 ,god is ,great2' and then also ',islam1' that we must submit to ,god4 ,that our whole strength lies in resigned submission to ,him1 whatsoever ,he do to us4 ,for this world1 and for the other6 ,the thing ,he sends to us1 were it death and worse than death1 shall be good1 shall be best2 we resign ourselves to ,god4 7,hero ,worship1 ,lecture ,,ii74 ,footnotes #a4 ,the syllable ',al' in the word ',alkoran' 7sometimes also written ',alcoran'7 is only the ,arabic article signifying 'the'2 and therefore ought to be omitted when the ,english article is prefixed4--,sale1 ,alkoran1 p4 #dj4 #b4 ,koran1 ,ch4 iii4 ,,lesson ,,xxiv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,special ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,calling ,,of ,,israel ,,as ,a ,,witness ,,of ,,the ,,true ,,god--,,was ,,israel ,,true ,,to ,,his ,,mission8 7,,an ,,argumentative ,,discourse47 ,,notes4 #a4 ,judaism and ,ancient ,conceptions of ,god3 ,it may be thought strange that ,i have not devoted one lesson at least to ,judaism among the lessons on the ,ancient ,conceptions of ,god4 ,my reason for omitting consideration of it here1 where it would so fittingly take rank among the ancient faiths1 is that when the ancient and modern conceptions of ,god shall have been considered1 we then take up ,true ,conceptions of ,deity1 and in doing so it is desirable that the whole range of revelation to sustain the true doctrine and argument--including the revelation which ,god gave of himself first to ,abraham1 and afterwards to his descendants1 ,israel--both for the existence and the nature of ,god1 be available under one heading4 ,to introduce the doctrine of ,deity as made known to ancient ,israel would be to deal now with ,true ,conceptions of ,god1 and thus precipitate before its time the main question of our treatise4 ,and so we give ,judaism place at this point only by inviting the student's attention to it through this special lesson4 #b4 ,an ,argumentative ,discourse3 ,i have suggested in the title of this lesson that it be considered as an argumentative discourse2 and in the main this is inevitable2 but it can be made to combine both expository and argumentative discourse4 ,the first part of the title--,the ,special ,calling of ,israel as a ,witness of the ,true ,god1 necessarily calls for exposition--the fact must be established that ,israel received such a mission4 ,the second part of the title makes necessary the argumentative form of treatment4 ,an explanation of ,expository discourse will be found in ,lesson ,x1 ,note #a of this ,year ,book4 ,argumentative discourse is treated in ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,ii1 pp4 #fh-gb4 ,for treatise on thought gathering1 see ,year ,book ,no4 ,i1 pp4 #adg-aej2 on ,constructing a plan1 etc4 ,see ,year ,book ,no4 ,,ii1 pp4 #aac-aae1 also pp4 #adi-aea4 #c4 ,sources of ,information3 ,trace the subject through the ,bible by means of a concordance1 beginning with ,deuteronomy ,,xxvi1 especially verses #af-ai4 ,also ,deuteronomy ,,xxviii and ,,xxix1 and trace out the prophecies to their fulfillment4 ,see on these chapters the ,commentary of ,jamieson1 ,fausset and ,brown4 ,also ,the ,gospel p4 #he1 footnote 7third ,ed474 ,josephus of course2 and where it can be had ,leslie's ,short and ,easy ,method with the ,jews1 sub-division ,,xi4 ,it is published in ,christian ,evidences 7#ahec74 ,edersheim's ,life and ,times of ,messiah1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,chs4 i-iv inclusive4 ,conybeare ,howson's ,life of ,st4 ,paul1 ,ch4 ,i4 ,moral and ,metaphysical ,philosophy1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,ch4 i4 ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 pp4 #agi-ahe4 ,also ,history of ,christianity in the ,first ,three ,centuries 7,mosheim7 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #eb-ee4 #d4 ,suggestions to the ,speaker3 ,in the last ,special ,lesson 7,lesson ,,xv71 under the title of this note we said the last word on the ,first ,moments of ,speech1 we brought the speaker upon his feet facing his audience4 ,it now remains to carry him through the speech beginning with the ,introduction2 and ,i shall follow the same master who has before instructed us1 ,mr4 ,pittenger2 and here let me say that we may keep in mind the old formula of a well conducted speech3 ,introduction1 ,discussion and ,conclusion4 ,the ,introduction3 ,a good introduction is exceedingly valuable1 and is to be sought for with great solicitude1 if it does not spontaneously present itself4 ,some kind of an introduction is inevitable1 for there will always be a first moment when silence is broken1 and our thoughts introduced4 ,the subsiding murmur of the audience tells the speaker that the time of his trial has come4 ,if he is very sensitive1 or if he has seldom1 if ever1 spoken before1 his pulse beats fast1 his face flushes1 and an indescribable feeling of faintness and fear thrills every nerve4 ,he may wish himself anywhere else1 but there is now no help for him4 ,he must arise1 and for the time stand as the mark for all eyes and the subject of all thoughts4 ,there is a vast difference between reciting and extemporizing in these opening moments1 and the advantage seems to be altogether on the side of recitation4 ,every word is in its proper place and the speaker may be perfectly calm and self-collected4 ,he is sure that his memory will not fail him in the opening1 and encouraged by that assurance1 will usually throw his whole power into his first sentences1 causing his voice to ring clear and loud over the house4 ,the extemporizer is in a far more difficult position4 ,he is sure of nothing4 ,the weight of the whole speech rests heavily upon his mind4 ,he is glancing ahead1 striving to forecast the coming sentences1 as well as carrying forward those gliding over the tongue1 and1 distracted by this double labor1 his first expressions may be feeble and ungraceful4 ,yet this modesty and timidity is no real loss2 it goes far to conciliate an audience and secure their good-will4 ,we can scarcely fail to distinguish memorized from extemporized discourses by the introduction alone4 ,to avoid the pain and hesitancy of an unelaborated beginning1 some speakers write and memorize the opening passage4 ,this may accomplish the immediate object1 but it is apt to be at the expense of all the remainder of the discourse4 ,the mind cannot pass easily from reciting to spontaneous origination2 and the voice1 being too freely used at first1 loses its power4 ,the hearers1 having listened to highly polished language1 are less disposed to relish the plain words that follow1 and the whole speech1 which1 like the ,alpine condor1 may have pitched from the loftiest summits1 falls fast and far1 until the lowest level is reached4 ,a written introduction may be modest and unpretending1 but unless it very closely imitates unstudied speech1 painful contrasts and disappointments are inevitable4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,it is only the substance and not the words of the introduction that should be prepared4 ,a single sentence may be mentally forecast1 but much beyond would be harmful2 and even this sentence should be simple and easily understood4 ,anything that needs explanation is very much out of place4 ,neither should the introduction be so striking as to be the part of the discourse longest remembered4 ,rather than permit the attention to be distracted in that manner1 it would be better to have no introduction4 ,as to ,apologies3 ,a speaker gains much if he can at the outset arrest the attention and win the sympathy of his hearers and then carry these over to his proper subject4 ,but it may be assumed as certain1 that no kind of an apology will accomplish this object--unless1 indeed1 the speaker is such a favorite that everything in regard to his health or position is an object of deep solicitude to his audience4 ,a popular speaker who happens to be late and apologizes for it by explaining that he had just escaped from a terrible railroad accident would make a good introduction4 ,a loved pastor1 in his first sermon after serious illness1 might properly begin by talking of his amendment and his joy at addressing his flock again4 ,but these are rare exceptions4 ,the speaker about to make any kind of an apology or personal reference as an introduction1 may well heed ,punch's advice to persons about to be married3 ',don't6' 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,mortification of ,inattention3 ,some inattention may be expected and patiently borne with by the speaker at first4 ,part of the opening words may be lost by an additional reason for not making them of capital importance to the address4 ,it is useless to try by loud tones and violent manner to dispel indifference4 ,if the speaker's words have real weight1 and if his manner indicates confidence1 one by one the audience will listen1 until that electric thrill of sympathy1 impossible to describe1 but which is as evident to the practiced speaker as an accord in music1 tells him that every ear is open to his words1 and that his thoughts are occupying every mind4 99 99 99 99 ,subjects for ,introductions3 ,there are two or three general subjects available for introduction which every speaker would do well to study carefully1 and which will do much to furnish him with the means of properly approaching his theme4 ,we will mention the most useful of these1 premising that no one mode should be depended upon to the exclusion of others4 ,a good mode of introduction consists in a compliment to an audience4 ,when a truthful and manly compliment can be given it is a most agreeable step toward the good-will of those we address2 but if used on all occasions indiscriminately1 it is meaningless2 if transparently false1 it is repulsive and disgusting2 but when true1 there is no reason why it should not be employed4 99 99 99 99 99 99 7,for example of such introductions see ,acts1 ,ch4 xxiv and xxvi74 ,effective introductions can also be constructed from those topics of the day which may be supposed to fill all minds4 ,a few words on such subjects1 falling in with the general current of thought1 may easily lead up to the speaker's special topic4 ,the newspapers may thus furnish us1 especially while some striking event is yet recent1 with the means of arresting the attention of newspaper readers at our first words4 ,another good mode of introduction is that of locality4 ,the people of any town may be presumed familiar with the objects or events of interest for which their own place is celebrated2 and a happy reference to one or more of these can scarcely fail to be of interest4 ,another mode of introduction which may be very useful under proper restrictions is that of citing some relevant remark made by an author whose name carries great weight1 or so pointed in itself as to at once arrest attention4 ,a great picture1 some feature of a landscape1 a great historical event1 may be cited in the same way4 ,this method of citation is capable of very wide application4 ,if the sentiment or impression made by the citation is directly opposite to that which the speaker wishes to produce this will increase rather than diminish interest1 as the enjoyment of contrast and controversy is very keen2 but the speaker should feel confident of his ability to overcome the influence of the citation when thus hostile4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,calamity ,from a ,bad ,introduction3 ,a great calamity may come to a speaker from a bad introduction4 ,speakers who are great in everything else often fail at this point4 ,some make their introductions too complicated1 and thus defeat their own end1 as surely as the engineer who gives his railroad such steep grades that no train can pass over it4 ,others deliver a string of mere platitudes and weary their audience from the beginning4 ,when from these or other causes an address is mis-begun1 the consequences may be serious4 ,the thought settles upon the speaker with icy weight that he is failing4 ,this conviction paralyzes all his faculties4 ,he talks on1 but grows more and more embarrassed4 ,incoherent sentences are stammered out which require painful explanation to prevent them from degenerating into perfect nonsense4 ,the outline of his plan dissolves into mist4 ,the points he intended to make which seemed strong and important now look trivial4 ,with little hope ahead he blunders on4 ,the room grows dark before him1 and in the excess of his misery he longs for the time when he can close without absolute disgrace4 ,but alas6 the end seems far off1 and he searches in vain for some avenue of escape4 ,there is none4 ,his throat becomes dry and parched1 and command of voice is lost4 ,the audience grow restive1 for they are tortured as well as the speaker1 and if he were malicious and had time to think about it1 he might find some alleviation in that4 ,no one can help him4 ,at length1 in sheer desperation1 he does what he ought to have done long before--simply stops and sits down--perhaps hurling some swelling morsel of common-place1 as a parting volley1 at the audience--bathed in sweat1 and feeling that he is disgraced forever6 ,if he is very weak or foolish1 he resolves never to speak again without having every word written out before him2 if wiser1 he only resolves1 not only to understand his speech1 but how to begin it4 7,extempore ,speech--,pittenger--,ch4 vii74 ,this treatise upon the ,introduction to a speech has trespassed somewhat upon the space of this lesson1 but one can see no suggestion here set down that could well be eliminated1 so instructive is it4 ,especially could not the concluding topic ,calamity from a ,bad ,introduction1 be sacrificed4 ,but the wisdom underlying the elaborate discussion of this topic by ,mr4 ,pittenger was forcefully and tersely expressed in one of the early revelations to the ,ministry of the ,church--#ahca--when the ,lord in reference to preaching1 said that the ,elders should teach as directed by the ,spirit2 and the ,spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith1 and if ye receive not the ,spirit ye shall not teach6 7,doc4 ,cov4 ,sec4 #db2 #ab-ad74 #e4 ,strength3 ,still another word on strength of expression4 ,we have already noted two means of promoting strength of expression--7#a7 by the rejection of superfluous words 7,lesson ,x72 and 7#b7 a careful use of words of connection4 ,and now ,quackenbos3 ,a third means of promoting the ,strength of a sentence is to dispose of the important word or words in that place where they will make the greatest impression4 ,what this place is1 depends on the nature and length of the sentence4 ,sometimes1 it is at the commencement1 as in the following from ,addison3 ',the pleasures of the imagination1 taken in their full extent1 are not so gross as those of sense1 nor so refined as those of the understanding4' ,in other cases1 it will be found of advantage to suspend the sense for a time1 and bring the important term at the close of the period4 ',on whatever side1' says ,pope1 'we contemplate ,homer1 what principally strikes us is his wonderful invention4' ,no rule can be given on this subject2 a comparison of different arrangements is the only means of ascertaining1 in any particular case1 which is the best4 7,rhetoric1 ,art4 ,strength47 ,the following suggestion is given by ,lockwood3 ,the mind naturally dwells upon the last part of a sentence4 ,care should1 therefore1 be taken to have the last word a forcible one4 ,avoid closing a sentence with an insignificant word or phrase1 as1 for example1 an adverb or a preposition or such a phrase as to it1 by it1 etc4 ,example3 ',that is a danger which young children are exposed to4' ,the sentence should read1 ,that is a danger to which young children are exposed4 ,example3 ',none but capital letters were used formerly4' ,the idea is more forcibly presented if we say1 ,formerly1 none but capital letters were used4 ,,lesson ,,xxv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,patristic#a ,,doctrines ,,of ,,god4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,the ,patristic ,period4 ,library of the ,christian ,fathers ,anterior to ,,ii4 ,the ,prevailing ,philosophers4 the ,division of the ,east and ,west1 ,oxford ,edition ,,iii4 ,the ,christian ,doctrine of ,deity--,the 7#db ,vols474 ,trinity4 ,early ,christian ,literature ,,iv4 ,patristic ,arguments for the ,divine ,primers1 ,edited ,existence and the ,trinity4 by ,geo4 ,p4 ,fisher2 ,apostolic ,fathers2 ,fathers ,v4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed4 of the ,third ,century2 ,post-,nicene ,latin ,fathers2 ,post-,nicene ,greek ,fathers4 ,mosheim's and ,neander's ,church ,histories2 also ,smith's ,student's ,ecclesiastical ,history1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,history of ,christian ,doctrine 7,shedd71 #b ,vols4 ,intellectual ,development of ,europe 7,draper71 ,vol4 ,i1 chapter on ,greek ,age of ,faith4 ,gibbon's ,decline and ,fall1 ,vol4 ,,iii1 ,ch4 xxi4 ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity 7,roberts71 ,chs4 ii and iii1 and ,notes of this ,lesson4 ,,special ,,text3 ,o ,timothy1 keep that which is committed to thy trust1 avoiding profane and vain babblings1 and opposition of science falsely so called4 ,i ,tim4 vi1#bj4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,patristic ,period3 ,the patristic period is usually recognized as extending from the close of the ,apostolic period and ending with the death of the last of the ,apostles1 supposed to have occurred about #ie or #if ,a4 ,d4--to ,a4 ,d4 #gej4 ,the ,patristic period of the ,church is followed by what is called the ,mediaeval period4 ,the line between these two ,christian ages1 says ,george ,a4 ,jackson in his ,introduction to ,the ,apostolic ,fathers1 cannot be sharply drawn2 but1 speaking in a general way1 the epoch of the ,fathers was1 in the ,western ,church1 the first six centuries4 ,in the ,eastern ,church1 the patristic age may be extended to embrace ,john of ,damascus 7,a4 ,d4 #gej74 ,the writers may be arranged1 not unnaturally1 in four groups4 #a4 7,a4 ,d4 #ie--ahj74 ,the ,apostolic ,fathers and the ,apologists1 or writers contemporary with the formation of the ,new ,testament canon4 ,these all wrote in ,greek4 #b4 7,a4 ,d4 #ahj--cbe74 ,the ,fathers of the third century2 or writers from ,irenaeus to the ,nicene ,council2 partly ,greek1 partly ,latin4 #c4 7,a4 ,d4 #cbe--eij74 ,the ,post-,nicene ,latin ,fathers4 #d4 7,a4 ,d4 #cbe-gej74 ,the ,post-,nicene ,greek ,fathers4 7,apostolic ,fathers1 ,jackson1 p4 #aa74 ,our notice of the conceptions of the ,fathers respecting ,god1 can only be very brief1 and consequently it will be imperfect4 ,only such passages from them will be quoted as are most largely representative2 and from such ,fathers as most influenced the thought of their times4 #b4 ,philosophy ,which ,most ,affected ,christian ,doctrine3 ,the secular philosophies which exerted most influence upon ,christian doctrine1 were ,platonism and ,aristotelianism4 ,it is said of them that they have exerted more influence upon the intellectual methods of men1 taking in the whole time since their appearance1 than all other systems combined 7,history ,christian ,doctrine--,shedd--,vol4 ,i1 p4 #eb72 and further1 that they contain more of truth than all other systems that do not draw from them1 or are opposed to them 7,ibid1 p4 #ec74 ,it is conceded that neither of these philosophers is free from error2 but it is claimed by ,christian writers that the ,greek theism as represented in these two systems1 notwithstanding its defects1 affirmed the existence of ,god1 and of one supreme ,god1 and taught a spiritual theory of man and human life4 7,ibid1 p4 #ee-ef74 ,it is also held that upon this point of the ,divine ,existence1 or ,being1 however much the two philosophers differ in their methods of thought and explanation1 there is really no great difference between them 7,ibid1 pp4 #ef-eh2 and foot notes where a number of authorities are quoted to the same effect with ,shedd74 ,it should be remembered1 that for myself1 ,i limit the practical concurrence of the two simply to the existence of the ,supreme ,being2 and in this conclusion ,i find the support of ,maurice1 who1 in describing the efforts of ,pico 7#aeth century7 to reconcile the ,metaphysics of ,plato and ,aristotle1 says3 ,those who professed themselves ,platonists pure and simple1 insisted that ,unity ,oneness had been distinguished from ,being by ,plato1 and had been exalted above ,being2 that on the contrary ,being1 according to ,aristotle1 is identical with ,unity4 ,this was the point on which the philosophers were supposed to disagree4 4 4 4 4 4 ,dealing only with the ontological1 or as we call them1 the metaphysical treatise1 of the great master ,aristotle1 he ,pico has little difficulty in showing that he was no disparager of ,unity1 any more than ,plato was a disparager of ,being 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ,he is able to maintain with great plausibility and force1 that ,aristotle1 no less than ,plato1 regarded ,being and ,unity as meeting in ,god1 and as vital objects for human search because they meet in him4 7,moral and ,metaphysical ,philosophy--,maurice--,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #hj-ha74 #c4 ,the ,christian ,doctrine of ,god3 ,in order to understand the ,patristic conceptions of ,god1 ,i find it necessary to state1 even if ever so briefly1 the doctrine of ,god as taught by the ,messiah and the ,apostles2 and for this purpose ,i use a statement of that doctrine from ,year ,book ,,ii2 ,lesson ,,xxxvi4 ,the existence of ,god both ,jesus and the ,apostles accepted as a fact4 ,in all the teachings of the former ,he nowhere seeks to prove ,god's existence4 ,he assumes that1 and proceeds from that basis with ,his doctrine4 ,he declares the fact that ,god was ,his ,father1 and frequently calls ,himself the ,son of ,god4#b ,after ,his resurrection and departure into heaven1 the ,apostles taught that ,he1 the ,son of ,god1 was with ,god the ,father in the beginning2 that ,he1 as well as the ,father1 was ,god2 that under the direction of the ,father ,he was the ,creator of the world2 that without ,him was not anything made that was made4#c ,that in ,him dwelt all the fulness of the ,godhead bodily2#d and that ,he was the express image of the ,father's person4#e ,jesus ,himself taught that ,he and the ,father were one2#f that whosoever had seen ,him had seen the ,father also2#g 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 ,father4#h ,hence ,jesus was ,god manifested in flesh--a revelation of ,god to the world4#i ,that is1 a revelation not only of the being of ,god1 but of the kind of being ,god is4 ,jesus also taught 7and in doing so showed in what the 'oneness' of ,himself and ,his ,father consisted7 that the disciples might be one with ,him1 and also one with each other1 as ,he and the ,father were one4#aj ,not one in person--not all merged into one individual1 and all distinctions of personality lost2 but one in mind1 in knowledge1 in love1 in will--one by reason of the indwelling in all of the one spirit1 even as the mind and will of ,god the ,father was also in ,jesus ,christ4#aa ,the ,holy ,ghost1 too1 was upheld by the ,christian religion to be ,god4#ab ,jesus ascribed to ,him a distinct personality2 as proceeding from the ,father2 as sent forth in the name of the ,son1 as weeling love2 experiencing grief2 as forbidding2 as abiding2 as teaching2 as bearing witness2 as appointing to work2 and as interceding for men4 ,all of which clearly establishes for ,him a personality4 7,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity--,roberts--,ch4 iv474 #d4 ,the ,trinity of the ,christian ,doctrine3 ,the distinct personality of these three individual ,gods 7united however into one ,godhead or ,divine ,council71 was made apparent at the baptism of ,jesus2 for as ,he1 ,god the ,son1 came up out of the water from ,his baptism at the hands of ,john1 a manifestation of the presence of the ,holy ,ghost was given in the sign of the dove which rested upon ,jesus1 while out of the glory of heaven the voice of ,god the ,father was heard saying1 ',this1' referring to ,jesus1 'is my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4' ,the distinctness of the personality of each member of the ,godhead is also shown by the commandment to baptize those who believe in the ,gospel equally in the name of each person of the ,holy ,trinity4 ,that is1 in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 7,matt4 xxviii1 #ai-bj47 ,and again1 also 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' 7,,ii ,cor4 xiii1 #ad47 ,these three ,personages constitute the ,christian ,godhead1 the ,holy ,trinity4 ,in early ,christian theology they were regarded as the ,supreme ,governing and ,creating ,power in heaven and in earth4 ,of which ,trinity the ,father was worshipped in the name of the ,son1 while the ,holy ,ghost bore record of both the ,father and the ,son4 ,and though the ,holy ,trinity was made up of three distinct persons1 yet did they constitute but one ,godhead1 or ,supreme ,governing ,power4 ,the foregoing doctrine of ,god1 taught to the ,christians in ,apostolic times1 awakened their pious reverence without exciting their curiosity4 ,they dealt with no metaphysical abstractions1 but were contented to accept the teachings of the ,apostles in humble faith1 and believed that ,jesus ,christ was the complete manifestation of ,deity1 and the express image of ,god ,his ,father2 and hence a revelation to them of ,god2 while the ,holy ,ghost they accepted as ,god's witness and messenger to them4 7,ibid1 ,ch4 iv474 #e4 ,patristic ,arguments for the ,divine ,existence3 ,the main argument of the ,christian ,fathers for the ,divine ,existence1 as already stated 7,lesson #c1 note #aa71 rested upon the innate consciousness of the human mind4 ,but1 says ,shedd1 in his ,history of ,christian ,doctrine 7,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bcj73 ,but whenever a formal demonstration was attempted in the ,patristic period1 the a posteriori#ac was the method employed4 ,the physico-theological argument1 derived from the harmony visible in the works of creation1 was used by ,irenaeus to prove the doctrine of the unity and simplicity of the ,divine ,nature1 in opposition to ,polytheism and ,gnosticism--the former of which held to a multitude of ,gods1 and the latter to a multitude of aeons4 ,the teleological argument1 derived from the universal presence of a design in creation1 was likewise employed in the ,patristic theology4 7,shedd's ,history of ,christian ,doctrine1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bfg74 #f4 ,the ,trinity of the ,apostolic ,fathers3 ,the ,apostolic ,fathers lived before the rise of the two principal ,anti-,trinitarian theories described in a previous section1 and hence attempted no speculative construction of the doctrine of the trinity4 ,they merely repeat the ,biblical phraseology1 without endeavoring to collect and combine the data of revelation into a systematic form4 ,they invariably speak of ,christ as divine2 and make no distinction in their modes of thought and expression1 between the deity of the ,son and that of the ,father4 ,these immediate pupils of the ,apostles enter into no speculative investigation of the doctrine of the ,logos1 and content themselves with the simplest and most common expressions respecting the trinity4 ,in these expressions1 however1 the germs of the future so-called scientific statement may be discovered2 and it is the remark of ,meier1 one of the fairest of those who have written the history of ,trinitarianism1 that the beings of an immanent trinity can be seen in the writings of the practical and totally unspeculative ,apostolic ,fathers4#ad 7,shedd1 ,vol4 ,i1 #bfa-bfe47 #g4 ,the ,patristic ,view of the ,divinity of the ,christ3 ,the following extracts from their writings are sufficient to indicate the freedom with which the ,apostolic ,fathers apply the term ',god' to the second ,person1 who is most commonly conceived of as the ,god-man1 and called ,jesus ,christ by them4 ',brethren' says ,clement of ,rome 7,ep4 ,,ii1 ,ch4 #a71 'we ought to conceive of ,jesus ,christ as of ,god1 as of the judge of the living and the dead4' ,ignatius addresses1 in his greeting1 the church at ,ephesus1 as 'united and elected by a true passion1 according to the will of the ,father1 and of ,jesus ,christ our ,god4' ,writing to the church at ,rome1 he describes them1 in his greeting1 as 'illuminated by the will of ,him who willeth all things that are according to the love of ,jesus ,christ our ,god'2 and desires for them 'abundant and uncontaminated salvation in ,jesus ,christ our ,god4' ,he also urges them 7,ch4 #c71 to mind invisible rather than earthly things1 for 'the things that are seen are temporal1 but the things that are not seen are eternal4 ,for even our ,god1 ,jesus ,christ being in the ,father1 7i4 e41 having ascended again to the ,father7 is more glorified' 7in the invisible world than when upon earth74 ,he enjoins it upon the ,trallian#ae ,church 7,ch4 #g71 to 'continue inseparable from ,god1 even ,jesus ,christ'2 and says to the ,smyrnaean ,church1 'glorify ,jesus ,christ1 even ,god1 who has given you such wisdom4 7,shedd1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #bfe-f74 #h4 ,patristic ,allusion to the ,trinity3 ,the following allusions to the trinity occur in the ,apostolic ,fathers3 ,clement of ,rome1 in his first epistles to the ,corinthians 7,ch4 #df71 asks1 ',have we not one ,god1 and one ,christ8 ,is there not one ,spirit of ,grace1 who is poured out upon us1 and one calling in ,christ8' ,polycarp1 according to the ,letter of the ,smyrna ,church 7,ch4 #ad71 closed his prayer at the stake with the glowing ascription3 ,for this1 and for all things1 ,i praise ,thee1 ,i bless ,thee1 ,i glorify ,thee1 together with the eternal and heavenly ,jesus1 ,thy beloved ,son2 with whom to ,thee1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 be glory1 both now1 and to all succeeding ages4 ,amen4 ,ignatius1 in his epistle to the ,magnesians 7,ch4 #ac71 places the ,son first in the enumeration of the three persons in the trinity2 ',study1 that whatsoever ye do1 ye may prosper both in body and spirit1 in faith and charity1 in the ,son1 and in the ,father1 and in the ,holy ,spirit1' 99 99 99 following in this particular ,st4 ,paul in #b ,cor4 #ab3ab4 ,barnabas 7,epist4 ,ch4 #e7 finds the trinity in the ,old ,testament4 ',for this cause1 the ,lord endured to suffer for our souls1 although ,he was ,lord of the whole earth1 to whom ,he 7the ,father7 said before the making of the world3 ',let us make man after ,our own image and likeness4 7,shedd1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bfg74 #i4 ,origin of ,christian ,creeds3 ,it is quite possible that the origin of creeds expressing the doctrine of ,deity1 grew out of certain declarations made by the ,apostles1 and the felt need of fixing upon some definite conception of ,god as a ground of ,christian faith and membership in the ,church4 ,perhaps the now famous confession of ,st4 ,peter was the first step in this direction4 ,whom do ye say that ,i am8 inquired ,jesus of the ,apostles4 ,and ,simon ,peter answered and said3 ,thou art the ,christ1 the ,son of the living ,god4 ,whereupon the ,master declared that the ,father had revealed this truth to the ,apostle1 and that upon it ,he 7the ,christ7 would build ,his ,church4 7,matt4 xvi1 #ac-ba74 ,as an instance of the felt need of a confession warranting entrance to the ,church1 take the case of the officer of the court of ,queen ,candace4 ,after being instructed of ,philip1 he inquired--,what doth hinder me to be baptized8 ,if thou believest with all thine heart1 thou mayest4 ,and the officer answered--,i believe that ,jesus ,christ is the ,son of ,god4 ,the chariot was halted straight way1 and the baptism was performed4 7,acts4 viii74 #aj4 ,the ,apostles' ,creed3 ,it is doubtful if the creed bearing the ,apostolic title was formulated by the ,apostles4 ,dr ,mosheim doubts of the ,apostles formulating it1 in the following language4 ,there is indeed extant1 a brief summary of ,christian doctrines which is called the ',apostles ,creed'2 and which from the fourth century onward1 was attributed to ,christ's ,ambassadors themselves4 ,but at this day1 all who have any knowledge of antiquity1 confess unanimously that this opinion is a mistake and has no foundation4 7,institutes ,cent4 ,i1 ,part #b1 ch4 #c74 ,to this1 also1 substantially agrees ,dr4 ,neander 7,gen'l4 ,history of the ,christian ,religion and ,church1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #cjf-cjg74 ,but while the simple formula may be of doubtful origin1 it unquestionably belongs to the ,patristic period1 and doubtless to the period of the ,apostolic ,fathers1 and would not be altogether unworthy of the ,apostles themselves4 ,the ,creed follows3 ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 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 come1 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 #aa4 ,comment on the ,apostles' ,creed3 ,as already observed1 the statement of the ,christian faith as formulated in the ,apostles' ,creed1 so far as its doctrine of the ,godhead is concerned1 might well be accredited to the ,apostles1 so unexceptional is it in the plain statement of truth respecting the doctrine of ,god1 as that doctrine may be gathered from the scriptures4 ,but the matter in the ,patristic period did not stop here1 and perhaps it could not stop with the statement of this first formula of a creed4 ,not only had the existence of the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,spirit to be affirmed1 but the nature of that existence had to be declared1 and the relationship of the persons of the ,trinity also had to be stated4 ,moreover1 the relationship of this ,christian doctrine to the ,greek and ,oriental philosophies had to be explained4 ,if in harmony with these preceding philosophies which dealt with ,god--for knowledge of ,god1 or the ,supreme ,being1 is always the object of philosophy--then it must be stated in what the harmony consists2 if in antagonism to them1 the points of antagonism must be stated and justified1 and the superiority of the ,christian doctrine vindicated4 ,it may be all very well for safe and formal men to state a truth within the lines of common-place facts1 and say ,we will be content with this and beyond it we will not go2 but a creed or book once formulated and published to the world1 remains no longer the possession of those who published it4 ,it belongs to the world1 and the world will have its way with it4 ,if there are defects in it1 from any cause whatsoever1 the world will find them out1 let the defects be what they may--under-statement of the truth1 over-statement of the truth1 misstatement of the truth1 or exact statement of the truth--all will come out1 and ,time1 the arbitrator for truth1 will pronounce his judgment1 resulting in condemnation or justification4 ,so it proved to be with this first formulated ,christian ,creed4 ,it was all very well to say1 ,i believe in ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 and in ,jesus ,christ1 ,his only begotten ,son1 and so following4 ,but the adult question came1 and it was inevitable that it should come--,what is the nature of this ',father ,almighty1' and of this ',son1' and what their relationship8 7,for greater detail of consideration of this line of questioning1 see ,year ,book ,,ii1 ,lesson #cg1 note #b74 ,seeking an answer to these questions1 brought the ,christian ,fathers of our period in contact with both ,oriental and ,greek philosophy2 and soon the tendency to harmonize the facts of ,christian doctrine with ,pagan philosophies set in1 resulting eventually in the paganization of the ,christian doctrine4 7,for further discussion on this head see ,year ,book ,,ii1 ,lesson #cg74 ,footnotes #a4 ,patristic3 ,of or pertaining to the fathers of the ,christian ,church3 a patristic theology2 patristic writings4 7,cent4 ,dictionary47 #b4 ,john x2 ,matt4 xxvii2 ,mark xiv3 #fa1 #fb4 #c4 ,for all of which see ,john i3 #a-d1 #ad2 ,heb4 i3 #a-c4 #d4 ,col4 i3 #ae-ai1 and ii3 #i4 #e4 ,john xiv3 #i1 ,,ii ,cor4 iv3 #d3 and ,heb4 i3 #c4 ,col4 i3 #ag4 #f4 ,john x3 #cj1 xvii3 #aa-bb4 #g4 ,john1 xiv3 #i4 #h4 ,john xiv3 #aj1 #aa1 #ai1 #bj2 also ,john xvii4 #i4 ,tim4 iii3 #af4 #aj4 ,john xvii4 #aa4 ,eph4 iii3 #ad-ai4 #ab4 ,acts v3 #a-ad4 ,to lie to the ,holy ,ghost is to lie to ,god1 because the ,holy ,ghost is ,god4 #ac4 ,from a consequent to its antecedent1 from effects to causes4 #ad4 ,clement of ,rome2 ,ignatius1 ,bishop of ,antioch2 ,polycarp1 ,bishop of ,smyrna2 ,barnabas 7not ,paul's companion71 see ,mosheim ,inst41 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #gg2 ,hermas1 and ,papias1 ,bishop of ,hieropolis4 #ae4 ,in ancient geography1 ,tralles was a city of ,asia ,minor1 situated near the ,menander1 #bbh miles east--southeast of ,ephesus4 ,,lesson ,,xxvi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,patristic ,,doctrines ,,of ,,god--7,continued74 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,,vi4 ,the ,nicene ,creed4 ,all the authorities cited in ,lesson xxv4 ,,vii4 ,creed of ,st4 ,athanasius4 ,also ,plato's ,republic and ,timaeus4 ,outlines ,,viii4 ,the ,arian ,controversy4 of ,lectures on the ,history of ,philosophy 7,elmendorf's7 ,,ix4 ,origin of ,metaphysical ,difficulties4 ,art4 on ,plato and ,st4 ,augustine1 ,x4 ,methods of ,arriving at the ,conception ,chs4 iv1 v1 vi1 vii4 of ,pure ,being4 ,moral and ,metaphysical ,,xi4 ,patristic ,doctrine of ,god of ,pagan ,philosophy 7,maurice74 ,origin4 ,art4 ,plato4 ,st4 ,athanaus and ,st ,augustine1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,for ,orthodox ,explanation of ,nicene and ,athanasian ,principles1 see ,hodge's ,commentary on the ,confession of ,faith 7,presbyterian71 ,ch4 ii4 ,also ,the ,nicene ,creed1 a ,manual for ,candidates for ,holy ,orders 7,j4 ,j4 ,lias1 ,m4 ,a471 ,chs4 i-iv4 ,a ,history of ,christian ,councils1 ,from ,original ,documents1 by ,c4 ,j4 ,hegele1 ,d4 ,d4 ,translated from the ,german by ,wm4 ,r4 ,clark4 ,,special ,,text3 ,there shall be false teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable heresies1 even denying the ,lord that bought them4 ,,ii ,peter ii1 #a4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,nicene ,creed3 ,the next official formulation of alleged ,christian doctrine after the ,apostles ,creed1 was the creed drafted at the council of ,nicea1 in ,bithynia1 #cbe ,a4 ,d41 as follows3 ,we believe in one ,god1 the ,father ,almighty1 creator of all things visible and invisible2 and in one ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 only-begotten of the ,father1 that is1 of the substance of the ,father1 ,god of ,god1 ,light of ,light1 very ,god of very ,god1 begotten1 not made1 being of the same substance with the ,father1 by whom all things were made in heaven and in earth1 who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven1 was incarnate1 was made man1 suffered1 rose again the third day1 ascended into the heavens1 and ,he will come to judge the living and the dead2 and in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,those who say there was a time when ,he was not1 and ,he was not before ,he was begotten1 and ,he was made of nothing 7he was created71 or who say that ,he is of another hypostatis1 or of another substance 7than the ,father71 or that the ,son of ,god is created1 that ,he is mutable1 or subject to change1 the ,catholic church anathematizes4#a #b4 ,creed of ,st4 ,athanasius3 ,nearly all ,ecclesiastical writers doubt of ,athanasius being the author of the creed accredited to him2 but all agree1 nevertheless1 that it is an orthodox explanation of the ,nicene ,creed4 ,this creed was evidently composed long after the death of the great theologian whose name it bears1 and after the controversies closed and the definitions established by the councils of ,ephesus 7,a4 ,d4 #dca71 and ,chalcedon 7,a4 ,d4 #dea74 ,it is a grand 787 and unique 767 monument of the unchangeable faith of the whole ,church as to the great mysteries of ,godliness1 the ,trinity of the ,persons in the one ,god1 and the duality of natures in the one ,christ4 7,commentary on the confession of ,faith--,presbyterian--by ,rev4 ,a4 ,a4 ,hodges1 ,d4 ,d41 #ahgj4 ,designed for ,theological ,students1 ch4 i1 pp4 #f1 #g47 ,the creed follows3 ,we worship one ,god in ,trinity1 and ,trinity in ,unity1 neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance4 ,for there is one person of the ,father1 another of the ,son1 and another of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but the ,godhead of the ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy ,ghost is all one2 the glory equal1 the majesty co-eternal4 ,such as the ,father is1 such is the ,son1 and such is the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the ,father uncreate1 the ,son uncreate1 and the ,holy ,ghost uncreate4 ,the ,father incomprehensible1 the ,son incomprehensible1 and the ,holy ,ghost incomprehensible4 ,the ,father eternal1 the ,son eternal1 and the ,holy ,ghost eternal4 ,and yet there are not three eternals1 but one eternal4 ,as also there are not three incomprehensibles1 nor three uncreate1 but one uncreate and one incomprehensible4 ,so likewise the ,father is almighty1 the ,son almighty1 and the ,holy ,ghost almighty2 and yet they are not three almighties1 but one almighty4 ,so the ,father is ,god1 the ,son1 is ,god1 and the ,holy ,ghost is ,god2 and yet there are not three ,gods1 but one ,god4 ,so1 likewise1 the ,father is ,lord1 the ,son ,lord1 and the ,holy ,ghost ,lord4 ,and yet not three ,lords2 but one ,lord4 ,for likewise as we are compelled by the ,christian verity3 to acknowledge every ,person by himself to be ,god and ,lord4 ,so are we forbidden by the ,catholic ,religion to say3 ,there be three ,gods1 or three ,lords4 ,the ,father is made of none1 neither created1 nor begotten4 ,the ,son is of the ,father alone2 not made1 nor created1 but begotten4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is of the ,father and of the ,son2 neither made1 nor created1 nor begotten1 but proceeding4 ,so there is one ,father2 not three ,fathers2 one ,son1 not three ,sons2 one ,holy ,ghost1 not three ,holy ,ghosts4 ,and in this ,trinity none is afore1 or after1 other2 none is greater1 or less than another2 but the whole three ,persons are co-eternal together1 and co-equal4 ,so that in all things1 as is aforesaid1 the ,unity in ,trinity1 and the ,trinity in ,unity is to be worshipped4 ,he1 therefore1 that will be saved1 must thus think of the ,trinity4 ,furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation2 that he also believe rightly the ,incarnation of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,for the right ,faith is1 that we believe and confess3 that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,son of ,god1 is ,god and ,man2 ,god1 of the ,substance of the ,father1 begotten before the worlds2 and ,man1 of the ,substance of his ,mother1 born in the world2 perfect ,god1 and perfect man2 of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting2 equal to the ,father1 as touching his ,godhead2 and inferior to the ,father1 as touching his ,manhood4 ,who1 although he be ,god and ,man1 yet he is not two1 but one ,christ2 one1 not by conversion of the ,godhead into flesh1 but by taking of the ,manhood into ,god2 one altogether1 not by confusion of ,substance1 but by unity of ,person4 ,for as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man1 so ,god and ,man is one ,christ2 who suffered for our salvation2 descended into hell1 rose again the third day from the dead4 ,he ascended into heaven1 ,he sitteth on the right hand of the ,father1 ,god ,almighty2 from whence ,he shall come to judge the quick and the dead4 ,at ,whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies1 and shall give account for their own works4 7,common ,prayer1 ,church of ,england47 7,for comment upon this creed1 see ,year ,book ,,ii1 ,lesson xxxvii47 #c4 ,pro ,et ,con of the ,arian ,controversy3 ,the orthodox doctrine of deity for the ,patristic period1 is found in the last two creeds quoted1 still it is well enough to give each side of the controversy1 out of which the creeds were born1 opportunity to state its own case4 ,alexander1 ,bishop of ,alexandria1 ,egypt1 states the orthodox side4 ,he first represents ,arius1 leader of the opposition1 as3 ,denying the divinity of our ,saviour1 pronounced him on a level with all other creatures4 ,he says that they held1 there was a time when the ,son of ,god was not2 and he who once had no existence1 afterwards did exist2 and from that time was1 what every man naturally is2 for 7say they7 the ,arians ',god made all things of nothing1 including the ,son of ,god1 in this creation of all things1 both rational and irrational2 and of course1 pronouncing ,him to be of a changeable nature1 and capable of virtue and of sin4' ,then1 affirmatively1 ,alexander gives his own views as follows3 ,we believe1 as the ,apostolic ,church does1 in the only unbegotten ,father1 who derived his existence from no one1 and is immutable and unalterable1 always the same and uniform1 unsusceptible of increase of diminution2 the giver of the law1 and the prophets1 and the gospels2 ,lord of the patriarchs and apostles1 and of all saints2 and in one ,lord1 ,jesus ,christ1 the only begotten ,son of ,god1 not begotten from nothing1 but from the living ,father2 and not after the manner of material bodies1 by separations and effluxes of parts1 as ,sabellius and ,valentinian supposed1 but in an inexplicable and indescribable manner1 agreeably to the declaration before quoted3 ',who shall declare his generation8' ,for ,his existence is inscrutable to all mortal beings1 just as the ,father is inscrutable2 because created intelligences are incapable of understanding this divine generation from the ,father--',no one knoweth what the ,father is1 but the ,son2 and no one knoweth what the ,son is1 but the ,father4' ,he is unchangeable1 as much as the ,father2 lacks nothing2 is the perfect ,son1 and the absolute likeness of the ,father1 save only that ,he is not unbegotten4 99 99 99 ,therefore1 to the unbegotten ,father1 ,his proper dignity must be preserved4 ,and to the ,son1 also1 suitable honor must be given1 by ascribing to ,him an eternal generation from the ,father4 ,arius1 making complaint that he is persecuted by ,alexander--states first the position of his adversary thus3 ,arius and his friends are persecuted--,because we do not agree with him1 publicly asserting that ,god always was1 and the ,son always was2 that ,he was always the ,father1 always the ,son2 that the ,son was of ,god himself4 ,then stating his own position affirmatively1 he says3 ,we have taught1 and still teach1 that the ,son is not unbegotten1 nor a portion of the unbegotten1 in any manner2 nor was ,he formed out of any subjacent matter1 but that in will and purpose1 he existed before all times and before all worlds1 perfect ,god1 the only begotten1 unchangeable2 and that before ,he was begotten1 or created1 or purposed1 or established1 ,he was not2 for ,he was never unbegotten4 ,we are persecuted1 because we say1 the ,son had a beginning1 but ,god was without beginning4 ,we are also persecuted1 because we say1 that ,he is from nothing2 and this we say1 inasmuch as ,he is not a portion of ,god1 nor formed from any subjacent matter4 ,therefore we are persecuted4 ,the rest you know4 7,mosheim1 ,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bhh--,notes74 ,the ,differences ,summed ,up3 ,summing up the differences between the two parties1 ,murdock1 the able translator and annotator of ,mosheim1 says3 ,according to these statements1 both the ,arians and the orthodox considered the ,son of ,god the ,saviour of the ,world1 as a derived existence1 and as generated by the ,father4 ,but they differed on two points4 7#a47 ,the orthodox believed ,his generation was from eternity1 so that he was coeval with the ,father4 ,but the ,arians believed there was a time when the ,son was not4 7#b47 ,the orthodox believed the ,son to be derived of and from the ,father2 so that ,he was of the same essence with the ,father4 ,but the ,arians believed that ,he was formed out of nothing1 by the creative power of ,god4 ,both1 however1 agreed in calling ,him ,god1 and in ascribing to ,him divine perfections4 ,as to ,his offices1 or ,his being the ,saviour of sinful men1 it does not appear that they differed materially in their views4 7,ibid74 #d4 ,origin of ,these ,metaphysical ,difficulties3 ,undoubtedly it was contact with ,oriental and ,greek philosophical vagaries1 and seeking to harmonize the facts of revelation1 with these vagaries1 that led to the intellectual difficulties of patristic ,christianity4 ,the temptation to seek such harmony1 was strong4 ,already a similar work had been done for the ,jews at ,alexandria1 under the leadership of ,philo4 ,he found1 in the lofty speculations of ,plato1 the wisdom of ,moses and of ,solomon2 and in the second century of the ,christian ,era1 ,numenius could ask ,what is ,plato but ,moses talking ,attic8 ,the arms of ,macedonians1 remarks ,gibbon1 diffused over ,asia and ,egypt the language and learning of ,greece2 and with that language and learning1 and as part of the latter1 went the philosophy of ,plato1 until among the learned and influential it was largely the ground plan of their thinking4 ,the ,christians1 in the first three centuries of their existence1 had been despised sectaries1 with no standing among those who made any pretensions to learning2 so that when there came opportunity to show identity between the holy trinity of the ,christian faith1 and the supposed trinity of ,plato's philosophy2 and identity of the word of ,john's ,gospel with the ,logos of ,plato's divine being1 it was seized upon with avidity1 not alone1 it is to be feared1 because of the semblance of truth that was seen in the two things1 but also because of the advantages that struggling ,christianity would secure by linking the theology of the church with the philosophy of the ,academy4 ,the lofty speculations1 says ,gibbon1 which neither convinced the understanding nor agitated the passions of the ,platonists themselves1 were carelessly overlooked by the idle1 the busy1 and even the studious part of mankind4 ,but after the ',logos' had been revealed as the sacred object of the faith1 the hope1 and the religious worship of the ,christians1 the mysterious system was embraced by a numerous and increasing multitude in every province of the ,roman world4 ,those persons who1 from their age1 or sex1 or occupations1 were the least qualified to judge1 who were the least exercised in the habits of abstract reasoning1 aspired to contemplate the economy of the divine nature2 and it is the boast of ,tertullian1 that a ,christian mechanic could easily answer such questions as had perplexed the wisest of the ,grecian sages4 ,where the subject lies so far beyond our reach1 the difference between the highest and the lowest of human understandings may indeed be calculated as infinitely small1 yet the degree of weakness may perhaps be measured by the degree of obstinacy and dogmatic confidence4 ,what more is necessary to know upon this topic1 can be learned from the note entitled ,patristic ,doctrine of ,god of ,pagan ,rather than of ,christian ,origin1 and ,lesson xxxvii1 in ,year ,book ,,ii4 #e4 ,the ,manner of ,apprehending ,that ,which ,is--,god3 ,the manner of apprehending ,god--that which is--by the ,christian ,fathers1 is very similar to the method of the pagan philosophers in apprehending being--or the absolute4 ,take two examples of this process2 the first from ,plato's ,republic1 a conversation between teacher and pupil2 the second from the confessions of ,augustine2 where the father describes how he came to his apprehension of ,god3 ,it is necessary first to remind the student that in ,plato's philosophy the supreme being is being absolutely bare of quality4 ,of ,him it can only be said that he is not what he is4 ,in ,timaeus1 ,plato says3 ,we say1 indeed1 that 'he was1' 'he is1' 'he will be1' but the truth is that 'he is2' alone truly expresses him4 7,jowett's ,translation1 ,vol4 #b1 p4 #ecj47 ,and now as to the method of arriving at the apprehension of the infinite being1 or the absolute1 through the medium of finite or relative things2 and which1 in the case here quoted from ,plato1 is from relative beauty to absolute beauty2 the same process1 however1 may be followed from finite being to infinite being4 ,this is the distinction which ,i draw between the sight-loving1 art-loving1 practical class1 and those of whom ,i am speaking1 and who are alone worthy of the name of philosophers4 ,how do you distinguish them8 he said4 ,the lovers of sounds and sights1 ,i replied1 are1 as ,i conceive1 fond of fine tones and colors and forms1 and all the artificial products that are made out of them1 but their mind is incapable of seeing or loving absolute beauty4 ,that is true1 he replied4 ,few are they who are able to attain the sight of absolute beauty4 ,very true4 ,and he who1 having a sense of beautiful things1 has no sense of absolute beauty1 or who1 if another lead him to a knowledge of that beauty1 is unable to follow--of such an one1 ,i ask1 ,is he awake or in a dream only8 99 99 99 99 ,i should certainly say that such an one was dreaming4 ,but take the case of the other1 who recognizes the existence of absolute beauty1 and is able to distinguish the idea from the objects which participate in the idea1 neither putting the objects in the place of the idea nor the idea in the place of the objects--is he a dreamer8 or is he awake8 ,he is the reverse of a dreamer1 he replied4 ,and may we not say that the mind of the one has knowledge1 and that the mind of the other has opinion only8 ,certainly4 ,and how ,augustine1 the ,christian father1 spoken of as the brightest1 clearest1 most comprehensive of ,christian philosophers4 7,lectures on the ,history of ,christian ,philosophy--,elmendorf--p4 #ib73 ,and ,i inquired what iniquity was1 and found it to be no substance1 but the perversion of the will1 turned aside from ,thee1 ,o ,god1 the ,supreme1 towards these lower things1 and casting out its bowels1 and puffed up outwardly4 ,and ,i wondered that ,i now loved ,thee1 and no phantasm for thee4 ,and yet did ,i not press on to enjoy my ,god2 but was borne up to ,thee by ,thy beauty1 and soon borne down from ,thee by mine own weight1 sinking with sorrow into these inferior things4 ,this weight was carnal custom4 ,yet dwelt there with me a remembrance of ,thee2 nor did ,i any way doubt1 that there was ,one to ,whom ,i might cleave1 but that ,i was not yet such as to cleave to ,thee2 for that 'the body which is corrupted1 presseth down the soul1 and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things4' ,and most certain ,i was1 that ',thy invisible works from the creation of the world are clearly seen1 being understood by the things that are made1 even ,thy eternal power and ,god-head4' ,for examining whence it was that ,i admired the beauty of bodies celestial or terrestrial2 and what aided me in judging soundly on things mutable1 and pronouncing1 ',this ought to be thus1 this not'2 examining1 ,i say1 whence it was that ,i so judged1 seeing ,i did so judge1 ,i had found the unchangeable and true ,eternity of ,truth above my changeable mind4 ,and thus1 by degrees1 ,i passed from bodies to the soul1 which through the bodily senses perceives2 and thence to its inward faculty1 to which the bodily senses represent things external1 whitherto reaches the faculties of beasts2 and thence again to the reasoning faculty1 to which what is received from the senses of the body1 is referred to be judged4 ,which1 finding itself also to be in me a thing variable1 raised itself up to its own understanding1 and drew away my thoughts from the power of habit1 withdrawing itself from those troops of contradictory phantasms2 that so it might find what that light was1 whereby it was bedewed1 when1 without all doubting1 it cried out3 ',that the unchangeable was to be preferred to the changeable'2 whence also it knew ,that ,unchangeable1 which1 unless it had in some way known1 it had had no sure ground to prefer it to the changeable4 ,and thus with the flash of one trembling glance it arrived at ,that ,which ,is4 ,and then ,i saw ',thy invisible things understood by the things which are made4' #f4 ,patristic ,doctrine of ,god of ,pagan ,rather ,than of ,christian ,origin--,data ,not in the ,old ,testament3 ,the data for the doctrine that ,god is pure being1 being absolutely bare of all quality1 are not found in the ,old ,testament1 for that teaches the plainest anthropomorphic ideas respecting ,god4 ,it ascribes to ,him a human form1 and many qualities and attributes possessed by man1 which1 in the minds of orthodox ,christian philosophers1 limit ,him who must be1 to their thinking1 without any limitation whatsoever1 either as to essence1 or form1 or passion1 or quality2 and ascribes relativity to ,him who1 according to their conceptions1 must not be relative but absolute4 ,the passage usually depended upon as giving the data for this being absolutely bare of quality1 and that is held to identify the ground plan of the philosophy of ,moses and ,plato--,i am that ,i am--the ,god who appeared to ,moses in the burning bush2 and ,who replied when the ,hebrew prophet asked what he should say when the ,egyptians and ,israel should ask who had sent him--,say1 ,i ,am sent me2 that is the ,self-,existing ,one sent me4 ,this passage1 ,i say1 does not furnish the data for the ,orthodox ,christian conception of ,god1 that ,he is being1 absolutely free from all quality2 not material 7the without body of the creeds71 without parts1 and without passions2 for to be self-existent does not demand the absence of quality2 indeed1 to be without quality1 run to its last analysis1 would mean non-existence4 ,data ,not in the ,new ,testament3 ,the data for the doctrine of ,god's absolute simplicity1 or1 being absolutely without quality1 do not come from the ,new ,testament2 for the writers of that volume of scripture accept the doctrine of the ,old ,testament respecting ,god1 and even emphasize its anthropomorphic ideas1 by representing that the man ,christ ,jesus was in the express image of ,god1 the ,father's person2 was1 in fact1 ,god manifest in the flesh 7#a ,tim4 #c3 #af72 the image of the invisible ,god 7,col4 #a3 #e72 ,god1 the ,word1 who was made flesh1 and dwelt among men1 and they beheld ,his glory 7,st4 ,john #a3a-ad74 ,hence the ,orthodox ,christian doctrine of ,god's simplicity cannot claim the warrant of ,new ,testament authority4 ,data ,found in ,pagan ,doctrines3 ,it is easy1 however1 to trace this doctrine to ,pagan sources4 ,plato1 in his ,timaeus 7,jowett's translation1 p4 #ecj71 incidentally referring to ,god1 in connection with the creation of the universe1 says3 ,we say indeed that 'he was1' 'he is1' 'he will be1' but the truth is that 'he is' alone truly expresses him1 and that 'was' and 'will be' are only to be spoken of generation in time4 ,here1 then1 is the ,orthodox ,christian doctrine of pure being1 most simple1 not compound4 ,again3 ,we must acknowledge that there is one kind of being which is always the same1 uncreated and indestructible1 never receiving anything into itself from without1 nor itself giving out to any other1 but invisible and imperceptible by any sense1 and of which the sight is granted to intelligence only4 7,ibid4 p4 #ded74 ,here the ,orthodox ,christian may find his ,god1 'who cannot change with regard to his existence1 nor with regard to his mode of existence4' ,also his ,god who can only be seen with the 'soul's intellectual perception1 elevated by a supernatural influx from ,god4' ,dr4 ,mosheim1 in his account of ,plato's idea of ,god1 says3 ,he considered the ,deity1 to whom he gave the supreme governance of the universe1 as a being of the highest wisdom and power1 and totally unconnected with any material substance4 7,mosheim's ,historical ,commentaries on the ,state of ,christianity1 ,during the ,first ,three ,hundred ,years1 ,vol4 #a4 p4 #cg74 ,to the same effect1 also1 ,justin ,martyr 7second ,christian century7 generalizes and accepts as doctrine what may be gathered from the sixth book of ,plato's ,republic1 with reference to ,god4 ,to the ,jew1 ,trypho1 ,justin remarks3 ,the ,deity1 ,father1 is not to be viewed by the organs of sight1 like other creatures1 but ,he is to be comprehended by the mind alone1 as ,plato declares1 and ,i believe him4 99 99 99 99 ,plato tells us that the eye of the mind is of such a nature1 and was given us to such an end1 as to enable us to see with it by itself1 when pure1 that ,being who is the source of whatever is an object of the mind itself1 who has neither color1 nor shape1 nor size1 nor anything which the eye can see1 but who is above all essence1 who is ineffable1 and undefinable1 who is alone beautiful and good1 and who is at once implanted into those souls who are naturally well born1 through their relationship to and desire of seeing him4 ,athanasius 7third ,christian century7 quotes the same definition 7,contra ,gentes1 ch4 #b71 almost verbatim4 ,turning again to the ,timaeus of ,plato1 this question is asked3 ,what is that which always is and has no becoming2 and what is that which is always becoming and has never any being8 ,that which is apprehended by reflection and reason ,god always is2 and is the same2 that on the other hand which is conceived by opinion1 with the help of sensation without reason the material universe1 is in a process of becoming and perishing but never really is4 99 99 99 99 ,was the world universe1 always in existence and without beginning8 or created and having a beginning8 ,created1 ,i reply4 ,in this1 the orthodox ,christians may find their ,god of pure being1 that never is becoming1 but always is2 also the creation of the universe out of nothing4 ,pagan ,origin of ,doctrine of ,god ,admitted3 ,in his great work on the ',history of ,christian ,doctrine1' ,mr4 ,william ,g4 ,t4 ,shedd says 7,vol4 ,i1 p4 #ef73 ,the early ,fathers1 in their defenses of ,christianity against their pagan opponents1 contend that the better pagan writers themselves agree with the new religion in teaching that there is one ,supreme ,being4 ,lactantius 7,institutiones1 #a1 #e71 after quoting the ,orphic ,poets1 ,hesiod1 ,virgil1 and ,ovid1 in proof that the heathen poets taught the unity of the supreme deity1 affirms that the better pagan philosophers agree with them in this4 ',aristotle1' he says1 'although he disagrees with himself1 and says many things that are self-contradictory1 yet testifies that one supreme mind rules over the world4 ,plato1 who is regarded as the wisest philosopher of them all1 plainly and openly defends the doctrine of a divine monarchy1 and denominates the supreme being1 not ether1 nor reason1 nor nature1 but as he is1 ,god2 and asserts that by him this perfect and admirable world was made4 ,and ,cicero follows ,plato1 frequently confessing the deity1 and calls him the supreme being1 in his ,treatise on the ,laws4' ,it is conceded by ,christian writers that the ,christian doctrine of ,god is not expressed in ,new ,testament terms1 but in the terms of ,greek and ,roman metaphysics1 as witness the following from the very able article in the ,encyclopedia ,britannica on ',theism1' by the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,flint1 ,professor of ,divinity1 ,university of ,edinburgh3 ',the proposition constitutive of the dogma of the ,trinity--the propositions in the symbols of ,nice1 ,constantinople and ,toledo1 relative to the immanent distinctions and relations in the ,godhead--were not drawn directly from the ,new ,testament1 and could not be expressed in ,new ,testament terms4 ,they were the product of reason speculating on a revelation to faith--the ,new ,testament representation of ,god as a ,father1 a ,redeemer and a ,sanctifier--with a view to conserve and vindicate1 explain and comprehend it4 ,they were only formed through centuries of effort1 only elaborated by the aid of the conceptions1 and formulated in the terms of ,greek and ,roman metaphysics4' ,the same authority says3 ',the massive defense of theism1 erected by the ,cambridge school of philosophy1 against atheism1 fatalism1 and the denial of moral distinctions1 was avowedly built on a ,platonic foundation4' 7,see note74 ,guizot1 the eminent stateman and historian of ,france1 in one of his lectures of which this is a sub-division of the title--,of the ,transition from ,pagan ,philosophy to ,christian ,theology--says1 in concluding his treatment of this theme3 ,i have thus exhibited the fact which ,i indicated in the outset1 the fusion of ,pagan philosophy with ,christian theology1 the metamorphosis of the one into the other4 ,and it is remarkable1 that the reasoning applied to the establishment of the spirituality of the soul is evidently derived from the ancient philosophy1 rather than from ,christianity1 and that the author seems more especially to aim a convincing the theologians1 by proving to them that the ,christian faith has nothing in all this which is not perfectly reconcilable with the results derived from pure reason4 ,in method of thought also1 no less than in conclusions1 the most influential of the ,christian fathers on these subjects followed the ,greek philosophers rather than the writers of the ,new ,testament4 ',platonism1 and ,aristotelianism1' says the author of the ',history of ,christian ,doctrine1' exerted more influence upon the intellectual methods of men1 taking in the whole time since their appearance1 than all other systems combined4 ,they certainly influenced the ,greek mind1 and ,grecian culture1 more than all the other philosophical systems4 ,they reappear in ,roman philosophy--so far as ,rome had any philosophy4 ,we shall see that ,plato1 ,aristotle1 and ,cicero exerted more influence than all other philosophical minds united1 upon the greatest of the ,christian ,fathers2 upon the greatest of the ,schoolmen2 and upon the theologians of the ,reformation1 ,calvin and ,melanchthon4 ,and if we look at ,european philosophy as it has been unfolded in ,england1 ,germany and ,france1 we shall perceive that all the modern theistic schools have discussed the standing problems of human reason1 in very much the same manner in which the reason of ,plato and ,aristotle discussed them twenty-two centuries ago4 ,bacon1 ,descartes1 ,leibnitz1 and ,kant1 so far as the first principles of intellectual and moral philosophy are concerned1 agree with their ,grecian predecessors4 ,a student who has mastered the two systems of the ,academy and ,lyceum1 will find in modern philosophy 7with the exception of the department of natural science7 very little that is true1 that may not be found for substance1 and germinally1 in the ,greek theism4 ,it is hoped that enough is said here to establish the fact that the conception of ,god as 'pure being1' 'immaterial1' 'without form1' 'or parts or passions1' as held by orthodox ,christianity1 has its origin in ,pagan philosophy1 not in ,jewish nor ,christian revelation4 7,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity--,roberts--pp4 #aad-aai74 ,footnotes #a4 ,for a brief account of the ,arian controversy which resulted in the formulation of this creed1 see notes in ,year ,book ,,ii1 ,lesson xxxvii2 also note #c1 this ,lesson4 ,,lesson ,,xxvii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,mediaeval ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,the ,mediaeval ,period and ,schools ,the works cited in of ,thought4 ,lessons xxv and xxvi will be helpful in this ,,ii4 ,definitions4 ,lesson under the topics of the analysis2 and of ,,iii4 ,representative ,doctors of the ,various course the authorities ,schools of ,thought3 cited in the notes of this lesson4 #a4 ,erigena1 ,extreme ,realist4 #b4 ,roscelina1 of ,compiegne1 ,extreme ,nominalist4 #c4 ,anselm1 ,realist4 #d4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 ,properly ,neither ,realist nor ,nominalist1 ,scholastic4 #e4 ,eckhart1 ,mystic4 ,,special ,,text3 ,and without controversy1 great is the mystery of ,godliness4 ,i4 ,tim4 iii1 #af4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,mediaeval ,period3 ,the ,patristic ,period1 according to our announced grouping of the ,christian ,fathers1 extended to #gej ,a4 ,d4 and included in the enumeration of the fathers ,john of ,damascus4 ,the ,mediaeval ,period will extend from the above date to the middle of the sixteenth century1 which brings us to the establishment of ,protestantism1 and the commencement1 theologically1 of the modern world4 ,this gives us a period of eight hundred years4 ,of this period1 says ,shedd1 not more than four centuries witnessed any great activity of the theological mind4 ,the ,orthodox ,christian doctrine of ,god for this period1 and for matter of that1 for all subsequent periods1 was fixed by the ,nicene ,creed and the creed of ,st4 ,athanasius1 quoted in ,lesson #bf4 ,the effort of the ,christian scholars of the ,mediaeval ,period was to maintain1 first1 the truthfulness of these creeds against skepticism and doubts within the ,church itself2 and1 second1 to reconcile the creeds with reason1 and develop patristic philosophy into something like system 7,history of ,philosophy--,elmendorf--p4 #ajb74 ,however1 ,as there is never a proper end to reasoning which proceeds on a false foundation1 to quote ,cicero1 the efforts of the schoolmen were not very successful1 and resulted in multiplying systems of philosophy1 rather than in bringing the patristic doctrine into harmony with reason4 ,the systems of thought developed by these efforts may be classed under three heads3 ,realism1 ,nominalism1 and ,mysticism4 ,a brief definition of each will be necessary4 #b4 ,definitions--,realism3 ,realism divides into two classes1 extreme and moderate4 7#a7 ,extreme realism taught that universals were substances or things1 existing independently of and separate from particulars2 this was the essence of ,plato's ideas4 7,cent4 ,dict47 ,the thinking process of the realist is admirably depicted in ,note #e1 ,lesson xxvi1 where ,st4 ,augustine describes his rise from the conception of the changeable to the ,unchangeable1 and thus with the flash of one trembling glance1 arrived at the conception of that which is--to the real--to the universal--to the apprehension of ,god4 ,moderate ,realism also taught that universals were substances1 but only as dependent upon and inseparable from individuals1 in which each inhered2 that is1 each universal inhered in each of the particulars ranged under it4 ,this was the theory of ,aristotle1 who held that the individual thing was the first essence1 while universals were only second essences1 real in a less complete sense than first essences4 ,he thus reversed the ,platonic doctrine1 which attributed the fullest reality to universals only1 and a participative reality to individuals4 7,cent4 ,dict47 ,elmendorf represents moderate realism as recognizing that the universal has objective reality1 as to its contents1 in individuals--7i4 e41 the universal is expressed through individuals74 ,nominalism3 ,nominalism also divides into two classes1 extreme and moderate4 ,extreme nominalism taught that universals had no substantive or objective existence at all1 but were merely empty names or words4 ,moderate nominalism or 'conceptualism' taught that universals have no substantive existence at all1 but yet are more than mere names signifying nothing2 and that they exist really1 though only subjectively1 as concepts in the mind1 of which names are the vocal symbols4 7,cent4 ,dict474 ,mysticism3 ,mysticism is a phase of thought1 or rather perhaps of feeling1 which from its very nature is hardly susceptible of exact definition4 ,it appears in connection with the endeavor of the human mind to grasp the divine essence or the ultimate reality of things1 and to enjoy the blessedness of actual communication with the ,highest4 ,more specifically1 a form of religious belief which is founded upon mysticism1 spiritual experience1 not discriminated or tested and systematized in thought4 ',mysticism and rationalism' represent opposite poles of theology1 rationalism regarding the reason as the highest faculty of man and the sole arbiter in all matters of religious doctrine2 mysticism1 on the other hand1 declaring that spiritual truth cannot be apprehended by the logical faculty1 nor adequately expressed in terms of the understanding4 7,cent4 ,dict474 ,mysticism may also be regarded as the result of a despair of reason1 a refuge in higher intuitions4 7,elmendorf47 ,these definitions may be regarded as difficult1 but ,i know of no way by which the ideas considered can be more simply explained4 ,the definitions should be discussed until mastered4 ,perhaps they will grow in clearness after considering the rest of the notes of this lesson4 #c4 ,explanatory3 ,limiting our inquiry concerning the philosophy of this mediaeval period to the doctrine of ,god1 and selecting an expression of that doctrine from an illustrious representative of each school of thought1 may be of assistance in forming a clearer understanding of the definitions given in previous notes1 and likewise represent the leading conceptions of ,god that obtained in the period under consideration4 #d4 ,john ,scotus ,erigena3 ,extreme realist1 and something of a ,mystic2 ,man finds not ,god1 but ,god finds himself in man1 7,elmendorf7 is the keynote of this philosopher's teaching4 ,erigena was born in ,ireland1 #hjj ,a4 ,d4 ,made a pilgrimage to the birthplace of ,plato and ,aristotle ,a4 ,d4 #hbe2 and indulged the hope of uniting philosophy and religion in the manner proposed by the ecclesiastics who were studying in ,spain4 ,from ,eastern sources1 ,john ,erigena had learned the doctrines of the eternity of matter1 and even of the creation1 with which1 indeed1 he confounded the ,deity ,himself4 ,he was therefore a ,pantheist1 accepting the ,oriental ideas of emanation and absorption1 not only as respects the soul of man1 but likewise all material things4 ,in his work ',on the ,nature of things1' his doctrine is1 ',that1 as all things were originally contained in ,god1 and proceeded from ,him into the different classes by which they are now distinguished1 so shall they finally return to ,him1 and be absorbed in the source from which they came2 in other words1 that as1 before the world was created1 there was no being but ,god1 and the causes of all things were in ,him1 so after the end of the world1 there will be no being but ,god1 and the causes of all things in ,him4 ,this final resolution he denominated deification1 or theosis4 ,he even questioned the eternity of hell1 saying1 with the emphasis of a ,saracen1 ',there is nothing eternal but ,god4' ,it was impossible under such circumstances1 that he should not fall under the rebuke of the ,church4 7,draper's ,intellectual ,development1 ,vol ,,ii1 p4 #i47 #e4 ,roscelin of ,compiegne3 ,extreme ,nominalist4 ,sometimes credited with being the originator of the system2 but he was not the originator of the system1 says ,elmendorf1 but its clearest exponent and sharpest defender in the eleventh century4 ,the same authority says that he regarded universals as merely universal names4 ,a title for the totality of things4 ,this be applied to the doctrine of the ,trinity in the form of tritheism4 ,there are three divine essences or substances1 like one another2 for only individuals have a real existence--7,hist4 of ,philosophy--,elmendorf--pp4 #aje-f47 ,roscellinus taught that whatever exists as a real thing or substance1 exists as one self-identical whole1 and is not susceptible of division into parts4 ,this was the part of his teaching which created so much scandal when applied to the doctrine of the ,trinity4 ,roscellinus maintained that it is merely a habit of speech which prevents our speaking of the three persons as three substances1 or three ,gods4 ,if it were otherwise1 and the three persons were really one substance or thing1 we should be forced to admit that the ,father and the ,holy ,spirit became incarnate along with the ,son4 ,roscellinus seems to have put forward this doctrine in perfect good faith1 and to have claimed for it at first the authority of ,lanfranc and ,anselm4 ,in #ajib1 however1 a council convoked by the ,archbishop of ,rheims1 condemned his interpretation1 and ,roscellinus1 who was in danger of being lynched by the orthodox populace1 recanted his error4 ,as his enforced penitence did not prove lasting1 his opinions were condemned by a second council 7#ajid71 and he himself fled to ,england4 ,forced by a fresh persecution to return to ,france at a later date1 he taught at ,tours and ,loc-menach in ,brittany 7where he had ,abelard as a pupil71 and resided latterly as canon at ,besancon4 7,ency4 ,brit474 #f4 ,st4 ,anselm1 ,realist3 ,born at or near ,aosta1 ,italy1 #ajcc1 ,a4 ,d42 died at ,canterbury1 #aaji4 ,credited with being the founder of scholastic theology4 ,he held that faith is not the pre-requisite1 and the regulator of knowledge1 but leads to it4 ,also that ,god can be known through reason1 attempts ontological1 a priori proof1 from the concept of the objective existence4 ,that than which a greater cannot be conceived cannot exist in intellect alone2 for then a greater can be conceived4 ,his doctrine is set forth in detail by ,shedd3 ,the human mind possesses the idea of the most perfect ,being conceivable4 ,but such a being is necessarily existent2 because a being whose existence is contingent1 who may or may not exist1 is not the most perfect that we can conceive of4 ,but a necessarily existent ,being is one that cannot be conceived of as non-existent1 and therefore is an actually existent ,being4 ,necessary existence implies actual existence4 ,in conceiving1 therefore1 of a being who is more perfect than all others1 the mind inevitably conceives of a real1 and not an imaginary1 being2 in the same manner as in conceiving of a figure having three sides1 it inevitably conceives of a figure having three angles4 7,history of ,christian ,doctrine--,shedd--,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #bca-b47 ,this argument of ,anselm's was attacked by a ,catholic ,monk of the name of ,gaunilo1 whose main point is that the existence of an idea of a thing does not prove the existence of the thing itself4 ,shedd1 in order to exhibit the strength of ,anselm's argument1 suggests throwing it into dialogue form1 thus3 ,anselm3 ,i have the idea of the most perfect being conceivable4 ,guanilo3 ,true2 but it is a mere idea1 and there is no being corresponding to it4 ,anselm3 ,but if there is no being answering to my idea1 then my idea of the most perfect being conceivable is that of an imaginary being2 but an imaginary being is not the most perfect being that ,i can conceive of4 ,the being who corresponds to my idea must be a real being4 ,if1 therefore1 you grant me my postulate1 namely1 that ,i have the idea of the most perfect being conceivable1 you concede the existence of an actual being correspondent to it4 7,history of ,christian ,doctrine--,shedd--,vol4 ,i1 p4 #bcg47 ,one feels1 however1 that this is but playing with and upon words1 and is much of kith and kin with that other abstraction1 that the thought of ,god makes ,god4 ,maurice remarks upon this argument of ,anselm's for the divine existence1 as follows3 ,in the present day1 when the arguments for the ,divine existence from the constitution of the visible world have displaced all others in the minds of theological advocates1 and when these are in their turn exposed to the severest criticism from philosophers1 such a subtlety as this of ,anselm's would be dismissed by both parties with indifference or scorn4 ,without participating in either feeling1 or pre-judging the question whether the argument is tenable in itself1 we may express our opinion1 that in a time of clubs and newspapers1 it would be a serious moral offense to introduce into discussion1 upon a subject of the greatest interest to all men1 that which must appear to nine out of ten a play upon words1 or a conjurer's trick4 7,history of ,moral and ,metaphysical ,philosophy1 ,vol4 ,i1 #ebd47 #g4 ,abelard1 ,peter3 ,a moderate nominalist1 and usually regarded as the founder of ,conceptualism4 ,born in ,brittany1 #ajgi4 ,moderate nominalist4 ,inspired by ,aristotle1 he taught 99 99 99 99 that nothing exists apart from the individual1 and in it the individual only4 7,elmendorf ,history of ,philosophy1 p4 #ajh47 ,abelard also held that there is no believing antecedent to scientific understanding1 and consequently that the degree of posterior faith depends upon the degree of anterior science4 ,knowledge is prior to faith1 was his dictum4 7,see ,shedd1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #afc1 #ahf et seq47 #h4 ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas3 ,scholastic par-excellence4 ,born at ,acquino1 in the kingdom of ,naples1 #abbe4 ,his great effort was to reconcile faith and reason4 ,called the ,aristotle of the middle ages4 ,his doctrine respecting ,god1 condensed by ,elmendorf1 is3 ,in ,god is no composition of matter or form1 nor any other4 ,he is pure actuality2 for potentiality1 in any sense1 would imply an actuating cause4 ,in ,him essence and being are one4 ,in ,him is no imperfection1 because no potentiality2 all perfections which earthly things possess1 being from ,him1 are in ,him1 one and indivisible4 ,from ,god as ,absolute ,intelligence1 follows1 necessarily1 the concept of ,god as ,absolute ,will4 ,he wills what is not ,himself freely1 because it is not necessary to ,his perfection and beatitude4 ,from this follows ,his ,omnipotence4 ,his ,providence is the ordering of all things1 both universal and singular1 with reference to an end1 for it extends as far as ,his knowledge and causality4 ,the casual is with respect to a particular cause1 not to the universal4 ,ills1 corruptions1 defects1 are permitted in particular things1 contributing to the greater good of the whole4 7,history of ,philosophy--,elmendorf--p4 #aba47 ,the system of philosophical theology set forth in the writings of ,st4 ,thomas ,aquinas1 is of supreme importance in ,ecclesiastical ,history1 not only as intellectually perhaps the most perfect work of the ,scholastic age1 but because it has been adopted as the authoritative standard of doctrine in the ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,such pre-eminence is reported to have been assigned to ,thomas by the saying of his great master1 ,albert1 that he had put an end to all labor even unto the world's end4 99 99 99 ,in the great controversy of the schools1 ,aquinas cannot be ranked strictly with either the ,realists or the ,nominalists2 his position has been described as an ,aristotelian ,realist4 ,like the orthodox in general he ranged himself with the modern section of the ,realists1 who while holding that ,universals--namely1 genera and species--are more than mere mental abstractions1 and have a real existence1 yet limited them to an existence in the individual1 and refused to attribute to them any antecedent or independent existence4 99 99 99 99 ,in this work of buttressing authority by philosophy1 and vindicating orthodoxy by the light of nature1 as the way was led by ,albert1 so his greater pupil carried it on to perfection2 and the consequence has been that the stately edifice of ,systematic ,theology1 reared in the ,church of the ,west by the labors of the ,schools1 repose on the foundation laid by the great luminary of ,pagan ,greece4 7,smith's ,students' ,ecclesiastical ,history1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #eab-eae47 ,eckhart1 ,mystic3 ,born1 it is thought1 at ,strasburg1 #abej ,a4 ,d4 ,taught and preached through ,germany4 ,follows to some extent ,erigena1 tending1 unconsciously1 to emanistic pantheism4 ,the inner ground of man's soul is ,divine1 a 'spark' of ,deity2 knowledge is a real union of subject and object4 ,the soul's highest power is an immediate intuition of the ',godhead' transcending the determinate4 ,the ,absolute is impersonal1 concealed even from thought2 of the ',godhead' no predicates may be used2 it is hidden in eternal darkness4 ,in the act of self-knowledge1 ,god is developed as the ,trinity1 the form of ',godhead' which beholds itself with love2--the subject is the ,father1 the object is the ,son1 the love is the ,holy ,spirit4 99 99 99 99 ,god is the essence of all essences1 which are ever in ,him2 in sending forth ,his ,son1 ,he sends forth all things 7ideal world74 ,in space and time1 natura naturata1 are the ,three ,persons of the ,trinity1 eternal as the world is1 but in natura non naturata is only the ',godhead4' ,apart from ,god1 the world is nonentity2 ,god is in all things1 and is all things1 for creatures have no essence except ,god4 ,yet ,he is not nature1 but above it1 for the world of space and time is created out of nothing4 ,the motive of ,god's goodness1 which necessarily extends itself2 and1 by the same necessity1 creation is continuous1 eternal4 ,different from this1 as the realizing of the ideal by the artist1 is the creation out of nothing1 in time4 7,history of ,philosophy--,elmendorf--pp4 #acf-acg47 ,,lesson ,,xxviii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,modern ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,the ,period--,state of ,philosophy4 ,many of the authorities cited in ,lessons xxv1 ,,ii4 ,modern ,schools of ,philosophy3 xxvi and xxvii will be available in this2 also #a4 ,empiricism2 the works of ,bacon1 ,locke1 ,hobbes1 ,descartes1 #b4 ,idealism2 ,spinoza1 ,hamilton1 ,berkeley1 ,hume1 #c4 ,rationalism2 ,mill2 also ,kant1 ,fichte1 ,hegel and ,spencer4 #d4 ,pantheism2 ,it may be that the #e4 ,materialism2 works of these masters may only be available to #f4 ,monism2 those within reach of reference libraries4 ,the #g4 ,mormonism--,eternalism4 following1 however1 are one-volume works that would be of great service in studying this lesson3 ,john ,fiske's ,studies in ,religion2 ,history of ,philosophy1 ,elmemdorf2 ,the ,conception of ,god--,royce1 ,leconte1 ,howison1 ,meze2 ,typical ,modern ,conceptions of ,god1 ,leighton2 ,haeckel's ,riddle of the ,universe2 ditto1 ,wonders of ,life1 and ,j4 ,s4 ,mills' ,theism and ,berkeley1 and ,roberts' ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity4 ,,special ,,text3 ,gird up now thy loins like a man 99 99 99 and answer thou me4 ,where wast thou when ,i laid the foundations of the earth8 ,declare if thou hast understanding4 ,who hath laid the measures thereof if thou knowest1 or who hath stretched the line upon it8 ,whereon are the foundations thereof fastened1 or who laid the cornerstone thereof8 ,job xxxviii4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,the ,period3 ,the ,modern period extends from the establishment of ,protestantism1 in the middle of the sixteenth century1 until the present time4 ,necessarily the limits imposed upon our treatise can admit only of a very limited presentation of the conceptions of ,god during that important thought-revolutionary period1 covering something over #bej years4 ,in this period philosophy occupies a most independent position4 ,it is no longer dominated by the ,church2 nor are its efforts consecrated to the advocacy of the defense of orthodox ,christian dogma ,in fact1 little is heard of that dogma4 ,highest truths1 writes ,elmendorf in his ,history of ,philosophy1 were to be determined by reason alone2 not even an appeal for verification to ,christian revelation 7was7 recognized4 ,ancient systems were reconstructed without any reference to the teaching of the ,church1 or it was maintained that philosophic truth might be false according to faith and conversely4 99 99 99 99 ,the sixteenth century was a period of transition1 of confusion1 without settled method or principle2 there was no predominating school1 no originality1 but a vague following of every ancient school4 ,greek thinkers were now read in the original1 and men1 no longer scholastics1 were ,platonists1 ,peripatetics1 etc42 but rather as scholars1 classicists1 than with any comprehensive or productive grasp of the principles which they professed4 ,without great names1 there was a widening of the sphere of philosophy2 it was popularized1 but the influence of classicism made the culture of mere form as extreme as the neglect of it among the later schoolmen2 but philosophy at the same time exerted1 particularly through the 'humanists'1 a more manifest influence on general literature1 science1 and social life4 99 99 99 ,the invention of printing1 together with the increase of wealth in the free cities1 widened immensely the interest in philosophy1 and brought it sensibly into general literary culture and political life4 7,history of ,philosophy--,elmendorf--pp4 #adb-c47 ,there was a reversion in ,europe to the speculations of ,plato and ,aristotle1 and the intellectual battles of the two ,greeks were fought over again in ,europe1 with sometimes one and sometimes the other prevailing4 ,the effort of philosophical thinking1 as already remarked1 was not now to either sustain or disprove the ,divine ,existence or the mode of that existence1 as expressed in the ,orthodox ,christian creeds2 but its aim was more especially to set forth the modes of divine existence independent of theological conceptions4 ,is the ,absolute to be apprehended as ,will1 finding its completion in the intuition of perfect attainment8 ,or ,reason1 comprehending itself as the eternal process of the world and finding that all is ,good8 ,or ,feeling1 which apprehends the unity of things in a single and immediate act of self-consciousness8 ,or merely ,blind ,energy1 which seems in a cross-section of time1 as viewed by the average spectator1 to have a definite direction1 but which in reality has neither a whence nor whither2 and no other goal than the meaningless eternal oscillation between states of motion and states of rest4 7,typical ,modern ,conceptions of ,god--by ,joseph ,alexander ,leighton--#aija--;,introduction1 p4 #h47 #b4 ,modern ,schools of ,philosophy3 ,so extensive is the period now under consideration1 and so numerous the voices to be heard1 that one cannot hope in three lessons--to which space it is necessary that we limit ourselves--to convey1 even by quotation from typical philosophers of the period1 an adequate idea of the conceptions of ,god that have obtained4 ,it will be necessary for the individual student personally to take up the subject in private study if he feels the necessity of wide knowledge on the speculations of men on the ,supreme ,being and ,his modes of existence4 ,meantime1 the numerous teachers of this period may be grouped under general descriptive terms which relate either to their methods of thought or the result of their thinking1 sometimes to both4 ,in the wave of philosophical inquiry which swept over ,europe in the middle of the seventeenth century1 and is regarded as the beginning of a new1 scientific age of the world1 there were two controlling1 but divergent forces1 those1 namely1 represented by ,bacon and ,descartes1 the first the founder of the experimental1 and the latter the idealistic or dogmatic method of philosophizing4 ,from the former 7,bacon71 we may trace a continuous influence through ,locke1 ,berkeley1 ,hume down to ,mill1 ,spencer1 ,darwin and ,huxley2 from the latter 7,descartes71 the development of the modern idealism represented by ,kant1 ,fichte1 ,hegel1 ,schopenhauer1 and ,lotze4 7,introduction to the ,works of ,spinoza1 p4 #e47 ,from this it will appear that our modern philosophers are mainly divided1 as to their methods of thought1 into ,empirics and ,idealists4 7a7 ,empiricism3 ,the empirical character1 or method2 reliance on direct1 and especially individual1 observation and experience1 to the exclusion of theories or assumed principles1 and sometimes of all reasoned processes1 inductive or deductive4 ,the doctrine that all knowledge is derived from the senses1 or experience through the senses1 or at least from the perception of simple historical fact2 experientialism2 opposed to intuitionalism4 ,empiricism1 as its name imports1 affirms that all our knowledge comes from experience1 and is therefore subject to all the imperfections and limitations of experience4 7,standard ,dictionary47 7b7 ,idealism3 ,idealism--that explanation of the world which maintains that the only thing absolutely real is mind2 that all material and all temporal existences take their being from mind1 from consciousness that thinks and experiences2 that out of consciousness they all issue1 to consciousness are presented1 and that presence to consciousness constitute their entire reality and entire existence4 7,prof4 ,howison1 ,conceptions of ,god1--#aijb--p4 #hd47 7c7 ,rationalism3 ,in philosophy means1 the doctrine that reason furnishes certain elements that underlies experience1 and without which experience is impossible2 opposed to empiricism or experientialism4 7,standard ,dictionary47 ,in metaphysics1 the doctrine of a priori cognitions2 the doctrine that knowledge is not all produced by the action of outward things upon themselves1 but partly arises from the natural adaption of the mind to think things that are true4 ,the form of ,rationalism which is now in the ascendant1 resembles the theory of natural evolution in this1 that the latter finds the race more real than the individual1 and the individual to exist only in the race2 so the former looks upon the individual reason as but a finite manifestation of the universal reason4 7,cent4 ,dict47 7d7 ,rationalistic ,elements and ,methods3 ,a fine description of rationalistic elements and method of philosophizing1 is given in one of ,ernest ,haeckel's latest works4 ,we must welcome as one of the most fortunate steps in the direction of a solution of the great cosmic problems1 the fact that of recent years there is a growing tendency to recognize the two paths which alone lead thereto--experience and thought1 or speculation--to be of equal value1 and mutually complementary4 ,philosophers have come to see that pure speculation--such1 for instance1 as ,plato and ,hegel employed for the construction of their idealist systems--does not lead to knowledge of reality4 ,on the other hand1 scientists have been convinced that mere experience--such as ,bacon and ,mill1 for example1 made the basis of their realist systems--is insufficient of itself for a complete philosophy4 99 99 99 ,true knowledge is only acquired by combining the activity of the two4 ,nevertheless there are still many philosophers who would construct the world out of their own inner-consciousness1 and who reject our empirical science precisely because they have no knowledge of the real world4 ,on the other hand1 there are many scientists who still contend that the sole object of science is 'the knowledge of facts1 the objective investigation of isolated phenomena2' that 'the age of philosophy' is past1 and science has taken its place4 ,this one-sided over-estimation of experience is as dangerous an error as the converse exaggeration of the value of speculation4 7,riddle of the ,universe--#aijj--pp4 #ah-ai47 7e7 ,pantheism3 ,the metaphysical doctrine that ,god is the only substance1 of which the material universe and man are only manifestations4 ,it is accompanied with the denial of ,god's personality4 7,cent4 ,dict47 ,god and the universe are identical--the universe is the only reality4 7,see also note #d1 ,lesson xx47 7f7 ,materialism3 ,the metaphysical doctrine that matter is the only substance1 and that matter and its motions constitute the universe4 ,philosophical materialism holds that matter and the motions of matter make up the sum total of existence1 and that what we know as physical phenomena in man and other animals1 are to be interpreted in an ultimate analysis as simply the peculiar aspect which is assumed by certain enormously complicated motions of matter4 7,cent4 ,dict47 7g7 ,monism3 ,the doctrine which considers mind and matter as neither separated nor as derived from each other1 but as standing in an essential and inseparable connection4 ,any system of thought which seeks to deduce all the varied phenomena of both the physical and spiritual worlds from a single principle4 7,standard ,dictionary1 ,f4 ,w47 ,ernest ,haeckel1 ,monism's most illustrious disciple1 if not its founder thus defines it3 ,all the different philosophical tendencies may1 from the point of view of modern science1 be ranged in two antagonistic groups2 they represent either a dualistic or a monistic interpretation of the cosmos4 ,the former is usually bound up with teleological and idealistic dogmas1 the latter with mechanical and realistic theories4 ,dualism1 in the widest sense1 breaks up the universe into two entirely distinct substances--the material world and an immaterial ,god1 who is represented to be its creator1 sustainer and ruler4 ,monism1 on the contrary 7likewise taken in its widest sense71 recognizes one sole substance in the universe1 which is at once ,god and nature2 body and spirit 7or matter and energy7 it holds to be inseparable4 ,the extra-mundane ,god of dualism leads necessarily to theism2 and the intra-mundane ,god of the monist leads to pantheism4 ,the different ideas of monism and materialism1 and likewise the essentially distinct tendencies of theoretical and practical materialism1 are still very frequently confused4 ,as this and other similar cases of confusion of ideas are very prejudicial1 and give rise to innumerable errors1 we shall make the following brief observations1 in order to prevent misunderstanding3 #a4 ,pure monism is identical neither with the theoretical materialism that denies the existence of a spirit1 and dissolves the world into a heap of dead atoms1 nor with the theoretical spiritualism 7lately entitled 'energetic' spiritualism by ,oswald7 which rejects the notion of matter1 and considers the world to be a specially arranged group of 'energies1' or immaterial natural forces4 #b4 ,on the contrary1 we hold1 with ,goethe1 'that matter cannot exist and be operative without spirit1 nor spirit without matter4' ,we adhere firmly to the pure1 unequivocal monism of ,spinoza3 ,matter1 or infinitely extended substance1 and spirit 7or energy71 or sensitive and thinking substance1 are the two fundamental attributes or principle properties of the all-embracing divine essence of the world1 the universal substance4 7,riddle of the ,universe1 pp4 #bj-ba47 7h7 ,mormonism--,eternalism3 ,as a philosophical system1 ,mormonism may not be classed under any of the titles so far employed4 ,eternalism1 ,i should select as the word best suited for its philosophical conceptions4 ,it is dualistic1 but not in the sense that it breaks up the universe into two entirely distinct substances1 the material world and an immaterial ,god4 7,haeckel1 see note #h47 ,it is also monistic1 but not in the sense that in the last analysis of things it recognizes no distinctions in matter1 or that matter 7gross material7 and spirit 7mind1 a finer and thinking kind of material7#a are fused into one inseparable sole substance1 which is at once ,god and nature4 7,haeckel1 note #h47 ,its dualism is that which while recognizing an infinitely extended substance--the universe1 unbounded and empty in no part1 but everywhere filled with substance 7,haeckel's ,law of ,substance7--holds1 nevertheless1 that such substance exists in two principal modes1 having some qualities in common1 and in others being distinct4 7#a7 ,gross material1 usually recognized as matter1 pure and simple4 7#b7 ,a finer1 thinking substance1 usually regarded1 by other systems of thought1 as spirit1 i4 e41 immaterial substance4 ,these kinds of matter have existed from all eternity1 and will exist to all eternity in intimate relations4 ,neither produces the other1 however2 they are eternal existences4 ,they constitute the ,book of ,mormon things to act1 and things to be acted upon4 7#b ,nephi1 ch4 #b #ad47 ,the ,monism of ,mormonism1 while recognizing the universe as infinitely extended substance1 matter1 and hence1 in this respect monistic1 yet it also recognizes this substance as of two kinds2 one gross material2 the other finer1 or thinking material--mind2 having some qualities in common1 with gross matter1 and in others being distinct4 ,after these distinctions are made1 and if constantly held in consciousness1 so that there shall not be a loss of distinction in things1 we may hereafter use the terms ,intelligence and ,matter as naming the two modes in which for ,mormonism1 the eternal and infinitely extended substance--the ,universe--exists4 ,to say that intelligence dominates matter1 and produces all the ceaseless changes going on in the universe1 both of creation and demolition#b 7or evolution and devolution7--is simply to say that the superior dominates the inferior2 that that which acts is greater than that which is acted upon2 that mind is the ,eternal ,cause of the ever becoming in the universe--the ,cause and ,sustainer of the cosmic world4 ,it is also to say that mind is power2 that mind is thought1 and will1 and life1 and love4 --,modes of ,existence of the ,infinitely ,extended ,substance--,the ,universe3 ,as the gross material exists ultimately in final particles--atoms1 or something smaller1 if you will--uncreated and uncreatable2 so the finer or thinking substance1 intelligence1 exists in ultimate entities--uncreated and uncreatable4#c ,and as the gross material atoms exist some in organized worlds and world-systems--the cosmos--and also others in chaotic mass2 so the finer or thinking substance--the intelligent entities1 exist in somewhat analogous states2 some in the form of perfected1 exalted men1 clothed upon with immortal bodies1 participating in a nature that is divine1 having won their exaltation through the experiences1 through stress and trial in the various estates1 or changes through which they have passed4 ,other intelligencies exist in spirit-bodies1 less advanced than the first class1 possessed of less experience and of power and of dignity2 still they are in the way of progress through other estates1 yet to be experienced by them4 ,other intelligent entities exist as intelligences merely1 not yet the begotten spirits1 not yet united with elements on the grosser substance1 union with which is essential to the highest development of intelligences4#d ,such the ,mormon view of the universe and the modes of existence in it--briefly outlined4 ,these existences1 both of the thinking substance1 and the grosser materials1 are subject to infinite changes and developments1 in which there are no ultimates4 ,each succeeding wave of progress may attain higher1 and ever higher degrees of excellence1 but never attain perfection--the ideal recedes ever as it is approached1 and hence progress is eternal1 even for the highest existences4 ,as to methods of thinking1 ,mormon philosophizing is bound by no rules prescribed by any of the schools of thought4 ,both idealistic and empirical methods it employs2 it recognizes both experience and thought as avenues to knowledge2 and both channels of knowledge as mutually indispensable4 ,these subjects are somewhat elaborately discussed in the writer's book ,joseph ,smith1 ,the ,prophet ,teacher4 ,footnotes #a4 ,i use the modifying terms of the brackets instead of ponderable and imponderable substance 7sometimes used in describing the ether71 because ,i am not sure as to spirit substance being without weight1 which it must not possess if it be described as imponderable4 ,also ,i use gross material and finer material1 because they are terms most nearly suited--and indeed suggested--in the distinction made by ,joseph ,smith when announcing1 in the passage which follows1 that ,all spirit is matter4 ,there is no such thing as immaterial matter substance4 ,all spirit is matter1 but is more fine or pure1 and can only be discerned by purer eyes4 ,we cannot see it now2 but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter4 7,doc4 ,cov41 sec #aca2 #f-h47 #b4 ,there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of ,my power4 ,and there are many that now stand4 99 99 99 ,and as one earth shall pass away1 and the heavens thereof1 even so shall another come2 and there is no end to ,my works4 7,the ,lord to ,moses1 ,pearl of ,great ,price1 pp4 #f-g47 ,hence the creation and demolition1 or evolution and devolution of the text4 #c4 ,intelligence1 or the light of truth1 was not created or made1 neither indeed can be4 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 #ic2 #bi47 #d4 ,the elements i4 e41 of the gross material are eternal1 and spirit and element1 inseparably connected as in resurrected persons1 receive a fulness of joy2 and when separated1 man cannot receive a fulness of joy4 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 #ic47 ,,lesson ,,xxix4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,typical ,,modern ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,typical ,views of ,god--,philosophers3 ,the works cited in ,lessons xxvii and xxviii1 #a4 ,spinoza3 will be available in this lesson2 also the works #b4 ,locke2 quoted in the notes4 ,the notes of this lesson aim #c4 ,berkeley2 to convey in condensed form the generalized #d4 ,fichte2 view of each ,philosophers quoted4 ,they make #e4 ,kant4 difficult reading1 but--well1 master them4 ,,special ,,text3 ,for these philosophers one might say3 ,oh that ,i might know where ,i might find ,him6 ,that ,i might come even to ,his seat 99 99 99 99 99 ,behold ,i go forward1 but ,he is not there2 and backward1 but ,i cannot perceive ,him2 on the left hand1 where ,he doth work1 but ,i cannot behold ,him4 ,he hideth himself on the right hand1 that ,i cannot see ,him4 ,job xxiii4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,spinoza--,pantheist3 ,born in ,amsterdam #afcb1 of ,jewish parents1 who were refuges from the ,spanish persecution of that period4 ,he states his conceptions of ,god in the following passages3 ,by ,god1 ,i mean a being absolutely infinite--that is1 a substance consisting in infinite attributes1 of which each expresses eternal and infinite essentiality4 ,explanation3 ,i say absolutely infinite1 not infinite after its kind2 for1 of a thing infinite only after its kind1 infinite attributes may be denied2 but that which is absolutely infinite1 contains in its essence whatever expresses reality1 and involves no negation4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,god is a being absolutely infinite1 of whom no attribute that expresses the essence of substance can be denied1 and he necessarily exists3 ,if any substance besides ,god were granted1 it would have to be explained by some attribute of ,god1 and thus two substances with the same attribute would exist1 which is absurd2 therefore1 besides ,god1 no substance can be granted or consequently1 be conceived4 ,if it could be conceived1 it would necessarily have to be conceived as existent2 but this 7by the first part of this proof7 is absurd4 ,therefore1 besides ,god1 no substance can be granted or conceived4 ,some assert that ,god1 like a man1 consists of body and mind1 and is susceptible of passions4 ,how far such persons have strayed from the truth1 is sufficiently evident from what has been said4 ,but these ,i pass over4 ,for all who have in anywise reflected on the divine nature1 deny that ,god has a body4 ,of this they find excellent proof in the fact1 that we understand by body a definite quantity1 so long1 so broad1 so deep1 bounded by a certain shape1 and it is the height of absurdity to predicate such a thing of ,god1 a being absolutely infinite4 ,but1 meanwhile1 by the other reasons with which they try to prove a point1 they show that they think corporeal or extended substance wholly apart from the divine nature1 and say it was created by ,god4 ,wherefrom the divine nature can have been created1 they are wholly ignorant2 thus they clearly show1 that they do not know the meaning of their own words4 ,i1 myself1 have proved sufficiently clearly1 at any rate in my own judgment 7,coroll4 ,prop4 #f1 and note #b1 ,prop4 #h71 that no substance can be produced or created by anything other than itself4 ,further1 ,i showed 7in ,prop4 #ad7 that besides ,god no substance can be granted or conceived4 ,hence1 we drew the conclusion that extended substance is one of the infinite attributes of ,god4 #b4 ,locke's ,view of ,god and ,spirit3 ,locke regards ,god as an infinite1 immaterial spirit1 present in all duration and as filling immensity4 ,men derive their best knowledge of ,god1 not by reason of innate ideas of ,him1 but by thought and meditation4 ,it seems to me plainly to prove the truest and best notions men had of ,god were not imprinted1 but acquired by thought and meditation1 and a right use of their faculties2 since the wise and considerate men of the world1 by a right and careful employment of their thoughts and reason1 attained true notions in this1 as well as other things2 whilst the lazy and inconsiderate part of men1 making far the greater number1 took up their notions by chance1 from common tradition and vulgar conceptions1 without much beating their heads about them4 99 99 99 99 ,god1 every one easily allows1 fills eternity2 and it is hard to find a reason why anyone should doubt that he likewise fills immensity4 ,his infinite being is certainly as boundless one way as the other2 and methinks it ascribes a little too much to matter to say1 where there is no body there is nothing4 99 99 99 99 ,motion cannot be attributed to ,god2 not because he is an immaterial1 but because he is an infinite spirit4 7,locke's ,works1 ,vol4 ,i1 pp4 #aie1 #cai47 ,in discussing the nature of man's spirit1 ,locke had not excluded the idea of its being a thinking1 material substance4 ,whereupon the ,bishop of ,worcester took him to task about it2 to which ,locke said in his own defense--and in his reply something further may be learned in relation to his idea of ,god3 ,perhaps my using the word spirit for a thinking substance1 without excluding materiality out of it1 will be thought too great a liberty1 and such as deserves censure1 because ,i leave immateriality out of the idea ,i make it a sign of4 ,i readily own1 that words should be sparingly ventured on in a sense wholly new1 and nothing but absolute necessity can excuse the boldness of using any term in a sense whereof we can produce no example4 ,but in the present case1 ,i think ,i have great authorities to justify me4 ,the soul is agreed1 on all hands1 to be that in us which thinks4 ,and he that will look into the first book of ,cicero's ',tusculan ,questions1' and into the sixth book of ,virgil's ',aeneid1' will find that these two great men1 who1 of all the ,romans1 best understood philosophy1 thought1 or at least did not deny1 the soul to be a subtle matter1 which might come under the name of aura1 or ignis1 or ether1 and this soul they both of them called spiritus2 in the notion of which1 it is plain1 they included only thought and active motion1 without the total exclusion of matter4 ,whether they thought right in this ,i do not say--that is not the question2 but whether they spoke properly1 when they called an active1 thinking1 subtle substance1 out of which they excluded only gross and palpable matter1 spiritus1 spirit8 99 99 99 99 99 ,i would not be thought hereby to say1 that spirit never does signify a purely immaterial substance4 ,in that sense the ,scripture1 ,i take it1 speaks1 when it says ',god is a spirit'2 and in that sense ,i have used it1 and in that sense ,i have proved from my principles that there is a spiritual substance1 and am certain that there is a spiritual1 immaterial substance2 which is1 ,i humbly conceive1 a direct answer to your lordship's question in the beginning of this argument1 viz3 ',how we come to be certain that there are spiritual substances supposing this principle to be true1 that the simple ideas1 by sensation and reflection1 are the soul-matter and foundation of all our reasoning8' ,but this hinders not1 but that if ,god1 that infinite1 omnipotent1 and perfectly immaterial spirit1 should please to give a system of very subtle matter1 sense and motion1 it might with propriety of speech be called spirit1 though materiality were not excluded out of its complex idea4 ,your lordship proceeds3 ',it is said1 indeed1 elsewhere1 that it is repugnant to the idea of senseless matter1 that it would put into itself sense1 perception1 and knowledge4' ,but this doth not reach the present case1 which is not what matter can do of itself1 but what matter prepared by an ,omnipotent hand can do4 ,and what certainty can we have that ,he hath not done it8 ,we can have none from the ideas1 for those are given up in this case1 and consequently we can have no certainty1 upon these principles1 whether we have any spiritual substance within us or not4 7,works1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #chh-i74 #c4 ,berkley's ,views of the ,doctrine of ,diety3 ,george ,berkley was born at ,killkrin1 ,ireland1 #afhd2 died at ,oxford1 #agec4 ,i follow ,locke with ,berkley because he stands somewhat in contrast with him1 although he was1 like ,locke1 an experimentalist in method2 but he regarded ,locke as a materialist1 and he runs to the opposite extreme1 as will appear in what follows3 ,locke had allowed to pass the hypothesis that matter can think4 ,berkley justly argued that if this were allowed1 we could not affirm the immateriality and perpetuity of the thinking principle in man4 ,for1 with the disintegration of the matter there must be an end to the individual4 ,if it be allowed that matter can think1 then1 as ,locke offers no proof to the contrary1 it might be inferred that our thinking principle1 the substratum of our thoughts1 is but matter4 ,this1 ,berkeley undertook to combat4 ,but how did he do so8 ,by trying to establish that there is no matter1 that we can not affirm its existence2 and1 hence1 as something at least1 is1 as we do exist1 that the thinking principle in us1 the soul1 must be immaterial4 7,truth of ,thought--,poland--pp4 #bd1 #be74 ,to counteract the influence of ,locke's quasi-materialism1 ,berkley crossed to the other extreme1 in the exaltation of spirit which1 of course1 he held to be immaterial4 ,the possibility that hereafter this exaltation of spirit might lead to a denial of any ,being higher than man--that the universe might appear to him his own creation--scarcely presented itself to the mind of ,berkley4 ,it was not the peril of his time4 ,a creator was not denied by any of the minute philosophers with whom ,berkeley contended4 ,what he desired to impress them with was1 the belief that the ,being who made the outward world was a ,spirit1 who took cognizance of the thoughts and intents of the heart2 that the words to the poor woman who drew water at the well ascended above the philosophy of the eighteenth century2 that they were real and scientific1 that it was conversant with phantasies and shadows4 7,moral and ,metaphysical ,philosophy--,maurice--,vol4 ,,ii1 p4 #deg74 #d4 ,fichte's ,conception of ,god--,god as ,will3 ,born #agfb2 died #ahad4 ,there seems to be something of a distinction between ,fichte's earlier and later views4 ,in his earlier writings he appears to hold to the doctrine that ,god was manifest in ,will alone1 which was the cause of the moral order4 ,the living and working moral order is ,god himself1 and we can conceive no other4 ,he quotes with approval a passage from ,schiller1 saying that it expressed his own views3 ,and ,god is6--a holy ,will that abides1 ,though the human will may falter2 ,high over both ,space and ,time it rides1 ,the high ,thought that will never alter2 ,and while all things in change eternal roll1 ,it endures1 through change1 a motionless soul4 ,for these views ,fichte was charged with atheism1 which he resented3 ,he contends1 says ,leighton1 that his opponents regard ,god as a particular substance4 ,substance means with them 'a sensible being existing in time and space4' ,this ,god1 extended in time and space1 they deduce from the sense-world4 ,fitche claims that extension or corporeality cannot be predicated of the ,diety4 ,the sensuous world is only the reappearance of the supersensuous1 or moral world1 through our attempt to grasp the latter by means of our sensuous faculty of presentation4 ,the sensuous1 is mere appearance1 and can furnish no ground for the existence of ,god4 ,the ,diety is not to be understood as the underlying ground of phenomena1 for1 so conceived1 he is made a corporeal substrate4 ,he is an order of events1 not a substance4 ,the sensuous predicate of existence is not to be applied to ,him1 for the supersensuous ,god alone is4 ,he is not dead ,being1 but rather pure action1 the life and principle of the supersensuous ,world-,order4 99 99 99 99 99 ,to characterize ,god as a spirit1 is of negative value in distinguishing ,him from things material4 ,it gives us no positive information1 for we know as little wherein the being of a spirit consists as wherein the being of ,god consists4 ,inasmuch as all our thinking is limited1 ,god is inconceivable4 ,to determine him is to make him finite4 ,if personality and consciousness are to be denied of ,god1 it is only in the sense in which we conceive ourselves as personal and conscious4 ,god is wider consciousness than we are1 a pure intelligence1 spiritual life and actuality4 ,he is neither one nor many1 neither man nor spirit4 ,in his later views he seems to add ,intelligence to his will1 or moral order4 ,leighton1 summing up both the earlier and later views of the philosopher1 says3 ,when we put together what ,fichte said at different times and from various points of view1 his doctrine becomes a unity1 and his thought exhibits a consistent development4 ,he always conceived ,god as immanent in the moral universe--the only universe which he recognized4 ,he consistently held that the human mind could not conceive ,god in ,his transcendence4 ,but he did not deny that transcendence2 and1 indeed1 in his later writings he emphasized it by his doctrine of the ',absolute ,being4' ,while in his innermost nature he ,god is beyond the reach of thought1 ,god manifests ,himself eternally as active intelligence or ,will1 and by the free act of his own intelligence1 man can rise to an intuitive knowledge of ,god and enter into union with ,him4 ,in the earlier form of the ',science of ,knowledge'1 the ,absolute ,i is the expression of ,god4 ,in the final form which his philosophy assumes1 ,fichte emphasizes the doctrine that ,god is more than the ,absolute ,i4 ,the idea of ,god is more fully defined4 ,beyond ,his manifestation of ,himself1 ,he exists as ,absolute ,being4 ,he alone is4 ,but this ,being is not an abstract motionless ,one4 ,fichte says again and again1 in the ',way to the ,blessed ,life1' that the nature of ,being is to manifest itself1 that it is ever-active1 ever-living and loving4 ',being and ,life are one and the same4' ',the ,divine is thinking and living in one organic unity4' ,being becomes conscious of itself in ,existence4 ,the universal form in which the ,divine ,essence appears1 is ',knowing1 the ,concept1 ,freedom1' and these are all equivalent expressions4 ,knowing is the first image or scheme of the ,divine ,being4 ,we have not yet reached self-consciousness4 ,but free ,knowing1 or the ,concept1 understands or becomes conscious of itself in life1 and ,life appears in the ,multiplicity of finite1 self-conscious individuals4 7,conceptions of ,god--,leighton--pp4 #bg-bh74 #e4 ,kant3 ,born at ,konigsburg1 #agbd2 died #ahjd4 ,it is said that ,kant's influence in the world of thought is second only1 if second1 to ,aristotle's 7,elmendorf74 ,kant's ,organon--a code of rules or principles for scientific investigation--,kant uses the term to denote the particular rules for acquiring the ,knowledge of a given class of objects4--,cent4 ,dict4 is immeasurably more severe than ,aristotle's or than ,bacon's4 ,at times1 everything which we think we have gained when we entered upon this division of our subject1 appears again to be slipping from us4 ,god--,immortality1 ,freedom--these we find to be the ideas or postulates of the reason4 ,we have them2 they are with us4 ,but what are they8 ,can we proceed to reason from them1 to build any conclusions upon the fact that such ideas are8 ,if we do1 we at once involve ourselves in contradictions4 ,they are ideas assuredly--fundamental principles2 but they cannot be treated as realities external to the mind4 ,they are only within it4 ,if the ,atheist1 or the denier of immortality1 begins to dispute with me1 ,i can defy him to prove a negative4 ,but ,i can go no further4 ,i cannot make that into an object which exists in me1 the subject4 ,if ,i do1 ,i shall invest it with some of the conditions and limitations of my own nature1 or ,i shall call in experience to represent to me that which is above experience4 ,are1 then1 senses1 understanding1 reason1 all equally at fault8 ,are they1 all alike1 prone to deception1 all alike1 unproductive8 ,if that is the case1 let no one dream that he can help out our weakness by speaking of a divine communication--a revelation from above4 ,we have nothing which can receive such a communication2 nothing which can turn it to any account4 ,the voice may speak1 there is no ear which can take it in4 ,but ,kant does not leave us in this utter desolation of heart and hope4 ,no results can follow from trying to speculate with those ideas of the reason4 ,they will only turn round and round upon us2 we can never get them outside of us to act upon us4 ,but let us look at them practically4 ,i have the idea of freedom1 and ,i want a law over me--over me1 this being who has this demand for freedom4 ,a law2 that is1 something which commands me--something which ,i did not make for myself4 ,if it is not imperative1 it is nothing2 if ,i may alter it according to some taste or fancies of mine1 it is nothing4 ,yet1 it must be the law of a free being2 this idea of freedom1 if it is only negative1 affirms so much4 ,and the law must tell me what is right--what ,i1 with my freedom1 ought to do4 ,the freedom calls for the law1 the law respects the freedom4 ,now contemplate those other ideas of ,god and ,immortality in this light1 and see whether they remain ineffectual and barren4 ,the idea of ,god becomes that of the lawgiver2 the lawgiver who commands what is right4 ,but such an idea involves an actual ,being--one who is right--one who is not under our limitations in the exercise of right--one who will make right prevail4 ,the idea of immortality combines itself with this idea of ,god4 ,the limitations of our mind interferes with the full accomplishment of ,his purpose4 ,we demand an unlimited range for the success of the right will1 for the attainment of what is implied in our freedom and in our sense of law4 ,god stands out before us as the eternal and absolutely good ,being4 ,the happiness of man must consist in the pursuit of that goodness1 in the conformity to it4 ,happiness in any sense but this1 in any sense which it is merely identical with eudaemonism#a--;good luck or good fortune--never can be the end of any creature constituted as man is constituted4 ,we have thus been driven--fairly driven--to a ground beyond those conditions which appear to limit all our knowledge1 our acts1 and our hopes4 ,let the reader observe carefully how ,kant has been led to transgress those boundaries which no one had so rigorously defined as himself1 which it was part--this should always be kept in mind--of his function as a transcendental philosopher to define4 ,it is not from any passion for the excesses of the reason2 it is not from any weariness of the restraint of laws4 ,he is in the act of prohibiting the excesses of the reason when the discovery of this necessity bursts upon him4 ,he accepts it1 because he can find no laws that are adequate to hold fast human creatures1 if he does not4 ,he has listened to the discussions and demonstrations of those who think they can establish the existence of a ,creator of nature from the facts of nature4 ,they appear to him feeble and unsatisfactory2 but1 were they ever so strong1 such a ,creator1 so setting in motion the machinery of the universe1 could not satisfy him4 ,he has examined the metaphysical reasonings which lead to the same conclusion1 or which are urged in support of the immortality of the soul4 ,he can make nothing of them2 but if he could1 what ,god1 what immortality1 would they establish8 ,leaving1 then1 dogmatists and skeptics to conduct these controversies1 and to arrive at any results they can--being convinced inwardly that they will arrive at no result1 that each can say just enough to make the conclusions of the other untenable--he falls back upon this moral law1 this law for free creatures4 ,once admitting that1 he can1 nay1 he must1 recognize all nature as subject to the same ,righteous ,being2 he must contemplate the world as a moral world1 the universe as designed for a good end4 7,moral and ,metaphysical ,philosophy1 ,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #fca-fcc47 ,the doctrine of ,kant1 summed up by ,elmendorf1 stands3 ,god the moral ruler of nature1 and reconciler of it with reason1 giving that harmony to happiness and morality which nature does not provide4 ,this postulate also necessary to morality4 ,these postulates are given by practical reason1 not as cognitions1 not in the relations of phenomenon and noumenon1 but as realities serving practical ends4 ,rational faith is a necessity of man's nature4 ,from all which1 it appears that according to ,kant1 and especially according to his treatise1 ,critique of ,practical ,reason--#aghh--the ideas of ,god1 ,human ,liberty and ,immortality1 are postulates of practical reason4 ,footnotes #a4 ,the type of utilitarian ethical theory that makes the pursuit enjoyment and production of happiness the supreme end in moral conduct4--7,standard ,dictionary47 ,,lesson ,,xxx4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,typical ,,modern ,,conceptions ,,of ,,god--7,continued74 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,typical ,views of ,god--,philosophers3 ,the works cited in ,lesson xxvii and xxviii1 #f4 ,schleiermacher2 will be available in this lesson2 also the works #g4 ,hegel2 quoted in the notes of this lesson4 #h4 ,schelling2 ,the notes aim to convey #i4 ,spencer2 in condensed form the generalized view of #aj4 ,fiske4 each ,philosopher quoted4 ,they make difficult reading1 but--master them4 ,,special ,,text3 ,i gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven2 this sore travail hath ,god given to the sons of men to be exercised therewith4 ,solomon3 ,ecclesiastes1 ,ch4 i1 #ac4 ,,notes4 #a4 ,schleiermacher's ,conception of ,god3 ,schleiermacher was born at ,breslau1 #agfh2 died at ,berlin1 #ahcd4 ,the primary thought of ,god for ,schleiermacher1 is that of ,feeling1 which apprehends the unity of things in a single and immediate act of consciousness4 ,he regards the ,god-consciousness as immediate4 ,the direct organ of the ,knowledge of ,god is feeling4 99 99 99 99 ,the infinite is not outside the world of phenomena4 ,on the contrary the latter exists within the ',infinite ,one4' ,the ',infinite ,one' is the completion of the series of conditioned existences1 and not something separated from them4 ',the ,infinite exists in the finite4' ,the ,infinite ,one 'is a living ,spirituality1 dynamically conceived1 in which thought holds the primacy4' 7,modern ,conception of ,god--,leighton--p4 #ic74 ,schleiermacher is contrasted with ,spinoza1 by one author1 in the following manner 7,for ,spinoza views see note ,i1 ,lesson ,,xxix473 ,spinoza's ,absolute is the static indifference-point of an infinite number of attributes1 of which two1 thought and extension1 are known to us4 ,moreover1 ,schleiermacher's most original and important philosophical doctrine1 that of the worth of individuality1 separated him from ,spinoza4 ,whilst the latter holds that ,body and ,soul are related only in and through the ,divine substance1 ,schleiermacher regards every human individual as a unique manifestation of the unity of the ideal and the real1 of thought and being4 ,hence1 human individuality is with him a sacred and significant manifestation of the ,absolute4 7,ibid1 p4 #id74 #b4 ,hegel--,extreme ,idealist3 ,born at ,stuttgart1 #aggj4 ,hegel gives to idealism its full systematic development 7,elmendorf74 ,he conceives the ,absolute as wholly immanent in the temporal world of human experience4 ,he labors to subjugate all spheres of existence1 every phase of human experience to the dominion of the immanent ,divine ,reason 7,leighton1 ,typical ,modern ,conceptions of ,god1 ,introduction74 ,a reason-derived ,knowledge of ,god is the highest problem of philosophy4 7,wallace1 ,the ,logic of ,hegel1 p4 #gc74 ,god is for him ,hegel the self-conditioning1 self-centered totality of all that is1 i4 e41 the ultimate unity 7,leighton1 ,typical ,conceptions of ,god1 p4 #ce74 ,truth1 for him1 is the agreement of a thought content with itself2 i4 e41 self-consistency 7,ibid1 p4 #cf74 ,hegel analyzes the notion of self-consciousness1 and puts it forward with courageous anthropomorphism as the ultimate explanation of the universe 7,ibid1 p4 #db74 ,the task of philosophy is to know ,god4 99 99 99 99 ,immediate ,knowledge tells us that ,god is not what he is4 ,but if ,god is not an empty ,being beyond the stars1 ,he must be present in the communion of human spirits1 and1 in ,his relation to them1 ,he is the ,one ,spirit ,who pervades reality and thought4 ,hence1 there can be no final separation between our immediate consciousness of ,him and our mediate ,knowledge of reality 7,ibid1 pp4 #df-dg74 ,the three aspects of ,god are treated respectively under the realm of the ,father2 the realm of the ,son2 the realm of the ,spirit2 ,god is the absolute eternal ,idea ,who exists under these aspects 7,ibid1 p4 #ej74 ,the question has been raised as to whether ,hegel's ,god is not better described as a society than as a single person4 ,now1 ,hegel's ,god is certainly not an individual spirit1 existing in single blessedness apart from all the contents of ,his universe4 ,he therefore is not a single person in the sense in which we are individuals4 ,but ,he is forever the unity of the society of individual finite spirits4 ,in ,him the scattered rays of light which issue from the multitude of finite selves1 converge to a single point--to the unstained purity and translucency of an absolute self-consciousness4 ,god1 then1 is the unity of spirits4 ,the society of finite individuals exists as the object of his thought4 ,without them his life would be blind4 ,without ,him they would be chaos1 and anarchy1 and naught4 ,in brief1 ,god1 in ,hegel's philosophy1 is the universal self-consciousness which comprehends within itself all concrete differences1 men and things--',god is a spirit in ,his own concrete differences1 of which every finite spirit is one4' ,man truly knows ,god when he sees nature and himself as manifestations of ,god1 and recognizes himself as the highest of these manifestations1 capable of grasping in thought the whole of which he is a part4 ,it has been doubted whether there is any place in ,hegel's system for individuals4 ,it seems to me that the most insistent note in ,hegel's writings1 is the emphasis on the concrete individual4 ,he never wearies of attacking abstractions like 'being' and 'substance4' ,the movement of the ',logic' is towards the category of individuality4 7,modern ,conceptions of ,god1 pp4 #fe-ff47 #c4 ,schelling ,conceptions3 ,born in ,wurtemburg1 #agge2 died #ahed4 ,the philosopher of identity--i4 e41 he identifies subject and object as one4 ,schelling is best understood by being placed in contrast with ,fichte4 ,i quote from ,maurice3 ,fichte1 combining the enthusiasm of the ,french revolution with a cordial acceptance of the lessons he had learned in ,konigsberg1 was1 from the beginning of his life to the end of it1 asking what was needful to make him a free man--to enable him to do the work which he had to do--to be what he was meant to be4 ,he was sure that he could find the answer to that question4 ,he said boldly that neither he nor any man could find the answer to any other4 ,what was not himself he must leave4 ,it sounded like atheistical doctrine4 ,people said it was atheistical doctrine4 ,but in demanding what was needful to make him true1 he found that he needed a true ,god4 ,his rivals charged him with inconsistency4 ,he had taken into his doctrine that which did not belong to it--he was borrowing from them4 ,that did not signify4 ,he must have what he required4 ,that was his consistency4 ,he was happy1 not only in the nobleness of his life1 but in the opportunity of his death4 ,he died just as his country became free--before it was again reduced into slavery by monarchs and system-mongers4 ,schelling was the thinker who most denounced ,fichte's methods and ,fichte's departures from his own maxims4 ,for he had been led to feel profoundly the worth of that which ,fichte ignored--the worth of a method which he ,fichte thought impossible4 ,he ,schelling could not start from that which he is1 or thinks1 or knows1 or believes4 ,he could not forget that a whole world is presented to us4 ,he must proceed from that which is given2 he must see how that affects the man1 meets the demands of man1 prevents him from losing himself in himself4 ,he must have a nature-philosophy4 ,that ,schelling thinks1 will include all things1 be the end of all things4 ,is not that atheism8 cry his opponents4 ,is not ,nature taking the place of ,god8 ,he replies to them vehemently1 contemptuously4 ,he does not want to make all the shifting forms of nature into ,god4 ,there is a ,being working through these1 working behind them4 ,to know that ,being is what man requires4 ,he must have an object for all his search4 ,that ,object cannot only be an ,object4 ,it must be a subject--thinking as well as thought of4 ,in that confession of a ,subject-,object is a depth which a ,nature-philosophy might disclose1 but which it could not contain4 ,it must1 as some of ,schelling's critics said--at first exciting only his scorn by the remark--lie beyond the bounds of philosophy2 it must be that which philosophy asks for4 ,perhaps ,schelling may have discovered afterwards1 or partly discovered1 that they were right4 ,if he did1 it was by faithfully pursuing his inquiry as far as it would go1 by holding fast to the thought that man's first demand is for a revelation of something4 ,if of a ,subject-,object1 perhaps 'something' does not exactly meet the demand2 perhaps the thing will not be able to reveal itself1 or to make persons know what is revealed4 ,we are not careful to inquire what the conclusions were at which ,schelling ultimately arrived4 ,he often angrily discouraged the attempts of his disciples and of his opponents to explain those conclusions2 not unnaturally or unreasonably1 it seems to us1 if he felt that the explanations were to be fitted into a compact system1 and if he knew that what he had done1 supposing he had done anything1 was to point to that which is1 or to ,him ,who is1 above all systems--to the only ground1 as well as the only end1 of knowledge4 ,it is clear1 at all events1 that we are once more in that ocean of ,being1 which our guides of the eighteenth century were so anxious that we should avoid4 ,being and ,not ,being1 ,being and ,becoming1 are1 as in the days of ,plato1 the watchwords which will be rung in our ears2 to which we may shut our ears if we please1 but which will encounter us when we least expect them4 7,moral and ,metaphysical ,philosophy--,maurice--,vol4 ,,ii1 pp4 #fee-f74 ,god for ,schelling1 says ,elmendorf1 is the absolute indifference of contraries2 the unity of being and thought1 of subject and object1 of ideal and real2 this is the potentiality of the actual from which the two opposites differentiate themselves without losing their unity in the absolute4 7,history of ,philosophy1 p4 #beg74 #d4 ,herbert ,spencer3 ,god unknown1 and unknowable1 would be the description of ,spencer's conception of the ,absolute ,being4 ,spencer's primary doctrine is evolution1 both in psychical and physical phenomenon2 evolution he describes as a change from 'an indefinite1 incoherent homogeneity1 to a definite coherent heterogeneity4' ,this principle is an induction from experience1 of which no further account can be given1 for the absolute in any form is unthinkable1 although there is an ultimate reality in which subject and object coincide2 yet our concept of the ,absolute is positive though indefinite4 7,elmendorf74 ,spencer's own declarations of our inability to know the unknowable1 is as follows3 ,every religion1 setting out1 though it does1 with the tacit assertion of a mystery2 and so asserts that it is not a mystery passing human comprehension4 ,but an examination of the solutions they severally propound1 shows them to be uniformly invalid4 ,the analysis of every possible hypothesis proves1 not simply that no hypothesis is sufficient1 but that no hypothesis is even thinkable4 ,and thus the mystery which all religions recognize1 turns out to be a 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 mankind1 from the fetish-worshipper 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 7,first ,principles1 pp4 #dg-dh74 ,on this passage from ,spencer1 ,leighton justly remarks3 ,this1 certainly is a species of knowledge unique in kind4 ,how can we know that we can know absolutely nothing about a conceivable object of knowledge8 ,mr4 ,spencer's knowledge of the unknowability of the ultimate reality is1 so far as it goes1 very positive4 ,and1 furthermore he knows that the ,unknowable is a ,power1 an infinite and ,eternal ,energy from which all things proceed4 ,the certainty that such a power exists1 while1 on the other hand1 its nature transcends intuition1 is the certainty towards which intelligence has from the first been progressing4 ,furthermore1 we know the modes in which this inscrutable ,power manifests itself4 ',the ,power manifested throughout the universe distinguished as material1 is the same ,power1 which in ourselves1 wells up under the form of consciousness4' 7,principles of ,sociology1 #c1 p4 #agd74 ,notwithstanding the antinomies which ,mr4 ,spencer finds to be involved in thinking ',infinite' and ',eternal' and notwithstanding that the deepest nescience is the goal of human thought1 he confidently asserts that 'amid the mysteries which become the more mysterious the more they are thought about1 there will remain 7to man7 the one absolute certainty1 that he is ever in the presence of an ,infinite and ,eternal ,energy1 from which all things proceed4' ,the positiveness of this conclusion1 when compared with ,mr4 ,spencer's declaration of the impotence of knowledge when it is confronted with ontological problems1 is sufficient of itself to awaken doubts as to the legitimacy of his procedure4 7,modern ,conceptions of ,god1 pp4 #ajd-aje74 #e4 ,john ,fiske3 ,i select ,john ,fiske to represent what ,i take to be the most recent conception of ,god in the ,ultra intellectual world2 and it is to be noted that he marks a drift of thought 7gradually being emphasized by more recent writers71 from what ,i shall call ultra anti-anthropomorphic conceptions toward at least a thin anthropomorphism4 ,his most definite conception of ,god is found in the following statement3 ,we may hold that the world of phenomena is intelligible only when regarded as the multiform manifestation of an ,omnipresent ,energy that is in some way--albeit in a way quite above our finite comprehension--anthropomorphic or quasi-personal4 ,there is a true objective reasonableness in the universe2 its events have an orderly progression1 and1 so far as those events are brought sufficiently within our ken for us to generalize them exhaustively1 their progression is toward a goal that is recognizable by human intelligence2 'the process of evolution is itself the working out of a mighty teleology1 of which our finite understandings can fathom but the scantiest rudiments' 7,cosmic ,philosophy1 ,part #c1 ch4 #b72 it is1 indeed1 but imperfectly1 that we can describe the dramatic tendency in the succession of events1 but we can see enough to assure us of the fundamental fact that there is such a tendency2 and this tendency is the objective aspect of that which1 when regarded on its subjective side1 we call ,purpose4 ,such a theory of things is ,theism4 ,it recognizes an ,omnipresent ,energy1 which is none other than the living ,god4 ,it is this theistic doctrine which ,i hold myself1 and which in the present essay ,i have sought to exhibit as the legitimate outcome of modern scientific thought4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,as to the conception of ,deity1 in the shape impressed upon it by our modern knowledge1 ,i believe ,i have now said enough to show that it is no empty formula or metaphysical abstraction which we would seek to substitute for the living ,god4 ,the infinite and eternal ,power that is manifested in every pulsation of the universe is none other than the living ,god4 ,we may exhaust the resources of metaphysics in debating how far his nature may fitly be expressed in terms applicable to the psychical nature of ,man2 such vain attempts will only serve to show how we are dealing with a theme that must ever transcend our finite powers of conception4 ,but of some things we may feel sure4 ,humanity is not a mere local incident in an endless and aimless series of cosmical changes4 ,the events of the universe are not the work of chance1 neither are they the outcome of blind necessity4 ,practically there is a purpose in the world whereof it is our highest duty to learn the lesson1 however well or ill we may fare in rendering a scientific account of it4 ,when from the dawn of life we see all things working together toward the evolution of the highest spiritual attributes of ,man1 we know1 however the words may stumble in which we try to say it1 that ,god is in the deepest sense a moral ,being4 ,the everlasting source of phenomena is none other than the infinite ,power that makes for righteousness4 ,thou canst not by searching find him out2 yet put thy trust in ,him1 and against thee the gates of hell shall not prevail2 for there is neither wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the ,eternal4 7,studies in ,religion1 pp4 #ic-id1 #bji74 ,,lesson ,,xxxi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,special ,,lesson4 ,,the ,,paganization ,,of ,,the ,,christian ,,doctrine ,,of ,,deity3 ,,what ,,particular ,,tendencies ,,in ,,human ,,nature ,,led ,,to ,,this ,,result8 7,,an ,,expository--,,argumentative ,,discourse7 ,,notes4 #a4 ,character of the ,proposed ,discourse3 ,for suggestion in relation to expository and argumentative discourses1 see ,lesson ,,xxv1 note #b1 and the references there given to ,seventy's ,year ,books ,nos4 ,i and ,,ii4 #b4 ,sources of ,information3 ,for the ,christian ,doctrine of ,god1 see1 of course1 ,new ,testament1 especially the ,fourth ,gospel4 ,seventy's ,year ,book ,no4 ,,ii1 ,lesson ,,xxxiv2 notes #d1 #e and #f 7pp4 #aij-aic74 ,all of ,lesson #cg2 also ,year ,book ,,iii1 ,lesson ,,xxv4 ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity 7pp4 #aad-aai72 ,also chs4 #d and #e ,orson ,pratt's works1 ,the ,kingdom of ,god1 ,subdivision1 ,the ,nature and ,character of the ,king4 ,outlines of ,ecclesiastical ,history 7,roberts71 ,part ,,ii1 ,section #e4 #c4 ,suggestions to the ,speaker3 ,in previous lessons under this topic we have dealt with the ,first ,moments of ,speech and the ,introduction4 ,having done with these1 we come now to the main part of the work--to the discussion of the subject4 ,this can only be considered in part in this lesson4 ,i quote from ,pittenger3 ,the passage from the introduction to the discussion should be made smoothly and gradually4 ,to accomplish this1 and to strike the subject at just the right angle1 continuing all the interest previously excited1 is a most important achievement4 ,a definite object is a great assistance in this part of the work4 ,if the object is clearly in view1 we go right up to it with no wasted words1 and the people follow our guidance because they see that we are not proceeding at random4 ,but with no strong purpose1 we are apt to steer about our subject without ever being quite ready to enter upon it4 ,the more brilliant the introduction1 the more difficult this transition will be4 ,but all these difficulties may be overcome with the aid of a well-constructed plan4 #d4 ,must be a ,controlling ,purpose in ,discourse3 ,the whole discourse must be animated with some controlling purpose1 and in its general character1 tend upward1 until its close4 ,the law of climax ought to be carefully considered by the speaker4 ,there may be more than one culmination of interest in an address1 separated by an interval less absorbing and powerful1 but this decline should only be allowed in order to prepare a second or third climax1 grander than all before4 ,to violate this rule and have a speech 'flatten out' toward its close1 is a fearful error4 ,better reduce the length of the whole by one-half or three-fourths1 and maintain interest and attention to the end4 #e4 ,of ,diffuseness3 ,diffuseness is often supposed to be a necessary quality of extemporaneous speech4 ,many speakers do fall into it1 but they need not4 ,they are diffuse because they are unwilling or unable to say exactly what they mean1 but come near it1 and continue their efforts until they are satisfied4 ,they furnish no clear view of any idea1 but only a kind of twilight illumination4 ,this serious fault may be overcome in spontaneous speech as readily as in writing4 ,he who thinks clearly and forcibly will talk in the same manner4 ,exquisite finish and elaborate verbal arrangement are not to be looked for in off-hand speech1 but each idea may be expressed with great force1 vigor1 and accuracy of shading4 ,this ability to say precisely what we mean in few words1 and at the first effort1 constitutes one of the great beauties of a spoken style4 ,the hearer is filled with grateful surprise when some new and living idea is suddenly placed before him1 clothed in a single word or sentence4 ,a diffuse speaker gives so many premonitions of his thought that the audience have guessed it1 and may even come to believe that they have always known it1 before he has made his formal presentment4 ,of course1 they are wearied1 and never give him credit for an original conception4 ,if troubled with this fault1 frequently forecast what to say2 drive it into the smallest number of vivid1 expressive words2 then1 without memorizing the language1 reproduce the same briefly in the hurry of speech4 ,if not successful in making it as brief as before1 repeat the effort4 ,this exercise will1 in time1 give the ability to condense4 ,but to exercise it1 the temptation to fine language must be overcome4 ,no sentence should be introduced for mere glitter or sparkle2 a single unnecessary word may require others to justify or explain it1 and thus may ruin a whole discourse4 ,the danger of showy language in speech is far greater than in writing1 for if the writer be drawn too far away from his subject1 he can strike out the offending sentences and begin again1 while the speaker has but one trial4 ,if beauty lies in his way1 well2 but if not1 he should never abandon his course to seek it4 ,concluding the ,speech3 ,there are three principal ways of concluding a speech4 7#a74 ,one of the most graceful is to condense a clear view of the whole argument and tendency of the address into a few words1 and leave the summing up thus made to produce its own effect4 ,discourses aiming principally to produce conviction may very well be concluded in this manner4 7#b74 ,another and very common mode is to close with an application or with practical remarks4 ,when the address is a sermon1 this form of closing is frequently termed an exhortation1 and the whole speech is made to bear upon the duty of the moment4 7#c74 ,a third method of closing is to simply break off when the last item is finished4 ,the full development of the discourse is thus made its ending1 care being taken that the last item discussed shall be of weight and dignity4 ,this is by no means the easiest form of conclusion but rightly managed it is one of the most effective4 7#d74 ,a conclusion should always be short and contain no new matter4 ,few things are more disastrous than the practice of drawing toward an end and then launching out into a new discussion4 ,all good things that have been said1 all previous favorable impressions1 are obliterated by this capital fault4 7,extempore ,speech1 ,pittenger1 ch #h74 #d4 ,strength3 ,we have already considered three means of promoting strength of expression4 ,the third suggestion was1 that care be taken to have the last word of a sentence a forcible one4 ,the same holds good as to the members of a sentence3 ,strength requires that1 when the members of a sentence differ in length1 the shorter should have precedence of the longer2 and1 when they are of unequal force1 that the weaker be placed before the stronger4 ,both of these principles are violated in the following sentence3 ,example3 ,in this state of mind1 every employment of life becomes an oppressive burden1 and every object appears gloomy4 ,corrected3 ,how much more forcible does it become when the shorter and weaker member is placed first3 ,in this state of mind1 every object appears gloomy1 and every employment of life becomes an oppressive burden4 ,this arrangement of the members of a sentence constitutes what is defined among the rhetorical figures as ,climax4 ,what is most emphatic is brought last1 in order that a strong impression may be left on the reader's mind4 ,this principle1 also1 requires us to avoid terminating a sentence with a succession of unaccented words2 such as1 'with'1 'it'1 'in it'1 'on it'1 etc4 ,example3 ,this is a proposition which ,i did not expect2 and ,i must ask time for privilege of reflecting on it4 ,corrected3 ,the last member would be more forcible thus3 ,this is a proposition which ,i did not expect2 and ,i must ask time for reflection4 7,quackenbos' ,rhetoric47 ,,part ,,iii4 ,the ,true ,doctrine of ,deity4 ,,lesson ,,xxxii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,existence ,,of ,,god4#a ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,evidences for the ,divine ,existence ,part ,i4 ,ten ,lessons4 ,found ,in-- ,lesson i4 ,references #a4 ,tradition2 and ,notes4 #b4 ,creation1 the ,evidence of ,design ,lesson ii4 ,references in ,nature2 and ,notes4 #c4 ,innate ,consciousness of ,god in ,lesson iii4 ,references the ,human ,soul2 and ,notes4 #d4 ,the ,general ,consent of ,mankind2 ,lesson iv4 ,references and ,notes4 #e4 ,the ,necessary ,presence of an ,eternal ,cause in the ,world2 ,lessons vi1 vii4 ,references and ,notes4 #f4 ,revelation--,limitation of ,revelation4 ,lessons viii1 ix4 ,references and ,notes4 ,lesson x4 ,,special ,,text3 ,the ,scriptures are laid before thee1 yea1 and all things denote there is a ,god2 yea1 the earth and all things that are upon the face of it2 yea1 and its motion2 yea1 and also all the planets which move in their regular form order1 do witness that there is a ,supreme ,creator4 ,alma1 ,ch4 xxx4 ,,notes4 ,owing to the volume of information supplied in ,part ,i--,ten ,lessons--on the various subdivisions of this lesson1 it is not thought necessary to add more notes here4 ,footnotes #a4 ,it is suggested that this lesson be made simply a review of ,part ,i1 and that two sessions of the class could be profitably used for this purpose4 ,,lesson ,,xxxiii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,form ,,of ,,god4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,jesus ,divine-,hence ,god4 ,the ,new ,testament and ,book of ,mormon #a4 ,dependent ,upon ,revelation and ,doctrine and ,covenants4 for ,knowledge of ,form and ,nature of ,god4 ,psalms xix1 ,rom4 i1 ,note #a4 #b4 ,world's ,need of a ,revelation of ,god4 ,note #b4 #c4 ,scripture ,evidence of the ,divinity ,see collection of passages of ,jesus3 of ,scripture1 ,richards and ,little's --,jesus ,christ is ,called ,god in ,compendium title1 ,revelation--,hence ,god2 ,true and ,living ,god1 pp4 #ahg-aia4 --,jesus ,declares ,himself to be ,god--,the ,son of ,god2 ,note #c and contexts of passages of ,scripture --,jesus is to be ,worshipped--,hence cited4 ,god2 ,note #d4 --,jesus ,christ is ,creator--,hence ,god2 ,note #e4 ,,ii4 ,jesus the ,express ,image of the ,note #f4 ,father's ,person4 ,note #g4 ,hebrews i and ,notes #h1 #i1 #aj1 #aa and the ,scripture ,references within the notes4 ,,special ,,text3 ,for it pleased the ,father that in ,him the ,christ should all fulness dwell4 99 99 99 ,for in ,him dwelleth all the fulness of the ,godhead bodily4 ,colossians4 ,,notes4 ,the notes of this ,lesson are taken from two discourses by the author3 one the ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity2 the other ,jesus ,christ1 the ,revelation of ,god1 hence the personal character and direct address style that appears in the notes4 #a4 ,need of ,revelation for ,definite ,knowledge of ,god3 ,we are dependent upon that which ,god has been pleased to reveal concerning ,himself for what we know of ,him2 especially as to ,his form1 nature and attributes4 ,while it is true1 in a certain sense1 that the heavens declare ,god's glory2 and the invisible things of ,him from the creation of the world1 in a certain sense1 are clearly seen1 being understood by the things that are made2 and while the spirit in man may be intuitively conscious of the being of ,god2 while the general consent of mankind may confirm man's own consciousness of the divine existence1 yet nothing definitely is learned or can be learned concerning the form1 nature1 or attributes of ,god from these sources4 ,now1 as of old1 man by searching cannot find out ,god4 ,he cannot find out the ,almighty unto perfection4 7,job ,,ii1 #g47 ,this can only be learned by revelation4 ,it is the revealed law of the ,lord that is perfect1 converting the soul2 it is the statutes of the ,lord that are right1 rejoicing the heart2 it is the commandment of the ,lord that is pure1 enlightening the eyes2 it is the judgments of the ,lord that are true and righteous altogether4 ,more to be desired are they than gold1 yea1 than much fine gold2 sweeter also than honey and the honey comb4 ,moreover1 by them is ,my servant warned1 and in the keeping of them there is great reward4 7,psalms #ai47 #b4 ,the ,world's ,need of a ,revelation of ,god3 ,in all the survey we have taken of men's conceptions of ,god in ,ancient1 ,mediaeval and ,modern times1 in all their doctrines1 outside of the revelations of ,god--nowhere have we found a knowledge of the true and living ,god4 ,nowhere a teacher who comes with definite knowledge of this subject of all subjects--a subject so closely related to eternal life1 that to know ,god is said in the scriptures to be life eternal2 and1 of course1 the corollary naturally follows1 viz43 not to know ,god is not to possess eternal life4 ,we can form no other conclusion from the survey we have taken of the world's ideas respecting the existence and nature of ,god1 than that forced upon us--the world stood in sore need of a revelation of ,god4 ,he whom the ,egyptians and ,hindoos sought for in their pantheism must be made known4 ,god1 whom ,confucius would have men respect1 but keep at a distance1 must draw near4 ,the ,alfader of the ,goths1 undefined1 incomprehensible to them1 must be brought out of the northern darkness into glorious light4 ,the ,god-idea that prevailed among the ,greek philosophers must be brought from the mists of their speculations and made to stand before the world4 ,he whom the ,jews were seeking to deny and forsake must be revealed again to the children of men4 ,and lo6 when the veil falls from the revelation that ,god gives of ,himself1 what form is that which steps forth from the background of the world's ignorance and mystery8 ,a ,man1 as ,god lives6 ,jesus of ,nazareth--the great ,peasant ,teacher of ,judea4 ,he is ,god revealed henceforth to the world4 ,they who thought ,god impersonal1 without form1 must know ,him henceforth as a person in the form of man4 ,they who have held ,him to be without quality1 must henceforth know ,him as possessed of the qualities of ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,they who have regarded him as infinitely terrible1 must henceforth know ,him also as infinitely gentle4 ,those who would hold ,him at a distance1 will now permit ,him to draw near4 ,this is the world's mystery revealed4 ,this is ,god manifested in the flesh4 ,this is the ,son of ,god1 who comes to reveal the ,father1 for ,he is the express image and likeness of that ,father's person1 and the likeness of that ,father's mind4 ,henceforth when men shall say1 ,show us the ,father1 ,he shall point to ,himself as the complete revelation of the ,father1 and say1 ,he that hath seen me1 hath seen the ,father also4 ,henceforth1 when men shall dispute about the being and nature of ,god1 it shall be a perfect answer to uphold ,jesus ,christ as the complete1 perfect revelation and manifestation of ,god1 and through all the ages it shall be so2 there shall be no excuse for men saying they know not ,god1 for all may know ,him1 from the least to the greatest1 so tangible1 so real a revelation has ,god given of ,himself in the person and character of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he lived ,his life on earth--a life of sorrow and of gentleness1 its pathway strewn with actions fraught with mercy1 kindness and love4 ,a man ,he was1 approved of ,god among men1 by miracles and wonders and signs which ,god did by ,him4 ,being delivered by the determinate counsel and fore-knowledge of ,god1 men took1 and by wicked hands crucified and slew him2 but ,god raised him up1 having loosed the pains of death1 because it was not possible that ,he should be holden of it2 and exalted ,him on high at the right hand of ,god1 whence ,he shall come to judge the quick and the dead4 7,this synopsis of the ,christ's life is in ,acts1 ch4 ii47 ,mark you1 in all this there is not a word about the mysterious1 ineffable generation of the ,son of ,god from the ,father1 together with all the mysteries that men have gathered together in their learned disquisitions about ,god4 ,no question is raised as to whether ,jesus was made out of nothing or begotten by ineffable generation from the substance of the ,father4 ,whether ,he is consubstantial1 that is1 of the same substance with the ,father1 or only of a similar substance4 ,nor is there any question raised as to whether ,jesus was begotten before or after time began4 ,all these and a hundred other questions arose after the ,christian doctrine of ,deity began to come in contact with the ,greek and other philosophies4 ,jesus accepted the existence of ,god as a settled fact1 and proclaimed ,himself to be the ,son of ,god3 offending the ,jews by so doing1 for they saw that ,he made ,himself equal with ,god1 7,john v1 #ah7 and being a man1 held forth ,himself to be ,god 7,john v3 #cj-cc47 ,slow1 indeed1 were they to learn the great truth plainly revealed in ,jesus ,christ1 that ,god is a perfect man4 ,such was ,jesus ,christ1 and ,he was ,god manifested in the flesh4 ,was1 did ,i say8 ,nay1 is1 ,i should have said2 and such will ,he remain forever2 a spirit ,he is1 clothed with an immortal body1 a resurrected body of tangible flesh and bones made eternal1 and now dwelling in heaven with ,his ,father1 of whom ,he is the express image and likeness1 as well now as when ,he was on earth2 and hence the ,father also must be a personage of flesh and bones1 as tangible as the exalted man1 ,christ ,jesus the ,lord4 #c4 ,jesus ,is ,called ,god ,in the ,scriptures3 ,the first proof ,i offer for this statement1 is from the writings of ,isaiah4 ,you remember1 perhaps1 my former quotation from ,isaiah1 wherein that prophet says1 ,behold1 a virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name ,immanuel1 7,isaiah vii3 #ad7 the interpretation of which name is1 according to ,matthew ,god with us4 7,matt4 i3 #bc47 ,so that this man-child1 born of a woman1 and called ,immanuel1 is ,god2 and1 moreover1 is ,god with us--that is1 with men4 ,the same prophet also says3 ,for unto us a child is born1 unto us a son is given2 and the government shall be upon ,his shoulder2 and ,his name shall be called ,wonderful1 ,counselor1 ,the ,mighty ,god1 the ,everlasting ,father1 the ,prince of ,peace4 7,isaiah ix3 #f47 ,all concede that this is in plain allusion to ,jesus ,christ1 and the scriptures here directly call ,him ,the ,mighty ,god4 ,he is also called ,god in the testimony of ,john4 ,mark this language1 for it is a passage around which many ideas center1 and to which we shall have occasion to refer several times4 ,in the preface to his ,gospel1 ,john says3 ,in the beginning was the ,word1 and the ,word was with ,god1 and the ,word was ,god4 ,the same was in the beginning with ,god4 99 99 99 ,and the ,word was made flesh1 and dwelt among us 7and we beheld ,his glory1 the glory as of the only begotten of the ,father71 full of grace and truth4 ,there can be no question but direct reference is here made to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 as being the ,word2 and the ,word1 or ,jesus being with the ,father in the beginning1 and the ,word1 or ,jesus ,christ1 also being ,god4 ,the ,word1 then1 as used here by ,john1 is one of the titles of ,jesus in his pre-existent estate4 ,why called the ,word ,i do not know1 unless it is that by a word we make an expression2 and since ,jesus ,christ was to be the expression of ,god1 the revelation of ,god to the children of men1 he was for that reason called the ,word4 #d4 ,jesus ,declares ,himself to be ,god--the ,son of ,god3 ,jesus was crucified on the charge that ,he was an imposter--that he1 being a man1 said that ,god was ,his ,father1 making ,himself equal with ,god4 7,john v3#ah47 ,and again3 ,for a good work we stone ,thee not1 but for blasphemy1 and because that ,thou being a man1 makest thyself ,god4 7,john x3#cc47 ,again3 when accused before ,pilate1 who declared he could find no fault in ,him1 the ,jews answered him1 ,we have a law1 and by our law ,he ought to die1 because ,he made ,himself the ,son of ,god4 ,moreover1 the high priest1 in the course of the trial before the ,sanhedrim of the ,jews1 directly said to ,jesus1 ,i adjure ,thee by the living ,god1 that ,thou tell us whether thou be the ,christ1 the ,son of ,god4 ,jesus said unto him1 ,thou hast said3 nevertheless1 ,i say unto you1 ,hereafter shall ye see the ,son of man sitting on the right hand of power1 and coming in the clouds of heaven4 7,matt4 xxvii3 #fc1 #fd47 ,and finally1 when ,jesus appeared to the eleven disciples after ,his resurrection1 ,he said unto them1 ,all power is given unto ,me1 in heaven and in earth1 go ye therefore and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 7,matt4 xxviii3 #ah1 #ai47 ,a clearer proclamation of his divinity could not be made than in the statement1 all power is given unto ,me in heaven and in earth1 especially when it is followed by placing ,himself on equal footing with the ,father and the ,holy ,ghost1 which ,he does when he commands ,his disciples to baptize in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,nothing can be added to this1 except it be the words of ,god the ,father directly addressed to ,jesus1 when he says1 ,thy throne1 ,o ,god1 is for ever and ever4 7,heb4 i3#h47 #e4 ,jesus ,christ to be ,worshipped1 ,hence ,god3 ,jesus ,christ is to be worshipped by men and angels2 and worship is an honor to be paid only to true ,deity4 ,the angels of heaven refuse the adoration we call worship4 ,you remember when the ,apostle ,john was on the ,isle of ,patmos1 and ,god sent a heavenly messenger to him1 how the ,apostle1 over-awed by the brightness of the angel's glory1 fell upon his face to worship him1 and the angel said3 ,see thou do it not2 for ,i am thy fellow servant1 and of thy brethren the prophets1 and of them which keep the sayings of this book3 ,worship ,god4 7,rev4 xix3#aj47 ,so you see the angels refuse divine honors4 ,but the scriptures prove that ,jesus was especially to be worshipped2 hence ,he must be ,deity3 ,for unto which of the angels said ,he at any time1 ,thou are ,my son1 this day have ,i begotten thee8 ,and again1 ,i will be to ,him a ,father1 and ,he shall be to me a ,son4 ,and again1 when ,he bringeth in the ,first ,begotten into the world1 ,he saith1 let all the angels of ,god worship him4 7,heb4 i3 #e1 #f47 ,the same doctrine is taught in the epistle to the ,philippians3 ,wherefore ,god also hath highly exalted ,him1 and given ,him a name which is above every name3 ,that at the name of ,jesus every knee should bow1 of things in heaven1 and things in earth1 and things under the earth2 and that every tongue should confess that ,jesus ,christ is ,lord1 to the glory of ,god the ,father4 7,phil4 ii3 #i1 #aj47 ,there are other passages to the same effect1 but it is perhaps unnecessary for me to turn to each of these1 since the ones here quoted will be sufficient to establish in your minds the fact contended for4 #f4 ,jesus ,christ is the ,creator ,hence ,god3 ,jesus ,christ is the ,creator4 ,evidence of this is found in the testimony of ,john from which ,i have already quoted3 ,in the beginning was the ,word and the ,word was with ,god1 and the ,word was ,god4 ,the same was in the beginning with ,god4 ,all things were made by ,him1 and without ,him was not any thing made that was made4 ,in ,him was life2 and the life was the light of men4 7,john i3 #a-d47 ,again in the epistle to the ,colossians3 ,the ,father 99 99 99 hath delivered us from the power of darkness1 and hath translated us into the kingdom of ,his dear ,son4 99 99 99 ,who is the image of the invisible ,god1 the firstborn of every creature4 ,for by ,him were all things created1 that are in heaven1 and that are in earth1 visible and invisible1 whether they be thrones or dominions1 or principalities1 or powers3 all things were created by ,him1 and for ,him4 7,col4 i3 #ab-ag47 ,again in ,hebrews3 ,god1 ,who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets1 hath in these last days spoken unto us by ,his ,son1 whom ,he hath appointed heir of all things1 by whom also ,he made the worlds4 7,heb4 i3 #a47 ,now we begin to see the relation of the ,father and the ,son2 for though the ,word be ,god1 though ,immanuel is ,god1 that is1 ,god with us1 ,he does not displace ,god the ,father1 but stands in the relationship of a son to ,him4 ,under the direction of the ,father1 ,he created worlds1 and in this manner is the ,creator of our earth1 and the heavens connected with the earth4 ,and everywhere the scriptures command that men should worship the ,creator4 ,in fact1 the burden of the cry of that angel who is to restore the gospel in the hour of ,god's judgment is3 ,fear ,god1 and give glory to ,him2 for the hour of ,his judgment is come2 and worship ,him that made heaven and earth and the seas and the fountains of waters4 7,rev4 xiv3 #g47 #g4 ,jesus ,christ ,equal with ,god the ,father1 ,hence ,god3 ,after the resurrection1 ,jesus appeared unto ,his disciples1 and said to them1 as recorded in the closing chapter of ,matthew3 ,all power is given unto ,me in heaven and in earth4 ,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost2 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever ,i have commanded you4 7,matt4 xxviii3 #ah1 #ai47 ,observe that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is placed upon a footing of equal dignity with ,god the ,father1 and with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this brings to mind the scripture of ,paul1 where he says1 speaking of ,jesus3 ,who1 being in the form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god4 7,phil4 ii3 #f47 ,so also is ,christ given equal station with the ,father and with the ,holy ,ghost in the apostolic benediction over and over again4 ,may the grace of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the love of ,god and the communion of the ,holy ,ghost be with you all4 ,in these several passages we have ,jesus ,christ1 after ,his resurrection1 asserting that all power had been given unto ,him1 both in heaven and in earth2 ,he is placed upon a footing of equal dignity with ,god the ,father in the holy ,trinity--in the ,grand ,triumvirate which constitutes the ,presiding ,council or ,godhead reigning over our heavens and our earth--hence ,god4 ,i now wish to give you the proof that ,jesus ,christ is the express image of the ,father2 the express image of ,his person1 as well as the revelation of the attributes of ,god4 ,following that language in ,hebrews where ,jesus is spoken of as having created worlds under the direction of the ,father1 it is said3 ,who being the brightness of ,his the ,father's glory1 and the express image of ,his person1 and upholding all things by the word of ,his power1 when ,he had by ,himself purged our sins1 sat down at the right hand of the ,majesty on high4 7,heb4 iii3 #c47 ,so ,paul to the ,corinthians3 ,the ,god of this world hath blinded the minds of those which believe not1 lest the light of the glorious ,gospel of ,christ1 who is the image of ,god1 should shine unto them4 7,,ii ,cor4 iv3 #d47 ,so also1 in his letter to the ,colossians1 when speaking of ,christ1 ,paul says3 ,who is the image of the invisible ,god1 the first born of every creature4 7,col4 i3 #e47 ,being the express image of ,his person1 then the image of the invisible ,god1 ,jesus becomes a revelation of the person of ,god to the children of men1 as well as a revelation of ,his character and attributes4 ,again1 you have the scriptures saying3 ,for it pleased the ,father that in ,him ,christ ,jesus should all fulness dwell4 99 99 99 ,for in ,him dwelleth all the fulness of the ,godhead bodily4 7,col4 i3 #ai2 ii3 #i47 ,all there is1 then1 in ,god1 there is in ,jesus ,christ4 ,all that ,jesus ,christ is1 ,god is4 ,and ,jesus ,christ is an immortal man of flesh and bone and spirit1 and with ,his ,father and the ,holy ,spirit will reign eternally in the heavens1 verily the ,godhead4 #h4 ,god ,created ,man in ,his ,own ,image3 ,let us now consider the form of ,god4 ,in those scriptures which take us back to the days of creation1 when ,god created the earth and all things therein--,god is represented as saying to someone3 ,let us make man in ,our image1 after ,our likeness4 99 99 99 ,so ,god created man in ,his own image1 in the image of ,god created ,he him1 male and female created ,he them4 7,gen4 i3 #bf1 #bg47 ,now1 if that were untouched by philosophy1 ,i think it would not be difficult to understand4 ,man was created in the image and likeness of ,god4 ,what idea does this language convey to the mind of man1 except that man1 when his creation was completed1 stood forth the counterpart of ,god in form8 ,but neither philosophers nor theologians have been willing to let it stand so4 ,they will not have ,god limited to any form4 ,they will not have ,him prescribed by the extensions of ,his person to some line or other of limitation4 ,no3 ,he must needs be in ,his person1 as well as in mind or spirit1 all-pervading1 filling the universe with ,his being1 with a center nowhere1 with a circumference everywhere4 ,we must expand the person of ,god out until it fills the universe4 ,and so they tell us that this plain1 simple1 straightforward language of ,moses1 which says that man was created in the image of ,god--and which everybody can understand--means1 not the full length image of ,god1 but ,god's moral image6 ,man was created in the moral image of ,god1 they say4 ,the meaning of this language from the #bfth and #bgth verses of the first chapter of ,genesis1 is made perfectly clear when compared with the third verse of the fifth chapter of ,genesis1 where it is written3 ,and ,adam lived an hundred and thirty years1 and begat a son in his own likeness1 after his image2 and called his name ,seth4 ,what do these words imply1 but that ,seth was like his father in features1 and also1 doubtless1 in intellectual and moral qualities8 ,and if1 when it is said ,adam begat a son in his own likeness1 after his image1 it simply means that ,seth1 in form and features1 and intellectual and moral qualities1 was like his father--then there can be no other conclusion formed upon the passage that says ,god created man in his own image and likeness1 than that man1 in a general way1 in form and feature1 and intellectual and moral qualities1 was like ,god4 #i4 ,bodily ,form ,may ,not be ,excluded from ,being ,in ,god's ,image3 ,it is rather refreshing1 in the midst of so much nonsense that is uttered upon this subject1 in order to hide the truth and perpetuate the false notions of a paganized ,christianity1 to find now and then a ,christian scholar who rises out of the vagaries of modern ,christianity and proclaims the straightforward truth4 ,let me read to you the words of such an one--the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,charles ,a4 ,briggs4 ,it may be said1 of course1 by ,presbyterians that ,dr4 ,briggs is a heretic2 that he has been cast out of their church4 ,grant it2 but with open arms he has been received by the ,episcopal church1 and ordained into its priesthood2 and has an influence that is considerable in the ,christian world4 ,but however heretical ,dr4 ,briggs' opinions may be considered by his former ,presbyterian brethren1 his scholarship at least cannot be challenged4 ,speaking of man being formed in the image and likeness of ,god1 he says3 ,some theologians refer the form to the higher nature of man that is1 to that 'moral image' in likeness of which it is supposed man was created2 but there is nothing in the text or context to suggest such an interpretation4 ,the context urges us to think of the entire man as distinguished from the lower forms of creation--that which is essential to man1 and may be communicated by descent to his seed4--,the bodily form cannot be excluded from the representation4 7,messianic ,prophecy1 p4 #gj47 ,i say it is rather refreshing to hear one speak like that1 whose scholarship1 at least1 is above all question4 ,and yet still another voice2 and this time from one who stands high in scientific circles1 one who has written a work on the ,harmony of the ,bible and ,science1 which is a most valuable contribution to that branch of literature4 ,the gentleman ,i speak of is a ,fellow of the ,royal ,astronomical ,society1 and principal of the ,college at ,highbury ,new ,park1 ,england4 ,on this subject of man being created in the image of ,god1 he says3 ,i think the statement that man was made in the ,divine image is intended to be more literal than we generally suppose2 for judging from what we read throughout the scriptures1 it seems very clear that our ,lord1 as well as the angels1 had a bodily form similar to that of man1 only far more spiritual and far more glorious2 but which1 however1 is invisible to man1 unless special capabilities of sight are given him1 like that experienced by ,elisha's servant when1 in answer to the prophet's prayer1 he saw the heavenly hosts surrounding the city of ,dothan4 ,after discussing this question at some length1 and bringing to bear upon it numerous ,biblical illustrations1 this celebrated man--,dr4 ,samuel ,kinns--whose scientific and scholarly standing ,i have already referred to1 speaks of the effect of this belief upon man1 and thus concludes his statement on that head3 ,i am sure if a man would only consider a little more the divinity of ,his human form1 and would remember that ,god has indeed created him in ,his own image1 the thought would so elevate and refine him that he would feel it his duty to glorify ,god in ,his body as well as in ,his spirit4 #aj4 ,captain of the ,lord's ,host--,a ,deity3 ,but we have higher and better authority to which we can appeal--the scriptures4 ,and here ,i pass by that marvelous appearance of ,god unto ,abraham in the plains of ,mamre1 when three men came into his tent1 one of whom was the ,lord1 who conversed with him1 and partook of his hospitality1 and disclosed to him ,his intention with reference to the destruction of ,sodom and ,gomorrah4 7,gen4 xviii47 ,i come now to that marvelous revelation of ,god to ,joshua1 when ,joshua drew near to ,jericho and saw a person in the form of a man standing with sword in hand4 ,joshua approached him and said3 ,art thou for us1 or for our adversaries8 ,nay1 replied the person1 but as captain of the host of the ,lord am ,i now come4 ,and ,joshua bowed himself to the very earth in reverence1 and worshipped that august warrior4 7,joshua v3 #ac1 #ad47 ,do not tell me that it was an angel2 for had it been an angel1 the divine homage paid by ,israel's grand old warrior would have been forbidden4 ,do you not remember the time when ,john1 the beloved disciple1 stood in the presence of an angel and1 awed by the glory of his presence1 he bowed down to worship him1 and how the angel quickly caught him up and said3 ,see thou do it not2 for ,i am thy fellow-servant1 and of thy brethren the prophets1 and of them which keep the sayings of this book3 worship ,god6 7,rev4 xvii3 #h1 #i4 ,also ,rev4 xix3 #aj47 ,the fact that this personage1 before whom ,joshua bowed to the earth1 received without protest divine worship from him1 proclaims trumpet-tongued that ,he indeed was ,god4 ,furthermore1 that personage bade ,joshua to remove the shoes from his feet for even the ground on which he stood was holy4 ,i call attention to that marvelous vision given of the ,son of ,god to the pagan king of ,babylon4 ,this king had cast the three ,hebrew children into the fiery furnace1 and lo6 before his startled vision were four men walking about in the furnace1 and1 said he1 the form of the fourth is like the ,son of ,god4 7,dan4 iii3 #be47 ,the great ,apostle to the ,gentiles1 writing to the ,colossian saints1 speaks of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 in whom we have redemption through ,his blood1 even the forgiveness of sins1 as being in the image of the invisible ,god4 7,col4 i1 #ae47 ,again1 writing to the ,hebrew saints1 and speaking of ,jesus1 he says3 ,who1 being the brightness of his the ,father's glory1 and the express image of his the ,father's person1 and upholding all things by the word of ,his power1 when ,he had by ,himself purged our sins1 sat down on the right hand of the ,majesty on high4 7,heb4 i3 #a1 #b47 ,in the face of these scriptures1 will anyone who believes in the ,bible say that it is blasphemy to speak of ,god as being possessed of a bodily form8 ,we find that the ,son of ,god ,himself stood among ,his fellows a man1 with all the limitations1 as to ,his body1 which pertain to man's body2 with head1 trunk1 and limbs2 with eyes1 mouth and ears2 with affections1 with passions2 for ,he exhibited anger as well as love in the course of ,his ministry2 ,he was a man susceptible to all that man could suffer1 called by way of pre-eminence1 the man of sorrows1 and one acquainted with grief2 for in addition to ,his own1 ,he bore the world's sins1 and suffered that men might not suffer if they would but obey ,his gospel4 #aa4 ,what ,think ,ye of ,christ8 ,what think ye of ,christ8 ,is he ,god8 ,yes4 ,is he man8 ,yes--there is no doubting it4 ,his resurrection1 and the immortality of ,his body1 as well as of ,his spirit that succeeds ,his resurrection1 is a reality4 ,he ,himself attested it in various ways4 ,he appeared to a number of the apostles1 who1 when they saw him1 were seized with fright1 supposing they had seen a spirit2 but ,he said unto them1 ,why are ye troubled8 ,and why do thoughts arise in your hearts8 ,behold ,my hands and ,my feet1 that it is ,i ,myself2 handle ,me and see2 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones1 as ye see ,me have4 7,luke xxiv3 #cf-ci47 ,then1 in further attestation of the reality of ,his existence1 as if to put away all doubt1 ,he said1 ,have ye here any meat8 ,and they brought ,him some broiled fish and honeycomb1 and ,he did eat before them4 7,luke xxiv3 #da-dc47 ,think of it6 ,a resurrected1 immortal person actually eating of material food6 ,i wonder that our spiritually-minded friends1 both philosophers and theologians1 do not arraign ,him for such a material act as that after ,his resurrection6 ,but not only did the risen ,messiah eat in the presence of ,his disciples1 but with ,his resurrected hands ,he prepared a meal on the seashore for ,his own disciples1 and invited them to partake of the food which ,he1 with ,his resurrected hands1 had provided4 7,john xxi3 #i-ac1 and ,acts x3 #da47 ,moreover1 for forty days ,he continued ministering to ,his disciples after ,his resurrection1 eating and drinking with them 7,acts x3 #da1 and ,acts i3 #b1 #c72 and then1 as they gathered together on one occasion1 lo6 ,he ascended from their midst1 and a cloud received ,him out of their sight4 ,presently two personages in white apparel stood beside them and said4 ,ye men of ,galilee1 why stand ye gazing up into heaven8 ,this same ,jesus1 which is taken up from you into heaven1 shall so come in like manner as ye have seen ,him go into heaven4 7,acts ,i3#aa47 ,what6 ,with ,his body of flesh and bones1 with the marks in ,his hands and in ,his feet8 ,shall ,he come again in that form8 ,the old ,jewish prophet1 ,zechariah1 foresaw that ,he would4 ,he describes the time of ,his glorious coming1 when ,his blessed1 nail-pierced feet shall touch the ,mount of ,olives again1 and it shall cleave in twain1 and open a great valley for the escape of the distressed house of ,judah1 sore oppressed in the siege of their great city1 ,jerusalem4 ,we are told that ,they shall look upon ,him ,whom they have pierced1 and they shall mourn for ,him as one mourneth for his only son1 and one shall look upon ,him in that day and shall say1 ,what are these wounds in ,thy hands and in ,thy feet8 and ,he shall answer1 ,these are the wounds that ,i received in the house of my friends4 7,zech4 the #abth1 #acth and #adth chapters74 ,what think ye of ,christ8 ,will that resurrected1 immortal1 glorified man ever be distilled into some bodiless1 formless essence1 to be diffused as the perfume of a rose is diffused throughout the circumambient air8 ,will ,he become an impersonal1 incorporeal1 immaterial ,god1 without body1 without parts1 without passions8 ,will it be8 ,can it be8 ,what think ye of ,christ8 ,is ,he ,god8 ,is ,he an exalted man8 ,yes2 in the name of all the ,gods ,he is4 ,and one wonders why ,christian ministers arraign the faith of the ,church of ,jesus ,christ of ,latter-day ,saints because they believe and affirm that ,god is an exalted man1 and that ,he has a body1 tangible1 immortal1 indestructible1 and will so remain embodied throughout the countless ages of eternity8--,and since the ,son is in the form and likeness of the ,father1 being1 as ,paul tells us1 in the express image of ,his the ,father's person--so1 too1 the ,father1 ,god must be a man of immortal tabernacle1 glorified and exalted3 for as the ,son is1 so also is the ,father1 a personage of tabernacle1 of flesh and of bone as tangible as man's1 as tangible as ,christ's most glorious1 resurrected body 7,see article in ,improvement ,era for ,march1 #aiaj1 for further treatment of this theme74 ,,lesson ,,xxxiv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,character ,,of ,,god ,,revealed ,,in ,,jesus ,,christ4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,humility4 ,note #a1 and the ,scripture references within ,,ii4 ,obedience4 the note4 ,,iii4 ,compassion and ,impartiality of ,note #b and the ,scriptures ,god3 quoted4 #a4 ,ministration to ,rich and ,poor ,note #c1 and citations ,alike2 in the note4 #b4 ,his ,treatment of ,sinners2 ,notes #d and #e4 #c4 ,his ,mercy and ,toleration4 ,note #f1 and citations of ,scriptures in the ,,iv4 ,his ,love ,manifested in the ,atonement4 notes4 ,v4 ,the ,justice and ,severity of ,god4 ,note #g4 ,,vi4 ,the ,revelation of ,god ,complete in ,note #h1 and ,lectures ,jesus ,christ4 on ,faith1 ,doc4 ,cov41 ,lecture ,,iii4 ,,special ,,text3 ,god was manifested on the flesh 7margin71 justified in the ,spirit1 seen of angels1 preached unto the ,gentiles1 believed on in the world1 received up into glory4 ,i ,tim4 ii3#af4 ,,notes4 ,the notes of this ,lesson are taken from two discourses by the author3 one the ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity2 the other ,jesus ,christ1 the ,revelation of ,god1 hence the personal character and direct address style that appears in the notes4 #a4 ,the ,humility of ,god ,manifested ,through ,jesus ,christ3 ,first of all1 ,i call your attention to the deep1 the profound humility of ,god2 ,his great condescension in living among men1 as ,he did1 for their instruction2 and from that circumstance would draw to your attention the lesson of humility ,his life teaches4 ,the heights of glory to which ,jesus had attained1 the power and dignity of ,his position in the heavenly kingdom1 of course1 cannot be comprehended by us in our present finite condition1 and with our limited knowledge of things4 ,great and exalted as we might think ,him to be1 you may depend upon it ,he was exalted infinitely higher than that4 ,then when you think of one living and moving in the courts of heaven and mingling in the councils of the ,gods1 consenting to come down to this earth and pass through the conditions that ,jesus passed through1 do you not marvel at ,his humility8 ,to be born under such circumstances as would enable wicked man to cast reflection upon ,his very birth6 7,st4 ,john viii3#da47 ,to be born1 too1 in a stable1 and to be cradled in a manger6 ,to grow up a peasant1 with a peasant's labor to perform1 and a peasant's fare to subsist upon from childhood to manhood--do you not marvel at this great humility1 at this great condescension of ,god8 ,and by ,his humility1 are not men taught humility1 as they are taught it by no other circumstance whatsoever8 #b4 ,the ,obedience of ,god ,manifested ,through ,jesus ,christ3 ,of ,his youth1 we know but little2 but the little we know reveals a shining quality1 either for ,god or man to possess4 ,you must remember1 in all our consideration of the life of ,messiah1 one great truth1 which comes to us from the scriptures in an incidental way1 viz41 that ,in ,his humiliation ,his judgment was taken from ,him4 7,acts viii3#cc47 ,as the veil is drawn over our minds when our pre-existent spirits come into this world and we forget the ,father and mother of the spirit world1 and the positions we occupied there1 so1 too1 with ,jesus2 in ,his humiliation ,his judgment was taken from ,him2 ,he knew not at first whence ,he came1 nor the dignity of ,his station in heaven4 ,it was only by degrees that ,he felt the ,spirit working within ,him and gradually unfolding the sublime idea that ,he was peculiarly and pre-eminently the ,son of ,god in very deed4 ,when at ,jerusalem1 about twelve years of age1 ,he began to be conscious of the suggestions of the ,spirit within ,him1 that he had a work to do in the world for ,his ,father1 and hence allowed the caravan with which ,he had come from distant ,galilee to ,judea to start upon the return journey without ,him1 much to the perplexity and sorrow of ,his supposed father1 ,joseph1 and ,his mother1 ,mary4 ,they missing ,him1 returned and found ,him in the temple disputing with the doctors and lawyers4 ,they reprimanded ,him1 as they would reprimand any boy guilty of similar conduct2 but when they reproved ,him1 ,he answered1 ,wist ye not that ,i must be about my ,father's business4 ,he began to understand ,his mission4 ,the spirit promptings were at work in ,his soul4 ,and while ultimately the spirit was given without measure unto ,him 7,john iii3#bd71 it was not so at first1 for ,he received not of the fulness at the first1 but received grace for grace4 7,doc4 and ,cov41 ,sec4 #ic3 #ab1 #ac47 ,the child ,jesus grew1 and waxed strong in spirit1 filled with wisdom3 and the grace of ,god was upon him4 99 99 99 ,and ,jesus increased in wisdom and stature1 and in favor with ,god and man4 7,luke ii2 #dj1 #eb47 ,but notwithstanding1 ,jesus1 at twelve years of age1 and earlier1 began to experience the operations of the ,spirit calling ,his soul to ,his mission1 still we are told that ,he returned with ,his parents to ,galilee1 and was subject unto them1 ,he who had given the law1 ,honor thy father and thy mother1 in this act exemplified the honor that ,he entertained for that law1 in ,his practice of it4 ,we next see ,him coming to the banks of ,jordan1 where a prophet of ,god is baptizing--one of those strange1 eccentric men1 who lived for the most part in the wilderness1 whose food was locusts and wild honey1 and whose clothing was the skins of wild animals2 and yet through all this eccentricity1 through all this oddness of character1 shone the divine powers of ,god in this messenger1 and multitudes of people were gathered by his preaching to the ,jordan1 where he baptized them for the remission of their sins4 ,by and by1 ,jesus comes and demands baptism at this man's hands2 and as he enters the water1 the prophet stays ,him1 and says1 ,i have need to be baptized of ,thee1 and comest ,thou to me8 ,already1 doubtless1 shining through this expression of ,god1--this ,jesus of ,nazareth1--the servant of the ,lord1 in attune1 through the spirit of inspiration1 with the very ,god who was approaching ,him1 felt the divinity of ,his presence1 and would fain acknowledge ,his own inferiority4 ,what was the reply8 ,suffer it to be so now3 for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness4 ,he ,who had said that men must be baptized for the remission of sins1 though ,himself sinless1 would honor that law by obedience unto it4 ,thus we learn that ,god not only gives law1 but ,he obeys law4 #c4 ,the ,compassion and ,impartiality of ,god3 ,jesus was possessed of infinite compassion4 ,the incidents that ,i shall relate to you1 in support of this statement1 are in quotations that are free1 and yet1 ,i think1 justified by the spirit of the several occasions4 ,after all1 it is the spirit that giveth life2 the letter killeth2 so let us look at these things in the spirit of them4 ,you see ,him one day with some of ,his disciples approaching the little village of ,nain1 ,his raiment dusty and ,his sandals worn4 ,as they draw near1 the gate is opened and a funeral procession marches out4 ,the mother of the young man whose body is being borne by his neighbors to the final resting place1 walks feebly and weeping beside the bier1 desolate in her loneliness4 ,as ,jesus saw that poor woman in the midst of her sorrow1 ,his heart--,i pray you think of it1 for we are speaking of ,god when we speak of ,jesus ,christ1 the ,creator of heaven and earth--the heart of ,god is moved with compassion towards this woman4 ,he stops the bier1 takes the dead by the hand1 and says1 ,young man1 ,i say unto you1 ,arise4 ,and he arose4 ,jesus ,christ gave this woman back her son4 ,it was an act of beautiful compassion1 one of many1 which illustrates how tender and sympathetic is the heart of our ,god6 ,nor was ,his ministry confined exclusively to the poor1 to the widows1 to the lonely4 ,he despised not rulers1 nor the rich1 because they were rich2 but was willing1 if only they could put themselves in a position to receive the manifestations of ,his compassion--,he was willing to minister unto them4 ,this is proved in the case of ,jairus1 one of the rulers of the ,jews1 and a man of great wealth4 ,you will remember that he came running to the ,master with his sorrow--his daughter was lying dangerously ill at home2 and such was his faith that if the ,master would but speak the word1 she would be healed4 ,while yet he spake1 one of his servants came running1 saying1 ,thy daughter is dead3 trouble not the ,master4 ,but ,jesus heeded not the word of the servant4 ,he had heard ,jairus' cry of faith1 and responsive to that faith-cry1 he made ,his way to the home of the ruler1 put out those who were unbelieving1 and taking the maid by the hand1 gave her back to the gladness of life1 into the arms of the joyous father4 ,the faith of that rich man was as great as the faith of any we meet with in all the ministry of the ,lord4 ,so1 wealth is not necessarily a hindrance to faith4 ,god is as close to the faithful rich as to the faithful poor1 and as ready to grant them his mercy1 according to their faith4 ,i sometimes think we make a mistake when we would flout those who are rich and put them outside the pale of ,god's mercy and compassion because of what may be nothing but a prejudice--which in reality may be envy--of the rich4 ,while on the way to the ruler's house1 another incident happened that is very remarkable4 ,a woman in the throng1 a long time afflicted with a grievous ailment1 said in her heart as she saw ,him pass1 ,if ,i may but touch ,his garment1 ,i shall be whole4 ,accordingly1 she crowded her way forward1 dropped upon her knee1 clutched the garment1 and received the divine power from ,him which cleansed her body and healed her completely4 ,jesus1 observing that something had happened to him1 turned to the apostles1 and said1 ,who touched ,me8 ,they replied1 ,master1 the multitude throng ,thee and press ,thee1 and sayest thou1 ,who touched ,,me8 as if that was not to be expected in such a crowd4 ,but1 said ,jesus1 but ,i perceive that virtue is gone out of me4 ,what was it8 ,simply that through this poor woman's faith--who supposed herself so far removed from ,god that she dare not come into ,his presence and ask for the blessing she desired1 but undertook to obtain it by indirect means--through her faith and touching the garment of the ,lord--the healing virtues passed from ,god to her in such a tangible manner that ,he felt their departure1 just as some of you elders1 when administering to one who was full of faith have felt your spiritual strength and life go out from you1 leaving you weak and almost helpless1 but giving healthful life to the afflicted4 ,i speak to men who have experience in these things1 and ,i know that scores of you could bear witness to the truth of this phenomenon4 ,if our lives can but touch the life of ,god1 such is ,his nature that we shall partake of the virtues that go out from ,him4 ,what shall ,i say of lepers that crowded into ,messiah's presence1 and who1 notwithstanding the loathsomeness of their disease1 found sympathy and help from contact with him8 ,what of the blind1 the lame1 the halt8 ,why1 let us not speak of them2 for though it is a great thing that their bodies should be healed1 and they should go through the community singing the praises of ,him who had restored them1 there are better things to speak of--the healing of men's souls1 the purifying of their spirits4 #d4 ,god's ,treatment of ,sinners3 ,let us ask1 rather1 how did ,jesus ,christ--,god--deal with sinners8 ,i take one incident that has always appealed very strongly to me1 and illustrates the spirit in which ,christ deals with sinners2 for this ,god of ours is peculiarly the friend of sinners1 not because of their sins1 however1 but in spite of them2 and because of ,his compassion upon those so unfortunate as to be under the bondage of sin4 ,the over-righteous ,pharisees of ,christ's time would not on any account come in contact with sinful men1 lest they themselves should be polluted4 ,they gathered the robes of their sanctity about them1 and considered themselves in such close relation with ,god that they could afford to despise ,his poor1 unfortunate1 sinful children1 instead of holding out the hand that would bring them from the kingdom of darkness into the brightness and glory of the kingdom of ,god4 ,but not so with ,jesus ,christ4 ,when ,he was accused by this class of men of mingling with publicans and sinners1 ,his answer to them was1 ,they that are whole need not a physician2 but they that are sick4 ,i came not to call the righteous1 but sinners to repentance4 ,as if ,he had said1 you who are righteous and have no need of healing for sin1 stand by yourselves2 ,my mission is not to you1 but to those who have need of ,god's help4 ,such was the spirit of ,his answer4 ,the incident to which ,i refer as illustrative of ,his compassion for sinners1 is this3 ,the ,jews were always on the alert to entrap the ,messiah's feet and bring ,him into contradiction with the law of ,moses4 ,the law of ,moses1 as first given to ,israel1 was that if any should be found in adultery they should be stoned to death2 but the ,rabbis1 by nice discriminations of words1 practically had rendered that law a dead letter1 by reason of which the adulterers in ,israel escaped the punishment that ,god had decreed against them4 ,therefore1 they thought if they could take a person who unquestionably had been guilty of this crime and bring him or her into the presence of ,jesus1 they would either bring ,him in conflict with the law of ,moses1 or with the tradition of the elders1 and in either case would have sufficient cause to denounce ,him before the people4 ,so they found a woman1 caught in the act2 they dragged her through the streets1 and cast her at ,his feet4 ,master1 said they1 this woman was taken in adultery1 in the very act4 ,now ,moses1 in the law commanded us1 that such should be stoned2 but what sayest ,thou8 ,he replied1 ,he that is without sin among you1 let him first cast a stone at her4 ,one by one they slunk away1 until the woman was left alone with ,jesus4 ,when ,jesus looked around and saw none but the woman1 ,he said to her1 ,woman1 where are thine accusers8 hath no man condemned thee8 ,no man1 ,lord1 she said4 ,then ,jesus said3 ,neither do ,i condemn thee3 go and sin no more4 ,that is how ,god deals with sinners4 ,it is written that ,god cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance1 and that is true1 he cannot2 but how about the sinner8 ,why1 ,he may look upon the sinner with infinite compassion4 ,while sin must always be hateful1 yet will ,he help and love the sinner1 if he will but go his way and sin no more4 ,such is our human weakness1 and so nearly the level upon which we all move1 that there is none of us but will plead mightily for mercy2 and1 thank ,god1 we shall not plead in vain2 for1 while our ,judge cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance1 his heart goes out in compassion and love to men1 and ,he will help them to overcome sin1 to fight a good fight1 to keep the faith1 and at last enable them to win the crown of righteousness in the kingdom of ,god4 #e4 ,god's ,toleration3 ,jesus1 moreover1 was tolerant4 ,you will recall the circumstance of ,his having to go through ,samaria1 and you remember that the ,samaritans hated the ,jews1 and ,jesus was a ,jew4 ,some of ,his disciples went into a village of ,samaria1 through which ,jesus would have to pass1 and sought to make arrangements for the ,master to stay over night2 but the ,samaritans closed their doors against ,him4 ,they had heard of ,him2 ,he was a ,jew2 and in the narrowness of their minds they would not admit the hated ,jew into their homes4 ,this very much angered the disciple ,john1 who loved ,jesus dearly4 ,he was one of the sons of thunder1 and possessed of a spirit that could love2 and being strong in love1 as is often the case--,i was going to say as is always the case--he was likewise strong in hating4 ,he was the type of man that does both heartily4 ,hence1 he went to the ,master and asked ,him if he might not call down fire from heaven upon those ,samaritans for thus rejecting the ,master4 ,jesus replied3 ,ye know not what spirit ye are of4 ,the ,son of ,man came to save1 not to destroy4 ,a broadness1 a liberality truly glorious4 ,jesus was properly broad minded--liberal4 ,on one occasion some of the disciples found one casting out devils in the name of ,jesus1 and they forbade him1 because he followed not the ,master4 ,when they came into the presence of ,jesus1 they reported this case and told what they had done4 ,jesus said1 ,forbid him not3 for there is no man which shall do a miracle in ,my name1 that can lightly speak evil of me4 ,then ,he gave the other half of that truth1 ,he that is not for ,me is against ,me1 by saying1 ,for he that is not against us is for us4 ,thus ,he corrected the narrow-mindedness of ,his own apostles4 #f4 ,the ,love of ,god3 ,he that loveth not1 knoweth not ,god3 for ,god is love3--and he that dwelleth in love1 dwelleth in ,god and ,god in him4 7,i ,john iv3 #h-af74 ,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 perish1 but have eternal life4 ,for ,god so loved the world1 that ,he gave ,his only begotten ,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him should not perish1 but have everlasting life4 ,for ,god sent not ,his ,son into the world to condemn the world2 but that the world1 through ,him1 might be saved4 7,john iii3 #ad-ah74 ,i can think of no greater evidence of ,god's love than that exhibited in the act of permitting his ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 to come to the earth and suffer as ,he did for the sins of the world1 that they might not suffer if they would but conform to ,his laws1 and thus accept the terms of ,salvation4 7,doc4 ,cov41 ,sec4 #ai74 ,it would seem1 too1 that the same attribute of love exists in the breast of the ,son1 for the sacrifice ,he made for the redemption of the world was a voluntary act4 ,he was not compelled to make the ,atonement1 but of ,his own free will ,he volunteered to become our ransom4 7,pearl of ,great ,price1 p4 #da47 ,he himself testified3 ,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 ,i have power to lay it down1 and ,i have power to take it again4 ,this commandment have ,i received of ,my ,father4 7,john x3 #ag1 #ah47 ,thus1 the atonement of ,jesus1 for the children of men1 was a voluntary act2 and ,his death and suffering for the world1 was the strongest expression of love it is possible to conceive--,greater love hath no man than this1 that a man lay down his life for his friends4 7,john xv3 #ac74 #g4 ,the ,justice and the ,severity of ,god3 ,justice and judgment are the habitation of ,thy ,throne4 7,psalms lxxxix3#ad47 ,a just ,god and a ,savior4 7,isaiah xlv3 #ba74 ,shout1 ,o daughter of ,jerusalem2 behold thy king cometh unto thee3 ,he is just and having salvation4 7,zach4 ix3#i74 ,a ,god of ,truth1 and without iniquity1 just and right is ,he4 7,deut4 xxxii3#d74 ,notwithstanding all ,god's mercy1 as manifested through the ,christ1 ,his tolerance1 ,his patience and gentleness1 there were times when ,he ,who was so infinitely merciful1 could also be infinitely just2 ,he ,who was so infinitely compassionate1 could be infinitely severe4 ,i give you an instance of it4 ,he had struggled long and hard with those hypocrites1 the ,scribes and ,pharisees2 and finally the voice of justice and reproof1 as it is to be found in ,god1 speaks forth through ,jesus ,christ1 and this is what ,he said3 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6 for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men3 for ye neither go in yourselves1 neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in4 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6 for ye devour widows' houses1 and for a pretense make long prayers3 therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation4 7,matt4 xxiii3#ac1 #ad47 ,that is not so gentle3 ,listen again3 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6 for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte1 and when he is made1 ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves4 ,woe unto you1 ye blind guides1 which say1 ,whosoever shall swear by the temple1 it is nothing2 but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple1 he is a debtor6 ,ye fools and blind3 for whether is greater1 the gold1 or the temple that sanctifieth the gold8 ,and1 whosoever shall swear by the altar1 it is nothing2 but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it1 he is guilty4 ,ye fools and blind3 for whether is greater1 the gift1 or the altar that sanctifieth the gift8 99 99 99 ,ye blind guides1 which strain at a gnat1 and swallow a camel4 ,woe unto you1 ,scribes and ,pharisees6 for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter1 but within they are full of extortion and excess4 ,thou blind ,pharisee1 cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter1 that the outside of them may be clean also4 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6 for ye are like unto whited sepulchres1 which indeed appear beautiful outward1 but are within full of dead men's bones1 and of all uncleanness4 ,even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men1 but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity4 ,woe unto you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6 because ye build the tombs of the prophets1 and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous1 and say1 if we had been in the days of our fathers1 we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets4 ,wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves1 that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets4 ,fill ye up1 then1 the measure of your fathers4 ,ye serpents1 ye generation of vipers1 how can ye escape the damnation of hell8 7,matt4 xxiii3#ae-cc74 ,and this from that gentle1 compassionate man6 ,the voice of ,god in its severity speaks through these tones1 and bids us understand that it must be a terrible thing to fall under the displeasure of ,god4 ,think of the infinite difference between that sweet compassion which ,he has for the penitent sinner1 and this severe but just arraignment of those who persist in their sins6 ,a warning to all men to beware of the justice of ,god1 when once it shall be aroused6 #h4 ,god ,completely ,revealed ,through ,christ3 ,jesus ,christ is ,god manifested in the flesh1 proved to be so from the scripture2 the character of ,god is revealed in the wonderful life that ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god1 lived on earth2 in it we see ,god in action2 and from it we see the gentleness1 the compassion1 the love1 and also the justice and severity of ,god4 ,jesus ,christ is ,god2 and ,he is also man2 but ,i deplore those sectarian refinements which try to tell us about the humanity of ,jesus being separate from the divinity of ,jesus4 ,he ,himself made no such distinctions4 ,he was divine1 spirit and body1 and spirit and body was exalted to the throne of ,his ,father1 and sits there now with all the powers of the ,godhead residing in ,him bodily1 an immortal1 glorified1 exalted man6 ,the express image and likeness ,god of the ,father2 for as the ,son is1 so is the ,father4 ,yet when the ,latter ,day ,saints announce to the world that we believe ,god to be an exalted man1 we are told that we are blasphemers4 ,but as long as the throne of ,jesus ,christ stands sure1 so long as ,his spirit remains in ,his immortal body of flesh and bones1 glorified and everlasting1 shall keep ,his place by the side of the ,father1 so long will the doctrine that ,god is an exalted man hold its place against the idle sophistries of the learned world4 ,the doctrine is true4 ,it cannot be unthroned4 ,a truth is a solemn thing4 ,not the mockery of ages1 not the lampooning of the schoolmen1 not the derision of the multitude1 not the blasphemy of the world1 can affect it2 it will always remain true4 ,and this doctrine1 announced by ,joseph ,smith to the world1 that ,god is an exalted man1 that ,jesus ,christ is the revelation of ,god to the world and that ,he is just like his ,father1 and that those who are ,his brethren may become as ,he is1 when they have walked in ,his footsteps--that is a doctrine that will stand sure and fast as the throne of ,god itself4 ,for ,jesus ,christ was ,god manifested in the flesh4 ,he was the revelation of ,god to the world4 ,he was and is and ever will remain an exalted man4 ,he is1 and always will remain1 ,god4 ,,lesson ,,xxxv4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,the ,,godhead4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,plurality of ,persons in the ,godhead4 ,the notes of this ,lesson and ,scriptural references ,,ii4 ,plurality of ,divine ,intelligences4 in the notes1 #a to #e4 ,the references in ,richards and ,little's ,compendium1 ,art4 ,plurality of ,gods1 p4 #ahd4 ,the notes1 and ,scripture citations within them1 this ,lesson4 ,also ,avatars of ,god1 ,improvement ,era for ,march1 #aiaj4 ,,special ,,text3 ,god standeth in the congregations of the mighty2 he judgeth among the ,gods4 99 99 99 ,i have said ye are ,gods2 and all of you are children of the ,most ,high4 ,,notes4 ,the notes of this ,lesson are taken from two discourses by the ,author3 one the ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity2 the other1 ,jesus ,christ1 the ,revelation of ,god1 hence the personal character and direct address style that appears in the notes4 ,the discourses referred to will be found in ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity4 #a4 ,the ,three ,persons of the ,godhead ,revealed--,the ,father3 ,it is to be observed in passing that ,jesus ,himself came with no abstract definition of ,god4 ,nowhere in ,his teachings can you find any argument about the existence of ,god4 ,that ,he takes for granted2 assumes as true2 and from that basis proceeds as a teacher of men4 ,nay1 more2 ,he claims ,god as ,his ,father4 ,it is not necessary to quote texts in proof of this statement2 the ,new ,testament is replete with declarations of that character4 ,what may be of more importance for us at the present moment is to call attention to the fact that ,god ,himself also acknowledged the relationship which ,jesus claimed4 ,most emphatically did ,he do so on the memorable occasion of the baptism of ,jesus in the river ,jordan4 ,you remember how the scriptures1 according to ,matthew1 tell us that as ,jesus came up out of the water from ,his baptism1 the heavens were opened1 and the ,spirit of ,god descended like a dove upon ,him2 and at the same moment1 out of the stillness came the voice of ,god1 saying1 ,this is ,my beloved ,son1 in whom ,i am well pleased4 ,on another occasion the ,father acknowledges the relationship--at the transfiguration of ,jesus in the mount1 in the presence of three of ,his apostles1 ,peter and ,james and ,john1 and the angels ,moses and ,elias4 ,the company was overshadowed by a glorious light1 and the voice of ,god was heard to say of ,jesus1 ,this is ,my beloved ,son2 hear him4 ,of this1 the apostles in subsequent years testified1 and we have on record their testimony4 ,so that the existence of ,god the ,father1 and the relationship of ,jesus to ,him1 is most clearly shown in these scriptures4 #b4 ,the ,son3 ,jesus1 ,himself1 claimed to be the ,son of ,god1 and in this connection there is clearly claimed for ,him divinity1 that is to say1 ,godship4 ,let me read to you a direct passage upon that subject2 it is to be found in the gospel according to ,st4 ,john1 and reads as follows3 ,in the beginning was the ,word1 and the ,word was with ,god1 and the ,word was ,god4 99 99 99 ,and the ,word was made flesh1 and dwelt among us 7and we beheld ,his glory1 the glory as of the only begotten of the ,father71 full of grace and truth4 7,john i3#a-c47 ,the identity between ,jesus of ,nazareth--,the ,word made flesh--and the ,word that was with ,god in the beginning1 and that was ,god1 is so clear that it cannot possibly be doubted4 ,so the ,son is ,god1 as well as the ,father4 ,other evidences go to establish the fact that ,jesus had the ,godlike power of creation4 ,in the very passage ,i have just read1 it is said3 ,all things were made by ,him that is1 by the ,word1 ,who is ,jesus2 and without ,him was not anything made that was made4 ,in ,him was life2 and the life was the light of men4 7,john i3 #c-d47 ,one other scripture of like import1 but perhaps even more emphatic than the foregoing1 is that saying of ,paul's in the epistle to the ,hebrews3 ,god1 ,who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets1 hath in these last days spoken unto us by ,his ,son1 whom ,he hath appointed heir of all things1 by whom also ,he made the worlds4 7,heb4 i3 #a-c47 ,not only one world1 but many worlds1 for the word is used in the plural4 ,so that we find that the ,son of ,god was ,god the ,father's agent in the work of creation1 and that under the ,father's direction ,he created many worlds4 ,there can be no question then as to the divinity1 the ,godship1 of ,jesus of ,nazareth1 since ,he is not only ,god the ,son1 but ,god the ,creator also--of course1 under the direction of the ,father4 #c4 ,the ,holy ,spirit3 ,again1 the ,holy ,ghost is spoken of in the scriptures as ,god4 ,i think1 perchance1 the clearest verification of that statement is to be found in connection with the circumstance of ,ananias and his wife attempting to deceive the apostles with reference to the price for which they had sold a certain parcel of land they owned1 which price they proposed putting into the common fund of the ,church2 but selfishness asserted itself1 and they concluded to lie as to the price of the land1 and only consecrate a part to the common fund4 ,it was an attempt to get credit for a full consecration of what they possessed1 on what was a partial dedication of their goods4 ,they proposed to live a lie1 and to tell one1 if necessary1 to cover the lie they proposed to live4 ,when ,ananias stood in the presence of the apostles1 ,peter put this very pointed question to him3 ,why hath ,satan filled thine heart to lie to the ,holy ,ghost8 99 99 99 ,thou hast not lied unto men1 but unto ,god4 7,acts v47 ,to lie to the ,holy ,ghost is to lie to ,god1 because the ,holy ,ghost is ,god4 ,and frequently in the scriptures the ,holy ,spirit is spoken of in this way4 #d4 ,the ,holy ,trinity3 ,these three1 the father1 ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 it is true1 are spoken of in the most definite manner as being ,god--one2 but the distinction of one from the other is also clearly marked in the scriptures4 ,take that circumstance to which ,i have already alluded--note #a--the baptism of ,jesus4 ,there we may see the three distinct personalities most clearly4 ,the ,son coming up out of the water from ,his baptism2 the heavens opening and the ,holy ,spirit descending upon ,him2 while out of heaven the voice of ,god the ,father is heard saying1 ,this is ,my beloved ,son1 in ,whom ,i am well pleased4 ,here three ,gods are distinctly apparent4 ,they are seen to be distinct from each other4 ,they appear simultaneously1 not as one1 but as three1 each one being a different person1 so that however completely they may be one in spirit1 in purpose1 in will1 they are clearly distinct as persons--as individuals4 #e4 ,each of the ,three ,equal in ,dignity3 ,in several instances in the scriptures these three personages are accorded equal dignity in the ,godhead4 ,an example is found in the commission which ,jesus gave to ,his disciples after ,his resurrection1 when ,he sent them out into the world to preach the gospel to all nations4 ,he stood in the presence of the eleven1 and said3 ,all power is given unto ,me in heaven and in earth4 ,go ye1 therefore1 and teach all nations1 baptizing them in the name of the ,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the ,holy ,ghost4 7,matt4 xxviii3#ah-bj47 ,each of the three is here given equal dignity in the ,godhead4 ,again1 in the apostolic benediction3 ,may the grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the love of ,god1 and the communion of the ,holy ,ghost be with you all4 ,in one particular1 at least1 ,jesus came very nearly exalting the ,holy ,ghost to a seeming superiority over the other personages in the ,godhead2 for ,he said3 ,all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men2 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 him2 but whosoever speaketh against the ,holy ,ghost1 it shall not be forgiven him1 neither in this world1 neither in the world to come4 7,matt4 xii3#ca1 #cb47 ,i take it1 however1 that this seeming superior dignity accorded to the ,holy ,ghost by the ,son of ,god1 is owing to the nature of the third personage in the ,trinity1 and the kind of testimony ,he can impart unto the soul of man because of ,his being a personage of spirit--a testimony that is better than the seeing of the eye1 more sure than the hearing of the ear1 because it is spirit testifying to spirit--soul communing with soul--it is the soul of ,god imparting to the soul of man2 and if men1 after receiving that ,witness from ,god1 shall blaspheme against ,him1 farewell hope of forgiveness for such a sin1 in this world or in the world to come6 ,these three personages1 then1 are of equal dignity in the ,godhead1 according to the teachings of the ,new ,testament4 ,each is equally divine--equally ,god2 hence ,jesus is ,god equally with ,god the ,father1 and with ,god the ,holy ,ghost4 ,this simple ,christian teaching respecting the ,godhead gave birth to what1 in ecclesiastical history1 is called ,the ,apostles' ,creed4 ,a vague tradition has it that before the ,apostles dispersed to go into the world to preach the gospel1 they formulated a creed with respect of the ,church's belief in ,god4 ,whether that tradition be true or not1 ,i do not know1 and for matter of that1 it makes little difference4 ,suffice it to say that the so-called ,apostles' ,creed1 for two centuries1 expressed the faith of the early ,christians upon the question of ,god1 and is as follows3 ,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 ,father1 whence ,he will come1 to judge the living and the dead2 and in the ,holy ,ghost4 #f4 ,plurality of ,divine ,intelligences3 ,we have already shown that the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost are three separate and distinct persons1 and1 so far as personality is concerned1 are three ,gods4 ,their oneness consists in being possessed of the same mind2 they are one1 too1 in wisdom1 in knowledge1 in will and purpose2 but as individuals they are three1 each separate and distinct from the other1 and three is plural4 ,now1 that is a long way on the road towards proving the plurality of ,gods4 ,but1 in addition to this1 ,i would like to know from our friends--the critical sectarian ministers who complain of this part of our faith--the meaning of the following expressions1 carefully selected from the scriptures3 ,the ,lord your ,god is ,god of ,gods1 and ,lord of ,lords4 7,deut4 x3#ag47 ,that is from ,moses4 ,the ,lord ,god of ,gods1 the ,lord ,god of ,gods1 ,he knoweth1 and ,israel ,he shall know4 7,josh4 xxii3#bb47 ,that is from ,joshua4 ,o give thanks unto the ,god of ,gods6 99 99 99 ,o give thanks to the ,lord of ,lords6 7,psalm cxxxvi3 #b1 #c47 ,that is ,david4 ,and shall speak marvelous things against the ,god of ,gods4 7,daniel xi3 #cf47 ,that is ,daniel4 ,the ,lamb shall overcome them2 for ,he is ,lord of ,lords1 and ,king of ,kings4 7,rev4 xvii3#ad47 ,that is the beloved disciple of ,jesus--,john the ,revelator4 ,had ,i taken such expressions from the lips of the pagan kings or false prophets1 who are sometimes represented as speaking in the scriptures1 you might question the propriety of making such quotations in support of the doctrine ,i teach2 but since these expressions come from prophets and recognized servants of ,god1 ,i ask those who criticize our faith in the matter of a plurality of ,gods1 to explain away those expressions of the scriptures4 ,furthermore1 there is ,paul's language1 in his letter to the ,corinthians1 already quoted1 where he says1 that there be ,gods many and ,lords many1 whether in heaven or in earth4 ,had his expression been confined to those that are called gods in earth1 it is possible that there might be some good ground for claiming that he had reference to the heathen gods1 and not true ,gods2 but he speaks of those that are ,gods in heaven as well as gods in earth4 ,right in line with this idea is the following passage from the ,psalms of the ,prophet ,david3 ,god standeth in the congregation of the mighty2 ,he judgeth among the ,gods4 7,psalm lxxxii3#a47 ,these1 undoubtedly1 are the ,gods in heaven to whom ,paul alludes1 among whom the ,god referred to stands2 among whom ,he judges4 ,this is no reference to the heathen gods1 but to the ,gods in heaven1 the true ,gods4 ,in this same ,psalm1 too1 is the passage which seems to introduce some telling evidence from the ,lord ,jesus ,christ ,himself1 viz43 ,i have said ye are ,gods1 and all of you are the children of the ,most ,high4 ,you remember how on one occasion the ,jews took up stones to stone ,jesus1 and ,he called a halt for just a moment1 for ,he wanted to reason with them about it4 ,he said3 ,many good works have ,i shown you from the ,father2 for which of these works do ye stone me8 ,their answer was3 ,for a good work we stone ,thee not2 but for blasphemy2 and because that ,thou1 being a man1 makest ,thyself ,god4 ,what an opportunity here for ,jesus to teach them that there was but one ,god6 ,but ,he did not do that4 ,on the contrary1 ,he affirmed the doctrine of a plurality of ,gods4 ,he said to them3 ,is it not written in your law1 ,i said1 ,ye are ,gods8 ,if ,he called them ,gods1 unto whom the word of ,god came1 and the scripture cannot be broken2 say ye of ,him1 ,whom the ,father hath sanctified and sent into the world1 ,thou blasphemest2 because ,i said1 ,i am the ,son of ,god8 ,if ,i do not the works of ,my ,father1 believe ,me not4 ,but if ,i do1 though ye believe not ,me1 believe the works4 ,higher authority on this question cannot be quoted than the ,son of ,god ,himself4 #g4 ,further ,evidence for a ,plurality of ,divine ,intelligences3 ,i find a word on the subject fitly spoken by the late ,orson ,pratt1 in a discourse delivered in #ahee1 in ,salt ,lake ,city4 ,he said3 ,there is one revelation that this people are not generally acquainted with4 ,i think it has never been published1 but probably it will be in the ,church ,history4 ,it is given in questions and answers4 ,the first question is1 ,what is the name of ,god in the pure language8 ,the answer says1 ,ahman4 ,what is the name of the ,son of ,god8 ,answer1 ,son ,ahman1 the greatest of all the parts of ,god1 excepting ,ahman4 ,what is the name of men8 ,sons ,ahman1 is the answer4 ,what is the name of angels in the pure language8 ,anglo--man4 ,the revelation goes on to say that ,sons ,ahman are the greatest of all the parts of ,god excepting ,son ,ahman1 and ,ahman1 and that ,anglo-man are the greatest of all the parts of ,god excepting ,sons ,ahman1 ,son ,ahman and ,ahman1 showing that the angels are a little lower than man4#a ,what is the conclusion to be drawn from this8 ,it is that these intelligent beings are all parts of ,god4 7,journal of ,discourses1 ,vol4 #b1 p4 #cdb47 ,this1 it will be said1 is a bold doctrine2 and indeed it is bold4 ,i love it for its boldness1 but not so much for that1 as for the reason that it is true4 ,it is in harmony with another revelation given through ,joseph ,smith1 wherein it is said3 ,man was also as well as ,jesus in the beginning with ,god4 ,intelligence1 or the light of truth1 was not created or made1 neither indeed can be4 99 99 99 ,for man is spirit4 ,the elements are eternal1 and spirit and element1 inseparably connected1 receive a fullness of joy2 and when separated1 man cannot receive a fullness of joy4 ,the elements are the tabernacle of ,god2 yea1 man in the tabernacle of ,god1 even temples 7,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 #ic3 #bi-ce74 ,nor is the doctrine less in harmony with the ,jewish scriptures3 ,for it became him1 for whom are all things and by whom are all things1 in bringing many sons unto glory1 to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering4 ,for both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one2 for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren4 ,in this same chapter of ,hebrews1 ,jesus1 as well as man1 is spoken of as being made a little while inferior to the angels 7verses #g and #i marginal reading72 and he is spoken of by the same apostle in another place as being but the first born among many brethren 7,rom4 #h3bi74 ,also in his great discourse in ,mars ,hill1 ,paul not only declares that ,god hath made of one blood all nations of men--but he also quoted with approval the ,greek poet ,aratus1#b where the latter says3 ,for we are also his ,god's offspring2 and to this the apostle adds3 ,for as much1 then1 as we are the offspring of ,god hence of the same race and nature1 we ought not to think that the ,godhead is like unto gold1 or silver1 or stone1 graven by art after man's device 7,acts #ag3 #bf-cj74 ,the nature of our own being1 one might add1 in continuation of the apostle's reasoning1 should teach those who recognize men as the offspring of ,god1 better than to think of the ,godhead as of gold1 or silver1 or stone1 graven by art after man's device1 since the nature of the offspring partakes of the nature of the parent2 and our own nature teaches us that men are not as stocks and stones1 though the latter be graven by art after the devices of men4 ,paul might also have quoted the great ,hebrew poet3 ,god standeth in the congregation of the mighty2 he judgeth among the ,gods4 99 99 99 ,i have said ye are ,gods2 and all of you are children of the ,most ,high 7,ps4 #hb3 #a1 #f1 #g72 and though he adds1 ,but ye shall die like men1 and fall like one of the princes1 it does not detract from the assertion1 and all of you are children of the ,most ,high2 for ,jesus died1 even as men die2 but he was the ,son of ,god1 nevertheless1 and he himself a ,deity4 ,the matter is clear1 then1 men and ,gods are of the same race2 ,jesus is the ,son of ,god1 and so1 too1 are all men the offspring of ,god1 and ,jesus but the first born of many brethren4 ,eternal ,intelligences are begotten of ,god1 spirits1 and hence are sons of ,god--a dignity that never leaves them4 ,beloved1 said one of old1 now are we the sons of ,god1 and it doth not yet appear what we shall be2 but we know that when he ,christ shall appear1 we shall be like him2 for we shall see him as he is 7,i ,john #c3b74 ,for additional matter on this point see ,avatars of ,god in ,march and ,april ,nos4 of ,improvement ,era1 #aiaj4 #h4 ,of ,god the ,spirit of the ,gods3 ,from the presence of the ,gods goes out the influence and power men sometimes call ,god1 or the ,spirit of ,god2 from whose presence ,david could not flee3 ,if ,i ascend up into heaven1 thou art there2 if ,i make my bed in hell1 behold thou art there4 ,if ,i take the wings of the morning1 and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea2 even there shall thy hand lead me1 and thy right hand shall hold me4 ,yea the darkness hideth not from thee2 but the light shineth as the day2 the darkness and the light are both alike to thee 7,ps4 #aci3 #g-ab74 ,this ,spirit is that ,something sacred and sublime1 which men recognize as moving wool-shod behind the worlds2 weighing the stars2 weighing the deeds of men4 7,edward ,markham47 ,this that ,spirit that permeates all space2 that makes all presence bright2 all motion guides2 the ,power unchanged through time's all-devastating flight2 that upholds and sustains all worlds4 ,hence it is said1 in one of the most beautiful of the revelations ,god has given in this last dispensation3 ,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 stars and the power thereof by which they were made4 ,and the earth also 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 light 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 things2 99 99 99 ,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 ,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 power 7,doc4 and ,cov41 sec4 #hh #h-ac and #de1 #dg74 ,this1 then1 is ,god1 who is not far removed from every one of us2 in whom we live1 and move1 and have our being4 ,this is ,god immanent in nature4 ,and as we dwell in him1 so1 too1 dwells he in us2 and1 as man more expands towards divinity1 more and more of the divine enters into his being1 until he attains unto a fullness of light and truth2 of power and glory2 until he becomes perfectly one in ,god1 and ,god in him4 ,this the meaning of the ,messiah's prayer1 made for all those who become his disciples--,that they all may be one1 as thou1 ,father1 art in me1 and ,i in thee3 that they also may be one in us 7,john #ag3 #ba74 ,to the same effect ,paul also prayed3 ,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 named 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 love1 may be able to comprehend with all ,saints what is the breadth1 and length1 and depth1 and height2 and to know the love of ,christ which passeth knowledge1 that ye may be filled with all the fullness of ,god 7,eph4 #c3 #ad-ai74 ,then again he said3 ,let this mind be in you which was also in ,jesus ,christ3 who being in the form of ,god1 thought it not robbery to be equal with ,god 7,philippians #b3 #e1 #f74 ,it is possible for the mind of ,god to be in man1 to will and to do1 as seemeth ,god good4 ,the nature of the ,whole clings to the ,parts1 and they may carry with them the light and truth and glory of the ,whole4 ,moreover1 by appointment1 any ,one or ,three of the unit ,intelligences may become the embodiment and representative of all the power and glory and authority of the sum total of the ,divine ,intelligences2 in which capacity either the ,one or the ,three would no longer stand only in their individual characters as ,gods1 but they would stand also as the sign and symbol of all that is divine--and would act as and be to all intents and purposes ,the ,one ,god4 ,and so in every inhabited world1 and in every system of worlds1 a ,god presides4 ,deity in his own right and person1 and by virtue of the essence of him2 and also by virtue of his being the sign and symbol of the ,collectivity of the ,divine ,intelligences of the universe4 ,having access to all the councils of the ,gods1 each individual ,deity becomes a partaker of the collective knowledge1 wisdom1 honor1 power1 majesty1 and glory of the ,body ,divine--in a word1 the embodiment of the ,spirit of the ,gods whose influence permeates the universe4 ,this doctrine of ,deity teaches a divine government for the world that is in harmony with our modern knowledge of the universe2 for1 as ,i have remarked elsewhere in effect3 7,new ,witness for ,god1 pp4 #dgc-e47 ,an infinitude of worlds and systems of worlds rising one above another in ever-increasing splendor1 in limitless space and eternal duration1 have1 as a concomitant1 an endless line of exalted1 divine men to preside over and within them1 as ,priests1 ,kings1 ,patriarchs1 ,gods6 ,nor is there confusion1 disorder1 or strife in their vast dominions2 for they all govern upon the same righteous principles that characterize the government of ,god everywhere4 ,these ,divine ,intelligences have attained unto the excellence that ,jesus prayed for in behalf of his apostles1 and those who might believe on their word1 when he said3 ,holy ,father1 keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me1 that they may be one as we are4 ,i say ,divine ,intelligences have attained unto the excellence of oneness that ,jesus prayed his disciples might possess1 and since they have attained unto it1 and all govern their worlds and systems of worlds by the same spirit1 and by the same principles1 there is a unity in their government that makes it one even as they are one4 ,let worlds and systems of worlds galaxies of systems and universes1 extend as they may throughout limitless space1 ,joseph ,smith has revealed the existence of a divine government which1 while characterized by unity1 is co-extensive with all these worlds and world-systems4 ,footnotes #a4 ,it may be thought1 at the first reading of this statement1 the angels are a little lower than man1 is in conflict with the scripture1 ,thou madest him man a little lower than the angels 7,heb4 #b3 #g74 ,but ,i call attention to the marginal rendering of the passage in ,king ,james' translation1 ,thou madest him a little while inferior to the angels4 ,without stopping here to consider which is the better translation of the passage1 it may be said of the latter that it is in better harmony with the context of the passage as it stands here in ,hebrews1 and also in ,psalms1 than the preferred rendering of it in the regular text2 for in both places it says of man1 ,thou crownedst him with glory and honor1 and didst set him over the works of thy hands2 thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet4 ,for in that he put all things in subjection under him1 he left nothing that is not put under him4 ,but now we see not yet all things put under him4 ,moreover1 we see the same thing is said of ,jesus that is said of man3 ,we see ,jesus who was made a little lower than the angels1 for the suffering of death1 crowned with glory and honor 7,heb4 #b3 #i74 ,surely made a little lower than the angels1 when said of ,jesus could be but for a little while inferior to1 etc42 and that only in the matter of the suffering of death4 ,so1 too1 with man2 he is made a little while inferior to the angels1 after which period he would rise to the dignity of his place1 when it would be seen1 as said in the text with which this note deals1 the angels are a little lower than man1 that is1 of course1 when man shall have attained unto his exaltation and glory4 #b4 ,he was a poet of ,cilicia1 of which province ,tarsus1 ,paul's native city1 was the capital4 ,he wrote about four hundred years before ,paul's time4 ,,lesson ,,xxxvi4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,some ,,objections ,,to ,,the ,,true ,,doctrine ,,of ,,deity4 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,i4 ,god ,is a ,spirit1 ,hence ,not ,material--,without ,the ,mormon ,doctrine ,form or ,body4 of ,deity--,roberts-,van ,der ,donckt ,discussion4 ,,ii4 ,god ,is ,invisible--,hence ,immaterial1 ,chs4 i1 ii1 iii and the ,without ,body or ,form4 notes of this ,lesson4 ,,iii4 ,anthromorphic ,appearances and ,descriptions ,also ,chapter v in the of ,god ,only ,used to above work4 ,it is a ,make ,plain ,spiritual ,things4 ,collection of ,passages from leading ,elders of ,,iv4 ,the ,answers4 the ,church1 setting forth ,mormon ,views of the ,deity4 ,,special ,,text3 ,stephen1 being full of the ,holy ,ghost1 looked up steadfastly into heaven1 and saw the glory of ,god1 and ,jesus standing on the right hand of ,god1 and said1 ,behold1 ,i see the heavens opened1 and the ,son of ,man standing on the right hand of ,god4 ,acts vii3 #ee1 #ef4 ,,notes4 ,these notes are taken from the ,roberts-,van ,der ,donkt ,discussion on ,deity4 ,the ,catholic ,father states the objections and presents the argument for them2 ,elder ,roberts gives the answers1 and argues for their accuracy and efficiency4 ,the debate in full is found in ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 chs4 ii and iii4 #a4 ,the ,first ,objection--,god is a ,spirit--,hence ,immaterial3 ,god is a ,spirit 7,john iv41 #bd74 ,another strong and explicit statement is3 ',blessed art thou1 ,simon ,bar-jona1 because flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but ,my ,father who is in heaven4' 7,matt4 xvi74 ,as the ,christ has asked1 what#a do men say the ,son of ,man is 7,matt4 xvi1 #af1 #ag71 there is an evident antithesis and contrast between the opinions of men and the profession of ,peter1 which is based upon revelation4 ,the striking opposition between men1 flesh and blood1 and the ,father1 evidently conveys the sense that ,god hath not flesh and blood like man1 but is a ,spirit 7,roberts-,van ,der ,donckt ,discussion--,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity--p4 #de74 #b4 ,god is ,invisible1 ,hence ,immaterial3 ,it is also held that ,god is described as being invisible1 in the ,bible4 ,then it is added3 ,all material beings are visible4 ,absolute invisible beings are immaterial or bodiless3 ,god is absolutely invisible1 therefore ,god is immaterial or bodiless4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,tertullian1 7,a4 ,d4 #afj-bde71 ,ambrose 7#ccj-cig71 ,augustine 7#ced-dcj7 and other ,fathers1 whose deep scholarship is acknowledged by ,protestants and ,catholics alike1 informs us that ,god the ,father is called invisible because ,he never appeared to bodily eyes2 whereas the ,son manifested ,himself as an angel1 or through an angel1 and as man1 after ,his incarnation4 ,he is the eternal revelation of the ,father4 ,it is necessary to remark that whenever the eternal ,son of ,god1 or angels at ,god's behest1 showed themselves to man1 they became visible only through a body or a material garb assumed for the occasion 7see ,cardinal ,newman's ,development of ,christian ,doctrine1 #ith edition1 pp4 #acf and #ach74 7,ibid47 #c4 ,the ,purpose of ,anthropomorphic ,appearances and ,descriptions of ,god3 ,again1 ,our wrestling is not against flesh and blood1 but against the rulers of the world of this darkness1 against the spirits of this wickedness--,eph4 vi3 #ab--;,could plainer words be found to teach that angels both good and bad1 are spirits devoid of bodies4 ,now1 the ,creator is certainly more perfect than ,his creatures1 and pure minds are more perfect than minds united to bodies 7men74 ,the corruptible body is a load upon the soul1 and the earthly habitation presseth down the mind 7,wis #i3ae47 ,who shall deliver me from this body of death8 7,st4 ,paul74 ,therefore1 the ,creator is a pure spirit4 ,it is a well known fact that all men1 after the example of the inspired ,writings1 make frequent use of the figure called anthropomorphism1 attributing to the ,deity a human body1 human members1 human passions1 etc42 and that is done1 not to imply that ,god is possessed of form1 limbs1 etc41 but simply to make spiritual things or certain truths more intelligible to man1 who1 while he tarries in this world1 can perceive things and even ideas only through his senses or through bodily organs4 7,ibid74 #d4 ,the ,answers3 ,the whole fabric of this objection and argument1 is built upon the assumption that spirit is immaterial4 ,i say assumption1 because it is nowhere declared in revelation that spirit is immaterial4 ,on the other hand1 whenever spirits have been seen1 or ,god has been revealed1 they have appeared to the eyes of the beholder in human form4 ,they were tangible to human sight2 they had configuration2 they occupied space2 and as form and extension are qualities of matter1 spirits must be material1 albeit of finer substance than the bodies tangible to the senses in normal states of consciousness4 ,the argument quoted in the preceding notes of the lesson1 were treated in part in the following manner3 #e4 ,of ,god ,being a ,spirit3 ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt's first premise is that ,god is a ,spirit1 quoting the words of the ,savior 7,john #d3 #bd72 and ,paul's words1 ,the ,lord is a spirit1 7,,ii ,cor4 #c3 #ag47 ,he then argues that a spirit is different from a man1 and quotes the remark of ,jesus to ,his disciples1 when ,he appeared to them after ,his resurrection3 ,a spirit hath not flesh and bones1 as ye see ,me have 7,luke #bd3 #cg-ci74 ,also the words of ,jesus to ,peter1 ,flesh and blood hath not revealed it that is1 that ,jesus is the ,christ unto thee1 but ,my ,father ,who is in heaven4 7,matt4 #af3 #ag47 ,the gentleman1 in all this1 sees a striking contrast between men1 flesh and blood1 and the ,father2 which conveys the sense that ,god hath not flesh and blood like man1 but is a spirit4 99 99 99 99 ,with reference to the passage--,flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but ,my ,father ,who is in heaven1 and the ,reverend gentleman's remarks thereon1 ,i wish to say1 in passing1 that the antithesis between man and ,god in the passage1 extends merely to the fact that the source of ,peter's revelation was ,god1 not man2 and is no attempt at defining a difference between the nature of ,god and the nature of man4 ,here1 also1 ,i may say1 that the ,latter-day ,saints do not hold that ,god is a personage of flesh and blood1 but a personage of flesh and bone1 inhabited by a spirit1 just as ,jesus was after ,his resurrection4 ,joseph ,smith taught1 concerning the resurrection1 that all men will be raised by the power of ,god1 having spirit in their bodies1 and not blood4 ,again1 in speaking of the general assembly and church of the first-born in heaven 7,heb4 #ab3bc71 he said3 ,flesh and blood cannot go there2 but flesh and bones1 quickened by the ,spirit of ,god1 can4 ,so it must be remembered1 throughout this discussion1 that the ,latter-day ,saints do not believe that ,god is a personage of flesh and blood2 but a personage of flesh and bone and spirit1 united4 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,but now for the ,mormon exposition of the text4 ,is ,jesus ,christ ,god8 ,was ,he ,god as ,he stood there among ,his disciples in ,his glorious and1 to use ,mr4 ,v's own word1 sacred1 resurrected body8 ,there is but one answer that the ,reverend ,catholic gentleman or any orthodox ,protestant can give1 and that is in the affirmative--yes1 ,jesus is ,god4 ,but ,god is a spirit6 ,true1 ,he is2 but ,jesus is a spirit inside a body--inside an immortal1 indestructible body of flesh and bone2 therefore1 if ,jesus is ,god1 and ,god is a spirit1 ,he is an embodied spirit1 just as the ,latter-day ,saints teach4 ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt endeavors to anticipate the ,mormon answer to this argument by saying3 ,i am well aware that the ,latter-day ,saints interpret those texts as meaning a spirit clothed with a body1 but what nearly the whole of mankind1 ,christians1 ,jews1 and ,mohammedans1 have believed for ages1 cannot be upset by the gratuitous assertions of a religious innovator of this last century4 ,at this point1 ,i will not appeal to or quote the gratuitous assertions of a religious innovator of this last century--meaning ,joseph ,smith4 ,there is no need of that4 ,if ,i were an unbeliever in the true ,deity of ,christ1 ,i might take up the gentleman's argument in this way3 ,you say ,god is a spirit1 and hence bodiless1 immaterial8 ,his answer must be1 ,yes4 ,but ,jesus says1 a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see ,me have4--,hence ,jesus is not ,god1 because ,he is a personage of flesh and bone1 in the form of man--not bodiless or immaterial4 7,this refers to the ,christ after his resurrection when he was a resurrected man and immortal in that state74 ,this1 of course1 is not my point4 ,i merely refer to it in the beaten way of good fellowship1 and by way of caution to my ,catholic friend1 who1 ,i am sure1 in his way1 is as anxious to maintain the true ,deity of the ,nazarene as ,i am2 but his method of handling the text1 ,god is a spirit1 might lead him into serious difficulty in upholding the truth that ,jesus was and is true ,deity1 if in argument with an infidel4 #f4 ,of ,god ,being ,invisible3 ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt thinks he sees further proof of ,god's being a ,spirit1 and therefore immaterial or bodiless1 in the fact that ,he is spoken of in the ,bible as being invisible4 ,moses was strong as seeing ,him that is invisible1 7,heb4 #aa3bg72 ,no man hath seen ,god at any time 7,i ,john #d3 #ab74 ,the ,king of kings--whom no man hath seen nor can see1 7,i ,tim4 #f3 #af72 are the passages he relies upon for the proof of his contention4 ,of course1 ,mr4 ,v4 is aware of the fact--for he mentions it--that these passages are confronted with the explicit statement of scripture that ,god has been seen by men4 ,moses saw ,him4 ,at one stage of his experience1 the great ,hebrew prophet was told that he could not see ,god's face2 for1 said the ,lord1 there shall no man see ,me and live4 ,but even at that time1 ,moses was placed in a cleft of the rock1 and thou shalt see ,my back parts1 said the ,lord to him2 but ,my face shall not be seen 7,exodus #bc3 #ah-bc74 ,on another occasion1 ,moses1 ,aaron1 ,nadab and ,abihu1 and seventy of the elders of ,israel1 saw ,god4 ,and they saw the ,god of ,israel2 and there was under ,his feet as it were1 a paved work of sapphire stone1 and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness4 ,and upon the nobles of the children of ,israel he laid not his hand3 also they saw ,god1 and did eat and drink4 7,ex4 #bd3 #i-aa74 ,isaiah saw ,him3 ',i saw the ,lord sitting upon a throne1 high and lifted up1 and ,his train filled the temple4' ,at the same time the seraphims proclaimed ,his holiness1 saying1 ,holy1 holy1 holy is the ,lord of hosts2 the whole earth is full of ,his glory4 ,then said ,isaiah3 ,woe is me6 for ,i am undone2 because ,i am a man of unclean lips1 and ,i dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips2 for mine eyes have seen the ,king1 the ,lord of hosts4 7,isaiah #f3 #a-e74 ,to harmonize these apparitions of ,god to men with his theory of the invisibility of ,god1 ,mr4 ,v4 appeals to the writings of some of the ,christian fathers1 and ,cardinal ,newman1 from whose teachings he concludes that ,god the ,father is called invisible because he never appeared to bodily eyes2 whereas the ,son manifested ,himself as an angel1 and as a man after ,his incarnation4 99 99 99 ,whenever the ,eternal ,son of ,god1 or angels at ,god's behest1 showed themselves to man1 they became visible only through a body1 or a material garb assumed for the occasion6 ,surely ,tertullian1 ,ambrose1 ,augustine1 the great ,english ,cardinal of the ,roman church1 and ,mr4 ,v4 are in sore straits when they must needs take refuge in the belief of such jugglery with matter as this1 in order to reconcile apparently conflicting scriptures4 ,and what a shuffling off and on of material garbs there must have been1 as from time to time hosts of angels and spirits appeared unto men6 ,it is but the materialization of the spiritualist mediums on a little larger scale4 ,but there is a better way of harmonizing the seeming contradictions2 and better authority for the conclusion to be reached than the ,christian fathers and ,cardinal ,newman4 ,i mean the scriptures themselves4 7,the argument in illustration of the last statement is too extended to quote here4 ,see ,roberts-,van ,der ,donckt ,discussion1 pp4 #hj-hd47 #g4 ,of ,anthropomorphism and ,understanding the ,bible ,literally3 ,i must say a word upon ,mr4 ,v's remarks respecting the plain anthropomorphism of the ,bible1 and the matter of understanding that sacred book literally4 ,with reference to the first he says3 ,all men1 after the example of the inspired writings1 make frequent use of the figure called anthropomorphism1 attributing to the ,deity a human body1 human members1 human passions1 etc41 and that is done1 not to imply that ,god is possessed of form1 limbs1 etc41 but simply to make spiritual things or certain truths more intelligible to man4 ,i would like to know upon what authority ,mr4 ,v4 adjudges the inspired writings not to imply that ,god is really possessed of form1 limbs1 passions1 etc41 after attributing them to ,him in the clearest manner4 ,the inspired writings plainly and most forcibly attribute to ,deity a form like man's1 with limbs1 organs1 etc41 but the ,bible does not teach that this ascription of form1 limbs1 organs and passions to ,god1 is unreal1 and simply to make spiritual things or certain truths more intelligible to man4 ,on the contrary1 the ,bible emphasizes the doctrine of anthropomorphism by declaring in its very first chapter that man was created in the image of ,god3 ,so ,god created man in ,his own image1 in the image of ,god created he him4 ,the explanation is offered that it was necessary to attribute human form1 members and passions1 to ,god1 in order to make spiritual things intelligible to man2 but what is the reason for ascribing the divine form to man1 as in the passage just quoted8 ,was that done to make human beings or certain truths more intelligible to ,god8 ,or was it placed in the word of ,god because it is simply true8 ,the truth that ,god in form is like man1 is further emphasized by the fact that ,jesus is declared to have been in the express image of the ,father's person 7,heb4 #a3 #c72 and until ,mr4 ,v4 or some other person of his school of thought1 can prove very clearly that the word of ,god supports his theory of the unreality of the ,bible's ascription of form1 organs1 proportions1 passions and feelings1 to ,god and other heavenly beings1 the truth that ,god in form is like man1 will stand secure on the foundation of the revelations it has pleased ,god to give of ,his own being and nature4 #h4 ,the ,morbid ,terror of ,anthropomorphism3 ,dean ,mansel1 in his ,limits of ,religious ,thought1 administers a scathing reproof to the ,german philosophers ,kant and ,fichte 7and also to ,professor ,jowett1 in his note xxii in ,lecture #a7 for what he calls that morbid terror of what they are pleased to call anthropomorphism1 which poisons the speculation of so many modern philosophers1 when they attempt to be wise above what is written1 and seek for a metaphysical exposition of ,god's nature and attributes4 ,these philosophers1 while holding in abhorrence the idea that ,god has a form such as man's--or any form whatsoever--parts1 organs1 affections1 sympathies1 passions or any attributes seen in man's spirit1 are1 nevertheless1 under the necessity of representing ,god as conscious1 as knowing1 as determining2 all of which1 as pointed out by ,dean ,mansel in the passage which follows1 are1 after all1 qualities of the human mind as well as attributes of ,deity2 and hence the philosophers1 after all their labor1 have not escaped from anthropomorphism1 but have merely represented ,deity to our consciousness1 shorn of some of the higher qualities of the human mind1 which ,god is represented in the scriptures as possessing in their perfection--such as love1 mercy1 justice4 7,the very extended passage from ,mansel's work will be found as foot note in ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 pp4 #he-hh47 #i4 ,angels ,bodiless ,beings3 ,according to ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt's doctrine1 ,angels as well as ,god are bodiless beings4 ,angels1 both good and bad1 are spirits1 devoid of bodies4 ,the ,creator is more perfect than ,his creatures1 and pure minds minds separated from bodies are more perfect than minds united to bodies4 99 99 99 ,therefore the ,creator is a pure spirit4 ,but where does this leave ,jesus8 ,was and is ,jesus ,god--true ,deity8 ,yes4 ,but ,jesus is a spirit and body united into one glorious personage4 ,his mind was and is now united to and dwelling in a body4 ,our ,catholic friend says1 pure minds i4 e41 minds not united to bodies are more perfect than minds united to bodies4 ,he also says1 ,angels1 both good and bad1 are spirits 7i4 e41 minds7 devoid of bodies4 ,therefore1 it must follow from his premises and argument1 that angels are superior to ,jesus1 since ,his spirit is united to a body1 while they are minds not united to bodies6 ,i will not press the point1 that the same conclusions could be drawn from his premises and argument with reference even to bad spirits1 whom he says are bodiless1 and hence1 upon his theory1 superior to minds or spirits united to bodies1 for that would be ungenerous upon my part1 and would lay upon his faulty argument the imputation of awful blasphemy1 which ,i am sure was not intended1 and would be as revolting to him as it would be to myself4 ,mr4 ,v41 ,i am sure1 would contend as earnestly as ,i would that ,jesus is superior to the angels1 though it is perfectly clear that ,he is a spirit united to a body4 ,footnotes #a4 ,the ,catholic priest1 ,van ,der ,donckt1 who is stating this objection1 uses the word what1 although that word is not used in either the common ,english version1 nor in the ,douay 7,catholic7 ,bible4 ,whom do men say that ,i the ,son of man am8 ,then to the apostles ,but whom say ye that ,i am8 7,matt4 xvi1 #ac-ad74 ,this is from the common ,english version4 ,the ,douay ,bible gives the same passages1 ,who do men say that the son of man is8 and ,who do you say that ,i am8 ,so really the question is not what the son of man is1 but who2 hence there is no significance added to the matter from the questions asked4 ,,lesson ,,xxxvii4 7,scripture ,reading ,exercise47 ,,some ,,objections ,,to ,,the ,,true ,,doctrine ,,of ,,deity4 7,continued47 ,,analysis4 ,,references4 ,v4 ,objection3 ,the ,unity of ,god ,excludes ,the same as in ,lesson the ,idea of ,plurality of xxxvi4 ,gods4 ,,vi4 ,the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost ,are ,one and the ,same ,identical ,divine ,essence of ,being--,not ,three ,separate ,individuals4 ,,vii4 ,the ,answers4 ,,special ,,text3 ,the grace of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,love of ,god1 and the communion of the ,holy ,ghost1 be with you all4 ,amen4 ,,ii ,cor4 xiii3#ad4 ,,notes4 ,these notes are taken from the ,roberts-,van ,der ,donckt ,discussion on ,deity4 ,the ,catholic ,father states the objections and presents the argument for them2 ,elder ,roberts gives the answers and argues for their accuracy and efficiency4 ,the ,debate in full is found in ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 ,chs4 ii and iii4 #a4 ,unity of ,god3 ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt says3 ,the first chapter of the ,bible reveals the supreme fact that there is ,one ,only and ,living ,god1 the ,creator and moral ,governor of the universe4 ,as ,moses opened the sacred ,writings by proclaiming ,him1 so the ,jew1 in all subsequent generations1 has continued to witness for ,him1 till from the household of ,abraham1 faith in the one only living and true ,god has spread through ,jerusalem1 ,christianity and ,mahometanism well-nigh over the earth4#a ,primeval revelations of ,god had everywhere become corrupted in the days of ,moses1 save among the chosen people4 ,therefore1 the first leaf of the ,mosaic record1 as ,jean ,paul says1 has more weight than all the folies of men of science and philosophers4 ,while all nations over the earth have developed a religious tendency which acknowledged a higher than human power in the universe1 ,israel is the only one which has risen to the grandeur of conceiving this power as the ,one ,only ,living ,god4 ,if we are asked how it was that ,abraham possessed not only the primitive conception of the ,divinity1 as ,he had revealed ,himself to all mankind1 but passed through the denial of all other gods1 to the knowledge of the ,one ,god1 we are content to answer1 that it was by a special divine revelation4#b ,the record of this divine revelation is to be found in the ,bible3 ,hear1 ,israel3 ,our ,god is one ,lord4 ,i alone am1 and there is no other ,god besides me 7,deut4 #f3d and #cb3ci74 ,i am the first and ,i am the last1 and after me there shall be none 7,isaiah #dd3f2 #dc3aj47 ,i will not give my glory to another 7,isaiah #db3 #h2 #de3 #e1 etc41 etc47 ,and as ,mr4 ,roberts admits that our conception of ,god must be in harmony with the ,new ,testament1 it as well as the ,old witnesses continually to ,one ,true ,god4 ,suffice it to quote3 ,one is good1 ,god 7,matthew #ai3 #ag27 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god 7,luke #aj3 #bg72 ,my ,father of whom you say that he is your ,god 7,john #h3 #ed74 ,here ,christ testified that the ,jews believed in only one ,god4 ,the ,lord is a ,god of all ,knowledge 7,i ,kings #b74 7,mormon ,catechism v4 ,q4 #aj and #aa74 ,of that day and hour no one knoweth1 no not the angels of heaven1 but the ,father alone 7,matthew #bd3 #cf74 ,no one knoweth who the ,son is but the ,father 7,luke #aj3 #bb74 ,therefore1 no one is ,god but one1 the ,heavenly ,father4 ,in another form3 ,the ,all-knowing alone is ,god4 ,the ,father alone is all-knowing4 ,therefore the ,father alone is ,god#c ,from these clear statements of the ,divine ,book it is evident that all the texts quoted by ,mr4 ,roberts do not bear the inference he draws from them2 on the contrary1 they directly make against him1 plainly proving the unity of ,god4 ,first1 then1 if ,god so emphatically declares1 both in the ,old and in the ,new ,testament1 that there is but one ,god1 has anyone the right to contradict ,him and to say that there are several or many ,gods8 ,but ,mr4 ,roberts insists that the ,bible contradicts the ,bible2 in other words1 that ,god1 the author of the ,bible1 contradicts ,himself4 ,to say such a thing is downright blasphemy4 ,the liability of self-contradiction is characteristic of human frailty4 ,it is incompatible with ,god's infinite perfections4 ,therefore1 ,i most emphatically protest that there is no real contradiction in the ,bible1 though here and there may exist an apparent one4 #b4 ,the ,father1 the ,son and the ,holy ,ghost ,are ,one and the ,same ,identical ,divine ,essence or ,being3 ',i and the ,father are one4' 7,john #aj-cj47 ,christ asserts ,his physical1 not merely moral1 unity with the ,father4 ,my sheep hear ,my voice 99 99 99 and ,i give them everlasting life2 and they shall not perish forever1 and no man shall pluck them out of ,my hand4 ,the following argument1 by which ,christ proves that no man shall pluck ,his sheep from ,his hand1 proves ,his consubstantiality1 or the unity of ,his nature or essence with ,his ,father's3 ,my ,father who gave ,me the sheep is greater than all men or creatures 7v4 #bi71 and therefore no one can snatch the sheep or aught else from ,his hand4 7,supreme or almighty power is here predicated of the ,father47 ,now1 ,i and the ,father are one 7thing1 one being71 7v4 #cj74 7,therefore1 no one can snatch the sheep or aught else from ,my hand47 ,to perceive the full meaning and strength of ,jesus' argument1 one must read and understand the original text of ,st4 ,john's ,gospel1 that is1 the ,greek2 or the ,latin translation3 ,ego et ,pater unum sumus4 ,if ,christ had meant one in mind1 or one morally1 and not substantially1 ,he would have used the masculine gender1 ,greek eis1 7unus7--and not the neuter en1 7unum7--as ,he did4 ,no better interpreters of our ,lord's meaning can be found than ,his own hearers4 ,had ,he simply declared ,his moral union with the ,father1 the ,jews would not have taken up stones in protest against ,his making ,himself ,god1 and asserting ,his identity with the ,father4 ,far from retracting ,his statement or correcting the ,jews' impression1 ,jesus insists that as ,he is the ,son of ,god1 ,he has far more right to declare ,himself ,god than the scripture had to call mere human judges gods1 and ,he corroborates ,his affirmation of ,his physical unity with ,his ,father by saying3 ',the ,father is in ,me1 and ,i am in the ,father1' which evidently signifies the same as verse #cj3 ',i and the ,father are one and the same individual being1 the ,one ,god4' ,the preceding argument is reinforced by ,john xiv3#h-aa3 ',philip saith to him3 ,lord1 show us the ,father4 99 99 99 ,jesus saith3 ,so long a time have ,i been with you and thou hast not known ,me4 ,philip1 he that seeth ,me seeth the ,father also4 ,how sayest thou3 ,show us the ,father4 ,do you not believe that ,i am in the ,father and the ,father in ,me8 ,the words that ,i speak1 ,i speak not of ,myself4 ,but the ,father ,who abideth in ,me1 ,he doth the works4 ,believe ,me that ,i am in the ,father and the ,father is in ,me4 ,what things soever the ,father doth1 these the ,son also doth likewise4 7,john v3#ai47 ,these words are a clear assertion of the physical unity of the ,son and the ,father4 ,it is plain from the context that ,christ means more than a physical resemblance1 no matter how complete1 between ,him and ,his ,father4 ,of mere resemblance and moral union could never be said that one is the other1 and that the words uttered by one are actually spoken by the other4 ,to see the ,son and the ,father at the same time in the ,son1 the ,son and the ,father must be numerically one ,being4 ,now1 ,christ says3 ',he that seeth the ,father4' ,therefore1 ,he and the ,father are numerically one ,being4 #c4 ,the ,holy ,ghost3 ,there remains to prove that the ,holy ,ghost is inseparably one with the ,father and the ,son4 ,there are three who give testimony in heaven1 and these three are one4 7#a ,john v3#h47 ,as ,christ proved ,his identity and unity with the ,father by texts quoted3 ',the words that ,i speak1 ,i speak not of ,myself4 ,but the ,father ,who abideth in ,me1 ,he doth the works1' so ,he now shows ,his unity with the ,holy ,ghost by almost the selfsame sentences3 ',when the ,spirit of ,truth will have come1 ,he will teach you all truth2 for ,he will not speak of ,himself1 but ,he will speak whatever ,he will hear1 and will announce to you the things to come4 ,he will glorify ,me1 because ,he will receive of mine and announce to you3 whatever the ,father hath are ,mine4 ,therefore1 ,i said3 because ,he will receive of ,mine and announce it to you4' 7,john xvi3#ac-ae47 ,that the ,holy ,ghost is one with the ,son1 or ,jesus1 is proved also by the fact that the ,christian baptism is indiscriminately called the ,baptism of the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,baptism in or with the ,holy ,ghost and the ,baptism of or in ,jesus3 ',he ,christ shall baptize in the ,holy ,ghost and fire' 7that is1 the ,holy ,ghost acting as purifying fire7 7,matthew iii3#aa72 'have you received the ,holy ,ghost8 ,we have not so much as heard whether there be a ,holy ,ghost4' ,he said3 ',in what1 then in whose name1 then were you baptized8' ,who said3 ',in ,john's baptism 99 99 99 ,having the instrument of the ,father8 heard these things they were baptized in the name of the ,lord ,jesus 7,acts #b3i74 ,all we who are baptized in ,christ ,jesus 7,rom4 #f3c74 #d4 ,the ,answers3 ,of the ,unity of ,god3 ,the ,latter-day ,saints believe in the unity of the creative and governing force or power of the universe as absolutely as any orthodox ,christian sect in the world4 ,one cannot help being profoundly impressed with the great truth that creation1 throughout its whole extent1 bears evidence of being one system1 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 viz43 that the ,creator and ,governor of the universe 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 viz43 that the greater and more perfect the intelligence1 the more perfect can the unity of purpose and of effort become3 so that one needs only the existence of perfect intelligences to operate together in order to secure perfect oneness1 whence 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 ,intelligences1 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 the perfect agreement or unity of ,many ,intelligences1#d is more in harmony with the revelations of ,god on the subject than the theory that there is but ,one ,only ,personal ,intelligence that enters into its government4 ,this theory ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt1 of course1 denies1 and this is the issue between us that remains to be tested4 #e4 ,the ,meaning of ,elohim3 ,the ,reverend gentleman affirms that the first chapter of the ,bible reveals the supreme fact that there is but ,one ,only and ,living ,god4 ,this ,i deny2 and affirm the fact that the first chapter of the ,bible reveals the existence of a plurality of ,gods4 ,it is a matter of common knowledge that the word translated ,god in the first chapter of our ,english version of the ,bible1 in the ,hebrew1 is ,elohim--plural of ,eloah--and should be rendered ,gods--so as to read1 ,in the beginning the ,gods created the heavens and the earth1 etc4 99 99 99 ,the ,gods said1 ,let there be light4 99 99 99 ,the ,gods said1 ,let us make man1 etc41 etc4 ,so notorious is the fact that the ,hebrew plural1 ,elohim1 is used by ,moses1 that a variety of devices have been employed to make the first chapter of ,genesis conform to the ,one ,only ,god idea4 ,some ,jews1 in explanation of it1 and in defense of their belief in ,one ,only ,god1 hold that there are several ,hebrew words which have a plural form but singular meaning--of which ,elohim is one--and they quote as proof of this the word maim1 meaning water1 shamaim1 meaning heaven1 and panim1 meaning the face or surface of a person or thing4 ,but1 says a ,christian ,jewish scholar1#e if we examine these words1 we shall find that though apparently they may have a singular meaning1 yet1 in reality1 they have a plural or collective one2 thus1 for instance1 'maim1' water1 means a collection of waters1 forming one collective whole2 and thus again 'shamaim1' heaven1 is also1 in reality as well as form1 of the plural number1 meaning what we call in a similar way in ,english 'the heavens'2 comprehending all the various regions which are included under that title4 ,other ,jewish scholars content themselves in accounting for this inconvenient plural in the opening chapter of ,genesis1 by saying that in the ,hebrew1 ,elohim better represents the idea of ,strong1 ,mighty1 than the singular form would1 and for this reason it was used--a view accepted by not a few ,christians4 7,the argument on the plural ,elohim continues through eight more pages in ,mormon ,doctrine of ,deity1 from p4 #aci to p4 #adg4 ,it is too elaborate to be reproduced here47 #f4 ,of the ,father ,alone ,being ,god3 ,referring to the admission in my discourse that conceptions of ,god1 to be true1 must be in harmony with the ,new ,testament1 ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt proceeds to quote passages from the ,new ,testament1 in support of the idea that there is but one ,god3 ,one is good1 ,god 7,matt4 xix3#ag74 ,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god 7,luke x3#bg74 ,my ,father1 of whom you say that ,he is your ,god 7,john viii3#ed74 ,here ,christ testified that the ,jews believed in only one ,god4 ,the ,lord is a ,god of all knowledge 7#a ,kings ii74 7,mormon ,catechism ,v4 ,q4 #aj and #b1 #aa74 ,of that day and hour no one knoweth1 no1 not the angels of heaven1 but the ,father alone 7,matthew xxiv3#cf74 ,no one knoweth who the ,son is but the ,father 7,luke x3#bb74 ,therefore1 no one is ,god but one1 the ,heavenly ,father4 ,in another form3 the ,all-knowing alone is ,god4 ,the ,father alone is all-knowing4 ,therefore1 the ,father alone is ,god4 ,in the conclusion of the syllogism1 ,therefore1 the ,father alone is ,god1 ,mr4 ,v4 himself seems to have become suddenly conscious of having stumbled upon a difficulty which he ineffectually seeks to remove in a foot note4 ,if it be true1 as ,mr4 ,v4 asserts it is1 that the ,father alone is ,god1 then it must follow that the ,son of ,god1 ,jesus ,christ1 is not ,god2 that the ,holy ,ghost is not ,god6 ,yet the ,new ,testament1 in representing the ,father as addressing ,jesus1 says--,thy throne1 ,o ,god1 is forever and forever 7,heb4 i3#h74 ,here is the positive word of the ,father that ,jesus1 the ,son1 is ,god2 for ,he addresses ,him as such4 ,to say1 then1 that the ,father alone is ,god1 is to contradict the ,father4 ,slightly paraphrasing the rather stern language of ,mr4 ,v41 ,i might ask3 ,if ,god the ,father so emphatically declares that ,jesus is ,god1 has any one the right to contradict him by affirming that the ,father alone is ,god8 ,but ,mr4 ,v4 insists that the ,bible contradicts the ,bible2 in other words1 that ,god1 the author of the ,bible1 contradicts himself3 ,to say such a thing1 is downright blasphemy6 ,but ,mr4 ,v4 will say he has explained all that in his foot note4 ,has he8 ,let us see4 ,therefore1 the ,father alone is ,god1 is the conclusion of his syllogism2 and the foot note--,to the exclusion of another or separate divine being1 but not to the denial of the distinct divine personalities of the ,son and the ,holy ,ghost in the ,one ,divine ,being4 ,but that is the mere assumption of my ,catholic friend4 ,when he says that the ,father alone is ,god1 it must be to the exclusion of every other being1 or part of being1 or person1 and everything else1 or language means nothing4 ,mr4 ,v4's foot note helps him out of his difficulty not at all4 #g4 ,the ,all-,knowing ,alone is ,god3 7,see note #a this ,lesson74 ,the creed to which ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt subscribes--the ,athanasian--says3 ,so the ,father is ,god1 the ,son is ,god1 and the ,holy ,ghost is ,god4 ,now1 if the quality of all-knowing is essential to the attributes of true ,deity1 then ,jesus and the ,holy ,ghost must be all-knowing1 or else not true deity4 ,but what of the difficulty presented by ,mr4 ,v's contention3 ,the ,all-knowing alone is ,god1 the ,father alone is ,all-knowing1 therefore1 the ,father alone is ,god8 ,mr4 ,v4 constructs this mighty syllogism upon a very precarious basis4 ,it reminds one of a pyramid standing on its apex4 ,he starts with the premise that ,the ,lord is a ,god of all knowledge3 then he discovers that there is one thing that ,jesus1 the ,son of ,god does not know--the day and hour when ,jesus will come to earth in his glory--,of that day and hour no one knoweth2 no1 not the angels of heaven1 but the ,father alone 7,matt4 #bd3 #cf7--therefore1 the ,father alone is ,god6 ,in consideration of facts such as are included in ,mr4 ,v's middle term1 one is bound1 in the nature of things1 to take into account time1 place and circumstances4 ,in the case in question1 the ,twelve disciples had come to ,jesus1 and among other questions asked him what should be the sign of his own glorious coming to earth again4 ,the ,master told them the signs1 but said of the day and hour of that coming no one knew1 but his ,father only4 ,hence1 ,jesus did not know1 hence ,jesus did not possess all knowledge1 hence1 according to ,mr4 ,v41 ,jesus was not ,god6 ,but ,jesus was referring to the state of matters at the particular time when he was speaking2 and it does not follow that the ,father would exclude his ,son ,jesus forever1 or for any considerable time1 from the knowledge of the time of the glorious advent of the ,son of ,god to the earth4 ,as ,jesus rose to the possession of all power in heaven and in earth 7,matt4 #bh3 #ah71 so also1 doubtless1 he rose to the possession of all knowledge in heaven and in earth2 ,for the ,father loveth the ,son1 and showeth him all things that he himself doeth 7,john #e3 #bj71 and1 in sharing with the ,son his power1 and his purposes1 would doubtless make known to him the day and hour of the glorious advent of ,christ to the earth4 #h4 ,of the ,oneness of the ,father1 ,son and ,holy ,ghost4 ,is it ,physical ,identity3 ,i next consider ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt's argument concerning the ,father1 the ,son and the ,holy ,ghost being the same identical ,divine ,essence4 ,mr4 ,v4 bases this part of his argument on the words of ,messiah--,i and my ,father are one 7,john #aj3cj72 and claims that here ,christ asserts his physical1 not merely moral1 union with the ,father4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,i shall test ,mr4 ,v's exegesis of the passage in question1 by the examination of another passage involving the same ideas1 the same expressions2 and this in the ,latin as well as in the ,english4 ,jesus prayed for ,his disciples as follows3 ,holy ,father1 keep through ,thine own name those whom ,thou hast given ,me1 that they may be one1 as ,we are4 99 99 99 99 ,neither pray ,i for these the disciples alone1 but for them also which shall believe on ,me through their word2 that they all may be one3 99 99 99 that they may be one1 even as we are one4 7,st4 ,john #ag3aa1 #bj1 #ba1 #bb47 ,in ,latin1 the clauses written in the above1 stand3 ,ut sint unum1 sicut et nos 7verse #aa71 that they may be one1 just as ,we4 ,so in verse #bb3 ,ut sint unum1 sicut et nos unum sumus2 that they may be one in ,us1 even as ,we one are4 ,here unum1 one1 is used in the same manner as it is in ,st4 ,john1 #aj3cj--;,ego et ,pater unum sumus4 ,i and ,father one are4 ,mr4 ,v4 says that unum in the last sentence means1 one thing1 one essence2 hence1 ,christ's physical union1 or identity of substance1 with the ,father2 not agreement of mind1 or concord of purpose1 or moral union4 ,very well1 for the moment let us adopt his exposition1 and see where it will lead us4 ,if unum in the sentence1 ,ego et ,pater unum sumus1 means one thing1 one substance1 or essence1 and denotes the physical union of the ,father and ,son in one substance1 then it means the same in the sentence--ut sint unum1 sicut et nos2 that is1 that they the disciples may be one unum just as ,we are4 ,so in the other passage before quoted where the same words occur4 ,again1 to ,messiah's statement3 ,ego et ,pater unum sumus--,i and my ,father are one4--,mr4 ,v4 thinks his view of this passage--that it asserts the identity or physical union of the ,father and the ,son--is strengthened by the fact that it is followed with these remarks of ,jesus3 ,the ,father is in ,me1 and ,i am in the ,father4 ,which evidently signifies1 says ,mr4 ,v41 the same as verse #cj 7,john #aj72 ,i and the ,father are one and the same individual being1 the one ,god4 ,but the passage from the prayer of ,jesus concerning the oneness of the disciples with the ,father and the ,son1 is emphasized by well-nigh the same words in the context1 as those which occur in ,john #aj3cj and upon which ,mr4 ,v4 lays so much stress as sustaining his exposition of the physical union1 viz3 ,the ,father is in ,me1 and ,i in ,him 7verse #ch74 ,which evidently signifies1 ,mr4 ,v4 remarks1 the same as verse #cj3 ,i and my ,father are one4 ,good2 then listen3 ,holy ,father1 keep through ,thine own name those whom ,thou hast given ,me1 that they may be one as ,we are3 99 99 as thou ,father1 art in ,me1 and ,i in ,thee1 that they may be one in ,us4 ,there can be no doubt now but what the union between the disciples and the ,father and ,son1 is to be of the same nature as that subsisting between the ,father and ,son4 ,if the ,father and ,son are physically one substance or essence1 so1 too1 if the prayer of ,jesus is to be realized--as surely it will be--then the disciples are to be physically united with ,god1 in one essence or substance--not just the ,twelve disciples1 either1 for whom ,jesus immediately prayed1 but those1 also1 in all generations who shall believe on ,christ through the words of ,his first disciples2 that is1 all the faithful believers1 through all generations1 are to become physically united with ,god1 become the same substance or essence as ,god ,himself6 ,is ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt prepared to accept the inevitable conclusion of his own exposition of ,john #aj3cj8 ,if so1 then what advantage has the ,christian over the ,hindoo1 whom he has called a heathen1 for so many generations8 ,the sincerest desire of the ,hindoo is to be physically united with ,god1 even if that involve a blowing out1 or the attainment of ,nirvana--annihilation--to encompass it4#f ,of course1 we had all hoped for better things from the ,christian religion4 ,we had hoped for the immortality of the individual man2 for his persistence through the ages as an individual entity1 associated with ,god in loving converse and dearest relations of moral union2 but not absorbed1 or lost1 in absolute physical union with ,him4 ,but if ,mr4 ,v's exposition of ,john #aj3cj be correct1 and a physical union is meant by the words--,i and my ,father are one1 then all ,christians are to be made physically one with ,god under the prayer of ,christ--,that they may be one1 as we are--i4 e41 as the ,father and ,son are one4 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,my point is1 that the text1 ,i and my ,father are one1 refers to a moral union--to a perfect union of purpose and will--not to a unity or identity of substance1 or essence3 and any other view than this is shown from the argument to be absurd4 ,but ,mr4 ,van ,der ,donckt would cry out against the physical union of man with ,god4 ,both his interpretation of scripture and his philosophy--especially the latter--would require it4 ,man and ,god1 in his philosophy1 are not of the same nature4 ,god is not physical1 while man is4 ,god is not material1 but spiritual1 that is1 according to ,mr4 ,v41 immaterial1 while man is material4 ,man is finite1 ,god infinite2 nothing can be added to the infinite1 therefore1 man cannot be added to the infinite in physical union4 ,the nature of the parts would cling to the whole1 and the infinity of ,god would be marred by the physical union of finite parts to ,him2 hence1 the oneness of ,christians with ,christ and ,god the ,father1 is not a physical oneness4 ,but if the union of the ,christians with ,christ and ,god is not to be physical1 then neither is the union of ,christ and ,god the ,father physical1 for the oneness in the one case1 is to be the same as the oneness in the other--that they all may be one2 as thou ,father1 are in me1 and ,i in thee1 that they may also be one in us 99 99 99 99 that they may be one even as ,we are one4 7,john #ag3ba1 #bb74 ,the doctrine of physical union between the ,father and the ,son1 contended for by ,mr4 ,v41 must be abandoned4 ,there is no help for it1 unless he is prepared to admit also the physical union of all the disciples with ,god--a thing most repugnant to ,mr4 ,v's principles4 ,with the doctrine of physical identity gone1 the oneness of the ,father and the ,son1 that ,mr4 ,v4 contends for1 goes also1 and two separate and distinct personalities1 or ,gods1 are seen1 in the ,father and the ,son1 whose oneness consists not of physical identity1 but of agreement of mind1 concord of will1 and unity of purpose the same holds also as to the ,holy ,ghost2 a oneness born of perfect knowledge1 equality of power and dominion4 ,but if a perfect oneness1 as above set forth1 may subsist between two persons1 or three it may subsist with equal consistency among any number of persons capable of attaining to the same degree of intelligence and power1 and thus there would appear some reason for the prayer of the ,christ1 that all ,his disciples might be one1 even as ,he and the ,father are one4 ,and thus one may account for the saying of ,david3 ,god standeth in the congregation of the mighty3 ,he judgeth among the ,gods 7,psalm #hb3 #a72 for such congregations existed in heaven before the foundations of the earth were laid2 and such a congregation may yet be made up of the redeemed from our own earth1 when they attain to perfect union with ,god and ,christ4 ,footnotes #a4 ,hours with the ,bible1 by ,geikie1 ,vol4 ,i1 ,chapters i1 ii4 #b4 ,chips ,from a ,german ,workshop1 by ,max ,muller1 vol4 #a1 pp4 #cde-cgb4 #c4 ,to the exclusion of another or separate divine being1 but not to the denial of the distinct ,divine ,personalities of the ,son and the ,holy ,ghost in the ,one ,divine ,being4 #d4 ,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 statement to his first remark1 viz43 ,at 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 is1 for most purposes1 immaterial between such a theory and that of the absolute unity of the ,godhead4 7,essays on ,religion--,theism1 p4 #acc47 #e4 ,this is ,rev4 ,h4 ,highton1 ,m4 ,a41 and ,fellow of ,queen's ,college1 ,oxford4 ,i quote from his lecture on ,god a ,unity and ,plurality1 published in a ,christian ,jewish periodical called ,the ,voice of ,israel1 ,february number1 #ahdd4 #f4 ,max ,muller1 ,chips ,from a ,german ,workshop1 ,vol4 #a1 p4 #bhe4