Alien Visitors and the Golden Rule: Wilford Woodruff's 1853 Case for Keeping a Journal

On 15 February 1853, Wilford Woodruff preached one of the most interesting LDS talks that I have ever had the pleasure of reading.  In it, among other things, he gives perhaps the most innovative argument for the importance of journal-keeping that has ever been given since the invention of writing.  (I rather enjoyed it.)  I edited the following from the raw text as recorded by Wilford Woodruff in his journal under that aforementioned date, as printed in Scott G. Kenney, ed., Wilford Woodruff's Journal, 1833-1898: Typescript, 9 vols. (Midvale, UT: Signature Books, 1983-1985), 4:199-201.  

I am always interested in meeting with the Saints, especially with so many of the Seventies and Elders as are here today.  There never was a school in any age of the world that presents as much of interest to the reflecting mind as the one presenting itself to us in this age - not only the affairs of the Church, but the history of the changes and revolutions of all nations on earth.  The time has come when the earth is to be redeemed from the power and dominion of the devil, and the heavens, with all the prophets that have ever lived, are included in the great work.  The Elders who are before me today have this great battle to fight and the victory to win.  I never saw a time in any age of my life when I have had more desire to live than at the present time.  I want to see the work progress, the kingdom rise, that it may become established in all the earth, and the effects that will follow.

Yes, the Elders should improve their time in treasuring up knowledge and counsel, for you will want it when you go to the nations of the earth.  Don't spend your time in playing cards, dice, chess, or in any such foolish way, but improve the time to the best advantage and seek to conquer yourselves and preside over yourselves and bring all your passions in subjection to the law of Christ, as our president has taught us. 

One item which I count of importance, I wish to speak of.  I wish to exhort the Seventies and Elders to keep a journal and history of their lives for the record and history of this Church and Kingdom, which will be wanted in a future day.  There has been no dispensation on earth, the proceedings of which will be more interesting than the one in which we live.  Should we ever have the privilege, in our resurrected bodies, of visiting other planets and the inhabitants of the same, we should want to learn the history of that people.  If they had kept no record of their lives and the dealings of God with them so that we could get their history, we should feel much disappointment.  So would they, should they visit us. 

It is true that Joseph Smith kept a history of his own life and those things in some measure connected with him.  He is now dead, but his life and testimony is now being published to the world in separate pieces in our publications.  Also, President Young has scribes who are recording his daily acts and life, which is right and good.  But does that record the life, history, and dealings of God with the many thousands of the apostles and elders who are or will be in all the world among every nation under heaven?  No, verily, no.  Then, all ye Elders of Israel, write your history and the dealings of God with you in all the world, for your own benefit and that of your posterity, for the benefit of the House of Israel, for the benefit of Jew and Gentile, for the benefit of future generations, and, in fine, for the benefit of those celestial beings on other planets who may see fit to visit us either in time or eternity and wish to visit our libraries and peruse the history of the inhabitants of the earth, especially the Saints in the last dispensation and fulness of times.  Then write, and do not neglect it.

Some questions for discussion:

1. Why is it that Wilford Woodruff was so interested in the ecclesiastical "progress" that he saw before him, actually or potentially, in 1853?  
2. Wilford Woodruff urges that those holding the position of elder in the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints should set to work in "treasuring up knowledge and counsel", because when they "go to the nations of the earth" in missionary work, they will find that "knowledge and counsel" to be quite useful.  What sorts of knowledge and counsel would be helpful in this?  What does that imply about the role of the missionary's intellect in the process of missionary work?  Does the modern-day Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints actively take measures to assist its members to acquire these sorts of "knowledge and counsel" before sending them out on missions to the "nations of the earth"? 
3. Among foolish diversions from this sort of learning, Wilford Woodruff mentions "dice, cards, [and] chess".  What mentality does this show regarding the use of time?  What other diversions are available today?  What attitudes do Latter-day Saints, or should Latter-day Saints, hold in practice toward such diversions, both new and old?
4. Wilford Woodruff employs several arguments for keeping a journal.  One of these is the example set by both Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.  In modern Latter-day Saint life, what argumentative force should the practical examples of past and present church leaders have? 
5. Another of Wilford Woodruff's arguments is that the contents of the journal will be edifying and interesting to "future generations", to one's "posterity".  In what way?  Did any of your ancestors write journals that are still extant?  If so, have you read them?  Why or why not?  If you have read them, in what ways did they edify or interest you?
6. Another of Wilford Woodruff's arguments is based on the Golden Rule, the human drive of curiosity, and the existence of extraterrestrial life: If we visited other planets where the denizens kept journals, we would be pleased to read them, whereas if they could not point us to documents recording their history as a people, we would be disappointed to never know; and so, following the Golden Rule, we should keep journals so as not to disappoint future extraterrestrial visitors to our world.  What sort of cosmology does Wilford Woodruff's argument presume, and what does it say about common then-current LDS assumptions about the nature of the universe?  What thoughts did you have as you read and reflected on this argument?
7. As for the contents of one's journal, Wilford Woodruff specifies one's "life, history, and dealings of God with [one]".  If you keep a journal of any sort now, what sorts of things in your life would you include?

Orson Hyde on Overcoming

The following address was made by Orson Hyde on 6 October 1853 at General Conference, and the text is extracted from Deseret News 3/20 (29 October 1853): 78.

At the commencement of our Conference, it has fallen to my lot to make a few remarks.

If you will indulge me with your prayerful attention, I will try to communicate to you a few words, which I hope and trust may prove, not only edifying to you now, but a source of comfort and consolation in time to come.

Be it as the Lord will, I shall use my best endeavors for this; and if I fail in it, it will be for want of ability, and not for want of a disposition.

I discover before me many strange faces; I presume they are our friends from the different settlements, South, North, East and West, who have no doubt assembled here for the purpose of obtaining instructions and information respecting the prosperity of the Church, the duty of its officers, and what is to be done in the important period in which we now live.

It is a peculiar and interesting time with us. In the first place, our brethren from abroad who are unaccustomed to a mountain life, or a life in this Valley, are emigrating to this place; and when they arrive here, they do not find every thing, perhaps, as they anticipated, or they find things different from what they have been accustomed to in the places from which they came. Every thing seems new and strange, and it takes a little time (as we say in a familiar phrase) "to get broken into the harness."

Not only so, but we have had some little disturbance with the red man this season, and this is a cause of some digression from the common path of duty we are accustomed to move in.

Under all these circumstances, as we have business of importance to transact during this Conference, it becomes necessary that our minds should become united in one, as far as possible, that we should act in accordance with the mind and will of our Father which is in heaven. Let me here observe that the people of God cannot be united only on that principle that vibrates from the very bosom of heaven. If we are united, if we can touch one point or principle upon which all can strike hands; by that union we may know that our will is the mind and will of God; and what we, in that state, bind on earth, is bound in heaven, for the action is reciprocal, it is the same.

Hence, after so long a separation, we have come together again, under circumstances somewhat peculiar. It is necessary that we seek to be united. How shall we be united? Around what standard shall we rally? Where is the beacon light to which our eyes shall be directed, in order that our actions may tend to the accomplishment of the same purpose and design? The beacon light is him whom our Heavenly Father has ordained and appointed to lead His people, and give them counsel, and guide their destiny. That is the light to which the eye should be directed. And when that voice is heard, let every bosom respond, yea and amen.

But says one, "If this be correct, it is giving to one man almighty power. It is giving to one man supreme power to rule.["] Admit it. What are we all aiming for? Are we not aiming for supreme power? Are we not aiming to obtain the promise that has been made to all believers? What is it? "He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son." Are we not seeking for this, that we may overcome, that we may inherit all things? For says Paul, "Therefore let no man glory in men; for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." Well then, if all things are yours, we should be very insensible to our best interests if we did not seek diligently for that which Heaven promises as a legacy to the faithful. It is our right then; do we not all expect to be armed with almighty power? Is there a Latter Day Saint under the sound of my voice, whose heart is fired with celestial light, but that seeks to be in possession of supreme power (I had like to have said) both in heaven and on earth? It is said, "we are heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ." Does Jesus Christ possess all power in heaven and on earth? He said when he rose from the dead, "All power is given to me in heaven and on earth." Are we heirs of God and joint heirs with that illustrious character? He has so declared! If we are, do we not, in common with him, possess the power that is in heaven and on earth? If one individual then is a little ahead of us in obtaining this power, let us not be envious, for it will be our time by and by. We ought to be the more thankful, and glorify God that he has armed one individual with this power, and opened a way that we may follow him, and obtain the same power, instead of it being a cause of envy. On the contrary, it ought to be a matter to call forth our warmest thanksgivings and praise to God, that he has brought back that power to earth again in our day, by which we may be led step by step to the point we hope to attain.

After reflecting a little this morning, a passage of Scripture occurred to my mind - the words of John the Revelator, or the promise made to him. It says, "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God which is the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new name."

In the course of my travels in preaching the gospel to different nations, I have often heard it remarked by the people in days gone by, "We have heard your testimony; we have heard your preaching; but really, why does not Joseph Smith, your prophet, come to us and bear testimony? Why does he not come to us and show us the plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated? If we could see the prophet and the plates, then we should be satisfied that the work was genuine, that it was of God; but if we cannot see him, and the ancient records, we are still in doubt with regard to the genuineness of the work."

My reply to them was something like the following: "Joseph Smith cannot be everywhere, and the plates cannot be presented to every eye. The voice of Joseph Smith cannot be heard by every ear." And I have said to them, "You that have seen me have seen Joseph Smith, for the same spirit and the same sentiments that are in him are in me, and I bear testimony to you that these things are verily true."

It is generally the case, and I think I may say it is invariably the case, that when an individual is ordained and appointed to lead the people, he has passed through tribulations and trials, and has proven himself before God, and before his people, that he is worthy of the situation which he holds; and let this be the motto and safeguard in all future time that when a person that has not been tried, that has not proved himself before God, and before His people, and before the councils of the Most High to be worthy, he is not going to step in to lead the Church and people of God. It has never been so, but from the beginning some one that understands the spirit and counsel of the Almighty, that knows the Church, and is known of her, is the character that will lead the Church.

How does he become thus acquainted? How does he gain this influence, this confidence in the estimation of the people? He earns it by his upright course and conduct, by the justness of his counsels and the correctness of his prophecies, and the straightforward spirit he manifests to the people. And he has to do this step by step; he gains influence, and his spirit, like an anchor, is fastened in the hearts of the people; and he is sustained, and supported by the love, confidence and good-will of the Saints, and of Him that dwelt in the bush. This is the kind of character that ought to lead God's people, after he has obtained this good will and this confidence.

What then is he to do? Is he to go abroad to the nations of the earth and preach the gospel; to leave his home and the people of his charge? May we not count him as first and foremost in the ranks of them that overcome? I think so! Well then, "Him that overcometh shall be made a pillar in the temple of my God to go no more out." All those who approach the nearest to that standard, we expect will remain in the temple of God at home, and not go abroad to the nations of the earth.

Says one, "If an angel from heaven would descend and bear testimony that this work is of God, I would believe it. Why may I not receive the testimony of angels as well as Joseph Smith or any other person? for God is no respecter of persons! If I could receive it, I would be satisfied then that the work was true." But let me here remark again: suppose the Omnipotent Jehovah that sits upon his throne of glory and power, was to descend and bear testimony, what further credence would you then want? You would want some one to tell you that it was really God himself that had visited you, that you might be satisfied it was not an angel of darkness in the similitude of a heavenly personage.

Remember that God our heavenly Father was perhaps once a child, and mortal like we ourselves, and rose step by step in the scale of progress, in the school of advancement: has moved forward and overcome until he has arrived at the point where he now is. "Is this really possible?" Why my dear friends, how would you like to be governed by a ruler who had not been through all the vicissitudes of life that is common to mortals? If he had not suffered, how could he sympathise and be touched with the feelings of our infirmities? He could not, unless he himself had passed through the same ordeal, and overcome step by step. If this is the case, it accounts for the reason why we do not see him; He is too pure a Being to show himself to the eyes of mortals; he has overcome, and goes no more out, but he is the temple of my God, and is a pillar there.

What is a pillar? It is that power which supports the superstructure - which bears up the edifice; and if that should be removed from its place, the edifice is in danger of falling. Hence, our heavenly Father ascended to a throne of power; he has passed through scenes of tribulation, as the saints in all ages have, and are still passing through; and having overcome and ascended his throne, he can look down upon those who are following in the same track, and can realize the nature of their infirmities, troubles and difficulties, like the aged father who looks upon his race; upon the smallest child, and when he sees them grappling with difficulties, his heart is touched with compassion; why? Because he has felt the same; been in the same situation, and he knows how to administer just chastisement, mingled with the kindest feelings of a father's heart. So with our heavenly Father; when he sees we are going astray, he stretches forth his chastening hand, at the same time he realizes the difficulties with which we have to contend, because he has felt the same; but having overcome he goes no more out.

When the world was lost in wretchedness and woe, what did he do? Did he come here himself? No. But says he, "I will send my son to be my agent, the one who is the nearest to my person, that is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh; I will send my son, and I will say, he that heareth him, heareth me. Go then my son." He came, and how did he look? He looked just like his Father, and just as they treated him, they treated his Father in heaven. For inasmuch as they did it unto him they did it unto his Father. He was the agent, the representative, chosen and sent of God for this purpose. When it was necessary that the Savior of the world should have help, and strength, should be sustained in the darkest hour, did God himself in person come to his aid? No; but he sent his angel to succor him. When the Savior was born, the spirits around the throne of God were ready to fly to his protection, when the kings and rulers of this lower world sought his destruction. What did they say to the wise men of Israel on that eventful occasion? - "Glory to God, on earth peace, and good will to men."

When he fasted forty days and forty nights, the angels appeared and strengthened him. His heavenly Father did not come himself, but says the Savior, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; also, "I am just like him, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person." "The same spirit that is in the bosom of the Father is in me. - I came not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me." Then the character that looked upon the Savior, looked upon the Father; for he was a facsimile of him; and if they would not believe the Son, they would not believe the Father.

The Savior, in the performance of his mission, laid down his life for the world; rose from the dead, and ascended up on high, and few and blessed are the eyes that have seen him since! It is sometimes the case that the veil of mortality has been rent, and the eye of the spirit has gazed upon the Savior like Stephen of old, when he was stoned to death; in his expiring moments, in the agonies of death, what did he say? He said, "I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man, standing upon the right hand of the Father." Stephen saw him in that trying hour.

True it is, that in the most trying hour, the servants of God may then be permitted to see their Father, and elder brother. But says one, "I wish to see the Father, and the Savior, and an angel now." Before you can see the Father, the Savior, or an angel, you have to be brought into close places in order to have this manifestation. The fact is, your very life must be suspended on a thread, as it were. If you want to see your Savior, be willing to come to that point where no mortal arm can rescue - no earthly power save! When all other things fail, when everything else proves futile and fruitless, then perhaps thy Savior and thy Redeemer may appear; his arm is not shortened that he cannot save, nor his ear heavy that he cannot hear; and when help on all sides appears to fail, my arm shall save, my power shall rescue, and you shall hear my voice, saith the Lord. To him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, &c. The Father has overcome, the Savior has overcome, and the angels are overcoming like we are. But let me here observe, it is a good deal with the angels, in my opinion, as it is with us.

We who have been in the valley some length of time, feel that we are at home, and in a goodly place, chosen of God, a secret habitation surrounded by mountains, walled in by natural barriers, where we are secluded from the world, and inhabiting a little world by ourselves. We know the world is opposed to our doctrine. Now if one of us were required to go abroad among the nations, a spirit of patriotic devotion to the interests of God's kingdom, would stimulate us to forego all the pleasures of domestic life, to earn a crown of glory, and shine as the stars in the firmament forever and ever: when if we consult our own individual feelings and interest only, we would say, "O that we might remain at home, and not go out and be buffeted by a cold and heartless world! We would rather remain with our friends, and bask in the sunshine of their good will and favor, and enjoy life as we pass along; but to go out into the world, and meet its scoffing sneers, it is alone for the cause and kingdom of God's sake; and for the sake of this, we not only long to go abroad to the nations of the earth, but to do every thing that is laid upon us to do.

Look at the angels of heaven. If there are so many millions of them, and they manifest such an interest for the welfare of mortals, why do they not come, and visit us more? They may have the same feeling in relation to coming to this earth, that we would have in going to the nations of the world. If they are sent, they will go; but if not sent, it is very likely they will stay at home, as we will; if we are sent we will go; if we are not sent, we are glad to stay at home. This then I presume is their feeling; hence it has become proverbial in the world, that angels' visits are few and far between. And let me here observe, that when a servant of God, clothed with the spirit of his calling, enters a house, a town, or a country, he feels the spirit in a moment that prevails in that house, country, or people among whom he comes. For instance, if he lands upon the shores of a foreign country, the moment his feet press their soil, their spirit presses his heart! he senses it, and if the spirit that reigns in that country is diverse to the Spirit of God, he feels it painfully to his heart; and it is upon this principle that the Savior said to the disciples, "and into whatsoever house ye enter, first say peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall return to you again." Then when a servant of God enters a strange place, and he feels the son of peace there, let his peace come upon that people, house, and city. If he feels there is an adverse power that holds the sway there, his peace must return to him, and he must go his way after he has faithfully discharged his duty.

I recollect once in a certain place in England, while travelling along with bro. Kimball, it was in a country town called Chatburo, where the people were humble, simple, and honest. They loved the truth, and were seeking for it. When we went there, their hearts and doors were opened to receive us, and our message. What were our feelings? - We felt that the ground upon which we stood was most sacred, and br. Kimball took off his hat, and walked the streets, and blessed the country and the people, and let his peace come upon it. These were our feelings. Why? Because the people were ready to receive the word of our testimony, and us for Christ's sake.

We had been to other places, where the very moment our names were sounded, and it was known we were in a house, there was a similar spirit manifested as there was in the days of Lot when the Angel came to his house to warn him to flee from Sodom; for a mob was raised at once, and demanded the strangers to be given up to them; but we were shielded by friends, and God always opened a way of escape for us. Wherever there is a spirit congenial with the Spirit of God, and a loyalty to the kingdom of the Most High, you will find a hearty welcome, and you are glad to go there.

If we, whose sensibilities are benumbed by this veil of flesh which is around us, have discernment to discriminate where the son of peace is, the angels, who are not clogged as we are; whose sensibilities are keener than ours, do you not think when they approach the world, they know where the son of peace is? In the last days, I will take peace from the earth, saith the Lord by one of the ancient writers, and they shall kill one another; and there was given a great sword unto him that sat on the red horse. And the nations will be armed against each other. The angels are not fond to descend to this world, because of the coldness of the spirit that reigns in it; they would rather remain in heaven around the throne of God, among the higher order of intelligences, where they can enjoy life, and peace, and the communion of the Holy One; when they are sent they will come; but they are tolerably well advanced among them that overcome.

These are some of the reasons why they do not mingle with us; why we cannot see them. But let me tell you, brethren and sisters, if we will be united as the heart of one man, and that general union of spirit, of mind, be fastened upon the Lord Jesus Christ, we should draw down celestial intelligence by the Spirit of God, or by angels who surround the throne of the Most High. It is an electric wire, through which and by which intelligence comes to mortals; it is only necessary for the word to be spoken, and the power of it is at once felt in every heart.

"He that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God," etc. Do we ever wish to see the time when we can retire from the scenes of every day life, to the Temple of God, and go no more out? Are we looking for a period of this kind? Yes, - when we shall be made pillars in the Temple of our God. We know when a pillar is placed in a building, it is placed there to remain; pillars are not often removed. All pillars are considered permanent; they are not to be taken away, because the removing of them endangers the safety of the building. In order to be made pillars in the Temple of our God, what are we to do? WE MUST OVERCOME.

Let it be remarked, that the disposition so prevalent in the hearts of many, not to abide the counsel of their superiors, has to be overcome; it must be slain, and laid prostrate at our feet; and we must say that we came not to do our own will, but the will of him that sent us. We came to do the will of him to whom we have plighted our faith, to uphold him as our leader, lawgiver, and seer. We have got to overcome our inclination to revolt at the idea, and be brought into complete submission, and union of spirit.

"O," says one, "how does this look, to be slaves to have no mind or will of our own, but be swallowed up in the will of another, and thus become tools, machines, slaves, and not free men, and independent like other people." Well, my dear friends, I will tell you how it was in heaven. There was a disposition once in heaven that preferred to be independent enough to chalk out its own course. The rebellious angels undertook it, and what became of them? They fought against the throne of God, and were cast down, to be reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Yes, they are reserved there, and that is their glory, and the honor that is attached to them for being independent, and declaring in the presence of God their independence, but instead of delivering any advantage from this course, down they went to their reward.

I will advance a sentiment by Paul the Apostle, showing that we were there at the time that notable controversy was going on, and no doubt we took an active part with them who sustained the throne of God, and we were therefore permitted to come to this world and take upon us bodies. The devils that fell were not permitted to enjoy this privilege; they cannot increase their generation; glory to God they cannot do it, but we have the power of multiply lives; this is what they are angry about. Says Paul, "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" Is it possible that these elders and servants of the Most High who are going abroad among the nations will have power to judge the nations of the earth? Says one, "God will do it and not man." Now, for instance. I am building a house and it is said Solomon built a temple, but do you suppose Solomon quarried the rock, laid it up, etc.? No, but he gave directions to others, and it is said Solomon built a temple; so God will judge the world. The Almighty Ruler will instruct his servants to do it, and the saints will give the grand decision, and the nations that have slain them will have to bow to their word.

What says the good Book again? "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my words to the end, to him will I give power over the nations, (and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers) even as I have received of my Father." Do we not expect to overcome and to have power over the nations? Yes. Says Paul, "the saints shall judge the world; not only this, but they shall judge angels." Why says one, "I thought that angels are greater in might and power than we, and is it possible that we the servants of God are going to judge angels? you are surely exalting yourselves above all that is called God; for God shall judge the world." How is it that we do not recollect anything now that took place before we took upon us these bodies? When we lay them off we shall remember everything, the scenes of those early times will be as fresh in our view as the sun was this morning when he rose over the mountains. The saints will say to their fallen brethren, you were arrayed under the command of Lucifer, and fought against us; we prevailed, and it now becomes our duty to pass sentence against you, fallen spirits. You have been reserved to this condemnation, and bound with a chain. With what chain? That you could not multiply your race. There were limits put to you that you could not increase. It was never said to you, go forth into hell and multiply, but it was said to man go forth and increase on the earth. Here were stakes set they could not go beyond; and this is what they are angry about; this makes a hell to them, because they "can't do it." They see the superiority of the saints who have kept their first estate, and they are envious, and now it becomes their duty to pass sentence upon them. The saints shall judge angels, even those spirits who kept not their first estate, and have been a long time in chains like criminals who are kept in bondage to await their sentence. It will be the prerogative of the servants of God to pass a decision upon them, and not only upon them, but upon the world, among whom they have been associated, and having combined in them the judicial power, and power of witness, they will have power to judge and determine, for the saints shall judge the world.

How will the wicked feel when they come up at the last day, (or at some day, be it last or middle,) how will they feel when they see, perhaps one whom they have persecuted, one whom they have killed as an impostor, or because they said he was an impostor, when they see that person exalted upon the judgment seat, and they themselves arraigned before him, and compelled to hear from his lips their sentence? Sadly will they be mistaken. Says John, the beloved disciple, when speaking of the Savior, "If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you." They knew him not, neither did they know his disciples. Well did the Savior say at one time, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." They did not understand the power that was lodged in the breast of their victim; but when the day of his wrath will come, they will say to the mountains and rocks "fall on us, and hide us from the face of him who sitteth upon the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand." It will not only be the Lamb that will come in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, but his angels and saints that have gone before him; myriads of spirits will come, wafted as it were through the air to earth's cold regions to call the sons of men to an account for their doings.

Now, "to him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God," "and to him that overcometh will I give power over the nations." Do we want to overcome this worldly ambitious spirit that is ever burning to be independent, that is, self sufficient and proud? Overcome this, and bring every power and faculty of the soul in subjection to the power of the Most High, and you are safe. What have you to overcome next? You have to overcome that untiring disposition to do wrong, to overreach your neighbor, that thereby you may acquire for yourselves a paradise, or heaven in this world, while in its fallen state. Remember this one thing, if you want to be free from the curse. You know it is said, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God." Who then can be saved? Again, says the Savior, "What is impossible to man is possible to God." Let me show you the philosophy of this, why it is impossible for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. God said in the beginning, "Cursed be the ground for thy sake;" that is, earth and earthly things are cursed. Now the man who has the most of it has the greatest amount of the curse; therefore if a man acquire a great deal of earthly things, he acquires a great deal of this curse. For they that will be rich are made to pass through many sorrows and they have to harden their hearts, and their faces, and oppress the poor to acquire it; and when they have acquired it, what have they got? It is to them something like a red hot ball in the hands of a child, it burns; they have acquired it, and have got a great curse along with it. It is hard for such to enter into the kingdom of God. The gate is narrow, and the curse is wide, so if they wish to go in at that gate they must be stripped, and become destitute of the love of this world's goods. I recollect a beautiful illustration of this in the case of the rich man and Lazarus that was poor and full of sores and who laid at the rich man's gate. There was the rich man clothed in fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. By and by he died, and went to hell, and saw Abraham afar off with the same poor Lazarus in his bosom. Says the rich man, "Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame." He was so humbled as to accept one drop of water from Lazarus, who while he lay at the rich man's gate was ready to eat the crumbs that fell from his table. How reverse the scene. Abraham with the kind feelings of a father, at the same time with that justness and dignity which is ever the characteristic of the upright said "Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." His arm was too short to reach that one drop of water to him, "for there was a great gulf fixed, so that they that would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." The scene was changed. This is enough to admonish, and to make us adopt the advice of the Savior, "Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

When should we want to be rich? When the curse is taken from the earth. We do not want the earth while it is cursed, for "cursed be the ground for thy sake," etc. Let the world that love darkness rather than light, be heirs of the curse if they will; but do not let us seek after it with too greedy hearts, until the curse is taken away; and when the curse is rebuked, and the earth undergoes such a change that it will shine forever and ever, and there is no night there, then we may have it, and it will do us good. It is like this: We say that wheat and barley are excellent when we use them in their native state; but when we extract the spirit from these grains, and drink it, it intoxicates; but when they are used in their native state, they make bread which gives life to the body, while in the other state, they destroy. So the earth when the curse is taken away, will sustain an endless life. Though the figure is not altogether correct, still it serves to illustrate the principle. The Savior did not say the Saints should inherit the earth while the curse is still upon it, but he said, "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." He will not give them something to destroy them, but they have got to stay until the earth has fulfilled the measure of its creation; and then the angel will raise his hand to heaven, and swear that time shall be no longer. - What becomes of the earth then? Why, says the prophet, it shall "reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again." If the earth falls, which way will it go, up or down? Tell me ye wise men, ye philosophers. Will not the greatest, or most powerful planet attract it whether it goes up or down? for the greater bodies attract the lesser. If the earth falls and is not to rise again, it will be removed out of its present orbit. Where will it go to? God says he will gather all things into one; then he will gather the earth likewise, and all that is in it, in one. The gathering will be upon a larger scale in time to come; for by and by the stars of heaven will fall. Which way will they go? They will rally to a grand centre, and there will be one grand constellation of worlds. I pray that we may be there, and shine among those millions of worlds that will be stars in the Almighty's crown.

The earth will have to be removed from its place, and reel to and fro like a drunkard. The fact is it has got to leave the old track in which it has roamed in time passed, and beat a new track; and saith the Lord, "come up here." What is he going to do with it? - Why, take it where the sun will shine upon it continually, and there shall be no more night there; and the hand of God will wipe away the tears from all faces. "Come up here, O earth! for I want the Saints who have passed through much tribulation to be glorified with you, and then I will give the earth to the meek. For I will take the curse from it, and rebuke the destroyer for your sakes, and bring all things in subjection to you, and you shall dwell in everlasting light." Now it is half day and half night, but I tell you it is not going to be half and half, but there will be no night there. We have but one sun to shine upon us, but when the earth is taken out of this orbit, it will come in contact with the rays of other suns that illuminate other spheres; their rays will dazzle our earth, and make the glory of God rest upon it, so that there will be no more night there.

Is it possible then that there are worlds reserved in eternal night, in an eternal eclipse, rolling in the shade, an eternal night? What is their use? They are the homes of them that love darkness rather than light; "and it shall be said unto them, depart ye cursed into outer darkness." There are planets that revolve in eternal darkness, that you who love darkness rather than light may go and find your own home. There is a place prepared for every body, no matter what their character. Says the Savior, "I go to prepare a place for you;" there is a place for every person. There is a place for every body that comes into this valley if they can only find it. So there is a place in yonder world for every person; but to him that overcometh will I give power over the nations, and he shall be a pillar in the Temple of my God, and go no more out.

If there is any thing in this world my soul desires the most, it is that I may overcome, and be made a pillar in the Temple of my God, and remain at home in the society that is continuedly warming my spirit, encouraging my feeling, with that which is congenial with every principle of my nature; let me bask in their goodly presence, live in their affections, dwell forever in the midst of their society, and go no more out. And may God in his mercy help us all to overcome every obstacle, and endure hardships like good soldiers of the Lamb, and dwell eternally in the mansions of light; which may God grant for Christ's sake: AMEN.

Adam as Father and God: An 1853 LDS Article

The following article appeared as an editorial (during the editorship of Samuel W. Richards) in The Latter-Day Saints' Millennial Star 15/50 (10 December 1853): 801-804. I feature it here as an item of historical interest, since this piece has gotten a slight bit less attention than some other 'Adam-God' statements of the early 1850s, and at any rate I think it good that such statements be read in their fuller literary context. Note that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints no longer wholly endorses the theology here espoused.¹ The article that follows is a reaction to the pushback and surprise that was felt by some readers about some things printed two issues previously; those items were a discourse by Brigham Young in which he expounded his 'Adam-God' thesis,² and an editorial note to the effect that the Saints must remember to pay close attention to these latest messages received through the Lord's appointed servants.³ All inserts in square brackets are my own for reference; 2 Nephi 2 as a whole is important background on the LDS perception of the Eden narrative and the story of the Fall, and also D&C 27:11 for an identification of Adam, Michael, and the Ancient of Days.

Adam, the Father and God of the Human Family

The above sentiment appeared in Star No. 48, a little to the surprise of some of its readers; and while the sentiment may have appeared blasphemous to the ignorant, it has no doubt given rise to some serious reflections with the more candid and comprehensive mind. A few reasonable and Scriptural ideas upon this subject may be profitable at the present time.

Then Adam is really God! And why not? If there are Lords many and Gods many [cf. 1 Corinthians 8:5], as the Scriptures inform us, why should not our Father Adam be one of them? Did he not prove himself as worthy of that high appellation as any other being that ever lived upon the earth? Certainly he did, so far as history informs us, unless we can except the Son of God. We have no account in Scripture that Adam ever wilfully transgressed, when we consider him independent of the woman. The Apostle informs us distinctly that the woman was in the transgression, being deceived, but Adam was not deceived [1 Timothy 2:14]. Adam fell, but his fall became a matter of necessity after the woman had transgressed. Her punishment was banishment from the Garden, and Adam was necessitated to fall, and go with her, in order to obey the first great command given unto them - to multiply and replenish the earth [Genesis 1:28]; or, in the language of the Prophet Lehi, "Adam fell that men might be." [2 Nephi 2:15] The fall of Adam, therefore, was virtually required at his hands, that he might keep the first great command, and that the purposes of God might not fail, while at the same time the justice of God might be made manifest in the punishment incurred by the transgression of the woman, for whom the man is ever held responsible in the government of God.

The Scriptures inform us that Christ was as a lamb slain from before the foundation of the world [Revelation 13:8]. If, therefore, the plan of salvation was matured before the foundation of the world, and Jesus was ordained to come into the world, and die at the time appointed, in order to perfect that plan, we must of necessity conclude that the plan of the fall was also matured in the councils of eternity, and that it was as necessary for the exalting and perfecting of intelligences, as the redemption. Without it they could not have known good and evil here, and without knowing good and evil they could not become Gods, neither could their children. No wonder the woman was tempted when it was said unto her - "Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." [Genesis 3:5] No wonder Father Adam fell, and accompanied the woman, sharing in all the miseries of the curse, that he might be the father of an innumerable race of beings who would be capable of becoming Gods.

With these considerations before us, we can begin to see how it is that we are under obligations to our father Adam, as to a God. He endured the sufferings and the curse that we might be; and we are, that we might become Gods. Through him the justice of God was made manifest. Jesus came into the world, endured, and suffered, to perfect our advantages for becoming Gods, and through him the mercy of God abounded. By the first man, Adam, came death, the triumph of evil; and by the second, came life everlasting, the triumph of good [cf. Romans 5:17]. Each was necessary in the order he appeared; if the first Adam had not performed his part, the second could not have had his work to do. Both acted the part assigned to them, in a most God-like manner, and the Great Eloheim accepted the work at their hands as His own, "for by the power of my Spirit created I them; yea, all things, both spiritual and temporal: firstly, spiritual - secondly, temporal, which is the beginning of my work; and again, firstly, temporal - and secondly, spiritual, which is the last of my work." [D&C 29:31-32] Thus the great I AM owns all things - the temporal and the spiritual, the justice and the mercy, to be His own work. Then why may not Adam be a God, as well as any of his sons, inasmuch as he performed the work to which the Great Eloheim appointed him?

In ancient times they were called Gods unto whom the word of God came [John 10:35], because of which Moses became a God unto Pharoah. The Almighty was not so jealous of His Godly title but that He could say to Moses - "See, I have made thee a God to Pharoah." [Exodus 7:1] And if John's saying be true, God has purposed to make him that overcometh, a pillar in the temple of God, and to "write upon him the name of my God." [Revelation 3:12] "His name shall be in their foreheads." [Revelation 14:1]

This is the hope of all Saints who have a just conception of the future; and why should we not be willing for father Adam to inherit all things, as well as for ourselves? He is the first, the Father of all the human family, and his glory will be above all, for he will be God over all, necessarily, standing as he will through all eternity at the head of those who are the redeemed of his great family. Though all the sons should, through their faithfulness, become Gods, they would still know that the Son was not greater than the Father.

Were we to trace this subject in all its bearings, we should find the principles of the Godhead planted in every righteous and well-organized family upon the earth, and that they only require cultivation to cause their expansion and development to be equal to anything we can now conceive of as adding power and glory to the God of all worlds. The Great Eloheim rules over all worlds. He is God over them, because of His right and power to rule, govern, and control. The exercise of this power is a natural right in the order of Priesthood, which belongs to every Patriarch, or Father, in the human family, so long as he rules subordinately to the laws of Heaven. According to the order of that God by whom we are ruled, a man is not only permitted to hold full jurisdiction over his own family, but he is held responsible for any violation, by them, of the revealed will of Heaven. A man that controls a work, is the only one that can be held responsible for that work. It would be most unjust to require responsibility where there is no power to govern and control. Every man who has a family, and power to control them, is exercising the rights and power of a God, though it may be in a very small capacity. There are two grand principles, by virtue of which all intelligent beings have a legitimate right to govern and hold dominion; these are, by begetting children from their own loins, and by winning the hearts of others to voluntarily desire their righteous exercise of power extended over them. These constitute a sure foundation for an eternal throne - a kingdom as perpetual as God's. No usurped power, to be maintained by the shedding of blood, is connected with such a government. It is upon this foundation that the throne of Michael is established as Father, Patriarch, God; and it is for all his children who come into this world, to learn and fully understand the eternity of that relationship.

Could we view our first Parent in his true position, we should find him acting in a similar capacity to the whole family of man, as each father does to his individual family, controlling, at his pleasure, all things which relate to the great object of their being - their exaltation to thrones and Godlike powers. We can conceive, from Scripture, principle, and analogy, that Adam's watch-care is ever over mankind; that by his own approbation and direction Gospel dispensations have been revealed from heaven to earth in different ages of the world; that he was the first that ever held the keys of Gospel power upon the earth, and by his supervision they have been handed down from age to age, whenever they have been among men; that under his direction a Deluge once swept the earth of the wickedness which was upon it, and laws were given to Israel, as a nation, to lead them to Christ; and that he will in the end call men to judgment for the privileges which have been extended to them in this world.

Hear what the Prophet Daniel says upon this subject - "I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days (Adam) did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him; thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened. . . . . . . . And behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed." - (Dan. vii. 9, 10, 13, 14.)

Again, the word of the Lord through the Prophet Joseph, gives additional importance, if possible, to the part which Adam acts relating to his children, which reads as follows - "But, behold, verily I say unto you, before the earth shall pass away, Michael, mine archangel, shall sound his trump, and then shall all the dead awake, for their graves shall be opened, and they shall come forth; yea, even all." [D&C 29:26]

From the foregoing we are enabled to draw important conclusions, that before the coming of the Lord Jesus in the clouds of heaven, to take the reins of government upon the earth, Adam comes and gathers around him all that have ever held the keys of power under him upon the earth, in any of the dispensations thereof to man; he calls forth the dead from their graves, at the sound of his trump; he brings them to judgment, and they render unto him an account of their several stewardships; the books are opened that a righteous judgment may be rendered by him who now sits upon his throne, not only as the Father, but the Judge, of men; and in that capacity thousands minister unto him. An august assemblage are now gathered in one grand council around the great Patriarch of all Patriarchs, consisting of his sons, who have been faithful in that which was committed to them; and all this preparatory to that great event, when the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven should be given to the Saints of the Most High. Daniel saw that the Saints possessed the kingdom, by virtue of which Adam was once more in possession of the dominion given unto him before the fall, which was over every living thing that moved upon the earth, which rendered him the universal Sovereign and Lord of all.

At this important period, when Adam is reinstated with full power upon the earth, seated upon his throne, as Daniel saw him - a glorious and an immortal God, one like the Son of Man comes in the clouds of heaven (as oftimes represen[ted] by the Apostles), to the Ancient of days, and receives from him dominion, glory, and a kingdom; or in other words, Michael, having accomplished the work committed to him, pertaining to this world, delivers up an account of his stewardship of the same, to that character represented as Yahovah in the creation of the world, who reigns in unison with those upon the earth, until his work is fully accomplished - till the last great contest with the enemy, who has been released for a little season, is won; then he in turn delivers up the kingdom to the great Eloheim, that in the language of the Apostle, "God may be all in all." [1 Corinthians 15:28]

This final surrender, we are to bear in mind, does not detract from the God-like power and dominion of our first Parent, nor of our Lord Jesus Christ. In the Patriarchal order of government, each and every ruler is independent in his sphere, his rule extending to those below, and not to those above him, in the same order. While the God of unnumbered worlds is acknowledged to be his God and Father, Adam still maintains his exalted position at the head of all those who are saved from among the whole family of man; and he will be God over all those who are made Gods from among men. Each and every God will be honoured and adored by those over whom he reigns as a God, without any violation of the laws of heaven - without any encroachment upon that command which saith, "thou shalt have no other Gods before me," [Exodus 20:3] for the glory and honour of all true Gods constitute the glory, honour, power, and dominion of the great Eloheim, according to His own order of government.

We can conceive of no higher, or more perfect order of government than that which is embraced in Patriarchal authority. By virtue of this order, all Gods, whether in heaven or on earth, exercise a righteous power, and possess a just dominion. In this order, all are both subjects and rulers, each possessing Almighty rights and powers - Almighty rulers over those who have descended from them, at the same time rendering all honour and power to those from whom they have descended. What a glorious system of order is here portrayed - one in which an innumerable succession of Gods, Patriarchs, and rulers, can reign forever in the greatest possible harmony that can be comprehended by intelligences, while each is independent in his position, as is all intelligence. As the great Eloheim is supreme and Almighty over all His children and kingdoms, so is Adam as great a ruler, or God, in his sphere, over his children, and the kingdom which they possess. The earth and all things upon it were created for Adam, and it was given to him of his Father to have dominion over it. In that dominion he will be sustained throughout all eternity.

In relation to this earth alone and its inhabitants, Michael and Gabriel have perhaps held the greatest keys of dominion and power. They were, both in their day, Fathers of all living, and had dominion given unto them over all things. Gabriel, or Noah, held the keys of this power under Michael, and to him he will render an account of all things before Michael renders an account of his stewardship to Him whose dominion reaches over many worlds, and who is God over all Gods. These two important personages have ever been watchful of the interests of their children, hence we find them ministering from time to time to holy men upon the earth - Gabriel often appearing unto Daniel, and opening to his view the most wonderful visions of the future, by which he could act as a God to the people, outvie the wisdom of the astrologers, and so control the elements that the burning furnace could have no power over him; Michael also coming to the release of Gabriel, when he was withstood one and twenty days from answering Daniel's prayer [Daniel 10:13].

We also read of Michael disputing with the Devil about the body of Moses, probably because the Devil was not willing that Moses should be translated, inasmuch as he had sinned; but even in this, Michael was the great deliverer [Jude 1:9]. Again we read that Michael shall stand up for the children of his people in a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, and at that time every one that shall be found written in the book shall be delivered, and those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake [Daniel 12:1-2].

From these and many other Scriptures, we find that those important personages are clothed upon with no mean authority, and that Michael has power to deliver men from the power of the Devil, which is death; that by the sound of his own trump - the trump of the archangel, the nations of the dead shall awake and come forth to judgment, and there render an account to the ANCIENT OF DAYS seated upon his burning throne. Then shall the nations know that he is their Judge, their Lawgiver, and their God, and upon his decree hangs the destiny of the assembled dead. Yes, our Judge will be a kind and compassionate Father, by whom none can pass, but through whom all glory, dominion, and power, will be ascribed to the great ETERNAL.

A few questions for discussion:

1. How does this article's exposition of 'Adam-God' ideas compare to other discussions of Adam-God by, e.g., Brigham Young and others?
2. Early on, the author labors to distance Adam from any connection with sin or disobedience. How does his treatment fit into the history of LDS treatments of the Fall?
3. How does the author's perception of the Fall and his discussion of its position in salvation-history relate to discourse about the Fall in the broader Christian tradition?
   
4. What appears to be the relationship between 'Eloheim', 'Yahovah', and 'Michael/Adam', as the author conceives of it?
5. The author states that "we are under obligations to our father Adam, as to a God". What sort of 'obligations' would we have to Adam at the present moment, if the author is correct?
   
6. In the theology of the author, what might be our relation to "the Great Eloheim"?
7. What might the author be inclined to say if pressed to talk further about the present-day role and status of Gabriel/Noah?
   
8. In light of the author's discussion of other issues, how might the author conceive of his own statements about humans "becoming Gods"?
   
9. The author uses language of "control" on numerous occasions throughout the article when he describes the power that a Patriarch has over his subjects. How does this language relate to the concept of free agency?
10. How does the author envision gender relations? What reception might his vision have in a modern-day LDS ward?
11. How does the author envision family dynamics? What might the author think of a 'typical' LDS household today?
12. How does the author's approach to various biblical passages quoted or alluded to, compare to other LDS and/or Christian interpretations?
13. What in the article still comports with modern-day LDS teaching, and what does not?

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¹ Spencer W. Kimball said: "We hope that you who teach in the various organizations, whether on the campuses or in our chapels, will always teach the orthodox truth. We warn you against the dissemination of doctrines which are not according to the scriptures and which are alleged to have been taught by some of the General Authorities of past generations. Such, for instance, is the Adam-God theory. We denounce that theory and hope that everyone will be cautioned against this and other kinds of false doctrine." See Official Report of the One Hundred Forty-Sixth Semi-Annual Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Held in the Tabernacle on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, October 1, 2, 3, 1976 (Salt Lake City, UT: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1977), 115.
² [Brigham Young], "Adam, Our Father and God", The Latter-Day Saints' Millennial Star 15/48 (26 November 1853): 769-770; excerpted from Brigham Young's 9 April 1852 talk as printed in Journal of Discourses 1:46-53 (excerpted portion on 50-51). The most famous quote from this talk, as reprinted here on page 769, is: "When our father Adam came into the garden of Eden, he came into it with a celestial body, and brought Eve, one of his wives, with him. He helped to make and organize this world. He is MICHAEL, the Archangel, the ANCIENT OF DAYS! about whom holy men have written and spoken - HE is our FATHER and our GOD, and the only God with whom WE have to do. Every man upon the earth, professing Christians or non-professing, must hear it, and will know it sooner or later." A close second, appearing on page 770, is Brigham Young's statement that "Jesus, our elder brother, was begotten in the flesh by the same character that was in the garden of Eden, and who is our Father in Heaven", which should be read in light of the earlier statement (pp. 769-770): "When the virgin Mary conceived the child Jesus, the Father had begotten him in his own likeness. He was not begotten by the Holy Ghost. And who is the Father? He is the first of the human family; and when he took a tabernacle, it was begotten by his Father in heaven, after the same manner as the tabernacles of Cain, Abel, and the rest of the sons and daughters of Adam and Eve; from the fruits of the earth, the first earthly tabernacles were originated by the Father, and so on in succession."
³ "Our Father Adam", The Latter-Day Saints' Millennial Star 15/48 (26 November 1853): 780. The statement is as follows: "OUR FATHER ADAM. - The extract from the Journal of Discourses may startle some of our readers, but we would wish them to recollect that in this last dispensation God will send forth, by His servants, things new as well as old, until man is perfected in the truth. And we would here take occasion to remark, that it would be well if all our readers would secure a copy of the Journal of Discourses as it is issued, and also of every standard work of the Church; and not only secure these works, but attentively read them, and thoroughly study the principles they contain. Those of the Saints who fail to obtain the standard publications of the Church, will not be likely to prove very intelligent Saints, and will be very liable to wake up some day, and find themselves wonderfully behind the times, and consequently will not be able to stand the day of trial, which will come upon all the world. Without the intelligence that comes through the Holy Priesthood, the Saints cannot gain salvation, and this intelligence is given in the various publications of the Church. Who then will endanger his salvation by being behind the times? Not the wise, certainly."

JOD 01-02

For the next installment of our series on the Journal of Discourses, we'll be looking at the second discourse in the first volume. This was preached by Parley Parker Pratt (1807-1857), a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Parley Pratt is also the great-great-grandfather of contemporary American politician Mitt Romney.) The discourse in question was delivered on the day of a conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 7 April 1853. The text as we have it was, like the first discourse we looked at, reported by George Darling Watt (1812-1881). The main theme of Elder Pratt's discourse that day was spiritual communication. (I apologize in advance for how philosophical some of my questions are, but in my defense, Elder Pratt started it!)

1. Elder Pratt opens with a discussion of the popularity of paranormal spirituality in his day - things like "visions, trances, clairvoyance, mediums of communication with the spirit world, writing mediums, &c., by which the spirit world is said to have found means to communicate with spirits in the flesh" (JD 1:6-7). I find myself somewhat inclined to wonder whether popular interest in these sorts of things has increased or decreased since Pratt's time.

2. Next, Parley Pratt reviews the beliefs of the Sadducees and how Jesus refuted them in that famed Synoptic pericope (Matthew 22:23-32; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38). Pratt observes that the view shared in common by the Sadducees and modern atheists about the fate of the dead would render all spiritualistic attempts at contacting the dead pointless, which is clearly true.

3. Pratt next presents what he understands to be Jesus' view of the constitution of the human person:

The outward tabernacle, inhabited by a spirit, returns to the element from which it emanated. But the thinking being, the individual, active agent or identity that inhabited that tabernacle, never ceased to exist, to think, act, live, move, or have a being; never ceased to exercise those sympathies, affections, hopes, and aspirations, which are found in the very nature of intelligences, being the inherent and invaluable principles of their eternal existence. No, they never cease. They live, move, think, act, converse, feel, love, hate, believe, doubt, hope, and desire. (JD 1:7)

Apart from the reference to the eternality of 'intelligences', this strikes me as a very Cartesian picture of the human constitution as body and spirit. That's not necessarily a bad thing, nor does it mean that it derives from Descartes, but it seems to harmonize fairly well with Descartes' strongly dichotomous dualism - at least up to this point. My own view is a somewhat more holistic dualism akin to that propounded by Richard Swinburne in his book The Evolution of the Soul, though I'm less sure about his view that the soul can only function apart from the body if God specially intervenes to allow it to do so.

4. Parley Pratt declares that these thinking beings, these inner selves of the human person, are "organized intelligences" (JD 1:8). My question here is, what does it mean for 'intelligences' to be organized?

5. Parley Pratt goes on to state:

They are made of the element which we call spirit, which is as much an element of material substance, as earth, air, electricity, or any other tangible substance recognized by man; but so subtle, so refined its nature, that it is not tangible to our gross organs. It is invisible to us, unless we are quickened by a portion of the same element; and, like electricity, and several other substances, it is only known or made manifest to our senses by its effects. (JD 1:8)

Needless to say, this one raises a number of questions for me! First of all, I understand that this view of spirit as a sort of material substance is rooted in LDS scripture (D&C 131:7-8), but I'm also wondering if there are any independent arguments for it that don't rely on exclusively LDS sources of authority. (If not, of course, that doesn't invalidate the concept.)

Second of all, Pratt's analysis of material substances seems to be somewhat outdated now in retrospect. For instance, describing electricity as a 'material substance' seems very strange to us today, and I may be wrong about this, but I don't think many Latter-day Saints today would be on board with Pratt's description of electricity as a "spiritual fluid or element" (JD 1:8). 'Air' is simply a variety of gaseous elements, particularly those commonly found in the atmosphere of our planet, and thus most notably refers to oxygen molecules in a gaseous state. 'Earth' is a variety of minerals and compounds as well. So what I'm wondering here is, could 'spirit' in principle be found on a periodic table? Is 'spirit' composed of atomic or subatomic particles - and, if so, are they the same sort of elements/particles that we experience in our physical cosmos, or are they different? And, with the advent of contemporary particle physics, is there a reason why we haven't yet been able to analyze spirit?

A related question - one not directly pertinent to what Pratt said - is, what is the relationship between spirit and 'gross' matter? I know that Latter-day Saints have historically affirmed creatio ex materia, the view that God created out of pre-existing materials. So is the matter of which our physical cosmos is made somehow itself composed of spirit, or was spirit somehow unrefined in order to generate 'grosser' matter? Or, alternatively, was it the case before the creation that some matter had eternally been in a 'subtle' state and other matter had eternally been in a 'gross' state, and that there has always been matter existing at various points on the spectrum of subtlety? And if this is the case, is there a deeper principle underlying the particular distribution of matter along this spectrum, or is it a brute necessary truth?

My third line of question - which may well be pertinent for my previous one - is, what is meant in referring to spirit as an especially 'subtle' form of matter? I know what the words mean, but as a matter of concrete application, what does it mean to describe some matter as 'subtle' compared to other matter that is 'gross', and what prevents 'gross' matter from interacting with 'subtle' matter? I suppose that I so far don't see how this account of spirit can be rendered tenable in light of modern physics, though I'll be very intrigued to hear of any work done by Latter-day Saints in this area.

6. Parley Pratt builds upon this conception of matter to allow us to understand what might be understood as a 'spiritual body':

[Let us refine the elements until] we arrive at a substance so holy, so pure, so endowed with intellectual attributes and sympathetic affections, that it may be said to be on par, or level, in its attributes, with man. Let a given quantity of this element, thus endowed, or capacitated, be organized in the size or form of man, let every organ be developed, formed, and endowed, precisely after the pattern or model of man's outward or fleshly tabernacle - what would we call this individual, organized portion of the spiritual element? We would call it a spiritual body, an individual intelligence, an agent endowed with life, with a degree of independence, or inherent will, with the powers of motion, of thought, and with the attributes of moral, intellectual, and sympathetic affections and emotions. (JD 1:8)

Picking up from before, I have a few further questions here. First of all, why does a particularly refined 'spiritual element' have intellectual attributes? Is there something about the purity of the matter that automatically gives rise to such? And, what's more, if (as per one of my speculations above) gross matter is composed of or derived from this 'spiritual element', does that mean that gross matter also has intellectual attributes - and, if so, would that commit Latter-day Saints to a form of panpsychism?

My second question is, what is the relationship between this 'spiritual element' and intelligences? Here, Pratt says that a spiritual body is formed when (particles of?) spiritual elements are organized into a definite form. Earlier, he said that a spirits (for that, surely, is what he meant by 'thinking beings') are simply organized intelligences. Is an intelligence, then, a particle or hunk of this especially subtle matter? And would that mean that a human person is not just one intelligence, but many? Are intelligences discrete and/or capable of interpersonal relationships; do they have distinct essential identities? Or are intelligences more like drops of water that can split and merge without raising any philosophical quandaries because they have no distinct permanent identities - but, if so, in what sense can they be said to exhibit intellectual attributes? Or, on the other hand, are intelligences perhaps immaterial? To my knowledge, there is no specific statement on the matter in LDS scripture. The Doctrine and Covenants (131:7) states that there is "no such thing as immaterial matter" (which is a rather blatant truism), but it does not clearly say that there are no immaterial things at all (though it may plausibly mean that), nor does it address the issue of how this applies to intelligences.

However, here Pratt seems to say that a 'spiritual body' is the same as an 'individual intelligence'. This doesn't quite answer the questions, since it doesn't rule out smaller chunks also being 'individual intelligences' with similar attributes; if a 'spiritual body' were split cleanly down the middle, would each half be an intelligence? Furthermore, if an intelligence is just an organized spiritual body, then is it not redundant for Pratt to early refer to them as 'organized intelligences'? And on that note, how does this relate to the common LDS view that we personally pre-existed, not merely this mortal life, but also our pre-mortal existence as Heavenly Father's spirit-children? It seems that we would only acquire a 'spiritual body' when begotten in time by Heavenly Father, so what were we before that? But if we were disorganized and not yet an 'individual intelligence', how then can Joseph Smith be correct when he preached, in his famed King Follett Discourse [7 April 1844] as reported by all sources (and particularly by Wilford Woodruff) that "man exhisted in spirit & mind coequal with God himself"?

7. Parley Pratt adds that, underneath our tangible bodies of flesh and bone, made of gross matter, we are in fact beings with bodies made of subtle matter. My question here is, how does our body of subtle matter (spirit) interact with our body of grosser matter? And - although this question is no doubt excessively pedantic - if our spirit is itself a body, why does the LDS scripture state that "the spirit and the body are the soul of man" (D&C 88:15), rather than, e.g., "the spiritual body and the natural body are the soul of man"?

8. From here, Parley Pratt goes on to discuss the destination of the spirit after the death of the body. In keeping with LDS scripture, he denies that it goes to any kingdom of glory immediately, because the three kingdoms of glory can only be inhabited by resurrected and thus glorified beings. On this I have several more questions to ask. First, Pratt says that the spirit "passes on to the next sphere of human existence, called the world of spirits, a veil being drawn between us in the flesh, and that world of spirits" (JD 1:9). Given that the spirit is a material thing, is the world of spirits also a material place? In what way is it separated from our material world? Is this separation in some way spatial? (And yes, I realize that many of these questions in particular are perhaps unanswerable, just as analogous questions for traditional Christian views might be; but it does the mind good to seriously contemplate them and consider options.) Could a body made of grosser matter exist in the world of spirits? Also, if we had a pre-mortal existence, was that in the world of spirits or in the Father's celestial kingdom? If the former, then how were we in the presence of Heavenly Father in a way that permitted us to personally behold his embodied state - or, for that matter, to be organized/begotten? If the latter, though, what are we to make of Pratt's claim that a mere spirit-body cannot exist in a kingdom of glory? And how are we to relate that to the view that the Holy Ghost does not have a body of grosser matter, only of spirit? Can the Holy Ghost be in the Father's bodily presence where the Father resides?

9. Parley Pratt then goes on to discuss the situation of the repentant insurrectionist who was crucified next to Jesus. This man (whom I will call Dismas, following Christian tradition, for the sake of ease) went to the part of the world of spirits called 'paradise', which is where Jesus met him to teach him the Gospel between the crucifixion and resurrection. However, after the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven to the Father, and thus is in a place that Dismas cannot access until after the general resurrection, and then only if Dismas "continued to improve" (JD 1:9). Here I have no questions.

10. Parley Pratt next discusses the issue of whether all in the world of spirits are taught the gospel immediately. His answer is no, on the grounds that the same is true in this world. He states:

I have not the least doubt but there are spirits there who have dwelt there a thousand years, who, if we could converse with them face to face, would be found as ignorant of the truths, the ordinances, powers, keys, Priesthood, resurrection, and eternal life of the body, in short, as ignorant of the fullness of the Gospel, with its hopes and consolations, as is the Pope of Rome, or the Bishop of Canterbury, or as are the Chiefs of the Indian tribes of Utah. And why this ignorance in the spirit world? Because a portion of the inhabitants thereof are found unworthy of the consolations of the Gospel, until the fullness of time, until they have suffered in hell, in the dungeons of darkness, or the prisons of the condemned, amid the buffetings of fiends, and malicious and lying spirits. (JD 1:10-11)

We'll set aside, for the moment, the accusation that the heads of the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches are 'ignorant of the fullness of the Gospel'. The basic answer given here is that some folks in the spirit world don't get taught the gospel because they're being punished by the withholding of the word of God. After further consideration, I suppose I have no real major objection to that - though, on my non-LDS view of the afterlife, I suspect that this idea does not actually hold. Nor am I confused, so far as I know, so I have no questions.

11. Rather shortly thereafter, Parley Pratt makes a comment referring to the apostasy:

Between the commission and ministry of the Former and Latter-day Saints, and Apostles, there has been a long and dreary night of darkness. Some fifteen to seventeen centuries have passed away, in which the generations of man have lived without the keys of the Gospel. (JD 1:11)

First of all, note that this seems to be a fairly dark description of the alleged time of the apostasy. Virtually all of the great saints and spiritual fathers and mothers looked to by orthodox Christians - whether Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant - were not luminaries but rather were trapped in 'a long and dreary night of darkness'. Does this really sound plausible to those who are familiar with some of the deep and vibrant Christian piety that existed during many of these eras? For me, personally, some of the eras seem like a mixed bag, but certainly not 'a long and dreary night of darkness'. That's my perspective, though I respect the reasons for which Latter-day Saints are inclined to disagree. Second, given the figures estimated by Pratt, the loss of the 'keys of the Gospel' appears to have happened sometime roughly between the years 130 and 330. Does this sound like a reasonable account of the date of the apostasy to those of you who believe in it? Beyond that, Pratt states that:

Such apostates seek, in all dispensations, to bring destruction on the innocent, and to shed innocent blood, or consent thereto. For such, I again repeat, I know no forgiveness. Their children, who, by the conduct of such fathers, have been plunged into ignorance and misery for so many ages, and have lived without the privileges of the Gospel, will look down upon such a parentage with mingled feelings of horror, contempt, reproach, and pity, as the agents who plunged their posterity into the depths of misery and woe. (JD 1:11)

Harsh! Very harsh language, in fact. But, in the interests of polite and civil dialogue, we'll set that aside. I find it interesting to compare this to the model of the apostasy that has been presented to me by some other Latter-day Saints. On such a model, the apostasy was inevitable once the priesthood authority was lost, and it could not be sustained without the existence of a quorum of apostles on the earth. During the persecutions, the original quorum of the apostles was unable to reconvene and appoint new apostles, which eventually led to the survival of only one apostle, John, who in LDS belief was granted the privilege of living until Jesus' return (D&C 7:1-3). (Random thought: if John is still alive and thus still an apostle, then why is there not reserved for him a place in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, since he seemingly never left that position?) Hence, the apostolate was empty and... well, I don't really see a reason why the priesthood would have been lost (even assuming an LDS view of what 'priesthood' means), unless the loss of the apostles was somehow blamed on the other Christians and God decreed that all their priesthood authority was henceforth invalid. Or, the Christians are being blamed for accepting false teachings, perhaps... but the task then would be in establishing from the record any significant break between the central teachings of New Testament Christianity and the central teachings of the Early Church Fathers. If I may interject my personal views for a moment, there doesn't seem to be one, and certainly not the sort that would justify claims of apostasy - but I don't want to belabor my views here, just note them. Anyway, as for the actual text from Pratt - my apologies for exploring a bit of a tangent there - I really have no more to say.

12. After discussing the rather limited knowledge possessed by most in the world of spirits, as well as the importance of genealogical study in order to be able to help them further, Parley Pratt says:

God has condescended so far to our capacity, as to speak of our fathers as if they were dead, though they are all living spirits, and will live forever. We have no dead! Only think of it! Our fathers are all living, thinking, active agents; we have only been taught that they are dead! (JD 1:13-14)

This accords rather well with Jesus' response to the Sadducees, although as a caveat I must add that, if I remember correctly, it was only rather special individuals who were held in Jewish tradition of the time to be especially alive in that state. But I hold no real objection to what Pratt says right here.

13. Pratt then goes on to tell that, when the cornerstone of the Salt Lake City Temple was laid, he perceived - not with his five external senses, but with his inner faculties - that the spirits of many departed Latter-day Saints, including Joseph Smith himself, were present and eagerly watching because this was the beginning of the care that people in this world would take for those in the world of spirits. I simply found that interesting. As Pratt goes on to explain:

It is here, that the spirit world would look with an intense interest, it is here that the nations of the dead, if I may so call them, would concentrate their hopes of ministration on the earth in their behalf. It is here that the countless millions of the spirit world would look for the ordinances of redemption, so far as they have been enlightened by the preaching of the Gospel, since the keys of the former dispensation were taken away from the earth. (JD 1:14)

14. The remainder of Pratt's message appears to be focused on the importance of the work that would thenceforth take place in the Salt Lake City Temple (and, of course, in all other temples to be built), and I found interest in the concluding paragraphs of Pratt's talk:

Ye Elders of Israel! You will find that there is a spirit upon you which will urge you to continued exertion, and will never suffer you to feel at ease in Zion while a work remains unfinished in the great plan of redemption of our race. It will inspire the Saints to build, plant, improve, cultivate, make the desert fruitful, in short, to use the elements, send missions abroad, build up states and kingdoms and temples at home, and send abroad the light of a never-ending day to every people and nation of the globe. You have been baptized, you have had the laying on of hands, and some have been ordained, and some anointed with a holy anointing. A spirit has been given you. And you will find, if you undertake to rest, it will be the hardest work you ever performed. I came home here from a foreign mission. I presented myself to our President, and inquired what I should do next. "Rest," said he. If I had been set to turn the world over, to dig down a mountain, to go to the ends of the earth, or traverse the deserts of Arabia, it would have been easier than to have undertaken to rest, while the Priesthood was upon me. I have received the holy anointing, and I can never rest till the last enemy is conquered, death destroyed, and truth remains triumphant. May God bless you all. Amen. (JD 1:15)

My concluding question is mainly directed towards Latter-day Saints. How do you react to what Pratt said here? Do you similarly find it very difficult to rest? Why or why not?

On that note, so concludes this initial survey of the second discourse in the Journal of Discourses, and now I'll wait for the input of others.

JOD 01-01

For the very first installment of our series on the Journal of Discourses, we'll be looking at the first discourse in the first volume. This was preached by Brigham Young (1801-1877), the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The discourse in question was delivered in the tabernacle in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 16 January 1853. The text as we have it was reported by George Darling Watt (1812-1881), the principal editor of the Journal of Discourses (and who was later disfellowshipped and excommunicated after casting his lot with the LDS splinter group led by William Godbe (1833-1902)). The main theme of President Young's discourse that day was salvation.

1. As I begin my way through the text, one of the first things that catches my eye is that Brigham Young says that he dislikes referring to us as "fallen beings" but prefers to say "subjected intelligence", and clarifies that this is subjection to "law, order, rule, and government" (JD 1:1). My first question here is, what objection does Young have to the notion of us as "fallen beings"? While it is true that the Bible itself never refers to our state as 'fallen', Alma 42:6 says that after Adam's sin, "man became lost forever, yea, they became fallen men"; Alma 42:12 refers to "this fallen state, which man had brought upon himself because of his own disobedience"; and Alma 42:14 plainly states that "we see that all mankind were fallen". It seems that describing humans as 'fallen beings' is not simply permissible but is in fact a description countenanced by the LDS scriptural canon, and so I'm not certain what to make of Brigham Young's dislike of the term here. As for my second question, it seemed initially that "subjected intelligence" would be a term serving the same function, more or less, as 'fallen beings'. But is Young saying that we would not be subject to any law or government if there had been no sin? This doesn't seem to be the case, because if memory serves me rightly, in LDS thought there are eternal laws and principles that are necessarily true, even independently of the will, character, and nature of our God. And so it seems that 'subjected intelligence' as a description cannot have any negative connotations, nor a postlapsarian sense. Am I reading Young rightly here?

2. Brigham Young quickly goes on to say:

There is not a person in this world, who is endowed with a common share of intellect, but is laboring with all his power for salvation. Men vary in their efforts to obtain that object, still their individual conclusions are, that they will ultimately secure it. (JD 1:1)

At first, this seemed rather shocking to me, until I read a bit further and got a better sense of what Young means. It seems that, as an initial sense of the word 'salvation', President Young is using a rather broad conception that includes even temporal prosperity, security, peace, etc. And it is then in this sense that all humans seek 'salvation'.

3. After describing people in many walks of life and their respective searches for salvation as enduring happiness and fulfillment, Brigham Young notes:

The Latter-day Saint, who is far from the bosom of the Church, whose home is in distant climes, sighs, and earnestly prays each day of his life for the Lord to open his way, that he may mingle with the brethren in Zion, for he supposes that his happiness would then be complete, but in this his expectations will be in a measure vain, for happiness that is real and lasting in its nature cannot be enjoyed by mortals, for it is altogether out of keeping with this transitory state. (JD 1:2)

My first observation here is that Young powerfully captures an aspect of the early LDS experience. In this time, many Latter-day Saints were concentrated in the Utah Territory, but quite a few were in distant lands as a result of ongoing missions elsewhere in the world. I can imagine that those Latter-day Saints longed to be among their fellow believers (hence the creation of the Perpetual Emigration Fund). But already, President Young warns that even dwelling in the new promised land is not enough to secure lasting happiness, because that cannot be achieved in this mortal life; the reason is that this life is marked by fleeting pleasures and continued tribulations, and we await a permanent state to come. Here, I think that Brigham Young is quite on the mark.

4. The next block of text that stuck out to me is this:

How difficult it is to teach the natural man, who comprehends nothing more than that which he sees with the natural eye! How hard it is for him to believe! How difficult would be the task to make the philosopher, who, for many years, has argued himself into the belief that his spirit is no more after his body sleeps in the grave, believe that his intelligence came from eternity, and is eternal, in its nature, as the elements, or as the Gods. Such doctrine by him would be considered vanity and foolishness, it would be entirely beyond his comprehension. (JD 1:2)

The first thing I want to note is that this 'philosopher' is not merely any non-LDS person, but is someone who limits his understanding to what can be directly perceived. In short, the man seems to be an atheist and perhaps materialist precisely because he is a strict empiricist. Second, note that this person is specifically said to have persuaded himself over many years that there is no afterlife, no enduring spirit, nothing more to life than the biological; what seems to be perhaps implied in President Young's rhetoric is that a humble and intelligent person seeking wisdom and open to God's guidance would most naturally conclude the opposite, which is the truth. My third note is that the contrast presented here is between the atheistic naturalist on the one hand and an adherent of the LDS view of human nature on the other, in which there is a wholly uncreated, unoriginated element that forms the core of intelligent life, and that this inner 'intelligence' is co-eternal with God himself. (This quote also implies the doctrine of the plurality of gods, which Joseph Smith taught in his King Follett Discourse [7 April 1844] and even moreso in his Sermon in the Grove [16 July 1844]. But as it's only tangentially implied, I won't go into it now here.) I wish to raise, simply as a theoretical third alternative, the position that there is such a thing as a created spirit that has a beginning but, because of the sustaining power of God, will not have an end. Discussion of the early LDS critique of created intelligence must wait until a more pertinent discourse.

5. Brigham Young goes on to say that no man can offer "words of eternal life" apart from the influence of God's Spirit, but rather "when the Lord gives His Spirit to a person, or to a people, they can then hear, believe, and be instructed" (JD 1:3). This sounds to me rather reminiscent of the Wesleyan teaching of prevenient grace, at least in a certain respect. (I'm quite confident that, given the LDS commitment to free agency, a comparison with a more Calvinistic viewpoint would be misleading here.) Left to our own devices, and without the activity of God's Spirit, none of us would be capable of responding to his summons to accept the good news; only the activity of God's Spirit can enable the reception of this word.

6. Brigham Young goes on to point out that a community in which everyone wholly devoted themselves to the gospel would be one with "a resting place for the Holy Ghost" and "a habitation of the Father and the Son" (JD 1:3). And Young goes on to lament:

Let me ask, what is there to prevent any person in this congregation from being so blessed, and becoming a holy temple fit for the indwelling of the Holy Ghost? Has any being in heaven or on earth done aught to prevent you from becoming so blessed? No, but why the people are not so privileged I will leave you to judge. I would to God that every soul who professes to be a Latter-day Saint was of that character, a holy temple for the indwelling of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. (JD 1:3)

In other words, there are only two truly relevant parties to this: the human party, and the divine party (the Godhead). And there's no problem with the divine party, because Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are perfectly willing to indwell the believer. So the only one who can stop you from experiencing this blessing is you; you are your sole potential obstacle in this matter. And that seems perfectly consonant with what Paul says in Romans 8:38-39. Furthermore, I pray Brigham Young's prayer, not only for Latter-day Saints, but for Latter-day Saints and for my own Evangelical brothers and sisters, that they may receive that blessing by yielding to God's abundant grace.

7. Brigham Young later goes on to deliver a denunciation of some 'Elders of Israel' who exhibited an attitude that can unfortunately affect people in all sorts of positions:

If Elders of Israel use language which is not proper for the lips of a Saint, such Elders are under condemnation, and the wrath of God abides upon them, those who do it have not the love of truth in their hearts, they do not love and honor the truth because it is the truth, but because it is powerful, and they wish to join with the strongest party. (JD 1:4)

In light of what preceded it, by "language which is not proper for the lips of a Saint" Brigham Young appears to mean things such as backbiting, gossip, and curses (as opposed to blessings, which he says should fill the mouths of the members of a truly Christian society such as Zion is intended to be). Thus, 'Elders of Israel' who do such things are under God's wrath and condemnation because they show that they don't really love truth. Brigham Young's analysis of their situation is interesting. They profess to love the truth, but underneath the mask don't actually love or honor the truth. They love it on the surface, not in their hearts. Why? They love the truth for the sake of power. In short, these people are loving the truth as an instrumental good, not as an intrinsic good. For them, power is the real intrinsic good. But Brigham Young says - and here I must agree - that truth must be regarded as good for its own sake; the mere seeking after power is not the Christian way. Think how many there are who try to treat truth and righteousness as instrumental goods in order to gain power or some other self-seeking 'intrinsic' good; is this not the very fault of Simon Magus?

8. Brigham Young later links the principle of judgment by works to the urgent quality of progression. As he says:

You will find that this probation is the place to increase upon every little we receive, for the Lord gives line upon line to the children of men. When He reveals the plan of salvation, then is the time to fill up our days with good works. (JD 1:5)

In other words, 'to him who has, more will be given; to him who has not, more will be taken away' (cf. Matthew 13:12). And Young applies this to good works, it seems. Those who do good works will, at the judgment, have even greater rewards bestowed upon them; but those who neglect to be active in doing good in the present time will lose out at the judgment and not make any progress. And because it is the goal of our kind to forever make progress, that is all the more reason to become involved in doing good now, because such is the gateway to our future realization of our potential, which is our great goal. And here I think Brigham Young hits on an important theme. While I can't accept certain specifics of the LDS view of eternal progression that rely on distinctive LDS views of the nature of God and man that I as an orthodox Christian must reject, there is nevertheless certainly a sense in which the believer will continue to grow in the love of God forever, and thus to become increasingly glorified without end, for the reflection of God's infinite glory is our telos. But in order to make the most of the age to come, we must make the most of our opportunities in the present age as well. Discipleship is not for the lazy; it's for those who are serious about living by a faith that obeys God's guidance and trusts in his promises. We aren't to trust in our works - our trust is in the faithful grace of God - but nevertheless our faith must become vibrantly alive in the grace-enabled works it naturally bursts forth in, if we don't stifle it. And it is by doing this and beginning to reshape our characters after the imitatio Christi that we take steps on a joyous (though oft-painful in this life) and never-ending process that, in some sense, may eventually be termed 'exaltation'.

9. Brigham Young finally returns to the issue of "the eternal existence of the soul" (JD 1:5). First he says:

The philosophers of this world will concede that the elements of which you and I are composed are eternal, yet they believe that there was a time when there was no God. They cannot comprehend how it is that God can be eternal. (JD 1:5)

It's not immediately clear to me what sort of 'philosophers' Young has in mind here. Perhaps someone else can fill in some of the background. I know of those who would contend that there is no God and that the basic material elements are eternal - such philosophers have indeed lived - but I confess my unfamiliarity with those who hold that matter pre-existed God, that God has a beginning. At any rate, some of what Brigham Young stresses in this section is unobjectionable because his emphasis is on the future-directed eternity of the soul, and most Christians (LDS or otherwise) generally hold that we ourselves will never cease to exist now that we do in fact presently exist. (The real matter of controversy is whether or not this or any other true relevant consideration implies that we never began to exist either.) Further along, Brigham Young makes a reference in what he says next to the notion that faithful Latter-day Saints have in this life been "laying the foundation to become Gods" (JD 1:5), and with this I as an Evangelical must quibble. If by this Brigham Young means - as I'm sure he does - that we have the hope of becoming naturally divine in the same way that the Father or the Son are now divine, then this must be rejected; the divinity of the Father and the Son (and of the Holy Ghost) is a matter of ontology and identity that is incommunicable, and there is a great ontological gult between ourselves and the Godhead because we are of different essential kinds. So in this sense, I must from my perspective within the historic Christian tradition judge Brigham Young's statement to be false. However, nevertheless there is a truth in what he says, because we do have the hope of being invited by grace to share in the unfathomable love that characterizes the inner divine life of the Godhead, and to be glorified by our communion by grace with that Eternal Community to which the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit belong by nature. In this sense, one may perhaps indeed dare to say, with a touch of hyperbole and a different manner of speaking, that believers do lay the foundation to become 'gods' - or, rather, that God lays the foundation for us to become 'gods' by participation, and invites us to labor with him. It is Brigham Young's primary contention that, if we could clearly see all of this, we would at last grasp the reasons why we "receive the truth in the love of it, live in it, and continue in it" (JD 1:5).

10. Brigham Young concludes on the note that arbitrarily and uncompassionately passing condemnation on one another is "the height of folly" because, as he says:

I find that I have enough to do to watch myself. It is as much as I can do to get right, deal right, and act right. If we should all do this, there would be no difficulty, but in every man's mouth would be "May the Lord bless you." (JD 1:6)

And here, too, it seems that Brigham Young got it right. Our priority when it comes to fault-finding is quite clearly ourselves - not in the interest of building up an unhealthy sense of guilt or of poor self-worth, but in recognizing that if we are not seeking after righteousness, we are in very little position to help others, and certainly in no position to set up our own personal scruples as the absolute moral law to which all others must kowtow.

On that note, I conclude my initial survey of the first discourse in the Journal of Discourses, and eagerly await the input of others. And so, in Brigham Young's own closing words:

Light cleaves to light, and truth to truth.
May God bless you. Amen. (JD 1:6)