Part 2

ELECTION AND REPROBATION: In regard to that monstrous doctrine that God, by the exercise of His sovereign will, had predestined some men and angels unto everlasting life, while others He ordained to everlasting death; and that, not because of the good or the evil they had done or might do, but because he had so willed it by his sovereign will; that "the number of such men and angels thus predestined are so peculiarly and unchangeably known, and their number so certain and definite that it can not be either increased or diminished"--against this monstrous view of the doctrine of salvation for the race of men, our Prophet declared salvation to be free, and every soul of man capable of participating therein, if happily he should seek salvation; and that man could be assured of the help and grace of God to aid him in the attainment of salvation. Commenting on a passage of Scripture supposed to teach the sectarian doctrine of Election and Reprobation, the Prophet said: "Unconditional election of individuals to eternal life was not taught by the Apostles. God did elect, or predestinate, that all those who would be saved should be saved in Christ Jesus, and through obedience to the Gospel"--other than this there was no predestination or election relating to the salvation of individuals.

On the subject of the fate of the uninstructed heathen, as also upon the matter of children dying in infancy, or before arriving at the years of accountability, the doctrine of Joseph Smith held that where no law is given men will be judged without law, but will stand within the circle of the mercy of God, and there is hope, nay, assurance, of ultimate salvation for the heathen. "The heathen nations shall be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall have part in the first resurrection; and it shall be tolerable for them," are the words of the Lord through the Prophet.

And as for infants dying in infancy, or before arriving at years of accountability, the Prophet taught, the mercy of God claims them wholly. They are redeemed from the consequences of Adam's transgression by the atonement of Christ, and being without sin themselves, the law against sin has no claim upon them, and they are saved to the uttermost without baptism or anything else whatsoever, by the pure mercy and justice of God. "Little children are alive in Christ, even from the foundation of the world," is a doctrine of the Prophet's.

THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL PUNISHMENT: Against the dogma of the attainment of heaven or the assignment to hell, involving, as it did, the equality of the glory in the one, and equal severity of punishment in the other, our Prophet reasserted the justice of God in providing a graded state of existence for men in the future life, grades that correspond to the state of mental, moral and spiritual development of every soul of man.

Upon this subject Joseph Smith taught that there are many kingdoms of the Father in which men may live, each in a sphere suitable to his nature, disposition and the degree of his development: moderns would say, "Suitable to the state of his evolution." He taught that as there is one glory of the sun, another of the moon, and another of the stars, so in future men will exist in varying degrees of glory; that as the stars of heaven differ in infinite degrees of brightness, so also will men in the future exist in places and states of infinite variety, corresponding to the infinite variations of their intelligence, knowledge, tastes, acquirements, inclinations, and aspirations. In other words, environment will correspond to nature, with always the possibility present of improving both the environment and the nature, until a fulness of joy is attained by each intelligent entity--by each man.

Thus Joseph Smith promulgated a system of positive doctrine respecting the future of man that is at once in harmony with the relative claims of justice and mercy; with human reason and divine law. He made known the fact that

"Eternal punishment is God's punishment." "Endless punishment is God's punishment."

That is to say, the punishment for sin-which is only another way of saying the "penalty" for wrong-doing--takes the title of Him in whose name it is administered, that is, it is "God's" punishment, or "Eternal's" punishment, "Endless' punishment." The punishment takes on it the name of Him in whose authority it is administered. Moreover, penalty will always follow violation of the law, in eternity as in what we call time. So long as law exists, penalties must also exist. They are the necessary concomitants of law, without which laws are mere nullities. But because punishments, so-called, take on the name of Him in whose authority they are administered, and because law is necessarily paralleled by penalty--therefore punishment will always exist for offenders against law; in other words is endless--it does not follow that each transgressor of the law will suffer its penalties eternally. Such a conception is revolting to reason and derogatory to the justice and mercy of God. While one must needs believe that penalty follows violation of law, the violator only partakes of that penalty to the extent that is necessary to vindicate the law and correct the transgressor's own disposition: whereupon mercy has her claims, that may not be denied: and the one time violator of law, instructed by his experience in suffering, goes forth to walk, let us hope, in harmony with law, and hence in peace.

Thus, all down the line of religious error, as well as in the things here pointed out, Joseph Smith asserted the truth of God, and maintained it before the world. Had he done no more than this, if this had been the sole achievement in the world's realm of thought by our Prophet--he would stand in fair way of being regarded as the historical American who had exerted the most powerful influence upon the destinies of his countrymen. But instead of this being the end of his achievements it is merely the commencement of his life's work; a mere clearing of the ground for the new temple of religion and philosophy to be erected; the dismissal of the absurdities of old systems to make way for the incoming of the new system of thought which shall be in harmony with the new knowledge of a new and glorious age--the incoming millennium.

I wonder if I may venture here to draw in outline the suggestion of that system? By your leave, then: In the beginning it is necessary to say to you that I shall use all ideas, doctrines, philosophies, science principles, interpretations that I find brought to the knowledge of the world through Joseph Smith, directly or indirectly. For while doctrines here used are found in the Book of Mormon and properly should be referred to the prophets among ancient American peoples for their origin, still the world today owe their knowledge of these things to the translation of the Book of Mormon by Joseph Smith. So also in relation to the Book of Moses and the Book of Abraham. So also as to the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants; such philosophy and religious principles as are there found are given of God, but Joseph Smith received and published them, and for the purposes of what is here to be set forth shall stand as his doctrines and philosophy, as well also as those utterances that make up the subject-matter of his discourses.

VI.

THE PROPHET'S PHILOSOPHICAL DOCTRINES.

THE PROPHET'S DEFINITION OF TRUTH: Undoubtedly the quest of philosophy is Truth. And again, undoubtedly, Philosophy would be greatly helped in its search for Truth if it had but a clear conception of what it was trying to find; hence the importance of a clear and accurate definition of Truth. It is at this point, however, that the greatest difficulty arises for the human intellect. It is quite generally conceded that up to the early decades of the nineteenth century no satisfactory definition of Truth had been found. When Jesus stood bound before Pilate's judgment seat, and testified that He was born to bear witness of the Truth, Pilate--whether in mockery or in earnest curiosity we may not now know--asked the question: "What is truth?" But the Divine Man made no answer. Most commentators say that, without waiting for an answer the Roman procurator departed from the judgment hall to speak to the Jews clamoring on the outside; and all regret the opportunity that was there lost of receiving a divine answer to the question. One set of commentators, referring to Pilate's question, say to him: "Thou stirrest the question of questions, which the thoughtful of every age have asked, but never man yet answered."

A secular writer presents the same incident as follows: "'What is truth?' was the passionate demand of a Roman procurator, on one of the most momentous occasions in history. And the Divine Person who stood before him, to whom the interrogation was addressed, made no reply--unless, indeed, silence contained the reply. Often and vainly had that demand been made before--often and vainly has it been made since. No one has yet given a satisfactory answer."

Then, by way of historical illustration of this assertion, our author remarks the following:

"When, at the dawn of science in Greece, the ancient religion was disappearing like a mist at sunrise, the pious and thoughtful men of that country were thrown into a condition of intellectual despair. Anaxagoras plaintively exclaims, 'Nothing can be known, nothing can be learned, nothing can be certain, sense is limited, intellect is weak, life is short.' Xenophanes tells us that it is impossible for us to be certain even when we utter the Truth. Parmenides declares that the very constitution of man prevents him from ascertaining absolute Truth. Empedocles affirms that all philosophical and religious systems must be unreliable, because we have no criterion by which to test them. Democritus asserts that even things that are true cannot impart certainty to us; that the final result of human inquiry is the discovery that man is incapable of absolute knowledge; that, even if the truth be in his possession, he cannot be certain of it. Pyrrho bids us reflect on the necessity of suspending our judgment of things, since we have no criterion of truth; so deep a distrust did he impart to his followers that they were in the habit of saying, 'We assert nothing; not even that we assert nothing.' Epicurus taught his disciples that truth can never be determined by reason. Arcesilaus, denying both intellectual and sensuous knowledge, publicly avowed that he knew nothing, not even his own ignorance! The general conclusion to which Greek philosophy came was this: that, in view of the contradiction of the evidence of the senses, we cannot distinguish the true from the false; and such is the imperfection of reason, that we cannot affirm the correctness of any philosophical deduction."

I make these quotations to show that no Teacher satisfactory definition of Truth, either in ancient or modern times, either in religion or philosophy, has been given, and also to call attention to the fact that if Joseph Smith has given a definition of Truth that appeals with irresistible force to the understanding of men, it must be a strongly original utterance; a revelation of the utmost importance. Such a definition, I believe, he has given. In 1833 he said:

"Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come."

This I hold to be the completest definition of Truth found in human literature. It deals with relative truth, absolute truth, and truth unfolding or becoming.

It may be objected that this definition is defective in that it appears to make Truth depend upon knowledge. "Truth," says the definition, "is knowledge of things as they are," etc. This part of the definition deals with relative Truth merely. "Truth as it appears to us," says S. Baring-Gould, "can only be relative, because we are relative creatures, have only a relative perception and judgment. We appreciate that which is true to ourselves, not that which is universally true."

In other words, and using the language of Herbert Spencer at this point: "Debarred as we are from everything beyond the relative, Truth, raised to its highest form, can be for us nothing more than perfect agreement throughout the whole range of our experience, between those representations of things which we distinguish as ideal and those presentations of things which we distinguish as real." That is to say, to each individual, "knowledge of things as they are and as they were" will be to him the Truth, and the fullness thereof, though not necessarily all the Truth there is. There is Truth, however, which does not depend upon knowledge; existences beyond and independent of any human knowledge, at least.

To illustrate: America existed, though all Europe was without knowledge of it for ages; until, in fact, it was discovered by Columbus. The power of steam always existed, but men did not know it until modern times. So, also, with the mysterious force called electricity, it always existed, but not until recent years did man know it as a force that could be utilized; and so as to many other forces and truths in God's universe that are now existing, and have always existed, but man, as yet, has no knowledge of them. The storehouse of Truth is not yet exhausted by man's discoveries. There are more Truths in heaven and earth than are yet dreamed of in human philosophies.

And yet it may be that running parallel with those existences, substances and relations unknown to man, there exist intelligences that cognize such existences and relations. To recur to one item in the illustrations above: America existed though all Europe was without knowledge of it until discovered by Columbus; but America had inhabitants, intelligences of her own that knew of the existence of these Western continents. And so it may be if one could be transported to Mars; while there is much that we do not know about Mars--has it an atmosphere and oceans? Has it great continents and mountain ranges? Is it inhabited? If so, what is the status of its civilization? These all may be existences, realities on Mars, but we do not know of them, but there may be intelligent inhabitants on Mars who know all these things and a thousand more that are unknown to us, yet known to intelligences inhabiting Mars. And so as to the most distant planets and planet-systems conceivable. Everywhere that things exist, they may be paralleled by Intelligences that cognize them. Then, again, there are varying degrees of Intelligences. Where two Intelligences exist and one is more intelligent than another, it leads to the thought that there may be a third more intelligent than the first two; thence to a fourth or fifth more intelligent still; thence onward, rising one above another, in superiority of intelligence until you stand in the presence of an infinity of Intelligences, or reach One more intelligent than them all! One who, directly or indirectly, in all councils presides; who guides all movements; who directs all undertakings; who controls all worlds and world-systems; who loves all; who comprehends all things, even the sum of existences--the Truth! And so in the last analysis of the matter, wheresoever there are existences to be known, even though they stretch to infinity, there are also Intelligences that parallel such existences to cognize them, control them, dominate them, and through them work out Their will.

The phrase above--"the sum of existence:" we have more to do with that. The phrase is used by a most faithful and earnest Christian man, the late John Jacques. Instructed by the Prophet Joseph Smith, he sang in his hymn on Truth, the following:

Then say, what is Truth? 'Tis the last and the first, For the limits of time it steps o'er; Though the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst, _Truth_, the _sum of existence_, will weather the worst, Eternal, unchanged, evermore.

Surely that which is, that which has been, and that which is to come, must be the sum of existence, or absolute Truth; and all that is, or has been, or shall be, has been, is and shall be known by the everywhere existing Intelligences, who, with the rest of their knowledge, know themselves; who possess self-consciousness, as well as other-consciousness, that is, consciousness of other things than themselves. Truth, indeed, from this view point, is knowledge of that which is, including self-knowledge of the knower. It may be said that the absolute Truth, even as here set forth, is beyond the grasp of the finite mind. I shall concede the claim; but because finite mind cannot comprehend the sum of existence, or absolute Truth, it does not follow that the definition we are discussing is at fault, or that it can be displaced by one meaning more or less. Reflection upon the definition here presented will develop the fact that it contains a self-evident proposition of the same nature as the statement, "duration is eternal"--without beginning, without end. Or, "space is limitless"--it has no point beyond which it may not be conceived to extend, and beyond which it does not extend. It is vain to say that the finite mind cannot comprehend the realities presented by these statements. The thing is greater than any symbol we can fashion of it by word or otherwise; but we cannot conceive the opposite of these statements, i.e., that space has boundaries; that duration has limits; that absolute Truth is less than the sum of existence. In the definition herein set forth you have all that is; and if in any definition of Truth there is failure to include the sum of existences by so much would the definition be defective and fail of its aim to define Truth. As to relative Truth--every individual man's Truth--that is each individual man's knowledge of so much of the sum of existences as he can make his own, as already pointed out.

One other reflection on this definition. Note the words in it: "Knowledge of things * * * as they are to come." This presents a view of Truth seldom if ever met with. It gives the idea of movement. Truth is not a stagnant pool, but a living fountain; not a Dead Sea without tides or currents; on the contrary it is an ocean, immeasurably great, vast, co-extensive with the Universe--it is the Universe-- bright-heaving, boundless, endless and sublime! Moving in majestic currents, uplifted by tides in ceaseless ebb and flow; variant but orderly; taking on new forms from ever-changing combinations; new adjustments; new relations--multiplying itself in ten thousand times ten thousand ways; ever reflecting the intelligence of the Infinite; and declaring alike in its whispers and in its thunders, the hived wisdom of the ages--of God!

AS TO THINGS--EXISTENCES: We are next to consider the universe in which men, angels, archangels and Gods--Intelligences all--live.

"There are many kingdoms * * * and there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in the which there is no space."

This was said by Joseph Smith in 1832. The context of the passage makes it clear that "kingdoms" here are not groups of men or nations over which a monarch reigns; but substance, matter, worlds and systems of worlds, under the dominion of law, and Intelligences. It is the doctrine of the eternal and everywhere existence of matter and space. It is a description of the universe as far as it is describable. But let us think of the passage a moment; for it requires thought to rightly apprehend it.

This "space"--what is meant by it? I ask you what is between the two walls of this hall, and you would rightly answer space, extension. But what is on the outside of each wall--space; neither wall is the end of space, then. Let us look higher. What is between us and the sun? Space--extension. How much of it? Our astronomers say 92,000,000 miles. What is on the other side of the sun in a direct line from us? Space. How much, 92,000,000 miles? Yes, and if 92,000,000 miles were multiplied by 92,000,000 the product would not indicate all the space in a direct line from us on the opposite side of the sun. Beyond the point so obtained space would still extend. But one wearies of these units of measure; take a ray of light. In the single batting of a bird's wing light will pass eight times round the earth, that is it will pass over a distance of 198,000 miles! There are fixed stars--suns--so distant from us, the astronomers say, that it requires hundreds of thousands and even millions of years for a ray of light to reach us from those distant suns! Take one of those distant suns and think upon it in respect of space, just as we did a moment ago in regard to what is between our earth and the sun and beyond the sun, in a direct line from us, and you get the same results. There is no means by which the limitless may be measured. Whatever the length of your measuring wand it is still inadequate. By no measurement, by no conception, may one reach the "outside curtains" beyond which space does not extend. And so as to time, duration. What was before today? Yesterday. And what will be after today? Tomorrow. Take a century, or, better yet, a millennium, a period of 1,000 years--why not take 1,000,000 years as a period with which to measure duration? It will answer just as well as our "day" of a moment ago. What preceded our present period of 1,000,000 years? A previous 1,000,000 of such years. And what will follow the present period of 1,000,000 years? Another such period. So you may continue, make your period of measurement what length of years or centuries or millenniums you please, the result will always be the same. It is again the attempt to measure the limitless, to encompass that which is infinite. The sum of all our thought on this head is well stated by Ernest Haeckel in one of his latest works, the very last but one, I believe, the publication of which falls within the present decade:

a. "The extent of the universe is infinite and unbounded; it is empty in no part, but everywhere filled with substance."

b. "The duration of the world is equally infinite and unbounded; it has no beginning and no end; it is eternity."

Such may be said to be the settled and universal conviction of science now; but it was far from such conviction in 1832 when Joseph Smith said the same in the passage--"There are many kingdoms; * * * and there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in the which there is no space."

THE REIGN OF LAW: "There are many kingdoms * * * and to every kingdom is given a law; and to every law there are certain bounds also, and conditions. All beings who abide not in those conditions (i. e., abide within the law) are not justified."