Chapter IX: Part SEVEN: Powers and Principles (1)

ARTICLE TWENTY-EIGHT.

The Priesthood.

What "Priesthood" Means.--Divine authority, or the right to rule, inherent in the supreme Source of all power--such is the primal meaning of "Priesthood." It also signifies the men in whom that authority is vested--the servants of the Lord, who officiate for him and administer the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.

Why Necessary.--Divine laws, like human laws, require officers and a government to administer them. God, being in the form of man, cannot be everywhere present in his own person. Immanent by the spirit that proceeds from him, omnipresent by his power, influence and authority, He cannot, as a personage, occupy two places at the same time, any more than he can make something out of nothing or do aught else that is impossible. To say that Deity can do that which cannot be done, is no glorification of Deity. It is sheer nonsense, nothing more.

Since the Supreme Being cannot be everywhere present in person, cannot be in Heaven and on Earth simultaneously, he requires representatives to carry on his work in this as in other parts of the universe. Herein is the prime reason, the fundamental fact, underlying the necessity for a Priesthood and a Church organization.

A Twofold Power.--There are two priesthoods in the Church of Christ, or, more properly, two grand divisions of priesthood, namely, the Melchizedek and the Aaronic, the latter an appendage to the former. [1] This dualism is owing to the fact that Divine Government takes cognizance of and deals with things temporal as well as with things spiritual. Nevertheless, all things are spiritual to Deity. [2] As Eternity includes Time, so the spiritual includes the temporal.

Origin of Names.--The Melchizedek Priesthood was named for Melchizedek, king of Salem. [3] The powers of this priesthood are unlimited. It wields authority over all things. Holding "the keys of the Kingdom of God," it is the divinely ordained "channel through which every important matter is revealed from Heaven." [4] The Aaronic or Lesser Priesthood takes its name from Aaron, the brother of Moses. It operates within a limited sphere, having a special calling to administer in temporal affairs, in material things.

Symbolized by the Soul.--The Government of God, with its two mighty wings of priestly power and authority, corresponds to and is symbolized by the soul. As spirit and body constitute the soul, so the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods constitute the government of the Church of Christ. Through the medium of the body, with its various members and organs, the things of this life are possessed and utilized, while those pertaining to a higher state of existence are apprehended and made use of by means of the spiritual faculties. Even so, by these two priesthoods, differing in powers and prerogatives, yet allied, interwoven and harmonious in their mutual workings, is carried on in all worlds the sublime work of Omnipotence.

Furthermore, to extend the analogy, it is the spirit or higher part of man that controls, directs and supplies the motive power of the body, being the vital mainspring of this wondrous piece of machinery, whose functions are forwarded by the animation resulting from the union of the twain. In like manner, the Melchizedek Priesthood, holding the keys of presidency, controls and directs the entire body of the Church; delegating, however, a portion of its authority to the Lesser Priesthood, that it likewise may wield a legitimate influence and execute the purposes for which it was designed.

"No Man Taketh This Honor."--Men cannot constitute themselves servants of the Lord. They must be called by him--literally called and ordained, or they are not qualified to speak and act in his name and stead. While there is no ban upon doing good, and all are free to promote truth and practice righteousness, and will reap sure reward for so doing, there is no such thing as heavenly sanction upon usurped office and authority. The Scriptures make this fact exceedingly plain. [5] "God will not acknowledge that which he has not called, ordained and chosen." [6]

Christ The Head.--Jesus Christ is the great "Apostle and High Priest," [7] standing at the head of the priestly-kingly Order of Melchizedek. It was originally styled "The Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God;" but this title was changed out of reverence for the Supreme Being, to avoid "the too frequent repetition" of the all-sacred name. Melchizedek's name was substituted, because he "was such a great High Priest." [8] "Apostle" means "Messenger," or one who is sent. The use of the term, as one of the titles of the Savior, is warranted by the fact that the Son was sent forth by the Father. [9] He was therefore the Father's messenger. In like manner, those sent forth by the Son are his apostles or messengers, particularly the twelve special witnesses.

Adam Stands Next.--Next to the Savior in divine authority, stands Adam, Ancient of Days, the father of the whole human family. So says Joseph the Prophet, in his great discourse on Priesthood. "The priesthood was first given to Adam; he obtained the First Presidency, and held the keys of it from generation to generation. He obtained it .. before the world was formed. . He had dominion given him over every living creature. He is Michael the Archangel." [10]

Noah's Position.--"Then to Noah, who is Gabriel; he stands next in authority to Adam in the Priesthood. He was called of God to this office, and was the father of all living in his day, and to him was given the dominion. These men held keys first on earth and then in heaven." [11]

These inspired utterances regarding Adam and Noah ought to set at rest the question with which they deal. They are a sufficient answer to the charge, sometimes made, that the Latter-day Saints rank Joseph Smith as next in dignity and power to Jesus Christ. It is fitting that the Prophet himself should supply the refutation.

An Everlasting Principle.--He goes on to say: "The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years. The keys have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, it is by Adam's authority." [12]

Succession and Descent.--From Adam, the Priesthood descended through the following line: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Esaias, Gad, Jeremy, Elihu, Caleb, Jethro and Moses. [13] Says the Prophet "The Savior, Moses and Elias gave the keys to Peter, James and John, on the Mount, when they were transfigured before him." He then asks: "How have we come at the Priesthood in the last days?"--and answers thus: "It came down, down, in regular succession. Peter, James and John had it given to them, and they gave it to others." The "others" include Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, the earliest Elders of the Latter-day Church. [14]

Agents of the Almighty.--Inherent in the Priesthood is the principle of representation. So plenary and far-reaching are its powers, that when those holding this authority are in the line of their duty, and possess the spirit of their calling, their official acts and utterances are as valid and as binding as if the Lord himself were present, doing and saying what his servants do and say for him.

This is what it means to bear the Priesthood. It constitutes men agents of the Almighty, transacting sacred business in the interest of the one who sent them. These agents should represent their Principal fairly and faithfully, reflecting, as far as possible, his intelligence and goodness, living so near to him that when their letter of instructions (the written word) falls short, the Spirit that indited it, resting upon them as a continual benediction, can give "line upon line" of revelation, flash upon flash of inspired thought, to illumine and make plain the path they are to tread.

"And whatsoever they shall speak when moved upon by the Holy Ghost shall be scripture, shall be the will of the Lord, shall be the mind of the Lord, shall be the word of the Lord, shall be the voice of the Lord, and the power of God unto salvation." [15]

No Unrighteous Dominion.--A tremendous power for frail mortal man to wield! Yes, and to guard against its abuse, the exercise of this divine prerogative is hedged about with certain conditions and limitations. Thus:

"No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the Priesthood, only by persuasion, by long suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; by kindness and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy and without guile, reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, and then showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his enemy." [16]

Again:

"The rights of the Priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and .. the powers of heaven cannot be controlled or handled only upon the principles of righteousness . . . . When we undertake to cover our sins, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves, the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the Priesthood or the authority of that man." [17]

An Echo From the Heights Eternal, where the Gods, in solemn council before the creation of the world, decreed freedom, not tyranny; persuasion, not compulsion; charity, not intolerance, the platform upon which the Lord's servants should stand. There is no room in all the Government of God for the exercise of "unrighteous dominion."

The Other Side.--But there is another side to the question. If the men bearing this sacred authority confine themselves to the lawful use of the powers conferred upon them, doing no other than the things enjoined by divine revelation or inspired by the Holy Spirit--what then? In that event the responsibility shifts to other shoulders; and just how weighty the responsibility is, the Savior himself shows in his parable of the Last Judgment, where is indicated the standard or one of the standards by which He will judge the world. [18]

Before the Bar of God.--When the Son of Man, sitting upon "the throne of his glory," shall require of all nations and of all men a final accounting, and shall put to them the crucial question: "How did you treat my servants whom I sent unto you?" happy the nation or the man who can reply: "Lord, I showed them the respect to which they were entitled--I honored them as I would have honored Thee."

Warning and Exhortation.--Grievous the sin and heavy the penalty incurred by those who mistreat the servants of the Master. But more grievous and more weighty still, the sin and punishment of those who betray them. "See to it," says the Prophet to the Elders of the Church, "that ye do not this thing, lest innocent blood be found upon your skirts, and you go down to hell. All other sins are not to be compared to sinning against the Holy Ghost and proving a traitor to the brethren." [19]

Again that ancient admonition, sounding down the centuries, "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm!" blending with the Savior's solemn warning to the world: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto Me."

Footnotes

1. Hist. Ch. Vol. 4, p. 207; D. & C. 107:1-20.

2. D. & C. 29:34, 35.

3. Gen. 14:18; Heb. 7:1-21.

4. Hist. Ch. Vol. 4, p.207.

5. 1 Sam. 13:9-14; 2 Sam. 6:6, 7; 2 Chron. 26:18-21; Heb. 5:4.

6. Hist. Ch. Vol. 4. pp. 208, 209.

7. Heb. 3:1.

8. D. & C. 107:2-4.

9. Abr. 3:27; John 14:24.

10. Ib. p. 386.

11. Ib.p. 386.

12. Ib. p. 386.

13. D. & C. 84:6-17. See also 107:40-52.

14. D. & C. 13. Ib. 128:20.

15. Ib. 68:4.

16. D. & C. 121:41-43.

17. Ib. vv. 36,37.

18. Matt. 25:21-46.

19. Hist. Ch. Vol.3, p. 385.

ARTICLE TWENTY-NINE.

Church Government

An Incomparable System.--The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is conceded, even by many outside its pale, to be a most admirable and most thorough system of government. It ought to be; for it is a product of divine wisdom. The Church on Earth is the counterpart, so far as mortal conditions will permit, of the Church in Heaven, as beheld in vision by Joseph the Seer. [1] While the Church founded by him is not yet perfect, it is approximately so, and is destined to attain that condition. It is doubtful that the Church of Christ in any former age had so complete an organization as it possesses at the present time. This wonderful scheme of spiritual-temporal government was revealed from above, and established here below, that the Lord's will might be done on earth even as it is done in heaven.

Earliest Offices.--The earliest offices in the Church were those of Elder, Priest, Teacher and Deacon; all, excepting Elder, callings in the Aaronic Priesthood. [2] Other offices, mostly in the Priesthood of Melchizedek, were evolved as fast as they became necessary. [3] The first Bishops were ordained in 1831, the year after the Church was organized. There was no First Presidency until 1833, and no Stake organization until 1834. The Twelve Apostles and their assistants, the Seventies, were not chosen until 1835. But all these offices and callings were inherent in the two priesthoods conferred upon the founder of the Church before its organization.

First and Second Elders--Other Titles.--Joseph Smith was the first President of the Church. His original title was "First Elder;" Oliver Cowdery being the "Second Elder." The initial use of these titles--an anticipative use--was by John the Baptist, the angel who ordained Joseph and Oliver to the Aaronic Priesthood. He told them of their future ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood, and of their calling as "Elders" thereunder. [4] As early as the date of the Church's organization, the titles of Seer, Translator, Prophet and Apostle, were conferred upon Joseph, and that of Apostle upon Oliver, by revelation. [5]

Puerile Complaints. In after years President Joseph Smith and his associates were criticised by seceders from the Church, because of additions made to the original list of offices, as the result of growth and development on the part of the infant organization. It was contended that since it came into existence with Elders, Priests, Teachers and Deacons as its governing powers, and this by divine direction, therefore these orders should have been deemed sufficient, to the exclusion of High Priest and other titles claimed to have been added by "ambitious and spiritually blind" leaders. [6] Such objections are manifestly puerile. The faultfinders would have been no more inconsistent, had they contended that a new-born babe should remain a babe, instead of growing up to manhood or womanhood and fulfilling the measure of its creation.

The Correct View.--President George A. Smith, in speaking of the progress of the Church, was fond of using, as a comparison, the growth of a hill of corn--first, a single blade of green shooting up from the soil; then two or three such blades; and afterwards a stalk, with ears of corn and silken tassels pendant. One who made no allowance for the growth of the "hill," might be mystified at beholding it in these various stages of development; but those familiar with the changes incidental to such an evolution would see the matter in a clear light.

Greater Follows Lesser.--What more consistent, more in harmony with correct principle and historical precedent, than for the greater to follow the lesser, as when the Melchizedek Priesthood came to Joseph and Oliver, after their ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood? The lesser prepares the way before the greater. But according to the logic of the Prophet's critics, that first ordination should have been all-sufficient; there should have been no second ordination, and no further development of the Lord's work. It ought to have halted then and there, when the keys of the Lesser Priesthood were given. But the Lord knew best, and his inspired servants knew. There was to be, and there has been, a great and mighty development, as the present status of the Church testifies. It has had a wonderful history and a marvelous growth. Never so strong or so well equipped as now, its future is bright with glorious promise.

Offices in the Aaronic Priesthood.--The offices of the Aaronic Priesthood, graded upward, are Deacon, Teacher and Priest. The presidency of this priesthood is the Bishopric. The Bishop has charge of the Church property. He receives and disburses, under the direction of the higher authorities, the tithes and offerings of the people. A Presiding Bishopric of three have general charge of the funds provided for the support of the poor, for the building of temples, for the creation and maintenance of schools, and for other purposes. The Church's general financial records are also in their keeping. A bishop must be a lineal descendant of Aaron--in which event he can serve without counselors--or else a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, [7] having as his counselors two other high priests of that order. Under the jurisdiction of the Presiding Bishopric, in temporal matters, are the ward bishoprics.

Wards and Stakes.--The Ward is a division of the Stake as the Stake is a division of the Church. A stake, in territorial extent, frequently corresponds to a county, though in populous districts one county may contain several stakes. There are four stakes in Salt Lake City. Each stake has a presidency of three, and a high council of twelve, and these have jurisdiction over all members and organizations in the stake, including the ward bishoprics. Each of the latter constitutes a tribunal for the trial of members who transgress the church laws and regulations. From the decision of the Bishop's Court, either party in a case may appeal to the High Council, and from a decision of this appellate court an appeal may be taken to the First Presidency. They review the evidence, and if any injustice has been done, the case is remanded for a new trial. If a President of the Church were tried, it would be before "The Common Council of the Church," assisted by "twelve counselors of the high priesthood." [8] The extreme penalty imposed by any of the Church tribunals is excommunication.

Administration of Ordinances.--The Aaronic Priesthood administers in outward ordinances, such as baptism, and the sacrament of the Lord's supper. The higher ordinances--confirmations, sealings, adoptions, and other temple ceremonies--must be administered by the Priesthood of Melchizedek.

Offices in the High Priesthood--Quorums and Councils.--The Melchizedek Priesthood comprises, in an ascending scale, the offices of Elder, Seventy and High Priest. The Patriarch, the Apostle, and the President must all be high priests after this order. Each specific body of priesthood is called a quorum, though most of the general priesthood organizations are termed councils.

The General Authorities.--The highest council in the Church is the First Presidency. It is composed of three high priests, one of whom is the President, the others being his First and Second counselors. These three preside over the entire Church. The President is its Prophet, Seer and Revelator, and also its Trustee-in-Trust, holding the legal title to its property.

Next to the First Presidency are the Twelve Apostles. Their special calling is to preach the Gospel or to have it preached, in all nations. The Twelve are equal in authority to the First Presidency, but they exercise the fulness of their powers only in the absence of the higher council. They have the right to regulate and set in order the whole Church, but they act under the direction of the First Presidency. The death of the President dissolves that council, and makes necessary a new organization thereof. The Apostles nominate the President, who then chooses his Counselors, and the three are upheld and sustained by the Church in its public assemblies, called conferences. The duty of the Presiding Patriarch is to bless the Church, give individual blessings to its members, and comfort them with spiritual ministrations. He also assists the Apostles in visiting conferences and missions, and performing other duties as required.

The First Council of the Seventy, seven in number, preside over the entire body of the Seventies. These, however, are divided into quorums of seventy, each quorum having seven presidents of its own. In the absence of the First Presidency and the Twelve, the First Council of the Seventy would preside over the Church, associated with sixty-three others, the senior presidents of the first sixty-three quorums of seventy. The Seventies labor under the direction of the Twelve Apostles. They are independent of the stake presidencies and bishoprics, as quorums, but not as individual members. They are the "minute men" of the Church, subject to sudden calls into the mission field.

The First Presidency, the Twelve Apostles, the Presiding Patriarch, the First Council of the Seventy, and the Presiding Bishopric, constitute the General Authorities of the Church. Their names are submitted to the General Conference, held twice a year, to be voted upon by the members. They are also presented at the stake conferences, held quarterly, to be voted upon, with the stake officers, in like manner.

High Priests, Patriarchs and Elders.--Each Stake has a quorum of high priests, indefinite in number, presided over by three of its members. The High Priesthood holds the inherent right of presidency. All the general authorities, excepting the First Council of the Seventy, must be high priests; and the same is true of stake presidencies and ward bishoprics. In each stake are one or more patriarchs, performing, when active, duties similar to those of the Presiding Patriarch. A Stake has one or more quorums of Elders, each composed of ninety-six members, three of whom preside. Each ward should have one or more quorums of priests (forty-eight), teachers (twenty-four), and deacons (twelve), each with a presidency of three. The ward bishopric presides in a general way over all the quorums of the Aaronic Priesthood in the ward, and over all church members, as individuals, residing therein. The bishop of the ward is ex officio president of the priest's quorum. The Elder's office is the lowest in the Melchizedek Priesthood. The duties of an elder are similar to those of a seventy, though intended to be exercised more at home than abroad.

The Lesser Quorums.--The highest office in the Aaronic Priesthood, except bishop, is that of priest. The bishop, however, is a priest, and officiates as such when sitting as a judge; when presiding over his ward, it is by virtue of the higher priesthood held by him. The priest may preach, baptize and administer the Sacrament, but has not the right to lay on hands and give the Holy Ghost; that being a function of the Melchizedek Priesthood.

The teacher is a peacemaker. He settles difficulties arising between church members in his district; or, if he cannot settle them, he reports them to the bishop. Two or more teachers labor regularly in each of the districts into which a ward is divided. It is incumbent upon them to visit from house to house, to see that no iniquity exists among the members, and that they are attentive to their religious duties. The teachers report monthly, or as often as required, to the ward bishopric. The deacons have charge of the ward property, and they assist the teachers, as the teachers assist the priests.

Auxiliaries--Church Schools. All the organizations named are strictly within the pale of the Priesthood. In addition, there are a number of auxiliary organizations--helps to the Priesthood in the government of the Church--such as relief societies, Sabbath schools, young peoples' mutual improvement associations, primary associations, and religion classes. Church schools, of which the religion classes are an adjunct, exist in many of the stakes. The more notable of the schools are the Brigham Young University at Provo, the Brigham Young College at Logan, and the Latter-day Saints University at Salt Lake City. For the maintenance of its splendid educational system, the Church makes an appropriation of nearly three quarters of a million dollars, annually. All branches of learning find place in the curricula of these institutions, but religion is the principal feature; the object being to develop the spiritual, as well as the mental, physical, and moral faculties of the student--in short, "to make Latter-day Saints." [9]

The Present Status.--At the period of this writing there are eighty-five Stakes of Zion, all located in the region of the Rocky Mountains. The Church's twenty-four outside missions comprise most of the countries of the globe. The Latter-day Saints, in all the world, number about half a million.

Footnotes

1. D. & C. 76:54; 107:93.

2. Ib. 20:38-64.

3. Ib. vv. 65-67. Note.

4. Hist. Ch. Vol. 1, pp. 40, 41, 77, 78.

5. D. & C. 21:1.

6. David Whitmer, one of the Three Witnesses to the Book of Mormon, in a pamphlet published after his excommunication from the Church, put forth such a plea. He also found fault with the Prophet for receiving revelations without the aid of a seer-stone, previously used by him, but laid aside after he had fully mastered his gift, which David seems to have regarded as of less consequence than the stone, which was no longer needed.--"Address to All True Believers in Christ," by David Whitmer, 1881.

7. D. & C. 68:14-21; 107:16, 17, 69-76.

8. Ib. 107:82.

9. For further information on Priesthood and Church Government, the reader is referred to Sections 20, 68, 84, 107, 112 and 114, Doctrine and Covenants; also to Volume 3, p. 385 and Vol. 4, p. 207, History of the Church.

ARTICLE THIRTY.

The Law of Obedience.

"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in Heaven before the foundation of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated; and when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated."--Joseph Smith. [1]

Pope and His Proverb.--"Order is heaven's first law," said Alexander Pope; [2] and many have accepted the poet's dictum as final. It sounds well, but is it true? President George Q. Cannon denied its truth, affirming order to be an effect rather than a cause, a result flowing from obedience, without which order would be impossible. Obedience, he maintained, is heaven's first law, and the order that reigns there, a condition consequent. Manifestly this is a correct position.

Human and Divine Government.--That obedience is essential to order, must be apparent even to a casual observer of the every-day life of men and nations. All governments demand from their people obedience to the laws enacted for the general welfare. Without it there would be no peace, no protection. Confusion would prevail, and anarchy reign supreme. This is readily conceded by most men as to human governments; but some think it strange that divine government should be administered upon like principles, and for similar though higher ends.

Aliens Must Be Naturalized.--A friend of mine, somewhat of a skeptic, asked me: "Why must I belong to a church, or subscribe to a creed, or undergo any particular ceremony, in order to be saved? I have always done what I thought was right--have been truthful, honest, virtuous and benevolent. Why is that not enough? Why will it not suffice to make my peace with God and pave my way to Heaven?"

I answered: "Suppose you were an alien, born in some country of Europe, or on some island of the sea, and you came to America desiring to become a citizen of the United States. When told that you must declare your intentions, take out naturalization papers, forswear allegiance to any foreign power, and honor and uphold the Constitution and laws of this Republic, suppose you were to reply: Why, what is the need of all that? I am a good man; I have always acted honorably; am clean, moral and upright in conduct and conversation. Why is that not sufficient to entitle me to vote, to hold office, take up land, and enjoy all the rights and privileges of an American freeman? Do you think such a plea would avail? No, you do not. You see its inconsistency as quickly as the Government would see it and reject your application. You would not expect to become a citizen of the United States on your own terms. Why, then, should you hope for admittance into the Kingdom of Heaven upon any conditions other than those which the King himself has laid down?"

Man's Proper Attitude.--Men must not count upon their personal qualities, when applying for citizenship in the Eternal Commonwealth. The proper attitude is one of humility, not self-righteousness. The Pharisee who prayed, thanking the Lord that he was better than other men, was less justified than the Publican who also prayed, but in a different spirit, meekly murmuring: "God be merciful to me, a sinner." [3] A disposition to laud self, or dictate the terms upon which one is willing to be blest, is anything but modest, anything but reasonable. Truthfulness, honesty, virtue, benevolence--these are precious qualities, treasures enriching the soul under all conditions, inside or outside the Kingdom of Heaven. But they are not valuable enough to purchase a passport into that Kingdom. They go far, but not far enough to secure salvation.

Better Than Sacrifice.--"To obey is better than sacrifice." So said obedient Samuel to disobedient Saul. [4] Abraham's willingness to obey, when the Lord commanded him to offer up Isaac, was accepted in lieu of the offering. A literal sacrifice was not necessary in that case; but the offer to make it was necessary; for thus was symbolized the most important event in all history--the offering by the Eternal Father of his beloved Son for the redemption of the fallen human race. The Patriarch's willingness having been shown, the Lord, who had directed Abraham to offer up his son, sent an angel with the countermanding order: "Lay not thine hand upon the lad." [5] The offering had been accepted, and he who made it was rewarded as abundantly as if the sacrifice had been consummated.

Dead Letter and Living Oracle.--But what if Abraham, when commanded to offer up his son, had refused, citing in support of his position the divine law against homicide, a law dating from the time of Cain and Abel--would that have justified him? No; God's word is his law, and the word last spoken by him must have precedence over any earlier revelation on the same subject. If Abraham, after being forbidden to slay his son, had fanatically persisted in slaying him, he would have been a transgressor, just as much as if he had refused to obey in the first instance. After receiving the second command, he could not consistently plead that he was under obligation to carry out the first. Had he done so, he would have placed himself in a false position, that of honoring the dead letter above the living oracle.

The Will for the Deed.--Let me give this principle another application. A soldier goes forth to fight the battles of his country, goes with a willing heart, offering his life that justice may prevail and freedom endure. Having done his duty, he returns unscathed from the conflict where many went down to death. Is not his offering as acceptable as that of his comrade who makes what is called "the supreme sacrifice?" He certainly offers as much, the only difference being that not as much of his offering is taken.

All honor to those who, during the dreadful war of recent years, perished in the blood-soaked trenches, or fell in the open field with Prussian or Austrian bullets in their breasts! All honor to those who met death by accident or disease, in training camp or at battle-front, on land or on sea, losing their lives while faithfully playing their part in the great world tragedy! Heroes, every one! But the gallant fellows who lived through it all, patiently enduring hardships and privations, dying daily by anticipation, and by willingness to sacrifice all for the common good--be it not forgotten that in spirit they gave as much as any; and the fact that their offering was not taken, does not discount the motive that actuated them, nor diminish the credit due. "As his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff; they shall part alike." [6]

The Just and the Unjust.--All blessings come by obedience. When the Savior said of the Father: "He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." [7] he did not mean that no distinction is made between the two classes. He meant that the Great Judge is just to both--just even to the unjust, sending to them his rain and his sunshine, causing their orchards to bloom and their vineyards to bear equally with those of the righteous, provided similar conditions surround, and both classes are equally obedient to the laws governing the culture of the soil.

They Kept the First Estate.--But rain and sunshine, like all other blessings, are for those who merit them. If the unjust (unjust here) had not "kept their first estate," had not manifested in a previous life some degree of obedience to divine law, they would not have been given a "second estate," would not have been placed where the sunlight and the showers could reach them.

Obedience Must Continue.--In this life, however, further obedience is necessary, in order that greater blessings may come. God's gifts are both spiritual and temporal; but whatever they are, their bestowal is regulated by the great Law of Obedience. A good man may be a poor farmer, and thus fail to raise the full crop that he might have reaped had he been more skillful or more thorough in the practice of his vocation. On the other hand, a bad man may be an expert tiller of the soil, realizing bounteous returns because of his strict observance of the law in that particular department of industry.

Higher Laws and Higher Blessings.--There are greater blessings, however, than those pertaining to the harvest field and the workshop, and they also are to be had only by obedience to the laws governing their bestowal and distribution. One cannot become a member of the Church of Christ by being a successful merchant or stockraiser; and one may hold church membership, yet not be entitled to the privileges of the Temple. It takes more than the skill of a mechanic to get into the Kingdom of Heaven. There is but one way into that kingdom, and he who tries to pick the lock or climb over the wall, will be treated as a trespasser or a robber.

Rod and Rock.--Obedience is the rod of power which smites the rock of divine resource, causing it to flow with the waters of human weal. And the most obedient are the most blest. There are "many mansions" in the great House of God, and the highest are for those who render unto the Master of the House the fulness of their obedience.

Footnotes

1. D. & C. 130:20,

2. "Essay on Man," Epis 4, line 49.

3. Luke 18:10-14.

4. 1 Sam. 15:22.

5. Gen. 22:12.

6. 1 Sam. 30:24.

7. Matt. 5:45.

ARTICLE THIRTY-ONE.

The Divine Doorway.

The Most Important Personage.--What particular acts of obedience are required from man, in order that the One who redeemed may likewise save and exalt him? What must he do for himself, to the end that he may profit by the great things done in his behalf? In other words, how shall the alien seeking citizenship in the Kingdom of Heaven, obtain it? What are the divine laws of naturalization? The one who can answer such questions, is easily the most important personage of his time. Such a one was Peter, the Galilean fisherman, chief of the twelve special witnesses of the Savior.

The Pentecostal Proclamation.--When Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, preached "Christ and him crucified," and the conscience-stricken multitude, "pricked in their heart," cried out, "men and brethren, what shall we do?" a question was propounded which the most learned philosophers of that age could not answer. Caesar, sitting upon the throne of the world, would have been mystified had the question been put to him--What shall men do to be saved? Not so, the Galilean fisherman. He knew, and he told them straightway:

"Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." [1]

The Gospel Unchangeable.--These requirements have not changed. They are in force today. They will remain in force so long as the Gospel is preached. The Apostle did not say that these were all the requirements. But he answered the question put to him, and it was the appropriate and sufficient reply for that occasion.

In the Pit.--When Adam and Eve had transgressed the divine command by partaking of the forbidden fruit, it was as if the human race had fallen into a pit, from which they were powerless, by any act of their own, to emerge. They could not climb out, for they knew not how to climb; and even if they had known, there was no means by which to ascend. Human endeavor, unassisted, could accomplish nothing in the way of deliverance. Man in his mortal condition needed revelation, spiritual enlightenment, having forgotten all that he had previously known. He also needed a ladder.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ladder to Freedom and Light. Without it there is no salvation, no exaltation. The Tower of Babel symbolizes the situation. All man's efforts to reach Heaven without divine assistance, must end in confusion and failure.

Self-Help Necessary.--Before there was a Ladder, or while it was not within reach, fallen man could not climb. All his intelligence and skill were unavailing. But the ladder having been let down, if he will use his God-given powers and all the means provided for the purpose, he can mount from Earth to Heaven, round by round. If he refuses to climb, who but himself is to blame for his remaining at the bottom of the pit? The Gospel is not a substitute for self-help. It does not supersede man's efforts in his own behalf. It is the divinely appointed means whereby those efforts are made effectual. It does for man what he cannot do for himself.

Redemption by Grace.--The Gospel of Salvation rests upon the rock of Christ's Atonement--an act of grace, a free gift from God to man, to the wicked as well as to the righteous. All profit by it, for through that atonement, all are brought forth from the grave. This is eminently just. Adam's posterity were consigned to death for no deed of their own doing. It is fitting, therefore, that their redemption should be unconditional.

Salvation by Obedience.--But redemption is not salvation, nor salvation exaltation. Men must "work out" their salvation, [2] and gain exaltation by continuous upward striving. Depending primarily upon the grace of God, salvation and exaltation are likewise the fruits of man's acceptance of the Gospel, and of his steadfast adherence thereto, until it shall have done for him its perfect work.

The First Requirement.--Faith is the first requirement of the Gospel. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." So the Savior declared, when he commissioned his Apostles to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." [3] Peter's Pentecostal sermon omitted faith from the list of essentials, doubtless for the reason that those whom the Apostle addressed already had faith, a fact plainly shown by the question put to him. Evidently they believed what he had told them about the crucified Redeemer; else they would not have been "pricked in their heart," and would not have anxiously inquired, "What shall we do?"

In like manner, the Savior, when making his conditional promise of salvation, left out repentance, it being implied, virtually included, in the admonition to believe and be baptized; since baptism is "for the remission of sins"--sins of which man has repented. Faith, not repentance, is the first essential--the initial requirement made of the seeker for salvation.

The Second Step.--The first fruit of faith is repentance. It follows faith as naturally as kindness follows love, as obedience springs from reverence, as a desire to be congenial with, succeeds admiration for, one whose example is deemed worthy of emulation. God commands all men to repent; and a desire to please him and become acceptable in his sight, naturally leads the soul of faith to repentance.

"Sin No More."--Repentance is not that superficial sorrow felt by the wrongdoer when "caught in the act"--a sorrow not for sin, but for sin's detection. Chagrin is not repentance. Mortification and shame alone bring no change of heart toward right feeling and right living. Even remorse is not all there is to repentance. In highest meaning and fullest measure, repentance is equivalent to reformation; the beginning of the reformatory process being a resolve to "sin no more." "By this ye may know that a man repenteth of his sins: Behold he will confess them and forsake them." [4]

What is Sin?--Sin is the transgression of divine law, as made known through the conscience or by revelation. A man sins when he violates his conscience, going contrary to light and knowledge--not the light and knowledge that has come to his neighbor, but that which has come to himself. He sins when he does the opposite of what he knows to be right. Up to that point he only blunders. One may suffer painful consequences for only blundering, but he cannot commit sin unless he knows better than to do the thing in which the sin consists. One must have a conscience before he can violate it. "Where there is no law given, there is no punishment . . . . no condemnation." [5] "He that knoweth not good from; evil is blameless." [6]

Degrees of Damnation.--Souls who know that they have sinned, and who refuse to forsake their sins, will be damned. They damn themselves by that refusal. Damnation is no part of the Gospel. It is simply the sad alternative, the inevitable consequence of rejecting the offer of salvation. Damnation (condemnation) is not necessarily permanent, and it may exist in degrees, the degree being determined by the measure of culpability in the one condemned. Even the damned can be saved if they repent.

The Sin Unpardonable.--It is possible, however, to sin so far and so deeply that repentance is impossible. Shakespeare puts into the mouth of one of his characters--the guilty King Claudius--this speech:

"Try what repentance can: what can it not? Yet what can it when one cannot repent?" [7]

Those who cannot repent are sons of perdition. Their sin is unpardonable, involving utter recreancy to divine light and power previously possessed.

The Washing of Regeneration.--Sin must not only be repented of; it must be blotted out. The soul must be cleansed of it. Baptism is the soul-cleansing process, the divinely instituted means whereby sins are remitted--that is, forgiven and washed away. Immersion in water, symbolizing birth, or burial and resurrection, is the true form of the baptismal ordinance. Baptism is the third principle of the Gospel.

Divine Illumination.--The soul cleansed from sin is in a condition to enjoy the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit, which "dwelleth not in unclean tabernacles." Through this precious gift comes the divine light that "leads into all truth," making manifest the things of God, past, present, and to come. There is a light that illumines, in greater or less degree, every soul that cometh into the world; but the Gift of the Holy Ghost, imparted by the laying on of hands of one divinely authorized to bestow it, is a special endowment, and only those having membership in the Church of Christ can possess it. Each is thus given a direct personal testimony of the Truth, and is founded upon the Rock of Revelation, against which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail.

Gospel Principles Eternal.--The Everlasting Gospel is not an empty phrase. It means just what it says. The principles underlying it are eternal. "Intelligence or the light of truth was not created or made, neither indeed can be." [8] The same is true of faith and repentance. God did not make them. They are self-existent. Such ordinances as baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, and the laying on of hands for the gift (giving) of the Holy Ghost, might indeed be created, and doubtless were; but not the fundamental facts upon which they are based. It did not require a divine edict to make washing (baptism) a prerequisite to cleanliness; nor light (the Holy Spirit) the means of illumination.

A code or system of laws and ordinances can readily be conceived of as a creation. Not so the principles embodied therein. The Gospel, like all other creations, was organized out of materials already in existence--eternal principles adapted to the needs of man and the purposes of Deity. The Supreme Intelligence, recognizing these principles as ennobling and exalting in their tendency, created a plan embodying them as the most effectual means for man's uplift and promotion. That plan, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is the divinely appointed doorway into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Footnotes

1. Acts 2:38.

2. Phil. 2:12.

3. Mark 16:15, 6.

4. D. & C. 58:43.

5. 2 Nephi 9:25.

6. Alma 29:5.

7. Hamlet, Act. 3, Scene 3.

8. D. & C. 93:29.

ARTICLE THIRTY-TWO.

The Second Birth.

The Edict of the King.--"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God."

"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." [1]

So said the King of that Kingdom, the only one empowered to prescribe conditions upon which men may become his subjects, or his fellow citizens in the Eternal Commonwealth. Nicodemus, to whom Jesus spoke those words, was a ruler of the Jews, a Pharisee, and, as some suppose, a member of the Sanhedrin, or supreme Jewish council. Favorably inclined toward the unpopular Nazarene, yet too politic to be seen associating with him openly, this man sought him out by night, avowing a belief that he was "a teacher come from God." In response to this confession of faith, Jesus taught Nicodemus the doctrine of baptism.

A Subject of Controversy.--The meaning of the language in which the teaching was conveyed, though perfectly plain to Christians anciently, has been a matter of uncertainty to their successors all down the centuries. From the days of the early Greek fathers of the Christian Church, to the days of St. Augustine, the great theologian of the Western or Roman Catholic division of that Church; from his time to the time of Luther and Calvin, and thence on into the present age, men have disputed over the mystical Second Birth, declared by the World's Redeemer to be the portal of admittance into his Kingdom.

Over the general meaning of the phrase, "Born of Water and of the Spirit," there may have been no serious contention. In all or most of the Christian denominations, it means baptism, the ordinance whereby a person is initiated into the Church. But the meaning of baptism, the significance, form, purpose and effects of the ordinance, and whether or not it is necessary to salvation--these questions have furnished the backbone of the controversy; questions easily answered, problems readily solved, if the Holy Spirit be taken for a guide, and there be no wresting of the scriptures.

The Savior's Example.--The words of Jesus to Nicodemus ought to set at rest the question of necessity. But as a clincher we have the Savior's declaration regarding his own baptism. Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized by John. The Baptist, deeming himself unworthy of that high honor, demurred, saying: "I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?" Jesus, answering, said: "Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him." [2]

Now, if it was becoming in the Son of God to be baptized, it is becoming in all who follow in his footsteps and hope to be with him hereafter. They must be baptized with the baptism that he was baptized with--the baptism of water and of the Spirit, received by him at the river Jordan nearly two thousand years ago.

King and Subject. There are those who contend that the baptism of Jesus was all-sufficient; that it answered for the whole human race, thereby obviating the necessity of baptism in general. To all such I put this question Can you conceive of a kingdom in which the king is required to obey the laws ordained for its government, while the subjects are not required to obey them? Far more likely, is it not, that the king, rather than the subject, would be exempt from such obedience? But the laws of Christ's Kingdom are just and impartial. They bear with equal pressure upon all. The Son doeth nothing but what he hath seen the Father do, [3] nor does he require from men an obedience that he himself is not willing to render. "Follow Me," is the watchword of his mission.

"To Fulfil All Righteousness."--True, baptism is "for the remission of sins," [4] and in the Savior there was no sin to remit. Why, then, was he baptized? John saw this point, when Jesus presented himself for baptism; and that, no doubt, was one reason why he demurred to the request. We cannot impute sin to the Sinless, but we are in duty bound to accept and obey his instruction. He did not say: Thus it becometh Me to fulfill all righteousness. He put it in the plural, thus giving it general application.

Baptism Not Done Away.--Christ's baptism, whether for original sin--the sin of the world, which he had assumed--or purely as an example, did not do away with baptism, any more than his endurance of the pangs of Adam's race [5] obviated human suffering. Men and women still suffer, notwithstanding that infinite atonement. All must be baptized for the remission of their own sins, notwithstanding the baptism of "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." [6]

Exempt From Baptism.--Little children, too young to have sinned, and therefore without need of repentance, are exempt from baptism, and it is a sin to baptize them, involving as it does the vain use of a sacred ordinance. [7] Redeemed by the blood of Christ from the foundation of the world, their innocence and purity are typical of the saved condition of men and women, who must become like them before entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. As children advance in years, however, they become account-able, and must then yield obedience to the requirements of the Gospel. [8] Eight years is the recognized age of accountability in the Church of Christ. [9]

Redeemed Without Law.--There is another class mentioned in sacred writ, for whom, in the language of the Book of Mormon, "baptism availeth nothing." The "heathen nations," who "died without law," are to be "redeemed without law," and shall "have part in the first resurrection." [10] These, however, are not heirs celestial. Theirs is "the glory of the terrestrial" in the great Kingdom of the Future.

Vicarious Ministrations.--So necessary is baptism, on the part of all capable of intelligent obedience, that the Gospel makes provision for the vicarious baptism of those who pass away without undergoing this ordinance for themselves. Work of this character, when divinely authorized, is acceptable to the Lord; a fact that should occasion little wonder in Christian minds, when it is remembered that the whole fabric of Christianity rests upon the vicarious work wrought by Jesus Christ for the redemption of a world powerless to redeem itself. Men cannot answer by proxy for the deeds done in the body, but there have always been sacred ceremonies that one person might perform for another. Baptism is among them. [11]

For the Remission of Sins.--Baptism is the divinely instituted process whereby sins are remitted. All men have sinned, and in order to bring them back into God's pure presence, where nothing sinful can come, it is necessary that they be first cleansed from sin. Water baptism is the beginning of the cleansing process.