Chapter II: Part I: Eternal Intelligences and Progress (1)

LESSON I.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

INTELLIGENCE, INTELLIGENCES.

ANALYSIS.

I. Intelligence Defined.

II. Qualities and Powers of Intelligences.

1. Consciousness.

2. Generalization.

3. Perception of a priori principles.

4. Reason.

5. Imagination.

6. Volition.

REFERENCES.

Seventy's Year Book, Second Year, Part I. Lessons i and iv; The Truth of Thought, Ch. iv.[A] Psychology, Prof. William James of Harvard, Chs. xi, xii,[B] dealing with "The Stream of Consciousness" and "The Self." Joseph Smith's "King Follett Sermon," Improvement Era, Vol. XII, Jan., 1909.[C] "Immortality," article in Improvement Era, April, 1907; Doc. & & Cov., Sec. 93.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "Intelligence is eternal, and exists upon a self-existing principle. It is a spirit[D] from age to age and there is no creation about it." (Joseph Smith, "King Follett Sermon," April, 1844.)_

[Footnote A: This little work (206 pages) is by William Pollard, some years Professor of Rational Philosophy in St. Louis University. It is a short treatise on the "Initial Philosophy," the ground work necessary for the consistent pursuit of knowledge, (1896).]

[Footnote B: I cite the abridged (teachers') edition of the Professor's, "Principles of Psychology."]

[Footnote C: This sermon as published in the "Era" is accompanied by explanatory notes, hence the "Era" is cited. It is also published in "Journal of Discourses," Vol. VI.]

[Footnote D: "A spirit from age to age"--not "Spirit from age to age:" but a "spirit"; that is an entity, a person, an individual. The Prophet's statement here could well be taken as an interpretation of Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:29. See Lesson II.]

DISCUSSION.

_1. Intelligence Defined:_ The sense in which the term "Intelligence" is to be used in this discussion is that of a mind, or an intelligent being, Milton make's such use of the term as the latter when he represents Adam as saying to the angel Raphael, who has given him a lesson on human limitations:

"How fully hast thou satisfied me, pure
Intelligence of heaven, angel serene!"[A]

[Footnote A: "Paradise Lost," viii:181.]

And so Alfred Tennyson:

"The great _Intelligences_ fair
That range above our mortal state."[A]

[Footnote A: "In Memoriam," lxxxv.]

God is also sometimes referred to as the "Supreme Intelligence." It is in this sense, then, that I use the term Intelligence; a being that is intelligent, capable of apprehending facts or ideas; possessed of power to think.

_2. Intelligence: Consciousness:_ In other words the term Intelligence is descriptive of the thing to which it is applied. Therefore Intelligence (mind) or Intelligences (minds), thus conceived are conscious. Conscious of _self_ and of _not self_; of the _me_ and the _not me_. "Intelligence is that which sees itself, or is at once both subject and object." It knows itself as thinking, that is, as a subject; thinking of its self, it knows itself as an object of thought--of its own thought. And it knows itself as distinct from a vast universe of things which are not self; itself the while remaining constant as a distinct individuality amid the great universe of things _not self_. Fiske calls Consciousness "the soul's fundamental fact;" and "the most fundamental of facts."[A] It may be defined as the power by which Intelligence knows its own acts and states. It is an awareness of the mind. By reason of it an Intelligence, when dwelling in a body--as we best know it (man)--knows itself as seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching; also as searching, and finding; as inquiring and answering; as active or at rest; as loving or hating; as contented or restless; as advancing or receding; as gaining or loosing, and so following in all the activities in which Intelligences, as men, engage.

[Footnote A: "Studies in Religion," p. 245.]

_3. Generalization:_ By another power or faculty of Intelligence (mind) it can perceive, as connected with the things that sense perceives, something that cannot be taken in by sense perception; that is to say, Intelligence can generalize. Sense can get at the individual, concrete thing only: "this triangle," "this orange" "that triangle," "those oranges," etc. By the consideration of the individual, concrete object, however, the mind can form an idea, a concept, a general notion--"triangle," "orange"--which does not specify this or that individual object, but "fits to any individual triangle or orange past, present, or future, and even the possible oranges that never shall be grown."[A] In other words Intelligence can rise from consideration of the particular to the general.

[Footnote A: "The Truth of Thought," p. 41.]

_4. Perception of a priori[A] Principles:_ Again there are a priori principles, which the mind can perceive to be incontrovertible and of universal application, by mere reflection upon the signification of the principles and without going into the applications.[B] Such for example as that one and one make two. That two and one make three. Also, to continue the illustration above, borrowed from the late Professor Wm. James, for some time Professor of Psychology in Harvard University.--"White differs less from gray than it does from black; that when the cause begins to act the effect also commences. Such propositions hold of all possible 'ones,' of all conceivable 'whites' and 'grays' and 'causes.' The objects here are mental objects. Their relations are perceptually obvious at a glance, and no sense-verification is necessary. Moreover, once true, always true, of those same mental objects. Truth here has an 'eternal' character. If you can find a concrete thing anywhere that is 'one' or 'white' or 'gray' or an 'effect' then your principles will everlastingly apply to it. It is but a case of ascertaining the kind, and then applying the law of its kind to the particular object. You are sure to get truth if you can name the kind rightly, for your mental relations hold good of everything of that kind without exception."[C]

[Footnote A: A priori, from something prior or going before, hence from antecedent to consequent; from cause to effect. See illustrations in the text quoted from James.]

[Footnote B: "Truth of Thought," p. 41.]

[Footnote C: "Pragmatism"--James--(1908), pp. 209, 210.]

_5. Imagination:_ By a mind-power known as imagination, or imaginative memory, Intelligences, as known to us through men, can hold before consciousness, in picture, what has been perceived by an outward sense, and this even when the outward sense has been shut off from the outward world of matter. I once saw an orange tree with a number of ripe oranges scattered through its branches, but on other branches were orange blossoms. What the outward senses then perceived, when I was standing before the tree, has been shut off, but at will I can call before the vision of my mind and hold in consciousness the picture of that tree with its mixture of ripe fruit and fruit blossoms. This power of imagination, is also constructive. Intelligences (men) can put before themselves in mental picture, combinations which are fashioned from the varied stores of memory.[A] As I have elsewhere said: I am this moment sitting at my desk, and am enclosed by the four walls of my room--limited as to my personal presence to this spot. But by the mere act of my will, I find I have the power to project myself in thought to any part of the world. Instantly I can be in the crowded streets of the world's metropolis. I walk through its well remembered thoroughfares, I hear the rush and roar of its busy multitudes, the rumble of vehicles, the huckster's cries, the cab-men's calls, sharp exclamations and quick retorts in the jostling throngs, the beggar's piping cry, the sailor's song, fragments of conversation, broken strains of music, the blare of trumpets, the neighing of horses, ear-piercing whistles, ringing of bells, shouts, responses, rushing trains and all that mingled din and soul-stirring roar that rises in clamor above the great town's traffic.

[Footnote A: "Sensations, once experienced, modify the nervous organism, so that copies of them arise again in the mind after the original outward stimulus is gone. No mental copy, however, can arise in the mind, of any kind of sensation which has never been directly excited from without.

"The blind may dream of sights, the deaf of sounds, for years after they have lost their vision or hearing; but the man born deaf can never be made to imagine what sound is like, nor can the man born blind ever have a mental vision. In Locke's words, already quoted, 'the mind can frame unto itself no one new simple idea.' The originals of them all must have been given from without. Fantasy, or Imagination, are the names given to the faculty of reproducing copies of originals once left. The imagination is called 'reproductive' when the copies are literal; 'productive' when elements from different originals are recombined so as to make new wholes" (Wm. James: "Psychology," p. 302).]

At will, I leave all this and stand alone on mountain tops in Syria, India, or overlooking old Nile's valley, wrapped in the awful grandeur of solemn silence. Here I may bid fallen empires rise and pass in grand procession before my mental vision and live again their little lives; fight once more their battles; begin again each petty struggle for place, for power, for control of the world's affairs; revive their customs; live again their loves and hates, and preach once more their religions and their philosophies--all this the mind may do, and that as easily and as quickly as in thought it may leave this room, cross the street to a neighbor's home, and there take note of the familiar objects within his habitation.[A]

[Footnote A: "Mormon Doctrine of Deity," p. 132.]

_6. Ratiocination:_[A] "The mind (Intelligence) can combine various general principles or individual facts and principles; and in the combination and comparison of them, it can perceive other facts and principles.[B] In other words, Intelligence is capable of reasoning; of building up conclusions from the data of its knowledge. It has the power of deliberation and of judgment; by which it may determine that this state or condition is better than another state or condition. That this, tending to good, should be encouraged; and that, tending to evil, should be discouraged, or, if possible, destroyed.

[Footnote A: The process of deducing conclusions from premises.]

[Footnote B: "The Truth of Thought," p. 40.]

_7. Power of Volition:_ Intelligence, as embodied in man, is also conscious of the power, within certain limitations, to will, and to perform what he wills to do: To rise up, to sit down; to raise his arm, to let it fall; to walk, to run, to stand; to go to Paris, to Berlin, or to Egypt; to write a book, to build a house, to found a hospital; to control largely his actions, physical and moral; he can be sober or drunken; chaste, or a libertine; benevolent or selfish; honest or a rogue. Having deliberated upon this and that and having formed a judgment that one thing is better than another, or that one condition is better than another, he has power to choose between them and can determine to give his aid to this and withhold it from that. So that volition, within certain limitations at least, seems also to be a quality of Intelligence.[A] It is of course possible to conceive of Intelligence and its necessarily attendant consciousness, existing without volition; but Intelligence so conceived is shorn of its glory, since under such conditions it can make no use whatsoever of its powers. Its very thinking would be chaotic; its consciousness distressing. If active at all its actions would be without purpose and as chaotic as its thinking would be, unless it could be thought of as both thinking and acting as directed by an intelligent, purposeful will external to itself: which would still leave the Intelligence a mere automaton, without dignity or moral quality, or even intellectual value.[B] I therefore conclude that while it is possible to conceive of Intelligence with its necessarily attendant consciousness as without volition, still, so far as we are acquainted with Intelligence, as manifested through men, volition--sometimes named soul-freedom or free-agency is a quality that within certain limitations, attends upon Intelligences and may be an inherent quality of Intelligence, a necessary attribute of its very essence, as much so as is consciousness itself.

[Footnote A: Seventy's Second Year Book, Lesson I and IV.]

[Footnote B:

"Freedom and reason make us men,
Take these away, what are we then?
Mere animals, and just as well
The beasts may think of heaven or hell."
--"Latter-day Saints' Hymn Book," p. 263.]

_8. Recapitulation:_ We have found, then,

1. That Intelligences are eternal--self-existing intelligent entities;

2. That they are called Intelligences because intelligence is their chief characteristic;

3. That being intelligent consciousness is in them a necessary quality;

4. That they are both self-conscious, and conscious of an external universe not self;

5. That Intelligences have the power to generalize--to rise from the contemplation of the particular to the general, from the individual to universal;

6. That Intelligences can perceive the existence of certain a priori principles that are incontrovertible--necessary truths--which form a basis of knowledge;

7. That Intelligences as known through men possess a power of imagination or imaginative memory by which they hold pictures of sense perceptions before the mind and may form from them new combinations of thought and consciousness;

8. That Intelligences have power to reason (ratiocination), to deliberate, to form judgments;

9. That Intelligences have volition, physical, mental and moral, within certain limitations--a power both to will and to do; in other words they are free, or free agents.

It should be understood that these brief remarks respecting Intelligence and Intelligences are in no sense a treatise, even brief and cursory, on psychology; they are made merely to indicate some of the chief qualities that are inseparably connected with Intelligence and Intelligences so that when the words are used in this treatise, some definite idea may be had as to what is meant.

LESSON II.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

ETERNITY OF INTELLIGENCES.

ANALYSIS.

I. Eternal Existence of the Word--the Christ.

II. Eternal Existence of All Intelligences.

III. Proofs of Eternity.

1. Book of Abraham.

2. Joseph Smith's Writings.

IV. Of Words Used Interchangeably.

REFERENCES.

Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93; Seventy's Year Book II, Lesson i and iv; Book of Abraham, Ch. iii; Joseph Smith, "King Follett's Sermon," Improvement Era, Jan. 1909; Art. "Immortality," Ibid., April, 1907.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be." (Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93:29.)_

DISCUSSION.

_1. Eternity of Intelligence:_ In the preface of St. John's Gospel it is written: "I. the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. * * And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-4, 14). This is in plain allusion to the Christ, and bears witness, as all are agreed,[A] to the co-eternity of the Word of Christ with God, the Father.

[Footnote A: See "Commentary," Jamieson,--Fauset-Brown on St. John 1:1-4. Also "International Revision Commentary," Schaff--on St. John 1:1-4. The latter contrasting Gen. 1:1 with St. John's "in the beginning," says that the sacred historian (Moses) starts from the beginning and comes downwards, thus keeping us in the course of time. John starts from the same point, but goes upwards, thus taking us into the eternity preceding time. In Gen. 1:1, we are told that God "in the beginning created,"--an act done in time. Here (John 1:1) we are told that "in the beginning the Word was," a very strongly antithetical to "come into being" (verses 3, 14, comp. 8:58), and implying an absolute existence preceding, the point referred to. As that which is absolute self-existent, not created--that which is--is eternal, so the predication of eternity is involved in the clause before us taken as a whole. He who thus "was in the beginning," who, as we afterwards read, "was with God," and "was God," here bears the name of the "Word," Logos, which means both reason--[intelligence?] and word [expression?] For justification of the interpolated words in brackets, I refer to Dummelow's Commentary on the same passage: "Logos has two meanings in Greek: (1) Reason or intelligence as it exists inwardly in the mind; and (2) reason or intelligence as it is expressed outwardly in speech and both these meanings are to be understood when Christ is called the "Word of God." Commentary on John 1:1-4.]

In the Doctrine and Covenants this doctrine of the co-eternity of the "Word" with God is reaffirmed, and also is expressed more explicitly. "John," the Christ is represented as saying, "saw and bore record of the fullness of my glory. * * * And he bore record saying, 'I saw his glory that he was in the beginning before the world was. Therefore in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation, the light and the Redeemer of the World'" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:6-9).

_2. Extension of the Doctrine of Co-eternity:_ But not only is the doctrine of the co-eternity of the Christ with God the Father affirmed in this revelation, but that co-eternity is extended to the spirits (Intelligences--of which more later) of men. "Verily I say unto you," the Christ is represented as saying, "I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the first born. * * * Ye, [addressing the brethren present when the revelation was given]--Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is spirit [that is, that part of you which is spirit--i. e., Intelligence--that was in the beginning with God], even the spirit of truth."

_3. Extension of the Doctrine of Co-Eternity to all Intelligences:_ In a subsequent verse this doctrine of co-eternity is extended to the whole race of men; "man [the race] was also in the beginning with God." And that statement is immediately followed with this: "Intelligence, or the light of truth [that which perceives truth], was not created or made, neither indeed can be" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:29). Let us recapitulate: The co-eternity of the Christ and God the Father "in the beginning before the world was," is affirmed. Then the like co-eternity of the spirits of the men present when the revelation was given is affirmed. After which the like co-eternity of "Man"--used in the generic sense, meaning the race, is affirmed; followed by the declaration that "Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be," then of course, it follows that Intelligences are eternal, self-existing things.

It may be urged, however, that the word "Intelligence" in the revelation quoted above is used in the singular, not in the plural form. And hence may refer to "Intelligence" in general, as being uncreated and unbeatable, and not to the eternity of individual Intelligences. But the passage immediately preceding the declaration "Man also was in the beginning with God," stands as an explanation of that declaration. The word Intelligence in the passage quoted is governed as to its meaning by "Man" in the sentence--"Man was also in the beginning with God:" and now, "Intelligence," [the intelligent entity in man, in the race--and surely the Intelligence in each man is a complete and separate entity] "was not created or made, neither indeed can be." In other words, these Intelligences are as eternal as God is, or as the Christ is, or the Holy Spirit. This becomes more apparent when we learn in a subsequent verse of the revelation that "man is spirit" (verse 33). That is, in the inner fact of him, in the power and glory of him, man is not so many pounds avoirdupois of bone, muscle, lime, phosphate, water and the like; but in the great fact of him he is spirit--spirit substance and Intelligence.[A] And so far as human or revealed knowledge can aid one in forming a conclusion, there is no "Intelligence" existing separate and apart from persons, from intelligent entities, from individuals. Either it exists as persons, or as preceding from them, as a power or force, but never separated from them, any more than a ray of light is separated from the luminous body whence it proceeds. So that if any affirm a "universal Intelligence," or "Cosmic Mind," or "Over Soul," in the universe, it is an influence, a power proceeding either from an individual Intelligence or from harmonized individual Intelligences, a mind atmosphere proceeding from them--a projection of their mind power into the universe, as the sun and all suns, project light and warmth into the universe.[B]

[Footnote A: "That is the more real part of a man in which his characteristics and his qualities are. All the facts and phenomena of life confirm the doctrine that the soul is the real man. What makes the quality of a man? What gives him character as good or bad, small or great, lovable or detestable? Do these qualities pertain to the body? Every one knows that they do not. But they are qualities of the mind. Then the real man is not the body, but the living soul" (Samuel M. Warren, "World's Parliament of Religions," Vol. I, p. 480).]

[Footnote B: "Mormon Doctrine of Deity," p. 166-169, where the subject is discussed at some length under the title, "Of God, the Spirit of the Gods."]

_4. Proof of the Co-eternity of all Intelligences:_ In further evidence of the eternal existence of individual Intelligences I quote from the Book of Abraham:

"If two things exist and there be one above the other, there shall
be greater things above them. * * * If there be two spirits,
and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two
spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other,
have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end,
they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal" (Book of
Abraham, Chs. 3, 16, 18).

To this may be added the teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith who, in the closing days of his earthly ministry, dwelt much upon this subject and treated it with great emphasis. At the conference of the Church at Nauvoo in April, 1844, in a sermon, he said.

"The soul--the mind of man--the immortal spirit--where did it come
from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say that God created
it in the beginning, but it is not so; the very idea lessens man
in my estimation. I do not believe the doctrine. I know better.
Hear it, all ye ends of the world, for God has told me so, if you
don't believe me, it will not make the truth without effect We say
that God himself is a self-existent being. Who told you so? It is
correct enough, but how did it get into your head? Who told you
that man did not exists in like manner, upon the same principles?
Man does exist upon the same principles. * * * The mind or the
intelligence which man possess is co-equal, [co-eternal][A] with
God himself. I know my testimony is true. * * * I am dwelling on
the immorality of the spirit of man. Is it logical to say that the
intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it (i. e., the
intelligence) had a beginning? The intelligence of spirits had no
beginning, neither will it have an end. That is good logic. That
which has a beginning may have an end. There never was a time when
there were no spirits, for they are co-equal [co-eternal] with our
Father in heaven. * * * Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a
self-existent principle. It is a spirit from age to age and there
is no creation about it. * * * The first principles of a man are
self-existent with God."[B]

[Footnote A: The Prophet could not have intended to teach that the intelligence in man was "co-equal with God," except as to being co-equal in eternity with God, since the Book of Abraham teaches that God is more intelligent than all other intelligences (Ch. iii:19), and the Prophet himself taught the same truth. Hence the insertion of the word above in brackets. It must be remembered that the report of this discourse was not stenographic and this was doubtless a verbal error, due to imperfect reporting.]

[Footnote B: King Follett Sermon, April, 1844, "Improvement Era," Vol. XII, Jan. 1909. Also "Journal of Discourses," Vol. VI.]

_5. Words used Interchangeably:_ Here it is necessary to repeat with some additions, what was said in Year Book II, on the use of words interchangeably: It is often the case that misconceptions arise through a careless use of words, and through using words interchangeably, without regard to shades of differences that attach to them; and this in the scriptures as in other writings. Indeed, this fault is more frequent in the scriptures perhaps than in any other writings for the reason that, for the most part, they are composed by men who did not aim at scientific exactness in the use of words. They were not in most cases equal to such precision in the use of language, in the first place; and in the second, they depended more upon the general tenor of what they wrote for making truth apparent than upon technical precision in a choice of words; ideas, not niceness of expression, was the burden of their souls; thought, not its dress. Hence, in scripture, and I might say especially in modern scripture, a lack of careful or precise choice of words, a large dependence upon the general tenor of what is written to convey the truth, a wide range in using words interchangeably that are not always exact equivalents, are characteristics. Thus the expression, "Kingdom of God," "Kingdom of Heaven," "the Whole Family in Heaven," "the Church of Christ," "the Church of God," are often used interchangeably for the Church of Christ when they are not always equivalents; so, too, are used the terms "Spirit of God," and "Holy Ghost;" "Spirit of Christ," and "the Holy Ghost;" "Spirit," and "Soul;" "intelligences," and "spirits," and "angels." I mention this in passing, because I believe many of the differences of opinion and much of the confusion of ideas that exist arise out of our not recognizing, or our not remembering these facts. Hereafter let the student be on his guard in relation to the use of the words "intelligences," "spirits," "soul," "mind," etc.; and he will find his way out of many a difficulty.

Let the closing part of the quotation from the Prophet's discourse above be considered in the light of the suggestions made here respecting the use of words interchangeably. It is observed that he uses the words "Intelligence" and "spirit" interchangeably--one for the other; and yet we can discern that it is the "intelligence of spirits," not "spirits" entire (see next subdivision) that is the subject of his thought. It is the "Intelligence of Spirits" that he declares uncreated and uncreatable--eternal as God is. The same interchangeable use of the terms is to be observed in the Book of Abraham (Ch. iii:16-28) and in other scriptures.

LESSON III.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

INTELLIGENCES AND SPIRITS.

ANALYSIS.

I. The Differences Between Uncreated Intelligences and Spirits.

II. Men and Jesus of the Same Order of Intelligences.

III. Jesus but the First Born of Many Brethren.

REFERENCES.

Improvement Era, Art. "Immortality," April, 1907.

Seventy's Second Year Book, Lessons i and ii.

Book of Abraham, Ch. iii; "King Follett Sermon," Improvement Era, Jan., 1909.

Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93.

"Joseph Smith's Doctrines Vindicated," Improvement Era, March and April, 1910.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and to your Father; to my God and your God." (Jesus Christ: St. John xx:19.)_

DISCUSSION.

_1. Uncreated "Intelligences" and "Spirits":_ In the Book of Mormon we have the revelation which gives the most light upon the spiritexistence of Jesus, and, through his spirit-existence, light upon the spiritexistence of all men. The light is given in that complete revelation of the pre-existent, personal spirit of Jesus Christ, made to the brother of Jared, ages before the spirit of Jesus tabernacled in the flesh. The essential part of the passage follows:

"Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world
to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ And never have
I showed myself to man whom I have created, for never has man
believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after
mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning
after mine own image. Behold this body which ye now behold, is the
body of my spirit, and man have I created after the body of my
spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I
appear unto my people in the flesh."[A]

[Footnote A: Ether, Ch. iii:14-16.]

What do we learn from all this? First, let it be re-called that according to the express word of God "intelligences" are not created, neither indeed can they be. Now, with the above revelation from the Book of Mormon concerning the spirit-body of Jesus, before us, we are face to face with a something that was begotten, and in that sense a "creation," a spirit, the "first born of many brethren;" the "beginning of the creations of God." The spirit is in human form--for we are told that as Christ's spirit-body looked to Jared's brother, so would the Christ look to men when he came among them in the flesh; the body of flesh conforming to the appearance of the spirit, the earthly to the heavenly. "This body which ye now behold is the body of my spirit"--the house, the tenement of that uncreated intelligence which had been begotten of the Father a spirit, as later that spirit-body with the intelligent, uncreated entity inhabiting it, will be begotten a man. "This body which you now behold is the body of my spirit," or spirit-body. There can be no doubt but what here "spirit" as in the Book of Abraham, and in the passages quoted from the Prophet's King Follet's Sermon, is used interchangeably with "intelligence," and refers to the uncreated entity; as if the passage stood: "This is the body inhabited by an intelligence." The intelligent entity inhabiting a spirit-body make up the spiritual personage. It is this spirit life we have so often thought about, and sang about. In this state of existence occurred the spirit's "primevil childhood;" here spirits were "nurtured" near the side of the heavenly Father, in his "high and glorious place;" thence spirits were sent to earth to unite spirit-elements with earth-elements--in some way essential to a fullness of glory and happiness. "Man is Spirit. The elements are eternal, and Spirit and Element inseparably connected receive a fullness of joy; and when separated man cannot receive a fullness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; Yea, man is the tabernacle of God even temples."[A] Hence spirits are sent to earth, to take on its elements, and to learn the lessons earth-life has to teach. The half awakened recollections of the human mind may be chiefly engaged with scenes, incidents and impressions of that former spirit life; but that does not argue the non-existence of the uncreated intelligences who preceded the begotten spiritual personages as so plainly set forth in the revelations of God.

[Footnote A: Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:32-35.]

The difference, then, between "spirits" and "intelligences," as here used, is this: Spirits are uncreated intelligences inhabiting spiritual bodies; while "intelligences," pure and simple, are intelligent entities, but unembodied in either spirit bodies or bodies of flesh and bone. They are uncreated, self-existent entities; but let it be observed, in passing, that nothing is here said in relation to the form of these intelligent entities, nor anything as to their mode of existence. Indeed, so far as I know, nothing has been revealed in relation to their form or mode of existence; nothing beyond the fact of existence, their eternity and the qualities necessary to them as Intelligences.

_2. Jesus and Men of the same Order of Intelligences:_ The scriptures teach that Jesus Christ and men are of the same order of beings; that men are of the same race with Jesus, of the same nature and essence; that he is indeed our elder brother. "For it became him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. _For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:_ [i. e., essence or nature; or, regarding men's spirits, of one Father] for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."[A] Hence, though the Christ is more perfect in righteousness, and more highly developed in intellectual and spiritual powers than men, yet these differences are of degree, not of kind; so that what is revealed concerning Jesus, the Christ, may be of infinite helpfulness in throwing light upon the nature of man and the several estates he has occupied and will occupy hereafter. The coeternity of Jesus Christ with God, the Father, and the extension of the principle of co-eternity of the Intelligences in men with Jesus Christ and God has been already pointed out.[B]

[Footnote A: Heb. ii:10, 11.]

[Footnote B: Lesson II, this treatise.]

Again at the resurrection of the Christ, according to the testimony of St. John, the Master said to Mary of Magdala: "Go to my brethren [the apostles] and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God" (St. John 20:17). Hence we have Jesus and the apostles with the same Father, the same God, and the fact of brotherhood proclaimed. If such relation exists between Jesus and the apostles, then it exists between Jesus and all men, since the apostles were men of like nature with other men. In his great discourse in Mars Hill, Paul not only declares that God "hath made of one blood all nations of men"--but he also quoted with approval the Greek poet Aratus, where the latter says: "For we are also his (God's) offspring;" and to this the apostle adds: "For as much, then, as we are the offspring of God [hence of the same race and nature], we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art after man's device."[A] Our own nature, one might add, in continuation of the apostle's reasoning, should teach those who recognize men as the offspring of God, better than to think of the Godhead as of gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art after man's device, since the nature of the offspring partakes of the nature of the parent; and our own nature teaches us that men are not as stocks and stones, though the latter be graven by art after the devices of men.

[Footnote A: Acts xvii:26-30.]

Paul might also have quoted the great Hebrew poet: "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the Gods. * * * * I have said ye are Gods; and all of you are children of the Most High."[A]

[Footnote A: Psalms lxxxii:1, 6, 7.]

The matter is clear then, men and Gods are of the same race; Jesus is the Son of God, and so, too, are all men the offspring of God, and Jesus but the first born of many brethren. Eternal Intelligences are begotten of God, spirits; and hence are sons of God--a dignity that never leaves them. "Behold," said one of old, "now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is."[A]

[Footnote A: I John iii:2. I am not unmindful of the array of evidence that may be massed to prove that it is chiefly through adoption, through obedience to the Gospel of Christ, that man in the scripture is spoken of as being a son of God. But this does not weaken the evidence for the fact for which I am contending, viz., that man is by nature the son of God. He becomes alienated from his Father and the Father's kingdom through sin, through the transgression of the law of God; hence the need of adoption into the heavenly kingdom, and into son-ship with God. But though alienated from God through sin, man is nevertheless by nature the son of God.]

_3. Jesus the First Born of Many Brethren:_ Sure it is that God, the Father, is the Father of the spirits of men. "We," says Paul, "have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?" (Heb. 12:9).

According to this, then there is a "Father of Spirits." It follows, of course, that "spirits," have a father--they are begotten. It should be remarked that the term, "spirits" in the above passage cannot refer to self-existent, unbegotten intelligences of the revelations, considered in the foregoing lessons; and certainly this relationship of father to spirits is not one brought about in connection with generation of human life in this world. Paul makes a very sharp distinction between "Fathers of our flesh" and the "Father of spirits" in the above. Father to spirits is manifestly a relationship established independent of man's earth-existence; and, of course, is an existence which preceded earth-life, and where the uncreated Intelligences are begotten spirits. Hence, the phrase "shall we not be subject to the Father of spirits and live?"

Christ is referred to by the writer of the epistle to the Colossians, as the "first born of every creature" (i:15); and the Revelator speaks of him as "the beginning of the creation of God" (Rev. 3:14); and in the revelation already quoted so often (Doc. & Cov. Sec. xciii) Jesus represents himself as being in the "beginning with the Father;" and as "the first born."

The reference to Jesus as the "first born of every creature" cannot refer to his birth into earth-life, for he was not the first-born into this world; therefore, his birth here referred to must have reference to the birth of his spirit before his earth life.

The reference to Jesus as the "beginning of the creation of God," cannot refer to his creation or generation in earth-life; for manifestly he was not the beginning of the creations of God in this world; therefore, he must have been the "beginning" of God's creation elsewhere, viz., in the spirit world, where he was begotten a spiritual personage; a son of God.

The reference to Jesus as the "first born"--and hence the justification for our calling him "our Elder Brother" cannot refer to any relationship that he established in his earth-life, since as to the flesh he is not our "elder brother" any more than he is the "first born" in the flesh; there were many born in the flesh before he was, and older brothers to us, in the flesh, than he was. The relationship of "elder brother" cannot have reference to that estate where all were self-existent, uncreated and unbegotten, eternal Intelligences; for that estate admits of no such relation as "elder," or "younger;" for as to succession in time, the fact on which "younger" or "elder" depend, the Intelligences are equal, that is,--equal as to their eternity. Therefore, since the relationship of "elder brother" was not established by any circumstance in the earth-life of Jesus, and could not be established by any possible fact in that estate where all were self-existing Intelligences, it must have been established in the spirit life, where Jesus, with reference to the hosts of Intelligences designed to our earth, was the "first born spirit," and by that fact became our "Elder Brother," the "first born of every creature," "the beginning of the creations of God,".as pertaining to our order of existence.

_4. Views of Sir Oliver Lodge on the Eternity of Mind:_ Some scientists also bear testimony to the truth of the principle here contended for. Sir Oliver Lodge, when arguing for the reality of that mysterious, vital "something" which builds up from earth elements an oak, an eagle or a man, closes with the question, "Is it something which is really nothing, and soon shall it be manifestly nothing?" "Not so," he answers, "nor is it so with intellect and consciousness and will, nor with memory and love and adoration, nor all the manifold activities which at present strangely interact with matter and appeal to our bodily senses and terrestrial knowledge; they are not nothing, nor shall they ever vanish into nothingness or cease to be. They did not arise with us; _they never did spring into being; they are as eternal as the Godhead itself,_ and in the eternal Being they shall endure for ever. * * * And surely in this respect there is a unity running through the universe, and a kinship between the human and the Divine; witness the eloquent ejaculation of Carlyle:[A]

[Footnote A: Of Paul, too, and of David before him. See Hebrews ii:6, and Psalms viii:4.]

'What then, is man! What, then, is man!

'He endures but for an hour, and is crushed before the moth. Yet in the being and in the working of a faithful man is there already (as all faith from the beginning, gives assurance) a something that pertains not to this wild death-element of Time; that triumphs over Time, and is, and will be, when Time shall be no more."--"Science and Immortality," pp. 160, 161.

LESSON IV.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

INTELLIGENCES AND PROGRESS.

ANALYSIS.

I. Intelligences Differ in Degree of--

1. Intelligence.

2. Nobility.

3. Greatness.

4. Moral quality.

II. The "One" "Greater than All"--God.

1. Where Intelligences differ in degree there must be One Most Intelligent of all.

2. His greatness immeasurable.

III. Capacity of Intelligences for Progress.

1. Inherent Powers of,

2. Led and helped in Progress by Higher Intelligences.

IV. Union of Spirit and Earth-Elements Essential to Progress of Intelligences.

REFERENCES

Book of Abraham, Ch. iii; Book of Moses (in Pearl of Great Price), Ch. i:25-38.

New Witnesses for God, Vol. III, pp. 198-207.

King Follett Sermon, Improvement Era, January, 1909.

"Immortality of Man," Improvement Era, April 1907. Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93 and Sec. 88.

Seventy's Year Book II, Lessons II and III.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "They who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate, shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever." (Book of Abraham, Ch. iii:24-26.)_

DISCUSSION.

_1. The Varying Degrees of Intelligence Among Intelligences:_ We are already made aware of the fact in the preceding lessons that though Intelligences are equal in eternity of existence, it does not follow that they are equal in degree of intelligence. (Lesson II. Subdivision 4.) "If two things exist," said the Lord to Abraham, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them. * * * These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they."[A]

Not only do intelligences differ in regard to the degree of intelligence, but they differ also in moral quality and greatness and nobility.

"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the Intelligences that
were organized before the world was; and among all these there
were many of the _noble_ and _great ones_; And God saw these souls
that they _were good_, and he stood in the midst of them, and he
said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that
were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me:
Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast chosen before thou wast
born."[A]

[Footnote A: Book of Abraham, Ch. iii.]

The "among all these were many of the noble and great ones;" and "he saw that they were good," clearly manifests that reference is made to capacity, to largeness of mind-power, and to moral quality; and from among these "noble and great ones," shall the "rulers" come. Abraham was a type of the "noble and great ones," and was chosen before he was born, and assigned to the part he took in his earth life, and is known preeminently as the "friend of God," the "Father of the faithful." Similarly was Jeremiah foreknown and foreordained to be a Prophet (Jeremiah i:5); so, too, was St. John, the friend of Jesus, (I Nephi, xiv:18-27). So also the Christ was chosen and his mission appointed--he was "the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the World" (Rev. xiii:8). And in his great prayer, before his passion, he said: "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."[A]

[Footnote A: St. John xvii:5.]

Varying degrees of intelligence, then, among the Intelligences, as also varying degrees of greatness and nobility of soul and of moral quality are established; and doubtless the variation in the pre-earth existence is as great as it is in earth life.

_2. The "One" More Intelligent Than All--God:_ When it is conceded that among Intelligences there are varying degrees of intelligence, and greatness and nobility and moral quality, then it follows that there may be _One_ who is the most intelligent of all, greatest, noblest, best; most wise and most powerful. And how far this greatest and best may arise above the other Intelligences, who may say? There are no terms of comparison for the superlative. It rises above all comparisons, and how far above that to which it stands next--how far above the "better" the "best" rises--none may say. The same holds as to the "greatest" and the "noblest"--how far "greatest" rises above "great;" how far "noblest" rises above "noble," or "best" above "good," none may say. It may be that the "most intelligent," may mean not only more intelligent than any other one out of the mass of Intelligences, but more intelligent than all combined; and this indeed is the interpretation I place upon the following passage in the Book of Abraham: "These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other, there shall be another more intelligent than they; _I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than them All._" That is, than "All" combined, and for that reason is He God. "I dwell in the midst of them all," says the Lord to Abraham. "I now, therefore, have come down unto thee to deliver (i. e., _reveal_, see verses 1-15, Ch. iii) unto thee the works which my hands have made, wherein my wisdom excelleth them all, for I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the Intelligences thou hast seen" (Book of Abraham, Ch. iii:19-21). And to this agrees the following doctrine of the Prophet: "In knowledge there is power. God has more power than all other beings, because he has greater knowledge; hence he knows how to subject all other beings to himself. He has power over all" (Sermon at Nauvoo, April 8th, 1843, Hist, of the Church, Vol. V, p. 340.) And as I have said elsewhere: This Mighty Intelligence, who is "more intelligent than All" is also the All-Wise One; the All-Powerful One! What he tells other Intelligences to do must be precisely the wisest, fittest thing that they could anywhere or anyhow learn--the thing which it will in all ways behoove them with right loyal thankfulness, and nothing doubting, to do. There goes with this, too, the thought that this All-Wise One is the Un-Selfish One, the All-Loving One, the One who desires that which is highest, and best; not for Himself alone, but for all; and that, too, will be best for Him. His glory, His power, His joy will be enhanced by the uplifting of all, by enlarging them; by increasing their joy, power, and glory. And because this Most-Intelligent One is all this, and does all this, the other Intelligencies worship Him, submit their judgments and their will to His judgment and His will. He knows, and can do that which is best; and this submission of the mind to the most Intelligent, Wisest--wiser than All--is worship. This is the whole meaning of the doctrine and the life of the Christ expressed in--"Father, not my will but Thy will, be done."

_3. The Capacity of Intelligences for Progress:_ If what has been set forth as to the qualities, or attributes of Intelligences be true--that they are conscious of self and of not self; that they have powers of perception, comparison, deliberation, reason, judgment, imagination and volition, (See Lesson I, this treatise) then they have in them the inherent elements of progress. All they need with this inherent equipment for progress is proper environment and action, and the guidance of the Highest Intelligence; at least it must be admitted, as to the last, that progress would be more sure, more rapid when so guided.

_4. Purpose in the Earth-Life of Man:_ To provide the means and opportunity for progress the earth-life of man was planned. As God stood among the Intelligences, he said to those that were with him:

"We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of
these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
and we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things
whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them; and they who keep
their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their
first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those
who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate
shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever."[A]

[Footnote A: Book of Abraham, Ch. iii:24-26.]

That is, interpreting the closing declaration, they shall have the blessings of eternal progress. Progress, then, is the purpose for which the earth life of man was planned--that Intelligences might be "added upon," and that eternally.

"This is my work and my glory," says the Lord, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man;" (Book of Moses, Ch. i:39, Pearl of Great Price). That is of man _as_ man. Not the immortality of the personal Intelligence or spirit of man, for that is already assured; but the immortality of the spirit and body in their united condition, and which together constitute "man;" or the soul, for, in the revelations of God in this last dispensation, the spirit and the body are said to be the "soul:" "Through the redemption which is made for you is brought to pass the resurrection from the dead. And the spirit and the body is the soul of man. And the resurrection from the dead is the redemption of the soul" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 88:14-16).