Chapter III: Part I: Prelude to the Dispensations (2)

Note 1, Definition; notes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. "Materiality"--See Mormon Doctrine of Deity, p. 254 et. seq. Note--1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Genesis chs. i and ii. Key to Theology ch. vi, Ed. 1891.

Book of Moses. (P. G. P.) ch. i:4, 5, 8, 28-42, also ch. ii and ch. iii:1-15; and note 7 and 8.

Book of Abraham (P. G. P.) ch. iii:24-26. Also ch. iv and v.

Doc. and Cov. Sec. xxix:30-35. "The Gospel" (3rd Edition), pp. 274-284. Book of Moses ch. i:27-40. Also ch. ii:1. Note--

[Footnote A: This is to be but a glimpse of a very great subject, which some day may be expanded by the author of this Year Book into a treatise on the "Mormon Doctrine of Creation."]

NOTES.

_1. Matter:_ That of which the sensible universe and all existent bodies are composed; anything which has extension, occupies space, or is perceptible by the senses; body, substance. Matter is usually divided by philosophical writers into three kinds or classes; solid, liquid, and aeriform. Solid substances are those whose parts firmly cohere and resist impression, as wood or stone. Liquids have free motion among their parts, and easily yield to impression, as water and wine. Aeriform substances are elastic fluids, called vapors and gases, as air and oxygen gas. (Webster's International Dictionary.)

_2. Matter in Itself:_ "What matter is, in itself and by itself, is quite hopeless of answer and concerns only metaphysicians. The "Ding an sich" * * * is forever outside the province of science. If all men stopped to quarrel over the inner inwardness of things, progress, of course, would cease. Science is naive; she takes things as they come, and rests content with some such practical definition as will serve to differentiate matter from all other forms of non-matter. This may be done strictly provisionally in this place, by defining matter as that which occupies space and possesses weight. Using these two properties it is readily possible to sift out matter from all the heterogeneous phenomena that present themselves to the senses, and that, in this place, is what we want. Thus, wood, water, copper, oil and air are forms of matter for they evidently possess weight and fill space. But light, heat, electricity and magnetism we cannot consider to fill so many quarts or weigh so many pounds. [Light, heat, electricity--are properties of matter.] They are, therefore, forms of non-matter. In like manner, things such as grace, mercy, justice and truth, while they are existing entities as much as matter, are unquestionably non-matter" [Grace, mercy, etc., are qualities of spirit, which itself is doubtless matter, but of finer quality than that which is recognized by the senses.] ("The New Knowledge," R. K. Duncan, p. 2.)

_3. Indestructibility of Matter:_ "The gradual accumulation of experiences, has tended slowly to reverse this conviction [i. e. that matter may be annihilated]; until now, the doctrine that matter is indestructible has become a commonplace. All the apparent proofs that something can come out of nothing, a wider knowledge has one by one cancelled. The comet that is suddenly discovered in the heavens and nightly waxes larger, is proved not to be a newly-created body, but a body that was until lately beyond the range of vision. The cloud which in the course of a few minutes forms in the sky, consists not of substance that has just begun to be, but of substance that previously existed in a more diffused and transparent form. And similarly with a crystal or precipitate in relation to the fluid depositing it. Conversely, the seeming annihilations of matter turn out, on close observation, to be only changes of state. It is found that the evaporated water, though it has become invisible, may be brought by condensation to its original shape. The discharged fowling-piece gives evidence that though the gunpowder has disappeared, there have appeared in place of it certain gases, which in assuming a larger volume, have caused the explosion." "First Principles," (Herbert Spencer), p. 177, Appleton Edition, 1896.

_4. Uncreatability of Matter:_ "Conceive the space before you to be cleared of all bodies save one. Now imagine the remaining one not to be removed from its place, but to lapse into nothing while standing in that place. You fail. The space which was solid you cannot conceive becoming empty, save by transfer of that which made it solid. * * * However small the bulk to which we conceive a piece of matter reduced, it is impossible to conceive it reduced into nothing. While we can represent to ourselves the parts of the matter as approximated, we cannot represent to ourselves the quantity of matter as made less. To do this would be to imagine some of the constituent parts compressed into nothing; which is no more possible than to imagine compression of the whole into nothing. Our inability to conceive matter becoming non-existent, is immediately consequent on the nature of thought. Thought consists in the establishment of relations. There can be no relation established, and therefore no thought framed, when one of the related terms is absent from consciousness. Hence it is impossible to think of something becoming nothing, for the same reason that it is impossible to think of nothing becoming something--the reason, namely, that nothing cannot become an object of consciousness. The annihilation of matter is unthinkable for the same reason that the creation of matter is unthinkable."--First Principles, p. 181.

_5. Conservation of Mass:_ "This law, known as the law of the conservation of mass, states that no particle of matter, however small, may be created or destroyed. All the king's horses and all the king's men cannot destroy a pin's head. We may smash that pin's head, dissolve it in acid, burn it in the electric furnace, employ, in a word, every annihilating agency, and yet that pin's head persists in being. Again, it is as uncreatable as it is indestructible. In other words, we cannot create something out of nothing. The material must be furnished for every existent article. The sum of matter in the universe is 'X' pounds,--and, while it may be carried through a myriad forms, when all is said and done, it is just-'X' pounds." (The New Knowledge, R. K. Duncan, p. 3, 1905.)

_6. Extension of Matter Through Infinite Space:_ "Through all eternity the infinite universe has been, and is, subject to the law of substance. * * * The extent of the universe is infinite and unbounded; it is empty in no part, but everywhere filled with substance. The duration of the world (i. e. universe) is equally infinite and unbounded; it has no beginning and no end: it is eternity. Substance is everywhere and always in uninterrupted movement and transformation: nowhere is there perfect repose and rigidity; yet the infinite quantity of matter and of eternally changing force remains constant." (The Riddle of the Universe, Erast Haeckel, p. 242.)

Compare the foregoing note with the Book of Moses (P. G. P., chap, i; also chap, vii:30,31; also Book of Abraham chap, iii:1-19.)

_7. The Prophet Joseph Smith's Views of Creation:_ "There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes. We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified, we shall see that it is all matter. (Doc. & Cov. Sec. cxxxi.) * * * You ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out of nothing, and they will answer, "Don't the Bible say He created the world?" And they infer from that word 'create' that it must be made out of nothing. Now the word create came from the word baurau, which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize, the same as man would organize material and build a ship. Hence we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of--chaos--chaotic matter, which is element and in which dwells all the glory. Elements had an existence from the time He [God] had. The pure principles of elements can never be destroyed, they may be organized and reorganized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning, and can have no end." (Mill. Star, vol. 23, p. 248.)

"The world and earth are not synonymous terms. The world is the human family. The earth was organized or formed out of other planets which were broken up and remodeled and made into the one on which we live. The elements are eternal. * * * In the translation 'without form and void' [Gen. i:2] it should read, 'empty and desolate.' The word 'created' should be 'formed,' or 'organized.'" (Richards & Little's "Compendium," p. 287--"Gems,")

"Professor Luther T. Townsend of Boston University in a new book entitled Adam and Eve, in which he discusses the question as to whether the first chapters of Genesis are history or myth, dealing with the second verse of the first chapter of Genesis--'And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep--' he claims that the literal rendering of it is this: 'And the earth had become (past perfect tense) 'tohu' a wreck and 'lohu' without inhabitant. This desolate and tenantless condition agrees perfectly with what science reports of the general epoch; and there can be little doubt on scientific grounds," continues Prof. Townsend, "that during the break up of the ice age a darkness denser than that of the densest London fogs was upon the face of the floods." (Press Comment, Prof. Townsend's book.)

This sustains the position of the Prophet Joseph stated above.

_8. New Theory of Earth Structure:_--"In recent years theories of mountain formation have changed like everything else scientific. * * * The new theories hark back to the original formation of the earth. The conception of a hot drop of a world swinging in space, gradually cooling and forming a shell as smooth as a billiard ball, has been partly abandoned. The nebular hypothesis has been modified, the so-called meteoritic hypothesis has been found inadequate; and the more plausible planetesimal theory of Professors Chamberlin and Salisbury has been put forth.

"The latest theory argues the formation of the world by gradual accretions from planetary bodies. It assumes the origin of our solar system in a common spiral nebula--the nebula being in a thin solid or liquid state, as suggested by the spectrum analysis of it. The knots or portions of the nebula showing the most concentration, are the nuclei of future planets, and the thinner haze the portions from which the knots are formed. All these knots move about the central mass (the sun) in elliptical orbits of considerable eccentricity. The planetesimals are gathered in, and through accretions from such a world as ours, by the crossing of the elliptical orbits in the course of their inevitable shiftings." ("The High Alps," by John C. Van Dyke, Scribner's Magazine, June, 1908.)

_9. Worlds Organized on Pre-Arranged Plan:_ "The organization of the spiritual and heavenly worlds, and of spiritual and heavenly beings, was agreeable to the most perfect order and harmony: their limits and bounds were fixed irrevocably, and involuntarily subscribed to in their heavenly estate by themselves, and were by our first parents subscribed to upon the earth. Hence the importance of embracing and subscribing to principles of eternal truth by all men upon the earth that expect eternal life." (Joseph Smith, Conference at Nauvoo, Oct. 8, 1843, Millennial Star, vol. XXII, p. 231.)

_10. Our Revelations Local:_ That is, our revelations in the Scriptures--all four books--pertain to our earth, and its heavens; to those intelligencies, spirits, men, angels, arch-angels, God, and Gods, pertaining to that order of existences to which we belong. I call attention to the fact for the reason that I believe the principle indicated is very important, not only in the discussion in hand, but it has an important bearing upon the whole phraseology and meaning of our scriptures. When God's word says, for instance, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth," etc.; and "thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the hosts of them," he has reference not to any absolute "beginning" or absolute "finishing," but only the "beginning" and "finishing" as pertaining to our earth and the order of creation with which it is connected; and the "hosts" that pertain to our order of existence, not absolutely to all existences. The revelations we have received of God, let it be said again, are local, they relate to us and our order of existence; they may not at all, except in the most casual and general way, refer to that order of worlds connected with and governed by the Pleiades, or of Orion, much less to the further removed constellations and their systems of worlds.

We learn from the Pearl of Great Price that when the Lord gave those revelations to Moses by which the prophet was enabled to write the creation story of our earth, the local character of those revelations was expressly stated: "Worlds without number," said the Lord to Moses, "have I created--but only an account of this earth and the inhabitants thereof give I unto you--Behold, I reveal unto you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the words which I speak. * * * In the beginning I created the heavens and the earth on which thou standest." The subject is too important for treatment in a mere note, but in passing I desired to call attention to the important bearing it has upon the subject in hand, as also upon our whole system of thought and exposition of the scriptures.

LESSON VI.

(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

(A Discourse)

EXTENT AND GRANDEUR OF THE UNIVERSE.[A]

[Footnote A: In lieu of the usual detached notes, in lesson viii and ix, I present an unbroken discussion of the Fall of Adam and the Purpose of Man's Earth Life, which I think will be more satisfactory than any collection of detached notes that I could present to the students upon this very important subject. The students will be under the necessity of selecting from the discussion such ideas and data as wrill apply to the part of the subject assigned to him.

Suggestion to the class teacher: Make your assignment today for Lesson XIII, a discussion and see note on Lesson six.]

NOTES.

_1. Suggestion on the Lesson Treatment:_ No analysis is given to this lesson. It is designed to give those to whom the subject is assigned--and one, two, or even more may be assigned to the subject--an opportunity to make their own sub-divisions and work out their own treatment in their own way. It should be said in passing, however, that it is to be hoped that the treatment will have some relationship to previous lessons in part I of the present Year Book. It could receive such a treatment, for instance, as would lead to the justification of the doctrine set forth in lesson V on the fact of our scripture revelations being local; that is, revelations that pertain to our earth and its heavens as set forth in the Book of Moses, chapters i and ii. Also it could be made to contribute to the reasonableness of the existence of Great and Presiding intelligencies in various parts of the universe, of their controlling and directing their worlds and world-systems in harmony with the great and eternal laws by which the universe is evidently governed. This much to suggest merely that there is a relationship between this subject and the lessons that have preceded it.

_2. Sources of Information:_ Almost any school text book on astronomy will give information on the extent and grandeur of the universe. Especially would I recommend Newcomb's "Popular Astronomy," Harper & Brothers, Publishers, New York; Gillet & Rolf's Astronomy; and "Other Worlds than Ours," by Richard A. Proctor, in which the plurality of worlds studied under the light of recent scientific researches, could be consulted to advantage. "A history of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom," by Andrew D. White, vol. I, chap. 3, could be consulted to advantage; not so much with reference to a description of the extent or grandeur of the universe, as for the light he throws upon the struggle that took place in the development of the ideas which led to the modern conception of the structure of the universe and the laws that governed therein. For a description of the extent and grandeur of the universe, as also for an account of the resistence to scientific ideas in relation thereto, Draper's "Intellectual Development of Europe," Volume II, chapter viii, could be consulted, and the same authors "Conflict Between Religion and Science." Some valuable quotations on the same subject are to be found in "New Witness For God," Chapters xxviii, xxix.

_3. Suggestions Upon the Structure of Discourses and Lectures:_ In the Seventy's Year Book No. 1, there were six lessons in which suggestions were made on the matter of the formation of lectures, or discourses. The six lessons, however, were really but one. The suggestions then given went no further than to admonish the student to give definite form to his discourse, urging that there should be

1. An Introduction.

2. A Discussion.

3. A Conclusion.

We again call attention to the necessity of adhering to this definite plan, if the discourse is to be instructive or intellectually entertaining.

_4. Clearness:_ The most important concern of a speaker is to make himself understood. If he fails in this he fails in everything. This is true of every speaker. It is doubly true of one who has a message from God to deliver to the world. Clearness then in the expression of ideas is the first quality to be considered. The first essential to clearness in the expression of his ideas is for the speaker himself to have definite knowledge of his subject. Clearness of expression must be preceded by definite knowledge and clear thinking. The chief cause of obscurity in expression is a lack of systematic, clear-cut thinking. Men speak as they train themselves to think. If men will only train themselves to do systematic thinking, speech, or expression of thought, will largely take care of itself. Men generally may not be conscious of it, but it is true nevertheless that the mind is constantly thinking. It seems to be an essential of its nature to do so. One cannot stop thinking even if he would, so long as he is awake and conscious. What we call the mind will think about something, but we usually allow it to drift aimlessly in its thought. It is earned away hither and thither by every passing object, noise, or word that suggests an idea; or else we allow it to be driven to and fro in the realm of our imagination by every passing fancy. No effort is made to control it. We think of everything in general and nothing in particular. What is needed in our intellectual development is mind-control. Obedience of the mental faculties to the will. The mind should be compelled to work out lines of thought upon any subject that is given to it to reflect upon, until it has arranged in orderly fashion all the present knowledge and ideas possessed on the given subject. And thinking, be it remembered, is but arranging knowledge in orderly fashion in relation to our ideas, with the view of arriving at definite conclusions. Elsewhere in illustration of these views, I have said: 'Er. no. I have been a visitor in families where parents have undertaken to put the children of the households on their good behaviour. I have seen the father and mother undertake instanter to make the children polite to each other, considerate to parents, gentle in word and deed; and I have seen the children look up in astonishment and then go on in the same boisterous and quarrelsome way to which they were accustomed. The father and mother on this dress parade occasion could not make their children understand what had not previously been made a habit to them. The children could not understand for the simple reason that perhaps never before, or only once or twice before, with long intervals between, were they corrected in their manners. Parents in order to have their children appear well must give them daily training until politeness and good behaviour become habitual to them. And only in this way can they become ladies and gentlemen--gentle in speech towards father and mother, gentle in conduct towards brother and sister, respectful to strangers and well behaved in all the relations of child life. In order to produce this the training must be continuous. Not harsh or rough but exacting, nevertheless. So it is with the powers of the mind. A man who has never trained his mental powers in logical methods of thought cannot hope to stand before an audience and succeed as a public teacher. To bring together beautiful and logical thoughts that will be instructive to those who listen and satisfactory to himself--this power can only be acquired by thorough and constant mental discipline. It is only to be acquired by earnest effort, by hard work. But remember, to be a Seventy means just that--work, mental activity, leading to intellectual development, and to the attainment of spiritual power.

_5. The Cultivation of Thought-Power:_ Thought upon a subject in any broad sense embraces substantial knowledge of all the facts, and all the reasoning that may be based upon the facts. Education in the proper sense is the cultivation of the power of thought, with the added power of expressing those thoughts in some forceful manner. "How then," asks Mr. Pittinger, whom we so frequently quoted in lessons of this class in Year Book No. l, "How, then, shall thought-power be increased? There is no royal road. Every one of the faculties by which knowledge is accumulated and arranged or digested into new forms grows stronger by being employed upon its own appropriate objects." Mental activity is the means by which the material of knowledge is gathered, and all faculties strengthened for future gathering. Each fact gained adds to the treasury of thought. A broad and liberal education is of exceeding advantage. This may or may not be of the schools. Indeed, they too often substitute a knowledge of words for a knowledge of things. That fault is very serious * * * * * for the only way by which even language can be effectively taught, is by giving terms to objects, the nature of which has been previously learned. But many persons need to speak who cannot obtain an education in the usual sense of the word--that is, college or seminary training. Must they keep their lips forever closed on that account? By no means. A thousand examples, some of them the most eminent speakers the world has produced, encourage them to hope. Let such persons learn all they can. Wide, well-selected, and systematic reading will do wonders in supplying the necessary thought-material. Every book of history, biography, travels, popular science, which is carefully read, and its contents fixed in the mind, will be available for the purposes of public speech. Here a word of advice may be offered, which, if heeded, will be worth many months of technical education at the best colleges in the land; it is this: Have always at hand some work that in its own sphere possesses real and permanent merit, and read it daily until completed. If notes are made of its contents, and the book itself kept on hand for reference, so much the better. If some friend can be found who will hear you relate in your own words what you have read, this also will be of great value. Many persons, especially in our own country, [America] spend time enough in reading the minute details of the daily papers to make them thoroughly acquainted in ten years with forty volumes of the most useful books in the world. Think of it! This number may include nearly all the literary masterpieces. Which mode of spending the time will produce the best results? One newspaper read daily would amount to more than three hundred in a year, and allowing each paper to be equal to ten ordinary book pages, the result would be three thousand pages annually, or six volumes of five hundred pages each. In ten years this would reach sixty volumes! This number, comprising the world's best books in history, poetry, science, and general literature, might be read slowly, with meditation and diligent note-taking by the most busy man who was willing to employ his leisure in that way. * * * * * Neither will the speaker have to wait until any definite quantity of reading has been accomplished before it becomes serviceable to him. All that he learns will be immediately available, and, with proper effort, the facility of speech and the material for speaking will keep pace with each other."