Seth--His Sacrifice Accepted--Rebellion in the Heavens--The
Gathering of the Patriarchs in the Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman--
Sacrifices Offered There.
The next eminent personage that appears is Seth. Concerning him, it is
said in the Old Testament:
"And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and called his name
Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of
Abel, whom Cain slew."--Gen., iv, 25.
There is a principle developed here pertaining to the economy of God
with the human family. Abel held a representative position, as also
did Cain, and that position, it would seem, associated Abel with what
may be denominated the chosen seed. Cain slew Abel; but (that, the
purposes relating to the perpetuation of that seed might stand, and
the plan of God not be frustrated by the adversary, He gave to Adam
Seth, who inherited the priesthood and promises of his martyred
brother; in this substantiating a principle that Paul refers to, when
he writes, "That the purpose of God, according to election, might
stand, not of works, but of him that calleth." [Rom., ix, 11.] Yet,
although Seth was one of the leading characters spoken of in the
Scripture, and one to whom and through whom the promises were made,
and who actually stood in the place of or represented his brother,
Abel, yet there is nothing said in the ordinary translation pertaining
to his offering sacrifices; we therefore again refer to the Pearl of
Great Price. It is there stated that "Adam glorified the name of God,
for he said, God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom
Cain slew. And God revealed himself unto Seth, and he rebelled not,
but offered an acceptable sacrifice like unto his brother Abel."
Seth, we are here told, rebelled not, but offered an acceptable
sacrifice, thus carrying out the same idea of the atonement of the
Only Begotten. In this connection we must remember that there had been
a rebellion in heaven, and many of the angels, they "which kept not
their first estate," [Jude, 6,] were cast out. Lucifer was the leader
of these rebellious ones who were then cast down to the earth. He had
rebelled against God, his Father, and it would seem, from revelations
that we shall hereafter draw attention to, that his rebellion had its
origin in his rejection of the counsel given to him by his Father
pertaining to the salvation and exaltation of mankind. When man was
placed upon the earth, Lucifer, or Satan, still manifested the same
animus and spirit; and through his influence he operated upon Cain,
for Cain listened to his wiles, and being controlled by him, he also
rebelled against his father and his God. Thus the rebellion in the
heavens was transmitted to a rebellion on the earth, and all who
became subject to this influence placed themselves in a state of
enmity and antagonism to God, and one of the first results exhibited
was covetousness and murder, even the murder by Cain of his brother
Abel. Thus we find the first man slain (Abel) was one holding the holy
Priesthood, and the same vindictive spirit manifested against the
servants of God of all later ages, gave the martyr Stephen good reason
to ask his persecutors,
"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have
slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom
ye have been now the betrayers and murderers."--Acts, vii, 52.
Although there is nothing said in the Book of Genesis in relation to
sacrifices offered up by Enos, who was the son of Seth, nor by his
descendants, Canaan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch and Methuselah, all of
whom held the High Priesthood, and were consequently prophets of the
Lord, yet it is quite reasonable to suppose that they, being of the
promised seed through whom the Messiah was to come, did offer up
sacrifices as commemorative of that great promised event. Further, in
relation to this subject, we are informed in the Book of Doctrine and
Covenants [Section 107, par. 53-57, p. 389,] that "three years
previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan,
Mahalaleel, Jared-Enoch and Methuselah [the persons mentioned above,]
who were all High Priests, with the residue of his posterity who were
righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon
them his last blessing. And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose
up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the Prince, the
Archangel. And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto
him, I have set thee to be at the head--a multitude of nations shall
come of thee, and thou art a prince over them for ever. And Adam stood
up in the midst of the congregation, and notwithstanding he was bowed
down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever
should befall his posterity unto the latest generation. These things
were all written in the Book of Enoch, and are to be testified of in
due time."
Although, in the above, there is nothing directly said about the
offering of sacrifices, yet, as this was a usual ceremony, and it
belonged to the Priesthood and to the promised seed to offer
sacrifices, it would be reasonable to suppose that Adam did then and
there officiate in that rite; indeed, it was stated by the Prophet
Joseph Smith, in our hearing, while standing on an elevated piece of
ground or plateau near Adam-ondi-Ahman[A] (Davis Co., Missouri,),
where there were a number of rocks piled together, that the valley
before us was the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman; or in other words, the
valley where God talked with Adam, and where he gathered his righteous
posterity, as recorded in the above revelation, and that this pile of
stones was an altar built by him when he offered up sacrifices, as we
understand, on that occasion. If Adam then offered up sacrifices in
the presence of these prominent men, he being the President of these
High Priests, he would officiate for them as well as for himself;
while it is quite reasonable to believe that they assisted in the
offerings made upon that altar. Regarding this the Saints sing:
[Footnote A: "Revelation to Joseph, the Seer, given near Wight's
Ferry, at a place called Spring Hill, Davis County, Missouri, May
19th, 1838, wherein Spring Hill is named by the Lord, Adam-ondi-Ahman,
Because, said he, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his
people, or the Ancient of days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the
Prophet."--Doc. and Cov. Sec. 116, p. 415.]
This earth was once a garden place,
With all her glories common,
And men did live a holy race,
And worship Jesus face to face,
In Adam-ondi-Ahman.
We read that Enoch walk'd with God,
Above the power of mammon,
While Zion spread herself abroad,
And Saints and angels sung aloud,
In Adam-ondi-Ahman.
Her land was good and greatly blest,
Beyond old Israel's Canaan;
Her fame was known from east to west,
Her peace was great, and pure the rest
Of Adam-ondi-Ahman.
Hosannah to such days to come--
The Savior's second coming,
When all the earth in glorious bloom,
Affords the Saints a holy home,
Like Adam-ondi-Ahman.