THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN.
There are many men and women upon the earth. No one faces, alone, the
great forces of nature. About him move other men, with whom he must
associate. In the Great Plan it is so ordained that men shall dwell
together, and this leads to many of the finest applications of the
Gospel to the daily life of man.
**Common Origin.** By the power of God, the spirits of men were born
into the spiritual world; thus all became the children of God. In
turn, all have been born from the same spiritual estate into the earth
estate, from the one earthly ancestor, Adam. All men are therefore of
identical origin. Absolute uniformity prevails among the children of
men, so far as their origin is concerned.
**Common Purposes.** The spirits are placed on earth for a common
purpose. From the beginning, man has risen to his high estate through
the acquisition of power over the natural forces surrounding him. "Man
is that he may have joy," is the fundamental purpose of man's
activity, whether on or out of the earth. In the Great Council all the
spirits which have reached or will reach the earth, were present; and
all declared themselves in favor of the Plan. In conformity with this
agreement, man is on earth. All desire a closer acquaintance with
gross matter, as a means of future power and consequent joy; and all
desire that the earth-experience may be accompanied with as much joy
as is possible. Consequently, all who are or have been, or will be
assembled on earth, have a common purpose. Absolute uniformity
prevails among men so far as their fundamental purpose is concerned.
**Common Destiny.** Likewise, the destiny of all the spirits sent to
earth, is the same. Man has ever moved towards eternal life. All new
information, every addition of knowledge, has moved him onward, toward
perfection and a vision of greater happiness. True, since all men have
free agencies, individual wills express themselves in different ways,
and no two spirits are therefore at precisely the same point on the
upward road. Some are far ahead, some lag behind, each and all
according to individual effort. However, throughout the vast
eternities, all who are conscientiously moving upward, though it be
ever so slowly, will in time reach a point which is absolute
perfection to our mortal conceptions. Then, all will seem as if
precisely alike. Whether or not we reach a given point at the same
time, all men have a common destiny. As far as the destiny of man is
concerned, all are alike.
**Inter-dependence.** Of even greater importance in daily work is the
fact that every intelligent being affects every other intelligent
being. Every person affects every other person. Through the operation
of the Holy Spirit all things are held together. Good or evil may be
transmitted from personality to personality; it is impossible to hide
from God, and it is equally impossible for us to hide ourselves
completely from our fellowmen. No individual action may restrain or
retard another individual; but all our actions, thoughts and words
must be so guarded that all are advanced. This is as true for the
earth-life as it may be for the spiritual life.
Men affect each other; every man is, in a measure, his brother's
keeper. There can be no thought of a man going on in life irrespective
of the needs or conditions of his fellowmen. The main concern of man
must be to find such orderly acts of life as will enable other men to
live out their individual wills without interference. All must be
benefited, all must be helped. This is the basis of the great system
of co-operation. Meanwhile, the inter-dependence of the spirits
dwelling on earth, brings men more closely together, and strengthens
the friendships from the former spirit estate.
**Brothers.** The human race is a race of brothers, of the same
origin, with the same purposes and with the same destiny, so
elaborately inter-dependent that none may move without affecting the
others. Any rational theology must recognize this condition, and, as
far as it may be able, must make provision for the proper recognition
of the brotherhood of man.