THE EQUALITY OF MAN.
Though the brotherhood of man is supreme, it does not follow that all
men are equal in all particulars. This needs careful examination.
**The Pre-existent Effort.** Men of common origin, and of common
destiny, labor on earth under a mutually accepted Plan. Yet, it is not
conceivable, that all the spirits who reach the earth have attained
the same degree of progress. The pre-existent progress depended upon
self-effort; those who exerted their wills most, made the greatest
progress; moreover, those who had led the most righteous lives, and
had been most careful of their gifts, had acquired greatest
strength--consequently, at the time of the Great Council, though the
spirits were, in general, of one class, they differed greatly in the
details of their attainments, in the righteousness of their lives, in
the stability of their purpose, and in their consistent devotion to
the great truth of their lives. In one particular they were all alike:
by their faithful efforts, they had earned the right to take another
step onward and to share in the earth experience.
Most probably, the power acquired in the life before this is
transmitted to some degree to the earthlife. We may well believe,
therefore, that the differences in the quality and characteristics of
men, may be traced, in part at least, to the pre-existent lives. It is
not unthinkable that, in a plan governed by a supreme intelligent
Being, since there are differences of advancement, the spirits who
come on earth are placed frequently in positions for which they are
best fitted. An intelligent ruler would probably use ability where it
is most needed. To some extent, therefore, men may have been chosen
for this or that work on earth, and, under the law of progression,
this small measure of predestination may be accepted. Yet, it must be
remembered that predestination can not be compelling. Man's free
agency, the great indestructible gift, always remains untrammeled.
Therefore, whatever may be God's plan for man, however easy may be the
path to the predestined earth position, the man may at any time, by
the exercise of his free agency, depart from the appointed path and
enter other fields. Any opposite doctrine is the one proposed by
Lucifer in the Great Council.
It is most likely that those who, on earth, accept the highest truth
of life, find the Gospel attractive, and are most faithful in the
recognition of law, are those who, in the pre-existent state, were
most intelligent and obedient. In that sense, the Church consists of
God's chosen people--chosen because of their willingness to obey.
**The Earth Effort.** Nevertheless, the thought that power is drawn
from our pre-existent state need not be an overwhelming feeling to
oppress and crush us. Our previous life can not be an insurmountable
hindrance. The invariable law of cause and effect will enable those
who exert themselves on earth to draw great power unto themselves,
even so that it may be possible by earth efforts to overcome possible
handicaps from pre-existent lethargy. Thus, on earth, man may gain
more than he has lost before. Our earth efforts are of greatest
consequence. Neither forward nor backward must we look, except to
place ourselves properly in our day, but must use in full degree the
possibilities of each day as it comes. Man's inequality comes chiefly
from the inequality of earth effort.
**The Variety of Gifts.** Meanwhile, it is always to be remembered
that the spirit within must speak through a mortal body, subject to
disease and death. The eternal spirit cannot rise here above the
conditions of the body, which is of the earth, and is a result of all
the physical good and evil to which man has given himself since the
days of Adam. During the long history of the race, both strength and
weakness have no doubt been added to the body. It possesses inborn,
inherent qualities, which man finds it difficult to ignore. Under the
best conditions, the body is weaker than the spirit within. It is
likely that the spirit within the finest earthly body is infinitely
greater than may be expressed through the body. We live only as our
bodies allow; and, since our bodies differ greatly, there is in them
another source of man's inequality. In fact, the inequality of man
comes largely from inequality of body, through which the eternal
spirit tries in vain to speak.
**The Equality of Opportunity.** Clearly, an absolute equality among
men is not conceivable, for the differences among the powers of men
are infinite in number. We are brothers, but we are occupying a
variety of stages of progress. Probably, it is well that there are
such differences, so that by contrast with each other we may be
impelled onward. The equality of man on earth must be the equal
opportunity to progress. From the point in the eternal journey that
each man now occupies, he must be allowed to move onward, unhindered
by other persons, and must be allowed to exert his inborn powers to
the full, for his help on the journey. None must stand in another's
way. On the contrary, the spirit of the Gospel makes clear that the
Great Plan cannot be fulfilled, the earth's destiny cannot be
completed, and our highest progressive rewards cannot be obtained
until all the spirits of man have been brought under the Gospel rule.
Whether on this earth, or in the future, the work will not be
completed until all have accepted the freedom of the Gospel. Instead
of hindering each other, men must give each other all possible needed
help, then we offer our fellows an equal opportunity to advance, and
all are helped. With equality of opportunity, all may advance so far
that, in time, the differences between men will not be apparent.
The equality of opportunity which characterizes the plan of salvation
is shown in the fact that all the ordinances of the Church, from the
highest to the lowest, are available to every person who enters the
Church. Faith, repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost are,
for all, the four cardinal principles for active participation in the
work of the Church, irrespective of the powers of men. The endowments
of the temple, and all the blessings that may there be received, are
available to every member of the Church who has shown himself active
in the faith. In fundamental principles, in gifts and blessings, in
spiritual opportunities, as required or offered by the Church, men are
stripped of all differences, and stand as if they were equal before
God. This is equality of opportunity.
**Unequal Equality.** Though equality of opportunity be granted all,
the wills of men, as expressed through their free agencies, differ
greatly. Consequently, some will use well their opportunities; others
will use them poorly. Under this condition, even if all started out
absolutely alike, differences would soon appear. Without violating the
fundamental laws of nature, this seems to be absolutely unpreventable.
Men may soon be grouped as representing different degrees of strength.
However, that the equality of opportunity, belonging to the Great
Plan, may be preserved, it becomes necessary for all, whether weak or
strong, to support each other. Differing attainments must be forgotten
in the desire to permit all to develop their powers to the utmost, and
thus to achieve joy both here and hereafter. The great problem of
every age is how to keep together, as one body, the many who, because
of their differing wills, have become different in their powers and
attainments.
**The Test of Equality.** A test may be applied whereby men may be
placed in one class, irrespective of their various attainments. If a
man use his powers, with all his might, for his own and others' good,
in the cause of universal progress, he is the equal of every other man
of like effort. No more can be asked of a man. It is well that
humanity, dwelling together, should keep this principle in mind. Men
must not be judged, wholly, by their attainments, or by their gifts,
but largely by the degree to which they give themselves to the great
cause represented by the plan of the major intelligent Being, for the
minor intelligent beings of the universe.