THE LAW OF THE EARTH.
In the high heavens yet hang the stars. Throughout the infinite
universe still play the hosts of mighty forces. The full conquest of
the earth by man is yet to be accomplished. As things were when man
opened his eyes after birth, so do they appear to be today. Yet,
during the years that have gone, the man has changed; for now he knows
his origin and his destiny, and the purpose of his life on earth. He
knows that throughout the seeming sameness there is progressive
change; that, as he has changed, so has the world changed, too; that
the all pervading Intelligent God of the universe is engaged in a
progressive development.
Man has found his place amidst the things about him. Whence? Whither?
He knows; and with smiling courage sets out to subdue the tasks of the
day, knowing well that the day's labor, whatever it may be, in
righteousness, shall count for him in the endless journey which he is
making.
**The Unknown Meaning.** The man has learned that in an infinite
universe, admitting of endless development, things may not be fully
known. The very essence of things must forever be the goal, towards
which intelligence strives. Nevertheless, man also knows that to
approach by slow degrees, but steadily, the full knowledge which gives
unmeasured power over natural forces, is the way of progress. So he is
content to let each day speak one new word of the unknown meaning of
the universe.
The universe is one. All things in it are parts of one whole. The
dominating spirit of the vastness of space and of its contents is the
dominating spirit of the least part of that which constitutes the
whole. It matters not then, to what a man give himself. In everything
and anything may the riddle of the universe be read, if the search be
continued long enough. Modest in his possessions, yet courageous in
his hope of ultimate conquest, he stands before the things of his
life, small or great, knowing of a surety that in them lie the truths
that overwhelm the universe.
"Flower in the crannied wall,
I pluck you out of the crannies,
I hold you here, root and all, in my hand,
Little flower--but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is."
Knowing all this, and the outline of his origin and destiny, man must
be forever engaged in extending the philosophy, in accordance with
which he orders and guides his life.
**The Earth-Law.** On earth the man dwells today. Great are the
conceptions revealed to him concerning the constitution, progress and
destiny of the universe. Marvelous to his understanding is the
knowledge of his full and vital place in the scheme of things. Yet,
encompassed by earth conditions, he strives to assemble all this vast,
divine and wondrous knowledge, and out of it to draw some simple
formula, in the language of man, that may be applied in the affairs of
earth, and which shall be a simple guide to him in all that he may do.
Such a formula was sought and found by the first man, and has been
used by the righteous of all ages. In the meridian of time, when Jesus
of Nazareth, the Christ, came upon earth to fulfil the central thought
in the plan of salvation, he stated the formula in words that never
have been surpassed. Thus runs the formula, and thus is worded the law
of the earth: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hangeth the law and the
prophets."
This, in short, is man's duty while he dwells in the flesh. His God,
his fellowman and himself--the three concerns of his life. We say it
is the earth-law, but like all other things of the earth, it stands
for huge spiritual meanings, and is therefore an eternal law for all
times and for all places.
**To Love God.** What does it mean, to love God with one's heart and
soul and mind? Certainly, a love of the heart and the soul and the
mind can not be given to a Being who is not known nor understood. Such
love is more than a blind obedience. In such a love there must be a
rational understanding of God's nature and of his place in the
universe and of his relation to men. There must be in such a fulness
of love an acceptance of God's superior knowledge, of his intelligent
Plan for man and of his supreme and final authority. Such a love can
not well be forgotten or survive, unless God is part of a universe,
the orderly outlines of which can be fathomed by the human mind, That
such knowledge may be possessed by man, and that a real unfeigned love
for God may be developed, has been taught in the preceding pages.
Neither can God be fully loved unless he is obeyed; and the first
command is simple, "Multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it."
**To Love a Neighbor as Oneself.** To love oneself--that is easy.
Instinctively, from the first day, we have reached out for our own
greater good. Every personal philosophy makes the man the center. To
love our neighbor equally well--"that's the rub." His will is not our
will; his ways, not our ways. Yet, only by the progress of all, can
each gain the greatest advancement. The fundamental conceptions of a
universe filled with eternal matter and forces, and a host of
individual intelligent beings, make it clear that only by complete
harmony of all intelligent beings can the interests of each be served,
in the work of subjugating, by intelligent conquest, the forces of
universal nature.
To love one's neighbor, then, a man must first know fully his own
origin and destiny and possible powers; then he may soon learn the
need of loving his fellowman, if his love for himself shall grow
great. This commandment is not inferior to the first.
**The Triumph of Man.** The eternal, conscious, willing being, having
become an earthly man, stands before the law of the earth. If he
strives, all the days of his life, to bring into perfect accord, the
God who rules, his earthly brother and himself, he will at length win
the victory in the battle of his life. Out of such a life will come,
among other gifts, controlled personal desires, subjection to law, a
recognition of the great power of man, and the harmonious adjustment
of contending forces to the completion of the Great Plan which governs
man's earth-life. Whether living or dead, such a person has triumphed,
and the journey from the dim beginning has not been in vain. To such
souls comes the reward of the unspeakable joy of a perfect
understanding of the meaning of life, and the living peace that
passeth understanding--through which appears the vital future, ever
vigorously progressing towards an increasing, virile goal.
Have you tried the virtue of the law of the earth? If you have not,
try it now, for it is good.
APPENDIX.
The doctrines and views set forth in the preceding pages, based on the
teachings of the elders of the Church, especially of the Prophet
Joseph Smith, may be confirmed by a study of the doctrinal standards
of the Church, namely, the Bible, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and
Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price. The following references,
chosen almost at random, from these standards, especially from the
Doctrine and Covenants, are for the immediate use of those who wish to
pursue the study somewhat more in detail. For a critical study, an
exhaustive examination must necessarily be made of the doctrinal
standards and of the mass of books and printed sermons on the system
of belief of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Such
students will find the existing indexes or concordances to the
standard authorities of most value.[A] but they will also obtain much
ready help from the several existing excellent compilations of
references, classified under doctrinal headings.[B] A list of Church
literature may be obtained from the Deseret News and Deseret Sunday
School Union Bookstores, Salt Lake City, Utah.
[Footnote A: _Cruden's Concordance to the Bible_ (or some other good
concordance). _A Complete Concordance to the Book of Mormon_ (George
Reynolds). _A Concordance to the Book of Doctrine and Covenants_ (John
A. Widtsoe). No index has as yet been made for the _Pearl of Great
Price_, but the book is small and may be read easily in its entirety.]
[Footnote B: _The Compendium_ (Richards and Little) is the type after
which most of the later compilations have been fashioned.]
REFERENCES.
CHAPTERS 1 AND 2
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:28; 42:61; 46:18; 84:19; 88:78-80, 118,
119; 89:19; 90:15; 93:11-14, 29-36, 53; 101:25; 128:14; 130:18, 19;
131:6.
CHAPTER 3
**Doctrine and Covenants** 3:2; 9:7-9; 28:13; 29:31-35; 49:17;
76:13, 22-24; 82:4; 86:9; 88:13, 25, 26, 34-45; 93:21-23, 29; 105:5;
121:30-32; 130:20, 21; 131:7; 132:8.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 3:18-21; Moses 1:33, 35; 3:5, 9.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:19; II Nephi 11:5; Alma 13:6, 7;
34:9; 42:16.
**Bible,** Job 38:4-7; Jer. 1:5; John 9:2; 17:5; Heb. 12:9; Rom.
6:23.
CHAPTER 4
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 9:7-9;
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 12:11, 31; 29:4, 5; 30:9; Moroni 10:4, 5;
Mosiah 18:28.
CHAPTER 5
**Doctrine and Covenants,** Lectures on Faith 7:8; sections 50:24;
93:12-14, 20; 132:20.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 32:32; Mosiah 4:12.
CHAPTER 6
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 3:2, 4, 10; 6:2; 76:2-4; 88:13, 41;
93:1, 12-15, 29-38; 107:54, 55; 110:1-4, 130:1-3, 22.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 4:1-31.
CHAPTER 7
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 45:71; 58:18; 77:2; 88:15; 93:28, 33,
34; 98:8; 128:19; 133:33.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 2:25; Enos 1:3; Ether 3:6-20.
CHAPTER 8
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 9:3-6; 10:66; 18:11-13; 19:16-19;
29:35-42, 46; 58:28; 74:7; 76:25, 26, 39-41, 69; 93:29-39; 98:8;
101:78; 104:17; 121:32.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 3:18, 25, 26.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 4:33; 6:4; II Nephi 2:3, 6, 27; 9:5,
25-26; 10:23-25; 31:21; Alma 3:26; 7:12; 12:31; 13:3; Mosiah 3:5;
4:6-9; Helaman 14:30.
**Bible,** Gen. 2:17; Isa. 63:9; Matt. 18:11; John 1:29; 3:14, 15;
12:23; Rom. 3:25; 5:15; 6:23; I Tim 2:5; Gal. 3:13; Jude 1:6; Rev.
12:7.
CHAPTER 9
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 82:4; 88:35-40; 93:38; 128 sec.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:18; 21:6; II Nephi 9:18, 25; Alma
12:25; 30:11; 34:16.
**Bible,** Neh. 9:17; Acts 15:18.
CHAPTER 10
**Doctrine and Covenants,** 27:11; 29:35-41; 38:1-3; 107:53, 54;
116:1.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham chaps. 4 and 5.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 2:9-25; Alma 12:22, 23, 31; 18:29;
Mosiah 2:25; 3:16: 4:2; Mormon 9:12.
**Bible,** Gen. chap 3; Rom. 5:12.
CHAPTER 11
**Pearl of Great Price,** Book of Moses, Book of Abraham; Writings
of Joseph Smith.
**Bible,** Genesis; The Gospels.
CHAPTER 12
**Doctrine and Covenants** 18:18; 19:24; 27:11; 29:34; 39:6; 50:43;
76:56-58; 78:15-18; 84:37, 38; 93:1-17; 107:53-56; 121:28-32;
132:19, 20, 23, 37.
**Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 3:1-5.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 12:31.
**Bible,** Gen. 1:26; Deut. 10:17; Exo. 15:11; Psalms 86:8; Dan.
2:47; I Cor. 8:5; Rev. 17:14.
CHAPTER 13
**Doctrine and Covenants** 5:2; 27:18; 29:30, 31; 59:14; 93:26;
95:4.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 1:12; II Nephi 2:4; Alma 7:13; Ether
2:15.
**Bible,** Gen. 6:3; Prov. 1:23; Dan. 4:8; John 16:13.
CHAPTER 14
**Doctrine and Covenants** 4:7; 9:8; 41:3; 42:16, 61; 46:28; 50:29;
59:14; 68:33; 89:18, 19; 121:26-33.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 21:2, 3; 31:3; Alma 11:41; 32:34;
34:39; Moroni 10:10.
CHAPTER 15
**Doctrine and Covenants** 10:12, 23-33, 63; 29:28, 29, 36-40; 35:9;
52:14; 76:28; 84:67; 88:114; 121:4; 124:98; 129:8.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 2:17; III Nephi 13:12; 18:15; Mosiah
16:5; Moroni 7:12.
CHAPTER 16
**Doctrine and Covenants** 10:67; 11:24-26; 20:1; 21:1-3; 22:3;
26:2; 29:42, 43; 41:2, 3; 42:8; 43:8; 45:14; 50:44; 58:23; 76:54;
115:4.
CHAPTER 17
**Faith**
**Doctrine and Covenants,** Lectures on Faith, sections 18:18; 35:9;
41:3; 44:2; 45:8; 49:11-14; 52:20; 85:1, 2; 136:42.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:6, 17; II Nephi 25:26; Enos 1:8;
Mosiah 8:18; Ether 12:10.
**Bible,** Genesis 15:6; Exodus 4:5; Numbers 20:12; Psalms 119:66;
Prov. 16:20; John 5:24; 20:29; Acts 8:37; 10:43; II Cor. 5:7.
**Repentance**
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:32, 33; 18:42; 20:29; 39:18; 90:34.
**Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:18; II Nephi 30:4; Alma 12:24; 26:22;
Mosiah 27:24.
**Bible,** Matt. 3:2; Luke 13:3; II Peter 3:9; Rev. 3:19.
**Baptism**
**Doctrine and Covenants** 18:42; 20:37, 72-74; 55:2; 68:8, 25-27;
76:51; 128:12.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 28:18; Moroni 8:4-22.
**Bible,** Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:16; Luke 3:3; John 1:33; 3:23; I
Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:5.
**Gift of the Holy Ghost**
**Doctrine and Covenants** 20:41; 33:15; 35:6; 76:52, 114-118;
121:26-32.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 31:36.
**Bible,** Acts 8:17; 9:17; 19:2-6.
CHAPTER 18
**Doctrine and Covenants,** Lectures on Faith. Sections 18:27; 20:2,
3, 38-71; 27:1-18; 84:14-21, 35-39; 107:1-5, 40-52; 112:31, 32;
128:20.
**Book of Mormon,** Mosiah 29:42; Alma 4:4; 6:1; 13:1-3, 5-20;
Helaman 8:18.
**Bible,** Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-18; Psalms 110:4; John 15:16; Acts
14:23; Heb. 2:17; 3:1; 4:14; 5:1; 7:3, 15-28; I Peter 2:5; Titus
1:5; II Tim. 1:6.
CHAPTER 19
**Doctrine and Covenants** 20:60-67; 26:2; 28:13; 68:19-21; 78:1;
104:21; 107, whole section; 124:123-145.
CHAPTER 20
**Doctrine and Covenants** 84:18, 21, 35; 107:30-32; 113:8;
121:36-46; 128:9-11; 132:28, 45-49.
**Book of Mormon,** Alma 5:3; I Nephi 10:23.
CHAPTER 21
**Doctrine and Covenants** 3:4; 6:9; 19:33; 20:20; 29:34; 56:1;
58:21; 63:55; 64:34; 82:10; 88:22-39; 98:4-7; 101:43-62; 103:31-34;
105:5; 124:49; 130:19, 20, 21; 134, whole section.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 2:23, 27; 9:25; Alma 30:3, 11; 42:17;
Mosiah 5:8; 2:32-37; Moroni 8:25.
CHAPTER 22
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:1-2, 23; 4:5; 19:21, 22; 36:4-8;
33:8-12; 38:11; 42:63; 45:20; 49:11-14; 84:87; 90:11; 112:30.
CHAPTER 23
**Doctrine and Covenants** 13:21; 36:8; 84:5; 105:33; 109:5; 110:8;
124, whole section; 128:15, 24; 133:2.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 5:6; 33:15; III Nephi 11:1; Jacob 1:17;
Mosiah 1:18; 2:1-7; Alma 10:2; Helaman 3:9; 10:7.
CHAPTER 24
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:10; 38:24; 42:27; 59:6; 81:4; 88:81;
136:20-27.
CHAPTER 25
**Book of Mormon,** Jacob 5:66; Mosiah 27:3; 29:38; Alma 1:26.
CHAPTER 26
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 26:30; 33:4; Mosiah 18:21; Ether 12:27.
CHAPTER 27
**Doctrine and Covenants** 42:30-39, 53-55, 71-73; 51:1-20; 44:6;
52:40; 78:1-2; 82:1-24; 83:1-6; 85:1-5, 9-12; 92:1-2; 104:1-86;
105:34; 119:1-7.
**Book of Mormon,** III Nephi 26:19; IV Nephi 1:2, 3, 16.
**Bible,** Numbers 18:26-28; Lev. 27:30; II Chron. 31:5, 6; Neh.
10:37, 38; Mal. 3:18; Matt. 19:16-21; Luke 18:12; Acts 4:31-32, 35;
Heb. 7:5.
CHAPTER 28
**Doctrine and Covenants** sections 2 and 128; 21:1; 47:3; 57:3;
93:8-17; 110:13-16; 124:33; 127:5-8; 128:2-5.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 26:30; Mosiah 2:4.
CHAPTER 29
**Doctrine and Covenants** 18:42; 20:70, 71; section 25; 29:46, 47;
49:15-17; 55:4; 68:25-27; 74:5, 6; 83:4, 5; 84:27, 28; 93:40-42;
131:2; section 132.
**Bible,** Gen. 1:27; 15:5; 2:18, 23; 20:12; Deut. 7:3; I Cor.
11:11.
CHAPTER 30
**Doctrine and Covenants** 38:23; 50:40; 55:4; 69:7; 88:77, 79, 118,
119, 127, 137; 90:8, 15; 93:53; 95:17; 130:19.
CHAPTER 31
**Doctrine and Covenants** 20:17; 29:24, 31, 32; 45:58; 49:16, 19;
59:18, 21; 77:2, 3; 88:20-45; 89:15; 103:7; 130:9.
**Book of Mormon,** II Nephi 8:6; Ether 6:4; 13:9.
CHAPTER 32
**Doctrine and Covenants** 42:24; 49:19-21; 59:14-20; 63:16; 88:124;
section 89; 132:41.
CHAPTER 34
**Doctrine and Covenants** 29:32-35.
CHAPTER 35
**Doctrine and Covenants** 18:12; 29:26-28; 45:45-54; 63:20, 21, 49;
section 76; 77:1; 88:14-42; 101:25, 78; 130:9-11.
**Book of Mormon,** Mosiah 16:9.
**Bible,** Daniel 12:2; Job 19:25; Luke 24:34; Rom. 8:24; Rev.
1:18; 20:5,6.
CHAPTER 36
**Book of Mormon,** Mosiah 23:15.
**Bible,** Matt. 22:34-40.