CONDITIONS SUBSEQUENT.
NATURE,
MAN
1. General,
2. Special.
X.
NATURE.
"_But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give
I unto you."--Book of Moses 1:35_.
We come now to consider the fruits of this tree of life, the Gospel,
as relates to nature, the environment of man. While we may view with
wonder and with awe the marvelous works of God about us in the heavens,
sill our interests, as ourselves, are confined to the earth upon which
we dwell.
It is true, the Lord has given us some notion of the vastness of
His works, of Kolob, "the first creation, nearest the celestial
or residence of God; first in government, last pertaining to the
measurement of time," whose day "is equal to a thousand years,
according to the measurement of this earth;" [31] of "Oliblish, which
is the next grand governing creation, holding the key of power also,
pertaining to other planets;" [32] and has revealed to us that "were it
possible that men could number the particles of the earth, yea, and
millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number
of His creations;" [33] yet a knowledge of His dominions, except in this
general way, concerning any other of His creations than this earth, is
withheld from us.
We have, however, a number of revealed truths concerning the earth that
would add greatly to the interest as well as to the enlightenment of
the scientific world, if they were accepted. If, for instance, it had
been known to and received by science, that "this earth was organized
or formed out of other planets, which were broken up and remodeled and
made into the one on which we live," [34] how many vain theories and how
much useless work would have been saved!
How many times the earth, or portions of it in another planet, was
peopled by the Lord before Adam was placed upon it, we are not
informed; but from the fact that he was commanded to replenish, or
re-fill it, we may infer that it had, in some form, been inhabited
before our first parents came here. But of this no account is given us
by revelation.
How fully and how wisely the earth was prepared before being sent on
its present voyage, with provisions, with material for clothing, with
fuel, and with all the necessities and comforts of life, is matter of
common knowledge.
The Lord has given us the name by which this part of His dominion is
known to Him, as "Idumea," [35] and, as to the order to which it belongs
among His diversified creations, we have a wonderful revelation in the
Doctrine and Covenants, as follows:
"The poor and meek of the earth shall inherit it. Therefore it must
needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared
for the celestial glory; for after it hath filled the measure of its
creation, it shall be crowned with glory, even with the presence of God
the Father; that bodies of the celestial kingdom may possess it for
ever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for
this intent are they sanctified.
"And, again, verify I say unto you, the earth abideth the law of a
celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation and
transgresseth not the law, wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea,
notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall
abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall
inherit it." [36]
The following passage respecting the final condition of the earth,
gives further light upon this beautiful thought. The Prophet Joseph
Smith says:
"This earth, in its sanctified, immortal state, will be made like unto
crystal, and will be a Urim and Thummim to the inhabitants who dwell
thereon, whereby all things pertaining to an inferior kingdom, or all
kingdoms of a lower order, will be manifest to those who dwell on it;
and this earth will be Christ's." [37]
As to the final condition of the animals and plants of the earth, the
Lord explains:
"For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new,
even the heaven and the earth, and all the fullness thereof, both men
and beasts, the fowls of the air and the fishes of the sea; and not one
hair; neither mote shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine
hand." [38]
From all of which, and from other like revelations, too numerous to
mention here, we gather:
That while we may speculate upon the multitude of the Lord's creations,
we have, except from our observations of the heavens about us, and the
meager information vouchsafed us by revelation, no detailed account of
any planet but of the earth on which we dwell.
That the earth is on the way to eternal, celestial glory, where it will
shine of its own light, in which condition it will be inhabited by
celestial beings, not only by mankind, but by the elect of the animal
and vegetable kingdoms as well.
XI.
MAN.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.
"_And it came to pass that Moses looked and beheld the world upon which
he was created, and as Moses beheld the world and the ends thereof, and
all the children of men which are, and which were created of the same,
he greatly marveled and wondered."--Book of Moses 1:8_.
The fruits of the Gospel as relates to the peopling of the earth
through Adam, are not fully ripe. The generations of that lineage are
still incomplete; but it is interesting to study the general outline of
the plan which was laid for that purpose before the earth was formed,
a part of which has now been rendered into history. As made known to
John the Revelator on the Isle of Patmos, this plan, presented to him
by signs the meaning of which was revealed[39] to the Prophet Joseph
Smith, contemplated the division of human history into seven periods of
one day each, according to the Lord's reckoning.
The first should be a day of peace; the second, a day of war and
conquest; the third, a day in which commerce should have its rise; the
fourth, a day of war; the fifth, a day of persecution; the sixth, a day
of preparation for the Sabbath, or Millennium; the seventh, a day of
peace and rest. Let the student follow down the history of the world
with this outline in mind, and he cannot fail to be impressed with the
coincidence, so far, of the prophecy and its fulfillment.
Not only were the periods set, and the work to be accomplished in
each determined, but the order in which the spirits to take bodies on
this earth should come forth, was outlined before the earth was made.
Abraham says, as hereinbefore quoted:
"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were
organized before the world was, and among all these there were many of
the noble and great ones; and God saw these souls that they were good,
and he stood in the midst of them, and he said, These I will make my
rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that
they were good; and He said unto me, Abraham, thou art one of them,
thou wast chosen before thou wast born." [40]
When we recall the promise made to Abraham, after his advent upon the
earth, that through him and his seed should all the children of the
earth be blessed; when we see in the history of the world how the seed
of Israel has been scattered among all nations; and when we witness the
purpose of the Lord, now going forward, to gather into one family under
that lineage all the descendants of Adam, this passage and that promise
take on peculiar significance.
Furthermore, that the course of the star of empire was set from the
first, is evident from the revelation given to Adam three years before
his death at the altar of Adam-ondi-Ahman, as related in the Doctrine
and Covenants. We read:
"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_." [41]
Among those spirits in the midst of whom the Lord stood when He saw and
chose as His rulers the noble and great ones, there were no doubt many
who were less intelligent. How could these spirits be so placed in the
generations of Adam's race as to make the most of them? The solution
of the problem is disclosed in the following extract from the Book of
Mormon:
"For, behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation
and tongue, to teach his word; yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit
that they should have; therefore, we see that the Lord doth counsel in
wisdom, according to that which is just and true." [42]
Superior minds, that is to say, have been sent to the earth, among
all peoples, in all ages of the world, to teach, to bring forth
new inventions, to give laws, to make discoveries, to establish or
to overthrow governments, according to the varying capacities and
intelligence and necessities of the peoples among whom they were
appointed by the Supreme Head to labor.
The sentiment awakened by a contemplation of this passage of scripture,
is one of the utmost reverence, admiration and love for a Being of such
wisdom and mercy.
But not only has the Lord determined the general course of civilization
on the earth, but even the work of individuals, apart from His
prophets, has been under His direction, as was that of Columbus, of
whom we read in the Book of Mormon, as follows:
"And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles who was separated
from the seed of my brethren by many waters; and beheld the Spirit of
God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon
the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the
promised land." [43]
Instances of this character, however, are too numerous to mention here,
but they show that not only in a general way, but in many details, the
peopling of the earth has proceeded under a well-defined, predetermined
plan.
Not only has the history of mankind on the earth been outlined from
the beginning, but the rewards awaiting them, according to the light
they have received and their obedience thereto, have been fixed. For it
will be remembered from what was developed under the head of "Covenants
of the Gospel," that all who have taken bodies upon the earth in the
lineage of Adam, are under the same promise of obedience to "whatsoever
the Lord their God shall command them," in their day and generation.
After describing the torment of those spirits who become sons of
perdition, the revelation to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Sidney
Rigdon, continues:
"And again, we bear record, for we saw and heard, and this is the
testimony of the gospel of Christ, concerning them who come forth in
the resurrection of the just, they are they who received the testimony
of Jesus, and believed on his name and were baptized after the manner
of his burial, being buried in the water in his name, and this
according to the commandment which he has given, that by keeping the
commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and
receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on of the hands of him who is
ordained and sealed unto this power, and who overcome by faith, and are
sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon
all those who are just and true.
"They are they who are Priests and Kings, who have received of his
fullness, and of his glory. And are Priests of the Most High, after the
order of Melchisedek, which was after the order of Enoch, which was
after the order of the Only Begotten Son; wherefore, as it is written,
they are Gods, even the sons of God--wherefore all things are theirs,
whether life or death, or things present, or things to come, all are
theirs and they are Christ's and Christ is God's.
"And they shall overcome all things; wherefore let no man glory in man,
but rather let him glory in God, who shall subdue all enemies under
his feet--these shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ
for ever and ever. These are they whom he shall bring with him when
he shall come in the clouds of heaven, to reign on the earth over his
people. These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.
"These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the
mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement
through the shedding of his own blood. These are they whose bodies are
celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the
highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as
being typical.
"And, again, we saw the terrestrial world, and behold and lo, these are
they who are of the terrestrial, whose glory differs from that of the
church of the first born, who have received the fullness of the Father,
even as that of the moon differs from the sun in the firmament. Behold,
these are they who died without law, and also they who are the spirits
of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited, and preached the gospel
unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh.
"Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards
received it. These are they who are honorable men on the earth, who
were blinded by the craftiness of men. These are they who receive of
his glory, but not of his fullness. These are they who receive of the
presence of the Son, but not of the fullness of the Father; wherefore
they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in
glory as the moon differs from the sun.
"These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus;
wherefore they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God. And
now this is the end of the vision which we saw of the terrestrial, that
the Lord commanded us to write while we were yet in the Spirit.
"And again, we saw the glory of the telestial, which glory is that of
the lesser, even as the glory of the stars differs from that of the
glory of the moon in the firmament. These are they who received not the
gospel of Christ, neither the testimony of Jesus. These are they who
deny not the Holy Spirit. These are they who are thrust down to hell.
These are they who shall not be redeemed from the devil, until the last
resurrection, until the Lord, even Christ the Lamb shall have finished
his work.
"These are they who receive not of his fullness in the eternal world,
but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial; and
the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial; and also the
celestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed
to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits
for them, for they shall be heirs of salvation.
"And thus we saw in the heavenly vision, the glory of the telestial,
_which surpasses all understanding_, and no man knows it except him to
whom God has revealed it.
"And thus we saw the glory of the terrestrial, which excels in all
things the glory of the telestial, even in glory, and in power, and in
might, and in dominion.
"And thus we saw the glory of the celestial, which excels in all things--
where God, even the Father, reigns upon his throne for ever and
ever; before whose throne all things bow in humble reverence and give
him glory for ever and ever. They who dwell in his presence are the
church of the first born, and they see as they are seen, and know as
they are known, having received of his fullness and of his grace; and
he makes them equal in power, and in might, and in dominion.
"And the glory of the celestial is one, even as the glory of the sun is
one.
"And the glory of the terrestrial is one, even as the glory of the moon
is one.
"And the glory of the telestial is one, even as the glory of the stars
is one, for as one star differs from another star in glory, even so
differs one from another in glory in the telestial world;
"These are they who are liars, and sorcerers, and adulterers, and
whoremongers, and whosoever loves and makes a lie.
"These are they who are cast down to hell and suffer the wrath of
Almighty God, until the fullness of times when Christ shall have
subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work.
When he shall deliver up the kingdom, and present it unto the Father
spotless, saying--I have overcome and have trodden the wine-press
alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty
God. Then shall he be crowned with the crown of his glory, to sit on
the throne of his power to reign for ever and ever.
"But behold, and lo, we saw the glory and the inhabitants of the
telestial world, that they were as innumerable as the stars in the
firmament of heaven, or as the sand upon the sea shore, and heard the
voice of the Lord, saying--these all shall bow the knee, and every
tongue shall confess to him who sits upon the throne for ever and ever;
for they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall
receive according to his own works, his own dominion, in the mansions
which are prepared, and they shall be servants of the Most High, but
where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end."
From all of which it appears that the history of mankind was
pre-arranged from beginning to end, before the foundations of the earth
were laid.
XII.
MAN.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS.
"_Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."
--II Nephi 2:25_.
Many of the results of the Gospel with regard to man have been dwelt
upon in the discussion up to this point, but there remain some
considerations of importance yet to be detailed, particularly the
object of his coming to this earth. We turn now, therefore, to a study
of the special end in view under the Gospel plan, in clothing the
spirit with mortality.
The purpose of man's existence here is two-fold. One object is manifest
from a revelation already quoted, as follows:
"For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element,
inseparably connected, receiveth a fullness of joy; and when separated,
man cannot receive a fullness of joy." [44]
The spirit of man, we here learn, must become inseparably connected
with element in order to receive the fullness of joy designed for him
by the Gospel, therefore, he must take upon him a mortal tabernacle,
and, for that reason, after having advanced in intelligence far
enough to retain his first estate, he is sent to an earth. Under the
Divine plan, a Savior, one who is given power to lay down His life
and to take it up again, is provided, to become the first fruits of
the resurrection, to open the grave, that the spirit and body may be
reunited, nevermore to be separated.
Another object of our coming here is equally important, and relates to
our spiritual growth. We may use a comparison.
The teacher in school, acquainted with the order in which the different
powers of the mind develop in childhood, adapts his instructions
to the growth in progress at any particular period. While not at
all neglecting the general training of the child, he will direct
his efforts particularly, at different stages of progress, to the
development for example of perception, of imagination, of comparison
or reason, in his pupil, as the mind under his charge grows in power.
This procedure is necessary from the fact, that, as psychologists tell
us, unless the powers of the mind are exercised as they develop, they
remain dormant or only partially developed, as, for instance, the
love of poetry or of music, if these pleasures are not cultivated in
childhood.
And just so, we may be assured, is the plan of the Gospel adapted to
the development of the powers of the spirit of man in the different
stages of his progress through the first and second estates.
At what stage of progress, then, it may here be asked, have we now
arrived; and what powers of the soul are the experiences of mortality
specially designed to enlarge?
Man finds himself thrust into the world, surrounded by sorrow,
injustice and poverty, and, if he contemplates these conditions without
knowing the purpose of the Lord in sending him here, he may exclaim
with Schopenhauer, "If God made the world, I should not care to be
God." But the Gospel testifies to the mercy and wisdom and goodness
of the Lord, for in it we learn that the very conditions of which the
philosopher complains are designed to develop the attributes for the
full growth of which the spirit is given the schooling of mortality.
Let us consider. We are here cut off from any understanding of our
pre-existent state or any knowledge of the hereafter, and must perforce
accept the providences of the Lord and His designs for our future
welfare on trust, and so the attribute of faith is developed.
Furthermore, notwithstanding all the failures and sorrows and trials of
life, we are impelled by an innate self-renewing power to press onto
the end, thus exercising hope. Dr. Johnson has well said:
"It is necessary to hope, though hope should be always deluded; and
its frustrations, however frequent, are yet less dreadful than its
extinction."
And, again, all our environments, as children, as husbands or wives,
as parents, as brothers or sisters, as rulers, as ruled, as king or
shepherd, as neighbors, as citizens, call our our affections; and, so
is love developed.
The attributes of faith, hope and love, or, as Wagner has it, in his
"Simple Life," confidence, hope and kindness, are, moreover, ever
spoken of by inspired writers as those most to be cultivated.
And, too, these qualities and the means for their exercise are
universal. They obtain alike with all classes, in all ages of the world.
Man, therefore, is placed upon the earth to develop spiritually, in
faith, in hope and in love, but most of all, as is consonant with the
part that sentiment played in the inception of the Gospel, in love.
Accordingly, Paul exclaims:
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of
these is charity." [45]
Further and final evidence as to the importance of the cultivation
of love is found in the reply of the Savior to the lawyer who asked,
"Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" for, "Jesus said
unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great
commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy
neighbor as thyself." [46]
That there is a reason, and what the reason is, for the paramount
importance of the cultivation of the attributes of faith, hope and love
in the present stage of our progress, is disclosed in a remarkable
passage in the Book of Mormon. It reads as follows:
"Behold, I will show unto them that faith, hope and charity, bringeth
unto me--the fountain of all righteousness. And I, Moroni, having
heard these words, was comforted, and said, O Lord, thy righteous
will be done, for I know that thou workest unto the children of men
according to their faith; for the brother of Jared said unto the
mountain Zerin, remove, and it was removed. And if he had not had
faith, it would not have moved; wherefore thou workest after men
have faith, for thus didst thou manifest thyself unto thy disciples.
For after they had faith, and did speak in thy name, thou didst show
thyself unto them in great power.
"And I also remember that thou hast said that thou hast prepared a
house for man; yea, even among the mansions of thy Father, in which man
might have more excellent hope; wherefore man must hope, or he cannot
receive an inheritance in the place which thou hast prepared.
"And again I remember that thou hast said that thou hast loved the
world, even unto the laying down of thy life for the world, that thou
mightest take it again to prepare a place for the children of men.
And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of
men, is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity, they cannot
inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy
Father." [47]
We may here summarize the last topic:
Why is man thrown into the world without a knowledge of his
pre-existence, of the purpose for which he is here, or of his
destination?
That faith may be engendered in his bosom.
Why is his life made up of failures, of disappointments, of sorrow?
That he may cultivate hope.
Why is he surrounded by the ties of kinship; why are sickness and
sorrow and death all about him; why are care and responsibility the
portion of each individual in every station in life?
That the attribute of sympathy, of affection, of love, may be developed
within him.
Why does he stand in particular need at this stage of his advancement
of faith, hope and love?
He has kept his first estate and is well on the way toward his trial
for the keeping of his second estate, where he will require the
attributes of a God, and these three, faith, hope and love, are the
means by the exercise of which he must acquire the power to reach that
exalted destination.
Herein is the justice of God in His dealings with mankind made
manifest; for, in the light of eternity, who should care for worldly
honors or a seat among the mighty? The poor and humble have within
their reach every facility for advancement that is vouchsafed to any,
in this state of probation. Indeed, it would seem that even more
opportunity to gain eternal riches is afforded the meek of the earth
than is given to those most highly favored of the world.
The Gospel is, therefore, at once the true incentive to, and the
sufficient justification of, the simple, the courageous, the hopeful
and the kindly life.
CONCLUSION.
What, then, of our text? Does the Gospel, as revealed by the Lord
through the Prophet Joseph Smith, furnish a thoughtful man with "a
firm center about which he can organize his knowledge of the world?"
Could any man originate a system of philosophy at once so simple, so
reasonable, so comprehensive and so beneficent? Do not the answers it
gives to the questions of life bear all the marks of Divinity?
In answer, we shall here revert, both by way of summary, and by way
of conclusion, to those universal questions with which we opened this
discussion, and answer them in behalf of each son and daughter of Adam.
_Who am I? Whence am I? Why am I here? Whither am I going_?
From the time when, as an intelligent, self-existent, independent
being, abroad in boundless space, surrounded by exhaustless,
indestructible matter, with limitless time in which to operate, I
received a knowledge of the Gospel plan which was formulated by the
Great God who upholds this world and all worlds and all things by
His power, I have been pursuing the course of advancement therein
provided; under the covenant that if I shall render obedience to Him
in all things, I shall become like Him; or that, failing in so high an
exaltation, I shall have glory added upon my head forever, in degree
according to my faithfulness.
Having kept my first estate, I am here to take upon my spirit a body,
thus inseparably connecting spirit and element; and to exercise
particularly the attributes of faith, hope and love; that in so doing I
may gain power, and may thereby be enabled to keep my second estate.
From this state of probation I am going to the world of spirits for
a season, and later to a reunion with my body, when I shall be given
all the glory I am capable of receiving; conditioned always upon my
faithfulness to the light the Lord has given me here.
For this is the message of the Gospel to each soul in the world:
_Be true to the light God gives you and perform with integrity the work
He has assigned you, exercising faith, hope and charity; so doing, you
may rest your soul secure in the arms of His love_.
Footnotes
[1] "In this series of light rays it is plain that there are two gaps,
or unknown regions, regarding which we have to confess total ignorance
relative to the part they play in the economy of the universe. May
there not exist vibrations still more rapid? That question we are
not permitted to answer. Be that as it may, the invisible rays are
incomparably more numerous than the visible ones. Our eyes thus see
almost nothing of that which exists. Our assumed knowledge is only an
insignificant islet in the midst of the ocean of the infinite."--Sir
William Crookes.
[2] Introduction.
[3] Pearl of Great Price, Book of Abraham, Diagram No. 2, Fig. 1.
No attempt is made here, nor in other references to this passage
of Scripture, to place a limitation to the activities of the Great
Creator. It is sufficient to say that He has given us information so
far back and no farther.
[4] Book of Abraham, 3:1-4, and Diagram No. 2.
[5] Doctrine and Covenants 68:12.
[6] Great First Cause, Par. 1.
[7] Compendium, p. 287.
[8] Brown's Metaphysics p. 220.
[9] Book of Abraham 3:18.
[10] Doctrine and Covenants 93:33.
[11] Journal of Discourses, VI., p. 6.
[12] 1 Corinthians 15:44.
[13] Pearl of Great Price, Book of Moses 3:5-7.
[14] Doctrine and Covenants Sec. 29:31, 32.
[15] Sermon by Pres. Joseph F. Smith, at the funeral services of Wm. C.
Staines, 1881.
[16] The late James S. Brown, in telling his experience at the time
his leg was amputated, related that his spirit left his body, and, as
the spirit hovered above the mutilated and lifeless remains, he could
see that, while the leg of flesh and bones had been removed, yet the
spiritual body remained whole, and the place from which the leg had
been removed was still occupied by the spiritual leg, over which the
knife and saw of the surgeon had no power. There was the spirit, the
life, hovering above the death bed, there was the spiritual body only
partially enveloped by the mutilated remains, and there was the mortal
body dismembered and cold in death. The common experience of those who
have had any limb amputated, that they, without thinking, try to use
the dismembered part, is to the same effect.
[17] Book of Abraham 3:18.
[18] Journal of Discourses VI., p. 6.
[19] Book of Abraham, Diagram No. 2, Fig. 1.
[20] Journal of Discourses VI., First Discourse.
[21] Pearl of Great Price, Book of Moses 1:30-39.
[22] Book of Abraham 3:26.
[23] Book of Abraham 3:27, 28.
[24] Sec. 29:36, 37.
[25] Book of Abraham 3:21-25.
[26] Sec. 84:35-40.
[27] Sec. 93:33, 34.
[28] Alma 11:45.
[29] Alma 13:7.
[30] Sec. 132:19, 20.
[31] Book of Abraham, Diagram No. 2, Fig. 1.
[32] Book of Abraham, Diagram No. 2, Fig. 2.
[33] Pearl of Great Price, Book of Moses 7:40.
[34] Compendium, p. 287.
[35] Doc. and Cov. 1:36.
[36] Sec. 88:17-26.
[37] Doc. and Cov. 130:9.
[38] Doc. and Cov. 39:24, 25.
[39] Doc. and Cov. Sec. 77.
[40] Book of Abraham 3:22, 24.
[41] Sec. 107:56.
[42] Alma 29:8.
[43] 1 Nephi 13:12.
[44] Doc. and Cov. 93:33, 34.
[45] I Cor. 13:13.
[46] Matt. 22:35-39.
[47] Ether 12:28-34.