gives much instruction concerning spiritual gifts; "For all have not
every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man
is given a gift by the Spirit of God;" _Doc. & Cov_. 46. 11. The Lord
also adds, "That unto some it may be given to have all these gifts,
that there may be a head;" _verse_ 29.
Bible.
1 _Cor_. 1. 7 so that ye may come behind in no gift.
7. 7 every man hath his proper gift of God.
12. 8 to one is given the word of wisdom, to another the word of
knowledge.
9 to another faith, to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit.
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy.
11 but all worketh that one and the self-same Spirit.
31 covet earnestly the best gifts.
13. 2 though I have the gift of prophecy.
14. 1 desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophecy.
12 forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts.
1 _Peter_ 4. 10 as every man hath received the gift, so minister.
Book of Mormon.
_Omni_ 1. 25 believe in the gift of speaking with tongues, and
interpreting tongues.
_Alma_ 9. 21 having the spirit of prophecy and revelation.
3 _Nephi_ 29. 6 shall say the Lord no longer worketh by prophecy, nor
gifts.
_Moroni_ 10. 9-19 an enumeration of spiritual gifts.
Doctrine and Covenants.
_Sec_. 46. 10-26 an enumeration of spiritual gifts.
27 it is given to those ordained to watch over the church to discern
all these gifts. 29.
_See A Pamphlet by O. Pratt_.
PRE-EXISTENCE OF SPIRITS.
In the first chapter of Genesis, we have an account of six days, or
periods of time, which God occupied in the creation of this earth.
According to the traditions of many centuries, it is considered by the
Christian world a history of the creation of this earth, as it appears
now, naturally to men who dwell upon it.
From the first and second chapters of Genesis, taken together, this
view of the subject is evidently erroneous. In the first verse of the
second chapter we read; "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished,
and all the host of them." This creation is evidently in a very
unfinished condition, for myriads of animal and vegetable life are
coming upon it and going to decay.
The sacred writings not only testify that it is in a very imperfect
condition, but that it must pass away and be changed into a more
perfect earth.
In the second and third verses of the second chapter, we learn that
there was a period of time called the seventh day, and that the Lord
sanctified it as a day of rest. If there has ever been a period of
time in which this earth, or its inhabitants, have had universal peace
and rest, since the progenitors of the race partook of the forbidden
fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have no account of it. "These are the
generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created,
in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens;" _verse_
4. This passage certainly states, that everything had been completed
in the period of time stated in the previous account. Verse five very
plainly states, in connection with the previous verse, that every plant
of the field was created, "Before it was in the earth, and every herb
of the field before it grew." During all this long period of time it
had not rained upon the earth. What is still more singular, it says,
"And there was not a man to till the ground."
This Mosaic history of the creation was written for men in their
present temporal condition, and it is evident that these two verses
give us to understand, that these things had not taken place naturally
upon the earth, as they do now. As a sequence, when they did take
place, they would indicate a great change in the condition of the
earth. The first indication of this change is given in the sixth verse,
"There went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the
ground."
Before the event mentioned in the seventh verse, the earth must have
been fitted up for the abode of man, in this his natural or temporal
condition. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." That is, the
ground furnished the elements for the growth of the body of this first
temporal man; from its first conception, or germ, until it matured into
perfect manhood by a universal law.
It should be noticed, that, in the first chapter, _verse_ 27, it says,
"God created man." That is he organized from the spiritual elements,
the living, acting spiritual man. In the seventh verse of the second
chapter, it only states that he formed man out of the ground. That is
out of earthly elements he formed a tabernacle, a dwelling place for
the man whom he had before created. The prophet Joseph Smith, in his
translation of the Mosaic account of creation, fills up this gap, which
is so evident in the Bible Genesis, between the seventh day of rest,
and the formation of man from the dust of the ground.
"For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken,
spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For
I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth.
And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a
man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not
yet flesh upon the earth; neither in the water, neither in the air; but
I, the Lord God, spake, and there went up a mist from the earth, and
watered the whole face of the ground. And I, the Lord God, formed man
from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth,
the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but,
spiritually, were they created and made according to my word;" _P. of
G. P. page_ 6.
This account of the creation, plainly sets forth the comprehensive
fact, that all temporal organizations, pertaining to this earth, are
animated by spiritual pre-existent organizations. The following is a
very comprehensive passage on this subject: "When the Most High divided
to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam,
he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children
of Israel;" _Deut_. 32. 8. This passage certainly refers to a very
early period, when the heritage of the nations was given in proportion
to the numbers of Israel. It is difficult to conceive how their numbers
were then known unless there was a spiritual Israel, of which the
temporal is but the counterpart.
The sacred writings abound with evidences that Jesus Christ controlled
the earth and ministered to man, as an organized spiritual intelligence
before he came in the flesh in the meridian of time. The first chapter
of John is very pointed on this subject: "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;" _verse_ 1. "And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us;" _verse_ 14.
Bible.
_Num_. 16. 22 the God of the spirits of all flesh. _Chap_. 27. 16.
_Job_ 12. 10 in whose hand is the soul of every living thing.
38. 3, 7 where wert thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? who
hath laid the corner stone thereof when the morning stars sang together?
_Eccl_. 12. 7 the spirit shall return to God who gave it.
_Jer_. 1. 5 before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.
_John_ 6. 62 if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was
before.
9. 2 who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
16. 27 and have believed that I came out from God.
28 I came forth from the Father. 30.
17. 5 glorify me with the glory I had with thee before the world was.
_Heb_. 1. 6 when he bringeth the First Begotten into the world.
12. 9 shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of our spirits?
_Rev_. 12. 7-12 the devil and his angels cast out of heaven.
Book of Mormon.
1 _Nephi_ 13. 33-37 many sayings of the Lamb of God, concerning the
future of Israel, repeated to Nephi by an angel--600 B. C.
17. 30 their Lord, their God, their Redeemer going before them.
19. 10 the God of our fathers yielded himself, as a man, into the hands
of wicked men.
20. 17 thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
21. 26 all flesh shall know that I am the Lord thy Savior and Redeemer.
2 _Nephi_ 6. 18 know that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and Redeemer.
9. 5 it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become
subject to man in the flesh, that all men might be subject to him.
11. 2 for he verily saw my Redeemer, as I have seen him. 3.
7 but there is a God, and he is Christ.
25. 12 Father of heaven and earth shall manifest himself to them in the
flesh.
_Mos_. 3. 5 the Lord omnipotent shall come down from heaven among men.
8 he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things from the
beginning.
4. 2 Jesus Christ, who created heaven and earth and all things.
7. 27 because he said Christ was God, the Father of all things.
13. 33, 34 the prophets prophesied that God should come down among men.
15. 1 God, himself, shall come among men and redeem his people.
_Hel_. 14. 12 Jesus Christ the Father of heaven and earth. _Chap_. 16.
18.
3 _Nephi_ 1. 12-14 this night shall the sign be given, and on the
morrow come I into the world.
9. 15 I created the heavens and the earth and all things.
_Ether_ 2. 12 if they will serve Christ, who is the God of the land.
3. 6-20 an account of a remarkable manifestation of Jesus Christ as God
the Son, and the Father, but still a personage of spirit.
12. 22 the Lord hath commanded me, even Jesus Christ.
Doctrine and Covenants.
_Sec_. 10. 57 I came to my own and they received me not.
29. 36 the devil, who was before Adam, rebelled against Christ.
38. 1-3 Jesus Christ looked on the wide expanse of eternity, and the
hosts of heaven before the worlds were made, and all things came by
him. 4.
76. 13 Jesus Christ in the bosom of the Father from the beginning.
24 by him, of him, through him, the worlds were made.
86. 9 lawful heirs, and have been hid from the world, with Christ in
God.
93. 23 ye were also in the beginning with the Father.
_See Sermon by O. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 14, page 233_.
" " " " " _15, " 241_.
PLURALITY OF GODS.
The passages are numerous in the inspired writings which indicate a
plurality of Gods. In the account of creation, in the Book of Abraham,
the plural Gods is exclusively used; _P. of G. P. page_ 33.
The Psalmist, speaking of God, says: "Thou lovest righteousness, and
hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the
oil of gladness above thy fellows;" _Psalm_ 45. 7. It is not possible
that any other than the true God is here referred to, for the God
that was anointed above his fellows had loved righteousness and hated
iniquity. "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth
among the Gods;" 82. 1. In this passage the number of Gods among whom
God judgeth is indefinite, and the words, "congregation of the mighty,"
indicate that they might be quite numerous.
John, the Evangelist, opens his history of our Savior thus; "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was
God;" 1. 1. In this passage we have an account of two Gods, one of
which dwelt with the other in the beginning. That the "Word," spoken
of, is Jesus Christ is evident from _verse_ 14: "And the Word was made
flesh, and dwelt among us."
"Which in his times he shall shew, _who is_ the blessed and only
Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of Lords;" 1 _Tim_. 6. 15. From
the context of this passage we learn that the kings and lords here
referred to were holy men. Of like significance is the following: "And
hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father;" _Rev_. 1. 6.
That is to God and the Father of God.
"A Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty _and_
four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads;"
14. 1. From the third verse we learn that these were redeemed from the
earth. Whether this name of the Father of Jesus Christ was God, or some
other title indicating his power and attributes, is not revealed to us,
but, whatever it was, it evidently identified those who received it as
Gods.
Bible.
_Gen_. 1. 26 and God said, let us make man in our image.
_Exo_. 15. 11 who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods.
_Deut_. 10. 17 Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords.
_Josh_. 22. 22 the Lord God of gods. Israel he shall know.
1 _Chron_. 16. 25 great is the Lord; to be feared above all gods.
2 _Chron_. 2. 5 for great is our God, above all gods.
_Psalm_ 86. 8 among the gods, there is none like unto thee, O Lord.
126. 2, 3 O give thanks to the God of gods.
138. 1 before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
_Dan_. 2. 11 none can shew it before the king, except the gods.
47 your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings.
4. 8 in whom is the Spirit of the holy Gods.. _Chap_. 5. 14.
11. 36 and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods.
_Matt_. 5. 48 be ye perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.
_John_ 5. 19 the Son doeth nothing except what he seeth the Father do.
1 _Cor_. 8. 5 for though there be that are called gods.
_Phil_. 3. 21 that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.
1 _Tim_. 6. 15 who is the King of kings and Lord of lords.
1 _John_ 3. 2 when he shall appear we shall be like him.
_Rev_. 3. 21 to him that overcometh, will I grant to sit on my throne.
14. 1 with him 144,000, having his Father's name in their foreheads.
17. 14 for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings.
20. 4 I saw thrones, and they that sat upon them.
21. 7 he that overcometh shall inherit all things.
Book of Mormon.
_Alma_ 12. 31 becoming as Gods, knowing good and evil.
3 _Nephi_ 27. 27 what manner of men ought ye to be? verily I say unto
you, even as I am.
28. 10 ye shall be as I am, and I, even as the Father.
Doctrine and Covenants.
_Sec_. 35. 2 one in me, even as I am one in the Father.
39. 4 as many as received me, gave I power to become my sons.
76. 24 worlds were created, and the inhabitants begotten sons and
daughters of God.
55-59 have received of his fulness and glory; they are Gods.
94, 95 know as they are known; and he makes them equal in power and
dominion.
84. 35-39 receiveth me, receiveth my Father and his kingdom.
93. 20 be glorified in me, as I am in the Father.
121. 28 whether there be one God or many Gods, they shall be manifest.
32 in the midst of the council of the eternal God of all other Gods.
128. 23 proclaiming in our ears eternal life, kingdoms, principalities
and powers.
132. 17 and from henceforth are not Gods. but angels of God, forever.
18.
19 shall pass by the angels and the Gods which are set there.
37 entered into their exaltation; sit upon thrones, and are not angels
but Gods.
_History of Joseph Smith, June 16, 1844_.
GOD A PERSONAGE.
Bible.
_Gen_. 1. 25-27 man created in the image of God.
3. 9, 10 Adam heard the voice of the Lord.
4. 6 the Lord said unto Cain. 14.
5. 1, 2 Lord created man male and female, in his own likeness.
6. 6 it repented and grieved the Lord that he had made man.
13-21 God talked with Noah. _Chap_. 7. 1-4. _Chap_. 9. 8.
8. 1 God remembered Noah. 15, 21. _Chap_. 9, 16.
11. 5 the Lord came down to see the city and the tower. 7.
12. 7 the Lord appeared to Abraham. _Chap_. 17. 22.
_Chap_. 18. the Lord ate and talked with Abraham.
28. 13 the Lord stood above the ladder Jacob saw.
32. 30 Jacob saw God face to face. 35. 13.
_Exo_. 3. 6 Moses was afraid to look on God.
15. 3 the Lord is a man of war. 8, 16, 17.
24. 10, 11 they saw God and did eat and drink. 12.
31. 18 the tables of testimony, written with the finger of God.
33. 11 the Lord talked with Moses as one man speaks with a friend.
23 thou shalt see my back parts, but not my face.
_Num_. 12. 8 with him will I speak, mouth to mouth.
35. 34 for I, the Lord, dwell among the children of Israel.
_Deut_. 5. 15 the Lord's mighty hand and stretched out arm.
2 _Sam_. 22. 16 the breath of his nostrils. _Job_ 1. 11. _Chap_. 89. 20.
2 _Chron_. 16. 9 the eyes of the Lord run to and fro.
_Job_ 13. 8 will ye accept his person?
_Psalm_ 13. 1 how long wilt thou hide thy face?
34. 15 the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous. 16.
45. 3 gird thy sword upon thy thigh.
89. 13 thou hast a mighty arm and strong is thy hand.
139. 16 thine eyes did see my substance. _Prov_. 15. 3.
_Isa_. 30. 27 his lips are full of indignation, his tongue as a
devouring fire.
40. 11 he shall gather his lambs with his arm.
48. 13 mine hand hath laid the foundations of the earth.
_Ezek_. 1. 27 from the appearance of his loins upward.
38. 18 my fury shall come up in my face.
43. 7 the place of the soles of my feet.
_Zech_. 14. 4 and his feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives.
_Heb_. 1. 10 the heavens are the work of thine hands. 2. 7.
_Rev_. 1. 14 his head and his hair like wool, and his eyes like fire.
_See Sermon by O. Pratt, J. of D., Vol. 18, page 286_.
_Gibson and Woodman's Discussion, second night_.
THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD.
"There are two personages who constitute the great, matchless,
governing, and supreme, power over all things, by whom all things
were created and made, that are created and made, whether visible or
invisible, whether in heaven, on earth, or in the earth, under the
earth, or throughout the immensity of space.
"They are the Father and the Son--the Father being a personage of
spirit, glory, and power, possessing all perfection and fulness, the
Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, a personage of tabernacle,
made or fashioned like unto man, or being in the form and likeness of
man, or rather man was formed after his likeness and in his image; he
is also the express image and likeness of the personage of the Father,
possessing all the fulness of the Father, or the same fulness with the
Father; being begotten of him, and ordained from before the foundation
of the world to be a propitiation for the sins of all those who should
believe on his name, and is called the Son because of the flesh, and
descended in suffering below that which man can suffer; or, in other
words, suffered greater sufferings, and was exposed to more powerful
contradictions than any man can be.
"But, notwithstanding all this, he kept the law of God, and remained
without sin, showing thereby that it is in the power of man to keep
the law and remain also without sin; and also, that by him a righteous
judgment might come upon all flesh, and that all who walk not in the
law of God may justly be condemned by the law, and have no excuse for
their sins.
"And he being the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and
truth, and having overcome, received a fulness of the glory of the
Father, possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is
the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father and the Son, and
these three are one; or, in other words, these three constitute the
great, matchless, governing and supreme, power over all things; by
whom all things were created and made that were created and made,
and these three constitute the Godhead, and are one; the Father and
Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power, and
fulness--filling all in all; the Son being filled with the fulness of
the mind, glory, and power; or, in other words, the Spirit, glory and
power, of the Father, possessing all knowledge and glory, and the same
kingdom, sitting at the right hand of power, in the express image and
likeness of the Father, mediator for man, being filled with the fulness
of the mind of the Father; or, in other words, the Spirit of the
Father, which Spirit is shed forth upon all who believe on his name and
keep his commandments; and all those who keep his commandments shall
grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom,
and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being
transformed into the same image or likeness, even the express image of
him who fills all in all; being filled with the fulness of his glory,
and become one in him, even as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one.
"From the foregoing account of the Godhead, which is given in his
revelations, the saints have a sure foundation laid for the exercise
of faith unto life and salvation, through the atonement and mediation
of Jesus Christ; by whose blood they have a forgiveness of sins, and
also a sure reward laid up for them in heaven, even that of partaking
of the fulness of the Father and the Son through the Spirit. As the
Son partakes of the fulness of the Father through the Spirit, so the
saints are, by the same Spirit, to be partakers of the same fulness,
to enjoy the same glory; for as the Father and the Son are one, so, in
like manner, the saints are to be one in them. Through the love of the
Father, the mediation of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit,
they are to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ;" _Doc.
& Cov_., _Fifth Lecture on Faith_.
"And now Abinadi said unto them, I would that ye should understand that
God himself shall come down among the children of men, and shall redeem
his people; and because he dwelleth in flesh, he shall be called the
Son of God: and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father,
being the Father and the Son; the Father, because he was conceived by
the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the
Father and Son; and they are one God, yea, the very eternal Father of
heaven and earth;" _Mos_. 15. 1-4.
"And shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the
Son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one eternal God,
to be judged according to their works;" _Alma_ 11. 44.
"Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and
the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from
the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath
the Father glorified his name;" 3 _Nephi_ 9. 15.
"And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name, for behold, verily
I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are
one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I
are one;" 3 _Nephi_ 11. 27.
"I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me,
and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me. * * And whoso
believeth in me, and is baptized, the same shall be saved; and they are
they who shall inherit the kingdom of God.
"And whoso believeth not in me, and is not baptized, shall be damned.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear
record of it from the Father; and whoso believeth in me, believeth in
the Father also, and unto him will the Father bear record of me; for he
will visit him with fire, and with the Holy Ghost.
"And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the Holy Ghost will
bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and
the Holy Ghost are one;" _verses_ 32-36.
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits
enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the vail was
rent to-day, and the Great God who holds this world in its orbit, and
who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself
visible,--I say, if you were to see him to-day, you would see him like
a man in form--like yourselves in all the person, image, and very
form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image, and
likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked, and
conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another;" _His.
J. Smith, April_ 7, 1844.
Bible.
_Matt_. 11. 25 I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth 26, 27.
26. 39 take away this cup from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as
thou wilt.
_Luke_ 10. 22 no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father, and who the
Father is but the Son.
23. 34 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. 46.
_John_ 1. 14 the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father. 18.
4. 23 shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father
seeketh such to worship him.
5. 19 the Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father
do. 20, 21.
22 the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the
Son. 23.
26 as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son.
27 hath given authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of
Man. 30.
45 think not that I will accuse you unto the Father.
6. 27 for him hath God the Father sealed.
37 all that the Father giveth me shall come to me. 44-46.
8. 16 I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. 18.
10. 15 as the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father.
12. 27 Father save me from this hour, but for this cause came I unto
this hour.
13. 1 Jesus knew that he should depart out of this world to the Father.
14. 6 no man cometh to the Father but by me. 8.
9 he that hath seen me hath seen the Father. 11, 13, 16.
26 but the Comforter whom the Father will send.
15. 26 when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the
Father.
16. 15 all things that the Father hath are mine. 16, 25-28.
17. 1 Father, the hour is come, glorify thy Son.