Meagre Details--Good Reasons Why--Extent of the Universe--Future
Glory--Sin in Other Worlds--No Revelation--Future Abode of the
Righteous--Solid or Ethereal--Impossible Revelations--Present Duties
and Interests--Our Limitations--Necessity of Purification--Preaching
to the Spirits in Prison--Stages of Progress--The Law of Gradual
Development.
There is one matter to which I would refer at this stage, because I
think the settlement of it on a reasonable basis will be a great aid to
many devout minds. It will be supposed by many that if there is an
intermediate state of purification, some mention of it, and some details
of it, would be given in revelation. To my mind, the comparative silence
of revelation in regard to it, counts for almost nothing in our estimate
of its probability--I might almost say of its necessity.
There is one consideration of prime importance in this connection, which
ought not to be overlooked. It is this: that in regard even to the
future world of final blessedness, we have very meagre details. And
there are good reasons why we have not more. I think it is not generally
realized how fragmentary are such details; and yet we believe in the
fact itself beyond the shadow of a doubt. In fact there are few things
in which we have more implicit confidence than a future world of
blessedness and glory. But consider how few details of it are revealed.
Think of the many subjects closely related to it on which we are in
complete ignorance. It may be well to run over some of these matters
briefly, that we may realize how utterly ignorant we are of affairs
connected with that world of final blessedness. And if that be so in
regard to heaven itself, how much less we may expect to be enlightened
beforehand on the details of any intermediate state of preparation.
Think of the fact that we are surrounded by other worlds of glory; and
yet we do not even know if any of those worlds are inhabited. To be
sure, there are considerations founded on the material and moral order
of things that assure us almost beyond a doubt that they are inhabited.
But there is no proof. We simply do not know. One of those worlds is a
thousand times larger than the earth; one is twelve hundred times;
several are far more magnificent; yet we do not even know if they have
any population.
More than that, we do not know if one of them--or our own earth--has
passed through cycles of population during the uncounted centuries of
the past. As little do we know if any or all of them will be theatres of
life and intelligence in the future. Now if we know so little as to the
history of our own and neighboring worlds in the past, and have no
revelation as to their future, is it likely that we would be informed as
to details of some world of purification located probably away in the
realms of space?
Then this sun of ours is fourteen hundred thousand times larger than the
earth. But we know almost nothing of his constitution or history. He is
really a universe in himself. Of the functions he performs in reference
to the worlds that surround him we know a little; but how his heat is
sustained--what is attraction--what is his destiny--is all unknown. If
we are so ignorant of this primal source of life in all these planetary
worlds, are we likely to be informed of the methods of moral discipline,
probably in some distant world?
But our sun, large and important as he is, is but a speck in creation.
These myriads of stars that shine nightly in the heavens are all suns.
It is calculated that the union of the telescope with the photographic
plate brings five hundred millions of these stars into view. Some of
them are demonstrated to be hundreds of times larger than our sun. But
that is nearly all we know about them. Whether any of them has a retinue
of worlds revolving around him like our sun, will never be known on this
side of time. Then beyond all we can see, we recognize a probability of
the existence of uncounted millions of worlds; but we know nothing of
them. Therefore we would hardly expect to have details revealed of some
distant sphere of purification.
Again, whether any of these worlds have fallen, we do not know; and as
little do we know as to whether any of them have been redeemed. We may
reason about the matter; but it is only a short way that reason will
carry on such a profound question. I believe that the merit of the
Sacrifice made in this world of ours might be made available in all
worlds that need it, be their sin what it may. It is also very
conceivable that the good news might be conveyed to those worlds by
angels, just as the good news is made known in our world by men. The
same principle would hold. In the one case there would be a wider
application of the message than in the other; that is the main
difference. And when we think of the swifter and easier movements of
angels, even that difference might amount to nothing.
But the whole subject is one on which we have no revelation whatever.
Now if there are millions of other worlds, with teeming populations, and
if not the most meagre revelation has been made to us as to their moral
character or destiny, it is surely not surprising that we have no
revelation as to the details of a state of purification beyond this
life. We have thankfully to recognize the fact that we are not burdened
with revelations which would only confuse and distract us. It is surely
a gracious providence that withholds revelations of such details for the
present. But that is no argument why such details will not be revealed
by and by, any more than that the unrevealed joys of heaven will be
disclosed to us when we are able to understand and enjoy them.
* * * * *
Still more; beyond the realm of stars whose outline is somewhat clearly
marked, there is a dim shimmer of glory, suggestive of uncounted
millions of stars and systems farther on. This golden glimmer of distant
worlds has been likened to a candle shining through a horn. We are
simply lost in the extent and glory of the starry hosts. Do we not begin
to see that the universe is far too vast to be revealed to mortals? To
have the essentials of truth and duty revealed to us here, in this dim
corner of the universe, is as much as we ought to expect. By and by we
may hope to have larger revelations.
We may realize this principle more fully if we come down again to the
earth, and to enquire if this earth is to be the future abode of the
righteous? Some say it is. We simply do not know. When we do not know if
this earth is to be our future dwelling place, can we reasonably expect
to have details of the place and manner of our purification--though it
be a matter of far higher moment?
Then again: Is the earth the final abode of the righteous? Or is it
only to be the initial place of future blessedness? Or, are there many
heavens, each preceding one to be a preparation for a higher? Here again
all our thoughts are drowned.
Or again: Is heaven to be a solid world like this earth, or is it to be
an ethereal world? Such questions are far too high for us. In this
narrow sphere of earth and time we know almost nothing of the glory to
be revealed. I would say that a study of the extent and magnificence of
creation would give us some hints of what eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard. At all events the more we are acquainted with the glories of the
universe, the more we shall realize how little is likely to be revealed
of the details of any preparatory stage of final blessedness.
* * * * *
And besides such a revelation being unreasonable, we believe it would be
impossible. There are probably millions of worlds, as well as our own.
Each one of these has likely a moral history. Now it is easily
conceivable that the services rendered in heaven may have a close
relation to some of these worlds. Thus we could not have a revelation of
our future service without being let more or less into the moral history
of those worlds. But it will be seen at once that this would be utterly
beyond us, as well as useless to us at present. In fact it would only
perplex and confuse us, and divert our attention from the practical
duties of life.
It is remarkable also that we have almost no revelation of the present
active service of the better world. To give us such a revelation might
involve other revelations which in the meantime are too high and too
complicated for us to understand. Everything is beautiful in its season.
Just as now we do not try to initiate children into the problems of life
that will come with mature age, so we, real children in understanding,
are not burdened with the knowledge, and all that such knowledge would
involve, that will come in a future life.
Besides; such premature knowledge would probably detach our interest and
attention from the duties that press upon us now. We are here with
certain duties and interests; and when these are duly apprehended they
are quite sufficient to engage our time and thought, without being
concerned with the duties that will come with a future state.
* * * * *
Thus we see something of the wisdom and the love in giving us only such
details as suit our present limitations. There may be a state of
purification beyond this life; but we shall adapt ourselves to that
state when the time comes; not before. When we see the character of God,
as revealed in His Word; when we realize the sin and misery of our
present condition; when we apprehend the wonderful sacrifice that has
been made for the recovery of our race; and when we realize the
unspeakable glory that may be ours--we begin to see the
probability--yes, the necessity--of a process of purification beyond the
sphere of time.