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JOSEPH SMITH
AS
SCIENTIST
A CONTRIBUTION TO
MORMON PHILOSOPHY
BY
John A. Widtsoe, A. M., Ph. D.
THE GENERAL BOARD
YOUNG MEN'S MUTUAL IMPROVEMENT
ASSOCIATIONS
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
1908
Copyright
1908
by John A. Widtsoe.
Preface
In the life of every person, who receives a higher education, in or
out of schools, there is a time when there seems to be opposition
between science and religion; between man-made and God-made knowledge.
The struggle for reconciliation between the contending forces is not
an easy one. It cuts deep into the soul and usually leaves scars that
ache while life endures. There are thousands of young people in the
Church to-day, and hundreds of thousands throughout the world, who are
struggling to set themselves right with the God above and the world
about them. It is for these young people, primarily, that the
following chapters have been written.
This volume is based on the conviction that there is no real
difference between science and religion. The great, fundamental laws
of the Universe are foundation stones in religion as well as in
science. The principle that matter is indestructible belongs as much
to theology as to geology. The theology which rests upon the few basic
laws of nature is unshakable; and the great theology of the future
will be such a one.
"Mormonism" teaches and has taught from the beginning that all
knowledge must be included in the true theology. Because of its
comprehensive philosophy, "Mormonism" will survive all religious
disturbances and become the system of religious faith which all men
may accept without yielding the least part of the knowledge of nature
as discovered in the laboratories or in the fields. The splendid
conceptions of "Mormonism" concerning man and nature, and man's place
in nature are among the strongest testimonies of the divine nature of
the work founded by Joseph Smith, the Prophet.
This little volume does not pretend to be a complete treatment of
"Mormon" philosophy; it is only a small contribution to the subject.
There is room for elaboration and extension in this field for many
generations to come. The attempt has been made to sketch, briefly, the
relation of "Mormonism" to some features of modern scientific
philosophy, and to show that not only do "Mormonism" and science
harmonize; but that "Mormonism" is abreast of the most modern of the
established views of science, and that it has held them many years--in
some cases before science adopted them. The only excuse for the scant
treatment of such an important subject is that it is as extensive as
the duties of a busy life would allow. In the future, the subject may
be given a fuller treatment.
Some readers may urge that "the testimony of the Spirit," which has
been the final refuge of so many Christians, has received little
consideration in the following chapters. This is due to the avowed
purpose of the work to harmonize science and religion, on the basis of
accepted science. "Mormonism" is deeply and rationally spiritual; the
discussion in this volume is confined to one phase of Gospel
philosophy.
The majority of the following chapters were originally published in
the _Improvement Era_ for 1903-1904 as a series of articles bearing
the main title of this book. These articles are here republished with
occasonal changes and additions. The new chapters have been cast into
the same form as the original articles. The publication as independent
articles will explain the apparent lack of connection between the
chapters in this book. The statements of scientific facts have been
compared very carefully with standard authorities. However, in
popularizing science there is always the danger that the
simplification may suggest ideas that are not wholly accurate. Those
who have tried this kind of work will understand and pardon such
errors as may appear. However, corrections are invited.
My thanks are due and cheerfully given the management of the
_Improvement Era_ for the help and encouragement given. I am under
especial obligations to Elder Edward H. Anderson, the associate editor
of the _Era_, to whose efforts it is largely due that this volume has
seen the light of day. I desire to render my thanks also to the
committee appointed by the First Presidency to read the manuscript,
Elders George Albert Smith, Edward H. Anderson and Joseph F. Smith,
Jr.
This volume has been written in behalf of "Mormonism." May God speed
the truth!
Contents.
INTRODUCTORY.
Chapter I. Joseph's Mission and Language
THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF THE UNIVERSE.
Chapter II. The Indestructibility of Matter
Chapter III. The Indestructibility of Energy
Chapter IV. The Universal Ether
Chapter V. The Reign of Law
THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNIVERSE.
Chapter VI. The New Astronomy
Chapter VII. Geological Time
Chapter VIII. Organized Intelligence
THE LAWS GOVERNING THE INDIVIDUAL.
Chapter IX. Faith
Chapter X. Repentance
Chapter XI. Baptism
Chapter XII. The Gift of the Holy Ghost
Chapter XIII. The Word of Wisdom
THE DESTINY OF EARTH AND MAN.
Chapter XIV. The Law of Evolution
Chapter XV. The Plan of Salvation
THE REGION OF THE UNKNOWN.
Chapter XVI. The Sixth Sense
THE FORCE OF FORCES.
Chapter XVII. The Nature of God
CONCLUSION.
Chapter XVIII. Joseph Smith's Education
Chapter XVIV. A Summary Restatement
Chapter XX. Concluding Thoughts
APPENDIX.
Chapter XXI. The Testimony of the Soil
INTRODUCTORY.
Chapter I.
JOSEPH'S MISSION AND LANGUAGE.
[Sidenote: Scientific discussions not to be expected in the Prophet's
work.]
The mission of Joseph Smith was of a spiritual nature; and therefore,
it is not to be expected that the discussion of scientific matters
will be found in the Prophet's writings. The revelations given to the
Prophet deal almost exclusively with the elucidation of so-called
religious doctrines, and with such difficulties as arose from time to
time in the organization of the Church. It is only, as it appears to
us, in an incidental way that other matters, not strictly of a
religious nature, are mentioned in the revelations. However, the
Church teaches that all human knowledge and all the laws of nature are
part of its religious system; but that some principles are of more
importance than others in man's progress to eternal salvation.[A]
While on the one hand, therefore, it cannot reasonably be expected
that Joseph Smith should deal in his writings with any subject
peculiar to natural science, yet, on the other hand, it should not
surprise any student to find that the Prophet at times considered
matters that do not come under the ordinary definition of religion,
especially if they in any way may be connected with the laws of
religion. Statements of scientific detail should not be looked for in
Joseph Smith's writings, though these are not wholly wanting; but
rather, we should expect to find general views of the relations of the
forces of the universe.
[Footnote A: "And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as
they were and as they are to come."--Doctrine and Covenants, 93:24.
"Teach ye diligently and my grace shall attend you, that you may be
instructed more perfectly in theory, in principle, in doctrine, in the
law of the Gospel, in all things that pertain unto the Kingdom of God,
that are expedient for you to understand;
"Of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth;
things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly
come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the
wars and the perplexities of the nations, and the judgments which are
on the land, and a knowledge also of countries and kingdoms,
"That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to
magnify the calling, whereunto I have called you, and the mission with
which I have commissioned you."--Doctrine and Covenants, 88:78-80.
"And verily, I say unto you, that it is my will that you should hasten
to translate my Scriptures, and to obtain a knowledge of history, and
of countries, and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man, and all this
for the salvation of Zion."--Doctrine and Covenants, 93:53.
"It (theology) is the science of all other sciences and useful arts,
being in fact the very foundation from which they emanate. It includes
philosophy, astronomy, history, mathematics, geography, languages, the
science of letters, and blends the knowledge of all matters of fact,
in every branch of art and research.......All that is useful, great
and good, all that is calculated to sustain, comfort, instruct, edify,
purify, refine or exalt intelligences, originated by this science, and
this science alone, all other sciences being but branches growing out
of this, the root."--Pratt, Key to Theology, chap. 1.]
[Sidenote: Man must not expect direct revelation in matters that he
can solve for himself.]
It is not in harmony with the Gospel spirit that God, except in
special cases, should reveal things that man by the aid of his natural
powers may gain for himself. The Lord spoke to the Prophet as
follows:--"Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I
would give it unto you, when you took no thought, save it was to ask
me; but, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your
mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will
cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel
that it is right."[A] Such a doctrine makes it unreasonable to look to
the Prophet's work for a gratuitous mass of scientific or other
details, which will relieve man of the labor of searching out for
himself nature's laws. So well established is this principle that in
all probability many of the deepest truths contained in the writings
of Joseph Smith will not be clearly understood, even by his followers,
until, by the laborious methods of mortality, the same truths are
established. It is even so with the principles to be discussed in the
following papers. They were stated seventy years ago, yet it is only
recently that the Latter-day Saints have begun to realize that they
are identical with recently developed scientific truths; and the world
of science is not yet aware of it. However, whenever such harmony is
observed, it testifies of the divine inspiration of the humble,
unlearned boy prophet of the nineteenth century.
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants 9:7, 8.]
[Sidenote: The absence of the language, details and methods of science
in the Prophet's writings proves him unfamiliar with the written
science of his day.]
The Prophet Joseph does not use the language of science; which is
additional proof that he did not know the science of his day. This may
be urged as an objection to the assertion that he understood
fundamental scientific truths, but the error of this view is easily
comprehended when it is recalled that the language of science is made
by men, and varies very often from age to age, and from country to
country. Besides, the God who spoke to Joseph Smith, says, "These
commandments were given unto my servants in their weakness, after the
manner of their language, that they might come to understanding."[A]
If God had spoken the special language of science, the unlearned
Joseph Smith would not, perhaps, have understood. Every wise man
explains that which he knows in the language of those to whom he is
speaking, and the facts and theories of science can be quite easily
expressed in the language of the common man. It is needless to expect
scientific phraselogy in the writings of Joseph Smith.
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants 1:24.]
Scientific details are almost wholly wanting in the writings of Joseph
Smith. Had the Prophet known the science of his day, his detailed
knowledge would have been incorporated somehow in his writings. The
almost complete absence of such scientific detail as would in all
probability have been used, had the Prophet known of it, is additional
testimony that he did not get his information from books.
Finally, another important fact must be mentioned. Men in all ages
have speculated about the things of the universe, and have invented
all kinds of theories to explain natural phenomena. In all cases,
however, these theories have been supported by experimental evidence,
or else they have been proposed simply as personal opinions. Joseph
Smith, on the contrary, laid no claim to experimental data to support
the theories which he proposed, nor did he say that they were simply
personal opinions, but he repeatedly asserted that God had revealed
the truths to him, and that they could not, therefore, be false. If
doctrines resting upon such a claim can be shown to be true, it is
additional testimony of the truth of the Prophet's work.
[Sidenote: Purpose of the following chapters.]
In the following chapters it will be shown, by a series of
comparisons, that, in 1833, or soon thereafter, the teachings of
Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, were in full harmony with the most
advanced scientific thought of today, and that he anticipated the
world of science in the statement of fundamental facts and theories of
physics, chemistry, astronomy and biology.
THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF THE UNIVERSE.