Chapter XII.
THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST.
[Sidenote: The gift of the Holy Ghost is a gift of intelligence.]
Baptism by water is insufficient to open the door to God's Kingdom. The Gift of the Holy Ghost, obtained by the laying on of Hands by one having authority, completes the ordinance. Not only Joseph Smith, but the Savior Himself taught distinctly that to enter the Kingdom of God, a person must be baptized by water and by fire; and the promise is given that those are "baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost."[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 84:63, 64.]
Jesus, speaking to His disciples, taught that "the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."[A] This clearly implies that the promised gift is essentially a gift of increased intelligence with the added power that results from a more intelligent action. That this is the Mormon view of the effect of the Gift of the Holy Ghost may be amply demonstrated from the standard works of the Church and from the writings of the leading interpreters of Mormon doctrine. Parley P. Pratt in the Key to Theology says, "It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affection * * * *. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man."[B] The Prophet Joseph Smith declared "This first Comforter or Holy Ghost has no other effect than pure intelligence. It is * * * * powerful in expanding the mind, enlightening the understanding, and storing the intellect with present knowledge."[C] Concisely expressed, therefore, Joseph Smith and the Church he restored, teach that the Gift of the Holy Ghost, is a gift of "intelligence."
[Footnote A: John 14:26.]
[Footnote B: Key to Theology, 5th ed., pp. 101, 102.]
[Footnote C: History of the Church, Vol. III, p. 380.]
[Sidenote: Science furnishes an equivalent of the gift of the Holy
Ghost.]
If the equivalents of faith, repentance and baptism are irrevocable laws for the individual who studies science, the question arises, Is there also, a scientific equivalent for the Gift of the Holy Ghost? Even a superficial view of the matter will reveal such an equivalent. To use again the illustrations employed in the preceding chapter, if the chemist has obeyed natural law in producing hydrogen, that is, has been baptized into the kingdom of hydrogen, he may by the proper use and study of the gas obtained, add much to his knowledge. He may learn that it is extremely light; that it forms an explosive mixture with air; that it will destroy many vegetable colors, and will burn with an almost invisible flame. Thus, the possession of the gas enlarges the knowledge and develops the intelligence of the scientist. Is not this another form of the Gift of the Holy Ghost?
The man who is baptized into the kingdom of heavenly bodies by grinding the lenses right, is enabled to learn many new facts concerning the nature and motions of celestial bodies; and thus receives intelligence. He who obediently winds the wire correctly around the iron core, may generate a current of electricity with which many mighty works may be accomplished. Do not these men, as their intelligences are expanded, receive a Gift of the Holy Ghost, as a reward for their obedience to the demands of nature?
It would be possible to carry the comparisons into every scientific action without strengthening the argument. In science, if a person has faith, repentance and is baptized, that is obeys, he will receive added intelligence, which is the equivalent of the Gift of the Holy Ghost as taught in theology. The four fundamental laws for the guidance of the individual are identical in Mormon theology, and in modern science.
Just why the laying on of hands should be necessary to complete the ordinance of baptism is not known, any more than the reasons are known for the results that follow the numberless relations that may be established by mortal man. However, the dogma of the Gift of the Holy Ghost, is logically the fourth step in attaining scientific salvation.
Thus, each of the minor laws of Mormonsim might be investigated, and be shown to have a scientific counterpart. For the purpose of this volume, however, a more extended consideration of the laws governing the actions of the individual, is unnecessary.
Chapter XIII.
THE WORD OF WISDOM.
It has already been remarked that the nature of the mission of Joseph Smith made it unlikely that references to scientific matters, and much less to isolated scientific facts, obtainable by proper methods of experimentation should be found in the writings of the Prophet. Nevertheless, in a revelation given March 8, 1883, statements are made that can now be connected with facts of science, not generally or not at all known, at the time the revelation was received.
"Inasmuch as any man drinketh wine or strong drink among you, it is not good, * * * strong drinks are not for the belly but for the washing of your bodies."[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 89:5, 7.]
[Sidenote: The doctrine that alcohol is injurious to man is scientific.]
At the time this was written, many persons believed that the use of alcoholic drinks was injurious to human health; but more, especially among the uneducated classes, held quite the opposite opinion. Since that day, the question concerning the value of alcohol in any form has been greatly agitated, and much new light has been obtained. This is not the place to examine this famous controversy, but a few quotations from authoritative books, which are not controversial in their nature, will show the coincidence between the position of science, and the doctrine of Joseph Smith, in respect to this matter.
The United States Dispensatory (17th ed.) speaks of the medicinal properties of alcohol as follows, "It is irritant even to the skin, and much more so to the delicate organs; hence, the various abdominal inflammations that are so frequent in habitual drunkards. A single dose of it, if large enough, may produce death. The nervous symptoms caused by alcohol show that it has a very powerful and direct influence upon the nerve-centers. The arterial pressure and the pulse-rate are both increased by moderate doses of alcohol, by a direct influence upon the heart itself. * * * Taken habitually in excess, alcohol produces the most deplorable results, and is a very common cause of fatal maladies."[A]
[Footnote A: Page 129, art., Alcohol Ethylicum.]
Dr. W. Gilman Thompson in his authoritative book on Practical Dietetics, speaking of the constant use of alcoholic beverages, says, "The use of alcohol in any shape is wholly unnecessary for the use of the human organism in health. * * * * The lifelong use of alcohol in moderation does not necessarily shorten life or induce disease in some persons, while in others it undoubtedly produces gradual and permanent changes which tend to weaken vital organs so that the resistance of the body to disease is materially impaired. * * * * Many persons should be particularly warned against the use of alcohol. * * * * Although alcohol is such a strong force-producer and heat-generator, its effect in this direction is very soon counter-balanced by its stronger influence in lowering the general tone of the nervous system and in producing positive degeneration in the tissues."[A]
[Footnote A: Pages 206, 207.]
The recent newspaper statements that alcohol has been shown to be a food are based on a complete misunderstanding. The experiments demonstrated that alcohol is burned within the body—which is the simplest manner in which the body can rid itself of the alcohol.
No more authoritative opinions on this subject can be found than those contained in the two volumes from which quotations have been made—and the strongest opinions are not quoted. In spite of the isolated claims made for alcohol, the fact remains that the knowledge of the world indicates that alcohol is a poison to the human system; that it is not "for the belly." However, the value of the external use of alcohol, for various purposes, has never been denied. On the contrary almost every up to date practitioner recommends the external use of alcohol, as for instance after baths for lowering the temperature of fever patients. In this matter, then, Joseph Smith was in perfect harmony with the latest results of science. It is strange that he, unlearned as he was, should have stated what is now known as truth, so clearly and simply, yet so emphatically, more than seventy years ago, before the main experiments on the effect of alcohol on the human organsim had been made.
[Sidenote: The doctrine that tobacco is injurious to man is scientific.]
"And again, tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly, and is not good for man, but is an herb for bruises and all sick cattle, to be used with judgment and skill."[A] Although tobacco has been used for several centuries by civilized man, the real cause of the effect which it has upon the human body was not understood until the early part of the last century. In 1809, a chemist separated from tobacco an active principle, in an impure state, some of the properties of which he observed. In 1822, two other chemists succeeded in isolating the same principle, in a pure condition, and found it to be a colorless, oily liquid, of which two to eight per cent is found in all tobacco. This substance has been called nicotine; later investigations have shown it to be one of the most active poisons known. Tobacco owes its activity entirely to this poison."[B]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 89:8.]
[Footnote B: Wormley, Micro-chemistry of Poisons, 2nd ed., pp. 434, 435.]
The intensely poisonous nature of nicotine is illustrated by a number of cases on record. One drop placed on the tongue of a cat caused immediate prostration, and death in seventy-eight seconds. A smaller drop was placed on the tongue of another cat, which resulted in death after two minutes and a half. A third cat to which a similar quantity had been administered was dead after seventy-five seconds. A man who was accustomed to smoking took a chew of tobacco, and after a quarter of an hour accidently swallowed the mass. An hour later he became unconscious and died. In another case, in which an ounce of tobacco had been swallowed, death resulted in seven hours. In still another case, one ounce of tobacco was boiled in water, and the solution drunk as an remedy for constipation. The patient died in three quarters of an hour.[A] These, and numerous other cases, illustrate the intensely poisonous nature of tobacco. The evil effects of the repeated use of small amounts of tobacco, in smoking or chewing are also well understood.
[Footnote A: Ibid, pp. 436, 437.]
[Sidenote: Joseph Smith probably did not know the poisonous nature of tobacco in 1833.]
It was in 1828, about five years before Joseph Smith's doctrine with respect to tobacco was given, that nicotine was obtained in a pure state. Many years later the chemists and physiologists learned to understand the dangerous nature of the tobacco poison. It does not seem probable that Joseph Smith had heard of the discovery of nicotine in 1833; the discovery was announced in a German scientific journal, and in those days of few newspapers, scientific news, even of public interest, was not made generally known as quickly as is the case today. In fact, Hyrum Smith, the brother of the Prophet, on May 29, 1842, delivered a sermon upon the Word of Wisdom in which he says, "Tobacco is a nauseous, stinking, abominable thing;"[A] but nothing worse, thus basing his main objection to it on the revealed word of the Lord. Had Joseph and his associates been familiar with the isolation of nicotine and its properties, they would undoubtedly have mentioned it in sermons especially directed against the use of tobacco. In any case, at a time when it was but vaguely known that tobacco contained a poisonous principle, it would have been extremely hazardous for the reputation of an impostor to have claimed a revelation from God, stating distinctly the injurious effects of tobacco.
[Footnote A: The Contributor, vol. iv., p. 13; Improvement Era, Vol. 4. pp. 943-9.]
It should also be noted that Joseph Smith says that when tobacco is used for bruises and all sick cattle, it should be used with judgment and skill, thus impressing caution even in the external application of the herb. This is fully borne out by facts, for it has been found that "the external application of tobacco to abraded surfaces, and even to the healthy skin, has been attended with violent symptoms, and even death."[A]
[Footnote A: Wormley, Micro-chemistry of Poisons, p. 436.]
In the matter of the chemistry and physiological action of tobacco, then, the Prophet, in 1833, was in full accord with the best knowledge of 1908. In the emphasis of his doctrine, he even anticipated the world of science.
"And again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly."[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 89:9.]
[Sidenote: The doctrine that tea and coffee are injurious to man is scientific.]
When this statement was made, in 1833, the meaning of the expression hot drinks was not clearly understood. Many believed that the only meaning of the above statement was that drinks that are hot enough to burn the mouth should not be used. Others, however, claimed for the doctrine a deeper meaning. To settle the difficulty, appeal was made to Joseph Smith who explained that tea, coffee and similar drinks were meant by the expression hot drinks. From that time on, the Church has taught that tea and coffee should not be used by mankind.[A]
[Footnote A: See The Contributor, vol. iv. p. 13; Improvement Era, vol 4, pp. 943-9.]
In the year 1821, several chemists isolated from coffee a bitter principle, of peculiar properties, which was named caffein. In 1827, the same substance was found to occur in tea. Numerous analysis show that there are between one and two per cent of caffein in coffee, and between three and six percent in tea. Later investigations have shown that caffein belongs to the vegetable poisons, and that its poisonous action is very strong.
Among the medical properties of caffein are the following, "in doses of three to five grains, it produces a peculiar wakefulness—after a dose of twelve grains, it produces intense physical restlessness and mental anxiety. Upon the muscles it acts as a powerful poison—it is used in medicines as a brain and heart stimulant."[A] Fatal cases of poisoning are also on record.
[Footnote A: U. S. Dispensatory, 17th ed., pp. 278 and 279.]
Caffein is not in any sense a food, but, as a stimulant, must be classed with tobacco, opium and other similar substances. Owing to its action on the heart and circulation, the body becomes heated, and in that sense a solution of caffein is a "hot drink." The use of tea and coffee in health is now generally condemned by the best informed persons in and out of the medical profession. Dr. W. Gilman Thompson says, "The continuance of the practice of drinking coffee to keep awake soon results in forming a coffee or tea habit, in which the individual becomes a slave to the beverage. * * * Muscular tremors are developed, with nervousness, anxiety, dread of impending evil, palpitation, heartburn, dyspepsia and insomnia. * * * It produces great irritability of the whole nervous system and one may even overexcite the mind."[A] While it is true that one cup of coffee or tea does not contain enough caffein to injure the system, yet the continual taking of these small doses results in a weakening of the whole system, that frequently leads to premature death.
[Footnote A: Practical Dietetics, p. 199.]
The U. S. Consular and Trade Report for January, 1906,[A] warns against the use of coffee in the following words, "The important connection between consumption of coffee and epilepsy which deserves to be known everywhere, serves as a warning to be extremely careful with coffee made of beans containing caffein, and at any rate, children should be deprived of it entirely, otherwise their health will be exposed to great danger."
[Footnote A: Page 249.]
Besides caffein, both tea and coffee contain an astringent known as tannic acid. In coffee this substance is present only in small quantity, but in tea from four to twelve per cent occurs. Tannic acid is the substance found in oak bark, and has the property of making animal tissues hard—that is, makes leather of them. The habitual tea drinker subjects the delicate lining of the stomach and intestines to the action of this powerful drug.
Without going into further details, it is readily seen that the teachings of Joseph Smith, in 1833, in relation to the value of tea and coffee in human drinks, harmonizes with the knowledge of today. Moreover, he was in advance, in the certainty of his expressions, of the scientists of his day. It is true that caffein had been found in coffee and tea a few years before the revelation of 1833, but the physiological action of the drug was not known until many years afterwards. Besides, as in the case of tobacco, the Church leaders in speaking against the use of tea and coffee did not mention the poisonous principle that had recently been discovered in them; thus revealing their ignorance of the matter.
[Sidenote: The doctrines regarding the values of herbs and fruits harmonize with recent scientific truths.]
"And again, * * * all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man. Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving."[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants 89:10, 11.]
This doctrine, which seems self-evident now, also evidences the divine inspiration of the Prophet Joseph. At the time this revelation was given, food chemistry was not understood; and, in fact, it was not until about 1860, that the basis upon which rests our knowledge of food chemistry, was firmly established. We now know that every plant contains four great classes of compounds: mineral substances, fats, sugars and starches, and protein, or the flesh-forming elements. We further know that no plant can live and grow without containing these groups of nutrients. It is also well understood that these substances are necessary for the food of the animal body, and that animal tissues are, themselves, composed of these groups, though in different proportions. In short, it has long been an established fact of science that any plant that does not contain a poisonous principle, may by proper cooking be used as a food for man.
When Joseph Smith wrote, this was a daring suggestion to make, for there was absolutely no fact aside from popular experience, upon which to base the conclusion. The qualifying phrase, "all wholesome herbs," undoubtedly refers to the existence of classes of plants like coffee, tea, tobacco, etc., which contain some special principle injurious to the health.
[Sidenote: The doctrine concerning the use of meats is scientific.]
"Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; and it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used only in times of winter, or of cold, or of famine."[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 89:12, 13.]
The breadth of this doctrine lies in the fact that it is not absolutely forbidden to eat meat, as in all probability a fanatic, guided by his own wisdom, might have done; yet it must be observed, the implication is clear that it is possible for man to live without meat. Vegetarianism had been taught and practiced long before the days of Joseph Smith; but there had been no direct, positive proof that plants contain all the substances necessary for the sustenance of life. As stated above, it is now known that every class of nutritive substance found in meat is also found in plants. This is in full harmony with the implied meaning of Joseph Smith in the statement regarding the abstaining from meat.
[Sidenote: The distinction between the values of grains is also scientific.]
"All grain is ordained for the use of man and of beasts, to be the staff of life. * * * All grain is good for the food of man, as also the fruit of the vine, that which yieldeth fruit, whether in the ground or above the ground. Nevertheless, wheat for man, and corn for the ox, and oats for the horse, and rye for the fowls and for swine, and for all beasts of the field, and barley for all useful animals, and for mild drinks, as also other grain."[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 89:14, 16 and 17.]
The first part of this teaching, that all grain can be used by man and beast, corresponds to the earlier statement that all wholesome plants may be used by man. The latter part respecting the best grain for certain classes of animals, is of a different nature and merits special consideration. As already mentioned, all plants and plant parts contain four great groups of nutritive substances. The relative proportions of these grains are different in different plants or plant parts. For instance, wheat contains about 71.9 per cent of starch and sugar; corn, 70.2 per cent; oats, 59.7 per cent; rye, 72.5 per cent; and barley, 69.8 per cent. Wheat contains about 11.9 per cent of protein or the flesh-forming elements; corn, 11.4 per cent; oats, 11.8 per cent; rye, 10.6 per cent; and barley 12.4 per cent.[A] It has further been demonstrated that a man or beast doing heavy work, requires a larger proportion of starch and sugar in his dietary than does one which has less work to do. Likewise, different classes of animals require different proportions of the various nutrients, not only through life but at the various periods of their lives. This principle has been recognized so fully that during the last thirty-five or forty years the attention of experimenters has been directed toward the elucidation of laws which would make known the best combinations of foods for the various classes of farm animals, as well as for man. It must also be remarked that recent discoveries in science are showing more deep-seated differences in the composition of grains, than those here mentioned, as also corresponding differences in various classes of animals. Science will soon throw more light on this subject, and in all probability will confirm the views of Joseph Smith, with respect to the grain best adapted to certain animals.
[Footnote A: The Feeding of Animals, Jordan, p. 424.]
A thoughtful reading of the above quotation clearly shows that Joseph Smith recognized the fundamental truth of food chemistry; namely, that while all plants contain the elements necessary for animal growth, yet the proportions of these elements are so different as to make some plants better adapted than others to a certain class of animals. That the "Mormon" prophet should have enunciated this principle from twenty to thirty years in advance of the scientific world, must excite wonder in the breast of any person, be he follower or opponent of Joseph Smith.
The discussion of the important statements made in section 89 of the book of Doctrine and Covenants, might be elaborated into a volume. The merest outline has been given here. The physiological teachings of the prophet concerning work, cleanliness and sleep, might also be considered with profit.
[Sidenote: Joseph Smith anticipated the world of science in the word of wisdom.]
To summarize the contents of this chapter: Joseph Smith clearly recognized and taught the physiological value of alcohol, tobacco, anticipated the tea and coffee, at a time when scientific world of science discoveries were just beginning to reveal the active principles of these commodities. The probability is that he knew nothing of what the world of science was doing in this direction, at the time the doctrine was taught. Joseph Smith clearly recognized and taught the fundamental truths of food chemistry, and the food relation of vegetable products to man, nearly a generation before scientists had arrived at the same doctrine. Whence came his knowledge?
THE DESTINY OF EARTH AND MAN.
Chapter XIV.
THE LAW OF EVOLUTION.
[Sidenote: Whence? Where?]
To every intelligence the question concerning the purpose of all things must at some time present itself. Every philosophical system has for its ultimate problem the origin and the destiny of the universe. Whence? Where?—the queries which arise before every human soul, and which have stimulated the truth-seekers of every age in their wearisome task of searching out nature's laws. Intelligent man cannot rest satisfied with the recognition of the forces at work in the universe, and the nature of their actions; he must know, also, the resultant of the interaction of the forces, or how the whole universe is affected by them; in short, man seeks the law of laws, by the operation of which, things have become what they are, and by which their destiny is controlled. This law when once discovered, is the foundation of religion as well as of science, and will explain all phenomena.
[Sidenote: The only rational philosophy is based on science.]
It was well toward the beginning of the last century before philosophical doctrines rose above mere speculation, and were based upon the actual observation of phenomena. As the scientific method of gathering facts and reasoning from them became established, it was observed that in all probability the great laws of nature were themselves controlled by some greater law. While many attempts have been made to formulate this law, yet it must be confessed, frankly, that only the faintest outline of it is possesesd by the world of science.
The sanest of modern philosophers, and the one who most completely attempted to follow the method of science in philosophical writings, was Herbert Spencer. Early in his life, he set himself the task of constructing a system of philosophy which should be built upon man's reliable knowledge of nature. A long life permitted him to realize this ambition. Though his works are filled with conclusions which cannot be accepted by most men, yet the facts used in his reasoning are authentic. By the world at large, the philosophy of Herbert Spencer is considered the only philosophy that harmonizes with the knowledge of today.
[Sidenote: All things are continually changing.—This is the foundation of evolution.]
After having discussed, with considerable fullness, the elements of natural phenomena, such as space, time, matter, motion and force, Mr. Spencer concludes that all evidence agrees in showing that "every object, no less than the aggregate of objects, undergoes from instant to instant some alteration of state."[A] That is to say that while the universe is one of system and order, no object remains exactly as it is, but changes every instant of time.
[Footnote A: First Principles, p. 287.]
In two directions only can this ceaseless change affect an object; it either becomes more complex or more simple; it moves forward or backward; it grows or decays. In the words of Spencer, "All things are growing or decaying, accumulating matter or wearing away, integrating or disintegrating."[A] This, then, is the greatest known fundamental law of the universe, and of all things in it—that nothing stands still, but either progresses (evolution), or retrogrades (dissolution). Now, it has been found that under normal conditions all things undergo a process of evolution; that is, become more complex, or advance.[B] This, in its essence, is the law of evolution, about which so much has been said during the last fifty years. Undoubtedly, this law is correct, and in harmony with the known facts of the universe. It certainly throws a flood of light upon the phenomena of nature; though of itself, it tells little of the force behind it, in obedience to which it operates.
[Footnote A: Loc. cit., p. 292.]
[Footnote B: Loc. cit., p. 337.]
Spencer himself most clearly realized the insufficiency of the law of evolution alone, for he asks, "May we seek for some all-pervading principle which underlies this all pervading process!"[A] and proceeds to search out this "all-pervading principle" which at last he determines to be the persistence of force—the operation of the universal, indestructible, incomprehensible force, which appears as gravitation, light, heat, electricity, magnetism, chemical affinity and in other forms.[B]
[Footnote A: First Principles, p. 408.]
[Footnote B: Loc. cit., p. 494.]
[Sidenote: Evolution does not admit a final death.]
A natural question now is, Is there any limit to the changes undergone by matter, and which we designate as evolution? "Will they go on forever? or will there be an end to them?"[A] As far as our knowledge goes, there is an end to all things, a death which is the greatest known change, and as far as human experience goes, all things tend toward a death-like state of rest. That this rest is permanent is not possible under law of evolution; for it teaches that an ulterior process initiates a new life; that there are alternate eras of evolution and dissolution. "And thus there is suggested the conception of a past during which there have been successive evolutions analogous to that which is now going on; and a future during which successive other such evolutions may go on ever the same in principle but never the same in concrete result."[B] This is practically the same as admitting eternal growth.
[Footnote A: Loc. cit., p. 496.]
[Footnote B: Loc. cit., p. 550.]
The final conclusion is that "we can no longer contemplate the visible creation as having a definite beginning or end, or as being isolated. It becomes unified with all existence before and after; and the force which the universe presents falls into the same category with space and time, as admitting of no limitation in thought."[A]
[Footnote A: Loc. cit., p. 564.]
[Sidenote: Spirit and matter are alike.]
It is interesting to note the conclusion concerning spirit and matter, to which Mr. Spencer is led by the law of evolution. "The materialist and spiritualist controversy is a mere war of words, in which the disputants are equally absurd—each thinking that he understands that which it is impossible for any man to understand. Though the relation of subject and object renders necessary to us these antithetical conceptions of spirit and matter; the one is no less than the other to be regarded as but a sign of the Unknown Reality which underlies both."[A]
[Footnote A: First Principles, pp. 570 and 572.]
While the law of evolution, as formulated by Spencer and accepted by the majority of modern thinkers, is the nearest approach to the truth possessed by the world of science, yet there is no disposition on the part of the writer to defend the numerous absurdities into which Spencer and his followers have fallen when reasoning upon special cases.
[Sidenote: Evolution and natural selection do not necessarily go together.]
Many years before Mr. Spencer's day, it had been suggested, vaguely, that advancement seemed to be the great law of nature. Students of botany and zoology were especially struck by this fact, for they observed how animals and plants could be made to change and improve under favorable conditions, by the intervention of man's protection. In 1859, Mr. Charles Darwin published a theory to account for such variation, in which he assumed that there is a tendency on the part of all organisms to adapt themselves to their surroundings, and to change their characteristics, if necessary, in this attempt. He further showed that in the struggle for existence among animals and plants, the individual best fitted for its environment usually survives. These facts, Mr. Darwin thought, led to a process of natural selection, by which, through long ages, deep changes were caused in the structure of animals. In fact, Darwin held that the present-day plants and animals have descended from extinct and very different ancestors.[A] The experiences of daily life bear out the assertion that organic forms may be changed greatly—witness the breeding of stock and crops, practiced by all intelligent farmers—and all in all the theory seemed so simple that numerous biologists immediately adopted it, and began to generalize upon it. Having once accepted the principle that the present-day species have descended from very unlike ancestors, it was easy to assume that all organic nature had descended from one common stock. It was claimed that man, in a distant past, was a monkey; still earlier, perhaps, a reptile; still earlier a fish, and so on. From that earliest form, man had become what he is by a system of natural selection. In spite of the absence of proofs, such ideas became current among the scientists of the day. In this view was included, of course, the law of evolution or growth, and thus, too, the law became associated with the notion that man has descended from the lower animals. In fact, however, the law of evolution is just as true, whether or not Darwin's theory of natural selection be adopted.
[Footnote A: Origin of Species, p. 6.]
In justice to Darwin, it should be said that he in nowise claimed that natural selection was alone sufficient to cause the numerous changes in organic form and life; but, on the contrary, held that it is only one means of modification.[A]
[Footnote A: Origin of Species, p. 6; also Darwin and After Darwin
Romanes, Vol. II. pp. 2-6.]
Professor Huxley, who, from early manhood, was an eminent and ardent supporter of the Darwinian hypothesis frankly says, "I adopt Mr. Darwin's hypothesis, therefore, subject to the production of proof that physiological species may be produced by selective breeding; and for the reason that it is the only means at present within reach of reducing the chaos of observed facts to order."[A] After writing a book to establish the descent of man from apes, Professor Huxley is obliged to confess that "the fossil remains of man hitherto discovered do not seem to take us appreciably nearer to that lower pithecoid form, by the modification of which he has, probably, become what he is."[B]
[Footnote A: Man's Place in Nature, p. 128.]
[Footnote B: Loc. cit., p. 183.]
This is not the place to enter into this famous controversy. The relation of the theory of natural selection to the law of evolution is not established; that man and the great classes of animals and plants have sprung from one source is far from having been proved; that the first life came upon this earth by chance is as unthinkable as ever. Even at the present writing, recent discoveries have been reported which throw serious doubt upon natural selection as an all-sufficient explanation of the wonderful variety of nature. The true scientific position of the Darwinian hypothesis is yet to be determined.
The moderate law of evolution which claims that all normal beings are advancing, without asserting that one form of life can pass into another, is, however, being more and more generally accepted, for it represents an eternal truth, of which every new discovery bears evidence.
[Sidenote: Joseph Smith taught the law of eternal growth—evolution.]
Were it not that the law of evolution is of such fundamental value in the understanding of natural phenomena, it would hardly be expected that the calling of Joseph Smith would necessitate any reference to it. Besides, upwards of fifteen years elapsed after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith before the world of science conceived the hypothesis. One of the leading doctrines of the Church resembles the spirit of the law of universal growth so nearly that one is forced to believe that the great truth embodied by this doctrine is the truth shadowed forth by the law of evolution.
The doctrine of God, as taught by Joseph Smith, is the noblest of which the human mind can conceive. No religion ascribes to God more perfect attributes than does that of the Latter-day Saints. Yet the Church, asserts that God was not always what he is today. Through countless ages he has grown towards greater perfection, and at the present, though in comparison with humankind, he is omniscient and omnipotent, he is still progressing. Of the beginning of God, we have no record, save that he told his servant Abraham, "I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen."[A]
[Footnote A: Book of Abraham, 3:21.]
As told by Joseph Smith, in May, 1833, John the Apostle said of God, Jesus Christ, "And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; and thus he was called the Son of God, because he received not of the fulness at first."[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 93:12-14.]
[Sidenote: Man will develop until he becomes like God.]
Man, likewise, is to develop until, in comparison with his present condition, he becomes a God. For instance, in speaking of the salvation to which all men who live correct lives shall attain, the Prophet says, "For salvation consists in the glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses;"[A] and in another place, "Then shall they be Gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be Gods, because they have all power."[B]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, Lectures on Faith, 7:8.]
[Footnote B: Doctrine and Covenants, 132:20.]
That this is not a sudden elevation, but a gradual growth, is evident from many of the writings of Joseph Smith, of which the following are illustrations. "He that receiveth light and continueth in God, receiveth more light, and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."[A] "For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace."[B]
[Footnote A: Ibid., 50:24.]
[Footnote B: Ibid., 93:20.]
In various sermons Joseph Smith enlarged upon the universal principle of advancement, but few of them have been preserved for us. In a sermon delivered in April, 1844, the following sentences occur, "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. You have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you; namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation."[A]
[Footnote A: Contributor, vol. 4, pp. 254 and 255.]
[Sidenote: Joseph Smith anticipated science in the statement of the law of evolution.]
The preceding quotations suffice to show that with regard to man, Joseph Smith taught a doctrine of evolution which in grandeur and extent surpasses the wildest speculations of the scientific evolutionist. Yet Joseph Smith taught this doctrine as one of eternal truth, taught him by God. There can be no doubt that the truth behind Spencer's law of evolution, and the doctrine taught by the "Mormon" prophet, are the same. The great marvel is that Joseph Smith, who knew not the philosophies of men, should have anticipated by thirty years or more the world of science in the enunciation of the most fundamental law of the universe of living things.
[Sidenote: Animals are subject to evolution.]
Now, it is true that Joseph Smith did not extend this law to the lower animals; but it must be remembered that his mission on earth was to teach a system of redemption for men. Yet, it is an interesting observation that he taught that men and animals had a spiritual existence, before they were placed on earth. "For I, the Lord God, created all things of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. And out of the ground made I, the Lord God, to grow every tree, naturally, that is pleasant to the sight of man; and man could behold it. And it became also a living soul. For it was spiritual in the day that I created it; for it remaineth in the sphere in which I, God, created it."[A]
[Footnote A: Book of Moses, 3:5 and 9. See also Doctrine and
Covenants, 29:31, 32.]
If, in common with men, animals and plants were created spiritually, it may not be an idle speculation that the lower forms of life will advance, in their respective fields, as man advances in his. However, a statement in the above quotation must not be overlooked, "It remaineth in the sphere in which I, God, created it." This would preclude any notion that by endless development a plant may become an animal, or that one of the lower classes of animals become a high animal, or a man. Is not this the place where, perhaps, the evolution of science has failed? All things advance, but each order of creation within its own sphere. There is no jumping from order to order. The limits of these orders are yet to be found.
Spencer's belief that one period of evolution follows another[A] is brought strongly to mind in contemplating the doctrine of Joseph Smith that man, and other things, had first a spiritual existence, now an earthly life, then a higher existence after death. Is not the parallelism strong—and may it not be that here, also, the "Mormon" prophet could have shown the learned philosopher the correct way?
[Footnote A: First Principles, p. 550.]
[Sidenote: God is the compelling power of evolution.]
Finally, one other suggestion must be made. Spencer, after a long and involved argument, concludes (or proves as he believes) that the great law of evolution is a necessity that follows from the law of the persistence of force. In chapter two of this series, the scientific conception of the persistence of force was identified with the operations of the Holy Spirit, as taught by Joseph Smith. This Spirit is behind all phenomena; by it as a medium, God works his will with the things of the universe, and enables man to move on to eternal salvation, to advance, and become a God; every law is of necessity a result of the operation of this Spirit. Here, again, the "Mormon" prophet anticipated the world of science; and his conceptions are simplier and more direct than those invented by the truth-seekers, who depended upon themselves and their own powers.
Marvelous is this view of the founder of "Mormonism." Where did he learn in his short life, amidst sufferings and persecution such as few men have known, the greatest mysteries of the universe!
Chapter XV.
THE PLAN OF SALVATION.
[Sidenote: Why am I on earth?]
In the preceding chapter the law of evolution was shown to be the cementing law of nature, which explains the destiny of man. To live is to change, and (if the change is right) to grow. Through all the ages to come righteous man will increase in complexity and will grow towards a condition of greater knowledge, greater power and greater opportunity.
While the great law of evolution may be quite sufficient for the general survey, it does not explain the special conditions amidst which organized intelligences find themselves. Man asks, Why am I on earth? Science is silent. Up to the present time, many scientific men have not found it necessary to postulate an intelligent force behind the phenomena of nature, which would explain our earthly existence.
The Mormon answer to this question lies in the Mormon doctrine of the plan of salvation. There can be no attempt to harmonize the Mormon plan with that of science, for science has none; but, that the Mormon plan of salvation is strictly scientific, and rests upon the irrevocable laws of the universe can certainly be demonstrated.
[Sidenote: Perfection comes only when matter, spirit and intelligence are associated.]
Fundamental, in the doctrines of Joseph, is the statement that all intelligence is eternal; and that God at the best is the organizer of the spirits of men. The ether of science has been compared with the Holy Spirit of Mormonism. The spirit body may be likened to an ether body of man, and is the condition of his original existence. From the original condition, at man's spiritual birth, under the law of evolution he has steadily grown in complexity, which means in power.
In the universe are recognized ether or spirit, force or intelligence, and matter. Matter may act upon the ether and the ether upon matter; but ether acts most effectively upon ether, and matter upon matter. The original man, in whom intelligence and other forces acted through a purely spiritual or ether body, could impress matter and be impressed by it only in part. The man was imperfect because he did not touch directly the world of matter, and could know only in part the phenomena of the material world, which forms an integral part of the universe. In the words of Joseph Smith, "Spirit and element inseparably connected, receiveth a fullness of joy, and when separated, man can not receive a fullness of joy."[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 93:33, 34.]
For man's perfection, it then became necessary that his spiritual body should be clothed with a material one, and that he should become as familiar with the world of matter, as he had become with the world of spirit. God, as the supreme intelligence, who desired all other spirits to know and become mighty, led in the formulation of the plan, whereby they should obtain knowledge of all the contents of the universe.
[Sidenote: The fall of Adam necessary to perfect intelligence.]
For the purpose of perfecting the plan, a council of the Gods, or perfected intelligences was called. It was decided to organize an earth from available materials, and place the spirits on it, clothed with bodies of the grosser elements. An essential function of intelligence is free agency; and that the spirits might have the fullest opportunity to exercise this agency in their earthly career, they were made to forget the events of their spiritual existence. To learn directly the nature of grossest matter, the earth bodies of necessity were made subject to the process of the disintegration called death.
To make possible the subjection of eternal, spiritual organized intelligences to perishable, material structures, certain natural laws would naturally be brought into operation. From the point of view of the eternal spirit, it might mean the breaking of a law directed towards eternal life; yet to secure the desired contact with matter, the spirit was compelled to violate the law. Thus, in this earth life, a man who desires to acquire a first hand acquaintance with magnetism and electricity, may subject himself to all kinds of electric shocks, that, perhaps, will affect his body injuriously; yet, for the sake of securing the experience, he may be willing to do it. Adam, the first man, so used natural laws that his eternal, spiritual body became clothed upon with an earthly body, subject to death. Then in begetting children, he was able to produce earthly bodies for the waiting spirits.
According to this doctrine, the socalled Fall of Adam was indispensable to the evolving of organized intelligences that should have a complete acquaintance with all nature, and a full control over their free agencies. If laws were broken, it was done because of the heroism of the first parents, and not because of their sinfulness.
Mormon theology does not pretend to say in what precise manner Adam was able to secure his corruptible body; neither is science able to answer all the "whys" suggested by recorded experiences. The doctrines of Joseph Smith maintain, however, that the events connected with the introduction of organized intelligences on this earth, were in full accord with the simple laws governing the universe. That the Mormon view of this matter, so fundamental in every system of theology, is rational, can not be denied.
[Sidenote: The atonement was in harmony with natural law.]
However, the bodies given to the spirits continued for only a few years; then they were disorganized in death. Adam's work had been done well. After the death of the mortal body, the spirit was still without a permanent body of matter, that would complete his contact with the elements of the universe. Therefore, it was necessary to bring other laws into operation, that would reorganize these dead material bodies in such a way that they would no longer be subject to the forces of disorganization, death and decay. The eternal spiritual body, united with this eternal material body, then constituted a suitable home for eternal intelligence, whereby it might be able, under the law of evolution to attain the greatest conceivable knowledge and power.
The personage who directed the laws that cancelled the necessary work of Adam, and made the corruptible body incorruptible was the Savior, Jesus Christ. As Adam, by his personal work, made the earth career possible for all who succeeded him; so Jesus, by His personal work, made it possible for the spirits to possess immortal material bodies.
Conditions that may be likened to the atonement are found in science. Suppose an electrical current, supplying a whole city with power and light, is passing through a wire. If for any reason the wire is cut the city becomes dark and all machines driven by the current cease their motion. To restore the current, the ends of the broken wire must be reunited. If a person, in his anxiety to restore the city to its normal conditions, seizes the ends of the wire with his bare hands, and unites them, he probably will receive the full charge of the current in his body. Yet, as a result, the light and power will return to the city; and one man by his action, has succeeded in doing the work for many.
The actual method by which Jesus was enabled to make mortal bodies immortal, is not known to us. Neither can we understand just why the shedding of the Savior's blood was necessary for the accomplishment of this purpose. Like the work of Adam, the exact nature of the atonement is unknown. Still, throughout this plan of Salvation, every incident and accomplished fact are strictly rational. There is no talk of a God, who because of his own will, and in opposition to natural laws, placed man on earth.
[Sidenote: Earth life is a link in man's evolution.]
The presence of organized intelligences in earth is simply a link in the evolution of man. The plan of salvation is the method whereby the evolution of man is furthered. The intelligence who conforms to the Plan, at last attains salvation, which means eternal life and endless development, directed by the free agency of an organized intelligence clothed with an incorruptible body of spirit and matter.
Can any other system of theology produce an explanation of the presence of man on earth, which connects earthly life with the time before and the time after, on the basis of the accepted laws of the universe?
Flawless seems the structure reared by the Mormon Prophet. Had he been an imposter, human imperfection would have revealed itself somewhere.[A]
[Footnote A: It must not be assumed that in this chapter has been given a full account of the Mormon doctrine of the Atonement. These essays are not in any sense a full exposition of Mormon theology.]
THE REGION OF THE UNKNOWN.
Chapter XVI.
THE SIXTH SENSE.
[Sidenote: The six senses, need help to reorganize many phenomena of nature.]
The five senses are the great gateways through which all the knowledge in man's possession has been obtained. Examine the matter as we may, the truth of this statement persists. By seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and feeling, only, is man brought into contact with external nature and himself, and is furnished material upon which the intellect can act. True it is, that the sense of feeling may be divided into a number of poorly known sub-senses, of which that of touch is the best known, but, probably, these are very nearly related, and we may still maintain the existence of the five senses of man.
Wonderful as these senses are, yet, in the presence of many natural phenomena, they are very weak, and require help, in order that the operations of nature may be recognized. Take, as an illustration, the refined sense of sight. Light, coming from a distant star, is readily recognized; the same quantity of light coming from a house, half a mile distant, is even more distinctly sensed by the eye. In both these cases, though the light is recognized, the sensation is not so sharply defined as to produce a distinct image of the star or of the house. To make the images of distant objects distinct, the telescope has been invented; and this instrument is a most important aid to the sense of sight. The microscope is a similar aid to the eye, by which the lightrays coming from minute objects are so bent and arranged that the object appears magnified, and may be sensed in its details by the eye. The ear-trumpet is a similar device for collecting, concentrating and defining sound waves that ordinarily would be, to the ear, a confusion of sounds. The ear-trumpet is a mighty help to the sense of hearing.
The light which passes through the lenses of the telescope and microscope, is the light which is ordinarily recognized by the eye. The instruments effect no change in the light; they merely arrange the waves so as to produce a clear and distinct outline of the objects from which the light comes. Likewise, the sound waves entering the ear-trumpet are in nowise changed in their essential nature, but are simply rearranged or concentrated to produce a more definite impression on the ear. Instruments similar to those here mentioned are the simplest aids to man's senses.
With respect to many forces of nature, the unaided senses of man are helpless. The subtle force of magnetism, for instance, appears incapable of affecting directly any of the senses. A person may hold a powerful lodestone in his hand and feel no influence different from that coming from a piece of sandstone. A person may work near a wire carrying a current of electricity, and, though it is well known that peculiar conditions exist in the universal ether around such a wire, yet, through his five senses, he may never become aware of the existence of this current. A piece of uranium ore, as has been found in recent years, emits various kinds of rays related to the now famous X- or Roentgen rays, yet no indication comes directly through any of the five senses that such is the case. In fact, men of science worked with the ores of uranium for many years before discovering the emission of ether waves. In the light which comes from the sun are numerous forms of energy that do not directly affect the senses, and therefore remained unknown for many centuries. Numerous other illustrations might be quoted to show the existence of natural forces that are beyond the direct recognition of man. In the great ocean of the unknown, lie, undoubtedly, countless forces that shall never be known by a direct action upon the senses of man.[A]
[Footnote A: The writer is aware of the beliefs held by many students regarding the so-called touch sense, heat sense, magnetic sense, electrical sense, spiritual sense, etc. So little is known of these subdivisions of the sense of feeling, that they are not considered in this popular writing. There is, moreover, no evidence that the magnetic sense, as an example, if it exists, is a direct effect of magnetic forces; it is as easily believed that the body somehow converts magnetic forces, under certain circumstances, into other forces that may be sensed by man.]
[Sidenote: The advance of knowledge requires instruments that convert natural phenomena into intelligible forms. Thus the unknown is revealed.]
As is well understood, however, even these apparently unknowable manifestations of nature may be known, if proper aids be secured. In every case the problem is this: To obtain some medium, be it natural or manufactured, which transforms the unknown force into a known force, that is capable of affecting the senses of man. The search for such media is one of the most important labors of science. For instance, sunlight has been known from the beginning of the human race, and its nature has been studied by almost every generation of thinkers. To the time of Newton, it was only white light—or little more. Newton discovered that if a ray of white light be allowed to fall upon a triangular prism or glass, it is dispersed or broken into a number of colored rays known as the spectrum. All sunlight, passed through a glass prism, produces this colored spectrum; and the colors are arranged invariably in the same order; namely from violet through the intermediate colors to red. By passing this spectrum through another prism, white light is produced. Sunlight was thus proved to consist of a number of kinds of colored light. The eye alone is incapable of resolving white light into its elements: the glass prism thus becomes an aid to the sense of sight, by which a new domain of science is laid open to view.
Above the red end of the spectrum, obtained from white light, nothing is visible, yet if a delicate thermometer be placed there, the increase in temperature shows the presence of certain invisible heat rays, and by moving the thermometer, it may be shown that the invisible heat spectrum is longer than the light spectrum itself. This, again, makes known to man a world that the five senses can recognize only with difficulty; and in this case, the thermometer is the necessary aid.
Even more interesting is the violet end of the spectrum. Like the red end, it is invisible. In fact, for centuries it was believed that the light spectrum represented the whole spectrum. During the last century it was found that if a photographic plate be placed below the violet end of the spectrum, it is affected by invisible light rays, which are popularly denominated chemical rays. By placing the photographic plate in various positions, it has been discovered that the chemical spectrum is as long as the visible part. Since the days of Newton, therefore, the known part of the spectrum of sunlight has been trebled in length, and there is no certainty that all is now known concerning the matter. In this particular, the photographic plate has become a means of revealing an unknown world to the senses.
If a low tension current of electricity passes through a wire, it cannot be sensed directly by man; but if a delicately adjusted magnetic needle be placed above and parallel to such wire, the current will turn the needle to one side and keep it there. The magnetic needle then makes known the presence of a current of electricity which has no appreciable effect upon any of man's five senses. Similarly, the magnetic currents passing over the earth are not felt by man in such a way as to be recognized, but a magnetic needle, properly adjusted, will immediately assume an approximately north and south direction, in obedience to the pull of the magnetic currents. In this manner the magnetic needle, again, reveals to man the existence and presence of forces that he cannot sense directly.
A piece of glass into which has been incorporated a small amout of the element uranium, is an instrument which reveals many wonders of the unsensed world. If the uranium glass be brought near the violet end of the spectrum of sunlight, it immediately glows, because it has the power of changing the invisible chemical rays into ordinary, white light rays. With such an instrument, darkness can be literally changed into light. Similarly, many of the class of rays to which belong the X-rays, and which are dark to the eye, and do not directly affect any of the other senses, are converted by uranium glass into visible rays. This glass, then, becomes another means whereby the world which does not directly affect our senses, may be made known.
The X- or Roentgen rays have been mentioned several times. It is generally known that they have the power of passing through the body and various other opaque bodies. The rays themselves are invisible, both before entering and after leaving the body; moreover, they do not affect any of the other senses of man. Were it not that the power is possessed of changing these rays to light rays, man could know nothing of the Roentgen rays. In fact, a screen, covered with powdered crystals of a chemical compound known as barium platinocyanide, is held behind the object through which the rays are passing, and the moment they touch this substance they are changed to light rays, and the screen glows. Or, instead, a photographic plate may be used, for the Roentgen rays affect the materials from which these plates are made. The screen of barium platinocyanide is, therefore, another means for revealing the unknown world.
[Sidenote: "Tuning" to establish sympathetic vibrations is a form of the aids for explaining the unknown.]
Such illustrations might be multiplied, but would add no strength to the discussion. There is, however, another class of instruments which enable the senses to recognize natural forces that do not act directly upon the consciousness of man. If a musical note is produced on a violin, near a piano, the piano string which is stretched or tuned right, will give out the same note. The sound waves from the violin penetrate the piano, and the string which is tuned to give out the same note takes up the energy of the sound waves, and is set in vibration, with the result that the same note is given out by the piano. This is known as sympathetic vibrations. It is possible, therefore, to make a piano give out any note within its range, without any solid object touching the instrument. In the universal ether, which surrounds and penetrates all things, are numberless waves of all kinds, and of all vibrations. If the proper instrument be used, and tuned aright, it is possible to separate from this tumult of waves any desired kind or degree of wave motion, and to convert it into some known form of energy, say electricity.
This principle is used in modern wireless telegraphy. Electric waves are sent out by the operator with a certain rapidity. These waves radiate into space, in all directions, and are lost, apparently, in the confusion of myriads of other waves. Nevertheless, if the waves are not by some chance totally destroyed, it is possible to obtain them again, by the use of a receiving instrument which is tuned exactly the same as that used by the operator, at the station where the waves are sent out. A message sent from London may be received anywhere on earth where the receiving instruments are tuned aright; at the same time, if the peculiar note or vibration of the message is not known, so that the receivers can not be tuned properly, the message, though it be all about it, can never be received.
Such aids to our senses do not depend so much upon the nature of the material, as upon the degree to which it is brought into sympathy with the force to be recognized.
[Sidenote: With proper aids man's senses may discover the whole of nature.]
Now, though our senses are imperfect, and recognize only a small part of the phenomena of nature, yet it is very probable that, with such helps as have been described, nothing in nature need remain forever unknown. The means by which the forces of nature, that cannot be sensed directly, are brought to man's recognition may well be named, collectively, man's sixth sense.
The progress of science depends upon the discovery of aids to man's senses; a new and vast field is invariably opened whenever a new aid is discovered.
[Sidenote: Joseph Smith recognized the existence of media which render the unknown, known.]
In the works of Joseph Smith, which teach that there is no real line of demarkation between the natural and spiritual worlds, it would be not surprising to find recognized the scientific principle, above discussed, that by the use of proper instruments, the world outside of the five senses, may be brought within man's consciousness.
According to the story of Joseph Smith, he was first visited by an angel, September 21, 1823, when the Prophet was less than eighteen years of age. Among other things, the angel told the boy that "there was a book deposited, written on gold plates," giving an account of the former inhabitants of the American continent; "also, that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted 'Seers' in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book."[A] This reference to the Urim and Thummim, and their purpose, makes it clear that the Prophet, at the beginning of his career, recognized (whether consciously or unconsciously we know not), the existence of means or media by which things unknown, such as a strange language, may be converted into forms that can reach the understanding.
[Footnote A: History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 12.]
[Sidenote: The Book of Mormon was translated by such aids—the Urim and Thummim.]
When the actual work of translation began, the Urim and Thummim were found indispensable, and in various places the statement is made that the translation was made, "by means of the Urim and Thummim."[A] On one occasion, when the Prophet, through the defection of Martin Harris, lost a portion of the manuscript translation the Urim and Thummim were taken from him, and the power of translation ceased. Upon the return of the instruments the work was resumed.[B] While it is very probable that the Prophet was required to place himself in the proper spiritual and mental attitude, before he could use the Urim and Thummim successfully, yet it must also be true that the stones were essential to the work of translation.
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 10:1.]
[Footnote B: History of the Church, vol. 1, p. 23.]
[Sidenote: Revelations were received by such aids.]
The Urim and Thummim were not used alone for translation, but most of the early revelations were obtained by their means. Speaking of those days, the Prophet usually says: "I enquired of the Lord through the Urim and Thummim, and obtained the following."[A] The "stones in silver bows" seemed, therefore, to have possessed the general power of converting manifestations of the spiritual world into terms suitable to the understanding of Joseph Smith.
[Footnote A: History of the Church, vol. 1, pp. 33, 36, 45, 49 and 53.]
The doctrine of the use of the Urim and Thummim is in perfect harmony with the established law of modern science, that special media are necessary to bring the unknown world within the range of man's senses. To believers in the Bible, the use of the Urim and Thummim can offer no obstacles, and to those who possess a rational conception of God—that he is the Master of the universe, who works his will by natural means—it cannot be more difficult to believe that God's will may appear through the agency of special "stones in silver bows," than to concede that invisible ether waves, become luminous when they fall upon a piece of uranium glass. The virtue possessed by the latter glass is no more evident than is the virtue claimed by Joseph Smith to be possessed by the Urim and Thummim.
It is a noteworthy fact that the Prophet does not enter into an argument to prove the necessity of the use of the Urim and Thummim. Only in an incidental way, as he tells the straightforward story of his life, does he mention them; and with a simplicity that argues strongly for his veracity, does he assume that, of course, they were necessary and were used as he recounts. A shrewd imposter, building a great theological structure as is the Church founded by Joseph Smith, would have appreciated that difficult questions would be asked concerning the seer stones, and would have attempted to surround them with some explanation. Joseph Smith offers no defense for the use of these instruments; neither does the scientist excuse himself for using uranium glass, in the study of certain radiations.
[Sidenote: As the Prophet placed himself in tune with the unknown, he became less dependent on external aids.]
The Prophet did not always receive his revelations by the assistance of the Urim and Thummim. As he grew in experience and understanding, he learned to bring his spirit into such an attitude that it became a Urim and Thummim to him, and God's will was revealed without the intervention of external means. This method is clearly, though briefly, expressed in one of the early revelations:
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; but if it be not right, you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought, that cause you to forget the thing which is wrong.[A]
[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 9:7-9.]
[Sidenote: The "testimony of the spirit" is scientific.]
The essence of this statement is that if a person will concentrate his powers so as to come into harmony with God, truth will be revealed to him; and is not that like the tuning of a coil of wire so that it can take up the waves of certain lengths, that may be passing through the ether? If an inert mass of iron can be so tuned, can anyone refuse to believe that man, highly organized as he is, can "tune" himself to be in harmony with the forces of the universe? The universal ether of science is like the Holy Spirit, and the waves or energy of the ether is like the intelligent action of that Spirit controlled by God. Heat, light, magnetism, electricity, and the other forces, become, then, simply various forms of God's speech, any of which may be understood, if the proper means of interpretation is at hand.