There is a sentence in the Book of Mormon, (p. 510) that has come to
my mind, which I will read, "And whoso receiveth this record, and
shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the
same shall know of greater things than these." This passage from the
Book of Mormon is one that I do not remember having chosen as a
foundation of any special remarks. It is one that applies directly to
the present generation—the people that should live on the earth at
the time that the Lord our God should bring forth this record, and
affording them the opportunity of reading its contents. They were
written by the Prophet Moroni, who was the only man of his nation—the
Nephites, who was righteous; his nation having been destroyed a few
years before he penned this sentence. It is true a few of his nation
had deserted and gone to the opposite nation—the Lamanites, and a few
had fled at the general destruction; but they were hunted by the
Lamanites, and were destroyed as a people. Moroni, being a Prophet of
God, would not join that nation in their wickedness and idolatry, and
the only way he could preserve his life was to keep himself secreted
and hidden from the knowledge of the Lamanites. While concealing
himself from his enemies, he finished the record of the Book of
Mormon. The latest date which he gives in the record is 420
years after the birth of Christ, according to the signs that
were given on this American continent, concerning his birth.
Thirty-six years prior to this time his nation was destroyed in
what we term the State of New York, around about a hill, called by
that people the Hill of Cumorah, when many hundreds of thousands of
the Nephites—men, women and children, fell, during the greatest battle
that they had had with the Lamanites. For 36 years this prophet of God
kept himself hid, and wrote as he was prompted by the spirit of
inspiration, and finally hid up the plates of gold, containing the
records in the hill of Cumorah, with the promise which the Lord gave
him that these records should come to light in the last days, that He
himself would bring them forth by his own wisdom and power. And he
also tells us his object, namely, to benefit the Gentiles who should
occupy this American continent—the Promised Land, as they term it; and
also for the benefit of other nations of Gentiles to whom the book
should afterwards be sent; and when they should reject it, the Lord
would cause it to be published to the remnants of the Lamanites
inhabiting this country, whom we call American Indians, which shall be
the means of revealing to them the history of their forefathers, and
also certain promises made to them as a branch of the house of Israel,
setting forth that many of their descendants should believe the record
when it should be made known to them, and that they should be
instructed in the things of God, and the curse, which has degenerated
them to their present low condition, should be removed, and that they
should lay down their weapons of war, and that they should cease to
war and commit murders, and thefts and robberies, and that they should
become a peaceable, and also a white and delightsome people. These are
the predictions given in the Book of Mormon as some of the objects of
the bringing forth of that record in the last days. And among other
objects that the Lord had in view was, that he might enlighten the
minds of the people in regard to the Gospel in all its plainness and
fulness, with all its promises, blessings, gifts and ordinances; so
that the people, the Gentiles, to whom this record should be sent,
might have no excuse for rejecting it, and also that the Gospel might
be established in the earth in its purity, according to ancient
prophecies. Another object was, that he might build up his church
among the Gentiles, if they should believe in this record and in the
preaching of His servants when they should be sent forth in the last
days among them, testifying to its truthfulness. In speaking of this
work which the Lord is doing in the earth, we sometimes call it the
Church of God, and we also speak of it as the kingdom of God. It is
both, God himself being the King; not a civil power, not a civil
government in the earth, for we already have established here upon
this choice land a government wherein all classes of religious people
may worship God as they please; but the Lord intended among these
various religions and ecclesiastic denominations, to have a peculiar
denomination, a peculiar people, a peculiar church, which he
denominates his kingdom, and himself as the great lawgiver in this
kingdom. Another object was that men might have more faith than what
they had been in possession of in the former generations of apostasy
and wickedness, and that the faith which the ancient Saints exercised
might again dwell in the hearts of the children of men. For instance, a power of faith, through our repentance and through our
obedience to the ordinances of baptism, to receive that greater and
miraculous baptism of the Holy Ghost. And that this gift, this baptism
of fire and the Holy Ghost which should be given to all the members of
the Church of God, should put them in possession of certain gifts,
which no other people on the face of the whole earth should have or
know anything about, providing the members of the Church were worthy
to possess them. I will name, in short, the various gifts that the
Lord intended to be given to this people. In the latter days, when
this record should be brought forth, he intended, in the first place,
to raise up a great and mighty Prophet, to translate the divine book.
This was fulfilled before the rise of the Church about 50 years ago.
This Prophet who was raised up to perform this work was permitted to
take these records out of the hill where Moroni had deposited them
some 420 years after Christ. This Prophet was spoken of in the
records, and the work that he should perform was also spoken of. And
notwithstanding his youth and inexperience in regard to the learning
and wisdom of the world, he proved himself a great and mighty man of
God; he not only was the instrument in the hands of God of bringing to
light the Book of Mormon, but also received numerous other revelations
which are contained in this book called the Doctrine and Covenants, a
book that contains nearly as much reading matter as the Book of
Mormon; and besides these you will find that many of the revelations
were given by him which are found in what is called the new edition of
the Pearl of Great Price, published by the Deseret News Office, which
gives a knowledge of things that took place in the creation much more
fully than what is described in the book of Genesis, giving an
account of a great many occurrences and events that transpired before
the flood, also giving us much information of the Gospel that was
taught in those early ages, and giving us some very important
prophecies, reaching down to the present period of the world, and also
prophecies that reach down still further, from the present day to the
end of the world. These are not the only revelations, given through
this great modern Prophet. The Lord brought to light sacred records
from the Catacombs of Egypt. After several hundred men had wrought and
toiled for many months in digging down one of these vast structures,
they entered into its interior; they found a great number of
mummies—the bodies of persons that had been preserved since the
catacomb was built, and some eleven of these mummies, well preserved,
were taken out by these men, and they finally fell into the hands of a
person named M. H. Chandler. They were sent from Egypt to Ireland,
where it was supposed he resided, but learning that he resided in
America, they were sent to him. After receiving the mummies he began
to take off some of the ancient covering or wrapping, and to his
astonishment he found upon the breast of one of these mummies a record
written upon ancient papyrus in plain characters, written both in
black and red inks, or stains, or colors. And the mummies and the
records were exhibited by Mr. Chandler, in New York, Philadelphia, and
many of the Eastern States of our Union; and thousands of people saw
them, and among them many learned men; and these characters were
presented to them, and not infrequently was Mr. Chandler referred to
"Joe" Smith as they used to term him, who, they said, pretended to
have translated some records that he found in the western part
of New York, and that if Mr. Chandler would go and see him perhaps he
would translate those ancient characters. Many of these references
were made with the intention of ridiculing Mr. Smith; but it so
happened that in traveling through the country he visited Kirtland,
Ohio, where the Prophet Joseph Smith resided, bringing the mummies and
the ancient papyrus writings with him. Mr. C. had also obtained from
learned men the best translation he could of some few characters,
which however, was not a translation, but more in the shape of their
ideas with regard to it, their acquaintance with the language not
being sufficient to enable them to translate it literally. After some
conversation with the Prophet Joseph, Mr. Chandler presented to him
the ancient characters, asking him if he could translate them. The
prophet took them and repaired to his room and inquired of the Lord
concerning them. The Lord told him they were sacred records,
containing the inspired writings of Abraham when he was in Egypt, and
also those of Joseph, while he was in Egypt; and they had been
deposited, with these mummies, which had been exhumed. And he also
enquired of the Lord concerning some few characters which Mr.
Chandler, gave him by way of a test, to see if he could translate
them. The Prophet Joseph translated these characters and returned
them, with the translation to Mr. Chandler; and who, in comparing it
with the translation of the same few characters by learned men, that
he had before obtained, found the two to agree. The Prophet Joseph
having learned the value of these ancient writings was very anxious to
obtain them, and expressed himself wishful to purchase them. But Mr.
Chandler told him that he would not sell the writings, unless he could
sell the mummies, for it would detract from the curiosity of his
exhibition; Mr. Smith inquired of him the price which was a
considerable sum, and finally purchased the mummies and the writing,
all of which he retained in his possession for many years; and they
were seen by all the Church that saw proper to visit the house of the
Prophet Joseph and also by hundreds of strangers.
The Prophet translated the part of these writings which, as I have
said is contained in the Pearl of Great Price, and known as the Book
of Abraham. Thus you see one of the first gifts bestowed by the Lord
for the benefit of His people, was that of revelation—the gift to
translate, by the aid of the Urim and Thummim, the gift of bringing to
light old and ancient records. Have any of the other denominations got
this gift among them? Go and inquire through all of Christendom and do
not miss one denomination. Go and ask the oldest Christian
associations that are extant; go to Italy, headquarters, and ask the
man that holds the greatest power and authority in the Romish Church,
"Can you translate ancient records written in a language that is lost
to the knowledge of man?" "No," he would say, "we cannot, it
is out of
my power to do it." Go to Russia inquire of the heads of the church of
the Greek Catholics, if they can do this; and they will give you,
substantially, the same answer. Then try the later, the present day
denominations, inquire of every one of them, beginning with the
Lutherans and the Calvinists, and the Church of England, and then put
the same question to all of the branches that have sprung from them;
as well as to those that have come into existence by other means; and
the universal reply of the Christian denominations, numbering
some 400,000,000, would be that they have not the power to do it. Ask
them if they pretend to possess supernatural power from God, to
accomplish a work of this nature; and they will all tell you that God
has never bestowed such power upon any of their ministers. And then,
if it were possible, ask the 400,000,000 of Christians, scattered
throughout Asia, Europe, America and the islands of the seas, if a man
can be found among them endowed, as ancient seers were, with the gift
to see, or as ancient revelators were who told future events, what
should befall men and nations and their final destiny; and the
universal reply will be, O, no, such things are all done away. Here
then the very first gift that the Lord set in his church, is a
peculiar gift so far as the religions of the world are concerned, not
peculiar so far as the Church of Christ is concerned, but so far as
the religious world in the four quarters of the earth is concerned, we
have something which they have not got, and something that is in
accordance with the Bible. What man, I would ask further, among all
the religions of the earth, for the last seventeen centuries, that has
possessed the Urim and Thummim, the gift that would constitute him a
seer and a revelator? There may have been some seventeen thousand
million of people that have passed off from our globe without such
gifts being among them; and they were gifts given to the people of God
before the advent of the Savior, and that were enjoyed by his servants
that lived contemporary with him and with those who lived after he had
performed his mission to the earth, and ascended to heaven. Then, in
speaking to strangers, I would say, you must give us credit of at
least professing to have these great and important gifts, gifts which
all the other religions of the world do not even profess to be in
possession of. Let me candidly enquire, which is the most pleasing in
the sight of God, for people to obtain the great and precious things
which come through the operation of the Holy Ghost, or for people to
have no information, no instruction for some seventeen hundred years,
only what they could glean out of the writings of some of the ancient
Seers, or Prophets, or Revelators, or Apostles, who have lived and who
have died centuries ago? Perhaps strangers might claim that they have
the writings of those favored men of God, and that they need no more,
and that all the generations of men since the days that such men of
God fell asleep needed no further instruction than that which was
given to former-day Saints. The strangers present will readily concede
this to be the sentiment, the belief and testimony of all, or nearly
all the religious people upon the face of the whole earth. You also
know if you have read the history of Christendom for seventeen
centuries past, that their belief and testimony in this respect have
been similar to those entertained by Christianity of today. Now, I
ask again, which is the more Godlike, which is the more in accordance
with the Bible, for a people to enjoy the same gifts that were enjoyed
by the people of God in earlier dispensations, or to be obliged to
depend upon some one else's gift who has long ago passed away? Now,
any consistent religious man will give his testimony on religious
affairs independent of the traditions of his fathers, and would say in
his own mind, it is more consistent for us to have Revelators,
Prophets, Seers and Translators inspired from heaven in our Church, it
is more in accordance with the Bible to be in possession of those
gifts ourselves than to depend upon Reve lators and Seers of
former ages. I do not suppose for a moment that there is any
consistent person but that, if left to his own reasoning, would say
that this is certainly the more reasonable and the more consistent;
and especially when the Bible is referred to, in which there is
nothing limiting the generations that have lived upon the earth for
seventeen centuries in regard to these gifts. It is more consistent
then when God should raise up a Church he should have Prophets, Seers
and Revelators in that Church, inspired men, men that can receive the
word of the living God, upon all subjects that should come before them
which might concern the people. How many millions of questions and
matters of more or less magnitude might be cited for which no
instruction could be found in the Bible that would be at all suitable
to the circumstances. Take any one individual among the many of the
human family, and you could find thousands of things, pertaining to
his individual welfare and temporal circumstances, that he could never
learn out of the Bible. The Lord guides and directs the temporal as
well as the spiritual affairs of his people; he always has done so.
How many thousands of things does a single head of a family need to
know, in regard to his own temporal circumstances, what course he
should take most pleasing to the Almighty, whether to pursue this
course or that branch of business, or whether to pursue some other
branch of business, wherein he might do the most good; and wherein he
could glorify God most; and which would be the greatest blessing for
his household and family, and wherein he could please the Lord and
live more uprightly and more godly, and more consistently and
honestly, by pursuing one branch of business rather than that of
another. All these things concern every head of a family; therefore,
if he had the spirit of revelation, if he could go and inquire of the
Lord, if he found it to be the whisperings of his spirit which course
to pursue in temporal matters, what a great blessing it would be for
him; and then not for that one person only, but for all his sons as
they grow up, and for his wives, if he have a number of wives. The
Lord used to give revelation not only to the head of a family, but
also to a man's wives. Read, for instance, what the Lord revealed to
the wives of Jacob, how he used to reveal a great many things to
Rachel, a great many things to Leah, a great many things to Bilhah,
and a great many things to Zilpah. These four wives were revelators;
they were prophetesses; they were individuals that could inquire of
the Lord, and obtain an answer from him; and we have their revelations
recorded in the Scriptures. We call their revelations the Word of God
to them. What a benefit it would be for a man who had three or four or
half a dozen wives, who could receive the word of the Lord in relation
to their several duties; how calculated it would be to produce peace,
and union, and salvation in the family and household. And what great
comfort it would be for a man if he had several wives, and knew by the
spirit of revelation how to deal in relation to all his domestic and
temporal affairs, according to the mind and will of God. Again, how
great would be the benefit to a body of people—to say nothing of
households and families—located for instance, in one region of the
country, a people who were united together according to the law of
God, desiring to advance each other's welfare and happiness, and each
man was required to love his neighbor as himself; a people who
knew how to so conduct their, temporal affairs that each man's
neighbor might be benefited as well as himself; and each one looking
not only for his own welfare or that of his own household, but for the
welfare of the whole community, with whom he was associated, producing
at last that unity and oneness which the Lord requires in the numerous
revelations which he has given.
It requires revelation then; it requires revelation for one single
branch of the church located in one region of the country; how much
more necessary, when there are numerous branches, and that those
branches should know their duties in regard to one another, that they
might not work against one another's interests in any way or manner,
but on the contrary, labor for the mutual benefit of all the branches
of the Church and Kingdom of God, and thus preserve means, even as
Joseph did in Egypt. Joseph was a man that sought after riches, he
advised King Pharaoh to seek after riches, by building storehouses,
and procuring as much of the surplus grain as he could, during the
seven years of plentiful harvests which he foretold, and to store it
away for future use. Some people might have supposed, if they had
lived in that day, that Joseph was a great speculator, and wanted to
take advantage of the people, getting rich himself at their expense.
But the Lord directed this; he gave a revelation, clearly showing what
would be necessary for the salvation of the Egyptians and also the
children of Israel who were sojourning in the land. Hence we perceive
it was necessary to get revelation in regard to temporal matters, and
that without it the famine would have come upon them unawares and
destroyed hundreds of thousands of people, and they would have
perished over all the land. Hence by a few words of revelation given
through a Prophet of God, that lived in their midst, millions of
people were saved alive.
If we trace the history of the people of God we shall find it a
history of revelations of God to man given for the purpose of
directing them as individuals, as families, as neighborhoods, as
tribes and as peoples, directing them in regard to their temporal
affairs, as well as concerning the great matters that pertain to a
future state of existence.
I mention this in order to refer to the text which I have taken. He
that receives this record, and shall not condemn it because of
imperfections that are in it, the same shall know of greater things
than these. That is, they shall know of greater things than what are
contained in the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon contains some
wonderful things about the colonization of this country soon after the
flood, the history of a certain nation that lived here some sixteen or
seventeen centuries; then of another nation that succeeded it, and
that lived here some 600 years before Christ, and down to the time
that the records were hid up. Great things, historically, are revealed
in this book; great things are revealed in it concerning prophecies
that are yet to take place, and that have already taken place—when
this record was translated. Not only this, but it contains the Gospel
of the Son of God. I mean the first principles of the Gospel—the
principles of faith in God and in his Son Jesus Christ;
repentance—turning away from sin, from all unrighteousness; baptism by
immersion in water for the remission of sins; the gift and power of
the Holy Ghost to be shed forth upon those who should receive this
record—that is, receive its truths and obey them. It does not mean
those who should read this record and not perform the
things that are contained therein; the promise is not extended to
them. "Whoso receiveth this record," that is, receives the Gospel
therein contained, will assuredly believe in Christ; will assuredly
repent of his sins; will assuredly be baptized for the remission of
his sins; and will assuredly be confirmed by the laying on of hands
for the reception of the Holy Ghost. No man or woman that fails to
comply with these things that I have named—believes and receives the
record; they may pretend to believe the record, they may say it
appears to be a very good record, and it speaks as if it might be
true; but unless they do receive it, by obeying its ordinances, and
its institutions, and complying with the principles of the Gospel,
they would not be entitled to the promise recorded in the words of my
text, "They shall know of greater things than these." I would ask, if
the Latter-day Saints know of anything, greater than that which is
contained in the Book of Mormon. What a wonderful thing the Book of
Mormon is, to be brought forth by an angel sent from heaven to be
translated from the ancient languages of this country into our English
language, to have the Urim and Thummim given to the translator by
which the words were translated. What a great and wonderful thing the
Book of Mormon is so far as its prophecies are concerned, so far as
its history and its doctrine are concerned; and so far as its
predictions of those things which are immediately in the future are
concerned, what a great benefit it has been to us Latter-day Saints to
read our own history before it comes to pass.
I might take up a whole discourse in showing how the Book of Mormon
has been fulfilled since it has been translated up to the present
time, in the bringing forth of the Gospel from among the Gentiles The
persecutions that they should endure are predicted in the Book of
Mormon. It is a great thing, it is a wonderful thing. In fact it is
just what Isaiah said it would be in prophesying of the Book; he said
it should be a marvelous work and a wonder. But the people who should
receive this record should know of greater things. What greater things
have we learned? We might have searched the Book of Mormon from
beginning to end, and we never could have learned the perfect
organization of the Kingdom of God upon the earth, such as we now find
it in the midst of this people. We might have read in the Book of
Mormon about the Melchizedek priesthood, as it existed among the
Nephites; we might have read of the Aaronic priesthood such as also
existed in this land; and we might, too, have read about the first
principles of the Gospel and about Twelve Apostles chosen among the
ancient Nephites; but do we read of the manner in which the Nephites
were organized after they were baptized and received the Holy Ghost?
No. Why? Because the Lord saw proper to withhold this from us, deeming
it proper to reveal it through the patriarch Joseph, whom he would
raise up, as something greater than the Book of Mormon should contain;
showing that there were to be Twelve Apostles in our day. Did the Book
of Mormon inform us that we were to have Twelve Apostles? No. The Lord
therefore gave greater things to this people who believed the record
that had come unto us, by revealing directly that we were to have
raised up in this dispensation twelve men, called Apostles, and that
they should go forth and preach his Gospel, first to the Gentile
nations, and, when the times of the Gentiles should be ful filled, they should go forth and preach His Gospel to the scattered
remnants of the house of Israel. This was taught when the revelation
was given soon after the last part of the Book of Mormon was
translated; that the Lord would raise up a Church; that he would call
twelve men and send them forth as Apostles, that he would build up his
Church among the Gentiles first; that he would, when their times were
fulfilled, send them to the house of Israel, to bring that people back
to a knowledge of the Gospel.
Now this was new information to the people. They at first learned the
Book of Mormon, and having learned it, having been taught concerning
what God taught ancient Israel on this land, then the Lord revealed
unto them greater things according to the promise in our text by
telling them what should be done directly in our midst.
Then again, what could we learn from either the Bible or Book of
Mormon in regard to three glories—the celestial, the terrestrial and
the telestial glories? What did we know concerning those that should
inhabit these various worlds of glory? Nothing at all. It was merely
referred to in Paul's writings, that there were three glories, "one
glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of
the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also
is the resurrection of the dead." But Paul left us here; he did not
tell us anything about the celestial, or anything about terrestrial,
or telestial glories; he told us nothing about the inhabitants of
these worlds, nor anything about the laws by which these different
glorified worlds were governed, but merely referred to them in a few
words and then dropped it. The people, to whom he was writing may have
known all about the subject he so casually referred to, if they did,
the knowledge they possessed was not handed down to us. But the Lord,
on the 16th day of February, 1832, poured out His Spirit from on high
while Joseph was engaged in the work of translating another record,
and also upon his scribe, and they saw in vision the celestial world,
and they were commanded to write a portion of the things which they
saw; to write about the greatness and power and majesty and the
knowledge of the people who inherit the celestial world. And they were
also shown, in the same manner the terrestrial world and the
inhabitants thereof and their glory, and what their condition would be
in the eternal worlds; and then they descended also in their vision
and beheld the lesser or telestial glory, and they saw the inhabitants
that dwelt there and comprehended the laws by which they were
governed. Some of these things they were commanded to write while there
were things which they beheld which they were strictly commanded not
to write, as the world was not worthy to receive them. Neither was the
Church, at that time, prepared to receive a full knowledge concerning
these things. But that portion which they were permitted to write they
wrote, and it has been printed now some 40 years for the Saints and
for the inhabitants of the world to learn concerning the future
condition of all those that shall pass out of this state of existence
behind the veil.
Here, then, were greater things made manifest than those in the Book
of Mormon, or those in the Bible. Whoso receives this record and shall not condemn it because of imperfections, the same shall know
of greater things. "But," says one, "what imperfections could there be
in the writings of an inspired man?" I will tell you. Imperfections
may creep in through the printing press, unless there was some expert
person to examine the printing of the Book. There might be
imperfections creep in through the persons that recorded these
things—Moroni and the various prophets that preceded him who wrote
upon the plates. Imperfections might occur through the omission of
some words. But one of the Prophets says, he knew of no imperfection
in the record; nevertheless, the Lord knew all, therefore, he said,
judge not, lest ye be judged; judge not with harsh judgment, lest ye
be judged harshly—that is unrighteously. Probably the individual in
reading the first edition of the Book of Mormon from the hands of the
printer, knew of no error so far as the printing was concerned. But
when we came to examine the first edition, and even all the editions,
we found some few little imperfections that were introduced chiefly of
a typographical nature. Well, those who will not condemn the work of
God because of such little things, have the promise that they shall
know of greater things than these. The Latter-day Saints are
witnesses. You have upon your shelves the Book of Covenants and
Commandments, the revelations of heaven; you also are in possession of
the Pearl of Great Price, containing the vision of Moses, that great
and glorious vision which he received on the mount, revealing to him
the history of the creation of the world. The Lord saw proper to
descend upon a certain mountain before Moses, and showed himself to
him, and the glory of God rested upon Moses so that he stood in the
presence of the Lord; and the Lord showed unto Moses the works of his
hands in relation to the various creations that he had made. And when
Moses began to inquire of the Lord, the Lord said unto him, No man can
behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can
behold all my glory and afterwards remain in the flesh upon the earth.
Here, then, Moses began to understand that it was not for him as a
mortal personage to cast his eyes forth and behold all the infinite
creations of the Almighty dispersed through boundless space; but the
Lord was willing that he should know in part. And Moses, when he saw
the glory of God, and the things with which he was surrounded,
pertaining to the planetary system, he began to wonder and marvel, as
you and I would do if we had the privilege of gazing in vision upon
the works of God. And while he was marveling at what he had seen, the
Lord for some reason, withdrew from him, probably to try him, to see
if he would be faithful to him. And when the Spirit of the Lord was
taken from him, and the glory of God had withdrawn from him and the
Lord himself had departed from before him, Moses was left to himself.
O how weak! He fell to the earth, and for the space of many hours he
did not receive his natural strength. And when in this weak, fallen
condition he exclaimed, I know now that man is nothing; and he began
to call upon the Lord to restore his strength. And Satan, we learn,
took advantage of Moses on this occasion, while thus left to himself,
and came and stood before him, and said Moses, son of man, I am the
Only Begotten, worship me. Moses looked upon Satan and perceived the
difference at once, between the glorious personage that had appeared
to him a short time before, and the personage of Satan. And Moses in looking upon this strange visitor said, Where is thy glory
that I should worship thee? Behold, I could not look upon God save his
glory were upon me; but I can look upon thee in my natural state.
Having said so much to him, he commanded him to depart; but being so
weak his faith was not strong enough to prevail against Satan, hence
he did not leave at his bidding. Moses then called upon God, and Satan
began to tremble and the earth began to shake; and Satan went upon the
earth, and commanded Moses, saying, I am the Only Begotten, worship
me. But Moses still called upon God for strength, and the Lord heard
and answered his prayers; and he then commanded Satan, in the name of
the Only Begotten Son, to depart; and he was rebuked from his
presence. And again Moses lifted up his voice to heaven and cried to
the Lord, and the glory of God began to come upon him; and the Lord
stood in his presence again, and Moses was again filled with his
glory. And while he was filled with the glory of the Lord he beheld
all the earth and the inhabitants thereof, and there was not a
particle of the earth withheld from his vision; he saw every particle
of it. He beheld it not by the natural vision, but by the Spirit of
the living God.
Moses not only saw the whole of this beautiful creation in its
entirety, but he doubtless beheld the laws by which every particle is
governed by the law of gravitation or electricity or heat, Moses
comprehended it. He was then desirous to know how the Lord created the
earth, as well as other heavenly bodies; but would the Lord grant his
desires in full? No; because it was not for mortal man to know so
much. But Moses still plead with the Lord in this language: "Be
merciful unto thy servant, O God, and tell me concerning this earth, and
the inhabitants thereof, and also the heavens, and then thy servant
will be content." He thought that if he could not behold other worlds,
if he had not the privilege granted to him of looking upon more
glorious creations, it would be a satisfaction for him to look upon
this earth and also the heavens. But what was the Lord's answer to
him? "The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto
man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine, and as one
earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof, even so shall another
come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words." But, said
the Lord, "I will reveal to you concerning this earth upon which thou
standest, and also the heaven belonging to the earth, and you shall
write the words which I speak to you." This is the way that Moses
obtained what is now called the book of Genesis, which gives an
account of the creation. How did we learn of these things? By way of
fulfillment of this promise, contained in the words of our text: "Whoso
shall believe in this record and shall not condemn it because of its
imperfection, the same shall know of greater things than these." Here
then we have come to a knowledge of the great and grand vision given
to the Revelator Moses. God communicated to Moses concerning the
creation of the heavens and this little earth upon which we dwell. He
tells us that darkness came upon the face of the great deep, after the
earth was created. What was there before this darkness came upon the
face of the great deep, after the earth was created? What was there
before this darkness came, can anyone tell us? A great many
religious people, without any reflection, have supposed there was no
light, from all eternity, until about six thousand years ago;
that then the Lord created the sun, moon and stars, they really think
that that was the first time from all the endless durations of past
eternity that there was any light. I mean a great many ignorant
people. But according to the revelation given to Moses, there was
light before the foundations of this world were laid, before God
caused darkness to come over this great deep; after he created the
heavens and the earth, then God spake and said, let there be light and
there was light. And as we are told, the evening and the morning was
the first day. Why does it begin with the evening and not with the
morning? Because darkness reigned, the Lord having caused darkness to
reign over the whole face of the earth. How he did it, in what way he
produced it is not revealed. At any rate, it is not said in the book
of Genesis that the sun was permitted to shine forth, or that the moon
gave its light on the first day; but that was something which was
permitted to take place on the fourth day instead of on the first day.
What then was it that existed before darkness came over the face of
the deep? Was it sunshine? I think not. It was that probably which is
connected with all creations in their first formation—self-luminous
matter. Darkness was then made, but how we know not; it might have
been by causing the light associated with those materials to become
latent in the substance—not permitted to shine forth. How long this
darkness continued is not revealed. How long it was before the Lord
said again, "Let there be light; and there was light," is not
revealed.
Again, we find that the solid portions of the earth were entirely
covered with water, for the Lord commanded the waters to be gathered
together to one place; and commanded the dry land to appear. The dry
land he called earth; the gathering together of the waters called he
seas. How did he do this? He may have done it by a direct miracle, or
he may have done it according to certain laws which he controlled, and
which were always under his control. How easy it would be for him to
take this globe of ours that was entirely covered by water, and set it
in motion, and cause it to rotate upon its axis. Would not this cause
the waters to be gathered together from the equatorial regions to the
two polar regions—the Arctic and the antarctic seas, and in the
intermediate regions, and thus leave the dry land in the equatorial
regions?
Then again how easy it would be for him to compress the solid portions
of the earth at the poles and cause the same to bulge out above the
equator. Or in other words, to do this also by law, by causing the
earth to turn more swiftly than it does at the present time, which
would give a greater diameter through the equator than at the poles.
There are many things in the new translation besides the vision and
revelation in regard to the creation, written by Joseph Smith, which
are far greater than anything contained in the Bible, or in the Book
of Mormon, or in the Doctrine and Covenants. I bring up these things
in order to show you that God has fulfilled his promises to the
present time, by giving us greater knowledge concerning the creation
of our globe.
The Prophet Joseph Smith revealed to us that all the materials of our
globe, and all the materials of the universe, are eternal in their
nature, that their substance is eternal, not created out of nothing,
according to the vagaries and foolish ideas of the religious world.
The Lord told us that he created the earth out of materials
that previously existed; he told us that these materials were eternal
in their nature, and of everlasting duration. In what condition have
these materials been for the last, say millions of ages—for instance,
as many millions of years as there are sands upon the seashore? Have
they been lying dormant without any control of law? Were there no
electric principles or laws to govern them, was there no heat
connected with them, or was there no latent principle called light,
neither a gravitating power in connection with these materials? I have
no doubt in my own mind but what there have been laws from all
eternity—or if you do not wish to call them laws, call them forces,
call them powers, call them by any name which may suit you—that have
controlled these materials; and then again these laws or forces have
also been under the control of a wise, supreme intelligence from all
eternity to the present time. How many organizations the materials of
our earth have undergone before they were organized according to the
revelations given to Moses, are not revealed. How many worlds they had
entered into prior to that time; how many conditions existed through
the millions of ages of past duration are nowhere revealed. A great
many learned men are beginning to see that the materials of our globe
have been in existence, as they say, for millions of ages. Some of
them have made calculations in regard to how many millions of years
since such and such phenomena took place, in regard to certain
materials of which our earth is composed; and because they have
discovered some of these things, they have, in the weakness and
foolishness of their minds, began to doubt the Mosaic history,
concerning the creation. I presume if I had never heard of the Book of
Mormon, or Doctrine and Covenants, or the revelations of which I am
speaking, I suppose I should have been probably an infidel, so far as
regards the religious sects; I could not have believed them, if I had
suffered my mind to reflect. But when I come to learn and understand
that God has nowhere spoken in all the revelations that he has given,
that he ever made so much as one particle of this earth out of
nothing; and when I found that God has never hinted or revealed any
such thing; but, on the contrary, that he organized the world out of
pre-existent materials that were eternal in their nature, then I could
reflect back with our learned philosophers and suffer my mind to go
back just as far as they dare go in their theories, and then go back
to all eternity beyond that which they go, and say, these materials
were in organization, and say worlds were being organized, and
different conditions were taking place, and laws were being given for
all these vast ages of the past, and still reconcile it with the
revelations God has given in these latter times. Science and true
religion never can possibly contradict each other. There never was any
truth in science that would contradict any principle of revelation
that God ever revealed to man. Why? Because true science is founded
upon a true understanding of the laws and forces of nature. But who
ordained from time to time these laws of nature in connection with the
universe as we now behold them? It was the Lord whom we serve, the
great Supreme Ruler of the universe, who organizes and disorganizes
according to his own will and pleasure. He garnishes the heavens in
his wisdom and builds the vast superstructure of the universe, as a
very handiwork. He brings into life and being new worlds and disorganizes them, scattering the elements, and again brings them
together by his power or by the laws he has ordained, and by his laws
makes new creations, new worlds, and new universes, and inhabits them
with myriads and myriads of intelligent beings. This is the work of
the great Supreme Ruler of all things.
This we find out by reading the first two chapters of Genesis, as
revealed anew, and many other things, of which we were profoundly
ignorant, until God raised up this youth, this unlearned Prophet of
the nineteenth century, to bring these things to light. By revelations
given in ancient days, and renewed through this young Prophet of God,
we learn that we, ourselves, did not begin to exist when we were born
into this state of existence; we learn that we are of higher origin
than that assigned by poor, unbelieving man. Contrast the ideas of the
last few centuries with the ideas that God has revealed from heaven.
They would make man look for his origin down to the very reptile and
the worm that crawls upon the earth, and to the fish of the sea—as the
first father, the first origin, the first oyster. Such is the reason
of the learned of the last few centuries—the evolution theory; in
other words, that which you learn from books, the creation of man's
folly and foolishness. But when we learn through the revelations of
God that instead of man's coming up from the poor worm of the dirt, he
descended from that being who controls the universe by his power;
that he descended from that being who is the fullness of all
knowledge, and who sways his scepter over more planetary systems than
there are sands upon the seashore. We are his offspring, we are his
sons and his daughters, we are his children, he has begotten us, and
we existed before the foundation of the world. Who among the wise, and
the great, and those who have studied as far as human wisdom can at
present reach; who among them can tell the origin of life? Who among
them can tell the origin of this intelligence in man, this reasoning
power, and this perceptive faculty, that enables man to grasp not only
a great many things pertaining to the laws connected with their own
little earth, but enables him to launch out into the regions of space
for hundreds of millions of miles and find out and understand many
things that govern worlds afar off. Is there no man that can tell the
origin of this Intelligence? Let the trained collegiate mind, whose
lifetime has been occupied in study, come forth and tell us how man
obtains the first principle of knowledge, how came knowledge to be
connected with matter, how came knowledge connected with flesh and
bones, and blood, and skin, and sinew? That knowledge—that
intelligence is Godlike; God is the author, he is father of our
spirits, and we were begotten before this world rolled into existence.
Once we dwelt in the presence of our Father; once we were enabled to
lift our songs of praise in the celestial world, from which we
emigrated; once we dwelt in the society of an innumerable convention
of angels, upon a world that had passed through its stages, its
ordeals, the same as this world is passing through its various
mutations. That celestial world from whence we came, is more perfect
than this earth, it is organized after a celestial order, a higher
order and glorified by the presence of immortal, glorified, celestial
beings. That is our home, from that world we came. Here is our
dwelling place for a season; to that world we will return, to that
being by whom we were begotten we will render an account; he who is our Father will require us to give an account of our doings in
this probation. We must meet him, and behold him, in all his glory, in
all his power, in all his majesty, and greatness, and superior
excellency and with that infinite knowledge of which he is in
possession; we must appear before him to give an account of our doings
while shut out from his presence on this little world.
Here then is another thing in which the Lord has fulfilled our text.
He has told us of our pre-existence; he has told us of the glory and
the greatness of our ancestor, even the Supreme Being; he has told us
when we existed, that it was before this world was brought into
existence. Are not these greater things than are contained and
explained in the Book of Mormon or the Bible? It is true the Book of
Mormon barely alludes to the pre-existence of man, without explaining
it. Jesus, before he appeared in the flesh, showed his spiritual form
to the brother of Jared; it was not a body of flesh and bones; but a
spiritual form, like the image of man. He said unto the brother of
Jared, Seest thou, that thou art created after mine image? And he
further says, All men in the beginning have I created after the image
of the body of my Spirit; that is the spiritual form occupied by him.
All men and women in the beginning were created by Him, and there
never was a person, there is not anyone now living, and there never
will be a man or woman, but what was in the beginning created in his
image.
I do not know but what I am occupying too much time, I will briefly
say, however, before closing, that certain records which God has
promised to bring to light in his own due time, will far exceed
anything that has been revealed through the Book of Mormon or the
Bible, or that which has come to us through the Abrahamic record taken
from Egyptian papyrus, or that which is contained in the vision of
Moses, revealing to him the history of the creation of the world. All
these will be as a drop in the bucket in comparison with the eternal
knowledge that will yet flow down from heaven upon the heads of the
Latter-day Saints before this generation shall pass away. The earth
will be filled with the knowledge of God, as the waters cover the
great deep, and the things of all nations will be revealed. The
records of old that were kept by the people of Asia, who have since
dwindled into savages by reason of the transgressions of their
fathers; and those that have been kept by the ten tribes of the north
countries, where they have lived for over 25 centuries; and those
records that have been kept by the people of the City of Enoch, giving
an account of the dealings of God with ancient Zion, will all come
forth to help fill the earth with the knowledge of God, as the waters
cover the great deep. And John, when upon the Isle of Patmos, saw
things in vision, which were commanded to be sealed up, and they are
yet to be unsealed; and in this way we shall receive knowledge upon
knowledge, revelation upon revelation, concerning not only the six or
seven thousand years of the earth's temporal existence, but concerning
the materials of the earth before it was made, and the elements and
materials, and all things pertaining to the future earth that is to be
created when the elements of this earth shall be dissolved and pass
away into space. There is nothing too great to be withheld from the
Saints of God in the last dispensation of the fulness of times. Hear
what the Prophet Joseph Smith said, when confined in Liberty Jail. As
well may the puny arm of man attempt to stop the waters of the
Missouri River as to try to prevent the Almighty from pouring down
knowledge upon the Latter-day Saints. It will come; it will come like
a mighty flood, it will come like a mighty ocean, and there will be no
mental darkness upon the whole face of the earth. The laws by which
the earth is governed, by which the materials were governed, by which
intelligence produces intelligence, by which one material cleaves to
another, and by which all the various mechanisms are performed, will
be revealed in their times and in their seasons. And then the Lord
will not stop there; but he will unfold other systems and heavens that
shall come into connec tion with ours. How, I know not; in what way, I
know not. There will be telescopes, microscopes and other instruments
discovered in these systems, that will so far outstretch the
discoveries made at the present time, that all these things will
dwindle into insignificance, and when the inhabitants of one system
can converse with those of another, and when there shall be
communication between all the creations that God has made with the
present creation we inhabit, and when the Lord shall bring forth Zion
out of all the creations he has made; then, I think, we shall begin to
look back in astonishment at the littleness of the discoveries of the
learned of the 19th century. Amen.