(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

NATURE AND FORM (Continued).

SPECIAL TEXT: "I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet, nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord, and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another." (II Nephi xi:)

DISCUSSION.

1. A Personage of Spirit Revealed: The Holy Ghost may be as the pre-existent spirit of the Christ was, before the incarnation; and of which we have at least one enlightening revelation in the Book of Mormon.

The brother of Jared having by faith come into the presence of the Christ, that spirit personage, said to him:

"Behold I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people; * * * and never have I showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image [likeness]. Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold this body which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear unto my people in the flesh."^[A]

[Footnote A: Book of Ether, ch. iii.]

I do not say that the spirit-personage of this passage and the "personage of spirit," the Holy Ghost, is declared to be by the Prophet Joseph Smith, of like essence or substance, or even that they are similar in the nature of their substances; they may be very different. But the passage in Ether informs us what a spirit-personage may be. He may be as Jesus was, a spirit in the form of a man.

2. The Holy Ghost Revealed: In his "Articles of Faith," Elder James E. Talmage says:

"That the Holy Ghost is capable of manifesting himself in the true form and figure of God, after which image man is shaped, is indicated by the wonderful interview between the Spirit and Nephi, in which he revealed himself to the Prophet, questioned him concerning his desires and belief, instructed him in the things of God, speaking face to face with the man. 'I spake unto him,' says Nephi, 'as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in form of a man, yet nevertheless I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh to another.'"^[A]

[Footnote A: Articles of Faith, p. 164; and I Nephi xi:22. Elder Orson Pratt refers to the same passage in 1850, and makes the following comment: "Whether this Spirit that Nephi saw 'in the form or a man' was the person of the Holy Spirit, or the personal Spirit of Jesus, which, about six hundred years afterwards took upon himself flesh, is not definitely stated. The brother of Jared, some two thousand years before Christ, saw the personal Spirit of Christ, which was in the form of a man. Nephi might have seen the same; but we are rather inclined to believe from the context, that he saw the personage of the Holy Spirit; if so, this establishes, beyond doubt, the personality of the Holy Spirit."]

Of this evidence for the personality and even the individuality of the Holy Ghost, in human form, it might be said that since the pre-existent spirit of the Christ, and doubtless the spirits of all men, existed in human form, some one of these of sufficient excellence and holiness could by appointment have ministered unto Nephi, and be called the "Spirit of the Lord." But a close consideration of the context of the quoted passage will, I think, dispel that idea and leave established the view of the author of the "Articles of Faith," and that view to which Elder Orson Pratt more especially inclined, viz.: that on the above occasion there was given to the Prophet Nephi a view of the spirit-personage of the Holy Trinity, known to us in the word of God as the Holy Ghost. The considerations which lead me to that conclusion are that in the chapter preceding the one in which it is declared that the "Spirit of the Lord" was "in the form of a man," Nephi had expressed his desire to see and hear, and know of these things by the power of the Holy Ghost, "which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him."^[A] Then in a subsequent verse he remarks: "And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not."^[B] Then follows the narrative in which occurs the statement that the "spirit of the Lord," which conversed with Nephi, was "in the form of a man" This juxtaposition of the terms "Holy Ghost" and the "Spirit of the Lord," "in the form of a man," is too significant to doubt of identity of personage.

[Footnote A: I Nephi x:17.]

[Footnote B: Ibid 18.]

3. The New Testament on the Personality of the Holy Ghost: It is also clear from the New Testament scriptures that the Holy Ghost is a "spiritual personage" in the sense presented in this lesson, for the reason that he is referred to as a personage, and as doing those things which only a personage, in the sense of that personage being an individual, would do. In these scriptures the Holy Ghost is quite generally "HE" rather than "IT." "I will pray to the Father," said Jesus, "and he will give you another Comforter, * * * even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you."^[A] "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, * * * he shall teach you all things;"^[B] "* * * He shall testify of me."^[C] He will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak, and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you."^[D] "And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment."^[E]

[Footnote A: John xiv:16, 17.]

[Footnote B: John xiv:26.]

[Footnote C: John xv:26.]

[Footnote D: John xvi:13, 14.]

[Footnote E: John xvi:8.]

Moreover, as we have seen in a previous lesson, the Holy Ghost does those things, performs those offices which may be done only by a "person" in the sense here considered, viz. He is represented as proceeding from the Father; as sent forth in the name of the Son; as abiding; as teaching; as bearing witness; as reproving the world; as guiding; and revealing.^[A]

[Footnote A: See Lesson viii, this treatise where citation to scripture for all these things is given.]

It is, however, proper that attention should be called to the fact that in some cases the Holy Ghost is represented by the neuter pronoun "It" and "Itself." "The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit."^[A] John calls the Holy Spirit "the anointing;" "But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you; but as the same anointing teach you all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught, ye shall abide in him."^[B] Here we see that the neuter pronoun "it" is applied to the Spirit which "teacheth all things."^[C] "That this anointing," says Orson Pratt, "referred to the Holy Spirit is evident, not only from its 'teaching all things,' but the word is so applied by Peter: 'God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.'"^[D] Elder Pratt also cites the following instances from the Book of Mormon: "The Book of Mormon in two places uses the neuter pronoun 'it' when speaking of the Holy Ghost. Nephi says, 'Behold, there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them.' And again, he says, 'If ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what we should do.' In another place the Book of Mormon represents the Spirit of the Lord as a person. Nephi says of this spirit, 'I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet, nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.'"

[Footnote A: Rom, viii:16.]

[Footnote B: I John ii:27.]

[Footnote C: Acts x:38.]

[Footnote D: Mill. Star, Vol. XII, p. 307.]

It is, in his described activities, however, that one may find the best idea of the nature of the personal quality of the Holy Ghost, and these activities can only obtain, as we hope is abundantly set forth in these lessons, in connection with a personality, and in the sense of that personality being an individual spirit.

4. Mode of Union Between the Holy Ghost and Men: The question will be asked, however, how the doctrine of the personality of the Holy Ghost, in the sense of his being a spirit-personage, in the form of man, is to be made compatible with the idea that the Holy Ghost operates simultaneously upon the minds of many persons; in fact becomes an indwelling influence and power in them. "Receive ye the Holy Ghost," is said to all those who accept the ordinances of the gospel—both the first and second part of the Christian baptism; and the theory is that though these become an innumerable host, such as no man can number, there would still be for each a personal relationship with the Holy Ghost. Each would receive him; each would be baptized of the Spirit; and that which each would receive would be his bond of fellowship with God, his union with the divine life, his re-established communion with God, hitherto severed by sin. To each the Holy Ghost would be his special source of knowledge, as we have seen, of God the Father, and Jesus the Son;^[A] the Holy Ghost would be the life of God in the life of each; the power by which he would be conformed to the very image and likeness of God—inducted in fact into the divine nature. How can all this be if the Holy Ghost be regarded as a personage, in the sense of his being an individual; and necessarily limited by the laws of form and substance? That is to say, that as a personage, he is not everywhere present; as a personage, not capable of being in two places at the same moment of time; as a personage, limited as to the amount of substance or spiritual essence of which he subsists; as a personage, not of unlimited or inexhaustible substance, extending throughout the universe. These conclusions are inevitable from the nature of beings, however refined of substance or essence, or however exalted in office and power, or however glorious, if to them we ascribe form; or if God in his word prescribes form to them, as in this case. These conclusions are inevitable where form is the mode of existence.

[Footnote A: No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost. I Cor. xii:3. "I bear record of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the Holy Ghost beareth record of the Father and me." III Nephi xi:32.]

Happily the task does not devolve upon the writer to advance a positive theory with reference to this difficulty. Frankly he confesses himself inadequate to such a task. If the Son of God, so far the Master Teacher in this world, felt it necessary to say, "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit"^[A]—if the Master Teacher said this, surely it is becoming in this writer not to attempt in any positive way to give an exposition of that which our Lord saw proper to leave in the above status. Still, reverently, and subject to correction that may come with the further unfolding of God's revealed word, one may without presumption suggest how conception of the Holy Ghost as a personal spirit may not be incompatible with effectual, personal contact with each one that shall obey the commandment to be born both of the water and of the Spirit; and how the Holy Ghost may become an indwelling power in each of such persons regardless of numbers.

[Footnote A: St. John iii:8.]

In Lesson II of this treatise I discussed the immanence of God in the world, and developed the thought, I trust clearly, that there was both with human and divine persons an influence radiating forth from them. And that so far as divine persons were concerned, since they had attained to participation in the divine nature, which is essentially one, their influence was one, with others likewise so developed, and divine; and that so blended into one spiritual atmosphere this influence or "Spirit of God" became the Immanent Deity, the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, and through which God is everywhere present and a power in his creations, throughout the immensity of space.^[A]

[Footnote A: It is suggested that the student refresh his mind by reading again Lesson II.]

The point to be made here by reference to the discussion in Lesson II is, that if other Divine Intelligences radiate a spiritual influence and power, is it not conformable to reason to think that the Holy Ghost will also radiate a spiritual influence and power from himself that will be all sufficient to bring him in personal contact with the soul of every man who obeys the gospel—the conditions essential to fellowship with the Holy Ghost? And may it not be, and indeed from the nature of the revealed knowledge we have of this Spirit, are we not under the necessity of believing that such is his peculiar nature—wholly spiritual, as we have seen—that he acts more immediately, and more powerfully upon the consciousness and soul of man than any other spiritual power whatsoever? And is not this the explanation of the fact that he who sins against the testimony which union with the Holy Ghost gives, is under greater condemnation than for any other sin whatsoever?^[A]

[Footnote A: "He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness." (St. Mark iii:28.) "It is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." (Hebrew vi:6).]

Illustration; Analogy: Let us see if analogy will not help us here. We know that self-luminous bodies send forth vibrations that in turn produce light waves; and these acting upon the organs of sight render visible the objects from which the vibrations proceed. The sun is such a luminous body; and though its material body is some 92,000,000 of miles distant, yet to us men it is a glorious earth-presence, this sun, flooding the earth with light and warmth and life-giving power, without which all life would languish and die. And it is possible, and to this writer's thought very probable, that not only to the planet earth of our solar system, but to some of the other major planets of the system, though by many hundreds of millions of miles more distant from the sun than our earth, the sun may perform the same kindly office for them, not only in the matter of giving them light, which we know to be the case, but also the warmth and vital energy essential to their forms of life. But with this we need not concern ourselves now.

The analogy I suggest is this, and I press it no further than illustration: If a physical, luminous body can send forth from its presence an energy into such immense space depths, as we know our sun does, and conveys its essential qualities of light and heat and vital force to planets at least so distant as our earth is from the sun; may it not be that a spirit of such dignity and power as we have a right from what is revealed of him to believe the Holy Ghost is, cannot he, more abundantly, and even to infinity, give forth spiritual energy that shall unite to himself all those who are born again—those who obey the gospel? And as one may not separate the ray of light from the luminous object whence it proceeds, so one may not, or so it would seem—fail to be completely united with the spirit-personage of the Holy Ghost by the direct spiritual energy proceeding forth from his divine presence.

This conclusion is not given, be it remembered, as a positive dictum as to the mode of union of man with God through the fellowship or possession of the Holy Ghost. It is only a tentative suggestion as to a possible mode of that union, to meet the question as to how it can be possible to regard the Holy Ghost as a spirit-personage in the sense of his being an individual—a conclusion forced upon the understanding by the revelations of God which present him to us—and at the same time accept the notion—also forced upon the understanding by what is revealed of the Holy Ghost—that he is in conscious union with unnumbered millions of minds who have been brought into fellowship with God through the spiritual birth. But for the matter itself, as to any dogmatizing about it—"The wind bloweth where it listeth, * * * * ye know not whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."