  SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE. THE ANCIENT AMERICAN SCRIPTURE—THE BOOK OF MORMON. (Continued.)
SPECIAL TEXT: "Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness [while remaining in sin]. Behold I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness." ALMA. NOTES.1. The Book of Mormon Doctrine of the Fall of Adam: Here, then, stands the truth so far as it may be gathered from God's word and the nature of things: There is in man an eternal, uncreated, self-existing entity, call it "intelligence," "mind," "spirit," "soul"—what you will, so long as you recognize it, and regard its nature as eternal. There came a time when in the progress of things, (which is only another way of saying in the "nature of things") an earth-career, or earth existence, because of the things it has to teach, was necessary to the enlargement, to the advancement of these "intelligences," these "spirits," "souls." Hence an earth is prepared; and one sufficiently advanced and able, by the nature of him to bring to pass the event, is chosen, through whom this earth-existence * * * * may be brought to pass. He comes to earth with his appointed spouse. He comes primarily to bring to pass man's earth-life. He comes to the earth with the solemn injunction upon him: "Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." But he comes with the knowledge that this earth-existence of eternal "Intelligences" is to be lived under circumstances that will contribute to their enlargement, to their advancement. They are to experience joy and sorrow, pain and pleasure; witness the effect of good and evil, and exercise their agency in the choice of good or of evil. To accomplish this end, the local or earth harmony of things must be broken. Evil to be seen, and experienced, must enter the world, which can only come to pass through the violation of law. The law is given—"of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day thou eatest of it thou shalt surely die." The woman, forgetful of the purpose of the earth mission of herself and spouse is led by flattery and deceit into a violation of that law, and becomes subject to its penalty—merely another name for its effect. But the man, not deceived, but discerning clearly the path of duty, and in order that earth existence may be provided for the great host of "spirits" to come to earth under the conditions prescribed—he also transgresses the law, not only that men might be, but that they might have that being under the very circumstances deemed essential to the enlargement, to the progress of eternal Intelligences. Adam did not sin because deceived by another. He did not sin maliciously, or with evil intent; or to gratify an inclination to rebellion against God, or to thwart the Divine purposes, or to manifest his own pride. Had his act of sin involved the taking of life rather than eating a forbidden fruit, it would be regarded as a "sacrifice" rather than a "murder." This to show the nature of Adam's transgression. It was a transgression of the law—"for sin is the transgression of the law"—that conditions deemed necessary to the progress of eternal Intelligences might obtain. Adam sinned that men might be, and not only "be," but have that existence under conditions essential to progress. 2. Book of Mormon Doctrine of the Atonement: The atonement, its effects and operation, is dealt with at length in II Nephi ii, and in Alma xli and xlii. According to the doctrine there set down the effect of Adam's transgression was to destroy the harmony of the world. Man as a consequence of his fall was banished from the presence of God, and made subject also to a temporal death—the separation of the spirit and body—which conditions would have remained eternally fixed, the nature of inexorable law—"called the justice of God"—admitting of nothing less. But this was justice untempered by mercy: "And thus we see that all mankind were fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence." But mercy must in some way be made to reach man, and that without destroying justice: "And now the plan of mercy could not be brought about, except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, just God, and a merciful God also." (Alma xlii: 14.) The atonement brings to pass "the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of God." In other words, the atonement redeems men from the effects of Adam's moral transgression; and also brings the element of mercy into God's moral economy respecting man's earth-life. That is to say, the atonement frees man from the consequences of Adam's transgression; leaves him free to choose good or evil—both of which are in the world—as he shall elect; but he is responsible for the consequences of that individual choice, which is only another way of saying that man is responsible for his own sins. Still under the operation of Mercy, which has been brought into this world's moral economy through the atonement of Christ, man may obtain forgiveness of sin through repentance; for "mercy claimeth the penitent." "A law is given, and a punishment affixed," but "a repentance [is] granted; which repentance mercy claimeth; otherwise justice claimeth the creature, and executeth the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment." (Alma xlii: 23.) (Y. M. Manual, No. 9, chap, vii.) 3. The Book of Mormon Doctrine of Opposite Existences: Of this same class of ideas is what I shall call the Book of Mormon doctrine of "opposite existences," what the scholastics would call "antinomies." Be not disheartened at this statement of the subject; the Book of Mormon presentation of it will be much simpler; that simplicity in fact is part of its originality, an evidence of its being inspired. The statement of the doctrine in question occurs in a discourse of Lehi's on the subject of the atonement. The aged prophet represents happiness or misery as growing out of the acceptance or rejection of the atonement of the Christ, and adds that the misery consequent upon its rejection is in opposition to the happiness which is affixed to its acceptance: "For it must needs be," he continues, "that there is an opposition in all things. If [it were] not so * * * * righteousness could not be brought to pass; neither wickedness; neither holiness nor misery; neither good nor bad. Wherefore [that is, if this fact of opposites did not exist], all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it [the sum of things] should be one body, it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore this thing [i. e. the absence of opposite existences which Lehi is supposing] must needs destroy the wisdom of God, and his eternal purposes; and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God." This may be regarded as a very bold setting forth of the doctrine of antinomies, and yet I think the logic of it, and the inevitableness of the conclusion unassailable. * * * * * As there can be no good without the antinomy of evil, so there can be no evil without its antinomy, or antithesis—good. The existence of one implies the existence of the other; and, conversely, the non-existence of the later would imply the non-existence of the former. It is from this basis that Lehi reached the conclusion that either his doctrine of antinomies, or the existence of opposites, is true, or else there are no existences. That is to say—to use his own words—"If ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness, there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness, there be no punishment nor misery.. And if these things are not, there is no God, and if there is no God, we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon: wherefore, all things must have vanished away." But as things have not vanished away, as there are real existences, the whole series of things for which he contends are verities. "For there is a God," he declares, "and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are: both things to act, and things to be acted upon." (II Nephi ii. For a larger treatment of the theme see Y. M. M. I. A.. Manual, No. 9, chap. xxxix.) Footnotes |
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