(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

ETERNITY OF INTELLIGENCES.

SPECIAL TEXT: "Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be." (Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93:29.)

DISCUSSION.

1. Eternity of Intelligence: In the preface of St. John's Gospel it is written: "I. the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. * * And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-4, 14). This is in plain allusion to the Christ, and bears witness, as all are agreed,^[A] to the co-eternity of the Word of Christ with God, the Father.

[Footnote A: See "Commentary," Jamieson,—Fauset-Brown on St. John 1:1-4. Also "International Revision Commentary," Schaff—on St. John 1:1-4. The latter contrasting Gen. 1:1 with St. John's "in the beginning," says that the sacred historian (Moses) starts from the beginning and comes downwards, thus keeping us in the course of time. John starts from the same point, but goes upwards, thus taking us into the eternity preceding time. In Gen. 1:1, we are told that God "in the beginning created,"—an act done in time. Here (John 1:1) we are told that "in the beginning the Word was," a very strongly antithetical to "come into being" (verses 3, 14, comp. 8:58), and implying an absolute existence preceding, the point referred to. As that which is absolute self-existent, not created—that which is—is eternal, so the predication of eternity is involved in the clause before us taken as a whole. He who thus "was in the beginning," who, as we afterwards read, "was with God," and "was God," here bears the name of the "Word," Logos, which means both reason—[intelligence?] and word [expression?] For justification of the interpolated words in brackets, I refer to Dummelow's Commentary on the same passage: "Logos has two meanings in Greek: (1) Reason or intelligence as it exists inwardly in the mind; and (2) reason or intelligence as it is expressed outwardly in speech and both these meanings are to be understood when Christ is called the "Word of God." Commentary on John 1:1-4.]

In the Doctrine and Covenants this doctrine of the co-eternity of the "Word" with God is reaffirmed, and also is expressed more explicitly. "John," the Christ is represented as saying, "saw and bore record of the fullness of my glory. * * * And he bore record saying, 'I saw his glory that he was in the beginning before the world was. Therefore in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation, the light and the Redeemer of the World'" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:6-9).

2. Extension of the Doctrine of Co-eternity: But not only is the doctrine of the co-eternity of the Christ with God the Father affirmed in this revelation, but that co-eternity is extended to the spirits (Intelligences—of which more later) of men. "Verily I say unto you," the Christ is represented as saying, "I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the first born. * * * Ye, [addressing the brethren present when the revelation was given]—Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is spirit [that is, that part of you which is spirit—i. e., Intelligence—that was in the beginning with God], even the spirit of truth."

3. Extension of the Doctrine of Co-Eternity to all Intelligences: In a subsequent verse this doctrine of co-eternity is extended to the whole race of men; "man [the race] was also in the beginning with God." And that statement is immediately followed with this: "Intelligence, or the light of truth [that which perceives truth], was not created or made, neither indeed can be" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:29). Let us recapitulate: The co-eternity of the Christ and God the Father "in the beginning before the world was," is affirmed. Then the like co-eternity of the spirits of the men present when the revelation was given is affirmed. After which the like co-eternity of "Man"—used in the generic sense, meaning the race, is affirmed; followed by the declaration that "Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be," then of course, it follows that Intelligences are eternal, self-existing things.

It may be urged, however, that the word "Intelligence" in the revelation quoted above is used in the singular, not in the plural form. And hence may refer to "Intelligence" in general, as being uncreated and unbeatable, and not to the eternity of individual Intelligences. But the passage immediately preceding the declaration "Man also was in the beginning with God," stands as an explanation of that declaration. The word Intelligence in the passage quoted is governed as to its meaning by "Man" in the sentence—"Man was also in the beginning with God:" and now, "Intelligence," [the intelligent entity in man, in the race—and surely the Intelligence in each man is a complete and separate entity] "was not created or made, neither indeed can be." In other words, these Intelligences are as eternal as God is, or as the Christ is, or the Holy Spirit. This becomes more apparent when we learn in a subsequent verse of the revelation that "man is spirit" (verse 33). That is, in the inner fact of him, in the power and glory of him, man is not so many pounds avoirdupois of bone, muscle, lime, phosphate, water and the like; but in the great fact of him he is spirit—spirit substance and Intelligence.^[A] And so far as human or revealed knowledge can aid one in forming a conclusion, there is no "Intelligence" existing separate and apart from persons, from intelligent entities, from individuals. Either it exists as persons, or as preceding from them, as a power or force, but never separated from them, any more than a ray of light is separated from the luminous body whence it proceeds. So that if any affirm a "universal Intelligence," or "Cosmic Mind," or "Over Soul," in the universe, it is an influence, a power proceeding either from an individual Intelligence or from harmonized individual Intelligences, a mind atmosphere proceeding from them—a projection of their mind power into the universe, as the sun and all suns, project light and warmth into the universe.^[B]

[Footnote A: "That is the more real part of a man in which his characteristics and his qualities are. All the facts and phenomena of life confirm the doctrine that the soul is the real man. What makes the quality of a man? What gives him character as good or bad, small or great, lovable or detestable? Do these qualities pertain to the body? Every one knows that they do not. But they are qualities of the mind. Then the real man is not the body, but the living soul" (Samuel M. Warren, "World's Parliament of Religions," Vol. I, p. 480).]

[Footnote B: "Mormon Doctrine of Deity," p. 166-169, where the subject is discussed at some length under the title, "Of God, the Spirit of the Gods."]

4. Proof of the Co-eternity of all Intelligences: In further evidence of the eternal existence of individual Intelligences I quote from the Book of Abraham:

"If two things exist and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them. * * * If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal" (Book of Abraham, Chs. 3, 16, 18).

To this may be added the teaching of the Prophet Joseph Smith who, in the closing days of his earthly ministry, dwelt much upon this subject and treated it with great emphasis. At the conference of the Church at Nauvoo in April, 1844, in a sermon, he said.

"The soul—the mind of man—the immortal spirit—where did it come from? All learned men and doctors of divinity say that God created it in the beginning, but it is not so; the very idea lessens man in my estimation. I do not believe the doctrine. I know better. Hear it, all ye ends of the world, for God has told me so, if you don't believe me, it will not make the truth without effect We say that God himself is a self-existent being. Who told you so? It is correct enough, but how did it get into your head? Who told you that man did not exists in like manner, upon the same principles? Man does exist upon the same principles. * * * The mind or the intelligence which man possess is co-equal, [co-eternal]^[A] with God himself. I know my testimony is true. * * * I am dwelling on the immorality of the spirit of man. Is it logical to say that the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it (i. e., the intelligence) had a beginning? The intelligence of spirits had no beginning, neither will it have an end. That is good logic. That which has a beginning may have an end. There never was a time when there were no spirits, for they are co-equal [co-eternal] with our Father in heaven. * * * Intelligence is eternal and exists upon a self-existent principle. It is a spirit from age to age and there is no creation about it. * * * The first principles of a man are self-existent with God."^[B]

[Footnote A: The Prophet could not have intended to teach that the intelligence in man was "co-equal with God," except as to being co-equal in eternity with God, since the Book of Abraham teaches that God is more intelligent than all other intelligences (Ch. iii:19), and the Prophet himself taught the same truth. Hence the insertion of the word above in brackets. It must be remembered that the report of this discourse was not stenographic and this was doubtless a verbal error, due to imperfect reporting.]

[Footnote B: King Follett Sermon, April, 1844, "Improvement Era," Vol. XII, Jan. 1909. Also "Journal of Discourses," Vol. VI.]

5. Words used Interchangeably: Here it is necessary to repeat with some additions, what was said in Year Book II, on the use of words interchangeably: It is often the case that misconceptions arise through a careless use of words, and through using words interchangeably, without regard to shades of differences that attach to them; and this in the scriptures as in other writings. Indeed, this fault is more frequent in the scriptures perhaps than in any other writings for the reason that, for the most part, they are composed by men who did not aim at scientific exactness in the use of words. They were not in most cases equal to such precision in the use of language, in the first place; and in the second, they depended more upon the general tenor of what they wrote for making truth apparent than upon technical precision in a choice of words; ideas, not niceness of expression, was the burden of their souls; thought, not its dress. Hence, in scripture, and I might say especially in modern scripture, a lack of careful or precise choice of words, a large dependence upon the general tenor of what is written to convey the truth, a wide range in using words interchangeably that are not always exact equivalents, are characteristics. Thus the expression, "Kingdom of God," "Kingdom of Heaven," "the Whole Family in Heaven," "the Church of Christ," "the Church of God," are often used interchangeably for the Church of Christ when they are not always equivalents; so, too, are used the terms "Spirit of God," and "Holy Ghost;" "Spirit of Christ," and "the Holy Ghost;" "Spirit," and "Soul;" "intelligences," and "spirits," and "angels." I mention this in passing, because I believe many of the differences of opinion and much of the confusion of ideas that exist arise out of our not recognizing, or our not remembering these facts. Hereafter let the student be on his guard in relation to the use of the words "intelligences," "spirits," "soul," "mind," etc.; and he will find his way out of many a difficulty.

Let the closing part of the quotation from the Prophet's discourse above be considered in the light of the suggestions made here respecting the use of words interchangeably. It is observed that he uses the words "Intelligence" and "spirit" interchangeably—one for the other; and yet we can discern that it is the "intelligence of spirits," not "spirits" entire (see next subdivision) that is the subject of his thought. It is the "Intelligence of Spirits" that he declares uncreated and uncreatable—eternal as God is. The same interchangeable use of the terms is to be observed in the Book of Abraham (Ch. iii:16-28) and in other scriptures.