The Goal Eternal.

Dante and the Divine Comedy.—In the thirteenth century a great Italian poet, the immortal Dante, produced a wonderful work, "La Divina Comedia"—in English, "The Divine Comedy." In one part of the poem the author represents himself as passing through Hades. In the first circle of the infernal depths, a region called "Limbo"—described by a footnote in my copy of the work as a place "containing the souls of unbaptized children and of those virtuous men and women who lived before the birth of our Savior"—he comes upon such characters as Homer, Virgil, Plato and others of their class, and the spirit guide who is conducting him through "the realms of shade," says:

—Inquirest thou not what spirits
Are these, which thou beholdest? Ere thou pass
Farther, I would thou know, that these of sin
Were blameless; and if aught they merited
It profits not, since baptism was not theirs,
The portal to thy faith. If they before
The Gospel lived, they served not God aright;
And among such am I.
For these defects
And for no other evil, we are lost;
Only so far afflicted, that we live
Desiring without hope.^[1]

And this was all that thirteenth century theology could say for worthies of that stamp—the best and brightest spirits of their times. Blameless, and yet in hell, "desiring without hope," simply because they had lived on earth when the Gospel was not on earth, and had not been baptized! Whether or not, as some think, it was the intent of the poet to covertly satirize such teachings, is immaterial at the present time. It is sufficient that he had such teachings to satirize.

Truth's Restoration Imperative.—If any reader of mine wishes to know why Joseph Smith and "Mormonism" came into the world, he need look no further to find one of the cardinal reasons. It is furnished in those lines from Dante's masterpiece, setting forth the orthodox tenet and teaching of the Christian Church regarding the spirits of the good who depart this life without undergoing the baptismal ordinance. This, and that other man-made doctrine, that half to be damned, regardless of any good or evil done by them—little children being included in both classes—were widely preached in Christendom at the time of the advent of "Mormonism." It was imperative that a prophet should arise, that the pure primitive faith should be restored, and God's word go forth once more on its mission of justice and mercy.

"According to Their Works."—Whatever Christian theology may have taught, or whatever it may teach, in support of such doctrines, the fact remains that the Gospel of Christ does not, and never did dispose of men's precious souls in that unrighteous, unreasonable, unscriptural manner. It does not prejudge, nor save nor damn, regardless of men's deserts. Rewarding all according to their works,^[2] it gives to every creature, living or dead, the opportunity to accept or reject it before final judgment.^[3] God is not trying to damn the world; he is trying to save it—but not independently of the principles of truth and righteousness.

A Nautical Illustration.—I was crossing the Atlantic on an ocean-liner, and had been fortunate enough to secure a first-cabin berth, the only one remaining unsold when I made my purchase. There were upwards of a hundred passengers in that part of the vessel. The second-cabin compartment contained perhaps twice as many; and in the steerage were several hundred more.

The first-cabin berths were the best furnished and the most favorably situated for comfort, convenience and safety. The passengers were shown every courtesy; their food was of the choicest; the captain and other officers were their associates, and they enjoyed the full freedom of the ship. They might go down onto the second-cabin deck, or lower down, into the steerage, and return without hindrance or question. They had paid for these privileges, and were therefore entitled to them.

But it was different in the lower compartment. There the food was not so good, the berths were less comfortable, and the privileges fewer. The second-class passengers could descend into the steerage, but were not permitted upon the first-cabin deck.

Conditions in the steerage were even less favorable. The food was still poorer, and the restrictions were yet more rigid. The occupants of that section were not allowed even second-class privileges. They had to remain right where they were. Having paid only for steerage accommodations, these were all that they could consistently claim.

A Likeness of Human Destiny.—I was struck with the analogy existing between the things that I beheld and the higher things which they seemed to symbolize. I saw another illustration of the proverb, "The earthly typifies the heavenly," and received fresh confirmation of the poetic truth: "All things have their likeness." That ocean-going steamer was a likeness of human destiny, projecting the eternal future of Adam's race, as made known by divine revelation. All souls rewarded according to their works—their varied works—and saved and glorified in the "many mansions" of the Father.^[4]

Celestial Glory—The Church of the First Born.—"And this is the testimony of the gospel of Christ concerning those who come forth in the resurrection of the just:

"They are they who received the testimony of Jesus, and believed on his name, and were baptized after the manner of his burial; . . . .

"That by keeping the commandments they might be washed and cleansed from all their sins, and receive the Holy Spirit by the laying on the hands of him who is ordained and sealed unto this power;

"And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true . . . .

"They are they who are the Church of the First-born.

"They are they into whose hands the Father has given all things—

"They are they who are priests and kings, who have received of his fulness and of his glory . . . .

"Wherefore, as it is written, they are Gods, even the sons of God—

"Wherefore, all things are theirs, whether life or death, or things present or things to come, all are theirs and they are Christ's and Christ is God's . . . .

"These shall dwell in the presence of God and his Christ forever and ever . . . .

"These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven, to reign on the earth over his people.

"These are they who shall have part in the first resurrection.

"These are they who shall come forth in the resurrection of the just.

"These are they who are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly place, the holiest of all.

"These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the first-born.

"These are they whose names are written in heaven, where God and Christ are the judge of all.

"These are they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood.

"These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical."^[5]

In other words—if the maritime metaphor be allowed—they were first-cabin passengers over the sea of mortal life. They gave to the great Captain the fulness of their obedience, and received from him the fulness of recognition and reward. All privileges, all possessions, are theirs. They associate with divine beings, and are themselves divine.

Terrestrial Glory.—Concerning those who attain to a terrestrial sphere, "whose glory differs from that of the Church of the First-Born, as the moon differs from the sun," the Vision goes on to say:

"Behold, these are they who died without law.

"And also they who are the spirits of men kept in prison, whom the Son visited and preached the gospel unto them, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh.

"Who received not the testimony of Jesus in the flesh, but afterwards received it.

"These are they who are honorable men of the earth who were blinded by the craftiness of men.

"These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fulness.

"These are they who receive of the presence of the Son, but not of the fulness of the Father;

"Wherefore they are bodies terrestrial, and not bodies celestial, and differ in glory as the moon differs from the sun.

"These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God."^[6]

Continuing the comparison: These voyagers paid only for second-rate privileges. They "drew the line," giving a part but not all of their allegiance to Him who hath said: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." The things of this world were more precious in their eyes than the riches that perish not and that thieves cannot steal. They loved Truth, but not whole-heartedly. They loved money and pleasure more, and strove for fame and the applause of this world, rather than for the approval of heaven. Though clean of conduct and honorable in deal, they were not zealous for Christ, and knew not the meaning of self-sacrifice. These are worthy of the Kingdom, but not of the Crown; and they shine, not like the golden sun, but like the silvery moon, with a diminished or secondary radiance, with reflected rather than with original light.

Telestial Glory—Servants of the Most High.—As for those who inherit telestial conditions, differing from the terrestrial as the stars differ from the moon—were they not symbolized by the steerage and its occupants?

"These are they who are thrust down to hell. These are they who shall not be redeemed from the Devil, until the last resurrection," at the close of the Millennial reign. Criminals of every type and grade, they "suffer the wrath of God until the fulness of times, until Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet and shall have perfected his work." They receive not of "his fulness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial; and the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial. And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them, for they shall be heirs of salvation."^[7]

The heirs telestial are those who "receive not the Gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant." According to the Vision, they "were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sands upon the seashore." Concerning this vast multitude, the voice of the Lord was heard, saying:

"These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to Him who sits upon the throne forever and ever.

"For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works his own dominion in the mansions which are prepared.

"And they shall be servants of the Most High, but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end."^[8]

The Damned Can Be Saved.—Yes, such is "Mormonism's" astounding declaration—and not only saved, but glorified, if they will repent. The glorified planets are God's kingdoms, and "all kingdoms have a law given"—celestial, terrestrial or telestial. Whosoever inherits any of these kingdoms, must abide the law pertaining to that kingdom. If he cannot abide "the Law of Christ," he must inherit a glory other than the celestial—even a terrestrial or a telestial glory. If he cannot abide a telestial law, he is "not meet for a kingdom of glory;" and if he willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, then must he "remain filthy still."^[9]

Sons of Perdition.—One class alone remains outside salvation's pale, permanently condemned—they who commit the unpardonable sin, the sin against the Holy Ghost. For them there is no forgiveness. But one must receive the Holy Ghost before he can sin against it, must have knowledge and power sufficient to entitle him to celestial exaltation; and then prove utterly recreant to the great light that has come to him. Such a sin can be committed only by men equipped with every qualification for the highest degree of eternal glory. It is an offense so heinous that the sinner cannot repent. This is what makes his case hopeless; salvation being predicated upon repentance. If he could repent, he could be forgiven; but being unable to repent, incapable of reformation, he cannot be reached by the pardoning power.

They who commit the sin unpardonable are as first-cabin passengers who, in the full enjoyment of every privilege and advantage pertaining to that highly favored condition, wilfully throw all away, and recklessly fling themselves overboard, to go down in unfathomable depths. Sons of Perdition, these—"the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power"—"the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord." They "deny the Son, after the Father has revealed him. Wherefore, he saves all except them."^[10]

Desires As Well as Deeds a Basis of Judgment.—But the final word was not yet spoken. At a date subsequent to that upon which Joseph and Sidney received this wonderful manifestation, the heavens were again opened to the Prophet, and he beheld the glory—the transcendent glory of the Celestial Kingdom,^[11] He saw that little children, those "who die before they arrive at the years of accountability," are saved in that kingdom. He also saw his brother Alvin—a good and worthy man, but one who had not been baptized, he having died before the Gospel came—saw him in celestial glory! Joseph marveled at the sight, wondering how Alvin could have risen to so exalted a plane. Then came the voice of the Lord to him, saying: "All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom; for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts."^[12]

Mormonism's Magnanimity.—And yet "Mormonism" is said to be narrow, small and illiberal. Narrow, forsooth! Then where will you find breadth? Where find justice, mercy, magnanimity, if not in a religion that saves the living, redeems the dead, rescues the damned, and glorifies all who repent? "Mormonism" a small thing? It's the biggest thing in the universe! It is the Everlasting Gospel, the mighty soul-ship of the dispensations, launched in the days of Adam upon the heaving ocean of the ages, and now on its last voyage over the stormy billows of Time to the beaconing coast of Eternity.

Footnotes

1. Hades or Hell, Canto 4, lines 29-39.2. Rev. 20:12.3. I Peter 4:6.4. John 14:2.5. Vision of Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, D. & C. 76:50-70. See also 131:1. Compare 1 Cor. 15:40-42.6. D. & C. 76:72-79.7. D. & C. 76:84-88.8. D. & C. 76:110-112.9. Ib. 88:21-40.10. D. & C. 76:31-44.11. February 16th, 1832, was the date of Joseph and Sidney's vision; January 21st, 1836 the date of the other manifestation.12. Hist. Ch. Vol. 2, p. 380. Compare Alma 29:4,5.

We are not to infer that Alvin Smith or anyone else could inherit celestial glory, without receiving the fulness of the Gospel. It was a prophetic vision, showing what would be when Alvin had done his part, and the part that he could not do had been done for him. The same vision showed the parents of the Prophet—Joseph and Lucy Smith—in celestial glory; and yet at that time they were still alive on earth. We are not to infer that Alvin Smith or anyone else could inherit celestial glory, without receiving the fulness of the Gospel. It was a prophetic vision, showing what would be when Alvin had done his part, and the part that he could not do had been done for him. The same vision showed the parents of the Prophet—Joseph and Lucy Smith—in celestial glory; and yet at that time they were still alive on earth.