We may use still further the comparison of instructor and pupil. The plan of the work he is to pursue is laid before the student at the outset. All the steps of his progress are pointed out to him from the opening of his course until his graduation. In outline he can trace his work throughout, and can tell at any stage of his advancement how far he has come, and what yet remains to be done before he can claim his diploma.

Just so the Lord has outlined the course of procedure under the Gospel plan, and, as with the student, so we may know how far we have advanced.

Following is a remarkable disclosure in which we have the plan outlined:

"And they who keep their first estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate, shall not have glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and they who keep their second estate, shall have glory added upon their heads forever and ever."^[22]

When the time had arrived for the council in heaven to name a Savior, according to the plan of the Father, to come to the earth in the meridian of time and make possible the resurrection from the dead, there was a rebellion, the account of which gives us an indication of the dividing point in our progress between the first and second estates. It reads as follows:

"And the Lord said, Whom shall I send? And one answered like unto the Son of Man: Here am I, send me. And another answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send the first. And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate, and at that day, many followed after him."^[23]

Additional information as to the proportion of that host of spirits who "followed after him," is given in the Doctrine and Covenants:

"For, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power: and also a third part of the hosts of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency; and they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and his angels."^[24]

We learn, therefore:

That, according to the plan of the Gospel, there are two estates, with varying glories attached to each.

That one-third of the host of heaven into the midst of whom the Lord came down in the beginning, had not made sufficient progress when the time came for peopling this earth, to keep their first estate, and

That the two-thirds who remained faithful up to that time, were introduced to the next step of advancement by being permitted to take bodies upon this earth, and are, accordingly, on the way to the keeping of the second estate, to which is attached the glory of eternal lives.

Here, then, with an illustration in the case of this earth, is the outline plan of the Gospel.