A Compendium of the Doctrines of the Gospel 43
Book of Mormon.
_Omni_ 1. 25 believe in the gift of speaking with tongues, and
interpreting tongues.
_Alma_ 9. 21 having the spirit of prophecy and revelation.
3 _Nephi_ 29. 6 shall say the Lord no longer worketh by prophecy, nor
gifts.
_Moroni_ 10. 9-19 an enumeration of spiritual gifts.
Doctrine and Covenants.
_Sec_. 46. 10-26 an enumeration of spiritual gifts.
27 it is given to those ordained to watch over the church to discern
all these gifts. 29.
_See A Pamphlet by O. Pratt_.
PRE-EXISTENCE OF SPIRITS.
In the first chapter of Genesis, we have an account of six days, or
periods of time, which God occupied in the creation of this earth.
According to the traditions of many centuries, it is considered by the
Christian world a history of the creation of this earth, as it appears
now, naturally to men who dwell upon it.
From the first and second chapters of Genesis, taken together, this
view of the subject is evidently erroneous. In the first verse of the
second chapter we read; "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished,
and all the host of them." This creation is evidently in a very
unfinished condition, for myriads of animal and vegetable life are
coming upon it and going to decay.
The sacred writings not only testify that it is in a very imperfect
condition, but that it must pass away and be changed into a more
perfect earth.
In the second and third verses of the second chapter, we learn that
there was a period of time called the seventh day, and that the Lord
sanctified it as a day of rest. If there has ever been a period of
time in which this earth, or its inhabitants, have had universal peace
and rest, since the progenitors of the race partook of the forbidden
fruit in the Garden of Eden, we have no account of it. "These are the
generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created,
in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens;" _verse_
4. This passage certainly states, that everything had been completed
in the period of time stated in the previous account. Verse five very
plainly states, in connection with the previous verse, that every plant
of the field was created, "Before it was in the earth, and every herb
of the field before it grew." During all this long period of time it
had not rained upon the earth. What is still more singular, it says,
"And there was not a man to till the ground."
This Mosaic history of the creation was written for men in their
present temporal condition, and it is evident that these two verses
give us to understand, that these things had not taken place naturally
upon the earth, as they do now. As a sequence, when they did take
place, they would indicate a great change in the condition of the
earth. The first indication of this change is given in the sixth verse,
"There went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole face of the
ground."
Before the event mentioned in the seventh verse, the earth must have
been fitted up for the abode of man, in this his natural or temporal
condition. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life." That is, the
ground furnished the elements for the growth of the body of this first
temporal man; from its first conception, or germ, until it matured into
perfect manhood by a universal law.
It should be noticed, that, in the first chapter, _verse_ 27, it says,
"God created man." That is he organized from the spiritual elements,
the living, acting spiritual man. In the seventh verse of the second
chapter, it only states that he formed man out of the ground. That is
out of earthly elements he formed a tabernacle, a dwelling place for
the man whom he had before created. The prophet Joseph Smith, in his
translation of the Mosaic account of creation, fills up this gap, which
is so evident in the Bible Genesis, between the seventh day of rest,
and the formation of man from the dust of the ground.
"For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken,
spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For
I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth.
And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a
man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not
yet flesh upon the earth; neither in the water, neither in the air; but
I, the Lord God, spake, and there went up a mist from the earth, and
watered the whole face of the ground. And I, the Lord God, formed man
from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath
of life; and man became a living soul, the first flesh upon the earth,
the first man also; nevertheless, all things were before created; but,
spiritually, were they created and made according to my word;" _P. of
G. P. page_ 6.
This account of the creation, plainly sets forth the comprehensive
fact, that all temporal organizations, pertaining to this earth, are
animated by spiritual pre-existent organizations. The following is a
very comprehensive passage on this subject: "When the Most High divided
to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam,
he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children
of Israel;" _Deut_. 32. 8. This passage certainly refers to a very
early period, when the heritage of the nations was given in proportion
to the numbers of Israel. It is difficult to conceive how their numbers
were then known unless there was a spiritual Israel, of which the
temporal is but the counterpart.
The sacred writings abound with evidences that Jesus Christ controlled
the earth and ministered to man, as an organized spiritual intelligence
before he came in the flesh in the meridian of time. The first chapter
of John is very pointed on this subject: "In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;" _verse_ 1. "And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us;" _verse_ 14.
Bible.
_Num_. 16. 22 the God of the spirits of all flesh. _Chap_. 27. 16.
_Job_ 12. 10 in whose hand is the soul of every living thing.
38. 3, 7 where wert thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? who
hath laid the corner stone thereof when the morning stars sang together?
_Eccl_. 12. 7 the spirit shall return to God who gave it.
_Jer_. 1. 5 before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.
_John_ 6. 62 if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was
before.
9. 2 who did sin, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?
16. 27 and have believed that I came out from God.
28 I came forth from the Father. 30.
17. 5 glorify me with the glory I had with thee before the world was.
_Heb_. 1. 6 when he bringeth the First Begotten into the world.
12. 9 shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of our spirits?
_Rev_. 12. 7-12 the devil and his angels cast out of heaven.
Book of Mormon.
1 _Nephi_ 13. 33-37 many sayings of the Lamb of God, concerning the
future of Israel, repeated to Nephi by an angel--600 B. C.
17. 30 their Lord, their God, their Redeemer going before them.
19. 10 the God of our fathers yielded himself, as a man, into the hands
of wicked men.
20. 17 thus saith the Lord thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
21. 26 all flesh shall know that I am the Lord thy Savior and Redeemer.
2 _Nephi_ 6. 18 know that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and Redeemer.
9. 5 it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth himself to become
subject to man in the flesh, that all men might be subject to him.
11. 2 for he verily saw my Redeemer, as I have seen him. 3.
7 but there is a God, and he is Christ.
25. 12 Father of heaven and earth shall manifest himself to them in the
flesh.
_Mos_. 3. 5 the Lord omnipotent shall come down from heaven among men.
8 he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things from the
beginning.
4. 2 Jesus Christ, who created heaven and earth and all things.
7. 27 because he said Christ was God, the Father of all things.
13. 33, 34 the prophets prophesied that God should come down among men.
15. 1 God, himself, shall come among men and redeem his people.
_Hel_. 14. 12 Jesus Christ the Father of heaven and earth. _Chap_. 16.
18.
3 _Nephi_ 1. 12-14 this night shall the sign be given, and on the
morrow come I into the world.
9. 15 I created the heavens and the earth and all things.
_Ether_ 2. 12 if they will serve Christ, who is the God of the land.
3. 6-20 an account of a remarkable manifestation of Jesus Christ as God
the Son, and the Father, but still a personage of spirit.
12. 22 the Lord hath commanded me, even Jesus Christ.
Doctrine and Covenants.
_Sec_. 10. 57 I came to my own and they received me not.
29. 36 the devil, who was before Adam, rebelled against Christ.
38. 1-3 Jesus Christ looked on the wide expanse of eternity, and the
hosts of heaven before the worlds were made, and all things came by
him. 4.
76. 13 Jesus Christ in the bosom of the Father from the beginning.
24 by him, of him, through him, the worlds were made.
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