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PREFACE
PREFACE
A rational theology, as understood in this volume, is a theology which (1) is based on fundamental principles that harmonize with the knowledge and reason of man, (2) derives all of its laws, ordinances and authority from the accepted fundamental principles, and (3) finds expression and use in the everyday life of man. In short, a rational theology is derived from the invariable laws of the universe, and exists for the good of man. This volume is an exposition; it is not an argument. The princip
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THE BEGINNING OF THE EARTH WORK.
THE BEGINNING OF THE EARTH WORK.
Making of the Earth—The Builders—The Coming of Man—The "Fall"— The First Blessing—The Garden of Eden—A Wise Beginning. Adam Hears the Gospel—The First Dispensation—The First Apostasy— Later Dispensation of the Meridian of Time—The Great Apostasy—The Restoration—The Vital Facts....
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MAN AND GOD.
MAN AND GOD.
The Order of Gods—Plurality of Gods—God, the Father—God, the Son—God, the Holy Ghost—Other Beings—Sex Among the Gods. The Will to Ask—By Personal Appearance—By the Visitation of Angels—By the Holy Spirit—The Eternal Record. Reading God's Message—Spirit Blindness—Prayer—Active Prayer—The Gift of Understanding—Man Walks with God....
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MAN AND THE DEVIL.
MAN AND THE DEVIL.
Descending Beings—The Devil—Man and the Devil—The Devil Subject to God....
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MAN AND THE CHURCH.
MAN AND THE CHURCH.
Man Helped by God on Earth—The Plan of Salvation for All— Orderliness—Test of Attitude—Authority—The Great Purpose of the Church. Faith—Repentance—Baptism—The Gift of the Holy Ghost—Continued Conformity—Acceptance of Authority. Priesthood Defined—Divisions of the Priesthood—The Aaronic Priesthood—The Melchizedek Priesthood—All Hold the Priesthood—The Power of the Priesthood. The General Authorities—The Stakes of Zion—The Wards of the Stakes—The Priesthood in Stakes and Wards—
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MAN AND MAN.
MAN AND MAN.
Common Origin—Common Purposes—Common Destiny—Inter-Dependence— Brothers. The Pre-existent Effort—The Earth Effort—The Variety of Gifts—The Equality of Opportunity—Unequal Equality—The Test of Equality. The Duty of the Strong—Co-operation—Education. Purpose—Historical—Co-operation—Tithing—Voluntary Offerings—The Common Good. All Must Be Saved—Earthly Ordinances—A Work of Love—The Need of Records—The Result. Eternity of Sex—The Waiting Spirits—The Meaning of the First Command—The
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MAN AND NATURE.
MAN AND NATURE.
The Intelligence of Nature—A Living Earth—The Lower Animals—All for the Use of Man—Man's Conquest of Nature—Miracles—Harmony of Man and Nature....
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MAN AND HIMSELF.
MAN AND HIMSELF.
The Importance of the Body—Food—Exercise—Rest—Stimulants—Moral Purity—The Gospel and the Sound Body. The Senses—The Reasoning Power—The Feelings—The Spiritual Sense— Symbolism—Education. Variety of Earthly Tasks—All Work May Be Intelligent—Nothing Temporal—Subjection to Self. Today—Tomorrow—The Resurrection—Our Place in the Hereafter—The Destiny of Man. The Unknown Meaning—The Earth Law—To Love God—To Love a Neighbor as Oneself—The Triumph of Man. APPENDIX—References to Authoriti
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CHAPTER 1.
CHAPTER 1.
Earth, stars and the vastness of space; yesterday, today and tomorrow, and the endlessly increasing knowledge of the relations of forces, present an illimitable universe of numberless phenomena. Only as a whole, and in general outline, can the human mind understand the universe. In its infinite variety of expressions, it wholly transcends the human mind. **Man in the Universe.** In the midst of this complexity, man finds himself. As he progresses from childhood to manhood, and as his slumbering
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CHAPTER 2.
CHAPTER 2.
Knowledge is the material upon which the reasoning mind of man acts. Just as physical strength can neither be developed nor exercised unless material bodies are at hand, so mental strength can neither be developed nor exercised unless facts or knowledge are in man's possession. The acquisition of knowledge or experience is the first step towards formulating an acceptable religion. It is of interest, therefore, to consider, briefly, the sources of human knowledge. **The Senses.** Through eyes, ea
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CHAPTER 3.
CHAPTER 3.
The conceptions necessary for logical thought belong to the Gospel as well as to science, for a satisfactory life philosophy must be based on all knowledge known to man. **All Knowledge, the Basis.** The Gospel, as the largest knowledge, must include the knowledge of all sciences. The conceptions of time and space are quite as necessary in theology as in natural science or in any other branch of human thought. The Gospel does not claim, however, possession of ultimate knowledge concerning space
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CHAPTER 4.
CHAPTER 4.
The doctrine of the eternal nature of man is most characteristic of the Gospel. It is a doctrine which gives great satisfaction to all who have accepted the Gospel. **The Primeval Condition.** All that is really clear to the understanding is that man has existed "from the beginning," and that, from the beginning, he has possessed distinct individuality impossible of confusion with any other individuality among the hosts of intelligent beings. Through endless ages, man has risen by slow degrees t
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CHAPTER 5.
CHAPTER 5.
The innumerable interactions of the matter, energy and intelligences of the universe, must be held together by some great law. This universal law to which all lesser laws contribute, must be of real concern to the man who seeks a true philosophy of life. **Increasing Complexity of the Universe.** It has already been said that a universe controlled by intelligence and under the reign of the law of cause and effect cannot be conceived to be in confusion. Man is absolutely certain, if his knowledge
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CHAPTER 6.
CHAPTER 6.
The doctrine of man's pre-existence leads to an understanding of the relationship between God and man, which must lie at the very basis of rational theology. **Why God is God.** To determine this relationship between God and man it is necessary to discuss, first, the conditions under which God became God. As already said, God is the supreme intelligent Being in the universe, who has the greatest knowledge and the most perfected will, and who, therefore, possesses infinite power over the forces o
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CHAPTER 7.
CHAPTER 7.
Is the increasing power of man a sufficient reward for the effort and struggle that must accompany progression? This is a question that comes to every student of the Gospel. Power in itself may not be the ideal end of existence. It becomes necessary, therefore, to determine if there is associated with power, gifts that make worth while the eternal searching out of knowledge in order that greater power may be won. **Consciousness and the Universe.** Intelligent spirits have possessed, from the be
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CHAPTER 8.
CHAPTER 8.
The question of the rights of each intelligent being as pertaining to himself and to all others must always have been and must always remain a chief one. **In the Beginning.** In each intelligent being has resided, from the beginning, an individual and distinct will, which, of itself, has been acting in some degree upon the external universe. Each being, with its developing will, has learned more and more of natural forces and of the methods of controlling them. Each has striven to adapt his kno
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CHAPTER 9.
CHAPTER 9.
The plan proposed by God for the government of the spirits who entered upon their earth careers is revealed only so far as it is necessary for the guidance of man. We may remain certain that the Great Plan is based upon eternal laws that always have been and always will be operative. Matters pertaining to man's earth-life are matters of eternal interest; and the laws formulated for the guidance of man on earth must be laws which in some form are fundamental for the guidance of man in any place a
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THE BEGINNING OF THE EARTH WORK CHAPTER 10.
THE BEGINNING OF THE EARTH WORK CHAPTER 10.
The decision arrived at in the Great Council was promptly carried out by those to whom the authority to do so was confided. **Making of the Earth.** The first step, in carrying out the Great Plan, was to secure a place on which the desired experience might be gained. To accomplish this, the earth was made from materials, found in the universe, which, by the intelligent power of God, were collected and organized into the earth. The earth was not made from nothing, nor by the fiat of God, except a
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CHAPTER 11.
CHAPTER 11.
The Great Plan provided that man should come upon earth with the memory of his past taken from him, so that, beginning his earth-life as a child, he might repeat on earth the efforts that earned for him progress in the pre-existent life. Even Adam and Eve forgot the details of their previous lives, for it was necessary that all be under the same law, and that no improper strength be derived, by anyone, from the pre-existent experiences. **Adam Hears the Gospel.** The only rational thing that cou
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MAN AND GOD. CHAPTER 12.
MAN AND GOD. CHAPTER 12.
The conception of a universe directed by a God of intelligence can not include a God of mystery. In mystery there is only confusion. It does not follow that because he is not mysterious he is fully comprehended. In our general conception of God, his origin, his destiny, and his relation to us, we understand him clearly; but, in the details of his organization, powers and knowledge he transcends our understanding. Intelligent man dwelling in a universe containing many superior intelligent beings
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CHAPTER 13.
CHAPTER 13.
Man is not left to himself on the face of the earth. Though his memory has been taken away, he will not be allowed to drift unwatched and unassisted through the journey on earth. At the best, man is only a student who often needs the assistance of a teacher. It is indispensable, therefore, to know how communication may be established by man with intelligent beings wherever they may be. **The Will to Ask.** The first of the fundamental principles by which man may confer with God, is that man must
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CHAPTER 14.
CHAPTER 14.
The knowledge of means of communication between man and God is of great help to man in all the affairs of his life. **Reading God's Message.** In possession of the holy spirit is a record of the will of God with respect to all things and all occurrences, great or small, in the universe from the first day. The big problem of man is to read the message of God as it is held by the holy spirit. In wireless telegraphy, a spark coil sets up waves in the ether and other coils similarly "tuned," receive
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MAN AND THE DEVIL. CHAPTER 15.
MAN AND THE DEVIL. CHAPTER 15.
If there is progression, there may also be retrogression; if there is good, there may be evil. Everything has its opposite. **Descending Beings.** In a universe containing eternal, intelligent, personalities possessing free agency, there may be beings who are in opposition to the general law of progress. In fact, such opposing intelligent spirits or men have always and everywhere been found. Naturally, those who devote themselves to the opposition of law are waging a hopeless battle, and lose th
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MAN AND THE CHURCH. CHAPTER 16.
MAN AND THE CHURCH. CHAPTER 16.
Those who believe in the Great Plan form the community known as the Church. Many men, who have given the subject only superficial study, find it difficult to understand why a church should be necessary. **Man Helped by God on Earth.** It was not intended, in the plan of salvation, that man, though in forgetfulness, should wander alone and helpless through the earth. Rather was it intended and made necessary that men should gain experience by actual contact and contest with the earth and earthly
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CHAPTER 17.
CHAPTER 17.
Members of the Church must necessarily accept the conceptions for which it stands. These are, essentially, the plan of salvation, the progressive development of all spirits concerned in the Plan, and the authority of a supreme intelligent Being, to deal with the men and women placed on earth. The conditions of membership are not many, nor difficult to understand. They are, rather, of a kind naturally appearing before an intelligent being concerned in any organization. **Faith.** All who enter th
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CHAPTER 18.
CHAPTER 18.
The Priesthood of the Church differs vitally from that of churches composed only of fragments of the complete truth. **Priesthood Defined.** The Church is composed of eternal, intelligent beings, moving onward in eternal progression, who have accepted God's plan of salvation. It is God's Church. God directs the work of his children on earth, and he naturally gives attention to the Church. Nevertheless, although God is the directing intelligence, he is not here in person, nor are other superior b
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CHAPTER 19.
CHAPTER 19.
To carry on the diversified work of the Church requires a close organization. An organization, in turn, requires officers. All the officers of the Church hold the Priesthood, but the Priesthood is held also by many who do not hold official positions. Therefore, while the authority to act in all the offices of the Church is held by practically every man in the Church, that authority, in the administration of the affairs of the Church, becomes effective only when the man is called to exercise the
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CHAPTER 20.
CHAPTER 20.
The authority of the Priesthood is often misunderstood, and it is frequently the rock upon which many men and women suffer spiritual shipwreck. **The Foundation of Authority.** The power or right to command or to act, is authority. In the beginning, man, conscious and in possession of will, reached out for truth, and gained new knowledge. Gradually as his intelligence grew, he learned to control natural forces, as he met them on his way. Knowledge, properly used, became power; and intelligent kn
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CHAPTER 21.
CHAPTER 21.
In the consideration of Priesthood and its authority, much useless discussion is often indulged in as to whether a person should yield obedience to authority. Some believe that to yield obedience is to lay down free agency. **The Restraint of Nature.** Countless forces, surrounding man, are interacting in the universe. By no means can he withdraw himself from them. By experience he has learned that control of natural forces is obtained only when their laws are understood. When a certain thing is
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CHAPTER 22.
CHAPTER 22.
There must be, in every organization, and especially in a Church dedicated to the great philosophy of man's place in the universe, a great cementing purpose. In the Church of Christ this is the desire to bring about the highest joy for all mankind. **A Church with a Purpose.** According to the fundamental doctrines elaborated in previous chapters, the purpose of the earth-career is to assist in man's development, so that he may acquire more power and therefore more joy. In the nature of things,
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CHAPTER 23.
CHAPTER 23.
The Church of God has always been characterized by the possession of temples in which the holiest work of the Gospel has been done. The activities of the Church have, so to speak, centered about the temples. **Educational.** The doctrines of the origin, present condition and destiny of man should always be well in the mind of all, for without this knowledge, it is difficult to comply fully and intelligently with the laws and ordinances of the Gospel. It has been provided, therefore, that the sto
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MAN AND MAN. CHAPTER 24.
MAN AND MAN. CHAPTER 24.
There are many men and women upon the earth. No one faces, alone, the great forces of nature. About him move other men, with whom he must associate. In the Great Plan it is so ordained that men shall dwell together, and this leads to many of the finest applications of the Gospel to the daily life of man. **Common Origin.** By the power of God, the spirits of men were born into the spiritual world; thus all became the children of God. In turn, all have been born from the same spiritual estate int
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CHAPTER 25.
CHAPTER 25.
Though the brotherhood of man is supreme, it does not follow that all men are equal in all particulars. This needs careful examination. **The Pre-existent Effort.** Men of common origin, and of common destiny, labor on earth under a mutually accepted Plan. Yet, it is not conceivable, that all the spirits who reach the earth have attained the same degree of progress. The pre-existent progress depended upon self-effort; those who exerted their wills most, made the greatest progress; moreover, thos
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CHAPTER 26.
CHAPTER 26.
The doctrines set forth indicate that each man must exert himself to the utmost. Even this is not sufficient for the full progress of individuals. Every man must also be supported by every other man. Unless this is done, the individual and the community will be retarded. **The Duty of the Strong.** The man who is in possession of strength, acquired by any means whatsoever, is under special obligations to the community. The strong must, somehow, attach to themselves those who are weak; and as the
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CHAPTER 27.
CHAPTER 27.
The true relation among men, the doctrine of the brotherhood of man, is nowhere better exemplified than in the principle of the united order. This system of living represents, no doubt, the acme of brotherly love and human efficiency. **Purpose.** The united order recognizes that men have different talents and therefore different aspirations which should be allowed full and free unfolding. That is, the individual should be allowed to exercise his inborn gifts. The united order further provides t
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CHAPTER 28.
CHAPTER 28.
The doctrine of the brotherhood of man and the principles of united order and co-operation show the necessity of giving ourselves for the common good. This intense desire of the Church for service to all, for human brotherhood, are probably nowhere better shown than in the work for the dead. **All Must Be Saved.** Temple work rests on the principle of the Great Plan that all must be saved, or at least given the opportunity of salvation. Persons who have been unable to accept the Gospel ordinance
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CHAPTER 29.
CHAPTER 29.
We are not the last spirits to enter upon the earth career. There are yet countless numbers of unborn spirits waiting for the privilege of receiving earthly bodies and of tasting the sorrows and the joys of earth. The living, who understand the Great Plan, must not then confine their attention to themselves and to those who have gone before. The waiting spirits must be a concern of our lives. **Eternity of Sex.** It has already been said that sex is an eternal principle. The equivalent of sex ha
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CHAPTER 30.
CHAPTER 30.
The relations of the few and the many lead to great problems which are of the gravest import to humanity. **Community Defined.** A community is a body of people having common interests and, usually, living in the same place, under the same laws and regulations. From the beginning of time, individuals have associated and grouped themselves into communities. Every Church is a community of believers. The Church which conforms to the whole law is the one characterized by authority and operating unde
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MAN AND NATURE. CHAPTER 31.
MAN AND NATURE. CHAPTER 31.
There is but one nature. All things, visible or invisible, belong to the one universe. **The Intelligence of Nature.** Each and all of the numerous forces in the universe may be subjected to the will of man. In the universe are untold numbers of intelligent beings, whose main business it is to discover the ways of nature, and by an intelligent control of nature, to acquire greater power of advancing development. The holy spirit fills all things, and by its means the thoughts and minds of these i
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MAN AND HIMSELF. CHAPTER 32.
MAN AND HIMSELF. CHAPTER 32.
Consideration has been given, in the preceding chapters, to the pre-existent life, the course of the Gospel on the earth, and man's relationship to God, to the Church and to his fellowman. Man must, also, give respectful consideration to himself, as an individual. **The Importance of the Body.** Attention has already been called to the fact that the condition of the body limits, largely, the expression of the spirit. The spirit shines through the body only as the body permits. The body is essent
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CHAPTER 33.
CHAPTER 33.
After all, the body is only the tabernacle of the spirit. The spirit within, the essential part of man, must be developed as much as possible during the earth career. **The Senses.** Knowledge is the material on which the mind works. In every progressive life fresh knowledge must be gathered as the days go by. The senses of man are the gateways through which that knowledge enters. The senses of man must be developed, therefore, as completely as is possible. Seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and
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CHAPTER 34.
CHAPTER 34.
All must work—in defense if for no other reason. Without some kind of labor, body and mind will deteriorate. Clearly, however, all cannot do the same work, unless each man does practically all the variety of work necessary for the production of the things necessary in his life. In a complex civilization of many needs, that would be impossible or wasteful. The great satisfaction of earth-life is to be content with whatever work may come. **Variety of Earthly Tasks.** In obedience to God's command
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CHAPTER 35.
CHAPTER 35.
Time is unceasing. There was a yesterday, there is a today, and there will be a tomorrow. The Gospel plan encompasses all time. Tomorrow has a great place in the eternal plan. **Today.** The greatest day of all time is today. It is the product of all the past; and is the promise of all the future. If each today is made great, the tomorrows will be surpassingly greater. The one way to draw out of life the keen joys of life, is to think little of tomorrow, but to live mightily today. **Tomorrow.**
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CHAPTER 36.
CHAPTER 36.
In the high heavens yet hang the stars. Throughout the infinite universe still play the hosts of mighty forces. The full conquest of the earth by man is yet to be accomplished. As things were when man opened his eyes after birth, so do they appear to be today. Yet, during the years that have gone, the man has changed; for now he knows his origin and his destiny, and the purpose of his life on earth. He knows that throughout the seeming sameness there is progressive change; that, as he has change
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REFERENCES.
REFERENCES.
**Doctrine and Covenants** 1:28; 42:61; 46:18; 84:19; 88:78-80, 118, 119; 89:19; 90:15; 93:11-14, 29-36, 53; 101:25; 128:14; 130:18, 19; 131:6. **Doctrine and Covenants** 3:2; 9:7-9; 28:13; 29:31-35; 49:17; 76:13, 22-24; 82:4; 86:9; 88:13, 25, 26, 34-45; 93:21-23, 29; 105:5; 121:30-32; 130:20, 21; 131:7; 132:8. **Pearl of Great Price,** Abraham 3:18-21; Moses 1:33, 35; 3:5, 9. **Book of Mormon,** I Nephi 10:19; II Nephi 11:5; Alma 13:6, 7; 34:9; 42:16. **Bible,** Job 38:4-7; Jer. 1:5; John
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