---
title: Improvement Era
description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930.
authors:
  - Roberts, B. H.
collections:
  - periodicals
tags:
  - magazine
  - improvement-era
periodical: Improvement Era
volume: 10
number: 6
published: 1907-04
publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations
publisher_place: Salt Lake City
language: en
type: magazine
reference: 'Roberts, B. H., "Immortality of Man," *Improvement Era* 10, no. 6 (April 1907): 401–422.'
source:
  url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera106unse
  transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers.
  identifier: improvementera106unse
start_page: 401
end_page: 422
rights:
  status: public-domain
  basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1907-04)
  source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera106unse
  publication_year: 1907
  note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1907, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright.
---

# Immortality of Man

<!-- page:401 -->

IMPROVEMENT ERA
Vol. X. APRIL, 1907. No. 6

<!-- page:401 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN
BY ELDER B. H. ROBERTS.
[Elder Roberts submitted the following paper to the First Presidency and a
number of the Twelve Apostles, none of whom found anything objectionable in it, or
contrary to the revealed word of God, and therefore favor its publication.
—
Editors.]
INTRODUCTION.
In the May number of the Improvement Era, 1906, the edi-
tors promised their readers an article by me, in the then near fu-
ture, on the Immortality of the Soul, aa taught in the Book of Moi-
mon; and having special reference to some questions that had been
asked respecting the doctrine as set forth in the Young Men's
Manual of that year. The neglect on my part to enable the edi-
tors to fulfil their promise to their readers surely calls for expla-
nation, and perhaps apology. The fulfiling of the promise given
to the editors to write such an article seemed perfectly easy when
it was given; but about the time it should have been fulfiled one
call and duty after another so pressed me—one trod upon an-
other's heels, so fast they followed—that it was impossible to
write the article. Then, towards the close of the volume within
which at least I determined to publish the article, I was called to
visit the Eastern and Southern States Missions in* company with

<!-- page:402 -->

402 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
Elder George Albert Smith, of the council of the Twelve Apostles,
which again postponed the writing of the article until now; and
even now it is undertaken in the midst of many other duties that
urgently demand attention and frequently interrupt the work.
Such is my apology to the editors and readers of the Era for the
delay of this article; and which I trust will be accepted as an evi-
dence, at least, that I have not been wilfully neglectful of mypromise.
Meantime, judging from the number and urgency of letters
written on the subject to the editors of the Era, I am happy to
see there has been no abatement of interest in relation to the sub-
ject itself. If anything, one is tempted to believe the interest has
been increased rather than diminished by the delay, and some, whose
anxiety is particularly great, have expressed a desire to hear some-
thing upon the subject "from the one who has a right to receive
revelations for the Church." "I think," he says, "it would be
right for us to receive this knowledge from him in place of either
Elder Roberts, or Prof. Nelson, or anyone else." Undoubtedly,
if the Lord has anything further just now to reveal to ,the Church
upon that or any other subject, it will, of course, be revealed
through the person referred to in the above quotation, the Presi-
dent of the Church. My purpose in mentioning the foregoing re-
mark at this point is that I may correct any idea that may be
entertained by anyone, and in howsoever slight degree, that what
I have written, or what I shall now write, on this or any other
subject, is given out as the doctrine of the Church. I am in no way
deluded with the idea that my writings are setting forth in any
authoritative way the doctrines of the Church. What I have
written, what I shall write, are my views of the doctrine of the
Church; and it is of value as instruction in, and exposition of, the
truth, only in so far as it is in harmony with what God has deemed
wise to reveal on the various subjects treated. In this respect,
what I have written or shall write is on exactly the dame plane
with what other elders have written or spoken respecting the gos-
pel, and associated subjects.
THE SUBJECT AND OBJECTIONS STATED.
In the article on immortality promised the editors, it was pro-
posed to limit inquiry on the subject to what the Book of Mor-

<!-- page:403 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 403
mon taught; but owing to the wide range of objections that have
been urged to the conclusions set forth in the Manual, I think it
proper to enlarge the scope of evidence for this article, so as to
include a consideration of all that has been revealed, at least in
modern days, upon the subject. And here let the reader be re-
minded that all that is known by man upon the nature and immor-
tality of the soul is what God has been pleased to reveal upon it.
The writer, at least, pretends to no knowledge beyond what has
been revealed, and when this is collected and reviewed, he freely
confesses that much remains to be revealed before our information
can be entirely satisfactory respecting the nature of the intelli-
gence in man and the mode of its existence.
What the writer conceives to be the sum of the teaching of
the Book of Mormon on the subject, was stated in the following
paragraph, and it was this paragraph that elicited the questions,
objections, and correspondence referred to in the foregoing:
Here, then, stands the truth so far as it may be gathered, from God's word
and the nature of things: There is in man an eternal, uncreated, self existing
entity, call it "intelligence, " "mind," "spirit," "soul" —what you will, so long
as you recognize it, and regard its nature as eternal. There came a time when in
the progress of things, (which is only another way of saying in the "nature of
things") an earth-career, or earth existence, because of the things it has to teach,
was necessary to the enlargement, to the advancement of these 'intelligences,"
these "spirits," "souls." Hence an earth is prepared; and one sufficiently ad-
vanced and able, by the nature of him, is chosen, through whom this earth-exist-
ence may be brought to pass. '
This passage is preceded by another which it is necessary to
quote:
By the immortality of the spirit of man, I mean not only a never-ending ex-
istence for the "soul" of man in the future, through the resurrection, but a
proper immortality that means the eternal existence of the "ego"—interchange-
ably called "mind, " "spirit," "soul," "intelligence"—I mean existence before
birth as well as existence after death; for I believe, with some of our modern
writers, that the theory that immortality refers to existence after death only is
evidently but half a truth. A real immortality is forever immortal, and is exist-
ence before life on earth as surely as an existence after death.
To this statement of the immortality of the intelligent part
of man, it is objected, first, that
"The pre-existence of the spirit of man is now extended back
beyond the 'beginning' that is so often spoken of in the revelations

<!-- page:404 -->

404 ,
IMPROVEMENT ERA.
of God, and the doctrine that we are co-eternal with the Father
is specifically taught."
Second, that it raises the question, '
'How is it that we are so
far behind in the order of eternal progression, if we have had all
eternity in which to make progress?—if we have had as long as God the
Father, and started from the same plane of intelligence as he did?"*
Third, the Manual doctrine of immortality must lead to the
idea that the number of intelligences that could eventually become
* * * * human beings, must be limited, that is, all
that can ever come into existence as human beings already exist,
and have always existed, and when they have all concluded (if
they have not already done so) to progress by obeying law, then
there will be an end to creation; to the works (new works) of God.
Fourth, the '
'true doctrine of eternal progress must be modi-
fied to a parallel of what most of us have heretofore been believ-
ing of man, viz., that progress commenced some time in the past
and will continue without end for those, at least, who attain to a
high order of salvation, if not to all who attain to any degree of
salvation. But this will refute the principal axiom that Brother
Roberts and Prof. Nelson rely on for the very foundation of their
theory—that anything that will have no end, could have had no
beginning." "I don't know," says the objector, ''how the fact
^Respecting this last question, involving the statement that man started from
the same plane of intelligence as God did, I desire to say that in nothing I have
written, neither in the Manual, nor in Mormon Doctrine of Deity, nor in the
History of the Church, all of which, as also the present year's Young Men's
Manual, are criticised for setting forth the above doctrine of the immortality of
the "intelligence" of man by the objector quoted —nowhere, I repeat, have I
taught that man started on the same plane with God, because I am aware, and
have been now a long time, that the word of God in the Pearl of Great Price is
directly to the contrary. It is there affirmed that there are differences in the
"intelligences" that exist, that God is "more intelligent than them all," but that
notwithstanding one spirit may be more intelligent than another, they may be
equal in their eternity: "If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent
than the other, yet those 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;" "I am the Lord thy God, I
am more intelligent than them all." —Book of Abraham, chapter iii: 18, 19,
(1902, edition always quoted) ; and that is doubtless why he is God, because he is
more intelligent than the other intelligences or all of them collectively.

<!-- page:405 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 405
that our mortal bodies, which most certainly had a beginning as
bodies, will be made immortal and have no end as bodies, can be
made to harmonize with this axiom."
Fifth, "in order to verify the claim that the hymn, '0 My
Father' was inspired (and I have often heard this statement made
by those in responsible positions in the Church), we must under-
stand that, as in the formation of the human body, in the
creation of the spirit, the union of the life of two individuals of
(in certain respects) opposite or complementary qualifications
(sex) is absolutely necessary. If an individual cannot be pro-
duced without the union of two other separate individuals, I do
not see how we can deny the beginning of the begotten individual.
If we believe in the eternal increase that the faithful are promised,
we can hardly accept the theory that the spiritual children
promised are already existent, and independent of our salvation as
they would, in justice, have to be."
Sixth, it is tentatively suggested as a counter- theory to the
Manual theory, by the objectors quoted above, "that the life of
the parent is imparted to the offspring, and that while it is still a
part of the same life or spirit of the parent, and as such did not
have a beginning at the time of birth, yet as a separate individual
it did have a beginning at the time of birth or conception." This
is thought to be a solution of spirit existence "both reasonable,
and more in accordance with the apparent, plain meaning of many
passages both of aDcient and modern scripture."
WORDS USED INTERCHANGEABLY.
It is often the case that misconceptions arise throigh 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 fre-
quent 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 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 ex-

<!-- page:406 -->

406 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
pression, was the burden of their souls; thought, not its dress.
Hence, in scripture, and I might say especially in modern scrip-
ture, a lack of a careful or precise choice of words, a large de-
pendence 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 expres-
sions, "Kingdom of God," "Kingdom of Heaven," "the Whole
Family in Heaven," "the Church," "the Church of Christ," "the
Church of God," are often used interchangeably for the visible
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;" "in-
telligence," and "spirits;'' "spirits," and "angels." I mention
this in passing, because I believe many of the differences of
opinion that exist arise out of our not recognizing, or our not re-
membering these facts; and I hope that some of the difficulties
that are supposed to exist, in relation to what, for brevity, I shall
call the "Manual Theory of the Soul's Immortality, " may disap-
pear.
THE MANUAL THEORY RE-STATED.
Let us first re-state more explicitly, and, if possible, more
clearly, the Manual Theory; and then see, not if what has been
revealed favors such a conception of things as are set forth in the
Manual; but if what has been revealed does not absolutely demand
such conclusions; for I hold that, in the main, it is not a matter
of choice between two theories, both of which have more or less
of reason or scripture to support them, but if credence is to be
given at all to what is revealed upon the subject, the Manual
Theory of the eternity of the intelligent entity in man must be ac-
cepted as true. Now to the restatement of that theory.
1. —There is in that complex thing we call man an intelligent
entity, uncreated, self existent, indestructible. He—for that
entity is a person, because, as we shall see, he is possessed of
powers that go with personality only, hence that entity is "he,"
not "it,"—he is eternal as God is; co-existent, in fact, with God;
of the same kind of substance or essence with deity, though con-
fessedly inferior in degree of intelligence and power to God. One

<!-- page:407 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 407
must needs think that the name of this eternal entity—what God
calls him—conveys to the mind seme idea of his nature. He is
called an "intelligence;" and this I believe is descriptive of him.
That is, intelligence is the entity's chief characteristic. If this be
a true deduction, then the entity must be self-conscious. He must
have the power to distinguish himself from other things—the
"me" from the "not me." He must have power of deliberation,
by which he sets over one thing against another; with power also
to form a judgment that this or that is a better thing or state
than this or that. Also there goes with this idea of intelligence a
power of choosing one thing instead of another, one state rather
than another. These powers are inseparably connected with any
idea that may be formed of an intelligence. One cannot conceive
of intelligence existing without these qualities any more than he
can conceive of an object existing in space without dimensions.
The phrase, "the light of truth" is given in one of the revelations
as the equivalent for an "intelligence" here discussed; by which
it is meant to be understood, as I think, that intelligent entities
perceive the truth, are conscious of the truth, they know that
which is, hence "the light of truth," "intelligence." Let it be
observed that I say nothing as to the mode of the existence of
these intelligences, beyond the fact of their eternity. But of their
form, or the manner of their subsistence nothing, so far as I know,
has been revealed, and hence we are without means of knowing
anything about the modes of their existence beyond the fact of it,
and the essential qualities they possess, which already have been
pointed out.
2. —These intelligences in the many kingdoms of God, and
before the "beginning" of that earth- order of things, with which
we are now connected, were begotten spirits. That is to say, a
spirit body was provided for them, of which God is the Father;
for he is called in the scriptures "the father of the spirits of
men," hence our "Father in heaven." I use the term "begotten"
above instead of "created," advisedly; and because I believe we
are warranted in believing that the "begetting" of spirit- bodies for
"intelligences" is an act of generation rather than of creation.
The distinction is well stated by one of the early Christian fathers,
Athanasius, as follows: "Let it be repeated that a created thing is

<!-- page:408 -->

-103 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
external to the nature of the being who creates; but a generation
(a begetting, as a father begets a son,) is the proper offspring of
the nature." That is to say, through generation the father im-
parts of his own nature to his offspring; so that intelligences when
begotten spirits have added to their own native, underived, inher-
ent qualities somewhat of the father's nature also, and are verita-
bly sons of God. More has been revealed upon this spirit-state of
existence than upon the one that precedes it. We know for in-
stance that the form of the spirit in outline, at least, is like the
form of the human body of flesh and bone, which subsequently the
spirit inhabits in the earth life, that he meets in the assemblies of
spirits; that he exercises agency, that he is obedient to law, or
rebels against it, as he chooses; that he is righteous or unright-
eous as he wills; that he is capable of receiving or imparting in-
telligence. In a word, he is capable of participating in a very
wide range of activities. And so far as the Savior was concerned,
even in spirit-life he was capable of exercising creative powers,
'
'for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that
are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or do-
minions, or principalities, or powers; all things are created by
him and for him.
"
3. —Spirits are begotten men through generation, and the
spirit-body inhabits one of flesh and bone, which the spirit moulds
and fashions after its own likeness, which shines out of, and ex-
presses itself through, the earth-body. The spirit in this earth-
life united to himself certain elements of this world-matter which
he makes peculiarly his own. These elements are as eternal as the
substance of his spirit-body, or the intelligent entity inhabiting it.
No one of these was ever created in the sense of being brought
forth of nothing, they always existed; they are eternal things
brought into the relationship in which we see them—relationship
essential to their highest good. The union of spirit and element
we are told, is in some way essential to "a fulness of joy; and
when separated, man cannot have a fulness of joy."
4. —The spirit and body of man are separated by death, but
only for a time ; the revelations of God assure us that there shall
be a resurrection as universal as death has been; and that man af-
ter the resurrection,and through it, becomes inseparably connected

<!-- page:409 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 409
with his body—he becomes a "soul;" for ''the spirit and the body
is the soul of man ; and the resurrection from the dead is the re-
demption of the soul." What such a redeemed soul may become,
by accepting the truth and living i t, with God and good men as
friends and guides, and also an eternity in which to work out the
problems of existence, opens a field for thought that is very invit-
ing, but foreign to our immediate purpose.
IS THE ABOVE ORDER DEMANDED BY REVELATION?
The task now before us is to ascertain if the above order of
things respecting man's existence is demanded by what has been
revealed upon the subject.
Our system of eschatology teaches that Jesus Christ and men
are of the same order of beings; that men are of the same race
with Jesus, of the same nature and essence; that he is indeed our
elder brother; and while very far removed from us in that he is
more perfect in righteousness, and more highly developed in in-
tellectual and spiritual powers, yet these differences are of de-
gree, not of kind; so that what is revealed concerning Jesus, the
Christ, may be of infinite helpfulness in throwing light upon the
nature of man and the several estates he has occupied and will oc-
cupy hereafter.
The co-eternity of Jesus Christ with God, the Father, is quite
universally held to be set forth in the preface of John's gospel,
which is so familiar that it need not be quoted here. Moreover,
to us who accept the new dispensation of the gospel, through the
revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith, the doctrine of
John's preface comes with increased emphasis by reason of the
proclaimed extension of*the principle of the co-eternity of God,
the Father, and Jesus Christ, to other beings, namely, to men; and
by asserting also the fact that the intelligent entity in man, the
mind, was "not created or made, neither indeed can be. " The
following is from the revelation:
John saw and bore record of the fulness 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, the
Spirit of Truth who came into the world because the world was made by him, and
in him was the life of men and the light of men.

<!-- page:410 -->

410 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
Such is the account which Jesus gives of John's testimony;
and now Jesus himself:
And now, verily, I say unto you, I was in the beginning with the Father, and
am the first born. * * * * Ye [referring to the brethren who were present
when the revelation was given! were also in the beginning with the Father, that
which is spirit, even the spirit of truth. * * * * Man [meaning the race]
was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not
created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere
in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise
there is no existence. Behold here is the agency of man, and here is the con.
demnation of man, because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest
unto them and they receive not the light. And every man whose spirit receiveth
not the light is under condemnation, for man is spirit.
Here we have the co-eternity of Jesus and of all men most
emphatically stated: "I was in the beginning with the Father.
* * * * Ye were also in the beginning with the
Father, that which is spirit;" that is, that part of you that is
spirit. ''Man," that is all men, the term is generic
—"man was
in the beginning with God." And then mark what follows: "In-
telligence"—the part that was with God in the beginning, the en-
tity of man which cognizes the truth, that perceives that which
is, mind, say, —"intelligence, or the light of truth, was not cre-
ated or made, neither indeed can be.
"
Again, in the Book of Abraham, this true eternity of the '
'in-
telligence" or "mind" of man, is affirmed; though the term "spirit"
is used when it would have been clearer if "intelligence" had been
the word used. Reference to the context quoted will show that'
"spirits" and "intelligences" are used interchangeably.
If there be two spirits [intelligences], and one shall be more intelligent than
the other, yet these two spirits [intelligences], notwithstanding one is more intel-
ligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no
end, they shall exist after, for they are gnolaum, or eternal.
The foregoing it should be remembered is the word of God.
It is revelation. I know not how more emphatically what some of
the critics of the Manual Theory call the "no-beginning, ami no-end
axiom," could be more strongly stated. Then again the Lord said
to Abraham: "I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth be-
neath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences

<!-- page:411 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 411
thine eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the be-
ginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen. Now
the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that
were organized [intelligences who had been begotten spirits] be-
fore the world was; and among them were many of the noble and
great ones; and God saw these souls* that they were great, and
he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my
rulers; for he stood among them that were spirits* [the above
"organized intelligences," or intelligences that had been begotten
spirits], and he saw that they were good." What is said in these
scriptures warrant what the Prophet Joseph taught at the April con-
ference of the Church, in 1844; and what the Prophet then said
emphasizes and makes very clear the meaning of these revelations
by which he had been instructed:
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 exist
in like manner, upon the same principles? * * * * Is it logical to say that
the intelligence of spirits is immortal, and yet that it had a beginning? The in-
telligence 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 not spirits,t for they are co-eternal with our Father in heaven.
* * * * The spirit of man is not a created being; it existed from eternity,
and will exist to eternity.
Here, then, is our proof from God's word that there is a part
of man, the intelligent entity in him, that is not a "created" or
even a "begotten" thing. It not only was not created, but is de-
clared to be uncreatable. Then it must be self-existent, uncreated.
It always existed. It follows, therefore, that it is co- eternal
with God and Jesus Christ. It existed before all "beginnings"
that relate to the earth-order of things; it has been present in all
* Observe how in this passage "souls," "organized intelligences," "spirits,"
are used interchangeably.—Bk. of Abraham, ch. iii: 21-23.
f Here the prophet doubtless uses the word "spirit" interchangeably with
"intelligence," and means the latter.

<!-- page:412 -->

412 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
"beginnings," and will be in many more, since it is truly immortal,
truly eternal, without beginning and without end; as indestructible
as it is uncreatable. The evidence for what is here presented, I
think must be conclusive to those who accept the revelations of
God to men in our dispensation, and the testimony of the Prophet
Joseph Smith.
THE FATHER OF SPIRITS. —SPIRIT BODIES.
And now as to the second statement in the Manual Theory;
viz., These intelligences are begotten spirits, and live as spirit-
bodies before they tabernacle in the flesh.
Sure it is that God, the Father, is the Father of the spirits of
men. "We," says Paul, "have had fathers of our flesh which cor-
rected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather
be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live?"
According to this, then, there is a "Father of spirits." It
follows, of course, that "spirits" have a father—they are begot-
ten. It should be remarked that the term, "spirits" in the above
passage cannot refer to the self-existent, unbegotten intelligences
of the revelations, considered in the foregoing pages; and certainly
this relationship of fatherhood to spirits is not one brought about
in connection with generation of human life in this world. Paul
makes a very sharp distinction between "Fathers of our flesh" and
the '
'Father of spirits, " in the above. Fatherhood to spirits is
manifestly a relationship established independent of man's earth-
existence; and, of course, in an existence which preceded earth-
life, where the uncreated intelligences are begotten spirits. Hence,
the phrase "shall we not be subject to the Father of spirits and
live?"
Christ is referred to, by the writer of the epistle to the Colos-
sians, as the "first born of every creature;" and the Reve^tor
speaks of him as "the beginning of the creation of God;" and in
the revelation already quoted so often in this article, * Jesus rep-
resents himself as being in the "beginning with the Father;" and
as "the first born."
* Doc. and Cov. sec. xciii.

<!-- page:413 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 413
The reference to Jesus as the "first born of every creature"
cannot refer to his birth into earth-life, for he was not the first-
born into this world; therefore, his birth here referred to must have
reference to the birth of his spirit before his earth life.
The reference to Jesus as the "beginning of the creation of
God," cannot refer to his creation or generation in earth-life; for
manifestly he was not the beginning of the creations of God in
this world; therefore, he must have been the "beginning" of God's
creation elsewhere, viz. in the spirit world, where he was begotten
a spiritual personage; a son of God.
The reference to Jesus as the "first born"—and hence the
justification for our calling him "our Elder Brother"—cannot refer
to any relationship that he established in his earth-life, since as to
the flesh he is not our "elder brother," any more than he is the
"first born" in the flesh; there were many born as to the flesh be-
fore he was, and older brothers to us, in the flesh, than he was.
The relationship of "elder brother" cannot have reference to that
estate where all were self-existent, uncreated and unbegotten,
eternal intelligencies; for that estate admits of no such relation as
"elder," or "younger;" for as to succession in time, the fact on
which "younger" or "elder" depend, the intelligences are equal
—equal as to their eternity. Therefore, since the relationship of
"elder brother" was not established by any circumstance in the
earth-life of Jesus, and could not be established by any possible
fact in that estate where all were self-existing intelligences, it
must have been established in the spirit life, where Jesus, with ref-
erence to the hosts of intelligences designed to our earth, was
the "first born spirit," and by that fact became our "Elder Broth-
er," the "first born of every creature," "the beginning of the
creations of God," as pertaining to our order of existence.*
* "As pertaining to our order of existence." I call attention to this qualifying
clause in a foot note because I do not wish to delay the conclusion of the argument
in the text at this point by inserting a discussion of it there; and yet I believe the
principle indicated in the clause is very important, not only in the discussion in
hand, but it has an important bearing upon the whole phraseology and meaning of
our scripture. The fact is that the revelations from God in the Bible and all other
scriptures are, in the main, local; that is, they pertain to our earth and that order of

<!-- page:414 -->

414 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
Now take these several circumstances together, count them
as cumulative evidence and cumulative argument, and the truth
here sought in them becomes very apparent.
But it is in the Book of Mormon that we have the revelation
which gives most light upon this spirit- existence of Jesus, and,
through his spirit- existence, light upon the spirit- existence of
all men. The light is given in that complete revelation
of the pre-existent, personal spirit of Jesus Christ, made to the
brother of Jared, ages before the spirit of Jesus tabernacled in
the flesh. The essential part of the passage follows:
Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to re-
deem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ; * * * * and never have I
showed myself unto man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me
as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even
all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold this body
which ye now behold, in the body of my spirit; and man have I created after the
body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear
unto my people in the flesh.
What do we learn from all this?
worlds with which it is connected, and that order of existence to which we belong.
Hence, when God's word says, '
'In the beginning God created the heaven and the
earth," etc. ; and '
'thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the hosts
of them," he has reference not to any absolute "beginning," or absolute "finish-
ing," but only the "beginning" and "finishing" as pertaining to our earth and
the order of creation with which it is connected; and the "hosts" that pertain to
our order of existence, not absolutely to all existences. The revelations we have
received of God, let it be said again, are local, they relate to us and our order of
existence ; they may not at all, except in the most casual and general way, refer
to that order of worlds connected with and governed by the Pleiades, or of Orion,
much less to the further removed constellations and their systems of worlds.
We learn from the Pearl of Great Price that when the Lord gave those reve-
lations to Moses by which the prophet was enabled to write the creation history of
our earth, the local character of those revelations was expressly stated: "Worlds
without number," said the Lord to Moses, "have I created—but only an account
of this earth and the inhabitants thereof give I unto you—Behold, -I reveal unto
you concerning this heaven, and this earth; write the words which I speak * *
* * * In the beginning I created the heaven and the earth on which thou
standest." The subject is too important for treatment in a footnote, but in pas-
sing I merely desired to call attention to the important bearing it has upon the sub-
ject in hand, as also upon our whole system of thought and exposition of the
scriptures.

<!-- page:415 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 415
First, let it be re-called that according to the express word
of God "intelligences" are not created, neither indeed can they be.
Now, with the above revelation before us, we are face to face
with a something that was begotten, and in that sense a creation,
a spirit, the "first born of many brethren;" the "beginning
of the creat;
ons of God. " The spirit is in human form—for we are
told that as Christ's spirit body looked to Jared's brother, so would the
Christ look to men when he came among them in the flesh; the
body of flesh conforming to the appearance of the spirit, the
earthly to the heavenly. "This body which ye now behold is the
body of my spirit" —the house, the tenement of that uncreated in-
telligence which had been begotten of the Father a spirit, as later
that spirit-body with the intelligent, uncreated entity inhabiting it,
will be begotten a man. "This body which you now behold is the
body of my spirit." There can be no doubt but what here "spirit,"
as in the Book of Abraham, is used interchangeably with "intel-
ligence," and refers to the uncreated entity; as if the pas-
sage stood; "Tais is the body inhabited by my intelligence." The
intelligent entity inhabiting a spirit-body make up the spiritual
personage. It is this spirit life we have so often thought about, and
sang about. In this state of existence occurred the spirit's "primeval
childhood;" here spirits were "nurtured" near the side of the
heavenly Father, in his "high and glorious place ^'thence spirits were
sent to earth to unite spirit-elements with earth-elements—in
some way essential to a fulness of glory and happiness—and to learn
the lessons earth-life has to teach. The half awakened recol-
lections of the human mind may be chiefly engaged with scenes,
incidents and impressions of that spirit life;* but that does not
argue the non-existence of the uncreated intelligences who pre-
* It is interesting to note that this truth, at least in part, seemed to impress
itself upon the great minds of the antique world. Cicero says, in speaking of the
spirit of man: "I might add that the facility with which youth are taught to ac-
quire numberless very difficult arts, is a strong presumption that the soul (spirit)
possessed a considerable portion of knowledge before it entered into the human
form, and what seems to be received from instruction is, in fact, no other than a
reminiscence or recollection of its ideas." "This at least," he adds, "is the
opinion of i*lato."

<!-- page:416 -->

416 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
cede the begotten spiritual personages as so plainly set forth in the
revelations of God.
Relative to the earth-life of spirits, as men and women, we
have no occasion to speak further in this writing; nor are we called
upon to consider man's future life, since it is conceded that the
future life of man will be the life of a resurrected, immortal
—
that is, never-ending being, with immense possibilities. The
questions that have arisen in respect of what we have called the
"Manual Theory" of the immortality of the intelligence of man,
related to the past rather than to the future; and, therefore, with
the past we have more especially dealt; that the doctrine of the
Manual is in harmony with what God has revealed, and what the
Prophet Joseph taught upon the subject, admits of no doubt.
DIFFICULTIES OF THE THEORY.
That there are difficulties involved in the theory of self-
existing, uncreated intelligences, is freely conceded. Such,
for instance, as the difficulty of understanding how the first
transition took place from self-existent, intelligent entity to spi-
ritual personage, such as the Book of Mormon reveals the Christ
to have been. Is the answer to this "there was no 'first;' these
things, this process, has always been going on ; 'beginnings, ' 'first
transitions' from pelf-existing intelligences to spirit personages
are terms that deal with relative conditions, not absolute ones"
—
is this the answer? If so, it must be conceded that such an an-
swer is as difficult to understand as the doctrine that would require
a "beginning" or a "first transition."
Relative to the idea that the human body, as a body, had a
beginning, and that in its resurrected state will continue always to
exist, and this necessary admission being destructive of the axiom
that holds that that which has no end could have had no beginning;
the objectors themselves meet the objection thus raised by recogniz-
ing the fact that it is only as an organization that man's body has a
beginning; the matter of which it is composed confessedly had no
beginning, the elements composing it existed before, under other
forms; but the elements of which the body is composed are eternal
aocording to the express word of God. Eternal elements are be-

<!-- page:417 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 417
gotten bodies, of definite form: but there is do particle of the body-
that did not have an existence from eternity, so that in the larger
and truer sense of things even the body of man had no beginning,
even as it will have no end.
I appreciate the difficulty suggested by one who questions the
correctness of the Manual Theory
—"How is it we are so far be-
hind in the order of eternal progression if we have had all eternity
in which to make progress?" On every hand, we feel the pressure
of our own intellectual limitations, when dealing with these ques-
tions; and, therefore, for one, I feel the more need of relying uDon
what God has revealed upon these subjects, and trusting to time
and more enlightenment from the Lord through revelation to make
clear what now seems obscure; to make easy to understand what
now seems incomprehensible. It is because I believe what God has
revealed upon the subject that I presented the views set forth in
the Manual, and which I have amplified in this paper. I trust one
thing is made clear, for I have had but that one object in view in
this writing, and that is, that whatever difficulty in the way of ap-
prehension may exist, or however unexplainable some features of
the Manual doctrine may be in our present state of knowledge and
limited development of intellectual powers, I trust it is clear that
this Manual theory is now seen to be in harmony with what God
has revealed upon the subject; if that appears, my task is completed.
I shall trust the rest to a further development of knowledge,
and to further enlargement of intellectual powers in man, for the
explanations and removing of difficulties that seem to exist.
It might be suggested, however, that we are not in such state
of knowledge respecting man's status or relationship to "eternal
progression," as to form any adequate judgment upon it. To
what extent his splendid powers may be veiled, who can say? It
is said of Jesus, "in his humiliation his judgment was taken
away." "It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness
dwell;" yet "he received not a fulness at the first, but received
grace for grace." From which I gather that the awakening of
the Son of God in his earth-life to the consciousness of the
really great powers he possessed was a gradual awakening. It was
not until after his resurrection, that he seems able to come to his
disciples and say: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in

<!-- page:418 -->

418 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
earth, go ye therefore and teach all nations." And what latent
powers may be in like manner hidden in man, until after his resur-
rection, or what station in the line of '
'eternal progression" he
now holds, we may not say. In his humiliation, in this earth- life,
his judgment, too, may be taken away, his station in the line of
eternal progression concealed, and his shining qualities veiled.
VALUE OF THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL EXISTENCE.
But what is the value of this doctrine of the eternal existence
of uncreated intelligences? In what way does it contribute to the
better apprehension of that which is, the truth? These consider-
ations, of course, should not be and are not our first concern. Our
first consideration should be and has been the truth of the thing. But
since that is now settled by what God has revealed about it, we
may well, if possible, ascertain what helpfulness there is in the
doctrine, for the right apprehension of the general scheme of
things. This apprehension, I believe, it affects in a very vital way.
As matters now stand, the usually accepted Christian doctrine on
the matter of man's origin is that God of his free-will
created of nothing the spirits and bodies of men. That they are
as he would have them, since in his act of creation he could have
had them different if he had so minded. Then why should he —being
infinitely wise and powerful and good, for so the creeds represent
him—why should he create by mere act of volition beings such as
men are, not only capable of, but prone to, moral evil? Which, in
the last analysis of things, in spite of all special pleadings to the
contrary, leaves responsibility for moral evil with God? God's
creative acts culminating thus, the next pertinent questions are:
Then what of the decreed purpose of God to punish moral
evil? and what of the much vaunted justice of God in that
punishment. Wherein lies the just responsibility of man if
he was so created as to love evil and to follow it?" It is
revolting to reason, as it is shocking to piety to think, that God of
his own free will created some men, not only inclined to wicked-
ness, but'desperately so inclined; while others, he of his own voli-
tion created with dispositions naturally inclined toward goodness.

<!-- page:419 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 419
In like manner stands it with man in relation to his inclination to
faith, and to disbelief: and yet, under the orthodox belief all are
included under one law for judgment!
THE PARENT-DERIVED THEORY OF EXISTENCE.
I shall be told, however, that this is not the case of those
objectors to the Manual Theory to whom this article is an answer;
since they hold "that the life of the parent is imparted to the off-
spring, and that while it is still a part of the same life or spirit of
the parent, and as such did not have a beginning at the time of
birth, yet, as a separate individual it did have a beginning at the
time of birth or conception." But even this theory is not free
from its difficulties. First in the way of it is the very positive
statements in the revelations of God, and the teaching of the
Prophet Joseph Smith, that hold to the independent, self-existent
intelligences, as already set forth. Second, under this parent-de-
rived theory there is an accounting to be made for' the fact of
perfect beings, celestial, resurrected beings, bringing forth by act
of generation spirit- offspring so widely different from one another,
as spirits are known to be, some inherently pious, holy by nature,
others vicious, and of all varieties of disposition and intelligence;
which facts, while not involving those who hold to this theory in
all the difficulties of the generally accepted orthodox, or Christian
theory of spirit origin, still in lessened degree it involves them in
those difficulties.
On the other hand, under the conception of the existence of
independent, uncreated, self-existent intelligences, who by the in-
herent nature of them are of various degrees of intelligence,
doubtless differing from each other in many ways, yet alike in
their eternity and their freedom; with \ God standing in the midst
of them, "more intelligent than them all,"* and proposing the
betterment of their condition—progress to higher levels of being,
and powerf through change—under this conception of things how
stand matters? There is the begetting of these intelligences,
spirits; the spirits, men; the men, resurrected personages of infln-
* Book of Abraham, chap. 3 : 19.
t Book of Abraham chap. 3.

<!-- page:420 -->

420 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
ite possibilities; at each change increased powers for development
are added to intelligences, yet ever present through all the pro-
cesses of betterment is the self- existent entity of the ''intelli-
gence'' with the tremendous fact of his consciousness and his
moral freedom, and his indestructibility;—he has his choice of
moving upward or downward in every estate he occupies; often
defeating, for a time, at least, the benevolent purposes of God
respecting him, through his own perverseness; he passes through
dire experiences, suffers terribly, yet learns by what he suffers, so
that his very suffering becomes a means to his improvement; he
learns swiftly or slowly, according to the inherent nature of him,
obedience to law; he learns that "that which is gov-
erned by law, is also preserved by law, and perfected
and sanctified by the same; and that which breaketh law
abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself
and willeth to abide in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither
by mercy, justice nor judgment. Therefore they must remain
filthy still."* This conception of things relieves God of the
responsibility for the nature and status of intelligences in all
stages of their development; their inherent nature and their voli-
tion makes them primarily what they are, and this nature they
may change, slowly, perhaps, yet change it they may. God has
put them in the way of changing it by enlarging their intelligence
through change of environment, through experiences; the only
way God effects these self- existent beings is favorably; he creates
not their inherent nature; he is not responsible for the use they
make of their freedom; nor is he the author of their sufferings
when they fall into sin: that arises out of the violations of law to
which the "intelligence" subscribed, and must be endured until
its lessons are learned.
This conception of the order of things, as to the existence of
"intelligences" and in the moral government of the world, discov-
ers a harmony in that government which at once challenges our
admiration, and bears evidence of its truth, that attaches not to
other conceptions of spirit existence or of that government, not-
Doc. and Cov. Sec 88; 34, 35.

<!-- page:421 -->

IMMORTALITY OF MAN. 421
withstanding some existing difficulties that our limited compre-
hension of such high things leave unexplained.
REFLECTIONS.
Meantime, I rejoice in so much of knowledge as is vouch-
safed to us in the revelations of God about the existence of man,
pnst and future. By the light thus given, we may see further
than by any other light whatsoever. We can see further, and
know more than the philosophers have taught or can teach. I
think we may know more about those things in this dispensation of
the fulness of times than men have known even in the previous
dispensations of the gospel. Not because there is any way of
excellence in us over and above men in times past; that we are
otherwise endowed with intellectual or spiritual power than they
were; but simply that God has been pleased to reveal more upon
these matters in our dispensation than in former ones.^ And in his
revelations upon these subjects in our day, how marvelously has
man been exalted! God has introduced him unto the very midst of
his eternities,, and there given him the opportunity to contemplate
things as they have been, as they are, as they shall be—to con-
template truth' To stand in the temple of the universe and be
instructed of God! Then, again, the things which God ht.s
revealed concerning the eternity of the intelligent entity in man
but matches with other great truths he has revealed that might
be called the Great Correspondences. Let me state a few of
them:
1. "There are many kingdoms, * * * and there is no space
in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in the
which there is no space." By "kingdoms," here, the prophet does
not have reference to a body of people ruled by a monarch; but to
existences or substances under the dominion of law. This affirma-
tion of the correlative existence and infinite extension of space
and substance (matter) anticipated the best thought of modern
scientists upon the subject.
2. "Unto every kingdom," (again existences, substances
under the dominion of law)—' 'unto every kingdom is given a law,^
and to every law there are certain bounds also and conditions."
In other words, "even laws have their laws," which latter state-

<!-- page:422 -->

422 IMPROVEMENT ERA.
ment of the same truth Henry Drummond, sixty- one years after
the prophet, characterized as '
'one of the most striking general-
izations of recent science."
3. Tie existence of uncreated intelligences; and the corollary,
eternal elements. "The elements (meaning matter in the last analy-
sis of it) —the elements are eternal." The elements, then, have no
beginning, and have no end, any more than intelligences have; both
are eternal. "The elements are the tabernacle of God," says
the prophet, "yea, man is the tabernacle of God, even temples."
4. There is a necessary opposition in all things: good, evil;
joy, sorrow; pain, pleasure; light, darkness; freedom of intelligences,
but responsibility for the use of that freedom. All which is essen-
tial to the harmony, to the progress, of things, to working out the
highest glory, and happiness of eternal intelligences.
These are a few parallel truths in the "Mormon" system of
eschatology. As they are combined and worked out in "Mormon"
thought, you shall not find the like of them for excellence else-
where among the conceptions or doctrines of men.
There is the correlative existence, and the necessary exist-
ence, of space and matter.
There is the reign of law co-extensive with space and substance.
There is the doctrine of opposite existences, the thing alone
which makes the agency of intelligences possible.
There are uncreated intelligences, and uncreated elements.
Something with power to know, something to be known.
Something to act, something to be acted upon. Truth, and
"the light of truth."
"Uncreated intelligences, and elements that are their taber-
nacle."
And last of all, but not least, this as a working principle of
the universe:
The work and glory of God is '
'to bring to pass the immortality
and eternal life of man," as man.
And this as the result:
"Men are that they might have joy."
'
'Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be; but we know that, when he [Christ]
shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall sae him as he is.