--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hyde, William A. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 20 number: 7 published: 1917-05 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'William A. Hyde, "The Broken Vase," *Improvement Era* 20, no. 7 (May 1917): 604–611.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2007unse 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: improvementera2007unse start_page: 604 end_page: 611 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1917-05) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2007unse publication_year: 1917 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 1917, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Broken Vase The Broken Vase By William A. Hyde, President of the Pocatello Stake of lion The wisdom of the world consists in the accumulation of truth, that added little by little has made the great store that now is the sum of our knowledge. The best definition that we know of truth is, "that it is knowledge of things as they are, as they were, and as they are to be." That constitutes truth in its entirety. That is the "fulness" of truth. One to have a knowl- edge of things as they were, must not only have known past his- tory of the earth, but of its origin and the plan in the intelli- gence that created it. One may more easily have knowledge of things as they are, but to know their depths he must understand the arts and sciences and the philosophy of men and of nations. To have knowledge of things as they are to be will constitute a man a prophet, for to him the veil is lifted and he sees what God »lill has in his mind to do. The scripture bears out the saying of a modern philosopher" that "truth is too great for any one actual mind." It is impossible to conceive of a truth in principle that did not always exist. What appears new, is of late discovery only. The items of truth which we now have are those which the in- telligence of man has so far been able to grasp of the great facts of existence, and principles of power that are co-existent with God. Would any one contend that the application of electrical energy is a newly made principle of science originating in the mind of Franklin. It is a fact in creation that has lain dormant until revealed or discovered by inquiring man, but which, with- out doubt was and is used even in higher forms of application by the Omnipotent. Other great truths lie concealed, for which man is searching; he will find them, not make them. We must attribute their origin with God. As we must admit that the Creator is a Being of order and unity, it is logical to believe that all his truths are related, — that one must in some may be dependent upon another, and that all together, constitute the system and order by which worlds are created and man exalted.6 When we believe this to be true, we dimly conceive a plan so vast and comprehensive as to bewilder aProfessor James. h John 1:3. THE BROKEN VASE 605 our minds by its immensity. In the light of that thought, these httle truths we have of painting, literature, architecture, agricul- ture, sciences, and spiritual forces, are but the isolated fragments of some great whole. We get flashes of light which show their relationship, and instinctively we feel that they are all necessary, and that in some way they are one. Indeed the thought is irre- sistible that when God made and directed the earth, he did it by application of the principles of art, literature, architecture, agriculture, and other sciences, by forces that may at present be unknown to man; and all these, no doubt, are included in that elastic term— the gospel. These things seem patent to me, at least so self-evident as to furnish a thought that we may follow further in search of truth in its relation to the gospel of Jesus Christ. That kind of truth which we call principle must be ele- mental. One cannot conceive of justice, mercy, love, order, obe- dience as ever having been made, rather we would think of them as always existent, and in our minds they, with like principles, are to be compared with the prismatic rays from which all shades and hues are blended. Deep in the heart of God are these elemental truths from which all things in the universe are born,c and when moved by the authoritative Spirit, they become law. These are the active forces, — they are the truths that bring joy to humanity in life and exalt them in the life to come. All things contrary to them are error and lies, and bring disorder and death. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the harmonious blending of these principles into a plan which has for its object the perfec- tion of man, and the extension of God's glory and dominion. That man may co-operate, it contemplates his acceptance of God as its author, and obedience on the part of man is the first prin- ciple and it opens up to him the fountain of all law. As principles of truth are eternal, the gospel is eternal. The gospel is the word, the utterance to man of God's will. The word is latent truth expressed, and so important is the idea that the scriptures characterize the Son of God as the Word. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."rf "In him was life; and the life was the light of men." The same who made these laws of truth in the begin- ning said, "Let there be light, and there was light,"'' and this com- mandment was the expression of authority founded in intelli- gence and power.. cjer. 10:12. rfjohn 1. 'Gen. 1:3. 606 IMPROVEMENT ERA We, in this late age of the earth, who view with self-satisfied superiority the stretch of time from tents and camels to palace.-* and aeroplanes, may think that the gospel should have a similar development, not knowing that the plan included the patriarchs and ourselves in its all comprehending scope; for the gospel, which before was delivered unto Adam, "preached unto Abra- ham,"^ and fulfilled in Christ, now operates with us and in our behalf. Truth, like ether, is universal. There is no place in which it may not be found in some degree. It is mixed with error at times, but nevertheless truth. It is in the hearts of men now as it has been from the beginning. Wherever it is found, and in whatever degree, to that extent it perseveres. When it exists strongly in literature, the writing becomes classical and never dying. Homer, Dante and Shakespeare are by it made immor- tal. Wherever found in art, that painting sets a pattern for all art. Raphael, Rembrandt and Turner have seen beyond the veil. Where seen in architecture one catches glimpses of heavenly Parthenons. "There is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding."^ By the instinct of inspiration, the heart is seeking and will some day find that of which it is the counterpart and has cherished from other spheres. That God made all things "first spiritual and then temporal" has a wider meaning than we may have allowed. Before he made the beauties of Eden he planned his glorious gospel, and hints of it are in the hearts of men as heaven-born instincts. The "honest in heart" are those who put no muzzle upon these native yearn- ings, but say to the inspiration within them "lead on and I will follow." That attribute in the heart of man, if it find utter- ance, must do so through bodily powers, and the brain is a tyrant over the heart. That man most nearly follows the truth, who lets his heart, not his intellect guide him. The high ideals of a race of men are but the manifestations of truth. The savage who worships the sun, knows by the in- stinct within him this much at least, that "God is light," and so far he worships truly. He has not grasped the greater truth that light and intelligence are synonymous and come from God.'1 Some day he will know that, also. No man ever yet prayed with faith to an incomprehensible being. The human race today, learned or unlearned, when it kneels devoutly, sees the Father of mankind. For hundreds of years, men's dogmas have ob- scured and smothered God's personality in mystical terms, but /Gal. 3:8. gjob 32:8. '■Joseph Smith. THE BROKEN VASE 607 every honest heart still knows him. The pagan and idolater has something of truth. This he knows from the dawn of time, coming to him in diminishing force, perhaps, as the fogs of earth obliterate his conceptions, that there is something to be wor- shiped. Grant him that much credit, at least, for some who are not considered pagans, do not know it. Perhaps it were better to have a god of stone than no god at all. The graven image is at least a symbol of power. The myths and legends of every race and time have within them gems of truth. Carved upon the rocks by Indian ancestry are the fundamentals of our belief in the redemption. Old peo- ples who are supposed never to have seen our scripture, know as much of the resurrection as we. These are all fragments of the one everlasting, unchangeable gospel of Jesus Christ.* As men at the foot of a mountain, pick up a piece of drift rock which bears traces of gold, and climb to the vein of pure ore at the summit, so all these leads of thought go back to the one source, the light of truth in the bosom of the Omnipotent. Are they valuable? Yes. When you preach to an idolater, no need to argue God, — he believes so far now, — teach him the kind of God. When you preach to the Indian, no need to tell him of the life after death and of an all-powerful Being. He has his happy hunting ground and Great Spirit now. There is little to teach this native philosopher, except to obey. Though we seem to be blind or in the dark, God has been very good to the world. He has not always illumined the way, but the fire has never yet gone out upon the altar. Our blind- ness has been due to our own perversity. In the meridian of time, the Word, the Author, the Creator, himself came to earth. The sun of truth was at its zenith when the Son of God lived and loved and taught among his fellows. The gospel was consummated in him. He supplied the key- stone in the Temple of Truth. In him was the plan perfected. He was the Witness now on earth of that which he had planned in the heavens. Said he : "For this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."^ The quality about the teachings of the Master that makes them stand out above all the philosophies of mere men, is that they are always elemental in character. The soul of man seeks for the substantial. It forever says, "let me plant my feet upon the rock." When with gracious humility, he submitted himself to man and "was buried in the waters of baptism,"* there was •Rev. 14:6. 'John 18:37. *Col. 2:12. 608 IMPROVEMENT KRA an elemental truth expressed in action. "Thus it became him to fulfil all righteousness."' The sign that he required of all men, of their acceptance of him, he gave. Thus am I buried — thus shall I rise again to newness of life. The tomb cannot hold me, I shall live again. Thus say we, having learned the lesson. "'Now am I buried with Christ in baptism, by his grace I am redeemed and forgiven." Those are truths so substantial and elemental, that they cannot be set aside. Anticipating that the truth of baptism might be obscured or disregarded, the Master said: "Except a man be born of water * * ***** he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."m When the Re- deemer came forth from the waters, there rested upon his head, the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove. Here in a simple way was revealed to these witnesses an essential truth. That power which is enlightenment" — which is wisdom — which is under- standing— which is a sure guide to our otherwise erring feet must come to us.0 That is a truth engraven in the original plan by this Witness of the truth. It cannot be set aside. So the Master said: "Except a man be born of * * * * * * tne Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." When the great Teacher said: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God," it was a great law reduced to a maxim. We know now that purity is a prime element of Deity. When he said : "No man cometh to the Father but by me," and "no man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him," we grasp the great facts of the relative authority of the Father and the Son. "Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy" is a statement of a principle so fundamental in character as to need no argument to substantiate it. Mercy is the sub-stratum of the great plan. God is love, and mercy is an active principle of love. No system of belief could be true into which it did not enter largely; and yet, set over against it is justice, which cannot be denied, for all men must pay the price. "Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing."'' God would not be God if these things were not true.' To simple minded, wondering, but believing men the Son of God revealed the system of truth, by which through recogni- tion of the law of obedience, men were to be saved and per- fected; but there was one more elemental thing that he must do before he leave them. He must vitalize these command- ments. This he did when he said: "This commandment have I received of the Father," and that "he came to do the will of 'Matt. 3:15. John 16:13. '"John 3:5. /"Matt. 5:26. "John 3:5. ?Deut. 32:4. THE BROKEN VASE 609 the Father." Now he must leave this authority in their hands, so he said: "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.'v Had this not been done, all things under- taken by his followers would have failed. There were things to be done to bridge the space between the mortal and the Divine. To meet that need there must be a Divine commission. This is surely fundamental, it is the great law of agency which all men know to be true/ These are some of the principles that the Savior revealed of his great plan, and to his apostles came in due time, accord- ing to his promise/ the spirit of prophecy which was to lead them into all truth." In so far as these principles, revealed by the Master and sub- sequently given by the revelations of his will to his divinely ap- pointed successors, are not apparent in the religious systems of today, just to that extent have they become lost or dimmed by time. Just as the heathens retain flashes of the light which came to them from the ancient teachers, so the world today has frag- ments of the plan revealed by the Christ. One says, "I have a beautiful truth, follow me, for I baptize as the Savior com- manded," yet he has no baptism by fire. Another says, "I have a saving truth, I have the holy communion." Yet he has no burial in water nor baptism by fire. Another says, "Follow me, for I believe in the redemption of the Son of God and in his power to save," yet does not recognize that the apostles of old, so believing, yet must have the keys of authority. Another says, "1 have those keys bequeathed to me by Peter," yet has departed from the holy ordinances for which those keys were given. One, groping in the earth, has found a beautiful gem of truth and exultingly says, "Lo, I have found the secret of life! Christ is love and joy and health! There is no pain and sickness, if we so will, for Christ is the healer." Yet this one, more completely than any other, has made of Christ a principle only, and has destroyed his individuality, and set aside his plain command- ments. One saw the truth in the record that Elijah should come before the great and dreadful day of the Lord,z and then proclaimed himself that ancient prophet reincarnated, yet car- ried not Elijah's power, brought not Elijah's message, nor knew Elijah's mission. Some said, "We have found a great truth, there is life after death, for we have talked with the spirits of men," and yet have explained no great mystery of the hereafter, 'Matt. 16:19. "Acts 2:4. 'John 14:6. *'Mal. 4:5. 'Acts 1:8. 610 IMPROVEMENT ERA nor revealed one word that will give sure comfort, aid or hope to the living. Some practical men, with the love of God at heart, saw the justice of the ancient law of tithes,"' and preached it, yet had not the knowledge to direct them in the use of those sacred funds in the temporal building of God's kingdom. Some say, "Behold our organization, — it is the machinery of the Church for the carrying out of the will of God." Yet, though they read that Christ was the great High Priest,r yet they know not the specific duties of that priesthood which "is without be- ginning of days or end of life."- Another says, "I love my neighbor, I am honest, I am a good citizen — that is my religion, and I am willing to stand or fall by it." The short-sighted man knew his brother man, but not his Elder Brother Christ, nor his Father — God. One exalts himself and says, "Mind is su- preme. I follow the philosophers. I read the rocks and hills --they are my scripture," yet perceives not by the sense of faith that all Nature speaks most eloquently of a Creator. And each man holds his little gem in his hand, and prizes it and thinks it all sufficient. Could they all lay their truths before us in a heap, what a conglomeration of ill-ordered brilliance. Part upon part, gem upon gem, the one obscuring or nullifying the other. To bring order out of this mass of lifeless truth, could any man take these fragments like one would the pieces of a broken vase, and match them together, each in its proper rela- tion and order, and thus renew the beauty of God's plan? Come now, you men with your truths and authorities. Open your books and minds and present your saving principles. You pagan with your crude conception of God's personality, — you worshiper of light; this man with baptism, this one with grace, this with healing, this with life hereafter, this with rituals, this with fellowship and love, this with organization, — lay them side by side — match them together — make of them an orderly sys- tem, and when this is done, vitalize them if you can. Not a man among you has presumed or dared to say that he could con- tribute the connecting, adhesive element. Not a man among vou has dared to prophesy!'1 While you have contributed beau- tiful truths, they are dead so far as their saving qualities are concerned, unless enlivened by the Holy Ghost. In vain you search your books, there you find directions merely. There you find the letter which killeth. The Word alone gives life.6 He who dictated the scriptures must speak. Small wonder that in the face of appalling conditions, and fronting great questions, the religious world stands helpless. «Gen. 14:20. "Rom. 10:14-15; 1 Pet. 4:11; Jer. 3:14-15. >Heb. 4:14. ''John 6:63; Psa. 85:8-11. ~*Heb. 7:3. THE BROKEN VASE 611 God has drawn far from them for they have not recognized him. They have limited him to the sayings of the apostles of old, and have denied the living light. They have partially recognized, under the guidance of human interpretation, his dead letter within the lids of books, not acknowledging the "more sure word of prophecy."*7 Though God foreknew this condition, it was not his will that it was so to be. He saw the broken vase and the scattered gems of truth, and he said that in his own time he would restore it^ with all its precious contents. "That he would send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heavens must receive, until the time of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began."rf The holy prophets to whom unvaryingly this testimony had been given, looked with earnest expectation for the fulfilment of their word, when the angel should "fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth,"' when that time should come when God would again give to men the complete plan for their salvation and exaltation, and that the Word should come/ which would vitalize all truth and make it authoritative, and that God should indeed reign — not in ancient chronicles merely but in new and living scripture. And lo, the broken vase has been restored! Part to part, in all its lines of strength and beauty, it now stands, even as God made it in the beginning — the receptacle of all truth. The Master Artisan who made it has pronounced it good — there is no other beauty to be desired in it. It contains the whole of God's gifts of knowledge to man, "of things both in heaven and in the earth, and under the earth; things which have been, things which are, things which must shortly come to pass; things which are at home, things which are abroad; the wars and the perplexities of nations, and the judgments which are on the land, and a knowledge also of countries and of kingdoms." It bridges the chasm between this world and the hereafter, and contains comfort for the living and hope for the dead. It has restored the ancient fellowship and brotherhood of man, and the ancient fatherhood of God. It has made of woman a queen and given her a scepter by the side of man. It has the blessing not only of healing, but of the other gifts of the spirit. It is in all things and through all things, the light of truth, which truth shineth. This is the light of Christ. It is the gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ, consigned to his Church— the Church of Jesus Christ. This marvelous gift of the Father has been again c2 Pet. 1:19. 'Rev. 14:6-7. ^Acts 3:19-21. /Dan. 2:28-45.