--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Talmage, James Edward collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 22 number: 12 published: 1919-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Talmage, James E., "Fallen, but He Shall Rise Again," *Improvement Era* 22, no. 12 (October 1919): 1067–1068.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera22012unse 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: improvementera22012unse start_page: 1067 end_page: 1068 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1919-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera22012unse publication_year: 1919 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 1919, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Fallen, but He Shall Rise Again Fallen, but he shall Rise Again Man has Stooped to Conquer By James E. Talmage, of the Council of the Twelve Man is a dual being, a composite of physical and spiritual organisms, a union of body and spirit. That anyone really be- lieves himself to be nothing but a body of flesh, bones, and other material tissues, is questionable. Even the observations and deductions of science, to say nothing of the definite word of revealed truth, demonstrate the presence of an animate en- tity in the person, which, while in most intimate association and complete interpenetration with the bodily tissues, is nevertheless distinct therefrom. That living something is the spirit, which existed as an intelligent being before the body was begotten, and which shall live on after the corporeal structure has gone to decay. — Some hold the individual to be a triune being a combina- tion of body, spiritand mind; though the mind is more con- sistently to be regarded as one of the distinctive attributes or qualities of the spirit. Certainly when the spirit leaves the body the mind goes with it. The spirit and the body are united in the soul, which is therefore the complete living being: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." (Gen. 2:7; see also Pearl of Great Price, p. 12). "And the spirit and the body is the soul of man." (Doctrine and Covenants 88.) Attempts have been made to show that the present state of man is the culmination of a long course of development, higher forms having been evolved from inferior progenitors. Undoubtedly much that is classed under the current title, Evolu- tion, is true. That part which comprises facts is true; and with equal assurance be it said that much of the theory of evolution- ists is error. Evolution as applied to the study of man takes principal cognizance of the body, and at most of body and mind. The evolution of man will never be understood so long as we ignore the spiritual being, for whom the mortal body is but a temporary tenement. — That the soul has never fallen that the scriptural account of Adam's transgression whereby man, once immune to death, — became mortal, is but myth and fable is the devil's doctrine. The satanic propaganda in support of this has been cunningly devised and agressively waged with the sinister purpose of hav- ing men believe that there is no need of a Savior, and that the conception of the redemption of mankind is at best but a theologic supposition. To bring men to m *Wial of the Christ and have them spurn 1068 IMPROVEMENT ERA i the efficacy of the Atonement is a passing triumph for Satan and his hosts. Many are easily led into this snare of delusion and falsehood by pandering to their sinful propensities, whereby they become blind and deaf to all things spiritual and have in- terest only in the world, the flesh and the devil. Others are just as surely inveigled by the veiled fallacies of philosophy mis- named and "science falsely so called." As the posterity of Adam and Eve became numerous, evil inclinations developed, and the cause is thus made plain: "And Satan came among them, saying: I am also a son of God; and he commanded them, saying: Believe it not; and they believed it not, and they loved Satan more than God. And men began from that time forth to be carnal, sensual, and devilish.'" (Pearl of Great Price, p. 21). Alma the prophet, commenting upon the fact of this, declen- sion, said of the race: "Therefore as they had become carnal, sensual, and devilish, by nature, this probationary state became a state for them to prepare; it became a preparatory state." (Book of Mormon, Alma 42). In a later revelation given through Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the last dispensation, the subject is set forth more fully: "We know that there is a God in heaven, who is infinite and eternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same unchange- able God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them. And that he created man, male and female, after his own image and in his own likeness created he them; and gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him, the only living and true God, and that he should be the only being whom they should worship. But by the transgression of these holy laws, man became sensual and devilish, and became fallen man. Wherefore the Almighty God gave his Only Begot- ten Son, as it is written in those Scriptures which have been given of him. He suffered temptations but gave no heed unto them; he was crucified, died and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven, to sit down on the right hand of the Father, to reign with almighty power according to the will of the Father: That as many as would believe and be baptized in his holy name, and endure in faith to the end, should be saved" (Doctrine and Covenants 20). Thus, though man is in a fallen condition as a mortal, he may rise again; and through obedience to the word and will of his Maker may surpass the status of opportunity and power which he held prior to his embodiment. But to this high plane man cannot lift himself. Only by laying hold on the advantages provided through the Lord's sacrificial Atonement, can man at- tain salvation and the immeasurable possibilities of exaltation in the Kingdom of Heaven.