--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Merrill, Joseph F. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 29 number: 6 published: 1926-04 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Merrill, Joseph F., “The Logic of the M. I. A. Slogan,” *Improvement Era* 29, no. 6 (April 1926): 523–529." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2906unse 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: improvementera2906unse start_page: 523 end_page: 529 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1926-04) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2906unse publication_year: 1926 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 1926, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Logic of the M. I. A. Slogan Improvement Era Vol. XXIX APRIL, 1926 No. 6 THE LOGIC OF THE M. I. A. SLOGAN* By Dr. Joseph F. Merrill, of the University of Utah The slogan of the Mutual Improvement Association during the current season is "We stand for an individual testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ." Many non-believers, generally, might question the practicability of this slogan. Some of them would at once say that it is impossible to get such a testimony, a sufficiently good reason being, they would assert, that Jesus was only a man, no more divine than any other man; but even if he is divine, there is no way for common mortal men individually to know this. The latter view is taken, I believe, by most Christians. They may believe in the divinity of Christ, but to know that he is our Lord — this is quite another matter. I have attended, in years gone by, while a university student, many scores) of non- "Mormon" religious services of various organizations and of various Christian denominations. Never once did I hear any speaker in any of these meetings declare that he knew personally of a surety that Jesus is in very deed the Christ. The absence of such declarations in religious meetings' was a new experience to me — a very noticeable one, too — for during my youth at home, I had heard many fervent individual testimonies of Christ's divinity borne by both men and women. So I have come to be- lieve that this year's M. I. A. slogan is one characteristic of our Church — a mark that distinguishes it from all other churches. The Important Question But the important question is: Can an individual testimony be *An address delivered from Radio Station K S L, Salt Lake City, Sunday, November 15. 1925. Entered at the Post Office, Salt Lake City, Utah, as second class matter. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized 'on July 2, 1918, $2 per annum. Address Room 40 6, Church Office Building, Salt Lake City, Utah. 524 IMPROVEMENT ERA obtained; is the slogan reasonable, practicable? The denials or even scoffs of non-believers do not make the slogan unreasonable — they do not affect it one way or another. Some of our young people, however, may be affected by these denials. In a desire to help these young people, this address is given. In the first place, who was Jesus? What did he do? All of the young people in the Church can answer these questions more or less satisfactorily. They have been taught that he lived in Palestine nearly two thousand years ago; that he was born of the Virgin Mary; that he grew to manhood, much as other boys of his time grew up; that he was baptized by John in the river Jordan, after which he de- voted his time to teaching the people the gospel that in many respects was new to them; that he performed some wonderful miracles — these and many other things concerning Jesus', they have been taught. But above all these things they have been taught that Jesus is the Son of God — the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh — that he was and is divine, our Savior; our Elder Brother in that he and we have the same Father in heaven — the Father of our spirits, born before this world was. But while the fathers of our bodies of flesh are mortal men, the Father of his earthly body is our heavenly Father. Jesus is our elder brother because he was the first born in the ancient spirit world. Not Accepted Literally - But the learning of these things through teaching and study does not necessarily bring to the student a knowledge of Christ's divinity. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God, sent to teach the doctrines of his Father and atone for Adam's transgression. Many students of scripture and many so-called Christians do not accept these claims literally. To them Jesus was a great teacher — even infidels grant this much — the greatest of all time. His doctrines — the two great commandments, "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" and "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Matt. 22:37-39) — reached the highest ethical level that had ever been established. His teachings mark Jesus as a super- man, God-like in his ideals. Yet, after all, he was only a mortal man, his conception and birth being no different from that of other men, they assert. This view of the nature of Jesus seems to be rapidly gaining ground — it is the view of the modernists, and to them the M. I. A. slogan appears foolish. But why do the modernists reject the divinity of Jesus Christ? May we not answer: It is because they do not, and apparently can not, understand what is called the immaculate conception? They do not believe in Christ's miracles, nor in his resurrection from the dead, for the same reason. But, is this reason valid, that is, is it sufficient justification for LOGIC OF THE M. I. A. SLOGAN 525 rejecting the divinity of Christ? I answer: No. Before the time of Columbus, people could not understand that the earth is round and so did not believe that it is round. But their lack of under- standing did not change the fact. We do not understand and there- fore can not explain the miracles of Jesus. But we can believe in them, just as Columbus believed in the rotundity of the earth — a belief that later became knowledge to him, and has become knowl- edge to myraids of people living after him. The Main-Spring of Action We live by faith, the main-spring of action. The merchant buys, believing that he can sell; the miner digs, believing that he will find; the farmer plants, believing that he will reap; and so it is in the complex activities of life. Time and effort change our beliefs into realities, into knowledge. But the farmer does not stay his hand because he does not and can not understand the beginning and the development of the life of his matured crops. He knows something of the conditions necessary that his growing plants shall mature; but he does not cease to work because the life of these plants is an impenetrable mystery to him and to everyone else. No man can explain the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. But we can believe that he rose from the dead, and be con- sistent as rational beings, for such is our attitude toward the things of life. For centuries the mariner has relied upon the compass to steer his ship. In the blackest nights and roughest storms his ship has sailed safely on and on because the mariner believed in his compass. But he did not and does not understand his compass. No one un- derstands it, that is, knows what magnetism really is. And the com- pass functions because the earth is surrounded by a magnetic field. But the why and the wherefore of this field no one can understand; and yet we know that it exists. We are living in the "electrical age." Electricity serves us in manifold ways. Its uses are increasing by leaps and bounds. It is an accommodating and a wonderful agent. We believe in it. We know that it exists; but in reality we do not understand it. Yet we know how to develop it, but do not understand why it is developed. How foolish it would be to deny its existence and its use because we do not know its nature. You are hearing what I say — some of you hundreds of miles away. Yet I am speaking in an ordinary tone of voice in a small basement room in Salt Lake City. You hear by the radio method — one of the most wonderful inventions of all time. You believed in the radio method as a means of communication. Acting on this belief you bought and installed your equipment. You have come to know that speech and music and sound can be communicated by means of it. But do you understand this method? Do you know 526 IMPROVEMENT ERA all about it? Are you able really to explain it? Do not hesitate to say, No. There is no man living who knows all about the radio. But let us leave for a moment these mysterious applications of imperfect scientific knowledge to refer to more common things — the things about us all the time. We see and feel and handle ob- jects found in our material world that are composed of a relatively small number of elements — about seventy-five. The ultimate unit of these elements and, therefore, the unit of structure making up substances is the atom. The Mystery of Matter Thirty years ago the chemist told us the atom was an incon- ceivably small, indivisible unit, without parts, made — no one knew how. But today he tells us something more about the atom. It is, he now tells us, a very complex particle, the atoms of many elements being more complex in structure than a piano. Its structure is analogous to that of our solar system — a central sun with planets revolving around it. The atom has its nucleus with revolving attend- ants, the distances between which are relatively comparable to inter- planetary distances in our solar system. And so the chemist can go on telling much about the composition and structure of substances, of matter. But he can not tell us what matter is. One of the main subjects of discussion at the recent meeting in Los Angeles of the American Chemical Society was announced as the "Mystery of Matter." To this subject some of the foremost scientists of the world addressed themselves. I have referred to these uncertainties in the field of science to show that the field of religion is not the only one where we face the unexplainable. In fact, the more science advances the more we are shown that we live in a wonderful world of mystery. Whether we use the telescope, the microscope, the test tube or any other in- strument or means of investigation, we find in every case, in every direction, what we do not understand and can not explain. However, we do find order, beauty and infinite wisdom displayed throughout all the works of creation. The Path o/ Progress The scientist must live and walk and work by faith, for other- wise he does not progress. He learns many facts, unexplainable to him though many of them are. Does it not appear plain that the path of progress of the scientist is characterized by the same features as characterize the path of the successful religionist? Faith is an essential quality of the scientist as well as of the Christian. Both are faced with many facts that they can not explain. But because of this no one could, in reason, expect the scientist to give up LOGIC OF THE M. I. A. SLOGAN 527 his work. Why should a Christian be expected to give up his faith when faced by things he can not explain or doesi not understand? We can not explain the phenomenon of the resurrection. The body may be consigned to the tomb and the earthly elements of which it is composed may return to mother earth in the form of ashes, or the body may be devoured by a wild beast, or scattered to the four winds by an explosion. How is this body brought back to form again and made animate with the spirit that once tabernacled in it? No Christian can answer this question. Still the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches the doctrine of a literal, physical resurrection; and its devotees accept the doctrine, crude though many professing teachers of the gospel call it. Christ taught this doctrine; and he rose from the dead, the first fruits of the resurrection. But right here we come to the disputed question. Those who characterize as "crude" the doctrine of a literal resurrection deny that the body of Jesus, which was laid in a sepulchre, was brought back to life, became in reality the physical tabernacle of his spirit, ascended to heaven and is still his physical body. Why this denial? Is it not simply because they who deny can not understand and explain the phenomenon? An Attested Fact Yet, was not the resurrection of Jesus a fact? Are not thou- sands of less attested events of ancient history accepted as facts in the world today? The men and women who testified of his resurrection were trustworthy. If any two equally trustworthy witnesses declare in a modern court of justice that they saw the murderer commit his foul crime, he is convicted, and all the world accepts the conviction and names the accused as the criminal. Con- sistency requires us to accept as reality the resurrection of Jesus, a miracle though it may be. To believe is the reasonable, to disbelieve the illogical thing to do in this case. And too much stress can not be placed upon this view. The body of our Lord Jesus Christ actually rose from the dead — ample court evidence was recorded on this point. And Christ now lives in the same body that rose from the sepulchre, and in which he ascended into heaven in those apostolic days nearly two thousands years ago. And now to the question; Is this a matter of faith only, or with some is it a matter of knowledge; and is it possible for men and women now living to get this knowledge? Of course, it will at once be granted that if Christ rose from the dead and ascended to heaven, as Luke and other New Testament writers said he did (Luke 24:51), then he is divine. Conversely, if he now lives and reigns in the manner ascribed to him by the doctrines of the Church, then he rose from the dead and is divine. Also if he appeared to the boy Joseph Smith as the latter declared, and if Joseph Smith was a true 528 IMPROVEMENT ERA prophet, then the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the "Mormon" Church so-called — was divinely established, and the gospel as taught by this Church is in very deed the gospel of Jesus Christ. So that it logically follows that if an individual knows that the doctrines of the Church are Christ's gospel, and that the Church is directed by the inspiration of Jesaas Christ through the Holy Spirit, then Jesus Christ still lives and is divine. Individual Testimony Then the important question is: Can an individual get this testimony, and if so, how? Thousands of reputable men and women — individuals whose sworn testimony would be accepted in any judicial court in the land — have declared and do declare from time to time that they know of a surety that Christ lives and that this is his Church. How did they get this knowledge? Let us read Christ's words to Peter as recorded in Matthew, sixteenth chapter, thirteenth to seventeenth verses. Speaking to his disciples he asked: "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am? "And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. "He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar- jona : for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." It was, then, through divine revelation that Peter learned who Christ was. And it is through these same means that men and women in the past and in the present have obtained and may obtain a testimony of the divinity of Jesus Christ. It is by this means and this means only that the members of the Mutual Improvement Associations may get the priceless knowledge that the gospel is the plan of life and salvation, obedience to which will bring them eternal and exalted lives in the kingdom of God. And the way to get this knowledge has been plainly indicated by Jesus himself. Speaking to the Jews in the temple, on one oc- casion, he told them, as recorded in John, seventh chapter, sixteenth and seventeenth verses: "My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." This same promise . is preached today at home and abroad by the elders of the Church, and thousands of these elders and women, too, in the mission fields and in the meeting houses of the Saints in the organized wards of the Church, have fervently testified in our own day and time that they know, as Peter knew, that Jesus is the Christ, and that this is his Church. This knowledge came to them because they sought for it and fulfilled the conditions necessary to LOGIC OF THE M. I. A. SLOGAN 529 get it. It was revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. And they know, as they know that they live, that this knowledge came to them and is correct. The M. I. A. slogan is, therefore, practicable; it can be made a reality as these thousands of Church members can truth- fully testify. It was because of his belief in the teachings of the New Testa- ment that Joseph Smith, a boy of fourteen years, went into the woods to pray. In the Epistle of James 1:5, he read: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." The boy wanted to know which of the religious denominations in his neighborhood he should join. Being in doubt, he followed this scriptural injunc- tion, believing that God would answer his prayer. The result was a glorious vision in which the young lad saw and heard the Father and the Son, the God of heaven and earth, and Jesus Christ, the Savior. To none other in modern times has such a transcendently glorious revelation been given. But to many thousands of sincere truth seekers since Joseph Smith's day, the Lord has been gracious and kind, an- swering their humble prayers and burning into the depths of their souls the knowledge that he lives, giving to them indescribably great joy. Yes, these thousands know that the M. L A. slogan is practicable. But every person must get the testimony for himself. His neighbors can not give it to him. The knowledge of another is not his knowledge. And the knowledge of Christ's divinity, the most precious of all knowledge, can come only to the individual and it can come only through a revelation of the Holy Spirit. But this knowledge is free to all, to the poor as well as the rich, for it is without price and will be given to all who humble themselves and earnestly seek it, doing obediently the "will of the Father." And when this knowledge comes to the individual, he will not be mistaken. He will know as certainly as he knows anything that he has the testi- mony he sought. But this testimony, like a knowledge of other things, may be forgotten. And the objector sometimes points this out, asserting that the testimony is not knowledge — only enthusiasm. It is true that an individual may forget his one-time testimony. But this is only natural and is no proof at all that the testimony did not once exist. To forget a one-time knowledge of other facts is the common experience of all men. To forget is, therefore, natural. And so to keep alive a testimony of Christ's divinity, effort is necessary, just as effort is necessary to keep us from forgetting other facts that we may know. "The race is not to the swift but to him who endureth to the end." Through faithful, right living, a testimony may be obtained. It is only through a continuation of faithful, right living that a testimony may be retained.