On Perfection

We have often heard individuals, who advocate the Arminian [Armenian] doctrine, talking about perfection, and even pretending that they are ensamples of the perfect class, when indeed, they are not only ignorant of the principle, but destitute of the necessary qualifications, which are prerequisites to so high a standing. Perfection, in the extended import of the word, is that which is beyond improvement. Christ commanded his people, saying: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your father who is in heaven is perfect." We do not understand from this, that mankind while in a state of probation on earth, are to become perfect in all things, as the Lord is, or to that degree that he is; but that we have appointed unto us a certain sphere to act in, and that we can be perfect in it; and that we have certain laws to comply with, and we can harmoniously do it. The Lord is perfect in all things, and he governs the whole universe, and every planet pursues its course without interfering with others; for there is order and harmony in all the works of God: for he is the fountain of intelligence, and the first in power; and every thing that he does will be perfect when completed. The formation of this earth is the work of God, and when entirely finished, it will be chrystalized [crystallized], and made pure, and even glorified, or be perfect; although it has its orbit to act in, and with order and harmony does it. So it is with men, they have their sphere to act in, and they can be perfect in it; but God has the immensity of space to act in, and he is perfect in it. It is not to be expected that mankind are required to be perfect in all things, while in a state of mortality, as God is.-His power is unlimited; but we have a certain sphere to act in; therefore our intelligence is limited; but as we have before stated, we can be perfect in this sphere; or in other words we can obey the law of the Lord, walk circumspectly, orderly, and harmoniously before him.-Therefore, we are disposed to enquire [inquire] into the nature of the sphere, we have to act in, and so learn how we can be perfect in it.

There are certain principles of power that are within the reach of man while he is a probationer in time, and there are many things beyond his reach; but as far as his power extends, or that he has power over things, he has the power of choice and free agency to act for himself; and his sphere that he has to act in, extends no farther than he has power to obey or disobey. Hence, in our opinion the perfection that a man may attain to in time, consists in obeying the law of righteousness, and obtaining the promised blessings of the gospel of peace, which are within his sphere. Right and wrong are before him and he has power to do either; but if he does that which is right and obeys the law of the Lord in all things, he is a perfect man, as far as his sphere of action extends. But it is impossible for a man to attain to this high standing without a perfect law or rule to guide him. No law can be in justice presented to a man for his sanction and obedience, which is beyond his power or the power given him to obey; therefore, no law can be a perfect one, that exacts things of men that they cannot perform. The law of God is infallible or perfect, because God who is infallible or perfect, devised it, and it does not exact things of men that they cannot do. If this law is perfect, and also the principle by which a men [man] is made perfect; or in other words, that he cannot be perfect without obeying it, then if he rejects one principle of it, he is not perfect in his sphere. James, no doubt, alluding to the gospel says: "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed."-James, i.25. This perfect law of liberty expands the mind, and liberates it from the vulture fangs of bigotry, which has ever infused the idea that the sphere of man, is very contracted, and that certain blessings that were in the power of man to receive in ancient days, are beyond the reach of man in this our day.

It is admitted that if a person complies with the rules of a science in all respects, that he will become as perfect as the rules themselves are, likewise if a man obeys the gospel in all respects, he will be perfect

as far as the law or the gospel will allow him to be. Therefore, we set it down as a fact that no man is perfect, no not even in his own sphere, except he obeys the gospel, and in vain may we talk about being perfect, sanctified or hnly [holy], if we have not obeyed the gospel, nay if we have not obsyed [obeyed] every principle of it.-We are induced to believe that there are many who profess to be perfect, that have not obeyed the fulness [fullness] of the gospel, and do not even believe that the promised blessings of the gospel of peace, by which our knowledge is increased, are for them; and indeed they are ignorant of the means by which they can be made perfect.

Now according to the scriptures the matter stands thus--we are commanded to be perfect as our Father who is in heaven is perfect, and as there is order and perfection in all his works, or as he has adopted certain rules, and conforms to them; so must we conform to the law of the Lord or the gospel, in all respects, or it cannot be said in truth that we are perfect. When we say that the Lord acts conformably to certain rules, we mean to be understood that he has devised certain rules for his own course and procedure: for instance, it is written that he cannot lie. The reason is, it would be a breach of the law that he has adopted: he will not cast off the righteous, because it would be a breach of promise: he will not let the reprobate go unpunished, because it would sacrifice the rights of justice. But let us more particularly enquire [inquire] what men must do to be perfect in their sphere.

It is positively affirmed in the bible that before obedience to the perfect law of liberty, men are foreigners, aliens, and strangers to God; therefore, in order for them to be assimilated unto the likeness of God in the least degree, and be perfect as he is, it is necessary for them to obey the perfect law which is: first, to repent of their sins, or in other words forsake them; and in a word, break off from sin and work righteousness; second, to be baptized for the remission of sins, (see Acts, ii. 38.) and for the adoption into the kingdom of God, and so take up their cross and follow Christ in the work of the regeneration; third, receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands. (See Acts, viii. 17. do. xix. 6.) The above are what the Apostle terms the (first) principles of the gospel, and it is self evident that no person can be perfect in any science without learning the elementary principles of the same.--Neither will it answer for him to learn the first principle, but pay no attention to the second: he must learn them in rotation, and occording [according] to order, or he cannot make any proficiency in the science; so it is, a man cannot make any proficiency in the religion of heaven, except he obeys every principle of it according to order. It is the very heighth [height] of folly for any man to talk about being perfect, holy or sanctified, if he has not repented of his sins, and been baptized for the remission of them, and received the holy spirit by the laying on of hands.

But obeying the first principles of the gospel, is not all. The apostle says, that the church was organized with apostles, prophets, &c., for the perfecting of the saints, and the work of the ministry. Thus they anciently had inspired men among them, who could receive revelations from the Lord, and thus instruct the church with things of importance, which increased their knowledge. The more intelligence a man receives the nearer he comes to perfection. As we have before said, a man is not perfect in his sphere of action except he obeys the gospel in all respects, and orders his conduct in such a way as becomes a righteous man, and avails himself of all the intelligence, and spiritual blessings that are within his reach. And it is said, "The Lord is the same yesterday, to day and forever;" consequently he has not contracted the sphere, and agency of man, nor decreed that he will in the future refuse to bestow the same blessings upon those who become his saints, that he bestowed anciently upon his people. Surely, the people of God are as susceptible of attaining to the high standing now-a-days, as they were formerly. The blessings that the ancients received, and which are for us, are the spirit of prophecy or revelation, visions, administration of angels, &c.; therefore, we conclude that the profession of perfection, of those who deny that these gifts and graces of the gospel are for us, is hypocritical. These gifts are for the people; therefore, they cannot be perfect without them: for it is by the spirit of prophecy or of revelation, that we can obtain a knowledge of God; "No man can say that Jesus Christ is the Lord except it is by the Holy Ghost." The more of this Spirit that the prophets received, the more they

were like God. All things are present before God to all eternity, and when the prophets received the Spirit of God, it brought things that were in the future, and made them present before them.-When the saints had visions of heavenly things their knowledge was increased.

Some of the saints of ancient days were in a great degree, if not fully, perfect in their sphere of action, because they sought and obtained that which was for them. But Oh! how changed the scene! Men now profess to be saints, and even to be wholly sanctified, and some to be perfect, without receiving any such blessings, or even obeying the first principles of the gospel of Christ.-Awake! Awake! to righteousness and sin not, O ye nations, kindreds, and people of the earth, and put away such delusive notions, and keep the commandments of the Great God, that you may be counted worthy to sit down in the kingdom of heaven with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the prophets.