Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy Part 11

[Footnote A: Origin of Species, p. 6; also Darwin and After Darwin Romanes, Vol. II. pp. 2-6.]

Professor Huxley, who, from early manhood, was an eminent and ardent supporter of the Darwinian hypothesis frankly says, "I adopt Mr.

Darwin's hypothesis, therefore, subject to the production of proof that physiological species may be produced by selective breeding; and for the reason that it is the only means at present within reach of reducing the chaos of observed facts to order."[A] After writing a book to establish the descent of man from apes, Professor Huxley is obliged to confess that "the fossil remains of man hitherto discovered do not seem to take us appreciably nearer to that lower pithecoid form, by the modification of which he has, probably, become what he is."[B]

[Footnote A: Man's Place in Nature, p. 128.]

[Footnote B: Loc. cit., p. 183.]

This is not the place to enter into this famous controversy. The relation of the theory of natural selection to the law of evolution is not established; that man and the great cla.s.ses of animals and plants have sprung from one source is far from having been proved; that the first life came upon this earth by chance is as unthinkable as ever.

Even at the present writing, recent discoveries have been reported which throw serious doubt upon natural selection as an all-sufficient explanation of the wonderful variety of nature. The true scientific position of the Darwinian hypothesis is yet to be determined.

The moderate law of evolution which claims that all normal beings are advancing, without a.s.serting that one form of life can pa.s.s into another, is, however, being more and more generally accepted, for it represents an eternal truth, of which every new discovery bears evidence.

[Sidenote: Joseph Smith taught the law of eternal growth--evolution.]

Were it not that the law of evolution is of such fundamental value in the understanding of natural phenomena, it would hardly be expected that the calling of Joseph Smith would necessitate any reference to it. Besides, upwards of fifteen years elapsed after the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith before the world of science conceived the hypothesis. One of the leading doctrines of the Church resembles the spirit of the law of universal growth so nearly that one is forced to believe that the great truth embodied by this doctrine is the truth shadowed forth by the law of evolution.

The doctrine of G.o.d, as taught by Joseph Smith, is the n.o.blest of which the human mind can conceive. No religion ascribes to G.o.d more perfect attributes than does that of the Latter-day Saints. Yet the Church, a.s.serts that G.o.d was not always what he is today. Through countless ages he has grown towards greater perfection, and at the present, though in comparison with humankind, he is omniscient and omnipotent, he is still progressing. Of the beginning of G.o.d, we have no record, save that he told his servant Abraham, "I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen."[A]

[Footnote A: Book of Abraham, 3:21.]

As told by Joseph Smith, in May, 1833, John the Apostle said of G.o.d, Jesus Christ, "And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness; and thus he was called the Son of G.o.d, because he received not of the fulness at first."[A]

[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 93:12-14.]

[Sidenote: Man will develop until he becomes like G.o.d.]

Man, likewise, is to develop until, in comparison with his present condition, he becomes a G.o.d. For instance, in speaking of the salvation to which all men who live correct lives shall attain, the Prophet says, "For salvation consists in the glory, authority, majesty, power and dominion which Jehovah possesses;"[A] and in another place, "Then shall they be G.o.ds, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be G.o.ds, because they have all power."[B]

[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, Lectures on Faith, 7:8.]

[Footnote B: Doctrine and Covenants, 132:20.]

That this is not a sudden elevation, but a gradual growth, is evident from many of the writings of Joseph Smith, of which the following are ill.u.s.trations. "He that receiveth light and continueth in G.o.d, receiveth more light, and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."[A] "For if you keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace."[B]

[Footnote A: Ibid., 50:24.]

[Footnote B: Ibid., 93:20.]

In various sermons Joseph Smith enlarged upon the universal principle of advancement, but few of them have been preserved for us. In a sermon delivered in April, 1844, the following sentences occur, "G.o.d himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. You have got to learn how to be G.o.ds yourselves, and to be kings and priests to G.o.d, the same as all G.o.ds have done before you; namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation."[A]

[Footnote A: Contributor, vol. 4, pp. 254 and 255.]

[Sidenote: Joseph Smith antic.i.p.ated science in the statement of the law of evolution.]

The preceding quotations suffice to show that with regard to man, Joseph Smith taught a doctrine of evolution which in grandeur and extent surpa.s.ses the wildest speculations of the scientific evolutionist. Yet Joseph Smith taught this doctrine as one of eternal truth, taught him by G.o.d. There can be no doubt that the truth behind Spencer's law of evolution, and the doctrine taught by the "Mormon"

prophet, are the same. The great marvel is that Joseph Smith, who knew not the philosophies of men, should have antic.i.p.ated by thirty years or more the world of science in the enunciation of the most fundamental law of the universe of living things.

[Sidenote: Animals are subject to evolution.]

Now, it is true that Joseph Smith did not extend this law to the lower animals; but it must be remembered that his mission on earth was to teach a system of redemption for men. Yet, it is an interesting observation that he taught that men and animals had a spiritual existence, before they were placed on earth. "For I, the Lord G.o.d, created all things of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. And out of the ground made I, the Lord G.o.d, to grow every tree, naturally, that is pleasant to the sight of man; and man could behold it. And it became also a living soul. For it was spiritual in the day that I created it; for it remaineth in the sphere in which I, G.o.d, created it."[A]

[Footnote A: Book of Moses, 3:5 and 9. See also Doctrine and Covenants, 29:31, 32.]

If, in common with men, animals and plants were created spiritually, it may not be an idle speculation that the lower forms of life will advance, in their respective fields, as man advances in his. However, a statement in the above quotation must not be overlooked, "It remaineth in the sphere in which I, G.o.d, created it." This would preclude any notion that by endless development a plant may become an animal, or that one of the lower cla.s.ses of animals become a high animal, or a man. Is not this the place where, perhaps, the evolution of science has failed? All things advance, but each order of creation within its own sphere. There is no jumping from order to order. The limits of these orders are yet to be found.

Spencer's belief that one period of evolution follows another[A] is brought strongly to mind in contemplating the doctrine of Joseph Smith that man, and other things, had first a spiritual existence, now an earthly life, then a higher existence after death. Is not the parallelism strong--and may it not be that here, also, the "Mormon"

prophet could have shown the learned philosopher the correct way?

[Footnote A: First Principles, p. 550.]

[Sidenote: G.o.d is the compelling power of evolution.]

Finally, one other suggestion must be made. Spencer, after a long and involved argument, concludes (or proves as he believes) that the great law of evolution is a necessity that follows from the law of the persistence of force. In chapter two of this series, the scientific conception of the persistence of force was identified with the operations of the Holy Spirit, as taught by Joseph Smith. This Spirit is behind all phenomena; by it as a medium, G.o.d works his will with the things of the universe, and enables man to move on to eternal salvation, to advance, and become a G.o.d; every law is of necessity a result of the operation of this Spirit. Here, again, the "Mormon"

prophet antic.i.p.ated the world of science; and his conceptions are simplier and more direct than those invented by the truth-seekers, who depended upon themselves and their own powers.

Marvelous is this view of the founder of "Mormonism." Where did he learn in his short life, amidst sufferings and persecution such as few men have known, the greatest mysteries of the universe!

Chapter XV.

THE PLAN OF SALVATION.

[Sidenote: Why am I on earth?]

In the preceding chapter the law of evolution was shown to be the cementing law of nature, which explains the destiny of man. To live is to change, and (if the change is right) to grow. Through all the ages to come righteous man will increase in complexity and will grow towards a condition of greater knowledge, greater power and greater opportunity.

While the great law of evolution may be quite sufficient for the general survey, it does not explain the special conditions amidst which organized intelligences find themselves. Man asks, Why am I on earth? Science is silent. Up to the present time, many scientific men have not found it necessary to postulate an intelligent force behind the phenomena of nature, which would explain our earthly existence.

The Mormon answer to this question lies in the Mormon doctrine of the plan of salvation. There can be no attempt to harmonize the Mormon plan with that of science, for science has none; but, that the Mormon plan of salvation is strictly scientific, and rests upon the irrevocable laws of the universe can certainly be demonstrated.

[Sidenote: Perfection comes only when matter, spirit and intelligence are a.s.sociated.]

Fundamental, in the doctrines of Joseph, is the statement that all intelligence is eternal; and that G.o.d at the best is the organizer of the spirits of men. The ether of science has been compared with the Holy Spirit of Mormonism. The spirit body may be likened to an ether body of man, and is the condition of his original existence. From the original condition, at man's spiritual birth, under the law of evolution he has steadily grown in complexity, which means in power.

In the universe are recognized ether or spirit, force or intelligence, and matter. Matter may act upon the ether and the ether upon matter; but ether acts most effectively upon ether, and matter upon matter.

The original man, in whom intelligence and other forces acted through a purely spiritual or ether body, could impress matter and be impressed by it only in part. The man was imperfect because he did not touch directly the world of matter, and could know only in part the phenomena of the material world, which forms an integral part of the universe. In the words of Joseph Smith, "Spirit and element inseparably connected, receiveth a fullness of joy, and when separated, man can not receive a fullness of joy."[A]

[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 93:33, 34.]

For man's perfection, it then became necessary that his spiritual body should be clothed with a material one, and that he should become as familiar with the world of matter, as he had become with the world of spirit. G.o.d, as the supreme intelligence, who desired all other spirits to know and become mighty, led in the formulation of the plan, whereby they should obtain knowledge of all the contents of the universe.

[Sidenote: The fall of Adam necessary to perfect intelligence.]

For the purpose of perfecting the plan, a council of the G.o.ds, or perfected intelligences was called. It was decided to organize an earth from available materials, and place the spirits on it, clothed with bodies of the grosser elements. An essential function of intelligence is free agency; and that the spirits might have the fullest opportunity to exercise this agency in their earthly career, they were made to forget the events of their spiritual existence. To learn directly the nature of grossest matter, the earth bodies of necessity were made subject to the process of the disintegration called death.