Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy Part 7

Undoubtedly Elder Pratt believed that the living man is simply organized from the elements and elementary forces of the universe.

[Footnote A: Absurdities of Immaterialism, ed. 1849, p. 26.]

[Footnote B: Ibid, p. 29.]

Perhaps the best and safest exposition of the philosophy of "Mormonism" is Parley P. Pratt's Key to Theology. In it he states definitely that the spirit of man is organized from the elementary Holy Spirit. "The holiest of all elements, the Holy Spirit, when organized in individual form, and clothed upon with flesh and bones, contains, etc."[A] That the earthly body was likewise organized is equally plain for he says "At the commencement--the elements--were found in a state of chaos."[B] Then man was "moulded from the earth as a brick."[C] Again, "The spirit of man consists of an organization of the elements of spiritual matter,"[D] which finds entrance into its tabernacle of flesh. In another place he defines creation by asking "What is creation? Merely organization...... The material of which this earth was made always did exist, and it was only an organization which took place during the time spoken of by Moses."[E]

[Footnote A: Key to Theology, 5th ed., p. 46.]

[Footnote B: Ibid, p. 49.]

[Footnote C: Ibid, p. 51.]

[Footnote D: Ibid, p. 131.]

[Footnote E: Roberts, Mormon Doctrine of Deity, pp. 278, 279.]

Numerous other authorities might be quoted to prove that the above is the "Mormon" view.[A]

[Footnote A: See especially the Prophet Joseph Smith's Sermon, Contributor, vol. 4, pp. 256-268.]

In this chapter the intention has not been to explain fully the doctrines of Joseph Smith relating to the nature of man, but to call attention to the fact that the present scientific conception of the nature of living things is the same as that of "Mormonism." That "Mormonism" goes farther than science, and completes the explanation, is to the credit of the Prophet.

It must not be forgotten that in stating the doctrine that man is organized from the eternal elements and elementary forces of the universe, in such a way as to produce the phenomena of higher life, Joseph Smith antic.i.p.ated the workers in science by nearly a generation.

How wonderful was this boy-prophet of "Mormonism," if all this was orginated within his own mind! At every point of contact, the sanest of modern philosophy finds counterpart in the theological structure of the Gospel as taught by Joseph Smith. Is the work divine?

THE LAWS GOVERNING THE INDIVIDUAL.

Chapter IX.

FAITH.

[Sidenote: Faith is the a.s.surance of the existence of "things not seen."]

For the government of the individual the first principle in Mormon theology is faith. Joseph Smith defined faith in the words of the Apostle Paul, "Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of things not seen." To this the Prophet added "From this we learn that faith is the a.s.surance which men have of things which they have not seen."[A] On this principle, with this definition, many young persons who have ventured upon the sea of unbelief have wrecked the religion of their childhood; for, the human mind, in some stages of its development, is disinclined to accept as knowledge anything that can not be sensed directly.

[Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, Lecture I, verses 8, 9.]

Nowadays, the young doubter who can not accept as the foundation of his religion "things which he has not seen," usually turns for comfort and future growth to the results of science. There he finds truths upon truths, glorious in their beauty and susceptibility to direct and unmistakeable proof; and soon he declares that in so-called natural science, there is no need of faith, for, if a person has only advanced far enough, every concern of science may be known through one, two or several senses.

[Sidenote: Such faith lies at the formation of science.]

It is true that in the beginning of science no faith seems to be required; for every statement is based on experiments and observations that may be repeated by every student; and nothing is "taken on trust." As the deeper parts of science are explored, however, it is soon discovered that in science as in theology, a faith in "things that can not be seen," is an essential requisite for progress. In fact, the fundamental laws of the great divisions of science deal with realities that are wholly and hopelessly beyond the reach of man's five senses.

[Sidenote: The molecules are beyond man's direct senses.]

An exposition of the fundamental conception of chemical science will ill.u.s.trate the nature of scientific faith. A fragment of almost any substance may easily be divided into two or three pieces by a stroke of a hammer. Each of the pieces may be broken into smaller pieces and this process of division continued until the powder is as fine as dust. Still, each particle of the dust may be divided again and again, if we only have instruments fine enough to continue the process. A question which philosophy asked itself near its beginning was: Is it possible to keep on dividing the dust particles forever, or is there a particle so small that it can not be divided again? Neither science nor abstract philosophy has yet been able to answer this question fully. However, science has learned that if such a process of division occurs, in course of time a particle will be obtained which is so small that if it is divided or broken, the fragments will no longer be of the same nature as the original substance. These smallest particles in which the properties of the original substance inhere, are known as _molecules._ Thus a molecule of sugar, when broken, falls into the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen; of salt, into sodium and chlorine and of water into hydrogen and oxygen.

The size of such a molecule can not be comprehended by the human mind; its smallness seems infinite. The mortal eye, though aided by the most powerful miscroscopes of modern days could not distinguish a sugar molecule or even a pile of thousands of them; placed on the tongue, there would be no sensation of sweetness; though it were hurled against our body with the velocity of lightning we should not feel the impact. To all our senses, the molecule is wholly unknown and no doubt shall remain so while the earth is as it is. Yet, no fact is better established than the existence of the realities that we interpret as molecules. Their relative weights and other properties have been securely determined. The existence of such a particle is as certain as is the existence of the sun in the high heavens.

[Sidenote: Science teaches the composition of the directly unknowable molecules.]

Not only does science teach the existence of molecules; it looks within them and reveals their composition. For instance, a molecule of the sugar known as glucose, and used by candy makers, is made up of six particles of the element carbon, twelve of the element hydrogen and six of the element oxygen. The particles of carbon in the glucose molecule are so small that if one were divided it would no longer be carbon; the same with the particles of hydrogen and oxygen: if divided they would change into something else--into what is not yet known to man. These smallest particles are called _atoms_ of the elements charcoal, hydrogen and oxygen. If instead of an atom of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, we write C, H, O, the composition of a molecule of glucose would be written C_{6}H_{12}O_{6}. These are also indisputable facts of science. If the molecules are far beyond the range of our senses, the atoms are of course much further removed from the known world.

[Sidenote: Science teaches the arrangements of the atoms within the molecules.]

But the chemist does not stop here. He is able to state accurately how the invisible, unsensed atoms are arranged within the unknowable molecule. In nature are found several glucose-like sugars, the molecules of which contain the same numbers of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The varying properties of these sugars have been found to result from the different arrangements of the atoms within the molecules. The structure of the molecules of three of the most common sugars are as follows:

---------------------------------------------------------------------- I II III DEXTROSE [A] LAEVULOSE [A] GALACTOSE [A]

H2=C-OH H2=C-O H H2=C-OH | | | HO-C-H H O-C-H HO-C H | | | HO-C-H H O-C-H HC-OH | | | H-C-O-H H C-O H HC-OH | | | HO-C-H C=O HO-CH | | | H-C=O H C=O H-C=O ----------------------------------------------------------------------

[Footnote A: Dextrose and laevulose combine to form ordinary cane or beet sugar. Dextrose and galactose combine to form the sugar found in milk.]

Referring to the above diagrams it will be observed that although each arrangement contains the same number of atoms, yet, because of the difference in arrangement, they are far from being identical. In fact, the difference in the properties of the sugars may be referred to the arrangement of the atoms in the molecules. This truth is one of the most splendid achievements of modern science. All the facts, here briefly outlined, are included in the atomic hypothesis, which is the foundation of the modern science of chemistry.

[Sidenote: Science requires a strong faith in "things not seen."]

Science asks us to believe in the existence of particles, unknowable to our senses, the molecules; then to believe in still smaller particles, the atoms, which make up the molecules but whose relative weights and general properties have been determined. Here, a faith is required in "things that can not be seen," and in the properties of these things. True, the scientist does not pretend to describe the atoms in detail, he does not need to do that to establish the certainty of their existence. He looks upon them as ultimate causes of effects that he may note with his physical senses. Does theology require more? Does any sane man in asking us to believe in G.o.d, for instance, attempt to describe him in detail?

The scientist goes farther than this, however, for he asks us not only to have faith in the invisible, untasteable, unfeelable atoms, but also in the exact manner in which these atoms are arranged within the molecule. True, it is claimed, only, that the relative arrangement is known, yet the faith required still leads us far beyond the simple faith in atoms. Has any man asked us to believe that he can describe the structure of G.o.d's dwelling? No principle taught by Joseph Smith requires a larger faith than this.

[Sidenote: The conception of the ether requires large faith.]

Not only in chemistry are such transcendent truths required. The fundamental conception of physics requires, if possible, a larger faith. The explanations of modern physics rest largely upon the doctrine of the universal ether. This ether is everywhere present, between the molecules and atoms; in fact the things of the universe are, as it were, suspended in the ocean of ether. This ether is so attenuated that it fills the pores of the human body without impressing itself upon our consciousness, yet some of its properties indicate that its elasticity is equal to that of steel. As shown in chapter 5, the most eminent scientists of the day declare that the existence of this world-ether is one of the few things of which men may be absolutely sure. Yet the ether cannot be seen, heard, tasted, smelled or felt. To our senses it has neither weight nor substance. To believe the existence of this ether requires a faith which is certainly as great as the greatest faith required by Mormon theology.

Numerous other ill.u.s.trations might be cited, without greatly emphasizing the truth that the great fundamental doctrines of science require a great faith in realities that are beyond the reach of our senses.

[Sidenote: Faith comes slowly and naturally.]

The great foundations of science have not come as a "great wakening light," but have come slowly, through a process of normal, guided growth. The first experiment was made, from which a simple conclusion was drawn; the second experiment furnished a second conclusion; the two results combined produced a third conclusion, and so on through thousands of experiments and conclusions, until the brilliant conceptions of modern science were attained. In short, the scientist works very simply by careful observation of nature, "the earth and its fullness," and by as careful reasoning from the observed facts. The mind builds n.o.ble structures of the materials the senses bring. The same method may be employed in gaining faith in the principles of theology; and the Apostle Paul tells us distinctly that the righteousness of G.o.d is revealed from "faith to faith," and that the eternal power of G.o.d and the G.o.dhead and "the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made." The scientist, likewise, begins with the things that are made and proceeds "from faith to faith," gaining "here a little, and there a little," until a faith is reached which, to him who has not followed its growth, may seem absurd in its loftiness.

[Sidenote: Science cannot progress without faith.]

Certainly, no man can progress in science unless he has faith in the great inductions of scientific men. Faith is as indispensable for scientific progress as for theological advancement. In both cases it is the great principle of action.

This subject merits more extended discussion, but the exposition of the nature of faith is outside the argument running through these chapters. It must be sufficient to remark again that Mormonism is strictly scientific in stating as the first principle of the guidance of the individual, that of faith in unseen things; for that is the basic principle for the beginner in modern science.[A]

[Footnote A: Read for a fuller exposition, We walk by Faith, Improvement Era, Volume 3, p. 561.]

Chapter X.