Joseph Smith's Consent Needed to Enter Heaven (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p.282-91)

Brigham Young Sermon:
Joseph Smith's Consent Needed to Enter Heaven
(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p.282-91)

Brigham Young, October 9, 1859
Intelligence, Etc.
Remarks by President BRIGHAM YOUNG,
delivered in the Tabernacle, Great Salt Lake City, October 9, 1859.
Reported by G. D. Watt
Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p.282-91

I shall address you this morning upon a subject that is more interesting to me than any other pertaining to the life of man. It is a subject of deep study and research, and has been from age to age among the reflecting and philosophical portions of the human family. The intelligence given to the children of men is the subject to which I allude, and upon which has been expended more intellectual labour and profound thought than upon any other that has ever attracted the attention of man.

The Psalmist has written, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour." This passage is but one of many which refer to the organization of man as though it were a great mystery—something that could not be fully comprehended by the greatest minds while dwelling in earthly tabernaeles. It is a matter of vital interest to each of us, and yet it is often farthest from the thoughts of the greater portion of mankind. Instead of reflecting upon and searching for hidden things of the greatest value to them, they rather wish to learn how to secure their way through this world as easily and as comfortably as possible. The reflections what they are here for, who produced them, and where they are from, far too seldom enter their minds.

Many have written upon this great; subject, and there exists a great variety of reflections, views, and opinions which I have not time to dwell upon in detail. I will merely give you a few texts, or what you may term a text-book. Nor shall I now take time to minutely elaborate any particular point, but will present such views as shall come into my mind, trusting that I shall have your faith and prayers to be able to edify both Saint and sinner, believer and unbeliever.

If the inhabitants of the earth throughly understood their own being, their views, feelings, faith, and affections would be very different from what they now are. Many believe in predestination, while others of the Christian world oppose that doctrine and exclusively advocate free grace, free will, free offering, etc.; and each party of Christians has its pet theory or doctrine, upon which it builds its hopes of eternal salvation. Such a course is like five or six hundred men each selecting and running off with a piece of the machinery of a cotton mill, and declaring that he had the cotton mill entire. This comparison may be truly applied to the Christian. world as it now is with regard to the holy and divine principles which have been revealed pertaining to eternal life and salvation.

Many of you, no doubt, have concluded that the doctrine of election and reprobation is true, and you do so with propriety, for it is true; it is a scriptural, doctrine. Others do not believe this doctrine, affirming with all their faith, might, and skill that free grace and freewill are or ought to be the foundation of man's faith in his Creator. Very well. I can also say to them that free grace and freewill are scripturally true. The first-named doctrine is as true as the second, and the second as the first. Others, again, declare that mankind have no will, neither free nor restrained, in their actions; for instance, the Rationalists or Freethinkers, who deny the existence and divinity of the Gods that we believe in. But so far from their believing their own theory, Mr. Neil, of Boston, while in prison for having no religion, wrote an essay, in which he declared that "All is God."

I might enumerate many more instances, and say that they are all right so far as they go in truth. The doctrine of freewill and conditional salvation, the doctrine of free grace and unconditional salvation, the doctrine of foreordination and reprobation, and many more that I have not time enumerate, can all be fully and satisfactorily proved by the Scriptures, and are true.

On the other hand, many untrue doctrines are taught and believed such as there being infants, not a span long, weltering in the flames of hell, there to remain throughout the countless ages of eternity, and the doctrine of total depravity. Some have gone so far as to say that a man or woman who wishes to be saved in the kingdom of God—who wishes to be a servant or handmaid of the Almighty, must feel that deep contrition of heart, that sound repentance, and such a sense of his or her unworthiness and nothingness, and of the supremacy; glory, and exaltation of that Deity they believe in, as to exclaim before God and their brethren and sisters that they are willing to be damned. To me that is one of the heights of nonsense; for if a person is willing to be damned, he cares not to make the efforts necessary to secure salvation. All this confusion is in the world—party against party—communities against communities—individuals against individuals. One sets out with five truths and fifteen errors, making the articles of his faith twenty; another dissents from him, rejects those five truths, selects perhaps five more, and adds as many errors as did the former one, and then he comes out a flaming reformer. Men, in dissenting from one another, have too often exercised no better judgment than to deny and dissent from many truths because their ancestors cherished and believed them, which has produced numerous parties, sects, and articles of faith, when, in fact, taking them in mass, they have an immense amount of true principles.

It was the occupation of Jesus Christ and his Apostles to propagate the Gospel of salvation and the principles of eternal life to the world, and it is our duty and calling, as ministers of the same salvation and Gospel, to gather every item of truth and reject every error. Whether a truth be found with professed infidels, or with the Universalists, or the Church of Rome, or the Methodists, the Church of England, the Presbyterians, the Baptists, the Quakers, the Shakers, or any other of the various and numerous different sects and parties, all of whom have more or less truth, it is the business of the Elders of this Church (Jesus, their elder brother, being at their head,) to gather up all the truths in the world pertaining to life and salvation, to the Gospel we preach, to mechanism of every kind, to the sciences, and to philosophy, wherever it may be found in every

The people upon this earth have a great many errors, and they have also a great many truths. This statement is not only true of the nations termed civilized—those. who profess to worship the true God, but is equally applicable to pagans of all countries, for in their religious rights and ceremonies may be found a great many truths which we will also gather home to Zion. All truth is for the salvation of the children of men—for their benefit and learning—for their furtherance in the principles of divine knowledge; and divine knowledge is any matter of fact—truth; and all truth pertains to divinity.

When we view mankind collectively, or as nations, communities, neighbourhoods, and families, we are led to inquire into the object of our being here and situated as we find ourselves to be. Did we produce ourselves, and endow ourselves with that knowledge and intelligence we now possess? All are ready to acknowledge that we had nothing to do with the origin of our being—that we were produced by a superior Power, without either the knowledge or the exercise of the agency we now possess. We know that we are here. We know that we live, breathe, and walk upon the earth. We know this naturally, as the brute creation knows. We know that our food and drink come from the elements around us: by them we are nourished, cherished, refreshed, and sustained, with the addition of sleep. We live and breathe, and breathe and live. Who can define and point out the particularities of the wonderful organization of man?

It enters into the minds of but few that the air we inhale is the greatest source of our life. We derive more real nourishment to our mortal tabernacles from this element than from the solid food we receive into our stomachs. Our lungs expand and contract to sustain the life which God has given us. Of the component parts of this great fountain of vitality I have not time to treat; but this interesting information you may gather in part from numerous works on natural philosophy. I will, however, say that the air is full of life and vitality, and its volume fills immensity. The relative terms height, depth, length, and breadth do not apply to it. Could you pass with the velocity of the electric fluid over telegraphic wires, during the continuation of more years than you can comprehend, you would still be surrounded by it and in the bosom of eternity as much as you now are; and it is filled with the spirit of life which emanates from God.

Many have tried to penetrate to the First Cause of all things; but it would be as easy for an ant to number the grains of sand on the earth. It is not for man, with his limited intelligence, to grasp eternity in his comprehension. There is an eternity of life, from which we were composed by the wisdom and skill of superior Beings. It would be as easy for a gnat to trace the history of man back to his origin as for man to fathom the First Cause of all things, lift the veil of eternity, and reveal the mysteries that have been sought after by philosophers from the beginning. What, then, should be the calling and duty of the children of men? Instead of inquiring after the origin of the Gods—instead of trying to explore the depths of eternities that have been, that are, and that will be,—instead of endeavouring to discover the boundaries of boundless space, let them seek to know the object of their present existence, and how to apply, in the most profitable manner for their mutual good and salvation, the intelligence they possess. Let them seek to know and thoroughly understand

things within their reach, and to make themselves well acquainted with the object of their being here, by diligently seeking unto a superior Power for information, and by the careful study of the best books.

The life that is within us is a part of an eternity of life, and is organized spirit, which is clothed upon by tabernacles, thereby constituting our present being, which is designed for the attainment of further intelligence. The matter composing our bodies and spirits has been organized from the eternity of matter that fills immensity.

Were I to fully speak what I know and understand concerning myself and others, you might think me to be infringing. I shall therefore omit some things that I would otherwise say to you if the people were prepared to receive them.

Jesus Christ says, "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent." We are not now in a capacity to know him in his fulness of glory. We know a few things that he has revealed concerning himself, but there are a great many which we do not know. When people have secured to themselves eternal life, they are where they can understand the true character of their Father and God, and the object of the creation, fall, and redemption of man after the creation of this world. These points have ever been subjects for speculation with all classes of believers, and are subjects of much interest, to those who entertain a deep anxiety to know how to secure to themselves eternal life. Our bodies are organized from the eternity of matter, from such matter as we breathe, and from such matter as is found in the vegetable and mineral kingdoms. This matter is organized into a world, with all its appendages, by whom? By the Almighty and women who are made in the image of God.

All this vast creation was produced from element in its unorganized state; the mountains, rivers, seas, valleys, plains, and the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms beneath and around us, all speaking forth the wonderful works of the Great God. Shall I say that the seeds of vegetables were planted here by the Characters that framed and, built this world—that the seeds of every plant composing the vegetable kingdom were brought from another world? This would be news to many of you. Who brought them here? It matters little to us whether it was John, James, William, Adam, or Bartholomew who brought them; but it was some Being who had power to frame this earth with its seas, valleys, mountains, and rivers, and cause it to teem with vegetable and animal life.

Here let me state to all philosophers of every class upon the earth, When you tell me that father Adam was made as we make adobies from the earth, you tell me what I deem an idle tale. When you tell me that the beasts of the field were produced in that manner, you are speaking idle words devoid of meaning. There is no such thing in all the eternities where the Gods dwell. Mankind are here because they are the offspring of parents who were first brought here from another planet, and power was given them to propagate their species, and they were commanded to multiply and replenish the earth. The offspring of Adam and Eve are commanded to take the rude elements, and, by the knowledge God has given, to convert them into everything required for their life, health, adornment, wealth, comfort, and consolation. Have we the knowledge to do this? We have. Who gave us this knowledge? Our Father who made us; for he is the only wise God, and to

"But, where could you hide plants on a roof like that?"

In the gutters. Trust me. I forgot to clean my gutters last fall and I had little oak trees growing out of them last spring.

Jean

Then there were my comments. You weren't to comment on the Article 7, but on my comments.

Guess that could have been more clear, couldn't it? :>)

Aye, that could have been clearer.

You need remember that Finney was a lawyer by training...which does not speak well of his character, (fortunately the Grace of God is sufficient for all, but it's awful close in the case of lawyers).

As a result he was not above playing "games" with language, as was evident during his examination for preaching credentials in the Presbyterian Church. If i seemed over critical of that statement, it was for good reason.

i have to go away for a few hours, be back this evening (EST)

"...I forgot to clean my gutters last fall ..."

Make that: I forgot to clean my gutters a year ago last fall...

Jean

Re. 720.

Not just Reformed Baptist, but a Reformed Southern Baptist congregation. The fact that they adhere to the "Abstract of Principles" shows that they are standing firmly on the foundation of our Convention. May their tribe increase!

Ahhh, but they do seem to be Reformed Baptists

They are Southern Baptists. (Not that there are always terribly important differences between SBC Calvinists and Reformed Baptists, but I thought I should point out that the SBC folks usually don't use the "Reformed" terminology.)

Anyway, I do wonder how the MJ could be hidden on the roof! And I wonder who was tending it (if anyone)!

You do have a point: "Reformed Southern Baptist" is a bit unwieldy, especially since Southern Baptists started out as Calvinists, and didn't need to be re-Reformed (even if some of them sometimes need to be reminded that they have strayed from their roots if they are not Calvinistic.)

"(Not that there are always terribly important differences between SBC Calvinists and Reformed Baptists, but I thought I should point out that the SBC folks usually don't use the "Reformed" terminology.)"

It seems like I might be able to find a joke with 2 Baptists and a bridge....

"Anyway, I do wonder how the MJ could be hidden on the roof! And I wonder who was tending it (if anyone)!"

Well, according to the story, the weed was being grown as the found water next to it. I'm guessing that somebody figured that the cops (or mom & dad) wouldn't look for his stuff if he hid it on the local church roof.

And now the joke (only slightly crass):

"Do you know why you should always invite TWO Baptists to go fishing with you?"
"Because if you only invite one, he'll drink all your beer . . invite two and they won't drink any."

Welcome abord lad or lass, which ever the case may be!

for the record, lad.

Actually, I fit right in on this thread, having married into a Scottish heritage; though my wife is English, her father's family are Scottish (Lees, of the MacPherson clan). We actually lived in Edinburgh for three months in 1998 working with recovering drug addicts and children and families with AIDS. I loved living there, loved the work I did, loved the people, but we lived in Leith right off the Firth of Forth and I have never been sooooo cold in my life (L.A. born and bred me).

Other than the weather, and the fact that they paved John Knox's grave and put up a parking lot, I loved every single thing about what I saw of Scotland, and would love to go back to live again.

Good point. The SBC's Founders' Conferences have made a LOT of progress in educating SBC pastors about the fact that ALL of the SBC's founders were Five-Point Calvinists.

Do you remember mentioning to me that you heard a great black preacher from Houston preach a solidly Calvinistic sermon? Well, after some checking, I traced him to a huge SBC church with 14,000 members. All of their officers are solid Calvinists. And their church's statement of faith is clearly Calvinistic.

(If I am not mistaken, this is about the third largest church in Houston. This tells us that the SBC is a potentially explosive source of Calvinistic evangelism. I honestly suspect that the SBC Calvinists will dwarf all of the other Reformed movements pretty soon.)

I understand that Voddie is no longer at the big church I mentioned earlier, but he is highly respected down here. He recently served as a supply pastor at First Baptist in Houston. (He may still be doing that.)

A man was standing off the edge of the Sydney Harbour Bridge --about to jump.

A passer-by tried to talk him down; he asked: "well, are you a Christian?" to which the man answered "yes."

He exclaimed: "great, me too; what kind of Christian are you? Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant?"

The answer was: "Protestant."

"Me too; what kind of Protestant? Anglican, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Pentecostal?"

The answer was: "Pentecostal."

The man got excited: "me too; are you an initial evidence or a third wave Pentecostal?"

"Initial evidence."

"Me too; what kind of initial evidence? Are you a AOG, CRC, COC, CCC?"

"AOG."

Now, he got really excited: "Me too; are you Premillenial, Post Millenial or Amillenial?"

The guy on the bridge said: "Amillenial" and with that the passer-by, becoming very angry, screamed: "Die, heretic!" and pushed him off the bridge.

Why was Isaac 12 years old when God called Abraham to sacrifice his son?

Because if he had been a teenager, it wouldn't have been a sacrifice at all.

P.S. Ask the_doc what he was tempted to say in response to my beer & Baptists joke....

P.P.S. I like what Voddie is saying about worship. It is one area where my church is very expressive.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.