Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, chapter 5

The Earth: Its Creation And Destiny
by Joseph Fielding Smith, comp. Bruce R. McConkie
 

Many Earths and Their Salvation

EARTHS CREATED FOR MAN. The Lord declared to Moses that his great work and glory is "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." For this purpose earths have been and are now being built; and the Lord's purpose is to provide for his children immortality and eternal life, not only on this earth, but on the countless earths throughout the universe. They are numberless to man, yet our Father knows them all and they are numbered unto him. The Lord has said: "And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words." 1

HOW EARTHS PASS AWAY. This passing away does not mean that earths grow old and die, becoming cold, lifeless bodies, wandering through space, perhaps to disintegrate, be broken up and in some unknown manner be recreated, by some natural force working on the energy in the universe. We have every reason to believe that the passing away of an earth simply means that it will undergo, or has undergone, the same definite course which is destined for our earth, and the Lord has made that perfectly clear. This earth is a living body. It is true to the law given it. It was created to become a  body and the abode for  beings. 2

Other earths, no doubt, are being prepared as habitations for terrestrial and telestial beings, for there must be places prepared for those who fail to obtain  glory, who receive immortality but not eternal life. Moreover, since the Lord has never created anything to be destroyed, 3 every earth, whether created for  glory, or for terrestrial or telestial, will have to pass through the condition of death and the resurrection, just the same as our earth will have to do. The "passing away," therefore, means that after they have finished their "probationary state in mortality, they will die and be raised again to receive the "glory" for which they were designed, and to become the eternal abodes of man. 4

LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION OF THE EARTH. In one of the revelations to Joseph Smith the Lord said to the Church and to all who are willing to receive it: "And again, verily, verily, I say unto you that when the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth but for a little season. The Lord here is speaking of his second coming, of the millennial reign which shall be followed by a short period of wickedness and then the end.

The revelation continues: "And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth." This does not mean that this earth shall pass away and another take its place, and the heaven thereof shall pass away, and another heaven take its place; but that the earth and its heaven shall, after passing away through death, be renewed again in immortality.

This earth is living and must die, but since it keeps the law it shall be restored through the resurrection by which it shall became ized and the abode of  beings. The next verse of this revelation explains this as follows: "For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand." 5

ATONEMENT FOR EARTH AND ALL LIFE. So we see that the Lord intends to save not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be recreated, or renewed, through the resurrection, for they too are living souls. 6 The earth, as a living body, will have to die and be resurrected, for it, too, has been redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. 7

THE LORD'S BLUEPRINT OF CREATION

CHRIST CREATED MANY WORLDS. Under the direction of his Father, Jesus Christ created this earth. No doubt others helped him, but it was Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who, under the direction of his Father, came down and organized matter and made this planet, so that it might be inhabited by the children of God. 8

Jesus Christ is the light and the life of men; he was a Creator before this world was made. But we are not concerned so much just now with the works he then performed, nor are we concerned just now with these other worlds and their inhabitants.

This we know, and that will suffice until all things are revealed, the inhabitants of these worlds created by Jesus Christ, are begotten sons and daughters unto God. Life did not originate here. Man did not first come into existence here. We are told by our Father in heaven that man is eternal; that he has always existed, and that all life on this earth came from elsewhere. We may not be able to comprehend all this now, but the time will come in the providence of the Lord, when all these things shall be made known and we shall have knowledge in the fulness. 9

ADAM AND OTHERS HELPED IN CREATION. It is true that Adam helped to form this earth. He labored with our Savior Jesus Christ. I have a strong view or conviction that there were others also who assisted them. Perhaps Noah and Enoch; and why not Joseph Smith, and those who were appointed to be rulers before the earth was formed? We know that Jesus our Savior was a Spirit when this great work was done. He did all of these mighty works before he tabernacled in the flesh. 10

THE CREATORS PLAN THE CREATION. The account of the creation in the Book of Abraham is "The Lord's Blueprint of Creation." By this I mean Abraham gives an account of the planning in heaven for this earth and its inhabitants, before the work of building was done. I do not say that this planning contemplated the creation of the sun or other heavenly bodies, but rather the placing of the earth in the position which it was to occupy in relation to these orbs. 11

PHYSICAL CREATION OF ALL THINGS

ACCOUNT OF PHYSICAL CREATION. While it is true that all things were created spiritually, or as spirits, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth, this creation, we are informed, was in heaven. This applies to animals of all descriptions and also to plant life, before there was flesh upon the earth, or in the water, or in the air. 12 The account of the creation of the earth as given in Genesis, and the Book of Moses, and as given in the temple, is the creation of the physical earth, and of physical animals and plants. 13 I think the temple account, which was given by revelation, is the clearest of all of these. These physical creations were made out of the natural elements.

NO REVEALED ACCOUNT OF SPIRIT CREATION. There is no account of the creation of man or other forms of life when they were created as spirits. There is just the simple statement that they were so created before the physical creation. The statements in Moses 3:5 and Genesis 2:5 are interpolations thrown into the account of the physical creation, explaining that all things were first created in the spirit existence in heaven before they were placed upon this earth.

We were all created untold ages before we were placed on this earth. We discover from Abraham 3:22-28, that it was before the earth was formed that the plan of salvation was presented to the spirits, or "intelligences." This being true, then man, animals and plants were not created in the spirit at the time of the creation of the earth, but long before.

SPIRITUAL OR PHYSICAL, AND SPIRIT CREATIONS. The account of creation in Genesis was not a spirit creation, but it was in a particular sense, a spiritual creation. This, of course, needs some explanation. The account in Genesis, chapters one and two, is the account of the creation of the physical earth. The account of the placing of all life upon the earth, up and until the fall of Adam, is an account, in a sense, of the spiritual creation of all of these, but it was also a physical creation. When the Lord said he would create Adam, he had no reference to the creation of his spirit for that had taken place ages and ages before when he was in the world of spirits and known as Michael. 14

Adam's body was created from the dust of the earth, but at that time it was a spiritual earth, Adam had a spiritual body until mortality came upon him through the violation of the law under which he was living, but he also had a physical body of flesh and bones.

NATURE OF A SPIRITUAL BODY. Now what is a spiritual body? It is one that is quickened by spirit and not by blood. Our Father in heaven and our Savior and all those who have passed through the resurrection have physical bodies of flesh and bones, but their bodies are quickened by spirit and not by blood, hence they are spiritual bodies and not blood bodies. The immortal body is quickened by spirit, but the mortal body is quickened by blood. The Lord said to Noah, that blood is the life of the body in this mortal sphere. 15 In latter-day revelation we have the following:

"For notwithstanding they die, they also shall rise again, a spiritual body. They who are of a  spirit shall receive the same body which was a natural body [i.e, a mortal body]; even ye shall receive your bodies, and your glory shall be that glory by which your bodies are quickened." 16

From this we have the Lord's endorsement of a spiritual body being the body which has ceased to be a blood body. Now when Adam was in the Garden of Eden, he was not subject to death. There was no blood in his body and he could have remained there forever. This is true of all the other creations. 17 This statement may not be very pleasing to our evolutionists, but it is true.

ADAM: FIRST MAN AND FIRST FLESH. After the fall, which came by a transgression of the law under which Adam was living, the forbidden fruit had the power to create blood and change his nature and mortality took the place of immortality, and all things, partaking of the change, became mortal. Now I repeat, the account in Genesis one and two, is the account of the physical creation of the earth and all upon it, but the creation was not subject to mortal law until after the fall. It was, therefore, a spiritual creation and so remained until the fall when it became temporal, or mortal. 18

There was no living thing upon the earth until it was prepared for living life. The Pearl of Great Price does not say that man was the first living thing on the earth, but that he was the first flesh and the first man also. He became the first mortal flesh when he fell. By flesh is meant mortality, and Adam was the first mortal on the earth; but animals and other forms of life were placed on earth first, and he was not on the earth until everything was prepared for him. Since Adam was the first man on the earth, that does away with the false notion that there were pre-Adamites. 19

AGE OF THE EARTH

TIME ELEMENT IN THE CREATION. This earth was created on the Lord's time, which is  time. By revelation we know exactly the nature of that time, and just how many days of  time were required to create this earth. Moreover, we know how long this earth has endured, approximately, and how long it will endure according to our present rate of reckoning. The Lord revealed to Abraham:

"And the Lord said unto me, by the Urim and Thummim, that Kolob was after the manner of the Lord, according to its times and seasons in the revolutions thereof; that one revolution was a day unto the Lord, after his manner of reckoning, it being one thousand years according to the time appointed unto that whereon thou standest. This is the reckoning of the Lord's time, according to the reckoning of KolobÂ?.

"And thus there shall be the reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which Kolob is after the reckoning of the Lord's time; which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest." 20

 TIME USED IN CREATION. Also: "Fig. 1. Kolob, signifying the first creation, nearest to the , or the residence of God. First in government, the last pertaining to the measurement of time. The measurement according to  time, which  time signifies one day to a cubit. One day in Kolob is equal to a thousand years according to the measurement of this earth, which is called by the Egyptians Jah-oh-eh." 21

When this earth was created, it was not according to our present time, but it was created according to Kolob's time, for the Lord has said it was created on  time which is Kolob's time. Then he revealed to Abraham that Adam was subject to Kolob's time before his transgression. "Now I, Abraham, saw that it was after the Lord's time, which was after the time of Kolob; for as yet the Gods had not appointed unto Adam his reckoning." 22

AGE OF THE EARTH SINCE ADAM. We have evidence beyond dispute that Adam was driven out of the Garden of Eden about 6,000 years ago, or perhaps a short time less. It is possible for us, by using the Bible chronology and that given by the Lord in the Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants to figure this almost accurately.

In the Book of Revelation, chapters five to 10, we have the story of the opening of the seven seals by the Lamb, each seal representing 1,000 years of the temporal existence of this earth. In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 88:92-116, we have the confirmation of this with other detail in regard to the opening of the seals. In section 77:6-15, we have more information in relation to the opening of these seals, with the following significant detail:

Verse 6: "Q. What are we to understand by the book which John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals?

"A. We are to understand that it contains the revealed will, mysteries, and works of God; the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence."

TEMPORARY EXISTENCE OF EARTH. Here is a definite statement by revelation to us that this earth will go through 7,000 years of temporal existence. Temporal, by all interpretations, means passing, temporary or mortal. This, then, has reference to the earth in its fallen state, for the earth was cursed when Adam, who was given dominion over it, transgressed the law. Before that time this earth was not mortal any more than Adam was. This we learn from other scriptures; for instance, see 2 Nephi 2:22.

In verse 12, section 77 the Prophet by inspiration from the Lord, sets days of a thousand years off against years of our measurement, in these words:

"We are to understand that as God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his work, and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth, even so, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years will the Lord God sanctify the earth, and complete the salvation of man, and judge all things, and shall redeem all things, except that which he hath not put into his power, when he shall have sealed all things, unto the end of all things; and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels are the preparing and finishing of his work, in the beginning of the seventh thousand years-the preparing of the way before the time of his coming."

CREATION DID NOT TAKE MILLIONS OF YEARS. Here we have the Prophet comparing the days of creation with seven periods of 1,000 years each, corresponding to days, according to the Lord's time, in harmony with the teaching of Abraham and the other scriptures. The earth's temporal existence, according to this, is to endure for just one week, or seven days of 1,000 years each. Moreover, since the earth was built according to the  time, which is the Lord's days, which he clearly defined to Abraham, we can hardly be justified in trying to harmonize the days of creation with the extended periods of millions of years according to the reckoning of the so-called scientists.

Both from the Bible and from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, we know that the flood came in the year 1600 from the driving of Adam out of the Garden of Eden. We know that Abraham was living in the days of Shem, son of Noah, if not in the days of Noah himself. Profane history corroborates the history of Israel and Abraham. So a man is wilfully blind who would push these days back tens of thousands, much less, hundreds of thousands of years.

MEANING OF THE MERIDIAN OF TIME. Moreover, our Savior came in the . That dispensation is called the dispensation of the . This means that it was about half way from the beginning of "time" to the end of "time." Anyone who desires can figure it for himself that our Lord came about 4,000 years from the time of the fall. The millennium is to come some time following the 2,000 years after his coming. Then there is to be the millennium for 1,000 years, and following that a "little season," the length of which is not revealed, but which may bring "time" to its end about 8,000 years from the beginning.

We have seen that the Lord had not given to this earth its present time until after the fall. Before that time it was subject to Kolob's time, which is eternal time. After the temporal existence of the earth is finished, it will again go back on  time, and there shall be "time no longer." 23 This does not mean that the inhabitants of the earth, who will be  beings, will not reckon by time, but by a different time-Kolob's time which the Lord says is his time.

If men prefer to believe the strong delusions taught by evolutionists, rather than what the Lord has revealed, we cannot help it, but it certainly shows in them a lack of faith, which is not to their credit.

THE TELESTIAL EARTH

FOUR STAGES OF EARTH'S EXISTENCE. This earth is passing through four grand degrees or stages: 1. The creation and the condition antedating the fall. 2. The telestial condition which has prevailed since the fall of Adam. 3. The terrestrial condition that will prevail when the Savior comes and ushers in the millennia] era. 4. The  or final state of the earth when it has obtained its exaltation. There is, also, what the Lord has called a "little season," following the millennium when Satan will be loosed and the last great battle will be fought. 24

TELESTIAL STATUS RESULT OF ADAM'S FALL. When the earth was created, the Lord pronounced it good. Everything on its face was created without the seeds of death and could have endured forever. This is taught, among other places, in 2 Nephi 2:22. Death had not entered the world, and Adam was immortal in the sense that he was not subject to death. However, he had not passed through the resurrection, and, therefore, he was in a condition by which he could fall so that his body would become subject to death or mortality. This happened and this condition then passed upon the earth and all creatures living upon it.

From the time Adam was driven out of the Garden until now this earth and its inhabitants, man, beast, fowl, fish, and every creature has been subject to death. The earth itself must die and receive its resurrection. This present condition, which we refer to as a telestial condition, will endure until Christ comes. We are informed that this temporal existence will endure for 6,000 years. 25

TELESTIAL STATUS SOON TO END. The days of this earth's present condition in its scenes of wickedness, of crime, of greed, when Satan rules, are drawing to their close. Before many days shall pass, Satan shall be bound, that he shall have no place in the hearts of the children of men. Christ shall come to take possession of the earth, since it belongs to him, and he is the rightful ruler. We are promised that he shall reign upon the earth for 1,000 years, but when that time comes, only the righteous, the God-fearing, the humble, the meek, shall inherit the earth.

TELESTIAL WORLD RULED BY SATAN. This earth, since its fall, must pass through three distinct stages. We are in one of those stages now. In this mortal condition, which has continued since the days of Adam until now, wickedness has prevailed on the earth. Satan has had sway. Me has usurped authority and found favor with men. Through his power, his cunning and craftiness, he has won mankind very largely over to his side.

But this condition, as I have said, is drawing to its close. The day is near at hand when this earth itself shall be changed, when righteousness shall prevail, and wickedness cease upon its face. Then, for 1,000 years, the earth shall rest; and that will be the second stage in the history of this planet since man was placed upon it. 26

END OF WORLD IS NOT END OF EARTH. The world is not the earth. The end of the world does not mean the destruction of the earth and everything upon it.

The disciples came to Christ shortly before his crucifixion seeking further light concerning certain statements he had made pertaining to the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world. In the translation which has come to us we do not get the clearest understanding, but from the inspired rendering which has been given to us in modern days, through Joseph Smith, the Prophet, certain matters which were not clear to the world are made clear to the Latter-day Saints and I shall read one or two paragraphs from the revision of the 24th chapter of Matthew.

"And Jesus left them, and went upon the Mount of Olives. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the temple, and the Jews; and what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world?

"And Jesus answered, and said unto them: . . . And again, this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of the wicked." 27

The Lord was not speaking of the end of the earth. The disciples were not asking concerning the end of the earth; they were asking concerning Christ's second coming, which would bring to pass the end of wickedness, or the end of the world as it is now constituted, and the Lord gave them the answer. 28

THE TERRESTRIAL EARTH

 EARTH TO BE RENEWED. When our Savior comes, the earth will be changed to a terrestrial condition and will then be made the fit abode for terrestrial beings, and this condition will last until after the close of the millennium when the earth will die and be raised again in a resurrection to receive its glory as a  body, which is its final state.

We are living in the great day of restoration. The Lord has declared that all things are to be restored to their primitive condition. Our Tenth Article of Faith says, "We believe . . . that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory." Too many have the idea that this has reference to the ized earth, but this is not the case. It refers to the restored earth as it will be when Christ comes to reign. This is taught in Isaiah 65:17-25, and in the Doctrine and Covenants, section 101:23-31.

RESTORATION OF THE EARTH. Joseph Smith gave this inspired summary of latter-day events: "There shall be famine, and pestilence, and earthquake in divers places; and the prophets have declared that the valleys should rise; that the mountains should be laid low; that a great earthquake should be, in which the sun should become black as sack-cloth of hair, and the moon turn into blood; yea, the Eternal God hath declared that the great deep shall roll back into the north countries and that the land of Zion and the land of Jerusalem shall be joined together, as they were before they were divided in the days of Peleg. No wonder the mind starts at the sound of the last days!" 29

Here the Prophet tells us that the dividing of the earth was in the days of Peleg. 30 When Christ comes, it will be brought back again as it was before it was divided.

EARTH TO BE RESTORED TO PARADISIACAL GLORY. Now in time past this earth had a paradisiacal glory, and then came the fall, bringing a change, and that change has been upon the earth in the neighborhood of 6,000 years.

What is meant by the restoration of the earth? This earth is to be renewed and brought back to the condition in which it was before it was cursed through the fall of Adam. When Adam passed out of the Garden of Eden, then the earth became a telestial world, and it is of that order today. I do not mean a telestial glory such as will be found in telestial worlds after their resurrection, but a telestial condition which has been from the days of Adam until now and will continue until Christ comes.

WICKED WILL BURN AS STUBBLE. When Christ comes, the earth will be changed and so will all upon its face. It will become a terrestrial world then and will so remain for 1,000 years; and all those who have lived a telestial law will be eliminated. They will be as stubble and be consumed. The earth will be cleansed from its wickedness and pass into the terrestrial order. This will necessitate a change in the very elements of the earth, and also of its inhabitants; yet they will still be mortal. Those who belong to the terrestrial order will dwell upon the earth during this period. 31

TIME OF FIRST RESURRECTION. The Lord tells us that in that day the heathen nations shall be redeemed and they who knew no law shall have part in the resurrection which to us is known as the first. "At his coming," apparently meaning after he has established his government and holy order, those will come forth who have kept the terrestrial law. Those who have kept the  law will come forth to meet him in the clouds preceding the resurrection of the terrestrial inhabitants. 32

NON-MEMBERS OF CHURCH DURING MILLENNIUM. Some members of the Church have an erroneous idea that when the millennium comes all of the people are going to be swept off the earth except righteous members of the Church. That is not so. There will be millions of people, Catholics, Protestants, agnostics, Mohammedans, people of all classes, and of all beliefs, still permitted to remain upon the face of the earth, but they will be those who have lived clean lives, those who have been free from wickedness and corruption. All who belong, by virtue of their good lives, to the terrestrial order, as well as those who have kept the  law, will remain upon the face of the earth during the millennium. 33

Eventually, however, the knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters do the sea. But there will be need for the preaching of the gospel, after the millennium is brought in, until all men are either converted or pass away. In the course of the thousand years all men will either come into the Church, or kingdom of God, or they will die and pass away. In that day there will be no death until men are old. Children will not die but will live to the age of a tree. Isaiah says this is 100 years. When the time comes for men to die, they will be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and there will be no graves. 34

EARTH AFTER THE MILLENNIUM. Will the earth go back to the telestial order after the millennium? No, but the people on the face of the earth, many of them, will be like the Nephites who lived 200 years after the coming of Christ. They will rebel against the Lord knowingly, and the great last struggle will come, and the devil and his forces will be defeated; then the earth will die and receive its resurrection and become a  body. The resurrection of the wicked will take place as one of the last events before the earth dies. 35

THE  EARTH

"THE BATTLE OF THE GREAT GOD." After the thousand years Satan will be loosed again and will go forth again to deceive the nations. Because men are still mortal, Satan will go out to deceive them. Men will again deny the Lord, but in doing so they will act with their eyes open and because they love darkness rather than light, and so they become sons of perdition. Satan will gather his hosts, both those on the earth and the wicked dead who will eventually also be brought forth in the resurrection. Michael, the prince, will gather his forces and the last great battle will be fought. Satan will be defeated with his hosts. Then will come the end. Satan and those who follow him will be banished into outer darkness.

 DESTINY OF THE EARTH. The earth will be cleansed again. It was once baptized in water. When Christ comes, it will be baptized with fire and the power of the Holy Ghost. At the end of the world the earth will die; it will be dissolved, pass away, and then it will be renewed, or raised with a resurrection. It will receive its resurrection to become a  body, so that they of the  order may possess it forever and ever. Then it will shine forth as the sun and take its place among the worlds that are redeemed. When this time comes the terrestrial inhabitants will also be taken away and be consigned to another sphere suited to their condition. Then the words of the Savior will be fulfilled, for the meek shall inherit the earth. 36

WHEN THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH. The Lord gave the promise to Abraham that he should have Palestine, or the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession. 37 Yet, as Stephen said at the time of his martyrdom, Abraham never received as much as a foot of it as a possession while he lived. 38

Then what did the Lord mean in making a promise to Abraham of that kind, giving him that portion of the earth as an everlasting possession for himself and his posterity, the righteous part of it, forever? Simply this, that the time would eventually come, after the resurrection from the dead, when Abraham and his children who have been faithful in the keeping of the commandments of the Lord, should possess that land, and they shall also spread forth as far as it is necessary for them to receive an inheritance.

The Lord gave this land upon which we dwell, America, as an everlasting possession to Joseph, the son of Jacob. His posterity, when cleansed from sin, and when they come forth in the resurrection, shall inherit this part of the earth. This land shall be theirs forever. 39

The Lord gave this land also to others at an earlier date, the Jaredites, and they, too, who are righteous among them, shall possess it forever. 40

 EARTH TO BE A  SUN. It is my opinion that the great stars that we see, including our sun, are  worlds; at least worlds that have passed on to their exaltation or other final resurrected status. This is in conflict, of course, with the teachings of scientific men, who declare that the sun is losing its energy and gradually cooling off and will eventually be a dead world. I do not believe the Lord has any such thing in his plan. The Lord lives in "everlasting burnings" we are informed. President Brigham Young has said that this earth when it is ized will shine like the sun, and why not?

 "If the people could fully understand this matter," he said, "they would perceive that it is perfectly reasonable and has been the law of all worlds. And this world, so benighted at present, and so lightly esteemed by infidels, as observed by Brother Clements, when it becomes ized, it will be like the sun, and be prepared for the habitation of the saints, and be brought back into the presence of the Father and the Son. It will not then be an opaque body as it now is, but it will be like the stars of the firmament, full of light and glory; it will be a body of light. John compared it, in its ized state, to a sea of glass." 41

 Orson Pratt has given us the following: "Who, in looking upon the earth as it ascends in the scale of the universe, does not desire to keep pace with it? that when it shall be classed in its turn, among the dazzling orbs of the blue vault of heaven, shining forth in all the splendor of  glory, he may find himself proportionally advanced in the scale of intellectual and moral excellence? Who, but the most abandoned, does not desire to be counted worthy to associate with those higher orders of beings who have been redeemed, exalted, and glorified together with the worlds they inhabit, ages before the foundations of our earth were laid? O man, remember the future destiny and the glory of the earth, and secure thine everlasting inheritance upon the same, that when it shall be glorious, thou shalt be glorious also." 42

Conf. Rep., Oct., 1928, pp. 99-100.

Pers. Corresp.

Millennial Star, vol. 93, p. 241; D. & C. 38:1-3; John 1:1-5; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Eph. 3:9.

Conf. Rep., Oct., 1925, p. 113; Moses 1:32-33; D. & C. 76:24; 93:10; Heb. 1:2.

Abra. 3:24.

Abra. 4:1-31; 5:1-21.

Moses 3:5, 9; Gen. 2:5, 9.

Moses 1, 2, 3; Gen. 1, 2.

Moses 2:26-28; Gen. 1:26-28.

Gen. 9:4; Lev. 17:11, 14.

D. & C. 88:27-28; 1 Cor. 15:44-54.

2 Ne. 2:22.

D. & C. 77:6.

Joseph Fielding Smith. Man: His Origin and Destiny, chapters 15, 16, 17.

Abra. 3:4, 9.

Book of Abraham, p. 35, figure 1.

Abra. 5:13.

D & C. 88:110-111.

D. & C. 29:22-23, 43:30-31; 88:101-115; Rev. 20:3-9.

Pers. Corresp.

Millennial Star vol. 93, pp. 241-242.

Joseph Smith 1:4-5, 31.

Church News, Nov. 3, 1934, p. 4.

Evening and Morning Star, Feb. . 1835; D. & C. 49:23; 109:74; 133:17-25, 44; Isa. 40:4; 54:10; Ezek. 38:20; Rev. 16:15-20.

Gen. 10:25.

D. & C. 63:20-21; 101:23-31; Malachi 3:2-3: 4:1-6; Joseph Smith 2:36-40; 3 Ne. 20:23.

Pers. Corresp.; D. & C. 45:54-55; 88:96-99.

Church News, Nov. 3, 1934, p. 8.

D. & C. 101:23-31; Isa. 65:17-25.

D. & C. 88:25-26, 100-116.

Pers. Corresp.; D. & C. 29:22-30; 88:14-33, 95-116; Rev. 4:6; 15:1-4; 20:1-15: 21:1-27; 22:1-5.

Gen. 17:1-8.

Acts 7:5.

Gen. 49:22-26.

Millennial Star, vol. 93, pp. 243-244; Ether 1:41-43.

Journal of Discourses, vol. 7, p. 163.

Pers. Corresp.; Millennial Star, vol. 12, p. 72.

Abra. 3:22-25; 5:4-8; Moses 3:7; Rev. 12:7-9.

Rel. Soc. Mag., vol. 39, pp. 4-5.

Alma 42:2; Gen. 2:7; D. & C. 77:12; Moses 3:7.

Moses 4:25; Gen. 3:19.

Pers. Corresp.



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