He a.s.sociates with myriads of His own begotten sons and daughters who, by translation or resurrection, have triumphed over death.

His ministers are sent forth from His presence to all parts of His dominions.

His Holy Spirit centres in His presence, and communicates with, and extends to the utmost verge of His dominions, comprehending and controlling all things under the immediate direction of His own will, and the will of all those in communication with Him, in worlds without end!

CHAPTER VI.

ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE.

Boundless infinitude of time, and s.p.a.ce, And elements eternal! Who can trace Earth with its treasures, Heaven with its spheres, Time's revolutions, eternity's years?

But what are all these, when measured by thee, But marks on thy dial, or motes on thy sea!

The idea of a G.o.d without "body, parts, or pa.s.sions," is not more absurd or inconsistent than that modern popular doctrine, that all things were created from nonent.i.ty, or in other words, that something originated from nothing.

It is a self-evident truth, which will not admit of argument, that nothing remains nothing. Nonent.i.ty is the negative of all existence.

This negative possesses no property or element upon which the energies of creative power can operate.

This mysticism must, therefore, share the fate of the other mysteries of false Theology and philosophy, which have for ages shrouded the world in the sable curtains of a long and dreary night. It must evaporate and disappear as a mere creation of fancy, while, in its place, are introduced the following self-evident and incontrovertible facts--

First. There has always existed a boundless infinitude of s.p.a.ce.

Second. Intermingled with this s.p.a.ce there exists all the varieties of the elements, properties, or things of which intelligence takes cognizance; which elements or things taken altogether compose what is called the Universe.

Third. The elements of all these properties or things are eternal, uncreated, self-existing. Not one particle can be added to them by creative power. Neither can one particle be diminished or annihilated.

Fourth. These eternal, self-existing elements possess in themselves certain inherent properties or attributes, in a greater or less degree; or, in other words, they possess intelligence, adapted to their several spheres.

These elements have been separated, by philosophers, into two grand divisions, viz.--

"PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL."

To a mind matured, or quickened with a fulness of intelligence, so as to be conversant with all the elements of nature, there is no use for the distinction implied in such terms.

To speak more philosophically, all the elements are spiritual, all are physical, all are material, tangible realities. Spirit is matter, and matter is full of spirit. Because all things which do exist are eternal realities, in their elementary existence.

Who then can define the precise point, in the scale of elementary existence, which divides between the physical and spiritual kingdoms?

There are eyes which can discern the most refined particles of elementary existence. There are hands and fingers to whose refined touch all things are tangible.

In the capacity of mortals, however, some of the elements are tangible, or visible, and others invisible. Those which are tangible to our senses, we call physical; those which are more subtle and refined, we call spiritual.

Spirit is intelligence, or the light of truth, which filleth all things.

Its several emotions or affections, such as love, joy, &c., are but so many actions or motions of these elements, as they operate in their several spheres.

By these actions or emotions the elements manifest their eternal energies, attributes, or inherent powers.

In contemplating the works of creation, then, the student must not conceive the idea that s.p.a.ce, or time, or element, or intelligence, was originated, but rather, that these are eternal, and that they const.i.tute the energies which act, and the things acted upon, including the place and time of action.

The whole vast structure of universal organized existence, presents undeniable evidence of three facts, viz.--

First. The eternal existence of the elements of which it is composed.

Second. The eternal existence of the attributes of intelligence, and wisdom to design.

Third. The eternal existence of power, to operate upon and control these eternal elements, so as to carry out the plans of the designer.

It will be recollected that the last chapter recognizes a family of G.o.ds, or, in other words, a species of beings, who have physical tabernacles of flesh and bones, in the form of man, but so constructed as to be capable of eternal life; that these tabernacles are quickened, or animated by a fulness of that holiest of all elements, which is called the Holy Spirit, which element or spirit, when organized, in individual form, and clothed upon with flesh and bones in the highest possible refinement, contains, in itself, a fulness of the attributes of light, intelligence, wisdom, love, and power; also that there are vast quant.i.ties of this spirit or element not organized in bodily forms, but widely diffused among the other elements of s.p.a.ce.

A General a.s.sembly, Quorum, or Grand Council of the G.o.ds, with their President at their head, const.i.tute the designing and creating power.

The motive power, which moves to action this grand creative power, is wisdom, which discovers a use for all these riches, and inspires the carrying out of all the designs in an infinite variety of utility and adaptation.

Wisdom inspires the G.o.ds to multiply their species and to lay the foundation for all the forms of life, to increase in numbers, and for each to enjoy himself in the sphere to which he is adapted, and in the possession and use of that portion of the elements necessary to his existence and happiness.

In order to multiply organized bodies, composed of spiritual element, worlds and mansions composed of spiritual element would be necessary as a home, adapted to their existence and enjoyment. As these spiritual bodies increased in numbers, other spiritual worlds would be necessary, on which to transplant them.

Again. In order to enable these organized spirits to take upon them a fleshly tabernacle, physical worlds, with all their variety and fulness, would be necessary for their homes, food, clothing, &c., that they might be begotten, sustained, and born, that they might live, die, and rise again to receive their inheritances on their respective earths.

Hence the great work of regeneration of worlds, or the renovation and adaptation of the elements to the resurrection and eternal state of man, would also be endless, or eternally progressive.

Through every form of life, and birth, and change, and resurrection, and every form of progress in knowledge and experience, the candidates for eternal life must look upon the elements as their home; hence the elements, upon the principle of adaptation, must keep pace with the possessors who use them, in all the degrees of progressive refinement.

While room is found in infinite s.p.a.ce:

While there are particles of unorganized element in Nature's storehouse:

While the trees of Paradise yield their fruits, or the Fountain of Life its river:

While the bosoms of the G.o.ds glow with affection:

While eternal charity endures, or eternity itself rolls its successive ages, the heavens will multiply, and new worlds and more people be added to the kingdoms of the Fathers.

Thus, in the progress of events, unnumbered millions of worlds, and of systems of worlds, will necessarily be called into requisition, and be filled by man, and beast, and fowl, and tree, and all the vast varieties of beings, and things which ever budded and blossomed in Eden, or thronged the hills and valleys of the celestial Paradise.

When, in the endless progression of events, the full time had arrived for infinite wisdom to organize and people this globe which we inhabit, the chaotic elements were arranged in order. It appears at the commencement of this grand work, that the elements, which are now so beautifully arranged and adapted to vegetable and animal life, were found in a state of chaos, entirely unadapted to the uses they now serve.

There was one vast mixture of elements. Earth, water, soil, atmosphere--in short, the entire elements of which this ma.s.s was composed, seem to have been completely compounded, or mingled into one vast chaos, and the whole overwhelmed with a darkness so dense as to obscure the light of heaven.

Let us turn from the contemplation of scenes so sublimely fearful.

Suffice it to say, the mandate came, darkness fled, the veil was lifted, light pierced the gloom, and chaos was made visible. Oh what a scene! A world without landscape, without vegetation, without animal life, without man, or animated beings. No sound broke on the stillness, save the voice of the moaning winds, and of dashing, foaming waters. Again, a voice comes booming over the abyss, and echoing amid the wastes, the ma.s.s of matter hears and trembles, and lo! the sea retires, the muddy shapeless ma.s.s lifts its head above the waters.

Molehills to mountains grow. Huge islands next appear, and continents at length expand to view, with hill and vale, in one wide dreary waste, unmeasured and untrodden.

The surface, warmed and dried by the cheering rays of the now resplendent sun, is prepared for the first seeds of vegetation.