A DISCOURSE BY PRESIDENT BRIGHAM YOUNG, DELIVERED IN THETABERNACLE, GREAT SALT LAKE CITY, JULY 10, 1853
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Life and death are set before us, and we are at liberty to choose whichwe will.
I have frequently reflected upon these two principles, but were I toexplain in full my own views upon them, they might perhaps come too muchin contact with the feelings and views of many people.
To me, these principles are like the vision of open day upon this beautifulearth. Life and death are easily understood in the light of the Holy Ghost,but, like every thing else, they are hard to be understood in its absence.
To choose life is to choose an eternal existence in an organized capacity:to refuse life and choose death is to refuse an eternal existence in anorganized capacity, and be contented to become decomposed, and return againto native element.
Life is an accumulation of every property and principle that is calculatedto enrich, to ennoble, to enlarge, and to increase, in every particular,the dominion of individual man. To me, life would signify an extension.I have the privilege of spreading abroad, of enlarging my borders, of increasingin endless knowledge, wisdom, and power, and in every gift of God.
To live as I am, without progress, is not life, in fact we may say thatis impossible. There is no such principle in existence, neither can therebe. All organized existence is in progress, either to an endless advancementin eternal perfections, or back to dissolution. You may explore all theeternities that have been, were it possible, then come to that which wenow understand according to the principles of natural philosophy, and whereis there an element, an individual living thing, an organized body, of whatevernature, that continues as it is? IT CAN NOT BE FOUND. All things that havecome within the bounds of man's limited knowledge-the things he naturallyunderstands, teach him, that there is no period, in all the eternities,wherein organized existence will become stationary, that it cannot advancein knowledge, wisdom, power, and glory.
If a man could ever arrive at the point that would put an end to theaccumulation of life-the point at which he could increase no more, and advanceno further, we should naturally say he commenced to decrease at the samepoint. Again, when he has gained the zenith of knowledge, wisdom, and power,it is the point at which he begins to retrograde; his natural abilitieswill begin to contract, and so he will continue to decrease, until all heknew is lost in the chaos of forgetfulness. As we understand naturally,this is the conclusion we must come to, if a termination to the increaseof life and the acquisition of knowledge is true.
Because of the weakness of human nature, it must crumble to the dust.But in all the revolutions and changes in the existence of men, in the eternalworld which they inhabit, and in the knowledge they have obtained as peopleon the earth, there is no such thing as principle, power, wisdom, knowledge,life, position, or anything that can be imagined, that remains stationary-theymust increase or decrease.
To me, life is increase; death is the opposite. When our fellow-creaturesdie, is it the death we talk about? The ideas we have of it are conceivedin the mind, according to a false tradition. Death does not mean what wenaturally think it means. Apparently it destroys, puts out of existence,and leaves empty space, but there is no such death as this. Death, in reality,is to decompose or decrease, and life is to increase.
Much is written in the Bible, and in the other revelations of God, andmuch is said by the people, publicly and privately, upon this subject. Lifeand death are in the world, and all are acquainted with them more or less.We live, we die, we are, we are not, are mixed up in the conversation ofevery person, to a lesser or a greater degree. Why is it so? Because allcreation is in progress; coming into existence, and going out of existence,as we use the terms; but another form of language fits this phenomenon ofnature much better, (viz.) forming, growing, increasing, then begins theopposite operation-decreasing, decomposition, returning back to native element,&c. These revolutions we measurably understand.
But to simply take the path pointed out in the Gospel, by those whohave given us the plan of salvation, is to take the path that leads to life,to eternal increase; it is to pursue that course wherein we shall NEVER,NEVER lose what we obtain, but continue to collect, to gather together,to increase, to spread abroad, and extend to all endless duration. Thosepersons who strive to gain ETERNAL LIFE, gain that which will produce theincrease their hearts will be satisfied with. Nothing less than the privilegeof increasing eternally, in every sense of the word, can satisfy the immortalspirit. If the endless stream of knowledge from the eternal fountain couldall be drunk in by organized intelligences, so sure immortality would cometo an end, and all eternity be thrown upon the retrograde path.
If mankind will choose the opposite to life held out in the Gospel,it will lead them to dissolution, to decomposition, to death; they willbe destroyed. but not as it is commonly understood. For instance, we wouldhave destroyed more of the material called flour, had we possessed it thisspring in greater abundance. We should have destroyed more of the wood thatgrows on the mountains, could we have got it with more ease, which seemsto us to be utterly destroyed when it is consumed, with fire. But such isnot the case, it will exist in native element. That which is consumed byeating, or by burning is nothing more than simply reduced to another shape,in which it is ready for another process of action. We grow, and we beholdall the visible creation growing and increasing, and continuing to increase,until it has arrived at its zenith, at which point it begins to decompose.This is the nature of all things which constitute this organized world.Even the solid rocks in the mountains continue to grow until they have cometo their perfection, at which point they begin to decompose. The forestsgrow, increase, extend, and spread abroad their branches until they attaina certain age. What then? Do they die? Are they annihilated? No! They beginto decompose, and pass into native element. Men, and all things upon theearth, are subject to the same process.
We say this is natural, and easy to comprehend, being plainly manifestedbefore our eyes. It is easy to see anything in sight; but hard, very hard,to see anything out of sight.
If I look through my telescope, and my friends inquire how far I cansee, I tell them I can see anything in sight, no matter how far from methe object may be; but I cannot see anything out of sight, or that whichis beyond the power of the instrument. So it is in the intellectual facultiesof mankind; it is easy for them to see that which is before their eyes,but when the object is out of sight, it is a difficult matter for them tosee it; and they are at a loss how to form an estimate of it, or what positionto put themselves in, so as to see the object they desire to see.
In regard to eternal things, they are all out of sight to them, andwill so remain, unless the Lord lifts the curtain. The only reason why Icannot see the heavy range of mountains situated in the Middle States ofthe American Confederacy, is because of the natural elevations that raisethemselves betwixt me and them, above the level of my eye, making them outof sight to me. Why cannot we behold all things in space? Because thereis a curtain dropped, which makes them out of sight to us. Why cannot webehold the inhabitants in Kolob, or the inhabitants in any of those distantplanets? For the same reason; because there is a curtain dropped that interruptsour vision. So it is, something intervenes between us and them, which wecannot penetrate. We are short sighted, and deprived of the knowledge whichwe might have. I might say this is right, without offering any explanation.
But there are many reasons, and much good sound logic that could beproduced, showing why we are thus in the dark touching eternal things. Ifour agency was not given to us, we might, perhaps, now have been enjoyingthat we do not enjoy. On the other hand, if our agency had not been givento us, we could never have enjoyed that we now enjoy. Which would producethe greatest good to man, to give him his agency, and draw a vail over him;or, to give him certain blessings and privileges, let him live in a certaindegree of light, and enjoy a certain glory, and take his agency from him,compelling him to remain in that position, without any possible chance ofprogress? I say, the greatest good that could be produced by the all wiseConductor of the universe to His creature, man, was to do just as He hasdone-bring him forth on the face of the earth, drawing a vail before hiseyes. He has caused us to forget every thing we once knew before our spiritsentered within this vail of flesh. For instance, it is like this: when welie down to sleep, our minds are often as bright and active as the mindof an angel, at least they are as active when our bodies are awake. Theywill range over the earth, visit distant friends, and, for aught we know,the planets, and accomplish great feats; do that which will enhance ourhappiness, increase to us every enjoyment of life, and prepare us for celestialglory; but when we wake in the morning, it is all gone from us; we haveforgotten it. This illustration will explain in part the nature of the vailwhich is over the inhabitants of the earth; they have forgotten that theyonce knew. This is right; were it different, where would be the trial ofour faith? In a word, be it so; it is as it should be.
Now understand, to choose life is to choose principles that will leadyou to an eternal increase, and nothing short of them will produce lifein the resurrection for the faithful. Those that choose death, make choiceof the path which leads to the end of their organization. The one leadsto endless increase and progression, the other to the destruction of theorganized being, ending in its entire decomposition into the particles thatcompose the native elements. Is this so in all cases? you inquire. Yes,for aught I know. I shall not pretend to deny but what it is so in all cases.This much I wanted to say to the brethren, with regard to life and death.
As to the word annihilate, as we understand it, there is no such principleas to put a thing which exists, entirely out of existence, so that it doesnot exist in any form, shape, or place whatever. It would be as reasonableto say that ENDLESS, which is synonymous to the word eternity, has botha beginning and an end. For instance, supposing we get one of the best mathematiciansthat can be found, and let him commence at one point of time, the operationof multiplication; when he has exhausted all his knowledge of counting inmillions, &c., until he can proceed no further, he is no nigher theoutside of eternity than when he commenced. This has been understood fromthe beginning. The ancients understood it, it was taught by Jesus and hisApostles, who understood the true principles of eternity. In consequenceof some expressions of the ancient servants of God, has come the traditionof the Elders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You hearsome of them preach and teach that which I never taught; you hear them preachpeople into hell. Such a doctrine never entered into my heart; but you hearothers preach, that people will go there to dwell throughout the endlessages of eternity. Such persons know no more about eternity, and are no morecapable of instructing others upon the subject, than a little child. Theytell about going to hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is notquenched, where you must dwell. How long? Why, I should say, just as longas you please.
One thing more. The beauty of our religion, that very erroneous doctrine,which the world call "Mormonism," we had set before us this morningby Elder Parley P. Pratt; The whole object of my existence is, to continueto live, to increase, to spread abroad, and gather around me to an endlessduration. What shall I say? You may unite the efforts of the best mathematiciansthe world can produce, and when they have counted as many millions of ages,worlds, and eternities, as the power of numbers within their knowledge willembrace, they are still as ignorant of eternity as when they began. Thenask people of general intelligence; people who understand in a great degree,the philosophical principles of creation, which they have studied and learnedby practical course of education, and what do they know about it? It istrue they know a little, and that little every other sane person knows,whether he is educated or uneducated; they know about that portion of eternitycalled TIME. Suppose I ask the learned when was the beginning of eternity?Can they think of it? No! And I should very much doubt some of the sayingsof one of the best philosophers and writers of the age, that we call brother,with regard to the character of the Lord God whom we serve. I very muchdoubt whether it has ever entered into his heart to comprehend eternity.These are principles and ideas I scarcely ever meddle with. The practicalpart of our religion is that which more particularly interests me. Stillmy mind reflects upon life, death, eternity, knowledge, wisdom, the expansionof the soul, and the knowledge of the Gods that are, that have been, andthat are to be. What shall we say? We are lost in the depth of our own thoughts.Suppose we say there was once a beginning to all things, then we must concludethere will undoubtedly be an end. Can eternity be circumscribed? If it can,there is an end of all wisdom, knowledge, power, and glory-all will sinkinto eternal annihilation.
What is life to you and me? It is the utmost extent of our desires.Do you wish to increase, to continue? Do you wish to possess kingdoms andthrones, principalities and powers; to exist, and continue to exist; togrow in understanding, in wisdom, in knowledge, in power, and in glory throughoutan endless duration? Why, yes, is the reply natural to every heart thathas been warmed with the life-giving influences of the Holy Ghost. And whenwe have lived, and gathered around us more kingdoms and creations than itis possible for the mind of mortals to comprehend, (just think of it, andhow it commenced like a grain of mustard seed, cast into the ground!) then,I may say we could comprehend the very dawning of eternity, which term Iuse to accommodate the idea in my mind, not that it will at all apply toeternity. When you have reached this stage in the onward course of yourprogression, you will be perfectly satisfied not to be in a hurry.
The inquiry should not be, if the principles of the Gospel will putus in possession of the earth, of this farm, that piece of property, ofa few thousand pounds, or as many thousand dollars, but, if they will putus in possession of principles that are endless, and calculated in theirnature for an eternal increase; that is, to add life to life, being to being,kingdom to kingdom, principle to principle, power to power, thrones to thrones,dominions to dominions, and crowns to crowns.
When we have lived long enough by following out the principles thatare durable, that are tangible, that are calculated in their nature to produceendless life-I say, when we have lived long enough in them to see the leastSaint, that can be possibly called a Saint, in possession of more solarsystems like this, than it is possible for mortals to number, or than thereare stars in the firmament of heaven visible, or sands on the sea shore,we shall then have a faint idea of eternity, and begin to realize that weare in the midst of it.
Brethren, you that have the principles of life in you, be sure you aregathering around you kindred principles, that will endure to all eternity.
I do not desire to talk any more at this time.