LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 THE BANCROFT 
 
 Class 
 
LIGHT. 
 
 A period of universal light resulted from the condensation of 
 matter. Every sun and nebula was luminous. No night; no dark- 
 ness ; no opaque bodies ; no shadows. 
 
 " And God willed that light exist : and light existed." 
 PLATE i. ( See page 235.) 
 
LIGHT SEPARATED FROM DARKNESS. 
 
 Light and darkness were separated by the smaller bodies becom- 
 ing opaque, and casting shadows. The shadows being darkness 
 and night. The light being day. The axial revolutions produc- 
 ing evening and morning. 
 
 " And God separated the light from the darkness : and God called the light 
 day; and the darkness he called night : and there was evening and there was 
 morning." 
 
 PLATE 2. ( See page 236.) 
 
"And divided the waters which are under the expanse from the 
 waters which are above the expanse." 
 
 PLATE 3. ( See page 238.) 
 
THE 
 
 LAN OF CREATION, 
 
 BY 
 
 K. M. WIDNEY. 
 
 1! 
 
 Los ANGELES, CAL..: 
 1881. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1878, 
 
 BY R. M. WIDNEY, 
 in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 
 
 John H. Carmany & Co., Printer*, 
 
 M. Weiss, Hebrew Compositor, 
 
 fiaa Francisco, Cal. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The tendency of recent thought has been toward a 
 belief in the existence of one general, uniform plan of 
 creation, of which every existing thing and law is a con- 
 sistent part. So far as tested by the discoveries of 
 science, it is found that law and order reign supreme. 
 There is no chance within the exterior boundaries of 
 matter in space. If this be true, then all things, single 
 or aggregated, must be under a general law. If such 
 law exists, then there is a general plan co-extensive and 
 co -existent with that law. 
 
 The following pages are designed to present, in gen- 
 eral outline, what appears to the writer, to be that plan. 
 Only the most general sketch is intended or attempted. 
 The thoughts set forth are submitted to the reader, and 
 it is for him to accept, reject, or modify them to what- 
 ever extent his own knowledge, reason, and judgment 
 may dictate. 
 
 Los ANGELES, CAL , April, 1881. 
 
 235145 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page 31, line 8 from bottom, word 7, read "leave" 
 instead of "have." 
 
 Page 104, line 2 from bottom, wore 7 >, read " the" in- 
 stead of "its." 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 INTRODUCTION 13 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 THAT THERE is SOME GENERAL PLAN OF CREATION 18 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 THAT MATTER WAS CREATED FROM NOTHING . . 23 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THAT THERE is A GOD, OMNIPOTENT, ETERNAL, UN- 
 CHANGING, INFINITE, AND OF FREE WILL . . 43 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION AND ITS GENERAL CHARAC- 
 TERISTICS 49 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 WHAT KIND OF BEINGS WOULD BE CREATED, AND 
 
 THEIR NUMBER 54 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE LAWS ACCORDING TO WHICH ENJOYMENT is AT- 
 TAINED 59 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE CREATION OF MATTER, AND THE PURPOSE FOR 
 
 WHICH IT WAS CREATED 65 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE CREATION OF BEINGS WHEREIN LIFE AND MAT- 
 TER ARE UNITED. THE. EXTREMES OF THE CRE- 
 ATION OF BEINGS CAPABLE OF ENJOYMENT . . 69 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 THE LOWER ORDER OF ANIMALS ARE MORTAL. WHY 
 THE ANIMAL KINGDOM WOULD BE CREATED, AND 
 THE ORDER IN WHICH THE ANIMALS WOULD BE 
 CREATED 73 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 THE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF CREATION . . 80 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE ORDER OF MAN, AND ITS SOURCES OF ENJOY- 
 MENT 88 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 THE FIRST MAN 97 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 THE LAW OF ENJOYMENT AS APPLIED TO MAN . . 105 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 WHAT WOULD BE REVEALED TO THE RACE OF MAN, 
 
 AND HOW IT WOUL E AUTHENTICATED . . 109 
 
CONTENTS. VI 1 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 SUMMARY OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND LAWS . .118 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 EVIDENCE TO SHOW THE CREATION OF SPIRITUAL BE- 
 INGS OF DIFFERENT ORDERS 124 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 THE EXTENT OF THE CREATION OF MATTER . . 130 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT MAN WAS CREATED AN OR- 
 DER OF BEINGS LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, WHERE- 
 IN MIND AND MATTER ARE UNITED; AND THAT 
 HL HAS BEEN SPECIALLY CARED FOR BY THE CRE- 
 ATOR 136 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 EVIDENCE OF A GENERAL REVELATION FOR THE BEN- 
 EFIT OF THE ORDER OF MAN .... 149 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 EVIDENCE THAT AUTHENTICATES THIS REVELATION . 173 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 ANALYSIS AND LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE HE- 
 BREW TEXT OF THE FIRST CHAPTER OF GENESIS. 186 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE IDEAS CONTAINED IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF 
 
 GENESIS 224 
 
Vlli CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 DO THE STATEMENTS IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF GEN- 
 ESIS CORRESPOND WITH THE FACTS IN NATURE? . 23! 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REVEALED FACTS TO THE 
 MORAL REVELATION. THE CONCLUSIVE CHARAC- 
 TER OF THE EVIDENCE WHICH AUTHENTICATES 
 THIS REVELATION 253 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 C^Q'OT 'O OvpavoS,. HEAVEN .... 264 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 CONCLUSION 272 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 THE truth of a proposition frequently appears 
 by first assuming it as true, and then showing 
 that it is the simplest that will account for all 
 the known facts to which it relates. In this 
 way it was first demonstrated that the law of 
 gravitation applied to all bodies in the universe. 
 Kepler made over seventy different suppositions 
 as to the shape of the orbits of the planets. 
 Finally, assuming that the orbits were nearly 
 elliptical, with the sun near one of the foci, he 
 demonstrated that it would account for all the 
 facts in the case. The demonstration rests upon 
 this principle that the hypothesis is the sim- 
 plest that will account for all the facts. 
 
 Assumed propositions may, for the purpose 
 
OF CREATION. 
 
 of argument, be divided into four classes, as 
 follows : 
 
 First. Comprehensible. 
 
 Second.. Incomprehensible. 
 
 Third. Contradictory. 
 
 Fourth. Absurd. 
 
 A proposition of the first class is one which 
 the mind comprehends or understands e. g., 
 that the earth is round, or that the moon is in- 
 habited. The proposition may, or may not, be 
 true; but in either case the mind comprehends 
 or grasps it. It is not contradictory it is com- 
 prehensible. 
 
 A proposition of the second class the in- 
 comprehensible is one concerning which the 
 mind does not understand how it can be true. 
 It possesses elements of which the mind has no 
 knowledge. It is beyond the present grasp of 
 the mind. It does not, however, contain with- 
 in it any contradiction. To assume that at a giv- 
 en instant of time a thing both did and did not 
 exist, is a contradiction. To assume that at one 
 instant it did not exist, and at the next instant 
 it did exist, is incomprehensible ; but it is not 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 15 
 
 contradictory. The soul of a child at one time 
 did not exist, at a subsequent time it did exist. 
 How this occurs is incomprehensible, but it is 
 not contradictory. A proposition of this sec- 
 ond class may, or may not, be true. Proof may 
 establish it, or may refute it, or may leave it in 
 doubt. 
 
 A contradictory proposition is one which 
 contains an affirmative and negative. The mind, 
 therefore, clearly comprehends or understands 
 how or why the proposition is not true. To 
 assume that a thing is round and square at 
 the same time, or is entirely black and entirely 
 white at the same time, embraces a contradic- 
 tion. Also, there is a contradiction in the prop- 
 osition that matter, subject to attraction, re- 
 mained diffused throughout space, in a state of 
 rest, for any period of time, with nothing to 
 prevent the attractive force from drawing it to- 
 gether at certain points. It is a contradiction 
 to suppose that attraction, a power which draws 
 together, did not draw together. All proposi- 
 tions of this third class are false are self-de- 
 structive. 
 
16 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 An absurd proposition as herein used is one 
 wherein there is nothing incomprehensible or 
 contradictory ; yet it is so at variance with 
 reason that the mind rejects it at once as false. 
 
 It will be observed that of these propositions 
 the third and fourth classes are always false, 
 viz : the contradictory and absurd. If a hy- 
 pothesis belongs to either the first or second 
 class, we adopt as true that which is the simplest 
 or least complicated, and which will harmonize 
 with all the facts. Of the first class this illus- 
 tration may be given : either the earth revolves 
 on its axis every twenty -four hours, or the 
 heavens revolve around the earth. The first is 
 the simpler hypothesis and is received as true. 
 
 To illustrate the second class of propositions 
 the incomprehensible we offer this: that 
 some being created matter from nothing, or that 
 it came into existence without such a being It 
 is incomprehensible how any being could create 
 something from nothing. But it is a less simple 
 proposition to suppose that nothing from nothing 
 created matter, or that matter created itself 
 from nothing. Of the above propositions it is 
 
THE PLAN OP CREATION. 17 
 
 simpler to suppose that some being created 
 matter from nothing; and, in a choice from those 
 propositions alone, it is to be selected. 
 
 If, therefore, all the propositions or hypothe- 
 ses on a subject are reduced to the third and 
 fourth classes, i. <?., the contradictory or absurd, 
 except one which is incomprehensible, all must 
 be rejected as false except that one, and it must 
 be accepted as true. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 THAT THERE IS SOME GENERAL PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 If there is a God, who has created all things, 
 then there must be some general plan in accord- 
 ance with which He created them. The parts 
 of this general plan, considered as isolated facts, 
 might, when compared one with another, seem 
 to be in conflict, and to be inconsistent with 
 each other. But if the whole plan and the ob- 
 jects to be accomplished are known, and the 
 parts are considered, each in its proper place, 
 and as a part of the whole, harmony must result, 
 and no part will be inconsistent with the entire 
 plan. 
 
 A person examining a train of cars sees at 
 once that it is intended to move along with 
 rapidity. On further examination he discovers 
 the brakes. Here he finds something that to 
 him is inconsistent with the other parts. The 
 only use to which the brakes can be put is to 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 19 
 
 actually destroy the motion of the train. Let 
 him be informed that the object of the train is 
 to move at times, and at times to stop, then he 
 at once sees that the brakes act in harmony 
 with the general object. His knowledge of the 
 plan is more extended. So it must be with 
 God's work. If there is a God, who created all 
 things, then when we know enough of his 
 works, and are able to discover the general 
 plan and object of his creation, and when we 
 can consider the parts, each in its proper place, 
 and with reference to the whole, we shall see 
 the perfect harmony that. must exist throughout. 
 After a sufficient number of facts in science 
 are discovered, we may throw them all into one 
 group and determine that which is common to 
 all of them. This common principle, running 
 through the whole group or class of facts, is 
 the general plan. If we collect into one group 
 all the facts of science, of society, of religion, 
 of humanity, and of morals, and if there be a 
 sufficient number of facts known, we can de- 
 termine the general plan and object of the 
 whole, unless the human mind is too limited in 
 its capacity to comprehend them. 
 
20 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 The object of the present work is to ascer- 
 tain the general plan of which each fact in 
 nature is a part. That general plan is THE PLAN 
 OF CREATION. 
 
 Is there a God? Was matter created from 
 nothing, or is it eternal? Is the soul immortal? 
 Is the existence of evil, of sin, of death, of fu- 
 ture suffering, consistent with the justice and 
 benevolence of God? Has God made any rev- 
 elation to man, and if so, is that revelation con- 
 sistent with the facts of science? Who was 
 Christ ? 
 
 Can any or all of these questions be reason- 
 ably answered from the facts that exist inde- 
 pendent of revelation and faith ? We think 
 they can. For if it is a fact, that there is a 
 God, who created all things, and on whom nat- 
 ure depends for its existence, then it follows 
 that if we can discover a sufficient number of 
 the facts of nature, we shall finally reach a point 
 in the investigation where nature depends .on 
 God for its origin, or where the creative act 
 occurred. It is not probable that God so cre- 
 ated all things as to conceal forever the con- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 21 
 
 necting link between himself and the created. 
 It must certainly exist somewhere. The only 
 question is, where and what is it. Have we 
 facts enough discovered by which to prove the 
 existence of God? The same remarks apply to 
 the other doubtful questions that have so long 
 perplexed the mind of man. 
 
 If the existence of sin, evil, and death are 
 parts of God's plan, then they are consistent 
 with it. When men know enough of the gen- 
 eral plan, and the proper place and function of 
 the parts, then they will perceive the grand 
 unity and the beautiful harmony pervading the 
 works of the Creator. These are each parts of 
 the general plan, and when a sufficient number 
 of the facts, arid the place each occupies, and 
 the function of each part is known, reason and 
 faith will unite, and doubt, skepticism, and in- 
 fidelity will give way to the truth. 
 
 We, therefore, conclude this chapter with the 
 proposition that whatever has been created, 
 and whatever laws have been established,- have 
 been in accordance with some general plan, and 
 that all things, animate and inanimate, mate- 
 
22 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 rial and immaterial, are moving on in pursu- 
 ance therewith to accomplish its great final ob- 
 ject. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 THAT MATTER WAS CREATED FROM NOTHING. 
 
 Bearing in mind the principles referred to in 
 the introduction, we will proceed to investigate 
 the following subjects: The existence of a God, 
 and the origin of matter. The same evidence 
 which proves the creation of matter also proves 
 the existence of God. If matter was created 
 from nothing, then there must have been a 
 Creative Power. That power we call God. We, 
 therefore, begin by investigating the origin or 
 creation of matter. 
 
 The facts and laws of nature now known dem- 
 onstrate that matter is not eternal, but must 
 have been created from nothing. Incompre- 
 hensible as this may be, it is not contradictory. 
 A general outline of the argument is as follows: 
 
 According to the facts and laws of nature as 
 now known to science, the earth has not existed 
 from eternity in its present condition ; neither 
 
24 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 could it be eternal in its molten state ; neither 
 could the matter, out of which the earth and 
 heavenly bodies were formed, have existed from 
 eternity scattered or diffused throughout space ; 
 neither could matter have gone through an in- 
 finite series of changes. Therefore, it must 
 have been created from nothing. The argument 
 is based on the following law of nature : That 
 all force manifested in chemical and mechanical ac- 
 tion sooner or later results in a state of rest, or equi- 
 librium, which must be eternal, unless some 
 external force disturb it. 
 
 If a vessel be filled with chemicals, as metals 
 and metaloids, or acids, bases and salts, intense 
 chemical action will take place, and will con- 
 tinue until each atom of matter has united it- 
 self to that other atom for which it has the 
 strongest chemical affinity. When this has 
 taken place all chemical action will cease an 
 equilibrium will be reached. This equilibrium 
 will be eternal, unless some external force dis- 
 turb it. 
 
 If the bed of the ocean were filled with 
 chemicals the same state of activity would arise, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 25 
 
 and when each atom had united itself to that 
 other atom for which it had the strongest chem- 
 ical affinity, the same equilibrium would result 
 in a given or fixed time. Likewise, if metals 
 and metaloids in quantity equal to the quantity 
 in the earth were brought together there would 
 be reached, after ages of activity, an equi- 
 librium. It would only be a question of time. 
 
 Finally, if metals and metaloids equal in 
 quantity to that existing throughout space were 
 brought together there would be the same ac- 
 tivity each atom would finally unite itself to 
 that other atom for which it had the strongest 
 chemical affinit}', and an equilibrium would 
 finally result. It would only be a question of a 
 fixed number of ages. As the atoms of matter 
 in our solar system are of a fixed number be- 
 yond our grasp of mind, so those ages would be 
 of a fixed number, but beyond the power of the 
 mind to compass. 
 
 This equilibrium or rest would be eternal, 
 unless some external force should disturb it. 
 But outside of the aggregate matter in space 
 there is no force known to science or presumed 
 
26 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 to exist. Therefore the equilibrium would be 
 eternal. 
 
 The mechanical forces known to science all 
 obey the same law and are hurrying on to the 
 same equilibrium. Any number of forces act- 
 ing produce a resultant, and at some certain 
 point, proportionately affected by each force, is 
 an equilibrium ; so that any object operated 
 upon by these forces will keep in motion, on 
 the resultant line, until the point of equilibrium 
 is reached. Then motion will cease and rest 
 will ensue. That rest must be eternal, unless 
 some external or additional force disturb it. 
 The number of forces will only vary the length 
 of time. All the forces operating on matter in 
 space produce a resultant, and there must be 
 some point where there is a centre an equi- 
 librium toward which every atom of matter 
 in space is surely moving. The line on which 
 each atom is moving toward that centre is the 
 resultant of the force that each other atom in 
 the universe exerts upon that atom. " Every 
 particle of matter in the universe attracts every 
 other particle with a force directly as their 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 27 
 
 masses, and inversely as the square of the dist- 
 ance which separates them," is the law of uni- 
 versal gravitation announced by science. 
 
 Thus, undoubtedly, is produced the motion 
 of all the heavenly bodies, and of all matter 
 throughout space. Planets in their orbits, suns 
 and systems in their courses, are drawn by un- 
 seen cords extending to them from each atom 
 in the universe however distant. Comets and 
 meteoric bodies pursue their apparently erratic 
 courses on lines established by the same force. 
 Here and there, far out in space, are nebulae 
 formed and forming from stray atoms of matter, 
 which since the morning of creation have been 
 moving on resultant lines through space, in 
 weary journeyings to their present places, as 
 points of temporary local equilibrium. All 
 these aggregates are whirling through space in 
 a mazy, mysterious waltz, rushing on in spiral 
 courses to the central point of final equilibrium. 
 And in localities, suns, planets, and satellites 
 obey the same law, and move to local centres of 
 rest. 
 
 What is thus established by general principles 
 
28 THF PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 of science, Herbert Spencer assumes to demon- 
 strate, basing his proof on self-evident truths 
 of science. That author maintains that : All 
 masses, organic and inorganic, are undergoing 
 the unequal operations of force upon their dif- 
 ferent exterior parts, as well as different amounts 
 upon interior and exterior, by which slowly, yet 
 surely, all undergo disintegration. All aggre- 
 gates are crumbling. Nevertheless, under ur- 
 gency of persistent force, agitating and diffusing 
 through all things, the ultimate result will be 
 an equalization. Force and matter will by 
 necessary laws be so distributed that the strug- 
 gle will cease and complete repose ensue. In 
 the end a final equilibration will take place a 
 universal stagnation, an omnipresent death. 
 
 From this law it follows that the thing in a 
 state of mechanical or chemical action can not 
 be eternal in that state or condition. For all 
 such action in a given time from its commence- 
 ment results in an equilibration of the forces 
 causing that action. 
 
 There is then a beginning to all such action 
 a point of time when it commenced. But 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 29 
 
 eternity is without a beginning. Therefore the 
 thing in such a state of action can not be eter- 
 nal in that state or condition. If eternal, it 
 must have been eternal in some other condition 
 where such action and such force did not affect it. 
 
 Applying the foregoing principles, the argu- 
 ment runs thus : The earth is now and always 
 has been, since it was a sphere, undergoing 
 chemical and mechanical changes, therefore it 
 can not be eternal in its present condition. 
 
 The earth is now, and within its geological 
 period has been, in a state of chemical and me- 
 chanical action. Internal and external changes 
 are occurring. Volcanoes, earthquakes, geysers, 
 and various other phenomena, are directly or 
 remotely the result of chemical action occurring 
 within the earth. The leveling of mountains 
 and hills, the wearing away of rocks, islands, 
 and continents, and the filling up of the ocean 
 beds are some of the mechanical changes occur- 
 ring on the surface of the earth. 
 
 This chemical action will cease when each 
 atom has united itselt' to that other atom for 
 which it has the greatest chemical affinity. The 
 
30 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 mechanical action will cease when each part of 
 the earth's surface is equidistant from the 
 earth's centre, somewhat modified by the revo- 
 lution of the earth on its axis. Or when by the 
 loss of heat the earth may become a rigid frozen 
 globe, having absorbed all its water and atmos- 
 phere. In which case mechanical action will 
 cease. An equilibrium of the chemical and 
 mechanical forces of the earth will then be 
 reached. The law of equilibrium shows that 
 the earth, therefore, has not existed from eter- 
 nity in its present condition. 
 
 What is thus shown theoretically is confirmed, 
 if indeed it needs any confirmation, by the 
 teachings and investigations of geology. The 
 further back we go the more active and the 
 more marked are these changes. An examina- 
 tion of the earth's crust shows that the earth 
 has been undergoing changes which were more 
 violent the further we go back into the past. 
 
 Beginning with the present time, geology 
 leads us back through the Quartern* ry and 
 Tertiary periods. During the Tertiary period 
 in the single district of Auvergne, in France, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 31 
 
 were over sixty volcanoes. Whole continents 
 were raised out of the ocean during these two 
 periods by the forces acting within the earth. 
 The Sahara Desert, Lower Egypt, and part of 
 Arabia were elevated above the ocean. A large 
 part of Northern Europe, of Asia, of North 
 and South America were lifted out of the 
 waters. 
 
 Passing by an indefinite break in the history 
 of the earth, which geologists have not been 
 able to fill up, we come to the Secondary or 
 Mesozoic period. The strata indicate that the 
 earth was subject to violent convulsions through- 
 out this age. Passing over another period of 
 missing links, like that between the Tertiary 
 and Mesozoic, we come to the Paleozoic epoch. 
 As we enter this period we luwg all that be- 
 longs to the Mesozoic age. We enter upon a 
 different world, as it were. During this time 
 the air was filled with carbon. All the carbon 
 now in the coal beds and vegetation of the 
 earth was then in the atmosphere. The earth 
 was then inhabited by a few of the lower orders 
 of animals. Still further back even these ani- 
 
32 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 mals did not exist, a few marine mosses being 
 the only traces of organic life. Deeper in the 
 ages of the past we come to the metamorphic 
 rocks. In these we find a few traces of organi- 
 zation ; finally, even these disappear, and we 
 find rocks that were once stratified, but in them 
 are no signs of former life. Going still further 
 into those hidden ages, through whose long 
 vistas cycles dwindle down and seem but days, 
 we come to the igneous rocks rocks which 
 were once molten. At that time the whole 
 earth was in a molten condition. A fiery, 
 molten ball, enveloped in a dense cloud of 
 smoke, steam, and vaporized minerals, it went 
 rolling through space in its appointed orbit. 
 How long? We may not number the years, or 
 the ages even, but they are of a fixed, a limited, 
 number. To them there must have been a 
 beginning as well as an ending. If we regard 
 this as the primary state or condition of the 
 earth it was impossible for it to have been eter- 
 nal in that condition ; for the radiation of heat 
 would in a given time cool the earth, thus al- 
 lowing a crust to be formed, just as has been 
 done. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 33 
 
 The amount of heat was limited and, how- 
 ever small the decrements might be, it would 
 not take an infinite number of them to equal 
 the whole original amount of heat. Chemical 
 action could not have supplied heat or have 
 kept the earth in a molten condition during all 
 past eternity ; for this action must in a given 
 time result in an equilibrium, so that it could 
 not have been eternal. 
 
 There was then a time when this action be- 
 gan ; since then science teaches it has been di- 
 minishing down to the present. A time will 
 be in the future when, by inevitable law, it will 
 reach an equilibrium. This action commenced 
 when the chemical elements were first brought 
 together by attraction. By the laws of nature, 
 then, we are compelled to admit, either that the 
 earth was created in this molten form from noth- 
 ing, or we are compelled to look further back 
 in the limitless eternity of the past for the ex- 
 istence of matter out of which the earth was 
 formed. It must then have existed scattered 
 or diffused throughout space. 
 
 We must now leave the record of geology. It 
 
34 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 can carry us no farther into the past. Its work 
 is done, and well done. 
 
 Astronomy next takes up the wonderful story 
 and informs us that the matter out of which 
 the earth and the starry hosts of heaven were 
 formed was at a still more remote period, prob- 
 ably scattered or diffused in a gaseous or fluid 
 condition throughout the boundless expanse of 
 space. Already there have been eliminated 
 from the problem the two quantities that the 
 earth is eternal in its present form, or that it 
 could have existed from eternity in its molten 
 condition. 
 
 It is very generally received as a true theory 
 that the matter out of which all the worlds and 
 hosts of heaven were formed was once scattered 
 or diffused in space ; and that attraction drew 
 this matter together at various points, thus 
 forming the earth and all other aggregates of 
 matter. This matter could not have existed 
 from eternity in a diffused condition, for the 
 same force of attraction which eventually drew 
 it together, forming these bodies in space, would 
 in the beginning of eternity (if there could be 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 35 
 
 such a beginning) have drawn matter together. 
 So the earth would of necessity be eternal 
 (lacking a given period of time) in its pres- 
 ent form. In such a case, chemical and me- 
 chanical action now operating would long ago 
 have reached an equilibrium. If one were to 
 announce that the sand of the Great Sahara 
 Desert had remained from eternity above the 
 earth unsupported, and that a few million years 
 ago it fell to its present place, it would at once 
 be pronounced impossible. For the very instant 
 the sand was unsupported that very instant it 
 would start toward the earth. It would not re- 
 main stationary a moment. So when matter 
 first existed throughout space that instant it 
 started to move together. 
 
 Will any one maintain that matter has been 
 all past eternity in coming together? The dist- 
 ance from the point where each atom was lo- 
 cated, while matter was diffused, to where that 
 atom now is. is a limited distance, and however 
 slowly matter traveled, and however great that 
 distance may have been, it would only require 
 a fixed time for each atom to pass over the dist- 
 
36 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 ance. Countless millions of years are no more 
 a part of eternity than a single hour. 
 
 The conclusion, therefore, follows : that mat- 
 ter has not existed from eternity diffused in 
 space. It, therefore, must have been created 
 from nothing. This probably was by the crea- 
 tion of the atoms in the diffused state, or at 
 some time prior to the earth's existing as a 
 molten globe. 
 
 The only apparent escape from the conclusion 
 that matter was created from nothing is one of 
 the following : 
 
 First. That some repelling force, of greater 
 power than attraction, kept matter scattered 
 throughout space, during eternity past, and 
 that a certain number of ages ago that repelling 
 force ceased to exist. 
 
 Second. That during eternit} 7 past matter ex- 
 isted motionless and without attraction, until a 
 certain number of ages ago, and that then at- 
 traction began. 
 
 Third. That the atoms of matter were equi- 
 distant from each other and co-extensive with 
 space, so that each atom was equally attracted 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 37 
 
 in every direction, thus producing an equilibri- 
 um in the diffused mass. 
 
 Fourth. That matter has gone through an 
 infinite series of changes. 
 
 The first hypothesis is not true ; for if a re- 
 pelling force kept matter scattered throughout 
 space during eternity past, it would continue to 
 do so forever. If this force gradually dimin- 
 ished until it ceased to exist then it could not 
 have existed from eternity; for it must have 
 been a finite force, and each decrement reduced 
 it until it ceased to exist. Now, however great 
 the original force, and however small each de- 
 crement, it would only require a given time to 
 reduce it to nothing. Therefore eternity past 
 has not been spent in decreasing such a finite 
 repelling force, reducing it to nothing. An in- 
 finite force could not be decreased, but would 
 forever remain keeping matter diffused. The 
 hypothesis is impossible. It involves the con- 
 tradiction, that to remove a finite number of 
 decrements has occupied an infinite time. The 
 hypothesis is, therefore, not true. 
 
 The second hypothesis can not be true, that 
 
38 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 matter existed during eternity past without at- 
 traction until a certain number of ages ago. 
 For attraction is an essential property of mat- 
 ter without which it could not exist. That 
 which could exist without attraction would not 
 be what we now call matter. It would be some- 
 thing else. We are now dealing with facts as 
 known and forming therefrom a theory. The 
 fact is that attraction now exists inseparable 
 from matter. It is a law of matter an essen- 
 tial property thereof. It is one of the immu- 
 table laws of nature. If it did so exist with- 
 out attraction, whence then came attraction ? 
 What caused it to act? It will be time enough 
 to further consider this proposition when some 
 one affirms it, and furnishes any fact or evi- 
 dence in support of it. 
 
 The third hypothesis, that the atoms of mat- 
 ter were equidistant from each other, and co- 
 extensive with space, so that each atom was 
 equally attracted in every direction, thus pro- 
 ducing an equilibrium in the diffused mass, can 
 not be true. For if an equilibrium once thus 
 existed it would be eternal. Attraction being 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 39 
 
 once in equilibrium, it could not disturb itself, 
 and the present order of motion never could 
 have occurred. The truth of this hypothesis 
 would contradict the entire present order of 
 motion, and is therefore impossible. 
 
 The remaining hypothesis, that matter has 
 gone through an infinite series of changes, is 
 equally untenable. A series of changes implies 
 that a force is constantly changing. That 
 force which produced a change would forever 
 keep matter in the new condition, unless some 
 new force overpowered the one which preceded 
 it. This could only occur by reason of the first 
 force diminishing until it became less than the 
 second, or on account of the second force in- 
 creasing until it became greater than the first. 
 The first supposition can not be true, for it im- 
 plies that a force in nature has, in part or in 
 whole, ceased to exist. That force must have 
 had a beginning, since which time it has con- 
 stantly diminished. The whole of the original 
 was equal to the aggregate of the decrements. 
 The force was limited, therefore was not eter- 
 nal. It must have been created from nothing. 
 
40 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 But, assuming that there is no creative power, 
 it follows that no such force ever existed, and 
 subsequently ceased to exist either in part or as 
 a whole. 
 
 That a second force increased until it became 
 greater than the first one, and thus produced a 
 change, implies that at some time an increment 
 of force was added to the original, then others, 
 until by addition the second force became 
 greater than the first. This involves the crea- 
 tion of each increment of force. And we thus 
 reach the same conclusion as before. Again, 
 each force being greater than the former, the 
 succeeding change would be more violent, and 
 no equilibrium ever could be reached. 
 
 The force which produces an equilibrium 
 must be greater than or equal to all others com- 
 bined which tend to prevent an equilibrium. 
 The force which is producing an equilibrium is 
 resistance, or the impenetrability of matter. 
 
 When two atoms of matter are drawn together 
 they are at rest relatively to each other. The 
 motion toward each other has been destroyed 
 by the resistance each atom makes to the ad- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 41 
 
 vance of the other. So a chemical force ceases 
 to act when each atom is attached to that other 
 atom for which it has the strongest chemical af- 
 finity. The chemical force, having brought the 
 proper atoms together, ceases to produce motion 
 or further change. It remains in equilibrium. 
 
 An infinite series of changes requires the 
 creation or destruction of an infinite number of 
 new forces at different times. Whereas, on the 
 supposition that there is no creative power in 
 nature, the theory of an infinite series of 
 changes becomes impossible it involves a con- 
 tradiction to- wit: a force created and no cre- 
 ative power. 
 
 In conclusion, as the earth is not eternal in 
 its present condition nor was it eternal in a 
 molten state and as matter did not exist from 
 eternity diffused in space, and as it did not go 
 through an infinite series of changes, therefore 
 it must have been created from nothing. This 
 is incomprehensible, but not impossible. We 
 do not understand how it is so, and we can not 
 say it involves a contradiction. All the other 
 theories do involve a contradiction, and are 
 therefore impossible, and can not be true. 
 
42 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 The whole argument is reduced to this: If 
 matter has always been subject to its present 
 properties arid laws, it can not be eternal. It 
 has always been subject to its present properties 
 and laws, therefore it can not be eternal. It 
 must have been at some period created. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 THAT THERE IS A GOD, OMNIPOTENT, ETERNAL, UN- 
 CHANGING, INFINITE, AND OF FREE WILL. 
 
 As matter was created from nothing, it fol- 
 lows as an irresistible conclusion that there is a 
 Being who created it. If matter existed with- 
 out attraction, or other of its present proper- 
 ties or laws, then since inanimate matter from 
 inanimate matter could not give to itself new 
 and theretofore unpossessed properties, there 
 must be a Being who did create these proper- 
 ties. Therefore, whether matter is, or is not, 
 eternal, there must be a Being who either cre- 
 ated matter from nothing, or who subjected 
 matter to its present properties and laws. Vari- 
 ous names are used to designate this Being. He 
 is called Vy some The Great First Cause, The 
 Unknown, The Unknowable, The Infinite. He 
 is called by others God. The name makes no 
 difference. In each case it is used to designate 
 the same Being, the same Power. 
 
44 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 This Being is omnipotent, eternal, unchang- 
 ing, infinite, and of free will. Omnipotent 
 means all-powerful having power greater than 
 all, or over and above all other power or powers 
 combined. 
 
 He created matter out of nothing ; lie caused 
 the laws governing matter ; He created life, and 
 the laws governing life. These embrace all 
 things, so far as we know, exterior to God. 
 Therefore, if he had the power to create these 
 things, His power is greater than the power in 
 all these things combined. He is all-powerful, 
 omnipotent. How much greater His power is 
 than the power thus indicated we do not know. 
 We can only measure power by the result it 
 accomplishes. His power accomplished the crea- 
 tion of all matter, and life, and the laws govern- 
 ing them. We know of nothing else, hence He 
 is all-p&iuerfttl onmi-potens as to these things. 
 Beyond this measure of power it is useless to 
 speculate. 
 
 He is eternal. For if not, then since matter 
 is not eternal, there was a period in eternity 
 past when neither matter nor a Creative Being 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 45 
 
 existed. There was nothing. How then did 
 nothing from nothing create an Omnipotent Be- 
 ing, or even matter? He is therefore eternal. 
 
 He is unchanging. If not, then His powers 
 or attributes are either increasing or decreasing. 
 If increasing, then there must be an increment 
 either of constant or irregular addition. 
 
 Now, going further and further back into 
 eternity past, and taking away each increment 
 by which He has been increased, there will 
 finally be taken away the last increment, and 
 there will be nothing left. A period in the 
 past is thus reached when there was no God. 
 But it has already been shown that He is eter- 
 nal. 
 
 If His powers or faculties are decreasing, then 
 there will be a time in the future when there 
 will be no God. For decrement after decrement 
 being removed, there will finally be nothing 
 left. This implies that God has not the power 
 to prevent Sis own annihilation, and that there 
 is a power superior to His. But in the subse- 
 quent pages it is shown that no such power 
 could exist. 
 
 V* 
 
46 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Therefore, we conclude that He is neither in- 
 creasing nor decreasing ; that He is the same 
 in every respect yesterday, to-day, and forever. 
 He is the unchanging One. 
 
 He is infinite. This word is from two Latin 
 words, in meaning not, andj^mre, to bound, to cir- 
 cumscribe, to limit, to end. This Being is not 
 bounded or circumscribed by matter in space, 
 for He is the Creator. The things created can 
 not limit the Creator. Neither can the created 
 beings limit or circumscribe Him. As author, 
 or establisher of all forces and laws, He is above 
 them, and not limited or controlled by them. 
 Eternity past or future runs not beyond His 
 existence, for as shown. He is without begin- 
 ning of days or end of years. He is, therefore, 
 not bounded, circumscribed, or limited; neither 
 is there any end for Him. He is infinite. 
 
 He is of free will. As matter is not eternal, 
 there was a time in the past when nothing but 
 God existed. There was nothing of which we 
 have any indication, external to Himself, to 
 compel Him to act or to refrain. If He acted, 
 it was because He willed it. If some external 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 47 
 
 tiling compelled Him to act, that thing must be 
 co-existing with God, eternal as He is eternal. 
 Otherwise, God of His own will, caused or cre- 
 ated that which compelled Him afterward to 
 act. If the thing is eternal, then that thing 
 which compelled Him, a certain number of 
 years ago, to create matter or give it its proper- 
 ties, and to establish the present order of things, 
 would in the beginning of eternity (if such a 
 time could be) have compelled Him to create 
 or establish them. Lacking that certain num- 
 ber of years they would be eternal, which is a 
 contradiction ; for no given number of years 
 deducted from eternity diminishes it. If it was 
 not powerful enough to compel Him to act, un- 
 til a certain number of years ago, it was not 
 infinite. Infinity can not be increased. 
 
 Going back into the past further and further, 
 at the same time taking away each integral by 
 which the power was augmented, the power 
 which by these increments became the cause of 
 action finally becomes nothing. What started 
 this power or created its increments? To say 
 that it was the nature of the power so to be, 
 
48 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 and so to increase, is the same as to say that it 
 is God's nature which compelled Him to do as 
 he has done. If His own nature has compelled 
 Him to create the present order of things a cer- 
 tain number of ages ago it would have compel- 
 led him in the beginning of eternity (if such a 
 time could be) to create them. This is the 
 same hypothesis heretofore shown to be impos- 
 sible. 
 
 The conclusion, therefore, must be that there 
 is a God of free will, who, existing through all 
 eternity, did, when it pleased Him, establish of 
 His own free will the present order of things. 
 
 The conclusions reached in this chapter are 
 based on the immutability of the law of nature 
 that matter and its properties are co-existent 
 and inseparable. If we assume that this law is 
 not true, then there must be a God who created 
 or established these properties, and the laws 
 governing matter. We see no escape from the 
 conclusion that the laws and facts in nature 
 establish the proposition that there is a God, 
 omnipotent, eternal, unchanging, infinite, and 
 of free will. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION AND ITS GENERAL CHARACTER- 
 ISTICS. 
 
 It being established as a fact that there is a 
 God omnipotent, eternal, unchanging, infinite, 
 and of free will we ask at this time to be al- 
 lowed temporarily to assume as true that God 
 is a being of perfect and infinite benevolence. 
 
 Kepler assumed that the planets moved in 
 elliptical orbits with the sun near one of the 
 foci. Having assumed this, he demonstrated 
 that the known facts relating to the motion of 
 the planets would thus be accounted for. It was 
 the simplest hypothesis that would agree with 
 the facts. Therefore, the assumed hypothesis is 
 considered as true. From this proposition many 
 other facts, before unknown, were deduced as 
 conclusions, and the number of known facts 
 greatly increased. 
 
 Now, assuming that God is a being of perfect 
 
50 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 benevolence, we propose to show what plan of 
 creation would be adopted, and how that plan 
 would harmonize with the known facts ; and by 
 reason of its harmonizing with the facts the 
 truth of the hypothesis becomes highly probable 
 or established. Benevolence is an active prin- 
 ciple or faculty. Its very name implies that it 
 confers enjoyment and good on others than its 
 possessor. Bene volens well acting or willing. 
 Hence, the assumed perfect benevolence of God 
 could not, and would not, exist without his 
 conferring enjoyment and happiness on others 
 than himself. He would, therefore, call into 
 existence beings capable of enjoyment. Per- 
 fect benevolence would be satisfied only with 
 the greatest enjoyment, for the greatest length of time, 
 to the greatest number, with the least suffering to the 
 fewest individuals. 
 
 We thus arrive at three important conclusions: 
 First. There would be a creation of beings 
 capable of enjoyment. 
 
 Second. The great final objects of such a 
 creation would be the greatest enjoyment, for 
 the greatest length of time, to the greatest nurn- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 51 
 
 ber, with the least suffering to the fewest indi- 
 viduals. 
 
 Third. These objects could be accomplished 
 only by some general plan, perfect as a whole 
 and in all its details. This general plan we 
 designate THE PLAN OF CREATION. It embraces 
 every created thing, from the highest archangel 
 or spiritual being (if there is such), down 
 through all the forms of animal and vegetable 
 life to matter ; embracing it in all its forms 
 and extent, from the atom to the worlds, sys- 
 tems, and universes that may exist throughout 
 the infinite depths of space. It embraces all 
 these objects, from the time w T hen the first cre- 
 ative act occurred, on down through time to 
 the end thereof, and on, on through the endless 
 ages of the future, so long as any of the things 
 created shall endure. 
 
 There was then a period in eternity past 
 when God, existing alone, commenced to create 
 beings for the purpose of conferring the great- 
 est enjoyment, for the greatest length of time, 
 on the greatest number, with the least suffering 
 to the fewest individuals. Then was initiated 
 
52 THE PLAN OF CREATION." 
 
 his PLAN OF CREATION, measured in its extent by 
 his omnipotence, and perfected by his infinite 
 wisdom. He knew the length and breadth of 
 this plan. He knew it in all of its details, and 
 in all of its workings, in all of its effects, from 
 the least to the greatest, from the first to the 
 last. He knew the end of it from the begin- 
 ning, with all the intermediate events. Why 
 should he not? He formed it. Does not he 
 who forms know what he has formed? 
 
 A plan of creation implies a law co-extensive 
 with the plan. The mode or manner, in or by 
 which the plan operates, is the law of the plan 
 of creation. Therefore, when God initiated the 
 plan of creation he also established the law or 
 manner by which this plan should be carried 
 into effect. The manner in which each division, 
 subdivision, individual, and organ of an indi- 
 vidual moved on to its destiny would be the 
 law thereof. The manner in which matter 
 evolved all of its phenomena would be the law 
 or laws of matter. The manner in which life 
 appeared at the proper times, and proceeded to 
 accomplish its mission, would be the law of life. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 53 
 
 The manner in which beings capable of enjoy- 
 ment attained it, would be the law of enjoy- 
 ment. Law would, therefore, govern the whole 
 from atoms to aggregates. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 WHAT KIND OF BEINGS WOULD BE CREATED, AND 
 THEIR NUMBER. 
 
 In the preceding chapter we arrived at these 
 conclusions : 
 
 First. There would be a creation of beings 
 capable of enjoyment. 
 
 Second. The great final object of such a crea- 
 tion would be the greatest enjoyment, for the 
 greatest length of time, to the greatest number, 
 with the least suffering to the fewest individ- 
 uals. 
 
 As matter is not capable of enjoyment, its 
 creation would not satisfy any of these condi- 
 tions. There would then be a creation of sen- 
 tient beings at least capable of the lowest enjoy- 
 ment that is, of barely distinguishing between 
 the sensations of pain and pleasure. This would 
 satisfy the first requirement. But the second 
 proposition requires the greatest enjoyment. To 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 55 
 
 satisfy this condition, we at once pass from the 
 being capable of the least to the being capable 
 of the highest enjoyment, whatever that being 
 may be. It must be something different from 
 matter. 
 
 Let it, therefore, be called spirit or mind to 
 distinguish it from the being above referred to 
 least capable of enjoyment. Such a being 
 would possess all the faculties of enjoyment 
 that man has intellectual and moral and 
 other unknown faculties, if there be such. It 
 would be free from many or all of the causes of 
 suffering to which man is subject, especially such 
 as arise from the connection of mind with mat- 
 ter. For the purpose of this argument, let 
 this being or spirit, capable of the greatest en- 
 joyment, be called an archangel. 
 
 The second proposition requires not only the 
 greatest enjoyment, but also that it should be 
 for the greatest length of time. The greatest 
 length of time is eternity. Hence, this being, 
 this spirit, or archangel, would be immortal. 
 Referring again to the second proposition, the 
 great final object of this creation would be the 
 
56 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 greatest enjoyment, for the greatest length of 
 time, to the greatest number. 
 
 Let us now proceed to satisfy this third term 
 of the equation, to- wit: to the greatest number. 
 Before proceeding further it is necessary to 
 clearly define the proposition before us, or a 
 grave error may result. 
 
 An infinite number is the greatest number. 
 The reader might conclude that an infinite num- 
 ber of archangels, each a duplicate of the first, 
 would alone satisfy the equation, as an arch- 
 angel is here assumed to be capable of the 
 greatest enjoyment. But this is not the case. 
 For if they were each identical with the first 
 they would each have the same thoughts at the 
 same time, and would say the same thing at the 
 same time. An infinite amount of monotony 
 would result, which would make the amount of 
 enjoyment less than the greatest enjoyment. 
 Let each archangel vary a little from the others 
 at the time of his creation in the strength of 
 one or more faculties and variety results. This 
 variety at once contributes to the greatest en- 
 joyment. How many faculties, how many vari- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 57 
 
 ations of each faculty, and how many combina- 
 tions representing an individual archangel are 
 possible, each differing from all the others not 
 a duplicate to be found, yet each one an arch- 
 angel ; all belonging to one order, created with 
 a given amount of knowledge, but each varying 
 from the others, and that variety a source of 
 enjoyment to all. The number would not be 
 infinite, but would be limited to the number of 
 combinations and variations. 
 
 After filling out this order of archangels, the 
 equation is not satisfied. The greatest enjoy- 
 ment to the greatest number is not yet completed. 
 To create another group of archangels would be 
 to duplicate each one created ; and for that 
 matter duplicate it an infinite number of times, 
 and again produce monotony. But create a 
 lower order of beings, less developed in their 
 whole class of faculties, having a less amount of 
 knowledge at the time of their creation, and 
 variety would again result, thereby aiding to 
 produce the greatest happiness to the greatest 
 number. 
 
 To distinguish those of the second order from 
 
58 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 the first, call them angels. Each one, when 
 created, would vary from the others in its com- 
 bination of faculties, the same as in the higher 
 order. 
 
 Order after order would thus be created, each 
 a little lower than the preceding one in strength 
 of faculties and amount of knowledge at the 
 time of its creation. Evidently an order would 
 be reached, so low in the scale of existence, 
 that it would necessarily be created without 
 any knowledge or some of the faculties would 
 be omitted, or both might occur. 
 
 Before proceeding further with this branch of 
 the subject, we wish to take up another matter 
 which will materially assist the reader in under- 
 standing the creation of the lower order of be- 
 ings. We refer to the laws according to which 
 enjoyment is attained. From the considera- 
 tion of these laws will more fully appear other 
 characteristics of the different orders of beings 
 that would be created, to fill out the PLAN OF 
 CREATION. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE LAWS ACCORDING TO WHICH ENJOYMENT IS AT- 
 TAINED. 
 
 In the preceding chapter was shown the kind 
 of beings that would be created, and that each 
 would be created with certain faculties of mind 
 and with a certain amount of knowledge. But 
 shall those faculties forever remain as at the 
 moment of creation? Shall the amount of 
 knowledge with which each being was created 
 forever remain as at first? If so, then the en- 
 joyment would ever be as in the beginning. 
 The same knowledge, neither more nor less, 
 would become monotonous. The greatest en- 
 joyment would not thus be attained. 
 
 If, on the other hand, the faculties became 
 stronger and stronger, the capacity for enjoy- 
 ment would be greater and greater, and as the 
 amount of knowledge increased, so would the 
 enjoyment. The greatest enjoyment for the 
 
60 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 longest time, would require that these beings 
 should, during eternity, constantly increase in 
 their capacity for enjoyment and in their amount 
 of knowledge. And as to capacity and knowl- 
 edge, there would be no limit. The finite may 
 constantly approach the infinite, but can never 
 itself become infinite. 
 
 There must be some mode or law established 
 whereby the capacity for enjoyment may be in- 
 creased, and whereby more knowledge may be 
 acquired. . This can best be done, and can only 
 be done, by establishing an invariable connec- 
 tion between cause and effect. Like cause must 
 always produce like effect. If this were not the 
 case, then the cause which at one time produced 
 enjoyment, at another time might produce pain. 
 That which would increase knowledge at one 
 time would not increase it at another. The 
 same cause not producing the same effect would 
 render it impossible for the greatest enjoyment 
 to be attained by the greatest number, for the 
 greatest length of time, with the least suffering 
 to the fewest individuals. 
 
 The first law, then, by which the greatest en- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 61 
 
 joyment could be attained, would be that the 
 same cause shall always produce the same effect. 
 In order then that these beings might attain en- 
 joyment, there would be established a vast num- 
 ber or series of causes, which would, when fol- 
 lowed out, produce enjoyment. 
 
 But these beings are created with a capacity 
 for. enjoyment and knowledge that forever in- 
 creases. Therefore, the causes of enjoyment 
 must be infinite, or else the time will arrive 
 when they will be exhausted, or when new cre- 
 ations must occur. 
 
 It evidently follows from the foregoing that 
 the second law by which the greatest enjoyment 
 could be attained would be, that these beings 
 must exist, or act in accordance, with this series 
 of causes. 
 
 The causes of enjoyment may be interior or 
 exterior to the being. The interior are con- 
 sciousness of its own existence, and such reason- 
 ing as may result from that knowledge. The 
 exterior causes of enjoyment are all things that 
 exist exterior to the being. 
 
 To illustrate : The first archangel when ere- 
 
62 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 ated was alone. His only source of enjoyment 
 was his consciousness and such thoughts as were 
 awakened by his own existence. But when the 
 second being was created, this act of creation 
 was a source of knowledge and enjoyment to the 
 first. The two could study each other. Their 
 class of thoughts were different, and each was 
 a source of enjoyment to the other. 
 
 As each successive being and as each succes- 
 sive order was created, each was a source of en- 
 joyment to the others. Those of the higher 
 order would communicate their knowledge to 
 those of the lower orders, and each would do 
 what produced pleasure to himself and to the 
 others. 
 
 The sources of enjoyment would be infinite, 
 for God himself would create the causes, or 
 rather God as manifested in acts of creation, or 
 otherwise, would be the great cause of enjoy- 
 ment. The creation of each archangel was but 
 a manifestation of God, or of the idea which 
 God entertained on that subject. Therefore, 
 that these beings might have the greatest enjoy- 
 ment for the greatest length of time, it would 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 63 
 
 be necessary that they should know what causes 
 would produce enjoyment, and that they should 
 know in what relation to place themselves to 
 those causes. This would be done either by 
 their being created with sufficient knowledge, 
 or by their being subsequently informed on the 
 subject. 
 
 The first archangel, therefore, was created 
 with sufficient knowledge of this law and of 
 these causes to enable him. by proper use of 
 his faculties, to select such causes as would 
 produce happiness. The faculties with which 
 he was created would enable him to study out 
 this law as it applied to new things occurring 
 during the ages of his existence. What knowl- 
 edge each lower archangel lacked at the time 
 of his creation would be imparted to him by 
 the higher, thus giving the enjoyment of teach- 
 ing and learning. 
 
 From the proposition that the faculties of 
 these spiritual beings would have the capacity 
 to forever increase in strength and in the ac- 
 quisition of knowledge, we arrive at the con- 
 clusion that there would be created or estab- 
 
64 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 lished an infinite number of causes, or series of 
 causes, of enjoyment, and that the same cause 
 would always produce the same effect. From 
 the foregoing we see more clearly the second 
 law, that enjoyment would be attained by these 
 beings acting, or existing, in accordance with 
 these causes, or series of causes. If these be- 
 ings obeyed this law, they would have enjoy- 
 ment. If they neglected it, or acted contrary 
 to it, enjoyment would not be attained. 
 
 It can readily be seen, that in creating suc- 
 cessive lower orders of these beings, each with 
 less knowledge than the preceding, an order 
 would be reached which, at the time of its cre- 
 ation, would have no knowledge of these laws, 
 or it would be wanting in some of the faculties 
 with which to apprehend them. 
 
 We are thus brought to consider whether 
 there could be created inferior orders of beings, 
 lacking more or less faculties given to the high- 
 er orders. The further question arises, What 
 other sources of enjoyment can be called into 
 existence in order to accomplish the great final 
 objects of the PLAN OF CREATION ? 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THE CREATION OF MATTER AND THE PURPOSE FOR 
 WHICH IT WAS CREATED. 
 
 Having created all the various orders of an- 
 gelic beings to have enjoyment themselves, and 
 as sources of happiness to each other, the ques- 
 tion arises Can there be created any other 
 sources of enjoyment? If so, they must be cre- 
 ated in order to produce the greatest enjoyment 
 to those beings already in existence. 
 
 Whatever was created should be on such a 
 scale of magnitude and variety that it would be 
 a constant and inexhaustible source of enjoy- 
 ment throughout eternity. God, being infinite, 
 never could be seen or understood by the finite 
 created beings. But his acts of creation and 
 the results thereof would be the avenues through 
 which his creatures could ever learn of Him. 
 Hence we are led to expect a wonderful crea- 
 tion of some kind besides the creation of an- 
 gelic orders. 
 
66 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 God and these created intelligences alone in- 
 habited the solitary, boundless, universal void. 
 The creative power is put forth, silently, 
 without pomp or display, and instantly in the 
 void depths of space is matter. Laws are at 
 the same time established over this substance, 
 so that the grandest, most complicated, and 
 most beautiful results will follow. Cause and 
 effect are established, and it is so ordered that 
 a record of events shall be made, which in fut- 
 ure ages may be traced back by beings who 
 may thereafter be created; the very act of trac- 
 ing back being to them a source of enjoyment. 
 
 The thrill of joy and awe that stirred the 
 hosts of angelic beings when this great act, the 
 creation of matter, took place may be faintly 
 conceived, but can not be described. Some- 
 thing from nothing, and where the limits 
 thereof? all controlled by laws that will pro- 
 duce ever varying phenomena until an equili- 
 brium is reached. Ere the first emotions of 
 rapturous pleasure have died away these beings 
 perceive that this mass of matter is already in 
 motion. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 67 
 
 Attraction is acting on and agitating the 
 mass throughout. In obedience to law, here 
 and there, this matter collects in nuclei or 
 centres. Spheres begin to form, and moving 
 on the resultant lines of attractive forces are 
 drawn into fixed orbits. Condensation of inat- 
 ter causes light and heat to spring out of the 
 darkness. Change after change, physical and 
 chemical, in rapid succession occurs, each de- 
 veloping new wonders to those beholding. 
 Systems and universes are grouped in order. 
 Resulting forces hold planets, comets, meteors 
 and systems in trackless curves. Suns are 
 speeding their rays of light through measure- 
 less space. Suns, planets, and satellites are re- 
 volving each in its proper place, and their num- 
 ber countless. 
 
 Great as the intelligence of the angelic be- 
 ings was, they must have paused and in one 
 voice said, Who can understand God? Who 
 by searching can find him out? Marvelous are 
 Thy works. 
 
 Bear in mind that this creation of matter is 
 for the purpose of producing the greatest en- 
 joyment. 
 
68 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 It must be expected that the movement of 
 each atom, and each aggregation of matter, will 
 be in accordance with this object. There is a 
 best in each act and movement. That which is 
 best alone satisfies the condition of the PLAN 
 OF CREATION, to-wit. : the greatest enjoyment. 
 Therefore, the movement of matter in atoms 
 and in aggregates and all phenomena evolved 
 therefrom, and all laws relating thereto, would 
 be such that no other movement, phenomena, 
 or law could produce, greater enjoyment as a 
 whole. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 THE CREATION OP BEINGS WHEREIN LIFE AND MATTER 
 ARE UNITED. THE EXTREMES OF THE CREATION OF 
 BEINGS CAPABLE OF ENJOYMENT. 
 
 Since God commenced this plan of causing 
 the greatest enjoyment, for the greatest length 
 of time, to the greatest number, he has presum- 
 ably made two classes of creation, thus far 
 mentioned. 
 
 First. Angelic beings of different orders, and 
 in vast numbers, capable of the greatest enjoy- 
 ment. 
 
 Second. Matter subject to laws that will pro- 
 duce the greatest variety of phenomena, and 
 thereby the greatest variety of enjoyment. 
 
 Is the work complete? Can infinite wisdom 
 and omnipotence do no more? The time ar- 
 rives, and the third part of the plan is initiated 
 the union of spirit or life with matter. Two 
 objects will be accomplished by this. 
 
 4* 
 
70 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 New beings capable, of new enjoyment will 
 be brought into existence, and they will also be 
 objects of study and enjoyment to the angelic 
 beings already created. Between what ex- 
 tremes would this new combination or creation 
 take place? Evidently, from the being capable 
 of a single pleasant sensation, up to the being 
 capable of the greatest enjoyment that is, of 
 beings where spirit or life was united with mat- 
 ter. 
 
 We are now able to perceive the extremes of 
 God's creation of beings capable of enjoyment 
 from life connected with matter, and capable of 
 ;i single pleasant sensation, having but the one 
 laculty of feeling, up through successive higher 
 orders, having more numerous faculties of pleas- 
 ure, up through man to the highest archangel 
 from the protozoa through the sponges, mol- 
 lusks, radiates, and vertebrates to man, and on 
 from man to the highest order of beings. 
 
 Let all below angels or spirits be called an- 
 imals, from man to protozoa. 
 
 The limit of beings capable of enjoyment is, 
 therefore, from the protozoa or sensitive plant 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 71 
 
 to the highest created beings. The sources of 
 enjoyment to these beings are the beings them- 
 selves ; matter and its laws, and the union of 
 spirit or life with matter. 
 
 Following this to complete the list is life, 
 without even sensation, connected with matter, 
 called vegetable life. And beyond this vege- 
 table life, shadowing off even into almost life, 
 is crystallization. 
 
 Without going into a wearisome detail of a 
 priori theorizing and specification of correspond- 
 ing facts, the reader's attention is called to the 
 remarkable gradation in capacity for enjoyment, 
 both as to number of faculties and their strength, 
 existing from the lowest to the highest of the 
 things created. The extremes are from the 
 minutest insect, enjoying a single sensation of 
 pleasure for a moment, to the greatest created 
 intelligence, enjoying the pleasure of an infinite 
 universe for eternity. 
 
 The vegetable kingdom commences merely 
 with life or vitality and matter without sensa- 
 tion, as trees and grasses. As the animal king- 
 dom is approached, first are met the sensitive 
 
72 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 plants ; then sponges and protozoa, showing 
 slight voluntary motions and faint signs of sen- 
 sation ; next the lowest order of mollusks, with 
 voluntary motion and sensation. Progressing 
 upward in the scale we arrive at the radiata, 
 an order endowed with full voluntary motion, 
 and with organs of sensation well developed. 
 Above these the articulata and vertebrata, hav- 
 ing the utmost freedom of motion, with the 
 most perfect organs of sensation. As the high- 
 er classes of vertebrata are examined, we find 
 the faculties for enjoyment of a higher and 
 more active order. The increase in both re- 
 spects is manifest in the mammalia, where ris- 
 ing in this scale are the monkey and the ape 
 families. 
 
 Finally, man comes into existence having the 
 greatest number of faculties in the most active 
 and perfect condition. In the human family 
 variation occurs. No two are alike, and prob- 
 ably there never has been a duplicate man, one 
 who was a fac simile of another, in any age of 
 the world. 
 
CHAPTER IX, 
 
 THE LOWER ORDERS OF ANIMALS ARE MORTAL. WHY 
 THE ANIMAL KINGDOM WOULD BE CREATED ; AND 
 THE ORDER IN WHICH THE ANIMALS WOULD BE CRE- 
 ATED. 
 
 It has already been shown that the PLAN OF 
 CREATION involved the existence of a class of 
 beings wherein matter and life were united 
 from the lowest forms of organized life up to 
 man, the highest. In a former chapter it was 
 shown that the angelic beings created for eter- 
 nal enjoyment would be immortal. How would 
 it be with the lower orders of organized life? 
 Are they immortal the oyster as well as man? 
 
 It was shown in Chapter YI that there was a 
 law through which enjoyment would be attained. 
 It would be by establishing a never-failing con- 
 nection between cause and effect, and by estab- 
 lishing an infinite series of causes, which would 
 produce happiness, provided the individual 
 
74 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 placed himself in proper relation to the causes. 
 In other words, if the being lived according to 
 this law it would have enjoyment. But this re- 
 quires intelligence to know what that law is. 
 And if a being is created so low in the order 
 of existence that it has not this intelligence, it 
 would be as liable to violate the law as to obey 
 it. Hence, when an order is reached, where the 
 beings would thus, by violating the law, cause 
 to themselves more suffering than enjoyment, 
 they would not be immortal. 
 
 Again, the avenues of enjoyment for the an- 
 imal kingdom are two-fold: 
 
 First. Through the mental faculties. 
 
 Second. Through the organs of the body. 
 
 The highest order man has both the low- 
 est order probably has only the latter. And if 
 a change of surrounding conditions should de- 
 stroy these material bodies, as means of enjoy- 
 ment, then the being, not having any other 
 organs of enjoyment, would presumably cease 
 to exist. 
 
 The laws governing matter are such that at 
 certain stages the changes through which it 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 75 
 
 goes would destroy these living organized 
 bodies. Such was the case in the past when 
 the earth was in a molten condition. Living 
 organism could not then exist. At a later 
 time, during the glacial period, many forms of 
 life could not endure the cold, and perished 
 from the earth. In the ages of the future the 
 earth may lose its heat by radiation and become 
 a rigid frozen globe, incapable of sustaining an- 
 imal life. Our solar system moving in an 
 elliptical orbit around some great central sun 
 or point may at its perihelion or aphelion have 
 extremes of heat and cold sufficient to destroy 
 present forms of life. Or, moving in this great 
 orbit, may in its course approach other suns or 
 recede from them, causing the same results as 
 above indicated. All these, which are possible, 
 would totally destroy the physical organism, 
 thus leaving no source of enjoyment to that 
 class of beings whose enjoyment was through 
 the organs only. 
 
 Therefore, somewhere between man and the 
 lowest order of the animal kingdom would be 
 the dividing line between mortal and immortal 
 
76 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 beings. It is not necessary to show where that 
 dividing line is That it exists somewhere be- 
 tween man and the protozoa is very probable. 
 
 But why create any except immortal beings? 
 For this reason: Suppose that none were cre- 
 ated but the immortal. Then there would be 
 uncreated this lower order. The plan of the 
 greatest enjoyment to the greatest number re- 
 quires that all should be created and have their 
 day of enjoyment, and be sources of enjoyment 
 to the higher beings. The whole creation of 
 God is living out, each its life of enjoyment, 
 and in its mechanism and life furnishes enjoy- 
 ment to the others. 
 
 With this in view, we turn to consider the 
 order in which the animal and vegetable king- 
 dom would be created. Angelic beings having 
 been created, and matter having been created, 
 subject to laws, and those laws having operated 
 to form suns and worlds, and these worlds hav- 
 ing cooled off to a proper temperature, there 
 was created vegetable life. At first such as 
 would exist in the highest heat. Animal life, 
 protozoa, or whatever it may be, having some 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 77 
 
 enjoyment, and being a source of enjoyment to 
 the angelic orders, would appear as soon as such 
 existence were possible. The changing or cool- 
 ing of the earth gave rise to conditions for other 
 higher vegetable and animal life ; and they were 
 created different from the former ones. So, 
 age after age, new and higher forms of life oc- 
 curred, having more organs of enjoyment, and 
 being objects of enjoyment to the intelligent 
 beings. The changing conditions of the earth's 
 temperature, and the purification of the air, 
 with other changes, destroyed one order and 
 called out by creative power a new one, adapted 
 to the new conditions. As each disappeared it 
 left a record in Earth's strata for future use. 
 
 Finally, in the fullness of time, a being was 
 created with a capacity for enjoyment that 
 would ever increase. To him were given such 
 faculties of mind, that he could understand the 
 law of cause and effect by which enjoyment 
 would be attained. A being with memory, 
 whereby knowledge once acquired could be for- 
 ever retained. He could by reason, and by his 
 other faculties, inquire into the laws and ob- 
 
78 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 jects of nature beyond the immediate reach of 
 his material organs. This being was man. He, 
 having such mental faculties as could exist and 
 enjoy without being connected with matter, was 
 created so that his soul or mind would exist 
 forever. 
 
 We have now hastily run over the Plan of 
 Creation, showing some of the leading facts 
 which would naturally result from the act of 
 causing the greatest enjoyment, for the greatest 
 length of time, to the greatest number, with the 
 least suffering to the fewest individuals. A re- 
 capitulation shows 
 
 First. The creation of different orders of 
 angelic beings in vast numbers, capable of the 
 greatest enjoyments, as individuals, for the 
 greatest length of time. 
 
 Second. The creation of external sources of 
 enjoyment, to-wit. : Matter on such a grand 
 scale that, subject to laws producing constant- 
 ly changing results, it would for eternity be a 
 new and ever varying source of instruction and 
 pleasure. 
 
 Third. The further creation, or union, of life 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 79 
 
 with matter producing new sources of enjoy- 
 ment, and new beings capable of enjoying. 
 
 Fourth. The establishing of an invariable con- 
 nection between cause and effect, so that the 
 same cause of enjoyment would always produce 
 the same effect this law also being called the 
 law by which enjoyment is to be attained. 
 
 Fifth. God originally being the only one 
 inhabiting eternity, was and is the cause of 
 all enjoyment. Each and all acts of creation, 
 and all laws established, are only the manifes- 
 tations of His plan. 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 THE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF CREATION. 
 
 In order to produce the greatest enjoyment, it 
 was necessary to create a being capable of the 
 greatest or most intense enjoyment in every 
 respect. This could not be done unless volun- 
 tary action, or freedom of the will, was allowed. 
 
 Take away freedom of the will, or voluntary 
 action, and enjoyment results only as the being 
 is acted upon. Like a harp, it may have great 
 latent powers, but it requires an external cause 
 constantly operating upon it. When that cause 
 ceases, all is silent. Give freedom of the will, 
 or voluntary action, to a being and it at once 
 has a new pleasure. It pushes out in all direc- 
 tions with its faculties, and by that act has en- 
 joyment from a source that otherwise would 
 not exist. 
 
 It has been shown that the manifestation of 
 God through his various acts of creation, would 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 81 
 
 be the sources, or external causes, of enjoy- 
 ment; that the law of enjoyment, or the law by 
 which enjoyment is attained, is based on the 
 connection between cause and effect, so that 
 the beings may follow out and investigate these 
 causes. Freedom of the will implies the power 
 of a being to refuse or neglect to select such 
 causes, and such a course as would produce en- 
 joyment. Therefore, to urge the being on in 
 the proper course, and to prevent it entering 
 upon a course that would fail to produce enjoy- 
 ment, it would be necessary, and an act of 
 benevolence, to hedge up the wrong course with 
 that which would produce pain. 
 
 And again, to prevent these beings from 
 ignorantly doing the wrong, it would be neces- 
 sary for the first beings to be created with suf- 
 ficient knowledge of these causes to enable them 
 to make proper selections. 
 
 If matter were created first, no beings would 
 have had the pleasure of beholding that act, 
 and the early phenomena attending it. 
 
 If beings with little or no intelligence had 
 been first created, or created with limited and 
 
82 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 local faculties for observation, they would not 
 comprehend or fully enjoy the phenomena of 
 creation. Therefore, that the greatest enjoy- 
 ment might arise on the whole, it would be 
 necessary to create first, beings with great capac- 
 ity and with high intelligence, so that they 
 might have the enjoyment resulting, not only 
 from the first act of creation, but from all phe- 
 nomena resulting therefrom. 
 
 We thus arrive by another line of argument 
 at the same conclusion, that the highest order 
 of intelligent beings would be first created. 
 This would be filled out with individuals of the 
 highest intelligence. After that would follow 
 the creation of each lower order, until the low- 
 est order was created and filled with individuals. 
 There would thus be prepared all the angelic 
 hosts ready for, and capable of, beholding and 
 enjoying the creation of matter and life and all 
 the phenomena evolved therefrom. The lower 
 beings could be taught by the higher, thus giv- 
 ing this pleasure, to the one to impart knowl- 
 edge, to the other to receive it. 
 
 We must bear in mind, that every source of 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 83 
 
 enjoyment, however small, must be caused in 
 order to produce the greatest enjoyment. 
 
 These spiritual beings beheld matter spring 
 into existence, and saw the laws operate there- 
 on ; and when the worlds, under those laws, 
 were formed and cooled sufficiently, so that the 
 heat would not destroy life, there would be 
 created whatever beings could exist. First 
 protozoa, millions of which animated atoms 
 would be called into existence for their moiety 
 of enjoyment and for the enjoyment they would 
 furnish the intelligent beings, who witnessed 
 their creation and duration; but as the condi- 
 tion of the earth changed, new and more com- 
 plicated beings could live, then the creative 
 power called them into existence. 
 
 It matters not, whether the -creative power 
 was called forth at each successive appearance 
 of life, or whether that power established in the 
 beginning a law of life, so adjusted that when- 
 ever the proper moment arrived life emerged or 
 evolved apparently from the surroundings. It 
 matters not in the investigation whether each 
 child born is a new creation of life, or whether 
 
84 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 the circumstances combined produce life. It 
 all originates in the creative power of the great 
 First Cause, who makes each special creation, or 
 who established in the beginning the law by 
 which each life appears at the proper time. 
 
 But as these first temporary beings had their 
 individual enjoyment and were sources of en- 
 joyment to the beings w r ho contemplated them 
 while existing, so their remains are preserved 
 as fossils for the contemplation and enjoyment 
 of that future race of beings, man. In the 
 rocks and geological formations of the earth 
 this benevolent Being fixes an enduring record. 
 Nothing lost all contributing to the greatest 
 enjoyment of the greatest number. Time 
 rolls on and the earth is ready for man. 
 The creative .power calls him into existence, 
 having preserved in the laws governing matter, 
 and in the earth's formations, a record of events 
 that had preceded him for his investigation and 
 enjoyment. 
 
 While, therefore, the creation of spiritual be- 
 ings would evidently be from the highest to 
 the lowest, the creation of the animal kingdom 
 would be from the lowest to the highest. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 85 
 
 This plan of creation contemplates future 
 changes in the forms of matter through the 
 eternity to come. For if matter should under- 
 go no more changes in the aggregate, all that 
 they now display would in time be completely 
 known to these beings. Thereafter nothing 
 more could be learned. 
 
 As change in matter is therefore an inevitable 
 result of the present laws, these beings created 
 and connected with material bodies would in 
 the great change of matter, under the general 
 laws, have their material bodies changed or de- 
 stroyed. Hence this connection of life and 
 matter must be temporary. 
 
 Let the reader cast his mind's eye over this 
 plan of creation; beings to be created, immor- 
 tal with faculties intellectual and moral, ever 
 growing, expanding, and increasing; the stage 
 of development never to be reached, where it 
 will be said nothing more can occur to produce 
 enjoyment. And to furnish an inexhaustible 
 source of enjoyment, there is created matter 
 throughout the boundless depths of space, sub- 
 ject to laws which will constantly evolve new 
 
86 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 changes, and produce new results. From this, 
 and from new creations in the endless ages of 
 eternity, there will be evolved new objects for 
 investigation by these beings, for whose enjoy- 
 ment they were or shall be created. Running 
 down the scale, we find that every order of be- 
 ings presumably would be created, from that 
 capable of the highest enjoyment for eternity, 
 down to the lowest having but a single sensation 
 of pleasure. 
 
 The plan of creation, causing the greatest 
 enjoyment to the greatest number for the great- 
 est length of time, can embrace no less than the 
 foregoing. How much more it may embrace 
 may not now be known to man while in the 
 body. 
 
 In the foregoing chapters we haye necessarily 
 gone much into the domain of speculation, and 
 have tried to show what would, according to 
 reason, result from a certain given or assumed 
 proposition, to-wit. : " That God is a being of 
 perfect benevolence." 
 
 So far our investigation has been for the pur- 
 pose of ascertaining as nearly as possible the 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 87 
 
 plan as a whole and its extremes in general 
 terms. Therefrom we may determine the rela- 
 tive position of man in this great plan. With 
 this knowledge before us we may proceed to 
 consider the enigma of man's existence, his 
 destiny, and the circumstances that surround 
 him. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 THE ORDER OF MAN AND ITS SOURCES OF ENJOYMENT. 
 
 From the general view taken of the plan of 
 creation it is evident that the great final object 
 to be accomplished was the greatest enjoyment, 
 for the greatest length of time, to the greatest 
 number, with the least suffering to the fewest 
 individuals. 
 
 The word enjoyment instead of the word 
 happiness has been used, so that it would in- 
 clude the lowest degree of pleasure possible to 
 the lowest animals. 
 
 Man, in the plan of creation, is apparently 
 below the orders of spiritual beings, and is the 
 highest of the orders of beings wherein spirit 
 or life and matter are united. His mind or 
 spirit is evidently endowed with the prominent 
 characteristics of angelic beings that is, with 
 an ever increasing capacity to acquire knowl- 
 edge, intellectual and moral ; also having an 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 89 
 
 ever increasing capacity for enjoyment. As 
 man is thus constituted, and mentally fitted for 
 never-ending happiness, it follows from the 
 general design that he is to exist forever, and is 
 immortal so far as his spiritual part is concerned. 
 
 Man is probably the last and lowest order of 
 beings endowed with immortality. We have 
 shown that there was presumably first created 
 the highest order of spiritual beings, then an 
 order a little lower, and thus in succession un- 
 til an order would be reached so low in the 
 scale of beings that it would be created without 
 any knowledge at the time of its creation, so 
 that the beings in it could progress through all 
 avenues of enjoyment. This being, so far as 
 known, is man ; for the members of the hu- 
 man family are born without any knowledge 
 whatever. When the mind or soul of a babe is 
 given to the embryo there is no knowledge 
 given with it. There exists the dormant capac- 
 ity, the soul faculties, and nothing more. 
 
 Whether the soul is created at any particular 
 moment, or gradually springs into being as the 
 embryo develops, is not material. But when 
 
90 THE PLAN OP CREATION. 
 
 the babe is born it evidently knows nothing. 
 Therefore, in the downward order of beings, 
 man is a little lower than the angels. A lower 
 order of beings having all the faculties, intel- 
 lectual and moral, that man and the spiritual 
 beings have, could not be created. From the 
 next order of beings, if a lower were created, 
 there would have to be omitted some of the 
 faculties of these higher orders ; otherwise it 
 would not be lower, and some of the higher or- 
 ders would have to be duplicated. 
 
 Now, consider the highest order of animals 
 next below man, the ape. Although it may be 
 difficult to say exactly what and how much is 
 omitted from the mental element of the ape, 
 yet it is evident that something is lacking. The 
 moral faculties seern to be gone entirely, and 
 the religious faculties seem to be xvariting. The 
 greater part of their faculties at least are but a 
 glimmer of man's. Their enjoyment is almost 
 exclusively through the physical organs, as eat- 
 ing and sleeping. They do riot seem to possess 
 that capacity for enjoyment which increases the 
 longer they live. Their capacity for enjoyment 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 91 
 
 evidently reaches very soon a limit beyond 
 which it does not pass. To separate such a 
 mind from the body would apparently cut off 
 the avenues of enjoyment. Hence, such beings 
 would not be created immortal. Annihilation 
 would come upon the vital principle or soul of 
 such a being. If any doubt should exist as to 
 the highest orders of animals, none can reason- 
 ably exist as to the lowest. 
 
 All of these orders of animals below man 
 were created in accordance with the great final 
 object the greatest enjoyment to the greatest 
 number, with their day for enjoyment. They 
 accomplish another important object. Their 
 structures, actions, and lives are objects of en- 
 joyment to the higher order of beings, to those 
 which are immortal, especially to man. 
 
 We must here remember, that the mind re- 
 ceives enjoyment by the action of its faculties. 
 When the faculties are absolutely quiet, as in 
 sleep, there is no enjoyment. When awake all, 
 or a part, of the faculties are constantly acting. 
 The greatest enjoyment is when the faculties 
 are all engaged and acting in pursuit of enjoy- 
 
92 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 able subjects. This being the case, the lower 
 orders of animals are thus created as sources of 
 enjoyment, especially to man while on this 
 earth. Not only as objects of mental consider- 
 ation do they furnish happiness to man, but 
 in order to accomplish the greatest possible re- 
 sults, these animals also furnish enjoyment by 
 their bodies becoming pleasant food, arid all 
 their parts being capable of utilization, so as to 
 add to man's comfort and well being. 
 
 The vegetable kingdom in its structure, 
 growth, and decay furnishes pleasing objects of 
 study to man, and calls out, and into exercise, 
 his faculties of mind. The mineral kingdom, in 
 its chemistry and crystallization, opens up fields 
 of beauty and wonder. The animal and vege- 
 table kingdoms, although appearing on the 
 earth nges before man, left their record in the 
 rocks to be the subject of man's study and in- 
 struction. And when the mind of man has 
 learned all that can be learned from the ani- 
 mal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms on earth 
 there is still left for his investigation, during 
 
 O 7 O 
 
 the coining ages of eternity, the vast number 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 93 
 
 of worlds, and matter, throughout space, and 
 also all the phenomena that may be evolved 
 therefrom. Attraction will eventually draw to- 
 gether planets and suns and systems, rolling up 
 as a parchment or scroll, that which we now call 
 the heavens, and will evolve therefrom new 
 worlds and suns and heavens. When these, 
 and all the accompanying phenomena, have 
 been exhausted as sources of enjoyment, new 
 creations and new evolutions shall come forth 
 in splendor responsive to creative will. Thus 
 God's great panorama of the universes will go 
 on through infinite space and time. Eternity, 
 therefore, and the immortal life of man, will 
 not behold the close of the manifestation of 
 God through His works. 
 
 Another fact becomes evident in this con- 
 nection ; God is the source of all enjoyment. 
 All things created by Him are only manifesta- 
 tions of His will, or of the ideas that pre-existed 
 in His mind. He is infinite, and of course no 
 finite being could comprehend Him, or compre- 
 hend His thoughts, all at once. It is a contra- 
 diction in terms to say that the infinite can be 
 
 5* 
 
94 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 put into the finite, or be grasped by the finite. 
 God might communicate his thoughts to his 
 creatures by a direct act, in which case they 
 would be passive recipients of them. They 
 would receive it as water is poured into a pitch- 
 er, without volition on their part. But this 
 would deprive them of the pleasure of the 
 effort of acquiring knowledge, or of the ex- 
 ercise of their faculties. This would not give 
 the greatest enjoyment. The only other plan 
 to communicate these ideas of God would be 
 for Him to formulate them in external signs, 
 which could be studied by these beings. This 
 He has done. The things created and evolved 
 therefrom are only so many chapters and words 
 in the great book of God, called by some "the 
 book of nature." The heavens and earth and all 
 therein are only his handwriting for his crea- 
 tures to read, written in the most brilliant, in- 
 structive, and fascinating characters. Every 
 shining sun and star in His creation is but a 
 glowing letter of His alphabet, more easily read 
 than the ancient hieroglyphics of man, and placed 
 on high where every being may behold them. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 95 
 
 Nothing is lost from beginning to end. The 
 first ray of light that shot out from the original 
 darkness is now traveling somewhere in space, 
 and may be traveling on a never-ending journey. 
 So the first heat and the first vibration of sound 
 are still in existence far out in space. And fol- 
 lowing after them are the rays of heat and light 
 and vibrations of sound of all that has occurred 
 since the first act of creation. Some time you 
 may take a stand in space, beyond the first ray 
 of light, and behold the original creation and 
 all the succeeding phenomena, down to the 
 present, pass by in panorama. Who for a mo- 
 ment could doubt that this plan was adapted 
 to cause the greatest enjoyment, to the greatest 
 number, for the greatest length of time ? 
 
 It appears then, by process of reasoning, that 
 man in the plan of creation is of that order of 
 immortal beings that would be created not pos- 
 sessed of any knowledge at the time of his cre- 
 ation, but having all the faculties for acquiring 
 knowledge. Man, therefore, comes into exist- 
 ence helpless and utterly ignorant. As a babe 
 he enters into this world with a rnind that is 
 
96 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 blank. There exists the capacity, the possi- 
 bility, but that is all. He knows nothing. A 
 being lower in the scale of existence could not 
 be created unless some of the faculties were 
 omitted. All the higher orders presumably had 
 been created ; all the lower orders had been 
 created, from which some faculties had been 
 omitted ? from protozoa to apes. The scale of 
 beings had not been completed. The great 
 final object was not yet accomplished, to-wit. : 
 the greatest enjoyment to the greatest number. The 
 number was not yet completed, and to fill out 
 that number man was created. He was created 
 at the bottom of the scale of knowledge and the 
 lowest of immortal beings. To him was given 
 the enjoyment of acquiring all knowledge. 
 Starting in ignorance, there is opened up before 
 him for his future enjoyment, by means of in- 
 vestigation, all that God created. He was cre- 
 ated like, or in the image, or after the same 
 pattern that, the angelic beings were, with a ca- 
 pacity that would increase throughout eternity. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 THE FIRST MAN. 
 
 To start this race of beings was the problem. 
 If the first man was created an infant he would 
 perish. Therefore, the first pair must be created 
 in physical maturity. 
 
 When the first man was created, and aroused 
 to consciousness, and beheld the surroundings, 
 perception communicated with the mind and set 
 the mental faculties in motion. Then was 
 awakened the first thrill of enjoyment, produced 
 by beholding the beauty of the bright sunlight, 
 the beautiful landscape and vegetation. And 
 as the successive emotions pass through his 
 mind, the singing of birds and the sighing of 
 the wind break in upon him, producing new 
 sensations of pleasure. The lungs expand, and 
 the fresh invigorating air is inhaled, again giv- 
 ing him new enjoyment. Thus in a few mo- 
 ments sight, hearing, smelling, and feeling are 
 aroused and in operation. 
 
98 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 It was a new and strange world to the first 
 man. Totally ignorant he was of all around 
 him. He was as liable to pick up a stone or 
 stick of wood and try to eat it as anything else. 
 If he walked, he was in danger of walking into 
 a river, or into the ocean, or over a precipice, 
 and thus terminating his existence. By experi- 
 ence he knew nothing. With no one to tell 
 him what to do he must perish. Hunger would 
 soon come upon him, and after a few vain at- 
 tempts to eat the objects that were around him, 
 he would give up in despair and soon starve to 
 death, or die of thirst. 
 
 Taking into consideration the first man's in- 
 experience and ignorance, and the benevolence 
 of God, and that man was created for enjoy- 
 ment, we would infer that God would put this 
 first man in a place where he could get abun- 
 dance to eat; that God would inform him what 
 to eat, and what not to eat, also would teach 
 him how to cultivate the fruits, and inform him 
 by inspiration, or by words, that it was the 
 destiny of the race, as it multiplied, to learn to 
 support life by this process of cultivating the 
 fruits of the earth. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 99 
 
 God would communicate to him such informa- 
 tion as was necessary to keep him from injury 
 and destruction from day to day. From expe- 
 rience the man would be rapidly accumulating 
 knowledge, and every succeeding daj r would re- 
 quire less and less to be revealed to him. 
 
 The information referred to thus far relates 
 only to the man's physical wants. This physical 
 nature is only a part. His intellectual and 
 moral nature, or his soul, is the same in all its 
 faculties and capacities as the angelic beings 
 that have been created. It has the same des- 
 tiny, the same immortality. It must grow ac- 
 cording to the same law. 
 
 The same exterior universe is for his bene- 
 fit. It is the great book out of which he shall 
 learn what God is. With man the same cause 
 will produce the same effect. Happiness or en- 
 joyment must by him be attained in the same 
 way, and by the same law, that the higher be- 
 ings attain it. If he neglect or disobey that 
 law he will not attain enjoyment. Nay more, 
 as already shown, if he fail to comply with that 
 law he will have actual suffering. He belongs 
 
100 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 to the same general order as the immortal an- 
 gelic beings ; only as all the higher orders were 
 already filled out, he comes in as the lowest in 
 the scale. 
 
 How shall this first man comply with this 
 law? To him it is unknown. How shall he 
 find out this law governing his intellectual, 
 moral, and physical nature? If he does not 
 know it he can not obey, and if he does not 
 obey it he will suffer as certainly under, and as 
 a natural consequence of it, as that cause pro- 
 duces effect. How shall he know or obey this 
 unknown law that overshadows him with dan- 
 ger? 
 
 The law in its perfection, both for his imme- 
 diate action and for his action as long as he 
 shall exist, for eternity, is known to God, who 
 created him. It is partly known also to the an- 
 gelic or spiritual beings. They, however, know 
 nothing by experience of those laws that govern 
 him as soul and matter united. 
 
 It must be evident that God would and must 
 communicate to man, day by day, as his intel- 
 lect expanded, sufficient knowledge of this law 
 
THE PLAN OF CURIO'S* . 101 
 
 of enjoyment to enable him to act according 
 to it. 
 
 God, who created him for enjoyment and in 
 order to fill out the scale of beings, would be- 
 come his instructor. One of the first things, 
 therefore, for man to learn was implicit obedience. 
 He must learn to obey the law as it was reveal- 
 ed to him, and because God revealed it. As he 
 acquired more and more knowledge, he would 
 learn from experience that the law was the true 
 one, and the only one that led to enjoyment. 
 
 Not only was it necessary to reveal to this 
 man the law by which enjoyment would be at- 
 tained, and what acts would produce enjoy- 
 ment, but it was as necessary to reveal to him 
 what results, or pain, flowed from neglecting, 
 disregarding, or transgressing this law. 
 
 Exercising the intellect would be the means 
 of developing it, and of producing intellectual 
 enjoyment. Bear in mind that from the simple 
 primary sources of enjoyment, man was to pro- 
 gress higher and higher, until he reached the 
 point at which the next order of beings above 
 him started, and then he was to progress on 
 
102 THE PiAN OF CREATION. 
 
 and on, as do the angelic beings, through the 
 ages of eternity; it being the plan to take man 
 from the lowest up through all the intermediate 
 sources of enjoyment to the highest. 
 
 Man's intellectual faculties having been once 
 put in action, would continue to develop ; for 
 all nature around him was such as to call them 
 into constant exercise. 
 
 A contrast between the knowledge and intel- 
 lectual development of the nineteenth century 
 and of the first century of man's existence on 
 the earth, shows the wonderful growth in this 
 respect, as well as the truth of the theory. The 
 law governing his physical well-being would 
 not be so easily understood, and still more dif- 
 ficult would it be for him to learn the law ac- 
 cording to which his moral nature was to be 
 developed, and made a source of enjoyment. 
 Hence, on these two special information must 
 be given, more particularly as to the latter. 
 Among other things it would be necessary for 
 him to know that he was to exist forever ; that 
 this eternal existence would always be agree- 
 able, if he selected the causes that produced 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 103 
 
 enjoyment ; that the same causes would al- 
 ways produce the same effects ; that if lie neg- 
 lected these causes, or acted contrary to them, 
 it would occasion not only a want of enjoy- 
 ment, but also would result in pain ; that if 
 persisted in, the pain would become more and 
 more intense, just as the opposite course, if per- 
 sisted in, would produce more and more enjoy- 
 ment ; that the intellectual and moral faculties 
 would grow in the direction in which they were 
 exercised. 
 
 Living according to this law which produces 
 intellectual, moral, and physical enjoyment, in 
 the most efficient manner, or greatest degree, 
 both now and during man's eternal existence, is 
 now called by the human race righteousness 
 sometimes called doing right. 
 
 Neglecting to live according to this law, or 
 living contrary to, or transgressing it, is called 
 sin also called doing wrong. The enjoyment 
 that naturally results in the future from living 
 according to that law is called by m^n future re- 
 wards. The suffering that results in the future 
 from neglecting or transgressing that law is 
 called future punishment. 
 
104 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Both flow as natural results from the law of 
 enjoyment, or the law according to which man 
 must act, as much so as results flow from any 
 other law in nature. Neither one is superadded, 
 they are both consequences of fixed causes. 
 
 These two words, righteousness and sm, are the 
 names of the two great divisions of the law of 
 enjoyment and suffering. The first is the law 
 which leads to ever-increasing enjoyment. The 
 second is the neglect or transgression of the 
 same law, and leads further and further away 
 from enjoyment, and the want of enjoyment is 
 suffering. That condition of the soul resulting 
 from not attaining enjoyment is suffering. The 
 soul is so created that enjoyment is its suste- 
 nance and growth. Man will ever seek in vain 
 for enjoyment except in accordance with this 
 law. He can flee to no place and espape the 
 fixed consequences that result from its trans- 
 gression of the law of his existence. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 THE LAW OF ENJOYMENT AS APPLIED TO MAN. 
 
 Having frequently referred to the law by 
 which enjoyment is attained, we wish now to 
 set it out more fully as applied to man. 
 
 There was a period when God alone existed. 
 There also existed in God's mind thoughts or 
 ideas, or a plan, as to what He in the future 
 would do. Whatever thereafter was created 
 was but a cognizable exposition of these ideas. 
 The things created became the signs by which 
 these ideas were made known to created intel- 
 ligences. In this way God is the source of all 
 enjoyment. His ideas or thoughts made mani- 
 fest in the laws and works of creation are the 
 causes of enjoyment. 
 
 God has caused everything that exists as an 
 affirmative creation. All spiritual beings, all 
 matter throughout space, the laws governing it 
 in all the systems of the universe, the laws gov- 
 
106 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 erning it in all its phenomena, all the laws of 
 life, of science, and of morals, all of the animal, 
 vegetable, and mineral kingdoms, all are caused 
 by Him. All these constitute the great book 
 of God to created intelligences. 
 
 Astronomy is the record of the past and fut- 
 ure history of matter in space. Geology is only 
 a chapter in the earth's history. Chemistry un- 
 folds the story of the relations existing between 
 atoms. Botany is the interpretation of God's 
 handiwork in the vegetable kingdom. Thus in 
 all the branches of science we may show that 
 the printed books of man are but transcripts or 
 interpretations, of the ideas proclaimed in the 
 original text-book of God. 
 
 The laws and facts are the symbols of the 
 thoughts embodied in the object. The whole 
 is designed to call into exercise the various 
 faculties of the mind. The exercising of the 
 intellectual faculties is had by observing the 
 objects that surround us, by studying them, 
 and generalizing by deducing from known 
 phenomena conclusions as to what is true be- 
 yond in the hitherto unknown. In the pursuit 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 107 
 
 of this everything external to man becomes a 
 matter of study. The atoms of matter, con- 
 trolled by the laws of chemistry, forming into 
 crystals, and their combinations ; the laws of 
 the vegetable and animal kingdoms ; the laws 
 of geology and astronomy ; the laws of mathe- 
 matics and the abstract sciences ; even each in- 
 dividual spirit and body becomes a subject of 
 study and of enjoyment to man. 
 
 Investigating and studying all the branches 
 of science is attaining enjoyment through the 
 intellect. Hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, 
 touching, and talking is attaining enjoyment 
 through the physical organs. Using the intel- 
 lectual faculties and physical organs in such a 
 manner as to produce the greatest enjoyment, 
 for the greatest length of time, is attaining 
 moral enjoyment. 
 
 The law, then, according to which enjoyment 
 is attained by man is this: exercising the intel- 
 lectual and moral faculties, and physical organs, 
 so as to develop each in a proper proportion, 
 thereby producing the greatest happiness. Man, 
 then, is to obtain enjoyment through his intel- 
 
108 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Icctual and moral faculties, and through his 
 physical organs. When first created he knew 
 nothing of these laws, and it became a matter of 
 necessity for his Creator to inform him on these 
 subjects, or to make a revelation to him to 
 guide him aright. 
 
 At first the revelations would of necessity be 
 frequent, but as man became older he would 
 learn more and more by observation and by 
 reasoning. The same principle would apply to 
 the early human race as a whole. 
 
 At first revelations would often occur, but 
 they would grow less and less frequent as the 
 race progressed in knowledge and experience. 
 And when sufficient had been revealed, and the 
 race had progressed in knowledge, so that it 
 could from the revealed facts, and from its own 
 knowledge, understand the laws according to 
 which it must live in order to attain enjoyment, 
 a further revelation would cease, and thereafter 
 man would have to work out his own develop- 
 ment. The exercise of the various faculties in 
 thus working out his development would be en- 
 joyment, and would be in pursuance of the law 
 to which we have referred. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 WHAT WOULD BE REVEALED TO THE RACE OF MAN, 
 AND HOW IT WOULD BE AUTHENTICATED. 
 
 In order to secure to the race of man the 
 greatest enjoyment there would have to be re- 
 vealed to it the law according to which enjoy- 
 ment would be attained, and the leading facts 
 relating to man's existence, especially that 
 which was necessary for man's immediate use, 
 and which could not be readily discovered by 
 reason or observation. There would be revealed 
 the facts : that there was a God, who created 
 all things, visible and invisible ; that He was 
 omnipotent, eternal, infinite, of free will, and 
 unchanging ; that He was the supreme ruler of 
 the universe and of its inhabitants ; that He 
 created the race for a destiny of happiness ; that 
 in the future man would exist in a state of en- 
 joyment, or in a state of suffering, according as 
 the individual lived pursuant to the law of en- 
 joyment, or contrary thereto. 
 
110 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 It would also be revealed that this law of the 
 connection between cause and effect was invari- 
 able and must be obeyed. The leading vital 
 portions of this law must be known so that 
 man could live according to it. The rest he 
 could study out and therefrom have enjoyment 
 in studying. 
 
 The intellectual faculties, by their own in- 
 herent activity, would naturally develop them- 
 selves in observing the surrounding objects in 
 nature and reasoning thereupon. Therefore 
 little would be revealed on matters purely intel- 
 lectual, and that little mostly as collateral mat- 
 ter to other subjects. 
 
 The physical organs are so adjusted that pain 
 generally gives warning of a violation of the 
 laws governing them, and little would be re- 
 vealed relating to them. The development of 
 the moral faculties, and a knowledge of moral 
 duties, are the result of experiments and expe- 
 rience, and are the most important in reference 
 to the future. Hence, revelations on this sub- 
 ject would be most complete. 
 
 At first the revelation would be day by day 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. Ill 
 
 of special facts or acts. Afterward, as the 
 mind of man developed, general principles and 
 laws would be revealed, until enough would be 
 known, so that the human family, with its ac- 
 cumulated experience, could work out its own 
 destiny one great object being ever in view, 
 namely, to let the human intellect have the 
 pleasure of discovering all these laws as facts in 
 nature for itself. Obedience to these revela- 
 tions would be all -important, it would be the 
 only safety. 
 
 It would be further revealed and provided 
 that where man by ignorance of the law, or by 
 weakness or disobedience, violated this law, he 
 still might counteract the bad effect on his 
 mental and moral nature by turning from that 
 course and mentally resolving not to follow it, 
 and by obeying the law. In other words, by 
 repenting of, and turning from, wrong doing, or 
 from transgressing the law. 
 
 Owing to the fact that man was created the 
 lowest in the scale of immortal beings, and was 
 in the greatest ignorance of the law according 
 to which he must live, and when born has no 
 
112 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 mental power to do either right or wrong, the 
 disposition of perfect benevolence would be to 
 reveal the essentials requisite to secure enjoy- 
 ment, future and eternal, so plainly that the fool, 
 though a wayfaring man, need not err therein. 
 There would be revealed 
 
 First. That there is a God. 
 
 Second. That the soul is immortal. 
 
 Third. That it would exist in the future in 
 a state of enjoyment or suffering. 
 
 Fourth. That to attain enjoyment, notwith- 
 standing innocent mistakes, he must let love to 
 God, man, and beast control all his acts and 
 words. (For if a man out of love does a wrong 
 act the intent to do wrong is absent and no 
 moral wrong is done.) 
 
 Fifth. That where he does a known wrong 
 he must at once and in love do what he can to 
 repair it, and must try. to the best of his abili- 
 ty, not to repeat it. 
 
 Sixth. That where a person does a wrong, 
 and upon reflection sees that it is wrong, and 
 regrets it, and desires to do it no more, and re- 
 solves not to do it in other words, turns from 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 113 
 
 the wrong and repents, God will forgive him 
 and relieve him from the evil effects. 
 
 Seventh. That man was so organized that 
 living according to this revealed law would 
 cause enjoyment, and disobeying or neglecting 
 it would cause suffering. 
 
 These propositions being understood, can be 
 obeyed by anyone, and they embrace all acts on 
 the part of the individual that were essential to 
 give him enjoyment. 
 
 Revelation would also embrace another dis- 
 tinct branch, to-wit. : The law of development, 
 or the law whereby these essentials may produce 
 their greatest effect. It may be called the law 
 of growth in grace, or growth in the develop- 
 ment of the mental and moral faculties of man. 
 
 These would embrace the theoretical part of 
 the revelations. Of course man. in the early 
 history of the race, would not have acquired 
 sufficient knowledge to enable him to determine 
 the truth of these revelations. He would have 
 to accept them as a matter of faith, and obey 
 or disobey at his peril. 
 
 There would, in time, arise in the human 
 
114 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 mind a fearful doubt on these points. The 
 questions would arise can man, assisted by 
 God, live as he is required to ? Is there power 
 in God to cause the dead to live? Is death an- 
 nihilation ? Is the soul immortal ? Are the 
 things revealed true ? Does the Great First 
 Cause care for these animated atoms of human- 
 ity, lost in their insignificance in the great uni- 
 verse ? 
 
 It can readily be seen how these doubts would, 
 as age after age rolled by, settle down on the 
 human mind like a dark night. 
 
 To remove this, something more than a reve- 
 lation might be expected. If God would in some 
 way assume a tangible form, and live and talk 
 with man, and endure the temptations and trials 
 of man, and by means of his divine strength, 
 live a pure and spotless life; and if, further, he 
 should pass through what we call death, and 
 rise again from it, arid live, thus giving man a 
 a perfect type of life in accordance with God's 
 requirements, thus showing the results of such 
 a life and the immortality of the soul ; if he 
 were to do all this, it would be a demonstration 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATIOX. 115 
 
 of incalculable good. The individuals of the 
 race would thus feel that they were more than 
 created entities, floating in the stream of time, 
 to uncared for destinies. They would realize 
 the high possibility of enjoyment that was for 
 them in the future. The race would know that 
 the omnipotent creative power was ready to 
 strengthen the weakness of man, and thereby 
 bring him to final enjoyment. 
 
 The circumstances of suffering that attend the 
 race of man would be only incidental to the 
 low order to which he belongs. In due process 
 of time, those of the order who live according 
 to the ordained lav/ of development, would 
 progress beyond these circumstances, and ob- 
 tain such a knowledge of the law of cause and 
 effect, and such strength of will, that they would 
 forever obey the law, and thus receive there- 
 after nothing but enjoyment. Out of the whole 
 race there would be, presumably, thus brought 
 to great happiness, a sufficient number to fully 
 justify the creation of the order. Those of the 
 race who transgressed or neglected this law 
 would not, of course, attain enjoyment. For 
 
116 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 only by following the given series of causes can 
 such a result be reached. To such there could 
 remain only suffering, and a want of enjoyment, 
 so long as they thus neglect and transgress the 
 law. 
 
 As the intellect of man developed, and as he 
 invented writing, and as these revelations were 
 made matters of record, and preserved for the 
 race, the repetition of the revelation would 
 cease ; the records would be authenticated as 
 divine in such manner as under the laws of be- 
 lief, established by God, was necessary. This 
 authentication would be : 
 
 First. By phenomena that were above the 
 power of man to perform, for convincing those 
 present at the time. 
 
 Second. By statements of things to occur in 
 the future, for proof to those who should live 
 at a future time. 
 
 Third. By the things revealed being in ac- 
 cordance with law and fact, or being in reality 
 law and fact, but of such a nature that man 
 could not discover them, except after attaining 
 great scientific knowledge and experience. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 117 
 
 Of the first class of evidence are miracles; of 
 the second, prophecy; of the third, revelation 
 of unknown facts in nature. 
 
 Miracles would be performed in the early 
 ages, when the revelations were made. Proph- 
 ecy would be given, the fulfillment of which 
 would run down with the stream of time until 
 it reaches the ocean of eternity. The things re- 
 vealed would be necessary to the development 
 and enjoyment of the race. They would be of 
 such a character, that man could not by his in- 
 tellect discover them at the time they were re- 
 vealed. But as the intellect developed, and as 
 man accumulated knowledge and experience, he 
 would find that the things revealed were facts 
 and laws in nature. The internal evidence 
 would thus be the highest and best evidence 
 to the race in its stages of highest intellectual 
 development. 
 
 6 
 
CHAPTER XY. 
 
 SUMMARY OF GENERAL PRINCIPLES AND GENERAL 
 LAWS. 
 
 From a review of the foregoing pages, we have 
 the following general outline of the plan of crea- 
 tion as a whole. The creation of: 
 
 First. Spiritual beings, subject to laws. 
 
 Second. Matter throughout space, subject to 
 such laws as would produce the grandest, most 
 complicated, and most beautiful phenomena for 
 the instruction and enjoyment of intelligent be- 
 ings. 
 
 Third. Spirit or life and matter united, sub- 
 ject to laws. 
 
 In connection with the creation of the fore- 
 going there would be established three general 
 laws or classes of laws. 
 
 First. The law of enjoyment, or the law 
 through which enjoyment would be attained. 
 
 Second. The laws governing matter. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 119 
 
 Third. The law of life, or the law according 
 to which life would appear in various ages of 
 the world. 
 
 There would be three classes of faculties and 
 organs through which enjoyment would be at- 
 tained. 
 
 First. Moral faculties.' 
 
 Second. Intellectual faculties. 
 
 Third. Physical organs. 
 
 Any created being may have one or more of 
 these means of enjoyment. There might there- 
 fore be created seven different classes of beings 
 with : 
 
 First. Moral faculties alone. 
 
 Second. Moral faculties and physical organs. 
 
 Third. Moral and intellectual faculties. 
 
 Fourth. Moral and intellectual faculties and 
 physical organs. 
 
 Fifth. Intellectual faculties and physical or- 
 gans. 
 
 Sixth. Intellectual faculties. 
 
 Seventh. Physical organs. 
 
 It is difficult to conceive of a being having 
 none but moral faculties of enjoyment, or moral 
 
120 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 and physical, or intellectual or physical alone. 
 Therefore the first, second, sixth, and seventh 
 may be passed without further discussion. The 
 reader may give them such consideration as he 
 wishes. 
 
 The beings with moral and intellectual pow- 
 ers would be the spiritual or angelic orders. 
 
 Those with moral, intellectual, and physical 
 natures would be man. 
 
 Those limited to the intellectual and physical 
 combinations probably are the orders below 
 man. 
 
 The beings created for enjoyment would have 
 the following distinguishing characteristics : 
 
 First. As individuals, each would in some 
 respect differ from all the others, so that there 
 would be no duplicate individuals. 
 
 Second. There would be distinct orders of 
 beings, each order differing from all the others. 
 There would be no duplicate orders. 
 
 Third. Each order would be filled with be- 
 ings, in number equal to the number of varia- 
 tions and combinations of the faculties possible 
 in that order. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 12 L 
 
 Fourth. These orders would be on a scale 
 lower and lower, until an order would be created 
 lacking some of the faculties. 
 
 From the successive still lower orders, more 
 faculties would be omitted, until one would be 
 reached wherein only a single faculty for enjoy- 
 ment existed. Whatever gradations were pos- 
 sible would occur. There would thus be a grad- 
 uated scale of orders and beings, making a per- 
 fect whole, capable of enjoyment and existing 
 as objects of enjoyment to the others, thus con- 
 tributing to the greatest enjoyment to the great- 
 est number. 
 
 Of these beings, those would be immortal 
 which were so constituted that their faculties 
 of enjoyment would remain, notwithstanding 
 the changes that might occur in the material 
 universe. While those that would have their 
 sources of enjoyment destroyed by such changes 
 would have only a temporary existence. 
 
 Each order was, therefore, created so that the 
 plan of creation might be full and complete 
 no duplicate orders, no beings left out. 
 
 Man was therefore created and circumstanced 
 
122 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 as he is, because all higher orders were filled. 
 To create him in a higher order would have 
 been to duplicate some pre-existing order, and 
 to have left uncreated the order now known 
 as man. Either of these last would not have 
 caused the greatest enjoyment to the greatest 
 number. The evils, or ills, to which man may 
 be subject, would be only temporary and inci- 
 dental to the order to which he belongs. He, 
 with all his attendant circumstances, would 
 come in to fill out the great plan. He would 
 have his enjoyment, and would be a source of 
 pleasure to the rest of the created intelligences 
 of the universe. Omit him, and these two fail. 
 Create him different from what he is, and he 
 becomes a duplicate of some other order. 
 
 Owing to the low order to which man would 
 belong, and his ignorance and inexperience, it 
 would be necessary for his Creator to become 
 his instructor, and to communicate to him a 
 knowledge of such laws and facts as were nec- 
 essary to guide him in the way of enjoyment. 
 It would also be necessary to authenticate this 
 communication or revelation in such a way as 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 123 
 
 to show that it was from the Creator and Ruler 
 of all. As the character and extent of that rev- 
 elation, and the manner in which it would be 
 authenticated, were the subjects of the preced- 
 ing chapter, it is not necessary to recapitulate 
 them in detail at this time. 
 
 Heretofore this work has been mainly an a 
 priori argument, based on the hypothesis that 
 God is a Being of perfect benevolence. On this 
 hypothesis we have endeavored to show that 
 God would establish a plan of creation whereby 
 he would cause the greatest enjoyment, for the 
 greatest length of time, to the greatest number, 
 with the least suffering to the fewest individ- 
 uals. We will now call attention to evidence 
 which substantiates the theory advanced. 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 EVIDENCE TO SHOW THE CREATION OF SPIRITUAL 
 BEINGS OF DIFFERENT ORDERS. 
 
 In the preceding pages we endeavored to 
 show, as a conclusion resulting from the facts 
 in the material world, and from the laws gov- 
 erning matter, that there must be a God who 
 created matter from nothing. Combining with 
 this fact the assumed proposition, that God 
 is a Being of perfect benevolence, we have en- 
 deavored to show further, that this benevolence 
 would manifest itself in producing the greatest 
 enjoyment, for the greatest length of time, to 
 the greatest number, with the least suffering to 
 the fewest individuals. We have also endeav- 
 ored to show that there would be a creation of 
 beings and matter for this purpose, and that 
 there would be some general plan of creation 
 by which these objects would be accomplished. 
 The outline of that plan we have tried to set 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 125 
 
 forth by process of reasoning, and have not at- 
 tempted, except incidentally, to produce any evi- 
 dence in support of it. The question undoubt- 
 edly arises at this time prominently in the mind 
 of the reader, do any sufficient number of known 
 facts support the theory, or are the facts, so far 
 as they are known, in harmony with this plan 
 of creation? The second part of our work will 
 be to examine this subject. 
 
 First. The plan involves the creation of spir- 
 itual or angelic beings that is, spirit not con- 
 nected with material bodies. Is there any proof 
 of the existence of such beings? 
 
 We can neither see, hear, taste, touch, or 
 smell the mind or spirit of our fellow man, and 
 we could not reasonably expect to take cogni- 
 zance of purely spiritual beings with any of the 
 same five senses. No direct proof, therefore, 
 can be had on the subject. The proof is limited 
 to hearsay evidence. 
 
 Of course the Being who created angels and 
 men could allow communication between the 
 two, when it was for the purpose of producing 
 the greatest good. 
 
126 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 If there were such beings, God would proba- 
 bly reveal that fact incidentally to man, in con- 
 nection with other matters. If there were no 
 such beings, it would not be revealed that they 
 did exist. A revelation, therefore, of the exist- 
 ence of such beings would have the weight of 
 being in harmony with the plan of creation, 
 and if there is no further evidence on the sub- 
 ject, we have the logical right to claim that all 
 the evidence corresponds with the Plan. We 
 will, therefore, proceed to examine the state- 
 ments of the Bible on this subject, assuming for 
 the present that the Bible contains a revelation. 
 In a subsequent chapter (XX) we will endeavor 
 to show that the declarations of the Bible are 
 entitled to weight as evidence in this matter, as 
 being a revelation from God, and as being a 
 part of the plan of creation. 
 
 Before considering the testimony from it, we 
 call the reader's attention to the many and per- 
 sistent declarations of different men. that they 
 have seen and communicated with angelic be- 
 ings. In many, if not in all, such cases the in- 
 dividual may have been laboring under a hallu- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 127 
 
 cination. The reader may attach to these dec- 
 larations whatever weight he sees fit. 
 
 In the Bible we find the following statements, 
 purporting to have been made by God, or by a 
 person inspired by Him to speak : 
 
 That angels were created by God. 
 
 Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with 
 all their hosts . . thou preservest them all ; and the 
 host of heaven worshippeth thee. Nefiemiah, 9:6. 
 
 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, 
 and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether tlu>y 
 be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers ; 
 all things were created by him, and for him. Colossians, 
 1:16. 
 
 "Who maketh his angels spirits : his ministers a flaming 
 fire. Ps., 104:4. 
 
 Praise ye him all his angels . . . Let them praise 
 the name of the Lord ; for he commanded, and they 
 were created. Ps., 148: 2, 5. 
 
 They were created before man. 
 
 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the 
 earth ? declare if thou hast understanding. Who hath 
 laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest ? or who hath 
 stretched the line upon it ? Whereupon are the founda- 
 tions thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone 
 thereof ; when the morning stars sang together and all 
 the sons of God shouted for joy. Job, 38: 4-7. 
 
 The angels are of different orders. 
 Above it stood the seraphims. Zsa., 6:2. 
 
128 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with 
 a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the 
 trump of God. 1 Thes., 4:16. 
 
 Who is gone into heaven and is on the right hand of 
 God ; angels and authorities and powers being made 
 subject unto him. 1 Pet., 3:22 ; Jade, 9. 
 
 And there was war in heaven : Michael and his angels 
 fought against the dragon. Rev., 12:7. 
 
 They are innumerable. 
 
 Is there any number of his armies ? and upon whom 
 doth not his light arise ? Job, 25 : 3. 
 
 And to an innumerable company of angels. Neb. , 
 12:22; Dan., 7:10. 
 
 Angels were seen by different persons. 
 
 And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of 
 water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to 
 Shur. Gen., 16:7. 
 
 And there came two angels to Sodom at even. Gen., 
 19:1. 
 
 Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw 
 the angel of the Lord standing in the way. Num., 
 22:31. 
 
 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen 
 the vision, and sought for the meaning, then behold, 
 there stood before me as the appearance of a ma.n. 
 Dan., 8:15. 
 
 Yea, while I locus speaking in prayer, even the man 
 Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, 
 being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of 
 the evening oblation. Dan., 9: 21. 
 
 And behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men 
 touched my lips. Dan., 10: 16. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 129 
 
 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, 
 standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 
 Luke, 1:11. 
 
 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent 
 from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth. 
 Luke, 1:26. 
 
 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of 
 the heavenly host praising God, and saying. Luke, 2:13. 
 See also Matth., 28 ; Mark, 16 ; Acts, 12: 7; Rev., 19: 10; 
 Rev., 22:8. 
 
 Many other instances occur where the Bible 
 refers to them. 
 
 The evidence in possession of the race tends 
 to establish the existence of angels. We have 
 no evidence to the contrary. In the plan of 
 creation this is probably one of the things for 
 us to know more fully in the future. It is a 
 subject for the exercise of the intellect, and is 
 only revealed incidentally and in connection 
 with other matters. There exists all the proof 
 we could expect under the plan of creation. 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE EXTENT OF THE CREATION OF MATTER. 
 
 One of the important parts of the plan of 
 creation was shown to be the creation of mat- 
 ter, subject to such laws as would produce the 
 grandest, most complicated, and most beautiful 
 phenomena for the instruction and enjoyment 
 of intelligent beings. It would be impossible 
 in any book to exhaust this branch of the sub- 
 ject, or to set it out in all its detail. That 
 would be an attempt by one individual to com- 
 pass a universe which has for millions of years 
 been evolving phenomena. 
 
 It is the destiny of the race, and of created 
 intelligences, to herein find subjects for study 
 during eternity to come. We shall, therefore, 
 limit this chapter to a few of the prominent 
 facts in connection with this part of our sub- 
 ject. 
 
 An idea of the grand extent of this creation 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 131 
 
 of matter in space may be approximated, if the 
 finite can be said to approximate the infinite, 
 from the following facts. 
 
 The unassisted eye can behold about five 
 thousand stars in the heavens. The most pow- 
 erful telescopes reveal from thirty to fifty mill- 
 ion distinct stars. The stars of the first magni- 
 tude are at such a distance that it would take 
 their light sixteen years to reach the earth. 
 Now when the reader remembers that light 
 travels more than 182,000 miles per second, or 
 nearly 16,000,000,000 miles per day, he will 
 faintly conceive the great distance of these stars. 
 Let us take this distance as unity, as our meas- 
 uring rod. The distance between the farthest 
 stars visible with the telescope, in opposite 
 parts of space, is estimated to be 850 lengths 
 of our assumed rod ; that is, light traveling 
 nearly sixteen billions of miles per day, would 
 take 13,600 years to wing its weary flight across 
 this vast expanse. Within this area of space 
 are floating from thirty to fifty millions of brill- 
 iant suns, called by us stars. Each one is 
 moving on a line known in science as the re- 
 
132 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 sultan t of the force of attraction, exerted by 
 each atom of matter on each other atom. Some 
 of these bodies are moving with a velocity of 
 over tiuo hundred miles per second. This vast 
 procession of celestial torches suspended in 
 space, and circling around the central point of 
 attraction of the whole mass, is called the stel- 
 lar system. It is the system to which our little 
 earth belongs. 
 
 The known extent of matter is not limited to 
 these vast boundaries. Take now a new meas- 
 uring line of such length that it reaches from 
 side to side of this system. Along this line 
 light speeds for 13,600 years ere it has gone its 
 length. Now permit the imagination to fly on 
 swiftest wings of thought so far beyond the 
 limits of this system, that it gradually becomes 
 smaller and smaller, until the distance is so 
 great that the whole system is a dim star of the 
 fifth magnitude. The measuring line across our 
 system spans but the fraction of a second of 
 an arc as seen from the end of this journey. 
 Will matter be found to exist there? Yes ! In 
 Centauri is a sstem called a star-nebula, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 133 
 
 equally great in its extent as the one we have 
 described, and so distant that the aggregate 
 light from its extreme limits reaches us as the 
 light from a star of the fifth magnitude. The 
 distance between this star-nebula and our stel- 
 lar system is so great that light flying through 
 space at the rate of nearly 6,000,000,000,000 
 (six trillion} miles per year would require many 
 millions of years to pass over the distance. 
 Vast, inconceivably and immeasurably vast as 
 is this space, it only measures one -half of the 
 known distance. For in the opposite part of 
 the heavens are other star -nebulae, forming 
 other systems equally great. In addition to all 
 this, there come to us, from objects in the depths 
 of space, rays of light of such a fugitive char- 
 acter, that science can not yet interpret the 
 message they bring. Many of them undoubt- 
 edly are from systems so far beyond the ones 
 we have referred to, that our most powerful 
 telescopes fail to gather a sufficient number of 
 rays of light to produce an effect that can be 
 distinguished. The spectroscope equally fails 
 to tell us the tidings from these distant objects. 
 
134 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 These facts show that the extent of the crea- 
 tion of matter in space is in harmony with the 
 plan of creation. It is on a scale of such magni- 
 tude that it will produce the grandest phenom- 
 ena for the enjoyment of created intelligences. 
 Law and order extend throughout the whole. 
 The atoms under the laws of crystallization are 
 building forms of exquisite beauty. Life in the 
 vegetable and animal kingdoms springs forth 
 clothed in mysterious garments of matter. 
 
 The complication and beauty evolved, in this 
 material universe, from the single atom to the 
 aggregate of all atoms, are but further evidences 
 of the great plan of creation. 
 
 No man can even formulate an expression to 
 designate the period of time in the future, when 
 these phenomena shall cease to be evolved. It 
 must, however, lead the mind to the conclusion, 
 that matter has been created throughout space, 
 subject to such laws as will produce the grand- 
 est, most complicated, and most beautiful phe- 
 nomena for instruction and enjoyment. All 
 these are but the words of the Creator to his 
 created intelligent beings. They show forth the 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 135 
 
 omnipotence, eternity, wisdom, and other attri- 
 butes of God. "The heavens declare the glory 
 of God, and the firmament showeth his handi- 
 work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night 
 unto night showeth knowledge. There is no 
 speech, nor language, their voice is not heard. 
 Their line is gone out through all the earth, 
 and their words to the end of the world." 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 EVIDENCE TO SHOW THAT MAN WAS CREATED AN OR- 
 DER OF BEINGS LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, WHEREIN 
 MIND AND MATTER ARE UNITED ; AND THAT HE HAS 
 BEEN SPECIALLY CARED FOR BY THE CREATOR. 
 
 The plan of creation involves the existence of 
 an order, below the angels, of immortal beings, 
 spirit connected with matter. That man is this 
 order is confirmed by Psa., 8: 5. "For thou 
 hast made him a little lower than the angels." 
 
 Man is spirit and matter united. 
 
 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the 
 ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; 
 and man became a living soul. Gen., 2:7. 
 
 Man is immortal. 
 
 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth 
 shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame 
 and everlasting contempt. Dan., 12: 2. 
 
 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of 
 the firmament ; and they that turn many to righteous- 
 ness, as the stars forever and ever. Dan., 12: 3. 
 
 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, 
 and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the 
 earth? Eccl, 3: 21. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 137 
 
 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : and 
 the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. EccL, 
 12:7. 
 
 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not 
 able to kill the soul : but rather fear him which is able to 
 destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt., 10: 28. 
 
 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at 
 the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, 
 and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is 
 not a God of the dead, but of the living ; for all live 
 unto him. Luke, 20: 37, 38. 
 
 And I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall 
 never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of 
 my hand. John, 10: 28. 
 
 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last 
 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 
 be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 
 1 Cor., 15: 52. 
 
 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our 
 Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath 
 brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 
 2 Tim ,1:10 
 
 The evidence on these points agrees with the 
 plan of creation, as hereinbefore set out. 
 
 Another requirement of this plan is that man, 
 on account of his ignorance, resulting from the 
 low order to which he belonged, would have re- 
 vealed to him such facts and laws as were neces- 
 sary in the plan of creation to cause his proper 
 part of enjoyment ; and that this revelation 
 
138 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 would be properly authenticated by miracles, 
 prophecy, and internal evidence. 
 
 We shall now undertake to show that man's 
 creation and history have been in accordance 
 with these requirements. This will more fully 
 appear from a chronological examination of the 
 subject. 
 
 From our oldest history, the Bible, we learn 
 that the body of the first man was formed out 
 of the earth, and his soul was placed therein 
 by the Creator. The first account of him is as 
 a full grown man, not a child, but as a man. 
 He was not a spontaneous generation, neither 
 was he a developed descendant of a lower order 
 of animals. He was created a new and distinct 
 order, a man from the first. 
 
 So God created man in his own image, in the image of 
 God created he him ; male and female created he them. 
 Gen., 1:27. 
 
 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the 
 ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; 
 and man became a living soul. Gen., 2:7. 
 
 The first woman was likewise created of full 
 growth, and not a child. The pair were destined 
 to produce a vast number of descendants, no 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 139 
 
 two of whom would be duplicates, each varying 
 in some respect from the others. 
 
 The order of man, presumably, will riot be 
 full until the entire number of individuals is 
 produced, each somewhat different from the 
 other ; and when the process of duplicating 
 would be entered upon the order will be full, 
 and man's destiny as a race on earth probably 
 ended. 
 
 Man was created in a place where he had 
 plenty of fruit for food, and water to drink. 
 
 And the Lord planted a garden eastward in Eden ; and 
 there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of 
 the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that 
 is pleasant to the sight, and good for food ; the tree of 
 life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of 
 knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out of 
 Eden to water the garden : and from thence it was parted 
 and became into four heads. Gen., 2:8, 9, 10. 
 
 He was informed what he should eat. 
 
 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb 
 bearing seed, which i upon the face of all the earth, and 
 every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding 
 seed ; to you it shall be for meat. Gen., 1: 29. 
 
 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of 
 every tree of the garden them mayest freely eat. Gen., 
 2: 1G. 
 
 Man was then informed that it was the des- 
 
140 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 tiny of the race to multiply and to subdue the 
 earth and cultivate it. 
 
 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be 
 fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and sub- 
 due it : and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and 
 over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that 
 moveth upon the earth. Gem., 1: 28. 
 
 And the Lord God took the man, and put him into 
 the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it. Gen. , 
 2: 15. 
 
 His uncultivated and undeveloped intellect 
 was given a lesson, a very simple lesson at first, 
 and the intellectual machinery was started in 
 motion. 
 
 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every 
 beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought 
 them unto Adam to see what he would call them ; and 
 whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was 
 the name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, 
 and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the 
 field ; but for Adam there was not found a help meet for 
 him. Gen., 2: 19, 20. 
 
 With that simple start, God left that ma- 
 chinery, man's intellect, to its own efforts, to 
 have the pleasure of progressing on, and through 
 all the discoveries and advancement of knowl- 
 edge, until it has reached the astonishing de- 
 velopment and accumulated knowledge of the 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 141 
 
 nineteenth century. To what this intellectual 
 development will attain can only be dimly in- 
 ferred by comparing man's present intellectual 
 condition with that of the first man. 
 
 The first man, being wholly ignorant of the 
 law of cause and effect in the moral, intellectual, 
 and physical world, would be more liable to 
 violate that law according to which he must at- 
 tain enjoyment than he would be to obey it. 
 In fact the reader should bear in mind that 
 there is only one right or proper way of doing 
 anything, all other are wrong ways. 
 
 Left to his own ignorance, he would have 
 many chances to choose the wrong, against one 
 chance to choose the right. Since the Creator 
 knew all these laws, it was proper that he 
 should reveal them as occasion required, espe- 
 cially those laws relating to the proper develop- 
 ment of man's moral nature. It was a first 
 principle in this plan that man should learn to 
 obey whatever God communicated to him. 
 
 One source of enjoyment for the human race 
 was for the intellect to bave the pleasure of in- 
 vestigating and learning, as scientific facts, the 
 
142 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 philosophy of the moral laws, as well as the 
 facts in the purely intellectual world. The in- 
 tellect was to have the pleasure of discovering 
 and learning every created fact or established 
 law. 
 
 This was to be the work of centuries of 
 patient labor. But in the meantime man would 
 be violating laws that were daily applicable to 
 the growth of his moral faculties. Hence, as it 
 became the duty of a benevolent Creator to re- 
 veal these laws to man, it became a matter of 
 first importance that man should learn to obey, 
 whether he understood the reason or philosophy 
 of the law or not. 
 
 We find the historical facts to be in harmony 
 with these views. The Creator not only started 
 the intellectual machinery with a very simple 
 lesson, but preceded it. or accompanied it, with 
 a lesson in obedience, and said: "But of the tree 
 of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt 
 not eat." Gen., 2: 17. This was a very simple 
 lesson. So much so that it has been ridiculed 
 as absurd, as false on its face, and improbable. 
 
 Be not hasty in judging. Remember that at 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 143 
 
 the time this command was given man was in- 
 tellectually a child an ignorant child. A com- 
 mand on some important law relating to his 
 moral nature could not, at that time, have been 
 comprehended by the first man. 
 
 Does a parent now try to teach a child, one 
 or two years old, or younger, a lesson in obedi- 
 ence by announcing to it a prohibition relating 
 to some abstract subject, requiring great learn- 
 ing and experience to understand? Rather 
 does not the parent prohibit some little thing 
 a flower, a fruit, a spool of thread, or piece 
 of paper. Such a lesson the infant under- 
 stands, and learns obedience. 
 
 It is hard to conceive of a more appropriate 
 and efficient manner of teaching the first lesson 
 in obedience to the first man, in his mental in- 
 fancy, than the manner set forth in the Bible. 
 Such a lesson would not be appropriate to a 
 man of the nineteenth century, with the usual 
 knowledge of men in this age. It would not 
 do for a permanent and only lesson to man, and 
 it was not so intended. It was a first lesson. 
 It was to be followed up by other lessons of 
 
144 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 obedience in the proper time. It was only the 
 first letter of the alphabet of lessons in obedi- 
 ence, in due time to be passed by and other les- 
 sons taken up. Had man learned this lesson, 
 and obeyed, and continued to obey each revealed 
 command of the Creator, no doubt the succes- 
 sive revelations of God would have led the hu- 
 man race in a very different road from that in 
 which it has wandered for the last few thousand 
 years. 
 
 Undoubtedly God would have so led and di- 
 rected the human race that it would have 
 traversed a pathway free from many or all of 
 what we call evils. Under His leadership man 
 would never have transgressed a single law of 
 his intellectual or moral nature, nor any part of 
 the law whereby enjoyment is attained. Just 
 where and how he would have led man we can 
 not tell. But he would have led him aright, ac- 
 cording to the laws which he has established in 
 his plan from the beginning. 
 
 Having given this first lesson in obedience, 
 he also warned man as to what would be the 
 result of not obeying. That is, God announced 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 145 
 
 to man, that if he attempted to guide himself 
 under the unknown moral laws, which his in- 
 tellect had not yet discovered, he would fail ; 
 that he would transgress these laws instead of 
 obeying them. Therefore, God said, "In the 
 day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely 
 die." Gen., 2: 17. We do not understand that 
 God intended to kill the man for disobeying, 
 but that if he commenced to substitute his own 
 will for God's guidance, he would, through igno- 
 rance, violate the laws according to which he 
 was to develop, and thereby would bring upon 
 himself the natural consequences flowing there- 
 from. 
 
 Death probably was a natural consequence of 
 violating these laws ; just as death now results 
 under the law of gravitation from a person fall- 
 ing over a precipice. Death in this latter case 
 is not a penalty inflicted. It is the result of 
 cause and effect. So death probably is the re- 
 sult, the natural result, of violating the laws 
 above referred to, and is not a superadded pen- 
 alty. When man has sufficiently extended his 
 knowledge and discovers the laws, yet but dim- 
 
146 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 ly seen, he may fully understand the philosophy 
 of death as a result of a violation of such laws. 
 
 Man may yet so far progress in knowledge, 
 that he will see how the pathway in which God 
 would have led him, if he had obeyed, not only 
 the first, but all subsequent commands, would 
 have conducted him to his future life through 
 a way other than through the valley of the 
 shadow of death. 
 
 It will be observed that God only reveals 
 facts. He does not reveal the philosophy or 
 law of the facts. These are subjects for the in- 
 tellect to investigate, that man may experience 
 the pleasure of learning, as heretofore shown. 
 Man did not learn the lesson of obedience. 
 Exercising his free will, he, in his ignorance, 
 made a mistake and disobeyed. Having dis- 
 obeyed once in his mental infancy, he would 
 see no reason to obey any other command, if he 
 did not at once feel the effects of disobedience, 
 just as parents now punish the child to deter it 
 from further disobedience. The necessity arises 
 from the character or mental characteristics of 
 the race. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 147 
 
 The account shows that man was immediately 
 made to realize that a penalty followed disobe- 
 dience. 
 
 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou 
 return unto the ground ; for out of it wast thou taken : 
 for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 
 Gen., 3: 19. 
 
 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden 
 of Eden to till the ground from whence he was taken. 
 So he drove out the man: and he placed at the east of 
 the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword 
 which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of 
 life. Gen., 3: 23, 24. 
 
 During the early history of the first man he 
 was made aware of the existence of God. 
 
 God conversed with him frequently, and thus 
 taught him language. See Genesis, chapters 1 
 and 2. 
 
 The fact that the soul was immortal was un- 
 doubtedly revealed, arid distinctly understood. 
 
 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 
 thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest 
 thou shalt surely die. Gen., 2: 17. 
 
 If he did not eat, he would not die ; he would 
 continue to live. 
 
 The destiny of the race to people and possess 
 and use the whole earth was made known. 
 
148 . THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be 
 fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and sub- 
 due it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and 
 over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that 
 inoveth upon the earth. Gen., 1: 28. 
 
 He was kept under the special care and in- 
 struction of the Creator during his whole life 
 on earth. See Genesis, chapters 1 to 5. 
 
 The foregoing constitutes all we have that 
 purports to be testimony or history on this part 
 of the subject. The testimony, therefore, shows 
 the facts, so far as ascertained, to be in harmony 
 with the plan of creation, as heretofore pointed 
 out. We have no evidence of a contradictory 
 character on the subject. 
 
CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 EVIDENCE OF A GENERAL REVELATION FOR THE BENE- 
 FIT OF THE ORDER OF MAN. 
 
 What evidence is there that a revelation has 
 been made to the human race of the law of en- 
 joyment, or of the law by which, and in accord- 
 ance with which, enjoyment is attained? Has 
 any revelation been made of the leading facts 
 in the plan of creation, such as would properly 
 be revealed? 
 
 Reserving the authenticity of the Bible for a 
 subsequent chapter, we call attention to its con- 
 tents. In Genesis it appears that during the 
 early history of the race revelations to man 
 were frequent, and were generally direct conver- 
 sations between God and man. These conversa- 
 tions were of course more or less handed down 
 as traditions,, and were fully believed for a long 
 time, and by many even to the present day. 
 
 Later, and as man's intellect developed, and 
 
150 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 as writing was invented, not only the important 
 parts of these would be made matter of record, 
 but additional revelations, suited to the ad- 
 vanced condition of the intellect, would also 
 be written and preserved. We thus find from 
 the record referred to (Genesis) that the follow- 
 ing facts were known : The existence of God ; 
 the immortality of the soul ; the destiny of the 
 human race to people the earth and subdue it, 
 and hold dominion over it. and the things there- 
 in ; the disobedience of the first man ; also that 
 God would in some way assist the human race 
 to overcome the injury resulting from the igno- 
 rance of man, and his failure to obey the teach- 
 ing of God in the garden. 
 
 A knowledge of these things seems to have 
 been handed down among all the descendants 
 of the first pair. In some cases it is dim, in 
 others vivid. 
 
 According to the plan of creation, no two of 
 the human race would be duplicates, or exactly 
 alike. While all belonged to the same order of 
 man yet no two would be alike, and no two 
 would have descendants exactly alike. In 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 151 
 
 characteristics they would vary. God, knowing 
 the end from the beginning, saw that in the or- 
 der of man, Abraham and his descendants would 
 most accurately keep the law which he revealed, 
 and would most carefully preserve the record 
 of his revelation, until the time when the human 
 intellect was sufficiently developed, so that the 
 race could and would effectively receive and re- 
 tain the revelations. 
 
 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and 
 mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be 
 blessed in him. For I know him, that he will command 
 his children and his household after him, and they shall 
 keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment ; 
 that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he 
 hath spoken of him. Gen., 18: 18, 19. 
 
 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be 
 blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. Gen., 
 22: 18. 
 
 Hence, Abraham and his descendants were 
 especially chosen to bear God's revelations, 
 down to the future generations of man. 
 
 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will 
 bless tbee, and make thy name great ; and thou shalt be 
 a blessing. Gen., 12: 2. 
 
 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now 
 toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to 
 number them ; and he said unto him, So shall thy seed 
 be Gen., 15:5. 
 
152 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, 
 and will multiply thee exceedingly. And I will make 
 thee exceeding fruitful ; and I will make nations of thee, 
 and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish 
 my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after 
 thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to 
 be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. Gen., 
 17:2,6, 7. 
 
 The first written enunciation of the funda- 
 mental principles that were to be obeyed in 
 letter and in spirit occurred when the race was 
 some two thousand years old. It is found in 
 Exodus, 20: 1-17. 
 
 And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord 
 thy God which have brought thee out of the land of 
 Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have 
 no other Gods before me. 
 
 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or 
 any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that 
 is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the 
 earth : 
 
 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve 
 them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting 
 the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the 
 third and fourth generation of them that hate me ; 
 
 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love 
 me, and keep my commandments. 
 
 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in 
 vain : for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh 
 his name in vain. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 153 
 
 Eemember the sabbath day to keep it holy. 
 
 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 
 
 But the seventh day is- the sabbath of the Lord thy 
 God, in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, 
 nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-servant, 
 nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 
 
 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the 
 sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day : 
 wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallow- 
 ed it. 
 
 Honor thy father and thy mother : that thy days may 
 be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth 
 thee. 
 
 Thou shalt not kill. 
 
 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 
 
 Thou shalt not steal. 
 
 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 
 
 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt 
 not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his man-servant, nor 
 his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything 
 that is thy neighbor's. 
 
 At that time the intellect of the human race 
 was comparatively little developed, and the rev- 
 elation was proportionately clear and simple. 
 The Jewish ritual, established in connection 
 with this revelation, and the historical facts re- 
 cited in Exodus, were well calculated to keep 
 alive in the minds of the people, and leaders, 
 the great facts revealed and historically re- 
 counted. As the intellect of this people be- 
 
154 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 came more developed, we find farther and more 
 minute revelations made as to how man should 
 act. This more prominently appears in Leviti- 
 cus, wherein the purity of God's nature and his 
 requirements of purity in man, are more fully 
 stated. All this requirement of purity, and 
 this revelation, tend to show that man, in order 
 to attain the greatest enjoyment, for the greatest 
 time, to the greatest number, with the least in- 
 jury to the few, must be pure ; that is, must 
 avoid the known violation of the law of en- 
 joyment. It is revealed that love must be the 
 sole motive of man's actions to God, to man, 
 and to beast. 
 
 Throughout Numbers the same ideas are im- 
 pressed, and further elaborated. From the his- 
 torical facts therein recited, in chapter 16, it 
 was further established that the plan of creation, 
 as applicable to man, could not, and should not, 
 be thwarted by man's acts. 
 
 Deuteronomy comes later in the history of 
 the race, and at a time when the intellect was 
 much more developed. The accumulated ex- 
 perience and knowledge of the race, and espe- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 155 
 
 ciully of this tribe, fitted it to receive more fully 
 this revelation. The social relations had be- 
 come more complicated. In pursuance of the 
 plan of creation, that no two persons should be 
 alike or duplicates, there had arisen a greater 
 variety of mental and moral faculties. The 
 members of the race had also vastly increased, 
 forming many other nations. 
 
 The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and behold, 
 ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude. 
 The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand 
 times so many more as ye are, and bless you as he hath 
 promised you. Deuteronomy, 1: 10, 11. 
 
 In accordance with this changed and advanced 
 condition of the human race, we find a more 
 complete revelation of the law of enjoyment, 
 or the law by which the greatest enjoyment 
 would be attained by the greatest number, for 
 the greatest length of time, with the least in- 
 jury to the fewest individuals. 
 
 Deuteronomy contains a revelation applicable 
 to all these new and complicated social relations. 
 It lays down laws and principles that have never 
 been improved upon by any nation or people 
 in any code of laws. In chapter 28 is announced, 
 
156 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 in unmistakable terms, the result of obedience 
 and disobedience to the laws of man's existence 
 and development. The whole book of Deuter- 
 onomy is a most remarkable enunciation of the 
 laws referred to, and of the necessity of obedi- 
 ence, as exemplified by the preceding history 
 of the tribe. See Deut., chapters 29 to 32. 
 
 In these chapters is recounted to the people 
 their past history, and the past care of them by 
 God. They are warned as to the future, and 
 charged to keep the revealed law. They are 
 further informed that if they do not that they 
 will be punished, or that they will bring suffer- 
 ing upon themselves. 
 
 In all the foregoing books of the Bible is 
 revealed the fact that God will forgive the 
 transgression of man, if man repents. This is 
 especially set forth in Ezek., 18:20-32; 33: 
 12-19, as follows: 
 
 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not 
 bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father 
 bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the 
 righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the 
 wicked shall be upon him. 
 
 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he 
 hath committed., and keep all my statutes, and do that 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 157 
 
 which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall 
 not die. 
 
 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they 
 shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness 
 that he hath done he shall live. 
 
 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die ? 
 saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from 
 his ways, and live ? 
 
 But when the righteous turneth away from his right- 
 eousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according 
 to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall 
 he live ? All his righteousness that he hath done shall 
 not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, 
 and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. 
 
 Yet, ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear 
 now, O house of Israel. Is not my way equal ? are not 
 your ways unequal ? 
 
 When a righteous man turneth away from his right- 
 eousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them ; 
 for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die. 
 
 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his 
 wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that 
 which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. 
 
 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his 
 transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely 
 live, he shall not die. 
 
 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is 
 not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal ; 
 are not your ways unequal ? 
 
 Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every 
 one according to his ways, saith the Lord God. Kepent 
 and turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; so in- 
 iquity shall not be your ruin. 
 
158 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby 
 ye have transgressed : and make you a new heart and a 
 new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of Israel ? 
 
 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, 
 saith the Lord God : wherefore turn yourselves, and 
 live ye 
 
 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of 
 thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not 
 deliver him in the day of his transgression : as for the 
 wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in 
 the day that he turneth from his wickedness ; neither 
 shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in 
 the day that he sinneth. 
 
 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely 
 live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit 
 iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; 
 but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die 
 for it. 
 
 Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely 
 die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful 
 and right ; 
 
 If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he 
 had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without commit- 
 ting iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die. 
 
 None of his sins that he hath committed shall be men- 
 tioned unto him : he hath done that which is lawful and 
 right; he shall surely live. 
 
 Yet the children of thy people say, The way of the 
 Lord is not equal : but as for them, their way is not 
 qual. 
 
 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, 
 and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby. 
 
TIIE PLAN OF CREATION. 159 
 
 But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do 
 that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby. 
 
 It is further revealed that by prayer man will 
 be facilitated in attaining enjoyment. 
 
 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night 
 and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, 
 My name shall be there ; that thou mayest hearken unto 
 the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this 
 place. 1 Kings, 8: 29. See also, 45 to 52. 
 
 O thou that nearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh 
 come. Psa., 65: 2. 
 
 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not 
 despise their prayer. This shall be written for the gen- 
 eration to come : and the people which shall be created 
 shall praise the Lord. Psa., 102:17, 18. See also, 
 Prov.y 15: 8. 
 
 The Lord is far from the wicked : but He heareth the 
 prayer of the righteous. Prov., 15: 29. 
 
 Love as the motive of all acts is set forth as 
 
 the whole law. 
 
 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy 
 heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 
 And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy 
 God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to 
 walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the 
 Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. 
 To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, 
 which I command thee this day for thy good ? Deut. , 
 6: 5; 10: 12. See also Deal., 30: 6. 
 
 The disciples proclaimed the same divine 
 law. 
 
160 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is 
 the fulfilling of the law.- .Rom., 13: 10. 
 
 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this, 
 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Gal., 5: 14. 
 
 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, 
 Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well. 
 Jas., 2: 8. 
 
 By this law the greatest enjoyment, for the 
 greatest time, to the greatest number, with the 
 least suffering to the fewest individuals, is at- 
 tained. 
 
 It is clearly set forth that this life is but the 
 beginning, and is preparatory to future exist- 
 ence; and that it shall be well with those in 
 the future state who live according to this law. 
 It is with equal clearness announced that it will 
 not be well with those who do not so live. 
 
 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed 
 speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully 
 set in them to do evil. Though a sinner do evil a hun- 
 dred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know- 
 that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear 
 before him : But it shall not be well with the wicked, 
 neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; 
 because he feareth not before God. EccL, 8: 11, 12, 13. 
 
 In other words, it is set forth clear as the sun 
 at noonday, that those who live according to 
 this law, will attain to the greatest enjoyment, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 161 
 
 and that those who live in violation of this law, 
 will not attain that enjoyment. Transgression 
 of the law is called sin, and is always described 
 .as attended with suffering, to a great or less ex- 
 tent. 
 
 The intention with which an act is done in 
 all cases constitutes the moral offense. The 
 fact is revealed that where man transgresses the 
 law intentionally, and upon reflection sees that 
 it is wrong, and regrets it, with a desire to do 
 it no more, and resolves not again to commit 
 the act, and asks God to forgive him, that God 
 will forgive, and thereby save the man from the 
 suffering consequent upon his transgression of 
 the law. 
 
 The connection between cause and effect, ac- 
 cording to a fixed law, would not in many of 
 the matters revealed be known by man at the 
 time of the revelation. Hence they would have 
 to be accepted as a matter of faith. The knowl- 
 edge of the connection between cause and effect 
 is a matter of apprehension by the intellect. 
 The plan of creation contemplates that all such 
 matters shall be left for the intellect to discover. 
 
162 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 As the intellectual development of the race 
 progresses, it will gradually discover this con- 
 nection between cause and effect in the matter 
 revealed. 
 
 When sufficient had been revealed, and made 
 matter of record, then revelation ceased. As 
 the years passed by, and the authentication of 
 the records became matter of history, and of 
 memorials, doubts arose in the human mind. 
 Man constantly transgressed the law. He asked, 
 Is it possible, even if assisted by God, to live as 
 required by this revelation? Can God cause 
 the dead to live? And is the soul immortal? 
 Are the things revealed true? Does God care 
 for these atoms of humanity? 
 
 These doubts grew until they possessed nearly 
 the whole race. Even the Jews, who had been 
 from the first as a tribe witnesses of the evi- 
 dence of these revelations, had begun seriously 
 to doubt on these points. The book of Job 
 shows the doubt existing in his day. When the 
 proper time arrived, the great demonstration of 
 these things was given, and the law announced 
 anew, and illustrated in the life and teachings 
 of Christ. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 163 
 
 It is recorded that God took upon himself 
 the form and body of a man, lived and talked 
 with man, was tempted and afflicted as men 
 usually are, and that His human nature, 
 strengthened by His divinity, was sufficiently 
 strong to live without transgressing the law, 
 thus demonstrating to man that human nature, 
 aided by God, could live in accordance with the 
 revealed law. 
 
 This Being also raised the dead to life. He 
 passed through what we call death and arose 
 again, thus demonstrating that death was neither 
 annihilation, nor all powerful over life. He 
 also re-announced that love was the fulfilling of 
 the law. 
 
 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, 
 and with all thy soul, and with all thy might, and thou 
 shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these hang all 
 the laws and the prophets. Matt., 22: 37-40; Mark, 
 12:30-33. 
 
 These clear enunciations of the law, by which 
 the greatest enjoyment to the greatest number is 
 attained, were by Christ repeatedly announced, 
 as applicable to special circumstances and times, 
 and illustrated by many sayings and parables. 
 
164 THE PLAN OF CREATION.' 
 
 He also clearly announced that transgressions 
 of the law when repented of would be forgiven 
 by God ; that living according to the revealed 
 law would result in the greatest enjoyment. 
 
 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, 
 Coine, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom 
 prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 
 Matt., 25:34. 
 
 That transgressing the law would result in 
 suffering. 
 
 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, 
 Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared 
 for the devil and his angels. Matt., 25: 41. 
 
 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, 
 but the righteous into life eternal. Malt. , 25 : 46. 
 
 It is revealed that transgressing the law of 
 development, or the law of enjoyment, is sin. 
 
 Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth the law, for 
 sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John, 3: 4. 
 
 The revelations herein referred to constitute 
 only a part, being limited to the revelation of 
 the more general and essential principles. Space 
 will not admit of a reference to all the minor 
 and specific revelations in harmony with the 
 general ones. 
 
 It is to be observed that these revelations 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 165 
 
 were peculiarly adapted to the times and cir- 
 cumstances when they were given, and were 
 specially adapted, or suited, to the intellectual 
 development of the race at the time they oc- 
 curred. 
 
 Christ's life and teachings would have been 
 out of place in Adam's day ; but they were well 
 suited to the developed intellect, mature expe- 
 rience, and social condition of the age when 
 they occurred. The simple command to Adam 
 not to eat the fruit from a certain tree would 
 have been out of place and absurd in Christ's 
 day. But it was just such a command, to de- 
 velop obedience, as was needed for Adam in 
 his intellectual infancy. A beautiful, highly- 
 colored, luscious apple was a thing he would 
 first want, and daily want, and desire to have ; 
 hence it was the thing appropriate in his early 
 days to develop his obedience. A command to 
 him not to kill, not to steal, not to bear false 
 witness, etc., would have been out of place, for 
 he would have no occasion to do any of those 
 things. 
 
 The foregoing matters relate to the moral 
 
166 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 nature directly. In addition to them there 
 have been revealed a class of facts that more 
 properly relate to the intellect. That is, they 
 are facts of intellectual apprehension, but are 
 collaterally important to the moral questions 
 revealed. 
 
 In the preceding part of this chapter we have 
 considered the revelation of the law by which 
 enjoyment is to be attained, with incidental 
 notice of some subjects closely connected 
 therewith. They embrace a class of subjects 
 which the intellect could not discover, and for 
 the want of such knowledge the race would 
 be constantly and forever violating those laws, 
 and incurring the suffering naturally resulting 
 therefrom. In addition to and closely con- 
 nected with them is a certain class of facts 
 of a scientific character which are apprehended 
 by the intellect as facts in nature. They are 
 of such a character that the intellect does not, 
 and can not, readily discover their existence. 
 As primary causes they existed far back in the 
 past, and can only be discovered by a long 
 scientific investigation of the chain of effects 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 167 
 
 # 
 
 from that time down to the present. In point 
 of time they existed long before man was on 
 the earth, and he has no history thereof, except 
 such as is recorded in the great book of God to 
 his created intelligences the material universe 
 and its laws. To read this book to such an ex- 
 tent requires vast experience, accumulated ob- 
 servations, and high intellectual 'development. 
 
 The following facts belonging to this class 
 have been revealed: 
 
 The existence of a God and that he is eternal. 
 
 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the 
 everlasting arms. Deut., 33: 27. 
 
 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou 
 hadst formed the earth and the world, even from ever- 
 lasting to everlasting, thou art God. . . . For a 
 thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it 
 is past, and as a watch in the night. Psa., 0: 2, 4. See 
 Rev., 4:8-11. 
 
 That He is omnipotent. 
 
 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the 
 Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the 
 Almighty God ; walk before me and be thou perfect. 
 Gen., 17:1. See Exodus, 6: 3. 
 
 Unchanging. 
 
 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of 
 them shall wax old, like a garment ; as a vesture shalt 
 
168 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 thou change them, and they shall be changed: But them 
 art the same, and thy years shall have no end. Psa. t 
 102: 26, 27. 
 
 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto 
 the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, 
 confirmed it by an oath. Heb., 6: 17. 
 
 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 
 and corneth down from the Father of lights, with whom 
 is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James, 
 1:17. 
 
 Omniscient. 
 
 O Lord, thou hast searched me and known me. Thou 
 knowest my down- sitting and mine up-rising, thou un~ 
 derstandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my 
 path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my 
 ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but lo, O 
 Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me 
 behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such 
 knowledge is too wonderful for me ; it is high, I can not 
 attain unto it. Psa., 139: 1-6. See Prov., 5: 21 
 
 Omnipresent. 
 
 Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord. Jer. t 
 23:24. 
 
 Whither shall I go from thy spirit ? or whither shall I 
 flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, 
 thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou 
 art there, ffl take the wings of the morning, and dwell 
 in the uttermost parts of the sea ; even there shall thy 
 hand lead ma, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I 
 say, Surely the darkness shall cover me ; even the night 
 shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not 
 from.thee ; but the night shineth as the day: the dark- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 169 
 
 ness and the light are both alike to thee. Psa., 139: 7-12. 
 See Jer., 23:23, 24. 
 
 The only God. 
 
 Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that 
 the Lord he is God: there is none else beside him. 
 Deut., 4: 35. 
 
 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his Re- 
 deemer the Lord of hosts ; I am the first, and I am the 
 last ; and beside me there i^ no God. ... Is there 
 a God beside me? yea, there is no God; I know not any. 
 Isa., 44: 6, 8. 
 
 Before me there was no God formed, neither shall 
 there be after me. Isa., 43: 10. 
 
 Of free and irresistible will. 
 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as 
 nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army 
 of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and 
 none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest 
 thou? Dan., 4: 35. See Job, 38: 33. 
 
 That He controls nature. 
 
 Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light 
 by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars 
 for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the 
 waves thereof roar ; the Lord of hosts is his name. 
 Jer., 31:35. 
 
 Thus saith the Lord ; if my covenant be not with day 
 and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of 
 heaven and earth. Jer., 33: 25. 
 
 That He created the heavens and the earth, 
 and all things therein. 
 
170 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Thou, even them, art Lord alone ; thou hast made 
 heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the 
 earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all 
 that is therein, and thou preservest them all ; and the 
 host of heaven worshippeth thee. Ntth. ,9:6. Gen., 1 : 1. 
 
 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made ; and 
 all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. 
 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it 
 stood fast. Psa., 33: 6, 9. 
 
 Thus saith God the Lord, he that created the heavens, 
 and stretched them out ; he that spread forth the earth, 
 and that which cometh out of it. Isa., 42: 5. See Eeb., 
 3:4; Rev., 4: 11. 
 
 That God is the source of life. 
 For with thee is the fountain of life : in thy light shall 
 we see light. Psa., 36: 9. Isa., 42: 5. 
 
 That the soul is immortal. 
 
 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, 
 and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the 
 earth? EccL, 3: 21. 
 
 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was ; and 
 the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Eccl. t 
 12:7. 
 
 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not 
 able to kill the soul : but rather fear him which is able to 
 destroy both soul and body in hell. Matt., 10: 28. 
 
 Neither can they die any more : for they are equal unto 
 the angels ; and are the children of God, being the chil- 
 dren of the resurrection. Luke, 20 : 36. 
 
 And I give unto them eternal life ; and they shall 
 never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my 
 hand. John, 10:28. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 171 
 
 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and 
 this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Cor. t 15: 53. 
 See also 2 Tim. t 1: 10. 
 
 That the future existence is one of enjoyment 
 or of suffering. 
 
 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; 
 and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor 
 crying", neither shall there be any more pain: for the 
 former things are passed away. Rev., 21: 4. 
 
 And there shall be no night there ; and they need no 
 candle, neither light of the sun ; for the Lord God 
 giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and 
 ever. Rev., 22:5. 
 
 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: 
 but the righteous into life eternal. Matt., 25: 46. 
 
 An outline history of the facts or order of 
 creation is given. See Gen., 1: 1-31 ; 2: 1-4. 
 
 It is also revealed that the present order of 
 the universe is not stable, but that it shall pass 
 away and be changed. 
 
 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the 
 earth beneath, for the heavens shall vanish away like 
 smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment. Isa. t 
 51:6. 
 
 And all the hosts of heaven shall be dissolved, and the 
 heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll : and all their 
 host shall fall down as the leaf falleth off from the Tine, 
 and as a falling jfigr from the fig-tree. Isa., 34: 4. 
 
 It is further revealed what shall come after 
 
172 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 this change ; and that there shall be evolved 
 new heavens and new earths. 
 
 For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth : 
 and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into 
 mind. Isa., 65: 17. 
 
 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I 
 will make, shall remain before me. Isa., 66: 22. 
 
 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first 
 heaven and the first earth were passed away. Rev. , 21 : 1. 
 
 In addition to the foregoing, many other facts 
 are either expressly or impliedly revealed. 
 
 These accounts, therefore, show that the 
 human race is in possession of a knowledge of 
 such laws and facts as would in pursuance of 
 the plan of creation be revealed. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 EVIDENCE THAT AUTHENTICATES THIS REVELATION. 
 
 A revelation, such as we have referred to, 
 would not only be properly authenticated at 
 the time it was given, to convince those who 
 received it, but evidence would be given of such 
 a character that it would be a perpetual proof 
 to all generations. Such evidence we find in 
 this case, and it is adapted in every instance to 
 the intellectual development of the race at the 
 time it was given. Direct revelation from God, 
 miracles, prophecy, and the character of the 
 facts revealed, constitute the evidence. 
 
 During the early history of the race revela- 
 tion was by direct conversation with God. 
 
 And God said unto them (Adam). Gen., 1: 28, 29. 
 
 And the Lord God commanded the man. Gen., 
 2:16-18. 
 
 And they heard the voice of the Lord God, etc. 
 Gen., 3: 8-19. 
 
 And the Lord said unto Cain. Gen., 4: 6, 9. 
 
174 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 And God said unto Noah. Gen., 6: 13. 
 And the Lord appeared unto Abram and said. Gen., 
 12 : 17. 
 
 Yery many other instances occur, as recorded 
 in the Bible. 
 
 This was the most appropriate evidence for 
 man in his early history, while the intellect was 
 yet undeveloped. Neither miracle nor prophecy 
 could have been understood at that time. The 
 rising and the setting of the sun would be as 
 great a miracle to Adam, during the first days 
 of his life, as it would be for him to see a river 
 of water burn up. To see an animal in deep 
 sleep, and then awaken, would to him at first 
 be as miraculous as to see a dead animal brought 
 to life. 
 
 A miracle is an event that occurs contrary to, 
 or not in accordance with, any known law of 
 nature. For a miracle to be evidence, implies 
 in the beholder a knowledge of the laws of 
 nature on that subject. This knowledge is a 
 matter of experience, observation, and of in- 
 tellectual acquirement. 
 
 What did Adam know of the laws of nature 
 at first? How could he distinguish a miracle, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 175 
 
 or that any event was, or was not, in accord- 
 ance with some law of nature? 
 
 Of course he and his descendants, by daily ex- 
 perience and observations, soon saw that some 
 things occurred in succession or rotation, but 
 the changing of the seasons, growth and decay 
 of fruits, flowers, and animals, soon showed 
 that all was marked with change. What change 
 would occur next they could not tell. Hence 
 a miracle could not have been distinguished by 
 them from any one of the changing, mysterious 
 phenomena that were daily occurring. A mira- 
 cle would, therefore, be to them no evidence to 
 support a revelation. 
 
 Prophecy would to them equally fail as evi- 
 dence. The proof of prophecy is a thing oc- 
 curring in the future, and requires knowledge 
 and experience to distinguish it from ordinary 
 affairs. The statement to Adam the first day 
 he lived, that on the next day he would be 
 hungry, would be to him a prophecy; so would 
 the statement that the sun would continue to 
 rise and set, or that the fruit- and flowers would 
 re -appear in season. Prophecies not fulfilled 
 
176 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 in his day would be no evidence to him. 
 Prophecies fulfilled in the lifetime of the first 
 members of the race would be of little weight, 
 owing to the changing nature of all that was 
 surrounding them. For want of knowledge 
 they were unable to determine between the ful- 
 fillment of a prophecy and any regular event 
 occurring in longer or shorter periods of time. 
 They could not distinguish the foretelling of an 
 eclipse from a prophecy. To test this state- 
 ment let the reader take a child who has never 
 seen an eclipse, and tell it that on a given day 
 and hour one year thereafter the sun will ap- 
 pear black, and darkness will come over the 
 earth at noonday. Also, tell the child that on 
 a given day and hour, at a given place, a train 
 of cars will run off the track, and that a man, 
 giving his name, will be killed by the accident, 
 and that no one else will be injured. Let both 
 of the above events occur in the presence of 
 the child. Which would be by it considered a 
 prophecy? If not both, would not the eclipse 
 be the more impressive event? Would it not 
 to the child be more satisfactory proof of some- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 177 
 
 thing supernatural, than restoring sight to the 
 blind, or hearing to the deaf? 
 
 Therefore miracles and prophecies would not 
 be satisfactory proof of a revelation to the first 
 members of the human race. A direct commu- 
 nication from God would be the best. God, 
 who created man with all his mental faculties 
 and organs for receiving communications, could 
 so communicate with man that he would know 
 that God spoke. His fellow man might doubt 
 that a communication had been received, but 
 the one receiving it could not doubt. 
 
 This plan of direct communication com- 
 menced with Adam, and continued without 
 miracles about 2,200 years down to the time of 
 Jacob. God spoke to Adam. See Gen., 1 : 25, 
 29 ; 2: 16-18; 3: 8, 19. To Cain. Gen., 4: 6, 
 7, 9. To Enoch. Gen., 5: 24. To Noah.- 
 Gen., 6: 13-17; 7: 1. To Abraham. Gen., 
 12:1, 7. To Isaac. Gen., 26:2, 24. To 
 Jacob. Gen., 28: 13-15 ; 31: 3 ; 35: 1, 10. 
 
 Nearly every nation and race has legends that 
 far back in the dim and early history of its ori- 
 gin God and angels conversed with their ances- 
 
178 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 tors, and gave instructions and advice. The 
 character of the communication has in most 
 instances been perverted or lost. The Jews 
 have best preserved that which was communi- 
 cated to them. Presumably instructions were 
 given to all the early members of the race until 
 through wickedness the communications failed 
 to produce any benefits, then they ceased. 
 
 During the period of over 2,200 years men 
 became acquainted, to some extent, with the 
 laws of nature, and man was prepared to receive 
 miracles as evidence. Man was also prepared 
 \to record this evidence in writing for future 
 generations. Miracles commence with the call 
 of Moses. See Ex., 3: 2. They are of frequent 
 occurrence for a period of about 1,800 years 
 down to the time of Christ. 
 
 Miracles properly witnessed and recorded in 
 writing, and commemorated by institutions, and 
 a perpetuation of ceremonies, are a very valua- 
 ble class of evidence for all time and all people. 
 This class of evidence, and the evidence of 
 prophecy, are fully discussed in such writings 
 as "Watson's Institutes," "Paley's Evidences," 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 179 
 
 and other works. We will, therefore, pass them 
 without further comment. 
 
 The foregoing evidence is not of such a char- 
 acter as to produce conviction in the minds of 
 the greatest number of men. To all, except 
 those present, it is but hearsay. The people of 
 the present day, of their own knowledge, do not 
 know but that all these books and recorded 
 miracles and prophecies are fabrications. We 
 know not of our own knowledge but that all 
 the histories of the ancients are fabrications. 
 It is not reasonable to believe that they are 
 such, but we do not know of our own knowl- 
 edge that they are not. This evidence was at 
 the time it occurred the best and most appro- 
 priate, and is corroborative of, and corroborated 
 by, other evidence. Without it the list of evi- 
 dence would not be complete. 
 
 There is another class of evidence which to 
 the people of the present day, with their ad- 
 vanced intellectual development, and vast accu- 
 mulated knowledge of scientific facts, is as 
 conclusive in this age of the truth of this reve- 
 lation as were miracles or direct conversation 
 
180 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 with God ill the former ages. It is a class of 
 evidence which must become stronger and 
 clearer as the intellect more fully develops, and 
 as science accumulates more facts. It is evi- 
 dence internal and inherent in the subject mat- 
 ter revealed, and is of such a character that it 
 could not have been known to the human race 
 as scientific facts at the time the race came into 
 possession of the knowledge. It is evidence 
 that can not be fabricated. 
 
 Several thousand years ago it was positively 
 announced, not as a hypothesis, but as a fact, 
 that there is a God, who had created the uni- 
 verse and everything that has life. "In the 
 beginning God created the heavens and earth." 
 -Gen., 1: 1, 25. See also Neh., 9:6; Psa., 
 33: 6 ; Isa., 42: 5 ; Heb., 3: 4. Without fixing 
 the date at which this fact was first announced 
 to man, it is sufficient that it be referred to a 
 period several thousand years ago. Certainly 
 not less than 3,000 years. From that time 
 down to the present that fact has been contro- 
 verted, so far as evidence is concerned. Those 
 who do not accept revelation have constantly 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 181 
 
 affirmed that there is no proof yet discovered 
 which established the fact, while many of the 
 very learned claim that science directly contra- 
 dicts the proposition. 
 
 But for these thousands of years the intellect 
 has been pushing its investigations, through 
 science, far out into the depths of the universe, 
 and far back into the ages of the past, and has 
 been reaching out into the dim future. 
 
 The laws of cause and effect have been ex- 
 amined. From all these sources vast numbers 
 of facts have been discovered. The scientific 
 world is rapidly reaching, if it has not already 
 reached, the conclusion that a being, intelli- 
 gent and eternal, has created the universe and 
 all that is therein. We refer the reader at this 
 time to Chapters II and III, where the argu- 
 ments set out apparently establish this propo- 
 sition beyond reasonable controversy. It also 
 there appears as a corollary that He is an omni- 
 potent, eternal, unchanging being, of free will. 
 
 Many of the facts of science which constitute 
 this evidence were unknown even a century ago. 
 At the time man was first informed that God 
 
 9 
 
182 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 created all things these truths were all unknown. 
 At that time man, by searching nature, could 
 not have found out God. This evidence was a 
 matter for the intellect to discover. According 
 to the plan of creation it would be left for man 
 to discover, being only collateral to the main 
 subject of revelation, thereby adding to the en- 
 joyment of the members of the race. As the 
 intellect develops, and accumulates knowledge 
 in science, this evidence will increase until the 
 fact becomes as well established as any of the 
 laws or facts in nature. 
 
 There are some other very remarkable state- 
 ments relating to the future in the Bible, as 
 follows: 
 
 Lift up your eyes to tho heavens, and look upon the 
 earth beneath: for tho heavens shall vanish away like 
 smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment. 
 Isa., 51:0. 
 
 And all the host of heaven shall bo dissolved, and the 
 heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll : and all their 
 host shall fall down, as tho leaf falleth off from the vine, 
 and as a falling fig from the fig- tree. Isa., 34: 4. 
 
 And tho heavens departed as a scroll when it is rolled 
 together ; and every mountain and island were moved 
 out of their places. Rev., G: 14. 
 
 Heaven and earth shall pass away. Matt., 24: 35. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 183 
 
 Not only is there set forth the fact, that the 
 earth and the heavens shall be changed from 
 their present form, but there is a remarkable 
 detail set forth. "The heavens shall vanish 
 away like smoke.' 1 "They shall be rolled to- 
 gether as a scroll. 1 ' A. scroll is rolled in a spiral. 
 The motion of matter in a nebula toward the 
 centre is in a spiral. The motion of the planets 
 is in a spiral toward the sun. The motion of 
 all the hosts of heaven is also in spiral courses 
 toward a centre ; and it is merely a question of 
 time until they all arc thus rolled together as a 
 scroll when it is rotted together. 
 
 When the heavens, or parts of the universe, 
 are thus rolled together as a scroll the collision, 
 will produce such a degree of heat that "the 
 earth shall melt with fervent heat," and the 
 various planets and suns will "vanish away like 
 smoke." They will be dissolved into smoke or 
 vaporized matter. This matter will continue 
 its spiral motion, rolling up as a scroll, from its 
 nebulous form into new forms. New heavens 
 and new earths will thus be produced. ^ 
 
 And all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth 
 
184 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 off from the vine, and as a falling^ from the fig-tree. 
 7sa.,34:4. 
 
 The leaf and the fig fall by the attraction of 
 gravitation. By the same force all the hosts 
 of heaven are falling together to the common 
 centre. The falling showers of meteors only 
 indicate coming events ; and they fall as the 
 leaf falleth from the vine, silently, numerously, 
 by attraction. 
 
 Sir Isaac Newton, observing the falling apple, 
 announced the law of gravitation, and that it 
 extended to the heavenly bodies. Isaiah an- 
 nounced the same fact twenty -five hundred 
 years before, with the further statement that 
 this force would cause all the hosts of heaven 
 to vanish away like smoke, and to be rolled up 
 as a scroll. These facts, set forth many thou- 
 sands of years ago, have been established by 
 scientific research within the last few years. 
 
 At the time they were first announced no in- 
 vestigation had demonstrated them to be true. 
 For centuries thereafter the voice of science 
 was against them. The stability of the uni- 
 verse, and of the earth, were supposed to be 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 185 
 
 fixed beyond question. The announcement, 
 therefore, of the facts referred to, at a time 
 when the race was not possessed of sufficient 
 knowledge to have discovered them, furnishes 
 evidence to present generations that they were 
 revealed to man by a being who knew them. 
 They authenticate the moral revelation with 
 which they are connected, and which is based 
 in many of its declarations upon these things 
 as true. 
 
 The first chapter of Genesis has been assailed 
 by the opponents of revelation as being in con- 
 flict with the facts of science ; and the conclu- 
 sion is reached that the whole purported reve- 
 lation is the work of man. Without fear of 
 successful contradiction it may be safely asserted 
 that the ideas conveyed by the original Hebrew text 
 are in harmony with the truths in nature. A. more 
 accurate scientific description can not to-day 
 be written by any one, in an equal number of 
 Hebrew words, than is written in the original 
 text of the first chapter of Genesis. An analy- 
 sis and literal rendering of the original text 
 will be given in the next chapter. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 ANALYSIS AND LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW 
 TEXT OF THE FIRST CHAPTER OF GENESIS. 
 
 Is the Mosaic account of the creation correct? 
 Does the first chapter of Genesis correctly de- 
 scribe events relating to the origin of mat- 
 ter and the changes through which it passed 
 down to the creation of man? If it does not, 
 we must treat that part of it as a fraud on the 
 human race. But to ascertain the ideas con- 
 veyed in that chapter, we must examine it in 
 the language in which it was first written, and 
 must attach to the words and idiom the mean- 
 ing belonging to them at the time the chapter 
 was written. Words and sentences are but 
 symbols of the ideas existing in the mind of 
 the person using them. The person hearing or 
 reading the words may not receive the same 
 ideas intended to be conveyed by the person 
 using them. The truth, therefore, expressed by 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 187 
 
 the first person is not to be determined by what 
 the hearer or reader understood, but by the 
 ideas intended to be embodied in the words. 
 
 The correctness, therefore, of the Mosaic ac- 
 count is to be determined by ascertaining the 
 ideas embodied in the original Hebrew text at 
 the time Moses put the words together as sym- 
 bols of those ideas. As Moses wrote in an 
 early age, not very remote from the time when 
 the Hebrew words were first reduced to writing, 
 and before the words had been by usage varied 
 from their root meaning, we must give great 
 weight to the root or primary meaning. Es- 
 pecially must this be done where that meaning 
 differs from the later meaning. It must be 
 borne in mind as very important that Moses 
 used the words with the meanings attached t;) 
 them at the time he wrote, and not with the 
 meaning that was attached to them centuries 
 after that date, or given to them by translators. 
 The Hebrew language is very limited in scien- 
 tific nomenclature. At the time Moses wrote 
 there were few or no scientific words in it re- 
 lating to natural science. He would, therefore. 
 
188 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 be compelled to select such words from common 
 use as would best embody such ideas on scien- 
 tific subjects as would be expressed collaterally, 
 while treating on moral, theological, or histori 
 cal subjects. 
 
 A fair examination, under the foregoing prin- 
 ciples, will show that a general description or 
 outline history of the earth, from the creation 
 of matter to the creation of man, would be the 
 same as the one given by Moses in the first 
 chapter of Genesis in the original Hebrew. A 
 minute description or history of the earth, from 
 the creation of matter to the creation of man, 
 would fill a great many large volumes. One 
 volume could contain only a very general de- 
 scription j while one page or one short chapter 
 could contain only the most general outline of 
 the prominent changes. 
 
 In the following pages, in the second column, 
 are given the Hebrew words. The prefixes are 
 separated from the word, and are indicated by 
 a hyphen to the left. This is done so that the 
 definition of the prefix may be given by itself. 
 In the third column is given the definition of 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 189 
 
 
 
 the word taken from the standard Hebrew lex- 
 icons. These definitions are made complete, so 
 that the reader may clearly see the fullness of 
 the idea embraced in the original. Words in 
 brackets in this column are by the author, and 
 are submitted as additional definitions of the 
 Hebrew. . In the fourth column are the words in 
 English most nearly conveying the meaning of 
 the text, as embodied in the aggregate of words 
 in the middle column. The reader is at liberty 
 to make his own selection of words from the 
 definitions for this third column, if he prefers 
 so to do. The words in parenthesis in the 
 fourth column are not in the original, but are 
 implied, and nre inserted to complete the sense. 
 To avoid repetitions, the words are all num- 
 bered, and when the same word occurs, refer- 
 ence by number is made to the full definition. 
 Unimportant words, that is words concerning 
 the meaning of which no question arises, are 
 not referred back for definitions. 
 
 0* 
 
190 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW TEXT OF THE 
 FIRST CHAPTER OF GENESIS. 
 
 text 
 O 
 
 -n 
 
 T 
 
 Definition. 
 
 In, at, in respect to, concerning. 
 Used with verbs of motion. 
 
 The beginning, first, commence- 
 ment. Hoot, to be moved, to 
 be shaken. 
 
 Created, to form out of nothing. 
 Gods. 
 
 This same, the thing itself, in its 
 entirety, totally; [both also. 
 The first and last letters of the 
 Hebrew alphabet. This word 
 is translated in Sanscrit, "sum 
 and substance ; or elementary 
 particles." Atoms of matter. ] 
 
 This, the. 
 
 Heavens, denotes extension or 
 parts. Root, to bo high. 
 
 And. 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Earth, ground, elements of the 
 eavth, earthy p^rt. [In Hebrew 
 the phrase*" the heavens and 
 the earth, "means the Universe. 
 From the verbs to bo high, and 
 to be low.] 
 
 Translation 
 IN 
 
 the beginnliv 
 
 created 
 
 God 
 
 both 
 the 
 
 heavens 
 and 
 also 
 the 
 
 earth. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 191 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 -] 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 -h 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 n? 
 
 Earth. (See No. 11, idem.) 
 
 earth 
 
 nrvn 
 
 Was. 
 
 was 
 
 T :T 
 
 
 
 inn 
 
 Wastcness, emptiness, nothing, 
 abyss, chaos. [Not formed.] 
 
 without form 
 
 _^ 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 T 
 
 
 (in) 
 
 inn 
 
 Emptiness, voidness, confusion. 
 
 
 
 (Seo Jcr. 4:23; Isa. 34:11.) 
 
 confusion; 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 "nctfri 
 
 Darkness. Hoot, to bo dark, 
 
 
 *) V 
 
 obscure. 
 
 darkness 
 
 . 
 
 
 (was) 
 
 ;>y 
 
 Over, impending, upon. Root, 
 to be high, over [throughout]. 
 
 throughout 
 
 
 
 (the) 
 
 *)j?) 
 
 The surface, face, condition, state, 
 
 
 " : 
 
 [mass]. Root, to tarn ; a noun 
 
 
 
 implying parts or extension. 
 
 
 
 [Motion is indicated.] 
 
 mass 
 
 
 
 (of) 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 tho 
 
 dn 
 
 Abyss, gulf, emptiness, wastencss, 
 
 
 
 tb.3 deep, ocean, wave, billow, a 
 
 
 
 gren tquantity of water i n commo- 
 tion ;ue/'&, toputinmotioUjtodis- 
 
 
 
 turb, to be in commotion, to im- 
 
 
 
 pel, todrive. [Matter in motion.] 
 
 matter, 
 
 -i 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 nri 
 
 Spirit, breath, air in motion, vital 
 
 
 
 principle, vital spirit, will, intel- 
 
 
 
 lect, divine po\ver. Spirit of God. 
 
 
 
 Divine or miraculous power, 
 
 
 
 by whica inanimate things are 
 
 
 
 moved. [Force, attraction of 
 
 a power 
 
 
 gravitation.] (of) 
 
192 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 V,! 
 
 'IT 
 
 T 
 
 - 
 
 Definition. 
 
 God. 
 
 Moving, trembling, vivifying, 
 brooding over, impregnating ; 
 verb, to shake, to tremble. 
 
 Throughout. (No. 21, idem.) 
 Mass. (See No. 22, idem.) 
 The. 
 
 Tottering, shaking. Hoot, to flow, 
 tobefluid,toflowdown,tobedis- 
 solved, to be moved, to be agitat- 
 ed. [Matter in motion having the 
 appearance of a fluid, as flowing 
 currents of clouds or matter. ] 
 
 And. 
 
 Said, willed; verb, to say to one-self, 
 to will, to command, to order. 
 
 God. 
 
 That there exist ; verb, to become, 
 to bo made, to exist. 
 
 Light, light everywhere, diffused, 
 lucid region, brightness of fire, 
 flame [ligt.t and heat in general 
 diffused throughout matter] ; 
 verb, to become light, to shine. 
 
 And. 
 
 There existed. (Sec No. 36, idem.) 
 
 Light. (See No. 37, idem.) 
 
 And. 
 
 Saw. 
 
 God. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 God 
 (was) 
 
 throughout 
 
 (the) 
 mass 
 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 matter. 
 And 
 
 willed 
 God 
 
 that there exist 
 
 light; 
 and 
 
 there existed 
 light. 
 And 
 saw- 
 God 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 193 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 -n 
 
 -n 
 
 -i 
 
 Definition. 
 This same. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 The. 
 
 Light. (See No. 37, idem.) 
 That. 
 
 Good, beautiful, pleasant, agree- 
 able ; verb, to confer a benefit, 
 to make cheerful. 
 
 And. 
 
 Divided, separated, disjoined, 
 things previously mixed, des- 
 tined for a use. 
 
 God. 
 
 Between, space, interval. 
 
 The. 
 
 Light. (See No. 37, idem.) 
 
 And. 
 
 Between. (See No. 52, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Darkness. (See No. 20, idem.) 
 
 And. 
 
 Called, named, proclaimed tho 
 name of. 
 
 God. 
 
 As to, concerning, of a space 
 of time after which a tLing 
 is to be. 
 
 Light. (See No. 37, idem.) 
 
 Translation, 
 this same, 
 the 
 light 
 
 that 
 
 (it was) 
 
 good, 
 and 
 
 separated 
 
 God 
 
 between 
 
 the 
 
 light 
 
 and 
 
 between 
 
 the 
 
 darkness. 
 
 And 
 
 named 
 God 
 
 of 
 
 light 
 
194 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 -1 
 
 Dl 
 
 IT V 
 
 s 
 
 Definition. 
 Day. (See No. 76, idem.) 
 And. 
 
 A space of. (See No. 62, idem.) 
 Darkness. (See No. 20, idem.) 
 Called, named. 
 Night. 
 And. 
 There was. 
 
 Evening, closing ; verb, to be dark, 
 to mix, intermingle, to be arid, 
 to be sterile. 
 
 And. 
 
 There was. 
 Morning, dawn. 
 
 Day, time, duration, period, space 
 of time. 
 
 One, first ; denotes the beginning 
 of a series, others to follow. 
 
 And. 
 
 Said, willed. (See No. 34, idem.) 
 
 God. 
 
 Let there be, exist, come to pass, 
 be made, bo done. (See No. c.6, 
 idem.) 
 
 An expanse, thinness, spread out, 
 attenuated ; verb, spread out, 
 to stretch out, made thin, us 
 beating out a thin plate. [Thin 
 space.] 
 
 Translation. 
 
 and 
 
 a space of 
 darkness 
 he named 
 night ; 
 and 
 there was 
 
 evening 
 and 
 
 there was 
 morning 
 
 period 
 
 one. 
 And 
 willed 
 God, 
 
 let there be 
 
 an expanse 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 105 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 . Truusliitii n. 
 
 -3 
 
 In, in the. [Motion to a placo.] 
 
 in 
 
 ""rin 
 
 Between, midst, out of, middle ; 
 
 
 i 
 
 verb, to cut up, to divide. 
 
 between 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 Q^ft 
 
 Waters, fluid. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 
 
 V,T 
 
 [Matter in a fluid or watery 
 
 
 
 form.] 
 
 waters, 
 
 - 1 ] 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 If] 
 
 Let it be. 
 
 let it bo 
 
 b^Q 
 
 Dividing ; verb, to separate, to 
 disjoin. (See No. 50, idem.) 
 
 dividing 
 
 r 
 
 Between. (See No. 52, idem.) 
 
 between 
 
 OT3 
 
 Waters. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 
 waters 
 
 -5 
 
 To, from. ^See No. G2, idem.) 
 
 from 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 * LT} 
 
 Waters. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 
 waters. 
 
 'IT 
 
 
 
 -"1 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 fry 
 
 Made, produced, prepared, made 
 
 
 
 ready, completed, effected. 
 
 mado 
 
 D^ri^s 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 "HK 
 
 This same, sum and substance, 
 
 
 V 
 
 in ils entirety, totality. (See 
 
 
 
 No. 5, idem.) 
 
 in its entirety 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 IT 
 
 
 
 y n p"3 
 
 Expanse. (See No. 82, idem.) 
 
 expanse, 
 
 -fi 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 blD 
 
 Divided. (See No. 50, idem.) 
 
 divided 
 
 p3 
 
 Between. (See No. 5 % J, idem.) 
 
 between 
 
196 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 nn 
 
 pa 
 
 -n 
 
 -b 
 
 "Tl 
 
 : P 
 
 Definition. 
 The. 
 
 Waters. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 Which. 
 From. 
 Under, beneath. 
 
 To, from, (See No. 62, idem.) 
 from the. 
 
 Expanse. (See No. 82, idem.) 
 
 And. 
 
 Between. (See No. 52, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Waters. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 
 Which. 
 
 From. 
 
 Above, on high ; verb, to go up, 
 au smoko, to cause unyth iig 
 to go up us smoke, impending, 
 suspended owr anythiu.,, \vkh- 
 out toucbiug it. 
 
 From the, to the. (See No. 02, 
 idem.) 
 
 Expanse. (See No. 82, idem.) 
 
 And. 
 
 It was. 
 
 So, so constituted, established. 
 [Demoting a, nnishe.l or ux- it 
 condition.} 
 
 Translation, 
 the 
 waters, 
 
 which 
 
 (are) 
 from 
 
 beneath 
 
 from 
 (the) 
 
 expanse 
 
 and 
 
 between 
 
 the 
 
 waters 
 
 which 
 
 (are) 
 from 
 
 above 
 
 from 
 (the) 
 
 and 
 
 it was 
 
 tij constituted. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 197 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 -;1 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 *9i? 
 
 Called, named. (See No. GO, 
 idem.) 
 
 named 
 
 D^n /& 
 
 IT 
 
 God. 
 To the. (See No. 62, ideaa.) 
 
 Expanse, thin space. (See No. 82, 
 idem.) 
 
 God 
 to the 
 expanse 
 
 D'TCtf 
 
 AT T 
 
 Heaven. (See No. 7, idem.) 
 And. 
 
 heaven ; 
 and 
 
 "T 1 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 :ny 
 
 Evening. (See No. 72, idem.) 
 
 evening 
 
 -?i 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 -vi 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 n| > 
 
 Morning. 
 
 Day, time, period. (See No. 76, 
 idem.) 
 
 morning 
 period 
 
 D :^ 
 
 Second ; verb, to double, repeat. 
 
 second. 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 TJK 
 
 Said, commanded, willed. (See 
 No. 34, idem.) 
 
 willed 
 
 Q^N 
 
 God. 
 
 God, 
 
 TIjT 
 
 Let there be gathered together. 
 Hoot, to twist, to wind, to be 
 strong. 
 
 let there be 
 gathered to- 
 gether 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 D:S 
 
 Waters. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 
 waters 
 
198 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 -D 
 
 From. 
 
 from 
 
 nnn 
 
 Under, beneath. (See No. 107, 
 idem.) 
 
 beneath 
 
 ~u 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 D?OE; 
 
 Heavens. (See No. 7, idem,) 
 
 heavens 
 
 ~?N 
 
 Unto, into, including mo! ion, di- 
 
 
 '* 
 
 rection to any place ; used with 
 verbs of turning. 
 
 into 
 
 DIDO 
 
 Place, where waters flow together. 
 
 place 
 
 ! T 
 
 
 
 "in?? 
 
 One. 
 
 one 
 
 r -i 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 n&nn 
 
 Shall be seen. 
 
 shall be seen 
 
 V Tf 
 
 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 nEto* 
 
 Dry land, hot dry land ; verb, to 
 
 
 AT T~ 
 
 become dry. 
 
 dry land 
 
 ~^1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 "Yi 
 
 It was. 
 
 it was 
 
 * P 
 
 So, so established. (See No. 121, 
 
 
 4 Ir 
 
 idem.) 
 
 so established. 
 
 -?1 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 JOp 
 
 Named, called. (See No. .60, 
 
 
 T!: 
 
 idem.) 
 
 named 
 
 D^K 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 -? 
 
 To the. (See No. 62, idem.) 
 
 to the 
 
 n^D^ 1 
 
 Dry land, hot dry land. (See 
 
 
 T T- 
 
 No. 152, idem.) 
 
 dry land 
 
 V"1^ 
 
 Earth, land. 
 
 earth, 
 
THE PLAN 0V CREATION. 
 
 t l JJ 
 
 No. | II. brew text 
 
 IG3 
 
 1C 3 -} 
 
 ici -Q 
 
 10 ^ ~!p 
 
 ic; _n 
 
 1?.T 
 
 ICO 
 170 
 171 
 17J 
 173 
 17-1 
 175 
 17G 
 177 
 178 
 
 170 
 180 
 181 
 
 183 
 
 sehri 
 
 -n 
 
 Definition. 
 And. 
 To. 
 The. 
 
 Gathering together ; verb, to twist, 
 The. 
 
 Waters. (Sec No. 32, Ucrii.; 
 Called, named. (See No. 60, idem.) 
 Sea:;. Hoot, to rage, to roar. 
 And. 
 
 Saw. (Seo No. 42, idem.) 
 God. 
 That. 
 
 Good. (See No, 43, idem.) 
 And. 
 
 Said, willed. (See No. 3-1, i.:e:u.) 
 God. 
 
 Let sprout forth ; verb, to sprout, 
 to be green, to bring forth herb- 
 age, to send fori.li. 
 
 The. 
 
 Earth. (See No. 11, idem.) Ground, 
 
 Gr iss, tender grass, first f-pronts of 
 the earth, tender herb; itia differ- 
 
 ent from mature or ripe grass, 
 [new, fresh, green young grass.] 
 
 Green herb, 
 
 Tra: nUti^n. 
 ami 
 to 
 the 
 
 gathering to- 
 Aether (>!) 
 
 the 
 
 \v;>'e:vj 
 
 (lu) im^ictl 
 
 ocas ; 
 
 and 
 
 saw 
 
 God 
 
 that 
 
 (it was) 
 good. 
 
 And 
 
 willed 
 
 God, 
 
 let sprout forth 
 
 the 
 earth 
 
 young g.-as 
 green hcr'i 
 
200 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition . 
 
 Producing seed, scattering seed. 
 Seed. 
 Tree. 
 
 Fruit, to bear, to produce. 
 Producing. 
 
 Fruit. (See No. 183, idem.) 
 To. 
 
 Kind, species ; verb, to bear an 
 appearance. 
 
 Which, whose. 
 
 Seed. 
 
 In it. 
 
 Upon. (See No. 21, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Earth, land. 
 
 And. 
 
 It was. 
 
 So, so established. (See No. 121, 
 idem.) 
 
 And. 
 
 Brought forth. Hoot, to go out. 
 
 The. 
 
 Earth. 
 
 Tender grass. (See No. 181, idem.) 
 Young grass. 
 
 Translation, 
 producing 
 seed, 
 
 treo 
 
 (of) 
 fruit 
 
 producing 
 fruit 
 
 to 
 (its) 
 
 species 
 which 
 
 seed 
 (fe) 
 
 in it 
 
 upon 
 the 
 earth 
 and 
 it was 
 
 so established 
 
 And 
 
 brought forth 
 
 the 
 
 earth 
 
 young, tender 
 grass, 
 
THE PLAN OP CREATION. 
 
 201 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 Sfrj? 
 
 Green herb. 
 
 green herb, 
 
 ynio 
 
 Producing. (See No. 183, idem.) 
 
 producing 
 
 o 
 
 Seed. 
 
 seed 
 
 -3 
 
 To its. 
 
 to its 
 
 "JD 
 
 Species, kind. (See No. 190, 
 idem.) 
 
 species, 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 yy 
 
 Tree. 
 
 tree 
 
 ngty 
 
 Producing. 
 
 prducing 
 
 pjg 
 
 Fruit. 
 
 fruit, 
 
 "^8 
 
 Which, whose. 
 
 whose 
 
 13 
 
 Seed. 
 In it. 
 
 seed 
 (is) 
 in it 
 
 -h 
 
 To its. 
 
 to its 
 
 wo 
 
 A" * 
 
 Species, kind. (See No. 190, 
 idem.) 
 
 species ; 
 
 -!1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 SO 
 
 Saw. 
 
 saw 
 
 o^si 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 :4 
 
 That. 
 Good. (See No. 48, idem.) 
 
 that 
 (it was) 
 good. 
 
 ~^ 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 -Tl 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 a "3? 
 
 Evening. 
 
 evening 
 
202 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 "^1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 -V! 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 npD 
 
 Morning. 
 
 morning 
 
 D r 
 
 Day, time, period. (See No. 76, 
 idem.) 
 
 period 
 
 D: 1 ^^ 
 
 Three. 
 
 three. 
 
 -H 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 -ION' 
 
 Said, commanded. (See No. 34, 
 idem.) 
 
 said 
 
 D'flbs 
 
 God. 
 
 God,- 
 
 VP 
 
 Let there be, to serve for. 
 
 let there be 
 
 ms? 
 
 Luminaries ; verb, to become light, 
 to shine, to give light. 
 
 luminaries 
 
 -3 
 
 In the. 
 
 in the 
 
 -d 
 
 Expanse of. (See No. 82, idem.) 
 The. 
 
 expanse 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 D:D| 
 
 Heaven. (See No. 7, idem.) 
 To. 
 
 heavens, 
 to 
 
 ^?b 
 
 Divide, separate, distinguish. (See 
 No. 50, idem.) 
 
 divide 
 
 r? 
 
 Between. (f>ee No. 32, idem.) 
 
 between 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 Dl' 
 
 Day. (Sci- No. 73, idem ) 
 
 day 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 rs 
 
 Between. (See No. 5-', idem.) 
 
 between 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 203 
 
 H.'brcw ti x; 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 rb*b 
 
 Night. 
 
 night ; 
 
 -i 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 rrj 
 
 They shall bo. 
 
 they shall be 
 
 -h 
 
 To:-. (Sec No. 03, idem.) 
 
 for 
 
 nriK 
 
 Signs, a sign of something past, a 
 si^u of sor.iethiug future, ft sign 
 of that which can not be set'ii ; 
 verb, to make, to designate. 
 
 signs 
 
 -i 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 Jp 
 
 For. 
 
 for 
 
 o^ato 
 
 Set time, fixed times, space of 
 lime, year, perpetuity of time. 
 
 set times, 
 
 -?) 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 -^> 
 
 For. 
 
 for 
 
 HT?^ 
 
 T 
 
 Days. 
 
 days, 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 r r 
 
 Repetitions ; verb, to repeat, to 
 double, years. 
 
 repetitions. 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 rri 
 
 They shall be. 
 
 they sha'l bo 
 
 -5 
 
 For. 
 
 for 
 
 mixo 
 
 Luminaries. (See No. 23G, idem.) 
 
 luminaries 
 
 -3 
 
 In. 
 
 in 
 
 STTI 
 
 Expanse. (See No. 82, idem.) 
 
 (the) 
 expanse 
 (of) 
 
204 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 -n 
 
 Jp 
 
 TNT! 
 -S 
 
 -n 
 
 T 
 
 -i n 
 
 : P 
 
 -n 
 
 -n 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Definition. 
 The. 
 
 Heaven. (See No. 7, idem.) 
 To. 
 
 Give light ; verb, to be light. 
 Upon. (See No. 21, idem.) 
 The. 
 Earth. 
 And. 
 It was. 
 
 So established. (See No. 121, 
 idem.) 
 
 And. 
 
 Made, appointed. (See No. 95, 
 idem.) 
 
 God. 
 
 Both, each. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 Two. 
 
 The. 
 
 Luminaries. (See No. 236, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Great. 
 
 Both. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 The 
 
 Luminary. (See No. 236, idem.) 
 
 Translation, 
 the 
 
 heaven, 
 to 
 
 give light 
 upon 
 the 
 earth , 
 and 
 it was 
 
 so established. 
 And 
 
 appointed 
 
 God 
 
 each 
 
 two 
 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 luminaries, 
 
 the 
 
 great, 
 
 both 
 
 the 
 
 luminary, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 205 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 big 
 
 Great. 
 
 great 
 
 J). 
 
 For. 
 
 for 
 
 -n 
 
 The ruling ; verb, to make like, to 
 rule. 
 
 The. 
 
 the ruling 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 DV 
 
 Day. 
 
 day, 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 "HK 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 also 
 
 -6 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 nix*3 
 
 'T 
 
 -n 
 
 Luminary. 
 The. 
 
 luminary 
 the 
 
 top 
 
 Small. 
 
 small 
 
 -| 
 
 For. 
 
 for 
 
 -p 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 nbgto 
 ' -n 
 
 njj 
 
 T '-i 
 
 Ruling. (See No. 293, idem.) 
 The. 
 Night. 
 And. 
 
 ruling 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 night ; 
 and 
 
 HK 
 
 Also. (Se& No. 5, idem.) 
 
 also 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 :a??i? 
 
 Stars ; verb, root, torollup as in a ball. 
 And. 
 
 stars. 
 And 
 
 1C 
 
 Set, put, place, to place over. 
 
 set 
 
206 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 DfiK 
 
 Them. 
 
 them 
 
 DM^K 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 -3 
 
 In the. 
 
 in the 
 
 srpi 
 
 Expanse. (See No. 82, idem.) 
 
 expanse 
 (of) 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 D^iO^ 
 
 Heaven. 
 
 heaven, 
 
 ATT 
 
 
 
 -J 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 T^H 
 
 Give light. 
 
 give light 
 
 -Sy 
 
 Upon. (See No. 21, idem.) 
 
 upon 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 1 VHN 
 
 Earth. 
 
 earth. 
 
 "1 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 _y 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 ^b 
 
 Kule . ( See No. 293, idem . ) 
 
 rule 
 
 _2 
 
 In the. 
 
 in the 
 
 DV 
 
 Day. 
 
 day 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 -3 
 
 In the. 
 
 in the 
 
 r6^? 
 
 Night. 
 
 night, 
 
 T :- 
 
 
 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 Jji 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 y-..:. 
 
 Divide, distinguish. (See No. 50, 
 
 
 : L 
 
 idem.) 
 
 divide 
 
 p3 
 
 Between. (See No. 52, idem.) 
 
 between 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 207 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 -n 
 
 ^T 
 
 The. 
 Light. 
 
 the 
 light 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 P3 
 
 Between. 
 
 between 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 ntfn 
 
 }V A 
 
 Darkness. (See No. 20, idem.) 
 And. 
 
 darkness ; 
 and 
 
 XI 
 
 Saw. 
 
 saw 
 
 D^B 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 :sto 
 
 That. 
 
 Good, (see No. 48, idem,) beauti- 
 ful, pleasant [suitable]. 
 
 that 
 (it was) 
 
 good. 
 
 -n 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 -TI 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 2"W 
 
 Evening. 
 
 evening 
 
 ~-r 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 -V! 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 ^pp 
 
 Morning. 
 
 morning 
 
 DV 
 
 Day, time, period. (See No. 76, 
 idem.) 
 
 period 
 
 * p * : 
 
 Fourth, repeated the fourth time. 
 
 And. 
 
 fourth. 
 And 
 
 -!?tf 
 
 Said, willed. (See No. 34, idem.) 
 
 willed 
 
 ' o-'ri^ 
 
 God. 
 
 God, 
 
208 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 -n 
 
 -n 
 
 ITT 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Let bring forth abundantly ; verb, 
 to creep, to crawl, to abound, 
 to multiply, to be multiplied. 
 
 The. 
 
 Waters. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 
 Creeping or crawling things, rep- 
 tiles, small aquatic animals, 
 winged reptiles. 
 
 Breathing creatures, soul ; verb, 
 to take breath. 
 
 Living creature, beast; verb, to 
 live, with the idea of breathing. 
 
 And. 
 
 A wing, birds, fowl, flying thing ; 
 verb, to fly. 
 
 Let fly. 
 
 Upon, in. (See No. 21, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Earth. 
 
 Upon, in. (See No. 21, idem.) 
 
 The face of. (See No. 22, idem.) 
 
 The expanse. (See No. 82, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Heaven. (See No. 7, idem.) 
 
 And. 
 
 Created. (See No. 3, idem.) 
 
 God. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 let bring forth 
 abundantly 
 
 the 
 waters 
 
 creeping things 
 
 breathing 
 
 creatures 
 
 living, 
 
 and 
 
 fowl 
 
 let fly 
 
 upon 
 
 the 
 
 earth 
 
 upon 
 
 the face of 
 
 the expanse 
 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 heaven. 
 And 
 created 
 God 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 209 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 
 
 -n 
 
 -p 
 
 injn 
 
 -n 
 
 -n 
 
 era 
 
 Definition. 
 
 All. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 The 
 
 Sea monsters, serpents, crocodiles, 
 great serpents ; verb, to extend, 
 to stretch out. 
 
 The. 
 
 Great. 
 
 And. 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 Every, all, all kinds, denotes, 
 totality. 
 
 Breathing creature. (See No. 362, 
 idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Living. (See No. 363, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Creeping ; verb, to creep, to crawl, 
 the proper term for the motion 
 of smaller animals which creep 
 upon the ground, those that 
 have four feet or more or none, 
 an crabs, aquatic animals, birds 
 and fishes. 
 
 Which. 
 
 Brought forth abundantly. (See 
 No. 338, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Waters. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 
 Translation. 
 all 
 the 
 
 sea monsters 
 
 the 
 
 great, 
 
 and 
 
 also 
 
 every 
 
 breathing 
 
 creatures 
 
 the 
 
 living 
 
 the 
 
 creeping, 
 which 
 
 brought forth 
 abundantly 
 
 the 
 waters 
 
210 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translatic 
 
 O^P 
 
 TV) their. 
 
 Kind, species. (See No. 190, 
 idem.) 
 
 to 
 (their} 
 
 species, 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 nN 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 also 
 
 T 
 
 Every, all, etc. (See No. 385, 
 idem.) 
 
 every 
 
 ^ 
 
 Fowl, flying thing. (See No. 365, 
 idem.) 
 
 Wing; 
 To. 
 
 fowl 
 (of) 
 wing 
 
 to 
 
 inrp 
 
 Its kind. 
 
 its kind ; 
 
 -a! 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 &n 
 
 Saw. 
 
 saw 
 
 D^VIS 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 * i 
 
 That. 
 Good. (See No. 48, idem.) 
 And. 
 
 that 
 (it was) 
 good. 
 
 And 
 
 oS 
 
 Blessed, caused to prosper. 
 Them. 
 God. 
 
 blessed 
 them 
 God 
 
 ios6' 
 
 Saying. 
 
 saying, 
 
 V 
 
 Be fruitful. 
 
 bo fruitful 
 
 -i 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 IT) 
 
 Multiply. 
 
 multiply 
 
THE PLAN OF 'CREATION. 
 
 211 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 ~Z) 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 ^0 
 
 Fill, with the idea of abundance, 
 overflowing. 
 
 till 
 
 "HN 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 also 
 
 -6 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 D:D 
 
 Waters. (See No. 32, idem.) 
 
 waters 
 
 -3 
 
 In the. 
 
 in thfl 
 
 Q^P 
 
 Seas. 
 
 seas , 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 -ri 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 rjiy 
 
 Fowl, flying thing. (See 365, idem.; 
 
 fowl 
 
 HT 
 
 Let multiply. 
 
 let multiply 
 
 -J 
 
 In the. 
 
 in the 
 
 I VIT 
 
 Earth. 
 And. 
 
 earth. 
 And 
 
 -VI 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 3"!5? 
 
 Evening. 
 
 evening 
 
 ~?i 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 npa 
 
 There was. 
 Morning. 
 
 there was 
 morning 
 
 Di 1 
 
 Day, time, period. 
 
 period 
 
 DPETpn 
 
 Fifth. 
 
 fifth. 
 
 -*i 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 n^^ 
 
 Said, willed. (See No. 34, idem.) 
 
 willed 
 
212 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 DTlbtt 
 
 God. 
 
 God, 
 
 *". 
 
 Let bring forth. (See No. 201, 
 idem.) 
 
 let bring forth 
 
 -n 
 
 n? 
 
 The. 
 Earth, land. 
 
 Breathing creatures. (See No. 362, 
 idem.) 
 
 the 
 earth 
 
 breathing 
 creatures 
 
 rrn 
 
 Living. (See No. 363, idem.) 
 
 living 
 
 T * 
 
 To. 
 
 Its hind, species. (See No. 190. 
 idem.) 
 
 to 
 (its) 
 
 species, 
 
 T : 
 
 Beasts, large land quadrupeds, 
 domestic animals, cattle, beasts 
 of the field, wild beasts. 
 
 beasts 
 
 -T 
 
 And. 
 
 Creeping things, reptiles, whatever 
 creeps upon the ground, all land 
 animals. 
 
 and 
 creeping things 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 "inp 
 
 Wild animals, as opposed to tame 
 cattle, in its widest sense beasts 
 of all kinds. 
 
 Earth, land. (See No. 11, idem.) 
 
 beasts 
 (of) 
 earth 
 
 y 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 nrb 
 
 AT 
 
 Its kind. (See No. 190, idem.) 
 And. 
 
 its kind ; 
 and 
 
 vi 
 
 It was. 
 
 it was 
 
 :p 
 
 So, so established, constituted. 
 
 so established. 
 
THE PLAN OP CREATION. 
 
 213 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 T?l 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 &y 
 
 Made. (See No. 95, idem.) 
 
 made 
 
 DT^N 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 -nja 
 
 All. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 all 
 
 rrn 
 
 Beasts. (See No. 448, idem.) 
 
 beasts 
 
 
 
 
 (of) 
 
 .-n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 yn^ 
 
 Earth, land. 
 
 earth 
 
 -5 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 
 
 
 (its) 
 
 nra 
 
 Its kind, species. 
 
 species 
 
 T * 
 
 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 TIN 
 
 All. 
 
 all 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 nans 
 
 T : 
 
 Cattle, animals. (See No. 448, 
 idem.) 
 
 cattle 
 
 -b 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 nra 
 
 Its kind, species. 
 
 its kind, 
 
 T ' 
 
 
 
 ~] 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 HN 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 also 
 
 -Vs 
 
 Every. (See No. 385, idem.) 
 
 every 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 B7!D"1 
 
 Crcoping thing. (See 450, idem.) 
 
 creeping thing 
 
 
 
 (of) 
 
 -PI 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 IT 
 
 
 
 na*iK 
 
 Ground, land. 
 
 ground 
 
 T TT: 
 
 
 
 U 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 : 
 
 
 (its) 
 
 inj^o 
 
 Its kind, species. 
 
 kind ; 
 
 A" * 
 
 
 
214 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 -n 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 *H 
 
 Saw. 
 
 saw 
 
 D^N 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 i 
 -"1 
 
 That. 
 Good. (See No. 48, idem,) 
 And. 
 
 that 
 (it was) 
 good. 
 
 And- 
 
 "sptf 
 
 Said, willed. (See No. 34, idem.) 
 
 said 
 
 crri^ 
 
 God. 
 
 God, 
 
 n&u 
 
 TT 
 
 Let us make, fabricate. 
 Man ; verb, to be ruddy. 
 
 let us make 
 man 
 
 -3 
 
 U!?? 
 
 In. 
 Shadow, image, likeness. 
 
 in 
 (our) 
 image, 
 
 A" ; 
 
 According to, like, as. 
 
 Likeness, similitude, image, mod- 
 el, pattern, appearance, resem- 
 blance. 
 
 according to 
 (our) 
 
 likeness ; 
 
 **l 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 rn 
 
 Let them rule over ; verb, subdue, 
 take possession of, rule over. 
 
 let them rule 
 over 
 
 -3 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 -n 
 
 Fish. 
 The. 
 
 fish 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 T 
 
 Sea. 
 
 sea, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 215 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 - 
 
 nan? 
 -i 
 
 T 
 
 -n 
 
 T 
 VT 
 
 3 
 
 "^ 
 -n 
 
 -n 
 
 IT 
 
 -n 
 
 Definition. 
 And. 
 Over the. 
 
 Fowl, birds. (See No. 365, idem.) 
 The. 
 
 Heaven, space above the earth. 
 And. 
 Over the. 
 
 Cattle, animals. (Sec 448, idem.) 
 And. 
 Over. 
 
 All. (See No. 385, idem.) 
 The. 
 Earth. 
 And. 
 Over. 
 All. 
 The. 
 
 Creeping things. (See No. 450, 
 idem.) 
 
 Which. 
 
 Creeping. (See No. 450, idem.} 
 
 Upon. 
 
 The. 
 
 Earth, land. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 end 
 over the 
 
 fowl 
 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 heaven, 
 
 and 
 
 over the 
 
 cattle, 
 
 and 
 
 over 
 
 all 
 
 the 
 
 earth, 
 
 and 
 
 over 
 
 all 
 
 the 
 
 creeping things 
 
 which 
 
 (are) 
 creeping 
 
 upon 
 
 the 
 
 earth. 
 
216 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 -n 
 
 IT 
 
 DIN 
 
 TT 
 
 403 
 
 Definition. 
 And. 
 
 Created. (See No. 3, idem.) 
 God. 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 The. 
 Man. 
 In. 
 
 Image. (See No. 493, idem.) 
 In The. 
 
 Image. (See No. 4.93, idem.) 
 God. 
 
 He created. (See No. 3, idem.) 
 Him. 
 
 Male, to remember, keep in mem- 
 ory, meditate. 
 
 And. 
 
 Female. 
 
 Created He. (See No. 3, idem.) 
 
 Them. 
 
 And. 
 
 Blessed, caused to prosper. 
 
 Them. 
 
 God. 
 
 Translation. 
 And 
 created 
 God 
 also 
 the 
 man 
 
 in 
 
 (his) 
 image, 
 
 in the 
 
 image 
 (of) 
 God 
 
 He created 
 him ; 
 male 
 
 and 
 
 female 
 
 created He 
 
 them. 
 
 And 
 
 blessed 
 
 them 
 
 God, 
 
THE PLAN OP CREATION. 
 
 217 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 -4 
 
 n 
 
 -n 
 
 n? 
 
 rn 
 
 -? 
 
 an 
 
 Definition. 
 And. 
 
 Said. (See No. 34, idem.) 
 To them. 
 God. 
 
 Be fruitful, bear young. 
 And. 
 
 Be multiplied, multitude, vast. 
 And. 
 
 Fill. (See No. 418, idem.) 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.") 
 The. 
 
 Earth, land. 
 And. 
 
 Subdue, subject it. 
 And. 
 
 Kule over. (See No. 497, idem.) 
 
 The. 
 
 Fish. 
 
 The. 
 
 Sea. 
 
 And. 
 
 Over the. 
 
 Fowl. 
 
 Translation. 
 and 
 said 
 to them 
 
 od, 
 
 be fruitful 
 and 
 
 be multiplied, 
 and 
 fill 
 also 
 the 
 earth 
 and 
 
 subdue it ; 
 and 
 
 rule over 
 the 
 
 fish 
 
 (of) 
 the 
 
 sea, 
 and 
 over the 
 
 fowl 
 
 (of) 
 
218 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 ~ T 
 
 Heaven. 
 And. 
 
 heaven, 
 and 
 
 -D 
 
 Over. 
 
 over 
 
 T 
 
 Every, all, etc. (See No. 385, 
 idem.) 
 
 every 
 
 nn 
 
 T~ 
 
 -n 
 
 !T 
 
 ni^!Di 
 
 Beast. (See No. 363, idem.) 
 Which. 
 
 Creeping. (^See No. 450, idem.) 
 
 beast 
 
 which 
 (is) 
 creeping 
 
 ~^y 
 
 Upon. 
 
 upon 
 
 -n 
 
 IT 
 
 The. 
 Earth. 
 
 the 
 earth. 
 
 Ivj 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 -^ 
 
 Said. (See No. 34, idem.) 
 
 said 
 
 D^n^ 
 
 God. 
 
 God, 
 
 n 
 
 Behold. 
 
 behold, 
 
 TIPG 
 
 I have given. 
 
 I have given 
 
 TT 
 
 To yon. 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.; 
 
 to you 
 also 
 
 . T 
 
 Every, all. (See No. 385, idem.) 
 Grass. 
 
 all 
 
 grass 
 
 IHi 
 
 Seeding, producing seed. 
 
 producing 
 
 jnt 
 
 Seed. 
 
 seed, 
 
 1^ 
 
 Which. 
 
 which 
 (fc) 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 219 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 "by 
 
 Upon. 
 
 upon 
 
 T 
 
 -n 
 
 The face of, surface of. (See No. 
 22, idem.) 
 
 All. 
 The. 
 
 the surface 
 (of) 
 all 
 
 the 
 
 n? 
 
 Earth, land. 
 And. 
 
 earth, 
 and 
 
 "HN 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 also 
 
 T 
 
 -n 
 
 Every. (See No. 385, idem.) 
 The. 
 Tree. 
 
 every 
 the 
 tree, 
 
 IEJN 
 
 Which. 
 
 which 
 
 la 
 
 In it. 
 
 in it 
 
 ""1? 
 
 vy 
 
 Fruit. 
 
 Tree. 
 
 fruit 
 (of) 
 tree 
 
 y*il 
 
 Seeding, producing. (See 590 idem) 
 
 producing 
 
 y}T T 
 
 Seed 
 
 seed ; 
 
 THI 
 
 To you. 
 It shall be. 
 
 to you 
 it shall be 
 
 '-$ 
 
 For. 
 
 for 
 
 : rfe& 
 
 IT : T 
 
 Food ; verb, to eat. 
 And. 
 
 food. 
 And 
 
 - 1 ? 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 ^? 
 
 Every, all. (See No, 385, idem.) 
 
 every 
 
220 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 nri 
 
 Beast. (See No. 363, idem.) 
 
 beast 
 
 
 
 (of) 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 n* 
 
 Earth. 
 
 earth, 
 
 -!j 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 -b 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 "^D 
 
 Every 
 
 every 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 nil? 
 
 Fowl. 
 
 f6wl 
 
 i 
 
 
 (of) 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 D'ttEJ 
 
 Heaven. 
 
 heaven, 
 
 ~ T 
 
 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 - 
 
 To. 
 
 to 
 
 I^D 
 
 Every. 
 
 every 
 
 27Dll 
 
 Creeping thing. (See No. 450, 
 
 
 
 idem.) 
 
 creeping thing 
 
 J ?y 
 
 Upon. 
 
 upon 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 VHK 
 
 Earth. 
 
 earth, 
 
 -T^N 
 
 Which. 
 
 which 
 
 ii 
 
 Iii it. 
 
 in it 
 
 '* 
 
 
 (is) 
 
 ^^3 
 
 Breathing creatures. (See No. 362, 
 
 breathing 
 
 vv 
 
 idem.) 
 
 creatures 
 
 n--n 
 
 Living. (See No. 363, idem. 
 
 living, 
 
 T~ 
 
 
 
 "H^s 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 also 
 
 "^? 
 
 Every. 
 
 every 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 221 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 P? 
 
 Greenness. 
 Green herbage. (See 205, idem.) 
 
 greenness 
 (of) 
 
 green herbage 
 
 l 
 
 For. 
 
 for 
 
 n/^x 
 
 AT^T 
 :i~ 
 
 Ti 
 
 Food 
 And. 
 It was. 
 
 food ; 
 and 
 it was 
 
 : P 
 
 So, so established. (See No. 121, 
 idem.) 
 
 so established. 
 
 -3 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 an 
 
 Saw. 
 
 saw 
 
 tirfcH 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 " n ^ 
 
 Also. (See No. 5, idem.) 
 
 also 
 
 T 
 
 All, every. 
 Which. 
 
 all 
 which 
 
 nby 
 
 T T 
 ~] 
 
 He made, (See No. 95, idem.) 
 And. 
 
 He made, 
 and, 
 
 "nyi 
 
 3l!D 
 
 Behold. 
 
 Good, beautiful, etc. (See No, 
 48, idem.) 
 
 behold, 
 (it was) 
 
 good 
 
 A : 
 
 Very, exceedingly. 
 And. 
 
 very ; 
 and 
 
 ~n 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 3> $ 
 
 Evening. 
 
 evening 
 
999 
 
 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 No. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 G50 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 6GO 
 
 "Tl 
 
 There was. 
 
 there was 
 
 GG1 
 
 "ICQ 
 
 Morning. 
 
 morning 
 
 GG2 
 
 DV 1 
 
 Day, period, time. (See No. 76, 
 idem.) 
 
 period 
 
 CG3 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 6G4 
 
 B P$$ 
 
 Sixth. 
 
 sixth. 
 
 
 r 
 
 
 
 The First Verse of the Second Chapter of 
 
 Genesis, is as follows : 
 
 No. 
 
 Hebrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 Translation. 
 
 665 
 
 -^ 
 
 And. 
 
 And 
 
 666 
 
 fe 
 
 Were completed, made ready, pre- 
 pared, finished, accomplished, 
 fulfilled, to be past, gone by, of 
 a space of time? 
 
 were finished 
 
 667 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 668 
 669 
 
 T 
 -1 
 
 Heaven. (See No. 7, idem.) 
 And. 
 
 heaven 
 and 
 
 670 
 G71 
 G7J 
 
 -ri 
 
 r 
 
 The. 
 Earth. 
 And. 
 
 the 
 earth, 
 and 
 
 G73 
 
 T 
 
 All, totality, the whole, every one. 
 (See No. 385, idem.) 
 
 all 
 (their) 
 
 674 
 
 ITT : 
 
 Army, host, whatever fills the 
 heaven and earth; verb, to cause, 
 to go forth. 
 
 host. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 223 
 
 The following is the Fourth Verse of the 
 Second Chapter of Genesis. 
 
 Hibrew text 
 
 Definition. 
 
 | Translation. 
 
 *1 S V 
 
 These, this, refers to what has 
 
 This 
 
 
 gone before. 
 
 (is) 
 
 nrfan 
 
 : i 
 
 Genealogy, pedigree, the origin, 
 history. Root, to create, to be 
 
 
 
 born, to bring forth. 
 
 the origin 
 
 
 
 (of) 
 
 -n 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 OW' 
 
 Heaven. (See No. 7, idem,) 
 
 heaven 
 
 -1 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 -ri 
 
 The. 
 
 the 
 
 T 
 
 
 
 rt 
 
 Earth. [The Universe, See Nos. 
 7-11, idem.] 
 
 earth 
 
 
 
 
 
 ~'^3 
 
 In their. 
 
 in their 
 
 DfcTQ 
 
 Being created. (See No. 3, idem.) 
 
 being created, 
 
 AT :IT 
 
 
 
 -3 
 
 In the. 
 
 in the 
 
 DV 
 
 Day, time, period. (See 7G, idem.) 
 
 period 
 
 t 
 
 
 (of) 
 
 nii^y 
 
 Making ; verb, to labor upon or 
 
 
 . 
 
 about a thing, to fabricate, to 
 
 
 
 create [embodies the idea to 
 
 
 
 create and afterwards form the 
 
 
 
 material into something]. 
 
 making 
 
 nirp 
 
 Jehovah. 
 
 Jehovah 
 
 D^N 
 
 God. 
 
 God 
 
 V1X 
 
 Earth. (See No. 11, idem.) 
 
 earth 
 
 j 
 
 And. 
 
 and 
 
 iD^d 
 
 Heaven. [The Universe, See Nos. 
 
 
 ITT 
 
 7-11, idem."! 
 
 heaven. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE IDEAS CONTAINED IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF 
 GENESIS. 
 
 The foregoing translation, being a literal one, 
 of necessity follows the Hebrew idiom, and, 
 therefore, fails to fully and clearly convey the 
 ideas contained in the Hebrew. We, therefore, 
 take the liberty of wording in the English lan- 
 guage the ideas embodied within the original 
 text. 
 
 Many of the Hebrew words convey a mean- 
 ing that can be expressed only by the use of 
 several English words. Most of the sentences 
 in the original also require several sentences in 
 English to express fully the meaning of the 
 text. In the first sentence of the following 
 translation we have twenty-six words. In the 
 'original text there are but seven compound 
 words, or eleven simple words. Yet it takes 
 the twenty-six English words to fully convey 
 the meaning of the eleven Hebrew words. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 225 
 
 Translation. 
 
 In the beginning God created, out of noth- 
 ing, the atoms of matter, now forming the 
 heavens and the earth ; agitation and motion 
 existed contemporaneous with matter. 
 
 And the earth at that time was not formed or 
 shaped; it was a part of the confused mass of 
 matter. And darkness existed throughout the 
 mass of matter which was in motion ; and at- 
 traction of gravitation was moving throughout 
 the mass of agitated matter, which was assum- 
 ing the appearance of a fluid in motion. 
 
 And God willed that light should exist, and 
 it existed. 
 
 And God saw the light that it was adapted 
 to cause enjoyment and God separated the 
 light from the darkness. 
 
 And God named a space of light day, and a 
 space of the darkness he named night; and there 
 was evening, and there was morning. The pe- 
 riod of time during which the foregoing events 
 occurred is the first of a series to follow. 
 
 And God willed that there should be an ex- 
 panse or attenuated space between the waters 
 
226 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 or fluid matter. And God completed this ex- 
 panse or thin space between the waters or fluids, 
 which arc above the expanse. And it was so 
 established (as a permanent thing). 
 
 This expanse God called Heaven. And there 
 was evening, and there was morning. The 
 period of time in which this occurred is the 
 second in the series. 
 
 And God willed that the waters, or fluid sur- 
 rounding the earth and enveloping it, should be 
 gathered together into one place, and that the 
 hot, dry land should appear. And it was so 
 established (as a permanent thing). 
 
 The dry land God called earth; the gathering 
 together of the waters he called seas. And God 
 saw that it was adapted to cause enjoyment. 
 
 And God willed that the earth should sprout 
 forth young grass, and green herb producing 
 seed, and trees producing fruit to its species, 
 having seed in it. And it was so established 
 (as a permanent thing). 
 
 And the earth brought forth young grass and 
 green herb producing seed of its own species. 
 And God saw that it was adapted to cause en- 
 joyment. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 227 
 
 And there was evening, and there was morn- 
 ing. The period in which this occurred was 
 the third in the series. 
 
 And God said let the luminaries in the ex- 
 panse above be to divide between the day and 
 night, and they shall be for signs, and for fixed 
 spaces of time, and for days, and for repetition 
 of them. 
 
 And they shall be for luminaries in the ex- 
 panse above, to give light upon the earth. And 
 it was so established (as a permanent thing). 
 
 And God designed the two great luminaries, 
 the great for the ruling of the day, and the 
 small luminary and the stars for the ruling of 
 the night. 
 
 And God set them in the expanse above, to 
 give light upon the earth, and to rule in the 
 day, and in the night, and to divide between 
 the light and the darkness. And God saw that 
 it was adapted to cause enjoyment. 
 
 And there was evening, and there was morn- 
 ing. The period in which this occurred was 
 the fourth in the scries. 
 
 And God willed that the waters should bring 
 
228 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 forth abundantly aquatic animals, and air- 
 breathing creatures, and living things ; and 
 that fowls should fly upon the earth in the air. 
 
 And God created the great sea monsters, and 
 every breathing, living, creeping creature, which 
 the waters brought forth abundantly, each ac- 
 cording to its species. And God saw that it 
 was adapted to produce enjoyment. 
 
 And God caused them to flourish, establish- 
 ing it as a law that they should be fruitful and 
 multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and 
 that the fowl should multiply in the earth. 
 
 And there was evening, and there was morn- 
 ing. The period of time in which this occurred 
 was the fifth in the series. 
 
 And God willed that the earth should bring 
 forth living creatures that breathe, producing 
 each its own species. All kinds of land ani- 
 mals, wild animals, domestic animals, and every- 
 thing that crawls or creeps, each producing its 
 own species. And it was so established (as a 
 permanent thing). 
 
 And God made all the animals of the earth, 
 each according to its species ; the cattle to its 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 229 
 
 species ; everything creeping on the ground, each 
 to its species. And God saw that it was adapt- 
 ed to produce enjoyment. 
 
 And God said let us make man in our image, 
 according to our likeness, and let them rule 
 over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of 
 heaven, and over the cattle, and over all the 
 earth, and over all the moving things which 
 move upon the earth. 
 
 And God created the man in his image, in 
 the image of God he created him, male and fe- 
 male. 
 
 And God caused them to prosper, and God 
 established it as a law that they should be 
 fruitful and be multiplied, and fill the earth and 
 subdue it, and rule over the fish of the sea, and 
 over the fowl of the air, and over every animal 
 which is moving upon the earth. 
 
 And God said, Behold, I have given to you 
 all grass producing seed which is upon the sur- 
 face of the earth, and every fruit tree produc- 
 ing seed, to you it shall be for food; and to 
 every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of 
 the air, and to every living, moving thing upon 
 
 u 
 
230 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 the earth (/ have given) every green herb for 
 food. And it was so established (as a perma- 
 nent thing). 
 
 And God saw all that lie had made, and, be- 
 hold, it was very well adapted to produce en- 
 joyment. And there was evening, and there 
 was morning. The period in which this occur- 
 red was the sixth in the series. 
 
 In Genesis, chapter 2. verse 1 and 4, is the 
 following: "Thus were finished the heavens 
 and earth and all their hosts. * * * * 
 
 "The foregoing is the origin of the heavens 
 and earth in their being created during the 
 period in which Jehovah God, created and 
 formed the universe." 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 DO THE STATEMENTS IN THE FIRST CHAPTER OF GENE- 
 SIS CORRESPOND WITH THE FACTS IN NATURE? 
 
 Iii the preceding chapter we have endeavored 
 to place in English words and idiom the ideas 
 embodied in the original Hebrew text. The 
 question now arises: Are these ideas in har- 
 mony with the facts in nature? In this chapter 
 we will give a brief outline of the facts as 
 ascertained by science, each group of facts fol- 
 lowed by tho words used by Moses to describe 
 them. 
 
 The period of time extends from the creation 
 of matter to the creation of man. It embraces 
 a period of many millions of years. If the 
 history of the facts occurring each year were 
 written it would fill a multitude of volumes 
 If we limit a writer to the use of one volume 
 he could not enter in it the prominent occur 
 rences of each acre of a million vears. Where- 
 
232 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 as, if he is limited to the use of less than seven 
 hundred words, as the first chapter of Genesis 
 is, he could but refer in the most general terms 
 to a few prominent events. The class of events 
 would be limited to such as were pertinent to 
 the general objects of the writer. 
 
 With Moses the general objects were of a 
 moral nature, and the. facts in creation recorded 
 by him would be relative to that subject. The 
 reader must not, therefore, look upon the first 
 chapter of Genesis as a work on astronomy, 
 or geology, but as a brief statement of some 
 facts in nature, bearing on the great moral and 
 religious subjects which were the leading ob- 
 jects of the writer. 
 
 With these preliminary remarks, we pass to 
 the subject in hand. In Chapter II herein it is 
 shown that God created the matter, which 
 forms the material universe in a gaseous or dif 
 fused state, scattered throughout space. That 
 act was the beginning of the present order of 
 things with which man is connected. Moses 
 wrote: "In the beginning God created, out of 
 nothing, the substance of the heavens and the 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 233 
 
 earth," that is the universe. At that period 
 the earth was not formed. The matter now 
 constituting the earth was diffused in space, 
 mixed with the confused mass of all matter. 
 Of this fact Moses wrote: "And the earth was 
 without form and m confusion." 
 
 Darkness at first prevailed throughout the 
 boundless abyss or expanse of space and matter. 
 Light is a vibration of the atoms of matter, 
 generally caused by condensation or contraction, 
 accompanied by chemical action. Darkness, 
 therefore, was the predecessor and accompani- 
 ment of the creation of matter. Moses records 
 this fact as follows : " And darkness was through- 
 out the mass of matter." Instantly on the ex- 
 istence of matter it was agitated and put in 
 motion by attraction of gravitation. 
 
 The law of gravitation, as announced by 
 science, is this: "Every particle of matter in 
 the universe attracts every other particle with 
 a force directly as their masses, and inversely 
 as the square of the distance which separates 
 them." Motion was contemporaneous with the 
 beginning of the existence of matter. The 
 
234 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 word rPEttrn, translated "in the beginning/' 
 used by Moses, the first word in the chapter, is 
 from the root to be moved, to le shaken. (See 
 words Nos. 1 and 2, page 190). There are six 
 words in the Hebrew language translated begin- 
 ning. Only one of the six. indicates motion. 
 That one is selected by Moses, evidently indi- 
 cating that motion was contemporaneous with 
 the existence of matter. The words ^D and 
 Cinn (Nos. 22 and 24, page 191), also indicate 
 the same idea of motion. 
 
 Matter was not only put in motion, but at- 
 traction of gravitation drew it together at cer- 
 tain points or centres, forming nebulce of various 
 densities. Matter would thus assume the ap- 
 pearance of a fluid as it was drawn together. 
 This power of gravitation producing motion 
 was throughout the whole mass of matter in 
 space. Moses describes these facts as follows: 
 "A power of God was moving and trembling 
 throughout the turning mass of tottering, shak- 
 ing, moving, agitated flowing fluid." (See 
 words Nos. 25, 32, pages 191 and 192.) 
 
 The vast distances over which matter moved, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 235 
 
 with ever accelerating velocity, would give 
 great momentum to the atoms. These rushing 
 into the various centres would produce conden- 
 sation, thus causing light. 
 
 Dim as the gray dawn of the morning it 
 would be at first, imperceptibly lessening the 
 universal night. As condensation of matter in- 
 creased, the vibrations of light became more 
 numerous. Here and there shot out one ray of 
 light after another in quick succession, until 
 the whole universe would be filled with light. 
 This fact Moses records as follows: "And God 
 willed that light exist, and light existed." 
 
 During this light period there was no dark- 
 ness in the universe. Every nebula was emit- 
 ting light. Further condensation changed every 
 body of matter into a brilliant sun. All the 
 bodies in the universe were luminous. It was 
 a great universal day, throughout matter in 
 space, following the preceding universal dark- 
 ness. There was no separation of light from 
 darkness. There were no opaque bodies to cast 
 a shadow. It was a blazing universe of fire. 
 (See Plate 1.) 
 
236 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 But as ages rolled on the smaller bodies 
 cooled off and ceased to be luminous. Then 
 they cast shado.ws. Light and darkness were 
 thus separated, one from the other, for the first 
 time. (See Plate 2.) 
 
 A space of light would be day. A space of 
 darkness would be night. The words day and 
 night are names applicable only to these spaces 
 of light and darkness. The revolution of these 
 non-luminous bodies, these planets, on their 
 axes, caused evening and morning, day and 
 night. Moses records these events in appro- 
 priate words: "And God separated between the 
 light and between the darkness. A space of 
 light God called the day, a space of darkness 
 He called night. And there was evening, and 
 there was morning. The period in which the 
 foregoing occurred is the first of a series." 
 
 The scientific facts recorded by Moses in the 
 first day or period of creation are: The creation 
 of matter from nothing ; its contemporaneous 
 motion or agitation, and the general effects of 
 gravitation ; the existence of darkness through- 
 out matter, followed by the existence of light ; 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 237 
 
 the separation of light from darkness by bodies 
 of matter ceasing to be luminous and thus cast- 
 ing shadows ; a space of light constituting day, 
 and a space of darkness constituting night ; the 
 existence of evening and morning caused by the 
 revolution of the planets on their axes. The 
 period of time during which the foregoing oc- 
 curred is the first of the series. 
 
 For ages after the earth ceased to be lumi- 
 nous it was a globe of molten lava, during 
 which period all the water in the oceans and 
 rivers was in the space above and around the 
 earth. The carbon, now in the vegetation and 
 coal Gelds of the earth, as well as all the easily 
 vaporized substances, were floating in the air. 
 As this vast body of steam and vapor passed 
 up into the higher altitudes of the air, into the 
 cold regions of space, it would be condensed, 
 and, forming a fluid, would fall toward the earth 
 as a deluging rain.' 
 
 The intense heat of the molten earth would 
 vaporize the descending torrent, projecting it 
 in vast volumes of steam and vapor again into 
 
 the cold region above, to repeat the process of 
 
 11* 
 
238 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 condensation and rain. Similar phenomena are 
 now occurring in the planet Jupiter. 
 
 The earth would thus be a globe of molten 
 lava within a sphere of water and steam. There 
 would exist a space between the earth's surface 
 and this overhanging body of water a number 
 of miles in height, which would be filled with 
 various vaporized substances. (See Plate 3.) 
 
 As the earth cooled by radiation of heat this 
 vast body of water would settle upon the earth, 
 thus leaving an expanse or space between the 
 waters which were on the earth's surface and 
 the waters in the clouds. Similar spaces would 
 occur between the different systems of the uni- 
 verse. 
 
 Moses enters in the record : " And God willed 
 that there be an expanse, a thin space, between 
 the waters: and let it divide the waters from 
 the waters. And Gocl completed the expanse, 
 and divided between the waters which arc be- 
 neath the expanse, and between the waters 
 which are above the expanse. And it was so 
 established as a permanent thing. God named 
 this expanse heaven. And there was evening, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 239 
 
 and there was morning. This was the second 
 period in the series." 
 
 As the earth was cooling it would be a 
 smooth, round, or nearly round, globe, with a 
 thick crust of hardened hot lava. When the 
 water settled down upon the earth it would be 
 one vast, ocean. Fissures and cracks would 
 occur in the crust through which the water 
 would reach the internal molten matter. 
 Chemical forces would be released ; the land 
 would be upheaved, or depressions occur, form- 
 ing mountains, islands, and continents. The 
 waters would rush down into the depressions, 
 forming the seas and oceans. 
 
 The final result of these changes is recorded 
 by Moses: "And God willed that the waters 
 beneath the heavens be gathered together into 
 one place, and the dry land shall be seen. And 
 it was so established as a permanent thing. 
 The hot, dry land God named earth, and the 
 gathering together of the waters he named 
 
 seas." 
 
 For ages terrific storms and deluging rains 
 swept over these barren continents of hot, hard 
 
240 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 lava. The waters were undoubtedly filled with 
 various chemicals, making the oceans and rivers 
 great bodies of acids and corrosive compounds. 
 The foregoing events occurred some time prior 
 to the Carboniferous periods. They began at a 
 time when the earth was too hot to sustain life 
 of any kind. The waters, as before stated, 
 were oceans and rivers of acids and corrosive 
 compounds of such a character that neither 
 animal nor vegetable germs of life could exist. 
 But as the various atoms united to the other 
 atoms for which they had the strongest chemical 
 affinity, a comparative equilibrium would be es- 
 tablished. 
 
 Chemical action would abate. The waters 
 
 would become pure and fit to sustain life. The 
 
 4* h 
 first pure water would be fro| Main, and would 
 
 be found in the springs and rivers and on the 
 land. 
 
 Vegetable life on land would be the first pos- 
 sible life. Owing to the vast quantity of chem- 
 ical substances held in solution in the oceans, 
 and injected therein from submarine fissures 
 and volcanoes, and washed down from the land, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION, 241 
 
 life would not be possible in the ocean, even in 
 a vegetable form, until ages after vegetable life 
 had existed on the land. 
 
 By the prior chemical action and disintegra- 
 tion of rocks, soil would be formed and be washed 
 down into the valleys and depressions until it 
 had accumulated in vast quantities. Out of 
 this soil young grass would first sprout, and as 
 the soil became enriched by the decay of vege- 
 tation, and as the earth became cooler, larger 
 trees would spring up. God having planted, as 
 it were, in the ground the life-giving principle 
 instead of creating full grown vegetation. 
 
 Moses records the concluding facts in the 
 foregoing series: " And God willed, let the earth 
 sprout forth young grass, green herbage pro- 
 ducing seed, and fruit tree producing fruit," etc. 
 "And the earth brought forth young grass, 
 green herbs, producing seed of its species, and 
 tree producing fruit, having seed in it to ils 
 species. And there was evening, and there was 
 morning.* This was the third period." This 
 third period, closed probably during the Pale- 
 ozoic age. 
 
242 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 Down to the close of the foregoing period, 
 arid long thereafter, the earth was surrounded 
 by a dense volume of smoke and vapor. All 
 the carbon now existing in the coal fields and 
 in the vegetable kingdom, and a vast quantity 
 of gases now united with various minerals, were 
 in the air. During the day there might be a 
 dim and glimmering light, lessening the gloom. 
 In the night a deeper and more horrid darkness 
 would settle upon the earth. 
 
 N"o sunlight or light from the moon or stars 
 could have reached the surface of the earth 
 through these clouds of thick darkness. The 
 growth of vegetable matter, and the forming of 
 chemical compounds, gradually cleared the 
 atmosphere. The sun, moon, and stars appeared 
 in the expanse above in all their splendor. 
 Then it was that they first poured their efful- 
 gent rays upon the earth, gilding the hills and 
 valleys. For the first time mountain streams 
 and ocean waves leaped and sparkled in the sun- 
 light ; and as the sun sank behind the western 
 hills, or dipped into the ocean waves, the 
 mountains, the clouds, and the ocean were 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 243 
 
 tinged and painted with all the beauties of u 
 gorgeous sunset. While the deepening shades 
 of night were chasing twilight from the western 
 sky the moon and stars came forth one by one, 
 until the crystal vault above was filled with 
 sparkling gems. Their soft, silvery light falling 
 upon the peaceful earth made it like a phan- 
 tom land. The scenes of that age were beauti- 
 ful, were beautiful beyond description, compared 
 with those of the preceding ages, extending 
 long, dreary, and forbidding, back to the crea- 
 tion of matter. This is the first period in 
 which it can be said the sun ruled by day, and 
 the moon by night. 
 
 Never before did the sun and moon give 
 light to the earth ; never before did they di- 
 vide the light from the darkness, so far as the 
 earth is concerned. Now it is seen that they 
 arc appointed to give light and heat to the 
 earth, without which the earth would long since 
 have lost its heat, and become too cold to sus- 
 tain the present forms of life. For the first 
 time they now become visible signs to the 
 earth for set times, for days and years, arid 
 
244 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 repetition of the same. Moses gives a substan- 
 tial account of the foregoing events as follows: 
 "And God said let the luminaries in the ex- 
 panse above bo to divide between the clay and 
 between the night, and they shall be for signs, 
 and for set times, and for days and repetitions, 
 they shall be for luminaries in the expanse of 
 heaven to give light upon the earth. And it 
 was so established as a permanent thing." [The 
 phrase, u it icas so established^ seems to be used 
 in the first chapter of Genesis to denote the fin- 
 ishing of a matter, so that it remained in the con- 
 dition that we now find it. Since the time in- 
 dicated by the phrase, "it was so established" no 
 change has occurred in the thing referred to in 
 its general character. Prior to that time it was 
 in a transition period.] 
 
 "And God made (or provided) two great 
 luminaries. The great for ruling the day, the 
 small luminary and the stars for ruling the 
 night. And God set them in the expanse of 
 heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule 
 in the clay and in the night, and to divide be- 
 tween the light and between the darkness. And 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 245 
 
 God saw that it was adapted to produce enjoy- 
 ment. And there was evening, and there was 
 morning. This was the fourth period in the 
 
 scries." 
 
 The Hebrew text docs not intimate that the 
 sun, moon, or stars were created during this 
 period. It indicates the contrary. The Hebrew 
 word create is (i ba-ra" and this word is not 
 used in the account of the fourth day. Words 
 are used which have no reference to creation, as 
 will be seen by examining the translation in 
 Chapter XIX. 
 
 Vegetable life commenced in the third period, 
 and was the first life possible on the earth. 
 During subsequent ages the growth of vegeta- 
 tion continued to increase. The earth became 
 cooler, the water of the ocean became purer, 
 by reason of matter forming chemical com- 
 pounds of various kinds. This great laboratory 
 of the earth was reaching an equilibrium. 
 When sufficiently pure to sustain animal life, 
 then life appeared in the waters. 
 
 Geological researches show that in the earliest 
 ages in which animal life appeared, or was ere- 
 
246 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 ated, it consisted of small aquatic and creeping 
 reptiles. About the same time, or a little later, 
 great numbers of gregarious and aquatic birds 
 made their appearance. They lived along the 
 shores of the great oceans. Their tracks vary 
 in size from two to twenty-five inches ; their 
 steps were sometimes a distance of six feet. 
 There were reptiles so large that we of the 
 present day can hardly believe in their exist- 
 ence. 
 
 Some batrachians, of the frog tribe, were as 
 large as an ox ; another must have been as large 
 as an elephant. Still later the oceans were 
 filled with great sea monsters. Among these 
 were the Plesiosaurus, seventeen feet long ; the 
 Ichthyosaurus, whose jaws were so long that the 
 opening of the mouth must have exceeded seven 
 feet ; the Megalosaurus, thirty feet long ; the 
 Cetiosaurus, sixty feet long. The Pliosaurus 
 rivaled in size the largest whales. Later in the 
 Mesozoic period appeared the Iguanodon, from 
 twenty-five to fifty feet in length. In addition 
 to these were monsters resembling the croco- 
 diles of the present day. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 247 
 
 There were also many creeping amphibious 
 and creeping land animals. The seas and oceans 
 were densely inhabited by these reptiles during 
 the whole of the Mesozoic period. 
 
 Moses describes the occurrences of this peri- 
 od as follows: "And God willed, let the waters 
 bring forth abundantly creeping things, aquatic 
 animals, winged reptiles, living, breathing creat- 
 ures, and let fowl or flying things fly upon the 
 earth, in the expanse of heaven. And God 
 created great sea monsters, and every breathing, 
 living, creeping creature, which the waters 
 brought forth abundantly, each according to its 
 species. And God blessed (caused to prosper) 
 them, saying: Be fruitful and multiply and fill 
 the waters in the seas, and the fowl let multiply 
 in the earth. And there was evening, and there 
 was morning. This was the fifth period." 
 
 The beginning and ending of the fifth period 
 does not appear to be definitely marked by 
 any geological event. It embraces the period 
 wherein animals first appeared in the oceans and 
 along rivers, lakes, gulfs, bays, and swamps. 
 Aquatic and amphibious animals are the kinds 
 
248 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 described as created in this period. As ages 
 passed by the earth became cooler, the waters 
 lost their acid compounds, and the air became 
 freed from noxious impurities, so that earth, 
 sea, and air became about as they are now. The 
 preceding race of animals died out. Then fol- 
 lowed a new and distinct race of animals, aquat- 
 ic, terrestrial, and amphibious. They appear in 
 what is known as the Tertiary and Quarternary 
 periods, the latter of which includes the pres- 
 ent. These two periods differ widely from any 
 of the preceding geological ages in the forms of 
 life. 
 
 The animals were such as had never before 
 made their appearance on the earth. Among 
 them are found deer, antelope, species of the 
 dog, otter, beaver, hare, water-rat, glutton, and 
 horses. At the same time there lived the 
 Sivatherium, similar to, but larger, than the 
 'Rhinoceros; the Anoplotherium and Paleotheri- 
 um were animals of the pachydermatous species. 
 The Diuotheriutn, eighteen feet in length; Ele- 
 phas Primogenius, nine feet high, sixteen feet 
 long, not including the tusks, which were nine 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 249 
 
 feet around the curve ; the Megatherium, eigh- 
 teen feet long, six feet across the pelvis, tail two 
 feet wide, legs three times as thick as the largest 
 elephant. These were only a few of the large 
 mammalia, which during these periods inhabited 
 the earth. In the rocks of these ages are found 
 the remains of all the present orders of mam- 
 malia, except man. which is the only one not 
 appearing until the close of these periods. 
 These remains are found in none but the recent 
 deposits. 
 
 Man was not created, as shown by geological 
 records, until after the other animals. No in- 
 stance has been discovered wherein any animal 
 appeared for the first time subsequent to man. 
 When man came, he came as ruler over all the 
 animal kingdom, and he is now subduing the 
 whole earth. 
 
 Moses describes the events above referred to 
 as follows: "And God willed, let the earth bring 
 forth (root, let go forth) living, breathing creat- 
 ures, each to its species, beasts, large land 
 quadrupeds, domestic animals, cattle, beasts of 
 the field, wild beasts, and reptiles. Whatever 
 
250 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 creeps or crawls upon the earth, and wild ani- 
 mals, each to its species, and it was so estab- 
 lished as a permanent thing. And God made 
 all the animals on the earth, each to its species, 
 and the cattle to its species, and every creeping 
 thing of the ground, each to its species. And 
 God saw that it was adapted to cause enjoy- 
 ment (or suitable for His plan) ; and God said, 
 Let us make man in our own image, accord- 
 ing to our likeness, and let them rule over 
 the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the 
 air, and over the animals, and over all the 
 earth, and over all the creeping things that 
 creep (or move) upon the earth. And God 
 created the man in his image, in the likeness of 
 God he created him, male and female. And 
 God caused them to prosper (blessed them), 
 and God said to them (established it as a law), 
 be fruitful and be multiplied, and fill the earth 
 and subdue (or control) it, and rule over the 
 fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and 
 over every beast which is moving upon the 
 earth. And God said, Behold, I have given to 
 you every grass producing seed which is upon 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 251 
 
 the lace of all the earth, and every fruit tree 
 that has seed, to you it shall be for food. And 
 to every animal of the earth, and to every fowl 
 of the air, and to every moving thing upon the 
 earth, living creatures, I have given every green 
 herb for food. And it was so established as a 
 permanent thing. And God saw all that ho 
 had made, and behold, it was very good (or 
 very well adapted to his plan). And there 
 was evening, and there was morning. The 
 period in which this occurred was the sixth in 
 the series. Thus were formed the heavens and 
 the earth and all their host." " These are the 
 origin of the heavens and the earth (the uni- 
 verse) in their being created, during the period 
 in which Jehovah, God, created and formed the 
 heavens and the earth (the universe). Genesis, 
 2:1,4. 
 
 Thus close these remarkable accounts, one 
 from nature, as revealed by science after mor* 
 than 4,000 years of study and investigation ; 
 the other purporting to have been dictated by 
 the Creator of the universe and written by 
 some man. The question is not whether Moses 
 
252 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 has written an account of the early ages of cre- 
 ation as you would write it ; but whether the 
 facts recorded by Moses actually occurred in 
 nature and can be identified. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REVEALED FACTS TO THE 
 MORAL REVELATION. THE CONCLUSIVE CHARACTER 
 OF THE EVIDENCE WHICH AUTHENTICATES THIS 
 REVELATION. 
 
 It is to be observed that the six Mosaic peri- 
 ods do not purport to be geological divisions. 
 They arc six creative, or formative, periods, 
 during each of which transpired prominent 
 events in the history of the universe and of the 
 earth under the will or power of God in caus- 
 ing them. Those events are mentioned which 
 arc most suitable to form the basis of correct 
 and important moral and theological proposi- 
 tions, or which refuted popular errors or belief 
 either of that age or that should occur in future 
 times. These facts taught that Elohim, the 
 God revealed to the Jews, created the substance 
 of the universe out of nothing; that matter was 
 not eternal ; that God was eternal and omnipo- 
 
 12 
 
254 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 tent, thus overthrowing all the erroneous beliefs 
 founded on the contrary of these propositions. 
 
 This revelation showed that God established 
 (or willed) the power of gravitation, and the laws 
 governing matter; as well those laws producing 
 light out of darkness, as those moulding the 
 earth into its present shape ; willing that vege- 
 table and animal life should exist ; willing into 
 existence from the confused mass the expanse 
 of heaven ; causing by the forces established by 
 Him the continents and islands to appear, and 
 the seas to be formed ; appointing the sun, 
 moon, and stars for the purpose of giving light 
 to the earth, and for the purpose of set times, 
 days, and for years, and recurrences of them, 
 thus refuting all assumptions that they were 
 divine beings, or objects of worship. 
 
 The revelation showed that the animals in the 
 ocean, in the air, and on the earth, were brought 
 into existence by Him, and that they were sub- 
 jects of man; that man had dominion over them. 
 Therefore they were not to be worshipped, as 
 they were powerless over man, being his sub- 
 jects and not his superior. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 255 
 
 The facts revealed show that while the ani- 
 mal and vegetable creations seemed to spring 
 into existence as being born out of the earth 
 or water by spontaneous generation, }^et as a 
 fact, however, it appeared to occur, God 
 " willed" or caused that they should so come 
 forth. Unless He had so " willed" the events 
 to occur, the earth, air, and water were power- 
 less to bring forth. 
 
 Whether God put forth the creative power 
 or will at each distinct period, or established 
 the law of life from the beginning, in connec- 
 tion with matter, so that when the circumstan- 
 ces were adapted, life sprung forth in vegetables 
 or animals, is not material. In cither case it 
 was God who "willed" or who was the cause. 
 
 The Hebrew word nsmo (No. 2$ page 192), 
 in Genesis, 1: 2, translated " hovering" in the 
 English version, also means "vivifying" or 
 "impregnating." It is possible that the orig- 
 inal means that when matter was created and 
 was still in darkness and scattered in space God 
 vivified it and established the law of life in it, 
 so that when circumstances arose, or were prop- 
 
256 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 erly combined by such vivifying force, life 
 forms resulted. The whole chapter, however, 
 when strictly construed, favors the theory that 
 God put forth the creative or producing "will" 
 at different periods, and those periods consti- 
 tute the six periods of Genesis. 
 
 The doctrine of spontaneous generation, or 
 uncreated life, is certainly and clearly denied in 
 the Mosaic account. It is also stated that it 
 was an established fact that each species was 
 created distinct, and the law established that 
 each species should beget or produce its own 
 kind. That horses should beget elephants, or 
 that apes should beget men, or vice versa, is also 
 denied; and it is asserted as the law that each 
 should produce its own species. 
 
 The distinctive forming of man's body out of 
 the ground, and the creation of his soul, are as- 
 serted in terms clear and unambiguous. He is 
 not the descendant of any prior being. The 
 Hebrew word N"n (create) is used in speak- 
 ing of him. This word is used in the text with 
 reference to the creation of matter, and the 
 creation of animal life and man's soul, but is 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 257 
 
 not used in reference to vegetable life. It may 
 be that vegetable life is a property of matter in 
 a limited sense, subject to the direct "will" or 
 permission of God, and that animal life is a di- 
 rect act of creative power. The text would be 
 in harmony with this theory. 
 
 One thing stands out clear and unmistakable. 
 The events described in the text find a counter- 
 part in nature in all their leading points, and in 
 the detail where attempted. In the age of the 
 human race when this account was written the 
 race was not in possession of the knowledge of 
 the scientific facts described. 
 
 The words in any language show the knowl- 
 edge possessed by the nation using the language. 
 The words telegraph, telegram, steamboat, rail- 
 road, steam printing-press, and scores of other 
 words, arc not to be found in the Chaldean, He- 
 brew, Greek, or Latin languages, nor in the 
 languages of any of the extinct nations of an- 
 tiquity. Nor arc any equivalent words or ex- 
 pressions found. This proves that such things 
 were unknown to those nations. These words 
 do not occur in the literature of modern Ian- 
 
258 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 guages until within the last century. Why? 
 Because these inventions were unknown until 
 within that time. The words telephone and 
 phonograph do not occur in any language until 
 about the year 1877. The existence of a name 
 indicates a knowledge of the existence of the 
 thing named. If every human being were to 
 suddenly die, and if ten thousand years from 
 now a new race of beings should come upon the 
 earth, who should find our books or dictionaries, 
 they would know that we had knowledge of these 
 inventions. They would know it simply from 
 finding the names of those things in our lan- 
 guage. We find in the ancient languages such 
 words as knife, sword, bow, and ax. We, 
 therefore, know that those nations had knowl- 
 edge of such instruments. A list of words in 
 a language is all we need. In the ancient lan- 
 guages, in use at the time Genesis was written, 
 there are no scientific terms relating to the sub- 
 ject matter in the first chapter of Genesis. We, 
 therefore, know that the human race at that 
 time was ignorant of all such scientific knowl- 
 edge, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 259 
 
 Will any one maintain that the account by 
 Moses was a guess by him accidentally right? 
 Such a thing is not possible. There arc too 
 many coincidences. The only reasonable con- 
 clusion is that the Hebrew text was dictated in 
 some way by some one who knew the facts re- 
 corded. No human being knew the facts at 
 that time. Some more than human being, there- 
 fore, revealed them or dictated the account. It 
 must be, therefore, the revelation of God. This 
 first chapter of Genesis is a standing proof to 
 all generations of a divine revelation. The 
 only question is as to the extent of that revela- 
 tion. The conclusion of the writer is this. In 
 the Bible is much that is known to be true. 
 There is in connection with it much of which 
 we can only assert that we are not in possession 
 of knowledge sufficient to affirm that it is either 
 true or false. 
 
 On account of its intimate blending with that 
 which is known to be true, we should accept it 
 until such time as the human race has acquired 
 knowledge sufficient to pass a positive opinion 
 against it. Because we do not know it to be 
 
260 THE PLAN OP CREATION. 
 
 true, or a fact, is no ground for asserting it to 
 be false. As well might the early Jews have 
 rejected as false the first chapter of Genesis, be- 
 cause their scientific knowledge could neither 
 test nor understand it. 
 
 Miracles attested it to them, and satisfied 
 them in accepting it. Those miracles are not 
 proof to our senses of sight or hearing, but the 
 scientific facts revealed are a proof to us of as 
 great a certainty as miracles were to those be- 
 holding them. As the human mind is consti- 
 tuted no one of these classes of evidence could 
 have been used exclusively. For that which 
 occurs constantly and without interruption is 
 soon regarded as purely natural, and not as 
 supernatural. The moment it was regarded as 
 belonging only to the natural, that moment it 
 would cease to be evidence to prove the super- 
 natural character of revelation. 
 
 If God had continued either by direct act, or 
 by angels, to converse with man, it would now 
 and for ages past have been regarded as a natu- 
 ral thing, and man would have been ready to 
 totally disregard it. In fact, toward the close 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 261 
 
 of the period during which God conversed with 
 man, the race was corning to look upon it as 
 having no weight. 
 
 The manifestations of God at Sinai were ac- 
 companied by the idolatry and wickedness of 
 the people at the foot of the mountain. So if 
 miracles had continued down to the present 
 they would have been regarded as natural events 
 produced more or less by men having some pe- 
 culiar knowledge. 
 
 At the close of the period of miracles they 
 had almost lost their effect as evidence. The 
 people were more and more regarding them as 
 mere matters of magic or witchcraft. Hence 
 vast multitudes beheld the miracles of the clos- 
 ing period in Christ's time and were not con- 
 vinced by the evidence. Prophecy comes under 
 the same rule and entirely loses its effect as 
 evidence whenever the events foretold become 
 a permanent series. 
 
 But the fact that these different classes of 
 evidence come in succession, appear for a while, 
 and then cease entirety, fixes them as conclusive 
 evidence. They are not a continuing series. 
 
 12* 
 
262 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 They are not natural events running along in 
 the ordinary course of nature according to a 
 fixed law of cause and effect. The fact that 
 they begin, continue for a given period, and 
 then cease entirely, shows that they exist, con- 
 tinue, and cease as the act of a being with a 
 free will. They were designed mainly as evi- 
 dence for the race during the ages of its in- 
 fancy, and while ignorant of the laws of nature 
 and of the facts of the universe. They were 
 the evidence that produced belief during the 
 time wherein man could not by scientific dis- 
 coveries test the facts revealed. 
 
 The highest evidence of the divine character 
 of the revelation is that the matters collaterally 
 revealed, which arc called facts in science, are 
 true. It required, however, over four thousand 
 years of study, investigation, and intellectual 
 development to bring the race to sufficient 
 knowledge to enable it to understand and re- 
 ceive this class of evidence. It is evidence 
 which must accumulate from age to age as 
 the race progresses in learning. The former 
 classes of evidence, direct conversation, rnira- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 203 
 
 oles, and prophcc} r , carried the revelation 
 through the first four thousand years or more. 
 The other class of evidence will carry it through 
 to the end of time. The time may be nearer 
 than most anticipate when science will proclaim 
 that the contents of the Bible arc such that 
 no human being possessed the knowledge neces- 
 sary to write it at the time it was written. 
 
 Therefore, as a conclusion, we arc fully justi- 
 fied by our reason in accepting the Bible as a 
 revelation from God. Its statements as to the 
 PLAN OF CREATION become legitimate and suffi- 
 cient evidence, as hereinbefore used. 
 
 We claim that the evidence contained in the 
 Bible sustains the plan of creation, as discussed 
 in this work. 
 
CHAPTER XXY. 
 D ** /O ^ H ( Ovpavo?. HEAVEN. 
 
 The Being who created all things, and who 
 established all laws, and who is carrying out his 
 plan of creation, has in his communication to 
 the human race spoken of a place where the 
 righteous shall dwell during eternity. This 
 place is called by us heaven. What and where 
 is it? 
 
 God, the omniscient one, who formed this 
 heaven, knows what and where it is. He es- 
 tablished the exterior boundary lines within 
 which is, and outside of which is not, heaven. 
 When he spoke of it to man he knew what 
 word in the language would most accurately 
 describe it, and that word he would use. The 
 first word used is the Hebrew C'BOT. This is 
 the only word in that language which God 
 either used, or caused to be used, by his in- 
 spired writers to designate heaven. We must, 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 265 
 
 therefore, conclude that it does not, in any re- 
 spect, inaccurately convey to the human race 
 the idea of heaven which God intended to con- 
 vey, either as to where or what heaven is. 
 
 In the first chapter of Genesis occur these 
 words: "In the beginning God created the 
 heavens (C^DUM) and the earth." Prior to this 
 act of creation there was no heaven. Space, 
 was a vacuum. C^^n in its broadest and fullest 
 use means the expanse extending from the earth 
 in all directions to such a distance that it will 
 include all that has been created and all that 
 exists. It is co-extensive with the existence of 
 matter in space. If the existence of what God 
 has created is co- extensive with space then 
 heaven is likewise co-extensive. If what God 
 has created is only in a limited, though incon- 
 ceivably vast portion of space, outside of which 
 is a vacuum, then outside of the place desig- 
 nated by C'-oun there is nothing. It is a void. 
 
 God in the person of Christ again spoke to 
 man of heaven. This second time he used the 
 Greek language a language prolific in words 
 rich to express ideas in any form. Christ knew 
 
26 G THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 what words, or combination of words, in that 
 fertile language would most accurately and ful- 
 ly convey to the mind of man an idea of heaven 
 which would not be incorrect. Christ used the 
 word f o ovpavo?. Like the Hebrew word it also 
 means in its fullness the expanse extending 
 from the earth in all directions to such a dist- 
 ,ance that it will include all that has been cre- 
 ated, or all that exists. It is co-extensive with 
 the existence of matter in space. 
 
 Heaven, the place where the righteous shall 
 exist during eternity, as indicated by God in 
 his revelation, is that portion of infinite space 
 occupied by the created works of God. 
 
 This heaven is the tabernacle of God. It is 
 a nousc not built with hands eternal in the 
 heavens, in which are many mansions wherein 
 dwellcth righteousness. The glories of this 
 heaven eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, 
 nor hath the heart of man conceived. The eye, 
 aided by the most powerful telescopes, has failed 
 to see but a small part of the things contained 
 therein. No imagination can picture or con- 
 ceive of the wonderful phenomena occurring in 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 267 
 
 distant or near portions of the universe. The 
 ear has not heard, and docs not hear, the sounds 
 emanating from the myriad suns and aggregates 
 of matter in space. All that has occurred, all 
 that is now occurring, all that will evolve in the 
 future in this created universe, and which in- 
 telligent beings will behold, are but symbols in 
 the book of God, conveying ideas to finite 
 minds. Heaven is a system of object lessons. 
 This indescribably grand and majestic struct- 
 ure, the whole material universe with all its 
 laws and form of matter, is the university of 
 God. This earth is but a preparatory depart- 
 ment wherein we study 'the laws of nature with 
 little experiments, and a few instruments. In 
 the university of God we will study astronomy 
 by beholding the motions of planets, suns, stars, 
 and systems in space. There we will study 
 chemistry by beholding all forms of chemical 
 composition and decomposition in the blazing 
 worlds and suns in space. These are laboratories 
 in God's university. There God is the President 
 and Instructor of all sciences, while angels, 
 arch-angels, and the immortal souls of men will 
 
268 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 be fellow students forever. Was it some such 
 vision as this that passed before the inspired 
 writer when he said " Eye hath not seen, neither 
 hath the ear heard, nor hath it entered the heart 
 of man, what God hath prepared for them that 
 love him?' 5 
 
 This heaven is the university of God where- 
 in forever he will educate those who shall dwell 
 with him. There, through the eternity to come, 
 the ever-expanding intellectual and moral nat- 
 ure of his children will find unexplored regions 
 filled with objects teaching truths and lessons 
 ever new and of astonishing beauty. When 
 the universe shall wax old the soul of man, still 
 in its immortal youth, will look upon the crash 
 of matter and the wreck of worlds. The soul 
 will witness the creation of new heavens, and 
 when they have grown old and give place to 
 other new ones, the soul will not be- aged, but 
 on it will rest the imperishable vigor of youth. 
 
 In this vast universe, this dwelling place of 
 God, are many separate systems or constella- 
 tions, each a vast system by itself each, as it 
 were, a stopping place for beings to tarry at for 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 269 
 
 u time in their progressing course of investiga- 
 tion and study. Was it to this that Christ re- 
 ferred when he said, "In my Father's house are 
 many mansions?" In the original Greek the 
 sentence rends, "In my Father's dwelling (Trj 
 Dim'a) are many tarrying places (jLiovai)" The 
 word j^orai denotes a place apart from other 
 places where one may tarry, abide, or dwell for 
 a time, with the idea that the person will pass 
 on to other places. 
 
 There is no limit to the willing power of the 
 Omnipotent One. And when the present order 
 of things has run its course, and under the op- 
 eration of present laws, an equilibrium is 
 reached, then we may believe that responsive 
 to the creative WILL new phenomena will occur, 
 manifesting ideas of God not shown forth in 
 any previous creation. Thus, by the creation 
 of new heavens, God will, through the endless 
 ages of eternity, lead and educate the created 
 intelligences. There shall thus result the great- 
 est enjoyment, for the greatest length of time, 
 to the greatest number. This will be the evolu- 
 tion of the intelligent beings who live according 
 to the laws which God has established. 
 
270 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 But the wicked, those who refuse to live ac- 
 cording to this law, what of them? Christ 
 says they shall be cast into outer darkness Matt., 
 22 : 13 into a bottomless pit or place away 
 from the presence of God. There is such a 
 place of outer darkness, fathomless, and in it no 
 knowledge of God. 
 
 Light is a vibration of the atoms of matter. 
 Where there are no atoms of matter there can 
 be no vibration. No light can penetrate into 
 an absolute vacuum. Heat and sound are also 
 vibrations among the atoms of matter. The 
 waves of light, heat, and sound in vain will 
 strike upon the walls of that eternal, dark, cold, 
 soundless, formless void. To these vibrations, 
 those walls of nihility are walls of annihilation. 
 These waves will beat and break in vain upon 
 that silent shoreless ocean, limitless, bottomless. 
 In it is not a thing to operate upon or call 
 into exercise the faculties of souls. In heaven 
 every created object, every law, every phenom- 
 enon, is but an enunciation of the divine thought, 
 and of the omnipotent existence. Heaven has 
 within it the objects which are the actual mani- 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 271 
 
 festations of the Holy One. In the outer dark- 
 ness, the space exterior to this heaven, there is 
 not a thing. It is a desolate void, a black, 
 cold, silent vacuum. In it not a single mani- 
 festation of God. Those who may go there 
 will have nothing exterior to themselves to ever 
 suggest a thought of God. There is no con- 
 ceivable place in space where the soul that 
 hates God could flee to and find less manifesta- 
 tion of him than into this outer darkness. The 
 stores of memory are all that it may there have. 
 Is this the grave of those who suffer the sec- 
 ond death? L)o the wicked eventually by inac- 
 tion in this outer void dwindle into eternal an- 
 nihilation and thus satisfy the last condition of 
 the plan of creation, i. e., "the least suffering to 
 the fewest individuals?" Or do the predomi- 
 nating activities of the soul, as they existed in 
 this life, continue forever fed by the uncon- 
 sumed and (inconsumable fuel of memory? The 
 condition of each soul would thus be neither 
 more nor less, but exactly what resulted from 
 the former life. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 In the foregoing pages we have endeavored 
 to present the general outline of the PLAN OF 
 CREATION. First, by process of a priori reason- 
 ing. Second, by presenting a general view of 
 the known facts, which substantiate the theory 
 developed by the process of reasoning. 
 
 We do not claim to have exhausted either 
 branch of the subject. In its nature it is in- 
 exhaustible. The object of the plan of crea- 
 tion is to furnish enjoyment for duration with- 
 out end, to an innumerable company of beings, 
 whose capacity for acquiring and enjoying shall 
 forever increase, and shall never reach any limit 
 beyond which it can not pass. In its very nat- 
 ure, therefore, the subject is unlimited in extent 
 and duration. 
 
 The object of the present work has been to 
 present only the most general outline of, and 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 273 
 
 principles and facts in, the subject. If we are 
 mistaken in the theory presented then we have 
 written enough. If the general theory is cor- 
 rect, as herein presented, then we leave it for 
 others to enter more fully into the details of the 
 subject. 
 
 The evidence of the plan of creation, as set 
 out, is certainly of too great weight to be neg- 
 lected by any one. If there is an intelligent 
 Being, who has created all things according to 
 some plan, and if all created things are moving 
 on according to fixed laws to the great final ob- 
 jects of the plan, then it behooves every one, as 
 a matter of ordinary discretion, to become ac- 
 quainted with those laws and that final destiny. 
 
 The intellectual development and accumu- 
 lated knowledge of the race are utterly at vari- 
 ance with the hypothesis that man is an acci- 
 dental existence, or a mechanical result of force 
 and matter, that will sooner or later pass into 
 annihilation. 
 
 If man had not been created and circum- 
 stanced as he is then the place in the plan of 
 creation now occupied by man would be vacant, 
 and the plan would not be perfect. 
 
274 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 If we could balance the aggregate enjoyment 
 to all created beings, caused by the creation of 
 man, against the aggregate suffering that hap- 
 pens to the race, we would undoubtedly per- 
 ceive that the existence of man contributes to 
 the greatest enjoyment, for the greatest length 
 of time, to the greatest number, with the least 
 suffering to the fewest individuals. 
 
 A careful examination of history will show 
 that the Creator was aware of the weakness and 
 ignorance of the race, that He expected and re- 
 quired very little of it, and that He exhausted 
 creative intelligence in assisting the race to live 
 aright. The history, as recorded in the Bible, 
 shows communication after communication, re- 
 ward after reward, punishment after punish- 
 ment, promise after promise, and forgiveness 
 after forgiveness to man. Even the Creator at 
 last exclaimed, "What could have been done 
 more to my vineyard that I have not done in 
 it?" Isa., 5: 4. 
 
 The Creator has performed on his part all 
 that was necessary. Any human being desiring 
 to do right, and to live right, had placed before 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 275 
 
 him all the information necessary. Those who 
 refused to live according to the revealed law did 
 so not for want of proper knowledge, but be- 
 cause they so willed and so preferred. Further 
 information and knowledge would be of no ben- 
 efit to them. If one were to rise from the dead 
 and tell them the secrets of the spirit world it 
 would do no good. 
 
 And he said, Nay, father Abraham ; but if one went 
 unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said 
 unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, 
 neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the 
 dead. Luke, 1G: 30, 31. 
 
 If man will carefully and honestly use his in- 
 tellect in investigating the evidence that exists 
 in support of the revelations to man, he will 
 find sufficient to fully justify him in obeying 
 the law to the best of his ability. Too many 
 limit their examination to the evidence arrayed 
 by sceptics against revelation, and rest there. 
 "Were they to fully consider the evidence on the 
 other side they would be convinced thereby, 
 except those who would not believe " though 
 one rose from the dead." 
 
 We, therefore, submit to the impartial judg- 
 
276 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 merit of the reader that the facts and laws of 
 nature and the history of the race establish the 
 leading propositions of this work. 
 
 First. That matter was created from nothing, 
 that the laws governing it and the phenomena 
 of life, were established in some deQnite period 
 in the past. 
 
 Second. That there is a Being, omnipotent, 
 eternal, infinite, unchanging, and of free will, 
 who created matter And established the laws 
 above referred to. 
 
 Third. That He is a being of perfect benev- 
 olence. 
 
 Fourth. That He established a plan of crea- 
 tion according to which all things have been 
 created, and according to which, in pursuance 
 of law, everything created is moving on to its 
 final destiny, and is accomplishing its proper 
 object in the plan. 
 
 Fifth. That the object of .the plan of crea- 
 tion was to confer the greatest enjoyment, for 
 the greatest length of time, on the greatest 
 number, with the least suffering to the fewest 
 individuals. 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 277 
 
 Sixth. That in pursuance of this plan there 
 were created different orders of beings regular- 
 ly graduated in the descending scale, from the 
 order capable of the greatest enjoyment for 
 eternity, down to the order capable of but a 
 single agreeable sensation for a short space of 
 time. 
 
 Seventh. That the individuals in each order 
 of the immortal beings vary, one from another, 
 in mental characteristics, so that no duplicates 
 occur, and are created with faculties for enjoy-' 
 uient, so that the capacity shall forever increase. 
 
 Eighth. That matter was created throughout 
 space, subject to such laws that there will be 
 evolved the greatest variety of phenomena as 
 sources of enjoyment. That after the present 
 order ends new creations will appear, and thus 
 continue in succession through eternity. 
 
 Ninth. -God is the cause and source of all 
 enjoyment. That which has been created is 
 but the expression or manifestation of God's 
 thoughts on that subject, and constitutes the 
 word of God to created intelligences. 
 
 Tenth. That cause and effect have been es- 
 
 13 
 
278 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 tablished by a- fixed law, so that the same cause 
 of enjoyment shall always produce the same ef- 
 fect. Present and future enjoyment and suffer- 
 ing are the effects of fixed causes, and are the 
 result of natural laws not yet fully understood. 
 
 Eleventh. If the created beings act or live 
 according to this law they will constantly at- 
 tain enjoyment. If they neglect it, or live con- 
 trary to it, want of enjoyment or suffering will 
 result as a fixed effect. Obeying this law is 
 righteousness, transgressing it is sin. Where 
 man transgresses this law, it is provided that 
 by repentance he may escape the penalty, and 
 be restored to his former opportunity under the 
 law. 
 
 Twelfth. Man having been created the low- 
 est in the scale of immortal beings, and wholly 
 ignorant of all law, has been under the special 
 guidance of the Creator. He has been instruct- 
 ed, and the law has been revealed to him, until 
 he is now possessed of sufficient knowledge of 
 the law so that he can live according to it and 
 attain enjoyment. 
 
 Thirteenth. The Bible contains a revelation 
 
THE PLAN OF CREATION. 279 
 
 of a two-fold character : first, of the law of en- 
 joyment, or the law according to which man 
 must live, called also the moral law ; second, of 
 facts which are important for man to know, and 
 collateral to the main subject of revelation. 
 
 Fourteenth. That the facts of a scientific 
 character thus revealed were not substantiated 
 by any evidence in the revelation. This evi- 
 dence was left for the intellect to discover, thus 
 giving it the enjojanent of the effort and of the 
 discovery. 
 
 Fifteenth Each part of this plan of creation 
 is presumptive proof of the whole, and the 
 whole is presumptive proof of each part by rea- 
 son of the relative fitness and adaptability of 
 each to the other, forming a perfect whole with 
 perfect parts. 
 
 It has been the tendency of man in his igno- 
 rance to bury the grand and simple law of Grod 
 beneath a mass of traditions, creeds, dogmas, 
 and rituals, so complicated that many have 
 turned away from the truth. Early in the his- 
 tory of the race the Creator swept these aside 
 and announced the duty of man as He required it. 
 
280 THE PLAN OF CREATION. 
 
 And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require 
 of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his 
 ways, and to love him and to servo the Lord thy God 
 with all thy heart ani wito. all thy soul. To keep tlio 
 commandments of tho Lor. I, and his statutes, which I 
 command thee this day for thy good. Duul., 10: 12, 13. 
 
 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
 God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with 
 all thy mind. * * * Thou shalt love thy neighbor 
 as thyself. On these two commandments hang all tha 
 lav/ and the prophets. Malt., 22: 37-40. 
 
 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, 
 one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law 
 till all be fulfilled. -Matt., 5: IS. 
 
 Before each one lie two ways j one leads to 
 enjoyment, the other to suffering. Man's free 
 will enables him to choose either one. 
 
 But go thou thy way till the end be : for thou shalt 
 rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days. 
 Dan., 12: 13. 
 
 END. 
 
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