DISCUSSION.
1. Eternity of Intelligence: In the preface of St. John's Gospel it is written: "I. the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. * * And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-4, 14). This is in plain allusion to the Christ, and bears witness, as all are agreed,[A] to the co-eternity of the Word of Christ with God, the Father.
[Footnote A: See "Commentary," Jamieson,—Fauset-Brown on St. John 1:1-4. Also "International Revision Commentary," Schaff—on St. John 1:1-4. The latter contrasting Gen. 1:1 with St. John's "in the beginning," says that the sacred historian (Moses) starts from the beginning and comes downwards, thus keeping us in the course of time. John starts from the same point, but goes upwards, thus taking us into the eternity preceding time. In Gen. 1:1, we are told that God "in the beginning created,"—an act done in time. Here (John 1:1) we are told that "in the beginning the Word was," a very strongly antithetical to "come into being" (verses 3, 14, comp. 8:58), and implying an absolute existence preceding, the point referred to. As that which is absolute self-existent, not created—that which is—is eternal, so the predication of eternity is involved in the clause before us taken as a whole. He who thus "was in the beginning," who, as we afterwards read, "was with God," and "was God," here bears the name of the "Word," Logos, which means both reason—[intelligence?] and word [expression?] For justification of the interpolated words in brackets, I refer to Dummelow's Commentary on the same passage: "Logos has two meanings in Greek: (1) Reason or intelligence as it exists inwardly in the mind; and (2) reason or intelligence as it is expressed outwardly in speech and both these meanings are to be understood when Christ is called the "Word of God." Commentary on John 1:1-4.]
In the Doctrine and Covenants this doctrine of the co-eternity of the "Word" with God is reaffirmed, and also is expressed more explicitly. "John," the Christ is represented as saying, "saw and bore record of the fullness of my glory. * * * And he bore record saying, 'I saw his glory that he was in the beginning before the world was. Therefore in the beginning the Word was, for he was the Word, even the messenger of salvation, the light and the Redeemer of the World'" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:6-9).
2. Extension of the Doctrine of Co-eternity: But not only is the doctrine of the co-eternity of the Christ with God the Father affirmed in this revelation, but that co-eternity is extended to the spirits (Intelligences—of which more later) of men. "Verily I say unto you," the Christ is represented as saying, "I was in the beginning with the Father, and am the first born. * * * Ye, [addressing the brethren present when the revelation was given]—Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is spirit [that is, that part of you which is spirit—i. e., Intelligence—that was in the beginning with God], even the spirit of truth."
3. Extension of the Doctrine of Co-Eternity to all Intelligences: In a subsequent verse this doctrine of co-eternity is extended to the whole race of men; "man [the race] was also in the beginning with God." And that statement is immediately followed with this: "Intelligence, or the light of truth [that which perceives truth], was not created or made, neither indeed can be" (Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:29). Let us recapitulate: The co-eternity of the Christ and God the Father "in the beginning before the world was," is affirmed. Then the like co-eternity of the spirits of the men present when the revelation was given is affirmed. After which the like co-eternity of "Man"—used in the generic sense, meaning the race, is affirmed; followed by the declaration that "Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be," then of course, it follows that Intelligences are eternal, self-existing things.
It may be urged, however, that the word "Intelligence" in the revelation quoted above is used in the singular, not in the plural form. And hence may refer to "Intelligence" in general, as being uncreated and unbeatable, and not to the eternity of individual Intelligences. But the passage immediately preceding the declaration "Man also was in the beginning with God," stands as an explanation of that declaration. The word Intelligence in the passage quoted is governed as to its meaning by "Man" in the sentence—"Man was also in the beginning with God:" and now, "Intelligence," [the intelligent entity in man, in the race—and surely the Intelligence in each man is a complete and separate entity] "was not created or made, neither indeed can be." In other words, these Intelligences are as eternal as God is, or as the Christ is, or the Holy Spirit. This becomes more apparent when we learn in a subsequent verse of the revelation that "man is spirit" (verse 33). That is, in the inner fact of him, in the power and glory of him, man is not so many pounds avoirdupois of bone, muscle, lime, phosphate, water and the like; but in the great fact of him he is spirit—spirit substance and Intelligence.[A] And so far as human or revealed knowledge can aid one in forming a conclusion, there is no "Intelligence" existing separate and apart from persons, from intelligent entities, from individuals. Either it exists as persons, or as preceding from them, as a power or force, but never separated from them, any more than a ray of light is separated from the luminous body whence it proceeds. So that if any affirm a "universal Intelligence," or "Cosmic Mind," or "Over Soul," in the universe, it is an influence, a power proceeding either from an individual Intelligence or from harmonized individual Intelligences, a mind atmosphere proceeding from them—a projection of their mind power into the universe, as the sun and all suns, project light and warmth into the universe.[B]
[Footnote A: "That is the more real part of a man in which his characteristics and his qualities are. All the facts and phenomena of life confirm the doctrine that the soul is the real man. What makes the quality of a man? What gives him character as good or bad, small or great, lovable or detestable? Do these qualities pertain to the body? Every one knows that they do not. But they are qualities of the mind. Then the real man is not the body, but the living soul" (Samuel M. Warren, "World's Parliament of Religions," Vol. I, p. 480).]
[Footnote B: "Mormon Doctrine of Deity," p. 166-169, where the subject is discussed at some length under the title, "Of God, the Spirit of the Gods.">[
4. Proof of the Co-eternity of all Intelligences: In further evidence of the eternal existence of individual Intelligences I quote from the Book of Abraham: