| ANALYSIS. | REFERENCES. |
| I. The Differences Between Uncreated Intelligences and Spirits. | Improvement Era, Art. "Immortality," April, 1907. Seventy's Second Year Book, Lessons i and ii. |
| II. Men and Jesus of the Same Order of Intelligences. | Book of Abraham, Ch. iii; "King Follett Sermon," Improvement Era, Jan., 1909. |
| III. Jesus but the First Born of Many Brethren. | Doc. & Cov., Sec. 93. Joseph Smith's Doctrines Vindicated, Improvement Era, March and April, 1910. |
SPECIAL TEXT: "Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and to your Father; to my God and your God." (Jesus Christ: St. John xx:19.)
DISCUSSION.
1. Uncreated "Intelligences" and "Spirits": In the Book of Mormon we have the revelation which gives the most light upon the spiritexistence of Jesus, and, through his spirit-existence, light upon the spiritexistence of all men. The light is given in that complete revelation of the pre-existent, personal spirit of Jesus Christ, made to the brother of Jared, ages before the spirit of Jesus tabernacled in the flesh. The essential part of the passage follows:
"Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ And never have I showed myself to man whom I have created, for never has man believed in me as thou hast. Seest thou that ye are created after mine own image? Yea, even all men were created in the beginning after mine own image. Behold this body which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit, and man have I created after the body of my spirit; and even as I appear unto thee to be in the spirit, will I appear unto my people in the flesh."[A]
[Footnote A: Ether, Ch. iii:14-16.]
What do we learn from all this? First, let it be re-called that according to the express word of God "intelligences" are not created, neither indeed can they be. Now, with the above revelation from the Book of Mormon concerning the spirit-body of Jesus, before us, we are face to face with a something that was begotten, and in that sense a "creation," a spirit, the "first born of many brethren;" the "beginning of the creations of God." The spirit is in human form—for we are told that as Christ's spirit-body looked to Jared's brother, so would the Christ look to men when he came among them in the flesh; the body of flesh conforming to the appearance of the spirit, the earthly to the heavenly. "This body which ye now behold is the body of my spirit"—the house, the tenement of that uncreated intelligence which had been begotten of the Father a spirit, as later that spirit-body with the intelligent, uncreated entity inhabiting it, will be begotten a man. "This body which you now behold is the body of my spirit," or spirit-body. There can be no doubt but what here "spirit" as in the Book of Abraham, and in the passages quoted from the Prophet's King Follet's Sermon, is used interchangeably with "intelligence," and refers to the uncreated entity; as if the passage stood: "This is the body inhabited by an intelligence." The intelligent entity inhabiting a spirit-body make up the spiritual personage. It is this spirit life we have so often thought about, and sang about. In this state of existence occurred the spirit's "primevil childhood;" here spirits were "nurtured" near the side of the heavenly Father, in his "high and glorious place;" thence spirits were sent to earth to unite spirit-elements with earth-elements—in some way essential to a fullness of glory and happiness. "Man is Spirit. The elements are eternal, and Spirit and Element inseparably connected receive a fullness of joy; and when separated man cannot receive a fullness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; Yea, man is the tabernacle of God even temples."[A] Hence spirits are sent to earth, to take on its elements, and to learn the lessons earth-life has to teach. The half awakened recollections of the human mind may be chiefly engaged with scenes, incidents and impressions of that former spirit life; but that does not argue the non-existence of the uncreated intelligences who preceded the begotten spiritual personages as so plainly set forth in the revelations of God.
[Footnote A: Doc. & Cov. Sec. 93:32-35.]
The difference, then, between "spirits" and "intelligences," as here used, is this: Spirits are uncreated intelligences inhabiting spiritual bodies; while "intelligences," pure and simple, are intelligent entities, but unembodied in either spirit bodies or bodies of flesh and bone. They are uncreated, self-existent entities; but let it be observed, in passing, that nothing is here said in relation to the form of these intelligent entities, nor anything as to their mode of existence. Indeed, so far as I know, nothing has been revealed in relation to their form or mode of existence; nothing beyond the fact of existence, their eternity and the qualities necessary to them as Intelligences.
2. Jesus and Men of the same Order of Intelligences: The scriptures teach that Jesus Christ and men are of the same order of beings; that men are of the same race with Jesus, of the same nature and essence; that he is indeed our elder brother. "For it became him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: [i. e., essence or nature; or, regarding men's spirits, of one Father] for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren."[A] Hence, though the Christ is more perfect in righteousness, and more highly developed in intellectual and spiritual powers than men, yet these differences are of degree, not of kind; so that what is revealed concerning Jesus, the Christ, may be of infinite helpfulness in throwing light upon the nature of man and the several estates he has occupied and will occupy hereafter. The coeternity of Jesus Christ with God, the Father, and the extension of the principle of co-eternity of the Intelligences in men with Jesus Christ and God has been already pointed out.[B]