The primary object of man's existence upon the earth is to obtain a body of flesh and bone; for without this it is impossible to advance in the grand scale of being in which he is to move in the eternal worlds.
It is necessary also for him to learn, by actual experience, the difference between good and evil. As was said of our first parents, "And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil." (Gen. 3:22.)
It is necessary that man taste the bitter to enable him to appreciate the sweet. No proper appreciation of the value of eternal life could be arrived at, without having experienced its opposite.
A man must feel the effects of sickness to enable him to fully appreciate the great boon of health. He must feel the effects of pain, before he can enjoy immunity therefrom. He must feel the influence and power of death, before he can appreciate eternal life. He must comprehend the effects of sin before he can enjoy "the rest promised to the faithful." There are many experiences that he can gain in the flesh that cannot be obtained elsewhere. There are ordinances to be performed and eternal unions to be perfected, that in the wise economy of the great Creator, must be effected here on the earth. Baptism for the remission of sins and marriage for eternity, are prominent features of duty that devolve upon man in his second state, or during his existence upon the earth. It is not all of man's duty to care for himself alone, to selfishly neglect his fellow-man, and seek aggrandizement himself at their expense. "Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you," is called the Golden Rule, by which men should be governed in this life. In brief, man has a work to do to prepare himself for a future exaltation in the eternities to come. He is called upon to "work out his salvation with fear and trembling," for the work done in this life will have its influence in that to come. By obedience to the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, he prepares himself for the grand and glorious exaltation held in reserve for those who worship God in "Spirit and in truth." As Jesus said to His apostles, "I go to prepare a place for you," for "in my Father's house are many mansions."
Having learned why we are here, let us examine what is the nature of the duties devolving upon us.
FAITH.
To enable a man to perform any work whatever, requires that he have faith in the ultimate result of the work. No farmer would plant unless he expected to reap; no builder build, unless he expected to inhabit; no speculator invest unless he expected to increase his means; no journey would be attempted unless there existed hope of reaching the destination. So, likewise, no commandment of God would be obeyed, unless there existed faith that certain blessings would follow obedience.
With this idea plainly before us, we can comprehend the assertion of the Apostle Paul to the Hebrews, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11:6.)
We find the active workings of the principle of faith in the many cases of healing performed by our Savior. "Thy faith hath made thee whole," was the invariable remark he made to one and all: and we find him speaking to the apostles in the strongest terms about their lack of this great principle. Upon one occasion they came to Him with the question: "Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove, and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matt. 17:19, 20.) Again, we read, "And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" (Matt. 13:58), or in other words, they had no faith in the claim He made to being the Messiah; consequently, they were deprived of the blessings that fell to those that had faith, as mankind to-day are depriving themselves of many great and glorious blessings, through their unbelief in the divine calling of Joseph Smith, the prophet and seer.
We often hear the same cry to-day that greeted the ears of Jesus, "Master, we would see a sign from thee. But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign." (Matt. 12:38, 39.)