Continuing the comparison: These voyagers paid only for second-rate privileges. They "drew the line," giving a part but not all of their allegiance to Him who hath said: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." The things of this world were more precious in their eyes than the riches that perish not and that thieves cannot steal. They loved Truth, but not whole-heartedly. They loved money and pleasure more, and strove for fame and the applause of this world, rather than for the approval of heaven. Though clean of conduct and honorable in deal, they were not zealous for Christ, and knew not the meaning of self-sacrifice. These are worthy of the Kingdom, but not of the Crown; and they shine, not like the golden sun, but like the silvery moon, with a diminished or secondary radiance, with reflected rather than with original light.
Telestial Glory—Servants of the Most High.—As for those who inherit telestial conditions, differing from the terrestrial as the stars differ from the moon—were they not symbolized by the steerage and its occupants?
"These are they who are thrust down to hell. These are they who shall not be redeemed from the Devil, until the last resurrection," at the close of the Millennial reign. Criminals of every type and grade, they "suffer the wrath of God until the fulness of times, until Christ shall have subdued all enemies under his feet and shall have perfected his work." They receive not of "his fulness in the eternal world, but of the Holy Spirit through the ministration of the terrestrial; and the terrestrial through the ministration of the celestial. And also the telestial receive it of the administering of angels who are appointed to minister for them, or who are appointed to be ministering spirits for them, for they shall be heirs of salvation."[[7]]
The heirs telestial are those who "receive not the Gospel, neither the testimony of Jesus, neither the prophets, neither the everlasting covenant." According to the Vision, they "were as innumerable as the stars in the firmament of heaven, or as the sands upon the seashore." Concerning this vast multitude, the voice of the Lord was heard, saying:
"These all shall bow the knee, and every tongue shall confess to Him who sits upon the throne forever and ever.
"For they shall be judged according to their works, and every man shall receive according to his own works his own dominion in the mansions which are prepared.
"And they shall be servants of the Most High, but where God and Christ dwell they cannot come, worlds without end."[[8]]
The Damned Can Be Saved.—Yes, such is "Mormonism's" astounding declaration—and not only saved, but glorified, if they will repent. The glorified planets are God's kingdoms, and "all kingdoms have a law given"—celestial, terrestrial or telestial. Whosoever inherits any of these kingdoms, must abide the law pertaining to that kingdom. If he cannot abide "the Law of Christ," he must inherit a glory other than the celestial—even a terrestrial or a telestial glory. If he cannot abide a telestial law, he is "not meet for a kingdom of glory;" and if he willeth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, then must he "remain filthy still."[[9]]
Sons of Perdition.—One class alone remains outside salvation's pale, permanently condemned—they who commit the unpardonable sin, the sin against the Holy Ghost. For them there is no forgiveness. But one must receive the Holy Ghost before he can sin against it, must have knowledge and power sufficient to entitle him to celestial exaltation; and then prove utterly recreant to the great light that has come to him. Such a sin can be committed only by men equipped with every qualification for the highest degree of eternal glory. It is an offense so heinous that the sinner cannot repent. This is what makes his case hopeless; salvation being predicated upon repentance. If he could repent, he could be forgiven; but being unable to repent, incapable of reformation, he cannot be reached by the pardoning power.
They who commit the sin unpardonable are as first-cabin passengers who, in the full enjoyment of every privilege and advantage pertaining to that highly favored condition, wilfully throw all away, and recklessly fling themselves overboard, to go down in unfathomable depths. Sons of Perdition, these—"the only ones on whom the second death shall have any power"—"the only ones who shall not be redeemed in the due time of the Lord." They "deny the Son, after the Father has revealed him. Wherefore, he saves all except them."[[10]]