19) INTELLIGENT DESIGN: How should Latter-day Saints view Intelligent Design? Is there evidence of God in His creations?

Commentary

Intelligent Design theory is often criticized for being “religion in disguise”. This is caused by confusion about the implications of science. In other words, Intelligent Design is not religious, it is science, but it has religious implications. The same could and should be said for Darwinism. Darwinism and Neo-Darwinism have anti-religious implications, that no Creator is necessary and that no Creator should be recognized. Intelligent Design, in contrast, seeks for evidence of an intelligent designer. Life is too complex to have originated and diversified through chance.” An unguided process” cannot account for the many forms of life that are found on the earth. Because there is intelligence in the universe as opposed to solely natural causes there is design and purpose in the universe.
Which position should Latter-day saints hold to? Hopefully little more explanation is necessary. The scriptures and Prophets of God have however taught clearly that Darwinism and NeoDarwinism should not be used as the explanation to the mystery of life. Darwin himself felt that there was no designer in nature other than pure natural causes driven by natural selection.

The old argument of design in nature which formerly seemed to me so conclusive, fails, now that the law of natural selection has been discovered. We can no longer argue that, for instance, the beautiful hinge of a bivalve shell must have been made by an intelligent being, like the hinge of a door by man. There seems to be no more design in the variability of organic beings and in the action of natural selection, than in the course which the wind blows.” ^[1]

Despite Darwin’s claims and his theory that leads individuals to exclude a designer and an Intelligence from the universe, this Intelligence does indeed exist. The Universe was created by faith or power and intelligence. Darwin’s view of life was in complete contrast to the Prophet Joseph Smith and those who adhere to scripture. Note the contrast in the Prophet’s words respecting a designer:

It was by faith that the worlds were framed. God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in HIM. So with man also; he spake by faith in the name of God, and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lion’s mouths were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this by reason of the faith which was in him. . . . without power there could be no creation nor existence! ^[2]

The Prophet mentions the Power of a Supreme Omniscient Creator who Created the Earth and also governs His creations upon the face of it. It should be no surprise that many moderns seek to ignore this power and Supreme Omnipotent Being. The scriptures also teach this doctrine. They mention that there are things that act and things that are acted upon. Nephi mentions these two primal elements of creation:

. . . for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.” ^[3]

The things that act are intelligent, the things that are acted upon are not. The scriptures and the prophets all teach of these two fundamental ingredients in the universe. Abraham taught that there is one intelligence above another until we come to the Great I Am. He also taught that the stars and planets of the heavens were created to symbolize this order, one above the other. ^[4].
Modern science has unfortunately refused to accept what cannot be seen and understood by our rudimentary instruments, the agent described in scripture as intelligence. Yet this is not the only important ingredient of the universe that is rejected. The scriptures teach that there are two fundamental types of matter. There is spirit matter which if pure and fine and there is course matter which can be seen with the natural eye.

There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter. ^[5]

The universe is composed of a pure material known as spirit matter and the more course matter that we see. There were also two physical (material) creations that are mentioned in the scriptures and writings of the prophets.

And now, behold, I say unto you, that these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth, when they were created, in the day that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and the earth, And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air;” ^[6]

The scriptures and writings of the prophets all teach that the universe is composed of both spirit matter and the course matter that we see with our eyes, and yet modern science has again rejected more than one half of the creation. They reject that the spirit realm even exists or has bearing on scientific understanding. Through our modern arrogance we have rejected the spirit real. The Lord with some simple clay was able to put our modern expertise and scientific instruments to shame. Enoch was shown elements in the Universe that we do not have the technology to see:

And the Lord spake unto Enoch, and said unto him: Anoint thine eyes with clay, and wash them, and thou shalt see. And he did so. And he beheld the spirits that God had created; and he beheld also things which were not visible to the natural eye; and from thenceforth came the saying abroad in the land: A seer hath the Lord raised up unto his people. ^[7]

It is incredible to conceive of the arrogance that rejects what cannot be seen with the eye or understood with our archaic instruments. As Joseph Smith taught, the spirit realm is real and consists of matter, but that matter is finer and our archaic technology is incapable of detecting it. How accurate would an engineering assessment of an automobile be if the parts that cannot be seen on the surface, such as the engine, transmission and drive train were ignored? Medicine has a parallel. When Louis Pasteur first investigated bacteria, the medical community of the time rejected and even fought against his findings as they could not conceive of things they could not see. It is unfortunate that intelligence and spirit are rejected. How intelligent can a theory be which denies intelligence?

Does this intelligence matter? An understanding of intelligence is the source of the doctrine of agency. Without intelligence arguments of free will vs determinism lead to faulty conclusions. The adversary has always sought to destroy the agency of man and teaching Darwinian evolution has been a triumph in this area. This is an area that is frequently forgotten or misunderstood. In psychology it is often debated whether heredity or environment have the larger impact on the behavior of an individual. Without intelligence, that is all that there is, just nature or nurture, and neither of these components can account for agency. Realize that a person has no control over their heredity, and the outside environmental conditions in which a person lives do not allow for agency either. Without intelligence human beings are looked upon as advanced animals with logical capability, but without freedom of will. All modern psychological fields are flawed because of the scientific rejection of intelligence.

The scriptures also teach that intelligence had everything to do with the Creation and order of the universe. The scriptures teach that it is the Light of Christ which created all things, which upholds all things, which is the Law by which the universe is governed. This order comes from God the Supreme Intelligence, not chance as the Darwinists proclaim:

This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.

Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space— The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.

All kingdoms have a law given; And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.

. . . [God] hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and their seasons; And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and all the planets. And they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years—all these are one year with God, but not with man.” ^[8]

Without God the universe would never have come into existence and would return to chaos, and yet God is excluded from science classes as if He had nothing to add. Intelligence and spirit are denied in science classes because they cannot be seen, and yet they are the most important elements of the universe. But, it is argued, it doesn’t really matter. Who cares if God is recognized? Well, the Lord says that He cares:

And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things . . . .” ^[9]

It is little known how important a view of the universe can be. Few in the Church have realized that it was a proper understanding of the Author of the Laws of the Universe that led to the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this last dispensation. Joseph Smith stated his reasons for entering the Sacred Grove to ask the Lord his fundamental questions:

I felt to mourn for my own sins and for the sins of the world for I learned in the scriptures that God was the same yesterday to day and forever that he was no respecter to persons for he was God for I looked upon the sun the glorious luminary of the earth and the moon rolling in their majesty through the heavens and also the stars shining in their courses and the earth also upon which I stood and the beast of the field and the fowls of heaven and the fish of the waters and also and also man walking forth upon the face of the earth in Majesty and in the strength of beauty whose power and intelligence in governing the things which are so exceeding great and marvilous even in the likeness of him who created them and when I considered upon these things my heart exclaimed well hath the wise man said it is a fool that saith in his heart there is no God my heart exclaimed all all these bear testimony and bespeak an Omnipotent and omnipresent power a being who maketh Laws and decreeth and bindeth all things in their bounds who filleth Eternity who was and is and will be from all Eternity to Eternity and when I considered all these things and that that being seeketh such to worship him as worship him in spirit and in truth therefore I cried unto the Lord for mercy for there was none else to whom I could go and obtain mercy and the Lord heard my crying the wilderness and while in the attitude of calling upon the Lord in the 16th year of my age a pillar of light above the brightness of the sun at noon day come down from above and rested upon me and I was filled with the spirit of god. ^[10]

Joseph Smith was led to ask the Lord about religion because he had viewed the works of God in the earth and in the heavens and understood that God is a God of order and not confusion. When he looked at the religions of men upon the earth they were confusion and chaos. He knew that these false religions could not be of God. So in our day, when we look at the theories of men which contradict the scriptures and cause a world of confusion we can also know that these philosophies of men are not of God. Have we not been warned repeatedly in sacred edifices that we should oppose the philosophies of men mingled with scripture. These warnings come during a correct portrayal of the Creation of this earth in the houses of the Lord.

The scientific evidence to support the notion of a designer is everywhere to be seen. There is significant evidence that the fossil record includes what is known as the Cambrian Explosion. The fossils are not found in the evolving structure that Darwin and others hoped. Rather, nearly all life forms suddenly appear and then remain very similar through the strata in the rock. Information about these findings can be found in videos like Origin of Species: Was Darwin Right?, Icons of Evolution and Case for a Creator. Additionally, there is evidence that DNA information and life on this earth could not have come about by chance. Evidence for these claims can be found in Unlocking the Mystery of Life, the Priviledged Planet and many other videos and resources. Some in the scientific community have done all they could to keep these things quiet. Two new videos on this subject document the contention and blackmale that exists. Please see Expelled or Icons of Evolution. In summary, there is scientific evidence supporting the notion of intelligence in the universe for all those who desire to know it.

Note this statement from the Prophet Joseph Smith in which he explains that those who can look at the heavens and see that is was created by the priesthood power of God through faith can also understand the scriptures.

. . . He that can mark the power of Omnipotence, inscribed upon the heavens, can also see God’s own handwriting in the sacred volume. ^[11]

What are the implications of believing in a theory that excludes the Power of God; the spirit and spiritual elements of the universe? Our modern society is seeing these implications. Please see this clip from Creation and Evolution: A Witness of Prophets.

Prophetic Statements

Joseph Smith

God has made certain decrees which are fixed and immovable; for instance…the oak of the forest, the fruit of the tree, the herb of the field, all bear a sign that seed hath been planted there; for it is a decree of the Lord that every tree, plant, and herb bearing seed should bring forth of its kind, and cannot come forth after any other law or principle.” ^[12]

I felt to mourn for my own sins and for the sins of the word for I learned in the scriptures that God was the same yesterday to day and forever that he was no respecter to persons for he was God for I looked upon the sun the glorious luminary of the earth and the moon rolling in their majesty through the heavens and also the stars shining in their courses and the earth also upon which I stood and the beast of the field and fowls upon the face of the earth in Majesty and in the strength of beauty whose power and intelligence in governing the things which are so exceeding great and marvelous even in the likeness of him who created him” them and when I considered upon these things my heart exclaimed well hath the wise man said the” it is a fool that saith in his heart there is no God my heart exclaimed all all these bear testimony and bespeak an Omnipotent and omnipresent power a being who maketh Laws and decreeth and bindeth all things in their bounds who filleth Eternity who we and is and will be from all Eternity to Eternity and when I considered all these things and that that being seeketh such to worship him as worship him in spirit and in truth therefore I cried unto the Lord for mercy for there was none else to whom I could go and to” obtain mercy and the Lord heard my crying the wilderness and while in the attitude of calling upon the Lord in the 16th year of my age a pillar of fire” light above the brightness of the sun at noon day come down from above and rested upon me and I was filled with the spirit of god. ^[13]

Next Subject was — Did the Lord God make the Earth out of Nothing;

By Dr. Josiah Ells: say he, God did not make the earth out of Nothing; for it is contrary to a Rashanall [rational] mind & Reason. that a something could be Brought from a Nothing; also it is country [contrary] to the principle & Means by which God does work; for instance; when God formed man, he made him of something; the Dust of the Earth, & he always took a something to affect a something Else;

oft he takes man to scourge his fellow man, or watter to Destroy man–or fire to Destroy Man or angels for instance the angel that went forth & Destroyed a hundred thousand one night Joseph Smith said to D Ells, & to the Congregation that he for a length of time, thought on phreknoleagee [phrenology]; & that he had a Revelation. the Lord Rebuking him sharply in Crediting such a thing; & further said there was No Reality in such a science But was the works of the Devil;

he also said the Lord had told him that Bro. Law would Do well, he would Go & preach the Gospel he also said as for his own knowledge the Earth was made out of sumthing [something] for it was impossible for a sumthing [something] to be made out of Nothing fire, air, & watter are Eternal Existent principles which are the Composition of which the Earth-has been Composed; also Earth has been organized out of portions of other Globes that has ben [been] Disorganized; in tistimony [testimony] that this Earth was Not the first of Gods work;

he quoted a passage from the testament where Jesus said all things that he had saw the Father Do he had done & that he done Nothing But what he saw the Father do John the 5th [verse 19] 20 he also said in testimony of the situation the saints in the presence of God. that they had flesh & bones & that was the agreement in Eternity to come here & take on them tabernacles & the difference [difference] Between us & Satin in that Respect is that he fell & had Not opertunity [opportunity] to Come in the flesh–& that he allways [striving] is striving to get others as miserable as himself 21–[McIntire Minute Book]” ^[14]

This earth was organized and formed out of other planets which were broken up and remodelled [remodeled] and made into the one on which we live. The elements are eternal. [William Clayton’s Private Book.] ^[15]

He [Joseph Smith] taught us that God was the great head of human procreation, was really and truly the father of both our spirits and our bodies; that we were but parts of a great whole, mutually and equally dependent upon each other, according to conditions. And in our love of God we show, as do the members of our bodies, a greater love and protection for our head.

You will not forget that the march in science has in many things reversed the world’s thought, changed its “modus” and almost its face, and in fact, exploded the dogmas of outside theology. The keys to all this knowledge were first committed to the Prophet Joseph, as a part of the gospel, for the world’s benefit, for all of which he was derided. He was the first to teach in this age “substantialism,” the eternity of matter, that no part or particle of the great universe could become annihilated or destroyed; that light and life and spirit were one; that all light and heat are the “glory of God,” which is His power, that fills the “immensity of space,” and is the life of all things, and permeates with latent life, and heat, every particle of which all worlds are composed; that light or spirit, and gross matter, are the two first great primary principles of the universe, or of being; that they are self-existent, co-existent, indestructible, and eternal, and from these two elements both our spirits and our bodies were formulated.

He taught that all systems or worlds were in revolution, the lesser around the greater. He taught that all the animal kingdoms would be resurrected, and made us understand that they would remain in the dominion of those who, with creative power, reach out for dominion, through the power of eternal lives. ^[16]

God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted Man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens. That is the great secret. If the vail was rent to-day, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by his power, was to make himself visible,—I say, if you were to see him to-day, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves, in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image, and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked, and conversed with him, as one man talks and communes with another. ^[17]

John learned that God glorified Himself by saving all that His hands had made, whether beasts, fowls, fishes or men; and He will glorify Himself with them. Says one, I cannot believe in the salvation of beasts.” Any man who would tell you that this could not be, would tell you that the revelations are not true…The four beasts [that John saw in heaven] were four of the most noble animals that had filled the measure of their creation, and had been saved from other worlds, because they were perfect: they were like angels in their sphere…Again, there is no revelation to prove that things do not exist in heaven as I have set forth, nor yet to show that the beasts meant anything but beasts; and we never can comprehend the things of God and of heaven, but by revelation. We may spiritualize and express opinions to all eternity; but that is no authority.” ^[18]

It was by faith that the worlds were framed. God spake, chaos heard, and worlds came into order by reason of the faith there was in HIM. So with man also; he spake by faith in the name of God, and the sun stood still, the moon obeyed, mountains removed, prisons fell, lion’s mouths were closed, the human heart lost its enmity, fire its violence, armies their power, the sword its terror, and death its dominion; and all this by reason of the faith which was in him. . . . without power there could be no creation nor existence! ^[19]

. . . He that can mark the power of Omnipotence, inscribed upon the heavens, can also see God’s own handwriting in the sacred volume: ^[20]

Brigham Young

In the infancy of creation the human family commenced down at the bottom of the ladder, and had to make their way upward. How small and frail that commencement looks now; why it is considered almost beneath the notice of the wise of this day to talk of the intelligence of our First Parents. When they waked from their sleep and found themselves in a state of nudity, we are told that they hid themselves, because they were ashamed and mortified and did not wish to expose themselves when the Lord came along. And he picked some fig leaves—what a simple idea! He picked some fig leaves and sewed them together and made aprons of them. I do not know whether he used scissors or His penknife for the cutting out of the garments, or what kind of a needle and thread He used, but he made aprons for the whole human family—Adam and Eve! What a simple idea! It is beneath the notice of the mechanic or artist, or the science of the world now-a-days. Yet simple as it seems now, the Lord had to reveal to our first parents the modus operandi of the manufacture of an apron of fig leaves. And when they wanted a little copper made up, after having found the ore, the Lord had to come along and show them how to do it; and how to manufacture the iron. How simple this is! It is beneath the notice of the intelligence and science that are in the world now; the scientific men of the present time say those were the days of ignorance. Yes, that was in the period of the childhood of the human family, in the infancy of the world. But what does it manifest unto us? Why that there is a Being superior to man, and though we may not know the place where He resides, He has come along occasionally and shown His creatures how to make and work up brass, iron, copper, and in fact has revealed to them everything they know at various stages of their development and progress.

The people of this day think they know more than all who have preceded them—that this is the wisest generation that ever did live on the earth. Perhaps it is in worldly things, and in some of the arts and sciences it may be; but there is no question that many things of great worth known anciently have been lost. Archaeological developments and investigations bring to light facts in the mechanical arts which set at defiance the skill of the world in our day. For instance, where is the mechanic now, who can sharpen copper so that it would shave the beard from a man’s face, or chop timber like an axe made of steel? The skill to do that is not in existence now; yet it once was, and many other arts, revealed to man anciently, have been lost through the wickedness of the people. ^[21]

If we read the requirements made by Jesus, by the Father, or by any messenger sent from the Heavens to the children of men we shall find nothing that will injure any human being or that will destroy the soul of one of the sons or daughters of Adam and Eve. . . . The world may in vain ask the question, Who are we?” But the Gospel tells us that we are the sons and daughters of that God whom we serve. Some say, We are the children of Adam and Eve.” So we are, and they are the children of our Heavenly Father. We are all the children of Adam and Eve, and they and we are the offspring of Him who dwells in the heavens, the highest Intelligence that dwells anywhere that we have any knowledge of. . . . What are His commandments to us? Has He commanded us to build an ark? No. He told Noah to do that for the salvation of those who would go into it; and after he had built it, and had preached righteousness for a long space of time, warning the people of the coming judgments of the Almighty, how many believed his testimony? Only eight souls, and they were members of his own family. All the rest were swept from the face of the earth. This is according to the account given to us in the Old Testament which we believe. I know that there are a great many in the world who are so wise in their own eyes that they are not disposed to believe the account contained in the Bible of the Creation, of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, the antediluvian world and other things, but we profess to believe, and we do or should believe these things. ^[22]

We believe that God is a person of tabernacle, possessing in an infinitely higher degree all the perfections and qualifications of his mortal children. We believe that he made Adam after his own image and likeness, as Moses testifies; and in this belief we differ from the professedly Christian world, who declare that His center is everywhere, but his circumference is nowhere.” Their God has no body nor parts; our God possesses a body and parts, and was heard by Adam and Eve Walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” ^[23]

When the Spirit of revelation from God inspires a man, his mind is opened to behold the beauty, order, and glory of the creation of this earth and its inhabitants, the object of its creation, and the purpose of its creator in peopling it with his children. He can then clearly understand that our existence here is for the sole purpose of exaltation and restoration to the presence of our Father and God, where we may progress endlessly in the power of godliness. After the mind has thus been illuminated, the ignorance and blindness of the great mass of mankind are more apparent. Yet there is no son or daughter of Adam and Eve but what has incorporated in their organization the priceless gem of endless life, for the endless duration and endless lives which they are approaching. ^[24]

We may rejoice greatly in the possession of the spirit of truth and in the power of God, which elevates the soul to the contemplation of heavenly things, but it does not teach men how to raise corn. The Lord could impart this information in a special revelation, the same as he instructed Adam and Eve how to cover their nakedness. He showed them how to make aprons of leaves and then coats of skins, and instructed Adam in extracting the metals from their ores, the same as one man instructs another. ^[25]

In talking to a gentleman not long ago, I said, “The Lord is one of the most scientific men that ever lived; you have no idea of the knowledge that he has with regard to the sciences. If you did but know it, every truth that you and all men have acquired a knowledge of through study and research, has come from him—he is the fountain whence all truth and wisdom flow; he is the fountain of all knowledge, and of every true principle that exists in heaven or on earth.” The gentleman said that such ideas conflicted with his traditions; but said he, “I like to hear such talk and such principles taught, for we do know, from scientific research and investigation, that certain facts exist in nature which those called Christians discard or throw away; they do not want anything to do with them; they say this has nothing to do with religion; but you talk very different to this.” ¹

John Taylor

All the works of God connected with the world which we inhabit, and with all other worlds, are strictly governed by law…the animal and vegetable creations are governed by certain laws, and are composed of certain elements peculiar to themselves. This applies to man, to the beasts, fowls, fish and creeping things, to the insects and to all animated nature; each one possessing its own distinctive features, each requiring a specific sustenance, each having an organism and faculties governed by prescribed laws to perpetuate its own kind. So accurate is the formation of the various living creatures that an intelligent student of nature can tell by any particular bone of the skeleton of an animal to what class or order it belongs.

These principles do not change, as represented by evolutionists of the Darwinian school, but the primitive organisms of all living beings exist in the same form as when they first received their impress from their Maker. There are, indeed, some very slight exceptions, as for instance, the ass may mix with the mare and produce the mule; but there it ends, the violation of the laws of procreation receives a check, and its operations can go no further. Similar compounds may possibly be made by experimentalists in the vegetable and mineral kingdoms, but the original elements remain the same. Yet this is not the normal, but an abnormal condition with them, as with animals, birds, etc.; and if we take man, he is said to have been made in the image of God, for the simple reason that he is a son of God; and being His son, he is, of course, His offspring, an emanation from God, in whose likeness, we are told, he is made. He did not originate from a chaotic mass of matter, moving or inert, but came forth possessing, in an embryotic state, all the faculties and powers of a God. And when he shall be perfected, and have progressed to maturity, he will be like his Father—a God; being indeed His offspring. As the horse, the ox, the sheep, and every living creature, including man, propagates its own species and perpetuates its own kind, so does God perpetuate His.” ^[26]

Now, restoration signifies a bringing back, and must refer to something which existed before . . . when a prophet speaks of the restoration of all things, he means that all things have undergone a change, and are to be again restored to their primitive order, even as they first existed. . . . First, then, it becomes necessary for us to take a view of creation, as it rolled in purity from the hand of its Creator; and if we can discover the true state in which it then existed, and understand the changes that have taken place since, then we shall be able to understand what is to be restored

. . . the beasts of the earth were all in perfect harmony with each other; the lion ate straw like the ox—the wolf dwelt with the lamb—the leopard lay down with the kid—the cow and bear fed together, in the same pasture . . . . all was peace and harmony, and nothing to hurt nor disturb, in all the holy mountain.

. . . the earth yielded neither noxious weeds nor poisonous plants, nor useless thorns and thistles; indeed, every thing that grew was just calculated for the food of man’ beast, fowl, and creeping thing; and their food was all vegetable

[Man] stood in the presence of his Maker, conversed with him face to face, and gazed upon his glory, without a dimming veil between.

Now, reader, contemplate the change. This scene, which was so beautiful a little before, had now become the abode of sorrow and toil, of death and mourning: the earth groaning with its production of accursed thorns and thistles; man and beast at enmity . . . . Soon man begins to persecute, hate, and murder his fellow; until at length the earth is filled with violence; all flesh becomes corrupt, the powers of darkness prevail . . .

But men have degenerated, and greatly changed, as well as the earth. The sins, the abominations, and the many evil habits of the latter ages, have added to the miseries, toils, and sufferings of human life. The idleness, extravagance, pride, covetousness, drunkenness, and other abominations, which are characteristics of the latter times, have all combined to sink mankind to the lowest state of wretchedness and degradation. ^[27]

Wilford Woodruff

“The Lord never created this world at random; he has never done any of his work at random. The earth was created for certain purposes; and one of these purposes was its final redemption, and the establishment of his government and kingdom upon it in the latter days, to prepare it for the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ, whose right it is to reign. “

²

Lorenzo Snow

I believe that we are the sons and daughters of God, and that He has bestowed upon us the capacity for infinite wisdom and knowledge, because He has given us a portion of Himself. We are told that we were made in His own image, and we find that there is a character of immortality in the soul of man. There is a spiritual organism within this tabernacle, and that spiritual organism has a divinity in itself, though perhaps in an infantile state; but it has within itself the capability of improving and advancing, as the infant that receives sustenance from its mother. Though the infant may be very ignorant, yet there are possibilities in it that by passing through the various ordeals of childhood to maturity enable it to rise to a superiority that is perfectly marvelous, compared with its infantile ignorance. Why and how is it that this is accomplished? Because it possesses the susceptibilities and the capabilities of its father. So in regard to ourselves. There is a divinity within ourselves that is immortal and never dies. Thousands and thousands of years hence we will be ourselves, and nobody else, so far as our individuality is concerned. That never dies from all eternity to all eternity.” ^[28]

Joseph F. Smith

It was instituted by the Savior in the place of the law of sacrifice which was given to Adam, and which continued with his children down to the days of Christ, but which was fulfilled in his death, he being the great sacrifice for sin, of which the sacrifices enjoined in the law given to Adam were a similitude.

The Lord designed in the beginning to place before man the knowledge of good and evil, and gave him a commandment to cleave to good and abstain from evil. But if he should fail, he would give to him the law of sacrifice and provide a Savior for him, that he might be brought back again into the presence and favor of God and partake of eternal life with him. This was the plan of redemption chosen and instituted by the Almighty before man was placed on the earth. And when man did fall by transgressing the law which was given him, the Lord gave to him the law of sacrifice, and made it clear to his understanding, that it was for the purpose of reminding him of that great event that should transpire in the meridian of time, whereby he and all his posterity might be brought forth by the power of redemption and the resurrection from the dead, and partake of eternal life with God in his kingdom. For this reason Adam and his posterity, from generation to generation, observed this law, and continually looked forward to a time when there should be provided for them a means of redemption from the fall and restoration from death to life, for death was the penalty of the law transgressed, which man was powerless to avert, the fiat of God being, “In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,” and this penalty was to follow upon all flesh, all being as helpless and dependent as he was in this matter. . . . In anticipation, therefore, of this great sacrifice which was to be offered for Adam and his seed, they offered sacrifices, more or less acceptably, and in conformity to the pattern given, in proportion to the knowledge of God and of the gospel which they had, and their faithfulness from generation to generation, to the days of Jesus. . . . How do we know that the Bible accounts of Adam and the succeeding generations are correct? How do we know anything pertaining to God and his dealings with men anciently? We know many things by tradition, naturally, by intuition. “There is a spirit in man, and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth it understanding.” There is an inherent principle in man that leads him to faith in a superior or a Supreme Being, who has designed and created all things. The Bible account, being the most rational and indeed only historical one of the creation and the dealings of God with men, we are constrained to accept it, in the main, as truth. Then we behold the wonderful works of God spread out before us, the starry heavens, the sun and moon, the earth on which we dwell, and its times and seasons, its fruits and grains, its herbs and varied productions, its fountains and rivers, mountains, valleys and plains, and the mighty deep, all teeming with life and animation; also the laws that govern these vast creations, and man, the crowning work of God, on this earth, the masterpiece, if you please, whom inspiration teaches us, is the offspring of that eternal being who is the Creator of all things, he being the most perfect in his organization, possessing greater attributes, powers of reason, and intelligence than all other beings, constituting him the “lord of creation,” and the nearest in resemblance to the Creator. We look at these things and we cannot but come to the conclusion that this is not the work of chance, but the result of matured omniscient designs and purposes, that man is the son of God, possessing the attributes and image of his Father, and in the beginning much of this intelligence, insomuch that he was the companion and associate of God and dwelt with him, and knew no sin. The Lord gave him the earth as a possession and an inheritance, and laws for his government, that he might fill the measure of his creation and have joy therein.

We look at these things in this manner, and they appear rational and true, and we are convinced that they are true, that the Scripture, the Bible and Book of Mormon, are of divine origin.

But is this all we have to convince us of the truth of these things, and to confirm upon our minds the principles laid down as the Gospel of Christ, which is called “Mormonism?” These are the only means of knowing in regard to the truth of religion that the world claim to have, or that we had prior to becoming acquainted with the doctrines of this Church, and we were in a measure satisfied because it was the best light we possessed. There are thousands of the most intelligent and best educated men that live, and some of the greatest and brightest minds in many nations now engaged in the dissemination of what they believe to be the Gospel of Jesus Christ, claiming no other means of knowing the truth, than tradition and reason, and they appear to be satisfied with their convictions and faith. Millions of dollars are expended annually in promulgating their religion, they “compass land and sea to make proselytes,” with no other acknowledged evidence of the truth of the Bible, or of the divine mission of Jesus Christ, than that I have cited.

But we go farther than this, although to my mind this mode of reasoning is conclusive so far as it goes, and no doubt is left as to the existence of our Father and God, or that he created all things for a wise purpose, for his glory, and for the glory and happiness of his children, that the earth and the fullness thereof are God’s, although designed for man and his use, and finally to be given to him as an everlasting inheritance, when he shall, through obedience, prove worthy of it. But, as I said before, we go farther than this—there is “a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto we do well to take heed.” There is revelation, a means of direct communication from God to man, a power which can rend the veil between us and God, open the eyes of our understanding, and bring us into proximity to him, so that we may know him as he is, and learn from his own mouth and from the mouths of his holy messengers his laws and will concerning us, as anciently. This is the principle by which Adam knew God in the garden where he was placed in the beginning. God came to him day by day, and conversed with him as one man converses with another, giving him instructions and counsel, for man was pure. And when he was cast out, God did not forsake him, but appeared to him, sent his angels to communicate with him concerning the plan of salvation, and gave him the Holy Ghost to be a light in his path through the world, made dreary to him by being banished from the immediate presence of God. ^[29]

Some . . . limit the power of God to the power of men, and we have some of these among us and they have been among our school teachers. They would have you disbelieve the inspired accounts of the ==Scripture== . . . but we know better . . . . And I say, beware of men who come to you with heresies that things come by laws of nature of themselves, and that God is without power. —Logan Journal, April 7, 1914. ^[30]

George Albert Smith

We will now pass over a few paragraphs, telling of the preparation for bringing forth whales, winged fowl, creeping things, etc., then we read:

And the Gods prepared the earth to bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind; and it was so, as they had said.

And the Gods organized the earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after its kind; and the Gods saw they would obey.

And the Gods took counsel among themselves and said: Let us go down and form man in our image, after our likeness; and we will give them dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So the Gods went down to organize man in their own image, in the image of the Gods to form they him, male and female to form they them.

And the Gods said: We will bless them. And the Gods said: We will cause them to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and to 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.

And the Gods said: Behold, we will give them every herb bearing seed that shall come upon the face of all the earth, and every tree which shall have fruit upon it; yea, the fruit of the tree yielding seed to them we will give it; it shall be for their meat.’

Again I will pass over a few passages:

And the Gods came down and formed these the generations of the heavens and of the earth, when they were formed in the day that the Gods formed the earth and the heavens,

According to all that which they had said concerning every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; for the Gods had not caused it to rain upon the earth when they counseled to do them, and had not formed a man to till the ground.

But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.

And the Gods formed man from the dust of the ground, and took his spirit (that is, the man’s spirit), and put it into him; and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.

And the Gods planted a garden, eastward in Eden, and there they put the man, whose spirit they had put into the body which they had formed.’

That is another testimony to me of the origin of the species. It is to me the simplest explanation of the preparation of this earth for the habitation of animal and vegetable life that has ever been prepared. It has been my privilege to read the theories and to listen to the solutions of this problem by some of the wisest men of the world, but wherein they have differed from this plain statement of facts, as revealed by our Father in heaven to his servants, who were his mouthpieces to the children of men, the arguments of my Father’s sons, my brethren if you will, whom I love, every one of them has been feeble indeed, to bear to my mind a comprehension of the origin of man.” ^[31]

Joseph Fielding Smith

Briefly we will consider the lower part of the bone formation. The skeleton of the lower part of the body is attached to the pelvis, a basin-shaped structure of very strong bones. These bones help to balance the body and like the ribs form a protection for certain other vital parts of the body. To the pelvis the femur, or upper bone of the leg, is attached. This bone like the bone of the upper arm is formed with a ball-shaped end that fits into a socket in the pelvis bone. This gives multiple movement of the leg as the shoulder socket does to the arm, where multiple movement is most needed, and we may be sure that this was no accident and not due to emergent evolution,” a meaningless term manufactured to bolster up a faulty theory—but the intelligent work of the Divine Creator. We might imagine—yet that would be a great stretch of the imagination—that nature might have made one joint connecting two bones but the relation between bone and bone, each part being built in a definite way to serve the definite purpose, and this occurring scores of times, we are forced to the conclusion that all of this came by design and not by emergency,” or chance. This is just too much to believe, and there is no real evidence sustaining it. We might as well say—to use a familiar comparison—that the wheels, joints and springs in a watch came by means of chance, or that the lense in a telescope just happened to grow there. It would be just as consistent! The femur, or upper leg, is joined to the fibula, or lower leg bone at the knees, and like the hand, wrist and arm, it is attached at the knee by design thus giving free movement to the leg, and this was no accident. Moreover, the lower or fibula bone is attached to the bones of the ankle and the ankle to the foot and the foot to the toes thus composing a flexible system to make walking easy. That the bones of the arm, wrist, hand and fingers correspond in large measure in their unity to the leg, ankle, foot and toes, is evidence that should be good in any court of justice that they did not reach that condition by any law of chance.

To a person who has faith in God, and believes in the mission of Jesus Christ, such child’s-play is worthy of ridicule. It is astonishing how men can get so far away from the truth in their stubborn, wilful, blindness to believe that these wonderful parts of the skeleton so skilfully and artistically placed in the body, each bone having a definite part to play peculiar to itself to give to the body power and efficient service, came to that place by chance, and by a continuous change from a jelly-like creature millions of years ago. This doctrine of descent from lower forms is a trick of the devil whose self-appointed mission is to destroy the work of God and the divine mission of Jesus Christ. It is unfortunate that the devil finds so many followers. ^[32]

EVOLUTIONARY THEORY FALSE. This idea that everything commenced from a small beginning, from the scum upon the surface of the sea, and has gradually developed until all forms of life, the beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, and the plants upon the face of the earth, have all sprung from that one source, is a falsehood absolutely. There is no truth in it, for God has given us his word by which we may know, and all who are led by the Spirit of God can understand through that Holy Spirit, the truth of these things.” ^[33]

ANIMALS HAVE SOULS. The idea prevails in general, I believe, in the religious world where the gospel truth is misunderstood, that man is the only being on the earth that has what is called a soul or a spirit. We know this is not the case, for the Lord has said that not only has man a spirit, and is thereby a living soul, but likewise the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea have spirits, and hence are living souls. But this does not make them kinsmen to the sons and daughters of God. They are our Father’s creations, not his offspring, and that is the great difference between man and beast.

It would be a very strange world where animals were not found. If, after the resurrection of the dead, we discovered that man was the only living creature with immortality, we would certainly consider it a very strange world. Yet the idea does prevail that man has a spirit and the animals have not. Some people think this is the great thing that distinguishes man from all other beings.

FORM OF ANIMAL SPIRITS. The fish, the fowl, the beasts of the field, lived before they were placed naturally in this earth, and so did the plants that are upon the face of the earth. The spirits that possess the bodies of the animals are in the similitude of their bodies. In other words, the bodies of animals conform to the spirits which possess them, and which existed before they were placed on the earth; that which is spiritual being in the likeness of that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that which is spiritual; the spirit of man in the likeness of his person, as also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created.” ^[34]

EARTH AND ALL LIFE RESURRECTED. Every creature on the earth, whether it be man, animal, fish, fowl, or other creature, that the Lord has created, is redeemed from death on the same terms that man is redeemed. These creatures are not responsible for death coming into the world any more than we were, and since they have been created by the Father, they are entitled to their redemption and eternal duration.

The earth itself shall be changed from its mortal body, for it too is a living thing now, under the curse of death, and it abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of its creation, and transgresseth not the law-Wherefore, it shall be sanctified; yea, notwithstanding it shall die, it shall be quickened again, and shall abide the power by which it is quickened, and the righteous shall inherit it.”

ALL LIVING THINGS RESURRECTED. I know that, whatsoever God doeth,” we read in the scriptures, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it.” We know that all these creatures are animated by the spirit which is in them, just as man is. The Lord declared through the Prophet that the spirit of man [is] in the likeness of his person, also the spirit of the beast, and every other creature which God has created.” Is there any living creature that God has not made? If so, the power of creation has gone out of his hands. He is supreme, and all life is from him, his gift to every creature.

The purified body will be the same body which shall rise in its perfect form,” and so we read: And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth. For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fullness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand.” ^[35]

David O. McKay

“Youth need religion to comply properly with the purposes of creation. There is a purposeful design permeating all nature, the crowning event of which is man. Here, on this thought, science again leads the student up to a certain point, and sometimes leaves him with his soul unanchored. For example, evolution’s theory of the creation of the world offers many perplexing problems to the inquiring mind. Inevitably, a teacher who denies divine agency in creation, who insists that there is no intelligent purpose in it, undoubtedly impresses the student with the thought that all may be chance. I say that no youth should be left without a counterbalancing thought.” ^[36]

Howard W. Hunter

The approach to the study of most subjects consists of the research of its history and all of the known facts. If we start with history and turn to the commencement of the best known of the ancient records, we read these words: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” ^[37] This statement forms the basis of the Hebrew belief in the creation, that earth did not come about by chance; neither was it created by accident. It is the intentional creation of a Supreme Being for a definite and meaningful purpose.” ^[38]

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.’ ^[39] There was a divine plan. For every plan there must have been a planner, and for every creation there must have been a creator. Could the perfect universe emerge without a divine plan? Could it have come about by some mechanical chance? Such thoughts are against the stronger reasoning. Such belief could not be supported in view of the tangible evidence which portrays that there is a supreme being, one who had a divine plan, one who was the Creator and the builder of the universe.

Not only did God plan and create the heavens and the earth, but the plan also included the creation of man. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.’ ^[40] Thus we are his creation; we are literally his children, in his image and likeness. This would necessarily include the intellect, which distinguishes man from all other animal life. We are creatures of the flesh as well as the spirit, and the great striving in life is to develop the spirit as well as the physical body. True growth is dependent upon our conscious effort in lifting our awareness above and beyond those things which are physical.” ^[41]

Thomas S. Monson

If there is a design in this world in which we live, there must be a Designer. Who can behold the many wonders of the universe without believing that there is a design for all mankind? Who can doubt that there is a Designer?

In the book of Genesis we learn that the Grand Designer created the heaven and the earth: And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.” Let there be light,” said the Grand Designer, and there was light.” He created a firmament. He separated the land from the waters and said, Let the earth bring forth grass, . . . the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself.”

Two lights He created—the sun and the moon. Came the stars by His design. He called for living creatures in the water and fowls to fly above the earth. And it was so. He made cattle, beasts, and creeping things. The design was nearly complete.

Last of all, He created man in His own image—male and female—with dominion over all other living things. Man alone received intelligence—a brain, a mind, and a soul. Man alone, with these attributes, had the capacity for faith and hope, for inspiration and ambition.

Who could persuasively argue that man—the noblest work of the Great Designer, with dominion over all living things, with a brain and a will, with a mind and a soul, with intelligence and divinity—should come to an end when the spirit forsakes its earthly temple? ^[42]

Darwinist and Neo-Darwinist

Charles Darwin

There is another witness that diverged from this divine understanding of nature. In his autobiography, Charles Darwin commented on the changes that came over him as he pursued his studies through an agnostic perspective:

The old argument of design in nature which formerly seemed to me so conclusive, fails, now that the law of natural selection has been discovered. We can no longer argue that, for instance, the beautiful hinge of a bivalve shell must have been made by an intelligent being, like the hinge of a door by man. There seems to be no more design in the variability of organic beings and in the action of natural selection, than in the course which the wind blows.” ^[43]

Julian Huxley

Sir Julian Huxley stated the following at the Darwinism Centennial Celebration at the University of Chicago:

“Darwinism removed the whole idea of God as the creator of organisms from the sphere of rational discussion.  Darwin pointed out that no super‑natural designer was needed; since natural selection could account for any known form of life, there was no room for a supernatural agency in its evolution…

“There was no sudden moment during evolutionary history when “spirit” was instilled in you… I think we can dismiss entirely all idea of a supernatural overriding mind being responsible for the evolutionary process.”  ³

Scripture

Moses 6:63
And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.

Alma 30:44
all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.”

Doctrine and Covenants 93:29-30
Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.

Abraham 3:19, 21
And the Lord said unto me: These two facts do exist, that there are two spirits, one being more intelligent than the other; there shall be another more intelligent than they; I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all. . . . I dwell in the midst of them all; I now, therefore, have come down unto thee to declare unto thee the works which my hands have made, wherein my wisdom excelleth them all, for I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences thine eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen.

Psalm 19
The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech. Night after night they proclaim knowledge. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.

2 Nephi 2:14
. . . for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.”

D&C 131:7-8
There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter.”

Moses 3:4-5
And now, behold, I say unto you, that these are the generations of the heaven and of the earth, when they were created, in the day that I, the Lord God, made the heaven and the earth, And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew. For I, the Lord God, created all things, of which I have spoken, spiritually, before they were naturally upon the face of the earth. For I, the Lord God, had not caused it to rain upon the face of the earth. And I, the Lord God, had created all the children of men; and not yet a man to till the ground; for in heaven created I them; and there was not yet flesh upon the earth, neither in the water, neither in the air;”

Moses 6:35-36
And the Lord spake unto Enoch, and said unto him: Anoint thine eyes with clay, and wash them, and thou shalt see. And he did so. And he beheld the spirits that God had created; and he beheld also things which were not visible to the natural eye; and from thenceforth came the saying abroad in the land: A seer hath the Lord raised up unto his people.”

D&C 88:7-10, 12-13, 36-37, 42-44
This is the light of Christ. As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, and the power thereof by which it was made. As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power thereof by which it was made; As also the light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they were made; And the earth also, and the power thereof, even the earth upon which you stand.

Which light proceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space— The light which is in all things, which giveth life to all things, which is the law by which all things are governed, even the power of God who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things.

All kingdoms have a law given; And there are many kingdoms; for there is no space in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a lesser kingdom.

. . . [God] hath given a law unto all things, by which they move in their times and their seasons; And their courses are fixed, even the courses of the heavens and the earth, which comprehend the earth and all the planets. And they give light to each other in their times and in their seasons, in their minutes, in their hours, in their days, in their weeks, in their months, in their years—all these are one year with God, but not with man.”

Supporting Statements

Robert Boyle

From a knowledge of God’s work we shall know Him.” ^[44]

Louis Agassiz

. . . facts are the words of God, and we may heap them together endlessly, but they will teach us little or nothing till we place them in their true relations, and recognize the thought that binds them together.” ^[45]

In our study of natural objects we are approaching the thoughts of the Creator, reading his conceptions, interpreting a system that is His and not ours.” ^[46]

---

1. ↑ Charles Darwin, The Autobiography of Charles Darwin, p. 87
2. ↑ Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, p. 5
3. ↑ 2 Nephi 2:14
4. ↑ Abraham 3:1-24
5. ↑ D&C 131:7-8
6. ↑ Moses 3: 4-5
7. ↑ Moses 6:35-36
8. ↑ D&C 88:7-10,12-13, 36-37, 42-44
9. ↑ D&C 59:21
10. ↑ Joseph Smith, The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, comp. Dean C. Jesse, pg. 4-6
11. ↑ Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., introduction and notes by B. H. Roberts [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932-1951], 2: 13 – 14.
12. ↑ Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 198
13. ↑ Joseph Smith, The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, comp. Dean C. Jesse, pg. 4-6
14. ↑ Joseph Smith, The Words of Joseph Smith, comp. A. F. Ehat & L. W. Cook, pg. 60,61
15. ↑ Joseph Smith, The Words of Joseph Smith, comp. A. F. Ehat & L. W. Cook, pg. 60,61
16. ↑ Hyrum L. Andrus and Helen Mae Andrus, comps., They Knew the Prophet [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1974], 95
17. ↑ President Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854-1886], 6: 3
18. ↑ Joseph Smith, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 291, also in, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols. 5:343-44
19. ↑ Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, p. 5
20. ↑ Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 vols., introduction and notes by B. H. Roberts [Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1932-1951], 2: 13 – 14.
21. ↑ President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854-1886], 13: 305 – 306
22. ↑ Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854-1886], 13: 312
23. ↑ President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854-1886], 10: 231
24. ↑ Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854-1886], 9: 256
25. ↑ President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854-1886], 10: 221 – 222
26. ↑ John Taylor, Mediation and Atonement, 163-165.
27. ↑ John Taylor, The Government of God [Liverpool: S. W. Richards, 1852], 105.
28. ↑ Lorenzo Snow, 10 April 1898, Conference Report, p. 63.
29. ↑ Joseph F. Smith, The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, Journal of Discourses, 26 vols. [London: Latter-day Saints’ Book Depot, 1854-1886], 15: 324 – 325
30. ↑ Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, 372.
31. ↑ George Albert Smith, Conference Report, October 1925, Afternoon Session 32
32. ↑ Joseph Fielding Smith, Man, His Origin and Destiny [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1954], 247 – 248.
33. ↑ Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:140.
34. ↑ Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:63
35. ↑ Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 2:281
36. ↑ David O. McKay, Conference, Priesthood Session, 1968
37. ↑ Gen. 1:1.
38. ↑ Howard W. Hunter, Conference Report, April 1970, First Day—Morning Meeting 7 – 8
39. ↑ Gen. 1:1.
40. ↑ Gen. 1:27.
41. ↑ Howard W. Hunter, Conference Report, October 1968, Afternoon Meeting 139
42. ↑ Thomas S. Monson, LDS General Conference, April 2010; Ensign May 2010
43. ↑ Charles Darwin, The Autobiography of Charles Darwin, p. 87
44. ↑ Robert Boyle, Father of Modern Chemistry
45. ↑ Louis Agassiz
46. ↑ Louis Agassiz

1. Brigham Young, May 14, 1871, JD 14:117.
2. Wilford Woodruff, “His Testimony, Etc.”, Journal of Discourses, vol. 15, pp. 7-12, April 6, 1872.   http://jod.mrm.org/11/51 
3. M.A. Cook and M.G. Cook, “Science and Mormonism”