"But how is it, Uncle Zed," enquired Dorian, "that so many scientists have such little faith?"
""The letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life," The Spirit has taught us Dorian, that this world is G.o.d"s world, and that the laws which govern here and now are the same eternal laws which have always been in operation; that we have come to this world of element to get in touch with earthly forms of matter, and become acquainted with the laws which govern them. Drummond has attempted to prove that the laws which prevail in the temporal world about us also hold good in the spiritual world, and he has made out a very good case, I think; but neither Drummond nor anybody else not endowed by the gift of the Holy Ghost, can reach the simple ultimate truth. That"s why I have been looking for some young man in the Church who could and would make it his life"s mission and work to learn the truths of science and harmonize them where necessary with the revealed truth--in fact, to complete what Henry Drummond has so well begun." The old man paused, then looking steadily at Dorian, said: "That"s what I expect you to do."
"I? Oh, do you think I could?"
"Yes; it would not be easy, but with your aptness and your trend of mind, and your ability to study long and hard, you could, with the a.s.sistance of the Spirit of G.o.d, accomplish wonders by the time you are as old as I."
The young man mildly protested, although the vision of what might be thrilled his being.
"Don"t forget what I am telling you, Dorian. Think and pray and dream about it for a time, and the Lord will open the way. Now then, we are to discuss some of Drummond"s problems, were we not?"
"Yes; I shall be glad to. Are you comfortable? Shall I move your pillow?"
"I"m resting very easily, thank you. Just hand me the book. Drummond"s chapter on Biogenesis interests me very much. I cannot talk very scientifically, Dorian, on these things, but I hope to talk intelligently and from the large viewpoint of the gospel. Here is a paragraph from my book which I have marked and called "The Wall Between." I"m sure you will remember it. Let us read it again:
""Let us first place," he read from the book, "vividly in our imagination the picture of the two great Kingdoms of Nature, the inorganic and the organic, as these now stand in the light of the Law of Biogenesis. What essentially is involved in saying that there is no Spontaneous Generation of Life? It is meant that the pa.s.sage from the mineral world is hermetically sealed on the mineral side. This inorganic world is staked off from the living world by barriers which have never yet been crossed from within. No change of substance, no modification of environment, no chemistry, no electricity, nor any form of energy, nor any evolution can endow any single atom of the mineral world with the attribute of life. Only by bending down into this dead world of some living form can these dead atoms be gifted with the properties of vitality, without this preliminary contact with life they remain fixed in the inorganic sphere forever. It is a very mysterious Law which guards in this way the portals of the living world. And if there is one thing in Nature more worth pondering for its strangeness it is the spectacle of this vast helpless world of the dead cut off from the living by the law of Biogenesis and denied forever the possibility of resurrection within itself. So very strange a thing, indeed, is this broad line in Nature, that Science has long sought to obliterate it.
Biogenesis stands in the way of some forms of Evolution with such stern persistency that the a.s.saults upon this law for number and thoroughness have been unparalleled. But, as we have seen, it has stood the test.
Nature, to the modern eye, stands broken in two. The physical laws may explain the inorganic world; the biological laws may account for inorganic. But of the point where they meet, of that living borderland between the dead and the living, Science is silent. It is as if G.o.d had placed everything in earth and in heaven in the hands of Nature, but reserved a point at the genesis of Life for His direct appearing."
"Drummond goes on to prove by a.n.a.logy that the same law which makes such a separation between the higher and the lower in the natural world holds good in the spiritual realm, and he quotes such pa.s.sages as this to substantiate his argument: "Except a man is born again, he cannot enter the kingdom of G.o.d". Man must be born from above. "The pa.s.sage from the natural world to the spiritual world is hermetically sealed on the natural side." that is, man cannot by any means make his own unaided way from the lower world to the higher. "No mental energy, no evolution, no moral effort, no evolution of character, no progress of civilization"
can alone lift life from the lower to the higher. Further, the lower can know very little about the higher, for "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of G.o.d; for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned". All of which means, I take it, that the higher must reach down to the lower and lift it up. Advancement in any line of progress is made possible by some directing power either seen or unseen. A man cannot simply grow better and better until in his own right he enters the kingdom of G.o.d"."
"But, Uncle Zed, are we not taught that we must work out our own salvation?" asked Dorian. "That is also scriptural."
"Yes; but wait; I shall come to that later. Let us go on with our reasoning and see how this law which Drummond points out--how it fits into the larger scheme of things as revealed to us Latter-day Saints.
You remember some time ago in our talk on the law of eternal progress we established the truth that there always have been intelligences evolving from lower to higher life, which in the eternity of the past would inevitably lead to the perfection of G.o.ds. This is plainly taught in Joseph Smith"s statement that G.o.d was once a man like us, perhaps on an earth like this, working out His glorious destiny. He, then, has gone on before into higher worlds, gaining wisdom, power, and glory. Now, there is another law of the universe that no advancing man can live to himself alone. No man can grow by taking selfish thought to the process. He grows by the exercise of his faculties and powers for the benefit of others. Dorian, hand me the "Pearl of Great price"."
Dorian found the book and handed it to the old man, who, finding the pa.s.sage he wanted, continued: "Listen to this remarkable statement by the Lord: "For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pa.s.s the immortality and eternal life of man." Just think what that means."
"What does it mean?"
"It means, my boy, that the way of progress is the way of unselfish labor. "This is my work," says the Lord, to labor for those who are yet on the lower rungs of the ladder, to inst.i.tute laws whereby those below may climb up higher; (note I used the word climb, not float); to use His greater experience, knowledge, and power for others; to pa.s.s down to those in lower or primary stages that which they cannot get by self-effort alone. Let me say this in all reverence, they who attain to All Things do not greedily and selfishly cling to it, but pa.s.s it on to others. "As one lamp lights another nor grows less, So kindliness enkindleth kindliness." Yes; through great stress and sacrifice, they may do this, as witnessed in what our Father has done by endowing His Beloved Son with eternal life, and then giving Him to us. That Son was the "Prince of Life." He was the Resurrection and the Life." He brought Life from the higher kingdom to a lower, its natural course through the ages. That is the only way through which it can come. And herein, to my humble way of thinking is the great error into which the modern evolutionist has fallen. He reasons that higher forms evolve from the initial and unaided movements of the lower. That is as impossible as that a man can lift himself to the skies by his boot-straps."
Dorian smiled at the ill.u.s.tration.
"Now, my boy, I want to make an application of these divine truths to us here and now. I"m not going to live here much longer."
"Uncle Zed!"
"Now, wait; it"s a good thing that you nor anybody else can prevent me from pa.s.sing on. I"ve wanted to live long enough to get rid of the fear of death. I have reached that point now, and so I am ready at any time, thank the Lord."
Uncle Zed was beautiful to look upon in the clear whiteness of his person and the peaceful condition of his spirit. The young listener was deeply impressed by what he was hearing. (He never forgot that particular Sunday afternoon).
"You asked me about working out our own salvation," continued Uncle Zed.
"Let me answer you on that. There are three principles in the law of progress, all of them important: First, there must be an exercise of the will by the candidate for progression. He must be willing to advance and have a desire to act for himself. That is the principle of free agency.
Second, he must be willing to receive help from a higher source; that is, he must place himself in a condition to receive life and light from the source of life and light. Third, he must be unselfish, willing, eager to share all good with others. The lack of any of these will prove a serious hindrance. We see this everywhere in the world.
"Coming back now to the application I mentioned. If it is G.o.d"s work and glory to labor for those below Him, why should not we, His sons and daughters, follow His example as far as possible in our sphere of action? If we are ever to become like Him we must follow in His steps and do the things which He has done. Our work, also must be to help along the road to salvation those who are lower down, those who are more ignorant and are weaker than we."
"Which, Uncle Zed, you have been doing all your life."
"Just trying a little, just a little."
"And this will be as it already has been, your glory. I see that plainly."
"Why shouldn"t it be everybody"s work and glory! What a beautiful world this would be if this were the case!"
"Yes, truly."
"And see, Dorian, how this principle ties together the race from the beginning to the end, comparatively speaking. Yes, in this way will men and families and races and worlds be linked together in chains of love, which cannot be broken, worlds without end."
The old man"s voice became sweet and low. Then there was silence for a few minutes. The clock struck ten.
"I must be going," said Dorian. "I am keeping you out of bed."
"You"ll come again?"
"Oh, yes."
"Come soon, my boy. I have so much to tell you. I can talk so freely to you, something I cannot do to all who come here, bless their hearts. But you, my boy--"
He reached out his hand, and Dorian took it lovingly. There were tears in the old man"s eyes.
"I"ll not forget you," said Dorian, "I"ll come soon and often."
"Then, good night."
"Good night," the other replied from the door as he stepped out into the night. The cool breeze swept over meadow and field. The world was open and big, and the young man"s heart expanded to it. What a comfort to feel that the Power which rules the world and all the affairs of men is unfailing in its operations! What a joy to realize that he had a loving Father to whom he could go for aid! And then also, what a tremendous responsibility was on him because of the knowledge he already had and because of his G.o.d-given agency to act for himself. Surely, he would need light from on High to help him to choose the right!
Surely, he would.
CHAPTER TWELVE.
At the coming of winter, Uncle Zed was bedfast. He was failing rapidly.
Neighbors helped him. Dorian remained with him as much as he could. The bond which had existed between these two grew stronger as the time of separation became nearer. The dying man was clear-minded, and he suffered very little pain. He seemed completely happy if he could have Dorian sitting by him and they could talk together. And these were wonderful days to the young man, days never to be forgotten.
Outside, the air was cold with gusts of wind and lowering clouds.
Inside, the room was cosy and warm. A few of the old man"s hardiest flowers were still in pots on the table where the failing eyes could see them. That evening Mrs. Trent had tidied up the room and had left Dorian to spend the night with the sick man. The tea-kettle hummed softly on the stove. The shaded lamp was turned down low.
"Dorian."
"Yes, Uncle Zed."
"Turn up the lamp a little. It"s too dark in here."