An immortal man, in progress of perfection, or quickened with a lesser degree of glory, is called _an angel_.
An immortal spirit of man, not united with a fleshly tabernacle, is called a spirit.
An immortal man, clothed with a mortal tabernacle, is called a man.
It may then consistently enough be said, that there are, in a subordinate sense, a plurality of G.o.ds, or rather of the sons of G.o.d; although there is one Supreme Head, who is over all, and through all, and in all His sons, by the power of His Spirit.
Jesus Christ and his Father are two persons, in the same sense as John and Peter are two persons. Each of them has an organized, individual tabernacle, embodied in material form, and composed of material substance, in the likeness of man, and possessing every organ, limb, and physical part that man possesses.
There is no more mystery connected with their oneness, than there is in the oneness of Enoch and Elijah, or of Paul and Silas.
Their oneness consists of a oneness of spirit, intelligence, attributes, knowledge, or power.
If Enoch, Elijah, Abraham, Peter, Paul, and millions of others ever attain to the immortal life, and their fleshly tabernacles be quickened by a fulness of celestial life and light, intelligence and power, then it can be said of them, _they are one, as the Father and Son are one_.
It could then be said of each of them, in him dwells all the fulness of the powers and attributes of the Eternal G.o.d, or, in other words, he possesses endless life, together with all intelligence, knowledge, light, and power. He therefore has the same mind as all the others--is in communication and in perfect union with each and all of them.
All these are G.o.ds, or sons of G.o.d--they are the Kings, Princes, Priests, and n.o.bles of Eternity. But over them all there is a Presidency or Grand Head, who is the Father of all. And next unto him is Jesus Christ, the eldest born, and first heir of all the realms of light.
Every person knows, by reflection, that intelligence may be imparted without diminishing the store possessed by the giver. Therefore it follows, that millions of individual beings may each receive all the attributes of eternal life, and light, and power.
Again it follows, that in the use of this power, by consent and authority of the head, any one of these G.o.ds may create, organize, people, govern, control, exalt, glorify and enjoy worlds on worlds, and the inhabitants thereof; or, in other words, each of them can find room in the infinitude of s.p.a.ce, and unoccupied chaotic elements in the boundless storehouse of eternal riches, with which to erect for himself thrones, princ.i.p.alities, and powers, over which to reign in still increasing might, majesty and dominion, for ever and ever.
All these are kingdoms which, together with their Kings, are in subordination to the great Head and Father of all, and to Jesus Christ the first born, and first heir, among the sons of G.o.d.
All these kingdoms, with all their intelligences, are so many acquisitions to _His_ dominion who is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and of whom it is written, by the Prophet Isaiah, "Of the increase of his kingdom there shall be no end."
All these are so many colonies of our race, multiplied, extended, transplanted, and existing for ever and ever, as occupants of the numberless planetary systems which do now exist, or which will roll into order, and be peopled by the operations of the Holy Spirit, in obedience to the mandates of the sons of G.o.d.
These kingdoms present every variety and degree in the progress of the great science of life, from the lowest degradation amid the realms of death, or the rudimental stages of elementary existence, upward through all the ascending scale, or all the degrees of progress in the science of eternal life and light, until some of them in turn arise to thrones of eternal power.
Each of these G.o.ds, including Jesus Christ and his Father, being in possession of not merely an organized spirit, but a glorious immortal body of flesh and bones, is subject to the laws which govern, of necessity, even the most refined order of physical existence.
All physical element, however embodied, quickened, or refined, is subject to the general laws necessary to all existence.
Some of these laws are as follows--
First. Each atom, or embodiment of atoms, necessarily occupies a certain amount of s.p.a.ce.
Second. No atom, or embodiment of atoms, can occupy the identical s.p.a.ce occupied by other atoms or bodies.
Third. Each individual organized intelligence must possess the power of self motion to a greater or less degree.
Fourth. All voluntary motion implies an inherent will, to originate and direct such motion.
Fifth. Motion, of necessity, implies that a certain amount of time is necessary, in pa.s.sing from one portion of s.p.a.ce to another.
These laws are absolute and unchangeable in their nature, and apply to all intelligent agencies which do or can exist.
They, therefore, apply with equal force to the great, supreme, eternal Father of the heavens and of the earth, and to His meanest subjects.
It is, therefore, an absolute impossibility for G.o.d the Father, or Jesus Christ, to be everywhere personally present.
The omnipresence of G.o.d must therefore be understood in some other way than of His bodily or personal presence.
This leads to the investigation of that substance called the Holy Spirit.
As the mind pa.s.ses the boundaries of the visible world, and enters upon the confines of the more refined and subtle elements, it finds itself a.s.sociated with certain substances in themselves invisible to our gross organs, but clearly manifested to our intellect by their tangible operations and effects.
The very air we breathe, although invisible to our sight, is clearly manifested to our sense of feeling. Its component parts may be a.n.a.lyzed. Nay more, the human system itself is an apparatus which performs a chemical process upon that element. It is received into the system by the act of respiration, and there immediately undergoes the separation of its component parts.
The one part, retained and incorporated in the animal system, diffuses life and animation, by supplying the necessary animal heat, &c., while the other part, not adapted to the system, is discharged from the lungs to mingle with its native element.
There are several of these subtle, invisible substances but little understood as yet by man, and their existence is only demonstrated by their effects. Some of them are recognized under the several terms, electricity, galvanism, magnetism, animal magnetism, spiritual magnetism, essence, spirit, &c.
The purest, most refined and subtle of all these substances, and the one least understood, or even recognized, by the less informed among mankind, is that substance called the Holy Spirit.
This substance, like all others, is one of the elements of material or physical existence, and therefore subject to the necessary laws which govern all matter, as before enumerated.
Like the other elements, its whole is composed of individual particles. Like them, each particle occupies s.p.a.ce, possesses the power of motion, requires time to move from one part of s.p.a.ce to another, and can in no wise occupy two s.p.a.ces at once. In all these respects it differs nothing from all other matter.
This substance is widely diffused among the elements of s.p.a.ce. This Holy Spirit, under the control of the Great Eloheim, is the grand moving cause of all intelligences, and by which they act.
This is the great, positive, controlling element of all other elements. It is omnipresent by reason of the infinitude of its particles, and it comprehends all things.
It is the controlling agent or executive, which organizes and puts in motion all worlds, and which, by the mandate of the Almighty, or of any of His commissioned agents, performs all the mighty wonders, signs and miracles, ever manifested in the name of the Lord--the turning of the earth backward on its axis, the dividing of the sea, the removing of a mountain, the raising of the dead, or the healing of the sick.
It penetrates the pores of the most solid substances, pierces the human system to its most inward recesses, discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. It has power to move through s.p.a.ce with an inconceivable velocity, far exceeding the tardy motions of electricity, or of physical light.
It comprehends the past, present, and future, in all their fulness.
Its inherent properties embrace all the attributes of intelligence and affection.
It is endowed with knowledge, wisdom, truth, love, charity, justice, and mercy, in all their ramifications.
In short, it is the attributes of the eternal power and G.o.dhead.
Those beings who receive of its fulness are called sons of G.o.d, because they are perfected in all its attributes and powers, and being in communication with it, can, by its use, perform all things.
Those beings who receive not a fulness, but a measure of it, can know and perform some things, but not all.
This is the true light, which in some measure illuminates all men. It is, in its less refined particles, the physical light which reflects from the sun, moon, and stars, and other substances; and by reflection on the eye, makes visible the truths of the outward world.
It is, also, in its higher degrees, the intellectual light of our inward and spiritual organs, by which we reason, discern, judge, compare, comprehend and remember the subjects within our reach.
Its inspiration const.i.tutes instinct in animal life, reason in man, vision in the Prophets, and is continually flowing from the G.o.dhead throughout all His creatures.
Such is the G.o.dhead, as manifested in His words, and in His works. He dwells in His own eternal palaces of precious stones and gold, in the Royal City of the heavenly Jerusalem.
He sits enthroned in the midst of all His creations, and is filled and encircled with light unapproachable by those of the lower spheres.