The “Latter Day Saints” have often
been ridiculed on account of their belief in the pre-existence of spirits, and
n marrying time and for all eternity, both being Bible doctrine. We have often
been requested to give our views in relation to these principles, but
considering the things of the Kingdom belonged to the children of the Kingdom,
therefore not meet to give them to those without. But being very politely
requested by a lady a few days since (a member of the church,) to answer the
following questions, we could not consistently refuse;--viz., “Where did I come
from What is my origin? What am I doing here? Whither am I going? and What is
my destiny, after having obeyed the truth, if faithful to the end?”
For her benefit, and all others concerned,
we will endeavor to answer the questions in brief, as we understand them. The
reason will be apparent for our belief in the pre-existence of spirits, and in
marrying for time and for all eternity.
Lady—whence comest thou? Thine origin? What
art thou doing here? Whither art though going, and what is thy destiny? Declare
unto me if thou hast understanding? Knowest thou not, that thou art a spart of
Deity, struck from the fire of his eternal blaze, and brought forth in the
midst of eternal burnings?
Knowest thou not that eternities ago thy
spirit, pure and holy, dwelt in thy Heavenly Father’s bosom, and in His
presence, and with thy mother, one of the Queens of heaven, surrounded by thy
brother and sister spirits in the spirit world, among the Gods? That as thy
spirit behold the scenes transpiring there, and thou growing in intelligence,
thou sawest worlds upon worlds organized and peopled with thy kindred spirits
who took upon them tabernacles, died, were resurrected, and received their
exaltation on the redeemed worlds they once dwelt upon. Thou being willing and
anxious to imitate them, waiting and desirous to obtain a body, a resurrection
and exaltation also, and having obtained permission, madest a covenant with one
of thy kindred spirits to be thy guardian angel while in mortality, also with
two others, male and female spirits, that thou wouldst come and take a
tabernacle through their lineage, and become one of their offspring. You also
chose a kindred spirit upon you loved in the spirit world (and who had
permission to come to this planet and take a tabernacle), to be your head,
stay, husband and protector on the earth and to exalt you in eternal worlds.
All these were arranged, likewise the spirits that should tabernacle through
your lineage. Thou longed, thou sighed and thou prayed to thy Father in heaven
for the time to arrive when thou couldst come to this earth, which had fled and
fallen from where it was first organized, near the planet Kolob. Leaving thy
father and mother’s bosom and all thy kindred spirits thou camest to earth,
took a tabernacle, and imitated the deeds of those who had been exalted before
you.
At length the time arrived, and thou heard
the voice of thy Father saying, go daughter to younger lower world, and take
upon thou a tabernacle, and work out thy probation with fear and trembling and
rise to exaltation. But daughter, remember you go on this condition, that is,
you are to forget all things you ever saw, or knew to be transacted in the
spirit world; you are not to know or remember anything concerning the same that
you have beheld transpire here: but you must go and become one of the most helpless
of all beings that I have created, while in your infancy, subject to sickness
and pain, tears, mourning, sorrow and death. But when truth shall touch the
cords of your heart they will vibrate; then intelligence shall illuminate your
mind, and shed its lustre in your soul, and you shall being to understand the
things you once knew, but which had gone from you; you shall then begin to
understand and know the object of your creation. Daughter, go, and be faithful
as thou hast been in thy first estate.
Thy spirit, filled with joy and
thanksgiving, rejoiced in thy Father, and rendered praise to His holy name, and
the spirit world resounded in anthems of praise to the Father of spirits. Thou
bade father, mother, and all farewell, and along with thy guardian angel, thou
came on this terraqueous globe. The spirits thou hast chosen to come and
tabernacle through their lineage, and your head having left the spirit world
come years previous, thou came a spirit pure and holy. Thou hast obeyed the
truth, and thy guardian angel ministers unto thee and watches over thee. Thou
hast chosen him you loved in the spirit world to be thy companion. Now crowns,
thrones, exaltations and dominions are in reserve for thee in the eternal
worlds, and the way is opened for thee to return back into the presence of thy
Heavenly Father, if thou wilt only abide by and walk in a celestial law,
fulfill the designs of thy Creator and hold out to the end that when mortality
is laid in the tomb, you may go down to your grave in peace, arise in glory,
and receive your everlasting reward in the resurrection of the just, along with
thy head and husband. Thou wilt be permitted to pass by the Gods and angels who
guard the gates, and onward, upward to thy exaltation in a celestial world
among the Gods. To be a Priestess Queen unto thy Heavenly Father, and a
glory to thy husband and offspring, to bear the souls of men, to people other
worlds, (as thou didst bear their tabernacles in mortality,) while eternity
goes and eternity comes; and if you will receive it, lady, this is eternal
life. And herein is the saying of the apostle Paul fulfilled, “that the man is
not without the woman in the Lord, neither is the woman without the man in the
Lord.” “That man is the head of the woman, and the glory of the man is the
woman.” Hence, thine origin, the object of thy creation, and thy ultimate
destiny, if faithful. Lady, the cup is within thy reach, drink then the
heavenly draught and live. (John Taylor, “Origin, Object
,and Destiny of Women,” The Mormon 3, no. 28
[August 29, 1857]: [2])
