Give me Liberty!

Call me lazy.  Call it a cop out.  Call it what you will.  Today, I am simply going to offer this for your consideration:

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March 23, 1775.

"No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The questing before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.

"Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

"I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free—if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending-if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained-we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!

"They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength but irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable-and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.

"It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"

~Patrick Henry

Mother's Day... Late

In my effort to re-start and re-vitalize my blogging, I've decided to post my Mother's Day talk that I was asked to give this year.  I likewise have some new fodder for this project as time goes on.  Stay tuned!

NOTE:  I will "blogify" this talk to make it easier to read, etc.   Thanks for stopping by!




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Brothers and Sisters, I’m grateful to be here today.  It was 16 years ago yesterday that, on Mother’s Day, I first became a Father.  So the day has taken on added meaning to me.  I’m especially grateful to have the opportunity to share some thoughts on this special day, commemorating the nobility and value of motherhood.

It seems to me increasingly important and appropriate that we take time to do so, and that it falls on the Sabbath.  Motherhood, indeed the very essence and highest, worthiest aspiration of womanhood, is under constant, brutal attack in today’s world.  Yet the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the binding covenants of Israel are with us and are indispensable supports to righteous women, whose hearts are honest and pure, wherever they may be found the world over.  Reflecting, then, with reverence on the day set aside for reverence seems very appropriate.

I was asked to speak on Mothers in the Gospel—to focus on certain notable mothers in our heritage.  But my thoughts and study have again led me down a “doctrinal road less traveled by” to speak, instead, on Mothers in Israel—the title and at least some of what it means.

In 1942, the First Presidency declared:

“Motherhood [is] a holy calling, a sacred dedication for carrying out the Lord’s plans, a consecration of devotion to the uprearing and fostering, the nurturing in body, mind, and spirit, of those who kept their first estate and who come to this earth for their second estate ‘to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them.’ (Abr. 3:25.) To lead them to keep their second estate is the work of motherhood, and ‘they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever.’

“Motherhood is near to Divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels. To you mothers in Israel we say, God bless and protect you, and give you the strength and courage, the faith and knowledge, the holy love and consecration to duty, that shall enable you to fill to the fullest measure the sacred calling which is yours. To you mothers and mothers-to-be we say: Be chaste, keep pure, live righteously, that your posterity to the last generation may call you blessed.” (“Message of the First Presidency,” Deseret News Weekly Church Edition, October 1942, p. 5, emphasis added.)

As Latter-day Saints, we have a rich tradition and an enhanced understanding of noble mothers down through the ages.  We have added insight into the character and qualities of Eve, the Mother of all living; Sarah, the noble wife of Father Abraham; Rachel and the only woman in the Old Testament to declare herself a “Mother in Israel,” Deborah. (Judges 5:7; 2 Sam. 20:19) 

Additionally, we have access to the contributions of Sariah, and the cumulative example of the mothers of the Stripling Warriors as described in the Book of Mormon.  In our dispensation we have the sterling examples of the likes of Emma, Jerusha and Mary Fielding Smith, Velate Kimball and literally millions more, including many within the sound of my voice.

What then is the difference between a Mother in Israel and any other for whom this day may only be a “Hallmark Holiday?” 

Carol Cornwall Madsen taught in Women’s Conference at BYU, “If the concept of mother in Israel, as applied to Latter-day Saint women, seems foreign and unrelated to modern times, it is, perhaps, that we are too far spiritually distanced from those who knew themselves to be chosen from out of the world to lay the foundation of a new dispensation and to restore and receive the blessings of God's covenant with Abraham.” (Madsen)

Some insight can be gained from valiant women of this Dispensation:

“The image of Mormon women that this title evoked in the past was as complex as the women who bore it. It is evident that in Latter-day Saint women it transcended its biological roots, its familial connotations, and even its biblical associations. "Its meaning has a depth and significance far more important than marrying and bearing children," explained President Joseph Fielding Smith in 1970. [Blessing given to Louise Y. Robison by John B. Whitaker, Louise Y. Robison Papers, LDS Church Archives.] It represented a woman who was both other-oriented and other-worldly oriented, a woman for whom the hundred little incidents that made up the "daily sweep of her life," also made her ripe for the "rich blessings of believing blood," for she was, first of all, a true believer.” ["Position and Duties," Woman's Exponent 3 (15 July 1874): 28.] (Madsen)

A Mother in Israel represents and embodies the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and often, as in the case of rescuing Abigail, comes to typify the Savior himself. (1 Sam. 25.)  She understands and embodies the Gospel across dispensational lines.  She understands that she is a partner with God Himself in ushering spirits from their First Estate into their Second and carefully preparing them to enter the eternal worlds triumphantly—that she is literally taking part in fulfilling the promises made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob becoming, within the covenant, a “[mother] of many nations!”  More, she extends the unique gifts in her possession and her potent influence beyond the bounds of her own home and family, administering to the physical and spiritual needs of Wards, Cities and Nations.   In this sense, one can become a Mother in Israel without having had children—by exerting her righteous influence outward, consistent with her individual spiritual gifts.

Consider the stellar case of Eliza R. Snow. 

 Of her, President Joseph F. Smith declared:  “Inasmuch as Sister Eliza was deprived of bearing children, she is entitled to be called Mother among this people, just as much as the childless George Washington is to be called Father of the people of the United States. She has been a mother to this people[, Israel]. I pray that whenever we think of Eliza R. Snow Smith, we will not think of her as 'Aunt Eliza' in the future, but that we may in truth and righteousness call her Mother—a Mother in Israel." (Joseph Fielding Smith, "Mothers in Israel," pp. 10-12, emphasis added.)

“If any Mormon woman alone lent credence and definition to the title, it was Eliza R. Snow, … She used her influence to raise all Mormon women to an enabling awareness of their favored position among women, of the nobility of their heritage, and of their singular opportunity "to act in a wider sphere and with higher and more responsible duties devolving upon them, than [upon] all others." ["Position and Duties," Woman's Exponent 3 (15 July 1874): 28.] To women dwelling in the farthest reaches of [the Church] as well as to her associates among the "leading sisters" …, the message was the same: "Latter-day Saint women occupy a more important position than is occupied by any other women on the earth. Associated, as they are, with apostles and prophets inspired by the living God—with them sharing in the gifts and powers of the holy Priesthood . . . participating in those sacred ordinances, without which, we could never be prepared to dwell in the presence of the Holy Ones." [Elizabeth Little, "A Welcome," Woman's Exponent 9 (1 April 1881): 165.] (Madsen)

The brilliant women who raised the heroic Stripling Warriors exemplify this role well.  Can you now see a different, perhaps more expansive and nuanced facet to their faithful teachings to their sons when you read, “Now [their sons] … did not fear death; and they did think more upon the ^aliberty of their ^bfathers than they did upon their lives; yea, they had been taught by their ^cmothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them.” (Alma 56:47, emphasis added.)?  Moreover, consider what new meaning may be leant to these words: 

…as the remainder of our army were about to give way before the [enemy], behold, those two thousand and sixty were firm and undaunted.

Yea, and they did ^aobey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their ^bmothers had taught them.  (Alma 57:20-21, emphasis added.)

It is instructive, I think, that these words and those earlier cited from the First Presidency come in the context of war-time as the battle with the Adversary is raging about us and it is in this spiritual combat that the power of righteous mothers is most keenly felt.

Mothers in Israel have the combined wisdom and knowledge to effectively teach the cyclical tale the liberation of our fathers, and Who it is that liberated them and us.  They teach, exemplify and instill faith and inspire others to “perform every command with exactness.”  Mothers in Israel have the capacity to minister to the needs of all mankind quietly—almost imperceptibly—like the Master, in infinite ways.  They are the engine of the Abrahamic covenant.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell declared: 

Liz Lemmon Swindle's image capture the heart
of a mother in Israel, I think...

Just as certain men were foreordained from before the foundations of the world, so were certain women appointed to certain tasks. Divine design-not chance-brought Mary forward to be the mother of Jesus. The boy prophet, Joseph Smith, was blessed not only with a great father, but also with a superb mother, Lucy Mack, who influenced a whole dispensation.… A widow with her mite taught us how to tithe.… The divine maternal instincts of an Egyptian woman retrieved Moses from the bullrushes, thereby shaping history.… Does it not tell us much about the instrinsic intelligence of women to read of the crucifixion scene at Calvary, "And many women were there beholding afar off." (Matt. 27:35.) Their presence was a prayer; their lingering was like a litany. And who came first to the empty tomb of the risen Christ? Two women. Who was the first mortal to see the resurrected Savior? Mary of Magdala. Special spiritual sensitivity keeps the women of God hoping long after many others have ceased. (Ensign,May 1978, p.10.)

Permit me to summarize briefly in closing.  Mothers in Israel are, first of all, true believers.  Their vision of themselves extends far beyond the here and now—stretching across the dispensations of the past, touching and comprehending the lives and experiences of their ancient sisters—cognizant of their place in a Dispensation of “fulness.”  Their vision and self-image likewise extend into the future, informing and calming present cares and concerns with assurances from eternity.  They apply the natural perceptiveness of womanhood to finding opportunities to bless and to serve individuals and families.  They teach and exemplify in so many ways the Savior and His Gospel, His pure love, His willingness to sacrifice for others and quiet, individual acts of selfless service.  They teach and instill faith and bless lives temporally and spiritually.  They exert tremendous power either through the impact of their blessed children or by their direct and gentle touch.  They are builders and organizers, adding beauty and dignity to this fallen world.  They accept the scorn of a fallen and hostile world as a matter of course, faithful to the principles of righteousness and faithful in the promises of the Lord.

“The daughters of the world may grow more shrill,” Elder Maxwell declared, “more hard, more selfish, and less motherly-but the faithful daughters of Zion will be ladies of light; they will be elect because they have elected to follow in the footsteps of the faithful women of God who have existed in all dispensations of time. That we know less than we would like of these marvelous women of God should fill us with anticipation for the day when there will be a fulness of their record before us, a part of all that God will yet reveal. Service less reported is service still. Contributions are never really measured in column inches of coverage in newspapers or even in the scriptures. Indeed, their deferred recognition only mirrors faintly the quiet queenliness of One we shall meet and greet when we leave "this frail existence." (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, Wherefore, Ye Must Press Forward, pp. 80-81.)

On this day then, Sisters, I would encourage you to take some quiet time to re-read your Patriarchal Blessings and reflect upon the significance of your life, of your role, of your heritage and your eternal destiny.  Allow yourself some quiet, reflective satisfaction in the nobility of who you are and recommit to be and remain, in all respects, a Mother in Israel.

That it may be so for each of you on this, your special day is my humble prayer in the Sacred Name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Since My Banishment...

It's been some time since I was banished from Gospel Doctrine class to the Primary.  Yet, my learning and experience has continued unabated--perhaps it's even accelerated a tad. 

I won't detail it all here, because it certainly won't be applicable to every reader.  But I want to pass on some things that were shared with me by some excellent people in the hopes it may be of some use to whatever readers I have, here.

The first is a talk by C. Terry Warner, a profound man and the founder, I believe of the Arbinger Institute.

Here's the Link:  Honest, Simple, Solid, True

The other is a talk by Bruce C. Hafen.  Here's the link to that one:  Love it Not Blind:  Some Thoughts for College Students on Faith and Ambiguity

I hope to get back into the swing of things soon and hope that these are of use to you in the meantime!

Some Notes on Truth, Part I

I have been banished from Gospel Doctrine class and sentenced to an indeterminate time in Primary, so I've kind of lost some of my fire for the blog.  My apologies.   I'll work to resurrect it, however, and will begin the process by posting some notes and thoughts on some specific doctrines.  So, here's Part I:

1. What is the scriptural definition of truth?
1. D&C 93:24-25; Jacob 4:13

D&C 93:24-25

24 And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;

25 And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning.

Jacob 4:13

“…the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be.”

2. John 8:31-36 (note especially verses 32 and 36); John 14:6

John 8:31-36

31 ¶ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [then] are ye my disciples indeed;

 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [but] the Son abideth ever.

 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

John 14:6

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

a. )  In a fashion very typical of God’s communications with His children, the response here is both extremely simple, yet full of deeper meaning.  Truth is defined most simply as “knowledge.”  Of course the content of that knowledge is essential—knowledge of things as they really are, were and are to come.  Still, even with the added information, the definition of truth is broad and open to exploration by any who wish to do so.

b.)  The Savior provided a definition of truth that bears close scrutiny.  On its face, truth is identified as that knowledge which will liberate those disciples who “continue in my word.”  When questioned about the need for liberation, He taught that truth will free the disciple from the bondage of sin. 

Finally, He identifies Himself as that liberating truth, which hearkens to his declaration in John 14:6 that “[He is] the way, the truth and the life.” (John 14:6 emphasis added.)  This declaration is made in the context of His teachings regarding the “many mansions” in Heaven prepared for the faithful and in answer to Thomas’ request that Jesus show him the way.

Moreover, the Savior assured in the above-cited verses that “If ye continue in my word,” then “…ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  This seems to indicate that as we focus our attention upon His teachings, we will come to know Him, and He shall make us free. 

Such a line of thought draws my attention to the initial declaration of John that:   “In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God.”  (JST John  1:1 emphasis added.)

Replacing words as above-defined, then we can read the scripture in John 8 as, “if ye continue in my [gospel], then are ye my disciples indeed;  And ye shall know [the Savior] and [the Savior] shall make you free.”

Jacob’s teaching, therefore, that “the Spirit speaketh the truth,” is consistent with this view for we know that one of the missions of the Holy Ghost is to bear record of the Father and the Son. (D&C 20:27; Moses 1:24; 5:9; 6:66; 7:11)

I should also point out that Jesus’ declaration that he is the way the truth and the life was followed by the teaching that He leads us to the Father and that anyone who has seen Him, has seen the Father.  (John 14:9)

But what do Jacob’s teachings and those put forth in the Doctrine and Covenants teach us about the nature of truth and in essence, the nature of the Savior who embodies truth?  Between the two scriptures as cited, we learn that truth is the knowledge of reality in the three great time zones of the past, present and future (to paraphrase Elder Neal A. Maxwell).  Therefore, if we come to know the truth, or the Savior, we come to know that which comprehends the past, present and future as the Savior certainly does.   Moreover, we can come to know and understand Him and his roles in those “time zones.”  With this increasing knowledge comes increasing appreciation for who and what He is and what He has done for us.

By coming to know Him, we come also to know those great realities ourselves in similar ways, to our own salvation.  For, as was pointed out by Joseph Smith, there is a binding link between knowing God and fully knowing ourselves.  Likewise, we can access that precious perspective within the bounds of divine will, as needed for direction and guidance.

Whether we view truth as it is embodied by the Savior, or view other realities through the perspective of that vital “lens,” it is made manifest to us by the Holy Ghost and that Spirit will be present whenever truth is presented unto us, or whenever it is being presented to others by us (see D&C 50:17-23).

The Tale of Two Davids

Today's lesson concentrated on David's adulterous fall and some of the consequences of that depressing chapter of his life.  There are numerous ways to examine and derive lessons from this episode and I can't begin to cover them all.  However, there were some thoughts that came up today in our discussion of this lesson that I think are worth sharing.

The first is the parallel that I see between David's capture of the impregnable fortress of Jerusalem and his own fall.  When his armies first approached the walled fortress, they were taunted that even the blind and lame could successfully defend the city.  However, the armies of David found a way into the heart of the city through a shaft of their water system and conquered the city, essentially, from within.

Later, ironically, the adversary found a path to David's heart when the conditions were right and succeeded in bringing about the fall of one who appeared a walking fortress of righteousness!  By seemingly small initial inroads into his heart, David was brought rapidly to a conclusion of deceit and murder--something previously unthinkable to one who had repeatedly spared the life of Saul when it was "in his hands."

Equally ironic is David's early regard for the women in his life, including his rescue of Abigail and __ from certain horrific harm and his later disregard for Bathsheba's virtue and the resultant suffering of all those women who relied on him for protection and safety.

But the most bitter irony I can now see in this tale is that between the young man who stood face to face with a ten-foot tall giant--armed with the finest equipment, having the best combat training and perhaps having the most formidable collection of combat experiences in the known world at the time--armed only with a sling and some stones with which he slew the giant and his later cowardly murder of Uriah, a faithful servant and soldier.

As is so often the case in our time, the sin of adultery led to the next logical sin in the continuum, murder.  Surely, no one in their right mind would do such a thing, but once we willingly step into the power of the adversary, we are certainly no longer in our "right mind!"  And the two sins are most definitely linked!

Jeffrey R. Holland, then President of Brigham Young University, had this profound insight in an devotional address:

Setting aside sins against the Holy Ghost for a moment as a special category unto themselves, it is LDS doctrine that sexual transgression is second only to murder in the Lord's list of life's most serious sins. By assigning such rank to a physical appetite so conspicuously evident in all of us, what is God trying to tell us about its place in his plan for all men and women in mortality? I submit to you he is doing precisely that--commenting about the very plan of life itself. Clearly God's greatest concerns regarding mortality are how one gets into this world and how one gets out of it. These two most important issues in our very personal and carefully supervised progress are the two issues that he as our Creator and Father and Guide wishes most to reserve to himself. These are the two matters that he has repeatedly told us he wants us never to take illegally, illicitly, unfaithfully, without sanction.

As for the taking of life, we are generally quite responsible. Most people, it seems to me, readily sense the sanctity of life and as a rule do not run up to friends, put a loaded revolver to their heads, and cavalierly pull the trigger. Furthermore, when there is a click of the hammer rather than an explosion of lead, and a possible tragedy seems to have been averted, no one in such a circumstance would be so stupid as to sigh, "Oh, good. I didn't go all the way."

No, "all the way" or not, the insanity of such action with fatal powder and steel is obvious on the face of it. Such a person running about this campus with an arsenal of loaded handguns or military weaponry aimed at fellow students would be apprehended, prosecuted, and institutionalized if in fact such a lunatic would not himself have been killed in all the pandemonium. After such a fictitious moment of horror on this campus (and you are too young to remember my college years when the sniper wasn't fictitious, killing twelve of his fellow students at the University of Texas), we would undoubtedly sit in our dorms or classrooms with terror on our minds for many months to come, wondering how such a thing could possibly happen--especially here at BYU.

No, fortunately, in the case of how life is taken, I think we seem to be quite responsible. The seriousness of that does not often have to be spelled out, and not many sermons need to be devoted to it.

But in the significance and sanctity of giving life, some of us are not so responsible, and in the larger world swirling around us we find near criminal irresponsibility. What would in the case of taking life bring absolute horror and demand grim justice, in the case of giving life brings dirty jokes and four-letter lyrics and crass carnality on the silver screen, home-owned or downtown.

Is such moral turpitude so wrong? That question has always been asked, usually by the guilty. "Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness" (Proverbs 30:20). No murder here. Well, maybe not. But sexual transgression? "He that doeth it destroyeth his own soul." Sounds near fatal to me.

(Jeffrey R. Holland, Of Souls, Symbols and Sacraments, BYU Devotional Address delivered January 12, 1988.)

While most are able to behave responsibly with the taking of life, there are those-- very many of those-- who, under the power of the same evil spirit that leads them to adultery, are lead to attempt to either cover their sins or to make them convenient by committing murder.

Examine, if you will, the steps David followed as he was being "[lead] carefully down to hell." (2 Nephi 28:21.)

1. He was up on his roof.  David had a "house of cedar" that was surely one fit for his kingly stature and one that would certainly inspire a great deal of pride in his life's accomplishments--which lead him to such a situation where he could survey his newly captured capital city from his roof top.  Pride must have been difficult to resist in such circumstances and, indeed, was an element in the fall of Alma's son, Corianton: 
   "Now this is what I have against thee; thou didst go on unto boasting in thy strength and thy wisdom.
   
   
   

   "And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel."  (Alma 39:2-3.)
   But being on the roof--even being proud of his accomplishments was not the demise of David.
2. He looked where he should not have looked.  He had a vantage point to look into what should have been the private chambers of Bathsheba, who was apparently being obedient and faithful to the requirements of the law of Moses and there is no indication that she was in any way seeking to be unfaithful to her husband, Uriah, who was away at war. (Where David likely should have been as well!)
3. Upon seeing Bathsheba bathing, he failed to respect her privacy and her honor and virtue by looking away immediately.  He noted her appearance and volunteered to lust after her.
4. He sent his servants to retrieve her.  This would surely have several effects--none of them righteous.  He perhaps hoped to impress her with his power and command over the kingdom--maybe even to imply that he could compel her if necessary.  It was certainly meant to save him the embarrassment of being seen calling on a married woman himself.  Perhaps he hoped to cloak his intentions in the appearance of some "official business" through the gesture.  Still, no mortal sin has been committed--recovery is still possible for David.
5.   Finally, the sin is completed.  He commits adultery with Bathsheba, surrenders his will to the adversary and descends into darkness.  Nevertheless, he could still repent of even this evil. 
6. He is notified that Bathsheba is "with child."  Surely he would have known this was likely.  He watched her ritually bathing indicating the completion of her monthly cycle that would mean pregnancy was likely to occur with his cowardly act.  Yet again, he is still in a position to tell the truth, apologize to those he has harmed and offer his support in caring for the life he has carelessly begun (and forfeited through his later actions).
7.  He becomes desperate to conceal his sins.  This brings to mind a relevant warning in our time from the Lord:  "...when we undertake to cover our sins, or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood or the authority of that man."  (D&C 121:37.)  I personally believe that this was a true turning point.  I feel it very likely that it was when his determination became concealment of his crime, he was planting his feet firmly in the territory of the evil one and his desperation grew as faithful and devoted Uriah's refusal to compromise his own integrity drove David into his final act of desperate cowardice.  He sends Uriah back to the battlefield with the orders for his own demise in his hands!

The boy who stood face to face against a giant and slew him through his faith in the God of Israel and brought salvation to the armies of Israel through that act of courage, faith and devotion to duty has now slain a faithful and loyal servant, soldier, husband and friend--not by facing him with honor on the field of battle--but by an act of cowardice, refusing to face him at all.  Moreover, the act was carried out in defiance of his duty to God and his people (especially Bathsheba), again in abject cowardice and he involved innocent members of Israel's army in his murder scheme--leaving it to them to abandon one of their own to destruction and making them a party to his own cowardice!

To his credit, he realized his sin, but it was too late and his repentance over the remainder of his life insufficient to fully redeem him and his family.  The illegitimate child he conceived with Bathsheba died and the rest of his family lived out lives of deceit, intrigue, murder, sexual impurity and brutality in mortality and in the eternities, were "[given] to another." (D&C 132:29.)

David lamentably learned and expressed in his Psalm:  "Behold, [the Lord] desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part [he shall] make me to know wisdom." (Psalm 51:6.)  It is truly in our hearts that the most important battles rage, unseen by human eyes.  But the effects can last for eternity.

King Benjamin's words seem fitting as closing counsel:

"And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them.

"But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."  (Mosiah 4:29-30.)

Ruth

Ruth is situated in the Old Testament between the books of Judges and 1 Samuel, though the story takes place during the time of the Judges--a time of cyclical apostasy for the children of Israel.  Bruce Satterfield pointed out that, "By placing the story of Ruth before the books of 1 & 2 Samuel and 1 & 2 Kings, the reader is given a foreshadow of Israel's scattering and gathering. Further, a testimony of the redemptive role of Jesus Christ is given in a remarkable way. When understood this way, the Book of Ruth becomes more than lovely story. Indeed, it capsulizes the message of the scriptures!" (Satterfield, 2010.)

Proceeding with the assumption that everything the Lord has preserved for us in the scriptures has been done for a reason and that the "types and shadows" are everywhere present to testify of Him, Ruth's story is very instructive.

The image that is most readily apparent to me in the story of Ruth is her eventual role of bride to the rescuing Boaz, bringing to mind the Savior's parables of brides and the Bridegroom.  In this sense, with Boaz becoming a type of the Savior, recognizing Ruth's faithfulness and extending himself to rescue her, Ruth can become any one of us in our quest for truth, or a type of various sized contemporary or historical groups.  By taking that perspective, starting at the marriage of Ruth and Boaz and moving backward from that point, her experience--as a type--may shed light on our approach as individuals or as a Church to the eventual union with the Savior.

Brother Satterfield, in the above-cited article, makes the argument that the story typifies Israel's scattering and gathering and I believe that he is right.  But I also think there are some types of our own experiences, again, as individuals and as a Church.  But, of course, in the broader view of gathering Israel, this perspective still fits.

As we go to the beginning of the story, keeping the end in mind, we see Ruth as the converted daughter-in-law of Naomi.  We are left only to speculate on the character and qualities of Ruth's husband--Naomi's son-- that Ruth was so completely converted that she cleaved to Naomi in their family crisis.  She remained united to her husband's mother and her new faith even while the Israelites as a nation were fractured and failing in their faith.  She was clearly a successfully grafted branch of a "wild olive tree." (Jacob 5:1-10.)  In fact, she was so successfully grafted in that she became a mother of the "stem of Jesse"(D&C 113:1-4)--a mother of a lineage of kings, including the Savior, Himself.

When Naomi, Ruth and Orpah all lose their husbands and Naomi decides to return to her home, Ruth insists on going along, while Orpah is easily persuaded to stay in Moab (remember the building and the mocking crowd in Lehi's dream).  Ruth declares insistently to Naomi:

"... Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

"Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me."  (Ruth 1:16-17.) 

This "adopted" daughter travels with Naomi to  Bethlehem.  She "gleans" a subsistence living from the fields of Boaz and her character and faith catch the attention of Boaz.  His kindness provides extra food for her and protection through his servants and eventually lead her first to lie at his feet and then to enjoy a position beneath his protecting robes, much like a chicken beneath the wings of the mother hen (Matthew 23:37).  He reasons with his "brother" for her hand and her inheritance and secures her and provides her an opportunity to move from near destitution to become a mother of royalty.

Reference:

Satterfield, B. (2002). "all the city . . . doth know that thou art a virtuous woman": the book of ruth. Retrieved from http://www.ldsmag.com/gospeldoctrine/ot/020521ot20.html 

Into Canaan!

We "bid farewell" to Moses this week and now look forward to going with Joshua into the land of Canaan.  From the perspective of "types and shadows," I feel like the upcoming chapters represent somewhat of a departure, at least in terms of the Israelite leader being a specific "type of Christ," with some notable exceptions.  However, the story line seems to hold true and I think we can continue to put ourselves in the place of the children of Israel.

One thing that strikes me, is that in this narrative the "type" of the Promised Land is not necessarily a representation of the Celestial Kingdom.  I have not heard of a need to purge wicked inhabitants from the Celestial Kingdom in order for those who attain that glory to dwell there.  But with some thought and some direction, I've come up with some things to consider in terms of types.  I'll share some of those thoughts as well as some of the other insights I've come across so far.

TYPES

One of my initial impressions of a possible type in the story of Israel's entry into Canaan is one of the millennial era, wherein the bulk of the wicked will be destroyed, but there will remain many who have not accepted and will not accept the Savior and his Gospel.  It also seemed to me that this story is more similar to Lehi's dream than to ultimate exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom as Israel had not fully gotten themselves outside of the reach of Egypt--at least in their hearts.

In class we've talked repeatedly about Moses' challenge not only to get Israel out of Egypt, but to remove Egypt from Israel!  Last week, we noted the song revealed to Moses about the grim prospects for Israel's ultimate success in this regard and the imagery of Israel's constant need to be nourished from heaven by the rains and the dews.  We talked about how this was necessary because, as a "tender herb," (Deut. 32:2.) Israel had not yet sunken deep, sustaining roots, despite their long wanderings and struggles in the wilderness, "to humble [them], and to prove [them], to know what was in [their] heart, whether [they] wouldest keep [God's] commandments,  or no." (Deut. 8:2.)

Another possibility is that this is typical of the first advent of the Savior to the earth.  In this sense, Joshua becomes that type of Christ in that his name and the name "Jesus" are the same in meaning and likely in pronunciation at the time of Christ.  His role of exhorter, also becomes typical in this sense of the first coming of the Savior and the subsequent rejection of his pleas to obey and serve Him.  In this sense we can hear in the command to "possess the land," echoes of the command to "[possess our souls in patience, that we might] have eternal life." (D&C 101:38; Luke 21:19).  (This becomes particularly relevant, I think, when we consider the command in the same D&C verse to "seek the face of the Lord," in light of Alma's comments in Alma, Chapter 5, and President David O. McKay's favored story, Hawthorne's "The Great Stone Face.")  Truly, Israel was in the process not just of doing, but of becoming.  The Lord's people who had once deferred to another the privilege of seeing the Lord's face, were now being prepared and led to be in his presence (though they would not at first recognize Him when he came!).

James Ferrell suggests something more.  He points out that there are some confusing aspects to Israel's approach to Canaan, when we look at the story simply as it is described on its face.  For example, there is the seeming contradiction of the commandment not to kill delivered from Sinai and the command to utterly destroy delivered on the banks of the Jordan!

When we consider placing the children of Israel--the new nation of Isrealites--as a single body, a single person and look at the story as if it was a single individual and liken it to ourselves some interesting points emerge (Ferrell, 2009, pp. 136-146).  We have already done this to some extent in examining the types of their rescue and deliverance from Egypt, or the world.  I'll recap those points, briefly:

1. Moses enters into a covenant relationship with the Lord, learns the plan of salvation from the beginning in a covenant-making/temple setting.
2. Moses is sent on a mission to draw out the Lord's people from within Egypt/to call the elect forth from the world.
3. Moses demonstrates the power of the one true God, particularly His unique power to heal, and in so doing demonstrates the powerlessness of the Egyptian gods. 
4. The children of Israel, (in fact, it's interesting to note that God refers to the entire nation of Israel as a single person in Exodus 4:22-23!), are asked to make a sacrifice, the Passover, demonstrating their commitment to the Lord and their own deliverance as it was offered to them.
5. They are led to and through the waters of the Red Sea [baptism].
6. They are then introduced into the wilderness where their ability to endure is tested.  They commit to obey and fail repeatedly, and are repeatedly offered renewed chances through the pleadings and intercessions of Moses (an obvious type of the Savior).
7. After 40 years of purging their reluctant spirits from their midst, they are brought to the brink of the Promised Land.

As noted in item 4, there are some instances where the Lord refers to Israel as a single person:

"And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, ^aIsrael is my ^bson, even my ^cfirstborn:

 "And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy ^ason, even thy firstborn."  (Exodus 4:22-23.) 

Now, again, place yourself in the position of Israel as this individual.  You have been rescued from the world.  You have offered a sacrifice of a broken heart and contrite spirit, entered the waters of baptism and been guided through repeated efforts to live the Law and through errors and failures of different sorts.  

Now, you find yourself at the edge of the promised blessings or, if you prefer, at the trunk of a certain tree.  Now is the test of whether or not the world has been removed from you, or if you were only removed from the world (but carried some of it with you) through the process.  Now is the "make-or-break" moment.  Will you purge yourself fully--will you "give away all [your] sins to know [Him]?  Will you "possess the land" and find rest therein, or allow certain sinful elements to remain to fester and grow and eventually poison and destroy your peace?  Will you allow the pointing fingers and the taunts to avert your gaze?

Will I?

In a similar sense, President Howard W. Hunter compared the walls of Jericho to mental and spiritual walls we may construct:

"It reminds me of another wall that I have had occasion to visit, located in the Holy Land. I refer to the ancient wall of Jericho. I have stood on the ruins of that ancient wall and pondered its meaning. This experience has caused me to wonder if perhaps there is a “type and a shadow” in what happened in ancient Jericho and what is happening in the world around us." 

President Hunter goes on to describe several historic walls and their inadequacy to fully protect what was within--to warn of trusting too much in such things rather than upon the Lord for real safety.  He also compares them to excuses to cover our own reluctance to serve:

"To satisfy the new demands being made upon us in this great missionary work of the last days, perhaps some of us (particularly the older generation whose families are raised) need to take stock to determine whether “walls” that we have built in our own minds need to come down.
"For example, how about the 'comfort wall' that seems to prevent many couples and singles from going on a mission? How about the 'financial wall' of debt that interferes with some members’ ability to go, or the 'grandchildren wall,' or the 'health wall,' or the 'lack of self-confidence wall,' or the 'self-satisfied wall,' or the 'transgression wall,' or the walls of fear, doubt, or complacency? Does anyone really doubt for a minute that with the help of the Lord he or she could bring those walls crashing down?"  (Howard W. Hunter, Walls of the Mind, Ensign, September, 1990.)

SOME OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST

There have been some interesting points made in the material I've read in preparation for this week's lesson.  One of them is about the significance of the stones gathered and placed at the Jordan where the children of Israel crossed.  

Some believe that this was also the site of Elijah and Elisha's crossings, the site of Elijah's translation and perhaps the site of the Savior's baptism.  The requirement for purification prior to passage and the sacred nature of the place, including the heavenly communication, brings to my mind a temple-like perspective.  Certainly, the argument could be made by appealing to Nibley's comments in his book, Temple and Cosmos.  Certainly, the circuitous route to enter the promised land from the eastern side, combined with the circumambulation of Jericho would bear out this consideration. 

Something else occurs to me as well, in reading this particular portion.  It seems clear on its face that after the proving in the wilderness, the purification and preparation and finally, the entrance into the Promised Land implies a "no going back" aspect to the story.  Certainly, the goal has been to remove the desire to go back in terms of removing Egypt from Israel.  And certainly much progress was made by the children of Israel in the wanderings.  However, Moses' revelation of the song alluded to in Chapter 32 of Deuteronomy makes it clear that in the long run, Israel would fail.  And, while they would not necessarily return to bondage in Egypt, they would likely return to the bondage of a culture of sin, corruption and idolatry that was developed in Egypt. 

In this light, it seems that the Promised Land may not exclusively be a type of entering the Celestial Kingdom but rather, perhaps, an allusion to or type of the receipt of the fullness of the Gospel.  With the first nibble of food in the Promised Land, the manna ceased, and with it the daily, physical dependence upon God for survival--the temporal law.  But the need for constant spiritual vigilance continued, and indeed the figurative struggle for purity became more fierce and intense in many respects.

But the story and this perspective brings to my mind a comment made by the Prophet Joseph Smith to a brother, Isaac Behunnin.  Brother Behunnin said, paraphrasing, that he could not understand the hostility of apostates and speculated that if he were ever to leave the Church, he would simply disappear--he would go to some remote place, farm and live in peace and never speak of the Church again.

The Prophet's reply was, "Brother Behunnin, you don't know what you would do. No doubt these men once thought as you do. Before you joined this Church you stood on neutral ground. When the gospel was preached, good and evil were set before you. You could choose either or neither. There were two opposite masters inviting you to serve them. When you joined this Church you enlisted to serve God. When you did that you left the neutral ground, and you never can get back on to it. Should you forsake the Master you enlisted to serve it will be by the instigation of the evil one, and you will follow his dictation and be his servant."  (Madsen, 1978, p. 52)

Likewise if we, like the children of Israel, undertake to enter into the various stages of Gospel progression--baptism, the temple, marriage, etc.-- once there, we leave neutral ground forever and there is no going back for us.  The waters, as it were, close in behind us barring us from that previous life.

When I was in Brother Brent L. Top's Doctrines of the Gospel class at BYU, he once made a comment to this effect:  "Once you live at a certain level of obedience to the Gospel, the Holy Ghost sears that onto your soul and you can never live below that standard ever again and be happy.  And, in time, you cannot remain at that standard and remain happy.  You must advance."

This sobering reality requires us both to "be strong and of a good courage," and that "[we choose] this day whom [we] will serve." (Joshua 1:6; 24:15)

References:

Ferrell, J. (2009). The hidden christ. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Co.

Madsen, T. (1978). Joseph smith the prophet. Salt Lake City, UT: Deseret Book Co.