CHAPTER II
The Adamic Period
Adam Holds the Keys.—The Prophet Joseph Smith treats thus the theme of the Gospel dispensations:
"Commencing with Adam, who was the first man, * * * the first and father of all, not only by progeny, but the first to hold the spiritual blessings, to whom was made known the plan of ordinances for the salvation of his posterity unto the end, and to whom Christ was first revealed, and through whom Christ has been revealed from heaven, and will continue to be revealed from henceforth;—Adam holds the keys of the dispensation of the fulness of times; i.e., the dispensation of all the times have been and will be revealed through him from the beginning to Christ, and from Christ to the end of all the dispensations that are to be revealed."—("History of the Church," Vol. IV, pp. 207, 208.)
"All Things in Christ."—Having cited Paul (Ephesians 1:9,10), as showing how God "purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth," the Prophet goes on to say:
"Now the purpose of himself, in the winding up scene of the last dispensation, is that all things pertaining to that dispensation should be conducted precisely in accordance with the preceding dispensations.
"And again, God purposed in himself that there should not be an eternal fulness until every dispensation should be fulfiled and gathered together in one, and that all things whatsoever that should be gathered together in one in those dispensations unto the same fulness and eternal glory, should be in Christ Jesus; therefore he set the ordinances to be the same forever and ever, and set Adam to watch over them, to reveal them from heaven to man, or to send angels to reveal them.
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"This, then, is the nature of the Priesthood: every man holding the presidency of his dispensation, and one man holding the presidency of them all, even Adam; and Adam receiving his presidency and authority from the Lord, but cannot receive a fulness until Christ shall present the kingdom to the Father, which shall be at the end of the last dispensation."—(Ibid, pp. 208-209.)
Distinctive Features.—Each dispensation stands for some particular development of God's work. Each period possess certain distinguishing characteristics, to point out which, rather than to give an exhaustive narration of events and happenings, is the aim of the present article. In the Adamic dispensation, or the period during which Adam lived upon the earth, in addition to the Creation and the Fall, already treated in previous chapters, we find the following distinctive features:
(1) The institution of the law of sacrifice, foreshadowing the Atonement that was to be made by the Lamb of God.
(2) The introduction and first promulgation of the Gospel, as a means of redeeming mankind from the effects of the Fall.
(3) The original exercise of the evangelical power and authority by Father Adam, the patriarch of the human family.
Sacrifice Instituted.—Respecting the law of sacrifice, it is written:
"And Adam and Eve, his wife, called upon the name of the Lord, and they heard the voice of the Lord from the way toward the Garden of Eden, speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they were shut out from his presence.
"And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.
"And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.
"And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.
"Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son for evermore."—(Moses 5:4-8.)
Revelation Necessary.—Adam knew all about the law of sacrifice—knew all about it in the spirit; for he was one of those who had sat in the eternal councils, where the plan of salvation was framed, and the choice made of a Redeemer and Savior. He helped to form that plan, and to choose the One who would put it into effect. Adam knew all about the Lamb of God, slain in theory from the foundation of the world, and yet to be slain literally upon the earth, an event symbolized by the sacrifice that he was in the very act of offering, perhaps, when the angel accosted him. But he had forgotten it all, so great is the change that comes over the spirit in passing from pre-mortal into mortal conditions. Hence the necessity of such a visitation, to enlighten him. Hence, also, the necessity of revelation by the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, bringing things past to remembrance, showing things to come.
The Gospel's Introduction.—The introduction of the Gospel is thus narrated:
"And the Lord God called upon men by the Holy Ghost everywhere and commanded them that they should repent."—(Moses 5:14.)
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"And he called upon our father Adam by his own voice, saying: I am God; I made the world, and men before they were in the flesh.
"And he also said unto him: If thou wilt turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name which shall be given under heaven whereby salvation shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; asking all things in His name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given you.
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"And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time.
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"And it came to pass, when the Lord had spoken with Adam, our father, that Adam cried unto the Lord, and he was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water.
"And thus he was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.
"And he heard a voice out of heaven, saying: Thou art baptized with fire, and with the Holy Ghost."—(Moses 6:51, 52, 62, 64-66.)
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"And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost.
"And thus all things were confirmed unto Adam, by an holy ordinance, and the Gospel preached, and a decree sent forth, that it should be in the world, until the end thereof; and thus it was. Amen."—(Moses 5:58, 59.)
Adam as Patriarch.—Concerning Adam's patriarchal ministry, we are thus enlightened by Joseph the Seer:
"I saw Adam in the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman. He called together his children and blessed them with a patriarchal blessing. The Lord appeared in their midst, and he (Adam) blessed them all and foretold what should befall them to the latest generation."—("History of the Church," Vol. III, p. 388.)
Patriarchal Order and Descent.—Respecting the patriarchal order, the Lord says:
"The order of this priesthood was confirmed to be handed down from father to son, and rightly belongs to the literal descendants of the chosen seed, to whom the promises were made.
"This order was instituted in the days of Adam, and came down by lineage in the following manner:
"From Adam to Seth, who was ordained by Adam at the age of 69 years, and was blessed by him three years previous to his (Adam's) death, and received the promise of God by his father, that his posterity should be the chosen of the Lord, and that they should be preserved unto the end of the earth.
"Because he (Seth) was a perfect man, and his likeness was the express likeness of his father's, insomuch that he seemed to be like unto his father in all things, and could be distinguished from him only by his age.
"Enos was ordained at the age of 134 years and four months by the hand of Adam.
"God called upon Cainan in the wilderness, in the fortieth year of his age, and he met Adam in journeying to the place Shedolamak. He was 87 years old when he received his ordination.
"Mahalaleel was 496 years and seven days old when he was ordained by the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.
"Jared was 200 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, who also blessed him.
"Enoch was 25 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam, and he was 65 and Adam blessed him.
"And he saw the Lord, and he walked with him, and was before his face continually; and he walked with God 365 years, making him 430 years old when he was translated.
"Methuselah was 100 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Adam.
"Lamech was 32 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Seth.
"Noah was 10 years old when he was ordained under the hand of Methuselah.
"Three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah, who were all High Priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and the re bestowed upon them his last blessing.
"And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the Prince, the Archangel.
"And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him, I have set thee to be at the head—a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them for ever.
"And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation, and not withstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation."—(D. and C. 107:40-56.)
The Ancient of Days.—Here is given, by the Prophet, a glimpse of the glorious sequel:
"Daniel, in his seventh chapter, speaks of the Ancient of Days; he means the oldest man, our Father Adam, Michael; he will call his children together and hold a council with them to prepare them for the coming of the Son of Man. He (Adam) is the father of the human family, and presides over the spirits of all men, and all that have had the keys must stand before him in this grand council. This may take place before some of us leave this stage of action. The Son of Man stands before him, and there is given him glory and dominion. Adam delivers up his stewardship to Christ, that which was delivered to him as holding the keys of the universe, but retains his standing as head of the human family."—("History of the Church," Vol. III, p. 386.)
Place of the Council.—The place of the council mentioned in the foregoing paragraph, is thus pointed out by the finger of the Lord:
"Revelation to Joseph the Seer, given near Wight's Ferry, at a place called Spring Hill, Davis County, Missouri, May 19th, 1838, wherein Spring Hill is named by the Lord,
"Adam-ondi-Ahman, because, said he, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of Days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the prophet."—(D. and C. 116.)
Adam-ondi-Ahman.—At that very spot, Spring Hill, Davis County, Missouri, in the year 1838, the Latter-day Saints, by direction of the Prophet, began to build a city, naming it Adam-ondi-Ahman, afterwards abbreviated to Diahman. While engaged in making the survey, some of the brethren came upon the ruins of an ancient altar, which the Prophet, on beholding, declared to be the identical altar upon which Adam offered sacrifices after he was expelled from Eden. The Garden of Eden, Joseph said, was in Jackson County, Missouri, from which part the Saints had been driven, as if to typify reminiscently the original expulsion. In both instances, the tree of disobedience bore the same bitter fruit. In Jackson County the New Jerusalem is to be built, and a people prepared for the glorious coming of the Lord. That America is the Old World, not the New, science now affirms; but the fact was first proclaimed by revelation, whose other name, in this case, is Joseph Smith the Prophet.
Cain and Abel.—Adam's offering of sacrifice was acceptable to the Lord, being in accordance with the divine command, and because it truly symbolized the Lamb of God, who was to come. Abel, Adam's son, offered a similar sacrifice—"the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof, and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering" (Gen. 4:4). But Cain, Abel's eldest brother, who had also been taught the law of sacrifice, took it upon himself to deviate from the divine instruction, and instead of a lamb, he "brought of the fruit of the ground," an offering in no way typical of the Savior. Hence, his offering was rejected. The Prophet Joseph, commenting upon these facts, says: "God will not acknowledge that which He has not called, ordained, and chosen." He quotes Paul (Heb. 11:4): "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and by it he being dead, yet speaketh"—and then asks:
"How doth he yet speak? Why, he magnified the priesthood which was conferred upon him, and died a righteous man, and therefore has become an angel of God by receiving his body from the dead, holding still the keys of his dispensation; and was sent down from heaven unto Paul to minister consoling words, and to commit unto him a knowledge of the mysteries of godliness."
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"The power, glory and blessings of the priesthood could not continue with those who received ordination only as their righteousness continued; for Cain also being authorized to offer sacrifice, but not offering it in righteousness, was cursed. It signifies, then, that the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed; otherwise their priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a blessing."—("History of the Church," Vol. IV, pp. 208, 209.)
Inter-Relation Shown.—It was after the episode of Cain and Abel, including the murder of the latter by the former, that Adam called the righteous residue of his posterity into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there gave them his farewell benediction, foretelling what should befall the human race down to the end of time. That great patriarchal blessing, considered in connection with Adam's coming as the Ancient of Days, to call his children before him in a grand council upon the precise spot where he uttered his wonderful world-covering prediction, clearly shows the relationship between the First Dispensation and the Dispensation of the Fulness of Times.
CHAPTER III
Enoch and Zion
"The Seventh from Adam."—Enoch was contemporaneous with Adam, and was ordained and blessed by him (D&C 107:48). The period in which Enoch figured was prolific of wonderful events, but the two standing out most prominently are:
(1) The successful practice of the law of consecration, resulting in the founding of Zion, the City of Holiness, which was taken into heaven by translation.
(2) Enoch's vision of the future—past Noah and the deluge, past Christ and the crucifixion, down even to the last days, when the coming of the Lord in his glory would usher in the millennial reign of rest.
What Enoch Beheld.—Some of the sweetest and sublimest passages in the writings of Moses, as reproduced by Joseph the Prophet, are those in which he tells the story of Enoch and his city, and portrays the marvelous events made visible to the eye of the ancient Seer. Here are some of the more notable passages:
"And the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them.
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"And it came to pass that the Lord showed unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth; and he beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up into heaven. And the Lord said unto Enoch: Behold mine abode forever.
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"And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?
"And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?
"And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever;
"And thou hast taken Zion to thine own bosom, from all thy creations, from all eternity to all eternity; and nought but peace, justice, and truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep?
"The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these * * * * which thine eyes are upon shall perish in the floods; and behold, I will shut them up; a prison have I prepared for them.
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"And Enoch also saw Noah, and his family; that the posterity of all the sons of Noah should be saved with a temporal salvation.
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"And behold, Enoch saw the days of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me.
"And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone forth out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a season abide upon my face?
"And when Enoch heard the earth mourn, he wept, and cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, wilt thou not have compassion upon the earth? Wilt thou not bless the children of Noah?
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"And the Lord said unto Enoch: As I live, even so will I come in the last days, in the days of wickedness and vengeance, to fulfil the oath which I have made unto you concerning the children of Noah:
"And the day shall come that the earth shall rest, but before that day the heavens shall be darkened, and a veil of darkness shall cover the earth; and the heavens shall shake, and also the earth; and great tribulations shall be among the children of men, but my people will I preserve;
"And righteousness will I send down out of heaven, and truth will I send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and also the resurrection of all men; and righteousness and truth will I cause to sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out mine elect from the four quarters of the earth, unto a place which I shall prepare, an Holy City, that my people may gird up their loins, and be looking forth for the time of my coming; for there shall be my tabernacle, and it shall be called Zion, a New Jerusalem.
"And the Lord said unto Enoch: Then shalt thou and all thy city meet them there, and we will receive them into our bosom, and they shall see us; and we will fall upon our necks, and we will kiss each other;
"And there shall be mine abode, and it shall be Zion, which shall come forth out of all the creations which I have made; and for the space of a thousand years the earth shall rest.
"And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a thousand years."—(Moses 7:18-64.)
A fuller account of Enoch's ministry as prophet, seer, and preacher of righteousness, may be found in that chapter of the Book of Moses from which the foregoing paragraphs are taken.
A Terrestrial Ministry.—"Now this Enoch," says the Prophet Joseph, "God reserved unto himself, that he should not die at that time, and appointed unto him a ministry unto terrestrial bodies, of whom there has been but little revealed. He is reserved also unto the presidency of a dispensation. * * * He appeared unto Jude, as Abel did unto Paul (Jude 14,15). * * * Paul was also acquainted with this character, and received instructions from him: "By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death, and was not found, because God had translated him" (Heb. 11:5).
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"Now the doctrine of translation is a power which belongs to this Priesthood. There are many things which belong to the powers of the Priesthood and the keys thereof, that have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world; they are hid from the wise and prudent to be revealed in the last times.
"Many have supposed that the doctrine of translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken immediately into the presence of God, and into an eternal fulness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place prepared for such characters, he held in reserve to be ministering angels unto many planets, and who as yet have not entered into so great a fullness as those who are resurrected from the dead."—("History of the Church," Vol. IV, pp. 209, 210.)
Enoch's City to Return.—Enoch's city, according to this teaching, is now in terrestrial glory, awaiting its return to earth, when the season is ripe, and preparations are complete for its reception. The change wrought upon its inhabitants by translation not being equivalent to resurrection, they will have to undergo a further change, to prepare them for celestial glory. Doubtless their case is similar to that of the Saints mentioned by Paul, who will not "sleep" in death, but be changed "in the twinkling of an eye" to complete immortality, at the time of the coming of the Son of God.—(I Cor. 15:51, 52.)
Zion Above and Zion Beneath.—The Zion of Enoch was undoubtedly a foreshadowing of the Zion of the last days, with which it will blend, and the following glorious picture then be realized:
"The Lord hath brought again Zion:
The Lord hath redeemed his people, Israel,
According to the election of grace,
Which was brought to pass by the faith
And covenant of their fathers.
The Lord hath redeemed his people,
And Satan is bound and time is no longer:
The Lord hath gathered all things in one:
The Lord hath brought down Zion from above.
The Lord hath brought up Zion from beneath.
The earth hath travailed and brought forth her strength:
And truth is established in her bowels:
And the heavens have smiled upon her:
And she is clothed with the glory of her God:
For he stands in the midst of his people:
Glory, and honor, and power, and might,
Be ascribed to our God; for he is full of mercy,
Justice, grace and truth, and peace,
For ever and ever. Amen."—(D. and C. 84:99-102.)