Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-20
THE REALITY OF THINGS.

"The elements are eternal" That Is
truth revealed from heaven, 1t was
declared by the Prophet Of the nine
teenth century, whose uiterances con-
tained more of scientific truth than
those OF any religious teacher OF mod
ern times. In that simple statement
the reality OF matter Is proclaimed.
There are two kinds OF substance in
the universe, as explained through the
same channel and learned from the
same source, and they are called
spirit and element" The usual words
used TO designate their difference Is
Esprit or mind, and natter" But all
actual substance Is material, although
there Is an essential difference between
tho primary elements Of physical be-
ing and the spiritual essence that
dwells in and gives life to them
That which has none OF the proper
ties OF matter Is not substance. Energy
or force, proceeds from substance and
O. on agency OF that from which 1t
emanatos. Motion Is immaterial; that
which moves Is material; but motion
Is not substance, while the thing that
moves Is substantial. Spirit has prop.
critics different from those Of the gros-
ser elements. which we commonly call
matter. But those substantial forms
with which We are familiar differ great
~ among themselves. and each has
peculiarities Of IS own, Air diners
from water but each IL material, and
20 are the gases that enter into the
composition OF either OF them. The diff
ference between oxygen and lead does
not render the former tmmatcriaL And
the stil greater difference between
spirit and element Is no proof that spir-
It is immateral.
Things spiritual and things physical
are all realities; that is the point to
which we direct attention. The fancI
fu philosophy, falsely called science,
that pronounces matter unreal. and de-
clares that It came from nothing aud
viii return to nothngness has attract.
ed many minds and led them astray
from the simple truth, Tho assertion
that "phenomena are merely appear
anccs, not realities" Is misleading,
while It Is true that the forms IN which
they appear may be transitory, yet
they are not mere illusions They
arc something and their substance Is
real. Their elementary particles are
permanent. They are indestructiblc,
They cannot he annihlated. As some
thing cannot he evolved from nothing,
so something cannot be dissolved into
nothing,
Creation means organization or for
nation II does not signify the pro-
ductlon OF something from nothing,
as supposed by many theologians. God
created man, we are told in Scripture
but lie formed him out Of the dust
of tho earth" And In creating the
earth and other worlds he formed
them also out Of pre-eNist-
ing materials or eternal clements.
The phenomena Of nature are not III
lusIons." no matter how brief may be
their appearance in temporary forms,
when we behold flower and admire
its beauty, we know 1t viii fade and
10 TO decay, but while IT lasts ~ a
flower Il Is q reality not an Illusion.
There is nothing deceptive I'm It's effect
upon our senses We know II II sub
stantial, and as It's elementary parti-
Giles are eternal and indestructlble the
flower itself is no myth or Pigment Of
imagination The fact that It's form
will change does not alter the nature
of It's substance. Water may be dis
solved into yapor aud that may pass
out Of human vision, but we know II
Il not annihilated, and that IL may be-
reformed into wuter because It's elo-
mentary particles are permanent II
was real as water, also as vapor, and
the same as the CAGES that composed It,
and as their original elements.
The period IN which the form Of a
thing exists, whether long or short,
does not affect ils reality An oak
that lasts for hundred years or moro
is no greater reality than Is the blade
OF grass that today Is and tomorrow
apparently passes away The gnat is
as real as the elephant. The infant Of
an hour IS az real as a ccntenarian,
and tho Hight that flashes for a mo-
ment as real ag the star-beam that
glows on and ever. None Of these
things are Illusions or dolusions and
their appearance or disappearance does
not change their substantially.
The permanence Of substance renders
possible the resurrection from the
dead which y. an essential doctrine
Of the Christian religion, The an.
nounoement BY the early Apostles OF
that faith-"christ is risen" Is tunda.