The Washington herald., 1917-09-02

WE BELIEVE THAI THROUGH
THE ATONEMENT OF CHRIST ALL
MANKIND MAY BE SAVED, BY
OBEDIENCE TO THE LAWS AND
ORDINANCES OF THE GOSPEL.
In earlier articles of this series 1t
has been shown that mortality is di-
vinely provided as a means of school
ing and test, whereby the spirit off,
spring of God may develop their pow
ers and demonstrate their characters,
Every one of us has been advanced
from the unembodied or preexistent
state to our present condition, In
which the Individual spirit is tempor-
arily united with body of flesh and
bones Yet this promotion to the
mortal state is regarded by many as
a degradation: and We are prone to
bewail the fallen condition of the race
as an unmitigatcd calamity. The
Scriptures make plain the glorious
truth that man may rise far above
the plane upon which he existed before
his birth in the flesh. We have stoop-
ed that we may conquer; we have
been permitted to descend only that
we may attain greater heights.
The transgression of cur parents In
Eden was foreseen, and the DIVINE
plan provided a means of redemp-
ticn. The Eternal Father, who is
verify the Father of our spirits. well
understood the diverse natures and
varied capacities of His unembodied
children; and it was plain to Him.
even from the beginning, that in the
school of mortal life some would
succeed while others would fail; some
would be faithful and others false;
some would choose the good, others
the evil; some would seek the way OF
life while others would follow the
road TO destruction. He forsaw that
His commandments would be dis
obevcd and His law violated; and
that men, shut out form His presence
and left to themselves would sink
rather than rise, would retrograde
rather than advance, and would be
lost to the heavens. 1t was plain to
Him that death would enter the
world. and that the possession of
bodies by His children would be Of
brief individual duration.
A Redeemer was chosen, and that
even before the foundation Of the
world. He, the first born among all
the spirit children of God. was to
come, to earth, clothed with the at
tributes of both Godhood and man.
hood, to teach men the saving prin-
ciples of the eternal Gospel and so
establish on earth the terms and
conditions of salvation. In consum-
nation of His mission, Christ gave up
His life as a voluntary and viCarious
sacrifice for the race. Through the
Atonement wrought by Him the power
of death has been overcome; for while
all men must die, their resurrection
is assured. The effect of Christ's
Atonement upon the race is twofold:
/. The eventual resurrection of all
men, whether righteous or wicked.
This constitutes r E D Z NJ P T o n
from the Fall. and since the Fall
came through individual transGres-
sion, in all justice relief therefrom
must be made universal and un-
conditional. Thus we read:
THEREFORE, AS BY THE Of
FENCE OF ONE JUDGMENT
CAME UPON ALL MEN TO CON-
DEMNATION: EVEN, so BY THE
RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ONE THE
FREE GIFT CAME UPON ALL MEN
UNTO JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE
(Romans 5:1S).
2. The providing OF a means whereby
reparation may be made and forgive
ness be obtained for individual sin,
This constitutes SALVATION. and Is
made available to all through OBE-