In the remarks made by Elder

In the remarks made by Elder David O. McKay this morning, he stated that "the hour and the day have come when the nations of the earth must accept the reality of Jesus the Christ." He summarized the reading of some books with the statement that men believe that Jesus is an etherial, incorporeal spirit, not a personality. In other words, that even Jesus Christ who tabernacled in the flesh among the children of men, has become a principle or a spirit, such as they have contended that God the Father is. ¶

I take it that they may be pardoned in a way for not being able to account for some of the passages of scripture, namely, of St. John's wherein he says that "God is a Spirit," and that we must "Worship him in spirit and in truth." Another of Paul's statements, wherein he says that "there is one God, who is above all, and over all, and in you all, and through all," and a statement of the Master's that "the kingdom of God is within you." Because of these statements they sometimes spiritualize, possibly God himself, more than they otherwise would have done. One of the greatest labors upon us in the mission field is to harmonize the statement that God is a personal being with his divine immanence. Having been created in the form of God ; knowing that he walked and talked with Adam in Eden's garden ; that he taught Adam how to prune the vine and dress it ; instructed Noah in the art of shipbuilding; dined with Abraham on the plains of Mamre ; wrestled with Jacob, and gave him a name so pregnant with big results or blessings, namely that he was not a usurper, as Jacob indicates, but "Israel," one who had prevailed among princes with the Most High ; his meeting with Moses, speaking with him face to face as one man speaks with another, and not in dark sayings ; being beheld by five hundred elders and others ; announcing his pleasure in the baptism of his Son at Jordan's flood ; speaking of him again upon the mount of transfiguration ; and revealing himself anew in this dispensation to the Prophet Joseph Smith — to us is sufficient testimony that God is a personal being. ¶

It is true that Paul said of the Christ that he is "the express image of his Father's person," and the Master himself said, that "he who hath seen me hath seen the Father." The Christ was born of woman, as men are born in the flesh. He grew up as children grow up to manhood. He suffered the distress and pains of mortality, and was taunted by the physicians of his day because he healed not himself as he healed others and raised the dead to life. He was spat upon, smitten and crucified as a malefactor, as other men have been misused, abused and put to death. ¶

One of the procurators of Judea, Publius Lentulus, writing to the Senate of Rome, describes the Christ, his form, his person, the color of his beard, his eyes, said he was accounted as a prophet of truth among his followers and a man of exceeding worth among the Gentiles, and he speaks of him as a man with divine power : and so to the people of that day he seemed a man among men, except to those who believed in his divine begetting. It was after his triumphant ascension from the tomb, when the bands of death had been broken, when he stood before his disciples as an immortalized being, that they came to know him for a verity, as the living Son of God. He stood in the midst of his brethren, and they were afrighted at first, thinking they had seen a spirit, but he told them to put forth their hands and touch him, and he assured them that it was he, even the Christ, and invited them to handle him and said, " a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have. "He even partook of broiled fish and honey with them, convincing them that he had again taken up his body from the grave. He ascended into heaven, and the angels, who stood by, declared that as he ascended, so in like manner should he descend. And John, the beloved, said, "We know not what manner of men we shall be, but when he comes we shall see him as he is, and we shall be like him." ¶

This doctrine is confirmed in the minds of the Latter-day Saints, and of many other people, that Jesus is not a spirit in the sense that he is "incomprehensible," as the creed of the fathers declared, that he is not diffused throughout all space, but that he is an individual and not a spirit merely, as so often taught in the philosophies of men. ¶

I cannot hope in the few brief moments that should be mine to make a full exposition of this truth. But I want to read to you a little from the gospel of St. John, and then, without reading, quote some of the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith, in this day which enable us by the light of truth to harmonize these two principles that seem paradoxical or opposed one to the other. ¶

John tells us : ¶

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ¶

In "Elijah," rendered so beautifully by the tabernacle choir, we read the following words, from the Book of Kings, modified a little by the poet to suit the rhythm and melody of music : ¶

Behold, God the Lord passed by, and a mighty wind rent the mountains asunder, and break in pieces the rocks, and they passed before the Lord, but yet the Lord was not in the tempest. Behold, God the Lord passed by, and the sea was upheaved, and the earth was shaken; but yet the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there came a fire, and yet the Lord was not in ¶

the fire. And after the fire there came a still small voice, and in that still small voice onward came the Lord. ¶

Men have declared that God is found in the blade of grass, in the flowers that bud and blow, in the rivers and in the rills ; that his voice is heard in the thunder-bolt, and that he is found in all animate and inanimate nature. But here in the Book of Kings, we read that he was not in the tempest, he was not in the earthquake, he was not in the fire, but in the still small voice. ¶

I have read to you the key that will harmonize the statement that God is through all things and in all things, and that he is a personal being. He was the "life and the light of men," and the Prophet Joseph tells us that in his divine immanence "it is the light of Christ," the light of truth, that it is in the sun and in the moon and in the stars, that permeates throughout all space, and even the stars of other universes than ours are lighted by his spirit, and "his curtains are stretched out still." That light that is millions of years coming to us from some distant sun is the "light of Christ" as much as it is the light of men. His spirit is through all things, he hath made all things, he was the Word in the beginning, and was made flesh and dwelt amongst men; he is the life and the light of men. This the Latter-day Saint understands. ¶

To illustrate it in its immensity and wondrous glory and beauty is beyond my power; and yet, here in this building, during the night hours, we have the light from these arc lamps that light up the entire section of the building. And yet ¶

it is not the light itself that permeates the room ; it is not the sun itself that comes to us today through the clouds, and makes it possible for us to behold each other's countenances, but it is the light of the sun, not the sun itself. And so it is with the light of Christ that is in the sun and in the moon and in the stars and in all things — "in them all and through them all," and by which all things are made and are sustained. And when men of the world understand this divine truth, there will not be the trouble that exists now in harmonizing the statement that God is a personal being and that God is a Spirit as well. ¶

May the Lord guide us to his praise, enlighten us by his Spirit, give us the courage and faith to walk in his paths, and set our affections upon the things of eternal worth, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶