Truth Does Not Change; It Is Immutable...

Truth does not change ; it is immutable. This statement has been made in substance several times during this conference; the thought is not original. It has come down through the centuries from the beginning, for even in the days of Adam it was made known by revelation. Truth never grows old, it is always new, because it is that which remains when all else passes away. ¶

The Lord has given to the Church the best definition of truth that I have ever heard. We find it in one of the revelations : "And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come." In other words truth is that which endures forever. ¶

A WORLD OF CHANGE ¶

We live in a world of change. Men are born into this world helpless infants. They grow and reach maturity ; they gain knowledge and experience, then become old and die. The earth itself is growing old and changing because it too is mortal, as man is mortal upon its face. All things on the earth must pass away. The earth also shall pass away, for it is decreed that it shall die. The whole universe, that is the material universe which we see, is changing. This truth men of science have discovered through their research. Not only this earth and our solar system but the stars of the heavens are changing, if we may rely on the information which comes to us. In fact the Lord has said that they shall pass away, and these changes are going on eternally; "And as one earth shall pass away, and the heavens thereof even so shall another come; and there is no end to my works, neither to my words," said the Lord. ¶

THE PLAN OF ETERNAL PROGRESS ¶

In observing these changes throughout all nature a man may be led to conclude, without the aid of the Spirit of the Lord and divine revelation, that death is the end of all things ; that the universe itself shall pass away and cease to be ; but this is not the case. These things which we see changing, growing old and dying, do not come to their end. Death is not the end, neither of man nor of the earth, nor of the elements of which the earth is composed; neither of the material universe. The Lord created all things for a purpose. Nothing has he created to be destroyed, but that all things might endure forever. This mortal condition with all its changes and eventually death, is part of the great plan of eternal progress. As it has been pointed out, we lived, before we came here, in the spirit existence and in the presence of God. In his presence we walked by sight, but now we are called upon to walk by faith and pass through the various vicissitudes of life, gaining the experiences which could come to us only through this mortal probation. After death we pass on eventually through the resurrection, and receive the fulness of life in the mansions which are prepared by our Father. Death is a part of the great plan of life, for after the resurrection comes immortality. ¶

UNIVERSAL SALVATION ¶

In one of the revelations to Joseph Smith the Lord said to the Church and to all who are willing to receive it : ¶

"And again, verily, verily, I say unto you that when the thousand years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth but for a little season." ¶

The Lord here is speaking of his second coming, of the millennial reign which shall be followed by a short period of wickedness and then the end. The revelation continues : ¶

"And the end shall come, and the heaven and the earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth." ¶

This does not mean that this earth shall pass away and another take its place, and the heaven thereof shall pass away, and another heaven take its place, but that the earth and its heaven shall, after passing away through death, be renewed again in immortality. This earth is living and must die, but since it keeps the law it shall be restored through the resurrection by which it shall become celestialized and the abode of celestial beings. The next verse of this revelation explains this as follows : ¶

"For all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heaven and the earth, and all the fulness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea; ¶

"And not one hair, neither mote, shall be lost, for it is the workmanship of mine hand." ¶

So we see that the Lord intends to save, not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be re-created, or renewed, through the resurrection, for they too are living souls. ¶

DIVINE GUIDANCE NECESSARY ¶

Men, when they observe conditions upon the face of the earth — and our knowledge is largely limited to our observations through the aid of our natural faculties — are in danger of reaching false conclusions. It is not enough that men be guided by reason and by what they may discover through the natural faculties of the mortal body, but also by the guidance of the Lord. We are all dependent upon divine revelation to know the truth concerning the destiny of man. Man by searching cannot find out God without the divine direction. The mistake made by many who seek for truth through the channels of scientific research is that they depend solely upon their own natural ability to discover, without taking God into account and seeking for his direction. The fulness of truth can never be obtained by the man who eliminates God and divine guidance from his understanding. I was informed one time by one of our scientific brethren that the scientist does not take God into account in making his investigations, but endeavors to find truth by research and the aid of his natural faculties. I answered him by saying, "More the pity, for if they would only go before the Lord and seek him through his Spirit and ask him for his guidance, they would be more likely to find the truth for which they are seeking." That they discover many truths is true, but divine guidance, the inspiration of the Lord, the knowledge that comes through revelation, would save them from falling into many errors and reaching false conclusions. I believe it to be a mistake to search for truth independently of what the Lord has given through revelation to his servants the prophets. ¶

A FULNESS OF TRUTH ¶

Now I must not take more time, but let me read to you one more expression coming to us through revelation from the Lord : ¶

"The Spirit of truth is of God. I am the Spirit of truth, and John bore record of me, saying : He received a fulness of truth, yea, even of all truth ; ¶

"And no man receiveth a fulness unless he keepeth his commandments. ¶

"He that keepeth his commandments receiveth truth and light, until he is glorified in truth and knoweth all things." ¶

I have full confidence in this word of the Lord. Surely the Spirit of truth will be bestowed upon all who seek through the proper channels and in obedience to the proper laws. There is no other way by which the fulness of truth may be known. Man, in and of himself, cannot find it ; he may be "ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." ¶

The Lord has held in reserve for those who obey him this great blessing of the fulness of truth, and through obedience it is received and in no other way. So with all their searching, with all their delving into the earth and examining of the heavens, man cannot discover the fulness of truth without submission to the principles of the gospel and placing their lives in harmony with the Holy Spirit and walking in obedience to the commandments of the Lord. There is no other way in which all truth may be obtained. It is the destiny of those who keep the commandments of the Lord, through their obedience, to gain all truth. The Lord has spoken it. So I understand the words spoken by the Savior in this revelation and also to his disciples wherein he said : "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." And again, in the same sermon: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." ¶

May we walk in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ and let our hearts be so touched by the Spirit of truth that we shall turn neither to the right hand nor to the left in our investigations, but pursue a steady course, seeking always the light which comes from the Lord. Then will we become teachers of men in truth and able to declare the things of God. So I pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶