Ancient Scriptures: The Influence of Thomas Dick

Fawn Brodie noted early on that some ideas in the Book of Abraham seemed to be taken from a book called Philosophy of a Future State by the Scottish theologian and popular science writer Thomas Dick, published in 1825 and in a second U.S. edition in 1830 (Brodie 1971, p. 171-172). Was Joseph familiar with this book? He certainly was; he donated his personal copy to the Nauvoo library, it was available in the local Manchester library in New York, and Oliver Cowdery published an extended quote from this book in the Messenger & Advocate in December 1836. David Persuitte noted some of the remarkable conceptual similarities between this book and Abraham's writings, (pg. 283-284), including the eternal nature of intelligences: "... it is highly unreasonable, if not absurd, to suppose that the thinking principle in man will ever be annihilated." Another book that Persuitte discusses, contemporary with this one states: "But intellects... cannot be called the works of the Father; for they were not generated, but were unfolded into light in an unbegotten manner." Abraham 3:21-22 hits on a similar theme, and Joseph discussed the eternal nature of 'intelligences' in the D&C and his famous King Follet discourse as well.

LDS author Erich Robert Paul (who wrote the book Science, Religion and Mormon Cosmology and "Science and Religion" for The Encyclopedia of Mormonism) states the following regarding The Philosophy of a Future State and other works by 19th century authors: "...[while] it may be doubtful that Joseph Smith consulted any of these works, it is probable that he heard them discussed in formal or casual conversation. Indeed, we can posit with reasonable confidence that Joseph first heard of the plurality [of worlds as discussed in the books of Moses and Abraham] idea during the revivalistic meetings of his youth" (cited in Salmon 2000, p. 143). Another possibility is that Joseph became familiar with these writings through Sidney Rigdon, who had read many of them.

I was curious enough about the influence of The Philosophy of a Future State on Joseph's theology that I went to my university library and examined the 1830 edition for myself. Subsequently I purchased a copy of the 1835 printing, containing the same 1830 text Joseph had available to him long before the D&C 76 and the Book of Abraham appeared. (The page numbers that follow refer to the 1835 printing - in the 1830 edition the same text is always found four pages ahead of the numbers cited below.) Passage after passage seemed to resonate with doctrines in the D&C, the Book of Abraham, particularly Abraham's astronomy, and Joseph's sermons. One major theme of the book is essentially "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth" (D&C 93:36). Dick writes:

"...it may be stated, that the soul of man appears to be capable of making a perpetual progress towards intellectual and moral perfection, and of enjoying felicity in every stage of its career, without the possibility of ever arriving at a boundary to its excursions." (p. 48)

This echoes Joseph's teaching on eternal progress. Over and over Dick refers to different gradations of intelligences which people the vast universe, and which are part of a grand divine plan to attain moral and intellectual perfection:

"This amazing structure of the universe, then, with all the sensitive and intellectual enjoyments connected with it, must have been chiefly designed for the instruction and entertainment of subordinate intelligences..." (p. 48)

"A thousand conjectures and inquiries are suggested to the mind, in relation to the systems and worlds which are dispersed through the immensity of space. Are all those vast globes peopled with inhabitants? Are they connected together, under the government of God, as parts of one vast moral system? Are their inhabitants pure moral intelligences, or are they exposed to the inroads of physical and moral evil? What are the gradations of rank or of intellect which exist among them? What correspondence do they carry on with other provinces of the Divine empire?" (p. 54)

"Again, the mind of man is not only animated with ardent desires after a more full disclosure of the wonders of this boundless scene, but is endowed with capacities for acquiring an indefinite extent of knowledge respecting the distant regions of the universe and the perfections of its Author." (p. 54)

"1. The gradations of intellect, or the various orders of intelligences which may people the universal system. That there is a vast diversity in the scale of intellectual existence, may be proved by considerations similar to those which I have already stated. Among sentient beings, in this world, we find a regular gradation of intellect, from the muscle, through all the orders of the aquatic and insect tribes, till we arrive at the dog, the monkey, the beaver and the elephant, and, last of all, to man, who stands at the top of the intellectual scale, as the lord of this lower world... But it would be highly unreasonable to admit, that the most accomplished genius that ever adorned our race, was placed at the summit of intellectual perfection. On the other hand, we have reason to believe, that man, with all his noble powers, stands nearly at the bottom of the scale of intelligent creation." (p. 214-215)

I also believe that the ideas in The Philosophy of a Future State were a primary source of inspiration for Joseph's conception of Kolob, the governing star of God's creation. There are many similarities in the following passage with Joseph's teachings, including a great capital of the universe, which is the throne of God, the idea that Christ is the redeemer of all creation, not just our earth, Elijah and Enoch as messengers to the 'race of Adam', etc. I am not accusing Joseph of plagiarism; my belief is that he absorbed many interesting ideas of his time, incorporating them into his scriptures and theology. Joseph may not have read the book until the 1840's, but historian John Brooke has pointed out that Sidney Rigdon had read such things, and after joining the church in late 1830 Rigdon made a significant impact on the development of Mormon doctrine (see Brooke 1994, 205-208). Here is a passage very similar to the idea of Kolob:

It is now considered by astronomers, as highly probable, if not certain, - from late observations, from the nature of gravitation, and other circumstances, that all the systems of the universe revolve round one common centre, - and that this centre may bear as great a proportion, in point of magnitude, to the universal assemblage of systems as the sun does to his surrounding planets, And, since our sun is five hundred times larger than the earth, and all the other planets and their satellites taken together, - on the same scale, such a central body would be five hundred times larger than all the systems and worlds in the universe. Here, then, may be a vast universe of itself - an example of material creation, exceeding all the rest in magnitude and splendor, and in which are blended the glories of every other system. If this is in reality the case, it may, with the most emphatic propriety, be termed, THE THRONE OF GOD... This grand central body may be considered as the capital of the universe. From this glorious centre, embassies may be occasionally dispatched to all surrounding worlds, in every region of space. Here, too, deputations from all the different provinces of creation, may occasionally assemble, and the inhabitants of different worlds mingle with each other, and learn the grand outlines of those physical operations and moral transactions, which have taken place in their respective spheres. Here, may be exhibited to the view of unnumbered multitudes, objects of sublimity and glory, which are no where else to be found within the wide extent of creation. Here, intelligences of the highest order, who have attained the most sublime heights of knowledge and virtue, may form the principal part of the population of this magnificent region. Here, the glorified body of the Redeemer may have taken its principal station, as "the head of all principalities and powers:" and here likewise, Enoch and Elijah may reside, in the mean time, in order to learn the history of the magnificent plans and operations of Deity, that they may be enabled to communicate intelligence respecting them to their brethren of the race of Adam, when they shall again mingle with them in the world allotted for their abode, after the general resurrection...

In fine, this vast and splendid central universe may constitute that august mansion referred to in Scripture, under the designation of the THIRD HEAVENS - THE THRONE OF THE ETERNAL - the HEAVEN OF HEAVENS - THE HIGH AND HOLY PLACE - and THE LIGHT THAT IS INACCESSIBLE AND FULL OF GLORY." (p. 244-246)

We read in the Book of Abraham:

...and the name of the great one is Kolob, because it is near unto me, for I am the Lord thy God: I have set this one to govern all those which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest...

And thus there shall be the reckoning of the time of one planet above another, until thou come nigh unto Kolob, which Kolob is after the reckoning of the Lord's time; which Kolob is set nigh unto the throne of God, to govern all those planets which belong to the same order as that upon which thou standest...

I dwell in the midst of them all; I now, therefore, have come down unto thee to declare unto thee the works which my hands have made, wherein my wisdom excelleth them all, for I rule in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath, in all wisdom and prudence, over all the intelligences thine eyes have seen from the beginning; I came down in the beginning in the midst of all the intelligences thou hast seen..." (Abraham 3: 1, 9, 21, emphasis mine)

We can also compare Dick's passage to Joseph's poetic version of D&C 76:

And now after all of the proofs made of him,
By witnesses truly, by whom he was known,
This is mine, last of all, that he lives; yea he lives!
And sits at the right hand of God, on his throne.
And I heard a great voice, bearing record from heav'n,
He's the Saviour, and only begotten of God-
By him, of him, and through him, the worlds were all made,
Even all that career in the heavens so broad,
Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last,
Are sav'd by the very same Saviour of ours;
And, of course, are begotten God's daughters and sons.
By the very same truths, and the very same pow'rs."
(Times and Seasons, 4:82-83, stanzas 18-20)

Joseph's doctrine that there is no such thing as immaterial spirits also seems to come from this book:

To what is stated in this paragraph respecting angels, it will doubtless be objected, "that these intelligences are pure spirits, and assume corporeal forms only on particular occasions." This is an opinion almost universally prevalent; but it is a mere assumption, destitute of any rational or scriptural argument to substantiate its truth. ... The vehicles or bodies of angels are doubtless of a much finer mould than the bodies of men; but, although they were at all times invisible through such organs of vision as we possess, it would form no proof that they were destitute of such corporeal frames. The air we breathe is a material substance, yet it is invisible; and there are substances whose rarity is more than ten times greater than that of the air of our atmosphere.... If, therefore, an organized body were formed of a material substance similar to air, or to hydrogen gas, it would be in general invisible;... (footnote, p. 219-220)

Compare this with D&C 131:7-8: "There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes; We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter."

Dick, in a section called "Degrees of Glory" writes this of the next life:

...we are told in scripture, that the reward was in proportion to the improvement they had made; and that, at the close of time, the saints will present an appearance analogous to that of the spangled firmament, for 'as one star differeth from another star in glory, so also is the resurrection from the dead" (p. 194).

The same scripture is quoted in D&C 76:98 when Joseph Smith is discussing his doctrine on degrees of glory. In the same section of Dick's book we find another interesting passage, which is a major theme in this work: "When we enter that [next] world we carry with us the moral and intellectual faculties, of which we are now conscious, and, along with them, all those ideas and all that knowledge which we acquired in the present state" (p. 191). Joseph taught that:

"Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection. And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come" (D&C 130:18-19).

Not only are the two last quotes similar, but the whole idea that knowledge and intelligence are to be acquired in this world, so that they may be an advantage in the next life where such things will count for something, is very clearly and repeatedly articulated in Philosophy of a Future State. As I mentioned above, the very theme of this work could be summed up as "the glory of God is intelligence."

The rediscovery of the Egyptian papyri in 1967 was a great opportunity to test Joseph's claims about his translations. Whereas with the Book of Mormon, the Gold Plates have never been available for examination, we do have what Joseph claimed was an original, ancient manuscript written by Abraham himself. Joseph absolutely failed this test. But just like the Creationists, Mormons have often put the conclusion before the evidence and they rationalize away facts that any unbiased outside observer would take as conclusive evidence that Joseph was not what he claimed to be. Ultimately, apologists like Hugh Nibley have to resort to the claim that modern scholarship really can't tell us anything at all: "To this day no Egyptologist can do more than pretend to understand the Book of Breathings or the facsimiles to the Book of Abraham. Though by departmental courtesy we credit them with knowledge they do not possess, it is safe to say that they are still without a foothold in reality." (Nibley 1981, p. 52) I'll leave it to the reader to decide who really has his feet planted in reality.