We could argue that section 76 of the Doctrine and Covenants has had more impact on Church members than any other section in the D&C. Prior to the vision described in the revelation, Church members, and Christianity in general, had one of two conceptions of the next life; either a dualistic heaven and hell, or the universalistic idea that everyone would be saved in heaven. “The Vision”, as it was called, changed the Latter-day Saint understanding of the next life, and in the process, of how we should act in this life.

The impact even led to rendering the vision in verse. “A Vision” was published in the original Times and Seasons in 1843, and I published it here four years ago, when our Sunday School lesson covered the same section. While the text was attributed to Joseph Smith, the verse version is likely the work of W. W. Phelps. The poetry follows the text of the vision fairly closely.

D&C 76 is closely tied to the plan of salvation, so the ideas presented in the Come Follow Me lesson touch on this theme.

 

Salvation comes through Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

One of the ways that “The Vision” can enhance our discussions of the plan of salvation is its integration of the role of the Savior in the plan. While the plan of salvation is a frequent topic in LDS poetry, the role of Christ isn’t always prominent. The following poem emphasizes Jehovah’s role throughout the plan, from its beginning through the atonement and the resurrection.

 

Eternity of Matter

by M. T.

Six thousand years ago, we’re told,

Deep Darkness brooded o’er the world;

All matter in confusion ran-

Unorganized, without a plan;

In all the vast expanse around

Naught of created good was found.

But lo! Jehovah’s word goes forth;

Behold, the elements are earth!

Yes from invisibles appear

A sight most beautiful fair;

This glorious earth in order stood,

And God, the Father, call’d it good.

When every thing is formed complete,

When beast and bird in praise unite,

With plants and flowers, spread far and near,

And lofty trees their branches rear;

To rule, direct, and dress the same,

From earth, is framed God’s image-man.

He strew’d a calm, delightful place

With flowers, and fruits of richest taste;

Of all these fruits, did He declare,

Thou mayest freely eat, and share;

All, save one tree, the which, the day

Thou eat’st thereof thou’lt surely die.

Man now enjoyed a paradise,

And oft, with God, talked face to face;

With all he was not satisfied;

But, tempted, ate the fruit-and died.

Thus, death was brought upon us all,

And all things curs’d thro’ Adam’s fall.

But now, what mercy doth appear?

Jesus, the Christ, to earth draws near;

He takes upon him sinful flesh,

Endures the curse of sin and death;

“Just for the unjust”-lo! he dies!

And, thus, the law he satisfies.

This is the glorious gospel plan,

Which brought salvation down to man;

And from the curse of sin restor’d,

The earth and all things to the Lord-

Who will, in His own time, restore

Creation, as it was before.

And, as the Savior burst the tomb,

To flourish in immortal bloom,

So will the resurrection’s power,

To an unchanging state, restore

The elements of which the earth,

From chaos, first was called forth.

1841

 

I can understand God’s will “by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The will of God is perhaps the trickiest element of the plan of salvation. While we have the example, as the following poem clarifies, of Christ on the cross submitting his will to God, we often struggle to know God’s will in our lives, too often submitting to the will of others who claim to somehow know for us what God’s will is.

Annie Lauritzen was born in Richfield, Utah, married and lived there until mid-life and then moved with her family to southern Utah. She was a prolific poet, with her work frequently appearing in LDS publications through the early 20th century. She passed away in 1942.

 

Thy Will be Done

by Annie G. Lauritzen

“Thy will, O God, not mine, be done.”

So spake the Lord in agony,

While in that dark and deep despair,

Alone in drear Gethsemane;

Repeated o’er upon the cross

Of cruel, bleak Mount Calvary.

 

Come unto me, thou gift divine,

Of faith in God, that I may see

The wisdom of a Father’s love,

Who loves while yet he chastens me;

That understanding him while here

Prepares me for eternity.

 

Oh, give me light thy will to know;

Oh, give me strength thy will to do;

That I may merit here below

Thine approbation pure and true;

That I may rise from living death

To walk in life forever new.

 

Thy loving care is infinite,

Extended to us, every one;

Oh, help us each to understand

To ne’er thy Godly wisdom shun.

There’ll be no fear nor sorrow when

We learn to say, “Thy will be done.”

1912

 

Exaltation is the highest form of salvation.

The hierarchy of salvation in section 76 is one of its most salient elements—but also one of its more vague, given the very general list of criteria for each of the kingdoms of glory. Reading the section I end up asking myself if these are even criteria, or just descriptions of what those who end up in each kingdom are like. Regardless, it is in the struggles of this life that we work out our salvation, becoming exalted like those of the celestial kingdom.

In the following poem, one of our mid-19th Century U.K. poets, William G. Mills, puts life’s struggle into the plan of salvation, noting that the struggle between good and evil is necessary for us to learn. Mills was born in Ireland in 1822, immigrated to Utah in 1855, served an LDS mission in the U.K. in 1860 and passed away in Utah in 1895. He was a prolific poet, especially during the 1850s and 1860s, and penned the words for “Arise, O Glorious Zion”, #40 in the current hymnal.

 

Good and Evil Necessary

by William G. Mills

Wisely has our heavenly Father

Strown our path with weeds and flowers,

And bestow’d the power to gather

Freely, as the will is ours.

Knowledge of both good and evil

Is a blessing to us made,

Better than the state primeval,

Though in innocence array`d.

 

Sin and death man’s nature wasted,

That his joy might be complete:

Had we not the bitter tasted,

Could we value what is sweet?

Toil, and pain, and degradation,

We must pass through here below,

To enjoy the exaltation

That the Gods in glory know.

 

When we first received a being—

Spirits born of Parents great—

We rejoiced and sung, foreseeing

We should fill this humbler state.

We have learned in yonder glory,

What was necessary there;

But this state’s preparatory

For the Gods’ exalted sphere.

 

Jesus gave himself an off’ring,

For our frailness to atone,

But was perfected through suffering,

Ere He gained His Father’s throne:

And the Gods, in glory seated,

Passed through good and evil thus;

For when man was mortal stated

“He is now as one of us.”

 

Infidels may scoff, and wonder

Why our Father made us so;

“Learn’d divines” in silence ponder,

And the reason never know:

But we prize this holy season-

God reveals His truth again;

Now we know the God-like reason

Good and evil both should reign.

 

From our pleasure and our trial,

Let’s improve while here we roam;

God will aid our self-denial

Till we all things overcome.

Let us, then, be wise and holy,

Pass the thorns and pluck the flowers;

And, though now our lot is lowly,

Life and glory shall be ours.

1854

 

My Heavenly Father wants me to receive eternal life in the celestial kingdom.

So, what is section 76 for in the end? Does it help us to know about different kingdoms of glory? The saints of that time loved the implication that salvation was not a duality, with a hard line between heaven and hell, but instead was graduated from higher to lower. This seemed more just. However, while section 76 does lay out a vision of what the life after this life will be like, the section is as much about what we do in this life—how we should act, and the hope we have now for the future.

In the following poem Zion’s Poetess, Eliza R. Snow, talks about the value of both this life and the eternal life; because, I think, we sometimes separate them. Life is life. This life is valuable as well as eternal life.

 

Life

by Eliza R. Snow

LIFE! What a treasure, how great is its worth!

Life! What a blessing to man on the earth!

Life let us value and cherish the prize,

Learn to preserve it, ye Saints, and be wise.

Vainly we struggle preparing to die,

Vainly aspire to the mansions on high;

If we are abusing the life we receive,

It is not to die, it is duty to live.

Life is the crown we are toiling to gain,

Live is the jewel we hope to obtain,

Life—the existence God gives us today;

Life is no trifle to barter away.

What tho’ in patience and faith we endure,

Life, life eternal we cannot secure

Till we shall learn how to value and save

Life, present life, from a premature grave.

Life, present life, let us study its laws,

Know each effect, understand every cause,

Seek to promote it and lengthen its span.

Life, present life, what a blessing to man,

Great is the mission to teach how to live.

Long life is profered, O, who will receive?

Life is a pledge of existence on high,

Learning to live will prepare us to die.

1870s, published 1890