|
|
This site is NON-COMMERCIAL!
(FOR INFORMATION ONLY)
WELCOME TO THE GREAT SONG:
INVICTUS! (INVINCIBLE, INDOMITABLE)
********************
UNCONQUERED!, you say? Perhaps; but by whom or what?
Which is it--Satan's instrument of propaganda to proclaim to, and persuade others of, his devilish
humanistic, existential, atheistic philosophy; or, is it a modern Messianic Psalm commemorating the
greatest life ever lived(!), and a parallelistic eulogy, on a lesser scale, of other great lives? Let's
examine the song in greater detail.
"INSPIRATION SPEAKS" PRESENTS
|
A Philosophical Exegesis [Note to the reader: The old adage, "A picture is worth a legion of words," was probably never more true than in this article. Hence, we suppose that one could grasp the profound meaning of the song, "Invictus!," as we see it, by a ponderous reflection on the Internet site below. However, such a precative meditation would necessitate a SINCERE and FERVENTLY devout desire to gain a much deeper insight into the TRUE philosophy of "Invictus;" may we suggest that you first go to the site, below, and come back to read our discussion, which follows. (or, read what follows, and then go to the link, below)] http://www.bnr-art.com/friberg/risen.htm
Introduction. A true understanding of the essence of this masterpiece of literature and song must be based on a scriptural understanding of the Plan of Life and Salvation, as given by the Lord Jesus Christ, and recorded in holy writ, |
In a Nutshell [Micro Philosophy]
Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole
In a divine setting where the Lord God looked out across the wide expanse of eternity, and beheld "matter unorganized," he
commissioned "those [higher intelligences] who were with Him," to go down and create a world out of what was, at that
moment, an amorphous cluster of mass-energy, or, "unorganized matter," drifting aimlessly through space. The account of
that empyrean operation of coalescing matter into a conglomeration of heat and light and forming the solar system and its
"Earth," is delineated in capsule form in the books of Genesis, Moses, and Abraham [and many other ancient documents
discovered over the past century!]. Into the primordial cosmic abyss that held a capsule of eternal, but unorganized
matter--black as the pit from one pole of its geometrical extremities to the other--Jehovah instituted the heavenly designed
blueprint for the local star cluster, and situated approximately two-thirds the distance out from the center of the Milky Way
galaxy, along one of its spiral arms, He proceeded to organize the solar system as He issued the divine decree: "Let there be
light!" [Genesis 1:1-4; Moses 2:1-5; Abr. 4:1-5,18]
With that holy mandate, He, who the record tells us had created "worlds without number" under the direction of the Father
[including countless galaxies, each with many hundreds of billions of stars and their respective solar systems], set into
motion a series of events which would provide a mortal home for a group of God's children, and set the stage for the
greatest achievement in the universe: viz.,the divinely ordained Atonement and ultimate resurrection of mankind, and their
eventual assignment and placement to immortal glories. [John 14:2; 1 Cor. 15:40-43; Moses 1:33-39; D&C Section 76]
Later, at a predetermined point in space-time, the Creator, Jehovah, was to again descend to the Earth as he walked upon
this orb of creation as the mortal Messiah, to fulfill the "law," preach his Gospel, and, in the depths of ebony darkness and
perilous woe, wrought out the infinite and eternal Atonement for all mankind.
(An interesting side note, is the fact that the God of creation ostensibly formed the orbits of the planets in the solar system
according to a definite pattern of a musical harmonic scale. (see Prof. Michael Ballam's video, The Majesty of Music, c/o
USU Music Dept., Logan, UT] Obviously, the Lord God loves music, along with elegance and excellence in all its forms.
[D&C 25:12; 76:92])
I thank whatever Gods may be--
This line alludes to the fact that our Heavenly Father--Elohim, and Jesus the Christ--Jehovah, and other celestial beings
involved in the great work of redemption [such as the Holy Ghost, Michael, (whom Latter-day Saints believe to be Adam),
Gabriel (whom we believe to be Noah), Moroni (who appeared as a glorious, resurrected personage from the presence of
God to the Prophet Joseph Smith, when he delivered the Golden Plates containing the record of God's dealings with ancient
peoples in America--later translated into the Book of Mormon), Abraham, and other exalted Beings], live in a sphere of
glory far beyond the comprehension of mortal man, and that the finite mind of man cannot comprehend the infinite and
eternal mind and attributes of God. [John 1:5; and in the B. of M.: Mosiah 4:9; Alma 26:35; Jacob 4:8; also, D&C 88:49;
Jos. Smith 1:16-17]
for my unconquerable soul.
We are given to understand that the mortal Christ, Himself, in preparation for his earthly ministry, "fasted for forty days and
forty nights," after which, in his weakened physical state the devil came to tempt him: first appealing to his appetite, next to
his godly powers, and finally, to his sense of rulership. Withstanding all three temptations, the Messiah came off triumphant
and victorious in the cause for truth and righteousness, as He reminded Satan of certain Gospel principles, and proved the
superiority of the spirit over the body, and of the immortal and eternal intelligence over the spirit. Jesus, possessed, indeed,
an "unconquerable soul." [A similar, though somewhat on a lower scale, confrontation with the Adversary was encountered
by Moses, centuries earlier.
(Moses 1:1-23)]
As a child of God, and as an immortal and individual spiritual essence of the universe, begotten by God in realms of glory,
man's intelligence, yea, his very soul--created in the image of God, both spiritually and physically--is likewise unconquerable
by the Adversary; unless, of course, he accedes to the program of Satan, and allows himself to be overcome by the powers
of darkness, and gives in to the Devil's diabolical designs, and never repents or comes unto God. [Luke 1:37; Prov. 23:3;
Ezek. 33:5; Matt. 10:28; 1 Thes. 5:23; Heb. 6:19; and in the B. of M.: Mosiah 55:3; Alma 40:23; Ether 12:4; D&C 88:40;
93:29-30,36; 138:43]
In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Through all his trials, and if we might speak in a figurative sense, in a somewhat poetic vein: through the intensely hot
"Circle of Fire" of his supreme test, Jesus Christ confronted the Devil--face to face, and successfully emerged the victor. In
doing so, he constantly remained true and steadfast in his avowed purpose to glorify the Father. His infinite and eternal
love, both for his Father, and for the human family, was manifest in his Messianic works, and culminated in his supernal
atoning sacrifice, which he wrought without wincing or shrinking from his divine assignment, in the Garden of Gethsemane.
In the book, As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen [endorsed by Pres. Spencer W. Kimball, in his own book, The Miracle of
Forgiveness], the principle is put forth, that, "Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself."
Another good example is the prophet Job, who declares his integrity and warns against the wicked who ultimately will be
destroyed--implying his determination to serve and obey God and keep his holy commandments, and to press forward with
faith and steadfastness in Christ, and endure to the end. The promised rewards for such probity guarantee to Job, and,
indeed, to all of us, that when mortality is laid to rest, we might go down to our graves in peace, and ultimately arise in
glory, and receive our eternal and heavenly crown of salvation and exaltation: to dwell with the just who will be made
perfect. To do that, however, we must keep our "eye single to the glory of God," which means to "hold [steadfastly] to the
iron rod" which leads to the tree of (eternal) life, and to keep our days in mortality sharply focused upon achieving and
enjoying the good, true, beautiful, lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy things that life has to offer. It means to be steadfast
and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, that we might qualify to receive the greatest gifts and blessings
which God has to offer, both here and hereafter. [Job 19:26; 21:30; 27:5 (concerning the wicked who ultimately will be
destroyed: implying the determination to serve and obey God and keep his commandments, and endure to the end); 1
Corinth. 15:58; Heb. 3:14; 2 Peter 3:17; JST Rev. 2:26-27; and in the B. of M.: 1 Nephi 2:10; 8:19; 11:25; 2 Nephi
31:20; Alma 1:25]
Under the bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody, but unbowed.
Immediately following the Savior's horrible experience in Gethsemane, his head was already bleeding from his confrontation
with the essence of humankind's sinfulness and all the torturous agony of ugliness and gloom which the "prince of darkness"
could inflict upon him. A few hours later, his tormenters smote him on the head, driving the crown of thorns ever deeply
into his skull. Through it all, he held his head high in supreme confidence and determination to consummate his mission.
[Matt. 27:29; Mark 15:17; Luke 22:44; John 19:2; Mosiah 3:7; D&C 19:18]
We are told in the scriptures that those who endure tribulation and the crosses or burdens of life, and overcome the
challenges presented to the soul, shall receive a reward in heaven commensurate with all their suffering. We are assured by
God, that, ineffable glory awaits the faithful who remain true to their gospel covenants. The Apostle Paul encouraged the
saints of his day to "fight the good fight," [of truth and righteousness vs. ugliness and wickedness] and "endure to the end"
[of our mortal probation]. And that is the meaning of the above verse, as we see it. Like Rodgers' and Hammerstein's own
great song says:"When you Walk through a Storm, hold your head up high, and don't be afraid of the dark. At the end of
the storm there's a golden sky, and the sweet, silver song of a lark."
[1 Tim. 6:12; Heb. 10:32; 2 Tim. 4:7; Rev. 12:7; D&C 58:2-5; 122:5-9]
Beyond this place of wrath and tears,
This expression alludes to the vicissitudes, trials, tribulations, mourning, and struggles of mortal life, and epitomizes,
especially, the suffering and agony of the Savior in Gethsemane. It also symbolizes Satan's reign of blood and horror upon
the earth. It particularly alludes to the many wars and contentions fought on this terraqueous sphere, and suggests to the
mind the many heroes for peace and freedom, including Moses, Joshua, Sir William Walton, Joan of Arc, George
Washington, Captain Moroni, the Prophet-General, Mormon, General Eisenhower, and other great military leaders.
However, it especially epitomizes the suffering and agony of the Savior in Gethsemane. [Luke 22:40-44; Mosiah 3:7;
23:10; Matt: 26:36-57; Alma 60:25-26;D&C 19:18; 58:1-5; 112:13; 127:2; 138:13; Moses 7:61; among many other
scriptural refs.]
Looms but the horror of the shade;
If one were to describe, metaphorically, the atoning sacrifice of the Savior, hardly a better expression could be found, to, as
Pope says: "pour the full tide of eloquence along" the lines of relating how the Son of God, himself, being cast from the
frying pan into the fire [to use a modern idiom of speech], suffered excruciating torture, pain, and agony of both body and
spirit, in paying the full price of the Atonement for all mankind. Depicting how the mortal Messiah voluntarily offered
himself "as a Lamb brought to the slaughter" [Isa. 53:7; Rev. 5:6, 12: 7:14], this expression captures the essence of the
Lord's further suffering and agony at Golgotha, where he was crucified and suffered again, this time, without his Father's
support, what must have been the "dress rehearsal," so to speak, of the intense, and to the mind of man, unfathomable,
agony of Gethsemane.
[Matt. 27:19-50; D&C 121:1-8]
And yet, the menace of the years
Who or what really is the "menace of the years?" It is Satan and his armies of organized evil and unclean spirits which fight
against God and His holy purposes. In another vein, it can also represent the potential fate or awesome destiny of man, as
the latter exercises his agency and chooses to follow the path that leads either to eternal life and consummate glory, or to
endless damnation and woeful hell. As the poet has warned: "Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 'It
might have been!'" In either case, the "menace of the years" is personified by Lucifer.
[Isa. 27:1; 51:9; 2 Cor. 12:7;Rev. 2:9,13,24; 12:9-13; 20:2-7; Luke 22:31; Moses 4:4; Abr. 3:28; 2 Ne. 2:27; Alma
13:3-9; D&C 76:44,85; 78:12; 93:39]
Finds! And shall find me... unafraid!
Over and over again, we are counseled in the holy scriptures not to fear or be afraid, of either persons, things, events or
circumstances: "For all things shall work together for good, to those who love God." Therefore, it would seem that we
ought to be even as Moroni, who said: "I fear not what man can do, for perfect love casteth out all fear." And again, the
Lord has said in modern times that those who "strip themselves from fear shall see God." And, again: "Be of good cheer,
and do not fear, for I, the Lord, am with you," etc. [Joshua 1:9; Psalms 27:1; Isa. 12:2; 41:10; Dan. 10:12; 51:7; Jer.
1:8; John 14:27; 1 John 4:18; 2 Tim. 1:7; D&C 67:10; 68:6;
122:5-9;]
It matters not how strait the gate,
Like the requirements for achievement mastered by any notable scholar, educator, or other successful individual, and
especially to mention the intensive practice, concentration and hard work demanded of professional musicians, artistic
singers or other artists, or the grueling discipline exacted from professional athletes and military leadership, the requirements
for eternal life and exaltation are also clearly set forth and delineated in the holy scriptures. Those who become successful in
any field, obey the laws of success. [Matt.7:13; Rev. 33:9; 1 Ne. 8:10-12, 20, 24,30; 11:21-25; (Lehi's & Nephi's vision
of the "Tree of Life") 2 Ne. 33:9; 3 Ne. 14:13; Luke 13:24; D&C 130:20-21; 132:22]
How charged with punishment the scroll--
Christ suffered such immense agony in Gethsemane and Golgotha, that even he, the greatest of all, who held the power of
creation and life, itself, remarked, on the eve of his bitter propitiatory sacrifice: "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death." And so grueling was the punishment before him, that he cried unto his God, "O' my Father, if it be possible, let this
cup pass from me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what Thou wilt" [or, "not my will, but thine, be done"]. [Matt.
26:38-39; Mark 14:34-36; Luke 22:42; D&C 19:15-19]
I am the master of my fate--
Like God, Himself, man has been granted his free agency to do, to be and become what he wills--he is bounded only by his
own thoughts and emotions. That is why the Lord God instituted the Plan of Salvation in the first place: "For behold, this is
my work, and my glory," said the Lord to Moses, "to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." [Moses 1:39]
God has granted to man the gift of life [both in his first and second estates of existence]; thereafter, it is his responsibility to
choose what he will do with that gift; he is the master of his own fate, and will be held accountable for his own decisions.
On the one hand, the rewards of his obedience to celestial and eternal law will ultimately place him in a position of eternal
glory; or, on the other, his unwise pursuit of ungodliness will forever impede his progress and place him in a position of
inferior glory, or no glory at all.
[Gen. 2:16; 4:7; 10:23; Deut. 11:27; 1 Sam. 8:18; Gal. 6:7; Moro. 7:15; D&C 29:36-39; 58:28; 88:86; 93:31; 98:8;
101:78; 134:2; Moses 3:17; 7:32; Abr. 3:24-26; etc.]
I am the captain of my soul!
God has made man in the likeness of his own image, and has given him his agency to act as he pleases, and to accomplish
what he will. Hence, he may choose to steer his ship [i.e., the vessel of his soul] with "an eye single to the glory of God,"
toward the destination laid out for him by the great Eternal Admiral, and become victorious!;or, he may choose to veer off
in some other direction, which leads, at worst, to destruction, or, at best, to some lesser port.
[For the Goal: 1 Ne. 8:10; 11:25; 2 Ne. 2:11-27; Alma 13:3; D&C 76:50-70; 92-96; 132:24, 55; 1 Cor. 15:40-42; For
the Victory: Exod. 12:23; 23:20-22; Isa. 11:9; 52:11; 63:7-9;
John 3:16-17; Acts 9:15; 1 Thes. 4:4; Heb. 1:7,14; 1 Cor. 15:55-57; 2 Tim. 2:21; 1 John 5:4; Rev. 15:2; Alma 7:10;
16:21; D&C 20:17-19, 29-34; 27:2; 89:21; 104:82; 128:22]
"For this is life eternal: that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.
[John 17:3; 2 Cor. 4:17; D&C 132:24]
That is the glorious destination!
"Therefore, keep thine eye single to the glory of God!" Love God, love his children, obey his laws and keep his holy
commandments and endure to the end--"and ye shall have eternal life, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God."
[Matt. 6:13-22; 10:22; 22:38;
Luke 11:34; John 6:27; 13:34; James 5:11; 1 Ne. 13:37; 3 Ne. 13:22; D&C 4:5; 27:2;
59:1; 82:19; 88:67-68; 101:35; 121:8,29; etc.]
And that, in a nut shell, is how to get there!
____________________________________________________________________
Macro Philosophy [Part I]
The discussion which follows is a little more in-depth, as we further elaborate upon each major concept of the song.
Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever Gods may be, for my
unconquerable soul!
In a symbolic prototype of the mortal experience which God's children were about to experience, the inchoate swirling solar
mass, in the beginning, was eventually formed into the sun and planets, asteroids, meteors, comets, and other bodies
captured by the gravitational power of the central body, and the creation of physical-paradisiacal life was ultimately
consummated in six days of the Maker's time scale--not six days of our human, mortal time frame of 24 hour days! [That
fact ought to be clearly and logically obvious! But, it is ostensibly difficult for some minds of orthodox Christianity to
grasp]. [Moses 1:35; Abr. 3:1-10]
In our 2nd Estate [alluded to in the scriptures--see Abr. 3:24-26; Job 38:7; Jer. 1:5; Eccl. 12:7; John 9:2; Jude 1:6; and many
others] we all, like our first parents, Adam and Eve, are cast into the "lone and dreary world" of mortal experience, that we
might learn to appreciate the good, having tasted the bitter. And sometimes that experience becomes rather gruesome, as
(1) when the Savior suffered in Gethsemane and on the cross [(which suffering was so unfathomably great that the mind of
mortal man cannot comprehend it!)--see Luke 22:44; Matt. 27:46; Rom. 8:17; Gen. 3:23-24; D&C 19:18], and (2) when the
Prophet Joseph Smith suffered horrendous (and, ultimately, fatal!) torture, and was comforted by the Lord in Liberty Jail.
[D&C 122:5-9; Jer. 18:20; Zech. 9:11; 2 Nephi 8:1; 24:15; Rev. 9:1-2; 11:7; 17:8]
The supreme example of this concept is found recorded in the Gospels of St. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, where it
tells of the exceeding great agony of Christ in wroughting out the infinite and eternal "atonement" for all mankind. We are
told that the Savior went, "as he was wont," to the "Garden of Gethsemane," across the brook Kedron, on the slope of the
"Mount of Olives," where he suffered such horrible agony for the sins of the world, that he literally "sweat great drops of
blood from every pore. [Matt. 26:36-44; Mark 14:32-36; Luke 22:39-44; John 18:1] Probably the most descriptive of these
accounts is found in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where the Lord
alludes to his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane: "Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to
tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the
bitter cup, and shrink--Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook [of the bitter cup of agony in suffering for the sins
of the world] and finished my preparations unto the children of men"
[D&C 19:18-19].
But his suffering in Gethsemane, as great as it was, was accompanied by the support of the Eternal Father; for we are told
by St. Luke: "And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony, he prayed the
more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." [Luke 22:43-44] Christ was
at that time, merely undergoing a dress rehearsal for the intense suffering of the crucifixion on the cross, which has been
medically described as one of the most bitter and awful and horrible modes of killing and dying devised by man, in a physical
sense. But even worse, was the Savior's having to suffer the agony of Gethsemane all over again, while on the cross, only
this time, his Father withdrew his support. That's why Christ cried out in sorrow, "My God, My God, why hast thou
forsaken me?" [Matt. 27:46]
It was necessary, in the infinite wisdom of the Father, that the Son should finish his work to wrought out the atonement, on
his own, so to speak; which he did with brilliant success, and at the end, the Savior cried out those three most eternally
significant words of success: "It is finished!"
Hence, the Lord declares through his ancient prophet Isaiah, and also through his Apostle John the Revelator, that in his
Second Coming, he will declare that he has "trodden the winepress alone." [Isaiah 63:3; Revelation 14:19] Modern
revelation gives an even more affirmative and descriptive declaration of that momentous event, when Christ shall have
subdued all enemies under his feet, and shall have perfected his work [of redemption]: "And...another angel shall sound his
trump...saying: It is finished! The Lamb of God hath overcome and trodden the winepress alone..." [D&C 76:106-107; 88:106]
A superior example of these verses of Invictus is found in the writings of the venerated Latter-day Prophet Joseph Smith,
wherein he records the words of the great Jehovah [i.e., Jesus the Christ] speaking comfort to his soul: "If thou art called to
pass through tribulation; if thou art in perils...if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they tear thee from the society of thy [family],
and if with a drawn sword they tear thee from the bosom of thy wife, and of thine offspring...if thou shouldst be cast into
the pit, or into the hands of murderers... if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce
winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above
all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou my son, that all these things shall give
thee experience, and shall be for thy good. The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?"
[D&C 122:5-8] And, of course, all of these things did happen to the Prophet Joseph Smith, and he was martyred in cold
blood, along with his brother Hyrum the Patriarch, to seal their testimonies to the restoration of the Gospel, as prophesied
anciently. [Isa. 2:2; Micah 4:2; Jer. 31:31; Ezek. 37:26; Dan. 2:44; Mal. 3:1; 4:6; Matt. 17:11; 24:14; Acts 3:21; Eph. 1:10;
Rev. 14:6]
Many other examples of the suffering and triumph of God's holy prophets and apostles could also be cited. But, in the end,
"out of the night that covered them, black as the pit from pole to pole, their unconquerable souls emerged
victorious, indeed! [Alluding to the resurrection of the just and righteous, (and ultimately, all people), as cited in Job
14:14; 19:26; Isa. 25:8; 26:19; Ezek. 37:12; Dan. 12:2; Hosea 13:14; Matt. 27:52; Mark 12:26; Luke 14:14; 24:39; John
5:21,29; Acts 2:24; 4:33; 24:15; Rom. 6:5; 8:11; esp., 1 Cor. 15:1-58; Rev. 20:6]
The expression: "I thank whatever Gods may be," reflects man's inherent wonder about the divine, and his inward yearning
to know more about his Father, God, and Creator, to draw closer to Him, and to emulate the example of the Son of God.
However, there is no way that man's finite mind can ever comprehend the fullness of God's infinite and eternal intelligence
and glory. Even Christ, himself, averred that his Father was greater than he; and though the Savior knew his Eternal Father
better than any of us has ever known him, or ever will know him, in our lower estate of being, he did declare that to know
God, and to become "one with God," is the essence of eternal life. Moreover, he has, through modern revelation, given the
promise and covenant that those who obey the Gospel shall eventually come to know what celestial beings know, and their
knowledge and wisdom shall be great, indeed:
Man has always had an instinctive "upward reach," so to speak, an impulsive desire, to aim heavenward, and to know the
answers to life's three greatest questions: viz., Whence, Wherefore, and Whither? Reflection upon these awesome mysteries
of life served as the source of creative musical inspiration for the illustrious German symphonic and song composer,
Johanness Brahms. [As recounted in the book, Talks with Great Composers]
***As the ancient psalmist peered into the heavens and beheld the stars and planets he surely must have stood "rapt in awe"
at the manifest wonders of the universe. As many astronomers have done since, he pondered the magnitude and meaning of
it all. In reverential worship he cried out to his God:
"Oh Lord our God, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens...When I consider
thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained, what is man, that thou art mindful of
him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels [Hebrew: a little less
than the gods], and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy
hands; thou hast put all things under his feet." [Psalms 8:4] Old Testament scriptures tell us that the "secret things belong
unto the Lord." [Deut. 29:29], and that "There is a god in heaven who revealeth secrets." [Dan. 2:28] But, at the same
time, we are told that "God comprehendeth all things," but man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can
comprehend." "Who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?" [Alma 26:35; Mosiah 4:9; Mormon 9:16, in the B. of
M.; Moses 1:4; D&C 76:1-10; 114-116] The Lord has said that only he who is quickened by God can comprehend God.
[D&C 88:479,67]; but there are few, if any, mortals who can or do attain to that exalted station in this life. Even the great
prophet Moses was hardly able to endure the overwhelming endowment of "power from on high," which overshadowed him
at a time when he was caught up to an exceedingly high mountain, and he saw God, and talked with him face to face, and
the glory of God was upon Moses; therefore he could endure his holy presence. The record says:
"And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years, ; and is this not endless? And behold, thou art my son; wherefore, look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands; but not all, for my works are without end, and also my words, for they never cease. Wherefore, no man can behold all my works, except he behold all my glory; and no man can behold all my glory, and afterward remain in the flesh on the earth." [Moses 1:1-5] [emphasis added]
That is the meaning, or, at least, as I see it, the foregoing givesinsightinto the profound meaning, of this passage of Invictus: "Whatever Gods may be." In this respect, modern revelation gives the following significant instruction and sublime promise to the faithful saints of the Most High [meaning disciples or followers of Christ]:
"Behold, that which you hear is as the voice of one crying in the wilderness--in the wilderness, because you cannot
see him--my voice, because my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth; truth abideth and hath no end; and if it be in you
it shall abound.
"And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in
you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.
"Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see
him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his
own will." [D&C 88:66-68]
The foregoing corroborates [and vice versa] the ancient teaching of the Apostle John, when he wrote:
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God...Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be [that is, we don't know how the future will turn out in our own case, or how we shall be judged], but we know that when he [Christ] shall appear [to the faithful and worthy], we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he [Christ] is pure." [1 John 3:1-3] Of course, the expression of gratitude pertains to the gift of life and the Atonement of Christ which promises eternal life to those who qualify, according to the Gospel law.
In the fell clutch of circumstance, I have not winced nor cried aloud;
Webster's Dictionary gives the following definition for the word, wince: "To draw back, as from pain or danger; to
withdraw; to decline action, as from fear or distaste; to huddle; cower, as with horror or pain; to contract to a less compass;
to become compacted." It defines the word, cry, as follows: "To make a loud call, or entreaty or appeal, as in prayer, pain,
or anguish, etc."
The word, fell, means, according to Webster, "Cruel, fierce; deadly; great; mighty; ferocious." Hence, the poetic and
philosophical meaning of this verse could be stated as follows: In the cruel, fierce, great and ferocious [even deadly!] grasp
of circumstance, then, Christ could say, and man, too, should declare: I have not drawn back, or withdrawn from the mighty
challenge facing me; nor have I cowered or huddled from horror or the "distressing uneasiness of mind, grief, labor, care, or
trouble" [Webster's def. of pain] resulting from any fervent action to overcome the challenge.
Rather, like the heroic character, Siegfried, in Wagner's music drama by the same name, man should say: I march forward
with an indomitable will to pass through the "Circle of Fire!" to claim the victory and the prize of awakening the beautiful
princess who is sleeping on a rock, to claim her for my bride; (where the sleeping beauty, or princess, represents some high
and lofty goal to be achieved).
Again, the supreme example of this concept is the Savior, Jesus the Christ. He did not cower, or draw back, from the horror
of either Gethsemane, or the cross. However, because it was his mission to wrought out the infinite and eternal atonement
for all mankind, and because his sacrifice was likewise to be "infinite and eternal" in scope, he was both privileged and
justified to cry out near the end, "Eloi, Eloi! lama sabachthani!?" which is, being interpreted, [that is to say,] 'My God, my
God! why hast thou forsaken me?' [Mark 15:34; Matt. 27:46; Psalms 22:1] The reason being, of course, as discussed
above, that it was necessary, in the wisdom of the Father, that the Son should trod the winepress alone, in order to have
complete victory. But no mortal being can fathom the depths of anguish and despair and suffering undergone by the Savior
in order to satisfy the demands of justice, that salvation might be firmly and irrevocably established for the human race. The
modern scientist, university professor, and apostle, Dr. James E. Talmage, has most eloquently described the horrors of the
suffering and Crucifixion of Christ, as follows:
"Christ's agony in the garden is unfathomable by the finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. The thought that He
suffered through fear of death is untenable. Death to Him was preliminary to resurrection and triumphal return to the Father
from whom He had come, and to a state of glory even beyond what He had before possessed; and, moreover, it was within
His power to lay down His life voluntarily.~568.3. He struggled and groaned under a burden such as no other being who
has lived on earth might even conceive as possible. It was not physical pain, nor mental anguish alone, that caused Him to
suffer such torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was
capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so;
for his human organism would have succumbed, and syncope would have produced unconsciousness and welcome oblivion.
In that hour of anguish Christ met and overcame all the horrors that Satan, "the prince of this world"~569.1 could inflict.
The frightful struggle incident to the temptations immediately following the Lord's baptism ~569.2 was surpassed and
overshadowed by this supreme contest with the powers of evil.
"In some manner, actual and terribly real though to man incomprehensible, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of
the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world. Modern revelation assists us to a partial understanding of the awful
experience. In March 1830, the glorified Lord, Jesus Christ, thus spake: 'For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for
all, that they might not suffer if they would repent, but if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I, which suffering
caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body
and spirit: and would that I might not drink the bitter cup and shrink--nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and
finished my preparations unto the children of men.'"~569.3.
"From the terrible conflict in Gethsemane, Christ emerged a victor. Though in the dark tribulation of that fearful hour
He had pleaded that the bitter cup be removed from His lips, the request, however oft repeated, was always conditional; the
accomplishment of the Father's will was never lost sight of as the object of the Son's supreme desire. The further tragedy of
the night, and the cruel inflictions that awaited Him on the morrow, to culminate in the frightful tortures of the cross, could
not exceed the bitter anguish through which He had successfully passed. [Jesus the Christ, pp. 605-621, Salt Lake City,
Deseret Book, 1986]
"Death by crucifixion was at once the most lingering and most painful of all forms of execution. The victim lived in ever
increasing torture, generally for many hours, sometimes for days. The spikes so cruelly driven through hands and feet
penetrated and crushed sensitive nerves and quivering tendons, yet inflicted no mortal wound. The welcome relief of death
came through the exhaustion caused by intense and unremitting pain, through localized inflammation and congestion of
organs incident to the strained and unnatural posture of the body.~608.2.
"As the crucifiers proceeded with their awful task, not unlikely with roughness and taunts, for killing was their trade and
to scenes of anguish they had grown callous through long familiarity, the agonized Sufferer, void of resentment but full of
pity for their heartlessness and capacity for cruelty, voiced the first of the seven utterances delivered from the cross. In the
spirit of God-like mercy He prayed: 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do' Let us not attempt to fix the
limits of the Lord's mercy; that it would be extended to all who in any degree could justly come under the blessed boon
thereof ought to be a sufficing fact. There is significance in the form in which this merciful benediction was expressed. Had
the Lord said, "I forgive you," His gracious pardon may have been understood to be but a remission of the cruel offense
against Himself as One tortured under unrighteous condemnation; but the invocation of the Father's forgiveness was a plea
for those who had brought anguish and death to the Father's Well Beloved Son, the Savior and Redeemer of the world."
[Ibid., pp. 590ff]
Under the bludgeonings of chance, my head is bloody, but unbowed.
The record tells us that Christ was taken by the soldiers and stripped and beaten, or "scourged," after which they committed
further atrocities upon him:
And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they
bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
And they spat upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.
[Matt. 27:26-30; Isaiah 50:6] Professor Talmage again gives insight into the atrocities of our Savior's suffering:
"Scourging was a frightful preliminary to death on the cross. The instrument of punishment was a whip of many thongs,
loaded with metal and edged with jagged pieces of bone. Instances are of record in which the condemned died under the
lash and so escaped the horrors of living crucifixion. In accordance with the brutal customs of the time, Jesus, weak and
bleeding from the fearful scourging He had undergone, was given over to the half-savage soldiers for their amusement. He
was no ordinary victim, so the whole band came together in the Pretorium, or great hall of the palace, to take part in the
diabolical sport. They stripped Jesus of His outer raiment, and placed upon Him a purple robe.~593.1. Then with a sense of
fiendish realism they platted [or, fashioned] a crown of thorns, and placed it about the Sufferer's brows; a reed was put into
His right hand as a royal scepter; and, as they bowed in a mockery of homage, they saluted Him with: "Hail, King of the
Jews!" Snatching away the reed or rod, they brutally smote Him with it upon the head, driving the cruel thorns into His
quivering flesh; they slapped Him with their hands, and spat upon Him in vile and vicious abandonment.~593.2. [Ibid., p. 593]
The record goes on to say that Christ was then led to a place called Golgotha, and crucified. And from the sixth hour unto
the ninth hour there was gross darkness upon the land:
Jesus was nailed to the cross during the forenoon of that fateful Friday, probably between nine and ten o'clock.~612.5. At
noontide the light of the sun was obscured, and black darkness spread over the whole land. The terrifying gloom continued
for a period of three hours. This remarkable phenomenon has received no satisfactory explanation from science. It could
not have been due to a solar eclipse, as has been suggested in ignorance, for the time was that of full moon; indeed the
Passover season was determined by the first occurrence of full moon after the spring equinox. The darkness was brought
about by miraculous operation of natural laws directed by divine power. It was a fitting sign of the earth's deep mourning
over the impending death of her Creator.~613.1. Of the mortal agony through which the Lord passed while upon the cross
the Gospel-scribes are reverently reticent.
"At the ninth hour, or about three in the afternoon, a loud voice, surpassing the most anguished cry of physical suffering
issued from the central cross, rending the dreadful darkness. It was the voice of the Christ: "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?
which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" What mind of man can fathom the significance
of that awful cry? It seems, that in addition to the fearful suffering incident to crucifixion, the agony of Gethsemane had
recurred, intensified beyond human power to endure. In that bitterest hour the dying Christ was alone, alone in most terrible
reality. That the supreme sacrifice of the Son might be consummated in all its fulness, the Father seems to have withdrawn
the support of His immediate Presence, leaving to the Savior of men the glory of complete victory over the forces of sin and
death. The cry from the cross, though heard by all who were near, was understood by few. The first exclamation, Eloi,
meaning My God, was misunderstood as a call for Elias." [Ibid., pp. 590-612]
Only at the end of the worst and most poignant suffering ever experienced on the earth by a single person, was a "cry made
aloud," by the greatest being who ever walked upon it; but until that moment of supreme triumph, he neither "winced, nor
cried aloud." And under the bludgeonings [i.e., weapon blows, or coercions] of chance [or fate, or destiny] his head was
indeed bloody, but unbowed before the adversarial conditions and vicissitudes of his life and mission. Jesus Christ , himself,
set the supreme example for all to follow: When he "walked through a storm " of opposition he "held his head up high," and
was not "afraid of the dark." For he knew that "at the end of the storm there's a golden sky, and the sweet silver song of a
lark." So he walked "on through the wind," and walked "on through the rain, though [his] dreams [were] tossed and
blown." He walked on, walked on, with hope in [his] heart," and he never walked alone... he never walked alone [After
Rodgers and Hammerstein] --'til the very end, when he was required to tread the winepress alone, and win the complete
victory over the Adversary; after which the record says he [finally!] bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. But for all the
rest of us, we need but to endure the test; and hold out faithful to the end--for we win the ultimate victory through the grace
of Christ, by our obedience to his Gospel.
.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears, looms but the horror of the shade;
In reference to the divine program for man's own part in the Plan of Salvation, The Savior having "tread the wine-press
alone," the above expression depicts the fact that Satan desires to lead all men down to the depths of hell, where he, himself,
suffers an endless agony of filthiness, darkness, gloom, ugliness and eternal damnation. Christ was required to be cast into
such an awesome "horror of the shade," but man, through the grace of Christ, may escape the ordeal if he repents and
follows his Lord and Master in obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel; if not, then he must suffer the
consequences of his own choosing, and we are warned that if we do not repent that our sufferings will be "sore," even as the
Savior's: "which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble and to bleed at every pore," etc. [Psalms
9:17; Isaiah 57:9; Matt.10:28; 25:41; Mark 9:43; Rev. 1:18; 19:20; 21:8; 2 Nephi 22:9; 9:16; 28:21; Moses 1:20;
Job 33:18; Dan. 12:2; D&C 19:10; 38:5; 1 Nephi 22:16; etc.]
and yet, the menace of the years, finds! And shall find me--unafraid!
The scriptures say:
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made,
even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their
imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." [Romans 1:18-21]
"These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and
they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful."
[Rev. 17:14]
"O earth, cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place.
Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.
My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. [Job 16:18-20]
"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither
shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." [Rev. 21:4] Which implies that this mortal estate is a
place of "wrath and tears." Both the wrath of Almighty God for the wickedness upon the earth, and the wrath of men
toward each other, which is continually stirred up by the Adversary.
Yes, this mortal estate is, indeed, a place of "wrath and tears," a "lone and dreary world," where Satan's power reigns upon
the earth, for a time; but beyond the temptations of the devil, which Christ overcame prior to his mission, after having fasted
for forty days and nights, loomed the preaching of the Gospel, and finally, the ultimate sacrifice of the Son of God, to
wrought out the "infinite and eternal" atonement for all mankind. And to this end was his whole life pointed and dedicated,
because of the Lord's great love for the world. Did the Saviour shrink from his mission to pay the price for the Atonement?
No; the "menace of the years," even Satan, himself, finds that the Son of God was unafraid of his duty [as all of us should be
of our own responsibility to follow the Saviour, according to our capacity on a lessor scale], and he [Christ], therefore,
prayed to his Father that the glorious consummation of his divine commission would be fulfilled--for all eternity hung in the
balance; and the record says:
"Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go
and pray yonder.
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he
unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass
from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." [Matt.26:36-39]
As recalled above, the Saviour then proceeded to pass through an unfathomably cruel and gruesome "horror of the shade!"
And yet, as history attests, the "menace of the years" found that he was, indeed, "unafraid!"
It's interesting that Christ's ancient apostles were given the charge, also, to "drink from the bitter cup of affliction,
tribulation, and sorrow," that they, too, might emerge victorious and invincible, in the power of God's might and glory. The
record says, for example that the mother of Zebedee's children, two of the Twelve, James and John, approached the Saviour
with the request that her sons be given the honor to sit on his left and right hands in the Kingdom of Heaven, and the
Redeemer gently and kindly rebuked her:
But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be
baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit
on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.
[Matt. 20:22-23]
It should be pointed out that the "baptism" alluded to above by Christ is something far more than the baptism by immersion
for the remission of sins, and for entrance into the gate, so to speak, of celestial and eternal glory in the kingdom of heaven:
it is a "baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost," which comes upon an individual as he or she passes through the poetic and
symbolic "Circle of Fire," to speak figuratively, as discussed above. In modern times, the Prophet Joseph Smith and his
brother Hyrum, are two excellent examples of those who have heroically passed through the ordeal, and have sealed their
testimonies with their lives. Which brings to mind a teaching by that great latter-day prophet, wherein he said:
"The 'other Comforter' spoken of is a subject of great interest, and perhaps understood by few of this generation. After a
person has faith in Christ, repents of his sins and is baptized for the remission of his sins and receives the Holy Ghost, (by the
laying on of hands), which is the first Comforter, then let him continue to humble himself before God, hungering and
thirsting after righteousness, and living by every word of God, and the Lord will soon say unto him, Son, thou shalt be
exalted. When the Lord has thoroughly proved him, and finds that the man is determined to serve him at all hazards,then
the man will find his calling and election [to eternal, immortal, and celestial glory] made sure, then it will be his privilege to
receive the other Comforter, which the Lord hath promised the Saints, as is recorded in the testimony of St. John, in the
14th chapter, from the 12th to the 27th verses...
"Now what is this other Comforter? It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ himself; and this is the sum and
substance of the whole matter; that when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to
attend him, or appear to him from time to time, and even he will manifest the Father unto him, and they will take up their
abode with him, and the vision of the heavens will be opened unto him, and the Lord will teach him face to face, and he may
have a perfect knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God; and this is the state and place the ancient saints arrived at
when they had such glorious visions --Isaiah, Ezekiel, John upon the Isle of Patmos, St. Paul in the three heavens, and all the
saints who held communion with the general assembly and Church of the First Born." (D.H.C. Vol. 3:379-381.)
Considering all that the Saviour went through, and that he has forged the path and shown the way to eternal life and
immortal glory, it behooves us all to develop that courage which will carry us through to the achievement of life's greatest
reward: the gift of eternal life; which, like the prophets have said, comes through the grace of Christ,after all that we can
do." [James 2:20-26; KJV; and 2 Nephi 25:23, in the B. of M.]
The Lord has exhorted that we "fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever;" and "perfect love
casteth out all fear." [D&C 122:9; Moroni 8:16] There are many scriptural passages which counsel or command, or
encouragethe faithful to "be not afraid;" and the references are too numerous to list; but one of the very best, in this writer's
opinion, is found as follows:
And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by
every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.
For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith.
And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name's sake, shall find it again, even life eternal.
Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all
things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.
For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me. [D&C 98:11-15]
Macro Philosophy [Part II]
It matters not how straight the gate--how charged with punishment the scroll--
Mortal life is indeed a school, to prepare God's children for eternity, and like Homer's Odyssey, it can be, at times, fraught
with dangers and perils of divers kinds, along with other difficult challenges to overcome; but to emerge victorious through
it all, as the Savior did, is the purpose of our mortal probation. For those who aspire to conquer the greatest heights, as
though ascending the Mt. Everest placed before each person, according to his or her personal ability, the rewards are beyond
the vision of most of us to comprehend. Christ said to his ancient apostles, who desired to sit with him in glory: "Ye know
not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized
with?" [Matt. 20:22; Philip 3:21] It should be recognized that the "baptism" thus referred to, is not the baptism of water,
where the body is laid under the water, and comes forth in a newness of life, symbolic of the resurrection from the grave
[Rom. 6:3-11; Col. 2:20; 3:3; 3 Ne. 19:11-13; D&C 20:72-74; 76:51]; rather, it was a baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost
[Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Alma 36:34] To be filled with the Holy Ghost, is to be filled with light and glory, and
the Lord declares that those so blessed shall eventually "comprehend all things, even God." [D&C 76:1-10; 88:6,41,49,67]
The Prophet Joseph Smith alluded to this principle in speaking of the effect of such a "spiritual" manifestation upon the soul
and intellect of man. He said: "when you feel pure intelligence flowing into your body, it will... [in effect, give the
individual divine revelation, and a witness to the truthfulness of the restored Gospel. Such divine manifestations are often so
powerful, that the bosom swells with knowledge, understanding and conviction, and even the countenance of such a person
will, at times, "glow" with a radiant beauty bestowed from on high. [In the Temple, particularly, these magnificent displays
of heavenly power and blessing are a common occurrence. But they can only be discerned with the physical eyes of persons
whose hearts are pure and whose minds are holy and in tune with higher things. (D&C 67:10; 88:68; 97:15-16; ]. But
such a manifestation generally occurs after the soul has been cleansed and sanctified, and the individual has proven his or her
worthiness by remaining true and faithful through much tribulation and suffering. Carried to the ultimate, this celestial
mechanism prepares one for eternal glory, and makes such a person's "calling and election [to such a high and holy state of
exaltation] sure," and divinely sealed.
As though he were speaking in a relativistic sense, knowing beforehand the outcome of events to follow, the yet mortal
Savior declared, on the eve of his atoning sacrifice: "These things I have spoken unto you, that ye might have peace. In the
world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." [John 16:33] And as the Savior
overcame the world, with all its wickedness, temptation, ugliness, darkness, degradation, corruptibleness and dreariness, so
we, too, have been commanded to overcome both the wicked one, and the world over which his scepter bears rule, and to
follow in the path the Savior forged ahead for us--which leads to eternal life and celestial glory: it matters not how strait the
gate, how charged with punishment the scroll!
I am the master of my fate.
The meaning of this declaration is, simply, that as children of God, we have each inherited the seeds of potential godhead
from our heavenly parents; hence, we need only to exercise and magnify those attributes until they become perfected; or, at
least, that divine mandate (given in the Sermon on the Mount) is ostensibly our highest aspiration and privilege. Through
modern revelation we have learned that,
"Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither
indeed can be. All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence,
also; otherwise, there is no existence."
[italics added] [D&C 93:29-30] The foregoing is undoubtedly one reason why Lucifer's plan to save everybody through
compulsion ("that one soul shall not be lost,") would not have worked (not to mention the stupidity of Satan and his lack of
appreciation and worshipful love and respect for his God, manifest in his desire to steal the Father's glory! [Moses 4:1-4]
That God, from the beginning, decreed that man should be the master of his own fate, is further shown by the following passage:
"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and
among all these were many of the noble and great ones; And God saw these souls, that they were good, and he
stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers... And there stood one among them that was
like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will
take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; And we will prove them herewith, to
see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them. And they who keep their first
estate shall be added upon; and they who keep not their first estate shall not have glory in the same kingdom with
those who keep their first estate [i.e., referring to the followers of Lucifer, who are forever denied the privilege of
obtaining bodies]; and they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads forever and
ever." [Abr. 3:23-26]
Our greatest and ultimate destiny (for those who pay the price of obedience) is to grow into the divine image of the Gods,
themselves, live the kind of life they live, do the things they do, and thus glorify our Maker. Church leaders have pointed
out that "Eternal" is one of the names of God, Himself, and thus, "Eternal Life" is the kind of life that God lives and enjoys
supremely. That man, himself, may ultimately attain such a high destiny has been voiced by a modern Prophet, Lorenzo
Snow, in his famous couplet: "As man now is, God once was; and as God now is, man may become."--Not that he will
become; but that he may become. The realization of achieving such an exalted station depends on how man exercises his
agency. Jehovah, speaking anciently through the mouth of the Psalmist, declared: "For I have said, ye are gods; and all
of you are children of the Most High." [Psalms 82:6] The mortal Messiah reaffirmed this verity as he withstood stoning
from the Jews of his day, who accused him of blasphemy for claiming he was the Son of God. Said Jesus, "Is it not
written in your law, I said, ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the
scripture cannot be broken, say ye of whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest,
because I said I am the Son of God?" [John 10:34-36] It is precisely because man has the inherent capacity and potential
to become even as God is, that the Savior gave the commandment both to the disciples in the land of Jerusalem, as well as to
the Nephites in America: "Be ye therefore, perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." [Matt. 5:48; 3 Nephi 12:48]
We are given to understand that as the saints of the Most High achieve this state of being, they become glorified in light and
truth, until their very souls and bodies radiate [or will ultimately radiate] a divine, majestic essence of intelligence and love;
and their destiny is then to "shine forth in the kingdom of heaven," as exalted beings, having become one with God, as
Christ, himself, is one with his Father--one in heart, mind, and purpose; but having a separate, resurrected, glorified body of
flesh and bones. Indeed, as one obeys the truth, and comes nearer and nearer to perfection and holiness, his or her soul
becomes imbued with the divine nature, and the countenance of such a person then radiates a "divine glow." This writer has
often witnessed such a "glow" upon the countenances of the modern prophets and apostles, and several other saints of the
kingdom who have lived outstanding, godlike lives, and whose "light" shines forth to the world. [Matt. 5:14-16; 3 Ne.
12:16; 18:24]
The supreme example of this principle, and corresponding manifestation, is the instance of the Lord Jesus on the Mount of
Transfiguration, as recorded in the synoptic Gospels. [Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2] A similar incidence of ineffable splendor is
recorded in the Book of Mormon, where not only the Savior, Himself, but many of his disciples in ancient America, were
clothed upon with glory, until their countenances did shine forth and they were encircled about, "as with fire." [3 Ne.
17:16-24; 19:13-16] Another excellent example, is the incidence in ancient Israel, where, amid the thunderings and
lightnings of Mt. Sinai, the prophet Moses communed with God. Afterward, as he came down from the mountain, the
record says that his face shone like the sun, and the Israelites were sorely afraid
[Exod 34:29-35; Moses 1:2,11,31; 2 Cor. 3:7] A remarkable case of transfiguration in modern times concerns the time
when, after the Prophet Joseph and Sidney Rigdon were shown the great vision, recorded in Section 76 of the Doctrine and
Covenants, they were both so full of the glory of God, that their faces were radiant, and not only their faces, but their whole
bodies. Philo Dibble reports that just he drove up to the home where the Prophet and Sidney Rigdon had just been given the
marvelous vision, they walked out onto the porch of the house, and, even though the Prophet Joseph had been wearing a
black suit at the time, his whole person, including his clothes, glistened with a divine, radiant luster, as though the sun, itself,
were shining within him! [see the book, The Vision, by N.B. Lundwall, pub. by Deseret Book, Salt Lake City, 1950; also,
HC vol. 1, pp. 245-52]
[1 Jn 2:13; Rev. 2:7,26,; 3:5,21; 12:11; 21:7; D&C 61:9; 64:2; 76:53,60]
I am the Captain of my soul!
The meaning of this final affirmation is bound up in the following scriptural decrees:
If one studiously and prayerfully inquires into the life of Joseph Smith, Jr., Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Lord Jesus
Christ, who was fore-ordained in the ante mortal heavenly councils and ordained in mortality by ancient prophets and
apostles, to open the Last Dispensation of the Gospel upon the earth, known as the "Dispensation of the Fulness of Times"
[Matt. 11:25; Luke 10:21; Alma 32:33, in the B. of M.; D&C 35:18; 138:53], it becomes all too evident (for
contradiction), that the message of the song, The Quest [or,"The Impossible Dream"] from the Broadway Musical, Man of
La Mancha[a modern version of the classic tale of Don Quixote], pertains to the great Latter-day Prophet, Joseph Smith,
probably more than to anyone else in history; though we could also cite the examples of George Washington, and the ancient
prophets, Enoch, Melchizedek, Abraham, Joseph, and Moses as also being in the same class:
To dream the Impossible Dream, to fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow, to run where the brave dare not go--
To right the unrightable wrong, to love--pure and chaste from afar,
To try, 'til your arms are too weary, to reach the unreachable star--
This is my quest: to follow that star--
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far--
To fight for the right, without question or pause,
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause--
And I know, if I'll only be true to that glorious quest,
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm, when I'm laid to my rest;
And the world will be better for this:
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach the unreachable stars!
Or, as the hymn says, "We are all enlisted...as soldiers in the army...and there's a bright crown in store. We shall win and
wear it by and by...." etc. That is, if we "hold to the rod, the iron rod," as another hymn suggests. The whole point of Lehi's
dream of the "Tree of Life," and the iron rod along the strait and narrow path which leads to it, is that we must hold fast to
the word of God, and endure to the end, that we might ultimately partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life, which gives
abundant happiness, eternal life and exaltation in celestial realms of glory. But, should we become distracted, or let go of
that rod, we will find ourselves short of the goal. Nevertheless, each of us is the captain of our own soul, and will ultimately
answer to the great Eternal General, or the Divine Admiral, of our being.
One could say that the sublime, ethereal message of all these songs and hymns (along with "Invictus," itself) finds fulfillment
in the divine life and mission and character of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, foremostly; and secondly, in the great
and noble life and manly character of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and other great prophets, statesmen and leaders, ancient and
modern. [D&C 135:3]
Conclusion. Here, then, is the sum and and substance of the ponderous meaning of the song, "Invictus!" It is quite
apparent, from this perspective, that William Ernest Henley and Bruno Huhn, composers of the lyrics [or poem] and music,
respectively, of this artistic musical masterpiece, thus portray in their mighty song, the essence of the message of The
Greatest Life Ever Lived! --even as Rodgers and Hammerstein sought to capture the essence of at least a portion of the
gospel plan in their own immortal classic:
When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high;
and don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm there's a golden sky,
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain,
Tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart,
And you'll never walk alone--you'll neverwalk alone!
God has provided a Plan of Life, Salvation, Eternal Life, and Exaltation in the highest degree of celestial glory, where He,
himself, lives and reigns supreme, with his Only Begotten Son, Jesus the Christ, at his right hand [Acts 7:55; Col. 3:1; Luke
22:69; Acts 2:33; 7:55-56; Heb. 1:3; 10:12; etc.] But, like the Apostle Peter says, [1 Pet. 5:6] we must "humble [ourselves]
under the mighty hand of God," if we desire to merit and win the prize of eternal life; which is the kind of life that God,
himself, lives, since "Eternal" is one of his names.
"Invictus!" means "unconquered," alright--unconquered by the Adversary to all that is good, true, lovely, virtuous, beautiful,
excellent, and holy. And since it is the avowed purpose of Satan, or Lucifer, to destroy both the body and soul of man and
to lead him carefully down to the depths of hell, it is the purpose and will of God to assist man to "overcome and subdue all
things," with the grace and atonement of Christ. [Genesis 1:28; Moses 2:28; Abraham 4:28; Dan. 2:40; Heb. 11:33; John
16:33; God has declared: "I will, that ye should overcome the world." [Rom. 12:21; 1 John 2:13; 5:4; Rev. 2:7, 26; 3:5,
21; 12:11; 21:7; D&C 64:2] "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." [Matt. 5:48; also, 3
Nephi 12:48, in the B. of M.]
Remember, each person has been given the stewardship and free agency and command of his or her own life; and each
individual is the captain of his or her own soul, like the song says; but every person commandeers his or her ship [or soul]
under the supreme Commander of all--even the great Eternal Admiral who is always above. What does a good captain do?
Why, he steers his ship in the direction toward the destination laid out for him by the Admiral!
But, he can commit mutiny, and/or veer off in some other direction which may lead either to destruction at worst, or to
some lesser port, at best; and some sea captains, turned pirates, have done just that! However, those captains who are
promoted, follow the directions and commands of their superior officers, and especially their supreme Commander. And
this is where humility comes to play. We read in Proverbs that "Honor shall uphold the humble." [Prov. 29:23] The Savior
said, "He that shall humble himself shall be exalted; but he that exalteth himself shall be abased. [Matt. 23:12; Ezek. 21:26;
Dan. 4:37; D&C 101:42; 112:3]. "Pride goeth before a fall;" but strength and power come to those who are truly humble.
An excellent example is George Washington, who has been called the Father of America; and an even better example, the
supreme example, of course, is the Savior, himself. The Savior overcame the world, and even death, itself. He has
commanded: "pray always, that you may come off conqueror." [D&C 10:5; 2 Nephi 32:9, in the B. of M.] Ultimately, the
divine mandate which decreed for the blessed Son of God, shall devolve upon his faithful and obedient followers:
Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his
glory shall be seen upon thee.
... and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy
of many generations. [Isaiah 60:1-2;14-15; D&C 112:23]
"Then shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of God." [ Dan. 12:3; Matt. 5:16;13:43; 17:2; Rev. 1:16; 3 Nephi
12:16, in the B. of M.; D&C 76:1-10; 19-24; 50-70; 92-96;114-119; 110:1-4; Jos. Smith Hist. 1:16-17, in the P. of G.P. ]
"Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because
they continue... [and] have all power..." " For this is eternal lives--to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus
Christ whom he hath sent." [Matt. 25:24; John 5:39; 17:3; Rom. 8:17; Rev. 3:21; D&C 132:20-24]
"I have said, ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High!" [Psalms 82:6; John 1:12; 10:34]
Above all things, in spite of the fact that God possess infinite intelligence and wisdom, probably his greatest applied
attribute, is love. Likewise, those of God's children who aspire to do the greatest good, and to become everything they may
become, as divinely ordained for their eternal glory and ultimate destiny, as the prophets have told us, must cultivate to a
very high degree, every attribute of Godliness. But, however great and grand and glorious all of these things are, like the
Apostle Paul cautioned, "Though I understand all the mysteries of God, and have not charity, I am nothing," etc.
Finally, we close this exegesis by quoting two of the most sublime passages in all of scripture. Speaking of those blessed
souls who ultimately merit the promised blessings of celestial glory and eternal exaltation, and are sealed unto such a divine
calling and election, by the Holy Spirit of promise, the Lord declares:
[They] shall come forth in the... Resurrection, and shall inherit thrones, kingdoms, principalities, and powers,
dominions, all heights and depths--then shall it be written in the Lamb's Book of Life that... [they] shall abide in my
covenant, and... it shall be done unto them in all things whatsoever my servant hath put upon them, in time and
through all eternity; and [their celestial marriage in the covenant of the holy priesthood] shall be of full force when
they are out of the world; and they shall pass by the angels and the gods, which are set there, to their exaltation and
glory in all things, as hath been sealed upon their heads, which glory shall be a fulness and a continuation of the
seeds forever and ever.
Then shall they be gods, because they have no end; therefore shall they be from everlasting to everlasting, because
they continue; then shall they be above all, because all things are subject unto them. Then shall they be gods,
because they have all power, and the angels are subject unto them.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye abide my law, ye cannot attain to this glory. For strait is the gate, and
narrow the way that leadeth unto the exaltation and continuation of the lives, and few there be that find it--
This is eternal lives--to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent. I am he. Receive
ye, therefore, my law. [D&C 132:19-22,24]
Then, alluding to all others (including saved but unexalted souls in the celestial kingdom) the Lord says:
Therefore, when they are out of the world they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are appointed angels
in heaven, which angels are ministering servants, to minister for those who are worthy of a far more, and an
exceeding, and eternal weight of glory.
[D&C 132:16] So wonderful is the divinely ordained reward for the faithful Saints of the Most High, who endure to the
end, that the Lord declares simply, and eloquently:
HEAR, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth, and rejoice ye inhabitants thereof, for the Lord is God, and beside him
there is no Savior. Great is his wisdom, marvelous are his ways, and the extent of his doings none can find out. His
purposes fail not, neither are there any who can stay his hand. From eternity to eternity he is the same, and his
years never fail.
For thus saith the Lord--I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those
who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. Great shall be their reward, and eternal shall be their
glory. And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for
ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my
kingdom.
Yea, even the wonders of eternityshall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many
generations. And their wisdom shall be great, and their understanding reach to heaven; and before them the
wisdom of the wise shall perish, and the understanding of the prudent shall come to naught. For by my Spirit will I
enlighten them, and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will--yea, even those things which
eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.
[D&C 76:1-10]
With this scriptural foundation, the reader is asked, once again, to go to the Internet sites, below, and witness the epitome of
the song, "Invictus!" -- as we view it.
http://www.bnr-art.com/friberg/risen.htm
http://www.mormons.org/daily/history/1945_present/christus_eom.htm
And that, is the way this writer perceives the true meaning of"Invictus!" However, for those who insist on the perspective
from the "dark side of the moon," [i.e., who maintain their atheistic point of view, and believe that they need worship no
God but themselves] we recommend Elder Dallin H. Oaks' stirring discourse on the subject, delivered during the October,
1988, General Conference of the Church, held in Salt Lake City, and reprinted in the November, 1988 issue of the
Ensign.We shall quote briefly a few excerpts from that address:
"In his famous poem, "Invictus," William Ernest Henley hurled man's challenge against fate. With head 'bloody, but
unbowed,' determined man is unconquerable. The last verse reads:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishment the scroll,
I am the master of my fate.
I am the captain of my soul.
Writing a half century later, Elder Orson F. Whitney replied with these lines:
Art thou in truth? Then what of him
Who bought thee with his blood?
Who plunged into devouring seas
And snatched thee from the flood?
Who bore for all our fallen race
What none but him could bear --
The God who died that man might live,
And endless glory share?
Of what avail thy vaunted strength,
Apart from his vast might?
Pray that his Light may pierce the gloom,
That thou mayest see aright.
Men are as bubbles on the wave,
As leaves upon the tree.
Thou, captain of thy soul, forsooth!
Who gave that place to thee?
Free will is thine -- free agency,
To wield for right or wrong;
But thou must answer unto him
To whom all souls belong.
Bend to the dust that head 'unbowed,'
Small part of Life's great whole!
And see in him, and him alone,
The [Admiral] of thy soul!
...
Speaking through the Prophet Joseph Smith in our dispensation, the Savior said:
'I am ...Christ... the Lord... the Redeemer of the world. I [have] accomplished and finished the will of Him whose I am, even
the Father, concerning me-- having done this that I might subdue all things unto myself-- Retaining all power, even to the
destroying of Satan and his works at the end of the world, and... judging every man according to his works, and the deeds
which he hath done. And surely every man must repent or suffer, for I, God, am endless. Wherefore, I revoke not the
judgments which I shall pass...Therefore, I command you to repent--repent, lest I smite you with the rod of my mouth, and
by my wrath, and by my anger, and your sufferings be sore--how sore you know not, how exquisite you know not, how hard
to bear you know not. For, behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would
repent; But if they would not repent, they must suffer even as I... which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of
all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit.' [D&C 19:1-5,15-18]
Man unquestionably has impressive powers and can bring to pass great things by tireless efforts and indomitable will. But
after all our obedience and good works, we cannot be saved from the effect of our sins without the grace extended by the
atonement of Jesus Christ.
As Nephi of old, said, we must labor diligently to persuade everyone 'to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for
we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all that we can do.'"
[2 Nephi 25:23] [italics added]...
And here we have the other side of the moon!
CODA!
It is significant that at the opening General World Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
convened at the dawn of the new Millennium, and held at the newly constructed Conference Center across from
Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, of the Council of Twelve Apostles, spoke on the
symbolism of the new edifice. He metaphorically rehearsed the purpose and function of the building as he likened
the construction of it [made from steel and granite] to the stone which the ancient prophet Daniel depicted as rolling
forth to cover the whole earth [alluding to the restored Gospel]. Continuing, he quoted the scripture: "And in the
days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed... and it shall stand
forever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountains without hands... the great God hath
made known... what shall come to pass hereafter; and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."
[Daniel 2:43-45] [Note: the granite rock used in the construction of the Center was literally taken from Little
Cottonwood Canyon, near Salt Lake City, as was the rock used in the construction of the Salt Lake Temple, itself:
"cut out of the mountain without hands." However, this coincidental fact is only secondary, and serves as a
symbolic reminder of the true meaning of this passage; which is, that in the latter days the God of heaven shall
establish his kingdom on the earth, and it shall roll forth to cover the earth, and shall stand forever.]
Elder Worthlin likened the development of human character to the building of a personal edifice which shall likewise "stand forever," as the soul attains perfection through obedience to divine principles. In the evolution [or unfolding] of this process, the human soul is like the butterfly which struggles to emancipate itself from the chrysalis, and with persevering effort, ultimately emerges as a beautiful creature. He said that adversity and struggle are like clay in the hands of the Master, and in order to emerge refined and polished, we must learn to walk forward with steadfastness in Christ. We must not cower against the vicissitudes and trials of life, but "square our shoulders and stand up tall and straight," and press forward with indomitable will toward the goal of eternal life.
Another stirring address was given by President James E. Faust, of the First Presidency of the Church, in which he eloquently pursued the same theme. He reminded us that the poet, William Ernest Henley, refused to give in to the impediments or trials of life; and though he spent most of his life in a wheel chair, he expressed his attitude of optimism and determination in the great lines of "Invictus!" Indeed, he wrote: "It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishment the scroll. I am the master of my fate! I am the Captain of my soul!" And here we conclude at the bright side of the moon!
If you have any questions or comments on this site, we'd like to hear from you. E-Mail:
ProfessorHolland @Netscape.net
Site Under Construction [but nearly finished]
go to Page Top
