Joseph Smith as Scientist Quotes

“Knowledge, concentrated into wisdom, is the end of existence. To those who live according to God's law, knowledge will come easily. It will continue to come to his people, until it shall be the most intelligent among the nations. The Lord has said it. "How”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Through obedience to law, intelligence grows; by the violation of law, which is sin, it decays. It is the degree of organized intelligence that ultimately distinguishes one man from other men; men from beasts, beasts from plants, and plants from rocks. Since intelligence, as defined by Joseph Smith, corresponds with the main form of energy of the universe, the doctrine of God, and all other beings, and of life, finds expression in terms of energy. That is exactly what science demands. [Sidenote:”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“God is an organized, material being, filled with the form of energy known as intelligence. "The glory of God is intelligence." All other forces of nature may be converted into intelligence; and from intelligence all other forces may be obtained; God is the center of these forces, and their directing power. Because of this centralization, nature is orderly. Natural laws are not, as supposed by some philosophers, accidental relations of phenomena, observed and recorded by man. The force of intelligence controls all phenomena; there is mind behind the operations of nature. God, himself a part of nature, is not the creator of nature, but the organizer and director of it. What a beautifully reasonable climax that is to the wonderful philosophy of Joseph the Prophet! The”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“It is remarkable that Joseph Smith taught the law of evolution as an eternal truth, twenty or more years before Darwin published his views. [Sidenote:”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Man's presence here on earth is simply that he may better learn to understand the nature of gross matter, and thus to develop and progress more completely. It”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Even so, in the philosophy of Joseph Smith, the doctrine is taught that all things advance; that man shall continue to advance, in intelligence, and all pertaining to it, until he shall become as God is now. Meanwhile, our God will also increase in his fulness, and ever be a God to us. Through this doctrine, all the principles of the Gospel are made coherent.”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“By this law, the purpose of the earth and the universe is explained to be endless growth. The law of evolution is the great cementing law of science.”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Only those who progress, persist; those who retrograde, die.”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“The fourth principle in "Mormon" theology teaches that after baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost is conferred which enlightens the mind, clears the intelligence, and brings man nearer the presence of God. So also in science, to the man who obeys the law of nature, come greater power and intelligence, to him who winds the wire right, the electric current comes, with all its latent powers. Thus is the Holy Ghost conferred in science; and thus, also, in a more subtle and greater degree is it conferred in the Church.”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“In "Mormonism" the second principle of action for the individual is repentance. If faith in God has been attained and his laws have been made clear, the believer will no longer violate those laws; he will obey them. That is repentance.”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“To conform to the laws of nature is scientific repentance. Faith in science or religion is a high form of intelligence and is opposed to ignorance. Repentance is the use of this intelligence for the benefit of man. In”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“The scientist who has acquired faith in a law of nature will no longer transgress that law. He will obey it.”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning even by study."[A] "Obtain a knowledge of history, and of countries and of kingdoms, of laws of God and man."[B] "Study and learn and become acquainted with all good books, and with languages, tongues and peoples."[C] "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance."[D]”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“He is full of love and mercy, because these qualities are attributes of intelligence, which God possesses in the highest degree. The "Mormon" idea of God, is delicate, refined, advanced and reasonable. The”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“The correct conclusion from this doctrine is that all the forces of nature are supported by intelligent action. This leads of necessity to order in nature. Blind forces, acting independently of intelligence, could not have brought about the perfect order that appears everywhere in the universe. Every atom of matter; every particle of ether is endowed with a form of intelligence. All the attractions, repulsions and equilibriums among natural objects are modes of expression of the force of intelligence. The explanations of the mysteries of nature will be greatly simplified when the "Mormon" doctrine of the position of intelligence in universal phenomena is clearly understood by scientific workers. [Sidenote:”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“God is in no sense the Creator of natural forces and laws; He is the director of them. The”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Under the law of evolution, man's organization will become more and more complex. That is, he will increase in his power of using intelligence until in time, he will develop so far that, in comparison with his present state, he will be a God.”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Man is superior to beasts because his organization permits a greater use of the universal force of intelligence.”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Joseph Smith taught that the central force of the universe is intelligence. Gravitation, heat, light, magnetism, electricity, chemical attraction, are all various manifestations of the all-pervading force of intelligence. This, it may be seen, is the simple theory advanced by scientists, with the definition of the first force added. [Sidenote:”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“Mormonism" teaches that intelligence is the force of forces.] "Mormonism”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“This involves the principle discussed above. By placing oneself in harmony with the requirements of the subject in hand, the truth must become known, even as an instrument properly tuned must feel the influence of the ether waves with which it is in harmony. Again,”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“The eternal spiritual body, united with this eternal material body, then constituted a suitable home for eternal intelligence, whereby it might be able, under the law of evolution to attain the greatest conceivable knowledge and power. The”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“To make possible the subjection of eternal, spiritual organized intelligences to perishable, material structures, certain natural laws would naturally be brought into operation. From the point of view of the eternal spirit, it might mean the breaking of a law directed towards eternal life; yet to secure the desired contact with matter, the spirit was compelled to violate the law. Thus, in this earth life, a man who desires to acquire a first hand acquaintance with magnetism and electricity, may subject himself to all kinds of electric shocks, that, perhaps, will affect his body injuriously; yet, for the sake of securing the experience, he may be willing to do it. Adam, the first man, so used natural laws that his eternal, spiritual body became clothed upon with an earthly body, subject to death. Then in begetting children, he was able to produce earthly bodies for the waiting spirits. According”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“In the universe are recognized ether or spirit, force or intelligence, and matter. Matter may act upon the ether and the ether upon matter; but ether acts most effectively upon ether, and matter upon matter. The original man, in whom intelligence and other forces acted through a purely spiritual or ether body, could impress matter and be impressed by it only in part. The man was imperfect because he did not touch directly the world of matter, and could know only in part the phenomena of the material world, which forms an integral part of the universe. In the words of Joseph Smith, "Spirit and element inseparably connected, receiveth a fullness of joy, and when separated, man can not receive a fullness of joy."[A] [Footnote”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy

“[Sidenote: Perfection comes only when matter, spirit and intelligence are associated.] Fundamental,”
― John Andreas Widtsoe, Joseph Smith as Scientist: A Contribution to Mormon Philosophy