FATHER ADAM

It was one of Brigham Young's teachings that "Adam is our father and our God, the only God with whom we have to do." For years I have imagined that the Mormon authorities were ashamed of this doctrine or, at least, were inclined to consider it as an outburst of Brighamism rather than an inspired tenet of Mormonism. i was, therefore, surprised to find the old hymn to Adam and Eve in the new hymnal. It is under the title, Sons of Michael. If you knew the secrets of the Mormon temple you would know that at a certain point of the Mormon endowment service temple works or official representing Elohim and Jehovah enter the Creation Room with the Archangel Michael, and that, Michael being put to sleep, Elohim makes passes over him, breathes upon him, and he wakens up as Adam. A little later a woman is made for him whom he calls Eve. In case your credentials will not get you through the temple, as is more than likely, you will find the light needed as regards the identification of Adam as Michael, in section 27 of the Doctrine and Covenants, where Joseph the Seer declares that "Michael is Adam, the father of all, the prince of all, the ancient of days." Here the three stanzas from the Mormon hymn of praise and loyalty to Adam and Eve. remember that Joseph the Prophet says "Michael is Adam."

Sons of Michael, He approaches!

Rise; the ancient Father greet;

Bow , ye thousands, low before Him;

Minister before His feet.

Mother of our generations,

Glorious by great Michael's side,

Take thy children's adoration;

Endless with thy Lord preside.

Raise a chorus, sons of Michael,

Like old Ocean's roaring swell,

Till the mighty acclamation

Thro' resounding space doth tell

That the Ancient One doth reign,

In His paradise again! [Hymn 334.]

. . .

The church will shed or cease to magnify its polytheistic teachings and its peculiar physical conceptions of personality, and it will unload old Adam, whom it has accepted in times past as the God of the human race. This change is going on in spite of the attempt of defenders of the Mormon faith to identify polytheism with pluralism, as suggested by certain modern philosophers, in spite of the continued defense of the teachings of Joseph and Brigham by such defenders of the faith as Apostle Whitney, and in spite of the retention of polytheistic hymns in their present edition of the Mormon hymnal.