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Hitler s Gladiator The Life and Wars of Panzer Army
Commander Sepp Dietrich Charles Messenger Digital
Instant Download
Author(s): Charles Messenger
ISBN(s): 9781616082833, 1616082836
Edition: reprint
File Details: PDF, 4.48 MB
Year: 2011
Language: english
 HITLER’S
GLADIATOR
 HITLER’S
GLADIATOR
THE LIFE AND WARS OF PANZER ARMY
COMMANDER SEPP DIETRICH

CHARLES MESSENGER

Skyhorse Publishing
 Copyright © 1988, 2001, 2005, 2011 by Charles Messenger
All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the ex-
press written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or ar-
ticles. All inquiries should be addressed to Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor,
New York, NY 10018.
Skyhorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion,
corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to spec-
ifications. For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th
Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or [email protected].
Skyhorse® and Skyhorse Publishing® are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.®, a
Delaware corporation.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN: 978-1-61608-283-3
Printed in Canada
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Photographs reproduced by kind permission of: Wolf-Dieter Dietrich
(14,35,36); Strasheim collection, original taken by Theodor Larsen (4); Dipl. Ing
Franz Kosar (1,2); Munin Verlag (18,37); The Trustees of the Imperial War mu-
seum, London (3,5,11,12,19,30,32); U.S. National Archives (24,33,34); Historical
Research Unit (10,13,15,16,17,20,21,22,23,25,26,27,28,29,31,38); Author’s Collec-
tion (6,7,8); Bruce Quarrie (9).
 CONTENTS
LIST OF MAPS
LIST OF PLATES
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO THE PAPERBACK EDITION
1. THE EARLY YEARS 1892-1918
2. POLICEMAN AND OBERLÄNDER 1919-27
3. HITLER’S BODYGUARD 1927-33
4. SS LEIBSTANDARTE 1933-39
5. BLITZKRIEG 1939-41
6. THE EASTERN FRONT 1941-43
7. NORMANDY 1944
8. THE ARDENNES 1944
9. LAST FLOURISH IN THE EAST 1945
10. THE MALMÉDY TRIAL 1945-46
11. WAR CRIMINAL AND AFTER 1946-66
12. IN PERSPECTIVE
APPENDIX 1. Text of the surrneder terms agreed by Sepp Dietrich
and Greek General Tsolakoglou on 20 April 1941
2. Waffen-SS Divisions
3. Waffen-SS Ranks with US and British equivalents
SOURCE NOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
 LIST OF MAPS
1. SEPP DIETRICH’S SOUTHERN GERMANY
2. TANK ACTION AT REIMS
3. GERMANY, 1919
4. UPPER SILESIA 1921 - ANNABERG AND AFTER
5. POLAND, SEPTEMBER 1939
6. HOLLAND, MAY 1940
7. DUNKIRK POCKET
8. THE LIEBSTANDARTE IN THE BATTLE FOR DUNKIRK
9. YUGOSLAVIA AND GREECE, APRIL 1940
10. RUSSIA, 1941-42
11. THE BATTLES IN THE DONETZ BASIN, JANUARY-MARCH 1943
12. NORMANDY, JUNE-JULY 1944
13. SIXTH ARMY OPERATIONAL PLANS FOR THE ARDENNES OFFEN-
SIVE
14. THE END IN HUNGARY AND AUSTRIA, MARCH-APRIL 1945
 LIST OF PLATES
PLATE l 77-mm field gun FK % n.A. with which Dietrich
went to war in 1914
PLATE 2 7.6-cm Krupp L16.5 infantry gun used by Diet-
rich when he was supporting storm troops with Infantry Gun
Battery 10.
PLATE 3 Storm troops in training at Beuville.
PLATE 4 Bayerische Sturmpanzerkraftwagen Abteilung
13 at Roux, near Charleroi, late June or early July 1918. Diet-
rich is sitting on the right of Bob’s driver cab.
PLATE 5 Mark IV booty tanks, male in front and female
behind, possibly Abteilung 14, waiting to move up, Rheims,
June 1918.
PLATE 6 The monastery at Annaberg, where the Freiko-
rps Oberland covered itself with glory in May 1921 during the
fighting in Upper Silesia.
PLATE 7 Oberianders in Upper Silesia, summer 1921.
Their badge, which can be seen on their collars, was the Edel-
weiss flower.
PLATE 8 Review of the Freikorps Oberland late Septem-
ber 1923. Ludendorff is to left in pickelhaube, and Goering in
right foreground.
PLATE 9 November 1923. Himmler, with flag, helps to
man a barricade out side the War Ministry in Munich.
PLATE 10 SS-Standartenführer Dietrich when commanding
the SS Standarte München.
PLATE 11 New recruits to the Leibstandarte take the oath
of allegiance, Feldherrnhalle, Munich, 9 November.
PLATE 12 SA and SS on parade at the 1934 Nuremberg
Rally.
PLATE 13 Dietrich, Hitler and Himmler listen to the band of
the Leibstandarte playing in the gardens of the Chancellery,
Berlin, on Hitler’s 48th birthday, 21 April 1937.
PLATE 14 Dietrich, unusually on horseback, reviews the
Leibstandarte at Lichterfelde.
PLATE 15 Hitler, accompanied by Dietrich, inspects a Leib-
standarte barrack room, December 1935.
PLATE 16 Poland, September 1939. Dietrich and Himmler
in a rare moment of bonhomie.
PLATE 17 Hitler, with Dietrich on his right, celebrates
Christmas with the Leibstandarte, Metz, 26 December 1940.
PLATE 18 ‘Obersepp’ dressed for the Eastern Front.
PLATE 19 Somewhere on the Eastern Front. Leibstandarte
motor-cycle detachment. Note the divisional sign.
PLATE 20 Marriage to Ursula, 19 January 1942.
PLATE 21 Kharkov, March 1943. Dietrich congratulates
Panzer Meyer.
PLATE 22 Russia, April 1943. Dietrich and his comman-
ders. Front row (left to right) Walter Ewart, Walter Staudinger,
Hermann Besuden, Kurt Meyer, Sepp, Hermann Weiser,
Rudolf Sandig, Alfred Bludau, Georg Schonberger.
PLATE 23 A joke with his men. Sepp Dietrich decorates SS-
Untersturmführer W Schulze with the Iron Cross 1st Class.
PLATE 24 Sepp puts on an act as a Russian peasant
woman. Photograph taken by Eva Braun, Hider’s mistress.
PLATE 25 Shaking hands with Wilhelm Mohnke when
meeting the staff of the newly formed SS Hitlerjugend in Bel-
gium, winter 1943-44.
PLATE 26 Dietrich with Rommel in Normandy, Summer
1944.
PLATE 27 A grim faced Dietrich receiving the Diamonds
from Hider, August 1944.
PLATE 28 It is understandable why Allied air power made
such an impression on Dietrich in Normandy, he very nearly
suffered the same fate as Rommel. Gazing at the remains of
his car after it had been strafed by an Allied fighter.
PLATE 29 Dietrich, wearing a Waffen-SS camoufalge jacket,
with General Hans von Obstfelder and in black Panzer uni-
form, General Heinrich Eberbach, August 1944.
PLATE 30 A Leibstandarte Royal Tiger moving up prior to
the Ardennes offensive, December 1944.
PLATE 31 Dietrich, with his Adjundant, Hermann Weiser,
during the Ardennes offensive.
PLATE 32 Last bow for this Hitlerjugend Panther outside
the village of Krinkhelt, 17 December 1944.
PLATE 33 The Dachau Trial. Dietrich (11), Kraemer (33),
Priess (45), Peiper (42).
PLATE 34 Prisoners of War, Nuremberg, 24 November
1945.
PLATE 35 Dietrich’s sons, cl950, (L to R) Götz-Hubertus,
Lutz, Wolf-Dieter.
PLATE 36 The Hunter.
 PLATE 37 Sepp Dietrich, as his soldiers will remember him,
although to many he had a darker side.
PLATE 38 Sepp’s tombstone in Ludwigsburg.
 INTRODUCTION
The biographer who undertakes the portrayal of an important character from
the Nazi era faces a problem which requires some self-examination. The enormi-
ties of the events, which the Third Reich brought upon the world, strain not only
moral sensibilities, but also the intellectual objectivity that is the historian’s duty
to bring to his subject.
Recent events, such as the Waldheim controversy, the Barbie trial and the
death of Rudolf Hess, show how long is the Nazi shadow, and dispel the tempta-
tion to imagine that, after more than forty years of peace in Europe, enough time
has passed for passions to cool and for dispassionate analysis to prevail. I certainly
make no such supposition, but believe that the reader who embarks on the study
of this period will, as his knowledge of it grows, experience these strains of moral
outrage versus cool appraisal just as vividly, regardless of whether he belongs to
tomorrow’s generation or yesterday’s. Given then that the Nazi spectre will con-
tinue to haunt for many years to come, it is better to marshal the evidence while
it is still comparatively fresh, than to wait for wounds to heal while it partially
evaporates.
Besides, it is not the historian’s duty to temper his tale to the sensibility of his
reader, but to tell the truth, however unpalatable it may be. And truth, in the por-
trayal of Sepp Dietrich, a controversial character who ranked high in the Nazi hier-
archy, requires both a strict avoidance of ‘whitewashing’ and ‘black-washing’
alike, and an exclusive attention to provable facts. Certainly it would have been
much easier to portray Dietrich as the ‘loud-mouth’ and bully which popular opin-
ion reckons him to have been, than to paint him according to the evidence.
And here Dietrich poses a special difficulty. Most biographers begin with the
advantage that their subject has felt obliged to favour posterity with an autobiog-
raphy, diaries, speeches or papers. With one or two very minor exceptions, Diet-
rich left none. He himself died over twenty years ago, and his second wife, Ursula,
who could probably have thrown much light on her husband, died in 1983. His
sons were too young, and saw too little of their father during the crucial years, to
know much about him, and the memories of those who served with him have ob-
viously dimmed with the passage of time. Much that has been written about him
is inaccurate, and he was himself guilty of untruths over parts of his early life,
something which has misled many historians. Furthermore, there are gaps in his
life which it has proved very difficult, if not impossible, to fill.
The root question to be addressed is whether Dietrich was at base a wicked
man. By virtue of the fact that he was for so long counted among Hitler’s inner cir-
cle, it is easy to come to the conclusion that he was a wholehearted supporter of
the Nazi ethic and all that it stood for. Lack of internal record means that the his-
torian is seldom privy to Dietrich’s innermost thoughts and can only observe his
actions and what information exists as to what he confided to others. The resul-
tant picture is grey, rather than pure black or white, which history seldom is. One
can therefore make only tentative conclusions as to the degree to which he was
motivated by National Socialism alone. What is clear, though, is that his rise to
prominence was caused primarily by his personal qualities as a military leader and
a major part of the book is devoted to the examination of these and his military
weaknesses.
Here one finds oneself in another sensitive area. For much of the war Dietrich
was held up by the Nazi hierarchy as the personification of all that was superior in
the National Socialist soldier, the Waffen SS. To many, especially those who
fought against them during the war, the character of the Waffen SS was stamped
with a brutality which set it apart from other fighting formations. This is especially
so over atrocities and Dietrich and his men stand or have stood accused of a
goodly number, in Poland, France, Russia, Italy, the Ardennes and, in the last days
of the war, Vienna. This is also not to forget his own involvement in the Night of
the Long Knives. In only two cases – Long Knives and Ardennes – was Dietrich ac-
tually arraigned, and in the case of the latter, as the reader will see, serious ques-
tions were raised over the conduct of the trial. In some incidents the evidence,
when carefully examined, is found to be conflicting. In these questions, the reader
should bear in mind that, unlike most courts of law, history is not compelled to
find for the accused on account of defects in the evidence, nor, for that matter,
adopt the principle of ‘guilty until proved innocent’. Instead it may leave the case
on the file, non-proven.
While I have found it necessary to examine my duties to the reader in writing
this history, it is important not to seem to apologize for that which needs no apol-
ogy, namely the historical interest of its subject.
Indeed, with patient probing it has been possible to find out a surprising
amount about Sepp Dietrich, and his contribution to the Nazi phenomenon, in
spite of the problems described above. Furthermore, his life does provide a re-
markably good vehicle for a history of 20th-century Germany, socially, politically
and militarily. Indeed, it is surprising that no one has ever tried to write his life be-
fore now, although some Germans to whom I have talked have expressed surprise
that I should do this, but without giving satisfactory reasons as to why they should
think that a biography of him is not merited. This, to me, is difficult to understand.
Indeed, my researches have taken me into a number of relatively uncharted areas
of German history. This has been personally of deep interest and most rewarding,
and I hope that the reader will agree. Whatever faults can be laid at Dietrich’s
door, there is no doubt that he was a colourful character and, in many ways,
larger than life. His career encompassed many dramatic events and develop-
ments, from the storm troops and German tanks of 1914-18, through the turbu-
lence of Germany in the immediate post-war area, in which he took a small but
active part, to the rise of Hitler and the formation of what became the Waffen-SS,
in which he played a leading role. He fought on every front in 1939-45 except
North Africa, was a key figure in what was probably the most controversial war
crimes trial in Europe and finally became a victim of the guilt which wracked the
West German nation in the 1950s. In truth, the menu is rich and varied.
This book could have never been written without the help given to me by a
number of institutions and individuals. In Germany I would very much like to give
my thanks to Daniel P. Simon, Director, Berlin Document Center, for providing me
with a copy of Dietrich’s SS Personal File. Dr Heyl, Archivdirektor Bayerisiches
Hauptstaatsarchiv, Kriegarchiv patiently answered a number of questions which I
put to him by letter. Herr Kirchhoff {Deutsche Dienstelle, Berlin), Herr Scholl (Bun-
desarchiv Militärarchiv, Freiburg im Breisgau) and Herr Baldes (Bundesarchiv Zen-
tralweisstelle, Aachen) likewise gave me useful information. Marianne Loenitz of
the Bundesarchiv, Koblenz was also most helpful in researching and sending
copies of documents held there. I am grateful, too, to Herr Thöle of Munin Verlag
for his help. Rainer Strasheim threw much light on Dietrich’s experience of tanks
in the First World War and Hans Weber, formerly of the Freikorps Oberland, was
invaluable in giving me information on Dietrich’s service with it. I owe a special
debt of gratitude to Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Anton Joachimsthaler who was kind enough to
share with me information which he has gleaned from his researches into Sepp
Dietrich. Dr Bernd Wegner of the Militärgeschichtliches Forschungsamt, Freiburg
im Breisgau, also shared his views on Dietrich and the Waffen-SS with me. There
are, too, Sepp Dietrich’s former comrades in the Waffen-SS who gave of their
memories and impressions of Dietrich to me, or my research assistant Lothar
Schäfer. Much gratitude goes to Otto Kumm, Georg Maier, Hubert Meyer,
through whom I would also like to thank Paul Zimmermann for giving me copies
of documents in Dietrich’s estate, Richard Schulze-Kossens, Otto Weidinger and
Max Wünsche and I sincerely hope that they will feel that their efforts on my be-
half will have been worth it. Finally, my most sincere thanks go to Wolf-Dieter Di-
etrich, Sepp’s eldest son. He was good enough to entertain Lothar Schäfer and I at
his Munich apartment and, in the course of four hours of questions, to throw
much new light on his father. He also very kindly copied and sent to me pho-
tographs from his album.
Dipl.-Ing. Franz Kosar of Vienna gave me something of his extensive knowl-
edge of First World War German artillery and loaned me photographs, and I am
also grateful to Ian Hogg for introducing me to him. Professor J.M. Feldbrugge of
the University of Leiden in Holland, with whom I was put in contact by the Soviet
Studies Research Centre, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, gave me information
on Soviet war crimes trials and investigations. In the USA, my thanks go to Dr R.
Raiber MD of Hockessin, Delaware, Denison Beach of the Widener Library, Har-
vard University and to John Toland, who was good enough to write to me on his
personal impressions of meeting Sepp Dietrich. There are also a number of indi-
viduals in the US National Archives, Washington DC, who together provided me
with a wealth of relevant material. They are George Wagner of the Military Refer-
ence Branch, Military Archives Division, Richard L. Boylan and Amy Schmidt of the
Military Field Branch and G. Bryant and Paul White of the Still Pictures Branch,
Special Archives Division.
In England there are a number of members of staff of the Imperial War Mu-
seum, London, who deserve my thanks. They are J.W. Pavey of the Department of
Photographs, Philip Reed, Department of Documents and T.C. Charman and D.B.
Nash of the Department of Printed Books. The last-named was especially helpful
with his knowledge of the German Army of 1914. Others who answered some of
my many questions were James Lucas, Bruce Quarrie, Max Hundleby and Denis
Jenkinson of Motor Sport. Lieutenant Colonel Sir George Kennard Bt, in the course
of a most entertaining session at the Guards and Cavalry Club, London, told me of
his experiences of being captured by theLeibstandarte in Greece, and Lieutenant
Colonel George Forty and David Fletcher of the Tank Museum, Bovington, Dorset,
provided information and photographs on the German use of tanks in 1918.
Colonel Paul Adair LVO assisted with introductions to former Waffen-SS officers
and Jonathan Prickett of The History Bookshop, Friern Barnet, London gave me a
number of useful leads. Thank you, too, to Ian Sayer for allowing me to ferret
around his monumental Second World War library and archive. Further thanks go
to the staffs of the Institute of Contemporary History and Wiener Library, the Lon-
don Library, Ministry of Defence Old War Office Library and the Reference Library,
West Hill, London Borough of Wandsworth, all of whom were tireless in their ef-
forts to produce books, many obscure. Andrew Mollo also gave his time to me,
and I am most grateful to his Historical Research Unit for providing many of the
photographs. Further, I would like to thank Simon King for his helpful advice.
To Brian Bond of the Department of War Studies, King’s College, London, my
thanks for putting me in touch with Lothar Schäfer. As for Lothar himself, I owe
him a greater debt than anyone. He was my research assistant throughout and, al-
though in the midst of studies both at King’s College, London and the University of
Konstanz, gave me much of his time. His high intelligence and growing enthusiasm
for the subject have been invaluable and he has been my strong right hand. Last,
but not least, thank you to my publisher, General Tony Trythall, for inviting me to
write this book and for giving me what has turned out to be a fascinating eighteen
months of research, and to Brigadier Bryan Watkins for his sympathetic editing.
London, September 1987
CHARLES MESSENGER
 INTRODUCTION TO THE
PAPERBACK EDITION
Although much water has flowed under the bridge since Hitler’s Gladiator was
first published and there have been a number of new works on the Waffen-SS, I
have seen no reason to make any major amendments to the text. However, a
number of people have written to me over the years pointing out minor errors
and these I have now corrected. I am most grateful to them and to Jost W Schnei-
der and Philip Nix, who drew my attention to Ursula Dietrich’s first marriage. This
has cleared up one mystery, that of the delay in her marriage to Sepp Dietrich.
London, May 2000
CHARLES MESSENGER
 CHAPTER 1
THE EARLY YEARS
1892-1918
On 28 May 1892 there was born to Palagius and Kreszentia (née Dietrich) Diet-
rich in the village of Hawangen near Memmingen in Swabia a son, Josef. From his
birth, Josef would always be known by the Bavarian diminutive ‘Sepp’, and as such
he was to play what, in many ways, was a unique, although some will say notori-
ous part in the history of 20th-century Germany. All this, however, lay many years
in the future and would, given the humble origins of his parents, have filled them
with disbelief if the course of Sepp’s life had been revealed to them at his birth.
Swabia at the time was a province of the Kingdom of Bavaria. The Empire of
Germany, which had been created by Bismarck and came into being on 1 January
1871, consisted of a confederation of German states, of which Prussia was the
most powerful, followed by Bavaria. Although the Empire was ruled from Berlin
and the Emperor came from the Prussian Royal House, the Hohenzollerns, the
various states enjoyed a certain amount of autonomy, dependent on their size.
For Bavaria, as the second largest, this meant her own parliament and army, al-
though the latter was subordinated to that of Prussia in time of war, as were the
other two semi-independent state armies, those of Saxony and Württemberg.
Prussia also was the final arbiter in the matters of organisation, training and
equipment. Nevertheless, Bavarians have traditionally regarded themselves as a
people apart from the remainder of the German states. They speak a particular
type of German, and tend to regard north Germans with a certain suspicion.
The Memmingen region is still to this day an area of great natural beauty and
in the 1890s hops were its main produce. Some writers have inferred that Sepp
Dietrich was illegitimate.1 There are, however, no factual grounds for believing
this and, although Sepp was the eldest, there were also two other sons, both of
whom were killed in the First World War, and three girls.2 Indeed, his parents
were good Roman Catholics, the denomination followed by most Bavarians.
Palagius himself was a Packermeister (Master Packer), but whether he was em-
ployed in this trade in the hops industry or not, history does not relate. In 1900,
however, when Sepp was eight years old, the family moved to the town of
Kempten, the capital of the Allgau region, which by the mid 1890s had a popula-
tion of over 15000 compared to the 9000 inhabitants of Memmingen, and was de-
scribed at the time by Baedeker as ‘picturesquely situated on the Iller’.3 Sepp him-
self completed eight years of schooling and then became an agricultural driver. In
1907, at the age of fifteen, he succumbed to the Wanderlust, which has tradition-
ally affected young Germans. He travelled to Austria and Italy, where he learnt
some Italian, which would later prove useful to him, and Finally to Zurich in
Switzerland where he began an apprenticeship in the hotel trade.4
 In 1911 Dietrich returned home since he was now due to be conscripted into
the Royal Bavarian Army. He himself for many years liked to have it believed that
he became a cavalryman and that he joined the 1st Bavarian Uhlan Regiment.5
This may have been his ambition, but in fact he joined the 4th Field Artillery Regi-
ment ‘König’ at Augsburg and was posted to the 2nd Battery for his recruit train-
ing. Again, Dietrich claimed that he was a regular soldier from 1911 until the out-
break of war.6 Indeed, in a record of his service which he drew up on June 1951,
while a prisoner in Landsberg, he stated that he became a professional Unterof-
fizier (Non-Commissioned Officer) in 1912 and during 1913-14 was a training NCO
for mounted troops.7 The truth was less glamorous. Dietrich joined his regiment
on 18 October 1911, but a month later, on 17 November, he was invalided out of
the Bavarian Army after a fall from a horse.8
His enforced return to civilian life was clearly a disappointment to him. Many
accounts state that he now entered the butchery trade, which, of course, fitted in
well with his later image as a Nazi ‘tough guy’, and these appear to stem from
what he told his US interrogators in 1945. The truth was a little more mundane.
He returned to Kempten and became a baker’s errand boy.9
By 1914 Dietrich had grown into a stocky man, five feet six inches tall, with
blue eyes and brown hair. He wore a moustache and had a strong, square jaw. He
spoke with a strong accent, which he never lost, and, indeed, as Baldur von
Shirach later wrote, ‘he was the original Bavarian’.10 He had a well developed
sense of humour and, like any good Bavarian, enjoyed his drink.
With the outbreak of war in 1914, Sepp, like all the youth of Europe, quickly
became caught up in the patriotic fever of the time. On 6 August, he enlisted in
the 7th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment. Again, during the 1930s at least, Dietrich
seemed to be ashamed of the fact that he had been an artilleryman. His SS Per-
sonal File, for instance, states that he went to war with the 1st Uhlans and then
transferred to the 4-th Infantry Regiment.11 One source12 claims he spent the war
as a paymaster sergeant! In October 1914, he arrived on the Western Front with
the 6th Bavarian Reserve Artillery Regiment, which was part of the 6th Bavarian
Reserve Division. This came under the Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria’s Sixth
Army and was in action almost the moment that it arrived in Flanders.
By mid-October, after the repulse of von Moltke’s armies on the Marne and
their withdrawal to the River Aisne, both sides had become engaged in what be-
came known as ‘the Race to the Sea’, with the Germans trying to take advantage
of the relative vacuum in Flanders in order to outflank the Allied forces. The rem-
nants of the Belgian Army became anchored on the Yser Canal and the British Ex-
peditionary Force (BEF) began to arrive from the Aisne from 10 October in order
to cover the sector from Ypres to La Bassée. The line south of this was the respon-
sibility of the French. As far as the Germans were concerned, 20 October marked
the first day of what was to become the First Battle of Ypres and it was charac-
terised by simultaneous attacks by the German Fourth and Sixth Armies respec-
tively north and south of Ypres. 6th Bavarian Reserve Division constituted part of
XIV Reserve Corps, which was engaged in attacking the French XXI Corps in the
area of Lens. Dietrich himself was probably serving as a gun number in one of the
six six-gun batteries in the Regiment, the gun being the 77 mm field gun. For the
next ten days, the Sixth Army attempted to break through the Allied line, but
without success. By the 27th, the Germans had decided to concentrate their ef-
forts around Ypres itself and the Crown Prince Rupprecht was ordered to quieten
things down on his front and told that his heavy artillery would be switched north-
wards.
The new German plan called for an attack on the St Yves-Gheluvelt sector. This
was at this time held by four cavalry corps and the idea was to form an additional
force of six divisions, called Gruppe von Fabeck, after its commander, behind
them in order to give an overwhelming superiority in front of Ypres. 6th Bavarian
Reserve Division was one of those earmarked for this group and moved north-
wards on 26 October. The division was given orders to attack Gheluvelt, together
with I Cavalry Corps and XXVII Reserve Corps, on the 29th, in order to cover the
deployment of the remainder of Gruppe von Fabeck. 6th Bavarian Reserve Divi-
sion had a fierce tussle with the British 1st Guards Brigade and managed to cap-
ture some trenches, but suffered heavy casualties in the process. At the end of
the day, the Division was placed in reserve in the Menin area while the remainder
of von Fabeck’s divisions continued throughout the next two days to struggle for-
ward, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy, but also suffering grievously them-
selves. Eventually, at about noon on the 31 st, the village of Gheluvelt was finally
captured, only to be lost a few hours later to a brilliant counter attack by the
Worcesters which was to have a profound effect upon the security of the BEF and
to make its place in history as a classic.
In view of the heavy casualties which they were suffering, the Germans de-
cided to switch to night attacks and 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, now south of
Ypres, began an attack on Wytschaete shortly after midnight on 1 November. The
village was held by 400 men of the Composite Household Cavalry Regiment and
sheer weight of numbers drove them out. Fruitless efforts were made during the
remaining hours of darkness to counter-attack. At about 0800 hours, help for the
hard pressed British came in the shape of the French 32nd Division, part of XVI
French Corps which was being deployed to strengthen the Allied line. The French
drove the Bavarians out of the village but, later in the day, the Bavarians managed
to get into Wytschaete again before being driven out. The next day, the 2nd, the
Bavarians attacked once more, this time reinforced by elements of neighbouring
divisions, and finally secured Wytschaete but could not get any further forward.
There was now a further pause while the Germans brought up more reinforce-
ments, but attacks continued all along the front in order to prevent the Allies from
improving their positions. The main weight of the German effort was now trans-
ferred to the nose of the Ypres Salient and 6th Bavarian Reserve Division, while
remaining in the line, did enjoy a comparative lull. By 20 November, however,
both sides were exhausted. The Germans had failed to break through and trench
warfare had arrived on the Western Front and would dominate it for the next
three years.

MAP 1 Sepp Dietrich’s southern Germany.

Foiled in the West, the German High Command now turned its eyes eastward.
By the end of November, four corps, together with all the cavalry on the Ypres
front, were on their way to face the Russians. This included 6th Bavarian Reserve
Division, but Dietrich was no longer with it. At some stage during the fighting of
the past month he had been wounded, having received shrapnel in the lower right
leg and, somewhat surprisingly, since the days of mounted cavalry action were
over by the time Sepp arrived on the Ypres front, a lance thrust above the left
eye.13 He was to bear the scars of these wounds for the rest of his life. Neverthe-
less, he had clearly shown promise as a soldier during the short time that he had
been in action since, once he had recovered from his wounds, he was sent to the
Bavarian artillery school at Sonthofen, by the border with Austria, in order to
learn how to become a non-commissioned officer (NCO). At the same time he was
put back on the books of the 7th Bavarian Field Artillery Regiment.
Probably in the summer of 1915, Dietrich was back in action, but it is virtually
Other documents randomly have
different content
oppressed in the siege of their great city, Jerusalem. We are told that "They
shall look upon Him Whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for
Him as one mourneth for his only son," and one shall look upon Him in that
day and shall say, "What are these wounds in Thy hands and in Thy feet?"
and He shall answer, "These are the wounds that I received in the house of
my friends." (Zech. the 12th, 13th and 14th chapters).

What think ye of Christ? Will that resurrected, immortal, glorified man ever
be distilled into some bodiless, formless essence, to be diffused as the
perfume of a rose is diffused throughout the circumambient air? Will He
become an impersonal, incorporeal, immaterial God, without body, without
parts, without passions? Will it be? Can it be? What think ye of Christ? Is
He God? Is He an exalted man? Yes; in the name of all the Gods He is. And
one wonders why Christian ministers arraign the faith of the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because they believe and affirm that God
is an exalted man, and that He has a body, tangible, immortal,
indestructible, and will so remain embodied throughout the countless ages
of eternity?—And since the Son is in the form and likeness of the Father,
being, as Paul tells us, "in the express image of His [the Father's] person"—
so, too, the Father, God must be a man of immortal tabernacle, glorified and
exalted: for as the Son is, so also is the Father, a personage of tabernacle, of
flesh and of bone as tangible as man's, as tangible as Christ's most glorious,
resurrected body (See article in Improvement Era for March, 1910, for
further treatment of this theme).
 LESSON XXXIV.
(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE CHARACTER OF GOD REVEALED IN

JESUS CHRIST.

ANALYSIS. REFERENCES.
I. Humility. Note 1, and the
II. Obedience. Scripture references
within the note.
III. Compassion and Note 2 and the
Impartiality of God: Scriptures quoted.
1. Ministration to Rich Note 3, and citations in
and Poor Alike; the note.
2. His Treatment of Notes 4 and 5.
Sinners;
Note 6, and citations of
3. His Mercy and Scriptures in the notes.
Toleration.
Note 7.
IV. His Love Manifested Note 8, and Lectures on
in the Atonement. Faith, Doc. & Cov.,
V. The Justice and Lecture III.
Severity of God.
VI. The Revelation of
God Complete in Jesus
Christ.

SPECIAL TEXT: "God was manifested on the flesh (margin), justified in the
Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world,
received up into glory." I Tim. ii:16.
 NOTES.

The notes of this Lesson are taken from two discourses by the author: one
the "Mormon Doctrine of Deity"; the other "Jesus Christ, the Revelation of
God," hence the personal character and direct address style that appears in
the notes.

1. The Humility of God Manifested Through Jesus Christ: First of all, I

call your attention to the deep, the profound humility of God; His great
condescension in living among men, as He did, for their instruction; and
from that circumstance would draw to your attention the lesson of humility
His life teaches. The heights of glory to which Jesus had attained, the power
and dignity of His position in the heavenly kingdom, of course, cannot be
comprehended by us in our present finite condition, and with our limited
knowledge of things. Great and exalted as we might think Him to be, you
may depend upon it He was exalted infinitely higher than that. Then when
you think of one living and moving in the courts of heaven and mingling in
the councils of the Gods, consenting to come down to this earth and pass
through the conditions that Jesus passed through, do you not marvel at His
humility? To be born under such circumstances as would enable wicked
man to cast reflection upon His very birth! (St. John viii:41.) To be born,
too, in a stable, and to be cradled in a manger! To grow up a peasant, with a
peasant's labor to perform, and a peasant's fare to subsist upon from
childhood to manhood—do you not marvel at this great humility, at this
great condescension of God? And by His humility, are not men taught
humility, as they are taught it by no other circumstance whatsoever?

2. The Obedience of God Manifested Through Jesus Christ: Of His

youth, we know but little; but the little we know reveals a shining quality,
either for God or man to possess. You must remember, in all our
consideration of the life of Messiah, one great truth, which comes to us
from the scriptures in an incidental way, viz., that "In His humiliation His
judgment was taken from Him." (Acts viii:33.) As the veil is drawn over
our minds when our pre-existent spirits come into this world and we forget
the Father and mother of the spirit world, and the positions we occupied
there, so, too, with Jesus; in His humiliation His judgment was taken from
Him; He knew not at first whence He came, nor the dignity of His station in
heaven. It was only by degrees that He felt the Spirit working within Him
and gradually unfolding the sublime idea that He was peculiarly and pre-
eminently the Son of God in very deed. When at Jerusalem, about twelve
years of age, He began to be conscious of the suggestions of the Spirit
within Him, that he had a work to do in the world for His Father, and hence
allowed the caravan with which He had come from distant Galilee to Judea
to start upon the return journey without Him, much to the perplexity and
sorrow of His supposed father, Joseph, and His mother, Mary. They missing
Him, returned and found Him in the temple disputing with the doctors and
lawyers. They reprimanded Him, as they would reprimand any boy guilty of
similar conduct; but when they reproved Him, He answered, "Wist ye not
that I must be about my Father's business." He began to understand His
mission. The spirit promptings were at work in His soul. And while
ultimately the spirit was given without measure unto Him (John iii:24), it
was not so at first, for "He received not of the fulness at the first, but
received grace for grace." (Doc. and Cov., Sec. 93: 12, 13.) The child Jesus
"grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God
was upon him. * * * And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in
favor with God and man." (Luke ii; 40, 52.) But notwithstanding, Jesus, at
twelve years of age, and earlier, began to experience the operations of the
Spirit calling His soul to His mission, still we are told that He returned with
His parents to Galilee, "and was subject unto them," He who had given the
law, "Honor thy father and thy mother," in this act exemplified the honor
that He entertained for that law, in His practice of it.

We next see Him coming to the banks of Jordan, where a prophet of God is
baptizing—one of those strange, eccentric men, who lived for the most part
in the wilderness, whose food was locusts and wild honey, and whose
clothing was the skins of wild animals; and yet through all this eccentricity,
through all this oddness of character, shone the divine powers of God in this
messenger, and multitudes of people were gathered by his preaching to the
Jordan, where he baptized them for the remission of their sins. By and by,
Jesus comes and demands baptism at this man's hands; and as he enters the
water, the prophet stays Him, and says, "I have need to be baptized of Thee,
and comest Thou to me?" Already, doubtless, shining through this
"expression of God,"—this Jesus of Nazareth,—the servant of the Lord, in
attune, through the spirit of inspiration, with the very God who was
approaching Him, felt the divinity of His presence, and would fain
acknowledge His own inferiority. What was the reply? "Suffer it to be so
now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." He Who had said
that men must be baptized for the remission of sins, though Himself sinless,
would honor that law by obedience unto it. Thus we learn that God not only
gives law, but He obeys law.

3. The Compassion and Impartiality of God: Jesus was possessed of

infinite compassion. The incidents that I shall relate to you, in support of
this statement, are in quotations that are free, and yet, I think, justified by
the spirit of the several occasions. After all, it is the spirit that giveth life;
the letter killeth; so let us look at these things in the spirit of them. You see
Him one day with some of His disciples approaching the little village of
Nain, "His raiment dusty and His sandals worn." As they draw near, the
gate is opened and a funeral procession marches out. The mother of the
young man whose body is being borne by his neighbors to the final resting
place, walks feebly and weeping beside the bier, desolate in her loneliness.
As Jesus saw that poor woman in the midst of her sorrow, His heart—I pray
you think of it, for we are speaking of God when we speak of Jesus Christ,
the Creator of heaven and earth—the heart of God is moved with
compassion towards this woman. He stops the bier, takes the dead by the
hand, and says, "Young man, I say unto you, Arise." And he arose. Jesus
Christ gave this woman back her son. It was an act of beautiful compassion,
one of many, which illustrates how tender and sympathetic is the heart of
our God!

Nor was His ministry confined exclusively to the poor, to the widows, to
the lonely. He despised not rulers, nor the rich, because they were rich; but
was willing, if only they could put themselves in a position to receive the
manifestations of His compassion—He was willing to minister unto them.
This is proved in the case of Jairus, one of the rulers of the Jews, and a man
of great wealth. You will remember that he came running to the Master with
his sorrow—his daughter was lying dangerously ill at home; and such was
his faith that if the Master would but speak the word, she would be healed.
While yet he spake, one of his servants came running, saying, "Thy
daughter is dead: trouble not the Master." But Jesus heeded not the word of
the servant. He had heard Jairus' cry of faith, and responsive to that faith-
cry, he made His way to the home of the ruler, put out those who were
unbelieving, and taking the maid by the hand, gave her back to the gladness
of life, into the arms of the joyous father. The faith of that rich man was as
great as the faith of any we meet with in all the ministry of the Lord. So,
wealth is not necessarily a hindrance to faith. God is as close to the faithful
rich as to the faithful poor, and as ready to grant them his mercy, according
to their faith. I sometimes think we make a mistake when we would flout
those who are rich and put them outside the pale of God's mercy and
compassion because of what may be nothing but a prejudice—which in
reality may be envy—of the rich.

While on the way to the ruler's house, another incident happened that is
very remarkable. A woman in the throng, a long time afflicted with a
grievous ailment, said in her heart as she saw Him pass, "If I may but touch
His garment, I shall be whole." Accordingly, she crowded her way forward,
dropped upon her knee, clutched the garment, and received the divine
power from Him which cleansed her body and healed her completely. Jesus,
observing that something had happened to him, turned to the apostles, and
said, "Who touched Me?" They replied, "Master, the multitude throng Thee
and press Thee, and sayest thou, Who touched ME?" as if that was not to be
expected in such a crowd. But, said Jesus, but "I perceive that virtue is gone
out of me." What was it? Simply that through this poor woman's faith—
who supposed herself so far removed from God that she dare not come into
His presence and ask for the blessing she desired, but undertook to obtain it
by indirect means—through her faith and touching the garment of the Lord
—the healing virtues passed from God to her in such a tangible manner that
He felt their departure, just as some of you elders, when administering to
one who was full of faith have felt your spiritual strength and life go out
from you, leaving you weak and almost helpless, but giving healthful life to
the afflicted. I speak to men who have experience in these things, and I
know that scores of you could bear witness to the truth of this phenomenon.
If our lives can but touch the life of God, such is His nature that we shall
partake of the virtues that go out from Him.

What shall I say of lepers that crowded into Messiah's presence, and who,
notwithstanding the loathsomeness of their disease, found sympathy and
help from contact with him? What of the blind, the lame, the halt? Why, let
us not speak of them; for though it is a great thing that their bodies should
be healed, and they should go through the community singing the praises of
Him who had restored them, there are better things to speak of—the healing
of men's souls, the purifying of their spirits.

4. God's Treatment of Sinners: Let us ask, rather, how did Jesus Christ—
God—deal with sinners? I take one incident that has always appealed very
strongly to me, and illustrates the spirit in which Christ deals with sinners;
for this God of ours is peculiarly the friend of sinners, not because of their
sins, however, but in spite of them; and because of His compassion upon
those so unfortunate as to be under the bondage of sin. The over-righteous
Pharisees of Christ's time would not on any account come in contact with
sinful men, lest they themselves should be polluted. They gathered the
robes of their sanctity about them, and considered themselves in such close
relation with God that they could afford to despise His poor, unfortunate,
sinful children, instead of holding out the hand that would bring them from
the kingdom of darkness into the brightness and glory of the kingdom of
God. But not so with Jesus Christ. When He was accused by this class of
men of mingling with publicans and sinners, His answer to them was,
"They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not
to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." As if He had said, you who
are righteous and have no need of healing for sin, stand by yourselves; My
mission is not to you, but to those who have need of God's help. Such was
the spirit of His answer. The incident to which I refer as illustrative of His
compassion for sinners, is this: The Jews were always on the alert to entrap
the Messiah's feet and bring Him into contradiction with the law of Moses.
The law of Moses, as first given to Israel, was that if any should be found in
adultery they should be stoned to death; but the Rabbis, by nice
discriminations of words, practically had rendered that law a dead letter, by
reason of which the adulterers in Israel escaped the punishment that God
had decreed against them. Therefore, they thought if they could take a
person who unquestionably had been guilty of this crime and bring him or
her into the presence of Jesus, they would either bring Him in conflict with
the law of Moses, or with the tradition of the elders, and in either case
would have sufficient cause to denounce Him before the people. So they
found a woman, caught in the act; they dragged her through the streets, and
cast her at His feet. "Master," said they, "this woman was taken in adultery,
in the very act. Now Moses, in the law commanded us, that such should be
stoned; but what sayest Thou?" He replied, "He that is without sin among
you, let him first cast a stone at her." One by one they slunk away, until the
woman was left alone with Jesus. When Jesus looked around and saw none
but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are thine accusers? hath no
man condemned thee?" "No man, Lord," she said. Then Jesus said: "Neither
do I condemn thee: go and sin no more." That is how God deals with
sinners. It is written that God cannot look upon sin with the least degree of
allowance, and that is true, he cannot; but how about the sinner? Why, He
may look upon the sinner with infinite compassion. While sin must always
be hateful, yet will He help and love the sinner, if he will but go his way
and sin no more. Such is our human weakness, and so nearly the level upon
which we all move, that there is none of us but will plead mightily for
mercy; and, thank God, we shall not plead in vain; for, while our Judge
cannot look upon sin with any degree of allowance, his heart goes out in
compassion and love to men, and He will help them to overcome sin, to
fight a good fight, to keep the faith, and at last enable them to win the
crown of righteousness in the kingdom of God.

5. God's Toleration: Jesus, moreover, was tolerant. You will recall the
circumstance of His having to go through Samaria, and you remember that
the Samaritans hated the Jews, and Jesus was a Jew. Some of His disciples
went into a village of Samaria, through which Jesus would have to pass, and
sought to make arrangements for the Master to stay over night; but the
Samaritans closed their doors against Him. They had heard of Him; He was
a Jew; and in the narrowness of their minds they would not admit the hated
Jew into their homes. This very much angered the disciple John, who loved
Jesus dearly. He was one of the "sons of thunder," and possessed of a spirit
that could love; and being strong in love, as is often the case—I was going
to say as is always the case—he was likewise strong in hating. He was the
type of man that does both heartily. Hence, he went to the Master and asked
Him if he might not call down fire from heaven upon those Samaritans for
thus rejecting the Master. Jesus replied: "Ye know not what spirit ye are of.
The Son of Man came to save, not to destroy." A broadness, a liberality
truly glorious.
Jesus was properly broad minded—liberal. On one occasion some of the
disciples found one casting out devils in the name of Jesus, and they
forbade him, because he followed not the Master. When they came into the
presence of Jesus, they reported this case and told what they had done.
Jesus said, "Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in
My name, that can lightly speak evil of me." Then He gave the other half of
that truth, "He that is not for Me is against Me," by saying, "For he that is
not against us is for us." Thus He corrected the narrow-mindedness of His
own apostles.

6. The Love of God: "He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is
love:—and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God and God in him." (I
John iv: 8-16).

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son
of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the
world; but that the world, through Him, might be saved." (John iii: 14-18).

I can think of no greater evidence of God's love than that exhibited in the
act of permitting his Son, Jesus Christ, to come to the earth and suffer as He
did for the sins of the world, that they might not suffer if they would but
conform to His laws, and thus accept the terms of Salvation. (Doc. & Cov.,
Sec. 19). It would seem, too, that the same attribute of love exists in the
breast of the Son, for the sacrifice He made for the redemption of the world
was a voluntary act. He was not compelled to make the Atonement, but of
His own free will He volunteered to become our ransom. (Pearl of Great
Price, p. 41.) He himself testified: "Therefore doth My Father love me,
because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it
from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I
have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My
Father." (John x: 17, 18.)

Thus, the atonement of Jesus, for the children of men, was a voluntary act;
and His death and suffering for the world, was the strongest expression of
love it is possible to conceive—"Greater love hath no man than this, that a
man lay down his life for his friends." (John xv: 13).

7. The Justice and the Severity of God: "Justice and judgment are the
habitation of Thy Throne." (Psalms lxxxix:14.) "A just God and a Savior."
(Isaiah xlv: 21). "Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold thy king cometh
unto thee: He is just and having salvation." (Zach. ix:9). "A God of Truth,
and without iniquity, just and right is He." (Deut. xxxii:4).

Notwithstanding all God's mercy, as manifested through the Christ, His

tolerance, His patience and gentleness, there were times when He Who was
so infinitely merciful, could also be infinitely just; He Who was so
infinitely compassionate, could be infinitely severe. I give you an instance
of it. He had struggled long and hard with those hypocrites, the Scribes and
Pharisees; and finally the voice of justice and reproof, as it is to be found in
God, speaks forth through Jesus Christ, and this is what He said: "Woe unto
you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of
heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them
that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers:
therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation." (Matt. xxiii:13, 14.)

That is not so gentle: Listen again: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when
he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the
temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple,
he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the
temple that sanctifieth the gold? And, whosoever shall swear by the altar, it
is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that
sanctifieth the gift? * * * Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and
swallow a camel. Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees! for ye make clean
the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion
and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup
and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres,
which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's
bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous
unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the
prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, if we had
been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them
in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves,
that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up, then,
the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can
ye escape the damnation of hell?" (Matt. xxiii:15-33).

And this from that gentle, compassionate man! The voice of God in its
severity speaks through these tones, and bids us understand that it must be a
terrible thing to fall under the displeasure of God. Think of the infinite
difference between that sweet compassion which He has for the penitent
sinner, and this severe but just arraignment of those who persist in their
sins! A warning to all men to beware of the justice of God, when once it
shall be aroused!

8. God Completely Revealed Through Christ: Jesus Christ is God

manifested in the flesh, proved to be so from the scripture; the character of
God is revealed in the wonderful life that Jesus, the Son of God, lived on
earth; in it we see God in action; and from it we see the gentleness, the
compassion, the love, and also the justice and severity of God. Jesus Christ
is God; and He is also man; but I deplore those sectarian refinements which
try to tell us about the humanity of Jesus being separate from the divinity of
Jesus. He Himself made no such distinctions. He was divine, spirit and
body, and spirit and body was exalted to the throne of His Father, and sits
there now with all the powers of the Godhead residing in Him bodily, an
immortal, glorified, exalted man! The express image and likeness God of
the Father; for as the Son is, so is the Father. Yet when the Latter Day Saints
announce to the world that we believe God to be an exalted man, we are
told that we are blasphemers. But as long as the throne of Jesus Christ
stands sure, so long as His spirit remains in His immortal body of flesh and
bones, glorified and everlasting, shall keep His place by the side of the
Father, so long will the doctrine that God is an exalted man hold its place
against the idle sophistries of the learned world. The doctrine is true. It
cannot be unthroned. A truth is a solemn thing. Not the mockery of ages,
not the lampooning of the schoolmen, not the derision of the multitude, not
the blasphemy of the world, can affect it; it will always remain true. And
this doctrine, announced by Joseph Smith to the world, that God is an
exalted man, that Jesus Christ is the revelation of God to the world and that
He is just like his Father, and that those who are His brethren may become
as He is, when they have walked in His footsteps—that is a doctrine that
will stand sure and fast as the throne of God itself. For Jesus Christ was
God manifested in the flesh. He was the revelation of God to the world. He
was and is and ever will remain an exalted man. He is, and always will
remain, God.
 LESSON XXXV.
(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

THE GODHEAD.

ANALYSIS. REFERENCES.
I. Plurality of Persons in The notes of this
the Godhead. Lesson and Scriptural
references in the notes, 1
to 5.
The references in
Richards and Little's
Compendium, Art.
"Plurality of Gods," p.
II. Plurality of Divine 184.
Intelligences. The notes, and
Scripture citations within
them, this Lesson.
Also "Avatars of God,"
Improvement Era for
March, 1910.

SPECIAL TEXT: "God standeth in the congregations of the mighty; he

judgeth among the Gods. * * * I have said ye are Gods; and all of you are
children of the Most High."

NOTES.

The notes of this Lesson are taken from two discourses by the Author: one
the "Mormon Doctrine of Deity"; the other, "Jesus Christ, the Revelation of
God," hence the personal character and direct address style that appears in
the notes. The discourses referred to will be found in "Mormon Doctrine of
Deity."

1. The Three Persons of the Godhead Revealed—The Father: It is to be

observed in passing that Jesus Himself came with no abstract definition of
God. Nowhere in His teachings can you find any argument about the
existence of God. That He takes for granted; assumes as true; and from that
basis proceeds as a teacher of men. Nay, more; He claims God as His
Father. It is not necessary to quote texts in proof of this statement; the New
Testament is replete with declarations of that character. What may be of
more importance for us at the present moment is to call attention to the fact
that God Himself also acknowledged the relationship which Jesus claimed.
Most emphatically did He do so on the memorable occasion of the baptism
of Jesus in the river Jordan. You remember how the scriptures, according to
Matthew, tell us that as Jesus came up out of the water from His baptism,
the heavens were opened, and the Spirit of God descended like a dove upon
Him; and at the same moment, out of the stillness came the voice of God,
saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." On another
occasion the Father acknowledges the relationship—at the transfiguration
of Jesus in the mount, in the presence of three of His apostles, Peter and
James and John, and the angels Moses and Elias. The company was
overshadowed by a glorious light, and the voice of God was heard to say of
Jesus, "This is My beloved Son; hear him." Of this, the apostles in
subsequent years testified, and we have on record their testimony. So that
the existence of God the Father, and the relationship of Jesus to Him, is
most clearly shown in these scriptures.

2. The Son: Jesus, Himself, claimed to be the Son of God, and in this
connection there is clearly claimed for Him divinity, that is to say, Godship.
Let me read to you a direct passage upon that subject; it is to be found in the
gospel according to St. John, and reads as follows: "In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. * * * And
the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld His glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."
(John i:1-3.)
The identity between Jesus of Nazareth—"The Word made flesh"—and the
"Word" that was "with God in the beginning," and that "was God," is so
clear that it cannot possibly be doubted. So the Son is God, as well as the
Father. Other evidences go to establish the fact that Jesus had the Godlike
power of creation. In the very passage I have just read, it is said: "All things
were made by Him [that is, by the Word, Who is Jesus]; and without Him
was not anything made that was made. In Him was life; and the life was the
light of men." (John i: 3-4.)

One other scripture of like import, but perhaps even more emphatic than the
foregoing, is that saying of Paul's in the epistle to the Hebrews: "God, Who
at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by
the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds." (Heb.
i: 1-3.)

Not only one world, but many "worlds," for the word is used in the plural.
So that we find that the Son of God was God the Father's agent in the work
of creation, and that under the Father's direction He created many worlds.
There can be no question then as to the divinity, the Godship, of Jesus of
Nazareth, since He is not only God the Son, but God the Creator also—of
course, under the direction of the Father.

3. The Holy Spirit: Again, the Holy Ghost is spoken of in the scriptures as
God. I think, perchance, the clearest verification of that statement is to be
found in connection with the circumstance of Ananias and his wife
attempting to deceive the apostles with reference to the price for which they
had sold a certain parcel of land they owned, which price they proposed
putting into the common fund of the Church; but selfishness asserted itself,
and they concluded to lie as to the price of the land, and only consecrate a
part to the common fund. It was an attempt to get credit for a full
consecration of what they possessed, on what was a partial dedication of
their goods. They proposed to live a lie, and to tell one, if necessary, to
cover the lie they proposed to live. When Ananias stood in the presence of
the apostles, Peter put this very pointed question to him: "Why hath Satan
filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?" * * * "Thou hast not lied unto
men, but unto God." (Acts v.) To lie to the Holy Ghost is to lie to God,
because the Holy Ghost is God. And frequently in the scriptures the Holy
Spirit is spoken of in this way.

4. The Holy Trinity: These three, the father, Son, and the Holy Ghost, it is
true, are spoken of in the most definite manner as being God—one; but the
distinction of one from the other is also clearly marked in the scriptures.
Take that circumstance to which I have already alluded—note 1—the
baptism of Jesus. There we may see the three distinct personalities most
clearly. The Son coming up out of the water from His baptism; the heavens
opening and the Holy Spirit descending upon Him; while out of heaven the
voice of God the Father is heard saying, "This is My beloved Son, in Whom
I am well pleased." Here three Gods are distinctly apparent. They are seen
to be distinct from each other. They appear simultaneously, not as one, but
as three, each one being a different person, so that however completely they
may be one in spirit, in purpose, in will, they are clearly distinct as persons
—as individuals.

5. Each of the Three Equal in Dignity: In several instances in the

scriptures these three personages are accorded equal dignity in the
Godhead. An example is found in the commission which Jesus gave to His
disciples after His resurrection, when He sent them out into the world to
preach the gospel to all nations. He stood in the presence of the eleven, and
said: "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore,
and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt. xxviii:18-20.)

Each of the three is here given equal dignity in the Godhead. Again, in the
apostolic benediction: "May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of
God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all."

In one particular, at least, Jesus came very nearly exalting the Holy Ghost to
a seeming superiority over the other personages in the Godhead; for He
said: "All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And
whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven
him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be
forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." (Matt.
xii:31, 32.)
I take it, however, that this seeming superior dignity accorded to the Holy
Ghost by the Son of God, is owing to the nature of the third personage in
the Trinity, and the kind of testimony He can impart unto the soul of man
because of His being a personage of spirit—a testimony that is better than
the seeing of the eye, more sure than the hearing of the ear, because it is
spirit testifying to spirit—soul communing with soul—it is the soul of God
imparting to the soul of man; and if men, after receiving that Witness from
God, shall blaspheme against Him, farewell hope of forgiveness for such a
sin, in this world or in the world to come!

These three personages, then, are of equal dignity in the Godhead,

according to the teachings of the New Testament. Each is equally divine—
equally God; hence Jesus is God equally with God the Father, and with God
the Holy Ghost.

This simple Christian teaching respecting the Godhead gave birth to what,
in ecclesiastical history, is called "The Apostles' Creed." A vague tradition
has it that before the Apostles dispersed to go into the world to preach the
gospel, they formulated a creed with respect of the Church's belief in God.
Whether that tradition be true or not, I do not know, and for matter of that, it
makes little difference. Suffice it to say that the so-called "Apostles' Creed,"
for two centuries, expressed the faith of the early Christians upon the
question of God, and is as follows: "I believe in God, the Father, Almighty;
and in Jesus Christ, His Only Begotten Son, our Lord, Who was born of the
Virgin Mary by the Holy Ghost, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, buried,
arose from the dead on the third day, ascended to the heavens, and sits at the
right hand of the Father, whence He will come, to judge the living and the
dead; and in the Holy Ghost."

6. Plurality of Divine Intelligences: We have already shown that the

Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct persons,
and, so far as personality is concerned, are three Gods. Their "oneness"
consists in being possessed of the same mind; they are one, too, in wisdom,
in knowledge, in will and purpose; but as individuals they are three, each
separate and distinct from the other, and three is plural. Now, that is a long
way on the road towards proving the plurality of Gods. But, in addition to
this, I would like to know from our friends—the critical sectarian ministers
who complain of this part of our faith—the meaning of the following
expressions, carefully selected from the scriptures:

"The Lord your God is God of Gods, and Lord of Lords." (Deut. x:17.) That
is from Moses.

"The Lord God of Gods, the Lord God of Gods, He knoweth, and Israel He
shall know." (Josh. xxii:22.) That is from Joshua.

"O give thanks unto the God of Gods! * * * O give thanks to the Lord of
Lords!" (Psalm cxxxvi: 2, 3.) That is David.

"And shall speak marvelous things against the God of Gods." (Daniel xi:
36.) That is Daniel.

"The Lamb shall overcome them; for He is Lord of Lords, and King of
Kings." (Rev. xvii:14.) That is the beloved disciple of Jesus—John the
Revelator.

Had I taken such expressions from the lips of the pagan kings or false
prophets, who are sometimes represented as speaking in the scriptures, you
might question the propriety of making such quotations in support of the
doctrine I teach; but since these expressions come from prophets and
recognized servants of God, I ask those who criticize our faith in the matter
of a plurality of Gods, to explain away those expressions of the scriptures.
Furthermore, there is Paul's language, in his letter to the Corinthians,
already quoted, where he says, "that there be Gods many and Lords many,
whether in heaven or in earth." Had his expression been confined to those
that are called gods in earth, it is possible that there might be some good
ground for claiming that he had reference to the heathen gods, and not true
Gods; but he speaks of those that "are Gods in heaven" as well as gods in
earth. Right in line with this idea is the following passage from the Psalms
of the Prophet David: "God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; He
judgeth among the Gods." (Psalm lxxxii:1.) These, undoubtedly, are the
Gods in heaven to whom Paul alludes, among whom the God referred to
stands; among whom He judges. This is no reference to the heathen gods,
but to the Gods in heaven, the true Gods.
In this same Psalm, too, is the passage which seems to introduce some
telling evidence from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, viz.: "I have said ye
are Gods, and all of you are the children of the Most High." You remember
how on one occasion the Jews took up stones to stone Jesus, and He called
a halt for just a moment, for He wanted to reason with them about it. He
said: "Many good works have I shown you from the Father; for which of
these works do ye stone me?"

Their answer was: "For a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy;
and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God."

What an opportunity here for Jesus to teach them that there was but one
God! But He did not do that. On the contrary, He affirmed the doctrine of a
plurality of Gods. He said to them: "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 Him, Whom the Father hath
sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am
the Son of God? If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I
do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works."

Higher authority on this question cannot be quoted than the Son of God
Himself.

7. Further Evidence for a Plurality of Divine Intelligences: I find a word

on the subject fitly spoken by the late Orson Pratt, in a discourse delivered
in 1855, in Salt Lake City. He said: There is one revelation that this people
are not generally acquainted with. I think it has never been published, but
probably it will be in the Church History. It is given in questions and
answers. The first question is, "What is the name of God in the pure
language?" The answer says, "Ahman." "What is the name of the Son of
God?" Answer, "Son Ahman, the greatest of all the parts of God, excepting
Ahman." "What is the name of men?" "Sons Ahman," is the answer. "What
is the name of angels in the pure language?" "Anglo—man." The revelation
goes on to say that Sons Ahman are the greatest of all the parts of God
excepting Son Ahman, and Ahman, and that Anglo-man are the greatest of
all the parts of God excepting Sons Ahman, Son Ahman and Ahman,
showing that the angels are a little lower than man.[1] What is the conclusion
to be drawn from this? It is that these intelligent beings are all parts of God.
(Journal of Discourses, Vol. 2, p. 342.)

This, it will be said, is a bold doctrine; and indeed it is bold. I love it for its
boldness, but not so much for that, as for the reason that it is true. It is in
harmony with another revelation given through Joseph Smith, wherein it is
said:

"Man was also [as well as Jesus] in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or
the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be. * * * For
man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseparably
connected, receive a fullness of joy; and when separated, man cannot
receive a fullness of joy. The elements are the tabernacle of God; yea, man
in the tabernacle of God, even temples" (Doc. and Cov., sec. 93: 29-35).

Nor is the doctrine less in harmony with the Jewish scriptures:

"For it became him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in
bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation
perfect through suffering. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are
sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them
brethren."

In this same chapter of Hebrews, Jesus, as well as man, is spoken of as

being made "a little while inferior to the angels" (verses 7 and 9 marginal
reading); and he is spoken of by the same apostle in another place as being
but "the first born among many brethren" (Rom. 8:29). Also in his great
discourse in Mars Hill, Paul not only declares that God "hath made of one
blood all nations of men"—but he also quoted with approval the Greek poet
Aratus,[2] where the latter says: "For we are also his [God's] offspring;" and
to this the apostle adds: "For as much, then, as we are the offspring of God
[hence of the same race and nature], we ought not to think that the Godhead
is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art after man's device" (Acts
17: 26-30). The nature of our own being, one might add, in continuation of
the apostle's reasoning, should teach those who recognize men as the
offspring of God, better than to think of the Godhead as of gold, or silver, or
stone, graven by art after man's device, since the nature of the offspring
partakes of the nature of the parent; and our own nature teaches us that men
are not as stocks and stones, though the latter be graven by art after the
devices of men.

Paul might also have quoted the great Hebrew poet: "God standeth in the
congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the Gods. * * * I have said
ye are Gods; and all of you are children of the Most High" (Ps. 82: 1, 6, 7);
and though he adds, "But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the
princes," it does not detract from the assertion, "and all of you are children
of the Most High;" for Jesus died, even as men die; but he was the Son of
God, nevertheless, and he himself a Deity.

The matter is clear, then, men and Gods are of the same race; Jesus is the
Son of God, and so, too, are all men the offspring of God, and Jesus but the
first born of many brethren. Eternal Intelligences are begotten of God,
spirits, and hence are sons of God—a dignity that never leaves them.
"Beloved," said one of old, "now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet
appear what we shall be; but we know that when he [Christ] shall appear,
we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (I John 3:2). For
additional matter on this point see "Avatars of God" in March and April
Nos. of Improvement Era, 1910.

8. Of God the Spirit of the Gods: From the presence of the Gods goes out
the influence and power men sometimes call God, or the Spirit of God;
from whose presence David could not flee:

"If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there; if I make my bed in hell, behold
thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall
hold me. Yea the darkness hideth not from thee; but the light shineth as the
day; the darkness and the light are both alike to thee" (Ps. 139: 7-12).

This Spirit is that "Something sacred and sublime," which men recognize as
moving "wool-shod" behind the worlds; "weighing the stars; weighing the
deeds of men." (Edward Markham.) This that Spirit that permeates all
space; that makes all presence bright; all motion guides; the Power
"unchanged through time's all-devastating flight;" that upholds and sustains
all worlds. Hence it is said, in one of the most beautiful of the revelations
God has given in this last dispensation:
"As also he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and the power
thereof by which it was made. As also the light of the stars and the power
thereof by which they were made. And the earth also and the power thereof;
even the earth upon which you stand. And the light which now shineth,
which giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is
the same light that quickeneth your understandings; which light proceedeth
forth from the presence of God to fill the immensity of space. The light
which is in all things; which giveth light to all things; which is the law by
which all things are governed: even the power of God who sitteth upon his
throne, who is in the bosom of eternity, who is in the midst of all things; * *
* The earth rolls upon her wings, and the sun giveth his light by day, and
the moon giveth her light by night, and the stars also give their light, as they
roll upon their wings in their glory, in the midst of the power of God. * * *
Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man who hath seen any or the least
of these, hath seen God moving in his majesty and power" (Doc. and Cov.,
sec. 88 8-13 and 45, 47).

This, then, is God, who is not far removed from every one of us; in whom
we live, and move, and have our being. This is God immanent in nature.

And as we dwell in him, so, too, dwells he in us; and, as man more expands
towards divinity, more and more of the divine enters into his being, until he
attains unto a fullness of light and truth; of power and glory; until he
becomes perfectly one in God, and God in him. This the meaning of the
Messiah's prayer, made for all those who become his disciples—"That they
all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee: that they also may
be one in us" (John 17: 21).

To the same effect Paul also prayed:

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named that he would grant
you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by
his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith;
that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with
all Saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to
know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled
with all the fullness of God" (Eph. 3: 14-19).
Then again he said: Let this mind be in you which was also in Jesus Christ:
who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God
(Philippians 2: 5, 6).

It is possible for the mind of God to be in man, to will and to do, as seemeth
[God] good. The nature of the Whole clings to the Parts, and they may carry
with them the light and truth and glory of the Whole. Moreover, by
appointment, any One or Three of the unit Intelligences may become the
embodiment and representative of all the power and glory and authority of
the sum total of the Divine Intelligences; in which capacity either the One
or the Three would no longer stand only in their individual characters as
Gods, but they would stand also as the sign and symbol of all that is divine
—and would act as and be to all intents and purposes The One God. And so
in every inhabited world, and in every system of worlds, a God presides.
Deity in his own right and person, and by virtue of the essence of him; and
also by virtue of his being the sign and symbol of the Collectivity of the
Divine Intelligences of the universe. Having access to all the councils of the
Gods, each individual Deity becomes a partaker of the collective
knowledge, wisdom, honor, power, majesty, and glory of the Body Divine
—in a word, the embodiment of the Spirit of the Gods whose influence
permeates the universe.

This doctrine of Deity teaches a divine government for the world that is in
harmony with our modern knowledge of the universe; for, as I have
remarked elsewhere in effect: (New Witness for God, pp. 473-5.) An
infinitude of worlds and systems of worlds rising one above another in ever-
increasing splendor, in limitless space and eternal duration, have, as a
concomitant, an endless line of exalted, divine men to preside over and
within them, as Priests, Kings, Patriarchs, Gods! Nor is there confusion,
disorder, or strife in their vast dominions; for they all govern upon the same
righteous principles that characterize the government of God everywhere.
These Divine Intelligences have attained unto the excellence that Jesus
prayed for in behalf of his apostles, and those who might believe on their
word, when he said: "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those
whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are." I say Divine
Intelligences have attained unto the excellence of oneness that Jesus prayed
his disciples might possess, and since they have attained unto it, and all
govern their worlds and systems of worlds by the same spirit, and by the
same principles, there is a unity in their government that makes it one even
as they are one. Let worlds and systems of worlds galaxies of systems and
universes, extend as they may throughout limitless space, Joseph Smith has
revealed the existence of a divine government which, while characterized
by unity, is co-extensive with all these worlds and world-systems.

Footnotes

1. It may be thought, at the first reading of this statement, "the angels are a
little lower than man," is in conflict with the scripture, "Thou madest him
[man] a little lower than the angels" (Heb. 2: 7). But I call attention to the
marginal rendering of the passage in King James' translation, "Thou madest
him a little while inferior to the angels." Without stopping here to consider
which is the better translation of the passage, it may be said of the latter that
it is in better harmony with the context of the passage as it stands here in
Hebrews, and also in Psalms, than the preferred rendering of it in the
regular text; for in both places it says of man, "Thou crownedst him with
glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands; thou hast
put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all things in
subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we
see not yet all things put under him." Moreover, we see the same thing is
said of Jesus that is said of man: "We see Jesus who was made a little lower
than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor"
(Heb. 2: 9). Surely "made a little lower than the angels," when said of Jesus
could be but for "a little while inferior to," etc.; and that only in the matter
of "the suffering of death." So, too, with man; he is made "a little while
inferior to the angels," after which period he would rise to the dignity of his
place, when it would be seen, as said in the text with which this note deals,
"the angels are a little lower than man," that is, of course, when man shall
have attained unto his exaltation and glory.

2. He was a poet of Cilicia, of which province Tarsus, Paul's native city, was
the capital. He wrote about four hundred years before Paul's time.
 LESSON XXXVI.
(Scripture Reading Exercise.)

SOME OBJECTIONS TO THE TRUE

DOCTRINE OF DEITY.

ANALYSIS. REFERENCES.
I. God Is a Spirit, Hence The Mormon Doctrine
Not Material—Without of Deity—Roberts-Van
Form or Body. Der D Discussion. Chs. i,
II. God Is Invisible— ii, iii and the notes of this
Lesson.
Hence Immaterial,
Without Body or Form. Also Chapter v in the
above work. It is a
III. Anthromorphic Collection of Passages
Appearances and from leading Elders of the
Descriptions of God Church, setting forth
Only Used to Make "Mormon Views of the
Plain Spiritual Things. Deity."
IV. The Answers.

SPECIAL TEXT: Stephen, "being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up

steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on
the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the
Son of Man standing on the right hand of God." Acts vii: 55, 56.

NOTES.

These notes are taken from the Roberts-Van Der Donkt Discussion on
Deity. The Catholic Father states the objections and presents the argument
for them; Elder Roberts gives the answers, and argues for their accuracy
and efficiency. The debate in full is found in "Mormon Doctrine of Deity,"
chs. ii and iii.

1. The First Objection—God is a Spirit—Hence Immaterial: "God is a

Spirit" (John iv., 24). "Another strong and explicit statement is: 'Blessed art
thou, Simon Bar-jona, because flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto
thee, but My Father who is in heaven.' (Matt. xvi). "As the Christ has asked,
what[1] do men say the Son of Man is (Matt. xvi, 16, 17), there is an evident
antithesis and contrast between the opinions of men and the profession of
Peter, which is based upon revelation. The striking opposition between
men, flesh and blood, and the Father, evidently conveys the sense that God
hath not flesh and blood like man, but is a Spirit (Roberts-Van Der Donckt
Discussion—Mormon Doctrine of Deity—p. 45).

2. God is Invisible, Hence Immaterial: It is also held that God is

described as being "invisible," in the Bible. Then it is added: "All material
beings are visible. Absolute invisible beings are immaterial or bodiless: God
is absolutely invisible, therefore God is immaterial or bodiless. * * * * * *
Tertullian, (A. D. 160-245), Ambrose (330-397), Augustine (354-430) and
other Fathers, whose deep scholarship is acknowledged by Protestants and
Catholics alike, informs us that God the Father is called invisible because
He never appeared to bodily eyes; whereas the Son manifested Himself as
an angel, or through an angel, and as man, after His incarnation. He is the
eternal revelation of the Father. It is necessary to remark that whenever the
eternal Son of God, or angels at God's behest, showed themselves to man,
they became visible only through a body or a material garb assumed for the
occasion (see Cardinal Newman's "Development of Christian Doctrine," 9th
edition, pp. 136 and 138)." (Ibid.)

3. The Purpose of Anthropomorphic Appearances and Descriptions of

God: "Again, Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the
rulers of the world of this darkness, against the spirits of this wickedness"—
Eph. vi: 12—Could plainer words be found to teach that angels both good
and bad, are spirits devoid of bodies. Now, the Creator is certainly more
perfect than His creatures, and pure minds are more perfect than minds
united to bodies (men). ["The corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and
the earthly habitation presseth down the mind" (Wis 9:15.) "Who shall
deliver me from this body of death?" (St. Paul).] Therefore, the Creator is a
pure spirit.

"It is a well known fact that all men, after the example of the inspired
Writings, make frequent use of the figure called anthropomorphism,
attributing to the Deity a human body, human members, human passions,
etc.; and that is done, not to imply that God is possessed of form, limbs,
etc., but simply to make spiritual things or certain truths more intelligible to
man, who, while he tarries in this world, can perceive things and even ideas
only through his senses or through bodily organs." (Ibid).

4. The Answers: The whole fabric of this objection and argument, is built
upon the assumption that "spirit" is immaterial. I say "assumption," because
it is nowhere declared in revelation that "spirit" is immaterial. On the other
hand, whenever spirits have been seen, or God has been revealed, they have
appeared to the eyes of the beholder in human form. They were tangible to
human sight; they had configuration; they occupied space; and as form and
extension are qualities of matter, spirits must be material, albeit of finer
substance than the bodies tangible to the senses in normal states of
consciousness. The argument quoted in the preceding notes of the lesson,
were treated in part in the following manner:

5. Of God Being a Spirit: "Mr. Van Der Donckt's first premise is that "God
is a Spirit," quoting the words of the Savior (John 4: 24); and Paul's words,
"The Lord is a spirit," (II Cor. 3: 17.) He then argues that a spirit is different
from a man, and quotes the remark of Jesus to His disciples, when He
appeared to them after His resurrection: "A spirit hath not flesh and bones,
as ye see Me have" (Luke 24: 37-39). Also the words of Jesus to Peter,
"Flesh and blood hath not revealed it [that is, that Jesus is the Christ] unto
thee, but My Father Who is in heaven." (Matt. 16: 17.) The gentleman, in
all this, sees a striking contrast between men, flesh and blood, and the
Father; which "conveys the sense that God hath not flesh and blood like
man, but is a spirit." * * * * With reference to the passage—"Flesh and
blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father Who is in heaven," and
the Reverend gentleman's remarks thereon, I wish to say, in passing, that the
antithesis between man and God in the passage, extends merely to the fact
that the source of Peter's revelation was God, not man; and is no attempt at
defining a difference between the nature of God and the nature of man.
Here, also, I may say, that the Latter-day Saints do not hold that God is a
personage of flesh and blood, but a personage of flesh and bone, inhabited
by a spirit, just as Jesus was after His resurrection. Joseph Smith taught,
concerning the resurrection, that "all [men] will be raised by the power of
God, having spirit in their bodies, and not blood." Again, in speaking of the
general assembly and church of the first-born in heaven (Heb. 12:23), he
said: "Flesh and blood cannot go there; but flesh and bones, quickened by
the Spirit of God, can." So it must be remembered, throughout this
discussion, that the Latter-day Saints do not believe that God is a personage
of flesh and blood; but a personage of flesh and bone and spirit, united. * *
* * * * * * But now for the "Mormon" exposition of the text. Is Jesus Christ
God? Was He God as He stood there among His disciples in His glorious
and, to use Mr. V's own word, "sacred," resurrected body? There is but one
answer that the Reverend Catholic gentleman or any orthodox Protestant
can give, and that is in the affirmative—"yes, Jesus is God." But "God is a
spirit!" True, He is; but Jesus is a spirit inside a body—inside an immortal,
indestructible body of flesh and bone; therefore, if Jesus is God, and God is
a spirit, He is an embodied spirit, just as the Latter-day Saints teach.

Mr. Van Der Donckt endeavors to anticipate the "Mormon" answer to this
argument by saying: "I am well aware that the Latter-day Saints interpret
those texts as meaning a spirit clothed with a body, but what nearly the
whole of mankind, Christians, Jews, and Mohammedans, have believed for
ages, cannot be upset by the gratuitous assertions of a religious innovator of
this last century."

At this point, I will not appeal to or quote the "gratuitous assertions of a

religious innovator of this last century"—meaning Joseph Smith. There is
no need of that. If I were an unbeliever in the true Deity of Christ, I might
take up the gentleman's argument in this way: You say God is a spirit, and
hence bodiless, immaterial? His answer must be, "Yes." But Jesus says, "a
spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have."—Hence Jesus is not
God, because He is a personage of flesh and bone, in the form of man—not
bodiless or immaterial. (This refers to the Christ after his resurrection when
he was a resurrected man and immortal in that state). This, of course, is not
my point. I merely refer to it in the beaten way of good fellowship, and by
way of caution to my Catholic friend, who, I am sure, in his way, is as
anxious to maintain the true Deity of the Nazarene as I am; but his method
of handling the text, "God is a spirit," might lead him into serious difficulty
in upholding the truth that Jesus was and is true Deity, if in argument with
an infidel.

6. Of God Being Invisible: Mr. Van Der Donckt thinks he sees further
proof of God's being a "Spirit," and therefore immaterial or bodiless, in the
fact that He is spoken of in the Bible as being "invisible." Moses "was
strong as seeing Him that is invisible," (Heb. 11:27); "No man hath seen
God at any time" (I John 4: 12). "The King of kings—whom no man hath
seen nor can see," (I Tim. 6: 16); are the passages he relies upon for the
proof of his contention.

Of course, Mr. V. is aware of the fact—for he mentions it—that these

passages are confronted with the explicit statement of scripture that God has
been seen by men. Moses saw Him. At one stage of his experience, the
great Hebrew prophet was told that he could not see God's face; "for," said
the Lord, "there shall no man see Me and live." But even at that time,
Moses was placed in a cleft of the rock, "and thou shalt see My back parts,"
said the Lord to him; "but My face shall not be seen" (Exodus 23: 18-23).
On another occasion, Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the
elders of Israel, saw God. "And they saw the God of Israel; and there was
under His feet as it were, a paved work of sapphire stone, and as it were the
body of heaven in his clearness. And upon the nobles of the children of
Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink." (Ex.
24: 9-11).

Isaiah saw Him: 'I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,
and His train filled the temple.' At the same time the seraphims proclaimed
His holiness, saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth
is full of His glory." Then said Isaiah: "Woe is me! for I am undone;
because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of
unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah
6: 1-5).
To harmonize these apparitions of God to men with his theory of the
invisibility of God, Mr. V. appeals to the writings of some of the Christian
fathers, and Cardinal Newman, from whose teachings he concludes that
God the Father is called "invisible" because "he never appeared to bodily
eyes; whereas the Son manifested Himself as an angel, and as a man after
His incarnation. * * * Whenever the Eternal Son of God, or angels at God's
behest, showed themselves to man, they became visible only through a
body, or a material garb assumed for the occasion!" "Surely Tertullian,
Ambrose, Augustine, the great English Cardinal of the Roman church, and
Mr. V. are in sore straits when they must needs take refuge in the belief of
such jugglery with matter as this, in order to reconcile apparently
conflicting scriptures. And what a shuffling off and on of material garbs
there must have been, as from time to time hosts of angels and spirits
appeared unto men! It is but the materialization of the spiritualist mediums
on a little larger scale. But there is a better way of harmonizing the seeming
contradictions; and better authority for the conclusion to be reached than the
Christian fathers and Cardinal Newman. I mean the scriptures themselves."
(The argument in illustration of the last statement is too extended to quote
here. See Roberts-Van Der Donckt Discussion, pp. 80-84.)

7. Of Anthropomorphism and Understanding the Bible Literally: I must

say a word upon Mr. V's remarks respecting the plain anthropomorphism of
the Bible, and the matter of understanding that sacred book literally. With
reference to the first he says: "All men, after the example of the inspired
writings, make frequent use of the figure called anthropomorphism,
attributing to the Deity a human body, human members, human passions,
etc., and that is done, not to imply that God is possessed of form, limbs,
etc., but simply to make spiritual things or certain truths more intelligible to
man."

I would like to know upon what authority Mr. V. adjudges the "inspired
writings" not to imply that God is really possessed of form, limbs, passions,
etc., after attributing them to Him in the clearest manner. The "inspired
writings" plainly and most forcibly attribute to Deity a form like man's,
with limbs, organs, etc., but the Bible does not teach that this ascription of
form, limbs, organs and passions to God, is unreal, and "simply to make
spiritual things or certain truths more intelligible to man." On the contrary,
the Bible emphasizes the doctrine of anthropomorphism by declaring in its
very first chapter that man was created in the image of God: "So God
created man in His own image, in the image of God created he him." The
explanation is offered that it was necessary to attribute human form,
members and passions, to God, in order to make spiritual things intelligible
to man; but what is the reason for ascribing the divine form to man, as in
the passage just quoted? Was that done to make human beings or certain
truths more intelligible to God? Or was it placed in the word of God
because it is simply true?

The truth that God in form is like man, is further emphasized by the fact
that Jesus is declared to have been in "the express image" of the Father's
person (Heb. 1: 3); and until Mr. V. or some other person of his school of
thought, can prove very clearly that the word of God supports his theory of
the unreality of the Bible's ascription of form, organs, proportions, passions
and feelings, to God and other heavenly beings, the truth that God in form
is like man, will stand secure on the foundation of the revelations it has
pleased God to give of His own being and nature.

8. "The Morbid Terror of Anthropomorphism": Dean Mansel, in his

"Limits of Religious Thought," administers a scathing reproof to the
German philosophers Kant and Fichte (and also to Professor Jowett, in his
note xxii in Lecture 1) for what he calls "that morbid terror of what they are
pleased to call anthropomorphism, which poisons the speculation of so
many modern philosophers, when they attempt to be wise above what is
written, and seek for a metaphysical exposition of God's nature and
attributes." These philosophers, while holding in abhorrence the idea that
God has a form such as man's—or any form whatsoever—parts, organs,
affections, sympathies, passions or any attributes seen in man's spirit, are,
nevertheless, under the necessity of representing God as conscious, as
knowing, as determining; all of which, as pointed out by Dean Mansel in
the passage which follows, are, after all, qualities of the human mind as
well as attributes of Deity; and hence the philosophers, after all their labor,
have not escaped from anthropomorphism, but have merely represented
Deity to our consciousness, shorn of some of the higher qualities of the
human mind, which God is represented in the scriptures as possessing in
their perfection—such as love, mercy, justice. (The very extended passage
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