1

Modish 4:5-8 (the Book of Mormon)

5 For behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of

God at this time has awakened you to a sense of

your nothingness, and your worthless and fallen

state—

6 I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of

the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and

his wisdom, and his patience, and his

long-suffering towards the children of men; and

also, the atonement which has been prepared from

the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation

might come to him that should put his trust in the

Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his

commandments, and continue in the faith even unto

 2

the end of his life, I mean the life of the mortal

body—

7 I say, that this is the man who receiveth salvation,

through the atonement which was prepared from

the foundation of the world for all mankind, which

ever were since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who

ever shall be, even unto the end of the world.

8 And this is the means whereby salvation cometh.

And there is none other salvation save this which

hath been spoken of; neither are there any

conditions whereby man can be saved except the

conditions which I have told you.

 3

CHAPTER 2: A Case for Meaning over

Happiness

Tragedy and Evil

Happiness. The Oxford English Dictionary defines

happiness as the state of pleasurable contentment of

mind or the deep pleasure in or contentment with one’s

circumstances.

Life is full of terrible suffering brought on by

tragedy. Parents die and children are left orphans.

 4

Children die and parents are left empty and alone.

Parents encounter problems in their marriage and deal

with the heartwrenching separation of divorce. Children

are born to parents incapable of caring for them or that

do not love them.

Natural disasters destroy homes and take lives

every year. Disease kills and maims people

disproportionately in countries in poverty, which have

limited sanitization. Malnutrition contributes to 3.1

million under-five child deaths each year.

According to National statistics from the National

Coalition against Domestic Violence, close to 20

people per minute are physically abused by their

intimate partner in the United States. This is more

 5

than 10 million women and men per year. “1 in 4

women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate

partner physical violence, intimate partner contact

sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking with

impacts such as injury, fearfulness, post-traumatic

stress disorder, use of victim services, contraction of

sexually transmitted diseases”. “1 in 5 women and 1

in 71 men in the United States has been raped in

their lifetime.” “Almost half of female (46.7%) and

male (44.9%) victims of rape in the United States

were raped by an acquaintance. Of these, 45.4% of

female rape victims and 29% of male rape victims

 6

were raped by an intimate partner.” “1 in 15 children

are exposed to intimate partner violence each year,

and 90% of these children are eyewitnesses to this

violence.” “Studies suggest that there is a relationship

between intimate partner violence and depression

and suicidal behavior.” “Physical, mental, and sexual

and reproductive health effects have been linked

with intimate partner violence including adolescent

pregnancy, unintended pregnancy in general,

miscarriage, stillbirth, intrauterine hemorrhage,

nutritional deficiency, abdominal pain and other

gastrointestinal problems, neurological disorders,

 7

chronic pain, disability, anxiety and post-traumatic

stress disorder (PTSD), as well as noncommunicable

diseases such as hypertension, cancer and

cardiovascular diseases. Victims of domestic violence

are also at higher risk for developing addictions to

alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.”

https://ncadv.org/STATISTICS#:~:text=On%20average%2C

%20nearly%2020%20people,10%20million%20women%2

0and%20men.

There are 130 suicides on average per day. The rate

of suicide is highest in middle aged white men.

 8

Suicide ist the 12th leading cause of death in the

United States. In 2020, 45,979 Americans died by

suicide. In 2020, there were an estimated 1.2 Million

suicide attempts in the United States. That is one

suicide attempt in for every 277 people just for the

year 2020. 93 per cent of adults surveyed in the U.S.

believe that suicide can be prevented.

https://afsp.org/suicide-statistics/

Adding to this intense problem of tragedy is the

problem of the existence of evil in the world. The

interaction between a person and a force of actual

evil, or a profoundly immoral and wrongful force, can

 9

completely disturb and shake them. THere is plenty of

evil in the world today and there have been plenty of

forces for evil throughout history. If you have not

confronted one of these forces of evil, hope that it

stays that way.

684 people have been murdered in school shootings

since 1970. 1,937 people have been injured in school

shootings since 1970. There have been 30,394,077

abortions in the United States since 1980. According

to the University of Hawaii, the Nazis killed

16,315,000 of their own people under the reign of

Adolf Hitler

https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/NAZIS.CHAP1.HT
M
 10

The Holocaust mentioned above was an

example of profound evil. Hitler murdered over 16

million people out of race based hatred after torturing

and starving them in concentration camps. According

to the Encyclopedia Britanica, 35,000,000 to

60,000,000 people died in World War 2, a war fought

to eradicate this evil. (brittanica).

One of our allies in during world war 2 was the

Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was a clear example

of the evils that socialism produces. The Gulag

Archipelago outlines these crimes against humanity

toward Stalin's in detail. The Soviet Union killed up

 11

to 126 Million of their own people. They would

accuse their citizens of disloyalty or active rebellion

to the Soviet Union for a perceived lack of work

results or laziness. These people could receive

anywhere from 3 to 25 years of labor in the Gulag

labor camps. Often after a 10 year sentence was

served, people were promptly sentenced again for

no reason at all. Many children were born in the

gulag and young children could be given long

sentences to serve in the gulag prison system. The

continual threat that you could be murdered at any

time by the guards drove the prisoners to continue

to work. Prisoners were given very little food and

 12

water and sleep to nourish them as they completed

their various tasks.

In China socialism killed up to 113 million

people. In Vietnam, North Korea, and Cambodia

another 3 million each. This is a shocking number of

people considering that there are just over 300

million people in the United States. An estimated

total What could socialism do to us here?

Slavery is another profound race based evil which has

existed in world throughout the entirety of history.

 13

CHAPTER 1: THE STORY

This book of ideas, as most ideas, is based on

great stories. In these stories are instantiated the basic

theory of existence that outlines the path to a

meaningful life.

There is a clear theme in these ancient stories

that finding logos and meaning in life will allow you to

create order from the chaos of existence

The Holy Bible

In the Bible exists a narrative of the creation of the

world, the fall of man from innocence, to a state of

conflict with sin and death. We will examine this story

more fully later, but in this overview I will be brief. After

 14

the fall of man from innocence Adam and Eve have

posterity, namely Cain and Able. Abel offers an

acceptable sacrifice to the Lord making him the ideal

and Cain does not offer an acceptable sacrifice. Cain

then kills this ideal and is punished to be hated by all

and to wander the world forever in darkness. This story

shows the incredible destructive effect of rejecting the

ideal or purpose of life.

The efficacy of seeking the ideal or the meaning

of life is then presented in a variety of stories. In the

story of Enoch, “Enoch walked with God”(Genisis 5:22).

He lived according to the highest ideal and searched for

meaning in life. For this search of the highest ideal,

Enoch is taken up by God and helps save the future

 15

generations of humanity. The story of Enoch and his

generations shows the story of a man searching for

meaning and helping others to find that meaning may

save himself and may help to redeem everyone around

him. This may be an effect of living the ideal in our own

lives. It may save everyone, our family and all around

us.

After the city of Enoch is taken to heaven we see

another story of a man striving to live his ideal. “Noah

was a just man and perfect in his generations, and

Noah walked with God.”(Genesis 6:9). But the earth

was “corrupt before God, and … was filled with

violence”.
 16

God looks upon the earth and sees that it is

corrupted, so God promises to “destroy them with the

earth”. (Genesis 6:13)

God commands Noah to build an ark and he is

saved with his family as the entire world is drowned

under the waters.

This story presents the idea that one seeking

meaning and seeking to live the ideal will be saved,

even if the entire world is destroyed. There are things in

our lives that threaten to destroy the personal world

around us. There are constant existential threats

bearing upon our worlds. How do we deal with the

criticism of right living? How do we provide the

necessities of life for ourselves and our families? This

 17

story promises that those who strive for the ideal and

strive for meaning will be saved even if everything in the

world is destroyed.

The third key story about the ideal is found in

Abraham, who was living in the comfort of his father’s

house. In Genesis 12:2 Abraham is called out of the life

of familiarity that he has grown accustomed to into the

wilderness and the unknown. He is called there

however with a promise that if he lives according to the

ideal he will be made “a great nation”(Genesis 12:2).

Now Abraham is an interesting character in the

bible. In many ways he not idyllic. Out of fear of the

Egyptians, Abraham begs his wife to lie and say that

she his his sister so that they will not kill him for his
 18

wife. (Genesis 20:2) Despite his apparent

imperfections, God appears to Abraham and gives him

a promise for himself and his posterity. He is told he will

be a “father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5), that he

will be “exceedingly fruitful”, and that nations and kings

should come out of him. (Genesis 17:6) This story

seems to show that the striving to find meaning in life

and living the ideal will save you even from your own

apparent imperfections and flaws and will raise you up

to a better person than you could ever become without

the idyllic striving toward meaning.

These prophetic ideals continue throughout the

bible from Moses in Exodus to Joshua , Samuel, Isaiah,

and Jeremiah. During the remainder of the bible the

 19

house of Israel or the covenant descendants of

Abraham follow a cycle. They begin by living according

to the ideal. They lose focus of this ideal and become

prideful as time goes on. As they become prideful, they

become corrupt and society collapses in great tragedy.

God then calls a prophet to embody the ideal and act as

a redemptive force to bring the people of Israel back to

the ideal.

This really begins with Moses, who is called by

God to call the people of Israel from slavery to serve

Him in the wilderness. At the beginning of this story

Israel is in slavery as a result of the abandonment of

their ideal. Moses acts as an ideal as he obeys the

command of God and faces pharoah with the mandate

 20

that he let Israel go to serve God. God plagues Egypt

until Pharaoh lets the people go and then chases after

them to kill them.

“And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of

Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians

marched after them; and they were sore afraid.”

(Exodus 14:10)

The people of Israel are understandably

frightened and cry to Moses lamenting that they ever

left captivity. But “Moses said unto the people, Fear ye

not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which

he will shew to you to day”(Exodus 14:13)

THe Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold

your peace” (Exodus 14:14)

 21

Moses is then commanded to lift up his rod and

that Israel will go forth on “dry ground through the midst

of the sea”. Moses then leads the people of Israel into

the Red Sea and as the Sea parts, the people of Israel

go through on dry ground and saved from their

enemies. This story is our first clear story about the

redemption of God from slavery, nihilism, and death to

meaningful existence. This redemption is a fundamental

truth along with the truth of meaning, being embodied

later in the bible by the Lord Jesus Christ. This idea of

redemption and the symbolic nature of Jesus Christ will

be studied in greater depth in the last chapter of this

book.
 22

Stories

Mythological stories also contain the idea that finding

logos and meaning in life will allow you to create order

from the chaos of existence. Stories

Enuma Eillis

Apsu was the Begetter of Great Gods and Tiamat was

the Mother of Chaos. Apsu was the Father and Tiamat
the Mother.
Ea the son Kills Apsu and makes his dwelling on the
body of his father Apsu.
Ea dwells in splendor with his wife on the body of Apsu.
Of Ea is born Marduk. Marduk is a hero at birth.

Tiamat the mother of chaos begins to roll as they have

killed her husband Apsu
The men make evil plans against the gods and tiamat
Tiamat then makes monsters to kill and destroy men
 23

Ch 2 - Tiamat grows until she is ready to destroy

everything and is full of power.
Ea summons the Warrior Marduk. Marduk agrees to
subdue Tiamat and save the Gods. But he wants to be
head God and when he speaks he wishes to ordain
destinies

CH 3 - The Venom of Tiamat makes a mighty one yield.

​Mother Hubur, who can form everything - They want
invincible weapons. The Gods have a feast. They felt
good from drinking the beer. Utterly carefree, their
spirits soared, 138. They ordained the destiny of
Marduk their champion and set him as most important
of Great Gods.

CH 4 - “He made a bow, appointed it his weapon, 36.

He mounted an arrow, set it on the string. 37. He took
up a mace, held it in his right hand, 38. Bow and quiver
he slung at his side. 39. Thunderbolts he set before his
face, 40. With raging fire he covered his body. 41. Then
he made a net to enclose Tiamat within it, 42. He
deployed the four winds that none of her might escape:
43. South Wind, North Wind, East Wind, West Wind, 44.
 24

He fastened the net at his side, gift of his grandfather

Anu;”

Toward raging Tiamat he set his face

Tiamat cast her magic spell pointblank, 72. Falsehood,
lies she held ready on her lips.
Marduk Battles with Tiamat and Kills her.
The Lord calmed down, he began inspecting her
carcass, 136. That he might divide the monstrous lump
and fashion artful things. 137. He split her in two, like a
fish for drying, 138. Half of her he set up and made as a
cover, heaven.
139. He stretched out the hide, assigned watchmen,
140. Them he ordered not to let her waters escape.
141. He crossed heaven, he inspected the firmament,
142. He made it a counterpart to Apsu, the dwelling of
Nudimmud. 143. The Lord measured the construction of
Apsu, 144. He founded the Great Sanctuary, the
likeness of Esharra 145. (In) the Great Sanctuary, the
Esharra he had built, (and in) heaven, 146. He made
Ea, Enlil, and Anu dwell in their holy places.
 25

CH 5
He made positions for the great gods, 2. He set up
constellations, the star images. 3. He marked the year,
drew (its) boundaries, 4. He set up twelve months of
three stars each. 5. After he had laid out the plan for the
days of the year, 6. He fixed the position of Neberu to
mark the (stars') relationships. 7. Lest any make an
error or go astray,
“Formerly [Mar]duk was 'our beloved son’, 110. “Now
he is your king, pay heed to his command.”
“Suborned Tiamat and drew up for battle." 31. They
bound and held him before Ea, 32. They imposed the
punishment on him and shed his blood. 33. From his
blood they (Marduk and Ea) made humankind,

His word is truth, his command unalterable, marduk

Adam and Eve

There is another story. Perhaps the oldest story ever

told. A story of the creation of humankind. As the

 26

biblical story goes, God created the earth and all things

on the earth. He separated the oceans from the dry

land and placed all manner of plant and animal life on

the earth. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of

the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of

life; and man became a living soul.” (Gen 2:7) This

depiction of man highlights our inanimate material

frame combined with the breath of life or mystery of

consciousness.

God then causes a deep sleep to fall upon Adam and a

companion for him, a woman, is made from the rib of

his own flesh. Adam and Eve are then presented with

responsibilities over the Garden of Eden as equal

partners. God them makes to grow out of the ground all

 27

manner of trees including the tree of life and the tree of

knowledge of good and evil. “And the Lord God

commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the

garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the

knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it: for in

the day that thou eatest thereof THOU SHALT SURELY

DIE.” (Genisis 2:16-17). In this commandment we see

that the tree of knowledge of good and evil was

opposite to eternal innocent life. This shows that one

has to mature and know good from evil or his innocence

will never be virtue. Virtue requires strength. The

alternative is the condition of being “Naked and not

ashamed”. Vulnerable out of ignorance to the unknown

dangers around you.

 28

“Now the Serpent was more subtle than any beast of

the field which the Lord God had made. And he said

unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of

every tree of the garden?” The serpent then speaks

deceitfully, promising the woman that her “eyes shall be

opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and

evil”.

The woman and man then made the choice to take of

the fruit and to become conscious. “And the eyes of

them both were opened, and they knew that they were

naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made

themselves aprons”. In the knowledge of good and evil

the woman and man were made conscious of their

nakedness and could then take action to prepare

 29

themselves for the unknown tragedies and evils of the

future.

Happiness Cannot Be Lasting. It is not a

sufficient goal.

With the problems of tragedy and evil affecting each

person personally at some level, happiness ceases to

be a permanent possibility. The fact that happiness

cannot be permanent makes it an insufficient goal.

When Victor Frankle was taken by a the Nazis as a

Jew to the labor camps he was stripped of his clothes

and taken to shower without anything but his body.

“While we were waiting for the shower, our nakedness

 30

was brought home to us: we really had nothing now

except our bare bodies.. . . All we possessed, literally,

was our naked existence.”

Experiences with tragedy and evil can leave us with a

similar feeling. That all that we really possess is our

“naked existance” and that everything else that might

make us happy can be stripped from us leaving us

bare. This happened to victory frankle as his

possessions, his health and will were stripped from

him.

He recounts that “the dawn was grey around us; grey

was the sky above; grey the snow in the pale light of

dawn, grey the rags in which my fellow prisoners were

clad, and grey their faces. I was again conversing

 31

silently with my wife, or perhaps I was struggling to

find the reason for my sufferings, my slow dying. In a

last violent protest against the hopelessness of

imminent death, I sensed my spirit piercing through

the enveloping gloom. I felt it transcend that hopeless,

meaningless world, and from somewhere I heard a

victorious ‘yes’ in answer to my question of the

existence of an ultimate purpose. At that moment a

light was lit in a distant farmhouse, which stood on the

horizon as if painted there, in the midst of the

miserable grey of a dawnin morning in Bavarial. “Et

Lux in tenebris lucet” - and the light shineth in the

darkness.”
 32

Suffering that has a purpose ceases to be suffering.

As life is full of suffering the only defense we have is

to find the meaning in that suffering. This is essential

for our survival. Victor Frankle states that some

people prefer “ to close their eyes and to live in the

past. Life for such people (becomes) meaningless”

(72 mans search for meaning)

This choosing to go through life asleep leads and has

led to the empty tragedies that leave great mars in the

transcript of our history. We have the responsibility to

arise from the dust and search for meaning in life

despite the suffering we or others may be in.

This is a story for our generation. A story for

each generation. “Our generation (must be )realistic,

 33

(and we must) come to know man as he really is.

After all, man is that being who invented the gas

chambers of Auschwitz: however, he is also that

being who entered those gas chambers upright, with

the Lord’s Prayer or the Shema Yisrael on his lips.”

Our fundamental question is Who will we choose to

be?

Eternal Self Continuity and Reality: The

First Presupposition to Meaning.

The first presupposition to meaning is the idea

that our experience is real and that existence and

reality can be known to some extent. One of the rules

 34

of this reality is that time is continuous and our selves

are continuous through time. This means that our

actions and character of today will effect our character

of tomorrow, based upon the laws of reality. This

presupposition is extended to the eternal by religious

philosophy, adding another layer to the concept of the

self. We existed before this life and will exist after this

life, which means that reality and the self are

continuous without the bounds of time.

There is a philosophy ruling modern thought

which is the antithesis of this presupposition of

universal knowable reality. Its negation of reality strips

man of everything that makes life meaningful living

under the guise of liberation. This philosophy is the

 35

postmodern philosophy of thought. Let us examine

the premises of the postmodern philosophy

(postmodernism, encyclopedia britannica)

The first premise of postmodern philosophy is

that there is no objective reality. If all reality is

subjective it is impossible to make universal value

judgements. This excludes all values and other

information that could be derived from the collective

experience of all humanity and forces you to create

every premise for yourself from scratch without any

guidance. It also negates any underlying spiritual

existence of humanity or life after death because that

would be and objective shared experience between

all sentient beings. Without the possibility of these

 36

collective objective realities it is impossible to create a

reliable hierarchy of values or to find profound

meaning in a real existence.

The second postmodern premise is that

statements made by scientists and historians cannot be

objectively true or false. This obliterates any knowable

truth that can be found from science or history. What is

truth? This is what we have to consider. This was the

question posed to Christ by Pilot before the crucifixion

and it is the question that is posed to us today. Is there

any truth to be found in science and history? The

Oxford Languages dictionary defines truth as “that

which is true or in accordance with fact or reality.” So

we see the postmodern philosophy progress. No

 37

objective reality. Now scientific or historic truth. This is

in direct contrast with the presupposition of meaning

that we exist in a self continuous reality. History can

help us find meaning in the actions of our past and our

fathers past. These actions affect us and can guide us

to make better decisions. Science helps us understand

the reality of the world around us, which then influences

our decisions. Without any value in knowledge of the

past or knowledge of the world around us, it would be

impossible to find meaning as this meaning is in relation

to our ancestors and the natural world.

The third postmodern premise is that science and

technology—and even reason and logic—are inherently

destructive and oppressive. Science, reason and logic

 38

are all forms that place limits on reality according to the

truth. If all reality is subjective then any of these

limitations are seen as oppressive and specifically

untrue. We can see these ideas manifesting themselves

in movements such as the transgender movement,

where biological realities and limitations are seen as

constraining and oppressive. This is also echoed in the

idea of the patriarchy, where white males are

considered to be oppressing people systematically in all

fields. Reality is in nature constraining, because if one

idea is true it implicitly means that all contradicting

ideas are in some element untrue; however, they are

not oppressive tools used to control people. If one acts

in accordance to reality, they receive the predictable

 39

benefits of a life lived according to truth. If one chooses

to act against reality and truth found in science, reason,

and logic there will be destructive consequences.

Another premise of postmodernism is that there is

no inherent human nature and all aspects of human

psychology are completely socially determined. Human

beings have an identity as children of God and qualities

such as sex, identity, and existence have been a part of

being for all eternity and they will never change. There

are meaningful truths about the nature of humans that

are substantiated biologically through all of evolutionary

history.

Postmodernism also claims that language does

not represent any reality outside of itself. It arrives at

 40

this claim because words have multiple meanings and

there are infinite interpretations of any given text. This

idea is actually true. Where the postmodernists take a

wrong turn is when they press the idea further and say

each of these interpretations is of equal value. There is

a hierarchy of values in each existing plane of

perception. If this were not the case it would be

impossible to make a decision because each factor in

the decision making process would be of equal value.

We naturally create a hierarchy of values to collect

information and make decisions. This hierarchy of

values arranges the infinite possible interpretations of

any given text so that the most fundamental

 41

interpretation providing the most truth about reality

orients itself at the top of the hierarchy.

The Postmodernists further argue that humans

cannot acquire knowledge about natural reality. This is

an objection to any continuity of the self. Humans can

acquire knowledge about natural reality. Natural reality

exists and that which I do today affects who I will be

tomorrow.

The culmination of these postmodern claims is

that any theory in the domain of philosophy, psychology,

science, or history by nature imposes conformity on

other perspectives or discourses. Thus all theories are

pernicious, not only because they are false, but

 42

because they are oppressive, marginalizing, and

silencing.

There is objective truth. Understanding and

conformity to that truth should transcend our hierarchy

of values, for without reality and truth no value is

possible. This is the reality and it is liberating and moral

to seek truth and live according to truth. Any denial of

truth will not exempt the denier from the consequences

of selfishly acting out a lie. To say anything to the

contrary is simply to deny any semblance of meaning in

any action or any overall meaning in life.

 43

Responsible Autonomy and Divine Potential:

The Second Presupposition to Meaning

Another presupposition to the idea of meaning is the

concept of Responsible autonomy. Free will is the ability

or endowment to be able to choose one's course.

Power over one's own choices is a necessary

supposition if one is considering ideas such as moral

responsibility, justice, and sin.

If one has no free choice, if it is simply an illusion

brought about by limitations in perception, we have no

responsibility for our actions. Without responsibility for

one's actions there is neither consequence nor reward.

There is neither sin nor righteousness. There is by

definition no meaning in one's decisions or ones course

 44

of being. The bible makes a clear case that we each

have a divine spark of potential and worth. This is why

“God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten

son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish

but should have everlasting life” This scripture makes

clear that we have a divine worth and that we are loved

by God. This also makes clear that we have divine

potential to escape perishing and choose everlasting

life if we choose to follow Christ, the prefect ideal.

The grace of Christ has made this possible by

saving us from the effects of death and sin caused by

Adam and Eve. One could be justified in asking what

our responsibility is then if Christ has paid the price for

our sins. Are our actions important? Will evil or good

 45

actions change the fate of our lives? A variety of

scriptures make clear that the burden of responsibility

remains with us.

“For all have sinned and come short of the glory

of God”(Romans 3:23). This scripture presents the

obvious flaws in each of us and because “no unclean

thing can enter into Gods’ kingdom (3 Nephi 27:19) all

of us are destitute. This presents the fundamental

human condition. Lost. Alone. Impossibly unequipped to

face the horrendous tragedies and evils of life. Through

our own merits we would assuredly be lost.

This is why God, in His loving mercy, “Sent His

Only Begotten Son, that whosoever beleiveth in Him

should not perish but should have everlasting life. For

 46

God sent not his Son to condemn the world, but that the

world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17)

Jesus Christ came and suffered for our sins in the

garden of Gethsemane, died on the cross, and ros the

third day. This payed the price for the consequences of

the fall of Adam, physical and spiritual death, and

provided a way for us to live with God again.

A Book of Mormon passage echoes our hopeless

state stating “for it is expedient that an atonement

should be made, for according to the great plan of the

Eternal God there must be an atonement made, or else

all mankind must unavoidably perish”. We all make

mistakes. Without a redemptive force all of us would be

undoubtedly lost.
 47

“And thus (Christ) shall bring salvation to all those

who shall believe on His name, this being the intent of

this last sacrifice to bring about the bowles of mercy,

which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about the

means unto men that they may have faith unto

repentance.”(Book of Mormon Alma 34:15)

Now Christ, through His Atonement payed the

complete price for all of us to receive salvation.

Salvation and Redemption are therefore gifts from our

loving Heavenly Father, through the atonement of Jesus

Christ. “The way is prepared from the fall of man and

Salvation is free” 2 Nephi 2:4

“Wherefore redemption cometh in and through the Holy

Messiah for He is full of grace and truth

 48

Behold He offereth Himself a sacrifice for sin, to

answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a

broken heart and a contrite spirit and unto none else

can the ends of the law be answered” 2 Nephi 2:6-7.

The Atonement payed the price in full for us to gain

Exaltaion if we are obedient to the law. So what is the

purpose of the law. Why live according to the laws of

reality? Why search for meaning and purpose if our own

merits will never be worthy of exaltation by themselves

and if the price has been paid in full?

Jesus Christ taught us the purpose of right living

and obedience to the Gospel in the Book of John. John

17:3 states that “this is Life Eternal, that they might

know thee, the only True God and Jesus Christ, whom
 49

Thou hast sent”. We are saved as we come to know

God and Jesus Christ and strive to be like them. Then

we are redeemed from the fatal flaws of death and sin

and we can find meaning in our existence.

By some miracle, Christ has paid the price for our

sins. Our responsibility is to come to know our Father in

Heaven and Jesus Christ. To pursue the highest ideal

that can be contemplated. That of the Perfect Father

and the Atoning Son. This is possible to us only through

a redemptive force. We must take extreme

responsibility for our actions in the pursuit of this

highest ideal if we are to have meaning in our lives and

are to be redeemed from the damning effects of our

own sins.
 50

A STRUCTURE WHICH DERIVES VALUE

FROM FACT: The third Presupposition to

meaning - KANT - IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO

MAKE CORRECT CHOICES WITHOUT A

PURPOSE (ARTICULATED APRIORI

KNOWLEDGE ABOUT REALITY AND YOUR

ACTIONS WITHIN REALITY) (the third

preposition to meaning)

In the Critique of Pure Reason Emmanuel Kant

concluded that “there is nothing (pure) that belongs to

sensation.” Signifying that nothing of pure truth,

meaning, or value can be derived from facts derived

from sensation. Because value cannot be derived

 51

directly from facts, there needs be something between

the value and the facts which can interpret the facts.

Emmanuel Kant concludes that this thing between

value and fact is a structure found “a priori in the mind.”

(the Critique of Pure Reason, Emmanuel Kant, pg 60).

Emmanuel Kant also concluded that “the supreme

principles and fundamental concepts of morality are a

priori knowledge”. That Meaning in Life is a

fundamentally moral endeavor is true, as what gives

your life meaning is what motivates your actions. This

meaning in life is a structure to be found “a priori in the

mind”, articulated or unarticulated, so that one can

interpret the facts presented and create a value

hierarchy to act.
 52

One should strive to articulate this meaning and

search for this meaning. This will provide one with an

articulated apriori structure to derive value from facts.

Without this articulate a priori structure it is more difficult

if not impossible to order possible choices in a value

hierarchy and make a choice given a group of facts.

An easy example would be man running from

death. One can only try to escape death if one values

life more than dying. This value of life must come from a

metaphysical structure that interprets the value of life as

more that that of death.

This apriori structure often takes the form of a

story, as the stories in the bible, mythology, or eastern

parable. These apriori structures apply meaning to the

 53

facts that life presents you with and allows you to

interpret these facts in a value hierarchy. Thus meaning

in life comes when one maintains integrity to a truthful

purpose. Articulating that apriori structure in a purpose

statement will facilitate the creation of a value hierarchy,

making possible correct decisions derived from the

facts presented.

So we have three basic presuppositions to

meaning. The first being that there is eternal self

continuity and that we who are now have always been

and will always continue to be. There is a past and a

present and a future, which are interrelated. This self

must exist in a reality operating on knowable laws. The

second presupposition, that there is responsible

 54

autonomy and divine potential. Because of the

Atonement of Christ we have potential to ascend to the

divine and to be redeemed from sin and death. This

redemption from sin is conditional on the effect of our

actions and intentions on our overall character. Finally,

it is impossible to derive value from facts as Immanuel

Kant has taught us. Thus we must have an apriori

structure to interpret these facts and make a choice

based on a value hierarchy in relationship to our apriori

structure. This apriori structure, giving meaning to life,

must be identified and articulated to reach maximum

utility.
 55

CHAPTER 3: Seeking Meaning in Life

and Creating a Purpose Statement

We must find meaning in life and we must articulate it in

a purpose statement. This meaning can take us through

the conditions of suffering that characterize life. “He

(who) knows the “why” for his existence. . . will be able

to bear almost any “how”. (Mans Search for Meaning,

Viktor E. Frankl) This will provide a framework upon

which to make decisions based on what we value.

 56

There is an idea in the bible outlining a process

for receiving knowledge of deep metaphysical truths,

the most important being the purpose of ones

existence.

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;

knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7: 7)

Let us examine this scripture, for in it may be found the

process to search for meaning in life.

Ask and Ye shall Receive

The first injunction in this scripture is to ask.

Asking implies that one has a desire for a specific thing

and then articulates that desire. In the search for

 57

meaning in life desire is the first step. Then writing that

desire down and setting goals and plans must

necessarily follow.

Challenge 1 - Express your desire to find meaning and

to write about it in a private journal. Meaning is by

nature something permanent that carries you through

the trials of life.

Seek and Ye Shall Find

After you articulate your desire to find meaning in

your life one must continue to actively search for

meaning through metaphysical and physical means.

 58

Searching for meaning in life requires continued effort

over time. Continue to ask and to search for meaning

through various physical and metaphysical means.

Your hierarchy of activities or important things will give

you a clue as to what provides meaning in your life, We

know this because of Kants ideas that we saw earlier

that it is impossible to derive value from fact without an

a priori structure giving meaning to those facts. You

have ordered your activities into a value hierarchy so

this can give you a clue as to what provides your life

with meaning.

Now look at the top of your hierarchy of values.

From these most important activities or values can you

abstract a metavalue? Maybe activities like spending

 59

time with your brother and eating dinner with your family

are most important to you. Would Family Relationships

be the Meta Value that is most important to you? Maybe

activities like learning new things and teaching others

are most important to you. Would Knowledge be the

Meta Value that is most important to you? You may

have one metavalue or you may have a few

Metavalues.

Challenge 2 - Make a list of all of the physical activities

that you do in a day. Order these in a hierarchy of

importance and be sure to make time for the most

important things.
 60

Knock and it Shall be Opened Unto You

This step implies an interaction with another

being. After you have expressed a desire to find

meaning in life and ordered the activities of your day in

a hierarchy of importance you have a bit of information.

1 - You have the activities that you do ordered into a

hierarchy. Now, list 1-3 of the most important activities

for you. We are going to call these activities meta

activities. These meta activities at the top of your

 61

hierarchy of activities should provide you with a hint

about what provides meaning to your life.

2 - Now take each of those meta activities and list them

out. For each of these most important activities identify

a fundamental reason that you do those things. Maybe

you Go to church each sunday because you believe

there is a God and he will bless you if you keep his

commandments..

Now you should have 2 or 3 meta activities and 2

or 3 fundamental reasons you do those things.

3 - Now that you have the 2 or 3 meta activities and the

fundamental reasons that you do those things ask

 62

yourself: What is the reward or end result I am hoping

for when I do these meta activities for these

fundamental reasons.

Take a moment and meditate on your past. What

events, actions, traumas or experiences have formed

who you are?

Meditate on your present? What difficulties are you

having personally and why are you having them? What

are you doing that is good and why do you do those

things?

Now think about your future? What is the fundamental

reward or result that you are hoping to receive from the

meta activities you have identified. What type of

character do you hope to build? Who do you want to

 63

be? Where do you want to be and with whom? How

long do you want it to last? Identify for yourself a vision

for your future that will be directly linked to the meta

activities you have identified. Now describe that vision

for your future as clearly and as concisely as you

possibly can.

Articulating The Apriori Structure into a Purpose

Statement

Now you have the fundamental elements to articulate a

purpose statement which can serve as a clear apriori

structure to help you find meaning in life from the facts

presented to you.
 64

1. You have the meta activities that you have

identified as most important in your life.

2. You have fundamental reasons that you

participate in each of these activities.

3. You have a vision for your future that is inspiring

and focuses on the quality of your character, the

quality of your relationships, and the overall effect

on society

You are now ready to articulate a purpose statement

about the meaning of your life.

Begin with your meta activities. I will do _____,

_____, and _____

Add your fundamental reasons. Because those things

allow me to _______, _______, and ________

 65

Add your vision for the future. So that I can become

______ , help my son or daughter to become

________, and help society to become _________.

Write out this purpose statement, statement of

meaning of life, and articulated apriori structure and

place it somewhere where you can look at it first thing

every morning and reflect on it when you go to bed at

night.

BIT OF INFORMATION: It may seem out of order to

start with our most important activities, progress to the

reasons why we do them and end with a vision for our

future. An A Priori Structure is like a story that we act

out throughout our lives. That story evolves from

billions of our ancestors' actions throughout time.

 66

Thus we are not creating an a priori structure that will

give meaning to our lives. We are simply discovering

it and articulating it so that we can organize ourselves

to successfully live according to that structure.

 67

CHAPTER 4: Aligning your Goals and

Plans with the Purpose Statement that

articulates the Apriori Structure that

Provides Meaning to your life.

The purpose statement that you have now created will

serve as a foundation upon which to establish clear

goals and plans.

The word sin as it exists in the Bible comes from the

Greek root word Hamartia or the Hebrew word Hata.

Both Hamartia and Hata mean “to miss the mark”.

With these interpretations of the word sin we can

understand that sin is the simple failure to live

 68

according to the meaning you have articulated for

your life. In order to “hit the mark” set out in the

purpose statement we have written, we must set clear

goals.

Often we do not articulate our goals clearly

because it creates the conditions for failure and we

are afraid of failure. The problem with failing to set

clear goals is you will miss the broader mark that you

have outlined in your purpose statement and will be

left with the Sinful soul of a meaningless life.

Now that you have articulated a purpose

statement for your life, divide your life into 3 to 5 large

segments or general areas. These might be Family,

Career, and Spirituality. Maybe it is Physical

 69

Wellbeing, Mental Wellbeing, Emotional Wellbeing,

and Spiritual Wellbeing. However you decide to

identify the most important segments of your life.

After Identifying 3 to 5 segments in your life

identify the key roles and responsibilities that are

associated with those segments. A role is a “function

assumed or part played by a person or thing in a

particular situation.” (Oxford Languages Dictionary,

Role) This might be a father, a son, your particular

position at work etc.

Now articulate the specific responsibilities that

are associated with those roles. After you have a few

key roles and responsibilities for 3-5 general

 70

segments of your life you should be prepared to set

some goals.

Now that you have 3-5 general segments of

your life and have identified roles and responsibilities

with each of these segments you are prepared to set

a goal for each of these general segments.

Challenge 1 (Long term goals) - Set 1 specific long

term goal for each of the general segments of your

life. This should leave you with 3 -5 goals.

 71

How to set a Goal (The SMART System)

Specific - A specific goal is one that clearly identifies

what will be achieved. Describe the specific desirable

outcome you would want from completing your goal.

Measurable - A goal should include how an action

will be measured. This measurement method is

essential to determine whether you are making

progress toward your goal.

Achievable - A goal should be achievable or bound

by the realities confining your limitations integrated

with the limitations of the community and world

around you.
 72

Relevant - A goal should be in line with the purpose

or meaning that you have identified and articulated for

your life.

Time Limit - A goal should have a specific date by

which the goal should be completed.

Periodic Goal Setting: Short Term Goals

After we have set 3 -5 Long Term Goals we

have to set short term goals to segment the long term

goals and make them achievable.

Yearly Goals

Each year at the beginning of the year take an

hour or two and reflect on last years goals. Identify

 73

your accomplishments and shortcomings and analyze

your progress toward your long term goals. Then set

one or two specific Yearly goals for each of your long

term goals. Remember the SMART system. Set goals

that are realistic and achievable.

Monthly Goals

On the first of each month or the first weekend

of each month go through the same process. Take an

hour. Review your progress toward your long term

and yearly goals and set goals to accomplish in the

month. These should be reflective of your yearly and

long term goals.

 74

Weekly Goals

On the first day of the week take a half and hour

and do the same thing. Review your progress during

the week and set goals for the coming week.

Daily Goals

Finally, review these weekly goals when you are

creating your schedule for the day. Set goals to

accomplish during the day.

 75

The Schedule: Making Plans to Accomplish your

Goals

The way we organize our time and effort will be

the key determinant of whether we accomplish our

goals or not. Thus, making plans and organizing our

time is integral to accomplishing our goals.

Your schedule should help you organize every

minute of every day that you are alive. During daily

planning sessions review your goals and purpose and

set daily goals. Then plan events that work toward

accomplishing those goals and overall meaning.

 76

You may want to color code the events in your

schedule to match the events in your life with the

roles of the 3 - 5 different areas of your life.

Plan what you are going to do each morning

shortly after waking up. At the end of the day, reflect

on your plan and determine how well you followed

your plan and how reflective that was of your purpose

and goals. An accountability planning in the middle of

the day may also be advisable.

The schedule is also your daily tool to maintain

lifelong focus on what is meaningful. Dividing your

day into specific events of a variety of types makes

living a lifelong purpose manageable. Write a small

reminder of your purpose at the top of your schedule

 77

each day. Between each event of your day take a

moment and remember that purpose and prepare

your focus for the next event. This may be done

through a short meditation, prayer, other spiritual

repurposing activity. Plan time to specifically pursue

the purpose of your life each day. Dedicate 15

minutes to an hour to reorient yourself toward

meaning every day. This should be one of the first

things that you do in the morning. These things will

help you to maintain the meaning that sustains and

justifies your life.

 78

CHAPTER 5: DISCIPLINE

Many Spirits or Forces in a body

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary,

discipline is “control gained by enforcing obedience or

order”, an “orderly or prescribed conduct or pattern of

behavior”, or “Self Control. (Merriam-Webster

Dictionary)

FREUD - Your attention is mediated by unconscious

forces. This is a Freudian observation. Many

distractions and fantasies try to take control of what

you are doing. When you are trying to do a specific

thing, especially if it takes some effort outside of your

interest, There will be forces in you that are trying to

 79

disstract you and pull you in other directions. We do

not control these forces.

The unconcious contains habits once voluntary,

now automatized. Dissasociated elements of the

personality, which may lead a parasitic existence.

These habits in the unconscious are not in your

conscious control.

Ideas, Art, Creativity, and Dreams are also part

of the unconscious. You are possessed with these

ideas or dreams and you are almost an observer in

this creation. Freud would claim that it is not exactly

you who produce these ideas, but more of a collective

unconscious. Freud separated three parts of the

unconscious mind: the Id, the Ego, and the Superego.

 80

In Sigmund Freuds’ Psychoanalytic Theory he

theorized that there are many forces in us that are

constantly in conflict. These forces make up who we

are. Freud identified the Id, the Ego, and the

Superego whose constant conflict makes up our

personality. The Id, Freud said was the unconscious

instinctual part of our personality that is present from

birth.

The superego then is the response inside of our

selfs to the social and cultural rules around us. This is

a reflection of an ideal that is set. Thus a child's

super-ego is in fact constructed on the model not of its

parents but of its parents' super-ego; the contents which

fill it are the same and it becomes the vehicle of

 81

tradition and of all the time-resisting judgments of value

which have propagated themselves in this manner from

generation to generation. (Sigmund Freud p95-96) The

Superego is the place of ideals. This is the broad

social and evolutionary philosophical substrate of

existence. These ideals determine what we should be

based on a broader societal and historic

consciousness. This also contains societal rules and

norms, which are hypothetically based on that broad

social and evolutionary philosophical substrate.

The Ego is the you that you think of when you

think of you. The Ego is our conscious self. The Ego

is the part of you that acts and is not acted upon,

 82

integrating the Id and the Superego into a Meaningful

way of being.

The Id is the place of impulses. This Id

operates in the unconscious mind. This seeks

pleasure and avoids pain. These impulses are the

biological subsystems that can derail your thinking.

These govern things like hunger, and sex, or

aggression. These are your basic instincts which we

share with the animal kingdom. We are exactly not in

control of these impulses, and if they control you they

can cause real problems. These are autonomous

semispirits

CARL JUNG expanded on these forces with the idea

that “the collective unconscious contains archetypes, or

 83

universal primordial images and ideas.” (Collective

Unconcious Encyclopedia Britanica) This Multitude of

archetypes act in us without the awareness of the

conscious mind. This Collective unconscious was a

conglomerate of the ideas and beings of each of your

ancestors influencing who you are. You could take a

lesson your father taught you and say that that idea was

that of your father. But only partly. It was his father that

taught it to him and his father before who taught it to him.

THe idea that then formes part of you contains portions of

each of your ancestors throughout time making a

collective unconscious force.

 84

To say no to the voices or spirits that conflict

with your fundamental purpose and yes to the voices

that align with your purpose is discipline.

Now this does not mean that one should repress

the id. Repressed instincts in the id come back as

monsters to destroy you. The biological desires and

instincts of the id should rather be integrated in an

appropriate way under the guidance of your purpose

goals and plans.

One can also not allow the superego to have full

sway, as cultural or social rules can be in opposition

to what is meaningful and good. Our purpose

statement must also help us confront unethical

pressures coming from broader society.

 85

The Ego must be guided by what is meaningful

in your life. Your purpose statement and your goals

and plans. Biological desires, instincts, and impulses

(the Id) must be integrated and kept within the bounds

set by your purpose statement, goals and plans.

Influence of social and cultural rules (the Superego)

must also be interpreted through the lens of your

purpose statement, goals, and plans so that you keep

clear integrity to your sense of self.

That bounding of the instincts and judicious

filtering of societal and cultural norms is discipline. It

is “self control”. “Enforcing obedience or order” on our

id and our superego to serve a specific purpose.

(Merriam-Webster Discipline)
 86

Building Self Discipline

DICHOTOMY OF CONTROL

Epictetus was a Stoic philosopher who left us

with the dichotomy of control, an idea that

draws a line between events in our lives that

we have control over and those that we have

no control over; there is no in between.

Epictetus explained that we only really have

control over our thoughts, actions, beliefs, and

judgments. Everything else is outside the reach

of our control. This includes, but is not limited

 87

to, the actions and beliefs of other people, the

weather, the traffic, the economy, time, and the

physical health of your body.

Step 1 to Building Self Discipline -

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n8kMk5OyG0)

Jordan Peterson

1, Do not be prideful. Do what is in your control to make

your life better. Clean your room. Clean the Toilet.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n8kMk5OyG0)
Jordan Peterson

2. MEDITATE Watch yourself and find what is in you

that are problems and evil. What is one thing I am

 88

doing wrong that I could fix that I would fix? Pay

attention to your feelings of disgust with yourself. If

you see you are doing things that make you hate

yourself STOP THOSE THINGS.

3. Write your purpose in a place you can see it.

Remind yourself of that purpose every day every

event of your schedule.

4. Follow your scheduled plans to accomplish your

goals.
 89

5. Integrate your id into your personality. Watch for

anger, resentment and deceit. Be honest. Am I

insisting that I am right? Am I Lying?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9n8kMk5OyG0

6. Pursue what is MEANINGFUL. Pursue your

purpose.
 90

CH 6: REDEMPTION: A STORY

The Story
My Father had a perfect home
And taught me of His plan
He filled my soul with love and care
He helped me understand

He told me I could ever live

Enjoy that Heavenly Home
If I obeyed His every law
And never far I’d roam

My Elder Brother showed me

He told me to “follow Him”
The path He trod would surely
Ever keep me safe from sin

I lived a life of joy and peace

Till I began to doubt
I longed escape from walled garden
 91

To be the world without

Despite my Father’s love and care

My Brother’s life and light
Dark thoughts began to fill my mind
Against them I did fight

Slowly Fathers gentle cares

My Brothers deep concern
Began a tedious burden be
A swift escape, I yearned

The world seemed full of pleasure

Very far from humble home
I longed my fortune to partake
To roam the earth unknown

I soon set off with Fathers’ goods

To follow Mamons
The tears that fall from Fathers eyes
 92

Will never bring me back

The woeful fate I had desired

Pleasure, wicked cheer
Soon my Fathers fortune spent
Had quickly disappeared

The tender councils taught at Home

Came quickly to my mind
I, in pathetic longing, cried
For Home I’d left behind

The friends who once stood near me

Soon had left me and had gone
In my lone abandoned state
To contemplate my wrongs

Forced to grovel with the swine

A noble Son of God
Memories of a Fathers’ Home
 93

Where once my feet had trod

My debt was such I never

Could have paid it on my own
Justice set for every coin
A drop of blood atone

As I prepared to pay that price

In sorrow bowed my head
I knew I was not worthy
To ask mercy to be pled

When in the dark a Light shone forth

Upon my teary face
My Brother from the distance ran
To come and take my place

As they pierced and scourged my Lord

His blood spilt on the stones
Each drop of blood He shed for me
 94

My Price of Sin atoned

My Brothers’ precious blood was spilt

In burning agony
And with each drop my Brother showed
His perfect love for me

When at last my price was paid

And slaving bonds were freed
My Savior gently took my hand
And Homeward He did lead

As we walk I wonder
Am I worth this precious blood?
My Lords embrace, I’m reassured
He suffered out of love

My Savior, as He walks with me

Reminds me what He did
The Heavy Price of Sin He Paid
 95

He died that I might live

Christ is there to guide me

Every time I lose my way
To bring me to my Fathers’ Home
If I’ll, His voice, obey

Some far from the path have strayed

Like Lambs lost from the fold
Others cause of Neglect lay
Like precious coins of gold

Still some, like me, a wayward son

Far from their Father roam
To whom a loving Savior still
Is calling “Please, Come Home”
 96

The Parable of the Lost Sheep (Luke 15:3-7)

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What

man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of

them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness,

and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his

shoulders, rejoicing.

And when he cometh home, he calleth together his

friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me;

for I have found my sheep which was lost.

I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven

over one Sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and

nine just persons, which need no repentance.

 97

The Parable of the Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she

lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the

house, and seek diligently till she find it?

And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends

and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I

have found the piece which I had lost.

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence

of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15: 11-32)

And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the

younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the

 98

portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto

them his living.

And not many days after the younger son gathered all

together, and took his journey into a far country, and there

wasted his substance with riotous living.

And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty

famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he

went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he

sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain

have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat:

and no man gave unto him.

And when he came to himself, he said, How many

hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to

spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my

 99

father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against

heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be

called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he

was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had

compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against

heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be

called thy son.

But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the

best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and

shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill

it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead,
 100

and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they

began to be merry.

Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came

and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

And he called one of the servants, and asked what these

things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come;

and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath

received him safe and sound.

And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore

came his father out, and entreated him. And he answering

said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee,

neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and

yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry

with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come,

 101

which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast

killed for him the fatted calf.

And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me,

and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make

merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is

alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The Sacrifice

Luke 22

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which

is called the aPassover. And the chief apriests and bscribes

sought how they might ckill him; for they feared the people.
 102

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot,

being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way,

and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he

might betray him unto them. And they were glad, and

covenanted to give him money. And he promised, and

sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence

of the multitude.

Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the

passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John,

saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.

And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we

prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are

entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a

pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he

 103

entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the

house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the

guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my

disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room

furnished: there make ready.

And they went, and found as he had said unto them:

and they made ready the passover. And when the hour was

come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And

he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this

passover with you before I suffer:

For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof,

until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the

cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it
 104

among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of

the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it,

and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is

given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also

the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament

in my blood, which is shed for you.

But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is

with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it

was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is

betrayed!

And they began to inquire among themselves, which

of them it was that should do this thing. And there was also

a strife among them, which of them should be accounted

 105

the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the

Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise

authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not

be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the

younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For

whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that

serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you

as he that serveth.

Ye are they which have continued with me in my

temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my

Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink

at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the

twelve tribes of Israel.

 106

And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, aSatan

hath desired to bhave you, that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have aprayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when

thou art bconverted, cstrengthen thy brethren. And he said

unto him, Lord, I am aready to go with thee, both into

prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock

shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt athrice deny

that thou knowest me.

And he said unto them, When I sent you without

a
purse, and scrip, and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they

said, Nothing. Then said he unto them, But now, he that

hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he

that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be
 107

accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the

a
transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.

And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he

said unto them, It is enough.

And he came out, and went, as he was awont, to the

mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And

when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye

enter not into atemptation.

And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s

cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou

be willing, aremove this cup from me: nevertheless not my

b
will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an aangel unto

him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an

 108

a
agony he prayed more earnestly: band his sweat was as it

were great drops of cblood falling down to the ground.

And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to

his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said

unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into

temptation.

And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he

that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them,

and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto

him, aJudas, bbetrayest thou the Son of man with a ckiss?

When they which were about him saw what would

follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the

sword? And one of them smote the servant of the high

priest, and cut off his right ear. And Jesus answered and
 109

said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and ahealed

him.

Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of

the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye

come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When

I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no

hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of
a
darkness.

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him

into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off.

And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the ahall,

and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire,

and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was
 110

also with him. And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know

him not. And after a little while another saw him, and said,

Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. And

about the space of one hour after another confidently

affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him:

for he is a Galilæan. And Peter said, Man, I know not what

thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock

crew.

And the aLord turned, and looked upon Peter. And

Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said

unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

And the men that held Jesus amocked him, and smote

him. And when they had ablindfolded him, they struck him
 111

on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that

smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake

they against him.

And as soon as it was day, athe elders of the people

and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led

him into their council, saying, Art thou the aChrist? tell us.

And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:

And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.
a
Hereafter shall the bSon of man sit on the right hand of the

power of God.

Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God?

And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said,
 112

What need we any further awitness? for we ourselves have

heard of his own mouth.

Luke 23

​And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto

Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found

this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give

tribute to aCæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a bKing.

And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the

Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest it. Then

said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no

a
fault in this man.
 113

And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up

the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from

Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he

asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he

knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent

him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that

time.

And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad:

for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he

had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen

some amiracle done by him. Then he questioned with him

in many words; but he aanswered him nothing. And the

chief priests and ascribes stood and vehemently accused

him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and
 114

a
mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent

him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod

were made friends together: for before they were at enmity

between themselves.

And Pilate, when he had called together the chief

priests and the rulers and the people, Said unto them, Ye

have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth the

people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you,

have found no fault in this man touching those things

whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you

to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done aunto him.

I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of

necessity he must arelease one unto them at the feast.)

 115

And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this

man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain

sedition made in the city, and for amurder, was cast into

prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake

again to them. But they cried, saying, aCrucify him, crucify

him. And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil

hath he done? I have found ano cause of death in him: I will

therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were
a
instant with loud voices, brequiring that he might be
c
crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests

prevailed.And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they

a
required.

And he released unto them him that for sedition and

a
murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but
 116

he delivered Jesus to their will. And as they led him away,

they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of

the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might

bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company

of people, and of women, which also bewailed and

lamented him.

But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of

a
Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and

for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the

which they shall say, Blessed are the abarren, and the

wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave

suck. Then shall they begin to say to the amountains, Fall

on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things

in a agreen tree, what shall be done in the bdry?

 117

And there were also two other, amalefactors, led with

him to be put to death. And when they were come to the

place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him,

and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on

the left.

Then asaid Jesus, Father, bforgive them; for they

know not what cthey do.

And they parted his draiment, and cast lots. And the

people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them

a
derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself,

if he be Christ, the bchosen of God. And the soldiers also

a
mocked him, coming to him, and offering him bvinegar,

And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of

 118

Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE aKING OF

THE bJEWS.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged

a
railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and

us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not

thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due areward of our

deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when

thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him,

Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in

a
paradise. And it was about the asixth hour, and there was a
b
darkness over all the cearth until the ninth hour. And the

sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the
 119

a
midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he

said, Father, into thy hands I acommend my bspirit: and

having said thus, he cgave up the dghost.

Now when the centurion saw what was done, he

glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a arighteous man.

And all the people that came together to that sight,

beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts,

and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that

followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these

things.

And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a

a
counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same

had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was

of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited

 120

for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and
a
begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and

wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a asepulchre that was

hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And

that day was the apreparation, and the sabbath drew on.

And the women also, which came with him from

Galilee, followed after, and beheld the asepulchre, and how

his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices

and ointments; and arested the sabbath day according to the

commandment.

Luke 24
 121

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the

morning, they came unto the asepulchre, bringing the spices

which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord

Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed

thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining

garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their

faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the

living among the dead. He is not here, but is arisen:

Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet

in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into

the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day

rise again. And they remembered his words, And returned

 122

from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the

eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and

Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women

that were with them, which told these things unto the

apostles.

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and

they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the

sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes

laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at

that which was come to pass.

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a

village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem aabout

threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these

things which had happened.

 123

And it came to pass, that, while they acommuned

together and reasoned, bJesus himself drew near, and went

with them.But their eyes were aholden that they should not

know him. And he said unto them, What manner of

communications are these that ye have one to another, as

ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name

was aCleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a

stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which

are come to pass there in these days?

And he said unto them, What things? And they said

unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a

prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the

people: And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered

him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But

 124

we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed

Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these

things were done.

Yea, and certain women also of our company made

us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; And when

they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had

also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

And certain of them which were with us went to the

sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but

him they saw not.

Then he said unto them, O afools, and slow of bheart

to cbelieve all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not

Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his

glory? And beginning at aMoses and all the bprophets, he

 125

c
expounded unto them in all the dscriptures the things

concerning himself.

And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they

went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is

toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to

tarry with them.

And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he

took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he

vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another,

Did not our aheart bburn within us, while he ctalked with us

by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

 126

And they rose up the same hour, and returned to

Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and

them that were with them, Saying, The Lord is risen

indeed, and hath aappeared to bSimon. And they told what

things were done in the way, and how he was known of

them in breaking of bread.

And as they thus spake, Jesus himself astood in the

midst of them, and saith unto them, bPeace be unto you. But

they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they

had seen a spirit.

And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and

why do athoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands

and my feet, that it is I myself: ahandle me, and see; for a

b
spirit hath not cflesh and bones, as ye dsee me have. And
 127

when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and

his feet.

And while they yet believed not for joy, and

a
wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And

they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an

honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. And

he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto

you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be
a
fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in

the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Then opened he their aunderstanding, that they might

understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is

written, and thus it abehoved Christ to suffer, and to brise

from the dead the third day: And that arepentance and
 128

b
remission of sins should be cpreached in his name among

all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are awitnesses

of these things. And, behold, I send the apromise of my

Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until

ye be bendued with power from on high.

And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he

lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass,

while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and

a
carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and

returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually

in the atemple, praising and blessing God. Amen.