Chapter 8
Seth-His Sacrifice Accepted-Rebellion in the Heavens-The Gathering of the Patriarchs in the Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman-Sacrifices Offered There.
The next eminent personage that appears is Seth. Concerning him, it is said in the Old Testament:
"And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew."-Gen., iv, 25.
There is a principle developed here pertaining to the economy of God with the human family. Abel held a representative position, as also did Cain, and that position, it would seem, associated Abel with what may be denominated the chosen seed. Cain slew Abel; but that the purposes relating to the perpetuation of that seed might stand, and the plan of God not be frustrated by the adversary, He gave to Adam Seth, who inherited the priesthood and promises of his martyred brother; in this substantiating a principle that Paul refers to, when he writes, "That the purpose of God, according to election, might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth." [Rom., ix, 11.] Yet, although Seth was one of the leading characters spoken of in the Scripture, and one to whom and through whom the promises were made, and who actually stood in the place of or represented his brother, Abel, yet there is nothing said in the ordinary translation pertaining to his offering sacrifices; we therefore again refer to the Pearl of Great Price. It is there stated that "Adam glorified the name of God, for he said, God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And God revealed himself unto Seth, and he rebelled not, but offered an acceptable sacrifice like unto his brother Abel."
Seth, we are here told, rebelled not, but offered an acceptable sacrifice, thus carrying out the same idea of the atonement of the Only Begotten. In this connection we must remember that there had been a rebellion in heaven, and many of the angels, they "which kept not their first estate," [Jude, 6,] were cast out. Lucifer was the leader of these rebellious ones who were then cast down to the earth. He had rebelled against God, his Father, and it would seem, from revelations that we shall hereafter draw attention to, that his rebellion had its origin in his rejection of the counsel given to him by his Father pertaining to the salvation and exaltation of mankind. When man was placed upon the earth, Lucifer, or Satan, still manifested the same animus and spirit; and through his influence he operated upon Cain, for Cain listened to his wiles, and being controlled by him, he also rebelled against his father and his God. Thus the rebellion in the heavens was transmitted to a rebellion on the earth, and all who became subject to this influence placed themselves in a state of enmity and antagonism to God, and one of the first results exhibited was covetousness and murder, even the murder by Cain of his brother Abel. Thus we find the first man slain (Abel) was one holding the holy Priesthood, and the same vindictive spirit manifested against the servants of God of all later ages, gave the martyr Stephen good reason to ask his persecutors,
"Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers."-Acts, vii, 52.
Although there is nothing said in the Book of Genesis in relation to sacrifices offered up by Enos, who was the son of Seth, nor by his descendants, Canaan, Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch and Methuselah, all of whom held the High Priesthood, and were consequently prophets of the Lord, yet it is quite reasonable to suppose that they, being of the promised seed through whom the Messiah was to come, did offer up sacrifices as commemorative of that great promised event. Further, in relation to this subject, we are informed in the Book of Doctrine and Covenants [Section 107, par. 53-57, p. 389,] that "three years previous to the death of Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared-Enoch and Methuselah [the persons mentioned above,] who were all High Priests, with the residue of his posterity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last blessing. And the Lord appeared unto them, and they rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the Prince, the Archangel. And the Lord administered comfort unto Adam, and said unto him, I have set thee to be at the head-a multitude of nations shall come of thee, and thou art a prince over them for ever. And Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation, and notwithstanding he was bowed down with age, being full of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall his posterity unto the latest generation. These things were all written in the Book of Enoch, and are to be testified of in due time."
Although, in the above, there is nothing directly said about the offering of sacrifices, yet, as this was a usual ceremony, and it belonged to the Priesthood and to the promised seed to offer sacrifices, it would be reasonable to suppose that Adam did then and there officiate in that rite; indeed, it was stated by the Prophet Joseph Smith, in our hearing while standing on an elevated piece of ground or plateau near Adam-ondi-Ahman (Davis Co., Missouri,), where there were a number of rocks piled together, that the valley before us was the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman; or in other words, the valley where God talked with Adam, and where he gathered his righteous posterity, as recorded in the above revelation, and that this pile of stones was an altar built by him when he offered up sacrifices, as we understand, on that occasion. If Adam then offered up sacrifices in the presence of these prominent men, he being the President of these High Priests, he would officiate for them as well as for himself; while it is quite reasonable to believe that they assisted in the offerings made upon that altar. Regarding this the Saints sing:
This earth was once a garden place,
With all her glories common,
And men did live a holy race,
And worship Jesus face to face,
In Adam-ondi-Ahman.
We read that Enoch walk'd with God,
Above the power of mammon,
While Zion spread herself abroad,
And Saints and angels sung aloud,
In Adam-ondi-Ahman.
Her land was good and greatly blest,
Beyond old Israel's Canaan;
Her fame was known from east to west,
Her peace was great, and pure the rest
Of Adam-ondi-Ahman.
Hosannah to such days to come-
The Savior's second coming,
When all the earth in glorious bloom,
Affords the Saints a holy home,
Like Adam-ondi-Ahman.
Footnotes
1. "Revelation to Joseph, the Seer, given near Wight's Ferry, at a place called Spring Hill, Davis County, Missouri, May 29th, 1838, wherein Spring Hill is named by the Lord, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Because, said he, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the Ancient of days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet."-Doc. And Cov. Sec. 116, p. 415.