Cast Out with Knowledge

Reading:   Lectures on Faith: Lecture Second 13-30

The lectures on Faith were classes of instruction given "... On the Doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, originally delivered before a Class of the Elders, in Kirtland, Ohio."

And wouldn't you know it - we are still alive?  The silly Mayans just ran out of ink to continue their calendar...

So...on then, with lecture second, and no I didn't finish, we shall continue with the lecture tomorrow as well; apologies aside, we are still discussing the object of faith - God.  The reading today focused on the fall of Adam and the intrinsic fact that knowledge was not lost.  Adam retained his memory of God, his interactions with God, and his understanding of transgression, punishment and remorse.

LECTURE SECOND (18-19)

18. Two important items are shown from the former quotations. First, after man was created, he was not left without intelligence or understanding, to wander in darkness and spend an existence in ignorance and doubt (on the great and important point which effected his happiness) as to the real fact by whom he was created, or unto whom he was amenable for his conduct. God conversed with him face to face. In His presence he was permitted to stand, and from His own mouth he was permitted to receive instruction. He heard His voice, walked before Him and gazed upon His glory, while intelligence burst upon his understanding, and enabled him to give names to the vast assemblage of his Maker's works. 

19. Secondly, we have seen, that though man did transgress, his transgression did not deprive him of the previous knowledge with which he was endowed relative to the existence and glory of his Creator; for no sooner did he hear His voice than he sought to hide himself from His presence. 

Adam had direct interaction and knowledge of his Creator.  He continued to converse with him, face to face, even after his expulsion from Eden.  For Adam and Eve, experience was key in relation to testimony, faith, that God was who He professed to be.  They had first hand knowledge and could testify personally to their progeny.  The first fathers of humanity, most of them, could testify through personal experience and, except for Cain, made certain that their kin understood who and what God was.  This is the key to Lecture Second, the understanding that there must be the ability to acknowledge a higher power, the hand of God, otherwise there can be no cause for faith - without an object of faith, no matter how small ones knowledge may be, faith has no power.

~Kipling