I'm reading a book by Annalee Skarin that was written in the 50's. She was excommunicated for it after Mark E. Petersen read the book. Far from being the deterrent it was intended to be, this has now given her writing more credence in my mind.

I have a two small complaints. The first is that she can be wordy. A lot of what she's saying could have been said in many fewer words. Some of the way she writes and thinks seems somewhat dated and can seem somewhat uncharitable, and I believe a product of her environment (LDS Mormonism in the 50's, 50's American culture, etc.) as we all are, and are blinded thereby. However I believe her heart to be right, and I'm only able to see this because she is so wordy. :) How's that for a chiasm?

Below are some of the interesting quotes I pulled out of her book.

 

"All churches, all priesthoods, all forms and all works are dead and in vain unless there is this great power of faith in action to bring to pass the mighty works of God, for "His Kingdom is not in word, but in power."

"One religious leader I knew, who claimed to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, reported on a visit to the leper colony of the South Sea Islands, at a religious conference in Eastern New York. He boasted of his great courage in stepping down from the rostrum and actually walking up the aisle of their humble chapel, and the very angels bowed their heads in shame for such a man—and my soul apologized to God for his great blindness, for truly he was more blind than the lepers as he held his Bible in his hand and quoted words he could not fulfill. That man, who falsely claimed to be a special witness of Jesus Christ, would begin to read a passage of scripture and before he had gone beyond the third word those humble, distressed souls, with their flesh slowly rotting from their bones, would pick up the words and chant them with him. He had to read the scripture. They knew it. As he boasted of his visit, and his courage in visiting this benighted people, his very words shouted the mockery of his claim and proved that it was vain. If he had been an ambassador of Jesus Christ, with the power of that calling, or if he had even believed in the NAME of Jesus Christ, he would have healed the lepers, for these were the works that Christ did, and as all were to do who believed on His Name. For shame to such men who boast in their calling and have nothing but empty words, and no power, for they are "walking in darkness at noonday." (p 25-26)

 

"The price of truth is always the very greatest price required of those who bring it, for since the very beginning of creation man has been trying to force God into an orthodox straightjacket. To bring one ray of truth into this world had always required a price so filled with sacrifice and tears that it could never be weighed and measured by any standards on earth, for only eternity could understand. 

"Every church and creed is cramped into small orthodox quarters of non-expanslon. It has always been so. In days of old, when any truth had been assimilated by the people and finally accepted as orthodox, or final, then God would send another prophet to bear witness of more truth. And each in turn was persecuted, reviled, rejected, and most of them were cast out and slain—then, very slowly, the truths that had cost so much would be accepted and gradually become orthodox and sealed. At last Christ came, and He too, paid the price of bringing light into the world—and the light He brought, in time became orthodoxed according to the bleak understandings of men's minds. Then thousands more gave their lives to break the bands of darkness, and give man the right to think, to reach—to feel and live—and their vision also turned into orthodox doctrines which glorified the past but shut out the power of God from the present, and sealed the way of light to the living, and silenced the voice of the Almighty, and sealed the minds of men. Groups and creeds always have a tendency to become orthodox or static in their thinking, and this condition seals them into an unpliable condition that becomes fixed, and unprogressive. Life is a living, throbbing process of advancement—not static existence. Not dead decay. 

"The power of God is as great today as it was when He said, 'Let there be light, and there was light!'" (p 31-32)

 

"In order to even begin to get the vision of this dynamic power of the Almighty it will be necessary to view briefly some of the evidence at hand concerning the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth—and all things that in them are. To place all the available scripture on the subject into this work would be impossible. Therefore I shall only make a list of the most important passages at the end of this chapter—and to him who truly desires to know All Truth—to know the only true and living God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent, I would advise a thorough study of the references given—to pray earnestly to understand them with an open and unsealed mind. Truth and understanding can never penetrate a sealed mind. Neither can light penetrate it—and only earnest prayer, prayer that is an acknowledgement of not knowing, like the mind of a little child, can have power to unseal a mind that is already set." (p. 112)

 

"God cannot be monopolized. He belongs equally to every child of earth. No man, or group can possibly have a monopoly upon God. He belongs to every man who will seek diligently to find Him. He will answer the cry of any man who will ask for help, for wisdom, knowledge and understanding—yea. He will continue to pour out knowledge upon any seeker after Truth until the very storehouse of knowledge is opened wide and that man will be filled with light and comprehend all things—that man who will only believe, who will ask, who will knock and who will seek. 

"And the time has arrived when mankind will no longer accept teachers who teach only with words, who try to fill the road that leads to God with their own personalities. These men will be shoved aside, for they are neither entering in themselves, or permitting others to enter. Every man has the right and the power to find God, to be directed by Him, to walk with Him, to know His mind and will—for God belongs to every man. He cannot be monopolized, though down the ages thousands and thousands of souls have been sacrificed by those who have professed to have such a sacred monopoly." (p 130-131)

 

"Control thought and only glorious vibrations will emanate from you, and the elements and all earthly conditions will eventually bow in subjection at your feet and will obey your commands." (p. 157)

 

These tests [power, self-righteousness, wealth] may literally be called THE angels by which man must pass if he is to reach the greatest glory. It is not the symbols or the tokens that are so important in a man's progress—it is how well he lives the higher laws of righteousness to which they belong. Will he abide by the law and the covenant of being willing to give all that he possesses, his time, talents, worldly possessions, even his very life, if necessary, for his "search for the kingdom of heaven" and its righteousness—or the right-use-ness of its laws of perfection in his own life? And will he seek to make that kingdom manifest on the earth through his own devotion to it? Is he willing to overcome all personal lusts, unvirtuous desires of the flesh that his body might be purified and prepared to "Know God?" For the "righteousness" of the kingdom of heaven is the "right use" of its laws of perfection right within his own life. To fulfill these higher laws one must cease speaking evil of the Lord's annointed—and every child born into the world annointed with the precious anointing of LIFE must be included. Not only must one's lips refrain from evil, but his mind and his heart must become the ruling power of love behind the lips.

These tests are truly the angels in disguise to try the souls of men. They will be stationed somewhere along each man's path. He will meet them somewhere along that upward highway of eternal light to test the very fibres of his soul, his love for purity, his desire for righteousness, for these are the eternal realities behind the symbols—by these will he be judged. 

If one is found worthy and can pass these tests of "right-use-ness" of the true laws of light and heaven, or by the angels set to test him, or into his true sonship, nothing will be impossible to him, for he shall truly be permitted to receive the Second Comforter and behold the face of God—and to enter the kingdom of heaven—to know all Truth—to receive all light, yea, to be filled with it—not just in eternity—BUT IN THIS LIFE....

This power to behold God is the purpose of the Melchizedek Priesthood. "The power and authority of the higher, or Melchizedek Priesthood, is to hold the keys of all the spiritual blessings of the church— To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly of the First born, and to the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant."....

Not everyone arrives at these three great tests herein mentioned. Many have been sidetracked or detained, or shall we say entertained, by angels long before these tests are reached. These three are the greatest—and few have ever passed them, for few can stand the test of actually knowing God.

When the veil of mortal concept is "rent" or parted, after one has "fulfilled all righteousness" and abided by the covenants instead of being concerned with the symbols that clothe them, when he has "cleansed the inside of the cup (himself) as well as the outside, then he is prepared to receive The fullness of the Father." Then he will realize that he himself is indeed the temple of the living God. Then will he know and understand just how literal and real are the angels that he had to wrestle with. Then he will no longer be wrapped in the veil of deep sleep, but will know that the greatest joy, the complete perfection can only be achieved while in the flesh. (D. & C. 93:32-35).

Joseph Smith said, "Would to God, brethren, I could tell you who I am! Would to God I could tell you what I know! But you would call it blasphemy and want to take my life! (Life of Heber C. Kimbalf, p. 333). This is more true today than it was 120 years ago when he was talking to a group the most spiritual men on the earth. (p. 164-166)

 

"If there are those who are so wicked they will not respond to this love, who set up a resistance against it as it pours forth in great light, they will destroy themselves, for they are fighting against the light of God if it is the pure, unselfish Christlike love of enfolding glory. However, there are few on earth who will fight against it for even the most hardened criminal will respond to this love and desire to be enfolded in its healing rays of penetrating warmth, and will often open up his heart and soul to it when no third degree on earth could break him down. Love is the wand of the magician, it is the greatest gift and the most powerful force that man can use. It is the gift divine....

"Love is the melody that will vibrate across the entire universe, in perfect tune with it. It will play a symphony on the stars. Love is the light that will reach into the very darkest corners of human hearts—and those hearts and minds of mankind can sometimes be much darker than the forgotten corners of the earth. Love is as necessary in the life of every individual as is sunlight, food or drink. Lives grow warped and ugly without it." (p 175, 177)

 

"As one wears this precious gift he will know also that his brother too is "The Spirit of Truth"—and he will understand that through his great, tender compassionate love he can help restore that vision to his brother." (p 177)

 

"This love is all-inclusive perfection. It is music and glory and life and light, and with it no man could possibly seek to climb to glory over the heads of his fellowmen, for a deep reverence for all mankind fills his soul, and a deep humility. With the most reverent attitude he finds his place of service in assisting in the glory of the Father, in helping to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Then he will understand that no creed or dogma can glorify him or lead him to exaltation unless he has fulfilled both the First and Second Commandments of eternal, perfect love. This is the Word of God—and that Word must become flesh—our flesh —for we ourselves must become the very essence of love." (p 178)

 

"Every thought carries with it its own vibration just as every key on the piano has its own tone. The vibration sent out by each man must first go through his own body, for he is the instrument, and on him is engraved the eternal record of the divine melody he creates or the eternal discord and confusion he pounds forth. And since vibration is the reality, or the eternal substance of existence, man himself is a creator. He creates every condition on earth—good or bad. He, in a way, creates himself—a record of eternal glory, a master of all conditions, all harmony, perfection and success, or a groveling thing of darkness, confusion and failure. 'Man, know thyself, for in thee is hidden the treasure of treasures.' And 'Man, with all thy getting, get understanding.' Man, thou replica of the Divine, thou creator of thy heaven or thy hell, thy success or thy failure! Oh, glorious man, son of God, step forth and claim thy birthright, for it is waiting for ttiee HERE and NOW !

"'And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with the fullness of God.'" (Eph. 3:19) (p 180)

 

"You ask me how I dare to write such unorthodox things, and how I know them? I know them to be true because God showed them to me before I came to earth. I was taught by Him—and death was explained to me—and the laws by which it could be overcome. And again in life was it verified unto me—and the promise was given that I was to have the gift and power of the "Three Nephites", that I would be able to go forth, under the Spirit and power of the Almighty, to serve mankind and help bring a world to light." (p 192)

Ordained "In eternity?"

 

"he is hope—and he who is without hope must needs be in despair— and despair cometh because of iniquity." (Moroni 10:22). And iniquity is the sin of losing contact with that inner voice—it is every thought, feeling, act or vibration that is out of harmony with the true pattern of one's own divine existence. (p 206)

 

In the beginning, this whole glorious force of faith, or light, through which and by which the worlds are and were created and which is the light thereof and the power thereof, and is also the light that is within man was called "Christ," and that is the great and glorious Word of all-power. This is also "The Father within" (p 207)

 

Ask any Christian on the earth if he believes in Jesus Christ, and he will most emphatically answer, "Yes. Ask him to prove his statement and he will fail utterly. "If you believe in MY NAME, ye can ask anything and it will be done unto you." Is that statement false? Is His promise or word, a mistake, or a lie where He declared, "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, that if you believe on me, the works that I do shall ye do also— and greater works than these shall ye do—because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the son. If ye shall ask anything in my Name, I will do it." Not for one instant are these statements or promises false. They are the most true promises ever uttered. It is man who has failed—-failed to understand or believe in THE POWER OF THE NAME.

The name Jesus" is the Greek derivation of "Joshua" or according to the ancient Hebrew "Jehshua" or "Yehshua." "Jah" or "Yah" means literally, "I shall be." And "shua" means, "powerful." Thus Jesus is a promise—the promise, "I shall be powerful." And the word "Christ" means "Anointed" or Anointed with light" thus completing the promise and power of the name. "I shall be powerful when anointed with light." Or in its complete fullness: "I shall be powerful when I am anointed with light!" Do you believe in that name? Have you ever believed in it? Or has any man ever understood or believed in the powerful name of Jesus Christ? If he has believed in that name then he has fulfilled that name within himself, and can do the works that Christ did. But most emphatically mankind has not understood its meaning and has not received the powers attached to it. They have believed the Personage who symbolized the fulfillment of that power is the One who is to lift them into glory while all that is necessary is to sit weakly back and let Him do it—all of it—not realizing that each man must fulfill that NAME in his own life. He must follow that voice of light, faithfully, diligently, until all weaknesses and mistakes are eliminated—and until he can, through his own faithfulness, also be "anointed with light."

...

This light of life, or spark of the Divine Spirit of Christ, is the original source of our existence. That divine spark is often imprisoned in mortality instead of being clothed or endowed with mortality. This body is the kingdom bequeathed to this spirit for fulfilling the laws of progress and advancement in the past. This mortal heritage is a great and precious gift, and was meant to be glorified by the Spirit, even as the Spirit was meant to be glorified by the flesh. These two, inseparably connected can receive a fullness of joy—or a fullness of the Father—or power and light.

This destiny can only be completed in glory as we learn to let the voice of the Spirit direct the without as it abides in the "within." Or, as given in the Apocrypha: "For the Lord himself, being asked by a certain person, when his kingdom should come? answered. When two shall be one, and that which is without as that which is within." His kingdom, or the kingdom of heaven will be revealed to every man when he learns to abide by the laws of that inner kingdom, or the voice of the Christ, or light within. 

For each person who learns to listen to that inner voice at all times, who heeds its loving, tender instructions until he has fulfilled all the glorious laws of righteousness, is to have the great privilege of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, to appear in person to him from time to time—and even He will reveal the Father to him. (p 210-211)

 

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will feast with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His throne." (Rev. 3:20-21). "If any man hear my voice"—this voice of Christ is the voice of faith and love and gladness and joy—it is that voice of approval within—the voice that will lead into all truth and all power. Learn to hear this voice of light, and open the door, for it is the door to heaven or the fulfillment of all your own great possibilities—and thus all things will be added to you. 

This is truly the "Feast of the Passover." Originally it was thought only to pertain to the passing over of the destroying angel—but it was the feast also in which the children of Israel passed out of bondage into free living, under the direction of the love and power of God. To Christ it was the last supper, but it was also the Feast of the Passover—or symbolized His passing over from death into life. When we hear His voice and open the doors of our hearts, souls and minds wide to His Holy Spirit we too partake of the feast of the passover, for we pass over from mortal thinking into the realm of divine thinking—and thus He feasts with us—and we with Him. (p. 225-226)

 

Man himself is the doorway. He must open the door. No outside power can do it for him. It would be as detrimental to him to have some outside force open this door and release him as it would be for anyone to tear the cocoon from the moth. It has to free itself, and in the struggle to obtain that freedom it gains the strength to fly. So it is with man. (p. 226)

[Joseph and Moses had to let the people be. They wouldn't make the struggle, so they laid down ordinances to teach those who would struggle to break free]

 

"Too long has the world been boasting of its light while carrying empty lamps. Too many people have held forth their individual darkness and proclaimed it light—and the blind have led the blind and all have fallen into the ditch and know it not." (p 230)

"It is time that His teachings came out of the musty covers of the past and become a living, vital reality of the present. Mankind is worn out with listening to what the prophets of old said and did—or even what; the Apostles of Christ did, or the Saints, or their own forefathers, though these accounts are of value in giving one a view of his own possibilities." (p 111)

"Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand--ye shall lie down in sorrow." (Isaiah 50)

 

"The great Light of Christ can only be developed by those who are willing to submerge the little ego-self. This is the little strutting, pride-filled, bragging, selfish self of man that carries all the sin. The self is sin. The self is the pride that must be conquered. He who loses that little outer, mediocre, mortal-concept-self shall find himself—yea, his own soul. But he who finds that little self-important, ego-self shall lose the great divine self of his soul. It is the little outer, physical mortal self that always desires all the praise, all the honor, all the glory. It hungers for praise and credit above anything else. It wants all the credit possible to receive— and serves only for reward. It often usurps honors in its covetous desire to excel. It is this little mortal self that is the "accuser" of its brethren. It "belittles" the lives and works of others while constantly trying to magnify its own importance." (Ye Are Gods, p 281)

Sounds like the self is Satan. It desires all praise, honor, desires to excel.

 

"Yea, he shall receive of the "Fullness of the Father" when he has fulfilled that name, and he will become one with Him, and with Christ, and with all mankind, for he will realize that that same light which he has become and which he has brought forth in his own flesh, is also in every man." (p 286)

 

"How is this Light and power to be brought forth? That is very simple. First one must believe that it is there because God said so. Then if he will carefully check back over his life and remember the emergencies when he was directed into safety, those high moments of inspiration, those inner promptings, he will realize that at times it has stepped forth to assist in his life. Then if that man will only open his mind and soul to understand and to appreciate this glorious, priceless gift and will thank God for its help in the past—and open up his soul so that it can penetrate into his sealed mind he will become continually more and more aware of its power within his daily life—until finally he shall speak no word unless it is given to him of God. First one must begin to use it to judge between truth and error—he must learn to trust it implicitly instead of his worldly understanding. Then he gradually begins to feel the very glory and power of its existence right within himself. And as he praises it, and thanks God for it, it will become ever more manifest in his daily activities until he can walk in the majesty of true assurance, even as Christ did." (p 287)

 

"'But thou, when thou prayest, enter into the retired place of thee, and locking the door of thee, pray thou to the Father of thee, in the secret; and the Father of thee who seeing in the secret place, will give to thee in the clear light.' (Matt. 6:5-6 —Original Greek translation). 

"The foregoing pattern of prayer has been with us for two thousand years yet very few have understood its true meaning. It is revealing in another way the command, Be Still, and know that I am, God." It is revealing the sacred information of how to contact God. Enter into the secret place, the holy of holies within your own soul, the very center of that "Light of Christ," then close the doors of consciousness to all outside things, to men, to worldly thoughts and influences. Then make known to God your desires, not with much "babbling" as the original gives it, but with loving faith and devotion. Then "believe" and "know that you receive" and you shall have whatsoever you ask. Praise and give thanks and know that the Father who heareth in secret shall truly reward you openly, or bring into manifest, visible form the fulfillment of your requests. It is the Father who doeth the works, and you need not worry as to how it is to be accomplished. Only know that if your desires are not vainglorious and will harm no man they will be fulfilled. It is the law. Just praise and give thanks and you fulfill the law." (p )

 

"And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." (Mark 11:20-24)