Joseph Fielding Smith: The Glory of the Sun

In the last post I speculated that Joseph Fielding Smith may have believed that the moon was in a terrestrial state. I do not know whether this was the case or not, but the following passage shows his belief concerning the sun.

I found the passage in The Life of Joseph Fielding Smith, by Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. and John Stewart. The context is a letter written by the then Elder Smith to one of his sons serving a mission.

Continue Reading

Joseph Fielding offers it as his opinion, for instance, that glorified beings live on the sun. It was a hot summer day in Salt Lake City, July 18, 1948, the day before his 72nd birthday anniversary, when he was writing to Milton in Argentina, and his interest had turned to the sun: "The weather here for several days has been really warm. . . . We have no complaint coming, however, for we depend upon the sun for most everything. If it were not for the sun we would have no rain, no water to drink, for it is the sun which draws the water up into the sky and then lets it down again. The grass would not grow; the trees would not bloom and there would be no fruit. Everything would wither up and die. . . . We know that we could not exist if we did not have the good old sun to warm us and provide us with what we have. . . .

"But there is something still more important than all of this about the sun. Contrary to the teachings of the astronomers and men of science-these great men who think they know it all-the sun is not gradually throwing off its heat and eventually after eons of years it will [not] become a cold dead world like the moon. I do not know just how dead the moon is, but that is another question. . . . It is my judgment and belief that the sun is a celestial body. It has previously passed through its death and had its resurrection, just as it is decreed that this earth shall do. No man ever saw the face of the sun, so far as I know, for it is surrounded by a cloud. This cloud is what the astronomers see. It is very apparent during an eclipse, but the sun is veiled so that we cannot see its surface. Moreover, I believe that it is inhabited. Why not? If we ever have the privilege of dwelling on a celestial earth-and this earth will become such-we will have to endure 'everlasting burnings.'

"If you have a copy of Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith turn to page 347 and read what the Prophet said. The Lord dwells in 'everlasting burnings.' If we are worthy of celestial glory we will do the same. In Heb. 12:29, we read 'For our God is a consuming fire.' This means that anything mortal, corruptible, could not endure his presence. Joseph Smith could not have stood the presence of the Father and the Son, when he saw them in glory, except he was protected by the Spirit of God. It was the presence of that power that protected the three companions of Daniel when they were thrown into the fiery furnace. Moses said that if the Spirit of the Lord had not been with him he would 'have withered and died in his presence, but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him.' (Moses 1:11.)

"Of course the scientists know so much about this earth and the universe, so much more than the Creator of them knows, that all this is foolishness to them, but I tell you, son, what I have written is true. . . . We know nothing of the spiritual forces and conditions existing in the spiritual world, or existence, except that which the Lord has revealed. But we know this, that eventually, based upon the atonement of Jesus Christ, everything which is now mortal will after the resurrection become spiritual. Beings that become celestial will also shine like the sun and they will radiate energy from their bodies, not like radium, but with a radiation that will never end. This is the condition of the sun. It radiates energy, but that energy is not diminishing and will endure forever. After the resurrection our bodies, if we are faithful, will radiate and have a luster that would be blinding to mortal eyes, unless the power of the Lord protected them." He then quotes rather extensively from Brigham Young regarding the celestial state of the earth in a distant day, and adds the comment, "Well, son, such doctrine is foolishness to the wise men of this world, but it is true!" (p.294-296)