.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 42.

1. Enoch, spoken of by Jude as "the seventh from Adam." was the father
of Methuselah. In Genesis 5:24 we read: "And Enoch walked with God; and
he was not; for God took him." From the Lord's revelation to Moses we
learn that Enoch was a mighty man, favored of God because of his
righteousness, and a leader of and revelator to his people. Through his
agency a city was built, the inhabitants of which excelled in righteous
living to such an extent that they were of one heart and one mind and
had no poor among them. It was called the City of Holiness or Zion. The
residue of the race were all corrupt in the sight of the Lord. Enoch and
his people were taken from the earth and are to return with Christ at
His coming. (P. of G.P., Moses 7:12-21, 68, 69; compare Doc. and Cov.
45:11, 12.)

2. Heathen in the First Resurrection.--"And then shall the heathen
nations be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall have part in the
first resurrection; and it shall be tolerable for them." (Doc. and Cov.
45:54.) Such is the word of the Lord with respect to those benighted
peoples who live and die in ignorance of the laws of the gospel. This
affirmation is sustained by other scriptures, and by a consideration of
the principles of true justice according to which humanity is to be
judged. Man shall be accounted blameless or guilty according to his
deeds as interpreted in the light of the law under which he is required
to live. It is inconsistent with our conception of a just God to believe
Him capable of inflicting condemnation upon any one for non-compliance
with a requirement of which the person had no knowledge. Nevertheless,
the laws of the gospel cannot be suspended even in the case of those who
have sinned in darkness and ignorance; but it is reasonable to believe
that the plan of redemption shall afford such benighted ones an
opportunity of learning the laws of God; and, as fast as they so learn,
will obedience be required on pain of the penalty. See _Articles of
Faith_, xxi:33.

3. Regeneration of the Earth.--In speaking of the graded and progressive
glories provided for His creations, and of the laws of regeneration and
sanctification, the Lord has thus spoken through revelation in the
present dispensation: "And again, verily I say unto you, the earth
abideth the law of a celestial kingdom, for it filleth the measure of
its creation, and transgresseth not the law. Wherefore it shall be
sanctified; yea,