hrough his Only Begotten Son, who was in the
bosom of the Father, even from the beginning, of whom we bear record,
and the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel of Jesus
Christ, who is the Son, whom we saw and with whom we conversed in the
heavenly vision."[28]

The testimony of scriptures written on both hemispheres, that of records
both ancient and modern, the inspired utterances of prophets and
apostles, and the words of the Lord Himself, are of one voice in
proclaiming the preexistence of the Christ and His ordination as the
chosen Savior and Redeemer of mankind--in the beginning, yea, even
before the foundation of the world.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 2.

1. Graded Intelligences in the Antemortal State.--That the spirits of
men existed as individual intelligences, of varying degrees of ability
and power, prior to the inauguration of the mortal state upon this earth
and even prior to the creation of the world as a suitable abode for
human beings, is shown in great plainness through a divine revelation to
Abraham: "Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences
that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were
many of the noble and great ones; and God saw these souls that they were
good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make
my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that
they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou
wast chosen before thou wast born." (P. of G.P., Abraham 3:22, 23.)

That both Christ and Satan were among those exalted intelligences, and
that Christ was chosen while Satan was rejected as the future Savior of
mankind, are shown by the portions of the revelation immediately
following that above quoted: "And there stood one among them that was
like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go
down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and
we will make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we will prove them
herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their
God shall command them; and they who keep their first estate shall be
added upon, and they who keep not their first estate shall not have
glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their first estate; and
they who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their
heads forever and ever. And the Lord said: Whom shall I send? And one
answered like unto the So