n of Man: Here am I, send me. And another
answered and said: Here am I, send me. And the Lord said: I will send
the first. And the second was angry, and kept not his first estate; and,
at that day, many followed after him" (verses 24-28).

2. The Primeval Council in the Heavens.--"It is definitely stated in the
Book of Genesis that God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness;' and again, after Adam had taken of the forbidden fruit the
Lord said, 'Behold, the man has become as one of us;' and the inference
is direct that in all that related to the work of the creation of the
world there was a consultation; and though God spake as it is recorded
in the Bible, yet it is evident He counseled with others. The scriptures
tell us there are 'Gods many and Lords many. But to us there is but one
God, the Father' (1 Cor. 8:5). And for this reason, though there were
others engaged in the creation of the worlds, it is given to us in the
Bible in the shape that it is; for the fulness of these truths is only
revealed to highly favored persons for certain reasons known to God; as
we are told in the scriptures: 'The secret of the Lord is with them that
fear him; and he will show them his covenant.'--Psalms 25:14.

"It is consistent to believe that at this Council in the heavens the
plan that should be adopted in relation to the sons of God who were then
spirits, and had not yet obtained tabernacles, was duly considered. For,
in view of the creation of the world and the placing of men upon it,
whereby it would be possible for them to obtain tabernacles, and in
those tabernacles obey laws of life, and with them again be exalted
among the Gods, we are told that at that time, 'the morning stars sang
together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy.' The question then
arose, how, and upon what principle, should the salvation, exaltation
and eternal glory of God's sons be brought about? It is evident that at
that Council certain plans had been proposed and discussed, and that
after a full discussion of those principles, and the declaration of the
Father's will pertaining to His design, Lucifer came before the Father
with a plan of his own, saying, 'Behold [here am] I; send me, I will be
thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost,
and surely I will do it; wherefore, give me thine honor.' But Jesus, on
hearing this statement made by Lucifer, said, 'Father, thy will be done,
and the glory be thine fo