
TO THE FIRST PRINCIPLES OF SPIRITUAL PHILOSOPHY; RELIGION; LAW AND GOVERNMENT; AS DELIVERED BY THE ANCIENTS, AND AS RESTORED IN THIS AGE, FOR THE FINAL DEVELOPMENT OF UNIVERSAL PEACE, TRUTH AND KNOWLEDGE. - BY PARLEY P. PRATT.
Produced by the Mormon Texts Project,
PREFACE.
CHAPTER I. - THEOLOGY—ITS DEFINITION—HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS.
CHAPTER II. - DECLINE AND LOSS OF THIS SCIENCE AMONG THE JEWS.
CHAPTER III. - PROGRESS, DECLINE, AND FINAL LOSS OF THE SCIENCE OF THEOLOGY AMONG THE GENTILES—FORESHADOWINGS OF ITS RESTORATION FOR THE USHERING IN OF THE MILLENNIUM.
CHAPTER IV. - RISE, PROGRESS, DECLINE, AND LOSS OF THE SCIENCE OF THEOLOGY ON THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE, AS BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY THE LATE DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT AMERICAN RECORDS.
CHAPTER V. - KEYS OF THE MYSTERIES OF THE GODHEAD.
CHAPTER VI. - ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE.
CHAPTER VII. - DESTINY OF THE UNIVERSE.
In an era of rapid technological change, this work opens by marveling at the steam‑powered railways, telegraphy, and the newfound speed of human thought. The author argues that while science and industry surge ahead, religious understanding lags, still shackled to ancient formulations that no longer fit a modern mind. He calls for a fresh, universal framework that can keep pace with humanity’s expanding intellect.
Drawing on ancient prophecy and contemporary philosophy, the writer proposes a “science of theology” that unites spiritual insight with observable fact. He envisions a future where every person, regardless of creed, can grasp a single, immutable truth—a standard that could dissolve division, end superstition, and foster true brotherhood. The early chapters lay out the philosophical foundations for this ambitious re‑imagining, inviting listeners to contemplate how faith might evolve alongside the very forces reshaping our world.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (231K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2011-03-03
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1807–1857
An early Latter-day Saint leader, missionary, and writer, he helped shape the movement’s theology through sermons, pamphlets, poetry, and one of the best-known autobiographies from the faith’s first generation. His life was marked by dramatic missions, imprisonment, and conflict on the American frontier before his violent death in 1857.
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