Chapter 24

How Did the Earth Come into Being?

The earth came into being by the will and power of God. Upon that proposition the accepted scriptures of the Church and their authoritative interpretations agree. Chance is ruled out. Latter-day Saints believe that the earth and the heavens and the manifold operations within the universe are products of intelligent action, of the mind of God. There is nothing haphazard about the universe in which we live. (See Genesis 1:1; Moses 2:1; Abraham 4:1; Doc. and Cov. 93:9.)

This doctrine is set forth in eloquent words in modern revelation.

“And it came to pass, as the voice was still speaking, Moses cast his eyes and beheld the earth, yea, even all of it; and there was not a particle of it which he did not behold, discerning it by the Spirit of God.

“And he beheld also the inhabitants thereof and there was not a sou1 which he beheld not; and he discerned them by the Spirit of God; and their numbers were great, even numberless as the sand upon the sea shore.

“And he beheld many lands; and each land was called earth, and there were inhabitants on the face thereof.

“And it came to pass that Moses called upon God, saying: Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them? And behold, the glory of the Lord was upon Moses, so that Moses stood in the presence of God, and talked with him face to face. And the Lord God said unto Moses: For mine own purpose have I made these things. Here is wisdom and it remaineth in me.

“And by the word of my power, have I created them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth.

“And worlds without number have I created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only Begotten.

“And the first man of all men have I caled Adam, which is many. But only an account of this earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. For behold, there are many worlds that have passed away by the word of my power. And there are many that now stand, and innumerable are they unto man; but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them.” (Moses 1:27-35.)

Further, Latter-day Saints believe that the Lord formed or organized the earth from existing universal materials. That it is impossible to create something from nothing is a spiritual as well as a scientific axiom. It is an established doctrine ol the Church that the ultimate elements which constitute the universe are eternal, indestructible, everlasting. Whether these ultimate realities be, in the language of present-day science, molecules, atoms, electrons, or pure energy is of little concern. Whatever is the ultimate reality is eternal. Matter as we know it, and which forms the earth, is made from eternal elements. In that sense the formation of the earth was an organization rather than a creation. (See Doctrine and Covenants, 93:33; Moses 1:38.)

Just what forces were brought into operation, or what process was used, to organize the “elements” into an earth is not known. Latter-day Saints are inclined to hold that forces about us, known in part through common human experience, especially in the field of physical science, were employed in the formation of the earth. The progress of science may yet shed much light on the origin of the earth.

During human history numerous mystical and mythical ideas have been advanced concerning the origin of the earth. These may be ignored. During the course of science, three main theories have been set up to explain how the earth came into being.

First came the nebular hypothesis, elaborated upon the suggestions of others by the famous French mathematician and physicist, Laplace, nearly one hundred and fifty years ago. This assumes that the sun was formed from the condensation of a nebula, a gaseous body. As the gaseous rotating sun contracted, gaseous rings would be thrown off from the sun, much as drops of water fly off a grindstone. Each such ring would become a planet revolving around the sun. One such ring of gas after gradual cooling and contraction became the earth. This hypothesis was universally acclaimed; those who would not accept it were long looked upon as “unscientific.” Yet, the relentless growth of knowledge seemed to show the nebular hypothesis erroneous, and now it has long been discarded. (See Stars and Planets, D. H. Menzel.)

The planetesimal theory followed. This was proposed by the eminent geologists, Chamberlain and Moulton of the University of Chicago. A star might have come so near the sun as to cause tremendous gravitational pulls upon each other, causing tidal waves, as it were, and erupting material into space. This material, as meteors or cosmic dust, was built up into planets such as the earth. (See The Origin of the Earth, T. C. Chamberlain.)

This theory was modified, as its weaknesses were discovered, notably by Sir James Jeans, of Cambridge University, England. He retains the thought of the tidal effect of the sun and a star in immediate proximity but believes that large masses, the size of the planets, were torn out of the sun. The earth, then, is an original part of the sun, thrown out through the gravitational pull of a star that wandered too near the sun. This theory seems, or the present, to have the right-of-way. (See The Universe Around Us, James Jeans.)

Scrutiny of the tidal theory has led many investigators to reject it and to set up substitutions. R. A. Lyttleton, for example, has suggested that if the sun were a double star at the time the wandering star came too near, many of the difficulties of the tidal theory might be avoided. There is also the theory, proposed by Rev. Georges Lemaitre, that some billions of years ago all universal matter was in the form of a gigantic radioactive atom. For some unexplained reason this atom burst, scattering suns, stars, planets, satellites, and nebulae throughout the universe.

By slow, often painful progress, usually by the method of trial and error, science reaches its haven of truth. As to the origin of the earth, man knows only that it was organized by divine intelligence and power from existing eternal materials. Speculations about the method or process, however honestly offered, or by what eminent authority, must not be taken too seriously.

QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS

1. What is really meant when we say that the Lord created the earth?

2. What tools do divine beings use in accomplishing their work?

3. What evidences have we of divine power in the forming of the earth?

4. What natural forces seem to have done most to shape the earth as it is today?

5. Which of the theories of the earth’s formation appeals to you most? Why?

6. What do we mean when we say that the universe is eternal?