The indestructibility of matter.
Until recently many believed that matter could be created or destroyed.
was believed by the philosophers of antiquity and the Middle Ages, especially those devoted to the study of alchemy, it was possible to annihilate or create matter from nothing mystical powers through or a supernatural order. Men with such powers transcended all known laws of nature, and became an object of fear, often being the object of worship of the masses humanity. Naturally, the systems of religion is stained with the philosophical doctrines of the time, and was considered a fundamental religious truth that God created the world out of nothing.
In support of this doctrine, it called attention to some of the experiences of everyday life. A piece of charcoal placed in an oven soon disappears and is annihilated. From the clear air of a summer day raindrops begin to be created from nothing. A piece of gold in contact with acids strong enough destroyed, is destroyed.
The matter is eternal, its form can only be changed.
Towards the end of the eighteenth century, the facts and laws of chemistry were discovered, allowing scientists to follow in great detail the changes, both visible and invisible, of which the matter in its various forms subject. Then it was shown that coal was placed in an oven attached to a part of the air and becomes an invisible gas, but that in the gas collected from the chimney, is discovered with a mass of carbon elements exactly the weight of coal used. Similarly it has been shown that raindrops are formed from water that is in the air as an invisible vapor. The gold is dissolved in acid, can be fully recovered so that each particle is counted. Numerous investigations on this subject were made by the ablest experimenters of the time, all of which showed that it is absolutely impossible to make or break the smallest particle of matter, than most men can do is change the way that matter exists.
After this fact had been proven, it was a necessary conclusion that matter is eternal, and that the amount of matter in the universe can not decrease or increased. This great generalization, known as the law of the persistence of matter or mass is the cornerstone of modern science. Began to gain general acceptance among men of the time that Joseph Smith was born, although many religious sects continue to cling to God as Supreme Ruler, can at will create matter from nothing. The establishment of this law also marked the final collapse of alchemy and other occult and similar absurdities.
Mormonism teaches that all is matter.
No doctrine taught by Joseph Smith is best understood by their followers that the matter in its elemental state is eternal, and can not be increased nor diminished. In May 1833, the Prophet declared that
"The elements are eternal" (Doctrine and Covenants 93:33.) And in a sermon delivered in April 1844, he said,
"The elements have been in existence since the time when God was. The pure principles of element are principles which can not be destroyed .. can be organized and reorganized, but not destroyed, they had no beginning, and can not ; to end. "
is therefore Clearly, from the beginning of his work, Joseph Smith was in perfect harmony with the fundamental doctrine of science, and long before the world's religious sects, they are, even now, little by little to accept the doctrine of the persistence of matter in a spiritual and a material sense.
Mormonism has often been accused of accepting the doctrine of materialism. In Mormon theology there is no place for the immaterial, the Spirit is just a refined form of matter. It is beyond the mind of man can conceive something intangible. Moreover, Joseph Smith taught
not the kind of tangible material, which impresses our mortal senses, is the same type of matter that is associated with heavenly beings. The distinction between the substance known to man and spiritual matters is very great.
Science knows only phenomena that are associated with matter, Mormonism does the same
Joseph Smith as Scientist by John A. Widtsoe
