"Knowledge and wisdom, far from being one, Have oft-times no connection.... Knowledge, a rude unprofitable mass, The mere material with which wisdom builds, Till smoothed and squared and fitted to its place, Does but encumber whom it seems to enrich."
=6. The Foundation of Faith.=--In a theological sense, we understand by faith as already outlined, a living, inspiring confidence in God, and an acceptance of His will as our law, and of His words as our guide, in life. Faith in God is possible only as we come to know, or at least to believe, that He exists, and moreover, that He is a Being of worthy character and attributes. The grounds upon which man founds his belief or knowledge respecting the existence of God, have been examined in a previous lecture;[275] some of the Divine attributes, as made known through God's dealings with mankind, have been likewise specified. A restatement of the principal facts relating to the character of the Supreme Being may be in place here, inasmuch as some knowledge concerning the attributes of Deity is essential to the exercise of faith in Him. Let us adopt the summary of facts as set forth by the prophet, Joseph Smith; he presents, on the testimony of scripture, the following statements respecting the character of God.
"(1.) That He was God before the world was created, and the same God that He was after it was created.
"(2.) That He is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in goodness, and that He was so from everlasting, and will be to everlasting.
"(3.) That He changes not, neither is there variableness with Him; but that He is the same from everlasting to everlasting, being the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; and that His course is one eternal round, without variation.
"(4.) That He is a God of truth and cannot lie.
"(5.) That He is no respecter of persons; but in every nation he that fears God and works righteousness is accepted of Him.
[276] Doc. and Cov., Lectures on Faith, iii, 13-18.
=7.= A knowledge of these comprehensive features of the Divine nature will enable one to exercise rational and intelligent faith in God. And upon such knowledge of God's existence, the worthiness of His character, and the perfection of His attributes, is man's faith in Him established. Faith then cannot be exercised in the absence of all knowledge; yet even the benighted heathen show some of the fruits of faith; but they have at least the conviction that arises from man's natural intuition regarding a supreme power, which has been described as a common heritage of humanity. In every human soul, even in that of the savage, there is some basis for faith, however limited and imperfect the darkness of heredity or of wilful sin may have made it. Every child of God is born with the capacity for faith inherent within his own nature; and all yearn in some degree for the strength and aid which only faith can give. We shall yet learn:--