**The Pre-existent Effort.** Men of common origin, and of common destiny, labor on earth under a mutually accepted Plan. Yet, it is not conceivable, that all the spirits who reach the earth have attained the same degree of progress. The pre-existent progress depended upon self-effort; those who exerted their wills most, made the greatest progress; moreover, those who had led the most righteous lives, and had been most careful of their gifts, had acquired greatest strength--consequently, at the time of the Great Council, though the spirits were, in general, of one class, they differed greatly in the details of their attainments, in the righteousness of their lives, in the stability of their purpose, and in their consistent devotion to the great truth of their lives. In one particular they were all alike: by their faithful efforts, they had earned the right to take another step onward and to share in the earth experience. Most probably, the power acquired in the life before this is transmitted to some degree to the earthlife. We may well believe, therefore, that the differences in the quality and characteristics of men, may be traced, in part at least, to the pre-existent lives. It is not unthinkable that, in a plan governed by a supreme intelligent Being, since there are differences of advancement, the spirits who come on earth are placed frequently in positions for which they are best fitted. An intelligent ruler would probably use ability where it is most needed. To some extent, therefore, men may have been chosen for this or that work on earth, and, under the law of progression, this small measure of predestination may be accepted. Yet, it must be remembered that predestination can not be compelling. Man's free agency, the great indestructible gift, always remains untrammeled. Therefore, whatever may be God's plan for man, however easy may be the path to the predestined earth position, the man may at any time, by the exercise of his free agency, depart from the appointed path and enter other fields. Any opposite doctrine is the one proposed by Lucifer in the Great Council. It is most likely that those who, on earth, accept the highest truth of life, find the Gospel attractive, and are most faithful in the recognition of law, are those who, in the pre-existent state, were most intelligent and obedient. In that sense, the Church consists of God's chosen people--chosen because of their willingness to obey.