VI. The Fall Beneficent. VII. The Book of Mormon View of the Fall.--Necessary to the Purposes of God. VIII. Summary of the Subjects of Lessons VII and VIII. REFERENCES. Same references as in Lesson VII. _SPECIAL TEXT: "And now behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he would not have fallen; but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state which they were [in], after they were created; and they must have remained for ever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore, they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin. But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of Him who knoweth all things."_ NOTES. _1. Be Fruitful.--Importance of Life:_ The purpose of God in the earth-life of man already has been considered (Lesson IV, Subdivision 4), and it was found to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man as man; and to bring to him an increase of joy, by enlargement of capacity to enjoy; by adding upon him new powers of self expression; by adding an earth-body to a heavenly born spirit; "for man is spirit:" but "spirit" in order to receive "a fullness of joy" must be inseparably connected with element (Doc. & Cov. Sec. xciii:32-35, also note 2, Year Book II, Lesson II); hence the earth life of Intelligences; hence the advent of Adam and his wife Eve upon our earth; hence the commandment "Be fruitful;" hence the importance of man obtaining his body (Lesson II, note 2); hence the resurrection from the dead, which brings to pass the eternal union of spirit and body (element), to be sanctified as a "soul;" for the "spirit and the body is the soul of man" (Doc. & Cov., Sec. xxxviii:15). These principles enlarge the view of the importance of the earth-life of man, and give the idea of sanctity to the commandment, "Be fruitful." Undoubtedly the most important thing in life is life itself, since there flows from life all other things--experiences, joys, sorrows, sympathies, achievements, righteousness, honor, power--it is the root, the base of all. To protect and preserve life, whence spring all things else, God has issued his decree. "Thou shalt not kill"--the Everlasting's cannon, fixed alike against self-slaughter and the killing of others; and on the crime of murder is placed the heaviest of all penalties--"whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed" (Gen. ix:6); "No murderer hath eternal abiding in him" (I John iii:15).