"Immanuel! thou my Messenger, Till time's probation end. And one shall go thy face before, While twelve thy steps attend. And many more, on that far shore, The pathway shall prepare. That I, the First, the last may come, And earth my glory share. "Go forth, thou chosen of the Gods, Whose strength shall in thee dwell! Go down betime and rescue earth, Dethroning death and hell. On thee alone man's fate depends, The fate of beings all. Thou shalt not fail, though thou art free-- Free, but too great, to fall." --Whitney's "Elias," Canto III. [Note: A careful study of all the scriptural references should be made of all lessons, but particularly of this lesson.] LESSON IV. (Scripture Reading Exercise.) THE FREE AGENCY OF INTELLIGENCES. ANALYSIS. I. The Fact of Agency. II. Nature of Agency. III. Fact of Free Agency Assumed in Practical Life and in Jewish Scripture. IV. Effect of the Doctrine of Free Agency Upon the Relationship of God and Other Intelligences. REFERENCES Note 1, definition. Doc and Cov. Sec. xciii; 30-33. lxxxvi:46, 47: x:63-66; xxix:34-37. Book of Moses--(P. G. P.) ch. iii; iv:3; vi:56. Book of Mormon II Nephi ii:26-29; x:23; Alma phi ii:26-28; x:23; Alma xiii:3; Helaman xiv:31. Alma xxix:4. also ch xiii; 27. Notes 2 and 3. Notes 4 and 5. Note 3 in Lesson I. Also note 6, Lesson II. NOTES. _1. Free Agency:_ First as to the word "free." The authorities define it to mean having liberty to follow ones own views, desires, inclinations, or choice. Possessed of self-initiatory power. Hence exempt from the arbitration, dominion or direction of others. By "free agency" is meant the power or capacity of acting freely, that is, without constraint of the law. A rational agent whose actions are determined by his own unstrained will. Wayland in his University sermons says, man was endowed with the gift of free agency. He has the same power to disobey the law of God as to obey it. If a man is not a free agent he is not the authority of his actions, and has, therefore, no responsibility, no moral personality at all. (Standard Dictionary). The term "moral agent," means practically the same thing as "free agent." "A moral agent is a being that is capable of those actions that have a moral quality, and which can properly be denominated good or evil in a moral sense." _2. Analysis of mind Operations in Free Agency:_ I believe the student of the subject of the "free agency of intelligences" will find the following analysis on the freedom of the will, summarized from Guizot, helpful. _(a) Power of Deliberation:_ The mind is conscious of a power of deliberation; before the intellect passes the different motives of action, interests, passions, opinions, etc. The intellect considers, compares, estimates, and finally judges them. This is a preparatory work which precedes the act of will.