In these two paragraphs Moroni stresses the importance of knowledge. It was because of his knowledge that Moriancumer was enabled to receive the divine manifestations. His faith had changed into perfect knowledge, and therefore he could not be kept from within the veil. (v. 20)
Can God be known? If so, How? No man in his present stage of existence can have perfect knowledge of God, if by that phrase is meant the complete, finished cognition of His origin, essence, and attributes. No human being can have so perfect knowledge of anything that there is no more to learn about it. "Now we see through a glass, darkly" (1 Corinthians 13:12), and we presume that the Apostle who penned those words referred to the blurred images reflected in the polished metal plates that served as mirrors in his days, stated an exact fact. All human knowledge is, as yet, imperfect. But if perfect in this connection means sure, certain, and therein refers to a conviction of the mind that knows no doubt, then, in that sense, man can know God.
And not only that, man must know God, in order to have Eternal Life, as our Lord Himself declares: "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent (John 17:3).
The infinite God, with infinite attributes, is incomprehensible even to the keenest and most logical philosopher, if he depends only on worldly wisdom for his understanding of the Divine. The Infinite cannot be measured with a finite yardstick. " ... the world by wisdom knew not God" (1 Corinthians 1:21). But the humblest of human beings can be made to realize the reality of the existence of God, and to rejoice in that knowledge. The statesmanship and policy of a king, or the intricate calculations of a mathematician are far beyond the comprehension of a five-year-old child; but the reality of the existence of the king, or the mathematician, and some of their attributes, can be perceived even by the baby in the cradle. This applies also to the existence of God. In His infinite perfections He is beyond human comprehension, but we can know, and if we desire that knowledge, we will know that the existence of God is a reality.
Three philosophical proofs. Theologians at one time, when called upon to give rational reasons for their belief in the existence of God, used to reply with three propositions.
(1) Man, it was argued, had an innate idea of a perfect Being, and, since existence is one attribute without which there cannot be perfection, this Being must exist. The name of Anselm (1033-1109), at one time Archbishop of Canterbury, is prominently connected with this argument which is known as the ontological proof. Descartes, the French philosopher (1596-1650), made use of it in his deductions.
(2) It was argued, next, that if anything exists, there must be a cause of its existence, and a final, self-existing cause. This is known as the cosmological proof. Leibnitz, the German philosopher (1646-1716), in reply to the contention that we know nothing except what we perceive through our senses, summarized this argument in his famous statement, "Nothing if not Intellect itself." 2 Wolff, another German, (1679-1754), popularized the position of Leibnitz on this question.
(3) Wolff also made use of another argument asserting that the countless evidences of design are proof of an intelligent designer, a Creator. This is known as the Theological proof.
These arguments seemed conclusive until Hume, in England, in a philosophical work published in 1779 after the death of its author; and Kant, in Germany, in 1781, denied the conclusions drawn from them. Hume held that the Cause of the universe, and Kant expressed the same thought more strikingly when he said that he could not imagine the Creator saying, "Beside Me there is nothing but that which I have made, but whence did I come from?" or words to that effect.
That may be true, but some deductions from these propositions are not true. If anyone contends that the three famous proofs offered for the existence of the Creator, fail because they do not account for the origin of the divine Maker as well as the works of His hands, the logic of such contention is pretty near the boundary line of absurdity.
Let us imagine ourselves standing near the shore of an ocean beach. Presently a large steamship comes in sight. It draws nearer and nearer. It passes us at a distance of two or three miles. Aided by our spyglasses, we can see the gracefully sloping masts, the brightly painted smokestacks, the bridges, the people moving about on its decks, the immense hull, these with its rows of portholes and perhaps a name in golden letters. Everything we see of this passing object of our observation convinces us that we have before us the creation of an intelligent builder with vast resources at his disposal even if we have never before seen a ship. What we see may not give us any information of the family, the ancestors or countrymen of the builder, or his education, his complexion, or anything else our curiosity might desire to know or find out; but that does not weaken our conclusion that we have seen a great personality embodied in this magnificent creation of modern civilization. There is no room for skepticism as to that. Nor is it reasonable to underrate the value of an argument for the existence of God because it is silent on His divine origin.
"The invisible things of God, His eternal power and Godhead, have been visible from the creation of the world, being understood by the things that are made" (Romans 1:20).
"If there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore all things must have vanished away" (II Nephi 2:13).
(4) The Dokimological proof. 3 But if these arguments are not convincing, there is a fourth which we shall call the Dokimological proof until a better name is suggested. Every sincere child of God knows from his own experience that there is a Supreme Being who hears and answers prayer. This is a proposition which everyone can put to the test for himself.
Moriancumer had at one time neglected his prayers habitually. The Lord rebuked him. He repented (Ether 2:14-15). When he resumed his communication with God in regular prayer, his faith and knowledge increased to the extent that he could see the Lord.