The Arizona sentinel., 1889-12-14
ODDITIES OF MoRMoNISM.
Salvation By Proxy by Means of Baptism
 for the Dead.

Salvation By Proxy by Means of Baptism
 for the Dead.
 Baptism for the dead is one of the pe-
 culiar ordinances of Mormonism. It il-
 lustrates well the extreme realism to which these people carry their religion. Among the more devout there are many who have been baptized for their dead relatives. To do this they assume the names and go through the ceremony of immersion. It is salvation by proxy, so to speak. The church sanctions it as the method for enabling those who died before this new diSpenSation to enjoy grace under it. Sometimes the MormOnS carry the idea so far as to make the Gentle smile. John Schofeld is a con- verted infidel who used to preside at Charles Bradlaugh'S meetings in En- gland. He says he has been baptized for thirty of his dead relatives. This required thirty performances of the cer- emOny. The ordinance is administered only in the temples. Certain days are set apart for each of the ordinances. Schofeld went to Logan and remained there two weeks while going through the thirty baptisms. This man was an atheist of the most settled and pro- nounced type for many years in En- gland. Yet he is to-day a thorough Mormon, and speaks of the mystic rites md peculiar ordinances with the great est respect and confidence.
 In going through the baptism for dead relative the candidate must furnish the full name and the date of death or of birth. Both dates are better if they can be obtained. This is for the identi- fcation in the next world of the person saved. There might be two persons of the same name, but there could hardly be two persons of the same name and of the same date of birth or death.
 The most remarkable application of the principle of baptism for the dead is that made by President Milford Wood ruff, the venerable head of the church. That indefatigable old gentleman col lected the names of 3, 900 of his ancestors and other relatives who died before the angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith. He went through the ordinance of bap- tism for the 5000 dead. But not satis- fled with that he desired to have the en- dowment ceremony performed for them. Baptism is a brief ceremony compared with getting endOwments. President Woodruff was an apostle at the time this problem confronted him. He had been placed in charge of the temple at St. George.
 "When we commenced work in the temple" said President Woodruff, in telling the story, q began to reflect: How can l redeem my dead? l have some 3, 900 names of the dead who have been baptized for, and how can 1 geten- dowments for them?' l had none of my family there, and if they had been there they would not have been able to get en- dowments for so many. While praying to the Lord to show me how to redeem my dead the spirit of God rested upon me and the voice of the Spirit said to me: Go and call upon the sons and the daughters of Zion in St. George to come into the temple of the Lord and get | their endowments for your dead and it | shall be acceptable unto me, saith the | Lord This filled my soul with joy. | 1 saw that it opened a field as wide as eternity for the salvation of our dead | and the redemption of man. On my birthday, the day that I was seventy | years old, 154 sisters at St. George went | into the temple to get endOwments for the same number of the female portion | of my dead. This principle was re- ceived by President Young and adopted | from that hour. Through the kindness of friends 1 have had nearly 2,O0O of my | dead receive endowments in the temple. | of others have received en- dOwments in the same way"
 This redemption by proxy has been carried outside of family relations. President Woodruff has gone through with these ordinances for George Wash ingtOn, Thomas Jefferson, John Quincy and other Presidents of the United States who died without having had the opportunity to embrace the Mormon faith.-Utah Cor. St. Louis