Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-09-16
WHICH IS ngArnENISnl

WHICH Is uEATnESISml
The Chris,iaa CyaOsuro 10 a Chicago
publication that Is pronounced Az
tagonlst Of secret societies; 1t alec
Processes 10 DO believer Ia aud an
advocate Of Christianity. ite last issuo
contains an article entitled "rhe Con.
version OF Dead Sinners" This con-
sista chiefly Of extracts from an ediio.
rial IN the DE8iHEr NEWS Of August
l0,regnrding baplisms Tor the dead and
tins necessity fJt''evory individual who
proposes entering into the Temple for
ma object W holy TO be free from every
iou,iment and desire that IL not Cod.
like, land TO engage In preparation Of
n nature that will lead 10 tho work
being intelligenily done" At the
the conclusion Of tho quotations the
CyHOSHC remarks.
"For the present this will suffice.
We hope, however, 10 ue aulu 10 gIys
more details OF this hrathouish custom
IN an early number, from tho pen Of
an inIolllscn, correspondents"
Tho custom referred to as boiny
"heathcnlsh" "a that OF being baptized
for the dead. Webster dennrB "hca.
thcniah" Us "bolonglng or pertaining
10 tho heather; rude, uncivllIz,u, say-
age, cruel, inhumau." Oi tho shea
chen" lac Gays lhcy are "'hr Pagan or
uabblloving nations, Or those which
worship idols and do not worshil, tho
truo G1d;" while "ClrisuAu" h d..
nnoi AZ "poitainiug to ChrisI Rud His
religion"
Under these definitions II should not
be difficult TO determine how near
baptism Tor tho dead Ia to being n
"hoathenihh CUSTOM" or now little II
deserves tho hpqolla,i1n. For Toll
understanding " tho ordinance 1t mgy
bo stated IuaJ II Is tho receiving VI
baptism by those who are hying, In
behalf Of those who have died without
pattagiug Of tue ordinance. 10 IL not
esteemed us affecting any IN the spifil
world except 100 they voluntarily nc.
cept OF the work ylcariously performed
In their behalf. There 10 nothing
compulsory In its application. Nor
does II relate 10 the baptism VI persons
who have not reached the age OF nc.
oountSbilliy; Tor infant baptism Is not
u part OF the Gospel Of Christ.
For the consideration OF lnu subject,
baptism for tho dead may be- clas.si
under three subjective heading! ~
The ordinance Of baptism aud 40 ,l-
svntiality as aAying pgiuglplc; CO la
uniyersality In being applicable to all
men, living or deal; ami (3) To Vi.
caTl5ui nature In that Il vlu bu Pc.
eciYsd BY those In the flesh In tenali
OF those who have passed. 10 the spirit
world.
So lar as tho hst element Is c5u-
cegaod, NO one acquainted with the
history OF poganlsm anu Christianity
can for q moment concrdu that there
10 anytrir "huathonish" In the 0rdl-
nance Of tam. IL Is 10 essentially
Christian thgt the Divine Master h im.
seli insisted upon receiving Il at the
hands Of the great Prophet, John the
Baptist; and when II was administered
thoIp was given thnt glorious manii,s.
talion Of approval by the Father that
Is without parallel, Tor tho huAytps
were opened unto Je-us, sand Ito saw
the Sliflt 0f GOT descending like o
dove, and lighting upon HIN: and 10,
a voice from heaven, saying, This b.
my beloved Son, IN whom / am well
piuasrd." Whom Jesus went forth On
u.s ministry Ho declared that tho.v
who received baptism Justified God"
but that tHoy " uO refused 10 obey that
ordinance "Virutod the counsel OF
God" la lur,hur emphatic an.
uouuoemeut OF tho essential lily OF THU
pTIucplv as q saving ordinance, H.
declared, "EAuept a man Oc born OF
w.yer and or tuo Swu,, ho cauuo
yu,gf into the Kingdom OF GiL.p
This was tuo G1spcl OF Clrist tina,
came from tha Np4 OF tho Groa
Teacher uimsol.i aui after lie uid
been "put TO death in the q sh" Hy
was "quiG,ontd by Tho Spirit" by
which n.o Hg won't auJ preached %
those iu Tho surIt wuIlI. uoiaiJrnuu
Ills Jsclpus that tue duaI aaoulI hrar