Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-12-08

Spirit. be oanuo, enter into the Kingdom of
Cod.
Now. these people who have died .u
ignorance OF the Gospel cannot be- odp-
tized OF water But they can believe,
In their dsembodied condition they can
believe that Jesus is the Christ They
can repent Of their sins. Aud those
who survive them aud understand the
grand plan Of redemption can enter the
holy places and be baptized Tor them
and IN their behalf, on the viclrIous
principle that was cxempliiied 100 the
atoncment OF Jesus Christ, who died In
our stead; aud they can receive the
Holy Ghost also by the individuals oiIit-
iating Tor them receiving the ordnance
through which IL Is conferred, in their
bchal. And when the information Is
conveyed to them behind the veil, and
they accept OF the vicarious work done
for them, is virtue Is the same as o they
had received these ordinances DO their
own persons, even as the atonemeni OF
Jesus Christ is eliicacious for as for the
trausgression OF our first parents the
effect OF which was entailcd upon us.
Is not this a grand and glorious plan,
worthy OF the source from which Il
camc2 Aud take occasion TO say here
that after a thorough, honest and cone
plete. so far as facilities for understand
ing have been presented, Investigation,
/ have long since come to the conclusion
that a scheme OF this character q plan
so Intricate IN detail so simple so
broad and so maguanimous in ITS appl..
cation, could never have been concocted
by the unaided intellect OF any human
being that ever lived. It Is the plan OF
Jehovah.
have already spoken Of pre.cxistenee
OF man, and Il is understood that those
who kept their first estate IN the heavens
had the privilege Of coming here and
passing through this vale OF tears, as 10 Is
called-through progressive condition,
that they might inherit "a greater and
more exceeding weight OF glory than
they had Ia the heavens before they
came TO earth. There are but few who
embrace this plan that ! have leebly at
tempted to describe among all the
mYnads Of human beings that have
lived and have had opportunities Of so
doing When the magnificent divine
gin has been offered, but few have &C
cepted Il; because there are two powers
and Inspirations az woTk-thc inspifa-
lion OF him who Is the arch.enemy Of
the Rcdegmcr on the one hand and the
Spirit Of God, which maketh the truth
manifest, ON the other. But men, as
rule. love darkness rather than light,
because their deeds are evil; and, seeing
that there Is no more unpopular position
that can be assumed In this life than to
become connected with and to defend
with a" the powers possessed, the truth
as It is revealed from heaven, ] take IL
that no person eau do q noblcr act IN
life than TO accept OF the conditions
which Christ has laid down. II Is said
by the servants OF God when they 20
forth. the sheep will hear the voice OF
the shepherd, and another they will not
follow, because they know the voice OF
the good shepherd. So the Elders have
found out that two or three Of city,
one Of a family, hear the voice OF the
Master aud come into the fold. Here is
an opportunity for the grandcat consis.
tency that could be exhibited-from our
standpoint; for as we dwelt In heaven
and there understood the conditions
upon which we were to come here, hav-
ing accepted Christ as our Redeemer,
when we accept Him here In the fitness
OF that which lie reveals we perpetuatc
the agreement into which we entered in
the presence Of the Father. Such as
elect this course In mortality and main.
tain ii are entitled TO an ultimate realzl-
ton OF the highest possibilities Of the