Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-02-02
SALVATION FOR THE DEAD.
Discourse Delivered Tabernacle Salt Lake city Sunday
uary 9th, 1895, by
ELDER ABRAHAM H. CANNON.
lREPoRrHD ny ARTHUR wrNrrR.l

feel that without this Holy Spirit my
words will be vain to myself as we'll as
to the assembled congregation.
Just before coming to meeting this
afternoon, a gentleman made inquiry OF
me as to the object OF this fine structure
which stands upon the east side Of this
block, called the Temple. lie supposed
It was place for public meetings: and
though he admired the external appear.
anee Of the building, inferred from his
comments that he thought il was
waste Of means to erect such building
for the private purposes to which IL Is
put endeavored to explain to him
some Of the reasons why we built the
Temple, and why so much means were
expended In making It beautiful. We
felt that there was no offering which
poor mortals could give to the Lord
that was too beautiful or too good, and
house could not be too highly emb.l-
lished which /, was expected holy per.
sonages would visit, and perhaps the
Lord Himself would condescend to oc
cupy at some time. For this reason,
among others, We have felt to obtain
our choicest workmen, our most skilled
artisans, our most talented artists, to
work within and without that edifce. to
make II place OF beauty. Those who
read the Scriptures will remember how
much means and effort were expended
by the wise king Solomon IN the con-
struction OF that Temple whose beauty.
as Il is described to us IN the feeble
language OF man, is still source OF
such great wonderment. We who be.
lievc m the Book Of Mormon are also
informed of the labors OF the ancient
people oi God who dwelt upon this
continent south OF MS and who subse.
quenuy occupied portions OF this land,
IN the erection Of temples to the name
OF God. To US these building are most
sacred places. They are the shrines nj
which we bring our offerings Of love Tor
God and our fellow men, particularly
for our kindred who have died without
a knowledge OF the truth and whose
salvation is, measurably at least, Deepen
dent upon the works OF their children
In the flesh. We have built temples ior
the purpose OF redeeming our dead;
performing Tor them those sacred ordin.
ances which are necessary as the Scrip
tuies inform us, to salvation. For we
believe that the Gospel which the Lord
has revealed In these days, aud which Is
the Everlasting Gospel, contains laws
which II is necessary Tor every creature
10 obey In order to receive celestial
glory.
We believe that God has established
In His Church a certain order which
must be observed by His children II
.hey would inherit the glories concern.
ny which the Scriptures speak, and Tor
which nearly every human beng is
hoping. We believe, too, that there Is
but one Gospel which Is capable Of
bringing to the children Of men the
highest glory. We believe In one faith,
que Lord, one baptism; though we be,
licye that there are Lords many and
Gods many, as the ancient Apostle said,
aud that TAFT operates Ia various ditec.
lions ior the benefit OF the children OF
men. II operates upon them IN such a
manner as 10 give unto one the gilt OF
wisdom, unto another the gin OF heal
Ing, unto another the gilt Of tongues,
ana to others vatious gifts according TO
their capacities and the will Vt God In
bestowing them. We believe that there
Is but one baptism that is recognized by
God; and yet we say there Is also a
baptism by fire as well as OF water,
which baptism Is rs essential to the sal
walton OF the human family rs the blp.
iism OF water. Yet all these beliefs of
ours are comprehended In this one
statement OF Paul, "One Lord, one
faith, one baptism"
The Gospel which we have received
is one which teaches Us that an man.
kind are the children OF God that they
are destined TO be saved, excepting a
very limited number who pc lively reject
salvation, turn against the lgnt alter
they have received II, sin away the day
OF grace, and place themselves without
the pale OF the redeeming blood OF
Christ. But In saying that all men shall
be saved. II is not saying that all men
shall receive an equal glory and eXalta.
ton In the presence OF God. No; we
believe that In the dwelling place OF
OUT Father there are many mansions
many degrees OF glory, suited to the
capacity ol men anu women, and which
Will be awarded TO them according TO
works which they have done IN the flesh
aud the intenls OF their hearts. To at
tain the highest glory II is necessary
that men aud women should possess
living faith, not faith which James
describes, without works ana COnse-
quently dead. feel that It 10 a pernic.
lous doctrine in some respects which is
taught by the Christian world today,
that belief on the Lord Jesus Christ, re-
CARELESS OF works or ol obedience u
The commands OF God, is sufficient !
say Il is pernicious because It too re-
quently encourages men and women in
works OF darkness; for the notion pre-
'ails in many places that the man who
roniesses Christ with his lips, even
though he be Oh his deathbed, can be
nahered into the presence ct God aud
associate with holy beings; that he,
though suspended between heaven and
earth, can go into the presence OF God
ana those holy beings who have died
lmartYrs to the truln, when his spirit
leaves rs associations IN mortality, tom
whence il was driven because Of hls
slnsl Therefore, say there IS much OF
gvll IN this theory OF men. Il is not
uoctnne OF Goo. Men may turn and
twist certain passages OF scripture 10
sustain this idea, but It will not avail
lhem. True, Christ told His disciples
70 90 into all the world preaching the
gospel, and those who believed should
We savedi and there are many passages