Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-11-16
TIE ORDINANCE OF CONFIRMATION
The NEWS lie In scelp, Of the follow.
Ing communication

PocArrLLo, Idaho,
November IL, 1905.
10 the Editor
VIII you please answer tho followingi
l. I'VE Law our hands upon your head,
and confirm you a MON her Of the Church
Of Jesus Christ Of l4aitor'day Saints and
confer upon you, OF say unto YOU rc-
colvo yetho Holy Ghost.
Your correspondent holds that tho
above IL right.
2. eve Law our hands upon your head,
and seal upon you the Holy Ghost
0. eve lay our hands upon your head,
and confirm you q member OF the Church
of Jesus Christ of Lttter.day Saints, and
seal upon you tho Holy Ghost, and say
unto you rocoiyo yo the Holy Ghost"
1. 1--WE lay our hands upon your head,
and seal upon you tho Holy Ghost and
say unto you receive ye the Holy Ghost
aud wo confirm you member OF the
Church Of Jesus Christ OF LA'tor-day
Saints"
or course the above " done in the
tame Of Jesus.
The four ways above mentioned have
listened TO during the last three months.
A few nights ago they were tho occasion
Of a great deal OF discussion n to which
was right, 40 /, with others, thought t
would be wise TO have the question
answered through the DEsERLr NEWS or
some olthor Church publica ion. A. i
have been subscriber OF tho DEsEnEr
NEWS for years, l took the liberty OF
asking this question a. TO which II tho
proper form, II either. Trusting you VIII
md room Ia your paper to reply, as ]
think we should have something dohnite
In this important matter, ROMAN your
brother In tho Gospel,
THOMAS L. Cox.
Replying 10 the inquiry ~ to which.
n either, OF the forms suggested by our
correspondent Ne being used In the lay
ing on OF hands for oouierring the
Holy Ghost, 10 tho proper one, we will
say that that numbered ono las NIL the
essential features and none that 10 OBJ.
jectionAble, aud 10 substantially cor.
rect. Tue other three forms contain
an erronsous statement OF principle
and should not DO used. A comparison
between them and the form nrst given
will show tho disiinotion. The Holy
Ghost lie itself n ssaling minister, and
the use Of the word "sea" In comforting
the Spirit 10 Inappropriate. The second
form given does not even approseh 'he
proper ordinance, aud " any Elder
should use u inc pfesiuins oncei
ought 10 exercise his Gaining anu lnS'"
upon the fulnlment OF inc oonui'ions
that make up the form of the ordi'
nance.
30 far as laying on OF hhnus In con-
fsrIing the Holy Ghost 10 conoerneu'
there Is no set form OF words, Out he
elements to be Included In tue orui'
nance are clearly sci out III mo
oniciating Elder were, A1et naming
his authority or The One ior whom ne
acts. to say, III conhrm you member
OF tho Church OF Jesus Chtih OF
Lslter'day Saints and say unto
you, Receive 20 The Holy dhos''"
the ordinances would DO complete
Further words may DO used as sug-
gested by the spirit, In tue way OF tx
PLANTATION, counsel, or prayer Tor
blessings, but they add no force TO the
ordinsnce OF confirmation Itself, which
Ia comprised In very few words The
habit which somo have OF engaging In
n long prayer, etc., 10 TO BIO diseouT'
aged. The conferring OF the Holy
Ghost IL distinct ordinance from CIV
Ing n pAtriatchal blessing.
This ordinance Of laying on OF hands
is the means OF confirminga member
In the Church. That Is an essential
feature In its proper performances. The
baptism OF the Spirit IL necessary TO
complete the birth into the Church;
alone, the immersion In the water Ia
only hali.baptltm, ana the other must
follow 10 complete the ceremony which
makes u Church member. The baptism
OF tho Spirit comprises the oonflfma.
ton OF membership and coaieFring the
Holy Ghost, the act being performed by