Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-05-22

Relieved hearers, have great 10y in
being in the nids. OF the congregation
of Gods people. We were greatly COM
fored and encouraged by the report
given unto US this morning of the work
which has been going on and which is in
progress, may say, throughout the
world, as far as the Gospel has been car
ried to the various nations. Everyone
who understands the Scriptures and who
has studied the Gospel according to the
teachings Of the Lord Jesus Christ and
His prophets Joseph, Brigham, John, and
MILFORD, knows and understands that
the ancient prophets and apostles all
concurred with US, or, rather, we concur
with them, in their views Of the great
works which they did in their day, and
Of the vastly greater work that remains
to be performed in the last days. We
should keep in mind. as heads OF FAM
lilies, as men OF Israel, as Apostles, High
Priests, Seventies, Elders. Priests,
Teachers and Deacons, that we are but
carrying out that which has been re-
veaIed unto them, which their faith rest
ed upon, and which they beheld by the
Spirit OF prophesy in the great future.
We, looking back upon their words,
their promises and prophecies, have con-
tinually increasing most wonderful
assurances OF the work in which we are
engaged. speak conscious OF the TACT
that the truths which we have embraced,
and which we are teaching to the in
habitants Of the earth, are truths con-
corning which the most OF this congre-
CATION are not only conversant with, but
have had testimonies OF the Holy Ghost.
This is great and grand feature in our
work. We have been commanded to
teach the people to repent OF Their sins.
and to promise them the Holy Ghost, to
guide them into truth, to witness unto
them the forgiveness OF their sins, and
to lead them on in the way oil lie and
salvation.
1t is indeed a wonderful thing, that in
the age in which our great reformers
lived. such as Luther, Calvin, Knox,
and others who have lived since them,
none of them were able to restore to the
people the original and true principles OF
faith. Mr.. alexander Campbell got the
nearest to 1t of any OF them that we
know OF. He came to believe in faith,
repentance, and in baptism for the re-
mission OF sins; but he had not author
ity even to administer baptism for the
remission Of sins, and, knowing he had
not authority, he had not the audacity to
promise the human family that they
should receive the Holy Ghost. No
man ever had the authority 10 do that.
except he bore some portion Of that
Holy Priesthood which President Smith
was speaking of this morning. But
when the Gospel came to us in these
latter times through the Prophet Joseph
Smith, it came to US, not only IN word,
but in Spirit and in power. Think OF
the man, John the Baptist, who, nearly
two thousand years ago, baptized the
Lord Jesus Christ, and the people OF
Judea and Jerusalem by the hundreds
and thousands in Jordan-think OF this
same man coming and ordaining Joseph
and Oliver to be priests after the order
Of Aaronl Think you he dill not know
how to baptize correctly He knew
whether they were to he sprinkled, or
poured upon, or baptiz ID face down
how. He had administered TO the Son
OF God, who instituted this plan Of sal
walton for the whole human family. He
could teach this correctly. and he taught
Joseph and Oliver, after he had conferred
upon them the authority, how TO bap-
tie. Hence we have the most implicit
confidence that our mode OF baptism is
the only true mode OF baptism ever in
stituted by the Savior, or else He would
not have had it practiced upon Himself.
This principle has come down to us with
a confidence and an assurance, and with
Priesthood that is continuous and eter-
nal. The work that is upon us today is
in continuation OF that principle upon
which the Savior said to Nicodemus:
Except man be born Of water and of
the Spirit he cannot enter into the king
dom OF God" This is fixed rule, not
only for people while they dwell in the
flesh. to be baptized Tor themselves, but
it is just as fixed principle for all those
that are dead. Hence it is that Paul
says concerning the great work OF the
Lord: Having made known unto us
the mystery OF His will, according to His
good pleasure which He hath purposed
in Himself; that in the dispensation OF the
fulness OF times, He might gather to-
gether in one all things in Christ, both
which are in heaven, and which are on
earth; even in him." Our Gospel, our
mission and our ministry is not only to
the living, but it is to the dead also. Our
Savior, the apostle says, died and rose
again. that He might become the Lord
OF the dead as well as OF the living.
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins.
the just Tor the unjust that He might bring US to
God, being put to death in the flesh. but quick
ened by the Spirit:
BY which also He wen, and preached to the
spirits in prison;
Which sometime were dsobedient. when
once the longSuifering of God waited in the
days Of Noah, while the ark was preparing.
He went and preached to those spirits
in prison. broke off their bonds and pro-
claims d deliverance to the captives. VINO
had suffered the wrath oil God from the
days OF the food. Now, inasmuch as
our Lord Jesus Christ went and opened
the prison doors in His day and gave 10
the prisoners the blessings OF he and
salvation, and as His apostles and those
who labored with Him went yonder and
taught these principles to their k ndred
dead. peter said, 'for this cause was
the Gospel preached also to then that
are dead,") SO then in these latter days
l...l "A -.