Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-06-16

Today manifestations protesting 10 be
divine, healIugs, spiritual communlca-
tons. mlrycls Of yarlous kinds are acc
canted as realities by millions OF man
kind Many OF them are Elusive some
Df them satanic, others but a fraud,
Yet their reception by the multitude
nluks % revolution iu the public mind
ana u virtual admission Of the poss.-
bUty OF the truth OF the Mormon
doctrines of continued revelation, and
the present enjoyment Of an the spirit
ual gifts spoken OF in ancient Scripture.
Fifty years ago the sprinklIng Of in-
ants 90 the name Of the Trinity, I'M
properly called baptism, was deemed
essential 10 their salvation The horrl-
Die idea that unbaptIzed infants were
,varlastlngly lost, prevailed 20 an as
tonlshug extent "Mormonism' met the
heragy with the announcement that
"LItue children were redeemed from the
foundation of the world" through
ChrIsys atonement, and therefore need
cd mo- baptism. That &C was instituted
as an ordinance "for the remission Of
SINCE and that no child could sin be-
fore reaching the age Of accountability
before God
Today though Christening" Is q re-
lirIous custom followed % O large de-
gree. stll that form Is not viewed
except by extreme sectaries as 1t used
90 be. nor do parents shudder at the
thought OF the eternal doom Of a child
that died without the performance of
that rite
Fifty years ago hell was preached as
a place of literal fire and birthstone,
where lost souls. that Is. all who do
not go 10 heaven, welter In torment
without cessation. for ever and ever
hopeless. with no chance Of redemp-
lion from their excruciating agones
and wild despair "Mormonism' pro-
claimed the eternal mercy as well as
Justice OF the An-Father explained the
hguratlve expressions In holy writ con-
corning the punishment Of the wicked,
and declared the final redemption Of all
the souls OF men Except a very few
that cannot and viii not reform) when
they have paid "the uttermost farth-
ing Of just penalty
Today. the flames and smoke and
roaring furnace. with horned imps and
wrIthiug victims 90 eternal wrath, are
regarded by the majority of religious
people as anything but realities and
the "torments OF the damned as ment-
al conditions, the results OF "the stings
of conscience" Again the other ex-
IRENE is reached and 10 many pulpits
he'll itself is denied. while in others It's
preaching Is out of fashion.
Fifty years ago the fate Of an man
kind was fixed at death. After that it
was unalterable. Up to heaven If one
believed IN Christ down 20 he'll IL he
dll not believe The heather the jew.
the irclgious Of an races the vast
multitude of mankind who through any
circumstance. the accident of birth '
or lack of opportunity on inclination
did not learn of Jesus or failed Of faith
ln Him as Christ, persisted for ever.
Thus Satan was TO gain the victory
and the Savior TO rescue but a few In
diylduais out OF the countless myriads
OF mankind "Mormonism' preached
the ministry of Christ after His cruel
fxlon 10 "the spirits IN prison. and
the "deliyerance OF the captlves' even
them that were bound;" the power
OF a disembodled soul or spirit 10 be-
lleve repent and reform and, therefore,
the possibility OF It's redemption,
through obedience 10 the Gospel not re-
cclysd when in the flesh. II was secuted
by the religious world and held up 20
violent reprobauou,
To-day the eschatology Of even ortho-
dox ministers Is so modified as TO adj
NIT the probability Of salvation for the
heather and others who had no earthly
opportunity to learn OF Christ The subs
ject IS agltated in the churches and
religious colleges, and though the old
hard doctrine IS stll maintained by
some in theory a more liberal concep-
ton OF the plan Of redemption Is pre-
yalIng. and Divine mercy is exalted
above the once universally received
notion OF eternal applicability and VEN
geance.
FIFTY years ago the Calvinistlc tencts
OF predestnatlon, election and reproba-
ton were unQuestioned In Presbyterian
Baptist and other churches. IL was tax
On for granted that, before the founda'
lion of the world the Almighty fore
ordained a certain number Of men and
angels 10 De His elect and that all
| the rest Of His creatures young and Old
OF an races, sects and conditions, were
/ doomed 90 His everlasting wrath. and
anless misery In the torments Of hell
| That Christ atoned only Tor the SINS
OF the elect. and that those few, chosen
"out OF the rubbish Of nature" were 70
De saved, not because Of any good acts
of their own, and the lost were TO be
doomed not because Of any wickednes'
/ they had done. but an was prearranged
and determined before they were born
So that no matter how good a person
might be-. IL DE was not OF the elect
/ De would be eternolly damned, and no
matter how wicked another might be-
/ 81 Do was among the elect the blood OF
Christ would wash away an his guilt
and Doe would shine In the glory OF God
Even the election Of infants was part
/ of this monr0us doctrine and remains
. ..H .n the confession of Faith Nor
. m.a.sm" showed that, while certain
. r.eors were predestIned 20 occupy i'm
. rrtaut positions on earth, in church. II
| state 90 war. IN peace, In various
/ movements FOR the progress OF mankind