Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-12-19
TEMPLE ORDINANCES AND COVENANTS.
important Dsccues Delivered Presidents Wnder Conference in
The Tabernacle, Salt Lake 6,

preacher Noah. These heard the voice
! or the Savior in the spirit world. No
| DOUBT they had ample time to con-
sider ana repent OF their acts, and were
| longing for the time spoken OF by Ism
iah, when the prison doors should be
| opened and the captlves should 20 free.
Christ did this, according to Peters
| testimony, Why did lie preach TO
| themY Some have held that He did so
| TO tantalize them over what they had
| lost Oh. no. That was not the mis-
sion or Jesus. He preached glad It'd :
ings unto them, and He opened their
| prison doors. An opportunity was CIV
en- In the spirit world for them
TO receive and obey the Gospel So
with our forefathers, who died without
q knowledge Of the purposes of God.
They Will have chance to hear and
receive the Gospel.
Jesus, In His Interview with Nicode-
mus laid down the law which must be
obeyed by all who shall enter the king
dom OF heaven, Except a man be
born or water and of the Spirit. he
cannot enter into the kingdom Of God"
In other words, the law was laid down
In the eternal councils that baptism is
necessary to salvation. But the spir-
us cannot be baptized, How, there
fore, can they obey this law? IT must
be borne in mind that Jesus extended
this law TO all. Some have gone so
FAR as to say that II includes little
children also: but the Lord has reveal
ed unto us that children. before they
arrive at the years of accountability
are without sin, and therefore It Is not
necessary to baptize them. baptism be-
ING Tor the remission Of sin. on one oc-
hal
SAID unto His disciples, except We be
converted, and become as little chill.
dren, We shall not enter into the king.
dom or heaven" On another occasion
IN speaking OF children He said, "Of
such Is the kingdom OF heaven" But
atter they arrive at the years of ac-
countabillty they must obey this law.
rms law applying to all men, how shall
those who have died obey It? Tod. In
his mercy, has provided that others
may perform this ordinance for them
In the flesh, and this vicarlous work Is
attended to IN temples. We thank the
LORD for this glorious doctrine. 1t
raises our hopes for those whom we
love ana who did not obey the require.
ments OF the Gospel In life. We re-
1olce that they can have the oppor-
tunlty In the other life. But those In
this mortal life must be baptized for
them.
This Is not a new doctrine. Paul
understood II, and used IL In his day
as strong argument In favor of the
resurrection, OF what use would IL be
TO bapuze anyone II there were no
resurrection? Read the 29th verse of
the 10th chapter of First Corinthians:
ELSE what shall they do which are
baptized for the dead, II the dead rise
not at all? Why are they then bap-
tiled for the dead2"
When in England attended the fun
eral or member OF the English church
ana heard the officiating clergyman
read the beautiful chapter containing
this verse. l wondered what they
thought OF that verse. But they read II
and never commented upon II. ] see,
though, that Dean Farrar in his book
on The Early Days OF Christianity"
says. IF Christ preached to dead men
who were once disobedient then Scrip
ture shows us that the moment OF death
does not necessarily involve a final and
hopeless torment for every sinful soul"
Now we believe that the law laid down
by Jesus TO Nicodemus must be obeyed,
and that men In the flesh can obey II
by proxy for those who have departed.
For this reason we have built temples.
lpu may bu9 We nave only n small
number Of temples, that very few can
enter there. and that the myrlads OF
spirits In the spirit world cannot be
reached by the mere handful Of people
who are performing vicarious work
here on the earth. In answer 10 this
VIII say we believe there Will be ample
time in the future, We do all that Is in
our power while God gives US days to
live In, and we know there are many
more going to join the ranks of the
Saints, The Gospel will spread, this
land will be the land Of Zion, temples
will be built In various localities, from
one end OF II to the other, and the
Saints OF God living In the Millennium
Will have this precious labor to per-
form. Then the veil, / believe, viii be
much thinner between the spirit world
and this and we will work for the
dead, not only In faith that those for
whom we labor will accept the Gospel,
but with an actual knowledge that they
are longing for the work to be done. |
look upon the work for the dead as a
most glorious principle.
While ! am speaking about the Tenn
pies, | want to make declaration here
before you, my brethren and sisters.
We have been accused Of entering into
covenants In those holy ediflces which
are unpatriotic and against our gov
eminent. Now, declare here solemnly