Arizona republican., 1917-02-05
BAPTISM UNPOPULAR
SAYS ELDER YATES

Elder j. E. Yates of the Recognized
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints, preached yesterday on Chris
tan Baptism" Baptism, according to
Elder Yates has never been a popular
doctrine, but in the following sermon,
the whole subject is laid open:
Christian Baptism
Baptism for the remission Of sins has
never been a popular doctrine. The
preacher who insists today, that bap-
tism in water is a vital part of the mes
sage which Christ gave to the world,
will never enjoy very wide popularity
until with the Redeemer, the redeemed
of all ages assemble to crown Him Lord
of all.
The preacher who today will preach
baptism for the remission of sins as
one of the initiatory steps of entrance
into the Kingdom Of God makes himself
a target for those who have found
amusement in such jests as depict Bap-
lists coming into Heaven by the river
route on a steamboat, ETC. but while
we may all have much amusement at
such Witicisms, the fact remains that
Il this Jesus whom all Christians as
sumo to honor. taught anything at all,
He taught water baptism and empha-
sized the same by his most illustrious
example
Why should anyone think that the
work of the Holy Spirit is discredited
in the least merely because the beau
tifu rite of baptism in water be given
its place as part of the plan of saliva
ton as exemplified by the Lord?
1t is discredit to the spiritual life.
that God has seen fit to house it in the
physical?
Is it not evident that spiritual life
gives its best expression in all things
in this world through the physical?
What spiritual life resident In, or Civ
en- TO man or any other creature could
be better expressed than God has seen
fit to do through the physical in all
his creation? II should not therefore
be thought strange that the Divine plan
for the salvation of man should include
baptism of both spirit and body
Where is there any inconsistency in
the requirement that the body which is
the most beautiful structure on earth.
made in the image Of the Creator.
should be buried in. and arise from the
water which is the most beautiful ele-
ment known, to walk in newness Of life
and cleanliness of body and soul which
such washing tvpifies?
The perfect harmony of the whole
plan of God then appears more clearly
when we observe that the spirit also
may be baptized in its kindred element
spirit, and in this manner the entire
being Of man is brought in holy contact
with the redemptive and regenerative
power of his God unto eternal saliva
ton.
In the eternal fitness of things like
cleaves TO like greatness seeks out and
effects a union with greatness, and
beauty in all things selects the beau
tiful and pursues a perpetual labor in
blending kinds and contrasts for the
harmonious finish of the whole.
The religion of Jesus Christ as set
forth in the everlasting gospel is no eX-
ception to this self evident philosophy.
When men learn to be in full and exact
accord with the seemingly simple re-
quirements Of the doctrine Of Jesus
Christ. then il is that they are drawn
toward the mighty magnet of true
greatness; and they will discern that
within the very doctrine which world
Illness and misinformed Christianity
thought TO be unattractive, is cOuched
all the requisite harmonies of perfect
beauty. The liquid wave as the most
beautiful type for perfect cleansing and
the Spirit of God as significant of the
most mighty power, are the true baptis-
NAL elements for thorough regenera-
ton land the laws of our being, and of
all our environment. as well as the
word of the Lord makes the acceptance
of such baptism mandatory upon all
who desire to qualify themselves to en-
joy the best which God bestows upon
the worthy.
Hear the words Of Divine authority:
Jesus answered verify. verify / say
unto thee. Except a man be born of the
water and of the Spirit. he cannot en-
ter into the kingdom of God. st.
John 3:5
1t is a holy requirement, divinely au-
lucrative and profoundly true The
properly taught and truly penitent con-
vert to Christ will not wish TO evade
either water or spirit baptism but
should ardently and passionately de-
sire 1t.
whatsoever will let him come and
partake of the water of life freely,
but the stipulations are, as set forth in
the last great commission: Go we
therefore and teach all nations, baptiz-
ing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,
teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever | have commanded you.
and. 10, | am with you Away, even un-
to the end of the world"
This word is still valid but let the
seeker for the truth remember that all
which assumes to be the truth is not
true, and that much ritual which peo-
pie believe to he Christian Baptism and
doctrine is so deficient in some of the
"all things" which Jesus enjoined
should be observed, as to ALLEVIATE many
from God in large measure. rathe