,,salvation ,,universal ,by ,,joseph ,,fielding ,,smith ,,published ,,by ,,the ,,genealogical ,,society ,,of ,,utah #aibj ,,the ,,genealogical ,,society ,,of ,,utah4 ,organized ,november #ac1 #ahid4 ,anthon ,h4 ,lund1 ,president2 ,charles ,w4 ,penrose1 ,vice ,president2 ,joseph ,fielding ,smith1 ,secy4 and ,treas42 ,joseph ,christenson1 ,librarian2 ,lillian ,cameron and ,nephi ,anderson1 ,assistant ,librarians4 ,,directors3 ,anthon ,h4 ,lund1 ,charles ,w4 ,penrose1 ,joseph ,christenson1 ,joseph ,fielding ,smith1 ,anthony ,w4 ,ivins1 ,hyrum ,g4 ,smith4 ,life ,membership1 #aj1 with two years in which to pay4 ,annual membership1 #b the first year1 #a yearly thereafter4 ,the ,utah ,genealogical and ,historical ,magazine4 ,published by the ,genealogical ,society of ,utah4 ,,quarterly1 #a4ej ,,per ,,annum ,anthon ,h4 ,lund1 ,editor2 ,nephi ,anderson1 ,associate ,editor ,subscription price to life and paid-up annual members of the ,genealogical ,society1 #a4jj a year4 ,address all communications to ,,genealogical ,,society ,,of ,,utah #dg ,east ,south ,temple ,street1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 ,utah4 ,salvation ,universal4 ,,by ,,elder ,,joseph ,,fielding ,,smith ,the greatest of all the gifts of ,god unto his children1 is the gift of salvation4,a ,footnote ,a3 ,doc4 ,cov4 #f3ac4 ,the greatest of all his works1 to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man1 which constitutes his glory4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,book of ,moses #a3ci4 ,for this grand and glorious purpose1 worlds are created by him and peopled with his children4 ,he gives to them his commandments1 granting the power to choose for themselves whether or not they will obey4 ,those who obey him in all things he has promised great blessings1 they shall be added upon in his celestial kingdom for ever and ever1 and shall be crowned with the fullness of his glory4 ,but to those who reject laws1 and become a law unto themselves in unrighteousness1 shall punishment be meted out according to their evil deeds4 ,the plan of salvation1 or code of laws1 which is known as the gospel of ,jesus ,christ1 was adopted in the heavens1 before the foundation of the world was laid4 ,it was appointed there that ,adam our father should come to this earth and stand at the head of the whole human family4 ,it was a part of this great plan1 that he should partake of the forbidden fruit and fall1 thus bringing suffering and death into the world1 even for the ultimate good of his children4 ,by many he has been severely criticized because of his fall1 but ,latter-day ,saints1 through modern revelation1 have learned that such was necessary in order that man should have his agency and1 through the various vicissitudes he has to pass1 receive a knowledge of both good and evil1 without which it would be impossible for him to gain the exaltation prepared for him4 ,it was also necessary because of ,adam's transgression for the ,only ,begotten ,son of the ,father to come to redeem the world from ,adam's fall4 ,this also was a part of the plan chosen before the earth was made1 for ,jesus is called the ,lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world4 ,he came and redeemed us from the fall--even all the inhabitants of the earth4 ,not only did he redeem us from ,adam's transgression1 but he also redeemed us from our own sins1 on condition that we obey the laws and ordinances of the gospel4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,heb4 #e3i2 ,matt4 #g3ba2 ,john #a3c-f4 ,and now1 behold1 said the ,prophet ,lehi to his son ,jacob1 if ,adam had not transgressed1 he would not have fallen2 but he would have remained in the ,garden of ,eden4 ,and all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were1 after they were created2 and they must have remained for ever1 and had no end4 ,and they would have had no children2 wherefore1 they would have remained in a state of innocence1 having no joy1 for they knew no misery2 doing no good1 for they knew no sin4 ,but behold1 all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things4 ,adam fell that men might be2 and men are1 that they might have joy4 ,and the ,messiah cometh in the fullness of time1 that he may redeem the children of men from the fall4 ,and because they are redeemed from the fall1 they have become free for ever1 knowing good from evil2 to act for themselves1 and not to be acted upon1 save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day1 according to the commandments which ,god hath given4 ,wherefore1 men are free according to the flesh2 and all things are given them which are expedient unto man4 ,and they are free to choose liberty and eternal life1 through the great mediation of all men1 or to choose captivity and death1 according to the captivity and power of the devil2 for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,,ii ,nephi #b3bb-bg4 ,the primary and fundamental principles of this plan of salvation are3 ,first3 ,faith in ,god the ,father1 in his ,son ,jesus ,christ and in the ,holy ,ghost4 ,we must accept them as the presiding authority in the heavens1 who govern and control all things1 who are omnipotent1 just and true4 ,second3 ,we must accept the infinite atonement of ,christ1 believing that he is the ,redeemer of the world1 both from ,adam's transgression and from our individual sins on condition of our repentance4 ,third3 ,we must repent of all our sins1 giving our hearts to ,god1 with the full intent of serving him4 ,fourth3 ,we must be baptized in water for the remission of our sins1 by one who is called of ,god and clothed with divine authority to administer in the ordinances of the gospel4 ,fifth3 ,we must have the hands of those holding authority placed upon our heads1 and through their ministrations receive the baptism of the ,holy ,ghost1--the spirit of ,truth and ,prophecy that guides us in all truth4 ,sixth3 ,we must be willing to serve the ,lord with all our heart1 mind and strength1 keeping his commandments even unto the end4 ,upon these laws1 salvation is based1 and the promised blessings are unto all men4 ,these conditions are not severe1 nor grievous1 and are within the power of the weakest of the weak1 if they will only place their trust in their ,redeemer4 ,all who repent and obey these laws1 will be redeemed and saved from the sins of the world2 but they who refuse and repent not1 will have to suffer for their own sins4 ,the ,lord says3 ,he created man1 male and female1 after his own image and in his own likeness created he them1 and gave unto them commandments that they should love and serve him1 the only living and true ,god1 and that he should be the only being whom they should worship4 ,but by the transgression of these holy laws1 man became sensual and devilish1 and became fallen man4 ,wherefore the ,almighty ,god gave his ,only ,begotten ,son1 as it is written in those scriptures which have been given of him4 ,he suffered temptations1 but gave no heed unto them2 he was crucified1 died and rose again the third day2 and ascended into heaven1 to sit down on the right hand of the ,father1 to reign with almighty power according to the will of the ,father1 that as many as would believe and be baptized in his holy name1 and endure in faith to the end1 should be saved3 not only those who believed after he came in the meridian of time1 in the flesh1 but all those from the beginning1 even as many as were before he came1 who believed in the words of the holy prophets1 who spake as ,transcriber's note3 sentence leaves off here in the original4 ,moreover1 he further says3 ,and surely every man must repent or suffer1 for ,i ,god am endless3 99 99 99 ,therefore ,i command you to repent--repent1 lest ,i smite you by the rod of my mouth1 and by my wrath1 and by my anger1 and your sufferings be sore--how sore you know not6 ,for behold1 ,i1 ,god1 have suffered these things for all1 that they might not suffer if they would repent1 but if they would not repent1 they must suffer even as ,i1 which suffering caused myself1 even ,god1 the greatest of all1 to tremble because of pain1 and to bleed at every pore1 and to suffer both in body and spirit3 and would that ,i might not drink the bitter cup and shrink--nevertheless1 glory be to the ,father1 and ,i partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men4,g ,footnote ,g3 ,doc4 ,cov4 #ai3d1 #ae-ai4 ,these principles were taught to ,adam after he was driven from the ,garden of ,eden1 who repented and was baptized in water for the remission of his sins1 and received the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and ,eve1 when she heard the gospel plan1 rejoiced1 saying3 ,were it not for our transgression1 we never should have had seed1 and never should have known good and evil1 and the joy of our redemption1 and the eternal life which ,god giveth unto all the obedient4 ,and ,adam and ,eve blessed the name of ,god1 and they made all things known to their sons and daughters4,h ,footnote ,h3 ,book of ,moses #e3aa-ab4 ,thus the principles of the gospel were taught from the beginning among the children of ,adam4 ,some believed and accepted them1 many others rejected them1 bringing down upon their heads the wrath of ,god1 for his anger was kindled against them because of their rebellion4 ,in course of time1 when the inhabitants of the earth were sufficiently corrupt1 he caused the floods to come upon them1 sweeping them off the earth4 ,noah1 who was a preacher of righteousness1 continued to preach these saving principles4 ,the gospel was also taught to ,abraham1 and has always been among men when they were prepared to receive it4 ,latter-day ,saints have been severely criticised by many professing ,christians for believing it necessary to comply with these first principles of the gospel4 ,we are told that such views make us narrow and illiberal1 for we reject and damn all who do not accept ,mormonism and the ministration of our elders1 while they on the other hand1 give a broader interpretation of the scriptures1 holding it but necessary to believe in ,christ--to confess him with the mouth and to believe in the heart that ,christ was raised from the dead4 ,or1 as it is expressed1 ,nothing1 either great or small1 ,remains for me to do2 ,nothing--,jesus paid it all1 ,all the debt ,i owe4 ,nevertheless1 there is but one plan of salvation1 and one door into the sheepfold1 ,he that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold1 but climbeth up some other way1 the same is a thief and a robber4,i ,footnote ,i3 ,john #aj3a4 ,we have not made the way narrow nor the gate strait1 that few there be that find it6 ,nor was ours the edict1 ,not every one that saith ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into the kingdom of heaven1 but he that doeth the will of the father4,j ,footnote ,j3 ,matt4 #gth chapter4 ,the fact that certain laws must be observed1 and ordinances complied with1 is not the ruling of the ,latter-day ,saints1 but the divine mandate of the ,author of our salvation1 who has said he will judge all men according to their works and opportunities4 ,we are merely complying with the teachings of the ,master which we have received1 and which are requisite to salvation4 ,if belief alone were sufficient1 then even the devils1 who fear and tremble1 would be saved4 ,they recognized the ,savior and declared on several occasions that he was the ,son of ,god4,k ,and the devils in the days of the sons of ,sceva declared that they knew ,jesus and ,paul1 yet they were far from the road to salvation4,l ,footnote ,k3 ,mark #e3b-i2 ,luke #d3cc-cd4 ,footnote ,l3 ,acts #ai3ae4 ,notwithstanding the apparently narrow construction of the ,latter-day ,saints pertaining to the scriptures--and we most emphatically declare that all men must obey these laws if they would be saved1 excepting those who die without law1 and therefore are not judged by law,m--we are broader and more liberal in our teachings than the believers in the faith-only theory of salvation1 who would save all who profess a belief in the name of the ,redeemer1 but reject all others1 consigning them to everlasting destruction without one ray of hope1 simply because they did not confess that ,jesus was the ,christ4 ,this view condemns all who lived at a time or place that the knowledge of the ,redeemer of the world could not reach them4 ,they would reject this vast majority of the human family1 men women and children1 to eternal damnation1 without the fault being their own6 ,footnote ,m3 ,moroni #h3bb4 ,with the ,latter-day ,saints this is not so4 ,while it is true we teach that a man must comply with these principles of the gospel in order to receive salvation and exaltation in the kingdom of heaven--which is proved by many passages of scripture--nevertheless1 we hold out the hope that all may be saved1 excepting the sons of perdition--a class that willfully rejects the atonement of the ,savior3 for the ,lord intends to save all the workmanship of his hands1 save these few who will not receive salvation4 ,our doctrine consigns none others to perdition1 but holds forth the hope that all will eventually be saved in the kingdom of ,god at some time and in some degree of glory4 ,little children are redeemed from the foundation of the world through the atonement1 ,wherefore1 they cannot sin1 the ,lord has said1 for power is not given unto ,satan to tempt little children1 until they begin to become accountable before me2 for it is given unto them even as ,i will1 according to mine own pleasure1 that great things may be required at the hand of their fathers4 ,and again1 ,i say unto you1 that whoso having knowledge1 have ,i not commanded to repent8,n ,footnote ,n3 ,doc4 ,cov4 #bi3df-di4 ,he that declares that little children are born in sin1 and therefore require baptism1 denies the mercy of the father and does not understand the nature and significance of the atonement4 ,the ,savior said3 ,suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me1 for of such is the kingdom of heaven4 ,the ,prophet ,mormon sums the whole matter up in the following words3 ,little children cannot repent2 wherefore it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of ,god unto them1 for they are all alive in him because of his mercy4 ,and he that saith1 that little children need baptism1 denieth the mercies of ,christ1 and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption4 ,wo unto such1 for they are in danger of death1 hell1 and endless torment4 ,i speak it boldly1 ,god hath commanded me4 ,listen unto them and give heed1 or they stand against you at the judgment seat of ,christ4 ,for behold that all little children are alive in ,christ1 and also all they that are without the law4 ,for the power of redemption cometh on all they that have no law2 wherefore1 he that is not condemned1 or he that is under no condemnation1 cannot repent2 and unto such baptism availeth nothing4 ,but it is mockery before ,god1 denying the mercies of ,christ1 and the power of ,his ,holy ,spirit1 and putting trust in dead works4 ,behold1 my son1 this thing ought not to be2 for repentance is unto them that are under condemnation and under the curse of a broken law4 ,and the first fruits of repentance is baptism1 and baptism cometh by faith1 unto the fulfilling of the commandments2 and the fulfilling of commandments bringeth remission of sins4,o ,footnote ,o3 ,moroni #h3ai-be4 ,the question naturally arises1 if all must accept the principles of the gospel and be baptized for the remission of their sins1 what of the dead who died without receiving the remission of their sins1 or accepting ,christ while they were in the flesh8 ,they cannot be baptized in water now and have hands laid on their heads for the gift of the ,holy ,ghost1 for these things of necessity pertain to this mortal probation4 ,therefore1 it would be impossible for them to be baptized now or even after the resurrection1 for they would no longer be mortal1 but subject to the laws and regulations of that life which is to come4 ,these ordinances must be performed in this life1 or1 if for the dead1 vicariously by some one who is in mortality1 the living acting as proxy for the dead4 ,again we hear the objection raised1 that this is impossible2 that one man cannot stand1 or answer for another's sins2 but that every man must stand for himself4 ,this is true so far as it is possible to be done4 ,but occasions have arisen where the man guilty of transgressing the law was unable to redeem himself4 ,and punishment for sin1 is for the propitiation of sin1 and in such cases there is nothing in the scriptures forbidding one to stand vicariously for another when circumstances render it impossible for the first to comply with the law4 ,in ancient ,israel they had the scapegoat4 ,on the head of this goat1 ,aaron placed both his hands and confessed over him all the iniquity of the children of ,israel1 and all their transgressions in all their sins1 putting them upon the head of the goat1 and then sent him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness4 ,and the goat bore upon him all their iniquities into the wilderness unto a land not inhabited3,p ,this was but one instance4 ,in various ways of vicarious offerings have been made and accepted4 ,then why should it be considered a strange thing for the ,latter-day ,saints to believe that the children have the privilege to stand vicariously for their dead fathers1 and by proxy perform these ordinances1 that belong to this life1 in their behalf8 ,footnote ,p3 ,leviticus #af3bj-bb4 ,see also ,leviticus chapters #d and #e4 ,the fact is1 the whole plan of redemption is based on vicarious salvation1 ,one without sin standing for the whole human family1 all of whom were under the curse4 ,it is most natural and just that he who commits the wrong should pay the penalty--atone for his wrong doing4 ,therefore1 when ,adam was the transgressor of the law1 justice demanded that he1 and none else1 should answer for the sin and pay the penalty with his life4 ,but ,adam1 in breaking and law1 himself became subject to the curse1 and being under the curse could not atone1 or undo what he had done4 ,neither could his children1 for they also were under the curse1 and it required one who was not subject to the curse to atone for that original sin4 ,moreover1 since we were all under the curse1 we were also powerless to atone for our individual sins4 ,it therefore became necessary for the ,father to send his ,only ,begotten ,son1 who was free from sin1 to atone for our sins as well as for ,adam's transgression1 which justice demanded should be done4 ,he accordingly offered himself a sacrifice for sins1 and through his death upon the cross took upon himself both ,adam's transgression and our individual sins1 thereby redeeming us from the fall1 and from our sins1 on condition of repentance4 ,let us illustrate3 ,a man walking along the road happens to fall into a pit so deep and dark that he cannot climb to the surface and regain his freedom4 ,how can he save himself from his predicament8 ,not by any exertions on his own part1 for there is no means of escape in the pit4 ,he calls for help and some kindly disposed soul1 hearing his cries for relief1 hastens to his assistance and by lowering a ladder1 gives to him the means by which he may climb again to the surface of the earth4 ,this was precisely the condition that ,adam placed himself and his posterity in1 when he partook of the forbidden fruit4 ,all being together in the pit1 none could gain the surface and relieve the others4 ,the pit was banishment from the presence of the ,lord and temporal death1 the dissolution of the body4 ,and all being subject to death1 none could provide the means of escape4 ,therefore1 in his infinite mercy1 the ,father heard the cries of his children and sent his ,only ,begotten ,son1 who was not subject to death nor to sin1 to provide the means of escape4 ,this he did through his infinite atonement and the everlasting gospel4 ,the ,savior voluntarily laid down his life and took it up again to satisfy the demands of justice1 which required this infinite atonement4 ,his ,father accepted this offering in the stead of the blood of all those who were under the curse1 and consequently helpless4 ,the ,savior said1 ,i lay down my life for the sheep4 99 99 99 ,therefore1 doth my ,father love me1 because ,i lay down my life that ,i might take it up again4 ,no man taketh it from me1 but ,i lay it down of myself4 ,i have power to lay it down1 and ,i have power to take it again4 ,this commandment have ,i received of my ,father4,q ,footnote ,q3 ,john #aj3ae-ah4 ,from this we see that he had life in himself1 which he received from the ,father1 being his ,only ,begotten ,son in the flesh4 ,and it was this principle that gave him power to atone for the sins of the world1 both for ,adam's transgression and for our individual sins1 from which we could not of ourselves get free4 ,therefore1 ,christ died in our stead1 because to punish us would not relieve the situation1 for we would still be subject to the curse even if our blood had been shed1 and through his death we receive life and have it more abundantly4 ,the vicarious atonement was for all1 both living and dead1 for as extensive as was the fall1 of necessity must be the atonement4 ,there shall1 therefore1 be a resurrection of the dead1 both of the just and the unjust4,r ,this is general salvation4 ,our individual salvation1 which determines our standing1 or glory1 in the kingdom of ,god1 besides depending on the atonement of ,christ1 also is on condition that the laws and ordinances of the gospel are accepted and lived by us1 both by the living and the dead4 ,footnote ,r3 ,acts #bd3ae4 ,this vicarious salvation for the dead is not a new doctrine4 ,it is new and strange for this generation1 it is true1 but only because of a lack of comprehension of the revelations of the ,lord4 ,the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith said it is the burden of the scriptures4 ,it has been taught among the ,lord's people from the earliest times4 ,enoch saw in vision the kingdoms of the world and all their inhabitants down even to the end of time4 ,the ,lord told him of ,noah and the flood1 and how he would destroy the people of the earth for their iniquity4 ,of these rebellious one who rejected the truth and paid no heed to the preachings of ,noah and the ancient prophets1 the ,lord said3 ,i can stretch forth mine hands and hold all the creations which ,i have made2 and mine eyes can pierce them also1 and among all the workmanship of mine hands there has not been so much wickedness as among thy brethren4 ,but1 behold1 their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers4 ,satan shall be their father1 and misery shall be their doom2 and the whole heavens shall weep over them1 even all the workmanship of mine hands2 wherefore should not the heavens weep1 seeing these shall suffer8 ,but behold1 these which thine eyes are upon shall perish in the floods2 and1 behold1 ,i will shut them up2 a prison have ,i prepared for them4 ,and ,that which ,i have chosen hath plead before my face4 ,wherefore1 he suffereth for their sins2 inasmuch as they will repent in the day that my ,chosen shall return unto me1 and until that day they shall be in torment4,s ,footnote ,s3 ,book of ,moses #g3cf-ci4 ,from this we learn that the ,lord has prepared a prison for the souls of all those who rejected the testimony of the antediluvian prophets1 where they were to remain in torment until the time when ,jesus should atone for their sins and return to the ,father4 ,isaiah also says3 ,and it shall come to pass in that day1 that the ,lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high1 and the kings of the earth upon the earth4 ,and they shall be gathered together1 as prisoners are gathered in the pit1 and shall be shut up in the prison1 and after many days shall they be visited4,t ,this is spoken of those who keep not the law who live in latter-days4 ,again1 he says3 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord ,god is upon me1 because the ,lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek1 he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted1 to proclaim liberty to the captives1 and the opening of the prison to them that are bound4,u ,this was spoken of as the mission of the ,redeemer1 both his work for the living and the dead who were prisoners that were bound4 ,when the ,savior commenced his ministry1 he entered into the synagogue in the city of ,nazareth--his home town--on the ,sabbath day1 the book of ,isaiah was handed him1 he turned to this passage and read1 closed the book1 handed it back to the minister1 and while the eyes of all the congregation were riveted upon him1 he said3 ,this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears4,v ,but the ,jews rejected him and his testimony1 and with violence drove him from the city4 ,nevertheless1 he continued to proclaim liberty to the captives1 declaring that he came not alone to save the living but also to save the dead4 ,footnote ,t3 ,isaiah #bd3ba1 #bb4 ,footnote ,u3 ,isaiah #fa3a and #db3g4 ,footnote ,v3 ,luke #d3af-ba4 ,we hear the objection made from time to time1 that ,jesus did not come to save the dead1 for he most emphatically declared himself that there was an impassable gulf that separated the righteous spirits from the wicked4 ,in defense of their position they quote the words in ,luke1 #afth chapter and #bfth verse1 which are3 ,and besides all this1 between us and you there is a great gulf fixed1 so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot3 neither can they pass to us that would come from thence4 ,these words1 according to the story1 were spoken by ,abraham's spirit to the rich man who raised his eyes and asked that ,lazarus might go touch his lips and relieve his torment4 ,abraham replied that it could not be for there was a gulf fixed between them that the spirit of no man could pass4 ,therefore1 say the objectors to the doctrine of universal salvation1 it is quite evident that the righteous and the wicked who are dead1 cannot visit each other1 hence there is no salvation for the dead4 ,this was true before the days that ,jesus atoned for sin1 which is plainly shown in the passage from the ,book of ,moses previously quoted4 ,and it was at this period this event occurred4 ,however1 ,christ came1 and through his death bridged that gulf1 proclaimed liberty to the captives1 and the opening of this prison door to those who sat in darkness and captivity4 ,from that time forth this gulf is bridged so that the captives1 after they have paid the full penalty of their misdeeds1 satisfied justice1 and have accepted the gospel of ,christ1 having the ordinances attended to in their behalf by their living relatives or friends1 receive the passport that entitles them to cross the gulf4 ,the ,lord speaks of this himself in the fifth chapter of ,john1 beginning with the twenty-fourth verse3 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 he that heareth my word1 and believeth on him that sent me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into condemnation2 but is passed from death unto life4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 the hour is coming and now is1 when the dead shall hear the voice of the ,son of ,god2 and they that hear shall live4 ,and the ,jews marveled4 ,perhaps they thought he meant those who were dead in trespasses and sins should hear his voice4 ,at any rate they marveled4 ,he perceived it and said3 ,marvel not at this3 for the hour is coming1 in the which all that are in their graves shall hear ,his voice1 and shall come forth3 they that have done good1 unto the resurrection of life2 and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation4 ,peter tells us that ,christ did this very thing3 ,for ,christ also hath once suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that he might brings us to ,god1 being put to death in the flesh1 but quickened by the spirit3 ,by which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison3 ,which sometime were disobedient1 when once the long-suffering of ,god waited in the days of ,noah1 while the ark was a preparing1 wherein few1 that is1 eight souls were saved4,w ,footnote ,w3 ,i ,peter #c3ah-bj4 ,why did he preach to these disobedient spirits8 ,surely not to increase their torments1 to taunt them for not accepting of his truth in the days of the prophets6 ,was it to tantalize them1 and make them more miserable because of the blessings they had lost6 ,jesus was a merciful ,redeemer1 who suffered as no other man suffered that he might save the children of his ,father4 ,he would take no pleasure in the suffering of the wicked4 ,it was his nature to plead for them1 to entreat his ,father for mercy in their behalf4 ,therefore1 whatever his mission was1 it was one of mercy and comfort to those prisoners4 ,peter tells us that the object of his visit was that the gospel might be preached also to the dead1 that they might be judged according to men in the flesh1 but live according to ,god in the spirit4,x ,footnote ,x3 ,i ,peter #d3f4 ,what good reason can be given why the ,lord should not forgive sins in the world to come8 ,why should man suffer throughout the countless ages of eternity for his sins committed here1 if those sins are not unto death8 ,there are many good1 honorable men who have wilfully wronged no man1 have lived to the best of their opportunities1 righteously2 yet have not received the gospel1 for one reason or another4 ,where would be the justice in condemning them forever in hell1 where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched8 ,we learn from the ,doctrine and ,covenants1 that eternal punishment1 or everlasting punishment1 does not mean that a man condemned will endure this punishment forever1 but it is everlasting and eternal1 because it is ,god's punishment1 and he is ,everlasting and ,eternal4 ,therefore1 when a man pays the penalty of his misdeeds and humbly repents1 receiving the gospel1 he comes out of the prison-house and is assigned to some degree of glory in the kingdom of ,god1 according to his worth and merit4 ,there are three degrees of glory in this kingdom1 the celestial1 into which those who keep the whole law shall enter2 the terrestrial1 in which are found the honorable men of the world1 and those who were blinded by the craftiness of men1 and were overcome by the things of the world1 and also those who have accepted ,christ but were not valiant in his cause1 and those who died without law among the heathen3 the third1 or telestial1 is that glory which contains the great majority of mankind who differ in their glory as the countless stars of heaven4 ,these are the inhabitants of the earth who have been unworthy1 unclean1 unfit for an exaltation in the other kingdoms4 ,and still there will be some who1 because of their filthiness and abominations in the flesh1 will be unworthy of a kingdom of glory at all4 ,the sons of perdition1 those who are lost1 having rejected the atonement of ,christ and crucified him afresh to themselves1 these will be cast out of the kingdom into outer darkness4 ,all the rest shall be saved in some degree of glory in one of the three grand divisions of the kingdom of ,god4 ,a full discussion of this is found in ,doctrine and ,covenants1 section #gf4 ,that sins are forgiven in the world to come1 we need only refer to the words of the ,savior3 ,all manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men3 but the blasphemy against the ,holy ,ghost shall not be forgiven unto men4 ,and whosoever speaketh a word against the ,son of man1 it shall be forgiven him3 but whosoever speaketh against the ,holy ,ghost1 it shall not be forgiven him1 neither in this world1 neither in the world to come4,y ,footnote ,y3 ,matt4 #ab3cb4 ,this shows that some sins will be forgiven in the world to come4 ,we are also informed in ,first ,corinthians1 fifteenth chapter1 that if in this life only we have hope in ,christ1 we are of all men most miserable4 ,but we have hope in ,christ both in this life and in the life to come4 ,salvation does not come all at once2 we are commanded to be perfect even as our ,father in heaven is perfect4 ,it will take us ages to accomplish this end1 for there will be greater progress beyond the grave1 and it will be there that the faithful will overcome all things1 and receive all things1 even the fullness of the ,father's glory4,z ,footnote ,z3 ,doc4 ,cov4 #hd3ch4 ,salvation for the dead was understood in the days of the primitive ,christian ,church1 and to some extent baptisms for the dead continued to be performed until ,a4 ,d4 #cgi1 when the ,council of ,carthage forbade any longer the administration of this ordinance and holy communion for the dead4 ,paul uses baptism for the dead as an argument against the ,corinthian ,saints1 who1 even in that day1 were falling away from the true gospel4 ,these saints understood the doctrine of baptism for the dead1 yet they doubted the general resurrection4 ,paul argues with them thus3 ,now if ,christ be preached that he rose from the dead1 how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead8 ,but if there be no resurrection of the dead1 then is ,christ not risen4 ,and if ,christ be not risen1 then is our preaching vain1 and your faith is also vain4 ,yea1 and we are found false witnesses of ,god2 because we have testified of ,god that he raised up ,christ3 whom he raised not up1 if so be that the dead rise not4 ,for if the dead rise not1 then is not ,christ raised3 and if ,christ be not raised1 your faith is vain2 ye are yet in your sins4 ,then they also which are fallen asleep in ,christ are perished4 ,if in this life only we have hope in ,christ1 we are of all men most miserable4 ,but now is ,christ risen from the dead1 and become the first fruits of them that slept4 ,for since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead4 ,for as in ,adam all die2 even so in ,christ shall all be made alive4 99 99 99 99 ,else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead1 if the dead rise not at all8 why are they then baptized for the dead8 and why stand we in jeopardy every hour8,a ,footnote ,a3 ,i ,cor4 #ae3bj-cj4 ,joseph ,smith1 the prophet1 informs us that salvation for the dead was introduced in the days of ,christ who had reference to this subject when1 in addressing the ,jews1 he said3 ,that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth1 from the blood of the righteous ,abel unto the blood of ,zacharias1 son of ,barachias1 who ye slew between the temple and the altar4 ,verily ,i say unto you1 all these things shall come upon this generation4,b ,footnote ,b3 ,matt4 #bc3ce-cf4 ,commenting on this1 the prophet said the reason that generation would have to answer for the blood of the righteous from ,abel to ,zacharias1 was that in their day the privilege of performing the ordinances in behalf of the dead1 was within their power1 while it had been denied anciently4 ,hence1 as they possessed greater privileges than any other generation1 not only pertaining to themselves1 but to their dead1 their sin was greater1 as they not only neglected their own salvation1 but that of their progenitors1 and hence their blood was required at their hands4,c ,footnote ,c3 ,times and ,seasons #c3gfa4 ,in this same article the prophet declared that ,obediah was speaking of salvation for the dead when he said1 ,and saviors shall come upon ,mount ,zion1 to judge the ,mount of ,esau1 and the kingdom shall be the ,lord's4,d ,footnote ,d3 ,obediah #ba4 ,the work of saving the dead has practically been reserved for the dispensation of the fullness of times1 when the ,lord shall restore all things4 ,it is1 therefore1 the duty of the ,latter-day ,saints to see that it is accomplished4 ,we cannot do it all at once1 but will have the thousand years of the ,millennium to do it in4 ,in that time the work must be done in behalf of the dead of the previous six thousand years for all who need it4 ,temples will be built for this purpose1 and the labor in them will occupy most of the time of the ,saints4 ,one of the most important prophecies1 pertaining to the dead1 is that of ,malachi4 ,he prophesied that the ,lord would send ,elijah1 the prophet1 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord1 for the purpose of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the hearts of the children to the fathers1 lest the earth be smitten with a curse1 when the ,lord should come4 ,this prophecy1 which is not understood by the world1 has come to pass4 ,when the ,angel ,moroni appeared to the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 ,september #ba1 #ahbc1 among the passages of scripture he quoted that were about to be fulfilled1 was this prophecy of ,malachi's2 but he quoted it with this variation3 ,behold1 ,i will reveal unto you the priesthood by the hand of ,elijah1 the prophet1 before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord1 and he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promise made to the fathers1 and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers4 ,if it were not so1 the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming4,e ,footnote ,e3 ,history of the ,church1 ,vol4 #a3ab4 ,from this1 we see that ,elijah's mission was to restore that priesthood which would turn the hearts of the children to their fathers1 according to a promise that had been made to the fathers4 ,that it was extremely important and necessary1 is shown in the fact that the whole earth would be utterly wasted at the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord1 if this priesthood were not restored4 ,this quotation deeply impressed the prophet at that time1 although he could not understand it4 ,three times that night it was repeated1 and again on the following day4 ,gradually1 as link after link of the gospel chain was revealed1 and the keys and powers were bestowed1 the prophet increased in wisdom and knowledge4 ,in time1 a temple was built in ,kirtland1 but in it there was no baptismal font1 or any other provision made for ordinance work for the dead4 ,the reason is that the doctrine had not been fully revealed4 ,this temple1 however1 served the purpose for which it was erected1 a house of the ,lord1 where he could come1 and send his angels to bestow keys and authority necessary in this dispensation4 ,in this temple1 ,april #c1 #ahcf1 the ,savior and many of the ancient prophets appeared to ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery and bestowed upon their heads the keys of the several dispensations4 ,among these heavenly visitors came ,elijah1 who placed his hands on the heads of ,joseph ,smith and ,oliver ,cowdery1 and gave them the priesthood spoken of by ,malachi4 ,therefore1 said he1 the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands1 and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the ,lord is near1 even at the doors4,f ,footnote ,f3 ,doc4 ,cov4 #aaj3af4 ,what was the promise made to the fathers that was to be fulfilled in the latter-days by the turning of the hearts of the children to their fathers8 ,it was the promise of the ,lord made through ,enoch1 ,isaiah1 and the prophets1 to the nations of the earth1 that the time should come when the dead should be redeemed4 ,and the turning of the hearts of the children is fulfilled in the performing of the vicarious temple work and in the preparation of their genealogies4 ,up to the time of ,elijah's visit1 there had been nothing done for the dead4 ,the doctrine was not understood by the ,saints1 and there was no temple built where the ordinances could be performed4 ,but as soon as this priesthood was restored1 the hearts of the children commenced turning toward their fathers4 ,the knowledge of temple building and temple work was made known to the prophet from time to time subsequently to the #crd of ,april1 #ahcf1 and he commenced to reveal these things to the ,saints4 ,in ,nauvoo they were commanded to build a temple to the ,lord1 for only in temples can these ordinances be performed1 excepting in times of extreme poverty1 when they cannot build temples for that purpose4 ,for this ordinance belongeth to my house1 says the ,lord1 and cannot be acceptable to me 7i4e41 outside of the house7 only in the days of your poverty1 wherein ye are not able to build a house unto me4,g ,as the ,latter-day ,saints were in this poverty-stricken condition when they settled at ,nauvoo1 the ,lord granted them the privilege of baptizing for the dead in the ,mississippi river1 until a place could be prepared for the ordinance in the temple4 ,just as soon as a font could be prepared in the temple1 the ,lord1 by revelation1 discontinued baptisms for the dead in any other place4 ,it was ,october #c1 #ahda1 when this revelation was given1 and on the #hth of the following month1 the font in the temple at ,nauvoo was dedicated1 and from that day1 until the ,saints were driven from ,illinois1 that ordinance continued to be performed by them in that house in behalf of their dead4,h ,after arriving in ,salt ,lake valley1 the first commandment ,president ,young received from the ,lord was to commence to build a temple where this work could be continued4 ,the members of the ,church responded1 and temples have been built1 where the living now go to officiate for the dead4 ,footnote ,g3 ,doc4 ,cov4 #abd3cj4 ,footnote ,h3 ,some of those who would destroy the work of ,god1 have declared that the ,church was rejected1 with its dead1 because the temple at ,nauvoo was not finished2 and1 say they1 the ,lord1 in this revelation1 declared that he would give the ,saints sufficient time to build a house 7temple7 unto him1 and if they failed to build it in the sufficient time1 they would be rejected with their dead4 ,the fact is1 that the ,nauvoo ,temple was built1 and many of the ,saints received their endowments in it1 and labored for their dead before they were finally driven from ,nauvoo by their enemies4 ,but the meaning of this revelation is perverted2 the ,lord did not say he would reject the ,church1 with its dead1 if they failed to build the temple1 but that they would be rejected if they did not perform the ordinances for their dead in the temple when it was prepared for that purpose4 ,here is the commandment in question 7sec4 #abd3ca-ce73 ,but ,i command you1 all ye my ,saints1 to build a house unto me2 and ,i grant unto you a sufficient time to build a house unto me1 and during this time your baptisms i4e4 outside of a temple shall be acceptable unto me4 ,but1 behold1 at the end of this appointment i4e4 the sufficient time your baptisms for your dead shall not be acceptable unto me i4 e4 outside of a temple and if ye do not these things i4 e4 temple ordinances at the end of the appointment1 ye shall be rejected as a ,church1 with your dead1 saith the ,lord your ,god4 ,for verily ,i say unto you1 that after you have had sufficient time to build a house to me1 wherein the ordinances of baptizing for the dead belongeth1 and for which the same was instituted from before the foundation of the world1 your baptisms for your dead i4e4 in any other place than in a temple cannot be acceptable unto me1 for therein are the keys of the holy priesthood ordained that you may receive honor and glory4 ,and after this time when a house is prepared your baptism for the dead1 by those who art scattered abroad1 are not acceptable unto me1 saith the ,lord4 ,bold face and brackets are mine4 ,j4,f4,s4 ,and if ye do not these things at the end of the appointment1 obviously does not mean if ye do not build a temple at the end of the appointment1 as our critics infer it does1 but it refers to the ordinances that were to be performed in the temple1 and the failure on the part of the ,saints to perform these ordinances for their dead was the thing that would cause their rejection with their dead1 and not the failure to build the temple1 which was merely the edifice in which the saving principles were to be performed4 ,this is in harmony with the teachings of the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith1 who said that if we neglect the salvation of our dead we do it at the peril of our own salvation6 ,why8 ,because we without them cannot be made perfect4 7,doc4 ,cov4 sec4 #bh3ae47 ,the virtue of salvation for the dead is not in the structure of the temple1 but in the ordinances which are performed in the temple4 ,the temple is to the ordinances just what the vessel is to the life-giving nourishment it contains4 ,those who would reject us on a technicality1 because1 as they say1 we did not finish the temple1 neither build temples nor perform the ordinances for the dead1 wherein they prove their rejection by the ,lord1 according to the revelations of ,joseph ,smith1 the prophet4 ,the restoration of ,elijah's priesthood accomplished more than the turning of the hearts of the members of the ,church to their fathers1 for the spirit of his mission spread forth and took hold of the hearts of the honorable men and women in the world who have been directed1 they know not why1 to spend their time and means in preparing genealogies1 vital records and various other genealogical data1 which they are publishing at great labor and expense4 ,it is a curious and interesting fact that the year following the coming of ,elijah1 the ,british government passed laws requiring the proper recording of records1 and the filing of them in one central place4 ,in the year #ahdd1 the ,new ,england ,historical and ,genealogical ,society was organized in ,boston2 in #ahfi the ,new ,york ,genealogical and ,biographical ,society was incorporated in ,new ,york4 ,other societies have been organized from time to time in ,america1 principally in the ,new ,england ,states1 and they are publishing quarterly genealogical magazines and registers1 family records1 etc42 and are continually disseminating information regarding our ancestors1 that is useful to the ,latter-day ,saints4 ,the ,new ,england ,society is publishing1 as they express it in their magazine1 by a fund set apart from the bequest of ,robert ,henry ,eddy1 to the society1 the vital records 7births1 marriages and deaths7 of towns in ,massachusetts1 whose records are not already printed from the beginning to the year #ahej4 ,this is a tremendous work1 many volumes of these records have been published1 and others are in course of preparation4,i ,eventually they will be printed by this and other similar societies in ,massachusetts1 a state that has set the pace for her sister states to follow4 ,there1 and in other parts1 these societies are protected and encouraged by legislative enactment4 ,besides these numerous societies engaged in this noble work1 there are multitudes of individual laborers who are publishing at their own expense family genealogies and vital records that extend back for hundreds of years4 ,footnote ,i3 ,other societies in ,massachusetts are also preparing vital records1 among them are the ,topsfield ,historical ,society1 the ,essex ,antiquarian ,society1 the ,systematic ,history ,fund1 ,franklin ,p4 ,rice1 trustee4 ,of this work ,mr4 ,rice1 who is a pioneer in genealogical research1 says3 ,i hope sometime to give in detail an account of the various undertakings in the line of record preservation with which ,i have been connected since ,i began1 in the early seventies1 with the idea1 crude and imperfect1 of subjecting to classification1 for easy reference1 manuscript materials in public depositories1 many of which were then hidden or unknown1 and in many places practically inaccessible4 99 99 99 99 ,thirty-five years ago the interest in such matters was mainly antiquarian1 and the few examples in print in this line had been inspired from that standpoint4 ,genealogical research was not the powerful factor it is today4 ,as the idea expanded and developed1 ,i came to regard the work chiefly in its practical and scientific aspects1 and ,i applied the term ,systematic ,history as the best explaining its purpose1 to meet the necessities of all enquirers and investigators4 99 99 99 ,i formulated a plan sometime before #ahij to require the towns in ,massachusetts to print their records1 but this met with little favor4 ,its substantial features are embodied in the ,act of #aijb4 99 99 99 ,pursuing the work since #ahih under the operation of the ,systematic ,history ,fund1 ,i have been able to secure copies and to print the vital records of more than thirty towns in central ,massachusetts4 ,in ,great ,britain the work is carried on by the ,harleian ,society1 the ,genealogist ,society1 ,phillimore ,company1 the ,lancashire ,parish ,register ,society1 the ,yorkshire ,parish ,register ,society1 and similar societies in nearly all of the counties of ,great ,britain4 ,these societies publish the parish registers of the several parishes in ,england1 and to an extent in ,scotland1 ,ireland and ,wales4 ,there is also in ,great ,britain ,lodge's1 ,debrett's and ,burkes' ,peerages and ,visitations which are invaluable to the searcher of genealogical information in those lands4 ,these numerous societies and individuals in the world1 upon whom the spirit of ,elijah has fallen to this extent at least1 are compiling1 printing and distributing these records of the dead1 faster than the ,saints can1 with their present facilities and understanding of the work1 obtain them4 ,in fact1 they have far outstripped us in the race1 and while we sometimes are given to boasting of the great work we are doing for the dead1 it is as nothing1 a mere drop in the bucket4 ,these people and societies are helping us1 should we not take every advantage of their labors and stand in the forefront1 magnifying our calling and proving our birthright as the children of ,ephraim8 ,thus the hearts of the children are gradually1 but surely turning towards their fathers4 ,the spirit of this work is now taking hold of the hearts of the people of ,germany1 ,scandinavia and the continent of ,europe4 ,and why are they doing this8 ,because their hearts have been drawn out to their fathers1 through the restoration of the keys of salvation for the dead1 and they are energetically and faithfully laboring1 but all the while unconscious of the full significance and worth of their labors1 simply because the work appeals to them and they are fascinated by it4 ,surely they shall receive their reward4 ,while many honorable men and women in the world are accomplishing a great work in searching out and compiling genealogical data1 their labors serve only as the means to the end4 ,the greatest work1 after all1 devolves on the members of the ,church who have the priesthood1 power and privilege1 to go into the temples1 taking the names from these compiled records and from all other authentic sources and performing the ordinances in behalf of their dead4 ,we live in the greatest dispensation of the world's history1 that of the fulness of times1 when all things are to be gathered and restored to their proper order1 ushering in the millennial reign of the ,redeemer and the righteous4 ,do we ,latter-day ,saints fully realize the importance of the mighty responsibility placed upon us in relation to the salvation of the world8 ,we are doing a great deal in the attempt to convert and save a perverse and wicked generation2 we are sending hundreds of missionaries into all parts of the earth1 and are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in this very necessary labor1 with results that are not so very startling4 ,we are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in the building of meetinghouses1 church schools and other buildings1 and in the education of the youth of ,israel1 in developing and improving our lands1 building cities and increasing our communities1 publishing periodicals and magazines1 and in every way diligently striving to improve our own people1 and disseminate knowledge that will convert the world to the gospel2 but what are we doing for the salvation of our dead8 ,many there are1 it is true1 who comprehend this greater work1 and are faithfully discharging their duties in the temples of the ,lord1 but of others this cannot be said4 ,the temple in ,salt ,lake ,city has for many months been so crowded with anxious1 earnest workers1 that it has been necessary many times to turn large numbers away because there was not sufficient room4 ,this is a good sign1 showing the willingness and activity of the ,saints4 ,but this condition does not relieve from responsibility the inactive1 dilatory members1 who are doing nothing for their dead4 ,these persons cannot expect to receive credit for what others may be doing4 ,the responsibility rests with equal force on all according to our individual ability and opportunities4 ,it matters not what else we have been called to do1 or what position we may occupy1 or how faithfully in other ways we have labored in the ,church1 none are exempt from this great obligation4 ,it is required of the apostle as well as the humblest elder4 ,place or distinction1 or long service in the ,church1 in the mission field1 the stakes of ,zion1 or where or how else it may have been1 will not entitle one to disregard the salvation of one's dead4 ,some may feel that if they pay their tithing1 attend their regular meetings and other duties1 give of their substance to the poor1 perchance spend one1 two or more years preaching in the world1 that they are absolved from further duty4 ,but the greatest and grandest duty of all is to labor for the dead4 ,we may and should derail these other things1 for which reward will be given1 but if we neglect the weightier privilege and commandment1 notwithstanding all other good works1 we shall find ourselves under severe condemnation4 ,and why such condemnation8 ,because the greatest responsibility in this world that ,god has laid upon us1 is to seek after our dead2,j ,because we cannot be saved without them1 ,it is necessary that those who have gone before and those who come after us should have salvation in common with us1 and thus hath ,god made it obligatory to man1,k says the ,prophet ,joseph ,smith4 ,from this1 then1 we see that while it is necessary to preach the gospel in the nations of the earth1 and to do all other good works in the ,church1 yet the greatest commandment given us1 and made obligatory1 is the temple work in our own behalf and in behalf of our dead4 ,footnote ,j3 ,joseph ,smith in ,times and ,seasons #f3faf4 ,footnote ,k3 ,ibid4 ,again the ,prophet says3 ,baptism for the dead is the only way that men can appear as saviors upon ,mount ,zion4 ,the proclamation of the first principles of the gospel was a means of salvation to man individually1 but men1 by actively engaging in rites of salvation substitutionally1 become instrumental in bringing multitudes of their kin into the kingdom of ,god4 99 99 99 ,this doctrine appears glorious inasmuch as it exhibits the greatness of divine compassion and benevolence in the extent of the plan of human salvation4 ,this glorious truth is well calculated to enlarge the understanding1 and to sustain the soul under troubles1 difficulties1 and distresses4 99 99 99 ,this doctrine presents in a clear light the wisdom and mercy of ,god1 in preparing and ordinance for the salvation of the dead1 being baptized by proxy1 their names recorded in heaven1 and they judged according to the deeds done in the body4 ,this doctrine was the burden of the scriptures4 ,those ,saints who neglected it1 in behalf of their deceased relatives1 do it at the peril of their own salvation4,l ,footnote ,l3 ,times and ,seasons #b3ede-f4 ,the reason our own salvation stands in jeopardy is because it is necessary that the parents and children not only receive the ordinance of baptism1 but they must be joined together from generation to generation4 ,it is necessary for us to go into the temples1 be baptized1 confirmed1 and receive all the ordinances for our dead1 just as we receive them for ourselves4,m ,footnote ,m3 ,history of the ,church1 ,may #ab1 #ahdd4 ,it is sufficient to know that the earth will be smitten with a curse1 unless there is a welding link of some kind or other1 between the fathers and the children upon some subject or other1 and behold what is that subject8 ,it is the baptism for the dead4 ,for we without them cannot be made perfect2 neither can they without us be made perfect4 ,neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the gospel also2 for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fulness of times1 which dispensation is now beginning to usher in1 that a whole and complete and perfect union and welding together of dispensations1 and keys1 and powers1 and glories should take place1 and be revealed1 from the days of ,adam even to the present time and not only this but those things which never have been revealed from the foundation of the world1 but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this dispensation of the fulness of times4,n ,footnote ,n3 ,doc4 ,cov4 #abh3ah4 ,again1 quoting from the prophet3 ,the ,bible says1 ,i will send you ,elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the ,lord2 and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and the hearts of the children to their fathers1 lest ,i come and smite the earth with a curse4 ,now1 the word turn here should be translated bind or seal4 ,but what is the object of this important mission8 or how is it to be fulfilled8 ,the keys are to be delivered1 the spirit of ,elijah is to come1 the gospel to be established1 the ,saints of ,god to be gathered1 ,zion built up1 and the ,saints to come up as saviors on ,mount ,zion4 ,but how are they to become saviors on ,mount ,zion8 ,by building their temples1 erecting their baptismal fonts1 and going forth and receiving all the ordinances1 baptisms1 confirmations1 washings1 anointings1 ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads1 in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead1 and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them1 and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children1 and children to the fathers1 which fulfills the mission of ,elijah4 ,and ,i would that this temple were now done1 that we might go into it1 and go to work and improve our time1 and make use of the seals while they are on earth4 ,the ,saints have not too much time to save and redeem their dead1 and gather together their living relatives1 that they may be saved also1 before the earth wil be smitten1 and the consummation decreed falls upon the world4,o ,footnote ,o3 ,history of the ,church1 ,jan4 #bj1 #ahdd4 ,these passages emphasize the importance of the work for the dead1 for we cannot be saved without them1 nor can they be saved without us4 ,our salvation cannot be accomplished unless the fathers and the children are joined together1 bound1 sealed in perfect family order4 ,husbands must be united by authority to their wives2 children to their parents1 until there is one grand family composed of all the faithful from the beginning to the end of time1 with ,adam1 our progenitor standing in his calling as the father of us all4 ,how great is the responsibility of the ,latter-day ,saints6 ,no wonder the theme occupied the prophet's mind so constantly1 just before his death1 for upon the ,saints devolves the labor of this universal redemption6 ,is not this the greatest1 most glorious duty in the world8 ,how terrible would be the consequences should we fail6 ,the earth would be smitten with a curse1 and utterly wasted4 ,the work of all the dispensations would be lost1 the dead as well as the living would be denied salvation4 ,anarchy1 confusion1 even chaos1 would reign supreme3 for this salvation must come by our endeavors1 and we cannot fail4 ,individuals may fail to do their part1 and be rejected for their failure1 but the work of the ,lord shall go on and increase from day to day1 until redemption of the dead shall be accomplished4 ,if all the righteous blood from the days of ,abel to the days of ,zacharias1 was required of the ,jews in the days of ,christ1 because they neglected to do their duty in this regard1 is it unreasonable to suppose that the blood of all the righteous from the beginning to the present day will be required of this generation8 ,for our privileges are greater than those of the ,jews in the meridian of time4 ,therefore it behooves each one of us to rid our garments of the blood of this generation by performing all our duties required in the gospel4 ,if this work must be performed for the dead from the beginning to the end of time1 how is it to be done8 ,it is an exceptional case when a family record can be traced beyond the fifteenth century with any degree of accuracy1 and most all of those that can1 merely give the name of the ,father and first-born son1 or the name of the one inheriting the estate4 ,in extent of time three or four hundred years is but a moment4 ,what1 then1 are we to do for the great multitudes of our kindred who antedate the fifteenth or sixteenth centuries1 whose records were never kept1 and consequently we cannot obtain8 ,will the ,lord hold us accountable for these dead1 and punish us for not doing their work1 when we are powerless to act8 ,not in the least4 ,the ,lord requires of us that we do all we can1 no more than that4 ,he will assist us if we will try1 and the way will be opened before us1 as has been the case in innumerable instances1 so that we can accomplish a great deal more than we at first think we can4 ,there is enough that we can do for the dead1 from the records which can be obtained today1 to fill a hundred temples daily1 and then we would not be through1 at the rate we are working1 before ,christ will come to reign4 ,we are expected to save as many as we possibly can with the knowledge we possess1 and when the ,redeemer comes to reign on earth1 there will be a closer communication between the mortal and the resurrected ,saints who will work hand in hand in the redemption of the dead4 ,those who have passed beyond will then be in a position to furnish to their mortal kin all necessary names for temple work2 and thus the labor for their salvation will be facilitated and more accurately done than it possibly can be done today4 ,even now hundreds of thousands of records have been prepared1 the names of many millions of souls have been published and are accessible to the members of the ,church4 ,each year new genealogical records are being prepared in vast numbers more rapidly than we can do the work4 ,and the ,saints with all their diligence1 are not doing all that could be done4 ,comparatively1 we are few in numbers1 and the capacity of our temples1 limited2 but we should increase the work by increasing the number of workers4 ,when the present temples will not accommodate all who desire to attend1 the ,lord will require that other temples be erected4 ,there are in the ,church today 7#aiaj7 over forty-one thousand seven hundred men holding the ,melchizedek ,priesthood1 and every faithful elder has access to the temples4 ,suppose that each of the forty-one thousand seven hundred elders should go to one of the temples one day each month--and where they cannot go1 they might send and have the work done for them--what would be the result8 ,the work would be done for five hundred thousand each year4 ,if an equal number of sisters would do the same1 there would be one million souls endowed every year4 ,if we spent one day each month in the temples saving our dead1 just twelve days out of the three hundred and sixty-five of the year1 brethren and sisters1 would any of us be doing more than our share8 ,could we even feel that we were doing our full duty1 when the responsibility given us is so great1 and the ,saints have not too much time to save and redeem their dead and gather together their living relatives1 that they may be saved also before the earth will be smitten1 and the consummation decreed falls upon the world8 ,suppose we did all this each year1 in the course of a century we would have endowed one hundred million souls1 which is about the present population of the ,united ,states1 and a very small part of the work for those whose records we may now obtain4 ,in the library of the ,genealogical ,society of ,utah--which society was organized in #ahid as an aid to the ,saints who desire to do temple work--situated in the ,church ,office ,building1 ,salt ,lake ,city1 we have on file thousands of records1 containing millions of names that have been collected from the parish registers and other records both in the ,united ,states and ,europe4 ,these are accessible1 and many are obtaining from them the names of their dead and performing in the temples the work that will merit them a place in the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,again1 suppose each one of us should fill out one baptismal blank of twenty names1 and send it to the temple every month1 it would mean that over twenty million1 sixteen thousand baptisms would be performed each twelve months4 ,suppose we sent such a list but twice a year1 we would then baptize three million1 three hundred and thirty-six thousand souls each year4 ,is this more than we ought to do8 ,is it more than we are capable of doing8 ,it certainly is a great deal more than we are doing2 and1 too1 there are many individuals who are baptizing more than twenty every month4 ,if a few can do it1 why can not more8 ,the fact is1 this question has not appealed to many of us1 we have been so busy in other pursuits1 principally in the accumulation of worldly goods that we cannot carry with us1 that we have had no time or inclination to do the work for our dead4 ,if one hundredth part of the energy expended by the members of the ,church in other ways were directed in the channels of temple work where it properly belongs1 we could accomplish a great deal more work than we are now doing for the salvation of the dead4 ,but one will say3 ,i have done the work for all my ancestors of whom ,i have any knowledge4 ,my genealogy can only be traced to my great grandfather1 beyond that all is dark4 ,how can ,i be baptized each year for twenty1 forty1 sixty1 or more of my dead when we haven't their records8 ,to such a person ,i reply3 ,if you have done the work for all your known dead1 and your record cannot be traced but one or two generations1 you still have the privilege of assisting your neighbor who lacks sufficient help and therefore cannot do the work for all his dead4 ,assist him and assist the temples with your financial as well as your moral support1 and the way may be opened before you that you can obtain more knowledge of your own dead4 ,there is one thing of importance1 however1 we must keep in mind4 ,no person has a right to select names promiscuously of any family1 and go to the temple to perform the work for them4 ,this cannot be tolerated1 for it would lead to confusion and duplication of work4 ,let each family do the work for their own dead kindred1 as they may have the right1 and if they do work for others1 it must be at the instance and with the consent of the living relatives who are immediately concerned4 ,a few individuals have desired to do the work for men of renown1 generals1 presidents1 magistrates1 and others who have risen to prominent stations in the world4 ,one object they apparently have in view is that they may say they have done the work for such and such persons4 ,but there is an order in this work1 as in all things pertaining to the gospel1 and in no case should work be done in this manner1 unless the circumstances are such that proper sanction of the temple authorities can be given4 ,we are also troubled at times by what are known as link-men1 individuals in the world who manufacture names so that they can complete unbroken a family line4 ,this is done for the purpose of making money1 and is1 of course1 knavery of the worst kind4 ,those who are guilty of this trickery do not understand salvation for the dead1 and may not fully realize the wickedness of such a course4 ,latter-day ,saints should be accurate in their recording1 and not depend entirely on the temple records for a history of their work4 ,temple record books are prepared for the use of the ,saints so that each family may keep their own record of their dead4 ,this should be done that the record may be handed down from generation to generation4 ,remember it is out of the records that the dead are to be judged4 ,we should be orderly in all things1 and strive to get the spirit of the work1 live our religion and work out our own salvation by assisting in the salvation of our dead1 for we without them cannot be made perfect4 ,in the words of the prophet1 ,i shall conclude1 ,brethren1 shall we not go on in so great a cause8 ,go forward and not backward4 ,courage1 brethren2 and on1 on to the victory6 ,let your hearts rejoice1 and be exceeding glad4 ,let the earth break forth into singing4 ,let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the ,king ,immanuel1 who hath ordained before the world was1 that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison2 for the prisoners shall go free4,p ,footnote ,p3 ,doc4 ,cov4 #abh3bb4