GEMS OF TRUTH.

By B. E. Rich.

Baptism.

DEAR reader, have you truly repented of every sin? Is
your heart humble and your spirit contrite? Do you
desire to be baptized for the remission of sins? If so,
seek after a man of God who has been truly called and or-
dained unto the authority which God hath again restored by
the ministering of holy angels; and when you have found such
an one who has authority from heaven to baptize, go with
him into the water and he will baptize you in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and then
your sins shall be remitted on the earth, and the blessings shall
be sealed in the heavens; and then you shall also be baptized
with fire and the Holy Ghost.

ORSON PRATT,
Tract on Water Baptism, p. 48.

A Saul might hear the voice of the Lord from heaven [Acts 9:3-6] or a
Cornelius be blessed with the ministration of a holy angel; [Acts 10:1-7] but,
though they had been thus favored, to fulfill and comply with
all the requirements of the Lord, it was necessary for them to
be baptized to obtain remission of sins, that they might become
the recipients of the Holy Ghost through the ordinance of the
laying on of hands, and be enabled to walk in newness of life.
If they had not complied with this requirement, they would
not have been in a suitable condition to have entered into the
kingdom of God.

GEO. Q. CANNON,
Western Standard p. 162.

We want to sacrifice enough to do the will of God in prepar-
ing to bring up those who have not had the privilege of hear-
ing the gospel while in the flesh, for the simple reason that, in
the spirit world, they cannot officiate in the ordinances of the
house of God. They have passed the ordeals, and are beyond
the possibility of personally officiating for the remission of
their sins and for their exaltation, consequently they are under
the necessity of trusting in their friends, their children and
their children's children to officiate for them, that they may
be brought up into the celestial kingdom of God.

BRIGHAM YOUNG,
Journal of Discourses, vol. xviii. p. 238.

It is not in the power of any man or angel to find a license
in the Bible to receive a person into the kingdom of God with-
out baptism. Jesus Christ has never given any license, but on
the other hand, He has explicitly said, in the most unequivo-
cal language possible, that NO MAN can "enter the kingdom"
without water baptism, or being "born of the water." [John 3:5]

ORSON SPENCER, Spencer's Letters, p 50.

The conditions of salvation from death, hell and the grave,
are faith in God, in Jesus Christ, and in the atonement; re-
pentance, reformation, and a godly life; baptism by immer-
sion for the remission of sins administered by divine authority,
the sanctifying effects of the blood of Christ that follows the
water, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of
hands by properly ordained ministers. These conditions are
as essential to salvation in the kingdom of heaven to-day, as
they were in the days when Christ and His apostles and elders
declared them nearly nineteen hundred years ago. The same
authority has been restored to the earth. The same apostle-
ship and keys of priesthood, with power to officiate in the
ordinances of the house of God, are again restored to earth,
and the gospel of God is being preached in all nations for a
witness. The same signs follow the believers according to
their faith, obedience, and the will of God. The same unction
from the Holy One is enjoyed by the Saints, and gives them
a living testimony that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and
Joseph Smith His servant, ordained to usher in the dispensa-
tion of the fullness of times. God has revealed these precious
truths to the Elders and Saints of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, and they know they are living in the last
days. Consequently He requires His people whom He hath
redeemed, and unto whom He hath made the Scriptures plain,
to live perfect lives, and to do His will on earth as it is done
in heaven.

B. H. ROBERTS,
Mill. Star, vol. 1. p. 296.

Many have looked upon baptism as merely "an outward
sign of an inward grace;" but this is one of the uninspired
precepts of man, and is not a Bible doctrine; instead of bap-
tism's being the "sign of an inward grace," it is the ordinance
through which the believing penitent obtains a remission of
sins which justifies and prepares the heart for the reception
"of an inward grace." Remission of sins, and "an inward
grace," do not precede baptism, but follow it.

The numerous multitudes that came to John were not bap-
tized in Jordan, because they had previously received forgive-
ness and "an inward grace;" but they came confessing their
sins and were baptized for the remission of them. [Mark 1:4-5]

ORSON PRATT,
Tract on Water Baptism, p. 43.

Jesus told Nicodemus that "except a man be born of water,
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." [John 3:5]
An entrance into the kingdom of God, then, cannot be obtained
by a man who has not been born of water and of the Spirit.
Neither sincerity nor morality will avail, except these essential
ordinances have been attended to. Though the Lord is full of
mercy and love for His creatures, yet His justice and truth
would not permit so flagrant a violation of His laws, as the
neglect of these ordinances would be, to pass unpunished;
much less would He break His own word, where He says
that the man who does not attend to these requirements can-
not enter into His kingdom, by admitting them therein.

GEO. Q. CANNON, Western Standard p. 403.

The necessity of baptism must be understood. It is taught
by some that the observance of this ordinance is optional on
the part of the candidate for celestial glory. This is danger-
ous doctrine. There is no authority for it in the scriptures.
Jesus and His apostles never taught it. It is contrary to their
teachings. Jesus never included a non-essential principle in
the great plan of salvation. Had not baptism been necessary,
He would not have said to His apostles: "He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved." [Mark 16:16]

WM. JEFFERIES,
Tract, "The Gospel Pioneer," p. 15.

Whatever an over-jealous mind may fear concerning the
state of the penitent thief on the cross, and of devout and
upright men that have lived and died in every age of the
world, still let God's word be accounted true, and every man
that gainsays it be esteemed a liar! No man ever put on the
uniform of Christ's followers, such as is worn by subjects of
the kingdom of Christ, until he is "baptized into Christ" for
the remission of sins. Hereby he "puts on Christ." [Romans 13:14]

ORSON SPENCER, Spencer's Letters, p. 49.

GEMS OF TRUTH.

By B. E. Rich.

Baptism.

DEAR reader, have you truly repented of every sin? Is your heart humble and your spirit contrite? Do you desire to be baptized for the remission of sins? If so, seek after a man of God who has been truly called and ordained unto the authority which God hath again restored by the ministering of holy angels; and when you have found such an one who has authority from heaven to baptize, go with him into the water and he will baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and then your sins shall be remitted on the earth, and the blessings shall be sealed in the heavens; and then you shall also be baptized with fire and the Holy Ghost.

ORSON PRATT, Tract on Water Baptism, p. 48.

A Saul might hear the voice of the Lord from heaven or a Cornelius be blessed with the ministration of a holy angel; but, though they had been thus favored, to fulfill and comply with all the requirements of the Lord, it was necessary for them to be baptized to obtain remission of sins, that they might become the recipients of the Holy Ghost through the ordinance of the laying on of hands, and be enabled to walk in newness of life. If they had not complied with this requirement, they would not have been in a suitable condition to have entered into the kingdom of God.

GEO. Q. CANNON, Western Standard p. 162.

We want to sacrifice enough to do the will of God in preparing to bring up those who have not had the privilege of hearing the gospel while in the flesh, for the simple reason that, in the spirit world, they cannot officiate in the ordinances of the house of God. They have passed the ordeals, and are beyond the possibility of personally officiating for the remission of their sins and for their exaltation, consequently they are under the necessity of trusting in their friends, their children and their children's children to officiate for them, that they may be brought up into the celestial kingdom of God.

BRIGHAM YOUNG, Journal of Discourses, vol. xviii. p. 238.

It is not in the power of any man or angel to find a license in the Bible to receive a person into the kingdom of God without baptism. Jesus Christ has never given any license, but on the other hand, He has explicitly said, in the most unequivocal language possible, that NO MAN can "enter the kingdom" without water baptism, or being "born of the water."

ORSON SPENCER, Spencer's Letters, p 50.

The conditions of salvation from death, hell and the grave, are faith in God, in Jesus Christ, and in the atonement; repentance, reformation, and a godly life; baptism by immersion for the remission of sins administered by divine authority, the sanctifying effects of the blood of Christ that follows the water, and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by properly ordained ministers. These conditions are as essential to salvation in the kingdom of heaven to-day, as they were in the days when Christ and His apostles and elders declared them nearly nineteen hundred years ago. The same authority has been restored to the earth. The same apostleship and keys of priesthood, with power to officiate in the ordinances of the house of God, are again restored to earth, and the gospel of God is being preached in all nations for a witness. The same signs follow the believers according to their faith, obedience, and the will of God. The same unction from the Holy One is enjoyed by the Saints, and gives them a living testimony that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, and Joseph Smith His servant, ordained to usher in the dispensation of the fullness of times. God has revealed these precious truths to the Elders and Saints of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they know they are living in the last days. Consequently He requires His people whom He hath redeemed, and unto whom He hath made the Scriptures plain, to live perfect lives, and to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven.

B. H. ROBERTS, Mill. Star, vol. 1. p. 296.

Many have looked upon baptism as merely "an outward sign of an inward grace;" but this is one of the uninspired precepts of man, and is not a Bible doctrine; instead of baptism's being the "sign of an inward grace," it is the ordinance through which the believing penitent obtains a remission of sins which justifies and prepares the heart for the reception "of an inward grace." Remission of sins, and "an inward grace," do not precede baptism, but follow it.

The numerous multitudes that came to John were not baptized in Jordan, because they had previously received forgiveness and "an inward grace;" but they came confessing their sins and were baptized for the remission of them.

ORSON PRATT, Tract on Water Baptism, p. 43.

Jesus told Nicodemus that "except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." An entrance into the kingdom of God, then, cannot be obtained by a man who has not been born of water and of the Spirit. Neither sincerity nor morality will avail, except these essential ordinances have been attended to. Though the Lord is full of mercy and love for His creatures, yet His justice and truth would not permit so flagrant a violation of His laws, as the neglect of these ordinances would be, to pass unpunished; much less would He break His own word, where He says that the man who does not attend to these requirements cannot enter into His kingdom, by admitting them therein.

GEO. Q. CANNON, Western Standard p. 403.

The necessity of baptism must be understood. It is taught by some that the observance of this ordinance is optional on the part of the candidate for celestial glory. This is dangerous doctrine. There is no authority for it in the scriptures. Jesus and His apostles never taught it. It is contrary to their teachings. Jesus never included a non-essential principle in the great plan of salvation. Had not baptism been necessary, He would not have said to His apostles: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved."

WM. JEFFERIES, Tract, "The Gospel Pioneer," p. 15.

Whatever an over-jealous mind may fear concerning the state of the penitent thief on the cross, and of devout and upright men that have lived and died in every age of the world, still let God's word be accounted true, and every man that gainsays it be esteemed a liar! No man ever put on the uniform of Christ's followers, such as is worn by subjects of the kingdom of Christ, until he is "baptized into Christ" for the remission of sins. Hereby he "puts on Christ."

ORSON SPENCER, Spencer's Letters, p. 49.