Redemption for the Dead

The subject Brother Winder alluded to—work for the dead—is a very interesting one. It is a principle peculiar to the Gospel as preached by us. There are churches whose members believe in praying for the dead; but we believe in working for the dead. It was a new thing when the Prophet Joseph laid this principle before the world. The Christian world had been taught for hundreds of years that death ends all with man; that if he did not believe in Christ at his death there was no hope for him. When you consider the small number of the inhabitants of the world who have heard of the name of Christ, and then think of all the rest being damned because they did not obey that which they had never heard, the inconsistency and injustice of such a doctrine as that is very apparent. The Gospel of Christ was formulated in love. God is love. He loved His children so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son, who gave Himself a sacrifice for the sins of all. Jesus came and filled His mission. His name has been preached to the nations for centuries. Yet the Christian world today does not constitute a third of the whole population of the globe. The other two-thirds do not believe in Christ, and when they die, according to some, their chance of salvation is gone. We believe that the Gospel is much broader than this. We believe that the plan of salvation, formulated before this earth rolled into existence, was framed by heavenly beings who could see the future, and who understood what would take place, and were able to provide for the salvation of all who should inhabit this earth. They did so. We have learned, through the Prophet Joseph, that there is a possibility for those who have departed, to hear the truth, to believe in God and in His Son, to repent, and to have the ordinances of the Gospel performed for them. I know that many have held that these doctrines are blasphemous; but they are not. They are principles that give hope unto men. You have heard perhaps of the Dutch chief who was converted by the Christians, and, as he was going to step into the waters of baptism, he asked what had become of his father and his forefathers. The priest who was to baptize him, being a little more zealous than wise perchance, told him they had all gone to hell. He stepped back and said, "Then I want to go where they have gone." Now, those who hear the Gospel today may ask where their forefathers have gone, and it can be said to them, "They all shall hear the name of Christ, for the Gospel will be preached unto them. If they have not heard it here, they will hear it yonder; and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess His name." Remember, it is the spirit in man that hears, and understands, and wills. This tabernacle of clay is not capable of these functions. The spirit uses the different senses to obtain perceptions from the outer world. And when the spirit, after leaving the body, goes into the spirit world, it can still think, and will, and reason. The intelligent part of man does not die. At some time or other, those authorized to preach the Gospel will minister unto the spirits in the spirit world and lay before them the glorious principles of truth. When the thief on the cross asked the Savior to remember him when He came into His kingdom, Jesus saw that the man was penitent, that he had a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and he comforted him with the promise that "today shalt thou be with me in paradise." I do not think He held out a fallacious hope to this man when He said that he should be with Him in paradise that day. I believe that when the Savior's spirit left His body hanging upon the tree, it went into paradise, and He gladdened the hearts of the spirits there with the glorious tidings that He had conquered, that He had given His life for their redemption, and that everything they had done in their worship pointing forward to His great sacrifice had been fulfilled, thereby giving validity to their acts. ¶

What joy must have filled them when they heard this! But He did not visit them alone. He went further into the spirit world. He visited the spirits in prison who had once heard and rejected the Gospel. He preached the Gospel unto them, so Peter tells us. Peter also gives us to understand who they were. They were the antediluvians who rejected the message of salvation as preached by the Gospel-preacher Noah. These heard the voice of the Savior in the spirit world. No doubt they had ample time to consider and repent of their acts, and were longing for the time spoken of by Isaiah, when the prison doors should be opened and the captives should go free. Christ did this, according to Peter's testimony. Why did He preach to them? Some have held that He did so to tantalize them over what they had lost. Oh, no! That was not the mission of Jesus. He preached glad tidings unto them, and He opened their prison doors. An opportunity was given in the spirit world for them to receive and obey the Gospel. So with our forefathers, who died without a knowledge of the purposes of God. They will have a chance to hear and receive the Gospel. ¶

Jesus, in His interview with Nicodemus, laid down the law which must be obeyed by all who shall enter the kingdom of heaven. "Except a man be born of 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 spirits cannot be baptized. How, therefore, 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 it includes little children also; but the Lord has revealed 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 being for the remission of sin. On one occasion Jesus held up a little child and said unto His disciples, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." On another occasion, in speaking of children, He said, "Of such is the kingdom of heaven." But after they arrive at the years of accountability they must obey this law. This law applying to all men, how shall those who have died obey it? God, in His mercy, has provided that others may perform this ordinance for them in the flesh, and this vicarious work is attended to in temples. We thank the Lord for this glorious doctrine. It raises our hopes for those whom we love and who did not obey the requirements of the Gospel in life. We rejoice that they can have the opportunity in the other life. But those in this mortal life must be baptized for them. ¶

This is not a new doctrine. Paul understood it, and used it in his day as a strong argument in favor of the resurrection. Of what use would it be to baptize anyone if there were no resurrection? Read the 29th verse of the 15th chapter of First Corinthians: ¶

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?" ¶

When in England I attended the funeral of a member of the English church and heard the officiating clergyman read the beautiful chapter containing this verse, I wondered what they thought of that verse. But they read it and never commented upon it. I 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 Scripture 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 it by proxy for those who have departed. For this reason we have built temples. You may say we have only a small number of temples, that very few can enter there, and that the myriads 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 to this I will 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 it to the other, and the Saints of God living in the Millennium will have this precious labor to perform. Then the veil, I believe, will 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. I look upon the work for the dead as a most glorious principle. ¶

While I am speaking about the Temples, I want to make a declaration here before you, my brethren and sisters. We have been accused of entering into covenants in those holy edifices which are unpatriotic and against our government. Now, I declare here solemnly before you that there is not a word of truth in it; that nobody is called upon to take oath or covenant that militates against our government in the least degree. On the other hand, I will say that those who obey the covenants they enter into there will be better citizens because of it. They cannot help it, because they make covenants there to serve the Lord, to do right unto their neighbors, to live pure lives; and when men do this they will be the best citizens. I suppose there are thousands before me in this Tabernacle who have gone into our temples, and they know it is true what I say. I would not dare to say this before you, if it were not so. I hear that sectarian organizations are going to bring up the alleged endowment oath against Senator Smoot, arguing that he is not capable of giving allegiance to the government on account of the oath he is said to have taken in the Temple. First, there is no oath given or taken; but sacred covenants are entered into; and secondly, there is not one—I say it again—that is against the government or against a man being patriotic and sustaining the laws of his country. ¶

Brethren and sisters, I feel well to be present with you. I have rejoiced in this conference. I hope the spirit of it will go with us to our different places of abode, and that the spirit of Zion may grow, and union and prosperity prevail amongst the Saints. I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen. ¶