The Temple and the Spirit World

My brethren and sisters : The thought of facing this great audience here, and the further thought of facing that greater audience who are on the air, is almost sufficient to sweep one off of his feet. From where you are sitting it looks like a very simple matter, but from where I am standing it appears quite difficult, and I must needs rely upon the Lord for his assistance in these important moments. ¶

I have no prepared discourse this afternoon. It is true that I have had some reflections pass through my mind, and I am trusting the Lord to help me give expression to them. ¶

Experiences During the Earthquake in Los Angeles

I will say here, before I proceed further, a word in relation to the great earthquake at Los Angeles, in California. I was talking with a good brother yesterday, who said to me that he with three of his children was on the street at the time, and they were about to enter a store in order to make some purchases. But the Spirit of the Lord whispered to him and said : "Do not go in there. Go home." This good brother, perhaps not being entirely certain that it was the Spirit of the Lord, made another effort to enter the building, and turned his car toward the sidewalk curb. Some unusual power straightened his car out parallel with the street and said: "Do not go in there. Go home." lie gave heed to this voice of warning, .and started for his home, lie hadn't gone far before the earthquake came, and some twenty-three people lost their lives in the vicinity of that spot where he endeavored to enter the store. Due to this warning his life and the lives of his children were saved. He also said to me that the Latter-day Saint woman who lost her life had a similar warning, but she failed somehow to give heed to it. ¶

The Everlasting, Unchangeable Gospel

The brethren who speak from this stand very often cross one another's tracks. This is not to be wondered at when we remember that we have been preaching the everlasting, unchangeable (iospel for one hundred years. If we shall go on for another hundred years — and if we do not go on for another hundred years and more, our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren will go on — they will still be preaching the everlasting, unchangeable Gospel. Nevertheless, there is sufficient variety in the preaching of the Gospel, from a personal standpoint, such as the angle at which the Gospel is approached, the manner of speaking, and other influences and qualifications, to make these sermons interesting and instructive, if only they are prompted by the Spirit of the Lord. That is the important thing. ¶

The Seen and Unseen Worlds

I am led to make this remark, that things on earth are typical of things in heaven. As Latter-day Saints, and the world at large also, we are deeply interested in and connected with both of two worlds, one seen and the other unseen. The unseen world is much larger and greater and much more important than the world that is seen, the world in which we live. The world in which we live is greatly magnified by the fact that we can behold it with our mortal eyes. The unseen world suffers in that respect, because we do not see it with the mortal eye. Somebody may ask : "Can it be seen ?" Yes, oh yes, indeed, it can be seen. "But how shall we see it?" We must look at it through our spiritual eye, or in other words, the eye of faith. There is no doubt but what it exists, that greater world, and that it is very substantial. The Prophet Joseph Smith has said this concerning it : "There is no such thing as immaterial matter, for all spirit is matter but it is more fine and pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes. We cannot see it, but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter." ¶

Now, this spiritual world is thought to be, by some people, something very intangible, because they do not see it with the mortal eye, and cannot feel it or handle it. But as I have already stated, it is very substantial in its character. It is to that unseen world that we go when we pass from this life. Now, the thing I wish to say is this : When our loved ones sicken and die they are carefully laid away in their graves. We mourn for those who die, and we say of them that they have gone to their rest in the paradise of God, there to await the resurrection of the just, and that they will come forth, in the first resurrection. All that is very true. ¶

Activity in the Spirit World

But what does this rest consist of ? I rather think it means that they will rest from their worldly anxieties, from pain suffered in this life, from sickness and disease. All those things will pass away. Freed from the anxieties and troubles of mortality I apprehend that they will be very active. I know some people who have claimed that they saw Joseph Smith, the Prophet, in vision or in dreams, but in all such instances he appeared to be exceedingly busy, busier than ever he was in life, in order, apparently, that he might accomplish some important work he had in hand. He seemed to be in a great hurry. I think very likely that is the case with others who die. Whatever activity there is with us in this life,' it is due to the spirit, or life, within us — not to the body. It is the spirit that gives action, and the spirit, when it leaves the body, undoubtedly is very much alive. ¶

Another thing I wish to emphasize for a few moments, because it points to the thing I would like to lay before you is this : Sometimes people ask the question (speaking of the activity referred to, of the spirit, when it goes. into the spirit world), "How is that directed? What does that activity consist of ? What do the dead do ?" That is a query that often comes into the mind. It comes into my mind, and no doubt into yours. We wonder what our loved ones are doing over there on the other side. If I should make answer I would say that in my opinion they are doing over there just exactly what we are doing here. Somebody says : "Well, how can you explain that thought, Brother Clawson ?" I explain it upon this basis : In heaven there is the Church of the Firstborn. It has been referred to already in this conference. You will find it in the scriptures. It is referred to in Paul's epistle to Hebrews, and is called the Church of the First-born. The First-born in heaven is Jesus Christ; consequently the Church of the First-born in heaven is the Church of Jesus Christ. ¶

The Church Here and the Church in Heaven

And then we have the Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth, and I should say that as between these, two churches there is virtually no difference, except this, that in the one case the church is upon the earth, and in the other case the church is in the spirit world, or in heaven. The work that we are expected to do here, I am sure we will be expected to do over there, and we will have the means to do it. They who have gone before us, who bear the priesthood, have taken the means with them which represents divine authority. We lose nothing by dying, except the body which must go back to the earth that gave it. The body belongs to the earth. It is formed of dust, and will return to dust. But the spirit came from God, and when it leaves the body it will return to God who gave it. That is good scripture. ¶

Now, a man who is an apostle here will be an apostle there. A man who is a high priest here, or a seventy, or an elder, or a patriarch, when he dies, will still be in possession of the office he held on earth. The high priest, for instance, will pass into the high priests' quorum there, the seventy into the seventies' quorum, and the elder into the elders' quorum, and so on. It is all one church. All that divides these two great church divisions is the veil, and the principles of the Gospel that govern here in the Church of Christ will surely govern there in the Church of Christ. So the men holding various offices in the priesthood in this life will pass into their proper quorums in the life to come. No doubt it will all be done in perfect order. There will be no confusion, and the good work will go on. ¶

The Work for Our Ancestors

Somebody asks : "How will it go on ?" The answer is : There are many, very many spirits there, men and women who have lived upon the earth, who came into their bodies, laid down their bodies again, and went into the spirit world, who never heard the Gospel. We often allude to them as our ancestors. There isn't a man in this congregation but who has a line of ancestors, and there isn't a woman in this congregation but who has her line of ancestors, and we can't get away from them. A man can't get away from his father or his mother. We all know that to be true. They have a claim upon us as our parents and we have a claim upon them as their children. This is also true of our ancestors. ¶

Now, there are many of our ancestors who had no opportunity at all in life of hearing the Gospel. That opportunity must come to them. How can it come to them ? Only in one way, and that is by the preaching of the Gospel, and the Gospel will be preached to them, I am sure, by the apostles and prophets, high priests, seventies and elders who have lived and died and gone into the spirit world. The work to be done there is vastly greater than that which is done upon the earth by the Saints of God. There are millions and millions upon millions who have lived and died since the Savior was upon the earth, down to the present time. The work must be done for them. That obligation, brethren and sisters, is resting upon the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are looking to us for it. ¶

"For this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." ¶

Yes, live by the principles of God in the spirit, and be judged by the ordinances of the Gospel performed for them in the flesh. How beautiful that is ! ¶

The Savior stands for us. He has given his life's blood, that precious blood, that we might be saved. So we must stand for our ancestors. We must do for them the work that they cannot do for themselves. I call your attention to this fact, that that particular work is perhaps the most benevolent, the most charitable work in all the world, because they find themselves in a position where they cannot move. Their progress is stopped. The Savior said — you will remember the language, it is very clear, very emphatic — ¶

"Except a man" — and a man means every man, all men — "Except a man be born of water and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." ¶

That edict reaches into eternity. It is not surprising at all that when Elijah came and turned the key, the fathers behind the veil would be interested in their children on this side of the veil, and those fathers are looking to us to do the work for them, and we are under obligation to do the work. ¶

Christ in the Spirit World

You will remember, brethren and sisters, the injunction of the Savior, when he advised his followers to lay up treasures in heaven. What greater treasures can you lay up in heaven than by bringing salvation through the Gospel to some of those immortal souls of God, his children. It is said of Christ: ¶

"He hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the spirit : ¶

"By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison ; ¶

"Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water." ¶

So it seems that Christ was not idle while his body rested in the grave for three days, prior to his resurrection. He was preaching the Gospel. He preached it here. He preached it there. Is not that an example to us ? We preach the Gospel here. Think you not that we will also be called upon to preach the Gospel there? I rather like the thought. It is beautiful. Christ sets the example in more ways than one. He gave us the law of the Gospel. He gave us the law of baptism, and he emphasized and magnified the law, by submitting to it himself. He said : "Follow me." In following him he expects us, of course, to do the works that he did. ¶

The Temple, the Connecting Link

And so we have two great churches, one in heaven, the other upon the earth. They are moving along parallel lines, and the temple of God, it appears to me, is the connecting link that connects the heavens with the earth, because it is through the temple that we will be able to reach our dead, and not otherwise. To pray for the dead may not be of any real assistance to them. To actually help them we must do a work for them. ¶

The following piece of information, I am sure, will be very interesting to you, and will also be instructive. Something over six millions of endowments have been administered in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints up to December, 1932. Something over eight millions of baptisms for the dead have been solemnized in the Church of Jesus- Christ of Latter-day Saints up to December 31st; 1932. Many thousands of sealings of wives to husbands, and of children to parents, have taken place. ¶

I think we may reasonably expect that the great majority of these who have had the work done for them will accept it, and if that be the case, brethren and sisters, you will see at a glance that the Church of the First-born in heaven is much greater and stronger, and the membership there is much more numerous than it is in the Church of Jesus Christ, or the First-bom, here upon the earth. ¶

When I saw these figures I was very much impressed with them. ¶

The Last Sermon of President Woodruff

Perhaps I will just have time, possibly, to allude to the last sermon of President Wilford Woodruff. It was delivered in this Tabernacle, April 10, 1898. He bore a very powerful and impressive testimony. He said : ¶

"At the close of this conference I have a desire to bear my testimony before you upon a few principles. I have rejoiced very much during this conference in listening to the testimonies of the apostles and elders who have spoken. It has brought to my remembrance a little of my history. ¶

"In April of 1838, while in the town of Kirtland, in walking across the street, I met two men who held the apostleship. They said to me : 'Brother Woodruff, we have something that we want you to join us in.' Said I, 'What is it?' 'We want another prophet to lead us.' 'Whom do you want?' 'We want Oliver Cowdery. Joseph Smith has apostatized.' After listening to them, I said : 'Unless you repent of your sins, you will be damned and go to hell, and you will go through the fulness of eternal damnation, and all your hopes in this life will pass before you like the frost before the rising sun. You are false. Joseph Smith holds the keys of the kingdom of God on earth, and will hold them until the coming of the Son of Man, whether in this world or in the world to come.' I am happy to say that these men did repent pretty soon, turned to the Church, and died in it. ¶

"I feel thankful today that Joseph F. Smith is with us as a son of Hyrum Smith. He bears a true and faithful testimony of his father. I would to God that Joseph Smith had a son in the flesh who would do as Joseph F. Smith does here — bear testimony to the truth of his father. The Prophet Joseph Smith has no son that stands in the midst of the Church of God and bears record of his father. He never has had, possibly never will have. ¶

"I will give you a testimony here that will show you where I stand with regard to this matter. Joseph Smith never ordained his son Joseph, never blessed him, never set him apart to lead this Church and kingdom on the face of the earth. When he or any other man says he did, they state that which is false before high heaven. ¶

"The last speech that Joseph Smith ever made to the quorum of the apostles was in a building in Nauvoo, and it was such a speech as I never heard from mortal man before or since. He was clothed upon with the spirit and power of God. His face was clear as amber; the room was filled as with consuming fire. He stood three hours upon his feet. Said he : 'You Apostles of the Lamb of God have been chosen to carry out the purposes of the Lord on the earth. Now. I have received, as the Prophet, Seer and Revelator, standing at the head of this dispensation, every key, every ordinance, every principle and every priesthood that belongs to the last dispensation and fulness of times. And I have sealed all these things upon your heads. Now, you Apostles, if you do not rise up and bear off this kingdom, as I have given it to you, you will be damned.' ¶

"I am the only witness left on earth that can bear record of this, and [ am thankful that I have lived to see the day in which I stand. I am thankful to see the sons of these prophets and apostles holding the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. I do not believe the day will ever come — it is too late in the day, in my opinion — when any elder in this Church will be called to stand before any two of the apostles with us today and give unto them the declaration that I gave unto the two apostles I have referred to. I do not think any of the apostles will occupy that position. I have faith to believe that these men will bear the apostleship, will hold it, and live their religion. They have been called and ordained of God for this purpose. I do not think that one of them will apostatize. I believe that they will be with you and with this Church while they stand in the flesh, true and faithful to God." ¶

There is another clause here which I wish to read. It has some bearing on what I have said. ¶

"Brother Cannon" — meaning George Q. Cannon — "has been laying before you something with regard to the nation in which we live, and what has been said concerning it. I am going to bear my testimony to this assembly, if I never do it again in my life, that the men who laid the foundation of this American government, and signed the Declaration of Independence, were the best spirits the God of Heaven could find on the face of the earth. They were choice spirits, not wicked men. General Washington and all the men that labored for that purpose were inspired of the Lord. Another thing I am going to say here, because I have a right to say it, every one of those men that signed the Declaration of Independence, with General Washington, called upon me, as an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the temple at St. George, two consecutive nights, and demanded at my hands that I should go forth and attend to the ordinances of the House of God for them. Men are here, I believe, that know of this, Brother J. D. T. McAllister, David H. Cannon and James S. Bleak. Brother McAllister baptized me for all those men, and then I told these brethren that it was their duty to go into the temple and labor until they had got endowments for all of them. They did it. Would those spirits have called upon me as an elder of Israel, to perform that work, if they had not been noble spirits before God? They would not. I bear this testimony because it is true. The Spirit of God bore record to myself and the brethren while we were laboring in that way. ¶

"What has been said with regard to this nation and to our position is coming" to pass, and all the powers of earth and hell will not stay the hand of Almighty God in the fulfilment of the great prophecies that have 'come to pass to prepare the way for the coming of the Son of Man. ¶

".You who have gathered here are my witnesses of this. I feel as though the day has come when every elder and every Latter-day Saint ought to stop and consider the position he is in, and the covenants he has entered into. Is there anything on the face of the earth that will pay you to depart from the oracles of God and from the Gospel of Christ ? Is there anything that will pay you to lose the principles of salvation, to lose a part in the first resurrection, with the privilege of standing in the morning of the resurrection clothed with glory, immortality and eternal life, at the head of your father's house? No, there is nothing. I feel sorry many times when I see men who have the priesthood almost forget that they have any interest in the work of God. ¶

"I feel thankful to God that I have lived as long as I have, and to see as much as I have in fulfilment of the words of the Prophet of God. His days were few. The lives of great men have been strange. The idea of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, only laboring three years and a half in the ministry, then he was put to death. His apostles too were put to death, excepting John the Revelator, and they would have killed him if they could have done so. He lived because God wanted him to live. ¶

"We live in the last dispensation, and in the midst of the great work that all the patriarchs and prophets since God made the world have spoken of. Afflictions and tribulations await the world. The destroying" angels have got their sharp sickles in their hands, and are going to reap down the earth. Everything that has been spoken by the prophets under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost will come to pass in the generation in which we live. Do not forget it. ¶

"I thank God we are as well as we are; that we have as many as we have who are united together in the Priesthood. Let us try to live our religion, do our duty_. and magnify our callings while we are here. The eyes of all heaven are over us. The eyes of the world are over us. The eyes of the angels are over us. The Lord has looked upon us and upon the house of Israel to be saviors of the nations. We are here to fulfill these principles. ¶

"I pray God my Heavenly Father that as elders of Israel and as Latter-day Saints we may prize these principles, and that we may do our duty what time we spend here in the flesh. These apostles and all the quorums of the Priesthood have a great work upon them, to redeem their dead. Do not neglect it. You will have sorrow if you do, and any man who neglects the redemption of his dead, who has power to officiate for them here will have sorrow. When you go to the other side of the veil, if you have entered into these temples and redeemed your progenitors by the ordinances of the House of God, you will hold the keys of their redemption from eternity to eternity. Do not neglect this !" ¶

God bless you brethren and sisters is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. ¶