=37.= The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has constructed temples, each an imposing and costly structure, at Kirtland, Ohio; Nauvoo, Illinois; St. George, Logan, Manti, and Salt Lake City, Utah; Cardston, Canada; and Laie, Hawaiian Islands. The temples at Kirtland and Nauvoo were abandoned as the members of the Church who had built them through sacrifice yet untold were driven westward by the force of persecution. The building at Kirtland is now used as an ordinary meeting-house by a small sect that is but little known and that evinces no activity in the sacred labors for which temples are built.
The temple at Nauvoo was destroyed through malicious incendiarism. The magnitude and grandeur of the sacred labors accomplished in the temples of the present dispensation, for the salvation of both the living and the dead, give a.s.surance of the Lord"s gracious acceptance.[453]
[453] For a comprehensive treatment see the author"s work. "The House of the Lord"--a study of holy sanctuaries, ancient and modern: 336 pp. with ill.u.s.trations.
NOTES.
=1. Usage of the Term "Baptize" in Ancient Times.=--The following instances show the ordinary meaning attached to the Greek term from which our word "baptize" is derived. In all, the idea of immersion is plainly intended.--(For these and other examples, see Millennial Star, Vol. XXI, pp. 687-688.)
Polybius, a writer of history, who flourished during the second century before Christ, uses the following expressions: In describing a naval conflict between the Carthaginian and Roman fleets off the sh.o.r.es of Sicily he says, "If any were hard pressed by the enemy they withdrew safely back, on account of their fast sailing into the open sea: and then turning round and falling on those of their pursuers who were in advance, they gave them frequent blows and "baptized" many of their vessels."--Book I, ch. 51.
The same writer thus refers to the pa.s.sage of the Roman soldiers through the river Trebia: "When the pa.s.sage of the river Trebia came on, which had risen above its usual current, on account of the rain which had fallen, the infantry with difficulty crossed over, being "baptized" up to the chest."--Book III, ch. 72.
Describing a catastrophe which befell the Roman ships at Syracuse, Polybius states: "Some were upset, but the greater number, their prow being thrown down from a height, were "baptized" and became full of sea."
Strabo, who lived during the time of Christ, used the term "baptized" in the same sense. He thus describes an instrument used in fishing: "And if it fall into the sea it is not lost: for it is compacted of oak and pine wood: so that even if the oak is "baptized" by its weight, the remaining part floats and is easily recovered."
Strabo refers to the buoyancy of certain saline waters thus: "These have the taste of salt water, but a different nature, for even persons who cannot swim are not liable to be "baptized" in them, but float like logs on the surface."
Referring to a salt spring in Tatta, the same writer says: "So easily does the water form a crust round everything "baptized"
into it that if persons let down a circlet of rushes they will draw up wreaths of salt."
Speaking of a species of pitch from the lake Sirbonis, Strabo says: "It will float on the surface owing to the nature of the water, which, as we said, is such as to render swimming unnecessary, and such that one who walks upon it is not "baptized.""
Dio Ca.s.sius, speaking of the effects of a severe storm near Rome says: "The vessels which were in the Tiber, which were lying at anchor near the city, and to the river"s mouth, were "baptized.""
The same author thus alludes to the fate of some of Curio"s soldiers while fleeing before the forces of Juba: "Not a few of these fugitives perished, some being knocked down in their attempts to get on board the vessels, and others, even when in the boats, being "baptized" through their weight."
Alluding to the fate of the Byzantians who endeavored to escape the siege by taking to the sea, he says: "Some of those, from the extreme violence of the wind, were "baptized.""
=2. Baptism among the Greeks.=--"The native Greeks must understand their own language better than foreigners, and they have always understood the word baptism to signify dipping; and therefore from their first embracing of Christianity to this day they have always baptized, and do yet baptize, by immersion."--_Robinson._
=3. Early Form of Christian Baptism.=--History furnishes ample proof that in the first century after the death of Christ, baptism was administered solely by immersion. Tertullian thus refers to the immersion ceremony common in his day: "There is no difference whether one is washed in a sea or in a pool, in a river or in a fountain, in a lake or in a channel: nor is there any difference between those whom John dipped in Jordan, and those whom Peter dipped in the Tiber.... We are immersed in the water."
The following are but a few of the instances on record (see Millennial Star, Vol. XXI, pp. 769-770):
Justin Martyr describes the ceremony as practiced by himself.
First describing the preparatory examination of the candidate, he proceeds: "After that they are led by us to where there is water, and are born again in that kind of new birth by which we ourselves were born again. For upon the name G.o.d, the Father and Lord of all, and of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and of the Holy Spirit, the immersion in water is performed, because the Christ hath also said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven.""
Bishop Bennet says concerning the practices of the early Christians: "They led them into the water and laid them down in the water as a man is laid in a grave; and then they said those words, "I baptize (or wash) thee in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost"; then they raised them up again, and clean garments were put on them; from whence came the phrases of being baptized into Christ"s death, of being buried with Him by baptism into death, of our being risen with Christ, and of our putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, of putting off the old man, and putting on the new."
"That the apostles immersed whom they baptized there is no doubt.... And that the ancient church followed their example is very clearly evinced by innumerable testimonies of the fathers."--_Vossius._
"Burying as it were the person baptized in the water, and raising him out again, without question was anciently the more usual method."--_Archbishop Secker._
""Immersion" was the usual method in which baptism was administered in the early Church.... Immersion was undoubtedly a common mode of administering baptism, and was not discontinued when infant baptism prevailed.... Sprinkling gradually took the place of immersion without any formal renunciation of the latter."--_Canon Farrar._
=4. The Fathers and the Children.=--"The revelation in our day of the doctrine of baptism for the dead may be said to have const.i.tuted a new epoch in the history of our race. At the time the Prophet Joseph received that revelation, the belief was general in Christendom that at death the destiny of the soul was fixed irrevocably and for all eternity. If not rewarded with endless happiness, then endless torment was its doom, beyond all possibility of redemption or change. The horrible and monstrous doctrine, so much at variance with every element of Divine justice, was generally believed, that the heathen nations who had died without a knowledge of the true G.o.d, and the redemption wrought out by His Son Jesus Christ, would all be eternally consigned to h.e.l.l. The belief upon this point is ill.u.s.trated by the reply of a certain Bishop to the inquiry of the king of the Franks, when the king was about to submit to baptism at the hands of the bishop. The king was a heathen, but had concluded to accept the form of religion then called Christianity. The thought occurred to him that if baptism were necessary for his salvation, what had become of his dear ancestors who had died heathens? This thought framed itself into an inquiry which he addressed to the bishop. The prelate, less politic than many of his sect, bluntly told him they had gone to h.e.l.l. "Then, by Thor, I will go there with them," said the king, and thereupon refused to accept baptism or become a Christian."--Geo. Q. Cannon"s _Life of Joseph Smith_, p. 510.
=5. Temples and Sacred Places.=--"When the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, determined to make that people a nation to Himself, as soon as they had arrived at a safe distance from surrounding peoples, He required them to build a Tabernacle, which is sometimes called the Temple, wherein He could inst.i.tute certain ordinances and regulations for their guidance and worship. This, at the commencement of their pilgrimage in the wilderness, was made portable, and of the costliest and best material within their reach; and one of the tribes was set apart to have charge of it and its appurtenances. Such has ever been the purpose of the Lord. This served them through their journey and in the promised Canaan, until suitable wealth enabled Solomon to erect a magnificent Temple on Mount Moriah, since called "The Hill of Zion," to which all Israel came annually to worship or attend conference. The Lord has informed us (Doc. and Cov. cxxiv, 39) that His people are always commanded to build Temples, or holy houses, unto His holy name. This accounts for our reading in the Book of Mormon of so many Temples having been erected on this continent. It also explains why the Prophet Joseph so early taught the commencement of a Temple in every important location of the Saints."--_Compendium_, F. D. Richards and J. A. Little, pp. 301-302. Consult: Exo. xxv-xxviii; I Kings vi-viii; Ezra vi; II Nephi v, 16; and compare Jacob i, 17; ii, 2-11; Mosiah i, 18; ii, 6-7; Alma xvi, 13; xxiii, 2; xxvi, 29; Helaman iii, 9; x, 8; Doc. and Cov. i, 7-9; lx.x.xiv, 3-5, 31; xcvii, 10; cxxiv, 29-51, 55. See also _Temples_, J. M. Sjodahl, Salt Lake City, 1892. See "The House of the Lord, a Study of Holy Sanctuaries, Ancient and Modern," by James E. Talmage, Salt Lake City, 1912.
LECTURE VIII.
THE HOLY GHOST.
=Article 4.=--We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are:--... (4) Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
=1. The Holy Ghost Promised.=--John the Baptist, proclaiming in the wilderness repentance and baptism by water, foretold a second higher baptism, which he characterized as being of fire and the Holy Ghost; this was to follow his administration,[454] and was to be given by that Mightier One whose shoes the Baptist considered himself unworthy to bear. That the holder of this superior authority was none other than the Christ is proved by John"s solemn record:--"Behold the Lamb of G.o.d.... This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me.... And I knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me: Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."[455]
[454] Matt. iii, 2-3, 11; Mark i, 8; Luke iii, 16.
[455] John i, 29-33.
=2.= In declaring to Nicodemus[456] the necessity of baptism, the Savior did not stop with a reference to the watery birth alone, that being incomplete without the quickening influence of the Spirit; born of water and of the Spirit is the necessary condition of him who is to gain admittance to the kingdom. Many of the scriptural pa.s.sages quoted in proof of the purpose and necessity of baptism, show baptism by fire and the Holy Ghost to be closely a.s.sociated with the prescribed ordinance of immersion in water.
[456] John iii, 3-5.
=3.= Christ"s instructions to His apostles comprise repeated promises concerning the coming of the "Comforter," and the "Spirit of Truth,"[457] by which expressive terms the Holy Ghost is designated.
In His last interview with the apostles, at the termination of which He ascended into heaven, the Lord repeated these a.s.surances of a spiritual baptism, which was then soon to take place.[458] The fulfillment of this great prediction was realized at the succeeding Pentecost, when the apostles, having a.s.sembled together, were endowed with mighty power from heaven,[459] being filled with the Holy Ghost so that they spake in tongues other than their own as the Spirit gave them utterance. Among other manifestations of this heavenly gift, may be mentioned the appearance of flames of fire like unto tongues, which rested upon each of them. The promise so miraculously fulfilled upon themselves was repeated by the apostles to those who sought their instruction. Peter, addressing the Jews on that same day, declared, on the condition of their acceptable repentance and baptism, "Ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."[460]
[457] John xiv, 16-17, 26; xv, 26; xvi, 7, 13.
[458] Acts i, 5.
[459] Acts ii, 1-4.
[460] Acts ii, 38.
=4.= Book of Mormon evidence is not less conclusive regarding the Holy Spirit"s visitation unto those who obey the requirements of water baptism. Nephi, Lehi"s son, bore solemn record of this truth,[461] as made known to him by the voice of G.o.d. And the words of the resurrected Savior to the Nephites come in plainness indisputable, and with authority not to be questioned, proclaiming the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost unto all those who obey the preliminary requirements.[462]
[461] II Nephi x.x.xi, 8, 12-14, 17.
[462] III Nephi xi, 36; xii, 2.
=5.= Unto the Saints in the dispensation of the fulness of times, the same great promise has been made. "I say unto you again," spake the Lord in addressing certain elders of the Church, "that every soul that believeth on your words, and is baptized by water for the remission of sins shall receive the Holy Ghost."[463]
[463] Doc. and Cov. lx.x.xiv, 64.
=6. Personality and Powers of the Holy Ghost.=--The Holy Ghost is a.s.sociated with the Father and the Son in the G.o.dhead. In the light of revelation, we are instructed as to the distinct personality of the Holy Ghost. He is a Being endowed with the attributes and powers of Deity, and not a mere thing, force, or essence. The term Holy Ghost and its common synonyms, Spirit of G.o.d,[464] Spirit of the Lord, or simply, Spirit,[465] Comforter,[466] and Spirit of Truth,[467] occur in the scriptures with plainly different meanings, referring in some cases to the person of G.o.d, the Holy Ghost, and in other instances to the power or authority of this great Being. The context of such pa.s.sages will show which of these significations applies.
[464] Matt. iii, 16; xii, 28; I Nephi xiii, 12.
[465] I Nephi iv, 6; xi, 8; Mos. xiii, 5; Acts ii, 4; viii, 29; x, 19: Rom. viii, 10, 26; I Thess. v, 19.