The "Reorganized" Church vs. Salvation For the Dead.

By Joseph F. Smith, Jr.

Copyright, 1905, by Joseph Smith, Jr.

"And Saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdom shall be the Lords." Obadiah, 21st verse.

The so-called "Reorganized" church, which is so bitter in its antagonism towards the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has claimed from its beginning to be teaching and practicing the doctrines of the Gospel as they were revealed from God through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Its officers declare that they are walking in the footsteps of the martyred Seer; hewing closely to the line, and observing in all things the commandments which were given from God through his instrumentality, without variation, change, or loss of power from all that pertains to the salvation of the human family in this dispensation of the fullness of times.

Their foundation is built upon the absurd and misty claim that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which was established April 6, 1830, through the labors of Joseph Smith the Prophet and the will of God, was "rejected with its dead for transgression of its members," and that the "Reorganized" church is a "new organization"[[1]] which God raised up to succeed the original—but as they would have us believe, "rejected"—Church.

It is not my purpose to discuss the foolish question of the "rejection of the Church," but to examine the Reorganite position in regard to salvation for the dead; and to show their lack of harmony with the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pertaining to the dead, as those teachings have been revealed through the latter-day Prophet.

It stands to reason that if the Lord rejected His Church with its dead because of transgression, or any other cause whatever, that He would not raise up a substitute church to carry on His work on earth and still keep the dead—who could in no wise be held responsible for the rejection—in suspension, and deny to them the privilege of receiving the ordinances of the Gospel by proxy according to the revealed plan of God as it was ordained from before the foundations of the world were laid, as a means of salvation to those who die without a knowledge of the Gospel. To any reasonable mind this truth would need no argument. Yet the "Reorganized" church declares that the Lord did this very thing; and in the light of the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph as well as those in the ancient Scriptures, which bear on this subject of salvation for the dead, their declaration is fatal to their organization; it stamps it as fraudulent and their officers as impostors. A church without salvation for the dead, according to the revealed will of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith, cannot be the Church of Christ.

When the Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith on the night of September 21, 1823, he imparted to the youthful Seer many truths of the greatest importance pertaining to the restoration of the Gospel and the establishment of the Church which, the angel said, was about to take place. These instructions were of such weight that they were repeated twice more that night and again the following day, in order that this young man, upon whose shoulders the burden of the latter day work should rest, might be sufficiently impressed with the greatness and importance of his mission. Among the instructions given by the angel at this time, the doctrine of salvation for the dead had an important part. This heavenly messenger said that the prophecy of Malachi the Prophet was about to be fulfilled, and he quoted the fourth chapter of Malachi, but with this variation:

"For, behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. * * * Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to their fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers; if it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming." (History of the Church, Vol. I, page 12.)

At that time the full meaning and glory and significance of this instruction were not understood by the Prophet, although it made a deep impression on his mind. On the 3d day of April, 1836, it was fulfilled, for Elijah the Prophet appeared in the Kirtland Temple to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, and conferred upon them this Priesthood and the keys of the salvation for the dead stating that—

"Behold the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he (Elijah) should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to their fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors." (Doc. and Cov. 110: 13-16. History of "Reorganized" Church, Vol. 2, page 47.)

Following the bestowal of this Priesthood with its keys, the spirit of salvation for the dead was poured out in abundance upon the heads of the Prophet and his people whose hearts began to turn toward their dead fathers. After the Church settled in Nauvoo, baptism for the dead was instituted, the Lord, at first, permitting the ordinance to be performed in the Mississippi river, but later revealing to the Saints that the proper place for this and other rites for the salvation of the dead, must be performed in a Temple built purposely for such ordinances, and that only in times of their extreme poverty could these ordinances be performed elsewhere by His people. Such a temple the Saints were commanded to build, and on the 21st of November, 1841, baptisms for the dead, which had been discontinued in the river at Nauvoo by command of God, October 3, 1841, were resumed in the font of the Lord's House, which had been dedicated for that purpose.[[2]] These ordinances continued to be performed until the Temple was completed and the Saints were driven from Nauvoo. The spirit of Elijah's work, which had rested so mightily upon the Prophet Joseph, continued with Brigham Young and the "Mormon" people during their travels in the wilderness, and when they arrived in the valleys of the Rocky Mountains, the first commandment to them from the Lord, was to build a Temple to His name, where the ordinances of salvation for the living and for the dead could be performed. This work was done as speedily as possible and from that day to the present the spirit of Temple building and of Temple work for the salvation of mankind has continued with the Church.

This action on the part of the Church under the leadership of the successors of Joseph Smith is in harmony with the Scriptures and the teachings and commandments given to the Prophet. He declared that baptism for the dead—the opening of the prison house to them that sit in darkness, and the proclamation of liberty to the captives—was the most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting Gospel, and so greatly was he wrought upon by this work that the subject occupied his mind almost constantly before his death. Moreover, a short time before his martyrdom, the Prophet bestowed upon the Twelve Apostles—who constitute the second quorum in the Church—all the keys and all the ordinances and Priesthood necessary for them to hold in order to carry on this great and glorious work of universal salvation.

That the Twelve did receive these keys and powers, we learn from the following quotations from the Times and Seasons. Orson Hyde, one of that quorum, said:

"Before I went east on the 4th of April (1844) last, we were in council with Brother Joseph almost every day for weeks, said Brother Joseph in one of those councils, there is something going to happen; I don't know what it is, but the Lord bids me to hasten and give you your endowment before the Temple is finished. He conducted us through every ordinance of the Holy Priesthood, and when he had gone through with all the ordinances he rejoiced very much, and said, now if they kill me you have got all the keys, and all the ordinances and you can confer them upon others, and the hosts of Satan will not be able to tear down the Kingdom as fast as you will be able to build it up; and now, said he, on your shoulders will the responsibility of leading this people rest." (Times and Seasons, Vol. 5, page 651.)

This testimony is corroborated by the testimony of Elder Wilford Woodruff, which is found in the same volume, page 698, wherein he says:

"And when they (the Twelve) received their endowment, and actually the keys of the Kingdom of God, and oracles of God, keys of revelation, and the pattern of heavenly things; and thus addressing the Twelve (Joseph) exclaimed, 'Upon your shoulders the Kingdom rests, and you must round up your shoulders and bear it, for I have had to do it until now.'"

Sister Bathsheba W. Smith, wife of George A. Smith, one of the Twelve to whom these keys were given, was present in the council meetings above referred to, and in an affidavit, dated November 19, 1903, says:

"In the year 1844, a short time before the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith, it was my privilege to attend a regular prayer circle meeting in the upper room over the Prophet's store. There were present at this meeting most of the Twelve Apostles, their wives and a number of other prominent brethren and their wives. On that occasion the Prophet arose and spoke at great length, and during his remarks I heard him say that he had conferred on the heads of the Twelve Apostles all the keys and powers pertaining to the Priesthood, and that upon the heads of the Twelve Apostles the burden of the Kingdom rested, and that they would have to carry it."

Having shown the consistency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with regard to the doctrine of salvation for the dead; and having shown that the keys of this work, and all other keys pertaining to the salvation of mankind have continued with the Church, we will now consider the attitude of the "Reorganization" in relation to this grand and eternal principle of the redemption of the dead.

At first the founders of the "Reorganized" church appeared to favor it and declared that when the "Reorganization" was established that this principle would be practiced, for as the "rejection of the church produced an effect on the dead," said they, "as well as on the living, so will the reorganization."[[3]] But when the "reorganization" took place the change that was promised in regard to the dead was not fulfilled, and since that time to the present day—over forty-five years—baptism for the dead, Temple building and Temple work, have never been, by that organization, practiced or entertained. In fact they have turned about face and have rejected peremptorily the doctrine of baptism for the dead and now declare that it is not binding on them.

In a resolution adopted by that church, April 9, 1886, the following startling declaration was made:

"That as to the alleged 'Temple building and ceremonial endowments therein,' that we know of no Temple building, except as edifices wherein to worship God, and no endowment except the endowment of the Holy Spirit of the kind experienced by the early saints on Pentecost day.

"'Baptism for the dead' referred to belongs to those local questions of which the body has said by resolution:

"'That the commandments of a local character, given to the first organization of the church are binding on the Reorganization only so far as they are either reiterated or referred to as binding by commandment to this church.' And that principle has neither been reiterated nor referred to as a commandment."[[4]]

In February, 1904, the president of that "organization" declared that baptism for the dead was a permissive rite,[[5]] and that it was taken from the Church, "and if subsequently it was to be engaged in," said he, "and enjoyed by the same people, it must be restored again by revelation and command, and could not be assumed as being held over by suffrance. We do not know of any revelation or command authoritatively promulgated renewing the privilege."

His statement is a flat acknowledgment that he does not hold the keys of this work and that they can only be received by revelation. That he does not hold the keys is true. That he did not receive them from his father he admits,[[6]] and William Marks, William W. Blair and Zenas H. Gurley, who "ordained" him to his office of president of the "Reorganized" church, never held them. They could only be obtained from the Prophet Joseph Smith, and from him, as has been shown, the Twelve received them in 1844. "Young Joseph" might truthfully have gone further and declared that if the privilege was taken away, before it could again be practiced with authority and power that the keys of the Priesthood which were held by Elijah would again have to be restored. His statement is an unqualified admission that the work of Elijah was performed in vain. He challenges that prophet's statement, that the time had fully come. He acknowledges that, in spite of all the efforts of the "Reorganization" in the attempt to save souls, the whole earth is in danger of being "smitten with a curse" and "utterly wasted" at the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, which is "near, even at the doors." If this statement of the president of the "Reorganized" church is true, then the members of his church stand in jeopardy every hour; darkness covers the face of the earth; there is no salvation for the children of men; the word of the Lord has failed, and destruction awaits the earth and her inhabitants.

In declaring that baptism for the dead was a "permissive rite" he shows a willful lack of understanding pertaining to the great eternal plan of salvation which was revealed through his Prophet father. In declaring that baptism was a local commandment to the Saints at Nauvoo, not binding on the members of the "Reorganization" the members of his church acknowledge that the hand of Jehovah is not guiding them; that they are floundering in the mire of unbelief and ignorance. They make light of one of the "most glorious subjects belonging to the everlasting Gospel."

Yes, the authorities of the "Reorganized" church have declared by conference resolution that baptism for the dead is not binding on them because it was a local commandment, and "has never been reiterated nor referred to as a commandment!"

Judged by the Reorganite standards of faith and doctrine will this statement bear the light of investigation? Baptism a local commandment, not binding on the Saints! "To the law and the testimony," said Isaiah, "if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."

In section 128 of the Doctrine and Covenants (sec. CX Reorganite edition), verse 17, in a revelation[[7]] to the Prophet Joseph Smith, we read the following:

"I will give you a quotation from one of the Prophets, who had his eye fixed on the restoration of the priesthood, the glories to be revealed in the last days, and in an especial manner this most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting gospel, viz.: the baptism for the dead; for Malachi says, last chapter, verses 5, 6, 'Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.'"

Not only is the Priesthood which was revealed by Elijah the Prophet, pertaining to the "most glorious of all subjects belonging to the everlasting Gospel," but it is of the most importance, for the Prophet Joseph says:

"The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us, is to seek after our dead. The apostle says they without us cannot be made perfect. Now I will speak of them: I say to you, Paul, you cannot be perfect without us; It is necessary that those who have gone before, and those who come after us should have salvation in common with us, and thus hath God made it obligatory to man. Hence God said he would send Elijah." (Times and Seasons, 6: 616.)

Moreover, at the conference of the Church held October 3, 1841, he presented,

"Baptism for the dead as the only way that men can appear as saviors on Mount Zion. The proclamation of the first principles of the Gospel was a means of salvation to men individually, and it was the truth, not men, that saved them; but men by actively engaging in rites of salvation substitutionally, become instrumental in bringing multitudes of their kin into the kingdom of God. * * * There is a way to release the spirit of the dead; that is by the power and authority of the Priesthood—by binding and loosing on earth.

"This doctrine appears glorious inasmuch as it exhibits the greatness of divine compassion, and benevolence in the extent of the plan of human salvation. This glorious truth is well calculated to enlarge the understanding, and to sustain the soul under troubles, difficulties, and distresses. * * *

"This doctrine, he said, presents in a clear light the wisdom and mercy of God, in preparing an ordinance for the salvation of the dead, being baptized by proxy, their names recorded in heaven, and they judged according to the deeds done in the body. This doctrine was the burden of the Scriptures. Those Saints who neglect it, in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation." (Times and Seasons, Vol. 2, pages 577-578, also History of "Reorganized" Church, Vol. 2, pages 545-546.)

Now, whom shall we believe? The "Reorganized" church that has rejected baptism for the dead, declaring it to be a local commandment not binding on them, or the Prophet Joseph Smith who declares that it is the burden of the Scriptures, and that if we neglect it it is at the peril of our own salvation?

The significance of this principle is even more emphatically expressed in section 128 of the Doctrine and Covenants (CX Reorganite edition). Let me quote:

Verse 5. "You may think this order of things to be very particular, but let me tell you, that they are only to answer the will of God, by conforming to the ordinance and preparation that the Lord ordained and prepared before the foundation of the world, for the salvation of the dead, who should die without a knowledge of the Gospel."

Verse 8. "For out of the books shall your dead be judged, according to their own works, whether they themselves have attended to the ordinances in their own propria persona or by means of their own agents, according to the ordinance which God has prepared for their salvation from before the foundation of the world, according to the records which they have kept concerning their dead."

Verse 15. "And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles, in relation to the dead and the living, that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation, for their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the fathers, 'that they without us cannot be made perfect, neither can we without our dead be made perfect.'"

Verse 18. "It is sufficient to know * * * that the earth will be smitten with a curse, unless there is a welding link of some kind or other, between the fathers and the children, upon some subject or other, and behold what is that subject? It is the baptism for the dead. For we without them cannot be made perfect; neither can they without us be made perfect. Neither can they nor we be made perfect without those who have died in the Gospel also; for it is necessary in the ushering in of the dispensation of the fullness of times, which dispensation is now beginning to usher in, that a whole and complete and perfect union and welding together of dispensations, and keys, and powers, and glories should take place, and be revealed, 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 world, but have been kept hid from the wise and prudent shall be revealed unto babes and sucklings in this the dispensation of the fullness of times."

From the original manuscript history of the Prophet Joseph Smith, now in the Historian's office, Salt Lake City, I obtain the following under date of January 20, 1844:

"Preached at the southwest corner of the Temple to several thousand people, although the weather was somewhat unpleasant. My subject was the sealing of the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers."

Of this discourse a synopsis was reported by Elder Wilford Woodruff, from which the Prophet Joseph records the following in that history:

"The Bible says, 'I will send you Elijah the Prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.'

"Now, the word turn here should be translated bind, or seal. But what is the object of this important mission? or how is it to be fulfilled? The keys are to be delivered, the spirit of Elijah is to come, the Gospel to be established, the Saints of God to be gathered, Zion built up, and the Saints to come up as saviors on Mount Zion.

"But how are they to become saviors on Mount Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, anointings, ordinations, and sealing powers upon their head, in behalf of all their progenitors, who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them; and herein is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. And I would to God that this Temple was now done, that we might go into it, and go to work and improve our time, and make use of the seals while they are on earth.

"The Saints have not too much time to save and redeem their dead, and gather together their living relatives, that they may be saved also, before the earth will be smitten, and the consummation decreed falls upon the world.

"I would advise all the Saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they may be sealed and saved, that they may be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth; and if the whole Church should go to with all their might to save their dead, seal their posterity, and gather their living friends, and spend none of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before night would come when no man can work."

On the 12th of May, 1844, the Prophet Joseph said:

"It is not only necessary that you should be baptized for your dead, but you will have to go through all the ordinances for them, same as you have gone through to save yourselves. There will be 144,000 saviors on Mount Zion, and with them an innumerable host that no man can count."

We learn from the foregoing quotations the following important facts pertaining to the salvation of the dead:

1. Salvation in behalf of the dead is the binding or sealing of the hearts of the fathers and the children, the welding link. (Doc. and Cov., 128: 18, Reorganite edition CX: 18.)

2. It is the most glorious subject belonging to the everlasting Gospel. (Doc. and Cov., 128: 17, Reorganite edition CX: 17.)

3. It is the greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us—to seek after our dead. (Times and Seasons, Vol. 6, page 616.)

4. It is obligatory to man. (Times and Seasons, Vol. 6, page 616.)

5. Without it the whole earth and its inhabitants would be smitten with a curse. (Malachi 4: 6. Doc. and Cov. 128: 18, Reorganite edition, CX: 18.)

6. It is an eternal doctrine prepared before the foundation of the world. (Doc. and Cov. 128: 5, 8, 18, Reorganite edition CX: 5, 8, 18.)

7. It is the burden of the Scriptures. (Times and Seasons, Vol. 2, page 578, Reorganite church history, Vol. 2, page 546.)

8. If we neglect it it is at the peril of our own salvation. (Times and Seasons, Vol. 2, page 578, Reorganite church history, Vol. 2, page 546.)

9. Through it we become saviors on Mount Zion, and may save multitudes of our kin. (Times and Seasons, Vol. 2, page 577, Reorganite church history, Vol. 2, page 545.)

10. We without our dead and our dead without us cannot be saved with a perfect salvation. (Doc. and Cov. 128: 18, Reorganite edition CX: 18.)

11. We cannot lightly pass this doctrine over as pertaining to our salvation. (Doc and Cov. 128: 15, Reorganite edition CX: 15.)

12. The time granted to the Saints to redeem their dead and gather and seal their living relatives before the earth shall be smitten with a curse, is none too long." (History of Joseph Smith, January 20, 1844.)

Now, my Reorganite friends, in the face of this how dare you presume to circumscribe, limit and profane this doctrine of salvation for the dead? Why do you call this eternal and most glorious principle a "permissive rite," a "local commandment?" and declare before God that it is not binding on you? God has declared it to be ordained before the foundations of the world were laid for the salvation of the dead who die without a knowledge of the Gospel—an eternal principle, the burden of the Scriptures, obligatory to man. Are you in harmony with the word of God? Were your leaders inspired to declare in the face of Jehovah's commands that this eternal principle was a "local commandment" not given to them as a commandment? Binding only on the Saints at Nauvoo? Do you not fear and tremble for your own salvation in neglecting the salvation of your dead? If the Jews who lived in the days of Christ will have to answer for "all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias," because they neglected the salvation of their dead as well as their own salvation, pray tell, what will your punishment be? (See Times and Seasons, Vol. 3, pages 760-761.) Remember that you without your dead cannot be made perfect.

Confronted by this evidence, for you to declare that your leaders are inspired and that yours is the Church of Christ, is most preposterous!

That the salvation of the dead is a Bible doctrine practiced by the ancient Saints, we learn from the writings of Peter (I Peter 3: 18-20) and Paul (I Cor. 15: 29), and the Revelator John (Rev. 22: 12). Isaiah prophesied of it (Is. 42: 6, 7 and 61: 1, 2), and our Redeemer taught it to the Jews (John 5: 28, 29), not as a local commandment, but as an eternal Truth and a principle of the greatest importance to the whole human family. And for that reason "Christ also hath 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 (not in vain) unto the spirits in prison."

The keys of the Priesthood belong to the presiding officer of the Church and must be held in order that the ordinances of a perfect salvation may be administered to the Saints and in behalf of the dead. The keys of the Priesthood could only be received from the one who held them, the Prophet Joseph Smith, who received them from the heavens. Any man claiming to be the President of the High Priesthood without these keys is an imposter. We have been given a key by which the impostor may be detected, for we have the word of the Lord that,

"The great and grand secret of the whole matter, and the summum bonum of the whole subject that is lying before us, consists in obtaining the power of the Holy Priesthood. For him to whom these keys are given there is no difficulty in obtaining a knowledge of facts in relation to the salvation of the children of men, both as well for the dead as for the living." (Doc. and Cov. 128: 11, Reorganite edition CX: 11.)

This declaration from the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith is most explicit. We may ask: Has the president of the 'Reorganized' church obtained this Priesthood? No, he has not! Then there is no wonder that he cannot obtain "knowledge of the facts in relation to the salvation of the children of men, both as well for the dead as for the living." If he had obtained the keys would it be possible for him to lead his people for more than forty-five years without a knowledge of this power which the Lord through the Prophet declares is not difficult for him who holds the keys and the powers of the Holy Priesthood, and which is the "sealing and binding power, and in one sense of the word the keys of the kingdom which consists in the keys of knowledge?" If he held these keys would it be possible that this grand and glorious principle would have been neglected for so long a time when his father the Prophet declared that in this day there was "not too much time to save and redeem" the dead and gather the living relatives that they also may be saved, before the consummation decreed falls upon the world? Would it be possible, if he held these keys, for him to declare that this doctrine was a local commandment, a permissive rite, not binding on the Saints? Verily No!

The Lord declared in 1842, that He was about to restore to earth many things pertaining to the Priesthood (Doc. and Cov. 127: 5, Reorganite edition CIX: 5), and that only in Temples could the fullness of the Priesthood be restored (Doc. and Cov. 124: 28, Reorganite edition CVII: 10). Did the word of the Lord fail? Did the Lord make a mistake? If the contention of the "Reorganized" church is true, He did. But Latter-day Saints know better. On our part we will accept the word of the Lord.

Since the "Reorganized" church does not build Temples, and knows of "no temple building except as edifices wherein to worship God and no endowment except the endowment of the Holy Spirit of the kind experienced by the early Saints on Pentecost day," it is to be expected that their president should be ignorant of the "fullness of the Priesthood" and therefore experience great "difficulty in obtaining knowledge." If the elders of that church had read in the CVII section of their Doctrine and Covenants (L. D. S. edition 124: 39-42) they would have discovered that the doctrine of "ceremonial endowments" is there taught most plainly:

"Therefore, verily I say unto you, that your anointings, and your washings, and your baptisms for the dead, and your solemn assemblies, and your memorials for your sacrifices, by the sons of Levi, and for your oracles in your most holy places, wherein you receive conversations, and your statutes and judgments, for the beginning of the revelations and foundation of Zion, and for the glory, honor and endowment of all her municipals, are ordained by the ordinances of my holy house, which my people are always commanded to build unto my holy name.

"And verily I say unto you, let this house (Nauvoo Temple) be built unto my name, that I may reveal mine ordinances therein, unto my people; for I deign to reveal unto my Church, things which have been kept hid from before the foundation of the world; things that pertain to the dispensation of the fullness of times; and I will show unto my servant Joseph all things pertaining to this house and the Priesthood thereof."

Now, if all the foregoing passages are true—and they must be if Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God, which he was—then these things pertaining to the Priesthood were revealed to him; and salvation for the dead is just as binding on us and just as important as salvation for the living. One depends upon the other, and they are binding on all the children of men. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cannot teach one without the other, for they are inseparable. A house divided against itself cannot stand.

Repent, therefore, and receive the Gospel, save yourselves with your dead by becoming saviors on Mount Zion, before the consummation decreed falls upon the earth; and by hearkening to these things, you will not be "smitten with a curse", nor "utterly wasted" when the dreadful day of the Lord does come.

"Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoner shall go free!" (Doc and Cov. 128: 22, Reorganite Doc. and Cov. 110: 22.)