The above is confirmed by the Jewish scriptures also; for it is written in the concluding chapter of Deuteronomy—
"There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.
"In all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt." (Deut. xxiv:10-12.)
Of the things we have spoken respecting the Gospel being presented to ancient Israel, this is the sum: the Lord gave them the Gospel, but because they would not observe its sacred requirements, he took it, that is in its fullness, from among them, and also the higher or Melchizedek Priesthood; but left with them the lesser or Aaronic Priesthood; which holds "the key of the ministering of angels and the preparatory Gospel" (see above), "to minister in outward ordinances, the letter of the Gospel—the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins," (Doc. & Cov. Sec. cvii, 20.) and to the part of the Gospel which remained, viz., faith in God, repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, was added the law of carnal commandments, which was to educate Israel for the fullness of the Gospel when Messiah should come with it. (The Gospel, pp. 233, 234, 235.)
4. Gospel Rites Among the Jews: In addition to the evidence supplied by the Scriptures in the above argumentative note, in the Article on baptism in Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, it is said:
"There is an universal agreement among later Jewish writers that all the Israelites were brought into covenant with God by circumcision, baptism, and sacrifice, and that the same ceremonies were necessary in admitting proselytes. Thus Malmonides (Issure Biah, cap. 13); "Israel was admitted into covenant by three things, namely, by circumcision, baptism, and sacrifice. Circumcision was in Egypt, as it is said, 'None uncircumcised shall eat of the passover.' Baptism was in the wilderness before the giving of the Law, as it is said, 'Thou shalt sanctify them today and to-morrow, and let them wash their garments.'" And he adds, "So, whenever a Gentile desires to enter into the covenant of Israel, and place himself under the wings of the Divine Majesty, and take the yoke of the Law upon him, he must be circumcised, and baptized and bring a sacrifice; or if it be a woman, she must be baptized and bring a sacrifice." The same is abundantly testified by earlier writers, as by the Jerusalem and Babylonian Talmud, although no reference to this custom can be found in Philo, Josephus, or the Targum of Onkelos. Its earliest mention appears to be in the Targum of Jonathan on Ex. xii. 44. "Thou shalt circumcise him and baptize him." It should be added, that men, women, and children, were all baptized, and either two or three witnesses were required to be present. Some modern writers—Lardner, Ernesti, De Wette, Meyer, Paulus, and others—have doubted or denied that this baptism of proselytes had been in use among the Jews from times so early as those of the Gospel; but it is highly improbable that, after the rise of Christianity, the Jews should have adopted a rite so distinctively Christian as baptism had then become." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Art. "Baptism," Vol. I, p. 233, 234.)
In addition to the evidence cited in Smith's Dictionary, we may add as a convincing fact that before the advent of Jesus as a religious teacher, John the Baptist came to Israel crying repentance, and both teaching and administering baptism for the remission of sins. (See Matt, iii; Mark i; Luke iii; John i.) Which established the fact that this Gospel rite of baptism, was a well established institution among the Jews under the law of Moses and existed in connection with those ceremonies and sacrifices which figured forth the redemption to be wrought out by the Christ. Jesus also bears witness to the same effect in his conversation with Nicodemus, [John iii] where he teaches to that worthy man the mysteries of the second birth, saying that, "except a man be born of water [i. e. baptized] and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." And when Nicodemus could not Comprehend this doctrine "Jesus answered and said unto him. Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things?" Clearly proving that Jesus was not advancing any new doctrine, but referring to the 'well established Gospel doctrine in Israel.
5. The Book of Mormon Testimony: The Book of Mormon bears most important testimony upon the subject of the Mosaic rites and ceremonies figuring forth the atonement to be made by Messiah and of the existence of the knowledge both of the coming and the mission of that Messiah. Also a knowledge that the law of Moses was of no efficiency in securing salvation for man only as it was associated with, and finally would be completed in, the coming and atonement of the Christ.
The late President John Taylor in his work "Mediation and Atonement," has grouped in small compass the facts that are set forth in the Book of Mormon, bearing on this subject as follows:
"From the Bible we turn to the Book of Mormon wih a view to discover to what extent the law of sacrifice, as a type of the offering up of the promised of Israel which God planted on this continent. In perusing the pages of this sacred record, we shall find several important facts and ideas, in connection with this subject, presented very prominently by the ancient Nephite historians: among them—