"We believe that little children are innocent, and not under transgression; that they are incapable of obeying any law, not understanding good or evil; and Jesus says, 'Of such are the kingdom of heaven;' but then, when they arrive at the years of maturity, and know good from evil, and are capable of obeying or disobeying law; if they then transgress, they will be condemned for breaking a known law.
"We believe that no man will be condemned for not obeying a law that he does not know; and that consequently millions of the human family who have never heard the gospel, are more blessed than those who have had that privilege, and have refused to accept it; that mankind will be judged according to the deeds done in the body.
"We believe in the sufferings, death and atoning sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and in His resurrection and ascension on high, and in the Holy Ghost, which is given to all who obey the gospel.
"We believe, first, it is necessary to have faith in God, and that, next, it is necessary to repent of our sins to confess and to turn away from them, and make restitution to all whom we have injured, as far as it is in our power.
"We believe that the third necessity is to be baptized by immersion in water, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 'for remission of sins,' and that this ordinance must be performed by one having authority, or otherwise it is of no avail.
"The fourth is, to receive the laying on of hands, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the gift of the Holy Ghost; and this ordinance must also be administered by the Apostles or the Elders, whom the Lord Jesus has called to lay on hands, nor then is it of any advantage except to those persons who have complied with the before-named three conditions.
"We believe that the Holy Ghost is the same now, as it was in the apostolic days, and that when a church is organized, it is its privilege to have all the gifts, powers and blessings which flow from the Holy Spirit:
"'Such, for instance, as the gifts of revelation, prophecy, visions, the ministry of angels, healing the sick by the laying on of hands in the name of Jesus, the working of miracles, and, in short, all the gifts mentioned in the scriptures, or enjoyed by the ancient Saints.' We believe that inspired apostles and prophets, together with all the officers as mentioned in the New Testament, are necessary in the Church in these days.
"We believe that there has been a general and awful apostasy from the religion of the New Testament, so that all the known world have been left for centuries without the church of Christ among them; without a priesthood authorized of God to administer ordinances; that every one of the churches has perverted the gospel, some in one way and some in another. For instance, almost every church has ignored the doctrine of 'immersion for the remission of sins.' Those few who have practiced it have abolished the ordinance of the 'laying on of hands' upon baptized believers for the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Again the few who have practiced the last ordinance have perverted the first, or have denied the ancient gifts, powers and blessings which flow from the Holy Spirit, or have said to the inspired apostles and prophets, we have no need of you in the body. Those few, again, who have believed in, and contended for, the miraculous gifts and powers of the Holy Spirit, have perverted the ordinances. Thus all the churches preach false doctrines and distort the gospel, and instead of having authority from God to administer its ordinances, they are under the curse of God for corrupting it. Paul says (Gal. i: 8), 'Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.'
"We believe that there are a few sincere, honest and humble persons who are striving to do according to the best of their understanding, but, in many respects, they err in doctrine because of false teachers and the precepts of men, and that they will receive the fullness of the gospel with gladness as soon as they hear it."