Mr. Durant of Salt Lake City, "That Mormon"

by Ben. E. Rich

"'Never mind, I say, whether you believe my words or not, I promise, and will make good that promise, that you shall again have your cup, and it shall be made of the same identical silver, having the same form, and being composed of nothing but the same metal. I don't mean the same kind, but the very same silver you dropped into that fluid.'

"And with this he took a few hand fulls of common salt, flung them into the liquid, and there formed in the solution a white solid; this he removed, dried and heated in a crucible, and the result was a lump of silver of the highest lustre.

"'Now, you see,' said the kind-hearted man, 'how easy it is to restore when you understand the method by which it is done. All the silver composing that cup of yours is now in my hands. How easy it is for me to have it remoulded in the same moulds! and who will say you have not the same cup resurrected from the grave?'

"Can you not understand," said Durant, "that this laborer was in the same condition as the poor mortals who are in painful ignorance of the way and means by which the resurrection will take place? And yet how simple when once understood. The cup had been buried in that world of liquid, it had dissolved and had been scattered throughout the world in which it was buried, and to a person unacquainted with the laws governing such things, was lost forever. If man, who is as a babe compared with God in intelligence, could resurrect a cup from that little world, do you not think it possible for God, who is the fountain-head of intelligence and power, to restore your body after it has been scattered through out this little world of ours? And as the restoring of that cup appeared very simple to that laboring man, so I believe the resurrection of the body will appear very simple to us when we are on the other side, and fully understand the laws, methods and powers which govern the restoration."

At this moment a Mr. Williams, who had been a very attentive listener during the entire evening, arose and said: "Mr. Durant, to all appearances you have proved every argument made with some quotation from the Bible; your mode of reasoning appears very logical, but I have here a passage which seems to conflict with the argument that baptism is positively essential to salvation."

"If so," answered the Elder, "I will be pleased to listen. Really, if you have found an argument, from the sayings of Christ or His apostles, which promises salvation without baptism, you have certainly made a great discovery."

"Well, I think the discovery has been made," answered Williams, "and it seems strange that a gentleman who has made the Bible as much of a study as you have, has never been able to comprehend it."

"Thanks, but now for the argument; do not build your hopes too high, perhaps you misunderstand your own reading of the Sacred Record."

"Well, that remains to be seen. You have disclaimed all belief in death-bed repentance bringing salvation, and you are, as well, a disbeliever in salvation without baptism. Now to the law and the testimony once more. Examine the account of the crucifixion, as recorded in Luke 23rd chapter, beginning with the 39th verse. Christ upon that occasion had a male factor on either side of Him; one railed on Him saying, 'If though be Christ, save thyself and us,' while the other, being filled with repentance and being converted, rebuked his companion in sin and implored the blessed Redeemer: 'Lord remember me when thou comest to thy kingdom.' Christ, witnessing the repentance of this malefactor, even at the last moment of his life, presented him with the gift of salvation before giving up the ghost: 'Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.' These were the words used by the Captain of our salvation; the promise was granted without baptism, and he was carried to heaven with our Savior; and yet in the very face of this testimony you proclaim the doctrine that without baptism salvation cannot be obtained."

"Christ did not offer that malefactor salvation on that occasion, neither was he carried to heaven with the Redeemer. I desire to convince you, Mr. Williams, if you will accept the statement in the Bible, and I believe you will, that Christ did not go to His Father until some time after this, and that the paradise referred to is not the haven of salvation that we all hope to reach."