Moroni, the heavenly messenger who ministered to Joseph Smith, Jun., makes the universality of the work to be accomplished still plainer: "And he shall plant in the hearts of the children, the promises made to the 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;" P. of G. P., p. 50.
"It is sufficient to know, in this case, 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 fulness 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 kept hid 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 fulness of times;" Doc. & Cov., sec. 128. 18.
The time came for Elijah to appear and fill his great and glorious mission. The place was prepared, and the men were there who had the faith to receive him, and the authority and power he was to bring to men in the flesh, to administer in the ordinances of the Gospel for the dead.
He appeared to Joseph, the Seer, and O. Cowdery, in the Kirtland Temple, April 3d, 1836, and said, "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 the 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. & Cov., sec. 110. 14, 15, 16.
Ordinances for the salvation of the dead require temples, or sacred places especially constructed for their administration. The former-day Saints usually remained in the same scattered condition in which they received the Gospel. For these reasons, it is probable that the doctrines pertaining to the salvation of the dead were imperfectly taught. This may account for so little being said in the New Testament on this subject.
The prophet Joseph has given special instructions on this subject in secs. 127 & 128, Doc. & Cov.
See Sermon by B. Young, J. of D., Vol. 3, page 362.
" " J. Smith, " " 6, " 1.
" " Jos. Young, " " 6, " 226.