Latter-day Saints:—Have we not proven most conclusively that men must repent of their sins and turn away from their iniquities before they can gain access to the Kingdom of God?
The World:—Sufficient evidence has been given to prove that sincere and genuine repentance must be exhibited in the lives of all men who hope for salvation, for the decree has gone forth that no unclean thing can enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Latter-day Saints:—Have we not proven that the proper mode of baptism is immersion, and that the object of baptism is for the remission of sins?
The World:—The testimony of your witnesses in regard to the mode, object and essentiality of baptism cannot be refuted. Christ's answer to Nicodemus—"Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God"—should put an end to all discussion on that subject.
Latter-day Saints:—Have we not proven that after a man has complied with the ordinance of baptism, he must receive the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands of authorized servants of God?
The World:—Such was the practice in the primitive church. After baptism the Apostles confirmed the believers by the laying on of hands, with prayer, and conferring the Holy Ghost.
Latter-day Saints:—These are the first principles of the Gospel of Christ, and the Apostle Paul has declared that "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." (Gal. 1: 8.)
The World:—You have laid before us in a most clear and convincing manner the plan of salvation. Permit us now to ask you, What is to become of those who have died in ignorance of the Gospel of Christ?
Latter-day Saints:—Our reply to that question is this: God is a God of mercy and justice. He does not seek a crop where there has been no seed sown. All those who have died in ignorance of the Gospel are in the hands of Him whose nature and whose name is Love, whose desire is that all His children may be saved and brought to a knowledge of the truth. He has made provision whereby the glad tidings of great joy which the angel brought to the shepherds on the morning of the Savior's birth shall be proclaimed unto every son and daughter of God. The Creator has made of one blood all nations that dwell on the earth. There is no respect of persons with God. His glorious plan of redemption was not revealed for the benefit of a favored class. When the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds on the plains of Judaea, he said unto them, "Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people." (Luke 2: 10.) Now, it is an undisputed fact that millions had died before that time without having heard those good tidings, just as millions have died since whose ears have never been saluted with the good news of the Savior's birth, and of the great redemption which He purchased for the whole human family by the shedding of His most precious blood. Who could be so lost to all reason as to think for a moment that God would consign to everlasting punishment all those who died in absolute ignorance of His Divine laws? We now ask you, as Paul asked the Roman saints, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Rom. 10: 14.) But here is the Apostle Peter, a recognized authority on the doctrine of Christ. Hear what he has to say in the subject.