To punish the heathen for not confessing Christ when in fact he never heard of Him is contrary to the justice of an All-wise Creator. But God has provided a better way. All who have never heard the Gospel in life will have an opportunity after death, as clearly set forth in the above as in the following: "Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live." "But," says the objector, "that means all they that are dead in sin," but read a little farther: "Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice." (John v, 25 and 28.) Again, "For as Jonas was three days and nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matt, xii, 40.) By these passages it is clearly apparent that the Savior fore-knew His mission to the spirit world in the heart of the earth, and that while there, all who were in their graves would hear His voice.
Not only was this understood by Jesus and His Apostles, but long prior to the Savior's day the Prophets foresaw the work He would do for the dead, "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand and will keep thee, and give thee a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." (Isaiah xlii, 6-7.) Here the prophet foretold the labors of the Savior. During His sojourn in the flesh, we have no account of His having brought out the prisoners from the prison, or proclaiming liberty to the captives, or the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Had He done so, the Roman government would have had a case against Him, yet Pilate found no fault in Him. Hence we must look elsewhere for the fulfilment of these passages.
"And it shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high and the kings of the earth upon the earth, and they shall be gathered together as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited." (Isaiah xxiv, 21-2.) Here is the finale of a terrible picture of the earth's desolation, when it is to be empty, turned upside down, broken, dissolved, removed like a cottage, and the inhabitants thereof scattered. All are to be gathered, including the kings, and the high ones, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, shut up in prison and after many days visited. What will be the object of this visitation? Peter has already told it: as Christ visited the antediluvians, so when these have suffered the vengeance of Almighty God in the spirit, some of His servants, ministering angels, will be sent to visit them and preach the Gospel to them as Jesus did.
"Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of Glory shall come in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." (Psalm xxiv, 7-8.) What was the subject of the vision thus portrayed by the prophet, and where was it to take place? He saw the Savior making His triumphal entry into the infernal regions, and with irresistible power the gate and doors are made to fly open and the immortal King stands in the midst of prisoners of the spirit world. Thus the full import of that beautiful passage of the psalmist David would read: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates of hell, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors of the prisons of the damned, and the King of Glory shall come into the regions of darkness proclaiming liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison doors to them that are bound in hell."
If the antediluvians after their long sojourn in the regions of darkness were had in remembrance before God so that He sent His beloved Son to preach to them the Gospel during the time His body lay in the tomb, what shall be done for those who have died since the Savior's visit to the spirit world? As His Apostles and all His faithful followers served Him in life, who shall say that after death they will not follow His example, and continue to serve Him by going to the spirit world and there preaching to the spirits in prison who have died without a knowledge of the Gospel? And when these poor benighted beings, after their long captivity under the reign of Lucifer, listen to the precious truths of the Gospel of Christ and become converted, straightway the question arises, How can I obey the ordinance of baptism? I am in a disembodied state of existence, yet my Savior has said: "Except ye are born of water and of the Spirit, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God." Oh, wonderful plan provided by the Almighty! The living may be baptized for the dead. It is very plain that this great principle was understood by the ancient Saints, as will be seen by the words of the Apostle Paul, addressed to the Corinthians: "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead arise not at all, why are they then baptized for the dead?" (I Cor. xv, 29.)
A MOTHER'S INFLUENCE.
A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE FIELDINGS AND THE BIRTH OF PRESIDENT JOSEPH F. SMITH.
John Fielding and his wife, Rachel, were natives of Yorkshire, England, having been born in 1759 and 1768, respectively. They were married at that place, and afterwards moved to Bedfordshire, where they lived together for forty years in the humble and happy sphere of farm life. They were both devoted Methodists, Mr. Fielding having the distinction of being a local preacher, in which capacity he labored most faithfully, often riding from ten to thirty miles to fill his appointments, but never accepting a penny for his work from the society which voted to compensate him for his services. Together with his faithful wife, he lived a life of industry, sobriety and integrity before men, fearing God and keeping His commandments to the best of his knowledge with all the sincerity and humility of his soul. Nine children were born of this union, among whom were Joseph and Mary, whom we wish on this occasion particularly to single out in our sketch. The mother died in 1828, and in 1832 young Joseph left his nativity to go to America to prepare the way for the rest of the family to follow. He located in upper Canada, being subsequently joined by the members of his family from England, his two sisters among them, who, together with himself, and also other progressive spirits of the village, applied themselves closely to the Scriptures. A little body of seekers after truth was organized, in which was found John Taylor, who afterwards became president of the Church. The Society met several times a week in company with a Methodist preacher, to study the different religions, and to pray for the Lord to send them the Holy Ghost; for through their research they had been led to believe many of the principles of the Gospel contrary to the orthodox dogmas of the times. It was during this time that Apostle Parley P. Pratt went on his mission to Canada, and was directed to the home of Brother Taylor. He was admitted into the association of investigators, and as a result Joseph Fielding, his two sisters and his family, and also John Taylor accepted the Gospel and subsequently moved to Kirtland. The Methodist minister being chided by his members, rejected the truth and became a persecutor of the Saints.
In 1837 the wife of the Patriarch Hyrum Smith died, leaving him with six small children. Later he married again, taking to wife Mary Fielding, one of Joseph Fielding's sisters, who had embraced the Gospel in Canada through the labors of Apostle Pratt.