-- 12May44
[Joseph Smith Sermon] ... The sectarians have no Charity for me but I have for them.
I intend to send men to prison to preach to them, and this is all on the Principle of entering in by Water and Spirit.
Dead Must Have Same Ordinances as Living and baptism for the dead, who died without the knowledge of the gospel I am going on in my progress for eternal life--it is not only necessary that you should be baptized for your dead, but you will have to go thro' all the ordinances for them, same as you have gone through, to save yourselves; there will be 144,000 Saviors on Mount Zion, and with them an innumerable host, that no man can number-- therefore those who are baptised for their dead are the Saviour's on mount Zion & the[y] must receive their washings and their anointings for their dead the same as for themselves till the[y] are connected to the ones in the dispensation before us and trace their leniage to connect the priesthood again and if any other man preach any other gospel then this and the Baptism for the remission of sins and the laying on of hands for the reception of the holy ghost let him be anathematized or accursed The curs of god shall be upon him or them.
Then you must not only be baptized for them but they must receive the Holy Ghost by Proxy and be sealed by it unto the day of their redemption as all the other ordinances by proxy.
All persons who have been Baptized and who have received the Holy Ghost may be baptized for their ancestors or near relatives. God has administrators in the eternal world to release those spirits from Prison the ordinances being administered by proxy upon them the law is fulfilled.
Make Your Calling and Election Sure Oh! I beseech you to forward, go forward and make your calling and your election sure---and if any man preach any other gospel with that which I have preached, he shall be cursed, and some of you who now hear me, shall see it & know that I testify the truth concerning them; Nations Come to the Temple Then Return in regard to the law of the Priesthood--there should be a place where all nations shall come up from time to time to receive their endowments, and the Lord has said, this shall be the place for the baptism for the dead--every man that has been baptized and belongs to the Kingdom, has a right to be baptized for those who are gone before, and, as soon as the Law of the Gospel is obeyed here by their friends, who act as proxy for them, the Lord has administrators there to set them free--a man may act as proxy for his own relatives-- Ordinances put in Place Before the World Made the ordinances of the Gospel which was laid out before the foundation of the world has been thus fulfilled, by them, and we may be baptized for those who we have much friendship for, Baptized for Relatives and Friends (With Permission) but it must be first revealed to the man of God, lest we should run too far.... (1)
-- Jun 27, 1844
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 27th I had an interview with Elder B. Young. Spent the fore part of the day together. He took cars for Salem & I spent the latter part of the day at Elder Ananias McAllister, 296 Washington st.
/We sat together in the depo while Joseph & Hiram were killed. Brother Young was vary sorrowful & pressed in spirit without knowing the cause.
/I went to meeting in the Evening & confirmed Brother John Hardy & 30 other persons, most of which were rebaptized for the remission of sins. ... (2)
-- Jun 30, 1844
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 30th Met persuant to adjournment. Was addressed in the fore noon by Professor Orson Pratt, who took away all the objections of the world against new revelation.
The meeting was addressed in the afternoon by Elder L. Wight, who showed the principle of the immortality of the body as well as the soul & also the principle of Charity, running it into Baptism for the dead.... (2)
-- Aug 18, 1844
[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 18th Sunday I met a vast congregation of the Saints at the grove to hear a discourse from President Young upon the present excitement that is through Nauvoo in consequence of unwise teaching by some that are trying to draw away a party after them. The following is a synopsis of the discourse:
President Young arose and said that he had many things to speak of. It was my mind in the first place that we should have suitable time to meditate upon all matters and weigh them, even evry subject wharein we felt interested. When the question was asked me if they Should continue to Baptise for the dead, I said I had no council to give upon that subject at that time but should think it not best to attend to it at that time.... (2)
Footnotes:
1 - The Parallel Joseph, http://www.boap.org/LDS/Parallel/
2 - Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies
LDS History Chronology: Unconventional Baptisms
Mormon History Timeline: Forms of Rebaptism in LDS History
http://lds-church-history.blogspot.com/
