for is lost but greatest of all there is no compliance to command infant baptism is not essential jesus atoned for the sins of the world but each man is to atone for his own individual sins what infant has sins for which it is necessary to atone and how could a just god send an unbaptized babe straight to hell this is unreasonable did not jesus himself say when holding up a babe in front of the multitude unless ye become as one of these ye cannot enter the kingdom of heaven to him little children stood for the greatest humility and purity in only a few instances has the holy ghost ever descended upon man without having previously been baptized in these instances it was to convince the skeptical apostles that the gospel was not only for the jews but also for the hated gen tiles cornelius and his household were gentiles who had ac cepted the gospel and were ready for baptism peter was com manded by god to go and preach unto them and while preach ing the holy ghost fell upon all present afterward peter baptized them it took these instances to convince the apostles that the gospel was for all mankind a portion of the spirit of the lord is given every man as soon as he is born but the spirit of the holy ghost is given only through confirmation then its influence is not immediately felt and in some cases never this would not be the case if those upon whom it was bestowed lived worthily of receiving it for with the confirm ation their bodies are set apart as fit tabernacles for the spirit to dwell in baptism for the dead is one of the grandest principles of the gospel if it were not for this provision what would be come of all those who have died without having the opportunity of accepting it granting as most churches do that baptism is necessary before entering any church is it not just as necessary that the dead who receive the gospel be baptized just as nec essary but why is the baptism carried on as a vicarious work why not let those who accept it in heaven be baptized in heaven because it is an earthly ordinance which god has authorized his servants on earth to perform with a promise that whatsoever they bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever they loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven he recognizes this priesthood and honors it there are certain relations between god and man as we here aee there are certain rights which he has over man and some of these man can demand from god if he but put himself in a condition to receive them god himself has said that surely he will do nothing but what he will reveal his mind to his ser vants the prophets he did this in ancient times when the people needed his word no more than we do today so why is it not just as reasonable to believe that he does reveal it today religion after all is nothing more than god's will made known unto man and to the extent that we think speak and act in conformity with his will are we religious — belva woodmansee 07 i slept and dreamed that life was beauty i awoke and found that life was duty was thy dream then a shadowy lie toil on poor heart unceasingly and tbou shalt find thy dreams to be a truth and noon day light to thee ellen stri a good man possesses a kingdom whom they have injured they also hate no one knows what he can do till he tries it matters not how long you live but how well i have often regretted my speech never my silence a wise man should have money in his head but not in his heart dean swift