IV. Ordinances and Practices. — 1. The ordinances of the Mormon (iospel are five: (1) Faith, which is very strangely described in the Doctr. and Cor., as already (pioted. What is really required of a Saint in this respect is "faith in Joseph and his successors," and not aljsolute acceptance of the Scriptures, i. c. the Bible and the ^lor- nion writings, but a " reverence" for them, and " absolute obedience" to the president and priesthood. (See § V, below.) (2) Repentance, i. e. sorrow for sin and resolu- tion to lead a good life. (3) Baptism, which is admin- istered by immersion, to none younger than eight years, that being regarded as the fige at which responsibility begins {Doctr. ami Cor.ch.xxii, § 4, p. IGO). Infant bap- tism is declared to be a "solemn mockery, because lit- tle children have no sins to repent of, and are not under the curse of Adam" {Book of Mormon : Moroni, ch. viii, § 2, 3, p. 557). The rite is administered as follows: " The person who is called of God, and has authority of Jesus Christ, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented him or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her b\- name, ' Having been commis- sioned of Jesus Clirist, I baptize yon in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy (ihost. Amen.' Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water" {Book of Mormon : Xephi, ch. v, § 8, p. 457 ; Doct?: and Cor. ch. ii, § 21, p. 73). The effect of baptism, when administered to and by a qualified person, is declared to be the reniissiun of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and a title of eternal life. It is regarded as absolutely necessary to salvation ; without it neither repentance nor faith avail {Doctr. and Cot: ch. iv, § 12, p. 87). A most pecidiar tenet of their creed is tlie necessity ofbapli.vnfor the dead. To supply the deficiency of those who through ignorance or other involuntary defect have died nnl)aptized in tlie :Mormon faith, the practice of baptism for the dead was ordained at a very early period of ^lormonism, and is incorporated as a necessary ordinance into the Book of Doctr. and Cor. (§ 105, loii). The faith is jireached to the dead in Hades by departed Saints; anil the benefit of baptism is obtained for them by ]iroxy. Any be- liever may and should be baptized for his departed friends, relations, and ancestors to the most remote ages; and, in the perfect state, those for whom a person has been thus baptized will be added to his family and sub-
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jects (Spencer, Letters, p. 162-164 ; Millcn. Star, x, 87 sq. ; Stenhouse, p. 476 sq.). To this effect the Mor- mon hymnist sings :
•'I am Ziouward bound, where a Seer is our head, We'll there be baptized for our
friends that are dead; By obeying this law we may set
them all free, And saviours ive shall xqwn Mount Ziun be."
{Millen. Star, xv, 143.)
The chancellor of the University of Dcseret informs us that " unless this is done for the dead Ihet/ cannot he redeemecr (Spencer, p. 166). The same learned authority announces that '• Peter tells how the devout and honorable dead may be saved, who never heard the Gosjiel on earth. Says he [St.Peter!], 'else why are they baptized for the dead ?' " (Spencer here refers in- correctly to 1 Cor. XV, 29 as the ■work of St. Peter.) A careful rec- ord of the persons vicariously bap- tized is kept by duly appointed registrars. These records arc the books spoken of bv St. John (Eev. XX, 12), the Book of Life being a record kept in heaven to verify those kept on earth (Doctr. and Gov. ch. cvi, § 6, 7, p. 319). (4) Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, sometimes called baptism by fire as distinguished from baptism by water. It is usually administered immediately after baptism, of which it is regarded as the completion. By it the spirit of prophecy, the gift of tongues, and the pow- er to work miracles are given. There have been multi- tudes of persons in the world who have believed and as- serted that to them, and to them only, God gave visions, dreams, angel-visits, the power of healing the sick and " casting out devils ;" and they have declared that these were proofs of the heavenly origin of the faith which they proclaimed, and this it is that the Saints have been taught by the modern apostles to regard as special and particular to them, while it has been a peculiarity com- mon to the religious experience of all the world. (5) The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was originally ad- ministered in bread and wine, as Christ himself ordained when he appeared to the Nephitcs (Book of Mormon : Kcphi, cli. vili, § 6, p. 469). But in 1833 it was revealed to Sniitli that "strong drinks are not for the belly, but for the washing of your bodies," and that wine was only to be used in this ordinance if it was the pure juice of the grape, and made by Mormons (Doctr. and Car. ch. Ixxxi, § 1 , p. 240). Water only, therefore, is now used. The rite is administered every Sunday. The water, hav- ing been blessed, is handed around in tin cans, together with the bread (Kae, p. 106).