--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Joseph S. Peery collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 24 number: 3 published: 1921-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Joseph S. Peery, "Why Baptism?," *Improvement Era* 24, no. 3 (January 1921): 212–213.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2403unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera2403unse start_page: 212 end_page: 213 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2403unse publication_year: 1921 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1921, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Why Baptism? 212 IMPROVEMENT ERA forward: "I know you now, you are the girl of the panel picture!" Rob Henry brushed his hand across his forehead, passed his other arm around the girl, and turned to the older man: "Yes, Hy, I remember now. A tumble long ago closed a valve in my brain. The one today has jarred it open. Helen is the girl of my panel picture." The afternoon shadows were lengthening; over the distant peak of old Graybeck, a faint tinge of purple and gold hung like a softly draped veil. As Hy Brown breathed the odors of the fresh-washed earth, a silent prayer went up from his heart that happiness would abide with Robert Henry and the girl of the panel picture. San Diego, Cal. Why Baptism? By Joseph S. Peery A guide on Temple Block held a company of tourists for a few minutes outside the Tabernacle at the west end and remarked, "These steps lead to a room where there is a beautiful white marbel baptismal font. We baptize by immersion for the remission of sins." A young lady in the company spoke up. "Why baptism?" The guide answered, "The only reason I know is because the Savior said so, and I believe he meant what he said. He told Nicodemus (John 3:5) 'Except a man be born of water and of : the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' Cannot means cannot. Certainly the Savior has the right to prescribe the initiation necessary to enter his own kingdom. You gentlemen who belong to societies in the world had to follow the initiations prescribed to enter therein. The spiritual world, as well as the physical, is governed by law, and only through obedience to divine law, by being 'born again,' may we even 'see the kingdom of God.' (John 3:3.) To fulfil divine law, even the perfect Savior was baptized and his last words to his disciples before his ascension into heaven were to 'preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.' (Mark 16:16.) This shows that belief alone is not sufficient. James reminds us that faith without works is dead. It takes both' faith and works to be saved." "We claim for our Priesthood the divine authority to baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. How do we get it? It is the authority that counts. Paul says, 'No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is WHY BAPTISM? 213 called of God, as was Aaron.' (Heb. 5:4.) Aaron received the Priesthood through direct revelation. (Exodus 28:1.) John the Baptist, who baptized the Savior, came, as a resurrected being, and conferred upon Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery the Aaronic Priesthood, the authority to baptize for the remission of sins. In turn the same authority that John the Baptist thus conferred has come to us by the laying on of hands by those who received the authority in this dispensation." "We baptize by immersion, placing the candidate under the water typical of the burial of the Savior, coming up out of the water in likeness of the resurrection." "However, we do not baptize little children. The object of baptism is for the remission of sins. Little children are incapable of committing sin. When they die they are absolutely saved, and go back to the presence of their Father in heaven, for the Savior and Redeemer of mankind said, 'Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.' (Matt. 19:14.) We baptize the children at the age of eight, the age of accountability." "To one who is accountable, baptism is essential to enter the kingdom of God, because the Savior said so and set the example himself by being baptized." The company then moved along to see the great organ in the Tabernacle. In this interval a lady and a gentleman went to the guide and approved of the doctrine they had just heard as being reasonable and scriptural. The Dope Fiend Down the street he slinks, when night falls low, A derelict in the ebb and flow Of the city's throng. His hands are cold As he taps the door where dreams are sold. His eyes are listless, his lips are thin, His face is ashen, his chest sunk in; Poor fellow! He once was a mother's pride, And once had a sweetheart by his side. But now, down the street, when night hangs low, He slinks —poor chap!— from the city's glow, Slinks like a hunted thing to the den Where dreams are sold to the ship-wrecked men: Dreams that are restful, delicious, and fair, But dreams that lead to the gulf Despair. Raymond, Canada Frank C. Steele