--- title: Times and Seasons description: Issues of 1842 to 1843. authors: - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints editors: - Ebenezer Robinson - Don Carlos Smith - Smith, Joseph, Jr. - Taylor, John collections: - periodicals tags: - newspaper - times-and-seasons - nauvoo - nineteenth-century periodical: Times and Seasons volume: 4 number: 22 published: 1843-10-01 publisher: E. Robinson and D. C. Smith; later John Taylor publisher_place: Commerce and Nauvoo, Illinois language: en type: article reference: "“Baptism-the Mode of Its Administration-Its Efficacy-Dr. Moshiem-State of the Religious World-the Apostasy [Apostasy], &c., &c,” *Times and Seasons* 4, no. 22 (October 1, 1843): 339–342." printed_title: BAPTISM-THE MODE OF ITS ADMINISTRATION-ITS EFFICACY-DR. MOSHIEM-STATE OF THE RELIGIOUS WORLD-THE APOSTASY [APOSTASY], &c., &c source: url: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-10-01_4_22 transcription: Text from the Centerplace.org transcription (https://www.centerplace.org/history/ts/v4n22.htm), with its page breaks; this Internet Archive scan is the reference copy (its OCR was used only as a witness for OCR repair) identifier: per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-10-01_4_22 start_page: 339 end_page: 342 curator_note: A Mormon newspaper published by the church in Nauvoo; included for historical study. Inclusion does not imply endorsement. rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1843 (Nauvoo, Illinois); published before 1931, so public domain in the United States source: https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_times-and-seasons_1843-10-01_4_22 publication_year: 1843 --- # Baptism-the Mode of Its Administration-Its Efficacy-Dr. Moshiem-State of the Religious World-the Apostasy [Apostasy], &c., &c (Continued.) BROTHER TAYLOR:- The people of this enlightened age profess to believe the Bible, but when we lay before them the glorious principles and truths it contains, they are ready to take our lives, persecute us with mobs, tar, feathers, stripes, stones, and heap all manner of reproach, abuse and indignities upon us. St. John XV: 18-21; 'If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the word, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my names' sake, because they know not him that sent me.' For preaching the truths of the Bible, and worshipping God according to its teachings, the 'Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints,' has been driven four times from their peaceful homes. Many of them have died martyrs for the cause of Jesus, bearing testimony of the truth of the great latter-day work, which is to gather the house of Israel from their long dispersion, restore the Jews to the land of their fathers, gather out the honest in heart from among the wicked, and prepare the way for the second advent of the Messiah, when he shall appear in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, to take vengeance on the wicked and they that know not God. The work of extermination has been carried to the very seat of domestic retirement, and the blood of mothers and children has flowed for the gospel which we preach, and declare to be the gospel of Jesus Christ. We preach the doctrine of baptism, for the remission of sins-so did Christ and the apostles. We believe in laying on hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost, and for the healing of the sick, &c: the apostles believed in, and practiced the same ordinances. Acts-VIII: 14-17; 'Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto him Peter and John: who, when they were come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (for as yet he had fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.') Why had they not received the Holy Ghost? They had been baptized but the Holy Ghost had 'fallen upon none of them.' The reason is very obvious. They had not received the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost. They had got just where the sectarian world stop with the ordinance. They could not receive the Holy Ghost without the laying on of hands, yet the religionists of the present day profess to have received the Holy Ghost, when hands has not been laid on for its reception, and some of them have not even so much as been baptized.-They are surely going to heaven upon 'flowry beds of ease.' But we shall see whether those who had been baptized at Samaria received the Holy Ghost, and what kind of an operation they had to go through to obtain it. Read the verse that follows, in the Bible, those we last quoted. It reads thus: 'Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.' This explains the whole matter and agrees precisely with the doctrine we have been advocating; that baptism is for the remission of sins, but before they can receive the Holy Ghost, they must attend to the imposition of hands. This is so plain that a school-boy, not yet out of 'baker' can see into it; yet our great men of science, biblical research and literati accuminis, cannot fathom this simple mystery. They are sending embassadors [ambassadors] to the islands of the sea, and missionaries to the heathen, with the sacred volume in their hand, and they are as ignorant of its principles, and the glorious gospel it contains, as the various savage to whom they are sent. They boast of the rapid spread of the gospel, and the great light of heaven, which is daily augmenting, and spreading its radiance over the world, but when we find out the truth of the matter, the world has not been saluted with the sound of the true gospel for several of the last centuries. Verily the great light of which men boast, has dazzled their eyes, so that they cannot see the first rudiments of the gospel of Christ. O, that the people of this enlightened age-who have been --"By the glare of false science betrayed, That leads to bewilder and dazzles to blind,--" would read the Bible and learn doctrine. We have already proven by the Bible, that there was but one mode of baptism, and that was immersion. However, we will make another extract from Dr. Moshiem upon this subject. On page 28, paragraph 8, it reads thus: 'The sacrament of baptism was administered in this [the first] century, without the public assemblies, in places appointed and prepared for that purpose, and was performed by an IMMERSION OF THE WHOLE BODY, in the baptismal font. What do you say to this, ye priests of the sprinkling order? The testimony of Dr. Moshiem must be a rather use-up argument against you. However it must be taken as good testimony, until his character as a competent witness, and veracity as a man of truth can be destroyed. Can our modern gentlemen of the sacred desk, impeach Dr. Moshiem, and render him an incompetent witness to the facts now in controversy? His celebrated work has stood the test and scrutiny of many years, and his name for a correct historian stands unrivalled [unrivaled] in the bright constellation of illustrious men. Then let the herd of modern wiseacres relapse into silence when they hear the testimony of this great man, who has a better right to state facts than they have to oppose them. We only disagree with him when he disagrees with the scriptures; but with many of the sectarian world it is visa versa:-They disagree with him when he agrees with the scriptures. This testimony of Dr. Moshiem reflects great credit upon his head and heart, and it will give it a greater weight of truth when we consider that he had adopted another mode of baptism for himself. Under these circumstances, no other than a candid and honest historian would have made the acknowledgement [acknowledgment] . Mr. Gahan a Catholic priest, also bears evidence that immersion was the manner of administering the ordinance in primitive times. But the world have gone into an awful apostacy [apostasy], and fallen away from those sacred rites and ordinances which were implanted in the Apostolic church. Paul undoubtedly alluded to the great havoc which men have made of the word and ordinances of God when he said: Acts, XX: 29, 30; 'For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.' The quotation clearly shows that Paul foresaw the calamity that would inevitably befall the church at some subsequent period. In the verse that follows the above, in the Bible, he says: 'Therefore, watch and remember, that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn every one, night and day with tears.' These quotations clearly tell the foreknowledge of Paul as to the dissensions that would arise and the apostacy [apostasy] that would ensue. He foretells also, that this great work of apostacy [apostasy] would commence even in their days; 'Also of your own selves shall men arise,' &c. Again, 'The mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way.' In his letter to the Thessalonians he says: Thes. I: 1, 2, 3; 'Now we beseech you brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled neither by spirit nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.' This shows that the seeds of discord began already to spring up in the church, notwithstanding they were blessed with the daily ministry of the apostles, and many holy men. 'Let no man deceive you by any means.' Here he warns them of the deception of men, which had already began to show itself. 'For that day shall not come except there come a falling away first.' Here is a falling away plainly predicted, and that falling away is to take place previous to the second coming of Christ, for this was said after his resurrection; so it alludes to his second advent. But to trace the degeneracy of the church we make other extracts from Dr. Moshiem's history. On page 49, paragraph 13, it reads: 'The persons that were to be baptized, after they had repeated the creed, confessed and renounced their sins, and particularly the devil and his pompous allurements, were immersed under water, and received under Christ's kingdom by a solemn invocation of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, to the express command of our Blessed Lord. After baptism they received the sign of the cross, were anointed, and by prayers and imposition of hands, were solemnly recommended to the mercy of God and dedicated to his service; in consequence of which, they received milk and honey, which concluded the ceremony. The reason of this particular ritual coincide with what we have said in general concerning the origin and causes of the multiplied ceremonies that crept from time to time into the church.' This extract alludes to the second century, as will be seen by reference to the book, and shadows forth the horrors of Catholicism with appalling force. No such ceremonies are found in the Bible, with the exception of that of 'imposition of hands,' which undoubtedly was preserved sacred until that time, and performed for the reception of the Holy Ghost, after baptism, as we have before shown. Another extract, from the same author: this refers to the third century. On page 70 paragraph 4: 'There were twice a year, stated times when baptism was administered to such as, after a long course of trial and preparation, offered themselves as candidates for the profession of christianity. * * * * We have already mentioned the principle rites that were used in the administration of baptism; and we have only to and, that no persons were admitted to this solemn ordinance, until by the menacing and formidable shouts, and declamation of the exorcist, they had been delivered from the dominion of the prince of darkness, and consecrated to the service of God. The origin of this superstitious ceremony may be easily traced, when we consider the prevailing opinions of the times. * * * * The expulsion of this demon was now considered as an essential preparation for baptism, after the administration of which, the candidate returned home, adorned with crowns and arrayed in white garments, as sacred emblems; the former, of their victory over sin and the world, the latter their inward purity and innocence.' Thus we trace the gradual inroads which the theories of men have made upon the institutions of the church of Christ. The Bible tells us nothing of these 'stated times' for baptism, this 'long course of trial and preparation,' the 'menacing and formidable shouts and declamation of the exorcist,' this adorning with 'crowns,' and 'array in white garments as sacred emblems.' Of thess [these], the apostles are completely silent; yet, as early as the third century, such disgusting ceremony and show, accompanied the sacred ordinance of God. O, shame! where hast thou hid thyself? Acts, XVI; 29-33; 'Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas; and brought them out, and said: Sirs, what must I do to be saved?-And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.' We learn from this that all the preparation for baptism in early times, was for people to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. There is nothing in this like the sectarian system of six months trial, mourner's benches, &c. Paul and Silas spake unto the jailor [jailer] and his household the word of the Lord, and the same hour that they believed, they were baptized. So in case of Philip and the eunuch, as may be seen from the 8th chapter of Acts. As soon as the eunuch believed with all his heart, that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, Philip commanded the chariot to stand still, 'and they both went into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.' This is the way they done up business in early times. O, that the world would learn wisdom by the examples that are set them! But to trace this ordinance into the fourth century, from the same author: On page 99, 7th paragraph: 'Baptism was administered during the vigils of Easter and Whit-Suntide, with lighted tapers, by the bishop and the presbyters, commissioned by him for that purpose. * * * * In some places salt was employed as a symbol of purity and wisdom, and was thrown with this view into the mouth of the person baptized, and a double unction was every where used in celebration of this ordinance, one preceding its administration, and the other following it.-The persons who were admitted into the church by baptism, were obliged after the celebration of that holy ordinance to go clothed in white garments during the space of seven days.'-Thus we see the pure and legitimate ordinances, which were placed in the Apostolic church, degenerating into all the senseless and hypocritical mummery so prevalent in the churches of the nineteenth century. These mock ceremonies and monkish rituals must be considered as the mere coungerings [conjuring] of man, hatched up in his own brain and sanctioned by his own darkened understanding. The idea of these lighted tapers, is a novel one. They are now used in the churches, and over dead bodies, at the full hour of mid-day. What this is practiced for we are not able to conceive, unless it be for the lighting of the holy spirit. It is probably thought that the eyes of the Almighty are so very dim that he cannot see even by day, without the pale sickly blaze of a taper. We would take it as a great favor if some Catholic friend could make us see the utility of this idolatrous practice. This salt using too, is to us a mystery, and probably will remain so until some one skilled in Royal Priesthood Legerdemain, has the magnanimity to unravel the secret. We have thought some times, whether or no, it was not used by the Priests in consequence of its saving properties. This is the only rational conclusion we can come to, considering the little prospect there is of these pontifical dignitaries being saved by the rules which God has laid down. We see also, from the above extract that the order of the kingdom of God was beginning to be reverse, or transposed by man. We see the bishop, who, in the primitive church, merely officiated in some ministerial office to the sick, in a temporal capacity, whereas they have now ascended the step-stones of ambition, seized the crown of ecclesiastical royalty, seated themselves upon the throne of power, and assumed a universal dictatorship over the religious faculties of the church. This is derogatory to that great constitution of which we spoke in prefacing our subject. Then they, as a matter of course, have no license to act. With great propriety we can exclaim with the prophet, whom we have previously quoted: 'They have changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.' We see in these 'formidable shouts' and 'declamations' spoken of by Dr. Moshiem, the infant germs form whence sprang the boisterous clamor of Methodism. Whoever has been in the habit of attending the meetings of this sect, in the palmy days of their 'great revivals,' can see their forms of worship mirrored forth in the church of the third and fourth century; but they cannot see them reflected by the customs of the apostles, or the teachings of the Bible. In these meetings we see the mourner's bench paraded in front of the stand, and the preacher from the pulpit deals so liberally in the articles of 'hell fire,' 'brimstone,' 'eternal damnation,' &c., that he soon frightens his hearers into submission, and the bench at length is filled with hopeless mourners. Then the priest, in the fire of his discourse, descends from his box, convulsed with excitement, with upraised and extended hands; he increases the fervor of his declamation, by heavy stampings on the floor, until at last his eloquence fans the flame of enthusiasm in the bosoms of the mourners, and they are readily seized with what is termed by them the 'power.' Then the groans, shouts, screams, and clapping of hands, stun the whole sense of hearing, and one continued scene of indecorous motions and tumultuous uproar ensues. The work of falling commences, and young ladies and gentlemen, and old ladies and gentlemen, lay in confused and disgustful disorder over the floor. "Immodest acts admit of no defence [defense], For want of decency is want of sense." This is one of the species of religion of this refined and enlightened age! Scene of depravity! how art thy devotees so lowly sunk amid the moldering rubbish of bigotry and superstitious idolatry! The priest and his flowing robe, are worshipped as something more than mortal by these blind enthusiasts. Instead of worshipping at the shrine of Bible religion, they bow to the footstool of arrogance, within the pales of popular churches, where wealth and aristocracy sit robed in silks and satins. While they impregnate the trembling atmosphere with the deafening cries of 'Hallelujahs' &c., we very much question whether their heart and affections reach beyond the circle of the Priest and the gorgously [gorgeously] clad elite that surrounds him. The fine, black, well fitting coat of the Parson; his buff vest and starched dickey; his rich-textured cravat, tied with a knot of latest fashion, and the delicate softness of his tender hands, rivit [rivet] upon them the vain gaze of his auditors, while their hearts virtually proclaim him some immaculate personage or celestial God. We have seen more worldly arrogance, pride of dress, and band-box frippery exhibited in these sectarian churches than in all the world besides. The congregation of each sabbath is but a panorama of fashion, exhibiting the external beauty of and gloss created by virtue of cologne waters, full-length mirrors, and all the various paraphernalia of the toilett [toilet]; but no where is traceable the religion of the Bible.-The man of the greatest wealth, most costly dress, who rides in a fine carriage, with a train of attendants, is most generally the bosom friend and associate of his 'humble servant,' the parson; while the honest poor are merely received and continued in fellowship to swell the number of the flock, and increase the revenue of the priest. Wherever the priest can get the largest salary, that is the identical place where the Lord calls him to preach. In the language of the Bible, they 'make merchandise of the word of God, and divine for money.' JUNIOR. (To be Continued.)