Weber State University - Acorn Yearbook (Ogden, UT)

Page 16 text:

W t J3corn of tljc Mlcber ibtafee Scabcmp r tEfjeologp After man had been placed on earth, the life which had been arranged for him was begun. We all know that the first step was a change from immortality to mortality. Before this time Adam was a spiritual being working in the light and presence of God, with an understanding of where he came from, and of what he was on earth for. With the change to mortality, he was cast out from the presence of God with a life of work and toil before him. His whole attention was turned to worldly things and this would have continued, soon bringing him down to a level not much higher than the beasts, had not God merci- fully revealed his mind to him and told him what to do. Here is the first time we find the Gospel given to man. All its truths, principles, and ordinances are given to Adam who accepts them. In Genesis, it mentions his baptism, proving that to be one of the ordinances. Later we find Abraham, Moses, Noah, Elijah, and other of the ancient prophets and patriarchs with the same identical gospel. When Christ came in the Mercdian of Time, he ordained apostles, patriarchs, pastors, teachers, priests, and deacons, fulfilling and completing the gospel taught before His coming to earth. What is this gospel, and what does it embrace? It is a gospel of good tidings which teaches us of all truth, of future life with its glories and blessings, and of the ways by which we will be able to obtain future salvation and exaltation. Before accepting the gospel we have to accept some of its fundamental principles, among which are Faith, Repentance, Baptism and Confirmation. It is reasonable to see that it is first necessary to have faith in order to accept the gospel, for after having received faith in it, our next desire is to repent of the past, if it has been spent in any wrong doing. Belief alone in the gospel and its promises would not be sufficient to prompt repentance. Faith alone im- plies such confidence and conviction that we arc impelled to act. Neither is faith complete without work, for God has said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the king- 61

Page 15 text:

e Alcorn of tfje ?GHcl)cr :$£ tafee gcafcemp Tim was not what he thought him to be, and had let him go. Seth insisted upon knowing the particulars, and when he learned what it was all over he simply said. “And it is all my fault.” “What!” said Mr. Lennox. “Why, I took the money. I ought to have said something about it, of course I had, but I thought you would know.” Mr. Lennox’s head dropped as he said: “How easy it is to misjudge another!” Then they were both glad and sad. Glad because Tim had not taken the money; sad because they had caused Tim and his mother so much trouble. It was decided, though, at that break- fast table to make it right with them. That afternoon Tim and his mother were at their humble home enjoying each other’s company and the nicest things Mrs. Norris could afford for Christmas, when a knock came at the door. Mrs. Norris answered it, and to her surprise found Seth Lennox there. She could not imagine what he wanted and was almost dumbfounded when he said he had come to take Tim and her to his home if they would go. She could not think what was wanted of them the Lennox home, but as Seth in- sisted, she made preparations to go. That evening there was a great reconcilation between the two families. Mr. Lennox expressed his regret for having ac- cused Tim of taking the money, but he had learned to be sus- picious of people and from the circumstances it looked as though no one else could have done it. To right the wrong he had done, and to reward the first person, as he said, he had ever known not to gain by being dishonest when he had a good chance, he asked Tim and his mother to come and live with him, and said he would see that Tim had the education he had so longed for. Tim was a happy boy that night, not so much because of himself as for the favorable prospects of making his mother happy. [5

Page 17 text:

tCfje Scorn of tfjc ?E2Uber j take Scabcmp dom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father, which is in heaven. ’ ’ This does away with death-bed confession. Besides, he has also said that there are still other requirements made before a man can enter the kingdom of heaven, (John 3:5;). In order for man truly to repent, he must first be convinced of the wrong, then have faith that he may overcome the wrong and that in so doing he will be saved, a recompense worth all the effort exerted. When faith and repentance have been manifested, the next step is baptism. Baptism is in itself a beautiful and suggestive symbol. After we have thrown off a life of sin, what could be more appropriate as an initiation into the new life of purity, than a death, burial and resurrection? or what could be more appropriate than to be cleansed by one of the two greatest pur- ifiers—water? Baptism by immersion is the mode intended by Jesus. When Nicodemus asked Jesus how to gain eternal life he was told that only by being born again could he in any way enter the kingdom of heaven. We also see Jesus Christ himself setting the example in this by letting John the Baptist take him down into the water and baptize him, when as John said, he had more need to be baptized of Jesus. (Matt. 3:14-15-16). For this reason we should accept baptism as an example set by Jesus and as something essential to salvation. We should also accept the manner of baptism which He accepted and taught to His disciples. Literally speaking, baptism does not wash away our sins or cleanse our bodies of evil. The importance of the ceremony is in the covenants made at this time, and if the covenants are sincere, baptism will be the immediate result. Many different ways of baptizing are practised today. Some churches believe in sprinkling. In scripture (Rom. 6:3-4-5; John 3:23; Col. 2:12): we hear it spoken of as a new life, sug- gestinga re-entrance; then “John was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was much water there.” Is much water required for sprinkling? Then the word baptism itself suggests the meaning—immersion. In sprinkling, the double significance and all that it stands [7