JOSEPH SMITH JR.
"Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children." (D. & C. 98:16)
"And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the father-that they without us cannot be made perfect-neither can we without our dead be made perfect." (D. & C 128:15)
"Again: The doctrine or sealing power of Elijah is as follows:--If you have power to seal on earth and in heaven, then we should be wise. The first thing you do, go and seal on earth your sons and daughters unto yourself, and your self unto your fathers in eternal glory, and go ahead, and not go back, but use a little wisdom, and seal all you can, and when you get to heaven tell your Father that what you seal on earth should be sealed in heaven, according to his promise. I will walk through the gate of heaven and claim what I seal, and those that follow me and my counsel." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 340)
"I would advise all the saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they might be sealed and saved, that they might be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth; and if the whole church should go to with all their might and save their dead, seal their posterity and gather their living friends, and spend more of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before the night would come when no man can work." (Joseph Smith)
"The greatest responsibility in this world, that God has laid upon us, is to seek after our dead. This doctrine was the burden of the scriptures. Those Saints who neglect it, in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation." (History of the Church 4:426)
"Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles." (DHC 5:423, June 11, 1843)
"This doctrine appears glorious inasmuch as it exhibits the greatness of divine compassion and benevolence in the plan of human salvation. This glorious truth is well calculated to enlarge the understanding, and to sustain the souls under troubles, difficulties and distresses." (Joseph Smith)
"Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;" (Joseph Smith, Doctrine and Covenants, 98:16)
"The doctrine of salvation for the dead, presents in a clear light, the wisdom and mercy of God, in preparing an ordinance for the salvation of the dead, being baptized by proxy, their names recorded in Heaven, and they judged according to the deeds done in the body. This doctrine was the burden of the scriptures. Those saints, who neglect it, in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation." -- Joseph Smith
"As soon as the temple and baptismal font a prepared, we calculate to give the elders of Israel their washings and annointings, and attend to those last and more impressive ceremonies, without which we cannot obtain celestial thrones. But there must be a holy place prepared for that purpose -- for every man who wishes to save his father, mother, brothers, sisters, and friends, must go through all the ordinances for each one separately, the same as for himself, from baptism to ordination, washings and annointings, and receive all the keys and powers of the priesthood." -- Joseph Smith
"What was the object of gathering the Jews? Or the people of God in any age of the world? The main object was to build unto the Lord a House whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His House and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way to salvation: for there are certain ordinances and principles that when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose. -- It is for the same purpose that God gathers His people in the last days to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washings and annointings, etc.... and it was the reason why Jesus said unto the Jews, 'How oft would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" -- Joseph Smith
"All things whatsoever God in His infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are dwelling in mortality, in regard to our mortal bodies, are revealed to us in the abstract, and independent of affinity of this mortal tabernacle, but are revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had no bodies at all; and those revelations, which will save our spirits will save our bodies. God reveals them to us in view of no eternal dissolution of the body or tabernacle. Hence the responsibility, the awful responsibility, that rests upon us in relation to our dead; for all the spirits who have not obeyed the gospel in the flesh must either obey it in the spirit or be damned. Solemn thought! Dreadful thought! Is there nothing to be done? No preparation, no salvation for our fathers and friends who have died without having had the opportunity to obey the decrees of the Son of Man? Would to God that I had forty days and nights in which to tell you all." -- Joseph Smith
"Baptism for the dead is the only way that men can appear as Saviors upon Mt. Zion. The proclamation of the first principles of the Gospel was a means of Salvation to man individually, but man, by actively engaging in rites of salvation substitutionally, become instrumental in bringing multitudes of their kin into the Kingdom of God." -- Joseph Smith "There are mansions for those who obey a celestial law, and there are other mansions for those who come short of that law, every man in his own order. There is baptism for those to exercise who are alive, and baptism for the dead who died without the knowledge of the Gospel. I am going on in my progress for eternal life. It is not only necessary that you should be baptized for your dead, but you will have to go though all the ordinances for them, the same as you have gone through to save yourselves." -- Joseph Smith
"But how are they to become Saviors on Mt. Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, annointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them and here in is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. And I would that this temple were done now, that we might go into it, and go to work and improve our time, and make use of the seals while they are on earth." -- Joseph Smith, DHC6:184, 21 Jan 1844
"What was the office and work of Elijah?
"It is one of the greatest and most important subjects that God has revealed. He should send Elijah to seal the children to the fathers, and the fathers to the children. Without us they could not be made perfect, nor we without them, the fathers with the children, nor the children without the fathers."
"I wish you to understand this subject, for it is important; and if you will receive it, this is the spirit of Elijah, that we redeem our dead, and connect ourselves with our fathers which are in heaven, and seal up our dead to come forth in the first resurrection and here we want the power of Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth to those who dwell in Heaven. This is the power of Elijah and the keys of the Kingdom of Jehovah. Then what you seal on earth, by the keys of Elijah, is sealed in Heaven; and this is the power of Elijah. This power of Elijah is sufficient to make our calling and election sure." -- Joseph Smith
"What promises are made in relation to the subject of the salvation of the dead? And what kind of characters are whose who can be saved, although their bodies are moldering and decaying in the grave? When His commandments teach us, it is in view of eternity; for we are looked upon by God as though we were in eternity. God dwells in eternity, and does not view things as we do.
"The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead. The Apostle Paul says, "They without us cannot be made perfect,' for it is necessary that the sealing power should be in our hands to seal our children and our dead for the fulness of the dispensation of times -- a dispensation to meet the promises made by Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world for the salvation of man." -- Joseph Smith
"The spirits of the just are enveloped in flaming fire,...are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and emotions." (Joseph Smith, Teachings, pg. 326)
"Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children." (D. & C. 98:16)
"And now, my dearly beloved brethren and sisters, let me assure you that these are principles in relation to the dead and the living that cannot be lightly passed over, as pertaining to our salvation. For their salvation is necessary and essential to our salvation, as Paul says concerning the father-that they without us cannot be made perfect-neither can we without our dead be made perfect." (D. & C 128:15)
"Again: The doctrine or sealing power of Elijah is as follows:--If you have power to seal on earth and in heaven, then we should be wise. The first thing you do, go and seal on earth your sons and daughters unto yourself, and your self unto your fathers in eternal glory, and go ahead, and not go back, but use a little wisdom, and seal all you can, and when you get to heaven tell your Father that what you seal on earth should be sealed in heaven, according to his promise. I will walk through the gate of heaven and claim what I seal, and those that follow me and my counsel." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 340)
"I would advise all the saints to go to with their might and gather together all their living relatives to this place, that they might be sealed and saved, that they might be prepared against the day that the destroying angel goes forth; and if the whole church should go to with all their might and save their dead, seal their posterity and gather their living friends, and spend more of their time in behalf of the world, they would hardly get through before the night would come when no man can work." (Joseph Smith)
"The greatest responsibility in this world, that God has laid upon us, is to seek after our dead. This doctrine was the burden of the scriptures. Those Saints who neglect it, in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation." (History of the Church 4:426)
"Ordinances instituted in the heavens before the foundation of the world, in the priesthood, for the salvation of men, are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles." (DHC 5:423, June 11, 1843)
"This doctrine appears glorious inasmuch as it exhibits the greatness of divine compassion and benevolence in the plan of human salvation. This glorious truth is well calculated to enlarge the understanding, and to sustain the souls under troubles, difficulties and distresses." (Joseph Smith)
"Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to their fathers, and the hearts of the fathers to the children;" (Joseph Smith, Doctrine and Covenants, 98:16)
"The doctrine of salvation for the dead, presents in a clear light, the wisdom and mercy of God, in preparing an ordinance for the salvation of the dead, being baptized by proxy, their names recorded in Heaven, and they judged according to the deeds done in the body. This doctrine was the burden of the scriptures. Those saints, who neglect it, in behalf of their deceased relatives, do it at the peril of their own salvation." -- Joseph Smith
"As soon as the temple and baptismal font a prepared, we calculate to give the elders of Israel their washings and annointings, and attend to those last and more impressive ceremonies, without which we cannot obtain celestial thrones. But there must be a holy place prepared for that purpose -- for every man who wishes to save his father, mother, brothers, sisters, and friends, must go through all the ordinances for each one separately, the same as for himself, from baptism to ordination, washings and annointings, and receive all the keys and powers of the priesthood." -- Joseph Smith
"What was the object of gathering the Jews? Or the people of God in any age of the world? The main object was to build unto the Lord a House whereby He could reveal unto His people the ordinances of His House and the glories of His kingdom, and teach the people the way to salvation: for there are certain ordinances and principles that when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose. -- It is for the same purpose that God gathers His people in the last days to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washings and annointings, etc.... and it was the reason why Jesus said unto the Jews, 'How oft would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" -- Joseph Smith
"All things whatsoever God in His infinite wisdom has seen fit and proper to reveal to us, while we are dwelling in mortality, in regard to our mortal bodies, are revealed to us in the abstract, and independent of affinity of this mortal tabernacle, but are revealed to our spirits precisely as though we had no bodies at all; and those revelations, which will save our spirits will save our bodies. God reveals them to us in view of no eternal dissolution of the body or tabernacle. Hence the responsibility, the awful responsibility, that rests upon us in relation to our dead; for all the spirits who have not obeyed the gospel in the flesh must either obey it in the spirit or be damned. Solemn thought! Dreadful thought! Is there nothing to be done? No preparation, no salvation for our fathers and friends who have died without having had the opportunity to obey the decrees of the Son of Man? Would to God that I had forty days and nights in which to tell you all." -- Joseph Smith
"Baptism for the dead is the only way that men can appear as Saviors upon Mt. Zion. The proclamation of the first principles of the Gospel was a means of Salvation to man individually, but man, by actively engaging in rites of salvation substitutionally, become instrumental in bringing multitudes of their kin into the Kingdom of God." -- Joseph Smith "There are mansions for those who obey a celestial law, and there are other mansions for those who come short of that law, every man in his own order. There is baptism for those to exercise who are alive, and baptism for the dead who died without the knowledge of the Gospel. I am going on in my progress for eternal life. It is not only necessary that you should be baptized for your dead, but you will have to go though all the ordinances for them, the same as you have gone through to save yourselves." -- Joseph Smith
"But how are they to become Saviors on Mt. Zion? By building their temples, erecting their baptismal fonts, and going forth and receiving all the ordinances, baptisms, confirmations, washings, annointings, ordinations and sealing powers upon their heads, in behalf of all their progenitors who are dead, and redeem them that they may come forth in the first resurrection and be exalted to thrones of glory with them and here in is the chain that binds the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, which fulfills the mission of Elijah. And I would that this temple were done now, that we might go into it, and go to work and improve our time, and make use of the seals while they are on earth." -- Joseph Smith, DHC6:184, 21 Jan 1844
"What was the office and work of Elijah?
"It is one of the greatest and most important subjects that God has revealed. He should send Elijah to seal the children to the fathers, and the fathers to the children. Without us they could not be made perfect, nor we without them, the fathers with the children, nor the children without the fathers."
"I wish you to understand this subject, for it is important; and if you will receive it, this is the spirit of Elijah, that we redeem our dead, and connect ourselves with our fathers which are in heaven, and seal up our dead to come forth in the first resurrection and here we want the power of Elijah to seal those who dwell on earth to those who dwell in Heaven. This is the power of Elijah and the keys of the Kingdom of Jehovah. Then what you seal on earth, by the keys of Elijah, is sealed in Heaven; and this is the power of Elijah. This power of Elijah is sufficient to make our calling and election sure." -- Joseph Smith
"What promises are made in relation to the subject of the salvation of the dead? And what kind of characters are whose who can be saved, although their bodies are moldering and decaying in the grave? When His commandments teach us, it is in view of eternity; for we are looked upon by God as though we were in eternity. God dwells in eternity, and does not view things as we do.
"The greatest responsibility in this world that God has laid upon us is to seek after our dead. The Apostle Paul says, "They without us cannot be made perfect,' for it is necessary that the sealing power should be in our hands to seal our children and our dead for the fulness of the dispensation of times -- a dispensation to meet the promises made by Jesus Christ before the foundation of the world for the salvation of man." -- Joseph Smith
"The spirits of the just are enveloped in flaming fire,...are not far from us, and know and understand our thoughts, feelings, and emotions." (Joseph Smith, Teachings, pg. 326)