Joseph Smith Biography

Thirty-Six (1841)

doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another; but this

is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.^49

Brigham Young was known for his anger and contentious attitude throughout his
administration. His excuse was the first part of this scripture: “Reproving betimes with
sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth afterwards an
increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved.”^50 Young never quite grasped the
“showing forth afterwards an increase of love” part.

The Uselessness of Baptism for the Dead

The contentions and arguments in England among the Twelve finally led to
another stumbling block for the Saints—the so-called doctrine of baptism for the dead.
There had been some argument early in the history of the Church over the only
reference to the ordinance in the Bible:

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if they dead rise not

at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?^51

In the early 1830’s, a religious movement began that was centered on the newly
formed Catholic Apostolic Church (CAC).^52 This particular faith introduced into American
Christianity the idea of baptism for the dead, a ritual that the CAC practiced.^53 A few
members of this faith were converted to Mormonism and inquired as to why the Book of
Mormon made no reference to the practice. The CAC converts showed interest in the
practice—seeing that it was referenced in the King James Bible, and having been taught
from their traditions that the dead could not be made perfect without those who were alive
interceding on their behalf. This was based largely on the scripture:

God having provided some better things for us, that they without us should

not be made perfect.^54

In the early 1830’s, Joseph had taught that there was no need for baptism for the
dead. In his retranslation of the New Testament used by the LDS/Mormons, and while
employing the Urim and Thummim,^55 Joseph made sure that the reference to the dead
needing the living to “be made perfect” was eliminated:

God having provided some better things for them through their sufferings,

for without sufferings they could not be made perfect.^56

Before the Kirtland Temple was dedicated, the question came up again among the
councils of the Church as they considered which ordinances should be incorporated into
temple rituals. Joseph was determined to put the question to rest once and for all. On
January 21, 1836, Joseph received a “vision” that permanently put the ordinance of baptism
to rest, both for the living and the dead. In the vision, Joseph reported to the people that he
had seen his brother Alvin who “has long since slept” in the “celestial kingdom of God.”^57
Joseph reported,