Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 12/Cleanliness necessary for salvation
KIRTLAND, OHIO, SEPTEMBER, 1835.
CLEANLINESS NECESSARY FOR SALVATION.
Cleanliness is one of the adornments of the human family which is required of our heavenly Father. It is reasonable to suppose that, decency, good manners, sobriety and cleanliness are necessary appendages to qualify a person for a disciple of Jesus.
When we look abroad among the human family, and see filthiness, we know at once that laziness is one of the inmates of that family, and if this is the case, can God dwell there? the answer is no. The reason is obvious, God does not dwell in unholy temples. Uncleanliness does not qualify a person for any exalted station; it does not prepare him for the kingdom of heaven. Isaiah chap. I: v. 16,17; "Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgement; relieve the oppressed; judge the fatherless; plead for the widow." Here the prophet Isaiah gives a beautiful exhortation: "Wash you, make you clean." No doubt the prophet had reference to sin, but this would not hinder us from quoting the passage, for we find in various places, that he that is filthy shall remain filthy still.—And if the immortal part of man must be washed and be made clean, why not the mortal also? we have samples enough to prove this fact: while the children of Israel were journeying through the wilderness, Deut. Chap. XXIII: v. 12,13,14. It does not require proof to the mind of an intelligent man, that cleanliness is necessary to qualify a person for the kingdom of God. It is evident that there is no filthy or unclean thing in his presence.
We will bring our subject to bear with our own situation, and the generation among whom we live; and see how far we can indulge ourselves in the practices and be justified. In the book of Doctrine and Covenants we read, Page 123, par. 12: "Let all things be done in cleanliness before me." This sentence says all things, and no doubt it means just what it says. Let us inquire a little concerning this matter. It seems that it is a good thing to be prepared to meet the worst and qualified to receive the best. When in these conditions we are never taken on surprise, nor caught in snares that we cannot extricate ourselves.
This church of Latter Day Saints, seems to be composed of all sorts and classes of people; if it were not so, we would have good reason to suppose that it was not the church it purports to be. For the prophet says there shall be gathered to Zion from all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, and, as far as our knowledge extends, we know that there are some from various kindreds, tongues and people, already among us; and no doubt, this saying will be verified to the fullest extent.—To be clean in all thing is a broad saying, and it must mean that a person that is filthy comes short of fulfilling it, and if so, they do not live by every word which proceeds out of the mouth of God; and therefore, are unclean in his sight. Isaiah says, "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord."—Now if a man is clean, according to the word of the Lord he will not be unclean in his person; he will be neat and cleanly in his apparel; yea, he will keep all the commandments of God, and then he will come into the presence of God, and "Lift up clean hands, and a pure heart without wrath and doubting." It is in vain for the disciples of Jesus to tell us that they can have the spirit of God, when we can see nothing but filth and uncleanness about their dwellings: God has declared that he did not dwell in unholy temples. Surely if we are unholy we expect to come short of the celestial kingdom, unless we reform and become as we should.
Frequently we see a person walking humble and meek before the Lord, according to outward appearance, but no doubt that there are many as the sepulchres were in the days of the Savior, which appeared beautiful outwardly, but within were full of dead men's bones; so with this generation: But as great a curiosity as can be found in the world abounds in religion, which consists in a coat or hat, and were they to lay them aside would be as barren of religion as the generation of vipers was in the days when the Son of Man was upon earth. But says one it is the heart that God looks at and not the outward appearance. We grant that God looks upon the heart, and judges man accordingly: But hark! the Savior says from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, it is impossible for a bitter fountain to bring forth sweet water. Neither is it consistent to suppose that when the heart of man is right before God, that it will be full of prejudice, or religion in a coat or dress, or any thing that would be an outward adorning. Matthew VI: v. 16,17,18; "Moreover, when ye fast be not as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance; for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear to men to fast, Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly."
From the above quotation, we naturally draw the conclusion, that a disciple should be clean, and appear in his natural position without disfiguring himself in any respect whatever; either in person, manner or dress. This is speaking to disciples, and we would of necessity infer, that they had been cleansed from sin, and washed and made clean; But this is not all that is wanting, to qualify a person for salvation; after a person has received the first ordinance of the gospel; then they are in a situation to walk in the way towards perfection: Then they are prepared to lay hold of the promises of God, for they have already proved that his word is true; Therefore, they are prepared to rely on the remainder of the promises of God, until they are sanctified in truth, and cleansed from all impurity.
Ezekiel when speaking of the gathering of Israel, says: Chap. XXXVI: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you." It seems that when God in his providence, has gathered the house of Israel from their long dispersion, he will sprinkle clean water upon them & cleanse them, from all their filthiness; we would presume to say, that there will be a general time of cleansing: both spiritual and temporal. According to the word of God, water is used to cleanse men from sin, and will do it effectually too, if applied in a legal manner. All ordinances, that are instituted of Jehovah, will avail nothing unless they are administered by one who has been authorized of the Lord himself. The earth no doubt has been cleansed once by water: But there remaineth another cleansing even by fire: and thus by water and by fire all things that remain will be cleansed in the own due time of the Lord. But wo, to that man, or woman, that does not cleanse and purify themselves by obeying the truth in all things. For the Lord will arise in his anger and shake terribly the earth, and consume the wicked and filthy with unquenchable fire. Therefore, cleanse and purify yourselves ye workers of iniquity.