Baptisms For The Dead

[Annabelli]

Are baptisms for the dead only for people who have been born of this world and have a name? What becomes of a child who is miscarried? Do they receive the Atonement? Are baptisms conducted for these infants?

Is a miscarried child born to a future generation?

[MadHatter]

Are baptisms for the dead only for people who have been born of this world and have a name? What becomes of a child who is miscarried? Do they receive the Atonement? Are baptisms conducted for these infants?

Is a miscarried child born to a future generation?

We do not baptise, for the dead or living, any children or infants. Only those who died after the age of 8 (the age of accountability) do we perform services by proxy for.

All children who die as infants are saved in the celestial kingdom by default. We don't know why they die or why they only needed to be on the earth for a short amount fo time.

Those children who died will be resurrected as children and be raised to maturity during the millenium.

[Chanteemomof6]

Please also read the reference to BOM,Mor 8

Ensign » 1972 » March

First Presidency Message

Justice for the Dead

President Joseph Fielding Smith

What a shame it is that this same awful doctrine has come resounding down from that distant day of spiritual darkness and has been made to ring its terrible peal of torment repeatedly in the ears of earnest souls who have sought the salvation of loved ones who have gone before. Well do I remember the anguish in the heart of an earnest, loving mother who was told by a well-meaning but misguided priest that her dead infant was eternally lost because the child had not been christened.

I was visiting at the home of this mother, and she related the following story. Several years before, she had lost a little child. He had not been taken to the minister for sprinkling and had, in that condition, died. The parents sought their minister and asked him to conduct the funeral and give their little one Christian burial; however, this humble request was solemnly, but nonetheless brutally, denied. The parents were told the child was forever lost. Heartbroken, they laid their little child away as an outcast might have been buried, without the rites of that church and without “Christian burial.” How the hearts of those fond parents ached; how their feelings were torn asunder!

For several years this mother, with faith in the teachings of that priest, suffered the most acute mental agony. She knew it was not the fault of her infant that he had not been christened. He was innocent of any wrong. Was not that wrong her own? And in her mind, because of this false teaching, was not she responsible for the eternal suffering of this little one? She felt as the repentant murderer who could not restore the life he had taken, and in this anguish of soul she suffered the punishment of the damned.

It was a happy day when I came to the home of this tormented mother. Even now I can see the joy that came into her tormented face when I explained to her that this doctrine was false—as false as the depths of hell whence it came. I taught her this was not the doctrine of Jesus Christ, who loved little children and who declared that they belonged to the kingdom of heaven. I read to her from the Book of Mormon the words of Mormon to his son Moroni (Moro. 8) and explained that the Lord had revealed to Joseph Smith that “all children who die before they arrive at the years of accountability”—that is, eight years—“are saved in the celestial kingdom of heaven.” (Documentary History of the Church, vol. 2, p. 381.) Yes, the Lord has made it known in this glorious day of restoration:

“All who have died without a knowledge of this Gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will judge all men according to their works, according to the desire of their hearts.” (DHC, vol. 2, p. 380.)

The gospel of Christ is the gospel of mercy. It is also the gospel of justice. It must be so, for it comes from a God of mercy, not from a cruel monster, as some religionists still believe and declare:

“By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory some men and angels are predestined unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death. These angels and men, thus predestined and fore-ordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so certain and definite that it cannot be either increased or diminished.”

Is it not horrible to contemplate that gospel truth has been perverted and defiled until it has become such an abomination? Justice, as well as mercy, pleads for the dead who have died without a knowledge of the gospel. How could justice be administered if all the untold multitudes who have died without knowledge of Jesus Christ should be everlastingly consigned, without hope, to the damnation of hell, even though their torment be in the first circle of the place of the damned?

The scriptures say, “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.” (Ps. 89:14.)

The mercy and the love of a just God are reaching out after all his children. In the restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, the Lord renewed his proclamation of salvation to the dead; he has declared:

“… Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.” (D&C 128:22.)

[Brother Dorsey]

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Are baptisms for the dead only for people who have been born of this world and have a name? What becomes of a child who is miscarried? Do they receive the Atonement? Are baptisms conducted for these infants?

Is a miscarried child born to a future generation?

We do not baptise, for the dead or living, any children or infants. Only those who died after the age of 8 (the age of accountability) do we perform services by proxy for.

All children who die as infants are saved in the celestial kingdom by default. We don't know why they die or why they only needed to be on the earth for a short amount fo time.

Those children who died will be resurrected as children and be raised to maturity during the millenium.

Well said MadHatter....I would like to add that these children will be raised in the millenium by their parents who lost them....what a wonderful promise that is!

[MadHatter]

Well said MadHatter....I would like to add that these children will be raised in the millenium by their parents who lost them....what a wonderful promise that is!

thank you, I have a sister who died right after she was born (she was born with pneumonia). and that will be so great to know that she will be raised to maturity, and that i have a sister who is saved in the celestial kingdom, I definitely feel I have something to work towards..

[Canuck Mormon]

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Well said MadHatter....I would like to add that these children will be raised in the millenium by their parents who lost them....what a wonderful promise that is!

thank you, I have a sister who died right after she was born (she was born with pneumonia). and that will be so great to know that she will be raised to maturity, and that i have a sister who is saved in the celestial kingdom, I definitely feel I have something to work towards..

The question was about misscarried babies who have yet to recieve a body. I'm not sure, but I would like to think that they will be like anyone under the age of accountability.

I have a niece who I know will be there waiting for her family, if they make it. Her death is what started my road back to the church.

[snipe123]

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Well said MadHatter....I would like to add that these children will be raised in the millenium by their parents who lost them....what a wonderful promise that is!

thank you, I have a sister who died right after she was born (she was born with pneumonia). and that will be so great to know that she will be raised to maturity, and that i have a sister who is saved in the celestial kingdom, I definitely feel I have something to work towards..

The question was about misscarried babies who have yet to recieve a body. I'm not sure, but I would like to think that they will be like anyone under the age of accountability.

I have a niece who I know will be there waiting for her family, if they make it. Her death is what started my road back to the church.

As an interesting sidenote, I attended a "non-denominational" church for a time and the minister preached that not only do miscarried children go to hell, but so do aborted children...since to believe otherwise would condone the act of murder, and they did not accept Jesus! I was so distracted by the audacity and rediculousness of this idea that I did not pay attention to how he justified it...Is anyone, perhaps from another church background familiar with this idea? Would be very curious to know how this false idea is justified...My immediate response to the preacher had I had a chance to talk to him, would have been..."Since when is the victim of a crime punished for the sin?" and "When and where did the child have an opprotunty to commit sin that justifies eternal damnation or have a right to choose anything?" Thank goodness for the restoration of the Gospel and the understanding we have of the age of accountability!

[Jbs2763]

In the last few days my dad was alive, (died fo cancer last year), He claimed to see a little boy dressed in white, this was a few days before he slipped into what was bascily a coma, he said he saw this lil boy motioning to him.

My parents lost a baby before i was born...

makes ya think

[miztrniceguy]

babies who are miscarried ARE babies, and do have a body, albiet very tiny.

my mother had 3 miscarriages before i was born...nice to know i have 3 older brothers!

[Doctor Steuss]

This is nothing more than my pure unsupportable speculation…

I don’t think the ink is necessarily dry on the “contract” right away. Some may get “another chance” per se to receive a body and know the pains and joys associated with this life.

[sixpacktr]

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Well said MadHatter....I would like to add that these children will be raised in the millenium by their parents who lost them....what a wonderful promise that is!

thank you, I have a sister who died right after she was born (she was born with pneumonia). and that will be so great to know that she will be raised to maturity, and that i have a sister who is saved in the celestial kingdom, I definitely feel I have something to work towards..

Isn't that a comforting thought! That those little ones will be resurrected in the millenium, and raised to maturity by their parents if they remain faithful.

I'm not so sure about miscarriages, but it is intriguing to think that perhaps the miscarriages my wife and I had (we had 6) were actually children we may be able to raise (or at least my wife and her righteous husband she'll be rewarded with in the millenium!) later if we remain faithful. We always wanted a big family, but for some reason couldn't have more than the 3 that made it to term.

Definitely something I'll have to research. Perhaps that is when I will have some sons to raise...