Chapter III: Section 29: 1.--Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer,

the Great I AM, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins. Verse
17.--And it shall come to pass, because of the wickedness of the
world, that I will take vengeance upon the wicked, for they will
not repent; for the cup of mine indignation is full; for behold, my
blood shall not cleanse them if they hear me not.

STATEMENT OF AN ENEMY

But the report says: "This doctrine was introduced by Brigham Young" and that it meant "death to anyone who left the Church * * * that the apostate whose throat was cut from ear to ear * * * saved his soul." Why you made this statement you best know; but were you not aware that it was but the repetition of the ravings of enemies of the Church, without one grain of truth? Did you not know that not a single individual was ever "blood atoned," as you are pleased to call it, for apostasy or any other cause? Were you not aware, in repeating this false charge, that it was made by the most bitter enemies of the Church before the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith? Do you know of anyone whose blood was ever shed by the command of the Church, or members thereof, to "save his soul?" Did you not know that you were embittering the people against the "Mormon" Elders, and that just such malicious charges and false insinuations have made martyrs for the Church, whose blood does not "cease to come up into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth?"

Never in the history of this people can the time be pointed to when the Church ever attempted to pass judgment on, or execute an apostate as per your statement. There are men living in Utah today who left the Church in the earliest history of our State who feel as secure, and are just as secure and free from molestation from their former associates as you or any other man could be.

EFFICACY OF THE BLOOD OF CHRIST

The Latter-day Saints believe in the efficacy of the blood of Christ. They believe that through obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel they obtain a remission of sins; but this could not be if Christ had not died for _them_. If you did believe in blood atonement, I might ask you why the blood of Christ was shed? and _in whose stead was it shed_? I might ask you to explain the words of Paul: "Without shedding of blood is no remission."

UNPARDONABLE SINS

Are you aware that there are certain sins that man may commit for which the atoning blood of Christ does not avail? Do you not know, too, that this doctrine is taught in the Book of Mormon? And is not this further reason why you should discard the Book as well as the name? Is it not safe for us to rely upon the scriptures for the solution of problems of this kind? Let me quote:

From the Book of Mormon:

II Nephi 9:35.--Wo unto the murderer who deliberately killeth, for
he shall die.

Alma 1:13, 14.--And thou hast shed the blood of a righteous man,
yea, a man who has done much good among this people; and were we to
spare thee, his blood would come upon us for vengeance.

Alma 42:19.--Now, if there were no law given--if a man murdered he
should die, would he be afraid he would die if he should murder?

From the Bible:

Genesis 9:12, 13.--And whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his
blood be shed; for man shall not shed the blood of man.

For a commandment I give, that every man's brother shall preserve
the life of man, for in mine own image have I made man. (Inspired
translation.)

Luke 11:50.--That the blood of all the prophets, which was
shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this
generation.

Hebrews 9:22.--And almost all things are by the law purged with
blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Hebrews 10:26-29.--For if we sin wilfully, after that we have
received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sins.

* * * *

He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three
witnesses;

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought
worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath
counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an
unholy thing.

(I commend to you the careful reading of these two chapters:)

I John 3:15.--No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

I John 5:16.--If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not
unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that
sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he
shall pray for it.

From the Doctrine and Covenants: