The Apostle Peter informs us that Jesus, between his death and resurrection, when his spirit was free from his body, went and preached to the spirits in prison. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;" 1 _Pet_. 3. 18, 19. In the context he informs us that these spirits were those, of the people, who were disobedient in the days of Noah. The Apostle Peter had no narrow views of the plan of salvation, for when he speaks of Christ suffering, "the just for the unjust," he makes no discrimination in favor of the living. For the assertion is sweeping and universal, that Christ died for all; else what profit could there be in Christ's preaching to the spirits in prison, unless the way was opened for them to receive the ordinances and blessings of the Gospel, in common with the living? Peter positively informs us that the Gospel was preached to the dead, and the reason why, "For, for this cause was the Gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit;" 4. 6. If they are judged according to men in the flesh, it would evidently be unjust, if they should not have the benefit of all the ordinances and privileges that pertain to the living. To the question, How can the dead receive the ordinances of the Gospel? there can be but one answer--by proxy; by the vicarious works of the living. Not only did Peter assert that the Gospel was preached to the spirits in prison, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but the Apostle Paul informs us that the first Gospel ordinance, of all dispensations--baptism, was administered by proxy among the former-day Saints. Speaking of the resurrection, he asks the Corinthian Saints, "Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?" 1 _Cor_. 15. 29. That is, of what utility are baptisms for the dead, if there is no resurrection? This doctrine was evidently neither strange nor new to those to whom the Apostles were writing. Paul further says, "For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living;" _Rom_. 14. 9. If this passage asserts anything, it is that Christ died for the dead as well as the living. Again, there is here no discrimination made in favor of the living.