Little Children Exempt.--The only class exempt are infants, or children young enough to be without sin. Obviously they cannot repent, and are therefore not fit subjects for baptism. Jesus said: "Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Again: "Except ye humble yourselves and become as this little child, ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of heaven." This shows not only that little children are sinless, but that they are types of the innocence and purity required of men and women, who, because not sinless, must be baptized and have their sins remitted, before they can enter into that kingdom where no sin, no uncleanness, can come. For this cause--that men and women must "become as little children" before entering there--baptism, the doorway, is compared to a birth, the entry of an infant into life. For this reason also, converts to Christ in ancient times were referred to as "new-born babes." Peter so styled them (2:2); and the first principles of the gospel, those easiest to comprehend, to mentally digest, were termed both by him and by Paul, "the milk of the word," in contradistinction to "the meat of the word"--advanced principles and mysteries (1 Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:12-14; 1 Cor. 3:2). The effect of baptism is to make men childlike, not in ignorance, nor in physical weakness, but in innocence and humility. Mormon to Moroni.--Upon this theme Mormon writes thus to his son Moroni, voicing the word of the Lord: "Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me. "And after this manner did the Holy Ghost manifest the word of God unto me; wherefore my beloved son, I know that it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children. "Behold, I say unto you, that this thing shall ye teach, repentance and baptism unto those who are accountable and capable of committing sin; yea, teach parents that they must repent, and be baptized, and humble themselves as their little children. * * * "Little children cannot repent; wherefore it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are alive in him because of his mercy. * * * The power of redemption cometh on all them that have no law; wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such baptism availeth nothing." (Moroni 8:8-10, 19, 22.) Children Become Accountable.--As children advance in years, however, they become accountable, and then, like adults, they must yield obedience to the requirements of the gospel. The Lord explained this matter to Adam in these words: