The essential virtue of baptism is obedience to law. The prime value of any natural law is attained only after obedience has been yielded to it. Baptism is conformity to certain details in entering God's Kingdom. Scientific baptism is conformity to certain details in entering the kingdom of science. Only by baptism can a man attain salvation; only by using lenses of the right curvature can a man view the stars. Religious success does not rest in the degree to which every law is explained; but rather in the degree to which all known laws are obeyed. Scientific success does not rest upon the degree to which every law is explained; but rather in the degree to which every discovered law is obeyed and applied for man's advancement. In science and in theology man must be content "to see through a glass, darkly." Until the essential nature of infinitude itself shall be understood, man must be content to learn to use unexplained laws. Science is the great explainer, but she explains relations and not the absolute foundations of phenomena. After faith or knowledge has been obtained, the alpha and omega of religious or scientific progress is obedience. The cry of universal nature is, Obedience! Viewed rationally, therefore, the baptism taught in theology is an ordinance which has its counterpart in every department of science. Joseph Smith was strcitly scientific in classing baptism as the third great principle governing human action. Chapter XII. THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST. [Sidenote: The gift of the Holy Ghost is a gift of intelligence.] Baptism by water is insufficient to open the door to God's Kingdom. The Gift of the Holy Ghost, obtained by the laying on of Hands by one having authority, completes the ordinance. Not only Joseph Smith, but the Savior Himself taught distinctly that to enter the Kingdom of God, a person must be baptized by water and by fire; and the promise is given that those are "baptized by water for the remission of sins, shall receive the Holy Ghost."[A] [Footnote A: Doctrine and Covenants, 84:63, 64.]