That the salvation of the dead is a Bible doctrine practiced by the ancient Saints, we learn from the writings of Peter (I Peter 3: 18-20) and Paul (I Cor. 15: 29), and the Revelator John (Rev. 22: 12). Isaiah prophesied of it (Is. 42: 6, 7 and 61: 1, 2), and our Redeemer taught it to the Jews (John 5: 28, 29), not as a _local commandment_, but as an eternal Truth and a principle of the greatest importance to the whole human family. And for that reason "Christ also hath 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 (not in vain) unto the spirits in prison." The keys of the Priesthood belong to the presiding officer of the Church and must be held in order that the ordinances of a perfect salvation may be administered to the Saints and in behalf of the dead. The keys of the Priesthood could only be received from the one who held them, the Prophet Joseph Smith, who received them from the heavens. Any man claiming to be the President of the High Priesthood without these keys is an imposter. We have been given a key by which the impostor may be detected, for we have the word of the Lord that, "The great and grand secret of the whole matter, and the _summum bonum_ of the whole subject that is lying before us, consists in obtaining the power of the Holy Priesthood. For him to whom these keys are given there is _no difficulty_ in obtaining a knowledge of facts in relation to the salvation of the children of men, both as well for the dead as for the living." (Doc. and Cov. 128: 11, Reorganite edition CX: 11.) This declaration from the Lord through the Prophet Joseph Smith is most explicit. We may ask: Has the president of the 'Reorganized' church obtained this Priesthood? No, he has not! Then there is no wonder that he cannot obtain "_knowledge of the facts_ in relation to the salvation of the children of men, both as well for the dead as for the living." {94} If he had obtained the keys would it be possible for him to lead his people for more than forty-five years without a _knowledge_ of this power which the Lord through the Prophet declares _is not difficult for him who holds the keys and the powers of the Holy Priesthood_, and which is the "sealing and binding power, and in one sense of the word the keys of the kingdom which consists in the keys of knowledge?" If he held these keys would it be possible that this grand and glorious principle would have been neglected for so long a time when his father the Prophet declared that in this day there was "not too much time to save and redeem" the dead and gather the living relatives that they also may be saved, before the consummation decreed falls upon the world? Would it be possible, if he held these keys, for him to declare that this doctrine was a _local commandment_, a _permissive rite_, not binding on the Saints? Verily No!