"We should take warning and not wait for deathbed repentance. Let it be a warning not to procrastinate repentance, not wait for death. It is the will of God that men should repent and serve him in health and strength and in the power of their minds {162} in order to secure divine blessings. God has made certain decrees which are fixed and unalterable. He set the sun, the moon, and the stars and gave them their laws, conditions, and bounds which they cannot pass except by His command. They all move in perfect harmony in their spheres and are as wondrous lights and signs to us. The sea also has its bounds which it cannot pass without His command. God has set many signs in the earth as well as in the heavens. The oaks of the forest, the herbs of the field, the fruit of the tree all bear signs that seeds have been planted. It is a decree of the Lord that every tree or herb bearing seed shall bring forth after its own kind. Upon the same principle I contend that baptism is a sign and ordinance of God for every believer in Christ in order that he may enter into the Kingdom of God. The Savior said: 'Except a man be born of the water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.' It is a sign and a commandment that God hath given whereby man may enter into His Kingdom. Those who seek to enter in any other way will seek in vain. God will never receive them nor will angels acknowledge their works if they have not taken upon themselves those ordinances and signs which God ordained in order that man might receive the celestial glory. God has decreed that all who will not obey His voice shall not escape the damnation of hell. And what is the damnation of hell? It is to be numbered with the society of those who have not obeyed His commandments. Baptism is a sign to God and to the angels and to heaven that we do the will of the Father; and there is no other way ordained of God for man to come unto Him. The laying on of hands is a sign given for the healing of the sick and we do not obtain the blessing by pursuing any other course. The same is true in reference to the gift of the Holy Ghost. There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he had been baptized. Had he not received the ordinance of baptism, the Holy Ghost, which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him until he had obtained the ordinances of baptism and received the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.