| 490 ordinance of baptism. At the hour appointed Mr. Saville met the elders at the place previously designated by Mr. Matthews; but as he did not make his appearance according to promise, after waiting for him an hour, Mr. Saville was baptized, when the elders repaired to Mr. Matthews' to learn the cause of his not fulfilling his engagement, and were informed by Mr. Matthews' family that he had gone out into the country to preach.
"In a day or two it was currently rumored that Mr. Matthews had baptized himself, and this rumor was afterwards confirmed by Mrs. Matthews, who stated to Elder Kimball at Preston, that Mr. Matthews had baptized himself, reasoning upon this principle within himself, 'If I have authority to administer the sacrament to my people, why not have authority to baptize myself?' etc.-and all this after Mr. Matthews had acknowledged to Elders Goodson and Richards that he had no authority to administer in the ordinances of God's house; and altogether regardless of the words of the apostle (Heb. 5: 4), 'No man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.'
"By the foregoing it is plainly to be seen that Mr. Matthews has attempted to take that upon himself which was never conferred upon him by the Spirit of revelation, either by God, his angels, or his servants; viz., the holy priesthood; and from that period Mr. Matthews began to preach baptism, and baptized those who felt it their duty to be baptized, and then invited them to the penitent form to get remission of their sins; but finding that would not answer all the design which he intended, he afterwards began to baptize for the remission of sins.
"Mr. Matthews appears to have well understood that counterfeit coin is more current the nearer it approximates to the true, and governed himself accordingly; for he continued to preach faith, repentance, baptism for the remission of sins, the second coming of Christ, etc., etc., adding one thing to another, in imitation of truth, as fast as it answered his purpose, from those doctrines which he had heard from the Latter Day Saints; but it was some time before he arrived at that heaven-daring, conscience-seared hardihood
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