Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-08-15
9getmoont 8etesrea4p5,.
BaASDON. .sAruaDAr, AUoUsr 1888.

For some reason or another, the courtesy has not
been extended to me, either by the author or the
publisher Of the work noticed below, to favor the
with copy. May be they fear some neutraIizing
effect IN the region where they would have il most
eficient have heard Of the thing several times
but il has, as yet, eIuded my grasp.
Theme is taken from the Christian Watch
A Treatise on ths relatire Importance and
Mode Of Baptism: comprising loo
Diseoarsss deLireref in the Con grega-
tiOaaL Church, RatiGnd, March, 1898.
\ By William MitchelL, Pastor of The
CbEreh PIP, As. Windsor 1888.
This pamphlet has been laid on our IN
bic, and we hardly know what to do with
it. There are many diffic ulties, in suta.
bly, noticing such performance as this.
In the FIRST place, it is not probable that
those who, have read the sermons, and
swallowed the assertions of the author, il
any such there be, wilbelikely to read our
remarks. Besides il will be expected that
we should endeayor to defend our prac-
tee against all pO,0crfut and dangerous
attacks, and this Of itself will nullifI one
half OF what we could say; butt great
est difficulty Of all is, 10 manifest that Sc
robustness which the subject requires, with
out exposing ourselves TO the ridIcue OF
our intelligent and common sense readers,
for conteHding with shadows.
The author has not told US the immedi-
ate cause Of his appearing in the arena OF
controversy; buttru y, he must have had
abundant proVOcaton from some of the
wicked people of Vermont. Hear his
cJmplaints. 1T seems unaccountable
that every work Of grace must be hinder
ed, almost in its commencement, by thrust
Tag forward the subject of baptism with
so much zeal and prominence. Ills made
the principal theme from house to house,
as If mere outward rite were either es-
sential to salvation, or, of more immedi-
ate importance than repentance and faith. "
p. 80 -.
We shall attempt no analysis or refuta'
ton Of the work. Like many Of his
predecessors. the author asserts the very
thing which is to BE- proved, and then goes
on 10 reason upon il, He has shown US
too. that be knows how 10 make asser'
tons. We are moreover entertained by a
repetition of the stale arguments which
have regularly descended in the line OF
certain class of writers, such as, that Johr
did not baptize in Enon,. where there wa:
much water, or aaay tcGters because i
was needful for baptizing, but for otheI
purposes that John the Baptist couIc
not have IMMERSED so many people -
that Il is as easy to prove that Philip wa'
Immersed as the Eunuch that it woult
have. been impossible to have baptized
three thousand on the day Of Penteeost =
that the brook Kedron would not hav'
sufficed for the purpose besides abund
ance of Greek criticism, into, unto, TO
about, up, from. out as, Sc. Probably
his hearers thought him q. critic, and pos
si5ly some Of his readers may.
=, We had supposed that the day Of suct
productions was past, If the authors for
bearance on this subject which he speak
of. had been more durable. it would prob
ably have been better for him and hl
cause. The course which he has Ia ken
would have done better, in Roger VIII
Jams days; but il is time 10 adopt a dill
ferent method, to withstand the inhuenc
of denomination Of Christians, tire
times larger than his own. On the scor
or recommending. we can only say, tina
we can think Of but one useful purpose
can serve; II our Baptist friends know
sincere inauirers on the subject Of baptism
n that region, they may avail themselve
of its help, by circulating il as the lale'
oublicatior. on, the subject, ~. ..-s.