Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-02-16

pouring tor baptism' VIII " sum : 80
The way, that be cannot 60 with him. ara
as immersion is equally good IN Johns
opiuion, Peter entreats him not to put up u
this bar. But on the next Sabbath. John
has water poured on him. 10 the name OF
the Trinity. and is received into the Mem
odist church. And now Peter and An
drew remain. and as Andrew belongs to
the Free Will Baptist congregation, they
both hold 10 immersion, and are happy IN
their agreement. But Andrew says ne
shall invite James and John TO the Lords
table with him. And here Peter lays his
case open before Andrew. and states that
these brethren could conscientiously have
come with him, but they turned from him,
and put up a bar against him, which et-
fec:ually shut him out from the Lords la
bic with them. Furthermore. Pete. as
sures them that he would just as well tel-
lowship the sprinkIing of James at the
Lord's table in the Congregational church,
and pouring of John in the Methodist
church. as to fellowship them at the
Lords table in the Free Will Baptist
church. Aud after all, Andrew says we
shall invite them TO come. Peter is un-
moved as 10 his faith. He unites with
the Baptist church, and attends TO the
Lords supper !here.
We all see that these christians are now
divided at the Lords table We see
clearly too, who itis that made this separ-
alton; and who it is that has put up the
bar at the consciences Of each other. 1t
is just as plain as it is that 2 and 2 make
4, that Peter has put no bar in the way of
his brethren's consciences: and it is
equally as plain that they have put up a
bar in the way Of his conscience which
he cannot get over. We are sometimes
invited to the Lords table with our Con.
gregational and Methodist brethren: II
it were consistent to come together at that
table, as christians only. we could come.
But we all say that we must be baptized
before we come there; and consequently
they (vi,h their invitation to the supper
invite US to fellowship their sprinkling in
fants and unbelievefs, and pouring of wa
ter for Gospel baptism. Suppose tina, w
comply with their invitation they under
stand it in all cases as giving fellowship
TO their baptism. Should we 60 at thei
invitation, and say to them that we hal
come to celebrate the Lords supper wit
them, regarding them as unbaptized, W
should not be welcome nor received; 70
they hold that person must be baptized
before coming TO the ordinance. If W
should tell them that we had no conf
dence in their baptism; and yet invit
them to the Lords supper with US the
would not come; neither would the
thank US for such an invitation. Th
great point for them to gain is, not our Sc
ciety at the table, but our acknowleda
ment that sprinkling and pouring for bar
tism are right; which we honestly an
most sincerely believe to be wrong in tn
sight Of God : for il cannot be right il
the sight Of God to do thing in his nam
which he has never commanded.
All denominations except the Bapti
fellowship and uphold sprinkling or pou
ing for baptism. by practicing it then
selves or by coming to abe table vii
those who do practice it. Many in Ii
Methodist and Congregational churche
and all the Free Will Baptist brelhre
haze been immersed; and yet they az
nil that sprinkling will answer for BAL
,isn in others, if they be only SINGER,
But in this case the baptism is not sprinL
ling nor pouring. but it is the sincerity Q
the candidate We ask then why will M
the sincerity Of heather change his Idol
into real God. just as soon as christia
sincerity will change sprinkling into res
baptism2 We stand upon the groun
that error is error. and that il win conir
ne TO be error, and il can never be chang
ed into truth and righteousness. by tn
reasonableness Of the thing; nor by a.
me uniform practice Of early churches a
set forth in ecclesiastical history. by whs
appears to some to be implied in Scriptur
accounts or BY all the sincerity Of th
church UPON earth.