The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-08-19
For the Gate City

| MRssRs. EDITORS In an article ia vour
paper Of August 10th, headed ssOpen Com
munion-Diverse DECISIONS" / notice one
misssatement, doubtless founded upon mig
apprehension Of circumstances, and another
statement that does injustice towards the LIST
Baptist Church, body independent Of every
other church, east or west, but most oonsoi-
sntiously aiming to adhere to what they I'M
derstand to be Christian church in gospel
order-that is, as taught in the new tesla
ment. The misstatement is, that "Mr. Allen
was turned out Of the church by a Baptist
council"
/ Mr.. Allen il still member of the church.
Each Baptist church claims sole control over
its discipline, its membership, and it's faith.
1t is independent in all things. The council
unanimously advised 'the church to with
draw thehand Of fellowship from Mr.. Allen"
lie differed from the church, and they could
not walk together in church fellowship. In
other words, the church is "strict commu-
nion;" Mr.. Allen is not. There are nine
Baptist Ommersion) denominations in the
e. S.; only one of these holds to strict COM
munion. They (we) number nearly l,ooO,-
900 members. The other eight (open com
munion) number about 100000. The de-
nomination known as "Baptists" do not sit
down at the Lords table with any Of these !;
neither do the two Presbyterian churches of
this city, ministerei to by Rev. Dr. Brown
nd Ran ~v.I .,h
other denominations. Thousands of Baptist
churches do not commune outside Of their
own church, usually.
IF the Baptist churen Of Nantucket prac-
not longer be recognized as strict commu-
! MON Bapsists. Every body will say, "Why,
} that is an open communion church" Half
the churches in America may do so, if they
! choose it, but that does not make the Keokuk
church or our denomination open commu-
MON.
When Alexander Campbell made baptism
, what Baptists thought to- be "saving ordi-
! nance" they withdrew fellowship from him.
The LIST Baptist church Of keokuk believe
they would be just as consistent" in follow
ing the example of Penney lvania Campbell.
: lite Baptist church, as they would in follow
ing Massachusetts open communion Bap-
fist church. Both are not close communion
, denomination with whom strict communion
Baptists have no church fellowship as de-
nomination.
Mr.. Aliens "heresy," as correspondent
of yours calls it, is, that of throwing the
Lords supper, one of our only two ordinan-
COS, entirely out of the church, ~ We think
he believing, as have often heard him say,
: that there il no necessary connection between
baptism and the supper; we believing that il
10 restricted to churches organized and prac
Using as strict communion Baptist churches
, do. Baptists, you see, are "strct construc-
|, tonists.'
Now, Messrs. Editors, when you state that
you "regret Q preacher OF righteousness
should be silenced in Keokuk for entertain
ing sentiments which are no obstacle to the
ordination of minister in Nantucket p
8 intimating that Baptists could or would 81
lence Mr.. Allen as preacher,-you wrong
US, unless by righteousness" you mean Bap-
fist doctrine. You know we cannot "silence''
him If we wanted to. Martin Luther was q
"preacher Of righteousness" He believed
. in transubstantiation and other "heresies, y
! (though in baptism be was with the Bspsists
o SEQ his translation of the testament-getau.
fet.) Yet he would not be tolerated in The
Baptist church, or in the New School Pres.
bytcrian church at Keokuk, month. Why
q Was he not good mana Christian Ger.
/. tainly. The ground is, he isn't Baptist
: nor Presbyterian.
o write this article, Mcssrs. Editors, fol
the purpose Of correcting you before the pub
. lie. do not believe that you mean to d.
: Baptists injustice. Many Of them, however
! say-"Wasn't the Rev. MIR. Briggs "a mos
excellent, pous many lately excluded from
the Methodist church here; and Congrega
tionalist-a good man-just over in Illinois
J. served in the same way; and was any publi
!: talk and agitation made Of it? Why are v
. Baptists arraigned and abused by so many 0
Il the Christian and infdel public? Why ar
. we reprimanded (inferentially) BY the Cat
! City," Many of these Baptists feel tina
! they are misrepresented,-o course mis-
e judged. | also write this that all feelings o
II prejudice which are arising among Baptist
of this city and vicinity towards you an
your paper may pass away, as they see thei
views correctly stated. And this 10 as
ought to be, for religious prejudices, to m
of mind, are the meanest Of all weaknesses t
= which truthful mind can yield.