The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1860-11-10
Written for the Emporia News.
Reasons WIN Quakers Don't Practice
Water baptism

OF the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all
things whatsoever have commanded you and.
10, am with you always, euen unto the end OF the
earth Amen.-MaLhew %; lS 20 v.
Did our Lord in he above commission
to his disciples, institute water baptism
as an ordinance in his church. We are in
duced to answer this question in the mega
tive. by the following considerations Wa
ter baptism being an outward rite and at
best but type of an inward and spiritual
work, would seem in its very nature, more
properly to belong to the dispensation of the
law, than to that of the gospel. II Is in
strict conformity with the divers washIngs
and publications, we read of in the ritual of
Moses. and appears to have been admins
tered subsequently TO all who were recsiv
ed as Proselytes into the H-brew Church.
From the Babylonish talmud. and from the
works of Maimonides and other Jewish wri-
tiers, we learn that Circumcision baptism
and sacrifice, were enjoined on every mali
convert to the Jewish faith and baptism and
sacrifice on every female. The baptism as
described by these authors, appear to have
been very similar in its mode of administra-
ton. to that practiced by John and the ear
ly teachers of christianity. who were yet in
bondage to the Jewish rights and ceremo-
MES. John who came to prepare the Jews
for the reception of the Messiah. admins
tered water baptism as symbol of the pur-
ification of heart, which was necessary for
each one to experience in the dispensation
which was then at hand, the enforcing of
this right, even on those who were wont to
esteem themselves as the people of God.-
The holy nation must have given them a
striking view of the exceeding purity of the
gospel, educated as they were with clear
understanding If the nature and meaning of
such ceremonies. They must have seen its
peculiar appropriateness to the mission of
the forerunner Of the Messiah; the priests
and Levites who had cognizance of the legal
cleansings. expressed no dsapprobstion or
surprise at the right. as if it were new, unus
ual or improper. They found fault. it is
true, with John, for administering it. but it
either Elias or the Christ To the Jews,
then, this ceremony was an appropriate
type of the baptism of Christ; but what
could Gentles have understood by il. un-
acquainted with publication by water as
symbols of publication of heart. they could
not understand the spiritual application of
such pei formance.
The entire agreement of this right with
the spirit of the Mosaic institutions jusii-
fed the Jews in the use of it. and John the
Baptist explicitly directed to admins
ter it; but this furnishes no reason foI Us
to believe it ever made part OF the Gospel,
as relic f outward right--it was not in
harmony with tie spiritual dispensati"n -
john had clear perception of tie difference
between the baptism whi' belonged to the
G ~pel dispensation, and that which he was
sent 10 administer. The testimony which
he bore To the spiritual character of the bap
tism of Christ. as contrsSted with his own,
Ii thus recorded by the Evangelist
L indeed baptize you with water unto re-
pentance, but he that cometh after me is
mightier than 1, whose shoes l am not wor
thy to bear: he shall baptize you with the
Holy Ghost and with ire.-Matthew 3. 1Iv.
Il indeed have baptize you with water:
but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Marx 1, 8v.
John answered, saying unto them all. |
indeed baptiZe you with water; but one
| mightier than I cometh, the lA,chet of whose
shoes l am not worthy to unloose; he shall
baptiza YOU with the Holy Ghost and with
| FIRE. Whose fan is in his hand and he will
thoroughly purge his fioor.-Luke 8. l6v
"And / knew HIM not, but he that sent
me to baptize with water. the same said IN
to me, upon whom thou shalt see the spirit
descending and remaining on him, the am
is he which baptizeth with the H ly Ghost. -
John 1, 3v.
These declarations of John are very EN-
phatic and bear strong testimony to the
nature of the baptism, referred to in the
command ofour Savior to his disciples. The
discourse is narrated by all the Evangelists,
as if to guard against the possibility of sup
posing the baptism of water was a part ol
the christian dispensation. Let us now
proceed to examine the recorded expressions
Of our Lord, in which he makes uee of the
word baptism or its derivatives, and see il
we can gather therefrom any thing that
will elucidate the subject under consdera
ton. Throughout all of his discourse re
corded by the Evangelsts, in which any Of
these words appear. The tex. Mathew
28c. I9v and its corresponding one in Mark
contain the only instance in which his mean
inv can be considered in the at doubtfu
In no place can his expressions be- c"nsid-
cred to mean water baptism. except where
he especially refers o the baptism OF john
H speaks of the baptism of suffering.
wherewilh he was to Oe baptized, and the
similar one that his discipies was TO endur:
for his sake. II have baptism to be bap
tized with, and how am I straitened till il
be accomplished. Ye shall indeed drink o
the cup that drink of, and with the bar
tism that am baptized with. shall ye b'
baptized" Here we believe Il at our Sa
vior did not mean water baptism as many
other places IN Holy Writ, that speaks abou
baptism of the Holy Ghost, and also circum
eision of the heart shows that there is Z
Igrest difference between the two. Now thi
/ say that every one of you sayeth | am o
Paul. aud of Apnilos. and Of C.phas. an;
Of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Pau
r crucIfrd for you. or were You baptized II
the name of Paul? Paul says he tina, Ike
God thai he baptized so few, naming thos.
: he had baptized. For Christ sent M no
D to baPi'ze. but to preach the gospel, not viii
wisdom of words &c. More in its place =
1t must then be evident that baptism in ia
discourse of our Lord. has 20 cecessar,
connection with water We shall find nm
towards the conclusion of mis- parting ad
dress to his disciples. drawing the distinc
i ton between the two baptisms. in Language
J. very similar to that used by John. He ha