Smyrna times., 1869-02-24
For the smyrna "Times."l

M EtdOr In your issue of the 18th there
appears paragraph which perhaps ought not
to go unnotlced. The author, who takes the
signature or means very evidently to
exalt the BaptiSts even though it should be at
the expense of others. That denomination has
as good right to Its pcculiarities as any other.
ana perfect right to prOmulgate them. But
the assumptions of this writer are unwise. as
think. 1t Is plainly assumed that the twenty
believers who Were baptized by immersion in
Dover were the only persons buried with Christ
by or la baptism. Is not every true believer
not only crucltied with Christ but dead in
Christ, and buried with Christ, whether he is
plunged IN baptism or has more or less water
formed or sprnkled upon him in the name Of
the Holy Trinity? Is the solemn ordinance
of babtism" never administered except in a
" lake or similar place? 1t is simply an as
SUMPTION to say it Is not. "Others, it is said
" are ready to follow Christ in his command
and example" ltis all assumption that Christ
ever commanded any one to be immersed or
ever was Immersed himself Who can Droye
either? Where does the Bible teach that
immersion" is Goods one baptism? No
where. 1t Is claimed as quite a new thing that
TINS doctrine has won its way into the Meth
odlSt church. =" There is nothing new in that
There have from the beginning been persons
among us preterring such mode of bantiSp
as our Discipline allows. That there still are
IS no proof that at last, after long struggle.
tins idea has " won its way into our church
Nor IS it a very unusual thing for persons wish
ing 10 become MethOdlsts to seek immersion
at the hands Of Baptists Methodist prpacb.
ers will not trife with sacred things-wiIl NOT
rebaptlze. Hence, those who, having received
what we consider valid baptism. hut who for
some cause have become unsettled in their
minds on the subject, have no alternative but
to apply to such as have no Scrupes. Indeed
there are Methodist preachers who are 81
thoroughly persuaded that immersion is not only
not the best mode, but is no mode at all. and
never was practiced by either our Lord or his
disciples, that those who stick to their preiudi
ceS are not willing to be immersed BY such un-
believers, or they are not willing to trife with
their own convictions of propriety by putting
them IN the water We desire to saw most
positively, that immersion as Gods one bap-
tIsm has not won Its way into the Methodist
church. No such notion is in the church
now any more than it always was; and it never
was Ill it only in few exceptional instances
As to the Rev. Mr. Lightbourn's declining 70
go down into the water" in cold weather to
DO what no one can prove either our Lord or
any one OF his disciples ever did, | think he
shows his good sense. Why should any per
son be required to DO so unwiSe thing as to
y ~ hShIIlA lOI uOlIlIuS Jesus SdlU
My yoke is easy and my burden is light"
but If in the very inception of following him
we must put health and life in peril, his yoke
is not easy nor his burden light "Unquiet con-
science !! Well, whGt Of that? [ knew
young man whose unquiet conscience led him
from the Methodist church into that of the
MormOns. His soul longeI for the gifts of the
Spirit which all would get who followed Christ
into the water; that done, every saint" would
have the gift of tongues, or of Interpretation,
or of prophecy, or of miracles Now, | said,
you have satisfied your conscience in being i'm
mersed what gift have you? You say, every
saint then receives some gift what is yours ,
lie .fclf great deal better than ever before /
A RomaniSt, whose conscience sends him to his
priest with confession, and who receives abs0-
luton, of course feels great deal better
Should we thus seek quiet consciences? Rath-
er let us go to God aud his word. ''To the
aw and to the testimony: if they speak not
according to this word, it is because there is no
light in them" M