Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1869-08-18
rHE BEAUTY OF BAPTISM.

To the spiritually minded, all the or
dinances of the Church have a surpass-
ing beauty, not perhaps, to be fully APP
preciated by those who are not, by cuI-
/ ture and regeneration, capable Of seeing
the charms which lie in every thing per-
/ tanning to a christian life And among
all the ordinances prescribed by the
church, what one is more beautiful and
impressive, as far as it goes, than the or
dinance of baptism?
/ An outward and unessential rite, it
/ still fuliIls the Commands of Him who
gave it; and though the requirement be
small, yet, in fulfilling the least COM
mand of our Holy Master, to the heav-
enly-minded there is a pleasure in COM
/ plianee.
But few, we think, really believe that
| the mere application of water to any
part or all of the person by a minister Of
God, will of itself ensure salvation; but
/ there is in the solemn ceremony, that
awakens our most reverential feelings,
and the vows which all must take before
! God before being made members of His
church militant, are such that no one
can behold and remain unmOved.
/ To witness one who desires to leave
the world and become a follower Of the
meek and IOwIy Jesus, take upon him
( self the vow ''tO renOunce the devil and
all his works, the vain pomp and glory
of the same, and the sinful desires of the
flesh so as not to follow nor be led by
/ them''-and promising by Gods help
to keep these solemn vows-what heart
can remain unmOved the while?
| Repentance and Faith-sOrrOw for our
( past misdOings, and faith in the atOning
merits and mercy of Jesus Christ-these
are what are required of US to secure our
salvation. In this age of the world,
when so many new notions are agitated
and promulgated in regard to the plan
of salvation; when so many are endeav-
Oring to find an easier aUay to heaven
than the plain, old, blessed road by
which our Fathers and MOtheTs-the
noble army of martyrs, and the glorious
company of the Apostles, wentup to the
shining gates-what a relief and COM
fort it is, in the midst of all the qUib-
Hngs and conflicting notions, to come
back to our old and welI-tried plan of
salvation, so plain that a child need not
err therein.
''The beautiful gates stand open, broad
and wide" and though the way is mar
row, and beset with thOrus, yet is it
straight and s,re. For hundreds of
years have holy men and women passed
up through the Kings Highway, and
were we deprived of the confidence, the
firm and steadfast faith, that they reach
I ed the heavenly land, how dark would
, be our journey, how hopeless and gIoo-
: my the prospect for our future state aft
er we had passed Deaths cold stream
Yes, our salvation is offered to US on
f easy terms yet how many there be who
regard the reasonable requirements of
the Lord as being hard and unjust
They want to have a security for heaven
and at the same time hold on with
firm grasp to the world and worldly
things.
Earth has too many charms to lure
their thoughts from heaven.
But there will a day come when these
charms shall fade-the brightness Of sin
and the aIIuring pleasures which turn to
ashes, like the dead-sea's fruit, in the
handling thereof, we shall grow weary
with all of these,-with all of these; then
we shall be only too glad to turn to that
Rock which offers shelter and holds out
enduring pleasures and never-ending
bliss.
/ There is no sorrow in that Home to
which we are all glad to think we are
tending.
Hopes one by one are blighted here.
Hearts that have long carried a Ieadeu
weight of hidden woe shall there be
made light and joyous; and for every
disappointment suffered here, shall they
receive ten-foId fruitiOn there.
Never mind, then, oh sorrowing
Christian; persecution may assaiI you;
envy, hatred and malice, may place
piercing thOrns along your pathway,
and friends may be few to scatter the
flowers of love to cheer your passage;
when you pass through the pearly gates,
all these will cease forever; and oh, the
glory that shall dawn upon your enrap-
tured vision will be so transcendent
that, if you give your old home thought
at all, you will wonder how you could
be made sad there when you had such
sure hope of dwelling in the home pre-
pared for you among the Redeemed
But we have wandered from our sub
ject. The recent witnessing of the Ordi-
nance of baptism conferred on young
sister, by our excellent pastor, Rev. Z.
NTcHugh, brought such picture before
my mind of the trials she would have
to encounter in her Christian life, that I
could but take some note of il on paper.
May she and all Others who with ere
pentance and faith, " turn unto the Lord,
and receive his holy ordinances, not on
~ appreciate the beauty Of the solemn
ceremony, but feel in their hearts that
they are indeed accepted as children of
God and heirs of everlasting life.
WAYNESvILLE, o., July 26, 1862
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