The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-03-23

baptizes the believer. The Scripture does
mot say that u preacher, n deacon, or any
one particularly, must perform the cerc-
nieny. But Of course the believer would
rather HAYES respectable and upright man
to administer the ordinance. The writer |
of this essay was immersed in the Bay of
San Francisco by a Virginia gentleman
who was not q preacher but II merchant. |
He had never baptized any one before, but
as three clergy men--twO Baptist and one
Methodist--had refused to do us this SER !
vice, he consented to go with us down into
the Bay and administer the ordinance.
We had been baptized several years before,
but rs W e knew nothing about the true
gospel at that time, we considered our first
baptism US worthless. But let us proceed
with II argument.
To be "in Christ" therefore, is to be u
" fellow-citizen with the saints" one of
the "%elect," and OF the number of those
who are to be the rulers of the nations OF
the earth.
The Scriptures say, "IIe that ruleth over
men should be just, ruling in the fear of
the Lord" and the time is coming when
this principle will be illustrated.
The historian ROllin AYERS that "the
multitude generally follow the example of
those who rule them"
And hence, the world will be blessed ''in
Christ" through the provision of wise ru-
lers, who will have an eye single to the
public good; and so happy will be the eff
feet Of their administration that 1.-THE ma
tions shall beat their swords into plough
shares and their spears into pruning
hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword
war any more, But they shall sit every
man under his vine, and under his fig tree.
and none shall make them afraid"
The nations, however, must be adopted
into Abraham before they can be blessed
lin Christ"
The adoption into Christ, as we have
seen, Is an individual matter, and concerns
men and women.
The adoption into Abraham is a political
matter, and concerns nations.
When God sent Moses to release the ma
ton of Israel from bondage. he Instructed
him to say to Pharaoh. : Thus saith the
Lord, Israel is my son, my FIRsT-BORN.
And | say unto thee, let my son 60, that
he may serve me-"
Israel, it is true, is Gods first-born son,
and the nation of Israel, rs a nation. will
he the first, as we have seen, that will ac-
cept Christ as King; but the Gentle ma
tions are destined also to become the sons
OF GOd,-to be adopted into the Abrahanilc
family of nations-and to constitute the
Empire of Israel. But they, too, like MS
their elder brother did, must undergo q
forty years probation before entering into
their promised land: that state of peace
and blessedness which God has in store
for them.
The Kings of the various nations will
doubtless do as Pharaoh did, and refuse tC
give up the Jews among them, when Christ
returns and demands them, for they will
look with jealousy upon the rising power
of Israel, and their refusal will be as disas-
troUs to them as PharaOh's was to him
The forty years. var which follows will
result, as we have shown, in the subjuga-
ton of all the gentle nations, and the res
t@oration of the Ten Tribes" to their ma
tive land.
IN this way the nations of the earth be-
come the sons of God, and are adopted into
the ADralhamic family, being compelled by
force of arms to accept Christ rs theil
King and receive those wise and immortal
beings whom lie appoints to rule them
And thus will all the nations of the
earth be blessed sin Abraham" and "ir
Christ"
In our.neXt issue we will endeavor tC
show when the "Prince of Peace" will
come to grasp the sceptre Of universal EN-
pirc.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.