The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1871-08-11
COL. DEM. -. VOL. XXXV NO. %

Il consider baptism but haD performed, unless
the application of water to the body is followed
BY the laying OF, Of hands and prayer, that the
the subjects OF this holy ordinance dor these
testimonies see DR.. Notions "short Sermons.")
Ofsuch witnesses as these no cross
examination is needed.
i challenge any one to show that In
the case of Laying on of hands" cited
by the text, or that mentioned by st.
Paul as one of the first principles of
christians preparation for "gOing on
unto perfection" the apostles, who
learned directly from Christ what
things were necessary to the complete
order of His Church, intended II for
any other purpose than a supplement
to, and accompaniment of, baptism.
/ challenge any one to show that in
the primitive Church any other rite or
ceremony was used to give baptized
persons title to the privileges of full
membership in the Church.
And so long as that cannot be proven,
I am unwilling to forsake 1t, or let 1t
give place to any other form, or none
at all.
If the Apostles practiced it and their
converts derived so much benefit from
1t, 1t Is good enough for me.
If God sanctioned it by recording Its
use for my example and guidance, and
mentions no other rite superior to it in
its place, it is mine to believe tit is
mine to practice.
You know that our Lord and Master
Jesus Christ submitted to baptism but
it was not because He needed IL, but to
leave us an example to receive with
humility oil the ordinances of divine
appointment. You may say you have
been protesting christian for years,
and that you are now too old to be con-
firmed.
But are we ever too old to do right?
1t is related of the mother of Presi-
dent Madison that she had been com.
municant since her t,Centieth year, and
presented herself for Confirmation at
the venerable age of eightyJor.
You may say you are too young.
But are you too young to die?
Many and many one no older than
yourselves, Death has snatched away,
and left secret promise unfulflled.
Who has given you any assurance to
| expect that the Confirmation season
nert year, shall find you amongst the
| living?
Let both old and young remember by
way OF encouragement that it is not as
those who have gifts to offer unto God
that He invites you to approach his al.
tar, but that He, the giver of all good
may bestow gifts upon you.
We are in duty bound to use every
scriptural means to obtain the good we
need whether or not it requires us to
forsake an opinion or prejudice.
But remember in none of these means
is there any benefit unless God the
Holy Spirit owns and crowns them.
They are like the pipes in the works
which supply the city with water
when the reservoir flows with watel
then they are full, and we derive {
blessing from them but If the stream
is damned up, and the fountain. heat
ceases to give forth its current, ther
these are wells without water,-cloud
without rain; and you may 60 to sac
raments and rites as the deer to drie(
up spring, but receive neither comfort
nor blessing, nor instruction from tn
means of grace.
No matter how small the means o
grace may appear, we must use 1t; for
. little grace from Christ is better thaI
+ no grace, just as little money is bette
than no money.
A ship was sailing in the Southern
waters of the Atlantic, when the sailor
saw another vessel making signals o
distress.
They bore down and hailed them
What's the matter ?" We're dy
ing for water" was the response. " Di
it up, them was the answer. "Yo
are in the mouth Of the Amazon river.
There those sailors were thirstin
and suffering, and fearing and longin
for water, and supposing that there wa
nothing but the oceans brine aroun
: them, when in fact they had sailed ur
., consciously into the broad mouth of tn
mightiest river on the globe, and di
not know it.
, And though to them it seemed the
; must perish with thirst, yet there Wa
q hundred miles Offresh water all roun
them and they had nothing to do bu
, to "dip it up!'
c So those who have not yet come ou
from the world and set their ship
heavenward are sailing in the broa
mouth of the mighty river of Christ
Church, with hundreds and thousand
of miles of grace all around them, an
all they have to do is to "dip hup
1, with the ordinances and sacrament
i which he has given us to use as means
. How many of you will receive tn
! laying on of hands? God grant Tho
. many WW.