Smyrna times., 1872-02-14
lror the "s~yrDa TIMES, rsan,;sw

Mr' have carefully read the 81
Mr.. Ed't" number headed jesus and a
article in your laSa chiefly of long extract L
Baptism ward Beecher's book entitled, Il
from lie1i t5e Christ, which extract is COM Z
,or5'J "ul" esnccally to my notice. !;
'i'TT1s IN some of Mr.. Beechcr views, cerIai%y
have no objectiOn,-as wnen, ioi o1a'nEi1' ~ ~
says t'aS nd the baptism of the Apostles in the l.
jesus 'Chmrch are substantially One 1t my I
cary nt;st friends in Delaware believe as Nlr. t
PeuoIapJI Joas on this point | hope they will no
beecn';; ;n.;st that John S baptism differed ma G
iOnsIi1I OsiIy from the baptism enjolned by Christ
.',i' v"5 nracticed by the Apostles
SHT sunpose the principle reason why redo'
b.ntists generally take the view oppoS!te 10
espupIso poebers is, that they know there is not {
M ,otnst po ;ntmation that John baptised l
Tue aIIaSs 1I% infants Another reason, no doubt,
sp.Iat Jobn baptised in the Jordan las the {
Is i, .na. l;'t D;scipline concedes) and where
MethouaSS ,mnch water" | hope that all
tnelo tne'aJ will remember that MIR. Beecher ad
~, substantial oneness of the baptisms of
nh.,' .ho New Testament. This is capital point.
'"f Guote again from Mr.. Beecher "A dis
nute arose between John disciples ana those
apf pT'Jf Jesus about purifying, This presents
Oh e;"n 'ea"9 Of fact | deny Mr.. B. statement.
TessV Sase nv denial on what read in John 3: 2j.
i.To, TToo tIare arose question between some of
1dhm's imgs 5iscipIes and the Je,cs about purity
?on" :" This is the only passage in the New
Rg. Mts,,ment ~ which refers to dispute about
I,rf,;ng" Does i: say that the dispute
pos between Johns disciples and those Of
.Tesus"? Let all read tor themselves. The
:, J;cruts :" was between some of Johns |
d;Sc;ples and the .Jelcs " Were these Jews
J;Sc;ples Jsl of Jesus? There was in the term
Isws nothing distinctive of the disciples of
Christ The disciples of both Jesus and John |
were Jews, but they were not thus designated. |
The diSciples of Jesus were never called Jews
70 distinguish them from Johns. Mr.. Beech
er's statement is not historically true. 1t
seems to be a sort of failing in the " Beecher
family" to misunderstood the passage in ques-
ton. DR.. Edward Beecher regards it (see his
book on Baptsm) as the basis of his "purih-
cation theory.
quote again from Mr.. Beecher, as reported
by YOUR correspondent Indifference to all
religious forms, if only the interior reality be
present, was the spirit of Christ" This is
Nr. B.'s opinion. Is it we'll founded? 1t is
not; and Mr. B. is singularly unfortunate in
his reference to the spirit of Christ" in con-
necon with religious forms" Baptism Mr..
B classes among religious forms" Very
we'll But Jesus himself went many miles
from Galilee to Jordan to john to be bap-
tsed BY him that is, to observe religious
form Did this indicate indifference .? No,
but the reverse. Baptists are often charged
with attaching excessive Importance to bap-
tism but who among them show as much in
terest in the ordnance as was personally eXem
pE6ed in Jesus when he went from Galilee to
the Jordan to be baptised? MIR. Beecher
fanacously assumes that indifference to all
religious forms is compatible with the in
terror reality" So far is this from being the
case, the interior reality" prompts the exter-
tesual observance required. The outward form
is null and void in the absence of the interior
reality; and if the interior reality gives
all its value to the outward form, it is self
evident that this interior reality does not
promote Indifference to all religious
forms" The Scriptural way of showing that
the heart is right is to ito what Christ requires,
and net to be indifferent about it. Christ re-
quires those who believe in him to be baptised,
and to be baptised is to be immersed. John
Calvin wrote more than three hundred years
age, The very word baptze means to dip,
and it is certain that dipping was the custom
Of the primitive Church."
have but little space to notice what Mr. b
says in the extract about ''born of water" anC
the men who are " camping down beside
the Jordan disputing about baptism" and th'
missing record or hint that any of Jesus
disciples or even his own Apostles were hap
tised. His I" born of water" theory robs Ou
pedO brethren of one of their proof texts fO
infant Sprinkling. Mr.. b. sometimes camps
very near 1.-THE Jordan" " himself, as in hi
Tribute to Baptist Consistency" and whe
be hd baptistery put in his church in BrOol
lyn. The missing record of the baptism Of h
lJesus disciples and Apostles, is abundant
supplied by the commission, and the practiC
OF Apostles. See Math %: 10; 20. Mari
10: 10, l6, and in Acts, End, Sth and lot
ChsDters.
Mr.. Beecher is great favorite of mine.
admire his genius and love him for his phial
thrOpy. | have read sermons of almost Vi
paralleed excellence by him, but do not ca
to follow him outside Of the limits of the T
yealed Word of God The range within Il
limits Of evangelical truth is not sufficient,
tunes for bis mastery genius, and occasional
ne Is found outside, careering wildly, al
Il sweeping round with his chariot wheels wit
10 an inch Ot some fatal error, and calling tor
4 shrek from timid and startled erthord
n nerves" True, he manages always to fet
up and to swing round in safety, and prObal
always will .; but might not be able to s
back IN safety, aud hence, with all my adj
ration for the NAM | am afraid to follow h
n outside the limits Of the Old Record. If
Trend who commends the extracts from
H rs book to my notice. is willing to let
iltted Brooklyn preacher do his thinking
HIN on baptism, or any other subject, hi
nooijection whatever.
IN Finally, [ am grateful to my Metho'
Friends In Delaware for the interest they m'
1e tinmy behalf. Every now and then ther
something from them in the papers telling
That am not forgotten. 1t adds comfort,
to know that these friends who call me out
the unquiet ones in the churches, and
camping down beside the Jordan wlsf
4 they we're in. Be patient, Bro. FIippo
come along, after awhile, and then we shal
down into the water, and-have done wit
Very respectfully,
O. f. FLIPP
Wyoming, Del, Feb. 18th, 1872.