New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-07-25
A Puzzled Dutchinan.

One who does not believe in immersion fol
baptism, was holding a protracted meeting
and one night preached on the subject O
baptism. In the course of his remarks he
said, some believe it necessary to go down
into the water, and come up out Of it, to be
baptized. But this is claimed to be fallacy
for the proposition "into," of the Scriptures
should be rendered differently, as it does moi
mean into at all times. 'Moses," he said,
1--WE are told, went into the mountain, and
the Savior was taken into high mountain,
etc. Now we do not suppose that either
went into the mountain, but unto it. So
with going down into the water, it means
simply going down close By or near to the
water, and being baptized in the ordinary
way, by sprinkling or pouring.
He carried this idea out fully, and in due
season and style closed his discourse, when
an invitation was given for any one SO dis.
posed to arise and express his thought.
Quite a number of the brethren arose and
said they were glad they had been present
on this occasion, that they were pleased
with the sound sermon they had just heard
and felt their souls greatly blessed. Finally
cOrpulent gentleman Of Teutonic cxtrac.
ton, a stranger to all, arose and broke 81.
lence, that was almost painful, as follows:
sinister preacher, 1 ish so glad wash here
tonight, for has had explained to my MINI
some things dat never could pellet pefore
O, 1 ish so glad't that into does not mean in.
to at all, but shust close py or near to, fol
now hi can pellet manish tings vot could
not pellet before. We reat, Mr.. PREACHER
that Taniel vas cast into the ten of lions, ano
came out alife! Now, never could pellet
that, for the wilt peasts would shust eat him
up right off ; put now it ish ferry clear to my
mir Ia oh tnlo hx,o 70
did not get into the ten at all. o, ish sc
glat vas here tonight!
Again, we reat dat dc Hebrew children
vas cast into the irish furnace, and dat all
alwish look't like peeg story too, for they
would have peen purnt up; put it ish al
plain to my mint now, for they were shust
cast near py, or close to the irish furnace
.! vas so glat vas here tonight!
And den, Mister preacher, it ish said dat
Jonah vas cast into de sea, and taken into dc
whalcsh pellew. Now never could pelieve
dat. 1t always seemed to me to pc a peee
feesh story, put it ish all plain to my
mint now. He wash not into de whalesf
pelly at all, put shust shumpt onto his back
and rode ashore. o, 1 wash SO glat vas
here tonight.
"And now, Mr.. preacher, if YOU will shust
explain two more bashages Of Scriptures !
shall be, o, so happy dat wash here to-
night! One of them is we're it saish de
wicked shall be cast into lake that purns
with fire and primsthone always. o, Mister
PREACHER, shall / pc cast into that lake if I
am wicked! or shust close py or near to,
shust near enough to be comfortable? O!
hopes you tell me shall be cast only shust
py good way of, and will pc so glat vas
here tonight! The other bashage is that
vich saish, blessed are they who do these
commandments, that they may have right
to the tree of life and enter in through the
gates into the city. o, tell me 1 shall
gets into the city and not shust close by or
near to, shust near enough to see vat 1
have lost, and l shall be so glat vas here
tonight J"
He sat down with the impression left on
many minds present that it would not do to
take the Bible for only what it clearly saws.