, 1874-04-06
The Reasons Which Led Him TO Change
His Church.
Tie Question Of Immersion or ,AHusion
Thoroughly Discusssed.'
Baptism of the Preacher.

llon few days ago. The sermon, In which no
gayc his roasons for becoming o Baptist, is..as
follows:
Ana lie <1csus> naid unto them, Go 70 into al, the
thht hoiioych and 70 baptized ahn bo saved but he
Ttoao words nre tho savior's last commission
to His disciples, as representatives of His
Church. to the end Of ita earthly existence. Ex-
traordinary gifts wo1o promised to them, that,
in oncountering tho heavy forms Of error. tho
force Of prejudice. and tho powers Of owl, it
might be aeon that thoy were Of God, and that
they might obtain. by the exhibition Of Divine
Power, q hearing for the truth. Those gifts
as at first, tho grand oommission to ovangelize
tho worlds obligatory on Christ's people and
now, as at FIRST are all who hear the glad tidings
bound to receive them, and manifest their belief
walton. Such take to be tho meaning Of this
command Of our Blessed Savior. -;
Christ here speaks of the Gospel, and how It:
must bo dealt with and believe that tho prin-
cipies implied in this, tho Churoh's commisaion
apply to my own particular case at this timo,
Suffer me to unfold as briefly as possible these
i. Christ horo spoeks OF tho Gospel.
Gospel to evory creature" Il
First Tho dospel-what doos chat mean : It ia'
s as1 4ezas sfsa sp nSs o sns Fea odd
story to mnn. It is good nows from God about
tho way sinners may be saved 1t is "tho Gospel
>of the grace Of God" " the glorious Gosnol Of:
every ono TINT belioveth." But what is this
good news TINT NO are to be1ieye Paul. inspired
by God. gives us the Holy Spirits dotlni-
you tho Gospel, :" !" How that Christ died for our
sins according to tho Scriptures, and that Ho :.
was buried, md TINT he rose ngain the third day,
according to tho Scriptures" Il Cor. xv., 1-4.)
!" Christ died for our Sins according to tho
Scriptures" The Scriptures had foretold TINT,
mud what tint Was for.
Messiah wns to bo cut off, hut not for him.
seli.""Au We, liho sheep, had gone astray aud tho
aoul was made an Offering for sin and :" by Els
knowledge" that is, tho knowledge Of Him, the
fghtsouas ono was to "nstfy many" Christ
Ssr sa asF pSa as1 accept osa and in hs s
thoreof raised His Son from the doad.;
This work p1caaad God; and He IL
,ssnp 1eaay in tS ob ssyS sbsS sSy'y yr feS oa ho th
what Christ has done. The proclamation of
ner for jesus sake on the ground Of His atoning
work, this and this alone is the dospol-the
good newa. !
Secondhand It fs good news to a1l that hear it.:
Mum universal sna neods 4; to man universal W It
salvation; FL therefore @ 'sh9 understand this
must must woleome tho @ message. WherovoF' sin briness
sorrow, then Christ's Gospel is needed aud
II. But i the Savior tells us, further. how this
Gospel must be dealt with.
>, ferstIhose who hnrs boon blessed by
must tel e,nefs 9TH YET vnrx without ,,r. a
!, tim tin @ oueht to 'lba missionary for
Christ, and pronoh the Gospel. To set apart an
order Ct men spe:al eSsn;sa9
"Man cannot live by brand nlone;" but he can
not live on earth without it. 30 because aumo
must work to earn the daily bread we pray for,
ell, Il
tie @ apocisi businoss u thoir l,vos But never so
can my GLASS Of men. however eole1nnly SGT
apart, relieve tho body OF the Church from
obedience to this command as to make it cease
to be the huinblest members duty, in the sphere
in which Providence has placed him, to preach,
by lip or life. the Gospel Of the Blessed Jesus.
secoad-Ihose Of whom it is preached must be-
hope Of tho sinner "There is no other namo
given amongst men whereby we must DO saved"
object rovoalod in the Gospel. "He that b.
loveth not shall be damned"
TAtrd-But it il not enough to bo-
liose the Gospel with an internal &C.
ward profession required. "De1ieveth and is
baptized" says tho Savior. First bolioyo. then
show your belief by external token. First,
saves, and thou he siguitleB. his acceptance Of
tho same. How shall tie world know that / have
chosen Christ II I make no Sign? An aliou
comes to America ho bnys landi settles down.
tho country; will that love II unman,-
festcd in outward decd give him
gu the privileges Of American oitizenship7
Certainly net: Declare I. your intentions; take
your conduct what you feel. So in marriage
an inward consent Of hearts is shown by m OUT
ward joining OF hands. In like mnnner, JeHus, to
love Him. and to manifest to others our resolution
10 20 Hla, claims, nay, commands that the coll
vert shall show by an outward not tho feeling Of
hih heart. The accepted definition Of baptism is
Of an i'.soard and spiritual grace" But not any
outward sign will d. Thore is one appointed By
Hoa: Tho ac1lon ia not indifferent noio. Christ
has hxed It: nBolioye aud bo baptized" Tho
trebbytetlan Church Inns boon famedi for re-
1eoting every form Of l-worship- is, forms
tna We sa afe required ~ to Observe keep
ordinances as God hath instituted in Hie Word.N
e. l08). This outward sign, thon, must 6e
observed as Christ t, instituted l. The text OBJ
vousy teaches tnls Wow. Dr: David Burns,
passage: "Baptlsm is hore put for tic external
signature Of tho inner faith ot the hoart." IN
Our toxt has led us to this, that tboro Ia =,
Gospel, that It must be preached, that it must
be believed, that the belief Of It in the hoart
1a mnst 20 SHOWN M @ ~ an outward sign, and that
nas ron bgn e III ~ b az theso pEine
ty,-tho yoico Of Christ, tho Christians King
and Lawgiyor, laying down lasting command
and commission to His Church.
III. Suffer me now to apply these principles to
my own caso at this present crisis in my miniB-
torial career. Frankly admit the possibility
Of my being mistaken. As frankly must do
clare that bolieye that nun right. It pains
mo to find myself in this matter opposed TO 30
many respected and beloved brethren; but every
ono must walk by his own light, soekiug guild
anca and grace from God. Tho Presbyterian
Church has taught mo tlat "the Supreme
Judge Of all controversies can bo no
otllor but tho Holy Spirit speaking In tho Sorp-
ture." To that "6upremo Judge" now ap-
poal. Tho Presbyterian Church l,as also taught
soIenco, and hath left it FREQ from tho doctrines
nnd commandments Of men which aro in any way
contrary to lIis word, or Lebde it, in matters Of
faith a1.d worship" Tho liberty thus accorded
I now respectfully clam; aud on tha