The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1875-04-02
RlOGRAA'nK OFF REV. JOHN
RANKIN.
Mr. seanLEfu's ABO Olks. One on
Slavery, One OH BaptlsEn,
One ON UniGaPianISID,
and One ON UuI-
VerSalISIu.
CHAPTER III.

Mr.. Rankin's brother Thomas set
tied as a merchant at Middlebrook,
Virginia, and became 4 STAKEHOLDER.
This prompted his brother John to adj
dress him in a series OF letters, setting
forth by facts and arguments the SIN
fulness and cruelty Of slavery. These
Mr.. David Anon published in 8 paper
he then edited, and printed at Ripley
under the name of the Castigator, and
IL was sent to Thomas, who was then
at Middlebrook. Mr.. Anon rented
ons-thlrd of Mr.. RankIn's house and
paid his ront In printing Mr.. Rankin's
letters on slavery In book form. Six
hundred were bound and sold in Ohio
and kentucky, and four hundred cop
les were burnt with a..bIndery In which
they were placed for binding. Mr..
Cox, book setter st Maysville, KEN,
sent a copy TO England, and Il was
published there. Mr.. Rankin had no
funds with which 10 publish second
edition, and he supposed that it would
never be reprinted; but after some
years the great anti-slavery contest
commenced and q copy OF 1t passed IN
To the hands of William Lloyd Garrison,
and was tho means of prompting him
70 engage In the great anti-slaVery
conflict. He made Mr.. Rankin pres
ent of his book containing n selection
of his writings and speeches, on a
blank leaf Of which he wrote the fol-
LOVING note:
"RRv. JOHN RANKIN With the pro-
found regards and loving Veneration
Of his anti-slavery disciple and humble
co-worker in the cause Of emancipa-
rion." WA. LLOYD GARRISON.
Cincinnati, April 81, 1853.
lie published Mr.. RankIn's letters
on slavery in the Liberator an Anti
slavery paper he then published.
Those letters were again published in
book form and were extensively cir
cnlated, and the facts of cruelty record
ed were so horrible and the reasoning
40 conclusive that the book propagat-
cd anti-slavery sentiments wherever 1t
was read. Tho American Antislavery
Society made it q text. book for their
anti-slaYery lecturers. No other anti
slavery book was so we'll calculated to
produce gerater abhoranee of slavery
and to stir up the strongest passions of
the human soul against q system so
oppressive and-ernsl. W
What impression those letters made
on Thomas Rankin is unknown. He
set his slaves free and provided q home
tor them. During the anti-slavery
contest Mr.. Rankin wrote many arti-
cles against slavery, which were pub
lIshed in anti-slaVery papers, and
were extensively read. Mr.. Rankin's
second book was present to families,
n practical work on the covenant oil
grace, as given to Abraham, designed
to promote family religion. In this
book it is proved that the covenant OF
circumcision is the covenant of grace,
in that it promised Christ, who Is the
source of all grace, and In that cove
nant was a seal of the righteousness OF
faith, which is Christ's righteousness.
The seal consisted in an external
cleans ing, significant of spiritual
cleansing by Repatriation. The blood
and pain were significant .of the dis
pensatlop That preceded the sufferiRgs
OF Christ. Before ne suffered pollution
was cut eli; after he suffered pollution
was washed of. Tho seal consisting
in an external cleansing is the same
under both dispensations. The mode
of cleansing was changed, but the
seal was not changed. Circumcision
and baptism are equally significant OF
spiritual cleansing. The painful mode
of administering the seal has passed
away, but the seal Is the same nov as
before. The covenant being now as
before, the same in all ages, the christ
Ian parent has right to consecrate
his household to God in the ordinances
Of baptism, and thus to have the eXter-
nal slgn of his own regeneration, the
seal of righteousness of faith, put upon
his househoId-that is, all under his
government and:- teaching, as the
pledge on tho part of God that, in case
the parent is faithful In training his
household according to the reQaisi-
lions Of the covenant, he will give the
same resignation and Righteousness OF
faith that the parent has. Viewed In
this light, household ba ptism is adapt
Cd In a high degree to prompting par
rnts TO the discharge of parental duty.
Thus household baptism administered
and received is one of the best means
of propagatins religion in families.
According to this view, household
baptism Is an Institution of great val
ne and deep interest. Such Is the
light In which that book presents it.
There is in It much originality and
nothing TO offend any one. 1t has
passed through three additions and Ia;
heen well received.
His third book is An Antidote fol
Irnitarianism, a comprehensive defense
Of the doctrine of the Trinity, the di-
Vinity of Christ. the personality and
deity of holy spirit, the original and
total depravity of man, the necessity
at the agency of the Spirit to renew
the heart, the substitution of Christ fol
his people, and justification by his
righteousness. These points of doc
trinc are clearly proved by direct quo
tations of scripture. That book Is q
decisive refutation of Unitarian err
rors, and well adapted to the present
age, and should be extensively circu-
lated. It has passed through but one
edition, which is now exhausted
There has been a want of effort in ex-
tending It's circulation.
His fourth book, remedy for Uni
niversalism, is q small work contain
Ing. clear and, forcible refutation OF
the errors propagated by Universal
lists. IL has passed through one edi-
ton, which Is entirely exhausted
Three of these books were stereotyped,
and might be reprinted at small ex-
pense, but Mr.. Rankin has not the
means Of re-printing them and of en-
ploying SCENTS to circulate them.