The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1877-01-18
NO. 80.
A STUDENT OF DIVINITY.

A minister who does not believe in i'm
mersion for baptism, was holding protracted
meeting, and one night he preached on the
subject of baptism.
In the course of his remaks, he said that
some believed it necessary to go down into
the water and come out OF the water to be
baptized
But this he claimed to be a falacy, for
the proposition Unto" Of the scriptures
should be rendered differently, as it does
not mean 'into" at all times. 'Moses.' he
said, ''we are told, went UP into the noun
tain and our Savior was taken into high
mountain, etc. Now we do not suppose
That either went into the mountain, but
upon it. SO with going down into the wa
ter it means going down close by or near
to the water, and being baptized in the or
dinary way by sprinkling.
lie carried out this idea fully, and in
due season and style closed his discourse,
when he gave an invitation to any one who
felt so disposed, to rise and express their
thoughts.
Qrite number of the brethren arose
and said that they were glad they had been
present on this occasion that they were
well pleased with the sound sermon they
had just heard, and felt their souls greatly
blessed. Finally a corpulent gentleman of
Teutonic extraction, a stranger to ALL arose
and broke silence that was almost painful,
as follows
"Nr preacher, I vos SO glad l yos here
tonight, for [ has explained to my mind
some tings | never could pelieve pefore.
We read, Mr.. Preacher, that Daniel vas
cast into de den of lions, land came out
alive Now, never could pelieve dat, for
de wild peasts would shust eat him up right
off, put now it ish very clear to my mind
He vas shust cast close Ply or near to, and
did not get into the den at ALL
"Oh, vas SO glad vas here tonight
Den We read dat de Hebrew children vas
cast into de fiery furnace, and dat, sir, al
ways looked Ike a peeg story, too, for dey
would have peen burnt up put it ish all
plain to me now, for dey vas shut cast
close py or near to de fiery furnace. Oh,
[ vas so glad [ vas here tonight And
den, Mr.. Preacher, it ish said dat Jonah
vas cast into de sea and into de whales
belly. Now [ never could pelieve dat
1T always seemed to be peeg fish story,
put it ish all plain now he vas not taken
into de whales pelly at ali, put shust
shulnped onto his back to ride ashore Oh,
vas so glad | vas here tonight And
now, Mr.. Preacher, if you viii shust ex-
plain two more passages of descriptures,
shall pc 50 happy dat [ vas here to night
One Of dem ish we're it says, de wicked shall
pc cast into de lake dat purns with fire and
primstones always
ooh, Mr. Preacher, shall I pc cast into
dat lake if am wicked, or shust close py
or near to-shust near enough to pc com
Portable Oh, hopes you viii tell me l
shall pc cast shut Ply, good way of, and I
will be very glad | vas here tonight.
The other passage ish dat which says
'Plessed are dey who do desc command
ments, dat dey may have right to de tree
of life, and enter in through de gates into
de city. Oh, tell me | shall get into de
city, and not shut close py or near to, shust
near enough to see vat [ have lost, and [
| shall be so happy dat | vas here tonight
He sat down with the impression made
on many minds present, that it would do
to take the bible for only what it clearly
says.