Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1879-02-24
A PUZZLED DUTCHMAN.

the following good story:
One who does not believe in INNER
sion for baptism was holding protract-
ed meeting, and one preached on the
subject of baptism. In the course of
his remarks he said some believe it neo-
essary to 60 down into the water and
come up out of it, to be baptised, but
this he claimed to be fallacy, for the
proposition into 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 mountain,
and the 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
waters, it means simply going down
close by or near to the water, and being
baptised in the ordinary way by sprink-
ling.
He carried this idea out fully, and in
due season and style closed his discourse
when an invitation was given to any
one who felt so disposed to rise and ex-
press his thought. Quite number of
the brethren arose, and said that they
were glad that they had been present on
this occasion, that they were we'll pleas
ed with the sound sermon they had just
heard, and felt their souls greatly bless
ed. Finally, corpulent gentleman of
Teutonic extraction, a stranger to all,
arose and broke the silence that was
painful, as follows: "Mister Breacher,
ish so glad wash here tonight, for I
has had explained to my mint some
things that I never belief before. Oh !
ish so glad dat into does not mean
into at all, but shust close py or near to
for now can pelieve manlsh tings what
could not pelieve pefore. We reat,
Mr.. Breacher. that Taniel vas cast into
the ten of lions and came out alife. Now
l never could believe that, for the wild
beasts shust eat him right; but now it
is clear to my mint. He vas shust close
by or near to, and did not 60 into de
ten at all. Oh, is so glad I vas here
tonight!
"Again we reat that the Hebrew
children was cast into the frish furnace,
and that sit always lookt like a peeg
story, too, for they would have ben purnt
up; put it is all plain to mint now, for
they were shust cast close by or near to
the irish furnace. Oh, l vas so glat
vas here tonight!
"And den, Mr.. Breacher, it is said
l~L T~~~k --o~-aas4 ;n4a-In s-holaah,.
pelly. Now | never could belief dat.
1t always seemed to me to pc peeg
feesh story, put shust shump onto his
pack and rode ashore. Oh, l vas glat
vas here to-nig ght!
"And now, Mr.. Breacher, if you will
shust explain two more bashages Of
Scripture 1 shall pc, oh, SO happy dat
vas here tonight. One of dem ish we're
it saish de wicked shall be cast into a
lake dat purns NIT fire and primstone
always. o, Misther Breacher shall ]
pc cast into dat lake if | am wicked? OF
shust close by or near to-near enough
to pc comforter? o. l hope so; tell me
l viii pc so glad l vas here tonight
The other passage is dat vich saish,
blessed are those who do these com.
mandments, that they may have right
to the tree of life, and enter in through
the gates into the city. o, tell me
shall get into the city, and not near to-
shust enough to see vat have lose, and
l shall pc SO glad vas here tonight" ;"
He sat down with the. impression
made on many minds present, that i
would not do to take the Bible for ONLY
what itsclearly says.