The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-03-31
A Puzzled Dutchman.

A Wisconsin paper has the following good
story: One that does not believe in INNER
sion for baptism, was holding protracted
meeting, and preached on the subject of bap-
tlsm. In the course of his remarks he said,
some believe it necessary to go down into the
Water, and come up out out of it, to be bat
tized. But this he claimed to be fallacy. for
the proposition into of the Scriptures,
should be rendered differently, Tor it does moi
mean into at all times. Moses" his said, 1--WE
are told, went up into the mountain, and the
Saviour was taken up into high mountain
DC Now we do not suppose that either OF
them went into a mountain, but unto it. so with
gong down into the water; it means going
down close by OR near the water and being
baptized in the ordinary way, by sprinkling or
pouring"
He carried his idea out fully, and in due
season and style closed his discourse, when an
invitation was given for any one so disposed
to arise and express his thoughts Quite a
number ofhis brethren arose and said they were
glad they had been present on this occasion
they were well pleased with the sound ser
mon they had heard, and felt their souls great
~ blessed. Finally, a corpulent gentleman OF
OF leutonlc extraction, stranger to all, arose
and broke silence that was almost painful
as follows:
Mister preacher, I ish so glad I wash here.
tonight, for l had not explained to my m mt
some dings dat never could belief before
Oh, ish SO glad dat into does not mean into
at all, but shust close by or near to, for l can
belief manish dings dot | could not belief be-
lore. We reat, Mister PREACHER, dat Taniel
was cast into de ten of lions, and came out
allie! Now | never could belief dat for de
wild beast would shust eat him off; but now it
lsh fiery clear to my mint. He yas shust close
by or near to, and It'd not get into the ten al
all. Oh, ish SO glad | vas here tonight
Again we reat dat de Hebrew children vas
cast into de tirish furnace, aud dat air alwish
looked like peeg story too, for they would
hay been purnt up; put it ish all plain to my
mint now, for they were shust cast close by or
near to the frish furnace. Oh, vas so glad,
vas so glad vas here tonight.
And den, Mr. preacher, it ish said dat Jonah
was cast into de sea and taken into de whalesh
pelly. Now l netfer could belief that II
always seemed to be peeg feesh story, but it
ken into de whalesh pelly at all, but shust
slump onto his pack and rode ashore. Oh!
wash So glad wash here to tonight
And now, Mr.. PREACHER, if YOU will shust
explain two more passages of Scripture | shall
pc, Oh, so happy dat wash here tonight! One
of them is we're it saish de wicked shall be cast
into lake that purns nit fire and birthstone
always. Oh! Mr. preacher, shall be cast into
that like if | am wicked or shust close by or
near to, shust near enough to be comfortable !?
Oh l hope you tell me shall be cast only Ply
a good way of, and l will be so glad vas here
tonight The other passage is that vich
saish, blessed are they who do these command
ments, that they may have right to the tree of
life and enter in through the gates of the city
and not shust close by or near to, shust near
enough to see vat have loSt-and | shall pc
so glad vas here tonight.