Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1886-01-14
Gospel LESSONS.
baptism for Remission of Sins.
No. l..


do not eoncede that baptism is for
the remission OF sins; but they be-
long to class fast fading out, OF
that class, however, nothing can be
said complimentary of their scholar
ship or honesty. On this subject
religious bigotry has run its race and
the few remaining fossils who cling
to that theory are dieing hard deaths.
Peters first sermon on pentecost
put the question forever at rest. He
said ''repent and he baptized for the
remission of slns'' 1t does seem
that this statement is so plain that
no one could for moment misunder-
stand it. Here are two verbs in the
imperative mood, commanding two
things to be done for the accomplish
ment of one end, to-wit: Remission
of sins These verbs are copulativeiy
connected and the end to be accom-
plished can only be realized when
both acts are performed. To illus
trate: A juror is called into court !;
the judge says hold up your right
hand and be sworn; for what pur-
pose? he may ask. The judge re-
plies, to see whether you are qualified
to serve as a juror Now the man
must do both acts. He must hold
up his right hand and be sworn be-
fore the judge will ask him a question.
or permit him to make an answer.
So with the sinner, he must repent
and be baptized before he can claim
the right to pardon-must do both.
But we will now, by permission of
a friend. introduce Greek scholars
and let them say what baptism is for,
as contained in Acts 2 and 38. Rob-
ert I. Matthews, of Lexington, KY,
asked the persons hereinafter named
for the meaning of the verse, and the
first answer was from Professor Tyler,
Of Amhurst College, Massachusetts.
He says. shall translate Acts IL :3e
literally thus: Repent and let every
one of you be baptized in (or on the
name of Jesus Christ, unto remission
of sins. The proposition els seem.
to denote the object and end of the
two verbs which precede in the i'm
perative. In other words remission
of sins is the object and end Tor re
sult) of repentance and baptism
Next witness, Prof III. G. Cameron
of Princeton College, n. J.: "Th'
proposition els in Acts 2:3S is evi
IDENTIFY used in its final sense and tn,
phrase is clearly connected with re
pent and be baptized as the end tt
which repentance and baptism in tn
the name of Jesus led. The convic
ton of sin in the crucifixion of Jesu
who was both Lord and Christ, lie,
the multitude to inquire of the Apos
ties, "What shall we do?" Do TO
what purpose? Evidently :'for tn
remission of sins as shown in the al
swer of the Apostle. They though
only of the sin against Christ, whic
since his advent as the essence {
sin (of sin because they believed nc
I on me) but the Apostle makes th
o matter more general-'remisslon
: SINS The term remission except
), the quotation from Isaiah (Lul
= Iv:18) has but one significatlon
r. the New Testament. This, then, ws
9 the object cont mplated both in IL
~ question and the answer, and
q which els points"
" We next introduce Prof. Packar'
g of Yale College, Connecticut.
v Acts 11:3S els seems to be connecte
- with both verbs. My own impre
# sion is that I shall translate it,
:, those words occurred il Plato, +
T. instance, to the end of remission
6 sins. It would then make remissi'
- of sins an object aimed at, or rest
- attained by the acts denoted by t
\ verbs.
" We next introduce Prof. Foster,
" Colby University, Maine: Without
special examination of the passag
- in connection with Others in whi
- like expressions occur, l should s
:, that the word here has the force
'sunto" in order to, for the sake
. indicating a result to be attained a
that it connects the phrase remlssl
y of sins with both the foregoing
perative verbs, grammatically cons
:, cred.
" Now hear Prof: D'Ooge, of A
" Arbor University, Michigan:
~ would say that in my Judgment
- proposition els in the verse refer
Il" to expresses the relation of aim
10 end in view, answering the quest
~ for what and to be translated
ei s.unte" in order to ''for." I
30 sense of els is recognized by Ledt
~ and Scott for classical aud by Wi
for New Testament usage
0' Next Prof. Flagg, of Cornell [
versity, N. Y: l should say that
lin Acts 11:3S denoted intention
purpose with view to; much as
G. it had been written so as to obi
,ch remission of sins.
of Next witness is Prof. Proctor,
an Dartmouth College, N. H.: 1T
an, NV obinion that els is to be conn
I ed with both predicates and tina
,at- denotes an object or an end
. 4sr u