Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-11-02
A PUZZLED DCTCHMAN.
Old paper.


Some good stories have been told
in illustration of the absurdities to
which the 'liberal construction" of
Spiritual passages generally leads,
but we have not seen anything more
sarcastic in this line than the follow
ing observation by a puzzled Dutch
man at a sort Of service held by
progressive" sect out West. A
Wisconsin paper is responsible for
putting it into print:
One who did not believe in inn
mersion for baptism was holding a
protracted meeting, and one night
preached on the subject Of baptism.
In the course OF his remarks, he said:
Some believe it necessary to go 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 mountain, &c.
Now, we do not suppose that he went
INTO the mountain, but upon it. So
with going down into the water; it
means simply going down to or near
the water, and being baptised in the
ordinary way, by sprinkling.
He carried out this idea fully, and
in due season and style closed his
discourse, when an invitation was
given to any one who felt disposed
to rise and express his thoughts.
Quite a number of the brethren arose
and said they were glad that they
had been present on this occasion,
that they were pleased with the SER
mon they had just heard, and felt
their souls greatly blessed. Finally
a corpulent gentleman, of teutonic ex-
traction, stranger to all, rose and
broke a silence that was almost pain
full, as follows:
"Mr. PREACHER, ish so glad wash
here tonight, for has had explained
to my mind someding dat never
could believe before. Oh | ish SO
glad INTO does not mean INTO at all,
but shust close by or near to, for now
can believe manish things vot !
could not understand before. We
reat, Mr.. PREACHER, dat Taniel vas
cast INTO de ten Of lions, und came
oud alife! Now, meier could under
slant dot, for de wilt peasts would eat
him up right off; but new it ish very
clear to mine mint. He vas shnst
close by or near to, and did not get
INTO dc den at all Oh, ish so glad
| vas here tonight. And we read
dot de Hebrew children vas cast INTO
|. de irish furnace, and dat alwasl
look't like peeg story, too, for
drinks dey would have been purnt up
but it ish all blain TO my mint now
for dey were shust cast close by oil
near de furnace. Oh, | wash so gla'
| wash here tonight.
And den, Mr.. PREACHER, it ish sale
dat Jonah wash cast INTO the walesi
, pelley. Now | nefer could under
stand dat; put it ish blain to my min
now; he wash not taken INTO de wal
ish pelley at all, but shust slump OF
his pack and rode ashore. Oh,
wash so glad wash here tonight.
"And now, Mr.. PREACHER, if YOU
will shust explain two more pashage'
of Scripture, shall be, o, so happ,
| vas here tonight One of dem il
we're it saish de wicked shall be cas-
INTO lake dat burns nit fire anC
birthstone alwaysh. o, Miste
preacher, shall be cast INTO da
lake if | am wicked, or shust close by
. or near enough to be comfortable?
hope you will say | shall by cast shus
by, good way off, and | will pc S,
glad | wash here tonight! De ode
passage is dat wish saish blessed ar,
dey who obey these commandments
dat dey may have right to de tre'
of life, and enter in through the gate
INTO de city. Oh, tell me | shall ge
INTO de city, and not close Ply or nea
to, shust near enough to see vat
have lost, and | shall pc so glat
wash here tonight"
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