The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1890-10-29

------------------
was borrowed, and rebuke in all
ages for those who borrow and never
return, their bad habit in this re-
spect so established that 1t would be
miracle II they did return It, Yea;
from the bank OF this river Elijah took
team Of fire, showing that the most rag
Ing element is servant Of the good, and
that there Is no need Of child OF God
fear anything; for, II the most destruot-
ive OF all elements was that day fash
ioned into vehicle for departing
saint, nothing can ever hurt you who
love and trust the Lord. am so glad
that that chariot of Elijah was not made
out of wood, or crystal, or anything or
dinarily pleasant, but out Of fire, and
yet he went up without having SO much
as to fan himself.
When stepping from amid the foliage
OF these oleanders and tamarisks on the
banks Of the Jordon, he put his foot on
the red step OF the red equipage, and
took the red reins OF vapor in his hands,
and spurred the galloping steeds toward
the wide open gate Of heaven, 1t was
scene forever memorable. So the hot
test Affections Of your life may roll you
heavenward. So the most burning per-
secutions the most fiery troubles, may
become. uplifting. Only be sure that
when you pull on the bits OF fire you
drive up toward God, and not down
toward the Dead Sea. When Latimer
and Ridley died at the stake they went
up in chariot Of FIRE. When my friend,
p. P. Bliss, the gospel singer, was con-
sumed with the rail train that broke
through Ashtabula bridge, and then
took fame, said; "Another Elijah gone
up in chariot Of hrel"
But this river il river OF baptisms,
Christ was here baptized, and John bap-
tized many thousands. Whether on
these occasions the candidates for bap-
tism and the officer OF religion went into
this river, and then, while both were
standing the water was dripping In the
hand Of one, and sprinkled upon the
forehead OF the other, or whether the
enLlre lOrm VI Lno Oho o@P'aA0N NAeP
peared for a moment beneath the sur
face Of the flood, do not now declare
While / can not think without deer
emotion OF the fact that my parents held
me in infancy to the baptismal font In
the old mecting-house in Somerville and
assumed vows on my behalf, l must tel
you now Of another mode OF baptism
observed in the river Jordan, on tha
afternoon in last December, the par
ticulars Of which ! now for the mrs
time relate.
Itwas a scene OF unimaginaole solemn
ity. A comrade In our HOLY Lana Jour
ney rode up by my SIDE that oay' ant
told me that young man. "no 10 NOV
studying for the gospel ministry, woulC
like 10 be baptized by me In the Rive
Io.d.r cot all tho facts could con
"a ,.t.L "a
corning MS earhesSheSS snu i"i'N' so
through personal examination, mao
myself confident he was worthy candi
: date. There were among our Arab at
/ tendants two robes not unlike those use'
for American baptistries, and these we oo
tained. As we were to have alarge groul
: of different nationalities present dc
tated to my daughter sfew verses ana ma
, copies enough made TO allow all TO sing
, Our dragoman had man familiar VII
, the river wade through and across
show the depth and the swiftness OF Tn
r stream and the most appropriate plac
5 for the ceremony. Then read from IN
, Bible the accounts OF baptisms In this
s sacred stream, and implored the pre-
0 ence Of the Christ, on whose head th
: dove descended at the Jordan. Then,
o tho candidate and myself stepped int
4 the waters, the people on the banks san
y in full aud resounding voices;
o On Jordan's stormy banks stand
i And cast wistful eye
40 wSarn Unns ms nosssss,ons ,S sss onppy ia '
Q oh. the Transporting. rapturous scene,
d That rises to my sight;
d Sweet fields arrayed In living green'
And rivers OF denBnt
Rv this time wa had reached the NIT
A. a. .Iror Az tho candidate aan
ID uAo Va SHN Aa'
x uhuor 'no noou' a'u 80
IA