The National tribune., 1891-08-20

is the central fact Of the Christian system. Not
only the letter, then, but also the spirit Of the
baptismal command requires that there should
be an immersion.
1t is urged that baptism is only a form. Yes.
aud n flag is only form. merely piece Of
bunting, and yet men will die for it. The
United States flag is a symbol Of the Union,
since it has a star for every State. When the
great conflict arose in 1861, il was seen in
moment that If disunion came the dag would
have to be changed. The contest therefore took
the shape as TO whether the old hlg should DO
retained. And when the Star Spanged Ban
neE was sung. when the Stars and Stripes
were unfurled to the breeze, it meant that
there was TO DO
NO CHANGE IN THAT FLAG.
That great four years war was war over
flag, for 10 save the flag meant % save the
Union. IL the flag had been like the French
TTi-cOlor or the Swiss Cross. which could have
been retained after the Nation was divided. it
would have been different. But the fact that
if disunion came the flag would have to be
changed, made the soldier " fight for the flag
and stand by tho flag with tenfold earnest
ness. Perhaps il would not Be too much 70 say
that the flag saved the Nation Perhaps ID
would not have been possible 10 save the Union
had il not been for the flag which put tho
whole question before the minds Of the people
in so vivid and striking a way that they could
not help seeing the meaning Of the great strug-
gle. Tho flag though "mcTe form -, had 4
marvellous power, for it told the whole story.
And so the baP;ismal burial in water, though
a mere ceremony, sets forth so strikinCly the
great central truth Of Christianity that eternal
life comes through the death and resurrection
Of Christ that Baptists in preserving that sym
Dol are doing a rich service 10 the Church and
the world.
There is another small point to which per-
Ear.z a yVQrI gloffId Ia oit ipf
the Bautist7 have been subjected to much igno-
rant and most unjust criticism, namely, what
is known as Close Communion
On this subject, let il first lie noticed as al
ready taught By liberal quotations, that all
Christians, PrcsDytcTiaus and MethOdists as
we'll as Baptists. agree that baptism is pre-
requisite to the COmmuuion; that
NO Person SHOULD BE INVITED
to the Communion table until ne has been bap-
tized. When therefore the question arises,
Who shall be invited % the Communion table E?
il must first be determined, Who has been bap-
tizcd?
If man has been baptized who has merely
been sprinEled in unconscious infancy, then be
may be invited to the Communion. But Bap-
lists find in Scripture 10 baptism except "a
burial IN water on profession OF faith. Aud so
they can invite only immersed believers I'm
able To- sec that infant spriukliHg is baptism,
| have been baptized i'm infancy, or have received
merely pOurin. or sprinkliug for baptism.
BaPtist5 differ from PTesbytcriaHs and Meth
dists no. on the question who shall be Invited
To the Communion, but simply as 10 who have
been baptized. If Baptists are wrong in say
ing that infaut sprinklng is not bap'i ism, then
| they arc wrong in not inviting PrcsJyteriaus
and MethOdists 10 the Communion. But if
/ they have right TO their opinion that Presby-
teEians and Mothodists have not been baptized,
| they are right in not inviting them to the
Lords Supper.
10 is true that Sturgeon. uBdcr certain re-
| strictiOns. aud English Bapti5.5 generally. so
/ invite PresbytoriaHs and others % the Com
muuiOn. But on what ground? On a ground
/ which Presbyterians aud all others condemn,
| the ground that water baptism is uOt in any
way a prerequisite 10 the Communion on the
7 ground that it IS proper 20 invite a man who
/ has never received any water baptism whatever
neither immersion nor pouring nor sPriEkl.ug.
/ Now, when Presbyterians themselves condemn
/ this principle OF the English Baptists, how alb
suTd in them to
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