Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-05-29
DOWN INTO" THE WATER.
A GERMANS APT REPLY.

A minister, who did not believe in i'm
mersion, says western paper, was
preaching one evening on baptism.
"Some people think" said he, "be-
cause the Scriptures say that Christ and
the eunuch, at their baptisms, went doom
into the water and came up OFT Of the
water, that we must therefore go down
into the water in order to be baptized.
But this" said he, lis great error
for the proposition into does not always
mean into. Moses, we are told, went up
into the mountain and Jesus was taken
into high mountain. Now we do not
suppose that either went into the inside
of the mountain, or under the surface of
it, but only up on it. SO with going
down into the water; it means simply
near to, or close by the water, where,
doubtless, they were baptized by sprink-
ling or pouring"
At the elise of his sermon the minister
invited any who might wish to do so to
rise and speak. Whereupon German,
the silence as follows:
"Mishder preacher, | ish so gladt
wash here dish night, for has have ex-
explain to me some tings dat meyer
could belief before. o, ish so gadt
dat into does not mean into at all, but
shoost close by or near to- for now
can pellet msnish tings yot could not
pellet pefore.
ave reat, Mishder PREACHER, dat Tan
iel wash cast into de ten of lions, and
come out alife. Now never could pc
lief dat, for de Wild peasts would shoost
eat him right off; but now it is ferry
bain to mine mindt. He vas shoost cast
close by or near to- de lions ten, and
vas not into de ten at all. o, | ish so
gladt l wash here dish night.
"Und we reat, Mishder preacher, dat
de tree Hebrew shiltren vas cast into de
fiersh furnace; und dat alwaysh look t
like a peeg shtory, doc; for dey would
have peen purnt up. Put it is all blain
to my mindt now; for dey wash shoost
cast near by or close to- de fierish fur
mace. o, | ish so gladt vas here dish
night.
"Und den, Mishder PREACHER, it ish
said dat Jonah vas cast into de sea, and
take into de whalesh pelly. Ind never
could | pelieve dot, too. 1t alwaysh
seem to me peeg shtory. Put it is all
blan to mine mindt dish night. He
wash not daken into de whalesh pelly
at all, put shoost shumpt onto his pack
and rode ashore. o, ish so gladt ] wash
here dish night.
"Und now, Mlshder preacher, if you
will shoost exblain dwo more bashages of
Scriptures, will be, O, so happy, wash
here dish night.
zone of dem ish where it saysh de
wicked will pc cast into lake dat puri
nit fire an primstone alwaysh. 0, Mish-
der PREACHER, will |, if am wicked, be
cast into dat lake, or shoost close by
or near to, -shoost near enough to pc
comfortable. O, hopes you will dell mt
dat into does not mean into at all. but
| shall pc cast only shoost close by dc
lake, IA good way off; ind | viii pc sc
gladt dat yash here dish night,
"De oder bashage is dat vich saysh
Plessed are dey who do desc kommant
ments, dat dey may hat right to de dreo
of life, und enter in trOo de gates into
de city. O, dell me, Mishder preacher
if | shall keep desc commandments, will
get into de city all or only shoost meal
to it, or close by it, nit de wicked OF
de outside: Blease eXblain dish Difficult
ty, Mishder preacher, and | will pc sc
gladt dat wash here dish night
Young Pilgrim.