The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-02-16
CHRIST AND THE. CHURCH.
Baptism is the Dividing Line Be-
tween tho World and
the Church.
TO q Believer, Not Meaningless.
and Full OF Solemn
Import,
The Sermon ut ~. Peters Church by Rev.
!. r. Webb ON Our Common
ktnsh1p.

Al the Christian church last evening Rev.
j. N. Smiths text was: Husbands love
your wives even ms Christ also loved the
church and gave himself up for II; that He
might s~anctify IL having cleansed It by tho
washing OF water with the word, that He
might present the church to Himself, n glo.
rious chur sh, not having spot or wrinkle or
my such thing; but that II should be holy
and without blemish~. r-Ephesians ", XIV
xxviii.-Revised version. Ono OF the oft
repeated charges Of infidelity against the
Bible, said the pastor, ia that 1t discrimi~
mates against woman; that 1t keeps her in
subsection to man and denies to her the
rights which justly belong TO her, and that
in order to be elevated to her proper posi-
ton she mnst be emancipated from the
Bible. 1t would seem hat q sufficient an
swer to this would be the fact which il ap-
parent to all who will look at the history OF
the matter, that the only place whore
woman 10 honored and her rights are grant
ed to her is where the Bible exerts a con-
trolling influence upon the hearts and lives
of the people.
1t Is charged by many. even by many
Christian people, that Paul was not friend
ly to woman, ana that in the sour condition
of old b~acheiorhood he desired to keep
woman in subsection. and refused to accord
to her her rights. We have q sufficient an
swer to that charge in the text, Husbands,
love Jour wives, As Christ also loved the
church, "Even so ought husbands also to
love their wives ~ their " bodies;' He
that Ioveth his own wife loveth himself"
Paul takes the marriage relation by which
to represent the relation Of Christ and the
church. Elsewhere Christ is called the
bridegroom and the church the bride. this
Lambs wife. Why was this relation
chosen ia represent the relation of Christ
and the church? Becsuss this is the most
sacred and nearest relation that exists on
earth. 1t 10 nearer than the relation Of
father and child. It is nearer than the re-
lation Of mother and child. "'For this Cause
shall o man leave father snd mother and
shall cleave unto bis wife," Thus we see
that the relation between Christ and His
church 10 wonderfully intimate.
Now there are some things which grow
out Of these facts; things which are of vital
importance to the people of God. First,
the church of Christ should be a unit. II
it is the bride, the lambs wife, it must be
one. There must be mo- divisions in the
church Of God. II must be as Jesus prayed
it should be, Zone as tkou, Father, art in
ms and l in thee: that the world may be-
lieve that thou hast sent me-" Second, the
church should take the name of Christ; it
should wear those names, and only those
names, which are gwen to it in the inspired
writings. It has been said that there il
nothing in a name, but there is much in a
name. sometimes everything is in the
name. An American citizen introduced as q
make the correction by saying: II am an
American. il you please, SIR" Do We not
dishonor Christ when We wear any other
names than those he has Riven? Do we
not bring reproach upon his cause?
Christ loved the church. He gave him
self for it. He left his Fathers house.; he
left the association Of heaven and came to
this world for the church. He gave him.
self to suffering and sorrow and persecu-
ton and death for the church. When the
church vas lying in wickedness; when it
was unbelIeving and impenitent. He gave
himself for it,. He gave himself for the
poor sinner and for me. What greater
love can there be than this? Who can
measure it? 1t passeth all underestimate g.
What was the object of Christ in thus
giving himself for the church? The
apostle answers in the text: .'That He
might ~sanctify it, that He might present il
to Himself a glorious church, not having
spot or wrinkle or any such thing. but that
it should be holy and without blomish.'
The purpose was to seek and to save the
. - SbSA ~ eil bAb I'll bhGb ob1
might be saved. He sought to revolution
ize humanity and to turn men from the
stream of iniquity into the stream of right
eousness. TO this end He ordained that
His gospel should DO preached to all ma
tions. But in order to accomplish the 50.
preme object OF his mission He ordained
the church. which is composed OF the
saved. The church is His body, and as the
brain Of man works to accomplish His pur-
poses through his body, SO Christ uses the
church through which to work in the &C
church is the light Of the world. The
Of the truth. It has su-
blime mission. 1t has a glorious work.
In order to accomplish this work, it must
not only be united and harmonious but it
must also be pure. But we are told in the
text that before the church is set apart fol
this great work of the Master. it wal
cleansed. He cieansed it by the washing
Of water with the word. What is this
cleansing! When does it take place? Bs
that Jesus does this by the washing of waite
with the word. In the margin we read
"By the layer of water.'
By almost universal consent, the washing
of water, of the text, or the washing of re.
generation refers to Christian baptism. Al
there are some present who are, in n few
minutes to be baptised. it is proper that ]
should say something for their instruction
Too much has been made of baptism. Too
little has been said of baptism. There are
those who have made of baptism . saving
ordinance without faith, without repent
ance, without confession. without CON
sciousness of anything done. There are
those who have taught baptismal regenera-
ton. 1t has been made the means
for the remission of sins 10
the unconscious and sinless babe.
On the other hand baptism has been made
a mere form, an outward CEREMONY, q
meaningless ordinance. Now between
these extremes lies the golden mean of
truth. 10 a believer, baptism is not mean
ingless. II is full of solemn import. IL il
in order to salvation. 1t is a means used
by the divine head of the church to cleanse
from sin. He said. He that bcIicyeth and
is baptized shall be saved" In a recent
sermon Mr.. Spurgeon, the great London
preacher. said: He that beIieveth and Is
baptized shall be saved: therefore. he that
believes and IL baptized is saved. WHY
then hope for salvation? Why not believe
1t and enjoy itT" On the day of Pentecost
in the first gospel sermon Peter said 10 the
enquiring believers: 'ifepent and be bap-
tiZed every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins and you
shall receive the gift of tho Holy Ghost"
The washing of water with the word il the
means of cleansing the sinner and placing
him in the church. The washing of re-
generation and ths renewing ef-
fected by the Holy Spirit through
tho truth is the means of making
this sinner N child of God Ranfiasn ia th.