The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-10-18

Greatness is not to be determined by
bulk or by numbers, but rather by aim,
ambition and achievement. The Per-
sian empire was larger than Athens,
and the walls of Cathay marked
vaster territorial domain than the
dykes Of Holland. But judged by what
they have wrought and what they have
contributed of art, letters and liberty to
the progress of society, the smaller
states excel in value their mammoth
and colossal neighbors. The ark of bull
rushes was tiny thing and quite insigni-
ficant by the side of hepyramids, but the
living babe, Moses, sheltered by the fra
glle structure, was a grander blessing
to humanity than all the dead Pharoahs
in their massive and magnificent maui
soleums. And who is there that does
not esteem thinking soul of more tran
scendant import then an entire universe
of unconscious matter?
1T is not therefore, likely that the
merit and meaning, or the place and
power of a religious body in the world,
can be adequately determined by its
size and growth, and certainly the Bap-
lists cannot advance claim to recogni-
tion grounded In the immensely of their
fraternity. Their hosts are neither
huge nor overwhelming; at the most
their regular enrolled army, the wide
world over. Is only something more
than 100000 strong, with a possible
100000 to 100000 of sympathetic fol-
lowers. If, then, they have not justified
their existence by things attempted and
attained, and If what they represent is
not intrlnsically precious to the race,
they have no sufficient reason for being
here today, nor, indeed, for being any
where.
Stood for Individuality.
THE Baptists throughout the CEN
turtles have stood for individuality in re-
ligious life, for the emancipation of the
individual, for his rights, his RESPONSE
bility his autonomy and his authority.
Their primary idea is to create high
and manly Christian character. TO
them there are two great factors in re-
ligion, the Creator and the creature, the
first comprehending all that is superna-
tural, the latter including all that Is ma
tural; the first being absolutely sover-
eign over the second, but the second in
its individuality being supreme over
self as far as every fellow creature is
concerned. They believe that Chris
tianity, like the Sabbath, was made for
man, not man for Christianity, made
not of course, for him to ignore, but to
respect and honor.
1.-THE Baptists have also stood pledged
to the spirituality and democracy of the
local church and these five doctrines eX-
press the essential elements of q Baptist
church: That the Scriptures are the
only authority in matters of faith and
practice; that personal faith in Jesus
Christ alone secures salvation-there-
fore infant baptism is to be rejected;
that church is composed of believers
wwho have been baptized on personal
confession of their faith in Christ; that
each church has the entire control of its
affairs without interference on the part
Of any external power.
Church Discipline Essential.
"That the outward life must be in ac-
cordance with such a confession of
faith, and to this end it is essential that
church discipline should be maintained.
They believe in the Bible as their creed
and believers, who have been duly bap-
tiZed on their personal profession Of
faith, as members, democracy, clergy
and laity exercising equal rights, and
an upright life for its ritual and vim
dication. Our people sometimes ask for
more government, doubtless admiring
their beloved Presbyterian friends, but
when they do so there is considerable
modification when the experiment is
over.
THE Baptists have been conspicuous
for their devotion to education. They
have given the world Bunyan, Mil.
ton, a Foster, William II. Williams, g
Spurgeon, in philanthropy a join
Howard, and Abraham Lincoln, who
was born of Baptist parents and at.
tributed all that he was to his Baptist
mother"
Mr.. Lorimer closed with peroration
full of eloquence, describing the gather
ing of all the worlds nationalities al
the worlds parliment of religion.