Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1895-11-25
TIE RITE Of BAPTISM
Explained and Defended by the Rev.
A. N. HarVuOt Last Night
At the Christian Church-A Clear
Statement Of the Views Of the
Church Upon a Great Question.
Meetings VIII Continue Indef-
nitely.


tinue with undated interest. The
house was full last night. The sing
ing is exceptionally fine and a spirit of
worship and work seems to fill the
church. The evangelist, the Rev. A.
NJ. Harvuot, of Washington, Pa. spoke
last night upon The Greatest Living
Question His text was Acts 2:9S:
What must we do?" He began with
a very amusing introduction. setting
forth what various people thought the
greatest question. Some thought get
ting money the greatest thing. The
greaest question in many minds was
What shall we eat?" and with others.
"Wherewithal shall we be clothed?"
Again, pleasure is the first question
with some. He illustrated each of
these in such way that the audience
was convulsed with laughter several
times and ready to follow him to the
consideration of the question of real
greatness, which, the speaker said, in
the minds Of all thoughtful people
transcends all others"
so great is this question that l dare
not answer it myself, but refer you to
the words of God.
Peter gives the answer to the anx-
ious hearts that wait for it, Repent
and be baptized, every one of you. in
the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for
the remission of sins. and We shall re-
ceive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for
the promise is unto you and to your
children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God
shall call This answer is so full it
seems ! might stop here. Three thou
sand who heard this answer under
stood it, Obeyed it and became Chris
Jians the same day However, some
one might question the meaning of the
two repentance and baptism.
what is repentance? 1t is not pen
ance. as some would have YOU believe.
God does not want YOU to suffer for the
sake of suffering. Ii is not simple sOr-
row or Denitence for i'm the Hebrew it
is written. Cody sorrow workeJh re-
pentance not 20 be repented Of If it
works repentance. III cannot be repent
ance. To is rather a change of mind.
"Tbe mind has three faculties-intel-
lect. feeling. viii, and il is change Of
an Of these. The understanding
changed concerning Christ; feeling and
desires changed toward Him. and the
Will is changed tin it decides TO sur
render to Him. A right about face of
the whole mind In so far as you were
facing Satan YOU now turn to face
Christ.
Now. what is baptism? ii meant
but one thing when this answer was
given. for they obeyed it without fur
Their question. So it means but one
thing to-day. I might answer that In
an urOiane literature the Greek word
has but one primary meaning-to nm
merse or it's equivalent. No standard
lexicon gives anything else. No man
WHO prizes his reputation as a scholar
dare say anything else. But prefer
90 let tho Bible define 1T for You.
baptism. as found in this text, re-
Quires water Matt. SID since baptism
of fire and of the Spirit, with which
some would confuse this. is ever con-
nectcd with a promise and never COM
mauded Baptism of fire is promised
20 the wicked and baptism OF the
Spirit TO those who obey God as IN our
text.
SIT required much water-JOhn 3:25-
"For John baptized i'm EnOn near to
+ Salem because there was much water
there. "a going down into the
water" acts S:3S, They beth went down
in-o the water. beth Philip and the
Eunich. and he baptised him. a
burial fin water'-cOl PIP. Buried
with him by Baptism Raised from
the water. col. 81: If We then be risen
with Christ. etc Going up out of the
water. Na-h. 3:16: And Jesus when He
was baDtised went up sJraighJway ont
of the water We also have planting
as figure of baptism in Rom. 6:5, and
the figure of a birth I'm John 3:5: 'EX-
cent a man DE born OF the water and
The Spirit ne cannot enter into the
KINGDOM of God. Does the Bible not
define clearly the meaning Of baptism!
"But some one asks me if the Bible
does not give Other answers to this
question. Yes. four times after
Christ's birth. IL is asked ana answered
i'm the Scriptures. Luke 1918: A
Young ruler asks: Good Master what
shall / DO to inherit eternal life"
Jesus said: Thou knOwes- the COM
n1suInen-s.' etc. Acts 1880. The
iafle~ asks Paul and Silas: 'Sirs what
r,rs- 7 do 10 be saved?' Paul answers;
.palfrve on the Lord Jesus Christ and
+hou shall be saved and thine house.
Acts 22.1O IS. Saul asks: What shall
do LOrd2 and the an wer is: Arise
and be baptized and wash away tiny
sins Acts 2.37. IS. What shall we
7o9, pa-er answers. Repent and be
baptized.
"Here is practically the same ques-
+ion with four different answers. Is
the Bible contradictory on this greatest
oues-ion2 Let us see. When Jesus
answered the young ruler He mad not
been crucifed and SO answered MN ac-
cord'ng to the Jewish law, when ana
moi er3 till His death. So that an
swer IS not for YOU. will illustrate so
ory child of ten years Of age can see
tbe harmony OF the other answers.
SvDnose 7 start tonight to Washing
I'm ask the agent: How far Is 1t
- Washington He answers: Thirty
800 miles After a while | ask the
.o15uc-or the same question and he an
--,o-s 90 miles and later ! ask the
b,.sl-srnen the very same question and
to answers 10 miles Now 1 have
-bras very different answers 10 the same
Cvestion but any child knows they
,l,s,- an he true. They are different be
ceTse ~ the change Of my position. So
tho iaiIers. those at PentecoSJ ana o.tul
Of Tarsus received different answers De-
cqusa thew stood in different relations
to the Christ The iailer had NOT be
ueved. those at PentecOst had 0eiieVed'
br- had not repented, and saul had pc
- --.,Lo1 oD1 made confession