The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-02
1.-THE NEXT VERSE"
BY THE L ATE ABEL G. THOMAS.

ers, lnqulrers, opposers anu lew
believers, quoted as the motto or text
of his sermon Mark xvi. 15), $50 ye
into all the world, and preach the
Gospel to every creature" Having
briefly opened the subject, he re-
peated the text; whereupon one of the
resident clergymen of the neighbor-
hood, who was present to defend his
creed against the assaults of the ad
versary, arose and cried aloud, Read
the next verse;"
The Universalist read it with all
due emphasis: ''He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved; but he
that believeth not shall be damned"
There was evident exultation in the
assembly on the part of the orthodox
pastor and his adherents, but it was
of short duration-for the Universe
list added, "And now, sir, will you
please to read the verse next follow
ing"
The pastor had small pocket Bible
in his hand, open at the place but
scarcely had he read the first three
words, when he stopped. Profound
silence rested upon the congregation.
"Go on!' said the Universalist, "or l
will finish the quotation in your be-
half"
Shame impelled the orthodox min
lister to continue: Sand these signs
shall follow them that believe: In my
name shall they cast out devils; they
shall speak with new tongues; they
shall take up serpents; and if they
drink any deadly thing, it shall not
hurt them; they shall lay hands on
the sick, and they shall recover"
''And now, sir" said the Universe
list, "answer me plainly and squarely:
Can you do these things? The con-
text declares that the apostles went
forth and preached everywhere, the
Lord working with them, and con-
firming the words with signs follow
ing I press the question: Can you
show these miraculous signs? If you
cannot, you will be damned accord
ing to your own showing, even if
you had been baptized thousand
times"
After a brief pause, there came
this respectful inquiry: "How can
it be explained"
"That, sir, is as much your busi-
ness as mine" said the Universalist,
"yet that was part of my purpose
in the sermon of this evening. You
came hither to distract my endea-
vors and snare me into difficulties.
Having failed in your attempt, l re-
commend you to take seat and lis
ten candidly to the Universalist ex-
position of the matter in hand.
ITEMS TO BE CONSIDERED.
l. The discourse we seek to un-
derstand was not addressed to a
mixed assembly of Jews and Gentiles,
believers and unbelievers, disciples
and opposers, but to the eleven-the
chosen apostles, being reduced to
that number by the falling away of
Judas. Christ appeared unto the
eleven as they sat at meat, and up
braided them with their unbelief and
hardness of heart, because they be-
lieved not them which had seen him
after he was risen. Surely this did
not sink them into any final condi-
tion of damnation, whatever this
harsh word, or the original term,
may imply.
2. The text does not say ''He who
believeth and is baptized in this life
shall be saved in the life to come;
and he who believeth not in this
world shall be damned in the next"
3. In that age, faith was the es-
sential thing, as it is now; but open
baptism by water, probably by i'm
mersion, was then the test of SINGER
ity and the condition of discipleship.
In that age, it was a hazardous, dis
reputable thing to make profession
of Christianity. 1t would still be SO
in a nation or community of Jews,
as in heather lands. Profession of
Christianity is popular, here and
now, and the force of aterbaptism
as test of sincerity is lost.
4. The command to preach the
Gospel to every creature, whether re-
stricted to the eleven, or including
other preachers, seems to run parallel
with the promise of miraculous signs.
Query also, Whether every believer
was not included in the wonder-work.
ing poweri