Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1897-07-02

II
tempt to bolster up theological prcju.
iices by cutting IN iw1' sentences or
isolaiing texts irom their natural con-
ncrtion.'
We have no idea OF engaging IN .
neSspaper discussion on the moie,
purpose and extent of baptism. We
are satisfied We could never convince
our critic OF his error. and We kno~
Inyshing he might say would never bt
able To affect our views on the subject.
We canno, Eorbear. horever, exposing
the peculiar methods IS which he
places baptism equal to. IL not above,
faith in Jesus Chris, IN the plan Of sal
vation.
The gentleman searched the entire
scripture and soand Eotu texts that.
standing alone. may tend Co prove his
doctrine, and then tighuy adds, this
IS enough Cor one lesson, intending
Ihereby to deceive the uRiearned into
the belief that there were others teach
ing wafer salvation. Al his proofs
are alike. Therefore We SiA examine
only ms first text. and czpose the ab-
soIute inconsisteocy and error Of has
exposition. He quotes John SIS 20
prove his water s-alVation; Except a
man be born Of water and of the
6xnikit, he cannot enteT In,o the Ling
MN OF God" Without stopping TO
pkGc tbs proposition ne will say that
|d isfn@ard or spiritual purity that IS
acceptable with God Both the old
Flzwish physical wsshings and Chris
tian baptism were merely types Of the
washing OF our spiritual nature by the
blood Of Chris; and the regeneration
by the baptism of the Holy Spirit
To make the visible water equal to.
The blood of Christ is making the
shsdox equal TO the ysubstance--is
|sjSR ~ pdss and snsps We Je~ 81
Christ's day was still careful Of the
letter Of the Law. The thing he offered
in sacrifice was just as legal as in the
ancient day, but the essential part of
the sacrifice-the thing II typiaed.
faith in Christ rs the Redeemer-was
lacking, hence the reason Of It's non-
accep;ableness with God. II was by
faiti Abel offered unto God a more
excellent sacrifice than CAIN" and not,
as some seem vainly TO imagine, be-
cause il was greater or mote valuable
from 4 worldly standpoint
That is the trouble with our Elder
Brney. He persists IN substituting
the shadow for the substance. putting
the type for the thing ,yP6ed- He
falls ihto Naaman's fanIt-he wants to
do some great thing to earn accept
ance with God
This is juss what he docs IN the \
quotation under examination. He
takes n text out Of its connection. and
using the type Tor the thing typihed. |
uies to prove salvation by water bap-
,ism. John III contains s6 verses
and no where else do we find the
fain,est hint 1t baptism, even as n |
type of internal cleansing. but every
where Il is the new birth that comes
by the operation of the Holy Spirit,
and faith in Jesus Christ. Christ
says, same chapter, verse IS: HE
that beiieveth on him (,he SOM Is no,
condemned" There is not a word
about water or baptism And Joha
the Bapiist, uho. IL would appear, il
any one. according TO water salvation
lists, would urge water baptism,
speaking IN answer to has disciples in
the same chapter, verse IS, declares
"He that believcth on the Son hath
everlasting life" IL means, Ne take
Il, immediate salvation, not oontin-
gent on baptism or any other thing.
There IS one text, however, that re-
moves all doubt, 4 any san exists,
on the subject Peter, brought before
the rulers. and elders, and scribes,"
filled with the Holy Ghost" made
this bold, unqualified deci,ra-
ton: Neither IS there salvation N