The leader., 1898-07-13

any medium, directly by the power of
the Holy Spirit, spiritual nature is
impaired to every one who will be
saved
This is all that is needed in addition
to the sacrifice of Christ for sin to save
anyone who is not an actual trans
gressor. Il mean. irresponsible beings.
such as infants and idiotsJ Trans
gressors need in addition a knowledge
of the truth, law and Gospel.
The knowledge of the law unto con
science condemnation and helpless
ness is repentance. This results in
change of mind and desire to forsake
sin and escape its consequences, and
leads to reformation and life
"The knowledge. belief and accept
ance of the Gospel unto justification is
faith. In other words faith is under
standing and accepting Christ as the
fulfilling of the law, as the propitla-
tion for our sins, a. our righteousness.
Il believe that in addition TO the
spiritual nature impaired by the Holy
Spirit, the Spirits work is necessary to
enable the sinner to understand his
relations to the law and to Christ to
accept Christ as Il personal Savior
Il believe that i'll the change pro
duced by the Gospel believed nothing
but the truth-the Gospel is used and
made effective by the Holy Spirit.
Armenianism is not the truth. is con
trary to the Gospel. hence belief in
Armenianism is not saving faith. 1t is
impossible that that which is not the
Gospel should have the effect of the
Gospel itself. Christ is our righteous
ness, is the fulfilling of all the de
mands of the law. The sinner who
has saving faith so sees Him. Il mean
by Armenianism a system of salvation
by works, including the doctrine of
apostacy.l
Il believe that the effects produced
by faith in Christ are permanent. No
one can ever really feel condemned by
the law after believing in Christ. Sin,
after saving faith is exercised. will
cause a loss of the JOY of salvation.
and will bring fear of chastisement.
but not the old fear of eternal death.
because the saved one sees his saliva
ton in Christ and not in his own right
eousness. The effect of faith is to
produce love and good works.
Il believe that the Holy Spirit bears
witness with the spirit of the believer
that he is an heir of God, giving the
spirit of adoption instead of the spirit
of bondage.
Il believe that in addition to the as
surance which faith gives and that
which the witness of the spirit gives.
we may and should grow i'll grace and
in the knowledge of the truth to full
assurance of faith
Il believe that Christian never re
trogrades in assurance. but advances
as more light from the Word of God
dawns upon his pathway.
Il do not believe that we should call
our gloomy feelings doubts and fears.
In the darkest hour that comes to
Christian. under the darkest cloud
th&t gathers over him. he will claim
God as his Father and Christ as his
only Savior.
Il believe that it is the duty of all.
saved and unsaved. to pray. but that
we are not saved through the per,
formance of that duty. but through
the exercise of faith in Him who has
paid our debt Prayer is not made the
condition of salvation. but faith only.
Il believe in real believers baptism,
! and | do not believe that one is a
believer until he has discarded all self
righteousness and has looked to Christ
as his only hope forever. One who has
been baptized by proper administra-
tor on such a faith could hardly be in
duced to repeat the act. \ real be-
lever is not to be turned about by
every wind of doctrine. believe that
every case of re baptism should stand
on its own merits. and be left with the
pastor and church.
In ecclesiasticism, believe that Bap
lists are right according to the teach
ing of the New Testament, and that all
other people are wrong to the extent
of their difference from Baptists
This is necessarily true, if Baptists are
right.
Notwithstanding this deliverance
Just before the Convention of last year
met. and which seemed to be quite
generally conceded to be sound baptist
doctrine, that body. during its session,
felt called upon to make deliverance
on Martinism,' the term by which the
opponents of Mr. Martins teachings.
characterize his views. Without at
lacking or passing upon what Mr.. Mar
tin had published in the Record, the
special committee to which the ques-
tion of Martinism had been referred.
brought in the following report:
Wv Whereas. this committee has been
authorized by this Convention to make
deliverauce on Martinism therefore.
"ResOlred, That this Convention does
not endorse, but condemns. the doe
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