The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1903-09-11
NEW CHURCH SERMONS.

unity TO hear some sermons by a
minister Of the Church of the New
Jerusalem during the pass week
Rev +. G. Landenberger, OF st.
Louis. who is a missionary pastor
conducted services and preached
four times, He also confirmed tour
persons last Sunday morning, ana
administered the Holy Supper
The services we're held in the New
Church chapel aud at the Sunday
morning meeting he delivered
sermon on Baptism and the Holy
Supper" He said in part and IN
substance: The human mind is
apt to swing from one extreme 10
the other. When too great slgnl1-
canoe is attached to a ceremony
the time comes when it is consider
ed of no importance at all Because
it has been taught that Baptism
washes away original sins, or
cleanses man from his evils, 1t has
led others to conclude that it is OF
no sDecial use. The truth always
lies between two extremes Bap-
tism and the Holy Supper are the
two sacraments instituted by the
Lord, the first being 4 summing up
of all the washings OF the ritual
of the Jewish church and the second
the feasts, They represent the
two great phases of the christian
life: the first standing tor the
publication Of the life which pre-
pares the way for the reception OF
the good and the true from the Lord.
The sacrament of Baptism is not
administered to signify what has
taken place in the life of the indl-
vidual, but what is to take place.
The first use of Baptism is intro
ductlon into the christian church
and at the same time insertion
among christians i'll the spiritual
world. Man becomes a christian
in name; he is not only known
as christian on earth, but IN
the other world, tor that is the sign
which distinguishes him. AS cir
cumc1siom made a man member
of the Jewish church, so Baptism
makes a man a member OF the
christian church The second use,
of Baptism is that man may know
and acknowledge that Lord Jesus
Christ is the savior and follow
Him, not merely to know him out
wardly, but inwardly. The third
and final use of Baptism is that
man may be regenerated. 1t is a
memorial of regeneration. These
uses, therefore, are to the end thai
man may become a christian IN
deed, be purified from his evils ano
prepare the way for the Lord tc
sup with man, and man with him
Water is used because it cores
ponds to the truth of the Wore
which enables one to distinguish
between the good, true, evil ane
the false. For regeneration is
gradual process effected by the
Lord as man CO operates. Man does
the outer work; the Lord does the
inner work. We are baptized int
ssthe name of the father, Son anc
Holy Spirit" because these names
signify divine qualities in the Lore
of which we are to become partak
ers. Name in Scripture mean
quality, and divine name, a dl
vine quality. The Lord was the
"Father' as to His essential di
vine nature, for the name Fathe
means the Lord as to HIS divin
love. When man is baptized, no
only with water, but really pur
fed from his evils, he receives tn
divine love into his heart. Th
'Son" signifies the Lord as h
wisdom and man is made pa
taker of that. And as the Ho
Spirit is the divine operation, tt
Lord at work, man becomes qual
fed to do good work. Thus v
become imagesand licensees OF tt
Lord, for as He is love, wisdom ar
use, so man when he partakes
His nature lives life of love, tai
and good works. When man b
comes baptized indeed he is pr
pared to receive what the Ho
Supper stands for. In its sir
plest meaning it is a sacrament
which one remembers the Lord
redemptive work. But it meal
much more than that. We ha