The Yale expositor., 1903-02-20
Who ARE FIT SUBJECTS 4?
Is the Question that Is Occupying the Minds
OF Many In Yale at Present.

OF MANY IN vale at present.
To the Question-"W ho are the pro-
per subjects for BAPTISM" the INNER
siOnist can only answer adults are the
only tic subjects for baptism. Some
immersionists declare that baptism is a
saving ordinance. Then what about
the one.third of the human race who
die i'm infancy Are they all LOST DO
you believe mother that your little babe
was lost, because 10 died before IL was
immersed In water a baptist mlnist.
er declared 10 my father. that the way
TO hell was all paved with the lostsouls
of little infants. May God forgive the
poor ignOramus, and IL any other such
live to-day may the Lord give them
sight.
What do the scriptures say about
the souls of little dead children II
says three things about them That
they are IN heaven. . That they are
angels. > That they always behold the
face of tiod-the Father. Mat. lS:lul
Possibly the greater majority of the
inhabitants OF heaven are little infants
were ever immersed, aud IL baptism be
a saving ordinance then most of them
were saved by being spriuklod.
from the TIgnt of baptism. Who ever
delegated Co them such authority
and wisdom SUPERIOR 90 that of
Christi lie took "a little child and
held n mp before the disciples as the
standard of perfection. lie said; Let
them come unto me, ,'-"For of such is
the i.ingdom OF heaven or ia other
words My kingdom is composed OF
pTra utu s=.tlgt "a. lu,s .
Children were taken into member.
ship in the Jewish church when they
were only eight days old. Jesus Him
self became member of the Jewish
church 40 that age. Was he baptlzedy :
No, lie was circumcised. Why was he
not baptised in his infancy Because
baptism with water was not yet insti-
tuted into the church. At later date
John the Baptist substituted baptism
for circumcision. and thus introduced
it into the Christian church. and Christ
ratified IL. At the age of 80 years Christ
was baptised What for? TO wash
away his sinsy What sins? Why was
he now baptisedy lie was simply or.
ganizing a Christian church, distinct
from old Jewish methods and practices,
and as the baptism with water, which
John had substituted for circumcision
was not only an initiatory right into
the new church-but was also a sign or
seal of individual purity, Christ hon
ored IL, and ratified the change, hence
was baptised. After that circumcision
was dead letter.
But who were the ciIcumcised In the
Jewish church? The children and all
adults who confessed their sins and
who had not been circumcised In their
childhood. Accordingly In the Christ
ian institution of affairs, who are likely
90 bc the iit subjects for baptism
Even blind man could but answer
the children and all adults who confess
their sins, and who have not been bap.
tised in their infancy. I'm no sense was
Christs baptism unto repentance nor
was it for the remission of sins, nor
was IL exclusive.
Who dare say then that baptism is
now christian right 90 be administered
only 20 repeutent adultsy when was
10 made so eXclusivey Who made 10 So
To certainty Christ never did. Had
lie done SO, lie would have said 90
John the Bnptist-"IOhn am pleased
with the change you have instituted.
Baptism ls more convenient ana
agreeable than was circumcision. Pure
minded infants were admitted into the
church under the old form, | am glad
that your new method shuts them out.
hail the change, and will advocate IL
wherever 20"
Who can be so blind as tO suppose
that Christ's baptism excluded infants
aud little children from the right lie
was not baptsed In Jordan confessing
Ills sins. Baptism was TO Him q sign
or seal of individual purity, and an
iniatory right into the Christian church.
But many were baptised cOnfessing
their sins. And what was baptism 90
themy Did 10 wash away their sins
Certainly not. IL was only sign or
seal OF their purity-that they had
again become as little children-pure
and ChristliKe.
Then will anyone tell why a child
should not receive the same seal or sign
of its purity before Gody
Mr.. immersionist we will be glad TO
have you answer why.
REV. r. DuRR.