Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-03
GIVES HIS REASONS
SUBJECT "WHY AM I A BAPTIST"
TREATED BY REV. w. r. YARD
OF PELLA.
Address Delivered Last Evening at the
Convention of oskaloosa District
Baptist MISUNDERSTANDING at
B. Y. p. u, Meeting Large.
From Wednesdays Daily.

ioih w euHeSuly'S Dally.
why Am Baptist" was the sub
Ject of very interesting talk by Rev.
w. R. Yard of Pella at last evenings
meeting of the Oskaloosa Baptist asso-
citation which is in convention at the
South Side Baptist church. The adj
dress by Rev. Yard was eloquently de-
livered and was listened to by large
audience. The meeting last evening
consisted OF song and praise service
led by Miss Maude Parker of Blakes-
burg, talk on Junior work by Miss
Ora Knox and concluded with the adj
dress of the evening.
Rev. Yard opened with an apology
Tor the manner in which he was forced
to treat his subject, owing to the small
amount of time in which he had to pre-
pare for 1t, as he was in Alton, ILL.,, at
the tune he received notification to
the erect that he was scheduled to
make talk before the convention.
However, it was found that his apology
was unnecessary, as he delivered an
excellent address. Rev. Yard spoke in
part as follows:
Have Reason for Your Faith.
Everyone should have scriptur--
! al reason for his faith, especially those
VINO nave come to mature age
have no sympathy with the idea that
1t makes no difference what church
belong to. My father is a very strong
| believer in the Baptist faith and it was
through him that | received my first
teachings of why | should be a Baptist.
When | was but a younester he taught
me to believe in the faith which now
follow Later on, found that it was
to my interest to know more about my
faith and now am so
strongly in favor of men
knowing why they are such that | do
not believe in a man saying he is a
Baptist unless he can tell the reason he
is one. person that can give no rea-
son why he belongs to the Baptist
church, should get out of it. We should
learn our faith and follow it and am
sure it would be found that with more
information about your church and it's
doctrines, you would be better able to
live by the teachings of God.
Jesus Christ is Deity.
you cannot speak of Jesus Christ
as divine for He is not only divine
woman's paintings as divine, or his
singing was divine. God can not be
called divine for it is too common a
word. You must base your belief on
| Christ being a deity. The fact that
Christ is deity is a fundamental rea.
son of the Baptist belief
Some men believe they can be say
| ed and reach the glory of Heaven by
| doing good works alone. but this not
| So Without Christ you can do nothing
and accomplish the same. No mat
| ter how much good works you do, you
| can not go to Heaven without the aid
| OF Christ.
The Holy Spirit.
"The Holy Spirit is not looked to by
many people as it should be. The Holy
Spirit is not a thing of influence, but
a personality. He is the manifesto.
| ton OF God as comforter, teacher,
| and leader. He leads us in all things
and is the only one that convicts men
| of sin, OF righteousness and of judg.
| ment. The Holy Spirit should occupy
| its proper place and not be thought OF
in trivial manner. as many think OF
| it,
Il do no believe there is one man pow
er, but local individual churches made
UP OF many baptised Delivers and with
one pastor as a sort of oyerseer. Nc
one man can dictate to me how l am
| to believe and how I am to act OF
to carry myself. | believe like Paul.
| He established several churches with
one local pastor and they were not un
der one head. I believe in the Baptist
/ faith hppanSp J;.+3
| clpal and that Is. 1t believes that re
generation is necessary before you can
enter the kingdom of heaven. The
Baptist Is the only church that be.
heves in regeneration before Heaven
cal be reached and recognizes the
power of the, Holy Spirit. l am a
Baptist for the reason that baptism is
a command of God and that the Bap.
fist church is the only church that fol
lows this command by baptising in
the same manner as God was baptised
by John in the river Jordan.
The Lords Supper.
| mo one can enter any church with.
out first being baptised. | believe in
baptism and must believe accord
ing to the scriptures. Without bap-
| ism ~ SoiihoC NC SApecl6Q 10 parCake
of the Lords supper and this is neces-
sary to believe in Christ. Without
baptism once cannot dare partake of
the Lords supper, for he that par
takes of the Lords supper without
baptism, drinks damnation. The body
of regenerated Baptists do not grant
nor do they receive letters from other
churches for fear someone is partak
ing OF the Lords supper who is not
fit.
Know Your Faith.
"The more thoroughly you know
your religion and why you are a Bap
fist the easier twill enthuse one to
put more force and energy to the work
Find out why you are Baptist and be
not ashamed of your faith. Be eyel
ready to do what is called upon you to
| do and always remember that you are
a Baptist and that the belief of the
Baptists is the right kind"
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