The news & observer., 1905-12-17


lieve alike, on the subject. For my
part, / don't think God expects us
all to agree on everything. Some how.
Or some how else, human nature has
a way of asserting its individuality
and contend.ng for it's opinions; and,
as a result it has filled the world
with creeds and doctrines that cam
not be harmoniZed this side of the
Judgment.
That John baptised in the Jordan
we all believe; but the mode by which
he baptised cannot be proved by the
bible, except by inference. Christ was
baptised of John, with water. in the
Jordan, and he came up out of the
water, is about the only statement we
find recorded by the evangelists-a
statement that is so indefinite as to
the mode, that no man knows just how
the act was performed. man may
have an opinion. and he may be SO
rude and discourteous to others. who
do not believe as he does, as to say,
II am right and you are wrong but,
that settles nothing.
In nothing that Christ said, did
He leave an intimation of His desire
to establish a mode by which His
followers were to be baptised. He
clearly taught that baptism was to
be observed: though he baptised not,
John said, / baptse you with water.
but one cometh after me who shall
baptise you with the Holy Ghost and
with fire.
Christ referred to that statement
in His last conversation, when He
said: John baptized with water, but
you shall be baptised with the Holy
Ghost not many days hence" On the
day of Pentecost Christ baptized. He
10 mi ri ira
upon them, and Peter explained to
the astonished people, saying: This
is that spoken of by the prophet Joel.
that, i'm the last days | will pour out
my Spirit upon all flesh"
A great many people think that,
inasmuch as John referred to a bap-
.tism by "One who was to come after"
and inasmuch as Christ alluded to it
in His last talk, thus coupling the
two baptisms together, that Johns
baptism was a type of the Christ bap-
tism when the Holy Ghost was pour
ed out upon the people. So, they
honestly think that pouring is
proper mode.
A great many think that baptism
Is a type or symbol of burial and
surrection. and. that, one is not
baptised unless he is buried in wa
ter and brought up out of the water;
and they sincerely believe and earnest
ly contend that immersion, only, is
baptism. laying great stress upon go
ing down INTO the water and coming
up out of the water"
Thus the matter stands and | am
pretty sure it will be just so when
the trumpet is sounded to summons
the nations to appear before the
Judge.
| hear q great many people die
cussing baptism. who. if we are to
Judge the tree by the fruit, need Il
vast deal of washing; and some
times fear. that i'm their anxiety to
establish this, that or the other mode
of water baptism they are losing sight
of the fact that, purity of heart and
life, made SO by the blood of Christ,
are of more Importance
The Quakers don't baptize at all.
and so, 1 suppose they are very lit
tie concerned as to how much other
people discuss it. While the Quaker.
don't believe in baptism, at all, there
are others who make water baptism
essential to salvation-contendin that
whatever else a man may be or do,
If he be not baptised, he will be lost.
This brings to mind an incident
which opened my eyes to the fact.
that, in the minds of some, there
is doubt as to the truth of Johns
statement, 1.-The blood of Jesus Christ,
His Son, cleanseth from all SIM"
A few years ago, in my visits among
the people of this city. found a girl,
about twenty years old, who was dy-
ing with pneumonia. She had made
a profession of religion but had not
been baptised The mother of the
girl was almost crazed at the idea of
the girls dying without being baptiz-
ed. 1 told her that God gave his
Son for a Saviour, and "whosoever
believeth in him will not perish but
have eternal life" That her daugn-
ter was trusting in Christ-believing
on Him-therefore she must be saw
ed.
But. what / said did not comfort
her: and / left her in great agony of
mind. A short distance from the
house | met DR.. Carter, then the pas
tor of the First Baptist church. I
related the circumstances, and asked
him to go back with me and try to
comfort the mother. He did, and he
soon satisfied her that faith in the
Lord Jesus Christ would save a soul
whether the person was baptized or
not.
l knew an old fellow who was rely
ing upon baptism for salvation. He
had been immersed seven times, and
whe.l / beard of him last, he was
out of the church, but was expecting
to be Laptised as soon rs the spring
opened. The boys of that community
declared there were no fish in the
creek in which he had been baptised,
so often, except cat fish and cells
the old fellows sins having killed all
the rest / didn't believe that fish
story for the reason that the old
fellow was just as bad after being bap-
tised as before; consequently the
fish could have not been poisoned by
his sins.
But while there is diversity of
opinion as to how baptism should
be administered, there never was
time when the disciples of Jesus were
nearer to each other, in Christian
fellowship, or were more determined
to obey the last command-"Go teach
all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, the Son and the
Holy Ghost!" There are some ex-
tremists, in all churches who take
to themselves that self-rignteousness
and exclusiveness which the Master
condemned in the Pharisees; but the
great mass of the people are catho-
lie in sentiment and rejoice at any
onward movement, whether made by