The Mankato free press., 1906-03-30

christ Is our creed. All we ask is
simple, personal and living faith in Him
as the Son of God and the Lord of men.
Christ alone is authority for the Chris
tian consciousness. The Bible and the
creed must derive their authority from
Him.
Two. Rules of Conduct-The man
who believes in Christ and acknowl-
edges His leadership, is Christ's free
man; and his conduct is not determined
by rules of the church but by the word
and spirit of Christ
Three. Church Government We agree
with the Congregationalists that the
government of the church is congrega-
tional, democratic and, therefore, indie
pendent of all outside control.
-Four. The Ordinances OF Sacraments
We believe with DIR. Lilley (The Prin-
ciples of Professionalism, page 1927 that
the marks of q true sacrament may
be easily. dedueed. .(l) In the first
place, it must have been instituted by
the Lord Jesus Himself, in the course
of His earthly ministry and for the SER
vice of the Christian life. ~ In every
true sacrament also, use is made of
certain material element chosen by the
certain truths or facts;, y in: the case. of
Baptism, water; in the Lords supper,
bread and wine. (3) The element adopt
ed is to be used in the manner indicated
by Christ and in connection with the
mode He employed to explain its mean
ing" That is, we believe, with all evan
gelical Christians, that the ordi-
nances are two in =, number, Bap-
tism and the Lords supper; and
we hold that what they are is not
matter of opinion or Interpretation, and
something to be accommodated to eli
mate, sentiment, Oh to human convent
ence; but that it is matter of fact.
What Christian Baptism is, as institut-
ed by the Lord, the Head of the church,
and practiced by the Apostles, His first
interpreters, is as easily and as certain
ly determined, as saving faith OF true
repentance. 1t is to be determined as
matter of fact by an appeal to the rec.
ord of Jesus words and to the record of
the Apostolic practice. Baptism, then,
is not the ssprinkling of water upon an
infant, but the burial of a penitent be-
lever in water upon confession of faith
in Christ for the remission of sins and
followed by the gift of the Holy Spirit.
We agree with DR.. w. GLADDEN. that in
FAINT baptism had it's origin in heath
en- conception of the nature of man and
a superstitious conception of the effect
of baptism (How Much Is Left of the
Old Doctrines, page 24S). To, us it
seems that the authority which can
change the action, the subject and the
meaning of baptism, may set it aside
altogether. However, we agree in per-
petuating the ordinances simply because
they were ordained by Christ, the Head
of the Church; but we cannot under.
stand how. we are perpetuating His or
dinances by doing something very diff
ferent from what He commended. Be-
sides, just to the extent that pedobap-
tism prevails, New Testament Baptism
is destroyed; and thus the command
ment of God is made void by the tra-
dition of men (Alt. Is. Ley. The inn
mersion of penitent believer upon his
own confession is Catholic baptism
therefore, only upon this can the church
be united
Five. The Name-The name of the
united church, like the ordinances, can
be determined only by return to the
letter and spirit of the New Testament.
The letter will give us the name and
the spirit will tell us to ''glorify God
in this name.'. CT. Pet. 4. l6, IL, r. W.
Other names have always divided the
church and they perpetuate such divis-
ions U. Cor. l, II, sl3; 3. 10y. 1t is
not question of the goodness or the
badness of these denominational names,
but it is simply the question of their
lack of power and catholicity. Nothing
less than the name of Christ is large and
potent enough to unite the people Of
God.
Six. Other and Minor Matters-Local
names, church property, organization
and associational relations are not of
the essence of a Christian church. If
the spirit of wisdom and love shall lead
these two churches into one united
church, in the settlement of such ques-
tions for the glory of Christ and for the
extension of His kingdom.
Then, being guided by the Spirit,
let us 'walk worthily of the calling
wherewith ye (we) were called, with ali
lowness and meekness, with long suffer
ing. forebearing one another Ill love;