Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1909-07-30


therefore, on y
for the degenerate.
In emphasizing the ordinances of
baptism and the Lords Supper as the
molds of doctrine, Baptists have kept
before the eyes of the world the great
fundamental facts of the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ. They
believe that the Lords Supper me-
morializes the death of Christ, while
baptism symbolizes his burial and
resurrection.
Baptists have always exalted the
blood of Christ as the only power for
cleansing the soul, alleging that there
is no cleansing power in baptism.
The principle of strict obedience to
every command of Christ has made
Baptists for the most part enthusiast
tic missionaries, though a misinter-
probation of the sovereignty of God
caused some churches to stand aloof
from the modern missionary move
ment. When young William Carey
stood before ministers meeting in
London and asked them whether
Christians were under obligation to
take the Gospel to the heather, Dr.
John Ryland, learned minister said:
Young man, sit down. When God
wants to convert the heather, he will
do it without your help or mine" But
the young man could not be sup
pressed, because the spirit of obedi-
ence to Christ's command had taken
possession of his soul
The heroism of Adoniram Judson in
preaching the Gospel to the Burmese,
translating the Scriptures and suffer
ing unutterable agonies in prison at
Oungpenla is equaled only by the
greater heroism of his wife, Ann Has
seltine Judson, who, with her infant
child, followed him and ministered
to him in prison by supplying him
with food and cheering him with
words of hope.
The literature of the world has
been enriched by the Baptist writer's.
John Bunyan, the immortal dreamer,
whose Pilgrims Progress" stands
next to the Bible in the extent of its
circulation, was a Baptist, though he
was pastor of a church which, like
the Moody church, left each member
free to follow his own convictions in
the matter of baptism.
There is a long list of Baptist
hymn writer's, from Felix Mantz, who
in 1927 gave his life for his faith, to
S. F. Smith, who wrote our national
hymn, MY Country, 'Tis of Thee"
wrote Did Christ Ger Sinners
Weep" Samuel Stennett, who wrote
Majestic Sweetness Sits Enthroned
Upon the Saviour's Brow" Samuel
Medley, who wrote ooh, Could l
Speak the Matchless Worth" and
Awake, My Soul, in Joyful Lays"
John Fawcett, who wrote
Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love.
Edward Mote, who wrote "On Christ
the Solid Rock 1 Stand" Oliver Hol-
den, the author of Coronation"
Among the Baptist preachers whose
ministry has blessed the world is
Christmas Evans of Wales, whose i'm
FASHIONED eloquence swayed the null
titudes and won thousands to Christ,
of whom Robert Hall said: "His one
eye was so brilliant that it would light
an army through a forest on dark
night"
Charles H. Sturgeon, whose preach
in c+iprad nndou ond in 1Orinfod
mons went to the uttermost parts of
the earth, and Alexander Maclaren
of Manchester, famous as the great
est Biblical sermonizer of the cen
fury. F. B. Meyer, whose preaching
and writing have circled the globe,
and A. j. Gordon of Boston, whom
Mr.. Sturgeon called a titantic ex
FOUNDER of Gods word.
| close with a quotation from the
last words of Sir Henry Havelock, the
hero of Lucknow, who was not only
a Baptist, but so spiritual and aggres-
sive in his religion as to win to Christ
many of his soldiers, who were known
as "Havelock's Saints" and were in
the habit of going from a prayer
meeting to battle. AS he lay dying,
November %, 1859, he said to Sir
James Outram at his side: For more
than 40 years I have SO ruled my life
that when death came | might face 1t
without fear am not the least
afraid; to die is gain. l die happy
and contented" Then turning to his
son. he said in tender voice: Come,
my son, and see how Christian can
die" He had shown how Christian
could live, and now 1t was an easy
matter to show how Christian could
die. The Christ who died for him,
was buried and rose again, In whom
he trusted, had helped him so to live
that death was the consummation ofi
D noble life on earth and the basin
ming Of a noble life in heaven. knd
Il the Lord tarrfes, thus may We aia@
Ra who lives thus shall Rsyar d.