The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-11-08
ACCT
NlCE ]. ING.
REVIVAL AT CENTRAL CHRISTIAN
CHURCH CONTINUES TO GROW
in INTEREST.

In by number OF per-
SONS and many names CT the carly
pioneers of the religious life of our
city and county were mentioned Rev.
Broo.nfeld, OF the NJ. p. Temple, made
the Introductory address which was an
eloquent tribute TO the sacred memory
of saints in the church triumphant and
the church militant.
The service began with the observT
ance of the Lords Supper, the pastor
of the Central Christian Church pre-
siding. He was assisted by Rev. o.
G. White. OF Bethany, Corresponding
Secretary of the West Virginia MS
sionary Society of the Church of the
Disciples.
The music in the revival services Is
attracting much attention. There were
several special numbers rendered last
evening, a male quar- ette, a mixed
quartette and solo.
Miss Bessie Sadler, Singing Evan
gelist, who is well and favorably
known by many Fairmont people, was
present Mt the service last night and
took part. Miss SaIler will be in the
city q few days and has kindly con-
sentch to sing tonight.
AT the close OF the services this
evening there will be number bap-
tized Tomorrow evening Evangelist
Snivcly will preach a sermon which
ne calls the Apology Of the Christian
Church. In this sermon he will set
forth reasons for an existence as
distinct religious body. This sermon
will be Of especial interest to minis
trrs and all others who wish to un'
derstand the position of the Disciples
Reason Five for Being a Disciple.
To readers of the New Testament
lit is we'll known that during the Dark
Ages the Ordinances OF the Church
we're distorted, divided, altered,
amended or syncopated i'll one or more
phases. So that the plea CT the Dis
riples involves the restoration OF the
Ordinances of the Church to their
original form. To this position the
Disciples are unalterably committed.
1. AS to baptism. Those only
were baptized in the Apostolic Church
who were believing. pen;tent comics.
sors. Baptism was the faith-ordi-
nance. What flinders me to be bap-
tized?" In the very nature of the
ccse, then, where there was no faith
there could be no baptism. Genuine
fsith voluntarily and personally held,
true repentance heartily exercised and
public confession openly made arc in.
dispensfble scriptural prerequisites
to the validity OF Christian baptism,
and. their absence vitiates its validity
an Offenders it nugatory The Apos-
tclIc Church knows only believers
baptism, hence the Disciples admit
only believers to the ordinance, as
they feel competed 10 build by the
model.
.. 1t is well known by everybody
that at the first the action of baptism
was immersion This was its apostolic
form. The wori so meant The prac'
tice OF the great Greek Church from
the beginning until now SO proves.
The practice of the Latin Church, or
Roman Catholic, faor thirteen hundred
years and then ITS change to affusion,
without scriptural warrant, SO testi-
tics. The allowance of it now in all
churches as valid gives 1t the seal OF
absolute catholicity. About INNER
sion there mas never been und will
never he any doubt or scruple in the
, public Christian consciousness. And
every posted minister in Fairmont will
end must say that immersion was the
, apostolic practice. This is the ''one
baptism" of the Johannean, Christie.
Petrine and Pauline phases of the
primitive Christian.
AS to the purpose or design of
bsptism, it is well known that in the
early church baptism was administer
ed to the believing, penitert confessor,
accompanied with the promise of par
don and gift of the Holy Spirit. Tho
Disciples always have and do every
where now totally repud!ate the dog
ma of baptismal regeneration and at
taCh no sncramental efficacy whatever
to the rite ITSELF nor attribute any
cleansing virtue to the washing in
water" but they 10 insist upon obedi-
ence to this divine ordinance as
command of Christ, and neither holl
nor prevent its candidate, as condt-
ton precedent to his baptism, any
theory of the chronology of pardon
an act which lies wholly in the domain
OF the divine will. The mention OF
the above three phases of this initia-
tory ordinance into the church being