The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-03-14
EspE0PlES !; |. PULPIT 4. / ii !
tcontInued from P1a. Three,

fute our text Joshua perceived that
the lsraelltes were In n tryin: position
and thnt 1t was their duty to decide
promptly and thoroughly which course
they would take. So we lnny see To-
day thnt Christians OF all denomlnn.
lions are IN a trying position and that
a prompt decision to stand by God aud
the Bible the necessary. thing for
those who would be delivered from tho
darkness Of the past aud avoid falling
into the Adversary's great deception OF
the present-into which their leaders
are guiding them. Unless they heed
speedily, the blind leading the blind
will fall into the ditch Of Durwlnism
and the mlre Of Higher Criticism.
There are not many ways to escape
this threatening calamity! There Is
only one way-the Bible way. Many
Baptist and Disciple ministers are be.
coming awake to the Inconsistencies OF
their positions and drifting without
foreknowlcdge Of where their course
will end. For instance. I have before
me the words of the Rev. DR.. Mac Don.
aid Of my own city. Brooklyn, OH Feb
ruary 9th. This gentleman speaks Of
the Baptist Confession Of Faith as
i"these s,raddliio clothes OF an ancient
dogmatism." And respecting the Bap-
list doctrine which recognizes only i'm.
mersed persons as members Of the
Church of Christ and heirs of saliva.
tion. he says. "Henceforth II cdn be re-
garded TO be as dead as the cities Of
Sodom and Gomorr1h. and as tcorthiiy
buried" The gentleman rcjoiced that
recently Baptist minister had been
ordained to tho Sixth Avenue Baptist
Church Of Brooklyn who affirmed In
advance that he would invite all to
communion and Church membership
who loved the Lord Jesus. He urged
that associate members" should be
received into Baptist communlons
without imposing baptism upon
them"
This courageous brother fails to see
wherein the course he advocates Is
Illogical. What he needs to see Is the
real tcnchiug Of the Bible Oh the sub.
ject Of Baptism-that 1t Is baptism into
Chrlst's death. and thus into the real
Church Of Christ-not the Baptist
Church, nor any other human organfza.
ton. but the Church OF God-"rhe
Church Of the tlrstborns. whose names
are written In heaven" That roll con-
tains the names of all tho snintIy.
faithful, consecratel believers In the
Hedeemer-of all denominations and
outside of all denominations. v
"sanetify Them Through Thy TRUTH"
1t is not sullicicnt TINT We get rid Of
the errors and superstitlons Of the
past. We must supplunt those with
the Truth. that "We may be able to
Withstand in this evil day" H:rhcsians
Vi. 49,. 1t alone will constitute the
armor Of God. Christian people hold
much precious Truth. but hold it : In
SO illogical and confused Il manner
that 1T fails forgive them the needed
strength. God permitted us to come
10 this very hour and has permitted
the present tests for the purpose Of
developing the characters of the .'ls.
raelitcs indeed. III whom Is no guile"
and for the purpose of gathering out
from them all the tares. all the ctaff.
and all not ut heart copies OF his dear
Son. Let lie now briefly summarize
the errors Of our creeds aud briefly In.
dictate the Bible remedy.
None of our Creeds were too strict
In defining the saintIiness of the
Church class. invited to become the
Bride of Christ and his JoInt-heirs in
his Kingdom. On the contrary. in
many respects they were too loose
they were not nearly up to the stand
ard of the Masters word. IF any lnan
will be my disciple, let him take up
his cross and follow me-" ''Strait is
the gate and narrow the way which
lcudeth unto life; and few there be
that find it" AIntthcw VII, 14). Jesus
tnught TINT his followers must drink
of Ills cup OF suffering and he bapfi.cd
into his deaHl-and not merely into wa
ter. Our too-low standards have ad.
nitted to membership tn all dcnomina-
tons millions who are far below the
Masters standards.
Our error and deception was the sup
position that all who ARE not snintly.
all who would not become the Bride Of
Christ, NIL who are not baptized into his
death. all who do not drink Of his cup
of ignominy will be ctcrndlly tortured.
This great mistake common to all
Protestants land i'll the much modi-
fled form Of Pursntory shared also by
Catholics) must be displaced by tile
Bible teaching that rs soon rs the
elect Church shall be completed aud
glorlHed the antityplcal Year Of Jubi.
lee will begin; TINT then for the tlioll-
sand years Of the reign of Christ aud
the Church rs tho spiritual Seed Of
Abraham. the non-efcct. Of all the fam.
lilies Of the earth will be blest by the
elect Galatians Ill. 1G. 20: Acts Ill.
1929. Let us, dear brethren. choose
this day to stand by the Word Of God,