The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-01-29
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
tabernacle.

All three Of these systems are built
upon the Congregational platform.
which recognizes as Scriptural the in
dependence of each congregation as to
its own creed in all matters of faith
and Church order. These bodies of
Christians, therefore, could not Join
the Federation as denominations. The
only method by which they could give
adherence would be either by aban-
doning their principles of independence
for which they have so long contended.
or else by remaining quiescent while
their ministers through Councils and
Conferences essay to act for them.
And here it should be noted that the
membership Of these large Christian
bodies have more and more during the
pas. ihirty-five years shown their will
ingnesS to have their ministers regu-
late their affairs, even though contrary
to their avowed principles Of Church
Government.
But 1t is from the standpoint Of doc
trines rather than Church government
that we shall examine our subject. AS
we progress we shall find that some of
the doctrines once considered all-lm-
portant a in the light Of our day be
laid aside as obsolete-as hindrances
IN every sense of the word. Caution.
however, would suggest that for every
thing discarded as unscriptural the
truthful substitute should be found
otherwise our progress would be to-
ward the destruction, not only Of the
bad of our creeds Of the past. but also
Of their good features.
Doetrinal Surrender Of Baptists.
Baptists will find little to dispute
with their co-religionists Of the Fed
Grafton along general doctrinal lines;
their chief difficulty will be in the mat
ter Of what constitutes Christian bap-
tism-the necessity Of water INNER
sion TO admission to Church member
ship. For years this doctrine has been
even more tenaciously held than is
generally realized. Our Baptist breth-
ren hold to justification by faith as a
first or preliminary step which the sin
ner must take. But they equally hold
that this is not the final %step-that the
step of sacrifice, the step of regenera-
ton much follow In order to salvation
And n baptism in water they recognize
as an Indispensable outward indication
Of this regeneration. Hence it is stand.
ard Baptist doctrine, both North and
South in all Baptist Churches with
rare exceptions, that no unimmersed
person should be esteemed a member OF
ChrisfS Church.
In a word, faith and reformation are
steps of justification, but water INNER
sion is the door into Christ. Only those
who pass through this door are mem
beers Of the Church Of Christ from this
viewpoint; hence, consistently, none
others are invited to partake of the
Eucharist-the Lords Supper. The ar.
gument is that this Supper, symbolic.
ing death with Christ, was offered only
to the coDsecrated and accepted mem.
bers Of Christ's Church. Hence to In.
wife others than those immersed In
water would be a violation Of the let
ter and the spirit Of the Divine Word
and q countenancing of false doctrine
The argument is that all Of 'the elect
will be guided Of the Lord, so thai
their hearts and heads will become
amenable to these teachings. 0bedi
ence thereto will be shown by submis
sion to water lmmersion-the door into
the Church of Christ,
Like the rest Of us, our Baptis
friends have been In the past rathe
illogical in all matters religious ant
doctrinal; 80 much so that many o
them have never realized the full
meaning Of their doctrine. The mean
ing was grasped in the long ago, bu
has generally been lost sight Of With
the last fifty years. 1t is this: Sine
water immersion is the evidence o
obedience to Divine instruction an
since all Of "the elect" are not only in
structed Of God but obedient to hin
therefore those not baptized In waite
are not Of Gods elect-are not men
beers In his Church. And this in turf
according to Baptist doctrine, nipple
that all not immersed In water ar
outside of the Church-outside Of tn
number Of "the elect"-Outside Q
Gods favor-outside Of the salvatio
provided In Christ-and therefore IL
side the damnation and eternal tol
ment which Baptist doctrines impl
have been fo~reordained for the eternI
torture Of all the non-elect.
Do our Baptist friends who met
~unimmersed Christians Of other d,
nominations in the walks Of life frol
day to day really believe that the la
Ter are on their way to an eternlt
Of torture7 Most assuredly they d
notl But this is merely because the
1 are illogical, like the rest Of us. The
n are as Illogical as their brethren {
other denominations. They have GU
grown at least this feature Of Il
teachings Of the dark ages" handle
down to them by well-meaning bI
less enlightened ~forefathers.
e One glance at the matter will sufic
to show our Baptist brethren that Il
very strongest features Of their teacI
G ing needs some revision. HowevI
fundamental may be the doctrine {
baptism, some Of their conclusions +