The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-01-28
PEOPLES PULPIT.
THE COST OF CHURCH
FEDERATION TO BAP-
lists, ADVENTISTS
AND DISCIPLES.
Say Ye Not. A Confederacy. to All Them
b Whom This People Shall Say. A Confed-
eracy; Neither Fear Ye Their Fear. Nor Be
Afraid" Isaiah viii. ~.

eracy; Neither Fear Ic lhem rear, nor be I
Afraid Isaiah viii. ~. I
ooOe-s-.-.-.-s-s-.-.-.- s-.-.-..s-..s-.-s-s.s-sC
afresh on this subject. What wonder
full advantages are now at the COM
mand of all Bible students! They
have marginal references by which
one passage throws light upon another.
They have also concordances. CLOS
saries, indexes, and all manner of helps
for Bible study. Our forefathers be-
fore the Reformation were generally
illiterate. And even had they pos
sessed education the pen.written BIZ
bles were expensive and obtainable
only in the Latin language. Indeed it
is within only the last few years that
Bibles have become cheap and plenti-
ful and the masses able to read them.
What Must Adventists concede?
The doctrine of the Second Advent
of Christ is common to all denomina-
tons. And the Adventist belief that
at that time the earth will be burned
up is also feature Of all the various
creeds. Many Adventists have aban-
doned the thought that the Savior's
second appearing is at hand. And
many more are abandoning the thought
that when he appears Adventists alone
will be saved and all the remainder Of
mankind will participate in the de-
struction and burning which shall then
engulf the earth. 1t should not be
difficult for them to realize that there
is no great necessity for controversy
along the lines Of the time Of Christ's
coming. since they acknowledge them
selves completely in the dark on that
subject. Neither can we suppose that
after thoughtful consideration they
should feel justified in assuming that
they alone are 1.-The elect" Let us hope
that with broadening sentiment they
are more and more realizing that
there are saints and sinners in their
own number. as we'll as in all denomi-
nations and as well as in the world !;
and that 1.-The Lord knoweth them that
are his and will care for them, regard
less Of denominational lines. But for
that portion of Adventists which con-
siders the keeping Of the Seventh Day
Christianity we see no ground for Fed
Grafton. unless. indeed, they may choose
to get about the difficulty by counting
the calendar the other way around the
world. Thus they might bring their
Seventh Day into harmony with what
al, Io nv
counting the calendar in the opposite
direction they may still keep their Sew
enth Day and realize that others are
keeping the same day, though calling
it the First Day.
Disciple Doctrines to BE Voided.
Undoubtedly Alexander Campbell
was a good man with great head.
And undoubtedly many of similar
class following his lead are today
known as Disciples or Christians.
Undoubtedly these are following close
~ to apostolic customs in the matter
of Church organization, which in
many respects is beautiful in its SIM
plicity. Doctrinally they claim most
faithfully to stand by the Word of
God alone. And one of their familiar
God speaketh we speak; when the
Word of God is silent we are silent"
But this beautiful simplicity of theory
our Disciple friends have found diff
cult to work out in practice. Hence
we find them as strongly intrepched
I,al Ind -rif ION nf hnr
behind elaborated creeds. These are
inculcated through the writings Of
their standard Notwithstanding
the editors Of their leading journals.
"Disciples' hold most tenaciOusly as
the Bible teaching that baptism in
,catcr is indispensable to the remission
of sins. This doctrine is supported by
several Bible texts which declare
Arise and be baptized and wash
away thy SINS" Baptism unto repent
ance and remission of SINS" etc.
Before pointing out their miSappii
facts that according to their theory
all others OF mankind. Christians, Jews
and heathen, who have not been i'm
merscd have rot had their :,.ns washed
away. Consequently such are yet in
their sins. Consequently such are lost
And lost according to the general un-
dcrctanGing of Disciples and other
Christians signifies shut out of heaven
shut out of Paradise-shut into hell
and it's eternal torment.
Do our Disciple friends act as
though they believed this teaching?
Do they spend all of their time and
energy and money in seeking to bring
fellow Christians into water baptism
for the remission CT sins and escape
from eternal torture? AssureGiy they
do not. Hence we are justified in
supposing that like our Baptist friends
they have not taken seriously and log
ically their own doctrines. Rather
they have assented to them thought
lessly. 1t would appear to us, there
fere. that doctrinally our Disciple
friends might easily be prevailed upon
to abandon their peculiar tenet to the
extent that it would not hinder them
from losing their identity as advo.
Gates Of baptism for the remission
of SINS and merging themselves OF
federating with others.
TO assist them out of their difficulty
We remind them that all the Scripture