The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1910-02-04

sion of sins did not receive the holy
Spirit st Paul explained to them
that their baptism was an improper
Onc-that they as Gcntilcs required
All immersion into Christ (ACts xix.
II; Romans vi, ~.
Baptist Union Not Federation.
As n week ago we suggested to
prcsbytcrlans, Congrcgatiuualists and
Methodists n union Of heart and head
as better than federation, SO now we
suggest To the denominations whose
doctrines we are considering today.
What we shall suggest respecting bap-
tism will apply to all Christians.
All Christians agree that Jesus and
his apostles taught baptism and that
there are but Zone Lord, one faith and
one baptism CEphcSians iv, ~. We can
not here elaborate, but merely suggest
that nowhere in the Scriptures is in
FAINT baptism commanded or urged The
expression, Relieve and be baptized"
implies Il mental development capable
OF belief beyond that which infants
possess. The original prctcXt for in.
Producing infant baptism was set forth
by St Augustine, who urged that as
all mankind were going to eternal tor
turc except the Church. II W. ncccs-
sary to get infants into the Church,
and baptism was set forth rs the
doorway. All parents, of course, were
anxious that their children should be
Immersed into the Church and saved
from eternal torture And those good
wishes were certainly commendablc,
even If unnecessary.
Subsequently immersion was declar-
ed to he unnecessary and sprinkling
became its substitute with all. The
thought Of preservation from eternal
torment thereafter attached To the
sprinkling. Although our minds have
broadcncd, SO that comparatively few
believe 81. Augustinc's presentation.
nevertheless the custom of infant
sprinkling continues with more or less
of fear to abandon 1t for the child's
sake.
Who will dispute that st. Paul's
words OF Romans vi, 80, are the clear
est presentation Of the import OF bap-
tism furnished us In the Bible, The
passage Is cited in proof OF every the
Dry of baptism, yet it supports only
onc-thc true one. Notice that ii does
not say, as many suppose, So many Of
us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into rdtcr. 1t docs say,
$50 many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his
dcdth." Is there not difference
That difference Is the explanation of
all of our difficulty ON this subject.
The clearing Of it away furnishes the
foundation for harmony between all;
and not merely for harmony, but for
union amongst all classes Of COnSeCrat-
ed Christians.
Consider the passage critically
First, immersion into Christ signifies
to the justified believer his immersion
Christ as Il member of 1.-THE Church
which is his Body" (Ephesians !, %
23). The APOSTLE sets forth clearly n
diStinctioi. between the Church and
the world and between the salvation
of the Church and the salvation Of the
world. The Church are 1.-The elect
OF the Lord, called and chosen; and
if faithful. they will be members of
the glorious Church beyond the veil
II, as the Bride of Christ, will be his
companion and Queen during the Mil
lennial reign OF glory for the blessing
of the world-fOr the blessing of the
non elect, considered last Sunday.
ST. Paul not only tells us Of our
need to be thus immersed into mem
bership in the Body Of Christ, but he
proceeds to tell us hOW that member
ship can be brought about. The
words, Baptism into his death" eX.
plain the matter. How strange that
we ever thought these words Signjfie,l
water immersion! Our eyes are now
opened. Plainly, now, we see that
Unto his death" signifies our partici.
patton with our Lord Jesus in suf.
fering for righteousness, in scf-de
malls, SClf-SaCriticings Of the same
character as those endured by the
Master. 1t is true indeed that the
W N'lhl ll'llli' SbllDN, ulS-
appointment, etc; yet our Lord SUI.
fered differently from all others, and
our dying must correspond to his. He
suffered, the Just for the unjust. The
holy, harmless, undehled one laid
down his life Sacrlhcially, voluntarily
joyfully. And we, to share in his
death, to be baptized into his death"
must do the same.
True, Jesus was SpotlcSS. while we
are members Of the fallen race. But
we are justified through faith in his
blood. And hence we have in the
Divine sight through him standing
of human perfection or Justification.
This standing is granted TO us or i'm.
puted to us for the very purpose of
permitting us TO sacrifice our human
rights and earthly interests as he sac
rificed his. The "clcCt" are to be dead
with him, that in the resurrection they
may live with him and be like him and
share his glory honor and Immortality
BY conservation we present our bodies
living sacrifices holy and acceptable to
God, as the Apostle declares Romans
xii, II. Thus we are Immersed into
his death" and Tins we hpcomn tuon,.