The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1910-02-02
PEOPLES
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL,
Pastor Brooklyn
Tabernacle.

Sunday, Jan. 23.-Numerically Bap
lists. Adventists and Disciples repre-
sent more than one-third of the Prot
estaLts of the United States. What
they must yield for Church Federation
is therefore an important question.
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 commended
or else by remaining quiescent while
their ministers through Councils and
Conferences essay to act for them.
And here i. should be noted that the
membership of these large Christian
bodies have more and more during the
past thirty-fye 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-im-
portant can 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
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.
Doctrinal Surrender OF Baptists
Baptists will find little to dispute
with their eoreliglonists of the Fed
Grafton along general doctrinai lines;
their chief difficulty will be In the mat.
ter of what constitutes Christian bap-
tism-the necessity of water INNER
ship. For years this doctrine has been
even more tenaciously held than is
generally realized. Our Baptist breth-
rem 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.
% In, t..,
And a baptism In water they recognize
as an Indispensable outward indication
Of this regeneration. Hence II Is stand
ard Baptist doctrine both North and
South In all Baptist Churches with
rare exceptions. that no nimmersed
person should be esteemed member Of
Chrisfs Church.
In word. faith and reformation are
steps OF Justification but water INNER
sion is the door into Christ. Only those
who pass through tins door are mem
bers OF the Church of Christ from this
viewpoint; hence, consistently. none
others are Invited 10 partake OF the
Eucharist-thc Lords Supper The ar
gumcnt is that this Supper. symbolic
ing death with Christ. was offered only
to the copsecrated aud accepted mem
bers Of Christ's Church, Hence TO In
wife others than those immersed 10
water would be a violation OF the let
ter and the spirit of the Divine Word
and countenancing of false doctrine.
The argument Is that all Of the elect
VIII be guided of the Lord. SO that
their hearts and heads will become
amenable TO these teachings. Obedi-
ence thereto Will be shown by submis-
sion to water immersion-the door into
the Church Of Christ
Like the rest of us, our Baptist
friends have been In the past rather
Illogical In all matters religious and
doctrinal; so much so that many OF
them have never realized the full
meaning OF their doctrine. The mean
ing was grasped In the long ago. but
has generally been lost sight Of within
the last fifty years. II is this: Since
obedience to Divine instruction and
since all of 1.-The elect are not only In
structed OF God but obedient to him
therefore those not baptized In water
are not OF Gods eleet-are not mem
bers In his Church. And this In turn
according to Baptist doctrine. implies
that all not immersed In water are
outside of the Church-outside OF thu
number of the elect"-outside Of
Gods favor-outside OF the salvation
provided In Christ-and therefore In
side the damnation and eternal tor
ment which Baptist doctrines impl!
have been foreordained for the eterna
torture of all the non-elect.
Do our Baptist friends who NEE
unimmersed Christians of other de
nominations in the walks OF life from
day to day really believe that the lat
ter are on their way to an eternit.
Of torture? Most assuredly they d.
not! But this is merely because the.
are Illogical, like the rest Of us. The.
are as illogical as their brethren o
other denominations. They have out
grown at least this feature Of tn
teachings of the dark ages" handle,
down to them by wel-meaning bu
less enlightened forcfathers.
One glance at the matter viii suite,
TO show our Baptist brethren that tn
very strongest features OF their teach
ing needs some revision Howeve
fundamental may bc the doctrine q
baptism, some OF their conciusicns re-
specting 1t will be greatly advantaget
by liberal pruning. But caution
should be used. The Bible should b,
consulted We offer the suggestion
that too hasty a rejection Of watel
immersion would be mistake-tha
the proper course for our Baptist
friends is to study the Scriptures
afresh on this subject. What wonder
full advantages are now at the com
mand of all Bible students! The.
have marginal references by which
one passage throws light upon another
They have also concordances, CLOS
saries, indexes. and all manner Of help
for Bible study. Our forefathers be
fore tho Rcfnrm tion wora vouora1l,