The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-01-24

We remind them thntS all the Scripture
they cite I'M support OF immersion Tor
the remission OF sins belonged to the
Jews. and none OF It "a. GentiIes. TIE
Jews were exhorteds by John the Bap.
fist and others TO renollnce sin. to
return TO harmony with Noses Law,
and TO show this change OF character
by water Immersion. But those Ephe--
SLAMS WHO believed In Christ and
whom Apollos baptized for the remis-
sion Of sins did not receive the holy
Spirit. st. Paul explained to them
that their baptism was an Improper
nne--that they as GentiIes required
m immersion into Christ ACTS xix,
1T; Romans vi. 81.
Baptist Union Not Federation.
As q week ago we suggested to
P~resbyterians. CongregatIonnlists and
Methodists a union of heart aud head
as better than federation. SO now we
suggest to the denominations whose
doctrines we r considering today.
What we. shall suggest respecting bap-
tism will apply to all Christians.
All Christians ngree that Jesus and
Ills apostles taught baptism aud that
there nrc but zone Lord, one faith and
one baptism" tEpheslans ". 81. We can-
not here elaborate. but merely suggest
that nowhere In the Scriptures Is, In.
FAINT baptism commanded or urged. The
expression, believe aud be baptized
implies a mental development capable
Of belief beyond thdt which Infants
possess. The original prctext for In.
Producing infant baptism wns set forth
by St. Augustine. who urged that as
nil mankind were going to eternal tor.
ture except the Church. 1t was ncces.
sary to get Infants into the Church.;
and baptism was set forth as the
doorway. All parents. OF course. were
anxious that their children should be
immersed into the Church and snved
FROM eternal torture. And those good
wishes were certainly commendnble,
even II unnecessary.
Subsequently immersion was declar-
ed to he unnecessary aud sprinkllng
became Its substitute with all. The
thought Of preservation from eternal
torment thereafter attached TO the
s%prinkling. Although our minds hive
%broadened. SO that comparatively few
believe st. Augusttne's presentation.
nevertheless the custom of infant
shrinking continues will, more or loss
Of fcar to abandon It for the child's
sake.
Who will dispule fiat st. pa,,l's
words of Romans II. H.. nre Tho cloar.
est presentation of the i1nport or INN.
tism furnished us in the Bible. The
passage Is cited In proof Of every tile.
ory of, bop;lsm, vet n sunnorts only
one-the true one. Notice TINT Il does
NOT sny. ms many So many Of
us MS were baptlzed into Jesus chr,Ai
were bantizcd INFO ,cqfer. It docs saw.
$50 mnny OF us as were bantizcd into
:Jes,,s Christ were bantizpi into hiz
death" Ia there not n difference?
That difference IL tie explanation OF
MI of onr- Difficulty an This snhicct
The clearing OF II AWAY furnishes The
foundation for harmony bet wccn an.
and not merely for harmony. Int far
,,nIon nmonpst nil crassns IF ~ronsncrn,.
I'll Christians
Consider tle massage critically.
First. immersion into Christ signifies
to the justified believer his Immersion
into. his burial into. the Bo,lv Of
Christ ns n member of ..tbe Church
which ia his Bodvf fEphesinns I. 90
on, Thn Anostlp sets fortl, ria, rlv n
dIstinctIon bet ween the f,b,,rc, md
tha world and het wecn the salvation
Of Inc church md the salvation or tin
world. Tbe Church ara "tbe elect"
NJ rho lord. called nr,l choseu. and
r. foithfnl. thev win he n,rml,crs at
tho glorious Church beyond the veil
II. M The Bride of Christ win I've Ills
Communion and Queen durinp the Nil.
lennial reign OF glory for the Messing
~ Tho yvorld-fo1. the hiossInr NJ the
non.eIect. considered Inst sunday
ST pn,,l not orl,, tells ,,s ~ mr.
nne,I IN ia th,,a immersed info mem.
bersl,,p In thc Rodv of christ. Int liz
nrocpcls to tpll No ho,o TINT mnrn,,e,.
:.