The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-01-28
an immersion into Ghri;Sr facts xix
1T; Romans vi, 81.
Baptist Union Not Federation.

1T; Romans vi, b.
Baptist Union Not Federation.
AS week ago we suggested to
Presbyterians. Congregationalists and
Methodists 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 lone Lord, one faith and
one baptism" (Ephesians iv, D. We can
not here elaborate, but merely suggest
that nowhere in the Scriptures is in
FAINT baptism commanded or urged. The
| expression, believe and be baptized"
| implies n mental development capable
Of belief beyond that which infants
possess. The original pretext for in
Producing infant baptism was set forth
| by st. Augustine, who urged that as
all mankind were going to eternal tor
| ture except the Church. it was neces-
sary to get infants into the Church;
| Nho OoPpchi was Stt lOhth e'S LIZ
doorway. All parents, of course, We're
anxious that their children should be
| immersed into the Church and saved
| from eternal torture. And those good
wishes were certainly cOmmendable,
even if unnecessary.
Subsequently immersion was declar-
| ed 10 be unnecessary and sprinkling
became its substitute with all. The
| thought Of preservation from eternal
torment thereafter attached to the
sprinkling. Although our minds have
broadencd, so that comparatively few
believe st. Augustine's presentation,
nevertheless the custom Of infant
sprinkling continues with more or less
| Of fear to abandon it for the child's
sake.
Who will dispute that st. Pauls
words Of Romans vi, 3-5, 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
one-the true one Notice that it does
not say, as many suppose, So many of
us as were baptized into Jesus Christ
were baptized into toater. 1t does say,
$50 many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his
DEATH" 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
into. his burial into, the Body of
Christ as a member of "the Church
which is his Body" (Ephesians j, %,
90. The Apostle sets forth clearly Il
distinction between the Church and
the world and between the salvation
Of the Church and the salvation of the
world. The Church are "the elect
of the Lord. called and chosen; and
if faithful, they will be members Of
the glorious Church beyond the veil.
/ 1t, as the Bride of Christ, will be bis
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 ho,o 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 signified
water immersion! Our eyes are now
opened! Plainly, now, we see that
''into his death" signifies our partici-
patton with our Lord Jesus in suf-
| fering for righteousness, in self-de-
mails, self-sacriicings of the same
| character as those endured by the
, Master. 1t is true indeed that the
whole world suffers pain, sorrow, dis
, appointment, ETC.; yet our Lord suf-
fered differently from all others, and
our dying must correspond to his. He
, suffered, the Just for the unjust. This
F, holy, harmless, undefiled One laid
down his life SCIENTIFICALLY, voluntarily
I joyfully. And we, to share in his
death. to be baptized into his DEATH"
| must do the same.
True. Jesus was spOtlcss, while we
arc members of the fallen race. But
we arc justified through faith in his
| blood. Aud hence we have in the
, Divine sight through him standing
of human perfection or justification.
| This standing is granted to us or inn
puted to us for the very purpose of
+, permitting us to sacrifice our human
rights and earthly interests as lie sac.
, riticed his. The ''elect" 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 tc
! God, as the Apostle declares CRomans
| xii. u. Thus we are Immersed into
| his DEATH and thus we become mem
bcrs Of his Body.
Whoever fails to be thus immersed
| into Christ's death will fail of the
membership in his Body-will fail to
be Of his elect Church, his Bride. The
difference between being dead with
| Adam and being dead with Christ is
very great. BY nature we are all dead