Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-01-26

To assist them out of their difficulty
we remind them that all the Scripture
they cite in support of immersion for
the remission of sins belonged to the
Jews, and none of it to Gentiles The
Jews were exhorted by John the Bap-
fist and others to renounce sin, to
return TO harmony with Moses 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
one-that they as Gentiles required
an immersion into Christ facts xix,
II; Romans vi. b.
Baptist Union Not Federation.
AS week ago we suggested to
Presbyterians. Congregationalists and
Methodists a 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. 81. 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 a mental development capable
of belief beyond that which infants
possess. The original pretext for i'm
! 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:
doorway. All parents, Of course. were
anxious that their children should be
immersed into the Church ard saved
/ from eternal torture. And those good
wishes were certainly commendable,
even if unnecessary.
! subsequently immersion was declar-
ed to 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
broadened, 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 1t supports only
oue-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 iodter. 1t does say.
so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his
DEATH" Is there not a 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 i, p
23). The Apostle sets forth clearly 6
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: anC
if faithful. they will be members Of
the glorious Church beyond the veil
1t, 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 TIT
non-elect, considered last Sunday.
st. Paul not only tells us of oul
need to be thus immersed into mem
1 bership in the Body Of Christ, but h'
e proceeds to tell us hon that member
- ship can be brought about. Tn,
= words, Baptism into his death" ex
: plain the matter. How strange tina
we ever thought these words signifie;
j water immersion! Our eyes are nov
s opened! Plainly, now, we see tina
e Into his death, signifies our partici
4 patton with our Lord Jesus in sui
6 fering for righteousness, in self-de
). mails. self-sacfiicings of the sam
s character as those endured by til
n Master. 1t is true indeed that th
n whole world suffers pain, sorrow, dis
y appointment. etc.; yet our Lord sui
e, fered differently from all others. an
b our dying must correspond to his. H
t. suffered, the Just for the unjust Th
holy. harmless, undefled One lai
l. down his life specifically, voluntarily
le joyfully. And we, to share in hi
y death, to be baptized into his death,
IS must do the same.
D. True, Jesus was spotless, while W
ID are members Of the fallen race. Br
N we are justified through faith in hi