The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1910-01-24

Il
tne proper course FOR our Baptisr
friends Is to study the Scriptures
afresh on this subject What wonder
full advantages are now at the com
mand of all Bible students! They
have marginal references by which
one passage throws light upon another.
They have also concordances. CLOS
saries, indexes, and all manner of helps
for Bible study. Our forcfathers be-
fore the Reformation were generally
illterate. And even had they pos
sessed education the pen-written BIZ
bles were expensive and obtainable
only in the Latin language. Indeed 1t
is within only the last few years that
Bibles have become cheap and plentl.
full and the masses able to read them.i
What Must Adventists concede7
The doctrine of the Second Advent
of Christ is common to all denomina-
tlons. And the Adventist belief that
at that time the earth will be burned
up is also feature Of all the various
creeds Many Adventists have aban-
doned the thought that the Savior's
second appearing Is at hand. And
many more are abandoning the thought
that when he appears Adventists alone
will be saved and all the remainder of
mankind will participate in the de-
structlon and burning which shall then
engulf the earth. 1t should not be
difficult for them to realize that there
is no great necessity for controversy
along the lines of the time of Christ's
coming. since they acknowledge them
selves completely in the dark on that
subject. Neither can we suppose that
after thoughtful consideration they
should feel justified in assuming that
they alone are 1.-The elect" Let us hope
that with broadening sentiment they
are more and more realizing that
there are saints and sinners in their
own number, as well ds in all denomi-,
nations and as well as in the world; (;
and that "the Lord knoweth them that
are his" and will care for them, regard
less of denominational lines. But for
that portion of Adventists which con-
siders the keeping of the Seventh Day
Of the week the all-important part of
Christianity we see no ground for Fed
Grafton, unless. indeed, they may choose
to get about the difficulty by counting
the calendar the other way around the
world. Thus they might bring their
Seventh Day into harmony with what
others term the First Day. Or, by
counting the calendar in the opposite
direction they may still keep their Sew
enth Day and realize that others are
keeping the same day, though calling
1t the First Day.
Disciple Doctrines to Be Voided.
Undoubtedly Alexander Campbell
was a good man with a great head.
And undoubtedly many of n similar
class following his lead are today
known as Disciples or Christians.
Undoubtedly these are following close
ly TO apostolic customs In the matter
of Church organization, which in
many respects is beautiful in its sim
plicity. Doctrinally they claim most
faithfully to stand by the Word Of
God alone. And one of their familiar
declarations Is, "When the Word of
God speaketh we speak, when the
Word of God is silent we are silent"
But this beautiful simplicity Of theory
our Disciple friends have found diff
cult to work out In practice. Hence
we find them as strongly intrenched
behind unwritten creeds as are others
behind elaborated creeds. These are
inculcated through the writings Of
their standard uthorities-including
disciples" hold most tenaciously as
the Bible teaching that baptism In
ioater Is Indispensable 10 the remission
Of sins. This doctrine is supported by
several Bible texts which declare,
"Arise and be baptized and wash
away thy sins;" Baptism unto repent
ance and remission of SINS" etc.
Before pointing out their misappli-
cations Of these texts let us note the
facts that according to their theory
all others of mankind, Christians, Jews
and heather, who have not been i'm
mersed have not had their sins washed
away. Consequently such are yet In
their sins. Consequently such are lost
And lost according to the general un-
| derstandlng of Disciples and other
Christians signifies shut out of heaven
shut out of Paradise-shut into hell
| aud its eternal torment.
DO our Disciple friends act as
though they believed this teaching?
DO, they spend all of their time and
energy and money in seeking TO bring
fellow Christians into water baptism
for the remission of sins and escape
from eternal torture? Assuredly they
do not. Hence we are justified In
supposing that like our Baptist friends
they have not taken seriously and log.
ically their own doctrines. Rather
they have assented to them thought.
Iessly. 1t would appear to us. there
fore, that doctrinally our Disciple
friends might easily be prevailed upon
to abandon their peculiar tenet to the
extent that it would not hinder them
from losing their identity as advc
Gates of baptism for the remission
VI slns' and merging themselves OF
federating with others.
To assist them out Of their difficult,
| III A