The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1910-01-27

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 (Acts xix.
10 Romans vi, 81.
Baptist Union Not Federation.
AS a 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 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;
! and baptism was set forth as the
doorway. All parents, of course, were
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 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. Paul's
words Of Romans vi, SO, 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 lCGter. 1t does say,
80 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 4 member of the Church
which is his Body" (Ephesians i, %,
80. The Apostle sets forth clearly a
! 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 his
companion and Queen during the Mil
lenninl 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 h0W 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-
malls. 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. The
holy, harmless, undetiled One laid
down his life scientifically, voluntarily.
joyfully. And We, to share in his
death, to be baptized into his death, ''
must do the same.
True, Jesus was spotless, while we
are members of the fallen race. But
we are justified through faith in his
blood. And hence we have in the
Divine sight through him a standing
of human perfection or justification.
This standing is granted TO US or i'm
puted to US for the very purpose of
permitting us TO sacrifice our human
rights and earthly interests as he sac
l I.