The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-01-25
Sermon by
CHARLES T.
RUSSELL.
Pastor Brooklyn
tabernacle.

Sunday, Jan. 23 Numerically Bap-
lists. Adycntisls and Disciples repre-
sent more than one-third of the Prot
estants OF the United States. What
they must yield for Church Federation
is therefore an important question.
All three of these systems are built
upon the Congregational platform,
which recognizes AZ Scriptural the In
dependence of each congregation us to
fits own creed In all matters Of faith
and Church order. These bodies OF
Christians. therefore. could not join
the Federation us denominations. The
only method by which they could give
adherence would be either by uban.
doning their principles OF Independence
for which they have 80 long contended.
or else by remaining qulesccnt while
their ministers through Councils aud
Conferences essay to act for them.
And here 1t should he noted that the
membership Of these large Christian
bodies have more and more during the
past thlrtyive years shown their will.
ingness TO have their ministers regu-
late their affairs. even though contrary
to their avowed principles of Church
Government.
Rut IL is from the standpoint OF doc
trines rnther than Church government
that we shall examine our subject. AS
we progress we shall find that some Of
the doctrines once considered all-im-
portant can In the light of our day be
laid aside as obsolete-as hndrances
I'm every sense of the word. Caution.
however. would suggest that for every.
thing discarded as unscriptural the
truthful substitute should he found
otherwise our progress would be to-
ward the destruction. not only OF the
bad of our crecds of the past but also
of their good features.
Doctrinal Surrender Of Baptists.
Bnptsts will find little to dispute
with their cO-rellgiOnistS OF the Fed
erltion along general dOctrlnal lines;
their chief difficulty will be In the mat
ter of what constitutes Christian bup-
tiSm--the necessity OF water INNER
sion to admission to Church member
ship For years this doctrine has been
even more tenuciously held than Is
generally realized Our Baptist breth-
ren hold TO justification by faith as a
first or preliminary step which the sin
ner must take. But they equally bold
that this Is not the final step--thut the
step of sacrifice. the step of regenera-
tlon much follow In order to salvation.
And n baptism In water they recognize
as an Indispensable outward indication
OF this regeneration. Hence IL IL stand
ard Baptist doctrine. both North and
South In all Baptist Churches with
rare exceptions. that no naimmersed
person ShOuid DC esteemed a member Of
ChrisfS church.
In word faith and reformation are
steps Of Justification. but water INNER
sion IL the door into Christ Only those
who puss through tins door are mem
bers Of tue Church Of Christ from this
viewpoint hence. consistently, none
others are Invited to purtnke of the
Euchnrlst-the Lords Supper The nr-
gumcnt Is that this Supper, symbolic
ing death with Christ. was offered only
10 the cOnsecrated aud accepted mem
bcrs of Chrst's Church. Hence to In
vite others than those Immersed In
water would be violation of the let
ter and the spirit OF the Divine Word
aud countenanclng of false doctrine.
The argument IL that all Of "the elect
will lie guided Of the Lord, 80 that
their hearts and heads will become
amennble to these teachings. Obedi'
ence thereto will be shown by submls'
sion to water immersion Tho door into
the Church of Christ.
f1.. %
friends have been In the past rather
illogical In all matters religious nnc
doctrInal: 50 much 40 that many OF
them have never realized the ful
meaning OF their doctrine. The mean
Ing was grasped in the long ago, bu
has generally been lost sight OF within
the last hfty years. 1t IL this: Sine
wnter immersion IL the evidence ol
obedience TO Divine instruction ant
since all OF the elect" are not only In
structed Of God but obedient to him
therefore those not baptized In wateI
are not of Gods elect are not mem
bers In his Church And this In turn
according 20 BAPTIST doctrine, implies
that all not Immersed In water urC
outside OF the Church OF thI
number of 1.-The elect" outside o
Gods favor-outside OF the salvation
provided IN Christ and therefore In
side The dumnation ana eternal tor
ment which Baptist doctrines lmpl,
have been fcreordaincd for the etcrna
torture Of an the nog-eoct
DO our Baptist friends who NEE
unImmersed ChrIsthn5 OF other de
nominations Ia the walks OF life frou
day 10 day really believe that the lat
ter nae on their way to an eternit
OF tOrture2 Most assuredly they q
not! But this iS merely because the
are Illogical like the rest of US. The
are nS Illogical us their brethren o
other denominations, They have ou
grown at least this feature of ia
teachings Of the dark Gges' handle
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