Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-03-19

AS Tor the rank n Bfe OF BapttStS
and Disciples, probably three-fourths
| Of them still hold vaguely and indeh-
nitely to the Bible and their Confes-
sions Of Faith though both Of these
denominations in their innocency of
mind think that they have no creeds~
that they take the Bible only As
these dear friends awaken 70 the in
constituencies Of their Confession and
teachings they are in great danger OF
following their leaders into a repudia-
ton Of everything pertaining to the
| %past-into Higher Criticism infdelity
and DarwiniSm.
Choose You This Day Whom We VIII
Serve"
Joshua's words to the Israelites. aft
er they had come into Canaan. consti-
| mte our text. Joshua perceived that
the lsraeIites were IN a trying position
promptly and thoroughly which course
they would take. SO we may see to-
! day that Christians Of all d%enomina-
ions are in a trying position and tlat
y prompt decision to stand by God and
the Bible Is the necessary thing for
/ those who would be delivered from the
darkness OF the past and avoid falling
into the Adyersary's great deception of
the present-into which their leaders
are guiding them. Unless they heed
| speedily, the blind leading the blind
will fall into the ditch of Darwinism
and the mire of Higher Criticism
/ There are not many ways to escape
this threatening calamity! There is
only one way-the Bible way. Many
Baptist and Disciple ministers are he
coming awake TO the Inconsistencies of
their positions and drifting without
foreknowledge of where their urs
will end. For instance. | have before
me the words of the Rev. DR.. Mac Don
aid OF my own city, Brooklyn, on Feb
ruary 27th. This gentleman speaks of
the Baptist Confession of Faith as
these siodddliH0 clothes Of an ancient
d0gmatism." And respecting the Bap-
fist doctrine which recognizes only i'm
mersed persons as members of the
Church of Christ and heirs of saliva
ton. he says. "Hehceforth IL can be re
garded to be as dead as the cities OF
S0d0m and GOmOTTdh. and as Worthtty
buried" The gentleman r~ejoiced that
recently a Baptist minister had been
ordained to the Sixth Avenue Baptist
Church of Brooklyn who affirmed in
advance that be would invite all TO
no,,wu,pinn onI fNh,tpah unnnhnpShin
who loved the Lord Jesus. He urged
that associate members" should be
received into Baptist communions
without imposing baptism upon
them
This courageous brother fails to see
wherein the course he advocates is
illogical. What he needs TO see is the
real teaching of the Bible Oh the sub
ject OF Baptism-that it is baptism into
Christ's death. and thus into the real
Church OF Christ-not the Baptist
Church, nor any other human organiza-
ton. but the Church of God-"The
Church OF the tirstborns. whose names
are written IN heaven" That roll con
tains the names of all the sanity.
faithful. consecrated believers in the
Redeemer-of all denominations and
outside OF all denominations.
"Sanctify Them Through Thy Truth"
1t is not sufficient that we get rid Of
the errors and superstitionS of the
past. We must supplant those with
the Truth, that I'VE may be able to
withstand in this evil day" tEphesians
vi, 49,. 1t alone will constitute the
armor of God. Christian people hold
much precious Truth. but hold it in
so illogical and confused a manner
that il fails to give them the needed
strength. God permitted us to come
to this very hour and has permitted
the present tests for the purpose of
developing the characters of the is
raelites indeed. III whom is no guile"
and for the purpose of gathering out
from them all the tares. all the chaff,
and all not ut heart copies of his dear
Son. Let me now briefly summarize
the errors of our creeds and briefly in
dictate the Bible remedy.
None of our Creeds were too strict
In defining the sa%intlineSs of the
Church class, invited to become the
Bride of Christ and his Joint-heirs in
his Kingdom. On the contrary, in
many respects they were too loose
they were not nearly up TO the stand
ard of the Masters word, IF any man
will be my disciple, let him take up
his cross and follow me" Strait is
the gate and narrow the way which
leadeth unto life; and few there be
that find il" Glatthew vii, l4l. Jesus
taught that his followers must drink
Of his cup Of suffering and he bdptteed
nto his dedth-and not merely into wa
ter. Our too-low standards have adj
mitted TO membership in an denomina-
tons millions who are far below the
Masters standards.
Our error IL deception was the sup
position that all who are not sanity,
all who would not become the Bride OF
Christ. all who are not baptized into his
death. all who do not drink of his cup
of ignominy will be etcYGdilV tortured.