The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1910-01-25

etacy; Neither Fear Ie lhelr Fear, Nor be !
Afraid" Isaiah viii. l2). 1
ooCp.-.-s-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. .-.-s-.-.-.-s-.-s-.-.-.-oS
spectlng 1t will be greatly advantaged
by liberal pruning. But caution
should be used. The Bible should be
consulted. We offer the suggestion
that too hasty a rejection of water
Immersion would be mlstake-thut
the proper course for our Baptist
friends is to study the Scriptures
afresh on this subject. What wonder
ful advantages are now at the com
mund of all Bible students! They
have marginal references by which
one passage throws light upon another.
They have also concordnnces. CLOS
saries, indexes, and all manner of helps
for Bible study. Our forefathers be-
fore the Reformation were generally
illiterate. And even had they pos
sessed education the pen written BIZ
bles were expensive and obtainablc
only IN the Latin language Indeed it
Is within only the last few years that
Bibles have become cheap and plenti-
ful and the masses able to read them.
What Must Advontists concodc?
The doctrine of the Second Advent
of Christ h common to all denomina-
tons. And the Adventist belief that
Mt that tine the earth will be burned
up IS also feature of all the various
creeds. Many Adventlsts have aban.
doned the thought that the Savior's
second appearing Is ut 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.
atructiOn 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 "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 as 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 denominatlonnl lines. But for
that portion of Adventists which con-
slders the Keeping of the Seventh Day
of the week the all.importnnt 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 mig bring their
Seventh Day Into harmcIy with what
others term the First Day. Or by
counting the calendar In the opposite
direction they may still keep their Sew
enth Day ana realize that others are
keeping the same day, though calling
II the First Day.
Disciple Doctrines to Be Voided.
Undoubtedly Alexander Campbell
was a good man with great head
And undoubtedly many of 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 II
many respects IL beautiful In It's sim
pllclty. Doctrlnnlly they Claim mos
faithfully to stand by the Word o
God alone. And one of their familiar
declarations is. "When the Word o
God speaketh we speak; when TIL
I Word Of God Is silent we are SILENT
But this beautiful simplicity OF theor,
our Disciple friends have found diff
cult TO work out In practice. Henc,
we find them as strongly intrenchet
behind unwritten crecds as are other
| behind elaborated creeds. These ar
lnculcated through the writings o
their standard thorities--includini
the editors of their leading journals
disciples" hold most tenaciously a
the Bpe teaching that baptism i
iCater Is Indispensable TO The rcmlSSiO
Of sins, This doctrine Is supported b.
several Bible texts which declare
Arise aud be baptized and wusl
away thy SINS" "Bap,ism unto repent
ancc ana remission of sins" etc.
Before pointing out their mlsappli
cations of these texts let us note tn
facts that according TO their theor.
all others of mankind, Christians, jew
and heather, who have not been i'm
merscd have not had their sins washc'
away. Consequently such are yet Il
their sins. Consequently such are lost
AND lost according 60 the general IN
derstandng OF Disciples and othe
Christians signifies shut out of heavel
shut out OF Paradlsc-shut into hel
apd its etcrnnl torment,
DO our Disciple friends act n
though they believed this teaching
DO they speud all of their time an,
energy and money In seeking to brin
fcllow-ChrlstiNu into water baplIsr
for the remission OF sins ana cscap
FROM eternnl torture? Assurcdly the
do not Hence we are justified /
suppOslng that like our Baptist friend