The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-04-07

Jt'Tu tui UtSOttcu vi tue SplfIt Dcloic
his baptism in water (Acts x. Az.
The Pastor could not think that the
Baptist and Disciple brethren would
have much difficulty in rejecting
water immersion as q test Of Chris
tian fellowship. il once they saw the
matter in its true light thus: The
Disciples. In holding that immersion
in water is for the remission OF sins,
are claiming. in fact. that all not thus
immersed are lost--do0med TO eternal
torment, according To their theory.
Baptists should see the absurdity or
claiming that only the water immersed
are members OF the Church or Christ.
for thus. according 70 their theory,
they doom to eternal torture. as I'M
saved. all Of their Christian brethren
who have not been immersed. Surely
Baptists and Disciples. therefore. may
be expected to promptly and heartily
repudiate these test features OF their
theories.
The Methodist Creed was next ex-
amined. 1t was commended for the
prominence it gives to the Love Of
God and His forbearance with the mis-
representations Of those who honestly
seek 10 be His children. The speaker
asked the Methodist brethren to fore
go the worshiping of their Church and
To give the more homage TO the LORD.
He admitted the masterfulness or their
organization. but reminded them that
their Episcopacy is not modelled after
anything shown in the New Testament.
1t does not even pretend to be an su-
thority along the lines of Apostolic
Succession. They must admit that the
establishment Of its Bishopric was. at
least, semi fraudulent supposed
emergency. born of the error that an
Episcopal ordination was necessary TO
an authority TO preach.
He'll and Pursatory Must Go.
Unitedly we must all acknowledge
that we grossly misunderstood the
teaching OF our Bible when we believ-
ed and taught that our Almighty Gre
ator prepared a great hell, manned
with fire proof demons. with the fore
knowledge that all Of our race would
go thither except as Il certain few
would be specially rescued by the
Savior, after His coming, when He was
not sent for over four thousand years
after the fall Looking back to the
Dark Ages" we behold with horror
the terrible effects OF this blasphemons
doctrine upon good men OF that time.
who thought they were copying the
Divine spirit and methods when they
burned one another at the stake.
AS we have learned that PurgatOry
is not taught in the Bible, so also we
have learned that this hell Of our fore
fathers is unscrptural-tha the Bible
hell is the grave the tomb, the state
Of death. This just penalty for sin is
what the Bible everywhere teaches.
We now know that the Hebrew word
She0l OF the Old Testament. and the
Greek word hides Of the New Tesla
ment refer 10 the grdre, the state OF
death. the tomb and that they are SO
translated more times than they are
rendered he'll We now know that in
old English literature the word he'll
was 80 used rs signifying Il pit. a COW
cred place. a grave. The Pastor an
notnced that free pamphlets, discuss
Ing the word he'll and the para bic Of
The Rich Man aud Lazarus, etc,
would be distributed by the nshers.
The Divine Plan Of the Ages.
With our hearts and heads agreed to
discard those features OF our creeds
not found in the Bible and. as far as
possible. to harmOnize what we do
find therein. what is the resultI Is it
the Gospel Of which st. Paul was not
ashamed? The speaker submitted that
it is, and believes that all Christians
conld heartily unite and fellowship
upon its broad basis.
John Calvin and our fOrefathers
were right in declaring that the Scrip
lures teach the election" of little
flock; but they were wrong in claim
Ing that the great mass of humanity,
! the nOn-elect, are passed by" routed
for eternal torture. On the contrary
/ they all go 10 the Bible hell, the grave.
| They are all unconscious there. The
| Divine promise guarantees the resur-
! rectiOn OF the dead. both the just and
the unjust. by One Who gave His life
| for their redemption--"Who died, the
/ lust for the unjust Il Peter iii. 49,.
/ In word, merely the called OF
/ God" are being dealt with in the pres
ent time. although the remainder Of
mankind are having witness" and
are learning lessons which will be
/ valuable to them when their trial time
shall come. We have not in the past
/ sufficiently noted the difference be-
| tween the Church and the acOrld. The
/ Church is invited to walk the narrow
way in the footprints OF the Redeem
! er. bearing the cross with him. The
/, faithful are promised share with
Him in His heavenly glory, honor and
! Immortality.
But nothing is said about torment
f.. ing the world The entire race OF
/ Adam has been under condemnation
for six thousand years. The coming
OF Jesus and His death were not in
tended to increase mans condemna-
ton, but. by providing for their resur-
rection. to set them free from Adamic
condemnation-tO give to ca ch and to all
Il full. fair opportunity TO demonstrate
their l0re of sin or love Of righteous
ness when the latter shall be fully as