The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-04-04

utluSs III ltuNis WIS tlNANliNh VI ihO
Lord md hegotten Of the Spirit before
his baptism In water tActs X, 4Tb.
The Pastor could not think that the
Baptist and Disciple brethren would
have much difficulty in rejecting
water immersion as a test OF Chris
tian fellowship. If once they saw the
matter in it's true light. thus: The
Disciples. in holding that immersion
in water IL for The remission ~ sins.
IRE claiming, in fact, that all not thus
immersed are lost doomed to eternal
torment. according to their the0rv.
Baptists should see the absurdity of
claiming that only the water Immersed
nre meIlbers Of the Church OF Christ,
for thus. according to their theory,
they doom to eternal torture. as un-
saved all of their Christian brethren
who have not been immersed. Surely
Baptists and Disciples. therefore. may
be expected to pronptly and heartily
repudiate these test features Of their
theories.
The Methodist Greed was next ex-
nmined 1t was commended for the
prominence II gives to the Love Of
God and His forbeurnnce with the mis-
representations OF those who honestly
seek TO 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 masterfuness OF their
organization. but reminded them that
their Episcopacy IL not modelled after
anything shown In TIE New Testament.
II does not even pretend to be an au-
thorlty along the lines of Apostolic
Succession. They must admit that the
establishment Of Its Blshoprlc was. at
least, semi-frnuduent "a supposed
emergency. born Of the error that an
Episcopal ordination was necessary to
an authority to preach.
He'll and Purgatory Must Go.
Unltedy we must all acknowledge
that we grossly misunderstood the
teaching of our Bible when we belev-
ed and taught that our Almighty Gre
ator prepared great hell. manned
with fre-proof demons. with the fore
knowledge that all OF our race would
| BO lnllUtt tANfll NfiNuIi lew
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
Ozark Ages" we behold with horror
the terrible effects Of this blusphemous
doctrine upon good men of that time,
who thought they were copying the
| do ,t,In thau
burned one another mt 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 unscrlptural-that 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 hdde8 of the New Testa-
ment refer TO the Orore. 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 hell
was SO used as signifying n pit COW
|
nounced that free pamphlets, discuss
Ing the word hell and the parable Of
The Rich Man and Lazarus, etc,
would be distributed by the ushers.
The Divine Plan Of tho 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 harmonlze what we do
find therein. what Is the result2 Is 1t
the Gospel of which st. Paul was not
ashamed? The speaker submitted that
It Is, and believes that all Christians
could heartily unite and fellowship
upon It's broad basis.
John Calvin and our forefathers
were right in declaring that the Scrip
lures teach the election" OF Il little
aock"; but they were wrong In claim
Ing that the great mass OF humanity,
the non'eloct, are "passed by" routed
for eternal torture On the contrary
they all go to 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" died, the
lust for the unjust" Il Peter III. lS).
In word. merely the called of
Cod are being dealt with In the pres
cnt time, although the remainder of
mankind are having Il "wltness" and
nre learning lessons which will be
valuable to them when their trial time
shall come. We have not In the pnst
sufficiently noted the difference be-
tween the church and the lcorld The
Church Is Invited to walk the marrow
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
ing the world. The entire race of
Adam has been under condemnation
Tor six thousand years. The coming
OF Jesus and His death We're not In
tended TO increase mans condemna-
tlon. but, by providing for their reSur-