River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-23

into that of the Heavenly Father. The
water baptism is a symbol of that bap.
tism, but the real baptism of Christ was
His immersion into BEAUTIFULLY, COM
pletely, giving up His life to do the Fa-
theirs will
Whoever would be with the Master
in His Throne must be so fully con-
secrated to do the Divine will so ready
to drink our Lords cup that he will
accept whatever the Father may per-
nit to come to him. He is not to pour
his own cup, and say that he will do
thus and so; nor is he to bury himself.
This is beautifully pictured in the wa
ter baptism. There the candidate gives
himself into the hands of the admins
traitor, and submits his will to that Of
the other. Symbolically he says, Lord,
into Thy hands commit myself. Take
me, bury me-in whatever way Thou
dost think best"
Figuratiyely, the Lord lays hold on
one thus conSecrated and lets him
down into death; and it is of His pow
er that this one will be raised up to
the perfect life beyond the veil-to
glory, honor and immortality, sharing
His resurrection, the First Resurrec-
ton. But only those who are buried in
the likeness of His death will be raised
in His likeness. Thus this picture of
baptism corresponds exactly to the
Scripture which reads, II beseech you,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that
we present your bodies a living sacri-
fee, holy, acceptable unto God-your
reasonable service"
The Pastor went on to explain that
this Is something more than merely
the Golden Rule, which calls only for
justice, not sacrifice. Those who drink
of the cup of Christ must ignore self
and its preferences They must sub
NIT to injustice for the sake of Christ;
they must sacrifice also. If they suf-
fer with Him they shall also reign with
Him; and the sufferings of the present
time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed
in the Lords saints.
The Importance of the Symbol.
Pastor Russell considers the sym
bolic baptism Of great Importance. He
acknowledged that great confusion ex-
lists among Christian people on this
subject, but holds that the real bap-
tism of the human will into the Divine
will Is the all-tmportant matter. But
whoever knows about the true symbol
and then refuses to be immersed, there
by proves that he is not fully dead to
his own will. Those who have never
perceived that immersion in water is
the only true symbol are not under OBJ
legation, however. Thus it has been
with many true Christian people who
have had the real immersion into
Christ. But when these come to see
the matter as the Scriptures present 1t,
they are responsible according to their
knowledge.
Contrary 30 his custom, the Pastor
here digressed and related his personal
experience. in regard to baptism. Born
Of Christian parents, he had been sprin-
kled in infancy. But when, years after
ward, he came to see the subject in the
light of the Scriptures, he had a Sc
we're fight with himself before he be-
came obedient to the Word. Excuse
after excuse presented itself to his
mind-people would think him a turn
coat, etc. Finally the matter so trou-
bled him that he settled it once for all
In favor of what he saw was right
the plain teaching of the Scriptures.
The point the speaker made was that
If he had refused to be obed1ent in this
respect, 1t would have meant the stop
page of his progress in the way Of the
Lord. He needed to take that very
step to prove that his heart was right.
II he had not done so, his refusal
would have proven that his will as a
human being was not wholly dead.
When he saw this point clearly, he
gave all over to the Headship of the
Lord
The Pastor believes that many of
the Lords people are stumbling in
Just the same way. He did not wish
to be understood as meaning that wa
ter baptism is the all-important thing;
for he pointed out that sanity people
who have not been Immersed will be
In the Kingdom, because they did the
best they knew and rendered prompt
obedience to all that God showed them.
But as soon as any consecrated child
Of God is shown something more than
he has hitherto seen, the responsibility
of that greater knowledge rests upon
him; and there is no escape from it.
A failure then to obey as to the SYM
boil would mean a withdrawal of the
sacrifice from the altar.
Dead With Christ.
The Pastor declared that all who
make full conservation of themselves
to the Lord to be dead with Him, to
be joint-sacrificers with Him in the
service of the Truth, are to reckon
themselves as separate and distinct
from the world around them. They
covenant to die to earthly things, and
may thereafter use these only as serv-
ants of the New Creation. AS New
To-, l.v{ek