The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1907-1917, 1914-02-12
From the President of Shorter
College.
Rome, Ca, Jan. II, 1914.

SO wish you to explain through the columns of
you paper what you mean by going back to the
principles of Jefferson
think of the world as moving on, and of truth
as expanding, unfolding and evolving, and that
progress is the watchword Of the age-and to me
there is such thing as going back to old time
truth, old time principles. If we go back to
Jonathan Edwards, he driven out of North
ampton because he hereto; if we go back
to John Wesley, he starved out of the Eng
lish church, because he was unsound; if we DO
back to John Calvin, we have gone back to the
primer of new truth; if go back to Paul.
will find that he hated by the Jewish nation
for his heresy; if we go back to Jesus Christ, we
will find that He crucfed for His new
teachings. We have astronomy, have
a new education, we have geology, we have
new theology and why do we not have new
political principles? To keep faith in astronomy
is not to go back to the days Of Copernicus; to
keep faith in education is not to go back to the
days of Erasmus; to keep faith in Methodism is
not to go back to the days of Wesley, it is like
Wesley to be in the very forefront of progress to
keep faith with the Puritans is not to go back to
the days of John Robinson. Why do we have to
go back to Jefferson to keep faith with modern
times in political questions?
have been great admirer of you all my life,
and have read your literature for twenty years.
If you will explain the above question, I shall
greatly appreciate it.
Very truly your friend,
L. R. HOGAN
,> ANSWER.
The writer of the above is one of those
Lincoln County boys who went into broader
field and has reached high position, by
merit alone. The Shorter College is great
institution. and to be President of it at the
youthful age of Luther r. Hogan, is an honor
indeed.
It is not easy to say what I mean by 'going
back to the princi Piles of Jefferson" when
the material conditions Of the human race
have so greatly changed.
E. l.
possible to explain so that all may under
stand.
1) We learn from ancient history that
the word 6aptiae was construed to mean
''lmmerse;' we learn from the Bible itself
that John the Baptist took his name from the
manner in which he dipped his converts;
we find him preaching along the Jordan where
there was plenty of water for immersion we
find another place where a remarkable state
ment is made about apostle work going for
ward in the interior of the country where
there was much water.
We cannot understand why the rivers,
pools, &c, were necessary, if few drops out
of cup, would have answered Just as we'll
There is great deal of physical discomfort,
at times, in going down into the water, even
though your upper half is not plunged under
People would hardly have gone into muddy
rivers, often chilly cold, if nothing more was
needed than slight sprinkle on the head.
Besides we know that the ancient religion
was full Of symbolism; and that burying the
convert in baptism, and then bringing him
up again, was symbolical of the new birth of
the mantle death of the old sin-loving
nature and the new birth, or regeneration in
Christ.
We find these places for immersion still
existing in the churches long after the Bish-
ops of Rome had begun to claim to be Christ
On-earth.