The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-07-06
Sunday School

Lesson July 10. Mat 2S.lS-2o,
Mark l:l-ll.
Baptism mas been tho symbol Of
Christianity attain times and places
II Is a symbol that the past life rs !
left bchinN and that we have
started on a fresh Undertaking with
high resolves and changed mo
tive, a symbol that We are dead 10
the Instincts that guided us in thc-
past and have taken on a different
set OF principles, bur al to the
past and resurrection TO the new
life. It Is idle TO indulge In cuntro-
vcrsy as 20 what mode this baptism
shall take, fcf In an things pertain
ing to religious life the motive 10
made of greater importance than the
method, the spirit OF greater import
than the icttcr
Baptism tx one OF The few essen
tial ceremonies OF Christian lifc 10
Is not I'm Itself a saving power. but
Is an act without tho Observance NJ
which no person feels himself sure
Of his acceptance boy the Savior AS
a child uf God and an heir 10 ctcr-
nal life. There may be- and prohn-
bly, are, cases iu which man has re-
celvcd Justification by faith without
performing the rite OF baptism. due
TO some circumstance not In his con
troll, but no true convert s going 20
omit that rite n It can possibly be
accomplished Those who choose
to persuade themselves that ihty
can be Just az good Christian
without oheyiuE ChristS command
and following his example are fool
Ing themselves. FOR without obedi
cncc We are no children ~ God, and
besides We are IN this matter put
ting our individual preference or
convenience ahead Of divine com
mand No man can claim salvation
who insists ON altering the ciict ~
tho Savior. for II we do not obey
Him We DO not love Him. and n we
do not love Him, we are none of iit.
Baptism Is the seal upon lndiN'dull
decision, a solemn public expression
% private purpose. formal COM
initial of the life 20 Christ following
repentance ~ sin and faith in hls
power and ability and willingness io
| save. For repentance must come
first The baptism OF an unrcpcnt-
ant soul is meaningless Obsurdity.
little short of alcrilcFo, Just as much
as 10 would be for a civilian 10 strut
around ln "A soldiers uniform, j.
In as II one should try to get TO
| heaven on false pretenses. The lea
! OF regeneration by baptism Is relic
OF heather superstition, which liKc
many other things became inCorpo-
rated I'm Christian practice when
whole communities and entire ma
tions wcro by imperial edict trans
ferrcd from paganism to Christian
| ity The masses accepted the form
OF doctrine. but clunR to their old
trad!llons. and this the authorities
winked at because 10 made it easier
| FOR them TO control the masses and
bend them 10 their will Nowhere
| In the Bible does II teach us that
any man was ever justified by be
| Ing baptized, or OF being converted
| by being placed In the water. nor
| OF being assured Of salvation because
| OF this one act John the Baptist
! administered the rite TO thousands
| during his eyangelisuc career, but
| he required that applicants for the
! rite should first show signs meet
| for repentance.
The key word OF Johns preaching
| was repent and the visible sign
| OF that repentance was baptism. Bap-
! tism is not an act OF repentance, but
sign Of it. not n washing away Of
| sins, but an emblem Of that cleans
| ing OF the soul by the figure OF
] cleansing the body. Jesus put the
| seal OF approval upon Johns hap
/ tism by himself submitting to the
! rite, not because he had any sins 20
| repent Of but because he never
| asked one OF his followers TO do any,
| thing for which he had not set the
! example. II was with him the day
OF his consecration for the work
the Father had sent him to do, and
Immediately after Ahis act he entered
| into sore trials and hard work In tho
! line Of his mission
There yet fingers with ms the idea
| that person can become an heir
| TO salvation by being baptized. that
! the act lis In itself an open door TO
! forgiveness and helrshtp, Yet, man
| may be baptized withou having In
| his heart the slightest intention OF
| altering his ways and may not even
| know the significance OF what he has
done We heard an anxious mother
bewailing the fact that her son had