South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-04-18
UNCONVENTIONAL
DAY CELEBRATED
IN LOCAL CHURCH
Rev. L. :. Davis Tells COngre
CATION Members What
Baptists Stand For.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE)
the divine plan. Zach AUGMENTATION
has its own mission Each gives
special emphasis 20 some truth mini
mized or neglected by others
baptist POLICY
Baptiss are coneregationalists
Zach separate church is Independent
the only higher ecclesiastical author
ity being the great head Of the
church. Baptist churches are united
Tor mutual support and missionary
effort in various local state and gem
erai associations. conventions and
societies but have uo organization
like bishops synods assembly OFT
similar body with governmental au-
thority
All Baptist churches agree that
loyalty % their sommon Lord COM
pels mltual heIpfulness between AN
of the churches. This icoseness. or
well nigh absence OF central organ
ization might seem to- Doc "a source OF
weakness but Bapdsts are practical
Is q unit on all essential questions
az doctrine and practice Nothwith-
standing this lack Of authority over
the local church. Baptists are the
largest Protestant denomination in
the United states
Baptist Doctrine
"Baptists are evangelical. holding
in common with other Christians
the doctrine OF the personality. hoI-
ness and love Of Cod of the Trinity.
81
the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.
of the need Of salvation through
him OF the resurrection. and % the
future life We hold the supremacy
of the Bible as the sole and final
standard q belief and conduct. di-
req individual accountability 10. God
the duty of implicit obedience 70
God. Hence. Baptists acknowledge
no authoritative creed. confession OF
faith or catechism. except the Bible.
f'Baptists were the first people TO
found commonwealth where
church and state were actually ser
arate Among Baptist names who
led IN this movement we find John
Milton. John Bunyan and Roger
Williams. Providence. founded ry
Roger Williams was the first col
ony TO recognize soul liberty and to
reject the union OF the state and
tho church Baptists cannot APP
prove or proxy religion. and DO nos
admit % baptism and membership
chose who for any reason are un-
able TO exercise faith. whether i'm
fsnts or adults
Decided Errors.
l@Baptists cannot believe that any
rite or ceremony can change "a
mans moral nature. take away his
sins or 80 him 20 meet Cod. Tho
name Baptist refers 20 a rite. but
this name was originally applied in
scorn by prosecutors as was the
case long before with the name
Christian Baptlsts are ignorautlv
supposed by many excellent Chris
tian men and women. 70 be fanatics
as 90 the mode Of baptism and as
70 the efficacy or baptism. and to
believe that mo one can be saved
unless immersed These are de-
cided errors Of which any intelli.
gent Iersou should be ashamed
+Baptis,s hold the precise con-
trary-that no one should be re-
ceved as a candidate for baptism
unless he has given credible evil
dence that by faith IN our Saviour
ne has been forgiven and saved.
Baptists courteously ask considera-
.ion OF their beliefs and comparison
OF them with Gods word Baptists
GO not believe that religious contro-
versy is tho road TO Christian unity.
Tha~- haffot-a ~4fhav in ,trurai ian "A % I
study OF the Biole by every individ-
ual Christian and meanwhile unite
heartily with all who accept Christ
as Lord in everything that brinEs
near the kingdom OF God.